Teasers

I finished this today:

Consider this picture to be a teaser.

It's a shawl that I knit for my mother's 50th Birthday coming in October. Yeah, I'm surprised I finished it so soon. The pattern was a little conflicting with me and I honestly cannot come up with a reason why. It's still got to be washed and blocked, but I have to go to the LYS to do that as they have blocking wires, more space, and less interference (aka kids or pets) there. I won't be saying the pattern until either I block it or it is in my mother's hands. I never know who might read this.

The color, by the way, looks like this:

Yarn: Briggs & Little Durasport
Colorway: Blue Jean
Pattern: TBA

This picture also shows a sample of the garter stitch that I did in this project. Trust me, I did a lot of it, and I actually enjoyed it, too. When I first started knitting I never thought I'd enjoy knitting garter stitch, but somehow I've warmed up to it. Maybe after reading in blogs how soothing it is to knit, it's helped me appreciate such a simple stitch.

Oh, and that massive Malabrigo Sock knot(s)? It's been all detangled. Don't know whether I should put pictures up of it all detangled though. I brought it to Knit Group last night, a fellow Knitter couldn't stand the sight of such a tangled mess, so she started detangling right then and there. By the end of Knit Group it had been pretty much all detangled, the knitter took it home to finish it up though, and told me to pick it up today. I'm soooo happy!! I can finish those socks peacefully, I hope *fingers crossed*. Now, to come up with a gift for the Knitter who so kindly did detangled that massive knot for me, hmmmmmm...

Face your knitting fears

I found the skein, the pattern, and I conquered!

Yarn: Briggs & Little Heritage
Colorway: Light Blue
Pattern: Cables & Columns by a good friend of mine

Yep, I faced my cabling fears. The first time I attempted cables, I had a very loose laddering effect on the sides, which frustrated and confused me so much that I was scared to face them again. Then, the next attempt, I just didn't have faith in the pattern and was lost after the 2nd row. Finally, I gave the pattern a chance before giving up and it all came together, like so. It seems to be a slow process and that's probably because it's a new knitting maneuver, possibly more because I'm not using a cable needle, either.

What I have found that helps me with cabling is that I give the yarn that I am knitting with an extra tug, between knit and purl transitions, or at the beginning or end of a cable. So far, the laddering effect has not shown up due to this.

So, with this said.. face your knitting fears like I have! Sure, the water may be cold at first, but you'll warm up to it!

It's time for Knitter's Gamer review!!!

With a little knitting teaser action! I'd never forget my Knitters, or knitting even.

I know it's been awhile since I did a video game review, but with reason. My Fiance rented 2L Sports The BIGS 2, which is a Major League Baseball game, that of which I was not too fond of. Why?
Too many controls, too much listening to the Fiance groan in frustration, while I'd be knitting away, as time after time the computer did legendary catches that were insane against him. It was almost too much to me to even just listen to him explain the basic controls to his friends, then listen while he and his friends played against the computer, and sadly learn what I already had. Tsk tsk.

Anyways, if you're into those kind of games that are a challenge and take some getting used to, as well as skill and most definitely patience, go for it. Someday when I have nothing better to do, as the Fiance will probably buy the game since it's only 2009 MLB game available on the 360, I'll give it a shot.

I also have another videogame review that comes with some knitting with game pictures!!

I've played Left4Dead before, but without the Live feature. It was satisfactory to me then because it got very, well, it was the same old after awhile. The game is about running around with a group, in different areas of the game, killing zombies. It's a lot more fun to play it with a friend, but even then.. I found I got bored after awhile, doing the same thing over and over again. It's kinda like every chapter is another horror flick. Like, in the picture above, I was loading the first chapter, which goes by No Mercy.

So, after some convincing from a good friend of mine who has a membership to Live play, I decided to give the game another shot with my limited-time Live membership. It's a lot better to play it with 4 actual people than just 1 friend sitting beside you. However, this has its cons as we all know, sometimes things just don't click in groups, so before you know it.. it might be game over. Once you find that random group where things click though, it is so much more enjoyable. Covering for people, rescuing them from different zombies, healing them, and having an overall good time. I think, for myself, this is one of those games that I need a break from every now and then to enjoy it. That or I just needed to be able to play it on Live to enjoy it even more.

I'm still working on the first sock, while dealing with the massive knots of doom, and it's going better than I thought. It's a slow process, but I detangle enough a day to knit enough that I feel content with. I'm on the last repeat for the wave pattern for the sock before I make the heel, so I am making progress!!

I hate leaving you hanging...

I don't have much to show though for an absence of a week. Mostly because of this:

That blob in the top left corner is the massive knot of doom.

Actually, I think it might be more than 1 knot, but I'm not certain. I know that the bit that I detangled after 10 hours tangled itself and might be hidden within that mass. It has since dwindled down quite abit.

Anyways, I came across some yarn vomit as I was knitting the yarn and it just got bigger, bigger, until my skein had to be taken apart somewhat due to the mass of the knot. I just kept hoping I'd clear it and widdle down to the single strand of yarn, but I never did. This is what it came down to. So, I've been working on clearing it.

So, as I said, I came across the massive knot as I was knitting. What was I knitting, you might be wondering. The answer would be this baby:
Yep, I cast-on and started a first sock in the Tidal Waves Pattern. I'm also knitting it out of Malabrigo Sock yarn that I received as a gift. This is my first experience knitting Malabrigo. Too bad it's been tainted by a massive knot. However, as I detangle the yarn, I knit it up, which rewards me for the time I spend untangling it.

