Sunday, December 13, 2009

Another Sunday

Another Sunday, another win and the Saints are off to their best start and most wins in a season ever. At 13-0 they not only locked up a playoff berth but a bye for the first week. Wahooo!!!

To celebrate use the code FranchiseBest when checking out and I’ll refund 13% of your purchase price (before shipping). Good for anything in the shop.

And to tempt you over there are a couple of new additions to check out.

Off Color Christmas

Girly Shorties

Y’all have a good Sunday, I’ve got knitting to do.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Christmas Knitting

Yep, I’m knitting for Christmas, I know it’s December 12, just hush. I figured if I put my list here then I wouldn’t be able to lose it. I might not come back and look at it until January just to avoid it but I definitely won’t lose it.

1. Greenhorn Hat – needs horns

2. Viking Helmet – needs horns attached

3. Nessie – needs one flipper and finishing

4. Girl Legwarmers

5. Boy Legwarmers

6. Goomba Hat – needs eyes, next for the head, drying

7. Snake Scarf – not looking likely

8. Winchester Washcloths

9. Puggles

10. Fox Hat – needs ears, drying

11. Ruffled longies – not Christmas but need to be done, drying, need drawstring, needs to stop raining again so I can photograph

12. Girly Camo Longies – see 11

13. Brown Wrist Warmers – Sewing in ends is not hard but you can’t prove it by me.

14. Orange Wrist Warmers – I have two hands, so I must need two, and the one needs a thumb

15. F*** Off, I’m Trying to Read – I know a lot of readers

16. Dr. Pepper  - no, not a knitted one, it’s a reminder

17. Black Hat – needs ds

18. Dwarf Hat – ripped back a second time and it’s still not for pinheads. – 3/4

19. Elementary x2

20. Death of Rats – wash yarn and stop spilling things on all yarn attempting to dry but it won’t stop raining

21. Squid – where did I leave that book?

22. Knitty – another reminder

If you watch carefully this list will change as I *gasp* finish things and probably add things to it. And if I’m really good, I’ll even remember to take pictures before the presents so away.

 

Friday, December 4, 2009

Snow!

It’s raining! It’s snowing!

But only at a distance. Up close I can see a flake now and again mixed with the rain but over against Mom’s field I can see the snow better. Until it hits the ground anyway, it’s over 40 here and much too warm for snow to stick. Yet.

Still don’t need that snow shovel though!

Currently

Weather

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Where am I again?

Not a normal Louisiana forecast:

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR EXCESSIVE SNOWFALL.WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON FRIDAY TO 9 AM CST SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

New Hobby

Well, I only said my dogs were non-knitting. Apparently Tig is taking up the lucet instead.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Brain Coral Tawashi

Due to all the clamoring (thanks for asking katie) and to make up for the My-phone-has-no-flash-but-is-otherwise-awesome picture here is my "pattern" such as it is.

Worsted weight cotton or acrylic if you want, that one ^ is cotton.

DP needles, a bunch of them around size 6 or so, whatever you're comfortable using with the yarn I'm not entirely sure all of my needles were the same size and I'm good with that, they worked.

Using your favorite circular cast on, I used a crochet hook (you need one of those for about a minute too) and made 9 single crochets in a circle, just because I like 9 and 6 was very small. I'd show you 6 but Elder Child has claimed it, not real sure why.

Anyway, cast on your stitches, get them onto your double points and commence knitting one in front and one in back in each and every stitch. Don't worry about where rounds start or end, the only concern is when you feel the need to add another needle to the mix. I started with the stitched divided on two with one to work on and at the end had 10 in there only because I couldn't find any more within arms reach that were even close in size.

Contine k1f & k1b until you're throughly sick of it and/or your brain coral is the size you think you want. Cast off. Collect all your needles, sew in your ends and you have a brain coral. It's decorative and useful, you can use it to scrub dishes or yourself.

I'd post a better picture but it's cloudy today and now that one has disappeared in the night. I hope it's at the bottom of my knitting bag and not creeping around the house some... ack!

Pick Up Sticks!

It really will turn out to be something. I hope. I'd cross my fingers but I think they're in there somewhere.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Cripes!

A week and three hours until NaNoWriMo starts?

Gulp!

Where’d I leave those index cards?

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Picture Day!

There has finally been a break in the rain long enough for the ramp to dry so out I scampered with the camera and various woolies that had been languishing for their photo op.

First up a couple of longies headed for the shop shortly.

