Back Burner

Not a whole lot of knitting to speak of, or a whole lot of anything 'hobby-ish' for that matter. I have been taking care of my hubby since he hurt his knee last week. He can't drive, so I am the taxi to and from work (this cuts a lot of time out of my knitting, yoga....).
I have two projects in process right now

1. a small bowl to be felted
2. a flower face cloth

and Hubby said that if I am knitting, then he will too- so I better get going or he will never have a hat.

I have to get some things together for the craft fair I signed up for- I think that a large majority of things I will sell will be photographs... I have SO many. and with my new digi cam I can't stop taking pictures!

BelmontClouds

BelmontClouds
Originally uploaded by NessieNoodle.

This is what I have to "put up with" living in Nevada... hmmm, I can handle that!

Guess who's knitting now?

Looket' this!
He asked me to teach him how to knit. Could be that he is laid up with a bum knee after crashing his motorcylce this weekend, or it could be that I am putting all my attention there, so maybe there is something to it. Or, maybe he just wants a hat, damn it! What ever the reason, it is really cool, I am excited to teach my And!
- now I just have to watch out for my stash!
Was out on the 'playa' this weekend. Getting stuck in the mud and dressing up like a crazy person while playing croquet on the desert with other fun people. Too much wind to really get any knitting done (although I brought it just in case).
Looking forward to hanging with the Prokrastiknitters tomorrow night. Not much to report, just waiting for my order from KnitPicks to come in, I can hardly wait!

Purse-ute of happiness

Went "saling" on Saturday- that is what my mother and my aunt call it when they go yard/garage sales- I LOVE it. it makes me smile, and it always makes people think that you are doing something much more extravagant then driving around looking at other people's collection of junk. However, I must say, there is fine art to this hobby- and my mother has it down.
I went saling because I was on the hunt for wool sweaters that I can use to create the felted purses that are in the Alterknits book. I had some great luck! I found two pull over vests (I can't think of what you would call these) and one long sleeved sweater- All of which have been felted and are awaiting to be re-cycled into new and useful things. I ran down to the fabric store to somthing funk to line the bags with and found some really fun stuff.

I did a bit of knitting on Friday night after work. Those orange slippers were altered into a sweet little purse, (PDA case from the Alterknits book)- I used Araucania Chunky yarn and 101/2 circs. I altered the pattern and worked it in the round- that way I only had to close on seam at the bottom instead of two on the sides. I don't have a lot of friend who have pda's, but they will be perfect for holding those little items like your idea, ATM and cell phone while out and about. The chunky felted up really well and it has a great texture to it. This yarn has a wonderful color pre and post felt- I likey!














Other items purchased while saling ---
Gnomes (I have a thing about these little creatures)
Books- The nursery rhymes book was my ABSOLUTE favorite when I was little. My mom and I had a great laugh reading thru it- she warned me about reading a book like this in order every time, I stared to memorize the rhymes and would throw a FIT when my mom would try to skip over any of the them. I knew when she was trying to get out of reading me the whole book for the umteenth million time. :)

B is for...

1. Blisters
   Books
   Babies
   Bright Orange
   Boredom
   ----------
   Blisters, Ouch, what happened here? I can hike for 15 miles with a 25 lbs on my back and not get a blister and then I go for a short morning walk with one of the ChIPs (Chicks In Planning) and I am in some sorta pain~ wowzers what shoes will I be able to wear?
   
   The white-ish areas (okay, this is gross!) is the blister- ACK! - should there be a rule that there will be no foot picture postings? I promise, no more. but that right foot blister is the size of a quarter-
   
   Books! OMG I am so excited. I looked thru the new AlterKnits book at the ProcrastiKnitters gathering on Monday night and HAD, hAd, HaD to have this book! I couldn't wait. I also got the "Zen and Art of Knitting" since I am very interested in the connection between meditation/yoga/art/knitting/creativity.
   I also bought the very wonderful book to put in a package, which leads me to my next B word...
   -- Babies babies and more babies- I am about ready to send of a care package to Min-e-shoot-A. (I know this was supposed to happen a like a week ago, but it hasn't and well, look at it as building up the anticipation.)
   Count them, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 friends are prego right now. WOW don't drink the water or order the Snickers Milk Shake from Duex Gros Neux (if you are getting the milkshake, you aren't getttin' the beer, and that my dear, means a little one is near.)
   I have some knitting to do in order to keep all those sweet little toes and noggins warm.
   --Bright Orange slippers- I am having a heck of a time with these slippers. I can't seem to get the heal to turn. I haven't ever done socks, but I have done baby booties, so I thought I wouldn't have any trouble with them... I guess I just have to keep at it. ripit, ripit, until it right.
   -- BOREDOM, thank god for all of the above Or else I would have fallen out of my seat at work today- (okay, maybe not the blister part, but the walking that gave the blisters cures boredom right?)
   I am going nuts. Who decided I was going to be a map-monkey anyhow? and for that matter, who decide that I was going to be a demographer of sorts- this SO goes against all that I thought I was. Playing with excel spreadsheets all day isn't what I had in mind- I went to school to be a geographer, not an accountant-*sigh*.
   BUT, I can't complain unless I am going to fix it- So here is my list of things to do:
   1. Finish Yoga Teacher Training questionnaire and hand in application to Yoga Loka by next Monday.
   2. Print out, sign, and mail off the application for Plumas County job. (Maybe it is another GIS job, but at least it would mix things up a bit, including a possible move to a sleepy little town).
   3. Continue knitting-
   --
   oh one more B- BLOGGING... My husband is jealous, he wants his computer, I mean his WIFE back, damn it! hee hee.

