Excitement!

You know what next week is? Assuming I get this one project done, next week is the first week since probably October that I don't have a specific thing to work on. Wow.

A couple things could affect this. I have the one project, which needs more work that I originally thought, and I have to finish part of another one but that will more than likely be done this week.

So next week is the first week I can really start on the documentation organization that I've been dying to do! So much fun! Yes, I'm a document geek. But things like that make me really happy. As messy as my personal environments tend to be, I really like neatness and order in a lot of places. Kitchens, bookshelves, yarn shelves, and document storage. I'm going to be a happy camper next week. I hope nothing comes up in the meantime. (That, right there, that's where I jinxed it.)

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I started my first sweater. It's going well so far. I like that it's all stockinette so I can work on it while I watch TV. I'm already thinking about modifications to it, but I think I'll play it by pattern this time. Next time I might make it a V-neck instead of crewneck. Assuming I like it and it turns out well. And I hope it does. I should work on that during Project Runway tonight.

Maybe Ricky will cry again.

27

Yup, I'm 27. Yay for me. I had a fun birthday, which is nice because the last month has pretty much sucked.

It's always hectic around release time but this time seemed so much worse. Probably because not only was there the normal release stress, but also the holiday stress, the I-have-to-get-a-full-week's-work-done-in-two-days stress due to days off (which were very much needed, appreciated, and used to every advantage), and just trying to get everything done. As a result of all the craziness, I ended up staying late at work every day except two.

Now that I'm approaching the end of the work related to the release, I'm realizing how burnt out I am and how much it affected me. I've been sleeping poorly, I can't concentrate worth a damn, and I seem to get annoyed/frustrated way more easily than normally.

The good news is that I have a great boss who not only notices the effort and hard work but also makes a point of telling me it's appreciated. Sometimes hearing that is what I need to get through stuff like this. Of course, emotions being so close to the surface, I tend to tear up when I hear that, but it's still appreciated.

I'm excited about the year coming up. I'm taking on a new project of my own creation and convinced the right people that it's a good thing for the company. Basically updating and organizing the documentation. I think it'll be fun and will (I hope) demonstrate that I can succeed at something else. And maybe that will someday lead to a promotion. Plus the project is different enough from my normal tasks that it'll have that feeling of something new that I like to experience every so often.

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I seem to be in a little bit of a knitting slump. I'm not sure what I want to make. I've been exploring the patterns on Ravelry and have some ideas but I need some inspiration. I haven't started my sweater yet. Maybe I should make myself start. Because I'm fine once I'm actually working on a project, it's the project choosing that stumps me. I hope that the slump is due more to the last month than being bored with knitting. Or spending too much time reading the Ravelry forums. :)

Cookies

Picture 124, originally uploaded by LaurenKnits.

Have I mentioned before that I'm really bad at blogging? Because I am. Like, terrible.

I made my yearly ton of christmas cookies over the weekend. Six different kinds in three days. It was fun. I also made fudge. NO more baking for a while. Actually, that's not true. I have to make a cake this weekend for our December birthday at work. But then I can take a...no wait, then I have to make some more cookies Christmas weekend to give to my brother and send my grandmother. Then I'm done. Until I make the January cake.

I'm almost finished Christmas shopping. There are a couple people left on my list that I haven't completely figured out yet, but I'm hoping they'll be done soon.

At work I'm moving forward in my plans to get myself more responsibility and authority over my domain. The ultimate goal is to get a promotion. As this is my first "real" job, I'm not sure how to go about doing that, but I think I'm on the right track. I'm being proactive and not just content to do the same things over and over again. Go me.

I started spinning with my drop spindle last night. I'm glad I have practice roving because what I did was crap. But fun. I way overspun most of it, so I may let it unspin a little or something. I think I have to find some videos online that go over spindling so I can see what to do. The directions that came with my spindle aren't that clear because I can't visualize what they're telling me to do. I find I learn much better through demonstration and analogy. Strange, but it works for me. I figure videos helped when I was learning new techniques knitting, they can help with the spinning.

