Thursday, December 13, 2007

Gettin' There



Sure I've got my physics final tomorrow, but when else will I find time to bake with the munchkin... I also managed to finish two Christmas presents and take pictures for the Christmas cards, and there ordered too. I may finish my to-do list before we have to leave. Wouldn't that be a miracle? Well back to Physics...

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Addendum

On further inspection of the new Knitty, I have to add Dahlia to my list as well. In fact I have some red Wool of the Andes that I've been trying to fins a project for. Hmmmmmmm....... I really need to finish my holiday knitting. But first I have trees to decorate and Lac operon sequences to decifer before my class... Hopefully I'll get some nice pictures taken by tomorrow. Picture-less posts can get boring, no?

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Welcome Winter

It finally snowed here! Yeah!!!! It's been snowing in Wisconsin off and on since Thanksgiving, and my family has made me so jealous. But now we finally have the cold wet stuff and it's gone a long way to increase my holiday cheer! And to top it all off, the new Knitty is up. I'm in love with Abotanicity and Chevrolace. Now if I can just clear off my knitting plate and order some Trekking.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Buried

I wish I was buried under snow like my mother but instead I've been buried under school work and all the holiday stuff. Ugh! I've already given up on two knitted gifts and my husband may get his only half finished. If only I didn't have those pesky final exams. Between the cumulative physics exam and the highly detailed genetics exam I may not make it to Christmas. But on the bright side nearly all of my holiday shopping is done. And half of my pierogi are made and in the freezer. Well, okay 2/3 are done. But I'm tryign to be optimistic. I've had so many great blogging topics come to me over the last few days and by the time I get to sit down they're gone. So I'm going to make an effort to write down these little jewels as they come to me. Hopefully I can make this a more interesting and entertaining read. But for now I've got a munchkin play-date.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Ch-ch-changes

I have been very quiet here in blog-land because I have been making some big changes in my life. Soem of them are not ready to talk about just yet, but one is. I have changed my major. I flipped my chemistry major to a minor and my english minor to a major. And I'm feeling a good deal better.I've been sailign through my english classes with As, and killing myself for Cs in my science and math classes. Silly, no... So next semester I will have 4 english classes and a french. Hmmmmmmmmm! *big sigh* So I will hopefully be back to blogging on a more regular schedule. In the mean time here are some fun munchkin picks from the last month, homecoming and halloween.


why not....






Which sci-fi crew would you best fit in with? (pics)
created with QuizFarm.com
You scored as Heart of Gold (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

You are a light and humorous person. No one can help but to smile to your wit. Now if only the improbability

drive would stop turning you into weird stuff.


Heart of Gold (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)


94%

Deep Space Nine (Star Trek)


81%

Babylon 5 (Babylon 5)


81%

Serenity (Firefly)


75%

Moya (Farscape)


75%

Millennium Falcon (Star Wars)


75%

Enterprise D (Star Trek)


63%

Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica)


56%

Bebop (Cowboy Bebop)


56%

FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files)


50%

Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda)


50%

SG-1 (Stargate)


50%

Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix)


38%


Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Oh Happy Day!

What a joy it was to be chilly this morning. I forgot what that felt like. In fact I was able to wear my jaywalkers and my new Eath shoes today. and I have to say my back does feel better. The sock mania continues, my monkeys are finished and I'm almost done with a pair for my Mom. I would be on my second "On your toes" sock but I decided to rip back and try to make it a knee high. I don't know if I'll have enough yarn, but I certainly had a lot left over when I was ready to cast off, so my fingers are crossed. As soon as my Mom's socks are done, I need to start a pair for my MIL. Her birthday is coming up and she really liked my jaywalkers so she'll be getting a nearly matching pair. I love Tofutsies yarn so I'm happy to make a duplicate pair. Plus I'm using the leftovers for stripped socks later on... I can't wait to get to those they already look beautiful in my head. Of course all this knititng has to occur around my study schedule which is a bit math heavy at the present. What was I thinking taking Calculus 2 and Physics together? Well to be fair that wasn't the origianl plan, but I digress. I did find my camera cord (finally) so I leave you with a few pretty images.

