An FO, a UFO, and a haircut

I officially love Fetching! As I was working this pattern, I realized that working on DPNs is my favorite way to knit. I definitely need to learn how to knit socks.

In the meantime, I learned the cable cast-on, how to make a thumb (using waste yarn, pulling it out, then picking up stitches), and do a knit picot bind-off with this pattern.

AND, this is a feat for me. I finished it in TWO DAYS! I started it at our WWKIP (World Wide Knit in Public) Day event and finished it last night (and not late either). I worked on it while I was chatting with ladies at my church's 3rd Annual Ladies Spa Day so I got a good chunk done there.



I still need to work in the ends, but it's basically finished. I also made sure to start the next one right away so I (hopefully) don't get catch "second-sock syndrome" (a knitters "illness" in which the second item in a pair is not made, or delayed, because the knitter loses interest in the pattern). We'll see how successful I am, considering the number of UFOs I've got stashed away. People, I am sick. SICK!

Speaking of UFOs....here is the Clapotis. Horribly neglected for the past few days, but still in my WIP (Work in Progress) bag.



I love this pattern, and I love this yarn. It's such a beautiful color and texture. I think it will be my favorite scarf for the winter in San Francisco.



I think it's kinda weird that I've been so interested in knitting cold-weather items. Perhaps I'm subconsciously preparing myself for the colder climate in SF (sheesh, I'm talking like we're moving to Wyoming or something, ha!), and using this as my therapy. All I know is that I'm going with it!

Hopefully I'll finish that tank top sometime before summer ends so I can actually wear it. Or maybe I'll end up working on it in the winter so I can feel closer to summer. I am so weird.

Lastly, going back to my Ladies Spa Day reference, I got my hair cut! I also got my eyebrows a bit more under control, thanks to the wonderful women at my church. For the past three years we've done a spa day where brunch and various treatments are available to the women and guests for FREE! It's an awesome opportunity to spend time together and fellowship as women and be pampered. A number of women in our church are skilled in various areas, so it makes for a fun day.

This is kind of a weird picture - it's at a funny angle, but I was having a hard time getting Nathan or I to get a good picture. Most of you who read this will see it in person soon enough anyway!



By the way, if you look closely, you can see that my shoulders got a bit burnt at WWKIP. I wasn't expecting to stay as long as I did, and I paid for it - I really need to find my sunscreen!

PS: I forgot to mention the cool new sidebar gadget. I discovered My VisualDNA through Tracy and Chauntel's blogs. And I liked it so much that I personalized it and put it up here. It's pretty accurate in describing me if you go to the website and view the details of each "label". I don't know where you gals find this stuff.

Knitting to-do list

I picked this up off Suzanne's blog and thought it'd be fun to see.

