Saturday, December 31, 2005

new year cheer

seems like i haven't written since christmas eve and now it's new year's eve. i wish i had been organized enough to write a really christmas-y post like a lot of bloggers did but i just really couldn't get it together in time. christmas was pretty low key. woke up and opened some gifts. my brother actually gave me something (which he never does) and it was a copy of knitting on the edge by nicky epstein. i didn't have the heart to tell him that i already had this book in my library. i am going to try and exchange it at borders this week, hopefully for a copy of folk socks. i saw these two awesome pairs of norwegian stockings and now i can't live without them. i ordered some knitpicks essential sock yarn for a pair and now just need to get the book.

and remember that kid's sweater i was trying to finish? yeah i didn't. i stopped for awhile to make these:

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my dad was complaining that he couldn't find any of his scarves so my mom and i made a trip to communkity. i actually had another motive for going there besides dad's scarf needs. i seem to have misplaced some mittenettes i made last year out of manos and really wanted to grab another skein to make a new pair. i knew that communkity carried manos so we decided to find dad yarn there, too. this was what we came up with:

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the three skeins on the left are #106 i think and is a great color called granite. that's what we used for my dad's set (the scarf is just 2x2 rib and the hat i kind of made up, if you want to know) while the blue i bought just because it was pretty and the multi skein is for my new topless mittens. i love love manos though. the colors are so pretty and it knits up gorgeously and i just want to roll arond in it. defnitely be a desert island yarn.

so progress on the kid sweater stopped to make those for christmas. i was also having a hard time with the neck decreases so i put it down for a few days. however i picked it up again a couple nights ago to finish the front and start a sleeve. now i have this:

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the color is more true in this picture


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sleevage

i don't think i am going to finish before i leave on monday but that's fine, i can just mail it to my mom to give to the recipient. i don't like working on a deadline. it just stresses me out. i actually didn't do much holiday knitting this year and i am glad. i'd rather make something for me that i know i'll enjoy than stress out making something for someone who might not even appreciate that it was handmade (yes i know people like that).

well my ride is here to take me to a new years bbq. be safe everyone, watch those wet roads and happy new year!

Saturday, December 24, 2005

tiny lights

happy holidays, everyone! pardon the lack of posting but i have been enjoying myself at home with my parents in northern california and haven't had a moment to post. it's so nice to sleep in and eat good food. it's so sunny and pretty here today, even though it was sort of rainy this week. i hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday!

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

funky monkey

ugh- i am not feeling too well today. yesterday we had to evacuate our builiding because it was starting to smell like toxic fumes on our floor. the president of the company sent out an email encouraging us to leave the building for awhile. i was getting this icky, swollen feeling in my throat and i chalked it up to the weird smell (that came from roof construction we found out) but now it seems like i am actually sick. and it's so not fair because i was just sick before the last holiday. but yesterday two wonderful ladies at work took the three assistants in my dept out for a special holiday lunch at aroma cafe on tujunga. it's this really cute cafe in studio city that has tasty food and is connected to the coolest little bookstore. afterwards, we did a little window shopping and i stopped by the yarn store across the street called yarn garden (sorry i can't find a website but it's 4361 1/2 tujunga). i didn't really get to shop much but i did pick up a skein of lamb's pride worsted yarn to make some toys from the jess hutch booklet and the new winter issue of interweave knits. i can't say that i am blown away by this issue but i do like the sweater on the cover, along with the aran pullover, the lace socks and 4-3-2 ribbed pullover.

it's been madness lately, as i've been shopping and wrapping and writing cards non-stop. i think i am close to nearing the end of my christmas list, but there are still a few people i need to get things for. seems like there's been a flurry of activity lately of bloggers making gifts for loved ones. i, however, know that i couldn't handle that kind of pressure and so instead just make things for me and give away knits on a less stringent schedule than christmastime. however, there is one item that i'd like to finish for christmas and that's this:

jack
it's jack from the rowan junior book. here is my progress so far:

front
that's just the front of it. i am doing it in some plymouth encore worsted instead of the rowan dk that it calls for. i wanted something a little loftier and smooshy and not so cotton heavy. so far it seem to be working out fine. i don't know if i will actually get this done in time, but one can hope, right?

well off to take some nyquil i go. tomorrow is an office christmas tradition called the smackdown, where my coworkers sign up to perform (we do work at a music company after all) in front of everyone else. not my cup of tea but i'll know los of people performing so i don't want to be sick and miss it. happy wednesday!

Saturday, December 10, 2005

a quick fo for you

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this is the vintage velvet scarf from the infamous scarf style book. i finished it awhile ago but never got around the posting the details, so here they are.
pattern: vintage velvet from scarf style
yarn: 5 skeins of muench touch me in the discontinued 3660
needles: 4.50mm bamboo straights
size before felting: 5" x 60"
size after felting: 5" x 60" (after a whole lot of stretching)
pattern notes: well, i got gauge by going down a few needles sizes and thought everything was going fine, until i noticed that i was getting down to the last ball, and my scarf was going to be much shorter than the "before felting" size specified in the pattern. i knew this would mean my scarf would end up being too short (i like to be able to wrap my scarves with a decent amount of length). my yarn color was discontinued so i decided that i'd felt it anyway and try to block it after i felted it. in the wash it went and dang if it didn't look like an ugly, drowned rat. then i brought it back up to my apt and stretched it as much as i could and help the ends down with books for about a day and a half. at this point, it was still a bit wet but it wasn't soft at all. it was sort of matted and gross. so i threw it in the dryer for a cycle and voila! it transformed into something plushy soft and fuzzy. i guess this yarn really does need a turn in the dryer to make it work. i don't think there were any mistakes in the pattern and if i had to do it again, i would just use one more ball of yarn so that i could just throw it in the dryer after felting it.
yarn notes: lots of people complained about worming with this yarn but i didn't have a problem with it. sure, it was slippery but the bamboo needles helped a lot. and the whole felting process was very interesting.

so, while i like the scarf, i just don't think it's my style. it's a bit too slinky feeling for me to be comfortable with it and i think i'll gift it to a needy friend. however, a big pillow out of this yarn would be lovely...

Saturday, December 03, 2005

variegation is the spice of life

once again i haven't posted in ages. it just seems like i never have the energy to put together a coherent post and i don't want to waste y'alls time with a lame post. however, i hope to get my act together today to catch up on all stuff that's been going on lately here at chez fun. i've been working diligently on my atacama tshirt sweater. i finally finished the back earlier this week, thanks to the kind help of johanna. she sent me an email detailing how to work the back for short row shaping and a three needle bind off on the shoulders. this time i actually did it right and ended up with the correct number of shoulder stitches. thanks, johanna!

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i took this picture earlier in the week, before the back was even done. i've been good and have been alternating skeins every couple of rows. you can see the difference in color between the back and the front piece. the back (left piece) is much more red than the front, but i don't care because no one will be seeing them together anyway.

i also finished the double knit hat i was working on a few weeks ago. unfortunately i gave it to my mom during the holiday and never took any pictures of the finished project. you'll have to take my word for it that it was cute and my mom likes it a lot.

last night was my company office party. i've never been to a company christmas party before but i've seen so many of them in films and tv that i fully expected bad karaoke and some drunken embarrassments. luckily, most people contained themselves at the open bar, though there were a few really drunk people there. we stayed long enough to eat and be a bit merry but then made a break for it. i had fun though and oh they gave us gift certificates as gifts. i got one for macy's. i might hit up the makeup counter with that one. and i did have a mini crisis trying to find something to wear for the party (i don't dress up at all normally) but was saved by my lovely coworker who loaned me a cute sweater/camisole set and my roomie who lent me her shoes. after all that excitement, i was very happy to be able to sleep in this morning. not that i stayed in super late but it's nice to wake up when you want. i made a run to santa monica this morning to hit up yarns unlimited, where i picked up this:

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the stuff on the left is enough cascade 220 and some gold dalegarn free style to make a gryffindor scarf from this pattern. and it's not as pink as it looks in this pic. bad lighting, wouldn't you know. you didn't think my potter fever had subsided that quickly, now did you? i started reading hp and the half-blood prince but i am reading it uber slow. it's like i want to savor it and save it since i know there's no book after it and the next one is supposed to be the last one, right? the brighter red yarn on the right is actually from unwind that i got earlier this week. with all of this i plan to make this little ensemble set:

