bracing for the storm(s)

The news channels are predicting a big wave of intense weather here. Starting tomorrow afternoon through Sunday, three storms will hit. The San Francisco Bay Area will get 4-8" of rain, the larger number to be seen in North Bay (that would be me).

Well, at least I will get to wear me my cute rain boots.



Okay, rain boot.

I mean, I'll get to wear it that is, provided I even leave the house. Aside from running a few errands with my folks tomorrow morning before the storms roll in, I think the only thing I really have to go out for over the whole weekend is to teach bellydance class Thursday night. Since today is supposed to be dry, it seems like a good idea to stock the pantry and pick up a few movies for the weekend, so that is my plan for the day.

The storm surge on Friday is expected to come with strong winds of 50-75 mph. I'm hoping this round of wind won't have me dodging a frisbee the size of a trampoline.



I took that shot this past Saturday, when the winds were blowing less than half of what are predicted for this weekend. The trampoline didn't blow down, it blew vertical.

If you're new to the blog, that is my UpOnTheHillAboveMeNeighbor. His trampoline is perched somewhat precariously even when it is set up where he likes it. I have seen it blown down three times since moving here this summer. Clearly I am endessly entertained by shooting photos of it (although I am coming to realize that documenting this for insurance purposes may not be such a bad idea).

Speaking of trampolines....here's a little giggle.
Guess what I bought for myself a couple of weeks ago:



A mini trampoline!
Maybe I had trampoline envy.

When I went to that Raw Foods Detox workshop a few weeks ago, the facilitator had one at her house, so during a break I asked if I could give it a try. I really got a kick out of it because it made me feel 5. I couldn't believe I actually managed jumping on it without breaking my neck, quite frankly. But I did it! I rebounded one-legged style, and I just placed a crutch on either side for support. The FacilitatorLady also showed me how she sometimes bounces on it in a sitting position, too...and sure enough...the video that came with the trampoline shows how to do a little seated routine that engages abdominal muscles.

When I bought mine, I also purchased the additional support bar.



No, that is not me. Not yet, at least ;-)

Sadly, even though my model of rebounder will fold in half if I want it to, the stabilizer bar makes it harder to fold the unit up and put away as you have to completely detach it from the frame to do so. For now I am going to use the crutches until I feel that I need the stability of the bar. Or maybe I'll reattach it when I want to try jumping and bouncing and waving my arms around like some crazy aerobics lady or something. Until then, I'll just stick to bouncing and giggling and feeling 5.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


new for 2008 kids:
my comments to your comments will be found in the comments

365 bottles of beer on the wall...365 bottles of beeeeeer...

...except that is a leap year...so that makes 366 bottles of beer....except that NoBloPoYearMo isn't including the leap day as required posting...sooooooo....that means only 365 posts, buuuuut...

gimme another beer anyhow???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Here at the HouseOfAmpuT, you do not get your end of year wrap-up before the end of year. Ohhh no, no, no.
Day late, dollar short.
That's the motto here kids.

2007 was a year of massive transition and change for me.

* The lawsuit was settled.
* I purged and purged and purged mountains of crapola out of a house I had lived in for 9 years without ever purging.
* I bought a new house and moved.
* I decorated the new house with many new things, including (for the first time in my life) color on the walls.
* I resumed dancing and performing with Dandelion Dancetheater.
* I created a new bellydance solo that, for the first time in a long while, did not rely on my use facial expression to communicate the intention of the piece (I did this by way of wearing a mask).
* I turned 40.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


And now, for my own entertainment, I shall do as I have done before:
Here is the first line of the first blogpost of each month.

January
I've been trying to do up a post about New Year's Eve, and not only can I not get my shit together mentally, but I can't get it looking good either.

February
I don't know about you, but I'm sitting here trying to figure out where the hell January went.

March
The accident will always be a life defining moment.

April
I've come to understand something.

May
The new laptop.

