The Lives of Me

Ringing in the new year...

2012-01-01T10:16:00.010-05:00

...with updates since October. I truly am bad at this.

Well, I wound up with a 3.8 GPA for the fall semester - not bad for working full-time and going to school full-time! I actually thought I'd end up with a 4.0, but I got a B in my voice lessons (not sure why actually...kinda came out of left field). But my diction professor asked me to cover for her at a service (and I got PAID), so that was flattering!

Now, a quick summary of the projects I did (again...since October)...is it sad that I'm mad at myself for only doing 5 in two months? In my defense, Elder Scrolls: Skyrim came out in November and I have logged quite a large number of hours playing it.

I did finish my hoodie and I lurve it!

Three quick accessories projects(none of which were for me):

And last, which I finished on December 30, the FO made of the yarn that I'm wearing my last post ^_-

I also have a sweater for David on the needles!

Oh, and I've also done a bit of recording for next Virtual Choir (Water Night, yay!!!). The first 3 soprano parts in playlist form (I plan on recording the two other soprano parts tomorrow), and yes, the only difference is in one or two places:

Two months catch-up....

2011-10-23T23:53:00.009-04:00

I don't really have an excuse, other than I forget I have a blog sometimes :P

Classes are good, most of them. Some are pointless, but that's to be expected in a college curriculum, unfortunately. I love love love my voice teacher and Lyric Diction is one of the coolest things I've ever taken.

Piecewise, I'm working on "Ich will dir mein Herze schenken" by Bach, "La Conocchia" by Donizetti, "Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle?" from Gonoud's "Romeo et Juliette", and "Love at the Door" by Samuel Barber. She's planning on giving me something from the Classic period as well, for jury at the end of the semester. Now to find an accompanist (I emailed 6, received a response from 1, who cannot do it) -_-

A couple finished knitted objects:

The "mystery" shawl, dubbed Rainbow Sherbet was finished on time and gifted to my youngest sister on her birthday in September. However, this is me modeling it, mid-Hurricane Irene.

This hat, which was a good stash-buster (as you can see, I had to break into a different skein of yarn to finish the top and the button band). It still needs buttons, but who knows how long that will take me?

An absolutely horrid finished cardigan, which I will likely donate to a shelter, b/c the yarn is not worth frogging to reuse (in my opinion). Not even going to waste space with a picture of it. I DO think it was an error on my part in deciding which yarn to use, as the pattern uses yarn with silk for drape and I used a wool/acrylic blend...but either way, I really don't like it.

A Honey Cowl in madelinetosh, color Hickory, for my friend, Missy.

Then WIPs (only 2, I swear). The madelinetosh hexapuff count has gone from 4 to 67 (though only 62 were finished when the following photo was taken).

And a Coastal Hoodie I've been working on since September 2. The button band and almost one sleeve have been completed since this photo was taken.

Since the hoodie is a bit too big to take with me and phinagle the four different skeins, tomorrow I will be casting on for a new sweater in a colorway that I begged for and ecstatically received!

Puff fever!!!

2011-08-22T10:32:00.005-04:00

It sounds like a disease, but it's....well, it kind of is! And I'm doing TWO of the projects...

First off, the first four of the all madelinetosh one:

These are just from leftovers or things I don't have plans for. They are currently sitting in a clear glass vase on our coffee table and Dave thinks they are pretty awesome decor.

Still working on the mystery shawl (one of them anyway...might frog the blue and brown one), and here's the bright one after Clue #3.

I also uploaded two new "performances" to YouTube. Both turned out to be the lovelorn ballad type, but that was not planned. Mostly cause I only planned on the first one and then spur of the moment, did the second one, cause I saw the karaoke track off to the side.

First, "There's a Fine, Fine Line" from Avenue Q...please ignore the fact that I am not a belter ^_-

And "I'm Not That Girl" from Wicked, which was the spontaneous one.

Class starts on Thursday, wheeeeeeeeeeeee!! So excited!

A shawl post!

2011-08-03T21:08:00.008-04:00

You'd think after last year, I'd be done with them. No such of a thing!

First off, my finished "Beauty for One Instant". The name comes from a line in the poem 'the lesson of the moth' and the pink/purple color is called Lepidoptra...there is usually a method to my madness!

I also have a cardigan on the needles (not in madtosh...which might be why I'm having trouble working on it :P)! No pics yet, but I'm about 3/4 of the way done with the body. But then I have....sleeves.

Also taking part in a mystery KAL, for a scarf/shawl pattern. I'm doing two and both are using yarn I already had skeined up (YAY STASH-BUSTING).

Clue 1:

I'm also almost done with a hat, just have the button placket left to do...but I'm really not feeling inspired to finish it. Maybe this weekend...

Don't know if I mentioned that I started Power90 when I got back from LA. It was going well, I'd advanced to doing real push-ups for part of it, and then last night I got this bad pain in my left shoulder. In talking with my exercise guru brother, it sounds like I've either sprained or torn something and he told me what kind of stretching to do with it. If it doesn't feel better at the end of the week, I'm making an appointment with the doctor. In the meantime...no more push-ups, which basically eliminates the Sculpt portion of Power90. Greeeeeeaaaaat.

With that, I'm going to go do cardio!

Completely unexpected!!

2011-07-24T23:07:00.005-04:00

Unexpected, totally welcome, and a pleasant surprise. I logged into my account for VCU to see if the federal loan had been awarded, and it had. Along with a scholarship from the School of the Arts! It isn't a lot, but hey! Every little bit helps, especially when I had no idea anything like was coming. It was like finding $20 in my coat pocket (only way better)! I am so honored and even taken aback (in a good way) that I was given a scholarship, as a transfer student who already has a degree!

We headed up to Seneca Lake this past weekend for the Glenora Jazz Festival (Spyro Gyro was playing), and it was fun. Dave managed to injure himself and is still on crutches, but he sees a specialist for his ankle tomorrow. Wine is tasty and we also brought home some scary looking BBQ sauce entitled "Colon Cleaner". No, I will not be using it, that's aaaaaalll David.

I actually don't have any knitting to show off this post and I feel so.....unaccomplished. Which is silly, since I did finish my Catkin shawl(and did all the laundry, took out all the trash, worked out)! Today actually: the knitting was done on Friday, I blocked it yesterday, and sewed the buttons on today. Hopefully I will get pictures tomorrow (if Dave can manage to take pictures and keep his balance on crutches at the same time). Working some more this week on stash-busting partially used skeins, before commencing on a Mystery Knit-Along on August 1.

And now, for inspiration: Diana Damrau, who is an AMAZING soprano. If could sound like her -or just sing with her one day-, that would be a dream come true.

Catching up on the knitting displays

2011-07-09T11:28:00.008-04:00

I'm behind. I usually am :P

First, this tank (which I actually finished before we went to LA, wore it there, but didn't get pics), done in madelinetosh Celadon.

This is a tee I was working on all through vacation, hoping I'd finish in time to wear it. I didn't :P The last 4-5" of stockinette was such a slog. But I love it. And I realized it's my first NON-madtosh garment this year! Crazy! It's a cotton/silk blend from Misti Alpaca and I LOVE it. The garment itself is totally wearable too and I adore the deconstructed raglan.

In an attempt to stashbust and get rid of the almost finished skeins of yarn lying about, I did a couple pairs of mitts.

These, I used up all the rest of the yarn.

These, I still have about 20 yards left so I could have picked off the bind-off...but I didn't. I'll likely just make another headband or something.

And lastly (for now), I'm working on a shawl, the popular Catkin. This one is in madtosh Lepidoptra and Silver Fox. The chart I'm working on requires a lot of counting, so it's a bit slow, but all the projects I've seen say it goes much faster after this chart.

Now off to watch the Women's World Cup and knit some more on the shawl!!

Los Angeles - June 2011

2011-07-03T11:07:00.004-04:00

So...Los Angeles was amazing. The weather was fantastic and the food!! Oh my goodness, the food. It's amazing how things taste fresh from the ground and gotten from less than 100 miles away. Why do we have this industrialized agriculture system? No wonder less and less people like vegetables -_- Perhaps if they had REAL ones, they would like them!

I digress. I'm doing the summer CSA and the food I get from there is fantastic.

I did finally get to meet Eric Whitacre (only took 5 years :P) and got his autograph, along with 5 other members of the cast!

It was truly an awesome trip and I was sad to come back. On the other hand, I start music school in 7 weeks, so it can't be that bad, right?! ^_^ And hopefully Paradise Lost will be on Broadway or in London's West End by the time I graduate, so I can go and audition for the stage production.

Sleeping Sun

2011-06-15T19:48:00.005-04:00

Another cover, this time of "Sleeping Sun" by Nightwish. A band from Finland that pretty much kick-started the symphonic metal movement.

And I'm wearing my Elphaba sweater in it :P Yaaaaay!

I've also finished my first bottom-up "sweater", which is a lacy tanktop. Hope to get pics of it this weekend, but here's an in-progress pic for now:

Dance of Fate

2011-06-04T20:58:00.003-04:00

So finally, a symphonic metal cover! I've been meaning to do a video of this for awhile, but I haven't, for a few reasons.

First, it just feels...weird? To perform for a camera and no audience.

Second, getting time/feeling/voice to jive.

But since Dave is away this weekend, I decided to give it a whirl and I'm pretty happy with it.

It's totally not perfect, but I had a blast doing it (and I got to wear my corset)!

MadMay 2011 RECAP

2011-06-01T20:47:00.004-04:00

Total: 1.32 miles knit in the month of May, out of madelinetosh yarn.

