What I've been working on...

These are blocks from 200 Crochet Blocks. I'm going to do a throw for keeping on the couch all in these colors. I'm going to have to add a few more colors in there for some of the other blocks, but I'm not sure what ones to use. This is with Simply Soft yarn, and they don't make a darker brown than the one that's in those, but I thought maybe a gold color? This is just going to be a make a block here and there when I'm between other things type of project. I think I'll do a 48" by 48" one, so I'll need thirtysix blocks all together. It's going to be a sampler throw, so every block is going to be different. So far, I'm having a lot of fun with it.

I've been working on clean and laundry and packing for our upcoming trip. Yesterday there was a Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction? marathon on SciFi, so I ended up spending most of the day in the living room. But it sure is clean now.

But I already knew this...

The sorting hat says that I belong in Ravenclaw!

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Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."

Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable.
Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).

Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!

Dude, Household Tasks.

So, it turns out household tasks is on the President's Challenge list. I'll be able to automatically count Fridays, because those are vacuum, sweep, mop, and sheet washing days. So that plus the other things like the trash and dusting will usually hit half an hour. I'm going to be good and not cheat and count washing dishes. I mean, that's just standing still, lol.

On Saturday, I went to the mall and got my hair cut and my eyebrows waxed. It's so good to have my eyebrows looking all sexy again. My hair I got layered, and it looked all cute and sleek on my way out of the salon, but now that I've washed it and shown my complete lack of skill with a round brush, I just look a little like a sheep dog. Maybe next time I'll just take the straightening iron to it. It was way to hot for such vanity today.

This weekend's canning project was Pineapple Jam. I'm afraid Ben might be taking this hobby too far.

I have nothing to crochet right now. I was going to make something out of Cool Crochet, but I don't have anything at all that's suitable in my stash. And I should be working on the Bamboo sweater, but I can't figure out how to decrease properly in this stitch pattern I'm using, so I hid it so I wouldn't have to look at it and relive my shame for not figuring it out. I should start another throw or scarf or afghan so I can have some nice mindless crochet to work on for a few hours at a time. I should work on something for Christmas, and at least one person on my list is slated for a throw like Julie's. I just have to decide on the color.

I've been eating junk today, and my stomach is punishing me. It's crazy how after just a little while of lots of fruit and other practically healthy food, a day of bad food will really get me. I mean, I used to eat bad stuff just about exclusively. Guess it's time to admit when I'm beat and just have a banana for lunch. hehe

Skirt

I made this skirt from a pattern I made by tracing the black skirt I used in the craftster challenge. It's crazy to me that this one came out so snug when the original is actually quite loose. It's not hemmed yet, because I'm not sure if I'll bother because I don't know if I'd actually wear it. What do you all think? I know the hem is all crooked and at a really unflattering length in the front, but of course I'd fix that. My main problem with it is the way it hangs in the front.

Pretty Nails... la la la

President's Challenge

I've joined the President's Challenge, for motivation of course, but mostly because I'm a wanna be scout and you get patches. My group is Team Beth. If anyone is interested in joining us, go ahead and comment.

Turns out that I'm better off not leaving the house in the summer time here. The museum was okay, but the fashion design "collection" was not really there... it was just a small exhibit that at the moment consisted entirely of Pucci designs. Yuck. I should know better than to subject myself to an art museum. History, yes. Science, yes. Art, obviously not my thing.

I got the new Harry Potter on Saturday morning, and when I was about half done with it on Saturday night, I made a rule that I couldn't read it unless I'm on the treadmill walking at the same time. That should make it last. I'm rationing.

I frogged all that I'd done on my Bamboo design and started over. I came up with a better way to do the shaping.

I got the book Cool Crochet from overstock yesterday. It's an absolutely great fasion crochet pattern book. And most of the designs are in sizes large enough to fit me. I can't wait to try one.

IBC is definately better than Barq's

So, today we're going to the Phoenix Art Museum. I can't believe I've lived here for a year and just now found out that I want to go there. And why do I want to go there? Thorne Miniature Rooms. But not only that. Even better: Fashion Design Collection. I think there may also be paintings or some such, but really, who needs all that.

I've got about two inches done on the bamboo sweater front. And surprisingly, the stitch pattern did pull it in from 30 inches wide to 25 inches wide so, so far so good. That's the hips, so in couple of rows, I'll start the decreasing for the waist and such. I've got to decrease 10 inches all together before increasing 10 again for the bust. I have a plan for that that is pretty much what the whole design is based on.

Yesterday, while I started work on a different sweater (one I'll actually finish this year, since it's made with Homespun), I watched a histories mysteries episode about William Wallace and another about Rob Roy. And there were all these completely dry academic types with the most deliciously beautiful Scottish accents ever. I mean seriously, that accent must be on a special frequency or something. So, here's the question: Would it be wrong to get Ben lessons with a dialect coach for Christmas?

Ornaments

So I ordered some stampers from Oriental Trading Co. as my contribution to the bridal shower my MIL is throwing for my future SIL to use for bingo. Really.

Anyway, since I was already making the order, I got some little craft kits for making Christmas ornaments. I was thinking that Ben and I could work on them while we watched movies, but I don't know if he's interested or not. They came last night, so I made one of each.



