Cookie Power ... Activate!

My love for chocolate chip cookies is not unlike others cravings I have.

I have accepted my need for ice cream on a hot summer day, or any day.

I am secure in my love for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Yet there has not been much to bring me back to my weekly blogging. Missed it? Sometimes.

But today I have a new need to blog ... to let those few know that I am in love.

• with the boyfriend? hmmm
  
• with my new laptop? damn skippy
  

None of the above but with this ... ready, here it comes.



The new amazing book by Cookie A. Its Sock Innovation and it is my possession. I have already read the sock construction section even though I have no intention of designing my own pattern at the moment, I have two patterns to choose from and I have several skeins of yarn to swatch up. OMG ... I am so excited and I can't wait to start the cuff of any pattern.

Why am I so excited? Well I love knitting socks, and I need something small and portable to work on, and I simply love my Monkey socks made with her wildly popular pattern, and I need something fresh to work on.

So go.. run to any bookstore.. heck my bookstore and get the book.

As for blogging ... hmmm, it feels familiar, it feels cozy and I actually might do it more often.

I will need somewhere to show off all those socks that I knit up.

Purling Swine and the Cauldron of the Bubbling Smores

So this weekend, I had the pleasure of being a guest at Chez Swine for an end of summer fiesta.

On Sunday, I tagged along with Nancy, Rinaldo and the boys to partake in a wonderful afternoon with Annie, Katy, Chante, Peggy, Cara and of course the beautiful Meli, and of course some boys and handsome men.

Poe, Lucy and Brigid were nice enough share their home with Anne and her adorable husband. They were really prepared for all of us, and it was lovely. The boys were running around, playing in the pool and all around the back yard. Heck we even played Bacci ball ( aka ... bad bowling on grass ), and it was priceless seeing everyone gather around a super copper cauldron for smores.

While the sun went down and we all gathered around the fire to chat and knit and some were spinning away, I was able to finish this simple sweater for my nephew Jovany's first son. I found the pattern through Ravelry late one night and it was simple and quick. The pattern is called Super Natural Stripes and it is available for free at f.pea and I made it out of Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran that I bought at the Point.


I love the color and I did just a little stripping to make it look more sporty and then I found these crayon box looking buttons at Annie and Company... just perfect. I am hoping to make a cute little cap to go along with the sweater.

Back to the day in the sun....

Check out Chante and Annie spinning away..show offs.

Peggy trying to get a few more stitches in before the sun went down.

Katy taking a break before picking up the sweater she is working on again. During this time Nancy was hiding away using a carder to prepare some gorgeous roving.

Heck even with the buggies nipping at my ankles it was beautiful day.

the Pink Lady ...

Lately I have been growing found of wearing a color which has not been really a part of my wardrobe since my mom was dressing me.... PINK

Not a crazy fuchsia, like the jacket my mom got me when I was a teen but nice light pinks which seem to complement my skin color, and since its the summer time I figured its a nice change of pace for me. But no where in the contract that I signed in my new admiration of the fair color did I sign on to getting the evil PINK EYE. I had been extremely lucky in my life to have never ever gotten infected with this nasty stuff, but yesterday I woke up with one eye bothering me and the other not too far behind. Yes! you do have it said the nice doctor said when I walked into his office and as he gave me prescription for the most expensive eye drops I have ever bought.

This morning I woke up with the such nasty stuff on my eyes and to top them off they were puffy and really red. You would have thought I was locked in a room all night smoking with Snoop Dogg.... and thats considering I have never touched the stuff in my life. I stayed home from work because just what I need is to infect all the booksellers in my store and then get blamed for all the call outs. The amazingly expensive drops really work and a lot of the redness is gone, but damn why me. I had plans tonight, they involved a nice dinner and then snuggling up with the boyfriend at the movies. Instead I spent a lot of time watching television and working on a pinwheel blanket, not a bad trade off in some respect but still.

