March Madness

So far this month has felt really productive. I've finished 4 knitting projects so far! Here's the yarn porn:

*January Aran vest*

Front view

Back view

*February Baby Sweater*

*Christmas mitts*

and

 the amazing beaded nightmare!

I do have a confession to make though. After doing so much finishing work, I was absolutely itching to cast on something. ANYTHING. So I started an ugly blanket. Now, the link isn't the exact pattern I'm using, but it gives you an idea of the kind of ugly I'm going for. I got this book from our local library's book sale a couple of years ago because I'm a sucker for vintage knitting books. The best thing about this one is that a good portion of the blankets are crocheted. I can improvise a knitting pattern like no body's business, but crochet? Not so much.

There is a really fantastic crochet pattern inside for an airplane blanket/pillow all in one thing that I intended to make but it calls for super bulky yarn and a hook that I didn't have on hand. I decided to make the Colonial Ripples afghan instead and I am so glad I did. I'm 3 days in and 1/2 way done. With a freakin' blanket. It's really good for sitting in front of the TV too. I got the first 2 ripples done while my husband and I watched some Ugly Betty and another done last night while watching some DS 9. I may do some more tonight after work. It all depends on if we have friends over to watch GOT. Of course, they're going to find out how weird I am eventually. I may as well hook while they're here.

Will I be burned out on blankets by April? Probably. Good thing I still have some of the squares from my last attempt at the Almanac. Granted, a 6 year old picked the colors, but I don't have to start next month from scratch. BONUS: I'll be finishing another WIP. If I look at it that way, it won't feel so much like cheating.

Productivity! In More Ways Than One

I've done a lot of thinking this weekend. Instead of making this month's sweater (I love you EZ but I'm sweatered out) I will be finishing up as many current projects as I can. This includes weaving in the last few ends of the January Aran, putting the second sleeve on the February Baby Sweater, putting the second sleeve on a sweater I started last September *cough*, and tinking back the edge on a shawl that I ran out of yarn for. If I get it all finished I'm starting back in on Susan's Tardis socks. I hate those freaking socks.

I don't know if I'll get all of this done because, honestly, I just don't knit that much anymore. After we moved into the apartment my interest in knitting kind of dwindled. Sometimes it starts to feel like a chore and when that happens I put it down and walk away. Coming from 5+ years of constantly knitting or thinking about knitting it is so strange to not be excited about it all the time. I mean, yeah, this was a long time in coming but it is still bittersweet.

Part of the reason I decided to give the Almanac a go again was to try to get my excitement back up. Maybe as the year goes on it'll happen. Maybe not. I've stopped beating myself up over it though. I still love knitting, we'll always be together, but I can't hide behind it anymore. I've been a knitter for over half of my life and it's time to see what else is out there for me. That's cool. Bring it.

Endless, Endless I-Cord

The hard part is over. I have conquered steeks. Please forgive the terrible lighting. My camera is garbage and it was 2:00am.

Finished body, pre-sewing.

Deep breath, it'll be ok. 

Go have a drink. Cutting is easier after some time with Dr. Daniels.

Eeew, this picture is dark. If I hadn't been drunk, I'd have taken another one before I started the I-cord. 

Now, I just need to get with it and finish this i-cord edging! It isn't difficult in the least, just incredibly tedious and I've finished watching my latest smutty show. Ooooh it is some good knitting TV. Hang in there for the first few episodes. It gets good. I actually want to find the next season(s).

I haven't even begun to cast on for February's nonsense yet. I had hoped to do all 5 of the projects this month but it looks like I will only have time for one. So tell me Internet, do I do the blanket or the sweater? I am gifting the item to a friend who is expecting in mid-September, in AL, who doesn't know gender. If I do the sweater, I have a really cute cotton picked out. No idea what I'll use for the blanket. I'm doing this whole book from my stash, so I don't have a lot of worsted options that would work for a baby.

It's February Already?!?!

Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday I was looking at the calendar and thinking, "Great! I still have 11 days to crank this bad boy out. No sweat!" Oops.