June
Today I drove down to TheMostImportantGuy's work and took him out for a birthday lunch.

July
Moving day is (finally) here.

August
I can't even tell you how many times I have tried to post something and then been sidetracked by the whispers of items still in boxes....you misssss me...unpaaaaack me......you neeeeeeed me.....

September
Did any of you catch this one?

October
Boo! D'ya miss me???

November
I'm not sure if I've ever written about this here before.

December
Happy Channukah, for those who celebrate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


(1 down, 364 to go)

dare me.

Sorry I haven't been here for awhile.

I have been saving myself for this:



Kind of like November.
TIMES 12.

This oughta get interesting.
Or something.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Happy New Year, gang!

pardon the (photo) pun

There may be free highspeed internet at the Disneyland hotel, but there has been no time to use it.


The weather has been rainy and cold (literally)...


...but we are still having a blast.



Oh, lookie. A built in pun.



Having once lived in a house with mice problems (old house--let us all knock on wood for there to be no mousies at the new house), AND having spent at least one or two New Year's Eve's Past home all alone....

I would never wish you either of these things.

I would especially never wish you a year full of anything that sounded like doo-dy.

please pardon if i am missing for a week or so, but....

....I am on vacation with MyFavoriteKid.



I know it's a minor detail, but the fact that the Happiest Place On Earth has free high-speed internet access makes me pretty darn.....well.....HAPPY.

fuzzy feet

TheMostImportantGuy's FuzzyFeet

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted...colors m-08 Wild Oak, and m-140 Aran for the cuff

Needles: US #10-1/2's dpns, Crystal Palace (bamboo)

Pattern: Fuzzy Feet by Theresa Vinson Stenerson

Modifications:
* I did not use a circular needle, only dpn's.
* Taking Mouse's advice, I made a longer cuff (hence using 2 colors--to make sure I had enough yarn). I did 25 rows for the cuff, 23 of them in the contrasting color, switching to do the last 2 of those rows in the main color before beginning the heel flap.
* At that point, I got all confused about the moving the marker issue, and just tossed the pattern and knit my standard sock recipe.
* I picked up two extra stitches at the gusset to avoid a hole (ala Charlene Schurch), and once the gusset decreases were complete, I knit 17 rows to match the length of his foot.
* For the toe, I had done the suggested toe decreases and the sock looked very pointy! I mean look!

too pointy!! good for elves, maybe??

TheMIG's feet are more rounded , so it seemed to make sense to change that. I decreased every other row until I got to 6 stitches on each needle, then decreased every row until there were 4 on each needle (total of 16 stitches).

Started: 11/23

Finished (knitting): 11/29

Felted: 12/11 (what a slacker I am)

On Ravelry: here

Notes: I really enjoyed making these, but I'm waiting for more feedback from TheMIG about how he likes wearing them. It seemed like they might make for sweaty feet perhaps? (ewww) If all is well, I will be making more for...well... probably everyone LOL. It was an affordable, quick project (I know it took me a few days to knit up, but with the holidays, I was barely working on it. I am sure I could do a pair in a day or two, tops). All in all, a very satisfying knit ;-)

MyFavoriteKid has asked for a pair with flames on the sides. Now I have to figure out how to do that. I'm thinking needle felting. I just ordered a bag plant dyed fiber from Simmy.

this girl gets a few moments of alone time

MyFavoriteKid & TheMostImportantGuy

Tonight's Channukah gift was a hit.
It seems GuitarHero may possess the power to unite all Boys.

a first real menorah

Happy Channukah, for those who celebrate. Today is the first full "day", but that means festivities started last night at sundown.

Dinner was at my house last night, and it was a great time. It was myself, MyFavoriteKid, TheMostImportantGuy, my mom, my dad, and their neighbor friend Helen, whom I absolutely adore. I think she told me that she is pushing 70, but if that is true, you'd never guess it. She's always out running around, has lots of social engagements, she exercises several times a week, is going to start going to start pilates next month, she bought herself a newer VW Bug, and she has a mouth on her.
I hope I'm like her when I grow up.

