Everything in my life has been sidelined by the flu over the past two days. I am not enjoying myself. Fever, chills, aches, pains, cough. You name it, I got it.
To make matters worse, I was supposed to sing the National Anthem with my choir at the Braves Game tonight. Not fair, not fair, not fair. It's not everyday you get the chance to sing in front of that many people. Oh well, maybe next year.
There's also been no knitting or anything else remotely crafty going on because of the flu and the three year old has had carte blanche to destroy the house as he sees fit as well. At this point in time, do I care? Not even remotely. I'll call in the Hasmat teams to clean up later.
Healing vibes are being gratefully accepted. Please send them!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Back to Knitting
I've been plugging slowly along on Buttercup (Ravelry Link). It's very difficult to show the progress being made so far, but I am almost to the point where I begin working on the body. I've begun the lace on the front and I'm almost to the point where the body and sleeves are separated. At this point, it looks way too big, but I think (hope) it's an optical illusion caused by the raglan shaping.
I made another modification, but this time it's not anything big. There's a point in the pattern that calls for you to cast on 46 sts on a separate needle. I didn't have a separate needle free that was the correct size so here's what I did:
Instead of casting on the 46 sts on the separate needle, I continued with the pattern while skipping that section. When I got to the point of purling across the 46 sts, I did a backwards loop cast on. I did this one at a time and purled each onto the right needle before casting on for the next stitch. Similar in theory to picking up each stitch and knitting it on, which I hate to do.
This was quite tedious and I don't recommend it, but it did work. What I should have done was just find a bleeping pencil and cast on to it. It would have saved tons of time. Of course, it wouldn't have been the right size, but there ya go.
At first this pattern was going incredibly slow. Not the patterns fault, mine. I don't knit well in silence. I need something to listen to, usually a tv show. My favorite is Top Gear (UK version) but since the season has wrapped up, I've been left with nothing. I don't have cable, I have to watch over the interet. Another difficulty is that most tv shows just don't do it for me. Evidently I have the attention span of a flea and if a show doesn't wow me from the start, I ain't watchin' it.
But now I'm totally hooked on a show that has plenty of episodes to keep me going. You might have heard me say that I'm about 20 billion years behind on movies and tv. This is no exception. I'm now officially addicted to Battlestar Galactica. No, not the old one with Dirk Benedict, but the one that debuted in 2005ish and is already officially cancelled. Like I said, 20 billion years behind.
My fingers have been flying on the needles since I started watching this. Unfortunately, I have to only watch this at either naptimes or after the kids have gone to bed. There's just too much mature crap going on for an 8 and 3 year old to be watching it. But man, is it ever good. How did I miss this when it came out? Oh yeah, that's right, no cable. I'm hoping to remedy that real soon.
I made another modification, but this time it's not anything big. There's a point in the pattern that calls for you to cast on 46 sts on a separate needle. I didn't have a separate needle free that was the correct size so here's what I did:
Instead of casting on the 46 sts on the separate needle, I continued with the pattern while skipping that section. When I got to the point of purling across the 46 sts, I did a backwards loop cast on. I did this one at a time and purled each onto the right needle before casting on for the next stitch. Similar in theory to picking up each stitch and knitting it on, which I hate to do.
This was quite tedious and I don't recommend it, but it did work. What I should have done was just find a bleeping pencil and cast on to it. It would have saved tons of time. Of course, it wouldn't have been the right size, but there ya go.
At first this pattern was going incredibly slow. Not the patterns fault, mine. I don't knit well in silence. I need something to listen to, usually a tv show. My favorite is Top Gear (UK version) but since the season has wrapped up, I've been left with nothing. I don't have cable, I have to watch over the interet. Another difficulty is that most tv shows just don't do it for me. Evidently I have the attention span of a flea and if a show doesn't wow me from the start, I ain't watchin' it.
But now I'm totally hooked on a show that has plenty of episodes to keep me going. You might have heard me say that I'm about 20 billion years behind on movies and tv. This is no exception. I'm now officially addicted to Battlestar Galactica. No, not the old one with Dirk Benedict, but the one that debuted in 2005ish and is already officially cancelled. Like I said, 20 billion years behind.
My fingers have been flying on the needles since I started watching this. Unfortunately, I have to only watch this at either naptimes or after the kids have gone to bed. There's just too much mature crap going on for an 8 and 3 year old to be watching it. But man, is it ever good. How did I miss this when it came out? Oh yeah, that's right, no cable. I'm hoping to remedy that real soon.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The All Things Shea Etsy Store!
I finally started up my Etsy store!
It's only taken me a good two years to get on the stick and get things rolling. Shea's the name, procrastination seems to be my game! Well, maybe not procrastination, more like having needy kids or something. I only have six items in the store so far, many more just waiting to be photographed and inventoried. Do you know how long it took me yesterday to get the six items up in the store? About three hours. How pitiful is that? Three hours. Thanks, kids. My day went like this: start something, stop to deal with kid, add two more words to the item description, stop to deal with kid. etc. etc. etc.
Obviously I won't be contending in the big leagues for a while. But I have made a start! Here's what's up there now:
For every pendant purchased, a black silk cord will be included so that you or your loved one will be able to wear it right away!
I have more jewelry and some fiber stuff coming. This is just the beginning. :)
It's only taken me a good two years to get on the stick and get things rolling. Shea's the name, procrastination seems to be my game! Well, maybe not procrastination, more like having needy kids or something. I only have six items in the store so far, many more just waiting to be photographed and inventoried. Do you know how long it took me yesterday to get the six items up in the store? About three hours. How pitiful is that? Three hours. Thanks, kids. My day went like this: start something, stop to deal with kid, add two more words to the item description, stop to deal with kid. etc. etc. etc.
Obviously I won't be contending in the big leagues for a while. But I have made a start! Here's what's up there now:
Polymer Clay Pendants!
For every pendant purchased, a black silk cord will be included so that you or your loved one will be able to wear it right away!
I have more jewelry and some fiber stuff coming. This is just the beginning. :)
Monday, August 10, 2009
More Flames
Remember how I said the new computer desk needed a chair or bench? Well, it's got one now and it's perfectly decorated for the guys in the house!
When I finished making the roman shades in the boys room, I had a lot of the flame fabric left over. So I decided to repurpose my grandmother's old vanity table bench and make it the new computer seating.
Here's the before:
The tools used:
And now the after:
Didn't it turn out great? It now matches the desk and the boys love it. My grandmother would be thrilled to know that this bench is still being used today by her great grandkids. She was pretty crafty too, I think she'd even like the flames.
Did I mention that I had a ton of the flame fabric leftover? Still do. I also covered their light switch plate. It ended up being a bit crooked, but it's not as noticeable in real life as it is in the pic:
That, I think, will be the last of the flames for a while. Think the boys would go for something pink next? There's got to be something girly in the house. I mean, there is at least one girl living here. Jeez.
When I finished making the roman shades in the boys room, I had a lot of the flame fabric left over. So I decided to repurpose my grandmother's old vanity table bench and make it the new computer seating.
Here's the before:
The tools used:
And now the after:
Didn't it turn out great? It now matches the desk and the boys love it. My grandmother would be thrilled to know that this bench is still being used today by her great grandkids. She was pretty crafty too, I think she'd even like the flames.
Did I mention that I had a ton of the flame fabric leftover? Still do. I also covered their light switch plate. It ended up being a bit crooked, but it's not as noticeable in real life as it is in the pic:
That, I think, will be the last of the flames for a while. Think the boys would go for something pink next? There's got to be something girly in the house. I mean, there is at least one girl living here. Jeez.