That's usually what I think when I have a design idea pop into my head and I think to myself "oh that would be cute!" but I have no idea how I'll knit it up, or even how well it will look once finished. I wish I could just draw the general idea of a pattern up for someone that said someone would then be able to knit it up and write up the pattern and I can just stick my name on it and call it a day. Alas...
So far there is a hat pattern, a fingerless glove pattern (might turn into a half-fingered pattern or something), and a sock pattern all floating around in my head. And only the sock's are sorta being worked on right now. I say sorta because I feel like I should unravel them a little bit so I can change the design around a little. But that's work and I'm lazy and don't want to undo 12 rounds of knitting to do a simple adjustment. Screw that.
I'm also working on a blanket right now. No, it's not Leah's blanket (who is supposed to grace us with her presence sometime in the next 17 days...son of a betch... =.= ). Instead it's a scrap blanket for my worsted weight yarn. I have quite a few balls left over and nothing I could knit that wouldn't look like a colorblind homeless woman threw together a winter set. So I'm making a blanket instead. But I'm not into blocks (this baby blanket is proving that), so instead I'll be knitting until I run out of a color, cast off, pick up random number of stitches on random side of said knitted piece, and continue with a new color. Repeat. I'm not sure what the blanket will end up looking like, or even when it will be finished. All I know is that I'll have some mindless knitting to fall back on when I'm avoiding other projects...kinda like I am doing now.
Actually, I'm not working on Leah's blanket because I conveniently left my bag with it at my mother's house. Yes, I did it on purpose. Do I feel bad about it? Not.one.tiny.bit. I'm just not happy wit the damned thing...and when I'm not happy with something I tend to put it off instead of confronting it head on...which would explain my strange relationship with my MIL. But I digress.
I did however sew three panels together, said screw it to the way two were knitted up and decided to improvise, cast on a 6th panel, and rectangle the whole thing out a bit more.Maybe I won't hate it as much once the damned thing is done...yeah....
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
I suck at this blanket thing
So I thought if I got started on Cierra's baby blanket as soon as she told me she was pregnant, I would have all the time I need to get a blanket done. After all, at nine blocks total I could make one block every month and be done with it. Yeah...that so totally didn't happen. Leah is going to be here in a month (give or take) and I've only completely 4 blocks. Maybe I can give the blanket to the kid as a going-away-to-college present...hmm.
I also found out recently that our mutual friend Heather is pregnant as well. =.=
During Cierra's baby shower I gave her a set of felted baby booties (the only baby related item I had laying around the house) and while everyone oohed and aahed about how cute they were, Heather piped up with "you'll knit for me too, right?" when Cierra proudly explained that all my baby shower gifts for her were in various stages of WIP. Son.Of.A.Bitch....So that's another blanket for Heather, and various small items me thinks. Thankfully I already have a pattern picked out, and know what colors to use, purple and white, so that might make the blanket finish-able (is that a word?) by her due date...I doubt it.
I also found out recently that our mutual friend Heather is pregnant as well. =.=
During Cierra's baby shower I gave her a set of felted baby booties (the only baby related item I had laying around the house) and while everyone oohed and aahed about how cute they were, Heather piped up with "you'll knit for me too, right?" when Cierra proudly explained that all my baby shower gifts for her were in various stages of WIP. Son.Of.A.Bitch....So that's another blanket for Heather, and various small items me thinks. Thankfully I already have a pattern picked out, and know what colors to use, purple and white, so that might make the blanket finish-able (is that a word?) by her due date...I doubt it.
Of 2011 and New Years Resolutions
Happy New Year everyone!
2011 was, for the most part, a good year. I managed to find a little bit of work, met some great new people from following a local cover band around, lost pounds and inches that I've been battling with for years, and my paperwork was finally set in motion and for the most part approved. For those of you who don't know, I'm a German citizen, and we recently put in my paperwork for adjustment of status, so that I can be a permanent resident. It's pretty nerve racking to be honest. But most of the paperwork we sent in has been approved (rather fast too in my opinion), and I have an interview set for the 11th of January.
