Coffee Crazy Knitter

Remember Chub Creek?

2009-11-17T17:40:00.000-08:00

Those of us who were fans of that PodCast went through a period of mourning when Dave just couldn't do it anymore. But guess what? He's going to be at it again soon. He's going to be starting a new PodCast called FirstLife. I can hardly wait to get my greedy little hands on it!

To find out the details and pitch in some encouraging words.... CLICK HERE!

GO Dave!

Where in the World have I Been?

2009-07-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes time just gets away from me. I was a bit sickly for a couple of weeks, then one of my friends came to visit, then we went to visit her in return along with everyone else in that area. So I guess it's been busy around here.

As far as I know, I haven't knit a single stitch since my last post. My brother is doing some interesting knitting, though. With very little instruction and his own ingenuity he has figured out interasia and put it to amazing use. I keep telling him to bring it over so I can photo it in the daylight, but we always manage to get together when it's getting dark. It's turning out really cool, though. He's using cotton that has perfect sheen and in colors you wouldn't expect in a baby blanket, and he's putting the Queen's Reich symbol big and bold in the middle of it. He's making it for a friend who just had a baby. It may just turn out to be the coolest baby blanket ever =) I'm proud of him. I may have taught him to knit, but he's taken off in directions I haven't gone, so it's fun to see what he can do.

Work is going decently well. Things are picking up after the initial Summer slowdown. Someone called me Magic Fingers and marvelous yesterday - lol

I do have pictures in my camera, but I'm too caffiene deprived at the moment to hook it up. We got the satellite guy here now hooking us up with TV. I've held out for... nearly 14 years, refusing to get cable or satellite TV since regular TV eats up too much time already. Our digital receiver though is just awful. The picture is fine, but the guide it uses stinks, most of the channels say "No Information Available" and it's just a pain in the butt. Anytime you want to look at the channel list, it stops receiving the channel it's on and flips to the guide only. I guess it can only think about one thing at a time. Also, we had two DVR's that died within a couple weeks of each other and a major lightning strike. So that was sad, too. We'll be getting a new DVR with the TV deal.

Oh yeah, as for Claudia, she was number 1 again and her ride went very well. yaay

I think I need coffee - talk to y'all later =) sooner rather than later I hope

A Good Cause

2009-06-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Probably everyone that reads this blog also reads Claudia's Blog but just in case a few extra people wander over there b/c of this post... I figured I'd mention her and her MS Ride Fundraiser. She's only got a few days left before she rides and she's only got 38% of her goal and it would be so awesome if she could retain her #1 status of last year.

You see last year, knitters (and regular people) all over donated to her ride to the extent that she had the highest total of anyone there. That's cool

Of course there are also tons and tons of awesome prizes. All a person has to do to get put into the drawing is donate $10. There are so many prizes that the odds of winning one is very high, and it's super nice (mostly knitterly) stuff. But doesn't everyone know at least one person they like that knits? Well, hopefully if you are reading this blog, that's at least a little true. ;0)

PS - The blog that I currently keep up with most is Clandestine and Candour

Seven Years Ago Yesterday, According to the Pelicans

2008-04-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those really peaceful days that seemed to be almost like a dream? Several years ago, seven to be exact, we had one of those days. It was a Sunday. We went to our meeting in the morning, went to visit my husband's 'Gammaw' who was in the hospital, and then went home and lazily put together a new swing set for the kiddos. Well, one kiddo was still too young for it, which is how I recall exactly how many years ago it was. My daughter had been born the previous December, and we were in the month of April at the time.

While we were assembling the swing set, the most amazing thing happened. Droves upon droves of huge birds were suddenly migrating over our heads in complete silence. It was one of the most majestic scenes I've ever witnessed in real life. They were flying astonishingly low, compared to the altitudes of the migration geese and ducks, and like I said, completely silent - also in contrast to geese and ducks. It was hypnotic. We just watched them in awe for at least half and hour, maybe more.

I had never seen this particular type of migration before, in spite of living in this general vicinity of Texas nearly my whole life. We weren't certain what they were, but considering their size, I thought they must be pelicans. But why were they headed over our area flying DUE North? Maybe headed to Lake Superior? I didn't know, and still don't know. ( I'm nearly sure they are pelicans, now, because since then, I've actually looked up pictures of pelicans in flight and they look exactly the same.)

We were all sort of under the spell of that sight all evening. Then the phone rang, and we learned that my husband's Gammaw (baby talk for Grandma, of course, so named by my husband when he was just a wee boy, and then everyone called her Gammaw forever) who had been doing very well just hours before had taken a sudden drastic turn for the worst. We rushed to the hospital, but were too late, she was already gone when we got there. It was particularly awful for my husband, since he was very close to her all his life. She had always kept him after school when he was growing up and as soon as he was old enough, he moved in with her to help take care of her.

We stayed at the hospital for several hours, quietly talking amongst family and friends, reminiscing and grieving, as you do in that situation.

By the time we were headed home it was seriously late, some time in the AM hours of the morning. I don't remember the reason, but we had one other stop to make before we went home, and on our way there we saw the most spectacular meteorite any of us had ever seen. To this day I haven't seen it's equal. It streaked across the sky right in front of us bright enough to to light up the whole sky in turquoise and then exploded fantastically in a blaze of glory.

We just looked at each other in amazement. I couldn't help but think what a wonderful gift it was to have two such wonderful memories, as if to ease the blow of such a great loss.

Usually, I can recall the exact dates of things that mark tragedy, but this isn't one of those crystal clear dates for me. Yesterday however, the pelicans graced us with their migration again. I hadn't seen them since that day, but I was very glad to see them again, and to reflect on that day, seven years ago, when they showed up, in my mind, to help us get through what was to be a very sad day indeed.

Who ME? =)

2008-03-24T20:35:00.001-07:00

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Goddess. You are constantly giving and are unconcerned with reward, you simply want others to love knitting as much as you do. If someone wants to knit miles of novelty yarns, you are there for them. If someone wants to learn short row shaping, you can help. There are no taboos in knitting, only opportunities to grow. Everyone should have friend like you around if they want to learn to knit, and there's a good chance that your passion has rubbed off on a few others.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!

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I Miss Journeyman

2008-03-20T21:27:00.001-07:00

Ok, geek moment but here is a petition to save one of the shows I really liked this year. Not only was it canceled but they totally left everything hanging. SO frustrating.

....so if you happen to be a fan (or just want to do me a tiny little very easy favor) go sign the petition and hope for the best.

While you're clicking stuff - come see me at the blog with more pictures =)*)

Here a Contest, there a Contest...

2008-03-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

and yet ANOTHER contest!

This one is a bit different, because it's a win/win situation. Ya see even if you don't WIN the contest, you win by having a new source for awesome yarn!

See NHKnittingMama blog for contest info

Then be sure to check out her Etsy shop under the same name, NHKnittingMama

Contest Alert

2008-02-29T20:47:00.000-08:00

Head on over to McKnitter's blog and enter a contest. It's super easy, she's looking for vacation suggestions in the comments. Check it out!

Update/ Lace

2008-01-16T16:02:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. I keep saying that I am going to abandon this blog, but it continues to get traffic every day. SO, instead, I'll be periodically posting something for y'all to look at when you show up, with another reference to the blog I now use most often. kay?

Here's what I'm working on now. It's my Fern Lace Stole and I'm almost half way finished! Yaay!

If you'd like more details, you can click on over to Clandestine & Candour. While you're there, you can subscribe =)) (hey, a girl can be hopeful, right?)

Take care, I'll be sharing more stuff in the days to come.

Sleep, Breathe and Knit

2007-10-12T18:42:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah, and sometimes I eat a bit =) But the former 3 seem to be all I do lately. The sleeping is real nice. After having such a hard time sleeping for so long, it's such a relief to be able to relax into sleep.

The knitting is nice, too. I didn't realize I could finish a pair of socks that fast. I really like these. They look a little similar, but different. They are very comfy and that's what's important.

You can I've cast on for pair number 3. There were only 10 stitches on the needles in this picture, but now, I'm very well along into the first cuff.

I would like the start my second sock some where close to the same spot as these since it's a self striping yarn. One of the Knit Picks variety. I don't recall the name or even the color. I've had it in a ball waiting to be knit for like a year and a half, at least. Too long. It's a little rough on the hands now that I've gotten used to the bamboo stuff, but these yarns always soften up greatly once washed. (as you all know, so why did I bother to say so? hmmm?)

Well.... we'll see how I keep up the pace. I would like to at least start pair number four this month. That'll be a serious record for me. I don't think I've knit 4 pairs in 6 months before! The weird thing is, you'd think I'd be getting tired of making socks, but it seems to be the reverse. I won't be able to keep up this pace forever, but I can see me making lots more that I have been.

Yaay for Socktoberfest!

Hey Everyone

2007-10-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

Check out my Socktoberfest Socks! 1 1/2 pairs so far! Yaaay!

Feeling Better

2007-08-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

I want to start this particular post by thanking all of you who left comments on my last post. I'm doing lots better now. I've been reading a couple of good books about how to talk to yourself in the positive instead of the negative and it really helps my attitude. I still have lots to learn, but I'm on the right track.

