Ene, meenie, miney, mo!

Thanks to everyone who voted... but why use stash yarn when you can buy new, exciting, I've never used this type of yarn yarn? Yes, I was bit by the siren call of the new luxurious yarn.

So... how do you pronounce this scarf's name anyhow? Which scarf?
I've been obsessively, and exclusively, working on this project for the last week or so. Here's my progress pic of Ene's scarf. I'm at the beginning of chart 3, (there are 4 charts total), which has been the most difficult so far. That would be the black purl colorway, of Lorna's Laces Helen's lace. And yes, it's new. From String.

As I admitted on Michelle's blog comments, I've been having LOTS of SEX. I think I'm addicted.
here are some of my past indiscretions, of which i've been too shame filled to blog about. i've been a bad, bad girl.
This lovely skein of yarn, called Swan- from Wool in the Woods, is for Joanne's friendship afghan, a rambling rows mitered square one... I bought this skein yesterday afternoon, at a new yarn store in SE Aurora (Moon Fiber Arts), with Michelle as a witness.

for one of the projects I discussed in last week's post...
aren't the colors pretty? I need to finish either spork or my so called scarf so I can cast on for this one! The lighter purple will be the cabled area. I have a few skeins of the light purple in my stash, and the rest of the colors, I bought one skein each at Colorful Yarns.

This past Tuesday, Stacey and I went to the 3-2-1 sale at A Knitted Peace.
That would be my haul. 8 skeins of Rowan Felted Tweed (4 in a teal, 4 in a deep purple), 2 balls of Jaggerspun zephyr lace weight yarn, 2 skeins of Lamb's pride in navy. 3 books... one on aran patterns, one in lace, and Ann Budd's Sweater book.

At this point, I'm wondering what I'm leaving out. Because it seems what I've documented is already enough SEX to qualify me as an addict in need of help. What I've left out is the stuff I've left in the car. Some feltable wool (Icelandic wool and lamb's pride) for felted clogs for myself, and a few balls of paintbox.

Last... a progress pic of my-so-called-scarf.


I'll be joining Kim's stashalong, which means I can't have any SEX for three months, beginning Jan 1, 2006. My only exception would be purchases for birthdays and SP7.

The rule of four

No, I am not talking about the book, but kind of my new year's resolution for knitting.

After discussing it ad nauseum with my knitting grlz, I will be limiting myself to FOUR projects on the needles at any given time.

At the height of insanity, I had nine, er, ten. Nothing compared to some, but for me, I had begun to lose focus on the finishing part of knitting.

The list of projects and status.
1) scarf: backyard leaves (knitting portion complete: blocking in progress)
2) scarf and mitten set for ISE: in progress. not due until Feb 15th.
3) scarf: My so called scarf using Manos del Uraguay: on the needles
4) Simple baby pullover: purple cotton ease: complete
5) chunky baby cardigan: green alpaca AL: complete, need to sew on buttons
6) brown cable tank: needs to be seamed together
7) purple soeleil tank: needs seaming
8) spork: in progress
9) clapotis: Interlacements: ripped out due to insufficient funds/yarn.
will re start next year.
10) Rogue hoodie: stalled

That's everything that's not COMPLETELY finis. I don't count 1, 4,5,6,7,9, or 10 as WIPs b/c they are either not progressing at all (10), don't need any actual KNITTING to be considered complete (1,4,5,6,7), or will be ripped out to re-start (9).
Now, either I am the Queen of Denial and Rationalization, or I really don't have that many WIPs! Because, I count three. My ISE set of mittens and scarf, my so called scarf, and spork. which means I get to cast on for something or another!!

This long winded self involved post is where I need YOUR help. What should I cast on for next?
up for consideration:

1) Fair Isle Jazz out of Scarf Style
2) Ene's Scarf out of Scarf style
3) Charlotte's Web
4) felted clogs by Fibertrend. (obligation knitting)

The rule of four of which I am speaking... means that I want four different projects for different purposes
1) a pair of socks: for portability
2) a lace pattern/difficult something or another in which I will learn somthing about knitting.
3) a color pattern
4) a kind of boring pattern which I can knit while watching TV/movies.

now, if i'm really smart, I can combine #1 with either #2 or #3.
the mittens i'm knitting can qualify as socks for now, spork definitely qualifies for #4, and my so called scarf... is almost done.
but for now, i want to cast on for ene, fair isle, or charlotte, and I can't decide which one... wanna help me?

The purple people eater

I actually have an FO to report!! Shocking, I know.

