You see that? That's the crack in my toilet tank. According to my uncle, it's the culprit behind the stinky old lady smell in the house. That's good because it should leave now that I have a new toilet. Sorry not to have more inspirational pictures after such a long slacking period. Apparently I only shot one of my recent projects and the lighting wasn't very good.

Happy Holidays to you all! And if you quilt and haven't tried free motion quilting, make it your new year's resolution, you won't regret it!

how beautiful are these:

http://www.supermaggie.com/thingstobuy/main.php?l=scarves%2Cskinny

And how much would l love to be able to make them! Maybe I will try
with some wool roving my mom bought so I could learn how to spin. 3
years ago.

life is crazy, hope you all are well.

It seems to me that Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger are a bit old to
be playing teenagers?

This is a little of what I'm working on for the special little show I'll be in on December 10th at 6:30 p.m. (Mark your calendars if you'll be in the Sacramento area.)
I got my Brother 1500, for Professional Use Only, machine back from the shop and man does it fly on the freehand machine quilting.

Here's what Simon's been doing over the holiday weekend:


We're babysitting a very little kitten for the next week, Simon thinks babysitting means eating.

This is the glitter I put in my entrance. Basically you open the door and see glitter. Again, this is way cooler in real life because it's very subtle and best at night by lamp and firelight, and I'm not the world's best photographer under those circumstances. Here's a shot of how it looks in daylight, no big whoop. I applied the glitter by blowing it on out of my hand when the paint was still wet. It was my best friend's mom's idea, thank you Marianelle! I love this because I keep imagining myself getting ready for a hot date and applying lipstick in the glitter. Not that I ever have hot dates or wear lipstick, but it could happen.

the longing

oh how I wish I could make Buckets and Buckets of chic this holiday
weekend! Instead I must finish quilting my sweet little grandma's
quilt. I will be so happy when grandma is snug under this quilt and I
can make anything my heart desires!

It's my counter after I prettified it. Here's a before picture. Not too cute, eh? I sanded it down, primed and painted and sealed. With a little glitter along the way. I can't really figure out how to photograph the glitter without making the flaws on the counter really obvious, so I didn't. You'll just have to take my word that there's an abundance of gold glitter on each flower!

And guess what I learned at Lowe's today when I went to get the new tile for the bathroom? There's now glitter you can put in your grout! It's called Spectra Lock Dazzle. Check out this link for a little more info. Sparkly shower stall?

I believe the bucket-o-chic (link to be added later since I can't remember how to do my tags correct

I believe the bucket-o-chic (link to be added later since I can't
remember how to do my tags correctly) was ahead of it's time. Last year
I thought it was cute, but cute like I have other things I'd prefer to
make. Now it dominates my knitting thoughts. I imagine it felted with
all of my leftover wool, striped with fur as Claudia suggested in the
rockstar link I previously sighted, and knit regularly with the rest of
the tealy turquoisy yarn to match the scarf my mom is getting for
Christmas. Ah The Bucket, how I love thee. And it's blogalicious, look
around, the love has spread far and wide.

Now that I'm up and running but without a lot of time to post, here's a teaser:

how much do I love

how much do I love
these socks.

and href="http://brainylady.blogspot.com/2003_11_01_brainylady_archive.html#106908105241907975">look
how cute when brainylady made them.

I'm posting remotely and don't want to access Blogger for help with my
tags. I hope the links show up correctly.

well it looks like I actually need to replace my internet card, not the modem, just the card. Now I

well it looks like I actually need to replace my internet card, not the
modem, just the card. Now I'm in such a quandry: should I replace it
for 50 bucks or for twice the price go wireless? And yes, I do have a
laptop, but I just bought a house, I'm not really into spending money on
my computer right now.

While we wait out the cable search I'd like to share my shopping experience from last night. I deci

While we wait out the cable search I'd like to share my shopping
experience from last night. I decided I needed some new clothes for
fall so I went to the mall to regular stores (I hardly ever do this but
about once a year I really need new clothes that aren't from the thrift
store or somehow created by me). I had no trouble finding shirts in the
regular sizes: S, M, L, XL. But the only pants on display, indeed the
only pants in two stores were size 2. In one store there was an extreme
preponderance of size 00, whatever that may be. I must say I find it
hard to believe that I'm the largest person who needs pants at a size 8.
I realize there are specific stores that cater to larger women (the
divas) but I did not realize that I should start going there. And who
are these women who wear size XL shirts and size 00 pants?

hi, just a quick note to let you know I'm still alive and well, just not in cyberspace. My home com

hi, just a quick note to let you know I'm still alive and well, just not
in cyberspace. My home computer needs a new cable before I can post the
decorating story that is unfolding in my new house. I'm posting
remotely right now and all I can say is that I have used glitter two
times (2x) already.

my dear friends,

my dear friends,

badcat has really not been that fun lately, but it will change next week. I have not been posting or knitting or actually doing anything regularly lately because I've been wallowing in the stressed out frenzy that is buying your first house. But I move in Sunday (God willing!) and am planning to paint and clean and decorate like a crazy person for a full week. I'll be doing lots of crafty stuff like refinishing formica counters and possibly laying linoleum and I'm planning to document the whole thing here. This is so exciting!!

