Knotions

On my way back to work (It's great that I work so close to home). Took the girls to the Wild Animal Park this past weekend and so I've got some great photos which I'll have to post later this week. I did want to hip you all to the skip of a new knitting e-zine called Knotions.


I am so loving the Snip tool that comes with Vista.



Kamika as if we really need another knitting site

FO: McCalls 5250 High Waisted Slacks & Misc.

Stuff and Stuff and some more Stuff!

McCalls 5250 High-Waisted Slacks

Love them! Got lots of compliments on them. These slacks were soooo comfortable.

Pattern: McCall's 5250 High-Waisted Slacks
Material: Tartan Grey Metallic Suiting
Notions: 9" zipper, flat hook closure
Mods & Notes: I had planned to fully line with Posh polyester from JoAnns but while sewing I had a tearing mishap. I may go back later and add lining. I originally cut these out in muslin to get the proper fit. Which I now use as a sort of sloper. Added about 3" to the length. Have to learn how to do a better hidden zipper. Took a little extra time to match the pattern and lengthened the belt carriers by 1" each to accomodate wider belts.

Results: I really love these pants and got many many compliments on them today. Only drawback is the side seam pockets don't lay as flat as they could causing puckering. I may go back and stay stitch them to the outer seams. The pattern is easy and requires little to no guesswork. I highly recommend.

Pinstripes Swatch

Now if I could just sit down and finish the dang ole sweater AND write out the pattern. I dream big and in color. I seem to be slipping back into some habits I thought I had long left behind. Procrastination and not finishing. I'm going to hold myself accountable on this one. Hopefully I'll have a progress pic in my next post.

Tea, Cream & Red Velvet

With walnut icing. The redder the better. Jongewaards in Long Beach.



Kamika now if I go in here and eat this mint cheesecake I'll be stuffed!

FO: #4 Ribbed Top by Vladimir Teriokhin

Wow! I haven't had a knit or crochet FO since June. So as not to come off as a slacker (which I totally am), I too like many other knitters, just haven't felt inspired to knit. I have been crafty in other areas though. Pics to come.

Anyhoo, I finally finished the #4 Ribbed Top from Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2008. So without further adieu:

#4 Ribbed Top by Vladimir Teriokhin


Time: June -October 2008
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino, 5 hanks (approx. 750 yds) in Teal Feather
Needles/Hook: 6US
Modifications: Started the entire set of center cables 6 rows later than called for. This ensured that the cables wouldn't disect my bust at an awkward position making it look as if I had 4 breasts instead of 2.
Notes: Now this was a booga bear If I'd ever seen one. I had to rip out half the back over 5 times just to get it right. If you're going to try this one make sure you read the pattern through with caution. and comprehension. You know reading is fundamental. ;-P

My next projects already on the needles. I'll keep you posted.

Kamika finally done

It Just Don't Make No Sense

It takes a whole lot of energy to over manage a project. I'm serious! Ridiculous amounts of energy! I have seen some people micro-manage. Seen them mis-manage. Hell, I know we've all had our fair share of total lack of management. At work. But damn! I never thought anyone could over manage a project. I mean over manage to the point of confusing themselves in the process of trying to remember how to explain to others the who, what, when, where, and why of a project that they only briefly looked at for less than 5 minutes while blindfolded, hanging upside down, with their right thumb in their mouth, and their left hand tied tightly behind their back with dental floss. One sock on and a Birkenstock or is that a Jimmy Choo? Over manage to the point that a simple mail merge becomes all out guerilla warfare dividing the north from the south, of a single department of 4 people (mind you!), Noriega style. The project is still seven months past due and we still didn't get it done today. It's a mail merge!!

Nope! I aint' ever seen it. I hope I never see it again. I betcha I betta not! Thank God, I'm not a betting woman. As my Daddy would say, "If betting was my ho card, I would have put my nightgown on!" I sit here fully dressed in the clothing of the day...

They angered me so today that I had to go out to my car and pray that God forgive me for my pride and my desire for a pistol. Chocolate pistol that is. Milk chocolate. I try not to be violent. I TRY! Lauryn said, "It could all be so simple, but you'd rather make it hard." Alas, workplace theatre. Public Access TV of course...

