Sunday, January 29, 2006

I am not a lawyer ......

but I do know that this is not a good idea.

EDITED to ADD: It seems that they took down the letter, but if you to the girl from auntie blog, one of the people who commented actually saved the letter, so you can click here and here to read.

Team Italy - Knitting Olympics 2006

Italy Olympic Knitters

Sign up is open - anybody wants to join us? Hop over there!

Friday, January 27, 2006

And what's this?

 Debbie Bliss Simple Jacket with Collar

The wrong pattern had been in time-out long enough, I have decided to rescue it. But before dealing with the wrong fronts, I have decided to knit the sleeves. They better be right!

And for the third FO of 2006, a baby poncho:

Baby Poncho

I am giving it to my niece next weekend, maybe I'll have cute photos!

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Public Service Announcement

Yahoo has decided to delete the Peninsula Knitters group, so we created a new one right here.
If you are knitting in the SF Peninsula, join us!

And on the subject:

saynotosfse

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Italy Olympic Knitters

What was Jen made for me!

Italy Olympic Knitters

Anybody else knitting for Italy out there?

Monday, January 23, 2006

Getting ready for the Olympics

Unless you are not living on this planet, you must have know about the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics. I signed up and I am going to swatch this soon so that I can select one of these sweaters. I glanced to my on the needles list and I told myself that if I really want to challenge myself, I should vow to finish all my other projects before the Knitting Olympics start.
Then I came back to my senses, but I made a list:

Debbie Bliss Simple Jacket with Collar
Yarn: Austermann Caprice
Needles: US #7-8
Status: fronts finished but they are WRONG!

This needs to be finished by Feb 10th, I think it has been in time-out long enough. I am starting the sleeves.

Jaywalker
Yarn: Furryarn in Electic Skyy
Pattern by Grumperina.
Status: 4.5 inches

This too, Cara's deadline4 is Feb 14th.

RufflesYarn: Noro Lily
Pattern from Scarf Style
Needles: US #6
Status: 50% done

Bonus point if I finish this too.

Do not start any new project. Well, maybe a hat.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Red Scarf

My red scarf is done and ready to be shipped:

Red Scarf

Yarn: Berroco Foliage - 2 balls
Dimensions: 4.5 x 66 inches.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Finally something I can follow through

Buy More Yarn

Carole has started the coolest ever "along", the Increase-Your-Stash-Along! I love it, I joined, and I bought 5 of these to celebrate my entry in a Stash -Along I am sure I will follow:

Claudia Hand Painted

Claudia Hand Painted in chocolate cherry from Kpixie.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Two strikes

Yesterday was one of those days I was feeling proud of myself for my planning-ahead skills and organization. Nothing like having kids to bring you back to reality.

All started Tuesday night, when I remembered to wash and block my mystery project #1. I was feeling really smug because I actually remember that. I have a tentative date this weekend with the friend who has agreed to model it and if I hadn't remembered to do it that night, it would not have been dried in time. Because we were only a couple of days away from the weekend, being the next day Thursday. Yes, Tuesday night I had the following thought: Tomorrow is the board meeting (that I know it meets on Wednesday. How do I know? Because when it meets on another, I show up on Wednesday anyway.), so since Paperino has hot lunch on Thursday, I don't have to pack him lunch tomorrow, Wednesday.
I do think I actually thought that. I need a remedial class in "reading the calendar". Or more sleep (being working late into the night all week). Or more espresso (HWME is away again).
Anyway, Wednesday morning I was feeling so good about myself. I had not packed any lunch (it was Thursday) and I was going to the Wednesday board meeting, so I took half day off. I dropped the kids to school, went to Starbucks, got and doppio espresso con panna, a morning roll, and I set by the window for about 40 minutes working on my Jaywalker sock.
A really nice way to start the day.
Then board meeting, work, pick up the kids.
A crisis was awaiting me, Paperino was very upset. Lunch? No, that was only a misdemeanors, the real crime is, I forgot to sign him up for Mad Science. Did I know that I needed to sign him up fro Mad Science? No. No, do not laugh, I am positive. I can't read a calendar, but I am positive about this.
But I am mom, so I am supposed to know he wanted to go to Mad Science, and he actually told the afterschool teacher he was signed up. The Mad Science teacher said, no, he is not on the list, and everybody turned and looked at me, the mom. Well, figure of speech, I was not there.
And I forgot to pack his lunch.

