Breathing Space

Hooray! The holiday is over! I don't know why, but this one seemed to be oddly stressful to me. It really wasn't all that much different from any other year. I even went out of my way to make sure that I didn't put extra stress on myself. Oh well, watcha gonna do?

I did manage to finish one project in time! The stocking for my girlfriend Judy's granddaughter! I can't wait to hear how it went!

Next year it's stockings for the guys in the family! (And I'm considering being sneaky and making some for Judy and her husband as a gift.)

Oh, and I discovered on Christmas Eve (actually, we all did), that I'm going to have a "new" nephew! Or will he be a nephew-in-law? No, no one's preggers, but one of my nieces, who's only 11 years younger than me, is engaged! Woot! We haven't had a good wedding in the familyin a long time!

Anyhoo, things seem to have mellowed out around here, which is nice. Now I just need to get back to doing some knitting (I got a ton of new knitting books as gifts), taking some pictures (I got film, surprise, surprise!) and trying to relax.

Three weeks later...

And the bionic woman returns home!

Mom was sprung from the hospital this morning, much to her delight. Of course, now she and Dad need to adjust to being home together again, as well as dealing with what she can and can not do at this point. One of the things that completely boggles me is the fact that she's almost completely off of pain medication! I mean...She had her leg cut open and her knees completely replaces three weeks ago, and while she's sore, she's not "in pain". The ability of the human body to bounce back from trauma is truly amazing.

After hanging out at my parent's house for a while I finally went and started my Christmas shopping. Hand knit gifts just aren't happening this year. There were just too many other things going on. Besides, I still have to finish the stockings for my friend Judy. I plan on having them completely finished and ready to hand over by next saturday.

But right now I need chocolate. Lots and lots (and lots) of chocolate! And my husband had better stop hovering over my shoulder, or he is *so* not going to make it through this week alive.

Gadzooks!

Actual knitting content! Who'da thunk it?


(clickie for bigger)

My girlie and her purple'n'green hat and mittens!

Of course, all I can think about now is the Llama Song.

I've started rebuilding my finished project page. I'm retaking as many pictures as I can manage. I'd have taken more, but it wasn't until I started taking pictures that I realized how badly some of the sweaters need to be washed! The curse of knitting wool, hand wash only sweaters plus the curse of being wickedly lazy equals things not getting done as often as they should!

I'm Bored

Which is a good thing!

I feel like I've been going flat out lately, what with Thanksgiving and the start of the Christmas shopping season and life and all that. I've been on the computer but have been mostly playing games, which is all my brain seems to be able to handle right now. I haven't been blogging, and I haven't been reading blogs either. Both just seem to require too much effort.

So today is a lazy day. I had planned on going out and doing things, but sleeping through my snooze alarm three times (I barely got up in time to send the kid off to the bus) and it being a miserable, rainy day outside changed my mind about that. Nope, it was decreed the perfect day to stay at home and do absolutely nuthin'.

And it's been bliss.

***

Oh! A heartfelt plea from he who is my husband! (Who works part time in the local mondo-big bookstore):

Please, please, please! After dragging all of the knitting books off of the shelves to look at them, put 'em back? Please?

Thus endeth my PSA for local bookstore employees everywhere. Thank You.

Oh, it's been a long couple of days...

Not bad. Just long.

I was there when they got Mom out of bed, and STANDING!, for the first time on Wednesday, and damn was it hard to watch! But she did it! She did it! And considering she had major surgery to replace her knees 48 hours before, it was a pretty major accomplishment!

Then Thursday morning she did it again. And in comparison it seemed so much easier. She actually stood, supported by a walker of course, for about 10 minutes. It was pretty frickin' amazing.

Now she's at rehab, and the work really begins. They're going to be pushing her hard, and it's not going to be easy for me to watch. It's a helpless feeling, not being able to do it for her. Knowing that she's in a lot of pain, but that she *has* to do it.
I just wish that I could wave a magic wand and have it be all over for her.

And, since I've been doing a lot of sitting while keeping Mom company, I've also been doing a fair amount of knitting too.

I've finished a pair of purple and green mittens for Irina, pulling the color pattern from Knitting Fair Isle Mittens and Gloves and the sizing from the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. I've also started a pair of fingerless gloves/mittens loosely based on this pattern for Tony. Glove number 1 is almost finished, and I want to do glove 2 before I do the mitten part so I can make sure that I do them sort of the same. After all, what I read in a pattern is rarely what ends up happening on my needles!
Pictures are coming! I just need to dig up some new batteries for the camera!

Checkin' in

Mom's surgery went really, really well. I haven't seen her yet, but I did talk to her this afternoon and she sounded much better than I had expected her to. Of course, she was still all drugged up and not feeling any pain! I don't envy what she's going to feel like when they start taking her off the drugs!

I've made a hat and most of a pair of mittens for the small one, but pictures are going to have to wait until I have time to take them in daylight. I guess that I should also put the thumbs on the mittens before taking pics.

And then I get to make the tall one's mittens! I'm finding a particular pleasure in doing small, quick to finish projects right now. They appeal to my suddenly very short attention span.

A Four Letter Word Beginning With "S"

Ends with "W". Has "NO" in the middle.

Yup. It's here. I'm having a hard time reminding myself that it had actually snowed in October last year, so it really isn't all that early this year. But, still...

I love snow. I'm just not sure that I'm ready for fall to be over yet.

***

If you could spare just a minute of your time...could you think some happy thoughts for my Mom? You see, she's having both of her knees replaced Monday morning. Great, big, huge, major surgery. I know I'm kind of weirded out by that fact, so I can't imagine how she's feeling right now.