On a lighter note, here is the "so far so good" shot of my sock in progress. I'll be turning the heel next, when I actually pick it up again. Can't read and knit at the same time very well, and I have 2 books to read, well 1 and 2/3's since I've read at least 1/3 of the first book.

I really thought I had more to say, but I guess I didn't! Hmmm.... I must be processing what I've read so far or something. OH well, maybe it'll come to me later.

OH yeah, I found the other balls of this yarn. Where? In the place I keep my sock yarn, duh, I just didn't think it'd be on the bottom for some reason. I probably put it down there to hide it from myself so I wouldn't think about how many times I tried to knit with it on my cruise. Wow just "voicing" and I started clenching my teeth, I think I have some tension about that, ya think? dang -- cleansing breath and let it go. I think I'll go and figure that one out! ttyl!

Posts from Winter '06

2007-03-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Monday, January 08, 2007

Hasta La Pasta, Blankie!

SO, long, it's been GOOD to know ya, SO long..... blah blah blah, I don't remember the next line. oh well. It's true. This has been a pretty satisfying knit all and all. Just when I thought I was going fast, I wasn't. Just when I thought I was going slow, I wasn't! A little confusing, yes, but always a surprise down the next row.

A very pleasing stitch pattern, I think. I really like the colors now, that I've aquired an eye for them. The yarn, scrumptous, of course.

Pattern: Warm & Cuddly Baby Afghan
From: Quick Knitted Afghans pg 64
Yarn: Shine in Worsted Weight - Knit Picks
Colors: Crocus and Grass

Just as soon as it was dry, and photographed, I lost no time in wrapping it up like a giant candy.

Making it look all pretty, and so much LESS purple next to it's paper. Too bad, but, that's ok. It only looks slightly pinkish that way.

I thought it would be cute to use some small bit of the miles of extra green I have left, for a little garnish.

Then it was into the bag with it. How does she look, y'all? =)*) All purty and dressed up for the daynce. heh heh heh, shucks and garsh

So, it's Fare the well, sweetie baby blanket, I hope your new girl loves you! byeeee

...and hello new project! -- well until I get to the LYS for laceweight stuff --

(since I feel all NEKKID with no knitting project)

Hill Country Yarns

Strawberry Swirl

I've been waiting for ages to use this yarn, yaay. I think I should always have a sock going on the side, from now on. k? Should cut down on monotony once in a while.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

The Remains of the Yarn

Here are the remains of the yarn.

The two pieces left from stitching up the sides.

Of course I had to use the purple, since I couldn't have made the green blend in with the border so easy.

And of course you remember the tiny bit that was left after finishing the top.

I should admit that at both corners of both borders I weaved in the ends in such a way as to start the stitching, partly to conserve yarn, and partly really give it added strength at the corners - if you would call them corners? I guess they are the corners of the body of the blanket. Something like that.

It had been in the plans for me to be posting pictures of the blanket as a whole, all weaved in, washed and blocked. But NO! Thursday night, all my late nights caught up with me and I was hit by a very angry flu bug. 2 days of forced rest later, and a probably drug induced feeling of sorta wellness (Excedrine Migraine, how do I love thee?) I still haven't weaved in the rest of the ends, which means it hasn't been washed or blocked either. Hopefully I can weave in the rest of the ends today, and possible do the wash/block thing, too, which would (theoretically speaking) mean there may be pictures in the morning. (we'll see how that goes)

For now, mainly I could use a few postive thoughts, (or whatever you call it)lol and I'll get back to knitting, soon. =)

Weaving in Ends? CHECK!
Washing? CHECK!
Blocking? next =) and CHECK!

WOO HOO PIX TOMORROW BABY!

edited again to add:
yes, I know it's tomorrow already, but that thing is taking FOREVER to dry. So I put it out in the sun for a bit. Now it's half dry and half damp, it's been turned damp side to the sun, now and SOON we will have new pix.

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Believe it or Not

Guess what? I have enough yarn! Here's what I had left after knitting the left border and the first row of the the top border. It was about at this point in time that I started to suspect that I may have enough yarn and that my order to Knit Picks may have been premature.

uh.... OOPS! and OH WELL! lol That's ok, I got myself a little present in that order, so I don't regret it. After all, I have 2 and a half balls of the green left, so I may as well have 2 balls of the crocus to match, right? I can always put yarn to use =)

Here is an artsy fartsy shot showing what it looks like right before I started knitting the top border.

Remember me saying that getting a good detailed shot of the whole blanket is hard? Well, it doesn't get easier on an overcast day when the blanket is even bigger.

So I figured I'd make it more interesting than detailed and pretend I am some awesome famous photographer who can show depth instead of detail and make people say, "OOOOO!" and "AAAAAAHHHHH!" and "Isn't that interesting?"

You don't have to burst my bubble on that fantasy, ok? lol

For all of you that love to get lost in the wrong side of this stitch pattern, here's YOUR artsy fartsy photograph showing depth AND detail.

(and YES, I'm aware of my weirdness, don't worry, I'm highly medicated on caffiene and antioxidants)

For those of you that don't love artsy fartsy so much but still enjoy they hypnotic properties of the reverse side of this blanket, your photo is here.

Zone out all you want!

And finally to totally freak out all the people who are very scared of running out of yarn....

I present, the end of the line. A line so close to being just short of the end of the line, that it boggles the mind.

This is the end of BOTH remainder balls from both the left and right sides. I did no calculations, no fancy measurements, it is pure coincidance, accident, random good happenstance. It's nice, it's rare, I know, so I wallow in my freakishly random good happenstance. =)*)

Just so you know, I'm using the scrap that wasn't part of either left side or right side border skeins to stitch up the side borders to the middle. I have JUST enough for that as well. How, random and freakishly good is that? yaay

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

LOOK! The Borderths of InTHANity! hahahahaha!

Now he'll NEVER catch uth! hahahaha

As you can see, my trusted photographer's assistant is doing an excellent job of impersonating a kitty cat.

She's definitely already a fiber snob, she knows the good stuff when she feels it.

Stho! What makeths me inthane over my borderths?

Well.... see the yarn ball on the left, compared to the right? Right ball is one skein. Left ball is one skein after knitting the right side of the border.

So... logically after knitting the left side of the border using the skein on the right, I'll have the same basic amount as the one on the left.

Do you think that's enough to knit the top border?

Am I INTHANE, or did the word THINK ethcape my mouth? I think it'ths NOT enough. We'll have to wait and THEE about that, but it totally thuckths.

ANYWAY, here it is in it's giant squareness, knitted from border, across the top to join the border for stability and to make it easier to move it around.

It's not easy to photo this thing in it's entirety, but this will have to do.

I tried the join as I go strategy and it didn't work so good, so I ripped back a couple rows of it and left a couple for a good anchor.

Now, to start the left side.

Looks like I'll have to buy more yarn, but I can't just order the ONE skein, right? hmmmm..... time to start thinking what I want from Knit Picks. (ah rats) hahaha

Monday, January 01, 2007

The Final Countdown?

It's 9:55 am, I haven't started knitting but I kept knitting after midnight and got down to 7 repeats. I haven't had breakfast and I'm going to snag a shower before I start knitting again. I'm hoping to be able to get thru the 7 repeats needed today, I did 7 yesterday even though I seemed to be in some sort of odd time warp. Why is it that some days you can knit SO fast and other days it seems like you are going JUST as fast but progressing OH so sssllllooooowwww? Since I can't make much sense of it I just attribute it to being in my own personal time warp.

The topmost marker is pinkish and marks the repeat for 10 to go.

The middle one marks the 21 spot.

I forgot the other one, but scroll down and you can find that answer.

I'm starting to plan the border, which is simple garter stitch, but I'm thinking of attaching it as I go, instead of stitching it up at the end. We'll see how that works out, or not.

I probably won't get to start knitting until after the munchkins get lunch (somewhere around the time I get breakfast) hmmmm, maybe I should do breakfast before I shower so I don't pass out? (Ya THINK?!)

Once I get a few repeats done, I'll check back.

10:28 am and 7 repeats to go

1:30 pm with 5 repeats to go wooo hooo yaay refill the coffee and knit some MORE weeee!

3:07 pm with 3 repeats to go except 3 is now the new ZERO so I'm DONE with the repeats!!!!

I'm not cheating even tho it seems so, because if I don't stop NOW (or 2 repeats back) I'll run out of the purple (crocus, I think) and I probably will anyway. (anyone have a spare ball of worsted crocus Shine in their back pocket? hahahaha)

Now I start the border. (after a couple of chores and one errand) I WOULD try the green as part (like the sides) of the border, but it scares me as the border. (I tried it to begin with and I nearly threw up, so NO to that)

scratch that! I found ONE MORE BALL OF CROCUS! yaaay I should have plenty

posted by JustApril @ 9:55 AM 7 comments

Posts from Fall '06

2007-03-23T22:37:00.000-07:00

Winter Storm/Watch Socks

Fittingly, the Storm Watch Socks were being cast off just as the 1st major Winter Storm blew in last night. It rained all night as the temperature dropped. Lightning blasted closer then further and closer again. As I drove my daughter to school this morning, the temperature went from 34 degrees to 31 and just like that, everything was frozen. The sleet began to pelt the house at the same time, I was informed upon arriving home. The sleet came down harder and we started to see snow flurries swirling around playfully in the midst of it's more serious cousins. The leaves on the just turning leaves on the crepe myrtle tree looked slightly glittery in the diffused light of the almost white sky. In the end, the gregarious snow annoyed the scowling sleet into submission giving the impish flakes free reign to twistingly fly, float and fall according to their individual fancies.

posted by Aprilynne @ 11:26 AM 11 comments

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Storm Watch Socks So Far

Well, I'm getting there. I've had lots of interruptions, so my really fast start sort of stalled out. I guess being sick for most of two weeks can do that for ya. ha

Anyway, here they are to date, they fit SO perfect so far and they feel so buttery. Fiber-wise they feel better than anything I've had on my feet so far. I'm not sure why but it's true.

