Just Married.

Posted on November 1, 2007 by carrieoke13

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Hey – I got married! And it was absolutely one of the best days of my life.
May I present: the Mr. and Mrs!

(photo stolen from Vibegrrl.)

Photo by Shawn Fowler.

This will be a series of long posts because I really want to remember all the details of my wedding weekend, and this is the best way I know how. So click below if you want the whole story!

Continue reading →

Confessions

Posted on August 7, 2007 by carrieoke13

I confess: my Sockapalooza socks came early, and instead of being a good Socker and waiting until August 2, I ripped into the package. Immediately. And found these lovelies inside:

My Socks!

And also…

My pal totally spoiled me!
A lovely knit pouch and a needle holder.

I love it all! The socks are super soft and they fit perfectly, and I’ve been using the pouch to tote my iPod around! (And did you see the adorable fabric on the needle holder?) These lovely gifts are courtesy of Elke. She is in Germany, and blogless (hi Elke) and she’s a totally awesome Sock Pal. Thanks so much, Elke! I’ve been so lucky with Sockapalooza, and this year was another great time.
My pal’s package went out already, and I’m crossing my fingers that she likes the socks and they fit…
So. I’ve been a busy girl, with the new job and the wedding getting really, really close…Accccccccccckkkkkkkkkkk. Our invitations are almost done (we’ll be printing and cutting this weekend) and they feature a drawing by my dear friend Mary Jessica (who also drew the Carrieoke on the side of the blog). They also feature graphic design by my super talented brother-in-law David. Gotta love having the artistic friends and family!
Speaking of friends and family, my sisters Michelle and Cathy and my dear AM threw me and Jacob a kick-ass wedding shower this past weekend! There was extremely delicious food, and lots of booze, and lots of laughing, and an abundance of gifts… including…

A Wii Steering Wheel!
(Let’s hear it for registering at Target!)

It was a fabulous weekend, indeed.
Well, I need to go address wedding invitations. Here’s another confession: I sort of like addressing wedding invitations. And also? We forgot to book a hotel room for our wedding night. NOT STRESSED.

hihihi.

Posted on June 28, 2007 by carrieoke13

Hi there. My name is Carrieoke. I used to do things like spend time with my schmoos and play on the internet and comment on blogs and knit and sleep and exercise, and maybe sew. Now I do this: workschoolworkschoolworkschool. sleep. eat. repeat.
I thought I would take two summer classes to free up my fall semester, since I’m getting married in the fall. BAD IDEA JEANS. I mean, I’m surviving. And the classes are actually quite enjoyable and I’m learning a lot and all that. I’m just tired. and busy. and tired. sigh.

but. I got to buy a new USB fancypants headset with microphone, because my classes are online. LOOK HOW MUCH FUN IT IS.

jealous?I know you are.
and also, can I take your order?

okay! hi there! so much has been going on! I don’t even know where to begin. ooh, I know – we moved my dad back to Georgia. We’d been missing him, and he’d been missing us (or really he’d been missing his grandson, BigHeadSchmoo, and who can blame him?) and it was the right time, so my sisters found him a great apartment, and we drove on up to North Carolina and packed him up and now he’s here! yay Dad.

Dad says hi.

Also, my band played at Athfest last weekend, which is like a big fun Athens music festival that happens annually. It was the best show we’ve played in a long time. There were tons of people there, and the guys in my band may have made three million dollars in fake money with our faces on it and thrown huge wads of the money into the crowd while screaming “Make it rain!” Maybe.

I know. They are totally insane.

It was fun times.
I’m still knitting away on my sockapaloooza sock number two. I finished sock one, and it is lovely. My first sock with both a short row heel and toe, and I’m pretty happy with the result. I can see why some folks don’t so much like the short heel – but I’m totally converted to a short row toe. It’s beautiful.

Number One, you’re the best!

Anywho. After July 3, I’ll have a little less on my plate, and hopefully more time for my schmoos and knitting and exercise. In that order. Hope your summer is lovely and peaceful.

Trellis, For Realz.

Posted on June 4, 2007 by carrieoke13

This picture-heavy post is brought to you by the happiest one-year-old in the world: Big Head Schmoo.

Yay! It’s my birthday!

BHS totally partied hard on his birthday, in just the way you would expect: CAKE.

Oh yes, it was that kind of party.

In between slinging cake and opening presents, the adorable BHS was able to squeeze in a photoshoot with his favorite Uncle Jacob (so Aunt Carrie can have proper FO pictures of the Trellis, of course.)

Standing!

