Oh, how this time of the year cuts into knitting time. And on top of that I’ve been fighting with a website in a battle that has been struggle-struggle-struggle-WIN! Continue…BLOCKADE! Struggle-struggle-struggle…rinse & repeat.

I did finish that cabled tank top. And I hate it. The stupid hem flares out ridiculously and even adding a row of half-double crochet AND then folding it back for a hem didn’t help.

Witness the FAIL:

So, the project was UGH-ed on Ravelry and frogged last night. Today, it started to become the Ribbed Yoke Top (from Jo Sharp Knit Issue 2 - Rav link) instead. The pattern is meant for Soho Summer, which is DK weight, but I decided to tempt fate and use the Desert Garden Aran ANYWAY. I determined that at 18st per 4″, about 90 stitches would give me the right width…and as fate would have it, that’s what you cast on for the size Small! Perhaps there is hope…putting my best foot forward! Or whichever foot is handy at the moment:

Could he be cuter? Yes, he could. I caught him literally holding his beloved crinkly chipmunk (it’s a Fat Cat toy). I often catch (or rather HEAR) him just sitting there *licking* it. Heh.

In other news, Salvation Army and Goodwill have been frequented lately in my quest for Pants That Fit. Since I lost weight over the winter, all my pants are too big. Many shirts are also, but pants are harder to deal with, lol. Have I even mentioned that progress? Well, back in late October when I started a better diet and doing the Wii Fit and all that, I weighed 162-164. Now I am hovering between 136-138 lbs. And, am apparently a size 6. I’ve even found some “relaxed fit”-style pants that fit that are *size 4*. Eep! One of my neighbors said the other day that I looked like a whole new person - and, heh, if he was thirty years younger he’d ask me out. ‘Course, he’s a total smart-ass, but it was nice to hear (even if it made me think OMGWHATDIDILOOKLIKEBEFORE???). And I told him his wife would kick his ass, lol.

Anyway, so, I’m in the Salvation Army store and I come across these jeans.

Gee, I wonder why they’re here? I mean who doesn’t want to look like they’re farting a giant sparkly butterfly out of their ass?

We’ve been getting a lot of rain lately (including a severe storm that blew through CT yesterday evening), which has sucked for mood and motivation, but gave me some good visuals to capture…so I’ll leave you with that…

Boy, I am a BAD blogger lately! I’ve been busy with doing some eBay stuff on someone else’s behalf (sad, since I have so much of my own to do - if you’re into needlepoint or vintage sewing/knitting stuff go here), doing regular web work stuff, helping to get the booth I’m working at this summer in shape AND having swordfighting practice three days a week for a gig we have in July. No wonder I’m so tired - this picture Remy says it best:

I’ve got some costuming in the works for someone in my fight group - she’s going to essentially be a medieval, more chaste Paris Hilton in the event we have coming up.

This, too, does not impress the cat.

Oh yeah? Well, how about THE BESTEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVAR. I even have video proof of the squealing joy that overcame my dear friend C as I gave him his JAYNE HAT (Rav Link):

He had asked for one ages ago…just long enough to forget that he asked, or at least gave up on me making it. Hee! As you can see, I packaged it properly - in a plain, brown cardboard box with shredded craft paper (I didn’t have any straw, so it’s the next best thing!) I tried it on too, of course…I actually picked up another skein of the yellow to maybe make one for me.

It’s made from three colors of Malabrigo and took a little over 1/2 sk of Pollen and about 1/4 skein each of the Tiger Lily & Vermillion. I’m also making one for C’s fiancee using Berocco Comfort since she is allergic to wool. The pattern I used is, in my opinion, the best one out there, due to the extreme level of geekitude applied to picking up the minute details of the original hat from the series. Brava, Renee!!!

In other knitting news, I’ve been working on my Desert Garden tank and as of now, I’m a little less than half through with the front as well as having the back completed, as seen here:

Zoe would rather have the lap space all to herself. Even if she is pretty much sitting on her head, lol.

