Ahhh free at last!

*SIGH* You hear that? That sigh of happiness?

My knitting is not only done but it has been shipped!!! Silly me forgot to snap some pictures though. I was in such a hurry to get everything in one spot and getting the addresses written down and everything that it slipped my mind. Hopefully the mom's getting everything will send me some pics.

I sent out today two skeins of wool yarn, six diaper covers, two ties, two hats, and two scarves. The ties turned out neat. Well ONE tie turned out neat. That tie also happens to be knitted by S. She did such a good job! I was proud of my ugly piece of work and then she dropped hers off and I bowed my head in shame. Mine is shorter than hers. Why? Well at 11:30 last night it dawned on me the pattern says whatever length you wanted. Seeing as I was doing these for toddlers I figured it could be shorter with no issues. It should have been longer. I should have also blocked it. I was so unpleased with my tie after S dropped hers off that I pm'd the mama getting them and said if she feels it is too ugly in comparison to send it back and I will do it better. :)

I dyed S some yarn last night as a thank you for helping me. I wanted a tie dye effect so I tied it off in various parts and I think it turned out lovely. It smelled great! I think she liked it too. She was so happy about it she hugged me. :) And said she would add it to her special stash. :) I'm glad I made her some. She did an awesome job and all because I asked. You want a picture? I have a picture!

I found a mama from Mothering that happens to live by me! I'm super excited about that. Hopefully we can meet up and be crafty together. I have looked at her craft posts and they blow me away! She is one talented lady.

Ahhh I am so happy to have gotten everything done! I can now focus on ME stuff. I plan on restarting the longies I have started and attempting to finish them by the time I land at my sister's doorstep. Here's good luck to me!

MMmmmmm gloriously colored yarn!

I have PICTURES!!!!!!

This is the stuff I did last night. I am so in love with it. It's super easy, it's fast, and I think it smells great. My husband does not. :) Without further ado........

Colors are as follows (from left to right starting on the top):

Tropical Punch/Grape/Orange

Black Cherry

Orange

Lemon Lime

The two bottom colors are going to be turned into knitted fruit for my neice. I think she will be pleased. :)

All natural baby!

I recently bought a hand knit sweater from our local St. Vincent De Paul's (for those of you who don't have them....it's like a Salvation Army). I had walked down to it one day because we had good weather and I had two bucks. When I had counted my money I had thought I had more but lo and behold it was 2 bucks. I was short and the nice guy at the register was nice and gave me fifty cents to put towards my purchase. So I take that all back. I think I had 1.78. My purchase came to 2.04. So let's back track.....

I walked to my local St. Vinneys because the weather was nice and I had some pocket change. Upon walking in the door there are racks of clothes and because the weather was warming up (we get spring early where I live) the heavier clothing was on sale. I spotted this sweater from the doorway. It was hideous! Very gaudy and gargantuan! It was perfect. It was mine. I went and checked it out and wasn't sure if I really wanted it. My mind flashed to a set of pictures I had looked through where a lady was unraveling a sweater for the yarn. I KNEW I could do it but did I WANT to..... I put the sweater back on the rack and procedded to check out their yarn. Pretty sad lot that was. I made my way back to the sweater. I decided I had to buy it. I asked a clerk how much it was and she proceeded to tell me it was 2.something9 and after the 30% discount it would be 2.04. I pulled out my money and counted. Not once or twice but three times. I am sooo paranoid about not having enough money. How I managed to count wrong three times amazes me. I get up to the counter and find out I am behind. I am mortified and try brushing it off. The guy at the counter takes pity on me and hands me fifty cents (I left the change on the counter.....someone else could use it). I then head to the library so my daughter can play while I get to work.

Lordy! Was that an undertaking. I took me about a week to unravel this thing and that was going fast. I was upset at first. I was getting a lot of waste yarn. I had to rethink this. I found a good spot and was unable to get the entire sweater pulled apart and wrapped around my chair.

Since this was a homemade garment I had no idea what type of fiber it was. There was no tag and after being embarassed at the register I wasn't about to ask if they knew. I posted on the Yarn forum of Arts and Crafts over on Mothering to find out to figure out what it was. I was told to light a match to it. Yes, put a flmae to my newly unraveled yarn! I took a piece of waste yarn and did just that. Only to my dismay did I realize I had no idea what "burnt" and what "melted" looked like in regards to yarn. I mean everything has a degree of melting. I put that idea out of mind.

I wanted to dye this (did I mention that it is natural color?). I looked up how to do it and found some instructions for Kool-Aid dying. I figured it wasn't brand specific since most things like that aren't. Don't assume anything!!!!