You know the project: Trellis, from Knitty. I loved knitting this – I used Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Grass, and I was super happy with the result. I made the small body and the large sleeves (don’t ask) and you can see in the pictures that BHS needed the sleeves rolled up. So, my recommendation would be to make the matching size sleeves and body. Duh.
This yarn is super soft, and only gets softer with machine washing. I made a Picovoli in this yarn, and pilling has been pretty minimal for me after several washings. I think this is a great yarn for baby clothes.
The buttons were purchased at The Point NYC and a close-up can be seen here on my Flickr account.
BHS says:

I am so stylish in my new sweater!
And also, pffffbbbttt.

Nephews are the best knitwear models.

We interrupt this knitting blog

Posted on May 29, 2007 by carrieoke13

to give you a geeky public service announcement.
Some of you may have noticed that when you left a comment on my blog, you would hit “Post” and then (after a long period of waiting) be sent to a lovely blank screen. Some people kindly tried to comment again, and others just crossed their fingers and hoped the comment went through.
After some lovely Googling and forum reading, it seems that this might have been causing the problem, and, dear Movable Type users, may also be causing a problem with the commenting system on your blog. So, if your commenting system has been buggy or slow lately, this could be why.
I’m posting this so I’ll remember it, and also so maybe a few of you won’t have to go searching!
This is still a bit of a lag after you hit “Post”, but it now goes back to the blog entry (and shows your comment) instead of going to the blank screen.
A knitting post will come soon, and lots of modeling shots of BigHeadSchmoo and Trellis.
Well, I guess I can post one picture until next time…

Here’s the one where we’re all smiling.

Finally.

Posted on May 13, 2007 by carrieoke13

The semester is over! Yesterday marked the end of the semester for me at work, and it was a v. stressful and tiring day, but it is OVER. Hooray! I will probably be taking classes this summer, and a new semester begins next week, but I just feel the need to celebrate the end of this particularly stressful semester. WOO-HOO!
Just to give you a little taste of my day, it ended with me backing into a brick wall and making my muffler look like this:

Apparently, you shouldn’t drive with your muffler dragging. Lesson learned.

Sigh. At least I’m safe and now my car is being repaired.
Now I will make a list of good things, which obviously outweigh any badness that is going on right now.
1. I had knitting at my house this week for the first time in ages. I forgot to take any pictures, but a good time was had by all. We drank daiquiris, sat on my porch for a while, and Melanie even joined us! Yay for new bloggy friends. Bella was on her best behavior and got to hang with the knitters for a while.
2. Jacob and I went to a fancy-pants fundraiser last weekend with his family. There was a silent auction and a live auction, and yummy food and drinks. Jacob wore a tux, and I got to wear a dress I got on super sale at Dillard’s:

That might be after a few drinks.

We won an $100 gift certificate to Doc Chey’s. Yum, noodles.
3. Ravelry. I’m sure you’ve been reading about it on lots of blogs, so I won’t go into too much detail. I’ve been a beta tester for a little while, and it is fabulous. One thing I lovelovelove is being able to organize my stash (or actually see how much yarn I have – yikes ). It’s a great tool for matching your stash to the patterns you want to knit. It’s also fabulous to see what yarns other knitters have used for certain projects, and the interface makes it super easy to see that information! It is seriously addictive, and also makes you feel productive at the same time.
Now you’re saying, that sounds great! But I can’t use it! I’m not a beta tester! True. Frecklegirl and her husband are working their tails off to get Ravelry ready for full release. It’s just the two of them working on it, and it’s pretty amazing that they’ve already got such an amazing tool together. Have patience, and keep watching for news about the full release. And remember that Jess and Casey totally want EVERYONE to be able to participate – it’s just a matter of time! They started this project because they care about this fabulous knitting/crocheting/yarny community and they wanted to make something wonderful and useful for us. How cool is that?
4. Mother’s Day cookout at my sister’s house was fun times. My nephew, otherwise known as BigHeadSchmoo, is almost one years old and absolutely adorable. And he said “Jacob”! He’s also a genius baby, clearly.

Genius baby with Cathy and his mama, Michelle.

My stepfather and my mom, relaxing on the porch.

Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and my sister Michelle. I love you guys!

