Yarn.....

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I hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I just love receiving boxes full of yarn. This is destine to be a gift for someone(s) very special. I can't divulge details since they may read this blog. I will be able to share more after June of 2010 though. If you are on Ravelry you can check out the project there. ;-)

The paperclip isn't just for holding knitted stitches.....

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Originally uploaded by bean counting knitter

It is a new fashion accessory today. The screw fell out of my glasses so my coworker improvised so that I could drive home. :-) Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Cowl is born...

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Originally uploaded by bean counting knitter

So recently I have admitted to myself that I am just not a hat person. They look goofy on me. Yet I kept trying and trying. I started seeing other knitters make cowls and thought they just may be for me too. They are versatile and so I knit one up with some Elsebeth Lavold Baby Llama. My oh my this yarn is amazingly soft, however I had to axe the cable ring from mien. This yarn is so buttery the cable got lost so I went with just the ribbed part of the pattern. Check out the project here: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BeanCountKnitter/sideways-rib-cowl-hood

Knitting in the News: A Sweater Ripoff?

By Sarah E. White, About.com Guide to Knitting

 Thursday November 19, 2009

Four years of legal wrangling between a French knit and crochet designer and the house of Chanel are set to be resolved next month. The designer, Carmen Colle, sued the fashion firm because she says it stole the design for a crocheted jacket that she had offered the company but it rejected. In the time since she filed the lawsuit, she says her work designing knits and crocheted clothes for Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix and Jean-Paul Gaultier, among others, has dried up. Which is a shame, because her business, World Tricot, once employed 90 women, mostly immigrants looking for a new start in France. Colle has asked for 2.5 million Euros in damages; a ruling is expected December 11.

In other knitting news, if you're planning holiday knitting this year but haven't yet started you could probably use these tips for quick holiday knits. Bulky yarns, small projects and one-skein projects are all good ideas to save both time and money.

And on the charity beat, check out the story of knitters and bakers whipping up goodies to sell to benefit the Arthritis Foundation. This is a great idea for a way to support a charity without actually knitting items to be donated to that charity.

 

Article found here: http://knitting.about.com/b/2009/11/19/knitting-in-the-news-a-sweater-ripoff.htm

Happy Birthday Mom!

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Originally uploaded by bean counting knitter

Today is my mom's birthday. I knit her a scarf but realized today I didn't take a finished picture of it. This is the in progress photo. Mom if you are reading this would you please please have someone take a picture of you wearing the scarf and email it to me. :-)

Click here to see the Ravelry project page for project details.

Dictionary word of the year: 'Unfriend'

By Doug Gross, CNN

November 17, 2009 12:10 p.m. EST

"Unfriend" beat out "sexting" and "hashtag" to become Oxford's word of the year.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Oxford dictionary names "unfriend" its word of the year for 2009
  
• Term means to delete someone as a friend on Facebook or other networking site
  
• Other finalists: "sexting," "hashtag" and "birther"
  
• Some online say the term "defriend" would have been better
  

RELATED TOPICS

• Facebook Inc.
• Twitter Inc.

(CNN) -- It's prone to cause drama in the online world.
And, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary, it's the word of the year.
"Unfriend" beat out a tech-heavy field that included "netbook," "hashtag" and "sexting" to take the annual honor.
"It has both currency and potential longevity," said Christine Lindberg, a language researcher for Oxford's U.S. dictionary program. "In the online social networking context, its meaning is understood, so its adoption as a modern verb form makes this an interesting choice for Word of the Year."
Oxford defines "unfriend," a verb, thusly: "To remove someone as a 'friend' on a social networking site such as Facebook."
Every year, Oxford tracks how the English language is changing. Researchers debate the merits of newly birthed terms and choose their word of the year "to reflect the ethos of the year and its lasting potential as a word of cultural significance and use."
A hashtag is the symbol (#) used on Twitter posts to allow them to be found more easily by other users, a netbook is a small portable laptop, and "sexting" is the act of sending sexually explicit texts or photos on a mobile phone.
Other tech-related finalists this year were "paywall," a way of blocking parts of a Web site to all but paying customers, and "intexicated," the state of being distracted while driving because of sending a text message.
The economy provided "zombie bank," a financial institution still operating even though its liabilities are greater than its assets, and politics brought us "birther," which Oxford describes as "a conspiracy theorist who challenges President Obama's U.S. birth certificate."
On blogs Tuesday, debate about the decision was ongoing. Chief among the issues of dispute: whether "unfriend" or "defriend" was the proper word for weeding someone from one's online circle.
"Frustrated that 'unfriend' is the word of the year. It's definitely 'defriend' when referencing Facebook," one Twitter user wrote, adding the hashtag #dictionaryfail.
Others defended the choice: " 'Defriend' makes me think of 'defoliate' and, well, I dunno, it sounds weird," one wrote.
Oxford spokesman Christian Purdy said researchers found that "unfriend" was more commonly used.
For the past few years, Oxford and other dictionaries that pick words of the year have leaned heavily on the digital world.
In 2004, Merriam-Webster kicked off the trend by adding "blog" to its lexicon. The Webster's New World Dictionary went with "overshare" last year, inspired in part by the habit of spewing too much personal information on social networking sites and blogs.