I ran to my kitchen and pulled out this nasty drink mix, Up!, that I had bought awhile back. The flavor was what made me buy it. It's disgusting! It was red though and that's what I wanted. I used it in place of Kool-Aid and tempted the fates. Good thing I had so much waste yarn. It was a flop. My yarn turned a sickly brown and it did not work. Later when I was telling my sister about it she said that it was brand specific. You couldn't even use Flavor-Aid. It had to be Kool-Aid. I mused that it had to be that and not the fact that my yarn could easily be acrylic.

Tonight I went over to Fred Meyers for some pain killer and some yarn. I wanted to get something to go with my longies in case I didn't have enough (see previous post). So I got everything I wanted and grabbed two packs of Kool-Aid (one orange and one black cherry).

Guess what? IT WORKED!!!!!!!! You know what that means? It means I have a natural fiber of some sort. I say some sort cause it could be cotton or it could be wool. I have no clue! I now have hanging on a hanger in my kitchen from my canned goods cupboard some gloriously colored yarn. It happens to smell like black cherry too which is a bonus.

It's not as dark as I wanted but I also dyed quite a bit of yarn. It's fixable though. I'll just redo it tomorrow with another pack. I'm getting ready to do orange next.

So what have we learned form this post? Frugalness rocks!!! For 2.04 I have more than one ball/skein/hank of yarn and for 1.00 I can get 4 different colors. So for 3.04 I have 4 things of individualized yarn. 3.04!!!!! I am so excited right now. I can now create a yarn stash completely for me that I will be in love with and can have exactly like I want. No one else will have the same stash as me!!!

Ahhhhhh...the power of being frugal.

The finish line is near!

My Freecycle lady (I suppose I should stop calling her that and maybe use the initial of her name....Freecycle lady is now S!) dropped the hats off. We missed each other and barely! I must have walked upstairs and gotten in the shower when she dropped them off. They are lovely looking! I have been putting the baby one on my babe, I just love it! The adult hat is perfect to! It fits me AND my big headed husband. :) S stopped by last night to grab more yarn to help me finish up the tie set. I am leaving on Saturday to go see my sister so I asked if possible if S could get it done by then. She seems optimistic as do I. After all it's just knit stitch with a few decreases. Time consuming considering it's 52 inches long but super easy none the less. Once that is done and delivered I shall take pictures of EVERYTHING and finally mail it all. Then I can officially start my longies (which have already been started). I am using a pattern that requires seaming since it is knit in the flat (I don't have circulars and am not daring enough to try knitting in the round on DPN's yet). So I have the front part of the waist band almost finished. I've tweaked the pattern a bit due to some mess ups and am happy I did! It is turning out so cute! I am afraid I will run out of yarn though. I bought this random acrylic back in December when I started to learn how to knit. I was going to make a scarf for me out of it but decided that a scarf was simply not glorius enough for this yarn. So I unraveled it, wound it into a ball, and stashed it away. I realized that longies were glorious enough for this yarn so pulled it out again just recently. I only have one ball though. :( I am doing the waist band (plus some of the body...a total of 6 or 7 inches) in this co-ordinating color but am still unsure. I just don't know if using this color will give me enough to make a whole pair. I really hope so. I suppose I could always go back to the store I bought this yarn from and see if they have anymore. It's not like it's hand dyed...there are bound to be millions of this color lot.

Officially one project down!

I officially finished the other scarf in the two scarf set. Yeah, it has taken way to long but I am finally happy with what is now lying on my couch. Looks just like the pink/light pink one but blue/white. I'm extremely pleased with how they turned out. Definitely worth it to frog them multiple times. :)

The ties are almost done as well. Well strike that, one tie is about 2/3 of the way done. I haven't touched it since I figured out how to do the scarves to my liking and as a result am wonderfully surprised at the lightness not only of my needles (size 8's as opposed to 11's) but of the entire garment. Amazingly lighter! I guess using one strand instead of two can make a huge difference!

S (the lady helping me knit) has reworked the yarn and pattern I sent her until she has come up with a finished object that she deems worthy. I am so happy she has taken the time and energy to do that. Seeing as I posted on Freecycle I was seriously thinking I would get someone who knits on the weekend type thing who didn't put their heart and mind into it but she has. At least I know I will be getting a thoughtfully completed project. Because of her speediness and care I have asked if she wants to help with the other tie. Yes, I'm sure I could do it and if I finish the one tie tonight I may just as well do the other one but it's 52 inches of pointless knitting with the occasional decrease. Sure it breaks up the monotony but come on! If I can get help I should use it right?

And of course, once I get pictures I shall share. :)

I have Paypal and am torn over what o do with it. I can buy yarn. I can buy a pattern for longies/shorties (the Wondershorts pattern at www.woolywonder.com ). I could buy more needle paraphenilia (or any other knitting paraphenilia actually).....oh, I just don't know what to do with it!

