And here it is!

I love my cowl.

Sorry for the huge pics, but I love this sweater, so I got my resident photographer to take some pictures with his new Canon 30D...

At first, I wasn't sure about the collar, but for me, it just took wearing the right shirt underneath. Nothing with a v-neck, just a round or straight across collar, so you're not distracted from the pretty cowl neck.

I used Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool for this project, and I lovelovelove this yarn! It's fun and easy to knit with, and it looks so beautiful when it's knit up. I think it's going to be a good all-season sweater - I can wear it now with a camisole underneath, and still be comfortable when it's a little bit warm. I'm picturing it with a long sleeved t-shirt or maybe even a crisp white collared shirt when it gets colder...

YAY!

You know the pattern: The Somewhat Cowl by the fabulous Wendy of Knit and Tonic. I used the pattern changes for a slightly more fitted sweater, including shaping on the sides. It's not super fitted, but I like the way it hangs. I have plans to make a few more of Wendy's patterns because they are super wearable and extremely well written.

So, if you're playing Blogger Bingo at Rhinebeck, I'll be rocking my Somewhat Cowl, probably on Saturday. And also Rhinebeck is SO CLOSE! wheeeeeeeeeee. And next on the knitting agenda? Central Park, from the latest Knitscene. Because my twin sister Cathy wants to be just like Rachael.

All right. I've gotta go clean and study and knit. My October is all kinds of crazy. Check out my next three weekends:

October 13: Bling plays Fall for Greenville.

October 20 - 22: Rhinebeck!

October 28 : My 10 year high school reunion. Weird.

And somewhere in there, we're gonna close on a house. And pack. And I'm gonna do some homework. It will all fall into place. Right?

Posted by Carrieoke at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (52)

That is a ridiculous title for a post, but I do have hair news. I changed up the color for fall...

Red. Head.

My friend from class asked if it was "funk red, or day job red." I'm thinking it's funk red. And I lovelovelove it! Since Jacob's known me, I've always had shortish hair, and he wants me to grow out my hair for the wedding, which works for me. So we made a deal -- I'm growing it out, but I get to do whatever I want with the color. Woo-hoo! (Although -- shh! --- I'm starting to really love having it longer again. But you can't tell him that...)

And, I got the color done by an old old friend - someone I've known for 20 years. Crazy. (The wonders of myspace...)

So. House news. Everything looks good so far, inspection has been done, and we're in those stages of negotiating and finalizing everything. My twin sister came up this weekend and gave it the Cathy stamp of approval. (and also brought me clothes. She rocks.) If you want to see more pictures of the place, I've got some posted on my Flickr account:

[ House Pics ]

Thanks for all the good wishes. I'm so excited about being an almost homeowner, especially being an almost homeowner with the boy that I love, in a town that I love. It doesn't get much better than that!

School is moving right along. The midpoint of the semester is next week - it's flying by! Tonight my grad class was online - which means two things.

1. I got to wear this totally awesome headset so I could talk in class:

I am futuristic.

2. I got to knit while I was taking my class.

The Cowl part.

Okay. I've gotta go study some Flash now. Here's some of my remedial Flash for you. It's interactive! Make the car go boom!

Posted by Carrieoke at 12:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (39)

So, we installed my side view mirror successfully. Here's proof that I was involved:

I'm a mechanic. Sort of.

In between car part installs, I've been knitting on the Somewhat Cowl. I've got one sleeve and the cowl left to go, so it's definitely going to be ready for Rhinebeck.

See that sleeve? The second one's almost done!

I may even have something else started by the time we head up. My twin sister keeps requesting knitted items (including but not limited to Ms. Marigold, and Something Red, although she REALLY begged when she saw Rachael's Central Park.) She really wants a cardigan now, and I'm trying to convince her that the bobbly zippy sweater in Paton's Street Smart is perfect.

But here's my dilemma: I think an 100% wool sweater is going to be too hot. She's like me: she's cold often, but she's a sweat-er. (as in, she sweats a lot). I'm wondering if a wool-acrylic blend wouldn't be as sweat-inducing? Any yarn suggestions?

Oh. And.

I might have been holding out on you a little. There's kinda sorta something else that I've been doing recently...

House. Hunting.

The Pants and I have been in the market for a house, and we are actually now officially under contract on the cutest house in town. Seriously. That's the name of my new house.

And here's what it looks like.

I haven't mentioned this before because we've already had one heartbreak (sniff), but I feel certain that this house is the right one. Send good vibes and cross your fingers and all that ...everything looks good so far.

So, that's what's been taking up my time lately...that, and my ridiculously full Tivo.

Posted by Carrieoke at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (54)

So my family (lovingly) calls me 'Black Cloud' sometimes because every now and then, I get these runs of bad luck, like a little thunderstorm following me wherever I go.

Like this.

And these past two weeks have been a little cloudier than usual...

The Scene of the Crime.

Exactly a week after our cars got broken into at my house, I came out to my parking lot at work to find that someone had smashed into my driver's side view mirror and left the mess for me to find. No note. Now, I guess it could be someone who had a big backpack and didn't realize they'd done it, but ... yeah. Probably not.

