month of insanity

Now, I realize I don't have to make Christmas presents and baby shower gifts and office birthday cakes and 14 zillion Christmas cookies. That said, I'm going to go ahead and do all those things I don't have to do because I love doing them and they make people happy. Unfortunately, it puts me in a stressful situation this month because it's all happening. I guess I can't say I'm bored. It'll be nice Christmas weekend when I can go home and relax. I'll still have some knitting to do, but I'll have a week and some time off by then so I can chill on that.

The yarn for the baby blanket came yesterday and I started the blanket last night. I've gotten maybe around 13 rows of seed stitch done out of the 20 for the border. I have a love/hate relationship with seed stitch. I love how it looks, but I hate actually doing it. The yarn itself is a little darker than in the picture in the previous post, and looks a little like a tie-dye shirt. It's knitting up less hippie than that, luckily. Bright pretty colors make for a lovely baby blanket.

I think for Christmas this year I'm going to limit the number of types of cookies I make to 4. Mint sugar cookie drops (possibly two batches), oatmeal raisin, peanut butter chocolate chip, and sugar cookies. I'll use half the sugar cookie dough for rolling out and cutting shapes, and the other half for rolling into balls and making snickerdoodles. Easy way to sneak 5 types of cookies into the work of 4. I'll spend next wednesday and thursday making dough (maybe saturday night too, depending on when we get back from the shower) and then taking it to my mom's house that Sunday to bake in her far superior oven. I'll probably bake all day (and decorate the tree with them while things are in the oven) and maybe spend the night there. Then some cookies go to work with me, some go in the freezer for Christmas, and some--maybe--go in the freezer for after Christmas. I may have to make another batch Christmas weekend so they stretch. Great. Now I really want a frozen chocolate chip cookie. So good. Also can't forget the December birthday cake. I think it's going to be chocolate. I should do something with fruit since the holidays usually bring so many other sweet and delicious things.

Eventually I'm going to make my clapotis and learn how to use my drop-spindle so I can spin this roving I got at the Sheep and Wool Festival back in May. Maybe I'll even get it spun before the next festival. I'm excited to see what I can do with a ball of roving and my little spindle.

there is hope yet

I love when I find nice things.

Not too much luck at the yarn shop last night. It's an amazing store, and I'll definitely be going back, but I didn't find what I was looking for. So I ordered it. Wanna see?

I believe it's called Happy Valley. Something like that. It's Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted. What I felt in the store was so unbelieveably soft and wonderful (and 100% wool) that I couldn't resist. Not cheap stuff, but I would love this to be an heirloom piece. I also ordered some for myself in the Black Purl colorway (dark purples and grays) for the clapotis. Spent lots of money, but I'm ok with it. I'm ok spending money when I know it's for quality. If the yarn had sucked, i wouldn't have done it. I will post pictures of the finished blanket when I'm done.

So a little stress still, but not too bad. I'm going to work on socks and other stuff until the yarn comes in and then work on the blanket. My roommate and I are also putting up our Christmas tree this weekend and seeing Happy Feet. Lots to do, little bit of time left.

drowning in projects

I always do this to myself. I commit (to myself) to making something, and then I have a better idea and want to do something else. Unfortunately, this mind-changing seems to always happen at the last minute. I’ve made one baby blanket for the baby shower (the goal is to make two) and I know what pattern I’m going to use for the second (the Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch 'n' Bitch). That was a huge hurdle to get over in and of itself. Now I just have to make it. I started it in acrylic, but I’ve been reading so many warnings lately about babies and acrylic (and how acrylic likes to catch on fire) and because the first is acrylic, I really want to make the second in wool, which is flame-retardant. Not that I think my friend will be letting her baby play with matches, but you never know what might happen.

Originally, I had wanted to dye some superwash wool yarn and use that, but with two weeks until the shower, I’m not sure I have enough time. I like Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted, and I’m planning on going to the yarn shop tonight to look at the yarn and prices. If I can find something I love that they have enough of for a good price, I’m going to use that and use the dyeable yarn for something else. Maybe something for me for a change. If the universe doesn’t align like that, then I’m going to dye yarn this weekend and hope that I finish the blanket. I also have to knit a pair of socks by the day before the shower (I think) for a friend. That date may get pushed back.

