jennifer's (old) blog...now i'm at www.jenniferhoel.wordpress.com

www.jenniferhoel.wordpress.com

2007-08-15T08:30:00.000-04:00

moving to wordpress...

2007-08-14T14:19:00.000-04:00

come visit me at my new addy - http://jenniferhoel.wordpress.com

chanson en crochet

2007-08-14T07:56:00.000-04:00

Voila! C'est fini. This was a super speedy way to get back in the groove. The pattern is Chanson en Crochet from IK (excerpted from "Wrap Style") and the yarn was Cascade Eco+ (leftover from this) on a J hook.

I started on August 6th, finished crochet by the 9th, and had it washed and blocked and buttoned by the 11th. Can't beat that with a stick.

The finished project is really cute and barely elbow length on an adult, well me anyway. I think it will work nicely for a little girl. Maybe even as a "skirt" over some leggings...

back in the saddle again

2007-08-07T09:16:00.000-04:00

ahhh. my absolute disinterest in all things yarn has finally abated. since the warm weather struck in may, i've had no desire to knit, crochet, sew, whatever. suddenly, however, i'm mad for it. ordered a bit of yarn from knitpicks. should be in this week.

in the meantime, here's chanson en crochet, from interweave. so far it's a zippy little crochet. I'm already on the 9th row of 22, using cascade eco and a size j hook.

think this will be a giftee for cealinn...

heavens to betsy!

2007-08-03T14:40:00.000-04:00

vogue knitting has 10 cover patterns available for free download!

have a tasty champagne thursday!

2007-07-19T07:51:00.000-04:00

Ok. So this is a teensy bit fussy. Well, maybe more than a "teensy bit". All right. Fine. It's silly with fussines, but totally worth it.

Do try the Crab Towers with Avocado and Gazpacho Salsas from Cook's Illustrated: Restaurant Favorites at Home. It took about an hour to prepare (chop, chop, chop) and the leftovers were still quite yummy the next day. We enjoyed the delightful towers with orange slices (as recommended), tomato rubbed toast points, and Siverwing NV Brut, a lovely Australian sparkling wine.

A fortuitous mistake lead to my only deviation from the recipe. I mistakenly added the mayo to the whole batch of vinaigrette which had included all of the lemon zest on hand. Oops. As I had 16 oz of lump crab (go Costco!), the extra dressing came in handy. Anyway, I still needed vinaigrette for the frisee, so I mixed up another batch and substituted orange zest for the lemon. Yum!

100!

2007-07-18T10:54:00.000-04:00

hey! this is my 100th post... here's my 100th photoblog photo.

cheers!

the solution...

2007-07-13T07:45:00.000-04:00

nikon's solution to this riddle...buy our new software. Swell.

riddle me this.

2007-07-12T10:37:00.000-04:00

i just realized that the exif data was no longer appearing on my photoblog. briefly, exif data is information about the camera settings (iso, aperature, shutter speed, ect.) that is embedded in the image file. scrolling back through my images, it became apparent the the exif stopped when i started shooting raw instead of jpeg. fyi, jpeg is a standard image compression format, which reduces the file size of the uncompressed, or raw, files.

hmph.

first thing: my nikon view won't open the d80's nefs (nikon's proprietary raw file).

after a few experiments, it appears that opening the nef in photoshop removes the exif data from the image. k. so, if i transfer the raw files through picture project (the very basic nikon software that came with the camera), the exif data is intact, but photoshop sees the file as being "edited in other software" and doesn't show the handy dandy raw adjustments dialog box .

wtf? is that supposed to happen?

anyway, i have a question in to nikon support. if anyone knows how to get around this, your help will be greatly appreciated.

women's work is never done.

2007-07-09T09:58:00.000-04:00

Wait a minute! Yes it is. Check out this cool Next Generation clubhouse/swingset that my sister and I built last week. (Kelly is peeking out from behind the swings) We built the model 5007 tower and swing arm and added the 10' slide. The kits included pre-drilled treated cedar components that weighed a ton. There was some pilot drilling needed, but most was pre-measured and ready to go. It took us less than 3 days to get this thing up and running. Using a drill to drive in the screws is mandatory. It seems very sturdy and should last quite a long time.

We didn't do it all ourselves. We had some great help! Aydan was a champ. He helped drive the fencing screws and measured the wood (to be sure we were using the correct pieces). Cealinn and Colm were terrific assistants too. Cealinn stacked similar pieces of wood in handy piles and Colm handed us screws and bolts.

A nice way to spend my summer vacation. Good times were had by all...

roar

2007-07-05T08:09:00.001-04:00

I whipped this little guy up on the plane to visit the family. It's grrr from summer 2007 knitty. The yarn is crayon in orange from knitpicks.com.

