cozy's place

Fall & Things

2009-11-09T05:47:00.003-05:00

It has finally cooled down here. A little. As in, you may need a light jacket before 10 AM, but by noon, you're back in shorts and a short-sleeved tee. Still, we're trying to enjoy the little bit of Fall that we get here. We're not at the point where we get red and orange leaves, but we have a little color...

Enjoying the last of these

And finishing up some plain and simple socks, which do keep my feet warm when the temperature dips to 70 degrees F (that's 21 C for the non-Yanks).

Pattern: Plain stockinette. Cast on 64 stitches and knit, knit, knit your way to a finished pair.
Yarn: Lion Brand Sock-Ease, color Lemon Drop

Needles: US size 1 DPNs (2.25 mm)

I picked up this super-inexpensive sock yarn in Hobby Lobby one day. It's not Lorna's Laces, but I think a spin through the washer and dryer will soften them up some. Still, for the price, it's not bad yarn at all.

This is my first attempt at a short-row heel. I wanted to try it to avoid that heavy pooling of thick stripes that often happens with striped yarn on a square heel. This tutorial helped me immensely, but I still got holes, so I had to do some hocus pocus (weave in extra yarn bits!) to make them disappear. Not ideal, and I hope the next time I try the short row heel, I won't have holes at all, but I'm okay with it. These aren't show socks, after all -- they're just socks that'll bring a spot of color and warmth to these oh-s0-chilly Fall days (yeah, right).

One more "fall" thing...Fall off the horse? Well, you just have to jump back on.

Lifelines. We haz 'em.

Ripple Ripple

2009-10-23T16:27:00.004-04:00

I will fake as if I hate this blanket, and then when her back is turned, I shall nom it.

Pattern: Easy Ripple Afghan
Yarn: A lot of Red Heart acrylic. Yes, acrylic!
Hook: I (5.5 mm)

Ooooh, I love it! This was another of those occasions where I wasn't sure about color. Sometimes, I just don't "get" it while I'm up close and personal with it. But when I look at the photos, I think, yeah, this is nice.

As mentioned above, this is a heckuva lot of Red Heart acrylic. I had a lot of it stashed around the house because when I first started knitting, I didn't know much about fibers and such. I soon found out that I hate knitting with acrylic, but I also didn't make much effort to give it to a good home. (Yarn, if I can't have you, no one can have you.)

When is stash yarn no longer stash yarn? Because all of this isn't stash yarn. I bought the light purple and bright yellow after starting the afghan, which I know defeats the purpose of using up stash. Ah well, the leftovers will go toward my ongoing granny squares.

And this bright delight goes into the playroom, where the kids can curl up under it while reading or watching TV. I thought the vibrant colors were perfect for the kids. I suspect it'll get a lot of use this fall and winter, even though it's very warm today. Still, as soon as they saw I was finished with the afghan, they nearly snatched it out of my hands and ran off with it.

Happy weekend, all!

Home Stretch

2009-10-21T13:51:00.003-04:00

Blanket: Two, maybe three (?) more stripes of color, ends to weave in and it's done!

Sock: Poor forgotten sock, second of a pair. I'm now on the toe. How much easier can you get than stockinette? I realized sometime into the first sock that I wasn't crazy about these slippery needles that I bought for making sock work go faster. I actually prefer wood (and to some extent, I guess I prefer "slow").

I don't knit for speed, that's for sure. This makes me very much a process knitter. The next time, I'll knit socks on my trusty wooden needles, turtle speed and all.

Since I'm now on the home stretch for these two WIPs, I should have FOs next week. I hope. Don't hold me to that. Whatever you do, don't make me promise. Maybe I'll surprise all of us.

Just Call Me Stupid...And Idiotic...And Dumb

2009-10-06T08:36:00.006-04:00

I'm not someone who fears Mondays. I don't wake up Monday mornings filled with dread. Monday is just another day of the week. Or was.

Yesterday had to be one of the worst days ever and it just so happened to be Monday. I'm not going into a lot of detail (suffice it to say that the day SUCKED) about how it started or how it piled on, but it ended with this.

This is not new yarn.

This is old yarn which was previously Girasole in progress. And what lovely progress it was. I loved the pattern, the yarn was wonderful and once you finish the first chart or two, every other row is straight knitting. Lovely!

And then, I miscounted. On 640 stitches. Without a lifeline.

Yes, ~~stupid stupid stupid~~ I actually worked on a lace project of this magnitude without a lifeline. What was I thinking? And I made it all the way to chart E -- if you're not familiar with this project, chart E is near the end. Only chart F and G follow before you get to the border.

Anyway, if it was a simple matter of one missed yarnover, I think I could've lived with my mistake. But this was a matter of the pattern actually shifting over one space. And I knew I couldn't live with that. I don't tink back lace well at all (especially not without a lifeline! ~~stupid stupid stupid~~) so I painfully frogged the shawl-in-progress, all the while wishing I was bilingual so that I could verbally abuse myself in more than one language.

Today has to be a much better day.

Playing with Color

2009-10-05T12:25:00.001-04:00

Blogging again, in technicolor...

