It's a boy!

Ladies,

I was hoping that ONE of y'all would post yesterday, but no luck so I have to go out of turn. Oh well. The results are in... it's a boy. I think it will be Sean Joseph so you can put away your pink yarn. However, with the baby coming in January Handknits, er, handcrochets are expected! Here's a pic for you - until you get to see the video tonight...











My girlfriend Damarys noted that he's already a fat little thing which is suprising since i'm not very big really. I told the hubby that I remember being bigger when I had the ultrasound for Jake, he said "Yes, but you were bigger pre-pregnancy then too" Oh yeah! Now it's pretty much all baby, before it was well manipulated fat.

Anyway, see you tonight!

Brandee

psychotic cat and a sock

Hey ladies,

Well my cat has re-found his "fluff". If you remember the fluff was the "gauge swatch" for the monkey scarff out of voodoo. I gave it to the cat because he loves yarn and yarn I give him is MUCH better than yarn he steals! He covets the fluff. He plays fetch with the fluff.




and








But hey, if it makes him happy - it makes me happy.

Speaking of making me happy - I finished the gusset of the sock. Here's my progress (because i'm a follower):





That's really it for now. And YEAH for Ernesto not coming our way and ruining My convention, er, Tracie's vacation, er whatever!

Night y'all.
Brandee

It's coming along

Good evening ladies,

Well, I'm sitting here continuing to work on this cardigan. I'd love to get it finished by Wednesday's meeting. Look, here's a pic of where I am on it.





Wanna see a closeup of the sleeve? Here ya go...






Anyway, I'm plugging along while watching Mr. Ernesto go towards the east coast. Miss Dani, please, we live in Florida. Anything under a Cat 3 is nothing to worry about where we live (for the most part, obviously, there are anomolies). All we need to have is candles to see by, alcohol to drink, and plenty of yarn to crochet with (or knit if we let Brandee come). :) Hunker down is loads of fun. I bet it's even more fun with yarn. :)

Okay, back to crocheting. Have a lovely evening ladies!

Tracie

Well now aint' this pretty

Can I just say how unimpressed (is that even a real word) I feel upon seeing this at the NOAA website??!! I sat through one hurricane once, Hugo in Charleston SC and I will NEVER do that again!! So anyone who wants to get the heck out of dodge just let me know. If this comes close to Tampa at a 3 or higher I'll be in GA!!

Tra, glad to hear about the sleeve, can't wait to see Wed. Brandee I would so love a pair of socks for Christmas. I'll make you a neat-o purse!!

Ta ta chicks,
Dani

Sock progress, and still a dumbass

Ladies,

Well my other blog is still gone... and my Mom went looking for it today, to show my grandfather something... Whoops! So tomorrow I will repost that darling little post about Aliceon and Jake (the kissing story, with pics) so she can show him. Wonder if now I need to tone down my bad words because my Grandpa will be reading? We'll see.

I have actually made some progress on the sock! I finished up the heel flap, turned the heel and am working on the gusset (that would be the piece that transitions the up/down part of your leg to the side to side part of your foot... it involves a crochet hook!). I have about half the gusset to go then it's just straight round and round knitting until I reach my toes... and when I'm very thankful my feet are size 7.5! Once that's done, I swear I'll work on the flag afghan - my goal would be to get it done my the craft fair in November - wish me luck... I'll need it.

Dani, it's great to see you posting - see how much fun it can be! Great bag by the way, how big is it gonna end up? I love your other ones like that - and really... there are other uses for knitting needles - that size you could whip out a pretty quick scarf!

Tra, congrats on getting over the second sleeve syndrome - I certainly understand... it took me how long to start on the second sock? 4 months? Yeah!

Ok kids, I'm off... Iron Chef is about to start. Talk to you later.

Brandee

Feeling good and looking fine

Hey guys,

Well, the second sleeve is done. And it didn't require any of the evil ripping out that the first sleeve did. So that's progress, right? Now it's on to the body of the sweater. However, I fear I may be off on some stitches. Am I worried yet? No, of course not. I think my overall count will be fine (of course I haven't stopped to count yet, are you kidding me?) and that's all that matters. And if it isn't? Well, then that's what some cleverly disguised extra stitches are for. LOL.

