My little Purple Purse

Little Purse 1
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

My SP10 pal received her final package, so now I can share the little purse I made for her daughter.

Inspired by Fetching, using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK, 1 ball, size 5 DPNs - a little drawstring purse was born. I have sketchy notes on the increases, decreases, eyelets and such. My friends want me to write it up... I probably will.

It would make a cute 'disco' bag, too, if made in different materials and with a longer I-cord, perhaps a beaded dangly tassle! :)

Some more shots:

Little Purse in Action
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

Closed and dangling as if being carried! :)

Little Purse Bottom
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

The bottom of the little purse.

Little Purse - Close
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

Close up of the top of the little purse.

Monkey see, Monkey do...

Monkey do the same as you!


Monkey Start flash1
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

As you can see I've jumped onto the Monkey-wagon. Using one of my first dyed yarns, I'm knitting some wiltin' monkeys. The yarn was dyed with Wilton dyes and they are very cotton-candyish colors! The yarn is fingering weight - I think - and I'm using US2s. It would probably be a tighter lace pattern on US1s, but then they definitely would NOT fit me! These will be airier than some I've seen, but I do believe I will be able to wear them.

Question is - will I? I do believe I may just be crazy enough to wear me some wiltin' monkeys! :)

Monkey pyramid - flashless
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

Close up, without a flash, shows the finer details.

Monkey closer - flashless
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

and still closer

Monkey closer 2 - flashless
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

I couldn't decide which to post... so I posted them all! :)

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and besides the whole Monkey Socks thing ~~ I kind of like Vicki's Scattered post and so I'm doing the "monkey see, monkey do" thing with that as well...

Your Name: Kathleen

1. Famous Singer/Band: Kate Smith / Kingston Trio / KISS
1.a. Famous Song: Kokomo
2. 4 letter word: kale
3. Street: K Street
4. Color: Kelly green
5. Gifts/Presents: keys to a porsche! 8-)
6. Vehicle: Kia (make); K cars (model)
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Key chains
8. Boy Name: Kevin
9. Girl Name: Kendra
10. Movie Title: Kiss of the Spider Woman
11. Drink: Kamakaze
12. Occupation: Kennel Owner
13. Celebrity: Kevin Bacon
14. Magazine: Knit.1
15. U.S. City: Kansas City
16. Pro Sports Teams: Knicks
18. Reason for Being Late for Work: keeled over
19. Something You Throw Away: knee-hi stockings... after a wear or two!
20. Things You Shout: Keep Off the GRASS!
21. Cartoon Character: Kathy (comic); Kim Possible (Disney)

Saturday

So, today is Saturday. I had great plans for Saturday. Weeding. Knitting. Cooking. Cleaning. Ummm... well... not so much!

Weeding: I did weed a bit - but I'm not even half done.

Knitting: I have knit about 12 rows of a Charmed Knits beret. Pitiful.

I have knit about 3 rows of a new sock (to me) with my first hand-dye yarn. The sock will be too small for me. I have to get a little further into it to see if I can adjust the pattern. Not sure I'll be able to do that.

Cooking: None. While I plan to put together a Trifle later, for an impromptu party invite I received for tomorrow, there will still be no cooking.

Cleaning: Except for my daily hygiene and extra hand-washing following the mini-weeding sessions, none.

But, I did transfer all my pictures from my flash card to my computer and I did upload a bunch into flicker. Here are some new pictures (the rest of them were very old, just hadn't been completely transferred!)

More Charmed Hats:

ISE4 Scarf

My pal, Corrie, has received her package. I sent two scarves and some goodies. My package arrived in time to give her some comfort during a trying time. I am glad I was able to contribute to that comfort and am grieving a bit for my new pal's loss. Please drop by and give her some virtual hugs!

Her camera is MIA. While she's resting and recuperating, I'll post a couple of pics of the Pink scarf. I forgot to take a picture of white one, finished - though there was an 'in progress' picture of my original intent here. I ended up doing the "Yo, K2tog" scarf in the white and using the pink for the other scarf. Corrie will have pictures up at some point - or not - and that's all okay... but I did want to share these because I really liked this scarf! :)

I found the pattern in Knit Ponchos, Wraps and Scarves and loved the ends. Knit in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, it took a little more than two balls of yarn. It's a grafted scarf - you knit each end and graft them together.


scarf2ends
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

and a close up of an end!

scarfend
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

Charmed, I'm sure!

Charmed Knits blog is having a knit-a-long for Harry Potter fans. I am actually not a true fan. I am almost afraid to admit that I have never read a Harry Potter book. I have seen several movies. My boys have read most of them. My Goddaughter is a TRUE fan (I got her the boxed set of the first 4 some years ago).

I just like to knit hats and I've always wanted to join a Knit-A-Long. But, generally, the knit-a-longs I run into are for fancy, elegant shawls and such. Since I love to knit hats and give them away, this one seemed perfect. (The suggested charity for the hats at the Charmed Knits blog is Warm Woolies).