I have blogged about being sick before, and I guess today I have a need to share with anyone who cares to read this blog, and that is just the point, I want to share something major to me and it might mean nothing to you.
Isn't that what blogging is all about? Sharing with a few close friends and a couple of hundred strangers. In reading Cara's blog about the demise of blogging I realized that it doesn't really matter if anyone reads this entry or if other people who have suffered with Pink Eye want to share their experiences with me, its just that I wanted to talk about it today, that I have this vehicle, this outlet to talk about anything that comes to mind.
Now yes my blog is called the Knitting Cube and there should be some knitting involved and there will be toward the end, but if all I wanted to talk about is about my love for Bette Davis movies, that is want I will do.
Ravelry has become an amazing force in the knitting and crocheting community, I totally agree with that, and I totally believe that if you love blogging you will continue and if all you want to do is Ravelry, then you will be spending all your free time there.

As knitters, crocheters and bloggers we all believe in sharing. Sharing stories, patterns, ideas and helpful hints and the occasional stitch marker. That is what makes all of this special and a safe place for all of us to communicate and share ideas with total strangers who are sitting in front of there laptop just as I am now.


My BFF shared her love of knitting with me and I finally gave her pair of socks knitted just for her. I got the hint big time when she kept saying that no one ever knits for her. So these are my first pair of toe up socks from Simply Knitting called Feet First by Debbie Tomkies.

Made with Aussi Yarn from Oasis Yarns in the Sahara colorway they were fun and fast to make and so easy for my first toe up socks.



Enjoy Nan!

Happy Birthday ... Nancy

So for the past 28 years, June 27th has been more to me than just another day in June, it has become an immortal day for all of us.

Nancy's birthday !!!

As she enjoys her day off from work being pampered and spoiled, I really tried to get her a really special gift, something that she has wanted for over 25 years, but he would not answer my phone calls and that whole following him around the city was just troublesome.




Sorry Nancy, John Taylor won't be popping out of your birthday cake this weekend after all, maybe next year.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!

No knitting involved....again.

It seems that lately my blog is all about the meme's these days, heck I just copy them from the BFF's blog and then wait to see what Mrs. Benson has to say about my answers...LOL

So here it goes:

YES/NO GAME RULES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

You can only say yes or no. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone messages you and asks!

• Over 18? Yes
• Danced in front of your mirror naked? Yes
• Ever told a lie? Yes
• Been arrested? No
• Kissed a picture? Yes
• Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes
• Held an actual snake? No
• Have YOU Ever run a red light? No
• Ever drink and drive? No
• Been suspended from school? No
• Ever been fired from a job? Yes
• Totaled a car/motorbike in an accident? No
• Sang karaoke? No
• Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Yes
• Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Yes
• Ever laughed until you wet yourself? Yes
• Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes
• Kissed in the rain? Yes
• Sang in the shower? Yes
• Sat on a rooftop? Yes
• Thought about your past with regret? Yes
• Been pushed in the pool with your clothes on? Yes
• Shaved your head? No
• Blacked out from drinking? No
• Had a gym membership? No
• Been in a band? No
• Shot a gun? No
• Liked someone with nobody else knowing about it? Yes
• Played strip poker? Yes
• Been to a strip joint? No
• Donated Blood? Yes
• Liked someone you shouldn't? Yes
• Have a tattoo? Yes
• Have or had any piercings besides ears? No
• Made out with a complete stranger? No
• Caught someone cheating on you? No
• Skinny dipped? Yes
• Regret any of your ex's? Yes
• Been to a rodeo? No
• Been to a NASCAR race? No
• Been in Love? Yes

Nothing out of the ordinary.... Boring

Now as for the DD pictures, they didn't come out that good, and nothing but pure perfection is allowed when it comes to Simon Le Bon.

I do have a small project on the needles which should be done by Monday, pictures will follow.

Adios !

Who I am!

I normally do not do any type of meme's ... they are just too much work, but this one I liked. I got it from the BFF's blog and she got it from Margene and Vicki and so on.

Don't judge me...lol



Its all about the apples ....

Gilmore Girls ... Season 8 - Finished

For us Gilmore Girls fans the wish of an eighth season was a fading dream when the show ended after seven seasons, and it was replaced by another scandalous show with the same initials (argh).

I bloomed late to the legions of GG's fans and I became totally obsessed. Obsessed to the point of buying yarn from Etsy.com from White Oak Studios famous ty yarns. It was made with Lorelai and Rory in mind. Blue for their eyes, pink because they were so girlie and espresso brown for all the coffee they drank, and I chose the RPM's pattern from Knitty because they loved music so much.



