Today I unveil the first project I’ve ever knit twice:

This is my very own claptois.

The last time I knit one was for the chair of my thesis committee. This time it is all about me.

I knit it in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Twisted in Lagoon. The pattern was modified in the same manner that KKay modified hers. It enables you to use only one skein of the twisted, plus makes it more like a scarf than a shawl (which is how I would wear it anyway). The only problem was that I tried to do 12 repeats in the straight section instead of 11 and ran out of yarn. Thanks to Ravelry, however, I was able to get some remnants and finish it off.

You can see on details on my Ravelry project page. I thoroughly enjoyed making this, once again. And, you know what? The clap isn’t nearly as itchy as everyone says it is…

- M

With a mere one-year and eleven days until the wedding, I managed to get my dress ready. Phew, that was cutting it close:

It was only $100 and it fits, even without one of those suffocating fat-sucker things.

I currently have a tattooing appointment for Friday, July 3rd, (directly after Sarah meets my parents¹) to fix that dove. It’s nice. It’s well done. But it isn’t me. And soon it will be.

Then I’ll mostly likely have a banner coming from my flying turtle with a raven holding the other end. And I might even have my half-sleeve knitting Buddha completed (which goes on the side with the dove).

And yes, in case you are worried, tattoos are a part of the wedding budget.

- M

¹Yep, that’s right. My parents are meeting Sarah. And they initiated it all. Hell seems to have, if not frozen over, gotten a least a little more chilly.

The shrug I crocheted for my friend’s wedding was a success:

She wore it the whole time and actually liked it, I think. And I got to wear a tux:

The photos don’t show me crying like a baby throughout the whole ceremony. I adore Matt and Katie and was so amazingly happy for them. It made me want my own wedding now. Well…if everything was ready, that is.

Weren’t Sarah and I adorable?

Katie’s photographer took some pictures of us together too, which I thought was sweet of her. I’m exhausted from doing “Jump On It” all night:

There is photo proof of us doing it, but I’ll spare you that.

–

In other knitting news, I finished a jumper for my friend’s baby:

Details are on my Ravelry page. She sent me the pattern because although she knits, she is also a mom, and has no time for knitting.

The picot edging:

This weekend was fantastic – knitting done and two incredible people are married. CONGRATS! Love you both.

- M

When I originally began crocheting, I could just say I only started to make funny little toys. This kept me solidly on the side of a knitter, who merely dabbles in crocheting.

But now:

That would be one finished Shells and Flowers Shrug. Which, given the level of detail and size, puts me entirely into the world of crocheting:

This is for my friend’s wedding and not only did it fit, the wedding is still 2 weeks away. I didn’t even cut it close. And look how nice it looks on her:

She’ll be wearing it with her dress, which will make me kind of famous. I’ll be wearing a tux, so I can’t wait for people to find out I’m the one who made it.

Details

Pattern: Shells and Flowers Shrug
Size: Large
Hook: 2.25 mm (B)
Yarn: Knit Picks’ Palette in “Mist,” 3.5 balls
Mods: None to speak of
Ravelry page: You do!

- M

I’m not a lucky person. At least, when it comes to pure luck. I don’t usually pick the right numbers or bet on the right horse or bluff at the right time. Gambling is something I hate, due to my lack of luck. I’m okay with it, though, because other things work out well for me.

However, that doesn’t stop me from entering contests where yarn is involved. So I entered a recent contest at MochiMochi Land. After correctly answering a quiz, I had to sit back and wait for my luck to fail me.

And…it didn’t! I won! Holy crap. I won some knitting books and one of them is knitted flowers. What am I doing for my wedding? Knitting flowers! Perfection. And some yarn. AND some free patterns! Check out Anna’s designs. Aren’t they fantastic?

Go there. Support her fantastic knitted toys. And help me decide which two patterns to buy.