The cables are blocking and I have jumped on the bandwagon: I'm going to do a poncho too. Since I already bought the Rowan Plaid book I'm going to do Zephyr in some Lion Brand Homespun that I bought at a Michael's on impulse. I figure with a poncho it doesn't matter as much if it's a crappier yarn since it doesn't need to breath like a garment with sleeves (read underarm issues!).

Sorry about the mess around the cables. I wanted a shot that shows the paint in here. Tomorrow I will paint the apartment white again in preparation for my moving date. Every time I do this I think the same thing: "They will rue the day!" The world already has too many white, ecru, beige, and sand walls.

Oh, and I couldn't resist this. Don't look if you have "delicate" sensibilities

In keeping with my intense love of fall I'm obsessing over apples. I plan to make a trip up to Appl

In keeping with my intense love of fall I'm obsessing over apples. I plan to make a trip up to Apple hill in the next few weeks and would like to buy one of those apple corer/slicers with the hand crank if I can afford it. I love those!

Does anyone know the difference between Apple Crisp and Apple Brown Betty?

In lieu of any photoworthy knitting progress, here's my little darling taking a nap on a Sunday afternoon.

glitter is having their now annual scarf drive. give if the spirit moves you:

glitter is having their now annual scarf drive. give if the spirit moves you:

scarf drive

I love fall so much this year! October may be my new favorite month in Sacramento. The weather is

I love fall so much this year! October may be my new favorite month in Sacramento. The weather is beautiful, mid eighties every day and cool at night. I leave my windows open all day and night to enjoy the crisp air. It's starting to get windy so the fallen leaves swirl around in the streets. Special thanks today to the bloggers, Pioneer Melissa and Ms. Alison Blue who posted pumpkin pictures. The weather is just perfect now for a snuggly cabled sleeveless turtleneck. I'm up past the armpits on the back, so hopefully by the end of the week I'll have one.

I got too cocky! I made my first cabling mistake and didn't find it until 1.5 repeats later. Oh the humanity! Well, actually it wasn't that bad and I think I ended up picking up the stitches correctly and finding my correct spot again after I frogged without too much trouble.

I'll keep tugging along. I'm pretty excited to finish this one. Marie has given me her copy of "The Purl Stitch," to look at so this time I might actually use bona fide finishing techniques.

And you thought there was nothing cool on badcat anymore. Check it out! My first cabley foray and I think it's going pretty well. Of course it is too narrow. I'm making the back just a couple of stitches wider and I'll see if I need to do little strips for under the arms when I'm done. It's going to be a turtle neck tank top dealy and I want it to be very wearable so I don't want it to be too tight.

too busy to live.

too busy to live.

Here's a recap of the wedding:

took the red eye
was asked three times why I'm not married
went out for bachelorette night
woke up four hours later for manicures
was asked why I'm not married
rehearsed and ate dinner
woke up at 6 to get hair done
was asked why I'm not married and why I'm so white
stood up for my friend at her beautiful wedding
came home

I will knit again one day.

Oh, the best part: Both the bride and my grandma cried over their quilts!

Did anyone see the season finale of Gilmore Girls? Jess's dad's girlfriend's house is my dream hous

Did anyone see the season finale of Gilmore Girls? Jess's dad's girlfriend's house is my dream house, I loved the set design. It got me back to thinking about gold for a living room color but I'd cozy it up, make it rosy like a color called Orient Blush my friend Kim used on a guest room.

I didn't want to leave without posting a little something about the cables. I must say, I'm tickled to death with how cabley they are! The width is a problem. I worked a single pattern repeat of each of the cable patterns to come up with my numbers but I'm two inches short. I may end up knitting a little strip to go up each side in the underarm, we'll see after I have a front and a back to fit. The ribbing looks good with the cables and the shell seems to be telling me it wants to be a turtleneck.

