In the blink of an eye...

before you know it, you've been blogging for TWO years. Knitting for 2.5
How much can change in two years? I've made lovely, wonderful friends through the blog world. I've created lasting relationships with people that I've met in person (you know, I started to list them, but there are too many), those that I've met via blogworld, and the awesome relationship I've developed with yarn. The last relationship is probably the only one that isn't all together healthy, but we can't all be perfect.

I've tackled lace, cables, fair isle, and dropped stitches. I'm still battling the UFOs and WIPs, but I don't see any resolution for those battles anytime soon. I've gone from a master's program to a PhD program, from Denver to Boston (oh, I guess I should change that in the sidebar, huh?). In other words, blogging and knitting have enriched my world... in so many terrific ways.

Ok. Enough sap.

SOMEONE wanted a picture of my new chart for Starsky. I had found all those slashes and symbols too confusing, so I rewrote it to look like this:




Since I also have short term memory issues... I included the key:




That's it for now folks. I worked on Robin Hood last night (i attached the sleeve, sewed up the second side seam) but need to still sew up the sleeve and weave in about 10 more ends... and decide if it needs a tassel. To tassel or not to tassel?

I've got one more gift knit, then I get to just knit for myself for a bit!

Neener neener neener

For those of you who know me personally, this next statement will shock you.

I can be a bit insufferable when I'm proven right about something... and I like to gloat. I'm highly competitive, and I freely admit that I am both a sore loser AND a sore winner. I like winning. I'm not that ashamed to admit that I really enjoy it. That feeling of being right.

The funny thing is that I really dislike the characteristic of righteousness. We can analyze that one later (though i guess it's pretty simple... we dislike in others what we dislike in ourselves.... How's that for a 2 bit psychologist?)

Why do I bring this up? One of my closest college friends has readily admitted for quite some time now (we've known each other for 13 yrs now...) that I'm inevitably usually right. Though we still debate some things (things that can't be right or wrong), we very rarely debate about things in which I can be proven right.

Over the last couple weeks, we've wondered who got Netflix first. She was convinced that she had been the one to tell ME about Netflix. Now, folks, I have a crappy ass short term memory (actually, it's my working memory that's piss-poor, but whatever). but my long term memory is like an elephant's. Rock solid. I remember EXACTLY how I became a Netflix fan, and who invited me to join. I've been a member for so long, that my membership dues are at a special rate.

So, when I opened up my email today and saw subject line "who wins now?"

I was not surprised to see the message

"

Of course you do. I joined Netflix January 2004.

How did you have it 2 years b4 me?!?! Oh, I remember – I had been with cable (stolen, but whatever) and you were without. "

So. neener neener neener.

(no one wants to be my friend anymore, do they?)

Finished pic of clapotis

Please ignore that end there... it's still there, and it'll stay there. I am sorely dilemmafied by the state of affairs here. Though the yarn label said to knit on 5s, I almost broke my wrists trying. I had to move up to US8s to get a good tension. So... by the time I finished the increase section, this mutha was WIDE. Fearlessly, I knitted on. I had 650 yds (2 skeins) of the yarn, and according to the pattern... enough. Get up to the decrease section, and I begin to have those tinglies in my tummy. Gentle reader, you know of which tummy timglies I speak. Your fingers then join in, going, "uh oh... the yarn looks like it's gonna run out."

True enough, as soon as I began the decrease section, I knew I was doomed. DOOMED. I consulted with a few ppl about what to do.... rip back and take out a few repeats of straight section and have it be shorter? Rip it all the way back to the increase section, take out a couple, and have it be a narrower/longer scarf. I much preferred option b, but I was told to go with option A. Since it's for the shop, I went with the shop owner's directive. I ripped back at least 2 straight sections, and I STILL ran out of yarn. Crappity crap. I hate it. If I could pull a Mrs. Weasley and have magic knit this mutha for me, I'd rip it back. I hate that I had to finish out in lamb's pride (the only worsted weight yarn I had that matched).