A quick fun knit that makes bath time a whole lot more fun.

amy stevens

2007-07-03T09:20:00.000-04:00

While whiling away the time at the Philadelphia airport, I came across the Amy Stevens: Confections exhibt. How fun is that?

mmm, mmm good

2007-06-19T07:50:00.000-04:00

so, the marinated shrimp with champagne beurre blanc from champagne thursday was devine! we had smaller shrimp (31-40/lb) on hand, so i cooked them in a grill pan instead of under the broiler. and since it was a main course, i served the shrimp over baby greens and asparagus that had been steamed in the left over marinade.

next time i'll only use 3/4 c of butter in the beurre blanc, as the full amount was a bit much.

ps. the o cuvee vinegar is fantastic. i tossed the greens in just a touch of evoo and some o along with s&p. yum!

who needs this?

2007-06-15T08:44:00.000-04:00

i do! i do!

make magazine's blog show's how to make an aquarivision. truly, i need this.

champagne thursday

2007-06-14T12:44:00.000-04:00

happy champagne thursday! doesn't this recipe for marinated shrimp with champagne beurre blanc sound delish? as i am the boss of dinner tonight, this will be the main course. perhaps accompanied by some grilled asparagus and an extra bottle of saint-germain...

stay tuned for the review.

happy anniversary to us...

2007-05-22T11:09:00.000-04:00

Photo by Karyn Iserman. She rocks!

Take me back

2007-05-09T09:14:00.000-04:00

Congratulations, Shawn and Ashley! Thanks for allowing us to share in your special day.

white house

2007-04-30T09:09:00.000-04:00

So, I'm learning to be more aggressive in post processing my digital images. This one needed some help. Thanks for the constructive critisism, Dave.

Leafletter.com

2007-04-24T08:25:00.000-04:00

Heather Bailey found this cool thing at leafletter.com

Welcome to blogland, Paige!

2007-04-10T08:13:00.000-04:00

My niece Paige has a great new blog! Stop by Paigey's Place and say hi.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program...

2007-04-09T09:15:00.000-04:00

Yes, I've been completely obsessed with my new camera. It's been all lusty infatuation and 2 gig SD cards. Oh, and that zippy little 50mm f/1.8 lens. Toes curl just thinking about it.

What was I saying?

Right. So, I've been sidetracked, but still knitting. Just a bit. I'm slooooooowly working my way through the VK Aran Stocking. It's a little fussy using 2 Addi circs (US3), because the alpaca is a bit splitty. I finally got the hang of cabling without a cable needle, though it took about 20 rounds.

Onward and upward.

Lie to me...

2007-03-30T15:07:00.001-04:00

New Photoblog

2007-03-29T13:38:00.001-04:00

It's been getting a little cluttered here, so I started a photoblog at librajennifer.aminus3.com. Check it out.

Spring

2007-03-28T11:15:00.000-04:00

Dogwood and Sky

Nikon D80, 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 D, 50mm, 1/500 sec - f/4.2, ISO 100

It Aint Easy Being Green

2007-03-27T15:37:00.000-04:00

Yellow Iris

Nikon D80, 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 D, 62mm (macro), 1/250 sec - f/13, ISO 100

VK Holiday 2006 Aran Stocking Corrections

2007-03-27T08:07:00.000-04:00

I just started knitting the Aran Christmas Stocking from VK Holiday 2006 and noticed a mixup with the charts. Here are the corrections they sent (quite promptly, I might add).

Vogue Knitting Holiday '06 #1 Stocking, photo on page 65, instrux begin on page 104
Chart 1, rnd 10 - sts 9 and 10 should be purl sts.
Chart 1 and Chart 2 were transposed in rnd 5 of instrux. For those of you knitting this stocking for the holidays, we apologisefor the delay. The following is a two-part correction. Please follow #1 if you have not yet begun to knit. Please follow #2 if you have knit up to rnd 79 with the incorrect chartplacement and are ready to work the heel flap. The correction willreposition the cables to match the photo.
#1.STOCKING
LegRnd 5 *Work rnd 1 of Chart 2, sl marker, work rnd 1 of Left TwistCable, sl marker, work 5 sts seed st, sl marker, work rnd 1 of RightTwist Cable, sl marker, work rnd 1 of Chart 1, sl marker, work rnd 1 ofLeft Twist Cable, work 5 sts in seed st, sl marker, work rnd 1 of RightTwist Cable, sl marker; rep from * once. Continue in pattern as written from this point.
#2.STOCKING
LegRdn 79 (set up for heel) Work in pats as established across first 102sts.
Heel flap: Slipping markers as you come to them, work in pats as established on rem22 sts, plus first 40 sts - 62 sts, rearranging sts on 2 needles. Turn and work across 62 sts in pats as established, turn. Continue in pattern as written from this point.

Fortunately, I noticed it only 60sts into round 5 and didn't need to tink much. Hope this helps anyone else out there knitting it!

Green

2007-03-26T07:26:00.000-04:00

Echinacea Before

Nikon D80, 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 D, 105mm Macro at 1/200 sec - f4.5, ISO 100

The bane of my existence...

2007-03-23T11:26:00.000-04:00

Or, Vogue Knitting International Fall 2006 #8 Arch-Shaped Stockings.