Pattern: Baby's Pure and simple pullover by Lana Hames, out of Weekend Knitting
Size: 0-6 months
Yarn: purple cotton ease
Needles: Size 4 circs

Mistakes... let me enumerate these for posterity.
1) i made the front and back slightly different sizes by mistake. maybe by about 2 rows.
2) i mis-read the directions, so there's no rolling at the hem of front OR back. how I managed to think garter stitch would roll is beyond me.
3) i had to knit THREE arms. No, the baby is not a freak with three arms. I made mistake #2 on sleeve #1.
4) when i picked up the neckband, I did well with the picked up stitches. BUT, i didn't remember to make the buttonhole by binding of one stitch instead of yarning over. So, that button hole is slightly small.

Now, some of you who actually know me, may (or may not) be wondering how awful this pattern must be written that i managed to muck it up so badly. It's not the pattern. it's me. I don't like to read very carefully.

On Saturday, Michelle had people over to help celebrate her graduation, which was great. Many yummy snacks, and great company, and got to meet Michelle's family!

Sunday, I was knee deep in dough. Not of the $$ variety, unfortunately. My friend and I have the tradition of making holiday cookies together. We made one cookie each on our own, and had decided on five recipes for Sunday. Yes, five. And yes, we're insane.



Starting at the bottom of the pic, clockwise.
1) Coconut and chocolate chews.
2) Raspberry almond turnovers
3) Peppermint balls
4) chocolate chip cookies (the neiman marcus variety)
5) Cranberry lemon shortbread
6) Spritz cookies
7) Chocolate balls (in the center)

another view:


And all those tins you see? those are the tins we packed up so we could give away all this baked goodness. In true holiday spirit, yes? We began baking at 1030am. We ended at about 1030pm. Needless to say, I'm finished baking for quite some time!

Bag lady

What do you do when you feel as if you have too much yarn? and too many shoes? and maybe too many books? You buy bags. Actually, you can buy bags whenever, they are not to be held as a last resort, but more like a prize.

psst! the bag thing works well at the end of the shop-o-holic list because they are STORAGE. after the book and yarn buying binge, you can store all of your new stuff in your new bags!

so. for my b-day, my brother decided (with help from me, of course) to buy me a bag. I wanted something that was business casual, so I could use it at work or at school... or for my knitting! While I was stumbling around on Amazon.com, I had found these bags, which I thought were adorable.

I got the Ashley, since it's big enough to carry my laptop and some books. Or a hell of a lot of knitting!! And, since I couldn't resist, I bought another precious. Should I perhaps be feeling like I overindulged myself? Perhaps. I'm not the only one who's been mad for bags lately... see?

Here's a shot of my bag, very roomy. the cats love it. and it comes with a sleeper/dust bag!



In knitting news, I am off to go spend my gift certificates at the LYS. I'm also more than half way on my so called scarf, which I'm LOVING. Pics tomorrow. Tonight, I'll be at Michelle's, celebrating her graduation from graduate school (MBA, I think).

Birthday Booty

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say Happy B-day! I turned the big 3-0 on Saturday!! I started celebrating pretty early...like Thursday. A friend took me out to dinner at Samba Room, where we shared the black bean salsa (marquetas), some lovely red wine, then we split the spanish paella accompanied by mango mojitos.
On Friday, I shared the birthday glory with Cathi, by celebrating at Monkey Bean, accompanied by Stacey and Michelle.

On Saturday, the actual birthday, I was tired from these long nights, and did some retail therapy for myself... and then went to a late night movie with Stacey... has everyone seen walk the line with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon? I am no aficionado of Johnny Cash, but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Sunday... a friend took me to Saigon Bowl (excellent vietnamese food... we shared the combo appetizer) for a birthday lunch, and then I hoofed it down to Stacey's mom's house for a little holiday get together (Marsha... when are you gonna start a blog already?) We ate, knit, laughed, knit, ate, knit, ate. And ate some more. Many were in attendance... and I'm hoping some of the other people in attendance will have more to say (or see) about the event.

Onto the porn.


On the right, we've got the most adorable glittery snowflake candles, some cute knitting notecards, and some sticky notes in my initials from Wanda... Thanks Wanda! Left, we have a cute card and gift certificate to A Knitted Peace from Joanne... Thanks Joanne. Anyone care to guess how long it will sit in my pocket?




