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September 18, 2004
I was signed up to a beginning knitting class recently without my knowledge. It doesn't start until November. But I'm really looking forward to it! Then I learned a funny thing this week... as an employee, I can take classes for free at the college! So I decided to take one...
Beads, Beads, Beads!!
A co-worker of mine always comes in wearing this fabulous beaded jewelry. So she invited me to take the class. She's the TA. But I kind of dragged because I didn't think I could afford the price just yet. She never told me it was free!! I found out the night before the class started! So here is the first project from the class:
It's a triangular beaded bracelet. I've only got part of it done right now. But I will work on it some more this week. This is done with a square stitch. If you've sewn before, you probably know what that is, but I was a newbie here, for real. I told Judy, the teacher, she'd need a box of band-aids for me because there was no way I am getting through this class without pricking a few pinkies. And I was right! I pricked myself about three times today alone! But the stitch concept worked out to be pretty easy to understand though once I got into it. Now I've just got to work on keeping that needle out of my flesh!
The teacher, Judy, has a ton of jewelry that she brought in that is really just breathtaking. I took a pic of that stuff too. Wanna see?
All the colors...all that glitter and gold...You could almost eat 'em up, huh?
This one is knit with beads in it...speaking of which, missa, I promise you'll get that kit before the year is out!!! Judy promised to teach me how to make this though it's not within the scope of the class. We're also talking about having a knitting meetup in the new library at the college during the semester once or twice weekly. Sounds like a good idea to me! I can't wait!
Knittin'
I didn't get to knit on my mittens this week. :( So much to knit and so little time...But I did get to work on that poncho and I did knit up the sampler for the sweater I want to knit for my son. I found my number and well...I want to get to it, so I'll have to blog later! LOL!
Bye!
Posted by stacey at 06:42 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
September 13, 2004
Hello folks! The speech went over pretty well. But I'm still glad it's over. Now I'm into all this reporting stuff. It's kind of interesting. The computer is just acting like a big calculator right now. All that money for a caluculator....
Happy Birthday to Me!!
Anyway, this past weekend was my birthday weekend and I had to work. But it was so pretty out, I almost forgot I was working! Lots of goodies and I got to knit a bit too!
Branywine Arts Festival
See? There were a bunch of vendors. You name it, they sold it. Jewelry, candles, scented soaps and fragrances, dyed fabric and paintings. Pretty cool stuff. I was at the festival as a representative for the college where I work. Every now and again someone would stop by to look. Especially since there was a bowl of candy on the table right in the center. It's great bait! :)
Ready,...
Anyway, I did get to knit on a two color mitten from the Magnificent Mittens booklet. Actually, my first mittens were hard to get started. I started with an easier pattern that I decided to let go of around the cuff. It was very pretty already. But I just wanted more of a challenge this time. So I decided to start on the beginner two color mitten from the Magnificent Mittens Book.
This mitten starts from the top down. It's a figure-eight cast on. Took a little getting used to because I had to try it a couple a times before I got it right. Basically, it gets the tip of the mitten into a rectangular shape. You knit funny on that figure-eight for awhile and pick up the stitches around and around to increase until you get where you can knit for the palm. I got to the section on the palm where I could start knitting in a pattern. That was cool for a minute. I was using the method that is shown in the Sweater Sampler booklet for knitting with two colors. I did that and then I got to the thumb section at which point you do another figure-eight with three stitches each needle and then knit the thumb on. I knit the thumb on and I stopped there.
Then, I think I just decided to go for the gusto! I decided to start on a patterned mitten set. Don't laugh, but this little tip took me all of three hours to get going! But, it's patterned with two color knitting that is a little more involved than the beginner set of patterns. And this pattern is from a chart so it's not that easy for me to begin with. But I think I've got the hang of it now.
I'm Going to Knit a Sweater if it Kills Me
I've also got the yarn for a sweater. But since the yarn store I went to only had six balls of the yarn I liked, it's going to be a sweater for my son. A nice creamy, bulky, white. I wonder if it'll look feminine? Anyway, I should have that started before the end of the week. By then I'm hoping to have one mitten completed as well. This book also discusses lining them. No clue on how to do that. But maybe I'll find some stuff on the web tonight whilst I surf!
Happy knitting! ;)
Posted by stacey at 08:02 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
September 06, 2004
I'm finished!!
The last time I posted, I had fixed the problem and had worked through to the stripes again. But I actually finished the Sampler! Well, I still have to weave in the ends. But all the knitting for it, and therefore, the learning of all the lessons, is complete. It has been through a lot of changes though, poor thing. I ran out of yarn toward the top. How did that happen on a Sampler? I swear, I must have done something wrong. But it is what it is. I think if I was grading myself on this, I would say I would like a re-test on the hem and afterthought pocket sections. But other than that, I'm good to go to the next part of sweater knitting. So can I, puh-lease?
Loose Ends
I did start a fun scarf from The Knitting Experience The Knit Stitch by Sally Melville. I also bought some yarn for the easy poncho pattern on about.com. So I'm thinking I'll finish up the scarf, and the ends on Forever and then start working the poncho and the sweater. I think if I try to start either of them before working the ends in on the previous projects, I'll never finish them!! Oh what the heck! I'm going to start them anyway, so pooh!
On the Job
So far, so good on the job. Maybe a little too good? I had to speak at a Convocation for our college. I was grateful to find out that I would be speaking with a couple other peers who had also graduated from the college and had come back to work in the college or nearby. Still, I was supposed to speak? I'm just a hometown girl. What in the world would I say to inspire these college students that wouldn't be better said by the faculty or other staff members? I was sooooo nervous. But I've taught before in front of classrooms. So I had some experience, even if it was only in front of elementary and middle school students...and even if I did have the added comfort of being able to walk around the room and ease my tension as I taught. But this time I had to speak and inspire. Not teach. And I was going to be at a podium with bright lights flashing on my face. A little nerve-racking to say the least. I wrote up a little speech that I then took an outline from (because how was I supposed to memorize an entire speech in two days?-yeah, that's all the notice I got). Then Convocation. I spoke in front of my boss, the entire staff, all the students and my peers. I did my best to speak on all the points that I had on my outline, without trying to sound stiff and it actually worked out. They laughed at my jokes. They listened intently about my experiences. And at the end, they clapped. But, (and this is a big but) it happened to go over so well that I have to speak at the next Board Meeting! WHAT?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, it just so happened that the Board Chairman was in the audience. So they invite a staff member to speak to the board every board meeting (4 times a year). This time it's ME???? What the heck am I going to say to them? Would you mind knitting a little prayer into the next couple of rows for me? I'm definitely going to need them! The meeting is on Wednesday, so you're going to have to knit in those prayers pretty soon! You know the addage though: What goes up, must eventually come down...And I can't wait to get some down time!
Posted by stacey at 01:56 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
- one skein project sf kal : 99%
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- knitty branching out : 10%
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- shawl : 100%
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- log cabin blanket : 7%
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