Laura's Knitting Blog

Knitters Coffee Swap Package - Beautiful Yarn!

2007-11-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

Thank you Sunne for this awesome package! First off, here are the treats and the coffee. She sent the best chocolates I've ever tasted, from a chocolate company in Seattle. The coffee is Caffe Umbria's Terra Sana Blend. She also sent some handmade stitchmarkers from her etsy shop, Sunneshine. One of the cutest things she sent was a "needle therapy kit" with little waxy leaves that you rub on your bamboo needles to revitalize them. Very cute!
The yarn she sent is by Lotus Knits and invokes many thoughts of coffee. I haven't knit with Lotus Knits before, but i'm looking forward to making a great pair of socks out of this!
And my favorite is The Plucky Knitter laceweight, which Sunne picked out from the Loopy Ewe and I just got in the mail today. I love these colors!
Thanks again Sunne, you've been a great swap partner!!

Dad's Christmas Vest

2007-10-28T20:24:00.000-07:00

Well I'm making my dad a vest for Christmas. It's crimson and cream, because he's a die hard OU fan. He played trumpet in the Pride when he was at OU, so he went to all the games and everything. I'm making it out of Nashua's Creative Focus Superwash Worsted. I had to wrap all the yarn on my niddy noddy into hanks so that I could wash it (I wanted to wash out all the excess dye so that the red wouldn't run onto the cream). The pattern can be found here.
I think I'm going to dress up as a cowgirl on Halloween. I wasn't going to do anything, but my cousin Abbie is going to the church's Fall Festival dressed up as a pumpkin, so I think I'm going to dress up and go! So hopefully I'll have cute Halloween pictures to post soon. She'll be two next month, so I think it'll be a lot of fun. I guess it'll depend on how much progress I've done on my paper though.

Knitting Progress and Coffee Swap Three

2007-10-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

Well let's see, I have some knitting progress to show. I made the Foliage hat (see below post for link) out of Royal Silk Merino and I'm going to make matching fingerless gloves with the lace pattern on the outside of the hands! You can't see the lace pattern here, but soon I'll take a picture with the hat on so you can see it better.
And here is the progress on my spiral boot socks. I've actually done more progress since I took this picture, I'm now done with the leg and about halfway through the heel flap.
In other news, I decided to do another swap. I haven't done one in awhile, they're an unnecessary expense and I was disappointed by one awhile back. However, this swap is just a one time swap, and I've participated in previous rounds, and since I work at a yarn store cost isn't as much of an issue! This is actually the perfect swap for me since I love coffee so much. So here is my questionnaire for Coffee Swap Three:

1. Whole bean or ground? prefer Whole Bean
2. Fully-loaded or decaf? fully loaded
3. Regular or flavored? regular
4. How do you drink your coffee? skim milk and splenda
5. Favorite coffee ever? that's a tough one. I'm enjoying my green mountain coffees...
6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? I'd say I'm in the middle, not terribly fussy, but not any old bean.
7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? anything sweet, except nothing with raisins or any kind of dried fruit
8. Anything else about your coffee preferences?
9. Yarn/fiber you love? Wool, natural fibers
10. Yarn/fiber you hate? novelty yarns, acrylic/rayon/plastic nastiness
11. What's on your needles? socks, scarf, cardigan, legwarmers
12. Favorite colors? deeply saturated colors
13. Allergies? SMOKE AND CAT HAIR - very important
14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? I'm getting tired of self striping sock yarn. With the exception of one skein I recently bought, I'm just not impressed with the stuff. On the flip side, I LOVE slightly shaded sock yarns, with slight variances of color.

midterms and knitting

2007-10-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

Midterms are over! I actually did surprisingly well, though I don't know my grade on the last one, since I just took it yesterday. I thought I'd failed my capstone paper, since that class is so hard, but I ended up getting a B! The professor really scared me because he kept sending out emails to everyone in the class saying that he'd give anyone a W (withdrawal) in the class even if they failed their paper if they just wanted out. We knew it was going to be tough, but you have to take it to graduate so you have to suck it up and take it some time.

In other news, the spiral boot socks that I was knitting my sister for Christmas are turning out to fit me, so i'm making her something else. Brooke's a skinny twig with chicken legs, and I'm, well not. So there's no way these will fit her. New socks for me!

knitty fall 07

2007-09-19T08:44:00.001-07:00

I started browsing the Fall 07 Knitty this morning, and I think I found a couple of projects that I really want to knit. I love the hat pattern Foliage which I think would look great knit out of some hand dyed Manos del Uruguay, one of the almost solid colors. Second, I've been looking for a throw pattern for my grandma, she wants me to make her an afghan so I'm thinking about knitting Totally Autumn, out of Comfort by Berroco. We'll see how tired I am of reading charts when I'm done with Christmas knitting!

New Pathways for Sock Knitters

2007-09-16T13:57:00.001-07:00

I finally got my copy of New Pathways for Sock Knitters by Cat Bordhi! It came in Tuesday but I've had bronchitis and I'm so thankful that Gourmet Yarn held my copy all week until I could get up there today to pick it up! I also swapped out my addi lace needles for some regular addis because they were tarnishing. I can't get wait to really delve into this book!

Fred and George socks, fair, and Mr. Darcy

2007-09-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

I completed one sock from Rosemary's Fred and George pattern and I love it! Also, tonight my family and I went to the state fair and found out that my Swallowtail Shawl made first place! It was so exciting seeing my knitting on display! Today in my Women and Gender Roles in Modern Europe class we discussed Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorite books. It makes me want to watch the latest movie and go all googly eyed girly about Mr. Darcy. I definitely have my girlish moments.

New Job

2007-08-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

Well I have a new job. For the last week and a half or so I've been working at L & B Yarn Co! I love working at a yarn store! I also love working with great friends!

In other news, I feel that my Ravelry invite will be on its way soon! There are only 185 people ahead of me in line, so any day now I will be sucked into the time consuming vortex of Ravelry. right. before. school. starts. Great. =)

Finished Swallowtail!

2007-07-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

I finished my Swallowtail Shawl! I am so proud of it! Maybe it'll win me a ribbon! Here it is in its entirety:

and here is a close up:

I'm thinking of blocking it again, but this time stretching it out a bit more. We'll see!

First Lace Project!

2007-07-16T20:30:00.000-07:00

Well it's been awhile, but I do have some new knitting to blog about. I started my very first major lace project! I'm making the Swallowtail Shawl from the fall 2006 Interweave Knits. Here is the beginning of my progress. I pinned it down so you guys can see it, but it's obviously nowhere near done and therefore not blocked.
And here's a close up just to show the detail.
I'm knitting it using Colinette's Jitterbug, I love this yarn! I'm also glad I'm doing my first lace project in fingering weight yarn. Yesterday I casted on for a feather and fin scarf with lace weight and I'm really glad I didn't start with it!

Thank you SP!