Anyway, I loved working with the yarn. Springy. Quick to knit up. But, I'm unhappy with the FO b/c it's for display at the shop and I'd have liked it to look more professional. (i know, waaah waaah waaah. that's me. pity party pity party).

Who can I pay...

to do this crap for me? I hate seaming. I hate weaving in ends. The details kill me, b/c you spend SO much time doing these things, and they aren't really appreciated or noticed (unless they're done badly). Kind of like how I don't mind washing pots, pans, plates, glasses... but I hate washing forks and spoons.

However, I did manage to totally finish (um, er, well. with the exception of washing/blocking) a baby project, and the clapotis for the shop. I took pics of both, and will show the clapotis, but not the baby project. Not until it's been gifted.

Three more projects that are in the immediate future to finish
1) my winter weight clapotis. I need it. I want it. it's freezing here in boston. I need the alpaca please!

2) baby project #2. It needs an appendage (sleeve/leg) and many ends to weave. The many ends may be the end of me.

3) Robin Hood Jacket. sew on sleeve, sew up seams. I've woven in about 95% of the ends.

Did you all watch the football games today? I yawned through (why didn't I take a nap?) during the Bears vs Saints, but O.M.G.!!! The Patriots vs Colts game was all that a game should be when two terrific teams are playing for a spot in the championship game. It was SO good that I wasn't even upset that a fellow Wolverine lost. It helps that there are two Wolverines on the Colts team. Can I sue the NFL if I get in trouble tomorrow in class for not having anything to say?


ps. I declare a universal moratorium on any type of activity in which the reproduction of humans may occur. At least amongst ppl who are close enough to me that I feel excited enough for you that I begin to plan knitted gifts for your baby (did you follow that?). Seriously.

pps. please leave comments on cute baby hats/booties patterns that you recommend. Quick, easy, but CUTE are the requirements please.

Promised picture!

First, a mini rant.
Stupid Sony! To save time, I was just going to download the imaging software from their website... oh no. They don't have it available. In fact, if I really had lost the disc/software, I would've had to PAY to get another copy. That's BS, if you ask me.

But I looked (and looked) and where was it? Where it should've been. When I moved, I had put the software I knew I would need for the new laptop into an expanding folder (which also held other important info like my birth certificate, the medical records for the cats, my new lease, info about the new school, etc). Was it there? No. Because I had taken it out and uploaded it to the new laptop (the now stolen laptop). So... the question was... where did I put it after I used it? It was in the main filing cabinet under "computer software." Sure, sounds obvious to all of you, but you all don't know how much I avoid filing. (b/c someone gets a wee bit obsessive compulsive when she files, so it takes hours. HOURS!!!)
There. Happy? I've got about 4 repeats done on the back of Starsky, which I love knitting (but it is NOT a mindless knit). I redid the chart from knitty, b/c those backslashes and the little symbols were too confusing for little old me. It's a beautiful knit, made more beautiful by the soft hand of Malabrigo and this gorgeous colorway (azul profundo). This same color is what Michelle is making her Wicked out of... coninky dink? Nope. We made the trade (in which I got three skeins of lovely Olive) when we went on the first malabrigo binge. I'm scared. Scared that this yarn might ruin me for all other yarns.


here's a pic of the clapotis for the store. Which, did you hear that there's a sale this weekend?

I'm on the decrease section, and biting my nails that I've got enough yarn to finish. If I had a magic wand, I would redo the whole thing and make it narrower (the thing is a beast) and longer.

That's it for now. Classes have started and I need to haul my butt over to the library to go kill a couple thousand trees. Even though most of my classes have a textbook, I have to print out journal articles too. About eleventy seven million of them.

Interrupted

Never say that I don't plan ahead. Today, I worked furiously on the clapotis for the store, and am almost finished. I wanted to do an FO report AND show off the humble beginnings of Starsky tonight, but I have to deal with some life issues. I know I'll have time to post pics tomorrow.


AUGH. I can't find the disc with all the software for my camera. I went a hunting on the Sony
web site, but it's not the friendliest/easiest to use. So, after I hunt for the disc, i'll post. I'll devote all day tomorrow (after I finish with school responsibilities). I swear. Signed and sealed in blood! (that i'll look, not that i'll have pics)

Houston, we have lift off!!