Well since I'm venting. I ordered these really great cookies from this spot. I think I placed the order on Wednesday. Why the folks just now getting around to mailing my stuff today? Must be that HAT time. Hawaiian Aloha Time cousin to Colored People's Time. Why did they call me on today and tell me they were missing a digit in my zipcode. Naw! Computer's can't be scarce in Hawaii. How else did they get my order? Mapquest anybody? Google maybe? HmmH?

So as not to drag you all down any further. I have been making great progress on the knitting front. I'm half way done with the back of my Ribbed Top by Vladimir Teriokhin from Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2008. I'm knitting it up in Malabrigo Silky Merino. Take a look.

I also got some really great Louet Kidlin for Stardust by Tourit Wilroy from Knitty Winter 2007 (?). I was at one of my favorite LYS, The Knitter's Studio, for their summer sale and couldn't stop admiring Litle Owl's sample they had displayed. It was in this great hue of green. She has an excellent post on collar alterations for it if you decide to do this project. The Kidlin is an excellent yarn choice for this project as it is very soft, silky, and as a mohair blended with linen it doesn't have as much loft as a pure mohair would which makes it less fuzzy. Plus the light really catches this yarn at every angle making it more dimensional.

I'm now off to pack up my SP12 gifts. I may post pics here as I seem to always get the partner that is not loquacious, or did I mean non-responsive, or distracted, or forgets to post pics of their swag on their blog. The luck of the draw I guess.

I know the title of this post is a double negative. It must be all that The Boondocks I've been watching. I got to take LB to a pool party tomorrow. I hope she has a ball and falls asleep on the way home. Now she's loquacious.

Kamika The War Torn

Did I Sleep With You Last Night?

Remember when your momma used to say that to you when you woke up in the morning and didn't say hello? Oh Hello! Yes, Mert (short for Martha) is old skool. It's sad when it seems like everytime you come back to YOUR house you have to explain to folks where ya been and why you been gone so long. Dang! I am GROWN! Although I am living in my parent's house and too lazy or is that too tired and unmotivated to move out. Most of the other boarders have gone so it's been pretty much smooth sailing. I guess I'm just deceiving myself.

Back to explaining where I been and so on. I'm talking to my blog readers not my mom. She doesn't tread to closely to my personal business and when she does, I just ignore her. Then again, she doesn't need to. I'm pretty predictable and regimented. It's only on the weekends that I turn into a hoe-bath taking Hussy! LOL! Actually, I wish! Not the hoe bath part. I likes to bathe in tubs and showers and put on fresh, well you know...

I was gone 5 days shy of a month. I missed my own blogiversary. I think I was a little afraid to come back. Does that say how I am in relationships?

Work is really draining my energy. Mental drains are waaay more tiring than the physical. When I get home at night I barely make it over the threshold before I want to fall face first into the carpet and stay there until morning. It's as if all the "special" projects at work have turned into my actual job. These crazy things have become endless. Sometimes I feel hood-winked.

I have been knitting and combing my hair though! Shew! It'll take a nation to hold me back. I'm working on my own shrug design which I think I'll call Oz. Peep the picture below. I'm much further than it shows but I was too lazy today to take another pic. It should be finished by this weekend and I'll post it then and the pattern when I get a chance.

I finished steeking the Deep V Argyle vest and got distracted. Here's some pics of my progress. I'll get back to it soon.


Do you remember this? It's Buttony done in that wonderful Malabrigo.


Well look at it now.

It's more like Button still in that same wonderful (blah, blah, blah) Malabrigo. I don't know what I was toking on that day, probably long dormant energy, but I shrunk it in the dryer. Words cannot describe my face when after realizing that I had left it in for longer than 5 minutes, I opened the dryer and saw this miniature. LB (remember my 8 yo neice I dubbed Lying Butterfly?) would love it. Would because she's living in Las Vegas now and has absolutely no use for it out there! Oh well, I bought some more Malabrigo in this pretty peachy-orange color and I plan to make another Buttony but this time a perfect fit. Lesson learned: Malabrigo felts really nicely.

Talk about being scatterbrained. Check out my new train case and my makeup.


