January 30, 2012

Project #3 for 2012: Encore Jacket

Top Down Encore Jacket
Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Solids
Needles: size 8 circs 
You will think you are seeing double on this one, both of my grand daughters will be getting one of these. So technically projects 3 and 4
This is a paid pattern on Ravelry
So far I think this pattern is very well written and very easy to follow. It's so easy that Saturday after I got the Falana Five settled in their pjs watching t.v. I started with some yarn I found in my stash. I knit all the way to the division for the sleeves before I went to bed. I woke up yesterday and decided I didn't like how the fabric was coming out with the yarn I was using. Ripped it out and got started the second time with a different yarn, last night around 6pm. 
So as you can see this going to be a pretty quick knit.
I think the girls will like them when they are finished.
 


January 28, 2012

Superior Cowl is FINI!

 
Superior Cowl
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This was, even after all my complaining, a fast and fun knit. I didn't realize until after I posted in Ravelry that it had only taken me three day. That's with work, kids, basketball games, Avon and meals cooked and kitchen cleaned. So all in all, not too bad. Guess it just seemed longer because it was just round and round of knit knit knit. All in all this is a good pattern for a basic cowl that looks absolutely adorable on Bella Boop, even though it is mine, it looks dang cute on her.
The yarn was Yarns from Italy. She has an Esty shop and she runs some really good sales. This is the superwash sock yarn. It is a little stiff feeling while you're knitting with it, but I think after the first wash it is going to bloom into a wonderfully soft yarn. 
I changed the CO to 130 sts so I would have a loser more flowing fabric. It came out great I think! 


January 27, 2012

21" should not be this long: Superior Cowl

  
 The Superior Cowl
This has been one looooonggg and drawn out twenty one inches. I was knitting my little fingers off last night watching t.v. Two hours of knitting got me 3", I still have 5" to go! I am excited to see this pattern finished and around my neck. (I am sure PB is too, though it may not be as tight as he wants it). 
This is a great beginner pattern for making a cowl. And all the pictures of others projects look great. 
Besides the first 6 rows of garter st. in the round, it is endless, mindless, knitting, around and around.
Be prepared, 21" on size 4 needles and sock yarn takes for frikkin' EVER!
This is sooooo gonna be worth it when it's done!

January 26, 2012

REVIEW: Kindle Fire-Pros, or why I like my Deedah Fire

I was going to take some pics but I decided you can find pics all over the web. Which also leads to my first Pro-

No camera: while some may see this as a con, I don't.
I have a $350 Canon that I used almost daily with the five grandbrats. Then, I got a smart phone, now that same camera is collecting dust in the corner of my room, only to be brought out for special pictures, or, worse, when the phone died, probably from all those damn pictures I take. I don't normally have my tablet in my hand, for those goofy, hurry or your going to miss it shots, or right next to me for those, MiMi look what I can do shots.But my good old trusty smart phone, always with me. Well except when it's on that damn charger!

I bought my Fire for one main reason, to hold my pdf  knitting patterns so every time I want to knit something I don't have to print it out, or worse, try and find the previous print out. (yeah I generally give up after 30 seconds and just print it out again) Thereby saving myself ink and paper. (This is the argument I gave PB, and he seemed to think it was a sound investment!)
I am after all, first and foremost, a knitter. We must keep our priorities straight! :0)

I like the fact that it doesn't have all the buttons all around the thing on the outside.
And for those whining because the speaker volume button isn't on the outside of the unit, REALLY! Is that all you have to bitch about. I categorize those people right beside what ever idiot will take a beloved cartoon movie and watch it frame by frikkin' frame to see if they can spot the devil lurking in the background trying to hypnotize their 3 year old into stealing all their money and making off in the family car.

