socks, strawberries

Summer is officially kicking my butt. But the socks progress! Actually I knitted so much more than I darned this week, in part because I needed to catch up to the season finale of Game of Thrones, and sometimes I just need to focus on my knitting instead of the tv. So I turned a heel. Even though I can turn a heel while watching, let's just say I watched this heel turn.

I also got out my skein of Modeknit sock yarn

(in "no Spoilers--Merry Maids") and tried to imagine what it would look like knit up as Neldoreth. And sigh. While I could easily imagine the green ("no spoilers Sherlock's kitchen") in this pattern, I'm feeling that this isn't quite right for me in this colorway. And I hate to even say anything like this at all because I LOVE this yarn, and would love to have about 6 other colorways in my "collection" (ie stash) Merry maids is not quite the color I thought it would be. I looks pinker and muddier than I had thought it would be. I'm sure I'll find the perfect pattern for it, but Neldoreth isn't it. hmmm I may have to buy Lyanna blue and/or Daenerys Eyes if they become available in the sock yarn. Red wedding would probably also be good on Neldoreth. And I can not say enough about how lovely this yarn is to work with.
So, I guess the quest continues to find a yarn to go with that pattern, or a pattern to go with my modesock....
Meanwhile, the darning project continues.

So many of the socks in my darning pile are from Knit Picks. Either I knit them too loosely or the yarn is weak, but man they get thin fast, although according to ravelry I finished these in Feb 2012. At any rate, both socks needed heel and foot work. Because summer is kicking me you know where, I have only 1.5 of this repair complete at the end of the "week."
Looking at my to do list shows that while the list was long there are still three items on it--only two I'll try to finish today (as I start next week's list). And in case you are wondering--Change the little frogs' water and darn the socks get the attention while cut off capri's does not. Although to be fair, I did one pair of the 2 pairs of capris I promised to make into shorts for my daughter. After weeks of the "how short do you want them?" question, answered by a shrug, I cut measured a pair of shorts I knew she liked, asked if that was the right length and hemmed them to a 7.5 inch inseam. This is evidently too short. So second pair is on hold.
One item I did not put on the list but should have is: make Strawberry jam. Because boy did I ever. I made 4 batches of freezer jam this week--and 2 last week so 6 total. I'm done with (strawberry) jam (will make cherry and peach and have been asked for blueberry --yuck), and now moving on to strawberry lemonade concentrate this week. Maybe strawberry marshmallows. We keep eating them (the strawberries) though. And I can't imagine a scenario where we eat a whole pan of strawberry marshmallows. I may just freeze the puree needed for them and make them at Christmas when I can give a bunch away.

leftover bright socks

Because of the way that feedly and facebook show thumbnails, I'm going to lead off with the progress on socks I'm making. I'm not sure why, but I feel like I must finish these plain boring socks before I can start something complex. A smarter person would start the complex socks and have two sets going, one for traveling and places where a simple sock is best and one for times when you need complex knitting. I suspect I feel I must finish these, because I only have the one set of size 0 dpns. Ok that's not true, I think I have 2 or 3 sets of US ) but I LOVE these.

Ok the socks!

As you can see they are going to be more fraternal than identical. That is by design. This yarn not only has large color repeats, but I'm using leftovers of two colorways. The second sock is actually coming out more like how I envisioned both socks. No matter--these are fun and playful. And I take them places because they are just a simple toe up pattern, that I swear I could do in my sleep.

Sigh, I really should at least swatch for a complex sock.

Onto the darning project. This week's sock to darn are these:

Which I went to look on ravelry for when I made these, and I NEVER documented them. I tried looking for them on this blog and I can't find them. When did I make these? I have no idea. I know the yarn is Lorna's laces and so the fact that they are wearing thin on my heels surprises me, because I think of them as relatively new. Oh hey wait--found the entry from May 2013 so two years. Hmm, why did I not put them in ravelry? At any rate, I have one sock darned, and need to start the other.

I also went through ALL my socks and have a pile of those that need repair. Sigh. It is large. It will take one pair a week all summer.

And of course it is the last few days of school, so I've been tackling the constant influx of stuff from lockers. Failing of course:

summer of socks begins!

I declared this summer to be my summer of socks!

what does that mean summer of socks?  Well it means I'll be working on my socks this summer--both looking at making new ones and making sure the ones I have are in good repair so come fall, I have no big surprises. I did this in part because my handknit sock collection is getting older.  Sure, I add a new pair every year or so, but I don't think I've ever gone through and really thought about which socks might be beyond saving.  So far, I've pulled out four pairs that either are just beyond repair (old darning patches have holes!) or they have holes, and I just don't like them enough to repair them (like maybe they don't fit me right). I also pulled out four pairs that need some repair (And honestly, I need to go through them all and find all the ones with holes).  I hate darning though, so I'm making myself take care of one pair a week.  I started that last week, and promptly didn't do last week's pair. 

This week though, I did that PAIR and this week's pair.