Here are the finished objects for that month (and yeah, I know you've seen some before :P):

Among the Redwoods - 422 yards

Azurite Beret - 108 yards

So Happy, I Could Melt! - 949 yards

Geometry Wars - 621 yards

Everything's Coming Up Petunias Mitts - 119 yards

Opalimetry - 75 yards

And this next one was only mostly knit in May, but I finished it in June so it technically doesn't count towards the May yardage. Posting it here anyway :P My Starfall Beret (a mere 105 yards).

MadMay 2011

2011-05-25T19:17:00.006-04:00

So I think I forgot to mention this in my last post (I could go back and read it, but why?), but the madelinetosh lovers group on Ravelry decided to do a "May May" this year, where you knit with madtosh yarn and there are prizes etc. The shawl from my last post was part of that!

I also finished this hat (using up all the leftovers of Azurite sport from my sweater):

This picture of the lovely Elphaba pattern is from this past weekend. Since then, I have actually finished the sweater (#7!) and it is blocking now!

Now that I've finished that one, I can recommence on my first colorwork sweater, which I have dubbed "Geometry Wars". Again, I'm further than the picture shows, and my goal is to finish it by the weekend. I think I'm at where I need to start increasing for hips, but I need to try it on to be sure.

I had a recital last night, sang "Widmung" and "A Lover and His Lass". As soon as we figure out how to turn the videos right-side up (do not get me started on Apple and all their proprietary BS...like only allowing QuickTime to see video taken on an iPhone vertically. It flips everything else sideways), I will post them. Truth though, I'm not as happy with "Widmung". One, I never feel warmed up before these recitals. Probably because I have to come straight from work and warm up in the car, as screeching in the bathroom of an old folks' home is not recommended. Second, I'm so bloody tired on Tuesdays. Especially when I had choir the night before and we kept going over the end of one piece where soprano 1's have to maintain a high B-flat over 4 measures. Which is fine. Except we KEPT GOING OVER IT. Ah well. I have an accompaniment CD, maybe I'll try and record it a little better later.

In other news, and David made fun of me for this, it's been almost a whole month since I bought yarn on Etsy! I mean...I did buy some today and that's how I know, but wow. It seemed like so much longer :P

Class vs job

2011-05-15T12:42:00.004-04:00

I'm having a bit of conundrum. Well, I was. I think I've pretty much decided, but here goes anyway.

I was accepted into the music program. My original plan was to schedule classes either first thing in the morning or in the evening, so I could keep my job and get two classes free. Plans are great. Until I looked up classes.

There are NO classes I'm eligible for that take place at 8AM or after 4PM. All of the ones I need to take require me to be out of the office from 9AM-2PM. I ran it by my boss, but I doubt he'll agree, since I'm really there to put out fires and how can I put out fires on a campus 2 miles away with access to a laptop and email (Sarcasm intended)? Regardless, I think that I may be better off trying to work a part-time after class and on weekends. Plus, that way I can take more hours and possibly finish earlier.

Oh and I have a voice lesson this coming Thursday with another member of the faculty.

I also finished 3 projects since the last time I posted :P

These awesome and adorable Kruisin' Mitts, that I test knit for an amazing designer. I'm definitely going to make another pair.

This really quick colorwork hat that I decided to use to stashbust, my Spiky Hat(yes, my creativity is astounding).

Lastly, this new shawl (in madtosh of course), that I have called Among the Redwoods. I love it.

100 knitting projects complete!

2011-04-22T11:55:00.005-04:00

Yep, with the addition of the 2 sweaters I will exhibit below, I will have completed 100 projects! Actually, I technically think it's 101, b/c I have 2 hats listed under the same project, but it's the principle of the thing!

My IntSweMoDo #5, Chain Lightning:

This pattern was really fun and I LOVE the way the cables came out. I was a little worried they wouldn't be defined enough, since the yarn was a rather fuzzy single-ply. Pleasant surprise: the cables look great! This sweater is NOT superwash, so it has to lay flat to dry, and it took FOUR DAYS.

And my IntSweMoDo #6, Rich Azurite Vein (yes, another World of Warcraft reference), which was a test knit for another Raveller, Yelena.

The pattern was fast, fun, and flattering!.....YAY UNINTENDED ALLITERATION! I will definitely make another of these. Since this was a test knit, I made no mods, but for another I might do another hip increase or two. Or I could lose weight :P

Paid $300 to VCU, which officially makes me a Music major! Now I'm eagerly awaiting finding out what classes I need to take (and attempting to schedule them around work...). Also, have another voice lesson set-up with another one of the faculty for next Tuesday!

"When I Look at You"

2011-04-11T22:35:00.002-04:00

Posted a cover on YouTube. Yes. Thanks :P

Sleep Virtual Choir 2.0 is live!!

2011-04-07T21:37:00.002-04:00

Here it is! I'm so proud to be a part of this! 2052 voices, 1752 different singers, 58 different countries.

As Eric Whitacre said,"Everyone is alone...together". So so beautiful.

Eyze sheleg!

2011-04-03T22:51:00.006-04:00

No, it's actually not snowing here.

Richmond Choral Society performed "Five Hebrew Love Songs" by Eric Whitacre and the Yizkor Requiem by Thomas Beveridge today. Both pieces are amazing, and while, as a choir member, I can nitpick everything that we messed up, etc, quite a few people told me how beautiful and wonderful it was. David said it was his favorite concert so far. And I performed the spoken Hebrew solo and had a few people comment that they didn't know I spoke Hebrew. I don't :P But it linguistic formation, it's quite similar to Russian!

I am somewhat bummed that this concert was not recorded. The Yizkor Requiem is so cool.

I highly recommend reading this page for a listen and for the back story of those love songs. They were actually the first Whitacre piece I ever heard and I fell in love. Just watching the interaction between he and his wife, Hila (the author of the poems for the piece), makes me smile; the adoration is so clear.

The 2000+ voice Virtual Choir goes live on April 7, but here is a link to Eric Whitacre's TED talk, which contains the first 2-3 minutes of the video (at the end of his talk. Absolutely gorgeous and I am so stoked for the finished product!

And I did finish that sweater! Please try to ignore how terribad I look and join me in loving the sweater. I think I may get the bottom of it wet and let it air dry to lengthen it a bit, without changing where the armholes are.

Blog block

2011-03-31T17:12:00.006-04:00

Blog block. I think I have one. Whenever I tell myself I need to write a post, I promptly forget. Checked off as done. Or something like that. And oh, by the way, try and say "Blog block" 10 times fast.

Rattling through another couple of sweaters. I'm actually almost done with this one (about 3" left to go on the second sleeve), but I haven't taken a photo since this one:

Not to bad, actually, I'll have it done tomorrow and I started on March 16!

Which is technically AFTER I started this one:

Cables, in my defense, take a while, though they are fabulously interesting to knit. Worsted weight yarn is also more difficult to take along for larger projects, whereas the first sweater in this post is knit with sock weight. Much more portable.

I had a voice lesson with the Voice Coordinator for VCU.

Oh right, we're in the Final Four and that makes it a legitimate school now. Not the music department, not that MCV/VCU has done the first successful artificial heart transplant, not that it's #1 in sculpture and nursing in the nation. But NCAA basketball. Go Rams? I mean, go Rams!

Where was I? Right, voice lesson (it was on St. Patrick's Day)!

It is truly amazing how someone can say something that just meshes with your brain. Even when your awesome voice teacher has been telling you, IN ESSENCE, the same thing for almost a year, the rephrasing can just make so much more sense and accomplish so much in working out technique. Also, we sped up "Voi che sapete" a bit, and it felt so much better. It sits right in my break, but it felt easy when we took it up a bit. And that was just in one lesson. And my amazing voice teacher, Becky, has incorporated some of that lingo that seems to work for me and I really feel like I've made extensive progress just in the past couple weeks.

I am working on four new pieces now (I finally caved and told Becky I was not a fan of the Italian piece I was working on, so she gave me a different one: no point in doing a piece you don't like, she said. True that.). "Après un rêve" by Faure, "A Lover and His Lass" by Roger Quilter, "Widmung" by Schumann, and "L'abbandono" by Bellini. Fun times!! I realize I should not have taken French though. Spoken French is NOT the same as sung French. Oops. That's what I get for being proactive.

Choral concert this weekend, so off to a 3 hour dress rehearsal. Thomas Beveridge's "Yizkor Requiem" and Eric Whitacre's "Five Hebrew Love Songs".

Laceweight colorwork

2011-03-15T22:57:00.000-04:00

So I can say that I love doing colorwork. And I love laceweight yarn. I might even love them together...but I think I'd love them together more, if I only had to do one. I was suffering from Second Glove Syndrome like mad on these.

Of course, I love them. How could I not? They are fingerless gloves, of which I am a fanatic, they are made from madelinetosh lace, and my favorite color is blue-gray. Plus they are lightweight, but warm.

I really need to learn how to do two at a time. Perhaps with just one color per glove first.

Third sweater of the year!

2011-03-09T12:50:00.000-05:00

By "of the year", I mean I finished it this year, since this one was started back in November. I do realize it's tiny yarn on small needles, but I don't think that's why it took so long. I think it took so long because it was bottom-up, knit flat, with set-in sleeves and quite a bit of finishing work (button bands, hem, neck band). Do these things make it look much more professional? Absolutely. But they certainly are a pain in the neck and not the most interesting things to knit.

I do love the cardigan though. Now that it's finished. It's very lightweight, but since it's wool, it was warm enough to be comfortable on a chilly evening. And I did learn how to set-in sleeves. Which I hope I will never have to do again, mostly because it's time-consuming rather than difficult. And the color. Oh, Madelinetosh, how your colors destroy any monetary willpower I possess.

