The Olympics are almost here!

I’m not a huge winter Olympics fan, so I don’t get too excited about all of the games.  But the one thing I look forward to when the Olympics comes around is, the knitting Olympics! It was originally started by the Yarn Harlot (PS, I’m huge fan of the Yarn Harlot) and has since moved over to Ravelry.  So I decided to participate in the games this year.  I’m on a couple of teams (Team S.P.E.W – a Harry Potter team, Team Austentatous – a Jane Austen team, and I think, Team Sox Knitters – a Red Sox team) and I haven’t been able to nail down what events I want to enter.

Before I run down the events and patterns I’m thinking about, let me back up a bit and explain how this all works.  Basically you start your project (cast on) as soon as the opening ceremonies start and what ever events (or in this case, projects) that you have entered need to be finished by the end of the closing ceremonies. You can enter as many events as you want.

So, I’ve been thinking about the events that I might want to enter.

OK, so here’s the list of events:

• Aerial Unwind eventaerial (Frog those poor unloved projects to reclaim that yarn. (This event only: requires a WIP or FO pic and frog pile pic)
• Bag Jump eventbagjump (Bags, totes, pouches)
• Beading Biathlon eventbead (All things beaded and embellished)
• Bobsled eventbobsled (All things pets)
• Cable Cross-Country eventcable (All things cables)
• Charity Curling eventcharity (Projects for charity)
• Designer Biathlon eventdesignerbiathlon (From a swatch to published pattern in 17 days sample completed and pattern released on ravelry – swatching allowed before torch lit)
• Designer Original Dance eventdesignerdance (Create your own design sample from scratch in 17 days {swatching allowed before torch lit}; pattern need not be written])
• Designer Pattern Skeleton eventdesignerpattern (Create a publishable pattern (sample can be already knit); do what you feel is necessary to produce a publishable pattern testing, editing, etc)
• Downhill Dyeing eventdyeing (dyeing yarns – this will only create stash)
• Felting Freestyle eventfelting (All things felting and fulled)
• Fleece to FO Long-Track eventfleece (Start with fleece or roving and create a finished object)
• Flying Camel Spin eventflyingcamel (Just spinning…lots and lots of spinning)
• Free Dance eventfreedance (Don’t fit into any other event? This is for you)
• Giant Slalom-ghan eventgiantslalomghan (Afghan, blankets, throws)
• Hat Halfpipe eventhathalfpipe (All things hats and heads)
• Holiday Jump-Start Skiing eventholiday (Projects to be gifted/given in Dec 2010 and holiday-themed items; also any gift-giving projects qualify here )
• Junior Olympics eventjunior (garments/accessories for kids and babies {toys have their own event})
• Labyrinth Weaving eventweaving (All things woven)
• Lace Luge eventlaceluge (Lace patterns and laceweight yarns)
• Mittens Moguls eventmittenmoguls (Mittens, gloves, anything that covers hands/wrists/arms)
• Nordic Colorwork Combined eventnordiccolorwork (Colorwork, intarsia, fair isle)
• Platter Lift eventplatter (Home and décor projects)
• Samalog Machine Skate eventsamalog (Machine knitting)
• Scarf Super-G eventsuperg (Scarves, cowls, neckwarmers, smokerings, scarflettes…all things neck)
• Short Track Shawls eventshorttrackshawls (Shawls, stoles, wraps, shawlettes)
• Single Skein Speed Skate eventspeedskate (Projects of just one skein/hank)
• Skelegurumi eventskelegurumi (Toys and amigurumis)
• SnowCross eventsnowcross (Projects that combine knitting, crochet, needle-felting, embroidery, sewing …; minimum of 2 crafts combined together)
• Sock Hockey eventsockhockey (All things socks and slippers)
• Stash Compulsory Dance eventstashdance (Use of long-neglected stash purchased at least 1 year ago)
• Sweaterboard Cross eventsweaterboard (All forms of sweaters, vests, cardis, pullovers, boleros)
• WIPs-Dancing eventwipsdancing (WIPs/UFOs and only these; Projects not touched since Jan 12th)

yeah.  That’s a lot of events.  But I was thinking about entering in two or three events.  The cool thing is, is that one pattern may fall into a couple different events.  For example, I may have a sweater that I want to do that has come color work, cable work and lace work in it, so that would put it in four events.