Isn't it pretty!? I realize my creature-of-habitness shows up in my choice of makeup colors. I needed to get the case so I could prove to myself that I always seem to buy the same colors.

I think I may plunk down the $1,890 to buy this bag. It's up there, a little materialistic, and prolly not worth it. But I want it and since I don't have a car note or market rate rent, it's justifiable. We'll see if I come to my senses. I just love Gucci.

I tested some of this at Sephora. Smashbox Photofinish. This is a great product. I use it under my foundation but mostly under my loose powder instead of foundation. Love it! Love it! Love it! With this summer's heat sure to be high enough to melt your makeup off. This with loose powder or bronzer, is a great alternative.


I went back and redid the collar on the Cycling Aran again. The cashmere/wool blend, still wasn't stretching enough even in the rib so I reknit it in the same Blue Sky Alpacas yarn as the rest of the body. I then realized that I didn't like how the zipper looked on the inside so I knit a facing to cover it on both sides. It turned out really great and gave the sweater an even nicer finished look.


On another note I started an Etsy store for my jewelry and stitch markers. I haven't gotten around to decorating it yet but when I do I'll let you all know.

Thanks to those of you who checked on me,


Kamika

Trying To Be Prolific

This weekend was full of knitting and creating. I had summoned all of my crafting power into my hands in order to finish off as many projects as I could. I was knitting like yarn was endangered. Alas, I didn't finish everything but a lot and I even found time to make some great stitch markers. Check tomorrow's post for pics of the stitch markers individually. Otherwise this would have been a very picture heavy post.

You already know I finished Buttony, and the Brother In Law Hat. I finished the Cycling Aran, zipper and all. I also swatched the Deep V Argyle Vest. I just about finished a scarf I was making to go along with His sweater and hat (I'm trying to use up the remaining 1/2 skein of Malabrigo and 1/2 skein of Blue Sky Alpaca's that I used on the last two projects, otherwise this is entirely to much coordination for me). I started the Oatmeal Jacket from Monkey Suits and I had to keep myself from starting a scarf for my secret swap partner.

Check it out! Here are some progress pics on the Cycling Aran and the finished project:

The zipper took me about an hour to put in. I didn't want to do it by machine and risk puckering or tearing the stitches ragged.

On my previous attempt I had stitched a simple stockinette lining. When I tried the jacket on a male friend, I noticed that the lining didn't stretch like the collar and wouldn't allow the collar to close. I ripped it out and decided to make the lining ribbed like the color to get the same amount of stretch.

Me modeling the finished product with hat.

Kamika

Something To Keep His Head Warm

Time: February 21st - February 22nd, 2008
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, 1/2 skein (150yds each)
Needles/Hook: US 8 16" circ.
Notions: None
Notes: Found pattern on Kody May Knits. It's called the Brother In Law Basked Weave Hat. Very well written pattern that can be knit in about 6 hours or less. For an adult male's head I would recommend doing, at minimum, 3 repeats of the pattern before starting to decrease. My hat is for someone who is bald so it will fit fine on him but as you can see with my hair in the above pic, it might not be long enough for someone who has a larger head with hair. For larger heads just add more repeats. Kody gives the option to decrease in or out of pattern. I decreased in pattern which, IMHO, gave it a nicer finish at the top.

I plan to make more of these.

Kamika

Sisters of the Yarn GiveAway

I'm tired of not doing the things I want to do! I'm tired of being bound to reality by practicality and at the same time depressed by my grand fantasies that never seem to come to fruition. I put the kabosh on all of that last night! Michelle Obama's speech on yesterday at UCLA seemed to light a fire under me. I'm still not sure who I'll be voting for on tomorrow, but I am leaning heavily towards the Obama crew. Eventhough I don't agree with all of the Obama alignments, nor am I a Demo or Repub but Indie, I was too done when one of Hillary's campaign heads (by my perception and my perception is what counts on this blog) made a wickedly subversive egalitarian comment about how the Clinton campaign only cares about the people in the states that matter to them. What the?!! But I'm digressing and need to get back on track.

Remember when I said I'll Try? Well I'm going to keep making myself accountable to you all by keeping you up on my progress.

