NaNo, RAOK and other stuff

I know I should update my blog more often. I love to chronicle my knitting and to get comments and encouragements (seriously, it's really appreciated).

The past few weeks have been HELL, both mentally and physically. I've been working a lot. I'm talking 10+ hours a day, sometimes six days a week. And I've been depressed, suffering from a lot of body image/self-esteem issues. But I'm not gonna go into that.

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I've been RAOKed! It's been a few weeks already, but since I haven't updated in so long, I never got to talk about it. The lovely Andrea from http://members.shaw.ca/andrea-n-b sent me some spices that smell delicious. I'm supposed to pour them into hot apple juice, cider or wine. I'll do it for sure, I'm sure it'll be delicous.

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For the second year, I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo in November. I did it last year and succeeded, and it was an amazing experience. I'm really excited about it, even though it will take more time out of my already busy schedule. Bah. Who needs a social life anyways? :p Even though it's not knitting-related, I'll keep track of my word count in the menu to your right.

Is anyone else participating? Good luck if you are!

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Now, time for actual knitting content:

I'm still working on the lacey poncho, and I've accepted the fact that I probably won't be wearing it before spring. I just hope it's still gonna be in style :p

I'm also working on the Chinese Charm bag for my mom. I'm scared that I won't have time to finish all the Christmas presents I want to make, unfortunately. Oh well. We'll see.

100 random things...

100 random things about me:

1-My name is Caroline
2-I live in Montreal (Canada)
3-I'm French-Canadian
4-I also speak English (duh!) pretty well and I know some German
5-I'm 26 years old (will be 27 on Dec. 3)
6-My parents are divorced
7-I have a little sister named Nancy. She's 24. She had a brain tumor when she was 15 and it left her very handicapped mentally. I love her so much.
8-My mother is my role model
9-I don't really speak with my father anymore
10-I'm single and I live by myself
11-I work as a journalist/Entertainment editor for a small daily newspaper
12-I collect postcards
13-My favourite thing in the world is travelling
14-I've visited the following countries (or parts of them anyways): Canada (of course), the US, Columbia, England, France, Cuba, Germany, Belgium
15-Last June I spent two weeks in Germany by myself (+ one week with my family)
16-My grandmother comes from Germany
17-I've been struggling with an eating disorder for quite some time now but I'm doing a bit better now
18-I taught myself how to knit during the holidays last year
19-I love yoga
20-I love exercise in general
21-My favourite musicians/bands are Tori Amos, Björk, Placebo, Ben Folds, Beck, Radiohead, Howie Day, Rasputina and many others
22-My favourite movie is Amelie
23-I also loved the Lord of the Rings movies
24-My favourite actresses are Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and Christina Ricci
25-My favourite actors are Ewan McGregor and Johnny Depp
26-If I lived in the US, I would definitely vote for Kerry
27-I've been posting on www.atforumz.com for years now and have made great friends there
28-I have a livejournal at amarillys.livejournal.com (you should check out my background there ;) ). It's friends-only but if you ask to be added, I most likely will
29-I suck at replying to emails
30-I have jellybeans issues. Seriously.
31-If I could knit anything right now, it would be the Rogue sweater
32-I'm a terrible housekeeper. I hate housework.
33-My favourite season is fall. My favourite time of the year is mid-September to the end of October as well as Christmas time.
34-I don't really follow any religion. I'm not sure what I believe in right now.
35-I really want to do a safari one day
36-I recycle as much as I can
37-I'm allergic to cats, dogs (more than cats), band-aids and the ocean. Seriously. Anytime I go in the ocean or any kind of salty water, I get a rash. I can, however, eat seaweed without a problem
38-I'm a vegetarian
39-I love Diet Vanilla Coke but I can't find it anywhere anymore
40-I was engaged once, but never married
41-I have a tattoo (a butterfly on my right shoulder blade)
42-I can spend an hour on a stairmaster
43-My favourite colour is blue
44- I love coffee
45-I would love to run a marathon someday
46-I participated in NaNoWriMo last year and succeeded. I plan on doing it again this year
47-I started reading Dragonlance books a few months ago and I'm hooked
48-I love Neil Gaiman
49-My favourite book is Mists of Avalon
50-I also love Harry Potter
51-I'm painfully shy
52-I spend way too much time online though I've been better about it for the past few weeks
53-If I could live anywhere in the world right now it would probably be London or Berlin
54-I love makeup but I suck at applying it.
55-I also love clothes but nothing ever fits me right (the joy of being 5'2 and chubby)
56-I love shoes. Then again, I am a girl
57-I also love underwear. Especially Victoria's secret underwear. We don't have VS here but I know someone who works at the VS headquarters. He's like my undie dealer.
58-I read Cosmo every month. It's my guilty pleasure.
59-I love most TLC shows. What not to wear, Trading Spaces and Clean Sweep are my favourites.
60-I took a few photography workshops and I really loved it. I want a good camera badly and I'm saving for it now (ok not really, but I want to start to save for it some I'm hoping writing it here will motivate me ;) )
61-I whine a lot
62-I want to learn how to sew
63-I love wine


