Queen Nefertiti

One of the most famous busts in history, her name means, "the beautiful one has come." Here is the famous bust. The collar on my costume is made out of white foam, sewn together by dental floss and the "beads" on it are really 3d paint purchased from Joanne Fabrics. The dress part of my costume was part of my Cleopatra costume from a few years back.

This is a closeup of the cobra on the front,

made with Crayola model magic.

The Blue Angels performing on a beautiful day in San Francisco. Taken at the lookout point of the Golden Gate Bridge. Not perfect, but hey, I'm learning to use the video mode of the camera. The Blue Angels were spectacular. Made you feel mighty proud to witness such a spectacle. The onlookers were busy watching four of the planes maneuver a stunt when one jet snuck from behind and zoomed behind us. Everybody ducked for cover, and our ears were blasted with the engine's roar. The earthshaking thunder reverberated through the cores of our souls and screams and laughter ensued. For one brief moment, the Lookout over the Golden Gate Bridge on the San Francisco side sounded like the Tower of Babel.

Flowers from my mom's back yard

Gee I love taking macro shots. Here is a bluish/purple geranium and a desert orchid.

garden spider in San Francisco

Here is a garden spider taken in San Francisco. It was smaller than my pinky nail, but it looks mighty fierce. Don't know if it's the same one, but here is the same type of spider trying to hide in a leaf after the flash scared it off...

Spider and Begonia

Here is our garden spider, sunning itself waiting for a meal...and a closeup of a begonia in its awesome splendor. If you click on the spider, you can see all of the hairs on it!

Latest creation, modeled by Penguin

Penguin is sporting the latest creation. It's got a simple diamond cable filled with seed stitch surrounded by a simple cable on both sides. Here's the layout:

P4, 4-stitch cable, 10-stitch diamond, P4, 4-stitch cable, P4, 4-stitch cable, 10-stitch diamond, P4, 10-stitch diamond, P4, 4-stitch cable, P4, 4-stitch cable, 10-stitch diamond, P4, 4-stich cable, P4. The edges are seed stitched.

It's not exactly like the one found at knitty.com, but close to it, because I did not have the specified yarn size as stated on the original pattern, but it's close enough. When I find the link I'll post it. Here it is: http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTtrellis.html

The hat was stitched flat: P2, 4-stitch cable, P4, 10-stitch diamond, P4, 4-stitch cable, P2. After reaching the correct circumference, sew together. Pick up stitches on one side of the hat and decrease by 5 stitches evenly with every row, until you have less than 10 stitches left. Sew together/pull together. Finish off with a braid and a simple tassel.

Simple V-neck cardigan

I'm so happy with the way this sweater came out! It was knitted from the bottom up using a plain garter stitch for four stitches and then knit on the fifth stitch all the way across on the right side of the sweater until the bottom of the armholes. On the wrong side, it would be knitted all the way across except when you get to the column of knit stitches which would be purled so that the knit pattern would show up on the right side. (Does that make sense?)...and then the arms were picked up after the shoulders were sewn together and knitted all the way down to a simple cuff. The v-neck was created by decreasing every other row on the v-neck edge of the sweater. I'm still making a hat to match and I can't wait to see how it will look.

Not knitting I know but I'm mighty proud...

These cupcakes (instructions are found here http://www.michaels.com/art/online/projectsheet?pid=e05029) were made out of strawberry cake mix. The babies were individually made out fondant and the eyes and smile were poked in with a toothpick. It was a bummer that the cupcakes were a wee bit big to fit the cupcake tree so I placed them in there with a little balancing act, but they sure looked yummy. Forgot to take photos of the tree, but it was a beautiful presentation.

Another donation...recognize the yarn?

Aha! Another adorable sweater for one beautiful baby. The yarn was donated to me, so the sweater must be donated to my group, God's Tiny Angels. The light colored yarn is part of the ugly-duckling yarn that I still have not used up. It is lovely as a trim, isn't it?

Sweater for Heather

Wow, it's been so long since I have posted! Guess I've been busy. This sweater took about a week or two to knit up. If I had the correct count and did not have to rip out the sweater twice, I would have finished in a week. I love the rounded edge of the sweater. My niece will be so in fashion! This was knitted bottom up. Started with 60 stitches and then increased two stitches (one on the edge and one somewhere around the side seam) for 8 rows. Then two or 3 rows of just straight stockinette, when the sweater was cut into its separate pieces: left, right and back portion. Working up the sweater was then knit with a decrease of one on each edge until I was satisfied with the shoulder's width. The back was knit straight stockinette until it matched the front edge's shoulder and then the sweater was sewn together. At least 34 stitches were picked up from the armhole edge and worked in stockinette until I was satisfied with the length. Before adding the cuff, I decreased 3 stitches and then did a simple knit purl knit cuff. The edge of the sweater is 8 stitches width of garter stitch which was attached to the edge of the sweater. The buttons were miraculously easy to attach. It was the first time I used a very tiny crochet hook which fit through the button holes, and I used the same yarn to pull through the buttons and tied them on. I usually sew my buttons on with regular thread and needles, so this was a first for me! Isn't this sweater so purty? I'm writing this stuff down so that I can make it again. I have some yarn that I am eyeing for the same type of sweater...although I think I will have to adjust the number of stitches cast on since it's a little thinner type of yarn.