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Monday, October 31, 2005

Loooooong post, lotsa pics!

Ok, I promised I'd write sooner, but I got sucked into the two-week training for my new job and had to rewind for a few days after that.
I'm going to work for the emergency number 112, the European version of 911 and my first shift is this Wednesday at 6.45.

That means getting up before 6. Yes. That's the Queen of Slack getting up before s.i.x.

Now that you all grasped the severity of the situation - except for Dave, who needs to stop smirking ASAP- I'll get on with the knitting content.

I have to admit that I actually started two new projects in the last few weeks, though socks technically don't count. And these are so small, they surely can be ignored. ;)
They are for Dave's 1 yr old nephew, and I'm using the yarn that Dave picked for his own pair. There ought to be enough left; it's a huge ball of Opal Papagei.

To avoid the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome, I'm knitting the socks simultaneously, which is why they're no both ready for picking up stitches along the gusset.
Since I was getting a little tired of the Dutch heel, I wanted to try a short row heel on these puppies, but couldn't find a description I could actually follow. Quite frustrating. This is definitely something I need to see demonstrated by a fellow knitter. On the other hand, a Dutch heel is very appropriate since, well, I'm Dutch.
And because I just spent a few great days in Amsterdam with the little boy's dad:


Yep, not only did the Baboo visit, but we were joined by his brother and two of his friends from college. We had an absolute blast, visiting the Van Gogh Museum and taking a wild Canal Bike tour through the city centre.

There was a carnival at Dam Square and we went on the fucking freakazoid Katapult Bungee thing twice. (Dave's got the pic that was taken; he'll scan it soon.)
I was a tourist, baby, which was very nice for a change, 'cause it did kinda feel like I was on holiday.

On the final night, Dave and I booked our own little room all the way in the top of the cosy Crown Hotel, right in the middle of the Red Light District. It made me realize that I'd really like to take him on a tour of Europe someday. Maybe all the way to Russia, get him over his deep-rooted, American fear of Russians.
(Btw, I never in my life thought I'd once utter the phrase: "Honey, would you please refrain from raising your eyebrows at the hookers, thank you." Hehe, surreal surreal, Amsterdam is an amusement park.)

But I digress; I mentioned two new projects.
The second is a lacy scarf in a brown mohairy type yarn that my fellow SnBers refer to as Old Lady's Hair. And they are quite right too, but I like to think I can make something pretty out of it by adding the shiny bright blue beads at intervals along the length of the scarf.

It's knit from a ball rejected by my newly assimilated knitting friend Niek in a recent stash enhancing eBay experience where she obtained a box with 32 –I kid you not!- balls of mohair in a vibrant royal blue.
The pattern I used is a my own little adaptation on a Baby Fern dishcloth pattern that I found on the Interwebs: http://www.jimsyldesign.com/~dishbout/kpatterns/babyfernstitch.html
To avoid asymmetry, yes neurotic moi, I adjusted the pattern slightly as follows:

Instead of a multiple of 12 plus 6, cast on a multiple of 12 plus 3.
Then when you're done with the last pattern repeat in either row 2,4 or 6, you leave out the p1, k1, p1 and go straight to the k3. Voila!
(Symmetry gooood, eh Arja?)

So what else is new? The weather here is ridiculously springy; it's almost November and I'm walking around in a skirt and bare legs. Baby lambs are being born; I think Mother Nature is a tad confused.

Oh, forgot to mention I put tassels on Dave's Dr Who scarf:


I'll leave you with a cute picture of two of my three favorite men, posing with the kittens of the Crown Hotel and one of just the two of us:

Awwwwwww!

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Well I nevah...

Ahhh, it's always nice to check out your Web statistics to see how peole come to visit your humble bloggy. And you find the grooviest things:



Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Say no more, say no more!

Knitting and Sweet Baboo content tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

On his way...


Tracking his flight via FlyteComm. (No, I'm not telling you which one!)

Monday, October 17, 2005

Officer, I'd like to report an FO

The daughter of friends of mine got the cutest little rainbow hat that needed a matching scarf, so I spent a few hours knitting one up that hopefully did just that.
Of course I made it in stockinette and of course it curled up and of course I freaked out. But then I decided to fold it in half and sew it up, leaving a little gap to pull the other end through, and voila:



Such a cutie, and that poor little finger...

