I am insane it is offical.

So on top of the sweater of doom

Which by the way has not seen much action. I am also working on Clap in pink (getting ever closer!) Clap in evita is next, then I have a sock swap to participate in. /le sigh.
Then there is also the ornament that I am making for my Mama. (sorry no pics until after December 31. This is a surprise knit a long. The hostess posts the pattern and everyone knits it. Then we reveal what it is. So no lookie until later.
Funny story.
I opened the hank of Mmmmmalbrigo so that I could add it to Clap in Pink and put the waste yarn that was holding the skein together on the floor next to me. Once finished winding the yarn into a ball I turned to get the waste yarn and noticed that it was gone. I went looking for it only to find Gypsy doing this...


No that is not cat puke coming out of her mouth that is the waste yarn that I couldn't find. By the time that i found her she had already felted the malabrigo waste yarn together. Needless to say I have to hide Clap in Pink when not being knitted. She is starting to show interest in it. *face palm
The thought for today?
Dance!

Passion

I am already lining up projects for next christmas! Gah.
I have decided that Mom needs a cardigan that I found in Knit Simple I would link a pic but there is none on the site. Trust me when I say that mom would love it. For those that are wondering what issue and what pattern it is, its in the Holiday issue and the pattern is called Fair Isle Jacket. It just looks like something that Mom would wear. I really REALLY want to start it now. However that is just silly as I have a ton of holiday knitting to finish as it is. Plus I think that TJ would lock me in a looney bin. I must finish that mans sweater.
We also finally put up the tree last night. I just have not been in the christmas mood lately. Too many things going wrong around here for me to get excited about it. I am just ready for the season to be over. Anyway...

Don't take my picture Devil Woman!
Darn house is so small that four boxes take up the whole floor. /le sigh
Off to finish holiday knitting. I am going to stitch n' bitch tonight. Really looking forward to the down time. No thinking required only knitting and talking. Ahhhhh.
Passionately,
Dee

Okay then

Well finals are over! I know that is why they call them finals 'cause you can't help yelling FINALLY! after the last test. Yes i realize that was lame but I am a bit slap happy from a week of comprehensive testing. So it is onto Christmas knitting like a mad woman. I have officially given up on the baby blanket just because I can't look at it without feeling upset about it. However! All is not lost! I found a bunch of 12 inch squares that I crocheted back when I was a hooker that are big enough to seam together and make a baby blanket. They are very lacy and open so there will most defiantly be a backing to this thing. I am thinking about doing sort of like a quilt. You know back, batting, top material, then sewn on crocheted top. Which TJ would like just because it would require using my sewing machine. I don't know we shall see. Clap in pink is coming along beautifully. Still have a bit to knit on it. Like half. but it is coming along. The sweater of Doom is stalled until I can finish the Christmas knitting then it is full speed ahead on that thing. I would really like to finish it before next semester starts but I don't see that happening. I should, however, be able to complete the body.
Off to knit more!
Finalingly*
Dee

*I realize that is not a word but cut me some slack here. I used up all the brain power on finals. Must. Go. Recharge.

100th post and other things...

Wow I must enjoy talking to myself because this is my 100th post! I really did not expect to have kept up with this blog for very long let alone over a year. Anyway on to the stuff that you are really here for.

MY BOX OF FIBER CAME!!!
Ahem.
Wanna see pictures? The stuff that Heather sent me is so gorgeous and soft OMG. (Excuse me while I wipe the drool away) The natural stuff came with some dye so that I could do my own dying that stuff includes some Columbia wool, some merino/silk mix, bamboo, and some of what I think says hemp but I am not quite sure the words got smuged. but ohhhh this stuff was worth the wait. Now I have to get my wool in that was being processed and I will be complete :) Heather by the way is from All Things Heather She sells her stuff just so that you know.
Pics Now!



Happily
Dee

Still Buried...

Under piles of homework, however that pile is noticeably smaller. So just a short post to show you the beauty that is the clap in pink. Not done yet but creeping ever closer.




No sign of my boxes of fiber yet so I am still stalking the mailman although I think that I should give it until Monday to get anxious but...well...you understand.
Off to finish yet another assignment!
Clappingly
Dee

Almost here...