1. I signed up for my Belly Dancing class and have since taken 2 - 3 hour lessons. I've bought a short hip scarf with lots of coins and even a bronze belt and I'm still not done. I'm having so much fun in this class I can't stand it! (Not my tail in the pic)

2. I'm enrolled in a couple of classes this semester and feeling great about it!

3. I made the Eunny Jang Deep V Arglye Vest my Ebony Elite KCAL project. Got the yarn, the sticks, and the pattern. Woo Hoo!

4. I plan to make Saturdays Hair Day here. I'm lining up stuff as we speak and even speaking to some mixtresses about future giveaways, so stay posted.

5. I got some great stuff for the Sisters of the Yarn Giveaway just as I had promised. Check below for the detes. I didn't make it last week but look, now you have, well now!

So the above items are no longer "I'll Trys" but I'm Doings which means I need some more I'll Trys. Check back on Wednesday for those and help to keep me on track.
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So on to the Give Away!

The Prize:

A book and yarn package












From Iris Schreiber her latest book Lacy Little Knits...

...and from Lorna's Laces, 1 skein of Shepherd Worsted Wool in the awesomely named Aslan colorway. Aslan is one of my heros straight from one my most favorite books, The Chronicles of Narnia. This skein is a full 225 yards, wonderfully dyed and super soft.

Both items are brand spanking new and not from my stash!

HOW TO WIN:

This one's a little easier. Just leave me a comment telling me what you might make with the Lornas Laces.

I'll leave this open through the Friday, February 8th and randomly select 1 winner on that evening. You must live in the continental US to participate. Be sure to provide me with your email addy otherwise I will not be able to reach you. The first to respond to my email will get first choice and so on.

Good luck!

Your Girl Kamika

And the Winners...

... of the first ever Kinky Coils & String GiveAway are!

**Drum Roll**

1. Eve Knits
2. Afiba (Ms. Lina)
3. Sonya

You ladies were selected using a random number counter program so as to make it as fair as possible. I will be contacting these ladies over the next couple of days to get their choices. Eve Knits gets 1st choice and so on. Hopefully each of you will get what you want. They are all great products!

If you get to me before I get to you, please email me at kamikak at MSN DOT com.

Thanks to all who entered and please stay tuned for those hair updates. I'll need your input! Also, hopefully you'll come back to be inspired to knit, crochet, or take up a hobby to bless your self with. As women we need to start doing things for us that will birth out creativity and help us to relieve stress. Knitting and crochet does that for me and so many others, maybe it will do it for you too.

Kamika

I'll Try

I've never been one for New Year's resolutions. I think they make liars out of people. Nor do I like to recap or precap, postcap or whatever years. Ya'll were there and if you weren't I probably told you about it! What I am up for at the beginning of a new year or new season in my life is trying something different or even enhancing my life by delving deeper into previously passing fancies and making them sustainable hobbies or past times. I'm gonna try stuff and if I don't like it I'm going move on, no strings attached, no feelings of defeat.

• I plan to [TRY to] run more and become a runner. Not just my usual run 10 miles per week (on a good week) but a consistent got that runners' high runner running a full marathon in a week sans the saggy skin that seems to come with running on pavement. Naw ya'll, I'm a treadmill girl! I'se needs that cushion!

• I plan to take Belly Dancing lessons. I've belly danced before but never have taken lessons. Shimmy on FitTV and belly dancing videos on OnDemand don't count! I want to take lessons in a studio and get my finger cymbals on! Clang! Clang! Clang! I want the outfits and the veils but not all that gaudy [Egad!] makeup.

• I plan [sho gone TRY] to finish 12 units towards my Bachelors by this summer. We'll see.

• I plan [gon make a sure fire effort] to master certain techniques and absolutely try new techniques when it comes to knitting and crochet. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to go on over to Eunny Jang's site and buy the pattern for her Deep V Argyle vest! Done! It was only $5.25.

• Lastly, I plan [I'm gonna try] to add more hair articles to my blog. I've been getting a lot of hits to the site from women who want more information on hair, hair care, and products.

