Category Archives: Contests

Contests, Randonymity, Reading

Nothing says “dork” like trying to take a self-portrait

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La’s having a contest – post pictures of the cute little feet in your life (furbaby or otherwise) over the next week and you could win some La-made stitchmarkers. (Here’s my entry, La!)

Reading Update
Delete All Suspects by Donna Andrews. This mystery series feature artificial intelligence Turing Hopper, who helps a human private investigator solve crimes. I guess this would be classified as a “techno-cozy” mystery – really, mystery niches are amazing, aren’t they?!
Murder with Puffins and Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews. These were the first Meg Langslow mysteries I’d read and I enjoyed them much more than I expected – they’re very silly and feel a bit like reading a comedic melodrama. Definitely a nice break from 24! Anyway, Meg works as a blacksmith, making ornamental items – what was I just saying about mystery niches?!? And yes, the titles are all bird-themed, although none of the characters is an ornithologist.

Refined Raglan Photos
Ok, bowing to peer pressure, here you go – me modeling the refined raglan. Don’t I look thrilled? If you’ve been reading for ages and ages, you might notice that this sweater looks awfully similar to something… (You will need to click on the picture to see the cable detail.)

In an attempt to make pictures of a black sweater more interesting, here’s Mayhem! (My baby is all grown up! *sniff*)

“Did you see it?! I was just sitting there in the previous photo, minding my own business when I was rudely snatched up!” -M

And Chaos!

“Why is that thing clicking and beeping and flashing at us?! Obviously we’re running out of time and we’re all going to die!!” -C

Contests, Randonymity

*yawn*

31 Comments

The online knitting magazine For the Love of Yarn is having a contest – leave a short comment about who taught you to knit and you could win a Yarn Safaris sock knitting kit.

Have you checked out Good Yarn Karma yet? It’s an intriguing idea to move along some yarn or fiber that just isn’t working for you and perhaps find new inspiration in someone else’s unloved yarn or fiber.

Vicki Knitorious is going to be in the Twin Cities this weekend! If you’re in the area and you’re interested in getting together with Vicki, Deb, Jeanne, and I to knit and chat Sunday afternoon, please let me know.
Update: We’ll be meeting at D’Amico & Sons at 2210 Hennepin Avenue South at about 4 pm on Sunday, February 25. We should be easy to spot – I look exactly like my little icon in my sidebar (although the cats won’t be with me!).
Update the Second 2/24/07: CANCELED! Vicki had car trouble, plus the weather is crappy. She will reschedule. We will not be meeting at D’Amico on Sunday.

Thank you all so much for your supportive comments yesterday! I don’t have much to say today other than TGIF – it’s one of those sleepy mornings and I’m already thinking I need a second soy mocha. 🙂 Hopefully by Monday I’ll have an FO or two to show you – I have less than an inch left on the second Project Spectrum sock and maybe 20 rounds left until I finish the neck of the refined raglan.

Here’s a picture of Chaos and May checking out the snow a few weeks ago. Suddenly it’s much warmer here (+50°F on Wednesday) and most of the snow in this picture is gone – although it sounds like we could get more snow later today and over the weekend.

“I know you think that white stuff looks like birds falling out of the sky, May, but trust me, it isn’t.” -C

“You’ve got to come down sometime, May – and then look out! Bwah-ha-ha!” -C

Contests, Knitting, Randonymity, Reading

Deconstructing

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Jennifer is celebrating her second blogiversary with an Oscars contest. Send her an email with your guesses by midnight PST on February 24 and the person with the most correct guesses will receive a fibery prize!

JennyRaye bought some gorgeous yarn for a shawl and is looking for pattern ideas. Submit you suggestion by midnight EST on February 24 and you could win some yarn.

Reading Update
Take the Cannoli: Stories from the New World by Sarah Vowell. I’ve read and enjoyed all of Vowell’s books. My favorite essays from this collection were “Thanks for the Memorex” (about mix tapes) and “Drive Through Please” (about Ira Glass trying to teach her to drive). This was my second TBR Challenge book, so I’m staying on track.
No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog by Margaret Mason. I’d recommend this book if it wasn’t $19.99 for a very slim volume… Even the Amazon.com $13.59 seems a bit steep for what you get (bless the library). Instead, I’ll direct you to Tink’s list of post ideas. (And note that if you photograph your lunch real pretty and write it up in an interesting way, people will care what you had for lunch – it’s all about the presentation…)

Frogging Update
After contemplating all the wonderful responses to my question about whether the mobius cat bed should stay or go, I pulled it out and looked at it Saturday morning. May joined me.

