200th post!

Woo hoo! I really never thought I would keep up this blog this long! Thanks for all the love, y'all!

After all the swatching last week I managed to get my design proposal mailed to Interweave Knits, all that is left now is to wait... I am in love with this idea, so even if it gets denied I will write the pattern anyway. After all that knitting, I really felt as if I should have something to show for it and needed a quick FO (or three).

FO 1: Ballband dishcloth (I plan to knit washcloths as a birthday gift to my sister. She has been asking for "one for each day of the week" after using one of mine to wash up after dinner here almost 6 months ago. I was a sweet sister and let her take home one of mine, now she really wants some of her own!)

FO 2: Fulled modified Twinkletoes. I knit a pair of these for The Girl Wonder back some time ago (I did not swatch and had gauge issues and thought the heel looked funny) and was not really happy with the outcome. I knit a pair this weekend with the intention of fulling them. Again I decided to live dangerously and not swatch. I cast on for the child size on size 8 needles and Cascade Ecological Wool. I love this wool, it is not soft enough for next to the skin wear but is great to knit with, has a wonderful woolly odor (for all you yarn sniffers out there) and not to mention has awesome yardage. My new favorite!

Shit, I had them in the washer while I was writing this post and now they are too small! Waaaaa! They are only a smidgen too small, but too small none the less. Anyone have a cute little lady in their life that might want them? They are all yours for the cost of shipping. They are 7.5 inches toe to heel. Leave me a comment or send me an email and the first person that wants them can have them. I am planning to attach the strap with a bit of elastic and add a button to finish them.

FO 3: Urchin. First off, let me say I think Ysolda is amazing and I am secretly jealous of her amazing talent at such a young age. I printed this pattern the day I saw it because I knew I wanted to knit it. I knit mine on size US 13 needles with Bernat Galaxy (this is such a strange yarn, I bought it when I first started knitting, with the intention of knitting a scarf with it- never happened). I knit the largest size even though I have a smallish head. I ended up working a row of single crochet around the brim to keep it from stretching too much and to tidy up the garter edge. I thought the pattern was interesting and pretty easy, but I am not so sure about this FO. Perhaps I'm not a beret kinda gal, perhaps it is the fact that if you saw a pile of this yarn cast aside you just might think it was a pile of cat vomit. Should I be caught in public in this hat?

I have also managed to crochet another section of the Babette Blanket I have been working on. I just might show this little project some love this week and see how much I can get knocked out.

That's all for now!

What's in a name?

Oddly enough, Most of this is true!

What Amanda Means

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. (I have both A and B personality) You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. (most of the time) You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! (I would not knock others down, just ignore them.) You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. (I wish!) You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Does your name's hidden meaning ring true for you?

Homeschooling possibly illegal in CA

I normally do not talk about politics and such on my blog, but there is some Fucked Up Shit happening in California regarding parents freedom to homeschool. If you have read my blog for any length of time y'all know I homeschool my kids, always have, always will. Even though I do not live in CA, this is an issues that could possibly affect my children in the future. If you have a minute, please take the time to sign the petition to have the state Supreme Court to "depublish" the case, which means to apply the case to the family involved — not to all California families.

Thanks Y'all!

Whole lotta nothing going on...

The past few weeks have flown by! I have sat down to blog on many occasions but have just not been in the mood. The last two weeks of February could be defined by me just not being in the mood- for anything. I have knit (of course) but really have nothing to show for it. I have been swatching for a new design to try (again) to get published in Interweave Knits. I knit swatches for three days with three different yarns. Finally, I found a stitch pattern I liked and knit a big swatch to send with my proposal. The stitch pattern was pretty easy once I got into the swing of things and about half way through I decided I really didn't need to look at the directions anymore. I finished knitting part of the swatch and then picked up stitches along the side- just as I would for my design and was happily knitting along. I admired, petted, sniffed (mmmm, the woolly goodness of Cascade Eco Wool) this swatch for three days. I even blocked it- measuring carefully as I pinned it down. I showed off my swatch to my MIL and FIL describing my idea... then realized the swatch I was planning to mail to Interweave the very next day was fucked. Somehow, I left off the last two rows of the pattern repeat on all but the first two repeats of the pattern. stupid, stupid, stupid.....That will teach me that I am not as bright as I thought I was. So now, I am debating reknitting the swatch and sending my proposal to Interweave or just knit up the design myself and be done with it. Ironically, I received my first (rejected) design proposal the same day. Is this the universe trying to tell me something? Decisions, decisions...


Thanks to Marnie, I now have a new love...tatting. It took going to two stores to find the supplies and an hour or so going between YouTube and Google and I have a cutsie new craft. When I asked about tatting supplies from the not-so-helpful customer service at AC Moore I was looked at like I had three heads and speaking another language. WTF. The person I was directed to that "would probably" know what I was talking about had GREEN TEETH! I have this aversion to teeth in general- it grosses me out to floss my own teeth and I just come unglued when wee ones start wiggling around loose ones in their mouths- blech- anyway, I could not even look at this poor girl that was trying to help me and I almost threw up a little in my mouth.

Ever have one of those conversations that make you question your sanity? I did last week with my daughter. We were in Wal-mart and I comment to The Girl Wonder
me: Why do they already have the Easter stuff out?! I hate all this commercial BS, it is not even Valentine's Day yet!
TGW: uh, mom, Valentine's Day has passed already, remember?
me: (after thinking a moment)...Oh yeah. Man, I am losing it.

I only have 55 days left in my 20's and although I know it is silly, I am freaked out a bit about turning (cringe, shudder) 30. I have started exercising. I know my fitness plan is working every muscle in my body, because the day after my first session every part of me hurt. Oh sweet baby Jesus, I am so out of shape, it is pathetic. After a day of rest and a few hot baths I am mostly back to normal. The Gaming One has been very supportive, as long as you count support as laughing at my every groan and telling me "Don't exercise your ass, it is perfect the way it is." So sweet, that one! Knitting may be the new yoga, but it certainly does not promote the same level of fitness and flexibility.


Secret of the Stole ii is creeping along. I am about half a clue behind and just seem to knit and knit and knit and not really get anywhere. Stitch by stitch it is growing and will be finished in a few short weeks. I really like this design and can't wait to wear it!

Knitting and crochet and tatting photos will come as soon as I get in the mood!