To boldly go...

Yesterday I dyed my first yarn!!! And I am very happy with the results! I used Kool Aid that I bought on ebay as you don't get it in Germany and then "baked" the yarn in the oven according to Wollhuhn's directions. I used sock yarn and can't wait to start working on it!

For the first 100gr skein I took Cherry and Lemon. I have twu English Pint glasses (nicked from pubs when I used to study there) and they are perfect for the job:




For the second two 50gr skeins I used orange and grape:




(As you see I don't have a swift and I have to work on my hanking technique)

My pink sweater is nearly done. I am working on the second sleeve and I hope to finish it today after I have corrected the central Bavarian English and German tests from my 6th graders. (Don't get me started on my opinion on this)

Cold

It became really, really cold today, so had the opportunity to wear this sweater which I had already finished a couple of weeks ago. The basic pattern is from Suss Cousin's book "Hollywood Style", the borders, the use of two colours and the flowers are added extras by yours truly. I did the borders because I didn't like the neck finish and the lower edge inititally curled in because of the stockinette stitch. (I'm sorry for the bad picture but somehow I seem not to be able to do god photos with just one hand, I am too shaky). The dark green yarn is from Butinette and the violet one is recycled from a cardigan I frogged. I finished this in about two days. No, not because I knitted the whole day but because I used 8 mm needles. I usually don't like handling such thick needles but I like the texture that they produce.



I have finished the front and the back of the pink sweater and am currently working on the first sleeve. Knitting goes slower during the week as a lot of my lessons are during the afternoon this school year and when I come home in the evenings I don't feel like doing anything.

Secret Pal Package arrived!

I had a really hard Monday today: school from 8 am to 4 pm, lack of sleep and "headache" weather. And then I came home and found this AMAZING package from my secret pal. It is unbelievable - she sent me all the things I wanted!! I browsed the Amy Butler book for hours and I can't decide with which project I should start. I want to do them all!!! And the yarn is my favourite in my favourite colour! Thank you sooooo much!!

Knitting crazy

It seems I have lost my mind completely. I orderd some yarn (ggh Solitaire- my new fav) to do this project from an old "Verena" magazine:



My nice postman brought it on Friday at about 2.30pm. When I went to bed at 10.30pm I had knitted this (and got a nice tan besides):



On Saturday I finished the back and also did this:



I think I need a boyfriend desperately (or a life???) ;-) - I have done nothing else than knit this sweater the last two days. Or should I change my job from teacher to professional knitter?

Thank you so much Melissa and Holly for your encouraging comments. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to inspire you!! Keep on sewing (and knitting of yourse!)

Too true....

Your Heart Is Red

You're a passionate lover - you always have a huge fire in your heart. Too bad it's hard for you to be passionate about just one person! Your flirting style: Outgoing and sexy Your lucky first date: Drinks and dancing Your dream lover: Is both stable and intense What you bring to relationships: Honesty

What Color Heart Do You Have?

It's the weekend

Finally the weekend has arrived and I can shamelessly lie on my sofa and knit! Fortunately I don't have much work to do and can take some time off. Tomorrow the Oktoberfest starts but I couldn't care less. It has never interested me and every year I am only grumbling about all the tourists and drunk people in the underground. Such a nuisance! I dearly love Munich and everything associated with it but the Oktoberfest....well, I could do without it.

Anyway - I finished something this week (it's crochet):





Again, I, can't give you many details on the yarn apart that it is very warm and cosy. I bought it on a cone on ebay. I have to get used to the wide sleeves on the kimono but I guess with some slim jeans it will keep me stylishly warm in winter. The pattern is very straightforward and simple. And I finished the back in one day as I used a 5 mm crochet hook.

Yesterday I had a bad day. Do you know the feeling of standing a couple of steps next yourself all day long? Nothing worked. I had a knot in my tongue during my English lessons and was totally confused. To destress myself, I finished two pairs of pants last night instead of preparing the lessons for today and I will model them when they are ironed.

Chevron scarf finished

My Chevron scarf is finally finished. Well..I shouldn't complain. It took me only about two weeks from start to end. I blocked it very hard as I think I should have gone up a needle size. Anyway, I am very happy about the colours and I wear it all the time (I'm that kind of scarf girl - I wear them even in summer)! I can't tell you what yarn I used as I already threw away the ballbands. Sorry!!!! All I can remember is that I bought the yarn at a large department store.



Its the second week of school and already I am bone-tired. I do love my job and my students but it is all very strenuous. I thought it would be better the second year but it doesn't seem likely.

Rainbow

Just wanted to share this with you. I took it a couple of minutes ago:

HELP!

Everyone out there - I need your help! Do you have any suggestions with which other yarn I can subsitute Karabella Margrite? This seems very hard to get online and I want to knit a cardi where they use this yarn.

Swap packages galore!

