• Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 78 other subscribers
  • “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers” — Isaac Asimov

  • Recent Posts

  • Pages

  • Categories

  • Archives

  • Blog Stats

    • 197,193 hits

AuburnChick is Headed to Vegas!

“She’s leaving on a jet plane…”

AuburnChick’s family is headed to Vegas!!!!

What would possess a woman to wake up her family at the cheery hour of 3:30am to catch a 6am flight? Are the glitzy lights and siren calls of the slot machines drawing AuburnChick out West?

Alas…no…it is none of the above.

The reason for the cross-country trip is a white ball on a green field. It’s a little game affectionately known as “futbol,” or in America, “soccer.”

AuburnChick’s daughter plays soccer on a team that travels all over the place. AuburnChick’s son thinks this is great! He gets out of school for two days, and he gets to visit neat places.

AuburnChick is excited because, not only does she get to see her daughter play amazing soccer, but she gets to visit yarn stores! What other person flies across the country and visits yarn stores? A dedicated knitter, that’s who.

Actually, it’s a desperate knitter who does not have a yarn store in her own city. Please, please, let them have Mmmmmmalabrigo. AuburnChick has heard so much about this yarn! She wants to see it for herself!!!

AuburnChick is off to bed now…dreaming about knitting needles, yarn, and patterns! Ain’t life grand!

AuburnChick is a Happy Knitter

Well folks…now that I am a graduate, I’m doing what most college graduates do…

NOTHING!

Well, not exactly. I have a job, which I am able to devote most of my brain cells to now that I’m not googling English spies and such.

Here’s what I’ve been working on lately…

First of all, I’ve been keeping real busy with charity projects. This is the most wonderful thing about knitting…doing something for others. Over on KnittingHelp.com, we’ve got a group that has been making baby blankets. One of the gals is going to deliver the blankets to a hospital in her city.

Here’s a picture of the Fairy Dance blanket I just worked on. My portion is the top…the light purple. I used Caron Simply Soft in “Orchid.” I knit my section with the Pillar I stitch from the book knit & purl.

The following is a square I made for the NIU blanket project we have going at KH. I plan on making a few more squares. For this square, I used I Love This Yarn. It was wonderfully soft!!! I really like it a lot.

Let’s see…what else?

Oh, I’ve been working on a pair of socks. They are my first pair, two-at-a-time, Magic Loop style. I’m using the Two-at-a-Time book I purchased a few weeks ago. The yarn is Trampoline Stretch Yarn by Skacel. I like it because because it reminds me of tiger colors. Because I’m an Auburn fan, it’s perfect!

Now…what have I got planned?

Here’s yarn that I received today. I ordered it from purlsoho.com This is Spruce, and it’s 30% silk and 70% wool.

I’m going to use it to make this pattern. It’s called the Greenaway Fingerless Gloves.

I also plan on knitting up some socks with this yarn…a gift from the last knitter of Neon Fun, the blanket I’m currently working on. It’s called Lorikeet, and it’s by Lorna’s Laces.

So, basically AuburnChick plans to be busy for quite some time!

Gifts for AuburnChick

AuburnChick does not have many close friends. Life is so busy that there just does not seem to be enough time to maintain close relationships with people.

BUT, the ones she does have are truly dear.

One of her friends (the one who made her a Key Lime Pie while she was in the midst of studying for finals) went on a trip with her husband. Yesterday at work (they work for the same company), AuburnChick’s friend summoned her down to her office. Look what was waiting for AuburnChick:

She said this was a graduation gift, but AuburnChick knows she would have gotten her something anyway. She’s such a sweetie!

So then, as AuburnChick made her toward the door to leave, she stopped by another friend’s desk to show off her gift. Well, her other friend proceeded to hand AuburnChick an envelope that contained something that rattled! “Eh, what’s that??” she wondered.

She ripped open the envelope to reveal the cutest card she’s ever seen! And placed inside were the following items:

AuburnChick is truly blessed to have such wonderful friends!

Look What AuburnChick Received in the Mail Today!

I’m so excited! With the end of school fast approaching, I’m getting ready to start knitting in earnest again. So, to ensure that I’m all set, I placed an order…

But when I received the books, I realized that I did not have the right needles, so I had to place another order (darn, I hate when that happens)…

Can you tell I’m on a mission to learn new ways to knit socks? I’ve got the dpn thing down, but I want to try to minimize ladders, and the idea of completing two at a time intrigues and excites me.

