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Sariel

March 23, 2010 By 3 Comments

It’s finally done. I don’t know why things take me so long sometimes. I started this and loved it, and then I had a funk so it sat for a bit. But I’m so glad I picked it back up again. I love the design, I love the drape. It’s just right.

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I got some pictures I’m happy with. I still think I need to either make more money or take a photography class. I never realized that being a self-publishing designer involved so many “other” things. I have to design the object, knit the object, write up a concise and easy-to-understand pattern that is (hopefully) error free, I have to photograph the design, market the design, sometimes print the patterns, and offer pattern support when necessary. It’s not really an easy job. But I’m loving it.

And just in case you are wondering, I have lots in the works! But back to this one. This one used 3 skeins of Malabrigo Silky Merino in the colorway Archangel. Sariel is the name of an Archangel by the way, according to the Book of Enoch at least. It is worked from the bottom up starting with the lacy edging, and flowing into columns of stockinette. It is fun and quick – one of my testers knit hers in less than a weekend.

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Needles: Size 8 needles (5.0 mm)

Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino, 150 yards to 50g, at least 3 skeins

Size: Sample blocked to 72″ wide and 34″ deep

Gauge: 20 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in unblocked stockinette

Notes: Worked from the bottom up. The sample shawl used all but 10 yards of the 3 skeins called for. It might be wise to have a 4th skein available to you just in case!

The Sariel Shawl on Ravelry - only $5.50 USD

Filed Under: design

Photography Phailure.

March 22, 2010 By 2 Comments

So one of two things need to happen. I either need to learn to take pictures. Or I need to become a rich and famous designer so that I can hire someone to take the pictures for me. Because I suck.

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This is the shot I like best. But it’s pixellated and grainy – I must have jacked up the settings somehow. And the color isn’t right. And it really isn’t the best representation of the lace. So the “best” picture is kind of worthless.

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I like the way the lace looks on the left of this picture. But why I took this shot, I have no idea. The backlighting makes it look like there is some weird swirl element going on. The only really decent pics I have of this shawl are of it blocking:

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You might notice that the shawl is a totally different color in each of these pictures. Partly that’s my fault. Partly that’s the setting and the lighting that I used. But a big part of it is that the Archangel colorway really has all sorts of colors melded together. And the silk content makes it catch the light in all sorts of crazy ways.

So yeah, I need a photographer.  The pattern is 99% done. It’s been edited and tested and re-edited. I have to do the crazy anal thing where I count every stitch in every row to make sure the counts are really right, but all it really needs is pictures. My kingdom for a picture!

And as soon as I get some good pictures, I will have the pattern up for sale. So watch this space. And hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.

Filed Under: design

Mojo Control

March 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I’m having a fake it ’til you make it kind of day. I’m pretending I’m good at housework. I did a whole lotta scrubbing in the bathroom and I cleared out my drawer and the cabinets – I don’t dare touch the man’s drawer. It’s amazing to me that at this point I am not completely bald. Seriously, the amount of hair (of mine) that I find in that bathroom on a regular basis is just ridiculous. So I swept, I scrubbed, I used Comet, and Fabulouso, and my hands are in serious need of a whole lotta lotion. I gotta remember to wear my gloves when I do stuff like that. I need me some frilly gloves like they have on “How Clean Is Your House?” Those would be way more fun to wear.

So the laundry is running, and the bathroom is clean, and the kitchen is reasonably tidy. In a few minutes I’m going to take my boys some lunch. Basically because I overslept, and I suggested that maybe I could bring them lunch and they got unreasonably excited about it. So I have an appointment at the Wendy’s Drive Thru in a bit.

I sent out a submission last night. And I inquired about an online magazine this morning. I’ve got quite a few sketches going and a list of places to submit to. After my lunch date, I’ve got a stack of books that I want to look through. Must get to work!

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Filed Under: design, family, life

Wordless Wednesday: The Cheater’s Version

March 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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Filed Under: family, friends, life

Spring, Sprang, Sprung

March 16, 2010 By 3 Comments

Well supposedly spring is just around the corner. And in Florida, it should already be sprung. But the mornings are still freezing, and the days aren’t quite what I’m used to. But the spring cleaning bug has bitten anyways. Yesterday I tackled the kitchen.

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I didn’t quite finish. For a very tiny house, we have a ton of cabinet and pantry space in the kitchen. I did all the cupboards. But I did not do the huge pantry in the back of the kitchen. That has become quite the catch-all. Mind you, I didn’t actually clean yesterday. I just decluttered and threw out stuff. I filled an entire recycle bin with plastics that don’t have lids! I figure I have to de-junk before I can do the actual deep cleaning.

To celebrate a chilly spring, I’m having a little contest. I’m giving away copies of my new Mother Necessity Slipper pattern. All you have to do is guess what these are, and send me an e-mail with your answer – my email address is my name: corrina at my domain name: picnicknits.com – and if you know why I have them you can earn an extra free pattern of your choosing. Please don’t answer in the comments. It will spoil all the fun.

