Author Archives: zardra

Yet another week?

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First, many thanks to Erica who reveled to me the secret button for individual post comments. How silly of my to have been looking in the code of the template for something like that.

I don’t know why I’m feeling so run down… geez, I hope I’m not getting sick… no one around here has been sick that I know about, so I have no idea where I would have gotten any germs from. Of course, it could be the weather that’s doing it… 2 big storms right in a row followed by a week of temperatures that sometimes approached 70 F (this may be CA, but 70 F in January is just wrong)… suddenly things are starting to bloom again. This is our green season… the rest of the country is frozen solid under multiple feet of snow, and our hills are being transformed by their green spring finery. Yes, I’m sure those who are living in piles of white at the moment are jealous to here that it was sunny and warm here, but remember, our green will be gone within a few months as everything dries out until we get rain again come December. It’s kind of dreary living in a place that’s brown most of the year. So, anyways… yeah… flowers = pollen = me sneezing my head off.

But, thanks to a couple of nice members of FiberRaok, I can get myself some nice tea to help if my throat and sinuses decide to rebel. *grin* I also received a great welcome ecard from another member. Everyone in this group seems so friendly, it’s really quite nice. I’m looking forward to being a part of it… just need to figure out how to manage reading so many blogs.

I actually have some picture to share today. Yea! Hmmm… of course, now that I’m trying to get to my photo hosting service to get the links, I’m getting tons of page not found. They must be having problems. *pout* I’m sorry, you’ll just have to wait… but anticipation can make things better. :/

HaloScan comments question

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I know lots of people out there use HaloScan for their comments… hopefully, one of you will be able to help me.

When I put the HaloScan code in place I had a couple days of problems with trying to remove the Blogspot comments code. On my main page everything looks good. But today I found out that the Blogspot comments code still appears on the individual post pages. Any ideas on where the code that controls this is found so I can take it out?

Thanks in advance. 🙂

For my Secret Pal

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1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

I prefer natural fibers, I love the way they feel and breathe, but they don’t have to be high-end. I’m not a big fan of most of the novelty yarns out there… some have purpose, but they mostly seem too frilly for my tastes… I’m a down to earth kind of girl. I don’t avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand… they have their place: afghans, baby items, etc. I’ve been knitting an afghan for my mom for the last 2 years and I’m using Red Heart. I also use softer/baby acrylics for knitting booties and hats for Stitches from the Heart.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I have been spinning for about year now and love it. I know enough crochet to do a provisional cast-on.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

I can be allergic to cigarettes if they’re being smoked right near me, so I’m also not all that fond of the smell they leave behind. Things that are highly perfumed with things other than natural oils can also give me a fit of sneezes.

4. How long have you been knitting?

I’ve been knitting for about 2 years.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Not with anything important on it… I use it for remembering things I thought might be interesting, not for telling other people what I would like as gifts.

6. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I’m a fan of vanilla, lavender, mint… basically, I love herby smells… rosemary, thyme, sage… citrus is good too.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Big time… probably more than is good for me.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I used to cross-stitch, but since picking up knitting I have yet to do any work on my last cross-stitch project.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I’m pretty ecclectic in my listening habits… The only things I’m not all that fond of are country and rap.

10. What’s your favorite color? Or–do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?

Hmmm… favorite color… I love deep reds… burgandy, cranberry… I also like soft blues… something sort of country/French blue… I think it goes well with the deep reds.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I’m married… no pets because the apt complex doesn’t allow them. 🙁

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

Life dreams… wow… right now I’m working on my Master of Library and Information Science, but I’m not sure I’d call it a life dream. There was a time when I thought my life dream was to go study Paleopathology at the Univeristy of Durham, England so that I could go digging in historical cemetaries… (morbid, eh?) but that fell through. I think I’d like to just lead a quite life, doing the things I love… but I have to win the lottery for that to happen.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I fell in love with Jo Sharp DK wool (the long fiber stuff) the first time I knit with it. I’m having lots of fun with the Buton D’or Ksar that I’m knitting with right now.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Squeeky acrylic, you know the stuff that feels obviously like plastic… and I haven’t found a cotton I like yet, but I’ve only really use the kitchen cottons that are out there and one type of merca… um, that treated cotton… yeah.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Current knitting obsessions… I’m still loving lace… it’s why I started knitting in the first place.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Don’t know… haven’t actually done lots of things… mostly a few large things… I think I’m finding sweater construction interesting. I’m ceratinly going to knit more lace shawls.

17. What are you knitting right now?

Sweater for my husband… almost finished.. then it’s on to a lace shawl for a friend.

18. What do you think about ponchos?

um, didn’t like them the first time around when I was little either.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Depends on the project.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I prefer bamboo and other woods because they’re easier on my hands.

21. Are you a sock knitter?

Damn skippy! I love socks; they’re good for instant gratification.

22. How did you learn to knit?

Knitting for Dummies and Knitting in Plain English.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

2 years old… it’s a washcloth… I told you I don’t like kitchen cotton.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

Favorite animated character: GIR from Invader Zim

Favorite animal: dragon

25. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween… I love the fall in general.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Hmmm… fiber and yarn… I tried starting a Pocket Dragon collection and got “that look” from my husband cause there’s no room in the apt. He seems ok with my stash though. 🙂

Mmm… red

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Six skeins of Sheplova Mushroom arrived via UPS this morning….