I promise to post a pic or two later tonight. I'll even just edit this post and put them in here. 'Cause if Dani can figure out how to post a pic, I can, too! :)

Well, I better get back to it. I'd like to maybe have it done to show off by our next meeting.

Off for now,
Tra

the blogger wanna be comes out of lurking...

for a time that is. Who knows how many times I'll pop in right in the middle of all this crocheting and knitting talk.

Today I spent a lovely day at my MIL's scrapbooking the day away. In between pages I felted a little tote I worked up a couple months ago that I never got around to felting. Here is the before...




I'll work on getting a pic of the finished tote tomorrow. Tonight it's sitting on my bar drying with two very large knitting needles sticking through it for the handles...about the only use I can find for those things!!

You know I just might surprise you chicks and post more often than not. We shall see :)

So are you buying toilet paper yet, water, gassing up your cars, collecting gas in cans in the garage, grabbing 4 loaves of bread and 18 cans of spaghetti O's...cuz that’s what needs to be done in prep for



Should be fun.

Ta ta for now,

Dani

Oh my stars, and Go Bucs

Tra & Dani (even though she wont post much)(I'm done doing that but thought it'd be funny one more time)(har har har),

I know that I have made this afthan, um, 10 times or so - but it does come out so pretty and tends to sell well... obviously, so I figured it was time to make another one. Not that I'm complaining that my wonderful boss bought my last one for his Sis last Christmas - I like the cash, but I do kind of feel obligated to replace it. If it doesnt sell this year - I'll shed a small tear but do the happy dance that I dont have to make another one. This afghan has such a big wow factor - I'd rather people see it and order other non-flag afghans from it than order this one... but it really is pretty. Note to self - Stop doing it in the I it tells me to and use the J or K - goes quicker. So, I drudge on, and I swear... once I finish the sock I'll work on stars at home. And about that sock - it's where your sweater is... on the floor next to me... not even out.

And I'm glad we can get together like this (via chat) to watch the game together - although your hi-def does nothing for me half an hour away! Go Bucs!

knitting soon,
Brandee

Is there such a thing as second sleeve syndrome?

Brandee (and Dani, even though she won't post much),

I have successfully finished the first sleeve on this cardigan. I only had to rip out 2 other rounds because the directions did not make much sense. Am I the only one that thinks if we're going to have difficult parts there should be pictures to go with it? You know, little Figure A diagrams. I think it's a fabulous idea and when I make patterns, I'm going to do it. Yep yep.

Anyway, I did the smart thing and wrote down how many repeats of some rows there were to make it the right length (you know, in those annoying "repeat until piece measures 17.5 inches"). Figured it would save me time in the second sleeve.

Yes, the second sleeve. Should go quicker 'cause I understand the pattern now, right? Yeah, if I was working on it instead of having it sit on the sofa next to me. The thought of having to do the same thing AGAIN bores me. Like put me to sleep boring. Ugh. This is why I also don't do a lot of patterns over again. Other than the Seraphina shawl, but that's 'cause it's simply hand candy and doesn't require the pattern after row 16.

Well, I should get working on it. I'd like to not have to drag around 2 skeins for much longer. And once I finish the second sleeve then I'm back down to one skein for the body again.

Oh, and your stars? They will continue to stare at you until you finish them. Or shove them under the bed. That's what I did with my granny square skirt. It's all tucked away where it belongs under the bed. With the dust ruffle on it, I never see that box. :) It's a great plan. What amazes me is that you've made this afghan before...you know it is a pain in the arse and you're doing it anyway. I'm beginning to think you're a glutton for self-punishment.

Back to the second sleeve,
Tracie

Oh what a day!

Tracie,

Well, my other blog is STILL gone - and Blogger has STILL not told me how to get it back, but I have STILL not curled up in a ball crying! So that's good. Work is drowning me in preparation for your, um, vacation, but I did manage about 6 rows of mom's sweater at lunchtime. I STILL hate that stitch, it goes Soooooooo slow - please don't let me do it again, or at least don't let me do it again without changing it. Thanks.