I really don’t want to half-ass this blanket. Ideally, it would be a keepsake that could be passed down. so I want it to be good quality and well made. If the yarn shop doesn’t work out tonight, then maybe I’ll be dyeing yarn tomorrow night and letting that dry on Saturday while I organize my room. The deal with myself was that I couldn’t play with the dye until I had finished my room, but time is becoming an issue. Of course, if the yarn doesn’t come in tomorrow, it’s anyone’s guess what I’ll do.

Did I mention I’m also helping to plan this party and so have to take time to shop and send invitations and stuff? I also have a job which takes up valuable knitting time. I just need to find a sheep farm that’s hiring and learn to make my own yarn. That way stuff like this isn’t a problem anymore.

So that’s the plan: go to the store tonight and see what’s around. And also take notes of colorways I like just in case there’s nothing in the store in the right kind of yarn. I hope there is. I want to make something for myself. I’m itching to make something for myself (actually, I’m working on a hat, but I’m greedy and want more). I really think I want a Clapotis from Knitty. And maybe some socks. Another pair of fetching to match my hat. I want I want. For now, though, I’ll be making gifts.

FOs

(That's Finished Objects to any non-knitters who may stop by)

A little over a month until Christmas. I've finished one gift. Well, technically two, but I have to alter the slippers for my brother because they're too big. But I did finish the Irish Hiking Scarf. I'll have pictures once I get them developed. I'm relying on my 35 mm if I want good pictures of my projects.

I have finished some non-christmas things. 3 pairs of Fetching (work friend's birthday, mine, roommate's), a hat in lovely heathered purple alpaca for me, 4 or 5 baby hats, and a Star Trek bear for X. She named it William the Bear Riker.



I have a baby shower to attend before christmas, so those projects are being finished first. I'm working on a pinwheel baby blanket and I think it's going to be really cool. I need to find some ribbon for the one baby hat and make some flowers for another, but those are quick things. I also plan on making some socks, finishing a couple blankets, and maybe a stuffed animal for a basket o' goodies. I really like knitting for babies. I'll be making another set after christmas, and then putting something smaller together for a coworker who I'm not as close with whose fiancee is expecting.

Still to do: Socks and "Baby's First DNA" for science-geek-roommate, design a manatee for friend, pair of fetching to match my hat (these will be in warmer alpaca for winter; the wool/silk will be for fall), lots of baby stuff. then maybe some more stuff for me. enough with the giving stuff away. Except I still need to finish a gondor tree blanket. there is that.

I was going to try to make myself a niddy-noddy, but i have an old coatrack my dad made when i was a kid that just has pegs that i can probably use to make some bobbins and the like. better than the pile of microspun i've got going on at home right now. that crap tangles like whoa, but it's so nice and soft to work with. I'll have to remember to get that the next time I'm at my parents' house.

Updates

My brother broke up with his girlfriend, moved back in with my parents, and then got back together with her. But he's not moving back over there. I think he's starting to get that he needs to handle one thing at a time and right now that's getting used to his new job and starting to save some money. He just turned 22. I'm glad he seems to be getting onto the right track and that he seems happier.

Work has sucked lately, although in the last couple of weeks it's gotten better. I was close to looking for a new job, though. My projects right now are pretty boring and I get too easily distracted from them. After they're finished I'll have an opportunity to be more creative and I think that's something that's been lacking around here that I desperately need. Creative is good.

My knitting projects are coming along. I've finished the sheep, one pair of Fetching (from knitty) for a friend's birthday, almost finished another pair for myself (although they may go to someone else or up for sale), gotten about 4 feet of my friend's Irish hiking scarf. I modified it slightly by adding two more cable columns so there's 5 instead of 3. I'm using KnitPicks' Swish Superwash, which is washable merino wool in Dublin green. It's beautiful. And warm. My brother wants slippers for christmas, so I'm going to attempt felting for the first time with Lamb's Pride Worsted in Midnight Pine. I haven't picked the sock pattern for my roommate yet, but I'm excited about that. I'm looking at patterns for baby blankets and really like the circular mitered square blanket. I may use a different yarn, though, since I have so much of the Caron Simply Soft left over from various projects. For the other one, I want to do something foresty, so I may do a design of my own (gasp!!) with some sort of leafy border and something in the middle. I don't know yet, though. If the parents-to-be don't use forest as their theme, then it might not fit in as well.

