Monday, April 30, 2007
Blogging Doldrums
A lot of knit-bloggers have been declaring that they have the knitting doldrums lately. Not me. I've been spending a lot of time knitting. With a little bit of dreaming, scheming, and buying of yarn thrown in, too. I just haven't felt like blogging. Part of it is that I'm just tired. My work schedule has been so crazy for so long now, I'm having difficulty remembering what it used to be like to work normal hours. Free time? Never heard of ya.
Another problem is that I'm ready for a new blog look. Unfortunately for me (and my readers. Sorry, guys), I did not become all computer savvy when I signed up for a blog. I still don't know how to set up links or add buttons over in the sidebar (is that right? sidebar?). I depend on Rick for most technical things, computer-fixing, lawn-mowing, and recycling-sorting included. All right, maybe those last two aren't technical, but I really don't like to do them. Rick has been rather busy for the last year or so, though, what with training to climb Mt. McKinley and all, and hasn't been able to keep up with my computer demands. (And you might not want to look at our lawn, either).
After the climb, Rick has promised that he will be all mine for as long as I need. And by all mine, he means, "Present me with your list of things you need done around the house, and I will do them." I plan on bringing that list with me to Alaska so I can present it to him on the plane ride home. Nothing wrong with using that trip efficiently and planning his course of action, right? Although he'd probably rather use that time to scheme and dream about new mountaineering trips, just like I'm always plotting my next knitting project as I finish up the one at hand.
I think of myself as a feminist. I have no doubt that women can do any job as well as men. And the over-analytical side of me (all right, you caught me, I'm 100% over-analytical) has a problem with the way gender roles play out even in my own feminist household. Like the way Rick mows the lawn and I do the laundry. (But definitely not the way that Rick does the cooking and I manage the checkbook--I like that.) The honest truth is that I'm just not into computers. I don't want to design web sites, I don't want to learn Photoshop, and for your own sake, don't even get me started on MySpace.
So I've decided I'm going to stop beating myself up over being computer illiterate. I'm adding "Update Katie's Blog" to the Rick List. Maybe I'm a lazy feminist. But either way, y'all should have a prettier blog to look at sometime in July or so.
Another problem is that I'm ready for a new blog look. Unfortunately for me (and my readers. Sorry, guys), I did not become all computer savvy when I signed up for a blog. I still don't know how to set up links or add buttons over in the sidebar (is that right? sidebar?). I depend on Rick for most technical things, computer-fixing, lawn-mowing, and recycling-sorting included. All right, maybe those last two aren't technical, but I really don't like to do them. Rick has been rather busy for the last year or so, though, what with training to climb Mt. McKinley and all, and hasn't been able to keep up with my computer demands. (And you might not want to look at our lawn, either).
After the climb, Rick has promised that he will be all mine for as long as I need. And by all mine, he means, "Present me with your list of things you need done around the house, and I will do them." I plan on bringing that list with me to Alaska so I can present it to him on the plane ride home. Nothing wrong with using that trip efficiently and planning his course of action, right? Although he'd probably rather use that time to scheme and dream about new mountaineering trips, just like I'm always plotting my next knitting project as I finish up the one at hand.
I think of myself as a feminist. I have no doubt that women can do any job as well as men. And the over-analytical side of me (all right, you caught me, I'm 100% over-analytical) has a problem with the way gender roles play out even in my own feminist household. Like the way Rick mows the lawn and I do the laundry. (But definitely not the way that Rick does the cooking and I manage the checkbook--I like that.) The honest truth is that I'm just not into computers. I don't want to design web sites, I don't want to learn Photoshop, and for your own sake, don't even get me started on MySpace.
So I've decided I'm going to stop beating myself up over being computer illiterate. I'm adding "Update Katie's Blog" to the Rick List. Maybe I'm a lazy feminist. But either way, y'all should have a prettier blog to look at sometime in July or so.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Mission Accomplished
The last finished object I have to show (for awhile) is my Forbes Forest scarf. Yup, I finished it right in time for summer. That's how I roll, I'm afraid. This winter I'll probably decide to knit a cotton tank top.
But I know I'll get a lot of use out of this scarf next winter. I absolutely love it, and I plan to knit another one soon in a seafoam or celery or other light green yarn for my mom (she has the prettiest green eyes). I would definitely recommend knitting this pattern in Rowan Cashsoft. After a not very intensive blocking, the scarf tries to curl only a little bit. And the yarn is so soft, I didn't mind wearing it in 80 degree weather for picture-taking.
