The Dragon Scarf and a Lesson in TV and Movie History

Hmmn...so, a new WIP. I started Morehouse Merino's Puff the Magic Merino Dragon Scarf, for DS, in Red, also known as "Huff". I have a few spikes done so far and I'm not so sure it's supposed to look like this. I was under the impression that the center stitch would be his spine, working it's way up to the top spike along the outer edge. I have never done '3D Knitting' (although I have seen 3D TV but that's a story for another day.) before. I have done 3D crocheting before and this just isn't working for me. It works but it doesn't look right.

Mine seems to be a little twisty. It's ok, I guess. No one is going to notice this except me and I'm sure that I'm doing it correctly. I'm not so sure that I like this yarn. There is virtually no twist to it. You can pull it apart like polyester stuffing....almost. It is very nice and fluffy and will probably be nice and warm. We'll see how it works out after washing and blocking. I'm not going to make myself nuts with this. Also, there is no row gauge so I have no idea how long this is going to come out. It's not very wide..yet. You start at the tail and work your way up.. and dragons have small bottoms.

Speaking of small bottoms, I bought another game show prize today to add to my collection of game show type toys. It's a nice Nordic Track Treadmill. I've always wanted one to hang my clothes on because I want to be in shape. Thin, fit, ready for the olympics. It has a few do-dads that I'll probably never use though. Even a hook up for an iPod. (Which I don't own, I still have a functioning walkman.) It also has some kinda technology where there is a personal trainer talking to you. I wonder if you can set that to a nice, sweet voice. With my luck it'll probably be some drill Sargent, Sgt Carter like on Gomer Pyle. He'll be out to get me.

Making this purchase inspired me to clear out some junk in my house today. It is going in this room, the room where I keep my computer, facing the TV. Yes, the TV is as old as my Walkman and doesn't have a cable box but we do have a VCR here and I can watch stuff on video tape or read. I never get to read these days. Maybe I can finally finish Harry Potter? I also have Verizon Fios, which doesn't send an analog signal. For those of you not in the know, it means that this TV doesn't work for Broadcast TV because I don't have a cable box.

Also, justifying this purchase to myself and you, my loyal readers, I nearly failed the stress test I took the other day. I was huffin' and puffin'. If they kept me on there any longer, I'd be weepin' wailin' like the women in "Oklahoma!". And the tech is going, "Keep going, Joanne! You have 75 more seconds at this rate". I felt like George Jetson, "Jane, stop this crazy thing!". It was pitiful. It was also pitiful that I had taken this same test with this same tech two years ago and did much better. I'm just so out of shape. Knitting isn't helping this situation so maybe a Nordic Track will.

Plus, husband wants one, too. It comes Saturday. We'll see....do you think I can knit and walk at the same time? Do you think I watch too much TV as it is?

My New Game Show Toy

Before I became extravagant...

After my spend, spend, spending...

And, there you have it. My new front door. It's leaded glass and only two other houses somewhere have the same glass in a different door. I love the feel of wood, the look of wood and the smell of wood. Ah, polyurethane....ah, Cherry Mahogany stain on oak...up close and personal.

It lights up my entire formerly dark dungeon living room. I love it. Comon, cut me some slack, we were freezing this past winter. That door was ugly and not properly installed and we could see the outside from the inside. Always a draft. The draft .. it's gone!

Now, let's renovate the staircase, the foyer, build something all around the door.....

Hmmnnn...

Eye Candy Friday

Bleeding Hearts have bloomed in my backyard.

No new knitting today, I had to take out 23 rounds so I am not proud of my sock right now.

In other news, it's Friday. I have itchy eyes, sore throat and nosebleeds. Dryness of the desert with its 29% humidity? Viral? It's relatively warm here. In fact, the low tomorrow night in NYC is 57, slightly cooler for us. Interesting. It's going to be warm and we have to practice tent camping. I think that we'll put up the tent tomorrow and see if DH and Boo and Boobette will sleep out there and give me some peace in the house.

I have been planning my next project and have my eye on a few different patterns. I really like the Leaf Sock from Socks, Socks, Socks. I'll have to check it out on Ravelry. It's cute but looks like a pain to knit. I want to make Bavarian Sock and another pair of Monkeys. Maybe it's time to try something harder like that Leaf sock...?

