Just keep winding, just keep winding....

...just keep winding, winding, winding...I'm so excited! I ordered a yarn ball winder from KnitPicks (along with lost of yummy lace yarn!) and it's already here!!!



Sadly, I don't have a swift yet (though a great friend in England is sending me a spare she has), so I've not gotten around to winding said new yarn yet...so I've been winding all my other yarn instead! LOL It's so much fun! I really can't wait to see all my new yarn wound...so many pretty colors!


So to keep me distracted until the swift gets here, I've been winding up all the sock yarn I'd previously hand-wound into actual balls...they're so pretty as center-pull balls!!! And my boys like to "help" as well....LOL

Off to wind some more!



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Now playing: The Guild - (Do You Wanna Date My) Avatar (feat. Felicia Day)
via FoxyTunes

Baby Season

People all over are having babies this fall! Two babies in my husband's family, alone, not to mention all the pregnant friends I have! (Thankfully, I am not counted among them...I'm not ready to have another one yet!) Since I'm the only crafter in my husband's family that still can craft easily (a.k.a, doesn't have arthritis or carpal tunnel et al. slowing me down), I felt that I should make some hand knits for new little ones. Fall babies are the perfect babies, because they're born in a cooling time of year and right before winter...you know that the things you knit them will be used! So I found this mock cable baby hat that I fell in love with on sight! Then, while browsing on Ravelry amongst the hats already made with that pattern, I stumbled across someone that had made a sock pattern to match the hat! It was listed as a personal pattern, so I PM-ed Janet on Ravelry, and she wrote it up, quick as can be! The socks (a free Rav download) are the perfect compliment to the hats, and I could not be happier with the end results! I hope the recipients are as pleased with the gifts as I am. : ) (The colors in this photo are a bit off, but you can get the general idea.) ; )

Dishcloth Madness

When it comes to packages, unless I have a deadline, I am horrible about getting them out in good time! My "baby" sister had a birthday in June, and I still haven't sent her present to her! (If you think that's bad, just wait...it gets worse...) So in attempts to clean out "my corner" of the computer room, I finally got to putting it in a box. However, the shape doesn't fit snugly into a box, so I figured that I'd wrap the Dark Mark Scarf that I made for my brother a year ago for the Ravelympics (as in, literally, last August) around it. Still room to spare. Oh look at what I found to put in there: a name doily I made for my nephew while we were still in the States!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (We've been living in Italy for more than a year and a half...I think it's about 2 years old already...) Ok, good to go. Now what? Still too much wiggle room, and I'm a crafter, so why bother with buying packing materials that will just get tossed when the package is received? Then it hit me: DISHCLOTHS!!! They're small, will pack well, and will fill each little space until there's no more wiggle room! So I made the first one the other day (the finishing of it was delayed due to wasp stings...my hand was swollen and hurting, so no crafting), and have plans for many more....

The first one is a swan dishcloth. I edited the pattern a little to my own tastes. There was nothing wrong with how it was written at all, but I prefer mine to be reversible, so on the wrong side rows, I knitted the purls and purled the knits of the previous row to get the look I wanted. :) I rather like how it turned out!



We'll see what dishcloth I feel the urge to make next...but for now, it's time to feed the little ones.

Traveling Scarf Hiatus

The scarves seem to come in waves instead of the ideal steady stream...then again, the APO system does absolutely nothing to amend that. In fact, i think it quite contributes to it! But either way, I'm overdue for pictures. :) Here is the last crocheted one I have, I believe. (I think it's Kimmikat's...):




And here's a picture of that lace that I really, really, really ended up loving beyond reason (though it's actually more of a blue and less of a purple, lol):



And I forget whose this was, but here's my section of the provided pattern (which I loved!):




And now it's back to waiting for the next batch...it doesn't seem to fail, no matter how often or fast they get sent to me, they show up 2 or 3 (per group) at once...oh well. We're coming to the end of it all!

Liking the Lace....