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pattern for the hat and mittens (not shown in this pic) were purchased from here. i wanted to buy some yarn for hufflepuff scarf (yay cedric) but i want to see the movie again just to make sure what kind of yellow the huffies have settled on in the new film. and i am itching to make a weasley sweater from alison's pattern, but i am waiting for some midnight felted tweed to be available for a good price. and jenn (check out her nov 30th post) is working on the pattern for the new weasley sweater and i just know i'll want to make that, too. potter brain is what i call it. i also stopped by wildfiber, since i was on the westside today and couldn't resist this:

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i bought 9 skeins of this rowan plaid and it's so lusicous and soft and the colors are beautiful. it was on clearance so it was a decent deal. but let me say that those wildfiber people are kind of rude. some of the yarn was tagged at a certain price so i made my assumption that the rest of it would be that price, minus the discount. when i got up to the counter i was informed that the price tag was an "old price" and the real price was $2 more. i might have put them back but she had rung it up already and it was gorgeous yarn after all. unfortunately the ones tagged were not the same color as mine but wouldn't you assume the same thing? i hate it when i have to ask for every single price at a yarn store. and how many prices does their yarn have anyway? they have a lovely selection of koigu and lots of other fabulous yarns at that store, but their prices are extremely high and with this kind of attitude, i really doubt if i'll be spending much more time there in the future. but i did have fun buying yarn today. a little present to myself. what is it about buying yarn that makes you feel so happy? i just love it! and my friend and i got my other co-worker into knitting, too, so she's getting the bug alright. i am doing my best to spread knitting around the world, one person at a time.

one more purchase made this week were these:

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i know, i know - they're trendy but kind of ugly and yes, they're fakes. but oh they're so nice. it feels like i am walking on big pillows when i wear them and they're perfect for going to a movie in a chilly theater. you can laugh and say i am following a lame trend but i love my new sheepy boots, though i won't be wearing them with a mini skirt. give me some credit at least. i so want another pair in black or green. they're totally toasty and fun.

and that's the weekend so far. i am going to go work on my atacama sleeve right now before i go out to see aeon flux tonight. karyn kusama (who wrote and directed the film girlfight) is directing and a bunch of good people are in it. it looks pretty interesting visually and the animated cartoon was so freaky and hopefully the film will be good. happy weekend to everyone!

Friday, November 25, 2005

potter mania

i just got home from seeing harry potter and the goblet of fire and i just loved it. really really just loved it. it's been awhile since i read the book and it all came back. the fifth one isn't my favorite and i haven't gotten to the new one yet, but seeing the movie makes me want to read it right away. too bad i left it in la and i'm at my parents' house at the moment. and how hot was the guy who played cedric? so cute and yes, i looked him up on imdb and he's 7 years younger than me. he's 19 - a mere baby. but damn he's hot. and i totally used to think hufflepuff was lame and that is sucked that the damn sorting hat put me in it the last time i tried it. but cedris was a hufflepuff and he seemed pretty cool. and i so want to make one of those scarves, too. maybe for the next movie.

and happy late thanksgiving to everyone. i stuffed myself and i probably won't be having a having any turkey for awhile. alright- i am going to go eat a piece of pie now. hope you are all having fun and don't get smooshed at the mall!

Sunday, November 20, 2005

a million miles away

i know it's been ages since i last posted and this is going to be short. i've been sick for the past few days with an icky cold so i'm trying to get better before the holiday. there's nothing worse than being sick during the holidays. so here's a quick fo for you all the enjoy.

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this is the monette scarf from rowan's vintage style magazine. it was knit on size 5 bamboos using a skein of pink discontinued kidsilk haze from my secret pal and one skein of crystal palace mohair in lavender. the pattern was pretty straightforward and i really like the kidsilk haze. it's skinny as hell but feels so lovely on your fingers. i tried to block the lace bits at the end so they looked better but it still didn't end up as nice as i wanted it. i think i knit it too tight or something. anywhoozle - it's done and it's pretty so that's all i care about.

off to take my cold meds now. happy thanksgiving if i don't get around to posting before then!

Thursday, November 03, 2005

friday's a comin'

i know this is a bit overdue but here's a picture of me with some of my coworkers from halloween. i was part of a 60s girl group with two of my friends. i didn't actually put the thing together but i did get the wear my friend's mom's wig from the actual 60s. and i never wear skirts, so that was sort of a costume in itself. i have the plaid skirt on, in case ou were wondering. my other friends came as god's gift to women and marilyn monroe. oh and diana as a pirate. i love pirates.

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now look at the scary sight that waited for us on monday morning:

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ewwwwwww! those are some seriously nasty pumpkins. can you see how their eyes filled with black mold? it was so disgusting. why do pumpkins mold so fast? and they were squishy and wet. note to self- throw pumpkins away before going away for the weekend.

lately i haven't been feeling the love for the big knit projects. still working on the atacama sweater but i needed a break from the yarn and pattern so i decided to start something small. here's my work so far on the warm ass hat pattern. it's the first time i've tried double knitting and it's really fun. it's so cool how you get double sided fabric. i've been watching copious amounts of tv this week and knitting on this hat.

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it's been nice to work on something small between working on my sweater. i'll probably buckle down this weekend knit on the sweater. i also broke the yarn diet just a bit so i could buy yarn to make something from this:

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i received my lovely booklet from jess hutch this week. i love her little knitted toys and was so excited when i heard she was going to be selling some of the patterns. i totally want to make henry the bear, the robot and that little octopus looking guy. so i broke and bought a few skeins of lamb's pride worsted to make them. i love lp yarn and it's cool these little guys use it. so if you have any lamb's pride scraps you need to get rid of, you know who to call. :) i highly recommend getting the booklet if you like really cool toy patterns. they're just adorable.

and thank goodness tomorrow is friday. one more day to go. have a great weekend!

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

no day but today

rent

i just got back from a screening of the movie version of the musical rent and had to post. it was really, really good. i've never actually seen it performed live so i can't compare but i thought this version was very well done and the music was awesome! the songs are so great and everyone sounded good. yes, rosario dawson can sing. and the choreography was really excellent, too. i heart jesse l. martin and mahandra (tracie thoms) from wonderfalls is in it, too. i don't think it comes out til around thanksgiving but i highly recommend seeing it when it does. i can't get the songs out of my head so thank goodness i have a copy of the soundtrack at work.

ps to adrienne - i totally saw the scene they were filming when we were on the lot and it looks sweet!

comment notes:
thanks for all the comments on the pumpkins. we did some carving during work last week and the white one was a bit hit. they're really smooth and it didn't mold as fast. i am going to post some pics later of what happened to the pumpkins over the weekend. it's gross.

alison - i'll email you about vanity fair

Sunday, October 30, 2005

it's that time of year again...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE!

pumpkins

whitepumpkin

Saturday, October 29, 2005

blog this book

my entry for "blog this book" is a bit late this week. life's been hectic but i finally have some time to post some books for y'all. gaile started it and how it works is that i post some books that i've read and am ready to part with. if you want to read it, let leave a comment and let me know what book you have to trade and we can swap. if you really want to read it but don't have anything to trade, leave a comment anyway and we can work something out. some of the books are in better shape than others but all are in readable condition. enjoy!

cowgirls
even cowgirls get the blues by tom robbins
yes there was a movie made about this book starring uma thurman. i've never seen it so i can't say if it was good or not. i never actually finished this book. the writing was good and the characters were interesting but the story kept meandering into odd places that i just couldn't follow. however i know many people who really love tom robbins and i plan on trying one of his other books soon.

thackery
vanity fair by william makepeace thackery
classic novel about the struggle for wealth and power. becky sharp is intent on shedding her low upbringing and make a name for herself, any way she can. this is so much better than the movie that was made starring reese witherspoon.

lovelybones
the lovely bones by alice sebold
very interesting book told from the point of view of a little girl who's been murdered. she can observe the world from where she is and we get to see how her death has affected her family.

that's all i have for now. let me know if you're interested in anything!