I was thinking I could knock out a couple of baby sweaters and possibly a toy of some sort.  Or I could try and get one sweater done.  So the question is, what do I want to knit?

I was thinking about knitting up a couple of this super cute Baby Sophisticate sweaters and maybe some Milk and Cookies.  Or perhaps maybe I’ll unravel another one of my Goodwill aran knit irish wool sweaters, and give the Killybegs pattern a shot.

I suppose I’ve got until Thursday to decide…

The Scarf is done!

I finished Ene’s Scarf late last night.  And thankfully, today was a beautiful day here.  Sunny and about 60 degrees out.  So I did a little photo shoot.

and a couple of detail shots

and here’s another close up

and one more big picture, picture.  I still have to block it, so it will grow some more.

All in all I’m really happy with it and will probably make another with a different yarn.  Not that this yarn wasn’t great, but it’s always fun to try another yarn on a pattern just to see how different it will look.

Today I did a little cleaning up and cooking.  And speaking of cooking…

Back by popular demand… more cookbook images!

I know I had some chicken in my fridge from a long time ago that looked like this.  If something like this makes it’s way to your table, don’t eat it.

Well, I have to say, I’ve never thought about cutting up a hot dog and throwing a pickle in the middle of it.  And this photo makes me think I did the right thing in not thinking of doing it.

Just because you smother something in cheese doesn’t make it good.

It may look like a cake, but that’s no cake.  How can I tell?  Well it’s sitting on a bed of greens and there are hardboiled egg slices next to it.  I hope no one was drinking at the party this was served at.  That probaby would have sobered them up but quick.

This lovely dish is called Mock Oyster Casserole.  It’s called Mock Oyster Casserole is because even oysters will mock you if you serve this.  It looks like the wheel of torture.  It may not hurt right then, but it might kill you later.

Sure it’s an awful tasting jelly mold, but look how cute it looks.  It looks like Santa’s hat.

Maybe I’ve been reading too many French Revolution/Napoleonic era novels, but for some reason, this pear dish has a certain “Let them eat cake,” look about it.

What do you do when the raw meat you’re serving doesn’t look appetizing?  Put some racing stripes on it!

“Hey mom!  The cat threw up on our dinner… Oh wait, that is dinner.  I’m going over to Bobby’s house for dinner.”

What could possibly make corned beef better?  Well apparently not putting it into a jelly like substance and serving on top of some strange egg and jelly mix.

pickel

Note to parents – do not serve pickles on a stick at a teenagers party.  You’re only asking for trouble.

What in the holy hell is on those orange slices?  They look a little bug like or perhaps even turd like.  They could have crawled out of that strange brown substance that’s in the bowl behind them.  I checked every page of this cookbook and could not find out what the hell those things were supposed to be.

Let me just say this, I don’t want to be living next to the family that has these meals on the table.  Stuffed whole cabbage and peas in a pod, and the “pod” is a slice of bologna.  They could probably blow the roof of the place… literally.  I”m sure that the paint/wallpaper/siding and anything else on the walls would peel right off after that meal.  Not to mention there would be a green haze surrounding the house.

When you server wieners at your parties are they, well, not so fresh.  Fear not housewives!  Try our new Wiener Jar.  Keeps your wienners fresh and tasty all party long.

wiener

This one is called Wiener Roast on the Sand Dunes.  Which leads me to believe it didn’t end well for those guys.

And one last one.  And I have to say this one is my favorite.

What do you call a gay man who can’t sit thru a scary movie?

A flaming chicken!  Sorry.  I couldn’t help myself.  Here’s a question, why would you want to serve a chicken that is on fire?  It just doesn’t seem safe.  I suppose you could probably dump one of those jelly mold things right on top of it and put it out.

Ok, that’s it.  I’ve got to finish with my cleaning.

PS  Happy Birthday Dad!

Hi my name is Becky and I’m addicted to lace knitting

I didn’t think I’d really fall for lace knitting, but I did.  I think it’s the challenge of it all.  A lot of lace knitting patterns are not written like an easy sweater pattern.  Everything is charted out.  If it wasn’t, the pattern would end up being the size of a small novel.  So the chart is a visual pattern. Every stitch is written out and a strange hieroglyph.  It’s a bit overwhelming when you first start out.  But after a couple of rows of chart reading you start to get the hang of it.  At first, I thought that I would only be able to work on my shawl when there were no distractions – no tv, no computer, no radio, no cats.  Just me, my knitting and the chart.  But once I started going on it, I found out that it’s no different than any other pattern.

