Too Cold and Other Stuff

I thought I was pretty inured to the cold.  I've lived here my entire life, it's always been like this, I thought I was used to it.  But this below zero weather?  Yeah, I've had enough. It's too dang cold.  Can I have my 20s back please?  

Brub is being sworn in today, and he'll officially be a lawyer.  I have to go to work, so sadly I won't get to watch, but Tato and Mum are going and Tato agreed to take pictures if he could.  It's a big deal, and I'm proud of Brub.  

I've implemented a time budget!  Can you believe it?  Finally!  lol.  Okay, so it's still a little, shall we say, flexible.  I think it needs to be because you know what happens when I make plans.  But I've got all the important things in there, the things I need and want to do.  And largely it consists of: when I get home from work I do X on a certain day.  It's been working for a few days.  So I'm going to keep at it.  Today, being Wednesday, means that when I get home, I write.  

Now the computer is near the window, and that makes things a big chilly, but I will deal.  I have my fingerless mitts, slippers, and a wrap.  So I think I'll be able to work.  As long as my brain doesn't freeze, that is.

Mondays means writing or reading, depending on what needs to get done.  Tuesdays are reserved for reading/reviewing.  Wednesdays I write.  Thursdays I yarn (and will be continuing work on my hat).  Fridays are more of a free day, in which I will do one of the three depending on either what needs to get done or what I feel like doing.  Saturdays there's sister time, but after that (or before) there is reading and/or writing.  And on Sundays is another free sort of day, where I read, write and/or yarn, again depending on what needs to get done and what I feel like.  So far, it's been working pretty well, though this past Saturday and Sunday got switched.  I'm going to try very hard to continue on this way.  

It works well in the regard that I can view it as rewards as well.  If I'm in the mood to yarn, but I need to read or write instead, then I tell myself, get through this, get your stuff done, and then you can yarn on this day.  I'm finding it to be a good motivation.  

So that's the report from my corner.  I'm freezing, but I'm doing okay.

How about you all?  Things going well with you?

The Week Ahead

Wow.  Big day yesterday.  And I'm still sort of riding high.

I have the week off and I'm super happy about it.  I didn't actually manage to sleep in, which is okay, but I'm drinking my coffee in my pajamas and that feels like a luxury.  

Sis decided to make some Christmas decorations for her desk at work.  She's actually figuring out and crocheting them herself.  I'm incredibly proud.  She's not one to figure out how things work and though she's been asking my opinion on what and how, I'm just telling her what I think and she's figuring it all out on her own.  We raided my yarn stash so she could get all the colors she needs.  She said it was like going shopping.  I had to grin.  

I have to make a trip to the post office at some point today.  And also make banana bread (because the bananas are overly ripe and need to be turned into bread) but other than that, I have to get yarning.  Izzy's birthday is in a couple of weeks and I haven't made much progress on her shawl.  Needs to get finished, especially because I know she suspects what it is.  Which is fine, but I need to get on it!  I've only got one repeat done.  But I'm making it it with a slightly heavier yarn and a bigger hook than the pattern calls for so I don't think I'll have to do as many repeats as the pattern calls for to get a full sized shawl.  

Really, that's my plan for the week, pretty much.  Spend the whole time in various version of comfy clothes, yarn, write, read.  Maybe do a little cleaning.  A bit of decorating. I might end up having to spend some time babysitting my goddaughter but that would be a treat too.  All in all, just planning on relaxing and taking it easy. 

Hope everyone enjoys their week as well!

Here's What Happened...

I have a lot to be thankful for this year and I made sure to be extra appreciative yesterday.  We had a wonderful family dinner--there was so much food--and even though Brub was in Massachusetts and his presence was missed, we still had a good time.  After dinner, and while we enjoyed our pie, we played a game.  There was one point where we were laughing so hard, everything hurt and I couldn't breathe.  I really have an awesome family.  

Today is my last day of work before I have a week off.  I'm pretty excited about having vacation time.  I'm not doing anything exciting...just hanging out and sleeping in late and drinking my coffee in my pajamas.  But it'll be nice.  I'm hoping to watch a bunch of Christmas movies and get some yarning done and maybe even some editing.  I will most likely write. 

