The Place

You know that place where you've got a thousand things going on in your head and you want to do at least half of them, but you don't have enough hands?  Yeah.  That's the place I'm in right now.  Because I designed a scarf this weekend, which I want to make.  And the BFF's scarf needs to get done.  And I have characters stomping around in my head and...yeah, it's busy and I want to do everything and I can't.  I have to pick and choose.  

First up?  A reread and a bit of an edit on one of my books so that I can send it to Toby (my awesome beta reader) for his feedback.  

Then, I'll probably work on getting the new yarn, Cascade soft spun in Heather Cobalt, out of hanks and into balls.  I have a ball winder.  I do not have a swiff.  This takes much planning on my part and finagling with chairs.  And sometimes extra hands.  Or else I have a knot ball instead of a yarn ball.

And then, because I'm being honest here, I'll probably work on the scarf I designed instead of the one for the BFF.  Because I'm like that.  The Dr. Who scarf is just garter, and I can whip that out in no time with very little concentration.  The other?  That's got a mess of different stitches, including a cable, and I have to pay attention so I don't forget to twist.

Oh, and as a side note: coworker did not open the bag containing baby blanket.  He didn't even look.  He decided to let his wife do it and took it home. He ruined my fun.  I made a pouty face.  He laughed.  And I know they'll enjoy seeing it for the first time together.

Thank you, that is all.

Another Score for the Stash

Here I've been, stressing over this baby blanket for my coworkers new baby who's now almost three months old.  Everything I start, I frog.  I hated everything.  And then yesterday, as I was looking for something else entirely, I came across a baby blanket I had made several years ago to use up extra yarn and had put away to give as a gift at some point in the future.

O.O <-- that's what I looked like when I found it. 

Now, it's not surprising that I had forgotten about it.  It seems like forever since I've made something just to make it.  Everything I've done in recent years has been for a purpose.  A particular gift that I needed to finish by a particular time.  So, I had put this away and then I started making things with a purpose and promptly forgot about it.  I'm freaking thrilled it's there and nice and I just have to weave in some ends and I can give it away.  Thrilled, I tell you!

Here it is!  It's not my very best work.  This was back when I was learning all about crochet; more than just the double which was all that I knew to begin with.  But here is a sweet little granny square pattern.  The yarn is super soft too, though who makes in and what the colorways are, I couldn't tell you.  It was years ago and I don't remember.

Also, I finished the ruffly scarf in fabulous Starbella Flash.  I gotta tell you; it was both way fun and an absolute bitch to work with.  I have some more in another colorway that I'm going to work up for Sis for Christmas or her birthday, depending on when I get it done.  But here my trusted teddy bear and favorite model is showing that off for you too.  (He's very good at modeling hats too!)  It's pretty fabulous.  I was going to give it to the BFF, but she didn't really want it.  Thought it was awesome but she's not really into scarves except for winter wear and this one, while it does keep you warm, is more of a fashion thing.  I don't blame her.  I would much rather she tell me she doesn't want something than to take it and not like it. 



And then, last night, I went to an impromptu Halloween party.  I'm not much for the holiday, but I put on my soft kitty hoodie, with the hood up, and joined in the games and ate way too much food and homemade potato chips.  Good times!

Halloween

Last year I had this brilliant idea for this year's costume.  I was going to be an afghan!  It'd be the perfect excuse to use up all my stash; I'd crochet a striped afghan that would be big enough to go around me, leave arm and head holes, put fringe on the ends, and ta da!  Insta-costume.  With the added benefit of being able to wear it when it was cold.  I was all excited.  It was going to be great!  Of course, I promptly forgot about my brilliant idea until just this minute.  There is no way that I'll be able to get something like that done in time.  

Oh well.  There's always next year.

The truth of the matter is, I'm not really into Halloween.  At all.  I even stopped trick or treating when I was about 12.  Sure, I liked the candy.  But I didn't like actually going up to people's houses and getting it.  And I can never think of costume's that are worthwhile or in anyway good (afghan idea not withstanding).  Last year, when forced to attend a party, I put on a collar and leash and was the BFF's human pet (she was a vampire).  At any rate, Halloween does not hold the appeal for me that it does for others.  

I have been knitting like a crazy woman though.  I'm working on the BFF's birthday present.  And I just got some fabulous ruffle yarn that made me work on that too.  I'm having a good time with that.  

Maybe this time I'll remember to get pictures!

Thank Goodness For The Stash!

I found some lovely purple that almost works perfectly and decided to use that in the scarf!  It's near perfect, as even though it is also a worsted weight, it is slightly different than the other yarn.  Thankfully, it's only in four or six row stripes, so it's not that noticeable.  At the very beginning, it is because it's just ever so slightly thicker than the yarn for the rest of the scarf.  I've already decided that when I get to the other end, I'm going to have to decrease by two or three stitches so that it stays more even.

