To Lace or Not to Lace

I have an urge to create something lacy.

You see, I received these absolutely beautiful needles for Christmas (from my fantastic significant other) that just beg for lace to be on them.

This picture doesn't really do them justice, but I am an awful blogger as evident by my lack of blogging. I'll be sure and take photo of them in person and post it, cause seriously, they're beautiful.


I have a ball of yarn that is for lace making and, if you'll remember, I attempted to cast on a scarf to no avail. Does all lace look funny until blocked? Should I just go for it?

I must get through the 'sock from hell' of infinate stockinette stitch made of the tiniest yarn ever which will never become another pair of socks in my household. One of the pairs of 'one sock gifts' from Christmas. This set of socks will be one of a kind - seriously. The remaining balls in my stash are destined to become some other object of non stockinette stitch nature. I had every intention of getting it done before the end of January, but I am not so sure about that goal seeing as I'm not even past the heel of the thing yet.

I will keep you posted.
-E

I survived...barely

Hi! I have been on holiday hiatus trying to be productive outside the blog-o-sphere. It's been a whirlwind of shopping, birthday parties, Christmas celebrations, New Years celebrations, and all around good fun.
It is really hard to post on a knitting blog when you're trying to ensure everyone has knitted goodness under the tree. So, I did not blog. Sorry, I'll be better next year, I promise.
I tried really hard to get my holiday shopping done early this year by early I mean not Christmas Eve and I did okay, except for one holiday gift that I just couldn't remember to pick up. I typically do most of the Christmas shopping by most I mean I do not have to shop for myself thank goodness because Jamie doesn't like people a whole lot and Christmas shopping is guarenteed large crowds - this year even though Jamie wanted to go with me, he worked lots of overtime up to Christmas and could not come along until Christmas Eve. I did however get to do a bunch of my holiday shopping with Erica and that was great fun since we do not spend time together as much as we used to.
It was during these shopping trips I realized there was no way in hell I was going to get my holiday socks completely knitted in time for Christmas. The weekends were booked and I was already running ragged trying to get sock knitting done in the evenings. I called my sister who I knew wouldn't mind and told her she would only have one sock under the Christmas tree. And my niece, Sam, also had only one sock under the Christmas tree. She did not receive the warning and thought I had totally lost my mind by leaving one sock out of the carefully wrapped package she opened Christmas morning. :)
We had a First Birthday party with Baby Luke - who received all kinds of fun toys. We wore birthday hats and had great fun watching the new experiences Luke had during a first birthday party. Good times.
I was given a batch of Amish Friendship Bread and just in time for New Years had a loaf to enjoy while we were out of town.
In all this craziness, we finally broke down and bought me a newer car. After lots and lots of looking like over a year, I had decided it was time to let my 2001 Ford Ranger (which has 235,000 miles on it, has never had any major parts replaced, and continues to run like a trooper) have a little rest. I have been driving this vehicle for ten years now and felt like I was cheating on the poor thing when I pulled into the driveway with my newer car! It has been the best vehicle one could ask for - never leaving me stranded except for the times I tried to drive 300 miles on a quarter tank of gas, but really that's my fault not the Ranger's but Jamie, being a mechanic, kept telling me I was pushing my luck, that when it decided to finally die it would be without warning and I would be stranded. Which anyone with a high mileage vehicle understands it's always sort of like gambling when your trusty transportation will become not-so-trusty. The Ranger will do some work at the house and occasionally transport me to work. It's been a damn good truck.
Christmas went off with out a hitch - the nerd coasters were well received. I was told I should write the pattern down and post it on ravelry. I'm throwing around the idea. The helmet liner was well received also. As were the single socks with the second promised at a later date. We had lots of laughter and fun.
We were invited/decided to spend New Years at Lake Brownwood with Kat, Heather, and Noah. We packed up the dogs and headed that way. I must admit, I knew we would be following my sister. Heather, who has been to Kat's family cabin multiple times, and did not bother to mapquest the directions to see just how far this place was. This is not a good idea if your other half likes to know just how far, how long, and what direction your final destination is. It also isn't very helpful if you have invited some other friends to join you and they need to know how far, how long, and what direction your final destination is. But everything worked out well, we played board games, ate good food, laughed - lots, and shot off some fireworks. It was relaxing and restful. Good times were had by all. Kat also received her socks since she told me I could hand deliver them and loved them! And she is a woman after my heart - she gave me yarn in return!
I went ahead and took yesterday off work because I figured I'd need some time to get things in order at home since we'd been doing all this running around before and during the holidays. And it's a good thing I did because all I did was sleep. Not very productive, but it was needed.
I also learned there is a new baby for the new year! Expecting mom #1 (or #2 from the blogs of baby blankets) is now a proud mommy with a little girl. I plan on visiting baby and mom after work today. Very excited for their family!

