Monday, February 26, 2007
Finished, finally...
Well, I finished the Sockotta socks today! I have nearly a whole sock's worth of yarn left over, so I'll make a kerchief thing out of it. And I think I may have figured out a new way of grafting toes without yarn needles...maybe.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
I've been up since 6 AM on a Saturday morning!
Well, the contest went pretty well. It was a little scary being in a room full of middle and high schoolers. One student is advancing to state - go J! The piano I played sounded very different from our piano at home - much darker and cloudier, if that makes any sense.
After the contest, I went to the library sale. I found Kathy Dalmeny's World of Knitted Toys, Paintbox Knits (might go back tomorrow to get this one), boxes full of vintage knitting and crochet magazines (I got one with 101 sweater patterns!), America's Knitting Book, by Gertrude Taylor (this one has lots of information about modifying patterns), With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, The Floating Admiral by Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, G. K. Chesterton, and "Certain other members of the Detection Club," and two books about buying a house. I also got the most beautiful antique book I've ever seen: The Book of Wild Flowers for Young Readers, by F. Schuyler Mathews.
There's an outlet store for a ridiculously expensive clothing store that's opened within the past year. I got $673 worth of clothes for $45. The dressing rooms are downright creepy, though - it's just a big room with a lot of mirrors and clothing racks. So you get really comfortable with your body really fast. Yikes.
And to top it all off, I got Last-Minute Knitted Gifts from the library! I'm trying to decide whether to cast on for the hourglass sweater tonight or wait until tomorrow...that's such a pretty pattern. I'd buy the book, but it's not a cheap one.
Now I'm pretty doggone worn out. I think a hot bath is in order.
Oh, and if you've never listened to Schickele Mix or Weekend Radio on NPR, your life is woefully humor-deprived.
After the contest, I went to the library sale. I found Kathy Dalmeny's World of Knitted Toys, Paintbox Knits (might go back tomorrow to get this one), boxes full of vintage knitting and crochet magazines (I got one with 101 sweater patterns!), America's Knitting Book, by Gertrude Taylor (this one has lots of information about modifying patterns), With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, The Floating Admiral by Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, G. K. Chesterton, and "Certain other members of the Detection Club," and two books about buying a house. I also got the most beautiful antique book I've ever seen: The Book of Wild Flowers for Young Readers, by F. Schuyler Mathews.
There's an outlet store for a ridiculously expensive clothing store that's opened within the past year. I got $673 worth of clothes for $45. The dressing rooms are downright creepy, though - it's just a big room with a lot of mirrors and clothing racks. So you get really comfortable with your body really fast. Yikes.
And to top it all off, I got Last-Minute Knitted Gifts from the library! I'm trying to decide whether to cast on for the hourglass sweater tonight or wait until tomorrow...that's such a pretty pattern. I'd buy the book, but it's not a cheap one.
Now I'm pretty doggone worn out. I think a hot bath is in order.
Oh, and if you've never listened to Schickele Mix or Weekend Radio on NPR, your life is woefully humor-deprived.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Pre-Saturday morning blues
I have to be AT the school at 7:15 tomorrow morning. Bleargh. At least it'll be over by 11 or so. Starbucks gift card, I'll be needing you in the morning. At least the library book sale is tomorrow! Yay! I'll be bringing home way more books than I'll ever need. With any luck, there'll be some neat knitting books. I'm still in awe of finding an Elizabeth Zimmermann book and a Barbara Walker stitch treasury for $2 each at that LYS that closed. I still wish I'd bought more needles. I really need to get over that.
And I need to find something to knit for my cousin's baby! I want to make something really special for her - it's the first grandbaby on either side of the family. How exciting - my cousins are becoming parents!
And I need to find something to knit for my cousin's baby! I want to make something really special for her - it's the first grandbaby on either side of the family. How exciting - my cousins are becoming parents!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The top secret plans for the yarn...bwahaha!
My yarn stash has magically expanded again. Five balls of leaf-green Patons Classic Merino followed me home Saturday night after a bead-hunting expedition with DS. (Side note for those of you who don't know me in the flesh, which is probably most of you: DS = dear sister; DB = dear brother. I know I have a pretty poor memory, but it seems like marriage, pregnancy, and
childbirth would be fairly difficult to forget.) DS took one look at the yarn and said, "Don't you already have a wall full of yarn?" Poor non-knitters just don't get it, do they? I should have asked her if she already had a jewelry box full of necklaces. But hey, it's for a specific project (Cable Down Raglan from the Spring IK), and it was on sale for $4 per ball! You can't beat that!