Schmoos

Posted on February 23, 2007 by carrieoke13

Friday Friday Friday. Hooray! It’s been a busy week in the school and work arenas, and I am so glad it’s Friday. And I’ve got PLANS this weekend: birthday celebrations tonight for my friend Leslie, birthday celebrations tomorrow for my sister Michelle, a hair appointment (color), possibly a trip to Ikea, and lots of Wii time.
(Now that my nephew is almost 10 months old, it’s time for him to play the Wii.)
(Kidding.)
And the Oscars on Sunday! Woo-hoo! In other news:
1. I brought my almost finished Forecast to work today, because I’m planning to go to the bead store at lunch and see if I can find buttons. Hopefully I won’t be tempted to buy beading supplies. Ha.
2. I started the second Anemoi mitten, and all of my love for colorwork came rushing back. I think this one looks much better than the first one – I’m more comfortable working with two colors, and my gauge is a little looser. I hope it doesn’t look vastly different than Anemoi #1…

Swirly goodness.

I’m using my Knitpicks chart holder from the start this time, and it’s going so quickly. I can’t wait to start working on some Zimmerman Norwegian mittens…
(God, now that I’m looking, there is a glaring mistake in that mitten. I’ll need to fix it! But no ripping. I’ll deal with it later.)
3. As I knit and watched Grey’s Anatomy last night, two of my favorite schmoos dozed on the couch next to me. How cute is that?

Shleepy schmoos.

4. Here’s my other favorite schmoo in her favorite spot:

Chili guards the house from here.

She’s a good girl.
I think the Anemoi could be finished by this weekend if it keeps going so quickly. It’s destined for someone who lives in a colder place than me, so the sooner I finish, the better. Although since we’re starting to have 65-70 degree days here, I imagine that’s happening in other places too. (Probably not, right?)
Okay. Back to work. Y’all have a good weekend!

Bring in the New!

Posted on January 1, 2007 by carrieoke13

The new swift. YAY! My crafty-schmoo-fiance built me my very own swift. He was able to make this:

I’m working here.

into this:

It works!

I helped with measuring wood and reading directions. The Pants did all sawing, drilling, hammering, etc. We used these instructions that I found online: [ edited the link: http://www.craftydiversions.com/patterns/homemade_yarn_swift.htm ] and they worked perfectly. Of course I ran and bought a ball winder almost immediately — I’m not wasting any time! I love my handmade swift so. much.
Now. A fun activity from the fabulous Fricknits: ten topics that begin with the letter E. Yikes. E seems hard. I guess everyone thinks their letter sounds hard…
English : I majored in English in college, and I now work in an English department. I am a stickler for correct spelling and grammar in writing. Questionable grammar in spoken English doesn’t bother me as much as written mistakes. I am especially appalled at spelling errors on websites — if you see one on my blog, you can tell me. I will luv u 4 it.
Exercise: It’s starting hardcore in January. I got a step and hand weights for Christmas, and I just ordered that Nike-iPod thingy that Rachael was talking about. I’m planning to run a half-marathon in March — and I’m mentioning that so you’ll HOLD ME TO IT — and I need to start training. MUST. DO. IT. Did I mention that I’m getting married in October of this year and I want to be my super-cutest self for the wedding?
Espresso : Every morning, I get a 16 oz vanilla latte from Jittery Joe’s, our local coffee shop. Sometimes I get an extra shot of espresso if I’m feeling extra droopy. I realized over the holidays how much money I spend at said coffee shop. Woo-hoo! I’m supporting local business, so that makes it okay, right?
Election: I volunteered for our mayor’s re-election campaign at the end of 2006. And it was FUN. Extra-fun activities included playing an election benefit show with Bling and creating a banner ad for our local online newspaper. She won!
Explosion: We set off fireworks last night. Lots and lots of fireworks. Jacob loves to be the dude that lights the fireworks and then runs like crazy away from the fireworks before they blow up. (Which makes me, inevitably, the girl who’s yelling “Be careful, schmoo! Are we being too loud?”) Don’t worry, we’re careful. And we’re all about fire safety — my future father-in-law is a fireman.
Entertaining: We had a little New Year’s party last night, and it was really fun. Our new house is perfect for having guests. At one point, we had a poker game, karaoke, and Wii-playing all going on at the same time. Good times. And we still have leftover pigs in a blanket and tiny cheesecakes. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Tiny cheesecakes.
Evil: Tiny cheesecakes! You are evil! Stop tempting me from the fridge…
Education: Semester two of grad school starts next week. I’m taking one face-to-face class and one online class. We had a few online sessions of class last semester in my theory class, and it was sort of awkward and painful. I’m hoping a whole semester of online sessions aren’t as painful…
Engaged: So I have the date. And the place. And the dress. (And the Pants. hahahahahahahahahahaha.) Apparently, the REAL planning can start now. Note to self: Must consult excessively organized and already married twin sister.
And, finally…
Endpaper Mitts: Finished!