Worth It will be released for individual sale on Sunday, December 1st, as will the rest of the stories from the Heartwarming anthology.  I'm both nervous and excited.  I wrote a story that's going to be out there for the public to read.  I really don't even know how to feel right now.

Sis loved her blanket! She's been wrapped up in it since yesterday.  I keep telling her it's too long and she keeps refuting me.  I'm happy she's happy.  And I'm incredibly happy that it's done and I don't have to think about it anymore.  I already have plans for the extra yarn.  Eventually.  If I get to it.

The Christmas season is officially upon us!  I need more decorations.  Just sayin'.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Yarnaholic

Oh, God, I really am.  I sort of think that I need to join a 12-step.  Except, the fiber addicted really don't need to reform, now do we?

My goddaughter's birthday snuck up on me and there was so much other that I was doing that I didn't actually make her anything.  That's okay because I did get her a sweet little outfit and when I go shopping tonight after work I'll pick her up a toy too.  Because she's two and godmothers should be practical as well as frivolous, don't you think?  We're celebrating on Sunday and it'll be fun.

Last night, I was lazy.  In that I didn't get anything done that I should have been doing.  But I did knit!  And gasp!  Can you believe it? I actually worked on Sis' blanket!  I know, I know.  Try to contain your shock.  Thanks to a great suggestion (thanks again, Helena!) I pulled up an audiobook that I've had for practically ever and got through the first couple of chapters and just knitted away.  I actually had a fair bit of fun whilst doing it too.  So tonight, after some shopping, I think I'm going to do it again. 

My weekend will be jam packed, I think.  Some cleaning and organizing (blargh) and helping with the munchkins tomorrow and then party fun on Sunday.  So tonight, after I get the things I need, I'm just going to relax, listen to some more book, and keep my lap warm with Sis's blanket.  I'll actually feel like I'm getting something accomplished and I can relax and mentally prep for a busy weekend.  Because even though it'll be a good time, yes, it will be busy and I don't do so well with that sometimes.  

When the audiobook stalled out right after chapter two (I had to restart it, my computer went weird) and I just had to finish the row I was on before I could reach out and fix it, I got absorbed in the awesome yarn.  And I started thinking about this other awesome yarn I recently worked with (Kodiak by Berroco, seriously hella awesome) and I started imagining what I would make with it because I intend to go back and buy some more to make something for me.  And I was thinking about how my hands are always cold at work and I really should make myself a pair of fingerless mitts like I've been wanting to do for forever.  And I was thinking about the yarn that I bought and had shipped from Scotland and how I need to make Auntie's shawl before her birthday.  And I was thinking about Izzy's shawl that needs to get done before her birthday.  And I was thinking about how I have to make the BFF's Christmas present.  And I was thinking about how I love to buy yarn almost as much as I like to make things with it.  I was thinking all of those things in the five minutes or so it took me to finish the row when it sort of hit me, all over again, like a brand new thought (though I've had it many a time before) that I truly am a yarnaholic.  Which brings us full circle.

But I won't be joining a 12-step.  I will hold my head high and proclaim it to the world.  "Hello, my name is Kris, and I'm a yarnaholic!"

Have a splendid weekend y'all!

Accomplishing Words and Yarn.

I finished writing the first draft of the novel I started on the 1st of November.  When I told Brub, he looked at the calendar and said very solemnly, "You did it wrong."  I frowned confused.  He said, "It's called novel writing month, not novel writing ten days."  I just grinned.

But now that first draft is completed, Sis has gone back to badgering me to finish her blanket.  She said I promised and she keeps making not subtle comments about how it's cold and "it sure would be nice to cuddle up under a big, thick, cozy blanket."  I supposed she's right.  So while I take a few days break from writing anything (excluding blog posts) I'll be working on that.  Which, for the record, still bores me to death and I still don't want to work on because it's boring. But I will and hopefully make some progress.  If I want to get technical (which I totally will) as long as I give it to her by the 30th of December, I'll have fulfilled my promise to get it to her faster than the last one.  Seriously, when it's her birthday again two months from now, I'm giving her cash.  

