If Mom is reading this...

...please stop. Seriously, I feel guilty enough even saying that.

Because, y'all, my dear Mama and I made a YNBA with each other. For the uninitiated, that means Yarn Non-Buying Agreement. This was because we hoped to save up for Maryland Sheep & Wool, and especially for me since I've been stash-building compulsively since Christmas or so.

But then Webs had their anniversary sale. And I finally found a good price on Noro Silk Garden on Ebay. (Go see this seller: flat-rate shipping to U.S. addresses and some nice Noro, Mtn. Colors, and Blue Sky!). And I got a free shipping code for Jimmy Bean's Wool from my spring '05 Interweave Knits, which means several issues of Rebecca and a Noro pattern book to make a pretty thing out of the Silk Garden. And free shipping and 20% off at Yarnia, so I got Zen to make Knitty's X-Back. (No one in the knit-along is using Berroco Zen, but I heard of one girl through Knitter's Review who's doubling it -- I think I'll do that.)

Some yarn diet, eh? At least I've resisted Elann. Not much of an accomplishment, but still. NOW there are only 10 DAYS until the Wool Fest, so I must be good.

Now I just have to finish my G-ma's loopy pillow (front is done, now just the garter stitch back in lime green), sew in ends on the hot pink devil tail for Miss M, and then get chugging on my much-ignored tank top (Smooch, remember?). I resist the urge to be selfish and keep working on the Smooch. Soon, Smooch, soon.

I know I promised photos and didn't deliver -- maybe tonight? Charlie, help!

Non-knitting: I watched the PBS documentary on The Ramones last night, way past my bedtime. It was awesome, but man...kinda depressing. I never realized that they never made it big, really. Yet everybody listens to them and has a t-shirt. (Or at least among my friends?) And I hadn't realized that Johnnie Ramone, the guitarist, is a crazy right-winger. At their Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame induction, he ended his acceptance with "God bless America, and God bless President Bush." (This was W., folks.) Joey Ramone, the lead singer, was a leftist in the proud punk tradition. Weird, though, that they hated each other (aside: Johnnie stole Joey's girlfriend; they are now married) and had totally different worldviews. RIP Joey and DeeDee.

Chugging along

After hitting my rock bottom knitting-wise, I picked myself up off the floor and began again!

I got through the charted lace pattern on Smooch, though I'm holding off continuing up the back until I get my kacha-kacha row counter back from...

...the incredibly quickly-moving loopy pillow for G-ma!

I'll post photos for both of these later. I have some love-r-ly shots of Margot getting interested in the pillow, then chewing it, then getting shooed away. A triptych, people. Classy.

I am back. I am unbeatable! (*Shakes fists in air triumphantly*) Bring me yarn and I shall make it FABRIC.

Plus, if my hands get tired tonight working on the pillow (making the loops is SORE on my left hand) I can start the devil tail fun! Even just the i-cord is a distraction. Watch out, Miss M! You shall soon be made NAUGHTY.

Speaking of, this is me with Dream Haircut:


That is Eli next to me, sort of. Hi, me! And I have my "knitting bag" just as Skinny Rabbit suggests. (Hers is on the right hand side.) Click on me to make your own goofy shoppin' avatar!

I am laughing out loud...and other expressions of happiness

...at Pretty Girl's website. This is just killer stuff, y'all.

Knitting my Gramma's pillow is really fun. I'm doing the loopy pillow from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation (pictured here in blue), though I'm planning on doing three colors on the front: turquoise mainly, with two skinny stripes of lime green and bright pink. Gramma loves color!!!

The back of the pattern calls for garter stitch knit on the bias. Though vaguely interesting, I'm inclined to do both sides all loopy and shag-rug-like. But perhaps I don't have enough yarn for it? I do have oodles of Lamb's Pride. And it makes a mighty soft pillow, peeps.

