Goodness

Has it really been that long since I last posted? The sad thing is I looked over my last post and I really haven't gotten much further. I did make it to the point on my bolero jacket front that I'm about to start decreasing for the shoulder, but that's about it.

Instead I've been reading and trying out my new drop spindle. The drop spindle came with some lovely roving, however it was too pretty for my sad attempts at spinning, so I bought some undyed roving at my LYS this past weekend and spun for a bit on Saturday. It's coming out sort of think, a bit thicker than worsted but not quite bulky, and sorta fuzzy, but I'm really liking it a lot. I'm already dreaming up things like Kool-Aid dye and maybe something felted to do with this. Not sure what, I'll have to see how far I get with it.

The reading has been my chance to finally tackle my summer reading list, though I added to it on Sunday. But I've already finished one of the added books and have gotten a start on the second, so I'm not feeling too bad about adding to the list. Though I may be singing a different song tomorrow when I get the sequel to the book I finished yesterday.

This evening, though, it going to be all about the knitting. I have a heel to turn on the travel sock and a front to my bolero jacket to finish. Hopefully I'll get one of those worked on. :D

Knitting has, unfortunately, been at a minimum lately. My boss had budget money left over for the fiscal year, so she offered me the chance to work full time until my next round of classes begin (the 20th). So not only has my free time decreased, but I'm usually so tired when I get home that I just crash (but happily my insomnia is going away!). Add to that the fact that the cotton I've been working with is killing my wrists, there definitely hasn't been much knitting. But now that I've given my hands a break and I've caught up on sleep, hopefully I'll get the chance to pick it up again.

I did get some knitting finished since the last post, though. I've gotten to the heel on the travel sock, so I'll start turning it today at lunch. I'll work on the other front of the bolero jacket on the bus today, as well. Gotta get my knitting in!

I've hit it

That mid-project itch where your eyes start straying to other things that would be more 'fun' to work on. I've started the right front of the bolero and am hoping to get to the point to start the raglan shaping before I turn in for the night. But pictures! And Y!M convo I must preserve for posterity:

Knitty Librarian: *gets conference invite but isn't at computer*
Evil Muse: you coming?
Knitty Librarian: sorry, was taking a picture of my sweater pieces. *is big dork*
Evil Muse:
Evil Muse: *agrees*
Knitty Librarian:




Bolero as of this evening. I've finished the back and started on the right front. The back is on a stitch holder to keep the stitches live, partially because I figure I can decide later if I want to go from live or pick up new for the finishing. And partially because when I was marking decreases down as I did them (except not, just trying to remember how many I did when on the bus and mark them down later - which obviously didn't work) I came up short when I got to the required 37 stitches. So I may have done the shoulder shaping wrong, but I want to wait and compare it to the pattern and the fronts before I decide to frog.

But, even with progress ahead shaping up quite well, I want to work on something else. And the fact that I have several projects on the needle isn't helping. Especially since what I really want to do is swatch up that clover lace without making mistakes and take it into the LYS on Saturday. I'm planning to make my usual Saturday morning Farmers Market run (am in such Focchia withdrawal it isn't funny) and the LYS is right there on the square. And I'm thinking that if it is too loopy with the yarn I currently have and want to use, maybe I could double strand it, so I'd need another ounce to see if that would work... (and if it doesn't all the more to make a cute summery scarf with !!!)

I'm alriiiiiiiiiiight!!!

Props to JoDee Messina. The beautiful thing about this class and the homework is that I've spent mad crazy amounts of time watching music video. (Music video is grand when you're doing homework - music in the background for when you're working and great little mini!movies for when you need a short break. VH1 and CMT have been my friends.) Not to mention that Rob Thomas' little ass shake in his Lonely No More video can make anybody's day better. (I've got to get that music video!)

But, the joy of finishing my class is that I can now take stock of my knitting WIPs. And, ummm... let's just say this is only a few of them.



This is what's taking the most of my time right now. It's the Berry Bolero or something like that from Summer 05 VK. I've substituted Elann Sonata cotton for the Fiesta La Luz silk. (Because as much as I would LOVE to play with La Luz I just cannot justify it on my budget right now. Plus, if I did have some La Luz I'd rather make the camisole in Last Minute Knitted Gifts with it.) I'm loving it so far and hope to have the back finished today or tomorrow.



This is what I usually work on while on the bus. Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock in Lucky Stripe. Looks like spun cotton candy in the hank. I'm basically using what is the toe-up pattern on Elann.com, only I'm making the men's size. Not because I have what I'd consider big feet, but because it's the same number of stitches on the same needle size as the other pairs of socks I've made. /:) I'm also doing a slip one, knit one pattern over the heel, which supposedly reinforces it. I'm hoping to get sock #2 finished soon, but the jacket really takes precidence right now as I don't wear socks much in the summer and I need the jacket to wear at work.



Vest out of Paton's Bella. Not sure when exactly I finished knitting it, but it was at least a year and a half ago (took it home Christmas before last for Mom to help with finishing only we never got around to it). Lost the pattern when I moved across the country, but found it again a few weeks ago. Hopefully I'll get around to seaming the one shoulder so I can do the neckband, but I'll admit that the biggest reason why I haven't gotten anywhere with this is because I'm crap at seaming.



Yes, I jumped on the bandwagon and started to make a Clapotis. I'm using some Boutone yarn from Handpaintedyarn.com I started it, then stopped to work on more interested projects that didn't require me to check the pattern every single row (I like a challenge, but not *that* much of a challenge. Though I think that is probably a sign I just wasn't interested in the pattern.) I figure I'll pick it up again later, though summery projects I can wear *now* will probably take precidence until closer to the fall.

