k1 (knit one) blog

Bye for now.

I'm going to let this blog go. I've embarked on another and I'm really committed to that one.

If you're interested in knowing where I've gone, email me and I'll let you know. Otherwise, it's been great getting to know you all. As always, happy knitting.

I just messed up on a hat that I was making for my son. Yeah, it fits fine. It's just ugly as all get out. I used a strand of crayola-colored merino (fingering weight, kind of predominately dark color way)with a strand of Lion Brand chunky yarn in black. Then I used a rib pattern. Hated it. I'll try something else and get back to you. Again, the blanket is creeping by slowly. I think it's because someone told me I always use dark colors. Now I'm wondering....I'll post a pic next time.

On the other hand, I went shopping recently. This time it wasn't for yarn though because I came home with this:

I got my first new car!! This isn't really my pic so it isn't really my car. But mine looks just like it. It's a 2006. It's much smaller than the intrepid was and so much cuter. I finally have a cd player in the car as it seems they don't make cars with cassette tape capability anymore, lol. I haven't used it yet because I'm an ipod junkie. But it's there if I need it. The best part is it's like a hatch-back kind of car. Do you know how much yarn can go back there? And I can fit my easel back there too for when I'm painting outdoors. Course, it's a little too cold for me right now, so the easel is just back there for effect at the moment, but nevertheless. The shocks are beautifully brand new and my payment is only $250 for five years. My husband (we are still in the midst of reconciling) and my mother negotiated that bargain. Not bad for a first new car, huh?

Speaking of gender issues, which we weren't, but I had to find a way to change the subject...My husband told the people where he works that I had recently got a new car and....well, it went like this:

Steve: Did she get the turbo?
Yolanda: What color was it?

Gotta love it. Anyway, I do love this car. I didn't like the first cruisers. But this one is much more compact and after driving and parking a boat for three years (which I loved in its time), I'm much happier with this one. And with the back, I have one more place to stash some yarn.

I still don’t have many pics yet. I know: Stinkee ladee! But I’ll try to get to that really soon. In the meantime, I thought I would share my mommy pics. They have one knit and one knit only. Kind of dark here, but I am definitely photo-challenged so…

Aren't mommy pics the best?! Mmmhhmm, sure. Uh, by the way, Mya likes to take baths in the bathroom sink...where I brush my teeth...Well, at least she likes to take them right?

I got the idea to use the lb magic stripes yarn that I bought eons ago from Arleta. I had no clue what to do with it-I really just wanted to see it stripe (yup, it only takes that much and I'm buying-darn gimmicks).

I think she did a whole set for her kiddies. So far, I have only made the cap for Mya. I got bored with the yarn at that point-didn't seem to look as good as what I remembered Arleta's looking like. And when I looked on the wrapper, I was a little pissed that I didn't notice it didn't look good on that either before I bought it! That's where the big stripe of red came from. I did some kind of slip-stitchy thing with that segment that I don’t think will pass for mosaic knitting, but looks cute enough anyway. Crazy thing is, while I was working with the red, I started thinking it wasn't a really good match for the red in the lb yarn at all. But I wanted to just finish the hat and critique it later. When I did finish it, I thought it was kind of cute, even though for the life of me, I do not know what kind of yarn that red yarn is....

So lesson learned: I don't have to be so precious with the knits all the time. I’d better make a longer hat though because I pile her hair on top of her head in ponytails all the time. It's the only way she won't keep pulling at it. So this cap, that was supposed to go to her ears, only goes to half her ear. Knitterly thinking is coming ever so slowly, but surely folks.

Now the greatest part of the knitting of this hat is that I used the instructions from Math4Knitters to do it! Well all except for the six inches part. I love that podcast! It's gives the power back to the knitter. [Mischievously eerie laugh here] It was one of the earlier episodes. I also loved that I didn’t have to continually glance at a pattern throughout the process. Yeahhhhh!

Happy knitting. Hopefully next time I’ll have more pics on this camera. Hrumph!!

Well, still not much to post about. I do know why and I don't know why...I've done a lot of knitting. It's just that none of it's coming out right. I figured I'd just show my latest and best mistake anyway. Here is my simple (heh heh) scarf.