But I feel good and accomplished.  And riding that writing high, the next story is already making itself known.  I'm still in the "plot bunnies running 'round my brain" stage.  But I know the overarching plot.  I got my two guys and I know how they meet and where they end up and why.  It's just getting them from point A to point B that's the trouble.  

And after finishing the BFF's mitts and the other project and starting Izzy's shawl, I'm in a good place, yarn-wise.  So I need to get a move on on Sis's blanket.  I have the whole first week of December off from work, which means that I can spend a great deal of time yarning.  

Then again, if I can accomplish a bunch of yarning before then I just might see if I can write full time that week.  And see if I can churn out the first draft of a novel in 7 days.  

More Knitting

I spent the entire day yesterday yarning.  Almost literally.  I finished one of The BFF's mitts and then...well, I couldn't resist the other yarn I bought so I started working with that.  It's so freaking fabulous!  It's a baby alpaca/merino wool blend and it's just so light and lofty but so warm too!  Honestly, I'm a little sad I'll be giving it away once I'm done with it.  I'm going to have to go back and get more yarn and make myself something too.  Well, I say that but we all know the issues I have with making things for myself.

So, that's what I'm doing today again.  Watching Supernatural all over again (I started at the beginning again yesterday) and knitting.  I'll finish the other mitt and then go back to my fabulous yarn once it's done.  SSS (remember the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome, of which I am an chronic sufferer) is rearing it's ugly head and I don't even want to do it, but once I get it on the needles and start doing it, I'll be able to muscle through.  I think the mitts are lovely and I hope she'll be pleased with them.  Look for pics tomorrow because...

I'm skipping Second Blessing this week.  It's just not where my head is at all.  In all honesty, I've got so much else going on in my life right now that I might put it on hiatus for a bit.  I hate to do that to any of you who are reading along, and I'm not quite ready to say it officially.  It definitely won't be going up this week, but, as much as I enjoy Sean and Daniel (because I really do) and even though I know where the story is going, I'm having issues wrangling them to where they need to be.  It might be good for me to take a step back for a bit.  I want to tell a good story, a story that's worth telling, and I'm afraid I'm forcing it.  Whenever I tried to get the next episode written this week, it all fell apart.  And that's not good for the readers or the characters.  Thoughts?

Anyway, I'm in yarning mode today and I hope I'll have pretty pics for you tomorrow, along with a pattern.  

Stroller Toy

 Ok!  Ta Da!  Made a stroller toy!  Okay, so you can actually hang it on a stroller or a crib or even the car seat.  But fun right?  You can click to embiggen.  Anyway, so this is my fish stroller toy and I didn't like the tails that the pattern originally called for so I made my own instead.

A closer up shot.  It's hanging on the curtain rod in this pic and in the next one.  Because, you know, the curtain rod acts like the cross bar on a stroller/crib/car seat and so I wanted to see how it would look.  Still cute?  I think it is.  

And this one is a slightly different angle so you can see different parts of different fish.  So, anyway, a little something to stimulate his little growing mind and to occupy his time.  And maybe improve his hand-eye coordination as well.  I used the bright colors because that'll definitely catch his interest.  





So that's done and that's what I'll give at the baby shower.  Now, down to business!  We're leaving tomorrow somewhere around noon so I'll be around this weekend, but only as time/cell service allows.  (To be fair, I doubt coverage will be an issue, but you never know when you might end up in a dead spot)  And considering my weekend, I'm just going to go ahead and say that the next ep of Second Blessing will go up on Tuesday.  I may be able to finish it in time for Monday, but to ease stress (because I have enough heaped on this weekend) I'm just going to call it a Tuesday posting so I don't have to worry about it.  On Monday, instead, I'll give a recap of my weekend.  And if the leaf peeping is any good, maybe there will be some pics of that as well.  I haven't been to Massachusetts since I was about 18 (which is sad, because it's right over there) and it was a spring time trip.  Tune in Monday if you want to know about my weekend!

