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AuburnChick Finishes Some Projects

Posted on June 17, 2008 by auburnchick

With the kids out of the house last weekend, I was able to get a couple of projects finished…rather quickly too.

This is the Embossed Daisy Washcloth from Creative Knitting, May 2008. I used Sugar ‘n Cream. The color is Cornflower. I made it to accompany one of the Oddball Baby Blankets that I finished working on…as a gift for the next knitter. It was an easy pattern. The chart is a great intro for those who have never knit from charts before.

The next picture is my fourth completed pair of Greenaway Fingerless Gloves. I used Alchemy Sanctuary. The color is Ruby. I altered the pattern slightly by knitting the beginning ribbing for 35 rounds instead of the 28 mentioned in the pattern. I gave them to my friend, who was really surprised.

My friend, KnittinMitchie, just started The Fuzzy Lamb. It’s a web site where she plans on hosting online knitting classes. I will be teaching a dpn class, using the Greenaway Fingerless Glove pattern…since I’ve kind-of become an expert on them. I think we’re going have these classes in July. She’s also got some other neat classes planned. The classes are very reasonably priced, requiring Skype, which is free. Check out her site!

I currently have another Black Sheep Booga Bag on my needles. I’m using Noro Kureyon…the skeins I bought in Vegas. The bag will be for a friend who has been admiring the two I made for myself last year. Here’s the yarn…

I hope to have the bag finished by this weekend so I can cast on a pair of socks. I’m thinking about making Froot Loop, a pattern on Knitty.

I’d like to use the yarn I bought last week:

We’ll see, though. I haven’t visited Ravelry yet…which means I’ll get sucked in and disappear for a while. I’ll let you know what I decide on when I resurface…

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AuburnChick is Under the Weather But Still Knitting

Posted on May 31, 2008 by auburnchick

Boy, this has been an interesting week. Work-wise, it’s been fine. Health-wise…not so good. I have developed some sort of upper respiratory ailment that my body is having a hard time fighting. It’s run the gamut from the sore throat to a stuffy nose and wet cough. I’m frustrated. I hate going to the doctor, and I just cannot stand taking antibiotics. The last time I took them, my stomach was so upset.

So, I’m going to fight this like the strange girl I am…with fresh juice. I’ve decided to go on a juice fast. Sounds drastic, I know, but you have no idea how poorly I’ve been feeling.

This will be my second time fasting. I’m aiming for a minimum of ten days

Did I just hear you fall out of your chair? Ten days?? Yep. It’s really not as bad as it seems.

The first two or three days are pretty rotten. You have the non-eating headache, but that passes. Your body starts feeling achy, but that passes too. What happens is that your body, freed from the burden of processing food, can now focus on damage control…something it rarely has the time or energy for. You find yourself needing less sleep, and your energy level grows by leaps and bounds. The longer you fast, the more healing happens. Healing happens from the newest aches and pains to the oldest. I’ve read of people who fasted long enough to feel, temporarily, old knee or back pain return, then go away for good. This is a good site if you’re interested in reading more.

I’m making freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices. I have a Champion Juicer…purchased several years ago. It’s one of the best juicers you can buy…not available at Target or Walmart but at most true nutrition/health food stores. It masticates the produce (i.e. mashes the juice, invoking very little heat and thus preserving the nutritional value).

I used to be much better with my eating and juicing habits. I made fresh carrot juice every morning for my family, and I watched everything that went into their mouths. Very little sugar and processed food was allowed into their bodies. I’ve slackened a bunch due to laziness and the expense that accompanies healthier eating. I’m getting back on board the Train of Healthy Eating.

Yesterday was the first day, and it wasn’t too bad. I’ve been feeling so poorly that whatever ickiness might have felt from the fast just doesn’t seem so bad. The next couple of days will probably be difficult. I’ll get through them. And I’m not even tempted by the cake I made for youngest chicklet’s birthday (Shout out to the Boy, who turned 14 yesterday). Nor was I tempted by the brownies I made for Soccer Chick and her friend last night. Nope. I’m on a mission.

Despite being sick, I have managed to complete another project. Last night, I cast off my third pair of Greenaway Fingerless Gloves. I used Alchemy Sanctuary, colorway Platinum. Each time I’ve knit these gloves, I’ve done something a little differently. This go-round, I wound up knitting an extra round on one needle, leaving it a bit wop-sided when I cast off. I tried to fix it the best I could, and I didn’t repeat the mistake on the mate. They actually turned out quite well despite my boo-boo.