I LOVE THEM!

Storm Watch by Sunshine Yarns

I really love this color way.

It looks all stormy to me.

OH, I nearly forgot, we're leaving town for a few days, so I'll respond to all the comments next week.

Where am I going? Well, my best friend's new business burned down over the weekend and it was a total loss. The real bad part of it is that her parents owned the building and it wasn't just one place, it was like a little shopping center with several little businesses that employed about 40 people total. Her parents also had their business in there, as well, and they had so many keepsakes in there, like vintage baseball cards and book collections etc... it's sad.

So, we'll be there the next few days for support and my DH is going to help them pick out new computers suited to getting back on their feet to some degree. He's so sweet =)

Well, see y'all soon!

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Trying to Cheer Myself Up

the picture got lost on this one, but you may recall it?

Well, I can see some of these more than others. I always WISHED I looked like Terri Hatcher, she's so cute. I used about the silliest photo of my I could find on my third try. You should have seen some of the freaks on my first two. One was a very very very VERY scary drag queen who's had too much collagen - and the first one on my first try was Angelina Jolie hmmmm YEAH RIGHT! I think not. Maybe the eyebrows? Anyway, I just kept trying different photos to see what I got. I got Greta Garbo on my first two, which was cool, she's cool.

OH, why do I need cheered up? I've been SO sick. Monday night I started feeling achy (while at the grocery store - fun, eh? - at least my DH was with me, sweetly) I was OUT all day Tuesday which is my DH's day off and my sis who lives here, so that's handy at least. I was MOSTLY out yesterday, too, and I'm sorta not up today, but not in bed either. If this throat would just STOP HURTING!!!!! I'm to the point I want to tear it out and throw it away. If only that would help.

****sigh****

I was making good progress on my mindless socks, I did a couple of rounds on each last night while watching the finale of Dancing with the Stars. DH was rooting for Mario and I Emmit, I guess I won? I actually thought that any of the final 3 could easily deserve it. I liked different aspects of each one.

Anyway, I'll show pics of my socks, soonish - stay healthy out there, this throat junk is NOT fun!

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Stockinette Stitch Comfort

No pattern, no rules, no thinking, just knitting.

***sigh***

It's what my mind deserves and needs, mindless stockinette in the round. Around and around, knitting like the wind.

Yarn: Stormwatch by Sunshine Yarns

By Dani of Knitting Sunshine

The Etsy shop was down for maintenance when tried to visit it today, Saturday, but maybe it'll be back up before too long. She has awesome colorways.

Anyway, on the home front things are better and worse - don't ya hate when that happens? Yeah, well in THIS home things are better, at least!

Is it just around here, or are there lots of people losing their minds at once? Just curious.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

The Neverending Jaywalkers - Done!

They are finally finished! I can't believe I finally finished them! I'm SO glad. SO... Now I can make myself some plain jane socks and knit in mindless stockinette stitch for miles. Maybe I can have them done before the next cold snap.

Have you ever wondered what happens to the Kitchener Stitch if you put just a tiny bit too much rum in your Pepsi? Well if you've ever wondered the answer is, Half Backwards Kitchener Stitch.

I think I rather like it, actually, on Jaywalkers at least, because it sort of marries the toe to the rest of the sock. Anyway, this affect is accomplished by doing the same thing to both the top stitch and the bottom one. In other words you slip off the top stitch as to purl and put the yarn in knitwise then slip the bottom stitch off purlwise and put the yarn into the next stitch knitwise - over and over - the same two steps - instead of alternating and you get a tiny little row of reverse stockinette =) even if you didn't have the rum.

I'm rolling my Stormwatch yarn into a ball RIGHT now, just chomping to cast on my second pair of fake Socktoberfest socks - fake b/c Socktoberfest is over everywhere but in my head. Sock on peeps and knit OUT!

Friday, November 03, 2006

I'm Extending MY Socktoberfest Indefinitely =P

OH I didn't want Socktoberfest to be gone so fast =( So I refuse to let it go yet. I'm keeping Socktoberfest going in my head until I've done at least 2 more pairs of socks! Assuming that I can EVER finish these! What is my deal? It seems that even when I knit for hours (not uniterrupted, of course) but still, I'm knitting a bunch, ok? It seems like they hardly progress at all. So... in spite of being a serial Jaywalker, the next pair of socks I do will be plain old mindless Stockinette stitch - and then I may do the Garter Ribbed pattern, b/c it looks very cool - Then I think I'll make the Dublin Bay pattern for myself.

I know I have been talking up the whole Bamboo sock idea and I really can't wait to get some Bamboo socks on my feet and try out the no tired theory on them. HOWEVER, Texas may bet getting an actual Winter this year, and I am actually cold! yaay - So I must have some wool socks first. Don't I have some wool socks yet? Well... yes and no. I have the lovely first Jaywalkers, but I never finished darning them. My first pair of socks were just a tiny bit too small, so I gave them to my sister. And they fit her like they were made for her, maybe they were? She loves them so much that she wears them all the time. I have a feeling she'll eventually be a sock knitter, too.

So I've revisted my love of Sunshine Yarns. Look at these gorgeous colors, people. I saw 'Stormwatch' my heart skipped a beat. Not only is blue my favorite color, I LOVE stormy skies and lightning and all the color play that comes along with them. So this was a no brainer buy. As for Neopolitan, c'mon - how gorgeous is that going to be as socks? TOO gorgeous!

Then there is my Bamboo yarn! I noticed yesterday that this yarn is surprisingly similar to the colorway of Stormwatch! So, it's no surprise that after I saw it at "Yarns Ewenique" a few weeks ago, that I couldn't stop thinking about it. So when I finally had a dollar or so (haha) I went and got it! They had another purply colorway, oh.... what was the name of it? Something witty with 'Purple' in it - ah, too bad, it's gone forever out of my head. But this particular colorway is called "Intensity". I think this yarn will make a very interesting Dublin Bay Sock =)

In Assimilation news, my brother, 2 of 7, has come all the way to the dark side. Check out this gorgeous handpainted alpaca that has an inspecific project planned for it! It's wonderful, yes? Just think, he's only been knitting a couple of years, and sporadically at that, and here he is suddenly a yarn conniseur! He found this at the "Shabby Sheep" in Downtown Dallas.

Color me proud. **sigh**

Check out this cabley good scarf he is knitting for himself. Can you believe the very first cable he did was the one at the beginning of this thing? He's totally got the cable pattern memorized already, too. Amazing! It's a pattern I made up on the fly, but, I think it's pretty cool looking. I'm sure it's been done before, but hey - whatevah =) I don't recall the exact fiber content in this one, but it's definitley wool. I think it's Merino, but not sure. It has enough lanolin to moisturize your hands after you've been knitting a bit! I know that much.

Oh, I would totally link everything, but I seem to be getting sick, so I don't feel like it. Maybe next time, better get back to knitting or napping, not sure which =)

There's a button for Sunshine Yarns in the sidebar if you want to shop Dani's awesome stuff.

See y'all when the Jaywalkers are done, I don't think I can show my face until then! lol knit faster knit faster! aaaaauuuugggghhhh - bye

posted by Aprilynne @ 10:35 AM 15 comments

Post from Summer '06

2007-03-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

I Feel Floopy, oh so Floopy

You Have a Choleric Temperament

You are a person of great enthusiasm - easily excited by many things.
Unsatisfied by the ordinary, you are reaching for an epic, extraordinary life.
You want the best. The best life. The best love. The best reputation.

You posses a sharp and keen intellect. Your mind is your primary weapon.
Strong willed, nothing can keep you down. Your energy can break down any wall.
You're an instantly passionate person - and this passion gives you an intoxicating power over others.

At your worst, you are a narcissist. Full of yourself and even proud of your faults.
Stubborn and opinionated, you know what you think is right. End of discussion.
A bit of a misanthrope, you often see others as weak, ignorant, and inferior.

What Temperment Are You?

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Picovoli Pics Pre Pinned Prior to Project sPectrum

Posting while watching the Princess Bride

It's DONE whaaaa HOOOO =) I just finished it and now, after the pic was taken, I've got it washed and hopefully blocking enough to stop the rolling that I'm holding down with my hands so expertly =) I had a couple of closer pics, but they just looked a little TOO dorky =/ Taking pictures of yourself is not so easy. Now we know why most of us take pics that don't include the head, thereby completely avoiding the dork factor that is pretty much inevitable when trying to concentrate on getting a good picture without making a strange face. That may not make YOU look dorky, but for me it SO does. =)*)

I'll be casting on my daughter's Picovoli today, if I get my way. Incontheivable!

