Mistress Stash Enhancer

Still here?

2007-06-27T19:41:39-04:00

Are you still here? I've moved! Find me over here:

http://amandacathleen.wordpress.com/

Please update your feeds (bloglines and the like), bookmarks and buttons.

Thanks! See ya over at the new blog : )

~ Amanda Cathleen

so, I got impatient and moved

2007-05-18T09:19:24-04:00

I hope you can read this through bloglines, my blog is still down. I moved my blog. All this waiting was driving me nuts.

Here is the new address http://amandacathleen.wordpress.com/

I hope to see you over there!

I'm still trying to figure out how to import all my old posts from here.

blog down

2007-05-17T08:33:02-04:00

blog down and boy am i feeling disconnected, i sure hope bogspirit can (and is) trying to figure out what is going on and fixes it.

on the needles, off the needles jiggity jig

2007-05-18T10:22:17-04:00

on the needles...

(click on all pictures in post to in large them)

this isn't like me! I have 3 projects going at the same time (don't forget the mini van sock! Which has progressed to the heel gusset. yay me!) wildflower socks which are very Project Spectrum this month

which I'm not sure if I'm going to frog or not... I casted on the smaller size (56 sts) its a little hard to get over my heel, but once its on it fits very well. To frog, or not to frog?

also on the needles is knit and tonics something red. I've had the pattern forever and the yarn for even longer. It's absolutely beautiful. Here is a close up, this picture is pretty close to the actual color. As ya'll know, red is *very* hard to capture!

I'm using Louet Sales Gems Merlin Camelot in color 60-2895-1. I'm calling it Red Rose. Much more romantic, no? Its 70% Merino and 30% linen. I bought this yarn 2 years, maybe 3 years, ago at Webs on sale. This is so sad, that I have to admit it. I just got the name of the yarn... Merlin Merino/Linen Mer Lin. Holy Crap I am slow!

...off the needles

Little socks for Allysa

(see my beautiful marigold that Bryce gave to me for Mother's Day? I love it!)

I had enough yarn left over from my secret knitting, Kailey's socks, Corra's socks, another pair of socks for Allysa and my socks to knit a pair of socks for Allysa!

Stats:

Pattern- Waffle Rib II from Sensational knitted socks

Yarn- Socks that Rock medium weight in boysenberry and rhodenite

Needles- Inox US 2 dpns

Started- April ?, 2007

Finished- May 7, 2007

Notes- I cased on 44 sts. Leg measures 3", foot measures 6 1/2" She wears a child's size 10. When Allysa put on her new socks she proclaimed "now I can walk!"

I'm hoping to go to the Waynesburgh Co. Sheep and Wool this weekend, I will be schlepping Allysa and Kailey with me. (unless I can find a sitter for Allysa) Let me know if your going too!

Mom

2007-05-12T23:02:49-04:00

Mom-

Thanks can't even begin to say it all. But its a start.

Thanks Mom, for all the hugs. I needed every one of them...

Thanks Mom, for the lectures and advice, now I understand your wisdom..

Thanks Mom, for being proud when I made good. And for being supportive when I didn't...

Thanks Mom, for guiding me when I was lost, and knowing when I had to find my own way...

Thanks Mom, for being an inspiration and a friend...

Thanks can't even begin to say it all, but its a start.

Thanks Mom, most importantly for being my Mom.

I love you. Happy Mother's Day Mom.

have you...

2007-05-11T21:18:55-04:00

... knit something that you where in completely in love with? Real love. True love, because true love has things that bother you (like not putting the toilet seat down!) but you can live with because you *really* *really* love them/it.

(click on all pictures in this post to biggen them)

I'm in love with these socks. The process sucked me in and I feel deeply in love with the diamonds and how they quickly appeared. While I was knitting the second sock I kept trying it on, and take a few moments to enjoy the pattern, the fit, the color. I was in love. (aww!)

But like I said earlier, even true love has its flaws. It wasn't until I finished the first sock, wove in all my ends I realized I made a mistake and I'd be dammed if I was going to rip all the way back to it. damnit. Can you find the mistake? I decided, or justified, my mistake. Telling myself that everything has its flaws. And these socks, even with the mistake are still beautiful.

I know before I said I don't like the feel of a stockinette heel. With the pattern being incredibly awe inspiring, I followed the pattern. I still hate the stockinette heel. And hopefully won't fall for its sweet talk again.

Stats:

Pattern- Gentleman's sock with lozenge pattern from Knitting Vintage socks by Nancy Bush

Yarn- Socks that Rock medium weight in boysenberry

Needles- Knit Picks US1 dpns (which are really a US 1.5 but I've ranted about this before)

and Susan Bates US 1's dpns

Started- April 14, 2007

Finished- May 6, 2007

Notes- I CO 60 sts. And worked 3 repeats of the cuff ribbing instead of 4. As this pattern was written for a man's leg, and I was modifying it to fit my (much) shorter leg. I worked 4 lozenge pattern repeats using the KP 1's and then worked 1.5 pattern repeat in the SB 1's. Which made the socks a little snugger around the ankle. I switched back to the KP 1's for the heel and foot. I decreased the toe to 24 stitched and then grafted. I love STR almost solids. These socks have my love. Even with there imperfections ; )

Bear wasn't all to amused with my socks photography shoot, see?

PS Kailey is doing better on her meds. She still has some reflux and has been spitting up and coughing more. The Dr took her off one of her meds today. So far it seems to have made her worse. So far, she hasn't had any apnea episodes! yay! The monitors main cable did go bad last Saturday. So the company sent someone to replace it that day. Why is it always a weekend that something happens? *L* Thank you everyone for your well wishes. I can't tell you how much I appreciate them.