Someday I think I'd like to have a spinning wheel. Nothing huge or fancy, but I had a lot of fun last night spinning during The Office. I want to be good at it. I figure a wheel will be sometime in the future when I have money and space for such a thing. The idea of someday having one is exciting. I mentioned it to my dad as something I'd *like* for Christmas, but that isn't practical right now and he agreed. It would be nice if I still got it though. I think I'd need to test drive some before choosing one anyway.

An End, Part 2

The Office Issue is over. That's all I'm going to say about it because, even though it's a relief, there's still a decent amount of stress to deal with resulting from it. I'm hoping that things are back to normal by the end of the year at the latest.

I decorated today. This is the first time I've put anything on the walls since I moved back here. It's making things feel more like home. Plus it helps empty some of the containers around here. I still have a few things to hang (and a few holes to put in walls to do so) so I'm not done, but at least I've started. The goal this evening is to get all my closet clothes hung up, put the obviously summer clothes away, and move my desk chair into the other room. Mom and dad are fixing up another room to be my brother's temporary space since he decided yesterday to move back. Of course, in the process of breaking up with the Girlfriend, she was doing her damndest to get him to stay. She's got many issues and him being around her isn't doing either of them any good. He needs to cut the ties and get away. That's going to be hard for him as she's got a manipulative grasp on him. Sigh.

The Jayne hats are finished. I got some crap from another coworker because I'd promised him a sushi roll toilet paper cover and he was jealous that the hats were done first. Of course, he was completely kidding. I'll probably work on it tonight and see how much I can get done. I've also started the BSJ (have to remember to add that to the project page) for G. It's a really pretty blue yarn. I'm trying to think of what buttons to get for it. Either some yellow or bright green, or something with cute shapes. I love making baby things.

I think I'll start on my sweater soon. I'm a little nervous, but I don't want to keep putting it off all winter. I also need to figure out something to knit on during the halloween party next week. I'm pretty sure Madame Defarge didn't have circular needles or acrylic, so I'll have to raid the wool and haul out some straight bamboo or aluminum needles, I guess. I'm pretty excited about it.

An End

The Office Drama I've alluded to and tried very hard to not be specific and ranty about may soon be coming to an end. That makes me very happy. I may just bake cookies. Purely by coincidence, not to celebrate, of course.

I've finished the Gryffindor scarf. Actually, I think I need to reblock it because the jog didn't end up on a fold like I'd wanted. But the damn thing is around 10 ft long and it's hard to find that much space. Maybe I'll just add the fringe and be done with it. I have to have it ready in a week, so that may be something I do this weekend. I've also made a couple Jayne hats for a coworker and his wife (actually, I'm not finished with either of them--they both need pompons attached). I started another BSJ, this time for G, but this past weekend I decided to move furniture around instead of knit. Because I'm apparently crazy. But it's nice that my bed is back in my old bedroom; it feels much more familiar this way. I just have to finish putting some of the stuff away and bring up my smaller desk and I'll be finished.

So...Ravelry. I'm officially obsessed. I was falling asleep reading the forums last night but I couldn't make myself stop reading because the discussions were fascinating. I love it. And now C is knitting and is on there. I feel like I've corrupted her. In a good way.

Baby Surprise and Stuff

FO - BSJ, originally uploaded by LaurenKnits.

I finished the blanket! Not in time to give to C when she was in the office, but in plenty of time for cold weather. I think I'll be seeing her on Monday so I can give it to her to give to J. I hope he likes it. My to-be-completed list is actually shrinking despite the picture above. That's the Baby Surprise Jacket that I made on a whim. I worked on it over the weekend while I was on the couch with a headache. Since nothing I did made the headache go away, I decided to knit. I'm officially in love with this pattern. It's like knitting origami.

I think I'll be making a couple more for the other babies. Actually, I already ordered the yarn for them, so I will definitely be making them. And when the Gryffindor scarf is finished, I can start thinking about my own sweater that I'm getting excited about. The yarn is waiting patiently for me.

So the BSJ is for a temp who's been working with us since August. I'm almost finished a matching hat, and I should be able to finish a bib (from Mason-Dixon Knitting) in time to give her tomorrow, which is her last day. I hope she likes them. I'm pretty sure she will.