So I got to go to England to watch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince a week ago (I can't believe a week has already gone by!), and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in love with the UK! Seriously! I could live there, happily!!! It is stunningly beautiful!!! I miss the moors something dreadful, and miss hearing English spoken around me even more, I think. But in this week of "recovering" of the fun of the weekend get-away, I have been working hard on the kit for my spoilee for the swap, and got two more scarves for Scarf Travels. The first one I got is to be done in lace weight, which I've never done before...I was super excited, had a blast picking out a pattern, and have enjoyed watching the pattern form under my fingers...I have noticed, however, that it takes an insanely longer amount of time to knit 5" of scarf in laceweight than in worsted. Definitely a lot longer than I expected. But the pattern I chose is beautiful (as is the story behind the designing of it!), and it will be well worth it in the end...I just have to get to that end...and quickly! I wanted my husband to send it out tomorrow when he goes to work, and I'm lucky if I'm halfway through it! LOL On the plus side: we got a working printer yesterday, so that means I can now print out patterns for when I take the boys to the park...I'd have taken the scarf with me to work on, but couldn't access the pattern (wireless Internet isn't all over the place, yet...LOL)...which means that about 5 hours were spent out of doors without the scarf. Le sigh. But it won't happen again! In fact, I'm getting off the computer right now to feed the kiddos dinner and then plug away at it some more! It's certainly taking me a lot longer than I thought, but at least it's going faster as I go! :)

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE my husband!!!!!!!!!!! He gave the go-ahead!!! I get to go watch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in the IMAX..............IN ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!!!! I can't stop giggling and clapping and "squee"-ing!!!!!!!!!!!! Kristin is coming with me, and we're going to stay with Ann and Marie from the Harry Potter swap! I wonder of we'll have time to go to an LYS....hmmm...But now I have a deadline for my Hermione hat...I am so wearing it to the movie!!!!!!!! And, if I can get it done in time, I'll make one for Kristin, as well! :D YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I'm too excited to sit anywhere...I'm off to be productive with this mass of excited energy!!!!

Sneeze, sniffle, choke, cough, sputter

While those may sound like allergies (hmm, maybe it partially is...), but in reality, it's me dusting off an old project...my Hermione hat had a rough start, and then, as all other projects I have started for myself, got set aside for other projects. However, the Half-Blood Prince (in which movies this hat makes it's appearance) premiere is only weeks away...and the best part? I might get to go to England to watch it in the IMAX!!! I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally hope it works out! But, if it does, I can't go all that way for the movie and not have at least one piece of some costume! I have to show everyone else (that doesn't know I'm flying all the way from Italy just to see it) that I'm more than just a casual fan...LOL

However, two more scarves have been worked on and passed along, and I've got one more in my possession...I'm waiting on the yarn I ordered to come in first, though. Here's the section of the crochet scarf I've sent on. I couldn't get a good picture of it to show it off, but I intend to make an entire scarf with the pattern and share the pattern here. And I was so focused on trying to get a good picture of my section, I forgot to get a picture of Rebecca's scarf so far before I packed it up to go! LOL



Here is the section I did on Stacey's scarf, which is knitted:



I did a variation of the pattern I used on Jody's scarf, which I am working on making an entire scarf to share that pattern as well. And here is a picture of Stacey's scarf thus far:



I did about 6", I think, instead of five, because of how it fell with my cables. :) But now I'm off to work some more on my hat...I can't wait until it's completed!!!

Patterns, patterns, patterns...

You know, I've never really thought about how many different scarf patterns exist out there, until this scarf round robin group...I have learned that I choose patterns much like I shop; I browse and browse and browse, until something just jumps out at me, and 9 times of 10, it's perfect! And if it's not, then I tweak it a little, and voila, a new pattern is born! I really need to get to posting those patterns here, come to think of it. Especially the pattern I used for the red scarf I made a couple posts back, and the 5" I did on Jody's scarf. Well, now, I've done it again! I've got Rebecca's scarf, and I like the pattern of a hat I've made a few times, so I modified it to work for crocheting that's not in the round...I believe I'll share it! As soon as I'm done with adding it to the scarf, that is... ;)

Wrist Woes

Wow, things have been great, albeit slightly adventurous, around our house! We're getting a new (and I mean new...as in 2010 new) car sometime within 5-14 days, we got a futon (finally!) for the TV/computer room and got the husband a computer desk (which means his currant "desk," aka the card table, will be finding it;s permanent home in my crafting room...I'll be able to keep my sewing machine up and sew at will!!!) all within the last week! On the not-so-good side...we ran out of gasolio again, so we have no hot water...hopefully we'll get lucky and it'll be refilled within a couple days...maybe on Monday? But back to the positives...

