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I made a few of these Irish Hiking hats for some friends. The original thought was to make hats and scarves, but it's just not gonna happen in time. So, hats and....hmm...something else. Here I am showing off how great they look on. Don't I look warm?!
...by the Twilight 
I have a confession to make, I'm sort of entranced by vampire stories. At the same time, I have an irrational fear of vampires. Really. I know, I know...
Around Halloween, BFF and I were into watching scary movies to get us into the "haunting" mood, and one night we watched 30 Days of Night. It's about vampires, but it's not pretty. I realized then that I liked the romanticized vampire stories, and not the gory, bloody, nasty stories. Funny how if they were real, the bloody, nasty gory vampires would probably be reality...
Anyway, Twilight is one of those romanticized vampire stories...I'm about half way through in a day, and I can't get enough. I'm glad there are more books to read. I just need to find someone with which to see the movie (my sister went yesterday).
I completed the Chic Knits Basic Chic Hoodie and I LOVE IT! It fits great, the yarn is soft, and warm. I made the lace version, but without the lace on the sleeves. Not only was it quicker to get done, it's not so breezy!
I used the Elann Superwash Worsted for this sweater, and I'm very happy with it so far. I washed the sweater, and it grew, but when I 
dried it, it went back to a normal size. In comparison to the Knit Picks Superwash, I like this one better. It seems to wash MUCH better so far (the CPH made with swish is now a felted mess).
I have a feeling I might be making a couple more of these since I've put it on almost every day! The more I wear it, the softer it gets...hey, don't judge me. You'd do it too!
Pattern: Chic Knits Basic Chic Hoodie
Yarn: Elann Superwash Worsted - Wheat
Needles: Knit Picks sizes 8 & 6
Notes: Love it!
Is it normal to get excited about my DNS working? I was the other day! For those of you who don't speak "techie", that means that I was able to add a new url to the blog. I will be losing www.aaswanson.com in February, and I think in light of circumstances that I should go ahead and change it. So, please update your links to www.purlsandpugs.com. I also have .org, .net, and .info. Why not? I got a good deal!! ;-)
I am so close to finishing the Chic Basic Hoodie. In fact, I only have a few more stitches left to bind off. I'm so excited to be done. Then I can go ahead and finish up the Something Black. I've tried this multiple projects at once thing, and it's not working out q
uite the way I was hoping it would. I still end up focusing on one project over another anyway. Well, you can't say I didn't try, right?
Yoda and BFF were having some fun camera time while they were waiting for me to get home from work the other night. I think Yoda is sending the "don't mess with me" vibe. Don't ya think?
I also want to thank everyone for the great virtual hugs and sentiments about my grandmother. It really is appreciated!!
I think I have second sleeve syndrome. I hate finishing sleeves, but yet, I love long sleeves. Ironic, I know. But I've been plugging away on the Chic Basic Hoodie, and I hope to be finished with it completely by the weekend. I just need to get me some 
buttons, a half a sleeve, and I'll be done. Now that I'm moving along on the second sleeve, it's really not that bad, but getting enthusiastic about it was a chore.
I think the winter weather is slowing everyone down just a bit...Today I was looking out the window at work wondering what happened to the city. It looked as if someone erased it! Who can really manage energy in that kind of weather?
Yoda really has not been excited about anything but her new bone!
Sorry for being MIA this last week everyone, but it's been a strange time. I found out on Wednesday that my grandmother died while out with her senior friends seeing Wicked. It was a shock to everyone since she's been doing well and it was so sudden. So, I've been busy with family things and such.
I did managed to do the Sears Tower Climb on Sunday morning. My time wasn't fantastic, but I finished and that was my goal. Here is a picture of our team from the bank. I raised $385 to donate to cancer research, so it was for a good cause!
I'm not sure I'll ever climb those stairs ever again, but it was a good experience. I was impressed by all the firemen wearing full gear and doing it. I want to move to those towns!
I do have some knitting updates, like I'm almost done with the Basic Cardi, but those will have to wait for another day....hopefully tomorrow!
Today is election day in the United States, and, really, it's our duty to go out and vote for our next president, senators, representatives, coroners, judges, constitutional conventions and so on. I've had quite a few people in my life in the military fighting for and protecting my freedom, and I feel I owe it to them to go and vote. To exercise that one little thing I can do to say "thank you" for all you do, and I really do appreciate the freedoms you've afforded me.
That being said, go vote, get a free Starbucks tall coffee, Krispy Cream star shaped donut, and some Ben and Jerry's ice Cream!
I am so sure you are all waiting with baited breath to see what I was for Halloween, so without further ado...drum roll, please! Selene from the movie Underworld. You would think it would be easy to put together a replica of a skin tight catsuit, corset wearing, gun-toting character from a movie. Well, folks, it's really wasn't. The night before Halloween I was sewing my own leg holsters all from items bought at Home Depot. But somehow I think I managed to pull it off, no? 
I guess I went with this costume because, well, the obvious vampire thing, but also because she's a strong woman character. Whose gonna mess with someone that looks like that?!
So, because I was so set on going vampire, BFF went vampire, but more classical. No guns or tight leather outfits for him. And he went more traditional on the makeup. I just went as pale as I could without using crazy white grease makeup. Not too bad. The one tip I do have for anyone thinking about being a vampire at any Halloween is get the $15 fangs. They are so worth the extra $10 in that you mold them to your own teeth, so you can pop them in and out at will and they go back in! BFF went cheap and didn't have as good of luck with his fangs.
We partied in the city first at JBar and then Excalibur. Excalibur may be considered a tourist trap by city dwellers, but it was a blast! I met Heath Ledger as the Joker, Hellboy, Jigsaw, The Creature from the Black Lagoon (I think), and many other ghosts and ghouls. And did you know it's haunted?
Maybe next year I'll go simple and be a sexy nurse or policewoman...nah!