My friend (the recipient of the Endless Scarf of Stockinette) is having a Halloween party and we're supposed to come as book, tv, or movie characters. I'm actually pretty excited about my costume. I'm going to be Madame Defarge from A Tale of Two Cities. That means I can knit and still be in character. I ordered the pieces for my costume, and I hope they come in on time. The good thing is that the party isn't until the first weekend in November. So I hope that's enough time for the various parts to come together. I like when I have a good idea. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is what to do with my hair, but I think I'll look on a costume site or on eBay for a wig. We're spending the night after the party for a Supernatural marathon, so I don't want to powder or spray my own hair white and then have to sleep on it.

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Blanket Proof:

Almost ready to move on

Work: Crazy busy. We moved offices and I was the unofficial semi-volunteered packer of the supply room, shipping stuff, kitchen, and other “common” areas, in addition to my own cube. Lots of busy. Now the writing stuff seems to be ramping up, so that’s nice. Some of the drama continues but I’m trying not to be too involved or think about it too much. It really bums me out sometimes.

Home: Pretty relaxed. I think the parents are getting annoyed that I haven’t gotten everything unpacked (read: out of the living room) yet. I am working on it, though. Just sort of slowly.

Knitting: Ahh, something I can go on about at length! I joined Ravelry in July-ish and check in every day. I’m not a big poster in the forums, but I read a lot and am learning new things just by reading answers to other people’s questions. I also swapped some yarn with someone who wanted some of my stash I had put up to trade or sell. She sent me some really cool wool yarn with sari silk woven in, plus a hank of sari silk yarn, which I’ve wanted for a while. I think I’ll be making a felted bag with the wool. Dunno what to do with the silk yet, other than stare at it. It’s really pretty. :)

The Mystery Stole has bitten it, I think. I’m not going to frog it until I’m sure, but there are other things I want to knit more than that right now and I may want to use the yarn for something else. We’ll see. I definitely want to make it at some point, I just don’t know when that will be.

I’m nearly almost finished with J’s blanket. I really want to finish, including washing and blocking, by next Tuesday so I can give it to C when she’s in the office. I’m trying to make myself do at least 10 rows a night, but I get tired and need to put it down. It probably won’t happen, but I want to at least try.

The Gryffindor scarf is going well, but the endless stockinette tube is really getting to me. I’m definitely more than halfway done, and I need to step it up because it’s for Halloween.

After these projects are finished I may start my sweater or make a baby sweater first. I don’t just want to keep putting my stuff off, though. I’ve heard Tubey is pretty easy as long as you take good measurements. It’s a little scary though. I’m ready for a challenge.

Resolution

I bit the bullet. I'm re-knitting the blanket narrower so it'll be long enough. And I think I'm going to stick to my row # estimate for each half instead of trying to use 4 skeins on each half. Any extra at the end can be added to the sides or something. I'm very nearly tired of this blanket, but it's nice tv knitting.

I've started looking at other projects as well, namely lots of baby-sized goodies for A and G. I may do a sweater each, depending on time and stuff. I'll have to take age and size into account for each of them. For instance, they weigh the same, even though G is two months younger. He's a hefty boy right now. But A is longer. We'll see what I find and what I want to try. I'm ready for a challenge and I think I'd like that gratification of making a sweater in a smaller size before tackling one my size. I keep seeing things I want to make for myself, so I'm pretty sure I'm ready to move on to the next thing.

The Mystery Stole is still in the works and no farther along than a month ago. I'll keep working on it, I guess. I've seen others' and they're lovely, but I'm not sure the current style is my thing. I'm hemming and hawing over it. It's been a nice project for my first major lace project (other than the lace panel baby blanket) and is pretty straightforward. Maybe I'll complete it and find someone to give it to. I don't have to like everything I keep for myself, after all.

Blanket surgery

Ok, been a while. We’re moving offices so it’s hectic around here, and I’m knitting like crazy at night and on weekends and, well, blogging lost. Not that I’ve been a regular blogster in the least.