Everyone, have a lovely weekend yourselves.  And I hope yours is less stressful than mine expects to be.  And hey, maybe it'll all go better than I anticipate!  One can hope, yes?

Random Thoughts and Observations

After the freakish cold of earlier this week, it's starting to warm up again.  It's because I actually dug out and set up the space heater.  I take heart in the fact that it will get cold again sooner rather than later.

I'm torn about what the BFF's birthday present is going to be.  I thought I had it all figured out but then a thought just occurred to me that would be pretty awesome.  Same thing, but different pattern.  I can't make a decision. I hate it when I'm dithering.

Sis's blanket got a few more rows on it. I promised it to her quicker than the last one but...yeah, I don't know if that's going to happen.  Next year, she totally getting cash.  I'm a bad sister for always putting her project on the back burner to do other things.

My goddaughter's birthday is in November.  I have this fanciful notion of it being a thing that I always make her something for her birthday.  If that's the case, then I need to get cracking.  

I've always got another project on the horizon, it seems.  Something else I want to make more than whatever I'm making at the moment, a different story I want to write than the one I'm working on.  If someone would stop feeding the plot bunnies, I might be able to get something accomplished.  (Don't really stop feeding the bunnies, I love that you do!)

Speaking of writing...Second Blessing is shaping up to be a good time.  I'm really liking these guys!

I really need to clean the fish tank. That's my first order of business when I get home tonight.  It's going to be fun carting the water up and down the stairs.  *insert sarcasm here*

My second order of business is to write out a detailed time budget.  I'm going to do a few days at a time and see just how well I can stick to it.  I need a little extra discipline in my life right now.  There are a lot of things that need to be budgeted in but if I think too much about it right now, I'm going to get overwhelmed.

I absolutely need to find a better arrangement for what's plugged in to which outlet.

I also really want some cookies.

   

Post Festival Report

Sis and I had such a good time yesterday!  The weather was perfect and we meandered around the entire place, looking at what we wanted to, spending as much or as little time in each of the little shops as we pleased.  We ate too much and had excellent wine slushies and walked some more.  We caught a couple of the shows and laughed and smiled.  I dressed up because I love it.  Sis did not because she doesn't.  She, actually, wore a t-shirt that says "I have two needles.  You have two eyes.  Don't mess with a woman who knits."  She got four compliments on the shirt.  Since I was the one that bought it for her for her birthday several years ago, I was feeling pretty pleased with myself.  And the guy at the shop where they carve staffs and wands said he was a knitter which I think is awesome.

We were watching a few performers dance to bagpipe (love bagpipes!) and drum music.  Sis leaned close and said softly in my ear, "You're writing in your head right now, aren't you?"  I blinked in shock.  She just gave me a knowing smirk, "I know what that look on your face means."  And she was right.  Because there were four men and two women doing this dance and so two of the men were partnered up and you know what that means in my brain...in the three minutes we were watching them dance, I had created a whole short about the interaction.  

I was, of course, exhausted by the time we got home.  But after I took care of the things I needed and wanted to take care of, it was too late for a nap.  Which was vexing because you know I love naps but I couldn't see going to sleep, to wake up in a couple hours, only to go back to bed a few hours after that. So, instead, I vegged out in front of the TV, watched a few episodes of Tanked and then popped Star Trek in (because someone has got me having Star Trek constantly on the brain!) and once that was over, it was late enough that I could allow myself to sleep.  

And sleep I did.  My dreams, by the way, were fucking awesome!  

Monster troubles.

So, there's something going on with blogger.  Or, really, it's probably my computer.  And the BFF is trying to figure out how to fix it so I can do what I want to do.  She is, of course, trying to do this by asking me questions over text while I painfully try to explain.  I'm fairly computer savvy, I grew up with 'em, right?  But yeah, I don't understand some stuff and she has to explain to me how the computer world works sometimes.  But while that's all going on, the monster is giving me fits.