I didn’t buy sock yarn because I have a skein or two that I want to use first.

I have exams this week, but you better believe that one of these books, and a set of needles will be in my bag, in the car, for the rest of my afternoon (i.e. car loop at school).

Where Have I Been Lately?

You know, I really like blogs that are updated regularly, and that was my goal for mine as well. But somehow, life takes over, and little things go by the wayside.

I am in the middle of my last term at Troy. Yep…Auburnchick finally took the plunge and returned to college. After a grueling 23 classes in just under two years, she will finish up her Bachelor’s degree. This term seems to be one of the hardest…and she’s only taking two classes! Yep…she’s got Senioritis, and it’s not the kind that involves gray hair, although me thinks she might have a lot more than when she started this adventure.

Going back to school after years of, basically, doing what you want, is quite intimidating. Thank goodness for technology! The thing that stopped her from finishing sooner was the fear of missing things with her children. Not so anymore. Boy, you can work, raise a family, travel to soccer tournaments, and go to school…all without missing a beat.

Here are a couple of small projects that were finished right after this term started (and studying should have commenced, but again, Auburnchick pleads Senioritis)…

This is the Knitted Lacy Round Cloth. I used Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (Hot Orange). It was a really fun pattern. It looks so much harder than it is. When I posted a picture on KH, I had several comments that it looks like a sun. How appropriate…given that I live in Florida!

This is the Garterlac Dishcloth. I used Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (Playtime). What a totally cool pattern! I got to learn entrelac, which is an amazingly easy knitting method. This pattern (click on the name to go to the link) was written out so clearly that it was a piece of cake to make!

This is an Oddball Charity Baby Blanket that I had the privilege of working on. I worked on the top part…the multi-colored row. The pattern I used was from the 2007 Knitting Calendar.

Over on Knitting Help, there’s a forum dedicated to Charity Knitting. We’ve got a bunch of blankets going around right now. How it works is that one person starts the blanket, which has a name and a theme. The person who starts knits whatever pattern she wants for about three inches, using the type of yarn (acrylic, wool, etc.) requested by the organization and then sends it to the next person on the list. The blankets travel across the country as each knitter completes her (or his, for that matter) part. The baby blankets have five or six knitters, and then they return to the first person, who finishes it up and gets it ready to donate. We fill out a page in a journal and pass that along too. The journals are given to the recipients of the blankets.

Can I just say that this is one of the neatest things I’ve ever done! I taught myself to knit because I wanted to make something useful. And while it’s fun to knit socks that I will wear and purses that I will use, knitting for someone who truly needs it (and has not asked for it) is the most rewarding thing ever. And when you discover other people who have that same passion…WOW!

So, what else has been going on in Auburnchick’s life? Oh, here’s a picture of the dozen roses she presented to the birthday girl (see previous entry “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”). While the birthday itself was, ah, interesting…always with teenage girls…the flowers were a pure delight. Not even teens can hide the sparkle in their eyes when they genuinely like something.

But alas…Auburnchick has put down the needles and yarn…for a little while. There have also been few home-cooked meals. Auburnchick prides herself on being a good student, and she wants to finish strong. Ok, she’ll admit it. She wants to make A’s in her classes. Yep…she’s a nerd, and proud of it. So, despite the severe burnout that is occurring, she has buckled down. Terms at Troy have pros and cons. The pros are that you get done faster (nine weeks of instructional time as opposed to full semesters). The drawback is that you cram a whole semester’s worth of work into nine weeks. So, while there’s only three full weeks left, it will be a frenetic three weeks.

So, if you come here and notice little to no activity, you’ll know where you can find her — the library (or asleep on her couch…preferably the latter).

More Finished Projects

Well, since I got such wonderful comments on my other projects, I thought I would post pictures of other things I’ve finished — especially since it’s going to be a while until I finish anything else since my classes started up again.

This was the first booga bag I ever made. It’s the Black Sheep Booga Bag pattern, and the yarn is the one recommended in the pattern — Noro Kureyon.

I loved the first one so much that I made another one! Noro Kureyon yarn again!