Now I finally have a pink scarf, and can scratch another New Year's Resolution off the list.
But I know I'll get a lot of use out of this scarf next winter. I absolutely love it, and I plan to knit another one soon in a seafoam or celery or other light green yarn for my mom (she has the prettiest green eyes). I would definitely recommend knitting this pattern in Rowan Cashsoft. After a not very intensive blocking, the scarf tries to curl only a little bit. And the yarn is so soft, I didn't mind wearing it in 80 degree weather for picture-taking.
And also, Forbes Forest is just fun to knit. After a few repeats, the pattern is easy to remember, but like most cabled patterns, still interesting. And on this project, I finally learned to cable without a cable needle. Like I needed a reason to like cables more--no wonder I want to knit this pattern again already.
Now I finally have a pink scarf, and can scratch another New Year's Resolution off the list.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Cat and Mouse
I decided to use up a little bit of leftover cotton dishcloth yarn the other day. I cast on for the mouse part of the Catwarming pattern from Stitch 'N Bitch Nation, and was finished in three hours!
Of course, Loki had partially ripped one ear off before I could take a picture of it in all of its just-finished glory.
Shiva likes it, too.
This was a fun, quick pattern, but next time I won't use cotton yarn. It's too unforgiving with my wonky increases. Not that the kitties mind, of course.
Of course, Loki had partially ripped one ear off before I could take a picture of it in all of its just-finished glory.
Shiva likes it, too.
This was a fun, quick pattern, but next time I won't use cotton yarn. It's too unforgiving with my wonky increases. Not that the kitties mind, of course.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Happy Feet
Ack! Has it really been over two weeks since I last blogged? I guess it has been. I won't bore you with my whining about HOW MUCH I AM WORKING LATELY. Instead, just know that in my spare time, I have been knitting my little heart out. I've also been knitting during non-spare time, which explains why I have not studied for my upcoming Geography test, nor tackled Mt. Laundry or Mt. Cat Hair (i.e., the whole house).
And because I would rather knit than take pictures of knitting, the only thing I can show you just yet is this:
Yup. I finished my second pair of socks. They are just a generic stockinette sock, but they are my second pair, knit without mistakes so I can actually wear them, and soft, soft, soft! Lovin' the Cherry Tree Hill, I am.
I should have more pictures soon, because not only am I working a little less this week, but I have run out of projects on needles (gasp!). Breathe, dear readers. I have a plan to remedy this soon.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
A promise is a promise (and makes a very long post).
Y'all have a moment? I've finally uploaded pictures, so my 2007 Finished Object List will no longer read like this:
(Terrible picture of me, but you can see my knitting poster in the background)
And when I wear my socks with the toes in the right place:
The heel ends up on the side, making Sock #1 look like some kind of specialized goiter cozy.
At least I learned my mistake before finishing Sock #2, which came out reasonably well.
1. washcloth
2. washcloth
3. washcloth
4. really bright washcloth
Today we add...
5. scarf:
(Terrible picture of me, but you can see my knitting poster in the background) Pattern: No pattern. Just a mindless seed stitch scarf, perfect for knitting on after working twelve hour days twelve days in a row (but who's counting?).
Yarn: Approximately one and one half skeins of Malabrigo in colorway Azul Profundo. I normally don't seem to have any blue yarn (which is one of the reasons, besides pure laziness, that I haven't joined Knit Blue), but I was enamored with this colorway. After Rick saw this knitted up, I think I know why. He said it reminded him of our Oklahoma sky right before a storm, and y'all know how I feel about Oklahoma weather. Bring it on!
Comments: Oops. I think I've been commenting in the previous sections, but oh well! This yarn is fantasticly soft with beautiful colors, and I can't wait to knit with it again. Here's one more picture.
Today we also add...
6. SOCKS!!!!!
Before we get to the pictures, I must explain why I said that I only sorta-kinda finished my first pair of socks. After learning how to turn a heel at my second sock class, I decided I didn't need the third class to finish up the socks. Which was probably not the wisest choice, because I read my pattern incorrectly and managed to knit my decrease rows on the top of the sock. So when I wear the socks with the heels in the right place, I have painful bumps on the top and bottom of my toes (left sock):
And when I wear my socks with the toes in the right place: The heel ends up on the side, making Sock #1 look like some kind of specialized goiter cozy.At least I learned my mistake before finishing Sock #2, which came out reasonably well.I really meant to go back and correct Sock #1, but then this happened:
Yup! I bought my first skein of sock yarn. I am officially converted.
Yup! I bought my first skein of sock yarn. I am officially converted.