On a non-knitting note. My stepdad's funeral was yesterday (Saturday) and my mom said it was beautiful. She was drunk by the time I talked to her and I can't say I don't blame her. She was doing well the whole time we were talking and then near the end she had a slight moment. I have a feeling alcohol will be a reoccuring theme at her house for a bit. :(

Count us out :(

We won't be going to his funeral on Saturday. Why? Because this shitty world is soooo dependant on money and making the most that we can't afford to go. My mom is unable to help (which I expected to be the case) and DH's parent's can't either. In fact, his dad is avoiding him which is his way of saying he doesn't want to break the news to us.

I am so angry about this. I should be there, I need to be there and because we need to pay rent we can't go. This isn't fair and whoever created the money system deserves to have a stick shoved up their ass.

Still trying

Well we are still trying to get home. I finally went against everything my gut was telling me and asked my mom. I just don't think it was right but I also don't think it's right we miss his funeral. I haven't heard back from her (I emailed her since it was so late at night when I did it) and I'm not sure I will. If anything I fully expect her to call me an ungrateful bitch. Yup, that's my mom for you.

DH asked his dad this morning about helping us get there. I had no idea he did that until about an hour ago. He finally said he had asked but didn't want to tell me until he knew cause he didn't want my hopes to get crushed. :) Yeah, I love him. I guess his dad said he would think about it and DH will call in the morning. God, I hope they say yes...it would be so much better than having my mom do it.

Ooooo a finished project!!!

The first ever!!! :) This is the blasted pink scarf I have been avoiding. I finally had a brilliant idea and saw it through in regards to design etc. I finished it about fifteen minutes ago and I must say I rather like it. Reminds of bubblegum. :) A picture? Why of course I have a picture!!! It's amazing how if something repeats itself enough it can get boring. :) I think that's why it has taken me so long. It's hard to get motivation when you are staring at the same thing over and over and over and over......

After much fighting with my damn computer there you have it!!! It really doesn't look like a giant cancer ribbon. Although that's not a bad thing to look like.

Holy speedy knitting batman!

I need to get this good!!! Maybe I am just lazy or maybe this woman stays up all day long (she works at night) and can function on twenty minutes of sleep. Who knows!!??

What am I talking about?

Remeber my shameless plug for help parts one and two? Remember the woman who is knitting for me so I can get these blasted projects over and done with? Remember the woman who actually stayed in contact with me and picked everything up the day she said she would unlike the first lady?

Well she's done. Yes the woman who picked up everything less than a week ago has knitted to hats already! AND because the adult size one turned out a bit wonky and the baby one needs to be bigger she has undone them AND is redoing them!!!! I LOVE THIS WOMAN!!!!! I seriously think my knitting skills are lacking. It so would have taken me a lot longer to do them than it has taken her. I wonder how long she has been knitting?

On the funeral front.....no news yet as to whether or not we can go. I have tried selling some stuff and have only succeeded in selling two skeins of sock yarn that I had my heart set on using for me. It's a lovely Russian wool and it was an even more lovely shade of red (think raspberry). Oh well, if it can get us home to be there then so be it!

Sad news at the homestead

I had been following up on some leads for my serger this morning only to find out the few people interested no longer were. A shame. I need the money more than ever now.

My stepdad died this morning. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor shortly after he and my mom were married. He had gotten better for a bit but eventually got worse. From what I have been told he woke up early this morning and had a seizure. They were able to sedate him. He woke up shortly after that and told my mom, "Ahh thank you so much! I don't feel any more pain." and went back to sleep. My mom woke up a bit after that and he was gone. The funeral will be on Saturday.

We are trying to figure out how to get home for it. It's not looking good. He was such a sweet man and I'm sad that he was unable to see my daughter since she was tiny. We moved and haven't been back home in about six months. In that time his sight and hearing and everything else was slowly going. I don't think I had told him I loved him for some time now. :( Today is a shitty day!

*SIGH*

Seems there may be some actual interest in this serger. I tried pricing them last night and am so confused as to how much I should ask. It's a four cone one so that right makes it to where I can ask for over a hundred but I was on eBay and they had a ton for 90 bucks. But I know the key to eBay is start low so others bid high. *SIGH* I just don't know. I am thinking of asking $150 plus shipping which was about 28 when I got it. So an even $200. You think I am hoping for too much. That'd be the perfect amount for two tickets home (plus a little more...something like 30 bucks). Ugh, I just don't know!

Ahhhhh

The Freecycle lady stopped by this afternooon and grabbed the yarn and needles. Ahhhhhh....a huge sigh of relief. She seemed nice and sounded pretty excited to do this. My husband says we are going to give her something, he has a hard time sometimes with the concept of freecycle. For some reason it boggles his mind that someone would WANT to do something free of charge. I say it's the business man in him.