Sunday, October 16, 2005

the saxon is done

done

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what: saxon braid scarf from knitting on the edge, errata here
start: 8/31/05
finish: 10/15/05
needle: clover bamboo 10 straight
yarn: 3 skeins knitpicks sierra in cranberry
notes on the pattern: the pattern is pretty easy to follow, although i think i chart would have been easier to read instead of the line by line. it took me a long time to remember what the abbreviations for the cables meant. i didn't really get it until the last skein got going but once i did it went quite a bit faster. knotting all of the little fringes was kind of a pain, too, but it came out well. and creating the fringe was nerve wracking but not to fear, twisting those stitches really did keep things from unravelling. this scarf is probably one of the most polished looking knits i have ever knit. it's very posh and looks like something you could buy at a store.
notes on yarn: the sierra was very nice to knit with. it was chunky but soft and had a nice hand. the resulting fabric was a bit dense at first but softened up a lot with a good wet block. the yarn is pretty close to debbie bliss' cashmerino chunky as far as i can tell. i just wish they had more colors available. next time i might try one of the luxury yarns that has a bit more drape, like the panache. this would look fab in a pale pink or grey. it's so classy looking. oh and the actual color is more towards the first picture. the one with me in it is a bit too bright. it's a very nice, deep red.

overall this was a fun knit and it going to make a fabulous gift. yay! now onto the next one!

hollywood hijinks

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you know- i'd never actually seen the hollywood sign before today. rumor was that on a clear day (ha!) you could see it from my old apartment but i never saw it. however as i was driving up the street to my friend's house this morning, there it was. it's actually kind of cool. it used to say "hollywoodland" but i think hollywood sounds a lot better. well the reason i was up there this morning was to meet my friend to go to the hollywood farmer's market. i've never been to this one even though i used to see it when i went to the 24 hour fitness across the street from it. but my co-worker is always bragging about the fantastic food and fun time she has there so i had to go. i ate a lovely green corn with sweet corn tamale, thai coconut cakes and a delicious strawberry lemonade. i also picked up some fresh veggies and sweet rice snacks to go. also spotted french actress julie delpy (of before sunrise and american werewolf fame) and grassfed bison. are bison the same as buffalo? cause i've had buffalo burgers (tasty!) farmers markets are so fun!

that was super early and afterwards i headed straight to unwind for my sock class. it was a small class with only 5 people signed up. we were basically making a baby sock to get down the construction of a sock so we could make grown up ones later. it was actually my first knitting class ever and it was interesting. my sock came out huge because of my loose knitting but who cares? but i know you want to see it, even if you don't say so, and i will keep you waiting no longer.

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the class was interesting with people at different skill levels and i definitely had fun. i hope this newfound knowledge will kick me into finally finishing the sock i started ages ago. i have enough yarn for 5 more pairs of socks in the stash so i better start cranking them out. :)

haul
i also bought a few other things this weekend. unwind just started carrying bryspun circulars. i've only heard good things about them and i've been wanting to try them so i bought a couple to test out. i started using the bryspun straights on my atacama sweater (bamboo was sticking too much to the alpaca) and i have to say that i do like the way they feel. the tips are pointy enough and they're light. i can't wait to try out my new circs! i also picked up a skully shirt at urban outfitters on saturday. i have a thing for pirates (like a lot of people) and could not resist. isn't it cool? and the candle on the top right was bought from a very nice man at the farmers market who makes them. it's jasmine scented and i know it's a good candle because i can smell it in the room even when it's not burning. it's not the cheap kind from the 99 cent store that i use during blackouts. and i love love the smell of jasmine. i heart my new goods.

oh and i know i said i was on a yarn diet, but that doesn't include tool and patterns that will help me use up the stash. just no yarn and nothing frivolous. oh and i just bought glampyre's new bulky cable sweater pattern. it's gorgeous and i have been waiting for the pattern to come out. you know you want it, too. go get it now. i'll wait......

i hope you bought it. you won't regret it. well i am off to lay on the couch and decrease the armholes on the atacama sweater. it's lovely staying in weather and i only wish i didn't have to work tomorrow. stats on the saxon braid scarf tomorrow (or soon at least). :)

Saturday, October 15, 2005

good night, and good luck

i just got back from seeing good night, and good luck and i have to say that it was excellent. the film was directed by george clooney and is about broadcast journalist edward murrow during the time of senator mccarthy. really it's fantastically written, with a great cast and it's shot beautifully in black and white. david strathairn is amazing. you should definitely check it out if you can.

and i buckled down last night to actually finish something. this is the saxon braid scarf from the cover of knitting on the edge. i finished the scarf late last night except for the fringe. i didn't want to try unravelling it when i was too tired. below is a little picture story on the business of making all the side fringe.

lastrow
this is the scarf's wrong side after i finished the last row of the pattern.

bindoff
i bound off all the stitches up to the last 5 and tied the last stitch off.

unravel
i was afraid the whole thing was going to unravel but looks like i twisted all the right stitches, cause everything stayed where it was supposed to.

fringe
and here is the fringe in all of its crinkled glory.

i gave it a good wet block and it is drying on the floor right now. i'll take a picture tomorrow and give you all the stats. but it looks lovely and warm and really cool with the fringe.

this is probably going to be a christmas gift so yay, it's done. now onto the atacama sweater! well off to veg and watch tv for me. and of course, knit. i am taking a sock knitting class tomorrow at unwind so hopefully i will start craking out those socks soon. and i bought an awesome shirt today. i'll try to remember and take a pic. night!

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

all things dead

sigh- so the whole front and back of my sweater was frogged tonight. yes i ripped it all out. looking at it tonight, i could totally see the color changes from skein to skein. i had looked at it while i was doing it but i didn't notice anything. but variegated yarn can be a bitch and this one varies a lot from skein to skein. so it's ripped and i started over alternating skeins as i go. your condolences are welcome.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

sunday veg

wow it seems like the weekend lasted forever (which it never does). i managed to go to two really good concerts this weekend. my friend called unexpectedly on friday to tell me that his professor had given him two tickets to the franz ferdinand show at the greek theater and asked if i wanted to go. hello- free concert and good music? i was so there. franz ferdinand put on a really fun and energetic show. the only bad thing was our seats because we sort of let a group of people sit in our seats (they were already there) and just moved down a couple of seats. but then during the show, the people who actually had our seats came so we had to move back to our old seats but instead of two people from the other group moving, only one girl moved. so basically my friend and i were sharing a space for only one person. but it was fine. the people next to us looked like they were in junior high and we didn't want to split them up. yeah, we're that nice.

saturday i had tickets for green day at the home depot center. traffic getting there was so bad and parking cost $20, but the show made up for it. it was super fun and energetic the whole time and am i the only one who thinks billy joe is kind of cute? it was also one of the most elaborate shows i've ever been to, with fireworks, flame thrower effects, and loud firecracker explosions. they were really great live and i would recommend seeing them if you get a chance.

quick movie reviews: a history of violence was interesting (in a good way) and the acting was top notch (with the exception of the kid who plays his daughter. i just didn't buy it) and the plot was intriguing but not fantastic. worth it just to see ed harris being creepy and viggo's naked butt (yeah you heard me). wallace and gromit was excellent! it totally worked as a full length and it was funny (love that british humor). i also think that the wallace and gromit films (and aardman stuff in general) has the best sound editing and effects. it's always so crisp and clear and real sounding. i don't know what it is but it's always excellent.

i did a good bit of knitting this weekend on the atacma sweater. i finished the front earlier this week and just finished the back tonight while watch desperate housewives and grey's anatomy (this week's was SO good). and in finally took some pictures for you, so enjoy.

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this is the front, all laid out and pretty. it could use a good blocking but i'll worry about that later.

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close-up of my first ever successful short row shoulder.

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and a super close-up of the lovely atacama yarn so that you'll go buy some. :)the colors are pretty true here and are just divine in person.

and before the yarn diet started, i had ordered a couple books from amazon. i had been hearing so many good things about melanie falick's handknit holidays that i just had to get it. and i saw the debbie bliss book on kristine's blog and knew it would be the perfect thing to get me to the $25 free shipping mark. free shipping = slow ass delivery but i finally got the books on thursday. savannah chik was cool enough to make an album of the whole book and i took just a few pics of some of the projects i really like for you.

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spiralhat

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i haven't read through the whole thing yet but everything looks inspiring. the only thing i would say it needed was more pictures of the projects. i mean there were a lot of pictures but there were a lot of projects where i thought a close0up or a back view pic would have been very useful. other than that it's gorgeous and totally worth adding to the library. it's starting to get a little cooler here and all of the halloween stuff is out. i love love halloween and love this time of year. my pumpkin carving buddies moved out of state this year so i am not sure what i am going to do. i might just suck it up and carve one on my own. pumpkin patches are the best, too! all i have to say is yay for fall.

