Saturday and a new life

Well, I'm finally able to relax. I'm glad to be gone from the old job I had, and now perhaps I can keep up with this and so many other things I want to do. Since I don't have to work late all the time, I'll be free to do stuff like cleaning during the week, and knit on the weekends. I also found some of the stuff I want for Christmas gifts at my new job (someone was selling the oranges and tangelos for stockings) and it looks like I'll be home in about 10 minutes EVERY DAY. You gotta love a short commute. I am still decompressing from the old place, and it's been about a week, and I would say I'm about halfway there. I'm hoping this next week I'll be able to push a little and get into a new routine. Then I can spend more time doing what I want to do and having fun doing it. I'm all happy and excited.

Almost done!!!!

I'm almost done with the mohair sweater! Woohoo! It's just got a few more rows for the collar, and then I can actually put it in my "complete" pile. In other knitting news, I'm working on the second glove for Cigar for my brother, the first one having been completed sometime back in July I believe. I'm also about halfway done with my first sock ever! Woohoo! I've completed from the top down past the heel and am working on the foot. I still need to finish my other purple sweater that I changed the neckline on. It's close to being done...it just needs the sewing finished and the collar. Maybe by October I can have the two sweaters and the glove completed, and just be working on the socks. I think I'm going to once again re-assign the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino to Samus from knitty.com's latest issue. I think I could use a cardigan, and it would be a great use of this yarn. I just hope I have enough! I'll be doing some math later on it. This is exciting...maybe one day I'll finish getting my craft corner done too. I think I'll work on that this weekend. Things are coming along!

Christmas is so close...

but I think I have most of the gifts ready in my head. At least the hard ones have been chosen...ok, some of the hard ones have been chosen. There are other difficult ones to figure out. What do you get a 20-something, almost 30-something who buys everything he wants? I have no clue. I figured out my grandparents. Those were semi-easy. I'm lost on my parents and in-laws. Maybe I can do one a month, and not break the bank.

As for my grandparents, my dad's mom is getting DVDs. We already bought them. They just need to be wrapped. For my mom's parents, I'm all about the socks now. I figured out the heel on the one I started for me, and I'm hoping the rest will be easy and will move right along. I haven't finished my sweaters, mainly because it's been too hot. I still have to finish the Cigar gloves for my brother as well. I honestly am at a loss for him for Christmas. Maybe a scarf from the leftovers? We'll have to see what comes out of the ol' bag o' tricks for him.

I cleaned more in the study...I finally have my sewing machine set up! However, I can't get to it. There's more stuff to go through and find a place for but it's coming along. I'm hoping that before Thanksgiving it'll be completed.

Alright, I've been a slacker...

Well, sort of. It's not all my fault, but I guess most of the blame should rest with me. Work has kept me busier than I'd care to admit, and then there was the first week of vacation, spent cleaning. The second week of vacation (last week) was spent in Gatlinburg, TN. For those of you who don't know, it's a great tourist trap. I say great because it has some of the most beautiful scenery in this country. To me at least. I love the Great Smoky Mountains. As much of a city person as I am, I have to admit moving closer to that region has a definite appeal.

Knitting hasn't been happening that much...it's been too hot. I almost finished the Mohair Cowl Neck sweater, and the temperature soared (as did the humidity). I set it aside. All that's left is the collar. That's it. You'd think I'd endure the heat for a weekend and finish it, but nope, not me. I've set it aside in lieu of other things. I completed one of the Cigar gloves from Knitty for my brother, although I'm thinking of making it a little bigger for him. I'm also mid-sock. It's the first ever pair of socks I've done, and I'm slow. They're small needles, with thin yarn, so it's taking longer than I'd probably like for it to, but it's hot. Knitting is a cold weather activity to me.

I've also been catching up on some reading, or at least trying to. I've been making good progress on the Diana Gabaldon series, all things considered. I'm almost done with book 2 (Dragonfly in Amber) and want to finish the other 2 before the next book in the series comes out. Did I mention that it comes out September 27th? I'm excited.

