They're Backstabbers, Backstabbers!

Oh the dangers of carrying around double pointed needles in a felted bag! I stabbed myself in the back (very painfully) twice ('cause I just can't seem to learn that lesson the hard way the first time) today. But what about that knitting I've finished?
One BSJ, needing only buttons to finish it. This is so cute I can hardly stand it. But wait, you say -- what was that I saw peeking out of the top of your porcupine bag above? You're absolutely right, Sherlock, it's another BSJ (This one needs a collar and buttons sewn on.) Both are made with Moda Dea Sassy Stripes which may be the perfect yarn for this sweater if you're looking for machine wash/dry for your sister-in-law who couldn't be bothered/trusted to take care of a real wool sweater. Size 5 needle makes for about a 6-12 mos size, it took two skeins almost exactly. I can't tell you how much I love this sweater pattern. I have more of the Sassy Stripes in the stash (they were from a yarn store that went out of business, I got them for $1.50 a skein with the thought I'd make baby things from them) and I'm trying not to go stash diving right now for two more skeins to make another little sweater. Not to say that cute little sweaters are completely off the menu. This is Vesper Sock Yarn "Lovely Lollipop Sky" (from the Summer Sock Club) with a coordinating solid. Hmmm. Whatever could I be thinking of?

Updating

Well, it's been awhile since I updated the blog. I was going to update with some pics of my latest FOs, but Older Son has lost the cable for my camera so I can't download any pictures. I'm not pleased. Blogging will resume when I can get pictures.

Antics!

I'm so glad that I decided to do Antics! Looking for humanitarian oriented things to donate my time and money to has really made me find things I'd overlooked before. So far I:
1)Donated these two books to Read! 365 (they were thrilled to get them -- they said that there was a real need for books for older kids.)














2)Made a financial contribution to The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. This organization came up this week first as an informational seminar at work (which I had to miss because I was in a meeting) which put it on my radar, and then I just happened to get a solicitation in the mail! Kismet!
3)Contribution to UMCOR - The United Methodist Committee on Relief. I was discussing the Antics with Dave this morning and saying how I was looking to donate to a charity geared towards helping children globally and we discussed UNICEF. Well, Dave doesn't like their politics lately, so he wasn't keen on that (I have no issue with their politics, and I didn't ask for specifics from Dave. We don't see eye to eye politically and this was something I decided it was better just not to know). So I asked him for an organization he would be happy with (it's his money too, you know) but he really couldn't come up with one. I thought of UMCOR and asked "What about UMCOR?" He had no problem, so I went to their website to find out how to contribute. And look at THIS, you can send them relief kits. The Layette Kit includes a baby sweater! They specify button in the front, and I'm also assuming (though they don't say) machine wash/dry. So I'm using this yarn (Moda Dea Sassy Stripes) to knit a BSJ. I'm also buying supplies for a Back to School Kit or two (Celtic Queen says they have the crayons at Target for 19 cents!) while the supplies are out there on sale. And I think I know some people who might have some fabric in their stashes that could become a Sewing Kit. Anyways, here's the deal. If you send me your hand knit sweater I will pony up the rest of the supplies to make a layette kit and send it off to UMCOR. I'm going to say until I get some kind of confirmation that the sweater has to be machine wash/dry so that means synthetic or cotton blends. Button up the front -- how about the 5HBS (which is supposed to be knit for charity anyways, right?) or Tulip & Rocketry (Heather knit a gorgeous Rocketry using Cotton-Ease), or Babies & Bears. That's just a few, there are tons out there.