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Wednesday, October 05, 2005

sneezy

i have been sluggish for the past couple of days. it all started yesterday when i gave blood during the blood drive at work. now i've given blood before and besides the ew factor, i'm usually fine. but this time, midway through, i started to get super nauseous and hot and i felt so lame cause they had to come put ice packs on me and give me juice. and let me tell you, i felt really sick but i didn't pass out. yay me. and they made me sit there for more than half and hour and my poor coworker waited for me. so i have been out of whack ever since then even though i am sure the blood's been regenerated and all that. maybe it's just the freaky humid weather that's messing with me, but i hope to feel back to normal soon.

the blog has been bland lately without pictures because i left my camera in the car and i keep forgetting to bring it up with me when i go in. swear i will try to bring it up before the end of the week. i just started the waist shaping on the back of the tshirt sweater and it's looking nice. i can't tell if the colors are pooling weird or not and i was too lazy to work from two skeins at once. i think it'll be fine and i am cool with the spontaneity of variegated yarns.

and hello- i looked at the bank account today and where did all the money go? i am so on a yarn diet starting right now. seriously folks, i need to save some cash and i have so much yarn at the moment. i keep getting packages at work and my boss is making fun of me because he knows what's inside. so you heard it here. NO YARN. don't tempt me with sales or new patterns or gorgeous finished items. i can't. seriously, yo. you need to help me be good.

heading off to bed now as i have a big day tomorrow. we're going to see a history of violence and i have to be rested up for my dear viggo. nighty night!

Monday, October 03, 2005

i just spent an evening in short row hell. i am finally up to the shoulder shaping on the atacama tshirt sweater and decided that i wanted to figure out how to short row shape ths shoulders so that i could do a three needle bind off. sounds simple right? no- kept messing it up and the directions i was using were a little vague. i mean, i understand the concept but i was confused as to where i should turn my work. at first i kept turning at the same place because my directions told me to work until i had the number of stitches i wanted bound off on my left need. well the pattern tells me to bind off 8 stitches every other row 2x so i was turning it at the eight stitch mark twice. what i finally figured out was that the second time round, i needed to add the bound off stitches together so i was turning when the number of stitches on the left needled equalled the total number of stitches i should have bound off at that point (8 + 8 = 16 st). i had to rip a few times but i finally figured it out and now i can forget it and relearn it when i do the back piece.

i've been having headaches on and off today and i seem to be on at the moment. i gotta go take something or i'll never get to bed. and i have to feel good cause i am giving blood tomorrow and my blood buddy (ew) just caught a cold and won't be donating with me. so i need my strength to face icky blood giving alone. i'm not particularly scared of needles but who really wants a big one stuck in their arm, right? send yarn to pad my fall in case i pass out. :)

Sunday, October 02, 2005

i believe i am the wind

so i saw serenity last night (all by my lonesome i might add) and i thought it was really good. i do think people who may have never seen the tv series might not be getting the whole story but overall, i thought it was very well done. the dialogue was top notch and it just makes me so sad that the show didn't last. imagine, we could have had YEARS of firefly episodes. but at least we got one last hurrah with the movie. and for your viewing pleasure is a pic of my friend in the jayne hat i sent her this week. she lives in boston now so we couldn't see it together but she was there in spirit. happy sunday!

adrienneinhat

Friday, September 30, 2005

the sands of time

dang- this week has been going by so slowly. time is going slowly and i am so happy that friday has finally come. what do i have planned this weekend? well, tonight i have a date with my friend to see the king tut exhibit at lacma. this exhibit is so popular that we had to make and appointment to get in. i don't think i've ever made an appointment to get into a museum. i also plan to knit this sweater:

ella-rae-atacama1
(it's from the ella rae book #1 if you want to know) yeah i saw it in a catalog and couldn't resist. then combined with the fact that i saw the yarn in person last weekend and it was YUMMY, clinched the deal. i found a great price for a bag of yarn here and got it a couple of days ago. i swatched last night and cast on for the front.

other than that i just want to chill out, maybe do a little shopping, catch up on tv show, and of course, go see SERENITY. go go go. you know you want to. i bet you a nickel you'll like it. :) happy weekend!

Sunday, September 25, 2005

a cunning feat

lookee i finished something. i bet all you readers forgot what a finished object looks like here at chez fun. info...

JAYNE HAT
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pattern: combo of this pattern and this one
yarn: brown sheep bulky in spice (red), rust (orange) and lemon drop (yellow)
needles: 10.5 16" clover circs
pattern notes: i combined the two popular patterns for jayne's hat into one to get my hat. i cast on for the craftster pattern hat (my first time using cable cast on) but used a decrease method similar to the one from superfly (spiral decreases). and the earflaps i only made 16 stitches wide (instead of the 20 that the craftster pattern was asking for). all in all, a very quick and satifying experience. i finished the hat in one evening but i still need to make the pom pom, which is why i did not include it in the picture. i've never actually even made a pom pom but i am thinking that it's not that hard. i feel so much better finishing this before serenity comes out. i am not planning on wearing it to the movie, however, since i'll be alone and i'd rather not call attention to myself. but everyone should go to the movie so it makes big bucks. friday, y'all. be there.

i spent the entire weekend doing pretty much nothing. did a bit of shopping and i bought two pairs of jeans. this is huge news for me since i never find pants that fit and my old jeans have holes in them. holes, people, and not on purpose. i seriously need to do some fall shopping. more pants and more shirts and some boots. i feel like, well i know that i am wearing the same clothes to work every week. i am sure my coworkers would love to see me in some new duds. hopefully i will get to do some more shopping next weekend.

besides that, i was quite productive this evening, as i went to my friend vanessa's house and watched a crapload of tv. saw grey's anatomy, desperate housewives, the west wing and the family guy. lots of good tv viewing on sunday nights this season.

ooh and we saw flightplan on friday. let's just say it wasn't too good. the acting was good but the plot was just poor and the twist wasn't great and there were just too many plotholes to hold the thing together. my friend's mom kept calling it panic plane and that sums is up pretty well. i'd save my buckeroos for something better if i could help it.

Thursday, September 22, 2005

let the good times roll

sigh- it seems like it's been such a long week, but it's almost over. lots of excitement this week, including thunderstorms and emergency plane landing in la. luckily, none of these events ended tragically. in fact, the thunderstorms and rain were really cool. i love fall and winter and even though los angeles has a pretty pathetic season, i can't wait for it to start. what else have i been doing this week? watching tv. that's all i've been doing really. about a million shows started up again this week and i was on a quest to watch all of my favorites, along with a few new shows. i just finished last night's season premiere of lost, which was awesome. no spoilers so don't fear, but i love it and am so glad it won the emmy (even though deadwood and six feet under are pretty awesome, too). i also managed to watch csi tonight and i was happy to see the whole team together again. but gil still had that annoying beard i think. so far none of the new shows is turning out to be really interesting to me. i did miss my name is earl though, and plan on catching it next week. bones was just ok (the main character is kind of annoying) and everybody hates chris was pretty funny. i really don't know if i will be able to keep up with all of the tv watching. it's exhausting.

one good thing about being a couch potato is that i get to knit a lot. this week i've been concentrating on the saxon braid scarf from knitting on the edge and since it's pretty dull looking still, i'll just post a pic of the cable.

closeup
i can't seem to catch the color correctly. it's a very deep red and the color is not as blown out as it is here in the picture. again - the knitpicks sierra is dreamy to work with. the color selection right now is a bit limited but hopefully they're remedy that soon. in other knitting news, thanks to some people, i decided that i needed to make a jayne hat. if you've ever watched firefly, you know what hat i am talking about. the serenity movie comes out in 8 days (!) and i thought that i needed a hat to commemorate the event. i know i won't wear it to the actual movie since i will probably be going alone and don't like to call attention to myself anyway. but you can find a pattern here and another craftster thread about the whole thing. i think everyone should make one so they can look this cool:

jaynehat

brownsheep
i'll be using brown sheep bulky for the hat. i'm not really sure if these are the right colors for it (it's hard to tell in the dvd), and i also ordered one color online that should come shortly. in most of the patterns out there, they say that the earflap should be red. however, i think the hat is mostly gold and orange and i ordered a dark rust color for the earflaps. the yellow is a bit bright but i kind of like it. i might do some yarn shopping this weekend just in case (my bad).

