Knitting | AuburnChick's Adventures

Content to Just Be

Posted on November 28, 2008 by auburnchick

Today is Black Friday — the biggest shopping day of the year. It’s the time when people take advantage of sales, knocking over one another to grab the perfect gifts for loved ones.

So why am I sitting here writing this post? Well, it’s because I’m content to just be.

I actually cannot stand to shop, and I like crowds even less. Why torture myself when I can be sitting home working on this:

Pom Pom Baby Booties

It is the beginning of a set of Pom Pom Baby Booties to accompany the ruffled hats I recently finished.

Being home alone also gives me the chance to indulge in this:

Chocolate Chip Cake

You saw the empty cake plate the night before Thanksgiving. Well, I surprised my brother-in-law and made another one yesterday. There’s still a little left (the pictures above and below was what it looked like when I placed it on the table for Thanksgiving dinner).

How many of you got up early to shop?

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: black friday, booties, Knitting, shopping, Thanksgiving | 2 Comments »

Family Arrives

Posted on November 27, 2008 by auburnchick

When I got up this morning, this is what it looked like:

I had stepped outside the night before and noticed the drop in temperature. Apparently it was enough to give us some frost.

The roofs were all white…

As I looked across the street at the pond, I saw this…

It was a beautiful way to start the day.

I subbed at my favorite high school. The classes were short to accommodate the half day. I managed to finish these:

Bernat Baby Jacquard Knit Ruffled Hats

The hats are for Soccer Chick’s physical therapist/sports trainer. He is an amazing guy and really helped us out when she was rehabbing her knee. He and his wife are expecting twin girls in a couple of months, so I thought I would whip these out for a Christmas gift.

The pattern is free and located here. There is a version available for crocheters. I used Bernat Baby Jacquards. The colorways are provided below each picture:

Colorway - Boys and Girls

Colorway - Berries and Cream

The pattern is given for knitting the hats flat and seaming them, but I don’t like to seam, so I used Magic Loop instead. This left me with a hole at the top, so I added a pom pom to each hat.

I have to say that the yarn is FABULOUS to knit with! It’s ultra soft but still manageable. I only used 30g from each skein, so I have plenty left over. I’m thinking about making booties to accompany the hats.

Another project that is just about done (just have to mail them) is the mini-stockings for the troops. I had given the stockings to a friend who had asked to fill them. She returned them to me yesterday. Here’s a picture:

The pattern can be found here. It’s free and was created by a KH member. I used a variety of I Love This Yarn colorways.

With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I’ll be busy cooking and trying not to burn myself in the process (did a number on my thumb this evening), so I probably won’t have much time to knit (nor the energy). The pre-Thanksgiving meal that I cooked up for the family was a hit. I made Chicken Piccata, fettuccine, and salad. “Guy Friend” and Soccer Chick made the salad.

Guy Friend's Salad

For dessert, I made Chocolate Chip Cake…a recipe posted by Sunshine’s Mom over on KH. I’m copying her post (hence references to “me” are actually “her”) here:

Duncan Heinz Butter cake mix
1 small package Jello instant vanilla pudding
1/2 bar grated chocolate (I usually use German chocolate – it’s in a green package)
chocolate chips
1 cup oil
1 cup milk
4 eggs
A bundt pan

(Let me just say to start – grating the chocolate is the most time consuming part of this cake. I’ve found that using a zester instead of a grater works so much better. In any event, grate your chocolate first before doing anything else and you’ll be happy you did.)

With mixer, beat together cake mix, vanilla pudding, oil and eggs. Fold in grated chocolate. Put half of mixture into bundt pan, add enough chocolate chips to your liking, put rest of mixture on top (and maybe a few more chocolate chips?) Make sure chocolate chips are pushed into the top layer of cake mix. Lick the spoon, bowl and detach and lick the mixer blades, seriously. It’s that good.)

