How to waste an hour online while laughing hysterically

http://youknitwhat.blogspot.com/2006/01/return-of-boyfriend-sweater-curse.html

The language is a little salty on some - okay, quite a few - pages, but darn, these folks found some doozies. Let's hope none of my creations ever show up on a similar site ...

Super productive weekend

1. Finished the ballet camisole pattern I found online at

http://magknits.com/July06/ballet.htm

I used a bamboo yarn that I had bought for a different project, and ended up having enough to finish ... but just barely. I have a ball of leftover yarn the size of a walnut, I kid you not. Anyway, I liked the fact that the top is shaped, it's knit mostly in the round, and it's generous enough to cover my bra straps. Perfect!

Now if only the location of the switch from "in the round" to "knit-perl" wasn't so obvious (and right across the middle of my chest) ... I've gotta get my perl tension fixed one of these days.

2. Started and finished a pair of fingerless mittens, which I was trying out to see if I liked the pattern and to learn to do cables. Plus, it used up some of the yarn leftover from the sweater I crocheted a few months ago.

Yet another free pattern I found, this time from:

http://www.virtuallydesigned.com/gottamake/patterns/websurfingmitts.htm

I had originally thought of making a pair of fingerless mittens for my father to wear when he works down at the shipyard (in something more manly than plum wool, of course), but since spring has arrived it looks like I've missed my chance, at least for now. At least now I know how to do a cable ... and since some of the kids we know liked the look of them so much, I've gotten requests for two more sets. I'm working on making them as sweatbands instead of mittens, with the kid's initials instead of the ribs. Should make them the snappiest superheroes on the playground ...

Next up, a cross stitch pattern for Christmas (it's never too early to start, you know), and a third attempt to find a use for some beautiful-but-scratchy wool yarn by Noro. Wish me luck with the frogging!

We've done bought us a house!

We'll be living in Olmsted Township, in a house that's about four blocks away from the first house we ever bought together. It's a great neighborhood (full of swing sets and pools), and it's only a handful of miles from my favorite quilt store, so I'm doubly blessed.

I went ahead and got a PO box to use for our temporary address here, and I'll probably hold onto it permanently for the Lazy Mama mail. If anyone needs to mail me a check (you know who you are!), here's the new address:

Gretchen Woods
Lazy Mama Designs
PO Box 624
North Olmsted, OH 44070

And, of course, you can always email me at lazymamadesigns@yahoo.com.

Once we're past the worst of the phone calls and planning for this move, I'll be visiting the local shops and sending out a newsletter with some new releases. So keep your eyes peeled, and don't hesitate to contact me if you have a special request!

On the move - temporarily

Me, the husband, the kid, the cats, and the sewing machine are all moving up to Cleveland to live in temporary housing. Gonna be one, big happy family in a really big hotel room, for up to two months. Gah.

Anyway, we may or may not be able to connect J's new laptop to the hotel's wireless network, and my computer will be stuck in dial-up-land, so things may be a bit slow on the old blog for a few weeks. Hopefully we'll find the perfect house soon, so we can get settled (and get DSL).

I should still be able to process orders, though, and there are a few new products under development that I hope to roll out soon. So call or e-mail if you'd like to buy anything, and keep checking back for new developments.

Take care, and wish us luck!

- Gretchen

The big news

Lazy Mama headquarters is going to be moving back to Cleveland! Hurrah!

My husband has gotten a promotion and transfer, so two weeks from now my house will be on the market and I'll be living in a hotel room with my kid, my cats, and my husband (and about 15 crochet and cross stitch projects to keep me sane). We'll be starting the house hunt immediately, but we could be in the hotel for as long as two months. Gahhhhh ...

Needless to say, my internet access is going to be a little spotty, but I'll be keeping up with any Lazy Mama business to the best of my ability. So bear with me if it takes an extra day or two to get back to you or process your order - I'm doing my best!

On a side note, this will give me the chance to finally type up a couple of projects I've had floating around in my head for the last few months. And it was the perfect excuse to tidy up my studio and office, both of which are now looking depressingly sterile. I mean, seriously, how can I be expected to work in a space like this:

Jeez, I'd actually have to pick up all the threads I trim and not have a foot-tall stack of unfinished projects fall over every time I need use the cutting table. We creative types just can't be expected to flourish under those conditions :)

Finished, finally

The skirt, which I talked about here, finally has a matching top. I give you, the Gretchen-designed tank top of doom, which was completely ripped out and restarted at least twice, and is still a little funky on one side, but at least it covers my bra straps and it's done. Hurrah! Now I can move on to that cute little green knit tank top I've been dying to do since Christmas. That'll give me something to do in the hotel room for the next two months, I guess.