In stash enhancement, I found myself coming home with some more Jo Sharp (since The Yarn Barn is clearing it out). I’ve loved this color for awhile, so all 8 balls of it are now mine, probably to make Esme from The Queensland Collection along with some green heather Jo Sharp DK Wool I already own.

And in a weird, not at all on the correct month, Project Spectrum-type photo essay, I present “RED”:

A noisy cardinal I snapped outside my friend’s house early one Saturday…

Mmmm… I love having strawberries & sugar…

And what happens when I decide to weed the garden without wearing gauntlet gloves (I am apparently allergic to some of the weeds).
Aveeno Anti-Itch Cream was applied shortly thereafter.

And, hey! It’s exactly a month before my birthday! Guess I’d better get that driver’s license renewed soon…

Wow - it’s been awhile since I posted. I have been pretty busy, though. I’m looking forward to a sword-fighting gig this summer, been making plans for the rest of the faire season as well and trying to get my house physically in order (and not really succeeding).

EDIT: I am also glad to hear that my friend Zarzuela is recovering nicely! *sends hefty healing vibes!*

For one thing, the booth is not opening at the NY Ren Faire this year. With the economy in its current state and ours being a niche market in a non-fibercentric setting, I just didn’t see us doing well enough to justify the investment. But, I will still be making spindles and lucets and posting them in my Etsy store as they are created (although production has been somewhat slow lately due to everything else going on).

And hey, Spring has arrived, hasn’t it!

I’ve been working on a crochet project for the store - the Boteh Scarf (Ravelry link) from Interweave Crochet, on which I am teaching a class at The Yarn Barn on July 29th.

I’m really pleased with how the colors change (a factor I was concerned about) with the Kureyon Sock - it’ll also work up well with Silk Garden Sock (those are the two yarns to choose from for the class!) and it makes a really nice, lightweight scarf.

If you like that mug you see there, well, I LOVE THIS MUG AND YOU CAN’T HAZ IT.

*ahem*

So, I literally squealed with adoration when I saw it online (sad, I know - but TEH CUTE!). However, you can get one similar to it from a wonderful Etsy seller named Skybird Arts who makes them - and every one is different. I loves me some tentacly goodness!

I also have been wanting more knitted tanks for the summer, especially since the few I have don’t fit now that I lost weight! I dug up a pattern I bought several years ago that did not come out so great when I used Berroco Cotton Twist. This is how I discovered that I’m not crazy for mercerized cotton (although it seems that Cotton Twist isn’t one of the better ones - what did I know back then?), but also the pattern is written really badly and only for two sizes. Even though it’s labelled only for size 10. Yeah, did I mention it’s written badly?

However, I love the design and wanted to give it another shot. So, I picked up some Jo Sharp Desert Garden in an awesome dark teal color…

…and got down to it!

In fact, earlier this afternoon I finished the back. It’s a really quick knit and I took COPIOUS notes so I’m prepared for the front without having to retranslate the damned thing. I plan on making the front dip down a little more - we’ll see how that works out! After that’s done, I’ll move onto either the Whisper Cardigan or this swing tank by Classic Elite (Rav link) using this shade of Premiere:

In shopping news, I saw some really cool-lookin’ roses at Stop & Shop the other week. They were labelled as color “Cherries Jubilee” and if I ever see such a rose that I can plant in my garden, I am likely to buy it on the spot! Aren’t they neat??? It’s like they’re each hand-watercolored!

Also, I spotted this in the kitty toys section at Walmart and had to restrain myself from bursting out laughing. I mean, who doesn’t want to share the joy of clubbing baby seals with their cat? And it comes with it’s own bat!

Someone in product development is laughing an evil laugh, lol…

Nimbus is done! I picked out a great button from The Yarn Barn…

…and here it is! Although, not the greatest shot or corresponding outfit, but oh well!