For the gift giving portion of the evening, my mom had this idea for all of us to pick names out of hat for a Secret....hmmmm...what do you call a Secret Santa gift exchange when it is Channukah?....
(have at it, Rabbitch)

Anyhow, we had an anonymous gift exchange.

There was one caveat: your gift had to come from the Dollar Store.
What a hoot.

Helen was my recipient, and I got her a big pink and yellow flower magnet for her to stick on her Bug. Teehee. It seemed to suit her. I was really looking for a tiara, though. I was thinking she'd look great in one, but the dollar store let me down. I only saw princess slippers and boas.

When it came time to open the gifts, we were supposed to somehow make a game out of it by guessing who gifted us. That didn't work out too well because a good portion of us are blabbermouths. Including me. In the case of MyFK, he was pegged instantly. He has no poker-face. As his mom, I love that. I allllllways know when he's pulling my leg.

So, back to the dinner. It was fun and yummy, and it feels so great to have a house I want to and can entertain in (functionally). It's the best. I made a couple of roasted chickens (ala Ina Garten), some green beans with shallots, and a salad with a homemade red bell pepper dressing I learned to make at the workshop I went to this weekend. My mom made potato latkes. MyFK made up the dessert trays (yes, plural) and he also set a stunning table. I am pissed I didn't get a picture of it. It was gorgeous. I think he's been reading my Martha Stewart books when he's on the can or something.

I did get a picture of the new menorah, though.

the new menorah, post party & the first night's lighting

This is my first real menorah, and I love it. Up until now I have used an electric one, just like this. Functional yes (especially with pets and when MyFK was younger--he could light it himself), but this new one with the real candles looks so much more pretty. And not plastic. It represents the Tree Of Life. I hope it becomes an heirloom.


Sunset is just about here again, so it is time to light another candle!

done.

filched from subsersivecrossstich, with permission to do so found here

This blog was plenty dry during the months leading up to November. Moving and performing and avoiding people and all....but daily posting has really gotten me reconnected to my blog, and I am glad for that.

I hereby promise to myself to post more frequently.

But maybe not this weekend. For starters, I have some serious ChannukahElfing to do around here (ummm, it starts like TUESDAY).

I am also going to be at a weekend long workshop about RawFoods and cleansing.

In between those two full day sessions, I will be sneaking in a date with TheMostImportantGuy to see "No Country For Old Men". He saw it a week or so ago and immediately wanted to go see it again, but he waited for me to be available (thank You).

So I'll either be wrapping gifties, staring at the silver screen, or splitting open coconuts and juicing wheatgrass all weekend. And when I'm not doing that, I'll be sneaking in special moments privately sniffing and fondling (and hopefully knitting) these:

dos Malabrigos
lace--28 blue surf...worsted--52 Paris night
3 skeins of each

Now who would let posting get in the way of that??

Malabrigo is (yarn) crack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for stopping by this month!

are we there yet??

Actually, I've been wondering if "we there yet" every single day since NaBloPoMo began.
Two.
More.
Posts.
Gah!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today my BloMoAss has been saved by the assistance of the mailman and another NaBloBlogger, OutOfCharacter. I strongly encourage you to give this chick a read. I can't eat or drink when I read her posts because if I do, I either choke or blow food out of my nose because I am laughing so hard. Go over there and read her entire month of November. You won't be bored. I promise you. You will love me for it.

Well, the ErinTheBlogMistress is also a little crafty. She has a etsy shop full of sock zombies.

The first one I ordered I THINK was this guy/girl/thing??):



The reason I'm not sure if this is the actual zombie I ordered, is because "It" was with me for only about 22 seconds. See, I had ordered "It" for myself. "It" arrived by post the same day as Hamish, who was called forth from the internets to go cheer up J, who has been in the hospital for a very loooong time.