I spent Friday and Saturday doing what felt like a marathon Stitch 'n Bitch session at the Handwerkbeurs in the south of the country. We were there to promote both the Dutch translation of Debbie Stoller's first book, and recruiting new souls for our devilish groups across the country. (For now, Amsterdam and Utrecht seem the most active, but we got quite a list of names for one to start around Tilburg.)



That's Gini, Berthi, Carla, Marion, Priscilla, moi, looking like I just spotted Bob Ross, and Josée in the group pic, and moi with the book in the second. Can you tell we were having a good time?
(Photos courtesy of Berthi from berthi.web-log.nl who interviewed us for her magazine Handwerken zonder Grenzen.)

Dutch Internet yarn store Wolhalla had a nice booth there too and it was fun to chat with the owners. I hope they weren't too turned off by the fact I needed to fondle their sweet collection of Noro Kureyon and Silk Garden over and over again.

For those of you who know of my dismal financial situation, drooling over all that Noro without being able to take any of it home to pet and take care of and call George, was pretty damn sad.
But then I got home, and HOLY MOTHER OF YARN, there was a box waiting for me. From my wonderful SP! Guess what was in it! Guess!!!

It was Noro, baby, and five big balls of it in colorway 139. It had a very sweet card that said it was destined to become a Booga Bag, or anything else I'd like. Hm, if you don't mind, dear SP, I'll think about for a few more weeks. I think I'd like a new hat with matching mittens.
THANK YOU, Miss Pal, YOU ROCK!!!

Wow. And such an exciting week ahead. My new job at the Police's emergency number starts in 9 hours and Sweet Caveman will be here in about 85.
Wish me luck! I'm off to catch some Zzzzzzzzzzz...

P.s. Yarn snobs rejoice: I'm returning the acrylics. It squeeks. Huuuu....

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Busted and a 1st Knitting Anniversary

Yowzers, just noticed on Bust.com that somebody has rated my humble blog a 9 out of 10. Fess up, you guys, who was it? ;o)
Pay Bust a visit here to gimme a good ol' rating!

I know y'all would like to see lots of cool free patterns on blogs. I know I do. But since I only started knitting exactly one year ago -Yay, a Knitting Anniversary!- you'll have to bear with me for a few more months at least.
And remember, I'm very good at linking to other people's free patterns! Doesn't that count for something? ;)

I'm thinking of doing a little makeover soon, adding an extra sidebar and such. In the mean time, I give thee 3/4 of a Dr Who scarf:



And..... -yarn snobs, look away please-

.....some acrylics(!) I got at a discount store for €1,49 a ball. Called Bianca, hehehe. I think I'm making socks from them.
Warm big comfy socks.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Pakistan

I put a few links up in the sidebar. Please make a small donation if you can. Thank you.

Friday, October 07, 2005

Real Secret Pal Lovin'

Have I told you lately I love Knitty and its Coffeeshop Board members?

I was quite disappointed when I realized that my SP4 flaked out on me, never having sent me the second box she'd been promising to send me since June. I sent her a few friendly emails and have been very patient, but never got a reply. Thanks, but no thanks.

Unbeknownst to me however, there was a "bonus SP" waiting in the wings to spoil me! Look what arrived today:



Now that's a butt load of the legendary Cascade 220! For me to dye with a butt load of Kool Aid. And check out that butt load of ZipLoc bags. Mmmmmmm, ZipLoc. I loves it, my preciousss. I also got a cute homemade card, an Animal Lover button that's going to find a place on one of my bags and a kitty toy that was received with much joy:



Nah, he digs it really:


Thank you, my wonderful SP!!!

I'll leave you with this picture of my roommates:



My work here is done. ;)

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Artsy fartsy trip to the store

I took my camera along on my grocery run, to see if I could shoot some nice pics of the neighborhood. Check out this weeping willow; there's another plant groing on one of its branches:



And a cute little coot: (Meerkoet in Dutch)



And a black and white pic, just because I'm an intellectual:



(Gosh, a weeping willow in grey tones... Somebody fetch me my happy pills!)