Today I reached the final bind-off row on the body, only to run out of yarn (on the skein, I do have 2 more!) 10 stitches before the end. If I hadn't forgotten to bind off twice on the shoulder line, I would have ended with just enough yarn to weave in the end. Talk about *facepalm*. One of the rarest, most pleasing feelings in knitting was within my grasp! sigh Maybe next time.

I'll wind up another skein tomorrow and get cracking on the steeks if I get the time. There is a really neat violin workshop happening at one of the local schools that I'd like to attend and that will take up a lot of the afternoon.

Slowly but Surely

 I finally feel like I have made some progress on this thing. Not nearly as much as I was hoping for at this point, but enough to be content with it. I had to rip out the second half of the big cable pattern a few times before I got it right and that really cut into my time frame. After spending some quality time with the fishtrap chart I finally got the hang of it. Now, the only time I need to look at the thing is when I ‘m getting close to doing the small cables. I love the way the twisted stitches make those stand out. They are by far the best looking rope cables I’ve ever done.



As I’m going, and looking at the deadline, I keep thinking that I want to make this a vest. A nice i-cord border seems lovely. No buttons, but maybe some hidden belt loops? I have plenty of knitting to go before I decide in any case. We’ll see.

The baby is actually being really good about letting me knit. She has even taken to cuddling up with me and watching her ‘mouse movie’ while I knit. It doesn’t make for the best knitting TV, but I’ll take what I can get. I did find this on Netflix the other night. OMG. Nedomir was quite the looker in ‘93. Also, quite the unintentional comedian. If you ever want to see some really awkward sex, this is the show for you. I don’t think the female lead enjoyed any of it and that’s just a shame. Tonight, I’m moving on to The Tudors. It’s been in my instant queue for forever. I’m hoping the romance is a little more romantic and a little less. . . strange.

Here We Go Again!

After quite little break, I've decided to give the Almanac another go. Life got pretty crazy for a while and I think things are finally at a point where attempting this again isn't totally inconceivable. So, to catch y'all up. . .

In December of 2010, when things were pretty much at their lowest for me, I found out that I was having another baby. My husband and I were at odds as to what to do for a while. It was REALLY a bad time for me to get pregnant, we were fighting constantly and I had started packing my things to move out. I don't know what changed or when, but something clicked and we started trying again. Once our relationship was sorted out, the rest of everything just started falling into place.

I graduated with a 3.74 GPA in Biology. My husband got a great job that allows me to stay, at our own place, with the kids. I've learned to sew, cook, and I've even gotten back into gaming (which takes up more knitting time than I will readily admit). Miss E just went through the testing process to be in the gifted classes at school next year. The newbie, Kit, is 17 months old and is my little engineering daredevil. Things are pretty wonderful right now.



My job at the LYS was. . . complicated. I loved the customers, getting to be around fiber all day, help people with design issues, and all of the little things that go with keeping a business running. I felt like I was making a difference in the local fiber scene and it was for the better, you know? God, but working for that woman was awful. She was never there and had no idea what was good for the business. If she wanted it, she bought it, regardless of what our customers were buying or looking for. Eventually (after I left) she started carrying Red Heart yarns.

Yep. Red Heart.

I haven't set foot back in the store since I left, but I've been told that the isles are so close together that you can't walk through the store and that all of the amazing windows don't really let in the light anymore due to the over crowding. *shrug* Not my problem anymore. Love that.

So, now that life is back on track, I am too. I cast on for the January Aran on the 1st, but haven't had too much time to sit down with it. I'm using a lavender 2-ply handspun that I was given by my MIL after her trip to Latvia last summer. It is perfect for this project and the stitch definition is just to die for. I may not have quite enough to make the sleeves, so as of right now, I'm planning on a vest. We'll see how much is left once the body is done. *phew* I'm wiped and have a big day of birthday parties and family stuff tomorrow, so I'll end it here. See everyone next week with (hopefully) more than 1" of sweater finished!