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Pattern and design work is moving along, though never as quickly as I wish it would. I think I need minions. Or at least a staff of knitters. Oh and I *finally* got a picture of a taco ring before my family decimated it. The recipe for this yummy goodness is here.

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Happy not quite spring!

Filed Under: food, life

Mondays are about me!

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I need to blog more often. So today we will start with a meme. Nothing original, but I actually love reading these, so I will torture you with mine. Does it feel like you’re on facebook this morning? Sorry.

20 Questions

1. Explain what ended your last relationship?

Such a long story for so early in the morning. Next.

2. When was the last time you shaved?

Hmmm…. it’s winter. I plead the 5th!

3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.

8am ain’t coming for another 48 minutes.  But predicting the future, I’ll be home doing laundry.

4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?

Cleaning up sick. The little bubby got sick in the night. And mom of the year here did not hear him when he called.

5. Some things you are excited about?

I’m kind of unreasonably excited about the 3-day Breast Cancer Walk in October. I should be quaking in my walking shoes, but I’m seeing it as an opportunity to get in shape – 20 miles under my belt so far!

6. What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?

Orange. I love fake orange flavored stuff.

7. Your prom night, what do you remember about it?

Not a whole lot. I remember the dress with the iridescent sequins. I remember being at an after party with one boy while the boy I really wanted to go with was there with someone else.

8. Do you have any famous ancestors?

I don’t know. I really need to research it.

9. Last thing received in the mail?

Hmmm… nothing remarkable. I got a package from Tastefully Simple via UPS – right when I started my diet.

10. How many different beverages have you had today?

Just water so far. I was supposed to go walking, so I was waiting on the caffeine. But I have a sick-boy home so no walking this morning for me.

11. Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?

Not unless I have to. I hate leaving them and I hate listening to them.

12. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?

Nope. I watch the boys play in the water at the beach. Sometimes I go in, but I hate stepping on squishy things in the ocean.

13. Any plans for Friday night?

Nope. The man has to work late, and there are no basketball games, so we will just moosh around.

14. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?

Not at all. Can’t stand it. I have to wash my hair immediately when I get home.

15. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?

It’s been awhile. I think they are gross.

16. Do you re-use towels after you shower?

Yes I do. I have enough laundry to do without washing 4 towels every single day.

17. Describe your keychain(s)?

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It’s all Scooby, all the time.

18. Where do you keep your change?

I keep a fair bit in the change compartment of my wallet. And then there is a pepper dish in the kitchen that I put change in that the boys are allowed to take from. And finally I keep a small stash of change (with quarters) in the minivan. That way I can park downtown when we want to go to the library.

19. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?

It’s been a really long time. I teach knitting classes, but there are never more than 7 folks in my class. I don’t have a fear of it though. I’m pretty loud.

20. What kind of winter coat do you own?

I have a very heavy black coat with fleece lining. I think I’ve worn it once since I moved to Florida. I need to find something lighter, but I haven’t found the right one yet.

Filed Under: life

Monday Musings…

March 8, 2010 By 2 Comments

It was the busiest of times, it was the laziest of times. It was a time of great accomplishment, it was a time of great loafing. I got up at the crack of dawn on a non school day to take the boys to the dentist. (+1) I made a hot lunch for me and the little men. (+1) I washed the dog and all his bedding. (+2 – the dog is wiley!) I sat on the couch with my friends and watched a million episodes of various reality tv shows (-17).

I did make some progress on my new shawl pattern. Here’s a good representation of the color.

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And here is what the lace edging looks like so far. I’ve thrown in a lifeline and I’m trying the body pattern that I think will look good. I’ve got my fingers crossed.

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In the stores (if not in the outdoors) my favorite flowers are in bloom. I love any form of daffodil. Yellow, white, any mix in between. There’s a picture in my mind’s eye of the hills of the Cincinnati Nature Center covered in daffodils at Easter time. Makes me homesick. So I bought myself a little bit of sunshine that I’ll share with you.

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Filed Under: design, friends Tagged With:

Without the inventions of her progeny…

March 6, 2010 By 1 Comment

So I’ve made five slippers. Three individual slippers and two that are actually the same size *and* color. I made one lovely green one for myself. Then I made a second green slipper. But apparently I forgot how to measure. And that slipper came out a leetle too long. I’ll spare you the photographic evidence.

So I learned how to measure. But then I forgot how to count to two. As in for an adult pair of slippers you need 2 skeins. Anyone got a skein of Peace Fleece Worsted in Perestroika Pink lying around?

The final thing I struggled with was taking pictures of my own feet. So really not happening. And the timer and the tripod and  I are not friends yet. So I made up a quick pair of blue slippers for one of my bubbies and took pictures of his feet.

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Oh and I do mean quick. Like I did these in an afternoon. They are worked in double-stranded Cascade 220 on size 13 needles. It’s a perfect quick knit for a gift. And the part I love best is that these are unisex. My bubbies – who are 10 and 11 and have very strong anti-pink sentiments – even love them.

