Friday, December 30, 2005

42 in 42

I saw this idea over at Supergirl Knits....And it intrigued me. I am horrid at making/keeping resolutions....But this appeals to the list maker in me...so, tho I do not turn 42 till March, this is the first 12 of my list of 42 (no particular order):
1. Learn Magic Loop method.
2. FINISH a PAIR of socks - for ME.
3. Choreograph 3 full routines for my troupe, including a sword routine.
4. Choreograph 3 full routines for myself.
5. Perform all 3 choreographies before next December 30.
6. Get my money under control.
7. Go to 100 OA meetings.
8. Read the Chronicles of Narnia series.
9. Finish Ribby Cardi.
10. Finish The Braids Cardigan.
11. Knit my stash down by 50%.
12. Save enough money to go to Disneyland.

Lastly, where have I been? How could I have missed Knittinghelp.com?? This site is awesome!

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

The 8th Deadly Sin - Pride In One's Knitting Ability

My knitting took me down a notch last night...Not that I had any notion of being some kind of knit goddess or anything...I had just been congratulating myself on how well my knitting has been turning out...How nice it's been looking..Gee I've improved....

Deadly, I tell you, deadly.

I get home last night...Walk by the table where the mohair Branching Out has been resting, awaiting my return....And spy a needle on the floor. No big deal, eh? Then....I see the Other Needle...Empty...Also on the floor...And a few feet away...Branching Out...Off the needles (did I mention my oldest moved...and couldn't take her cat and it's FOUR kittens? Or that we have only found a home for one, leaving us with three kittens?) Now, this should not be a big deal, you know? There were only 31 stitches on at the time, surely I could just pick it up and go, eh? Of course, the row it was on had those pesky yo's AND s1k2tog-psso AND s2k1-p2sso...I got a bit of humbling getting it back on the needle I tell you...Then....I realized...I started at the wrong end and my yarn was now next to the knob. Duh. Felt sorta sheepish there, as well.

I put it down, thinking, I'm just gonna let this marinate awhile and go please my inner child and play with the Dale Stork! So, I get the yarn out. I get the Bathing Beauties pattern out. I dig around and find all 5 of my 3.5 dpns (no small feat, let me tell you). I read through the insert about cast on options. Decided to cast on for a soap sack, and hey, let's bolster our ego a bit by learning how to do a provisional cast on! Yeah, that's the ticket!

Not. The third time through, I said, Huh. Think I'd rather just do a plain old cast on. It's not that the instructions for the provisional cast on weren't written out plain and simple. It's not that I didn't "get" it. I just couldn't "do it." Picking up the stitches in the crochet chain just wasn't happening. I'd miss a stitch. It was too tight here....Too loose there. So I ripped it and did a plain old vanilla cast on. So...You have 36 stitches on 4 dpns. Now all you sock knitters think, "so? What's the problem?" I'd like to know what the problem was too...Because I couldn't knit that first row to save my life. I ended up with one stitch too many. One stitch too few. A DPN made a run for it and leapt out of the knitting, causing an umpteenth re-cast on.

After 40 some minutes of farting around and getting more and more irked...The Stork is now shoved in my project basket.

I went back to Branching Out and got through a few more pattern repeats. Loving this yarn...mmmmmm. Still, had to tink back 2 or 3 times...My knitting mojo was just not there last night. Let's hope it got a good night's rest and will be here in force today.

I finally had a little time to do an internet search on the yarn I am using for the Pismo Hat. It was gifted to me by my wonderful SP last year. It's Lana Grossa Merino 2000 superfein in 489 and 490, Denim and Jeans. This yarn is awesome....The hat is going to be really a nice fabric...If I ever finish the damn thing...

In Knit Drive

I think I got so geared up to knit Christmas gifts...That I've turned the Knit Switch in my brain to permanent ON.

Last night, I bought a ball of Filatura Multicolor in this colorway to make a Branching Out...Which I promptly went home and cast on and made it through four repeats...Love the color in this yarn. It's a heavier weight than Kid Silk Haze and has a longer mohair "lash" or whatever it's called. I am truly sort of obsessed by it...I wanted to bring it to work on at breaks today...But forced myself to leave it home. Cause...You know...Ahem...The Pismo Hat for my bud who works on my computer is Not Done.

I worked on that a bit yesterday and realized, with tiny needles and a zillion and a half stitches, each row takes me about 10 minutes in K1P1 ribbing. I need about 20 more rows before I start the decreases...Argh. However, it is worth it...The hat is awesome. Just time consuming. So, I will make myself stick to it on breaks even tho the mohair calls longingly...

I also bought a skein of Dale Stork and now I see why it was chosen for the Bathing Beauties patterns...It is a whole different world than Lion Brand Cotton. Now, I love Lion Brand Cotton, I really do...But the Stork is sooooo soft, and probably half the weight as well considering it is a fingering weight and the LB Cotton is worsted!!! No wonder my hands were killing me trying to knit the LB Cotton at that gauge! Duh! I haven't cast on with it yet...The mohair seduced me first. Jodie works till 11:30 pm tonight tho....And I'll have a bit of time...

Don't know if I've mentioned that I picked up The Braids cardigan again and have gotten a few more rows in on it. When I put it down a couple of months ago, I carefully made sure to note which row I had just completed. So...I smugly picked it up and thought, I can just start right back in again...Not. I had to think a bit because I had noted what row of the cable part I was on...Not what part of the sweater row I was on..Two completely different things in this pattern! Took a good 15 minutes of careful inspection of pattern to sweater to figure it out, but then it was off and running. Unfortunately for my short attention span, it is like the Pismo Hat in that it has a lot of stitches per row, 272 to be precise and to someone with serious Knit ADD...That is a lot of stitches. I also can not work on this sweater while doing anything else, so no TV or much in-depth conversation...In fact, it is best worked on when I am alone, which in short supply with Christmas Break going on.

Lastly, we went and saw the Chronicles of Narnia Monday night as a family thing. So there was an age span in kids from 19 to 9. After the movie, I asked the 17yo and 19yo what they thought. Both said they had not been eager to see it...But were surprised at how much they liked it. The 9 and 11yo loved it...And so did Jodie and I. I've seen some unimpressed reviews and wasn't sure what to expect. Did they take liberties with the book? Frankly, I haven't read it in years so I can't tell you, but it was a fun movie. The best part? Tilda Swinton as the White Witch. She nailed that part...Awesome job.

So, now that Christmas is over....What are you knitting on? Still finishing Christmas stuff? Knitting for...Yourself?!? Tell me, I'm curious!

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Back To Reality...

I'm okay. Really, I am. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for such kind comments last week....I was on the edge. I'm better. Thank you, really.

I finished all my Christmas knitting but for the coworker Panta, which still isn't finished! Christmas Eve I knit my daughter Kayla's second mitt, sewed them both up and sewed up Michael's mitts. The day before I had finished Michelle's fun fur scarf and wove the ends. So, everyone in my little family got a handknit gift. That felt really, really good.

And, I got knitting books for Christmas! The new Sally Melville, Book 3 of her series which focuses on color; the 2006 Pattern-a-day calendar; a Leisure Arts book that is a compilation of many of their knit books, and ahem - a book I don't remember the name of. The unremembered book...that is sort of a funny story. Jodie and I were at Costco looking at books. She oh-so-casually pointed out the Leisure Arts book and this other book. I said, "hmm, this one (the LA) is okay...but I don't like anything in that one!" Well, she had already purchased and wrapped them! I looked through it twice Christmas day...and frankly still didn't see anything I loved. I'll keep it for awhile, check again and if it doesn't spark some interest, pass it along to my daughter Mary....who is knitting!

Mary asked for some help knitting last week. She learned from me when I taught myself to knit, but just "dinked" around with it, didn't make anything. Over Christmas Eve/Christmas Day she made a pair of 2x2 rib gauntlets and she is off and running! I got her the first Stitch N Bitch book for Christmas, and she loves it. That book really doesn't do a thing for me personally...but at 19, Mary loves the projects. The book and four skeins of WoolEase....that was my knit present to her. She spent the rest of Christmas day alternating between knitting and poring over my knit book collection as well as her new book.

I hope she keeps on knitting.....Knitting has brought me so much...including incredible women on the web. Y'all rock.

Friday, December 23, 2005

Unraveled Thoughts

My mind is swirling...Holiday-induced angst I suspect.

Ever heard a song on the radio that suddenly just hit you like a ton of bricks? The song "Because of you" sung by Kelly Clarkson

I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because you know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with
Somehow when I heard this song before today, I assumed it was about a love relationship...this morning at 6 a.m. on the way to work...it was about me and my mother. About being raised as an only child of a woman whose untreated schizoaffective disorder and narcissic personality disorder were the norm...the standard to adhere to....Being told by her family that I was the one who was messed up...that at 6 years old, I wasn't trying hard enough to be good. If I tried harder to be good, Mom wouldn't act the way she did.
That's crazy making, telling a 6 year old it's her fault her mom is a nutcake.
Jumping to another subject, I have sleep apnea. Frankly, I'm effing happy to hear it too. Now maybe something can be done to help and I won't be exhausted all the time. During the consultation in November, the doc at the sleep lab took extensive past history, like almost 2 hours of family history etc. We skated around my mother's mental illness...my own depression issues. When I went back for the follow up, he was scanning his notes. He put them down at the end and said "You know, I just have to tell you...you are amazingly high-functioning considering your childhood." I brushed it off and he said, "NO! Really, I mean that!"
Not today I'm not.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Almost There

Second Mitt for Jodie done, ends woven and gift wrapped.

Panta for coworker.....half done. She won't get it before Christmas. It's okay...it was a last-minute effort anyway.

Realizing almost all the Christmas knitting I did was from stash! This is a Good Thing...
Jodie's Mitts: Woolie Wash....at least 2 years old.
Kayla's Panta/Mitts: Cascade 220 Quadto, 1 years old
Mary's Panta/Mitts: " " "
Mike's ribbed mitts: Wool Ease, probably 3 years old.
Co-worker's Panta: Red/multi Tahki somethingorother...2-3 years old.
Michelle's Scarf: Fun fur and boucle, purchased specifically for this project.