As for 2012 resolutions, the only one I really have is to really work out this year. I go to the "gym" to work out 3 times a week, but sometimes I can't be bothered so it's more like twice a week, or sometimes not at all. My running endeavors have pretty much stopped too, mostly because of the rain we've been having but also because I'm horribly lazy. So my resolution for this year is to go work out 3 times a week, and to go running 3 times a week like I'm supposed to. I saw results before when I did it, and darn it I want to see more. Oh, and to work on my Etsy shop...whenever that might be. xD
So tell me, what are your new years resolutions?
2011 was, for the most part, a good year. I managed to find a little bit of work, met some great new people from following a local cover band around, lost pounds and inches that I've been battling with for years, and my paperwork was finally set in motion and for the most part approved. For those of you who don't know, I'm a German citizen, and we recently put in my paperwork for adjustment of status, so that I can be a permanent resident. It's pretty nerve racking to be honest. But most of the paperwork we sent in has been approved (rather fast too in my opinion), and I have an interview set for the 11th of January.
As for 2012 resolutions, the only one I really have is to really work out this year. I go to the "gym" to work out 3 times a week, but sometimes I can't be bothered so it's more like twice a week, or sometimes not at all. My running endeavors have pretty much stopped too, mostly because of the rain we've been having but also because I'm horribly lazy. So my resolution for this year is to go work out 3 times a week, and to go running 3 times a week like I'm supposed to. I saw results before when I did it, and darn it I want to see more. Oh, and to work on my Etsy shop...whenever that might be. xD
So tell me, what are your new years resolutions?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
[Insert catchy title]
I'd give you guys a catchy title, but I don't have one.
I've been sick with the same damn cold for about a month now. Although since it's only coughing and the occasional stuffed up nose, I'm more inclined to think that alien babies are breeding in my lungs. Either that or it's TB and I'll die any day now.....alien babies sound like a better option at this point.
I'll be starting up running again tomorrow. I didn't want to "cold" getting worse by going into the increasingly cold weather, but since it doesn't seem to be going away I'll say screw it, and get back into my routine. I'm starting to feel horribly fat and lazy anyways.
I was all the way up to week 6 already (which was kicking my ass), but I think I'll have to scale it back down to week 3 so my lazy little self can play catch up. There is no way I can start back up at 20min non-stop running after not going at all for three weeks. It's just not going to happen.
In more knitterly news, I haven't knitted a damn stitch since September. I just can't be bothered. Not when there is spinning to be done.
My personal challenge right now is to see just how thin I can get my singles (single strand of hand spun yarn, before you twist them together). So far I'm getting this. I'm not sure if I can get it any finer then this.
Mom and I took a trip to a local yarn shop who rents out their spinning wheels. I'm renting an Ashford Traveler (pictured on the right) for the next 2 weeks, and am in love with the little thing. Although it could be that I'm just over the moon happy with having a wheel to play with. It's not the one that I have my heart set on buying, but it's nice to get to practice and play with one for a while. So far I'm working my way through three different types of roving. I'll upload pictures eventually, once I have more then a single skein to show off. xD
You know, this post had a semi purpose behind it when I started, but that purpose has completely escaped me....
I've been sick with the same damn cold for about a month now. Although since it's only coughing and the occasional stuffed up nose, I'm more inclined to think that alien babies are breeding in my lungs. Either that or it's TB and I'll die any day now.....alien babies sound like a better option at this point.
I'll be starting up running again tomorrow. I didn't want to "cold" getting worse by going into the increasingly cold weather, but since it doesn't seem to be going away I'll say screw it, and get back into my routine. I'm starting to feel horribly fat and lazy anyways.
I was all the way up to week 6 already (which was kicking my ass), but I think I'll have to scale it back down to week 3 so my lazy little self can play catch up. There is no way I can start back up at 20min non-stop running after not going at all for three weeks. It's just not going to happen.
In more knitterly news, I haven't knitted a damn stitch since September. I just can't be bothered. Not when there is spinning to be done.
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| Handspun single, Peruvian Wool. |
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| Ashford Traveler Spinning Wheel |
You know, this post had a semi purpose behind it when I started, but that purpose has completely escaped me....
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Washington, a spinners limbo
I obviously live in the wrong state when it comes to spinning.
