Sewing for knitting needles

A new holder for my circular knitting needles. A close-up of the outside.
A close-up of the inside.The inside.

The outside.

I made this last night using extra material I had laying around. Fully open it measures about 15 1/2 inches wide and 11 inches high, and closed it measures 6 inches wide. It is made out of 100% cotton material from my local fabric store, and the ribbon is sheer with white polka dots. I just made up the pattern to loosely hold my circular knittin needles. I am really impressed w/ myself. I wonder if anyone would buy something like this?

Yarn p0rn

Classic Elite Dazzle, this was a birthday gift from my stepgrandma for a shawl/stole/shrug thing. She also gave me the pattern.

Rowan Kidsilk Haze. I bought this from a Ravelry member.

Filati Bamboo. I bought it at Ewe & Me in Grove, OK.

Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt using Filati yarn.

However, it is giving me nothing but headaches. I frogged (the first time) after 10+ inches and thought that my gauge was off......needless to say after restarting and about 2 inches in.....I had been correct on my gauge, I just miss read the gauge. Now, I'm at the same point, pre first frogging, and my number of sts is wrong. Flat out wrong. I should have 104 sts, but only counted 89 sts. HOW CAN I BE SOOOOO OFF????? I put it away, after checking my gauge and measuring the bottom (which is spot on w/ the pattern) and will return when I don't feel like burning it.

On a lighter side, this has given me time work on Nicole. I've been working on my slip up sock, slowly, but there is progress being made. There hasn't been any progress on the Princess Wrap though.

On a non-knitting not, I'm trying to decide if I want to take of work for a week to go with my dad and stepmom to visit my family in Grand Rapids, MN. I have about 1 week to decide.
Pros
LOTS of knitting time in the car and while I'm there.

Two yarn stores. 1 I've been to and 1 I found on the internet.

Seeing most of my dad's side of the family that I don't get to see often.

Seeing my cousin who is pregnant for the first time

Not having to work.

Lake time (on the boat, not in the water - OK girl in MN lake = no way!).

Cons

Not working = no money (not good for a college student

Missing my friends/boyfriend

9 days with my family with no excape (they can be a little nutty at times)

Last weekend was my birthday and one of my friends bachelorette parties. Friday I went out with friends, but between my apartment and downtown OKC I lost my ID. Had to drive back, look around, and eventually decide that I was not going to find it and grabbed my passport. I was able to get a new one on Monday and it didn't cost too much, but on Friday and Saturday I got odd looks from club/bar bouncer's because of my passport. I didn't have any trouble, but it was funny. Note to self: check back pocket/purse BEFORE getting out of the car.

Well, as always, I'll keep ya'll posted on the WIP's. Have a good Thursday!

Bamboo all over the place

I am in love with my Clover Bamboo Premium Circular Knitting Needles, and the Filati Bamboo yarn. Both of which I am using together to knit the Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt from IK Summer 07. The yarn is sooooo smooth and silky soft I just want to touch it all the time! The needles are size US3, and they are such a pleasure to work with. I have petite hands, and they seem to be just the perfect fit for my hands. I'm about 9 1/4" into the back piece of the shirt, and it is sailing along. Probably because it's rev St, but it's also just such a pleasent knit that it's all I've been working on this week. I have 2 more decreases to go, and then finish up a few more inches, and then it'll be time start the front.

I wanted to knit the Josephine Top, but it didn't come in a small enough size; however I found someone on Ravelry that modified it to a smaller size, so hopefully I can too!

I've tried to go back to Nicole, but I haven't gotten the patience to figure out my mess up.

I promise picture soon!

**Edit: Ok, it's not so pleasent...I just had to rip it ALLLLLL out. I know. I know that i checked my gauge, and it was spot on, but I just check it and it was WAY off...my 34 sts was 5 inches not 4! I already ripped. It was painful. But had to be done.

My WIP's grew and are still growing!

Oops! I started a new project and have yarn for another that I will probably only be able to resist the urge not to start only so much longer.

I have continuted progress on Princess..7 repeats down..who knows how many more?! I really am beginning to like her more and more, and have been told that she'll block out wide than she is now. She's being born out of Knit Picks Glimmer which is 100% merino wool. My socks are still slow growing, but I'm getting more scared as the rows grow that they will not fit my foot even though my gauge is still spot on. Nicole hasn't been worked on in a few weeks now (man that's hard to admit). I was working on her a while back and set her down because of a missed (dropped or lost [MIA]) stich, and just haven't had the patients to try and work it out....too many other things that are coming along well I guess.

This takes us to this past weekend. I had a long one because my mostly full time job at the university gave me last Thursday and Friday off because of having to turn off the water/ac. I did have to teach on Thursday afternoon, and then had the rest of the weekend off! My step-grandmother is an avid knitter and who, like my other grandma, loves that I'm knitting so much, bought me yarn for my bithday. I got it this weekend even though my bday isn't for another week and a half because I don't see her much. My step-mom and I drove to see her Friday. We had lunch, shopped a wee bit, and then hit the LYS. My grandma can be spotted there often, and knows the owner well. Aparently the owner, Fran, just knew how to knit when she was young and has been knitting even since ( I have no clue how long that is). She was amazing, fun, and oh-so knowledgable about knitting, yarn, patterns, etc. The yarn my grandma gave me is Classic Elite Yarns Dazzle in the colorway Kaleidoscope, and a pattern for a shrug/shawl pattern. It was desinged by a local, so it can't be found other than at Ewe and Me. Also, while we were there I picked out yarn for the Interweave Knits Summer 2007 Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt. The yarn is Filati Bamboo in the colorway Pink. I'm about 3 1/2 inches into it, and I'm LOVING it! The yarn is amazing. I'll try to get some pictures up soon.

Let FREEDOM Ring

Today I went back to the eye dr., but did not see the lady from last week who said I was too young to be knitting. No one else said anything either, but I did knitting happily in public.

ON TO BIGGER NEWS!
I will be teaching my own ELS class as of TODAY! I will be teaching Travel English to intermediate students. I was a little nervous at first, but it went by not so slowly, and they seemed to like me. One of the students after walking in exclaimed "What a beautiful teacher we have". That made me feel good, and gave us all a laugh. She is from Tailand...very sweet and not shy girl.

Knitting is still going on, but not pictures. The Princess Wrap looks the same only longer. The socks are going well, but still slowly. Nicole hasn't gotten much attention as of late, but mabye this week/weekend since I'm off until Mondy - minus my class on Thursday afternoon-.

Well off to happy hour for a friends birthday gathering!


HAPPY EARLY 4TH!

BTW: Happy birthday to everyone who's got a birthday this week...I know 4.