To continue on from that last bullet...Unfortunately my blog has been somewhat misleading as I haven't put up enough substantial information about kinky coils (not me my hair) and hair at all. Matter of factly, I've been neglectful and my Feedburner stats prove it!

Hair readers I want to draw you out. Look forward to my first every give away this week! I plan to give away something that I know you all have been searching for and haven't been able to get your hands on. And just for the heck of it! I plan to give something away to my Sisters of the Yarn as well. I'll break the announcement on Thursday, January 24th! I'll TRY to! LOL

Talk to soon!

Kamika

3 Eves Before Christmas

3 days before Christmas and I still have 2-3 more gifts to get. I say 2-3 because the third I'm not really all that enthused about getting but since this person is a sibling and expecting it I guess I need to get it. I'm trying to give this gift out of the goodness of my heart (most appropriate don't ya think) but my heart thinks no gift is better than a contrived one. My mind on the other hand is saying kill 'em with kindness and let the streets teach them their lessons.


My mind is winning the battle...


An update on the Cycling Aran. I'm just about done. I'm halfway finished with one of the sleeves and plan to start the other one tonight. After that I'm going to knit a lining in the collar with a lighter shade of Jo Sharp Silk Aran Road. I will then spray block it (sans boobs on my mannequin. see pic.) and then insert the zipper and gift wrap. Enjoy the pics. Sorry one is darker because I couldn't really catch the cable detail with the light in my room.


I'm working on some designs of my own. No telling when they'll make it to this blog or even to full completion. In the interim I think I will start on another sweater for myself. I'm thinking either the Buttony Sweater by Katie Marcus or Killybegs by Debbie Bliss. Both have been in my Ravelry que for a minute now.



If I don't see your before Christmas, have a wonderful one and be safe.

Kamika

I Am the Phantom...

I am the phantom that lives in the house

I am the phantom that walks in and out

I am the phantom that will not shout

so no one in the house will know I'm about...

Yep, that sums it up. For the last couple of weeks I have been rising early and coming home really late. Way after others have gone to sleep I've been slipping in the house and acting like I live alone. I haven't seen the faces of some of my family members in a couple of weeks but they know when I'm home. The light in my room is on and when they knock on the door I freeze like I'm invisible until they go away. At other times I feign deafness due to the earphones surgically attached to my ears when I'm here.

I know, some of you would say that I'm wrong while others may be resentful of me for being single, childless, and able to slip in and out without someone or a some thing called familial responsibility attached to my hip. I'm not ashamed. I'm tired ya'll! Hate me, I'm good at being a villain named Single. My krytonite is loneliness and longing.

God promised to remedy my plight, hence my latest project. This picture was taken yesterday so it doesn't show my progress on today alone. Double the height and you'll see where I currently am on my Cycling Aran. I decided to knit it in the round to eliminate as much seaming as possible. I'm a few inches from dividing for the armscye.

This has gone so smooth and the yarn, Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Organic Cotton, is soooooo soft! I guess the blessings of the Lord do make me rich and add no sorrow... As if I didn't believe.
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I went shopping today and bought myself a few treats and took in a movie only to come home to an IRS wage garnishment notice. UGH! I need to go see my tax man like tomorrow.

I checked out the Golden Compass this afternoon. I know all about the reviews and the uproar the church is having with the storyline and the anti-church message. I got it. I liked the movie and I plan to go see the sequel (although I will reserve the right to change my opinion as I read more up on it). I was thoroughly amused through the entire movie. Great cinema! Nicole K is my girl. She's a bad actress and so I tend to like most of her movies.

I picked up Da Truth's album Open Book today and you should check it out. Nice grooves. It's going straight to the iPod and will be my running soundtrack until I'm tired of it or find a lyric that doesn't line up.

I'm really enjoying life. It's all been worth it!

Kamika

Been So Long...

Wow, I didn't realize I had been away for so long. Crimson Purl had to bring me back. Thanks lady! It's late and I'm feeling a little under the weather but enjoy Isobel In Red by French Girl Knits and some shots of the completed Blanket Coat I crocheted. Didn't have a good enough model to model the coat but the candids are nice.

