Tardis Geekery

This post is not historical at all. And not about theatre or truly even knitting (although it does connect to that tangentially). No, this is shamelessly showing off the cool thing I made. If you don't watch Dr. Who (in which case what planet are you on?!) you won't get the full awesomeness of the geekery involved in this project. It is a double point knitting needle holder themed on the Tenth Doctor. I even got special print on fabric so that I could print out the Tardis Police Call Box signs and the surprise Doctor image on the inside. No iron on was used in the making of this. It is all layered appliques with quilted designs for contouring the Tardis panels.
It was made as a gift though, so it is enjoying its new home somewhere in time and space away from me. Although, I may have had just enough scraps left over to make a second, similarly themed project...
 

vampire valentines swap box!

Here it is, the my marvelous package from MsFeasance over at Ravelry.


I received my wonderful swap package today! It must have been delivered on Valentine's Day, but I was away for the weekend so I just opened it today. And I have to say, Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! So many wonderful goodies inside, and here is the rundown of my awesome package contents.

Inside were the following fantastic items that literally exploded with sparkly-hearted goodness:

Dream in Color Smooshy yarn
(which I am sooo thrilled with, 'cause I really wanted to try this yarn and the color is beautiful!)

a collection of patterns in a cute little book that I can't wait to try out

a VEGAN cookie! that is so yummy.

pretty little wristwarmers that are all black and lacey

a pomegranate scented candle in a suitably bloody red color.

hand salve (which suffered no ill effects from waiting for me outside for the day, and is very much appreciated. I recently told my friend that I was going to be able to buff things to a high shine with the sandpaper that my hands have been turning into this winter)

a lovely set of stitch markers. (Even better, they are the kind that can open up so when I forget to slip them correctly and inevitably wind up attaching them into my work I can safely remove them.)

A picture frame with a knitted cozy in warm shades of red. Perfect for a vampy,romantic picture, now to find one the perfect one...

A heart (yes, real human) shaped heart pincushion that is alarmingly cute.

A set of sock blockers (perfect for when I finally get around to finishing my two sets of socks on the needles right now)

And finally a straw (with which to suck the blood of the innocent I presume? I say this as I eye my glass of cranberry juice...)

And now if I can get the pictures to work...

I finished the fetching mitts for Mom. They look pretty neat if I do say so myself... and I do. I'm also mostly finished with the eye pillow, I just need to sew the seams closed and that's that. I got in y sock books and sock yarn from knit picks, and I am excitedly now ignoring my homework to knit socks instead. Whoo-hoo. I just received a call from my usual summer employer inviting me back, so I get to play with everybody on yarn hill for lunch break this summer. I look forward to pestering my draper to help me knit things that are more intricate and infinitely more cool than I have so far. Now, I just need to find a home and a job for after July. I'm going to go ponder my thesis further (aka stare at the computer while knitting, rather than being productive.) Happy Monday to all, off to anoth great week.

More fetching than before

I have started another pair of fetching mitts. This time, they are for my mom, whose birthday is coming up shamefully soon. I really should have started them earlier, but my thesis got in the way. Well, as she is my mother, she will continue in her long-suffering and have to be understanding and patient to those who want to make handmade gifts. I did finish knitting the square to make her cabled eyepillow...which reminds me... I need to block that tonight so that I can sew it closed around the stuffing tomorrow.

The new pair of fetchings are being made from patons variegated yarn from Joanns because it was a pretty color, and similar enough in weight to what I used for mine that I felt safe not swatching for the mitts. I dropped from the size 6 needles that I used for mine to a size 5, to account for my mother having far daintier hands than I do. Besides, the mitt knit on 6's was definitely not tight on me, and I don't want the mitts to be huge on my mom.

I will try to remember to take pictures before I send them off with birthday love. I hope my mom will be pleasantly surprised, because she doesn't know that I have conquered the knitting needles, and am now forcing them to do my bidding instead of running from them in abject terror and dismay. Also, here is a little picture of mitts from my own pattern that I knit for my graduate thesis costume design. They were only the second thing I ever knit, and the first pattern that I made. Simple, I know, but it thrilled me none-the-less.