I promised I'd tell you about how crocheting came about for me, so here goes. I forget sometimes that my mom taught me to crochet when I was about 6 or 7. It's easy to forget because she doesn't do anything crafty at all now and doesn't have much appreciation for crafting. Which I find sad. Anyway, I remember she taught me how to make a single chain, but I don't think she taught me anything beyond that. Since she's always incredibly busy, I don't recall her crafting anything else from my childhood.

So a few months back, after telling myself that I wanted to learn to crochet and also telling myself that I didn't have time to learn anything new, I said "what the heck?" and just went online and found videos that would help me. I checked out books from the library and because I already had a few crochet hooks and plenty of yarn, I just sat down one day and did it. And it wasn't hard.

It took me a while to get my tension even, and even now, sometimes I realize I'm sitting in an uncomfortable position and have to fix it, but it took me, what, a day to get the hang of it? And now this whole other world has been opened up to me. I wasn't planning to go full steam ahead with crocheting, but then I saw a Spiderman afghan at Ravelry (where else?) and just had to make it for the Dimpled One, who loves Spiderman. (No pictures yet, sorry -- I told you it's been a mess over here and I've been so lazy about taking pictures.)

Okay, I'm about to stop rambling any minute now. So after the Spiderman afghan, I started making the Clapotis of crochet -- the granny square.

Very first granny square I made -- see I didn't even bother to weave in the ends!

These next photos are of some grannies which I'll eventually join together and make into an afghan for the family room sofa. Nothing fancy because all the kids are going to do is toss it on the floor when they're done using it!

Clearly, the burgundy border is the color I'm using to tie everything together. It takes me a long time to decide when I'm using colors and even after I make a decision, I still second guess myself, usually throughout the entire project. I'm not like this in other areas of my life, so I can't figure out why I'm so unsure when I'm doing something that's only a hobby for me. Good thing crafting is not my job!

This is my budding stack. I don't yet know how many of these colorful little squares I'm going to make before I connect them all.

So that's the tale. Knitting is still going on, though, but I want to finish the ripple afghan first. Got to get this WIP list down to a manageable amount.

Cupcake

2009-09-25T09:35:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Cupcake, from Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker
Yarn: Elann Sonata, Color Aegean Sea
Hook size: I (5.5 mm)
Made for: #1 Girl

When I last posted, I completely forgot that I'd finished this crochet project. How embarrassing! This is Cupcake, my first crochet top, which I made for and is modeled by #1 Girl (who looks way too grown-up in these photos -- I'll figure out a way to reverse time as soon as I have an extra minute!). I followed the pattern exactly, except I shortened the body by about one inch. Otherwise, I'm not too confident yet in my crochet-fu to be messing around with pattern instructions.

I let her choose the yarn color and she picked this vibrant blue. I picked out the ribbon. Green is currently her favorite color, so that's what I went with. I started and finished this in August; I think it took me about 2 weeks to complete. I quickly finished the front and back, but took longer on the sleeves.

Oh, the sleeves! They gave me fits. There's errata for the sleeves, but that wasn't the problem. I followed directions, I guess, but the scalloped edgings kept coming out wonkier and wonkier. I started over about five times. I scoured the photos on Ravelry, too, trying to get some close-ups to see if I was even in the ball park. Finally, I just kind of fudged it and did what worked for me.

The cotton yarn was nice to work with. Smooth and non-splitty. I blocked it, but not on the board like I normally do. I just dunked it in some water and gently stretched it out with my hands and hung it over a hanger. That seemed to do the trick of opening it up more.

Even though fall has started, it's still so hot here, that she could probably get away with wearing it for another couple of weeks.

So, next time, I promise, what made me pick up the hook.

Back, in Color!

2009-09-23T17:19:00.006-04:00

Ah, let's just skip the explanations and act as if I just blogged here last week. It'll be so much better that way, trust me.

Actually, like so many of my favorite blogs, I've been on a surprise hiatus -- "surprise" because I had every intention of blogging more regularly and then next thing you know, work piles on, Ravelry sucks you into a vortex of lost hours, you start walking more and enjoying the outdoors, kids need thousands of little things for school, youngsters start preschool for the first time (yessssss!) and books beg to be read. And I looked up and it was already September and I had to look back at this blog to see that it had been May when I last updated.

Crochet Ripple Afghan WIP

Before I talk about this colorful piece of work, I have to divulge how my WIPs just started reproducing on their own. I used to try and keep the number of my projects manageable, only because having too many projects on the needles tends to overwhelm me. Well, color me overwhelmed. I lift sofa cushions and find newly hatched WIPs; they're sprouting everywhere like tribbles. I don't even know how many projects I currently have around and I'm too afraid to count.

Now, to add to the problem of underage WIPs just having babies willy-nilly, I learned to crochet since I was last here. Another hobby?

I'll explain more about how it started next time (if you can wait another five months), but I'm making this afghan for the kids' playroom. It used to be our 4th bedroom, but in a recent fit of clearing clutter, we finally moved the boys into one room and now everyone has a nice playroom they can share. I thought a colorful afghan was a nice touch, for when they want to cover up while reading or watching TV.