It’s such a yummy color… I love deep reds, I just look funny wearing them… my pale skin (I’m a blonde) reflects it and I look like a beet. *pout* This is, of course, why deep reds are my favorite colors.

This particular batch of skeins are destined to become the Wool Peddler’s Shawl from Folk Shawls for a friend of mine. She has a gypsy heritage, and it shows in her coloring. When I saw this color I knew it would be perfect for her… and reading the description of the Wool Peddler’s Shawl, it is also an appropriate color… apparently wool peddler’s wore red shawls so they could be found in a crowded market place.

A request

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Hello to those of you who come to read my blog…

There has been a request for an RSS feed of my blog… and I have no idea how to do that (I believe it’s going to be covered in my Info Tech Tools class later this semester). I went with Blogger cause I’m not all that savvy in the blogging world (I know basic HTML and that’s about it at the moment; thankfully, that should be changing as this semester progresses (see reference to class above)… geez, can you believe I was once a Comp Sci major who loved programming *sigh* I am so not a geek anymore.). It took me 2 days to get Haloscan to work correctly. So, I’m in need of some instructions… or should I just join Bloglines?

Thanks in advance. 🙂

Edit: Okay, I was looking at Blogger help and it said that this sort of stuff is all set up already. I verified my settings… and it says this should be my atom feed: http://zardra.blogspot.com/atom.xml. Does that help?

If I’m completely wrong, let me know. 🙂

Settling into the blahs

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I’ve been feeling kind of blah towards knitting this last week… hence the reason there hasn’t been much here. I doesn’t help that my right wrist has been bothering me. Thankfully, my brace, ice, and BenGay have been close friends, and they work. The funny thing is it’s not actually my wrist that’s the problem, it’s my elbow. The tendons in my forearm pull it out of place and pressure is placed on my ulnar nerve, which makes my wrist and ring and pinky fingers ache and tingle. I have an exercise from my chiropractor that I usually forget to do until things hurt. The only thing that really makes it feel better is not knitting. *sigh*

I’ve begun the sleeves for Le Bete Noir. But they are languishing in my knitting bag with about an inch done of each. I’m glad I’m doing them together… less chance of me doing something to one that I don’t do to the other.

I know I promised pictures from the dyeing class I took on Jan 15. But, I forgot to take my camera (we all saw that one coming right?)… not like it really mattered… I was the only person who showed, so it was pretty laid back and drawn out, which was probably good for the teacher since her daughter was in a flip-over accident the night before. I will however post pictures of the resulting roving as soon as I remember to get it and my digital camera in the same room.

Knitting away

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I’m nearing the end of the front of Le Bete Noir. I think I’ll take another picture when I start the sleeves. I’ve decided to knit them both at the same time so they at least turn out the same length.

I’ve started a little lacy scarf out of Frog Tree fingering weight alpaca as a gift for someone.

My friend that made my wedding dress offered bribes for a lacy shawl. I was considering it, when I came across a new color at Peace Fleece: Sheplova Mushroom. The color instantly reminded me of her. I’m thinking of making the Wool Peddler’s Shawl from Folk Shawls.

I got paid last week, and now that bills are situated and I know that spring tuition is handled I made a donation to MSF and emailed Stephanie with my donation amount. I am truly amazed by the amount that has been donated by knitters.

And soon… soon I should be finding out who my secret pal is for Secret Pals 4.

Working for the weekend

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A couple more hours and I’m out of here for a three-day weekend. Unfortunately, there won’t be all that much laying about or sleeping in. Tomorrow, I have to be at my LYS by 10 am for the dyeing class I’m taking, which of course means I need to get there early so I can get a coffee across the street before everything starts. (There will be no sleeping in on Monday either because I have to take my car in for its 30,000 miles service. I know I could have done it not on Monday, but I want to have it done before we drive up to SF on Tuesday to see The Gamster at the ACT.) I spun the Extrafine BFL last night… don’t think I’m going to get all that much out of it since there was only about half and ounce, but it was nice to see how it feels spinning up, and after I ply it tonight I can take it to my dyeing class tomorrow.

Must remember to take camera with me so I can take nifty dyeing-action snapshots.

The post office finally pulls through

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Back on Dec 15th I ordered an Extra Fine BFL sample from Copper Moose on eBay for a buck. I wanted to see how soft it was before I went buying 2 or 3 lbs of it. They mailed it out. There was waiting and more waiting. I got the stuff I won in an auction on Dec 22nd. So, I email Copper Moose and they assured me they had indeed mailed it, but would mail out another sample. The second mail sample arrived yesterday and is quite nice (now to see how it spins up). Who knows where the originally mailed sample is… could be at the South Pole for all I know. *sigh* I’ll laugh if it shows up in my mailbox three months from now.

Le Bete Noir is about half way to the armseye shaping. I’m getting work on it in at my work but am eschewing it at home for some reason. Thankfully, it’s 6 rows to the inch, so every 6 rows actually seems to get me somewhere.

I’m quite proud of myself for getting Designing Knitwear in hardcover for more than half off at Bookshop Santa Cruz. It looks rather interesting since it talks about actual shape of the human body and that sort of thing, which has perpetually confused me.