2007-06-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

Well unfortunately this post will be pictureless. Today I am on a quest to find a way to take decent pictures in my home. We'll see what happens. Since it's raining, it'll be hard to find a place with decent lighting. I did want to say thank you to my Secret Pal, because she sent me a terrific package! She sent some new Hiya Hiya circular needles, which I've never used before. They come in some lesser known sizes. These are US size 1 1/2. She also sent a book of dog patterns! There are some fun ones in there, and then a Fiber Trends pattern to make a matching dog sweater and people socks. Oskar will be nice and warm this winter, which really helps his arthritis. He doesn't like being dressed up, but when we take him out in the winter it's a must. In the summertime he acts like a playful puppy, but the winter really shows his age.

My pal also sent a Jasmine sachet, and some Bath and Body Jasmine scented shower gel, yum! The whole package smells like Jasmine now. She also included some tea bags in different flavors, and one of those yarn cutters you can wear around your neck! What a great package! Thanks again SP!

This week has been so crazy. My best friend's grandma passed away last week, and the funeral was Monday. She was an adopted grandma for me, but she is in a much better place now so I think we're all at peace about it. The day of her funeral was the day aforementioned best friend was supposed to move apartments. So we've been packing and moving until all hours of the night trying to get things done since she couldn't move Monday. Hopefully tonight we'll have her out and the old place cleaned, so all she'll have to do is unpack in the new place. She's had a stressful week so I'm trying to take good care of her!

awesome package, flash your stash contest, and other stuff

2007-06-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Well this week will be an exciting mail week! To start if off, on Saturday I received a package from Beth with lots of great local (she's from New Hampshire) goodies inside! She sent some beautiful J. Knits yarn in Tampa, and some yummy cookies and chocolates to munch on! She also sent some Earl Grey Le Creme tea from Portsmouth Tea Company that is wonderful! She also sent an engraved tea strainer that is the perfect size for a tea cup! I love the cards and magnet she included with sheep on them! Thank you so much Beth!! Unfortunately the pictures aren't great, I tried to take them outside, because usually that's the only way to get the lighting right, and they totally didn't come out! So I took them indoors. One day... one day I will get a good digital camera.Here are a couple of random pictures. This weekend we celebrated Katie's birthday at Incredible Pizza. It's kind of like a Chuck E. Cheese, except it appeals to older kids. They have bowling and go karts and bumper cars along with all the regular games like skee ball and stuff. Here she is blowing out her candles.

And I finally got a picture of my Weasley clock tshirt.

Okay time for stash pictures. I have more yarn than I thought! Though nowhere near as much as many others. Here it is in tubs. The orange tubs are Rubbermaid's cedar tubs, very convenient for wool!
Okay, we'll start out with the cotton and blend yarns, basically everything that could get by without being in a cedar bin.
This is my lace weight, though the flash completely wiped out the three skeins of natural colored cashwool. (I'll probably dye a couple of these!) Lace is a new thing for me, so this area will probably grow!
Here is my wool sock yarn:
This is my sport and worsted weight wool:
And here is the bulky weight wool, not anywhere near as much of it!
And last but not least here is my hand dyed yarn, covering bulky weight, worsted weight, and sock yarn! I am determined to take a decent picture of this stuff!

fundraising and contests

2007-06-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of contests going on right now that I thought I'd tell you guys about. Hope is having a blogivesary contest and all you need to do is email her your favorite patterns (what pattern, and where to find it). She's also wanting to increase readership on her blog, so go check her out. Tell her I sent you.

Also, Dorothy has some fantastic prizes that you can win for donating money to her Relay for Life account. Relay for Life is a huge fundraiser for cancer. She has a separate blog for her fundraising efforts, and pictures of all her incredible prizes! Her goal is $2,000, and her husband doesn't think she can make it, so let's prove him wrong!

Both of these are time sensitive so check them out soon!

SP10 WIP contest, pictures, and tagged

2007-05-30T21:14:00.001-07:00

Well my SP10 hostess is having a contest where we post about our WIP's. The purple sock is "Almost Argyle" and kind of got shelved when I had surgery. The other is the back side to a hooded sweater I'm making for my cousin Abbie.Here is some of the yarn that I dyed this weekend, twisted into a skein. You can see the colors all blended together better here than the other pictures.
My sister made a Harry Potter tshirt, which I just had to photograph. I came up with the back side, and we are getting very excited about July! I made a tshirt of the Weasley Clock; I'll have to post a picture later.

Finally, I've been tagged to participate in the "7 facts" meme that is going around. Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog. I’ve been tagged by Hope.

1. When I asked my sister for facts about me she said "you have a very cute sister" but I will amend this to say that though I am fortunate enough to have a sister who shares some interests with me (such as reading and Harry Potter and knitting).

2. I have more books than some small town libraries. I love to read, and I love to collect books.

3. I think I have very good fashion sense and am very good at putting outfits together, yet I usually wear tshirts and sweat pants.

4. I love to swim, but I hate hot weather. I'd rather swim indoors. It's not that I don't like being outside, I just burn easily and I don't like being really hot. My favorite season is fall.

5. I own all 7 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The demons are all cheesy and not scary, otherwise I wouldn't watch it. Real spiritual warfare absolutely freaks me out, and yet BTVS is very entertaining.

6. I watch more tv on DVD than I do on tv. I usually get into a show by dvd, and only watch current shows if I started out on DVD but they're still on air. This was the case with Gilmore Girls, Bones, Alias, House M.D., and Grey's Anatomy. I didn't even watch my first BTVS episode until after the show went off the air.

7. I am a nerd. A great big one. But usually I'm well liked, even in middle school and high school. I was never popular, but most people knew me and liked me.

It seems like everyone out there has already done this meme so I guess I won't tag anyone.

Bond and Dye weekend

2007-05-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

This has been a nice weekend thus far, I've watched a few James Bond movies (GoldenEye, For Your Eyes Only, and The World is Not Enough) and done lots of dyeing! This first picture is partway through the process.
And this picture is of 7 skeins that are drying. The two on the far right are different colors, but the rest are just different ways to dye the same colors. I tried some experimentation this time, and I think I like the two on the far left and the two on the far right the best.

Oh boy!

2007-05-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

Life got so very busy all of a sudden! I'm taking an intersession class, in digital photography, so that has taken up a lot of my time. The arthritis walk was last weekend, and it was a great success! When I get final numbers in I'll post them, but I think we raised around $14,000! The only knitting I've done this week has been a camera case, but I'll have to post pictures later. As far as the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap goes, I'll do the trivia and things that I have time for, but I do have a life outside of blog land so I can't participate in every little trivia contest.

