where one krazy knitter spins her yarns....

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

to infinity and beyond....







What Kind of Knitter Are You?




You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer. You are through those knitting growing pains and feeling more adventurous. You can follow a standard pattern if it's not too complicated and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've started to experiment with different fibers and you might be eyeing a book with a cool technique you've never tried. Perhaps you prefer to stick to other people's patterns but you are trying to challenge yourself more. Regardless of your preference, you are continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as well you should since your non-knitting friends are probably dropping some serious hints, these days.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!








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Monday, November 27, 2006

Goodbye Goldie 2

Oh how I will miss you.
I am so glad that we shared so many wonderful moments.
We were so happy.
You were so beautiful, so warm, so cozy.
Why were we torn apart so soon?
I thought that we would be together forever.
Why me? Why us? Why were you taken away from me so suddenly?
No ransom note, no phone call, no idea where you might be.
The world can be such a cruel place and humans can be such assholes.
Tears well up each time I think of you.
Even though the bar was hot, I should have never taken you off.
I should have never put you in my purse.
I thought you would be safe there, with my keys, my wallet, my elvis tissue holder, my lip gloss, my eyelash curler, my glasses.
But it seems that nothing is sacred in this nasty, crooked city.
Wherever you are, Goldie 2, I hope that you are unharmed.
Only time will heal the wounds of heartbreak.
I will never forget you, Goldie 2.
I will cherish you in my heart forever.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Mermaid Mishka and Keyhole Dreads

Mishka needed something woolly. She had recently moved to a groovy new pad and her sweater was still packed away in some gosh-dang box! Then, late one night the Woolly Bully wouldn't stop whispering my name. It teased me from the yarn kitty piling up in the corner. "No", the Unfinished Holiday Projects meowed. "Nooooooooo...!" But I caved. I gave in. I had to. Mishka needed warmth, gashdanggit, and it was startin' to get a-chill outside. I grabbed my 12mm needles and cast on! The yarn was so humongously sweet! And the needles, super-sized! Mishka abso-loved it! The Mermaid Mishka Woolly Jumper. Mishka gladly squeezed us into her schedule for a photo shoot at one of her favorite haunts, The Local Park...

Mishka

And here's Mishka's BFF with a matching accessory. Keyhole Dreads Bully Scarf...

Gili

The gals beam in their Woolly Boolly goodness.
waiting for Oscar


A wonderful day for walk...

looking for Oscar

Thanks to Jaquie and Sophie for the hunka hunka -- gargantuan yarn!

Oscar?!


Pattern(s)

materials for both pieces:
1 skien of Woolly Bully Estelle
1 pair of 10-12mm needles
cat(s) or dog(s)

Mermaid Mishka Woolly Jumper
CO 15sts
Knit
K1, M1, K to last 2 sts, M1, K1
repeat these two rows

K as may rows as is required for the lower part of the dog's little back. measure it on your cat (or dog if you have the dog with you) to get an idea of how it's going.
Keep K-ing until you've reached where the legs are gonna slip through. Again, use your cat/dog for gauge.
K5, BO5, K to the last 10sts, BO5, K5
K for 3 rows or so...depending on the length of the dog's neck.
Before decreasing for collar, P one row (this should make the collar flip)

start decreasing:
K2tog, K to last 2sts, SSK
K
repeat these 2 rows until you have 15sts again (or as long as you want the collar to be for the dog's neck).

Finishing:
Seam up the belly.
Add dreads thoughout, like you would add fringes to a scarf!
Note from Mishka: Dreads around the collar, ones that may dangle near her face, may make her want to bite them off.

Keyhole Dreads Bully Scarf
CO 15sts
Knit until it measures about 22"
make keyhole:
K5, BO5, K5
K5, CO5, K5
Knit until you can wrap it around your neck and put the opposite end into the keyhole. Be careful not to poke anything with the needle that is still attached to the yarn around your neck.
BO
Slip it on and take a poochie for a stroll!

Pattern Note: both patterns are approximates -- make them your own!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Fearless Urban Mood

Injecting the masses with a revitalizing cocktail of hard rock, steamin' soul and heavy hip hop, Easy Way Out hits Clinton's this Friday November 24th for their eagerly anticipated inaugural gig. Da boyz will be kickin' it new school, while debuting their powerful, in-yo-face, 4-song EP. They are smokin'!

All proceeds raised will go towards a full length album.
pssst.... check out of few mighty tunes here.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Putos

A funny thing happened to me on the way to Jacquie's Knit-togetha last night...