I had written a very engaging and insightful post but Simon just walked over the keyboard and made it go away. Here's a picture of my friend's cat, Whitey, on the quilt we're doing for the wedding.

well without further ado, or pictures, I'm off to a weekend in L.A. to see my Aunt and Uncle who are

well without further ado, or pictures, I'm off to a weekend in L.A. to see my Aunt and Uncle who are considering painting their house "Colonial Gold." This does not sound like a good idea to me so when they said they wished I was there to help them decide, I said I'd come. I hope to get a lot of sleep, purchase two books for my languishing book groups, and have a lot of cabling to show for myself when I get back. If they don't take my needles away.

This is two and a half inches of 2x2 ribbing I started for the new snuggly cable shell. I'm not sure it's working for me. I'm afraid it's going to be poofy right where I don't really want to be poofy, all ruffly evidence to the contrary. I keep waffling on whether to keep it or not. I guess the only thing to do is to forge ahead and see how it goes. Please feel free to leave a vote if you're so inclined.

Just for fun I thought I'd show a picture of my tub directly following the RIT shame (which hardly turned out to be satisfactory I might add). Consider yourselves warned.

I have two quilts to make before I leave town late on September 17th. Oh, and I'll be in L.A. this weekend. No sweat!

Here's a little peek at the one for my grandma's 75th birthday. The picture's crappy because it was taken at midnight when we realized that the next step that I (that's right it was my fault) had planned was not going to work, at all. And before you get too impressed, please note that the center medallion with the applique was designed and created by my talented mother.

Well here it is, and I'm sure you can see why it needs to be called tuttu and not some dry acronym. It's my first ever finished knit garment. Needs blocking but I wanted to wear it.

And here's a quickie of Simon in the car with some bastard material that I need right away but that refuses to darken up even after two times in the dye vat.


I made a hard decision today. I need time to figure out this whole dye game but I need this fabric for my friend's wedding quilt. The wedding's on September 20th. Right now it's in the tub with RIT! This action is basically against my religion but that's what I'm doing. It's like 22 yards so replacement is not exactly in the budget.

I just checked on it, and it's not that dark still. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm contemplating violence.

looby

looby

Dyeing Expose!


This picture is the best I think. I got the most vibrant color (see the corner) when I bound a smaller piece of fabric before soaking in the soda ash solution and then pouring dye on top.


Here is the result when I presoaked the fabric unbound and then scrunched it into a small container and poured dye on top. This piece of fabric and the last are bigger than the first. The color is choppier and there's an even amount of white and color.


And finally, this example is a larger piece of fabric that I scrunched into a small container dry and doused with dye. I poured in enough dye liquid to almost cover the fabric. After about 12 hours I poured a concentrated soda ash solution in with it. It's a lot dreamier, more of a wash and I'll probably use this for an under dye if I want something just a little more interesting than flat color.


The main thing that I'm still stumped on is the vibrancy issue. I may just not be using enough dye but there's a lot of colored water that I'm washing out when I rinse.

Well I crafted my little heart out over the weekend but I have very little to show for it because of this badboy (excuse the crappy picture). I ruffled and then I ripped and then I reruffled and then I bound off. Then I tried to pick up around the neck and then I tried a couple more times, then I finally did pick up the neck, and did an edging and the neck shrunk, severely. I swear I finished this thing for 20 hours and it's still not done with rolly top edges!!

Dying went great, I'll do a little expose on what I learned soon, the light's just not good tonight. And my colors still aren't the most vibrant but now I know how to get certain effects.

On Saturday I thought I was so close to finishing that bastard the SNS that I let myself get some new yarn for a new project. And here's what a much recovered Simon did to my new Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran:



I'm going to hold it double stranded with some Unger fluffy by Reynolds in the same color, whatever that is. They look really pretty together and look so special in the cable patterns I swatched! I'm stealing the cable patterns from
this free pattern to do a little shell. Here's what I'm thinking:

I love it on Trading Spaces when the people cry when they see their rooms, that just kills me.

Here's a picture of Simon after the big day. And yes, that is my dish sponge he's using for a pillow.

Click here for a shot of the elusive Sabine, my kitty who is not always ready for her close-up.

I'll be updating the site a little this weekend. I already started adding a list of links to neat free patterns I've run into around the web. These are patterns I either like and want to try, or already tried and will probably want to make again. Let me know if anyone thinks this is against the rules, if there's an etiquette rule I'm breaking here I'll take them right off.

almost forgot. My place will be in the Sac Bee, Interiors section tomorrow.

almost forgot. My place will be in the Sac Bee, Interiors section tomorrow.

What kind of lame blogger doesn't post for a week? Well there's very little point explaining or whin

What kind of lame blogger doesn't post for a week? Well there's very little point explaining or whining about it. Let's just say I suck and move on.