I’ve been back to work on my Bel Air Cables, even though I’ve been feeling very impatient with it’s progress (and because somehow I tend to mess up a lot, requiring annoying fixes). I’m considering doing just a plain back instead of the cables out of this complete impatience, but I ought to finish the front first, lol.

In future project-land, I’m going to give the Whisper Cardigan a shot with the two skeins of Malabrigo Lace I have in Azul Profundo.

The two skeins are slightly different, in that one is a little darker than the other. So, based on the amounts that seem to be used by finished Ravelers using MalLace (heh, that’s just easier to type, so I hereby “coin” it), I am hoping that the darker one can get me through the top part and the edging and the rest I’ll alternate skeins for the bottom, which I might make longer anyway.

My lucet-making schedule has been pushed back a little due to web stuff, but they’re still being made!

And in other news, I entered and won 2nd prize in a weekly drawing at my supermarket - a bouquet of my choice from the florist department. I didn’t care for any of the mixed bouquets, and although I usually go for the unusual colors, this bouquet of dark red roses were just the prettiest. I took a few pictures on my porch, avoiding the pouring rain that just started as I was getting home from the supermarket.

Oh, and remember those daylily sprouts I posted two entries ago? Well, we seem to have some hungry deer in the area…

They’ve been bold enough that they actually came all the way back within our u-shaped courtyard at the condos to nibble on some of our individual gardens as well. At least they don’t eat the daffodils!

And to counteract the rainy rainy day, some more spring…

The red socks are done! Finished them the day before I knew I’d see my 10-year-old godson, Z.

And they even fit. But only just. Damn kid keeps growing. I told him I’m going to start giving him coffee and cigars.

But also, I told his mom if they start feeling too tight, give ‘em back and I’ll lengthen them so they’ll last longer. After all, I have nearly enough for a second pair of socks left from the two skeins of Happy Feet!

I also did a really quick sewing project for his 7-year-old sister, ’cause you can’t only give one a present, right? I don’t have a photo of her wearing it, but it fits and she loves it. ‘Cause, well, hot pink is FTW!

Speaking of sewing, I got a haircut today and while flipping through one of those hairstyle books I saw a blouse that I MUST either find or make myself. It is SO steampunk-a-licious and would look awesome with the black corset I made for Wicked Faire. Don’t you agree?

I’m still working on new lucets for the Etsy store, but I’ll probably need another week to get those done since I’ve had a lot of web stuff going on. I have, however, worked more on Nimbus, and I’m nearly done with that! I finished sewing all the pieces together and now there is the million ends to weave in (doubled from the fact that I was working double-stranded!)…

Yeah.

BUT, it fits really nicely, is really cozy and I only just got into the 11th ball. On Monday I’ll bring it to the store and pick out a nice big button for it! It’s too bad Reynolds doesn’t make Devotion anymore…it’s really a great angora blend.

And now, I must get back to web stuff. So, I leave you with some Remy.

Because Stalky Cat is stalky.

Motivations are slowly coming back to me. Sort of like Spring to Connecticut. Which has been a tease.

I’ve made some progress on my godson’s socks and should be done in time for when I see him in April.

Although, I’ve been sidetracked by the latest free Berroco pattern, Nimbus, which caused an acute state of Startitis. So, I pored over my stash, as I’ve been trying to use what I have and everything I had in that gauge was already earmarked for something - or was self-striping, which I didn’t think I wanted for this sweater.

Then I looked at this lovely discontinued yarn I had, Devotion by Reynolds, a really yummy angora blend. I could TOTALLY see myself snuggled up in angora-y bliss…but the yarn is gauged at 16 sts for 4″. So I tried a swatch of it doubled on the recommended US 11s…and bingo! And there should be *just* enough of it for the second size - I can always skimp on the collar!

As you can see, I’ve been booking along on it. I just really needed a simple quickie-knit and this is perfect. And with our come and go Spring temperatures, I’ll get to wear it this season, lol.