Did you know....

that sometimes 100% wool, when wet, can smell like manure. Yet, when it is completely dry, it does not. Never tell recipients this. ............ actually, consider it so they know what that funky smell might be shall the project ever get wet.

Besides that I have completed my first felted knitting project.
It took a lil decision-making to choose the button, but I think I made a good choice. It has a little pink in it, which goes with the purse. I was going to put some lining inside so the receiver doesn't get fuzz all over what she might put in it, but I'll wait until that becomes a known issue.

So, yes, I survived my first felting. I also learned the difference between high and low agitation with a washer.

Pink purse teaser

Okay, okay, here's a teaser of the pink purse. The bright sunlight worked with the color rather than against it, like with the red socks. Hmm, interesting how that works, anyways... onto the teaser:

Red Sox for someone's lil fan's feet

A better picture will be coming, but let me tell ya these socks are bright red, so you might wanna wear some shades before you view this picture:

Yarn: Briggs & Little Tuffy
Colorway: Red Mix
Pattern: Bernat Sox Ankle Socks (To Knit)

Originally, I knit these for my Fiance's youngest nephew, but they might end up fitting the oldest one instead. Doesn't bother me, but I'm not sure they'll even fit him. Might go to his close cousin's son. It'll go to someone eitherway. I must say that making the heel with this pattern was a pain though. I always had to seek assistance with that on this pattern. Fortunately, when it came to working the heel on the 2nd sock I finally wrote what helped me. The pattern was just a lil unclear that it had to be done.

I should add that I finished the purse from before. It needs to be felted, so I'm waiting for that before I take a picture. It sure was a quick knit and it turned out really nice in the end.

Summer lovin'

This is the best part of Summer for me. I'm a picky eater and this is my favorite way to eat local strawberries. Local strawberries, mmm-mmm. Nothing beats their flavor to me. No way. No how.

Besides eating some lovely strawberries with whipped cream today, I also worked on this baby:

Yarn: Briggs & Little Regal
Colorway: Briar Rose
Pattern: Amanda's Squatty Sidekick by Amanda Berka
It might not look like anything right now, but it's going to turn into a purse.

That flat knitted piece that you see right there? That's the bottom and I am working my way up. I know it looks loose, but I think that's because the cable length is longer than required. I'm hoping that when I soak it, or as I knit up, that its shape will return, and it won't be so loose. It's going to be felted anyways. This will be my first felted project, ever. It's also a very late birthday present. Here's hoping it will look so awesome when I'm finished that the recipient won't care that it's... 3+ months late. What can I say? But that I am a Knitter who takes my time, sweet sweet time.

Afro Samurai and Ghostbusters

So, like I said before... I've got two new games under my belt. All the games I will be reviewing on here are 360 games, I should add.In the near future, I will be including pictures of my own. Sorry for text only entries right now. Anyways, within the last couple of weeks, I played Afro Samurai then Ghostbusters.

I've heard of Afro Samurai before. Seen tidbits of it while it was on tv and it seemed quite interesting. I figured this would lead to an entertaining videogame, indeed it was. The graphics were not for children, but they were amazing nonetheless. Comic book, anime level graphics, I'd say.

Afro Samurai is about a Samurai seeking revenge for his father's death. He goes against the foes that either lead to his death, or just stood by. Along the way, he comes across more enemies that add to his death wishlist. Violence ensues from there.

The controls were not difficult to use, but as you progress in the game.. you must learn to master them to get further. Mastering the controls? That's another story. That was difficult. Knowing just where to stand to slice rope, pisses you off after awhile. Slicing rope shouldn't be like rocket science. Nor should completing a boss within a level, where you must perform a certain manuever. That took me all night. Sure, button-mashing will take you places, but with this game, it will only take you so far. I was quite pleased once I completed the game. It took some skill that I didn't know I had. That and a lot of patience. A LOT.







Now, onto Ghostbusters. Playing this game reminded me of how much I enjoyed the movie as a kid. Ghostbusters, unlike Afro Samurai, is very family friendly. C'mon, Slimer is about as scary as it got. Okay, not really, some of the ghosts weren't so friendly looking, but it was a lot more "clean" than Afro. The controls were easy to learn. Sure, it took a little practice to learn how to trap a ghost, but it definitely did not take all night. The game was very warm and entertaining, just like I recalled the movie as a child.

Without giving much away, in the game you play a Rookie who just scored a job with the fellow Ghostbusters. You tag along with them on their calls and discover the storyline. I kinda felt this game was too short though, but as with all movie-based videogames, it was quickly over, just like the movies.

What made it even better was the multiplayer feature. Now, I don't mean playing it two players (for this is only a one player game), but playing it on X-BOX Live with other players. There's different modes you can play it online, which leads to hours of entertainment. As you play it with other online players too, your score is added up to earn you different uniforms for your Ghostbuster, as well.

You know, I was really thinking of taking the name notsoaverageknitter before this one. I really liked it, too. Then, suddenly it hit me... that name can be taken wrong. It can make me look like a below average knitter, instead of above. And so this name was born!

TADAHHHHH!!!!!

This name? I came up with it while my sleep was disrupted, due to a loud clap of thunder. Did I ever mention that I hate thunder? No? Now you know. Yeah, when you fall out of a high bed as a kid because of it, and lightning striking an area nearby, that can do it to ya.

Anyways, the end result of this name still says that I'm different. With that said, this won't be just a knitting blog, but one about my other love... and no, it's not a man. I would not dedicate a blog to a man, pssshawww!

I love videogames. I love watching people play them. I love playing them myself. My fiance calls me a nerd because of this... that and because I say "portions".

I do have two new videogames under my belt recently. Those reviews will be coming up shortly. I don't want to say too much in the first entry now.