Had to Share This With You

Just got off the phone with my Mom. She said that she called JoAnn's Fabrics and asked if they had "size 3, 16 inch circular needles." The man on the phone checked and came back and said "We only have size 3, 14 inch circular needles." Mom thought that was a bit odd, but said okay, thank you. Later that morning she went to JoAnn's, straight back to the knitting needle section. She stood and looked at every single package of knitting needles. She could not find either size 3, 14 inch circular nor could she find size 3, 16 inch circular. She asked the man that had spoken to her on the phone for help. He walked back to the knitting needles. Mom said "I've already looked at every single pair of needles, and they aren't there." After a few moments the man pulled a pair off the wall and turned to Mom with a triumphant smile and said "Here you go!" They were size 3mm, 14 inch straights. Ignoring the fact that she wanted size US3 she stated the obvious "Those are not circular." To which the man replied "Oh yes, they are - the needles are round!"

I wonder if this man was blonde...

Peeples in Malmö

No, Milli, I have have not knit any peeps this Easter. Last year I knit Lilli a pink one and Tipton a white one. They thought they were eggs. Perhaps it was the fault of the yarn. I did not have the good peeps yarn like I've got now. I will have to try again, someday. But for now I am obsessed with my log cabin blanket.

yay!

Dear Jenn,
I'm so glad to see you blogging again! yay!
I will be working on a problem solving thing over the next few days and will have pictures for you then. I was knitting for Jessica (I'm pretty sure she found me through you) and developed a large waistband problem. Like a giant hole problem. In finished pants problem. That would require massive amounts of reknitting on pants that I already knit the second leg twice problem...

Ya. I'm trying to get around this hole thing. I'm planning on a really long graft, but if I can manage it, it will be gold. Pure gold.

So glad to have you back! Love the snakes. Have you knit peeps yet? I just started one last night.

Remember Me?

Hi Milli, remember me? I'm your co-blogger. Sorry for the prolonged absence. I have no excuse, really. Just lazy and preoccupied with life and whatnot. Anyway, here's what I've been up to. Really, there should be a lot more than there is, but I took a hiatus from knitting to finish Lilli's Christmas stocking. I can post pictures of that later if you'd like (I'll have to dig it out of the Christmas stuff.) So, on with the knitting!

As you know, my Mom was here over Christmas. She did some knitting.

I knit Dave a hat. I forget what yarn I used, but I held it double stranded - one strand black and one strand grey. It was some sort of cotton blend. It is super soft and very, very warm. I knit it in a K3, P2 sort of pattern (I think, based on this picture.)

I knit new mocs for the kiddos. Lilli, of course, chose hot pink.

Tipton chose bright green.

I cannot seem to find the pictures I took of them after they were felted. If I can't find them I'll just have to take more...

A friend of Dave's had a baby girl, so I knit her a little kimono sweater. Of course, in keeping with tradition I have not mailed it to her yet. (Eleri will get hers some day, I promise... not that she needs it now, nor would she fit in it at this point.) I knit this one out of baby eco-cotton. So it's machine washable.

And of course I've knit up some dishcloths. Here are a few I was able to round up for a picture. There are many more, but they are hiding - stalking me from the laundry basket, I'm sure.

I seem to have spent most of my time knitting snakes. Yes, snakes. Glow-in-the-dark snakes. One green, one pink. On little tiny needles. I blew through the first one, but got bored about halfway through the second one. And that's what's taken so long. I finally pushed through the tedium this weekend, however, and now have two completed snakes.

Of course the pink one is Lilli's. I finished the green one (Tipton's) first. My Mom found the glow-in-the-dark yarn in a dollar store. She just couldn't resist. She knew I'd be able to make something for the kiddos out of it. And yes, it really does glow.

I'm sure I've told you that my friend, Sam, is moving back to the US. She has been going through stuff and trying to downsize for the move. So she brought me all of her yarn. Sam is a loom knitter. She knits baby blankets on a large circular loom. So she had lots of really soft bright and pastel yarn, mostly acryllic. Three giant ziplock bags full (the superduper extra large ziplock bags - the size you can fit a small child in.) What to do with so much yarn?

Log Cabin! I've only just started. And yes, I've already made a mistake. I'm sure you can spot it. I thought about taking it out but then thought "it will give it character." And it will serve as a reminder not to make the same stupid mistake again. Besides, this one will be for me. And I've got more than enough yarn to make another one, without the mistake.

So that's a little of what I've been up to. I promise to be a better co-blogger from now on.

What have you been up to?

If we were in a blizzard

Dear Jenn,

You'll be pleased to know that according to this quiz, if we were stranded in a blizzard, I would only be 20% likely to eat you.

Good to know!

this month

Dear Jenn,
This month, I vow to knit a sock.
I've been wanting to. So I will.
I will knit a sock. maybe even two.
How about you?

Purple

Dear Jenn,
One purple cardigan, done.

This is the baby cardi from Knitting Pure and Simple. The free one. I went with no hood because I was afraid of running out of yarn. Very nice pattern - quick and no seaming. This is the newborn size. I'd call it 3-6 months sized. It's supposed to have ties to close it, but I don't know if I'll get around to those. I might find some cute buttons or something.
Eleri seems delighted with it though.

holy crap it's cold!

Dear Jenn,

It is 19 degrees outside.
19.
I remember being a kid in northern IN, and my mom had this rule about it needing to be at least 19 for us to go out and play... I must have been some kind of burly because that is way too cold now.

*shiver*

flickr app

Dear Jenn,

You use flickr, right? You should try out this application. It's very addictive.

Extreme knitting

Dear Jenn,
I finished these last night, but haven't woven in that last end because you have to see...
Let's get in the right frame of mind first.

I chose a light purple for the waist and cuffs, because I was afraid of running out of yarn to make small britches. I know I would have enough, but I feel the psychological need of padding. So anyway... chose the lavendar because I thought it looked pretty.
There is some pooling strangeness with the green on one side and the pinks/purples on the other side in the body, but I don't rip back for pooling unless it's superugly. This is ok.
I parceled out my lavendar into two balls for the cuffs, so I would know I had enough.
I had a bunch left over after the first leg cuff. I mentally gave myself a pat on the back for being so thoughtful as to assure my sanity.
Sometime between that first cuff, and the last one the larger ball of cuff yarn walked off (on little Niall feet). I didn't realize this. I thought I had the good ball with me as I began that last cuff.
And then it seemed to get small really quickly. You know how that happens. You're whipping along knitting and ZOOP! there goes the end of the ball.
I started to sweat. I also may have been muttering some things about Niall that weren't exactly complimentary. I looked for the bigger ball, but I couldn't find it anywhere. I decided to stick it out and see.
I won. Barely. But I won.

Oh and the missing ball? I found it this morning under the microwave.
Well played, Niall. Well played.

Be Advised

I am knitting again.

I just finished a hat for Dave. A hat that not only fits him, but that he actually likes and is even currently wearing.

Next up: mocs for the kiddos.

I promise pictures, soon.