Purling Sprite

Building Memories

A few days for us...building memories and getting rosy cheeks and noses. The snow has come again to the valley and this time around we are fully prepared to enjoy it: red sled on hand, mittens for everyone in the family, hats, and even some yummy treats that Dad picked up just for us--chocolate covered marshmellows--yuum! Even Mrs. Snowman came by--she is modeling the latest knitwear: a pink ribbed hat and a garter stitch scarf, she requested a pair of mitts but the designer couldn't find a spare pair.

Stop by tomorrow for a great Loomy surprise--Loomy friends you don't want to miss the post, it is of mighty importance--I am so excited! Oh, and also a contest is around the corner as I am nearing my 3000th comment....I may hit my 3000th comment at the same time of my blogiversary, exciting indeed!

awie!

Crap!! I just burned myself with extremelly hot oil! I am such a ditz! I was putting onions to fry and I for some dumb reason had my left hand under my right and I was putting in the onions on the frying pan with my right and when I threw the onions in, the oil jumped into my left hand (which I had it cupped too!). It hurts so badly. My middle finger is puffing up and I took out my wedding band just in case my ring finger gets puffy too. Ouch, ouch, ouch! My middle finger hurts the most than anything else...ouch! sniff, sniff, sniff.

Eclectic Post

I was recently asked as to the reason for my test knitting others patterns...were there really reasons beyond the obvious ($) one. And I have to say that the answer is a resounding yes! Let's see....

1. I get to try out new patterns (who doesn't want new patterns with sometimes new techniques to try out)

2. I get to try out new yarns (being the first to touch a new yarn is always tempting!)

3. I get to try out new colors that otherwise I would not try out (now this poses a new experience on its own!)

4. And to top it all off, sometimes I even get paid to knit! Now that is really cool.

All the reasons above make the test knitting fun and something that I look forward to doing...the only down side to all of this is that I can't really show you many of the items that I am knitting, but I can show you little bits of them...I just can't tell you what they are.

Currently, I am knitting a hat from a new book that is coming out. The book is one that I really want to get too and this test knit is giving me the chance to see one of the patterns. And although the pattern is really neat (I am trying a new technique that I had not tried before--a top down hat), the main focus is the yarn color. 

The color is out of my mainstream, I wouldn't have chosen this color if I had gone to a store to pick yarn out, but seeing it knit up makes me feel that Spring is almost here and I want to knit something Springy and fill my house with flowers and even do some Spring cleaning! What do you think? Does seeing other people's choices of yarn influence what you buy? Or better yet, how many times do you purchase the same color of yarn that is shown on a knitted garment?

On other knitty news, I am still looking for a pattern for Little Benny's knee highs. They are just in the back-burner right now (that just means that I sometimes sit down and think about them and even grab a book or two and try to see if any of the designs would work).

On loomy news, the Inara Scarf pattern is ready, I had a report from two of my test knitters and the pattern is ready to go. I can see so many possibilities for this scarf design, if I had a bit more free time on my hands I would love to knit a few more pattern repeats and knit a shawl, or a mock mobious scarf by just twisting the scarf and joining the two ends together (mock because you are seaming the ends and thus it is not knitted like a true mobious).

And on more loomy news, I received my complimentary copy of the book. Yay! Now, what do I do with it.....hmmm...oh look there is a fly....thunk!

And on exercise news, I have been going on my recumbent bike and although the workout is not as arduous as the elliptical (if you can call going on the elliptical arduous), it does have the great advantage of allowing me to knit while I pedal. A big fat plus on my book! Now, I know some of you have bikes and you exercise on it, am I going to see any results from the pedaling--noticeable as in inches off my bottom or even my love-handles? I have had the bike for awhile but I have never solely relied on it to shape up (not that I ever was in shape, other than a round tubby shape).

On the quest to find the perfect pair of knee high socks...

I am on a quest, an important quest! A quest that may take me to a side where I have not dared go before...I may have to design a needle knit pattern if I don't find a pattern soon. I have 4 oz of sports weight Gems Opal in a beautiful pink color--definitely not enough for a pair of socks for me, but enough for a pair of knee highs for Little Benny! She is little and has little legs--nicely shaped calves and cute little toddler feet.

I thought I had found the perfect pattern today and I sat down to knit the swatch and then after finding the gauge that was *supposed* to shrink the pattern down to her size, I failed. The sock fit Wonderboy--he willingly allowed me to put the sock on him despite the pink color...okay, he laughed and told me that those were not his, he wants orange socks not pink (yeah, you can laugh about it too, hehehe). The sock pattern in question comes from the SocksSocksSocks pattern book and while it is a very nice pattern, I am afraid that I have to sit down and do some little math to make it work to her little legs size. Here I thought that all my math classes were for nothing...I was being prepared for my lifelong hobby. More updates on the little socks to come soon...after I take out the calculator and pencil and measure Little Benny's legs. In the meantime, if you know of any little toddler (2yr) knee high patterns, let me know.

In other designing pursuits, I finished the project I started on the knitting looms, it is blocked and the blocking made it bloomed beautifully! I used Lion Brand Cashmere Blend, a nice soft yarn with a little puffyness to it. (Click the picture to enlarge )

 

The pattern is currently being test knitted by kind loomy friends who kindly poke me when I write the wrong number of pegs, hehehe. I truly enjoyed loom knitting this scarf, the pattern sequence is not difficult however it is not boring either, it has just a touch of interest to it that makes you want to keep going.