These are for Knitting_Guy’s mom…the lady I made the cap for (previous post). I think she’ll like them. They are so soft. Smooth as silk, and warm too.

What’s next, you ask? I’m working on two Oddball Baby Blankets. I received them in the mail this week and should be receiving one more next week. I’m going to try to get them done quickly so I can cast on another no-hair chemo cap for my daughter’s friend’s mom. She starts chemotherapy this week.

Filed under: Knitting, This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Progress

Posted on May 16, 2008 by auburnchick

Well, despite the rough start to the week and the fact that I worked many extra hours, I did manage to get more of the Tidal Wave sock completed. Here’s how it stands at six repeats:

My daughter’s soccer friend has long legs, so I had to knit one more repeat than the pattern suggested. My goal is to get this sock done this weekend and finish the second one by Wednesday or Thursday. We leave next Friday for a tournament, and I want to gift them then. Actually, I should probably finish by Wednesday so I can block them. Grrr. I do not block socks, but I will do the right thing…think about presentation. Forget the fact that they are Tofutsies…lovely color by the way…it’s all in the presentation.

I was also a bad girl last week. I ordered more yarn <gulp>. Don’t tell Mr. AuburnChick, okay?

Lookie what came in yesterday. Thank goodness Little Mr. Chickadee’s swim meet was canceled. I was able to head off the UPS guy and hide my prize.

Yes…it’s more of the Alchemy Sanctuary that I am totally in love with. The one on the left is called Ruby, and the one on the right is called Platinum. I bought the pink one for a friend who liked the color when she saw it online (she also liked the Greenaway Fingerless Gloves that I made for our co-worker). So, not wanting to waste all of that shipping cost, I ordered another skein. Getting more for my money, you see.

Despite the fact that I was having a bad week, Pele (Soccer Chick’s dog) did not have a care in the world.

Must be great to be a dog…in my house anyway.

Doggie training camp is going well…for Molly anyway. She’s turning out to be a smart dog, despite Mr. AuburnChick’s declaration that she was stupid. He said this when I first brought her home, over his objections. I think the word stupid meant stupid-cute.

Off I go to work on the heel flap of these socks. More later…

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A New Game

Posted on May 6, 2008 by auburnchick

The name of this game is “Can You Find the Chicken?”

Game Setup:

Take one large crockpot of cacciatore sauce and add four small chicken fillets, browned and cut up, to it. Cook all day on low. Place on the dinner table.

Object of the Game:

To be the first person to find a piece of chicken in all that sauce.

Ok. All kidding aside…well, no, not really. This was the game we played today, only it was for real.

“AuburnChick, you have lost your mind,” you’re probably shouting to the computer screen, right???

Yes, you’re probably right. Who can blame me. I’m responsible for feeding a crew of four…two of whom are picky, hungry teenagers. Last payday, I carefully planned our meals and bought groceries. Apparently I didn’t buy enough chicken, and I didn’t figure it out until last night when I pulled it out to defrost.

Mr. AuburnChick, to his discredit, refused to go to the grocery store, even though he took Little Ms. Chicklet to her soccer practice. I got stubborn and refused to leave the house. I was tired. So, nobody bought more chicken. I thought I could swing it. Little did I know.

This morning, I prepped my food, opening the sole package of chicken tenders. There were only four measly pieces of the stuff. I thought that I could slice them really thin, like I do to regular chicken breasts (do you ever do this to stretch a meal?).

Nope. I am AuburnChick, and nothing comes easy for me. Those babies were sliced so thinly that I could have read a book through them.

Grrr…

What am I going to do, I wondered? Well, I browned those pathetic pieces of meat and threw them in the large crockpot that I have, silently fuming at the other adult who lives in this house.

Later in the morning, he called me at work all chipper.

“Hi Mrs. AuburnChick…how’s work going today.”

“Grrr,” I growl at him. “Guess what game we’re playing at the dinner table tonight? Grrr”

The conversation was short, to say the least.

I must say that I firmly believe that God has granted special talents to moms. One of these is the ability to adapt, and this is just what I did.

On the way home from picking up the youngest Chick, I stopped at the grocery store and picked up more chicken. After dropping the boy off at swim practice (“Honey, try not to drown while I’m gone”), I ran home and fried the bejeepers out of that extra pack of chicken fillets. I wanted to add them to the pot, but I was afraid that they wouldn’t be cooked through all the way. Who cared what they looked like, as long as they sort of resembled chicken, thus making the game a bit easier. I mean, who likes to see kids cry? Not me…even though they regularly have me in tears. Revenge at the dinner table is a no-no in my book.

