No crazy excuses...

About not posting..

But here are a few pictures to hold everyone over for a bit... I have MANY things to show and I really need to update Ravlery too. It will all come in due time...

For now.. I have completed my Dream in Color Shrug. It was given to me by my FANTASTIC swap partner for the Spring Swap. It was the easiest and fastest shrug... ever. I am totally making a few more.. maybe with different patterns, but still.. this is a great piece for my wardrobe.

Wendy was gracious enough to do a photo shoot for me on Saturday. I loved this yarn! It was Dream in Color Classy! and it only took about a skein and a half.

Modifications: I knit 22 rows for the arms and didn't fold them over like the pattern said. I didn't like the idea of it. Too much bulk for me. Also, I knit about 2 inches of ribbing around the inside edge. The pattern called for an inch, but it wouldn't have fit me if I would have only done 1 inch.

This only took about 2 weeks of off and on knitting to complete! The yarn did stain my bamboo circulars, but I was okay with it. Not a big deal.

Also, it needs a good soak with some Soak. I washed it with the wool wash stuff I had and let it dry, but it's a little scratchy still. I will do that soon...

So, there is a small update. More to come later. Pink monkeys, baby monkeys, LOTS of sock yarn, orders from Loopy Ewe, a baby blanket, and more! :)

Happy Birthday to me!

Sunday I celebrated my 25th Birthday! I actually celebrated the birthday all weekend, but the actual day was Sunday. It was a great day with my housemates and my best friend Matt.

The whole weekend was a great time and I'm glad that I got to spend it with such great people!

I do have some knitting to share.. Just waiting for some sunlight and good weather to model!!! I think it will be tonight! :)

Oh yeah, I also got some great news... I'm going to be an aunt again (not the great news)... It's a GIRL!!!!! Yay for another pink baby!

Time to get back to work!

23..

This is my 23rd post... That's not that many, but I'm still getting the hang of this whole blogging thing! Today is a BIG update with lots of pictures!

First up is the 5 hats I've knit for a GREAT CAUSE (rav link)! I know that Wendy has more brims for me to knit and I'm sure I will see her this weekend to start knitting on those! It's such and nice and easy project for me to work on while I'm on the bus to and from work... :) There are a few different hat designs in that pile with a variety of colors! Blue, green, cream, black, and purple!

So, while I was in Pittsburgh with Wendy, we made a few stops at some LYS's... Well, I know I'm on this yarn and personal diet, but I couldn't resist. I bought a few thing to enhance my stash.. I do have rules about the yarn... I can't cast on for any projects with any of this yarn until I've completed my challenge..

First up... some Berroco Comfort in a varigated Olive Green colorway... It's such a GREAT yarn for hats..

And some Berroco Comfort in Brown..

I was not even ABLE to pass this up! 2 skeins of Collinette Jitterbug.. YUMMY! It's going to become a Chevron Scarf.. I'm jumping on the bandwagon and I can't wait!

Here is all my Jitterbug! They are all very similar, but that's why I love them. I ordered the one in the middle with my first Loopy Ewe order a few weeks ago... I just can't wait to cast on a beautiful pair of socks with it...

So, we walked into one of the LYS's and these two skeins of Cascade 220 jumped into my hands and I was unable to put them down! They were 30% off and I HAD to get them... I have NO idea what I will make with them... so if you have any ideas, please share... I am thinking of some leg warmers.. but I'm still deciding!

And I told you I would have an FO for you... FINALLY... My FANTASTIC Tofutsies socks! I just LOVED working with this yarn and making socks.. I finally caught the sock bug and I can't wait to get more completed!!

They fit just perfectly! I made the one about 1/2" longer than the first one because I was not paying attention and just kept knitting, but they still look great! Now I need to wear them out :)

Monkey's!

Not the singing group! I have jumping on the Monkey wagon now and I'm SO glad I did!

I started a pair of Monkey socks for my SIL about 2 weeks ago. I was stuck on the heel, again! But I pushed through and I'm now almost done! I need to figure out how long to make the foot because she has a longer foot than me.

So here it the great cell phone picture from my seat on the bus.

I've done 3 more repeats since this was taken yesterday afternoon! I hope to finish the sock tonight!

There is a local group of people that get together in my neighborhood once a month on Wednesday's. I found out about it through a lady that sat next to me on the new bus I take. She was really excited about it and told me it was great and I should definately come. It's tonight, so my housemate and I will go up there after dinner tonight! It's call Fiber and Friends... She said people crochet, knit, cross stitch, and many other crafts... I hope it is a fun time!

Back to work... More later with an FO!