Ok I really can't think of anything else right now (I'm actually impressed that I managed to write so many things). I'll try to complete it soon. <3

Finally an update!

I'm having a difficult time updating lately. I'm crazy-busy at work and just... not in a happy state of mind. I do knit a lot though, it's very therapeutic. So is buying yarn, but I'm sort of broke right now so I should really stop going to my LYS ;)

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My poncho is halfway done. I read a post on the knitlist by someone who said she knitted hers in two weeks. Wow. I know I'm a slow knitter and it's my first time doing a lacey thing, so I guess it's normal that it's taking me a lot longer.

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Of course, what doesn't help is that I started yet another new project. It's the Chinese Charm bag from Stitch N' Bitch. I'm making it for my mom (for Christmas) out of Noro Silk Garden. Lovely. But is it just me or that yarn is terribly itchy? I've knitted with wool before (including Noro yarns) but it's never itched that much. I can only work on it a little at a time.

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I'm ending this post by saying a big thank you to everyone who takes the time to comment on this blog. You have no idea how happy it makes me to see that I have a new comment. Thank you :)

Finally an update!

Hey everyone!

September is one of the busiest months for me at work (I'm an Entertainment editor/Journalist for a small newspaper, which means there are very little people to do a lot of things). So I couldn't update as much.

I want to know if there's any way I can reply to comments that people leave me here. You know, like you can do in Livejournal? I'm asking because I've been receiving comments and I don't want you all to think I don't care for them. I really appreciate any comment I receive!

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I've been RAOKed! For those who don't know what that means: I'm part of the Fiber Random Act of Kindness Webring, which is just the most wonderful thing ever. If you want to know more about it, click the button on the right (I think membership is closed for now though).

Anyways. Deb from Portland OR sent me Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge! How nice is that? You know what the nicest part is? It made me want to try cables again! Deb's blog is at http://tuktuk.blog-city.com. I wanted to thank her on the RAOK list, but yahoo doesn't want to accept my email, unfortunately.

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I ordered some Noro Silk Garden (colour #34 if I remember correctly) and I received it a few days ago. Lovely. I shall cast on for my mom's Chinese Charm Bag sometime soon. I think I'll attach a little Angel charm to it.

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The Lacey poncho from Chicknits is coming along ok. It's a slow process. But I'm happy with it. I'm doing lace, woohoo!

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I FINALLY finished the Big Bad Baby Blanket. GO ME!

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Did you guys look at the Winter Interweave knits projects?. Veronik Avery's Jacket and Skirt are unbelievable! I wish I was skilled enough to make them.

bags!

http://www.yarnies.com/Shaped%20bags.htm

I love love love the first three! The patterns are 8.99, but what I don't understand is why they're charging 4$ for shipping! Can't they just email it to you? And even if they send it by mail... four dollars? I don't know, it sounds like a lot. Meh.

Maybe I'll buy one when my current projects are done (and when I have more money :p)

Returning

I took a little Internet break for personal reason. I'm trying to keep this blog knitting-related (I have a personal journal on livejournal, my username is amarillys). But I'll just say I've been feeling very down, still am in fact. But knitting is therapeutic at least.

I finished my funky purple scarf. No pics yet but they will come later.

I think I'll drop out of the DNA-along. The project has been frustrating me way too much. I haven't frogged it yet so maybe I'll pick it back up someday. But for now let's just say it's on hold.

I'm going to try to make the lacey poncho from Chicknits. Because I really do need a poncho.

