It's That Time of the Year...

...for procrastinating studying for exams.

And Secret-Gift-Knitting-Which-Cannot-Be-Shown-Here-On-The-Off-Chance-People-Actually-Read-This

Which means I have very little to show you. Forgive me

More on Squirrels and Knitting

I like to give you regular updates** on squirrels and knitting.  Mostly because there is an on-going feud between me and those foul creatures (see this and this), and because a lot of other people really seem to like to knit squirrels.

Like look at this dude from CraftGossip.com (looks like they even had a competition to make one...I missed it)

This is a conversation that happened today:

Me:  I think they should should do an episode with me and squirrels:
http://jezebel.com/5863026/meet-the-poor-lady-scared-to-death-of-kittens

Friend:  That would be frightening. If kittens are the devils pet, what does that make squirrels?

Me:  The devil incarnate

From thedailygreen.com  This one scares the bejesus out of me (mostly because it was identified as a knit squirrel when it is almost certainly crochet...or am I wrong?)

There used to be saber-toothed squirrels:  http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/1103/Saber-toothed-squirrel-from-age-of-dinosaurs-discovered

The reason squirrels freak me out is because they have personalities.  And apparently knitting circles.

And this is a really lucky squirrel.



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**update:  After posting this, MattC sent me this link to Squirrel Chips.  I do not condone violence against squirrels, but I'm told they taste like "sweet victory."  Good to know your culinary options.

Was also given this lovely link to a recent Flying Squirrel Invasion.  Now squirrels are even preventing people from seeking medical attention....  

Hey Jha!

Hey lady,

Remember that birthday request you made?  Five months ago?

Wise Owl Toy from lionbrand.com

Well, this is sort of it....He is a lot lumpier than I had imagined.  And his wings are very much lop-sided.  Oh, and he doesn't actually have a beak or even eyes (the eyes looked murder-me-in-my-sleep creepy when I sewed them on...figured it was best not to send you that message).

But!  He is my own color-work modification.  I think his face looks super awesomely owly.

Oh, and if all else fails, he will make a great dog chew toy.

Registered for Stitches South

Folks!  I got myself an EARLY birthday present and signed myself up for Stitches South!!

What is Stitches South, you ask?  Well, it's sort of a knitting...convention?  Happening on my birthday weekend (that would be April 20th, for those of you who like to plan ahead), there are three days of classes, a market, a fashion show, and other exciting events.  One of the only upsides to leaving DC is that I am now close enough to attend (although, I just checked, an it isn't very MARTA accessible so I might as well be coming in from out of state for all the help my proximity will provide...sigh).


I signed up for two classes:  Design Your Dream Sweater with Leslye Solomon and Entrelac Basics with Gwen Bortner.

Wanna join me?  Registration is open now!!

Root Beer Taste Test

The root beer I made turned out...okay.  I took it and a bucket of ice cream to Torts class last week when we were supposed to get our practice exams back.  I figured we would all feel better about the fact that the highest grade was a 36 (out of 100...yup the person with highest grade got a 36% and let me tell you that is sure wasn't me...thank the lord for the curve) if there was sugar involved.

The Tort Beer Floats were a hit with the class, but I wasn't super thrilled with the way the soda itself turned out.  First, it exploded all over me when I tried to open it...I think that means I let it ferment too long.  Also, it was overly yeasty.  Add some eau du hops and it would be reminiscence of our childhood trips to the Coors plant in Colorado (yea, some kids went to Disney Land, but that isn't how my family rolls).  Finally, it was EXTREMELY root beery.  Like, bathe-in-a-vat-of-melted-root-beer-barrel-candies strong.  Cough-syrup-disguising-itself-as-a-non-alcoholic-beverage strong.  Gonna have to figure out if it is how much extract I used or just the brand of extract.

I'm going to look around for a different recipe and then try again.  Will report back.  In the mean time, I have a sad 1/4 of a bottle of root beer left in my fridge if you want it...

Spring in the Fall

Yesterday's post (or my room, for that matter) probably gave you an indication that every day is a struggle not to be kidnapped by 1980's neon (at least until I see the accompanying shoulder pads and power suits).  A significant portion of my wardrobe features hot pink and spandex, thankfully not usually in the same article of clothing.

So, predictably, I was super excited when this came in the mail.