I have it hanging over the bed post because it's irregularly shaped. Don't ask me how. It was just supposed to be a regular square but it looks more like a kite now! I did pretty well with the beginning of the pattern. But I messed up on the decreases somehow. Probably not thinking as much. You know that book Mindful Knitting? Yeah, I did the opposite of that. And don't mind the easels in the back. None of that's finished either. LOL.

I have been working on the Log Cabin blanket. For as many stitches as I've knit around that thing, you'd think I'd be finished. But it's so slow that that's not really worth a pic at the moment. Maybe next time. It's a cutey though.

I picked up this book the last time I splurged on knit content called Knitting for Peace by Betty Christiansen.

This book is just a great book. It has loads of stories and anecdotes in it about how different organizations are helping people today with knits. It also contains the patterns (most of them very simple) that these organizations accept. Peace for kids, peace on earth, peace in your neighborhood...I even learned about out how Peace Fleece was born. Plus the book itself is just beautiful (as all Melanie Falick books are).

Now, if I can keep my mind on the knit in hand, maybe I can get through a pattern without those mindless mistakes...

I'm still alive. Work is beginning to die down for a minute so hopefully I will be able to get some real knitting and blogging time in. So far I've only been able to knit the scarf from the Merino Knits book. Mindless knitting, which I desperately needed. But I want to try something with a little more teeth to it this season, especially since we've moved offices and it's colder in my section now. I'm thinking a shawl or a cardigan. Something pretty that goes with everything?

Sorry no pics. My camera is on the blink. Or maybe it's just the batteries? They don't last two minutes anymore. And since my kid is back in school, I can't afford a new one (battery or camera) at the moment. But I'll try to get some pics again the next two minutes it's working...

Happy knitting!

It's times like this I wish I were a SAHM. Work is incredibly stressful right now. Orientation is coming up this weekend and it's two days long. I'm expected to be here on both days. I have schedules to clean up with a still ever-changing room scheduling chart and classes start aug. 29; insurance verifications to send out; directories to update; irrate students and parents calling for their schedules, half of which haven't been cleared by the bursar; accreditation charts to fill out; reconciling to do with admissions and the bursar; an office to move into while simultaneously scheduling, printing out and disbursing schedules and rosters and grades; dismissal hearings; grades to get out to students; probation letters to go out; audit information to furnish; an exhibition to prepare for; voice mail; email; high maintenance students; high maintenance parents; books to sell...I'm not even half finished yet. Just talking about it makes me tired! I feel so burnt out. I haven't been to Curves in about two weeks now. And I haven't had a "good" session of spinning or knitting in about the same time. I'm disgusted with just about everything going on!

Still test and trials can't last always, right? I'll just buckle down till the storm is over.

Sorry there's no knit talk today. Happy knitting to those who can.

The password is jazzy.

The wedding was this past Sunday. I feel like I just got rolled over by a steam engine! Friday was the rehearsal so I drove two hours to the Weinberg Center. Then another hour to the rehearsal dinner. We went to the best man's house and everyone got their chill on. It took me an hour and a half to get home because, you know, it's always quicker going home. The next day, I got my nails done, went to a family reunion, checked to be sure my son fit his tux, went to a fortieth birthday party with my husband (one of his buddies). Then...the wedding!! I have to say I must love this girl because it was nothing but love that kept me in two inch shoes.

Not only that, but since I didn't have a shawl, I decided to use make up to hide that bruise on my shoulder. I don't care if it does look like a birthmark, it's a pretty big one. It actually was unnoticeable after the make-up was on. Maybe I'll do that more often. Here's me in all my matron of honorly glory.

These pics are kind of dark because, I'm retarded. But that's okay. You get the picture. You like the pun? LOL. My son was the ring bearer. And there was this little cutie pie of a girl that flowered the place like a professional! Sa-shay Shante!!

The ring bearer didn't show off in the wedding. But he did show off! He decided to do it on the dance floor though! He has now been dubbed James Brown!

