Ch-ch-ch-changes...

Friday, August 26, 2005

When I was younger I was fascinated with rearranging my room. Then I was fascinated with rearranging every room in the house when I had my own place. Maybe it's because I live in such a tiny house now that rearranging EVERY room is not even close to an option that I rearrange other things: the way I store my archived emails, my files at work, and today, my blog. I like the color and the style much better but I still yearn for the time when I'll be able to sit down and revamp the whole site. I want a banner! I want a different title! I want! Yep, I just want... things right now.

Still nervous about Chicago but doing okay. My wrist hurts a bit so it's a good thing I'll be able to rest it up over the weekend: doing laundry, packing, cleaning, dishes, etc. Resting from knitting, I should say since it irritates my wrist pain more than chores. Too bad about that, I'd much prefer it the other way around.

In other news, a blogger I read just found out she's having twins! I love announcements like this because you know you're in for a ride reading about the progressions that will take place. In our family there are twins on both sides and my sister is convinced she is going to get them. I hope she does!

And, in case you haven't seen it elsewhere, Berroco announces: The Ugliest Knit Object I've Ever Seen.

Off for now. Have a great weekend!

Closer to completion

Thursday, August 25, 2005

No pictures today but I wanted to post about my Eyelet Ribbed Top sleeves. They're completed! Now I just have a couple more pattern repeats on the body of the sweater before I can join the sleeves to it and knit up the yoke and neckline. Then I figure I'll wear it once and hang it in the closet to rot. Well, maybe not, we'll see.

The reason I started the sock this week was to get through the toe so I could bring it on the plane to Chicago next week for work. It's been really hard to stay away from it though. I find myself thinking about it when I'm at home and forcing myself to do something else. I just don't want to get on the plane Monday to find a little bit into the flight that I have to start the short row heels... not something I want to try while on Xanax, which I take for my flight anxiety. So I've done a few rows here and there but have been pretty good at putting it down and backing away.

And now, to work!

socks!

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Each week seems to get more and more busy for me, at work and at home. School starts tomorrow and my son is understandably a bit nervous. Last year he didn't have the greatest first week and I was out of town for work, which only made things worse. Unfortunately, I have to be out of town for work again next week, the first three days of school. But we're taking what we learned last year and learning from it. I'll make sure to be in touch with his teacher and to speak with him every night about his day. Many things have changed for him in the last year - for the better - so I really think this year will start off right.

As for knitting, I went out to buy sock yarn this weekend and found some Sockotta in a variegated grey, white, and light blue. Now I'm not a huge fan of variegated yarn and was really hoping for some true stripey stuff for my first socks but almost as soon as I started them I realized what a great (accidental) choice I had made. It's so much easier to keep track of my progress, number of stitches and show detailed pictures with variegated!

I'm going toe-up and swept through the short rows just trusting that it was going to come out right because I just couldn't work my little brain around HOW it was to work. And it worked! I only ended up with one mistake: a little tiny hole that I'll patch up somehow later.

Here are the obligatory toe shots (I've seen so many and they never cease to amaze me...) The second is actually just a picture of my pretty pedicure. My supervisor always tries to do fun activities during our monthly staff meetings and this month it was pedicures at the cosmetology school here in town! So today I'm wearing pretty sandals to show it off (not pictured.)


Sorry for the extra floor in the pic but I don't have any good photo-editing software at my disposal today.


A shot of my pretty pedicure.

I also went to knitting group again on Sunday and had a very nice time. We talked about Harry Potter and movies and knitting and other fun subjects and I felt a little more at ease.

Posting at work again...

Thursday, August 18, 2005

I know I should have learned my lesson yesterday but it's just so easy to post quick here instead of at home since I have to unload pics from the camera here anyway (I don't have a digital so I borrow the one from work). Plus yesterday was such a horrible day here I think I deserve a few minutes to post before I really start into my day.

Last night I took pictures of my new needles. To continue from yesterday when I was so rudely interrupted (haha, um, whoops) after I sanded the points and got the needles to the size I wanted I stained them with some stain + polyeurothane I had lying around. I don't know that this was the best idea but it seems to have worked.