Everyone say a fond goodbye to little Simon's little balls. He will be neutered on Friday poor thing, no idea what's going to hit him.

I'll be home all weekend with him convalescing. I am planning on finishing the SNS and dying up a storm. I've decided I really need to do a test grouping of different dye methods since I read about so many and although I'm thrilled with the results I've gotten so far, I'd like to know what technique will give me the most vibrant colors. I'm also stoked to dye some stuff indigo and see what a little bleach pen looks like on it.

I must say I'm quite giddy at the prospect of three days home alone crafting with no interuptions. Seriously, I don't have any money so there's nothing I can do but stay home and work on stuff.

Leslie brought me back a blessing necklace from Mexico. It's a necklace with a little pendant on ea

Leslie brought me back a blessing necklace from Mexico. It's a necklace with a little pendant on each end, one to go down in front and one to wear behind your neck. Now shrinky dink fever is back and I want to make these with shrinky dink pendants. That will be an excellent rainy day this fall project!

No real knitting news, frogged on the SNS and stripey scarf.

Here's a quickie of the stripey scarf I started using a pattern from a "Designs by Judith" pamphlet. I like the whole diagonal stripe deal, but the sample I saw had diagonal ends too. I think I like the diagonal ends better and I'll have to rip.
Click here for a picture of the long suffering SNS on. Pretty cool, huh? I can't believe I didn't think about trying it on before. Now that I put it on and realize it's going to fit perfectly and turn out perfect I feel way more confident about finishing it.

I'm so boring this week. I did the square for my $5 quilt (not due until next week thank you very m

I'm so boring this week. I did the square for my $5 quilt (not due until next week thank you very much), I worked a couple of inches on one of Julie's socks. That's pretty much it. I've been so embroiled in this whole house-buying-without-money thing that I've had nothing to give to anything creative. I have been rereading "To Kill a Mockingbird." Boy, do I love that little Dill!

"That's how we do it in the O.C., Bitch!"

"That's how we do it in the O.C., Bitch!"

What a quality show!

Here's a sneak peak of what the photographer got. Should be pretty cool so check out the interiors section of the Bee one of these days.

I'm now officially avoiding the little SNS, can't take the pressure! So I ordered some new pretty sock yarn. And I started this little diagonal scarf using Noro Silk Garden, but now I think it might be too scratchy for a scarf. Anyone have any experience using Silk Garden for something that goes next to your skin?

Check out Marie's badass bag over at knitti me. Gorgeous!!

Baby steps to finish the SNS: I did 6 rows waiting for the car wash. More room cleaning, I guess my apartment is going to be published somewhere and the photographers will be here Saturday morning so I'm freaking. I live in a one room studio that is far from show room quality (and by "far," I mean "the opposite of"), I'm starting to get really nervous!

And more dying, I did the rest of the bed sheets in Amethyst and Rust Orange. They look great in the tub. I want to do a new duvet cover before the photographers show up. What could be more fitting for a fiber artist than a hand dyed duvet cover, right? And Kim did promise she'd call me a "fiber artist" in the article. I love being called a "fiber artist!"

Last night I worked on my most difficult creative project to date: cleaning my room!

Last night I worked on my most difficult creative project to date: cleaning my room!

Well the bed sheets got dyed again. Once again, they're in the tub. I've actually been pretty productive this weekend. Got a bunch of blocks knocked out with my friend Kim for our friend's wedding quilt. I got the new yarn and stuff I've been waiting for so I guess I don't have any more excuses I'd better get to gettin on the SNS.

Pictures someday :)

today is bring your kitties to work day. Oh what a wonderful day!

today is bring your kitties to work day. Oh what a wonderful day!

Look! I'm dying bed sheets! Here they are relaxing in the tub. I think they're getting another dose. I want them to be more of a deep violet but this is a good start.

tip to young dumb people everywhere: Check your credit before you want to use it. It could be erroneously screwed like mine. I'm on a mission to clear my name! (at least of the stuff I didn't do)

I guess I lost a post.


Here's Simon with the special dyed yarn for my cleo someday when I get the right needles. I'm stalled on projects and waiting for orders to come in. Here's the scoop on the .BNS. I think I'll call it the SNS instead of the previous options in honor of the silly little sweetheart neckline. And I'm out of yarn to finish the back and waiting for that too. I'm afraid the only thing for it is a chickami. I think tomorrow I'm going to look for yarn. Hee hee!!

You know what saying seems to be coming back into common usage lately: when you say "something is th

You know what saying seems to be coming back into common usage lately: when you say "something is the poor man's something better."