I've also been cleaning like a mad woman. We're having Christmas at our place this year, and I want everything to be just so. You know how it is...I'm the Martha Stewart wannabe. One of the girls at work calls me "Betty Crocker" so I just want everything to run smoothly, especially since it's the first time we haven't been at my grandparents'. We usually travel all over creation (ok, just the state of GA) for Christmas, which means travelling on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This is just NOT happy. It makes us miserable, and we wind up dreading Christmas. Not this year...it's at our place and all I have to do is cook and clean. I'll take that over driving for 8 hours over 2 days. I'm starting early, and I'm almost halfway there. Saturday, I'll be finishing the study, which is the big killer. I already cleaned out the trash, so I'm just down to what should be in there. It's a lot more manageable now. I love making progress.

So, that all being said, hopefully soon I'll be able to post the pictures I keep promising, because I have digital camera and the computer's in the study. It should get hooked up to the internet sometime soon (as soon as my husband uses the hub we have and connects all the computers). He's kind of waiting on me, since the cords are in my stuff. But it's getting there. I thought I had posted something before I went on vacation, but I guess I didn't. Oh well...hopefully I'll have time next week for another posting. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Holy Cow! again!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted. That just goes to show you how busy I've been. I've almost completed the mohair sweater; I just have the cowl neck left. It's so hot here, I just don't feel like knitting most evenings. I've also been working late, and I'm so tired when I get home, I read a little and go to bed after dinner. I did however, finish reading the new Harry Potter book and am making progress on the second in the Outlander series. The new one, A Breath of Snow and Ashes is due in September, and I wanted to read through the series before getting it. My wonderful hubby is just starting the first one again, so it'll kind of be a race to see who can finish first. I'll probably be taking work home with me this week, and hopefully by the weekend I can take some time and blog once again. I've got to clean like a maniac before we have guests. I'm incredibly competitive in some ways, and cleanliness is one of them. I know the people coming aren't the cleanest (I've been to their house people...it was pretty nasty) but I work full time, and Donald's in school, and our house can still APPEAR spotless. It's not, I guarantee, but it can at least look REALLY good. I'm a little OCD when it comes to cleaning. But not in a bad way...I wouldn't suggest eating off my floors, but you won't stick to them either. =)

Vacation

Well, the week's almost over. I have no idea where the time went, but I know I enjoyed every peaceful minute of it. I started a list last night on the projects I have going...it was a long list. I didn't realize I had so many projects! Here's the list:

• Mohair sweater - about 2% complete
• Socks - about 20% on #1
• Purple sweater (reshaping the neck) - 30%
• Marvin the Paranoid Android - 30%

Then there's all the projects waiting to be started:

• Raspberry & Cream (2 skeins creme & 1 raspberry Cascade 220 Superwash)
• Buttonhole bag
• Shapely Tee
• Kid socks
• Cardigan
• Wrap
• Eyelash wrap

As you can tell, there's plenty to keep me going! Let's hope I can get something accomplished soon! I think I'm going to try and finish all the current projects before the end of summer, and get started on Christmas stuff. Some days it's easier to make gifts than to buy them. I'm considering getting the Last Minute Gifts book and making something for everyone out of it. I'm also considering getting my head examined, but that depends on insurance. =) Seriously, though, I'm hoping that by Christmas we'll have a house! That will be fun and exciting, especially since we're planning on having Christmas at our place this year. That means I'll be a busy girl! Let's hope not so horribly busy I miss blogging!

I must be the laziest person in the world.

I rarely have time to catch up on email reading, much less reading of the blog type. I know it's really just a seasonal thing for me...audit season sucks. I however, manage to occasionally look up from the trench I'm walking and see that people are finishing projects right and left. Well, the only thing I can say is that I'm starting them right and left. No, seriously. I might not have many things on the needles currently, but here's what I do have:

-Purple mohair sweater still going. I actually made a decision on it and went with the pattern in IK. I don't know if I'll have enough to do the bell sleeves AND the cowl neck, but I'm going to give it a shot. I was actually thinking of doing a V-neck on the sweater and then doing the cowl separately, so I can take it off if I want to. This way, it will also make sure I have enough for the cowl neck.

-Marvin the paranoid android. Yes, I saw The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and loved the knitted part. I had to stop myself from squealing (yes, squealing) in the theater. I found some patterns online, but of course I'm not happy with them, so I'm modifying them.

-I just received some lovely sock yarn in the mail yesterday from my secret pal, along with some sock patterns. I'm very excited, since I want to start some socks, and I have some trips coming up where I should have some car-ride time to work on them. It will be my first attempt at socks.

