In the last month I have knit some beautiful things (most of which I don't have pictures of yet). For Christmas BLING gave me the sock kit from Tongue River Farms and I dove right in. I knit the Buds and Blooms pair in white/natural right off the bat - had them done in two weeks. They work well as slipper socks because they are so thick; I think I've worn them every day. I have started on a second pair, but they are languishing. I started them with BLING in mind, but she's not sure she wants them (she of course would fuss all over them and tell me how beautiful they are and appreciate the skill and time - but that is not the same as wanting them). I won't need a second pair for a while, and most of my sock giftees wouldn't "get" this kind of sock; the pattern is busy and it's too thick to wear with normal shoes. So the sock sits on the needles with part of the foot knit and I don't want to finish it until I know how long I should make it. Along with the fancy socks I have knit a 2x2 ribbed pair out of Mountain Colors Barefoot, I ribbed them right down to the toe decrease (with a stockinette sole). They are perfect bed socks for a friend with leg problems. I'm working on a regular-old-pair of socks for BLING in her colors, and they are fine but "meh". About the only exciting thing I've done recently was the swallowtail shawl, and I loved every minute of it (except the frogging minutes, I didn't much care for them). It was a challenge and it turned out lovely.
I need a challenge. I'm bored with socks. I want to knit something fun. I may do a sweater, but I have bad luck there and I think I need more assured success right away. Maybe a weird stuffed animal? I have the hedgehog kit, but need size 10 dpns. I've got an itch, I just don't know where to scratch.
P.S. BLING took today's picture, I really love it.
February 01, 2007
January 24, 2007
Sit down and I'll tell you a dale (of Norway)
Once upon a time, waaaaaay back in early June, I started a sweater for a Baby yet to be born. I got off to a great start; learning how to knit with yarn in both hands, and how to follow a pattern that was pure chart. It seemed like the sweater would knit itself, I wooshed through the body watching marathons of DVR'd television. Then something happened, the mojo started to drain away. Just three weeks into the sweater I went into a stall, and nearly crashed and burned. It was hard work (just ask the prez) to keep battling away at the top of the body. I ran into trouble with the arms (needed dpns, and I hadn't ever tried Fair Isle on dpns). I had to set goals, and finally demands just to move it closer to done.
At the end of August, the baby was born. Sweet little Noah, a berry of a boy. The sweater, however, continued to gestate. I completed the body and the arms, tossed them in a ziplock bag and went on to other things. I think it was the steeking that had me flummoxed. Baby Ull is superwash, it wouldn't hold together unless I really stitched down the sides of the steeks well. My hand sewing isn't anything to be proud of, but my sewing machine skills are even worse and I was afraid to accidentally bunch-up the fabric and ruin it.
Noah turned one month old at the end of September. He aged another month in October, and dang it if he didn't keep right on growing through November. 
It was the imminent holiday visit to my Mother's (who lives near Noah) that made me fish it out and contemplate the end. I think I picked it up and put it down for two days before finally calling in sick to work (cough, cough) and finishing the sweater. I sewed steeks and carefully cut them. sewed arms to body and stitched down the seam facings. 
I picked up stitches for the neck and front opening, and I knit them like a pro. I found the little frog closures that I had bought with hope back in July, and fastened them on with the last little bit of blue yarn. 
I gently steamed the sweater, showed it off proudly to Leslie, and wrapped it in yellow and green tissue paper, then packed it for the trip to Mom's.
My gauge was off, it will fit Noah when he's two or three. Keep growing little man.
January 21, 2007
No Promises, I promise.
Lately I have been thinking of things I'd like to blog about, only to remember that I don't blog anymore. I suppose that could mean that it is time to get back to blogging. I won't promise that I'll be posting on a schedule, but I bet I can try for at least once a week or so. One thing I had to do to restart this blog was get rid of the post on Best Choice Windows. I don't want to feel that yuck every time I open my blog. I do not feel any less strongly about how poorly they treated me, and I will still warn people away from them. I did save the post and comments and have put a link to the PDF in my sidebar. If you have navigated to my blog looking for information about them, please read it and email me if you want more information.