I just got an email from the woman that I swapped the machine for fiber stating that the box is on its way!!!! I am so thrilled. Also the wool that I sent off to be processed is on its way as well. That mail man is soo getting stalked. I have 2 more tests to evaluate and then I am done. Finally. I am so sick of working on homework that it isn't even funny. Anywho pictures of clap later (not done, just further along)
Homeworkingly
Dee

Allow me a Kindergarten moment...

I WANNA BE DONE!

Okay a little better. I want to be done with school. I want to be done with the sweater from hell (which is coming along nicely thank you) I wanna be done with Clap in pink. I wanna be done with the damn baby blanket that isn't even wanted. GRRRRRRRRRRR.
I am so overwhelmed right now that I don't even know where to start. Let alone where to finish. *Le Sigh* Pictures soon I promise as well as the pattern for the tank I created for the Princess (plus a few additions)

I will be scarce next week seeing as how it is finals week.

Overwhelmingly,
Dee

Clownin' around

So I have been a busy woman lately. Last weekend we had my family Thanksgiving to go to. The parents and sibs are always good for a laugh and so loud. After the meal we all piled into our vehicles and went to watch the dad graduate from Clown College. (yup you read that right)

Dad Before

Dad After

Not that this is a big change for us. About the only thing that is different with him is the fact that he now puts on the makeup required of a clown. He has always been a clown in action.
I also saw my little brother get married this weekend. (Told ya I was busy)

This is the cutest picture of TJ and the princess ever.
And no I am not at all partial. Just look at the love.

Is it bad that I didn't take a pic of the Bride and Groom? They did look marvelous and the wedding was nice and short.




Tomorrow being Thanksgiving (Happy Turkey Day ya'll!) I will be cooking up a storm to feed TJ the kidlets, My sister, and the two brother in laws. We will be enjoying Turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, noodles, rolls, pies... the list goes on. Yeah so I will be a busy woman tomorrow as well. Uggh. Ahhh well my own fault for offering!
Now to the knitterly content:
This is my prize from Whimsical Knitting! I was going to make a scrunchable scarf with it for TJ However he does not seem at all interested *gasp* so I am thinking that I will make me the Touch of Whimsy scarf from Becca! I mean that it only seems fitting right? Unfortunately it will have to wait until after Christmas is over. So much knitting to do right now.




Like this thing. Notice the complete lack of progress going on? I am not excited about knitting on it at all. /le sigh Part of my problem with this WIP is the complete lack of excitement from the In laws about it. MIL went as far as to say "you know Gabby has a lot of blankets." Maybe I will finish it someday.




Clap on the other hand is looking Maahhvolous! Stalled very briefly to work on the baby socks but while working on it the scarf is moving quickly. I love the way that it looks in this malabrigo. So yummy!

Baby sock number one in the Lime and Violet colorway from Lisa Souza. Very pretty. I love it! Once finished with the other sock I am thinking a baby hat with the rest.






Anyway. I have bent your ear enough for one day Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Thanksgivingly,
Dee

It has been decided...

I will be running a raffle for either yarn or a gift card (who doesn't love gift cards to a YARN store?!) However the season of giving is practically sitting in our laps so that raffle will be after Christmas. Trust me you will like the prize. So I will tell you all the specifics once the time comes.

Clap in pink is coming along very well. I have dropped two stitches now I have to say that with as not excited as I was about it to begin with I am loving the ease of this pattern! I have decided to go ahead and make the second scarf a clap as well. The next one will be in blues and purples. Evita yarn. Soooo pretty. I would show you a progress pic but it is sitting in the van waiting on me to leave. So progress pictures after class.

And Finally I WON!! I entered this contest at Whimsical Knitting.
So now I get to stalk the mailman for box of fibery goodness from a recent trade I did (the waiting is killing me) and for my prize! A lovely skein of emerald Malabrigo (mine alllll mine) and a 365 Knitting stitches per year calendar(!!!) (I have been coveting this since last year) Can Not Wait!

Well all of my party people I must get ready for class.
Winningly
Dee
I will leave you with this beautiful photograph
Sunset in the ghetto ahhhh

That Damn Elhers Danlos...