This is this week's pair.  I did one sock already--this one needed both the heel and the ball of my foot.  Usually most pairs just wear at the balls of my feet.  I'm glad I'm not a 19th century maiden lady looking for a husband because my darning is quite simply atrocious.

And of course, I'm going to try to knit a few pairs this summer.  This has been my traveling sock, as it is just a plain sock pattern.  I was playing around with two different skeins of leftover yarn.  So the toes and heels are in one skein, and the rest in another. 

Further, I've been playing with something.  First, I know that tighter knit socks SHOULD be less prone to holes, so I am knitting these on size 0 needles.  Second, the gauge I usually use for socks means that when most sock patterns call for 64 stitches, they are way way too big on me. In part because I need a sock smaller than most sock patterns make and I think I'm always a little loose on my knitting. 

I'm thinking about fancier patterns though. Like Knitty's Neldoreth. Wouldn't that look just divine in Modeknit sock yarn?  Of course it would.  I wanted to do that pattern/yarn combination a while ago when I made some just plain green socks.

I also just lost about 20 minutes looking through knitty at all the other socks I'd like to knit.  That doesn't even dive into the two issues of sockupied I own or all the sock books I own.  I might just have a tiny little sock problem.... First though, finish the plain socks.

Finished: Indigo Cones

I finished it! I totally finished the indigo cones shrug in time to wear it to my nephew's high school graduation!

At first when I finished knitting I was all like--whew done, and then I realized, nope--ends to weave in, buttons to choose and block that puppy. So, I wove in the ends, went through my buttons and asked facebook and in person relatives about which of these buttons:

And eventually decided on the lower button.

Then I blocked it (and waited for freaking ever for it to dry) and got the button sewed on just in time to pack it. I wanted to photograph it before I left, but eh no time. So, I had my husband take pictures of me on the trip. And no, I have no idea why I al always holding my arms like that:

For the record:
Pattern: Indigo Cones from Knitty.
yarn: Nashua Creative Focus Linen (discontinued) color: bleach; 3 skeins
needles: US size 3 and US size 8
size: medium
button: totally forgot where it came from.

It was a totally fun trip and when I told my sister in law I had knitted it, she didn't believe it--one of the highest compliments, I think, is that people think your handknits are not homemade looking. And now I feel like the summer of socks might be upon me. I am having a serious hankering to make some fun socks--which means trying to figure out a pattern that I like that will fit my narrow feet (which is a story for another day).

light at the end of the tunnel

One thing you should know about me is this: I don't usually knit during the day. Even though I work part-time outside the house and am home a lot with no one really watching my every move to make sure I don't "waste time," I usually reserve knitting for after kids are in bed and I'm watching tv with my husband. For the most part it works. Oh sure it might mean that I only get an hour to knit or that I may have to spend my whole time counting or (could pause that show I have no idea why we need to keep throwing out numbers--this is a reality show about special effects!) maybe if it is late I'm too tired to knit. But I find it a relaxing prelude to sleep.

Well until I am not too tired to knit but too tired to make sense of what the pattern is asking me to do.

Which is why it has taken me so long to get what should be the home stretch of this shrug: the button band.

Ok, well there was the counting and generally trying to be sure I picked up the right number of stitches. and honestly, why do they yell out numbers so much on reality/contest shows. I get that they are timed, but it is frustrating to be counting along 30, 3,2, 34, and have the tv person yell: 30 minutes! Even House Hunters has numbers (22, 24, 26; This house is 2600 under our budget! the wife will scream). Heck even Game of Thrones has numbers (12, 14, 16, There are 4000 wildlings ready to shoot you in the back!).

Ahem anyway, it took 3 days just to pick up 159 stitches and figure out what the heck the directions were asking for. And then today I actually got to knit on it during the DAY as I got together with friends for coffee. Knitting during the day is so different. Things make sense, when you aren't tired. Mistakes are fixable in both the light and the clear of day. Or maybe that was just the coffee.

At any rate, button band is moving along:

Graduation is in 9 days. I think I'm actually going to get to wear this!

And none of it was yarn

I had this whole entry planned out in my head--it was called "and half of it was yarn" and it was all about the last few days. The things I had in mind were: Some new yarn I bought, progress on the shrug, my answer to a question proposed for a luncheon I was invited to ("bring an item from your shelf or wall and be prepared to share why it is treasured with the group") and My velcro project.

Sadly, I feel like the day is waning and dinner must be made soon, so I'm going to table three of those and just go with the last one.

I run. I would say avidly, but not um expertly. Let's call me an advanced beginner. And when I run, I like to have my gear: my fitbit, my road id, my heart rate monitor, my ipod, and my phone. I should figure out how to combine the ipod and the phone, but that's neither here nor there. Lately, I've been leaving my phone behind because while I can hang everything else off my body, I have no solution for my phone. I have an armband and while I feel like my arms are flabby, they must in actuality be tiny because I can strap that thing on all the way to the end and it still slides off my arm. As you can see, the sticky part of the velcro is only at the end, so if you pull it far enough, there isn't soft stuff for it to hang on to.