Bake at 350 deg. for an hour or until inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool in the bundt pan (I can’t stress this enough!). Once cool, tip over onto plate and cover with powered sugar if you wish.

AuburnChick speaking again…

Instead of the milk, I used water because Mr. AuburnChick and I are lactose-intolerant. I don’t do soy, and supposed “lactose-free” products still hurt our stomachs.

The cake was a huge hit! Here’s a picture of what was left over:

Yeah, I know. Nothing. The family (plus Guy Friend) inhaled it.

We went to see Madagascar 2, and on the way home we stopped at the grocery store to pick up boxes of cake mix and pudding. I’ve been requested to make another cake for Thanksgiving Dinner.

I’m off to check on my eggs…

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: baby, bernat baby jacquards, Charity, chocolate chip cake, cooking, hat, i love this yarn, Knitting, mini-stockings, Thanksgiving | 5 Comments »

Another Busy Weekend!

Posted on November 23, 2008 by auburnchick

Whew! I’m exhausted! I’ve been on the go since Friday afternoon with scarcely any time to rest, let alone blog.

Rooster’s team played in a tournament. The first game was Friday evening. It was chilly, but I considered myself lucky that he wasn’t playing at a later time like some teams. His team tied 1-1. This usually isn’t good when you want to win the tournament.

We got home exhausted and retired a little early for bed.

Rooster and I woke at the crack of dawn to head back to the field at 7:30 the next morning. It was COLD! Thank goodness for Mr. Heater. He was great company. Unfortunately, there was only one ref for the game, so the game was delayed for an hour while a backup referee made his way to town.

Grrr…I could have stayed snuggled under the covers for an extra hour. At least we were locally situated. The team we played against woke up at 4:30 to get here on time. Poor guys. They still gave our team a good fight, but we defeated them.

Things were looking up. If a multitude of things lined up perfectly, we had a chance of going to the finals. We still had another game to play though.

Between games, we fed Rooster and headed home for a short while. The poor dogs…they were on their own for much of the day, but we were kind enough to leave them inside. It was a cold day, and we didn’t want them to freeze.

Rooster’s team made easy work out of its next opponent. I got some great pictures. It was deceptively sunny…perfect for amateur photographers. In between games, I uploaded the photos to my laptop and charged the battery. Remind me to tell everyone that I want an extra camera battery for Christmas.

Rooster’s team made it to the finals, and by the time we arrived at the fields, it was dark and cold, cold, cold. Mr. Heater got a new tank of propane. We were especially close during that game. I sat on the very top bleacher and pointed my camera toward the field.

It was a tough fight, and our boys came out on the losing end, 2-1. I was proud of them though. The other team was strong. We’re lucky we didn’t get beat by much worse.

By the time we got home, we were pooped. I was grumpy…the “All-I-Want-To-Do-Is-Climb-Into-Bed” grumpy. We all wearily climbed into our beds. I didn’t turn on the computer or pull out knitting needles all day! You KNOW I was tired!

Soccer Chick and I woke up in time to attend church. Afterwards, we made a grocery list, planning our Thanksgiving dishes as we went. She offered to go to the store for me.

Gotta love having a teen who can drive, eh?!

While she was gone, I uploaded the pictures from my camera and spent hours meticulously weaning out the good from the bad. I had taken over 3,000 pictures this weekend, so I’m not exaggerating when I say it was a cumbersome project. However, it was one done in love.

I uploaded the pictures to shutterfly.com, my site of choice when sharing albums with others. The site doesn’t require people to register before viewing. I like this.

As I uploaded pictures, I discovered that I could create a site from which to share all albums at once. Previously, I had been sharing individual album links. This would make my job much easier. I’m proud of my hurried attempt.

And that leads me to now…the first time I’ve sat down to actually relax in two days. I’m watching the movie edition of the new season of 24. You’ve just gotta love Jack Bauer.

Oh, and before I forget…

I’ve been wanting to show you what I sent my swap partner. I couldn’t post these pictures earlier because she had not received her package. But now I can!