As advised by other spinners I called around to yarn shops to see if any of them carried spinning wheels. Only a few of them did. So I picked the closest one (still an hour and a half car ride), and went to try some out. There were only three that were up my ally because they're small and compact or fold up. Now of course I'm waffling between two of them, because at $600 and above per wheel, I want the most bang for my buck, so to speak. I received a bunch of great pro/con advice from other spinners and a few of them suggested I look into renting or borrowing a wheel. So I called just about every shop around the western side of Washington, and not a single one of them rents out their wheels. Not.A.One. How the hell is that even possible?!
So like I said, I obviously live in the wrong state...either that or these other spinners that have rented wheels to try them out live in a different dimension. That is the only explanation I have.
As advised by other spinners I called around to yarn shops to see if any of them carried spinning wheels. Only a few of them did. So I picked the closest one (still an hour and a half car ride), and went to try some out. There were only three that were up my ally because they're small and compact or fold up. Now of course I'm waffling between two of them, because at $600 and above per wheel, I want the most bang for my buck, so to speak. I received a bunch of great pro/con advice from other spinners and a few of them suggested I look into renting or borrowing a wheel. So I called just about every shop around the western side of Washington, and not a single one of them rents out their wheels. Not.A.One. How the hell is that even possible?!
So like I said, I obviously live in the wrong state...either that or these other spinners that have rented wheels to try them out live in a different dimension. That is the only explanation I have.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
I'm doing it for the baby!
My best friend managed to get herself knocked up by a complete knobhead. I don't mind her boyfriend as a person, I do however mind him as her boyfriend; if that makes sense at all. And while my initial reaction was a mix of "Yay you're having a baby!" and "Oh god, you're having a baby..." I figured I would knit for the little bugger anyways, no matter what her ultimate decision would be (there was a lot of waffling going on for a while). Hence the title.
When she found out I was one of the first three people she phoned to share the news with. Now since I have knitted for my other friend when she had her first baby (and then was a complete failure on finishing her second child's blanket) I decided I would get started on Cierra's baby blanket right away. Since gender was not yet determined I had a smorgasbord of colors to choose from. There is a 9 block blanket pattern I have been wanting to knit since '06 and figured it was as good a time as any to knit it. And in the last 4 months since her announcement I have finished exactly....less then 1/9th of the blanket. I'm about one inch short on block number one.
Now I know that my friend is having a baby girl and so I want to go and buy mostly girly colors...but then I wouldn't know what to do with the 4 skeins of primary colors I have sitting in my basket. So for now I'll put my nose to the grindstone as they say, and will finish this blanket...hopefully before little Leah Irene turns 20.
My 5k progress is going quite a bit better, if anyone cares. I'm done with week 4 now, which quite frankly kicked my butt all week long. The running portions are getting much longer (we're up to two 5 minute sets now!) and the walking portion might as well not be there at all.
I had to skip Saturday's run because I was too busy with other things and by the time I would have been able to it was already getting dark. And I for one would like to avoid running in the dark, in the woods, where crazed ax murders might lurk. So I ran today instead. Mind you, it's Washington so our weather has turned to complete shit in the last week and it was gray and damp all day. Looking outside I figured if I ran now (it was 4:40pm) I would be able to beat the clouds before they decided to rain. Yeah....I was so wrong. It started while I was running. And stopped raining all together when I was done. (hey, I was already soaked, there was no point in stopping before the podcast was done). Leave it to me to pick the only rainy 30 minutes of the day to go running in.
When she found out I was one of the first three people she phoned to share the news with. Now since I have knitted for my other friend when she had her first baby (and then was a complete failure on finishing her second child's blanket) I decided I would get started on Cierra's baby blanket right away. Since gender was not yet determined I had a smorgasbord of colors to choose from. There is a 9 block blanket pattern I have been wanting to knit since '06 and figured it was as good a time as any to knit it. And in the last 4 months since her announcement I have finished exactly....less then 1/9th of the blanket. I'm about one inch short on block number one.
Now I know that my friend is having a baby girl and so I want to go and buy mostly girly colors...but then I wouldn't know what to do with the 4 skeins of primary colors I have sitting in my basket. So for now I'll put my nose to the grindstone as they say, and will finish this blanket...hopefully before little Leah Irene turns 20.
My 5k progress is going quite a bit better, if anyone cares. I'm done with week 4 now, which quite frankly kicked my butt all week long. The running portions are getting much longer (we're up to two 5 minute sets now!) and the walking portion might as well not be there at all.