As in, my vet today: "A laser pointer is the poor man's walking the dog." But I have a cat.

I'd never even heard that expression before and now I've heard it four times in a week.

Ok, I'm at the armhole/neckline shaping on my v-neck version BNS. The v-neck is going to be a giant gaping sweetheart neckline to try to squeek by with the yarn I have left. So here goes! Did I mention I've never done any type of neckline? on anything?

In non-knitting news I'm going camping this weekend: our 4th annual trip to Lake Berryessa! It's freakin' hot here and I am glad to be getting out of town to spend some quality time in the lake, well marinated in beer and barbecue sauce. Thank the good lord!

I'm at the fourth set of increases on my BNS! I'm coming up on the part where I'm going to be making it up for the v-neck, very scary. Plus the yarn will be tight since I highjacked most of it for Cleo (the dyed yarn turned out awesome, I'm not going to post until I get a picture that can do it justice). So I ordered one more skein of Breeze in a "robin's egg blue" color. I'm going to do the crochet edging in the light blue and try to do a little fluttery cap sleeve thingy maybe.

Also, when I ordered the extra skein I ordered a Crystal Palace Circular needle. According to Megan, they're awesome, so now I can't wait to get them.

Up there with Simon is my BNS, still at the waist shaping. I think I've accomplished everything on my weekend list so far. When the cotton dries I'll shoot the poor tortured stuff so you can see what some bleach and procion dye will do to perfectly good yarn.

Here's a picture of the pillow top I'm doing for Shawn for my grandma's birthday present to her. I still have to do the quilting and put a back on it. I'm really happy with it so far. Shawn's a hippie type, very in to mysticism and nature and she's loved unicorns since she was a little girl. I got copper colored thread to do the quilting. You know that feeling when you're making something for someone that you think they'll really love? that's how I feel about this. And grandma liked it.

to do this weekend:

to do this weekend:

sell beaucoup crapola for beaucoup moola at garage sale

make breif appearance at book club to share the fact that I do not enjoy non-fiction, even if it is Barbara Kingsolver

consult with grandma regarding free motion quilting for her commissioned projects

stew estimated leftover Breeze into a new and different colorway for Cleo(!) swatch


guess I'd better get busy

How much do I love this! Can you believe how adorable! I'm hoping I can use my Crystal Palace Breeze leftovers, once I torture them into a fabulous new variegated color, double stranded to knit this.

Works in progress, pictures will come, I promise:

BNS (v-neck version) - finished with decreases haven't started increases yet.

Pretty pillow for Shawn from Grandma - top pieced and sandwiched, not quilted yet.

weekend highlight:

weekend highlight:

dancing to Bob Dillon with my god son's arms wrapped around my neck.

Woo hoo! Blogger trouble all week, but I'm in now.

I've reached the second set of decreases on my BNS. I'm using a very short 24" circular so I can't really tell if it's even going to fit but I think it will.

Made soap last weekend with Julie and Janette. The stuff she had premade that we milled does not seem to be turning out the best. We added 2 oz. of extra smelly stuff and oil to 7 oz. of basic soap. Now it's liquidy inside and I wonder if curing will help it set up to a usable consistency?

I haven't felt like home crafting lately. We finally decided I'm "pre-nesting:" I'm hoping to move later this year and I'm trying to divest crap I may have to move. I don't feel like spreading out and digging in on anything and I can't concentrate on anything non-portable. I guess my knitting will have to serve all of my crafty needs until I feel like I'm home.

The Crystal Palace Breeze came out to about 5/7 per inch on #5 needles so I can use either Chicknits' Boat Neck Shell or the Curvy Tank from White Lies Designs. I think I'm going to go with the BNS so I don't have to deal with that curvy hem which I'm sure is really cool, but way over my first timer's head. I guess I'll start this weekend after I pick up a circular #5 needle. That way I won't have to purl or turn or seam so hopefully it will go very quickly. I'm also planning on doing a v-neck.

I don't know how to do any of the things I'm planning to accomplish on this shell, so if you have any tips or things I should watch out for please leave comments!

At long last, here's a picture of my fancy pillows in our booth. So lovely, but nothing sold. Too bad, so sad. I'm still out of the quilting biz and ready for new and greener crafty pastures. Of course I'm taking the week to decompress. I'll be swatching some of the avocado Crystal Palace Breeze tonight. I'm trying to figure out if I can get in on some of this shell/tank top frenzy without having to pay for more yarn.

And look what I did while no one was buying anything. It's really a sock, and Simon's trying to party while I take the picture.

this article thrilled me!
I've been known to play some pretty mean air guitar while driving the Bay Bridge. I am constantly inspired by Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing at All."