The car we had was breaking left and right and driving me insane. I think my griping finally got to my husband, because he decided it was time for a new car! We're getting a 2010 Ford Escape! I'm so excited! I don't know what he plans on doing with our old car (which, by the way, is something like a '93 or '94 Chystler[?] Stratus), but he also is talking about getting a nice bicycle to ride to work Monday, Wednesday and Friday...which means I would actually have a car part of the week!!!!!! (We'll see how that pans out, though...)

I was excited beyond all belief at the futon (which I've been wanting for over a year now) and desk (YAY for the table going to my craft room! And yay for DH getting a nice desk!)...even more exciting was that he went to the warehouse and pick them up in a timely manner! So the night before last, I was helping him carry the boxes in from the car...I'm not used to heavy lifting. I am a stay-at-home mom. I change stinky butts, I wash dishes, every now and again I'll rearrange furniture, but 90% of that is simply pushing things across the floor. The heaviest things I lift in a normal day are my boys, the heavier of which is 39 pounds. So we get the box and mattress of the futon in, and then we go for the heavy box. I don't know how heavy it actually was, but like I said, I'm a wuss. lol I had to stop 2 or 3 times between the car and house to get a better grip because the weight kept it slipping out of my hands! We had to turn it to carry it up the stairs, and the momentum (and weight!) kept the box turning when it should have stopped, which twisted my wrist. It didn't feel good, but it didn't feel excruciating, either. No big deal. Got to the top of the stairs and my foot slipped, which resulted in my fingers getting smashed between the heavy box and metal handrail. That swelled up fairly quickly, actually, and I could see it bruising within half an hour to an hour (which, blessedly, means it wasn't as deep as it easily could have been!). I think my wrist would have been just fine if it weren't for previous injuries...in 2000 I fell on it while at a roller skating rink and had to wear a splint on it for a month and in '03, it got smashed in a stainless steel walk-in refrigerator door at work (which resulted in consistent and frequent icing and a brace along with physical therapy). So it's a little more prone to injury. Sadly, it's my dominant hand. And, even worse, it means I can't knit or crochet! (Even typing isn't helping me right now, really...) It's feeling significantly better today, compared to yesterday, but it's still sore. I'm hoping I'll be back to crafting tomorrow! I have 3 scarves to work on!!!!

Scarf (and stitch marker) Fever!

I finally got one scarf out in the mail, and suddenly have 3 more to work on! Whoa! LOL I know with mailing systems and vacations and personal lives going on, that not all of the scarves have been being sent (or received) on schedule...but so long as everyone gets them back in the end, that's what counts!...right? LOL I'm one of those people that gets a little...shall we say, uptight...when it comes to being in a position of even semi-authority, and things aren't going precisely to plan. I guess I still need to learn to be more flexible! A lesson I've actually had a hard time with all my life. But I'm feeling a little restless anyway, when it comes to crafting...I haven't gotten to knit or crochet as much as I'd lake to lately. So these scarves should have a quick turn-around time. Here's hoping!

Maybe the repressed crafter in me is what's causing the outbreak of stitch markers in my house...Of course there was the 3 sets I posted pics of in my last entry, but I've since then even gone and bought more supplies for making more and made another set. And when I go to Venice this weekend (yes, again, lol), I'll be keeping my eye out for some pretty beads in addition to browsing lellabella's gorgeous yarns! (I'll post a picture of the latest set in a while...the camera's not hooked up at the moment, and I'm itching to work on these scarves!!!)

Off to craft, I go!

Keeping busy...

I've finally completed my 5" on the next scarf...Oddly, this was the simplest pattern yet, but took me the longest to get done! But I think it was more because of the timing in receiving it than anything. My husband came home from his deployment, the Summer Camp for HSKS started up (for which I am a cabin counselor!), seeking out a yarn shop in Venice...anyway, it's finally done. Now I just have to get to the post office on a day it's actually open! LOL Then Holly's scarf will be moving on....




I've also been keeping busy making stitch markers! I like how the ones I've made recently have turned out! Very pretty, in my honest (and humble) opinion! ;)

And the scarves go on...