Love Ya, Mom!

I Can't Think of a Title

I'm just feeling a little brain-dead today is all.

Yes, I am feeling *significantly* better than I was the last time I posted! (Thank you for your "feel betters"!) Everybody, and I do mean everybody, at work has managed to come down with this cold! We've had a minimum of three people call in sick each day, and those were just the phone calls that I fielded. It's a vile illness. It hit hard, but fortunately didn't last very long. (At least it didn't for those of us who were willing to give in and be sick.)

There really isn't all that much going on around here. I've got two squares left to knit on the rug (Hooray!), and will likely have it done sometime today. Then all I will need to do is find a yellow shower curtain and bathroom will be done!

Next up will be the kitchen. It's a teeny-tiny apartment kitchen with almost no counter space. I have a small butcher block table in it that I thought would be used for cooking prep; but it turned into just another horizontal surface to collect junk. So it, and an old microwave stand that no longer holds the microwave, are going to go. Once I have the funds to buy the shelving units that I want to replace them with, that it.

Other than that, I'm just seriously fighting startitis! I want to make this hat for the girlie, in shades of green and purple to match her new winter coat. And I think that this afghan is just really quite cool. It would also be a really great way to use up the single skeins of yarn that were left over from other projects. And did I mention that I went ahead and ordered the Peacock Shawl pattern and yarn?

Oh, and Tony mentioned something about needing new mittens, a scarf, and a hat to go with *his* new winter coat...

WaaWaaWaa

Yes, it's here. My first cold of the season.

I'd be much happier now if I'd managed to get any sleep last night, but not being able to breath through my nose kind of nixed that idea.

I've got no knitting to talk about, I haven't the energy to knit. I just needed to moan and complain about being miserable. And now my tea and I are going back to bed.

He's a weirdo

Most cats seem to prefer cuddling up to something soft. Mine?

And I had been planning on using that camera too!

Harrumph

To say that I'm disappointed in the election results would be a huge understatement!

Is it too early to start campaigning for Hillary in '08?

So, anyone for a mini "picturepalooza"?

First up is my bathroom rug. No, it's still not finished. I find that I keep getting distracted.


Next in line is the filet crochet piece that I've been working on. I had a superstitious "need" to work on it while the Red Sox were going through the playoffs and World Series. (Didn't work last night, though. Maybe things would have gone differently. Harrumph.)
I wasn't too sure how much I was going to like it, but once I saw it on a dark background I was much happier with it. It's about one fourth of the way through the pattern I'm using.


And last is a Christmas stocking that will be one of a pair that a friend commissioned for her grandchildren. I'm loving it! It's reminding me just how much I enjoy doing color work. And it's going up really quickly too!

The only thing is, there are two problems with the stocking.

One-The reindeer's body (yes, it'll be a reindeer) is two stitches too narrow. Not a big deal, I can just frog back a couple of rows and fix it.

The second problem is a little bigger. I bought two shades of red for the two different stockings, and grabbed the wrong red when I started this stocking; but that's OK because I've decided I really liked the color. However, I only have one skein of it, it's almost gone...

And the yarn store is out of the dye lot!

So it's decision time: Do I just pick up another skein and hope the color isn't too far off? (A thought that makes my skin crawl. No, no one else would notice it, but I would!)
My other option is to just pick up two more skeins in the same dye lot, frog back to the white band, and continue on from there. It would mean yanking out two nights work, but I'd probably be happier with it.

Today's The Day!

Finally! I am so sick of the political ads and annoying pre-recorded phone calls. Git yer butts out there and vote! (And take your knitting, because it looks like we'll be standing in line for a loooooong time!)

I could go into a long tirade about voting here...but I'm not going to. Suffice to say that I think it's an important thing to do.

For a knitting blog I've been awfully short on pictures lately. Well, it's been a busy week since I last posted, and I don't see it getting too much better right away. But pictures will come later, once I finally get off my rump and take some!

Oh.My.Goodness.They.Won.

I've slept on it, and I'm still in shock!

Lazy, lazy, lazy

This is so weird. I have a day when I don't actually have to "do" anything! I can just kick back and play with yarn all day if I want. (At least, until the bus shows up at three.) My morning is spoken for tomorrow, so I think I'd better enjoy today!

Mitten number two for the girlie was finally finished the night before last, however do you think we can find the first one? No-o-o-o-o! It's got to be in this apartment somewhere, but I fond it funny to think that the mitten's been lost before it's really been cold enough to wear it!

(It might be cold enough soon though! Is it possible that the Red Sox might actually win? Is this the year that Hell freezes over??? I, personally, won't believe it until we're ahead by six runs, it's the bottom of the ninth with two runners out, and the player at bat has two strikes! Then, and only then, will I stop holding my breath!)

Repeat the Mantra

"I will finish what I am doing before I start anything new.
I will finish what I am doing before I start anything new."

Really.

Honestly.

After all, I only have half of a mitten and seven squares of the rug to complete. Oh, and a cardigan that needs a sleeve and buttons, even though I need to figure out what I did with the yarn I was using. And the lace shawl, I really should consider getting back to that.

And those are just the projects that I can see from where I'm sitting.

But I want to make the hubby a pair of mittens. And I have a friend that I want to make a pair of gloves for, but she's allergic to wool so I'm thinking maybe alpaca. The kid has also asked for socks to match her mittens. And I have the stockings that a friend has asked me to do (I suppose those should take precedence).