With gas prices spiking, Oxford's word last year was "hypermiling," the act of conserving gasoline by making fuel-saving changes to one's automobile and driving habits.

Article obtained here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/17/unfriend.word/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)&utm_content=Google+Reader

GASP.... OHHHHH MY Dear Santa.......

I have been such a good girl this year Santa... (to purchase please visit http://atwestend.com/recycledgiraffe.aspx) Hint Hint Hint.....

Sock drought over....

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Originally uploaded by bean counting knitter

Hourglass Eyelets finished.... It is odd though. I started these socks while on vacation in August. I got my tattoo during that vacation too. Today I finished these socks, which are the only socks finished during that time. They are something like my 12th pair of socks for the year. Still don't see why that is odd? Well in case you don't remember that tattoo is sock knitting related. I feel like my sock mojo is coming back though. Molly and I are going to be casting on a sock KAL later this month. :-)

Apple Blossom Amaryllis Plant

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The Amaryllis given to me by Arla and Steve is in full bloom and is beautifully stunning! Thanks again you two....

Waist Shape Done

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Poo is just as excited as I am to be finished with the waist shaping. :-)

Jalapeno Steek - Body Ribbing

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I finished the body ribbing last night. The 10 stockinette stitches in the center, marked at the center with the orange stitch marker, are the steek stitches.

Jalapeno Steek - WIP Introduction

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Originally uploaded by bean counting knitter

I am going to knit this cardigan in the round, take my very sharp scissors and cut up the front. This is also known as steeking. Stay tuned for more details as this project unfolds. The pattern is Bountiful Bohus found in More Big Girl Knits. The yarn is Jalapeno Wool of the Andes from Knitpicks.com.


This sweater is being knit from yarn, 21 balls, I was able to purchase using birthday cash from Mom and my Mother-in-Law.

Rocking Birthday!

I love this time of year. What do I love about it you ask? The leaves. I love watching leaves change from green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. I hate when leaves change to ugly shades of crunchy brown though. When leaves get to the crunchy brown stage I am finished with fall/winter. I am ready for spring. The crunchy leave stage usually occurs right at my birthday. It is like the grand finale of a good fireworks display. This year is no exception and I was spoiled.

It started oh about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Krisite gave me this amazing Blue Moon sock yarn Socks that Rock. That alone is enough to cause me to sequel however then she told me she bought it at Sock Summit in Portland. WOW...... This yarn is amazingly soft and RED! Did you know my favorite color is red?

I am pondering making the My Vampire Boyfriend socks with this yarn. Those tomatoes were the last harvest from my garden right before our first frost.

Molly's gifted me with Neighborhood Fiber sock yarn. This yarn is dyed by a local artist and she produces her product in the basement of Wonderknits.

The colors in this yarn are amazing. It reminds me of fall that has been iced over with a light gloss. I haven't found the perfect pattern to marry this yarn with yet. I am on the hunt. Also in the package was a ceramic mug from the Renaissance Fest (thanks Dave for the torture). I wonder if Molly has some how tapped into my brain here because three times I have clicked on a tea mug to purchase and for some reason been distracted to not purchasing. Also included was some Earl Grey Spicy tea and so yummy.

Tami's gift included a bottle of my favorite white wine, Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, wrapped up in a hand felted cozy with leather handles.  Also along the wine theme is a wine cork with leaver opening allowing wine to pour without having to take the cork out.

Have I told you I love the sock that Trekking produces? Well Tami certainly got the message and gave me my second skein. I haven't found a worthy pattern yet but continue to hunt. Perhaps a simple pattern out of Sensational Knitted Socks. Something simple to let the colors pop!

As for my birthday, Jimmy put together a few of our friends and we went to dinner at Casa Patron.  Arla and Steve gave me an Apple Blossom Amaryllis plant. I was acting a bit immature by refering to it as my "Dick Plant". Hey it was my birthday and I can act immature if I wanna. I can't wait until this beauty blossoms and will post pictures!

 There were many margaritas consumed and chips inhaled. It was a lovely evening of talk and laughter.

On Saturday Jimmy, Kristie and I went to Nazareth's for lunch. Rachel, one of the owner's daughter, gave me one of her hand made rice bags. What is a rice bag you ask? This one is made of flannel material and has several cups of rice sewn up inside. Pop this into the microwave and place it on any sore spot that is ailing you. Moist heat that works out the pain. You can also place it in the freezer for a cold pack. If you are interested in ordering one of these, and I highly recommend them, leave me a comment with your email address and I will forward Rachel's contact information. These make GREAT gifts.....

 

This is the card Jimmy gave me:

Inside the card suggests as we get older to limit ourselves to a couple glasses of wine ~ it doesn't perscribe the size of the glass. ;-)

My mom and mother-in-law gave me some cash. With it I have ordered some yarn. Big surprise! Right? It hasn't arrived yet but I will post it when it does. I have big plans for this yarn. Stay tuned!

Thank you everyone for a wonderful birthday. You all ROCK!

One Guess....

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Originally uploaded by bean counting knitter

Anyone know what this yarn is going to be knit into?