Cherry Spritely:

Cherry Spritely Front

and Kettle Corn:

Kettle Corn Front

a small Pixie hat with a tiny friend:

Both Hats

and longies still in the works:Group Shot

Wow. Got the pictures done and this post written before tiny life starts stirring. Must dash, he’ll want to eat before we make the school run and likely the rain will start again.

Y’all stay dry out there and I wish I could send warm to those that are already cold. It’s almost up to 90 again today. Blagh.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

D’oh!

Some days I just feel like my brain is plugged in wrong. See, I have this knack for picking out obscure patterns and references that sometimes drives people around me crazy. I think it’s interesting making all these odd connections but sometimes it just doesn’t quite catch. Those are the ones that bug me.

The latest one: I watch Castle and it’s great. It’s funny, ABC is running it in order and I never have to guess what night and what time it is going to air. Hear that FOX? It’s amazing how well a good show does when people can find it to watch it. Anyway, last night at some point Nathan Fillion tweeted 

Anyone catch the obscure Firefly reference in Castle just now? 6 min in?

Ummm… No. Surely I would have caught anything said about Firefly, I’ve watched the DVD’s countless times. (Hello? FOX?) How could I miss a Firefly reference? And of course I didn’t tape Castle last night, I watched it so I had to tape CSI Miami. I had to track down a friend that did tape it to get another look.

6 minutes in, nothing. A minute either side of that, nothing. Watching again. Nothing except Castle playing with his hands after he pulls on his latex gloves; don’t need extra fingerprints at the crime scene do we? I thought it was odd last night but hey. Watch again. Nothing but the gloves. And Castle’s hands. Flashing a peace… not a peace sign, a two. With blue gloves.

Ack! Two by two with hands of blue! I can even hear River saying it in my head over the clicking of pieces falling together.

That thunking noise? Ignore that, it’s my head banging against the side of my desk, the top is too messy.  Maybe I’ll pull out Firefly tonight after NCIS, NCIS:LA and SoA. Wow, it must be initial night.

Y’all have fun, I have to find supper, can’t miss Gibbs.

Free Stuff!

And a great blog if you're hopelessly addicted to all things pen like me.

Here

Saturday, September 26, 2009

R2D2

Little round guy, smarts off to C3P0 right? You know you remember him. He’s great; manages to convey all kinds of attitude without ever saying a word we can understand. I never thought I’d say this but right now I can, quite honestly say I hate R2D2, the dome topped little jerk.

A lot.

No, really.

I’m sure I’ll get over it soon but right now, not so much.

Surfing Ravelry late one night I ran across this pattern, here if you’re not registered and knew the perfect person to make it for; a friend of Elder Child that is a fanatic for all things Star Wars. Awesome, a project, a target, it’s all good right?

No, this just turned into one of those cursed projects that I normally send to a corner to think about its misbehavior or frog and retask. Not this time. It was a gift, I was going to finish, I still had two weeks, it’s a hat, not so tough. Well, I didn’t like the size of the Adult Small, my target is not a pumpkin head. Child sized is even faster to make but the party has been moved a week. To today in fact.

Last night all that was left was the duplicate stitch detailing to make the hat look like R2 and not just a striped hat. Almost done with the major part of the chart and realize that even though it’s in two colors and I’m working with one of the two I’m stitching the other color. Arrrrrggghhhhh. Stomp stomp stomp slam!

After a brief time out I did finish the silly thing in time to give it a light block and send it out the door at 7am. Unfortunately I was so happy to be done I forgot to take a picture so you’ll have to imagine it.

I won’t. I hate R2D2 right now.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Goodies off the needle.

But not the red mystery lump. Actually, it is off the needles but it’s a surprise for someone I don’t think reads the blog but you never know so no more pictures for right now.

What is off the needles are these two goodies.

Nameless Longies

100_1912 100_1913

Feeling clever is not the same as being clever and I just could not come up with a name. They remind me of something, have since I started knitting but cannot think of what so they remain the nameless ones.

Waist – 14”

Hip – 16”

Rise – 20”

Inseam – 9”

Thigh – 9”



Just Your Ordinary Average Hat

Ordinary Average Hat Ordinary Average Hat side

And so it is. A rollbrim that is washable, crushable and brightly colored it fits heads from 20-22” and probably larger and rolls down to be 9” long unless you want it shorter. Made of a blend of acrylic, wool and alpaca.

Both are up in the shop so drop by and take a look when you have a moment.



And on a sad note after all these bright colors: R.I.P. Patrick Swayze, loved you since The Outsiders.

Puppy Love

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Season 2

For all y’all that watch Sons of Anarchy and haven’t seen the Season 2 premier tonight…

What are you waiting for? Get to it! Somebody else out there needs to share this state of gobsmacked I’m inhabiting at the moment.