Not bad, eh? Ahem...course...I could continue knitting solely from stash for quite some time if I had a mind to...If I am not mistaken, besides untold small amounts of yarns, I have enough yarn for SIX SWEATERS....EIGHT if you count the ones on needles already.

And socks? Uh, I have some sock yarn. yeah. A little. Just a bit. I don't even want to consider how many pairs I could make.

If I don't post before the holidays, hope yours is happy and peaceful.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Knitting, knitting, knitting

Cast on and finished last night: Set of wrist warmers for 9 yo son. Cast on 40 stitches, did 2 x 2 rib for 5 inches, 6 rows of 1 x 1 rib. Tonight I'll sew them up like the Irish Hiking Mitts and voila, mitts for boy. Used a rusty brown colored Wool Ease...worked well. Interesting to note that this color of Wool Ease is thicker than the Cream Wool Ease I tried for the Panta. I'm just saying...it's thicker, really.

Cast on and finished one Irish Hiking Mitt in Dark Green Woolie Wash yarn for Jodie (she doesn't read the blog much so I'm safe in saying so, I believe....if I'm mistaken and she's reading, oh well....), just needs sewing up, and the second one is about 1/4 done.

I love the pattern for the mitts, serious love it. I can knit it while watching TV which is a big deal...I usually can't have much distraction going on at all....

Less than an hour to my followup appointment for my sleep study. It will be what it will be, aye?

Have you been over to see the Yarn Harlot lately? What a ruckus ensued...Jodie works at a Large Northwest Retailer...which has instructed it's employees to please say "Happy Holidays!" to customers. You would not believe the people who rag all over her for it. Please folks, be kind to your grocery clerk!

Monday, December 19, 2005

Monday, Monday

Well, let's recap the weekend knitting:

3/4 done with the Fun Fur/boucle scarf. This now has to be worked on pretty much on breaks at work so the off-for-the-holiday-break preteen doesn't see it. If she sees it, she will instantly KNOW it is for her and I want it to be a surprise.

Off the needles: Two Panta headbands, both from Cascase Quatro. One in blues and one in greens. Green one goes with the already-complete Irish Hiking Fingerless Mitts of same yarn.

One blue IHFM off needle, needs to be seamed, second mitt cast on.

One Wool Ease Panta off needles....and disliked immensely. It just lacked......oomph. It was thin....and every inc or dec showed up in a big way. The Cascade Quatro, on the other hand, knit up a lovely squishy headbands with no visible inc or decreases. Reminds me that, yet again, cheaper is not always better and that Wool Is THE BOMB. I did want something machine washable for these, but I'm happier with the finished product.

I am longing to return to Hanging Vines...regroup my efforts on my long-neglected Ribby...and really get somewhere on The Braids Cardigan. Let's throw in world peace while we're at it...and a different president. Ahem...okay, 'nuff of that.

Went to my work Christmas Party last night...it was very pleasant, low key. "Social hour" with a funky bluegrass band, "Back From The Dead", very fun. Nice buffet dinner...a "Greedy Santa" game afterward. I hate that game, where you steal presents...but Jodie loves it and we came home with a cool snowman cookie jar.

It was entertaining in other respects too...Jodie is from The South and could be considered "old school butch." When we are out, she opens doors for me...pulls out my chair...helps me on and off with my coat...etc. It is who she is....and tho it was disconcerting to me at first, I LOVE IT. There were Some Looks last night as those things happened...surprised looks....snotty looks....envious looks...it was Very Interesting.

The only other festive thing on my calender is having good friends over this week...Jodie is making Gumbo..."what do you mean...you've never had gumbo?" Well, by Thursday, I will have had gumbo. ;-P

My sleep lab evaluation is tomorrow. I can't believe I'm saying this...but I hope they say I have sleep apnea and do something. I am SO DONE with being tired all the time....

Friday, December 16, 2005

End of Week

Hmm....whilst checking on some of my favorite blogs that are Typepad blogs...they seem to have all lost about a week's worth of posting overnight...Hopefully that will be remedied soon, need my fix ya know.

I have been intently watching and really, really enjoying this KAL.....Who Wouldn't Enjoy A Handknitted Gift..not participating, but really enjoying it. Lots of great ideas for small, quick projects...funny posts...

Three children's holiday concerts in two days. My butt is about petrified, let me tell ya.

Knitting:
Just at the half way mark on the Fun Fur/boucle scarf for daughter #3.

Another 2 inches on the Panta for daughter #2.

Started a simple drop stitch scarf for ME (!!!), 4" done. My work party is Sunday night, and I can not afford even a new blouse. Felt sorry for myself...then dug around in the stash and found a bandless novelty in blues/greens that I have been hoarding... and cast on. Love it so far. May not have money...but damn, I have yarn!

The desire to cast on several more projects ..... intense. The desire to work on a big project instead of little quick ones is also intense. I am thinking Christmas day knitting or day after (I have the 26th off, yay!) will be devoted to The Braids Cardigan, for real this time. Or, hmm, maybe ripping and restarting the back of my almost year old Ribby? That's a thought.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Wouldn't You Like A Panta Too?

Shameless rip off of a post on Craftster...where one gal says the name (of the Finnish headband thing) "Panta" makes her think of the Fanta commercial...Fanta Fanta...don't you want a fanta?

I'm obsessed. Panta #1, out of Fisherman cream Wool Ease is 50+ % done, in three hours of HIGHLY INTERRUPTED knitting...If I can get that far between cooking dinner, helping with homework, riding children mercilessly about chores, driving teenager to and from friends house...anyone can do one of these pretty darn fast. This one at Kung Fu Knitting has me jazzed about using noro...tho hers is from Foliage...so now I'm planning a Noro Panta...a Manos Panta...not for me however. I have a high forehead....like...a really really high forehead...then again, maybe it would camouflage the high forehead...hmm. Have to try one on to see I guess.

By the way, stay tuned to purlsb4swine...she might be pulling a name out of a cat for her contest...maybe she'll post pics. Marcia makes me laugh EVERY SINGLE TIME SHE POSTS, without fail. God bless her...I should probably send her a check for therapy.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Needles on Fire...

Actually, maybe that should be "elbow on fire..." since all this work and knitting is killing my arm!

Last night I finished the Cascade 220 hat and the Caron Simply Soft Irish Hiking Fingerless Mitts. Maybe I'll get pics before they get packed and shipped. Course, at the rate I'm going...you'll see 'em in July. I have knitting pics that still haven't been developed in a couple of months. Sigh. I'm going to start taking more with the webcam...not great pics, but instant gratification.

I want to cast on for another Branching Out...and this pattern caught my attention yesterday, for a Finnish headband called a Panta. It is something a friend of mine would love. Not Christmas knitting mind you...uh, it's a little late fore that...but just because. I also tried one of the soap sacks from this pattern last week. I had Lion Brand Cotton...and thought, huh, well it's a little thicker than what they call for (I think it was Dale Stork)..but..it'll do. No, actually it won't. Just enough thicker that is hurt to knit it with the needles called for and after only 2 or 3 rounds my wrists were screaming "stop...for the love of pete...stop!" So, when I get a little extra jingle in my pocket after the holidays, I'll get the weight of cotton specified. It was worth a try...but not worth the pain!

I also would like to make little knit sachet bags. Have you seen the ones in The Knitter's Bible? I saw some Bag 'n Trash knit up on her blog and I have the book...now I want to try them too.We have six huge lavender plants in the front yard...that went completely to waste this year. When I cut them back for winter, I thought...geez. I could have had a ton of lavender if I'd gotten off my heinie... so I'm trying to plan ahead. I took kiddos to The Dollar Tree the other day to get something for their secret santa at school....and they had four bags to a pack of those little organza type bag with a ribbon drawstring so I picked up a pack. They would keep the lavender or whatever from coming out of the knit bag and geez...a quarter each? yeah, even I can afford that.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Twas The Last Week Of The Pay Period...

and Sahara was scrambling...to knit on those Christmas gifts and work all her hours.

Oy.

I have not worked full time in three years. About that time...I fell apart. Call it what you will...a nervous breakdown or meltdown, whatever...I just melted down in a very big way. I cut my hours back and I will be ever grateful to the senior partner at my job who said "do what you need to do, I don't want to lose you."

I've been at 3/4 time pretty much the last year. I've scraped by...and frankly, I was scared to death of another meltdown. So I didn't push it.

Hence...here we are. Financial issues up the wazoo. This pay period marks the return to full time. I can do this...really. I keep telling myself that...and reminding myself I only have to do it one day at a time.

Meanwhile, Christmas looms and I somehow...don't ask how cause damned if I know...I have Christmas knitting all over the house. Argh! So far:
  • Two frou-frou acrlyic novelty "crap yarn" scarves for Jodie's 4 & 7 yo neices - DONE.
  • A pair of Irish Hiking fingerless mitts in Cascade 220- DONE
  • A pair " " in Caron Simply Soft - 1.5 Done (these are for someone who doesn't know me and doesn't like me. In that order. But, I have my reasons. I don't care if she doesn't like me. I don't particularly like her too much either. Yes, I realize the bizarreness of knitting for someone who doesn't like you...again, I have my reasons - crazy reaons maybe...but reasons).
  • A hat (k1 p1 rib) for Jodie's husband in Superwash Cascade 220- mmm....half to 3/4 done.
  • A Pismo hat for the guy who fixes my computer for free.... 1/3 done and this one may not see Christmas as an FO...tiny needles, tiny stitches....
  • A Sofie ala Norma in Cascade 220 - Knit, felted, just need to get the handle hardware on there. Knowing me, I'll be doing that at 1 a.m. Christmas eve.....
  • Another novelty scarf of Fun Fur and acrylic boucle - 1/3 done. The Fun Fur is the self striping kind and the distraction of the color change is at least saving me from slitting my throat. I knit through at least one repeat of the three colors (black, navy and turqouise) at a sitting. This may be mindless knitting, but it is also endless knitting....
  • Branching Out in Silky Wool - Knit, needs to be blocked.