Bold for stuff you've done,
Italics for stuff you plan to do one day (or will maybe do in my case),
and
Normal for stuff you're not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter Stitch
Knitting with Metal Wire
Shawl
Stockinette Stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with Camel Yarn
Mittens: cuff-up
Mittens: tip-down
Hat (in progress)
Knitting with Silk
Moebius Band Knitting (I have no idea what this is)
Participating in a KAL
Sweater (in progress)
Drop Stitch Patterns (in progress)
Knitting with Recycled / Second Hand Yarn
Slip Stitch Patterns
Knitting with Bamboo Yarn
Two End Knitting (I've never heard of this either)
Charity Knitting
Knitting with Soy Yarn
Cardigan
Toy/Doll Clothing
Knitting with Circular Needles
Baby Items
Knitting with Your Own Handspun Yarn
Slippers
Graffitti Knitting (Another never heard of)
Designing Knitted Garments (In progress)
Cable Stitch Patterns
Lace Patterns
Publishing a Knitting Book (One can dream)
Scarf
Teaching a Child to Knit
American/English Knitting
Knitting to Make Money
Button Holes
Knitting with Alpaca
Fair Isle Knitting
Norwegian Knitting
Dying with Plant Colours
Knitting Items for a Wedding
Household Items (Dishcloths, Washcloths, Tea Cosies...)
Knitting Socks (or other small tubular items) on Two Circulars
Olympic Knitting (huh?)
Knitting with Someone Else's Handspun Yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday Related Knitting
Teaching a Male How To Knit (I will convince Nathan someday!)
Bobbles
Knitting for a Living (I'd rather make music for a living)
Knitting with Cotton
Knitting Smocking (I think I know what this is and I have no clue whether I'll do it)
Dying Yarn
Steeks
Knitting Art
Knitting Two Socks (or other small tubular items) on Two Circulars Simultaneously
Fulling/Felting
Knitting With Wool
Textured Knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/Bags
Knitting with Beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting
Machine Knitting
Knitting with SelfPatterning/SelfStriping/Variegating Yarn
Stuffed Toys
Knitting with Cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with Synthetic Yarn
Writing a Pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with Linen
Knitting for Preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform Knitting
Short Rows
Cuffs/Fingerless Mitts/ArmWarmers
Pillows
Knitting a Pattern from an On-Line Knitting Magazine
Rug
Knitting on a Loom
Thrummed Knitting (Again, no clue)
Knitting a Gift
Knitting for Pets
Shrug/Bolero/Poncho
Knitting with Dog/Cat Hair
Hair Accessories
Knitting in Public

Crackyarn, Clapotis, and the Kiss

Evidence of my newfound addiction. I saw the update on K&P's blog yesterday, stopped by after picking up Nathan from work and bought a hank, once I got home, I cast-on for a skinny Clapotis.



PS: It is actually "Indigo"

I've also had some other projects going on lately. This is a puzzle version of The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. We bought it over a year ago (maybe even two years now) and never got started on it. This is what we've gotten done in the last week (and we weren't watching TV or movies all last week). IT IS RIDICULOUSLY HARD. I didn't think it would be this difficult. I've been working on it on my lunch breaks and we've both been working on it in the evenings.

It's 1000 pieces (there are actually some in a box off to the side, so that isn't even all of them) and 26x17 inches.




This is the Home Resource Binder I recently put together. A reference guide to our family, if you will.



Notice the lovely decorations instead of the Ugly Black Bar. Hee.

CRACK!!!!

Yes, that is right folks, I am now the proud owner of my first hank of what is affectionately known as "Crack Yarn" around these parts. I got a pretty purpley-blue kettle-dyed color (I think it's Marine, but I'll have to check later) from Knit & Pearl for $12.50.

Julie wound it into a ball for me using the ball winder and swift, and Nathan was positively fascinated. He turns to me and says "Why don't you get one of those?" [referring to the swift and ball-winder]*faint* I love this man!!

Julie then says "Do you have an anniversary or birthday coming up soon?" Why YES I DO! Ha! Anniversary in three months, birthday in four. Oh yeeeeaaaahh. Maybe I will end up with my own swift and ball-winder (or at least the winder). That would be awesome.

So later after my small group at Starbucks in Goleta, I called Chauntel to get suggestions for what to make with it. After stalking her at Kmart (hee), she suggested the currently popular chevron scarf. Very good idea. But then I got home and realized that I've been wanting to make a Clapotis, and what better yarn to use? (I'll still make a chevron, though. It's such a fun design)

I think I'm going to try to make a "skinny" Clapotis. We'll see how well that works. I've already cast on for it, so if I need to buy another hank to finish it, well, I suppose I'll just have to do that then won't I! hehehehehe....

(I'll take pictures and post later).

Oh, and speaking of crack, Nathan is teaching me how to play Counter-Crack...I mean...Counter-Strike. I am getting my badass self ON! At the end of our late-night terrorist adventures, I'd been killed about, oh...20 times, after making a measly 2 kills. Hopefully I'll get better once I start playing before 11:30pm without Aunt Flo pestering me.