More knitting stuff

I may as well admit that this will be in part a knitting journal of sorts. Meaning, when I can pry my fingers away from the needles long enough to type, I'll talk about things and knitting will be one of those things.

For example, I've decided I'm insane and will be knitting in all my free time from now until Christmas. Seriously. I've got approximately 13-15 projects to work on in that timeframe. I have a list around here somewhere. And I keep adding to it, unfortunately. But it's nice. Knitting has become more of a meditation for me and it's helped me get through some really stressfull time lately, so I'm not begrudging the sore fingers. And at the end of the day or the end of the project, I feel accomplished. And that makes me happy.

I think tonight I'm going to start a new project and have two (three) concurrently. I forgot about the sheep. have to finish that sometime. Not tonight, though. The thought of working on that doesn't make me excited, and I'm actually excited about the project I want to start. I just hope my friend likes it because it would suck if she didn't.

Maybe I'll post some pictures of some of these things soon. Camera's still broken, although I just got a cheap temporary substitute.

I have to make a cake now.

Upcoming Stuff

This is why it sucks that my camera broke. I got some lovely Noro Kureyon yarn in today (my first ever Noro purchase, and apparently it's one of the best yarns out there) and I would love to post a picture of its gorgeousness. But I can't, and I don't want to be constantly using my roommate's camera when I want to take random pictures. I'm thinking about at least attempting using it for a Connemara scarf. However, that's sort of a celtic braidy scarf and the Kureyon is vareigated in lovely greens, browns, and purples with a little orange and yellow thrown in for interest. I think it probably wouldn't be good for a cabled scarf. I just like both of them so much that I'd love to combine them into super-love. But I think the cable would get lost in the color changes, so I'll probably use something more neutral.

I got some Lamb's Pride worsted too, so I can make Kate for a friend's baby shower. Or maybe just the friend. Who knows. But that's going to be fun to work with as well, and is my first Lamb's Pride purchase.

Finally, I got some Dale of Norway Hauk in a really pretty mossy green, and I know what that's going to be. Some sort of wide cabled scarf for my friend who's moving to the mountains of Virginia. The good think about the Hauk is that it's teflon-coated, which makes the already water-resistant wool even moreso. And if she ends up using it as a headscarf, that could be really important. It feels a little scratchy right now, but I'm hoping that it won't be as bad once it's knit. It's also not really the right weight, so I may end up getting something else instead and using the Hauk for other purposes, like felting. Or I'll sell it.

I'm still waiting on my sock yarn so I can make the roommate's socks for christmas. It's merino wool in her favorite color palette, so I don't think I can go wrong there. Well, unless I screw the socks up. But that's why I'm gonna do a practice sock or two beforehand.

The other projects I've got include baby stuff for my two expecting friends (blankets, booties maybe, socks, hats, toys), a stuffed sheep for a coworker, my friend's Tree of Gondor blanket (almost done!!), another tree of Gondor blanket that I promised I'd make about 6 months ago, maybe some gloves for my brother, and maybe something for my parents. I'm sure there's things I'm forgetting. Most people don't wait until september to start making christmas presents. But I'm insane, so there you go. And at some point I think I'm going to take apart this scarf/wrap thing I made and do something different with the yarn. It's a wool/silk/mohair blend that's really soft and beautiful and might make some nice socks, but I don't know if i want to walk on it, it's so pretty.

Current Project

I'm not turning this into a knitting blog. But I'm really excited about the project I'm working on right now. I'm making my first non-hat/scarf/afghan. A couple friends are expecting, and I'm venturing into the land of stuffed animals for that reason. I found a pattern for a really adorable rabbit here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=88776.0

So far I've done the body/head, both arms, one leg (although I may go back and redo it because it kinda sucks), and part of an ear. When i'm finished all the parts I'll stuff and assemble and maybe post a picture. The only crappy thing right now is that my lovely digital camera broke suddenly while we were in Tennessee, so I'll have to use my webcam or borrow my roommate's camera to take a picture of it.

what's new

I suppose I should be working now. I just need a break from what I've been typing for the morning. So I'm typing something different. At least for a little while. I'd like nothing more than to take a nap right now. I'm not sure what it is about this time of the afternoon, but bed always sounds really good to me. I'm trying to keep bouncy upbeat music on my ipod so i have something to nod along with as I work. Right now it's "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (DJ Downfall Persistent Beat Remix)" by the Postal Service. That's a hell of a title.