Seems like there should be some knitting content hmmm? Here is what kept me busy this last week: Evelyn Clark's "Swallowtail Shawl" (Interweave Knits: Fall 2006). 
I picked up a skein of Handmaiden Sea Silk at Village Yarn and Tea last week (OK, I picked it up and put it down, picked it up and put it down, repeat, repeat, repeat - then said "oh, what the hell" and bought it). 
I cast on at 5:00pm last Sunday, and cast off at 11:00am today - exactly one week later. It is an easy, yet entertaining knit. The Sea Silk was really nice to work with (not tight like I would have expected). I love the colors and the shine. The most fun is the magic of blocking; I've included a before picture just for scale.
I was worried that I could run out of yarn, the pattern calls for 397 yards and the Sea Silk was just 400 - but I had several yards left over. I was probably a little under gauge.
August 10, 2006
This is difficult
I am stepping away from blogging; this is not a surprise to my regular visitors. I haven't been able to come up with a post for over a month. It is not so much that the well is dry, it is more like a new direction needs to be found. I don't really think I'll be blogless forever, but it will be long enough that it is better for me to officially sign off now.
Through this blog I have found many wonderful people who I am honored to call friend. It is not a stretch to say that my life is different because of the personal connections made. I will continue to nurture those relationships, and will be a better commenter and emailer in my blog absence.
I am going to keep my typepad account, and will keep PinkPurlGrrl public. If you have a bloglines account throw me on there and you'll see it if I toss a post off every now and then. I'll have to share pictures when that darn baby sweater is done, and there is a story that will need to be posted when it resolves. Until then, take care and look for me in your comments. If you are likewise blogless send me an email, I always have room for friends.
On this day, just shy of my 35th birthday, I bid you adieu in this format only. I'm not going away, just shifting.
-Elaine
edited to add: just realized that 8/10/06 is my one year blogiversary.
June 29, 2006
Some sweater progress
I have been lost in a desert of orange and red Dale Baby Ull for 40 days and 40 nights, or at least a week and a half. I keep telling myself that it will really speed up once I finish the body - and I have about 20 rows to go (5 rows is good for an evening). Sigh.
June 23, 2006
TGIF
Well I certainly intended to post more this week - so much for best intentions. This was a good week, primarily due to one really exciting thing - we got a home equity loan! We bought Casa dePinkPurl in 2002, and have steadily (slowly but steadily) worked on the house bringing it up to a respectable domicile. This poor house had several strikes against it. It is a little cinder block ranch style home, built in 1951 as an affordable house marketed toward returned servicemen and their new families. Much of Mountlake Terrace is covered by these small block homes. Our house had been a rental for more than 20 years, and it showed. The roof was bad and did not fall within the building codes at all (hard to see when there is snow on the roof each time you visit/inspect the house). The one plumbed wall (central between kitchen and bath) was soggy, moldy, and the texture of a baked pudding. The electrical is aluminum, the windows are single pane in metal casings that have rusted to the point of bubbling. Most of the electrical outlets had no covers and some didn't work. The pipes leading to the shower head leaked. The toilet leaked - across the floor. The carpet is at least a decade old, the linoleum probably is too. Everything had been given various paint treatments by someone who would resemble Christopher Lowell on Meth.
Four years later the roof is new, as are the gutters. We re-plumbed the house with copper, and replaced all the walls in the bathroom. The toilet was repaired (the first day - and that is a whole 'nuther story). The central wall has been re-done and fitted with cable and new outlets. All outlets have covers, almost all of the walls have been repainted. You have seen what we did to the dog-room, I'd like to do the same to our bedroom.
