Pixiestikz

Arresto Momentum?

Kiri Shawl...my experiment in lace...finito!

It's times like this, when you have to ask...

Am I going to let this little measly amount of yarn come between me and a finished-ready-to-block Kiri?

Nope.

Floor shot

Stretched out in the Lab

I'm blocking her points this weekend.
(she looks like the bat-signal!)

Enjoy your weekend!

G-dspeed Discovery!

From the Second row in the Building 8 Viewing Auditorium...
Images will be a bit grainy. No flash.

Discovery's Engines Ignite...

Countdown Clock at Kennedy.

Liftoff...

3 seconds after Launch.

"Take note of what you saw here today. The power and the majesty of the launch, of course, but also the competence and the professionalism, the sheer gall, the pluckiness, the grittiness of this team that pulled this program out of the depths of despair 2 1/2 years ago and made it fly,"

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin

WORD! We're a damned fine team!

Sister of the Smelly Skein

Mean Green Sleeve One.
Completed and Blocking.

This skein stank. I mean WOW...a knock you over stink.
bleh! Sheepy BO.
I had to get second opinions so I walked around...
"Honey, does this stink" (to Boyo)
"Gah! Why did you make me smell that? What is that?
Nevermind, get it away from me!"

hm. It may stink as bad as I think.

So, I let it soak in two eucalan baths...whew!
It's better now. The rug didn't shivel when I was pinning it.

I'll take that as a good sign.

---
Saturday, we went here...

We went to Old Town Alexandria, VA to spend time and lunch with my best pal...
Of course I had to stop in....
Knit Happens!!
I don't know quite how I deferred from my Yarn Diet...
But I picked up 4 skeins to do the FBS with. Lordy.

I thought I wasn't too crazy about alpaca. You know..take it or leave it.
That was until I met Misti. ohhhh...Misti! In Denim. lovelovelove.
FBS after Kiri of course.

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Here is our lovely Kiri...at her halfway point.

I'm heading into the 10th pattern repeat as we speak.
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Sunday we went into Baltimore. ArtScape.
It was hottttt. Hades 5th Ring of Hell Hotttt.
We went on Sunday after all the headliners were gone. It wasn't that crowded.
I'm not a fan of crowds. Mob mentality and all...
*shudders*
Although, I did sorta want to see Morris Day and The Time.
How sad would that have been?

Good times.

Help! Look at this! Like I need another knitting bag! arrgh.

Thar She Grows!

Two repeats a day keeps the other knits away!
Kiri!
You are my obsession...Kiri that is...

I've been working on her when its quiet. In an undisclosed location.
Progress: Seventh pattern repeat, row 77.
One skein down, one left.

Lookie who came to work with, er on me yesterday...

I love this knit. I loooooove it. I wear it often.

Mean Green is progressing, I'm knitting on this during my tv time/HP6 re-read. I'm almost ready for sleeve 2. Yay! I can't wait to have this baby done.

Shuttle? Well, the word is it's gonna be Tuesday. Yay.
No more of this waiting around.
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Go Here...
Further proof that people go way too far and have got too much time on their hands.

Kiri

I got this in the mail...
Whoopie...I'm Rowan subscribee #5,685,345

Lace, Lace, Lace! That is what I have been seeing on the knit-blogiverse...
I've seen Ei's Lovely Birch (go check it out!!) Wow...gorgeous.

Donna was casting on for Birch while I was getting some lovin from ol Charlie.
(You gotta check out her blog for that tale!)

AND...since it's the Summer of Lace...and I'm just only working on 3 other WIPS....

Soooo...Let me take you back to Sunday about 11:30am...

First, I just wanted to see if I could do it...

Kiri
a free pattern from all tangled up (click for pattern)

I started out attempting to use Kidsilk Haze. Bleh. No thanks.

So I used one of my favorite yarns...Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Putty.
That would be STASH Yarn, thanks very much!
Just to see mind you.

Buddha approves.

I knitted this in my dining room, just me with no distractions.
Every time my stitch count and rows worked out, you could just hear the faintest..."Yesssss!"

No one spoke to me unless I indicated I was on a purling row

I completed row 53 and decided that I am able to knit this lace.
I don't care about gauge...I don't care about any of it.
You can see the leaves!
I am now heading into my 5th pattern repeat. All stitches are on track.
Yessssss!

gah!
So Saturday I went to Borders, not having pre-ordered a book (shame!)
They turned me away...s'alright tho, went to Tar-gey next door...got it for less.
Nah!
Borders, You Book Hoarding Bastages.

I read Book 6. I cried. (Shut up, it's not lame!)
I'm not talking about it until I hear from Lauren.
I was so sad, when I called Lauren on Sunday, her hubby was concerned...
(probably for my mental health!)
SO, No fair giving anything away until my dearest Lauren has read it...:)

Yeah, so I'm thinking about wearing a black armband. Wahh.
All in all? Love Harry.
I wonder if he'd think it was okay to snog a squib like me?

So I have to share my lovely flowers from my boyo...
It's so sweet of him.

Yay for Anniversaries!

Someone posted a while ago about how they have stuffies on their desk...and I responded... "Oy! I have so many..." Pixie leaves little bits of her things behind and I like them. It's a little bit of whimsy. Here is my ever growing collection.

Mean Green came with me today...so I'm on sleeve island until further notice.
Well, at least until I have quiet time to work on Kiri. Shhh!

This just in:Pre-Order Yarn Harlot's New Book

T-minus 3 hours and holding... Scrubbed!