Stop reading, go watch. Now now now!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

From the Makers of…

Remember Eagle in an Envelope Rif? From one of the same creators I present

Baby in a Sack!

Sleep Sack

Waist – 12”

Body – 17”

Length – 12”

100% Pure Wool in one of their colors I can’t remember the name of but it’s pretty. Perfect for preventing frustration caused by trying to thread noodly little limbs through pants legs.

The Purple & Gold sale continues through tonight, this doesn’t qualify but there is plenty that does.  Go take a look!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Almost Fall

Another sign that fall is almost here is the beginning of football season and around here one of the most anticipated events is the first LSU game. The waiting is almost over, just a few more hours and in case you don’t have your colors yet I have some for you.

Bayou Tiger Longies

Bayou Tiger Bayou Tiger side

Waist – 15 1/2”

Hip – 18”

Rise – 21”

Inseam – 12 1/2”

Thigh – 9”

All wool, all the time!

Oh yeah, in further celebration Purple & Gold sale in the shop. Anything with the lovely colors has free shipping for the weekend.

Geaux Tigers!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Finished!

I actually finished one pair of longies from my last post, I’m making progress on another one and the third is stalled because I need the needle the second is on. Oh yeah and I looked at a calendar and realized there are two birthdays coming up next week to knit for, oops. Once again it’s a matter of too many projects and not enough hands or hours. *Sigh*

But! As I said, I did actually finish one project for the two I started (shouldn’t that be the other way ‘round?)

Summer into Fall Longies

Summer into Fall side Summer into Fal

Waist - 16 1/2”

Hip - 21 1/2”

Rise – 18”

Inseam – 12 1/2”

Thigh – 11”

Got to run now. One secret project to work on, yarn to track down for the other and LSU-ish longies I want to finish before the game this weekend.

Geaux Tigers!

Friday, August 28, 2009

In Progress

Y’know, I could probably get more done if I would concentrate on one item at a time but it just doesn’t seem to happen that way. See?

In Progress 82809

Those are just the longies that are in progress right now but if you notice they’re all at different stages of completion. That’s mostly because they’re all waiting for the next needles down the line. I did that on purpose so I can’t start anything else until the blue ribbing is off that needle and onto the next size. Well, I could but I’d have to spend time looking for the needles and right now I’d rather knit so I think I’ll do that.

Right after I hang some laundry.

New Offerings

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and apparently my fingers are ahead of the rest of me this year. They're already cranking out Halloween Appropriate Woolies without consulting me about it.

New to the shop are these two pair that are also just cute as the dickens. (I'm Southern y'all, I'm just sayin')

This pair might not be exactly Halloween but they seem to fit the general feeling. We've all encountered diapers that should have come with a warning like this one right? That's the bum by the way and they are a dark charcoal and light olive green so if you're a Steelers fan, sorry, it's the monitor that makes them look that color.


Toxic Longies

Hip - 16"
Waist 19"
Rise - 18"
Inseam - 12"
Thigh - 10"













These are a little more Halloween/Fall related. He's either the Great Pumpkin in disguise or a snaggle tooth Jack O'Lantern but he won't tell me. He's a cutie though.


Punkin Butt Longies

Waist 12" - 18"
Hips 19"
Rise 18 1/2"
Thighs 10"
Inseam 10"












I have the distinct feeling that these will only be the beginning. In fact, my fingers have a question: Do ghosts have to be white? Very small people and white clothing make me twitch but Elder Child managed to get ketchup in her eyebrows on a regular basis much less on her clothes. So what do you think? Would ghosts in different sheets be as spooky?

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Worlds Fattest Mongoose 3 Snakes 0

Sort of anyway. Bandit got another snake yesterday but Tiger must have helped at some point judging by her newly pierced nose. Everybody but the snake is fine though, Tig's been bitten so many times now I only looked closely at her nose because I had already seen the dead snake. She didn't seem to notice at all.

Fall is beginning to sneak into the air so maybe this will be the last battle of the year. At least Toby stayed out of this one, half of his nose was huge after the last one, I think he's figured out that he's short and old so snakes are not his best target.

And two new pair of longies up in the shop! Hopefully I'll finish another pair tonight during the Royal Pains finale. Maybe.

Friday, August 21, 2009

SALE

I'm having an end of summer sale in the shop this weekend. Free shipping inside the US and discounted international shipping on all shorties. Go take a look around and have a good weekend.