On another note, as of this past weekend, I sold out of lucets on my Etsy store! Eek! So, this afternoon I headed downstairs and got to work on some new ones. I’m hoping to have at least four more up there in the next week or so - a handle-less verdecillo (”greenwood”) and with handles, a purpleheart, a yellowheart and a dyed blue box elder burl.

Until then, I present…sleepy kitty toes.

Happy Pi-Day. But still. Blergh. I have been so non-motivated and not productive in general lately. I think I really need Spring to hurry the hell up and start, lol. Had a pretty sunset sky the other day though…

I have not managed to get my shyte together for doing my taxes, but I have finished my Cashmere Island gloves. Finally!

They are a mish-mash of Knucks, Fetching and my own improvisation, and I’m quite pleased with them. Warm, soft and awesomely-colored.

And got a little farther on my Soxx Appeal socks after having to almost totally restart with less stitches.

I was also sucked into buying this awesome new colorway of Silk Garden Lite. Resistance to Noro is FUTILE!

I’m deciding between using it for Dusk by Kim Hargreaves and Jenny Watson #3’s Design #8.

In other news, I was looking at this package of Helluva Good Muenster cheese that I sadly am not really allowed to have anymore (damned cholesterol!) before giving it to my Mom to enjoy (she loves Muenster, too!). And I have never noticed this on the packaging. And it made me giggle.

Remy might like to be the Secretary of Cheese-Eating.

Zoe, on the other hand was a very naughty kitty last night. I went to bed super-late last night - almost 3am - so I didn’t actually make it downstairs, showered and dressed until about 1:30-2pm today. And what do I see in the dining room? My loaf of Hearty Oatmeal bread. With a hole chewed in the back of the bag…and in the bread. I’m pretty sure it was her since Remy never eats the bread crumbs when they fall - it’s always Zoe gobbling them up. She’s NEVER done this before…BRAT! So, for that, I post a picture of her looking like an evil brat.

Anyone want to LOLcat her, lol?

I haz an FO! The Tweedy Cabled Yoke is complete (Ravelry details):

I’m pretty damned pleased with it, too. The pattern is easy as pie - even the cable is not so tough (and easy enough to do without a cable needle, while I prefer). I found no mistakes in the size I made and the yarn was a real pleasure to work with (although not the best for seaming…I forsee having to do some seam repairs sometime in the future). The cables really pop, even though it is black yarn (I did have to mess with the contrast so they’d show in the photos!) - and I love the random puffs of lilac in the tweed.

The buttons were ones I remembered having in my costuming/sewing stash - and they’re just perfect. I do have a feeling that I’ll have to soon close up the buttonholes a little, though.

While taking my self-portraits today, my neighbor and her 10-year-old (who we’ll call M) were just getting home. Both were really impressed that I actually made this sweater and M asked if I could teach her to knit. So, possibly this weekend, even, I’ll be teaching her the basics!

And now, I have to actually get some work done, so I leave you with a dramatic Zoe pic.

Well, it took me one day to make the pictures, but all week to finally post, but here I am! I finished my Steampunk outfit almost a week ahead of time (for a change) and am quite pleased with how it turned out. I wore it with black sleeves instead, but here’s the nearly finished product (Still needed to finish the bottom hem of the corset and I wore stockings instead of jeans for the actual event!):

Here’s a detail of the neck closure - I had some already “steamy” buttons that I glued watch gears onto - the crosspiece is a strip of the leather I used for the corset.

I also had fun playing with my hair a little.

I also finished my special knitting project: Genetic Graverobber Gauntlet Gloves for one Mr. Terrance Zdunich, co-writer and portrayer of Graverobber in Repo! The Genetic Opera.

