Voila!

Through the brilliance of Ravelry's help page, I give you: PROGRESS BARS!!!!

Part of me wishes I knew how to code this on my own so I could say I did it myself, but the rest of me is happy to show off my knitting/computer brilliance and let it be.  =D

Currently knitting a strap for my laptop bag, since it never had one... =D Pics will be posted when I finish it and get around to taking them...

~e

Wahoo!

My hat is finished!!!!! And I must say, it looks wonderful! =D

I made a hat!

Yes, another hat. This one is really cute, though.

And fairly easy considering I had NO idea how to make it...

So, I'm kind of awesome...

I figured out how to link the RSS feed of my Ravelry projects page to this page.  I feel so intelligent! =D Sadly, you have to be logged onto Ravelry in order for you to see it... I'll figure that bit out later, though.

Ok, time to cook and then knit more.

Tschüss.

Look Ma!

I accidentally made a beer cozy!!! =)

I say "accidentally" because I meant to make it into a cowl but after I started the pattern I realized that I couldn't possibly have enough yarn...  When I ran out, I simply crocheted the edges together (crocheting? me? what????) and voila! My beautiful beer cozy was born.

I have to say, I think that this is the only beer cozy that

a) has a matching hat and glove set:

and b) is made mostly from merino wool... =)

Nevertheless, I'm proud of it.  =)

Okie, time to run to class.... tschüss!!!

This week I made a hat and a matching pair of gloves =D

Voila!

HATS!

Yes, the socks STILL aren't done, I know, I'm a slacker.  BUT, I'm also in a foreign country, so I'm going to use that as an excuse.

During my second week here, I made Bank (my travel buddy) go to Wolle Rodel with me.  Mostly because I wanted to check it out, I didn't have any real idea of buying anything.  But Bank thought that knitting was so cool "if it wasn't so effeminate I'd totally pick it up" he says.  Even though I tried convincing him that guys knit too, he wouldn't listen.  But instead commissioned a hat.  Out of Alpaca.  He bought the yarn and said "I want a hat from this."

I GOT TO WORK WITH ALPACA!!!!!  Oooohh, it's so pretty!!!!!!  I love love love love LOVE it.

So, Bank's hat was made in a week.  Here's a picture (on me, not on him yet, but I'm sure one will be coming up later)

I cast on a little too loose, so it's not quite as snug as it should be.  (And I just realized how absolutely horrible my stitches are close up... Maybe pictures are a bad idea...)  But Bank is so happy with it, so that's good.


In other news: I bought yarn ( a while ago) with the colorway "Vera" from Firefly.  "It's my very favorite gun." Yep.  That Vera.  It's Grey and Black-ish with Yellow.  I started making a hat out of it while I was here (this was before Bank's commission) and realized that it would look pretty good on me, so a "receiver" was born.  Then I realized that I'm in Germany and it's going to get cold and I forgot my coat.  Which means that I also forgot my hat, scarves and gloves.  Which means I get to knit myself a whole new set.  I thought "matching winter accessories could be fun" and headed back to Wolle Rodel to see what I could find.  I selected a yellow for some gloves and brought it back, thinking "ok, it's not exact, but it should be close."  When I compared them this morning, they were SPOT ON.
I was absolutely amazed with my color-finding talent.  =D  I'll show pictures later, when I have time... For now, I have to get to my Deutsch class.

Tschuss!

Still knitting those socks...

Left them at Bonnie's last night, though. I'll get them back from her tomorrow. =) Our "Knitting Nights" are a lot of fun =)

According to this site, I'm allowed to take my knitting on the plane as a carry-on item...

I feel like I should start something new for the occasion... =)

Suggestions?

Cool giveaway:

Found this through a friend's blog:

www.CatherinetteRings.Etsy.com

If you like that sort of thing... Personally, I think they're pretty cool =)

pictures!!!

Finally, after all this time, I have photographic updates =)

Big Big's socks:

Started on a trip to Iowa, finished on a different trip to Iowa.

Hair Tie:

Inspired by a trip to the Renaissance Faire...

Ellie's bag:

No pictures of it felted just yet...

I'll have to bother her for some of those. =)

Still knitting those socks...

I'm sure if I actually worked hard on them, I'd be able to finish them fairly quickly, considering I'm just going to continue the 2x2 ribbing until it's time to play with the heel...

But I keep getting distracted by things like hair-tie commissions and stuff... Yes. Hair-tie commissions. I "invented" a hair-tie, simple cord with a tag on one and and a loop on the other. Pretty effective when it comes to tying up the hairs... =) It even holds back my massive amount of unruly hair...