PPS This post is just about the socks and just the socks. But Mike, I would be ever so happy if you would put the toilet seat down. You are out numbered in this house. 4 girls to you 2 boys!

I never thought

2007-05-09T00:00:47-04:00

I never thought (Mike shut up, I know what your thinking, and shuddup!) that when I started blogging back in May* of '05 that I would "met" so many wonderful people. Some of whom took the time to knit beautiful garments for our new little girl. Or that I would be inspired constantly by just scrolling through my blogroll. Really if it wasn't for you people I probably wouldn't know the love of such fine, fine yarns. I would probably still be knitting garter stitch fun fur scarves *shiver*. I am truly, incredibly grateful for "meeting" all of you.

Recently I won Amy Artisan's blog contest and last week right before Kailey's test, right when I needed it most my prize arrived.

Hot damn! How did she fit that all in the box?!? I tell ya Amy the book The Friday Night Knitting Club really helped the time go by during Kailey's test! ahem, so did the mints! Thank you so much Amy all the wonderful gifties, you really helped make a crappy week turn into a very happy one! Thank you!

Now, Something to make ya'll smile. Allysa's first knock knock joke.

Now that I can't remember where the hell I was going with all this, I'm going to bed! Night!

* I started bloggin with an AOL blog, sad I know. Just like the fun fur. *shiver* If you want to read the archives of that blog here is a link. But I warn you, its pretty bad!

Baby love

2007-05-04T09:09:11-04:00

What ~~a week~~ er, two weeks its been! So much has happened. Among the sleep overs, birthday parties, various chores and Mike being home on break, Kailey has been one little fussy baby. After talking to her Dr. I finally decided to have her tested for acid reflux. She has been very drooly, fussy, has the hiccups a lot, and seems to swallow frequently too. The Dr. called for a 18 hour ph study, and an ultrasound. Damn. It was a long 18 hours in the hospital while she was having her test. Both Bryce and Allysa had reflux, but they threw up. A.lot. Bryce had excessive periodic breathing too. Baby Love, has periodic breathing too. Quite a bit for her age too... our Dr. being on the safe side prescribed an apnea monitor for her to wear when she is sleeping. It has two electrodes attached to a belt that she wears around her chest. It monitors her heart rate and her breathing. Hopefully she won't have any episodes... Our Dr. also put her on Zantac and Reglan (no idea if I spelled that right). Which should stop the reflux, and hopefully heal any damage that may have been done to her esophagus.

Baby love has some new hand knits to show off, After picking up some cotton at the LYS two weeks ago I casted on for little hat

(clicky on all pictures to embiggen)

Stats:

Pattern- Ruffled tulip hat by fiber trends

Yarn- 1.5 balls Paton's cotton worsted white, approx. 2 yards Patton's martinique in pink.

Needles- size 7 Clover dpns

Started- April 22, 2007

Finished- April 25, 2007

Notes- I used white for the whole hat, Instead of using the pink for the heart pattern. I used purl sts instead. And pink for the tie. Next time, I will in large the heart pattern and knit the heart patten with all purl sts. Its a little big on her right now, but she will grow into it. She is already 12lbs 5oz!

Baby love looks so sweet in Daddy's arms. (Daddy didn't know I was taking pictures, hehe!)

Baby love has a few MDK bibs to show off too,

Silly Mommy put the button hole on the wrong side of one! The buttons came from a tin of buttons I found in the basement of our home. I don't know how long they have been down there, it was a great find!

Now that Baby love is napping I'm going to go take a shower, I really should clean (ick), or knit (oh knit!), or maybe nap... mmm... nap....

Nice...

2007-04-20T17:09:59-04:00

There was a guy I dated in high school that would always say "nice." Towards the end of our relationship it was like nails on a chalkboard. Kinda like the girl JD on scrubs dated that would never laugh she would say "that's funny." It was very irritating. When the ex bf would say nice he would either mean ohh that's cool or nice in a condescending way. Nice was a word with many different meanings for him. Today I bring you: Nice...

(clicky on all pics to embiggen)

Nice... blue sky with no clouds. Warm sunny day here in Western PA.

Nice... the sock that lives in the mini van has finally grown more than 1" (I'm using Vesper sock in Astro on size 0's)

Nice... I managed to cut my pinky finger on my right hand while shaving my legs. (really, who else does this?)

Nice... 1 almost finished Gentleman's sock with Lozenge Patten from Knitting Vintage Socks. (started April 14)

Nice... my legs are so pasty white they are reflective

Nice... I have a new love for almost solid sock yarn, even though my camera has a hard time capturing the beauty of STR boysenberry see?

Nice... I've finally updated my blog ; )

is it? are they? no, they couldn't be!

2007-04-13T17:19:17-04:00

A few days ago I finished a pair of socks that I can't quite show off just yet. But as soon as I was done I casted on a pair of infant socks for Kailey. I though heelless socks would be a good idea for her, so she wouldn't be able to grow out of them anytime (real) soon. I grabbed my Knitting Vintage socks book and casted on 36 stitches, 2 1/2 pattern repeats latter I casted off these bad boys:

(click on all pictures in this post to embiggen' them)

Stats:

Pattern- based on the Heelless sleeping socks in Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush

Yarn- Socks that Rock in boysenberry

Needles- Inox US 2 dpns set

Gauge- umm... I really should just remove this...

Started- April 8, 2007

Finished- April 9, 2007

Notes- Even though they will fit her for a long time, they cant' stand up to her wild kicking for very long! I also think they look a little stupid with out a heel.

Now tell me something....

do these socks really look like baby socks? or something else? Like maybe *cough*weewillywarmers*cough*?