The Birthday Girl (I can't believe she's two) and my Sockpalooza socks. Arent' they gorgues? I love them! Thank you Jenneke!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Technical difficulties

We have lost, rather misplaced, the computer cord for our camera. Which means that I can't post pictures of all the lovely yarn I bought at Stitches, and I can't post pictures of the munchkin's second birthday party. I blame the husband who went on a home improvement kick while I was away, but that doesn't make the cord appear, so it's not really important. I also have wonderful pictures of the fabulous socks that my sock pal made for me, and I am so mad that I can't find my stupid cord... At any rate, school has started and I'm still knitting so that's a very good sign. I finished my Monkey socks this weekend, and I'm trying to finish a long overdue second sock. I need to get back to my brother's sweater and next weekend begins my Sweet Mary Jane KAL. So we'll see how that goes. Hopefully I'll have pictures soon, because I blog without pictures is just sad.

Friday, August 03, 2007

On the road again

Literally, we were in Amish country the last couple days, and now the munchkin and I are off to Wisconsin. And after a week I'll be moving on to Stitches Midwest. Yahoo! So I can't promise that I'll be posting, since the internet access in the woods is a little unpredictable, not to mention sloooowwwwww. So happy summer to all! I'll have a ton of picture in about a week.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

No Photos

If I wait for my pictures I may never post again. So here's what's new: I finished my Sockpalooza socks! Yeah! And I started a pair of Monkey socks for myself which I like to refer to as my "Harry Monkeys" because I've been working on them while reading the last Harry Potter (plus it just sounds funny). Yesterday I did a truck load of cooking and put most of it in freezer for when fall classes pick up. And I pulled a lot of weeds in the garden today. Now if I could just get excited about finishing my brother's sweater. Oh yeah, the Munchkin is working on potty training too. So I guess it's been a pretty busy week so far.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Rainy Day

It's raining, again. And I have a head cold/sinus thing. So I'm not too perky. I am almost done with my sockapalozza socks. They should be done in the next few days and I'll get a picture up. I like them so much I almost hate to send them away. But they're too big for me so I guess I can let go. And then to finish my brother's sweater. He asked me to knit him a sweater, oh about two maybe even three years ago. And I cast on but never really got anywhere with it. So I promised him that I would finish it for his birthday. Not that anyone in their right mind needs a wool sweater in August, but it does put me on deadline. So, hopefully I can get most of the socks finished at work today (there will be a lot of hurry up, now wait time)so I can get cracking on Jesse's Flames. I have the front finished and I'm working on an arm, but the intarsia slows me down. My plan is to dedicate myself to that sleeve this week. And when it's finished, Friday or Saturday, I want to cast on for the back and run right through it. So my fingers are crossed. I guess the rain did come at a good time, it's forcing me to stay inside and knit. Not that that's a bad thing.

Monday, July 16, 2007

truth in the absurd

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Milady the Most Honourable Amy the Erudite of Much Leering
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title


Ha!Ha! There's actually a little truth to this. Oh well enough silliness, I need to deal with the screaming child in the other room.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The best of summer

So the recent heat has had me thinking about how I tolerate summer. I should preface this by sayign that I LOVE fall and the begining of winter. Those first couple snows make me so happy. And what's more beautiful than a crisp automn day complete with breeze, fiery leaves and the smell of a fireplace somewhere...
Alas it's July and I'm determined to make the most of it, by making salads for dinner and sharing some photos...

Zoe offers sunscreen to Elmo

And it's just not summer without my ivy geraniums. I fell in love with them in Paris.... Mmmmm......
My first sucessfull hollyhock, my mother is sooooooo jealous!

And my Dahlias are doing very well. Some where I lost the picture of my herbs... Let's just say that I haev four differnt kinds of basil and about fourteen types of herbs. Oh Fifteen becuase lavender counts too!

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Squeeeeeeee!

It came!
It came!
My invitation to Ravelry!

And it's all I'd hoped it would be!

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

The Munckin



My husband was away this weekend at a work thing, and being the only parent spurred some thought on my part. My daughter is really some kind of kid. She's pretty much a self-imposed vegetarian. She has just started eating chicken in very small amounts, and she likes hot dogs (which I don't consider meat) but that's it. She prefers chickpeas, and tofu enchiladas. She's a maniac for veggi lomein, or fried rice. She is addicted to cheese. I'm not complaing here. I think it's great. But it seems strange that she loathes all thing breaded, and can already appreciate good rye bread. She's also very aware of her own clock. It seemed that she was slow to speak, but now she's turning out full phrases. She can identify her own name when it's written down and pick out the proper letters on own. And she's getting much better about playing with other kids. This may sound a bit boasfull, but I really marvel at the person she's becoming. And I'm so proud to be her mommy.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

As promised awhile ago, here is a picture of my new organised stash. Of course that's not all of it. There are still three rubbermaid tubs in the closet next to the new shelves. :) But the "tub" yarn is charity and baby stuff, so it doesn't need as much organization


And my husband's first pair of socks (from me)


I love the way the jaywalkers turned out! And the spindle socks are too comfy!



