OK, someone needs to submit me for that show Intervention. I couldn't go 24 hours without knitting. I was sitting there in the recliner all jittery and fidgety, like a crackhead in withdrawal. And I finally lost it and made my husband pass me the dpn's. Ahhh, endorphins.

Thank heavens I never channeled this compulsive behavior into cigarettes or slot machines.

Posted by: Sarah at 04:47 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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So since I'm not knitting, I'm writing about knitting. And thinking about knitting. And scouring the internet for knitting (holy cow, a Super Mario bag!) The Girl suggested that I take a nice, hot bath to rest my muscles and relax, but when I got there I remembered I hate water, and all I could think about was what I could be knitting.

It seems I'm not the only one with knitting on the brain: AirForceWife has taught herself to knit. Sweet. The husband and I are planning a trip to visit the AirForceFamily in January, so I can't wait to knit together. Hang on, AirForceWife, I'll teach you to knit socks soon!

I made a knitting joke the other day over at AWTM's place. Commenters told me that I should stop forcing my oppressive knitting agenda down AWTM's throat (I'm wildly exaggerating for humor here.) I don't care that AWTM doesn't want to knit; it was just a joke because Emma Peel was knitting. Actually, I have decided I am thrilled that people now have to pay me to learn my hobby. If they're forking over cash, they must really want to learn it. I've taught enough people in my life who didn't end up becoming Knitters™; I like to teach enthusiastic learners.

And AirForceWife seems enthusiastic. Heck, even her husband is enthusiastic about her knitting; after seven years together, I still don't think my husband quite groks my interest in the pointy sticks.

Posted by: Sarah at 09:25 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 I'm trying to knit more, but crochet has been a bit faster, lately, at least for Christmas gifts. I was surprised the other day when my husband was watching me, and announced that I should teach him how to crochet before his next deployment (!). OF COURSE!!! That would make sending care packages easier! "Need more yarn, Sweetie? Here you go!" I'm still pretty stoked about that announcement. I'll have to revisit it later, to see if he was really serious. And I'll have to learn how to make socks and hats, so he has something "masculine" to work on.

Posted by: deltasierra at December 20, 2007 11:08 AM (woXks)

2 I taught my brother to crochet when we were teenagers. He in turn taught his wife right after they got married. I'm looking forward to teaching him how to knit. And AirForceFamily can't WAIT to have the Grok family visit. Knitting, war pictures, and tours of the DC area... Sounds like a most excellent time.

Posted by: airforcewife at December 20, 2007 12:21 PM (mIbWn)

3 Oh my god. I need one of those mario bags.

Posted by: Erin at December 21, 2007 11:45 AM (XRza7)

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I have a knitting project that I have been working on for a seriously long time. It's a big project, and it's a boring project. I have become desperate to get it finished, so desperate that I have been knitting on it for about six hours a day all week long. And I've developed a horrible crick in my neck. I have put myself on the disabled list for a day or so to see if the pain goes away.

So what's a girl to do when she can't knit? Shop for yarn, of course. My husband is gonna kill me...

Speaking of knitting, I read an article yesterday that blew my mind. It was about Althea Merback, a knitter who makes clothes in miniature. Her stuff is incredible. 80 stitches to the inch! Stop and think about that for a second. She uses medical wire for knitting needles. I am just floored. She has a website, but I'm sure photos don't do the work justice. I read that some of her work is in a museum in Kansas City, so the next time we head home to the Midwest, I definitely want to check it out.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:05 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I've got my holiday preemie caps to donate this week.

I had all these grandiose plans to make Hannukah caps and all sorts of goodies, but last week kinda took the wind out of my sails. I made these over the weekend and that will have to do for this year.

And now I'm looking forward to the lack of upcoming holidays so I can just make hats from whatever colors I want. I'm free until 4th of July! OK, maybe a few hearts for Valentine's Day. But I swear I will not attempt an intarsia Abraham Lincoln in February.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:19 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I am finally well enough to be able to be able to lift my arms more than four inches off the sofa. Which means knitting again! But I look around me, just from my vantage point on the sofa, and see ten projects on needles. I have so much knitting I want to do, and only two hands to do it with. How often have I wished I were a Hindu god...

And the queen of stuffed animals over at k2sc1 is raising the bar yet again with a fantastic knitted elephant. I want one! But I seriously can't cast on my eleventh project.

Posted by: Sarah at 08:35 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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My latest Thanksgiving preemie hat. Or, as I like to call it, the Loch Ness monster with balloons on his back.

Posted by: Sarah at 04:48 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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1 I think you named it correctly. What were you aiming for? I think it is cute!