Anyway, today, I learned that sometimes you need your phone, even if it is just to feel safe. You see Every time I run or walk, I notice people who didn't learn to drive the way I did. I learned--stop before the crosswalk (marked or not), look for pedestrians and bikes, proceed into intersection as needed to see cars coming. I learned to do the same for crossing your sidewalk pulling into or out of your driveway or any parking lots---LOOK for pedestrians or bikes on the sidewalks. Every day though, I see multiple incidents of:

(and yes, I realize that as a pedestrian, I look like I'm pretty far away, but she never ever stopped before rolling into the crosswalk AND she was on her phone the entire time--I'm not suggesting she wait for me but really--she could have seen traffic coming from behind the crosswalk. I was a little afraid taking this until I realized she too was on her phone-- I don't think she ever saw me--despite my getting to the corner as she pulled out.)

I didn't pick on this ONE person, this was just the first of no less than 6 incidents I saw just like this on my 1/3 mile walk to get my girls from school. 6. And it makes me mad. Today I hollered at one while I was running (earlier in the day than the picture I took), he hollered back and we ended up having a screaming match. So... while I have vowed not to ever let another ahem bad driver ahem make me lose my cool so effectively, I also decided maybe I had better start carrying my phone every time I run. Which means--time to make the armband fit my scrawny (and yet oddly flabby) chicken wings.

I'm hoping this works, but I'm thinking I might need even longer velcro.

Indigo cones is a vest!

When I last left you the Indigo cones needed sides. And now--it has them! Witness:

and

I was kind of dreading the sides, because the directions looked a little complicated. I mean how was this going to work? Then I got most of the right side done (really fast because there aren't a lot of stitches compared to when you do the whole thing at once) but I wasn't sure if I had marked the pattern when I finished a chart repeat or not. It took me a whole day to decide that I had indeed marked it and had only done 2 chart repeats and needed a third. Then the decreases looked tricky--they weren't and suddenly the right side was done! The left side went much quicker. Now it only needs sleeves! Although I have a favorite sock that needs some darning and I need to figure out if I have the right DPNS or a smaller circular to do the sleeves on. Which requires me finding either my needle gauge or my notes to determine what size needles I'm using again. (THIS is why I need to document). At any rate, I have a month before the graduation I want to wear it to (REALLY??? I can't believe my baby nephew is GRADUATING from high school!!!).

Also, I slipped it on and in it's pre-blocked stage it fits. No pictures of that though because as I write this, I'm still in my jammies. I blame the snow (just very thick flurries).

Of course it wasn't in time for the "spring" banquet but I managed in my store bought shrug, Christmas dress, brand new shoes, and vintage purse. Behold:

And yes, I am wearing hose. a) If Princess Kate can so can I and b) it is COLD in Michigan.

spring break

One might start to wonder lots of things when a knitting blogger takes an unexpected hiatus. Specifically one might start to wonder what said knitter has been up to and if the time away from writing about projects has increased time spent actually working on projects, or if the knitter just spent hours and hours playing 2048. Well dear reader, wonder no longer.

Really the hiatus had to do more with Spring break than anything else. Children (even tween children) underfoot all day does sort of put a damper on knitting, playing ridiculously addictive games and basically anything else that is not directly related to surviving the day. Children it seems demand meals at regular intervals, and the meals must be not the same meal as the day before. In other words, tacos for dinner means no one wants tacos for lunch the next day. SIGH I say!

We also did not travel, meaning that there was no car knitting to books things forward. Instead we stayed home, and over break we volunteered 8 hours at our local butterfly garden. We also slept late, and visited with local friends. And I actually did spend some time playing 2048 and actually WON by getting the 2048 tile. The game suggested a new goal, but honestly, my desire to play has been easily cut by three quarters.

But I did also knit, just not as much as one would expect.

Indigo cones is moving along nicely. I have finished the back, and am about to start the right side. It is clear though that I will not finish it in time for the dinner, and it will most likely be too cold anyway. Now I am aiming for may when I have not one but 2 semi-formal events where such a garment will work well.

Besides doesn't it look more like a May outfit? Ok, maybe where you are it looks like an April thing, but 2 days ago there was snow on the ground here. And for Friday's dinner--it might be in the upper 40s. So May it is!

I also did manage to get the sock going and knit halfway up the foot. Although I don't have a picture. Trust me, more knitting in public. Also it helped with the very palatable tension one picks up on when one watches a middle school talent competition.

But of course it hasn't been all knitting. I made a batch of mango jam, watched the power company take out 4 trees in my yard, and hung out with the children. One of our days, we treated ourselves to TV dinners (we were at the store for something else--and BONUS tv dinners=easy lunch). My choice was something different than I usually get. I was so disappointed with the difference between the box picture and the actual, I took a picture.

Moral of this story--a good food stylist will get you at least one sale. good food might get you repeat business.

2048, shrug and a sock

This week, while waiting at the eye doctor, one of my daughters introduced me to the game 2048 , which should actually serve as a cautionary tale of how you should always have emergency knitting or books because man am I ever addicted to that game. Seriously. As a consequence (a sad consequence), I really didn't get much of anything done this week. It feels like Indigo Cones is going so so slow. I think in part because the rows are SO. FREAKING. LONG.