I am stealing the DomiKnitrix's name for my CS alias cause Nathan agreed that it was awesome. We'll see how long this lasts. If I get frustrated (or Nathan gets frustrated with me commandeering the computer, hehe), then I've always got my crack yarn.

So many happenings!

I feel like all my posts lately have been "updates". This one is a long time coming (I can't tell you how many posts I've started over the last couple weeks, but then not managed to finish and get posted).

There's so much going on, I'm finding it hard to limit what I say without getting overwhelmed by all the details. I'll try to make this short (HA! Who am I kidding?!).

School

I finally got my official Acceptance Letter from SF State (after a Notice of Denial scare a couple weeks ago...). Technically I am "Conditionally Accepted", but they just need to get my final transcript for my current classes at SBCC (which I just took care of last night). *whew*

I had issues (big surprise) with the math placement test....they never got my registration form (I suspect it got lost in their offices or something because I faxed it to the right place), so I had to take a chance and try to walk-in to take the exam. Which meant I had to be there way before check-in at 8:30am (I was there at 7am). I did get in to take it, so that was good! And we stayed at Nathan's grandparents' house in Oxnard the night before so we wouldn't have to drive as far. It was so nice to see them and go out to dinner. We've never spent time with them without other family around. They are so cute and still in love after 40ish years of marriage!

Also, I found out that I'll need to go up to SF State for an orientation in mid-July for priority registration, advising, etc. Of course it smack dab between when we go up to finish up stuff for Nathan's school and when we're planning on moving AND in the middle of the week. I found a cheap flight out of LAX ($108.80 RT), though, so I'm just gonna fly up the night before, do the orientation thing, and fly back that night.

So, everything is on track. All I have to do is sort out financial aid, go to the orientation and register for classes! I'm in the home stretch...woot!

As far as SBCC is concerned, I'm nearly done! I turned in all my Work Experience assignments last night, now I just have choir rehearsals tonight and tomorrow night, then performances Saturday (7pm) and Sunday (3pm) at First United Methodist Church on Anapamu (in case you want to come *grin*)


Financial Aid

I'm waiting to hear if I have gotten a Cal Grant or not (should know next week), and I've got a couple music scholarship apps out. I'm auditioning for one later this month, and I'll hopefully hear back about the Santa Barbara Foundation music scholarship in a couple weeks.

I've also got to get back on Fastweb.com and apply for the miscellaneous scholarships they've got on there.

I'm a little nervous about managing the cost of both of us being in school. I'd like to live with as little debt as possible. I'm really (trying to) trust God to take care of us. I know He will, but I still can't help but be a little nervous about it at times. Hopefully I can find a flexible job (I really cannot figure out what type of job I should try to go for...I'm gonna have a relatively big commute, so I want to find a job either on campus, or close to home and it will need to be flexible due to school and performances etc).

If I get a Cal Grant, then we might be able to live off the federal student loans plus part-time work, and not have to take out more loans (at least for my school - Nathan's is much more expensive, though).


Fiber projects

The bag for my mom is complete! I haven't gotten around to taking pictures yet (the lighting has been bad by the time I get around to it), but it turned out well. I just need to figure out what to put in it. It may end up being gifted by itself cause I don't have time to shop before Saturday and we're probably going to celebrate early due to the crazy weekend (choir performances, sisters' work, etc).

I've also been working on the black tank-top I'm designing. I've started the waist decreases (I actually started a little early cause the yarn stretches more than I thought) and it looks like it's going to work out pretty well as long as I can get the short-row bust shaping done right. I've just been trying it on every once in a while as I go to check shaping.


Food!

I've been doing a lot of cooking lately, here are some pictures and links:

Oatmeal Bread (Yummy recipe!)
I've made this a couple times now. It just needs to be given plenty of time to rise.



Easy and quick recipes that I use regularly:
Oven Baked Brown Rice
Oven-Baked Basic Polenta


(These are my bulk food purchases and a few Farmers Market veggies: organic flour for bread, brown rice for recipe above, and white rice that I used to rice pudding)

Oh, and I shelled peas for the first time a couple weeks ago - I felt very domestic *grin*. They are SO much better than frozen ones! I did it while my first batch of bread was baking.



