Saturday, June 28, 2008

I finished my first hat!

So I went to my LYS on Tuesday night for the weekly Sit N' Knit hoping that I'd be able to jump right into making socks - because honestly that's why I really wanted to learn to knit. After talking with Joanne (she's awesome BTW) she suggested that I start on a baby hat first. It's kinda small but not as small as socks will be and I can try double pointed needles (I'm guessing the shorter name would be DPN's) - so I got to pick out a really cool yarn and away I went. It was basic knitting in the round for 4 inches before I'd need to decrease (didn't know how to do that just yet) so I left with "homework" to do. There is also a second SNK on Thursdays but it's in the morning... well this week I decided to tell my Boss (DAD) that I was going to take some personal time that morning and go. Afterall - he really couldn't say much - all the work I NEEDED to get done was done and all the afternoons that he takes my husband and goes golfing... I could have 2 hours! So I got to go - I learned to decrease (it was what I thought it was going to be and very easy). I finished the little hat last night and it is oh too cute! I don't really have anyone to give it to just yet - then again I may just hang on to it - after all it's my FIRST hat! I'll post pictures later. My camera's battery is dead and my charger is at the office.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

FAB was here!

So it's been a few days since I've been here... I've been busy... KNITTING!!! FAB was here over the weekend and just as we planned she taught me to knit - now I just have to practice... practice... practice! And that's what I've been busy doing.

She also told me about Podcats. Now I've heard of these before but didn't really know too much about them or how much I would LOVE them! Of course the one's that I am listening to are all about knitting and crocheting - DUH! There were a few that she told me I just HAD to listen to and that's what I am doing... downloading them... putting them on my ipod and any chance I get I'm listening to one. And last night for the very first time I turned off the TV and just sat and knitted while listened to one. OMG I turned off the TV!!!! I equate it to back in the ol' days where people would listen to radio shows and the like... you know... BEFORE TV. I have already discovered "books on tape" but I rarely have an occasion to listen any of them. So I've been tinkering around with itunes and my ipod - taking music off that I really don't listen to - to make room for some podcasts... boy to I have a lot to catch up on!

My first thing to do is practice... so I cast on 25 stitches (actually FAB did it cuz I just wasn't getting it) - showed me how to do a few then she handed me over the needles and I was off... a few times I had to give it back to her and say "here - this doesn't look right... what did I do?" and she'd fix it and give it back. Apparently in the beginning I was adding on stitches - how exactly I have no idea - but I did - when I finally leveled off enough to know what it was I was to do I was up to 38 stitches (from 25) - but from there on I pretty much know what to do and a little bit of how to fix something if I didn't do it right the first time. FAB calls this tink-ing (you know... knit spelled backwards... tink". I am also trying to learn the anatomy of a stitch - where the yarn comes from - how it makes the stitch - and what it looks like after the stitch has been completed. With crocheting it's a little bit easier to tell - then again you are only using one needle when you crochet.

While FAB was here we visited my local yarn shop - which I am sure is going to become my 2nd home. While we were there I was talking with the owner and showing my excitement of learning to knit and she suggested that I come to the Sit n' Knit class she has every Tuesday - oh what fun that sounded like! But when Tuesday came I really didn't think that I was going to go. We had LJ with us all day at work and that is trying - so really all I wanted to do was go home and go into my craft room and not come out... but then I got to thinking that there wasn't going to be another opportunity to surround myself with other knitters for a whole week! So I went. I packed up my little practice piece and all my equipment and off I went. It's about a 20 minute ride from my house to the Yarn shop so I had plenty of time to listen to my newly downloaded podcasts. When I got there I really didn't know what to expect. But really there was a table with chairs around it and different people sitting there knitting & crocheting away. I was 5 min early but these ladies appeared to have been there for a while because they had all ready settled in and were knitting. So I walked in - looked around for a familiar face (didn't see any) but I did see lots of welcoming ones. I made myself to a seat and sat down and introduced myself. Right off the bat I had some questions and all the ladies around me were full of advise and expertise. Now, I knew that there were some out there but I honestly didn't think that a MAN would be there knitting away and lo and behold there was. And what a nice Man he is... funny too! I had a really good time - got some advice - and some help and I think next week I'll let them talk me into making more than a practice piece. I'm really hopeing to maybe making a sock but I just don't know if I'm there yet. Honestly I thought that I'd start out with a scarf. Which brings me to yesterday...

Mom and I went to ACMoore's and I bought some yarn to make myself a scarf. I may start it tonight even. I don't know much about yarn - YET! I have some podcasts on the subject to listen to. :)~ I always thought of wool as hot and scratchy - but even the little bit of knowledge about it I was WAY OFF!!!!

So there you have it... what I've been up to lately... I'll let you know how I make out on the scarf and maybe even post some pictures!

Monday, June 9, 2008

Crocheting/Knitting Survey

What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit/crochet with?
I just started crocheting and I really like plain ol’ worsted cotton - varigated or is it Ombre???

What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I tried to use Red Heart's Baby Clouds yarn but it was just way too bulky and I just couldn't get the hang of it - I'm not sure if I was just too new at this or what but it was aggrivating to say the least

What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My FAB made me a "Knitters Emergency Kit" out of an eyeglass case and it fits all my hooks in it with all the other doo-dads she put in there and I only have one set of needles as I'm a very green beginner and I just keep them with my other stuff

How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?
I'm going to start this weekend when my FAB comes to town for the weekend... what better way to spend a very HOT - HUMID - HAZY weekend but inside in the AC with my FAB????

Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I'm a beginner

Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes I do actually... but I dont' really remember what's on it... just some books I think

What's your favorite scent?

