I HAVE to Make This.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/maddies-tiny-dress

From a Child who Loved to Read (and Still Does)

Relay for Life/ Dancing with the Stars

I have a wonderful friend named Sammie who just happens to be a ballroom dancer. She's pretty good (at least I think so, but all I know about ballroom I learned from "Mad Hot Ballroom" and "Dancing with the Stars" so I'm not sure how qualified I would be to judge).

Sammie is participating in a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society through their Relay for Life Program. Except Sammie isn't running in a Relay team. They're having a dance competition. It has been arranged for some local 'stars' to pair up with a member of the USU Ballroom team to learn a dance and then compete, with the overall purpose to raise money to be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Here's Sammie's Story about why she decided to participate:

"I am a choreographer/dancer for the Dancing with the Relay Stars competition in Logan, UT on January 30th as one of the Relay for Life events.  All our money goes towards the American Cancer Society in order to save lives.

It's amazing to think that millions of people will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Somebody close to me may be one of them.

A Relay For Life event is not only a way to join my community to fight back against cancer, but it is also a way to inspire hope by raising funds and awareness to help those facing the disease.


I dance in memory of my dear, sweet, wonderful cousin, Jared Allsop who passed away from leukemia on October 13th, 2011.  He was one of the happiest and friendliest people I have ever met in my life.  My experience in the Dancing with the Relay Stars competition is focused on Jared and who he was.  He was someone who was always willing to take chances and lived a full, exciting life even though he died a few days before his 26th birthday.  One of his favorite movies was Titanic and so I chose to dance to "My Heart Will Go On" in memory of him.

Every day, the American Cancer Society helps people take steps to reduce their risk of cancer or find it early when it is easiest to treat. They provide free information and services when and where people need it throughout their journey to get well. They are investing in groundbreaking research to find, prevent, treat, and cure cancer, and are working with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight.

Together, we have the power to help create a world where cancer can no longer claim another year of anyone's life."

Sammie has set a goal of raising $500 by the time of the event, which is January 30. If you can help her reach her goal (even small donation add up!) Please visit her page on the Relay for Life site:
Sammie's Fundraising Page

And a big thank you to all who support the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life!

I got to go somewhere really cool this week. I'll give you a hint on where it was:

From A Girl who Wants Farm

Leggings ≠ Pants; Leggings = Tights

For those of you who don't know, I used to be a clothing designer. It was what I was going to be. In fact, I'm one semester shy of getting my degree in costume design (but we all know that is not going to happen because I like playing with children more than I like taking care of adults who act like children).

On a certain day, I was watching one of 'my shows', Project Runway. Now, watching Project Runway always makes me want to drop everything and start sewing. Unfortunately I was traveling at that time. (Let's face it, it's right now but I'm trying to not let people know too much about my whereabouts.) So, instead running off to get that red blouse made or that white lacy shirt I have in the works, I decided to cruise the internet and see if I could find a modest formal dress. This has been a quest of mine for awhile, but tonight, I got a little sidetracked.

I clicked on shop section titled "Pants" and was annoyed, but sadly not surprised, at what I saw.

PEOPLE, LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS!


Leggings ≠ Pants

Ladies, leggings are the equivalent of tights. You MUST wear something over them, like a skirt:

While this skirt is a little too short for my personal taste, at least it's covering the girl up. If you choose to wear a tunic over leggings, make sure it is at least as long as the strip of fabric that girl has wrapped around herself as a skirt. If you were to bend over without leggings on in the skirt or tunic, the only cheeks we should see should be on your face (this is a general rule for anything clothes related, m'kay?)

Now, there are probably some people who are still a little confused so, here are two more pictures for demonstrative purposes. One was the result of a search for "Leggings" and one was the result of a search for "Tights". 

If you can't tell which is which, that's probably because they are EQUIVALENT. (That big word means that they are the same thing.)

What's that? You still don't understand the difference between leggings and pants?  Compare the following picture of pants to the above pictures of leggings (you still don't know which is which, do you?)

Please, ladies, especially you younger crowd. Wear leggings as leggings not pants. Leggings as pants is just giving too much away for free, and often it is TMI for the rest of us (but enough for creeps and perverts).

If you are still confused or need more help understanding if you are wearing pants or leggings. Or need a thumbs up (or down) on an outfit, drop me a line on Facebook (Aunt Jaq) or comment below.

Better yet, follow the blog. I'm only one person short of reaching my goal of 5 followers.

Blanket Decisions...

So, yesterday morning I was in minor crisis over the color choice for a blanket. I had planned to do it in hot pink and black, saved the pattern and promptly forgot about it. Once I rediscovered it I had just cast on for another, even bigger, blanket in gray-blue,hot pink and black.
I didn't know what to do. I love the combo of hot pink and black, but let's be honest here. I can't make 2 hot pink and black blankets at the same time. I might get sick of the colors. Plus, if the decision is made to try to sell one (or both but probably only one) or give them away as presents or giveaway prizes, other people have to like them too. And what if I am the one who gets stuck with two hot pink and black blankets?
I'm a grown up! I can't have two hot pink and black blankets! I don't have children who like Barbies and Glitter. I Can't have Two HOT PINK AND BLACK BLANKETS!!!