Posted by: Ruth H at November 20, 2007 04:33 AM (Bgs6y)

2 Ha, is it really that bad? I was aiming for it to look like a Thanksgiving turkey

Posted by: Sarah at November 20, 2007 05:37 AM (TWet1)

3 I love it! I think it is adorable!

Posted by: Heather S. at November 23, 2007 06:31 PM (kwJDy)

4 I was sitting here thinking "Loch Ness? But it looks like a turkey to me." lol And then I read the comments so I don't feel so dumb now, haha.

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Posted by: qwe at February 04, 2009 11:58 AM (1edc2)

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We're all posting flowers for Butterfly Wife. Everyone has found lovely flowers. No one has found knitted flowers.

Enjoy your short break, BFW. Can't wait to see you in Vegas this week!

Posted by: Sarah at 08:00 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1 Lady, you are very talented! Me, I'm yarn challenged. I have tried so many times but I'm a miserable failure at it. Perhaps we could work a swap?

Posted by: Lemon Stand at November 03, 2007 03:14 PM (rSvmM)

2 Cute!

Posted by: Kasey at November 03, 2007 05:39 PM (tttDj)

3 I love it! Thank you very much.

Posted by: Butterfly Wife at November 04, 2007 01:08 PM (U2fet)

4 This post makes me miss knitting. When we were at Walter Reed all I did was knit... now I'm home and I'm busy. It sucks. But I will say, it is a beautiful flower

Posted by: Josie at November 05, 2007 06:21 PM (0S0eT)

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I am really looking forward to feeling better because I miss knitting. I just generally feel too crappy to lift my arms. But I really really really want to knit this gun for my baby.

Posted by: Sarah at 08:49 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Butterfly Wife is the queen of sending cards to the wounded at Landstuhl. She has already contributed 457 cards. I completely lay myself at her feet. She says writing the cards is like chanting a mantra. I too have found a troop-related activity that makes me feel this way.

All these squares will be sent along to Hand-Crafted Comfort to be made into afghans for the wounded. I am on a roll. I made all the blue ones on the plane to Hawaii, and my goal is to make a whole afghan's worth of the autumn-themed ones: 70 total. I'm a tenth of the way there.

And yes, they're crochet. Don't judge me.

Oh, and by the way, this is hilarious. Butterfly Wife was asking for suggestions for songs to listen to during deployment. Someone mentioned "Right Here Waiting For You." Then BW's husband shows up in the comments section and says

No Richard Marx sweetie. We both don't need PTSD.

Bwahahahaha.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:01 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 Wow, what a cool idea to just make squares. That's a great way to get people involved who feel overwhelmed about making a whole blanket themselves. Plus a great way to use up yarn that's left-over from another project. In case there are others who read this and are interested, I managed to dig up a link from Google. Is the contact info there correct? http://www.laureloutlook.com/articles/2007/10/04/other_news/community%20news/11soldiers.txt And here's the Blankets of Hope link as well: http://soldiersangels.org/ index.php?page=blankets-of-hope I'm currently making this afghan in a very manly red. http://pumamouse.com/crochetmyfavorite.html

Posted by: loquita at October 12, 2007 07:56 AM (kZVsz)

2 Wow! My hands hurt thinking about all that crocheting. But they'd be warm under that afghan! That is a really pretty blue, btw. I've heard lots of people mention the calming effects of knitting. Glad to hear that it does something like that for you. And Jack Bauer thinks he is funny; good thing he is cute. Thanks for the links.

Posted by: Butterfly Wife at October 12, 2007 08:09 AM (+2qii)

3 I'm cracking up at the Richard Marx reference! That's awesome! I crochet, you know. It's the little old lady in me coming out.

Posted by: airforcewife at October 12, 2007 08:41 AM (emgKQ)

4 Loquita -- Nice work on finding the link! I included it now. Heather is working on a website for the group as we speak, and I plan to feature it on SpouseBuzz soon. Heather's a frequent commenter there, and a friend of mine in real life. airforcewife -- Wanna make squares?

Posted by: Sarah at October 12, 2007 08:47 AM (TWet1)

5 Searching is one of my geek talents. I am the person who runs and gets the laptop so I can Google something the family is talking about sitting around the dinner table. :-p Oh, and I meant to comment on your earlier post about crocheting during a long flight. You should've seen the looks I got crocheting on a flight when I was in high school. It was especially funny when my ball of yarn (I always roll every skein into a ball before I use it) went rolling down the aisle to the back of the plane. Can't wait to see the website for Hand-Crafted Comforts - count me in.