And then there's also this moebius scarf that I want to make (I have some chocolate brown lace weight alpaca that has been screaming at me to use it, and this might be the project). There's also the Fiddlesticks knit along that I'd love to join (I'm really jonesing over the Peacock shawl) And...And...And...

AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! *Kim's head explodes*

*Yawn*

Well, we ended up having a wickedly late night last night, and it had nothing to do with the Red Sox win (as awesome as it was). No, it had everything to do with the kid developing a really bad case of the croup and us having to drag her to the hospital in the middle of the night when nothing we did here helped!

Ah, the joys of having kids! Fortunately this was the first time we had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night! We're keeping our fingers crossed that it's another six years before we have to do it again.

As a result of our nocturnal trip, we're all dragging our butts around here today. (Yes, we all stayed home today. We weren't going to try to get the small one up at 8a.m. when she had been up until 3! And Tony knew he wasn't going to be able to function on less then three hours sleep.) Irina's the only one who hasn't taken a nap today, but I'm expecting a really early bed time for her tonight.

I'm sure that I have something crafty that I could post about, but I'm a little brain dead right now. So I'll just send you over to admire the filet crochet panel that Kim Brody Salazar has done over at String or Nothing. It's inspired me to start one of my own using a pattern from a cross stitch silhouette book that I own. I'll put up a picture when it actually looks like something.

Oh, and I finally finished painting my bathroom yesterday. How on earth did it manage to take me three weeks to paint an ity-bity room?

They're trying to kill me!

The Red Sox, I mean! How I'm going to get through game 7 is completely beyond me! And Curt, Curt,CURT! The man just rocks!

I've gotten *no* knitting done the past few nights...It's hard to knit when your hands are covering your eyes!

Busy, busy, busy

It's been a fun and not-so-fun couple of days. Friday was the not-so-fun day as I ended up with what was possibly the worst migraine I've ever had. I went to work, but ended up leaving at noon in tears because my head was hurting so badly. It's time to seriously talk to the doctor about what I can do to battle the migraines. It's equally frustrating because I went so long without having one, and now I just seem to be having one after the other. Grrrr. I do not like having my life controled by how my head feels!

The fun part was hanging out at my brother's last night! (His finger is doing quite nicely, Thank You. :)) How it came about is a long story about Tony locking himself and the kid out of the apartment, and ended with pizza, subs, and Chris mixing really strong drinks. It wasn't what we had planned for the evening (like we even *had* plans), but was "way wicked" better!

On the knitting front: I'm slowly working my way through the second mitten. I'd have finished the cuff yesterday during lunch at work, but I forgot to stick it in my bag. Knitless at lunch...a tragic experience!

As I'm redoing the bathroom in yellow and blue, to match a very cool sun/stars mirror that I picked up at work, I decided that I'd need a rug to match. What's a knitter to do? Snag a free rug pattern off the 'net (PDF file), find yarn, and get to work!

A Mitten for my Kitten

Sometimes I'll buy sock yarn with all the best intentions, but once I've begun the overriding feeling about it is "meh. As a sock it does not rock". So I'll rip the needles out and toss it in a drawer to germinate for a while.

I think this skein sat for two (?three?) years before the girlie latched onto it and asked me to knit a pair of mittens for her. Now that I can do!



One down, one to go.

After these I should see about making a pair of the thrummed mittens for Tony. It might be remotely possible that they would keep his hands warm, but knowing him I'm not going to get my hopes up too high.

I've also been commissioned by my friend Judy (I made a sweater for her granddaughter last Christmas, but I'll be darned if I can find a picture of it!) to make stockings for both of her grandkids. She'd also like stockings for all three of her sons-in-law! Those might be next year's project.

And, because I'm a lemming (See Sandy's October 6th entry), here's the view out my window today.

*Smacks Forehead*

Annie! Thank You for your ROAK of the audio books! What to download? Decisions...decisions...

Smooth Move, Grace!

So my baby brother (who's only just 13 months younger than me, and we're both closer to 40 than 30) was doing a favor for a friend. And in the process he managed to cut one of his fingers in half (!!!) with a table saw!!!

Good Grief Brother!

The good news, if there can be such thing, is that he did not cut the finger off! No, he cut the long way, from the fingernail down. (Picture pushing a piece of wood, with your hand on top guiding it, towards a rapidly moving blade. YEWOOCH!!!) He also somehow managed to miss the bones. So he's going to have plastic surgery on Wednesday to "put it back together", and who knows what his recovery time is going to be.

Sheesh, Chris! Wood good/flesh bad! It's waaaaay more than just a good idea!

Random bits

I am blessed (cursed?) with a very keen sense of smell. Tony says that I have the "weirdest nose" he's ever met. I am also, unfortunately, very prone to 'scent migraines', which can make things difficult at times.

Well, I had one last night that I think was triggered by the wool that I am knitting my shawl out of.


Except for the dye this is really very minimally processed. I've been picking bits and pieces of vegetable matter out of it and it does smell sort of 'sheepy' (or, as the small one said the first time she saw sheep: "Mom! They smell just like a sweater!") I'm just hoping that wool isn't going to be added to the long list of things that aren't allowed near my nasal passages!

***

Oh, my bathroom is being painted the same boring off white that the rest of the apartment is painted. I doubt that anybody else would be able to tell a difference, but it's making me feel good.

