elvisknits

Supercool Stitch Markers

I finally made some of Illana's shrinky-dink stitch markers.  I love these things! They were so quick and easy, and the supplies were quite inexpensive too.  I am gonna be shrinky-dinkin everything I can find!

As for knitting, I haven't done much this weekend.  I have a very unpleasant urinary tract infection, and I've been feeling pretty sick for the last few days.  I get one or two every year.  My doc says I've got a sensitive system, and coffee especially irritates me.  And what did I do almost every day last week?  Drink a big ole caramel macchiato from Starbucks!  Yes, I did.  Shame on me.  Now I'm running to the bathroom every five minutes.  It sucks!  I'm finally feelin a bit better today, so I've been up and about.  I think I'm heading back to bed now to do a bit of sock knitting. 

Pickled Knits

So I was knitting in bed while watching Sex in the City, and to my horror, I heard a yelp come from the kitchen.  Apparently, my boyfriend John was dancing around the house with a jar of sweet pickles in hand, and accidentally dropped the entire jar...ON MY KNITTING BOOKS!!!!!  After screaming and shouting, and hating John for a good half and hour, fortunately, everything was saved.  But I'm sure the library will be tainted by the sweet smell of vinegar for several days. 

My boyfriend is very lucky that he didn't spill the stinky juice on these babies:

New sock yarns from KnitPicks!  I'm really digging the colors.  And this stuff was very affordable.  Go buy some!

Hello Baby

I finally finished the little baby cardigan for my friend's yet-to-be-born-baby, Maguire.  For those of you just tuning in, the pattern is the raglan cardigan from Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss.  I used Rowan dk cotton for the yarn.  I think it turned out very nice, except I had some issues with the buttonholes.  I always have the hardest time with buttonholes.  I try and try, but they never seem to look right.  Oh well.  I'm a self-taught knitter.  Maybe it's time I asked some other self to teach me how to do buttonholes.

new digs

So, I've been playing around in Photoshop, not really knowing what I'm doing, but I ended up with this new banner.  I've had the same plain "elvisknits" thing for a while now, and it was time I sat down and got a little bit creative.  Of course, I had to incorporate two of my favorite things - my wonder kitty Elvis, and pink flowers.  I wanted something clean, bright, and serene.  What could be more fitting than kitties in the meadow?  With flowers? 

I've been a sock knittin' fool today, and I have the blisters on my fingers to prove it.  Fingering weight cotton blend yarns are not manicure-friendly.  But, damn I love knitting socks!

NEW PROJECT ALERT:  shrinky-dink stitch markers from Illana over at Knit Powers to Peace!  These things are so rockin' I can't stand it.  I immediately went to Michael's this afternoon to get supplies.  Unfortunately, I bought the wrong shrinky-dink stuff, so I've gotta make a swap before I can get craftin.

Little Red Sweater

Isn't she the cutest?  I knit this little sweater last year, and I'm happy to report that it has finally found an owner.  The pattern is the boatneck sweater from Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss.  Yarn - Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.

Latenite Knitter

After staying up too late last night, and getting up too early this morning, I was a wee bit tired around 4:00 this afternoon.  So, I decided to take a nap.  Big mistake.  Now, it's after midnight, and I'm still wide awake.  I'll be dragging myself out of bed at 6:30 in the morning with a virtual hangover.  Oh well.

This weekend I made some good knitting progress.  I'm almost finished with the little baby raglan jacket.  I'm down to the final rows of the last sleeve, then it's blocking, seaming, and gifting.  Pics of the finished jacket will be posted soon.

I'm moving right along on the jelly bean sock.  This is my first pair of socks, and I'm already a full blown sock knitting maniac.  I swear all I can think about is finding time to knit on those damn socks.  I even like working with the DPN's.  I've done the two circular needle thing before, but I feel more comfortable with the double pointys.  Call me crazy. 

I've already ordered yarn for three more pairs - see KnitPicks for some lovely and CHEAP sock yarn. 

Here's a little Nintendo camo-cozy that I whipped up on Friday for my boyfriend.  Nothing fancy; basically just a camouflage knit envelope.  I still need to put a button on it to finish it, or maybe a little buckle. 

School starts this week.  I'm a little nervous about going back, since this is the beginning of my medical career.  Frankly, I'm kind of scared.  I occasionally doubt myself, and think "WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?", but then I think about having a job that I would really love, and having the opportunity to make a huge difference in someone's life, and all of the hard work seems worth it.  Even so, this semester will be a challenge.  I've been out of school for five years, and getting back into studying will take some practice.  Wish me luck!