Don't judge.  There was a sale.  LB Superwash Merino

I immediately cast on one of these:

A swatch.  Or in this case, two swatches in one because I was lazy.  Had to go one size up for gauge as usual (that only make sense to you knitters.  For the rest of you, just know that it means I am high-strung/a tight knitter)

And then started on this:

A sleeve!  I am starting with the sleeve because swatches are lying liars and I wanted to see if the knitting would resemble a normal-sized sweater in any meaningful way before dedicating myself to the body.

My latest project is, predictably, a lime green sweater.  In this case, the green is less "acid/nuclear reaction" green and more "first spring buds."  Actually, the colorway is literally called "Spring Leaf," which I chose because I refuse to have a sweater in the color "Dijon."

It's supposed to look like this when it's done:

Lion Brand Sketchbook Cardigan  In, coincidentally, Dijon.

Only, in neon.

Hey B!

Hey B!  Remember how you and Jess won my poetry contest ALMOST A YEAR AGO?  Yea, I finally finished your prizes.  I hope you don't mind lime green?

Hat pattern is my usual.  I swear that it looks cuter once it's on a head.  I just have difficulty taking a picture of my own head.  And I feel weird alone in my bathroom trying to get the angle right in my only mirror so that my entire head (which seems much larger when you are trying to fit it all, not just one side, or minus a chin) is in the picture

I made extra slippers (*cough*obsession*cough*, while I was at it.  Pattern is my usual.

Because once you make one pair, you really can't stop...

And I think they are just the cutest.

So, B, where should I send them?

One Bottle of Pop, Two Bottle of Pop

I could be doing my homework or looking for a summer job or something.*  Instead I'm picking up a new hobby.

Making Root Beer!!!

I found this recipe on-line and got it in my head that I wanted homemade root beer to add to my homemade ice cream to make home made root beer floats.  A law student friend went to great lengths to find the necessary Zataran's root beer extract (how do they not sell that at the grocery store?).

You just add sugar, yeast and the root beer extract together.

Shake to mix

Add some water.

Shake some more to mix it up.

Then you fill it full of water and let it sit for several days for the yeast to ferment the sugar.  Will do the taste-test next week and let you know how it goes.  In the mean time...

Look at my jugs!...heh, my jugs are on the internet...

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*November 1st was the first day that law schools can talk to their first year students about finding summer jobs.  It feels early to be thinking about plans for next summer already, but apparently it isn't if you want a good (read: paid) job.

Smartest. Gift. Ever.

Who wants one of these for the next gift-giving occasion?

From Failblog

Anyone?  Anyone?


Note:  Check out the comments on that link.  My favorites are:

hold on, let me put on my thinking cap…

maybe not the best cap to wear during the zombie apocalypse

Looks great when worn with the organs sweater. 

 Just sayin'.  I might be off to knit a brain and and an organs sweater now...

Espionage

Every year I go to Target and scope out what is new in knitwear fashion (a.k.a. to get mad that stores charge for something I could make myself and/or can charge so little for what would take me FOREVER to make myself)

More flip top mittens.  But these have entrelac on the hand.  Interesting.

Also seems to be a bunch of Fair Isle this year.  If I had the attention span, these are what I would make.

These, not so much.  You can't tell, but a couple of these are scarf/hood combinations.

Would look like this laid out flat.  Cool or not cool?

Vogue Knitting appears to agree with Target that fair isle is fashionable:

But I question the taste of that first hat and of wearing a wool cap with a tank top...but maybe that's just me.

Out of Touch

Hi!  It's been a while since we've talked.  What's up?  I've been at law school.

Law school requires a bunch of reading.  It's a good thing I have smart people to study with.

These are my classmates.  They are superheroes.  Or at least they dress like superheroes.

There are lots of things to see and do in Atlanta.  This is the Carter Center.  Where you can learn about...

President Carter.  He walked in front of the GA State Capital.

I think I look pretty good doing it, too.

If you wanted to come visit me, I would take you too see cool things, too.  Like the Ebenezer Baptist Church next to the MLK museum.

The only problem?  We would have to get there by bus because I don't have a car.  And Atlanta just HATES to put bus stops in accessible, pedestrian-friendly places.

And the wild-life is pretty wacko banunu as well.  The squirrels drink from sprinkler heads.

But the people are worth getting to know.

And there is plenty of yarn to go around...of course :-)