knitting the night away

This past weekend, I went down to Knit where they were having a "knit the night away" party. It was loads of fun! They had snacks and pizza and yummy strawberry shortcake, and everyone brought their knitting and talked about all sorts of random things. There was a movie, but I didn't watch it, I was trying to get the Baby Tart done and I made it pretty far:

As it gets smaller, it gets harder to do the bobbles at the top - I'm trying to keep them loose, but on DPN's it's difficult without leaving gaps. I'd really like to try this in crochet - for me crocheting bobbles is so much easier. Since it's done by picking up stitches off the "crust" I may knit another bottom and crochet the top. Maybe that's what I'll do for the Ravelympics!

What is Ravelympics you ask? The best way to describe it is off the Ravelry knitting site:

The First International Ravelympics Summer 2008 are open to any knitter or crocheter on Ravelry ready to challenge themselves to complete a project (or projects) within 17 days during the Summer Olympics.

Not to be confused with the Knitting Olympics which take place every four years, just like any other Olympic sport and will be orchestrated by the Yarn Harlot.

Concept: You must cast on a project during the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics (Aug. 8)- and finish before the Olympic flame goes out (Aug. 24). That’s 17 days. Would you rather work on your burgeoning WIPs? Then join up for the WIPs Wrestling. All other events are for newly cast on projects!

I have joined team KnitK on Ravelry, and am trying to decide if I am ambitious enough to finish my WIP's (works in progress) or if I should start a completely new project. Of course it would have to be a baby project as there are still 4 people to make knitting baby things for - not including finishing the tart hat: Missy, Alicia, Rachel and Crystal. You know who you are missies!

Oh yeah, Gabriella's birthday is also coming up, so I need to put together a gift for her too! sheesh!

I've got some ideas, I just have to pull all the materials together, and that usually takes me the longest to do. Well. I've got 9 days to get into gear!

making more baby stuff

Because another friend just had another baby - Keegan Andrew - born 3:23 yesterday to my friend Missy - her second, so she now has one of each boy/girl. (does that really need explaining?? Yet somehow I feel like it does).

I'm still not done with the baby tart hat, so I know I've got to get going on these things. I was getting teased at Knit-night because I've been making so much baby stuff. But I do like knitting smaller projects - I can't imagine how far behind I would be if it was all for adults!

So 2 out - 2 to go, and not one baby item finished here... sheesh! I've got to get working! Pictures to come.

as a new auntie again

My B&SIL just had their 2nd child - a beautiful baby girl yesterday! Yeah!! I am knitting the Baby Tart pattern from knitty for them and hoping to get it done by early next week to send it out. I just think it's the cutest little hat!

I also saw the new batman movie - The Dark Knight and it rocks! It was really pretty amazing. I went with some people from work, so I'll have to plan a movie night with Mike - I think he'll really like it, and it's the type of movie you could see over and over and over again. I'd recommend that one and Wall-E as well - my top two movies as of late. Hmm... what are yours?

feeling blah.

Today is just one of those days.

I woke this morning out of a bad-dream. I wouldn't call it a nightmare necessarily, but just disturbing. It was one where I knew I was dreaming, but it was unsettling just the same.

Unfortunately it set the mood for the day, and I've just wanted to crawl back in bed and curl up under the covers all day. Maybe I will. Wish me sweet dreams for tonight - I need them.

reprogramming a phone

Over the weekend Mike and I stopped by the AT&T store so he could check out the new iPhone. Being a Mac-man through and through, it only made sense that he would want one. The clerk who was 'assisting us', if you could call it that, was less than impressive, and we kind of felt the same way about the plans themselves. Both of our plans are up in Nov. but we've not used AT&T, and especially here in Charleston, so we're a little weary of how the service will be.

Currently we're both with Sprint, and I've had Sprint for a really long time, and have done well with them. I can usually get service even when others can't - and to me, that's really all I need my phone to do. Of course, when I lost my phone a few weeks ago, I did have to revert to a phone that was so archaic (in terms of phones these days anyway), that it didn't even accept text messages. This was slightly annoying enough to get an 'new-to-me' phone from a friend at work, so I guess I do appreciate having the ability to utilized all the fancy gadgets - I just wouldn't say I pick a phone for that reason.

We'll see whether he decides it's worth the hassle and in the meantime, I just spent a few hours re-inserting all the names and numbers I usually have on my phone. Good fun. Did you make the list? Give me a call and find out hee-hee.

enjoying life

I can't believe things are really settling down and we're finally really settling in. I think it's freaking Mike and I out a little bit by not having anything to worry about! But we're definitely enjoying it.

Last weekend for the 4th, we had a couple of friends over and Mike grilled pork for pulled-pork, I made coleslaw from scratch, my 7-layer dip, and they brought macaroni salad and crab cakes. It was wonderful! It felt like a real 4th of July, and the food was really good (although my coleslaw needed some work I'll admit - I think it needed to be spiced up a bit). We also learned a really neat new game called pass the pigs that I think may be popping up in peoples stockings this year - it was definitely a good time.

This weekend our new TV console was delivered - Yea!



We originally went looking for a coffee table and side tables, and both really liked this piece and knew it was meant to be. There was a slight hiccup when the CD player didn't quite fit in, but it just ended up on top.

As far as my knitting goes, I've decided I need to be more focused. On my needles currently I have 3-4 projects, which is typical, but I don't feel as if I'm getting anywhere with them, and I think it's because I don't have a goal or deadline motivating me. Two of the projects are for me. The Calla tank and the mobius wrap. I also have one bootie waiting to be seamed and half a hat. I just need to acknowledge what is and isn't going to happen.

The other issue is I have quite a few family and friends who are getting ready to pop with new bambino's that I need to start/finish projects for. Today I'm going through my cue and my stash and putting together a list of which items I want to knit for each of the baby-mommas, and seeing what I have time for. Then all others will be put aside while I whip these out. I think it'll do me some good to put the others down for a while. Here's where I am with all my UFO's.

1. The hat -
Not going to be finished anytime soon due to lack of wool. I don't have the another ball of the yarn. I did at one point but it's gone - lost into the abyss of travel and moving. I either need to see if anyone on Ravelry has another ball in the same dye-lot, or as I thought of last night, find a complimentary color and finish it as a two color hat, which just might work - but not right now.

2. The EK booties - It needs to go - and I need to focus on a different pattern and come back to this one. This was supposed to be one of the quick projects for the prego folks and it's not working, and I just don't have the time right now to figure it out. Shame. It's really cute.

3. The Mobius wrap -



I think it's going to be my 'social knitting'. I know the pattern well enough that I can do this while talking or whatever, and not mess up or have to concentrate on the pattern. Plus and it's just a matter of length/width in determining when I'll finish, so it'll continue when I have mind-less or multi-tasking-knitting time, probably until I get through this ball.

4. The Calla - I was eliminating and moving some of the eyelets on this tank because I felt it was a little too showy for my figure, and I decided to knit it in the round. That means I had to do a little pattern adaptation, which on my first attempt wasn't working very well. It only took about 6" into the tank to realize this. I tried to fix it by dropping down the section of cabling that wasn't working, but that was taking too long to fix so I just casted on again and started from scratch. I know that seems a bit ridiculous, but it's really faster this way. Just rip it out and start over.



Now that I've taken a bunch of pictures, I'll be updating my Ravelry page too, and maybe even changing the project bars on the side to included pictures too - but it depends on how adventures I feel today.