Quidditch round 2

2007-05-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Trivia

1. Who is the Fat Lady's friend?
- Violet
- Rose
- Lavender
- Lily

2. When the Fat Lady was attacked by Sirius Black and fled her portrait, who took over for her as guard of Gryffindor Tower? Sir Cadogan

3. Usually when Harry is in Dumbledore's office, what are the portraits of previous headmasters doing?
- Humming
- Snoozing
- Giving Dumbledore advice
- Arguing with one another

4. Which one of the Triwizard champions did not go to the World Cup?
- Harry Potter
- Fleur Delacour
- Cedric Diggory
- Viktor Krum

5. Who did Harry give his Triwizard winnings to?
- Mr. and Mrs. Diggory
- No one, he kept them
- Professory Dumbledore
- Fred and George Weasley

The next two are anagrams. Rearrange the letters to get the correct words.
6. Live gong cram la man (two words) Minerva McGonagall

7. Owl or video Oliver Wood

8. What author's name appears on the book "Quidditch Through the Ages"?
- Albus Dumbledore
- J.K. Rowling
- Kennilworthy Whisp
- Newt Scamander

9. What does the Keeper do in a game of Quidditch?
- Keeps the brooms in good working order
- Guards the goal
- Keeps the score
- Holds the Quaffle

10. In the Goblet of Fire why did the Mad Eye Moody imposter put Harry's name in the goblet?
- He wanted Ron to be mad at him
- He wanted Dumbledore to expel Harry for entering the tournament
- He wanted Harry to be killed during the tasks
- He wanted Harry to win the tournament

so close! my knitting spot

2007-05-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

Well I'm cutting this one close, this SP contest ends tomorrow! We're supposed to talk about our favorite knitting spot and post a picture of us knitting in it. My sister took the picture, and I hadn't started knitting yet, so my hands look awkward. This is my favorite place to knit because I have a table next to me with a small box of knitting accessories, and because I have an adjustable lamp right above me so I'll have plenty of light!

Hogwarts trivia

2007-05-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

Trivia #1
What's the name of this potion?
This potion has the colour of molten gold, and while exposed to the air, large drops will leap like goldfish above the surface without spilling. Felix Felicis

Trivia #2
Which book is this line from?
"Harry and Cho were now too embarrassed to look at each other, let alone talk to each other; what if Ron and Hermione started going out together, then split up? Could their friendship survive it? Harry remembered the few weeks when they had not been talking to each other in third year; he had not enjoyed trying to bridge the distance between them. And then, what if they didn't split up? What if they became like Bill and Fleur, and it became excrutiatingly embarrassing to be in their presence, so that he was shut out for good?" HP and the Half Blood Prince

Trivia #3
Who utters these words?
"Oh I am glad I'm not on duty. I wouldn't fancy having to go and tell the Irish they've got to stop celebrating." Arthrur Weasley

Coffee Swap Package!

2007-05-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

I got my coffee swap package in the mail yesterday, and wow is it amazing! My pal sent two different kinds of coffee, Sumatra Organic and Organic Peruvian French Roast! She also sent chocolate chip cookies, a Green and Black's Caramel Chocolate bar, and an Almond Crunch Oatbar! ooh, but probably the best part was the yarn! Two skeins of Catalina chunky weight Baby Alpaca (so very soft!), a skein of Soljoy in beautiful reds, and a skein of hand dyed Sea Silk made by Hand Maiden fine yarn. I've never knit with silk before! This yarn is glorious! What an amazing package! Many, many thanks to Kerry, who was an awesome swap partner!

In other news, I got the book Charmed Knits last night and it looks so fun! I want to make broomstick and snitch socks! And I think I might make a hedwig owl! There is a really cool blanket pattern of Mrs. Weasley's clock, though that is a bit too much work for right now.

HSKS quidditch trivia

2007-05-06T22:05:00.000-07:00

Round One
Trivia

1. Who isn't or hasn't been a Quidditch captain? answers in red
Cedric Diggory
Cho Chang
Oliver Wood
Marcus Flint

2. Who are the Gryffindor chasers? (books 1-5)
Hermione, Dean and Seamus
Alicia, Angelina and Katie
Fred, George and Oliver
Parvati, Colin and Neville

3. Who are the Slytherin beaters? (books 1-4)
Crabbe and Goyle
Flint and Montague
Derrik and Bole
Pucey and Warrington

4. What type of broom isn't made anymore?
Firebolt
Silver Arrow
Nimbus
Comet

5. The Slytherin team all ride the same broom, what is it?
Cleansweep Seven
Nimbus 2000
Comet 260
Nimbus 2001

6. Which of these is not a Quidditch team?
Pride of Portree
Appleby Arrows
Tudshill Tornados very sneaky on this one! I had to consult quidditch through the ages for it!
Caerphilly Catapults

7. Who is Head of Hufflepuff House?
Professor Binns
Professor Flitwick
Professor Sprout
Professor Sinistra

8. Which Hufflepuff student is reported to have been one of the only peple to have ever given Hufflepuff success?
Justin Finch - Fletchley
Cho Chang
Cedric Diggory
Lily Evans

9. In Book 1 who was the first Hufflepuff student to be sorted?
Hannah Abbott
Terry Boot
Susan Bones
Lisa Arygle

10. What is the emblem of Hufflepuff House?
Deer
Beaver
Badger
Bear

And now for the images part of quidditch. I'm including links here.

Picture of Harry, Ron, and Hermione together
uwmike.com/articles/2005/11/20/goblet-of-fire/
Hagrid
www.hogwartsfansite.co.uk/hagridprofile.htm
Buckbeak
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/hogwarts/classes/care-of-magical-creatures.html
Sirius Black
http://familytrees.genopro.com/harry-potter/default.htm?page=pictures.htm
Uncle Vernon
http://www.veritaserum.com/movies/actors/richardgriffiths.shtml

New SP and package

2007-05-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Well I got an email last week from my SP hostess that my original SP was no longer participating and that I have a new pal! Well today I got my first package from my new pal and it's awesome! She included some Tofutsies yarn that i'd been wanting to try ever since I saw it at Happy Cat Yarn Shop, and a wonderful smelling candle and candle plate. There's also a blue bag that is the perfect size for a sock project bag! She also sent a little knit zipper bag that's got gorgeous colors and will be perfect for notions! Finally, she sent a 6 pocket organizer that hangs on the side of a chair that will be perfect for keeping my knitting stuff within reach! Here's a picture of the package. THANK YOU SO MUCH SWAPPIN SISTER!

I CAN KNIT!!!!

2007-04-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

I can knit i can knit! It'll take awhile to get back to full speed and stamina, but I'm knitting again! Who knew a week without knitting would be so hard? I hope I never have more extensive surgery, I've been going crazy! I get the stitches out tomorrow, hopefully that'll help too!

hogwarts trivia

2007-04-29T23:08:00.000-07:00

okay, it is time to earn some more points for Ravenclaw in the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap. the quote is

"You will have your reward, Wormtail. I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform..."

and Voldemort is speaking. This one was easy.

Good news, i'm able to capitalize a little bit. hopefully in another week or so I'll be back to regular typing again!

HSKS Questionnaire

2007-04-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

HSKS Questionnaire

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into? Ravenclaw

2. List your three favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length. I rarely use dpns, i usually use magic loop. when i do use dpns, i prefer the shorter lengths for socks, I guess 5 or 6 inches? i usually use 1's or 2's

3. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length? I guess i'd try the knitpicks dpns, they look nice and pointy. I don't have any dpns in US0 or US2. as far as circulars, i'd love to try the addi turbo lace needles. I've been really excited to try them out, i usually use 40" or 47" for magic loop.

4. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference? well ordinarily i'd totally side with the book on anything, however, i really like the blue/silver combination, so i'm definitely going to say the movie colors.

5. If your pal decides to send candies or chocolates are there any that you don't like? I don't like black licorice, and I'm not a huge fan of gummies. anything with chocolate, or peanut butter, or caramel is great!

6. What are your favorite scents? i like jasmine and some fruity stuff. florals give me a headache.

7. Do you have any allergies? cigarrete smoke and cat hair, very allergic

surgery recovery and new coffee

2007-04-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well the surgery went well. my fingers are usable, though anything requiring grip will take time. driving is kind of difficult, and i still can't knit. i can type, though not for very long at a time. today i successfully used a fork with my right hand! my wrist is really bruised below the incision, i'm guessing there was some sort of mechanical thing resting there during surgery. it'll be nice to be able to wash my hands properly again. I can't get my right hand wet until after tuesday, when i have my follow up appointment, so i can only wash my left hand.

in other news, i found some awesome new coffee. i'd never tried green mountain coffee before, so i ordered some of their caramel vanilla coffee and it's really good! it also made my house smell wonderful! one final note, i'm ready for school to be out!

hogwarts trivia

2007-04-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

I'm a Ravenclaw, and I guess we're posting our trivia answers on our blogs? So I'm going to earn some house points here. The quote is: "There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!" "You are quite wrong. Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness."

and I'm 95% sure this is young voldemort, I guess I should say tom riddle, talking to dumbledore.

2007-04-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if my buttons have ever properly shown up, so I'm going to post this logo as a regular post, and hope that the button also shows up on the sidebar! I'll give a couple a try again.

Knitters' coffee swap questions

2007-04-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

1. Whole bean or ground? Generally I prefer whole beans

2. Fully-loaded or decaf? usually prefer regular coffee, but on occasion drink decaf

3. Regular or flavored? flavored is okay, like french vanilla. but I haven't found a chocolate flavor I like, and I don't like amaretto.

4. How do you drink your coffee? skim milk and splenda

5. Favorite coffee ever? that's a tough one, I'm not sure. introduce me to a new favorite!

6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? I'm not too fussy, though I prefer something fresher than a lot of stuff you get at the grocery store.

7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? hmmm, I like cookies. like pepperidge farm chocolatec chip caramel cookies. and lorna doone cookies. I don't buy myself a lot of sweets since I'm trying to lose all this prednisone weight, but I don't deny myself on special occasions like treats from a swap!

8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? nope

9. Yarn/fiber you love? wool, cotton, natural fibers

10. Yarn/fiber you hate? acrylics, but especially Red Heart, I just want to burn it!

11. What's on your needles? socks

12. Favorite colors? blues, greens, purples, strong vibrant colors, just not orange

13. Allergies? cigarette smoke and cat hair

14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? I love harry potter. this is the summer of potter and I'm very excited.

oldest yarn contest, on the needles, and arthritis walk

2007-04-23T21:39:00.000-07:00

okay, this will be a jam packed entry for me. once again, please forgive the lack of capitalization, typing one handed makes the shift key harder to reach. first, i'll start with the oldest yarn in my stash. My pal in my very first swap, SP8 , sent me this beautiful Lorna's Laces yarn, and it's so soft and beautiful that I just haven't found the perfect project for it yet. For those of you locals, can you buy Lorna's Laces in any local shops around here? I wasn't sure about Gourmet Yarn or SWAK.
Also, I wanted to show you guys what is on the needles right now. unfortunately this will be on the needles for awhile, as I'm having carpal tunnel surgery on wednesday and I have a feeling knitting will be difficult for a little while. as usual my picture taking is horrendous (but I'm taking a digital photography course in may intersession, so hopefully I can finally get this flash under control)! the pattern is "Almost Argyle" and is shaping up nicely even though you can't tell from the picture. i learned the "latvian twist edge" which you can kind of see on the cuff.

here you can see a picture of me talking about the arthritis walk at a public forum last week. anyone interested in participating or donating can do so at www.normanarthritiswalk.kintera.org I don't know why this section is underlined, but i can't figure out how to fix it.

surgery and winner

2007-04-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

i'm having surgery a week from wednesday on my right wrist, because of carpal tunnel, so posting may be sparse. i can only type with my left hand. in other news i have a winner for the arthritis walk contest, Kathleen! thanks for your help!

Favorite and Least Favorite Knitting Items

2007-04-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

Well our next contest for this round of SP10 is to post about our favorite and least favorite finished objects. My favorite finished object was probably the very first pair of socks I ever made.

My least favorite project was when I tried to dye yarn with koolaid, it didn't turn out very well. I later took the yarn and tiedyed it with purple, so it was somewhat tolerable.

Arthritis Update

2007-04-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Just an FYI, those of you from Norman should go by Happy Cat Yarn Shop and join Danya's team for the Arthritis Walk. I think she's going to have a 50% off one item coupon for people who participate in the walk. So, I've decided to add anyone who joins her team to my contest for donations. If you register with her, just send me an email at lauranicole at ou dot edu to let me know you registered. The contest will end Saturday night, April 14th and I'll draw a winner on Sunday the 15th.

my crafty night

2007-03-31T23:06:00.000-07:00

First of all, I hand dyed the most beautiful sock yarn ever!!! Well, at least I'm pretty proud of it. Of course I can't take a decent picture of it, but I think the colors come through. I dyed this yarn for my Secret Pal, but I may have to make another skein for myself! Second, I learned how to make balloon animals. We need people to make balloon animals and do face painting for the kids before the arthritis walk, and I recruited people to do so, but no one knows balloon animals, so I learned so I can teach them. That was the longest run on sentence ever. I made a sword, a dog (red) and an elephant (white) but the elephant's tail is long and dog like, and the angle isn't great to see the big elephant ears.

Arthritis Walk and contest

2007-03-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone in the internet world know that I'm the honoree for the 2007 Norman Arthritis Walk. The walk is on May 19th. The walk is a fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation. The Arthritis Foundation sponsors many programs, and funds research. The online message boards, which have been a huge help to me (I don't know any other people in their 20's with RA, so on the message boards I can talk to people who can relate) are sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation, as well as the arthritis swimming classes I take at my local YMCA. If you follow the link above, click on "Meet Laura" on the left side of the page. It's about me!

So many people think that arthritis just affects older people, but there are over 100 types of arthritis, including Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis, as well as Juvenile RA which can hit a child at any age. I hope that through our work with the Arthritis Foundation we can find a cure.

I don't know if this will work, but I've read about other bloggers doing this, so I'll give it a try. We would really appreciate any help you guys can provide. You can donate online here, my personal page for the walk. If you donate (any amount is appreciated) email me at lauranicole at ou dot edu and let me know. I'll put all the names in a bag and draw a winner! Since 95% of you are knitters, it will probably involve some wonderful yarn, unless you're a non knitter of course! Please pass this on to all your blogging friends!

Also, if you live in the Norman area and would like to participate in the walk, feel free to join my team, or create one of your own! Thank you guys, I'd really like to make a difference as honoree!