So, I have completed 3 sections of the chart--you do 5 before starting the sleeves. And I was thinking I might actually get this done in time for the banquet that I THOUGHT might be a month away.

Hear that? The sound of fate laughing at me?

Usually this banquet is towards the end of April, and the weather is warmish, hence the shrug. I didn't look too close at the calendar or I would have realized that when I am anticipating the banquet, my husband (aka the reason we go to the banquet) is out of town. He thought it was the week before--when my mom would be visiting (hey come visit AND babysit). BUT then he got an e-mail and the banquet is actually April 10 instead of the 24 like I was anticipating (or the 17th like he was anticipating). Now I'm realizing 2 things: 1) I'm probably not going to finish this in time. 2) even if I did, it will probably still be too cold.

Oh well--I'll just have to find an excuse to wear it anyway.

Knitting in Public

I know lots of people knit in public, and I tend to occasionally bring a sock here and there. I had two opportunities to knit while "chaperoning" an academic competition my girls were involved in. I toyed with bringing the shrug and then realized that even though the lace pattern is simple enough for TV knitting, that you don't much done if you have to stop, figure out where you are, and then start only to be interrupted 2 or 3 stitches later. So sock it was! The first week, I didn't get the sock out at all--instead ended up chatting with the other chaperones. The second week, I got out the sock and had several middle school girls surrounding me asking about my knitting. And then realizing that I forgot to bring the yarn I was switching to.

The girls were funny though because they all told me about people they knew that knit, asked me what I was knitting, asked who it was for, exclaimed over the yarn. Well, everyone except my children, who seemed to think I was knitting solely to embarrass them.

You see I started a sock out of the two skeins of leftover sock yarn from making socks for my two daughters. I thought I'd do heels and toes from the skein with the least yarn, and the rest from the skein with the most yarn. But then I didn't know if my sock was wide enough, and I didn't want to be THAT chaperone who took off her shoes and tried on her sock. So I stopped, put it away, vowed to work out the issues and then Tuesday when I have to go and sit for a few hours during the final meet, I'll work on it more. My girls will really be mortified if I am sitting in the auditorium (since I shouldn't have to chaperone) knitting.

So, I need to try on the sock, and start the blue. Before Tuesday. Better stop playing 2048. Except I got up to 512 and almost to 1024.

Indigo cones in progress

Before I get into the knitting portion of this entry, I'd like to take a minute to talk about technology. Specifically about how on some levels I need more and better and faster like yesterday! and how on other levels, why can't things just stay the same.

In essence my browser of choice is safari. In fact an old version of safari (version 5.1.10). And lately my sites aren't playing nice with it. It started out as gmail telling me it wasn't supported. Then Facebook wouldn't let me see notifications unless I was on MY page rather than the feed page. Then that went away and basically I go to some random persons page to see my notifications. Then yahoo mail yesterday started not letting me reply or forward message and forget about composing a new one. Flickr is flakey, but you know--as much as I say I like flickr better than instagram, I gotta admit flickr has always been flakey for me. I'd upgrade--I really would. But to upgrade safari, you have to upgrade your operating system. And the person I share the desktop with isn't yet convinced we need to do that.

I guess that's my long way of saying I'll probably start using chrome instead.

And just so you don't think I'm total luddite--yesterday I figured out how to online order from Panera and I swear angels sang. In fact, you know what I want? I want to be able to order everything online and have it brought to me by drones, instantly. I might just be feeling a little more on the introverted side today.

Onward!

This has kind of been a crap week for me. Last Thursday I started massively cleaning the house so the girls could have three of their nearest and dearest friends over for a sleepover. This involved me getting rid of lots of stuff too--mostly paper I'd let pile up. It did not however, leave me time to knit. I did however, make time to finish a pair of PJ pants (that ended up being too large because elastic is like that I guess) that I've been meaning to finish for well over a month. While I was doing that I thought--OH hey wouldn't THAT make a great treat bag after a sleepover--everyone has matching PJ pants? Then I slapped myself. Still, it lurks there for maybe next year's birthday sleepover.

And I'd pull it off by getting the majority of the work done ahead of time--saving elastic and hemming for later--then measure for elastic and waist, send kids down to watch a movie and voila! PJS by bedtime. Most guests I could eyeball for initial size based on my two girls. It could work! Yeah I just slapped myself again.

So, then the sleepover, then the time change, then a professional day off of school and I was totally wiped out. I think I knit a grand total of four rows on my shrug over 5 days. Most of those during the sleepover.

And then Tuesday I started to feel like I was getting a cold. I knew I needed to sit and rest instead of the other stuff I usually do during the day. And I tried to knit, and managed a row or two before it just was clear that stuffy head, achy body meant read instead of knit.

And then Tuesday night, or rather the wee hours of Wednesday it became clear one daughter was not going to school Wednesday. But I felt better. So Wednesday I stayed home, watched way more TV than I ever do, since sleep and watch tv was all my daughter was doing. And as a consequence I got something like 12 rows knit yesterday!

