a recap and a capelet

Last time I updated on my knitting, I was finishing up a bag, plugging away on a bath mat, and looking forward to some socks.

The bag has been knitted, blocked, and adorned with buttons.  I haven't done the lining yet, because NEXT week is my sewing week.  Or something like that. 

Bath mat is done, but smallish because I decided I hated it and didn't want to see it every day, so it is now lining the dog crate.  This might actually be something I try to develop as an addition to my Etsy shop, and/or maybe do in support of the Papillon rescue I work with.  It really does make for a squishy comfy mat that would be great for crates because it's also 100% cotton and can be washed in the machine.  

I managed to finish both pairs of socks without losing my mind.  That ended up being 3 pairs of socks in about 4 weeks, which made me feel a little bit like I was going crazy for all the sockliness, but after NOT working on socks for about ...oh....3 days, I've already started plotting my next pair.  They really are super handy!

Because it had been SO LONG since I had anything that I was really eager to/getting paid to knit, I had this weird moment of knitters block.  I had tons of projects in the queue, but I couldn't get inspired to cast on any of them.  That, lemme tell ya, was weird.  After a day or two of hemming and hawing, I settled on the New Vintage Capelet, published in Spun Magazine and now available online here.  Mine is going to be AWESOME.  I'm knitting it from Lion-Brand Cotton Ease, which is a decidedly mediocre cotton-acrylic mix and can be found at most of the big-box craft shops like Michaels and AC Moore.  The colorway is Lake, which is a nice cloudy greyish blue.  I'm also planning to skip the giant collar.  I picked up this yarn sometime last year when it was on sale, and I paid with a gift card.  Sweet.  

Seeing as my stash is not all that big, this is going to be a great stash-buster and I'm looking forward to wearing it...hopefully before it turns April!

Seeing as I started it 2 days ago, I'm not very far along.  And seeing as it's cold and rainy out, the photo is less-than-good.  But you probably could have guessed that.

Rue La La and the Birkenstock sale

Today, Rue La La is having a sale on Birks and I am super stoked about it because my 10 year old Birks have fallen apart to the point of not-wearable and I'm hoping for a replacement.  It's only going to be happening through Friday, and it's invite-only.  Message me if you'd like an invitation or any other info!!!

PS, they've got some Lucky Jeans at great prices right now, too!  ($40-$50)

Manic Monday #158, but on a Tuesday

What would you do with an extra hour each day?

I don't know!!!!! I've received 9 or 10 extra hours each day, now that I'm not working (ack!) and I'm trying to figure out how to get myself on a schedule and stick to it.  We'll see how this thing goes...we'll see if the kitchen gets finished, the spring cleaning gets done, the car gets repaired, Eli gets his bath....  we'll see if it all happens :)

Do you wear a watch? If so, tell us about it. If not, how do you keep track of time?

I don't wear a watch, but I go crazy if there isn't a clock within eyesight.  I'm pretty good at estimating what time it is.  Knowing exactly what time it is gets a little tricky (and maybe drives my mr. prompty-prompt husband a little crazy).  I would seriously benefit from a clock in the bathroom, that's for sure...

If it was possible, would you want to know how many days you had left to live?

I've been thinking about this topic for a little while now, and I DO think I'd like to know.  What can I say, I've always been deadline-oriented.

a funny conversation

The night of a college group pizza party:

Ashley: I don't think I'm up for going, I feel pretty bad. I really want pizza though.

Brian: Well maybe I could bring some home for you.

Ashley: Awwwww you could bring me pizzas?  (but I was pretty fuzzy when I said this and I said some kind of mash up of 'pizza' and 'pieces')

Brian: Sure!  Wait, do you want pieces or pizzas?

Ashley: Whatever you can legally take at the end of the night. I'd hate for you to be brought down on pizza embezzlement charges.

Brian: Yeah, that would probably be the most likely circumstance of my downfall.

Tag Clouds for Blogger?

I've been trying to figure out how to add a tag cloud to the blog.  I've tried a few different widgets and they aren't working.  And I don't know why.  

You can help, yes?

WTB Used Bridesmaid Dresses

Another request for the dear readers.

Does anybody out there know of any websites where you can buy used bridesmaid dresses?

I am looking for a David's Bridal bridesmaid dress (style F13095 for the curious) to wear this July.

Any help?  Any love?

a knitting bag, a bath mat, and some would-be socks

HOKAY.  SO.  I've been doing some knitting lately.  And it's been awesome.  Kinda.

I finished knitting up the knitting bag.  (knitting knitting knitting can I say knitting one more time).  All that's left is figuring out how to line it with the material from my former 'knitting bag' aka repurposed cotton bag previously containing jersey sheets.

The yarn is called Little Lola, by Schafer Yarn Co.   This colorway is a really pretty greyish blue, with some slight and subtle variegation - more blue than the photo shows, and it's all much darker too.  (The lighting in my house is awful, and it's not much better outside, what with all of winter showing up here at the beginning of March and all. )  This is the GOOD kind of variegation.

This second photo shows it more accurately, although it's not as glossy as the flash makes it seem.

The pattern is Square Cake, from Knitty.  I may also sew some buttons in the diamond pattern like one of the pattern examples.  Who knows!!  

I'm almost done with the new bath mat.  It's called Absorba and it's from the first Mason-Dixon knitting book (a fantastic book of patterns, by the way).  The yarn is 100% cotton made by PIsgah Yarns, a good ol' North Carolina company.  It's pretty commonly available - I got mine at the Wal-Mart.  This is an example of the BAD kind of variegation.  I have learned that I like much more subtle shifts in color.  

Y'all haven't seen my bathroom, maybe I'll post photos once it's in its place.

Up next: SOCKS! for some really sweet girls