In which she discovers a new obsession.

Jason bought Brandon and myself a gift certificate to the Local LYS for 1 weaving class and 1-week's rental of an Ashford Knitters Loom. The class, because he of course wanted to learn as well, was scheduled for his day off .. which so happened to be yesterday. Two great things in one week ... I'm spoiled, dontcha know!

So yesterday, after I worked my morning complete with surprise visit from my boss (who said my store looks great and I'm doing a great job) and Jason working the first half of the day (because the salesmen won't stop selling cars, the fools. I mean, what do they think this is, a car dealership or something?) we headed up to Pineville to The Yarn Shop. After some creative 3-point-parallel-parking (so dubbed by Brandon) I headed in, to find my beloved already there, and we got started.

I don't think it counts as cheating on one's yarn diet if one -had- to buy yarn for a class she already had planned, does it? Anyway, we all picked out our yarn, and I got myself some gorgeous Berroco Ultra Alpaca in a heathered forest green (6276 - Woodland Forest), and some Noro Silver Thaw in a beautiful green/purple/pink/grey combination. I used the alpaca, of course, for the warp, being as it's smooth and lends itself to such, and the Noro for the weft. And it's weaving beautifully. Jason picked a black/white combination of beautiful soft alpaca and I believe alpaca/silk, but don't hold me to it. And Brandon's weaving with a pair of Berroco Ultra Alpaca varieties - Light Grey (6206) and Prune Mix (6284). My scarf, being as it has a non-solid yarn, looks wholly different than theirs, but it's a nice difference for me.




So, I got a bit done before we even left the store .. which was three hours later. Brandon actually got to learn how to tie in after refilling the shuttle before we left .. Jason and I hadn't gotten to that point. We also learned how to fold the looms for travelling with them and off we went. We decided to go to dinner at Monsoon, a local Thai place we love, and as usual were not disappointed. After a brief trip to Brandon's momma's house to drop off the deep fryer they gave us which quit working somewhere around the third or fourth use, so she could have it replaced, we headed home for honey to finish his homework and then I stayed up after everyone had gone to bed, weaving. I got quite a bit done .. had to fill the shuttle twice while I watched NCIS.

Don't mind the tv in the background playing Rent. I'm a bit obsessed at the moment.

I forgot to post about my finished Red Scaf Projects scarves!

Guilty

Amy posted her guilty pleasure (Flicity) today, so I figure I can at the very least fess up on my own.


Angel.

Oh, how I loved Angel. Hated Buffy mind you, but I adored Angel ... and not -just- because David Boreanaz (holy shite I just typed that right without looking it up first!) is very nearly the hottest man on earth.

No, I liked it because of its campy, over-the-top-ness. I loved the cheesy dialogue, the predictable plotlines .. I loved it all.

At least now I get to watch David being all surly and sexy in Bones.



Ahem.

In other news, I finished scarf #2 for the Red Scarf Project. Me! She of the incomplete projects, finished not one but two whole scarves. And if I didn't have so much schoolwork I might just start a third. I might anyway .. maybe. I've another skein of the Italia eye-lash I used for the bias scarf, but I might keep that around. Valentine's Day's a-coming, and I might need it to make a gift instead

Right now, this moment, all I have on my needles is Candleflame, which I actually have a good amount of work done but it's still a very long way from completed, and my sweater, which I really want to finish. But I also want to make some fun-fur hats for Boston Children's Hospital.. I'm frustrated by my complete lack of useful circular needles right now though. All of mine are like 29", and that's just not feasible for making a hat in the round, and I don't have any DPN's higer than a 6. I guess I'll try that next, though I don't relish the thought of knitting fun-fur on 6's.

Fair Warning

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade - the much awaited expansion to the online game I play obsessively - releases today. I'm heading to work here in a little while, and I'll be picking up one copy of the collector's editions and two of the regular edition (for Brandon and Jason).

This will likely eat into some of my knitting time, at least for a little while. I promise not to vanish entirely, but there is much new fun-ness to explore, and I intend on exploring all I can.

I can report that I frogged the new Red Scarf .. the pattern wasn't working for me, and was annoying me. Right now I'm knitting it on the bias with drop stitches and it's going fast .. and I should have enough yarn to make at least one more scarf. Whether I'll have time to is another story, but I'll certain ly give it the old college try!

Not a Knitter

That is what my husband says .. he's not a knitter. Oh, he knows how to knit and all .. but he's not a knitter. But this is what my 'not a knitter' husband knit lastnight. Double-stranded Tahki New Tweed in colors 14 (black with purple and orange flecks) and 27 (purple/black multi with orange flecks).



And .. why yes, that -is- an advance copy of Open Season. A perk for working for the movie studios is occasionally they send us goodies. :)

In my own knitting news, I have completed my first Red Scarf. I so want to keep it for myself, as despite being acrylic it is snuggly and soft and warm, and longer than I am tall! I used a modification of the Irish Hiking Scarf pattern, with only two cables instead of three because I wanted it to be nice and long and had limited yarn to work with. I think it looks lovely, don't you?




I'm now working on Red Scarf #2, which I will hopefully finish before January 25th so I can mail them off. I'm making this one out of Yarn Bee Italia - one of the many store-brand novelty yarns at Hobby Lobby, but admittedly one of my favorites. I'm using a pattern I found in a recent Knitter's magazine, one that makes it look almost like it's actually crocheted. It uses p4tog though, which is much more difficult than it needs to be. I'm managing though.





In that last photo .. you see the little skinny sticks, with butterflies on the end? Those are size 0000 needles. I need said needles for the bracelet kit my beloved got me for christmas. Yes, they are as tiny as they look, but I'm oddly excited to be knitting on them. :)