Come visit me at my new blogger home!

... cast on, cast off ...

What kind of madness is no-knitting-along, you ask?

How about stitch marker mania ...

For which I made these:

And how about the knitblogger's CD Swap craze ...

For which I made these:

(See, MHC Knitters, I go overboard whenever I get a chance.) I actually spiffed up the playlist, to include mostly knitting-related music.  I'll try to list the playlist for fun some day.

I don't quite know why I'm so smitten with non-knitting-alongs right now ... I just am. 

Okay, here's the enablement story:

My secret pal gave me the Lotus Blossom shawl pattern.  I swatched for it using the Alpaca in Mist that she gave me:

But I'm not crazy about it.  I guess I should block it first, but I just don't quite see this shawl in that alpaca.  That alpaca is screaming to become one of the Gathering of Lace shawls, I have a feeling.  I actually think I might swatch for one of those, and take it on an upcoming road trip ... but that's another story for another entry.

So, instead ...

Remember that Michelle and Kristen both gifted me some yummy yummy alpaca recently?  Made in Colorado at Larkspur Funny Farm? 

I decided that I must have more Larkspur Funny Farm, and that it must all become a yummy shawl à la Charlotte's Web variety of colors.  Luckily, I brought my kids down to my mom's to spend the night Saturday while the Big Sweetie and I actually had a date to go see this play that night. (The play itself was so great -- I just loved it.)   Luckily, I was able to swing by a fabulous new yarn store in Denver called Colorful Yarns.  (The store itself?  Good thing it's far, far away from me, or I'd be buying the Textiles A Mano, Cherry Tree Hill, or other various yummy yarns there in an out-of-control way. It was a lovely store.)  Joanne left some great directions  (see April 24) on how to get there if you want to go yourself.

So here's the colorway of my Lotus Blossom Shawl:

I haven't decided yet if it is going to be from left to right, or right to left.  I'm leaning right to left.

Thanks, my yarn-enabling-friends!  I mean, isn't it great that three other people have collaborated with me in some form so that I could make this?  I just can't get over how great that is.  It's destined to be called the "Friendship Shawl."

But that's not what's making me laugh hysterically.  Check out the dialectilizer if you want ... this is how it's translated my blog into "redneck":

In which Daisyifer gives a quick alert...

ah have a mo' trimenjus blog intry a-comin' later, but ah jest wanted t'give a quick alert t'yo' all out thar in bloglan' thet ah's listin' some yummah Kocho'an listin's on eBay this hyar week. Shet mah mouth!.. check them out har.

Posted at 7/13/2005 10:34:23 is by Daisy
Comment (1)   Permalink

Monday

In which Daisyifer finally decides upon a noo blog name, feels inabled by her inablers, an' laughs hysterically

Okay, I've decided on a noo blog name.

ah apologize t'ennyone who reads this hyar blog somewhut regularly t'have subjecked yo' t'mah absolute an' extreme indecishun.  Really. 

On account o' ah decided t'go fo' a mighty noo, diffrunt name than enny thet had been discussed, cuss it all t' tarnation.

Ready?

But let me also say fust thet ah had a lot of speckashuns thet went into this hyar blog name ... it had t'be sumpin thet ah w'dn't be embarrassed t'say out loud (as in "J is fo' junkie", "Th' F.O. ho," an' even "knittin' at 5337" which was jest awkward).  It had t'be sumpin thet was a sho't title, so ah c'd put it on a button, as enny fool kin plainly see.  Sumpin thet'dn't necessarily turn into an ill-fated nickname.  Sumpin thet'd lend itse'f t'a hansum an' fun banner thet ah c'd does mahse'f.  Sumpin thet'd leave open th' opshun of bein' sumpin of a "designer" some day, an' thet'dn't embarrass me "professhunally."

(Etc.)

It just cracks me up!  I mean, how is that for a nickname -- Daisyfer??!  In Texan parlance, the name Jenifer is actually pronounced JEAN - ah - fehr.  Still.   (My mom is from Texas after all, so it's more like I'm laughing with it rather than at it.)

Moving on, I've been a bad blogger.  Lesley had a little gathering at her house, which was a lot of fun.  Wanda, Michaele, Shirley, and Natalya all came; and I also had a chance to meet Tami (sp?!), and Anne, which was really great.  I also have a new FO to announce (it was a quickie!), and I'm working on starting the new blog ... Cast on, cast off ... So that means that any day now I'm going to go live.  Keep an eye open for it!