“It looks a little lumpy to me, Mom.” -M

I pulled it off the needle… Check out how big it is – my foot is a womens’ size 11 (European 42)!

Still plenty off knitting to do to fill in that big hole… Not to mention the joy of felting such a monster. Ripping it out and knitting two felted square cat beds instead definitely held more appeal, so…

Flushed with my success, I pulled out another unfortunate UFO. This tank was too bulky. It ended up too short, so I added the frilly bit on the bottom and then put it aside when I finally recognized it wasn’t something I would wear.

“Haven’t I seen this before?” -C

“Y’know, I think that yarn would make a really cute baby sweater for May to model…” -C

Oh, wouldn’t it just! So…

It’s amazing how much lighter I felt after ripping out those two stagnant projects! In the past three weeks, I’ve ripped out three of the six projects pictured in my first UFO post way back when. Of the remaining projects, I probably will eventually weave in the ends of the otherwise finished washcloth. That single sock for my dad? For now, it will stay a single sock – I’m not sure it’s worth ripping out, since I wove in the ends and washed it (once upon a time). And the black tank top with the tourniquet armhole edging? Hopefully I’ll pull that out and fix the edging before the weather gets warm again, because it is a really great tank top otherwise.

Now the real question is – would I have done all of this if I’d joined one of the UFO resurrection challenges??

Contests, Randonymity, See the Sights

A day in my life

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Heather’s giving away several copies of a Project Spectrum blue/white/grey mix cd she made. Leave her a comment about what you’re working on for Project Spectrum and you will be entered in a drawing! Comments must be left by February 19, noon MST.

Thanks for all the input on the mobius cat bed yesterday! Although the “keep it” contingent was quite eloquent, I think I’m going to rip it out – if nothing else, I don’t have a lot of free space in my condo and it’s supposed to be a pretty large item even after felting.

Last week I mentioned that Elisa was having a contest – she wanted to see what our typical days were like. Yesterday I finally remembered to take out my camera throughout the day!

I get up at an unspecified time – I’m not quite sure, since I engage in alarm clock trickery (set it quite a bit fast, hit snooze quite a few times). I shower, dress, feed the cats, feed myself, make a mocha in a go-cup, and am in the car driving to work by 6:15 am. It’s dark. And everyone drives very fast. I didn’t take any pictures.

I get to work by 6:30. I’m one of the first people there, so it’s nice and quiet as I ease into my day, sipping my mocha and publishing my blog entry (prepared the night before). Here are some highlights from my cube, starting with my cabinet covered with Frigits:

My bulletin board – you can read it if you click on it!

A few toys… Hey, I work in IT. I have to have toys in my cube.

My work computer, with another Kenshin background.

I pretty much sit at that computer all day long. Sometimes people come over and talk to me. Sometimes I get up and use the facilities. Often I go run errands over lunch. Yesterday was an errand day. I started at my beloved thrift store – picked up some fun buttons and a black hoodie (to wear when walking around the lakes in the spring).

Then I returned a big stack of library books, but didn’t find anything to check out.

Next I went to the post office to mail a few mysterious packages. There wasn’t a line. I’m still in shock about that – good thing I documented it.

Finally, I stopped and picked up a salad…

and another soy mocha (there is a barista – she’s just tiny!).

Back to my cube – ate my salad, drank my mocha, worked. I usually leave at 3:30 pm, but yesterday I left around 4 pm, since I did take sort of a long lunch. I drive home on side streets – the freeway is already pokey.

One more errand – I needed cat food. Fortunately, my neighborhood pet food store did not have a cage of rescue kittens this time (see, for example, Mayhem).

This is what greets me when I get home and open the door:

“I’m dying! I’m dying! I’m dying! I’m dying!” -C

So I feed the cats and do other exciting things like clean the litterbox (not documented – aren’t you glad?!). I turn on my laptop and answer email, edit photos, and work on the next day’s blog entry.