But these socks took about as long as a complete season of the show. I started with such enthusiasm, but then it got lost in the shuffle when I started my mami's cardigan for her birthday. So after months and months and random rounds during lunch breaks, I finally started to dedicate my self to finishing these socks.

So yesterday while lounging and laughing at Nancy's annual Memorial Day Weekend BBQ, I was knitting away and this morning I finally finished them and that in between others jabbing at my knitting during a social event.
Now all knitters know that lazy Sunday's are made for knitting on a sunny deck, while drinking a cold beer and joking around with friends.

The colors are so vibrant and perfect, shame they are not so clear in the picture and on my chubby feet.

For those who know me well, know that I am not the most girlie girl out there. I am not the kind of woman who goes out and buys lots of handbags and such. I like a comfortable and roomy bag to fit all my stuff I carry to work, and easy to carry especially on the subway. It never makes sense to me when I see ladies with their crazy expensive clutch bags underneath there arms and then are carrying one or two tote bags.

I have not been able to find something that I like, well nothing that was not ridiculously expensive and with a short strap. Yeah yeah I am picky.

So I have decided to make my own. Hopefully with a combination of patterns and ideas will turn into a cool messenger type bag.
I have this cotton yarn from a Suss Cousins kits that I was lucky enough to get on clearance. I don't know if it will be enough for the whole bag, but the majority of it. Trust me, I have additional cottons in my stash to finish it up. My mami doesn't know that she will be making a lining for this bag when I finish it.


Wish me luck...and since there is going to be no felting involved with this bag, lets see how I can make it waterproof.

Jitterbug Jive

This weekend I head to my first cruise. The BFF's crew has organized a 3 day cruise of the Bahamas and I am tagging along, a best friends weekend. Nothing like lounging on cruise ship in the Caribbean, oh so I have heard.

To get ready for the breezy nights, I wanted to make a Clapotis from Knitty. It became a struggle of what yarn I really wanted to use. At first it was Gloss yarn from Knit Picks and then it was some Colinette Jitterbug, which won in the end. So wanting to use some Jitterbug in the Rapheal colorway which I bought last year, I had to find another three hanks quickly. The biggest problem was dye lot. I did not remember that Jitterbug is hand dyed and that the dye lots would be so different, bad bad knitter. I had to unravel what I had already worked on and then start all over again. Problem number 2, I needed another hank since I had an older hank from last year and two new ones from a 3/08 dye lot.

I turned to a local yarn store on the Upper East Side, I turned to String NYC.

Not only did they get me the first 3 hanks, they were able to get me the last hank from the 3/08 dye lot that Colinette had so the Clapotis will be perfect when I finish it. Now I do not know when I will be shopping at String again, I have a lot of stash to use up, but the store is so close to my job and they were just so helpful, and that means a lot to me. I have had my fair share of bitchy LYS owners and I do not go back to their stores.





It is looking pretty but I will not be able to finish it before Friday, being a plus size woman I need it to be just a little longer.
So I will finish it, but not for my cruise.



So for my trip knitting I will be taking along a sock that needs to be finished. Second sock syndrome runs rampant, I really have to master the two socks at one time on long circular needle. Its not like I don't have the new book sitting gathering dust on my bookcase.


Thank you to all for the sweet comments on my mami's cardigan and the sweet birthday wishes.
Smooches.

Mami and the Birthday Cardigan

So it is finished!

In my knitting career I have made several kiddie cardigans and such, but no adult clothing besides a hat or sock until now.
The cardigan I started in November for my moms birthday was finally finished and seamed only a few days before her 78th birthday.
She had an idea that I was making her something since I had to measure her once, and since my mami has gained a little weight, I had to make it a size larger. She tried to be nosey by looking into my knitting baggie.

Using the Autumn Cardigan pattern from the book 12 Months of Knitting and Knit Picks Telemark yarn in the Bayberry colorway, the cardigan fit her perfectly. I was lucky to find the best buttons to match the cardigan at Tender Buttons on 62nd Street....warning !!! dangerous place.

My mami was thrilled and quickly posed for several shots for the benefit of my blog and the fact that she is a total ham when it comes to the camera.



