More hair pics - because I am vain

This is me before work a couple of days in the past week.
I hope you can see the red in these - and where it is placed.
I am still in love with this hair color. - But the countdown is going until I turn it back.

Steampunk armwarmers with boot accessories

These are pictures of steampunk armwarmers that I designed and the boots that I accessorized to match the arm warmers. These are for my Safari Outfit for Steamcon this weekend.

10 swatches down, 6 to go.

Calling it quits on that one for the night and will resume the masters tomorrow night.


Am going to pick up one of the scrap scarves and veg.

Still annoyed by the lack of coming up with a good lace for the corset cover. Blast!

Knitting Masters 1

Alright, now that Grad school is over, it's time to work on my Knitting Masters, Level 1.

I did 4 of the swatches out of 16 earlier this year as a stress-break during school when school wasn't that bad. So, this afternoon, after fruitlessly trying to make up a lace stitch for a corset coverup I am designing, I remembered that I only have until March or so to get all of these in. So, why not start them up again? I am hoping to learn a lot as I work my way through these levels.


Wish me luck.

4 down. 12 to go.

Sweaterboots and Arm-Warmers

Hello all,

I was thinking of putting up a sweater-boot tutorial. I have finished one self-improvized sweater-boot (except for the buttons, as it will be steampunked), and have begun my improvised steampunk arm warmers. While I had originally intended to make the Slither pattern from Knitty, as it is v. steampunk, I have both time constraints and yarn constraints.

- The time constraints are that con is on Halloween and I have to finish my armwarmers and a work costume by then, so something in Stk st that I can knit in the car is ideal (ie: no pattern)

- The yarn constraint is that I have one color to match what I am wearing (the green was matched wonderfully, the brown is both too cool and to grey to match any yarn in the store I looked). The slither pattern calls for three colors and butt-ton of buttons and snaps, which I frankly do not have the time to sew on (see time constraint above).

Thus, I am, again, improvising a design.


Current knitting goals:
- Finish armwarmers (which means more than the ribbing on one that I cast on last night) and attach buttons
- Begin and end 2nd sweater-boot (write up pattern into real language instead of Kalendar-scribble)
- Test out Gnome hat alternate patterns and post the PDF with pictures to Ravelry's free section
- Begin matching steampunk spat/boot and arm-warmer pattern. (this one I really hope works because it looks awesome in my little brain)
- Make some swatches to demonstrate knitting techniques usefull to steampunk for the Steampunk Convention's knitting How-To that I have been offered. (Because if people are interested, I am going to teach 'em everything I can!)


Wish me luck. Like my old Music Theory teacher said at a party right after our last final:
"Those of you passed should be proud. Those of you who failed, should be ashamed."

He, being a Russian ex-patriot also had this gem when it was suggested that a large lecture might intimidate those with low self-esteem:
"I don't believe in self-esteem. You think this is intimidating, try living in communist Russia!"

Sexy new Hair

Alright.....so, I've wanted crazy red hair since I was a kid. My favorite color is red and it appears I have a little bit of a red-fetish. Well, about half a year ago when I was really struggling with my engagement with the MBA program, I promised myself that when i graduated, I would dye my hair red - not normal red, a great not-natural red.

Well, today was two days after I finished grad school and earned my MBA. So....I went and got it done. Here are the pictures that are the proof. Yes, I do have awesome hair. Too bad I can only keep it for a month before I have to go on stage again (and it's victorian re-enactment). Besides, I work in the banking field - mortages - compliance - liaison with Law Enforcemnt, blah blah blah. Sooo......having fun hair is not really an option. I went through two levels of management for the approval to do this much. And when I start looking for a job next year, there's no way I can keep this sort of color. Too bad. I really really like it.

Haight Street

The Fiend and I went to Haight Street on Thursday, my first non-school day. I conveniently was able to take both Thursday and Friday off in order to mess around after I finished school.
There are pictures of the wierd traffic jam.....then of all the bags, of me passed out on those bags, and my Fiend ordering ice cream. We came, we saw, we conqured. As soon as we get the stuff steam-punked out, I will post it.

Hats hats hats

I made the Flowers on a Grave pattern into 2 hats, a grey and a pink.
I also made a hat for re-enacting that my friend will have to wear under his German Renn. armor.
I did not like the Flowers on a Grave hat as it was when finished, although I loved it pre-felted....so it got the brim turned-up into a cute different style of hat.