For starters, the words "replace entire pattern" in the erratta do not inspire confidence. But, you'd think that the pattern would be correct the second time around. You'd be wrong, of course. I knit both heels twice (user error) and the sole of the feet at least three times (crappy instructions). Grrr.

The yarn is Knit Picks Gloss in Cocoa (two 50g balls) and Bare Merino/Silk (one 100g ball) on US3s.

I worked these two at once on two circs to the end of the heel. The pattern is odd (based on my limited sock experience) and has an uneven distribution of instep and heel stitches (less on the heel side) and once you begin the foot decreases you k2tog or ssk the edge st on the instep with the edge st on the heel. Anyway, the point is that it was waaaay easier to finish the foot of the socks one at a time.

As for the sole of these babies. The pattern wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. After trial and much error, the striping worked out, but boy was it frustrating. I'm not sure I can explain this properly, but here goes. The shaping works out from the center of the sole (which was white on my socks). As you begin the shaping you k2tog (using stripe color that will maintain the pattern on the outer part of the sole, in my case brown - every arch dec. will use this color), k3 (following the established color sequence), m1 (again maintaing the pattern from the outside, so, for me the first round was white - these sts will alternate colors each shaping round), kB (at your center st), m1 (white), k3 (in pattern), ssk (brown). Work the next round even. On your next shaping round you k2tog (brown), k4, m1 (brown), kB (center), m1 (brown), k4, ssk (brown). Get it?

The funniest (read: I think I may cry) part of this story is that I knit these socks to wear with a specific pair of shoes that were just slightly loose. Great shoes. Do you have my shoes? Yeah, neither do I. How exactly does one lose a pair of chocolate suede 3" wedges? How, I ask you? Seriously.

Well the socks are complete and cute, I suppose. The required gauge seems a little coarse to me and my tension could have been better. But they are destined to sit in a drawer, because I have no shoes that fit over them.

Cheers.

PS. Thanks, hubby, for helping with the photos.

PhotoSharks - Plants

2007-03-22T16:00:00.000-04:00

Nikon D80, 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5d AF Nikkor, ISO 100

High Key

2007-03-21T13:19:00.000-04:00

Having a new camera and a pair of white cats has led me to the inevitable, high key photos. Tell me what you think... Constructive critisism will be greatly appreciated.

Pan in the window.

Thor on the floor. Does this really count as high key or is there too much shadow?

Thor in the window.

Thor in the window (again). Does the soft focus add or detract?

Lip Smackin' Good!

2007-03-19T15:56:00.000-04:00

Who loves her new Nikon D80? I do! I do!

This is actual size...

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Laurie!

2007-03-16T08:39:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Pedicure Socks
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash in Dublin and Aloe

No peeking, Kelly

2007-03-13T13:28:00.000-04:00

I posted about the Handknit Holidays Aran Stocking at Handknit Holidays-along. Everyone who is not my family or, more specifically, my sister may preview Colm's Christmas stocking.

Chunky Cable Purse

2007-03-12T09:36:00.000-04:00

Here's the Knit Picks Chunky Cable Purse using the recommended 2 balls of Sierra yarn, in an, apparently, discontinued color.
This pattern is a great intro to cables. It knits up pretty quickly at 2.5 sts to the inch. And the finishing is a snap if you use a premade canvas tote as the pattern suggests.

I added an extra cable repeat (working rows 1-8 three times, instead of two, then rows 1-3 once more for a total of 27 rows), which used up almost all of the yarn and made the purse the same height as the canvas tote lining.

This made the handle attachment much simpler. I just cut the tote handle in half and threaded each of the resulting four webbing strips through the handle openings, then sewed them in place.

Make sure the tote is turned inside out and the handles are sewn on the outside. Trim off the excess webbing and slip the tote, which is now sporting your purse handles of choice, inside your knitting.

I used a machine to stitch the knitting to the canvas (do ignore the terrible thread tension), making sure the knitting covered the canvas compeletely.

Voila!

March Madness Anyone?

2007-03-01T08:50:00.000-05:00

So, this college basketball thing starts soon. As I am not a b-ball fan and hubby is, I will need some sort of diversion to make it through the month. Selection Sunday is March 11 and the championship game is April 2. Three weeks...what to do? What to do?

Anybody interested in a knit-along of some sort? Sign up over here.

What does hubby wear under his kilt?

2007-02-23T10:25:00.000-05:00

Schottische Kilt Hose, of course.

These babies took forever to knit. The pattern is from Nancy Bush's "Folk Socks" and the yarn is Knit Picks Bare, 100% merino fingering weight yarn. Due to hubby's size 13 feet and tree-like legs I added an extra pattern repeat (both in the cuff and calf) and a few extra inches in leg and foot length. I knit them 2 socks on 2 circs using Addi US2 needles, which are actually 3.0mm (equivalent to US2.5s) so the gauge was a tiny bit looser than called for too.

The merino really softened up nicely after a good bath. I was very pleasantly surprised and hubby claims they are very comfortable.

The hose used just about 2 full hanks of yarn, plus a bit of a third for heel and toe reinforcement (I just doubled up the yarn for both the heels and toes).