Well, that is everything in a nut shell. I will be posting finished socks as I work through them - so you guys can see what I was working on.
Happy New Year to you all!

'Coasting' along

I only have 18 days left to get all my Christmas knitting done! AHHHH! I did my best to stay up late last night and get the nerd coaster project finished. I got the last one started and almost halfway complete before my eyes and brain retaliated and forced me to bed.

Here's what we have so far:

The rebel ones have been blocked and even though they are all very different sizes - I am telling myself that it is okay and I can make a new batch of four after Christmas if required. They blocked out close to the same so they'll just have to do - this pattern was not my favorite.

The empire symbol looked very very intimidating, but has been way fun to knit. Probably because I'm using the same yarn for both colors and am not having the same issues with sizing because of that fact. Plus, it's interesting and that makes it fun.

Pretty close to finished!

I forgot to take a photo of the finished socks, but they are complete. I just need to package them up and send them west!

It's finally getting cold here so I've been feeling an urgency about knitting - I know why people who have long winters enjoy knitting so much now!

I'll keep ya'll posted on all the holiday projects!

__________________________________________________________

Today is a special day, not just because of Pearl Harbor although in my heart it secretly pleases me that the rest of the country mourns with me - that sounds way more horrible than I mean it - I promise but because fifteen years ago today was the most tragic day of my life. The day my mother was hit by a car and killed while out walking. Losing someone close to you is always hard, but it is so much harder when it is sudden and without warning. I also lost my father in 2006, but he was sick and I knew he was dying, so I do not say one with worse without knowing. She was a wonderful, caring, outgoing person and a fabulous mom. She cooked, baked, sewed, quilted, crocheted, knit, hung wallpaper, painted, stenciled, laid tile, hung trim, worked hard - gardened, could handle a chainsaw, pull brush, change a tire, drive standard, make ceramics, and was never afraid to try something new.
My childhood was innocent and sheltered as it should be. I remember with fondness all the fun things we did as a family and the wonderful opportunities my parents went out of their way to provide us. She was the driving force behind those opportunities and I cannot express how much I cherish the short amount of time I had with her. She taught me so many things, but the biggest lesson she instilled - before I was even a teenager - was that I could do anything - It might be hard, but hard work pays off.
I remember being told to look up words in the dictionary that my sister, father, and mother used if I didn't know what they meant. And we did look them up, together. She taught us knowing where to find an answer was more important than knowing the answer. A very important life skill that has brought me where I am today.
Everyday I carry her memory, but today, I share that carried memory, just for a moment, with you.

Best socks I've ever made

I started another pair of socks. They are by far coming out better than any other sock I've made to date.

So, what makes it so special?

Okay okay okay - I was trying to take the photo above and circle all the cool parts that are better than all my other socks, but I am retarded and cannot do that, so decriptive words are going to have to do. Sorry folks.

Well, there are a few things - 1) the interestion of the heel flap and foot part is knit better which means there isn't a little hole there like the other socks I've knit. 2) the increases and decreases at the arch, toe, and heel shaping are much better done which also mean less hole-i-ness. 3) I have forced myself to pay attention to my tension for the foot rounds and have virtually eliminated the jog that is normally in the center where my 1st and 3rd needle are in the middle of that large section of stockinette stitch. 4) I found matching sections of yarn for both socks so they have the same color order.

Look at me... all improving... and stuff.

I'm liking the results. This particular pair of socks is going to my dear friend Kat in Midland when they are complete. I am working through the foot section at the moment - I took this photo earlier this week and have been a very very bad blogger because I have only just got around to posting now. I know you all will forgive me...surely...if not, it doesn't matter because it is what it is. :)

With that being said. I must finish some socks. And start another pair - after all I bought an entire bag of sock yarn! WOot!

This is the worst photo I've possibly ever taken...