There are other things I could/might start given the time....the question is, can I do this and work full time? That's the $100,000 question. If I could just get my employer to let me knit at my desk.....uh...not likely. What will help is that Jodie will be working a lot of nights and I don't sleep well when she's gone...so I can knit, I hope.

So reading over this post, you may think I am all fragile and crap. I'm not. I feel that way sometimes.....but I am effing strong, thank you very much. I can do this...I'm sure I can.

Friday, December 09, 2005

I Don't Think I' Up For That....

So...I saw the postings for Secret Pal 7. My very first reaction was "I wanna do that!!"

Then reality intruded. I'm not good at it. I wish I was...but I'm not. I don't have the finances to send a lot or a lot of time to devote to it. The one I did, my pal was disappointed...she needed more attention than I could give. I did my best...and I thought I was holding up my end of the deal, but in the end she was disappointed and I ended up feeling bad. Not fun. I had a great "giver" pal...she was in Germany and sent me a big box of yummy wonders that I treasure. So....no SP for me. And you know what? That's okay. I did it...I learned a lot about myself and how it works and it's just not for me...I'm okay with it.

I did not knit yesterday at all. Some "stuff" came up....I ended up in bed by 8 pm. The holidays are getting to me...money issues are getting to me...sigh.

When I start on the slippery slope to depression, one of the first things I do is make a list of things I am grateful for. Gratitude is a good thing. Here's a partial list.....what are you grateful for? My list is in no particular order either, just as it pops into my head...
1. I have a good job.
2. My car runs.
3. I'm in love....and she loves me back.
4. I have good kids.
5. I have a roof over my head.
6. Knitting.
7. The sun shining on the snow.

That's about all I can come up with at this moment. But....it's a start.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Lady Madonna

Sorry for the multiple posting... technical difficulties on my part. Found this over at Purlewe....go take it!

Lady Madonna
You scored 29 shyness, 22 bitterness, 71 moral, and 27 eccentric!

You are Lady Madonna! This single was a celebration of motherhood. Whether you're a parent or not, you probably are an average, mature person, just trying to make your way through this world. You have your modest pleasures, but for the most part you're occupied with responsibilities, doing the right thing, and taking care of people close to you. "Lady Madonna, children at your feet. Wonder how you manage to make ends meet. Who finds the money, when you pay the rent? Did you think that money was heaven sent?" - 'Lady Madonna'





New Tricks

Well, gift knitting continues apace. Will it be done by Christmas? No clue. None of these items are life or death to me...if they get done, great, if not...s'aright.

I did learn a cool new (to me) trick...The Pismo Hat has a couple of stripes. I avoid stripes because I just don't usually like the way they come out, both the jog problem and that first row of color change just....doesn't do it for me.

The designer gives a couple of cool hints about the jog issue, and they really helped. Didn't completely obliterate the problem - most likely from my lack of skill, not the directions. The thing that really worked and rocked my little boat? You know how when you're doing ribbing and you change colors, that first row of the color change can just look crappy? You have a little bump of the color sort of standing out in the row below it? She completely solves this problem by knitting the first round, then going back to the rib pattern. This makes a really sharp demarcation of color...I liked it so much, I cast on for another hat using my leftover Cascade Superwash from the Chinese Tapestry Hat with some stripes...just cause I love how that little trick works! I'll try to get a pic of the finished CTH soon.....

You might find it amusing...I'm making this latest hat for my sweetie's....husband. Like me, Jodie was married a long time. Her husband is a very kind man. He is probably the only one of her immediate family that gave her no grief when she came out and left the marriage. So, I'm making him a beanie for Christmas....or whenever it gets done. I wish all women who figure themselves out later in life who are already married could have a husband like him. I certainly didn't. When I came out, my ex-husband took it really personally. His bitterness continues undiminished 7.5 years later. If I had left for a man...he said he would have actually felt better. But to leave because I figured out I was lesbian? Major slap to his ego I guess. You know how they say, "you don't know some one till you('re) married to/live with them"? Nope, let me tell you, you don't know them till you divorce them. Over seven years later, I still find myself with wrinkled brow asking myself "who IS THIS? This cannot be the same man I was married to for 14 years...who is in there now?"

Started to make a simple ribbed hat from some yummy variegated blue sock yarn from stash...I usually knit so tightly, I thought it would be fine on 3.25 mm needles. About half an inch in the ribbing...I didn't like it. I had that initial "damn it, what a waste of a good hour" feeling...but Margene's post from yesterday popped into my mind again....and she is so right. It is the process. I was able to just say, "huh. That didn't work. Let's try something else." Thanks Margene!

Lastly, I got a good laugh-out-loud moment when reading the tale of TMK and Rat Bastard...Head on over to Mossy Cottage for your own dose of hilarity...

Monday, December 05, 2005

Making Up For Lost (knitting) Time

This pattern is the bomb....simple...quick...great results. I've made 1.75 pair over the weekend along with other knitting and I'm planning on making MORE!

Pics hopefully soon....in the meantime, the first pair was done with Cascade Quatro (color 9435) and the second (almost done pair) is in Lorna's Shepard Sock worsted in the Watercolor colorway...these are so soft and so yummy to just look at .... and I think they are gonna be MINE.

The only pic I have to offer today is of one of our kittens...named "Sahara" by Michelle (I am honored belive me). This is post-kitty mania...

Also about to hop on the needles are these hats - The Pismo Hat and His Hat, from Marnie MacLean...LOVE her stuff, tho a majority of it is not, ahem, suited to the fluffy.

Holidays are upon us...I find myself doing the mood swing dance....Things I love and things that make me wanna hide in bed till January 2nd. Tonight: Baking sugar cookies and decorating the tree whilst sipping hot cocoa.

It sounds nice, doesn't it? Part of me would still like to just eat all the cookies, swig something besides hot cocoa, and go straight to bed. But...I'm The Mom....so...send along thoughts for not strangling children or kittens and actually enjoying my little piece of the holidays....

Friday, December 02, 2005

My Head's Not THAT Big

That was the expression on Jodie's face last night when she tried on her hat.

See....I tried to "fix" it. It came out okay, in fact, if you didn't know what the color pattern was SUPPOSED to look like, you'd think it was 'right fine.' But I was stressed it was too small. So, I dunked in a nice Eucalan bath and stretched it....a bit.

It's now that hat that ate Manhattan. So...it's superwash wool, I can't felt it down...what now? Re-dunk and hope it regains it's pre-humongous state? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Once I finished the hat....I worked on Hanging Vines. I'm almost afraid to tell you in case I jinx myself...but it's going great. I'm having a blast with it. The yarn (Mountain Colors Bearfoot) is soft and the color....well it makes my little heart beat fast I tell ya.

Isn't it amazing what color can do to us? Before knitting, if someone asked me my favorite color, it was a simple question with a pretty simple answer. Now....it's a much bigger question. It makes my head spin...my heart sing....I saw some Fleece Artist while surfing blogs last night...and could feel my mouth starting to water...I hit The Fold again and soaked in the Socks That Rock colorways....

Guess I'm hooked. :) Good thing, I was scrounging around in the garage for size 5.0 DPNs...of which I found ONE, but that's another story argh....and through the stash...ahem. I have some yarn out there. Ahem...you know...just a little.

Have a lovely weekend....

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Home Is Where My Heart Is...

I wanna be home. Knitting.

There was 7" of fresh snow on my car this morning...and it continues to come down hard.

I would love to be home....even tho school's closed and the children are there...knitting up a storm. Love my children, mind you....but the distraction factor in knitting with kids is pretty high for me. Again, my admiration for the Yarn Harlot deepens...a woman who can knit (incredibly too) with children AND consume alcohol...well...wow. Can I be a Yarn Harlot when I grow up?

The Chinese Tapestry Slip Stitch Hat....continues. But...it has a boo-boo. Trying to knit while childen around me...under me...over me played with kittens (THREE kittens)...I got confused. Lost my place in the pattern. Unwilling to tink the slip stitch pattern...I said..."ok...let's start from......here."

Uh, it was not the right spot. I continued on anyway. Now there is a boo boo in the color pattern. It's not HUGE and GLARING or anything...but it's not perfect. History has proven when something is not perfect, I tend to abandon it. (projects, not people. I LOVE imperfect people.
:-P). So now the challenge is to finish it, warts and all. I could try to rip it back, but I KNOW it would be messy...and I'd probably end up ripping back to the beginning and starting over...and I don' wanna.

So, I'm trying to just go with it.

But...I'm not home working on said hat, no. I'm at work. Being responsible. Earning pennies to pay the rent. Bummer.

Not a stitch on Hanging Vines last night. I knew I was too tense and distracted, especially after the boo boo on the hat happened. Jodie works till 11:30 pm tonight, so after kids go to bed (and hopefully kittens too) I'll pull it out. I'm also dying for some major time on The Braids Cardigan.

Time. I need more of it. Got any? Send your extras to me....

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Well.....isn't that....special

In a boredom-killing effort at work, I clicked on my blog counter stats. Among the usual suspects for referrers (thanks Ryan! you made my stats hum again after my long absence!), there was a google search for ....

"Sahara pees"

Apparently, there is a porn star with the moniker of Sahara who performs...uh....what's it called? Ahem..."water sports."

All I could think of was "that figures." Of course now that I've used the words "porn" and "pee" together, I should get lots of hits from these .... uh....adventurous?....folks.

Maybe I can reel them in to the Dark Side....Knitting. Hey you porn addicts....yarn porn is so much more satisfying....ahem, I'm sure. Safe to look at from work....yer spouse won't get all bent out of shape....there's the relaxation/zen thing angle...