"What monster?" you ask, politely inquisitive.  The monster I'm attempting to make for Tato's birthday present of course.  But the yarn is problematic in that I can't freaking see the stitches in order to work the damn project!!  Which is a bid ol' cryin' shame because it's super awesome soft furry yarn and I want to make the damn monster!  

But oh!  As I'm sitting here whinging about it, a solution just came to me!  Maybe.  I'm going to scramble off and see if it works.  Tune in tomorrow to see if it worked!

Whining about Yarn

I'm not so good at creating my own patterns.  A big part of that is because I'm mathily challenged.  Math is a big part of knitting or crocheting and you would think that I'd have enough practice by now to be good at it.  But I'm not.  I wish I was though, because I can't find a pattern that I like.

Part of my brain is always taken up by the yarn.  I think you won't be surprised to hear that, yeah?  And now that I've got my fabulous yarn from Scotland, I've been contemplating what to make and how I want to make it.  I know I want to do a shawl for Auntie.  I know I want to do it top down.  But the dynamics of it are failing me.  I found a fabulous formula to work anything top down, and it is great, but I want some sort of lacy pattern and it's eluding me.  I can't find a pattern that I like that's also in the yarn weight that I have.  I cannot figure out how to put in my own lacy pattern between the increases and keep the lace even.  

I'm good at this stuff!  I'm an excellent crafter!  I'm a freaking yarn maven!  So why the hell can't I figure it out?!

*whimper*

Okay, okay.  I know.  It's a silly thing to be whining over.  What I really want to happen it to be able to just type what I want into the search engine and for exactly what I'm looking for to pop up.  I know, it's a pipe dream.

I want to stretch the yardage as far as I can since it's a one time deal.  It's not like I can just run to the store and get more.  If push comes to shove, I'll just work it on bigger needles than the yarn calls for and it'll have an open work feel.   

I'll figure something out.  I know I will.  I just wish I knew what already.  Anybody have any suggestions or tips to help me out?

YAY!

I have in my possession yarn that was grown in Scotland, spun in Scotland, and dyed in Scotland.  It finally, finally arrived yesterday!

The colors are...not exactly what I thought but still incredibly lovely.  It's gonna be a bitch to wind into balls thought.  I wanted to do it immediately, but I knew if I did, then I'd want to start playing and I just can't do that right now.  I promised Sis.  Not that I'm working on that, like I should be, but I still can't play.  Not yet anyway.  Not until I get at least more of the blanket finished.  

God, I'm such a slacker.  

But!  I have the yarn and it is wonderful.  It even smells like yarn shop and that's great too.  And the muse, she is planning things.  Things that I hope will be as gorgeous in actuality as they are in my head.  Cause, yeah, sometimes that doesn't always work out right.  But I'm hoping.  

It really is very special yarn.  

Not According to Plan

Oh well.  I'm not surprised.  Part of it was my fault, yes, but of course, things did not go according to plan.

I only knitted for about a half an hour before I decided I didn't like it at all and was bored out of my head.  It got, therefore, quickly scrapped.  It was the modular knitting thing I talked about but...yeah, it didn't look as good in the actual as it did in my brain.  Back to the drawing board I go.  

And then there was reading...lots and lots of reading.  I didn't mean to, but I got sucked in so I did that instead of watching a movie like I planned or even napping (though I did nap on Sunday).  Sometimes, that happens.  And it's not all bad...but yeah.  I did that and not a whole lot else for the majority of the weekend.

I did find some baby yarn in my stash, so I'm all set whenever I start the baby blanket.  I'm thinking I might move that up on the docket just to get it done.  I'm thinking of doing an amigurumi toy, too.  But not "Death by Carrot", I promise.  Something sweet and baby like.  I have that whole pattern book from Sis that she gave me for my birthday.  I think that would be a nice touch.  IF I can get the face right.  Faces are a problem for me.

And speaking of not according to plan: I'm as impatient as the next person so I was thinking about the schedule for Spell Break.  And thinking that I might post it more often, because I have episode 4 ready to go and episode 5 is almost ready.  What do you think?  Opposed to episodes more often?  I would still keep Monday mornings, and definitely have one go up that day, but maybe some weeks there would be extra eps?