Moving

It's only about 2 1/2 months now till we move. I keep saying that "once school is over I'll start working on [de-cluttering, packing, getting together with people, etc]". Well, school is over after Wednesday of next week! The reality of moving is going to be staring me in the face and I don't want to be rushed at the last minute.

But I'm getting REALLY excited about all the possibilities! We're going to go up to the East Bay area at the beginning of July to take care of some administrative stuff for Nathan's school, then hopefully find a place and put down a deposit (I really don't want to have to go up there again to look for a place). Later that month I'll be flying up for the orientation, and then we're gonna move up.

I'm gonna try to make June the big "push" month to get everything in order and start packing up the stuff we don't need till we get there.

So that's my big huge update! :-D

Spring Break!

This week is spring break for me and I am OH SO HAPPY about that. Although I can't really sit back and chill *too* much since I still have plenty of homework to do, scholarships to apply for, life to catch up on, yadayadayada. But at least I don't have to go anywhere in the evenings.

This past weekend was a bit of a break, though, since we went down to San Diego and just hung out for the weekend before celebrating Passover last night. It was a really nice trip and we had a good time with the in-laws. We even played pool at a local pool hall on Saturday night! For some reason, that struck me as both amusing and very special. I guess it's partly cause I can't really imagine doing that with my parents! Hee. Not that they wouldn't be willing to, just not as likely to happen, I guess.

I also managed to get a decent amount of knitting done. Saturday, after playing pool, Nathan went to hang out with one of his best friends and I grabbed a movie and went home and just knit and watched Le Divorce. Not the best movie (it couldn't seem to decide whether it was a chick flick or a drama), but it was good for knitting! And I snuck in knitting whenever I could and carried it with me everywhere (not that I always pulled it out, but I had it just in case....very handy when I got stuck at his friend's house while they played video games *sigh*).

Even with all that time I had to knit (and knit I did), I have about 4-5 inches done. I don't even want to know how many hours this thing is going to take me. But I am determined. I brought other projects with me, but the tank (projet du mois) was all I worked on. I suppose I could think of it this way, if I weren't working in the round, I'd have about 9 inches done! There. That made me feel better.

Here's a pic:

Here it is!

~2440 stitches down, 1 million to go



What I've done so far (I cast on 244 st and I've done about 10 rows to equal about 1.5 inches of work - this is gonna take a while!!). Underneath is the sketch.


The design



And this is the design! Up close and personal! Like I mentioned before, it's loosely based on the Shapely Tank by Joan McGowan-Michael, but I essentially just took the short-row shaping technique that she uses. The front is going to have a little arm shaping (enough so it's high enough to not show too much cleavage), but not much. The back is going to cut straight across also, but a little lower. I haven't decided whether I'm going to just do a garter edge at the top, or do something a little fancier. I think I'll end up deciding once I get there. I might not WANT to do anything fancy by that point!

The straps I'm thinking will be a skinnier version of the straps on Mariposa and possibly a different stitch pattern that's a little sturdier than stockinette (I really need to get a Stitchionary). Maybe Seed or Moss stitch.

The shaping will essentially be a flare from under the bust. Then for the bust shaping, I'll use the short rows.

We'll see how it works out! Especially considering I have still not finished a single garment yet.

Hmmm...

I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted till Tracy asked me what was up with the lack of posting. Oops.

I am SO tired of having so much to do. And being out of town two weekends in a row means all the stuff I normally do on the weekends has gotten smooshed into the rest of the week (mainly Monday night since Tues is Choir, Wed is Sociology, Thurs is Knit Group, and Friday is Date Night). So yeah. I've even been distracted at work since I've got so much on my mind ("Oh! Must print off this form for [insert school-related, scholarship-related, or bill/finance-related thing here]" "Got to call so and so for [insert school-related, scholarship-related, or bill/finance-related thing here]" "Must send email to [insert school-related, scholarship-related, or bill/finance-related person or entity here] ). You get the point.