H'okay... It's too warm to knit outside (yes, I'm lazy like that) and I have a new station to play with on Pandora... I'll hopefully be getting a new net book soon which will be nice, because then I can put on a movie or something and knit wherever... as opposed to having to use the computers in the trench in the MTCC... The bad lighting down here is not conducive to knitting with dark colors... Especially with this ridiculous pattern and my choice to work from both ends of the same ball instead of two different ones...

Wow, already loving this Pandora station... Starts out with "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables, then "Angel of Music" from Phantom, and now it's playing "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast... AMAZING...

On the subject of socks.

Okie. Started the new socks on Thursday night. Got REALLY confused after the first margarita, and put them away to deal with another time. Note to self, next time you want to drink and knit, don't start on a pattern the likes of which you've never attempted before... =D Thankfully, I realized that margaritas and two socks at once was NOT the way to play the game, so I put that away... Took it out again today and figured it out. (Minus the fact that I cast on with the wrong color... ::shrug:: It could be worse, they're just not going to have a different color stripe at the top. No big deal =) So far the colors are going to be Navy Blue and Black, but I don't know if I want to make them that dark, so I might make the contrasting color a white or ... something. I'll figure it out. I'm a smart cookie, especially when it comes to figuring things out... =)

So, I went to the crack store...

...and only bought needles!!!!!

Yes, I've been calling Loopy my "crack" store, because, well, good yarn is addicting.

I was SO proud of myself, though! I walked in, went straight for the needles (which was the reason for going) and when I couldn't find the circs (they keep them in a different place, tricksey!) I went straight to the guy for help and didn't even TOUCH any of the lovely hanging yarn...

::sigh::

One day, when I'm intolerably rich, I'm going to go into Loopy and NOT feel guilty when I leave the store... =)

Aaaand more sock information...

So, going to "give up" on the socks (read: keep them on the side so they're still interesting) and start a new pair.

The pattern wants me to do both socks at the same time... That'll be interesting... But I think I can do it. I plan on using some pretty Cascade 220 that I have lying around... Unless, of course, I find something better to use that for. =D (Alright, sentence structure just Isn't My Thing today. I apologize.)

Oy, I really need those circs if I want to speed up on this sock progress... =p I don't think that'll happen soon, though, so I'm going to continue plugging away... It's just kind of hard to try them on to see where I am...

::shrug:: =)

OH - was just reminded of something:
I need to learn how to crochet so I can make these.

=D

Socks update

Still working on the first sock from the Red Dwarf pattern. It's kind of awesome. =D

I also started reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. This, I am ashamed to say, has made me neglect my knitting severely because Zombie hunting is just SO entertaining. =D

No doubt I'll finish the Zombies tonight or tomorrow and begin working on the socky-sockersons again. =D

Also, I need to find two pair of size 2 circs so I can knit these socks well, because it CAN be done on dpns, but it's unnecessarily complicated... =p

more socks! =D

started new socks today. same yarn, new pattern.
problem is, the pattern calls for 2 circs and I just don't have the time or money to acquire those, so i'm kinda fudging the recipe and doing what i can... it seems to be working pretty well, though, for now =D


hm, i really need to start doing the whole "uploading pictures" thing again...

Finished the socks this morning around 7:45. Just before class. Forgot to drop them off at campus on my way home... Thankfully I'll be going there tonight to meet up with Bonnie and Genevieve for the DMaC concert at DePaul. Yep, going to IIT to go to DePaul to go back to IIT. Plenty of train time with means plenty of time for knitting to be done! =D

Socky-sockersons =)

Got one of the socks done. =) Went with the simpler pattern because it was, well, simpler. It turned out pretty well, I'll have to remember to take pictures. Mom laughed at me, said it was a very "grandma" thing to do. ::shrug:: oh well... Though, having your mother call you a "grandma" is a but unnerving ;-)

Watchin' NCIS and starting on sock 2. =)

Life is good.

project "update"...

So, I've been following a comic artist lately, and yesterday he posted this one
It's pretty awesome, not gonna lie =)

Bought new yarn and started a new pattern yesterday. =) I'm mildly obsessed with socks... =) I don't have anyone to give these to, yet, but I might just keep them for myself... Also, I'm pretty sure that this pattern is too complicated for this yarn, so I might just frog it and start over with something a bit simpler...

=)


Ok, time to work now. I can knit during my lunch break.

No knitting lately =/

Argh! Finals are keeping me from knitting!

This is so disappointing.

THANKFULLY, I have a trip to Iowa coming up soon, during which I intend on making the wedding presents for the wonderful people who are the reason that I'm going to Iowa in the first place.

That was a very long sentence... I'm giving up. Back to studying and packing... ew.

DiA Swap!