Here’s a close-up of the cozy I made for her. It’s called the Flirtation Cozy, and it’s a free pattern. I used Patons SWS in the color Natural Snow. A comment about the yarn…not my favorite. I had expected the soy blend to be soft…having fondled it in the store many times. However, I found that it was itchy to knit with, and the yarn was kind of poofy, making the cables difficult to do. I had to use a cable needle.

The pattern itself is easy, and I love the way the cozy turned out. I’ve had it in my Ravelry queue for quite some time, so it was good to finally have the chance to make it. I included a skein of Patons and the pattern in case Fig wants to make one.

Flirtation Cozy

I also made this ornament. The pattern is found in the holiday edition of Knit Simple. I used leftover Lamb’s Pride yarn from the booga bag I made this summer. The project is super easy and uses very little yarn. I liked it because it helped me stay within the $5 mandate of the Swap.

And on another knitting note, this week I received a completed Oddball blanket. I’ve been getting knitters to send them to me when they are completely finished so I can wash them and prep them to be donated.

One of the knitters, who lives in Hawaii, sent these goodies along with the blanket:

What a sweet gal! The yarn is superwash merino and heavenly to the touch! I’m envisioning a pair of socks. The nuts are already gone (sheepish grin).

And so concludes my weekend.

I have to sub three days this week, and then we’ll have the long Thanksgiving weekend. I’ll check in before then.

If you’re traveling, be safe. When you’re eating, take it slow…it’s all about pacing yourself.

Filed under: Knitting, soccer | Tagged: flirtation cozy, knit simple, Knitting, patons sws, soccer | 3 Comments »

Happy 1st Blogversary to Me

Posted on November 21, 2008 by auburnchick

I can’t believe I let the day slip by without posting about it. I had the best intentions…even wrote down the date in my calendar. But did I bother to check my calendar yesterday? Nope. Sometimes I wonder why I even carry it around. What is even funnier is that last night’s Prize Puzzle on Wheel of Fortune was “blogger.” It just didn’t register.

Anyhow, yesterday was my 1st Blogversary! I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. What would I do to mark this important milestone?

First off, I thought I take a stroll down memory lane.

One year ago yesterday, November 20, 2007, I was in San Diego. The family had flown over for Soccer Chick to partipate in a tournament. We left a few days before the first day of play so we could do some sightseeing. I was still taking college classes, so I didn’t venture out of the hotel too much. I missed the trip to the San Diego Zoo, and I also missed the showing of the Dead Sea Scrolls. I had books to read and papers to write.

Meanwhile, in internet land, I was awaiting my invite to Ravelry. It arrived on November 20th. Of course, I had to take a break from my hard work and check out what Ravelry had to offer. In the process, I got busy setting up my profile.

Now, remember that I am a computer nerd through and through. I couldn’t help but notice an area on my profile for linking your blog. This perked my interest. I began researching blog web sites and decided to use WordPress. I quickly set up my blog and proceeded to write my first post. It wasn’t the most clever, but it got me started. I did manage to get my school work done that weekend, but I was forever changed. From that point on, I would, in the back of my mind, consider all happenings as possible fodder for my blog. If you crossed my path, you were not immune to being written about.

Along the way, I have blogged about my pets many times. This and this and this are a few of my favorite posts about them. In fact, my second post was about my darling critters.

Another favorite topic is my children. I wrote about Soccer Chick’s athletic feats in this post, and this one, and this one. This post, however, is my favorite. It was like I dug out the very core of my heart and put it out here for all to see.

Rockin’ Rooster has been the topic of several of my posts. This one and this one and this one are my favorites.

Of course, I’ve had many posts about my knitting. That was the factor that drove my interest into this thing we call blogging. What a difficult task to pick out my favorite posts, but here are a few…

Who can forget my first real yarn splurge in Vegas? This post drew one of the highest number of views. This post contains pictures of a project I semi-designed. I was real proud of it. And who can forget my Lace Leaf Scarf, detailed here.