On the bright side...

I've had the thought once or twice before that if something bad happened to me, like I lost my job and all of my money, or there was a nuclear blast and I couldn't leave the house, or sheep became extinct and there was a massive wool shortage...what would I do?  Eat lots of Cheetos.  And knit stuff from my HUGE stash, of course.  Security is knowing that I will always have knitting.  Who needs marriage or a family, friends, or even money?  I've got two sticks and some yarn, and I can conquer the world!  Cancer, AIDS?  Let's knit it away!  Boyfriend blues?  Here, let me wrap a scarf around that heartache.  Well, okay, not really.  But don't you just sometimes feel like everything will be okay if you could just go home and knit?  Maybe it's just me.  Could be my Prozac.

I think I figured that given the size of my current stash, I would be comfortably equipped with knitting projects until I am 50, never having bought another ball of yarn.  And I still find reasons to buy more yarn. 

"Needing" more yarn, we went to the LYS today at lunch, and I found myself molesting some slutty skeins of Koigu.  Damn bitches.  A strange voice begged me to pick them up and carry them to the cash register, "Only $10.00 each.  You know you want it."  So, what did I do, you ask?  After wiping the drool from my wide open mouth, I put the bitches down, and walked out of the store.  Yes, I resisted the evil temptations of the yarn devil pimp.  Again.  He is evil. 

Knitting & Yoga?

I just found a Knitting Yoga class here in Houston.  How cool is that?  I've gained about 40 lbs. since I moved home from New York over a year ago, and I am in desperate need of an exercise routine.  I just can't seem to find the motivation to get off the couch and do something active.   I could probably stand to spend an hour on the treadmill or something else aerobic (like riding Betty), but doing those things really doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me right now.  Maybe this knitting yoga thing is just what I need to get me back in the groove.  After I get back in the habit of breaking a sweat again, maybe I'll add some cardio and weight training, and kick these pounds in the ass...literally. 

Grrrrrr...

Here's Elvis and my friend Laurie, showing off their best snarly grins.  (And no, I didn't make her fabulous sweater.) 

So, today was supposed to be my relaxing day of knitting.  I was planning to finish up the little baby raglan jacket, but I am so damn tired today, I can barely keep myself out of the bed.  I had a hellish week at work, and all I wanna do today is be lazy and watch cartoons.  I don't even have enough energy to lay in bed and knit. 

The only reason I'm up right now is because my extremely rude neighbor has some little white fuzzy yippy dogs that will not shut the hell up.  I actually had to go over to their house last night to complain, and then today the little bastards were at it again.  So, I called the police.  I can't stand barking dogs!  Don't get me wrong - I love doggies, but I get really irritated with people who have no respect for their neighbors. 

Okay, so now I've kicked and screamed a little, threw a few things around the house.  I even said fuck a few times.  The cops finally showed up, and now I can go back to bed and finish up the tail end of Tom and Jerry. 

TV Knitter

So, does anyone else watch Project Runway?  Just what I need - a TV addiction, but I really dig that show.  I've also got a serious obsession with American Chopper.  All that manly bike-making-creativity is kinda hot.   What does this have to do with knitting, you might ask?  Well, knitting makes watching TV productive.  You're not really a couch potato if you're knitting on the couch.  There are muscles working, and calories are being burned, and you're gettin stuff done, right?  At least that's how I justify getting a few hours of TV watching goodness on my schedule every night.  Otherwise, I'd probably feel like a lazy bum. 

The only bad thing about watching so much TV while knitting is that I don't read as many books as I used to.  Solution?  Audiobooks!  Books on CD are my new favorite thing.  I sit in my granny rocker, headphones on, Elvis in my lap, knitting away to the tales of Lemony Snicket.  What a blissful way to spend an evening.

Speaking of books, I am currently reading (with my eyes) a little book called It's My Party and I'll Knit if I Want To, by Sharon Aris.  Check it out for a fun little read.  It's got some patterns too.

Here's a pic of my progress on the baby cardigan.  Almost ready to block it and put this little thing together.  I'll probably whip up a hat to go with it too.  I plan to finish up most of it this weekend, so I can give it to my expectant friend next week.  The little fella is almost here!