I've been looking at real estate websites for properties near where I want to move next summer. I actually saw a condo a few weeks ago for 199,000 (that I can't afford) and right now either the same one or one similar is 189,000, so that's nice. Maybe in another 10-11 months it'll be down a little more. I don't like living where I am right now, so I really hope to be able to afford somewhere else. I think I'm just a little too close to DC, and my apartment isn't really the greatest place. Of course, everytime I talk about moving out, my roommate laments what she'll do when that day comes. I don't know if she's trying to get sympathy or wants to make me feel bad, or what, but instead of complaining, she could do something about her situation. I'm looking to move to an area where my commute to work would be about 45 min to 1 hr, whereas right now it's only about 20 minutes. But I can deal with that in order to have some place I like and can afford. I think she needs to do the same, instead of complaining that everything's so expensive and she can't afford to live by herself. I'm giving her lots of notice, unlike her last roommate, who gave her 2 weeks to find another person to live with (i.e., me).

Anyway, despite that, I'm really excited to be considering buying a property rather than renting. And I'm looking forward to having my own space completely to myself. Just have to save lots of money and make sure everything is set for when that day comes.

A friend of mine had some really good news for us the other night. She's expecting. eee!!! She's the first of us to get married and she'll be the first to have kids, too. I'm so thrilled for her. And I'm thoroughly planning on spoiling that child rotten. Of course, I'll spoil it with books. The ones I loved when I was a kid. I'm so looking forward to this whole thing and watching her go through it.

becoming a gilmore

About a month ago, I started drinking coffee again. I'm spoiled at work because not only did our office manager work at Starbucks for a number of years, she's a coffee aficionado and therefore buys good coffee for the office. None of that grocery store stuff for us. And she makes it STRONG. I temper mine with quite a bit of milk, but it's still tasty. And it's a better way to get my caffeine for the day than soda.

I avoided coffee for a long time because it didn't seem to agree with me, but I'm thinking maybe that was just my dad's coffee. I like the coffee at work. It was hard on vacation to have the crappy stuff they gave you at the continental breakfast. Coffee-flavored water. Blech. I'm thinking of adding a french press to my wishlist for christmas. I think having a coffee maker (even a little one) would be too much temptation for me. But being able to make coffee one cup at a time, and not instant, would be nice. I think maybe I'll go get myself another cup.

talking to jay

I had a dream last night that I was sitting and talking to Jason Mewes (Jay of Jay and Silent Bob) and among other things we were talking about tattoos. So I showed him mine and he showed me one of his, which in my dream was a bird on his back. I have no idea what tattoos he actually has in real life. The only other thing I remember was that I was wearing a black tshirt and he was sitting on my left.

I have the oddest dreams sometimes.

Brother Drama Part 2

My brother's girlfriend broke up with him last Monday night. He called me in tears and asked if he could spend the night at my place. Of course, I said yes. During our talking about the situation, he was saying some stuff that freaked me out, mainly because he's been suicidal in the past. I encouraged him to move back in with our parents and get some space from the girlfriend. He still wanted to be with her and wanted the chance to talk to her and work things out, which I do admire from him. But I still don't think they're right for each other.

They talked the next night and are back together for now. I'm worried that she'll do this again and he'll get upset again. And I'm worried what he might do or what might happen to him if that does happen. I don't really think he'd do something to himself, but he might be driving recklessly and get into an accident or something. I'm just worried.

Vacation

I'm taking a vacation at the end of the month. I'm actually travelling to a different state for a solid week. The last time I went away somewhere for an extended period of time that wasn't my grandmother's house in Virginia, I was 17. That was eight years ago. On that trip, I spent nine fabulous days in France and Switzerland.

This time, I'm going to Tennessee. I went there about 10 years ago with my family so a few of the things we'll be doing will be familiar to me. But I'm excited to be getting out of my apartment (mental note: must find a fish-sitter) with my roommate and hitting the road. The only downside is I'm doing all the driving, but nonetheless, I am excited.

Not that I'm a fan of country music (and not that there's anything wrong with country music). My roommate's friend moved there last summer and has been pretty bored and lonely in the last year, so we're visiting her. I think we're also going to see an exhibit of Egyptian art and artifacts, the Parthenon (full-scale replica of the one in Greece, complete with Athena), the Hermitage, and other fun stuff. That's all in Nashville. We'll be in Chattanooga for one day to see Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls, and Rock City. Then it's a long drive back home.