Pictures now, words later...lol Knitted scarf is Jodi's, crocheted scarf is Ronni's....good night! LOL


Close up of the 5" I knit on Jodi's scarf (color is off, but at least you can see the cables! LOL):




Jodi's scarf so far (this picture is more accurate in color):




The 5" I crocheted on Ronni's scarf:




Ronni's "tecnicolor scarf" so far:



Now that I actually have the time to sit down and write...(at least for the present 10 seconds...) Things have been insanely busy around here! DH just got home from deployment less than a week ago, we're trying a new system for discipline, and everything keeps breaking! We've lost (and gotten back!) our Internet connection about 3 times since DH got home, lost the phone connection to the States, the car stopped working, and the lawn mower won't start, either. Absolutely insane. And as of this moment, I have a 2-year-old that thinks everything is the end of the world...he upstairs screaming and crying as loudly as possible. lol

But back to the scarves (which, hopefully, the fact we don't have a working car will not interfere with them getting out tomorrow in the mail...); the mail over here has been absolutely insane. It's taking forever for them to get to me and forever for them to get to where they're supposed to be going! The knitted scarf, Jodi's, I actually had before my husband got home, but I was so swamped with last minute preparations that I didn't have time to work on the scarf...so I finally got around to it...and the pattern I had come up with in my head just wasn't working as it came out of my fingers. So I tried something else. Still didn't work. Then I settled on the 5 cables that I ended up using (and really liking!) , but as I got further into it, I noticed it was significantly thinner than the section below mine, and I know she wanted the scarf to remain somewhat consistent in width (which I totally understand!)...so I had to undo it and try again in a different size needle...still wasn't large enough, so I went up to 8's. Finally, I was satisfied! I think it turned out quite well and am thinking 5 cables like that would look pretty cool as an entire scarf, not just a small piece of one!

Same goes for the bit I did on Ronni's...I had actually intended to use a different pattern altogether, but as I worked it, it also made the scarf a bit misshapen. So I got to frog and pick a new pattern. It didn't cooperate either, so I figured I could change how I was doing it to go off of the number of stitches that worked best with the section before mine instead of trying to stay with the same number of stitches that were used in the beginning section...sure enough, easy as pie! LOL I quite like how it turned out, actually. And I love the whole "technicolor" thing! I think the colorway I chose fit with that mantra all too well. :)

But now it's back to life...cleaning and washing dishes and trying to keep everything else from breaking and keeping the peace between the boys and...well, you get the idea! Hopefully I can fit some more crafting into there somewhere!

The ransom has been paid!!!!

It's done! Projects four and five of my ransom are completed! Well, just about...I finished the scarf a couple of days ago, and would have posted about it, but was without Internet for a couple of days. This scarf came about because of the scarf travels round robin group I'm in. I wanted a skinnier scarf than the only pattern I could find on Ravelry, and I really like the whole Irish hiking thing. So I set about making one of my own original design...took the time to write it out and everything...I was in the middle of making this scarf (a while after sending out my starter) and, lo and behold, I found a pattern nearly identical to the one I created! LOL But I really like how it turned out. I used one full skein of Red Heart and it came out to be 110" long! Long enough, I think, for my tall best friend to wrap it around her neck and have it hang to her knees! LOL





And the final project of the ransom:



This is the bag that I originally was making for my spoiler...as I tend to crochet tighter than normal, I figured I'd go up a hook size to preemptively amend the potential problem...turns out I should have checked the given gauge first...it was enormous!!! And as I contacted my spoilee more, I just didn't feel like it was the right bag. So I ended up making her a different one instead and frogged the huge one back and redid it (in the proper hook size) to donate for angel kits. Just finished it up today! I still have to add a lining though.

But the fact that I completed the yarn portion was good enough for the friend holding my sweater yarn hostage...I got my yarn from her!!! I can start my very first sweater!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Over halfway there!