I have so much more to say, but in an effort to have something to say next time (and I hope it will be soon!), I'm going to cut this off now, catch up on your blogs and try to talk to my WIPs about having safe & protected intercraft. We don't need any more WIPs around here.

Testing...testing...is this thing on?

2009-05-04T12:35:00.001-04:00

What do I say?

Tell them you broke all the bones in your hands, making knitting and typing impossible.

But I've been talking to a few of them to let them know I'm doing all right. That won't work.

All right, tell them Idris Elba finally came to his senses, showed up at your house and swept you away to Hollywood, where the two of you have been ensconced in his private residence, feeding each other chocolates by the handful.

Do you really think if that had happened, I wouldn't have made a major announcement on this blog, complete with pictures? Duh.

Tell them you were abducted by aliens.

Oh sure, that will work. The aliens experimented on me, probed parts I didn't know I had and even let me take my laptop into outer space and send messages. Dummy, that won't work! I'll just be honest...

Things were extremely hectic and while they haven't completely calmed down, I figured I should update my blog while I had a spare moment. The other thing was, while I wouldn't say these last few months were rough, there were a few incidents that interfered with my glass-is-half-full philosophy. Yes, the glass was half full...half full of worms.

BUT I'm back and you didn't think I'd come back without an FO to show, did you? (In all the time I've been away, I should have about 10 FOs, but let's just take what we can get, shall we?)

Pattern: Fancy Silk Sock (Rav link) from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, colorway Red
Needles: US size 1

I really love this sock, but next time I knit socks, I will not do the pointed toe.

I did it this time just to see how it would look. Every time I look at this toe, I feel like singing "You're off to see the wizard..." Or getting back to work in Santa's Workshop.

Other than the toe, this is a really pretty pattern which shouldn't have taken so long to finish. Usually, I don't block socks, but to get the cuff points to lie straight, I had to. Otherwise, they sort of flop over (totally adding to the elf-in-socks experience).

Leg detail

So, while I would love to say it won't be months before you hear from me again, I hate to promise anything and not hold up my end of the bargain. I hope this summer allows for more free time -- if it does, I'll definitely be around more, not just here, but reading and commenting at your blogs, too (thanks, Urban.)

'Til next time...Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow-brick road!

Because This is Still a Knitting Blog

2009-01-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

Warning: pic heavy post.

My first FO's of the year!

First up, a quartet of dishcloths. I know some knitters think dishcloths are a waste of time, but I don't. They're useful and usually so much nicer than what you can buy in the store. Plus, you can make them in whatever colors you want. These are for my mother-in-law, who needs dishcloths. Her kitchen is forest green, so I made these cloths in colors that would go with the room.

Pattern: Clover Tweed dishcloth

Pattern: Lace Star cloth

Pattern: Ballband dishcloth (Rav link) from Mason-Dixon Knitting

Needles: US size 7 (4.5 mm)

Yarn: Sugar & Cream, in forest green, white, ecru and cream

I had no trouble with the Ballbands or the Clover Tweed, but my hands were aching while working the Lace Star. It's worked on DPNs and circulars and the cotton was just a pain to work with in the round. Still, it makes for a nice lacy pattern that's very different from the other cloths I did.

Next up, the baby sweater.

Pattern: Baby Poonam (Rav link)

Yarn: Modea Dea washable wool

Needles: US size 5 and 7 (3.75 and 4.5 mm)

This project is so overdue, especially when you start planning it when you find out a baby is coming and you don't finish until after the baby is born!

This is for you, Bekka, or rather your little one. I made it in the 6-9 month size, so I hope it fits and gives little Elsa room to grow.

If I knit this sweater again, I'm going to follow Two Cables n' A Frapp's lead and knit seed stitch as the textural stitch on the back and sleeves. That would make it easier to work the stitches when you're doing decreases on the arms -- instead of wondering how to stick to the pattern in the midst of fewer stitches, you can just knit the purls and purl the knits.

Also, the instructions don't tell you to switch to the smaller needle when doing the front button band, so my front button band is slightly wider than the back one, which is annoying. I was just knitting along; I wasn't thinking. I do whatever the instructions tell me. If Weedinator was smart, he'd write in things he wants me to do in the middle of knitting instructions.

I made a note on the pattern to look out for the band issue in the future because chances are, I will knit this baby sweater again for someone else. It's an enjoyable little project that works for either a boy or a girl (I think). I have more to say, but I'll save it for next time since I want to post here more often and frankly, I think this one has gone on long enough. *whew*

What a Difference a Year Makes

2009-01-23T15:47:00.001-05:00

People, I have actually been knitting, nearly every day since this year started. Even if it's only 20 minutes, I've reclaimed my joy of knitting. This despite being very busy with work. This time last year, I was smarting over not getting a job I desperately wanted. 2008 just went downhill from there.