Amazon has loads and loads of apps for the kindle, and!, you get one free paid app a day. From what I hear it's not all those dumb ass apps that you wouldn't get even if they were free, but real honest to goodness, worth every penny apps. I like free ;0)
If Amazon doesn't have what you want, there are butt loads of websites where you can download other apps to your Kindle, one of which is GetJar.com They are frikkin loaded with apps. Check it out, just make sure the fish are fed and the cat is in and the dog is out before you visit their website, you are going to be there a while.

I have already purchased a knitting magazine subscription. It would be awesome if Interweave let you do this because it is DA' BOMB! The formatting is good, the pictures are great, and, yes here we go again, I don't have to print out the pattern, just turn on my Fire!

DD#1 set up her netflix account on my Fire so I can watch it anytime, anywhere. Hmm... wonder if they have the first episodes of Dexter? I think I missed something about the brother.... but anyway. The graphics are great on video. I am not going to lie, it's a little bit sticky when you first start the movie, has something to do with buffering, or bumping and grinding or something like that. It straightens out fairly quickly, and lets face it, who the hell likes to watch the beginning credits anyway. Unless your name is up there, then it would just be you and your Mom.

I love the fact that it fits in my one little bitty hand. I don't have to hold it like a lunch tray. Which goes along with the earlier EPIPHANY from yesterday's post.

You can pretty much see the screen anyway you look at it without too much of a problem. Now granted I haven't tried direct sunlight. I don't plan on being in any direct sunlight, do you know how frikkin' hot it gets here? Your tablet would immediately become a pile of sweating electronics that could fry the guts, which makes the direct sunlight a moot point doesn't it.

There is not mic on this thing, but the way I see it, without the camera, what the hell you need a mic for anyway. The speakers are pretty good tho, but better on headphones, which is great when you don't want anyone to hear you listening to Dane Cook videos.

There is no 3G, but WIFI is the way to go, it's a whole hell of a lot cheaper and you can just about snatch any signal out of the air and ride it. I keep my 3g on my phone turned on, because I have a top of the line 4G smart phone that should pick up 3G effortlessly, ummm... sorry Ma'am, that everywhere but where you live!. So what good is it if, even tho they advertise 3G everywhere, it's not. I did accidentally pick it up once when we were in Ga. but as soon as I went, WOW it was gone. Kinda like a one night stand without all the fun.

All in all, so far, I like it for what I bought it for. I didn't want an Ipad, I thought I did, until I saw the side by side pics of the two. It looks like a lunch tray when you hold it, or you have to put it in your lap, on the table, on something. I can use my Kindle Fire on a crowded bus in standing room only! So there!
All the griping and complaining are from those who have, or wanted an Ipad. Once again.... come on do I really need to say it again?

January 25, 2012

REVIEW: Kindle Fire:The Cons

Let me start off by saying, I am not 'tech' savvy, I don't know the difference between a GUI and ROM, though I do know what a BM is and why you need one everyday. ;0) I do, however, know what plain Jane, regular untechy people like me like, and we like Fire.
And in the interest of full disclosure, I have never laid my eyes or hands on an Ipad before. But I do know how much one will cost you and the basic gist of what they will do. I had an Iphone for a couple of years so I pretty much "grok" the Ipad.

I received my Kindle Fire, or as I like to call it, my Deedah Fire, in the mail yesterday.
I read all the reviews around the net, mainly because I was excited and bored waiting for it to come in.
What I gathered from all that reading is this, IPad users HATE the Fire.
Now you can not tell by the review you are reading that this person has ever even seen an Ipad before, but as I read, and read, and read, I began to see a pattern.

For example: One guy was complaining that the 'swipe' bar was in the middle of the screen, which made it very uncomfortable for him to swipe and unlock his Fire. REALLY!! I have teeny tiny hands and it's not a problem, or wait, here's a better idea, while you are holding it in your left hand, swipe with your right finger! WOW! An epiphany! I mean come on!

Then another complaint: Unless you have very small fingers, the Fire's keyboard will be too hard for you to navigate. REALLY!! My BFF has big hands, not HUGE man hands, but bigger hands than mine, and if she can use the keypad on a blackberry without any problems, I don't think anyone would have a problem with the keyboard on the Fire, not even in portrait mode. Are you lazy or just whiny?