I got a package from Canada today! I knew it was coming, but it was sooo exciting to actually get! I took a bunch of pictures, which I will upload somehow and show them here. Included in the package were:

• Some BEAUTIFUL handpainted yarn
• 
• Dragonfly and amber stitch markers
• 
• A dragonfly necklace
• 
• Dragonfly buttons
• 
• A beautiful felted bag with a dragonfly and amber pin
• 
• Stationary with a fleur-de-lis on it
• Tea!
• Shortbread cookies
• 
• Dragonfly washcloths
• 
• and a very sweet card from the woman who sent it

I feel soo absolutely spoiled!!! Everything is SO nice!!!! The pictures just don't do it justice. I wish I could have recorded my opening it, I did it in the living room of the house and the girls were so confused/jealous. They didn't know why I was getting a box of goodies from Canada, but they thought the gifts inside were absolutely beautiful!!!

I feel SO spoiled!!! =D I can't wait to figure out what to do with the yarn, there's about 1000 yards of it and it's a really thin (light) yarn so I might try to use it as an attempt at lace =D

Eeee!!! Yay! I feel like knitting again!!!! And just in time for the semester to start ending so I can continue my habit. =D Oooh, I'm so grateful for my wonderful gifts!!!!!!

Hello, my name is Erin and I'm a yarn addict...

I have a bad habit of buying yarn because it's pretty and not because I have something that I want to do with it. If I'm in a bad mood, I go to a yarn store and peruse, pick up a few things, and come out about $50 lighter in the wallet but feeling so much better and with beautiful colors in my bag.

The only major problem here is that I have NO room to have this much yarn. My entire life at the moment is crammed into a 12' x 14' room... Yay for still being a college student, eh? And I have a sneaking suspicion that when I go home, my mom will infiltrate my stash... ::sigh:: That just means I'll have to do a LOT of knitting before school's up. 6 weeks and counting... =D I have at least two pairs of socks due then, and possibly a hat. We'll see...

I think I need to make another list of promised/started items...

PROMISED:

• Annie's Socks
• Jeremy's Socks
• Rina's Socks
• Jeremy's Hat
• Ellie's Hat
• G-Baby's Socks
• Zack's hat/scarf
  

STARTED:

• Courtney's gloves (second sock syndrome on that one... finished the first one and the needles and yarn are just glaring at me because i haven't cast on the second one yet...)
• My Magical Felted Bag (started it, ran out of yarn, found more yarn, re-started it.... still working on it... It was going to be for my spoilee in the DiA Swap, but now I think I might just keep working on it, make it bigger, and keep it... Considering I don't want to give her something that's demented and I'm pretty sure I messed up the bottom of the bag... oy.)
• James's Scarf (Started it, got distracted, not sure if I should scrap it and start over or keep plugging on...)

I really shouldn't be looking at ravelry patterns or buying more yarn, considering I have SOOO much that I'm doing nothing with at the moment... ::sigh:: but it's SO much fun...

I would totally quit school and knit for a year if I could... =) But I think it's better (being as close to DONE as I am) to just finish the degree and knit while I'm looking for a job... =)

ALSO, I need to stop "donating" items to people... I started an Etsy account for a reason... I should make people use it... But that feels so cruel... How can I ask someone for money?? Granted, they ask me to make them things and yarn is not free... ::sigh:: Yeah, I guess that if I do decide to help support myself by knitting, I'm going to have to not be so nice when it comes to receiving compensation for my time and yarn that I've put into their items... That's not going to be easy...

OK. On to more knitting!!! =D

~e

"more" free time means

More knitting!

Yes. No longer having an SO (significant other) to talk to and go out with and whatnot gives me more time to knit furiously... Good thing I have a mild yarn addiction and therefore lots and lots and lots of pretty yarn to use...

Also, good thing it's spring break and therefore I have ample time to use the pretty yarn without having to worry excessively about classes. =)

I started knitting a bag (that I intend on felting) on the 7th. It's looking pretty good, I think... But I'm afraid that I'll run out of yarn soon... hmmm... go me for "reading" the requirements before starting a project, eh? Oh well... I'll post pictures as soon as I get around to taking them =)

Ok... time to get to work... =p

Knitting!

Ok, since my last knitting update:
~ I've almost finished a pair of Dragonfly socks (my first "big people" socks ever!!)
~ I've started my first felting project
~ I finally finished Juliette's hat =)

I'll post pictures as soon as I get my camera back. =D

The "big people" socks =)

Random Philanthropic notification:

Last year, I shaved my head for St. Baldrick's day. It was amazing, no doubt, but with trying to find a job and prove that I'm a credible, useful person in society, sadly I didn't think that it would be a good idea to do it again this year.

Instead, I'm jumping into Lake Michigan on Sunday, March 1, for the Polar Plunge to help support the Special Olympics.