This past New Year's Eve, I waited until midnight to kindly escort 2008 out the door ("don't let the doorknob hit ya..."). On January 1, I woke up feeling very hopeful. After all, a new president would soon take over and you could just feel change in the air. Then, a few days ago, I found out I landed a writing gig that will triple my current salary. So far, 2009 has been wonderful in all the ways 2008 sucked eggs.

Next, if you are (a) a sock toe (b) a baby sweater sleeve (c) a plain ole stockinette sock,

I promise I will finish you. Soon. No, really. Soon. I should have some FOs any day now -- I was afflicted with some incredible startitis that makes it hard to finish anything when I'm working on five WIPs at once. Still...it's 2009. Anything's possible.

Did you want to read this Vogue Knitting? Oh, you want me to move?

Back in the New Year

2008-12-21T14:00:00.002-05:00

With the exception of my annual Christmas greeting, I won't be back until 2009. Between the knitting (and no FO's to show for it yet!) and the working and the party planning (40 people this Christmas Eve. My house. See why I can't dawdle?) and the cleaning and the making Christmas memories...hang on, let's delve into that last part.

I'm sure many of you are baking cookies, wrapping gifts that you lovingly handmade, sipping hot toddies -- you're making those kinds of memories.

Us? This is what I'll remember from Christmastime 2008.

I'm wrapping gifts in my bedroom and the kids and Weedinator are around. I hear "yah! yah! yah!" and I don't think anything of it at first. Little boys live here -- you hear a lot of yah! yah! yah! at times. Anyway, after a while, I hear "YAH! (thud) YAH! (thud)." The thuds make me think I should investigate.

I leave my bedroom and see the the Dimpled One standing with an empty wrapping paper roll in his hands. He's wielding this thing like A-Rod in Game 7 of the World Series with three guys on base and Yankees down two runs. And he's screaming YAH! every time he hits my Christmas tree with his self-made bat as ornaments go flying off! YAH! (thud being my ornaments hitting the floor)

~~I scream "What do you think you're doing?? Are you #$%*! out of your mind? YAH!"~~

I gently and lovingly steer him toward more constructive activities such as origami while I lightly pinch his cheek and tell him what a playful scamp he is.

Christmas memories, sigh...

This, however, has brought me no stress...

Girasole, working chart D

This shawl has been an absolute joy so far. It looks complex, but is surprisingly simple. (Laura Sue, you asked me a question last time and I don't have your e-mail address, but the yarn I'm using is fingering weight.)

When I return in January, I hope to have some FOs to show. Have a safe and happy holiday, all!

Serendipity

2008-12-10T05:44:00.003-05:00

A couple of years ago, Amanda gifted me with 10 skeins of this uber-luscious alpaca yarn:

I didn't have a project in mind for it right away, but kept looking. I wanted the project I paired with this yarn to be special. It had to be as beautiful as the yarn & worthy of being knit. I finally found the project perfect for this yarn.

b r o o k l y n t w e e d has done it again -- have you seen Girasole (Rav link) yet? OMGosh. Wrap me up & take me away. Alpaca, meet your match.

Girasole beginning, shawl version

What sold me was when he says (in his blog post) that half of this pattern is plain knitting, or mindless stockinette since it's worked in the round. You mean I can watch some trashy TV & still zoom along on this pretty lace project? I couldn't whip out my debit card fast enough.

Now, this increases my WIP list to somewhat scary numbers (7). I was actually making progress on some long-neglected projects when this one cropped up & demanded to move to the front of the line. Fortunately, my knitting mojo has moved back home for the winter. He brought luggage & everything, promised to help with the dishes & not drink so much. Yeah...we'll see.

The Case of the Missing DPN

2008-11-14T16:29:00.001-05:00

Before I launch into the latest, let me point out one important fact: normally, I knit socks with 5 DPNs.

OK? On with the show, which provided my family with entertainment rivaling the season finale of many a TV program.

I was sitting in bed, knitting on my sock. I was excited because I haven't been doing a whole lot of knitting, but was finally feeling like tackling some WIPs.

So there I am, finished with the leg, starting on the heel flap. I don't need all the DPNs now, so I set one aside. Later, however, Weedinator comes to bed & I decide to knit in the family room, where I'll have more light. I gather my things & can't find the 5th DPN. I don't need the 5th DPN at the moment since I'm still working the heel, but I want to know where it is for later.

I start out calmly, knowing it has to be right there somewhere. After all, I was just sitting up in bed. I start moving pillows. No DPN. I pull back covers. Still no DPN. Weedinator asks what I'm looking for & I describe the DPN in full detail, although I can't tell you what I ate for breakfast. I'm afraid that if I don't get it out of the bed, someone will roll on top of it & break it; or, I'm afraid it'll be 2 a.m. & I'll feel it sticking me in the back. Finally, I make Weedinator get out of bed (no, I don't care that it's been a long day for him & I'm inconveniencing him), pull all the covers & pillows off, endure his teasing me about crumbs in the bed, but still, no DPN. He crawls back in bed, where I toss the covers on top of him & leave, dejected.