Then there are the ten million complaints about the storage on the Fire! OK first of all, was this a surprise to you when you purchased your Fire? Did they hide the box behind curtain number two and tell you you couldn't have it until you paid for it? I went to the Amazon sight, guess what? The specs are right there for everyone, including I am sure this guy. So basically what he is saying that, even though he is a techy guru of some sort, he never read a review, or hey, here's a thought, checked out the specs on the Amazon website. It was all one big "OH SHIT!" shock to him when his Fire was left on his doorstep?! The Fire does have less storage than an Ipad, but the Fire gives you Amazon to back you up. You have the cloud to hold all your crap, most Ipad users probably use the Cloud anyway don't they. 'Cause lets face it, Ipad or Fire or Laptop or desktop, you never have enough room for all your crap.

My absolute favorite, The guy who has his Ipad sitting beside his Fire, going at them both at the same time. (which I think is illegal in some states)
Ok so I am supposed to believe that you, who already have an Ipad, bought the Fire because you're a tech hoarder. No! I'm not that damn dumb! You bought the damn thing to do a comparison to a product that you already had, used and liked. Let's face it dude, in the back of your mind, you were a little bit afraid weren't you? Afraid that you just spent $699 on something that my little $199 tablet could do. Don't worry idiot, THIS IS NOT THE IPAD! If you want an Ipad, don't buy the Fire!! It's a simple as that.

Now, on to what I, as a normal everyday untechy user, think about the Fire

January 23, 2012

My Corona,without the lime





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The finished sweater. This was an easy knit. If you want to make something easy and fast,I highly recommend this pattern. The yarn is Cotton Ease by Lion Brand. And even though its cotton, I couldn't wear it too long in our 70 degree weather.

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January 14, 2012

Rippit,Rippit!

So,since I had to rip back past the cable panel,and I found some really good ideas on Ravelry, I ended up undoing the whole thing and starting over. I'm glad I did,now that I have my brain wrapped around it better,it is looking much better, I changed to twisted rib for the bottom ribbing, and am already back up to the waist decreases. It looks much better now.


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January 13, 2012

GBP2011/12

Ok so you noticed the new name of the GBP2011? Yeah, well at least it isn't frogged! Just overlapping in years. LOL
I have been knitting, knitting my little fingers off actually.
I got on the cotton kick, hand towels, facecloths, dishcloths, OOOooo the dishcloths.
I ended up with about four matching towel and cloth sets, all but one given as a Christmas gift, then there were the six cloths for my MIL and the five cloths for each of my girls, plus the cloths I made to replace the worn out ones I had in my bathroom. I don't know what got into me, just started playing with the variegated cotton and it was on, COLOR PLAY.
I finally got most of that out of my system and found this CORONA on Ravelry.
Now we all know how Ravelry is, you find something you like, and then you look at all the projects being done, read all the notes from other people, look at all the different yarns used, then you CO.
That's exactly what I did.
I have been posting my progress at the Knittinfun Facebook Page
It is a really good pattern, and besides my one brain fart screw up, it has been going really well. I am knitting mine in Lion Brand Cotton Ease, for three reasons.
1. I am not buying any yarn for right now. My stash is overwhelming and something needs to be done about it. So, I went stash diving and that's what floated to the top!
2. I have a bad habit of falling in love with a pattern, buying yarn just for that pattern and then either starting something else before my yarn arrives which puts it on hold, or worse, not starting the new project at all after I have already spent the money on it.
3. It is way to hot where I live most of the time, wool is not a good idea, unless you only want to be able to wear your new sweater for about a month out of twelve. Not enough use after I have put all the time into making something. Especially if I like it.
You can hop over to the FB page and check out the progress and see the pics there. ;0)

Getting back in the groove

It's been so long since I have wanted to knit anything.  I knit so many socks when I started knitting back in '99 that I was comp...