On the completed object front, not much to report. However, the crocheted wedding shrug should be done in time for the bride to model it for me this weekend and wear it at the wedding. Then I can get back to knitting. If I don’t cast-on for a sock soon, I might kill someone.

- M

On Friday, April 10th, Sarah proposed.

We had watched Dollhouse and were discussing our plans for a “Zombie Jesus Day” zombie movie marathon. She told me she wanted to propose, although her ring is still being sized. I couldn’t hide how excited I was at the thought and she got up, got the ring from a drawer, went down on one knee, and asked. We cried. I may or may not have squealed and jumped up and down a lot.

We haven’t set a date yet, as we’re waiting to find a venue, but it will be sometime in May/June 2010 in Iowa, her home state. This means it will be legal.

I’m thrilled beyond belief. I’m nearly speechless, which is unusual for me. And I can’t stop staring at my ring. It feels like it has always been there. As much as this is exciting and new, it also feels like it makes total sense.

- M

…about the Oxford quotation marks.

No one understands proper Oxford quotation marks. Mostly, the first set is “flipped” in most people’s eyes. So, I wanted to help them out. While at the East Central Writing Center Association Conference (being an adult and taking employees and being elected to things) I went ahead and took the final step to educate the public:

Yeah. That’s write right. I’ve been cited.

No significant knitting/crocheting to report. I’m furiously crocheting away on a shrug (Shells and Flowers Shrug) for my friend’s wedding. She’s getting married in May, so I should probably just stay focused on that.

Just so this post isn’t all about me (in my blog? never!), a picture of Holden:

He’s great. Doggie daycare and obedience classes keep us busy and I’m so thankful to have his cuteness in my life. And I tell myself that over and over when he wakes me up at 7:00 am on a Saturday to go outside. He should grow some thumbs.

- M

So I’m teaching again – taking over another class for an instructor that had to leave. The distinct perks of teaching again? Some extra cash. The majority of that needs to go toward debt, because I’m responsible. However, after having gotten up in the middle of the night last week to check on Maddi, I quickly realized that living alone sans pet is not the life for me.

With some extra funds in hand, we began to “just look” online. This is our result of “just looking”:

His name is Holden. Maddi would have loved him. They are both total goof balls.

He’s 6 months old, crate trained, house broken, cat friendly. We don’t know what mix he has in him, but at least some retriever.

We got him from Kalamazoo Animal Rescue, which was an amazing experience. The pets are fostered and the organization is efficient and well organized.

Right now he is at 42 lbs and the vet says mostly done growing. He sleeps through the night and after his first full day at home, he didn’t eat anything, poop inside, or bark. I left my voice recorder on and between that and my neighbors, no one heard a peep.

Holden is a total lover who is already spoiled to death. Who gets to go to doggie daycare? Holden does. Also, he watches TV. Kid you not. I bought him this Dog Sitter DVD and he loves it so much that I think I’m going to turn it off and tell him to go play outside or something.

- M

Time for the post-V-day update. I made her a lot of things and I didn’t want to spoil them. So here we go!

First off, the entire reason I learned to crochet. Yep, I am driven to fiber arts through love. *grin* It is Braaaains:

That is a brain slug from the show Futurama. Watch the show. Hilarious on several levels. You can get the pattern from Hooks & Needles for free. I think it is a great way to learn to crochet, too, because for the little slimy bit at the bottom, you do every crochet shit option.

Next, Night of the Living Crochet:

She is a huge zombie fanatic. The pattern for it and 3 other creatures of the night can be bought from Needle Noodles. Or get her whole book called Creepy Cute Crochet. And check out that etsy store – there is amazing stuff in there!

Finally, To You, I Give My Heart:

That is Knitty’s Heart pattern and I can’t say enough great things about it. I mean, come on! It is a knitted, anatomically correct heart!!

I either gave her might heart, or I might have ripped it from some unfortunate soul:

I usually hate Valentine’s Day, but crafting made me love it. Love and fiber, all wrapped up in one. My life rocks.

- M

Make your own.

- M