Nerd alert.

So it turns out, today is Pi day. Check out this article to learn more about this wonderful number. But if it is just too much, read the second column, because it has some nice random trivia in it. And admit it, everybody loves to know random trivia.

In other news, knitting news, I am pleased to saw I am almost done with the baby blanket. I am proud of myself for seeing it through. Just 15 more rounds to knit. I can do it. And after that, I want to finish my Hopeful sweater. I want to put on long sleeves though. I think it will fit better with the yarn I'm using. I have one sleeve cap done. It will be a real finishing binge. So different than my usual casting on binge. But I'll let you know how it works out.
In the mean time, happy Pi day. (At my friend's school they are doing all sorts of stuff, and some of it involves pie. mmm)

"Nobody puts Baby in the corner ..."

Oh yes, I still remember that scene from Dirty Dancing. I thought is was the best movie ever when it came out. (Granted, I was young.) And then Patrick Swayze stands up to det. Lenny Briscoe (too much Law and Order) and takes Baby (Jennifer something) and they dance like they've never danced before. They dance the dance of their lives. And then everybody dances. Everybody is happy because they discover they are all great dancers with great rhythm.
Why am I reminiscing? Ophie. I think she is channeling or re-enacting that particular scene. Her dance partner is her food. She looks up at me and says :"Nobody puts tasties in the corner ..." and then she shoves her food bowl into the middle of the kitchen. But she doesn't stop there. No, apparently I must be punished more. Last night she actually stole all my covers and the night before that she almost pushed me out of my queen sized bed.
So that is it, no more movies for her. No more animal planet either (she starts to think she is an actual tiger). No more tv. And she will eat her food in the corner!

Veni, vidi, vici

Yesterday, I had to pleaure of meeting of whole bunch of SoCal knit bloggers (list of attendees here, thanks Crissy, and thanks to Lauren for organizing). Which was awesome. I came a bit late, but just in time for lunch at Busters, where they have an super yummy, calorificly chocolaty brownie dessert. I know some people took a picture so just go and browse their sites. But, I also found out about Purl Soho. Apparently it is a store in NY but has it's warehouse over here, a mile away from my house. So today I had to go and check it out.
I came to the place and thanks to Lori's good directions, I knew I had to walk 'round back to get to the entrance. I saw all the yarn, such lovely yarn. The beauty of it is (for me) I can look up what I want on their website and then just go to the store to pick it up. Because it is a warehouse, all the yarns are there but the prices are not advertised very well (which of course you could ask the girl every five minutes). But I love this place! They have so much lucious yummy yarn, I wish I could swim in it. And I am proud to say I conquerred my weakness. I actually didn't buy any yarn. I wish I could say I was strong, but I purpously left my credit card at home. (I'm thinking I should reward myself by going back tomorrow to get some yarn.)

Bottom line, if you live in the SoCal area and you like the luxurious yarns, go there. So worth the trip.

Temptation

temptation
Originally uploaded by kittensmittens.

I have been good. I have been knitting on the baby blanket (yeah and it is a totally different one than I was working on earlier, that one has not been finished yet, it is crumpled up on my desk). It's not at an impressive stage, but I try to put a few rows on every day. And I have ignored to calls of temptation. Oh yes, I have ignored the two different kinds of lace that are begging for me to cast them on. It has been hard, but I have been good. And then there is to soon (relatively speaking, we're talking about me here, so I'll just say "one day") to be clapotis. That yarns has been more subtle, it hasn't really screamed but it just goes around whispering. All of a sudden I hear a little : "hey, psst, down here, yeah, come on, cast on, use me, use me, it's ok, nobody has to know, nobody will judge you, just a few rows, it will be on big needles..." And I guess that tactic has been the most succesfull. Tonight will give in to the rainbow boucle and cast on for clapotis. Sorry baby blanket, for I am weak.

Details

Forgot to post the details on the jacket. Well, it's made with Rowan Yorkshire tweed aran on size 10 needles (oh yeah!!). Only used 4 skeins. Pattern is from the Vogue Knitting 2005 Holiday issue. It is a pretty simple thing, knits up fast. Even faster is you ignore some things the patterns tells you. Like accidently forgetting to do an increase in the front, and by not being bothered to do the actual collar but instead choosing to do some short rows. All though I made up for my short cuts by making long sleeves instead of three quarters. And I knit those a bit too long so I didn't need to put any ribbing or edging on the sleeves (another time saver).
In the end, mine is very different from the original, which I would love to attribute to creativity, but really it's because I can't (or can'te be bothered) to follow a pattern.