On top of all that, I am behind in my homework (hello Sociology schoolbooks! Long time no see! Hello Work Experience paperwork! Nice to meet you!). Did I mention I have a sociology test next week? And a deadline Monday night for a bunch of Work Experience paperwork?

Can you tell I'm a little overwhelmed and overworked? Trying to work on scholarship stuff in between all this is really challenging too (ie: not really happening). But I NEED them! There should be a scholarship that just asks for your name, contact info and whether you are going from working fulltime, to being in school fulltime and then give you tons of money. That would be awesome. Instead, it's like another fulltime job! And of course it all has to be done during the time I'm in school too.

So, due to all this, not much knitting has been happening. The only thing I've been working on is a 3x4.25" cell phone case (my design). I started it last Saturday in San Diego and finished the body last knit at knit group. Now I just need to figure out how I want to do a pocket (for my bluetooth earpiece) and how I want to do the closure. For now, it is just a cell phone "sock". At least it's a little something!

(Oh yes, and it'd be nice if my co-worker would stop talking to me today. I am melancholic today and I really DON'T want to hear about random stuff right now....)

Oh. My. Goodness.

About the Audition

Hopefully, one week from now I will know whether I will be able to attend SF State in the Fall! We're leaving for SF in only FOUR DAYS!!! Ack! I am both nervous and excited. I feel pretty well prepared (as prepared as I can be considering everything) and have a plan for finishing my preparations as best I can.

Preparations so far:

• Audition songs are chosen (Obstination by Fonteneilles & If music be the food of love by Purcell) and are nearly completely prepared.
• Repertoire has been put together
• "Please accept me" packet has been put together in a nice folder with a cover sheet (includes cover letter & reference letter - not requested by SF State- and repertoire, and transcripts which were requested).
• Started practicing scales on piano
  
• Bought a new top from Ross and picked out the rest of the outfit
• Got haircut
  

Preparations to be completed:

• Study like crazy for the Theory and Musicianship placement tests...this will be interesting (and a little scary)
• Practice scales on piano like crazy
• Finish memorizing audition pieces and polishing my techniques
  
• Practice "introducing" the pieces, including meaning/translation
  
• Find direct translation for Obstination (might need to go to UCSB library for this - blech)
• Get eyebrows waxed/shaped this weekend
• Pack!

I am SO FREAKING GLAD that I have Monday off. And while I wish Nathan had the day off for his sake, I am glad I have two days in a row to work on music and study at my own pace (I'll need to take breaks here and there...I can't practice music alone for more than two hours straight without getting glassy-eyed).


About Knitting

Knitting has been helping me relax and unwind when I start to feel stressed, and I love how well the sweater is coming along (not that I really got much done last night, ha!). I think it's going to be a very comfy sweater. I'm hoping that for my next sweater endeavor (besides finished the lacey Rebecca sweater), I can learn some shaping techniques. I really need it for my body type I'm thinking... Tracy recommended the second Stitch N' Bitch book for that, so I might have to convince Nathan that I need it, hehe. Or I can wait till next month to buy it (probably wouldn't need it before then anyway...)


About Knit Group

Last night after knit group, I realized that this is the first time in my life that I've actually felt like I belonged in a group of female friends. I've always been a "one close friend at a time" kinda person and never really found a group that I felt like I truly connected to. I always felt like the odd one out for whatever reason (I was homeschooled and everyone else went to public school, or I was older and everyone else was younger, or I acted older and didn't fit in with either the older people or the younger people, or I was a girl and they were boys, or I was more girly girl, or not as girly girl). Anyway, you get my point.

The part I hate is that I am getting so connected, yet my time is limited. I'm trying not to let that get in the way of developing deeper friendships with everyone, though. To rip off a cliche, I'd rather have had this connectedness and "lose" it, than never have had it at all.

I definitely know that nothing is ever going to be able to replace the SB Knitters Group, even if I do find another knit group in the Berkeley area.