Great SP and afghan

2007-03-27T23:35:00.000-07:00

I just have to say that I have an awesome Secret Pal! She sent me a beautiful card and some wonderful smelling soap from her recent trip to Arizona! Right now I have the soap in one of my drawers, making my clothes smell wonderful, until I'm ready to use it. Also, I got a lot of work done on my granny square afghan over Spring Break. It's not finished yet, I still need to knit the border. The pattern is from Knitting Loves Crochet.

Dad is home from Armenia!

2007-03-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

Dad just got back from Armenia! He saw Sarah and gave her all the stuff we sent. I'm glad he's home, I always worry when he leaves the country. While he was there, he picked up some yarn for me! They have a market on the weekends, so they did some shopping. He also got my mom, sister, and me bags made of carpets! Apparently they take really old carpets and clean them up and turn them into other things.

Favorite knitting accessory

2007-03-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well my SP10 hostess Robyn has encouraged us to post about our favorite knitting accessory. Mine has to be a combination, my ball winder and swift. I don't know what I did before I had them! Maybe I can take a picture next time I wind some yarn and put it on here. Speaking of accessories, I'm trying to either buy or make a niddy noddy.

Today was wonderful, I had a massage and facial for my birthday!

book meme

2007-03-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

If you can't tell, I like my literature, and not so much pop fiction. Except children's pop fiction!!

Look at the list of (100) books below.
Bold the ones you’ve read.
Italicize the ones you own.
Movies don’t count.

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie(Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

Zoo day!

2007-03-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of my mom, sister and me. We asked a random passerby to take the picture, which is why it isn't centered.
The alligators and bears were part of the new Oklahoma Trails exhibit. I think it just opened a week ago, and it was pretty cool. The zoo was very busy today, but we decided to go anyway because it's supposed to rain all next week. I got some good pictures, and we sent some to Dad in Armenia. We didn't get to see some of my favorite parts, like the aquatics, turtles, and apes because they were too crowded.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2007-03-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

I was almost a St. Patrick's Day baby, I overshot it by a little over an hour! Spring break is here and I'm very excited. I'm going to watch lots of old James Bond movies, knit and crochet, read, and hang out with my mom and sister. My dad is in Armenia right now, I got an email from him this morning! He's helping to plan a mission trip there. Sarah S. (my friend in the peacecorps) was in the capital Yerevan (where Dad is) for a peacecorps meeting so he got to see her today.

I started wearing my contacts for a few hours at a time. I haven't worn them in a couple of years because my eyes are so dry, but my ophthalmologist put plugs in my tear ducts to keep my tears from draining off my eyes. Well I'm off to the St. Patrick's Day sale at my LYS!!! (40% off everything with green in it!)

Life

2007-03-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Well this week should be an easy one. My Eastern Orthodox class is canceled all week as compensation for attending an Eastern Orthodox Easter service next month. They start their services around 10:30 p.m. and go until anywhere from 2:00-6:00 a.m. Since this will be hard on those of us who spend Easter with our families, our professor is giving us this week off, kind of like a long spring break. I'm hoping to finish my granny square afghan from Knitting Loves Crochet. I'll post pictures when I finish it.

One final note, my birthday is a week from today!

SP10 questionnaire

2007-02-28T16:32:00.000-08:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like wool and cotton, just not novelty yarn

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a hanging needle case and a zippered hook case

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting a little over a year, a friend taught me to cast on and the knit stitch. I'm probably intermediate, I don't know.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? nope

5. What's your favorite scent? I like Jasmine and apple cinnamon. just no sugar scents or vanilla.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I love sweets, especially chocolate, carmel, and peanut butter. I try not to eat candy too much on my own, but getting them in a package is totally fine by me!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? other than knitting or crochet, I look to do most crafty things, including scrapbooking.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like classical music and a lot of 60's/70's stuff, thanks to my parents. I can play mp3's anywhere.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I like deep colors. blues, reds, greens, purples, etc. I just don't care much for orange.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have a wonderful dachshund named Oskar.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Everything but Ponchos

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I don't know if I have a favorite, I like to knit lots of different things!

13. What are you knitting right now? Right now I'm working on a crocheted/knit afghan. It's made of crocheted granny squares with a knit lace border.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? of course

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer circular needles, I work exclusively with bryspuns and addi turbos (and knit picks circulars, though they only come in sizes 0-3) because they are easier to use with my arthritis.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? yes, I own both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? a year and a half

18. What is your favorite holiday? christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect? books

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I don't have any subscriptions, but I like Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I would like to learn fair isle

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? yes, I don't know the measurements, but I have chunky size 9 feet.

23. When is your birthday? March 18th, just in time for this round of SP!

It's been awhile!

2007-02-27T23:39:00.000-08:00

Well I figure I should update this thing, I've been meaning to for awhile. Nothing interesting has happened, mainly because I've had a lot of health issues lately that don't qualify as interesting enough to blog about. However, I would like to make another comment about SP9. I had an awesome spoilee who was a blast to spoil and a terrific spoiler that picked out perfect gifts and made me the squishiest hat I've ever seen! My hostess Lorinda was great too, coming up with lots of fun contests!

As far as knitting/crocheting goes, I've been working on the Granny Square Afghan in Knitting Loves Crochet. I've made 12 squares, just 18 more to go! My grandma is helping with the squares, so it'll be a nice joint project. There's a nice knitted lace border that I'll knit (my grandma doesn't knit) and it'll be a great project to finish just in time for winter to end!

Time for a real update

2007-02-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

Well I got my final SP9 package and it is great!! Unfortunately the picture isn't great (for some reason, people pictures are fine, but taking pictures of knitting things never turn out very well). My pal sent me this beautiful purple variegated sock yarn, and I have the perfect pattern in mind. She also knitted me a handy box which is the perfect size to keep prescriptions in! She also sent a stripey mug with lots of warm things to drink, which is perfect with the cold weather.
Saturday night Katie and I tried to go to the symphony. Unfortunately we didn't make it because we got stuck behind an accident on I 40. She's wearing some huge heels, because we're actually the same height!

Prayer

2007-02-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

Please pray for my friend Laura, she is expecting twins and will be having an emergency C section tomorrow morning after only 23 weeks.

attention knitters!!!

2007-01-31T17:00:00.000-08:00

I need help!!! I lost my copy of the holiday gift edition of Interweave Knits. It was the one with felted fruit on the front. In this magazine was a patten for fingerless gloves. I think the word "cornflower" was in the title, and they were blue. I think the pattern is in the last third or so of the magazine. Does anyone have this pattern? The pattern I'm looking for the fingerless gloves a few posts down here in my blog. I wanted to make myself a pair and I can't find the magazine!!! So if anyone has a copy they can email or snail me, I'd really appreciate it. I promise I bought the magazine, I just lost it! Thanks for any help!

Disability Approved!