And after having a few little setbacks with Ene’s Scarf, I’ve finally gotten the hang of it and I’m cruising along.

That’s the chart I’m currently working on.  It’s chart 3 of 4 and I’m on the 3 repeat (out of 5) of it.  And according to the percentage completed by row chart (that I have recently become obsessed with) I’m about 70% done.  I would, love to have this done by the time the Olympics rolls around.

Here’s a closer detail of it.

I have a feeling, once I block this, it’s going to be huge.  It’ll be great for whatever goes on in the evenings this spring and summer.

Now the next question is, what’s my next lace project going to be?

Should it be the Percy Shawl? Maybe the Bitterroot shawl? Or what about Haruni?

Oh the progress

As promised, here’s a couple of photos of the progress I’m making on Ene’s scarf.

and here’s a close up

For some reason, and I have no idea how I did it but the edging looks like i cut it in half.  But I didn’t.  Somewhere along the lines I misread something.  So I say, what the heck… I’m leaving it as is.  The next time i do this I’ll be better informed.  This is all just a learning process and in the end I know I’ll have something that I love.

Someone on Ravelry did the math and percentages and figured out percentage wise, how much you had done by what row you are on.  I’m just getting ready to do row 41, so I’m about 40% done.  I gotta say, it doesn’t look or feel like it   But I am decreasing the number of stitches at a rapid pace.  So maybe I’ll have this baby done before i have to figure out my projects for the Ravelympics!

Ene’s scarf progress

I have to admit that I spent most of this weekend knitting.  I got so into working on Ene’s scarf that I probably got a little knit crazy.  Out of the 4 charts, I’m now just starting the 3rd chart.  I did notice a rather large blunder on my part.  For some reason, and lord knows where I made the mistake but the bottom edging is not what it should be.  It actually looks like I chose to not do half of it.  But the strange thing is, is that I have the correct number of stitches and I knit the correct number of rows.  Oh well.  I’m not too worried.  I’m going to call it a design change.  And no one will be the wiser.  If I get a chance tomorrow I’ll take some pictures of my progress.

Casting on Ene’s Scarf today!

I just started casting on the Ene’s Scarf… 375 stitches.  Ugh.  I’ve got about 200.  Then, the fun begins.  I start reading and knitting the charts.  I’m hoping to get the first 22 rows done before next week’s knitting group.  But we’ll see how it goes…

I’m using the Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock Yarn.  I think it was probably the best pick for the first attempt at some serious lace.  Because it’s one color with very little variation, it will be easier to see the pattern repeats and mistakes.

That being said, I hope that I get the hang of this lace thing and I don’t end up frogging it all.  I will remain hopefully until it’s time to pretend like the shawl pattern was written as a macrame project and not knitting.

Yarn train wrap up

Saturday morning I made my way down to the train station.  Our train was scheduled to leave at 7:30.  I got down there at 6:45 and the place was filled with knitters.

We checked in and were handed a swag bag!

And in the bag, we got three coupons for discounts at some Seattle area yarn shops, 3 little sock stitch markers, a yarn lollipop that knits up into a mini sock, a tape measure, a little zipper pouch to carry it all in and a tea sample.

It was a quiet ride down.  I think everyone was planning their shopping or napping.  We arrived in Portland and were met by some local Ravelry folks.  Unfortunately I couldn’t find my friend Oliveknits.  Perhaps the next time I go down to Portland I’ll be able to meet up with her for a cup of coffee (or a pint of beer) and some yarn shopping and knitting.

Once we got all the info we needed (the “make sure you’re back by a certain time” and “make sure you have fun” speeches) we were off and running.  I first went to Dublin Bay Knitting Co.  Which might be my new favorite Portland yarn shop.  I had planned ahead of time as to what i wanted to get.  And they had everything I wanted (and then some)!  They also had coffee, tea, water, cookies, and chowder for us.  I walked out with 2 skeins of Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock yarn in the Roisin Colorway, 1 skein of SweetGeorgia Yarns Tough Love Sock yarn in Orchid and 1 skein of Yarn Love Marianne Dashwood sock yarn in Blueberry Festival (and yes, I am that big of a Jane Austen fan).  The Three Irish Girls yarn, I was thinking of using for the Ene’s Scarf.

