1.06.2008
FO
1.04.2008
New Year , New KAL

After the fun of Melanie's Mystery Stole 3 last summer, I'm ready for another one. Mind you, I still need to block the the stole from it. The theme turned out to be "Swan Lake". It was my first experience with lace and I really enjoyed it. After this one, I'll be ready to work on the Here Be Dragone shawl. I still have a few UFO's from 2007 that are nearly finished that I'm working to turn into FO's. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I'm actually enjoying working one these. Sometimes, I get a case of "startitis" and then abandon one project to start a new one! Short post tonight cuz my stomach is growling and I see Chinese food in my immediate future.
362 knitting and blogging
1.03.2008
Gunslingers, Towers and Quests...No Knitting.
Let me loose in a bookstore and you'd have to send a search party in to find me. To this day, When I say: "I'm just going in the book store for a minute..." The answer I get from friends/family "We'll meet you at the_________" or from my smartass sister "Did you Pack some food and bring a sleeping bag?" My sister didn't read for enjoyment until she was an adult. Until that point, a book was like her own personal kryptonite. "NO,NO get that book away from me, your killing me! I don't need no stinkin books!"( only exaggerating a little B-> )
Right now I'm reading the last book in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. If you think Harry Potter fans are a dedicated lot (I read all those books too). It ain't nothing compared to Rowland Fans. The first in the series of 7 books came out in 1982 and the last book in the series was published in 2004! I didn't come across the book until 1986. I wasn't even sure I wanted to read it. It was different then Carrie and another one I'd read. I had loved the Carrie book! Wow, to have telekinetic powers!!! Anyway, one rainy day, I started reading the Dark Tower: The Gunslinger and have been a faithful reader since. Unlike Rowling, who published a book every one to two years, King really teased and tortured his readers by writing the next in the series every 4 years. After Wizards and Glass, he took a 6 or 7 year break and he even stated in the afterward of the 4th book he might not complete it and leave the story where it ended! What? What!!! Are you F*%$#ing kidding me? What kind of Bullshit is this?! Luckily he came to his senses. Though he didn't come to his senses until after he was nearly killed by a hit and run driver! I don't know if his life flashing before him had any influence, I'm just saying... I'm glad he he got better from the accident and got around to finishing the damn book!


If you haven't read any of this series, what are you waiting for? Get thee to a library, used book store or friend's bookshelf. Thank ye sai and if your reading this post, its Ka. What am I talking about sai? Ka? Get the book!!! The story has influences of Lord of the Rings, Arthur legend, and a poem by Robert Browning called "Childe Rowland to the Dark Tower Came". The main character is Rowland, a gunslinger. A kind of knight of the Round Table. He is the last of his kind and on a quest. Along the way he meets 3 other characters who will become very important to his quest of reaching the Dark Tower and have their own personal demons to conquer. It's how they meet and become a band of gunslingers to be reckoned with that gets and keeps the reader invested in these characters. Just like Harry Potter, I'm going to miss these characters when the adventure ends! Some of the other science fiction, fantasy, and horror writers I enjoy are Graham Masterton, F. Paul Wilson, Dean Koontz, and Theodore Sturgeon (The Dreaming Jewels), and Terry Brooks. There are many more, but enough about me. What do you like to read? I'm always up for reading new authors (anyway, new to me ).
363 Knitting and blogging
1.02.2008
Reducing your stash? Let me help!
Joining Ravelry made me take a good look at my yarn inventory. It's too large to call a "stash" anymore. I think of a stash as a little (yarn, money etc..) something you can put away for a rainy day. My "stash" is not small enough to hide away (lol). My plan this year is to knit some of it up. So, I'm on the look out for patterns. Like I really need more patterns!!! We won't go there today.
Here's one very nice neck warmer to help reduce that stash and keep you toasty on a winter's day! I found this today on Veronik Avery's blog. It's a Chevron Neck Warmer. She didn't write a formal pattern, but provided her notes on making it. These notes and chart are very easy to understand. According to her blog, people saw her wearing it and requested a pattern.

I know exactly what yarn I'll be using and where I can get some buttons ! Go visit Avery's blog and get knitting that stash down. I'd love to see other's neck warmers. So, post it to your blog so I can see ! I'll Post mine too.
364 knitting and blogging
1.01.2008
Only 364 more days to go...

365 and knitting/blogging!