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So make a pair for yourself, your hubby, your daughters, your sons. Make a whole gaggle of them and be one of “those” people – you know the ones who won’t let people wear shoes inside? It’s ok. I won’t judge.

They come in three widths – narrow, wide, and medium. Narrow is suitable for most school-age kids and some teensy footed women. Medium is for most women and some mens. And wide is for my husband. No, really, wide is for well, wide feet. And the length is customizable.

Oh and did I mention they are seamless? I really wanted a better slipper. I wanted something unisex, easy, seam-free, and quick to knit. But they turn out real nice. And you don’t even have to kitchener. A three-needle bind-off on an inside out toe works just fine and dandy.

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Needles: Size 13 needles (9.0 mm)

Yarn: Cascade 220, 220 yards to 100g, 1-2 skeins

Size: In narrow, medium, and wide sizes and custom lengths

Gauge: 11 stitches and 16 rows = 4 inches in stockinette, 12 stitches and 19 rows in felted stockinette

Notes: Can be worked on two circulars, or dpns, or magic loop style. Most kid sizes will use one skein of yarn, and most adult sizes will take 2 skeins of yarn.

The Mother Necessity Slippers on Ravelry - only $5.00 USD

Filed Under: design

Odds and Evens

March 3, 2010 By 1 Comment

So I’m knitting a sweater. Which is perfect timing because our wintery days are seriously numbered here. (That was sarcasm by the way.) My ten year old feels the need to tell me every time he uses sarcasm. As if I couldn’t tell by the tone of his voice or the roll of his eyes. (He learned from the best – me!)

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The beginning of a sweater never looks like much. I knit this in public quite a bit the last few days and tons of people asked me what it was. “It’s a sweater”, I would reply. And they would look at me funny and say “Oh.” It’s ok. I know what it’s going to be when it grows up.

I knit this on a field trip to the Old Florida Museum with the fourth graders. Fourth graders – boys and girls alike – are always fascinated by knitting. I got in some good knitting while riding on the school bus. I would have napped, but Catholic school kids don’t get to ride school buses often, so they are *really* loud and over-excited.

I also knit on it Sunday night at the Jacksonville Rollergirls bout. It was super fun. I wasn’t sure if it would be my cup of tea. But it was awesome and full of girl power. Not really violent like I expected. Maybe it was a tame match? Any, Kimber got me a rollergirls button because she loves me! There’s another derby at the end of the month – and I’ll definitely be going again!

Oh and day two? It went well. I walked for about 55 minutes during the second basketball practice of the week. My eleven year old gave me nutrition advice. Turns out I should eat lots of apples and give up the diet pepsi. Like that’s gonna happen.

Filed Under: 3day, design

Trust once broken is not easily restored.

March 1, 2010 By 7 Comments

I realize that taste is subjective. Especially when it comes to food. Odd things I love would turn other people’s stomachs and vice versa. I for one will never understand the urge to slide raw oysters down one’s throat. *shudder* But certain things most people agree are gross. Like this.

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It doesn’t look that bad, does it? It starts off innocent enough. Half a banana, a cup of orange juice, some whey powder… but then it’s fiber time. Lots of fiber. Cardboard refrigerator boxes of fiber. Psyllium husks, wheat germ, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds… and I’m pretty sure the chia seeds are the same thing you use to grow “hair” on those clay faces – ch-ch-ch-chia! Then you add 600mg of fish oil. Ok, it sounds pretty bad now, yes? But I trust the good doctor. Trust with a capital T. Like even when I don’t believe anything anyone says about nutrition, I believe him.

So I blended it up. I added the 3 optional ice cubes – because cold is better for these sorts of things. And I took a sip. I shuddered. I vurped in my mouth a bit. But I was naive. I trusted the doctor. I thought maybe it just needed to be colder. So I stuck it in the freezer for 5 minutes. I tasted it again. I realized that there was no way I was ever gonna be able to stomach that concoction.  So instead I took more pictures of it.

It congealed. Like into gelatinous, gritty, slimy sludge. And yes, the spoon is being held up by the “smoothie”.

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Now wait, you may be saying. Maybe I let it set too long. But no…. the article with the recipe had a lovely lady who claimed she made a big batch of it at the beginning of the week and drank it all week long. She’s got to be kidding me. By the way, does my smoothie look anything like the “tasty concoction” in the magazine? I don’t think so.

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Wait, you gotta see the action shot. Yeah. How’s that for an appetite suppressant? Maybe that’s how it helps you lose weight. Dr. Oz, I will never trust you again. Tasty my ass. Ooh, wait, maybe that’s what it tastes like.

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So today is Day One. With capital letters even. I started my training for the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk with a solid hour of walking. Ok, so I had a cupcake for lunch instead of the sludgy shake of doom. But I walked for an hour!

And just for the record I completely disposed of the shake. Because I’m pretty sure it would take form and come and eat me in my sleep if I left it in the cup overnight.

Filed Under: 3day, food, life