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The Word According to Microsoft

find, originally uploaded by bridget_pics.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . . .

Wow, has it been almost a month? I don't have a good excuse - same old thing; work, life, and Ravelry get in the way, but my real reason is that I don't have my photo ducks lined up for the ABC-along. So instead of just thinking of an A, and getting it over with, I haven't done anything. Why did I think participating would motivate me to post? (That was a rhetorical question.)

I will find something this weekend - at this point I have to do A, B, and C to catch up!

The other biggy this month was the semi-local sock war, Battle of the Soxes, hosted by Chesley at The Knitting Experience Cafe. I surprised myself and knit a pair of worsted weight socks in a couple of days - it almost killed me - I was so sore! Amy designed the pattern, which I love.

I made the bag too.                                           

Unfortunately, before I could deliver my socks to the intended target, I was killed by these lovely socks, delivered by Sandy.

She took possession of the socks I made, but then she got her killer socks before she delivered mine, so who knows where they are now! (Well, I know they are going out of state and then have to come back again.)

Gee, now that I've started, I'm thinking of all kinds of things to blab about, but it's almost midnight and I'm getting up early to go to the Y.

Be back soon!

WTF?

11708 009, originally uploaded by bridget_pics.

I don't know about you, but in my acronym dictionary, BFD does NOT mean Big Fantastic Deal!

It's particularly funny considering the "values" of the company's founder.

An FO!

Just in the nick of time (I hope) I finished this baby blanket for a co-worker. She's due in a couple of weeks and planning on working until the end, so I hope she's in on Monday!

This is the Tiramisu Blanket by Alicia Paulson at Posy Gets Cosy. While I love the ribbon in the original , I wanted to make this blanket as easy to care for as possible, so for the border I used a contrasting color for a couple of rows and then did the shells. I also used an acrylic yarn (Vanna's Choice). It was ok for this project. I would hate to knit with it. I was looking for inexpensive and washable and it fit the bill. I went up one hook size from the pattern, and I should have gone up two sizes to improve the drape.

The bonus gift is a pair of Saartje's Bootees by Saartje Knits. These are the Cutest.Bootees. Ever. I made these with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.

Now I'm going to stop procrastinating and do some sewing. 

Drive-by blogging

See, I already lied. Last time I said I would be back "tomorrow." I have several projects on the go - knitting, crocheting, and sewing - more than I really like. Too many and I get overwhelmed.

I don't have access to my pics right now, so I'm being lazy and linking to Ravelry. Everyone is on Ravelry, right? :)

Here's a quick and dirty list

• Land and Sea Pullover for hubster (details). I started this a couple of years ago after I bought the kit from Cottage Craft in New Brunswick. This project currently holds the Boston Post cane.
• Tiramisu Blanket (details). This is a crocheted blanket a coworker's baby. I'm almost done with it.
• Hexagon Blanket (details ). This is a crocheted afghan I'm making just because I love it. I first saw Moonstitches' version. Remind me how much I love it when I complain about all the ends I have to weave in.
• Celtic Tote (details). This is a knitalong with my peeps at The Knitting Experience Cafe - my favorite yarn shop!
• Mittens for my daughter (details). They are mittens - what more can I say?
• Cassidy's Cap (details). I've only just begun (cue The Carpenters - ok, all you youngsters won't get it).
• Sewing - yikes. Lots of UFOs, but the main thing I have to finish soon is a square dance skirt and top for my niece. It was supposed to be a Christmas present. Maybe this weekend!

Keep warm!

Blog or get off the pot

It's decision time. Either blog or get off the pot, so to speak. I had good intentions when I started this, but I just don't ever seem to fit it in. There's work, projects, Ravelry (eek - I could have knit 8 sweaters with all that "lost" time!). I'm paid up for the next 3 weeks, so we'll see how it goes.

I'm not even going to try to catch up, so moving forward . . . . I'll post tomorrow about the projects I have on the go right now. There's Knitting!, Crocheting!, Sewing!, and much, much, more! (not really)

Where do I begin?