Thanks to all of you who have commented on my last entry. I bought some Noro Silk Garden from a link someone recommended. So THANK YOU. :)

Yarn envy

All of you who gave me encouraging comments (either here or on the KR forums) after my last post: thank you. I still haven't given up on the DNA scarf. I'm now at row 6 on the chart and I'm doing a little bit at a time.

I'm also almost done with my fuzzy purple scarf. Woohoo.

Now I have a question. Does anyone know where I can find the best prices for:

-Noro Silk Garden
-Opal Brasil Sock yarn (I'm in love with this)
-Cascade 220
-Lamb's Pride

Unfortunately, all the LYSes I've been to in Montreal don't seem to carry the more popular brands so I have to shop online. But I'm not rich and with the exchange rate, yarn gets pricy. So I'm trying to find the stores that have the lowest prices.

Soon to come: a post where I'll keep track of all the projects I want to make someday.

Stupid DNA

I frogged the DNA scarf three times now. I guess I'm just not ready for cables yet or something. I always mess up somewhere and I try to unknit up to the error but end up messing up more. I'm not having fun with this project at all and I think I don't really like the yarn I got. *sigh*

I'll try one more time but if it doesn't prove to be more successful, I may decide ot put it on hold or to give it up entirely.

I feel like such a loser. It's just a scarf, shouldn't I be able to do it? And I wanted to make a sweater soon but now I'm scared to even think about it. Maybe I'll stick to bag or stupid garter stitch scarves.

(ok that last paragraph wasn't really true. I know I can do it and I'll keep on trying and there's no way I'm sticking to garter stitch scarves :p)

Forget Louis Vuitton...

...the world's most gorgeous bag was made by MOI.

Before felting:


Final result, modelled by a girl in her pajamas

(I spared you my morning face & hair)

Close-up


I used Noro Kureyon #139 and 10½ circular needles.

That bag was so easy to make and it really knit up quickly (I started it last Friday). I know I'm gonna make more of them for sure. I think I'm gonna make one in non-Kureyon yarn. Maybe a two-colour one in more neutral tones. Now you should all go and make one if you haven't already.

I'm in love...

...in love with my booga bag. Yes, I finished it! Well, actually, it's currently in the washer but I just took a peek to make sure the felting was going all right and it's gonna be gorgeous, I tell ya. I think one cycle is gonna be enough though, which is weird because I've heard a lot of people say it took them 3-4 cycles.

It sucks that it has to block and dry! I want to use it now! And I just know I'm gonna make more of them. It's so easy! And cute!

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In other news, I don't know if anyone actually reads this blog. I'm mostly writing it so I can keep track of things I make and so I can babble incessantly about my obsession without annoying the non-knitters in my life. But if anyone reads and can help me, I'll be forever grateful.

I finally decided I wanted to make the Chinese Charm Bag from Stitch N' Bitch for my mom for Christmas. Why? Because when I showed her the book a while ago, the bag is what jumped to her the most. But as you may know, the yarn the pattern calls for (Noro Gemstones) is discontinued. I did find a few online stores who sell it, but it's quite expensive. I love my mom, but the bag requires six skeins and the exchange rate from US to Canadian dollars is terrible so it would be an expensive bag. And I want to give her other stuff too. So, I think yarn substitution is in order. But, I don't know what to use! I'd like colours that are similar to the ones in the book because I know my mom liked them. I did find some Noro Silk Garden that has similar colours, but it's mohair so I'm not sure it would look nice... I don't know. Any suggestions?

Earlier I was googling the bag to see if I could find yarn suggestions from other people who made it and I stumbled upon this:
http://knit.sushi-cat.net/index.php?p=37&c=1

Isn't that cute? It makes me want to knit a Chinese Charm bag for myself!

Booga

I simply couldn't wait to start my booga bag. I've been wanting to make one since I first saw one. I love love love the colour of the yarn I chose (Noro Kureyon #139). I wish a LYS in Montreal would sell it so I wouldn't have to order it online. Oh well.

I-cord is terribly boring to make. But it's done. I'm currently doing the bottom of the bag. I really want to marry that yarn.

I showed my mom the fuzzy feet I made for my sister and she LOVES them. She tried them on and they fit her which is not good because her feet are much bigger than my sister's. So I'll probably end up giving them to her and knitting a new pair for my sister. And I'll make a pair for my mom's boyfriend too. And for myself, why not? They're fun to make and not too complicated.