It still has a ways to go, but I feel like it is coming along. I also feel like it might be too big. But maybe not. Anyway, now I've got everyone back in school, and so I'm sure my knitting time will go back to the one to two rows a night version.

shrug in progress

This week I screwed up my courage and cast on for my Indigo cones. And got as far as this:
Do you see it as white? Maybe blue?

Not because it is hard, or because I hate the pattern or the yarn, just because that is a LOT of stitches. In fact I love the yarn. It is a cotton linen blend that I think smells really fresh and springy.

I also started my annual volunteer stint at the local butterfly house. The first day is always a day with no visitors--and really just butterfly care. Because I knew it would be boring (no people, 12 butterflies--as many had not emerged) I wanted to bring my knitting in case I got bored. Because there is a strict no plant material rule, I opted not to bring my Indigo cones. Instead I decided to start a sock in bright colors that would match the dayglo fluorescent green volunteer shirt. I don't know how much I'll work on it--as I am loving the shrug and honestly I'll never be that bored volunteering again (people + more butterflies= more work). We'll see. I may bring it to get a picture today. In the meantime, I did manage to photograph one of the few butterflies.

My goal between now and the end of butterflies is to figure out how to upload pictures from my desktop computer (where my good camera downloads) to my Instagram account. And honestly right now I'm adding many many things on my treatise on why flickr is better than instagram.

Indigo cones

I had set as my goal this year to write at least once a week, mainly so I could keep things updated and moving along. February has been a real struggle for me this year. I'm not sure if it was SAD, full on depression, the super cold winter, or some combination. I wasn't really feeling right with no energy not really wanting to get out of bed, not really wanting to move much after that and feeling like every day I was pushing myself really hard just for the basics. I know that I have a very supportive network of friends and family who would do so much for me to help. But honestly, I didn't know what help to ask for, so I just pushed on telling myself that if I still felt this bad in March, I'd go see someone. I'm gradually feeling better. Every day I feel a tiny bit more like myself, which is good.

We also had a huge chunk of time where for one reason or another (PD day, President's day wind chill day and wind chill delay) where the children were home and yet I had to work. This is so rare, the children did not even know how to deal with it--so the feeling like running through quicksand got ramped up 10 notches.

Because I really suspect that a huge part of this was the unseasonable cold we are having (really--the average high for today is 27F, the record low (set in 2003--how did I not remember that--I was hugely pregnant) was -4F and today is forecasted to be 14F Also side note, I mentioned this was the coldest February I could remember and someone tried to argue that LAST February was even colder. Whatever. We are 6 heating degree days higher than we were at this point last year so pbbbbt.), I decided to start knitting for spring. Specifically, I started knitting Indigo Cones in white Creative focus linen. Although I bought it at a much higher price before it was discontinued. The goal is to have this done by April so I can wear one of my springier dresses to my husband's annual work dinner. Because every year about a week before I think--MAN if I only had a shrug or something I could wear this sleeveless dress but it is WAY too cold to go without.

It may actually take that long to make it.

I started with a swatch, which is a good way to start with anything you'd like to actually fit. The gauge section says that the suggested needle size (which is where I usually start on my swatch) is a US 9 for the stockinet and pattern, and a US 6 for the rib. So, I did a big swatch and washed it and I'm really close on the stockinette and a little loose on the pattern but WAY off on the rib.

So I redid a smaller swatch on a US size 4 and it was STILLL too big. Then I swatched it on a US 3 and I am STILL too loose. However, I'm pretty close. Close enough that I feel like it will work. So, I have cast on, and started the first row (and then miscounted, ripped out and started again). Hopefully it can start to move along from here and I'll have more pictures to show off later.

meh

I'm just going to come out and say it--I'm still struggling here. For the last few weeks I feel as if I am treading water. There is no energy for anything but keeping my head above water.

It sounds melodramatic. I don't think it is anything really to worry about because I think this time of year (the late January through February) is hard on many people in the northern Hemisphere. It is dark, and cold, and here in Michigan, snowy. We don't have enough to compare to Boston (oh poor Boston), but we had enough last week to give us a snow day and to totally throw all my routines out of whack. I hurt my back shoveling, I didn't sleep well, and as a consequence I feel like I totally lost last week. I didn't run, I barely knit, and every day just feeding my family felt like a monumental effort.

My knitting project has been singularly unexciting. So many little pieces, so many little mistakes that get ripped, re-knit, ripped again, and re-knit. Add many spaces between the steps, as every mistake seems to make me skip any knitting for an evening. Also little mistakes on a simple TOY (which was to be a gift, but now may not even get finished) make me lose confidence to try a bigger project. And then I sit here with yarn for three sweaterish/shrugish projects and a brand new knitting magazine (with a sweater I adore!) and I feel like starting all of them and none of them at the same time.