***

I went out with the girlie yesterday to check out one of those instant "just add holiday" stores that popped up in the mall. As we're walking around, checking out the masks and costumes, we run into a display of women's breasts. Very large ones. As the small one is standing there starting at them I'm thinking: 'OK Kim, how are you going to explain this one?'

kid: "Mom?"
me: "Yes?"
kid: "Those are boobs! Naked ones!"
me: "Yes. Yes, they are."
kid (shaking head): "That is sooooo silly!"

And she heads off on her merry way...

Brrrr!

It was downright chilly here this morning, and I think it's kicked the knitting gene into high gear. I want to make socks, gloves, mittens, and "oh, yeah" {yikes?} it's only 11 weeks until Christmas and I have a couple of people that I want to make gifts for! Maybe if I start now I won't be weaving in ends at 11pm on Christmas eve...

Yeah, riiiiiight!

So, I've got my archives back up. No pictures before this September though. I have a couple of pages that I want to set up, finished projects and the like. I have some of my project pictures saved on my hard drive but, since many of them are in this apartment, I'll probably just take new pictures and really go from a fresh start.

Now, I really should go do something constructive. I've got my paint for the bathroom sitting in the hall staring at me. I need to take a trip to the pharmacy. I should do laundry.

I think I'll go knit while I decide what to do first.

I'ma gonna smooch the mailman!

Well, no, maybe not. I mean, it's not like he's the UPS guy or anything! However he did manage to make me a happy lady yesterday by delivering not one, but two packages!



Yes, that is the sideways striped cardigan pattern! I found three places online that carried it. The first didn't have it in stock, the second had a $25. order minimum (but I don't wanna spend $25.00), and the third was the charm!

The winner was The Mannings, who I will most certainly be doing business with again! For starters, I ordered it at I-don't-know-what-time on Friday night. I received an email on Saturday morning telling me it had shipped, and it was here Monday morning. On top of that, they adjusted the shipping amount and saved me some money. For that they get "three snaps in a Z formation"!

Now the scarf book I picked up from Overstock.com. Most of it is "eh", but I do really like a couple of the patterns.

And...I've been bitten by a bug. Not an "I'm sick" bug, tho' if the way my daughter's nose has been running lately is any indication, that might also happen soon. No, I'm referring to the crochet bug.



Nope, can't start with a simple granny square, can I? I can't doggy paddle craft-wise. Only jumping off the high dive will do! I will admit that this is hours worth of work, and my pinky was very cramped from holding the thread by the time I packed it in for the night!

Speaking of time to pack it in...are you still reading this?

{edited because I like repeat repeating myself}

For today's matchup

Bound to be a good game!

I've done 10 repeats of the shawl pattern. I'd have done more, but I ended up being sucked into the book "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult. A very good read. Now I've begun
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb. I read She's Come Undone a few years ago. And, while I did finish it, the main character ticked me off for some reason. We'll see what this book dose to me.

But, HEY! Game time!

My New Knitting Obsession

Is the Sideways Knit Striped Cardigan from Vermont Fiber Designs.

Must Find Pattern!!!

Ooooh

This short was linked to over on the Worth 1000 message board. Enjoy.

More

"So, like, I'm on this major cleaning spree..."

It's a phrase that would promptly induce fits of laughter in anyone who knows me well (< exasperated teenager voice >Mother!< /voice >), but I am. And my latest bit of cleaning delight was borrowing a sister-in-law's steam cleaner and doing the carpets! And having seen how they turned out I shall now raise my right hand, place my left on the Harmony Guide to Knitting Stitches (volumes 1 & 2), and solemnly swear that I shall not wait mumble years before I do it again!

Now, if I could only get the landlord to bring me the paint she said she would! The bathroom really needs a fresh coat. Heck, it's been eight years! If we owned this place I'd probably have completely redone the bathroom three times by now, just because I'm like that.

I've been trying to figure out what's triggered this need to clean. It probably has something to do with that winter is coming, get ready to nest/hibernate thing.

The sad thing is, the carpet will only really be clean for about the next 20 minutes. *sigh* The joys of having a six year old!

{edit: ask and you shall receive! i came back up from meeting the bus, and one of the buildings maintenance men was standing at my door with a monster container of paint! now i have my project for *next* week :)}

Wha?

Don't you hate the feeling when you've got something deep and profound to say...but can't remember what the heck it was? That would be my "long term loss of short term memory" kicking in.

So, I did start a poncho for the girlie, and I'm hating it. I know that the only reasonable course of action is going to be to rippit-rippit and start again. I'm thinking that maybe I need to go fondle fiber for inspiration. (What? Go to a yarn store and *gasp* stroke wool? The thought is so exciting it almost makes me feel dirrrrty. WooHoo!)

One of the nice thing about going back to work more hours is that I feel like I can go into a yarn store. The specter of not having enough money to cover the rent and buy groceries isn't hanging over my head this month, and it is such a relief! No, I'm not going to go crazy buying yarn (after all, I have a camera that needs to be repaired, which is going to cost me a bit), but I don't have to deny myself the pleasure of just going to look! It's a good thing.

Another good thing about going back to work more hours? My supervisor. She just rocks! And I will, and do, tell her that to her face.

M'kay. I'm going to go watch the Red Sox and knit a few more rows on the shawl.

It's bye week

Not that I'm going bye-bye again any time soon, it just means that my boys aren't playing this week. "Poor Mommy", said Irina. "What are you going to watch if football isn't on?"

She needn't have worried, considering the Red Sox are going up against the Yankees for the third game in their series as I sit here typing.

When did I become a sports fan? Scary.

