Browse Category: projects

Project 4: Supa Dupa Gangsta Ducky Hat

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Last week, I learned how to make a stockinette stitch. It basically involves knitting a row, then purling a row, and so on. Yesterday, I started to make a hat that would fit a small child but I got tired and kept having to fix my work. So, I unraveled it and went to sleep. Tonight, instead of starting over, I made a mini-hat just so I could practice the pattern without stressing myself out. Coincidentally, duckie was willing to be my model and boy does the hat fit well. Doesn’t he look fly in his new gangsta hat?

Growing a Green Thumb

DSC_3765.jpgWhen you move into a house, you usually have to start buying plants and do a little landscaping. Well, I’ve managed to keep a couple things alive but I’d have to say that my thumb is probably more purple than green. We received a bonsai when we first moved in and that sucker lasted probably 9 months. I guess that’s not bad. I also planted a few shrubs and flowers in my mini-garden and I don’t know how many times they’ve died from not enough sun or too much water. *sigh* What’s a girl to do?

IMG_3488.jpgWell, I was watching Good Eats one day and A.B. inspired me to grow my very own avocado tree. I was skeptical but I figured I’d give it a try. You start out with the pit, put three toothpicks through it, and suspend it over a cup of water. After a couple weeks, it’s supposed to grow a root on the underside and then later a stem on the top. Well, my avocado seed sat and sat on my window sill with nothing happening. THEN I finally saw a little something poking down into the water. It’s a root!! After a few more weeks the root started going nuts. In fact, the seed cracked open because the root was so thick. After another few weeks, I noticed a little something poking out of the top. It’s a stem! So now, a little over two months later, I have a real live baby avocado tree!! It has a woody stem and new leaves at the top and sides. How exciting! Ah…my thumb feels greener already!

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Oh yeah, I also started an herb garden. I’m growing parsley (the two on the outside) and thyme (one in the middle). I just put seeds in the soil and kept is watered. They grow really fast. I think the thyme sprouted within the first 4 days! Isn’t nature great?!

Project 3: Super Duper Coin Purse

Ta Da!! After finishing my 3rd coaster, I learned how to make a button hole and voila…a coin purse!!

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It has a fully-functional button and button hole and will hold a chunk of change!!

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I’m soooo taking this to Disneyland tomorrow! Penny Arcade, here I come!

Project 2: Super Duper Stripey Coaster

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There you have it ladies and gentlemen, my second finished knitting project. I call it the Super Duper Stripey Coaster! It’s a variation from Project 1: The Super Duper Coaster except I had to learn how to start a different colored yarn…more complicated than it sounds. Yes, it’s a little crooked and the stripe isn’t really very even but I made this with my own two hands and will use it with pride!
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You too can have your very own if you give me a little time to let my fingers recover from his fiasco. Ah, this renegade Hobby #2 is really kicking butt. There’s so much you can do with a garter stitch (i.e. coasters, bookmarks, dishrags, scarves, etc.)…the possibilities are endless!

Project 1: Super Duper Coaster

On Saturday night, I completed my first knitting project: a super duper coaster. Yes, it sort of looks like a little scrap of carpet and the edges are a little uneven but it’s a fully functional, extra soft, super absorbent coaster! With my mad knitting skills, I managed to complete this project in one sitting. Nevermind the aches in both of my hands and the crazy headache that I had afterwards. It was all worth it. Now Jesse has a place to put his cup of water each night before be goes to sleep.

When in doubt…

hit it with a hammer. Today, Jesse decided to be a responsible homeowner and flushed out the water heater. It started out well. He turned the heater to “Pilot only”, hooked up the garden hose to the front of the heater, and started to drain the water out of the tank. There were a couple hiccups involving releasing the pressure but turning on several different faucets in the house but all went well. That is, until it was time to refill and heat it back up. All I know is that I was in the livingroom folding laundry and I hear this water spraying out of pipe that sticks out of our patio wall. I never knew what that was for and nothing ever came out of it…until now. Apparently it’s to release water when there’s too much pressure in the water heater. I then heard some banging coming from the garage. Uh oh…that can’t be good. Then I saw Jesse checking his laptop, running up the stairs, out the door, back to the garage and back up the stairs with a hammer in his hand! A hammer?! Well, then the water stopped dripping out of the pipe and the banging stopped. Jesse came back to the livingroom with a proud look on his face. I asked, “Is everything ok?” and he said, “Yep, when in doubt, hit it with a hammer!” Hm…then I asked, “where did you get that idea?” and he replied with, “the internet”. OK, boys and girls, the Lesson for the Day is: Google can teach you anything.