I started Mystery Stole! I got the first 50 rows done while on vacation in VA, and haven’t touched it since. I became slightly discouraged by the final design, because I love symmetry and I didn’t think it’d be right for me without. (Don’t get me wrong, I think the design is gorgeous. I just don’t want to have to think too much about how I’m wearing something, ya know? Maybe it’s just my own weirdness.) But Melanie is working on a symmetrical wing design as a bonus when the original MS3/Swan Lake stole pattern is sold, so I think I’ll get that—and maybe Scheherazade—when it’s released so I can have the beautiful wing and symmetry too.

I’m maybe a third of the way done with the HP Gryffindor scarf. Need to take more pictures of it. It’s easy to work on at lunchtime , although as it gets longer it’ll be more of a hassle. I believe there’s either 13 or 14 repeats, and I have a little more than 5. I think I’ll just go until my yarn runs out.

I’m almost finished with the blanket for C’s husband, too. I think it’ll end up smaller than I wanted it to be, but I think I’ll have some extra yarn so I can extend it. If I were smart, I’d undo the cast on edge (if that’s possible) and the seed stitch border, knit a new border plus some center rows, set it aside, extend the existing blanket as much as I could, and then graft the border on. The other end I’m still working on, so I just have to not finish it before performing surgery on the other end. I think that would be easier than adding length to the sides, because it would look weird with only two sides of extra-long seed stitch that switches to perpendicular at a point. I think I should research how to rip out a cast-on edge and how to make that transition invisible. I don’t think it’ll be completely unseen to a trained eye, but I think the non-knitter won’t really notice.

If anyone reads this and has any advice, I would be extra super happy to hear it!

Finally Starting MS3

WIP - Gryffindor Scarf
Originally uploaded by LaurenKnits

I think I'll finally have a chance to start Mystery Stole 3 this week. Wednesday after work my brother and I are driving to my grandmother's house in SW VA for a family reunion. It's also a bit of a vacation for my family and I'd like to spend at least a few hours knitting. I also don't want to be the last person of the 6000+ in the MS3 KAL to start. I may not get too much done, depending on how much time I have, but I'll be able to get started at least. The crappy part? The new clue and theme are revealed on Friday and I will not have internet while down there. :(

I'm also taking a couple books with me so I can read in the car. I don't think reading charts will work too well for me on the ride back. Maybe I'll take one of my other projects for car-knitting. Or I'll just expand my mind. I've got The Time Traveller's Wife, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Water for Elephants (if I can borrow it) to choose from, all of which I've heard are excellent.

Above is the first repeat of the Gryffindor scarf I'm making for Jenn's Halloween costume. She decided to be Ginny. I just hope Halloween night isn't too warm for a wool/alpaca/silk blend scarf. It shouldn't be, but MD weather is unpredictable sometimes.

Log Cabin Baby Blanket

FO - Log Cabin Baby Blanket
Originally uploaded by LaurenKnits

Here it is. The finished blanket. I actually finished it over the weekend (put off reading Harry Potter 7 until it was done) and gave it to the recipient on Tuesday this week. He seemed really happy and touched. I was just glad to make something pretty that the baby can hopefully enjoy for a long time to come.

He told me yesterday that when he took it home, his three year old used it as a superhero cape. But when he told her it was for the baby, she went straight away to lay it carefully in the bassinet. Very cute.

In between finishing that and getting the new yarn for the Gryffindor scarf and blanket, I made myself a Calorimetry. I've been looking at the pattern for a while, because I always have my hair in a ponytail or something similar, and I hate having that bump when you wear a hat over a ponytail. I had some Knit Picks Panache that I didn't know what to do with, so I used that. It's so soft and lovely. It's nice because it covers most of the top of my head and my ears, but is narrow enough in the back. It's pretty much perfect. I got some buttons for it last night so all I have to do is wash it to get any extra dye out and sew on the button and I'll be ready for the cold weather.

So now I'm working on the Gryffindor scarf for my friend's Halloween costume, C's husband J's blanket, and, eventually, Mystery Stole 3 for me. And also back to my laceweight Clapotis sometime in the future. Busy busy.