I think it'll be a good thing. I haven't taken any real vacation time in the two and a half years I've been at my job. I usually just took off a day here or there to go to the beach or whatever. Although, the bad thing is that it's already looking like I'll have to cram a ton of work in at the last minute or play major catch-up when I get back. It's not like this vacation hasn't been on the calendar for a while now. My boss could have planned these projects a little better. But then he wouldn't be him. Oh well. One week and two days and I'm gone and I'm not doing work at night. Nope. Not gonna do it.

-----

My brother has been at his job for two weeks now. I think he likes it. They seem to like him. My coworker's wife works there, and she passes along stories about him. Which is more than I've gotten from him directly. At least he seems to be doing well. Not that I don't still worry about him, but it's less frequently.

The Brother Drama

I'm writing at work because there's not much else to do. Actually, there's work to do, but I'm not in the mood. The office across the hall has painters in today and I have a headache. So do a couple other people. Sucks.

I have a brother. He just got a new job working as an assembly technician at a company that makes valves and pumps. I hope he likes it. I hope he doesn't screw it up. Like the one job he really wanted.

He and I are different in a lot of ways, and it's difficult for me to understand him sometimes. He's at the age (21) where many kids are finishing college and looking for what they want in a career. He just left a job at a movie theater. I'm not condemning him for not going to college. He tried it and it wasn't for him. But I think he's going to have a much harder life than someone who went and I'm afraid he'll regret his behavior of the last 4 years. And some part of me hopes he regrets it, because it'll show that he's grown up and away from the high school mentality he's still in.

I'm not sure how I feel about his girlfriend. On the one hand, I don't have any doubt that they love each other very much. But I think that she's immature and so is he, and they both have issues in their lives that they're using the other one to help them ignore. I hope for their sakes that when the need for distraction is gone, the love is still there. I also hope that she doesn't hold him back from what he can achieve. I don't know her well enough to really judge, and I'm conflicted. Their relationship is none of my business, but it will become my business when he comes to me and tells me she's pregnant because they couldn't/wouldn't buy condoms. Pot is still more important to them, apparently. And he's definitely not ready for a kid. He can't even take care of himself right now, so I constantly have fingers crossed that they're safe, and if not safe then at least lucky. So far so good. Of course, I just recently found out they're not using anything when they have sex, so it's a recent concern.

I really hope he doesn't screw himself up.

The problem is that I'm seeing his life through me-colored glasses. I'd never do most of the things he's done and I can't grasp why he's done them. We've led and are leading different lives, and my rules don't necessarily apply to his life. I don't claim to have the right answers, although sometimes I sound to myself like I do. I wish I did. I also just wish I could know that everything is going to be ok. If I knew that, I think I could handle all the rest of the stuff that comes up along the way. And I'd certainly worry a whole lot less than I do now.

Trying to be a better blogger

I started this new blog because my last online journal thing was getting sort of stale. It was getting to the point that I wouldn't know what to write about since the only people reading it were people I saw pretty frequently. With this new one, I don't know if anyone is reading it, nor do I really care. I think this is going to be just for me, and if people read and like/dislike it, then that's ok too. But I don't have to worry about not saying something my friends might not like or agree with. It's a liberating feeling

Now, that doesn't automatically mean I'm going to update this more often, although I hope I do. And I'm also hoping it doesn't turn into a venting ground for me. It's going to be interesting, to say the least.

The Experience

So for the past few weeks I've been following The Lost Experience online. It's some pretty interesting stuff. Basically it's an ARG or Alternate Reality Game that lets people solve puzzles and hints and things and slowly reveals clues and information. According to the producers of the show, it's a bunch of extra information they'd have loved to include in the show but either wouldn't mesh with the existing storylines, or they just wouldn't have time for. But it's nice to have something new to do every day instead of just waiting for the new season to start. I get the feeling the producers and everyone else behind it are having a lot of fun giving us clues and fake podcasts and "secret" information about the Hanso Foundation. I'm certainly having fun reading some of this stuff. Because it's pretty intelligent. And that appeals to me.

First Post

Hmm...Something new. Refreshing. Breathe in and smell that new bloggy goodness. Kinda like new car without the sticker shock. I think I'll like rambling here.