I also have another cardigan I've been working on. And a flower washcloth from Weekend Knits. And the clover lace pattern to swatch up. And...

I think I'll just leave it at that.

Despite my complaining about my class, I do like it. I just think it's a lot to be crammed into two weeks. Still, it is very well geared for my learning style - we're actually doing evaluation projects as opposed to having Dr. N. lecture to us about them. It's just that two collection evaluation projects (even if we're given the checklists to use) and a paper evaluating different evaluation methods are a bit much for 9 days of class.

Still, have been taking study breaks - did the shoulder seams of cropped cardigan last night when I needed to give my eyes a rest from the computer for about 20 minutes (yay for s00per fast three needle bind off). And put potato soup in the crockpot this morning. Will be going to Star Wars tonight and am contemplating the idea of not going to bed after (because, face it, I'll be to jazzed up to sleep), but just working straight through until class tomorrow. (I was pulling 48 hour days (40 working, 8 sleeping) while doing the thesis, I can do it now). That would enable me to go on a hike Sat morning (yay! exercise!). Depending on how much work I get done if I do pull an all nighter.

Knitting is keeping me sane with little snatches of time like on the bus, but not enough time to go into it too much. Quickly, though, despite doing gauge swatch and switching to smaller needles, my gauge on the bolero jacket back is at 20 st/4 in instead of the 23 st/4 in it should be (damn me for knitting loosely) or that I realized I'm doing the jacket in a large and am not sure I need 43 in at the bust even with the needed space for ease. Or that I've figured out a short row way of doing shoulder shaping for the cropped cardigan in Vogue Summer 2005 if anyone wants it so you can do three needle bind off. Or that I'm going to do long sleeves afterall, which may end up with me sending a check to the evil muse and making a puppy dog face so she can go and get me a fifth skein of yarn. Yarg.

Happiness is...

Is not trying to block out a sweater and realizing it is stretching to 20 inches larger than it should be because you substituted wool for cotton. Nor is it having to do the math to get it blocked to the correct shape because the designer didn't give you all the dimensions s/he should have. Is, however, realizing the fuschia cotton you've had for two years is perfect for the other cardigan you want to do. And that the blue cotton you've had for just as long *could* be used for the bolero jacket you want to make as well, even if there'd be acres left over. Why no, I don't have this itching need to get something on the needles while I wait for the cardigan body to finish blocking. (Yes, for some reason I want to wait until the body has blocked before starting on the sleeves. I want to do the edging around the body before I do the sleeves to decide if I want to do full or short sleeves.)

epic, project, class, knitting, this means war, hiking, oh my!

Class and project is kicking my ass. My one consolation is that a week from today it will all be over (except for the final project due a week from Monday, but we'll ignore that for now). Have not managed to do readings for class for last two days, so there will be catch up readings to do tomorrow. Yarg.

The epic has unfortunately stalled, though not for lack of ideas. Well, okay, so not as many ideas pounding on me at once as before, but mainly class/work/RP responsibilities have hindered me from my previous 2,000+ words a day of before. *sigh* Hopefully after the class is over.

Made gauge on 'cropped cardigan' pattern after all. That teaches me for checking it in bad light. Of course, there is the question of if I'll have enough yarn, but I'm planning on short sleeves instead of long (an possibly doing those top down by picking up around the sleeve opening and doing them circular, though not sure if I'm that saavy). Also discovered that Elann.com credit is $50! More than enough for bolero jacket yarn. Just need to decide on rest of the $$. Was looking at yarn for boobholder, only am having hard justifying 5 skeins at $5/skein on good stuff with I've seen perfectly lovely boobholders made with Lion Brand and Caron yarn. But it's such a pretty shade of purple!!! *saves order for tomorrow*

There is a chipmunk living under my air conditioner. I really wouldn't mind, only I saw the little bugger sniffing at my plants and hell no. Yes, war was declared. Found a little sand bagger type thing in the yard next to my patio and kicked it over to cover his hole. He moved it out and I moved it back. He moved it again and I moved it back again and it's still there. We'll see in the morning as to who's winning. *rolls up sleeves*

Colored my hair this week. Am undecided on if I like the color, as I didn't use my usual color (Clairol Natural Instincts 13A Gingerbread Light Bronze Brown). Said usual color is very nearly my natural color (13B Spiced Cider Light Warm Brown), however I wanted to keep the red highlights and go lighter, so I went for a lighter reddish color. Well, my hair has more red, but it isn't much lighter (not that I was surprised since it is a washout dye and doesn't use peroxide). But I do kinda like it, I just need to be careful about the shades of red I wear with it. :))

Went hiking today with other grad students in the department. As I informed my partner on the class project when she asked yesterday where we were going 'Mc-something Creek State Park'. Complete with a cave that we went crawling through (and yes I banged my head once) and a waterfall that we ate our lunch by (complete with a water snake sighting that had several of us jumping up). Was a little pressed for time, however, as I got home at 12:10 and the bus left at 12:30. And I was covered in sunscreen, bug spray and dirt. Quickest shower in history of me and I ran to the bus with my hair still wet. Not that it mattered as while it was gorgeous out (though a tad humid) when I got on the bus, we were in the middle of a torrential downpour when I got off. The one day this week (as my class partner pointed out) that I didn't have my umbrella. Or a jacket. And was in a little sundress. *facepalm*

Also, I have a papercut on my cuticle. And the evil muse say she isn't going to be my roommate when we end up in the loony bin. *pouts*