I've decided to try and install the new mirror myself. I ordered it online for $70, and it's on the way. I realize this may be a ridiculous venture, but try and stop me. JUST TRY.

Ahem.

Okay. I realize that my brand of bad luck is actually very minor compared to lots of other things happening in the world, so I'm trying not to harp on it. But sometimes I feel like the universe is snickering at me behind her hands...

In much better news, I'm almost done with the body of my Somewhat Cowl.

Just a few more inches.

I used Wendy's pattern update for a more fitted sweater, and it looks like the waist shaping is going to be perfect. I can't wait to see what this will look like when I add the cowl...

My goal is to have the sweater finished by Rhinebeck. RHINEBECK! I've already got my plane ticket and I'm even going to play a little Rhinebeck Blogger Bingo. SO looking forward to this trip. I'm going to spend some time in New York City - I've never really been there as an adult, so AM and I are going to wander around and shop and sightsee. Yay.

And in totally awesome news, two of the coolest people I know just had one of the cutest babies I've ever seen. Congratulations to MJ and Robert - you are going to be kick ass parents.

Posted by Carrieoke at 9:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (26)

Yay for blog comments. They don't bring Jacob's camera back, but they do remind me that people are nice and good and not all meanies who take things that don't belong to them. And apparently knitbloggers are easy targets for car robberies...

Now it's time for a list of things that make me happy.

1. The new Ipod shuffle. Um, have you seen it? It's SO. CUTE. It's like an inch long. It clips onto your belt. It wants to get in your pocket and hang out with you ALL THE TIME.

Tiny clippy cuteness.

2. Bella.

Bella, gazing in adoration at Jacob.

3. Pam from Lick My Sticks totally helped me get the Purling Puppies webring back in working order! I had a really long queue and didn't have time to deal with it, so I closed the ring for a while, and Pam offered to help me check the sites. So. Nice. So now the webring's open again! How cool is that?

4. THIS JUST IN! The insurance company is going to be able to reimburse us for Jacob's camera. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY. and also YAY. Renters of the world, get renter's insurance.

5. I'm so going to knit this: [ Intolerable Cruelty ]. I know, it's a knitted skirt, but it's a sexy knitted skirt. If I'm going to have a booty, I might as well show it off. Rachael's gonna knit it, too!

6. Currently, the Pants is listening to Axel F on his computer. And giggling to himself. I love him.

So, hooray for good things. My Somewhat Cowl is coming along - I'm doing some waist decreases right now - and I might swatch tonight for the knitted skirt. Hee.

Thanks again for all your comments! It's almost the weekend....

Posted by Carrieoke at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (20)

Just in case you were wondering, here's how NOT to start your work week:

Wake up at 5:30 am to crazily barking dogs. Get up, check email, look outside, lock front door, go back to bed.

Wake up at 6:30 am to fiance saying that we've been robbed.

!!!!!!!!

GEEZ.

The assholes took Jacob's camera out of his truck. They rifled through my car as well, but there was nothing of value in the car (and lots of trash to go through, serves them right. Although they did unzip my Travel Scrabble game, I guess to make sure that I wasn't hiding valuables in there???) This has been a general trend in our area lately, so we're not totally surprised, but of course you never think it will happen to you. Luckily, we are fine, the dogs are fine, and our computers were in the house. Harumph.

We have renter's insurance, so at least some of the camera will be covered.

This marks the second time my car's been broken into, and the second? fourth? time the Pants has been robbed. I just hate feeling so vulnerable in my own freakin' house.

Here's how I feel about the whole thing.

Sad. Clown.

Here's where my Somewhat Cowl is.

Almost ready to join.

Here's a blurry picture of the show we saw this weekend:

She Wants Revenge at the 40 Watt.

That's how I feel this morning. Like choosing darkness. Har. Sorry to be Debbie Downer. Send happy vibes and sunshine and all that...

Posted by Carrieoke at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (44)

Hi hi hi! I'm here. I'm a little behind on the posting schedule. Oops. I have so much to say, too, but every time I sit down to post, something else comes up.

So. Here I am! hihihihi! How are you?

I'm great. Labor Day weekend was super relaxing, and nice and long. Spent quality time with both my sisters and got to see the BigHeadSchmoo:

Brady loves his grandma.

and I even got some knitting time:

Silky. Wool.

In addition, I have some sewing to do.I have a super cute skirt just waiting to be finished, and I have a pattern for a dress (inspired by Vibegrrl - scroll down to see the fabulous dress she made!) and another skirt. Then, my sister Michelle gave me some fabulous fabric and patterns for my belated birthday :

Pretty squares. and patterns to boot!

[nerding out]
And, in nerdy news, I'm learning Flash and loving it. So far, I've made a stick man kick a ball across the screen and created a yo-yo that moves up and down. (You've gotta start somewhere, right?) I can't WAIT to get into Action Scripting...
[/nerding out]

So, that's all the news from my neck of the woods. Today is breezy and cool, and I've got a load of homework to do. I'm HAPPY. I love being busy! Bling is playing this weekend (Friday night at Nuci's Space with Badkat and Ishues, for the locals), and there's plenty of time for knitting and sewing in between.

Yay for four day weeks.

Posted by Carrieoke at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)