I've got a laptop again! And my brother bought me (for my b-day/Xmas gift) a new iPod, so I'm all recovered from my break in (for the most part). I can't wait to get the computer all configured so I can show you all some pictures (I don't even remember what I owe you in pictures).

I'm most excited to show you my newest project ... Starsky using my malabrigo in Azul Profundo. You know how Linus (from Peanuts) is so attached to his blue blankie? That'd be me with the malabrigo. This yarn has the. most. incredible. feel. In a convo with Celia, she told me that she thought the malabrigo was kind of... scratchy. She must've gotten a bad bad skein. Maybe a skein of Rio de la Plata masquerading as Malabrigo.

I know. I wasn't supposed to cast on for Starsky or Noro Kolsva until I had finished up

1) Robin Hood (need to finish seaming and weaving in ends. maybe make a tassel/pom pom)
2) clapotis for the shop. I had a small tragedy. I ran out of yarn. So, I can either rip back a bit and make the clap a bit shorter, or rip WAY back and make it narrower (which... if it were for me, I would want).
3) clapotis for me (almost there!... almost)
4 and 5) baby gift knits. (both are 90% done).

Maybe I dedicate this weekend to finishing. Maybe.

I've moved to the 'new' blogger, and I like it! I love labelling, though I think I might be getting to specific with my labels. We shall see.

It's chilly chilly brr brr here. School has started back up, so I'm training myself for living off very little amts of sleep.

Setting a new standard

I'd apologize for the lack of pictures and posting, but honestly, it's not going to change anytime soon. I have no idea when the new laptop will be arriving, and the camera is dead.

I hope everyone is enjoying the New Year. I hope that 2007 is a relatively calm and peaceful one for me, as I had enough life changes in 2006. My new year's resolutions... nothing too fantastical, but difficult nonetheless. I want to have a better attitude about being in Boston. I want to knit more... and use stash more... and finish more (oops... I said that the resolutions weren't fantastical, didn't i?). The plan is to knit at least one project from stash before I'm allowed to buy yarn for another project. Seeing as I have a healthy project list that I"m excited about...

1) Noro Kolsva using Noro Kochoron
2) Noro Klaralund using Kuryeon in color #32? #34? (the purple and green one)
3) Starsky using Malabrigo in Azul Profundo
4) Hourglass using Cash Iroha
5) the Touch Me scarf from Scarfstyle
6) a sweater using Rowan Calmer
7) socks (using cherry tree hill and STR)

My hope is that I can either slow the growth of my stash or keep it at the same weight (I'll consider it successful if I've either maintained or lost yardage).

The biggest goal I have for myself is to be a better student. I was NOT a great student in undergrad. Going to classes that I wasn't interested in was not my strong suit. In my master's program, I went to almost all my classes (I think I skipped maybe 2 classes the entire 3 yrs), and did at least... um... 50-60% of the readings assigned. I'm hoping that for this doctoral program, that I continue to improve on my academic studies by being a more thorough student.

Oh. Hey. Wow. I just realized how apt the title of this post is for this post. I didn't intend for my title to really relate to New Year's resolutions, but I guess it does, huh?

The title actually refers to my secret trip that I just got back from. Tiffany needed help at the store while her mom went to go visit her brother's family. So... she flew me out to Denver so I could help at the store AND see my friends. I can't decide if she's got the best customer service EVER, or if I just made the longest commute for someone who works at an LYS. We managed to keep the trip a secret from everyone, including Michelle, Stacey, and Jeni. We all got together for drinks and snacks on Saturday night, and I got to hang out with most all my Denver knitting grrlz! It was so much fun to be able to spend time and knit with Wanda, Kim, Joanne and Nachaele.

I'm busily knitting away on clapotis redux x2 (one for the shop, one for me) and some baby gifts. Two more friends have announced that they're expecting. I'm thinking baby booties and hats.

The biggest news? Guess who had her bambino!!! Celia had her baby on 1/2/2007. She's already posted about it, so go congratulate her! (she even posted a pic of the baby!)