You'll never guess what I cast on for ..... again. Hanging Vines. The really bizarre thing? It's going great! I'm using luscious, absolutely rich and soft....yummy....Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Wild Raspberry. I can't find a true pic of the color on line...it is described as "purples, raspberry and a hint of leaf green"... If I can get a decent pic of it myself I'll post it. I am working on this when the kids have gone to bed and Jodie is working nights. I had so much trouble with the pattern earlier that I gave up on it....but I am LOVING the way it is coming out in this yarn. Here's hoping the love continues....

I'm about 2" into the body of the Chinese slip stitch hat...but you know, that Mountain Colors was demanding some attention....and it won.

Knitting Fever

Mmmm it's good to be back. Good to cruise the web and see the amazing knitting going on...laugh at the stories y'all tell...drool over new colors and patterns.

I appreciate the warm welcome back into the fold of knit bloggers. Always welcomed home...open arms. My family of origin could take a few lessons.

One of the things I did while I was away was have an evaluation for sleep apnea. Emily used to tell me she thought I stopped breathing in the night....but I didn't do anything about it.

Over the last year...I have had crushing fatigue that has changed my life most unpleasantly. But I wasn't willing to go to the sleep lab and do the work involved. Why? Well....that would be self care. You know...taking care of your health....and I haven't been one to do that. I'll take care of my kids, my friends, strangers on the street....but me? Nah...I can wait. You know....till there's money for it. And time, yeah, more time too.

Then there's the whole CPAP thing....ever seen someone with CPAP on? Dead sexy....Jodie calls it "The Snuffleuffagus" look...I just didn't wanna mess with it. If they say I have sleep apnea and I have to sleep with that thing on....geez, what a hassle. Nah. I'll just live with it. Despite the fact I've had two near accidents from damn near falling asleep at the wheel...despite my work performance has suffered and I've been pretty much unable to work a 40 hour work week. Despite that I am exhausted and bitchy as all hell and no fun to be around. Despite the fact that I have felt like I am a spectator in life rather than a participant because I'm so effing tired ALL THE TIME....No, I didn't wanna mess with it.

When Jodie joined me...she also said, "you know you might have sleep apnea...you stop breathing and twitch all night..."

Then I started going to Overeater's Anonymous. Which is changing my life...in a really big way. Learning that "normal" people...care for their health. Their body...their spirit...that my compulsive overeating is part of a bigger problem than "just" being overweight, it is about so much more. The first self care thing I have done for myself is to make the appointment and actually go do the sleep evaluation.

Hooked up to numerous leads....video taped and recorded during an over night stay. I have a follow up on December 20th. I dread they will tell me, yes indeedio, you have sleep apnea. I am even more afraid they might say I don't.

Last night we watched "City of Angels"....my first time seeing it. Excellent movie. Cried buckets...and usually I avoid anything that makes me blubber...but apparently I needed it.

Jodie works a lot of nights till 11:30 p.m., and tonight is one of those nights. I plan on KNITTING!!!! Wheeeeee. The Braids Cardigan has been neglected for the entire 6 weeks. Think it's time for it to have a little attention.....Let ya know how that goes...

Monday, November 28, 2005

Remember me?

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. Geez.

Still not a lot of knitting going on, but finally actually PICKED UP some needles and dinked around.

Lots of focus on belly dance the last two months. This is a good thing, but not for my knitting. I want both, the dancing and the knitting. Frequently, it get's down to one or the other however. Compounding the problem, I am struggling with constant pain in my right elbow running down the outside of the forearm into the hand...that ulnar nerve thing again.

The Baby Albert Baby Coat is about 2/3 done. It starts as a strip which turns out to be the bottom of the coat. You then pick up and knit one front, then the back, then the other front. Sleeves are then picked up and knit and voila, yer done. I'm on the second front. Might actually finish it before the baby it is intended for gets here. Might.

I cast on for this hat, for my freezing sweetie. You'll remember Jodie is from Louisiana....where they wear shorts at Christmas time. It's durned cold here right now, and the snow hasn't even hit yet.

I'm using Cascade 220 Superwash, which is new to me. I love, and I mean LOVE, Cascade 220, but didn't even know they made superwash. I went to the snobby yarn shop for the first time in .... over a year? maybe more like two years? and fell in love with it. 220 yard balls, I got three colors - navy (803?), medium blue (814), and light blue (847). Don't have the bands with me so those are guesses to the actual colors. Enough for the hat and a scarf. Who knows, maybe mittens too???

I cast on and got the band done - which is a nice sturdy band as the designer has you knit x amount of rows, then on the last row, put wrong sides together and pick up the cast-on row with the last row of the band. Makes a really nice edge for the cap. Tell ya one thing...dark navy and trying to pick up stitches.....dang I felt old. Anyway, got past that and oh....10 rows into the slip stitch pattern when I had her try it on.

Too small. Waaaaaay too small. The pattern says size 5's and I cast on for the "medium". Well, being all scientific....I switched to size 8's and cast on the for large. I'll just knit on and we'll see where it goes.

I imagine that kind of knitting would drive some up the wall....but it's me. Seat of the pants knitting pretty much.

As I said, belly dance is heating up for me. Lots of choreography for the troupe, myself, my daughter, and friends. Trying to work on my own routine.....so I don't kick myself later. My area has just begun a bellydance guild...(highdesertbellydance.org) and guess who is co-chair for this year? Yup, that would be me. I'm excited about it....tho it is time away from knitting.

I've missed knitting. Really missed it. I have not read a blog, looked at patterns, looked at yarn, NUTHIN' for 6 weeks.

Just think of all I've missed! Now it's time to play catch up...wheeeeeee!

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Not A Lot Of Knitting

Life is a little hectic right now...work...kids in school...dance stuff...life.

I have completed the seemingly neverending strip for the bottom of the Baby Albert Coat, basically 200 rows of garter stitch. Seems like it should have gone a lot faster than it did...now almost done with the first front...Using Lorna's Laces Ice House...Ugly pics taken with webcam to be posted in a day or so. It is not the easiest way to do pics...the webcam. Equally ugly pics of progress on The Braids cardigan...tho the yarn is dark and I don't know if any detail actually comes through. argh.

One of the things that is taking up my time is OA. You know, when you have handled every pain, crisis, and celebration with food your entire life...when you stop that..you have to deal with FEELINGS.

I have consistently brought alcoholic/addicts into my life, until Jodie. I can honestly say I have a completely different perspective on their motivations and struggles.

OA is not a "diet". I have only shared with a select few people in my "real world" that I am working this program. One of them asked me, "So, how's your new diet going...lost any weight?"

No not really. But I have gained a tremendous insight to myself in the last 6 weeks. I am painfully aware this is not a quick fix. I'd like a quick fix, you know..."Step one, check. Step two, check....step twelve, check. Okay. I'm done now."

It's not going to work that way.

I don't know how to face the day-to-day crap that comes along without eating to soothe myself. Noticed when I stopped eating to soothe...I wanted to start shopping. Replace one complusion with another, aye?

Knitting is helping me. It is medatative and soothes me. I suspect I could (and have) knit compulsively as well. This however doesn't endanger my health or relationships....well...not much. ;-P

One thing that stands out clearly in my mind....If I could redirect the energy I have put into compulsive overeating and trying NOT to compulsively overeat...say into knitting...I could clothe an entire family in hand knits.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Sahara Dances

After some prodding by lovely readers, I offer you a few pics of last weekend's belly dance event...produced by my dance troupe, Sahara's Dream...

Me announcing...Wish I could remember what I was saying here...Hmmm.

Our guest workshop instructor in performance, Mezdulene. She is balancing two swords at one time on her head in this shot, you can clearly see across, and the handle of the second sword crossing the other direction just above her forhead. Talented, gracious, very kind woman.

My troupe, Sahara's Dream, with three members and one guest dancer, in our opening performance. Another shot here.

Our closing routine, Walla Mara here and here.

Knitting? Well, I completed one row on The Braids Cardigan this week so far. That tells you how much knitting time I've had. We had a computer upgrade at work....which went live Monday. Anyone who has done this before, well, you know exactly how well it went.

Gearing up to make another baby sweater tho...leaning toward Trellis.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

But They Don't Make This Anymore!!

Last night, Jodie and I wandered around Tuesday Morning killing a bit of time.

To be honest....ahem...we needed to kill some time, and as we passed Tuesday Morning, I recalled someone (Norma maybe?) saying they had made a killing on Cotton Ease at their local store.

Oh so casually...I said, "hey, let's stop and look there."

Lo and behold, what should reside in the far back corner? The craft section (which didn't even exist the last time I was in there)....with some Cotton Ease. Three skeins for $5.99. Not a lot...and the only color I was interested in was a light blue.

Jodie caught me looking....gave me one of those "like you could possibly knit all the yarn you have NOW" looks...and I said ...

"But, they don't make this any more! You can't get this, it's discontinued...."

She rolled her eyes....and three bags of three came home with me. :) Now, of course, I am thinking I really SHOULD have gotten the last one too...making it 12 skeins and about 2400 yards....and at lunch...well...you just might catch me there.

Monday, October 03, 2005

A Plethora of Pictures

In no particular order....we have:

My Cascade 220 Sofie (Norma's version) Prefelted...see the Altoids tin for size comparison.

Same bag, felted. This has bamboo handles...but I need to get rivit rings or whatever the dickens they're called to attach the handles to the bag...

Kayla's Hayden hat...Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted

Michelle's Hayden... Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted

Michaels Tychus - Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride and something I don't remember....

And a pic of me and my sweet patootie....

Now...I just need to figure out what camera has the Baby Surprise Jacket and Branching Out along with who knows what else...

Up to about 1.5-2 inches on The Braids Cardigan....now that I have read the directions...I'm having a ball. :)
I know, not a plethora to a lot of people, but here at Sahara knits.... it is. Have a great day!