In sickness news, there is nothing new, I am still sick and I love to share so much that I even shared it with Little Benny, poor munchkin. The boys seem to be oblivious to the germ which is a good thing as they are pampering us left and right...Hubby brought home brownies for me two nights ago (along with some cold medicine) and little Wonderboy picked a beautiful Calla Lily plant to brighten my day and to make me feel better (I am preparing him so well!).

Cleaning...organizing...I must be sick!

*Updated* Listings on Ebay found for this type of box--see below.

Where is that measuring tape? Oh, yeah in the green bag down stairs. Where is my row counter, oh it is in the little lunch box that got converted to a notions case. Notions here, notions there, notions downstairs, and notions upstairs.

For a few weeks, I have been frustrated with the fact that I didn't have one place big enough to fit all my notions, yet small enough to carry around the house. Then last night between nasty dreams of snakes and living in a nasty basement apartment infested with vermin and snakes, I remembered that 2 years ago I had acquired a small box at a garage sale. I bought it out of pure wantoness as I didn't have a use for it, but no more.

This morning, as everyone left to church and I stayed home nursing my cold (and making lunch and cleaning the house), I dashed downstairs to my craft room and dusted the cute little box. It is perfect for all my notions. It has 4 small compartments and 1 big one at the bottom. See all my notions, I am so organized now!

     

And seeing all my gear in one place, got me motivated to pick up my loom and take it for a whirl. I'll show you in a couple of days what the loom created with some help of yarn (a yummy cashmere blend by Lion Brand--feels sooooo soft) and a knitting tool.

Oh yeah, today, I was introduced to this Etsy Shop...they have the cutest needle felting kits. I would love to get one....the little penguins or the little turtle. So cute! Well, hope you have a great Monday :).

*Updated*

I found these boxes on eBay, they are similar to my notions box above. If you do a search for Vintage Sewing Wood Boxes you will find some more, but here are a few. One of them is selling for more than $150! I should sell mine, hehehe.

• Box 1
• Box 2
• Box 3
• Box 4
• Box 5
• Box 6
• Box 7--the least expensive one

Still sick, but got a mini-tutorial done for the knitting looms

I am still a little sick...okay, quite a bit. Today we had plans to drop off the kids at Grandma's and we were going to go to dinner and a church dance, but I was feeling miserable and the last thing that I want on my date night is to be blowing my nose and littering the table with tissues. So we stayed home.

I did however called my sister in Mexico :). I have been calling her every weekend and even my little nieces look forward to my calls. One of them even made me a special card for Valentine's, Arelis (my sister) is saving it for me for when I come to visit. It is such a great feeling to have a relationship with my sister :).

Well-back to the knitting loom and the tutorial, despite my runny nose, I was able to do the Bellita Thumb tutorial--ignore my sniffles...some of the "director cuts" were due to my sneezing in between shots.  Hope you find the tutorial helpful.

Make an online slide show at onetruemedia.com

Sick...achhoo!

Achoo! I think I am a bit sick. My head is pounding, my throat hurts, I keep sneezing, and my nose is starting to feel like I have sparklies inside.

Although there is no knitting content, I have something knitty related to offer. For some weird reason, I have been receiving two copies of Interweave Knits, this is the second time. Anyways, I have an extra copy of IK, if anyone out there wants it, please drop me a note. I don't know what to do with the extra. I also have the previous issue too (just don't know where in the house it is, ha!). But I do have the current issue handy, so if you need it--holler!

Pass me a tissue pleaasee.

Happy Valentine's!

Just a shout out to wish you a happy Valentine's day.  May you be showered with a bit of extra hugs and kisses this day.

I had a misconception of Valentine's--I always thought it was a special day for your and your squeeze but this year, I found the real meaning of this day. It is the day my little tykes shower me with extra kisses and little love notes with hearts. Little Wonderboy surprised me yesterday with this note--he knows how to spell Mom and write it too!

And lastly, I received a postcard from my book...here she is.....if you see her, please give her a lift, she is coming all the way from the UK and she is a bit dusty and running low on her little supplies pack. I can hardly wait!

Feather & Fan Socks & the book!

Update: I was just informed of something...r u a member of Crafter's Choice group? Apparently some members have received a copy of Loom Knitting Primer. No, I don't have a copy yet and I probably won't have one for another two weeks. Publisher emailed and said that the first batch of books was grabbed right away. hmmm, sad, please, if you have the book, email me and be honest in your review.

Reviving old projects and starting the good habits again is a difficult task. I started these Feather & Fan socks about a year ago and I quickly forgot them. I am one of those people would go outside wearing one sock of one kind and the other of another. I never knew I had such a small attention span until I began knitting....socks are great and I love them, but making 1 sock gives me enough satisfaction that when it is time to cast for the second one, my heart finds something else to concentrate on.

The same concept applies to my exercise routines....I get distracted so easily...it only takes one of my kids to come and give an excuse and I am off the machine and next thing I know I am doing something completely different that has absolutely nothing to do with exercising. But, I am trying hard to stay on track. Today, I decided to go on my recumbent bike and I added an extra 10 miles to my Runagogo mileage. The beauty of exercising on the bike: it allows me to knit! I knitted a major portion of the second Feather & Fan sock. If I continue knitting and exercising, I can have this sock done by the end of the week. I think I have found something to keep me occupied while exercising!

Celebrity Look-Alike--Just for Fun

I saw this over at Sara's blog and I had to give it a shot--anything to procrastinate a bit more. You can try it out too, go to MyHeritage.com, if you try it out, let me know, I want to see :).  I tried mine with two different pictures--one recent, and one from about 2 years ago--interesting results!