These aren't idle hands

Drama at work. No specifics because I'm too paranoid about someone with excellent Google skills stumbling across it. Needless to say, drama. And it's weird because up until now there really hasn't been that much here. Everyone gets along and does what they're supposed to do. Pretty nice work environment. But lately you can feel the tension in the air, and that's too bad, because I think it's affecting the group as a whole instead of just those directly involved in the drama.

The log cabin blanket is almost finished. I decided to put a cream-colored border around it to finish it. I think it'll look really nice. I'm doing a sewn bind-off for the first time and it's taking a really long time to do, but I think it's better than the standard bind off because it's stretchier. I've got two more sides to add the border to and then I can weave in all the ends, wash and block (as much as cotton will really block--I'll probably just put it through the dryer) and then it's off to its recipient and I can start my next two or three projects.

I ordered some black Malabrigo laceweight to make the Mystery Stole 3. I'm really enjoying seeing everyone's progress and I can't wait to start mine. I also have had two commissions: a Gryffindor scarf for my friend's Halloween costume and an afghan for C's husband. He can't have too much acrylic too close to his skin, so the afghan I made for C a while ago (the Gondor Tree one) out of Simply Soft gives him a reaction. I'm making the afghan out of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Seaside. Pricy, but he doesn't mind paying for natural fibers. And I like working with the LLSW, so it's all good. I just hope he doesn't mind it taking a couple of months, because having a wool blanket across my lap as I knit it (in August) isn't my idea of the most comfortable time I could spend. I'll probably cycle the three because the blanket and scarf will get boring and I'll need something interesting to break up the monotony.

I think this year I won't be doing a lot of Christmas knitting, if any. Last year it was just so much to do with gift projects and the baby items and I didn't actually finish until recently with the last xmas gift. So unless someone asks for something in particular, I'll just be knitting for fun on my own schedule and that will be that. Ok, I'll probably knit something for the babies like toys or something, but not a ton of stuff.

Of Blankies

So I've scrapped the idea of the butterflies and dragonflies. I think it was partly because they weren't ending up really square and I didn't want to block it all nice and then get all weird the first time the recipient ran it through the wash. So I've decided to do a log cabin style blanket using the same colors. So far it's going well, and quickly. That's probably because the rectangles are fairly small still.

The good thing about the pattern is that it's a fairly mindless knit. I don't have to pay attention to the pattern or really count stitches. I've been so tired lately with moving and going to the apartment every night after work for an hour or so to clean that I haven't been able to really concentrate on too much when I get home. Most nights it's been after 8 that I get home, and one night it was closer to 9. And since I leave the house at 7 am, it makes for a long day. So mindless garter stitch is ok by me.

Only a few more days and I'll be finished with the apartment and I won't have to deal with it anymore. Of course, then I have to unpack all my stuff so my parents can have their living room back. But there isn't really a deadline for that.

I'll try to remember to take pictures of the log cabin blanket progress later tonight.

Both Kinds of News

Good News: Kelley's socks (mostly) fit. She had a little trouble fitting them over her heel, but once they were on they seemed to fit well. Of course, if they were killing her feet, she wouldn't have told me because I think she feels bad that the first pair didn't fit and I've been working on these socks for a really long time. I just hope she likes them and she wears them.

Good News: My lace books came in from KnitPicks. I want to make everything in Victorian Lace Today. The photography in the book is great and it's so cool to read about the Victorian patterns that inspired the book. I also got Folk Shawls, which looks like an interesting book as well. I got some new yarn as well, and figured out what I'm going to do for the one coworker's baby blanket. Similar to the one I made for Maggie, but using sport-weight (so smaller squares) in fun, bright, springy, pretty colors. More specifically, KnitPicks Shine Sport in Aquamarine, Hydrangea, Butter, Blush, and Sky. My WIP bag looks like it's full of candy. Oh, and the dishcloth patterns I'll be using are butterfly, dragonfly, and flower. Totally girly. I'm so excited.

Good News: I'm almost moved out of my apartment. I think my brother will help me get the last boxes this weekend. The bad news is that it's killing my back. Doesn't take much, it seems.

Bad News: The other coworker's baby unfortunately did not live. I cried when I heard the news. I feel so awful for the family, to lose a child under any circumstances must be one of the most difficult things to experience. I've not yet had the opportunity to be a parent, but I can imagine that it must be heart-wrenching to go through.