Happy Anniversary

Today, For The Yarn Of It is one year old!  Huzzah!

*throws confetti everywhere*

I really can't believe a year has gone by so fast.  It doesn't seem like it's been so long.  I still remember with absolutely clarity when I decided to start the blog.  I'd been following a few of them for a bit, about a month or so, and I kept thinking I wanted to write my own.  But what to say?  What would it be about?  I was sitting at my desk (at the old job) and working, but my mind was half occupied with those thoughts.  And then, like a lightening bolt in the dark, I had the name of the blog.  It would be about my obsession with the fiber arts...and everything else that came into my brain.  I came home, I went to Blogger and the rest, as they say, is history.  It took me forever to figure stuff out (I'm slow sometimes) but before I knew it, I had a blog and I was actually blogging.  The muse fed me ideas to write about, and post titles that made me decide on what to include.  And I've met some amazing people through the blogosphere world.  And I am happy.

My life has changed in the last year and it's also stayed quite a bit the same.  But one thing is constant; the yarn.  So I will continue to write and yarn and share my trials, tribulations, joy, and sorrows here.

Thank you to all of you who stop by and take a few minutes out of your day to read my ramblings. It means a great deal to me; more than words can express.  

Magic Fingers

Totally not what it sounds like, I promise.

See, I have a bit of a knack for fixing things, for figuring out how things work, for putting together pieces of a puzzle.  And a lot of the time, when other people can't make something work, I can.  I just see how it fits together or sometimes, weirdly, just me touching it makes it work.  So, Mom say I have magic fingers.  Maybe.  The snow storm is done a'ragin' and it's not so bad here as it is in the northeast, but we've gotten quite a bit of snow.  Sis gets the snow blower out and it just won't work.  I mess with it, confused, because both sheer pins are intact and whole, but the auger won't engage.  I realized that the lever to engage the auger just wasn't moving all the way.  So I gave it a bit of a nudge.  Now we know that if it doesn't do what it's supposed to, just give it a little kick and it's all good.

And, of course, my magic fingers serve me well when working on my yarn projects ☻

Fortunately for me, I get to spend the day ensconced in my nice, cozy home.  The pressure is off on the projects that I had to complete so now I get to work on the other things.  Sis has made me promise to get her blanket to her in less than 11 months (like last years) and I am going to do my best.  If I can ever get all the yarn.  It's stuck in some sort of limbo.  And there is no indication from the website as to why it hasn't shipped. And they never answered the email I sent questioning the delay. It sort of makes me not want to buy from them again (which is why I'm refraining from naming the site) and that makes me sad because they've always done well by me before.

I've poured over my stitch dictionary and I think I've settled on a cable for Toby's mitts.  Now, I just have to figure out the right stitches to work it over.  I have a tracing of his hand so that I can make it the right size.  The biggest hurdle is that I have to figure out how to put a whole in the thumb.  Every pattern I've seen has whole thumbs or no top to the thumb.  But he wants to be able to cover the top of his thumb or be able to slip it out if he needs it.  I have some ideas that might work, but I'll have to play with it a bit to see if it will.  Otherwise, he's getting a completely covered thumb and he'll just have to deal with it.  I have a while before I need to worry about thumbs, though, because I can do that part last. 

Anyway, that's what I'm working on today.  

Fold 'Em

Remember when I said making a plan was a bad thing?  You know how they say that thing about self fulfilling prophecies?  Yeah.  That was me last night.

OK.  I really do blame the yarn.  You see, it's really loosely spun.  And yes, I'm aware that I mentioned it several times.  But what happened was this: it kept breaking!  The third time, I was at my wits end and ready to cry.  So, I came to a very important decision.  That yarn?  It wants to be crocheted into a scarf.  It does not, I repeat does not, want to be made into fingerless mitts with the mitten flap.  In fact, I'm certain it's very highly against it.  Sometimes, you gotta know when to fold 'em.

And since you were wondering, yes, I'm absolutely aware I am anthropomorphizing the yarn.

