T - Minus 7 Days

Here is my progress so far on the teddy bear project.

Day 10 I knit ten pieces, which was good because Day 9 I only knit six.
Day 9 only had six pieces because it was wine night with the neighbor, I mean we had a spaghetti play date with the girl across the street.
Day 8 I knit six and a half pieces. It was weekly clean the house day, which was extra messy and we had a play date at our house. I didn't get to knit until after dinner. It was late and I was falling asleep. Even the horror flick I was watching wouldn't keep me up. I did knit the bodies which are the largest pieces.
That puts me two pieces behind, which is okay because the last day would of been six pieces. Sixteen pieces left, eight arms and eight legs.
Here's what I have, only doubled. Front and back for the ears, left and right of heads, gussets, left and right of the bodies and paws for the feet. Today I should work on cleaning the garage and we have a party to go to. But I think I'll get my knitting done, I hope it goes fast.

T - Minus 10 and Counting

I have know that my SIL is pregnant with twins for about 5 months or so. I've known it a boy and a girl for 3 months or so. I've known that they are due in late July, but being twins, will probably come early. I would love to blame my rush on someone else, "What! A two week notice on the baby shower. Don't they know I'm hand knitting something?" But that just wouldn't be fair. So, I had a 15 day notice on how long I had to make two teddy bears with yarn that I haven't even bought yet. Did I rush out and buy yarn? Of course not. I have company coming in over the weekend. (My sister and the stitchmarkers). So, I didn't bother dragging her to my LYS.

On Monday, I dug around in my stash and found so great white organic cotton that would be perfect for the bottom of the feet. I need to find brown yarn though. I run to my LYS on Tuesday. Closed. What! I only have 11 days left. So, yesterday at lunch was a mad rush to find and buy yarn. The good news is I knew exactly where to look. I found more organic cotton, exactly the same as the yarn in my stash, but decided on the organic boucle cotton. It looks more teddy bear like.Can you tell which ball I hand rolled? Hehe.So here is the pattern and the work so far. The Classic Teddy Bear. I was going to make Otto, until I saw the nursery and realized Otto is too cool and modern for the bears on the wallpaper. The room is VERY classic teddy bear. Which also mean that I will have a lot of sewing to do. I had to give myself a time management calender.

Days 10 - 6: knit 8 of the 38 pieces a day. Of course, the larger pieces will be knit on the weekends and thank goodness I have 3-day weekends.
Days 5-4: one day for each bear to be sewn up.
Day 3: stuffing and embrodering the eyes and nose. (I won't be making the arm joints).
Day 2: finishing touches and catch up.
Day 1: day of rest.

Yesterday was actually Day 10, so I am on schedule with the 8 ear pieces, front and back to four ears, and the 2 right sides of the heads. I may be able to do this.

Dishcloth Summer Swap

I joined a dishcloth swap. I'm pretty excited about it. Should be cool and all. It's a summer theme and has a bunch of rules, which I love. Means I should get something as nice as I gave. Either way I have to post my questionaire on the blog, so here it is. And hey, you might learn something about me.

1. Do you Knit or Crochet? For how long? I've been knitting since September of 2005. I've known how to crochet since September of 2004, but I don't crochet regularly..at all.

2. Do you enjoy using metal, wooden, or some other kind of needle\hook? I normally use bamboo or my Denise interchangables. I do own a couple of metal needles and some Addi's. sometimes it does depend on the yarn.

3. What are your favorite types of yarn? Any you just can't stand? I love a lot of yarns. I buy mostly from my LYSs and avoid the Walmart/Michaels selections. I think of the yarn I use as being as fine as the work I make.

4. When it comes to cotton, are there any brands you'd love to try and haven't? I've only made Dishclothes with Sugar n' Cream. I've used other types of cottons for clothes and toys. I'm on a little of a organic cotton kick. Being that the Washcloth I make with be with Blue Skies Organic Cotton. I really want to work with that one.

5. When you make Dishcloths, do you use them yourself, or tend to give them as gifts? At first I gave them all away as gifts. In our house all the cloths are for doing the dishes. (I just found this link that I want to ty next). We love washcloths in the bathroom, but don't have any knit ones in there right now.

6. Do you have a favorite color? Any that you dislike? I would love to have something cool and fresh colored. Not really any colors that are dark.

7. What color(s) (if any!) are your kitchen and bath decorated in? The bathroom is mostly pink/purple. The kitchen is a free for all.

8. What are your favorite scents around the house? All of my Yankee Candles are in citrusy or berry scents.

9. What is your very favorite thing about summer? My birthday, the Fourth of July, swimming pools, shorts and tank tops, not having a cold car, going to the beach, early morning sunshine, pink lemonade, green plants, road trips, long holiday weekends, blowing bubbles, barbeques, staying up late, going to Disneyland, tan lines, ice cream, and fresh fruit.

10. What is your least favorite thing about summer? This is summer we are talking about? Cause I could give you a list of my least favorite things about winter.

11. Do you use soap or body wash in the shower? I use body wash. We currently have Dove Cucumber/Green Tea and Philosophy Melon Daquiri (for date night-- hubba hubba).

12. What scents do you enjoy in the bath? In the bathroom is a black cherry candle. Yummy!!!

13. What is your favorite dishcloth pattern? All of our cloths have hearts on them. So I don't want anything with hearts. Maybe a pretty Knit/Purl design with a few increases and decreases. But really, anything without hearts.

14. What sort of treats do you enjoy? Sweet or Salty? I like sweet and sour snacks. Butter cookies, sour patch kids, spree, sour spree, licorice, honey roasted peanuts (that would be a salty), peanut butter cookies, white wine, lemonheads, you know snack stuff.

15. Imagine today is one of the hottest days of the year - what do you do to keep cool? Or are you one of those folks who loves the hot weather? See What is your favorite thing about summer?.

16. What sorts of hobbies do you enjoy besides knitting or crocheting? I'm trying to read more. That's a good hobby, right? I also like to blog, play video games, get steps on my pedometer.

17. Do you collect anything (besides yarn!) Jokes. I tried to collect things. Coffee mugs -- I don't really drink coffee. Post cards -- I don't go that many places. Snow globes -- they replaced post cards because they are so much cooler. I like to collect them for my daughter. But really, whenever I hear a good joke, I like to write it down so that I can remember it.

18. Are you on Ravelry? If so, share your ID! Hell yeah I Ravel. freerangechick

19. Do you have any allergies? I'm allergic to falling off of buildings, people I don't like, and gynocologist. Okay, really. I'm allergic to grass and most types of trees. So, don't give me an olive branch. I mean a real one, not metaphorically.

20. Do you have any pets? I have a hamster. Her name is Molly. She smells.