So there, two strikes in a day. Lucky for me, Principessa was in a good mood.

Foe dinner we went to a new KPC who was hosting a fund-raising for the local hospital. The guy at the cashier was told I forgot to pack his lunch. Our waiter was told I forgot to pack his lunch.
And there, now you know too.

I forgot to pack his lunch. And to sign him up for Mad Science.

EDITED TO ADD: I fixed the Jawalker link and I got Paperino into Mad Science - they usually do not take late sign-ups, but I begged ......

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Tagged

Elspeth tagged me with a meme and the reason it took me so long to do it is that I do not have 4 answers for the job category - somehow that felt like a road block to me.

4 Jobs You Have Had in Your Life:
researcher
Yep, that's it, told you. I have been a researcher all my life, either university or private company, but that's it. Well, I held the title of visiting professor once, does that count? I was required to teach and do research.

4 Movies You Could Watch Over and Over:
The Big Chill
Gone with the Wind
Casablanca
Dial M for Murder

4 Places You Have Lived:
Rome, Italy
Silicon Valley, CA

4 TV Shows You Love to Watch:
The West Wing
ER
24
Without a Trace

4 Places You Have Been on Vacation:
London
Paris
Greece
Virgin Islands

4 websites you visit daily:
Knitty Board
Kpixie
My bloglines
Google news

4 of your favorite foods:
pizza
pad thai noodles
gelato
pasta

4 places you would rather be right now:
Roma
Firenze
any warm beach
a knitting store

4 Bloggers You are Tagging:
considered yourself tagged!

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Knitting Olympics 2006

Look what Stephanie has come up with:

Knitting Olympics 2006

Of course I had to join, nothing like a challenge to force me to stay focus on a project and even make something for me for a change! Since swatching is allowed before the Olympics start, I am going to swatch my Jo Sharp DK Wool Heather to decide which one of these sweaters I want to make.

As for my usual knitting ADD, yesterday I finished my mystery project #1. I was so happy that I casted for the Red Scarf Project and I am already half way. It is my usual garter stitch 2 hours scarf and I am really liking my Berroco Foliage so far.


Sunday, January 15, 2006

Calzini and yarn

These are the calzini (small socks) I knitted for my friend Sherry:

Calzini

in Lorna's Laces Sport Bucks Bar - it takes about one skein for a woman medium size. Can't count them for the 2000 socks! Knit-along because I knitted them in 2005 (my xmas present to her), but have you seen it? 152 socks so far!

Today was a gorgeous day, so finally I could take a decent photo of the marvelous yarn Susan sent me:

Susan's Handspun

She handspun and dyed it herself, and it is even richer in color in real life, and incredibly soft. I think it is about 100 yards and I am thinking hard what to make of it, probably wrist warmers, so that it can bright my day while I work in the refrigerator office.

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Rainy Day

It is such a grey and rainy day today that it took me forever to get a decent shoot of my Jaywalker sock:

Jaywalker

I am using FurrYarns MaineBearSOX in Electryc Skyy, and so far I am loving both the pattern and the yarn - sure it is not boring!

Friday, January 13, 2006

SPs, mysterious packages, and socks

So, SP7 has started. I got my match and I have already planned my first package to the person I am spoiling, and my SP7 has already sent me two funny e-cards. I feel spoiled already!

Sign up for Felted SP2 is closing tomorrow at midnight Pacific Time - well, let's be honest, I am not checking my email at midnight, you guys have time until I wake up on Sunday morning. Want to join? Click here:

Felted SP2

And speaking of secret pals, yesterday I received yet another mysterious package with no note inside. You may remember this, which is still a mystery. Yesterday package contained 2 ball of Cottonease in pink and one ball of Crystal Palace - as I said no note, but it is from Chrissie B. from KY.

