SOS 2008

Now my sock knitting obsession has hit full swing. Summer of Socks 2008 has started. I cast on a pair of http://www.pepperknit.com/patterns/AnastasiaSocksPatternRevised.pdf last night, and am almost done the first one. Granted I'm only doing the minium cuff lenght for this pair, 2 inches. I love the yarn as well, SWTC Tofutsies (too-foot-sies is how it's said). It's in a nice blue white combo that is flashing beautifully. (Colours running around in a style).

Ok, I'm going back to knitting now, everyone have a good Sunday.

Crocheted Monkey

aka Carol

Am I really that weird...

Ok, I have found a new knitting obsession. I LOVE TO KNIT SOCKS!!! My only problem is I hate wearing socks. I don't mean I just don't like wearing them when I have too, I'll find ways not to wear them.

My dad used to say when I was younger that he knew I was home because right by the front door would be my shoes and my socks. lol

Now it's almost summer, so sandal season. So ok, no socks. But a great time to knit them. Hopefully this will give me the motivation to wear socks this fall/winter.

I'm not admitting to anything...

Ok, time for the annual holy crap I'm another year older post.

So this year, I'm so totally not ready to admit that I'm another year older. I mean, besides finally finding a half decent job here in BC, and becoming a knitwear/crochet designer on Raverly, I haven't done much this year.

Ok, I did move out finally into my own appartment. Although for about 4 months of that my oldest brother (aka SG Rake) lived with me. The appartment though is a crappy place. The floor is falling apart, the hot water tap on the bath tub is broken, and the patio door isn't even. (And the heat is still on full blast, although my thermostat is set at 0). But still it's my place. It isn't a share accomidation, it isn't living with my SO, and it isn't a family members house/apartment. It's mine, and only my name is on the lease.

Granted that still doesn't mean that I'm not pineing on moving back to Alberta. I seriously don't think I can do another winter of rain. Winter is susposed to be about that lovely white stuff falling from the sky, not wondering which room is going to leak because of the excess rain.

Granted there has been alot of fun times this past year as well. Art came out here this past Feb. The 3 of us went to Vancouver Island to visit with Grandma, and two of our aunts. (Sad side note though, Murphy, the dog which belongs to one of my aunts has passed on). I had lots of fun, but my visit was cut short since I had to come back to the hotel and work.

So for any of my readers, what are your favorite memories of me in the last 26 years? What do you think I'll be doing 26 years from now? Leave a comment here, or email me at crocheted_monkey@hotmail.com or crochetedmonkey@gmail.com

Oh and "Rain, Rain go away come back another day"

Crocheted Monkey aka Carol

I am...

Now a designer of www.ravelry.com. For those of you that don't know Ravelry is a community of fiber lovers (primarly knitters and crocheters, although there are spinners, quilters, and needlework artists on there as well). And of course besides working and sleeping knitting and crocheting sums up a large part of my life.

I noticed last week that some on had linked my Fulled Cell Phone Cozie from my pattern blog to Ravelry. Even had my name on it. However, the pattern wasn't connected to my profile, so I emailed the amazing Jess/Casey/Mary-Heather (they are the wonderful owners operators of the site) and asked them to link my profile to my patterns. And boy were they quick, I sent the email last night, and by tonight I was properly linked to all 3 of my patterns.

So now in short I can call my self, Carol, knitwear and crochet designer. Yipeee!!!

Cheers

Crocheted Monkey

I should put down the pointy sticks for a moment

So yes, I'm still alive and kicking. (Although not doing so well in the sleep department most weeks).

Lately I've been spending much of my free time with the knitting needles, and some time with the crochet hooks. Just cause I'm excited about the things I've made lately I thought I'd share them with you my readers (which I suspect is just my family).

The clapotis from Knitty.com. I used some Orangic Cotton for this. So soft, so comfy, sheads so much. (Hey it's the first project I ever made that included purposely droping stitches.)

Mock Smock Socks. These were susposed to be for my Mom's birthday, however time ran out, so now they are for Mother's Day. (And yes they are done, my first pair of socks)

Beth's Little Star Afghan. I didn't realize how cool the colours turned out until I took this pic. Any takers for this project, not like I have any babies directly in my life.

