Monday, January 31, 2005

Borrowed from Wendy (Zibibbo):

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the "coolest" book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.

"Approximate number of recorded images: 170 frames with alkaline batteries, 320 frames with 2300 mAh Ni-MH batteries, conforming to the CIPA standard with SD Memory Card." -- Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z3 Instruction Manual

Hey, the instructions say "what's actually next to you." This was the only printed and bound object within arm's reach that isn't meant to be written in.

entrelac at 3:49 AM :: |


Saturday, January 29, 2005

Tired.

Remind to NEVER again stay up until 5:30am uploading photos. Even with cable modem, 50 megs of photos uploaded five at a time is ridiculous. Anyway. I was uploading photos from last Saturday's Ridgeback play date. This is a photo of Ceci's dog Reese terroriz....uh, playing with one of the little puppies that was out there:



All the other photos I was able to squeeze onto Photobucket are open to be looked at also. Sorry they're so small. I'm working on getting a place where I can put BIG, easy to see photos up for everyone.

entrelac at 11:52 AM :: |


Wednesday, January 19, 2005

I finally did it. I hand dyed some cotton. Yes, cotton. I used two balls of Bernat Cottontots, one was stark white, the other was 'sweet cream' colored. Honestly, now that they're dry, I can't tell them apart. The dye I used was designed for tie-dyeing t-shirts and thus designed to go on cotton, but had warnings on it that made me not want to use this same stuff really often. Also, it took like 15 mintues EACH to rinse them enough that the water was CLOSE to running clear. Pfeh. KoolAid and vinegar is so much less toxic and easy to exhaust the dyebath. Anway, without further ado, here's an image:



Not too shabby, huh?

entrelac at 1:05 AM :: |


Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Ten days without posting. Bad me. I haven't even really been doing all that much to warrant being so neglectful. Work is work, as always.

I did manage to photograph and upload images of the various stitch markers I've made to my Photobucket account. Donna, please pick two of the other styles besides your pandas you like so I can FINALLY get them in the mail. :)

Also, fun neat thing I did this weekend: I went to a 'group shoot' organized by a local Austin modeling and talent agency. Basically, they get a bunch of models/talent and a bunch of photographers (pro and amateurs both) in the same place and let people take photos of the talent. The photographers get practice in different settings and photograph styles, the talent get to use any images of them they like in their portfolios. I think it's a more than fair exchange, and a heck of a lot of fun besides. Over on my Photobucket account are the photos I felt were passable from the 220 that I actually took. Everyone I took photos of was very friendly and accomodating of the fact that I had NO idea how to take decent pictures of people.

Another thing in the 'yay!' column: I finally bought the daylight spectrum bulbs for my room. GODS what a difference! I called Ceci into the room when I'd replaced two of the four bulbs in the ceiling fan, and she declared it 'disgusting' how yellow the old ones were. We're going to keep them anyway, to replace incandescent bulbs that burn out in other parts of the house, as they're still perfectly useable. Just not in MY room. ;)

Knitting: Entrelac blanket and Wavy scarf progressing slowly but surely. They're not quite mindless enough for work, and not quite interesting enough to keep my attention anywhere else. It's a very annoying quandry. Contemplating trying to start yet ANOTHER project to hopefully keep my interest. *shrug* We'll see.

entrelac at 1:32 AM :: |


Saturday, January 08, 2005

Long, yucky week. Work was busy, Oracle kept going splat, and I've had a head cold since LAST Saturday. It's mostly gone now, thank the gods. It's just a little residual yuck in my throat and I still sound like a I have clothespin on my nose. But anyway.

Did I already mention that I ripped and restarted Wavy because it was obvious where I switched to Combined on it? Working on it very slowly now in Combined, gauge is a little firmer which I think makes it look better. Something I've learned: Cascade 220 does not like being ripped and reknitted. The part that I ripped is now thinner, splittier, fuzzier, and sheddier. All BAD things in my opinion. That's what Wool-Ease does before it falls apart. I think the Cascade 220 will be fine as long as I don't rip it out again, but I worry that that first part of the scarf is going to be noticably different from the rest -- worn looking before the scarf is even done. Smug moment: Still haven't had to break out a row counter. Nyah.

Entrelac blanket progressing slowly and steadily. I should measure it to see how big each block is and try to figure out how many blocks total it's going to be. Insane, but might allow me to make the progress bar over there a little more accurate.

Baby Kimono languishing. Can't find the book with the pattern in it. Need to ask Ceci where it is.

Joy feeling unloved. I should get some spinning in now between loads of laundry. You know, I think I'll do that. Should have more photos to brag on later -- need to move them off the camera and resize. Note to self: invest in a flash card reader for the computer to save camera battery life -- or get an ac adapter for the camera.

entrelac at 1:16 PM :: |


Monday, January 03, 2005

The first of many photos to come. Panda stitch marker (one of a set of 6) promised to DonnaSC. Will be sent to her as soon as I get off my lazy behind and finish the wrist distaff for her husband.

entrelac at 1:46 AM :: |


Sunday, January 02, 2005

FYI: Don't expect me to knit you something, not even if you're a family member. I'm likely knitting for you anyway. Just don't hold your breath.

From my younger sister Claudia's LiveJournal:
ATTN: Entrelac
Got the present.

Love the greens.

Wearing the shoulder-pull over thing and the eye-brow scarf to work today. (How could I not? It's HMGDay, afterall!)

The scarf is loved by all. Co-worker Mel wants one, and is willing to pay for it. Can you quote a price for a scarf just like mine but in brown and black with a matching hat-thing? Please include your cost for shipping and handling.

Your walking billboard,
Me! :)

My reply:
Considering I ripped and reknitted your scarf thing no less than THREE times, if I counted in total hours on it (40+) at my current wage at work ($13 ish per hour) on top of materials (admittedly not much, about $20) and shipping ($3.85 USPS)....you're talking somewhere in the realm of $550.00 for JUST the scarf. Your friend would be FAR better off learning to knit and making it for him/herself. If I were to make another WITHOUT the ripping and reknitting, drop the time requirement to about 20 hours. That would make the scarf cost about... $283.85.

And the hat (along with the cowl/capelet/shoulderthing) is handspun wool. MY handspun wool. So you'd have to do additional math. 19 micron New Zealand merino wool, hand dyed and purchased off of eBay = $20. Time spent spinning the 2 ounces to make just the hat (4 hours at $13.00/hr) = $52. Time spent knitting the hat (6 hours at $13.00/hr) = $78. Time spent crocheting on the eyelash as it was added as an afterthought (2 hours at $13.00/hr) = $26. Postage = $3.85. Total for JUST the hat: $179.85.

Again, are you SURE your friend wants me to make these items? If those prices aren't sufficient deterrent, please note that my completion time for a set identical to yours would be about...hm. 9 months? Longer? And that's if I work on them diligently. Which I didn't on yours...why would I for anyone else?

Oh, and Clau, please have someone take photos of you wearing the items and send them to me (digital preferred) so I can put them on my blog for others to FINALLY see. I've kept them a secret since JUNE so you wouldn't find out.

Last thing: You did realize the scarf thing is a tube, yes? I made it that way so you could wear it as a cowl neck with your shoulderthing, or as a combination cowl/hood. Impromptu sleeves joined at the hands to keep your arms warm in a movie theater. Multi-use. Play with it. I know I did before I finally put it in the box. Now I need to make myself one. ;)

entrelac at 10:14 PM :: |