grogg grogg groggy

I suppose I was up a bit late, or perhaps it was one of the 3 or 4 shots of tequila, but I'm just a bit hmmm today. I will try and perk up though, pinky swear.
It's been rather busy around here. Saturday I had to go and spend more money, I got some fantastic beads and stuff for my hat, and a pressie for my mum's 15 year anniversary of running her own business (that's Aug 1st~so proud of her!). And a few other things for the reception.
Sunday was fabulous, I woke and the best friend, Mary calls "when can I come over" well anytime. And off we were we began with coffee of course, then moved onto working on the favors. They came out so cute. The boxes are tall, and not exactly rectangular filled with cute colored paper, and then wrapped with embroidery thread, and an assortment of goodies, like maple leaves, and beads, or little green paper flowers and bells, and on and on. By the time Mary and I had our system worked out, 2 other friends showed up. Julie who is a cool hippy beyond belief, and Charity our Alabama actress friend who comes up now and again from LA. So miss having her around, but LA is actually doing her well. With the extra additions the favors went quickly and became even more adventurous which was fabulous.
So the favors were finished, we had a little break for shots, ok 3 shots actually. But when it's good tequila I generally don't feel gross after words. And Yes I prefer sweet fruits as an after shot. This time I went with a slice of nectarine instead of lemon, loved it.
After shotsies, we moved onto hats. The hat making process is a detailed one and I really like involving myself in them, but they are really involved, perhaps more than I realized. So we'll see how they come out. There is another session after walking tonight at my house. Currently my new mini top hat needs to be shorter. I'll show pictures later.
Oh yeah, I finally have iphoto. Still no photoshop or adobe illustrator, but in due time. I have to admit though, I haven't been in the mood to type at home. I will make an effort to post from there as I took the best pict of the roommate, Charity and the roommate's dog all heading off downtown last night that turned out to be the funniest thing ever. They're all in line on his Bonneville motorcycle, well you'll see I'll make an effort to bring out the picts again.
cheers and happy making.

EMERGENCY ALERT!!!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled knitting to bring you, nothing but reading! Hah, I've been bitten by the Potter bug and am closing in on the ending, but still am only on chapter 25. So I haven't been knitting on Sprout, and the reception is like 2 weeks away. I've been sequestered to go shopping and prepare for the feast and the after blow out. My lists seem to grow, as does the bill on my credit card...hmm interesting. Things on my list that I doubt you really care for: make a new mini hat, perhaps a little wonkier
make decorations (this weekend w/ the ladies)
make favor cards, with our names on them (again w/ the ladies)
make magic happen
bring over more of my art crap from my mum's place
plant my giant split leaf philodendron (it's huge!)
go shopping for soooooo many things for decorations.
You know, just by looking at this smaller version of my list, it shouldn't be overwhelming, but I get the distinct impression that it's going to verge on that come a week or so. And to top it off the week before, the husbeast is going to Cambria for a really cool Triumph (motorcycle elitists) rally. I was supposed to go, but then we eloped, and now I'm prepping. I should look at this as being a godsend really though, it'll get the boys out of the house so as I can hang decorations, and clean some more. And just not be bothered by them...I could knit in the nude if I like! Hey this is looking up. Just kidding, I'm not looking for anymore knitting related injuries.
So tomorrow is the Bonnie Beer Bitch meetup, and then I can again knit, but until then, I'm hitting the book. What a great story though, eh.

and knitting away

Sprout grows!
I'm past the ribbing on the body, and am nearly up to the arms and all that.
Unfortunately tonight is another Street Party as well as the Beer Btich meetup, and my friend Damon and his lovely family will be meeting me downtown. So I'm thinking that my knitting time may be a little shortened. But who cares, Damo only comes back from China once in a blue moon, so long lost friends over knitting for me anyday. He's a really cool guy, and the most accomplished graphic designer and painter that I know. And his baby, oh my, the cutest little guy around. He has even been on a Chinese baby shampoo commercial, has strawberry blond hair, and is a half Asian, part Portugese/Italian/Scottish wee one. Too cute!
Cheers for now, and Happy Knitting

and I knit some more.