i'm pooped now so off to bed i go but i hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Saturday, December 31, 2005

new year cheer

seems like i haven't written since christmas eve and now it's new year's eve. i wish i had been organized enough to write a really christmas-y post like a lot of bloggers did but i just really couldn't get it together in time. christmas was pretty low key. woke up and opened some gifts. my brother actually gave me something (which he never does) and it was a copy of knitting on the edge by nicky epstein. i didn't have the heart to tell him that i already had this book in my library. i am going to try and exchange it at borders this week, hopefully for a copy of folk socks. i saw these two awesome pairs of norwegian stockings and now i can't live without them. i ordered some knitpicks essential sock yarn for a pair and now just need to get the book.

and remember that kid's sweater i was trying to finish? yeah i didn't. i stopped for awhile to make these:

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my dad was complaining that he couldn't find any of his scarves so my mom and i made a trip to communkity. i actually had another motive for going there besides dad's scarf needs. i seem to have misplaced some mittenettes i made last year out of manos and really wanted to grab another skein to make a new pair. i knew that communkity carried manos so we decided to find dad yarn there, too. this was what we came up with:

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the three skeins on the left are #106 i think and is a great color called granite. that's what we used for my dad's set (the scarf is just 2x2 rib and the hat i kind of made up, if you want to know) while the blue i bought just because it was pretty and the multi skein is for my new topless mittens. i love love manos though. the colors are so pretty and it knits up gorgeously and i just want to roll arond in it. defnitely be a desert island yarn.

so progress on the kid sweater stopped to make those for christmas. i was also having a hard time with the neck decreases so i put it down for a few days. however i picked it up again a couple nights ago to finish the front and start a sleeve. now i have this:

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the color is more true in this picture


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sleevage

i don't think i am going to finish before i leave on monday but that's fine, i can just mail it to my mom to give to the recipient. i don't like working on a deadline. it just stresses me out. i actually didn't do much holiday knitting this year and i am glad. i'd rather make something for me that i know i'll enjoy than stress out making something for someone who might not even appreciate that it was handmade (yes i know people like that).

well my ride is here to take me to a new years bbq. be safe everyone, watch those wet roads and happy new year!
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Saturday, December 24, 2005

tiny lights

happy holidays, everyone! pardon the lack of posting but i have been enjoying myself at home with my parents in northern california and haven't had a moment to post. it's so nice to sleep in and eat good food. it's so sunny and pretty here today, even though it was sort of rainy this week. i hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday!
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Wednesday, December 14, 2005

funky monkey

ugh- i am not feeling too well today. yesterday we had to evacuate our builiding because it was starting to smell like toxic fumes on our floor. the president of the company sent out an email encouraging us to leave the building for awhile. i was getting this icky, swollen feeling in my throat and i chalked it up to the weird smell (that came from roof construction we found out) but now it seems like i am actually sick. and it's so not fair because i was just sick before the last holiday. but yesterday two wonderful ladies at work took the three assistants in my dept out for a special holiday lunch at aroma cafe on tujunga. it's this really cute cafe in studio city that has tasty food and is connected to the coolest little bookstore. afterwards, we did a little window shopping and i stopped by the yarn store across the street called yarn garden (sorry i can't find a website but it's 4361 1/2 tujunga). i didn't really get to shop much but i did pick up a skein of lamb's pride worsted yarn to make some toys from the jess hutch booklet and the new winter issue of interweave knits. i can't say that i am blown away by this issue but i do like the sweater on the cover, along with the aran pullover, the lace socks and 4-3-2 ribbed pullover.

it's been madness lately, as i've been shopping and wrapping and writing cards non-stop. i think i am close to nearing the end of my christmas list, but there are still a few people i need to get things for. seems like there's been a flurry of activity lately of bloggers making gifts for loved ones. i, however, know that i couldn't handle that kind of pressure and so instead just make things for me and give away knits on a less stringent schedule than christmastime. however, there is one item that i'd like to finish for christmas and that's this:

jack
it's jack from the rowan junior book. here is my progress so far:

front
that's just the front of it. i am doing it in some plymouth encore worsted instead of the rowan dk that it calls for. i wanted something a little loftier and smooshy and not so cotton heavy. so far it seem to be working out fine. i don't know if i will actually get this done in time, but one can hope, right?

well off to take some nyquil i go. tomorrow is an office christmas tradition called the smackdown, where my coworkers sign up to perform (we do work at a music company after all) in front of everyone else. not my cup of tea but i'll know los of people performing so i don't want to be sick and miss it. happy wednesday!
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Saturday, December 10, 2005

a quick fo for you

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this is the vintage velvet scarf from the infamous scarf style book. i finished it awhile ago but never got around the posting the details, so here they are.
pattern: vintage velvet from scarf style
yarn: 5 skeins of muench touch me in the discontinued 3660
needles: 4.50mm bamboo straights
size before felting: 5" x 60"
size after felting: 5" x 60" (after a whole lot of stretching)
pattern notes: well, i got gauge by going down a few needles sizes and thought everything was going fine, until i noticed that i was getting down to the last ball, and my scarf was going to be much shorter than the "before felting" size specified in the pattern. i knew this would mean my scarf would end up being too short (i like to be able to wrap my scarves with a decent amount of length). my yarn color was discontinued so i decided that i'd felt it anyway and try to block it after i felted it. in the wash it went and dang if it didn't look like an ugly, drowned rat. then i brought it back up to my apt and stretched it as much as i could and help the ends down with books for about a day and a half. at this point, it was still a bit wet but it wasn't soft at all. it was sort of matted and gross. so i threw it in the dryer for a cycle and voila! it transformed into something plushy soft and fuzzy. i guess this yarn really does need a turn in the dryer to make it work. i don't think there were any mistakes in the pattern and if i had to do it again, i would just use one more ball of yarn so that i could just throw it in the dryer after felting it.
yarn notes: lots of people complained about worming with this yarn but i didn't have a problem with it. sure, it was slippery but the bamboo needles helped a lot. and the whole felting process was very interesting.

so, while i like the scarf, i just don't think it's my style. it's a bit too slinky feeling for me to be comfortable with it and i think i'll gift it to a needy friend. however, a big pillow out of this yarn would be lovely...
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Saturday, December 03, 2005

variegation is the spice of life

once again i haven't posted in ages. it just seems like i never have the energy to put together a coherent post and i don't want to waste y'alls time with a lame post. however, i hope to get my act together today to catch up on all stuff that's been going on lately here at chez fun. i've been working diligently on my atacama tshirt sweater. i finally finished the back earlier this week, thanks to the kind help of johanna. she sent me an email detailing how to work the back for short row shaping and a three needle bind off on the shoulders. this time i actually did it right and ended up with the correct number of shoulder stitches. thanks, johanna!

DSC02827
i took this picture earlier in the week, before the back was even done. i've been good and have been alternating skeins every couple of rows. you can see the difference in color between the back and the front piece. the back (left piece) is much more red than the front, but i don't care because no one will be seeing them together anyway.

i also finished the double knit hat i was working on a few weeks ago. unfortunately i gave it to my mom during the holiday and never took any pictures of the finished project. you'll have to take my word for it that it was cute and my mom likes it a lot.

last night was my company office party. i've never been to a company christmas party before but i've seen so many of them in films and tv that i fully expected bad karaoke and some drunken embarrassments. luckily, most people contained themselves at the open bar, though there were a few really drunk people there. we stayed long enough to eat and be a bit merry but then made a break for it. i had fun though and oh they gave us gift certificates as gifts. i got one for macy's. i might hit up the makeup counter with that one. and i did have a mini crisis trying to find something to wear for the party (i don't dress up at all normally) but was saved by my lovely coworker who loaned me a cute sweater/camisole set and my roomie who lent me her shoes. after all that excitement, i was very happy to be able to sleep in this morning. not that i stayed in super late but it's nice to wake up when you want. i made a run to santa monica this morning to hit up yarns unlimited, where i picked up this:

DSC02830
the stuff on the left is enough cascade 220 and some gold dalegarn free style to make a gryffindor scarf from this pattern. and it's not as pink as it looks in this pic. bad lighting, wouldn't you know. you didn't think my potter fever had subsided that quickly, now did you? i started reading hp and the half-blood prince but i am reading it uber slow. it's like i want to savor it and save it since i know there's no book after it and the next one is supposed to be the last one, right? the brighter red yarn on the right is actually from unwind that i got earlier this week. with all of this i plan to make this little ensemble set:

harryandhermione
pattern for the hat and mittens (not shown in this pic) were purchased from here. i wanted to buy some yarn for hufflepuff scarf (yay cedric) but i want to see the movie again just to make sure what kind of yellow the huffies have settled on in the new film. and i am itching to make a weasley sweater from alison's pattern, but i am waiting for some midnight felted tweed to be available for a good price. and jenn (check out her nov 30th post) is working on the pattern for the new weasley sweater and i just know i'll want to make that, too. potter brain is what i call it. i also stopped by wildfiber, since i was on the westside today and couldn't resist this:

DSC02828
i bought 9 skeins of this rowan plaid and it's so lusicous and soft and the colors are beautiful. it was on clearance so it was a decent deal. but let me say that those wildfiber people are kind of rude. some of the yarn was tagged at a certain price so i made my assumption that the rest of it would be that price, minus the discount. when i got up to the counter i was informed that the price tag was an "old price" and the real price was $2 more. i might have put them back but she had rung it up already and it was gorgeous yarn after all. unfortunately the ones tagged were not the same color as mine but wouldn't you assume the same thing? i hate it when i have to ask for every single price at a yarn store. and how many prices does their yarn have anyway? they have a lovely selection of koigu and lots of other fabulous yarns at that store, but their prices are extremely high and with this kind of attitude, i really doubt if i'll be spending much more time there in the future. but i did have fun buying yarn today. a little present to myself. what is it about buying yarn that makes you feel so happy? i just love it! and my friend and i got my other co-worker into knitting, too, so she's getting the bug alright. i am doing my best to spread knitting around the world, one person at a time.

one more purchase made this week were these:

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i know, i know - they're trendy but kind of ugly and yes, they're fakes. but oh they're so nice. it feels like i am walking on big pillows when i wear them and they're perfect for going to a movie in a chilly theater. you can laugh and say i am following a lame trend but i love my new sheepy boots, though i won't be wearing them with a mini skirt. give me some credit at least. i so want another pair in black or green. they're totally toasty and fun.

and that's the weekend so far. i am going to go work on my atacama sleeve right now before i go out to see aeon flux tonight. karyn kusama (who wrote and directed the film girlfight) is directing and a bunch of good people are in it. it looks pretty interesting visually and the animated cartoon was so freaky and hopefully the film will be good. happy weekend to everyone!
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Friday, November 25, 2005

potter mania

i just got home from seeing harry potter and the goblet of fire and i just loved it. really really just loved it. it's been awhile since i read the book and it all came back. the fifth one isn't my favorite and i haven't gotten to the new one yet, but seeing the movie makes me want to read it right away. too bad i left it in la and i'm at my parents' house at the moment. and how hot was the guy who played cedric? so cute and yes, i looked him up on imdb and he's 7 years younger than me. he's 19 - a mere baby. but damn he's hot. and i totally used to think hufflepuff was lame and that is sucked that the damn sorting hat put me in it the last time i tried it. but cedris was a hufflepuff and he seemed pretty cool. and i so want to make one of those scarves, too. maybe for the next movie.

and happy late thanksgiving to everyone. i stuffed myself and i probably won't be having a having any turkey for awhile. alright- i am going to go eat a piece of pie now. hope you are all having fun and don't get smooshed at the mall!
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Sunday, November 20, 2005

a million miles away

i know it's been ages since i last posted and this is going to be short. i've been sick for the past few days with an icky cold so i'm trying to get better before the holiday. there's nothing worse than being sick during the holidays. so here's a quick fo for you all the enjoy.

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this is the monette scarf from rowan's vintage style magazine. it was knit on size 5 bamboos using a skein of pink discontinued kidsilk haze from my secret pal and one skein of crystal palace mohair in lavender. the pattern was pretty straightforward and i really like the kidsilk haze. it's skinny as hell but feels so lovely on your fingers. i tried to block the lace bits at the end so they looked better but it still didn't end up as nice as i wanted it. i think i knit it too tight or something. anywhoozle - it's done and it's pretty so that's all i care about.

off to take my cold meds now. happy thanksgiving if i don't get around to posting before then!
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Thursday, November 03, 2005

friday's a comin'

i know this is a bit overdue but here's a picture of me with some of my coworkers from halloween. i was part of a 60s girl group with two of my friends. i didn't actually put the thing together but i did get the wear my friend's mom's wig from the actual 60s. and i never wear skirts, so that was sort of a costume in itself. i have the plaid skirt on, in case ou were wondering. my other friends came as god's gift to women and marilyn monroe. oh and diana as a pirate. i love pirates.

costumes
now look at the scary sight that waited for us on monday morning:

deadpumpkins
ewwwwwww! those are some seriously nasty pumpkins. can you see how their eyes filled with black mold? it was so disgusting. why do pumpkins mold so fast? and they were squishy and wet. note to self- throw pumpkins away before going away for the weekend.

lately i haven't been feeling the love for the big knit projects. still working on the atacama sweater but i needed a break from the yarn and pattern so i decided to start something small. here's my work so far on the warm ass hat pattern. it's the first time i've tried double knitting and it's really fun. it's so cool how you get double sided fabric. i've been watching copious amounts of tv this week and knitting on this hat.

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it's been nice to work on something small between working on my sweater. i'll probably buckle down this weekend knit on the sweater. i also broke the yarn diet just a bit so i could buy yarn to make something from this:

jess jess2
i received my lovely booklet from jess hutch this week. i love her little knitted toys and was so excited when i heard she was going to be selling some of the patterns. i totally want to make henry the bear, the robot and that little octopus looking guy. so i broke and bought a few skeins of lamb's pride worsted to make them. i love lp yarn and it's cool these little guys use it. so if you have any lamb's pride scraps you need to get rid of, you know who to call. :) i highly recommend getting the booklet if you like really cool toy patterns. they're just adorable.

and thank goodness tomorrow is friday. one more day to go. have a great weekend!
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Tuesday, November 01, 2005

no day but today

rent

i just got back from a screening of the movie version of the musical rent and had to post. it was really, really good. i've never actually seen it performed live so i can't compare but i thought this version was very well done and the music was awesome! the songs are so great and everyone sounded good. yes, rosario dawson can sing. and the choreography was really excellent, too. i heart jesse l. martin and mahandra (tracie thoms) from wonderfalls is in it, too. i don't think it comes out til around thanksgiving but i highly recommend seeing it when it does. i can't get the songs out of my head so thank goodness i have a copy of the soundtrack at work.

ps to adrienne - i totally saw the scene they were filming when we were on the lot and it looks sweet!

comment notes:
thanks for all the comments on the pumpkins. we did some carving during work last week and the white one was a bit hit. they're really smooth and it didn't mold as fast. i am going to post some pics later of what happened to the pumpkins over the weekend. it's gross.

alison - i'll email you about vanity fair
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Sunday, October 30, 2005

it's that time of year again...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE!

pumpkins

whitepumpkin
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Saturday, October 29, 2005

blog this book

my entry for "blog this book" is a bit late this week. life's been hectic but i finally have some time to post some books for y'all. gaile started it and how it works is that i post some books that i've read and am ready to part with. if you want to read it, let leave a comment and let me know what book you have to trade and we can swap. if you really want to read it but don't have anything to trade, leave a comment anyway and we can work something out. some of the books are in better shape than others but all are in readable condition. enjoy!

cowgirls
even cowgirls get the blues by tom robbins
yes there was a movie made about this book starring uma thurman. i've never seen it so i can't say if it was good or not. i never actually finished this book. the writing was good and the characters were interesting but the story kept meandering into odd places that i just couldn't follow. however i know many people who really love tom robbins and i plan on trying one of his other books soon.

thackery
vanity fair by william makepeace thackery
classic novel about the struggle for wealth and power. becky sharp is intent on shedding her low upbringing and make a name for herself, any way she can. this is so much better than the movie that was made starring reese witherspoon.

lovelybones
the lovely bones by alice sebold
very interesting book told from the point of view of a little girl who's been murdered. she can observe the world from where she is and we get to see how her death has affected her family.