The Back is DONE!

I just finished the back piece of the "Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits" sweater I've been working on! I managed to sneak in a fair amount of knitting Friday and Saturday, and finished it at Knit & Pearl's "Sit & Knit" (2-5pm on Sundays). Most of the gals were working on baby hats or cat "blankets" for Cottage Hospital and the cat rescue place (ASAP, I think?), respectively.

Also, in K&P news, there is now a Knit & Pearl Blog! From what I hear, more will be added soon, so bookmark it and keep checking back!

My knitting life for the past week.

Thursday: Managed to knit a few inches on sweater at knit group. Yay!

Friday: Thought about knitting. Spent time with hubby instead of knitting.

Saturday: Ran around like a chicken with my head cut off, wishing I could be knitting. I got a haircut, found a top for my audition, and had a voice lesson instead.

Sunday: Ran around like a chicken with my head cut off, wishing I could be knitting. The closest thing I did was walk into K&P after a stop at Kinko's. It was the first meeting of the K&P knit group. I REALLY REALLY REALLY wished I'd had my knitting with me. I did paperwork, prepared our taxes, and managed to do a *little* bit of homework instead.

Monday: I don't even remember what happened Monday. I think it was more running around, and more homework. Oh yeah! I went up to SBCC to practice singing, piano, etc.

Tuesday: Lugged knitting with me to school. Got on the wrong bus, ended up standing, and going past SBCC. Whoops. Managed to sneak in 2 rows before choir started! YAY!

Wednesday: Forgot to bring knitting with me to school. Got on the RIGHT bus (the one that's not as full), and sat there bored, wanting to kick myself. Managed to slip some knitting into my class anyway. I used intarsia as a metaphor for identity, Ha! Go me!! I also knit one row when I got home. But then I was tired and went to bed.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR KNIT GROUP TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!

Knitting withdrawals

I haven't knit a single stitch (other than at Knit Group on Thursday) for a week. I am having knitting withdrawals I think. I keep toting it around with me, in the hopes that I'll catch a few moments to be able to knit.

I had to go to a meeting thing at SBCC in order to get a student loan, and I was SOOOOOO itching to pull out my knitting, but I refrained since it was a smaller group of people than I expected and I didn't want to be distracting/rude to the people speaking. *sigh*

Tonight, I am determined to find a few minutes between class, prepping for the audition/placement tests, and sociology homework (which I am sorely behind on *double sigh*).


But I have some good news! We're getting a sizeable tax refund and this loan will help us transfer some higher interest balances so we can pay off as much debt as possible before we move. Yay!!

Now if only I can get SFSU to cooperate with me!!

Announcement!

Knit & Pearl at 5 E Figueroa is now has a knit group that's currently scheduled for Sunday afternoons from about 2-4:30pm. I'm gonna try to make it at least part of the time on Sundays (probably more after the dreaded audition), so I hope to see you there! One of the gals who was there is planning on joining the JS group too!

Various tidbits.

• I knit on the bus for the first time yesterday on the way to school - I actually had a fellow passenger ask me if she could watch! :)
  
• I started school last night and choir was awesome - and my sister is in it with me, which is even awesomer (I say that's a word, therefore it is).
  
• Sociology of Sex Roles begins tonight - this should be interesting!
• It will be a small (or big!) miracle if I can get into SFSU this coming Fall. *sigh* This is stressing me out. But I have good grades and found out I've got a connection in the music dept, so we'll see...
  
• I CANNOT WAIT for knit group tomorrow. After this crazy week, I need it very badly.
  
• I'm also looking forward to some much-needed cuddle time with Nathan tonight. I've barely seen him for two days now!
• We have a "post-marital" counseling session tomorrow with our Pastor as a check-up. I have to take some time off work for it (awww, darn. /sarcasm). It should be good.
• I am SO GLAD to be back in school!!
  

Project Picture Update

I have gotten caught up with my project picture taking, so be prepared for an inundation!