2007-01-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! I got my SSD approval yesterday! It is such a relief, and now I'll have medicaid and other options open to me. I also started an arthritis swimming class today! I've been working on a lot for my secret pal's final package, so I'll share pictures later.

red scarf

2007-01-13T20:29:00.000-08:00

Well I keep seeing posts about the red scarf project so I'm going to try to whip one out in the next couple of days! All of the ice has provided me with lots of knitting time. I finished another pair of socks for CIC and am halfway through a third vest, but I'll finish it after I get this scarf done.

ice and sp FO

2007-01-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Oklahoma is under a couple of inches of ice and sleet, so I'm stuck in the house for a few days. I'll be doing lots of reading, knitting, and dvd watching! School starts Tuesday, and I already have the novels for one of my Lit classes, so I'm thinking about getting a head start!

I just finished a new object for my Secret Pal, fingerless gloves! I don't think she checks this, so I'm going to post a picture of them. I guess if she does know who I am then she'll just know what to expect! I liked this pattern, the thumb gusset was easy to work.

first toddler socks, and big accomplishment!

2007-01-03T23:11:00.000-08:00

Well, the cough is still raging, but it stays under control as long as I'm taking copious amounts of vicodin tuss. I have a friend who will drive me to class tomorrow, where I will record the lecture to review later, when I'm out of this fog. In other news, I completed my very first pair of toddler socks for CIC! I'm almost halfway through another sock, in much prettier yarn (which I dyed myself, using a bit of a tie dye method). Here's the completed pair.

I must say that toddler socks knit with worsted weight yarn knit up very fast.

This may sound a bit strange, but those of you who know of my various health problems will understand. Two nights ago, I washed my hair all by myself for the first time since September! Through the manipulation of the extendable shower head and using the soap dish to prop up my arm, I succeeded! While I am still holding out hope to feel "all better" someday, I need to adapt for the time being.

Those of you who knit on Thursdays, I won't be able to make it this week. Raging cough + final exam on Friday means no spare time for knitting. However, I hope to be back again next week!

Sick

2006-12-29T20:14:00.000-08:00

Ugh, I've had the nasty cough/sneezing/congestion/headache/sore throat/fever/achiness sickness this week. I went to the doctor this morning and got some new meds, so hopefully I'll feel better soon! I had a test yesterday in my intersession class, and I didn't do as well as I would have liked thanks to the miserableness.

I had a good Christmas, lots of good family time. This is a picture with my grandfather and my cousin's baby girl, Abbie. She was so adorable, stumbling around, learning to walk, and playing with her toys! Children are so fun at the holidays!

This is my Dad sitting next to his grandmother, my great grandmother! We had five generations on both sides of the family this Christmas!

And this is my cousin, Abbie's dad. He's modeling the hat I knitted him, though I'm not sure the picture turned out too well. I used a great pattern that my SP used to make my hat! Now I'm redoing my dad's hat in the same pattern (the first one I made didn't cover his ears completely).

And now I'll leave you with a picture of my sister and me with our three great grandmothers.

SP package and Harry Potter

2006-12-21T14:17:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been gone so long, things have been very stressful around here! In the last week, I've pulled an all nighter, taken finals, celebrated my mom's birthday, threw my parents a 25th anniversary party, and started an intersession class! However in the middle of the stress I received an awesome package from my SP. She got me these beautiful stitchmarkers and two awesome knitting books, Big Needle Knitting and Quick Knits. She also got me some pretty winter stationery that I can use with my printer, and she made me an awesome hat in OU colors! It's so soft and squishy! Hopefully I can post a picture soon!

In other news, the title for the 7th Harry Potter book has been released!!! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. My sister and I had fun playing on jkrowling.com.

First vest finished!

2006-12-10T18:30:00.000-08:00

I finished my first vest for Children in Common. It certainly isn't perfect, but I think it turned out nicely. Once it's washed and blocked I think it'll be just fine! I'm getting ready to cast one for another one!

Paper finished!!!

2006-12-08T01:25:00.000-08:00

Well my research paper is printing as I type! It feels so good to be done! Now I'm going to try to get a few hours of sleep before I go turn it in!

end of term

2006-12-06T22:24:00.000-08:00

I will be so happy at 10:30 Friday morning when I turn in my research paper. Tomorrow night may be a late night. I've already taken one final, so all I lack is one more a week from Friday. It shouldn't be too hard though. I found out today that Vocational Rehabilitation is going to help pay for school, so that is a relief. I just finished my last Harry Potter scarf bookmark, so I'm now officially done with Christmas knitting. A woman in Sit N Stitch, a group here in OK gave me the idea to make the bookmarks with embroidery thread, and they turned out very nicely!

I started a vest for care wool, who donate charitable knits to Children In Common. That and a special project for my secret pal will probably constitute my December knitting. I have lots of partial balls of cascade 220, so I'm able to combine them (via stripes!) to make a few vests! I just sent a package a few days ago to my second Knitter's Tea Swap pal, I hope she likes it. I got to be an angel for her, I guess her previous pal had to back out. I also wrapped several things for my SP9 pal, and will hopefully get her package in the mail soon!

brief update

2006-12-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

i messed up wrist and had to get a steroid injection in it thursday. typing is hard, especially with the brace, so this update will be brief. unfortunately no knitting for a few days :( but the two snow days this week were nice and restful.

Shelly - fortunately I was not in that accident, but thank you for your thoughtfulness anyway!

My new car, knitting, and girlie fun

2006-11-25T10:12:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of my new car! I love it! It's so easy to get in and out, and it's easy to drive and it gets much better mileage than my old car. I filled it up for the first time today and it only took 9.7 gallons! There is so much space throughout the car. After driving a two door car, it's very strange to not be able to reach the backseat from the front one! Ironically, this car is a lot shorter than my old cougar.

I decided to make Harry Potter scarf bookmarks! I knitted them with US 0 needles and embroidery thread. I made Gryffindor and Slytherin, and just started the Ravenclaw. The picture isn't great, but I was blocking the bookmark so that's just how it turned out!

Last Friday we celebrated my cousin Abbie's first birthday! She helped her mom open a couple of presents, and then got distracted by a pile of tissue paper. She just sat there and played with it while her mom and dad opened her presents! She was very hesitant to really get her hands in the cake, finally her daddy just slammed her hands into it!

I got a new car!

2006-11-19T18:10:00.000-08:00

It's a Scion xB. It's perfect because it's car sized, but kind of feels like an SUV (though it gets 34 mpg)! It's black, and they offer some sort of reimbursement if we have to have it converted to a wheel chair accessible car (they can install a ramp that goes out the back at the touch of a button and you can drive a motorized wheelchair up on to it, then it folds up). It holds my walker just fine without interfering with the backseat, and will easily hold a manual wheelchair. The brakes went out on my old car and it was going to cost 3x what it was worth to fix it. It's also the perfect height, I don't have to climb out, or climb in! I'll post a picture tomorrow, it's dark outside right now so I don't think one would turn out.

Oskar is doing very well! He walks normally, except that he walks like an 8 year old dog now, and not a puppy. The meds make him kind of sleepy, but we see the true Oskar when they wear off right before we have to give him more. He'll be off of everything in about 2 weeks. We may have to consider other alternatives as he gets older, but right now he has adjusted very well! Tomorrow I'll have a great post with lots of pictures!