Now, I realize that my blog doesn’t generate the kind of stats that might rival the Yarn Harlot’s, but for someone who hasn’t written a book or isn’t an expert in knitting, I can’t complain.

Throughout the year, I’ve written 176 posts, including this one. Y’all have commented 392 times! My blog has been viewed 9,397 times. This stat humbles me. I never actually expected people to be interested enough to read, let alone comment, on my posts.

I’m proud of the way my writing has developed. I’ve always fancied myself a woman of letters. Somehow my spoken words get jumbled together, but when I write…well, the words just seem to pour forth so much easier!

Thank you for the support and encouragement over this past year. I’ve made some wonderful blogging friends. I believe that God put us here to glorify Him, first of all, but also to support one another. You have given back so much more than I ever expected or hoped for.

Here’s to a GREAT year! May the next year of blogging be even better!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: blogging, blogversary, dogs, Knitting, las vegas, soccer | 3 Comments »

AuburnChick Scares the Mailman

Posted on November 20, 2008 by auburnchick

As you know, I have been participating in a Cold Weather Hot Drink Swap, hosted by a Betzi, over on Ravelry. My partner, Figaro, and I have been teasing each other with hints about the gifts we would be exchanging.

The other day, Fig informed me that she had mailed a package to me. I waited with anticipation. Yesterday, I ran home during my lunch (I was subbing) to retrieve Rooster’s shoes for practice. The boy had pulled one of his usual stunts…forgetting to take a key item to school for his soccer practice (can’t play without the proper shoes, you know). As I drove into my neighborhood, I noticed the mailman’s vehicle. It had just begun its route. I figured it wouldn’t reach my house before I left, so I paid it no mind.

I ran inside, loved on the dogs for a few minutes, and ran out again, shoes in hand.

Lo and behold! There was the postal truck…headed around my cul de sac!! I started the car, allowing it to warm a bit while I waited anxiously.

The mailman (actually a lady) stopped in front of my mailbox and turned around to retrieve my mail. I stepped up to the mailbox…waiting with outstretched hand. She turned to put the mail in the box and visibly gasped in surprise! She had not heard me approaching. I think I gave her a mini-heart attack.

I didn’t see a package in her hand..only stuff that resembled bills.

“Honey,” I wanted to say, “Take this stuff back and bring out the REAL mail!”

I didn’t, though. She turned back into her truck, saying that she thought she had something else for me.

Uh huh, I thought so, I wanted to say.

She emerged with this package in her hand:

It was heavy. I got more excited!

I put it in the car, making myself wait until I got back to school before opening it. I wanted to savor the moment by myself.

And that’s just what I did. Here’s what Fig packed into that envelope:

Here are close-ups of the contents:

What a thoughtful gal!

Mr. AuburnChick looked over everything with a quizzical look. “Why would you want to send stuff back and forth?” he asked.

He doesn’t get it. It’s a SWAP. It’s a wonderful way to get to know someone better and stay connected.

I love knitting, and I love the internet. And I love that they have opened up new avenues to friendship.

Mr. AuburnChick may not “get” it, but I sure do.

Thanks Fig! You made my day. What a sweet friend you are.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: Knitting, ravelry, swap | 2 Comments »

A Whirlwind of a Week!

Posted on November 15, 2008 by auburnchick

Oh my goodness! Where did the week go? When last I left you, it was Wednesday, and Soccer Chick was running off the field to go to the bathroom! The weather was rainy, but the team managed to pull out a win.

I’ve been subbing every day, which is good when the bills come in. I figured out, though, that I’m working more hours than I have in a long time! Because the games have been so early, I’ve only had a few minutes at home after work before leaving for the fields. So, I haven’t had much time to be online…updating the blog and keeping up with Ravelry and oddball blankets. I’m playing catch-up this morning.