Thank you, Chrissie!

Oh, and I said socks, right? I did start my first Jaywalker sock last night, but sorry, no pic due to the limited availability of daylight (but I finally broke down and order one of those OTTlite, let's see if it is as good as they say). But here is a photo of the Elfine's socks I started a while ago.

Elfine's socks

I have two socks on the needles at once, not that I think about it, this is a prime.

EDITED to ADD: Thanks to Jessica, the mystery is solved - I won the yarn donating to Earthquake Donations. Chrissie from Kntting and 9-0 donated the yarn I won.

THANK YOU AGAIN, CHRISSIE!

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Red Scarf Project

Make a Red Scarf for a Young Person in Foster Care!
You can make a difference in someone’s life. The Orphan Foundation of America is collecting handmade knit and crotchet scarves to include in Valentine’s Day Care Packages for foster youth in colleges across the country. Individuals, families, co-workers and service project groups are working together in this national effort to send a LOUD and CLEAR message that they care about our nation’s foster children.
Scarves should be approximately 60 inches long and suitable for a boy or girl. Each scarf should have a tag securely attached that reads – Handmade for You by name, city and your group affiliation if any.
Click on the button below to read more.

Red Scarf Project

I have already selected the yarn for the scarf I am going to make:

Berroco Foliage

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Socks

For the longest time I have resisted knitting socks. My argument? Why knit something so pretty and then hide them in some shoes? I am not going to wear socks with sandals under any circumstance, even if I starting to consider clogs.
That never stopped me from buying sock yarn. Then Alison's Sockapalooza came along and now I am a believer - while I still resist the idea of hiding such nice garments in shoes (I mostly knit house socks), knitting socks is the funniest knit there is. So, here it is:

jaywalkerkal

200sox

Sock-a-month KAL 2006

sockapaloooza

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

2006 resolutions

Eat breakfast.
Yep, that's it.
I could say that I want to knit from stash, but who am I kidding?
I could say I want to knit more for myself, but only 3 out of 10 projects in my knit-soon-list are for me.
So, that's it, I am settling on eating breakfast, and it is not an easy task.
For once, I would always choose sleep over food. And then it is not like stopping at the corner baretto to get espresso e cornetto here. I get the espresso at home, but I am stuck with cereals as food. That means milk that I need to remember to buy: I drink fat free milk, otherwise I get sick, the children want whole milk, not that I blame them, the one I drink taste like water.
Breakfast is difficult.
As for knitting, that is way simpler, there is a new page for the 2006 knit-alongs:

Knit alongs 2006

Sunday, January 08, 2006

I am back

I am back to my cable modem, and looking at the amount of stuff I need to do, read, and get caught with it feels like I have been gone for a year, not two weeks.

So, knitting. As I said, I have been knitting. Believe me, when you are trapped in a small apartment in the mountains with your in-laws and very bad weather outside, knitting does save your life. How did I do for Naked Stix by 2006? Not so bad, even if I managed not to finish the one cardi that was for me. But I did make two items for me, Blush on the flight to Italy:

Neckwarmer

and these halfmittens on the way back, to start 2006 right, that is with something for me:

Mystery Kit #4

On the subject of not knitting for myself, all my knitted gifts were very well received, and everybody asked for more.
Note to myself: do not knit for people who do appreciate hand made gifts, they ask for more.

I did not take picture of everything, but here is my sister wearing the scarf I made for her:

Garter Stitch Scarf

my nephew with his pullover:

Striped Pullover

and my niece with her poncho:

Pink Poncho

I did not go yarn shopping as I had planned (I bought one pair of boots, two pairs of shoes, three pants, and more tops I am going to say), but my mother in law bought me this:

Sesia

I am really looking forward to try it, it looks very similar to Karabella Aurora 8, but it it much cheaper, well, at least in Italy.

Click on the photos for more details.

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Still in Italy

Still in Italy, still eating, still knitting.