Okay. So we all know that I have tons of stuff that I have to do in my day. Five Kids to care for, school to go to, homework to do, stuff to knit, not too mention my poor neglected spinning! And yet I get involved in something else. facepalm. I have volunteered to help get some fundraising done for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
This is a good thing for me to get involved in but I got in on the ground floor. As in, we don't even know what we are doing yet, stage. So I will end up getting in very deep before this whole thing is over. I just can't seem to say no. Ahh well it is for a good cause. You know there are a lot worse things that I could be involved in. Why am I doing this? My sister has Ehlers Danlos type 4, vascular. The life expectantcy is generally 40-50 years. So unless this changes my 27 yr old sister only has about 20 some odd years left. This seems like a lot but the average person (barring any accidents) generally live to their 80's-90's. So I think that getting involved in this is very important. (Like how I just cemented my particpation?)
Anyway. Stay tuned I am toying with the idea of adding a donate button and offering a drawing for yummy knit goodies in exchange for donations. Maybe.
Thanks for making it this far my friends.
Seriously
Dee

WIP over my head

Yeah so I am still working on Tj's sweater of Doom. I thought that once I passed the sleeves I would be home free. Alas it is mindless and rather boring to knit the body. Ack. But it is coming along well, slowly, but well.

Now if I could get Tj to quit giving me those sad puppy dog eyes and saying "its never going to be done, is it?" You know it was a lot easier to knit things when he wasn't so darn interested.
Because...
I also am still working on the baby blanket. It will be a whole creation because I hated doing the miters. However I think that it is turning out well. Don't you? The plan is to do the Entrelac on each side, connect the corners in a way not yet determined, then Add a layer of garter stitch then do an I-cord bind off.

Note: I adore Entrelac!
So. There is that and I have also started the first of two clapotis. (Christmas Presents)
This one is going to be hard to give away because it is so Darn soft and pretty! I now love Malabrigo. It truly is "like budda". And the color. (excuse me while I wipe away the drool)

I mean look at it!

However. I am afraid that I will have to frog and re-knit. I know that Stockinette is supposed to curl. In the pics on Knitty it is not curling. I am thinking that maybe the stitches are too tight and maybe a needle size up would do the trick. Or maybe the drop stitches help to keep it not curly. I don't know. I will figure it out sooner or later.

What do you think?
Anyway so that is what is on my list now. I also have a pair of baby sock to Knit for the Gabster (waiting on my DPNs), another Clapotis christmas pressie that will be in a beautiful blue/purple variegated. Combine that with school and kids and This is what I look like:

Halloween

Hope it was lacking in the tricks!

The fam and I went trick or treating last night. Ever notice that there is a distinct lack of houses accepting trick or treaters lately? losers. We walked 4 houses for every 1 house with a light on. Ahh well the wee ones had fun and crashed as soon as we got home.
The little ghouls at the zoo trick or treat day. Yes both boys were Knights but one is a DARK knight and the other was a LION knight. Apparently there is a difference. I don't know. We also have Super girl, the pirate Scarlett, and of course Princess.
On the knitting front TJ's Sweater has been put on the back burner in favor of finishing the baby blanket for Gabs who was born a week ago. She is a whole month early. Thankfully she came out healthy and is home! But needless to say I need to finish the blanket.
Also I got some Yarn for Clapotis. Mmmmmmalabrigo. Soooooo purdy and soft. I will have a very hard time giving that up when its done. *sigh*
Ahh well life calls!
Droolingly
Dee

Pictures ahead

I do not have the fibery pics yet I have to mail the knitting machine to the lady first. I will be getting a box of fiber goodness along with dye and instructions. I am so looking forward to getting it, I just have to get my check so that I can mail. Anyway I thought that i would update youon my WIPs. They are moving along just not to quickly. No time to knit.
First off, the Sweater of Dooooom... I still think that it will be a bit big on TJ, but then again I am used to knitting baby stuff so we shall see. It is coming along though!

Next up the next section of the baby blanket. Yes the miters are done! (see below) I will be making this cable to go around the miters. After this I will be sewing the cables to the miter and then picking up stitches to do some simple garter around that. From there... who knows.

