mateys

ACed and read to go
It took a bit but I got the AC hooked up. Ahh cool air. It is not that hot yet but the end temp for today looks like 89*F!! It is 62 in house right now but I am wondering if I should turn the AC off now or not. It is easier to keep a cool home cool than to try and get a warm home to cool down. Our AC is not that strong. Maybe I will wait for it to get to 70* before I turn it back on.:\

I am thinking we might should take the leap and get central air.

Current Mood: awake

1. Are you a good worker?
If I enjoy what I am doing... Or if I am getting paid a lot... :>

2. What do you carry?
My backpack, books, Robot...

3. Do you know your neighbors?
Not really?

4. Where do you like to go for a day trip?
The coast, my parents' place, the coast.

5. What is at your feet?
My knitting.

Current Mood: sleepy

6 am and no place to go
Yesterday was a Tysabri day. I had been feeling a little closer to the MonSter and was hoping a treatment would energize me. After sleeping form 12-5 and then passing out again at 10pm I woke up at 6 am feeling pretty good.
The local forecast is calling for warmer weather and since we have been trying to get above 50*F most people are excited to see the sun and start spring, but the forecast is predicting 85-90*F will be coming this week. Shite! I am going to melt. After waking up at 6 to a bright cloudless sun blazing through my window I am starting to take Jeff Brenner a little more seriously. I am thinking about starting the morning by watering some of our plants and trying to get M to set up the AC before she heads off to work.

In other T Time news the MS group meeting on Wednesday was fun. I had gotten a Master Gardener to come and speak about container gardening. Most member live in Apartments so I was hopping this would be a good fit. The speaker Julie Davis, was great and the group members were very interested in learning about plants and how to take care of them. Some times it is a shock for me to see that the speakers I find, on topics I choose, are interesting to the group. They can be a hard crowd to read but they can be great fun. Next meeting I am planning pizza and a movie-Lorenzo's Oil. The film is not exactly a feel good flick but I hope it will empower the members to be open to searching for treatments and cures that the general pharmaceutical industry is ignoring. Well what ever I hope it is empowering in some way. And I know the the pizza will be:)

Current Mood: awake

Bike to Work Day...
Today is Bike to Work Day... with a ~ 51 mile one way commute, I did not bike to work today, but I may have tried it when I was working elsewhere and only had a 12 or 13 mile commute...

I think this guy in Wisconsin is going to have a great month and be in much better shape, both physically and financially, when his month of not driving a car is done.

I had a similar sort of experience (although not quite as voluntary) when I had my car stolen several years ago... at the time I was able to walk half a block and catch a bus to work and get dropped off pretty much in front of my office building. I went about 6 weeks without a car until I got a check from the insurance company and then bought a new one. I was fortunate enough to be able to walk to the grocery store and coordinate with my parents usually about once a week if I needed to make a bigger grocery store or other errand run...

At the end of the six weeks, the main reason I got a car again was convenience. Friends were willing to pick me up for shared activities, but it made for more coordination and effort and I couldn't just go somewhere as I pleased. I still walk to the grocery store from time to time, but probably could do more biking/walking/jogging through my city for other errands (and the exercise).

Current Mood: thoughtful

MSFocus
if you get it, thats me on the cover!!! my painting--self portrait.

Pattern Ideas
My manager is pregnant and just found out that it's a girl.

I'd (obviously) like to knit them something. Her husband is an IT guy, so geeky is good. They both have awesome senses of humor so funny is good too.

And because it's from me, it should be on the silly/random side.

Any favorite patterns? I have to say, I'm fond of the Viking helmet and the chicken hat.

performance notes.
so the performance ... went. no big disasters....

One student was nervous and early. The other was late but relatively calm. For our group piece I repeated a step on the left when I should have gone right - but they followed my lead just fine. They weren't going to play my second number but... it all worked out in the end.
I improv'd** more of the second piece than I'd like but... I'm confident that it will work well for the bigger set next week.

AS did the advice I got from...

ata1anta caffeine to stave off an asthma attack. I wanted chocolate covered coffee beans but... had to settle for chewing a few ordinary coffee beans instead. I know - ICK. but I can't drink coffee and this tasted about the same to me, only faster. By the end of my second number... I wasn't winded at all. so yeah. I really will have to find some chocolate covered beans for next week.

I made a friend- I captivated this little 3 yr old girl. She thought we were angels. When I danced over to her to shimmy - her eyes just about popped. Afterward she ignored the rest of the program to come over and stand next to me in the back of the room (even though I'd put on my cover up.) It was rather delightful.

** what is the past tense for improv. can't be " improved" that doesn't look right? ... but... maybe I should rephrase it to be... I did more improv than I'd like....duh... improvised..... sheesh. boy do I feel... yeah.