Check out the calf decrease pattern on the back. I love that! Also, the picot edge at the cuff is a great detail.

If you dig sock knitting, buy Ms. Bush's book. It rocks!

Cat Thing

2007-02-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what to call this thing. It's like one of those shoe storage racks that hangs over the closet door. But bigger. Way bigger. It's called "Cat Nap and Play" and was on sale for $45 at Walmart. The boys love it.

We don't have any inconspicuous corners for cat towers, so this is a great solution. It hangs over the door and comes with a handy-dandy canvas storage tote, so we can take it down or move it if we have guests who may find a giant kitty climber odd.

There were no weight limits given and the thing feels pretty sturdy. Hopefully Pan and Thor's combined weight of 32ish pounds won't rip the door from the hinges.

Bottom line, if you have cats and lack floor space for towers, this is a great climber.

Welcome, Sullivan Anna!

2007-02-22T13:00:00.000-05:00

This is a little giftee to welcome Sullivan Anna to the world. The hat and booties are knit with Knit Picks Main Line. I used two balls of Ivory and trace amounts of Antique Rose and Dusty Lavender.

The booties were inspired by the Beaded Fair Isle Shoes in Debbie Bliss' "The Baby Knits Book". Basically, I translated the pattern for use with worsted weight yarn and added purl contrast rows , omitting the Fair Isle details. Also, modified the ankle strap construction to minimize finishing. They bear only a passing resemblance to Debbie's shoes. Like Dicky Dunn, "I was just trying to capture the spirit of the thing."

The beanie pattern is from "Nature Babies" (with an added I cord topper). Straight forward, quick knit.

My verdict: knitting for babies is fun!

LMKG Child's Cotton Hat

2007-02-09T15:16:00.000-05:00

This is the Child's Cotton Hat from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. It's knit with stash KP Main Line yarn in ivory with an antique rose tie. The hat wasn't blocked before this photo, hence the pointy crown. It's a quick, cute knit. Most importantly, Cealinn made the I-cord using her Wonder Knitter. Get 'em while they're young, right?

Anemoi Mittens

2007-02-08T07:50:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday, Ninny!

I looooved knitting Eunny Jang's Anemoi Mittens, just such a fun pattern. I followed Amelia's tubular cast on instructions, which were ab fab, and used Knit Picks Gloss yarn in pumpkin and sarengetti. The gloss yarn was dreamy and I used less than one ball of each color for the large mittens.

For some reason (user error) the cuffs seemed crazy tight when knit on US0 needles, so I did the whole thing on US2s and flip-flopped the MC and CC on the cuff.

The purl side "seams" are very cool. Heck, the whole mitten is pretty cool. Wonderful pattern, lovely yarn, and passed the kitten taste test. Two thumbs up!

PS. Anemoi are the wind gods in Greek mythology. Check out Wikipedia.

Count to 10...

2007-02-07T15:17:00.000-05:00

How's your day? Mine started with one cat projectile vomitting on the other. Bathing an 18 pound cat before work is a whole new kind of fun.

See that fluffy expanse of white belly? Right, the bottom cat. That's Thor. Don't ask how I know that - I just do. Just as I know there's a scar there from his first obstruction removal surgery.

Picked up on the word "first", huh? Yeah. As of today, he has a matching pair. And my Nikon D80 fund is missing many pennies.

Sigh.

Happy Halloween!

2007-02-06T15:18:00.000-05:00

My sister finally (FINALLY) emailed me a picture of Cealinn in her Cinderella costume.

Looks thrilled, doesn't she? Like maybe the glass slipper fits one of her stepsisters. Or maybe Prince Charming is grating on her last nerve. Ah well. She's still gorgeous.

Apparently our pumpkin was having a bit more fun in his "coat". Colm is wearing Cealinn's costume from 2003. How adorable is he? The pattern was Butterick 9318. It's actually reversible. The inside is a ladybug, pretty fun. My review of it is on patternreview.com.

Thanks for the photos Kelly!

How many days until Christmas?

2007-01-23T14:06:00.000-05:00

I'm homesick.

Santa Hat

2007-01-16T12:14:00.000-05:00

I couldn't decide who looked cuter in the Handknit Holidays Santa hat, so here are both pics. You decide. But be quick about it - before hubby notices and makes me remove his picture.

I modified the hat because my cream alpaca was stash yarn and significantly thinner than the bulky called for in the pattern.

I did a provisional cast on and knit the red part of the hat as directed using Knit Picks Decadence in Winter Berry. LOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVE that yarn. After trying the bobble brim as directed using first a single strand, then two strands together, and finally three strands together and still not liking the finished look, I tried a different approach.

This time I picked up the stitches and knit a ribbed band in red, then I followed Nicole's advice from the Handknit Holidays-along blog for the elongated bobbles (making sure the right side was facing out after folding the bobble band over the ribbing). Finally I crocheted a chain around the join of the red and white to hide the red that was peeking through.

Not perfect but still pretty fun.

Thanks, Martha!

