Where to begin this post, first to the lovely Jen, Sean finally went back to the jewlery store. The ring is still there (Yippii) but they don't allow photos to be taken. However there are some new and cool developments on that front that I'll tell you about later. I am still knitting your second glove. I hope to finish it soon. I am trying to start Nina's scarf, but I don't know how to purl front and back. Any help there Jen, Carmen, random knitter on the street would be greatly appreciated.
I ordered the yarn for Sean's anniversary gift. It's Socks That Rock in the Rocky Horror colorway from The Fold. I am such a trend follower, but hello it's Rocky Horror. I think it'll make a great gift especially since I've made it clear that I want no more Rocky Horror themed anniversary gifts, two were enough.
School wise my lit review is coming along. I need to work on that tomorrow since I didn't today. I went to B&N twice this week to buy the books for November's book club. Lucky by Alice Sebold is amazing, wonderful, and disturbing. I had already read The Lovely Bones and this is her previous work about her own rape. Her narrative style is emmotionally very raw and open. I have the problem of not being able to put her books down. I also picked up The Devil in the White City for Nov. book club meeting. I am struggling through The Dante Club however. I can not for the life of me get into this book. I did like revisting Edgar Allen Poe and I remembered why I like his style so much.
Currently on TV: Nothing I'm sitting here knitting

I finally have the sock yarn I've been drooling over. I have the Hedwig sockyarn by Sunshine Yarns. I am looking for decent yarn for a gift for Sean. I need to go to bed soon.

I ordered the yarn for the SKB it's from http://www.mysticalcreationyarns.com/index.htm four ply wool in China Teal. I have to wait 3 weeks before I can cast on. I know that the price is good, not as good as the price at knitpicks. It is all about the color and the amount of yarn you get at MCY. It's over 1000 yards of wool for $50. I can't find that at a LYS. I could have had it cheaper from knitpicks, but this is hand dyed. They are dyeing it and then sending it to me. I feel special.
I ordered the lovely Nina's yarn for the clapotis scarf off of kpixie. If you are a knitter, I can't recommend KPixie enough. The prices are fair but the shipments are fast. They shipped my three skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepard's Worsted today. I am already envious of Nina's scarf. Superwash wool in worsted weight. Pardon me as I wipe up the drool. She will be able to wash the scarf. A washable 100% wool scarf, it's almost unheard of. I made one for Sean but it wasn't 100% wool or hand dyed. Sorry Sweetie, I'll work on that.
I saw Nina today also. The Halloween season isn't killing her yet. This is a very good thing. I went into the store where I met Brooke who was Nina's Snow White (Nina's doing a Twisted Fairy Tale Series). I am the biggest geek alive. Brooke asks me if I'm finding everything alright. I say yes as I'm looking at her strangelly. I then apologize explain I'm a friend of Nina's and that she's Snow White. Luckily, Brooke thought this was cute and went and told Nina all about it.
I went to book club last night, and I had pissed off Jan last month. It was by no fault of my own; she still is balancing her meds. Last month was my turn on the shit list. I won her over a little last night by providing good vegan cookies. I have a major soft spot for vegan bake goods even though I am not a vegan. I am a vegetarian, but oh dear lord how I love dairy. I am currently reading a few mysteries, but they are badly written or uninteresting. I want to love the math mystery, Flowers Stained with Moonlight, but the math is the only part she writes well. I'm also reading The Dante Club which I am having hard time with. I just don't like the writing.
I'm still waiting for UPS to come next week with my textbook and novel (novel is another knitting mystery) and makeup. Urban Decay company is located in Costa Mesa, CA. The makeup I ordered was shipped from Hollywood, FL. That is completely the opposite end of the fricking country. Costa Mesa is in Orange County, CA Balboa County is the last county before the border. Hollywood, FL is near where Sean is from and my Dad's friends live in where my sister grew up. I know Hollywood and it's not the Hollywood in CA. I need cool nailpolish and I need it now.
Currently on TV: nothing listening to Lime and Violet podcast

So Carmen is a godess amoung women. I bought the wonderful Blue Sky Alpaca size 0 DPNs with the money she sent me for them. I also picked up part of Nina's Christmas/birthday gift. She is being given to a beautiful Boogybag and a Clapotis scarf in Lorna Lace's Shepard worsted (ordered from www.kpixie.com). I'm having major yarn envy right now.
Kpixie's site is wonderful. There are so many wonderful things there. I go there just to drool. I am currently on the fourth repeat of the Icarus shawl. I am going to make it with just the four repeats. I am ready to strangle myself with the yarn. I am trying to order yarn for the Simple Knitted Bodice from mystic yarns. They aren't getting back to me though. It is very annoying.
Currently on TV: Inspector Morris