Or at least, if you're counting the number of projects, I'm over halfway there...I just finished project #3 of my sweater ransom!!! I was originally going to be this pattern, but I'd hardly gotten into the hat at all, so instead I frogged it and opted for this (much quicker, simpler and easier) pattern. LOL I did make a couple of modifications, though. Instead of increasing to 52 double crochet's on row 10, I kept to 48 dc's. I wanted more of the beanie look instead of the slouchy look. I also didn't take the dc's 19 rows, just 14, and after the one row of sc (which I did loosely so it wasn't too tight), I also did a fpsc/bpsc "ribbing" for one row. It worked up very quickly, and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. : ) Though I think it is still a little slouchy...just a teensy bit. (Not that I'm a perfectionist or anything...lol) So I'm 3 projects closer to my sweater! Yay! The only thing is...the bag and scarf I have left are probably each going to take as long as the blanket did! LOL Ah, well...back to the hooking! ; )

P.S. I'll add a couple pictures of the hat once my camera is charged! : )

So much for stick-to-it-iveness...

Ugh! I have next to no desire to finish projects! Still! Even with my sweater yarn being held hostage! That just makes it worse...I thought that would motivate me to get stuff done, but it's just making it worse because I have no motivation and am now starting to resent that little box from knit picks...I've still been starting new projects. Even though I wasn't going to and even though I wasn't supposed to. Thankfully, though, I haven't gotten far into them, so it won't really be painful to frog them. ; ) Speaking of started projects...I finally finished project number two of the five for the ransom of the sweater yarn...and here it is!:



I think, though, that the scarf travels is actually helping stem my desire to start new things. It's a chance to knit (or crochet) 5" of any yarn or pattern and then pass it on! I finally got my new debit card in the mail (after a week!!!) and was able to send off the first set of scarves yesterday, and last night did 5" on the next scarf, ready to send out tomorrow when we're on base.



Tomorrow is A's birthday party (he turned 4 yesterday!) and I have things to prepare for on that count, so I'm off for now! : )

The second leg...

Well, I finally have all 4 scarves in my possession. The 2 from Jessica came in at the same time, I still haven't had a chance to send out the first crochet one, and...ah, ok, make that 3 of the four. I can't count. LOL The first crochet one I was going to try and turn over in just one day...but my misplaced wallet threw a large wrench in those works! When I couldn't find my wallet last Tuesday, I reported my debit cards as lost and am still waiting on my replacement cards to come in. Therefore I can't access my accounts to pay to send out packages...LOL Go figure. The first leg was delayed because of both people sending to me running behind, and now they're both being delayed again because of losing my wallet temporarily. Ugh. But I had fun picking yarn for the crochet one and had fun picking a pattern for the first knit one! In fact, here's a picture of the knit section I just completed!:



It was actually pretty fun dabbling into lace-type stitching! In fact, I so much enjoyed working the pattern, that I plan to make a scarf out of it in the near future...

Now I just have to figure out what yarn and what pattern to use for Sophie's scarf...hmmm...

A yarn hostage situation!

Tuesday was a happy day for me! I checked my mail for the first time since last Thursday (after the whole fiasco of losing and finding my wallet and ID!) to find a party in my mailbox! I had not one, not two, not even three packages to pick up, but seven!!! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, seven packages waiting to be picked up! One was the first part of the crocheted scarf travels, two were birthday packages for A (who has a birthday on the 30th!), one was an order placed with amazon, 2 were from knit picks and the last one was from Herrschner's. I hit the crafting pay dirt! LOL The package from Herrschner's was a crafting bag that I caught on a 67% sale, one of the knit picks boxes was yarn for a R.A.O.K. for HSKS, and the other...was my yarn for my first ever sweater!!! I'm so excited!!! However, since I have been in a "starting" mood and not a "finishing" mood, I have handed over my soft and scrumptious yarn for my first knit sweater (for which I have already selected a pattern) to a friend. Per my request, she is holding it hostage until I finish 5 current WIPs...So far I'm looking to finish my current afghan, a scarf I semi-designed, and 3 hats that were put on hold, though I'm tossing around the idea of 2 hats and a bag that's half done. I'm so excited to be starting my sweater that the first hat is all but done, the scarf is about 50% done, and the afghan is about 80% finished...look out sweater, here I come!!!

P.S. The yarn bag...IS AWESOME!!!

The tale of the traveling scarf...(SPOILER PICS!)