2007-01-16T08:01:00.000-05:00

While perusing Martha Stewart Living in December, I came across this great idea.

So, loosely following the instructions in the mag, we used graham crackers to build "gingerbread" houses. It was a sticky, gloppy, finger licking mess. In other words, big fun.

Notice how much our houses looked like Martha's. Hmmmm...

And just when you thought you couldn't eek any more fun out of a graham cracker...mass destruction of our little village ensued. Several days after construction the kids chowed down on what could only be described as the stalest snack in the history of ever.

Good times.

Flappin' Mittens

2007-01-15T09:53:00.000-05:00

I know 10 year old boys don't really get excited about hand knit mittens as a Christmas gift. But bless the kid for pretending. I absolutely choose to believe Aydan really meant it when he said "Aunt Jen gives the best gifts." Talk about the best godson ever!

Dollhouse for a doll

2007-01-11T15:23:00.000-05:00

Hubby built this for Cealinn. How cute is she? He built it from the Buttercup Dollhouse kit. It really looks adorable. There still a bit of trim work to be done, but our girl didn't seem to mind playing with the work in progress.

Cealinn built a table, painted the furnishings, and added flower arrangements. Love the acorn top bowls!

Ugh. I miss her already...

Tada!

2007-01-11T15:19:00.000-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to present a completed Aran Tree Skirt. Now, now, do contain yourselves. Really. The standing ovation is just too much. Well. Ok. Keep clapping if you must.

Seriously, I finished it in the wee hours of Christmas morning. Please do disregard the totally unmatched dye lots. I didn't notice it as I was knitting. Though it's quite evident in the photos. Here it is in its rightful place under the tree (the unmatched color is in the back, whew).

It's very pretty and I do recommend it if you've got the patience and arm strength. It got pretty weighty at the end and seriously strained my wrists and forearms, thereby limiting how much time I could spend on it in one sitting. All told it used 12 skeins of LB Wool-Ease Thick & Quick on US 11 needles.

If I make another (hubby has repeatedly mentioned how much he'd like one for us), I think I'll use Knit Picks Sierra (two strands together on US13s gets the required gauge). It's a bit more expensive than the Wool-Ease, but really lovely to work with. And for the amount of time spent on this project, using yarn you enjoy is well worth the extra expense.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-21T11:48:00.000-05:00

FO in action...

2006-12-21T09:35:00.000-05:00

How cute is this? Everyone, this is Grant modelling the DB Argyle Cardi. Obviously when Debbie wrote 6-9 months she really meant 3 months, as this fits him now. Best of all, I get to meet this little guy on Christmas! Thanks for the photo Betty.

Country Quilt Stocking

2006-12-21T08:48:00.000-05:00

Remember. It's a "primative" style country quilt stocking. The snowman and candy cane are from "301 Country Christmas Quilt Blocks" by Mary Jo Hiney. The book is fabulous and has a ridiculous number of fantastic Christmas patterns (santas, angels, stars, Christmas trees, cats with halos, you name it). The stocking pattern is Butterick 5783. There's a review at patternreview.com.

So, emphasis on primative, I machine pieced a main motif surrounded by scraps of solid fabric and hand quilted (obviously) around the central image and used small bells to tie quilt at the scrap joins. The fabric is cotton as is the batting. The finished stocking is cuter than I expected.
It's for my niece. I hope she likes it!

Flap Top Mittens

2006-12-20T08:12:00.000-05:00

These are some knitted gifts from last Christmas. All done in LB Wool-Ease.

This year it's flap-top mittens to match. The pattern is from Handknit Holidays and the yarn is left-over LB Wool-Ease. The mittens were a quick and easy knit and used far less than a skein of yarn per pair.

Z is for Zinnia

2006-12-19T11:46:00.000-05:00

Taken with my Nikon N8008s.

Voila! The ABC-along is done. Good times.

Y is for Yellow

2006-12-19T11:45:00.000-05:00

Taken with my Nikon CP5400.

X is for Xmas

2006-12-19T11:32:00.000-05:00

Surely, you'll let me slide on this. This was Christmas at my sister's last year. Though Santa's gifts are appreciated, the jury is still out on Santa in person.

Taken on my Nikon CP5400.

Can't wait to do it again this year!

W is for Water Droplets

2006-12-19T11:22:00.000-05:00

I know. It's a stretch. But I'm running out of time with this ABC-along thing, so bear with me.

Taken with my Nikon N8008s (28-105mm lens)on slide film.

V is for Vinca

2006-12-19T11:16:00.000-05:00

Taken with my Nikon N8008s (28-105 macro lens) on slide film.

U is for Us

2006-12-19T10:47:00.000-05:00

Obviously I didn't take this. Karyn Iserman, the most wonderful wedding photographer ever did. This is one of my favorite images from our May 2005 wedding.

Seriously, check out her stuff.

What a difference a week makes.

2006-12-06T10:07:00.000-05:00

Remember how excited I was that the cats were using their kitty kube? Score 1 for the momma cat and all that... Yeah, well. That's our Thor (the green cat). I suspect he did most of the damage. No proof, but it fits his M.O. Here's Pan (the blue cat) in the kube prior to the hell-cat(s) attack.