Last night I straightened out the poor sweater I’m trying to dry…

“A new place to nap and play, play and nap! So very cushy… is there some silk in this, Mom? Maybe a spot of cashmere?” -M

Finally, I had some supper (popcorn and a soy hot chocolate) and settled in with my knitting to watch the premiere of Season 6.

Bedtime varies from 9:30 pm (best) to 11:30 pm (not so good), depending on how sucked into 24 I get. Since I’m out of DVDs after the Season 6 premiere until the rest of the season comes out on DVD, I’ll hopefully get more regular sleep again soon!

Contests, Randonymity

Handknits for Youngsters

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Cara’s having another contest – leave her a comment with a Valentine’s story (best, worst, etc.) and you could win some great yarn! Comments must be left by 11:59 pm EST today (February 14).

It’s been a while since I featured pictures from any of my old pattern books, hasn’t it? Let me introduce you to Handknits for Youngsters, circa 1952, which has the ominous message “There’s a Spinnerin handknit for every youngster!” on the back.

I’m sure the poor tyke below never recovered from the experience of wearing this little suit… especially since I’m interpreting this as being a catsuit!

“No, no, I think you’re right, Spanky, this thing isn’t connected. Of all the nerve!”

I can come up with captions for this next one… but maybe it’s best to leave that up to all of you… (Don’t forget to take the title at the bottom into consideration!) Yikes.

Here’s another one that wouldn’t be half as amusing/scary without the title…

Is this amount of smug superiority even legal?

Swimming trunks and a sunsuit and some very fancy hair! I wonder if knitted swimming suits stay on toddlers any better than they stay on adults?! So, Mama Tulip – which style would best suit Oliver, eh? 😉

“I’m going to have nightmares for years! The horror!”

I think Mayhem might, too.

“Is it over? Can I look yet?” -M

Contests, Those Cats

A dastardly secret is revealed…

22 Comments

Leave a comment for Nicole about the worst Valentine’s gift you’ve ever received, and you could win some “yarny goodness.” Leave your comment by midnight EST on February 14.

Charlie is a kitty who has inflamatory bowel disease (IBD) – and so does one of his humans, also named Chris. (But that’s a he-Chris, not a she-Chris like me.) Anyway! Since I am an IBD sufferer, too, this one’s near and dear to my gut. Charlie’s human is doing a three-day, 210-mile charity bike race (Get Your Guts in Gear) to support the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and other similar organizations. If you make a donation, you will be entered in a prize drawing for yarn or bike shop gift certificates! One of the humans will draw for prizes the last weekends of March, April, and May.

“Dooby dooby do… Don’t mind me, I’m just hanging out on top of this cabinet, appreciating my feline agility.” -C

“I wish I was a big kitty so I could get up there, too!” -M

“Ha! But you aren’t and you can’t!” -C

“Shhhhh… Let it be our little secret that she could get up here if I didn’t keep biting off her whiskers and messing with her balance! Bwah-ha-ha!!” -C

Contests, Randonymity

Socktopus!

47 Comments

I’m sure many of you still haven’t recovered from seeing the rainbow Jaywalker socks the other day, but for those who have and fell in love with the yarn, it might be available again – I just saw it in the Patternworks catalogue (Regia 5399, aka “Fun Nation”). For those curious about my maryjanes, they are Keen Seattles in black.

A while ago, Jeanne got me the coolest present – a Socktopus!

This clever gizmo (formerly known to IKEA as a “JABBA Hanging Dryer with 16 Clips” and now as a “PRESSA Hanging Dryer with 16 Clothes Clips” – boring) is perfect for hanging handknit socks to dry out of harm’s way.

I know you’re all familiar with Harm:

“How dare you say something like that! Look at how adorable I am!” -Mayhem
*snort* -Chaos

Contests, Knitting

A knitting update

37 Comments

Elisa is having a contest – read about her typical day, then take some pictures and post about your typical day. Leave Elisa a comment or send her an email with the link to your post by February 25. There will be mysterious prizes! And fun! 😉

I’m about 2/3 of the way through season 5 of 24. Things got very intense, so I’ve been taking a break for a few days. Plus, I needed to catch up on my library books – especially the new books that I can’t renew!

I have made good progress on the refined raglan, both while watching 24 and while reading.

