DAMN Gina!

Yep! Damn, dag nabbit, dang, holey smokes batman! Yeah, I did it. I done put the the last sleeve on my blanket coat on upside down. Whatever! I was listening to Marvin Winans and Tiffany Laing on my iPod and got caught up the jazzy feel good tunes.

Sigh.....

Kamika

An Old Newbie

Ya'll pray for me cause I ain't used to this! Hence I am at the end of my first full work week. A temp job that requires the normal working hours of 8am to 5pm. I thought that when I stopped working over 2 years ago that traffic became extinct. I also don't recall one hour for lunch being so short. And whispering on the phone so other people can't hear you. WHAT!! Lord Have Mercy on my work atrophied body and Praise God for my answered prayers! I'm down with it and grateful. REALLLY grateful. I got to buy a new suit today. Yarn tomorrow! You know I'm grinning like a Cheshire cat!

I can't blog at work. Dang filters! Well, I can but I can't see the pictures so my orientation is all off and so what's the use. Been knitting though. Not with a lot of direction or speed but nonetheless knitting and crocheting. Check out my Wrap-sody in Cream & Pewter Blanket Coat I'm crocheting as a gift for my Pastor. Found the pattern in the current issue of Crochet Mag! It took me only a couple of days and then I got side tracked at work. Also below is a pic of the Drop Stitch Lace Tank from Fitted Knits. I'm knitting it in the round instead of flat. Lastly, check out my new book, Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns. I'm so excited about it. I was looking for a better leaf stitch for the baby blanket I was making and figured I should cut back on buying pattern books and start buying more technique books. BTW, check the sidebar for some new great books!


We're having a big fete at The Motel this weekend. TG is turning 70 and I'm reverting to slave to make sure his day goes well. I don't see why we don't just cook and tell him we had a party. I know. I'm bad!

I've missed you all. Talk to you soon!

Kamika

Two Sides Of the Same Petal

Back in August I volunteered to test knit a cardigan for Stefanie Japel called Petal. Petal is a maternity sweater that can also be worn when not pregnant. The fit can be altered by how you button or not button the fronts (petals). When completely closed the petal effect is very obvious.

Knit in the raglan top-down style common to Japel and familiar to those who have knit her projects in the past, it's a pretty quick and easy knit. If you are expecting or just looking for a great gift for those in you're life who are, then this may be a perfect project for you. Non-pregnant style mavens will enjoy this too. Below you'll see pics of the sweater belted (forgive my short waisted dress form), just to give you and idea of how to change it up.

At this time the pattern isn't available yet for purchase and I'm not sure if it's going in a book or mag but when I get that info I will most def share it with you.

Time: September 8th - October 3rd
Yarn: Plymouth Encore in Wedgewood Blue, Just 4 skeins (200yds each)
Needles/Hook: US 8 and 3

About The Author

Stefanie Japel is the author of the popular Fitted Knits (March 2007) and the upcoming Glam Knits (March 2008). She has been a contributing designer in many well known publications including Vogue Knitting Magazine as well as for yarn companies Tilli Tomas, Artful Yarns and seen on the show Knitty Gritty. Stefanie and her husband Nate reside in New Mexico and are expecting their first child in January 2008. Check out her other great patterns on her site at Glampyre Knits.
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Kamika

Motel Babylon...The Saga Continues

I said I'd tell you so let the Benita Betrell in me get to it!

About three weeks ago DM asked if I wouldn't mind booking an indefinite extended stay for a guest named Peter Pan (PP for short), his wife Sister Dejected (henceforth called SDJ) and two daughters Surly Teenager 16 (ST) and Lying Butterfly 8 (LB). Originally there were 3 kids but when they found out that the Motel added a surcharge on for every kid they ditched him. Apparently Little Steppin Fetchit belonged to SDJ's sister so she sent him back home. Where ever that was. Don't worry though over the course of their stay he makes numerous appearances to use The Motel ammenities all the while acting less than intelligent, shiftless, and obstinant. 3 year olds shouldn't be this way but when you hang around PP you are bound to pick up all sorts of backwards habits including a groupie like love for 50 Cent.

I didn't mind. Heck, they needed help so why not.

It began as it always does. PP and SDJ agreed to pay the room rate on time, and buy their own food in exchange for the upper level First Room Suite with Dining Room attached and in short distance from the spa bathroom. They agreed to smoke in the DESIGNATED, ahem designated smoking areas, park their two cars in their designated parking spots, attend to their own children (this is absolutely not the Plaza Hotel and not a one of them is named Eloise), get jobs, and be all around merry to the other guests and staff.

But no...Since being here they have not bought a drop of food to feed their young spawn. Have not parked in their designated parking. Have commenced to smoking not only on the front veranda but also on the side porch (outside said asthmatic staffers window), in the storage areas, and I believe in the spa bathroom - turning it from spa to putrid water hole. Have not gotten nan job, walk around looking despondent and blue to everyone, leave their kids at the drop of a hat to go nowhere but somewhere. Eat all the food in their paths, mix all their smoke filled dirty clothes with DM and TG's in their clothes hamper (TG is still reeling from that one), dont' clean up and and guess what? The Coup D'etat! Bring home a ROTTWEILER!

YESSSSSS! These negroes guests have no place of their own and can barely afford the cost to wake up in the morning but can afford to go and get themselves a damn puppy!

TG said they couldn't have it, but they've figured out a way to get DM onboard. I guess that may end today as the rott has gone a number two on the lobby carpet. But that's just a small part. The next morning after his arrival he was in the storage (yes near said staff member's storage) presumably in his cage crying to all high heaven. Yelping and and barking right outside of my window (of course) and within earshot of TG.

Their stay thus far has been full of fireworks, including a very explosive episode with said staff member, a large cast-iron skillet, and the head of PP. I refuse to be bullied.

I've got much more to tell you, but I'll stop right here. Next week I think it may be a good idea to give you a primer on who everyone actually is. Like a list of charactere at the beginning of a play.

Until then,

Kamika