My new mailbox

Mine is the one that's not quite flat yet. Isn't it lovely? Thank you parish highway department.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Summer Hobbies on the Gulf Coast

SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT TROPICAL DEPRESSION TWO HAS
STRENGTHENED AND HAS BECOME TROPICAL STORM BILL..THE SECOND NAMED
CYCLONE OF THE SEASON.

Ummm... Hello? Try the second named cyclone of the day.
That would be a little more accurate.

*UPDATE*

Let's make that 3 named storms in 2 days shall we? Ana,
Bill and Claudette.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Score!

My triumph for the day is not finishing a pair of longies meant for the shop but discovering that refills for my much loved Pentel Energel pens fit and function in the body of my Pilot G2 Limited. I love the look and feel of the pen but I seem to be one of few people on the planet that cannot stand the way they write. So now I have my lovely gold Limited with purple ink and that helps feed another craze, first game September 5!

The other victory for today is all the PBS books are wrapped and ready to mail, just got to get to the post office now.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Wow!

That's all I could manage the first half dozen or so times I watched this. Go, watch, I'll wait.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Stupid Weather Gnomes

That promised round two of the storm not only didn't get here but it completely disappeared! However, looking at the radar it's reforming in a slightly different place so there still might be more rain tonight, I figure about 3 minutes after I finally go to bed. While I'm partly trying to out stubborn the rain and doing some knitting I thought I'd use the fingers differently and show you my newest new toy.



Another lucet!

Hmmmm... on reflection I probably should have taken a picture of both of them for comparison but I didn't think about that until right now. The peg tips are the same width apart on both but the baby one only reaches to the top of the decoration so this one is much bigger which might be useful to someone without tiny little paws like mine. Personally I like both of them.

This one came from another great seller Mosaic Moon. It's a great product and her customer service is great when she doesn't have a slightly stupid customer to deal with. When I ordered I was immediately informed that there was a problem with the supplier and there would be a delay in shipping. I was also offered a refund if I did not want to wait. Awesome. The stupid part comes in where my filtering system hid that e-mail from me until after I had written asking about the delay more than a week later. I found it about an hour after I sent my e-mail and according to the timestamp after it was answered. D'oh! Like I said, excellent customer service, slightly stupid customer. I think I'm over the stupid, at least that strain of it, and I'm pleased with my new toy. I just need more hands so I can knit and lucet at the same time.

Okay, break is over. Still no rain but Little Man has decided he's not going to sleep he is, in fact going to fuss until I pick him up so I'll do that. I can knit that way but not type so well so rain to those that want it and have a good night.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

All new!

It's been almost a week and I'm still not sure what I think of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince so I'll just say it was a really good movie but I'm not entirely sure what book the script writer was reading for reference. There was a lot that wasn't in the copy I read and a lot more that was in my copy that should have been in the movie because it's, what's the term? Oh yeah, essential to the plot. Less teenage angst and more actual plot would have been fantastic. They did however, leave in Dumbledore's delightful line about enjoying knitting patterns and he even made off with a knitting magazine, I forget the title now. There were three of us in the theater that got a giggle out of it and the other two were Elder Child and the Bob sitting on either side of me.

Okay, before I get irritated and start ranting, thus spoiling things for those waiting for the crowds to clear next topic.

Two new pair of shorties/capris up in the shop. One is the finished LSU sock monkey I started during the CWS finals and the other is a sweet pair I'm calling Ice Cream Social made of Ray's Neapolitan with pleated cuffs that are much easier on the fingers than the double ruffles.


Hmm... it's getting darker outside, round 2 of our storm is supposedly on the way so I'll shut down for now and go fume about HBP some more, hopefully not in the dark. See y'all later.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Toy in Action

Sort of. Actually I didn't get the camera out until I was finished playing with the new toy, for the moment so I have no action shots. I do have a picture of the teeny tiny lucet with a soap sack that has been needing a drawstring. Today, finally, thanks to my mail carrier and Sistermaide Woodworks it does. And Elder Child's eyes are in danger of rolling out of her head I'm so tickled with my lucet. It's all right though, if they do I'll put them on the ends of my next cord.

I also have new shorties/capris going up in the shop soon, I hope. Younger Child is finished napping so it's a toss up if I get to accomplish anything else for the next few hours. Just in case here's a picture, they're eye searing but I love the way the double ruffle turned out no matter how much I cursed trying to figure out construction.


Y'all have a good night, I'm off to play more, maybe.

New Toy!

I got a new toy in the mail today, it's smaller than I thought it would be but it's very cool and utterly entertaining so far. I'll pull out the real camera in a while for pictures of it in action.



Monday, June 29, 2009

Time is running out!




