drew-o-rama

J'AI FINI L'ÉCHARPE ET LE SAC

After starting over because I was getting a different guage when I started a new skein, I finally finished the crocheted bag. I made this pattern up as I crocheted and it went pretty well. If I make it again I will make some minor adjustments. It would also be cool to make one and felt it.

I also finished the scarf that I was knitting. On Sunday, Dan and I took advantage of a beautiful autumn day and went hiking at a local state park after having lunch in Oxford, a university town north of Cincinnati. I worked on the scarf in the car on the way up and cast off as Dan was parking. Just your average 2x2 ribbed scarf using left over skeins of the Phil'laine and Oxygene from Le Pull Col Tunisien.

I was happy to start and finish these two projects in about two weeks. A gal, er, guy, needs some instant gratification sometimes, you know? Now it's off to finally finish seaming Monsieur Fancy Pants...

A side note: I am thinking of restarting the skull vest in a different yarn. Do any of you have any suggestions for a nice wool or wool blend in a 5-6 per inch gauge?

OH YEAH, THAT 'SKULL VEST'

So, some of you may remember I am knitting a skull vest for Dan. You know, it's what I'm knitting for the MAN-ALONG. "Oh yeah," you all collectively say. "I remember that." Well, I haven't knitted a stitch for about two weeks. Here is photo to show you where I was two weeks ago before putting it away for the party. (It's a lot bigger than it looks. The piece of paper is 11 x 17 inches.)

You can see I have just started the skull. My first attempt at intarsia is going fairly well. I am having some difficulty "locking" the stitches when I change colors, so there is a big gap between the two stiches until I come back over with the next row. But, other than that, all is fine.

MAN-ALONG UPDATE TWO: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

Wow! Thanks to everybody who has joined the MAN-ALONG. We currently have 49 people on the ever-growing list. There are several countries represented, inluding the US, Canada, France, Singapore and Australia. Some participants have already finished and others have yet to begin.

- Kelly just joined today. Stop by her blog to wish her luck.
- Check out the hot stuff at HelloYarn. The sweater is pretty cool, too...
- Becky is flying along on a cool Manly Jacket for her husband.
- Stop by Twisted Increase and see Brigid's progress on the Basketweave Pullover.
- October birthdays everywhere in the MAN-ALONG! Brynne's was yesterday. Sarah's was a week ago. Stacey's is next week.
- Clementine has some concerns about knitting a sweater in a rib pattern. Surf on over to her blog and help her decide what to do.
- Stitchy McYarnpants is almost finished with her Manly Sweater, possibly making her the third participant to finish.
- Brush up on your French by jeté-ing over to the blogs of our French-speaking participants: Deborah and Kajin in Québec, and Mélanie, Sylvie and Riane in France.
- Judy started on the "Kirk" sleeves first.
- Wendy has finished her Big Sack Sweater.

Keep me updated of your progress so that I can included you in my next MAN-ALONG update. Please note if you send me photos I will not post them until the end of the MAN-ALONG. Good luck!

ENTERING A NEW DECADE

I made it through my 30th, barely. Friday was pretty bad, I won't deny. But Saturday was spent preparing for the party so I didn't have much time to think about it. There was a lot to do, most of which I put off until the last minute. Dan, however, was excited that he had an excuse to bake. He made a wonderful cheese cake, a delicious layered cake (which he covered in toothpicks and marshmallows so the plasticwrap wouldn't stick) and some "cheese straws." We had plenty of pop, wine and beer. The jolly ol' flat looked pretty keen after I put all my knitting stuff away and busted out the vacuum. About 25 people showed up starting at 8pm and the last people left at 3am. I asked for no gifts, but did receive a cool felted pin cushion and some fab, hilarious records.

Anyway, thanks to all of you who wished me a happy birthday. I really appreciate it. And to Rebecca, who shares my date of birth, I hope you had a great Friday. And, I hope 8 is your lucky number because it's mine ;-).

"Wait," you are saying, "What is in that photo above?! Didn't Drew say he wasn't going to knit another stitch until he finished Le Pull?" I know, I know. But, I had to put it all away because of the party, and I need something to control my stress. So, I have started a new scarf using some left over skeins of Phil'laine and Oxygene that I used for Le Pull. It's a narrow 2x2 ribbed scarf that should gets lots of Drew Wear-time.

I am also starting on new knitting bag that I am crocheting. When I went to the hobby shop to buy the canvases to paint pink and orange, I bought a few skeins of Lion Brand Wool Ease chunky for, like, 2 bucks. It's crocheting quickly. I plan on simply crocheting a long piece of fabric, folding it in half, crocheting a thin gusset/strap and seaming them together. Party on, Wayne...

SEAMY MCSEAMSTER

I have told myself that I am not allowed to knit another stitch on any project until I finish old Mr. Fancy Pants. And to prove it, my dear readers, here is a fantabulous contrabulous pho-to-graph straight from my space-aged digital camera...

I have joined the shoulders, and am working on the front. This sweater is a bit different since the seam shows on the front. I am using a backstitch to join the two front pieces. It's going fairly well so far, but the backstitch is easy to mess up so it's rather slooooowwwww. My goal is to finish the sweater over the weekend. Although, my party is this weekend....

Yes, that's right, my 30th BIRTHDAY is on Friday. I'm silently freaking out, so I decided to have a party to celebrate and calm myself down about the whole mess. The party is on Saturday and I have about 30 people coming over! I have no idea how I am going to feed these people, let alone fit them all in my apartment.

I still have a ton to do for the party. My walls are fairly bare (I don't like a lot of things on my walls- too much clutter) so I needed a few things to put on them. I bought some inexpensive canvases and painted one part orange and one part pink. They turned out pretty well. Now I just need to finish the 10 billion other things on my "to do for the party" list...