So, who won the game? Well, it was a tie, because we all found a piece, thanks to my quick thinking. Dinner was, in fact, delicious!

Tomorrow, we’re having Chicken Teriyaki. I have plenty of chicken, thinking ahead and buying extra today.

Now…I have to throw in a bit of knitting here…to be fair to my readers who do not care one iota about dinner table games…

Last night, I finished my second pair of Greenaway Fingerless Gloves. I made these for a co-worker who admired the pair I made a few weeks ago. The yarn is Alchemy Sanctuary. The color is Topaz. I hope she likes them.

I’m working on my second Monkey Sock, which has been patiently waiting for me to finish the other projects. I’m just about ready to start on the heel. Maybe I’ll have pictures tomorrow (after the chicken teriyaki!).

Filed under: Knitting, This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Greenaway Fingerless Gloves!

Posted on March 27, 2008 by auburnchick

What a great project! I’ve been in love with these Greenaway Fingerless Gloves since I found the pattern for my Winter Wonderland swap partner. Of course, I couldn’t afford the yarn the pattern calls for…until it went on sale a few weeks ago. I got this yarn from purlsoho.com and only paid $15! That was 40% off!!!! In fact, the yarn is still on sale…I just looked.

I’m so glad I waited for the yarn to go on sale. I’m pretty bad at substituting yarn, so I usually buy what the pattern calls for.

It is Alchemy Sanctuary (30% silk, 70% wool). The colorway is Spruce. It is so soft and easy to work with. Wow! What a joy.

I have never made gloves of any kind, so the thumb gusset had me nervous. As someone on KH always says…”Trust the pattern.” I did, and only made one boo-boo. I only cast off nine of the 10 stitches for the gusset. It’s a wee bit snug. I figured this out when I made the second glove (the right way). Oh well.

If you look real closely, you might be able to see the eyelet row right below the bind off (below the knuckles).

Ok…on to the pictures!

I have already started my next project. I’m making a Cash Vero Cabled Tam. It is a pattern I got from Gail Knits, the big yarn store in Las Vegas. I might have it done in time to wear it to my daughter’s early soccer game on Sunday! We’ll see.

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2-at-a-time Socks!

Posted on March 23, 2008 by auburnchick

Easter Sunday was a good day. Of course, I started the day by attending church with my family. I loved the sermon this morning. It went beyond the traditional Easter message and really challenged believers to heed Jesus’ call to serve Him. Very thought-provoking…

Here is a picture of the flowers I picked up yesterday while grocery shopping. They are so bright and cheery. They reminded me of Easter and God’s promise of new life in Him.

Since Lent was officially over, I treated myself to a small amount of chocolate and a caffeine-free Coke. Yum!

Sundays are, in our family, a day of rest. I try really hard not to make my children do chores and try to refrain from them myself. So, I spent most of the day knitting. I finally finished my 2-at-a-time, Magic Loop socks.

I used Trampoline Stretch yarn by Skacel. The colorway is #229. It is a wool/nylon blend. I chose the color because it reminded me of tigers. Since I’m an Auburn fan, I figured this was appropriate. They are a great fit!

I used the Varsity pattern from the 2-at-a-time socks book (author is Melissa Morgan-Oakes). The pattern is supposed to be for striped socks, but I used it because of the ribbing. It seemed simple for my first pair of magic loop socks. Turns out that AuburnChick can follow directions! It helps that this book has pictures!

The socks really did not take me too long to knit. I had several breaks in this project because I’ve been working on Oddball Baby Blankets with the group on Knitting Help. Here’s a picture of the last couple of blankets I’ve had the privilege of working on:

This is Angel Wings. I used Caron Simply Soft, colorway Baby Bright Ombre. The yarn was rough, which was surprising. I’ve used this brand before and found it a pleasure to work with. I will not knit with this colorway again, if I can help it. I sent it back to the organizer of the project. Since I was the last knitter, all she needs to do is add a border! Then it’s off to the gal who is taking all of our blankets to a certain hospital.

The next picture is the Neon Fun Oddball Blanket. I used Caron Simply Soft. The colorway is Mango. I love this yarn! It’s so soft, and the color is fabulous! I opted for a simple stitch…twisted stockinette.

My next project will be the Greenaway Fingerless Gloves! I am so excited!!!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

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