And a picture of my new imporved, even more red, hair.


This was taken on Courtney's wedding day (link in previous post). Congrat's Honey! I'm so glad you had such a beautiful day!

Saturday, June 02, 2007

I have been so busy lately I haven't had time to post. My reserch appointment is goign well, but taking a lot of time. And between Courtney's wedding and my sister visiting I've been running! Soon I'll post some pictures of FOs and my newly organized sewing room and stash. But I just wanted to check in and say "Hi!" I'll also try to get soem good pictures of my new hair. I henna-ed it this week and it's gorgues. Red, but a really rich red. I promise pictures will be up this week. Hope you're all having a good weekend.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

What knitting have you done?

I've seen this around the net, and wondered how I would measure up. I'm proud to say that I'm more experienced than I thought. The Bold are things I've done and the Italics are things that I plan on doing someday.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments - I'm working on this now actually, but I'm not finished
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Participate in an exchange
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting
Knitting to make money - I wish!
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars

Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living - again I wish!
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Free-form knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/arm-warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Rug Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair - Eeewwww!
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Time Flys

Where did my vacation go? The Exterra started coughing on the way out of Indiana. So we literally spent the entire day driving. We had to rent a car to drive back to our house with in order to get the Civic, in order to turn around and start over. Ugh! As if the pilgramige isn't rough enough... And unfortunately I didn't get much knitting done, or at least not as much as I hoped. And I didn't get any real reading done. I brought a brand new book and read three pages. And now I'm back home, trying to get into the swing of my new research job. It'll get better, but right now I'm just trying to get through the week. Although it's nice to not have homework to worry about, I'm just not into my new routine yet.
On the bright side, most of my cutting garden has been planted, along with two forget-me-nots and a bleeding heart. I finished my spindle socks, and I'm on the hubby's second sock's heel. I also have the loooonnnnnggggg lace scarf done. I would be a lot farther on my Sahara, but when I got to the waist shaping I reallilzed that I was short on the back stitches so I just ripped two inches worth of body to fix that. And I did manage to get to the Elegent Ewe in Menominee. I love that place. I treated myself to a skein of Cheery Tree Hill in Serangheti. I also picked up two skeins of Tofu-tsies for gifts.
Well that's all the time I have for now, but I'll be around much more regularly now. Summer is a much more relaxign time for me.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Because tonight is all about fun

No more homework
No more books
No more teacher's dirty looks

at least for a couple months.... That's right finals are officially over. They weren't great but they didn't need to be. Now I'm on to the unwinding. If the rain blows over my knitting girls will be enjoying grilled strip steaks and grilled corn with their cosmos, if not I'll boil the corn and broil the steaks. But either way there will be Cosmos and cake. Yahoo!

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

I'm not Dead yet

I'm still around I promise. I have two more final exams, and then I shall be free to blog until my fingers cramp up. My organic exam is on friday, and then I will be back with a vengance. I have munchkin pictures and garden tales, and of course knitting to catch up on. So, soon very soon, I'll be posting daily. Well at least daily, after Mother's Day. We're going to Wisconson for Mother's Day and while we're in the woods, computer time is very limited, but I'll check in Milwaukee. Until then.....

Saturday, April 21, 2007

What a Secret Pal!

I got my very first Secret Pal Package! And what a package it was!

Check out the booty...


And I can't say enough about this washcloth. I love the cable so much I'm afraid to actually use it.

Berroco Glace is so soft, and this fushia is so pretty. And pink and green stitch markers.. I love pink and green. It's so pretty and perky.

My pal even sent treats for the munchkin, a Clifford dog, and two lovely books. Zoe was so delighted she slept with him and brought him to breakfast with her.

Thank You Secret Pal! You're the best!

