Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Merry Giftmas

Ok only 5 more days left until Giftmas...so ya'll better get your gift knitting done! I waited til the last minute (of course) and didn't even really start mine until YESTERDAY. *headdesk* sooooo... I'll be knitting up a storm this week.

In other news, my Giftmas shopping is done, all I gotta do now is put up the fake tree and wrap the presents for the rugrats.

OH! AND  my favorite holiday candy was on sale at CVS yesterday...so I even bought myself a little present.

yum. Chocolate covered Cherries.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Chihuahua Hoodie

Ok...here it is. My "pattern" for the Chihuahua Hoodie.

Keep in mind that these are more like general instructions, not a row by row pattern.

Measure your dog (or cat) around the stomach, from groin area (you don't want the sweater to cover that area or you will have a messy puppy/kitty) to front legs, between front legs, around neck and length of neck.


CO 48 (or # of stitches needed for your size in an even number)

k2p2 rib ( in the round) for about 1-1.5 inches keeping a marker at the beginning of the round.

Knit (in the round) for about 5 inches (or number of inches from groin to front legs).

Using the beginning of round marker as the center, place two markers on either side of the center to mark how far apart the front leg holes should be. (For my dog his legs are two inches apart, so I placed a marker an inch from center on each side).

Knit to first marker, and then as you knit the next 10 (or 15 for larger dogs) place the stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn. Continue knitting around to 1o (or 15) stitches before second marker and repeat. Remove the two extra markers. (Leave the beginning of round marker).

Continue knitting around for about 1.5 inches.

k2p2 rib for 1-1.5 inches

Using beginning of round marker as center, count out a third of the stitches on each side of the center and place a marker.



The "top" third of the stitches will be your hood.

K2P2 to first marker.

Knit across the hood stitches placing a marker in the center, turn work and purl back. Turn and knit, turn and purl back. Move marker up each row.


On the next row Knit first stitch and then kfb in the second stitch. knit across to stitch before center, kfb increase, knit center stitch, and then kfb. Knit across to next to last stitch, kfb, knit last stitch.

Repeat increase row every right side row for about two inches.

Skip 2nd and next to last increases and continue center increases until hood is half as tall as necessary.

Knit knits and purl purls until hood is at the right height.

pick up stitches along sides of hood and k2p2 around hood and neck until neck is long enough. Bind off stitches around neck, and continue k2p2 rib around hood stitches until hood is as deep as necessary. Bind off.

I sewed bottom edges of the hood rib to the neck area to give it a good shape when folded back, but you could add a drawstring around instead by weaving a cord through the ribs.



***This "pattern" is untested so please let me know if I didn't write it clearly enough, or if you find a mistake!***

aannnnnnd.... I'm back!

Had a small hiatus from the regular internetz (btw Cox Communications sucks) buuuut... I'm back!

I received the super fun Mukluks from the great folks at CSN... the review and a giveaway will be coming in a couple days...

Nothing else too terribly exciting has transpired the last few days.

I did however, have a small psychotic break over my inability to knit the other day. All I wanted to do was make something small and easy for myself. Apparently the universe didn't appreciate my selfish goal. I was thwarted in EVERY attempt to make myself a pair of freaking Yoga Socks...so I called it quits...and decided that if I couldn't make something for myself...then I was going to knit the next best thing.... something for my dog.

So after a little patttern browsing on Ravelry for inspiration... I decided to knit a hooded sweater (my first hoodie project) without a pattern!

The hood didn't come out perfectly...but it was pretty good for a first try. Next time I need to make it a little wider and taller so that it can be cinched over his ears to stay on.

I kept notes as I worked, so I'm going to post later today with the basic pattern that I used.

That's all I've got for now folks...so stay tuned!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Knitting myself a Pity party...take 2

Welll.... once again I was foiled in my attempt to knit myself something.

I started the Yoga Socks...only to realize that the pattern wasn't written for someone with 17 inch calves. *headdesk*

So I frogged it. And started over with a larger CO. Then I realized that I the larger CO made the foot part too large.*headdesk* So I frogged it.

Sooo.... I started with a p1k1 rib in the foot with two stitches more CO, and I plan on increasing every third row instead of every 8th row once I get past the ankle area....and hopefully I manage to make this work. *sigh*

Friday, December 10, 2010

Pity Party Knitting...

I haven't knit or crocheted something for myself in....well... I actually can't remember when the last time I made something for myself.