My husband is wonderful. He says--just make yourself a simple sock with some fun yarn. But even socks make me feel meh. I have so many socks. Socks that need to be darned. I even gave up on TWO pairs. These:

and another pair I don't think I ever photographed! Heck that means they aren't done right? Anyway pictured pair has been darned many times, and keeps sprouting new holes in different places. If I fix the current holes, I will have replaced pretty much the entire sole. The other pair--I've blown out both heels. I could fix them, but realized I don't like them that much (see--no picture, how could I possibly have liked them). And having given up on two pairs means that I still have enough socks to wear a new pair every day and still not run out by laundry day. Maybe I'll do a sock census.

I do know that for me there is only one thing that pulls me out of these moods. Just keep plugging until spring gets here. Just run, and knit and take care of the family. Just let people take care of me. A saving grace for me is that in the middle of all the February-ness there are bright spots: valentine's day, butterfly volunteering, my birthday and my lovely daughters' birthday. So hopefully next time, I'll have pictures and maybe a brighter outlook.

In the meantime, if you too are feeling meh: hang on, it will get better.

not much to report

Since it has been a while since I updated, I figured I might have some new project to report.  Alas not.  I'm having a really hard time getting things done lately, I'm not sure exactly why.  The last two weeks have found me with nearly uncompleted weekly to do lists.  Last week was an obvious one, my kids had two days off and my husband had a different day off.  So I only had two days in which I did not have other people distracting me.  (Clearly, I want to be distracted).

And my kids, well they just sucked the energy right out of me.  I don't even know why except that as nearly 12 year olds, they've reverted back to some of their toddler like ways--except this time around I can't put them down for naps (even when I know they are tired). It means that when my knitting time rolls around, Im just too tired.  Plus, they've started this thing they never did as little bitties and get out of bed like 10-15 times a night (usually between 9 and 11) and they neeeed something. It makes it really hard to knit, when you are constantly getting up and saying--go back to bed, stay there.

I did start a small project that I know would be done by now in the hands of a more dedicated knitter. It is a gift though, so I don't want to say too much about it.  It is from a book I managed to score for majorly cheap ($1 at the Friends of the Library Amigurumi Knits ). So basically now I want to knit a bunch of vegetables for all my friends.

Even this small project has me stalled.  Because seriously, how long should it take to knit something small like that?  I've been working for over a week--except not really because too many nights I just fall into this exhausted despair.

This week, I have set some craft goals though and will push through them by golly. I've got 3 pairs of pj pants up . (PJs are fast becoming a never ending project--I recently discovered one child claims that she doesn't have enough to go all week and she hates re-wearing) One pair is for me, and is cut out.  The other two need to get done--the fabric is washed.  (The fabric was clearanced out at Joann--so score!) and just need to get done.  As I have proved other times, none of these will take me longer than an hour.  I should just get them done.

Other goals--swatch for one project--maybe during the day so I have focus.  It doesn't matter which of the THREE things I want to make I swatch for--just SOMETHING. So that when my Amigurumi gift is done, I can get going on something else. And get whichever patter I pick read through, and set so it can be knit in between the "mom--what if no one else wears pajamas at pajama day!" crises that happen at 10pm, as I am TRYING to knit.

decisions

Last week despite the fact that I decided I detest doing a sewn bind off (but love the stretchy-ness of Jenny's Surprisingly stretchy bind off) I managed to finish the shorty socks. Again like her sister, she chose to have "fraternal twin" socks.

Those are all my feet because I could not get her to try them on.  But they fit me, they will probably fit her. Hopefully their feet will stop growing soon and I can make them a whole week's worth of socks!

The yarn here is Regia Fluormania in the neon ocean colorway.  I used size 1.5 and just a basic toe up pattern.  

Of course guess what is on tap for this week?  More sewn bind off!  I decided to widen the cowl I finished in December and give it a sewn bind off to make it stretchier.  I'm almost done with the widening part.  I'm really dreading the bindoff.  

After that, well I'm kinda stuck.  I'm not sure what project to do next. It isn't that I don't have yarn.  Oh my I have yarn for two sweaters that I wanted to do.  That infamous Dollar and a half cardigan AND Indigo Cones.  Do you know what those two have in common?  I had trouble making my gauge swatches. In the dollar and a half, I had trouble FOLLOWING the stitch pattern.  That never ever happens to me. I think I even tried charting it to help. Hmmm maybe time to look at it again.  The Indigo cones one?  Gauge. I have the yarn it calls for (which hello both are linen!) and I can't get even close.  Well I did get close on the lace pattern, but on the broken rib, not even close. Hmmm maybe I should try THAT again.  Both would certainly make nice spring sweaters (roughly the timeline it would take me I think).  I also have this pair of socks I want to try.

Here's the thing, if I do the socks, I'll do them in my Mode sock and I'll probably have to do a swatch AND I'll have to decide  which size to make.  My foot is 8 inches around. the pattern is 7.5 and 8.5.  I mean you know if my gauge is off I could probably math it a bit. but I would HATE HATE HATE to make such pretty socks in such squishy yarn that are too big. (I HATE too big socks).