Here's a couple books I got this weekend... A second treasury is from Stacey... and the Yarns to Dye for book I got in the holiday gift exchange at Marsha's event. Here's a large haul... an awesome smelling Yankee candle, sour apple lip balm, and 2 skeins of Inca Alpaca in the loveliest green. All from Michelle for my b-day! She's so sneaky. I've been wanting that candle since I smelled it at her house a month or so ago! The chibi and mm mmm good teas are also from Stacey. Thanks girls!


These 2 skeins of yarn... Lorna's Laces, shepard worsted, in Black Purl are a b-day gift from myself to myself. I decided I deserved it after receiving official notice on Saturday that I had passed my licensure exam (the NCC). So yay for me!


I have much more to say. But, first set of applications are due on Thursday. Either I'll see you then, or I'll post in order to procrastinate.

the bestest SP!!

I know many of you may want to argue with me, but I have irrefutable proof that my secret pal is the BEST secret pal of the round!!

Susan has been my secret pal this round, and she managed to spoil me rotten while MOVING! How she managed is beyond me... but she did a beautiful job. She thinks she didn't do enough, and I'm thinking that she already went WAY overboard. So, thanks Susan for being such a great SP!

Here's the latest presents...

We have the HUGE box before I ripped into it with those scissors, and then the CUTEST packaging EVER! It's two hat boxes, one slightly smaller than the other, with cats frolicking on them! oh... you want to see what's inside?


in the first box on the left, we have one skein of laceweight KnitPicks paint your own yarn! 100% merino wool, 100g, at 880 yard! HOW in the world did she know that the next scarf style scarf after Fair Isle Jazz would be Ene's scarf, with which I've been perusing the online yarn stores for laceweight yarn? HOW? AND, a skein of fingering weight, color your own... for SOCKS! Plus, she included two candles, in my very favoritest smells... vanilla and LILAC. MMMM. I can decide if i want my apt to smell like spring (lilac) or home baking.

As if that weren't enough... in box two on the right, we have TWO more skeins of Knit Picks, Wool of the Andes, worsted weight, 100% merino wool, 220 yds each. Cleverly, she included a dye kit from Spinner's choice, with six color dyes inside, each will dye a whole pound of yarn! SIX lbs of fiber!! AND (I know! will it never stop? how much can she pack in there?) she sent some roving...which will be fun to dye, then spin!! I know that if I saw this package on someone else's blog, I would be pea green with envy!! So a big THANK YOU to Susan for being so thoughtful and generous!! WAY too generous (but i'm not giving ANYTHING back).

Now, the funniest thing is that the person I'm spoiling? Her name is Susan too! I just sent off the last package to her today, and I'm excited to hear what she thinks. *of course, it's not the same Susan*

last... my promised pic of spork.

Oh...the weather outside is frightful...

and I wish I had a fire that was delightful. Seriously, all that howling wind needs to STOP. I can't sleep.

I am, however, happy to share a few things today.
as quoted from my email, from the program academic advisor...

"Congratulations! You passed the Fall 2005 CPCE Comprehensive Exam!
You will get official notification and graduation announcements via email next week."

woohoo!! That means that I don't have to worry about taking that horrid exam ever again, and I can burn all my notecards. About 400 or so of them. Some school friends and I have already planned having a small bonfire to burn our cards together. Must get fixins for S'mores while I'm at it.

On Friday, I met up with Michelle at Ceramics in the City. We both had great fun painting our ceramic bowls, in which we both plan to show off our most prized yarns. The bowls shall be ready on Friday, and if doesn't look like complete shit, I'll show a pic of it here. I am not the most creative/artistic person, being so left brained, which would be why my butt always follows patterns. The only creative thing I have to deal with is picking out some yarn!

Saturday, I met up with the DenverKnits group (found on Yahoo groups) at Borders... where I worked on Backyard Leaves until I was bored silly. Then Michelle and I convinced Joanne to join us at Colorful Yarns, where they helped me pick out some colors for Fair Isle Jazz out of Scarf Style (I thought that the Mandala throw from Philosopher's Wool wouldn't be the best FIRST experience with color work...) Then Joanne convinced us to visit A Knitted Peace to see the lastesst offerings from Judy Dittmore. Tiny Toes. Sock yarn. I resisted successfully!!

In big news, I have finished Backyard Leaves. Now is NOT the time to go check my archives to see it. It's from the very firt post. I was about 75% done when I put it down in April 2005.


I'm on the last color of spork, which I hope to finish this week. My motivation to finish spork is so that I can cast on for two new projects.

I leave you with cuteness.