Tonight I'll sit with my sock, my child and my needy cat and watch crappy TV. I've kinda gotten into this little rhythm of sweater at work and sock at home. Please notice the lack of Flag Afghan and the darn stars! They are no longer the bane of my existance, and I like it that way. However, they are still in they're bag in the livingroom - staring at me as I work on my sock and ignore it. It's beady little ends staring at me with that guilt ~ not gonna work! Nosireebob, er, Tracie.

I do hope you have a fantastic weekend, I'll be logging on like a madwoman. But you knew that.

Cheers,
Brandee

PS - you gonna invite Dani on here? You know she'd have fun lurking - since she doesnt write much.

Math formula

Brandee,

I'm beginning to get nervous about the concept of sharing a blogger with you since it appears you and the blogger don't get along. ;-) Please remember that the big "delete" button should not ever be pushed and if you do, then at least click "no" on the "Are you sure?" question. I hope you get your blog back. However, I'm beginning to think part of that is due to your own subconscious fully turning away from the fine art of crochet. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I have beaten the sleeve in my cardigan. I'm past where I got to the first time. I'm at the nice part where you just repeat the same three rounds for eleventybillion times and every once in a while throw in some new round to keep you on your toes.

I realized last night as I ripped out the sleeve, that this pattern is experienced. 5 stars. Hrm. I see a math formula. Number of times you will rip out parts of said project + number of times you say, "What?" while reading the directions over and over + number of times you throw said project across the room (or just on the chair, but it's the same thing) = number of stars on pattern. There's probably more to it, but we all know the maths burn and there is only so much I can take in one day.

I almost took the project with me to the doctor today. Now, you know me, I normally carry some crochet project if I'm going to have to sit longer than 15 seconds waiting for something to happen or to sit as a passenger in the car. But I didn't. Perhaps I am sicker than they thought. Or it goes back to the stupid 5 stars on this thing. I currently have 2 yarn cakes attached to this thing: one just hanging out waiting for me to finish the sleeves so I can go back and finish the body (ingenious really, means 1 less end to weave in) and the one I'm using for the sleeve. This makes this project rather difficult for short trip carrying. Oh well, I hope to have one sleeve done by our next meeting so I can show it off.

I should close. They tend to like it better if I actually do work while I'm at work. *rolls eyes* Whatever. :)

Tracie

Almost afraid...

Tra,
I'm so glad we thought to do this - and for the record - I am a crocheter that enjoys knitting (not purling)! Of my current projects - 2 are crochet, 2 are knit. 1 for myself, 1 for my Mom for Christmas, 1 for the baby and 1 for sale. The one sitting next to me is second sock - half of the project for me... well i think they'll be for me.

Wait, shouldnt the first posts be an about me? Or will we be hiding... all sekrit like? I'll follow your lead on that, I suppose.

Well, I'm on a purl row (that i've been avoiding all night) and I had better get to it. Nighty Night.

Brandee

First first first.....

Dear Brandee,

Okay, so we're starting our first blog, ala Mason-Dixon style. Granted, we live a mere 30 minutes from one another, but when we deal with the fiber arts, we're starting to be miles and miles apart. You and the knitting. Hrm, still not sure how I feel about that.

Anyway, here I sit, after having ripped out the sleeve for my Off the Hook Cardigan from Total Crochet Fashions. Lesson learned? When they give you the number of stitches you should have at the end of a round or row, then take the time and count said stitches. Grr. I was still off after the first round, but only by one and you'd be amazed what you can fudge when the stitches fall under the arm. That and you just don't care. ;-)

I feel weird making a project just for me. But it's been too long. And I know that eventually I will have to start on something to attempt to sell. The fall shows are coming up soon. And now that we're going to do them all under KLE, you can include that evil knitting. ;)

Okay, I shall close now so I can try to get caught up to where I was last night before I realized my mistake (round 7 is not the time to find said mistake...but better there than round 27).

Tra