I feel bad about starting new projects when I have UFO that are taking forever. But at the same time... this is my hobby and I'm not gonna work on stuff if I don't feel like it. I'm sure I'll come back to my illusion scarf someday. But I really want to finish the stupid baby blanket (the blanket is stupid, not the baby... since there's no baby). I want to finish it because I have only 14 rows left. This week, hopefully.

I'll also be starting a DNA scarf tomorrow, as part of a knit-along. It will be my first try with cables. I use an acrylic yarn, not too expensive. If I like the way it looks, I may make another one with a nicer yarn.

I got two e-cards from people on the FiberRAOK list. Unfortunately, I'm on my mom's crappy computer (I suspect it's probably the older computer still being used) and I can't see them. So I will send thank you's after I get back home. But if the lovely ladies who have sent them are reading this: thank you! Just knowing that someone took the time to send me a card made my day. :)

Felting = magic

I finished the fuzzy feet!

Pre-felting:


Post-felting (colour more accurate):


In other knitting news: I finally got my Noro Kureyon! It's so pretty! I want to marry this yarn. Men suck anyways. *pets yarn*

Poncho lust

I am totally going crazy with everything I want to knit, objects I want to finish, stuff I want to make as gifts. *sigh*

I want a poncho now. I really do. But I'm scared that I'm gonna knit one and end up not liking it. So I figure that maybe I should not bother and just buy one? But knitting one would be much more fun! :p I think I will. The Poncho-along starts on September first, which is... Wednesday! And I have 2-3 patterns in mind and no yarn. Fun.

Ok I need to prioritize. To-do list:

-Finish sister's slippers by tomorrow
-Finish funky purple racoon scarf by the end of the week
-Finish baby blanket ASAP
-Swatch for DNA scarf by the end of the week
-Start poncho :p

I predict a knitting binge all week long. The only sad thing is that this week is gonna be a crazy one at work and I won't have much free time. Oh well. I'll update with my progress or lack thereof.

(not yet fuzzy) foot!

So I'm supposed to be a slow knitter, yet I managed to knit the first sock for Fuzzy feet in one day. YAY! It is far from being perfect, but I'm happy with it. Hey it's my first sock. It's a big deal! :p Anyways, hopefully the felting will hide the mistakes.



I also realized that I really need some knitting friends. Little conversation on the phone this morning:

Me: I knit a sock yesterday!

Mom: Oh, that's nice.

Nice? It's fantastic!!! *sigh* She just doesn't understand ;)

Projects!

I'm having fun deciding what projects to start next.

My ugly-full-of-mistakes-but-I-want-to-finish-it-anyways baby blanket is almost done. BUT I won't have enough yarn for the moss stitch border. Poo. I'll probably buy another skein and use the leftover to knit a kitty hat for my boss' daughter or something like that. Or maybe I'll start that goddamn throw for my couch. My couch is ugly. It needs a throw. And a blue one would be perfect.

I started the fuzzy feet from Knitty for my sister. They're gonna be pink and, hopefully, pretty. I've never knitted socks and I've never felted anything before. Wooo new experience.

I've swatched for a pair of mittens I want to make with the leftover from my HP scarf. I want to use the mittens pattern from Stitch N' Bitch. But I only have sets of 4 dpns and it calls for 5. So I'll have to buy an extra set.

Also, I'm not gonna participate in the poncho knitalong after all. I found two nice patterns. But I know I won't have time because of my other projects. The patterns I'm considering making in the future:

http://www.salonemakhorinn.com/Patterns/_102/_102.htm(I'd make it a dark gray as MC and red as CC I think)

Blue Moon Poncho

I will, however, participate in the DNA-along. Woo!


It starts in September but I want to start swatching for it. It may become my mom's Christmas gift. If I can knit it quickly, I may make two and have them sent to Germany to my grandmother's sister and her husband. We'll see.

Can I do magic now?

Look! Look!



Wow, don't they have lovely scarves. Wouldn't it be great if I could, say, knit one just like it?



Woohoo! It is so incredibly soft too, I love it!

I am a self-admitted dork but dorks are cool anyways.

~FO~FO~FO~Fo

I finished a project! WOOOOOOHOOOO!

My Harry Potter scarf is now DONE. I just need to block it, which I will do when I get back home tomorrow.