So here's a crummy picture of the shawl thus far:

It really is looking much better in the real world. Like I've said before, it's a tough color to take a decent picture of. I'm liking it, but it's reaching the point when it's stating to take many repeats to get through a row. It's good mindless knitting, but I can't be too mindless about it or I miss YO's. Or make them where they aren't needed.

So, instead of looking at a boring picture, do something much more interesting and go visit my nephew Nate, a fantastic musician, and just generally nice kid. Really.

I have the sneaking suspicion...

That I'd have gotten a lot more knitting done this afternoon if I hadn't managed to lock myself out of the apartment.

I can be such a twit sometimes.

I think I need to make a poncho

Yes, yes, yes! I know I'm working on the shawl, but I'm thinking that the girlie needs a poncho. Really. She does. Yup. *nods*

But I don't need another project. Really I don't. I don't.

...and I really don't need to go buy more yarn!

Any wagers on how long it'll be before I give in?

So Totally Not Fair

I've only had a few migraines in the past few months. I've been enjoying life without them more than I can possibly say! And then I go and have two, two!, major one's in three days. Nausea, incredible pain...not fair! I am going to be *so* ticked off if they return on a regular basis again. I was able to beat today's back well enough so I wouldn't have to leave work, but I can still feel it lurking around the edges.

I made it through another few repeats of the shawl pattern while (quietly) rooting on the Pats on Sunday. I'm finding that I'm liking it, but I'm glad that it's a 'simple' lace pattern. I look at some of the patterns out there for shawls and, while they are lovely, I think trying to keep track of what I was doing would drive me absolutely nuts! I'll try to get a decent picture of it once I've done a few more inches of work.

But chances are that I won't be knitting much over the next two days! A co-worker is getting married on October 1st, and we've done a quilt for her. I made a square (do you think I could find my camera to take a picture of it? No-o-o-o!), and I'm going to be doing a counted cross stitch legend for the back of it. Or, at least I will once I get the email I'm expecting with the list in it!

Now, I wonder if there's anything on t.v. tonight worth knitting to...

Way too cute

We had another visit from the tooth fairy last night! Now my kid has a gaping hole in her mouth, which I just find way too impossibly cute.

I caved

I've started a shawl. I'm using the free pattern from Elann.com, and wool that I picked up in Vermont last summer. The wool, of course, is a wonderful heathery dark blue that is impossible to photograph well! I've only done a few pattern repeats, but am liking the way that it's turning out so far.

But there will be prime knitting time tomorrow!

I just seem to get more knitting done during football season. When I'm not yelling at the t.v., that is!

Well, like Baa, man

Which flock do you follow?

this quiz was made by alanna

I wonder what it means...

Lace.

Lately I've been having the crazed urge to knit lace. And not just some diddly little bookmark something. I'm thinking a shawl.

Now, I'm not a "shawl" person, nor have I been that into knitting lace, so I'm not sure where this weird urge is coming from.

I think I should just go and lie down until the feeling passes.

Bonus, Baybee!

A coworker of mine is in the process of cleaning out her house (it's actually one of those 'on going' events, but I'm not going to get into that...), so she asked me if I would like her aunts old knitting needles.

Would I?

Silly question.

So now I am the proud owner of these:



More circular needles than I will most likely ever need in my life. Some really nice old ones too, that are Susan Bates, but remind me of Addi Turbo's in the way that they're made.

She also put this in the bag:


It's a small loom of some sort, but I have no idea what it's used for! I've googled, but no dice. Any ideas?

Yikes!

There are close to 500 sites in the knitting blog web ring!?!?! Wow, have I got some catching up to do! And, maybe, someday I'll be able to join again.

Would any yarn addict be at all surprised to hear that I did the math and have 24,938 yards of yarn? And that's just in the boxes in my closet, who knows what's hiding in my dresser drawers...

Hellooo? Anyone Home???

Yes, it's me. Sticking my head up to see if anyone's around.

I think that I just needed a great big, honkin' huge, break from blogging. And from, well, a lot of things. I'm not going to go into the icky, yucky details, but the past several months have been kind of hard for me personally. I did some things (or rather, didn't) that could have cost me a job that I love and a huge amount of my self respect.

But...that didn't happen. And, as with most difficulties, I think that I've emerged from it a stronger and happier person.

I'm also finding that I want to blog again! For a while there it was feeling like a chore, like I was hanging around the edges of a clique that didn't want me to be a part of it. But, eh? *shrugs* Who am I doing this for? Me, of course! (and, ok, my Mom likes keeping tabs on me too!)

So now I need to take the sheets off of the furniture, fluff the cushions, dust, and get some fresh flowers to brighten up the place.

Tea and knitting anyone?

It's not the big Goodbye

That is, if there's anyone coming around anymore to see if I post anymore.

I just seemed to have lost my blogging mojo. It's from a combination of things, I think. Personal and emotional and I don't know what all. *shrugs* That, and with summer here, I've been hanging around with the kiddo and not knitting all that much. (I did make some dishcloths for the kitchen lately, does that count?) {edit: where else would i make dishcloths for? d'oh!)

And, does it sound funny?, I almost feel guilty about not blogging. I'll get back to it at some point, I'm sure.

So this isn't a "Goodbye", it's more of a "See ya later, alligator". Drop me a line, if you have the time (k1yop2-at-msn.com -you know to fix that, right?), and have a great rest of the summer!

~Kim

Summer Vacation

So, here it is. The first full day of the first full week of summer vacation. It's not even 8:45a.m., and the kid has already told me that she's "bored".

My reply? "So go clean your room"!