Then it was off to pick up the Voodoo Doughnuts.  I walked over to their NE Davis st location.  Which was about a 2 mile walk.  It was well worth it.  Before I got their I decided that I needed to eat.  Actually my stomach was demanding food.  So I stopped at Old Wive’s Tale for brunch.  I got a oatmeal, cornmeal buttermilk pancake with apple, cinnamon, honey compote on top and a side of bacon.  It was heaven.  So unbelievably good.  And cheap.  I high recommend it.

I get over to Voodoo and stand in line for what feels like an eternity.  It was about 30 minutes.  For some reason everyone in front of me just had several questions about every doughnut they make or they just couldn’t decide.  If you stood in line for 30 minutes I would think you would know what you wanted to order, but I’m crazy that way.  Sidenote – everyone I have talked to at Voodoo Doughnuts, from the gal who emailed me back, the guy at their downtown location who very correctly suggested that I place my order at their other location because the wait would be much shorter (30 minutes compared to at least an hour – one of the ladies in our group waited for over an hour at the downtown location) and he also gave me all the bus routes and a cab company phone number, to the gal who took my order and finally the gal working the counter when I bought the doughnuts, were incredibly nice and helpful.  I can’t say enough good things about this place.  It’s sooooo worth the trip and the wait.

from the top left of the photo – the first container has 2 memphis mafia fritters and a triple chocolate penetration.  The next container has a portland cream, a voodoo doughnut and a dirty snowball.  The bottom two containersm the infamous maple bacon bars.  I came prepared and brought ziploc containers and an envirosax to carry them in.  Which was perfect.  Now I wish I had ordered more…

After loading up on doughnuts, I headed over to Happy Knits.  The new yarn shop on the block.  It was a great little shop.  A really great selection of yarn and just a beautiful store.  I didn’t really see anything that I couldn’t live with out there.  I did run into one of the gals from out Tuesday night group and we ventured back over  the Hawthorne Street bridge to head over to Knit-Purl and Powell’s City of Books.

I parted ways with my friend, as she had already gone to Knit-Purl.  I wasn’t really planning on buying anything at Knit-Purl.  There was a pattern that I had my eye on and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to buy it.  The funky thing about this sweater pattern is that it can be worn right side up or upside down.  Sounds strange, I know, but I am totally fascinated with this pattern.  And for a pattern it’s pretty darn expensive – $20.  So I asked one of the sales ladies, if she had seen it knit up and what she thought.  Her enthusiasm was all I needed.  So  I decided to give it  a try.  And then, I made a fatal mistake.  I turned around and was staring face to face with the Habu Textiles yarns.  Last year the only yarn I bought was the Habu Textiles Lamb Wool and Linen jacket kit that I now wear all the time.  So I ended up with two cones of their Tsumugi silk yarn as well as that $20 pattern.  On the plus side, the pattern came with buttons.  Which, if you’ve had to buy buttons cost about $20.  Now I’m thinking I may use the Habu yarn for Ene’s scarf….

While I was in Knit-Purl I met up with another gal from our Tuesday night knitting group and we walked over to Powell’s together.  I had planned for Powell’s too.  I had a list of books that I wanted and if I could get them cheap, I would.

So I got a couple of books and a few other little things.

Yeah, two out of three books are Jane Austen related.  The Home is Where the Wine is book, is the new book by Crazy Aunt Purl.  I read her first book, Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair, and loved it.  So I had to read her new one.  That was on the only book I paid full price for.  I also got these cute little hooks that were on sale.  I’ve been looking for hooks to put by the wall of my closet in my bedroom to hang purses and bag on.  These were perfect!  And of course a little something for kitties.  As soon as that thing hit the ground, Kink was off and running.  You would think that that damn toy made some offensive comments about her family, the way she was beating the hell out of it.

After leaving Powell’s I headed over to Knit Knot Studios.   Which is a sweet little yarn shop.  Again, they had beautiful yarn and some handmade local jewelry.  But again, there was nothing that really called to me.  By this point it was around 4 and I was getting tired.  I walked towards the train station and decided to make one last pass thru Dublin Bay Knitting Co.  Which, might have been a bad idea, but I did it anyway.  Yup… I bought more yarn.  This time I bought 4 skeins of Fleece Artist Ottawa yarn.  2 skeins are the Nova Scotia colorway, one is in the Paris colorway and the other is in the Burgundy colorway.  I was hoping that they had one more of Paris, but they didn’t.  But the burgundy colorway will work well with it.  Perhaps I’ll use these skeins to do the Ene’s scarf pattern… too many choices!

