Christmas Knitting

Well, more things have been finished for Christmas:

First was my secret santa present, I don't think she actually realized that I MADE the things I gave her, because I few hours later she was asking me if I really made the necklace, but I think she appreciated it, the girl I had actually had me too, she got be serving platters...
because I entertain so much.....


But I finally get to reveal what Juli's present is!
I made her a clapotis!

I think it came out really well, the colors look good with the way they striped, and I really enjoyed making it, I learned some new things, I had to go to knittinghelp.com for tips, it was a great site!

It's not quite as long as I wanted it because I wanted to make it wide so I didn't have enough yarn to make it long, but Juli said she doesn't mind she doesn't like her scarfs that long anyway.

But while I was knitting I thought I could do another repeat, so I did the first row of the repeat, then decided I wouldn't have enough yarn to do another repeat, so I took that row out, but I don't really take out rows all that often and with all the twisted stitches, I thought I messed the whole thing up! but you can't tell where I messed up and it all worked out fine!

And Juli made me socks!

They are Monkey socks, I'm wearing them right now! they are so comfy!!!

but I can't say if it has at all inspired me to knit socks yet....

Val made us hand dyed yarn, I haven't downloaded the pictures of it yet, but it came out really good in purple and blue with a little bit of white, it sock weight yarn, but I don't know yet what I'm gonna make with it, I was thinking of making myself a Clapotis but I don't know if I'll have enough of it, I like long scarfs...

I just finished the ribbed hat I was making for my friend, it was my first hat and the decreasing part confused me a little bit so I improvised (it's got raisins in it, you like raisins) but it's not too bad. I really like the color and it's Debbie Bliss alpaca silk, how can you go wrong!

I gave the braided scarf to my friend, I was so sad to see it go, I told her it was coveted by many so she's very lucky to be getting it! but it really was made just for her, I saw the pattern and wanted to make it, then I picked up the yarns and the colors were just so her I had to make it for her. But now that I know it will come out good I can easily make another one (or five!).

She said she's been getting lots of compliments on it!

So now I can work on something for myself! I want to finish the lace scarf, and my friend got me some alpaca silk in a color that is very similar to the lace scarf that I'm making, so maybe I'll make myself fingerless gloves or a hat to go with it. I was given strict orders to make something for myself with the yarn she gave me!

I also got yarn from my mom for christmas from the Harrisville studio, and Juli got me some authentic Ohio wool! they are both a cream color, so I have to find something to do with those too! so much yarn now!

DONE!!!

Ok, I was gonna wait to post this till had both projects I wanted to finish for the weekend done, but I'm so excited I can't wait!!!

I finally finished the braided scarf!!

I think it came out good, I've been working on this thing since August!!!
I wish I had a big red DONE stamp, I can't wait to give it my friend I think she's really gonna like it!

Wow, I use alot of exclamation points, I'll have to cut back on that....

I might actually finish something!

So, this weekend it's supposed snow here in NY. so I decided I would get all my errands done Saturday morning and then I would just stay in my apartment for the rest of the weekend and actually finish projects!
I think I can finish the braided scarf this weekend, all I have to do is sew it together (but who knows how long that will take!!). and I think I can finish my secret santa present, the scarf is more than half way done (I worked on it in Border's the other day waiting for my doctor's appointment!) and then the necklace should be pretty easy..
then all I have left is Juli's present, which is about half way done. And I started another present! it's a ribbed hat out of Debbie Bliss alpaca silk, I bought the yarn in August and I've been waiting to finish the braided scarf becuse I had to use the same needles!! But if that ones not done by Christmas I'm sure she won't mind, I mean, she didn't give me my birthday present unitl a week later!!
and I just remembered I promised row-counter bracelets to a couple people....

Also I was walking around Target the other day, I took the day off of work cause I had a doctor's appointment, so I decded to do some christmas shopping, cause I really hadn't done any yet, and I pretty much got it all done!!
I also came across a couple things I would have liked to buy myself but didn't:
a sporty watch- for when I'm running, hopefully I'll be able to do more outside running
an alarm clock - mine is getting old, I keep setting the time on the clock and then a day later it's 7 minutes fast!!! which is good in the morning cause I know I can snooze! but not good for knowing what time it is...