that's all i have for now. let me know if you're interested in anything!
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Sunday, October 16, 2005

the saxon is done

done

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what: saxon braid scarf from knitting on the edge, errata here
start: 8/31/05
finish: 10/15/05
needle: clover bamboo 10 straight
yarn: 3 skeins knitpicks sierra in cranberry
notes on the pattern: the pattern is pretty easy to follow, although i think i chart would have been easier to read instead of the line by line. it took me a long time to remember what the abbreviations for the cables meant. i didn't really get it until the last skein got going but once i did it went quite a bit faster. knotting all of the little fringes was kind of a pain, too, but it came out well. and creating the fringe was nerve wracking but not to fear, twisting those stitches really did keep things from unravelling. this scarf is probably one of the most polished looking knits i have ever knit. it's very posh and looks like something you could buy at a store.
notes on yarn: the sierra was very nice to knit with. it was chunky but soft and had a nice hand. the resulting fabric was a bit dense at first but softened up a lot with a good wet block. the yarn is pretty close to debbie bliss' cashmerino chunky as far as i can tell. i just wish they had more colors available. next time i might try one of the luxury yarns that has a bit more drape, like the panache. this would look fab in a pale pink or grey. it's so classy looking. oh and the actual color is more towards the first picture. the one with me in it is a bit too bright. it's a very nice, deep red.

overall this was a fun knit and it going to make a fabulous gift. yay! now onto the next one!
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hollywood hijinks

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you know- i'd never actually seen the hollywood sign before today. rumor was that on a clear day (ha!) you could see it from my old apartment but i never saw it. however as i was driving up the street to my friend's house this morning, there it was. it's actually kind of cool. it used to say "hollywoodland" but i think hollywood sounds a lot better. well the reason i was up there this morning was to meet my friend to go to the hollywood farmer's market. i've never been to this one even though i used to see it when i went to the 24 hour fitness across the street from it. but my co-worker is always bragging about the fantastic food and fun time she has there so i had to go. i ate a lovely green corn with sweet corn tamale, thai coconut cakes and a delicious strawberry lemonade. i also picked up some fresh veggies and sweet rice snacks to go. also spotted french actress julie delpy (of before sunrise and american werewolf fame) and grassfed bison. are bison the same as buffalo? cause i've had buffalo burgers (tasty!) farmers markets are so fun!

that was super early and afterwards i headed straight to unwind for my sock class. it was a small class with only 5 people signed up. we were basically making a baby sock to get down the construction of a sock so we could make grown up ones later. it was actually my first knitting class ever and it was interesting. my sock came out huge because of my loose knitting but who cares? but i know you want to see it, even if you don't say so, and i will keep you waiting no longer.

firstsock
the class was interesting with people at different skill levels and i definitely had fun. i hope this newfound knowledge will kick me into finally finishing the sock i started ages ago. i have enough yarn for 5 more pairs of socks in the stash so i better start cranking them out. :)

haul
i also bought a few other things this weekend. unwind just started carrying bryspun circulars. i've only heard good things about them and i've been wanting to try them so i bought a couple to test out. i started using the bryspun straights on my atacama sweater (bamboo was sticking too much to the alpaca) and i have to say that i do like the way they feel. the tips are pointy enough and they're light. i can't wait to try out my new circs! i also picked up a skully shirt at urban outfitters on saturday. i have a thing for pirates (like a lot of people) and could not resist. isn't it cool? and the candle on the top right was bought from a very nice man at the farmers market who makes them. it's jasmine scented and i know it's a good candle because i can smell it in the room even when it's not burning. it's not the cheap kind from the 99 cent store that i use during blackouts. and i love love the smell of jasmine. i heart my new goods.

oh and i know i said i was on a yarn diet, but that doesn't include tool and patterns that will help me use up the stash. just no yarn and nothing frivolous. oh and i just bought glampyre's new bulky cable sweater pattern. it's gorgeous and i have been waiting for the pattern to come out. you know you want it, too. go get it now. i'll wait......

i hope you bought it. you won't regret it. well i am off to lay on the couch and decrease the armholes on the atacama sweater. it's lovely staying in weather and i only wish i didn't have to work tomorrow. stats on the saxon braid scarf tomorrow (or soon at least). :)
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Saturday, October 15, 2005

good night, and good luck

i just got back from seeing good night, and good luck and i have to say that it was excellent. the film was directed by george clooney and is about broadcast journalist edward murrow during the time of senator mccarthy. really it's fantastically written, with a great cast and it's shot beautifully in black and white. david strathairn is amazing. you should definitely check it out if you can.

and i buckled down last night to actually finish something. this is the saxon braid scarf from the cover of knitting on the edge. i finished the scarf late last night except for the fringe. i didn't want to try unravelling it when i was too tired. below is a little picture story on the business of making all the side fringe.

lastrow
this is the scarf's wrong side after i finished the last row of the pattern.

bindoff
i bound off all the stitches up to the last 5 and tied the last stitch off.

unravel
i was afraid the whole thing was going to unravel but looks like i twisted all the right stitches, cause everything stayed where it was supposed to.

fringe
and here is the fringe in all of its crinkled glory.

i gave it a good wet block and it is drying on the floor right now. i'll take a picture tomorrow and give you all the stats. but it looks lovely and warm and really cool with the fringe.

this is probably going to be a christmas gift so yay, it's done. now onto the atacama sweater! well off to veg and watch tv for me. and of course, knit. i am taking a sock knitting class tomorrow at unwind so hopefully i will start craking out those socks soon. and i bought an awesome shirt today. i'll try to remember and take a pic. night!
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Tuesday, October 11, 2005

all things dead

sigh- so the whole front and back of my sweater was frogged tonight. yes i ripped it all out. looking at it tonight, i could totally see the color changes from skein to skein. i had looked at it while i was doing it but i didn't notice anything. but variegated yarn can be a bitch and this one varies a lot from skein to skein. so it's ripped and i started over alternating skeins as i go. your condolences are welcome.
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Sunday, October 09, 2005

sunday veg

wow it seems like the weekend lasted forever (which it never does). i managed to go to two really good concerts this weekend. my friend called unexpectedly on friday to tell me that his professor had given him two tickets to the franz ferdinand show at the greek theater and asked if i wanted to go. hello- free concert and good music? i was so there. franz ferdinand put on a really fun and energetic show. the only bad thing was our seats because we sort of let a group of people sit in our seats (they were already there) and just moved down a couple of seats. but then during the show, the people who actually had our seats came so we had to move back to our old seats but instead of two people from the other group moving, only one girl moved. so basically my friend and i were sharing a space for only one person. but it was fine. the people next to us looked like they were in junior high and we didn't want to split them up. yeah, we're that nice.

saturday i had tickets for green day at the home depot center. traffic getting there was so bad and parking cost $20, but the show made up for it. it was super fun and energetic the whole time and am i the only one who thinks billy joe is kind of cute? it was also one of the most elaborate shows i've ever been to, with fireworks, flame thrower effects, and loud firecracker explosions. they were really great live and i would recommend seeing them if you get a chance.

quick movie reviews: a history of violence was interesting (in a good way) and the acting was top notch (with the exception of the kid who plays his daughter. i just didn't buy it) and the plot was intriguing but not fantastic. worth it just to see ed harris being creepy and viggo's naked butt (yeah you heard me). wallace and gromit was excellent! it totally worked as a full length and it was funny (love that british humor). i also think that the wallace and gromit films (and aardman stuff in general) has the best sound editing and effects. it's always so crisp and clear and real sounding. i don't know what it is but it's always excellent.

i did a good bit of knitting this weekend on the atacma sweater. i finished the front earlier this week and just finished the back tonight while watch desperate housewives and grey's anatomy (this week's was SO good). and in finally took some pictures for you, so enjoy.

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this is the front, all laid out and pretty. it could use a good blocking but i'll worry about that later.

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close-up of my first ever successful short row shoulder.

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and a super close-up of the lovely atacama yarn so that you'll go buy some. :)the colors are pretty true here and are just divine in person.

and before the yarn diet started, i had ordered a couple books from amazon. i had been hearing so many good things about melanie falick's handknit holidays that i just had to get it. and i saw the debbie bliss book on kristine's blog and knew it would be the perfect thing to get me to the $25 free shipping mark. free shipping = slow ass delivery but i finally got the books on thursday. savannah chik was cool enough to make an album of the whole book and i took just a few pics of some of the projects i really like for you.

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spiralhat

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i haven't read through the whole thing yet but everything looks inspiring. the only thing i would say it needed was more pictures of the projects. i mean there were a lot of pictures but there were a lot of projects where i thought a close0up or a back view pic would have been very useful. other than that it's gorgeous and totally worth adding to the library. it's starting to get a little cooler here and all of the halloween stuff is out. i love love halloween and love this time of year. my pumpkin carving buddies moved out of state this year so i am not sure what i am going to do. i might just suck it up and carve one on my own. pumpkin patches are the best, too! all i have to say is yay for fall.

