Rebecca Danger

Knitty, knit, knit, knit, knit

I get the Yo Gabba Gabba song "Snacky, snack, snack, snack, snack" stuck in my head but with "Knit" instead a lot. Today is one of those times. I tried to find a youtube video of it, but apparently you are just going to need to be in the know and have watched Yo Gabba Gabba to know what I am talking about. If you don't know, consider me saving you from it: the only songs I ever get stuck in my head anymore are Yo Gabba Gabba songs.

So I am very excited because I ordered a new skirt last week and it got here yesterday. Very speedy like since it was coming from the UK! Got 15% off for signing up for their mailing list, too!

Source: us.dorothyperkins.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

 

I am in love! I decided yesterday it is the only thing I want to wear from now on. Since I have decided this, I immediately got looking on the internets for some good sweaters to knit to go with it. At least if I am going to wear the same skirt every day I can have a whole pile of different tops to go with it, right? I had pinned this a while back, so I started looking for some sweaters with a similar feel.

Source: simplyme091909.blogspot.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

 

I got these boots as a Christmas gift, so I am set on boots.

Source: dmusastore.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

 

I thought this free sweater pattern from Berroco had the right vibe going on.

 1. Image from Berroco.com   2. Image from Berroco.com, Weekend Color #5965   3. Image from Berroco.com, Weekend Color #5964

Since I like the texture of the cotton yarn in the outfit picture I thought Weekend would be a good choice for it. I've used it for several things and like it a lot: it is cottony without all the nightmares and unfun knitting of a cotton. Know what I mean? I also thought any of these on my to-knit list would look great with it:

1. Image from Knittingdaily.com   2. Image from Knitpicks.com   3. Image from Ravelry.com

Man, digging through my favs on Rav and all my pins on my To-Knit pinboard made me realize how many projects I want to make. Now the trick is getting off the computer and getting knitting or my sweater-making-productivity is going to stay at a virtual stand still!

Mmm, mmm, mmm

It is so snowy and freezy cold here today! I don't think it has made it out of the teens all day, which we just don't get around here. The ice and snow put me in the mood for some warm, yummy comfort food, so I decided to make some homemade mac and cheese. Thanks to Pinterest I thought this looked good so I gave it a try. Yum.

We didn't have any macaroni (we rarely eat pasta) and there was no way I was going to the grocery store. The street in front of my house is a large sheet of ice so I am staying indoors until this storm clears up. Although I am starting to get a little cabin fever I must admit. We had some spinach pasta, I don't know what type, it is like shorty, wavy fettucine, so that's what I used. All I can say is yum. Mr Danger agrees too. We sprinkled on a little of that pre-cooked, pre-crumbled bacon next to the baco's in the store, and that made it even better. Although, bacon seems to make everything better. Says the person who was vegetarian up until 2 years ago.

If you are looking for an excellent mac and cheese recipe, this is in the running for my favorite ever. And if you want it gluten free, it would be easy enough to sub in quinoa pasta or something like that.

And, as an added bonus, the camera was in the kitchen and Mr Danger managed to snap one of my favorite pictures of The Kid ever while I was cooking.

So, despite cabin fever, it was a great day. Which is good since I have been cranky for a good week or so now!

 

Crock Pot Yarn Tutorial

I LOVE my crock pot. To me there is nothing better than throwing a bunch of things in first thing in the morning and having yummy dinner in the evening. Plus you get good smells all day. My crock pot makes me feel like I actually know how to cook. I think half my food pins on pinterest are crock pot recipes. Sometimes, actually most of the time, I wish I could cook everything in there. I am considering freezing a bunch of crock pot recipes like this, and I like to hit up this website for ideas as well.

So, I feel like jumping up and doing a jig since I just found this tutorial on how to dye yarn in your crock pot. Gah! How flipping exciting is that? It looks as easy as cooking in the crockpot, too! I am going to have to try my hand at this for sure! Hmm, my knit girls did what I am calling a "Crafternoon" this weekend, maybe I will have to see if they want to get together and dye some yarn together in the crock pot! Whataya think, girls?

Dontcha just love this idea?! I hope I will see some crock pot monsters on Ravelry! 

 

Snow Day

It is snowing here, which makes me so happy. I know that in many areas snow is not a very exciting thing, but we get it so infrequently that I just love it. I don't think you can help but smile when every time you look outside it is glowing white with big puffs falling from the sky.

I am using the snow as an excuse to snuggle down and knit. I am just starting my last sample for my next pattern and finishing up my Poor Poet Mitts and settling in for a busy knitting week. Sounds pretty good, huh?

 

A New Do

I'm meeting some of my girlfriends for an evening out tonight (how exciting, right? It has been a while) and I am trying to figure out what to do with my hair. I do my hair up all the time, I like to keep it fairly long so I have lots of options. I tend to do the same thing though, a play on victory rolls, like in my little profile pic (and my Manu pic, actually).  I also like to pouf up the back for a, I don't know what you call it, beehive type look? 