At the moment, I'm knitting my butt off trying to get honey's gargantuan, vast, behemoth Dr. Who scarf done. He'll be here in two weeks but since it's only a big ol' garter stitch thing, that should be fine. I'll try to post pics of it this week.
I also picked up my mom's cardi again and I hope to finish it this month.
"Clap" is growing steadily too, now almost at the sixth drop stitch.

No news on the police's background check yet... But ahh, so nice to have three weeks of sweet Nothingness.

Arschgeweih*

Found this on Toothpaste for Dinner:



* Arse antlers. Yeah, you know what I mean.
Thanks spirals!

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Lizzisit!

Ok, Liz guessed right, because:

I'm not particularly looking for a job in PR at all. I chose the study predominantly so I could get a degree in a field broad enough to fit my fickle personality.

So now you also know you won't make me happy with a bottle of wine.
Finding Adam Savage on my doorstep would. I mean, he's cute, very very smart and hilariously funny. What more could a girl ask for? (Muscles are highly overrated.)

As for the babies; I'm 28 now and getting quite broody. I'd say the sooner, the better. (You reading this, babe?)
And Star Trek, ahh. I think it was in the previous century and I had no idea people would take their love of a TV show to this level. I think my then-boyfriend and I were about the only two people NOT wearing a Federation/Klingon outfit.

Now that you know all about me, go check out Liz's lie here: Fido Knits

Please someone, make it stop ;)

It was quite hard, but I came up with a final set of truths and a lie:

1. I aspire a successful career in my field of study, Public Relations
2. I don't like wine
3. I consider Adam Savage from Mythbusters an absolute sex god
4. I'd like to have a baby within 2 years
5. I once went to a Star Trek convention

So which is as fake as Pamela Anderson's boobies?

Monday, October 03, 2005

My world in pictures & happy birthday Otter!

Pettie asked to see pics from my new digicam. My preciousss.
So here's a sampler of the last few days at Casa Nederlass:

My room and Mingus playing with the loop on my camera:



A gorgeous pair of socks handknit by my roommate's 100% Lappish(!) mom. They are my new obsession and are now totally on my to do list.
Plus said roommate showing off her cool new cap that she got at a posh department store for only €4,-!
Gah, I can't knit it for that kind of money...:



My other roommate showing off the quiche we baked in honor of my sweet's 39th birthday. That I kinda forgot, because I thought it wasn't until the 4th of October.
I suck. Sorry honey! Will it help if I say the quiche was yummy?
And then silly old me, showing of my new do and new haircolor, something auburn:



Happy knitting!

Sunday, October 02, 2005

"When in doubt, add tomatoes"

Look what I just came across in the new September Issue of MagKnits:


I especially love how the celery came out; the stockinette twists exactly like the real thing! Yep, definite cute alert.

My honey, who's been growing ridiculous amounts of zucchini, tomatoes and anything else you might find in a veggie garden, will totally be receiving one of these items. Or more.
Damn that Knitter's ADD!

Check out the other patterns in there; I also love the mittens and the ponytail hat! The multidirectional scarf is gorgeous too, but silk? Hmmm.

Ahh, while we're on the subject of no-money-ness: I GOT A JOB!
Waiting for the results on my background check, but if I pass, I’ll let you in on the specifics. (Gee, I've never been so glad about not having a driver's license! Or never having robbed a bank for that matter…)
Yey for more yarn. And lingerie. And clothes that aren't from the previous century!
(Yes, I am that superficial. Don't act so surprised. ;)

As for the camera: it was a belated B-day present from my parents, sister, brother and bro's girly. It has 5.0MP and it has me on top of the world.
Pics of my no-more-redheadedness are soon to follow!

P.s. Poor Pettie, I hope you'll find a camera soon. Can’t offer you any advice 'cause I gave up on technology long before the iPod came along.

Hang in there in that room, make it all yours and try not to kid yourself about the situation you're in. (I'm sorry if that sounds harsh. It's a Dutch thing.)
It's gonna be really crazy when you two are having a great time as usual, like watching a good film or your favourite TV show, until you realize… Well, you know.

Hope you liked the card and that the cable needle is doing its job on your beautiful Hiking Scarf!
((((((Hug for Pettie))))))