But, Good News: They have a healthy and beautiful older child and they seem very strong and capable of handling this sadness. I wish them well in their healing process. I wish there was something I could do, but I'm not sure what a situation like this needs.

Confession

I have a confession. I'm in love with knitting lace. Yes, "technically" I haven't done very much lace knitting, and nothing major, but I'm still in love. For the past couple weeks I've been looking up free lace shawl patterns and getting lace books. I think I'm obsessed. The only problem is that I'm not really a shawl, stole, or wrap kind of person. I like scarves (love them in fact) but I don't foresee actually wearing any of the many (many many many) lacy items I want to make. So what do I do with them?

Of course I ask that question assuming I'll like it once I really get into it. For all I know, I'm wasting my time and money on all this lace stuff. I think I'll like it though. I think because it'll be a challenge. I love a good challenge.

The other thing I've found myself wanting to make is a baby sweater. There's a link from knitting pattern central for a baby teeshirt that says iCutie on it. It's perfect for my Mac-loving friends and their baby girl. I think that'll be another project I tackle.

One of the coworkers I was going to make a baby item for this summer had some bad news recently. It looks like the baby has a pretty serious heart problem and without a transplant, the baby will die shortly after being born. I think he's supposed to find out soon whether transplant is an option and if it is, they'll be put right on the list. I really hope they're candidates for a transplant. Now that my friends have had babies, I've come to realize even more how special and amazing a new baby is and to think that he and his wife may lose that is heart-wrenching. But if transplant is an option and the baby makes it, I really want to make something extra special for him, his wife, the big sister, and the baby. Because it's an extra miracle to survive that.

Kelley's Socks

Jaywalkers
Originally uploaded by LaurenKnits

Proof that I did actually finish the socks. I just hope they fit her. It would really suck if they didn't. I'm proud of them and have vowed to not knit socks for a very long time. I'm sticking with bigger needles for the time being.

These got wrapped up (in Christmas wrapping of course) and are now waiting to be given to the recipient a few months late. I'm making sure they don't end up in one of the boxes going to storage because it might be a really long time before I see them again if they get in there.

Yup, storage. I'm moving. Just back home for a little while as I sort out what to do (buy a house, go back to school, etc.). There's no rent and I'll have lots of space to myself. I had to downsize the yarn stash a little though. That was unfortunate.

Next projects are the Clapotis in laceweight yarn, something for a coworker's baby, and then who knows. I'm sort of liking using laceweight yarns and I've been looking a lot at lace shawls/wraps/stoles. Maybe something like that will be next.

Small Update

The socks are finished, washed, blocked, and dry. Now all I have to do is wrap them up and give them to Kelley. She wasn't able to see Pirates with us on Friday, so I'm hoping she and I can get together soon to do something and finally finish with Christmas '06. I really hope she likes the socks.

Right now I'm in the process of moving all my stuff back to my parents' house. It makes me realize how much crap I actually have. An insane amount. So far I've taken back a lot of clothes, most of my dvds and books, most of my yarn, and some other stuff. I think I'll be pretty ruthless when it comes to the rest of what's left at the apartment. Get rid of a bunch of it so I don't have to deal with moving it all around.

Not busy

I like being busy. I know that when I am actually busy I complain about how busy I am and how there's not enough time in the day. But I do enjoy it. It prevents those moments where you think of other things you could be doing and that you'd rather be doing (like yarn shopping or knitting). It makes days you dread speed along and you don't even realize they're over until you're home and finally catching your breath. I like stress to a certain degree. Not to the point where I'm so stressed and frustrated that I start crying, but that stress that keeps you awake and moving. That's the kind of stress I like.

The problem is, I don't have enough of that going on at work. January to April flew by because it was one project after another and there wasn't enough time to do everything. And while I hated certain moments (working on weekends, for one), looking back on those 3-4 months doesn't fill me with extreme relief that it's over. It makes me want something like that to work on now.