Thursday, April 19, 2007

So Much

Wow! so much has happened lately. I was inducted into Lamda Iota Tau, the national honor society for english majors/minors. I recieved my summer reaserch match, and it's great. I'll be workign with a Doctor at the hospital who is doing glucose metabolism reserch. He's considered adjunct facility, and all though I probably won't see my chemistry friends too much it's sounds very interesting. Monday is our last regular Calculus Exam and the last week of regular classes. Yes that's right. I never trhought it would come, but the semester is drawing to a close. I'm thrilled and terrified. I could use another few weeks in Organic, but I'm also thrilled to leaving it behind. Organic Chemistry is something that I know I'll need to access later, but right now it's abstract and convoluted. It's just a bunch of reaction floating around in space. I'm sure that it will fall into place when I take Biochemsitry and have an application for it.
Last friday was a fun time. Lots of chinese food, red wine, and a ball winder. I'll post pictures later today. The Munchkin helped too. This week I'm planning kababs on the grill. Hopefully it should be warm and sunny, and the munchkin can run in the grass, while we laze about on the patio. That sounds so good right now. Thursday mornings are always so difficult. I ahev to get up early after Wednesday, my all day day. Truely I work early on Wednesday and round it off with a night class, and an afternoon full of Organic. Luckily next semester (fall) I don't have nay night classes. What will I do with myself. I'll almost be on a normal schedule. Well, I'm off to shower and to work. I'll post some pictures later.

ps-Lynn, you are so right about the mini-me thign. It's almost spooky. If my baby pictures weren't fading it would be hard to tell who you're looking at. :)

Thursday, April 12, 2007

The Peeps


So the Munchkin likes Peeps. Not as much as the malted milk balls, I mean eggs. But she does like the marshmallow. This week has been insane nad since I am lacking in knitting news or pictures I figure a dose of cuteness is in order.

She also likes to paint, which I figured. I think "draw" was her third word. Of course I'm procrasting here. i should be studyign for an Organic Exam, adn doign integrals for Calculus. But there is a light at the end of my tunnel. Tommorow night is knitting night. I'm ordering take-out and Courtneywill be coming over for some knitting and down time. Thank Goodness.

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Adendum and a movie

Well now I know why the few socks I've made for myself were tight. I measured my foot wrong. That's right, or maybe they grew when I was pregnant. Weird things happen to your body when it's busy making a new person. But my foot is actually 8 1/2" long. And I can say that with confience after re-measure yesterday three times. I just couldn't believe it. Al of this comes form a good place though. I finished the frst jaywalker and started the second, while watching "The Holiday." And I must say I loved that movie. First of all I was pleased that while it is a chick flick it not as cheese ball predictible as most. And I really didn't think anyone could make Jude Law any sexier, but this writer did... I don't want to spoil it it so I'll leave it there. I even found Jack Black attractive, JACK BLACK! His character was just so sweet. So check out the movie and maybe, just mabye re-check your own sock size.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

On the Needles

So the first week back from Break is always rough, but I feel especailly bad about this one. The week flew by and I did the barest minimum that I could get away with. I am so ashamed, and behind. Because of this I will be spending most of this weekend studying. even though my friend Joy offered to come over with a pizza and knitting. She's supposed to be cleaning the house. I guess we all have things we avoid.

On my needles right now, I have two socks and a scarf. As soon as my KnitPicks order comes in, I will also have a "duckie jumper" in the works for the munckin to wear at Easter. This is wishfull thinking because it probably won't get down that quickly, but I can hope.



This is my Elfine Sock. It's been overcast here so the colors aren't as vibrant as they should be. I'm using Lorna's Laces in Envy. I love them. I've taken to calling them my New York socks. Partly because I started them there and partly because the color reminds me of St. Patrick's Day. This is my first magic figure 8 cast on, and even though it's fiddly to work up it looks so nice.



This is my most intuitive project ever. I bought the new Tofu-tsies yarn with no idea what pattern I would use. And I hadn't really planned on making a pair of Jaywalkers. But for soem reason the idea came into my head, and as I got into the pattern I was amazed. This yarn was made for this pattern. In fact the yarn looks better knit in this pattern then it does in the skein. The colors are much richer than the picture shows, much more royal or regal looking. And the yarn is so soft. Yeah for Soy silk!



And the shadow scarf keeps on keepin on. I worked on it in the airport and on the plane, and it's getting long, but just not long enough. Here's a close up of the pattern, feather and fan.



And last but not least, my finished Clapotis, which came in very handy in New York, when the ice storm hit.... And for the record this picture was not posed. i spread it out and took a full length shot. And the munchkin came runnign and positioned herself. She is a camera hog!

Monday, March 19, 2007

On top of the world!