EDITED TO ADD: I cast on the Picovoli was sure it wasn't twisted, got several rounds done. Completed the picot edge and 3 needle knit off only to finally discover it WAS twisted! ARG! Hallo, my name is April, my knitting is twisted, prepare to cry. So I went back to the beginning, just like Vicinny told me to. At least I'm not inebriated.

PROJECT SPECTRUM

Here is my one blue flower from my very green little garden cove thing in front of my house. So pretend it's still May while you look at it, because I don't have any more blue things out there!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Just for Fun

Ok Peeps, I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things, and, hey - I LOVE THIS CRAP

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion:

You have high extroversion.
You are outgoing and engaging, with both strangers and friends.
You truly enjoy being with people and bring energy into any situation.
Enthusiastic and fun, you're the first to say "let's go!"

Conscientiousness:

You have medium conscientiousness.
You're generally good at balancing work and play.
When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done.
But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it.

Agreeableness:

You have medium agreeableness.
You're generally a friendly and trusting person.
But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism.
You get along well with others, as long as they play fair.

Neuroticism:

You have low neuroticism.
You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.
Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.
Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure.

Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is high.
In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas.
You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits.
A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

.........................................................

I'm hemming up my Picovoli this very minute! Well... the minute of 5:58pm Saturday June the 24th.

PS. Confidential hello to all of Emily's friends! =)*)

Too Hilarious to Pass Up

You Are 40% Normal

(Somewhat Normal)

While some of your behavior is quite normal...

Other things you do are downright strange

You've got a little of your freak going on

But you mostly keep your weirdness to yourself

How Normal Are You?

OK, so that's just a little too true. Is that pic crazy or what? I could totally do cat eyes makeup, too, and look even freakier than that! THAT is what is REALLY freaky.

I also got tagged by Samantha for the one word meme that's going around blog town. SO... here goes!

This is your mission, should you decide to take it:

So after you comment on my freakiness, please leave a one word comment which you believe best describes me. (NOT catty, too easy)

IF you decide to take this mission, then I will do the same for you. This message will now self destruct.

ok, so that's a lie, but hey - it sounds good, right?

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Whassa Motta Me?

I'm still slacking in just about every way I can think of. I don't wanna blog, I don't wanna clean (do I ever want to? hmmm) I don't wanna eat lunch until supper time b/c I'm too lazy. All I wanna do is knit and knit and nap and knit some more. So that's mostly what I've been doing, knitting and knitting, dozing off, jolting awake and knitting some more. Well.... that's not entirely true because I did vacuum and do the dishes and feed the kids a few times, but I really just wanted to keep knitting instead. (except for the kids eating, of course - I'm not a monster) hahaha

Of course all this knitting means I'm nearly done with my Picovoli, which I probably forgot to even mention in here. I can't even remember. Anyway, remember the awesome yarn I got on my first trip to a LYS? It's cotton, silk and angora dk weight stuff. I had originally thought that I would make a cardigan with it, but soon realized that although I completely cleaned them out of that particular dye lot, it just wasn't enough for that sort of project. SO... since it's partly cotton and I need another Picovoli, and this yarn is scrumptous on the skin - good solution! right? heee! I can't wait to wear it. It looks SO rich colorwise!

As soon as I'm done with this one, I'm starting one for my daughter in the yarn that she picked out for herself at the same yarn shop. She rolled two balls of fingering weight together, one pink one orange to make a very interesting ball of egyptian cotton yarn that's the perfect weight for a cute little Picovoli in her size! That should be a super quick knit! Especially since there will be only slight fitting inc's and dec's if any. Can' wait to start it!

Speaking of my daughter, I've been trying for several months to come up with suitable nicknames for her and the two boys, well... three counting the DH. I'm tired of the DS's and DD's. I was considering Thumbelina for my daughter or something of that nature, but it probably won't fit for long, and it's not such an easy name to type. Maybe Sunshine or some such. Then there are the boys who are really nothing alike. Of course the 7 yr old fancies himself a super hero, but I probably couldn't get away with calling him one of those names for very long. ? who knows ? I could probably call the youngest SpiderTot or SpiderKid because he is SUCH a climber! I'm always finding him atop things he should not be climbing. Too bad there's not a dinosaur notorious for climbing, because he loves to roar like a dinosaur, too. SpiderRex? haha My D7yrS decided on Dash - like from the Incredibles and with his help we've come up with Spidey for the 2yr old. What do y'all think? Now if I could just think of a name for the Man of the house... hmmm He's good at everything sciency, electronic, computer or phone related. I'm stumped. MrPuter hehehe - I'm sure I'll get in trouble for that double entendre! hahahahahaaaaa

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Hello, my name is April....

......and I am a Project Spectrum slacker for May and June. Especially where it concerns the Post Card Swap! I stink!

I am thoroughly ashamed of myself. I'm not even sure what my excuses are. All I know is that I have totally lost my motivation or something. I kept wanting to paint something awesome and viney, but my artistic Rennaissance seems to have gone into a Reccession. Oh BLAST! Oh WRETCH! Oh FIDDLE dee DEE!

My one consolation is that she'll die of a broken heart and THEN he'll be sorry for what he's done! ahem! cough cough.... aHEM. You mean I can't just quote movies for this WHOLE post and get away with it? RATS! .....well......ALRIGHTY then....

My ONE consolation is that my Project Spectrum Post Card Pal for MAY, Amy, through no fault of her own, also had to send her post card a little belated. And WHAT a post card it is! Actually HOW beautiful they BOTH are!?! ***sigh*** So I'm sorta glad that I didn't send my cheesy viney idea for a card that would have been half hearted at best, because OMG this chick sent me a true work of art. I mean, I KNEW she was an artist and all, but the thing she sent me is FRAME worthy! I want to put it on my wall and stare at it every day. In FACT, I just spied a perfect spot for it on my little 3 tiiered heart shelf. Feast your eyes on this thing, I think it's made of WOOD, too, so no ordinary post card, my friends, NO ORDINARY POST CARD!
(my pics are not showing up, so these links to flikr are my only option, sorry for the inconvenience of clicking a million times in this post, when blogger or my computer starts acting like normal, I'll put in the pics for real, sorry sorry sorry SO sorry)

Awesome Green Card for May Project Spectrum

Then, for good measure she sent me something for the month of JUNE! Of COURSE she did! Why? Well, because she's really very very sweet and not at all trying to intimidate me into a creative anal retention. Noooooo NE-ver! LOOK HOW PRETTY!

Awesome Blue Card for June Project Spectrum

Of course, you know what this means, right? I have to do a really awesome job on TWO cards as well, or feel guilty for how long? FOR-E-VER..... FOR-E-VER.... FOR-E-VER..... FOR-E-VER

So my MAY card I'm sending IS still cheesy, but it took a lot of work and it's a tiny bit ok. Here's the May card I'll mail on Monday. It's very..... uuuuuuummmmm..... layery - many layers of stuff and lots of spray glue. (so that made it an enlightening experience wooooooo)

My Cheesy Green Card for May

So what do do in blue? hmmmm What to do for JUNE?

FOR

JUNE

I did a tiny little painting for Amy, a little reminiscent of what she did in her painting, but different too. I hope she likes it, and I hope it's ok to put it in here before she gets it, but seriously, I HAD to HAD to HAD to post SOMETHING for Project Spectrum or go crazy. So here's what I did.

My not SO cheesy, but not so awesome as Amy's, Blue Card for June P. S.

Now to go drink my coffee, even though it's pushing 10:30 pm. Why is that? Am I really that stooopid? Well, yes I am, but that's beside the point. I have to drink the coffee to keep from getting a migraine from the movie my twisted husband is making my watch tonight. Don't get me wrong, I love this movie, but it breaks my heart to watch it and it gives me a headache to watch these kind of movies, so if I caffiene up, sometimes it helps =(

Oh, btw.... the movie is Pay it Forward. I get a lump in my throat just saying the title.

Ok, I got thru the movie and no headache! It's a miRACle ***whew!*** I did cry my eyes out, so I guess I'd better go and try to find 'em (which can be pretty hard when you can't see) =p

Monday, June 05, 2006

Two FO's forward, One FO back

OOPS, I guess I ought to post something, eh?

One finished Jaywalker

One finished Dishcloth thingy

in the shape of a Honey Bee

The Jaywalker was too floppy, so it was frogged and I'll go down a size, it was good practice, anyway =)*)

posted by Aprilynne @ 6:56 PM 12 comments

Posts from Spring '06

2007-03-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Bye Bye Booty Kickin' Baby Blanket Blues?

It hardly seems real, but it's finally done. I finished it on the 25th, yesterday at the time of this posting, and I could barely even believe it. It hasn't even sunk in enough for me to be excited yet!

After I cast off the last stitch and pulled the yarn through the last loop to tie it off, I promptly took a nap to 'celebrate'.
The blanket is the perfect napping size for a grown person, so it is, as I planned, big enough to be useful to her well into her teens. Not so babyish as to be embarrassing, and cuddly cuddly soft soft. It has the feeling of nice soft quilt, but not too heavy. During the knitting process I was putting aroma therapy essential oils on my hands to give it a soothing calming scent. I'm very happy with how it turned out =)

Once I had rested up a bit, I weaved in the ends and took a few pictures.