“What have we here?” -M
“Duh. Obviously it’s a cat bed.” -C

“Oh, how clever – it even has cat toys built in!” -C
“Wait, is that yarn I see?!” -M

“Yarn!” *chew chew chew* -M

Ack! I must go rescue my sweater!

Contests, Reading, Those Cats

If Mayhem had a superpower…

44 Comments

When I drove to work this morning at 6:15 am, it was -15°F, with a windchill of -30°F (-26.1°C and -34.4°C respectively). Brrrrrrrrrrr!!!

Just in case you missed it, Friday’s post contained links to a lot of contests. Here are a few more:

Wen is having a contest for Knit From Your Stash participants – take a picture of a “crime against yarn” that you committed, post it to your blog, and leave a comment with the link for Wen before February 9 at midnight PST. She has some lovely yarny prizes for you to win!

Julie’s having a two-part contest. For the first, leave a caption for a very cute picture of her cat, Mr. Mugatoo. For the second, guess how much Mr. Mugatoo weighed when he went to the vet Friday. Prizes include a skein of STR, Fred Flintstone colorway. She’ll take entries until February 8.

Limedragon reviewed various bookholders last week, with a particular eye to how well they would work for reading and knitting. Her summary with links is a valuable resource for knitting readers and reading knitters alike!

So, if Mayhem had a superpower (as the amazing Kitten Girl), it would be making everything into a dangerous toy.* I am sure many children also have this superpower.

Behold the seemingly innocuous knitting bag, perfect for a sock project…

“Mom, there are other kitties on this bag!!! Is there something you’ve been meaning to tell us?!” -M

Now somehow turned into a tourniquet around May’s middle!

“Well, if that doesn’t beat all…” -M

“Help! Help! I’m hit!” -M
“Melodramatic much, May?” -C

“Tell Mom I love her…” -M
“Sheesh, May, tell her yourself, since she’s standing right there taking pictures of you in your shame!” -C

*For the curious, Chaos’ superpower is meowing.

Contests, Randonymity

Jelly bean bonanza and a completely crazy number of contests

25 Comments

Thanks for all the kind words about my felted bookweight pattern and the cat photography tips! I’ll definitely do another post or two with more tips, as soon as I get enough examples collected. Several commenters pointed out that the tips would also work well for dogs and small children (and probably ferrets, bunnies, etc).

Bloglines seems to hate my blog again. Alas and alack… And it’s shockingly cold here in Minneapolis this morning: -8°F, not counting the windchill. BRRRRRR.

Imbrium is having a contest – guess what the vanity license plate might stand before and you could win some yarny goodness! Leave your comment by 11:59 pm MST, February 2 (today!).

Kristi is having a contest – leave a comment (bonus points if it’s a haiku) before February 14 about what aspect of her blog you most enjoy and you could win a prize appropriate to your fiberly orientation (spinner, knitter, or neither/not).

Deb is having a contest – guess what projects she’s knitting in the first three photos and you could win something fun. You have until around February 11 to guess, because that’s when Deb returns from Mexico! *jealous*

April is having a contest – if you donate $5 to Doctors Without Borders and cc her on your email to the Yarn Harlot, you are entered! First name drawn at the end of the month gets 15 skeins of sock yarn, second name gets 10 skeins, and the final name drawn gets 5 skeins. Each day this month, April will be featuring a skein of the prize yarn – today’s featured skein is a lovely and extremely limited edition Cabin Cover colorway.

Just a reminder, Megan and her husband are participating in the Tour de Cure. Megan will have a prize drawing for those who support them in this endeavor. You can even support them by buying a sock pattern.

Interested in writing a book review and maybe winning a prize? Then check out Debut a Debut – Eclectic Closet posted some info about it, and there are more details at West of Mars.

Eklectika sent me some handy dandy cat toys and a very funny jelly bean dispenser.

You press the kitty’s back and he, um, “dispenses” a jelly bean.

Hee hee – this is quite the conversation piece at my desk at work! Thanks, Eklectika! My coworkers decided that it wouldn’t be as obnoxious when I ran out of tan and brown jelly beans and refilled it with jelly beans in more varied colors. Should I tell them that I will still find it amusing, since the Chaos Kitty loves to eat brightly colored tissue paper?! 😉

“Mom! That’s appalling! I can’t believe you think that’s funny!” -M