So even though I decided I would only participate in one swap, I got sort of..."conned" into another one...though not really conned...and I guess it's not a swap in the sense that HSKS is, so maybe I still kept my word...LOL the thing is, there are so many swaps out there that have the potential of being crazy amounts of fun, but I know that I would get carried away and turn quickly into a swap-joining junkie. And I know if that were to happen that DH would make me choose 1 or 2 and get out of the rest to keep us from going bankrupt...I absolutely adore the people I've met in the HSKS swap, so I didn't want to have to pick and choose between groups of great people and decided that would be my only swap...then Ronni had to go and make a new one! LOL She invited me to it and I accepted without hesitation! But, as I said, it's not a swap in the sense that HSKS is. Scarf Travels is pretty exclusively to Ravelry, and instead of putting together an entire kit, all it is, is making a scarf! But instead of just making one scarf, you knit (or crochet) 5" to each scarf of the people in your group! I've been chosen to be a moderator of the group and help out with the running of things, which made me feel so special! : ) The first round had it's hiccups, but things seem to be going smoother this time around, at least, and I finally got the first starter in the mail the other day! I stayed up last night to crochet my 5" to it (I'm in 2 groups, the crochet group and a knit group), and it worked up super fast! I doubt I'll be getting out today to send it off, so I'll be getting it out tomorrow. : ) But I took pictures of the scarf with my addition on it. Some of the people in the groups want to be surprised, so I decided instead of posting the pictures to Ravelry and sharing with the group, that I would post the pictures here to my blog as I go (as someone else said they decided to do), so that they can look if they want, but they don't have to work to avoid seeing it...LOL So! Without further ado, here is Kat's scarf thus far:



I can't wait to work on more of them!!!

Hermione, the Troublemaker...

Ok, seriously. This pattern is not that difficult! So why am I having so many problems?! Well, I guess my problems aren't really related to the written pattern itself. I'm still super bummed that I didn't have enough of my Artesano to make it. :( I may still attempt it, though. I can't not use that yarn! It's too gorgeous and soft! But in the meantime, I really just want the Hermione hat. So for now I think I'll be switching up the fiber and settling for using Red Heart's soft stuff. 100% acrylic, but at least it really is soft. Now my problem is learning a new cast on. Up until now, I've only done the most basic and simple cast on. But I've been knitting for over a year now (my 1-year "anniversary" was last month!), and I figured it was high time I learned a new one. I could just use the same old, same old, but I really don't want to, so I think I'm going to stick it out fighting with learning the alternate cable cast on. The theory of the cast on isn't difficult by any means. It's very simple, looks super easy (when done by those that know what they're doing, lol), and the video on knittinghelp.com is extremely clear and concise. I just can't seem to make my fingers do what I want them to. I couldn't last night, either, but I figured that was just because I was tired. Now I suspect it's because I'm not yet as good at knitting as I'd like to think I am. LOL But, like I said, I think I'll stick it out. My husband may be more persistent than I am, but when I want something, I want it done right, and I've got the tenacity to see it through! So!....back to the needles I go...



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Now playing: Carrie Underwood - All-American Girl
via FoxyTunes

EARTHQUAAAAAAKE!!!

So evidently there was an earthquake in Italy early this morning...and I slept right through it! LOL Actually, it happened in the city of L'Aquila, which is somewhat near Rome...and Rome is, I believe, about 6 hours away from us. I hear that the tremors were felt as far away as Trieste (which is significantly closer than Rome!), but being as it was at about 3:30 a.m., and that said tremors were evidently not that strong, the boys and I slept straight through all of it. We have no post-quake clean up or anything. In fact, the only reason I knew it happened was because my mom called me this morning (at about 5 hours after the fact) to see if we were okay. Otherwise, I'd have been oblivious all day! We spent the day on base; I was doing laundry and the boys were playing with a friend at the playground. So all is well here! Thank you for the concerns! :)

Interesting fact...

I have never made an afghan with less than 3 colors. I don't know entirely why. Maybe it seems too simple or plain for my taste? I don't know.

I started teaching one of my friends that is also stationed here in Italy how to crochet. She's a little forgetful, though...I show her, she works on it, she puts it down, goes to pick it up the next day...and has forgotten how it goes! LOL I think she's getting better at it, though. She wanted to learn a round ripple right off, so that was what I was trying to teach her on. She instead used online tutorials to teach herself the basic single crochet and has been going from there. I'm sure she'll be busting out that round ripple in no time!