For my virtual vacation I went to Sacramento, CA thanks to Cindi. Thank you so much! I love all the things you sent me. The mug and the pen are in constant use and I also tried the handlotion, it smells wonderful!!!



Also, I got my Knit One, Tea Too package by Else from Norway. She colour-coordinated the whole thing - very nifty! Funnily enough we had been matched up for another swap before. Thank you sooo much, I love all the stuff !

My sewing machine

Dorothee asked me, what kind of sewing machine I had. So I made some photos of it. It is a Pfaff 230 and it is from the late 40s or 50s. I inherited it from my Grannie.



Technically it is not equipped very well and it doesn't run with electricity, but I am so used to it that I don't mind that I can't do any button holes etc.



And the nifty thing is: You can turn it into a piece of furniture when not in use:



I received my virtual vacation and tea swap packages. Thank you soooo much guys. I will post pics tomorrow when I am not so tired anymore.

No news on cute guy.The whole thing is dead :-(

I still have a life!!!

SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up.Have fun!

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
(x) Starsky and Hutch
( ) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
( ) AirplaneTotal: 7
( ) The Princess Bride
( ) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
( ) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
( ) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 6

( ) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 7

(x) Harry Potter 1
( ) Harry Potter 2
( ) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 11

(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
( ) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 13

( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
( ) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) KING KONG
Total so far: 15

( ) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
( ) Flubber
Total so far: 16

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( )Secret Window
(x) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 18

( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
(x) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 21

( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 26

(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
(x) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 31

( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
( ) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
( ) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 36

(x) X-Men
( ) X-2
( ) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
( ) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 44

( ) Swimfan
( ) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
( ) The Notebook
(x) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 46

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 52

( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
( ) Elf
(x) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 53

( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 56

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
() Waterworld
Total so far: 58

( ) Kill Bill vol 1
( ) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 58

( ) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
( ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
( ) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
( ) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
( ) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 58

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
( ) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal

Total: 61 out 239.

Fall into Autumn Dishcloth Swap

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?
Both and forever
2. Have you made dischloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both?
Yes I have made them for different swaps - and I use them for both
3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ?
I don't have a fav cotton and I don't know if there is one I haven't used before
4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles?
It all depends on the project
5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much?
I'm a pink lady and i don't really like red
6. What do you like best about Autumn?
The sunshine after a rainy summer
7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!
Apple and pecan, I don't much like pumpkin
8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day?
I really liked going back to school (maybe that's why I became a teacher)
9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap)
I don't celebrate Halloween because I think it is not really a German celebration
10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose?
Chips, fries and ice cream
11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;)
A lot of students....
12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why?
I did a test once and my result was mohair
13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths?
Mainly as dishcloths
14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)
Neither. We used to make a big fire on the fields and put potatoes in it.
15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about?
Nope

5 days to go...

Only five days then school starts again. I can't believe how time flies even if you are only at home doing "nothing". Ok here are my "nothings" from the last couple of days:

The first one is a shirt from an old Burda Moden magazine from 2005. This fabric is also from my shopping spree to Butinette last week.



The last fabric from Butinette. A simple skirt I did without a pattern. The border was already embroidered on the cord fabric.



This is Ophelia. I had some yarn left over from my Fair Isle Sweater, so I knitted it up into this one. I had it finished in about 2 days as I used 5 mm needles. I didn't do the lace pattern on the back, instead I used plain stockinette. (Sorry that I wear the same pants in nearly every photo - I don't really care what I put on if I stay at home all day and nobody sees me. Don't get me started in washing my hair...)



Last but not least I, too, started the omnipresent Chevron scarf. I just love the colours of this yarn!



I'm not going to say anything about the cute guy today. No news, same ol' craze. He said he will come to my party tomorrow. Let's see how that goes. Somehow I'm really fed up with these games at the moment.

Some Sewing

For my wrists' sake, I had to take a break from knitting, so I sewed this dress from the latest "Burda Moden" magazine. It is both very retro and stylish and I'm loving it! I used one of the fabrics I got from last weeks shopping spree.



Cute guy called last night. These mixed signals drive me nuts....

Fair Isle done!

Finally, I have finished my first Fair Isle sweater! And I really like how it turned out! The pattern is from the magazine Rebecca and the yarn is partly acrylic, I think. I inherited it from my Grannie and i just had the yarn, now info about it. I didn't go with the suggested hood as I didn't want to look like Little Red Riding Hood.




Oh, and do you remember this one?


It turned into being this one:


I wasn't really happy with the camouflage look so I dyed it. If you look very close, a bit of the camouflage pattern is left, but I am so much happier with this colour, which I definitely will wear, in contrast to the camouflage.

I am coming down with a cold and I hate it. I get really angry with myself if I experience the shortcomings of my body. I took all measurements against cold that I know of, so hopefully I will have some days of my holidays left without being ill. What's the worst: I look like Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer. When I have a cold, my nose turns red instantly (you can call me Rudi)

Dog Days of Summer Dishcloth Swap

Michelle sent me this amazing package! She is my super star!