Week #1

Yes... The ticker at the bottom of my blog is correct! I lost 2.8 lbs last night at my weight in. WOOHOO! I'm SO happy! It puts me right where I wanted to be for now. I'm no longer 200 lbs and I will never be that again! :)

This weekend I am going to Pittsburgh with my dear friend Wendy! She already emailed me links to 2 yarn stores AND a chocolate store. She is BAD! I am going to try my hardest to resist as much as possible. I think I can do it! Actually, I KNOW I can resist!

One other random... I am making a few hats for a GREAT cause. Anne has asked for help with knitting some hats for her SIL that has breast cancer. I jumped at the opportunity to help because I have been affected by breast cancer with family as well as a dear neighbor. I have already completed 1 hat and will be completing a few more to send to her!

I have also started the heel of my SIL monkey sock in Tickled Pink by Lorna's Laces. It's going to be one GREAT pair of socks!

Yarn Diet!!!

Well, I'm going on a yarn diet of sorts! I've decided that I should only buy yarn to reward myself. I just keep buying yarn, with projects in mind, but I feel like I should have purpose and meaning with the purchases I am making. Also, I need to kick start my weight loss so that I'm acutally losing weight and not just going through the motions of WW. If I gain or maintain one of the weeks, I have to start over! So..

I have to lose weight 5 weeks in a row. The following are the weeks:

March 20, 2008
March 27, 2008
April 3, 2008
April 10, 2008
April 17, 2008

This is also parallel to a challenge I'm doing in regards to WW. So I'm just basically encouraging myself to lose weight and be good each week!! :)

Probably sounds a little crazy, but if I write it down, I will stick to it! I have to.

Edited to add: Anyone is welcome to join me in my efforts! We can make it a contest of sorts... :) It might be fun! And I would even sent out some lovely yarn as a prize to who ever can keep to this!! Let me know if you would like to join!!

Longing for Spring Time Swap Package

I got my package from my Longing for Spring Swap Partner, Andrea. It was more than I could have even asked for! I loved every bit of what was inside...

Here is a shot of everything:


These are the non-knitting goodies: bath soak, lip gloss, a little spring notebook, some gerber daisy candles, mini chocolate eggs (yes the bag is empty, I put them in a ziplock bag), some swedish berry gummies (also in a plastic baggie) and finally, the coolest market tote/knitting bag. It opens up to this super cool bag! She saw I was making a tote for my new housemates because they are very environmentally sound and she sent me one! I will keep in my car for grocery trips. I love the idea of not using plastic bags any longer!

OH MY! Next in the package was the BEST shrug pattern by Dream in Color and 2 skeins of Dream in Color, Classy, in a FANTSTIC colorway! Wendy has already claimed the pattern after I make it, and she let me know that Chan has already made it.. so I took at look at Chan's, and it's SOOO awesome! Can't wait to get started!

Look at the yarny goodness!! It's an AMAZING colorway!!!

Finally, Andrea sent me some awesome sock yarn and her very own sock pattern! I can't wait to get started!!!

I had my camera ready for this cool yarn... I finally think I have the hang of taking good yarn shots! No flash, sunlight, and steady hands! I pretty much stink at the last one, but I take lots and choose from those!

I almost forgot, Andrea also included some of her favorite podcasts! I had the CD by the computer ready to be inserted, that's why it isn't pictured...

Next up for me... finishing the first Monkey sock for my SIL!!!

Hump Day!

Today's title brought to you by the day of the week :) Wednesday is widely know as Hump Day! Oh what a great day, only 2 more days of work left for the week! And today, we have pictures! Finally some good light, my little camera, and I was all set!

Here is the progress on my 2nd first sock! I am actually almost done with the sock now, but I really love this shot of it :) I worked on my sock on the metro today and I got a few crazy looks from people, but no one said anything, which I am okay with!

Next we have progess on my Market Tote from the Bag Style book. It is supposed to be made from hemp so it holds up better, but I'm using cotton. I'm going to line the bag with muslin and do two straps instead of one! I think it will turn out just great for my new housemates!

And since there is SOO much cotton (608 yards) I will be making a few dishclothes once I am done with the bag!

This is a scarf I completed for a friend in California. She requested a scarf for the mornings that she goes running with her family, so I had to make her one! It's the not so skinny scarf from Knitty Gritty, also found on Through the Loops. I was extremely inspired by her son's scarf, I decided to try it!

A full shot just before packing it up and mailing it to California! I just love the fringe. It was so easy to do!