Another spouse that is over here also showed an interest in learning to knit and crochet. We're starting with crochet. She said she was a quick study, and I believed her, but wow! She shocked me with just how fast she picked it up! The first day I went over there, I taught her the single crochet (having learned from the first instance, lol)...I went back the following day, and she had made a scarf! So I showed her how to do the fringe...then I taught her double crochet. Went back the next day, and not only had she completed the granny square I showed her how to do, but she had begun an afghan (sans squares, though)...and not only had she started an afghan, but it was an afghan of her own design!!! So we were watching the show Charmed while working on all things yarn-y (I was knitting a scarf), when I had this sudden urge to start an afghan! It's been quite some time since I've done an afghan (it's pretty much been hats and swap-themed things the last....well, since October...), and I just had the urge to start one! (Honestly...who starts an afghan when warmer weather is coming?! I must be nuts!) I didn't have any worsted weight with me (except for the scarf I was knitting), so she let me dip into the small beginnings of a stash that she's got...which isn't much...which is why I am only making it 2 colors...which brings me back to where I started this post. I've never before made an afghan with less than 3 colors! LOL So this is clearly a first for me. However, I was able to do the whole beginning of the round ripple from pure memory! I guess I made more than I realized! Enough times to have it embedded into my brain, evidently! So now I have a beautiful, albeit "plain," afghan in the works!

My Hermione hat is not going according to plan at all. :( I'm actually sorely disappointed. It's not anything to do with the pattern, it's all to do with the fact that after finally figuring out my gauge (which turned out to be size 2 needles, by the way), and finished the ribbing, and finally got started on the pattern part...I took a look at how much yarn I had left...and I don't think it's going to be enough to finish the whole hat. I am seriously bummed about that. I was so excited to have found the perfect pattern for my yarn from Edinburgh, and I may not have enough. A clear sign that I should have bought more while I was still there. ;) LOL We'll see what happens, though. I'm still not decided on whether or not I want to continue and see if I can make it or if I run out. If I were to do all that work and run out just before it could be finished, I think I would quite literally cry...but, as I said, we shall see...

Doggone it...

I know, I know. I've been silent for a looooooooooooooong time over here. That's because I have been so involved with the HSKS swap, and I have a special "Potter blog" for it that I've been keeping up on. :) I recently took a trip to Edinburgh that I'm currently blogging about over there, so feel free to swing by and check that out...

Of course, my silence wasn't helped at all by the amount of my time that was being consumed--no, make that devoured--by playing World of Warcraft. (Yes, I am a nerd, and yes, I realize it.) ;) However, I am now off my "WoW kick" and back to knitting and crocheting like a maniac! I finished a fourth set of cancer caps (Yay!) and realized how much I'd slacked off on them! I will be working on them more diligently in the near future. For the moment, however, I cast on a hat for me! It's not often, at least that I've noticed, for a crafter to keep any of their creations themselves. Most of the time we gift them for holidays or birthdays or baby showers or weddings or something. Well, today I decided to use the yummy yarn that I bought in Edinburgh for myself. I cast on the Hermione cable and eyelet hat. It's a beautiful hat, and the yarn I have is super soft! I want to make it so that I can have something small, Potter-wise, to wear to the premiere of Half-Blood Prince...So I started it, and the whole time am thinking "Wow, that's a tall ribbing....am I really only halfway through it?...that's just a really tall section of ribbing!...maybe I should adapt it...I don't like ribbing that tall....it doesn't look right..." While I was telling myself these things, I just kept knitting. (I have been having a Potter-a-thon, and when I'm knitting or crocheting in front of the TV, I tend to just go on autopilot...) I didn't check the gauge. I should have, but I didn't. I got 13 rows into the 16 row ribbing before I finally checked it...and wouldn't you know, I was off. Le sigh. So now...Yeah, I'm going to rip it. Gauge it. Start again. No fun. :( But, on the plus side, I'm only on the third movie...that means I have plenty of time to frog and cast on again and I should be able to still finish the hat before I run out of Potter to watch! LOL I think the general consensus on Ravelry is that if you didn't make gauge with (US) size 5 needles, try a 2 or 3....so, here I go!