Dreamin' in color

Okay- so I must be loosing it. I have been dreaming about knitting for the past two nights! First night I made some HIDEOUS reversible sweater with pastel colors and teal on the inside... Not sure what that was about. Last night I woke up thinking about baby hats and felted cell phone/I-Pod cozies, and what I am going to do with the FMB that is a bit to small for "marketing" with. Dreaming about knitting is about all I have been able to do in the past few days.

It must be an orange morning- Here are two of my favorite orange things right now....

Just for some color here is a picture of the slippers I am working on that will be felted.














And just because I haven't posted one of my cats yet... I will introduce Lester Lewis. He spends most of his time terrorizing the local bird population and keeping the mice out of our shed. He loves early morning snuggle sessions and likes to help my type and keep his butt warm by sitting on the computer monitor.

Three days missing..

WOW! What an amazing weekend. Other than a bit of drama (mostly involving pets and one grouchy friend) our backpacking trip went really well. The weather was cold, cold, cold, but we still had a great time and there is just something to be said about going to a place you can't get to in a car. Boy, did that burger and beer taste yummy when we got back into South Lake Tahoe.

How does knitting fit into this? Well, other than wearing my knitted goods, (first hat and my fancy hand's fingerless gloves) it doesn't- no knitting to be had almost all weekend. Except last night I did start some slippers that will be felted. Orange!

Here are a few pictures of our adventure~ To check out more pictures go here.

Happy campers-Andy & I getting ready to set out for day two. (look I am wearing my homemade hat and fingerless gloves...See knitting makes everything better)

These two pictures are of Fallen Leaf Lake (foreground) and in the distance South Lake Tahoe~

















This is Lake Aloha, or what is left of it... We were really surprised at how low the lake level was. It is a pretty bizarre landscape. Really windblown and barren- just scraped clean from the glacier that moved through. (and all that damn wind that whips through in the night- I though we were going to blow away a few times! burrr~

Desolation Felting...

My bag is ready for the washer- Damn it work gets in the way of everything crafty. I taught myself the kitchener stitch, or what I think is the kitchener stitch, last night. I finished 'fusing' the handles together this morning before I left for yoga... I don't sew. I am hoping that felting will be forgiving. Tonight I will post a picture once the bag comes out of the washer. I am a bit nervous since I have a front load, but I am sure it will be fine. I can't WAIT!


-- Here it is! yippeee....

its a bag, its a helmet, its a bag

Here is how the post felt stars turned out- I am happy with the look. I am also really happy with the way the yarn color came out on the bottome-purdy purple, of course it still has to dry.
For this project I used the French Market bag from Knitty.com and Araucania worsted.
----
The ProcrastiKnitters (this is my SnB gang) are thinking about participating in a local craft fair this fall. So I need to pick out a project that I can make multiples of and that will knit up fast. Any ideas? I am thinking hats, and maybe some change purses, maybe a few felted items... hmm .

I will be heading out of town for a three day weekend. A gang of us will be hiking up in to Lake Aloha in desolation wilderness near So. Lake Tahoe/Fallen Leaf Lake. Let's hope the weather holds and it isn't wet and soggy- or freezing! What's with the weather all the sudden- ug
(I did not take this picture- found it on the web. I will post my own after I return).

Mutants and Fancy Hands

Check out this CRAZY mutant sunflower that is in our front yard.. I thought it was appropriate, because it looks like a Mardi Gras mask. Mother Nature is sending subliminal messages... thoughts to everyone down in New Orleans..














So I had the day to just hang out- I didn't do a darn thing, except for make these....
I am thinking about putting "lids" on them so they can be mittens.
I got the pattern out of the book "Weekend Knits". I bought the yarn at La Bussola, but they are getting it from here.
I love the colors, but the yarn started to dye my bamboo needles, ug!

He works hard for the money...

Okay, it is 9am on Saturday morning- and it is Labor Day weekend. WHERE IS MY HUBBY?? & why am I on the computer again. I will tell you why. Even in Reno, we are feeling the effects of Katrina. I am very proud to say that my man is helping to map the flood devastation in order to help in the relief efforts. His office is based out of Jackson, MS so they have been asked to assist. It feels good to know that he is helping--- so here I am. Posting.
After this I am headed to the Yoga Shack to exercise my demons... But first
Check out this SUPER cute baby hat --
It is for a new Lil Gnome! that is on the way
I am just about to put in the mail for my dear friends Amanda and Erin







( they are the ones all gussied up in their wedding duds. )

Polar Navel

Polar Navel
I finished this hat in 2 1/2 hours! my needles were smokin' people! The top of this hat looks like a belly button- purdy cute. I am on a purple and green kick if you didn't notice. I used the Rowan Polar (or maybe it was the Cotton Wool?? what ever it was it is verrrry soft~
Thanks to Candace for adapting the pattern for circs~

9 1/2 Stars

So here it is- my FMB.... without handles- prefelt. I add a bit of my own color to the original pattern I found on knitty.com and I am really happy with the way it came out. Now I just need to get the handles finished and throw this baby in the washer~
I am calling it the 91/2 stars FMB because I didn't do the math right and I only got 1/2 a star at the very end of the round.... Such is life... Here are a few more pictures, for perspective and for detail...
9 and 1/2 stars FMB Prefelt