The cutest part of this picture for me is the teddy bear, yeah that's hers too.


The detail of the flowers on the front of the cardigan were overlooked by her until she got up close and then she would not take it off. Unfortunately its getting warm and she won't have much occasion to wear it, but she will somehow.


So Nancy being my mami's second daughter, she made her Ice Queen from Knitty. My mami loves keeping her head wrapped when its chilly or at church, so this will be perfect in all occasions for her.


Now she can't complain that she doesn't have enough hand knitted items, besides all the socks I have made her.
My mami is a seamstress by trade, she could make anything she ever wanted to make since the age of 8, and she has made me almost every dress I have worn my entire life...so I guess it is my turn now to make her some goodies.

Next time ... the saga of my Clapotis and my new favorite LYS.

Ravelry ... oh dear.

Hello all...

I wonder if I am the only one having this problem:

Instead of working on my mami's cardigan, that must be finished by April 10th since her birthday is the 11th, I have spent the last two hours adding finished projects to my Ravelry account. Then of course taking pictures of the few WIP's and then I added them as well. This is a dangerous thing.
Next will be the pictures of all the stash and organizing my needles.

I was wondering when I would get really hooked to all the many areas of this knitting site. Sneaky little devils they are.

I'm scared.

Just a quick note...

It has come to my attention that the best thing to get you back into your knitting zen ... your knitting aura, back into your knitting zone is to just whip up something nice and simple for a well deserving person.

This lovely lady is Yenifer, one of the best booksellers I have worked with in the many years that I have worked in the book business. She is hardworking, dedicated and a team player, and to top it off she is a great mom.


So to thank her for all her hard work I wanted to make her something. I asked her to pick a pattern and I whipped up this hat this past weekend when I was hanging out at the BFF's house.

From the book Hip Knit Hats by Cathy Carron, and using Wool of the Andes from Knit Picks, it was fun and fast...and it looks great on her.

Thank you Yenifer !!!

On the knitting front, I have been planning my next project after I finish my mother's cardigan, I have one more sleeve and then I can start blocking and seaming...the infamous finishing.

I am going to work on a Clapotis for a trip next month...I just have to stop myself from spending a whole lot of money on some Jitterbug yarn for it instead of what I have already bought.

WILL POWER... WILL POWER ... WILL POWER

Congratulations to Cara and the newest member to her family.

Two pugs ... the sweet Brigid and Snowy Surprise.

With the winter dropping a heavy dose of snow and sleet on NYC, there are few reasons for me to leave the warm sanctuary of my apartment to take a long trek to Long Island. I was invited to a surprise baby shower for Cara who is due in March. This extravaganza was organized by the amazing cutie Ann and it was a great day out with some new and old friends.

I met most all of these wonderful ladies through my BFF Nancy and all the connections she has made in the world of knitting bloggers. It is amazing how this wonderful craft, just two sticks and some string has brought all of us together. We took the train with Regina and I got to see some of the ladies from Spin Out last year.

Ann and her hubby have a beautiful home and she planned a beautiful day for Cara and her family. Cara had no idea about the shower, especially with her family coming in from Pennsylvania. Many blessing for her and her husband Georgie on their bundle of joy.


Ann made Cara the most amazing blanket made with Knit One, Crochet Two yarn. It was a labor of love but Ann is such an amazing knitter and spinner. After all the gifts were opened and we were stuffed with great food and yummy mimosas, we all just sat around to knit and chat up a storm. I know everything I need to know about prepping for an easy child birth if ever I go down that road.


I am a dog lover, and when I walked into Ann's home, I was greeted by three of the most amazing dogs ever.

Poe ... the wildest, most hyper Pug I have ever met.

Lucy... so chubby and so cute.


and Brigid, the warmest and loving dog. These dogs run the house and Ann and the rest of the family just happen to live there.