So even though I had one mitt about three quarters done, I scrapped it.  Yeah.  Just decided it was done.  I stared at it a long while before I made that decision but in the end, it was the best thing for my peace of mind.  If I didn't want to end up a sobbing mess of girl, it had to be done.  It's all right; he really wanted green anyway.  And I can do it better than that.  I can make the cuff better, and not start the ribbing at the top quiet so soon.  And remember to put in the lifeline where I want the mitten flap to start.  Really, it was a blessing in disguise.  I wasn't entirely happy with it and now I can do it over and better.  And, aw shucks, I've got to go yarn shopping.  Shame, that.  

Maybe this time I'll put the fancy man cable up the back like I was thinking of in the first place?

At any rate, that means that tonight and the rest of the weekend, I'll be focusing back on Sis's afghan and the baby's blanket.  And doing a little celebrating of Sis's birthday. And have some family time which always makes me happy.     

The History of my Crafting

Most everything I've learned about the fiber arts, I've gleaned from the internet.  I consider myself mostly self taught.  Grandma tried to show me how to knit when I was young, but I just didn't take to it.  Then, when I was about ten, my cousin was living with us for a while and she was making an afghan.  I remember it was blue and white and she was crocheting it.  I idolized my cousin and I wanted to do it, too.  She taught me the single crochet.  But even then, as much as I liked it, I didn't really get into it.  When I was in high school, I started working on another blanket with all this yellow yarn I had.  But it pretty much languished until I was a junior in college.  I finally finished it then.  I taught a few other people the basics and I knew how to read a pattern.

When I was 23, I lived on my own for the first time without the cushion of dorm life.  I found Lion Brand Homespun and bought blue and white and crocheted an afghan.  Sort of.  Its way too long and not nearly wide enough.  The ends are completely uneven as I lost stitches and gained new ones.  I never even bothered to weave in the tail ends.  I had no idea what I was doing; I just sort of made it up as I went along.

And then I moved back to my home town and I decided I was going to take up the craft with purpose.  I took a free pattern off the wall and I bought the yarn and I made an afghan.  Again, I thought I knew what I was doing but I didn't really.  I lost stitches, unintentionally skipping some between the ripples.  I did half doubles where there should have been singles because, at the time, I didn't know the difference.  But by the time I got to the end of the pattern, by the time I'd completed the whole thing, I had it all figured out.  I knew what I was doing.  And as they say, practice makes perfect.

Soon, crocheting was not enough.  But I got frustrated beyond belief when I tried to knit.  It was slow and my stitches weren't even and purling was a bitch!  When I learned the Portuguese style of knitting, it was a resounding relief.  I could finally knit, just like I wanted to, and it didn't look like rubbish. I've heard from more than one person that knitters often take up crocheting, but it very rarely happens the other way around.  What can I say?  I like to be different.

Yarn has dominated my life for quite a while now.  The satisfaction of completing a project?  Nothing can compare to that.  Yes, I like the accolades I receive.  But it's the internal rush of a job well done that makes me the happiest.  I still have that moment in every project where I'm tired of doing it and I just want it done!  But there is something so soothing, so calming, about crafting something wonderful with nothing more than a strand of yarn and a hook or needle.

One day, I will be old and arthritic and my hands will no longer do what I want them to do.  When, that day comes, when I am no longer able to feed my creative soul, there will be a part of me that mourns the loss.  But until that day, I will do all that I can to overfeed my soul with the fiber arts.

And remember to take pictures.

Time Crunch

I checked on my yarn order today; the homespun thick and quick in blue lagoon colorway for Sis's next birthday blanket.  It's scheduled to arrive on the 14th and I have no doubt it will.  Joann Fabrics is good like that and when I place an order with them, I never worry about when it will arrive.  However, that gives me exactly two weeks until Sis's birthday.  I'm bound and determined that I will have it done for her actual birthday this year instead of...well, 11 months later.  