While I was packing Hamish and the other assorted goodies into the gift bag for J, "It" jumped in. And when "It" got to the hospital, "It" jumped onto her lap, and she laughed and rubbed "It's" tummy.
Love, it was.
They were meant for each other, I tell ya'.

So I ordered another zombie for myself.

This new zombie arrived today, and the moment "ItSquared" popped out of the package, MyFavoriteKid yelled, "Ian!!!"


me: "Ian???!?!?"
MyFK: "Yeah! Ian!!!!! Ian loves me!!"
me: "Nuh uhhhhhh. Ian is MINE. Mine MINE MINE!" (this girl does not share toys well)
MyFK: "NO! He is mine!!! He matches my room!!! He wants to be with ME!!"


Well, ya' got me there. I knew I shoulda ordered the orange one. DANG IT.
Zombie-less again.




As I sit here typing this, MyFK is doing homework at the diningroom table (in otherwords, we are both doing homework), but MyFK just popped up for the third time now to go into his bedroom to check on "It".
Excuse me.
I mean, IAN.

He says Ian is sleeps with his eyes open.

how i woke up this morning

My alarm clock goes off on the weekday mornings to the radio (on the weekends, it doesn't go off at all--YAY!).

The radio is set to KFOG, which is not my favorite radio station for the rest of the day usually, but it IS my all-time favorite channel for waking up to. They are usually playing some sort of mellow "classic" not too oldie, or something new but acoustic, and if it isn't music playing, then they are talking. I have noooo trouble at all being woken from a dream by the smiling deep voice of Dave Morey or the outbursts of laughter coming Renee Richardson. Anything on that channel in the morning sort of eases me into my day and I just sort of listen and wake up slowly. If whatever they are talking about or playing aint workin' for me, I hit snooze a couple of times and wait for the GetYourSlackerAssOutOfBedNOW alarm to go off (the grating beeping thing).

So this morning the radio alarm went off, and the first thing I heard was Dave saying that he was going to play a soundbyte from something he'd found on YouTube. It was from a Disability Awareness event held at Fenway Park.

Being a gimp and all, it peaked my curiosity, so I didn't hit snooze.

As the clip played, I at first got really nervous. Like realllllly nervous. Panic attack nervous, almost. But I hung in there. And I am glad I did. A little further in, I was able to smile.

Here it is.


It was a good way to start my day.

pay it forward

I cannot believe I am getting in a NaBloPoMo post this early in the morning. Dude, I haven't even had my cup o' tea yet.
It's kind of freeing, I tell ya'.
Not as freeing as December 1st will be, but yes. Freeing.

The only reason I have blog fodder this early in the day is because late night blog reading occasionally presents something cool, and this is what I found last night before I hit the sack.

I'd seen this crafty PayItForward thing whizzing around blogland, and I finally decided to bite the hook when I found a way in over at No-Blog-Rachel's blog. (And yes, I just find it damned odd that No-Blog-Rachel actually HAS a blog. I think she needs to be Why-Yes-In-Fact-I-Do-Have-A-Blog-Rachel. Or something.).

Anyhow.

Here's the deal:

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days. That is my promise. The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.


I think this is really cool, and although I believe this round of PIF originated in eh KnitBlogCommunity, and although I love all things knitting and the whole KnitterlyGang out there, what I gift may not be handknit. It might. It might not. Just thought I'd mention that.

I'm kinda feeling crafty these days, and I am thinking this might just be the swift kick in the ass I need to do something different. I welcome anyone out there reading this who can create anything interesting to consider it being "handmade". Why can't a poet or a musician or something be one of the three who sign up. Why not?!!

Goodness, I hope I'm not being an anarchist and breaking the rules by suggesting that (umm yah, I'd just hate to be a rule breaker), but hey...handmade is handmade. So long as it can be gifted away, right??). And of course, knitters be welcome. I'm just sayin'. No one needs to be left out here, eh?



