Glove Insanity!

WHAT????? I have not posted pictures of my latest gloves? The Psychedelic sheep? The leafs? How could I forget? Oh...wait...it might have something to do with the person that decided 8:00am is a good time to start working.
Anyway..the challenge of knitting 11 pairs of fingerless gloves in 2011 is completed. Piece of cake. Now my goal is to find out how many I can knit in a year and then sell them all at Bazaars around Christmas to support the yarn habit.
Designing a pair of fingerless gloves for the youngest one right now. She wants Elephants. So...color work it is. She picks a gray background and orange Elephants. That's my kid after all, lol. Have a look at the psychedelic sheep.

Purple sheep, orange grass, a yellow sky with green clouds. The colors, dude!
Will post pics when the Elephants are done.
May be looking for test knitters.
I should also get back in my kitchen for some more yarn dyeing.
To be continued......

Dance like nobody's watching

I love a good glass of wine. I used to love smoking, but gave that up. I used to like nicely seasoned food, but cut way back on that. All in the name of better health and getting off  Blood pressure medication and borderline high cholesterol.
Had some ringing in my ear that lasted only seconds. Checked it out online. Could be Blood pressure. Dr is concerned about high numbers. Put me on meds which kicked my butt for about a week until body adjusted.

It is freezing here right now. I am talking 14 degrees, which is highly unusual for these parts of the country. So I had a glass of mulled wine.
Got me a second one and decided to look if alcohol raises Blood pressure. It does. So I said a hearty: "Fuck it" and took a swig.
They already took my favorite foods and my cigarettes. Not that I could afford smoking anymore, but that's not the point.
If I was by myself in this world I would have fun. I would buy a motorcycle, smoke, drink and have a effing good time until I fall of my Harley with a heart attack.
Dance like nobody's  watching.

Update!

Just a quick update on the "11 pairs of FG's in 2011" knit-along on Ravelry. I have completed all 11 pairs.
I should get my head checked. I don't know why I get so competitive with these things. Now I will see how many pairs I can knit by 12/31/2011.
Here is a picture of the last 4 pairs:

You can find all the gloves for the KAL, and all the patterns I used, right here on my project page.
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/dyeforsocks1965/fgf11in2011kal

Seven!!!

Seven pairs of the 11 FG's in 2011 have been finished. If my dear daughter gets her behind in gear and finishes spinning the yarn I need, pair # 7.5 will turn into pair # 8. Pair 9 and 10 are on the needles. I might undo # 10, because they will be a little tight.....says the woman with the puny wrists.
I really love this challenge. I'm making up my own. How many can I knit in 2011.
Let me tell you: I would be much more productive if that darn day job wouldn't get in the way. Or...if I could just barter for rent and stuff. "I knit you socks for 1 month of electricity". A lace shawl for two months of rent.

Today I got Renter's insurance. With a rider for all my yarn and fabric. Hey, don't snicker! This is a investment. I have at least a few thousand dollars worth of supplies around here. And the people upstairs are imbeciles. Letter sent to us from the Manager: "Do NOT use the fireplace. It is not safe. Wait until they were inspected and fixed."

Speaking with upstairs neighbor about distinct smell of smoke coming from their apartment. Their response: "It's not really a fire. Just one of those sweeper logs.."
What part of  DO NOT USE FIREPLACE did they not understand? I'm not taking any chances. I got insurance for 34 dollars a month. It's worth it to me.
Here's some eye candy for ya'll. The last three finished pairs of gloves. I shall knit the coffee ones again, because they turned out rather small. Says the woman with the small hands....hahahahaha.
From left to right the patterns are all available on Ravelry:

Mystique, Michelle fingerless mitts, Instant human. The last one is also available with the word TEA instead of coffee.
See ya laters......

Eyes bigger than your tummy? Naaaw!

Here's the deal: yarn label says 5 st = 1 in. Swatch (yes, I went there!) confirms. Wrist circumference is 5 in. so in all logic 25 st should equal 5 in. And yet it cuts off circulation to my hand. ??? So I cast on 36 st, since I need a number divisible by 6. Now it literally falls off my hand. sighs.
On a lighter note: I have blocked the lacy gloves more lengthwise than wide and they turned out beautifully. I have therefore finished pair 3 and 4 for the 11 in 2011 challenge. Pair 4 was a two-color project that looks awesome. Even my 13-year old requested a pair. I also made a pair of "Susie's Reading Mitts". Love the yarn, but will gift the gloves, because they are too long in the cuff for my taste.
The purple (or bordeaux) ones are a Mystery Knit along I am part of. FUN! Last clue is due tomorrow.

I have the most lovely test knitter helping me out with the secret test knits for the book. Her name is Eliana and her input is very valuable and I really like her suggestions. Just a few more details to take care of, before I can submit the proposal. Keep your fingers crossed.

Socks and gloves

One more pair completed for the 11 in '11 Knit-along on Ravelry. The pattern was interesting, some beading was involved, but even though I went down a needle size, they came out very large. The designer suggested I block them with emphasis on lengthwise, rather than width, and I shall give that a try.

Another pair of slipper socks completed and number 6 are on the needles. I also started the third pair of the Knit-along mitts.
And then I cast on another one, because I should be designing a few more fingerless gloves for the book proposal, but I am the Queen of procrastination. One pair is off to the tester, yarn and beads provided.
Hope she likes it. The tech editor found some spelling mistakes....oops, that's what happens when you are in a hurry, lol.

I have all these ideas, but I hate putting them on the computer. For me typing up a pattern is torture. Usually programs are not designed to follow MY logic.....so I end up with spaces where I don't want any, half deleted sentences...you get the idea.....I don't know which button I pushed last week, but suddenly everything looked like alien writing. sighs
Going out tonight....watching Nitecrew again and having some fun. I just love to watch people....You wouldn't believe how many of them don't seem to have mirrors at home.

If any of my followers (all 11 of them) would like to be a secret test knitter, drop me a line. Maybe having people lined up will make me work faster.....or not.

Socks, socks and more....socks

What can I say....I test knitted this pattern for a lady on Ravelry and I swear, she put something in the pattern that makes them addictive.
I helped Nici out and knitted a pair for her Mother in law, then my youngest requested some "sunshiny" ones. Enter Michael's Yarn Sale and a 25% off-your-entire-purchase-coupon and you get socks, socks and more socks.
You can find the pattern here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/two-movie-slipper-socks
So far I made 4 pairs and pair number 5 is on the needles. It doesn't help that the Charisma Yarn form Loops & Threads comes in absolutely lovely, luscious, gorgeous, scrumptious colors. Easy knit, fast and like I said: addicting.
Give them a try. I bet you can't resist them either. And they make great, inexpensive gifts.
As soon as I figure out what she sprinkled into the pattern, I'll let you know.