I'm almost done with the tank top! Yaah! I may even get it finished today, provided I actually sit down and work on it. Pic coming soon!

Proof

I have too been knitting!

Hey there!

O.K., so it's turning out that I'm not around as often as I thought I would be. My poor, sadly neglected blog! It's been so long that they went and completely redesigned the Blogger interface when I wasn't looking, so I've had to go and re-learn my way around. Jeepers Crow!

Let's see, what's going on for those who may stop by to see if I'm actually still alive...

Getting my hours cut at work really did turn out to be such a blessing. We are so completely flat broke it isn't funny, but Tony isn't pushing me to go and look for something else. He knows that I'm actually ~doing~ things (photography), and not just sitting around on my butt eating bon-bons. And he knows that if things get really bad, I will look for something part-time.

The really humerous part of the whole thing is that my friends tell me that I am the happiest they've ever seen me! Yeah, I have my down days. But who doesn't? That whole human condition thing.

And, who'd of thunk it, but my baby girl's frist year of school is over in two weeks! Damn, that happened pretty fast! (I'm now understanding the frenzied look my Mom would get in her eyes at this time of year) I'm so proud of my kid! Nine months ago she couldn't read, now she's reading chapter books, at an easy second grade level. Completely boggles the mind, it does!

And, more amazing: I have been knitting! (You: "No!" Me: "Yes!") I've been working on a shell for myself with a lovely varigated cotton that I bought at last years New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival. I *will* get a picture of it up later this week. Yes I will *nods*

So I'm off again. It's what looks like is going to be the only decent day this week, so I'm going to go enjoy some of it!

Well, hey...

I *think* I'm back :)

Things are definately better now, frame of mind-wise. I still haven't done any knitting in a while, but the coat on the front of the KnitPicks catalog might just be enough to kick me into going again! It is just way too adorable!

If you're wondering just what I have been doing...I've been hanging around over at Worth1000, working on honing my photography skills. Some of the favorite contest enteries I've made are Silk Roses, Miss You, and Lotion. It's very cool discovering another new creative outlet!

So, I won't be as much of a stranger as I have been lately!

Yeah, I'm around

More then a little down and depressed, but around. The slump continues, I haven't knit in ~weeks~. Poor pitiful me.

I've nothing else to say right now.

Umm, huh?

So, I had Irina wear her rainhat down to the bus stop, even though she complained that it was too small. At the stop I relented and told her that her head would get wet, but she didn't have to wear the hat if she didn't want to. She gave me the hat and was happy. The bus came, she got on it, and away she went.

Now for the weird part. While I was talking to the kids I was winding the hat up into a tube, just a playing with it in my hands sort of thing. The bus came, the kids got on, and away they went. As I walked back inside I suddenly realized...

I didn't have the hat anymore!

It wasn't on the floor, outside on the ground, I didn't stuff it in my pocket. It.Was.Gone. And I have no idea what happened to it!

The only thing I can think of is that I reflexively stuck it on the kiddo's head as she went out the door, but I don't remember doing it.

I'm too young for a senior moment, so it must just be long term loss of short term memory.

***

So, I've been putting together a portfolio of some of my photography, and making some card samples to take around to some of the local gift type shops to see if anyone might be interested in selling them. It's an itsy-bitsy, teeny-tiny, small start.

Now if only the sun would come out so I could stop yawning!

Well, patootie (for want of a really strong word)

I just had my hours cut in half at work. All part of a 'restructuring' of the department. And while I can (sorta) understand the reasonings (Ok, no, not really, dammit), it still really stinks. I don't know if I should be depressed or angry at this point, but I've got a huge dose of both and it's really wearing me out.

I hereby give myself a week two days to stew on this, and then I need to figure out what I want to do. Maybe it's just time to leave. Damn. I hate change. Is it a cosmic kick in the butt, maybe? I don't know that I've been 'happy' there for a while, and just coasting through isn't what I really want to be doing. *sigh*sigh*

/self-indulgent, tmi, stream of conciousness ramble off

And, yes, Mom, I am OK. A little stunned, but OK. :s

Slump

Great big honkin' huge knitting slump. I haven't knit anything in days and days. *sigh*

Life continues

And so does Inishmaan:

I really am enjoying the pattern.

Also, be warned, anyone who's seen me lately has seen this (crazy hair and all):

Say "Cheese!"

Oh yeah, I forgot! The tooth fairy came Monday night and left a very happy girl four shiny new quarters!

Anyone miss me?

Between having yet another cold (and if I figure out who gave it to me they're toast), and having one of those times when I'm asking myself all sorts of deep, life altering questions (Who am I? What am I doing here? What is my greater purpose in life? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?) that posting has fallen by the wayside.

That, and the fact that I haven't bought batteries for my camera yet, so Inishmaan update pictures aren't possible at the moment. But both sleeves are done, and I've made good progress on the front.

The other big news around here is that the Tooth Fairy is going to be making her first visit to our home some night soon! I think Tony and I are more excited by this than the squirt is! Does anybody know what the going rate for a tooth is now-a-days?

and ever since I asked tony the exact qoute about the swallow he's been sitting behind me quoting monty python with great abandon. i've created a monster.

I think I've recovered

From school vacation week, that it is! One of the best parts of vacation was escaping to my in-laws for the weekend and discovering a new yarn store in Sturbridge!


The Mt. Laurel Yarn Boutique is a cute little gem of a store.