I even like how the wrong side looks, it's kind of cool too.

I used purple for one border and blue for the other one, and the border up the sides is just knit in line with the stripes. I didn't want to pick up a hundred thousand stitches up the sides to make it look like the other borders. It always looks wonky when I do that. So this blanket is definately a baby blanket Ala-April - meaning I broke all the rules and only sort of followed the pattern. At least this time it was on purpose instead something I can attribute to being an air head =)

Here I am posing with the blaket to give you an idea of how giant it is. I'm 5'6" or so and this thing is only slightly shorter than me. I think it makes an excellent wrap, yes? (no)

It is the weirdest feeling being finished, though, I thought I'd be wild with joy and giddy and jumping up and down, but no, I just stupidly sat there staring at it in disbelief. It's odd, like a whole chapter of my life is closed. I'm almost sad or something! I've finally gone off the KNIT end. Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this?

Correct Colors Captured

Pattern: Bernat Baby Free Pattern available at their website (modified a LOT)

Yarn: Knit Picks Crayon (running two strands together at all times) Purple and Light Blue

By the way, thanks to everyone who left comments last post expressing well wishes for my poor little sicky. She's doing 200% better now and I think we may all be over the stomach yuck for good. hope hope hope =)

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Yaaaawwwnnn Strrrreeetch... is it morning?

aaaaahhhhh RATS! 10 more minutes? 5 more minutes? COME ON! I need some sleep! WHY did I stay up so late? I'LL tell you why....... somewhere in my twisted head I must have known that at least one of my kids would be throwing up all night.

Poor thing, she was the last one of the kids to get the stomach bug that's been going around here. I have to say, though, out of all my kids to have it in the middle of the night, she's the best choice (not that I wish it on her at all) it's just that she handles it much better than the other two. She always wakes up, she always manages to recall that she has her container and she doesn't need much help. I checked on her a few times at first, then the last couple of times although I woke up, I just listened to see if she called me. She's a total pro. She sure is worn out though, poor baby.

This bug really sucks the life and color out of you, too. My oldest was sent home from school a week ago Monday with it, just in time to miss his field trip =( NATURALLY! He came home and just crashed for something like 8 hours. The youngest got it on Thursday night, just as we were about to leave for a special meeting. So the hubby and the other kids went and we stayed home.

Anyway, it's been a long week, but not all bad. I got loads of yard work done this week and I've even made a dent in that mountain of laundry that seems to be the 7th member of my household. 5 people, 1 dog and the laundry beast. I swear it gets up in the middle of the night and raids the refrigerator. How else can I explain why that thing is empty all the time?

Well, since I worked myself into a frenzy on Saturday in my yard, I put off doing the podcast this week. I've got a little game going into the next one, though, and if y'all want to participate, you can. I'm doing a segment called "The Name Game". The premise is, look up the meaning of your name and see if you think it describes you. If you want to participate you can leave a comment here or at the podcast blog. If you go to the podcast blog you'll get to see me in my "Farmer April" yardwork outfit.

The picture, above, is out of context I know, but I thought there should be SOME knitting content. I think she's well on her way to being a hard core knitter. She wanted to take her knitting outside, so we put the ball of yarn in her backpack and she sat it the shade peacfully knitting. Speaking of knitting, I think I'll pick up mine now. Maybe.....juuuust maybe...... nope, not gonna say it. Just keep knitting, just keep knitting, knitting, knitting, knitting la la la laaaaaaaaa la laaaaa

(the grass is cut now by the way, even though the kids were really mad about it, apparently it's good for hide-n-seek.... hmmmm.... good thing we don't have chiggers!)

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Something to Talk About

I don't know what's up with me, but I seem to be not feeling like blogging lately. I don't really know why? Well, maybe it has something to do with not really having my partner in crime around to say, "Hey that's funny." or "It's good." or even, "Yeah, I read it, look how many comments you already have!" booooooo whooooooooo

AH well, I need to get a grip, I know. I knew I'd miss Mica, I just didn't know it would make blogging less fun. I should have known, I suppose, the address IS MICAknits.blogspot.com how could it be the same without her?

Well, my dog is dreaming and barking in his sleep ever so softly, that's good for a smile at least.

I got tired of using my scarf as a pop screen, so I made one on Sunday.

Then I crocheted it to a baby hanger, although I am NOT much of a crocheter, but it's on there and I'm happy with how it turned out.

Edited to add:

I knew I should have defined "popscreen". It's a soft barrier between my windy P's and S's and my hot air laughs to keep those awful pops and hisses out of my Podcast. =) Just in case you couldn't tell, I've got LOTS of air and it blows and explodes out in downburts and updrafts just like any little Texas Tornado.

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Project Spectrum Past and Present

PROJECT SPECTRUM PAST

I got my postcard from my Project Spectrum for the month of April! How pretty is this?

I LOVE it =) Thanks Angela! She doesn't have a blog, yet, which bums me out a bit, so everyone together say "ANGELA GET A BLOG!" It's so weird how blogging introduces a certain security to life. You can always check on your friends to see if they are ok. Peace of mind or something. hmmm... why doens't everyone have a blog?

PROJECT SPECTRUM PRESENT

Look at this! My very own sock bag (now I have to start a sock project) made just for me by

Trek!

If you would like YOUR very own sock project on the move bag, visit her blog and find out the details =)

I really thought I had something more to say? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

OH! I've been knitting much more than I thought, I guess. How does that work? The Booty Kickin' Baby Blanket is getting HUGE! WHOO! I'm about halfway done with the last purple ball of yarn, and since I'll have more blue left than purple, I'm doing the end border in blue instead of purple like the beginning. Just to be weird and to conserve purple! hahaha

Hey! If I'm going to rebel against this pattern by doing it totally wrong, I may as well rebel against the whole thing! Bigger Yarn, Bigger Needles, DIFFERENT TYPE of yarn, refusing to pick up a GAzillion stitches along the sides at the end to make the border, changing the number of stitches that make up the pattern stitch b/c I'm lazy. Did you even KNOW that if you have a stitch pattern that has the slanted lines meaning you purl one at the beginning of one row and purl one at the end of the other row that if you JUST drop one stitch you can just do the pattern stitch with no beginning purl stitch or end purl stitch on the first line and on the other line you purl one at the beginning AND the end? I was very glad to discover that because it was MUCH easier to remember no purls on the purple and 2 purls on the blue. Are you sufficiently confused yet? OH, good, my job is done here! TTFN! bwa ha ha ha HA

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Cables Anyone? .... anyone.... anyone?

I'm happy to report that I'm finally knitting again. I had stopped knitting mainly because I ran out of the yarn I was using for the Booty Kickin' Baby Blanket. I was scared to start another project for fear I'd never return to knitting the blanket, a legitimate fear, as you all know. The yarn didn't exactly delay in arriving, but it was JUST long enough for me to get out of the knitting routine, I guess, because I didn't jump right to knitting as soon as the yarn arrived the way I expected myself to.

I put it off and off, things started to take priortity over it. That's how it goes when you are interested in a million things, though. It's sort of a mixed blessing to have that many interests. Things never get boring, but it's easy to lack focus. Funny.... that's the same note I always get from the 1st grade teacher regarding my son..... hahaha My husband and I had the same problems in grade school, lack of focus. That's ok, we turned out just fine. I think grade school is structured for a certain percent of the population, and the rest of us are up a creek! But as usual, I digress.

SO....... one of the ladies in one of my online knitting groups designs patterns and was looking for a couple of volunteer test knitters for a very small project. So I volunteered! I was very excited to be chosen and here it is!

Chain Reaction

by Wendy of

Wendy's Wee Woolies

Creations W.E. Design

Yarn Knit Picks Peruvian Wool Sock Yarn Stuff

Friday, May 05, 2006

MUST SHARE

OK, so I'm desperate! None of my Podcast Pals are online, none of my grown family is here, there is NO ONE around here to share this with and I am just much too excited to stay quiet. So..... hopefully none of YOU are tired of me talking about my Pocast. If you are, just bear with me for a couple of seconds PLEEEEEEEEEEEZE!!!!!

Here's the painting I did today for my Podcast that's going to be my new profile image for awhile and will be (hopefully if I did it correctly) in iTunes on the feature page. BY THE WAY... I'm on the feature page!!!!! OMG OMG OMG I am SO excited! I have about 110 subscribers and I'm FINALLY starting to get feedback!!!! WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I'm totally flippin' out DUDE eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Ok, sorry, I'm also SO hungry I can barely do this, so this will be a quick post.

Monday, May 01, 2006

I am the Knitting Borg Queen

I am happy to report that we the Knitting Borg have assimilated another Non-knitter into our perfection. Thanks to blogging and knitting and lots of nano probes. I think it's not a coincidance that blog and borg are only one letter's difference from each other.

So I can't keep up smooth cold borg queen talk for very long, I'm just too giddy! Can you see the borg queen being giddy? NOPE, if she's anything, it's coooool.