Isobel In Red

Time: Mid November- December 1st
Yarn: Sensations Cosetta, Just 6 skeins (350yds total doubled up)
Needles/Hook: US 17 and 19
Notions: 2 1 1/2" buttons

Blanket Coat

Kamika

I Crawl Because I Like Being Close to the Ground

It really bites that I can't blog at work. That's code for: brace yourself, this is gonna be a long one. This daylight savings time and work takes a lot out of me. Don't get me wrong. I love the extra hour in the mornings but it really messes me up at night and the flourescent lights at work don't make it any better. They and the flickering (useless) computer that I sit in front of all day really saps my energy. The computer at work is useless because I can't BLOG! But the moolah is nice!!

Let's jump right in, shall we.

I've been spending a lot of time with ST (Surly Teenager). She's been attached to my hip and all things auntie for a few weeks now. It's no problem though. She's a really cool kid. So cool that she's picked up crochet! FIYAH! Thats her below at another yarn spot I wanted to hit called the Knit Cafe. It's a cozy little store in Beverly Hills. You may have heard of the book Greetings from the Knit Cafe. Well this is that author's store. Nice folks with no boug at all.

Houston, I think we have a convert. She was so overwhelmed when she stepped into the store. She never knew there was such a thing as a "Yarn Store" that carried only yarn and didn't have a big box chain name *cough* *cough* Michael's/Jo-Anns *cough* *cough*. Here's ST picking out some Cascade 220 in a rich purple variegated.

And here she is practicing on some scrap yarn I had. No sense in wasting the new yarn on test work.

And here she is trying to crochet in peace but unable to hold back a laugh at her corny auntie trying to snap flicks for her blog.

I ended up not buying any yarn but instead picking up this French Girl Knits pattern called Isobel. I later picked up some Cosetta yarn from Jo-Anns. I'm doubling up.

For the last couple of weeks I have been smitten with the Cycling Aran by Hello yarn. It's been in my Ravelry cue for a few months but I've been feeingl the need to make it in earnest. Two weeks ago I swung by another LYS in Santa Monica called Wild Fiber. Before I say anything negative about them, I will give them one more opportunity to redeem themselves.

I picked up a ball of Elisabeth Lavold Silky Flamme to swatch with and fell in love almost 90%. I just couldn't do it. I decided that in order to get the proper gauge I would have to go from a 9 to a 10.5 needle which would IMO make the sweater too airy. I didn't give up though and kept looking for a good replacement. The only problem I had was finding the right yarn in the same rich gunmetal color and reasonably priced. After searching hard and not settling I finally found it!

So this weekend I decided to do my own little yarn crawl. Just like in my mall hop days, I decided to hit a few shops I had never been to before to say I went. I started out in Santa Monica at A Manos Yarn Center. I've heard a lot about this shop and wasn't disappointed. The ladies in there were having a good ole time when I walked in. They had the music going and about 8 of them around the table just yakking it up and knitting. I jumped right into the conversation. I couldn't find my elusive Cycling Aran yarn there but I did pick up a pair of size #19 needles, and some pretty Rowan Calmer and Berroco Bonsai in reds to start scrumbling for a shawl I'm making for a new friend. Annette and Shenita (the owners) were wonderful. Would you believe I had been talking to Shenita off and on on Ravelry and never even knew she was the owner of A Manos? Well here's your plug girl!.


After leaving A Manos, I drove on over to Compatto also in Santa Monica. Early last week I had gotten an invite to be in the Compatto group on Ravelry and decided I should go check out the spot. This store is niiice! Well decorated and well stocked. It's a small spot but nicely organized. Nancy, Bonnie and Grace are the bomb! They carry lots of Blue Sky Alpacas, Rio de la Plata, and Malabrigo. Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton is what I chose for my Cycling Aran. Check it out! I hope he loves it!

A few more things. Picked up this cute pattern called Instant Oatmeal by Monkey Suits. I think Mercy will look cute in this for the winter. Finally something to use that RYC I bought a while ago. BTW, I don't think I ever showed you all the yarn I got for Arrica's Boobholder. I need to get it popping cause I missed her birthday. I've had this yarn for nearly 3 months now and haven't started yet.

I promise I'll be back this week (Lw). I got some great events going on this weekend to hip you to.


Kamika