Friday, September 30, 2005

Skill Level: Adventurous

What does that mean to you? Adventurous? Well, I don't know what it meant to me...until I decided to embark on a new sweater. (Ribby Cardi? Uh, what about it? You trying to pick a fight here? Ribby will get her day in court..uh, I mean, Ribby will get finished...eventually. Rogue? Well, I finally made a decision, it is going to the frog pond. Not because I don't LOVE the pattern, but since I could only get guage on size 10's with Cascade 220...I really don't like the fabric it creates. Yes...I'm half done with it...but I don't LOVE it. So...a froggy we will go.)

Anyway...what was I talking about? Huh. Yet another mental pause moment...lots of those today considering this is day 19 in a row of work for me. True, I have had to only work as little as 3 hours a couple of those days...but 19 days without a whole day off...AND being sick for 5 of those days...well...the entire morning has been one loooong mental pause....

Anyway...uh...um. Oh yes, Skill level: Adventurous. I was digging around in the stash and came across this pattern, The Braids Cardigan from Cabin Fever. Thought, hey, you know, you HAVE to have enough yarn for this puppy in your stash somewhere...and low and behold, I dug up the Patons Classic Merino I had purchased for Must Have Cardi. Now....I DO intend to one day actually cast on for this .... ahem, really I do...really...especially since I ***blush*** joined the stupid KAL for it...damn it Norma....

Anyway, what were we talking about? Uh..oh! Must Have. The deal is, once I got the pattern in hand (I had the yarn before the pattern I think) I decided I wanted it in classic creamy Aran color rather than the dark teal I had purchased. So 10 skeins of the Patons in Dark Teal have been waiting patiently in the stash.

I swatched....got gauge. I cast on...272 stitches. Now, I know this isn't a lot to many of you...but you are talking to a woman who hasn't knit much with a cast on of over 50 lately at all. Row 1...done. Struggled a little, cause the pattern is scrunched up in the way it's printed...kept losing my place...but got through it. Row 2...what's wrong? Why am I coming out with 2 stitches left???? Tinked back....you know, 270 stitches. Did it again and low and behold...2 extra stitches. Got sorta crabby. Ahem. You know...sorta. The 17yo, Kayla, says..."why are you in such a bad mood?!?!?"

"I'm NOT in a bad MOOD!!!!" .......................oh. well, maybe I am.

I ended up ripping it out. Decided to cast on a larger needle for the first row anyway, cause I used a knitted cast on and the first time it was sorta tight. Thought, I'm gonna write this row out where I can see it....not all scrunched up. Bingo.

The designer of this pattern expects you to think. I know, what's that about? Ahem, Did I read all the way through the pattern before I cast on? Well no. What a stupid question that is. When the skill level is "Adventurous"....perhaps one should actually READ the pattern, whatcha think?

What I missed is an "extra" stitch on each "side" that she turns into what she calls "phoney seams"...to help the sweater which is knit in the round, hang a little better. By slowing down, writing the pattern row out...I could finally see what she was doing...and therefore what I should be doing.

Whew. I'm up to row 4. Let you know how this goes.

Pictures: I have lots. Got 'em developed yesterday. Put the disc in last night to load pics...and the stupid disc doesn't work. I said a few choice words. It goes back today with the negatives....and hopefully will be returned to me in working order. Then, I can show you the hat bonanza I was on last month...the process shots of my Norma's version of Sofie, and some other nice shots.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Sick....again

The title says it all. Nasty head cold that I can feel is trying to morph into bronchitis. I took the better part of two days off, but today, here I am at work. Our on-call person is on vacation this week...of course she is, what else would I expect? So I need to be here. Though if I continue down hill I'll be 0ut of here by noon. Dang. I need the hours too.

Eragon was lovely. I read it during the two part days I had off...now Jodie and I are both lusting after the next book in the series, Eldest.

Knitting? Uh, not much. Started a pair of mittens...stash busting some woolease. Using the pattern from Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns...I know. I know. There are usually TWO mittens. I'm trying to break myself of second-anything syndrome.

There was a very first Stitch N Bitch locally last night...and I was too sick to go. :(

Dang.

Lastly, because the oddness of my relationship with the internet lies in the fact I don't let people I KNOW in on the fact that I blog, I will share with you something I'm not sharing with anyone else in 3D. I am exploring Overeater's Anonymous. Let you know how that goes. Since I have long joked that food is my drug of choice...well...maybe I should be dealing with it as the addiction it is. I'm thinking on it anyway. Ugh. I have to go take more sinus meds and act like I'm working now.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Book Vs Movie

I have been a voracious reader since I was in first grade. I often note those with ugly childhoods frequently turned to escapism through books.

I tend to prefer fantasy and mysteries to nonfiction...after all, I read to escape! Occassionally, I'll binge on self-help books....*blush*.....they are my secret trashy reading. I would rather be flayed ( or is that "filleted?" hee) than ever read a bodice ripper again. They nauseate me.

All this is leading up to what I'm reading currently: The Lord Of The Rings. Nope, never read it before. I read The Hobbit in high school and somewhere along the line I developed the idea I had also read LOTR. Now, more than half through it, I realize I most certainly never have read it before.

Am I naive in that I was shocked how different the book is from the movie? I keep turning to Jodie (a dyed in the wool LOTR addict) and saying "hey! they did this completely different in the movie!!" I love the movies...but I am enjoying the book immensely.

We are also reading (tho I have given it back over to Jodie while I finish LOTR) "Eragon". This is a young adult novel about a boy and his dragon and we are enjoying it very much. In fact, she needs to finish cause once I close LOTR....I want it!

Knitting? Mmmmm....almost done with The Boy's Tychus...hopefully this weekend. Not sure what after that....I still have tons of yarn in my stash and I need to work from it. I am having some yarn buying lust...but I'll continue to control myself a bit longer.

Question of the day: What are YOU reading??

Monday, September 12, 2005

Happy 100th Post To Me!

Geez, it has taken me over a year...(well over a year, but let's not go into that) to get to 100 posts. What a slacker I am.

Knitting:
Over the weekend, I cast on for Tychus. Now, this is for a 9 yo boy. The examples were knit out of doubled Red Heart. I had no problem with acrylic, especially for the boy. I knit away on one "wedge" using double strand Lion Brand Pound O' Love, Denim Blue and White.

Can you say THICK? So thick it could be a helmet. He had originally wanted red and blue, but I didn't have enough acrylic to do it doubled. I did, however, have some stashed red with multicolored flecks that I eventually combined with a navy Lamb's Pride worsted and the hat is on it's third of five wedges. Gauge is a bit different, but we'll see how it works out. I will eventually finish the helmet Tychus for Dulaan.

Also finished the second Hayden hat. This one in Lamb's pride sage green, darker green (forest?) and light gray. Daughter loves it, wears it constantly. In fact, last night after her shower, she put it back on again to watch tv. I think she likes it. :)

Took pics, hopefully get them developed Friday...you know...when I get paid again. Finally. Dang I hate being broke.

Started working on my weight again today. Back on the protein program, cut sugar....which means I have had no coffee this a.m. - cause you know, I can't drink it without a lot of crap in it. Sipping a diet coke just don't cut it. But I'm gaining weight again, and I can't stand it. Especially since I am dancing October 8 in a show here with my troupe and for a solo....Something has to happen.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Cables And Shrugs And Lace, Oh My

NOTE: I have added the links to pics in the post from Tuesday, hence a "double post". Scrool down to see a pic of the ZigZag scarf....and a frightening rendition of yours truly. I look po'd...or sick....or something. Something not good. I didn't realize how vain I was until I saw that picture....damn getting older anyway.

Have you seen the new Knitty? I am frankly not always ecstatic over the designs in Knitty...they often just aren't "me." The last issue, focusing on men's knits, left me about as cold as possible, with the exception of the Tychus Hat, which I have down on the mile-long list of want to try projects.

When I got the notification this a.m. that the new fall Knitty was up I can honestly say I thought, oh. Big Deal. Then I looked....and said "OH!" Several of the designs really popped out at me. This cabled shrug especially "Blackberry"....the description calls it a cardigan, but it looks like a glorified shrug to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm crazy about it! Besides, a shrug I have hope of actually finishing.....lol.

This lace shawl "Ella"...yum. The colors in the model literally make me drool.

Best issue of Knitty to date, in my opinionated mind.

Bound off the Hayden hat for my daughter (scroll to bottom of page for pics). Hoping to get her to model for a pic...but she's 17 and well....you know. Cast on for another Hayden in dark green, sage green and light gray for my son. This time, I am keeping track of the pattern a bit better ... I hope. I would like to try a 5-color Hayden as well, but decided I should make sure I could do one with three colors AND keep track of the pattern first...then try the five color version.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Please Join Me In A Moment Of Silence

For the Hanging Vines Scarf. She met her end in the frog pond over the weekend.

Friday, I noticed she just didn't look quite "right." Thinking drastic measures were called for, I tinked back 4 rows or so...and She seemed to be her old self for awhile...

Saturday, I held her up to the light, to admire her pretty pattern....and saw it. About three inches from the needles...her pattern...well....it wasn't right. In fact, it was Really Not Right. We are talking probably two entire pattern repeats, translated into hours of knitting lost.

I held her gently....told her how beautiful she was....and ended both our misery. I have accepted that at this point in my life, Hanging Vines is just not to be. Perhaps....with school back in session as of today...as fall commences and I perhaps have undistracted time in a quiet house...she could be reborn.

Frankly, I mostly felt resignation and a bit of relief at her frogging.

Then, I cast on for a Hayden....which is looking pretty fine. I've messed up a bit, but since it is a slip stich pattern, only I really know that. The recipient, my 17-year-old, thinks it is very cool. I won't burden her with the knowledge that I've messed up the pattern rows a bit. I'm in the shaping and that seems to be going well so far....

**Note: Below I mention Pictures. Yup. I have a couple. But the disc is at home. And I'm at work. So I just decided to publish anyway. So for my FIVE loyal blogline subscribers (hee that still makes my day! Five!) sorry for the double post when I eventually drag the disc in here later today and add the link for the pics**

We developed pictures over the weekend....and of course.....this roll only had a few knit pics on it. Sigh. Here, we see the ZigZag scarf. Noro Kuryeon, colorway 91. I bound off at 2 skeins...and realize it is too short. Annoyed, it has been stuffed. I WILL drag it back out again and add another skein so it is a real scarf instead of a neck warmer...argh.


