"My name is Jessica, and I knit on Adrenalin"

It never fails...before a birthday, holiday or craft show (in this case) I always choose to frantically knit 'just a few more projects.'

...this is really impressive. In the last 8 days I have:

1) Completed two school projects. One of which was an 8 item campaign, including a paper and another which was a 10 minute training seminar (ok, the paper isn't done yet but it almost is!)
2) Studied
3) Went to school
4) Made two fully lined handknit bags
5) Made two pair of suede baby Uggs....

...I am even impressed with myself!!!

Anyhow, these are the last of the new additions for the craft show this Saturday!

....can't wait for the show!!!!! Wish me luck!

No time...but this is worth a post

Ok, on Ravelry I am in a "Public Knitters" group....someone posted this picture of a public crocheter :) I really enjoyed this.


I love how everyone around him is ignoring him in his completely crocheted outfit while crocheting a blanket :) Awesome!!

Bags, bags, bags!!!!!

Look....long weekend.... I am so lazy, still working off the turkey I think, that I don't have the energy to post. Here are two bags I made though. The first is one I knitted a long time ago (yea September) for my Nana as she wanted to give it as a Christmas present. It was a PITA to sew so even though I want one for myself that won't happen anytime soon. There are columns with cables in them but the picture kind of stinks (if you click on the picture you can blow it up to see them!).

The off-white Lopi one is one for the craft show next weekend. I wasn't sure about it when I was working on it, and the Lopi really cramped my hands, but I am really happy with the result. Looks very 'winterish.'



The CPH you ask...poor, poor CPH, I so want to work on you. My goal, is to be wearing it when I go home for Christmas!

ok, not Uggs, they are so UGHS!

Ok, unless you have a mutant baby with big feet, these booties may fit it. I am so close to making two more and giving my Foxy lady...


...some booties.

Anyhow, here they are. Even though I went down TWO needle sizes they are still big. Argh.


Oh well, you win some you lose some. Happy Turkey Day!

Ugh or Uggs?

Ok, today/this week has definately been an "ugh" week. However, I managed to wash away the ugh feeling with a diet coke and twix (bad, bad) and some yarn :) (good!)...look

I am going to make the Ugg booties, tell me they aren't too cute.


Anyhow, here's the yarn. Aylin's didn't have the white Plush yarn so I am hoping the sub I found will work.

Then, this is my "make me feel better" buy. I have been eyeing this Lorna Laces Sheperds worsted for a hat for awhile.

I love it. The color is "watercolor."

Lastly, look, another bag (shoot me now! I am ready to be done with this craft show!)

Do you like? I love it!

Knitters:
Yarn - lopi light, 2 skeins. Yes, it feels like crap on your hands but makes a great structured bag.

The hoodie you ask? Second sleeve is under way! Have a good turkey day!

CPH, yea, still not done...

Ok, so my CPH still isn't done, but I do have reasons (excuses)...see:

1) I've been dyeing!! Last night at Knit Night and Katie and I decided to dye yarn. Katie is an expert (ok, compared to me she is) so she helped my dye this :) It is drying hanging off the balcony. I keep looking out the window every 30 seconds half expecting a squirrel trying to steal it (I hate that the sun sets so early, sorry for the bad color shot...color more reflects the golden leaf colors in the background, which also came out bad). Anyhow I am pretty excited. I went for the 'simple' method by using only one die and leaving segments of the yarn in longer than others to give it a slight variegated look. I think the variegation will be fairly subtle but that is fine with me. I can't wait to knit it up.
(I used KnitPicks Superwash Marino/Nylon blend fingering weight. It is super soft. If it knits up well I will definitely be purchasing more (eh hem, Christmas gift idea, just make a cute basket mom with 'clean yarn' (some worsted and fingering weight would be good), some icing dye from the craft store (that comes in the little tubs), and a bottle of white vinegar)

2) Felting! This is such a modified version of the Heidi Tote that I am not sure it can be called that anymore. I pretty much rewrote the pattern to get the right dimensions and am a lot happier. I cannot wait for this to dry so I can see how it looks all put together. More pictures to come.
My only hesitation is that this yarn seemed to get a little more 'fuzzy' when I felted. I am honestly thinking of sheering it a little to make it less fuzzy when it dries. Knitters, any advise?


3) Finally, the hoodie. I am still working on it an am almost done with one sleeve. I will finish that tonight at the Reston SnB. Robin says she is aiming to have hers done by Thanksgiving...umm, can't wait to see it Robin, mine will still be on the needles :) I like to think of it as me savoring the project :) and I guess probably also has something to do with me needing to pass my classes as well.

What's with Cozies?

I don't get why cozies are popular. To be fair, I found the below cozies on ravelry and I am not making fun of their work, just questioning some of their reasons...

There are:

Apple Cozies - ok I see how they may be practical, it stinks to throw an apple in your bag and find it bruised by lunch time

Beer Cozy - I don't even like the way beer smells let alone taste, I wouldn't knit this.

Can Cozy - mmm V8, healthier choice. Still couldn't make it.

Coffee Cup Cozy - ok, this is cute. If I were a big fan of paying 6 dollars daily for a coffee I probably would make one just to help be a littler 'greener,' but because I am a poor college student I don't see myself making a coffee cozy since I can't afford to put a coffee in it.

Elephant Cozy - ok, if I were to make a tea cozy, this would be it.