So in an attempt to avoid my Orgainc Chemistry notes, I've been working on my "Home To-Do List." You know clean the coffee maker, write a grocery list... and add buttons to my blog. And low and behold I did it! I've been wanting to do this forever, and tonight I finally figured it out. Yeah! I know that they are just pictures, but they make me happy. And now I can go to sleep feeling accomplished even if I didn't do any studying tonight. I have a couple more things to do on line, and then the bunny and I are calling it a night. Stories form New York will be up tommorow. Mmmmmmm men in kilts, now there are some sweet dreams.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

The Big Apple

I have so much I want to post, but I'm not packed yet. and I leave for New York tommorow morning. So there will be Project Spectrum posts and Finished objects next week, when I'm back to the grind. Not to mention cute new munchkin pictures.

Ahhhhhhh Spring Break!

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Secret Pal 10

I've been workign on this little by little but here is my Secret Pal Questionaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I'm not wild about acrylic and chennile. They have their places, mainly kid's clothes, but I don't like them for myself.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have my needles and hooks in a few Ball/Mason jars on my sewing desk. They are blue and clear and different sizes. It's very country.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I taught myself at least six years ago. I was working in a group home, third shift and it was something to do to stay awake. Then I really got a taste for it, and now I think I'm addicted. I'm willing to tackle just about any pattern, but I have a toddler, so I've been working on things that have simple repeats, because I have to put it down a lot, or work at night when I'm already tired. Someday I'll get back to my Eris, but right now I just can't get anywhere with the cables.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I think I have an Amazon wish list, but it's been a while since I checked in. I should really that.

5. What's your favorite scent?
Now that depends. I'm very sesonal with my scents. At the end of the year, I long for my pine and orange candles. Come spring I yearn for lavendar and peony. And in the summer nothing makes me happier than fresh basil. My absolute favorite perfume has fig and almonds and spice. Of course I also have basil perfume, and of course rose oil too.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Wehn it comes to candy I like salty sweets and dark chocolate. nothing too sweet. Things with nuts (for the salt) nad dark aggresive chocolate. I keep a bag of Dark Hershey Kisses in my freezer at all times, and I always end up eatign at least one Reese's Peanut Butter Egg at Easter.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I have a drop spindle but I still havent' quite got the hang of it. I'm hoping to work on it more this summer, when my classes are over. I also sew, garden, cook, scrap...

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like nearly everything except for Country and Rap. I've gotten into Irish music lately, love that Irish and Celtic Music Podcast! I also tend to like soundtracks (mainly from chick flicks) and muscials. My Ipod has a lot of jazz mixed in with Sheryl Crow, and Simon and Garfunkel.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love pink and green and red and purple. pretty much in that order too. I've always wanted a soft buttery yellow sweater, but I tried one on recently and I looked like a corpse. So yellow is pretty much out. I also love the autmun for it's colors, so that whole palette is very pleasing to me.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with my husband and our daughter who is approaching the terrible twos. We have a modest house with a nice garden. We also have a house rabbit (a diva) who is liter box trained and named Abby, and a fancy tailed goldfish named "fishy" (becuase my daughter can actually say that).

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, I esecailly like scarves, and I want to make a pair of fingerless mits.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I'm very partial to socks and lace lately. But I like just about everything, escpecailly if it's done in the round.

13. What are you knitting right now?
I'm furiously tryign to finish a claptois before I leave for New York. And I'll be takign a lace scarf and soem lace socks to work on while traveling.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I love it, but it doesn't happen very often. Usually I'm gifting someone else.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circular, much earsier on my wrists. I don't really have a prefrence to actual material. i have them all, but I do want to try the new knitpicks circulars, mainly because I her they are so very pointy.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Not yet, but if I keep up with the handpainted yarn, my husband will get tired of holding my yarn for me, so I may get them for christmas.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
You don't get that inofrmation with out dinner and a drink. It's jsut that embarassign.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
I love Chritsmas and Halloween and Thanksgiving. I'm a very fall-ish person.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Not really. I started collecting those little ceramic shoes from Hallmark, but they stopped making those. And I started collecting martini glasses, but then I got preganant and I rarely look for or buy anything for myself, except yarn of course.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
The knit picks circulars look cool, as I mentioned. And I'm on the look out for cool knee socks.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I don't think so. I've tried a little of everything. Maybe steaking, although it scares the heck out of me!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Oh yes! 8" and 8"

23. When is your birthday?
December 31st.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

How Nice

Just for fun, which I needed after grinding potassium bromide for an IR scan.


I am a
Snapdragon


What Flower
Are You?