I figured out how to do the blasted second scarf. Yeah, it has taken WAYYYYY too long to do two scarves but when you lack motivation it can be tough. I am doig a pink one now. The problem the FIRST time I was doing this pin k one was the color. It was a salmon type pink. You know the canned and stuck on a shelf in water good for ten years WITH a dent in the side salmon. I had a good portion of it done but when I showed my husband he asked if I was making my grandma a scarf. not a good sign considering it was for a toddler. So I frogged it (fueling my obssession) and started the blue one. I hate the blue one. I DESPISE this scarf. It hink it is ugly and horrible and just plain ugly. I plan on frogging it even though it is almost done. By almost I mean I have MAYBE two more rows and then I bind off. Yeah, that close. Why am I frogging it? Because of the pink scarf! Catch up here. After I had frogged the pink one the first time I found a light pink that was more little girly than old woman so I set it aside. I was dreading it though. Thin yarn and small needles makes for a long time knitting. I was sitting here last night staring at this ball when it dawned on me! I had big needles!!!! So I pulled out my handmade size 11 DPN's and decided her scarf would be done with them. I started and tried to get a good one going but the yarn was too thin. Blahde blah blah blah...long story short I combined the salmon with the light pink and am knitting on the big needles. It is turning out rather lovely I might add. It reminds me of bubblegum. So what does that have to do with frogging the basically finished blue scarf? I like it so much I want to combine the blue yarn with some white yarn and do the same for the little boy. It's knitting up fast and it is cute as hell. Sheesh! If only I had sat down and put some thought into this in the first place!

I did try some long stitches last night. I hate them. They turned out rather ugly each and every time I tried them. Maybe it is a technique that takes time and practice but seeing as they were ugly the FIRST time around I am not tempted to try and practice with them anymore.

I am thinking of selling my serger (I know, not knitting related). It's a nice one but my baby brother in law is getting married and we would like to be able to see it happen. Only problem is it's in another state and we don't have enough to get there. :( I'm hoping it doesn't need to be done but if so I have no problem doing it. Any takers? :)

Shameless plug part 2

I couldn't help myself. I went and reposted on Freecycle and this time I asked for an experienced knitter. Not only did someone reply but they replied back to me! We have a meeting tomorrow for her to come get the supplies and get started on some hats. I am so happy to have found someone to help. She seems legitimate and actually is going to go through with it. I just hope she's a quick knitter and can get them done in a timely fashion (unlike myself of course :) ). Woo hooo for Freecycle!

*Grumble, grumble*

I'm not mean. I'm not rude. I'm a very nice and lovely person. So why when someone offers to help me out and I respond enthusiastically they take that as a cue to bolt and run?

As you can guess, my shamless plug for help has vanished. The lady who offered is no where to be seen and has not responded to my email. Plagued with some random OCD I erased her first email so I have no way of emailing her again to find out what the hell happened. I guess that means it was meant to be. Guess that means I have some serious nights of knitting elft to do. I just don't want to! I am tired of knitting for others. Yeah, there is some gratification to it all but really I want to be selfish and only works on projects for me and my family. I want to start on some soakers for my nephew. I want to starts on some for my daughter. I want to start on some socks for me and frankly none of this can be done until I am done with everything else! Why can't I have more than one project going? I do. I have three going right now. I know though that if I start on my won stuff I will never pick up the other stuff that needs to be done. *SIGH* *Grumble, grumble*

On a more pleasant note: Our buddy's, T, wife sent over some books. Mainly crocheting (which I have tried but do not like) but there is one in there for knitting. She crochets like a mad woman and is feeling the urge to get crafty but needs to thin out what she has (a ton of quilting stuff, sewing, afghans etc.) so she sent these over for me to look through. Anyway, the knitting one is from Pattern Works (www.patternworks.com )and there is some wonderful stuff in there! For instance, a sock blocker. Three sizes and it does not absorb liquids so it doesn't mold or get icky. Sounds like I need to be getting a sock blocker! I went and checked out their site since this particular magazine is from 2002 and signed up to get a free one sent to me. I'll have to check it out (the new one) before i can say for sure that it's awesome. Seems to be so far.

I also stumbled upon Knit Picks (www.knitpicks.com ). I found it during Christmas but I think I overlooked it because of the layout. I'm rather picky about how a site looks so I'm thinking that may be why. I saw a link to it in a blog I was reading and decided to go check it out. HOLY CHEAP YARN BATMAN!!!!! There is some dye it yourself for 3.49 a hank. Yes you read that right, 3.49 a hank! They have some lace for cheap, some sock yarn for cheap...hell they have yarn for cheap!!! They have a ton of accessories as well like tapemeasures (a cute sheep one), needles, stitch markers, row counters etc. I think I have found my nirvana. I have definitely found my next gift giving occasion help. By that I mean for the next gift giving occassion I shall point various people (when asked what I want) to certain sites and say only this, "Gift card". I think it will get the point across clear as day.