The sun is still up here. Well, let's say, it's "dusk" and it's just about 8PM. Soon, it will be summer and the sun will be out late! In only a few short months, my little girl starts Kindergarten and I will have two "School Age Children" instead of my BABIES!

Tuesday, another trip into NYC for good pizza (as opposed to Long Island 'nearly acceptable") at John's Pizza on 44th street. Can't wait. I am meeting up with some of my old work buddies for dinner and drinks.

Other than that, nothing else exciting. Time to check out Ravelry and upload more pictures.

Socks on The Strip!

"Home! And this is my blog - and you are all here! And I'm not going to leave here ever again, because I love you all! And --- Oh, Auntie Em ----- there's no place like home!"

I have returned, all in one piece, from a few days in Las Vegas where I attended NAB. Not to be a sexist, but this is really an event that is attended by mostly men. I, along with 39 of my male coworkers went to Vegas where everything happened and I left it stayed there I behaved myself. I stayed at the Paris hotel with a subset of my larger group. I hope you are in the mood to look at the pictures I took.

Paris Hotel from across the street. See the water in the foreground? That's the fountain pool at the Bellagio.

Standard Room, larger than it looks here. Nice wall unit, a safe to keep your stash (of chips and cash, not yarn) a desk and a few chairs.

I truly had a crappy view of the back of the hotel.....see the Rockies?

I went to a small party at the Bellagio. Doesn't the lobby remind you alot of John Lennon Art? They're plastic or gel-like flowers, very Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, no?

Lobby of the Paris Hotel. It really looks like you're outside when you're there, the picture doesn't do it justice. It is that dark though, some people didn't like that. You're in Paris at dusk.

Where's the knitting? OK, time for that...

Tidal Wave Sock #2, outside Paris Hotel. Note: I looked all around to make sure no one I knew was in the vicinity. Just as I clicked away, one of the bosses walked out. I wonder if he thinks I'm nuts...or, maybe he didn't see me?

That's the sock, enjoying The Strip, Caesar's in the background.

Fellow Broadcasters, probably at a vendor hosted party, Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris Hotel.

Gee, no women. It's like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when there's no children....

The Mirage hotel, Caesar's in the foreground. It looks cool, too, the way it reflects the light.

The Strip taken from overpass on my way to Caesar's. Notice the palm trees...this is a DESERT, people!

This is the strip, looking the other way. See how big the Eiffel Tower is?

That gold building at the top is Mandalay Bay, they have a wave pool. There is construction all over the place. In my next life, I will be a contractor or architect, living in Vegas. That huge mass of work is going to be the "City Center". To the left, those poles, are the entry point to the monorail. Nice and clean but small, won't support the growth here. It is a neat way to hop from one end to the other and they sell unlimited ride tickets.

Below: More of the natural vegetation.....they actually have an irrigation system and water everything. BUT: no water in the restaurants unless you ask.

Then, sock at Caesar's.

Lobby of Caesar's.

Bet you were wondering how come I am showing you a puny little start of a sock. I mean, what did I do on the plane ride there? I did this:

Tidal Wave Sock #1.

It pooled a bit. I guess water, waves, sand, they're allowed to pool. Nice pattern though, fabric is nice and tight for warm socks, a bit of stretch for comfort and fun and easy to knit.

You know that I never post pictures of myself...well, we'll make an exception. I couldn't tear any of the guys away to admire my sock....notice the bloodshot eyes. Gotta little pinkeye over there.

On the way home, I knit the rest of the ribbing and the entire leg of the sock.....they'll be finito in no time now.

I had fun, but I was a little homesick..there's no place like home!

Tidal Waves and Las Vegas

First off, my latest FO:

Pattern: Textured Rib
Yarn: STR, Black Onyx Lightweight
Needles: Knitpicks Options, size 1 2.25mm, magic looped
64 sts casted on.
Started: March 23, 2008
Finished: April 9, 2008

I finished them Thursday night and they're great. Remind me not to work with Black Yarn until I move to Alaska and decide to knit socks...in June...This is really hard on the eyes and had they been another color, I would've finished them days earlier.