So what am I knitting...or should I say what is in the knitting bag, and sometimes ends up being worked on. The only real project I have been working on is a cardigan for my mama. She has an idea that I am working on something for her since I had to measure her, and it will be finished for her birthday in April. The pattern is from the new book Twelve Months of Knitting and its so simple but the problem is inspiration. The two front sides and back are done, I am even doing the sleeves in the round so I don't have to seam later, but it is still taking forever. I have other projects I want to start but I am hesitant to even buy the yarn. Is anyone else going through the
winter knitting blues. I didn't do much holiday gift knitting since I really do not have the time during the holiday season, so I don't know why I am in such a slump. I try do a lot of knitting on the train but with it being cold and with so much reading I need to catch up on, the knitting suffers. The know I am not the only one who goes through this, but now its just figuring out how to get out of the slump.

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

MANY BLESSINGS FOR A JOYOUS HOLIDAY!

FELIZ NAVIDAD

What happened to that --- yarning thing ?

What would be one of the worse things to happen to a knitter during prime knitting gifting season...getting sick over and over again.

This is the hardest time of year for me, being a retail manager my life belongs to my store and all my friends and family know how difficult my schedule becomes. I really don't enjoy Christmas as much as I use to but I make do. I make every effort to stay healthy and rested, I really hate being ill.
So as the fates would have it I got hit hard early this year. Since I felt it coming, I paid an early visit to my doctor, but this infection, virus, flu...this evil thing wanted to make me miserable. I was a infected, congested, coughing, nose blowing, no voice having mess.

So just as I was starting to feel better, and the colorful phlegm was coming up and I didn't need to bathe myself in vapor rub at night ( you all know that Vicks is the Puerto Rican cure all), I got hit with a lovely dental infection.
It seems that my lovely illness infected a wisdom tooth which has been bothering me, so it had to come out yesterday. So now I have stitches on the right side of my mouth, I am on antibiotics for a week and I look like a lopsided chipmunk.

Just a few of the goodies from my pharmacy...and the really good ones get shared with the BFF.



I am really just tired of being sick, I am trying so hard just to make it through this week now.

And to add to my misery, I really have had no desire to knit at all. Nothing nada ...zippo.
It's bad when people who work with me ask me "why aren't you doing any of that yarning thing?"
Skeins and skeins of yarn on my floor and they all just have gathered dust. So finally the only thing that I have been able to finish with enthusiasm have been these socks. Made with Carons Tweed yarn and a simple and fast pattern from the Lion Brand Just Socks book. This is the Moss on the Mountain pattern made on #4's circulars ... so fast and fun to make. They were just what I needed to get me back into the knitting groove.



If anyone is looking for some easy and quick socks..both knit and crochet patterns this book is perfect. Nothing better than making some Bulky booties for quick gifts.
I have been trying to use up a lot of stash yarn for these socks and send them to happy homes were they will be worn with love.

If I don't get a chance to say it later ..........HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE !!!

The Rhinebeck Recap ... and thensome

With the week almost over, I return to work again tomorrow morning but not before I give you all a little Rhinebeck recap.

Yes I did come home a day early just to go to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival here in NY. Many think that it was insane and obsessive of me to leave the sunshine of Florida to come back just for a sheep and wool festival, but these are the same people who want hand knit goodies from me.
This was my last vacation week before the holidays start and then I have no life...my store will be busy and hectic.
I spent the last week in Orlando visiting Shamu and Mickey Mouse, chasing after five beautiful but exhausting kids, so my reward was a being surrounded by hand dyed yarn and the wonderful aroma of warm apple crisp.



Just a few of the ladies sharing our love for yarn, the sunshine and of course each other. I headed up to Rhinebeck with the BFF Nancy and her lovely family. While her hubby watched her youngest son and did some scouting for us, she and I did some damage to the budget and loaded up on a few goodies.

Knowing that I am sock knitter, and just a little obsessed with sock yarn I stocked up. Nancy came across a booth selling some of the most amazing sock yarn at the most outrageous prices.

These hanks are from The Oasis Yarn Company, this Aussi Sock yarn is 400 yards of super wash Australian Merino wool for only $13.00. Now I know that Australians are supposed to be kind and generous people but damn this was outrageous. The colors are great and so soft, and more than enough for a great pair of socks.
I came home with four hanks in the Peach Cobbler, Sahara Desert, Faded Valentine, and Spanish Fiesta color ways. I cannot wait to get some socks started, especially some colorful socks for my mami in the Spanish Fiesta colorway.


