Strung Out

Second Sock Syndrome vanquished!

2008-02-23T10:13:00.002-05:00

I've had "Sheri's Lace Sock" on the needles since early 2006. After finishing the first sock, the second was a non-starter for a very long time.

But in the passt week, I've cast on, and actually turned the heel. I'm in the home stretch! Hopefully.

Little Orphan Blog

2008-02-03T20:14:00.000-05:00

My poor blog. It's been orphaned in favor for Ravelry. I've been posting and updating my finished and new projects on Ravelry and totally forgot to update the blog.

No more! I have just finished an old stash project- it was actually my standby project for when I wanted something simple to work on.

Behold.... The Squiggly Baby Blanket.

This project was started with leftover stash yarn, and was originally started for my niece's birth. FYI- she's four years old. Part of the reason it took so long was that it used baby weight yarn in a small needle size. In retrospect, a bad choice for speed, but it resulted in a very nice closeup look.
Not one to laze about, I immediately cast on for a new baby blanket- this one in a medium blue worsted weight yarn. I wanted to make a cable patterned blanket, so I pulled out my grandmother's stitch pattern book and flipped through until I found something suitable. Three cable patterns and one lace pattern later....

I had a couple of flights last weekend, so I had some major progress.

Counting Chickens

2007-11-01T08:39:00.000-04:00

It seems I spoke too soon. For some reason, the "leaves" looked like blobs. I suspect my needle size might be too large, or the stitch patterns too small. Whatever the reason, the turquoisey alpaca yarn is now all wrapped up again in the statsh, waiting for more reliable inspiration. I think maybe a think honeycomb or stitch pattern might do the trick, but I'm going to wait until I can go to the library and check out a couple of knitting books.

So instead, I cast on a different scarf. Of very bulky proportions... Size 11 needles, and it has rows of wrapped stitches, so I think this will be done very quickly. I need some knitting progress!

Call: False Start!

2007-10-29T22:26:00.000-04:00

I have a new project.

Actually, I could say that I've had about 5 new projects over the last few days. I've been starting to knit with this great turquoise dk weight alpaca, but everytime I found a new lace pattern, I was bored. Or I hated the way the alpaca made the pattern look. The lace patterns were not crisp enough, and the cables didn't pop.

But now, I think I found a pattern. Branching Out. From Spring 2005- thank you ravelry for showing me the way!

Second Sock Syndrome battle!

2007-10-01T23:00:00.000-04:00

I've cast on for the second sock of Sheri's Lace Socks... it's been quite a long time since I finished the first sock!

Yay!

2007-09-28T09:45:00.000-04:00

I just found out I passed the bar exam! Yayy!

I'm baaack!

2007-09-27T21:19:00.000-04:00

okay, the quick summer run down.

1. the bar exam was tough. Studying for it was worse
2. wedding planning was tough. The ceremony was beautiful and the party totally rocked.
3. the honeymoon was amazing (Tahiti and Australia= so much fun and fabulous scuba diving)

lots of pictures coming!

What song do you hate?

2007-07-29T18:40:00.000-04:00

We're working on the music for the reception... the play list and the DO NOT PLAY list... and I need some suggestions for the latter.

So here's my question.... What songs do you hate or wish you could turn back time to prevent yourself from hearing? OR what songs play over and over again at parties and weddings, and that's your cue to slink off to the bar or bathroom?

Here's my starting list....
Macarena
YMCA
Electric Slide (not the new Chacha version)
The Chicken Dance
Anything by Celine Dion (this is a personal thing, not general, so no flaming!)
Lady in Red
You Are So Beautiful
When the Moon hits your eye (like a big pizza pie) (Too many shifts at Macaroni Grill)

the bar exam is over...now it's time for the bar!

2007-07-27T14:24:00.000-04:00

ok, so that was cheesy, and probably not very original, but the bar exam is over! Hooray! I now have to wait until the end of September, and hopefully I'll have good news then. The waiting begins... now.

Now I've got some cultural catching up to do.... Simpsons and Harry Potter!