So, I put down my Waving Lace, sadly. I picked up Pebble Beach and started the Tidal Wave socks. This pattern is cake, no purl stitches and goes nice and fast. I wound the ball up and this time I'm knitting one at a time. Not sure if this is going to be a mistake or not.....It's kinda weird that beginning of the row isn't where you would think it would be. I took this shot at the end of the fourth (I think....you know I can't count rows/repeats very well...) repeat and the tail is now in the middle of the row. The marker was placed at the start of the round and it's moving. Everything is moving...ebb and flow...in and out. This is a really neat pattern. There aren't any purl stitches and every other row is knit. Sort of like the Eleanor pattern with a nice twist to it. The pebble beach yarn is made up of the most lovely beachy colors. I will certainly photograph these in the sunlight ... or even on the beach. We'll see. I'm somewhat happy with the way the colors are playing out, not pooling like in RPM. A spiral would actually be desirable with this pattern, it keeps the motion of the ocean going. I haven't tried them on. They're a perfect gift for my sister in law who loves the beach, goes nearly everyday and even surfs. She skis too. These will make nice skiing socks.



In other news, my sonny boy hit a milestone the other day. I don't have a great picture of it yet though. Naturally, I cried...he's really growing up so much.
Here he is nearly crashing into our neighbor's car.

I took him over to the church parking lot, took off the training wheels and off he went. He was so pleased with himself. He started jumping up and down, "It's awesome! I did it!! I am so awesome!!" Now, the worries start, bike, bigger bike, car, girlfriend (OMG!!), college, wife, kids...

Oh, the title of this post is sorta weird...I'm going to Las Vegas tomorrow morning for work. I thought it would be cool to take the socks with me and hopefully photograph them shooting craps or something like that. ;)

I may take Waving Lace with me and make it out of a different yarn....just for, variety. It's a long plane ride, too. Plus, I'll be travelling alone this time. I need to get some good blog fodder to entertain myself.

A Change of Heart....

I have been knitting away on Waving Lace and have decided that I really like the pattern but I don't like Lorna's Laces with it. I don't know. I want to like Lorna's Laces. The colors are lovely. I loved the Shepard's Worsted and the way my poncho came out but I can't get into the sock yarn. I think..it's..darest I say it...??? It's nice, it's pretty, but it screams for a 00 needle and I can't do it. First off, that would mean no magic looping. Secondly, how much of a difference could there be betwix the 00 and the 0? I made the Waving Lace (well, started...) on 2.25mm, size 1's and it's too loose. I have to use fatter yarn or smaller needles, in which case, they won't fit. I'm frogging them back and holding onto the beautiful Douglas Fir yarn for another project that I can use 0s on.

In the meantime, it's off to Vegas on Sunday. A work trip, not a fun only trip. I may be able to take crop circle pictures again. I am flying out and back alone and I think that, if I'm not too tired, I should return with a lovely pair of socks. The pattern and yarn that I've chosen for this trip is Tidal Wave Socks and the STR Pebble Beach.

Isn't that a good choice? I will continue the wave pattern onto the instep and modify the pattern a bit here and there but I think that this will be an excellent choice for my size 1 needles. They will be for my sister in law, the surfer girl who will love the colors and the pattern. Too bad summer is coming and it's not wool sock season. This won't eat up alot of yarn, which is good because STR is kinda skimpy and there is always the chance of running out. In fact, this will be mindless plane knitting, me thinks.

A-Waving Lace...How Sweet the Sound

Well, idiot me, I left my nearly completed STR Black Onyx Textured Rib socks at work. And, I'm home. And, they're there.

So, I started Waving Lace this morning. It was betwix this or the Bavarian sock, which will probably be next up.

Pattern: Waving Lace from Favorite Socks
Yarn: Lorna's Laces, Colorway: Douglas Fir
Needles: Knitpicks Options, size 1, 2.25mm
Casted on 64 sts.

I chose the ribbed instead of the scalloped top this time. The pattern looks like a piece of cake and I expect these to go really quickly. I also discovered some more sock yarn that was hiding in my closet while looking for this. The color is truly beautiful. I will have to get more of it immediately soon. I am running low on sock yarn, only have enough for 20 or 30 pairs nowadays...

Well, just wanted to show you the glory of the green here and make my first April Post.

Happy Spring and stay tuned for updates.