You will notice, I assume, that it does not actually have buttons on it. I'm calling it done anyway. I rarely button my cardigan, the nearest Jo-Ann's is not anywhere close to being "on the way" somewhere, and I need more than a set of buttons to justify going there. Odd actually, since back when I was sewing/quilting, I didn't need a reason at all!

I GOT IN!

2011-03-06T17:57:00.003-05:00

I will be a music major for voice/choral music starting this fall! ^_^ SO HAPPY!

Yarn time-out

2011-03-03T13:00:00.005-05:00

I have put myself in one. I'm not gonna begin to calculate how much I've spent on the addictive substance known as madelinetosh yarn, and I have a lot of knitting to do before I fulfill my resolution of knitting more than I buy this year. I'm off to a VERY bad start with that.

That said, I HAVE finished a couple things.

Mitts that were part of a mystery KAL. They are way too big for me, but excellent stash busters.

My second sweater, which I named the Superhumeral Sweater. Thank you, History of Costume class, for the tidbits of knowledge that still come back at useful times. The colorway I used is Byzantine and the imperial collar worn was called the superhumeral. Since the emphasis on this pattern was the yoke, I thought it fitting!

This pic was taken after an audition and I was so happy it was over and I could go inside and sleep :P

A slouchy hat, Rose Red, in colorway Tart, for my friend, Missy!

And last, I'm still trudging along on my Idylewylde cardigan. It's the sleeves. I'm still knitting one, but I'm seaming the other....bleeeeech. No, picking up stitches and knitting top down from now on! No pic of the sleeves and I have since joined the shoulder seams, but WIP pic.

For a musical update, I'm off to NATS student auditions/adjudications this weekend at JMU! 4 pieces prepped: O Had I Jubal's Lyre, Voi Che Sapete, Nur ein Wink, and I Bought Me a Cat.

First sweater!

2011-02-05T11:54:00.002-05:00

I finished my very first sweater (top-down, raglan sleeves, shaping, etc) last weekend and I LOVE it! So happy!

My first Multi-track!

2011-01-21T22:56:00.003-05:00

And I don't know, it might be my last one, it might not, but I only have the Sony Vegas Pro trial for the next 12 days :P

....Weird, I dunno why it's only showing 4 of the 6 parts in the video. Um...click and watch it on YouTube? :P

Ooops....

2011-01-21T10:05:00.002-05:00

3 months again? I'm so terrible. Well...I have a LOT of knitting to share, but I'm not going to, cause I'm lazy! :D I'll start again with 2011. But here are the other 3 virtual choir videos I submitted.

Soprano 1:

Tenor 1:

Tenor 2:

I'm actually rendering the video for all 6 parts cut together as we speak, so hopefully that will be up soon!

Knitting and virtual choir!

2010-10-26T19:03:00.004-04:00

Doesn't seem like I do much else, does it?! :P

Alto 1!

Knitting (and stashbusting!). Both of them for the October KAL in the FGF group on Ravelry. I used up every scant centimeter of the bright yarn and even had to tie scraps together to get it long enough to finish the cast off for the thumb...Only about 3 yards of black left too.

And another pair of stashbusters. I actually did not love knitting these, eventhough they turned out cool.

OH AND BEST THING EVER: We got a piano today!! ^_^ OFF TO PLAY IT!

Another Virtual Choir track!

2010-10-13T21:17:00.003-04:00

Alto 2 this time!

Another hat, which I wore almost everyday for a week until it got hot again.

And a pair of fingerless gloves out of the same yarn as the hat, so I have a "set".

And with those mitts, I have done 53 projects in 52 weeks :D Challenge complete! Not that I'm going to stop knitting or anything...

A Virtual Choir track

2010-10-02T11:21:00.002-04:00

As promised :P

My soprano 2 track for Eric Whitacre's new Virtual Choir. Not super happy with my breathing at the climax, but it's in a choral setting so won't be heard :P This part sits right in my break too, very difficult for me.

Been awhile, yah?

2010-09-28T23:02:00.002-04:00

Gotten a few projects done since last post (er...a month ago...).

In chronological order...

Hokie Chimera Mitts

Shooting Star Hat (which was for a swap...I only tried it on for the photo)

Tad Askew Mitts

Autumn Mitts (trying to stash-bust the acrylic)

Autumn Weatherband, to match the mitts

Rings of Neptune Mitts, my very first pattern which a few people have asked for!

Through the Rosewood, shawl #9 of the 10 in 2010 challenge.

And last, my Breezy Kalyani Hat (which I just finished about an hour ago)

And that's it for now :P I also recorded a Soprano 2 submission for Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir, which is performing "Sleep" again...but this time for real.

Maybe I'll post that video here later in the week so I remember to keep up! ^_-

Disney Hall!...and knitting...

2010-08-29T14:33:00.005-04:00

So DCINY and Eric Whitacre have reinvited the participants from the Carnegie Hall concert to perform in Los Angeles at Disney Hall next June. I'm so there!!! It's more expensive than this past one, but...worth it. Just means I will have to be better about saving money I suppose (easier said than done..). Time to start a countdown ^_^

Finished a couple more projects:
I Am in Need of Music Mitts, my second colorwork project. I am addicted...

And my 8th shawl of the year, which I am not keeping for myself! That said, I could not resist swooping around the yard in it...

We are having a cookout tonight. And I started my online French course. And I think I will vocalize while Dave is mowing the lawn.

Auditions and knits

2010-08-13T00:14:00.004-04:00

First, my solo audition for another virtual choir piece:

Second, I have a chance to audition for the VCU Festival Singers who are going to Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague next June to sing the Mozart Coronation Mass in C! Audition is September 10 and I have to prep about 30 measures from the Agnus Dei!

Finished a stashbusting KAL. Easy and quick knit, this is from a bamboo/acrylic blend.

Working on another shawl currently, with beads, and I need to go out and buy more of them or I won't be able to finish the next right side row.

Frosted Pines Mitts

2010-08-07T19:29:00.001-04:00

Mitts for swap. First time doing corrugated ribbing.

Two more projects...

2010-07-27T21:49:00.004-04:00

First, a hat! This took about....10 hours? It's my Aoi Nezumi or "Blue Mouse".

Sorry about the blurry pic, camera was being fiddly.

And the finished colorwork mystery mitts, that I'm calling Lavender Fields:

I am debating about entering some knitting things and my parents' quilt top on the VA State Fair. The knitting would be an easy one, but I have to actually finish the quilt in order to enter it and I still haven't saved enough to take the long-arm class. Stupid stuff keeps popping up preventing me from saving money :-\

I just may be addicted to colorwork now. Not nearly as difficult as it looks, aside from tension!

Audition for Susan Boyle's search

2010-07-20T15:08:00.002-04:00

I don't think that I'll be chosen for Susan Boyle's Search, but I knew I'd be angry at myself if I didn't at least try! So this is my audition!

This must be mitt month!

2010-07-11T01:33:00.003-04:00

Another project, I call them my Water Reed Mitts, part of the July knit-along for the Fingerless Gloves Fanatics group, and designed by a member of the group! They are super quick and super easy.

I'm also working on my first stranded colorwork project as a mystery fingerless glove knit-along; here's what I have so far:

It's a little small right now, on size US 1 needles, so I'm gonna swap them to size 2 needles and hopefully remember I did that for the second one!

Now when the rain falls...

2010-07-10T01:31:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I felt inspired to cover the song "Now When the Rain Falls" from Frank Wildhorn's "The Scarlet Pimpernel". It never made it into the stage show, it was only on the concept album, but it's always been one of my favorites.

So here's my a cappella version of it, without video since I was testing out a new mic:

And the knitting continues...

2010-07-08T19:46:00.005-04:00

...meanwhile I think I really may develop carpal tunnel. And the back of my right hand is super sore but I can't see to stop knitting!

A shawl from seaweed and silk, with beads. I love it!

A pair of fingerless mitts (that don't exactly match because of my lack of taking notes :P):

And another hat. I named it Rosetta. Because the pattern is called Etta and I did it in Rose Pink. I am so so clever.

And I'm halfway done with another set of fingerless gloves and working on my very first colorwork mystery pair as well! Owie...

Oh and it looks like DCINY may allow individuals to audition for Eric Whitacre's concert series next year as well! I hope so! :D

Aforementioned hat...

2010-06-28T21:42:00.004-04:00

It did block out big enough to fit my head! And it's a redo of the very first lace hat I did (and I made a TON of errors, including using a weight of yarn that was too heavy...but Mom said it kept her super warm at the ODU football games). This one turned out much better and I also made the less slouchy version. I call it Ocean Fronds.

I love it, and I want to wear it, but it's just too darn hot to wear even a cotton hat, much less a bamboo/acrylic blend.

I also finished my 6th shawl of 2010 for the 10 in 2010 challenge, it is currently blocking at 54" x 20". It's made of Silk and Seacell (a brand name of some sort of seaweed fiber) and it was glorious to work with; ran out at the end but I thought I would so I used some Ivory I had on hand to finish it off. And when I got it wet, it smelled like kombu and I was struck by the urge to make dashi!

Graduation and baby shower

2010-06-20T19:56:00.003-04:00

My baby brother graduated yesterday morning *sniffle* He towered over the two girls beside him by a good foot or so. Seeing as how he likes to rest his elbow on my head, I know how they felt :P

Holly's baby shower for her little girl, due in August, was Saturday afternoon and I finished my first knitted baby garment in time for it! Pretty quick knit!

Finished another hat today, it's blocking now. Hope the bamboo takes or it's going to be way too small.

So not ready to go back to work tomorrow...Not excited at all.

Carnegie Hall...