Mean Green
Well, I keep forgetting the everyday cardi pattern at work. Whatup??!!
Mean Green has been stalled. I've picked her up again...check it!

Ah, stockinette...how I love thee.
So simple. So quick. So in need of blocking.

As I've been completing one panel, I've been blocking another...
That'll be a no wait for seaming! I know...I'm a SUPER GENIUS.

I love this color...it's so Mr. Rogers. "Won't you be...my neighbor?"
It's something I am going to wear weekly...I already want another in black.

I'm a really super plain dresser (is that a word?)
I prefer Target's white teeshirts, jeans, hoodies and doc martens.
I would wear the exact same thing to work everyday if I could get away with it...
Like Albert Einstein.
But alas, I think the nerdy weirdo quota for my work is already at maximum, so I switch it up.

Retro Ribbie Sock #2
and the retro ribbie second sock progress...
I'm past the decreases (yuk) and it's just steady eddy from now until the toe.

Pixie loves socks...she calls my needles toothpicks and has been lovin to hoof around in my one completed retro rib. It's only a bit big on her...which makes me think she's going to tower over me. Which is okay, because then I can make her retrieve tupperware from the top cabinet.
Perks, people, perks!

Guess what is on it's way to me?
The first issue of Simply Knitting. Simply divine, I say!

Return to Flight!
-------------------
It's been two and a half years...
G-d Bless Columbia and her crew.

*bowes head*

Yet, here we are again, launch day. STS-114...
We've got a 60% chance of a scrub...and we're all hoping it won't get scrubbed.

Update: Launch Scrubbed. The Backup's Backup Fuel Eco-sensor isn't nominal on the External Fuel Tank. Possibly the test circuitry on that sensor. Was that TMI? :)

GO DISCOVERY!
Here she is on the pad last night...

Here is where I'll be...

The air is thick with anticipation, worry and hope.
G-dspeed, Discovery.

Off I go to watch closed circuit NASA tv, and knit for lunch.
What? Watch boring ol launch preparations? Can you say SPACE GEEK!!!!
Awesome.

The Weekly Soiree...

Ahhh...I'm well rested from a terrific anniversary weekend at the Beach.
I've not posted a Knit Nite entry for a while...so I'll recap...

Last thursday...
Ei, Donna and I got together for a little nosh and NO knit. Quelle surprise!
We kareoke'd. It was a blast...
Ei tried on the OSW...

Clicka de popup...(oh, be gentle - it's my first popup)

OSW...not just for dinner

Dance and Sing, Get up and do your Thing!
We kareoked!

Last evenings rendezvous...
We were a trio of hot knitting sock mamas...

Ei with her stunning Birch (pic courtesy of Lauren)

This is so unbelievable. She's so good...she can even chat while knitting it!
I really have a deep dark desire to knit lace...it's the attention span I lack for lace knitting.

mmm. well there you have it...another awesome night out...

You know I can't help it...
Have a Look at Me and Mine...
(photo courtesy of Lauren who is going to get a present for this precious pic)

Well...no knits done yet...

Mean Green is on sleeve island...and I finished the heel on Retro Rib#2 and am doing the yucky part of the sock...the decreases.

Mailcall, then off to a Beach Weekend

FIRST...
My family's thoughts and prayers are with the Londoners affected by this horrific senseless act. I hope that all our London knitbloggers and their families and friends are safe.

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I've gotten a couple terrific things in the mail this week...and thought I'd share...

I've just SIMPLY gone GaGa over this mag. I even have the UK ebay seller email me when she gets the new one...JOY!

July's Free Gift: Crochet hook and instructions

H's Pattern peek...

Look what they include for every project that requires blocking...

Isn't that just what every pattern book needs?
Plus, they tell you everything you ever wanted to know about all the yarns used in the issue...
Are you listening ROWAN? Debbie Bliss? Hello?!!

Then I helped a fellow knitblogger de-stash

For this pattern...

I'm planning on making the strap shorter...because I am one ball short of a full length strap.
Rowan Handknit DK Cotton - Navy Blue

I would be willing to trade/buy/wheedle for a ball of this yarn. The dyelot shouldn't matter all that much for a strap. :) Anyone?

This weekend marks my 3rd anniversary...
Three years ago my Boyo and I decided to make a go of it...

Ocean City bound...The Dunes Manor...Best part is Victorian Tea at 3 on the Veranda...

Weekend Knitting Agenda...
--------------------------------
Mean Green will be left at home. So far, I've got a unblocked left front, a blocked right front, a blocked back and a partial right sleeve...Not too bad for a weeks worth of work.

This poor neglected soul will be joining me on the beach...

Retro Rib Sock Two...

An amusing sign when working in our Mission Operations Area...

Let me tell you...this sign tells an untruth.

heh.

See you next week...enjoy your weekend!

Sparks Flew...

A 2005 Fourth of July pictoral review...

A Christmas Sockie to be...Sale!!

The Bolero went out for Chinese...

Took a stroll by a koi pond...

One of these guys attempted to eat Pixie's finger...

Pixie with all digits intact...(boy, did she yelp!)

Hours were spent on this...
I've a completed back panel and 8" of a right front...shhh....can you guess?

and this...
An Eruption of Catastrophic Proportions by Mt. Saint Laundry Averted!

Look at this Cowgirl Sparkle!

A misguided firework...
"Um, honey? I see fire. Where's the bucket?"

Grande Finale!

Hope everyone had an awesome 4th!
My little family did!