My First Endpaper Mitts. Certainly not my last.

My first Fair Isle experience was a good one. I learned that it’s hard to get consistent gauge, which I’m working on, and I also learned that it’s a bad idea to do colorwork when you’re a little tipsy. D’oh. But, the mitts fit, they look decent, and I’m not scared of colorwork anymore!
Excellent.
Later this week: Progress reports on Maggie and Forecast.

And a Happy New Year

Posted on December 28, 2006 by carrieoke13

Ah. The holidays are so, so lovely. I’ve been sleeping until embarrassingly late hours, wearing my (new) pajamas all day, and knitting constantly. One of the perks of a university job is that the university is closed the last week in December, so I’ve got lots of time off. It’s a wonderful thing. Luckily, Jacob works with schools as well, so we’re both at home relaxing. It’s given us lots of time to put the house in some kind of order and play with our Christmas presents.
Christmas was totally awesome. We got all kinds of great stuff for the house, loads of gift cards (LOWES! HOME DEPOT! BEDBATHANDBEYOND!) and lots of other fun things. I got some great Sephora stuff and the perfect jewelry box. So much good stuff.
The Pants gave me two ultimately awesome presents: this necklace

SchmooTag.

and… a camcorder!

I’m gonna video you.

That one was a bit of a surprise. So. Excited. About. Video. I have a feeling that videos of Bella, Chili, and other adorable thingsin my house may be making a more regular appearance on this here blog. Woo-hoo! I also taped ridiculous amounts of nephew cuteness on Christmas Day — the child has gotten SO. BIG. I got to feed him a bottle, which was really fun and also kind of scary at the same time.
Here’s the BigHeadSchmoo:

I’m the king of this blanket.

The sis finally got her Central Park Hoodie, for keeps:

Finally!

And there was also some intense game playing: both Texas Hold ‘Em:

Jacob won. Again.

And Clue DVD:

Wes is a sleuth. He had the time ALL NARROWED DOWN.

Good. Times.
Now? I’m going to sit on my butt some more and surf blogs and knit and not have any responsibilities. We are having folks over for New Year’s, so at some point I need to clean a little more, but NOT NOW. Now is for lounging. And building a swift…more on that later.
Hope everyone is having a happyhappy with their family and friends. This is the FOURTH Christmas I’ve celebrated with my blog, can you believe it? I can’t. Time flies when you’re having fun. And other cliches.
Happy New Year from our house to yours!!

Give and Receive.

Posted on December 22, 2006 by carrieoke13

Aw, I got tagged! I feel special. My answers are in the extended entry. We’re all weirdos…
The holidays are a time for giving and receiving, and I’ve done a little of both this week. I made a scarf for my friend Roxanne:

The Purl Scarf, Pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

Here’s a close up of the yarny goodness:

Manos + Silky Wool + Kidsilk Haze = yummy.

I was happy with the result. I think I might have to make one for myself!
Then. I received this from a dear sweet friend:

It’s Maggie. Hot damn.

This yarn is so yummy to knit with…I’m about 1/3 done with a sleeve. Lovelovelove.
And. I may have randomly started some colorwork. Now. I’ve never really done much before, but I decided to throw caution to the wind and just knit these Endpaper Mitts. They’re cute, right? Here’s what I learned about Fair Isle:
1. It’s tricksy.
2. I am crappy at holding yarn in my left hand.
3. It makes a difference which yarn you pull from underneath (see yarn dominance)
4. However impressed you are with your own First Fair Isle knitting, your fiance/spouse/partner/friend will not be as impressed. Even if you show them twice.
5. It’s addictive.
Number 5 would be why I went from this:

A little bit of a mitt.

to this:

One mitt finished. I even wove in my ends.

…in a very short amount of time. There are many issues with My First Colorwork, including gauge, some weirdness where the rounds meet, yarn choice (hello, Cotton Fine?) and my complete lack of ability to do a Turkish cast on/ cast off. But ya know what? I love my Endpaper Mitt sooooo much. I’ve already cast on for Mitt 2, and after this pair, I might try my hand at some more colorwork. So. Fun.
By the way, that picture is purposely dim and moody so you can’t see all my mistakes. And the bags under my eyes are NOT from a week of non-stop partying, as it may appear. I just drove to North Carolina and back to pick up my dad for the holidays, so I’m a little tired. I almost Photoshopped the bags out, but I figured you’d still love me with bags under my eyes. Right?
Meme answers in the extended entry if you like…