2010-06-17T13:47:00.004-04:00

I just cannot put into words how amazing the last five days have been. Rehearsing with 424 other passionate choral singers, with Eric Whitacre conducting his own music, with amazing soloists, with the support of my amazing friends and families...it was just phenomenal.

And then the night of the show. Absolutely exhilarating and it sort of made me realize that is what I want to do and I'm really not going to be happy in any job, despite how I keep hopping around. I definitely have some decisons to make.

So thank you, Eric Whitacre, for giving me the opportunity! And thank you to David, Moni, and my family for all the support and for coming to see me! I truly appreciate it and I don't know how I go back to my life after that sort of experience. I imagine it will just happen unless I do something about it.

And I plan to do something about it.

Oh yeah....solo!

2010-06-09T18:50:00.001-04:00

"I'm Beginning to See the Light" from the Richmond Choral Society's concert this past Sunday. I'm the soloist, and not completely happy with it, but can't take it back! :P

Another few projects down!

2010-06-09T18:43:00.005-04:00

Desert Saroyan, which took approximately 470 yards. The colors of one of the skeins was completely off, and wouldn't you know it was the one I started with? I noticed after I finished...will just have to tuck it under. That's #4 for the 10 shawls in 2010 challenge.

Followed by #5, my Raindrops on the Castle Roses, first completed project with beads.

And a quick stashbuster that didn't bust nearly enough stash, my Peacock Cable Headband. :P

In other news....LESS THAN THREE DAYS UNTIL I LEAVE FOR NEW YORK!!!

Carnegie Hall!

2010-05-29T10:53:00.005-04:00

In exactly 14 days, I will be on a train to New York City where I get to perform under the direction of Eric Whitacre at Carnegie Hall. OH. MY. GOD. I cannot put into words how amazing this entire experience will be.

New project done (the mystery KAL for the Ravelry FGF group); calling them Moonmist Mitts, as the color scheme reminds me of clouds or mist of the moon at dusk! Here are pics of each individual clue.
Clue 1:
Clue 2:
Clue 3:
Clue 4 (and one finished mitt):
Complete:

I am also almost done with my Saroyan scarf; since it's so repetitive, it gets a little boring, but almost to the decrease section which should go much faster!

Oh, I got a solo for Richmond Choral Society that I totally did not expect to get. Jazz/swing? Me? Mmmmkay! I mean, I auditioned cause I figure that whole process is good for me, but actually get the part? SWEET!

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH TWO WEEKS!

Colors of Spring

2010-05-20T22:51:00.004-04:00

The shawl I finished that I mentioned getting pics of last week, and I did..just didn't post them :P I'm calling it Colors of Spring shawl.

I'm also working on another scarf, out of cotton yarn (trying to stash bust):

I'm further along than this pic suggests.

Less than 25 days until New York!!!

Erm...two more projects!

2010-05-15T15:32:00.003-04:00

Finished this one about two days after my other hat! This is my Spring Beret.

Then my very first finished knitted garment, my Seaweed Cardigan!

Then my expression when my cameraman told me to pretend he farted:

I have another project done, a shawl, but it is still blocking! Perhaps I will remember to post pics of it when it's done! :P

Oh and um...LESS THAN A MONTH TIL CARNEGIE HALL, WHHHHEEEEEEEE!!!! Ermm...and I started taking voice lessons, so far it's pretty awesome. My instructor had me to up to F above the staff at the second lesson. Suh-weet.

I'm so bad at this updating thing!

2010-04-23T20:34:00.005-04:00

Two knitting updates! I'm so bad at keeping up with this stuff -_- I remember in high school and college that I would LJ sometimes 3 times a day. Oh how times have changed...

Moonlit Storm Shawlette. This one uses the yarn I dyed back in...February?

And Peacock Lace Beret. Finished this one today!

In other news, um...uh....just work and knitting mostly. Dave and I are coming up on 3 years (next week) together! And my herb bed looks AWESOME!

Swallowtail

2010-04-04T23:23:00.004-04:00

Finally finished my Swallowtail shawl! I was ready to hurt people when doing the nupps on the Lily of the Valley lace portion, but I found a "cheat", using 3 stitches instead of 5. My sanity was restored.

Blocked it this weekend and was able to get pictures in my parents' beautiful backyard. Love cherry blossoms!

And because Dave and I were being silly:

I have another project on the needles right now, but it's for a swap so I can't post pictures. I will just say that going from 3.5mm needles and lace-weight yarn to 6.5mm needles and aran-weight yarn feels AWKWARD.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

Lux Aurumque Virtual Choir track

2010-03-21T21:52:00.004-04:00

It's up and it's incredible!

Scott did an EXTRAORDINARY job with this!! EEEEK! So so beautiful!

No one mourns the wicked...

2010-03-18T23:38:00.004-04:00

Saw "Wicked" on Tuesday night with Dave; it was WONDERFUL! I love love love that show and picked myself up a shirt (despite the somewhat cringe-worthy price tag). And on a whim, I found there's a Japanese cast recording I can get from yesasia.com and I am STOKED. Can't wait to sing "Popyuraa"!

I finished another pair of fingerless gloves for the March KAL. My Nami Mitts; the pattern is called "Nalu" which is Hawaiian for wave. Since I did mine in a bamboo blend, I called them "Nami", Japanese for wave. Why the sudden Japanese kick again? Who knows? But I LOVE that language.

And in an effort to get my stash down, I cast on for a hat thinking to use the remainder of that skein of yarn, but I ignored the other comments of people who did the hat in DK weight and thus...my Lotus Hat is too small. It still didn't take up the rest of the skein. Fortunately, I have a younger sister...and if she doesn't want it, it makes an excellent CD stack cozy...

I do like the pattern though and it was super simple, I may make another for me. In the right weight. Or with the right amount of repeats. Both perhaps?

Again with the destashing, I'm trying to use the remainder of my laceweight (half a skein) from my last shawl and I cast on today for Swallowtail. Made it through the fourth repeat of the Budding Lace and by the way, I love this yarn.

Yes, I am using dental floss as my lifeline. Smells minty fresh everytime I flip the knitting over!

Choir concert this weekend, yay! Must stay healthy...

Haircut, I got one!

2010-03-13T17:50:00.002-05:00

And it's about time, my hair was looking disastrous. But not anymore. Thanks to David for being my photographer!

The first two pieces for Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings arrived in my inbox today! WHEEEEEEE!!!

Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal!

2010-03-10T09:54:00.001-05:00

I got the solo in choir for Alice Parker's "Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal"! YAAAAAAAY!

Month of arts

2010-03-07T21:58:00.004-05:00

Seems like March is the month for artistic events!

We saw Mozart's "Don Giovanni" on Friday night, which was quite enjoyable (though like most Mozart opera, about half an hour too long in the final act :P). The woman who sang Zerlina was excellent as was Donna Elvira. The comedic touches were also welcome and the special effects and costuming were brilliant! And next season's line-up is AWESOME! "Rigoletto", "Cosi Fan Tutte", "Die Valkrie", and "Madama Butterfly"! Yes, I'm absolutely going to buy a subscription for next season.

Tickets to see "Wicked" here at the Landmark Theatre on March 16. Love "Wicked" and love Stephen Schwartz!

Richmond Choral Society's spring concert is coming up on March 21, so I'm packing in extra rehearsals with that.

Less than 100 days until Carnegie Hall and Paradise Lost! SO STOKED!

I'm managing to keep up on my 52 projects in 52 weeks knitting goal! Thus far have averaged one a week!

This hat is my most recent, and while I love the design and the COLOR of the yarn, the yarn itself was not good for cabling, I think. I have holes next to my cables where the tension wasn't right...which is odd, since I'm a rather tight knitter. Regardless, love the hat!

I was also finally able to get some pictures of my finished and blocked Multnomah shawlette, since it was nice out yesterday! Obviously I won't be wearing it with that shirt, but it was too cold for what I'd actually wear it with!

Gonna cast on for my first pair of socks next, though it will be in worsted weight to go quickly :P I have the feeling I'm not going to be an avid sock knitter but good skill to know with the heel turns.

Ugh, so not ready for the week to start...

Proud!

2010-02-28T16:41:00.009-05:00

Grats to the USA for earning the most medals in this Olympics!! I am so proud of the American team!

I finished my first shawl today and it is currently blocking!

Dave and I went with Ian and Rachel to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival 2010 in Hampton Roads yesterday. There was some BEAUTIFUL stuff there! And I left only with a skein of Euroflax yarn :P See all 92 pictures I took here!

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival 2010

This past week has been an adventure in Japanese Hot Pot cooking and it has been fabulous! Example: Salmon Hot Pot.
We are making an Orange Roughy and Daikon hotpot today; substituting for Yellowtail cause I couldn't find any, but since Roughy is pretty delicate (not meaty), gonna cut the soy sauce by a lot.

Other good news: I was able to fit into a pair of jeans WITH NO MUFFIN TOP that I have not been able to squeeze into for the past year. WOOOOOT!

Gotta go commence on preparing the dashi for tonight's hotpot!

Lungs/ears/throat and knitting

2010-02-21T10:58:00.008-05:00

Sorry about the lack of posting, I've been one sick puppy. Finally got some antibiotics last Monday but I'm still coughing a lot and sound is muffled in my right ear. Going to work probably hasn't been helping, but I need to save my days for NY!

I have managed to finish a couple things. This one was in time for Valentine's Day:

I call it For the Love of Chocolate since the bottom cable is a heart (I know it's difficult to see) and it was done for the Chocolate KAL on Ravelry. The yarn is also my hand-dyed!

On Friday, I finished these:

Also for the Chocolate KAL, they are my Hershey Hugs and Kisses Mitts, since they look the colors of the wrappers. Am quite happy with them and the yarn was wonderful to work with!