The Story of the Schmoogle and the Beene:

Once upon a time there was a Beene who lived all alone in a tower with only a single caretaker to talk to and play with. She was happy enough in her way, but she was very lonely with only the caretaker for company. The caretaker did her very best but after all she was just a caretaker and not much for conversation or diversion. After going on together for many years in this way, the caretaker and the Beene received a visitor. The visitor was a Schmoogle and he had come to stay. Now when Beene met the Schmoogle, she was not at all sure that a Schmoogle was right for her. For although the Beene had been very lonely she did not take well to change. The Beene booed and hissed at the Schmoogle and tried her best to frighten him from the tower.

And here's how I hope it will end: The Schmoogle would not be deterred and over a season the Beene became accustomed to the Schmoogle. She let him into her heart and she wasn't lonely anymore. The Schmoogle and the Beene lived happily ever after and they let the caretaker hang out too.


Schmoogle and the Beene

I've been having the worst spring fever/weather got way too hot way too fast/kitten's keeping me up at night time lately. Really, I just feel like a zombie. Now that I'm done whining I'll also disclose that very little has gotten done around here.

The good news is that the last batch of pillows for the show is almost done. I was sewing together completely finished fronts to completely finished backs when my needle hit a pin (yes, I sew over my pins with only occasionally disastrous results) and broke. I decided to call it a night. So that's everything for the show, the grand finale of my professional quilting carreer. Oh, I am so excited to start the next phase of my crafty presence.

Just in case anyone's going to be in Trinity County, California this weekend, I'll be showing at the Peddler's Faire in Lewiston.

On a personal note, last weekend, I received very clear signals that I should tone down my hippie side and this weekend I got very clear signals that I should really get back into that side of my self. I wonder which it is?

Here's my little angel, Simon. I should have put something in the picture to show how tiny he is. Spent the weekend partying with him and not accomplishing much. Have I mentioned that I can't wait for this show to be over so I can stop making stupid quilts and pillows.


I spent the bulk of my cousin's graduation working on the sock. Normally it looks like whatever, but if you slip it on your foot, it looks like the bottom of a sock which just seems crazy. Of course it's going slow on those little needles so I haven't even turned the heel yet.


Checked out the thrift store today for inappropriate, yet within the rules, office apparel. I just couldn't do it: it felt like way too much work to dress that silly on a daily basis. So now I don't know what to do, I don't want to cave.

I got this really great message on my cell phone:

"Well, hey there. I guess I dialed the wrong number, but you sound pretty nice. Um, shoot, call me back: 215-1075."

What a charmer.

p.s. 93 degrees, are you kidding?

oh, the comments are fixed. Sorry to all two of you who left comments, somehow I believe the comments were lost in the fixing process. Please recomment if you feel like it, I really didn't get to read them.

Look!! My friend Marie put up her wonderful new blog. I've seen her stuff in real life (I even own a few pieces) and she is quite the badass. This is very thrilling!

Tonight I will cut the guts for some pillows for the show. Ever since I dumped that stupid quilt that keeps getting all messed up, I've just been having a ball with the pillows. Hooray for multi-tasking!

I'd just like to say right now that I will be too lazy all week to post any pictures, but there should be an extravaganza of photos over the weekend.

My two sock thing is not going well at all. Somehow I ended up with all of the ends on the inside of the circulars. I have no idea how that even happened, let alone how to fix it. So I bagged one of the socks and will work them one at a time. It seems like it's going to take a long time. I'm a little discouraged.

Look at the cool site recently started by one of the glitterati gals: Artisans Exchange. I registered and am so excited to participate, plus I need to clear some fabric stash.

Well, over the busiest weekend ever, I cast on for the Penelope Sweater from the Knitting Goddess with the kool-aid mohair. Looks cool so far: I have three rows.

Also, I bought some very expensive Mountain Colors Hand-Painted Yarn in the Ladyslipper color way. It is so beautiful and I started the toes for socks using this two needle, two socks at the same time method. I'm really excited, first try at socks.

In other news, my work has decided to crack down on my unprofessional appearance. Apparently flipflops are completely crossing the line. Henceforth, if you happen to see me about town during business hours wearing mumus or blatantly unattractive color combinations, anything really from the disgusting part of the early eighties, just consider me on my lunch hour.

Finally got a few minutes of decent light before work this morning and here is the kool-aid yarn.

Look, internet connectivity has decided to grace me with its presence today!