This is the worst photo I've possibly ever taken and let other people see - don't judge me for it - it's all I have to show you the progress. I'm dedicating myself to better picture taking. Promise.

Yep, horrible picture but it's of the finished sweater/vesty thing. It is supposed to be my size but it looks like I pushed down some smaller person and stole thier vest - which is why I don't really care that it's a bad picture cause it hides just how small the thing is. So, I'm thinking it's going to one of my friends who is slightly smaller than me.

This past weekend we loaded up the dogs and headed west. By west, I mean Alpine/Ft Davis area, to Camp Mitre Peak. CMP is a girl scout camp that is the best thing since sliced bread. And you know how much I love bread! It is between Alpine and Ft Davis and it looks like this:

See? More beautiful than sliced bread!
This was Jamie's first time west of SA and he loved it - mostly that there were less people crowding up the place and the openness. This was the second year we met there for climbing and the annual Artwalk. One of Jamie's best friends lives in the area and joins us, so it's extra special because we get to hang out with him.
We are looking for some acerage in the area. Too bad there aren't very many jobs cause I think we established on our drive back that we'd both pick up and move out there in a heartbeat. It's lovely.
We also purchased a small piece of artwork and found some fantastic pottery mugs. There was good food and good company. It just wasn't long enough.
I took knitting with me and every intention to get some knitting done, but with three large dogs making the trip with us I didn't knit a single stitch. They loved exploring and hanging out with everyone. Here's Copper, cause Jamie couldn't get the other two to look at him long enough to get a good picture.

I did get to play with my camera a bit off 'Auto' mode. That was lots of fun. I am making an effort to learn how to use all the functions of my Canon Powershot. 'All' is a little audacious.

I owe Kat a pair of socks and I plan on having them done ASAP. They are what I took with me this past weekend and didn't work on at all.
I'll let you know how they progress.

Beginnings

Holy cow batman, it's been almost a month since I last blogged!


Lots of stuff has been going on and I'll do my best to cover all of it.


I made an unexpected trip to Michigan at the end of October. It was not for a happy reason, but it was a fantastic trip. While I was packing, I really wanted to bring multiple projects with me. Airplane time is great knitting time! I was not checking a bag. Jamie asked with knowing behind his eyes what I was taking to keep me occupied on the plane. I eargerly produced a sock project and the lacy scarf, excited as could be.
"Emily," he says "don't you have any less scary looking needles? Perhaps something not metal?"
I deflated slightly - I was seriously looking forward to knitting on the plane, but I only have one set of non-metal needles. I haven't been doing this very long and have never had to worry about stupid airport policies before. I produced the one set of wooden needles I own.
"Those are even scarier! Do you have any that are less sharp?" he asks.
No, I don't and I don't think that should stop me from taking the needles with me. I researched this - they told me I could take an envelope just in case they won't let me through so I can mail my needles back to myself. And it starts sinking in that the precious small amount of space I have would be taken up by yarn that I couldn't even do anything with serving as a reminder that some stupid non-knitting TSA person took my needles from me because they 'looked scary' and they couldn't understand why someone would knit in the first place. I played it safe and left the knitting and yarn at home. It sucked. I was gone for five days - even spent time in a car and knitting would've been really nice to have with me.

I will be getting plastic/wood needles for Christmas. Mark my words.

So after I returned home, I had lots of baby stuff to make because I had two baby showers the following weekend. I had to do a mad dash of two (yes, not one, but two) baby blankets for the showers. And in my mind I was making booties and hats to go with.
I started a crochet blanket after not being able to properly start a knitted pattern I picked out. Also, after looking at the yarn I'd picked I wouldn't have enough to complete it.
Wednesday I realized the shower I was crocheting for was on Sunday and I needed something for Sataurday (which is a day closer!), so I dropped the crochet and started knitting this simple garter stitch blanket. I used  (believe it or not) the Lion Brand Hometown USA yarn called for in the project, but used pink and brown. I forgot to take a photo before I gave it to the mommy-to-be. I also whipped up a little beanie for the tyke, but forgot to take a photo of that too (bad blogger). Both were well received.