For the past 3 years I've learned that my job has cycles. I'll go from being really busy to having almost nothing to do and no desire to do what I do have. I have months of boredom sometimes. I'm hoping that that won't be the case now that I have a new manager who seems interested in me being involved with things. But right now I'd love something time-sensitive to do. Just so I need to move faster and elevate the stress levels a little.

Maybe that's why, no matter what I tell myself, I always seem to have multiple kntting projects going at once. All I had left was to finish Kelley's socks. But then I needed a break from tiny needles and decided to start a Clapotis in laceweight on US 4s (looks lovely so far). And why I finally gave in to that skein of Malabrigo to make myslef a wonderfully warm and soft wool scarf. In May. I need the excitement and the variety of new things and multi-tasking and deadlines.

Of course then I go overboard and take on too much for the time I have. And I end up still working on my friend's Christmas present when it's 80 degrees outside and Memorial Day is right around the corner. And she has absolutely no need for wool socks in that weather. And I've got two baby blankets to make this summer. It'd be nice to find the middle ground.

I think next Friday (well, probably Wednesday so I can wash and let them air dry) will be the deadline for the socks. We'll probably see Pirates of the Caribbean on opening day and it would be a good time to give her a present. I will probably even wrap her socks up in Christmas paper, because I'm a huge dork that way.

Sheep and Wool

WIP - Kelley's Socks
Originally uploaded by LaurenKnits.

I went to the MD Sheep and Wool Festival this past weekend. It's so much fun going there. I love touching everything and looking around. I need to remember for next year though that I should go to the inside booths first because by the time we got to them midday, it was insanely crowded and I got pretty claustrophobic. It meant I didn't buy anything, at least inside, but it was uncomfortable for me. Oh well.

I did get some lovely 50/50 wool/silk yarn (about 650 yds sportweight) that I have to find something to do with. I want to do something pretty and lacy, so I'll be looking around at patterns and may even venture to a library sometime to look through pattern books. I won't use it until I find the perfect pattern.

I also got some Merino roving to spin. It's dyed in pretty blues and purples and I can't wait to see what the yarn looks like. I've never actually spun anything before, despite having a drop spindle for a few months now. I'm thinking this will be the inspiration to learn.

Above is a WIP picture of one of Kelley's socks. I've since finished that one and have started the next. Hopefully they'll fit her. I took some measurements the last time I saw her, but it's not the same as having the person right there to keep trying them on as the socks progress. I'll keep fingers crossed that they do fit and that she likes them. The colors in the picture aren't really true to life--they're actually darker and richer and that brown-looking color is more of a mossy green. I think they're very pretty and I was glad the colors didn't pool too much.

I'm excited because Christine comes back to work today! I'm sure it'll be weird for her, but I hope she's excited to come back because I know the rest of us are excited to have her back. yay!

Quiet Time

You know that feeling when you come back to work after a vacation or long weekend and you realize you need more time off? I hate that feeling. Yesterday morning I felt so refreshed and energized, only to come in to work and have that sucked away almost immediately as I was reminded of my impending deadlines and other tasks. I think I'm just bored right now. I'd like to do something more creative in relation to my job instead of just the same old thing. Part of the biggest thrill of creating the help system for the new web software was changing colors and making it look nice. I may not be able to draw worth crap, but I have a creative streak that I'm just not using enough in my job. And I think that's unfortunate because given the opportunity, I think I come up with some really good creative ideas.

No wonder I've been knitting like crazy lately. It's my one creative outlet other than baking. And honestly, if my birthday month cake repertoire consists of 3 different cakes, that's not being too creative either. But people request one of two cakes. They're good, but I like making different things.

I think I've decided I'm in a rut. I'm hoping that moving back home will help with some of that. At least there will be a readjustment period. Both readjusting to living with my parents and leaving much earlier for work. That'll be a fun one.

I think that once I'm done Kelley's socks and finish the laceweight Clapotis (I like it so far) I'll do something that I've never done. Maybe even work on that manatee pattern I'm trying to create. Something that's different enough that I feel like I'm doing something creative even if I'm not able to at work. I think I'll talk to the boss and figure out what I can do to liven things up around here. I'd hate to start disliking my job simply because I'm bored.