One of these days, I will actually sit down and figure out what to knit with each and every ball of yarn in my stash. Here goes a shot in the dark (I'm currently at work and can't see it, so that counts as dark, right?):
1. Mounds of TLC Amore: multiple-strand crocheted dog bed for my Corgi, who is officially getting too old to jump up on the bed. *sniff* Maybe one for the shedding machine pup as well.
2. Cream and pink Greek wool from gigantic sweaters: something felted. It's probably too itchy to wear next to skin.
3. Super-pretty blue heathered laceweight - I WILL KNIT A LACE SHAWL. (someday) Or socks - how many socks can I make from a size M sweater?
4. Yellow laceweight that's falling apart - I dunno. That's probably my least favorite at the moment, mainly due to its fallingapartness.
5. Navy blue worsted wool from a Hagrid-sized sweater - Tubey from Knitty.
6. Nearly-bulky black wool (also from a Hagrid-sized sweater - my, Molly Weasley has been busy, hasn't she?) - a vest.
7. MOUNTAINS of Homespun in Seaspray - a blanket of some kind. I've got to unravel the monstrosity I started a few years ago with stockinette blocks. Urgh.
8. Sock yarn! I have Plymouth Sockotta in a primary color stripe (faux Fair Isle would be fun!) and a purply mix and Lion Brand Magic Stripes in brown, regatta, and purple stripe. I'll have to check out the SKS book for ideas.
9. Light blue lambswool - It's not enough for a sweater that would be as long as I would like, so we'll have to figure out something else...maybe that Bonsai tunic from Spring IK.
10. Lavender sportweight/DK cashmere - I look horrid in lavender, as does DS (who doesn't like knitted garments anyways, so never mind). Maybe Mum would like a lace wrap...there's an idea.
11. Off-white wool - I've got to try dyeing some honest-to-goodness wool. I bet I could come up with some great color combinations! (WalMart's KoolAid knockoff is 10 cents per package instead of KoolAid's 20 cents, so I got some lemonade, cherry, and grape. We'll see...)
12. Carrot-colored (formerly radioactive yellow) WoolEase sportweight - that would make a nice pullover, since it's lightweight.
And when will I find time to make all of this? Hmm...that's a good question.
On the upside, I did get the heel flap done, the heel turned, and the gusset started on the second Sockotta sock. I was knitting away while the Sparkies were at store/game time, and when they came back, one boy asked what I was knitting! Bless you, M, for knowing what I was doing! One little girl said, "She's sewing somethin'!" That's okay, A dear, you couldn't have known. Then M said, "I'd like to learn to knit if someone would show me how." *thud* What lovely children I work with. (They really are sweet most of the time, as long as you keep the markers away from D. No, D, we do not put markers in our mouths, or anywhere else on our bodies, for that matter.)
I found out today that I made a 96% on my first grad school test! It really wasn't hard. (Actually, aside from 2 questions, it was the exact same test as the one they gave us to study.) I'm starting to think that full-time graduate-student-hood might not be quite as terrifying as I once thought.
childbirth would be fairly difficult to forget.) DS took one look at the yarn and said, "Don't you already have a wall full of yarn?" Poor non-knitters just don't get it, do they? I should have asked her if she already had a jewelry box full of necklaces. But hey, it's for a specific project (Cable Down Raglan from the Spring IK), and it was on sale for $4 per ball! You can't beat that!
One of these days, I will actually sit down and figure out what to knit with each and every ball of yarn in my stash. Here goes a shot in the dark (I'm currently at work and can't see it, so that counts as dark, right?):
1. Mounds of TLC Amore: multiple-strand crocheted dog bed for my Corgi, who is officially getting too old to jump up on the bed. *sniff* Maybe one for the shedding machine pup as well.
2. Cream and pink Greek wool from gigantic sweaters: something felted. It's probably too itchy to wear next to skin.
3. Super-pretty blue heathered laceweight - I WILL KNIT A LACE SHAWL. (someday) Or socks - how many socks can I make from a size M sweater?
4. Yellow laceweight that's falling apart - I dunno. That's probably my least favorite at the moment, mainly due to its fallingapartness.
5. Navy blue worsted wool from a Hagrid-sized sweater - Tubey from Knitty.
6. Nearly-bulky black wool (also from a Hagrid-sized sweater - my, Molly Weasley has been busy, hasn't she?) - a vest.
7. MOUNTAINS of Homespun in Seaspray - a blanket of some kind. I've got to unravel the monstrosity I started a few years ago with stockinette blocks. Urgh.
8. Sock yarn! I have Plymouth Sockotta in a primary color stripe (faux Fair Isle would be fun!) and a purply mix and Lion Brand Magic Stripes in brown, regatta, and purple stripe. I'll have to check out the SKS book for ideas.
