Fallishness and Phobia

Isn't fall just the most perfect season ever? I am so glad for the cooler air for walks and knitting, of course.


The hawthorne using The Plucky Knitter MCN Worsted

This hawthorne was such a quick knit - it was less than 9 days - and that's not steady knitting - it's knitting during Mad Men-season 1 knitting.



Then I have finished my second Waving Lace sock - yay! And I think I can safely say I have committed these to be my first finished holiday gift. I may even just wrap them up, so I can't see them beckoning me to wear them, little sirens.

So I went to the dentist today - I think I have lamented about my fear of the dentist before - but seriously, I would rather have a baby then go to the dentist - sick, I know. I am generally pretty tom boyish, but when it comes to the drill, I'm such a girl. I have a sense of humor, I was imagining flames of hell licking the doorway when I was walking in, and that I would be greeted by the devil - smiling to myself. However, in reality my doc is an adorable little blond woman who really tries to reassure me I am not a mental case. Even when I need to be re-numbed because I am genetically retarded in some manner so the first shot is never enough.

Well, my point, I tried nitrous oxide today - I have never been treated to "happy gas", unless you count that one time at a house party in college... It was like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders when I learned the office was willing to jack me up with some gas for a dreaded 4 fillings - two new, and two repairs. The doc told me I could have even taken my valium too (specifically prescribed only for flying and dentistry, I am also a pansy-flyer) So, next time I'll have valium, the gas and the novacaine - maybe the dentist doesn't have to like a trip to hell anymore! I was even brave enough to get a referral for the oral surgeon to have my wisdom teeth grabbed. I always felt special to have been able to keep my wisdom teeth, like I was super in some way, I was raised to believe that you have to appreciate what you got, even if it just 4 entirely pointless teeth. I have learned that they are the culprit, squeezing my teeth together causing all of this havoc.

I read, during my research on "sedation dentistry", that 90% of people are anxious about the drill and all that comes with it. I'd love to know what you guys do to help allay the fears - because why be in this alone?:) Get gassed!

p.s. - sign up for the Through the Loops Mystery Sock-A-Long for Socktober - starts Friday!

Got the goodies!

I received my Urban Goods Home swap package from Bibi - whose flickr name is funkygoodstuff. I love every single piece. I just painted my kitchen/ dining area aqua and red, and the wall piece is perfection! The coasters are so cute, I will almost hate to put a drink on them.



I also have a new sewing machine cover - yaay! My sewing machine has been naked for ten years. This cover fits so perfectly nestled around my machine in the cabinet. It really jazzes up my sewing room, and maybe even will serve to motivate me to clean it up a bit:) Well, maybe that is aiming a bit high...



My UHG package safely arrived to my partner as well - Amy, whose flickr i.d. is makeaface. She wrote me the kindest note and said that she loved everything and it even made her day. Well, after a crummy work week, her compliments and kindness just made my week. This swap rocked for me. It was inspiring to keep an eye on the flickr group to see what other swappers were cooking up. I think I might even be feeling a little lonely for another swap already.

I have been distracted planning an ambitious little tour of Disney World with my husband and kids in October. I have to be honest, I think I am more exited that anyone else in the family, including the kids. wth? OMG, I can't wait for time off and the fun, fun, fun of disney world. We have our tickets to the Not So Scary Halloween party and the dining plan was included with out package so we'll be hitting a character meal or two, as well as a super swanky dinner at the California Grill. I have a stack of books 1/2 a foot high with all kinds of hints. Lastly, I have my prescription for "You Can Fly" medication so bring on the mouse! Any helpful hints are welcome:)

sent after the buzzer...

but at last, I finished my last piece for my Urban Home Goods swap partner. I am pleased with my final results - but still a little anxious because this was the first time I made any of these projects. My sewing machine is still warm and I am dying to get to a new project. That is a good sign.



My place mats - bound at last. I had no idea how long all of this binding would take, so I got myself under the gun for the rest of my package. But I wouldn't change this - I have decided I need some of these for my dining room. I love that, although not perfectly, they come together for a table decoration of sorts.



Then I made this sewing machine cover. I used some of my partner's favorite Heather Ross prints. Does Heather Ross make anything bad? I don't think so, every idea she has so quirky and charming. Her machine is much bigger than mine, so I hope it fits - *fingers crossed*

Last up, a grocery bag dispenser. This little guy was thankfully simple, so it was a quick project I could get done in a hurry to rounds out the package. And useful too! I think my ugly one from the early 90's needs replacing!



So, now, what's next? Tokyo Map QAL? Quilt-as-you-go-along along? The Hawthorne Scarf? Maybe I'll try all three??

last minute larry strikes again...

Yikes, under the gun on the Urban Goods Swap projects...I made some headway today on my place mats - each mat has a quarter of a larger quilt block in the corner, to be "put together" as a table piece, or used separately as mats. Oh, such a big idea for me - I have one bound and done, 3 more to go. I'm very excited to show you a finished project. Then I need to be onto a sewing machine cover? coasters? There are some uber talented sewists in this group - so I feel like I want to challenge myself. I may have to call in sick to work to get it all done by Friday...did I say that out loud?

So what was I doing instead of pushing fabric through my machine? Oh, I was finishing The Girl Who Played With Fire and watching The Ghostwriter. The Ghostwriter is a Roman Polanski film - and much like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - for me, if you mention Roman Polanski, I am thinking about the Tate murders, and then wondering what Charles Manson is up to and then realizing that Roman Polanski hasn't been allowed in the country since the 70's after he fled on a sexual assault charge, and wasn't Rosemary's Baby a strange flick... and gee, what has Roman done lately? Ah, the Ghostwriter. It was suspenseful-ish, it starred Ewan MacGregor (which sometimes is enough) and ended abruptly kind of leaving you wondering, what's next? But definitely good enough to watch while knitting this...



I also finished a sock this weekend - as part of The Plucky Knitter's ravelry group's knit-a-long. I think these Waving Lace socks will be a Christmas gift - I would love to have a holiday gift checked off of the list by September - of course, that remains to be seen - I did cast on the next one - I am taking this as a good sign. I am using Plucky's newest base Primo - o.m.g. The name really does tell the story here - it is so silky and the fabric is perfect. I would love to get more to squeeze before Socktober!

One more thing - because I surely don't have enough irons in the fire - Oh, Fransson is doing the funnest (?) looking quilt as a tutorial - quilt-a-long...have I already forgotten all of the bellyaching I did about having "all these little squares" to sew together in my last post or so? - because Oh, Fransson's QAL is pretty much just freaking teeny little squares. But my gosh, love.