Monday, April 25, 2005

Monday

I am slowly starting to get it together on the weekends. It's going to take some time, but I'm getting there. I'm learning to ride the waves of energy and use them to my best advantage.

I finished blocking the first half of Backyard Leaves, and am about halfway done with the second half. I went looking through some knitting books at Borders this weekend, and have decided to start designing some with the yarn that is already in my stash. I can't afford to buy more, so the major project I want to do I can't start just yet. I've noticed that charts are an EASY way to plan something, so I'm going to chart things. I can write out the patterns as well, but sometimes to start, the chart is easier. I have some mohair that's screaming at me to do something with it, and I think I finally figured out what I want to do. I was going to make the Mohair Cowl Pullover sweater from Interweave Knits Winter 2004 magazine. However, it would require up-sizing, and the gauge isn't working right for me. So, back to the drawing board. I'll be tinkering around with some stuff, and perhaps I'll even be able to computerize it and post it for you to comment on. That would be cool, now, wouldn't it? I've got to learn more HTML in order to change things, so some things might be getting moved around a bit in the next few weeks. Spring gives me such a push of energy; I should use it while I can. =)

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Wednesday

Well, I can't believe it's Wednesday already. Monday was spent at work, and yesterday was work with an informational meeting at night. I also made yummy brownies.

As for the Backyard Leaves, I've finished the first half, and I've moved on to the second. I still need to wash and block the first half, and I hope to do that tonight. I also have plans to un-do my Soft Focus sweater and re-work the collar. I'm not too fond of the boat neck look, as it makes my shoulders look wider (they're wide enough without help, thanks). So, at some point, I will be taking out those seams, ripping the collar and neckline on the front and back, and reknitting the collar. It will also require me reseaming the whole thing, which, to tell the truth, I've been wanting to do anyway. See, when I first seamed it up and wore it, I left holes under the arms and in order to fix it, I just pulled a free end that I saw and patched the hole. That was not the brightest idea, since it made the sleeve seam to the body tighter. So I figure if I'm going to redo part of it, I might as well fix all the problems with it.

I liked the pattern and it was easy enough to follow, provided that I read it. I now need to find a pattern for 3 skeins of Plymouth Whisper that my AKSP sent me last month for my birthday. I haven't quite decided what to do with it. I was thinking a lovely shawl or wrap, something plain since it's varigated in bright colors (which I have grown to love in recent months - I think it's a love of spring showing through). I'm still considering a pattern for my Debbie Bliss cashmerino yarn. I was originally going to knit up Tempting, from the winter 2004 Knitty. However, off-the-shoulder isn't the best idea, since a good strapless bra is hard to find. I have 10 skeins of it, and 15-20 of two different yarns that I'm thinking of making sweaters out of. These other two are old, and I have never heard of them before. One's an alpaca/mohair blend in a mauvy color, and the other's a mohair blend in a varigated white/grey/yellow. I need to do some research on them and perhaps just create a pattern to suit me. That might be the best idea yet.

Friday, April 15, 2005

Man, what a week!

It's been a long, grueling week for me. I've finished 9 repeats, so I only have 2 left on the first half of Backyard Leaves, and then I can end that half, block it, and start on the second half. I'm also planning my next project, not sure what part of my stash to use up.

I had an interview Monday that lasted for 3 hours (WAY to long...a note to all employers - if you schedule a lunch interview, realize that the person you're interviewing probably has a job and only has an hour to spend, including driving time. Please be considerate and be respectful of that time.) . I had a meeting Tuesday night, so I had to fly home, eat and fly down to the meeting. Wednesday I not only had choir, but my husband received an award at school (ntice I'm beaming with pride). He won the Upper Division English Award - for the most outstanding paper in an Upper Division English class. Not bad, huh? Today, well, today was reporting day. We were supposed to get some reports done, but got an extension until Monday and I'm still here. I'm ready to go home.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

It's amazing...

how I can always sqeeze in a few minutes to post to this blog. It must be knitting. So, since we're already talking about it (since this IS meant to be a knitting blog), I'm 8 repeats through Backyard Leaves. I am amazed at how quickly I'm going through the pattern now. I can do an entire repeat in about an hour, and that's while watching TV or reading blogs and emailing. I'm pretty amazed by my speed and agility. Ok, enough bragging. I have decided that my Soft Focus sweater needs a little "improving". I'll do a before and after picture, but I have to wash it first. Here's a helpful hint to newbies...when you wash a sweater you have knit and plan to wear, make sure it's COMPLETELY dry before folding it up. It causes a really nasty odor to follow you around all day, and even though apparently no one else smells it, it can really get on your nerves. I've decided to reknit the collar portion, and reseam the sweater. I screwed up the armholes after I seamed, wore and washed. There were some small holes, and instead of taking a new piece of yarn to fix them, I just pulled some from the seam and sewed it up. BIG mistake. Now where the sleeves join the body is a little tight around the arm. It's not very comfortable, but it's not bad enough to make me not wear it. However, since I'm going to fix the collar (I'm thick through the shoulders, and the boatneck draws attention to that) I figure might as well.