Okay, for an entry that's all about linkage ...

First off, I came across this amazing kitchen gadget.  I say we all chip in and get one for Cathi for her next birthday.  (Is it December?) 

Next, head on over to Marta's site, where you can learn to Arm Knit.  (That is, knit with your arms.   Check it out!  Would've ever thunk?)

Then check out how to make your own custom labels for clothing items ... there's a tutorial on craftster.org, but also go see our favorite grumpster Kathy's version here. 

Last, but not least, bookmark my new blog!  Cast on, cast off ... is up and running!  I even have a new contest for you to enter. :)  [Sorry, ladies, I lied.  Not quite yet.  But soon, soon!]

I have a bigger blog entry coming later, but I just wanted to give a quick alert to you all out there in blogland that I'm listing some yummy Kochoran listings on eBay this week... check them out here.

Okay, I've decided on a new blog name.

Okay, first things first ...

I went to my mailbox!  (For those of you not aware of this obscure fact in my life, my mailbox is at the end of the street, which means that I only check the mail a few times a week.  Sorry, secret pal.)  Look at what I found in there!  Not one, but two things from my secret pal ...

The first is my issue of Interweave Knits, from the subscription that my secret pal sent me.  That means all year long, at quarterly installments, I'll be thanking my secret pal.  Yea!   The second is a package that she sent me (and check out that adorable wrapping paper) ... and look at what's inside!

I've been really really coveting the Lotus Blossom Shawl pattern from Fiddlesticks for about 6 months, and I just haven't ordered it because I've been trying to reign myself in. (The constant battle here, if you recall.)  So, yea!!  But, that's not it, because she also sent me the most amazing alpaca from Knitpicks, which I've also been coveting but not yet ordered, which is so exciting.  Mist blue.  Yes, three skeins.  Plus a chocolate orange.  (No, I'm not sharing with my kids.)  Plus a beautifully matching card.

I can share that I haven't been able to keep my hands off this pattern, and it's already going to be a part of the next blog entry ... something to do with yarn-enabling-friends and now yarn-enabling-secret-pals.  We'll all see tomorrow.

Thanks so much, secret pal!!  (I'm sorry I'm not emailing you to repeat this, but I deleted your address by accident.)  Merci, gracias, obrigata, grazie, and on and on!! 

FO Report:  The OSW, or One Skein Wonder, versions #2 and #3
Designer: Stefanie Japel
Pattern Source: Pattern available right here  (and note the errata here)
Yarn: Noro Kochoran, colors #34 and #32
Needle Size: US 9, 6
Gauge:  16 sts = 4"
Date Completed: July 2005
Recipient:  my friend and me

Well, I've gone and done it again. And again.  I made couple more.  Both are in Noro Kochoran, which I think I'll call henceforth Yarn of the Gods.  Really, I just love this stuff.  Both were made with one skein of Kochoran, making these truly One Skein Wonders (notice that many people's OSWs really take two skeins). 

This one, OSW #2, is destined for a friend who is pregnant.  Don't you think this is the perfect little pregnant cover-up? 

The colorway is #34, which I see has been discontinued now.  I made it the 14" size (which was very tight and barely fit me) -- perfect for my friend who is more petite than me.

The next one, OSW #3, is destined for me. 

Because I have an absolute compulsion to make something in every Noro yarn, in every colorway.  (This is colorway #32, not yet discontinued -- phew).  And I'd already wound the yarn ... so I couldn't sell it, right??  (A Noro compulsion is a terrible thing.)  This was the 15" size, because the 16" size in my Silk Garden version ended up stretching and becoming a little large.  For now, it's rather tight ... so we'll see if it stretches as well.  But I think it'll work. 

(Yea for compulsions.)


In other knitting content, I'm continuing to be indecisive about the blog-title-change.  I'm actually thinking of switching my blog, but keeping the title.  I could always change it later, right? 

But if I do still change it, here's the update:

I've thrown out J is for Junkie.  Nobody really likes it much, Cate pointed out that I'll get all kinds of wierd search hits, and the Big Sweetie never liked it as well.

In addition to still considering Zen and the Art of Yarn Stash Maintenance, and Alpaca skein and wool knit (Yes, say it like "I'll pack a skein and we'll knit" if it's confusing to you);  let me throw in a couple more:

#5.  The FO ho.  Lauren suggested this as a title, and I think it's pretty darn cute.  And short.  And sweet. (Not necessarily reflecting my method of prose, but still.  One can aspire to certain things.)