ANYYYYYWAY..... How cool is it that we have another knitting convert? It's such good news to me that it's nearly enough to DE-funk my attitude! I'll be skipping about like..... uuuuhhhh.... something that skips a lot. hahaha, I'm SO tired, sorry!

So this new convert, is Mica's and my cousin in Minnesota, who has been reading our blog for a while now. So all this knitting talk has started to infiltrate her brain. It probably helps that Mica's and my sister-in-law is great friends with her and she also has been assimilated. hahaha In fact Mica taught her to knit socks a couple of weeks ago. So Tiff, my cuz - and Meli my S-i-L are like twins and they love each other. They both started blogging fairly recently and we keep in touch with each other that way to some extent. So I'm reading Tiff's blog today and it's all about knitting!

Check her OUT! The crazed ramblings of a Dark Side Twin

posted by Aprilynne @ 9:01 AM 17 comments

Posts from Earlier Spring '06

2007-03-10T22:52:00.000-08:00

Insanity Levels Rising, Yellow and Orange Alert!

First:
Thanks so much for all comments and compliments on the previous
post, whether about my Daughter's cuteness or my song!

In protest of Daylight Savings Time I decided to do something equally stupid. I've ordered MORE yarn for the Booty Kickin' Baby Blanket. You heard me, MORE - I can't get this far and give up, I just can't. The thing is, you see, I've already sealed this thing's destiny by making the width of it collossal. This means that if I stop knitting when I run out of the yarn I currently have left... this thing will be about 3 times as wide as it is long. We all know that baby blankets are usually square or at least trying to be square. This thing is going to be a freak of nature no matter WHAT I do, but I did have to save it from being the super geek of all the baby blankets. I'd hate for the other baby blankets in the closet to mock it and tell it what a freak it is. That would really make it feel bad and this blanket is all about the good. So, I'm thinking one more ball of each color (which really means 2 balls of each color b/c it's double stranded to be chunky) will make it only about twice as wide as it is long. Hopefully, anyway. If it is a super long rectangle It would end up being more like a towel, or a runner - this blanket needs to be cuddled and squeazed like a teddy bear.

I just measured this monster and it's a whopping 5 feet wide - and not 2 feet long. So when it's done the thing I'm calling width, will be the new length and stripes will be up and down instead of back and forth. I really have gone crazy, haven't I?

I really think I should have ordered 4 more skeins of each, but I ain't gonna go there. I do have to protect myself from me sometimes. I had originally put each order at 4 each, then I realized that even if I got tired and sore and paralyzed again, if I had the yarn, I would knit it till it was gone. So I took preventative measures against that, by limiting the yarn, it's the only way to insure I don't self destruct.

I've been knitting it today and yesterday and even though I've taken about a 2 week break from it, I still get a little ouchy after a while. Proceed with caution to prevent permanent injury. =) If I sing the Baby Blanket Blues again, I want it to be purely for recreation. If I push too hard, I'll have to write more lyrics!

I will be going to bed early tonight, for Daylight Savings Time takes no prisoners.

Project Spectrum
For April I should do
a better job on the next few
pics. I wasn't even thinking
about it until just now.
OOPS! =)

13 Comments:

At 6:34 PM, Mica said…

You ordered more yarn?!! You!
You told me you're not a serious knitter, ha, you're a coffee crazy knitter for sure! & i like the baby blanket, it's very cute and she's going to LOVE it.
Okay, better go ;)
Miss Ya!
Mica
At 9:24 PM, Tiflissa said…

What Mica said! I insist on a picture of this when it's finished. It sounds like quite the adventure! :)
At 9:32 PM, trek said…

Way to go!
At 11:46 PM, Celtic Knitter said…

The baby blanket blues . . . verse 29 . . . same as the first . . . a little bit louder and a little bit worse :)
At 9:13 AM, Miriam said…

Singing along with celtic knitter!

J/K. Sounds like you're doing the sensible thing with the blanket.
At 1:03 PM, Kim said…

FIVE feet wide?!?!?!

Holy shnikies!!

What is the pattern again? And erm.. the yarn? But I don't think I'll knit it double like you : P That means you're dealing with 4 strands at a time right? You so craazy!!

Baby Blanket Progress

OK - I'm breaking down and showing the blanket. I was really hoping to have more by now, but yesterday just wouldn't cooperate with me. At least I got a decent representation of the right colors this time. So to make up for the lack of giantness, I will try to compensate with artsy photography =)*)

These colors are almost perfect, a nice plummy purple and a soft light blue that usually washes out in these pictures and ends up looking more white than anything.

Here you can see the stitch pattern pretty clearly. It's not a boring one, at least, but it does get a tiny bit tedious. On the whole, I'm pleased, so far.

As much as I thought I had plenty of yarn to spare, I think I'm not going to have as much as I thought. Probably because I was factoring in 6 skeins of the pink that was kicked to the curb. Now I am starting to remember why I was clinging so to the idea of using it in this blanket. Hmmm..... THAT'LL teach me! LOL

To make sure I never have this problem again, you seasoned wise knitters out there will be proud to learn that I have, in my wish list at Knit Picks - just waiting for me to get the nerve up to put it into the cart - several color cards of the yarn I currently like and yarn I plan to buy in the future. Those future plans being for when I grow up and start to knit lace =)

Now, back to the rest of the blanket. These colors are atrociously off, but you can at least see the basic size of it. The circ that I'm using is 32" long, and the blanket is fairly squished on there, so the width should be pretty decently large. Like I was saying before, though, since I'm working with 6 skeins less than I planned, the final length will only represent 3 times what we see here. I'll think when I'm done, I'll block it very severely in order to make it look bigger! =)

11 Comments:

At 3:21 PM, trek said…

It's so pretty!

Join the lace bandwagon with me. I'm going to do Mountain Peaks with the KAL in April. The pattern is even written for KnitPicks Shadow and I've got it here waiting to be swatched!
At 4:23 PM, Samantha said…

It looks great. I love the colours together. :)
At 4:54 PM, Isabelle said…

This little blankie is going to be gorgeous, April! Hang in there!

Lovely colors!

Isabelle :)
http://tricotine.blogspot.com
At 12:12 AM, Kim said…

Sooo cute! I really like it.. I want one : P

It looks so soft n cuddly.. and I really like the stitch pattern.. it actually makes two colored knitting look good! (Ooops.. did I just say that? I think I'll run away now.)
At 12:59 PM, kimberly said…

Oh that is going to be so pretty!
At 1:22 PM, Donna said…

I just love this pattern and the color combo is perfect!
At 4:11 PM, Miriam said…

Nice work! I think this will be a very lovely little blankie.
At 9:24 PM, Jenn said…

The blanket looks cute! I love the stripiness! The picture of it far away looks wild!! Fabulous! :-)
At 9:54 AM, amanda said…

The colors look just as you described on my monitor. Love the stripey goodness and I'm sure it will be well loved.
At 10:34 AM, Rebekah said…

I like the stitch pattern very much, although I can see that row after row might be a bit tedious.
At 4:05 PM, Reasoning E'Bert said…

I looks good. I love the colours you chose, and the texture of that st looks lovely.

Posts from Early '06 Winter '05 - '06

2007-03-09T23:01:00.000-08:00

Progress Report and a Very Short Story

Progress is being made on the Baby Blankie, it's just not really enough to show. I did some weird thing to it, I think b/c I put it down mid row, which although dangerous, is necessary sometimes when the children have run amuck again. Anyway, I think at least one or two stitches got dropped and then ran down a couple of rows and I didn't realize it for some crazy reason until it was much to late. Even with gallant and very masterful repair efforts, if I do say so myself, it was hopeless and I had to rip back about 4 rows. It was only a tiny bit painful, but mostly because I spent all that time trying to repair the thing instead of just ripping back to begin with.

ONE of these days I will finish my Picovoli and also the Baby Jays, and then I'll get to start the illustrious Odessa. AAAAAAAHHHHHH, Odessa, you swirly, beaded, scrumptuous temptress of yarny hatness.

Now for something completely different, wink wink.

The VERY Short Story - that just happens to be true

In case you were wondering about it, no matter how light and fluffy a ball of cotton baby yarn feels, you must never throw one at your sleeping husband's head, because, no matter HOW patient and loving he is, he WILL still be jolted into an instant state of 'OH SO MAD'. Furthermore, you absolutely must NOT laugh as you try, to apologize, because that would be rude. What's more, it's my duty to inform you, that if you find yourself in this situation, you must not, later that night as you try to fall asleep, giggle intermittently for at least 20 minutes while you replay the whole scenario over and over in your head, it is very naughty.

I just thought you should know that.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Irrational Fears, Strange Art and Knitting Slump Recovery

Have you ever wondered about phobias and how they work? You have about 10 cats and your best friend has a total panic attack at the thought of saying, "cat" that they have to SPELL it rather than pronounce the word. I've always pondered those phobic people with genuine interest and concern. The people I know with phobias are truly petrified when it comes to their particular issues. Some people know when their phobias developed, some don't. It a very curious thing.