All of these are complex patterns that I'd have to focus on, and the reality of my life is that my knitting time is almost all in front of the tv. And done as a relaxation thing at night when I feel like I am just DONE.  So about the last thing I want is to have a scream in frustration about patterns I can't follow or gauge being off. I guess the other alternative is to have two projects going--a daytime project that I might be able to sneak in a few minutes on here and there and a night project that is zone out knitting.

So many decisions!

Post holidays

 This is the entry where I probably ought to list some resolutions, but.  Well, I'm sure some people say--I don't make resolutions, I just change when I want to.  What I say is this, I do make resolutions, but I usually don't really have them gel in my head until the middle of January.  The new year is often an introspective time, which is I guess why people resolve things, but I usually need to get back into my routine to fully develop my thoughts.  So far nothing is leaping out at me expect for trying to make some running goals happen.

But on to the good stuff, the holiday wrap up!.

This is where I would generally put any gift knitting I had done. The fact is though, that I did no gift knitting. None. I did knit on holiday though, and have nearly finished a pair of socks for my panda girl.

Before we left for our post Christmas trip I had the first sock done.  Mostly because she wanted "short socks". Alrighty then.  Now I am ready to bind off the second sock (sorry the picture is from Saturday when I thought I might be writing this post.) I don't think I've even had time to get these on my ravelry page.  

And of course there was yarn as gifts for me!

My mother in law got me six skeins of a yarn she saw in a yarn shop that she liked. If it did not have mohair in it, I'd probably make her a scarf out of it.  I know the mohair would bother her though.  She also got my girls several pairs of socks (these bamboo socks they like, and some smart wool for puppy girl who loves it) and each of them a skein of sock yarn. And then my mom took me shopping at knit stop, which is really a nice shop even if it is pricey! I snagged this mini skein set, a swift and a pattern.

This is sock/fingering weight and is all wool.  I was initially thinking socks, then bemoaned the lack of nylon, then thought gloves, then thought oh heck, I'll just look at it and pet it every day or something.  

I'm really excited about the swift.  I have had a ball winder for ages, and usually when a yarn is in a skein, I roll it into a ball then wind it on the ball winder (so I get a pretty cake), but often that's a huge exercise in frustration. I can't wait to set up my swift and try it out.  I haven't yet because winding yarn while everyone is home is like inviting disaster. Also inviting people to exclaim that they really need a new scarf or cowl or something. Also, I'd have to go through the stash and find something that needs winding. So maybe it will wait until I finish the socks AND fix the cowl.

After discussing the matter with several knitting friends, I've decided to add a few more rows and do a sewn bindoff to make that end more stretchy.  My friend who just happens to work at my local LYS (and has a blog she never updates...... HINT) suggested that, and I never would have considered it, but I think she's right and it will add to my liking for the project.  After that... I have no idea.  More socks maybe?  Another scarf? A sweater?  I'm cold so who even knows what sort of project will present itself.

baking

So last week--let's just say that perhaps maybe I neglected to put the things I was really going to do--actually needed to do on this list. Which made it very unfulfilling to spend a day doing them and having nothing to cross off. What am I talking about? Baking of course.
Last week I made, two batches of hard candy--one strawberry, one watermelon and a batch of marshmallows. The candy was supposed to be red and green. I made the strawberry first and colored it red. Then I made the watermelon and the flavor oil turned the candy pink! Which of course meant that my green turned it grayish brown. So lovely and so festive! I'm making two batches of spiced pecans today. So at the end of last week, my kitchen was full of this:
and this:

And of course this morning, I'm doing the first batch of pecans (I need to buy pecans for the second batch --eeek) so this is making my house smell all good:
That's a long way of saying there were still items left on the list. Mostly dealing with wrapping presents--a task I despise. However, wrapping of the girls' presents must must must get done this week--this is the last week of school. I also broke out bigger tasks I want to accomplish this week, so my list for this week looks really really long.but it is so so satisfying to cross things off--so there is that.
Hopefully though, even if I don't get all the way through my list, I'll be ready for everyone to have their winter vacations and just chill in my messy messy house. And knit--oh yes knit.

cowl and sweaters

Last week I got EVERY SINGLE THING on my to do list done. That has not happened since I started keeping a weekly to do list 7 weeks ago. And it means that the secret Christmas jammies are done!! This week's list looks long, but I'm hoping I can knock it out too.

One thing that was not on my list this week, but needed to get done (and I should have written it on there) was to create a "ugly" Christmas "sweater" for both girls to wear to a Christmas party. After failing to find anything at Salvation army and refusing to spend $ (although I did buy puff paint for $10 so maybe I should rethink this next time) we decided to decorate some old sweatshirts that their grandma gave us for the occasion. What was really funny was in discussing the designs, it became clear neither girl understood what "ugly Christmas sweater" meant. So they both were dubious as my suggestions, and one of them kept begging to add black widow spiders. It went like this:
me: how about a big santa hat?
her: with a black widow spider on it?
me: um or maybe a Christmas tree?
her: decorated with black widow spiders?