Oskar is home!

2006-11-13T14:50:00.000-08:00

Thank you for the prayers and concern! We picked Oskar up this morning and took him to our regular vet. When we picked him up from the emergency clinic, he still wasn't walking, though the vet said he did a little for him earlier. He spent a few hours at his regular vet's office and when we picked him up he was walking! His back end still falls a little bit, especially on slick floor, but he's getting around much better than he was last night. We have lots of medicine for him, and if need be we'll reevaluate and look into a doggie wheelchair/scooter, as mentioned by Shelly! We knew this was more than likely in the future for Oskar, but we've tried so hard to keep him from jumping. I'm just so glad he's home where he can get lots of love.

On a knitting note, I started my socks made of the beautiful Christmas yarn my SP sent me! Someone asked what kind of yarn it is, and now I would like to know as well! When I wound the yarn, I think my mom picked up the tag and threw it away! So now I can't remember! Secret Pal, if you see this, would you let me know what kind of yarn it was? Thanks!

Please pray for my dog

2006-11-12T20:43:00.001-08:00

Oskar is spending the night in the animal hospital. They think he has a herniated disk. His back half is pretty much paralysed, but since he's a daschund, back injuries are common. He is getting iv treatments and steroids and stuff, and we'll pick him up in the morning and take him to our regular vet. If that doesn't help, then we might have to put him to sleep. Fortunately he doesn't seem to be in pain, just very agitated because he can't figure out why his back half can't move. Please continue to pray for him and my family. Letting my sister know tomorrow will be especially difficult (she went back to school this afternoon before he got sick).

Please pray for my dog

2006-11-12T20:43:00.000-08:00

we're taking him to the emergency animal center.

SP package!

2006-11-08T11:40:00.000-08:00

I got a package from my Secret Pal today! She sent me the most beautiful yarn, it's Christmas colors! I'm going to get to work on them so I can wear them this season! The yarn is gorgeous! And she sent me a cute tape measure, which I'm always needing, no matter how many I have, and some colorful notepads! She also sent some wonderful looking orange sticks, which I think I might freeze. I love to freeze chocolate dipped orange stuff, I don't really know why, but they're just so good frozen! They were wrapped adorably, though I didn't get a picture of that because I was too excited to open it! I also received my "winter grey" wool bag that I won from Leslie Ann Black's Black Bags. I'll take a picture tomorrow, it's airing out in the garage right now! I'm so excited, this was a wonderful mail day!

Monster Juice!!!

2006-11-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

My new medicine (which is working fabulously by the way) is made from the saliva of the Gila Monster! I find that ridiculously entertaining. I went to my PCP last Thursday for my cold stain stuff and he decided to do some blood work. We'd checked my insulin many times before and it was always normal, but this time my C peptides were the highest he'd ever seen (don't know what that means) but metabolic syndrome runs in my family (and since my doctor is related to me, he knew that) so now I'm on new medicine to hopefully prevent me from getting diabetes. The new medicine has raised my shot quota to 15 per week though. Well, 15 that I give myself. I've already noticed a huge difference since Friday!

Ugh

2006-11-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

I have a nasty viral infection that is making my throat hurt! It's really just a strain of the cold, but apparently this strain has been lasting longer than most! I have a fever of 101.1 and I just feel yucky. In good news, I won a bag from Black Bags when I entered the Happily Handmade giveaway. I'm really glad I found out about the HHG on Lorinda's site because I found some new vendors I really like! I can't wait to try some new tea from SBS teas! I also received my sock yarn from Susie, and it's beautiful!

music, yarn, and adorable kids

2006-10-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

I helped my mom make a cd on walmart's website the other day, and she picked out a lot of great songs! She picked out some Eagles, Paul Davis, Jim Croce, and some group called "Bread" that I'd never heard of before, though I knew their songs. I must say I like 70's music much better than 80's music! We have dvds of Jim Croce and the Eagles, but I think I'm going to get a Jim Croce CD tomorrow.

I decided to order the ChaCha yarn from Susie, though I still really like the Foxtrot a lot. That was a tough decision!

I love the Caps for Kids Swirled Ski Cap from Knitting for Peace. I'm already working on my second one. Renee will be so cute in it! Tomorrow I'll get to do some shopping, getting to hit up both the LYS and Borders (Borders has good coupons this week)!

Edit: While I may not know much about 70's music, I know even less about modern music. Unless you consider Hindemith, Barber, Copland, etc...

Ahh!

2006-10-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

I like the Cha Cha even more than the Foxtrot! So I guess I'll order the Cha Cha, I don't think I can afford both right now. Maybe in a couple of months, since the yarn should be available throughout the entire swap. AHH, check them both out, the link is on the previous post.

successful knitting!

2006-10-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

In the past two weekends, I have finished four christmas presents! I only lack two major Christmas presents. Then I'll get started on the washrags in Mason Dixon knitting. I'm making the ones that you can run ribbon through and gather up the edges to make a pouch! I bought some pretty handmade soap and I made these pretty angel ornaments that I'm going to put inside. I can mention these christmas presents because they're going to my 3 great grandmothers and my adopted grandma, none of whom use a computer, much less read blogs...

I've also picked up some great things for my secret pal, and I'm waiting on an order from knit picks to make the first package complete! I'm debating on whether or not to order the beautiful yarn on the SP9 site. I love both colorways, but especially the Foxtrot. (I have to admit though, if I ordered it, it'd be for me to make socks for myself... I haven't made myself a pair in a long while!) It just depends on whether my next big check comes while it's still up for sale. I wonder if there's a time limit to order it.

Hit Cookies

2006-10-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hit Cookies are awesome! My KTS2 pal sent them to me, and now I need to find out where I can buy them, they're so good! The chocolate filling is so fresh and not dried up like most sandwich cookies. Anyone know where you can get them?

Best finished object

2006-10-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well my SP9 hostess has requested that we post our "best finished object" so I decided to post my very first sock. I've made a few more, but all off the same pattern, just with different yarns. I recently acquired a new sock pattern "almost argyle" from knitpicks, so I'll have to try it next! When I made this sock I didn't know what a short row was, and I'd never used dpns before. (I now use the magic loop method, but I made this one with dpns!) So here it is, made with Cascade Fixation.

Knitters Tea Swap Package Received!

2006-10-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

I got an awesome package in the mail today! I still don't know who my pal is though! She gave me some clues, so I'm going to try to figure it out! Here it is still wrapped up. All the paper she wrapped it in was so beautiful, I had to unwrap everything carefully so I can use the paper in picture and card making (I love scraps of pretty paper, there are so many things I can do with it).
My pal sent me a sampler of Stash tea, and a Celestial Seasonings Herbal Sampler, which is perfect because there are lots of teas I haven't tried yet! She also sent me some Rooibos tea, which I've been curious to try.