I'm very happy about it and for the first time ever, I'm looking forward to the cold weather just so I can wear it. :p I will post pics in a couple of days.

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Now. I still have two WIPs, both of which I'm a bit bored with. I'm working on my illusion scarf right now (I have a bit more than a third of it done).

I will receive the Noro Kureyon beauties soon and they will be made into a bag.

But I also have one million projects in mind and I can't decide which one I want to make next. So here's me organizing my thoughts...

I have two knitted presents planned for the holidays.

Mom: I'm hesitating. I can go simple and knit her a scarf. Her coat is white and red. So the colours would have to go with it. I know she LOVES my HP scarf so I may go with a similar style (in the round and all). The other option would be the Chinese charm bag from Stitch N' Bitch. I already have the handles and she loved it when she saw the picture in the book. I just don't know which yarn I'd choose as I don't know where to find Noro Gemstones. If not, I guess I'll choose another brand of variegated yarn. I just need to be very careful with the colours to make sure she will actually use it.

Sister: My first idea was to make her a scarf and if I have time, mittens or a hat to go with it. The problem is that I have no idea what kind of coat she's gonna wear this winter. So I wouldn't know which colour to choose. Hmmm. Option #2 would be felted slippers, like the Fuzzy feet from Knitty. It's marked as a "tangy" pattern though. But it really is just a huge pair of socks and I've been meaning to try socks anyways. So I don't know.

I really need to figure out what I'm gonna make and start soon since I'm such a slow knitter.

Projects for me that I have in mind:

-A poncho AND/OR a shawl AND/OR a blanket. Basically, just something that I can bring at work to wrap myself in when I'm cold and everyone else is hot so I can't turn on the heat. I just need to find the perfect pattern first.

-A sweater. I want to make my first sweater and I want to make it now. :p I'm hesitating between To dye for, from the SNB book or the Surplice Cardigan from the Fall 04 issue of Vogue knitting. It's very pretty and marked as easy so maybe I could manage to make it.

-Socks. I really want to make socks. Any socks.

So many projects, so little time.

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Thing to add to the "I want it but can't knit it yet" list: Charlotte's Web. I wish.

*yarngasm*

Lookie what I got on Ebay.... Three skeins of this:



This is so gonna be a bag.

Needles!

I just won 26 pairs of knitting needles on Ebay.

*happy dance*

Now I still need a set of Denises. BUT, I'm using those as an incentive to stick to my diet (I'll buy them when I've stuck to my diet for a certain number of days OR when I'm to a certain weight that I'm not disclosing here).

Oh and FYI: I'm hoping for a FO sometime next weekend. Weee! I'm such a slow knitter...

Wool!

I went to my LYS today. Now the place is small. Tiny. But so filled with yarn. I love it. And the place was crowded today (mostly older ladies). I spent so much time there, just looking at all the yarn, touching, trying to decide what to buy. I really just wanted to see if they had more of the yarn I'm using for my HP scarf (they did!).

It was so funny too, there was this lady there who had the most charming accent (she said she's originaly from Egypt but she's been living here for 20+ years). She was talking to this other lady, telling her that she would once again get out of the store with too much yarn and a big dent in her bank account. "There's just so many nice things in here!", she said and then she looked at me and smiled and said "don't you think?". I just smiled and nodded. I looked at her shopping basket: it was FULL! I swear she must have had over 200$ worth of yarn in there (and the yarn is quite cheap there so that's a lot of yarn).

I wish I could have bought as much but my wallet said no. I bought one ball of yellow merino wool and two of the red one (I'm hoping I'll have leftovers to make mittens or something). I also bought some type of novelty yarn (similar to the fun fur thing) in two different shades of purple. There was a scarf made with that yarn in the store that was just too cute.

And now is the time for a little confession. My name is Caroline and I'm a scarf addict. I know I should knit other things (and I will, my next project will be a sweater, I'm pretty sure) but I think I will ALWAYS have a scarf on the needles, whether it's for me or a gift. The thing is, I've loved scarves even before I started knitting. I always buy too many of them in winter. I have three black coats (different styles, same colour) and I like to change the look with a different scarf. What can I say.
So yeah. Scarves. My HP one is looking good even though I still have eight (?? I think) stripes to knit. Wanna see? I know you do!


It's all soft and warm too! Woo!