Miters are done. Needless to say I will not be knitting these again for a long while. I tried them that is all that matters. Or something like that... Gypsy says Hello!

Okay

Today has been an insane day. I kid you not. This morning I start the van to warm it up and manage to lock the keys in the car. Thank god for locksmiths. Then i get to school early and work on my homework. I later find out that I didn't have to do it that way. Then at the beginning of class we are given our testing order (preformance) and I am next to last on the list. So my partner and I get the teaming part of the test finished no problem. Once we were finished we had to wait in the classroom. Where us and 5 other people stayed until 3:30 because the indiviual test was too long for the whole class to finish on time. So now I get to go back tomorrow and record a 6 min dialouge because I couldn't wait any longer. not to mention the fact that i will only have 1 day to finish the lengthy analysis because of this problem. Sucks so bad.

I am done whineing for now, really great pics tomorrow. Right now i am to exhausted I can barely keep my eyes open.
Sleepingly
Dee

P.S.- keep an eye out for fiber porn next week!

Totally crazy I am I am

Okay so here is what is on the needles and what is slated to be next.

1. TJ's Sweater of Dooom- Sleeves are seperated and knitting around and around for the body. yes I made TJ try it on to make sure that it would fit (I honestly think that it will be a tad big but the man will not allow me to measure him) Its funny, hes never been very interested in stuff I have been knitting but he is constantly looking at it and saying things like "Its really coming along isn't it" He is finally converting and all that it took was a sweater.

2. The baby blanket-This thing is going to be the death of me. I swear. I am on block number two, almost done with it. I think that I am going to do a really random blanket, free form all the way baby! I just have to hurry up. The kid will be here in a little over a month. ack.

supersecret project-I don't think that she reads my blog but to be safe this is on the list but not named. All I got to say about it is that it should be fast (I hope)

Kiri-At this rate It will never be finished. Poor Kiri.

Clapotis- not started yet because of the lack of yarn but it is a christmas gift so that will need to be started soon

scarf #2- Also waiting on yarn. this one will either be Clapotis or a cabled scarf not sure yet. Also a christmas gift

pin wheel jacket- The princess will have to wait on this because it should fit her to age 4. so I will continue to spin and dye the cotton needed for this project and just keep plugging on with everything else. I have 3 more years before she grows out it. I got time.

Okay so looking at the list makes me want to cry. Well I better get busy. I got a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in. Pictures later when I am not so overwhelmed.
insanely yours,
Dee

Edited to add: We here at Tangled Fingers Diary would like to thank all of the click throughs and visitors that have stumbled through here since august. We have hit the 500 mark! Also I realized last night that this little Diary hit a year old September 12! Happy Birthday Blog!
Thanks all!

Just a quick how do ya do...

I finally got some RIT dye and took care of the boring white that is my spun cotton yarn. I still have about a pound of that stuff left to spin so not sure yet what I will make with it. (I am thinking the pinwheel sweater for the princess)
Here is my first batch:
yardage: roughly 115
yarn: cotton (got it pindrafted)

I love that it also came out slightly varigated (I had it folded into a hank for that purpose) Next two colors will be pink and purple. Woooo!
cottonly
dee

creeping ever closer...

I have been working on my lovley sweater for TJ and got the sleeves seperated so for now it is a mindless knit. I just have to make sure that I do not shut my mind all the way off. I end up with a few rows of stockinette that way. I also have block number 2 almost done on my miter square blanket for the soon to be neice. I know that I was going to use my own handspun but the more I knit on it the less that I wanted to give it away. I think that I am going to try to dye it and then make a blanket for little Phia. I swear that Phia is going to be the most spoiled child on the face of the planet. Ahhh well it is all in the name of knitting! or something like that. I also have on order yarn for 2 scarves. one for the SIL and the other for el sista. She sees this blog on occasion so that is all that I will be saying on that one. I got the yarn from yarny bits She sells beautiful stuff. I orderd 6 skeins for a total of 50 and some change. Not bad I must say. Anyway gotta go pick up the mini me's from school so I am off.
buyingly
Dee

At Last!

