Rainbow Hearts Hat

This is the third knitting project I did.  I made it up for Lauren, who picked out the rainbow yarn at the craft store.  Here's the pattern as I wrote down in my notes:

size 3 16” circular needles
Caron Simply Soft worsted weight acrylic yarn in white
Bernat Baby stretch worsted weight “Skipping Rope” color
Cast on 100 sts with the rainbow yarn using long tail cast on
knit 2 rows of k2,p2 w/rainbow yarn
knit 15 rows of k2,p2 w/white yarn
knit 7 rows w/white yarn
knit 2 rows w/rainbow yarn
knit 2 rows w/white yarn
Next is the heart chart-I'll write it out and try to get a good image added later. It’s 9 rows, 10 sts repeated around, all knit sts.
Row 1: *1 Rainbow st (R), 3 White sts (W), 1R, 5W* repeat
Row 2: *2R, 1 W, 3R, 3W, 1R* repeat
Row 3: *6R, 3W, 1R* repeat
Row 4: *5R, 2W, 1R, 2W* repeat
Row 5: *1W, 3R, 2W, 3R, 1W* repeat
Row 6: *2W, 1R, 2W, 5R* repeat
Row 7: *1R, 3W, 6R* repeat
Row 8: *1R, 3W, 3R, 1W, 2R* repeat
Row 9: *5W, 1R, 3W, 1R* repeat
knit 2 rows white
knit 2 rows rainbow
knit 1 row white
*k1, k2tog* rep white
*k1 R, k1W* rep
knit 1 row rainbow
*k1 R, k1 W* rep
*k2, k2tog*rep white
*k1, k2tog* rep white
*k2tog* rep rainbow
my notes here aren’t clear on the number, but I think it’s rep until 8 (?)sts left, weave end through remaining loops, cinch closed, weave in all ends.

Knitting

I've taken up knitting.  On February 5, I picked up knitting supplies, taught myself to knit and purl, and started making the Setesdal Love Hat from the Knitscene Winter 2011 Issue.

(You can purchase it 

through Amazon by clicking in the handy little box right on the left.) 

There are a bunch of really adorable fair isle projects in there, and when I get confident enough to try sweaters or tops, I'm doing the two in there!  Plus, I'll be making a few more of these hats to give away to friends and family.  I've already bought the yarn and have been thinking about new color combinations since finishing the first one.

Here's how it came out:

There are lots of mistakes in there, but I did learn how to change colors, knit in the round and how to pull out mistakes.  The gray yarn feels kind of yucky, but I bought it based on color and the fact that it had a shimmery thread running through it so the hat sparkles in light.

Knitting has gotten in the way of my reading a little bit.  I'm trying to find a balance with both and everything else I have to do.  Ben bought me a Kindle for Christmas and I L-O-V-E it!  I'm on my third book for the year, which seems like a slow start compared to last year.  Right now I'm reading The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon.  The Outlander series has taken over my reading list.  I already have the rest of the books purchased and waiting on the Kindle, so whenever I finish one the next one is right there, and I don't have to carry around multiple 700+ page books.  Super super handy!

Natalie started speech therapy in January and it has been good for her, and useful for me, too.  She's up to nearly 60 words now and didn't have quite 30 when we started.  Physical therapy is still going well and next week she has another evaluation at occupational therapy.  

Knitting and Perfume

I decided on Wednesday that I would teach myself how to knit. I just want to make one scarf for myself for this fall/winter. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought all the supplies and then came home and found tutorials with videos and diagrams. I decided to try a cable knit pattern because I love the way it looks. Kind of ambitious. I started and got about 10 rows in, took it all out, started again and got a few rows in, took it all out. I think I'm doing the purling wrong. So I did just a few rows of straight knitting and then a few rows of straight purling, took it out and started the pattern over. I'm not very far, but it's coming along. I'm sure I'm doing a lot of it wrong, possibly even using the wrong size needles and the wrong weight of yarn, but whatever. It's a learning process. And as long as I get one scarf done, I'll be happy.

Tonight we're going to go to Oktoberfest on base. I'm going with one friend and hopefully everyone else will be able to make it and meet us there. I'm looking forward to good food and hopefully there will be lots of stuff for Lauren to do, and lots of opportunities for me to take pictures.

I ordered some nail polish from Sephora this week because they had an offer for a free 10 day sample of Bare Escentuals makeup, complete with a mini kabuki brush. Let me tell you why I love Sephora: 1. There's TONS of makeup on there. 2. You get 3 free samples with every order, plus more if you have an offer code. 3. They offer free gift wrapping, so every time I get something for myself, it's like a little present and that's a lot more fun to open. 4. They have a rewards program where you earn points and after a certain number of points you can get deluxe samples. So I ordered a new nail polish from Sephora by OPI and it's called BYOBoy. It's my new favorite polish color. I got the BE sample, a sample of shampoo, and two perfume samples. I love perfume samples. They last me forever, I don't have to use them all at once, and if I don't like them on me, they're fun to give away, even as small as they are. This order I got elle by YSL and Gucci eau de parfum II. And I am so happy with both of these scents!! "elle" smells so good and it even is a little spritzer bottle. I think this is what I'm going to ask for for Christmas because I'm just in love with it. Gucci smells really good, too, but it's a heavier scent, and not something I'd wear every day probably. I haven't tried the shampoo or the BE yet.

I ordered part of my Halloween costume yesterday. I'm going to go as Juno. I ordered the slinky tee shirt that she wore in the movie, and I have jeans and a plaid skirt. I just need to go find some converse high tops and I'll be all set. I think Lauren is going to be a ladybug again this year if her costume still fits. We'll try it on this week. If it's too small, we'll go pick out something else.

I watched the documentary Young@Heart this week and I loved it. I recommend renting it.