Alas, since all hats have been given away - I am left hat-less again. One of these days I will make one for me....but only after I get through some STEAMPUNK knitting. And I am now obsessed with turning my old high heels into sweater-boots, steam-punk style. Oh yes. I have caught the BUG. (the gear??)

(at the bottom here are some pictures of the un-felted hat to show the size. As you can see, it's pretty large pre-felting. It was actually sort of cute at that size, as well as very comfy. Being wool, it was still warm even with the gaps in the stitches - and it was comfy since the weave was loose)

Scarf and felted Hats

After a lot of work, and a lot of fascination with color, I finished my "scrap scarf 1."
This is the first in a set of scarves that I had planned as a way to get through a ton of (ROWAN!) stash that I inherited from my X-future-mother-in-law. It had originally been the makings of an outrageously difficult and ludicrously 80s sweater. I had decided, after the first few inches I did on the already-begun sweater (also begun in the 80s), that it just wasn't my sort of project, and that it would be too small for the intended recipient. SO, after shoving it guiltily in a bag where it sat during the majority of my MBA coursework, I finally took it out and began a scarf. Enjoy the finished project! I love the color changes!

Next up - the billions of hats I just made!

Knitting little bits here and there.

Well, here I am, again. Smiling at the camera after photographing my most recent finished object. It's a drop-stitch stole for my buddy, Frannish. The close-up is so that you can tell how shiny and how very vereigated the "yarn" is. It's a ribbon yarn, obviously. The Brand: Lucci. The colorway: Versacce. Not sure Versacce (or however that is supposed to be spelled) would like or want to be associated with a colorway so chaotic. But, oh well. I'm off to shower, and then to Faire again. Two weekends down, three to go.

The foxy knitter in pajamas and pigtails in her native habitat - giving the I-know-what-you're-doing-and-I-don't-think-I'd-approve look.




What else? How about some knitting pics?

And here I am on the blanket I just finished for Baby Melody.

And, lastly, the boyfriend playing with a gift I just finished for a friend. The other photos don't seem to want to post right now. Will try again later.

Working on what I am calling a "Stash Scarf." If this stops being so yarn-hungry, I will eventually have 6, all moving gradually through at least 3 colors. However, the stitch I'm using (From My-so-called scarf) is really really yarn-hungry. The small snippet to the right is almost 5 skeins. It began with a light olive green wool and moved into a greenish brown part mullberry silk, part mohair. After using a lot of the greenish brown, it is moving to a light brown wool. I might run out too soon and have to combine it with the colors picked out for the next scarf.

Overall, I've been really pleased with how it's turned out. These "Stash Scarves" are being made from the remnants of a sweater I was supposed to finish for my X-Finace's mom's friend. She had bought the pattern and yarn (over $300 dollars worth in the 80s, if I don't miss my guess) as her first project. It was, years later the sweater, the back partially done, backwards to the pattern, in too small a size, was given to me to finish. I began it last year - but only later realized that it wasn't going to work. Not only did I not want to weave in all of those ends (hundreds, literally), the sweater was too small for the recipient, with no good way to increase, and it seemed not quite enough yarn in any case. I also did not care for the pattern, which involved some very intense color work, and a carry along of 2 colors for every stitch. To make matters worse, I noted some holes which would have required ripping, which would have resulted in too little yarn. So, on Saturday a friend and I ripped and salvage what we could. I let her take any that she wanted, and I determined to make some scarfs with the leftovers. This is the first one I attempted, and I tried to use the two strand carry-along, swapping 1 at a time to gradually change color. This is the one element that I am keeping from the original sweater. The downside is that I had to rip a sweater in progress. The upside is a lot of free Rowan Stash in many assorted candy colors.

Here I am, working on my scrap knee-highs to send to my crafter pen-pal in Connecticut, Meg. They are my first two-circ in-the-round project. Seems pretty easy so far, but I haven't made it to the heel yet. I intend to steal the heel from the Monkey Socks (shown below) because the heel on those fit so well. Very excited and hope I can finish these soon - but I also have three blankets that I am currently working on........................ oh yeah, and then there is grad-school. I have my final on Wednesday night and am starting 2 new classes the week after.

Good thing I'd rather knit than sleep!

