2.24.2011

Project 52: Week 8

  

Also known as the week of the sniffles!  I missed last week's Project 52 posting, since I was apparently incubating a head cold that presented itself a couple of days ago.  So in keeping with my runny nose, I present to you a project I worked up recently:


more dandy crochet work on the button loop
                                                         

a giraffe in need deserves Puffs indeed

                                                            
take a tissue, any tissue...well up to 15 anyway


The pattern is from Girl on the Rocks, and it's the cutest little travel tissue cozy you've ever seen!  I gave it to my grandmother for V-Day because she has carried Kleenex in her purse ever since I can remember.  She thought it was really cute and has put it to good use since.  I'd actually planned on making one for my niece and nephew after I was told how much they like those tiny tissue packages, and I even took some yarn on my business trip to work on them.  Well, let me tell you...I ran out of yarn!  It really was a good grief Charlie Brown kind of moment when it happened not once but twice!

Luckily I have a plan.  I am going to finish my nephew's *bright* green model with some equally bright turquoise yarn, and my niece's pink version will be finished in purple.  Each kid likes that color combo, so I think it'll be win-win for all of us.  I'd better get crackin' though--the other day my grandmother mentioned that my nephew has been carrying hers around like precious treasure!

Oh my, who would've thought I could devote an entire post to sweaters for snot-catchers?!  There is clearly too much medication clouding my brain.  But not so much that I can't plan to make one for myself...though at this point I'd need a cozy for an entire box!



2.21.2011

Fingerless but not Flightless

Wow, I feel like I've been away forever!  In all reality I was on a business trip, so the early part of last week was spent packing (see insane list-making) for my visit to a very crisp Columbus, OH.  The weather was about 40 degrees lower there than here in TX, but I thoroughly enjoyed bundling up in my oh-so-soft alpaca scarf.  All the compulsive preparations kept me from posting some of my recent FOs. 

The weekend before my trip I completed some fingerless mittens as a V-Day gift for my mom, using the Mindless Mitts pattern from Ravelry (link is to my project page).  My only alteration to the pattern was to seam the mitts with the garter ridges moving horizontally, as opposed to vertically like the pattern indicates.  Doing so allowed me to show off the great striping effect of the yarn.


I think they turned out pretty nice and my mom was pleasantly surprised.  She's always freezing at the office, so hopefully these will allow her to work and stay warm at the same time!

2.11.2011

Project 52: Week 6


With the impending holiday of looove, I have been feeling a little giddier than usual.  This is a new sensation for me as I've never been a big fan of VD (yeah that's what I call it lol), though I do really love all the brightly colored chocolates!  I think I'm just so excited about seeing R in a few days that I've got hearts and romance on the brain.  It's certainly more enjoyable than the fever its been experiencing all this week.  I don't even care that I'm seeing him courtesy of a work thing, I'm just happy to see him at all.

But anyway, on to the hearts...


so pink, so girly
                            
Look at Ralph rockin' those hearts--I think he's just a little mortified.

I went with a nice, sturdy cotton yarn in pink.  This was partly due to my 2011 stash-busting commitment, but I also have to be careful about wearing anything with a high wool content on my neck.  Color me itchy otherwise...Now, I am not a huge lover of pink but I even I have to admit it looks good on me (I know, so vain right?).  But I do plan on wearing it so I figured it'd better be in a shade I somewhat prefer.  And since we all know how I feel about red, I opted for the other ordained color of the holiday.

The pattern is "Love Rocks!" from Vickie Howell, who used to host an awesome show called Knitty Gritty that I watched all the time before I went to internet streaming.  And, and, AND I had to crochet for this pattern too!  Well, sort of.  The only the required crocheting was the chain that connects all the hearts, but it still required a hook so it COUNTS!  The funny part is, I think I spent nearly as much time chaining as I did knitting the hearts (see Ravelry project page for details).  I really am that crochet-challenged--just reading the abbreviations makes my head hurt.  However, I had so much fun making these tiny hearts that I might have to make some giant-sized versions to use as decorations next year.  Or maybe a heart garland for the mantle...oh the possibilities are endless!

Well, I am off to obsess over my trip list (oh, I love a good list!).  I am still trying to figure out how much V-day junk and yarn I can fit into a carry-on.  I can get toiletries and clothes anywhere, but I can't just walk in off the street and buy skein of alpaca anywhere.  A girl has to have priorities.




2.09.2011

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Well, more like a phone call from my sister at 3:30 in the morning.  Now, when my phone rings at that hour I immediately wonder what's wrong...In this case there was so much that was sooo right.  S-N-O-W.  Yep, I said it.  Last Friday, February 4th, actual snow came from the sky.  And even though it was mostly ice with only about a half-inch of recordable powder, I will victoriously take it.


worth the frozen fingers

nice penmanship!

it has to be snow if it's falling from the sky

crunchy little crystals
 
my yarn has never seen snow


others also ventured out to play

Since the city was shut down for half the day, I worked from home and enjoyed the crazy-frosty weather.  I also had the pleasure of finishing R's Valentine's Day scarf.  I can't believe I finally get to see him next week and wrap it around him myself!  That is going to be the absolute best. 

I also began work on a fun little something that I will wear for Cupid's day, and take on my business trip so I can show it to R.  It's pink and more girly than I'm normally into, but it was a quick and fun project.  More on that soon! 

2.03.2011

Baby, it's Cold Outside (Week 5 of Project 52)

Remember that old song by Dean Martin?  Oh, I can hear Dino crooning in that creamy voice right now...and boy is it appropriate for this deep South-Texas freeze!

Here we have to wrap the exterior pipes and leave them dripping so they don't freeze and burst.  I hadn't checked on them for a couple of days, and I found homemade ice sculptures awaiting my return.  In the interest of not boring you to death with a gazillion photos of basically frozen water and leaves I made you a collage.  I get to satisfy the need to share my tiny patches of frozen tundra without making you scroll forever just to see them all.  Win-win in my opinion!



Of course, somebody finally decided to mug for the camera.  It was weird--kind of like Groundhog Day, but for gnomes.  Hmm.  That McGregor, he's such an odd fellow.  I would not be surprised if he starts popping up periodically.

sneaky little gnome

Two things I know today:  First, there is snow in the forecast.  Real, legitimate belief that it might snow here for the first time since January of 1985!  That tiny little frost in '04 doesn't count.  Second, I can't think of a better reason to hunker down and continue knitting.

Stay warm and safe everyone.