Vanilla & Lavender

Do you have a sweet tooth?
YES!

Favorite candy?

Depends on my mood... sometimes it's chocolate... sometimes its something chewy... sometimes it's something minty...

What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I crochet (learning that too) - learning to knit - Cross-Stitch - Rubber Stamping - Scrapbooking - Card making

Do you spin?
No, but if I ever wanted to learn my FAB would be right there to show me how!!!

What kind of music do you like?
My Favorite bands/groups are Aerosmith - Bon Jovi - The Dixie Chicks - Shaniah Twain - The New Kids on the Block
I guess my favorite type of music would be top 40's of the 80's - 90's - 00's

Can your computer/stereo play MP3s?
Computers - Yes
Stereo - Yes
Ipod - Yes
Jeep - Yes
Van - No to MP3's - yes to CD's


What's your favorite color(s)?

NY Yankee Blue
Coca~Cola Red
Pink!

Any colors you just can't stand?
Not a big fan of Orange or Yellow or Brown

What is your family situation?

Happily Married for 3.5 years with 1 - 2 year old Son

Do you have any pets?
1 Dog - Alley
1 Cat - Clara

Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I just started wearing a scarf last winter that was made by my FAB
I don't do hats cuz they mess up my hair
Not so much into mittens either - Gloves yes
Not so sure about ponchos... maybe


What is/are your favorite item/s to knit/crochet?

I'm into crocheting dish rags, dish cloths & bags at the moment... we'll see about the knitting part after this weekend...

What are you knitting right now?
Nothing until the weekend then... maybe a scarf... or a baby blanket... or a sock...

What are you crocheting right now?
A baby blanket for my 2 year old
Dish Cloths & Dish Rags for Christmas gifts
A blanket for ME!

Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Those are the best kind! Every birthday... Christmas... gift giving occasion I can't WAIT to receive something from my FAB - looking back on all my years of receiving I really remember her gifts the most!

Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I don't know yet for knitting but for crocheting I'm prefuring aluminum hooks

Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Nope

How old is your oldest UFO?
Only about 2 weeks since I just started crocheting (I am assuming that UFO is Un-Finished Object)

What is your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving because the family gets together and besides "brining something" there isn't much pressure and it usually lasts at least two days and sometimes longer to fit all the family in :)

Is there anything that you collect?
Coca~Cola stuff - NY Yankee Stuff - Crocheting & Knitting books... Books in general... and of course YARN!!!!! I may have only just started into the vast world of crocheting & knitting but I all ready have a pretty good stash of YARN!!!!

Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I LOVE BOOKS!!! Whenever I get into something I HAVE TO HAVE BOOKS on the subject
Yarns... I just like to feel them and see all the pretty colors
I love patterns.. I'm always surfing the net for different one's for different projects
I don't have any subscriptions at this point in time but it's really only a matter of time...

Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
All of them... I'm such a beginner I'm not even sure where to begin my list of things I want to learn...

Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I want to be a sock knitter.
I've started to crochet one... but got stuck on the pattern...
I wear a size 6 shoe so I believe I'm a small sock person

When is your birthday?
April 20th

Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
What's Ravelry? I'll be checking that out as soon as I post this!
My ID will probably be something along the lines of ReesieAnn

Sunday, June 8, 2008

She's coming! She's coming! She's really really coming!!!!

I am so excited!!! My FAB is coming to visit next weekend! Just her... no family (although I will miss my cousins) I am just too excited!!!! Not only will she be able to spend the weekend she'll be staying at MY house! So that's even more time that we'll be able to spend together. I was just telling my Hubby yesterday that about 6-7 years ago (WOW how time flies!!!) I would go down to my Aunt's house at least once a month to spend the weekend. Since then, well... my life has just taken a turn and I haven't had the time. So we'd try to cram in as much quality in the small quantity of time that we would have together in the brief moments we did have.

Friday, June 6, 2008

When it washes... it floods...

So last night I was in my craft room crocheting away when I heard my cell phone go off in the other room... so I spring up to go answer it and as I walk out of my craft room and head toward my kitchen (where the cell phone was last seen) I glance into the bathroom and at first glance I notice that the floor is "shinier" than usual... but before I put two and two together I grab my phone to answer it and head back to the bathroom - on the phone was my Dad - he wanted some info on selling his Austin Healey 3000 on eBay - and as he's rattling off what it is that he wants I realize that the bathroom has flooded - so I yell for my hubby and try to talk to both at the same time. Why I even answered the phone in the first place is beyond me - so I'm trying to talk to Dad and troubleshoot the problem - turns out I told Dad I had to call him back and hung up the phone. Apparently something with the water shutoff with my washer broke and the water just never turned off - so it had been running for about an hour by this time. Hubby turned off the water and we proceeded to clean up the mess. The rugs were soaked and we sopped up water with another 3 towels. Hubby got the shop vac and I found a sponge mop. He took out about a quarter of the water in the tub as I took the wet clothes out and rung them as best I could. Then when the water level was down I tried to turn the washer on again to see if it would at least drain - not realizing that I had to push down the little button that the lid does to make it spin... after I realized that we found that it did empty itself it just won't turn the water off. Even if the turner thingy was in the off position and the water was on water would come into the washer tub.

So... this morning I called our favorite appliance fix-it guru Michelle (he's French) and as I type this I'm waiting for him to show up. Hopefully it won't be too expensive otherwise I guess we'll be shopping for a new washer & dryer this weekend. I kept hoping in the back of my mind that the dryer would go first because I really dislike my dryer. It's heated with propane and it's very HOT - I have no temperature settings on it. I'd love to get a set of those really pretty red Whirlpools but that will be over $2,000!!!!! Yeah, not going to happen!