So last night I started and finished the other sleeve, and cast on for the main body to Sprout. I can't believe how quickly it goes when you're not knitting on 1's and 3's. Go figure huh.
So yesterday I had an epiphany. Not one of much brilliance, but I did realize that my Dolly Maxi superwash is probably not the same yardage as Gedifra...guess what they aren't! The Gedifra called for in the pattern is actually more than the Dolly Maxi by about 120 yards (cumulative). So off I was, ordering 2 more balls, and the gal over at Pure Knits was more than lovely in writing back that she orders sweater yarn in bulk. Ah the knitterly love, just feel it, and go ahead, squish it about, you'll love it too. But what do I know, I've only had one cup a coffee so far this morning, so maybe I'm a little delusional at this point, but nah I don't think so, as I generally only have one cup in the mornings.
And I suppose I should apologize to Amy Boogie for being such a ninny and asking her advise, when I pretty much already knew the answer. But she again was such a sweetheart in writing back to my yardage question. Again the love it's bursting from the scenes around here peeps. Just bursting I tell ya.
Go ahead, and burst someone's scene's today. Go ahead, surprise them, it's kind of fun.

I knit, and I knit, and I knit

and knit, out of love and joy. Out of needing to get things done. I enjoy working with the Laines du Nord, Dolly Maxi. The name reminds me of Dolly the Sheep for some reason, poor poor DNA deficient Dolly. But this dolly isn't deficient in DNA. It's deficient in twist. But the yarn is so squishable that I really don't mind when I have to tink back because I missed a strand. But I may mind when the little strands begin to get caught on things like fingers and purses ~but lo, that's in the future. Currently though I am really enjoying Boogie's Sprout Cardigan I spoke of last. And by the by huge thanks to that crazy YoYo Knits for the heads up on el cheapo yarn!

So far a sleeve has been made. That's since last night when I realized that I had received my yarn earlier that day. I'd say it was about 10:30. We had just eaten dinner and I was trying to pass out on the couch when the reality of new yarn in the house began calling. Don't you just love that sound. The gentle nudging of the merino drawing me nearer and promising that I will be just so happy to knit it. I mean after all it is Super Wash. What a star fiber super wash. ~Here I come to save your knitting today, it's me Super Wash, with a chest all emblazoned with an unfelted "S". ~Do great balls of super wash have chests? I believe I've gone one step beyond. But eh gads who cares, it's Super Wash. Yes I admit it's my first experience with super wash, but I believe I'm keeping my cool. Not like I've actually made the super wash hero suit, yet.

Sorry for the larger than necessary delay in babble~status (blogging) but I've been doing summer things, like gardening, and planning a reception, and cleaning house, and making invites, and then making more but different invites, then making more of those different invites.

scanner time, scanner time, whoah, hoahooh.

It dawned on me a moment ago, I can at least scan the invites I have on hand just so you can see their gocco cuteness.
Do keep in mind that these are the second generation of printing, hence the little dots of color from the well used screens. But they were still rather successful I believe. The back side is the bottom image, of the Mad Hatter and the Hare trying to stuff the Doormouse into a tea pot. Too prosh! They are printed on either black, brown, orange, lime green, or light blue (as you see above), and are about 3.5"x5. The size I used really got me to work out how to keep the registrations straight. Each card was pressed 3 separate times, once for the back, then the little blue dancing people (from the silhouettes out of the Cinderella book), then a third time for the rest of the text. Yep these are for the invite only after party that's up at our house. And yep there is a slight mad hatter theme going on, but that really isn't unusual as I try to throw one every year. But this one may just have decorations to match.
(One of these day's I'll give a gocco tutorial. Since my machine is the PG-11 I didn't really find any tutorials for that model. And then some other day I may even watch the video's that came with the kit...I just can't stand reading or watching instructions, I prefer to figure most things out myself.)
The reception down at my mum's house has a much more proper, white paper with black ink and rather official invite, well as official as a backyard BBQ invites can be, but still boring...!

Harrry potter harry potter harry potter harry pot

harry potter harry potter harry potter harry pot

oh potter boy oh potter potter boy

oh potter boy oh harry-o!