I like the pearl ones, but the blue ones are just pipe cleaners and are pretty cheap. And since the point was to put them on everyone's Christmas present as a little extra present, I think the blue ones will stay with me. I like them a lot and would put them on my tree, but I can't see giving them to people.

Gauge is a Cruel Mistress

Okay, so I've done about four swatches. And they all have the same gauge. And I've used that gauge to figure out that I need 160 stitches to make a 25 inch wide piece for the bottom edge of my sweater. And I've tried three times. And every time 160 stitches has given me a 30 inch wide piece. This time I'm not quitting till it's about four inches long and I can make sure it's not drawn in by the stitch pattern. Oh Gauge! Why do you mock me?

How do you stop fading yarn?

I made a few swatches with my new bamboo and experimented with different ways of washing them, and I have to admit, I was pretty dissapointed with the way it faded and shrunk. I'm not sure that the shrinking will be too big a problem, because it does seem to relax back to shape, but the fading it bothering me because I wanted the yarn especially because it's got such a beautiful saturated color. I think that the plan will be to hand wash it. That seemed to cause the least difference in color, though it did result in a little stiffer fabric to lay it out to dry rather than put it in the dryer.

We had a good weekend, watched movies, did a little shopping. We finally replace our broken dvd player, because the portable one that was a gift from Ben's company in April that we've been watching since May when our big one quit working broke yesterday. Cheap crap. Anyway, I'm glad for our new one. It's nice to watch movies on the tv instead of a nine inch screen.

I've been working away at various Christmas gifts and such. I know exactly what I'm going to do for Ben for Christmas this year. I finished Julie's present, and I think I'll start on Marissa's today. Or I'll start on the sweater I want to make with the bamboo. One of those this afternoon.

I finally looked through Cool Crochet. I've been looking in Barnes and Noble for it forever, and we went to a different one than usual and they had it. I wanted to buy it right then, but I was strong and resisted immediate gratification. Then I came home and ordered it on overstock last night. I bought two, so I could give one to Missy for her Christmas present. I think she'll like it. It way better than any other crochet pattern book I've seen. There are a few projects that I'd like to try. I can't wait till it gets here.

ooooo, aaaaah

I realize now that it's Animatronic.

Whatever, it was still a weird dream.




That totally makes you want to learn to sew, doesn't it?

They really liked the display at the Craftmart too. I think I'll definately get some students for this class.

I took the sweater to SWTC today. I made out like a bandit. 14 balls of the most beautiful jewel toned navy blue bamboo. And another two of a great green color. If I've done my math correctly, that's $208 of yarn, if you're doing your shopping at Craftmart. Great payment if you ask me. I'm planning a sweater with it. I'm going to design it and hopefully it will turn out awesomer than awesome.

Elton John's Anamatronic Deer

Okay, so last night I had a dream that I was doing a tour of Elton John's house on a tv show. And we were in his bedroom. And they showed me what was in his drawers, and it was all women's clothes. But not sexy lingerie really, it was hanes her way panties and sports bras. And I was like, why all the women's clothes? And the lady was all, he is gay. And I was like, but he's still a man, isn't he?

Anyway, his room was all purple and royal blue and feathers and satin, and on the wall was a deer head. And it was obvious it didn't belong, even though they put big sun glasses and a boa on it. What it was was an anamatronic head that had cameras in it's eyes so Elton John could watch us look around. But it wasn't very good. Like it was very obvious that Elton John hadn't shot a buck and gotten it taxidermied. And he kept accidentally moving it while I was looking at it. And it made a whirring noise when it moved.

Yay!

All finished!




I'm so glad to be done with this. I ended up basting the zipper in by hand, then sewing it with the machine. The machine stitching looked neater, and I wanted to be sure that it was strong. I still have to finish the neck piece that goes with it, but that's just gluing a chain to a zipper, so it should be easy enough. It's not my taste, too fuzzy. But I do love the shape and general design.

intermittent posting

We had a good weekend. Mostly we just watched movies. That's Ben's idea of relaxing. We did make cherry syrup. That took forever, but we ended up with some very delicious stuff. And yesterday we went to the mall because I wanted jeans, but Lane Bryant didn't have any of the kind I wanted in stock. I think I'll just order them from the site. I know they should have them. We went to see Bewitched yesterday too. It wasn't a bad movie, but I've been pretty disappointed in the movies we've seen this year, and this one wasn't great either.

I finished the pajama top. I'm not going to take pictures until I get it all put together on a display board though. I hope the craftmart people aren't all-just get out of here, you took to long. lol

The sweater I put the wrong edging on, and had to rip it out and fix it, but it's right now. All I have to do is put in the zipper. I tried using the machine, but even with my walking foot, it stretched too much and I couldn't control it. I'll have to put it in by hand this afternoon.

I started the Christmas list on Sunday night. I've decided that it's going to be Christmas from here on out, and I'm going to be preparing and making presents. I know a lot of people on the list are getting canned things. It's a little selfish because it's stuff we want to try out anyway, but most people like getting special homemade things like that, so it's good all around.

On friday, I traced a pattern of the skirt I used for the craftster challenge. I'm going to try to make the skirt in a more summer time fabric. I think it'll be cute, but we'll see.

Today's goals:
Get the zipper sewn into the SWTC sweater.
Work on Julie's Christmas present.
Make banana bread. That one probably won't happen, it's just too hot here to turn on the oven.