Round 1 projects - Nerdwars

So here are some of my submissions from NerdWars Tournament 8, round 1 -

Knitting Update

My family & friends like to play board games.  Hell I even drove to Philly for a board game party.  (OK, it was really to hang out with Fe & his mousies.... shhhh).  When there aren't many of us, and the tv is on while we play (Curt is a tv addict, the world is too quiet when it's not on)  we often play on a tray table.  

We (everyone but the Angie) also enjoy a nice cold beer while playing.  The problem with really cold beers, is condensation.  The moisture gets on cards, the board, your fingers.  I know, if the condensation from my Smithwicks is the biggest problem I have on a Saturday night, I'm doing pretty good.  Coasters help keep the table and board dry, but do nothing to keep your hand dry.  Not to mention they fall off the table.   The solution??  Beer cozies!  I used a self striping yarn ( Universal Yarn's Cotton Supreme Batik- awesome yarn knits like kitchen cotton but it is SOOOO soft) so each cozy is slightly different, because it is clear from how fast my bottle empties that other people are obviously drinking my beer!!





 

Warning - Robin spoilers

Here are some recent knitting updates for you.  One warning - anyone who is doing the Robin Mystery shawlette KAL and does not want to see the pictures should not read this post.

My first finished project is a tea cozy.  I haven't made a tea cozy in a while ( still need to finish my Memorial day through July 4th cozy) 

Easter Eggs

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My crazy woman sock

The beginnings of my Vintage Linen Robin

The beginnings of my Stormy Robin

E

Enjoy your day!

You Are a Good Friend Because You're Loyal

You stick with your friends no matter what, even if you feel like they're doing the wrong thing. You believe in letting people figure out their own path in life. It's not your place to interfere. And part of your loyalty means that you'll do a lot for your friends. You definitely go the extra mile. You'll even do great things for friends without them asking. After all, that's what friendship is all about. You are truly a friend for life. And you have friends you've known since you were a kid. Your friends can count on you to do a favor, remember a birthday, or just be there to listen. Your friends need you most when: They can't turn to anyone else You really can't be friends with: Fickle people who change friends quickly Your friendship quote: "Friendship doubles your joys, and divides your sorrows."

What Makes You a Good Friend?

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

   

Knitting Updates

Started balling my hank of deep bruise yesterday. I'm going to have fresh bruises by the time I'm done. I really need to get a swift, ASAP. Curt has been my human swift since I discovered yummier yarns that come in hanks. He told me I was pulling from the wrong end so I switched. He was apparently wrong. It keeps getting horrible tangled. Horribly. Curt spent a good couple hours last night, we then wound some more this morning. I'll be too arthritic to knit before this thing gets wound. Don't have a picture.

Here's my completed (except for weaving the ends) right sock



Here's where I'm at on the left sock



Here's the red/white/blue tea cozy base. working on the blingy part.



And I've sorta started fooling with a concept for a new afghan




I'm less cranky and grouchy than yesterday. Much more depressed. Don't know why. Don't know how to fix it, just hate life - mostly mine, hate being me (never really hated being me before- usually like me, hate everyone else) Then I hate feeling like this - so it makes me feel even worse.

cozy's done!!

Ok, I finished my cozy, finally! I couldn't find any pattern I liked for the flowers on top. Could not find the two books I thought could help me in any bookstores or libraries in the county. SO since I decided this must be finished today, we went with a giant yellow mum. I know mum's are a fall colorm but it was big enough and the right color and I like it so there!!



You can see the cable in this picture, but the color is off.



Here the cable disappears but the color is good.



The other side - no cable

I also finished one of my evil sockies and started the second. I'll post pictures of the sockie next week. I am debating what to do for my next afghan for VJGC. Tony is in second place right now.

Knitting Updates

Sorry, I haven't updated my projects for a while. I finished seaming and bordering and weaving the afghan for VJGC. Good thing I got a kick in the ass... I had forgotten there are bonus points for 'ghans postmarked by tomorrow. But as the Taco Bell chihuahua said "I'm gonna need a bigger box!" I REALLY SHOULD HAVE MEASURED BEFORE I DID THE BORDER! It measures out at 36x50. Th acceptable measurements are 35-40x45-50. If I realized how close the length would be I'd have single crocheted the 2 short ends. But fortunately it does meet the specs.