But the thing is, I wanted to knit it.  Now, I'm a pretty fast knitter these days, ever since I learned the Portuguese style.  But I'm still nowhere near as fast as when I crochet.  Now, if I were crocheting the blanket then a two week deadline would be nothing.  I'd meet that easy with a bit of a push.  But knitting?  I'm not sure I can do it.  It's not going to be anything fancy.  Just garter or stockinette because the yarn is kind of bumpy and does not lend itself to anything more intricate.  It's perfect for the simple stitches because the mottled color and texture don't need anything more.  But I still don't know if I can get it done.

Why knit it, then, you ask.  That's a very good question.  The answer is simple.  Last year's (very) belated gift was crocheted.  And I want her to have something different.  And it's not a yarn that I have knitted before.  I've always crocheted when I've used it.  So, a bit something for me and a bit something for her.  On top of that, I've managed to keep it a resounding secret thus far.  This is a big deal for me, because she tends to weasel things out of me pretty easily.  Or, she makes guesses and my open book face gives it away that she's right.  So, I really want to get it done in time for her birthday and I want to knit it.  

The good thing is, that even if I don't finish it completely, I can wrap it up and present it to her still on the needles and she will be thrilled.  But I really don't want to do that to her.  Last year, all I told her was that her present was coming.  She ended up being with me when I was yarn shopping and she helped me pick out the yarn, acting like she had no idea what was going on.  Until we got in the car and were driving home and she casually says that the yarn we picked looks like the sea and it would be perfect to have turtles swimming in it.  I told her that it would but that wasn't what it was for.  But she called my bluff and waited patiently for another ten months before I actually finished it.  So this year it's very important to me that I have it done for her birthday.  

I take comfort in the fact that it is a very chunky yarn and that I can use really big needles and hopefully, hopefully, it will work up quickly.  Two weeks shouldn't be too much of time crunch, right?

Haberdashery

Ta Da!!  I'm a haberdasher!  I've made a hat!

When I first started knitting in the round, I did it with the time honored method of double pointed needles.  I quickly discovered that it was hard to knit that way.  It took a lot of practice to make it so you weren't constantly poking yourself in the hand/arm/eye.  And I discovered that I always had the problem of a bit of "laddering" between the needles.  My stitches weren't tight enough from one needle to the next.  I thought there had to be an easier way.

Ah!  The magic loop method.  The method of using one super long circular and pulling the cable out between stitches so that half of the stitches are on either side.  I was intrigued by this and enjoyed it, but I always had the problem of a bit of laddering at the beginning of the rounds.  And also, sometimes the cable itself got unwieldy and bent in a consternating fashion.  There had to be an easier way!

My preferred method now is the best I've found yet.  Using two circular needles.  Half the stitches on one, half on the other.  It doesn't matter how many or how few stitches you have on either one because the cable always bends where you need it too.  I don't have any of the problems that I'd had previously.  It's now my go to method whenever I knit in the round.  I highly recommend it.  

This hat, as I previously mentioned, is inspired by one of my favorite sweaters.  It has four cables, all with left leaning twists, that twists ever eight rows.  The only thing I made a change to is twisting alternate cables on a different row.  Every four rounds, I twisted a cable, but only every other one.  Just to give it a bit of movement.


I offset the cables by one stitch so that it basically straddled the ribbing.  And put a panel of four stitches of stockinette between the cables.   The construction of the hat is pretty standard.  Cast on 80 stitches.  Work 2x2 rib for two inches.  Slip the first stitch of the round onto the other needle.  Knit 4, purl 4, knit 8, purl 4, repeat around.  It's on the knit 8 panels that you twist your cables.  You can do it whenever you want.  Work until the hat is approximately 6 inches (try the hat on.  I always do.  When it reaches your earlobes is about when it's time to start the decreases).  I then knit one round plain.  After that, it's standard decreasing.  Knit 8, knit 2 together all the way around.  Knit one round even.  Knit 7, knit 2 together...knit a round even.  Knit 6, knit 2 together...get my drift?  Keep doing that until you have 16 stitches.  Knit 2 together around, cut an 8 inch tail, thread it through the remaining stitches, close it up.  Ta da!  Hat!

And that's how I made Izzy's hat.  And remembered to take a picture!
    

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.