Current Mood: silly

performance butterflies...
hair & make up done. Can't get dressed yet. ...

I'm starting to make myself nervous now.

sheesh.

FO's and new handspun
Cross-posted from my primary journal.

This was a toy made for my son out of handspun leftovers. I bought 8 oz of Cotswold batts from Enchanted Knoll Farm, in the 'Chasing Rainbows' colorway. I spun it from the fold, two-ply bulky weight, and knitted this on size 6 needles. The general body shape was copied from Abigail, the Middle-Sized Monster, but I made some mods to it (the head is smaller, I added i-cord arms & a raygun, plus a giant felted eye.) My son ADORES it.

( Unexpected Terrifying Alien )

This is the shawl I made for my three year old from the same two-ply bulky handspun. She's pretty indifferent to it. ::sigh::

( Clown hair shawl )

( Assorted spinning )

Current Mood: accomplished

Chicago: A Dream of Arabia, June 12-15

( A Dream of Arabia )
( 3-Day Special Discount from Maqam )

I am not performing in the show, I am just helping with promotions.

which is better?
I am going to make this hat, and I was wondering if it would be best to use the figure 8 cast-on like suggested, or the knitty magic cast-on? I believe the magic cast-on is used mostly for socks, but would it be used in this case as well? or do I stick with the often loose figure 8?

Current Mood: blah

Annoyed with some people
Was out the other day walking my dog, and ran into a few people who have not seen in a while, and their first comment to me was, "WHAT Diet are you ON?"

Sighs talk about not being pleased to hear that as their first words to me! Like hello there are other things to say to someone when you meet them for the fist time in ages, other then that!

K yea it has been a while since we last saw each other, and yes my weight is down from then (but only by about 20 pounds), were as they ummm have put it on big time. They could not believe that I had lost the weight without going on some blasted fad diet or joining some fad weight loss program. They just didn't believe that one can get weight off by increasing ones cal intake and working out .. like hello everyone has what works for them!

Oh well, I let them go on about the various diet fads that they have been jumping to and from for how ever long its been dropping only to get it back and then come, not to mention jumping from relationship to relationship (anyone for very low self esteem? or something that is similar when you have to have a person in your life to justify being a women or the like .. shake head big time).

Anyhow, I know that everyone has to find what works for them when it comes to getting the weight off, and that what works for one might not work for another if it did there would be no weight issues out there at all.

Take care
Nyx

FO! Hot pink capelet!
I thought I'd share my latest knitting finished object, it's a capelet that can be worn as a capelet or a cowl. It's more of a hot pink than in the photo, looks a bit red in the photos, made from mohair.

( Pics behind cut )

Knit on a 24" circular, US #10/6mm . Made from hot pink mohair in stash, looks more red in the photos but it's a mid-dark hot pink.

Pattern is here (and yes it's also on Ravelry):
http://www.rainydaygoods.com/lace-capelet/

Using circular needles instead of DPNs?

In a nutshell, my biology teacher is having a baby boy soon and as a gift, I wanted to knit the baby a DNA model toy.

The pattern calls for DPN's but I'm pretty unfamiliar with them for now, so I was wondering if it would be possible to knit with circular needles instead.

I'm still pretty new to knitting, but I've seen some patterns that allow for the use of either type of needles. I looked around for an answer but wasn't able to get a clear yes or no.

As a side note, I also wanted to knit a Binary Scarf. but this also calls for DPNS, but because it is a scarf, could you not just use flat needles?

Just wondering.

...and yes, yes I am a dork.
-DeSilver

Current Mood: curious

so tired
I'm wiped.

besides taking the dogs to the vet, sewing on my costume, teaching my dance class, having a dress rehearsal...

I'm a little freaked out about the upcoming performances, but at least we'll be meeting again for another rehearsal next Monday. I hate to put the students through it again but we really need to polish that number. I wish there were other pieces that we could do as a group together but... since it is audience on all four sides the other two choreos aren't going to work for this venue. :( Something to consider with my next choreo. I'm satisfied that my solos for that performance will be able to take all four sides of the audience into account.

I have to finish the skirt and practice my solo in costume for the OTHER performance Wednesday.

Got the new students added to my email lists and sent out the weekly emails.
Sent out the revised choreo notes to the performers.

Practice & Ironing & finish the costume - top of the list for tomorrow!