I spent some time looking around and talking to the owner's daughter (who admitted that she wasn't a knitter, but had an index card file full of cheat sheets!). The store is only about three months old, and looked like it was doing great business. There was a lot of fun novelty yarns, mixed in with what looked like every single color of Lamb's Pride worsted weight wool, some absolutely gorgeous Manos Del Uruguay.

I did break my yarn fast, but it was worth it. I picked up a few skeins of Chester Farms cestari, which is wonderfully soft, and several of Silky Wool in the moss color. And I have been told that the owner is very amenable to order requests.

So next time you're out Sturbridge way (and if you haven't made a trip to Old Sturbridge Village in a while, isn't it time?), stop by and check the Mt. Laurel Yarn boutique out! It's right on Main St, the main drag, AKA Route 20, right next to Basketville. What are you waiting for? Go! Go!

{edit:one of these days i will learn to use spellcheck before i post something!}

Well, Pbththththththththth!

There I was yesterday morning, knitting away, trying to avert any more disasters and appease the Knitting Goddess, when I realized that I had made a mistake.


See the cable at 'a'? It's suppose to look like the cable at 'b', but I twisted in the wrong direction. Fortunately it was only four rows back, so I just dropped the stitches down there and reknit the cable. (I took pictures as I did it, but they turned out really yucky looking, so I'm not going to force them on you)

I ended up not getting that much knitting done yesterday (school vacation, trying to amuse a five-year-old, and all that); but my tall guy has taken today off so we can have some family fun. So I started my day by knitting several rows before I even crawled out of bed. Ah, glorious!

Chelee asked yesterday for suggestions about doing cables, because they look kind of scary. They're not, really! I find them to be a lot of fun.

Knitting is, from my perspective, all about manipulating the stitches. Working cables is just another way of manipulating them, saying "No, I'm not going to knit you yet. You go wait over here until I'm ready for you" I think that it helps that my first sweater ever was kind of cabled, so I just dove into doing them without even really thinking about it.

So my suggestion would be to grab a book of knitting stitches, sit down, and just do some test swatches. It doesn't take long to figure out that it's really a lot easier than it looks! If I'm working with a chart I tend to take the time to write it out row by row. Writing it out also gives the option of easily checking off the rows so I can figure out where I left off once I've put it down.

Does anyone else have any suggestions for doing cables?

So far today...

Coffee grounds have been spilled on the kitchen floor. Used coffee grounds. I knocked over my cereal onto the floor. I whacked my coffee cup with my elbow and created a lake on the table. The cat ate something that diagreed with him, and I had to clean up the results.

I firmly believe that this run of bad luck is connected to the fact that I've only knit four rows of anything in the past three days. Now, should I push my luck and go and take a shower, or should I sit and knit a half dozen rows first in hopes of breaking the cycle?

Yaah! I get to do Inishmaan in red! It's a happy thing. :)

Swatches done

So today I get to take these to work for Katie to look at and figure out which one she wants. Personally, I'm voting for inishmaan in red.

click for bigger

Closer still



One more sleeve, a few buttons, a couple of ends to weave in... I'm so close I can almost taste it!

And, ya know, it wasn't untill Marg pointed it out that I noticed the colors in the sweater and the flower pictures are almost the same! Intentional, it wasn't.

I have my next project lined up. A friend at work has hired me to make a sweater for her (I could get another job just making sweaters for co-workers at this rate. Now if only I could actually make a living at it!) She didn't even blink when I told her how much I would charge her for it. Ahhh, to be 21 and have a disposible income again!

Right now she's trying to decide between Inishmaan and another cable pattern from a Paton's booklet. We picked out a few color possibilities yesterday, and I'm working up some pattern swatches to see which one she likes better. I'm personally hoping she chooses Inishmaan. It looks like the more interesting, and challenging, of the two patterns.

Is it soup yet?

No, not quite


I'm getting anxious to wear my sweater! It's going to be incredibly warm, which sounds good after having the coldest January in over 100 years. But I'm becoming afraid that we're going to have the warmest February to balance it, which means that a heavy wool sweater won't be an option. (For me, at any rate, because I generally don't wear sweaters. I'll put a mock turtleneck on if it's really cold)

One more button band, and then the sleeves. And as I only have one more skein of black left, I'm sensing knitting stripes in my future...

Since the groundhog has predicted six more weeks of winter, I thought a blast of color might come in handy. It really does help, being able to go to work and see things like this when I get there.

YEEEHAAA

Now *that* was a game! Not the runaway for the Patriots that people had been predicting, a real nail biter! I literally had my eyes covered when Adam Vinatieri kicked that last field goal. OK, I was peeking through my fingers. Great, great, great, great,great, great game!

I heard that work productivity goes down 25% the day after the Super Bowl. I know that mine is going to be majorly lacking!

Kids...

Just when you think that they've driven you so crazy that running in front of a speeding bus looks like a really good option...



Have a fun Super Bowl Sunday!
GO PATS!!!

Flashbacks

A while ago my Mom gave me some hardbound copies of Vogue Knitting from the late 80's-early 90's that had been discarded from the library, and I've been having fun flipping through them lately. Some of the patterns hold up pretty well, like this one that I do plan on doing at some point:


And if I could ever find the pattern to the coat in this ad, I'd be a happy woman:

Not that I'd ever actually do it! Maybe if I was independently wealthy and being kept in the style I would like to become accustomed to I would; but it would remain a pipe dream until then.

But when it comes to the sweater in this ad from the late 80's, all I can say is: "What the hell were they thinking!?!"