It appears that the bulk of the damage occurred while the cube was in its squished position. Exhibit A: Good thing they're cute...

Kitty Kube

2006-11-29T08:44:00.000-05:00

Cute, eh? I spent about 4 hours making this pet bed. The pattern is McCall's 5149. There's a complete review of the project on Pattern Review.

Surprisingly, the boys actually use the thing. Woo-hoo! Score 1 for the momma cat.

PS. Please ignore the disgustingly filthy carpet. Ew.

I don't usually go for these things...

2006-11-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

But, too funny (and accurate).

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Philadelphia Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard.
The Midland
The South
The Inland North
The Northeast
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

BLTN... or A Day in the Life of a Lazy Knitter

2006-11-17T15:54:00.000-05:00

Though this Argyle Cardi should have been completed in a week, two at the longest, here I am wrapping it up a mere four (that is one, two, three, FOUR) weeks later. Ah, well. Luckily its the 6-9 month size, so the little guy probably hasn't outgrown it yet.

It's a slightly modified Debbie Bliss pattern in LB Microspun with the cutest painted wooden buttons from Hancock Fabrics. Hope they like it.

Desk Set

2006-11-17T14:02:00.000-05:00

I wound up with some LB cashmere blend stuff - two balls in pink. Totally unimpressed by the yarn, especially at $9 each. Regardless, here's the little warmers I keep stashed in my desk for the chilly days in the office. I loosely followed the Bow Knot scarf pattern and the wristlets are just garter stitch lengthwise. I started the wristlets with a provisional cast on, knit for a while then made a thumb hole by casting off a few and casting them back on the next row, then continued to knit until it fit around my hand snugly and grafted the end to the CO.

It feels good to be loved.

2006-11-15T15:40:00.000-05:00

However, it makes the knitting more complicated. I've finally picked up the Handknit Holidays Aran Tree Skirt again. Though its life began in January (JANUARY!), it hasn't seen the light of day since March. Now the mad rush to finish is in full swing. Instead of 1 wedge per month, I must finish 1 per week. All you fabulously conscientious knitters may scoff at such lowly goals, but I'm lazy. Note the snuggly kittens and reclining pose as proof. Right, I'm almost throught the seventh of 11.

It really is a terrific pattern. Perhaps I'll start one for myself this January...

Argyle Cardi

2006-10-19T10:48:00.000-04:00

This little gem is for a friend's brand new baby boy. Hope she doesn't mind its late arrive (the sweater, not the baby - he was spot on time). The pattern is Debbi Bliss (6-9 mo. size) and the yarn is Lion Brand Microspun, which I love - machine washable and really soft. I'm working the sleeves magic loop, 2 at a time and may add a couple stripes to each, just for fun.
It's a quick knit that I should have finished by now. Oh the horror of being a procrastinator...

T is for Tulips

2006-10-19T09:49:00.000-04:00

This was the bouquet I used for my bridal portraits...memories, like the blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...Something, something memories

Anyhoo. Taken with my Nikon CP5400.

S is for Striped Rose

2006-10-19T09:47:00.000-04:00

Taken with my Nikon CP5400.

R is for Rugby

2006-10-19T09:44:00.000-04:00

The Charleston Outlaws are in red. Can't remember who they were playing... Taken with my Nikon N8008s.

Q is for Quaint?

2006-10-19T09:38:00.000-04:00

I give up...

This is a photograph of East Bay Street in Charleston. Taken with my Nikon 8008s.

Halloween is upon us...

2006-10-19T07:44:00.000-04:00

This year my gorgeous niece wanted a Cinderella costume. The basic dress pattern was Butterick 4630, though I altered it a bit and added the bustle from Butterick 3236. The cape was made using McCall's 4703 combined with the collar from B4630. Obviously I am very good at making things far more complicated than necessary...

If you are interested in a full review of the patterns, check it out at PatternReview.com

That was then...this is now

2006-09-08T10:16:00.000-04:00

We found these chairs at the local Goodwill store. $25 for 6 chairs!! Though hubby was skeptical, we brought them home. After repainting them a color called Wheat Grass and recovering the seats... Voila!
The four armless chairs are covered in the wiggly rectangles fabric and the head chairs are wearing the palm trees. I'm digging the combo. What do you think?

"P" is for Pasture

2006-08-08T07:55:00.000-04:00

This photo was taken near Beech Mountain, NC using my Nikon N8008s.

"O" is for Orange

2006-07-31T13:06:00.000-04:00

Taken with my Nikon 8008s...

"N" is for Naptime

2006-07-28T07:48:00.000-04:00

I know. With such spectacularly adorable subject matter, it's too easy. Taken on my CP5400. Prrr....