Nothing rhymes with...

So, like I said before I'm know going to post patterns on this blog instead of my pattern blog (more like I wasn't using either blog enough to make it worth having two.) So today's (very very early in the morning post) is going to be another pattern.





So back to the title; we all know nothing rhymes with...





Orange

Materials

Bernat Camouglage 1 Skien Hunter Orange (Actually it takes about half a skien)

Size 4.5mm dpns

Needle to weave in ends

Gauge: One of these days I might actually get around to that

Intructions

Cast on 80, evenly divide between the needles

Row 1: (K3, P2) repeat around

Knit in pattern for 7 inches

Next row: (K1, K2tog, P2) repeat around

Newt row: (K2, P2) repeat around

Next row: (K2, P2tog), repeat around

Next row (K2, P1), repeat around

Next row: (K2tog, P1) repeat around

Cut the yarn with a long tail, string the yarn through the last row of stitches. Pull tight.

Weave in ends. Done!!!

I'm having a day

Please, please, please make this day go away. It's a horriable day.

If it wasn't for the fact I'm trying to keep this blog rated "G", I'd be swearing up a storm. And trust me, I am in my mind.

Why is it, that as soon as life start going good, something stops you dead in your tracks? I mean it's not like some one died or anything (yes I realise that tomorrow is the second anniversary of my Grandpa V's death), but it seems like I can't do any right today. I don't want to put a full effort in at work, cause it feels like I can't do anything right. I was just getting used to my space at home again, and now my brother is back. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Second post in a month... something must be wrong, lol

Wow, I managed to post before the beginning of Feb...

So anyways I have decided to stop using my pattern blog, (while gosh darn it, it's not like I had more then one pattern on there). But happy, happy, joy, joy, I do have a new pattern to post on here. (While actually more like guidelines for a project then anything)

So a little back ground, I bought a 5th Generation Ipod Nano a couple of weeks ago. This weekend I went looking around for a cover for it that I liked, and would be pratical. Alas no such thing existed here in New West, so what does a crafty girl do, make her own of course. I went to the other side of my room, looked at my stash, picked out the perfect yarn (not wool cause it's acrylic), pick up a hook and started crocheted. So without further ado here is the pattern

Carol's Quicky Ipod Cover





Yarn: Bernat Softee Bouncle
Hook: US H (5mm)

Gauge: Tight (cause I hate making gauge swatches)

Pattern:

Ch 7

Row 1: 3 sc in second ch from hook, sc in next 4 chs, 3 sc in last ch, working on the reverse side, sc in next 4 chs, join.

Row 2-as long as you want it: sc in each sc around, join.

When the cover is as high as you would like it to be, cut yarn and weave in ends.

I think including writing up this post the cover took me less then an hour to make.

Now that I have a working camera I have posted a pic :)

Carol

aka Crocheted Monkey

So far it's been an "exciting" year

So this morning as I was getting ready to leave work for the day, "exciting" event number one happened. Just now event number two took place.

At 7ish yesterday morning a couple of African America (ok I want to write Canadian instead) males were dropped of by a taxi cab that sped away. Less then 5 minutes later the cops showed up. We had just denided them a room and had called another cab for them. Just as their new cab showed up, so did the cops. Cab goes away, cops bust the guys for posession, but they aren't arrested.

Just now there was some sort of fire next door at the car wash. I wouldn't have known about it if one of the guests hadn't called me to tell me about it. I've been keeping a eye on our property to make sure that nothing goes wrong here.

I hope tomorrow night I don't have to deal with EMS, keeping my fingers crossed.

Crocheted Monkey

Things to remember when you bring your pointy sticks to work

Ok, so I have hit a slight snag at work on working on my current project, I forgot to bring my knitting "medical" kit with me to work. What do I mean by medical kit

1) Crochet hook, to pick up those damn droped stitches
2) Measuring tape, pretty self explaintory
3) Darning needle for those loose ends
4) Hand lotion, cause some fibers dry out my hands

Out of that all I have here at work tonight is hand lotion, and I just dropped a stitch down half a dozen rows. (Insert fave curse word here)

Maybe I should make my work project from now on a crochet one instead...