In the end, no black widows, and not terribly ugly either:

On to the knitting!:
I think I might have finished the cowl I was letting myself work on only for this week. I say think because I'm not sure I'm happy with it.

First, I'm not sure it is wide enough. I still have enough of both yarns to make a second one, but that seems a little odd to have two. Even odder to give the identical one away. And I'm not sure it is actually long enough either--this is it wrapped around me--just one wrap. (pre morning run, and so pre-shower/makeup sorry)

So, I didn't tuck in the ends, in case I decide to rip it out and start over.
Pattern:Bloom Striped cowl
needles: US size 8
yarn: Misti alpaca baby me boo Autumn Aster and Malabrigo silky merino

Bloom Striped cowl

I finally finished the socks. I did neglect to get a picture of puppy girl wearing them, but she wore them for a day and a half before taking them off and shoving them behind the throw pillow on the couch. This is a normal repository of socks in my house and I am convinced that both girls consider this to be part of their hamper. I TRY to do the natural consequence thing and not wash things that aren't in the hamper, but honestly they either have too many socks or their tolerance for socks shoved behind cushions of the couch is higher than mine. Perhaps both.

I decided to compromise and give myself a week, this week, to work on an alternate project before starting the second pair of socks. I mentioned a while ago that my LYS had a sale and when I went everyone was just gushing about the Bloom striped cowl. I bought two skeins to make it with and then laid out all my other purples to see if maybe one of them didn't go better. Then this weekend, I even dug out a burgundy and a baby blue. In the end I decided to go with not the silky wool I bought, but a darker purple. That um is called.... um.... I think I may have lost the ball band. Isn't that terrible? I do keep the ball bands--but I always get into trouble when the yarn comes in a skein and I decide I need to wind it RIGHT NOW!

I did a search of the yarn cabinet and did come up with the tag. The yarn is Malabrigo Silky merino.

And I quite like how it is turning out.

I will say this, whenever a pattern says cast on, I use a knitted cast on. I like it, I like how it looks. Sometimes I'll do a cable cast on--again easy peasy and looks nice. However, sometimes a pattern will specify and I truly try to believe that the pattern designer is not just a control freak who wants me use her favorite cast on and actually think there is a reason. So I use the cast on specified. That said--man I hate me some long tail cast on.

about the socks

You know what I am liking? The weekly progress pictures on the sock. Why? Because this week, I felt like I hardly knit at all. My arm has been hurting (which seems to be a combination of the ulnar nerve problem AND the tendonitis problem that I've had in the past. So my pinkie goes numb and my wrist hurts and my thumb feels weird.) Needless to say, it makes me not want to knit. I do think I have most of it figured out--I think the planks were aggravating my ulnar nerve and the brace I was wearing for that was making my wrist hurt. I'm switching from planks to boat pose, but I need to work up to a 30 second boat. I stopped planking a few days ago--stopped wearing my brace, and moved my pillows so I wasn't sleeping totally on my shoulder and I felt better so fast it wasn't even funny.

Are you curious about the steps? No? Well I'll tell you anyway. I still have my 10K streak going, but this week was HARD for that too. Wednesday I had to take my car in for service, AND I took a nap in the morning (it had been a rough rough night the night before). Then I didn't walk over to the school to get the girls (my daily walk!), so by 3:30 when we were all home I had 3000 steps. Usually I have 7000 by then. Let's just say I paced while dinner was cooking and barely made it. Yesterday was a similar thing--except we helped pack Thanksgiving baskets for the food pantry--and while it SEEMS like you'd be getting a lot of steps because you are walking along a line of food, picking up cans as you go, it turned out to only be 1500 steps for a 2 hour block. I probably have more to say bout what foods you should donate to food pantries based on this, and you can most likely find lots of articles that tell you the same thing, but I'm going to start with my big pet peeve: DON'T DONATE EXPIRED FOOD. And my "rule of thumb" If I won't eat it--I'm not donating it (exception: pumpkin pie filling stuff--I hate pumpkin, but some people love it--I haven't met anyone who likes canned potatoes though--if you do--give me a shout out). But on with the knitting!

As you can see--I'm getting closer to the end. If all goes well I may even finish it thins week.

Also on my list this week were to darn my Harry Potter socks. These are my favorite of my hand knit socks, and they are old, and Opal no longer makes the Harry Potter colorways. (note to self--I should have bought more of this yarn when I had the chance). I was distressed last year to note that one of these socks was getting thin on the bottom, and sad to say, I've been putting off fixing them for far too long. Every day this fall I'd look at them on the dresser and think--You should fix those! So I put it on the list (that coincidentally sits next to where the socks were--duh) and actually did it.

That's the Harry and Ron colorway BTW.

Also on the list--2 pairs of secret pjs (not done) and 2 pairs not secret PJs (done!). I am all set to get the secret ones done too--the problem is I got the elastic measured out for them on the weekend, so you can't really pull out the secret pairs while everyone is home. Joann's has flannel on super sale Wednesday and Friday this week, and I may pop over and pick up some more--for me. The girls are set I think after their Christmas pairs, but I would love another new pair.