Things I want to do once the bar exam is over

2007-07-21T22:00:00.001-04:00

- sleep
- eat a decent meal
- work out
- read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
- watch the "Simpsons Movie"
- watch "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
- go see "Ratatouille"
- read "Reading Lolita in Tehran"

and oh yeah, finish planning the wedding! In retrospect, I might save some of that reading for the honeymoon (ok, not HP)

Studying on a Prayer

2007-07-21T14:16:00.000-04:00

I'm sure there are some bar takers out there praying to St. Thomas More, patron saint of lawyer[s]. Myself, I've got a medal of St. Dymphna handy, the patron saint for people with mental illness/once known as the patroness against insanity.

I figure that, at this point, passing is going to happen, or it's not. I just don't want to go crazy in the process!

(nope, I'm not Catholic- one of my favorite profs gave out saint medals in the Law and Psych class... he had a really fun Saint of the Week guessing game too)

*edited thanks to my smart-ass sister... Thanks Liana! :)

Major stress

2007-07-17T10:03:00.001-04:00

For those of you who think the bar exam is just another test, move along. I've got nothing of interest for you to read right now. Come back in August, and there'll be lots of cute wedding stuff going on.

For the rest of you, proof that the bar exam is getting to me in a big way- my resting heart rate went up 10-15 beats a minute. YIKES. normally I'm 66-7o, and last night it was sky high at 80. Fortunately after a good sleep, it's seemed to come down a bit, but that was seriously scary. I thought I was going to have a freaking heart attack, my heart was practically pounding (for me).

anyway-back to essay work. See you in a week or so.

But everyone else is doing it!

2007-07-15T17:38:00.000-04:00

I'm referring to the Mystery Stole #3 of course. Seriously, all my favorite bloggers have joined, and I swear that the knitting blogosphere has gotten quieter. Because everyone is knitting like crazy, trying to keep up.

I really want to be a part of it. Cursed Bar exam! It's cutting into knitting time, Harry Potter reading/ movie watching and general, everyday things too!
Of course, if I think for about 2 seconds, I realize I really wouldn't want to do the mystery knit along, since I'm a super picky pattern picker. Say that 3 times fast!

So I think for my next lace shawl (yes, I'm addicted), I'm going to try the Print O' The Wave Stole

Right now I've got a skein of Merino Lace in Navy, although I'm thinking maybe another strand in a dark color would look pretty cool. Perhaps a dark green, or a dark purple? We'll see.

TaDa! (aka, I couldn't help myself)

2007-07-12T23:47:00.000-04:00

Sigh.

Isn't it beautiful?

yeah, I'm going to fix those bottom two corners. They're bugging me too.

2007-07-10T19:55:00.000-04:00

Psst...

the knitting part is over! And I only have 3 ends to sew in, and blocking, and I'm all finished!

AND I'm a whole month early! I thought I'd be up blocking this the night before the wedding. Eep. I hope I didn't jix myself!

All that's left is the Crying...

2007-07-01T20:59:00.000-04:00

I mean the edging...
Yes folks, this means that I've actually gotten entirely through the body of my wedding shawl and have merely the 2 short ends to knit edging onto!

I did a little bit of math... Chart A was 40 rows, Chart B was 520, Chart C was 40 rows... 600 rows total, and estimating about 7 minutes per row (there was some slow knitting, some fixing, some crying) = 70 HOURS
And I'm not even done.
augh.

not much is happening here...

2007-06-05T19:01:00.000-04:00

just going crazy!

1) bar exam studying
2) work
3) more bar exam studying
4) wedding planning
5) more bar exam studying

you get the picture.

In knitting news- my shawl is up to about 75 inches... and just shy of 500 rows

Best cake ever

2007-05-05T16:42:00.000-04:00

So this happened a little while ago... but since I'm only writing papers, I felt that I need some material, and this is good.

Behold.... the Guinness cake.

It was delicious... the cake itself had Guinness (and cocoa) in it, and was a lovely dense and almost savory taste to it, while the frosting was basically melted chocolate chips, adding just enough sweetness to the cake to make it drool-worthy.

