Today the Jane Pauley show was about knitting, cake decorating and pottery. While watching I felt the need to knit.
I bought some lion brand micro spun and I am going to make a tank top. If I am lucky it will be done in time for the end of summer and I can maybe get some use out of it this year. Otherwise It will be done for next summer.

I have a bunch of auctions ending in the next couple days bags and cases.
After racing through book 6 I am back to my socks. I began working on the heel flap last night.
Book 6 has a couple good knitting references. Dumbledore comes out of the bathroom and when asked what has taken him so long he said. "I was reading the Muggle magazines, I love looking at knitting patterns." And at Christmal Harry gets a sweater with a golden snitch knitted into it. I wonder if Mrs. Weasley actually knits of if she uses magic to knit all those sweaters for her family.

Harry Potter

My socks have not made any progress since my last post about them. I am at the part where I need to work on the heel flap and I keep forgetting to bring my directions.
I am not sure that there will be any progress to report over the next couple of days either since I purchased my new Harry Potter book last night and will probably spend every available minute reading that for the next couple days.

My second sock of my pair of socks it coming along much faster than my first sock. I have one more inch to knit before I have to do the heel stuff. I can't believe how fast this one has knit up.
I have been sewing up a storm making bags and needle cases to sell on ebay.

my big catch 
It took me three tries to catch this fish.
The first attempt I was reeling my hook in and he followed my bait in and I noticed him because he came really close to the surface. I left my bait in the water and he tried to take it but then he spit it out.

The next cast I was paying attention to something else and I looked and my bobber was completely submerged. I tried to pull him in but he cut my line with his teeth.

The third time was the real deal. When I noticed my submerged bobber this time I reeled him in. He's 22 inches so I got to keep him and have him for dinner.
The other catches of the vacation were less noteworthy. There was a bass that was too small to keep and a couple good sized blue gills.

After spending 10 days in and around national forests(Superior and Chippewa) it is a little strange to be back in the city where the trees look so short compared to the tall pine trees I've gotten used to seeing.

mama and baby loons 

my first sock 

bags and socks

I listed several bags and needle cases on ebay. The last ones sold so I am hoping that these do too.
bags and cases

My socks are almost finished. I just have to "graft" the toe together and then the first one will be done and it will be on to sock #2. I am trying to figure out exactly what it means to graft something together.

After consulting the Stitch and Bitch book I think I have it figured out. and will have a completed sock at the end of the day today.

I bought more fabric for bags and needle cases. I am totally hoping that they sell because I keep making them and if they don't sell I am going to end up with a closet full of bags, tote and needle cases.
Maybe I can get hooked up wtih a craft sale or something.

I have turned the heel and started working on the foot part of my sock. I have about 3 inches more to knit before I start doing the toe decreases. Then I will have to start the other sock. My brother can knit socks in 6 weeks. I wonder if he is just talking about one sock or if he means a pair of socks in 6 weeks. Either I think that is fast.

The Snoop Oven Mitt 

a new look on socks

I started knitting some socks in September. I worked on them until October when I bought the Stitch and Bitch book and decided my time was better spent making armbands. They had originally been in a project bag but had gotten moved out of the project bag in favor of more exciting projects like knitting sushi. Anyway this weekend I reapproached my socks and holy cow. All I can say is that I knit like the wind. I didn't finish but they started out being 4 inches long which had taken me forever to achieve and now they are 8 inches long. Now comes the hard part about turning the heel and all that but I am brave and I can do it.

I thought that everyone in my life, knitter and non knitters alike, would be getting knitting needle cases for Christmas because I started making some to sell on ebay. Fortunately I sold one with a matching tote bag and I plan on making more so this will hopefully not be the case.
I am also going to be making a baby sling for a friend of mine so that is good.
The sun has been shining for three hours. I rollerbladed before the sun broke through but then went on a walk around the park just to get my Vitamin D.
The garage sales were a let down. By let down I mean that no one was trying to unload any yarn or knitting needles. But I did find an oven mitt that matches one of my cats.

knit sushi roll 

Spiderweb capelet.

I am working on the Spiderweb capelet from Stitch and Bitch Nation. I ran out of yarn cause I am not using the yarn from the book so that project is on pause until I can get back to the Crafty Planet for more yarn.
I am working on some knitting totes for selling on ebay.
And I am using up the acrylic yarn that people have given me to make knitted sushi.
Soon I hope to have a done project to post pictures of.

I haven't had time to post in a while and I also haven't really been knitting too much. Too busy working.
One of my cats totally loves non cat toy toys. He likes twisty ties, milk cap rings, pony tail holders and now he is crazy for the end of the yarn.
My other cat was very brave this weekend. My mom visited and instead of hiding the whole time like she normally does she was out playing and visiting and hanging out and watching movies with us. I'm so proud of her.

Pony Day!!
Pony Day was yesterday. My pony is the one on the right with the black lacy dress on. They were inspired by a couple characters in a show I am working on.
It sounds like there will not be time for pony day or any other crafts on the next show.

yarn over

OK for some reason I just could never really grasp the yarn over. But I think I finally got it. I am attempting to make the Spiderweb Capelet from Stitch and Bitch Nation so I'll be tracking my progress on that. First I made a mistake cause I didn't get the whole yarn over thing and I had to unknit it. Now it seems like it will be ok.
A certain Critic at Large that we listen to every week on State of the Arts is going to come to my work to interview the designer of the show. I think that there needs to be a big group picture.

Barb's Birthday fishnets 

I love saving daylight

The eye mask is OK for helping me fall asleep but it falls off at some time during the night. But the personal satisfaction of making up my own little thing to knit and just being all free and easy with my knitting was kind of cool. Usually I knit from a pattern so it is good for me to do some experimenting.
I went running today after work. My endurance is really increasing each time I run. It is awesome to feel like I am making personal progress. But I am also trying to watch any development of shin splints cause I think that is what has kept me from running in the past. Seems OK so far though.
Kitties are mellow tonight.


Napping eye mask

spring ahead

I haven't been sleeping well. I wake up a couple times in the middle of the night, it also takes me a while to fall asleep. I blame Nyquil dependancy but whatever. It could also be that I need to have my room darker. A lot of light comes in from the street lights through the living room window.
The whole point is I knit myself the cutest little eyemask today for the purpose of sleeping.
I'll post pics and update on its usefulness tomorrow.
The really great thing is that I just decided- I want to knit this and that is what I did, no pattern or anything. I totally made it up and I'm kind of proud of it. I kinda remember what I did but I would like to modify if a little if I were really going to post a pattern for it. So I'll work on that.
C

I am not sure how it got to be nearly 3 pm. I guess this is what happens when you sleep in. I have to work at 6 and I don't want to think about it.
Really I should be working on making feathers for The Amazing Mazy but I am tired. I have been playing the role of most motivated person in my condo building all weekend and I am tired.
I had to call the gas company to get them to find out why the building smelled like gas on Friday night and then yesterday morning I had to have them come out and turn the gas on and then today I made them come out and turn the water heater back on. I just didn't want to have to shower at work and I have ths crazy idea that whoever turned back on the gas yesterday should have checked that.