The 4th of July is almost here and your little one wants to strut their Patriotic best too don't they? Check out my shop for a sale on Patriotic woolies for your little darlin's and if I don't have what you're looking for try katidids for a further selection of newly reduced but fully Patriotic goodies.

Back to this century.

Now that the power is back on, not complaining, we needed the rain and it's not so hot until the sun comes up tomorrow, that is, I have a picture of the latest off the needles. He's a cutie and he's not wearing lipstick like his little sister was.



Okay, power is flickering again so I'm out of here for right now. Knitting can be done by candle if need be.

It's raining, it's pouring!

And I have a frightened dachshund laying on one of my feet with his head resting on the other one so the thunder can't get him. That makes it more than a little difficult to do a happy dance because it's honest to goodness raining out there and it has been for about 15 minutes now. That may not sound like much but the average shower around here, if we even get one has been less than 5 minutes. Wheeeee!!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Geaux Tigers!!!

Ever seen a whole state do a happy dance? Most of it at any rate. LSU just beat Texas 11-4 in another really good game to win the College World Series. Don't let the score fool you, it wasn't looking good at first and I knitted to keep from making too much of a fuss and distressing the little man who should be used to mommy and sporting events by now.

See?

I started him right after the game last night when the boys seemed to have lost their mojo. It's another phone shot so the color isn't good but take my word, it's purple and gold and it worked, that's al that matters.

Off to join in the dancing. Y'all have a good night.


And no rain.

Yep. It has stopped already. I'm stunned.

Rain!

It is really hard to take a photograph of rain but that's it pouring off the corner of the house. The good news is it is finally raining for the first time in recent memory; the bad news is for a while there the weather somewhere knocked out Dish for about half an inning of the LSU/Texas game. More good news is that Dish is back now and LSU is still leading!

Geaux Tigers!


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

It is never

a good sign when the Weather Bug turns red down there at the bottom of the screen. That means it's searingly hot out there. It wasn't supposed to hit 100 today but the weather elves didn't get that memo, I see. Ugh.

Monday, June 22, 2009

I'm meeeelting...

Any of you out there with an excess of rain or even clouds please feel free to send it all this way. I can't even remember the last time we had some rain and even 97 with a heat index of 101 feels cooler when it isn't so bloody bright out there. Perfect weather to stay the heck inside, watch the College World Series and knit. Or anything else so long as I do not have to set foot out the door.

As proof that I haven't actually melted yet because I have stayed inside and knitted I have pictures:

A nifty little skirty for the Fourth of July! It should be up in the shop soon.

Y'all stay cool, I actually have to venture into the sun for a few minutes. Blagh!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Twins!

Of a fraternal sort anyway.

Catching Waves


And


Catching Rays
Y'all have fun. I have laundry to do, it was dog washing day and I got as wet as they did.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Finally!

In case I haven't mentioned it Louisiana summers are humid. Very humid. As in we grow gills to deal with it. I neglected to knit gills into these shorties so they were taking 40 forevers to dry but I fixed that. Rather than ripping them out to add gills I bought them a fan, a tiny, 4" across fan, it's adorable. Earned me some odd looks from the family, then they figured out I bought a fan for the knitting and they shook their head and walked away. You'd think they'd be used to it by now.

On to the now dry shorties:
I almost had a fit when I looked at the picture and thought one cuff was longer than the other but it's a white section last thing before the cuff. *Whew* I have made stupid mistakes like that before but I usually catch them sooner.

Y'all have a good evening, I have family to go visit.

Good Vibrations

Is there a higher compliment to a knitter than to see a knitted gift being used to strings as you intended, especially without it being called to your attention?

Monday, June 1, 2009

Ta Dah!


And the winners are...

For #1, Propane and Propane Accessories, it's Stephanie of Stephanie and Carlos.

For #2, the nameless longies it's bylulu

and

For #3, the rippling water shorties it's Adriana

Congratulations everyone!

If I don't contact you please send me an e-mail at renegade knits at bellsouth dot net and I'll get everything posted out to you.

Elder Child had fun with this rolling. She matched the dice she rolled to the color of the project she was rolling for, silly Elder Child.

This was so much fun I might try it every couple of months for random things from the shop.

Y'all have a good night.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Yet another one.

It's later, it's darker but Sock Monkey Girl can now see how bad her photo is. Yes, she's a girl, she's wearing bright pink lipstick, not that you can tell in this picture.

That's her drawstring off to the right, almost and there's not really a carabiner sticking out of her head, she was reclining against my tool bag.

If anybody else out there watched the MTV Movie Awards, I am profoundly sorry, that's two hours of your life you'll never get back either.

Almost time to roll, keep an eye out.