Lastly, only because I feel guilty that I only have the one knit pic to show...Here is a pic of me, outside, knitting on the aforementioned ZigZag. Ugh. *The picture sucks. I don't want to show it to you. But since I only have the one other picture for now...I'm doing it solely out of guilt.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Katrina Relief

If you haven't already seen Margene's and Susan's Relief efforts, head on over. I will be donating a hank of Knit Picks Shimmer in the Stained Glass colorway for a prize as well as contributing to the Red Cross. Just do it...it's the right thing to do.

Jodie is devastated...there are friends and family she still has no word on...The New Orleans she talked of taking me to visit is gone. The Gulf Coast is ravaged....thousands have lost everything and who knows how many lives have been lost.

If everyone gives just a little...it could make an incredible difference. Don't let the news that MTV is donating $1 million, Disney $2.5 million etc make you think that we don't need to help. When you think of the toll this has taken on the entire region...I can't even imagine how many millions it would take to restore these peoples lives to some semblance of normalcy.

Knitting: Hanging Vines continues. I had to rip 4 rows back due to a dropped stitch...and no, I don't use lifelines. I was stressed (that is actually an understatement) and when I first noticed there might be a problem....I just kept on knitting...which was flat stupid. The price was ripping 4 rows back in hairy laceweight stitch by stitch. Thank God I'm only doing a scarf! I probably would have had a meltdown of gigantic proportions if it was any bigger....

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Popularity

I was over at Carole's checking out her comment contest. Her post about knowing she has readers...but they don't comment got me thinking.

You know how dangerous that is....my thinking.

I am a true introvert as defined by the "test" (INFP)..someone who gets their energy from being alone rather than being with people. I would rather have one good friend than a lot of acquaintances. I was never in the popular groups....always had a small, tight-knit group of friends.

Yes, I am vain enough to look at how many visitors I have a day...I try really hard to respond to comments when I can...but work tends to sqaush that sometimes. I always go and look at commentor's blog and try to leave a comment of my own...sort of a reciprocal commenting thing. I was ridiculously pleased to find out I have five subscribers through Bloglines. Yep...5 made my day.

It brings back the question, yet again, why am I doing this? I am not on any rings...don't care to be either. I don't care that I will never have 100s of readers waiting with bated breath for my next post. Sort of makes me laugh to even consider it.

And once again...it is about connection. Connecting with a few people who "get" it. Who get why I knit...and/or being queer...or tend to depression....or some other connecting point.

Well worth it.

Knitting content: I have been taking pics and will be able to afford to actually develop them this weekend, then watch out...I'll be posting pics! wheeeee.

Hanging Vines and I are finally in sync. I like the method of one page per row print outs, makes the row "pop" and I can SEE what I'm doing....finally. Straight bamboo needles have taken the irritation out of the too-tight yarn overs sticking on the circ joins...and that has caused much more love to flow for the Knit Picks laceweight yarn, Alpaca Cloud in Tidepool. I am starting to enjoy myself with it...keeping in mind this will be a long-term project for me. That I will not quit half way through it....I will finish this scarf.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Perseverance

Last night on my way out of work, I enlarged the chart for Hanging Vines to 120%. At home, I tried a couple more yarns...some light blue/beige LL sock yarn....which I love...but...bleh. Went out and dragged out the Lagoon Twinkletoes yarn that makes my heart beat fast....I know it's still variegated, but I LOVE this yarn and the variegation is much more subtle. It looked much better than anything I've tried previously...but...still doesn't show the pattern too well. Realized part of my frustration is trying to knit this on circs. The yarn overs at the end of the rows tend to tighten up...hanging on the joins of the circ to the cable.

Finally....I went back to the garage and dug, seriously dug, until I found a pair of bamboo size 6 straight needles. These worked so much better...but still the pattern doesn't show well for all this work. So today I have the KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud back in the car along with the bamboo straights.

Thanks to a suggestion from the Summer of Lace Yahoo Group on knitting lace with charts, I made a copy of the pattern for each pattern row (12 rows, all WS are purled - so six copies). Each page I colored one row - Green for SSK, Blue for K2tog and Red for K3 tog. Stapled them together...and at break this a.m. I am back to this pattern again.

In the past, I would have given up a long time ago. Said "this is too hard". But all those posts by Margene are swirling in my head...about finishing. I seriously WANT this scarf....and all the trials of yarn, needles, and keeping track of the pattern are only steps to getting it, right? Right. At 41, I am discovering some things I don't like about myself. I do not have a lot of perseverance for things I want...I have said "this is too hard" about way too many things in my life. I have a lot of willingnes to stick with relationships...even those that are way past the expiration date. But doing something for myself? My dancing...costuming...knitting for myself...I don't seem to think I am worth a lot of trouble.

Time for that to change.

Monday, August 29, 2005

Hanging Vines Is Kicking My Butt....

I had high hopes that I would receive my order from Elann Friday or Saturday and have the opportunity to cast on for Hanging Vines. Friday...Nothing. Saturday....Nothing. 8 pm Sunday night the neighbor comes over with an envelope...the postman had gotten it in her box.

I found some wonderful Twinkletoes sock yarn Knitti-Me had gifted me with months ago....the only size 6 needles I own appear to be Addi Turbos so I grabbed those and cast on. Placed the markers as described, knit the foundation row. So far, so good. Row 1...knitting carefully as I am not a great chart knitter...done. Row 2, purl across...okay, did that. Row 3....uh oh. Too many stitches left over. Dang. Ripped, re-cast on. Foundation row, place markers....check. Row 1....check. Row 2......okay, check. Row 3.....Cursing ensues. Ripped again. Shut off the TV. Kids and Jodie went to bed. I sit at the kitchen table in good light. Ditch the markers because now I see there is a note for that row that the markers move....and well....I've had it with the markers. In silence...I dog my way through the 12 row repeat. All is well. Without the markers, I seem to do fine. I smooth out the one repeat I have on the needles.

As much as I love this yarn....the variegation completely obscures the lace pattern. You know....the lace pattern I have just spent well over an hour getting through one repeat done. I go to bed, deciding to sleep on it and see what I think in the morning.

In the morning, I think the same thing. This is, to me, "fussy knitting." I am going to have to pay attention through the entire project and the variegated yarn is going to hide all that work. No go. I trot out to the garage, dig out the KnitPicks laceweight and a pair of bamboo needles. Size 4 instead of 6...but it's what I have in bamboo. Already know from dealing with this yarn that it is bamboo or suicide for me.

Get to work 15 minutes early. Shut the car off...turn the radio off....take a couple of swigs of coffee (Dutch Brothers Ducth Freeze....my elixer of life). Cast on. Count twice...do I have the right amount of stitches? Yes, I do. Knit foundation row. Knit first row......What the *&%^@ ??

Way too many stitches left over at the end of the row. Not one...or two...like..... 9.

This is now sitting on the front seat of my car....thrown in absolute and complete disgust.

At break time, I am un-charting this pattern....writing it out....and trying again. This is not a hard pattern....a handful of stitches...the most complicated of which is a SSK. Yarn overs and SSKs with a few K2tog and every once in awhile K3tog.

Why is this pattern kicking my butt like this? I seriously think it's the chart thing. I don't know that I've done lace in a chart before....I did okay with Rogue's chart....sigh.

My 17yo said last night as she observed me steaming through ripping out....again... cursing under my breath......"I thought you said knitting was relaxing?"

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Thinking

If you haven't been following Margene's posts on clutter....make time and go read them. She is eerily on the mark with my own issues.

I dreamed last night about blogging. I was somewhere, and the subject of local knit blogs came up. A woman said, "Do you read 'Sahara Knits'?" and one or two of the women said they did and they really enjoyed it. I blushed....opened my mouth to say, "That's my blog!" when the first woman said

"Yeah, I used to read her....but she whines too much......and she doesn't have pictures."

Then I woke up.

Knitting content: I finished the two-color multidirectional scarf for my son a day or so ago. Pic will be forthcoming as soon as I get the ends woven. This took a lot longer than the first, and I'm not sure I can pinpoint why. The color changes were every other row, not complex or anything. I can tell you...I got sick of it before I finished it. But, The Boy is happy....and that is what really counts, right?

Started another pattern from the Yahooh Multidirectional Knitting group, The Zig Zag scarf. This one in Kureyon too...greens, yellows, oranges with a little pink and purple. Honestly? eh. It's okay. Probably won't make more than one. Much more likely to make more of the original multidirectional scarf for gifts. This is good break time knitting. I can pick up either of these patterns and just see where I am .... no need to consult pattern or chart. This also makes it handy to ride in the front seat with me while commuting....Why I feel so pleased at nabbing a few rows at stoplights is beyond me, but it pleases me immensely.

Soon as my Heartstrings pattern arrives, I will be casting on for the Hanging Vines scarf. I have two hanks of laceweight from KnitPicks...plenty for a scarf. Hmm....maybe I'd better be scouting out needles...I know I won't be using Denise's with the laceweight, that was a disaster...now I'm wondering...do I have the right size needles? If I do....can I find them?

Ever sit at work (or wherever) and think about knitting? Am I the only one?

Friday, August 19, 2005

A Little Nap Can Work Wonders....

Edit: forgot to add the link to the Heartstrings pattern...sorry...
Thanks, those who commented yesterday...and the private emails too. Yup, "this too shall pass" is important to remember. Mostly, I feel a lot better today, thanks to a longish nap and a good night's sleep. I have been running sleep deprived most of my adult life...but once I cross a certain point of fatigue...I get ugly. Leaves the door open for depression and self-pity to slip in as well.