Anyways, I thought I would do something different tonight but am drawing a blank as to what to do. What is your favorite fairly quick, cute 'do? Where do you like to find new 'do's?

This Week I Am Loving........

You know what I don't love right now? Typepad. I just wrote out the most amazing post ever and it ate it. I swear to you, it was breath-takingly amazing, but now it is gone forever. Mutter, grumble, mutter.

But, I do love This book.

Image from Amazon.com

Man, I ordered this about a month agoand I have to say it is just beautiful. The projects are lovely, the pictures are lovely, the instructions are lovely. I love it all. I am currently working on the Poor Poet Mitts from there, which are coming out very nice. 

 I did go on and on about how wonderful this book is and tell you what projects I was going to do out of it, and more about this project, and blah, blah, blah. But, since The Kid is now up from his nap, here's the short version: If you like lace, buy this book. If you think you might like lace, buy this book. If you would like to try lace, buy this book. If you have a bunch of sock yarn in your stash waiting for projects, buy this book. Basically, if you buy this book, you wont be disappointed.

Project Report: Manu

I hate having my picture taken....does it show?!

Project Report

Pattern

 Manu By Kate Davies

Where’dya Get The Pattern? 

The Needled Ravelry Shop

Yarn

Heritage Hand Painted Sock Yarn from Cascade Yarns, Color #3391

How Much Did You Use? 

3.5 Skeins (approx 1550 yards)

Wherediya Get The Yarn?

Beach Basket Yarns and Gifts in Blaine, Wa

Whydiya pick that yarn?

I am a very, very loose knitter so generally to get gauge I need to go way down in needles. Instead, I got gauge spot on with the recommended needles with this yarn. I thought it would make a nice, lighter sweater, that was easily washable (since having an 8 month old all of my handwash handknits are safely packed away).

Needles

As recommended in pattern, US Size 5 (3.75mm) for the majority. I used Kollage Squares and Knitter’s Pride Cubics.

Size Knit

Size “5” (40”)

Date Started 

Sometime in January 2011
 

Date Finished

December 31st, 2011

Modifications 

The only thing I did was to knit the sleeves 2” longer than recommended. I did all 5 buttonholes but didn't like how close they were, so I added a few extra stitches between each one. When I sewed the buttons on I didn't like how they looked, so I cut off all but the top 2

Whataya think of the yarn?

Heritage is an awesome workhorse of a sock yarn. I like it. It was very easy to knit with, feels good, is washable, drapes nicely when blocked, and I love the colors of the Hand Paints. I highly recommend this yarn for anything that calls for Sock weight.

Whataya think of the pattern?

Though this project took me a year to complete, it really had nothing to do with the pattern (I did write 6 patterns for magazines, put out 2 of my own knitting patterns, 2 sewing patterns, have a baby, and write a whole book in the time it took me to finish it). I liked the pattern a lot. It was very interesting, working from the bottom up but joining the fully knit sleeves in at the yoke. I would recommend it, plus it made a cute sweater!

Whataya think of the final item?

I like it a lot. Though not one of my all time favorite hand knits, I am sure it will see plenty of wear. It is cute with skirts or jeans, and it looks good over dresses. I love that it has pockets: I just wore it to the grocery store and kept my list in the right one! I love the variegated yarn, the colors came out really cool.

The neckline is a little wider than I would like, but I think that is just me. My pockets are hanging a little funny too, maybe my choice of lighter-than-called-for yarn?

All-in-all a great knit!

 

Guess What Came In The Mail Today....

This guy showed up on my porch today:

Image from CreativeKnittingMagazine.com

It's Randolph the Super Hero Raccoon! I love Randolph, he is definitely in my top 5 favorite patterns. I think everything is better in Super Hero form. He is out in the newest Creative Knitting Magazine.

Even better, you can buy the digital download version of the magazine! Do you guys love that as much as I do? I just bought the new Knitscene via digital download. It is only like my favorite of all the knitting magazines, I am so freaking excited I just got it immediately after seeing that it was out. I love that the magazines are going this way.

But now? Now I have to go move my wallet away from the computer since I seem to be buying every knitting related thing I see on the internet the last couple days. I put in a Sweet Georgia yarn order yesterday. Actually, make that 2 Sweet Georgia orders yesterday, but that is a different story....

 

Wondering What I am Working On?

Just a quick note to let you know that one of my goals this year is to keep up-to-date with my knitting projects on Ravelry. I am notoriously terrible at entering my projects there, but I am doing pretty good so far!

Here's the link. Be sure to friend me on there too to keep up with what I am doing!

 

Finally Some Pictures

The day got away from me today and it was after 4pm by the time I got around to taking Manu pictures so I was out of daylight. I did get one, though! Hopefully I will get a hanging one and maybe even an action one in the next couple days....

Came out cute, huh? I'll do a little "pattern report" on it later this week. Can't you just imagine one of those doxie pins on there?