I really like making socks. The pattern is Chevron pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. I do not remember what kind of yarn I used, but I know that I love these socks! They are so soft and not too thick.

This pattern is called Fan Lace from Sensational Knitted Socks. I tried two different bind offs, trying a new one from the More Sensational Socks book. The Picot bind-off was not easy, and it did not stretch as much as I wanted, so I went with a traditional bind-off the second time around. Oh, and these were my first toe-up socks. It was a bit hard at first, but I wound up loving it because I could try on the socks as I knit, which allowed me to size them better (although I did knit the first sock too large and had to completely frog it). Knitting these socks taught me the importance of gauge. πŸ˜‰

These are my anklets, made with Lorna’s Laces yarn. The pattern came from a sock pattern leaflet I purchased at a chain craft store. For some reason, I found the pattern difficult. I don’t know why. I guess the easy ones are the ones that get you. Regardless, I just LOVE these socks! The sock is incredibly soft. I’ll probably make another pair with a different colorway of Lorna’s Laces that I purchased at the same time.

These were my first pair of knitted socks ever. It’s the Mock Cable pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. The yarn is from Knit Picks. I’m not crazy about the color of the yarn, but the socks are functional.

These were washcloths I made for a couple of people I knew who were having babies. I found the patterns online, free of charge. The yarn was Patons Grace — too flimsy for the projects though.

This was a hat and booty set made for my daughter’s teacher, who had just adopted a baby. She was supposed to have a girl, but things changed at the last moment (after we had given her these items), and she became the proud mother of a boy! We all got a chuckle, and she gamely took a picture of her baby wearing the purple attire. She was a GREAT sport!

I made the same teacher this washcloth for the baby. It goes with the school theme. I was proud of this cloth. I don’t remember the yarn, but the pattern was free…online.

Stuff I’ve Been Working On

Well, I thought I better post pictures of some of the knitting projects I’ve been working on. School let out in December, much to my relief. I took four classes from August-October and three classes from October-December. I was wiped out and ready for some serious knitting by the time my last final was done.

Here’s what I’ve been working on.

This was a Christmas present for my sister. I can post it now since she reads my blog. It’s the Black Sheep Booga Bag. I used Noro Kureyon 175.

This is a dishcloth I made with a pattern and yarn my swap partner sent me. The pattern is called A Little Lace Kitchen Cloth by Carol Bristol Designs. It’s free and available on the internet. I used Peaches and Creme Sea Mist.

This is the Branching Out scarf I made for a friend. She is going to use it as a table runner. I made it 40″, per her request. The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold, Moss colorway. It’s a great pattern and looks much more difficult than it really is.

This is the dishcloth I made for the KH New Year’s Eve Knit-a-Long. One of our members designed it. I used Sugar n Creme, Wine colorway. It’s a bit too dark, but it will be useful when my kids wash the dishes.

This is what I’m currently working on. It’s called Leaf Lace Scarf from twistedknitter.com. The yarn is from handpaintedyarn.com and is kettle dyed laceweight wool in Verde Manzana. It’s beautiful yarn but very thin. The pattern is not coming out like I want. I think the yarn is too light. So, I’m debating about whether to continue.

Alas…school starts on Monday, so it may stay on the needles for a while. This will give me a chance to decide what I want to do.

AuburnChick’s Been Knitting!

AuburnChick’s been knitting, and boy is she happy!

This is my first finished project in a while! With school over for Christmas break, I can knit to my heart’s content!

This hat is called Foliage. The pattern came from this site. The yarn is Colonia. The colorway is Azul Piedra. My KH swap partner gave it to me! Gotta love that gal! She has GREAT taste in yarn! It is the softest yarn I have ever knit with. The icing on the cake is that the hat actually fits!! Call that a first for me!

Foliage

Surprises in the Mail

I am an active participant on KnittingHelp.com. It is one of the best places on the web (no kidding!).

I decided to join in my first-ever swap, and boy was it fun!!!! I had the best partner ever! Here’s what I received in the mail today…

dsc02754.jpg

dsc02755.jpg

dsc02756.jpg

dsc02757.jpg

dsc02760.jpg

What a treat…chocolate, cookies, yarn, and hand-made stitch markers! It was nice to be pampered! Thanks to my thoughtful swap partner!