We made it for Jeff's birthday, since he loves Guinness like no one else. No one. Seriously.

ok- now I want cake.

inching towards graduation....

2007-05-01T08:41:00.000-04:00

I have a portuguese exam today- last one before the final. Unfortunately I don't understand about 3/4ths of the material. But it'll be fine- I just need to pass the class, not maintain an "A" average. But old habits die hard (not getting "A"s- just working my butt off to do my absolute best)

In other news.... I have a job offer! Whohoo!

hmm... it sure is quiet around here!

2007-04-12T22:28:00.000-04:00

I've been busy! (who hasn't!)
We had a fundraising auction for my law school group... some volunteers fell through the week before the auction, requiring me to run around like a maniac, getting profs to donate (amazing things) I am overwhelmed at how generous the profs and staff were.
Then the show came (preceded by 3 days of baking) and we did amazing... with the same style of fundraiser, we surpassed the previous year's take- and our expectations.
After the show, I had to catch up with everything I had been ignoring for the past month in order to make the auction go smoothly. Class reading, research, working on papers, looking for a job. And of course, being sick. At least I was healthy when I was busy!

I'm looking forward to knitting with the guild this weekend :) yay!
I'm about 6 weeks to graduation... I should probably start working on my wedding shawl again!

He found a BEFORE picture!

2007-03-16T12:27:00.000-04:00

What a difference, Hmm? Although I guess someone might miss the stool that is hidden underneath that vanity top- it's not all cabinets, just a really long top!

Chicago knitting art

2007-03-15T13:30:00.000-04:00

I was in Chicago for a few days this past weekend, and I managed to make it downtown. As we were looking for parking, we passed something called the "Stitching Salon"- which I thought was a new yarn store. I was wrong. When I finally made it back there, it turned out that the Chicago tourism board has put together an exhibition of knit artwork, coupled with an interactive project, and free lessons.

Their webpage is http://www.winterdelights.com/stitchingsalon/about.html

I added to the interactive project... which was organized by the Windy City Knitting Guild. Basically, it was a sewing form set on top of a table, and the Guild had put a sweater on the form, and attached a "skirt" made up of swatches of every size, and people sitting around the table were encouraged to add to the skirt. There were vases of knitting needles, crochet hooks, needles and a wall of yarn, ribbon and beads to pick from. I wish I had a camera- but I'll be heading back to Chicago in about 3 weeks- right when the Stitching Salon will be closing. Maybe I'll get my picture then, and see what someone added after me!

Here's a picture of it that I found
http://promotions.drgnetwork.com/newsletters/creativeknitting/images/21101507/PhotoE_FiberCircleProject-lg.jpg

Best....Valentine's...EVER

2007-02-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

So I had an exam Thursday... Chris made this heart shaped browine for me, and SHOVELED THE DRIVEWAY! For those of you here in South Bend, you understand how great this was. Truly the best Valentine's day gift :)

P.S. It was not just any old brownie.... it was a Ghirardelli brownie. MMM.

the new bathroom- revealed!

2007-02-17T12:54:00.000-05:00

For those of you who had to suffer through my descriptions of redoing the bathroom... here's the last word (maybe). This vanity began as a slightly beat up buffet, lost a few inches in height, lost the left cabinet, had some inches routed out of the top, and we laid marble tiles and a sink in it. We also put in a new travertine stone floor- I cut every piece of the floor and vanity, and my old jacket has the stone dust to prove it! So worth it- the old bathroom had peeling vinyl and a small sized vanity with a top that went all the way across the bathroom and a mirror with those huge bulbs all the way around.- we should have taken a picture!

I kind of wish we could take vanity and floor with us when we move! Oh well, we'll probably just make another one when we get there!

2007-02-17T12:31:00.000-05:00

I made this little dude when I went home a few weekends back- isn't it cute? I'm totally making another one!

This pattern came from "Knit a Fantasy Story" by Jan Messent. And I followed the pattern - except for using pipe cleaners to hold up the body. I just overstuffed a bit and placed the legs slightly differently.