WIPs:
Flame Dance

Another KAL, but it is slow, slow going with beads and the cables. I did teach myself Magic Loop method for it though, since the thought of juggling 6 needles and beads was a suicidal one. This is on hiatus for the Ravelympics though.

Chocolate "Malt"nomah

If the name didn't tip you off, it's also for the Chocolate KAL. I'm doing it in laceweight and it's slow, but only because of the stitch count. I'm up to 185 stitches right now, but each row has increases until I get to 227 stitches.

Took my baby brother to lunch/dinner yesterday for this 18th birthday. He's 18 ;_; It's crazy!

I also picked up this book, Japanese Hot Pots: Comforting One Pot Meals and Dave and I were successful in our visit to the Far East Asian Grocery for ingredients. Next on my wish list is a donabe, but my stainless steel will have to do for now.

Choir tonight, since I missed it last week (antibiotics = knocked out). My voice isn't back yet, but I can at least go and get markings, etc.

A most cunning hat

2010-02-04T20:34:00.002-05:00

We all knew it was inevitable!

For my dad's birthday, cause he's a Firefly/Jayne fanatic! I need to block it over something large though...his head is a bit bigger than mine!

Felicity

2010-01-31T12:01:00.004-05:00

Two posts in one day?! Less than two hours apart?! Crazy.

Felicity:

That's all, back to your irregularly scheduled blogging!

Half-done Verdigris

2010-01-31T10:35:00.004-05:00

....There's still one more to go. I haven't cast on for it yet. I finished a hat instead (Felicity. It's blocking. My plan, should I choose to accept it, is to cast on for the Jayne Cobb Hat.

New FGs

2010-01-30T11:08:00.004-05:00

Finished a pair of fingerless gloves for my co-workers. I know I said I was going to do another pair of the Cupcake Mittlets for my co-worker, but I changed my mind. I'm one of those people who doesn't particularly care for doing the same pattern more than once (unless I REALLY love it). Plus I'm slightly sick of lace :P So I did Friendship fingerless mitts instead, which were quite easy and quite quick. And the color is lovely!

She loves them, put them on immediately, and didn't quibble over price. Yay $20. I still have quite a bit of yardage left, I may stripe it with a purple of the same yarn I have.

I'm now half done with Verdigris, meaning I have one mitt completely finished. Gonna take a lot of willpower to cast on for the next one...they are lovely but the needles give my fingers a work out as well as my eyes.

Sent the next $200 payment towards Carnegie Hall this past week. Getting closer and closer...

WIPs

2010-01-22T18:25:00.008-05:00

Whenever I start a new hobby, I tell myself that I will never have more than one project going at a time. No way, I'll finish one before I start another. And for some reason, I never EVER follow that. It was that way with quilting. It's that way with knitting.

Still working on my Verdigris. Still on the first one as a matter-of-fact. It's pretty but so so slow. Getting better with the twisted right leaning decrease though.

My first sweater is coming along! It's the February Fitted Pullover, but I'm doing it in a blue-gray cotton. Not very difficult, but it is 168 stitches around, and hard to switch from size 1 needles to size 7s! I'm further along than this picture suggests, as I am halfway through the bust increases:

I cast on and finished Starburst fairly quickly, and used one of my hand-dyed yarns. Not the best for this pattern, as the lace is sort of lost, but I still like wearing it :P
And yes, I look ten years old when I smile -_-

I have another pair of Cupcake Mittlets to do for a co-worker in a lovely Peacock color.

Oh and I dyed this yarn last weekend, still need to skein it:

I may need to dye another skein to get a hat/mitts set. Hope I can remember what I used :-D

Last I ordered 2 skeins of madtosh lace yarn, at 970 yards a skein. Here's hoping I like laceweight! :P

Mix-up

2010-01-10T22:30:00.003-05:00

I just realized that I haven't posted on here in awhile; thought I had. Maybe it's all the posting I'm doing to Ravelry that's addled my brain.

I calculated how much yarn I knit last year in the span of five months! 2652 yards which is approximately 1.5 miles. Pretty crazy. On the other hand, I was looking at other's calculations and some people had like 13 miles. We'll make my goal 3 miles this year ;-) I'm well on my way though. Have knitted 144.9 yards thus far and I'm halfway done with a pair that will take 245 yards. I also cast on a sweater last night (my first hand-knit sweater!) which will be about 1000 yards.

Couple pictures:
My fingerless mitts (which may or may not become fliptops) to match my hat

Another pair of fingerless mitts in one of the yarns my mom got me for Christmas. Doesn't really do justice to the mitt pattern but I love them anyway!

And yet another pair in progress (size 1 needles and fingering yarn, oh my):

Some yarn dyeing pictures:

I finished Fable 2 today. The climax was...well anti-climactic. Fun running around for everything else though. DDR is next up on my game list, for working out purposes!

Choir starts again tomorrow, yay!

Last but not least

2009-12-28T18:48:00.002-05:00

Soprano 1 part for Lux Aurumque virtual choir

And Glacier Bay, my first hand-dyed yarn experiment:

One would think that the progression from one color is two colors but I decided that it would go to five colors. We will see if I get mud. In process:

4460 pieces.

2009-12-27T16:28:00.005-05:00

I'm calling it "Shinanogawa", which is the longest river in Japan. 4460 pieces. My back hurts. I still need to quilt it, but I was able to finish the top in time for my parent's to open on Christmas Day. They love it! :-D I'm a little afraid of ruining it by quilting it on my machine, since it's 95"x95" (or something like that), so I'm debating about getting it done by the long-arm quilter (approximately $150) or taking the certification class to long-arm it myself (class is $125 + $18/hr to rent the machine). Since they're about the same price, it may be more cost effective to take the course and that way I can rent the machine whenever I have a big one I need to quilt.

Pics of my siblings in their hats:

Twas a very lovely time, a very good Christmas. I hope everyone else's was as well.

Now to go play some Assassin's Creed 2 on Dave's and my new X-Box 360!

First adventures in hand-dyeing yarn

2009-12-13T20:09:00.002-05:00

And most definitely not the last. Crazy addicting, I was running around looking for yarn to dye with the remainder of what was in my dye pot. No luck :-\ I didn't have any of the other wool hanked up and all my others were either cotton (cellulose fibers won't take the dye) or acrylic(also won't take it). But I digress.

Kitchen prepped for the first attempt *cue scary music*

223 yards of Patons Classic Wool in Aran White soaking in the bathtub. We skeined around the width of the table. Next time I think I'll skein it around the length to allow more variation in color.

Peek-a-boo! Swished the first bit around and pulled it out immediately. Most of that white now has a bit of the Teal from wicking up the fiber.

The dye vat! First addition was 1/2 tsp Wilton's Royal Blue and 1/2 tsp of Wilton's Teal. Second addition about 40 minutes later was 1/2 tsp of Royal Blue, third addition about an hour later was 1/4 tsp of Royal Blue and 1/4 tsp Wilton's Violet.

Drying in the bathroom (please disregard the ugly towel...)! It has some purple-y bits where the dye broke, but still pretty! Can't wait to skein it!

And meanwhile, I have tons of other color combos I want to attempt dancing around in my head. My poor bank account ;_;

A new addiction?

2009-12-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

We'll find out. I joined this group on Ravelry for dyeing yarn with Kool-Aid and some of the color combos are just gorgeous...and so so tempting to try. So I may hit up Jo-Anns and grab some white/cream yarn and the grocery store for some Kool-Aid and see what I get.

Couldn't I have waited to find this until *after* Christmas? Seeing as how I still have that quilt to finish (methinks it will only be a finished top in time with the promise of quilting to come...).

In other news, I finished Sam's Christmas present.

Dave said it's his favorite so far. I was so sick of the K3P2 ribbing though, I can't imagine doing this in the DK weight it calls for on size 4 needles. Would take FOREVER. Notes here.

I think we may get our Christmas tree this weekend.

Problem with addiction

2009-12-02T22:14:00.003-05:00

While I'm finishing one project, and I have a long queue for other projects, I keep browsing and finding MORE. This is terrible...for my hands and my wallet. So great for my wardrobe ;-)

Finished Bill's hat. Turned out pretty well, though there are some weird spaces between the knits and purls. Guess it's my tension. Dave is gracefully modeling it below.

Started Sam's hat. Loving the color, it's dark green but it has strands of gold and even a tiny bit of turquoise, gives it some depth. 2 inches in of 8 inches of K3P2 ribbing. A tad bit boring when I see other projects tempting me, but the color is helping me stick with it.

Have a dress rehearsal tomorrow night for our choir concert on Sunday. Will likely get more knitting done in my time between work and rehearsal.

And I really, really need a haircut. Sadly that will have to wait until next paycheck.

11 days

2009-11-30T23:02:00.004-05:00

Really, has it been 11 day since my last post? I feel like such a slacker.

Or I would if I wasn't working on eight billion things. Let's see if I can do this quickly and chronologically.

Finished my sister's Christmas present, the Purple Lace Beret. The third lace pattern is a little wonky (I added a stitch somewhere, but then somehow got it back to normal...). Think I'll stick with cables from now on :P
I'm leaving it beanie-style for now. She can decide after Christmas if she wants to block it for a slouchy hat.

Halfway done with one brother's present. Whipping it up fairly quickly, though it is competing with another project on my needles. Thus far (for those who don't want to click the link):

No pictures of my parents' Christmas present, just in case they stumble upon this blog, but it's coming along. It's difficult, because every time I spend hours making progress, it still feels like I didn't get that much done.

Extra choir rehearsals this week for the concert on Sunday. I think the women's piece "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" (John Rutter) is my favorite, along with the Finnish folk piece "Lost in the Night".