After packing my bags for my trip this week I was sitting on my bed and staring at the grey-blue yarn that was on the needles, with a hot pink skein sitting next to it waiting to be used. Then it hit me. I have enough of the hot pink and black to make the blanket I originally planned to use it for and not have to go out and buy more. This is a big deal people. I like yarn, but there is this thing in the knitting community called a stash. And more often than not this "stash" gets out of hand. I decided it is most economical for me to not increase my stash, but to actually use as much of it as possible before I head out and add to it. So, hot pink and black Op Art blanket it is.

As for the Great American Afghan? Well, I have some ecru on hand... And I love blues, so I decided to stick with the blue denim theme on that one. First square is already on the needles in "Stonewash" and I happen to know there are at least two, maybe three, other shades of denim in the Sugar n Cream Solids and Denims yarn collection. It'll work out.

After I go to the store and buy some.


p.s. Other color combinations were suggested and I super appreciate them. Trust me, they will be used at a future point in time. It's just, I want to start this project right now and once I figured out that I have enough on hand, it was just fate.

pps. Pictures will be posted of these projects while in progress (maybe) and definitely when they are completed. :)

Another Blanket

Now, with my goal of knitting 13 miles of yarn this year, I have my eye and brain looking out for 'big' projects. Last night, as I was watching Psych and trying to finish up a sweater (it's not going to happen, at least not this weekend), I thought of a blanket pattern I stumbled upon a while ago.

Op Art Blanket

 

Now this pattern led me to rant about something, something research related, but after letting it sit I think I'll leave it for now. I have come to accept that the person who wrote this pattern and the explanation for their inspiration for it is a knitter. Not a child development specialist with a degree in those kinds of things.

But here is my dilemma. I was going to make this in hot pink and black. But, I'm making the Great North American Afghan in pink and black and gray blue. I CAN'T make two pink and black blankets! So, those of you who actually read this blog, what colors should I go for in this Op Art Blanket? (No option on changing the GNAA, I started on it last night, there is no going back.) 

Let me know what you think so I can be on the lookout for the right colors of yarn :)

p.s. I decided to go to the local museum for my birthday. Uh, they're not open on Mondays, what? So maybe Franklin is where I'll end up...

Goal: 13 Miles

Earlier I posted my "Goal for the Year" to knit 13 miles of yarn. 13 miles because it's 2013. Get it? Get it?
Well, I though maybe I'd share with you all some of the ways I will get to that goal. (Also, over on the sidebar there's a little widget that tells you how much I've knit so far for the year.)

First some baby sweaters:

Little Sister's Dress  

Milo
I already have the yarn (olive green and dark blue) for both of these, as well as tentative recipients in mind. But am open to make them for someone who really really wants them...

A sweater or two for myself:

Chaste Sanna

Tourist Sweater
Both of these were gifted to me by fellow Ravelers. (If you knit and have not discovered Ravelry, go there, now.) I haven't decided on colors yet, I personally tend to gravitate toward grays and blues.

If I get really ambitious and brave I will attempt a beaded shawl:

UnsinkableAgain, made possible by the gift of beads from a fellow Raveler. (Yes, this pattern isn't beaded, but it 'spoke' to me. If you knit, or quilt, or sew, you get what I mean.)

And finally, since I've had some good success with ambitious blankets in the past, I have decided to knit at least 13 squares from the The Great North American Afghan.

There are multiple versions of this afghan from different years of publication, I have two of them so that should give me at least 13 squares that I like enough to knit up. I also plan to do this in black, hot pink, and gray (white if I can't find any gray).

And of course, since it's me, I'll be knitting plenty of socks. In fact, I joined the 13 Socks in 2013 group over on Ravelry. Let's be honest here, it's an addiction. I already have yarn for three pairs, plus baby size ones from the scraps. I might as well make it official.

4 Miles

And this is what 4 miles of socks looks like (minus a pair that is snowed in at the cabin...)

And minus the pairs that were Christmas presents. They are with their owners now, not me. :)

Goal for the Year

  I don't like the term 'New Year's Resolution". Probably because I feel people use it as a way to say they're going to do something that they don't really intend to do or don't think they can accomplish, but that's okay because it was a "New Year's Resolution" and people don't ever keep those anyway so no big deal. Right.

  A few years ago I took to having a "Goal for the Year" instead. I've found the best method for me is to have one goal. Any more than that and I might end up getting overwhelmed and not accomplishing any of them because it's just impossible. I can make short term goals, mind you, or longer range goals. But for my year goals, one is the magic number.

Last year it was to make 12 pairs of socks for myself over the course of the year, one pair per month. And I completed that goal two days ago. (Go me.) Then I got to thinking what my goal for the upcoming year should be. The socks had a "12 in '12" theme, so maybe I should do a "13 in '13" theme. After checking out some things on the knitting website, I decided on a goal.

I'm going to knit 13 miles worth of yarn in the year 2013. You will notice that I have added a widget to the sidebar on the blog here that will track the yardage that I have knit. For those of you wondering, 13 miles = 22,880 yards.

I'm not sure why knitting has been the focus of my "Goal for the Year" the past year and now, but it is something I like to do, so why not? Granted I have more things I want to accomplish in the coming year, but they aren't do or die like I feel the "Goal for the Year" is. It's a serious thing, this Goal for the Year, it has to happen no matter what.

Having said that, my dad sat me down today. He said "I have a goal for you this year." After explaining that I have a big year ahead of me full of really cool things that I'm doing, he said, "You have to take it easy."

All I could do was throw my head back and yell, "DANGIT!"