I've wound the kool-aid mohair into balls and they're kind of cute. When I was working at the laundrymat I actually got a compliment on the yarn. But seriously, make sure to use enough kool-aid because it's very dingy if you don't.

That is such old news anyway, because today I pledge to make this. I love it and think I could wear it lounging or for something fancy. The question is color, any suggestions?

Half way through the kool-aid experiment. It looks like I killed someone in my bathtub. I've chosen the handpainting method.

Please note: One packet of kool-aid does not equal one ounce!

I used berry blue, grape, and cherry. Cherry is very potent, I will remember this when I want something red. The technique that ended up working the best for me, after initially dumping the blue on mixed with water, was to just sprinkle the powder on and rub it into the wool. It seemed to stay put better and not just wash down the drain. At this point the color looks very dirty, but I think the resultant sweater will still be very cool. It will not be the classic sophisticated turtleneck I envisioned.

I'm firing up the stove to steam the skeins now that they're full of crappy kool-aid dye stuff. Since I don't have a microwave I'll be steaming all 12 skeins in batches in my bamboo steamer basket. I'd post pictures but the weather today is so crappy there's no decent light.

Almost forgot: I got the most wonderful box of fabric from my mom from the Amish country. Some kick ass vintage stuff that will definitely end up as handbags for the new biz. Woo Hoo! thanks mom

Bun and Thigh Max is working for me! I can't wait for the inches to come off! . . . Hopefully? Anyway, I'm planning on finishing the bobbles hat tonight, because I finally got my mohair for a sweater. If successful, it will be the first sweater I've ever finished. Again, hopeful. I'm pretty disappointed that the color is completely wrong for me. I wanted a taupe/tan type thing, but it's almost peach. I'd look naked but hairy wearing it. So I believe I will try the kool-aid dye technique and aim for blue. Time to check the back issue of knitty for the kool-aid color chart.

I have not yet realized the full potential of the Butt and Thigh Max. It seemed too easy and I'm not exactly super-buff. But tonight I will make sure there's more tension.

No crafting to speak of, I think after this show I'll chill with the quilting and concentrate on the new biz for the rest of the year. I just can't control the lethargy.

My Butt and Thigh Max came today!!! I haven't used it yet but tonight's the night. Oh, and my kitten's a boy, the first vet was wrong. I'm just glad they figured that out before the neutering procedure.

I started working on Staceyjoy's Olive Bobbles Hat. I'm on the fourth row of bobbles: bobbles are a bitch. I'm doing mine in the Lamb's Pride Aubergine.

I have such a yearning to make something like Ms. Burns' fancy jacket at chicknits. But alas, I've never made anything that fit, so I'm going to have to control myself.

Here is my first attempt at putting an image on my blog. She's the baby that will be mine in a couple of weeks when she grows up and opens her eyes.


She'll be the newest little member of the badcat family.

Today cleaning made me feel better.

On Friday I purchased a piece of fitness paraphenalia off of the TV. The commercial was very compelling plus I waited two weeks after I saw the commercial to purchase it, sort of a cooling off period. I'm really excited, I believe this will solve my cellulite problem, the only thing keeping me from ultra-hotness!

Quilting: The sashing is completed on the polka dot quilt. I'm at an impasse in that the next steps on both quilt require more fabric that I don't have. So I ordered more from equilter last night, I love that place!

Now I have to finish my CA taxes.

Worked on the black polka dot sashing last night. I'm thinking about a mostly white plain border with a couple of the left over blocks in the corners. I'll do the flowering vine maching quilting on the borders in contrasting thread and on the sashing, so cute! It'll be like the quilt equivalent of an ice cream shop in the fifties!

This weekend I took the very exciting step of actually working on two quilts! Made some extremely crappy blocks (that will still be used) for the swap quilt I'm doing with my Mom. The combination of gold tissue lame and stiff transfer images made the blocks turn out pretty bad, but not so bad that the magic of a finished quilt won't overcome it eventually. I also started sewing sashing (switched to a black and white polka dot) onto the 30s print curve blocks. Oh, and I forgot, I put fringe on the turquoise scarf I made for my mom. I was so productive this weekend!

Coincidentally, I also had two detested family dinners this weekend. Could one have anything to do with the other?

I will not be able to do anything else stupid or demeaning at work.

Looking at my last post makes me realize how long it's been since I've made ANYTHING. I'm in a rut, simple as that. Oh, I just remembered, I'm working on some red wool panels to felt for my grandma's christmas present. I know it's early, but I needed something I could fly with: i.e. not started and on wooden needles. Still though, too many irons in the fire. I need to finish something and I think I need to finish something quilty. I also think it's going to be the circles project, it's the easiest and least demanding. I believe I'm going to do a 1" sash between each and every 30's print block using a sky blue hand dye, just writing it is making me feel more motivated!