Thanksgiving was good. I ate too much. As always. Time to eat healthy for the next month until Christmas so I can get rid of everything Thanksgiving managed to give back. Not thankful for that :P

This is one of those posts...

2009-11-19T22:47:00.003-05:00

One of those "WTF?" posts.

Tonight Dave and I went out tonight with his dad and grandma to a Mexican restaurant. While we there eating dinner, we were approached by a kid (maybe 8 years old) who said he was selling calendars for a "home-school field trip" and we said no thank you. The kids (think there were two or three) were in the restaurant going from table to table for about half an hour. Then they started to leave and the kid's mom sent the one who'd originally asked us BACK to our table. Well...suffice to say that one of the members of our table said something way too harsh and I hope the kid is okay. Looking back, I should have said something, but I was flabbergasted. My point though...

What the F*** is wrong with the parents? Why would you bring your kids into a RESTAURANT where people are trying to enjoy a meal and make them solicit? And what is a "home-school field trip"? I have no issues with home-school, but parents who send their kids to public/private schools have to pay for those field trips. Why are home-school ones any different? I could understand if the kids were going door-to-door a la Girl Scout Cookies or some other fundraiser, but in a restaurant?! And then sending your poor child back to a table that already said no, when it's clear he feels awkward enough? Talk about a woman needing a bitch-slap.

I also can't believe the restaurant allowed it.

Moving on...

-I think I have an ear infection, but benefits don't kick in until December 1

-The VEC sure is quick to send me a "fact-finding statement" letter for returning to work last week but still hasn't paid me for my three weeks of unemployment benefits prior

I started my sister's Christmas present (the 19 year old). It is the Meret, and I'm doing it in dark purple to match her Fetchings. Not too far in despite starting yesterday as I had to un-knit 3 rows cause I failed at reading instructions.

Ready for the weekend. Getting up at 7AM sucks :P

Oh I've also started my parent's quilt. Thus far it's close to 3000 pieces, if not more, and I haven't cut into the dark fabrics yet. All 1.5" x something. Log Cabin block variations. I hope I finish in time.

Finished a few more things!

2009-11-14T15:12:00.005-05:00

If I finish a few things, does that mean I can take the weekend off?

Unfortunately no :P

First thing (which I technically finished last):
Only one more vocal part to go! And I really need a haircut.

Second thing (finished last night around midnight because I thought my class was today and it's actually next weekend):

Last thing (which I finished first!):
Dave's mitts. Details at my Ravelry page.

The question is what do I want to do next. I should start cutting fabric for my parent's quilt which has close to 3000 pieces...but I really want to cast on my version of the Snapdragon mitts to match my hat. I also have this urge to bake pumpkin bread. And the urge to play Shadow Hearts: Covenant. DARNIT.

Any suggestions? :P

New job tomorrow!

2009-11-08T19:17:00.004-05:00

Thought I'd post while I wait for dinner to finish simmering (crab veggie soup, yum yum!). Didn't get as much done this weekend as I wanted to, but I never do, so I'm going to happy with what I did accomplish!

I finished piecing my Christmas/wintery version of the Thimbleberries blocks. Not quite what I pictured, but that's a good thing. I like it better. It is square and will be more of a lap quilt than a bed quilt, but it's for the couch (will match the Christmas tree decorations).

Almost done with piecing the next round of my Sampler quilt, just working on the pinwheel stars.

I also finished my Snapdragon Tam on Friday night, and I'm going to take pictures of it as soon as I look decent enough not to ruin it :P Shallow? Perhaps. I commenced on finishing up Dave's mitts, but not done with the second one yet. Will be a good small project to take with me tomorrow since I have a two hour break from when work ends and choir starts, which is too long to not do anything and too short to come home and go back.

Oh and the camellia I planted in spring that never bloomed and I thought was dead...it's alive!! And blooming no less! Beautiful white flowers. Love camellias, just wish they weren't so delicate. Still it'll be nice to have one bloom in spring (the pink one) and this one in autumn.

Off to do more getting ready things. Have a wonderful week!

Christmas BOM

2009-11-05T20:09:00.002-05:00

Complete! At least the individual blocks.

I also picked up some lovely yarn today, and when I got home, the JoAnn's coupon for 20% off entire purchase was in my mailbox to start tomorrow. Figures.

WHOO HOO

2009-11-04T23:01:00.004-05:00

I got a job!!! The one I interviewed for back in September at VCU/MCV that I thought I didn't get cause I hadn't heard from them...I got the call for the job yesterday and I start Monday. EEEEEEEE!! This is such a load off my mind.

That said, it spurred a surprising amount of getting things done :P Maybe cause now I know I don't have everyday to work on it.

I am 60% of the way done with my Snapdragon Tam. Hoping to finish tomorrow or Friday.

Last month's Thimbleberries Christmas version.

November blocks.

December blocks (received in advance along with finishing instructions so we can have the quilt for the holidays)

My goal for tomorrow is to get the Christmas version of those two blocks done, and hopefully get the normal quilt pieced together this weekend. And I don't have pictures, but I did some more canning with my remaining Jonagolds (the skins were starting to get *very* waxy). Got 3 pint jars of Vanilla Apple Butter. There was about 1/3 of a jar leftover so I stuck that in the fridge and Dave and I enjoyed it on toast this evening. After we enjoyed Korean food (celebratory!).

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T11:20:00.006-04:00

Happy Halloween everyone. Be safe in all trick-or-treating endeavors.

I went with my mom to Pittsburgh on Thursday. My aunt is at Carnegie Mellon University for grad school and her master's in directing. We saw "Three Days of Rain" directed by her and it was a beautiful show. Very dialogue-heavy and only three actors. I quite enjoyed it. Beautiful place too.

We came back Thursday night/Friday morning since Mom had to be at work; getting in at 5:30AM SUCKED and I was able to fall into bed. She had to get ready. Blech.

My car wouldn't start when I tried to leave to come back to Richmond. Luckily our neighbor's have a truck and let me use that. No idea why the car wouldn't start either, I don't remember leaving the lights on, but that battery was DEAD. I had to wait two or three minutes to have enough of a charge to get it started. Seems to be fine now though.

I finished one of the mitts I'm making at Dave's behest. Have the yarn and needle stuff up on Ravelry. Not very complicated though, pretty much all stockinette stitch with a couple purl rows.

I also started Ysolda's Snapdragon Tam. Details of my work-in-progress here.

I love this pattern, not sure about the yarn yet. It's knitting beautifully and easily, but it's not spun very evenly so I have some very large nearly-unspun areas and some areas with a very high twist. However, it's not bothering me in the grand scheme of things; I still grin as I complete every new row!

We're headed over to Joel's and April's tonight. Our friend, Brian, is moving back to Florida and it's his last weekend here. Trying to decide if I want to sew or knit (though my left forearm is killing me from the knitting I did yesterday).

Accomplishing things....?

2009-10-27T23:54:00.003-04:00

I don't know, every time I feel like I get something done, five more things have popped out of the woodwork. Took me way longer to finish pinwheels for the sampler round from Saturday and I still have stars to do. Fortunately I *do* have a month to finish that round.

Finished my normal Thimbleberries blocks for this month (seeing as how that meeting is Sunday), but not the Christmas version.

I may do the Christmas version on Friday when I get back from Pittsburgh, PA.

Yeah, going to Pitt with my mom Thursday morning to see a play my aunt's directing at Carnegie Mellon. Nice break from the job search/sewing/doing not much else. I'm gonna take some knitting with me though. Finish Dave's requested handwarmers perhaps, start on mine.

Found out Holly got accepted to go to Carnegie Hall as well. Yay for having a roomie to help cut costs!

I've started working out again. Trying to do it every morning: today was day 3. Feels like so much more -_- I'm trying to make it more interesting to do by mixing up the various DVDs but really working out just isn't that interesting. But I don't want to be chubby for Carnegie Hall, as shallow as that sounds.

Ugh, am so tired and I don't know why. I worked out, then spent all day sewing. What do I have to be tired about?

Other than the feeling of never being done, life is good! :P

Round 5, complete!

2009-10-22T18:30:00.001-04:00

DONE! In time for round 6 this Saturday.

I also started and finished piecing an autumn-style table runner for the dining room. Gonna quilt it tomorrow :D

Another part and another hat

2009-10-20T16:01:00.002-04:00

Both VT hats are finished now. The previously posted one and the reverse:

Waiting for Debbie to get back to me about how she wants them delivered.

Also finished recording the soprano 3 part for the virtual choir. I'm not 100% pleased with it, but then, I never am. And I always remember after I've spent all morning tiring out of my voice with unhappy tries that I do better in the afternoon. Still, sounds decent with the alto parts!

Virtual Choir

2009-10-16T18:51:00.002-04:00

Two parts, three to go!

Alto 1

Alto 2

Play them together, it's pretty cool! :-)

VT Hat number one done...

2009-10-14T00:21:00.005-04:00

...and modeled by my sexy smirky David (he was laughing at me cause I'm shorter than him and was trying to take a level picture of this face...).

As I stated here, I'd forgotten to switch to the larger needles after the ribbed brim, so it isn't nearly as slouchy as it's supposed to be. On the other hand, since it's for my co-worker's son, perhaps he won't mind. She did ask me to make another one for her son's friend and I'm going to do it with the leftover yarn from this project, but reverse the colors.

Then maybe I can start one of my other projects. I have the yarn for this jacket and also for the Snapdragon Tam and matching Snapdragon flip-top mitts. I dunno which one to do first though ;_;

More canning on the morrow, I went to Target and got a 20-qt stainless steel stockpot for the event. Definitely tall enough for pint jars and if I ever do quart jars, should manage those as well. At $45, it better!!