The sweater of Doom is ready for sleeve seperation!! I have been "almost to sleeve seperation" for a month now. Last night I finally did it! So I took it off the needles and tried it on TJ (who of course HATES to have his pic taken le sigh) It even looks like I am trying to make a sweater. I was certain that I would make some invisible (to me) error that would render the sweater alien like. But seriously check it out...


Lovely... er Handsome.
Off to school!
Scholarly
Dee

Animal friends

This was hanging out on our house today when the kids and I were leaving to get to school. Of course I had to take pictures.

Then Gypsy had to inspect this intruder. Not a very interesting intruder however because she just let it be.

Of course what post would be complete without a little bit of Phia?

Much homework must be done so I am off. TJs sweater of doom is roughly 6 increases away from sleeve seperation so update pics coming soon!
Buggily
Dee

May we never forget...

image found at aku-aku.com


Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

I really am here... sorta

School has been completely insane. The closer that we get to graduation the more work that they pile on us. I am not looking forward to next semester. UUugh.
Ziggy started preschool yesterday I think that he took it better than I did. He had loads of fun and decided that school isn't as scary as what he thought that it would be. I on the other hand was anxious the whole time that he was there. You would think that after putting 3 other kids through preschool I would be better prepared to handle the first day.

I am going to re-invent the tank that I designed for Phia and see if I can't get it published. That would be so amazing to get published!
Homework calls so I must answer.
Designingly
Dee

I did it!

I designed my very first top!! It was so easy once I sat down and just did it. I used the fleece that I Dyed in kool-aid a while back. This was just supposed to happen because when I started knitting with the yarn I had no clue what it was that I was going to knit. None. I just knew that I wanted it to be done in the round. I co and started knitting trying it on for kid hats and thinking maybe a dropped stitch scarf, but none of thoes seemed right. So I measured miss Phia and BINGO! In casting on I had added the perfect amount of stitches for the little girls waist. So a shirt it became. I wrote it down as I went until I got to the top part so I am going to have to do some figureing and maybe re-knit it in another bulky weight yarn to make sure that I have it right. I am thinking that if I get the pattern written up nicely that I will submit it to the pattern a day calander. The coolest thing ever would be to get published!
Anyway here are the pics. I have to go pick up the school children.

Alas poor Kiri, I knew her well...

Awww Kiri is fine I just have not touched her since the last time I blogged about her. O the neglect that she must feel! Its not that I didn't enjoy working on her (you know after I got through the first five mess ups)I have just been insanely busy. We took the little lovlies to Worlds of fun last weekend. Hot, expensive but so fun!

Sissies first ride! I was so proud. With as scared as she is all of the time I really didn't think that it would be this easy to get her on a ride.


Ziggys very first ride. He loved the beginning, hated the drop at the end. Poor kid. Camp Snoopy was more his speed.

Phia on the other hand was not a snoopy fan. Poor Snoopy came over and sat down next to her. When she realized that some huge dog had sat next to her she freaked. Thankfully I had the camera out and ready.

And finally the best picture of Isaac EVER! Is this not the perfect picture of a boy eating cotton candy? He really seemed to love it I think. Don't you?

Yeah so I got bored waiting on everyone else to ride rides. But this is a great pic of the phiaster

This is me after a long day of sunnin and walkin. Burnt yet still silly. (I am making that face because TJ told me that I use my toothy smile (cheesing) too much. So I didn't cheese.



Two very pretty pics of the horizon on the way home. Please try to ignore the bug splats, as they take away from the beauty. (What do ya want? I was riding in a car)
I even managed to get some work done on the sweater of Doom. I am still not ready to seperate the arms from the body but I am creeping ever closer.
Other WIP's?
Kiri - Not getting done anytime soon, Way too many other things to finish. Typical huh? The one thing that I am knitting for me gets put on the back burner.
TJ's sweater- Almost ready for sleeve seperation (one of these years)
Baby blanket- started with the pinwheel blanket pattern, decided that I would go insane with nothing to keep me interested so I am creating my own pattern. I just hope that it works.
shirt for phia- I am using the handspun that I made. I just started knitting and I think that this is what it wants to be. We shall see.
I have rambled long enough, Enjoy your day!
Rambelingly
Dee