Things haven’t changed as the week progressed. Rooster played a game on Thursday. His team won. I can’t remember the score. Rooster got to play, which was a pleasant surprise. It’s been a couple of years since he played soccer, so he’s been working hard to make up for lost time. Rooster used to play travel soccer as the goalie for his team. He was amazing to watch…quick feet and courageous in the face of oncoming players determined to score. He got burned out though and needed a break.

So now he’s back, and I’m really proud of him. It was thrilling to see him back on the field. He was nervous. I could see it in the way he played, but he gave it his all, almost scoring a goal at the end of the game. I know that he will improve as the season progresses, and his confidence will grow along with it. That’s the best part about watching your children participate in activities.

On Friday, Soccer Chick had a game. Her team was up by a couple of goals before the game got called because of bad weather. I made the short drive home, but it seemed to take an eternity because the rain was coming down so hard! I was exhausted when I got home.

The knitting is still happening whenever I can squeeze out a few minutes. I’ve been working on the mini stockings for the troops. My goal is to complete 20. I’ve finished 12. A friend of mine asked if she could stuff them, and I gladly accepted her offer. I’m hoping to finish them this weekend or Monday. I’ll take a group photo of them as soon as they are ready to be mailed off.

I also got a little something extra made up for my Cold Weather Hot Drink Swap partner. I’m going to try to get it in the mail today. I’ll post pictures AFTER she receives the package. Wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise, right Fig?

I guess that’s about it for this morning. I’ve got to get a few things done before layering up for my afternoon outside. The temperature is supposed to drop a lot today, and the wind is going to make it seem colder. Hello, Mr. Heater! We’ll be sitting together at the game.

😀

Filed under: soccer | Tagged: Knitting, soccer | 1 Comment »

Knitting Up More Stockings for the Troops

Posted on November 2, 2008 by auburnchick

Boy, is this project addicting! The mini-stockings project that I started working on yesterday has quickly taken over my knitting life. Thankfully I’m subbing every day this week, so I’ll use my free time (i.e. Planning) to work on them.

Y’all saw the first one I made in yesterday’s post. Here are three more that I’ve completed since then:

I Love This Yarn - Color #530/Green Camo Stripe

I Love This Yarn - Color #40/Red

I Love This Yarn - Color #672/Mistletoe Ombre

I’ve been playing a bit with the loops, trying to figure out the best way to make them. I tried i-cord, but it’s tedious. Then I tried casting on 30 stitches and then casting them off. This made a nice cord, but it’s a little too thick. On my third attempt, I crocheted a single strand of stitches. I think I like this method best. I can do it using the tail from my cast on, and it’s thinner too.

I’m going to take a small break from knitting these stockings to work up a little something for a friend. I joined a Cold Weather Drink Swap over on the Virtual Knit and Spin forum on Ravelry. My partner is figaro, who is also a buddy on KH. There’s a $5 limit, and all items must fit into a padded 9×11 mailing envelope. The challenge is fun, and I love how creative it’s causing me to be.

So, no pictures of what I’m cooking up for her. I think she may read my blog, and I wouldn’t want to spill the beans.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: Charity, christmas, i love this yarn, Knitting, Mistletoe Ombre, ravelry, stockings, troops, virtual knit and spin | 6 Comments »

Knitting ADHD

Posted on November 1, 2008 by auburnchick

I think I have knitting ADHD. Do you know what I’m talking about?

I have always been a one-project-at-a-time gal, but lately, I find myself dreaming of other projects. The project I currently have on my needles are the Knotty or Knice socks from the latest issue of Interweave Knits. I’ve completed the first sock and have worked two pattern repeats of the second sock. But I have to admit that I’m getting distracted.

Perhaps I could blame it on the holidays…except that I’m not planning on doing much holiday knitting.

Nope, that’s not it.

I think it’s simply that I’m tired of working on the socks. I’ll jump at any chance to put them aside.

A few days ago, Rockin’ Rooster asked me if I would make him a beanie. I’ve had this pamphlet laying around for a few months now:

I bought it at Hobby Lobby and have made one hat out of it already.