Now there's me, no normals fears tremble within the recesses of this weirdo. I LOVE heights. Spiders intrigue me. Snakes are cool and I love nearly every sort of pet there is. I like fishing and have been hunting with my dad. Crowds, spaces, water, inclosures? Nope. So what could possibly bother confrontational, protective, extroverted weirdo me? It makes no sense. I am terrified of biscuit cans. You know the kind you peel the paper off of and they BLOW UP? Well, some blow when the paper peels and some of them, you have to trigger the explosion, but they FREAK ME OUT!! The other day, I put one down after I peeled it, because I wasn't ready to face the fright yet. As soon as I turned my back, the sneaky little thing blew! YES, I jumped and screamed. I ALWAYS do. Even when I am pushing the spoon into the crease of terror I am screaming slighty. POP and AGH! The pulse is racing and I slowly calm down. Why do I keep BUYING these things anyway? I guess I'm facing my phobia, but I'm not getting better. My only revenge is that I EAT the biscuits to punish them for scaring the heck out of me.

Do any of you have any strange fears? I'd like to think I'm not the only weirdo out there =) so, if you can share, that'd be cool.

Check out the work of a budding artist! Those are birds at the bottom, btw, a momma and a baby bird, just in case you can't see it.

I particularly like their eyes and the purple sun. This was done by my 5yr old DD. My other kids are good artists too, but I'll save those pieces for another time. **dashing smile**

Well, I don't know WHAT has been up with me, but getting to the knitting has been a real challenge for about 3 weeks. This is odd for me, but I think maybe it had something to do with some HEAD issues I was dealing with. I had a Dr's appointment on the 2nd of this month to try to get a handle on my migraines and it has worked wonders. He's not your normal MD, even though he is that, but he knows many many different approaches to wellness and that includes emotional stuff. So we breached a big issue and I've been sorting through it which has taken quite an energy toll. Good news is, no migraines since then!

So I finally picked up the knitting a couple of days ago and finally made SOME progress on the baby blanket. I'm still happy with it! YAAY!

The picture on the right is a better representation of the correct colors.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

A Thanks to all the Lurkers! for real

When I first learned about the concept of Blogging, it sounded interesting, but since I was only mildly curious, I never checked it out. I was Internet saavy, online shopping rocks, especially for knitting supplies. I searched patterns, yarn, and even joined a knitting forum or two, but would soon loose interest. Then came the Saxon Braid Scarf pattern, which although VERY cool, had a couple of minor errors. So, very LLOONNGG story short, there was a search for 'saxon braid errors' that lead to a forum that led to a BLOG that led to Mica starting THIS blog which she generously allowed me to participate in. We were so excited to find such an interesting subculture of knitter bloggers!

When we first added a counter to the blog ( I say "we", but MICA did all the work on that front b/c I had no idea of what to do with html code at that point ) we watched this counter almost constantly! We were so excited when it reached 20 and 50 and 100, 200, 1000!? and so on. Ecstatic is more like it.

In the beginning we had scarcely any comments and we were a little worried, but we've relaxed since then, because we have several faithful regular commentors, and we love every single one. It's been so cool to make new friends this way! We already feel very close to you, and I thank you for that, not just here, but personally as much as I can every time you comment. Something has been missing, though.

We are comfotably settled into blogging, we have lots of new friends and we still watch our counter very closely. The milestone numbers are climbing higher and higher! Our comment number flucuate a bit, but they are always pleasantly high for us. The COUNTER though, is really starting to snowball! I can't believe how FAST the numbers are starting to climb and it's SO cool that we have so many hits. Those are the numbers created by lots of lurkers! We LOVE those people, we have over 7000 hits, which for us and our humble newbie blog feels a very Scottish Grrrand!

In view of that, Mica and I would like to take this opportunity to THANK, not guilt you out, but THANK you, our dear loyal lurkers, very sincerely, wherever you may be. You steadily and faithfully drive up the numbers on our little counter and we appreciate that now and always! Thank you, thank you, again and again. I hope you keep visiting us for a long time to come =)

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

The Continuing Saga of the Baby Blanket

Oh WRETCH! Oh BLAHHHST! I have had so many false starts on this project that I have started to hate it, and by 'hate', I mean an expressive HAYTE in a very pronounced Cockney accent, starting now: "I very decidedly HAYTE this harrible proeject. So I figga, I must, at dis poynt, relinquish it to the GAHbidge, if ya pleeeze. Dis whole awful bizniss must be put to da scrappa to mayke a fresh staht. Tank ya kindley."

I have very reluctantly went along with those of you who said, "Throw out the PINK - it's WEIRD!!!" I SO wanted the pink, but it was NOT TO BE. So that's THAT!

I ALSO, **sob** very reluctantly gave up on both wide AND random stripes. SAD, I know, but true.

NOW.....since I must get busy on a gift, I am going back to my old standby - a certain Bernat Baby pattern I've done, although not quite rightly, in the past. So far, it's good. Since I want it LARGE, I'm running two strands together & upsizing my needles. I made a tiny swatch and I like it! Hmmmm, it's better already, I hadn't liked ANYthing I had done up until that very moment! That's a new feeling. **sighs with relief**

I've cast on for the actual blanket and am poised on the brink of actually starting the pattern stitches. I am again, not doing the pattern EXACTLY as written, since I hate doing the border last and picking up the millions and millions of stitches along the sides... and all of the other irritation that entails for me. SO..... I cast on an extra 5 stitches per side and am knitting the border that way instead. I've seen that border on many a blanket that looked just fine. There ya have it, peeps.

Stay tuned for the next episode of.... (insert cheesy music here) .....

"The Saga of the Baby Blanket"

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

A Tale of Two Scarves & The Return of the Sasquatch

Once upon a time somewhere in the Alpha Quadrant, there lived a very strange little girl who just loved to sing. She would sing along with Snow White, impersonate Cher and even do her best to keep up with Sarah Brightman's Christine, although everyone in her village would scramble for the earplugs at the very thought. You see this little girl, while being small, had the lungs of a long distance runner. She was a willful child, who really was convinced, in most cases, that she knew exactly what she was doing.

When the girl learned to knit, she was a little trepidacious at first, but once she "found her feet" in the craft, the old over-confidence began to slowly creep back in. So, the strange, yet melodious little girl, singingly subscribed to two knitting mags, Creative Knitting and Vogue. In spite of the small voice of reason that would not be tolerated, she embarked on a "Very Vogue" scarf that was just too cool to ignore, the Leaf Pattern Scarf from the Spring/Summer 2005 issue on page 91. Unfortunately, she was not aware of the fact that she didn't fully understand yarn overs yet. OH she could DO a yarn over, she just didn't know ONE KEY VITAL DETAIL: The YARN OVER is not a stitch unto itself.

Confidence bordering on arrogance bolstered her to dive headlong into the pattern, and the strange little girl worked and worked to get the numbers right in her head. She knit and knit and knit, hundreds of little lacey leaves that in NO way SHAPE or form, resembled the leaves of the scarf in the picture. She twitched and toiled. She tweaked and squirmed, perplexed and stressed. She reworked and even changed the sequence of the instructions and gallantly struggled to make it work out, shaking her fist at those people, that person, wherever they were, that wrote the pattern that just wouldn't work. Even though the leaves she made DID resemble leaves, the just weren't the SAME leaves in the picture! "why?" she squeaked, then louder, "Why?" A small pause ensued, and then one little tear that in no way could have given anyone a clue as to what would follow. "WHY DO I PICK THESE PATTENS WITH CRAZY ERRORS?" she roared, in a foreign throaty voice.

Yes, the poor strange little girl was now starting to shape shift from cute and strange to beastly and VERY LOUD. The long distance runner lungs began to kick in with a vengeance. She shook her fist again yelling, "Khan! Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

What to do? She decided very emphatically that HER leaves looked better anyway. What else was she gonna do? Give up? NEVER! She would have her revenge on the elusive Leaf Pattern Scarf. (She may have thought about cussing at this point, we can't be sure, but she very well MAY have thought about it.)

Whatever the case, it was a good decision. It was time to relax and accept that her leaves were different, yes, but they were leafy at least and they would have to do. By this time, she had completely forgotten to read the pattern and it TOTALLY escaped her that the scarf was done in Stockinette Stitch, not Garter Stitch, because (obviously) she wasn't gonna be purling AND thinking about leaves at the same time, are they INSANE? (no they aren't insane, in fact, the sweet yet strange girl was in fact, now insane herself, but that's neither here, no there)

In a flash, she churned out two of these scarves. One with mostly green leaves and one with purple leaves for her best friend who really loves purple. She'd won, or so she thought. Then she moved on to the Lacey Leaf Scarf, when she finally got an inkling of a clue and got on the Internet and started looking for help. She finally learned the proper way to do yarn overs and the numbers finally made sense and AT LONG LAST made a scarf correctly. But she never looked back at the original scarf and only ever wore it once.

That is, until the other day when she had once again shape shifted from strange little girl into something beastly. This particular day she arrived at her looking glass only to find Sasquatch Freak staring back at her. Apparently she had drifted into a time warp. She thought that her hair was clean enough to throw into a ponytail for the evening to go to meeting, but she was sadly mistaken. She had already gotten all three children bathed and dressed and ready, it was nearly time to go. So she decided to try a little trick she'd seen on a talk show that she loves but will remain nameless in this case.