I sit in the family room & dump the contents of my knitting bag. I flip through books & magazines. Then I go back into the bedroom with a flashlight & look all around the bed, under the bed, under my yarn chest, etc. No DPN. I go back up front, grumbling all the while. I pick up my sock again, knowing that once I finish the heel, I'll need that other DPN when I start on the foot. Yes, I can knit with 4 DPNs instead of 5, but I like using 5. I have another set of the same size in my needlecase, but that set is longer in length & I don't like using them for socks. Is anyone out there saying "anal retentive" yet? All these thoughts are going through my head when I look at the pattern again. On the leg, I was only using 3 DPNs & knitting with the 4th. I had forgotten that I'd followed the pattern exactly & only used 4 DPNs total...which means, the 5th DPN is safely in my needlecase where it's been all this time.

If I didn't just make a case for knitting socks on two circulars, I don't know what else I've done.

Only four DPNs. Huh.

Awards & Such

2008-11-12T07:55:00.006-05:00

I have a lot to catch you up on, but I'll break it up into small posts over the next week or so instead of writing a novel here.

First up, Miss T at Miss T's Mystery House of Yarn & Horrors (one of my all-time fave blog names!) awarded me with the "I Love Your Blog Award". You know I'm a rule-breaker, but I'm going to be nice this time because things are going so well...

The Rules:

1. Please mention the award on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. You must nominate at least 4 fellow bloggers for this award.
4. Add links to the recipients.
5. Leave a comment so the recipients know they have received an award.

Although it's hard to whittle down the list, I stuck to 4. I tried to pick bloggers who I haven't previously awarded, although my memory isn't what it used to be. Anyway, my nominees are:

Knitting Sutra - She's into knitting, yoga & tying a peaceful journey into beautiful photographs that are simply captivating.
Blue Peninsula - Want to see some amazing lace, among other pretty knits? Get thee to this blog. Bonnie designs, too, and every now & then, we get to sneak a peek at her kitty, the adorable Ida.
When a Door Closes... - Ava knits some of the most fashionable pieces that may take a while to complete, but will last & be cherished for years & years.
Deborah's Daily Dilemmas - It's never boring at Deborah's. Whether the wildlife is making her home their own or she's reporting on the political scene, this busy mom is never without needles in her hands (and I so envy her for that!).

Next, briefly, unless you're dead, you know we had a presidential election here recently. One reason I've been absent around these parts is because I was so glued to what was going on politically that I spent a lot of time at polling & political blogs, as well as listening to NPR & watching CNN all day long. Weedinator has informed me that if I don't campaign for someone, anyone, come 2012, I'm going to have to find somewhere else to live.

You may have noticed I don't really discuss politics here, so forgive me this one break from policy, but we did it, didn't we? I woke up November 5th with such a feeling of hope, that the sun seems to shine brighter. I didn't vote for a man based on the color of his skin, but on the content of his character. To quote the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle." We have a way to go, America, but now I have reason to believe we'll get there.

When Mojo is Happy

2008-10-21T12:28:00.001-04:00

The mojo has been hanging around lately, so I'm indulging him as much as possible. No doubt he'll wait until I get ready to seam something before he grabs his hat, suitcase & heads out the door to Acapulco, so while he's here, I'm keeping him happy with lots of knitting.

File this under: No Sleeve Island for Me! I knit the sleeves first for my Sienna cardi & am now working on the back. I'm making my customary short-person mods & I'm kind of nervous because there's cabling on the fronts & I'm not sure how this is going to work out. If worse comes to worst, I'll have to frog, so more on that later...

I would've been further along with this project, but some knitter's ADD grabbed me & forced me to cast on this little project.

Baby Poonam in progress

I would probably already be done if I didn't have to stop every other row & admire this wee sweater for its cuteness. I keep looking at the front & admiring how this baby sweater is coming along. It almost makes me want to have another kid. I'm lying...no power on earth can make me want to have another kid, but I don't mind knitting for pregnant friends & that's who this Baby Poonam is for. The back is finished & hopefully, the next time you see this project, it'll be seamed & blocked & all ready for the mom-to-be. I even have buttons already.

I can barely stand all the cute

Well, mojo's calling & he wants a sandwich. Back to the knitting!

New Things

2008-10-15T13:43:00.003-04:00

So summer went by with nary a workout from me. Oh, I walked the dog, but I did it slow (she has to stop & sniff every single mailbox pole, so how fast could I go?). I did some beginner yoga now & then, when the guilt got to me, but for the most part, I worked, read & ate some very bad things, all while sitting on my butt.

Finally, a few weeks ago, I looked in the mirror & couldn't stand the submarine sandwich my middle had become. You never want to look at yourself and think "ewwww." I bought some running shoes & just started running. Oops, I mean walking/jogging. Er, mostly walking with a few one-minute jogs thrown in until I thought I was going to die right there on the sidewalk. The point is -- I stuck to it. I started eating better, too. I still eat what I want, but now I have one serving (non-lumberjack portion).

And I feel so much better. When I was sloshing around several weeks ago, it became clear to me that I didn't want to go out much at all. I didn't want to be social & that made me feel bad. Rather hermit-like. Ewww. Eating better usually kills my craving for sweets, so I haven't had dessert in a while & though I don't miss it, when I next decide I want cake, I'm going to have a (small) piece.