I Was on Fire! (Till They Put Me Out)

I was finishing up my stuff today at work in record time. I was firing off e-mails left and right saying things were done! One of the Project Leads sent me an e-mail teasing that I was showing off. I replied that I was on FIRE and that I was about to run out the door before they told me I had to re-do everything. You guessed it - within minutes I got an e-mail from one of the other Project Leads saying I had to re-do my stuff (not my fault, though!) So there's tomorrow gone. But when I did finally manage to stagger out the door it was to sunshine and rain which meant - you guessed it - a rainbow! I snapped this pic from the shuttle window. You can barely see the rainbow if you look really hard. When I got home I dragged my wheel out again to spin -- I got Dave to take a pic of me this time. He spent a fair bit of time trying to get my point and click camera to do fancy stuff. "It's just point and click, Dave." "No, I think I can adjust the flash." (He thought the pic was too flashy.) "I don't think so." "I'm sure I can, there's an adjustment for some other thing." (Dave presses buttons on camera for awhile. Laurie grows impatient.) "Let me see the picture." Dave hands over camera. "That's fine." "You think so?" "It's good enough for the blog." Sheesh. And here's my progress for the day (I had to turn off the flash so the colors wouldn't fade out.)

Still Spinning

I set my spinning wheel up on the front porch again today and spun some more sock yarn. I really like spinning out there -- but it does get warm. That bodes well for later this fall, and for the past couple of days (the weather's cooled off nicely here). I listened to Market Place again (Kai!) and then Dave came out and chatted for awhile. When he left I spun a bit more and listened to some jazz. Here's my work so far. A very pleasant evening. Pictures from this weekend. Celtic Queen and I went to Bloomin Yarns (where I ordered yarn to make Sidelines from the new Interweave) and we met up with Heather. I let the Celtings use my camera. Love this! Elder Celting immediately took a picture of himself! Then of me and CQ (behind the plant). Younger Celting wouldn't let his brother get a picture of him, but he let me snap this one.
When Younger Celting got the camera he took this picture of the giant felted mitten (both Celtings and Heather's son were intrigued by this. I think it's a boy thing.)

Sushi and Spinning

I had to stop at the grocery store on the way home from work today, and because it's a Giant Eagle Market District they had sushi. I was hoping to score some sashimi, but no luck. There was some nigiri sushi, but it looked like it had been sitting there awhile (no demand for sushi in Pittsburgh? Heather, I'm sure you're shocked) so I passed on it and instead picked up a dozen California rolls. Rushed home with them and gobbled them down before Dave got home. Well, I offered to the Sons. Older Son unequivocably refused, but Younger Son tried one, decided he like it, and snarfed down three more. As I was eating it I said to them "Don't tell Dad we had sushi when he gets home, because I'm eating it all." Dave gets home about ten minutes later, and after being in the house for all of five minutes says "So I guess you're just having sushi for dinner, then." I don't know which one of them gave me up (but I'm suspicious of YS). See if I cover for either of them.

Then, full of sushi, I decided that I really needed to spin. So I set up my spinning wheel on the front porch and spun some more sock yarn while listening to Market Place (I heart Kai Ryssdal). Sushi causes an irresistable urge to spin. Who knew?

B-day Stuff

I got a couple of gift certificates to bookstores for my birthday. So in round one I got these. That's all 5, count 'em FIVE Planet of the Apes movies there, and Seasons One and Two of The Outer Limits. 'Cause you know we're all about the 60s & 70s sci fi around here! (And you know I watched all those movies already. I'm trying to pace myself on The Outer Limits, though.)
Tonight I was headed out to the bookstore to pick up a copy of this for a co-worker's baby shower (she knows she's having a boy). I love this book, but could never read it to my sons on account of I was crying too much by the end. I had a couple of gift cards from Heather and a 40% off coupon, so Heather, this is what you got me! As soon as I'm off-line I'm going to dig into it. Can't wait! Oh, and I found my first charity for my Antics! Yippee!

The Antics

OK, I'm with Yarn Harlot on this one. I'm NOT doing anything for the Summer Olympics. I am completely boycotting these games. I think the IOC was wrong, wrong, wrong to sanction the games there, and think it's wrong, wrong, wrong not to mention hypocritical of the US to participate after their boycott of the 1980 games for less provocation, IMNSHO. I refuse to acknowledge these games at all. Needless to say I won't be participating in any "Olympic" knitting. I've decided I'm going to be doing the "Anti-Olympics", or "Antics". So what does that entail? Hmmm, haven't quite figured it out yet, but I'm thinking something community/human rights oriented. I'll keep you posted. And a sad note: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn passed away over the weekend. I could revist some of his works for the Antics. Maybe you could too, lest you forget.