Firstly, in the spirit of the origins of this blog, I present to you my first crocheted blanket. It is still not "finished" because I never got around to weaving in the ends (bad Marieke!), but it was "mostly finished" a couple years ago. I love it in all it's purpley, lacey, coziness.





Secondly, on to some knit items in the works (notice, I have no completed projects, just more WIPS, ha! As my friend Jenn put it "You're really ADD with your projects"):

The first item, of course, is the Rebecca Sweater I'm about 1/3 of the way to the armhole shaping now (6-7ish inches).



The Dream Swatch (12ish inches):



The "Java Cozy Scarf" (named after the Java Cozy I crocheted for my mom, which inspired the scarf) - this is my own design (alternating blocks of stockinette and reverse stockinette) and it's working up fast on size 13s (I hate this yarn though - Red Heart "Light & Lofty" in Pheasant - it's not fun to work with).





Here is my first project on DPNs, first hat, and first "in the round" project - a baby hat (although I think I may have gauge issues to work out since I changed from garter to stockinette stitch).



Lastly, I got this book for Christmas...



...and I decided that I need to make a sweater that I can actually finish before it gets warm again, so I'm going to make this one (but longer):



I matched gauge with Caron Simply Soft in Raspberry (it's more red than this picture lets on) for this sweater, so it's the one I'm making (I tried to match gauge on another sweater from a different book, but that didn't really work, so I'm going with this one). Since it's two strands of yarn at once, it seems like it's gonna work up quickly (yay!).

Oh, and going back to Jenn (a very close friend of mine), she is now officially the first person I've ever taught how to knit. I gave her a skein of Thick & Quick Woolease that I got from Chauntel's stash-purging, and let her borrow a pair of size 11's and off she went making a scarf in garter stitch (I'll teach her to purl next). She caught on very quickly (nice, even stitches) and got really into it. One skein wasn't enough (she was nearly through it after about 2.5 hours of knitting), so she's gonna buy a couple other colors to add on.

Yay for knitting! Now if I can get one of these projects finished!

Bah.

I want to be home, snuggling with Nathan and/or knitting. I am so ready for the weekend right now.

In other news, I have successfully conquered DPNs! I am behind on picture-taking (sorry), but I was working away on them last night at knit group anyway, so you've all seen me in action. The hat is turning out to be really cute and I really enjoy using DPNs...and making stockinette in the round (no purling! yay!). Anyway, I think I like DPNs better than if I used circulars in the round cause I feel like I get a different sense of accomplishment since I work 1/4 of a round at a time. If I finish 3 rounds, it feels more like 12 to me and that keeps me motivated. So this has equaled a bunch of firsts...first knit hat, first use of DPNs, and first project in the round. Woot!

I've also working a couple more inches on the sweater and I think I'm about 1/3 of the way (maybe more) to starting the armhole shaping.

I've also increased my current works in progress as my mom asked for a scarf. I've decided to do alternating squares so it's not boring and not too fancy for the yarn (it's an annoying bulky-weight yarn...difficult to work with and too thick to do any ribbing).

So yeah, my hands are full, and a few things have been put on the backburner for now, but I'm plugging away and making progress, so I'm happy as things are for now.

New yarn!

I finally got around to buying some yarn from Knit & Pearl Boutique downtown when Chauntel, Tracy, and I went there to shop and knit on Sunday.

There were single skeins of 100% Merino wool by Claudia Hand Painted Yarn in "Blue Fields"


and "Oops "


I LUUUUURRRVVE these colorways! AND, they were ON SALE! (cause they were single hanks) Woot!

I decided to make a Dream Swatch Headscarf with Oops, and I'm debating what to make out of Blue Fields. I was originally thinking a baby hat, but since I think that'd be better in a more washable yarn.

Thinky, thinky....

Needles....of DEATH!

First, I abandon my crochet hooks, and now my straight needles have been abandoned to my Knit Knook (as I now affectionately refer to it as). So they got angry.

Behold, Needles of Death!!