9. Light blue lambswool - It's not enough for a sweater that would be as long as I would like, so we'll have to figure out something else...maybe that Bonsai tunic from Spring IK.
10. Lavender sportweight/DK cashmere - I look horrid in lavender, as does DS (who doesn't like knitted garments anyways, so never mind). Maybe Mum would like a lace wrap...there's an idea.
11. Off-white wool - I've got to try dyeing some honest-to-goodness wool. I bet I could come up with some great color combinations! (WalMart's KoolAid knockoff is 10 cents per package instead of KoolAid's 20 cents, so I got some lemonade, cherry, and grape. We'll see...)
12. Carrot-colored (formerly radioactive yellow) WoolEase sportweight - that would make a nice pullover, since it's lightweight.
And when will I find time to make all of this? Hmm...that's a good question.
On the upside, I did get the heel flap done, the heel turned, and the gusset started on the second Sockotta sock. I was knitting away while the Sparkies were at store/game time, and when they came back, one boy asked what I was knitting! Bless you, M, for knowing what I was doing! One little girl said, "She's sewing somethin'!" That's okay, A dear, you couldn't have known. Then M said, "I'd like to learn to knit if someone would show me how." *thud* What lovely children I work with. (They really are sweet most of the time, as long as you keep the markers away from D. No, D, we do not put markers in our mouths, or anywhere else on our bodies, for that matter.)
I found out today that I made a 96% on my first grad school test! It really wasn't hard. (Actually, aside from 2 questions, it was the exact same test as the one they gave us to study.) I'm starting to think that full-time graduate-student-hood might not be quite as terrifying as I once thought.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
The United States of America will temporarily shut down this evening...
...because a bunch of guys are going to be running around with a pointy-ended ball.
Meanwhile, psammeadred will be working on her many UFO's and maybe watching a movie.
When you think about it, sports will make people lots of money, but if you're stranded in an ice storm, would you rather be stranded with someone who can play football or someone who can knit you a sweater and some cozy socks?
Meanwhile, psammeadred will be working on her many UFO's and maybe watching a movie.
When you think about it, sports will make people lots of money, but if you're stranded in an ice storm, would you rather be stranded with someone who can play football or someone who can knit you a sweater and some cozy socks?
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Knit-ins are fun for everyone!
Whee! Just got back from a knit-in at my LYS ! (Check it out if you're ever in Oklahoma.) I worked on my Pi shawl for a bit (and discovered that I'm way too easily distracted to knit lace around people) and my Sockotta sock #2. It's so much fun to knit with lots of other people. I got two skeins of Lamb's Pride Bulky in Seafoam (a gorgeous blue-green), a back issue of Interweave Knits (Fall 06), and the new Interweave Knits spring issue. (Interweave Knits - so many beautiful things, so little time and money...) The Lamb's Pride is going to be a cabled scarf for me (maybe).
It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, er, my house. Class is still going well, aside from a little tiff with the bursar, who somehow was charging me both in-state and out-of-state tuition, but what's the deal with people surfing the Web and IMing during class?! I don't get that at all. I really enjoy the class, though. It's so amazing to see God's fingerprints on His creation. "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." Ps 19:1
For our entertainment at the knit-in, there was a duet of the new unofficial state song:
SNOW-klahoma,
where the cold fronts sweepin' down the plain;
And the piles of sleet beneath your feet
Follow right behind the freezing rain.
SNOW-klahoma,
Ev'ry night my honey lamb and I
Travel home from work and hope some jerk
Doesn't wreck our car in passing by.
We know we belong to the land
But it could use more salt and more sand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!
We're only sayin' you're slick as snot,
SNOW-klahoma!
SNOW-klahoma, Oy Vey!
(The formatting on here is driving me up the wall, by the way...)
It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, er, my house. Class is still going well, aside from a little tiff with the bursar, who somehow was charging me both in-state and out-of-state tuition, but what's the deal with people surfing the Web and IMing during class?! I don't get that at all. I really enjoy the class, though. It's so amazing to see God's fingerprints on His creation. "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." Ps 19:1
For our entertainment at the knit-in, there was a duet of the new unofficial state song:
SNOW-klahoma,
where the cold fronts sweepin' down the plain;
And the piles of sleet beneath your feet
Follow right behind the freezing rain.
SNOW-klahoma,
Ev'ry night my honey lamb and I
Travel home from work and hope some jerk
Doesn't wreck our car in passing by.
We know we belong to the land
But it could use more salt and more sand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!
We're only sayin' you're slick as snot,
SNOW-klahoma!
SNOW-klahoma, Oy Vey!
(The formatting on here is driving me up the wall, by the way...)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