I've begun knitting with the US 2s and while it was slow going at first I'm not sure if that was because a) I was starting a new sleeve and having some difficulties or b) I've never knit on wooden needles before or c) that maybe my homemade needles suck. As I worked though, they seemed to get a little more slippery and smooth and by the time I stopped for the evening I was flying. I love them! I can't wait to attempt my first socks on the 1s! (I hope I can use ones anyway...)

So, onto the pictures so I can get some work done before our company picnic this afternoon.


This one is really dark but the needles just gleam in it so I had to post it.


Here is one in sunlight from the window.


And a slightly blurry close-up.

I'm not sure if it's the camera or me (probably me) but I end up taking a million pictures to get even the most "okay" shots. I wish I had the talent to take beautiful knit pictures like I've seen on other blogs but I guess I'll just have to practice. And maybe eventually buy my own digital camera that is slightly better than this one.

And I'm off! I know I don't have any subscribers to this blog yet but if anyone is reading it, leave a comment so I can say hi. :) I'm thinking of joining a blogring but it's a little intimidating at the moment.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

So this weekend, I made knitting needles. A lady at the knitting group had mentioned that a friend of hers did this with dowels so I thought I'd give it a shot. I also realized that the bamboo skewers I use to make chicken satay are right about a size US 3. I ended up sanding the bamboo ones down to a US 2. There are five of those, double-pointed. Then I used the smallest dowel I could buy (I think it was 1/8") and made a set of US 1. There are also five of those, double-pointed. Then I made a pair of single-pointed US 8. I had wanted to sand those slightly to a size 7 since I rarely use 8s but I was so tired of sanding by that point that I didn't. The dowels were poplar so we'll see how they hold up - I have no idea of the strength.

Whoops, I forgot about a meeting. I'll finish this later.

WIPs

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

so i finally got some pictures of my ribbed eyelet top. i got antsy and decided to start one of the sleeves last night so i could feel like i'm actually making some progress. somehow finishing the 12th repeat of the pattern on the body, when i need 21, does NOT feel like progress anymore.

however, the sleeve feels sort of tight. the ribbing is almost completely stretched when it's on my arm but i can still get the fingers of my other hand underneath so i don't know if it's too tight. i might email the author of the pattern to see. i had to tweak the pattern to make it one size smaller than the smallest listed because of my skinny self and non-bustiness. maybe my biceps are really a small instead of extra small?

on to the pictures!


the body and sleeve hanging out by the pattern so you can sort of see what it looks like. if you can't see it well, try here. it's the one right smack on the front page.


detail of the pattern repeats on the body. don't try to find the mistakes... there are quite a few but i'm trying really hard not to be a perfectionist on this project.


and the sleeve on my arm. see how tight it looks?

in other news, i went to a knitting group this weekend for the first time. it was nice. there were two older ladies who were both very nice. they said there are 5-7 people who usually come and several that have shown up once or twice but not come regularly. they also said there are a few ladies in their 20's and 30's so that was helpful. i don't really mind people's ages but i just feel like i would have more in common with folk around my own age. that whole starting a career and settling down phase. so, you know, it was nice and i look forward to going back. they meet at a starbucks in the university bookstore so maybe it will attract more college students that way.

that's pretty much it. my secret project is coming along and i'm very pleased with the way it's turning out. and i seems to have some plans sneaking into my head about making another shawl for my grandmother for christmas (the last one i made her didn't really fit).

oh, and when i get some time, i'll be updating this site a little. a banner, more links on the side, that sort of thing.

knit blogging...

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Well, I've decided to give it another go. Watch out knit blog, here I come.

I've edited in my knit posts I made during the knit blog downtime from my livejournal. One thing I really love in a knit blog is lots of pictures that AREN'T behind a cut so I'm hoping to take and post lots of pictures. Maybe I can increase my photography skills by doing this because they're pretty lacking right now.

Also, I need to design a banner for my blog. I'm thinking maybe a drawing of a katydid knitting? Would be adorable but I'm really not that cutesy of a person. If you have any other fun ideas leave a comment.

Current WIPs:

Blanket Squares for the John Glick Blanket Project. I'm going to complete one more square and mail them off, hopefully, next week.



Eyelet Ribbed Top with Lara from Elann
[No picture yet but I'll take one soon and post it here]


Secret project I'm planning to submit for Knitty's winter issue. Cross your fingers for me.
[Obviously no picture for awhile on this one.]