Needless to say, I was extremely pleased that a member of my immediate family would ask me to make them something. The next day, I headed straight to the store to find the perfect yarn. Look at the pamphlet above…at the fourth beanie on the second row. That’s the one that Rooster wanted me to make him. He wanted it in green and orange. The official name of the pattern is Nothing But Ribbing Beanie. I bought two skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease. The colors are Paprika and Forest Green Heather. I was a bit unsure…thinking that the colors would be too dark, but Rooster gave me the green light to proceed, so I did. Here’s the result:

I modified the pattern a bit to allow for the striping, and I am pleased with the way it turned out except for the places where I carried the yarn up. I’ve got to figure out how to do this in such a way that there’s not a heavier “seam” going up the hat. The average person wouldn’t notice it, but I do. Anyhow, I worked three rounds of the green and then one round of the orange…all the way up the hat.

With the hat finished, I turned to my next project.

I recently learned of an effort to provide mini stockings to the troops serving overseas. You can read more about it here. The thing that touched me about this project is that these stockings are going to servicemen and women who are not receiving mail. Believe it or not, there are many who receive little to no mail. That must be very sad. One of the gals at KnittingHelp.com has organized an effort to contribute to this project. The response has been incredible. We’ve already made over 100!!

Here’s my first one:

I’m subbing for four days in the same classroom this week, and I’m going to ask my students if they want to decorate note cards for us to place inside some of the stockings. I’m hoping they decide to do it. Of course, this will have to be done at home as I don’t want to interrupt the work already planned by the teacher. However, I have faith that the kids’ hearts will be touched, just like mine was when I heard about it.

Excited about this project, I went shopping for more Christmas-colored yarn today. I ran into Ms M, and we went from one craft store to another. She’s been crocheting some stockings too! Here’s the yarn I bought at Hobby Lobby today:

Fortunately, the store manager kindly found a 40% coupon, so I saved some money on the purchase.

And here’s a skein of yarn I bought at Michael’s (with a 40% coupon):

I’m going to make the hat on the label. Soccer Chick’s sports trainer (who was also her physical therapist after her sugery) is expecting twin girls in January. When I paid for this yarn, another 40% coupon printed out, so I’m going to go back and buy another skein, in a different color. Mr. AuburnChick wasn’t even mad when I told him. He wants to give these as Christmas gifts. Whew!

So, do you see what I mean? My focus is totally gone. I want to knit EVERYTHING!!!

Sigh…

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: bernat jacquards, Charity, hobby lobby, i love this yarn, Knitting, michaels, stockings | Leave a comment »

Palindrome Scarf

Posted on October 26, 2008 by auburnchick

Woo Hoo! I have another finished project!

I love, love, love this scarf! It’s the first time I’ve ever knit with Malabrigo Worsted, and it was simply divine!

This is Silver’s pattern, which you can find here. The pattern is SUPER-EASY! It took me one week to complete. I started it last Sunday while we were on a college recruiting visit for my daughter. I started what I hoped would be a project that would require little thinking (compared to another project I’m in the middle of). It did not disappoint!

It would be the perfect pattern to start on if you want to learn how to do cables.

The scarf wound up being almost 63” long and 4” wide. I used size 9 needles and completed 55 pattern repeats. I used 1.7 skeins of yarn and have approximately one ounce left, which I hope to use to make the 75 Yard Malabrigo Fingerless Mitts.

For the bind-off, I tried something new.

The Fall 2008 Interweave Knits has an article that includes instructions for how to knit an invisible bind-off for ribbing. I used these instructions, finally understanding them after trying several times, and wound up with a clean edge. Here is a link for a p1, k1 bind off, which will give you a general idea of the concept.

On to the pictures!

I bought the yarn at Knitwitz, a store in Jacksonville. It is Malabrigo Worsted, and the color is Water Green. It reminds me of my first prom dress.