Psychotically Sane

Archive for the ‘photography’ Category

Star Crossed Slouchy Beret

Jan 10, 2010 knitting, photography, projects

I’m not much of a hat person, but I fell in love with the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret that I found on ravelry. I wanted to practice with dyeing yarn, so I bought some bare yarn from Knitpicks, some dyes and did some research. After coming to the conclusion that it can’t be as hard as it sounds, I dyed up my first skein of yarn. unfortunately I don’t have a photo of it And then I dyed up more yarn and more yarn and more yarn.
This has to be my favorite. While I’m still perfecting the coloring and how to get the pretty pooling, I’m having fun.

And this is the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret. Knit up with my first skein of hand dyed yarn. And I LOVE the finished hat. While I would prefer it in a solid color, I think the variegated coloring works. I love how it turned out.

Now I’m doing a scarf with the two skeins of yarn that I dyed up the other weekend. Same colors, it’s going to be just as pretty!

Snow Day!

Jan 10, 2010 Uncategorized, photography, the boy

For a week they were reporting a big snow blizzard to hit Tennessee. First it started as 2-4 inches. Then 4-6 inches. I think eventually it got along the lines of people swearing it was going to be huge. The biggest snow storm since 2003! For the record, there are parts of Tennessee that got 3/4 of an inch of snow in 2009. Most likely the same amount the past few years. It doesn’t snow. And when it might flurry, it barely sticks. And whatever does stick, sticks to the road where it melts and then freezes overnight. We get ice. Damn ice…

Anyways, so we actually got about an inch of snow this past Thursday. They were warning everyone that it was going to start around midnight Thursday morning. It started snowing 10am where I live. They had started calling off school Wednesday night and I found out that the kiddos daycare was closed Thursday morning. So he stayed home with Grandpa. And when I got home from work, he went to play in the snow.

And he loved playing in the barely an inch of snow. It wasn’t the right kind of snow to make snowballs with. So instead he just picked up handfuls and flung them at me.

But he did have fun. Until he was completely covered from head to toe in snow, frozen and exhausted. At that time I announced that it was time for hot chocolate and a snack.

Yeah…. he was ready to go inside. But being cold, frozen and tired didn’t stop him from talking about how he played in the snow. Now if we could just get one big snowstorm so he can REALLY play in the snow and build a snowman and throw snowballs. The puny one inch of snow that we got that day would be just a thing of the past.

semi-wordless wednesday

Jan 6, 2010 photography, rambling

My days have been filled with this

and this

and this

.

Of course work and sleep and eating are added into the equation, but I don’t have a photo to represent those.

I feel like there is something missing…

knitter’s love

Dec 14, 2009 Itty Bitty Knits, etsy, knitting, photography, projects, rambling

It’s astonishing to me how much I have grown to love knitting. For only doing it for a years time, it’s become my most loved hobby. I carry a knitting project everywhere with me and I often bring it out at work and knit a few rows on my lunch. I don’t get embarrassed or think of it as “the granny hobby”. The only time that I don’t like knitting is when I’m working on a project and I decide that I want to keep it. I decide that giving it to it’s rightful owner will kill me, so while the needles are flying, I’m putting together a plan so I don’t have to give up the knitted up. Like these….

Simply known as the purple longies. But if there was a way to be in love with a knitted item, I have found it. They are simply gorgeous. Just look at the colors and the pattern that the variegated yarn forms!

This next photo shows more true to life colors. And the cuff. The best part. A garter eyelet stitch cuff. And while I’m a fugly garter stitch hater, I’m a garter eyelet stitch lover.

But, I’m going to share some joyous news. I’m almost out of the yarn. This yarn. Cascade 220 Superwash Paints. In Grape. Such a scrumptious name! Cascade Superwash Paints is a wonderful yarn. Soft, machine washable, even though I would probably just handwash them. I mean, if the longies were mine. And I wish that they were. But then that means that I would need a little baby girl to wear them…..
Anyways… so I’m down to about 40 more yards of the yarn when I need at least 80-100 yards. So I ordered some more of the yarn (since I can use it for a super cute stocking cap to sell on my Etsy). So while I’m patiently waiting for the yarn, I’m enjoying my limited time with the longies. Gazing longingly at the colors and the sweet cuff. Admiring my stitch work. It really is nicely done.. Sigh… I really hope the owner loves these longies as much as I do…

so not my cup of tea…

Dec 6, 2009 photography, rambling, ranting

Would I be a total scrooge if I admitted that I don’t get excited about the holidays? I don’t like the added stress. I don’t like how busy people get. And I really don’t like how consumer driven the holidays are. All everyone cares about is presents. What they are getting. What they are getting other people. What happened to when the holidays meant being with your family and the ones you love? I couldn’t care less about presents. I enjoy seeing Skyler’s face light up while we are making sugar cookies and seeing the Christmas tree lit up.

We made cookies this weekend. He got a special tree for his room this weekend and we made a few little ornaments for it. I have photos of the cooking making, but none of the tree yet. Those I will get tomorrow.