Schottische Kilt Hose

2006-07-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

I'm finally posting pics of the kilt hose in progress, crappy though they may be (the photos not the hose). The pattern is from Nancy Bush's "Folk Socks." They are very cool. I'm knitting on Addi Turbo US 2s, which are actually 2.5s (still don't understand that). The yarn is Bare from Knit Picks - fingering weight merino wool. Since hubby is a giant, I have added a pattern repeat and am knitting at a slightly looser gauge.

Victorian Beaded Bookmark

2006-07-21T08:27:00.000-04:00

So I wanted to try something really tiny in preparation for knitting for a 1/12 minature. The pattern is from "A Step Back in Time" in the Interweave Knits subscriber content on the web. I'm knitting it with size 30 crochet cotton on US0000 needles and glass beads. It would look better with round beads, but this was all I had around the house. It's too hot to knit big stuff and this sure ain't big.

Flower Power

2006-07-19T14:35:00.000-04:00

KnitPicks Crayon is soooo soft. The nubbiness made it a bit fussy to knit, but the color and texture made it worth the effort. I followed Melanie Falick's washcloth pattern from "Weekend Knitting". Too cute.

Pineapple Doily

2006-07-17T14:47:00.000-04:00

My first doily...just to see if I could. It was actually pretty easy. Go figure. Crocheted with size 30 crochet cotton on a size 10 hook.

Mini Afghan

2006-07-17T14:22:00.000-04:00

This 1/12 scale afghan was crocheted with 2 strands of DMC embroidery floss on a size 10 hook. The pattern is a basic zig-zag from the 1979 Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlework.

"M" is for Marsh

2006-07-06T10:34:00.000-04:00

This is the marsh behind our house. The photo was taken from a kayak using a disposable waterproof camera.

"L" is for Love

2006-06-09T15:51:00.000-04:00

Awww...

Right. It's so cute that it's sick. I know. These are my baby cats, Pan and Thor. Together now - "Awwwww."

Taken with my Nikon CP5400 and the two most adorable kitties ever.

"K" is for Kayak

2006-05-26T07:50:00.000-04:00

This is my husband and godson exploring the marsh. Quite an adventure! The photo was taken with a disposable Fuji waterproof camera.

"J" is for J

2006-05-12T08:15:00.000-04:00

This is the tasting room at J Vineyards and Winery. Ahhhh, pinot noir... Taken on my CP5400.

Teeny, Tiny Doilies

2006-05-08T08:56:00.000-04:00

These little guys were crocheted on a US10 hook using size 30 cotton. They are made to fit on two matching candle stands (in a doll house, obviously).

Quick Fix

2006-05-08T08:07:00.000-04:00

The pdf is available at http://jenniferhoel.wordpress.com/2006/05/08/quick-fix/

I couldn't resist this yarn! It's Peaches & Creme Lemon-Lime (100% cotton). I knit up a soap holder wash cloth thingy. It was knit in the round, alternating "linen stitch" and "gathered stitch" patterns from the 1979 Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlework.

The Pattern
2oz. worsted weight cotton
5 US7 dpns
Gauge (approx.): 4sts = 1"

Click here for the pattern!

"I" is for Infrared Film

2006-04-25T08:25:00.000-04:00

This photo of Persephone was taking with my Nikon N8008s using Kodak IR film. In reality the leaves behind her were a dark green, but foliage (among other things) takes on a surreal whiteness on IR. To learn more about Infrared photography check out Michael Fulks' page.

Action Shot!

2006-04-25T08:03:00.000-04:00

Finally. A completed knitting project in action. How sweet is he? Big welcome to Elliot modeling the Baby Cardi. Thanks to Elliot's mom for providing the image. Miss you Jos.

"H" is for Horse

2006-04-17T07:55:00.000-04:00

Taken with a Nikon N8008s in NW North Carolina.

Branching Out

2006-04-10T13:53:00.000-04:00

So the Prairie Tunic was getting cumbersome on my straight needles. Off to the yarn shop I go. Intending, of course, to grab a new Addi Turbo circular and run. Somehow a ball of Rowan Kid Silk Haze found its way into my hands (color: pearl). Having the attention span of a 3 year old mainlining pixie stix, I immediately cast on Branching Out. What a fun, fast lace pattern!

Trellis Scarf

2006-04-06T09:25:00.000-04:00

1. Photographing unblocked lace is very difficult.
2. Photographing blocked lace probably isn't much easier.

Luckily, knitting lace is pretty fun. I'm on the 7th repeat of the Trellis Scarf from the Spring 2006 issue of Interweave Knits. KnitPicks' Alpaca Cloud (in horizon) is kitten soft and, at $4 per 440 yds, quite a bargain. Knitting such fine yarn on US5 needles is a bit odd at first but, as this is my first lace project, knitting laceweight yarn would likely be odd on any size needle. So far, so good.

Prairie Tunic

2006-04-06T09:02:00.000-04:00

Almost finished the back of the Prairie Tunic from the Spring 2006 Interweave Knits. Having been set aside in favor of the baby cardi, it's now knitting up surprisingly quickly on US3s. The yarn is Lion Brand Micro Spun ("an ultra soft microfiber sports yarn") in Lily White. The yarn really is soft and machine washable and dryable, though it splits easily, creating obvious pulls on the finished knit. The lace panel, which makes up the center of the back and the sides of the front, looks great. The overall pattern is simple enough make this a great mindless knit and small enough to travel with. Thumbs up, so far.

