Saturday, December 30, 2006

I Love Magic Loop!

My brother gave me $$ for Christmas and I bought the Magic Loop booklet, a 24" Addi Turbo needle, and sock yarn. I've finished the first sock, I'm a third of the way through the leg on the second sock. But I'll hang on to my DPNs because they are still a time-tested method and there's no reason to totally give it up. Besides, I always have at least three sock projects going on at once and I need the needles!

My Christmas was interesting. I had to work the actual day, so the Thursday before, the DD and I drove up to Idaho to spend the weekend. I saw my friends, I handed out presents, I received presents, I knitted a lot, I ate a good early Christmas dinner (roast beef and smashed potatoes, thanks Mom!) and got to watch the family open my presents to them. My dad liked his knitted pears, my brother liked his socks, my nephew LOVED his SpongeBob blanket (I have a photo, but permission to post it was denied), the DD loved her socks and her slippers, my mom liked her slippers. I think I did okay. I gave RP slippers as well, and I am pretty sure he liked them a whole bunch too. *VBS*

I got sock yarn from my other brother, the new knitting calendar from my mom (but I asked her to return it because I'd already bought it for myself back in September!) and I got three Jon Anderson CD's from RP. I got Song of Seven, the first-time-ever-released-on-CD Animation, and In Elven Lands. He knows what I like, and it makes me smile. As soon as I got them home they went straight onto my iPod.

Sunday after church I drove back to Utah. Monday I went to work, and then was invited over to DF's house for Christmas dinner. Monday and Tuesday night I got to doggy-sit, but Wednesday morning I woke up quite ill. I was so dizzy I couldn't get out of bed. I called in half-dead at work, and didn't get up and showered until almost noon. I remained dizzy for the rest of the day, but went to work Thursday. Then I worked on Friday my day off to make up for Wednesday, and I still feel crummy. I feel like I've got a sinus headache, and pain right behind my eyeballs as well.

Tomorrow I get to make the drive back up to Idaho to fetch the DD. Then work in New Year's Day, and school starts Tuesday. A new year, one that I hope is better than the last one.

Happy 2007 to everyone. I love you all.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

December (In Which I Learn To Link)

*tap tap*

Is this thing on?

4 months today . . . . . . . it's getting easier, but tears still hit me when I least expect it.

The strangest thing is happening. . . I have been getting Christmas cards from ladies on the Kirks Folly Fairy Forum. I've gotten three so far. Thank you to SilverCate, BriteRaven, and Casdo. Maybe I'm supposed to be sending cards to the Forum ladies too? All I know is it sure is nice to find something in my mailbox.
*eta* Today's mail brought WhichyWomn's card. Thank you so much Kim.
**eta** Thursday's mail brought FOUR cards! Thank you to PrnsGrace, WingedWaif, NancyJB and DragonLuvr.

No knitting photos, because all my current projects are super-secret-Christmas-gifts. I have had 2 big felting parties and I cried last night because I felted a bag *way* too much and now all it will hold is wallet and keys. So I get to knit it again and hopefully this time keep a better eye on it.

Weather has gotten cold, but not much snow yet.

So today at work is "Let's See How Many Rude People I Can Talk To Today" day. Do you ever call up a company and proceed to scream at whoever answers the phone? Yeesh! Maybe I should move to Albuquerque and work for Victoria's Secret. Then I could shop at Scout's LYS. Speaking of Scout, she is on her way to tape an episode of Knitty Gritty. And so is the Yarn Harlot, and so is Glampyre! I really need to order my DVR so I can record all the episodes of Knitty Gritty that I'm missing.

We got our second NFLST payout, so it's time to order my wheel. I want the Kromski Mistrel, but I think I want to spin on the shop model a few more times before I decide for sure. I was first thinking about the Prelude, but it is single pedal and single-drive. The Minstrel has double pedal and double-drive, but I am noticing I am over-twisting because I'm pedaling too fast. I guess I just need to slow down.

I went to Sweet Peas Natural Market on Friday to see what's going on there. And I had sold 4 recycled-wool handbags! I am so excited about this, because they have been displayed there since July and not one had sold. The owner has decided to consolidate the store (going from two rental spaces to just one) and she moved her consignment items to a different spot and that is when they started selling. So I bought some more sweaters last night and as soon as I get a few more I will felt them all and make more handbags.

Oh, I do have an FO that isn't a super-secret-Christmas-gift, but I don't have a photo of it yet. Out of the wool scraps from my handbags, I made a patchwork blanket. Same principle as the SpongeBob blanket that I made for my nephew, except with wool instead of polar fleece. It looks So Nice and it is so nice and warm and snuggly. I had it wrapped around me on Saturday at the SCA even we went to (those low-cut Venetian gowns leave lots of tender exposed skin and I was cold!) and I got lots of nice compliments. I need to add about 12 more squares to it to properly fit my bed, but I think the next patchwork project I make out of wool scraps will be a cloak or cape of some sort for the SCA events. Form and function all in one piece, which is my idea of smart design for sure!

The new Mag-Knits is up, and there is a cute bag designed for just one skein of Noro Kureyon. Well, I had one skein and Sunday night I proceeded to cast on for the project. It is just a little tiny handbag, but in the Kureyon it is just so cute! I felted it last night and even though it went through 3 cycles, it didn't shrink into nothing-ness like my ill-fated Patons SWS bag did. Maybe I need to make a Booga-Bag with the 3 skeins of Kureyon and see how badly it shrinks? I might be a lot less disappointed if I actually followed the pattern instructions! So back to my cute little bag . . . . It was designed by Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos and mine looks just like the ones in the pattern so that is exciting