I blame Liam for the following and Stephen for the blog post (apparently not everyone cares about literature and knitting). I have been dating Sean for just under 3 years and all of a sudden the discussion of weddings doesn't make me want to break out in hives. We know that it will be a someday and not a what if. In fact we had started to causually shop for rings ( I found one that I'm sure will be gone when Sean goes back for it). The ring I found is a beautiful rose-gold ring with two small pearls and a small diamond in it made during the Victorian age. I'm certain it will sell soon. We are argueing over location and size already due to the two of us being equally stubborn.
My father even asked me if we were considering it. I so wasn't expecting that conversation for like two years from now. He has said though that if Sean asks his permission he'll go easy on him. My father likes Sean, and he sees how much I love him.
Sean's reaction to all of this at times is that he wishes I still would break out in hives. Be careful what you wish for.

My plans to do a spot of yoga today were canceled due to back pain. I finished Jennifer Scales and the Messanger of Light. It was a teen fiction novel that is supernatural crossed with Sweet Valley High. I bought it for a laugh. I think it took itself a little too seriously.
Currently on TV: Persuasion (the 1971 version)

I feel like talking about yarn. As this is a knitting/literary blog I can do this. I am currently torn between a love/obsession of two fibers, alpaca (you know you are my true yarn love) and bamboo. I am now on my second lace project with South West Trading Company bamboo yarn. They are lovely verigations that can be mixed in with other yarn colors in the line because of how they create their verigated yarns. My simple lace scarf was done in azul and the Icarus shawl is being done in butter. Azul goes from teal to green with lovely shades of blue. Butter goes from a Sunny yellow to the same green. It's fascinating to me how the designers create this.
Currently on TV: Nothing

I finished the first chart of the Icarus shawl. I now have to knit the chart repeat 5 more times. I'm not sure how to go about it. The really bad news is that the second note of Veronica Mars Season 2 is scratched. I have to return it to Amazon, but they are sending another set out UPS Red. Grr.
Edit: I finished the first of 5 repeats of chart one on the shawl. My eyes are screaming for a break from knitting. I promise pictures at some point.
Currently on TV: Veronica Mars Season 2

I went to Unwind and received the much needed help on Icarus. I'm now 10 rows into chart 1 which equals 18 rows into the shawl. What I found out however is that you can not knit lace and watch Veronica Mars. Damn Rob Thomas for his wonderful writing. I messed up in several spots because I paid more attention to the show than the pattern. Asana Tank saved the day there mindless stockinette to knit while watching TV. Pictures coming soon.
Currently on TV: Veronica Mars Season 2

I caved and bought yarn for the Icarus shawl from Interweave Knits Summer 2006. It's bamboo yarn from Soy Silk in butter. The problem is I seem to be a very ignorant knitter. I don't get the pattern at all. I know it is feasible. I see the pattern; I see the 5 casted on stitches. I do not see where to go from there. I'm stuck and now am just knitting on the Asana tank for my mother while reading for my thesis. Help please anyone.

A website to the wonderful amazing bag (plus they are made handmade near Burbank) I bought yesterday www.boogybags.com. I also thought to post some photos of my trip to Disneyland and of my latest scarf.




Disney is a lot of fun even if you are from FL like me and think it can't be fun anymore. I've been to Disneyworld so many times. The Materhorn rocks though and I saw Mickey climbing it. The photo of the D is outside of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride which is one of the original rides at the park and Disneyland hasn't torn it down like Disneyworld did to put in the Winny the Pooh ride which isn't that good.
Also I'm taking a poll should my next project be the Icarus Shawl from the Summer 2006 Interweave knits or the long sleeve Simple Fitted Bodice from http://www.stitchdiva.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=SDS-026
Edit: One vote for the fitted bodice
Currently on TV: House Season 1.

I had to replace my air mattress today. It was sad because the new queen mattress is smaller than the old mattress but I won't need to fill it up three times a night. It was also on sale much to my surprise. I splurged on House Season 1 while at Target (it was on sale). I also bought a much needed hammer and new candles for my scounce.
Lunch was wonderful at Sweet Chari-tea where I finally caved and bought two of their wonderful handmade, leather tulip napkin ring holders in yellow and blue. I was able to read during lunch. Anne has just found out the truth about Mr. Elliot. She never liked him but this is the icing on the cake.
After lunch I went to Unwind to spend my birthday coupon. I was look for potential yarn for Carmen. I found nothing but a new bag for me and the summer and fall Interweave Knit. I also found out about new dpns coming into the store. I must have them.
On my needles is a scallop and fan scarf in a varigated blue running from a blueish green to teal. The yarn is made from Bamboo. I love it, and Sean picked it out. Photos to come.
On tv: Nothing I'm listening to Insubordiknit podcast.

