Toying Around

One of the people that I'm completely enamored with is Svetlana. The woman is simply amazing. She finds pictures of stylish tops, skirts, dresses. Then she picks out the right yarn for the project and just knits it up. There is absolutely no pattern involved, everything is of her own creation and all in her head. Like I said, she is amazing.

So here I am without a project to work on. OK let me re-phrase that, I don't have a project that I WANT to work on there are plenty of UFO's in the basket and they will get done in due time. So the question is "What would Svetlana do?"

I imagine the first thing she would do is find a picture of the latest fashion. This is something that I'm not gonna do as I know what it is that I want to knit. A tank top for the summer.

Next she would pick out the yarn. Well I went stash diving and found the perfect yarn. Schachenmayr Toy in a blue/ green colorway that is cotton and acrylic blended to make the perfect summer yarn. I have 10 balls of the stuff which should be enough for a summer tank top.



I did a swatch using the recommended needle size and got 4 stitches to the inch. I applied that to my body measurements and figured out how many stitches I needed (I'm not gonna tell you that cuz I'm in denial). Next I casted on, joined in the round and started on the 2x2 ribbing.

Until next time, happy knitting.

Communication

I'm in the market for a digital camcorder that also doubles as a camera and an MP3 player. It must be small enough to carry in my purse at all times. And it has to be cute (us girls need cute camcorders). I understand that this is a tall order but I know that they make them as there are several on overstock.com. So I look at the picture and then how much it costs and what everyone thinks of it and then head over to Circuit City.

I'm hanging out in the camcorder department with DH and 2 kids for about 15 minutes before the pimply faced sales kid (PFSK) moseys on over.

PFSK: "Is there something I can help you with?"

Me: "Yes, Do you have the box that this camcorder comes in so I can read all of the details."

PFSK: "Maybe I can help with that, What are you going to use it for?"

Me: "I would just like to see the box please" Now I'm getting annoyed.

"uuummmm, mam, if I knew what you were going to use it for I could print off the specs for you."


What part of "I just want to see the box" did this kid not understand? I thought I was communicating rather effectively. Even my husband understood what it was that I wanted. He also knew that I was getting annoyed and had that LookOutManSheIsGettingThatLook on his face.

As it turns out they didn't have any of the camcorders that I was interrested in, in stock.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from my family to yours!

And She Scores!

The goal for today was to get some 4T tops and some Leap Pad books. I went to the first place and scored on the clothes.



Look at all this great stuff! 5 tops, 1 dressy, 2 outfits, and 3 pairs of pants. And you know what is even better? It was all for the great price of $19.

The second sale had the Leap Pad stuff that I was looking for (the first one had zilch in the Leap Pad department). Check it out.



I got them for $3/ book and they usually retail for $14. When I got home, I immediately tried them out to see if I got the right ones for the system that we have. Only 1 wasn't compatible, everything else worked just fine. Karolyn seemed to like it as well. Now I just need to get her to use the "pen" that goes with it.

When it was all said and done, the damage came to just under $40! Bring on summer, I'm now prepared!

Mom 2 Mom Sales

Mom2mom sales. What is it you ask? Well it’s a gigantic garage sale for moms. All sorts of baby stuff jammed in one convenient location. I just love them. The thrill of the chase, the excitement of a great deal and to top it off everything is negotiable. I find everything at these things. Car seats, clothes, Elmo costumes, books, furniture, pack and plays, exersaucers, movies, toy boxes. The goal here is to not pay full price for anything. It’s the only way to go when you have two growing girls to feed, diaper and clothe. Last year I got a great coat and snowpants suit for Karolyn for $8. Can you even stand it? $8. These things retail for $70. It was in great condition and I would be willing to bet it was worn a handful of times. After Christmas when the stores had the coats and snowsuits on sale, I was tempted to get one for $35 and I thought “Now way, I can do better at the mom2mom sale. I have seen stuff at these sales with the price tags still on them.

Well there is one coming up tomorrow and I’m in need of size 4T tops and shorts for Karolyn. I’m also on the lookout for some “Leap Pad” books. Particularly, I want the ones for pre-school age. I’ll see what I tomorrow brings! Wish me luck.

More Secret Knitting

Here are some scantilizing pics of what I've been recently working on. What is it? What yarn did I use? What's the pattern?

Settle down!!!! All will be revealed in good time!

Knitted Breasts

When I was at “The Spa” I was knitting on several items. One of the items I was knitting was for a special friend whom I have never met. I only know this person from an online chat site yet I still consider her a friend. This friend has gone through hell and back to say the least and in the process had some body parts removed. Well friends just don’t let friends go without body parts, so I pulled out my needles and went to town.

I was determined to knit some boobs. I’m talented and can figure this out but why should I when someone else already did all the hard work for me. The pattern instructs you to knit up 2 boobs and then sew them together. Being the extremely busy person that I am, I want the most effient way to do things. Well, why would one knit two of the same thing and then sew them together?

Wouldn’t it be more efficient to just knit the body part in the round to the dimensions that you want.


Purl a round to be used as a turning ridge.


And then continue on the back side with decreases? I thought so.


The pattern also calls for a DK weight yarn of which I didn’t have that was soft enough for this endeavor. I did have some Lorna’s Laces sock yarn that I just LOVE. The problem is that it doesn’t mach the specified gauge. I’ll just adjust for that as well.

I started out just like the pattern dictates.

CO 3 sts and work an i-cord for about 1.5 inches. Work one more row of I-Cord, increasing as follows: kfb in each st. 6 sts.
Divide sts between 3 double-point needles, in preparation to begin working in the round. Place marker in first stitch.
Next Round: [K to last st on needle, m1, k1] around. 3 sts increased.
Repeat this round 19[21, 25, 27, 29] times more. 66[72, 84, 90, 96] sts (22[24, 28, 30, 32] sts on each needle).
P 2 rounds. BO all sts.

Because I was using sock yarn which is smaller than DK wt yarn, I repeated the round until I had 44 stitches on each needle.

Then instead of binding off, I:

1) purl 1 round.

2) Knit 3 rounds.

3) K3, K2tog around (any remaining stitches are knitted)

4) K 4 rounds

5) Repeat 3 and 4, 3 times

6) K2, K2tog (any remaining stitches are knitted)

7) K 1 round

8) repeat 6 and 7

9) K1, K2tog (any remaining stitches are knitted)

10)K1,K2tog (any remaining stitches are knitted)

Draw yarn through the remaining stitches.

I also made a little pocket for adding weights or special mementos. The breasts were then stuffed with polyfil and I left them open so they are adjustable if needed.


The finished product! I'm hoping that she likes them. (Keep your fingers crossed for me)