The subway platform at Bloor was packed. I found an empty bench, put down my bag and began to knit. Across from me, a Filipino woman had also put down her bag, but instead of knitting, she had a bag full of Filipino yummies. She was selling them to support the children in the Philippines. I asked what they were and she told me they were Putos. I couldn't help but giggle and tell her that Putos in Spanish is a bad word. She told me to call them filipino muffins instead and that they would go very well with coffee. Ok. And as we chatted waiting for the train, every now and then she would say something in her native tongue. I guess she musta bin saying "Putos, get your putos here!"...the funny part? Well, in spanish puto(s) can mean a variety things, ie fag, queer, f*ck (the adjective). "Fags/queers! Get your effen fags and queers here!" I just couldn’t resist -- I bought two helpings of Putos and got on the effen train!

Sunday, November 12, 2006

a few FOs -- In no particular order...

Here are a few pieces that have recently come off the needles and deserve a little show....

First off -- the drinking knitter's dream! Not that I'm a big drinker by any means! *hick!* But this pattern is truely brainless, and the outcome is simply gorgeous. Having done three this year, it's time for a Goldie break. So glad that Mami loved it! And it "goes" with just about everything she owns.

Mami in Goldie III
Fleece Artist Triangle Shawl in Goldiliocks Piñata


Here's the wonderfully cocky Kassidy in her Silk Sleeves from One Skein. I couldn't decide which picture I liked best! They were all awesome! I had to post at least two!

Please, Titi, can i have some more?


Cool chick gets funk-eh!

Not only do I have a "thing" for yarn and knitting, I also have bead attacks every now and then. I've taken to making these slinky-like bracelets. Beads and memory wire make great gifts! Here's one for my SIL, Tracey, along with her Noro Kureyon Arm Warmers. Happy B-day!

Warm wrists, warm heart

And last, but definitely not least...Carolina in her Lion and Lamb Mixed Berries Clap-o-Cap and warmers. In celebration of Carolyn's b-day we had a delicious dinner and much needed girlie gabfest. You go, G!

Stand back, beeaitches!

A special shout out to Sophie for the Silk Sleeve pattern and Jen for jumping in and knitting a few for the Goldie while I was madly working on my clap. Knit on, sisters!

Friday, November 10, 2006

Life, Truth and Love

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8a
(Paul's Ode to Love)

El amor es paciente, el amor es bueno.
Love is patient, love is kind;

El amor no es celoso, no se jacta, no es orgulloso, no es grosero.
Love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude.

Él amor no es egoísta, él no se encoleriza fácilmente,
él no guarda ningún expediente de males.

Love does not insist on its own way; it is not
irritable or resentful;

el amor no se encanta en lo mal sino rejoices con la verdad
it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the truth.

El amor lleva todas las cos, cree todo, espera todo, aguanta todo.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things.

El amor nunca falla.
Love never ends...

Abuelita Aida Flores
February 15, 1918 - November 10, 2005

Monday, November 06, 2006

High Tea

A wonderful way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. Meeting friends over at the Knit Café for High Tea, scrumptious knibbles and needleful knitting. The tea was a delicious blend of lemon and robious and the knibbles! mon dieu! Stuff I didn't even know existed and all of it -- delicious! I can't even begin to explain...please go and enjoy!

I brought a few projects with me: jay's socks of love (I'm just starting the toe of sock 2 - woohoo!); a Hand Maiden scarf kit and these mittens I'd been working on for a g-friend of mine. I thought I would lose my mind when on Saturday, aboard the GO train to Oshawa, I realized that I hadn't packed the pattern! barf! I trudged on and decided I had no choice but to take a break (aka nap). In Oshawa I would be able to surf, find and print. Thanks Frayed at the Edges! thanks mom and dad! But them dang mitts just didn't want to play along. The yarn & needles were not what the pattern called for and my calculations to accomodate didn't seem to work out...so sad...

Evil glint from no good mittens

But glad to see so many gnarly knitters out, chatting, sipping and knitting away. We sat at the table by the window and often felt like monkeys in a zoo. Passersby would stop and stare. Some would even wave and take photographs. One fine gentlemen could not contain himself and poked his head in to tell us how terrific we are all were. What a remarkable site! Kinda like Sully...

Sully shows it off!

Sully blew us all away with her original designs. Gorgeous hats and scarves and sweaters and slippers. "no pattern. copy if you like"...here she is in one of her original cardigans and skirts.

Earlier that day Sophie and Jaquie had explored yarn fantasy land (smiles! everyone smiles!) and came away with some woolly bargain booty, surprising Mel and I with yarny garland goodness that we wore around our necks! When I got home later that day I wondered what it would be like to wake Jay from his post rock n' roll rehearsal slumber with...

gwaaat???

a wacky yarn full o' Woolly Bully in 256. Thanks ladies, I hope to make you proud with my project(s)! I can't wait!

Oh! and I picked up a precious pair of pink-felted-ends 4.5mm. ( I just couldn't resist!) The mittens will be gifted after all...

Bad Mitt Gone Good