Tuesday, February 20, 2007

It's all relative

During Calculus this morning, my second spindle sock began it's siren song from my book bag. Now I didn't pull it out and work on it during Implicit Derivatives, but I did think about it lust-fully. I want to finish this pair in the worst way. They are soft pink and so squishy and warm. I'm hard pressed to think of something more comforting (maybe my homemade turkey veg noodle soup, but anyway). So my mind wandered between "the derivative of y in relation to the derivative of x" and the lovely winding cables on my socks. The pattern is really pretty simple and easily memorizable after a few repeats, but even still I've ripped these suckers back more times than I care to count. They were all dumb mistakes like my gauge was too tight so I needed a bigger needle, and then I missed a row so one cable was shorter than the others. And I just can't live that. So I've been working on them for awhile even though it's a really fast sock. At any rate I really want to finish them so I can enjoy them before it gets too warm. And we have been warming up here, we're supposed to flood this weekend when all the snow melts. Anyway I'm sitting in class thinking over all the mistakes and I started to compare the sock mistakes to the stupid mistakes I make in Calculus and Organic chemsitry for that matter.
This semester I have a new study motto: Math and Science are just like the damn paino, keep practising! And today it occured to me that these are all similar to knitting. The more I work with yarn and needles the easier it becomes. Certain stich patterns are second nature, and I rely on the patterns much less. And the better I get at fixing mistakes the less they freak me out. This is so true with Math. I blew the first Calculus exam, but I could see all the dumb mistakes and it didn't bother as much as it would have a few semesters ago. And the more I work at it, the more comfortable I am with a pattern and the less I double check against the solution manual. So I guess my thought for the day is that everything in life is realted. Lessons learned in one area of your life can easily translate to another, and often times get you off that ledge (the math ledge). And for those of you wondering I did cozy up with the sock after class, and I feel better for it.

Monday, February 19, 2007

So Much

I have been so neglectfull of my blog. School got crazy, the munchkin got sick (so we followed suit) and then the snow came.

The munchkin offered to man the snowblower.

And she also wanted to help Mommy knit.

I did get alot of knitting done during our two snow days. My friend Brad's Xmas socks are finished, I worked for hours on the longest lace scarf ever. Yes Athenae, I'm still at it. It may be finished by next Xmas but it really is lovely, and I got a good start on a Clapotis. It's sad when you turn to Kogiu because it has heft to it. I love the way the lace looks and feels but I really didn't realize that it would take so long. I've never done real lace, wtih lace weight yarn before. Wow! What an experience.

And now to add my two cents worth, I hear there is a heated deabte going on... I was so excited for the new Interweave. I'm ready for soem fun spring knitting and I had already downloaded the new Winding Cable Knee Socks. And I thought: Oh look a new format, it looks really nice. Well I'm refering to the online pattern format. It is nice. The magazine format however.... It looks like Vogue Knitting. Why did they do that? I love that they aren't Vogue Knitting. I love that the patter is right next to the pattern. I hate flipping back to see what a pattern needs and then flipping back to the picture. Ugh! I still like the patterns but i felt like I was reading some new magazine instead of my comfort food magazine. I'm going ot give it another try tonight, but last night when I turned to the new copy for some much needed realaxtion (after Calculus) I felt frazzled. I felt like I had to concentrate too hard. And so I put it down and plugged into an older episode of Cast On. Because Brenda Dayne always makes me feel good.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Frost Bite

Have people lost their minds? I walked past a girl, on the way to Calculus, who was wearing flipflops and a spring jacket. Now I guess I should mention that with the wind chill it was 16 F at this point. I had to laugh because her toe nails were painted a dark blue, and I thought: How appropriate. Since her feet will be the same the color by the end of the day. As I walked around campus with my hood firmly tied around my head, I daydreamed of knitting a plethora of warm knitted items, socks, hats scarves and mittens. I imagined swimming in a stream of hot cholcolate, and yet these crazies are walkign around in shorts, flipflops, jackets flapping in the frigid wind. The funniest part is that I run hot. I'm miserable in the summer, and over heat easily if I over layer. So this is not a feezey cat rant. I don't know maybe I'm just getting old. But I just don't understand flip flops in Indiana in January.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Crazy Days

Well, we survived the holidays and the traveling. But we've started our New Year with a couple of funerals. That makes me nervous. It seems like a really bad way to start a year. And I'm not superstitious... I'm also starting the year behind. I have two Christmas presents to finish. A pair of socks and a lace scarf. Who knew lace was so slow going. I love the finished product, but that yarn is so thin.... I have many other projects that are calling to me. It's a good thing I got an Ipod for Christmas, so now knitting time is also audiobook time. Even more incentive to curl up in my favorite arm chair. All I need now is a snow day.