Speaking of which: Bo Peep's Wool Shop wrote back to me today concering my order with them. I backordered some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece and some Cascade 220. The Cotton Fleece is holding up my order, but the be-yoo-tiful lime green will be worth it when it arrives, and it slowly but surely gets turned into Trek from Rowan 37. Which means I need some buttons and buckles! This calls for a craft store trip....Oh, and Joann's is having a sale this weekend, you say? How interesting. *naughty laughter*

I'm on a yarn diet, see, but accessories? And beads? And other stuff? Not off limits. Within reason, anyway. *guilty giggle* Plus I probably won't even find buttons and buckles I like at Jo's, but instead little goofery that will just clutter the apartment. Sigh. I'll set a spending limit and make myself happy anyway! *gentle smile of achievement*

She's crafty: knitting AND beading?!

It's a Beastie Boys song ("She's Crafty" -- or is that not the title?). And it's me!

I tend to be fickle with crafts, which is why I'm happily surprised that knitting really holds my attention and my passion. Recently I decided to try my hand at making beaded stitch markers, since I have always loved beads and jewelry. I did the little-kid-designing of jewelry, from pop beads to earrings at the local bead store (which I had them actually put together on hoops), but I have never tried any "adult" beading projects.

Which brings me to a question: Anyone out there have a good beginner's beading book? I perused the stacks at Barnes & Noble, and there seem to be JUST TOO MANY. I want to know how to twist wire, what tools I'll need, a good resource guide, and design tips (though not necessarily project ideas). I'll probably mostly do either knitting with beads and basic beading for necklaces, earrings, etc. using wire or cording.

If you have a suggestion, leave a comment and I will gladly give advice (or handmade stitch markers!!!) in exchange.

On the knitting front, I'm excited to knit up a pillow or two for my Gramma's Mother's Day gift, another devil tail for the Delightful Miss M (mini-Boogie), and the no-longer-evil orange tank top for me. All by May! Can I do it??? Woo!

Knittin' blues...

That's what I got, y'alls.

Today is not as bad as last night, when I originally wrote this post (read: Blogger bites and wouldn't let me upload). I was having a general down night. First I realized I had screwed up Smooch (a cute tank top with a lacey border from Rowan's All Seasons Cotton Collection, knit in -- you guessed it -- Rowan's ASC), or at least too many small errors too many times. I had only done ten rows or so, though those were picot edging and a lace chart, so I thought NEVAHMIND, I will frog it and start over.

I went online to find Smooch advice and found a knit-along from summer 2003. Lots of advice on changing armhole and neck shaping, information on the picot edging -- blah blah, but nothing on the lace chart. I guess I just need to learn charts better and take my time. It's only 11 rows!

See, already much better than last night, when I felt like I could do nothing complicated. Ever. But I'm back to my original philosophy: difficulty makes the heart grow fonder. (Or something like that, right?) The harder projects are usually the ones that give better finished products, and so far I still haven't finished anything I've knit for myself.

Soon -- maybe even in time for Maryland Sheep & Wool! -- I will have a melange orange-and-white (MANGO!) tank top for me me me. This time I will swatch (bad Laura) and measure my tank tops beforehand to prevent yet another big frog-o later on. And I'm taking Boogie's advice and using my real measurements, not my "aren't I a size 5?" ones.

On the non-knitting front....

Sin City is such a great great film. I'm not sensitive about gore (except in war movies), but those of you who are beware, I guess. But honestly it's so stylized it shouldn't bug you much. I only closed my eyes once, and that's because I don't like vomit. Wow, this doesn't come out as a ringing endoresement, does it? Well it is! Awesome looking, cool cool cool. Go see it.

Carleton!?!

I got a comment tonight from another Carleton graduate from my hometown, but the person left no email address. Leave another comment with your email address! I only know of a few other Carleton folks from Morgantown: Molly Charon (sp?) and a few new freshmen from MHS. Do write!

And for the rest of you...what can I say? The Carleton connection is strong. My friends from college do cool things and go to cool places.