I did buy myself some yarn (artful yarns broadway) and a book (eat, pray, love) in the course of my shopping travels!

Ok, I'm gonna go do my errands before it starts snowing. And then tomorrow it's knitting, movies, and hot chocolate all day long!!
I'll be sure to post pictures of the things I finish this weekend!!

Weekend

I had a very busy weeekend!

On saturday I went out to my parents house

We went to agility with the dog:

And went out to dinner for my birthday

And then on Sunday I took a beading class at a local craft store!

The carft store that I took the class at was Lady Jane Craft Center, I got a gift certificate there for my birthday from the girls at work. It was a good class and I enjoyed it, I was just surprised that the cost of the beads wasn't included in the cost of the class.... but no big deal at least I didn't have to pay for both!

the store as a whole wasn't that great, I much prefer AC Moore or even Michael's, but I must say they did have a great bead section, very nice beads, precious stones, crytals....very nice. They're yarn scetion was lacking though, Red Heart and novelty yarns, left much to be desired!At least I know now, go there for beads, not yarn!

Not much more going on here, I'm building my friend base on Ravelry, and me and Val recorded a podcast the other day, we're very entertaining on this one!

Ravelry!

Ok guys, so I finally got my invite to ravelry! I'm officially on!
My usermane is occasionally
so if anyone other than my sisters actually reads this that's where you can find me!

Stash Box

So, as you will soon see, all of my birthday wishes have come true! I got a camera! so I can now post pictures of the things I've been talking about!

I thought I would Flash my Stash in this post. Well, not really flashing the stash because I didn't really take pictures of the actual yarn, but I'm flashing my crafty station.

I hear people talking about their craft "rooms" and I get so jealous because all I have is a craft "end table"! it's cool because I inherited the table from my grandfather, actually my sister talked me into taking it, but it's a really unique piece.

My craft table:


Juli's present was on here too but I had to hide it for the photo!

But it's also a Stash box!

isn't that a cool little table! and it really comes in handy in my teeny-tiny NYC apartment to have something that is multi-functional!

Other than that, nothing new going on here, still working on 4 projects at one time. I still have a project that I want to make as an x-mas present that I haven't even started yet! I don't know if she'll get it for x-mas, maybe we'll call it a wintery time present!

I've still been running, I'm doing 4 miles on the treadmill now, it's just too cold to run outside! and my friend that is inspiering me to run has been quite obsessed with her knitting, she talks about it all the time. We tried to go to a yarn shop over the weekend but it was closed :(

Ok, I'll post more pictures later!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me!!

yesterday was my birthday, I had the day off so I did alot of knitting and running, two of my favorite things!
i ran 4 miles on the treadmill, the whole time I was thinking, I should be running outside, because it was so nice! and it's supposed to snow this weekend so I don't know when I'll be able to run outside again....
and I did alot of knitting, I woke up and knit for a couple hours, and then again in the afternoon after I did all my errands (went grocerie shopping for the first time in weeks!). I just feel like I'm working on so many projects at the same time that I'm not really getting much done on anything! I did get to work on Juli's present a little bit which I haven't worked on in a long time.

So I decided that for my 27th birthday I would try to take public transportation by myself for the first time! and I got a free bus ride, not cause it was my birthday, because I didn't have proper change, who knew you had to have coins to ride the bus! I couldn't get a metro-card before I got on the bus, and I thought I could use dollar bills, Oh no! you have to use coins, so the bus driver made me ask the other passengers if they had coins, no one did. so I said well what do you want me to do now? He just said, next time you ride the bus make sure you have proper change. I didn't even have to play the birthday card!

but for my birthday I went out to dinner with my friend, her husband, and her husbands parents, we went for Thai food (so good!!), I think it was a pitty invite cause my parents abandoned me!
then we went out to a Karaoke bar, I LOVE karaoke, I didn't get to sing as much as I wanted to but it was a good time, I haven't done karaoke in so long! but alot of my friends showed up, it was nice!

Ah well, another year older....

Knitting Class

No, no..... I didn't take a knitting class, I gave a knitting class!
I know what your thinking, "how could such a novice knitter have anything to teach anyone?" But believe it or not there are people out there who are even more inexperienced than me!