The second project up there has spurred some new thoughts for me, and so I've dug back into the deep recesses of my childhood and pulled out some favorite characters. I don't know how many will get knitted, but at least the idea is there.

In happier news, I have next week off. I'm taking a vacation. You know what that means...lots of knitting time! I'm a perpetual planner, so I've scheduled it in every afternoon. I'm also hoping to catch up from being about a month behind on everything else in life.

Holy Cow!

I didn't realize it's been so long since I updated this blog. Well, let's see...I finished deconstructing Soft Focus, I still haven't had time to get pictures developed, and I haven't made any progress on the purple/mauve mohair. I still have no idea what to do with it. I can't decide whether to make it into a plain sweater, or one with a pattern. I guess I should get knitting though, huh? It would be easier if I didn't work all the time, including over a holiday weekend. I'm hoping that in a couple of weeks, when I go on vacation, I'll have time to clean and I can knit in the afternoons some. Here's to hoping!

Deconstruction

I have finally started deconstructing Soft Focus. Not to worry; I have pictures safely locked in my camera. I will get them developed this weekend and hopefully post them. This will prove to be a fun adventure. I already took the sleeves off and have undone all but the side seams of the sweater. I have also started the great adventure of undoing the collar on one side and I started undoing the shoulder on another...that one wasn't on purpose. I somehow got ahold of that particular end and started to pull, and we all know what happens when you blindly pull a string. You lose a button in the WRONG place on your blouse and have to use a safety pin for the rest of the day at the office to be decent...um, no, I didn't do that. Hopefully more will come later. I am still working on that mohair sweater...I'm not convinced that I like where it's going currently. I'm wavering back and forth on doing the actual pattern in Interweave Knits or creating my own. When I decide, I'll pick up those needles again. In the meantime, I'm trying to catch up on my reading. So far, it's not too shabby.

There is always something there to remind me...

Wow...two posts in a week. I'm doing good this week. In any case, I found 5 extra skeins of the mohair yarn in my stash, so I'm up to 950 meters for my sweater. I don't know how well it's going to work out, but if it has to be 3/4 length sleeves or just a round neck, no worries. That's the joy of making it up as you go along. You get to control the outcome based on the materials at hand and if you find changes are needed they are easily made.

I was told that my Backyard Leaves scarf looked like something from J. Crew. Go Annie! The only thing I'm not happy about (it's the perfectionist in me, people) is the seam. I was afraid of the scarf "dipping" in where the seam was, and sure enough, it does. I'm going to try and block that out and see if that will fix it.

I still have a skein of LionBrand Magic Stripes for a pair of socks, and I might start that after I get done with this sweater. I've been told socks go quickly...we'll see. If they go easily, I might see about making socks for some people for Christmas. I also have 2 skeins of Cascade 220 that's calling my name and begging to be played with, but I just haven't found quite what I'm looking for yet. I need to go back to Knitty and look up a pattern that might work. I love being creative some days! If I don't find exactly what I want there, I might just make it up too!

I have some other yarn that needs to be made into something. It distresses me to see some of it just sitting there...begging not only to be knit but also be worn. I have a wrap in mind for some different mohair (this is a peach/creme varigated) and then there's another huge bag of still more mohair (although I could be mistaken and it's just alpaca) that I think needs to be made into a cardigan. Perhaps I should use it to make the Sitcom Chic from Knitty. Or something similar. It would be extremely useful...and useful's always good. =)

This week

Well, I finished Backyard Leaves. Ok, almost finished. I blocked the other half, and it's waiting to be sewn together and the ends woven. It's close to be completed. I was going to do that now, but didn't have a yarn needle with me. What was I thinking?! Why didn't I put on in the little kit bag I always have in my knitting bag?! Oh well...always double check.

Since I've cast off, that means I have to cast on. And oh boy did I ever! I cast on Avocet Alpaca and Mohair in shade 107. I have 14 skeins of 50 metres each...about 700 meters for a sweater perhaps? I'm being optimistic. Has anyone ever used this yarn? I'm knitting on size 15 needles, and creating my own pattern as I go. So far so good. I want a bell-sleeve pullover with a v-neck. I'm hoping to get it. If not, we'll start over. I think I'm going to research the yarn a little. I've never even heard of it; it was a gift from a friend. She inherited it from a friend of her mom's...in Maryland. We'll see what happens.

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

I thought this was cute...

so here's my results.


Which flock do you follow?
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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?

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.