I had to skip Saturday's run because I was too busy with other things and by the time I would have been able to it was already getting dark. And I for one would like to avoid running in the dark, in the woods, where crazed ax murders might lurk. So I ran today instead. Mind you, it's Washington so our weather has turned to complete shit in the last week and it was gray and damp all day. Looking outside I figured if I ran now (it was 4:40pm) I would be able to beat the clouds before they decided to rain. Yeah....I was so wrong. It started while I was running. And stopped raining all together when I was done. (hey, I was already soaked, there was no point in stopping before the podcast was done). Leave it to me to pick the only rainy 30 minutes of the day to go running in.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
On my way to 5k (running that is)
I've taken up jogging.
Now this wouldn't seem strange to most people. Some might even give me the thumbs up and say "Good for you! Jogging is good exercise!" But those people weren't my friends in high school, or in my gym class. I hate running...or jogging. With a passion. Unless something is chasing me, I don't run. And even then I'd find a blunt object to defend myself with first before I start running. Which really put a dent in my Gym grade because I would always be one of the last people to finish a mile at the end of the year (after slacking all year while others "worked their way up" to a decent time). During my Senior year my teacher looked at me one day and asked if I was "actually going to try today"
"Nope," came my reply as I did a pathetic jog past him (it was more of a fast walk really). See, I hate running.
Which makes my decision to start jogging every other day a strange one. But I realized as I was furiously knitting away on a simple sock, stabbing into each little stitch as if it could convey my frustration to my husband (which is didn't) that I had to find a different means of venting. I can only bitch at my friends so long before they get annoyed with me after all. And I'd run out of yarn soon.
So far it's going pretty well. I downloaded a few running podcasts from iTunes onto my iPod and they make the jogging much more bearable. I also discovered the PodRunner Intervals series which switches back and forth between walking and jogging for 30 minutes (which makes me cover about 2 miles). It's designed to get me running 5k (or 3 miles) at the end of the 10 week series. I'm determined to get there. What's funny is that I used to walk 3 miles to work every day. And then it was almost 2 miles from work to my Mom's (she was nice enough to give me a ride back home if she had errands to run in town). So 5 miles every day, 5 days a week, for 6 months would make you think this would be no problem...yeah, right.
My Mom snickers every time I mention my jogging, and my Mother-in-law usually just arches an eyebrow and goes "Well what do you expect?" when I mention that it's hard to breath, or that my legs are achy. The loving support of these people is staggering. *insert heavy sarcasm*
Now this wouldn't seem strange to most people. Some might even give me the thumbs up and say "Good for you! Jogging is good exercise!" But those people weren't my friends in high school, or in my gym class. I hate running...or jogging. With a passion. Unless something is chasing me, I don't run. And even then I'd find a blunt object to defend myself with first before I start running. Which really put a dent in my Gym grade because I would always be one of the last people to finish a mile at the end of the year (after slacking all year while others "worked their way up" to a decent time). During my Senior year my teacher looked at me one day and asked if I was "actually going to try today"
"Nope," came my reply as I did a pathetic jog past him (it was more of a fast walk really). See, I hate running.
Which makes my decision to start jogging every other day a strange one. But I realized as I was furiously knitting away on a simple sock, stabbing into each little stitch as if it could convey my frustration to my husband (which is didn't) that I had to find a different means of venting. I can only bitch at my friends so long before they get annoyed with me after all. And I'd run out of yarn soon.
So far it's going pretty well. I downloaded a few running podcasts from iTunes onto my iPod and they make the jogging much more bearable. I also discovered the PodRunner Intervals series which switches back and forth between walking and jogging for 30 minutes (which makes me cover about 2 miles). It's designed to get me running 5k (or 3 miles) at the end of the 10 week series. I'm determined to get there. What's funny is that I used to walk 3 miles to work every day. And then it was almost 2 miles from work to my Mom's (she was nice enough to give me a ride back home if she had errands to run in town). So 5 miles every day, 5 days a week, for 6 months would make you think this would be no problem...yeah, right.
My Mom snickers every time I mention my jogging, and my Mother-in-law usually just arches an eyebrow and goes "Well what do you expect?" when I mention that it's hard to breath, or that my legs are achy. The loving support of these people is staggering. *insert heavy sarcasm*
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