Carol

Aka Crocheted Monkey

Another year almost done

So it's Christmas 2007 and what have I learned this year

• too much hand lotion is not a good thing, (k maybe that's just an observation from what just happened, I grabbed too much)
• ex's are ex's for a reason, and should stay that way
• taking a job just for convience is not a good thing, as well as taking a job just to please others
• no matter what, blood runs thicker then water
• life is expensive, so better save up while you can

Ok, so it's not like it's profound things I found out this year, but no matter how small the discovery it changed my life to some degree.

Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year

Crocheted Monkey

Facebook Song

I thought this was a good one. So I decided to post it here. (Plus it proves I'm still alive this month, lol)

Crocheted Monkey

Aka Carol

I remember

Today is Remembrance day, a day to remember all the soldiers that served in times of conflict and in peace.

I am proud to say that all of my grandparents served in the Second World War. I am also proud that I am part of a generation that is still lucky enough to know veterans of the Second World War (if not the First) on a first hand basis. The scale of war that my grandparents generation experienced will never be experienced again. Not because as a whole we have learned our lesson, but because of the advancement of weaponry. Now if someone really wanted a war could be decided in a matter of minutes, one nuke sent, one in return, if anyone survives they win.

I am grateful to any man or woman that enlisted. Thanks to you we all have freedom to be ourselves without persecution. But we still have a long way to go. Not just in other countries to promote equality and justice for all, but in our country too. Within ourselves we need to stop and find out what our individual prejudices are that stop us from treating everyone with the same respect and dignity. I'm not saying that everyone is a bad person because of that, but we all could be better.

So I leave you today with probably the most famous poem from WWI, "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

I can't think of a header

So it's Friday night, and boy what a life I have. I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some more supplies for my mom's sweater then sat here and did some emails. Wow, what a party girl!

Oh yeah, I revoke what I said eariler about hating Scott.

Hi Ho It's October

Wow, I managed to update two months in a row. So I'm curretnly unemployed and knitting way too much (or not enough depending on how you view it.)





To the left is one of the sleves for the sweater that I'm making for myself. It's the Mariah sweater on http://www.knitty.com/



It's an interesting sweater to make since I've never made a cabled sweater before. So far I've knitted 3/4 of the sweater then discovered that my guage was way off, so I frogged it and started all over again



On the right is a close up of the back of the sweater that I'm making for my mom for Christmas. My brother, Dave, bought the yarn and I'm making it, so it's from both of us. Granted I'm the one who went shopping for the yarn, but with his money.

Oh yeah, today Shaw came and hooked up internet, cable and phone, so if you want to get ahold of me, it's really easy now. Email me if you want my number and I know you.

Happy September

First things first, today is my Dad and Step-Mom's 10Th wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary Dad and Betty!!!!!!! I guess us kids were wrong when we said it would never make it to 10 years, go for 50!

Next...

So I decided I want to move back to Calgary. Now some of may be thinking, you just moved out to New Westminster last December, and now you want to move back. It's a decision I made for me, cause I'm not happy out here. And another thing, I am not moving back because of Scott, he is part of my past, but there is no future there.

Why do men like playing games? I mean isn't suposed to be the girls that dangle the string infront of men face then yank it away. Not that I try and do that, but if you say your going to pick me up from work, pick me up.

Facebook

Okay so I'll admit that I'm addicated to Facebook.

It's shut down for a few minutes so it can upgrade, what am I going to do in the meantime?

French just for fun

Maintenant je n'ai pas l'impression d'être un tel grand idoit. J'ai fixé le côté de mon blog. Aucune chose plus supplémentaire sur les liens. Il m'a pris un an et demi pour le fixer, mais il est fait. Ainsi sur le côté spirital de choses je crois que je le fais trouver en ce moment que cela doit être un chrétien moderne. Je posterai mes pensées quand j'ai le temps, (et souvenez-vous de les imprimer de mon ordinateur à la maison). Sur le front d'artisanat, j'ai à la traversée de beaucoup d'idée par ma tête en ce moment pour faire eux tous. Chanter joyeusement

Just for fun. Which blog post was this?

Being stressed out not good for work

All I have to remember that home stress is home stress and work stress is work stress.