I have also decided that I'm getting really good at this knitting thing, and I should probably follow in this person's footsteps. I'm not sure if I was aware they had a knitting certification, but I figure, heck, why not have more certificates than a wall can handle hanging up? If nothing else, they're impressive to most people who would come in to your office, right?

Speaking of offices, is there a job that includes knitting, music and accounting? Oh, yeah, I guess I should mention that I am an accountant by trade (good at math, good with numbers...NOT a Type A personality though) and my current dream job is teaching college level music courses. How's that for being WAY off track? I do plan on going back to school for a music degree (through a PhD, mind you - although not a Type A, I am ambitious) after my husband gets where he can work full-time. He's still pursuing a bachelor's in English Lit, and then a master's. He also wants to be a college prof, just in English (obviously). I can't think of anything that could include all three of those (knitting, music and accounting) unless it was working in a bookstore. Then I could be shelving all those, and passing out general knowledge of each to those interested.

Monday, April 11, 2005

Well, so much for the weekend

I was hoping to get a lot more done this weekend. All I managed to do was about 2 more repeats on my Backyard Leaves scarf, and I got batteries for my camera. That was such a non-productive weekend, it's not even funny. I guess working a 50+ hour week makes you really want to just stop on the weekends. I do have some film, so even though I don't have a digital camera (yet), I might still get some pictures done before too much longer, and post a couple here and there. I don't want to overload my blog. We'll take it a couple of pictures at a time, how's that?

Friday, April 08, 2005

I can't believe it's Friday...

and April already. BTW, you have just one week to file your taxes. In other knitting news, I am now on my 4th repeat of Backyard Leaves, and might have pictures this weekend. That's a might, people. In other news, I'm planning a shawl for a friend, as a possible auction piece. Does anyone have pattern recommendations? I'm thinking a pretty lace pattern for some mohair yarn...it's a peach and creme varigated. I have the specifics around here somewhere...I'll have to find them later and post them. It's been insane.

Thursday, April 07, 2005

I thought this was cute...

so here's my results.


Which flock do you follow?
this quiz was made by alanna
Try it!

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Champagne tastes on not even a beer budget

Well, I've almost completed 3 repeats of the Backyard Leaves scarf, and I'm already thinking to my next massive project. For a while, like since last fall, I've been wanting to try my hand at designing something. I saw a great coat/jacket, and wanted to find a pattern; but alas, there was none to be found. So, being the crafty person I am, I decided to make it. Or at least attempt it. I got as far as a swatch, and realized there were other things that needed to be done in order to properly work this out. I tried submitting it to a book, and it was rejected (but it was nicely rejected). What I'm thinking is this: if I make it, go ahead and work up a pattern and make a sample, perhaps it would further my ideas and possibly open a door for other patterns to be published. Here's my dilemma...and where the title comes from. I need a bulky weight yarn, since it's to be a jacket/coat and having long pieces knit up quickly would be helpful. However, my budget is small (I've been stealing stuff out of my stash to do projects and haven't been replacing them) and I can't really afford an expensive yarn. I would try to go through a yarn manufacturer or knitting magazine, but the problem wth that is that they could reject it, leaving me with nothing. So, if I just make it myself, I probably have a better chance of getting it completed. So, are there any bulky weight yarns out there that aren't terribly expensive that wouldn't break my piggy bank but would let me purchase enough yarn to do said jacket/coat? I don't know how many responses I'll get on this, but I'll take what I can get. Any suggestions?

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Once again...another rushed week

Well, I have another week from hell at work. I can't post much today, but perhaps once again I'll try and post something this weekend. I'm currently working on a scarf from Scarf Style. It's called Backyard Leaves by Annie Modesitt (she rocks!). You can visit her here. I really loved the design, and it's my first chart project. I think it's going very well, even though I always seem to have a "d'oh" moment...like with the "no stitch" blocks. I thought there was something special that happened there, and I was wrong. That's why knitting is so great...it's forgiving. I only wish my deadlines at work were.