I have also been working on the spring tea cozy - I am determined to finish by next weekend so I can start pondering a red/white/blue themed one for memorial day- july 4th. One side is done- I have started the second side. The first side is on stitch holders because once I seam the 2 pieces together I am going to crochet a circle to finish the top. I am then going to crochet some little yellow flowers for the top. Because I dropped a sharpie and there is a black spot right under where the stitch marker is, and unlike the blingy shamrocks I don't think I have any yellow bling for this cozy.



Now that the afghan is done, (yes time to start something else!) I've had some more time to work on my evil stepmom socks on lunch so here is where I'm at now:





Today's Sunday and NASCAR is at 'dega- so we all know where I'll be this asfternoon -GO SMOKE!! I forgot all about a NFL draft party yesterday, so to make ammends and since I'm grilling for a bunch anyway, I invited a Jeffie fan to come watch. ugh.

Annoying Designers!!

I was looking on Ravelry for tea cozy patterns, because I wanted a tea cozy that I could use from now until I make a red/white/blue one for Memorial Day til July 4th. I love my march cozy, but am kinda over the shamrocks until next year. So I found a really pretty pleated cozy in dark and light pinks. I did not want pink, but the beauty of knitting is you can make a pattern any color you want, if you can find the color - I guess dyers have a slight advantage here. I wanted yellow and green with some white. Kind of inspired by :



When I went to click on the free pattern I discovered that the picture in the pattern is a cozy the designer made from an old vintage pattern. The pattern she had available was her "version" of the cozy. IT REALLY WASN'T CLOSE!! It had a checkerboard bottom, then the pleats, then instead of a nice round top the top looks loke a paper bag tied shut with string. Not saying it wasn't a perfectly nice cozy. But that if you see the picture of one cozy, that same cozy is on the top of the pattern page - you do not expect to scroll down to find a completely different looking cozy and the pattern for that second cozy!!

I started using the pattern figuring I could just skip the checkerboard and shape the top when I got there. Well I obviously can't count while watching a race because I cast on 2 few stitches. And knew the number I cast on - maybe it's reading not counting that is my issue. So when I got to the striped pleats I didn't have enough stitches. Frog. Take two - correct number of stitches, but using three colors was becoming a tangle in back and the strands were too loose on the bottom. Frog. Now anyone who knows me knows that after 2 trips to the frog pond it's a 50/50 proposition as to whether it gets frogged or trashed. But I want this cozy. So I cast on for a third time. This time I tossed the pattern and grudgingly realized if I wanted to have the tea cozy in my head I would have to do it myself. I would like to say here that I am not a designer. I have no desire to ever be a designer. I do not have the insight/creativity ot be a designer. I get really irritated if I feel pressured to do something I don't want to do ( not just crafting - life in general)

So I started with a ribbed bottom- why? because that way I wouldn't have to worry about the cozy fitting the bottom and still getting over the belly of the pot. I then started the vertical stripes. Realized then that my white is completely a different size yarn than the yellow. Realized after I did a few rows - frogging is not happening here folks! So after growling a bit, I decided that I liked it. The yellow stripes are a really pinched pleat while the white is just barely pleated. The yellow literally pops. I like it. Then I started getting bored - short attention span remember? So I started a cable in the center white stripe. I love cables. Cables make me happy. I now realize it will not fit my teapot. Too small. But that's ok. I have a smaller tea pot. Here's what I have so far:



Now, before anyone comments ( yes I am still grouchy) I am not going to frog again!! I am not currently mentally stable enough to frog this project again. So - no suggestions!! If you don't like it ok, you can say that. If you like it ok you can say that. But no comments along the lines of - maybe if you used less white stitches more yellow stitches or maybe you should try garter stitch etc etc.

tomorrow, hopefully I will be less grouchy and I will be taking a road trip with a knitting friend. Don't know if we are going to Montclair or Martinsville or just to lunch yet. The store in Montclair will be closing. The sale starts on 4.20. So I may want to go before everyting is picked through. And they have a really cool t-shirt I want. The store in Martinsville gets some really good comments from people on Ravelry, and would have different yarn and hopefully stuff I haven't seen/pet before. Ok - if you want to leave a suggestion when you comment - here would be something I need help deciding. New store or closing store before stuff goes on sale?