I love doing crazy/amazing things to raise awareness! =D


(Please forgive the insane run-on sentences... I often type how I think and, well, sometimes that doesn't work out as well as I think/hope it should...)

Learned how to make socks!

I learned how to make socks! They're really not as daunting as I had previously thought... Which is good to know =)

I started with baby socks, and now I"m going to try a pair of "grown up" socks. =)

I have readers?

Yarn and finished projects!

(See? I can finish projects!)

So, on Friday, I bought a lot of yarn. =)

wool!
more wool!
more wool!
sock yarn! Yes, i intend to learn how to make socks at some point =)

ALSO -

I finished the uterus!
=) Showed Kit on Skype, she's so amused. Especially since I had lost the "middle" and was "looking for her uterus" in my room. =) Not gonna lie, it was pretty great.

Working on the Heart, still, but i'm on the last bit now, so then just a little bit of sewing (eww) and then I"m all good.

=)

gotta run, almost time to sing!

Finished Project!

Finished Stephanie's hat. =) At 2am on thursday night =) So proud of myself!
(Excuse the bad quality picture, my camera phone isn't the greatest...)











Also, bought more yarn. =D I love yarn. It's like crack. I'm going to become a junkie, really. =) Spent over $80 at Michael's yesterday =) Makes me so happy...

And yet another WIP

And another WIP =) I started a Slouchy Copy Cat for Stephanie on Saturday.

I seem to love starting projects... =) I know I can finish them too, but I like having a choice of projects...

And back up in the WIP count...

Still haven't finished Courtney's gloves or Juliette's hat, but started some organs to send to Kit along with her gloves.

(I can link this because nobody reads it and therefore the secret is still safe!)

Ok, it's late, time to stop knitting and start sleeping. =)

Down to TWO WIP's!

Finished Eliza's gloves

And Kit's gloves

newest project...

began last night while watching 24 =D

Today was full of knitting =)

Stitch'n'Who's are pretty awesome. Involving two of my favorite things: knitting and Doctor Who.

=)

I'm sad I couldn't stay long for today's, but I had to get home for my scheduled "OMG 24 is back on and I need to knit while I watch it or I'll never ever make it through the episode!" time with my mom.


In other news...

I've thought of a few things I'll make/buy for the swap that I signed up for. I'm so excited about that. I'm nervous, though, because it's during the semester, but I'm only taking 16 hours and I'll have Spring Break to work on any hand-made stuff. I'm mostly nervous because I don't want to disappoint anyone and seeing the items from the last swap have made me nervous that my gifts won't hold up to the other ones... (It's the same feeling I get when I sign up for Secret Santas and stuff like that. I just don't want to let people down...)


Random:
I'm currently using 72% of my gmail space... I blame Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, and Voyager. They're about 1 gig each. Not to mention all of the music I have "stored" on there... =P

Projects

• These are rough approximations, not what I've actually made.
  
• Kit's gloves
• Eliza's gloves
• Courtney's gloves
• Juliette's hat
• Ellie's hat
• Zack's hat
  
• Sunshine's sweater

Almost done with Kit's. Started on Courtney's and Juliette's. Going to start Eliza's as soon as the needles from Kit's are free. Then I'll start on Ellie's and Zack's. Once I'm done with ALL of that, I'm going to start on Sunshine's.

=)

More projects may be added later...

LJ Shut Down?

Hm. There might be a spontaneous shut down of LiveJournal. If that happens, this will no longer be ONLY a knitting journal, as I had originally hoped...

Oh well =) I'm glad I started this...

"Oh, what's in a name?"

While clicking around on ravelry at work today - I discovered that I can change my username. This really makes me happy, because my current one is highly unoriginal and boring.

Problem is, I can't think of what to rename myself!!!

"knittingknerd" is taken
"momentumfilledhugs" is too long

I was thinking of:
"ponderponder"

but I'm really not sure...

I need input. Ideas. =) Please please please comment and let me know what you think!!!

Obligatory First Post

This is mostly to keep track of my knitting projects. =) It's for posting pictures and entertainment. Also may be used spontaneously for rants, rambles and raves.

Currently, I'm at work. Not Knitting. ::sigh:: Oh well. I'm also listening to a book-on-tape (er, audio book, i guess they're called now... considering I haven't had a working cassette player in years... since I got to college at least...) And I'm downloading another. =D

Sadly, my computer is threatening to die. Hopefully it won't, but just in case, I plan on transferring all of my music and unlistened podcasts (no, I don't NEED them, I just know that one day it will strike my fancy to listen to Jack Benny for countless hours on end.) to a safe place tonight while Trevs, Sunshine, and I work on my sick little computer...

ANYWAYS. Lunchtime for me now. =)

"Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so."