Throat still sore. I had some hot apple cider which made it feel good for about 10-15 minutes, but back to being difficult to swallow. May need to pick up some throat lozenges (I don't like tea though maybe if I add enough honey...either way I need to go to the store again -_-).

Apple Orchard and apple butter

2009-10-12T17:24:00.006-04:00

We hit up the Apple Harvest Festival yesterday and oh-my-goodness, I don't think I'll ever go on a Festival weekend again. It took 40 minutes to go one mile. ONE MILE. And we were behind kids in mommy's and daddy's convertible who didn't know how to drive a manual transmission on an incline. I thought they were going to slide back into us multiple times.

That aside, I'm DEFINITELY going to back the orchard itself (just not on a holiday/festival weekend). Pretty consistent, brought home another 30 pounds of apples this year. Met my family there (and they took home 70 pounds).

Absolutely gorgeous place.

Then there's the people.

Dad, Mom, and Dave (teh boyfriend)

Me, Rach, and Sam

Me and Dave

So today I began my first foray into canning with some Apple Cider Butter. Using the recipe from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, though without 3 cups of sugar. UGH. I only added 1.5. Got 3 pint jars out of it, but we need a bigger pot. The rolling boil overflowed the container the entire 10 minutes it was processing and I kept waiting for it to explode. It didn't, but I don't think the tops of the lids were completely covered the whole time which could be a problem with the lids actually sealing. I will check when they are done cooling. Anywho, once I remembered, I took some pics of the process. And it *is* tasty regardless. I'll just freeze it if the canning didn't work.

The conducting track for Lux Aurumque was posted last week and of course, I have a sore throat. Season change always does that to me. Going to choir rehearsal tonight, but I'm gonna take it easy.

For being my first day technically unemployed, I think I got a bit done! :P

Zig-zag quilt

2009-10-11T11:03:00.002-04:00

So a month or so overdue as far as the quilt-along went, but I finished it Friday! It has been laundered and is full of crinkly goodness!

It's pretty small, I may use it as a wall-hanging.

Good shot of the crinkliness after washing.

Close-up of the quilting on the front.

Close-up of the quilting on the back. Love that plaid.

Now off the Apple Harvest Festival in Charlottesville!

Tata!

Cause I'm a nerd

2009-10-07T10:08:00.001-04:00

Created by OnePlusYou

Oh yes, counting down until I get to sing with Eric Whitacre in Carnegie Hall. TOO AWESOME. And yes, it's going in the sidebar if I can figure it out :P

Abby's birthday present, complete!

2009-10-06T00:09:00.001-04:00

Purple Fetchings for the sister, complete! At least..the plan is for them to be Abby's birthday present, but I kind of like them...

I know that I started them technically 10 days ago, but I didn't do anything on them over the weekends and pretty much nothing last week, they come together quite easily. Especially now that I sort of understand the thumb gusset. So I suppose that means Abby can have these and I'll make myself a few dozen pairs in various other colors! :P

OMGOMGOMGOMG

2009-10-05T00:08:00.001-04:00

I feel like such a fangirl, but...

I auditioned and was accepted to sing at Carnegie Hall in June 2010 as part of Eric Whitacre's Paradise Lost in Concert!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH *HAPPY DANCE*

Done!

2009-10-03T12:03:00.003-04:00

Quilt is finished (last night!) and as of this morning, washed and dried! WHOO-HOO!

I give you..."Canopy".

Nothing like sunlight to make quilts look awesome :P Close-up of one of the frogs.

Gonna have to pick up a gift bag on the way out :P

In other news, I had two interviews on Thursday. No idea how they went. Then some scam company called me for an "interview" and the first thing I found when I googled their name was a complaints board. The recruiter straight up lied to me on the phone about pay and what the job actually was, so I called her up and canceled the interview.

I also picked up two books (and four knitting magazines) from Barnes and Noble. Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book and The Big Book of Knitting Stitches. My hope is they will be invaluable when I come across directions I don't understand, as well as if I ever design my own knitting patterns.

Anyway, must go shower, and then off to Shenandoah for Lauren's and Michael's wedding!

Steps in the right direction

2009-09-28T22:54:00.002-04:00

Quilt is basted! Will start the actual quilting tomorrow night, was really just too tired today. This morning I appliqued on the frogs, and made a label for the back! However, since that label says who it is for, no pictures of it until Sunday.

On the other hand, if the recipient has seen this blog, she likely already knows it's for her :P

Know it's been awhile

2009-09-27T21:15:00.008-04:00

And it's cause I'm a tad bit stressed, though probably not nearly as much as I should be considering I don't have a job in two weeks. Ah well.

Need to finish the wedding quilt, since the wedding is this coming Saturday. Still need to get the backing together and make it a quilt sandwich and baste it. I may have to skip choir tomorrow night, cause I do need that extra time. Totally my fault though, I didn't work on it all this weekend. So....this week will be spent doing that! :P

I did manage to finish the Fern Glade Hat on Thursday. Therefore I was able to bestow it (and the scarf) to Mom when she came down today, as well as the hat I finished for Rachel. They obliged me with a photo op.

And the best one of all!

They(Dad, Mom, and Rachel) came down for dinner (salmon, asparagus, roasted veggies with orzo) and we watched The Pentagon Wars: hilarious movie. If you've never seen it, I highly recommend it.

I have started another knitting project, this for Abby's birthday. It is the Fetching pattern, fingerless gloves. I've almost completed the first one, just need to bind off and do the thumb gusset.

Yay for doing my first cables! I may drop the picot binding and do a normal one though. I'll play with the more complicated directions when I have "time"!

I did quite a bit of it while watching American Ballet Theatre's "Swan Lake". I've said it before and I'll say it again: Tchaikovsky is amazing. I love his work, it's absolutely beautiful. I'd be perfectly happy just listening to the music of the ballet, though it was a beautiful performance to watch.

Off to applique some frogs!

Really and truly caught up!

2009-09-19T16:29:00.004-04:00

September blocks are done, both normal mode and Christmas mode. TADA!

Normal mode

These had lots of little pieces, were a tad bit annoying.

Christmas mode

The contrast between the two blues is actually more in person; one is clearly more purple. All I had left of the really dark blue were strips that weren't large enough for this block. Although I need to do one more like this so this won't look out of place.

Now to finish round 5 of the Birth of a Sampler. My first time doing applique and curves; it'll be an interesting round!

Caught up!!

2009-09-15T22:26:00.001-04:00

Famous last words...and only partially true :P I am caught up on the Christmas version of my Thimbleberries blocks! Except for September. But that doesn't count because I just got that block on Sunday. I will do it tomorrow...or Thursday? :P

The dreaded month 2 with the five square-in-a-squares.

Definitely not my best, as you can see. The diamonds don't line up. It is a unique snowflake. Redundant? Perhaps...

Month 7. Nothing particularly wrong with this one, or if there is, it isn't glaringly obvious.

Month 8. There *is* something wrong with this one, but I won't tell if you won't ;-)

Okay, I'll tell. The triangles around the inner square are supposed to be the light blue-purple that are currently the outside squares, while the outside squares are supposed to be black. Um...oops? Got a cute little pattern out of it with those black rectangles though :P I would have changed it...except I didn't notice until I was sewing the purple blocks to the outside strips. Not redoing.

My plan with these Christmas blocks is to sash them with a silvery-gray a la windowpanes, as if you were looking outside into a snowy night. Done in time for winter? HAHAHAHA *ahem* We shall see?

Still job searching!

Stencil quilting

2009-09-10T23:43:00.002-04:00

It is a pain. But mostly because I have to keep rotating the quilt. Fortunately for me, I'm not a perfectionist otherwise I would never make any progress on anything. I even made up stories about my gimpy dragonflies: that one's wings are a little wonky cause some mean kid got ahold of it, that one's father was a butterfly, that one is lopsided because it got clipped in a slamming door, etc. I found it amusing for the hour twenty minutes to do one width of quilt row. Three and a half to go!

I don't think I'll finish it this weekend though; helping April paint her master bedroom and that's bigger than the bedroom we painted two weeks ago. Should be able to get a couple more rows done tomorrow night at least, without killing my back. I seriously do need a better chair.

I started going to the Right Management agency for job search help this week. Took the Birkman, which is like the Myers-Briggs for job style. My areas of interest and my behaviors were all deep blue (artistic, planner, thinker), but all my job strengths were administrative and problem-solving. Highest job fit in fact was "Knowledge Specialist", good for legal, college professor, counselor, etc. Couldn't quite figure that out since I was closest to the Indirect Involvement with People section. Too bad I have to go back to school for all that. Maybe I'll just start my own crafting business: artistic plus I'll be able to manage myself and do all the admin stuff! Parents keep telling me I should. In a class tomorrow specifically for resources on how to do that.

I finished Rachel's hat today. The picture is terrible, cause I'm wearing it on my hand, but it's too small for my head. I'll post a better picture (see also: on her head) after her birthday.

Starting a new hat tomorrow. Think it will be the Fern Glade hat, in a dark green. It'll be for Mom also, to go with her scarf (provided I finish in time). Need to pick up a US 3 circular needle though.

Hope you all have a great Friday!

Brief post, lots of links!

2009-09-05T20:11:00.003-04:00

Thimbleberries big block

Thimbleberries little blocks

I finally picked up some batting for my zigzag quilt and spent the last 3 hours or so drawing on the design. Dragonflies! Practice for the wedding quilt.

Lastly, I rerecorded my audition for the virtual choir solo. The microphone buzz was driving me bonkers. I do wonder why YouTube always picks the weirdest times for thumbnails...how about the beginning or the end?