After that, I was done.  I was hungry and ready to get on the train and head back home.  I stopped for a couple of slices of pizza at Hot Lips Pizza in the Pearl District.  It was amazing pizza.  I got a slice of cheese and a slice of pear and ham.  That’s right, I said pear and ham.  It was to die for.  It was NY style, the kind you fold down the center and eat.  Between the yarn, food and just overall non-car transportation friendly town, Portland Rocks!

After eating, it was time to head back to the station.

All in all, it was a great trip.  I had a blast and I can’t wait until next year!

Voo Doo Doughnuts anyone?

So if you are in Seattle, place your orders now.  I’m going to Voo Doo Doughnuts.  John, would you like a maple bacon bar?  perhaps a memphis mafia fritter?  Just let me know before friday.

And in an effort to be able to eat said doughnuts with a little less guilt, I’ve been doing a bit more exercising.  Yesterday I swam.  I’m pretty sure I had a small parachute tied to my back.  There was no way that swim should have been that hard.

Tonight, I hopped on the bike for 30 minutes or so while watching the first part of the Biggest Loser.  There’s nothing more motivating than that.

I’m also very excited because our little Tuesday night knitting group will be doing a knit-along.  I’ve been wanting to learn how to read complicated lace charts and the one gal is, in my opinion a lace knitting genius.  I told her what shawl/scarf that I wanted to try and she said that she wanted to do that one to!  So while she’s helping me learn how to read charts she’ll be knitting the same thing.  Then a few more people wanted to knit the same pattern.  So it looks like there will be a few ladies in Columbia City sporting the Ene’s Scarf.  Mom, before you say you want one, let me get thru mine first.  I may not make it.

So it looks like the only real yarn that I plan on buying in Portland is going to be for Ene’s scarf/shawl.  But you never know.  I’ve still got a few more days to figure it all out

Where di the weekend go?

I had big plans for this weekend and some how this weekend got away from me.  I spent a fair amount of time winding yarn. All in all the one sweater got me roughly 1500 yards!  I’m not quite sure how I’m going to use it yet.  I don’t think a white sweater is really my thing, so I may end up dying the yarn.  But I don’t have to decide that tonight, so we’ll hold off on any decisions.

I also grabbed another sweater down at Goodwill for $5!  This time it had some color to it.  I put the sweater down to take a picture of it, turned around to grab the camera and this is what I saw:

and then this

followed by her America’s Next Top Kitty Model pose

It was as if the sweater was made with cat nip.  After saving the sweater from something unnatural and illegal happening to it, I was able to grab one picture without Kink in it

Hopefully it will be a good find as far as recycling yarn.

Not to be outdone by Kink’s impromptu photoshoot, Jimbo, the recluse, allowed himself to be photographed in a moment of deep contemplation.

I think he thought he was posing for Annie Leibovitz.

I also tried to plan out what it was that I wanted to get while in Portland for the Yarn train.  There’s a few yarn brands that I wanted but i just haven’t splurged or ordered.  And there are a few patterns that I’d like to pick up.  So I’ve got my list and I’m ready to go.  The wild card is gonna be Powell’s books.  That’s really what I should be planning for.  I’ll probably do that this week.

And tonight for dinner, I had this wild craving.  My dad used to poach eggs in tomato soup every once in awhile.  Something we used to call eggs in purgatory.  Apparently this was something that my grandma used to make but instead of tomato soup, you poached the eggs in tomato sauce.  And everyone I tell this to, does that, “That’s so gross” face.  What do they know?

So after a few clicks of the mouse and a quick look at the Smitten Kitchen website, I found a recipe.  I changed it a bit, but all in all it was tasty.  And a relatively low weight watchers points meal.

So dad, this next picture is for you.  It looks like the dish is smiling at you.

Seattle knitters guild meeting

Yesterday evening I went to the monthly Seattle Knitters Guild meeting. This month they were giving two talks. One about knitter’s health – how to avoid muscle strain and that sort of thing. It was great. I learned a bunch of new stretches that will not only keep me from cramping while knitting, but I’m sure my butterfly stroke will improves as well!
The other talk was about taking photos of your knitting. It gave me a ton of great ideas. And I believe I have a new super cheap diy project to do – a homemade lightbox for taking pictures of small things. And by small things I don’t mean the cats