Once I started exercising again & feeling better, I got tired of my hair (good grief, this sounds like an entire mid-life crisis!). I'd been thinking about cutting it for months, but was using it as a security blanket, I guess, although all I ever did was wear it in a bun because I have huge hair & when unleashed, it just gets all bossy & takes over the conversation. So I cut it one day, on impulse. I knew if I thought about it any more, I'd chicken out.

If you've ever had hair down your back & suddenly, it's at your shoulders, you know that sometimes, it takes some getting used to. I'm getting used to it.

In between the running & the hair-cutting & the calming Weedinator down because I didn't tell him about the haircut beforehand, I've been knitting. Next time: some knitterly ADD.

I'm in the Mood for...Red

2008-09-26T16:56:00.002-04:00

Some weird disease has been traveling around blogland, infecting knitters everywhere. I'm sure you've noticed. So many knitters lately have lost their desire to knit. We're sitting around, reading, twiddling our thumbs, watching the new season of television shows...

But I am cured! My current WIPs weren't making me any better & though I tried to resist, I cast on something new. For months, I've wanted to knit a cardigan. I haven't made one yet & I've queued a few. I finally dug in the stash for some yarn I'd earmarked for a cardi & just started. No asking the yarn what it wanted to be. No leaning in close & saying "hey, little hank, what do you want to be when you grow up?" I just grabbed some needles & started swatching. (I got the feeling that too much thought would lead me to a no-mojo relapse, so quick action was required.)

Sleeve-turned-swatch, Sienna cardi, Rav link

As you can see, this is bright red, just like my current socks-in-progress. Not sure what's up with all the red (although it is my favorite color & I can't believe I haven't completed a big red project yet). I'm just glad to be knitting again.

Bad Knitter, Worse Blogger

2008-09-19T10:55:00.001-04:00

Where do I start, since I've been gone almost a month? Instead of handing out excuses like beaded necklaces at a Mardi Gras parade, I'll just tell you what's been going on.

Very little knitting, for one. At some point, I had completely forgotten the joy of knitting. The upside is that I read a lot, but still...I could've fitted knitting in. I had more than enough lazy afternoons & quiet evenings, but was so unmotivated to pick up the needles. In my defense, I've been kind of distracted...

Sophie

Some of you all may remember my last adopted kitty, who was returned due to Weedinator's allergies. It's a long story that I won't get deeply into, but we recently found out that he's not allergic to all cats. And he's the one who discovered it, which was even better because I don't feel like I pressured him into getting yet another pet (heh heh heh). Anyway, this is Sophie, who we adopted...she's a Snowshoe & I can't believe anyone turned her in to a shelter. But one person's loss is certainly another one's gain. Weedinator isn't allergic to her, our dog is fine so long as we talk to her first, so all's well on that end.

I'm hoping I can knit this weekend...it would help if I could find some motivation, but sadly, it's been lacking. I didn't see anything in the latest knit magazines that grabbed me, either, and I think that's one of the biggest reasons behind not feeling inspired. I keep looking at my WIPs, but instead of picking them up, I pick up a book. Or check my e-mails. Or examine my fingernails. Clearly, I'm avoiding! I wonder if Dr. Phil can help me...

Happy weekend, all!

Mother Nature is a Furious Babe

2008-08-25T17:41:00.003-04:00

Hi, all! Sorry I didn't update you sooner. I got a few e-mails from people who wanted to know if I was all right & whether or not prolonged power outages had driven me completely feral & forced me to cannibalize Weedinator. Thank you for your concern, but I didn't have to turn savage.

We did get a LOT of rain. I'm not in a flood-prone area, but as you can see, even people who don't live in low-lying areas can get water buildup.

Driveway & street

Backyard -- we've lived here for 4 years & I've never seen the water this high

I completely respect Mother Nature. Storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. are nothing to sneeze at. Which is why I don't understand all the people we saw on the news down at the beach while the storm was passing through. Standing on piers, swimming in the ocean...and drowning. Yes, we had some folks drown here who needlessly did so. For reasons that escape me, they chose to go swimming in waters that were nasty, violent & very strong. People, you can't beat Mother Nature. I wouldn't even try.

A wee bit windy

So I was huddled up in my house, surrounded by books & yarn. Strangely, rain puts me in a knitting mood like few things will, so I'm almost finished with my first lacy sock -- normally, it takes me a good two months to finish a pair because I'm so slow. I knitted, listened to the wind (which sounded like it could rip the bricks right off our house), watched the storm's exceedingly slow progress on the TV...and was thankful that we still had power, that no water came inside our home, that we were all safe.

Mother Nature may be furious at times, but she can also be gentle & sweet. The same wind that tore down trees can drift over you on a hot day & offer relief. The same pounding rain sometimes comes down in little sheets that make the flowers grow. I'd never underestimate her because I've seen all the damage -- and the beauty -- she can bring.

Thanks again for being concerned. We're doing fine!