I was helping my friend vend steampunked weaponry in the same room that TZ was signing autographs and selling artwork prints at Wicked Faire in NJ last weekend and caught him before he had to leave for a panel he was leading. He laughed when I pointed out the “genetic cables” and complimented my work. When he tried them on he chuckled embarrassedly saying, “Can I pull these off???” And I said, “OF COURSE you can!!!” I mean, I wouldn’t have made ‘em for him if I didn’t think they’d look awesome on him! I told him they ought to come in handy in our frosty New England weather (he’s from CA) and he said yeah, especially since he’s spending the following week in NYC. I hope he’s enjoying them - I need to send him an email, though…I completely forgot to tell him that they are machine washable! Even though I got to chat with him several times afterwards. DURR. *facepalm*

He took a picture of me wearing them, saying they were “blogworthy”… hee! I got my own photo (HA! you still can’t see my face!).

And yes, he asked me if it was ok to pose like that, lol…which I really appreciated because I’m usually entirely not comfortable with anyone touching the front of my neck without warning me! Those of you who know me on Facebook can see the unblurred photo as well as a photo of him and I that I LOVE posing with some of my friend’s steampunk guns.

Altogether, WHAT a great guy he is. I mean, being in the same room, I saw how he honestly was happy to indulge all his fans through photos and conversation and how he enjoyed meeting this crazy variety of people. Not only that, he went above and beyond on Sunday afternoon when he was tired and hungry to let some guys who wandered in at the end of the day give him a full taped interview. I already admired his work before I met him, but after meeting him, I have some mad respect for this guy as well.

Here’s two more shots from the weekend - this woman was dressed as Blind Mag from Repo - and UNDOUBTEDLY the BEST Blind Mag I saw all weekend.

She’s holding a steampunk spider constructed by Tom of Brute Force Leather (he makes really fabulous corsets and cool steampunk items) - here’s a close up of it:

And that was my weekend - been getting back into the swing of things all week at home and getting some more repeats done on my cable yoked sweater. With feline supervision, as always…

Busy times afoot! But still there is knitting. First, I pulled out these fingerless gloves I’d been making with Noro Cashmere Island from the fingers to the cuffs. I’d stalled on it while considering doing a cable patter on it, but finally decided to just go plain. So, I progressed…got to the thumb…stopped to try it on…aaaaand it’s too wide. Bunches up between the thumb and pointer finger. Phhbbttt.

So…that’ll be frogged back again. In other knitting, I’ve been successfully continuing on the Cabled Yoke Sweater. The cable is lots of fun and I’ve got four more repeats until I’m done.

I also caught a really cool sky when I got home the other night (click ‘em to enlarge!)

So, in other news, I was in Walmart last week. Now, I like Happy Bunny. In fact I’ve used HB as an avatar on Ravelry until just recently when I switched to one I made from a Sinfest comic. I’ve got a pretty twisted sense of humor, as many of you know. But, there are some places that such humor, well, just doesn’t *go*. I think one of those places, perhaps, would be NURSES’ SCRUBS?!?!?!?

Um. NO. If I were in the hospital, or even in my doctor’s office and a nurse came in wearing one of these? HELL. NO. In case you can’t read these - the first one says “Wake me when the boring stops” - yeah, cause when I need heart surgery, I really want the nurse to let me know that my possible death is terribly boring to them. The second one says, “Let’s focus on me” - because I certainly want someone who is more concerned with themselves when I’m the one who is ill or injured. The third has a whole bunch of phrases: Should you be boring me this bad? Hi, where’s your off button? Hey, you made me throw up a little. Tell me none of this is happening. You’re pretty ugly. Nobody ever suspects me. You’re ugly and that’s funny (that’ll go over well in a burn unit) and Hi, loser. And such completely unrelated ones as: I’m not spoiled, I deserve all my stuff, and Love sucks big time.

Now, I OWN three Happy Bunny shirts. I wear them in public. I find them amusing. But there’s a big difference between seeing someone wearing one in Stop & Shop and having someone who is supposed to be responsible for your HEALTH wearing one while they are assisting with a colonoscopy.

/rant

So, anyway, I have an event to get stuff together for, which means COSTUMING! So, I’m going to get back to it…here’s a preview…

Later!