So. Do ya' wanna?

deck the hills

Do any of you buy into the concept that we choose our destinies before we were born? That we draft some sort of karmic contract? That we "sign up" for the stuff life deals us?

If you do, then you believe that I have pre-arranged to have wacked out neighbors....and I just cannot believe I would ever draft that.

Let's see. First, I had this lovely view of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.



Which my neighbor installed a tent in front of.



And he was totally pleased about the fact that it pissed me off. Which it did. Especially when the damn thing proved to be wind and rain proof....

....and even more so when he fixed the tent with duct tape. That was lovely.

So then I move to my new home, and find that I have a neighbor on the hill above me, and he has a trampoline overlooking my yard.


Not as bad as the tent, and I feel ripped off having never seen anyone jumping on it. Unfortunately when it comes to wind and rain, the trampoline doesn't fare as well as the tent, though.

But the owner puts it back up after it blows down, and I do not believe with duct tape, and besides...he doesn't seem to care about my existence, so at least he's not intentionally trying to piss me off with his yard ecoutrement.

I'd say it's an improvement.


Last night I discovered that I now have another new decorative neighbor!! Well, I kind of had a hunch they'd pull something. Let me show you why. Here's the wide angle:



This is my street, and these are my neighbors. Only a sliver of my house is showing. I am that little bit of blue down at the very end of the street, on the right there. Next to the yellow house with the street lamp. Up above my house, you can see TrampolineGuy's crib. Now, I ask you to sort of look at the (sadly) cookie cutter-ness of the hood. It's not my favorite way to live, but as you can see, we do have sort of a theme going on. Now look back up on the hill at the house that is two houses to the left of TrampolineGuy's.

Here. Let me help.
I mean, I think the southern plantation theme is okay I guess. A little odd, but I actually am tickled for them that they're breaking the mold. Even if every time I look at it, it seems a wee bit out of place to me. They host lots of parties and light all of those terraces up, and I can hear people talking and laughing, and I sit out back in my own yard with a glass of wine imagining who's up there. Y'all.

But guess what. The PlantationTerracePartyPeople added a new feature last night! Can you see it??

What about now??



Yes. That would be a four-friggin'-story high Christmas tree-ish light display thing. The windows of the house next to it? That is their 2nd floor.

Again, an improvement. I agree. I'm not bitching. Really. I'll take a festive holiday display over a soggy tent ANY day.

But in my own sick and twisted way, I can't wait to see what the wind and rain are going to do to THIS one ;-)

the home stretch

25 down, 5 to go. Thank goodness, eh?


Well, for those following along, apology accepted. What a relief. I was so very sad. It pains me to no end put distress and displeasure on the face of someone I love so much.

That's actually somewhat new to me, I am sorry to say. Up until I few years ago, I used to be such a button pusher.

I grew up in a family that sort of thrived on chaos and emotional upheaval. I don't expect all relations to be a perfect happy-go-lucky thing, and I don't try to hide strong feelings when I have them (but I would like to learn to present them better). But my family of origin?? They didn't only believe that a little upset was normal--no--they believed that upset and anger and chaos were some of the very things that made life exciting and vibrant. I remember as a kid being stressed by situations and be told, "Awww, c'mon!! Wouldn't life be BORING without shit happening??" (okay, they didn't say shit...but you get the gist).

It's taken me a very long time to get it through my thick skull that I do not have (or want to have) that belief system, and that just because it is the belief system I grew up in, it is not mine. I actually really LIKE an anger free environment, thank you very much. But I have more practice with chaotic environments than I do with calm ones, so sometimes I fuck up and make a mess out just out of habit.