Check out Charmed Knits and see what everyone else is doing while they wait for the new book and the movie.

Vacation, of a Virtual nature

I've jumped on the Virtual Vacation bandwagon. I may not get much of any kind of vacation this year, except to the same places I've been with friends and family... so Virtual Vacation it is!

Here's my questionnaire:

1. If you could visit any state in the US, which would it be and why? This is difficult – there are a few I’d like to visit… I’d love to see Hawaii and Texas, but not during the hottest time of the year. I’d love to see New England showing off the Fall colors – so Maine or New Hampshire would be neat in the Fall. I’ve never been to the Pacific Northwest and would love to see Washington or Oregon and drop in on some friends that live out that way.

2. If you could visit any country in the world, other than your own, which would it be and why? I’d love to revisit Ireland… but since I have already been to Ireland, I’d have to pick Australia. I’ve read about it. My neighbors rave about their trip and I’d like to check it out!

3. Have you ever driven across several states/providence/countries? Up to PA and/or NY – many, many times. Down to GA, NC and/or FL, frequently in the last few years, but a few times before that too.

4. Have you ever visited someplace you consider exotic? Where was it? Truly exotic? Probably not, but Vegas has pockets of exotic as does Florida.

5. What was your favorite "travel" vacation? Why? Ireland – I was 16 and my grandmother booked my sister and me on a bus tour. It was great fun. Started in Shannon, traveled down the West Coast and then up to Dublin. It was a fabulous trip!

6. Have you ever played tourist in your own home city/state (if international, country)? Explain. I live outside Washington DC., am close to Annapolis and in driving distance to Virginia. I have taken many family members and friends on local tours. It’s great to play tourist when you know where you are going! :)

7. Are you a museum visitor, beach comer or an amusement seeker? Museums - for history more than art. Beachcomber or casual mountain hiker – I enjoy Ocean City, MD as much as I like Harper’s Ferry, WV! Amusement parks would be my last choice… and more for the shows and the spectacle than the rides.

8. What's your favorite type of yarn? I’m still experimenting, but the Debbie Bliss cashmerino line has been my favorite so far!

9. What's your least favorite type of yarn? Novelty yarns, except when used as an accent or for chemo caps by request, don’t really thrill me.

10. What items do you like to knit/crochet? Hats and small socks/booties are my staple knitting. Baby blankets and lapghans are my staple crocheting. But I like to try new and different things. A sweater and a Shawl are on my list to knit next. Steel hook crocheting with size 10 or more thread is on my “I don’t really want to try this again” list.

11. What do you pack, knit/crochet wise when you go on vacation? Too many things? :) smaller, portable projects and more than one!

12. What other crafts do you do/would like to do other than Knit/Crochet? Scrapbooking, yarn dyeing, counted cross stitch (though my eyes don’t like that much anymore), cooking – though knitting and crocheting are all I’ve done lately.

13. Are you allergic to anything? (Yarn wise or treat wise) No, I don’t think so.

14. What is your favorite color? Least Favorite? I like all colors… though I am attracted to hues of red/burgundy/rose and blues of a hearty nature, not pastels. Least favorite for me to use for myself would have to be baby blues and pinks and wild neon colors.

15. Sweet or Savory (Treat not personality)? Savory generally beats sweet and salty beats chocolate every time.

16. Anything else we are forgetting to ask that you think your partner desperately needs to know? Not really

I just couldn't wait...

A sneak peek at the Little Purse!

This and that

It's hot. It's too early to be this hot. Makes doing outside things unbearable. Makes doing inside things slower as I get hot and have to rest frequently.

But ...

The boys and their friends are enjoying the pool in the hot weather. Going through food and towels with abandon (which kind of annoys my mother). Our driveway and street often resemble a used car lot because many of the friends are not yet permitted to drive others in their cars - so they each have to drive themselves here!!

Youngest son got his dream schedule at the Water Park - 9 AM to 3 PM, Mon-Fri - leaving his weekends free! And the 9 AM start means a few extra $$ because he'll be teaching swimming lessons.

Oldest son is resting on his laurels following graduation - but not for long, or he'll be resting somewhere else!! Time to get a job and earn his way in this world.

Garden is growing, so are the weeds. Too hot for pictures. Too hot for weeding!

Knitting is slow, but happening.

I finished the little project I am sending to my SP10 recipient. I showed it off at my LYS and they want me to write up the pattern. Pictures will pop up here after my pal receives her package... perhaps by then I'll have perfected the pattern to share!

A Charmed Knits Hufflepuff Beret is 2/3 complete. It is a quick knit, really, and I hope to finish it this weekend - in between laundry and vacuuming and grilling and cleaning and ... well, you get the picture!

And - alas, there are no pictures!

I've been busy...

Celebrating!




Notice the Diploma is perfect for Project Spectrum!




Oldest son is in the second blue row... It's been quite a journey getting this far! After some (very little) down time, we start pushing for the next milestone - full-time employment!