Weathering the Storm

2008-08-19T13:07:00.004-04:00

We're hunkering down in Florida for the latest tropical storm. May my fellow Floridians and East Coasters be safe through this current weather event. Thankfully, it's not a hurricane -- that's already passed through #1 Girl's room and left a path of destruction in its wake which we'll try and recover from at a later date.

Since the storm is supposed to pass right over where I am, we've been advised we might lose power. Luckily, I have things to do that don't require electricity.

See you when the storm passes.

7th (8th?) Time's the Charm

2008-08-16T17:02:00.000-04:00

Finally, I "got" this cuff. I started over at least 6 times. Went over to Ravelry (of course) & did a search on the forums to see if anyone else had trouble with the cuff instructions and, being Ravelry, someone else had & had already asked the question I had. And it was finally made clear to me. (What did we do before Ravelry? If I had another kid, I think I'd name it Ravelry.)

For being frogged several times (and cussed out & thrown down a few times & threatened with being the dog's next meal), this yarn held up amazingly well. You can't even tell it's been through the wringer. As you can see, I found a pattern for the red yarn. I was really inspired after seeing this post -- that cuff is so pretty. I wanted a sock pattern with a pretty cuff like that, something really feminine & lacy in a bright color that would just cheer me up whenever I put them on.

I pulled out my pattern books (what? no Ravelry pattern browser this time?) & settled on the Fancy Silk Sock (Rav link) from Knitting Vintage Socks. Even though I kept messing up, I was determined to knit them & now, I think I finally get it.

She's gettin' it!

Ravelry, if I wasn't already married, I'd let you take me to a drive-in movie. Double feature, if you know what I mean.

It Wasn't a Dream

2008-07-31T06:44:00.005-04:00

One day, I'm going to look back on this incident & wonder if it actually happened, so I'm posting about it so that if I'm ever in doubt, all I have to do is read this & remember: This wasn't a dream; it actually happened.

Weedinator, the kids & I were shopping for their new school uniforms--because they're going to a new school, we have to shop someplace new. The shop is on the other side of town, but I didn't know it was a block away from my LYS until we were actually in the area. Now I've bought very little yarn this year; you know I've been stashbusting, plus we're trying to save money. I haven't been to the LYS (sniff) in a long, long time.

As we drive past, this is a re-enactment of actual events:

Weedinator: Hey, there's the yarn shop.
Me: (silent. What's the point of saying anything?)
Weedinator: Do you need some yarn?

OK, heart palpitations begin. I'm beginning to feel faint because when he asks questions in that way, it means he's buying. He's offering to buy me some yarn?! This has never, ever happened, not in 4 1/2 years of me knitting. For a minute, I almost blurt out "WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH WEEDINATOR? Answer me, you diabolical doppelganger!!!" But I play it cool.

Me: Yes.
But then I go on to add "But I don't know if you have enough money on you."
Weedinator: How much can yarn be??

**sigh**

This was the point where I knew I wanted my two separate lives to stay separate. This is one of those occasions when you realize, you know, my spouse doesn't have to know everything. Relationship Del & Independent (or Knitty) Del cannot converge with Weedinator present (channeling Seinfeld, once again, Relationship Del & Independent Del cannot co-exist in an LYS with Weedinator). I'm not ready for him to know how much yarn costs, simple as that.

Because this is the fancy LYS. What if he's wandering around in there & picks up a skein of Seasilk & looks at the price tag? How on earth could I ever again walk in the door with a bagful of yarn & tell him I spent $20.00? Not that I've ever done that, mind you. We have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy at home--you don't ask, I don't tell lies.

Biting down on the pain, I just say "Don't worry about it. Let's go get those uniforms."

But these pretty stitch markers cheered me up. Thank you, Kamika! (Pssst...she made these & sent them to me just because)

It's All in Your Perception

2008-07-25T18:04:00.000-04:00

Now this is a funny thing, perception. You can see the glass as half full or half empty. Even when I'm feeling down in the dumps (rare, but stuff happens), I still see the glass as half full. Even if it is half empty for right now, I know that when I come out on the other side, it was half full all along.

What the heck does that have to do with this blog? Oh, nothing, I've just been thinking a lot about this lately.

I've had a lot of time to think these past few weeks & I knew that if I was going to pull out of my writing slump, the only way to do that was to change my perception on things. It wasn't easy; there were some days when all I did was read, putter around & wonder when something good was going to happen. (These were not the days we had a niece and nephew visit & Weedinator took a week off from work to run Camp Minnehaha out of our home & was the Camp Counselor/Dictator in Charge who kept us BusyBusyBusy from sun-up to sundown. Those days, I was too tired to think.) And I came out on the other side feeling renewed & more hopeful.

But you don't want to hear about that, you want to hear about the knitting.

Unfortunately, due to my being so busy with work, I did very little knitting. Nettie sent me the nicest package, full of 2 different lace yarns; one you see below, which is slowly becoming a lacy scarf & the other Malabrigo lace (you can see a peek of its prettiness below), as well as 2 bags/pouches she made herself & which I'm putting to good use (thanks again, Nettie!).