I wore the sweater to the Sataurday baby shower. I got lots of compliments and amazed looks that I actually made what I was wearing. I was very good and did not point out the errors that I did not fix. There was another crocheter there, who also gave a blanket (like the crochet blanket I picked out for the other baby shower - good thing I didn't do that blanket for both babies!) so I didn't feel like such a freak. Then I was asked something I haven't been asked before - "How long did it take you to learn to do that?". My initial thought was 'huh?'. I'm still learning to do this.
Fortunately, I had the gumption to form 'huh' into "What do you mean?". It was clarified: how long did it take you to learn to knit/how did you learn to knit?
I just picked up a book and did it.
Appearently, that is rather odd for someone to do - thank god my sister was there to translate and saved me by formulating an appropriate sounding response for me. I really have no idea what she said, but it sounded better than what was coming out of my mouth, which was awkward as usual.
This got me thinking - how did I learn to do this?


I was crocheting, and it was good. I found some knitting stuff of my mom's so I went out and bought this knitting book - from Walmart and everything. I made a simple knit scarf out of a single ball of yarn. Baby shower #2 mommy-to-be, loved the scarf and bought from me cause she wouldn't let me give it to her (cause she's crazy!). Then, I wanted a challenge! So I made this:

It's a stitch 'sampler' type of project that was supposed to turn itself into a pillow, but never did.  It was easier than I thought. And I've been knitting since.
But I'm just following instructions. I don't feel like I'm doing anything spectacular. Even the stitches that look really complicated were not that bad. So, I figured I'd just learn as I went and started projects I thought were interesting. 
And then I knit a sweater. 

Does that sound any better than 'huh'? 

At least now I have compiled an answer for the next time I'm asked.

And here's the crochet blanket:

For baby shower # 2 that I didn't actually make it to cause I felt like crappo and didn't really want to puke on anybody. No one needs that as a family memory - yeah, I'm the girl that puked on you at your baby shower...ugh, no. I'll take it by her work and present it without puking on her.

Friday, when I went to buy actual gifts from Babys'r'us*, I was in the area of a Hobby Lobby - it's like Christmas ya'll, there is only Walmart in my local town for yarny items and the selection sucks, think Planet Acrylic - so I made my sister go with me to see what was on sale. Lo and behold I bought a little bit of sock yarn:

Okay, so I might have bought a LOT of sock yarn. But it was a really good deal! Seriously. Like $34 worth of good deal. 

After I finished the crochet blanket last night, I started sewing together the black sweater/vest thingy I talked about here and it's coming right along. I should have a completed photo next post.

I promise it won't be so long between the next post. 

Happy knitting!


*The Babys'R'Us I went to was a horrible, awful place that was unorganized and had dirty bathrooms. The gift registry did not correctly point non-baby people (like me) to the location for unknown alien objects placed throughout their stores in no logical order which blend into Toys'R'Us without notice even though they have different entrances. I will not be going there again.

 

Titles are overrated...

I've reverted back to crochet and decided to crochet this in a different yarn than suggested (of course). I'm using I love this cotton from Hobby Lobby in black. I did not swatch, as usual. After completing the back, I scared myself into thinking it would never fit and decided to loosen up my work on the first front panel. I now have a front panel that is in 100% cotton that is two inches longer than the back. The 100% cotton part is very important - that's whay I italisized it - because as knitter/crocheters know, cotton loves to enlarge itself to monstorous proportions. It looks like it's supposed to be a bit loose on the model in the picture and we all know after reading this that magazine editors strive to ensure photo shoots for hand worked items acurately represent what they really should look like.*Please note the sarcastic tone in the sentance above* I am contemplating just going ahead with it as is, but I have a feeling that I'll be frogging the front panel and working it tighter because I know in my heart of hearts that it will stretch.

A quick lesson on submitting a pattern for magazines that everyone out there should fully understand (but often lost to knitter/crocheters mind by overwhelming mental processes triggered by a beautiful 'must-make-now' item involving mental pictures of perfect yarn, texture, and color which may or may not be represented in the actual photo) when one submits a fabulous pattern, it is only in writing and some of the original intent may be lost by editors who send chosen submitee a yarn the magazine is supported by and the said item is created in whatever those editors believe it should be created in. I know this because despite the fact that I have not actually written a pattern, I have looked into the submission process with the full intent to submit a future pattern that I will one day write.
So, when I automatically change something in a pattern, I just can't help it. It's the mental image of me looking fantastically tall and thin in whatever item I'm chosing to make. And the fact that I have five skeins of that yarn in my stash I've been dying to use because it's unbelievably soft and fantastic. I don't care if a vest'll end up like the Harlots' Michelen Man Sweater (scroll to the bottom - you'll see it - and give me credit she worked the item in that size it did not grow). It'll be soft and that's what's important.