And finally, a peak inside my notions bag. I just put most of my bamboo straights, DPN's, and circulars in there with my smaller bag for stitch markers, scissors, measuring tape, etc. I just love Vera Bradley!! I can't get enough of her bags!

I hope to have a completed sock by this weekend! That way I can start a new pair for my SIL who LOVES pink.. I will show you the FABULOUS Lorna's Laces that I got for her as well as my Jitterbug by Collinette! They are both BEAUTIFUL!!!

All project details can be found on my Ravelry page.. Blancheknits83 :)

Have a great Hump Day!

Two weeks is a long time

And I have been BUSY!!! I moved this past weekend with the help of some GREAT people! It was one of the best moves I have had to date. I know it sounds crazy to think that moving was great, but it was fast, I didn't have to do ALL the heavy lifting and I even had a bit of fun with my friends!

Sunday was spent getting more stuff from my old house to my new house, then we went to lunch and Border's. Well, with three knitters in a bookstore, you have to look at knitting books, right? We did! And I have been eyeing bag Sytle for a while with the AMAZING bag on the front cover, so I bought it, along witha few non knitting books.

The book is GREAT! I am still extremely in love with the bag on the front and I will definately be making it soon. But first, I started the Hemp Market Bag with cotton. Just some nice Sugar 'N Cream cotton in a blue, brown, khaki colorway that is just beautiful. It is for my new "roommates" and they already love it! I have made it through the top trim and I've done 2 repeats of the pattern so far. It looks good! But I know that I will be lining it with a great muslin and some kind of lining for the strap too.

My new roommates are quite environmentally conscience which has made me want to be that way as well. So I am going to make 1 or 2 of these market bags and then hopefully some dishclothes with the rest of the cotton. It is 650 yards, so I think I will have enough :)

Oh yeah. I'm so excited! I joined the Spring Swap and it's going well so far! I have been having a great time getting to know my partner on Ravelry and her blog. It should prove to be a good first swap for me! :)

Longing for Spring Time Swap

Oh yeah.. my first Swap ever! And boy am I excited!!! I love spring time and this swap just seemed like the perfect thing to take away the blues of winther!

So, here are my answers to the questionaire..


Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been at your craft?

I do both. I am more a fan of knitting though because I feel like knitted items come out better looking, in some ways, than crocheted items. I have been crocheting for about 6 years and knitting for 3. Knitting is more relaxing to me than crocheting.

What are your favorite yarns/fibers? What are your least favorite yarns/fibers?

My favorite yarn ever is Malabrigo! It's sooo soft and fantastic feeling! I like most fibers that are soft and easy to knit with. So I like wool, bamboo, cashmere, and soy. I'm not a big fan of novelty yarns of any kind. They are just not my taste at all.

What are your favorite colors? What are your least favorite colors?

I LOVE Green!!!!! It has been my favorite color for like 5 years now! I just think it's awesome. Mostly bright green, not really hunter green. Also, I love the teal, blue, turquoise color like peacock feathers, it's awesome and goes well with my coloring. I also like pink and purple too. I think my least favorite color is... well, I don't really have one or any!

What ‘warm weather’ project are you looking forward to making this year?

I guess that would have to be a nice light weight shrug to wear over spring dresses and with jeans and a tank top!

What are you favorite scents? Least favorite?

I like fruitly scents. Like vanilla, orange, strawberry, cranberry, etc. Like this or this or this. I dislike floral scents, stuff with coconut, and anything to overpowering.

What is your favorite flower?

Brightly colored Gerbera Daisies and Phalaenopsis Orchids are my absolute favorite! They are just so beautiful and they can brighten anyones day!

What are you favorite spring time hobbies/activities?

Being outside barefoot on a blanket, reading a book, knitting, listening to music, and just hanging out... Being outside playing sports of some kind.. Going for a walk outside...

Do you have a garden? If you do, tell us a little about it. Do you like to plant flowers or vegetables?

I wish I had a garden. I live in an apartment and I haven't had a chance to have a garden... :(

What are your favorite sweets?

Lemonheads, I have always loved them! Swedish Fish and Chocolate are second and third!

Do you collect anything?

I collect the letter S. Any size, any type, just the letter S...

Do you have any allergies?

Yes! Coconut, dogs, cats, horse, cows, farm animals, and seasonal allergies. I take some meds when I need to, but nothing it too serious, besides coconut. I can't have that at all!

Do you have any pets?

My parents dogs, Lou and Roscoe, or as my mom calls them, my little sister, Lou, and little brother, Roscoe. But they live in Indiana, and I live in DC. But I am moving in with from friends and they have two dogs, Rufus and Tate! I can't wait to live with dogs again!