And miracle of miracles there was some Socks that Rock when we got there. I have not knitted with this infamous yarn, so I just bought two hanks. I got the Gibson and Stormy Weather colors.

I feel like I just became part of the sock knitters of America club with this purchase.


The purchase of the day was the one that I blame on my god son Avery and his holding this yarn in front of me until I gave in.

This is Briar Rose Fibers yarn in the Fourth of July color way. I bought two hanks, each of 550 yards to make their lacy cable shrug.
The colors on this computer cannot do it justice, their colors are amazing and they probably were cleaned out of all their stock by the end of the weekend.



I have been looking forward to making myself something special besides my socks and this shrug is just perfect for me. Yippee !!!

As a recap:


Then there is the famous baby kimono and some bloomers made with yarn stash.

Thank you ..

Just a note ...

I would like to thank everyone for all the lovely messages and thoughts on the passing of my cousin Robert last week. He was an amazing man who was loved by everyone who knew him and he will be missed. Another angel to protect the whole family ...

So am in Florida again... this time Orlando with my family.
Sea World, Disney, and lots of time with all the great nieces and nephews this week.

I did no knitting ... but I have two new recruits into the knitting universe, one being my niece Nina. Only for her would I cut the plastic cord of my circular clover needles so she would be comfortable with creating the stitches.

I have tons of pictures to share with you all.

The highlight was taking all the great grand kids to the portrait studio to get a group shot for my mom for the holidays. She will love it ...

All that matters at the moment

There is so much more that I could be blogging about at the moment...so late on a Sunday night. All the projects completed and those planned. Then there was the great time I had at the Spin Out in Central Park yesterday.. just spending the time with everyone.

But this is the most important project that I have completed in one day. Its not perfect and it might be too big but all that matters is who it is for.

My cousin Robert is very ill, he and our whole family are praying every moment that he can be blessed with a needed liver transplant. So yesterday when visiting him at the hospital, I started knitting on a baby sweater for a friend, and he asked me if I could make him a hat.. something like a ski cap to help keep him warm in the hospital at night.

There wasn't a question of whether I would make the hat, I started scrolling through my yarn stash in my head and thinking of a pattern. I measured his head and told him that I would do anything for him.

So here is a off white cap, like I said it might be too big and I am not thrilled with the edge but all that matters is that it will keep him warm during these hard days and that all my love and prayers are are in every knit and purl.





With all my love and prayers ... for my fearless cousin Robert.

Still alive

Hello all... yes I know that it has been a bit since I blogged last...well I have been busy.

Of course I have some finished projects to share but I am not home. Currently I am in Lakeland..near Tampa in Florida.

So when I get home, and I get rid of this pulled muscle in my neck I got from shaken my big butt a little to hard at the club on Saturday night I will gladly share them all.

The hardest part was walking away from a clearance sale at Walmart of Bernat Softee. Well I walked away with two skeins for some holiday booties...a buck each.

Ciao ciao

Boston ... not too bad

Last weekend I went to Boston with my friend Heather to see what the excitement is ... and I did enjoy my time there and the city's beauty and history.

It was a lot smaller than I expected and walking is a must for everything, and since I do so much of it here in NYC it was a piece of cake...chocolate layered brownie cake.

Of course we did everything from the Duck tours to the cemetery walk as part of the Freedom Trail.


Sam Adams ... Paul Revere and John Hancock are the highlights.

the Boston harbor

The student tour at Harvard... but is this really him?

Such a pretty campus...Rory would have loved it.

Nothing like a Grecian goddess hanging out at the Fine Arts Museum, she looked lonely.

Ben Franklin was really into pyramids... its all about the symbols in this cemetery.

Maybe he wants to date the Grecian lady, a Cleopatra - Anthony thing only in reverse.

Public gardens for the walking

and a lake for the swans a swimming.

Outside the museum, he is crying for the love of the Grecian goddess... talk about a historical romance novel.

So pretty at night.

Hey Heather ... wanna get some more ice cream?

Washington was waiting for us to come by for a stroll.

Trinity Church .. wow

Quincy Market night

So this is how he plans his newest brew. Samuel Adams was a shorty who would have been proofed at any pub.


And a Renoir ...enough said.