#6.  Knit one, Purl two, Knitting fans, yoo hoo.  I have to add this in because it was one more of the Big Sweetie's contributions.  (Say it in a goofy Hahvahd accent if you must.)  I don't think I'd choose this, but I just wanted a permanent reference to one more clever idea by the Big Sweetie. 

So, what do you think?

Keep the title, or change?  And change to #2, #3, or #5?  Thanks.

(... no big surprise to anyone who knows me.)

I've completed another One Skein Wonder for the jeweler-belly button ring maker-friend-who-is-pregnant in ... hold your breath ... Noro Kochoran, which possibly means Yarn of the Gods in Japanese.  (Versus Kureyon, which is the Japanese pronunciation for crayon.)  No FO Report, because I'm on the heels of another one in another colorway of Noro Kochoran.  I figured I might as well FO them at the same time.

(The knitting pals who were at my house last week are reading this and saying, "But you should really sell it, like you said you needed to, Jenifer."  My response: "Noro addicts like myself don't always understand reason."  But I promise that I'll sell some soon and let you all know about it in case you want in on the action.)

Can I share, however, that Noro Kochoran is the perfect skein for the One Skein Wonder ... plenty of yardage ... not too expensive ... did I mention Yarn of the Gods?

Back to my indecisiveness. 

I can't decide on a new blog name, and this is the week to do it.  Do you want to help me?  Here are the choices:

#1:
J is for Junkie
(yarn junkie, that is.)

This was mostly my idea, though someone's comment pointed me in this direction.  I just like it ... it has a cute name, my initial (of course), it accurately describes my yarn junkieness... and it sort of reminds me of "Bond, James Bond," for some reason.  For the banner, I think that I'd either knit up a little banner of J's or something like that, or some other "J" inspired knitted something.  Maybe spell out J and Junkie with yarn.  This idea definitely lends itself to a button, as well.

#2:
alpaca skein and wool knit

This was the Big Sweetie's contribution. Isn't he so clever??  I love it because he contributed it, and because it's so darn clever.  Really, much more clever than my ideas (reference idea #1).  I can't really think of an adequate subtitle here.  For the banner, I'd maybe show me, or a silhouette of me, tiptoeing across with a suitcase.  I don't know why, but that just cracks me up, and it sort of reminds me of carrying enormous bags of stuff to knitting friends' homes to knit.  A button?  Maybe not as easy to make ... I guess my nickname would become "alpaca skein", which is odd but also okay. 

#3:
Zen and the Art of Stash Maintenance

This was the Big Sweetie's contribution as well.  Again, isn't he so clever? I'm not sure if I'd say "Stash" or "Yarn Stash".  However, I love it because it really accurately describes the state of my stash in my house ... I'm always moving it from here to there, always trying to whittle it down, always figuring out where to put it next.  Leave it all out, or hide it away?  Use it all up, or buy more? (The latter generally wins out here.)  Plus, I love the Zen reference here.  And of course the take-off of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is great.  I can't think of an adequate subtitle here, unless I did another take-off on "An Inquiry into Values," (the original subtitle) for something like "An Inquiry into Addictions/yarn sales/ the mind of a knitter." Any ideas there?  The Banner?  Not so sure either.  All that I can think of is the very uncreative idea of a big pile of yarn, or yarn in a basket ... Hmmm.  And then for a button ... who would I become, Ms. Zen?   But I do love the title.

#4
The Adventures of a Knitter Errant
(En un lugar en la manga...)

This is an honorary mention, as I've already decided that it's too obscure, too masculine, too specific for me, but it's a great idea and it deserves its few lines of print here.  This is obviously a take-off on Don Quijote, the knight errant of La Mancha, who zanily goes around completely obsessed with his own reality and subjecting others' reality to his own.    Most people familiar with Spanish know that the first line of the Quijote is "En un lugar en la Mancha ..." or "In a place in the Mancha ..." .  Urraca suggested the substitutuion of "la manga", and I think it's brilliant, as "la manga" means sleeve in Spanish.  Just brilliant.  One could feasibly edit the famous drawing by Picasso of Don Quijote and put in a few knitting needles, possibly a sweater, and a trailing ball of yarn.  Just an idea if anyone wants to steal it. 


So, that's that.  Any ideas?  Let's see if I can make a poll work here:





Thanks!