The snacks were perfect too! Some cookies I've never heard of, but am dying to try (must wait till after dinner!) and THREE different kinds of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, my favorite! She also knew how special my dog is to me, so she sent me dog earrings (didn't turn out in a picture, but the box is on top of the blue yarn) and a pattern and yarn to make him a sweater! My dog, Oskar, has arthritis like me so we have to keep him warm in the winter or he limps and hurts. This was a perfect package and I'm so glad I had such a great pal! I look forward to figuring out who you are, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

SP9 questionnaire

2006-10-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? oh goodness, I like natural fibers, and I love hand dyed yarns. I'm not big on novelty yarn, I like to be able to see my stitches!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a couple of needle cases and a crochet hook case

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting since January, and I've crocheted since I was seven. I guess I'd say I'm an advanced beginner? I haven't done any fair isle yet.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? no

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) apple cinnamon, juniper, NO vanilla or "sugar" scents, and please no lotions - I have a lot of allergies. Bubble baths and salts and things are okay though.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I have a huge sweet tooth, I love chocolate, candy, tea, cookies, all that stuff. I like reese's peanut butter cups, kit kats, any gourmet chocolates...

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I sew, and make cards and some scrapbooking, I'm learning to spin, I just learned to use a drop spindle at the state fair, so hopefully that will turn out well!

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like classical, jazz and blues. I can play mp3's in my car and on my computer.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Blues, greens, purples, reds. I don't like oranges.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I live with my parents and my little sister (on the weekends) I'm a senior at OU. We have a short hair daschund, who is in the house when it's cold outside. We are very careful about pet hair though, because my whole family is allergic. We aren't one of those families whose home is covered in hair.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I wear scarves, hats, and mittens, not ponchos

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I like to knit bags, socks, hats, all sorts of stuff!

13. What are you knitting right now? lots of christmas presents, which I can't share here, and a hat for myself.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? of course

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I almost exclusively use circs, though I occasionally use dpn's. I only use bryspuns and Addi turbos. They are the only needles I can use with my arthritis.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have a ball winder, and a homemade swift, seen here

17. How old is your oldest UFO? a year and a half

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!!!!

19. Is there anything that you collect? I love books, and harry potter stuff, and tea, and tea pots/cups, etc.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I don't have any subscriptions, but I pick up Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting sometimes, and I would love to try Socks That Rock yarn, I've heard it's great.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I'd like to learn some basic Fair Isle, I don't know how to use more than one color at once.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? yes, I'm a women's size 9 1/2, if you're concerned about fit, round up for me, not down

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) March 18

Buongiorno

2006-10-03T05:05:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what a caramel macchiato with whip can do for an exhausted college student who just pulled an allnighter (not exactly the studying kind though, more of the "side effects are killing me" sort). However, in spite of the fact that I have been up all night, and am about to start my day of infusions, exams, and general Je ne sais quoi of Tuesday norm, I feel great!!!! I have more energy than I've had in at least three months. I know it's shortlived, and the subsequent crash will be awful, but since I didn't intentionally do this to myself I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. By studying.

I did it!

2006-10-02T21:02:00.001-07:00

< - - - - - Look over there!!! It's buttons!

Giving buttons a try!

2006-10-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

I'm going to attempt to insert buttons now, and I think I need to post them somewhere before I can get them on the sidebar, so we'll try it here!

New book!

2006-10-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you guys for the encouragement and the pattern suggestions! I've got one mitt down, one more to go! I'll post a picture when I finished. I got a new book tonight! Unfortunately I'm not allowing myself to really read it until after my exam tomorrow afternoon. I bought Knitting For Peace! I also bought The Hallo-wiener which is a children's book about a daschund named Oscar (so close to my own Oskar) who saves his friends and proves to be loyal and true on Halloween.

This weekend I visited my grandparents and got to play with my adorable cousin Abbie. She is 10 and a half months old, and already a heartbreaker! Here she is my grandfather, Pop. She has him wrapped around her finger, seeing as she's his very first great grandchild.

fingerless mitts

2006-09-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone have a good, easy, quick to knit pattern for fingerless mitts? My hands get so cold, especially in class, but I need my fingers free! Unfortunately my knitting time had to be greatly reduced, due to both time and physical constraints, so I need a pattern that is fairly easy. I may have found one on knitty.com, but I wanted to see if anyone else knew of a good pattern they'd tried. Thanks!

2006-09-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

Well we've started the process of applying for disability. We met with a lawyer yesterday, after my doc suggested it last week. I just can't be a full time student right now, but if I'm not full time then I'll lose my health insurance, and I'll age out soon anyway. Even though I have put in enough credits to get disability, it won't be much since I've only worked for 5 years. I guess I'll qualify for SSI, which would provide me with Medicaid. Also, with disability I'll qualify for vocational rehabilitation, which would help pay for school. It's hard enough to pay medical bills, add tuition and it's just crazy! It was all very confusing, but something has to be done. We'll see how long this takes, and how many times I have to apply before I'm approved. Please pray for me! I've been hesitant to do this but my doctor said to just look at it not as "giving in" to the RA, but rather doing what I need to do for now so that I can eventually fight the RA.

To end with a positive note, I have been blessed with an amazing family and best friend. My mom helps me get ready and takes me to class, most days. I can still drive, just not for long periods of time, or in heavy traffic that requires me to break and gas a lot. Fortunately my car is very sensitive, easy to steer and push the pedals. Unfortunately parking is awful on campus, even with disability parking, so my mom takes me. My dear friend Katie has been a blessing as well, understanding that a "night out" for me right now means sitting on her couch and watching a movie in pjs. Thank God for such wonderful people in my life.

Hopefully I can finally get some sleep.

2006-09-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ugh, I had no idea I'd need to understand HTML to use blogger. I can't figure out the coding to put links in, or buttons. I'd like to have links to other blogs that I read on my sidebar, but I can't figure it out! Maybe I need to try a new template, does anyone know of a good template that is easy to work with? Blogger tells you how to edit your link list, but I can't even find the link list on this template!

2006-09-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

I'm going to make a tea cosy from the Kureyon Kosy pattern on knitty.com! My teapot doesn't stay warm very long, and fall is coming!!! My secret pal from SP8 sent me this beautiful yarn, it's Noro Kureyon but I took the ball band off to show off the colors. In case you can't see, it has pretty reds, greens, purples, and blues.

It's hard to believe Christmas is on it's way, I've got to get to work! I've got one Christmas present finished, a felted purse for my cousin Amy. I'd like to make homemade chirstmas cards too, but that will depend on my arthritis. We are currently going through a battle for disability, and I'm having to cut back on my classes. I found out today I have bronchitis, and my fever is 102.1 so hopefully this post makes sense!

2006-09-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but this is my third post and only my first one has showed up on my blog. I guess I'll see if this one shows up...

KTS2

2006-09-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in Knitter's Tea Swap 2!!! Hopefully this weekend I can figure out the whole button thing, but right now I have to go study for a quiz!

New Account!

2006-09-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

I've created a blogger account! I'll be using this for all future knitting swaps and knitting posts. I will copy/paste my non knitting posts to my xanga account. If you would like to read my posts up to today, you can access them at www.xanga.com/lauranicole318.