I finished the knitting for my niece and before she was a month old. I am waiting for the bolero to finish drying and then will pack it up and mail it to her along with a book by Doreen Cronin.




I also have the promised picture of me in the Honeymoon Cami and a photo of my wall. My apartment is almost done being decorated.
Currently on TV: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

I have finished with the left sleeve of the baby bolero and am on the right sleeve. Pictures soon.
Currently on TV: Coupling Season 3

I've stopped the selfish knitting for a spell and am knitting for my niece. I've already finished a baby hat and am working on a baby bolero jacket both from One Skein projects. I've started with the sleeves.
On the reading front, I've started on At Knits End. It's light bedside reading. I was given Forbidden Magic by Alok. I finished it out of love for him. I finished the Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. I enjoyed it but it parellels Brave New World. Also read and finished Nightingale's Lament by Simon R. Green. I really like his stuff. I finished Edith Warton's last work The Buccaneers. I really enjoyed it and have started on The House of Mirth which I also enjoy. Today I took advantage of Book Castle's 50% closing sale 7 books for less than $11. I picked up another copy of Pride and Prejudice, a work by Ursala Le Guin and Octavia Butler. I also bought the books that another customer pulled out thinking I would enjoy them. He was cute in a grandfather way. If my paternal grandfather read Scifi it was something he would have done. I miss him. There was also an experience at Movie World, but I wrote of it in another entry not here as it doesn't pertain to knitting or reading. I'm on Abhorsen in Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy. I'm taking a break from Nix though I feel I'm getting overwhelmed with his work. I feel like I've read more but I can't think of anything.
Currently on TV: 10 Things I Hate About You

I finished the Honeymoon Cami. Pictures to come when it's not 102 degrees F. It's an alpaca wool so it's warm. The armholes don't completely line up but I'm happy with the shirt. I'm not sure I would knit it again. The pattern writer had some mistakes in it. But my waist looks tiny in it, which makes my chest look like a barrel.

I received news that every knitter longs to hear. I am an aunt. My sister had her baby today Elisabeth Anne. I now have an urge to knit baby things. I quickly went to B&N to see if they had any pattern books for baby things. They had three. Two I didn't like and one I had a few things already from other books. I did pick up Knitting Nature. I love the patterns and the photographs are lovely. Who needs coffee table books when pattern books are so lovely.
On the reading front, I finished Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. I loved it. I searched for her other works today at the bookstore but didn't see any. I feel that Gaskell picked up in the same area where Jane Austen left off. I'm keeping my eye out for other works.
On TV: Middlemarch

This past weekend I was in Las Vegas. It had it's ups and downs. The misplacement of my debit card (it fell in the back seat of my car) was definitely a down. I had a wonderful time with Sean and his family. I admired the Madame Alexander Banshee doll and was about to purchase her when Mrs. Nixon bought her for me. It brought tears to my eyes. She treats me very well. I have finished the bust increase of the sweater. Now it's just under 4 inches of the simple repeats. After that I have the trouble of finishing the front and back. I'm worried about messing it up.
On the reading front in Vegas, I focused on the book club book On What Grounds. The author established the characters for the series. I felt she/he (it is a writing team) skimmed on mystery part of the story. I had Wives and Daughters with me but it was way to large to carry around Vegas. I am still enjoying Wives and Daughters and can't wait to finish it. I am finally in the 400s and chapter 40s of 60. I also have picked up Edith Warton's House of Mirth. I enjoyed the movie when it was in theaters.
On TV: Berkley Square

I'm on the bust increase of Honeymoon Cami and the start of the body design for Asana Tank. Asana was called darling by my mom. Good thing, it's her Christmas Present. I found a great pattern to knit for Sean's parents but it's really an expensive project. I'm thinking of making the baby blanket pattern and calling it a lap blanket.
On TV: Lain disk 2 Knights

I've finished the waist shaping on the Honeymoon Cami from www.knitty.com. My first sweater shaping, I'm so excited. Now I knit in the round for two inches before I start the bust shaping. I'm so excited.
Edit: I'm getting nervous about the shaping and construction of the v-neck. I hate the instructions work as the right reverse shaping as necessary. Any help anyone has would be greatly appreciated. I'm starting to try to map it out in word. I'll send it to any knitter who offers to help.
Also for the two people who are shopping for my birthday the Amazon wishlist has been updated (again)
On TV: Jim Henson's Storyteller Fearnot and Sapsorrow