I was thwarted

In my attempt to make it to the Knitsmiths this weekend, that is. It was a combination of factors, including in-laws calling and saying: "Are you going to be home this afternoon?" What are ya gonna do?

I've been ignoring my scarf the past few days, but in the process I've made my little girl happy:


That makes two sweaters finished in 2004! I'm on a roll.

And I've started a stash busting, neck down raglan cardigan for, well, me! (Am I the only one who feels slightly guilty when I knit something for myself? I mean, this is the first sweater I've knit for myself in a long, long time) I'd love to show you a picture of it, but the minute I put it down on the ground I lost custody of it:


Of course, if I made him a cat bed do you think he'd use it? Not likely!

Still Scarfing


I'm thinking three full green & purple triangles and it might be long enough. Might. But I also know that it takes me three hours to knit each triangle, so that might be the point where I just run around yelling "That's it! I can't take it anymore!!! Aaaaaaaaa!!!"

And, yes, that is my hand. Of course I could have put all of me in the picture, but that would run my reputation as ze internationaaal voman ov mystery.


Hmmm, no football this Sunday. Do I dare take a ride into Brookline for the Knitsmiths? More to the point, do I have the nerve to walk into a group of people I don't know?!?

Can you get any more relaxed looking?


Poor boy had two teeth extracted yesterday (bad parent guilt!), and is still recovering. He has let us know that he's fine though. At three o'clock this morning he decided to sit in our bedroom door and meow his head off. The door was open, mind you. He just wanted to let us know he was there. Then he jumped up and groomed Tony's beard until he had to hide his head under a pillow to escape.

I'm actually very happy to see him crashed out on the couch. I missed my buddy terribly when he was at the vet's yesterday. (And, yes, he will ignore that yarn. If it were alpaca though, it wouldn't stand a chance!)

Button band, take twenty million and six!


I just can't seem to get this right for some really bizarre, unknown reason. I know that I've picked up the right number of stitches, but it just ain't working, grumblegrumblegrumble. I should be finished with this sweater by now! I know that the short one is ready for it.

And, since I took this picture yesterday morning, I knit the button hole band, and ripped it out again! The button holes didn't come down far enough on the sweater when I did them yesterday. Guess who's going to stop following the directions and wing it?

And I broke my "no buying yarn" edict yesterday, but it was for a good reason. Starting this afternoon I'm giving knitting lessons to a pair of sisters who live upstairs, ages 6 and 8, who are at the bus stop with us.

The oldest informed me thay she wanted me to make her a sweater. Explicit directions of what it should look like and all. I told her that I wouldn't make her a sweater, but I would very happily teach her how to knit so she could have the skills to make one of her own someday. She seems to think that she's going to just take off and make a wildly fantastic sweater. And who knows, she just might! But I have to keep reminding her that she needs to learn how to knit first.

I am still scarfing along...

WAAAAHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

We're going to the Superbowl!!!

Too freakin' cold!

Brrrrr!!!!!!!! As I've got another day home because school was canceled today, and a girl can never have too many scarfs, I've decided to join in on Sandy's Scarfalong. I dug into the stash and pulled out some Cascade 220 that I had bought with another project in mind (which completely blipped out of my head the minute I walked back in the door at home), and gave into my current obsession with multidirectional knitting.



A thinner scarf is fine, but give me a big, long, wide one that I can wrap around my head a half dozen times!

Yarn Diet

Yup, I'm going on a stash-reducing yarn diet. Or, at least, I'm going to attempt to! I can't promise that it's going to last too long; but if I manage to keep myself away from temptation, I should make it a few days weeks. (Eep. That makes it sound like I'm buying yarn on a daily basis! I'm not. Really. It can just seem like it at times!) I've realized that I have enough sock yarn to knit a sock a week for the next, oh, four or five months, and who knows what all else I have stuffed in the boxes in the closet. It's time to weed through the boxes, find out exactly what I have, tho' I shall most likely stop short of making a list, and find something unusual to do with it!

I sent an email to Tony telling him that I was having a hard time resisting the urge to go to the LYS and fondle fiber. His response: 'And you know you just can't "fondle" yarn. They coat it with something to make it irresistable once it makes contact with flesh.' If only he knew!

I'm down to the sleeves on Irina's new sweater, which should take no time at all! I wish that the pattern came in adult sizes, because I'd love one too! And this yarn just feels really nice. It is acrylic (that kids/washability thing), but it's wonderfully soft and looks good. Unlike the first sweater I ever made. That thing will still be around with Twinkies and cockroaches when we're all gone! I'm curious to see how badly this one pills once it's washed.

The next project, which is already more than half way done thanks to an awesome football game saturday night! (Even if it did throw my gauge all to heck at some points) For some reason my kid requested that I do the sweater in black! I'd have done it for her in fuchsia, myself. (Hey! I like fuchsia!) But when I mentioned to a friend that I couldn't fathom a five-year-old wanting a black sweater she gave me a funny look and said: "Your kid? Doesn't surprise me in the least."

I'm still trying to figure out what she ment by that.

Well, that was quick!

Just 10 days ago I decided to focus on finishing one of Tony's sweaters, and yesterday I completed one of them! It's a nice, plain, basic sweater, and it is impossible to take a good picture of it! This is the closest I can get to show the incredible color of the yarn:


Just a wonderful, heathery blue with tinges of purple. It looks perfect with my guy's blue, blue eyes!

And, remember those 21 inch long sleeves?

I could have made then an inch or two longer! (All I can hear in my head is John Ratzenberger's voice in my head, as Hamm from Toy Story, saying :"Impressive wingspan"!)