The boyfriend's "sleep slippers." I improvised the pattern myself from what I know of sock construction. I hate toe-up and love turning heels. Ran out of red, so I had to back-track and add black toes to both socks.

They may seem big in this picture. They are, they have been worn a lot and have stretched a little since the last washing.

Monkey socks!

Here are my new Monkey Socks! I love them. They were fun and easy to make - and they fit like a dream.

Am currently obsessed with Chore Wars - Lime and Violet Style. I am still only level one, but I hope that will change as I listen to more episodes.

Are any of you not listening to Lime and Violet? You need to listen to them. It is an amazingly wonderful knitting podcast.

Am working on
- a lovely pair of socks
- a very big baby blanket
- a shawl (which is actually technically in hibernation)
- a mitred square blanket
- and have tons of things in queue.

Too much knitting to do!
Why oh why must I have so much homework?

Nothing for it but to keep working.

~Miss Kalendar

Been a while!

Taught boyfriend to knit, joined Ravelry, and started the Knitting Guild's Master Knitter Level 1. Am on my 4th Swatch. Am Kalendargirl on Ravelry. Be my friend. Pictures of Knits are there.

Just finished the MARLEY Scarf from knitty for my Boyfriend. He loves it! I love it, too. I am jealous and want one of my own........... I really want one. I may make one for myself. I sort of have the idea that I would love to make a bed-spread out of this pattern. I know it would take a long time, but it might just be worth it. That, or I could possibly make a great christmas "chain" for X-mas decorations in red or green.......v. fun. Gold is also an interesting option. Oh well, I already have enough light grey, dark gray, and black to make an additional scarf from each, so I may just do that. I just don't like making that pattern very much. It's sort of mind numbing. I love the finished result, though. It's a fabulous pattern. It turns out amazing. I just get a little tired of doing the same thing over and over again. Hmmmm.

Will post pictures as soon as I manage to take some. May be some time as the camera lives at my apartment and the scarf will be living at home.... (I mean my boyfriend's house).


In other news, two more weeks and then I am finished with statistics and that means life is good.


IN AWESOME NEWS - found a yarn store right by my boyfriend's house. It is a rocking awesome store and found three books to purchase right off. One is "New Knits on the Block" which is all kid's play clothes. I had an excuse to buy this as my best friend is PREGNANT! It's
officially 6 months today. I also found a cute how-to children 's book from around 1920....I think. AND I found a book on victorian white working....so knit doileys and the like. Tasty Tasty knitting. And I got some nice purple yarn to make a baby blanket that I designed after looking at one that a co-worker had. So, life is good. As soon as stats is over, I intend to knit up a storm!!!


Alright. Peace OUT, my Knittas!
E

New Hair 'Do!!

Here is my new hair-cut. Not so romantic as my long dark hair....but still good.

In knitting news, working on Marley's Ghost, a scarf pattern from knitty.

Learned about urban knitting and have an urgent need to start up on it. Curses!

Have been debating doing my Knitting Guild Master Knitter thing. Haven't joined because I would be joining to do the Master Knitter thing and don't want to pay dues for something I won't be taking advantage of.

I never post on this thing.
I should
I've been knitting, but not half so much as I could be knitting if I didn't have grad-school.

Most recently I finished two scarves, both 20 stitches in the pattern:
All rows: *K4, P4*



Then I did the "My So-Called Scarf" - it turned out awesomely great, but it's already on its way to its future owner (my girlfriend's dad), and I have yet to unpack my digital camera and doc, so there are no pictures available.


Recently had the idea to begin a random scrap blanket from the scraps left in my stash...I am fanatic about using up left-overs. I envision it to be a bit like the blanket knit by the main character in "Like Water for Chocolate." I just intend to keep going in garter, picking up whatever odd or end I need to use up at the time. I have a small trunk full of such scraps. I originally cast on about 250 stitches, but I am going to take it out and re-cast 400 or 500.

In other news, Knitting Podcasts make my time at the gym much more bearable. Thank you, Marie Irshad!!!


And lastly, huge paper due in about a week for my Employment Law class. Huge amount of stressing! And have also been daydreaming about finally getting started on 1) my knitting artwork 2) the beaded and knit table runner I designed 3) starting the knitting guild's master knitter program.

Well, ta for now. Am off to inventory my knitting books, magazines, and loose patterns (the kind you buy, not print from the web), then I will inventory all of my fiber. (This is me unwinding before bed)

~E