I have also started knitting Rachel's birthday present. It is bright and happy, quite suitable for her.

Off to get some foods!

One of those weeks...

2009-09-01T20:42:00.005-04:00

So I found out last Tuesday (after a very nice and much needed four-day weekend) that my company was laying off 90% of the call center, myself included. However, I'm one of the ones who has to continue working for 45 days in order to qualify for severance; other people got 30 days of non-working notice. Nor was the decision performance-based. Fair? I think not. This means I'm on the hunt for a job where the benefits/pay outweigh the pain of the job itself. And the problem with job sites is that they assume that just because you have the most experience in customer service, you want to stay there. I sure as hell don't. BLAH.

I have gotten a few things done though, besides dusting off my resume. I finished Round 4 of my Birth of a Sampler.

I also finished knitting my mom's birthday present. It was cake after the hat (not that the hat was difficult, just a lot of different stitches). And I know it looks small in the picture but it's actually about 56" long.
I started on Rachel's b-day present today.

I'm almost caught up on my Christmas version of the Thimblesberries Block-a-Month. These are months 6 and 3.

Only have months 2 and 8 to do in that colorway (besides this month's), but month 2 is square-in-a-square x 5. BLECH. I keep putting that one off, but 11 is a difficult number of blocks to make a quilt out of so I suppose I'll have to do it eventually. I do also need to the normal and Christmas August version, but that wil be done this weekend.

Oh and I helped April paint their spare bedroom this weekend a pretty light green called Spirit Whisper. Reminds me of the Spring Green crayon...It will be their nursery eventually, but that was fun times. Can't wait to do Dave's and my bedroom (in about a month).

Er...wish me luck on the job thing as that's really all I'm going to be doing!

A load off...

2009-08-23T19:37:00.003-04:00

As I have finished Abby's messenger/laptop bag. It is slightly huge, at about 20" wide, but it will definitely hold a laptop and books. I'm worried that the strap may be a little long, but then, she is two or three inches taller than me. So without further ado...

Dave was also nice enough to trim four of the last six rows of half-square triangles for my zigzag. To get that pieced is my next trick!

We went and saw Ponyo on Wednesday. We also had sushi right before the movie. Something slightly sinister about that, but we enjoyed both immensely. As opposed to District 9 which we saw yesterday. It was...meh. I have this thing about humans transforming that makes me physically ill (zombie movies aside), and the whole teeth/fingernails part had me swallowing back bile. Interesting idea though.

I also picked up two Yankee Candle jars yesterday: Mediterranean Cypress which is being discontinued (;_;) and Farmer's Market (a good Fall scent). I am ready for it to be fall. This ninety degree weather is fail. And everything is just so much prettier in autumn.

We actually had people over here for the first time since we've had the house, for chilling entertainment purposes. Granted, they had to bring the Xbox cause all we have is a PS2, but it was fun. Now Dave and I want an Xbox. When we have another $300 of extra fundage to spare.

I'm not ready for the week to start again. Listening to people whine really just isn't a fun job.

So much to do!

2009-08-16T23:38:00.002-04:00

Weekends truly aren't long enough! We need 4-day work weeks and 3-day weekends. I would work 10-hour days to have that third day off.

This will be brief cause I'm a tired panda though.

Hair cut and back to the pretty! YAY!
Round 4 about halfway done on Birth of a Sampler! YAY!
Haven't touched Abby's bag! BOO! (But I'm technically waiting to see when she needs it)
Haven't done this month's Thimbleberries! BOO!
Haven't done any more Christmas version Thimbleberries! BOO!
Done with sewing half the zigzag strips! YAY!
Laundry and dishes done! YAY!
Solo audition posted for EWVC "Lux Aurumque"! YAY!

Shameless plug ;-)

Have a great week everyone!

Do me a favor.

2009-08-13T23:47:00.003-04:00

The next time you ever get a form from somewhere, READ the instructions. ALL OF THEM. Because if you don't, it is not the fault of the person on the phone telling you they can't process it because you still have not corrected what's wrong with the form. For the third time. And if you'd read the form, you would have had it right the first time. Or if you'd called in and asked to be walked through it. But seriously? Don't be an asshole just because you know they can't talk back without sacrificing their job. Realize that it is YOUR FAULT because you did not read the form.

./end rant

Sorry.

Moving on to happier things!

I finished my hat! Better pics to come, but I was excited. And technically I finished it Tuesday, but better late than never on the photo ops!

I can wear it like 8 different ways though. Win and awesome.

I also finished the third step of my Birth of a Sampler class...just in time to add round 4 on Saturday. I dig it, even if it's a little out of my comfort zone.

Now I can start Abby's laptop bag, since she leaves for VT (WOOOOO HOKIES) next week.

One of those weeks

2009-08-08T14:12:00.004-04:00

I've had a pounding headache this whole week, so bad that I went home early on Thursday. It was slightly better on Friday and it's only slight today, but ugh...

Anywho we did make some pesto one day with our homegrown basil! Added some chicken and pasta and a nice semi-sweet red from New York. Oh it was good. Now we just have to wait for the basil to fill out again before we can make it again. That is a bummer.

I've also been working on my hat pretty much non-stop at work. Almost to the point where I can stop the four-row repeat and start the decreases.

My goal is to have it done by the time my new microphone comes in ;-)

Still working on a ton of stuff with nothing really anywhere close to being picture worthy. Bummer. That's what happens when WoW comes out with a new content patch. Jerks!

Zigzag quilt

2009-08-01T23:24:00.002-04:00

Today's work.

I also went to Lettuce Knit and picked up supplies to make my first hat, using circular needles and a mock cable stitch. It is the Slouchy Copy Cat Hat. We'll see how it goes!

Tomorrow, after Thimbleberries, I may start on Abby's laptop bag, which we picked up fabric for about a week ago. It's pretty stuff.

Wednesday...

2009-07-29T20:55:00.005-04:00

...may be the worst day of the week. So hard to get up, everyone is always grumpy on the phone, etc. My poor David is sick, so much so that he has actually stayed home from work. You don't understand what a momentous occasion this is. Too bad he's sick!

I did get my blocks done for Thimbleberries this weekend. I like the block, but I did NOT have a good time making it. My sewing machine decided to act up so instead of two hours of productivity, I had two hours of taking it apart to clean it and fix it. I should really take it in to be serviced, as it's been about 6 years, but that costs money. I digress. The block is not my best work.

Still need to do the Christmas version of the big one.

I think I mentioned it before, but I took a knitting class right before we went up to the Finger Lakes. Well as it was a whole week before I could make it back to Lettuce Knit to learn more and I'd finished my potholder (except for binding off), I taught myself to purl via the Internets! And this is what I'm working on now:

It's Yarn Zombie's free pattern called Plaidos. I think I've torn it out about ten times now until the lightbulb in my brain went off that said if it didn't match the pattern exactly, who would know but me? I've made a lot more progress since then. Only 253 rows to go by September 23. Why that day? My mom's birthday. Present? Oh yes.

I am video gaming tonight as my sewing machine pissed me off last night. Taking a break from beating it!

So much to post, so little time.

2009-07-26T17:55:00.003-04:00

So I'm just going to post a link to the album I have from the Finger Lakes trip. The first few are from this Amish/Mennonite quilt shop called The Quilt Room. BEAUTIFUL stuff. The rest of the area wasn't bad-looking either. And at a high of 75...ah heaven.

From Finger Lakes

We just got done painting the kitchen as well. It looks so awesome.

Pre-painting (prep time):

Post-painting:

I flashed the before and after photos at Dave (who helped paint) and he conceded my point. WIN! Heart him! Next project? Thinking downstairs bathroom...

Block 6

2009-07-23T00:23:00.002-04:00

Finished tonight. And three more were posted this morning. Why do I do this stuff to myself again?....Oh right. Cause I enjoy it! Never feel caught up though...

Think next up will have to be the Thimbleberries blocks since I need those finished for next weekend.

blah

2009-07-21T23:08:00.002-04:00

I have a crazy amount of stuff to post, but I am tired from the trip and intestinal issues that arose today after the trip, so all I'm going to post is what I got done today!

Dandelion Girl for my zigzag quilt.

Blocks 4 and 5 for the Celtic Quilt-Along.

And last but not least...

From Finger Lakes

Teaser image from our trip!

Done!

2009-07-17T16:20:00.000-04:00

Just need to go swap out pillow forms, the one I got was too big. Oh and a magnetic snap closure (or two) to keep the pillow inside. Whee!

And knitting was quite fun. I've done something funky on one of the rows, but it's a potholder so I really don't want to go back and take it out :P I can see this becoming a pattern...

VACATION!

2009-07-17T10:10:00.002-04:00

Even it's just a four-day one. Dave and I are headed up to the Finger Lakes in upstate New York for the weekend! We're staying at Willow Cove B&B, which is right on Seneca Lake, visiting some of the wineries around, and on Sunday at 5PM there's a jazz concert (The Sax Pack). Also there's a wonderful quilt shop, owned and run by Amish and Mennonite ladies called The Quilt Room where everything is hand-pieced and hand-quilted. The ones they have posted on their website are to die for and I can't afford to breathe the air they're made in. I will visit anyway. Perhaps one of the wall-hangings as those are not $1000. Have I mentioned my parents have 2 from there? They just showed me a couple months ago, when I promptly informed them that those were to be left to me.

So we aren't technically leaving until late tonight early tomorrow morning and we have Joel's birthday dinner at Kabuto tonight. Which means I will be working out prior to that so my metabolism is up and burning!

And right now...I am headed off to learn how to knit!! Cause we all know I need another hobby :-D