In all, it is a much nicer house to live in. Except for the windows and floors. The windows barely keep out the cold (especially the broken one in the dog room). To open them for cross ventilation we have to round up our two cats and put them in a room with their food and litter boxes - we do this every night during the summer, and much of the spring and fall too. They hate it and they hide when they sense it's time. Our cats are definitely indoor-only, the windows swing out from the bottom and there is no reliable way to screen them - so it is what we have to do. The carpet is hopelessly filthy first from years of uncaring renters, more recently from 16 doggie feet that get dusty and muddy and - well lets leave it at dusty and muddy. No amount of cleaning (professional or otherwise) will get the carpets truly clean - and even if it did they would just get dirty again. Carpets and multiple dogs do not go together. The linoleum fares much better, but was already horribly damaged when we moved in. I can clean it with a scrub brush, down on my hands and knees, and it still looks pretty bad.
All of this is nearly in the past. This loan is earmarked for new windows (double pane, argon gas in-between the glass, low e glass, and best of all SCREENS), and flooring (laminate through the central areas, linoleum/vinyl in the kitchen & bath), and surgery for one of the dogs (hopefully minor). In addition the last bit of bad credit I have hanging over my head will go away.
Life is good, cheers!
June 19, 2006
A list will have to do.
Words just aren't coming today. I have started and erased half a dozen blog entries. I am at a loss, I don't think I have a funny story or anecdote. The best I can give you today is a list of unrelated things.
I have gone to the gym and worked out on 13 of the last 19 days.
One month ago I could manage 2 minutes on the elliptical trainer, yesterday I did 24 minutes.
I cleaned the grill this weekend and binged on bratwurst (Saturday) and steak (Sunday), both accompanied by grilled corn on the cob.
BLING and I returned to the marsh across the street from the Meadowbrook Community Center. We spotted a Spotted Towhee (BLINGs first), and saw a heron catch something to eat. Today's picture of Lupine was taken by BLING on our walk.
I applied for a job that I did not get. I'm bummed, I would have been great in that job.
The City Council should be reappointing me to the Library Board tonight, but who knows what will happen. You truly can NEVER count your eggs when the CC is involved.
There are three babies due in my family, and I'm knitting for one of them. I may knit for two but I'm not knitting for all three - and that is just the way it is.
The Dale of Norway sweater is about an inch farther along than it was last week. I am so far behind I am sure the math agrees I can't possibly finish on time. Yet still I have hope.
That's it, uninspired but nobody has drama every day. If the CC doesn't reappoint me expect drama tomorrow.
June 14, 2006
June 12, 2006
More of the same
We have had a The 4400 and The Closer marathon at Casa de Pinkpurl. Much knitting has been accomplished, even though it doesn't look like it. I would like to finish the body by the end of next weekend, giving me a week for each sleeve and a week to sew it up (EEKsteekEEK).
What else is new? We joined a local gym and have been going faithfully. On Saturday BLING and I met with a personal trainer who has us on a program where we do only cardio and stretching (but I like the fancy machines - pout), increasing cardio time by 10 minutes every week until we are doing 60 minutes 5 times a week. They have assisted suicide in Oregon right? Oh well, it simply has to help us shed this weight. I'm tired of being the fattest girl in the room. I want to feel light and fit. I want sweater patterns to cover my size automatically. Nobody else is going to do it for me I suppose, being a princess just isn't doing anything for this particular issue dangit. I wonder if I will still be a princess when I'm no longer fat.
June 08, 2006
Proof of sweater
Not bad for 4 days (evenings) work huh? I flew through the blue and green band, and the blue and yellow band, but the peach and tomato red are killing me. The colors are close together and it's harder to sense where you are in the pattern. I find myself doing a lot of counting (1,1,1,2,2,1,2,2,1,1,1). It would seem that I curl my toes in rhythm with the colors, right toes for the red in my right hand, left toes for the orange. I'm glad I don't have a third color, something would cramp for sure.
Kim - thanks for the E sticky notes, they are marking my row on the pattern!
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