Anyhow, all is quiet on the western front again here, and handknitted warmth for him still comes from my hands.

fuzzy feet #2, in progress

(ed. to add: Ya' know, I just tucked myself into bed to knit the last of this second slipper, and was thinking about this post. I do not want to give the impression that my folks suck ass. They do not. Chaos still happens (their motto of it being exciting sure hasn't changed any), but it is less frequent, and in spite of it, I just love them bunches. I see my parents at least twice a week, and wouldn't exchange it for anything. The time with them is very special to me, and I am so glad I have such a close relationship with them. HOWEVER, that family chaos that I mentioned above??...that was real...and it was during my formative years. It therefore made a huge and lasting impression on me. Does that make sense? I hope so. 'Cuz I want it to be clear that I learned some things during that era that I want to unlearn, but all of my experience makes me who I am today, and today I am person who loves her family and appreciates every moment she has with them. And I'm not just saying that so they'll bail me out the next time I blow up my oven).

apology

I sit here feeling like I need to say more than I'm sorry....
but I am no good with words.

Instead, I try knitting you something, to make you warm.

Still....

Feeling like my own apologetic words are not enough...
Feeling like warmth coming from my hands is not enough...

I turn to the all knowing internets.
Surely someone else has written a powerful sentiment that rings true,
and I shall offer that!!

In my quest for the perfect apology, I end up here...
and I laugh at myself.
And feel a little better.

I decide that offering the laugh is a better choice than someone else's words.
If that doesn't work, maybe I'll try the mature glamour stockings, or perhaps some black ghetto booty.



Really, though. I know that an apology is not enough, and that what really You require is my understanding.
I DO understand. And I am sorry.

nablomis interruptis

Once again, it's just before midnight and I've realized that I have yet to post today. It's 11:36pm, and I cannot be bothered with NaBloPoMo tonight because TheMostImportantGuy's cousin and her hubby are visiting tonight, and we're busy getting her knitting her very first socks!!!



She's a relatively new knitter and has done scarves and hats. When she got here tonight, I had a gift bag waiting for her with a set of sock needles and a ball of self-striping yarn. I showed her how to turn a heel and pick up gusset stitches on the pair of FuzzyFeet I am working on.

We are having a blast. It's almost midnight and we are all sitting around in the living room together right now. The boys are talking about all things business and computer and geeky....and meanwhile, us girls are knitting away. GirlCousinTurnedSockKnitter will occasionally whisper, "Blue!!"...."Yellow!" She is totally entranced with the color changes, and it's totally cracking me up.


I swear I'll try to get in a non-last-minute-post before the weekend is over!!!

on being thankful

(why yes, it sure as hell does)

You know, I didn't have my usual Ooey-Gooey-I-Am-Feeling-Thankful-Emo-Thing this year. Usually I have at least one of those moments when this day rolls around. Pass me the tissues.

This year was different, I think, because for the past several months, at some point every single morning, I take a minute or two and count my blessings. If I'm not up for counting them all, I try to at least think of just one and focus on that, and experience gratitude. It's been a really wonderful practice, and reflecting in this way seems to take away the desire to steep in it annually.


I hope (for those celebrating or not) that it was a wonderful day....and I hope for every day to be as wonderful.

squeechin in at the last minute

Yes. I was doing the Yay!-I'm-going-to-bed dance, going around the house and turning off all the lights. I'm allllll ready for cozy time and making an indent in my memory foam pillow.
But NOoooooooo.....I forgot to post today. So here I am, and it's almost midnight.

Was NaBloPoMo this hard last year?
Is it different this year because the dinner is at my house and guests are coming to stay for the weekend?

I ask myself these questions, and many others....and in fact, here ARE the other questions I found me asking myself today, because I actually wrote them all down on a piece of scrap paper, just for you:

Where did my parenting skills go? Did I leave them packed in a box??

Is there a link between feeling like I don't spend as much time with MyFavoriteKid and the fact that my house is generally cleaner?

When did I become a bag washing hippy?? With a BAG DRYER.



I really do not wear about half the clothes in my closet...isn't it time I either wear them or get rid of them?

Why does my 18 year old cat always lay sleeping on the bed with his eyes open?
So my heart can stop at least once a day because I think he's dead?