It was my friend that I work with, she's actually the one who has been inspiring me to run, she did the NYC marathon this year! She keeps telling me about this study that she read that says when you knit it stimulates a different part of your brain that you wouldn't normally use. (interpretation: knitters are smarter!) But I believe it, the whole fine motor skills thing and all.... so she wanted to learn how to knit, and I taught her! she did really well, I'm very happy for her! I think she's just gonna make a scarf with it. But she was so excited about being in the yarn isle at Michael's, and she was telling about a yarn shop that she wants to go to.... she may become obsessive very quickly!
Maybe we can start a knitting group!

All I could think while I was teaching her was "I'm so gonna blog about this!"

Works in Progress

Ok, I know this is called works in progress but first I want to start with a recent accomplishment of mine that has nothing to do with knitting.

On Thanksgiving morning I did a Turkey Trot of 4 miles!!! I was so proud of myself that I actually finished it and did have to stop and walk. I just started running in August and Thanksgiving was the first time I did 4 miles.My time was 46 minutes 25 seconds, so I run REALLY slow..... and I was passed by the speed walker..... but that doesn't matter I finished! Horay for me!

Ok, on to the knitting:

WORKS IN PROGRESS:
I have 4 projects going at the same time.... I've never done that before.
I think it's just because most of it is Holiday knitting that I need to get done by a certain time.

#1: Braided Scarf
I'm making this for one of the girls I work with, I'm making it in pink, brown, and a varigated pink and grey color. I'm making it in an acrylic/wool blend. I hope it comes out as good as I think it will look cause I've been working on it forever!! I'm finally on the third color so it should be done soon...

#2: Juli's Christmas Present
so I can't post a link to it cause then she'll know what it is. She already knows that I'm knitting something for her cause val spilled the beans!
all I can say is I'm really enjoying knitting it and I'm learning some new techniques too!

#3: Secret Santa Present
I can't post a link to this one either cause I'm just doing a yarn-over knit 2 together pattern. we're doing a secret santa on one of the floors that I work on at the Hospital so I'm making a scarf, it's an acrylic and alpaca blend in dark blue, and then I'm gonna make a beaded necklace to go with it, I got beads in blues and golds, I think I'm gonna do a multi-strand thing...

#4: Morehouse Farm Scarf
This one I'm making for myself! I felt with all this Hoilday knitting I wanted to make something I could enjoy too! Plus I really want to be able to use it this year too! it's a lace weight yarn, which I didn't realize when I bought it and then got a little scared when I opened the directions and it said size 3 needles! But i've been working on it and I really like it, it's very small and delicate but I'm not scared. Lace my be my "thing", I don't know, I guess I'll wait and see how this turns out before I make any promises!
I don't know if the kit for the one I'm making is on the wesite, it's called "les petits riens", I got it in a maroon-ish color, and I have a green jacket so I think they'll go nicely together.
I also really like the Pink Ribbon scarf that they have, but I was being conservative with my purchases at Rhinebeck!

That's about it right now, I was also working on a blanket but that project got put on the back burner cause I needed the needles to make Juli's present! so I'll tell you guys about that one when I start working on it again.

and hopefully pictures will be able to be posted soon!

I just want to make one note about yarn in gereral: I am not a yarn snob, I don't need to have the best quality stuff cause honestly, the good stuff is expensive!! but I've come to the realization that I don't really like wool, it's too scratchy to actually make anything out of, I think I would only really do a bag out of real 100% wool, although the merino wool I'm working with now is ok..... I don't know, maybe I just need to experiment with it a little more, try different brands..... that's just the way I feel right now

My First Post!

I decided it was time to make a blog, being that I'm now on a podcast (www.knitsibs.blogspot.com) maybe I'm interseting enough to have a blog too! Plus I may have gone from occasional knitter to obessive knitter in a matter of weeks.... I may have to change the name of this blog!

I don't have a camera so I can't really post pictures of the things I've made, but my birthday is coming up soon so if my family has been getting the hints I've been dropping I may be in business soon!

Ok, I just wanted to see how this thing worked, I'll post more later when I actually have something to say...

I haven't really figured out how to edit this properly either...