Posted by: loquita at October 12, 2007 09:44 AM (XiVKO)

6 I *just* heard that Richard Marx song yesterday after not hearing it in ... many years. Weird. I didn't have any flashbacks, thank goodness.

Posted by: Anwyn at October 12, 2007 11:43 AM (dzxw9)

7 I don't judge... I crochet too. Thinking of taking up knitting, but I'll need a job first to pay for needles and a book. Now I know what to do with all those scrap granny squares I've made! Only a few are so wacky that I wouldn't send them in.

Posted by: Green at October 12, 2007 02:14 PM (VqW06)

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Dude, this is so cool. I am the #1 hit on Google and Google Images for "knit rhinoceros."

Posted by: Sarah at 11:40 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Oda Mae sent me a cute link that combines two of my favorite things: yarnwork and cooking.

Posted by: Sarah at 02:59 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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More Halloween preemie hats. These are sure fun!

The black one is with candy corns; it's a little easier to see in person.
The tan one...I should've used black for the jack o lantern mouths but I didn't want to do three-stranded colorwork. And duplicate stitch looked like crap when I tried it here. Come to think of it, I think duplicate stitch usually looks like crap. Not a fan.

My next idea: designing a turkey for some November hats.

Posted by: Sarah at 09:39 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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When I make socks, I always make them too short. I get anxious to start the heel and shave rows off the leg. Thus I always end up with short socks and a ball of leftover yarn.

This time I decided I was going the full length on the socks. I didn't want that ball of leftover yarn. Success! Definitely no leftovers here.

Rats.

Looks like I'll be begging my German connection for another trip to the yarn shop. And then I'll be stuck with a whopping big ball of leftovers.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:08 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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I've been working on some new preemie hats for next month...

Posted by: Sarah at 04:06 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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I've organized a knit-along. Anyone want to join us?

Posted by: Sarah at 05:25 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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After fussing and fighting and needle-breaking and ending up with a mere fourteen inches of thread left, the quilt is finally finished.

I wrote about the making of an heirloom over at SpouseBUZZ.

I am so happy about this project.

Posted by: Sarah at 07:59 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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OK, the snowman hat has a nose and the lion has a mane...

Posted by: Sarah at 11:36 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1 Dang, you are a busy woman!

Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at September 03, 2007 11:57 AM (deur4)

2 Oh, that lion is the SHIZZ! I love it!

Posted by: airforcewife at September 03, 2007 01:51 PM (emgKQ)

3 Cali -- I also made four chemo caps this weekend Such is the life of a full-time knitter.

Posted by: Sarah at September 03, 2007 04:15 PM (TWet1)

4 I LURVE the lion very much!!

Posted by: armywifetoddlermom at September 04, 2007 04:30 AM (GumZ4)

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Here's what happens every time I quilt:

1) Get everything ready and get hyped up to start the project.

2) Sit down and quilt the first row.

3) Go to start the second row; top thread doesn't catch and I quilt several inches before I realize I'm sewing without thread. Remove entire quilt from machine and rethread.

4) Start again, only to find that the second time I inserted the quilt, the bottom layer got a wrinkle in it.

5) Pop in a Futurama disc and spend 40 minutes tearing all stitches out.

6) Finally make second row.

7) Without changing a single thing, start third row and find that tension has completely changed and a big knot forms on underside of work.

Cut everything out, spend 15 minutes unquilting.

9) Take all thread out, rethread, try on actual quilt because I'm a moron: tension still berserk. 5 minutes of unquilting. Unthread, take apart every removable piece of the machine, blow on it like an old school Nintendo, put it all back together, try again, this time on scraps: tension fine.

10) Put quilt back on machine, tension goes berserk.

11) Grit teeth, clench fists, shut off machine and return to my knitting where there's no #$%& technology between me and my craft.

Total time spent: all morning
Total rows quilted: 2

If I didn't want the finished project so badly, I'd throw the whole thing out the window.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:30 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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I haven't had anything to say for a few days. I have not been online much, and even when I have been, I don't ever come up with anything to say. Except knitting stuff, and I'm not sure how many of you are interested in knitting stuff. But I was looking for patterns for chemo caps (found some good ones here at Head Huggers) and somehow stumbled across the cutest baby bib. I love peas, they're probably my favorite veggie, so I thought this was magnificent.

Now if you'll excuse me, my lion needs a mane and my snowman hat needs a carrot nose.

Posted by: Sarah at 08:54 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Ack, I've totally met my Better when it comes to stuffed animals! Look at Amethyst's turtle. I better get cracking on that lion so I can hold my own.

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