A gift!

My friend Julie gave me my First Ever Handknit Gift! It's a zigzig scarf from Exquisite Little Knits made from Cascade Magnum and I LOVE IT! Just the fact that she made it for me is so cool and special. Makes me see why a person would only gift their precious knitting to another knitter--we totally get it and appreciate it. I've heard it before but now I completely understand. Without further ado:



The photo of me on the phone is the more color-correct version. Just saying is all...

Notice the new button...

I just signed up for SecretPal7! I'm very excited about it because I'm not quite sure what I've gotten myself into! This is not the Knittyboard sp...and by the way, "SP" has a WHOLE DIFFERENT meaning to me, so I giggle every time I see it. You see, I lived on a ship for 2 years as a part of a missionary organization called Operation Mobilization and during a person's first year with them one is not supposed to be focusing on the opposite sex--a person is supposed to be there serving God and learning what that means and BOYS just distract (it is true!), so they have a Social Permission (SP) Policy: No one-on-one hanging out with the opposite sex for more than 3 minutes during the first year with OM. When that year is over, you can apply for Social Permission with someone of the opposite sex, and on the ship, if you are approved by the Personnel Office, they put your names up on the public bulletin board. It's kinda like...an engagement announcement only you aren't engaged. In fact, since you haven't spent more than 3 minutes at a time (sic!) with said person-of-the-opposite-sex you shouldn't know much about them at all! It's kinda odd. People start avoiding the couple so they can have alone time and it's definitely a cultural difference...especially for the western folks. Of course, there are people from all over the world (35 different countries while I was on board) and that is part of why the policy is there. Culture is so cool. I love it. That's the not-so-short, unofficial version of what I think of every time I see the letters S. P. No, I never did have SP with anyone...but I broke the policy many times...bad Kirsten. :o)

Teehee!

Obsessed...

I'm so very obsesssed and in love with a couple of sweaters in the Holiday Garnet Hill catalog. I just went to the website to find them and link you to them...so I will do that in a second...but my VERY MOST AWESOMELY FAVORITE isn't in the online catalog (that I can find) so I may resort to scanning it and posting a photo. It's so cool. Winter white with a seamles yoke with fairisle red designy-ness on it. Pretty! So why am I telling you this? Well, because I may be designing myself a copy of one or 8 of them!! Aren't you excited!! My first expedition into desigining! It'll be MY pattern--KIRSTEN'S PATTERN. I find this pretty neato and a big fun challenge and it makes me want to start n.o.w. :o) Anyway...check out a couple of my Inspiration Sweaters:

1. Sweater Coat 1
2. Sweater Coat 2
3. Wrappy Sweater
4. Cable front V-neck
5. Not-my-favorite, but nice Fairisle Yoke Sweater
6. Plain Ole Ribbed Turtleneck

And that's enough of the linking madness. Now I must do something productive with my time. Like finish my Christmas Knitting.

Happy Christmas!!

Hope you are having a peaceful and happy day, whatever/whether you are celebrating!
Here's me in my new jammies and my roomie Lisa with her painting set and wearing the Super Secret Gauntlets of the previous post and new jammie bottoms...

Peace!

Dang.

I dropped a 150 lb TV (in the box) on my left knee the other day at work. I can't even really explain the level of pain it inflicted, and I have a HUGE tolerance to pain. I do. Seriously. But this mother HURT! So I have a bruise (I never bruise) and to prove that I actually HAD a bruise in my life I tried to take a photo. Notice that I say TRIED. You can't even see it. Poo. I'm so disappointed.

So, instead I give you the ExtraSuperSecret Gift Lisa Has No Idea About: awesome orange gauntlets! Enjoy...

Jen did it.

So I will as well. That way at least I feel like somebody I know "tagged" me for the Who Knows About Your Knitting Blog meme-ish-ness from Grumperina...VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT MY BLOG! Maybe 5. Two of them don't care. Not that they don't like me, but like Grumperina said, we don't share the obsession so they see no need to follow my knitting. Especially on the internet. That doesn't make us not friends....just not Knitting Friends. :o) My family doesn't know about it. Just never mentioned it. Not sure what they would think.

I think I may have one lurker...maybe. Funny. Anyone lurking? Anyone??

Just one more, then off to bed!

FELTED SLIPPERS!

I bought the rug backing (recommended by somebody somewhere on the internet) and put one coat on the 2 finished pairs of Christmas Slippers! It will be clear when it is dry. I'm so excited.

Oh, before I did that I shaved them and they look 42.8 million times better and 100% more professional than they did only hours ago. Amazing what a good once over with a razor will do for a nice pair of felted slippers. :o)

The Lonely Mitten (not Jen's...)

I'm making North Iceland Mittens for Invisible Roomie and I finished one of them! I really enjoy stranded knitting. It keeps me entertained and my brain has to work, so it never gets remotely boring. So, here's a series of photos:

This is the back...isn't it purty?

And that spot of blue-ish? That's my waste yarn waiting to be taken out. The thumb will grow from that spot.








Oh looky! The thumb DID grow from that very spot! But why are there DPNs still stuffed in the cuff? Well, once I was done knitting I tried them on and they definitely need a longer cuff. I was (always am) kinda impatient to finish the cuff and get on with the REAL mitten. Teehee.

Proof of snow...

...even though 42% of it is gone because it got warmer and rained. Sadness.

HAPPY!

Hey guys! It's snowing! Guys--in Portland! It's snowing!
It's SOOOOOOOO exciting!

Finished objects: 1.5 mittens, 2 wristwarmers
Started: Knitted Babe #1.

It's a Knit FEST! Because Portland stops running when it snows! Whoo! Maybe, just maybe...I won't have to work at 2:30 am. And even if I am supposed to go in, if the roads are crap, I'm not going in. So there.

Did I mention the snow?
:o)

Burl Ives.

I just got the soundtrack from "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and I just love it! My sister and I used to watch it WITHOUT FAIL every year. I can't seem to figure out when it's on anymore. Usually it was on the day after Thanksgiving or something, wasn't it? Anyway, it makes me want to get back to Michigan for Christmas even more. Which, by the way, will not be happening. A- Too expensive B- No time off. So I'm not really sure what Christmas will be like this year. Hopefully not sad and sorrowful, because really that is NOT what it's all about. Maybe Lisa and I will head over to Pendleton and hang with her parents and sister.

Ack. Wish I had a different job. Now, wait...don't hear that wrong--I am SO THANKFUL for this second job. Really, really, truly, with all my heart (most of the time) thankful for it. But I think switching back and forth between "day job" and "night job" twice a week is wreaking havoc on my health. That's all I'm saying. And if I didn't have to work on Monday after Christmas Day I could potentially think about trying to get back to Michigan. That's all I'm saying.

Go listen to some happy Christmas music that makes you think happy chilhood memories. it'll make you smile. I promise!

Champions!

University of Portland Pilots women's soccer team = NATIONAL CHAMPS!
Woot!

FO #3?

On my feet
Originally uploaded by Kirs10Knits.

Is this #2 or #3? And did I already count these finished? Well, now they are felted and pret-a-porter! My sister's Christmas slippers. I love them. I will be making some for myself with the random scrap yarn from the 5 pairs I'm making...which is a TON of scarp yarn. Why do I always end up with way too much yarn left over? It's truly a mystery...


cross-posted at knittywip.com