Baby Cardi

2006-03-31T14:27:00.000-05:00

Voilá! One tiny raglan cardigan sweater completed. DK yarn knit on US 2 needles gave teeny stitches and a slightly stiff fabric. The pattern was based on a baby sweater knitted by my friend’s grandmother and has no seams. Seamless sweaters rock. Giftee to a friend for her new baby boy, I hope she likes it.

Here's the pattern:

Materials:
24” (or longer) US 2 circular needles
Set of 5 US 2 dpns
1 skein dk weight yarn
Gauge:
8.25 sts = 1” in stockinette stitch
Body
Neckband
Cast on 90 sts on US2 needle.
Rows 1, 3: K2, P2 across
Rows 2, 4: P2, K2 across
Row 5: Work eyelets as follows: *K2, YO, K2 tog; rep from * 22 times, K2.
Rows 6, 8: P2, K2 across
Rows 7, 9: K2, P2 across
Row 10: K4, P to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 11: K9; *M1, K6; rep from * 12x, M1, K9 (103 sts).
Row 12: K4, P to last 4 sts, K4.
Begin Raglan Shaping
Row 13: K20, YO, K2, YO, K10, YO, K2, YO, K35, YO, K2, YO, K10, YO, K2, YO, K20 (111sts.)
Row 14: K4, P to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 15: K21, YO, K2, YO, K12, YO, K2, YO, K37, YO, K2, YO, K12, YO, K2, YO, K21. (119 sts).
Row 16: K4, P to last 4 sts, K4.
Repeat pattern developed in rows 15 and 16 (YO before and after each K2) until raglan measures 4½ in (19X, 255 sts), ending with a P row.
Place sts for sleeves on holders
K43 (to 2nd eyelet of 1st raglan). Place next 44 stitches on holder. K 81 (to 2nd eyelet of 3rd raglan). Place next 44 stitches on holder. K43.
Finish Body
Row 1: K4, P to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 2: K
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for 5 in. until sweater measures 9 ½ in. from top.
Garter Stitch Edging
K every row for ¾ in. (9 rows)
Bind off loosely on wrong side.
Sleeves
Pick up and divide 44 stitches evenly on 4 dpns. Place marker at beginning of round. Using 5th needle, K from dpns, starting with right-most st. Join with first st on dpns and K around until sleeve measures 4 ½ in.
Garter Stitch Edging
Round 1, 3, 5, 7, 9: P
Round 2, 4, 6, 8: K Bind off loosely in K
Finishing
Weave in ends, and block.

Special Techniques
M1 increase: Insert left needle front to back under the horizontal bar that lies between the two sts. Knit into the back of the stitch

Action Shot!

"G" is for Garden

2006-03-28T15:28:00.000-05:00

This photos screams "blue" more than "garden," but "B" was for Barn. Taken with my Nikon CP 5400 on macro.

"F" is for frog

2006-03-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

This little guy hung out in our Mister Lincoln standard rose for a few hours one morning. The photo (and many, many others) was taken with a Nikon CP5400 using available light. One of my favorite images...

Completed Cable Wrap

2006-03-10T11:13:00.000-05:00

Yay! I finished my wrap (modeled by a friend, sadly I'm not that tiny). The wool softened up a good bit with blocking. The I-cord dangles are ab fab. The brooch is my husband's kilt pin, which has a fancy name that I've forgotten. It's a nice pattern if you're in need of a casual wrap. Here's the original post - Vogue Knitting International Cable Wrap.

"E" is for engagement ring...

2006-02-27T09:31:00.000-05:00

Taken with the macro setting on my Nikon CP5400.

Another Former Sweater

2006-02-24T10:09:00.000-05:00

Felting is magic! The sweater that ultimately became this tote felted much firmer and thicker than my first attempt, except for the ribbed lower edge. Since I really liked the stripes, I sewed felted sleeves to the inside of the ribbing to form the actual bottom of the bag. This also gave much needed depth. Adding purchased handles allowed for orientation of the bag to keep the still visible sweater side seams on the sides.

"D" is for Duck

2006-02-13T08:26:00.000-05:00

The Russian River in Montes Rio, California. Taken with a Nikon CP5400.

Alterknits Felted Sweater Tote

2006-02-07T11:19:00.000-05:00

This bag was once a sweater... 100% wool, Old Navy men's large sweater, purchased for $2.50 at a thrift store. The original sweater was machine knit with a 3x1 rib, so the felt is soft and floppy. Not perfect for a tote, but not too bad for a first attempt at felting. Live and learn, right?

"C" is for Caterpillar

2006-02-06T13:28:00.000-05:00

This little guy was in our garden a few summers ago. The image was taken with a Nikon N8008s using the macro setting on the 28-105 zoom lens. Voila. I'm caught up with the ABC-along!