Potter potter harry-oooooooo

(sung to the tune of Sarasponda)
Still waiting to see it. Lo there is no one left to go with me...Oh well there's a midnight release of the book this weekend at our downtown hangout. Can anyone say books and beer! Woohoo, butter beer. I wonder who will be killed off this time, or if Hermione and Ron will finally get it on in Moaning Mertle's bathroom. You know that's where J.K. is going with it. Watch, pretty soon there will be parodies just like there were for the Brady Bunch. Mark my words. oh what's that? There already are? Oh poo!

Cheers and Happy Knitting to one and to all.

Just sometimes

I get jealous. Not like green around the gills jealous. But jealous yet still in the smallest way. I was just reading the Harlots loss of a ripped fair isle sleeve, and her sorrow over so much lost effort and work. But here I think to myself as I am nearing completion of my first sweater, just how nice it must be for those smaller knitters out there that can knit a small sweater and be able to wear it. Here if I were to be making same said sweater it would need to be an XL just to fit over my boobs alone. I run into this feeling of jealousy every now and again. Don't think I'm not trying to work on it, for I am. I try to knit faster so I can compare the time it takes me to knit something to the time it takes some other, but it just isn't the same. Perhaps I'll just take longer walks in the evening to try and make the difference only 2 sizes, and not 3. That would certainly be a decent way to remedy that fact of size and of what really matters.
My lovely Rowan sweater has half of a half sleeve left to be knitted, then my mum has promised to show me how to seam them all together. I'm so excited. And it seems that it will be finished in time for the reception. The question still remains as to whether or not the darn thing will fit AND look nice on. I did try it on once, by pseudo seaming the front and back together and well it wasn't flattering, but hopefully it will.
I ordered yarn yesterday. I had it on good faith that there was a sale going on over at Pure Knits, thanks to the lovely over at YoYo Knits. For a decent price I got six balls of a lovely bright shade of blue, hmmm rather similar to the one you see on this blog hmmm, it's Laines du nord's Dolly Maxi aran weight yarn. The only reason I went out and splurged was because of just the cutest short cardi that Boogie had done up. Check it out ! Doesn't just make you think cute! Well it does for me. So that's the next on the needles, and if you look closely, it's not done up on size 1's or 3's. That there's genuine 6's at least. Woohooo. I really don't want to be making another size 1~3 sweater again, at least not for a long time.
Neither have I given up on the purse idea. After all I'll need something chic to go along with my dress for my reception. EEEiiii it's getting so close, and things really are just starting to fall into place. If not just a little late in the timing. Oops did the invites get out 3 weeks late? Bad me. But 2 people have RSVP'd. Not bad, eh. Back to the purselett though, I have some nice frames. And to me it's the frame of the purse that should really make it sing. I'm leaning towards the larger frame, coin purse style. It's copper colored, and has sparkelies for the clasps and a bit more detail. I'm a little torn on which yarn to use. I would like it to be small in gauge, and may just use some of the sweater yarn so as they could match, but incorporate some brown Rowan Glace that I have lying about. Of course it would be rather similar to a clutch, but a small strap from the frame is necessary. I'm a little nutty in that I can picture it, but when it comes down to it, is that what will come out, we'll just have to see.
Have a lovely weekend all, and Cheers.

BLOGGER SAys no TItle 4444 mEEEEE.
There's a light at the end of the tunnel, and soon I may be able to use my iphoto and photoshop. It's been a long few months and well thanks to anyone that's stuck around all this time.
We will be back soon with our regularly scheduled knitting, until then keeps your sticks tight, and your knits loose. (I know it doesn't make much sense, oh well....)

Happy 4th of July

To all my peeps out there.
On the knitting front, the cloche is done, and felted, and really a looker. I am currently working on the sleeves for the Rowan sweater. Almost done.
I hope to wear it for our wedding reception, not like I'll need it, but I hope to be able to wear it. So the reception is a two part thing. 2 o'clock will be the family BBQ, and sunset will be the Bacchanal. Lots of beer, and my BFF suggested having all our other girlfriends make a pie and bring it to the fete. That sounds like a choice suggestion to me. The theme for this is of course Mad Hatters. So all are required to wear a hat, and bring a chair and we'll bonfire it up with mucho bands and a great time to be had by all.
I can't wait, it seems like everything is falling into place.
Cheers and have a safe Independence Day!