On my way

It took four - count 'em, FOUR - restarts (twisted, uneven number of stitches, ribbing hopelessly offset,success) but I finally got Tempting on my needles and properly lining up. Hubby and I are spending tonight in front of the TV with each other, my darling son, and some form of "rockin' new year's eve." So I'll be bringing in the new year with champagne and a successful knitting project - what a sweet way to start the year!

Do NOT twist - oh but why?

And WHY do all the books tell you not to let your stitches twist when joining? I'm sure you all know what I finally figured out 2 inches into my Tempting tonight.

Riiipppppitttt.

Entrepreneur... thy name is Lisa?

I have been thinking - alot - lately about opening my own business... a hybrid book and knitting store, with a cafe... KnitLit Cafe or some such nonsense. Very "someone's living room" times 20 - huge overstuffed couches, coffee, SnB meetings, with an online store for yarn, and also knitted goods on consignment. Kind of a melting pot of everything I ever want to be surrounded by.

BUT there are already great yarn stores locally who I would not want to detract from. Is there such a thing as too much yarn? One local store is closing; so does that just maintain equilibrium? On the other hand, there are some average yarn stores nearby that are my model for what I don't want to do - have too small a selection, be too cramped and crowded, be snooty or unapproachable.

I think I am going to start by canvassing my local crafters - trying to get a feel for whether there is room for another shop - and work on the business plan as well. (My poor hubby won't know what hit him.) I don't think it will ever make me rich, but I might like it if I was my jerk boss, instead of someone else....

It's time for the lightening round!

Haven't updated in weeks, and so i am cheating and backdating stuff.... the pics are all currently in a disposable camera i was forced into buying in DC (on business), so i'll insert them when i get it developed.

Back to selfish knitting

Now that Christmas is over and the infamous Flower Hat has been neutralized, it's time to get back to knitting for my most grateful recipient - ME! I am in <3 with Tempting from the current issue of knitty , and have got about an inch done so far. I'm changing the pattern to make it long-sleeves though, as I, unlike Jenna, have big flabby arms.
I have also kicked aside my previous belief in finish one project, THEN begin another. The siren call of lots of projects all incubating on needles was too alluring. It also means I'm always working on something I'm in the mood for... very good on the inspiration scale.

Merry Christmas!!

Well, Christmas was mostly a success, except that DH was supposed to give me knitting needles (that I needed to buy myself) but I blew my whole budget on already knitted sweaters (I had FO-lust, and they were so cute!) So I will have to wait until some more cashola comes my way to finishing tricking out my knitting needle collection.

On the other hand, next year will be ALL about homemade gifts. My two neices made homemade gifts for my MIL, and my MIL had someone paint portraits for DH and SIL, and the whole family was boo-hooing their way through their presents. The silk scarves and DSL service were cold and soulless in comparison.

After seeing this scarf on KnitterGirl's blog, I was inspired to try the Opera Scarf from KnitHappens. My MIL's birthday is in February, so I'm working on that for her. Socks (ooh - new skill to learn) will follow shortly thereafter for DD. And my oldest niece got knitting needles and yarn for Christmas (not even from me - shocker) so some lessons are on the way as well.

The Flower Hat

I realize it's probably my gimpy knitting skills, or the fact that I'm racing to finish it at two in the morning, but I choose to blame it on the J Crew Hat pattern. When doing my decreases, the hat got smaller really really really fast, and the top now looks like a three dimensional black and red daisy.

My 11 yr. old BOY cannot wear a daisy hat in public, so it's FROG away. Grrr.... only two days left until christmas, and I don't know if I will have time to finish it now.

Hat Head Ahead

I decided to make my darling son a hat for Christmas... after much frantic googling, I settled on either the JCrew Hat or the NY Mets Hat. This, by the by, was my first attempt at a hat.
Luckily I cast on while at SnB, so I had mucho help to keep me from completely screwing it up. Only got about two rows knit because I had to keep recasting on (doing the long-tail cast on without a long enough tail), and then had to purchase new needles from the darling Suzoo. Lesson to self: you cannot knit something meant for 12" circs on 24" circs.... very, very bad.
I also have the half down first booties of my second set of Baby Uggs, but seeing how my darling Cynderelly is not due for MONTHS, that can wait.

I <3 Giving Gifts

While tucked away in freezing Washington DC (okay - I'm from California - I have thin blood - 48 degrees is UNBEARABLE to me), I frantically finished my baby uggs. Had dinner with ex-coworker Stephen and his new bride (and soon to be mother) Becca - they loved them, or at least did a convincing job of pretending to love them.

Here is where the finished booties would be if I had my pictures done:

ah HA!! Hurray for photo CDs!!

Here, by the way, is the Museum of Natural History - so fun. And I was totally entranced by the steam billowing out of the manhole covers because when does that ever happen in Southern California.

Do NOT, however, attempt to recreate this picture on your own. Evidently, the building (not visible) to my immediate left is the Attorney General's office, and a squadron of security personnel will swarm out of the building and question your need to take pictures on the street because they were not paying attention and only realized you took a picture once they saw you putting your camera away and therefore need to make sure that you did not, in fact, take a "forbidden" picture of the AG's office.

Ummmm... what a yummy so-called week

Turns out my favorite coworker ever has all five volumes of the one-and-only season of My So-Called Life. Which he lent me. Which I watched for five straight days. And which is why my decade old crush on Jordan Catalano is now raging in full fire. He (my CW) tells me I am an Angela, however I have proof right here that I am, in fact, a Rayanne.



In addition, as an old-school slap in the face to all those Mrs. Whoever the Broody Guy is on The OC baby tees, I am ordering my very own Mrs Jordan Catalano shirt. The hubby will probably not enjoy that, but what can I do? It's a calling.