I started the scarf last night while watching The Avengers.  AWESOME MOVIE.  If you haven't seen it yet, do it immediately.  It's well worth it, even if you aren't a fan of super heroes or Joss Whedon.  I hapeen to be a devout Whedonite but I swear that didn't color my perception of the movie at all.  I promise.

And I very much do not want tomorrow to be Monday.

 

Yarnlemma

This, of course, is a yarn dilemma.

The BFF's birthday is a little less than a month away and she's getting a Tom Baker-esque Dr. Who scarf.  She already knows this because I had to throw it at her to see if it would stick.  It won't be as long or as wide (we don't want it to swallow her whole) but I'm probably  more excited about making it than she is about getting it.  I chose Cascade 220 Superwash worsted as the yarn and I ordered it from the fabulous Webs at www.yarn.com and I was very excited.  And then, the dreaded news.  One of the yarns, the purple, is on back order.  I have a deadline people!  It can't be on back order!  And why did it say there was a bunch of hanks left when there weren't?!  OK, breathe.  I know it was probably a random confluence of events that there were orders and it wasn't updated and the like but I need that yarn!  I thought about making the trip to my LYS to see if they had it but if they don't then there is no way I can walk out of the store empty handed and I don't need anymore yarn.  Want? Yes.  Need?  No.  So...

Yarnlemma.

Of course, the purple kicks the whole thing off.  And ends it on the other side too.  So unless I do a provisional cast on and work up until the next section where purple is supposed to go...

Sigh! Of course the rest of her gift, the part that I don't have to make, has already arrived and is wonderful. I even thought of using a different yarn because I'm sure I have something in my stash that will be the right color.  But it won't be the right texture.  And there's no telling when I'll actually get the yarn because it said that it could be anywhere from 2-3 weeks for back ordered products and....

Still in a yarnlemma.

I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do about it.

Who Would Win in a Fight?

In my house, that's a common phrase.  It is a prelude.  It is often followed by an unlikely pairing of people which will then make you think, weigh pros and cons, before you give an answer.  Just so you are aware, if one of the people is Batman, he always wins.  ALWAYS.  Batman is always prepared for any foe he may face.  Batman wins.  

So...who would win in a fight: the yarn muse or the writing muse?

Because, let me tell you, they are having themselves a battle of epic proportions right now.  I don't know who is going to win.  I'm not even sure who to root for.  There's so much that needs to get done right now on both fronts.  Promises left unfulfilled.  Projects left half finished and chapter left undone.  I would be happy if either one of them won.

But I'm afraid that the only way this battle is going to end is with them knocking each other out cold and then nothing will get done.  Again.  

I need a vacation.

There was a flood in the basement

Not a real flood, thank God.  But the kind that happens when somehow the washing machine's draining tube comes loose so that the soapy water from the load empties all over the floor.  The cement and dirty floor.  And manages to get under the water heater, which is gas, and puts out the pilot light only you don't realize it until the next morning when you go to take your shower and there is no hot water and you have no choice but to take a fucking freezing cold shower because otherwise you'll be way late for work.  

But thank all the Gods and Goddesses that you have an uncle who is the most fantastic man alive and drops everything to run right over and get your water heater heating water again.

That was my Sunday night/Monday morning.  It was fun! (insert sarcasm here)

But I brought a loaf of Apple bread to work and my office people just raved over it.  Ate it all up.  Went back for seconds, and thirds, and even fourths until there was nothing left but crumbs in the bag.  That was incredibly satisfying.

And Fall is here!  Time to permanently break out the sweaters and hoodies!  Yay!  I am well pleased with the turn of the weather.  Got lost in my head for a bit planning all sorts of scarves/hats/mittens.  Had to force myself to stop because I have way too many things working right now and I need to get something finished before I start anything new.

Sis and I play words with friends.  We somehow ended up with three games going.  For the first time ever, I'm actually beating her.  In all three games.  I'm certain it won't last but I'm loving it while it happens.  

Because it's so chilly, I'm working on Lyse's afghan (still not finished!) because it keeps my lap warm while I work!

Apathy

It's SSS all over again.  Because I can't find a pattern that I really like and everything that I think of on my own is something that I've done before and don't want to do again.  I need to make this baby blanket and I've started it I don't even know how many times.  But I just keep frogging it.  Worse than that, I have a bunch of other projects that need to get done and I just don't wanna do it.  

Later today, I need to put together a new bookshelf.  This is something that I really enjoy; building things.  I am, usually, gung ho about getting something like that done.  But I don't even want to do that.

I have a problem.

I'm usually all for working a problem and figuring out the solution.  But apathy seems to have me tight in its grip. Apathy is a relentless bastard and it does not give up easily.  I can't make myself do anything about it.

I know the only way to combat it is to make myself do something.  So, I will make the bookshelf and I will work with yarn.  Even though both things will most likely seem like a chore.

Apathy is a cruel mistress.