Well, I broke my spending fast last night...but in a good way, not overindulging. Jodie mentioned that when she was at Fred Meyer they had yarn in the clearance bin again. My head snapped up..."Really? ..... what kind of yarn?" For I know FM stocks Lion Brand...not my favorite but good standby stuff for easy frou-frou scarves, WoolEase for charity knitting, and their cotton is my favorite.

Seeing a spark of interest where before there had been only tired and crabby-ness...Jodie loaded me up in the car and we whizzed down to the clearance aisle. Sure enough, not only on clearance, but with an EXTRA 40% off clearance sign! I got enough frou-frou (LB boucle) for two scarves for Jodie's neices this Christmas and a stole/shawl in LB railroad frou-frou for another gift, all for less than $17! Not bad, eh? Then, I went to Elann this a.m. and ordered a few patterns. I have lots of yarn, but finding patterns I like and feel competent to complete is another matter. Being heavy into lace at the moment, I ordered this Heartstrings pattern, probably to be completed out of sock yarn sitting in my stash. I'm telling you....I have a lot of sock yarn. Also ordered this and this. No yarn, only patterns.

I am at the half way mark on the two-color Multidirectional scarf for my son. You wouldn't think using two colors for such a simple knit would take a lot more time...but it seems to be. I am committed to FINISHING it tho before casting on for anything.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Well.....Isn't This....Disappointing.

I'm not in a good mood today...Norma is blaming the moon for her own case of the crankies...and I'm not too proud to jump on that bandwagon. I'm cranky. I'm oversensitive and overtired as well. It's not pretty.

Last night we went to Barnes & Noble. I made up my mind I would treat myself...I would get the book "Modular Knits" I mentioned earlier this week. They had it....I snatched it off the shelf...flipped through.....and put it back. I know I'm not in a good mood and I will have to revisit it later, but right now...bleh. I am disappointed. The yahoo group for multidirectional knitting is gushing buckets...but, excuse my sarcasm, is that becase the moderator is the author of the book? I enjoyed the multidirectional scarf soooooo much...I had really looked forward to the book. Then spied Nicky Epstein's new "Knitting Over The Edge".....and put it back too. So I wandered over to the magazine section....and was equally unimpressed. Nothing "grabbed" me.

That was when it hit me...I'm cranky. When I go to the bookstore...with cash in my pocket and "permission" from myself to spend....and nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, looks good to me...there is a problem with my attitude.

In parenting there are many opportunities to tell your children (one way or another) "change your attitude!" Right now, I am sincerely regretting ever saying anything of the sort...because I can't seem to change my attitude and I'm supposedly an adult.

I gave myself permission to purchase something, I have the cash for it....and I can't find anything because I am in such a crappy mood. So...Question of the Day...how do you get yourself out of the doldrums...the crankies....the "I feel sorry for myself for no good reason's"??

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

FO....and a picture

Finished the Multidirectional Scarf yesterday...love this pattern! Easy knitting....nice result. Immediately cast on for a two-color Multidirectional Scarf for my son out of stash - aren't you proud? - in Lion Brand Wool Ease, a cranberry red and variegated browns. Looks good, just as easy as a one-color scarf and it's going quickly. I can see lots of these kinds of scarves for Christmas presents...Now..drumroll....I have a picture !! The question of the day is...will it work? Tried to add it to the blog....blog said NO. Not sure if this is because I am trying to do it at work, I am trying to load a pic from a cell phone, or I am inept...or all of the above. Said pic is blurry....but it's a pic, right??

Monday, August 15, 2005

Multidirectional Knitting

Surfing around the web Friday....killing a little dead time at work...I came across a Yahoo group for modular knitting hosted by the woman who wrote Modular Knits, Iris Schreier. If you join the group, you get the pattern for a multidirectional scarf free, as well as other patterns as you go along. I know there are a couple multidirectional scarf patterns on the web, but I was intrigued, and joined. The pattern was sent by Friday afternoon...and I went home and dug out three skeins of Noro Kuryeon that have been languishing in the stash. Have had a really fun time knitting this scarf. After the first triangle I didn't need the pattern, it just becomes obvious where you turn the short rows. I got through one skein and started on the second. Love the way the pattern makes the Noro block into triangles...very cool.

Is this "rocket science" knitting? Uh...no. But is it fun? Yes! Can I watch TV...hold a half intelligent conversation and still knit? Yes! Will I be making more of these? Yes! I have enough Noro for another in stash, and there is a variation to use two colors of yarn that I would like to try as well, which could use up some of the stash as well.

Speaking of stash....ahem. We worked on the hell hole, uh "garage", this weekend. Boxes and boxes, many having been opened and rummaged through...then not closed...crowded half the garage. One by one, Jodie dragged them over to me and I went through...tossing, putting into a pile for Goodwill, or repacking. Ever organized...she had everything put in sections...kids toys, books, bellydance stuff, craft stuff, and yarn. She was flabbergasted at the amount of yarn and craft stuff I have accumulated...hate to tell ya...but we haven't got to all of it yet, especially yarn. Probably another 1/3 of it is still waiting to be discovered. It was sort of like Christmas for me...."oh HERE that is! I was wondering what I did with that...." Having it all in one spot...gee, what a concept. Not having to wander from stash spot to stash spot all over the house, rummaging through boxes? Huh. That's an idea.

I am committed (or is that I should be committed??) to knitting out of stash for a while.... a looooong while. Trying to get my finances in order is time consuming...and means no new yarn, period. Not going to the yarn shop, not looking on the internet at yarn, and especially not even peeking at Ebay. No new books...that one hurts, let me tell you. I did get the new Vogue Knitting mag...and considered it a huge treat.

Have to get the Baby Surprise Jacket sewn up, the shower is this weekend. I hate the sewing up/weaving in ends part. Once I am done knitting on it...I'm done. Need to get my Sofie felted, time ran out this weekend. Longing for the days of taking a half day and going home to knit....but I guess I am paying for all the days I did that when I couldn't afford it....

This is the last week the Boys and Girls Club is open. It is closed the last two weeks of summer....you know...when the two youngest are at the height of their boredom threshold and completely sick of each other. Yay. Color me excited.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Rambling Post

When last I left you, I believe I was gushing about the Knit Picks Shimmer laceweight with which I had begun another Branching Out.

I had cast on...and knit the five rows of garter. I felt a little clumsy, but put it off to knitting quickly in a few stolen moments before work. At break time....I realized I have no hope of knitting with this yarn on Denise's. The tips are too blunt...too round. About drove me insane trying to get through two rows of the lace pattern. At lunch time, I dug around for a set of bamboo in the needed size. Could I find the right size? Of course not. I used a good portion of my lunch making myself crazy looking too. Finally, in desperation that I would have no knitting at my afternoon break if I didn't do something - horrors!- I grabbed more Lion Brand Cotton, correct size needles and decided another dishcloth would be preferable to nothing. Cast on for this dishcloth pattern, Lacy Mock Cable....and I am enjoying it very much.

What is it with dishcloths? Somehow they seem so....blah. But in truth...I really enjoy them. I love knitting with cotton...they are small enough to not trigger my adult-onset knitter's ADD...Dishcloths are an opportunity to try patterns in small doses...like swatches...with purpose.
One of the things I did last year that I really enjoyed....and have somehow stopped doing...was buying just one skein of a yarn I really loved and just playing with it. Trying it on different needles...different gauges...assorted patterns. I enjoyed it...but it also triggered some childhood leftover stuff about "wasting." Mostly I think, who cares? Who cares if I use up a ball of yarn and have "nothing" to show for it but some swatches? It's the experience gained...the pleasure in experimenting...dare I say, "the process" that counts, isn't it? So I use up $7-10 worth of yarn and have "nothing to show" for it...isn't that cheap therapy?

Which leads me to ask, why do I knit in the first place? Why blog? Why post on the internet for the boredom of the masses? I knit because I can't NOT knit. It soothes my soul...delights me in a very deep way...calms the anxieties that hound me. I blog because...it is about connection. I have a handful of blogs I read daily...and these women (so far all women anyway) make me think. They make me think about my knitting....about my life. Today, Margene posted and it could have been me, everthing she said about clutter.

Knitting connects me internally....blogging connects me to other knitters....other women who "get it." So I don't have a lot to show...still haven't figured out the picture posting thing...still haven't finished complex sweaters or designed my own patterns. So what. I'm happy. Good enough, aye?

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

If I Could Just Make Up My Mind....

Following the decision to rip the too-soft silk/merino Branching Out....I took my trusty 365 Day Perpetual Calender of Knitting Stitches (or whatever it's called, I left it at home...) and sat with my Knit Picks Shimmer laceweight and played with a few patterns.

Didn't like anything. I have a hard time envisioning a fabric knit up in a different yarn than pictured. None of the patterns are pictured in laceweight....so I played. Even tho it was not necessarily a successful venture as far as finding a pattern I wanted to follow...it was fun. I enjoyed playing with the yarn itself...in fact, I am quite smitten with it. I love the feel (silk/alpaca blend), I love the color (blue/green heathery look)...

So I brought it along to work this a.m. and since I got here 10 minutes early....cast on for another Branching Out. What is it with this pattern? I usually get bored really quick.....and I do mean, really quick. But I want to make another...so...here goes. It will be vastly different that the previous one I knit in Silky Wool....but I am pleasantly curious as to what the fabric will turn out with this yarn. If it works...hooray. If it doesn't.....oh well. That's the lovely thing about yarn....just take it off the needles and wind it back on the ball.

Yearning for more yarn from Knit Picks....especially since they have many new styles. But...still working on that whole notion of behaving like an adult and not just getting it cause I want it.

So far so good. One day at a time, regardless of what kind of addict one is, aye?

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Weekend From Hell

Surfing around this a.m., I see that my household was not the only one hit with one of those weekends.

Last Wednesday, my youngest came a'knocking at my door at about 1 a.m.....sick, puky....and proceeded to repeat the process about 10 times from 1-6 a.m. Sick as a dog...ate nothing but one piece of toast the next day. This is a boy who eats unendingly....who was willing to eat only one piece of toast all day. That tells you just how bad it was.