Egg Cozy - cute, but so not practical

Tea Cozy - cute, but again, unless you are english and have time for afternoon tea (in the metro area no one has time for that) this is totally not practical.

and the real surprise (Sorry, NOT G rated so go find it on Ravelry).....

Vibrator CozyWow. Umm, don't have much to say.

After all of this 'cozy' thought, I went to the gym today where I found I forgot a sports bra. I was mad and decided to go to Target and buy one and workout after my last class. I went to Target and no joke, they had 6 total sports bras for sale! Needless to say my 'popular' size was all sold out.

I have 5 hours till knitting night with the girls, I just may knit myself a 'boob cozy.'

Where my stitches at?

Sorry the beginning of this post was from the other day....

So Robin and I have been trying to workout 'together.' I called her this morning when I was walking to the gym telling her how much I did not want to go and all she had to do was say one small word to relieve my from my sweat and tears workout and I would retreat back to school and work on my hoodie. But NO, robin said "workout because you want to get rid of your butt! That's what I say!!!" I finally said fine and went to the gym. I was trying to get dressed into workout clothes when I noticed I grabbed one of Joel's T-shirts instead of my own. Now, Joel is not a big guy, but I swear I grabbed the one largish shirt he has so I looked like a complete dork. Fine. I will still work out. I drug myself upstairs to find the only treadmill that was open was one in front of the TV that had sports center on. I hate sports center! GRRRRR!

Needless to say, my workout was less than admirable. Honestly, if I wouldn't look like a dork I think I would try to knit socks while on the exercise bike, that may actually keep my motivation up because my fat butt surely isn't!

On a happier note, last night was knitting night! Nothing is better than getting together with the girls to relax, eat good pie (key lime, yea, maybe I should have worked out harder) and knit. I unfortunately ended up 'unknitting' my CPH several times. I blame it on lack of sleep and because Katie is giving me a run for my money on who will get the hoodie done first (seriously, if you have bets, you better bet on Katie, she is speedy, I am going to lose!).

...ok, now for Sunday's post....

I have been busy all weekend knitting and sewing for the Craft Show. I managed to sew two bags and assemble one knitted one. See...


I am absolutely in love with the purple/eggplant plaid one. The picture doesn't do the color justice at all.

Unfortunately, my poor hoodie has been so neglected. I managed to finish the body and have started a sleeve but am not to far along. Here's a bad picture anyhow...
And last but not least, here is a picture of a modified Heidi Tote (this will also be going to the craft show). I am pretty displeased with the felted shape and am hoping the second one I am doing now felts in a better shape. I do however love the embellishments and finishing work. more pictures to come...
Best news of all...I got my ravelry shirt in!!! :) I LOVE it!

I even got free buttons!!!

Exciting weekend!!

Sorry, I stink at posting lately...because I haven't posted in a week, this is going to be a little scattered.

Random point #1:

So I finished my modified Heidi Tote the other day. I was fairly happy with it when it was drying, but then when it was done drying it was a little shorter than I had planned or wanted. It's so annoying when yarn felts more in height than in width. I plan on doing this bag again but am going to modify the pattern a little more so it will finish in a felted size I want. I guess that teaches me to do a swatch. Either way, this is it drying. I just finished it but forgot to take a picture and now it is in a car off to PA. I will have 'the better half' take a picture and email it to me. Amazingly, I found the LAST double wrap belt on clearance at Old Navy (thanks for the suggestion Bellemoden). Pictures to come soon, this will have to do for now (oh yea, knitters, the body is knit in Shakespeare and the blue band in Manos)....

Random point #2:

Thursday I was sitting in my class at PW and got a phone call from Joel. I chipperly walked out of class listening to the voice mail thinking it would be a "have I nice day..." message but instead heard "I think Foxy has another UTI"....ewww! Ok, poor dog, but geesh I don't want her having accidents in the house. I decided to ditch my last class and come home to check on my puppy and get her to the vet (A 7-8 year old dog is still a puppy right?). I spent $365 on this UTI. Now, I am a supporter of Vets. My Better Half can see the light at the end of the tunnel of her Vetrinary degree, so I understand and respect if she can be a gazillion dollars in debt from all the schooling I shouldn't complain about the bill. But honestly, $365 for a UTI, I am shopping around for a new vet... She looks so miserable that I couldn't yell at her for being on the couch

Random point #3:

The Better Half and John came to visit this weekend! It was great to have them here. I promise to post more pictures from the weekend when Jen email's them to me (I thought it was silly to take a bunch of pictures of the same thing when technology allows her email them to me, yes, even Mom can do that now!) Either way, here is a sneak preview:

Wii Boxing (I think it is hysterical that we look absolutely psycho in these pictures):

Jen going in for the upper cut

Yes, Wii boxing is a huge workout!

And we made a visit to Great Falls National Park too!

We had thought since it was nice out this afternoon we should have a cookout at the park. Jen and I went to the store to pick up Brats, Hot Dogs, and charcoal. Who would have thought charcoal would have been so hard to find this time of year (ok, I guess if we had thought we would have maybe pondered that it would be difficult to find charcoal)! We finally had to settle on "Fat Sticks" and Fire Starter stuff from Whole Foods. Now, I know whole foods seems all organic and healthy but there was some serious gasoline on these starters. Jen and I were planning on sticking the entire box of fat sticks on the grill, good thing John and Joel are a lot more intelligent than us, we may have burnt down the entire park.