Current Mood: tired

Help!
I've been lurking here for a bit as an anonymous floater, finding lots of inspiration from what you guys have been doing! Your projects are amazing!
Anyway, I was hoping to get some advice on what to do. I went to a craft store the other day to get some yarn for a bag I want to make. I finally found some, but it was acrylic (not my favorite type of yarn). However, since I needed a bunch of yarn and was nearly broke, I decided to buy it.
However, once I got to the pattern (which I'd left in the car - that I learned never to do again), I realized that the pattern couldn't be knit with acrylic yarn. So I tried to return it, only to find that the store had closed in those 10 minutes. That store is too far away for me to go back to, so I am stuck with six balls of charcoal gray acrylic yarn.
Any tips on what to do with it? I want to use it up so I can justify buying nice yarn from Knitpicks to make a HP-themed project.
Thanks so much!

Faux-Oakley Cabled Beanie
( Pictures! )

Current Mood: artistic

HP Yarn!
Hello everyone, I just saw some very interesting Yarn related news over at Mugglenet. I don't know if anyone's posted about it but I figured everyone here would like it :)

Yarn!

Baby Feet
I've never knit toe up socks, so I decided to work on a pair of baby socks toe-up. I'm using this pattern. It wants me to knit the sock until it measures 1.5 inches less than the length of the foot it's being made for. Unfortunately, I don't have a baby or any idea what length baby feet are. Is there a website with "average" baby feet sizes?

Terminus Knitting workshop
Hello everyone; I hope you had a nice weekend! I just wanted to let you know I got the times for the knitting workshop I'm leading at Terminus, and I know several of you had said you wanted to attend to either help the new knitters get started, display some of your work, or just to meet up! Whatever you go for, I'd love to see you! :)

Title: Knit Your Own House Scarf!
Session 1 Time: Friday, August 8, 3:30 p.m.
Presentation length: 90 minutes

Session 2 Time: Saturday, August 9, 2:00 p.m.
Presentation length: 90 minutes

Red Fred
Poll #1186230 Red Fred
Open to: All, results viewable to: All

What is one doing when one puts "Red Fred in the Shed"?

View Answers

Edit: Visgoth and rev_mom have it right so far... but I am not surprised at the number of dirty minds on my friends list either ;)

Current Mood: amused

pattern question
So I'm starting Knitty's Jaden, and I'm a little confused by:

Scallop Lace Pattern
(Worked over a multiple of 9 sts + 2):
Row 1 [RS]: K1, [k1, yo, k2, SKP, k2tog, k2, yo] to last st, k1.
Even-Numbered Rows 2-6 [WS]: P all sts.
Row 3 [RS]: K1, [yo, k2, SKP, k2tog, k2, yo, k1] to last st, k1.
Row 5 [RS]: K1, p to last st, k1.
Repeat Rows 1-6 for pattern.

Shaping Note:
Within the lace pattern, each [yo] is paired with a decrease. When increasing or decreasing at edge of work (ie. when shaping waist, sleeves, etc.), be sure to keep lace pattern correct. Do not work a [yo] if there are not enough sts to work its accompanying decrease.

I kind of get what the shaping note means, but I'm not totally sure about how best to execute it. Any tips?

Thanks!

I am completely lost as to what to knit. I really want to knit something Harry Potter but I don't know what. I've already made a scarf and a couple of other random things. Please help! Thanks!

Sock Wars - not impressed
Sock Wars was meant to start on friday. I signed up, paid my admin fee, and heard nothing. I have been unable to log on to the site, also.

I received a bunch of emails earlier this morning replying to an email which I did not get, which seemed to imply that I (and a bunch of other people) have been refused access to the site, due to personal problems of the woman organising it. Again, I've had nothing from the site.

I tried to email the paypal address, and got a bounce.

I guess I'm not doing sock wars.

Anyone else have more idea what's going on?

Current Mood: disappointed

A Mother's Concerns
So it's like this ~~

Eighteen doesn't have friends that he hangs out with.
The past few months, he has gone to a monthly dinner/movie with two guys. That's good.

Eighteen doesn't phone friends.
Friends don't phone Eighteen.

Eighteen hangs out with Sixteen's friends, at our house, when paths cross.
Eighteen may join them out for a meal.

Eighteen doesn't date. He didn't go to his Senior prom.

Eighteen speaks of all as "good friends" or "best friends" yet doesn't exhibit (what I call)
good friend or best friend behavior.

Yet, Eighteen is great in an adult environment. Absolutely great!

So, this mother has had her concerns but tempers them with watching his more mature
behaviours. But the concerns still linger.

Then tonight is the Senior Band Banquet. And I've got to tell you, my concerns were
laid to rest. Every time Eighteen's photo was shown in the Senior Video, there was
a rousing spontaneous chorus/chant of EIGH - TEEN! EIGH - TEEN!
(Similar behavior was not exhibited for any other student.)

It made a mother proud!
Smiles!

Current Mood: at peace

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