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Wednesday, October 05, 2005

sneezy

i have been sluggish for the past couple of days. it all started yesterday when i gave blood during the blood drive at work. now i've given blood before and besides the ew factor, i'm usually fine. but this time, midway through, i started to get super nauseous and hot and i felt so lame cause they had to come put ice packs on me and give me juice. and let me tell you, i felt really sick but i didn't pass out. yay me. and they made me sit there for more than half and hour and my poor coworker waited for me. so i have been out of whack ever since then even though i am sure the blood's been regenerated and all that. maybe it's just the freaky humid weather that's messing with me, but i hope to feel back to normal soon.

the blog has been bland lately without pictures because i left my camera in the car and i keep forgetting to bring it up with me when i go in. swear i will try to bring it up before the end of the week. i just started the waist shaping on the back of the tshirt sweater and it's looking nice. i can't tell if the colors are pooling weird or not and i was too lazy to work from two skeins at once. i think it'll be fine and i am cool with the spontaneity of variegated yarns.

and hello- i looked at the bank account today and where did all the money go? i am so on a yarn diet starting right now. seriously folks, i need to save some cash and i have so much yarn at the moment. i keep getting packages at work and my boss is making fun of me because he knows what's inside. so you heard it here. NO YARN. don't tempt me with sales or new patterns or gorgeous finished items. i can't. seriously, yo. you need to help me be good.

heading off to bed now as i have a big day tomorrow. we're going to see a history of violence and i have to be rested up for my dear viggo. nighty night!
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Monday, October 03, 2005

i just spent an evening in short row hell. i am finally up to the shoulder shaping on the atacama tshirt sweater and decided that i wanted to figure out how to short row shape ths shoulders so that i could do a three needle bind off. sounds simple right? no- kept messing it up and the directions i was using were a little vague. i mean, i understand the concept but i was confused as to where i should turn my work. at first i kept turning at the same place because my directions told me to work until i had the number of stitches i wanted bound off on my left need. well the pattern tells me to bind off 8 stitches every other row 2x so i was turning it at the eight stitch mark twice. what i finally figured out was that the second time round, i needed to add the bound off stitches together so i was turning when the number of stitches on the left needled equalled the total number of stitches i should have bound off at that point (8 + 8 = 16 st). i had to rip a few times but i finally figured it out and now i can forget it and relearn it when i do the back piece.

i've been having headaches on and off today and i seem to be on at the moment. i gotta go take something or i'll never get to bed. and i have to feel good cause i am giving blood tomorrow and my blood buddy (ew) just caught a cold and won't be donating with me. so i need my strength to face icky blood giving alone. i'm not particularly scared of needles but who really wants a big one stuck in their arm, right? send yarn to pad my fall in case i pass out. :)
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Sunday, October 02, 2005

i believe i am the wind

so i saw serenity last night (all by my lonesome i might add) and i thought it was really good. i do think people who may have never seen the tv series might not be getting the whole story but overall, i thought it was very well done. the dialogue was top notch and it just makes me so sad that the show didn't last. imagine, we could have had YEARS of firefly episodes. but at least we got one last hurrah with the movie. and for your viewing pleasure is a pic of my friend in the jayne hat i sent her this week. she lives in boston now so we couldn't see it together but she was there in spirit. happy sunday!

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Friday, September 30, 2005

the sands of time

dang- this week has been going by so slowly. time is going slowly and i am so happy that friday has finally come. what do i have planned this weekend? well, tonight i have a date with my friend to see the king tut exhibit at lacma. this exhibit is so popular that we had to make and appointment to get in. i don't think i've ever made an appointment to get into a museum. i also plan to knit this sweater:

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(it's from the ella rae book #1 if you want to know) yeah i saw it in a catalog and couldn't resist. then combined with the fact that i saw the yarn in person last weekend and it was YUMMY, clinched the deal. i found a great price for a bag of yarn here and got it a couple of days ago. i swatched last night and cast on for the front.

other than that i just want to chill out, maybe do a little shopping, catch up on tv show, and of course, go see SERENITY. go go go. you know you want to. i bet you a nickel you'll like it. :) happy weekend!
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Sunday, September 25, 2005

a cunning feat

lookee i finished something. i bet all you readers forgot what a finished object looks like here at chez fun. info...

JAYNE HAT
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pattern: combo of this pattern and this one
yarn: brown sheep bulky in spice (red), rust (orange) and lemon drop (yellow)
needles: 10.5 16" clover circs
pattern notes: i combined the two popular patterns for jayne's hat into one to get my hat. i cast on for the craftster pattern hat (my first time using cable cast on) but used a decrease method similar to the one from superfly (spiral decreases). and the earflaps i only made 16 stitches wide (instead of the 20 that the craftster pattern was asking for). all in all, a very quick and satifying experience. i finished the hat in one evening but i still need to make the pom pom, which is why i did not include it in the picture. i've never actually even made a pom pom but i am thinking that it's not that hard. i feel so much better finishing this before serenity comes out. i am not planning on wearing it to the movie, however, since i'll be alone and i'd rather not call attention to myself. but everyone should go to the movie so it makes big bucks. friday, y'all. be there.

i spent the entire weekend doing pretty much nothing. did a bit of shopping and i bought two pairs of jeans. this is huge news for me since i never find pants that fit and my old jeans have holes in them. holes, people, and not on purpose. i seriously need to do some fall shopping. more pants and more shirts and some boots. i feel like, well i know that i am wearing the same clothes to work every week. i am sure my coworkers would love to see me in some new duds. hopefully i will get to do some more shopping next weekend.

besides that, i was quite productive this evening, as i went to my friend vanessa's house and watched a crapload of tv. saw grey's anatomy, desperate housewives, the west wing and the family guy. lots of good tv viewing on sunday nights this season.

ooh and we saw flightplan on friday. let's just say it wasn't too good. the acting was good but the plot was just poor and the twist wasn't great and there were just too many plotholes to hold the thing together. my friend's mom kept calling it panic plane and that sums is up pretty well. i'd save my buckeroos for something better if i could help it.
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Thursday, September 22, 2005

let the good times roll

sigh- it seems like it's been such a long week, but it's almost over. lots of excitement this week, including thunderstorms and emergency plane landing in la. luckily, none of these events ended tragically. in fact, the thunderstorms and rain were really cool. i love fall and winter and even though los angeles has a pretty pathetic season, i can't wait for it to start. what else have i been doing this week? watching tv. that's all i've been doing really. about a million shows started up again this week and i was on a quest to watch all of my favorites, along with a few new shows. i just finished last night's season premiere of lost, which was awesome. no spoilers so don't fear, but i love it and am so glad it won the emmy (even though deadwood and six feet under are pretty awesome, too). i also managed to watch csi tonight and i was happy to see the whole team together again. but gil still had that annoying beard i think. so far none of the new shows is turning out to be really interesting to me. i did miss my name is earl though, and plan on catching it next week. bones was just ok (the main character is kind of annoying) and everybody hates chris was pretty funny. i really don't know if i will be able to keep up with all of the tv watching. it's exhausting.

one good thing about being a couch potato is that i get to knit a lot. this week i've been concentrating on the saxon braid scarf from knitting on the edge and since it's pretty dull looking still, i'll just post a pic of the cable.

closeup
i can't seem to catch the color correctly. it's a very deep red and the color is not as blown out as it is here in the picture. again - the knitpicks sierra is dreamy to work with. the color selection right now is a bit limited but hopefully they're remedy that soon. in other knitting news, thanks to some people, i decided that i needed to make a jayne hat. if you've ever watched firefly, you know what hat i am talking about. the serenity movie comes out in 8 days (!) and i thought that i needed a hat to commemorate the event. i know i won't wear it to the actual movie since i will probably be going alone and don't like to call attention to myself anyway. but you can find a pattern here and another craftster thread about the whole thing. i think everyone should make one so they can look this cool:

jaynehat

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i'll be using brown sheep bulky for the hat. i'm not really sure if these are the right colors for it (it's hard to tell in the dvd), and i also ordered one color online that should come shortly. in most of the patterns out there, they say that the earflap should be red. however, i think the hat is mostly gold and orange and i ordered a dark rust color for the earflaps. the yellow is a bit bright but i kind of like it. i might do some yarn shopping this weekend just in case (my bad).

i'm pooped now so off to bed i go but i hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
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