I didn't drop off the face of the Earth. I've been working, working, working. Mucho overtime since I was last here. It should be back to "normal" now. I've had very little time or inclination for knitting, etc., and what I have done is pretty basic stuff. Not the time for Rogue or the other complicated things I have on the needles.
I finished these socks - just a basic rib pattern in Cascade Fixation. I like the way they came out, but I don't really like knitting with the Fixation. The picture is pretty bad - it was dark out when I took it and I'm too lazy to take another one.

I've made a couple of these sock project bags and given both of them away. I forgot to take a picture of the first one. Nice to stuff into a purse or bag.

 
I did manage to squeeze in a couple of fun activities. A friend and I went to the Ogunquit Playhouse to see The Full Monty. It was very good (but long!). Sally Struthers was in it and so was the guy who was the young cop on T.J. Hooker. I didn't really need to see him in a g-string. My husband and I went to the Common Ground Fair a few weeks ago. It was our first time and we were impressed, but I couldn't believe how many people were there! Lots of spinners, fleece, fiber, yarn - I bought one skein of really pretty lace weight from The Enchanted Knoll - no picture - you'll have to wait until I make something with it.

Red Scarf Project

I'm sending this scarf to the Red Scarf Project. You can get more info on Norma's Red Scarf Project 2008 blog.
I had planned on knitting the Corrugator Scarf, which is an awesome pattern by Paula (free pattern in her sidebar). I will be making one of these soon!
But in the interests of time (which I have precious little of these days), I changed my mind and crocheted one. I made a base chain of 251 and just did single crochet until I was almost out of yarn, leaving enough for the fringe. It's pretty long (8 feet!), but it's a good wrapping scarf. I used Encore Worsted in a unisex brownish-red tweedy color. I also made a monetary donation from the handy link on the Red Scarf Project 2008 blog.

PS - If you click the picture to make it bigger, you can see how the single crochet actually looks kind of cool in this yarn - the color variation really helps!

It's a global economy

I recently received two packages from overseas. The first one from YesAsia.com contained the top two books (the other one came from Amazon). I recently discovered Japanese craft books - beautiful knitting, sewing, and crochet books. I decided to check out some crochet books, because they use diagrams for the patterns, so it really doesn't matter too much that I don't know Japanese (at least I'm hoping that will be the case).

The top book contains the pattern for this Hexagon Blanket, which is why I bought the book after seeing this version on Moonstitches blog through a link from a Ravelry group (b.h.a.b.c.a). Moonstitches even provided a tutorial on joining the motifs, which you do as you go - extremely useful! I actually joined the Ravelry group because I planned to make Babette, but I was swayed. One of the group members is making one using Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK and Rowan Pure Wool DK, both of which are machine washable - great idea! MM is discontinued, so I have been buying it hither and yon. I'm waiting for two orders from the UK and one from WEBS, and then I'll see what I have to work with.

Moving on to Germany . . . .

After hearing the buzz about Wollmeise on Ravelry and in blogland, I decided to order some directly from Claudia, the dyer. She is very nice to work with.
This is sock yarn - my photography skills and the light don't do it justice - many shades of blue melting into each other.

This is lace weight - I will be waiting until I'm more proficient with lace before I use this.

Closer to home . . . .

A group of the Maine Ravelers went to Amy's new shop a few weeks ago for an afternoon of knitting (me), spinning (them), and eating (everyone). It was fun and she will be hosting more events in the future, including this Saturday.

This beautifully colored lace weight followed me home.

I'm actually home sick from work today because I have a rotten cold, so now I think I'll quit playing on the computer and go lie down.

Here we go again, maybe

I have been debating starting a blog again for a while. I had one a couple of years ago that lasted about a year (knit cetera).
I plan to use this blog to record my crafting endeavors, not just knitting, but the other things I do as well: crochet, quilting, sewing, beading, etc - all with varying degrees of experience and ability . . . . And maybe some other things as well.
It' s funny, but when I joined Ravelry, I thought it would be enough, and I think a lot of bloggers are thinking the same thing, but it actually made me want to blog again so I can record all my stuff.
I'm going to see how it fits into my life for the next couple of weeks and then I'll decide what to do.
My next step will be to make the blog presentable, but not now, because I'm going to a meet some friends for knitting and tea!