Friday afternoon, his sister comes down with it. Friday night....Jodie and the 17-year-0ld are ensconced in separate bathrooms, ralphing in tandem. The twist is...Jodie is diabetic.

Take a diabetic, add the flu....not good. I ended up calling the ambulance at about 3 a.m. We spent over 4 hours in ER and two liters of fluid, multiple rounds of phenergan and I don't remember what else, we went home to spend an exhausted Saturday.

Sunday night....it hit me. Missed work yesterday...and while I made it to work today, my back is out from retching so hard all night.

Seems the planets were misaligned for more than my little household....the blog world this a.m. is full of injuries and ills.

I did knit a bit in ER Friday night....but only enough to realize...I don't like what I'm knitting. I am using luscious, and I do mean luscious, 50% silk/50% merino from Spirit Trail and was knitting another Branching Out. I don't like the combination...the yarn is too soft if that makes any sense. I can't articulate it better...it just isn't working. So today, I'm gonna rip it out. Hit the web a bit for another pattern to try. Could be, this yarn is too soft for a lace pattern...does anyone have any thoughts on that? I don't think blocking would solve the problem.....I wish I could describe what I mean in a better way... does anyone get what I mean here???

If this weekend was ugly for you too....my sincere condolences. If you had a great weekend....well, you are a lucky gal (or feller).

Friday, August 05, 2005

P-P-P-Pressure

If I could get away with it...I would spend today in a quiet room knitting until my fingers went numb. Then, I would have one, just one, Mike's Hard Lemonade. Then I would go to bed and sleep for about 3 days.

But, alas, that ain't gonna happen.

Cassie over at Too Much Wool said something the other day about how we don't always blog about all the stuff going on in our lives....then I read Lene for the first time today, and thought about the subject of pretending...pretending that everything is okay...hiding behind the "okayness"....not wanting to make people feel uncomfortable.

God forbid, we should make someone feel uncomfortable.

That is the story of my life....making sure everyone else was okay....wouldn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable....that would be bad. I'd pretty much give up a limb rather than make someone feel uncomfortable. An exaggeration? uh...not much of one.

Today is a hard day. It doesn't matter why. Today I am feeling vulnerable and anxious. The one thing that really keeps me from going off the deep end is knitting. People who don't knit do not understand that. Some who do knit don't understand it. I don't know if I really understand it.

It's a beautiful day...I am alive for another day...another chance to try to get it right, this business of living. Working on living in the moment, which for me is counting the minutes (31 minutes) until I can escape to sit in my car for 15 minutes and feel the softness of the yarn slide through my fingers....the soothing regularity of knit and purl.........the just-enough-complexity-so-I-don't-think-too-much-ness of a simple lace pattern.

Just keep knitting.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Sofie...ready for her bath

Ms Sofie is ready for her felting bath. I love it, simply love it at this point. I think I might have been able to squeeze out another row from the yarn I had left...but wasn't willing to risk it....or I was too lazy. Or something. This was a FAST knit! Wow! FAST! Very satisfying. I haven't decided what I will do for handles...I am not interested in knitting them...can't afford to send for the cool ones like Mizz Norma used...contemplating making them...also contemplating completely cheating and buying some from the craft store. We'll see.

Fickle as usual....I've already moved on.

I looked at the stash kept in my closet last night....about 6-8 medium size Sterlite bins. This reminds me....this was brought up the other day, my stash. I said something about I had to figure out what to do with the rest of the yarn in the garage. Jodie said "There's MORE?"

Kayla (my lovely almost 17yo) shot a glance at me from the corner of her eye....I blushed. "Uh...yeah. There's more...a LOT more." Kayla murmured something unintelligible about "yarn fetish" under her breath....Ahem. Jodie is becoming initiated into what it is like to be partnered with a yarn-addicted craft ho. Hee.....

At any rate...ramble, ramble....I dragged out some of the gorgeous 50% silk/50% merino I got from Spirit Trail last year. I have 800 yards....and I always put it back thinking, "I should save this for something special." Hello. I've had it a year. I just closed my eyes and lept...grabbed a hank, wound it into a ball, and it is going to be the next version of Branching Out.

I have a LOT of yarn I am "saving." This is not useful to me...cause I will "save" it till hell freezes over. Why not use it? Why not enjoy it? I love this yarn, SERIOUSLY love this yarn.

So I'm going to use it. Then, I'm going to continue on and ENJOY the yarn I have....and stop "saving" it for something "special."

Anyone else have this whole mental block to using the 'nice' stuff...saving it for later? It seems to be a family trait...one I hate. So it's time to break myself of it!

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Sofie

Bound off Branching Out last night. I kept fighting it and fighting it....and finally said, you know what? I'm done with you. So I did the five rows of garter, bound off, and stuffed it in the "to be blocked" bag. Let's not talk about what else is in there. I like it, I really do like it. It just sorta p*ssed me off the last bit.

Immediately cast on for Norma's version of Sofie. I love it. I love the sturdy feel of knitting with doubled yarn on size 11 needles. I love the thick, cushiness of the fabric it is creating. I love the way the bag already has shape and can "see" how it will felt down perfectly. It is going fast...which is a good thing. I am already rethinking the Cascade 220 in my stash...how many Sofie's could I make?????

Then, there is Rogue's sister...Eris. You know I want one. But...I'm learning restraint. I scrapped Rogue for various reasons....mostly that I just didn't like the way the fabric was turning out with the yarn I chose. I really do want a Rogue. I already have the pattern for Rogue. I already have yarn that would be suitable for Rogue. I will make Rogue first. I will not even buy the pattern for Eris until The New Rogue is close to finish. And.....I will not re-start Rogue Until I Finish Ribby.
I won't.

It's time to pull up my big girl panties*. I will be responsible. I will not purchase or start another BIG (to me anyway) project when I have yet to finish Ribby.

*This is something Jodie says (always in jest, mind you) that makes me laugh hysterically. "Oh pull up your big girl panties and get over it."

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Stupid Scarf

Pardon, my angst is showing again....

I am 1-2 repeats away from the binding off of Branching Out. I have mucked up the last few rows again and again....and again. Just now, I spent my 15 minute break merrily knitting...then frogging...then reknitting...then frogging....Argh. I say 1-2 repeats because the pattern indicates you *should* get 27 repeats out of a hank of Silky Wool....but I am wondering if I have enough yarn left. Made up my mind I would do one more repeat and then decide to do the five rows of garter and bind off or continue on.

As soon as I decided that....couldn't knit worth a hoot. I can usually get a 10-row repeat done on my break, give or take a bit. I ended up frogging everything I had done.

I think I am distracted, you know? Sheesh.

I think my knitting is putting me back in my place, is what I think. I had these ideas, you see. "Hmm, I'm almost done with branching out...maybe when I go home at lunch, I can pick up the Cascade 220 and needles for the Sofie...."

Apparently Branching Out is miffed that I am already looking elsewhere before she's finished....and is stalling.

Today is day 2 of a 12-day-in-a-row workweek. Now, honestly, I won't have to work 8 hours a day every day. On the weekend, I'll just work a few hours each day. But not having a whole day off in 12 days? Can you say C-R-A-N-K-Y? Truthfully, I think I'm already cranky just anticipating it.

I found the most wonderful site....which I bookmarked for another day, far into the distant future, when I have used enough yarn from my stash and gotten my finances in order and can buy guilt free....A site that only sells sock yarn...(well, a bit more): Simply Socks Yarn Company.

Heaven, I tell you...heaven.

Monday, August 01, 2005

The Fast Lane

Here we are...Monday, Monday. Yee haw. My goal this week is to work as many hours as possible. If I can get to 40 hours this week, I think it will be a blooming miracle....but it is the goal.

Trying very, very hard to get control of my finances. Jodie is very good with this...and is holding my hand through it. Actually...I have completely given control of my finances over to her. You have NO IDEA how significant this is to me. I am so incredibly tired of the financial rollercoaster ride I have been on...it is a relief in many ways. It is also scary as hell. I handed over my debit cards and sole credit card. Working only with cash.

I could break out in a cold sweat just thinking about it.

The independant side of me says....dammit. If I wanna go to lunch....or buy yarn...or a knitting magazine...or whatever...I'm gonna do it! But that kind of self-absorbed behavior has got me to where I am...in debt, behind on everything, afraid-t0-answer-the-phone state. Not a fun place to be. I am 41 years old...and I don't like how I've been handling (or not handling as the case may be) my money.

So...you will be seeing a lot of stash busting here at Sahara Knits. Good thing I have plenty o' stash, now isn't it? Hee*******

Branching Out is *this* close to being done. Soon as I bind off...I'm casting on for a "Norma's" version of Sofie using some lovely celery/sagey green Cascade 220. Still haven't dragged out Ribby Cardi, but dang it's hot....

Question of the Day: Can you pass up a bundle of old metal knitting needles at a garage sale...in favor of Addi's or bamboo? Not me. I see a bundle of old Boye needles for a buck...it's mine. When I teach someone to knit, I give them a pair to start out with. YOU?

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Christmas Knitting

Despite the fact it is likely to hit 100 degrees here today...my mind is turning to Christmas. I would like to do some knitting for Christmas...but I am such a great starter/poor finisher....I wonder if I should even try!

I certainly could not imagine finishing sweaters or anything on a very big scale...but I am thinking a few scarves perhaps....some dishcloths....a "Norma's Sofie" or two....I definitely could to some major stash busting.

The thing is...as soon as I say "This scarf is for Aunt Trudy"....it becomes a chore. Something I HAVE to finish...and therefore, don't want to. So I am thinking of just making what I want to make, no recipient in mind....stashing them away and when Christmas time comes, going through the finished items and dishing them out to whomever comes to mind.

So, the Question of the Day: Do you "do" Christmas Knitting? When do you start? Do you find a special pattern for everyone....knit everyone the same thing....

Do tell.