And another reason for not liking the holidays? It gets too COLD. I’m tired of the cold weather. I’m tired of the talk of snow. Give me sun. Give me heat. Put the jackets away. Put the long sleeve shirts away. No more scarves, mittens, coats, winter hats. I want summer! Ugh… How many more months of winter are left???

ah…

Nov 9, 2009 photography

I’m stressed. So stressed that I can’t even blog about it because I can’t put the insanity to words. And I hate feeling like this…

Chunky Ribbed Earflap Hat

Oct 27, 2009 Ravelry, knitting, knitting patterns, photography

I wanted to knit an earflap hat with some fantabulous bulky weight Knit Picks yarn I had. And I couldn’t find a pattern that I liked. So I made my own. :D

And I’m posting the pattern for anyone that is interested. It’s my first pattern, so please excuse if there are any errors and confusions. I’m trying to get the pattern listed on Ravelry, so soon I will have it available in PDF format :)

Chunky Ribbed Earflap Hat

Yarn Weight: Bulky
Gauge: 4 stitch/per 1inch
Needles: 10.5 (dpns & circular will be used, although can be done on just dpns)
Knit to a 18 inch head circumference

Earflaps (make two):
CO 3 stitches
knit I-cord for 6 inches
row1: k1, p1, k1 (3 sts)
row2: k1, m1f, k1, m1b, k1 (5 sts)
row3: (This will be done with all wrong side rows) k1, purl to 1 st before end, k1
row4: 1, m1f, knit to 1 st before end, m1b, k1 (7 sts)
row6: 1, m1f, knit to 1 st before end, m1b, k1 (8 sts)
row8: 1, m1f, knit to 1 st before end, m1b, k1 (10 sts)
Contine until you have 13 stitches. Make sure the last row is a wrong side row.
Repeat the following rows 1 & 2 until ear flap measures 3 inches.
row1: knit across
row2: k1, purl to 1 st before end, k1
Keep the live stitches on a dpn.

Brim:
Knit across one ear flap and then cable cast on 26 stitches (front of hat). Knit across the
next ear flap and cable cast on 20 stitches (back of hat). You should now have 72 stitches
total.
Place stitch marker and start knitting. Your first stitch in the round should start at the first
ear flap. Knit 12 stitches, p2, k2 (ribbed) until you get to the next earflap. The last two
stitches should be purl. Knit 12 stitches and then p2, k2 (ribbed) to finish off the round.
Continue for the next 5.5 – 6 inches.
It might be easier to put stitch markers between the 24 earflap stockinette stitches and the
46 ribbed stitches, just make sure that can distinguish between the stitch marker for the
start of the round and the others.

Time to decrease!

Decreasing can get a little confusing so it’s really important to make sure that you pay
attention to whether you are decreasing the earflap stockinette stitches or the rest of the
ribbed part.

Row1 – (for the 1st stockinette section) k2tog, k2 (for the 1st ribbed part) p2tog, k2 (will end
with a p2tog), (for the 2nd stockinette section) k2tog, k2 (for the 2nd ribbed part) p2tog, k2
(will end for a p2tog)
row2-5 – knit stockinette sections and p1, k2 ribbed sections
row6- (for the 1st stockinette section) k1, k2tog (for the 1st ribbed part) p1, k2tog (will end
with a p1), (for the 2nd stockinette section) k1, k2tog (for the 2nd ribbed part) p1, k2tog
(will end for a p1)
row7 & 8- knit stockinette sections and p1, k1 ribbed sections
row 9- k2tog the whole round
row10-12 – knit to end of round
row13- k2tog, k – repeat to end of round
row14- knit to end of round

cut a 10 inch tail and weave in through remaining stitches. Pull togetherly tightly and
weave in ends.

Make two tassles, sew on to icords, weave in all remaining ends and ta da!

Wear, and enjoy :)

I highly suggest the Knit Picks Wool of Andes Bulky yarn for the hat. It is a great priced yarn at 3.99 for a skein of 137 yards. It knits up beautifully and it feels great. Definitely my favorite yarn.

my Sky-dino

Oct 27, 2009 photography, the boy

Skyler and I have had a lot of discussions about his Halloween costumes. First he wanted to be spiderman, then a pumpkin, then a dragon. For a good two weeks he wanted to be a dragon. I searched the stores for either clothes I could turn into a dragon costume or for a ready-made dragon costume so I could go the easy route. Nothing. Nada. Why don’t stores sell dragon halloween costumes?

So I broke the news and he decided again that he had to be spiderman. I searched the stores and found multiple spiderman costumes. Ranging from $10 to $40. No fucking way am I spending $40 on a halloween costume. Better yet, none of them were his size. Luckily, we found a super cute dinosaur costume. It was love at first sight.

He’s happy, I’m happy.

And if you are wondering, he’s wearing his rainboots. Because he never takes them off. ever. Unless he’s has to go to daycare. Then it’s all about his spiderman tie shoes ;)

Itty Bitty Leggies

Oct 21, 2009 Itty Bitty Knits, knitting, photography, projects

So I’ve been busy lately…
working, Skyler, life…
and of course, knitting.

My current project is pretty fabulous.
At least I think so.

Because anything with drawstrings and pom-poms are pretty fabulous.
And I know a lot of people will agree with me.

Introducing…..