Why Hello, Mr. Tax Refund Check!

True to my word, I went to AC Moore last weekend and spent a small fortune (courtesy of my tax refund check) on cross stitching supplies. I bought three picture kits: the first is of a dalmatian puppy that appears to have sneezed off some of her spots, the second is a profile shot of a tiger's head, and the third is a snow-covered log cabin scene. I was hoping for a little more variety, but I had no problem settling (obviously). Once I'm a little more experienced, I'm going to shop on-line for patterns and buy the thread and cloth separately. I've already started the dalmatian puppy, but the going is slow. Why? Because I've yet again changed my grandmother's cardigan! The Leafy Lace Cardigan got fuglier with every stitch that I knit. I ripped it all out and turned to Ravelry, again, for something (ANYTHING) that my grandmother wouldn't be embarrassed to wear in public.

And then, I found it. Hey Teach!

I'm knitting this with KnitPicks Shine worsted (60% Pima Cotton, 40% Modal) in "Hollyberry." The yarn sheds quite a bit, but it's super soft. I had a different cardigan in mind when I purchased this yarn, so I'm going to have a ton left over.

The pattern is pretty straightforward. I had a little trouble deciphering the lace chart at first, but I figured it out without hitting anyone. The shaping, however, is causing severe mood swings. I'm sitting here, at work, completely consumed with figuring out a way to decrease (on the back) to 59 stitches without throwing off the lace pattern. Something tells me I'm in for a long night of cursing...

Aside from the shaping woes, the cardigan is a fast knit. I'm going to try to finish the back tonight. My grandmother's birthday is March 18th, and I'm hoping (although probably in vain) that I'll have it done by then. At some point I'm going to have to throw a Little Angel Top into the mix. One of my friends is due March 24th-ish. Everyone is reproducing, and I can't keep up!

Oh Dear

Something dangerous has happened. Along with wanting to do thread crochet, sewing, and a laundry list of knit projects that includes socks, I seem to have found myself wrapped up in an entirely new obsession: Cross Stitch. I would love to make some wall hangings that I could use to decorate my non-existent house. How about some cute tea towels? Napkins? Pillows? It's a slippery slope!

Perhaps I should organize my "tubs" before I embark on yet another craft adventure. Yes, that's what I'll do tonight. I'll stack and label my tubs. Life would be so much easier if my closet tripled in size. Apartment living is pretty craptacular when you hoard craft supplies. It would also be helpful if the hours in each day increased from 24 to 34. I need more time! Leaving for work at 7am and returning at 5pm definitely affects my crafting...negatively. Except work does support my habit(s). It's a love/hate relationship.

Guess who's going to Michaels on Saturday? Chances are it's the same person who is going to spend all of the money she allotted for frivolous craft spending in one trip. Thank you tax refund!

Blizzardy Things

Oh my goodness. So much has happened since my last post. Up first: TWO BLIZZARDS! I love snow. I love it so much that I get depressed when it melts. Over the past few years my area (South Jersey) has gotten very little snow, and I wasn't sure I'd ever see a big snowfall again. This winter has brought me THREE blizzards, and two of those blizzards happened less than a week apart. You can imagine my excitement when I learned that I'd have two days off from work to play in the snow. I hadn't had a snow day since high school.

I'm not the only one who loves snow. Darby loves it even more than I do! She's a complete snow puppy. I don't think I'd like frolicking through ice and snow with my stomach exposed, but Darby seems to enjoy the feeling. I can't wait until I get a yard. I plan to install a nice fence, and I'm going let Darby play in the snow for hours. Here are a few pictures of her adventures:







Xerxes isn't much of a snow-loving dog. Once he sees that there's snow outside, he drops and pees right in the hallway. He'll play once in a while, but for the most part he finds it inconvenient.

In other news, my Owl Sweater is totally complete. It's got its eyes and everything! Here's a picture:



Pretty snazzy, don't you think? Here's a side shot:



...and a cute little owl!



I used stuffed animal eyes for my owls. They worked out pretty well. I bought 100 eyes for less than it would have cost me to purchase 42 matching buttons, and they were much quicker to apply. All I had to do was pop the eye post through the sweater, snap on the back, and snip the end of the post. Wa la! This is my absolute favorite knit project to date. I've also completed 2 other projects:

...a hat


(This was a total disappointment. It turned out way small, and the pattern hurt my hands.)

...and some fingerless gloves




At the moment, I'm trying to wrap up that baby blanket I started ages ago. I started knitting my grandmother's cardigan, but it's boring the heck out of me (and it's looking fug). It has taken incredible self control NOT to start something new and exciting. I'm sticking to my plan, though. I want to start making things to sell, and I can't do that until I've finished everything I've started.