Speaking of tall and thin, I seriously need to join the gym. We got word last week (maybe the week before last) that my best friend Erica and Jamie's best friend Loren are getting married! The world is a fabulous place when your best friends like each other so much they decide to spend the rest of their lives together.
It'll be better than cheese!
And even though this event has nothing to do with me and everything to do with them, I cannot help being terrified by appearing in the wedding in April in front of lots of people at my current weight and blubberiness due to the massive amounts of muscle that was once attached to my skeleton. I should be able to join the gym at the end of October. I have six months to get some muscle back - that should be long enough.

More good news is my friend Lydia, who received the Girl Scout socks, said she wore them the other day and they were comfy! Woot!!! I just hope my handiwork will hold up to washing and wear well. We'll see. It is my first gift that is in use!
I still have not mailed the small sweater to my cousin in Michigan. I will look up her address now and write it down. I will mail it tomorrow. I wonder if Michigan is still in fall. Texas is very curious with seasons and one must remember that the rest of the country experiences other seasons and summer is much shorter than here. I try to keep that in mind. But the coldness in the morning reminds me that as it become fall-like here it is getting to be winter-like north of here.

So, I love hearing about a whole lot of people living in a bubble (follow me people it has to do with being cold)- it was reported the people protesting the stock market in NY needed sleeping bags but couldn't decide to knit their own (to follow the 'protest of consumerism') or buy sleeping bags.
Someone needs to walk up behind them and give them them a Gibbs-slap to the back of the head.
Where do they think yarn comes from? And the needles? And darning needles to weave all the ends in? Hello! - you have to buy them. And you'd need like 800 skeins of yarn to make sleeping bags - even cheap yarn at $5 a skein would be $4000 - I mean you're at the stock market someone nearby should have a calculator. Do the math. Go buy the $10 sleeping bag from WalMart and continue your protest without involving knitters of the world who have enough problems with stereotypes being pressured onto them without you piping your craziness into another stereotype.

I've been cleaning the house in the evenings so this crochet vest (originally supposed to be done in a weekend) will probably keep me busy for the next two weeks.
Do not hate me for wasting precious knitting/crochet time - my house is squashing my creativity with its clutter. I... must... clean...
Thank god my sister's neighborhood is having a garage sale this weekend - I've decided to get rid of some furniture I was holding onto for emotional reasons and not looking at the practicality of how the furniture functions in the house - it's got to go. I must have order and flow in order to be creative. And it must happen quickly.
I also have to burn more piles while we have a lifted burn ban (I burned four piles last weekend and we have about a bigillion more) to quell the nightmares about trees falling over into 20-story high brush piles that are burning in my house. The burn ban is likely to be re-imposed next week.
Yes, I understand no one else thinks about these things but I must explain the importance of this small window of opportuinity if you do not have forrested property plagued by hypoxylon canker - which in a matter of months cause perfectly healthy looking, gorgeous trees to die and pile up right where they stand. Plus a burn ban that drags on almost all year long because the rain clouds are scared off by the heat of the place.
Alas my knitting/crochet will have to be put aside until the weekend evenings if I can muster the brain power after working outside all day.





I'm putting this at the bottom of the page to see if anyone actually reads all the way to the end of my blogs and if you don't then I probably don't want you to see this part anyway - but I have decided after reading the Yarn Harlot's blog that I must be more like myself in the blog-o-sphere - that's the self-reflective part of my personality - and stop being so boxy and controlling. I am very hard on myself and releasing the edit button on this online world opens myself up to other people's critical analysis of ...well, me. So, be warned, from here on out that there may be more randomness, rambling, and my perspective on things. You're welcome to leave objections/critiques in the comments or stop reading my blog. (HA! like I have readers!) The only way to let this be a true reflection of my new found obsession hobby is to be myself. Spazziness and all. The final push to this decision involved standing in line at HEB picturing myself in place of Miranda Lambert on the cover of some music magazine - which my fear of being the center of attention will never allow to happen - and realizing that an opportunity exists online that allows me to overcome some of the fear if I just let myself be. So there.
Happy knitting!