Why is it that when a part of someone's mind goes, that they don't lose the part that is impatient and rude to people?

Is 11:45am too early to be drinking Baileys on the rocks? (probably)
Is that a sign that something aint quite right in my life? (probably)

Do I really need to follow this knitting pattern or do I know enough by now to just make shit up?

How long will it take my Thanksgiving guests to realize that my plan to potluck it basically got everyone else but me doing the work?




I might have had answers for some of these questions, except that I answered the Baileys question first (with a no and a yes), and after having a couple of those, well.....

I gotta go make dents in pillows. 'Night

the easy way out still counts

Today's hits to the blog from the statscounter:

14.29% dolphin gets tail
14.29% knitting
14.29% dishwasher kiss
14.29% ello john things are getting better,i just bought a brand new sweater
14.29% amputeehee
14.29% amputee crutching
14.29% fireplace bookcase


I can account for every one of these, including the kissing of the dishwasher.
Except that one there in the middle.
What the f%$# is that?????



Sorry for the short post, but I just have had ENOUGH today. Of EVERYTHING.
I am a crabcake.

knitting knews: two-toned ribbed shrug

I have been going through some photos of the last two year's worth of FO's (FinishedObjects, knitting), as I am verrrry slowly adding them to my ravelry page. Seeing what I had knit in '05 and '06 compared to this year's measly haul has been pretty shocking. I haven't knit diddly-squat!!! I mean, I definitely put myself on "knitting restirction" so I could use that time to purge and pack and move and then unpack....and then after that, there were the performances. But still!!! This year has been almost fiberless!! Gah!

I intend to remedy that, starting now...but of course, updating ones ravelry page with all of that previous knitting history, and then getting lost in the mindblowing potential projects section listed over there...that can sort of can keep one away from the ACTUAL KNITTING TIME one might have available to them....
is anyone feeling me here????

Anyhow, here's something to add to my list '07 FO's:


Two-Toned Ribbed Shrug

Yarn: Cascade 220 Paints, color 9928-Dark Sunset, for the body
and Cascade 220, color 8555-black, for the collar and sleeves

Needles: US #7's and #5's, KnitPicks Options

Pattern: Two-Toned Ribbed Shrug, from Stephanie Japel's Fitted Knits

Size: 17" (measurement from shoulder-tip to shoulder-tip)

Modifications: on the sleeves, when I changed to the CC for cuffs, I did 1 row of purl before switching to the rib to eliminate any odd color transition




Started: sometime in September, with the intention of having it done by early October. The plan was for me to use it to keep my shoulders warm at all of the dance rehearsals. Sadly, that didn't happen, even though it was a very simple and quick knit. I got stuck picking up stitches for the collar, as somehow I kept getting the wrong number. I didn't have the attention span for anything more than mindless, so it got set aside until after the run of all the shows. It will still get plenty of use, for sure. I love it.

Finished: November 18th, 2007



Notes: The Cascade 220 Paints bleeds. This was originally a much darker, sultry red, and the variegation was more subtle. During the post-knit soak, a whoooole lot of color came out. There are even a few places that now seem purple-ish, which was not at all present pre-washing. I am still pleased, but I preferred the original colorway. This yarn also expanded post-wash, but I knew that because I had washed my test swatch, and so planned for that accordingly when determining which size to knit. The swatch did not, however, release as much dye as the finished project, so when the color changed on the actual knit, I was quite surprised.

Final Verdict: I like it! It's a good fit, although on me, the collar folds down behind my neck. I guess I don't have one of those giraffe necks like the model in the book ;-) The only trouble I have with this garment is taking it OFF. It requires reaching behind myself in a way that is somewhat problematic (my arm doesn't go in that direction anymore because of the accident and all of the plates and screws in there). I have found a method, but I look a little silly doing it, so once this puppy is on, it stays on...because I have to be willing to be seen contorting my face along with my body while I do the Houdini-thang.

I would make this again.