Off to the most painful ten minutes of my day - abs!

p.s. terminated the internet dating experiment. couldn't take the pressure. hopefully real life will come through for me

I am feeling very overwhelmed by my internet dating this weekend. The one I had the most hope for turns out to be a little pre-emptively in love with me and a little under confident.

The good news is I finally figured out what to do with the turquoise Lamb's Pride Chunky. My Aunt gave me some darker teal Chinchilla and I'm knitting them together in a 1,1 rib scarf. It looks knitted on both sides and is so soft, Merry Christmas Mom! I'm probably 3/4 of the way through too.

New Favorite Apple: Pink Lady

thanks Marco

I've come to think of internet dating as my own personal reality tv dating show. I have all these guys who want to meet me and have to decide in an artificial setting what I think of them. Also, the pressure is really on them to perform: I want them to like me, but they're the ones who are going to get kicked off, not me.

Great weekend: I got to dance on a coffee table, wear my Bay Watch t-shirt, eat indian food twice, get hit on by a French Canadian, and order yarn for a third sweater. And no, I have not finished any sweaters to date. Third time's a charm. Chipitipitotle!

The Fiber Trends clogs are still not the right size and I've washed them four times in the washing machine on hot/cold and spent over an hour agitating them manually with boiling water at home. Someday.

I can't believe I missed "Angel" to meet a guy who would use these words to address me:

"I have a feeling that you may not be responding on purpose (a strategy commonly used by women who cannot say what
they want...or rather don't want)"

Condescending much?

I find it entirely appropriate when the word "war" is on everyone's lips to be concerned about when my Goddess Balm will be showing up. Don't you?

Screw the war mongers, I have a life to lead!

Best Valentine's Day ever! We hit three parties, experienced a personal best for everyone in the car singing Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart," twice, met a group of music students with guitars and a slide whistle who let us jam with them even taking requests for Guns 'n' Roses songs, Bill yelled at women in a limo through the sunroof of my car, saw a girl yodel like a badass, hearts were broken by every member of our group.

Got up and crocheted a couple of flowers for my little yellow booties, if they will ever felt!

When you are waiting for knitted items that you've felted to dry, be patient. Do not put them on top of the heater to speed the process. Your item will burn and you'll have to flake the charred pieces off like you would with toast.

I washed the orange booties twice and can still fit about five of my feet in there, six in one of them. Felting isn't easy when you use the laundromat. The grey handbag turned out just as cute as a button though.
This is the coolest website my friend Natashia showed me today. I am obsessed with "The Goddess Coconut Oil."

This is a message to all the single guys out there:

If you are ever on a date with a girl, do not under any circumstances, do the joke where you pretend there's something on her blouse and when she looks down hit her in the nose. It is only acceptable for grandpas to do this. I didn't realize this needed to be expressed but. . . anyway, nuf said.

If you are in love with the Fed Ex guy, but you don't work the front
desk, what are you supposed to do?
In case I don't remember this later, I have a bunch of crushes right now.

You don't realize how comfortable you are being single until you find yourself eating grapefruit standing over the sink for dinner.

When my neighbor saw me carrying a ten foot piece of PVC pipe up the stairs to my apartment for a new quilt stand I said "highly necessary." He said "I didn't see anything." What could this mean?

p.s. Jury duty sucks but I made two hats and started a soft grey handbag to be felted.

This is my best friend Julie's answer to those annoying chain emails:


Friends

Friends are not like apples, they don't go bad.

Friends are a cool breeze on a hot summer day.

Friends do not pull your hair.

Friends should not smell like poop.

Friends may or may not puke and then kiss you.

Ah friends, the spice of life.

Forward this to 20000000000 people and you will receive a friend for life.

Do not forward this and you will rot like an apple in hell.



As you can see, she is very brilliant.

It makes you feel so special when you think a boy likes you. You feel all sparkly and beautiful, like the way you think he sees you.

I just realized why I love my fingerless gloves so much that I'll wear them inside even with a short sleeved shirt. They remind me of Judd Nelson in "The Breakfast Club" when Molly Ringwald gives him the diamond earring. That's such a good part.

Favorite Word I Learned from a Canadian Today: Ditch Pig

I asked what it is and Natashia said "think of a pig in a ditch." Obviously it's derogatory. I've been so happy today thinking about ditch pigs I've thought it to myself about a million times.

Also decided to pursue a civil service career and go to coffee with some guy I only know from match.com. Apparently somebody needs a change.
"Angel's" on!