Now, that scarf. I really thought about what I'd do with that yarn & I figured a lace scarf was a good idea. The pooling, if there was any, wouldn't be as evident as if I made a shawl out of it. So I found a pattern & all this time, something in my head is trying to ~~warn~~ tell me, "you know how you get with scarves." I told it, "I'll be fine, this is for J's birthday, I have a whole month to work on it." No nutty voices in my head are going to boss me, no sir.

That is the scarf's progress as of yesterday. About 7 inches. Yeah.

So, J's birthday is in 3 days. What do you think I'm doing? Am I:

A. Forgoing sleep, food & contact with family members in order to finish this gift on time, OR

B. Looking for sock patterns for this jazzy red yarn

If you chose B, ding ding ding, you win! What do you win? Nothing, just the satisfaction of knowing me about as well as I know myself.

Happy weekend, all!

In Due Time

2008-06-12T15:53:00.001-04:00

Well, this is embarrassing. It took me over a year to complete this project, my Arctic Diamonds Stole. The stole I wanted to knit from the first time I saw it in Interweave Knits. The stole it took me months to find the perfect yarn for.

Why so long? For one thing, it's a lace project & because it's so long & involved, I was ~~obsessed~~ concerned with not messing up. I'm not good at fixing lace mistakes. I used a lifeline, but only inserted it after each pattern repeat, so if I screwed up toward the end of my repeat, I would've had to unravel 60-something rows. 60-something rows on 131 stitches? Lace??

Therefore, it was slow going. Not so slow that I needed a year to complete it, but this wasn't TV knitting, mindless knitting, even knitting I could do while letting my mind wander. This was knitting that demanded my full attention & that's why I only worked on it when I knew I could give it.

Pattern: Arctic Diamonds Stole, Interweave Knits Winter 2006
Yarn: Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere (yes, cashmere!) 2-ply, color Blackberry Fudge
Needles: US size 3, KnitPicks Options nickel-plated

The KP needles are perfectly pointed for lacework; I bought these right before the Addi lace needles became available & all the rage. I'd like to get some Addi lace needles one day, but for the price, the KP needles really get the job done. The smooth surface kept the yarn gliding along, so I had to be careful that my stitches weren't constantly falling off.

What else can I say that the pictures aren't telling you? I love this stole, absolutely love it. After wet-blocking, the cashmere bloomed & has a soft, just-visible fuzzy haze to it. It wraps around my shoulders one good time & feels like a dream.

So...that leaves 2 WIPs. They're long-term projects, too, so I'm trying to decide if I'm going to cast on something smaller.

In the meantime, I'm going to step away from the blog for the time being. I've had some professional setbacks that have been disappointing & frustrating. I need to regroup & spend some time with some good books. I don't know how much knitting I'll get done on my break; maybe none. Maybe I'll get my dream job & have some good news to tell when I get back. I certainly hope so. I'll see you sometime after the 4th of July. Til then, happy knitting, crafting & living!

The Ten Commandments of Summer

2008-06-04T05:41:00.004-04:00

Thanks, everyone, for the kind comments on my last post. I took my cardi on our out-of-town trip this past weekend and wore it to dinner one night. Besides the wedding, we made it to the Georgia Aquarium, but I didn't have time to make it to Knitch, which was the only downer about our trip.

This isn't a jellyfish; I can't remember what it's called

But now I'm back home and Back to Reality. Now that school is out (sigh) & the kids are home all summer (sigh), I see that I have to establish some ground rules ~~lest they tie me up & stow me in the closet while Weedinator is at work~~. So I've devised the Ten Commandments for the Summer to create a sense of order around these parts. They are as follows:

1. I am your Mother, who brought you out of the Land of My Womb with much pain & gnashing of teeth. Thou shalt have no other Mother but me, even if I die & your father remarries Halle Berry (as if; that's just his dream, kids).

2. Thou shalt not build tents & shanty towns out of my good sheets & place them all over my living room & bow down to enter therein.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of Mom in vain. Therefore, you better have a darn good reason before calling my name. Example of a bad reason: I'm hungry, though I had breakfast half an hour ago. Example of a good reason: Animal Magnet hit me in the head with a mallet and I'm bleeding & feeling faint. Do you see the difference, kids??

4. Remember the Teeth Brushing Time Limit & keep it holy (I know, 2 whole minutes out of your day--I am a complete sadist.).

5. Thou shalt not kill my peace & quiet by waking up fighting.

6. Thou shalt not lie about who ate the last muffin, didn't replace the toilet paper or started the fight.

7. Thou shalt not covet thy brother's/sister's room, their Barbie doll, their Ken doll, the family dog, their video games, that cheap claire's jewelry that is surely turning your neck & ears green even as I type this, or anything else that belongs to thy brother/sister.

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy 3 year-old brother for anything because he is yet too young to adequately defend himself.

9. Thou shalt take a bath using a washcloth & soap every day (yes, every day!), lest the filth & funk overwhelm all those around you.

10. Honor thy father & thy mother all the days of their lives because we brought you in this world & we can surely take you out.

It's going to be an interesting summer.

Beluga Whale, Georgia Aquarium