This 'trick' consists of a little baby powder and a blow dryer. Well, suffice it to say that in the case of the Sasquatch formerly know as Strange Little Girl, it didn't work so good. The hair began to grow taller and thicker, and as we all know, Sasquatch hair needs NO thickeners; it's already pretty dern thick. In addition to growing it turned a very disturbing shade of gross. No longer brown, not quite gray but just very, very, horribly inexplicably not human. She was already late, she couldn't wash it out, if she could only THINK! No longer was she strange/cute, just fuming, puffy haired, SASQUATCH, rage monster.

Stomping through her bedroom frantically, “A scarf perhaps? Did she even HAVE a girly, Jackie O type scarf that she could wrap around her head?” she wondered stupidly. Well, neither Sasquatch Freak nor Strange Girl was girly enough to own such a thing. But then.... her Leaf Scarf caught her eye. "It'll have to do!" roared Sasquatch Freak, and she tied her hair up in a spikey "Phoebe Do" with the scarf spray glued to her head.

Yes, she was Strange Little Girl again - which although eccentric and confusing while wearing a freakishly long scarf on her head, is always much more pleasant than Roaring Sasquatch Freak.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Stretchy Socks on Circs! by Mica

Hi everyone, gues what?

I'm knitting a pair of pink Jaywalkers......on Circulars! Ican't believe it, after I learned Magic Loop, it's so easy!!!

Now, I don't have to carry around a million Dpn's while I'm knitting, which is nice. & I especially love how the Toe up method looks.....No real seams....hee hee. I got off to a bit of a rough start, because it's my first time , but after a few re-starts I got it down. Practice makes perfect, lol. I think I'll ACTUALLY be able to finish BOTH socks this time :) I love the pattern so much because it doesn't get boring.

The yarn is from Knit Picks, & a BIG thank you April!!!

And Last but not Least, here's the pictures:)

posted by Aprilynne @ 12:45 PM 14 comments

Attention Please, tap tap tap May I Have...

2007-03-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

.....Your Attention Please? Is this thing on? OH, thanks, Bob - I couldn't tell.

This blog still has 38 subscribers in Bloglines, and that's cool! I will eventually do what I said, and patch it back together.

However my NEW blog Clandestine and Candour has on 9 subscribers. I realize that my absence probably had something to do with that, but it's still a bit melancholy to start over that bare.

Are any of you coming along? I haven't totally gone off knitting, I want to share bits of the rest of me as well. C'mon over. It's nice and warm in there (or cool) whatever your comfort is.

Phantom or Raul? I've decided.

2007-02-10T22:52:00.000-08:00

I love that play. But I'm not Christine, so I don't really have those specific options. As far as I know, I never met either. I'm pretty sure I would have remembered that.

So, what did I decide? After much non thought and almost exclusive use of raw instinct I've come to a decision about my new blog.

I didn't expect that for another week or so, but here it is.

THE NEW BLOG

This blog will still be here, I'll be rebuilding it as I recover more posts - and I'll use it as a reference material on the new one. But more about that in my new place. Same template - different names. See ya there! Remember.... it's not just knitting anymore =)*)

Ode to Joy

2007-02-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

Can you sing that to yourself while you read this please? I'm singing it to myself as I type. It's so weird. Do you remember me saying I lost my journal in Belize? Well, it must have been just before I got to Belize because it ended up in the lost and found on the ship along with my camera and a couple of other things. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? (yes I know I didn't tell you I lost my camera, it was just so irritating I couldn't say it out loud) So YES I have pictures from the part of the trip I loved. I have to wait to share them with you though.

ARG! I know - it's too cruel, right? I repent =) The thing is, I'm working on assembling a portfolio, probably 2 portfolios, but the stuff I want to include in them, I think I should keep off the internet until I learn how to protect my rights to them and all that mumbo jumbo. I'm so jazzed about the portfolio thing though. I'll be telling you what it's all about if it works out at all. Am I being SO secretive? Yeah, I just don't want to count my chickens before they are hatched, so to speak. I also don't want to speak too soon, in case doing so makes it harder to reach the goal somehow. Sometimes things work that way, so I'll tell y'all about it soon enough, I just need to wait a bit.

What else, what else? Well, I have been able to recover some of the posts from my deleted blog! Can you believe it? I still have a lot of work to do with searching for them, but it's coming along. Also, some good Samaritan, can I say your name? I forgot to ask her, but you can look in the comments of the previous post and see who she is. Anyway, SHE actually had saved my short row tutorial post, pictures and all, and emailed it to me. SO, I can totally re-post it, and re-link it back to Grumperina's link. (hmmmm, I guess I should really tell her the old one is kaput, right? sheesh - it's bad when all the computers in your house get broken at once! very annoying) So thank you for that GW! You ROCK =) Also, AmyP told me to check out a cool Archive website that happened to have 3 of my posts. SO!...between these two awesome bloggers, and the wonder of cached stuff on Google, I have the story I was most bummed about losing, the last several posts I did, which includes Stormwatch Socks, the Best Friend's Jaywalkers, the latest Baby Blanket and lots and lots of other stuff. So that's something to sing Ode to Joy about!

I am REALLY happy that I got my journal back. I had written some poetry in there that I hadn't copied anywhere else and I was having trouble reconstructing it in my head. So now I have it back! yaayness!

I haven't knit much lately. I am still working on the cuff on only one sock in the Hill Country Yarn color Strawberry Swirl. My knitting is going to have to take a more secondary role for a few weeks. I am sorting through my life right now and rearranging everything. So I hope you guys can bear with me a bit longer and put up with less knitting for a bit. I'll be keeping you all updated as much as I can. I'm thinking about publishing some of my stuff, so I'll have to wait and see or get really good advice as to what is ok to share if you plan to publish. I have SO much to learn! BUT I'm going to take my time getting these things accomplished, because that is what I need to learn the most. S L O W D O W N! I'm always in a hurry and there's no need to be. Just take it one step at a time and think things through MO BETTA =) ..... and somehow do that without over analyzing b/c that is JUST as exhausting as running in circles! I think I have just figured out why I spun out so hard on my vacation! dangit - oh well - It was a learning experience in every way. I live, I learn, I love - I crash, I burn, I get up to live, learn and love another day.

Welcome to another beginning, and Ode to Joy, I'm still singing.

OK Don't Panic - Well Maybe a Little

2007-02-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

Hey people, did that scare you? It scared me, too! The WHOLE blog got deleted! I can't believe it myself, I am totally bummed over it, but I'm getting better - slowly.

Anyway, all of my posts, stories, patterns, tutorials ---- gone. gone gone gone.

I should have had a back up or something!

So, I'm ok, I am going to keep blogging some - here and there. BUT I am going to change to a different blog name and address. I haven't decided yet what to name it, I have no clues as to where to start, but I AM as always open to suggestions and ideas .... etc etc etc

Y'all know me by now, so what do ya think?

Posts from Jan 2, 2006

2006-01-02T21:43:00.000-08:00

I Did it, I DID it!!!! - (a short row heel)

By April

Can you believe it? I did it! I actually, really DID it!!!! I am so giddy I don't even know what to do. I was SO stinking nervous! Now, I am just as happy as, um......... well, as something that is really, super happy. Sorry, all my witsizms totally flew the coop.

The first time I tried it on, the cuff seemed too short. I was planning them to be ankle socks, they were hitting below the ankle which I DO NOT like. (yeah, weird - I know) ANYWAY.... so instead of frogging at that very moment, I decided I'd go ahead and finish the heel, mainly for practice. Then when it was done, I tried it on again, and shiver me timbers - they are JUST RIGHT, exactly the spot I like them!

Again, giddy, very exquisitely giddy-iferous. Yeeeeeeee HAW! I wish I had a cowboy hat to throw in the air. (what's up with that? why don't I have a cowboy hat?)

LOOK, just look at the Rock Creek lovliness! Could you just FAINT? --SIGH-- clunk

uuuummmm, what happened? (blink blink) where am I? hmmmmmmm..... I must have passed out.

Oh, I nearly forgot, I took pre-heel pictures, just in case I totally lost it and had to start over, so I presentith thee with two Jaywalker cuffs, graced with the FREE stitch markers that Dani sends with the orders from Sunshine Yarns. Aren't they pretty?Knitting RocKs

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Posted on: Mon, Jan 2 2006 7:54 PM
Updated: Tue, Jan 3 2006 7:14 AM
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Short Row Heel

By April

Is this right? I have been trying for the past 2 days to figure out the short row heel.

Trying to figure out something means, reading and reading and staring at all the tutorials, looking confused and getting permanently crossed eyes. So, instead of risking my gorgeous Rock Creek with an experiment, I picked up some acrylic rainbow stuff and tried JUST the heel, following some short row instructions I found somewhere in cyber space.

It's so weird, all the tutorials with pictures got me more confused, because I was looking at them crazy, like thinking they were doing the wrapped stitches down the MIDDLE of the heel, which didn't go with what the written instructions said, obviously.

Anyway, here are the pictures of one lonely heel. So any of you who may be short row experts, IS THIS RIGHT? REMOTELY? HELP me, HELP!Knitting RocKs

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Posted on: Mon, Jan 2 2006 7:44 AM
Updated: Mon, Jan 2 2006 9:54 AM
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FEVER! In the morning, fever all thru the nite....

By April