And, the Knit Knook:



(Yes, it's a mess, and there is more yarn under the surface. And more in storage. But not nearly as much as Chauntel's stash!)

Lastly, I finally got around to taking some pictures of the sweater so far. The lighting wasn't great since I took it at night, so the color is a little off, but here 'tis:





I need to work on it more often. I was going to bring it to knit group, now that the pattern is pretty securely stuck in my brain, but alas, Thursday was the only night my littlest sister and her "Special Friend" could doubledate with Nathan and I. I am sad to miss knit group, but I don't know SF super-well and besides, my Big Sister duties come first :)

Anyone up for coffee and knitting on Sunday mayhaps? I have some extra spending money (and might even have little more this weekend) so I'm thinking that a mini-yarn-shopping-spree at Knit & Pearl is in order!

Knit is the new black

Black is the theme today. My New Wristies are black (and therefore make me feel slightly badass when I wear them, especially with the black long-sleeved shirt I've got on....though I am completely aware that I could never be 100% badass). My poor crochet hooks are crying. The poor lonely, abandoned hooks.

In other news, we have a new kitchen table and chairs (read: we have a REAL kitchen table and chairs...gone are the card table and uncomfortable folding wood chairs that no bum should ever have to endure sitting upon).

It's so perty! I wasn't sure that I'd like the pub-style height, but I actually do. I think it looks better in our small kitchen and it s comfortable to sit at, despite my short legs. Plus, even though the table is small, it has drop-down leaves, so we can put it right up against the wall like it is in the picture and it comfortably fits 2 place settings.

Back to a somewhat-knitting-related topic, I am in love with the square canvas tote bags (bottom right of picture) that Tracy owns. I did a somewhat quick search on Google to see what I could find and the closest thing I could find are these canvas box thingies from LNT.

So not the same.

I have half a mind to make some of my own, but then I'd have to spend money on zippers, plastic stuff for the little window to display the name of your projects, etc, etc.

I'll just have to scrounge around Random, Ross, and the various thrift stores around town for other cheap and hopefully comparable organizing thingies. Cause my knitting area (aka, the space between the keyboard, the wall, and the couch) is in desperate need of organizer thingies considering how often poor Nathan is attacked by skeins of yarn, needles, and wayward pieces of paper alternately displaying my scribbles or any one of the million patterns I've collected (barely any of which I actually USE).

Wristies (Wrist Warmers)

A new pattern has been born!

This one is super easy and could probably be knit up in an hour or two by a fast knitter. It's a great pattern for using up leftover yarn since they are pretty small. I don't know the exact yardage, but both of them barely put a dent in my 7 oz skein of Caron Simply Soft.

You can find the pattern link in the sidebar if you want to go print off a copy!

I'll probably come up with some variants of this pattern and add them to the pattern list (I've already been thinking up ways I can add crochet or knit embellishments) . I was originally planning on making them with cables, but scrapped that idea so I could just get them done quickly.

I've already gotten compliments from my dad and my co-worker, and Nathan wanted to steal them this morning...I guess that's a good sign!

Happy New Year!

Unfortunately, I spent the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007 sick. Blah. I suspect it might be strep throat, but the rapid test came up negative, so I'm waiting on the culture to see whether I've actually got strep. Otherwise, I've just got a really weird sore throat (no stuffiness or cold symptoms) and major tiredness.

At midnight, Nathan woke me up to wish me a Happy New Year and give me a kiss. He's such a sweetie :)

I did manage to be somewhat productive in that I finished "Little Earthquakes" by Jennifer Weiner (one of my Christmas presents) AND finished BOTH of my little Wristies (they're small for wrist-warmers, so that's what I'm going to call them). I love them because they don't get it my way, but they actually are pretty good at keeping my hands warm and cozy. I can even knit with them on (I was knitting the second one with the first on one of my hands, teehee).

Nathan loves them too since he wants me to make him a pair now!

The pattern is simple, so my next post will hopefully be the pattern and pictures.