So today I feel crummy. I'm surrounded by this dreadful "holiday" crap and I feel like knitting myself a pity party.

So I turned to my LSG hoars (you'd have to be a an LSG hoar to know what an LSG hoar is) and asked for help picking a pity party project...and I've narrowed it down to a few patterns.

Yoga Socks









Mary Jane slippers 
















Capitan Hat     

















I think I'm just going to put all three patterns in a cup and choose one...because I think I love them all equally.

Pics tomorrow of my Pity Party knitting....

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Sick. Blech. Yuck.

I hate getting sick.

I hate the feeling you get when you know you are starting to get sick, and you want to fight it, stop it, do SOMETHING to keep it from happening.

But you can't. You just have to suffer and wait for the inevitable to happen. Yesterday it was a headache that I woke up with. By the afternoon my neck was sore and my stomach was queasy. By last night it was a fever, with pressure in my ears and jaw.

Great. Juuuust great. I wake up this morning, and yup, headache...check. Neckache...check. Sinus pressure and ear pain... check.

Damnit. I'm sick.

aaaaannnnnd.... because being sick doesn't SUCK enough, I'm still out of coffee creamer and stuck in the house.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

It's just not the same.

I am a coffee addict. BAD. I am not a pretty sight in the morning until I've had my cup (or five) of coffee.

I like my coffee with creamer. Only problem with that is... I ran out of creamer.

So now I'm drinking my coffee with milk and sugar.

It's just not the same.

*sadface*




I wish I had the forethought to keep flavored powder creamer in the cabinet as a backup plan.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Get money back for shopping!

One thing that I hate the most about this time of year is spending money. I love buying things for my kids, but there is so much pressure to give them a "big christmas" that I end up stressed out about what I can't buy them instead of enjoying what I can.

So I think this year I am going to scour the internet for deals, and I'm going to pass them all on to everyone else, I know I'm not the only one sweatin the last minute christmas shopping blues.

So first off I wanted to share my new find.Ebates. Shop at your favorite stores through them and GET MONEY BACK! How awesome is that?

So click this link to sign up, and right away you'll have five bucks (and I'll get five bucks too!) in your account. You can have your money sent to you by check or to your paypal account. Super easy!

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=1AoeCMrTAQ%2FV5CfcfCxuSg%3D%3D

If you sign up using this link, comment on this post and get ten entries in next weeks giveaway that I'm planning... it's pretty awesome, so you don't want to miss out!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Doesn't even feel like Saturday...

I totally forgot today was Saturday. I woke up this morning and after dragging myself with one eye open to the couch to lay down and supervise Ru and her cereal, I flipped on the TV and was PISSED OFF to find Law & Order on TNT instead of my usual morning dose of Charmed.

I was all kinds of ragey and got out my phone, and started Googling to see if TNT changed my favorite morning lineup of TV shows. Then I realized.

It's Saturday.

Charmed doesn't come on in the morning on Saturday.

So I'm relieved because this means that Charmed hasn't been moved, but I'm totally confused because how did it get to be Saturday?

Friday, December 3, 2010

Peanut Butter and Jelly...its whats for dinner.

Tonight is one of those nights when I just don't have it in me to do more than make a couple of sandwiches.

It's a good thing that my kids love PB&J!  

Yay! Boots!!

Are we ready for another giveaway?? CSN has been nice enough to offer me the opportunity to do a review and giveaway for them!

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish handbags, counter height stools, or lucky for us...BOOTS!


In keeping with the general knitting love theme of my blog... that giving away a knit item would be appropriate. Soooo....drumroll please....


I'll be giving away a pair of these cozy looking Mukluks


So stay tuned for the review and giveaway instructions that are coming soon...

Thursday, December 2, 2010

I wish it were colder...

After five minutes spent on Facebook reading about everyone and their snow and their subzero temperatures... I realize I'm totally jealous.

Why am I jealous? Not because I like snow, I don't. Not because I like cold weather... I don't really.

I want it to be cold here so I can wear boots and big comfy sweaters. I want to be able to wear the hats that I make for everyone else... and maybe even make a scarf that I get to actually keep!

Drinking hot cocoa and snuggling in blankets is a lot more attractive an idea when you don't have to turn on the fan or AC to warrant the blanket.

*sigh*

I guess I could just wear the comfy boots with my sweatpants and tshirts...and I guess I could drink my hot cocoa iced... but it's just not the same.