I have a decent pic of Suzette, too (one of the other bridesmaids). I met her when we were going to the University of Delaware. She did my make-up. She was always jazzy like that.

So there's Suzette's "decent" pic. I say "decent" because I didn't get a decent one of a new friend I made during this wedding. Great girl. Her name is Kelly. She was super cool and she was just as pretty in pink. And endowed with gifts up top that Suzette and I would have banked her for had we not been on our best behavior. I have a pic of her. But the reason why you will not see it is because in the pic, she is airing her heiny out on the air conditioner!! So you will only know her name and that she danced with Marty and I'm so jealous because Marty sang the bangingest wedding song I've ever heard sung at a wedding in my life. The boy can blow. For real, it's like that. Shani used to bring him to UD for visits every once in awhile. I can't believe he's a grown man now. I must be getting old...

We all looked good. And who'd have thunk that dress would have looked good on me too? I know when I first put it on, wooooooo....Those Baltimorians, so jazzy. Jazzy is the buzz word for the evening folks.

Oh wait! Here's a pic of Kelly.

Not the girl in the front. Not the one in the black. Yeah, the one in the green. That's Kelly and she was dancing with Luther, I mean Marty. But that's okay, Kelly. I was standing right next to him when he was singing and he was singing to me!! LOL!! Oh, that's right. He was singing to you, Shani. Ha! Ha! Just let her think that, okay?

Groom was late of course. Guess he got pooped out on the rehearsal dinner. When you're being waited on hand and foot, I suppose that's real tiring! LOL!

All in all it was a beautiful wedding with all the trimmings.

pretty tables

pretty cake

gorgeous bride!!!

And in the mix of it, somehow those fears I had going in went away...

Still spinning. I got a new spindle. It's a midi Bosworth. Look how small it is compared to my beginner no-name spindle.

Can't wait until I get some colored roving. But I'm sticking to white while I'm still learning. Much more cost effective for my mistakes. This time I got some BFL. That's on the right.

Notice the difference. The romney to me is dry and scratchy. But I'll get one more romney so I can learn how to ply. That BFL looks like it's going to spin like nobody's business. I'm going to get back to my spinning this week.

Have you read this book yet? I love this book! I have been reading it for the past two weeks. I finished felting the bowl. It's utilitarian, but it didn't come out like the bowl in the pic since it wasn't the same yarn. So, of course, that gave me an excuse to get more yarn. I'm going to try it again. I started a log cabin blanket.

Finally, I had an excuse to use this three-year old bag:

Maybe I'll start the warshcloth this week. I printed out the pattern corrections and I'm sticking them in the back of the book so I won't go wrong!!! If you haven't picked up this book yet, gittit. Not get it. Gittit. It's the most interesting knitting book I've seen in a long time and I've got a pretty large library already.

The wedding is quickly approaching and I haven't casted on for one shawl yet!! I did order the tux for my son because he is to be the ring bearer.

Okay, I will be bold. I will bare my soul...well, part of it anyway. I'm going to post a pic of my most recent spins. But I refuse to post Curly Sue. Who's Curly Sue? Curly Sue is the little mess of a spin sitting on my dresser. She's Romney roving on crack. And she has little sisters too who could be twins, but they were born later. I may email a pic of Curly Sue to choice bloggers. But for now, I'm keeping that girl in the closet that is my dresser.

So here is my spindle...with a distant, more sober cousin of Curly Sue.

I realized I was spinning so much that I hadn't knit in three days!
I know. What's up with that?! I am trying to learn so hard that this morning when I woke up, I looked at my laundry basket and I would've bet my life that I saw a tuft of unspun roving on top! I blinked and looked again. I was dreaming with my eyes open-about roving! What the?! So I took the pic of my spin and figured I'd better blog. Maybe that will help with the digesting of all the skills I'm trying to learn. Then I can wake up in peace, sans hallucinations.

I tried to get a close-up pic of the spun yarn itself. As you can see, I take horrible photos.

This isn't the best spindle, but it will spin yarn. I'm hoping to get a better one next time I'm in a position to splurge. Suggestions? I think I'll probably get one for fingering to worsted and one for lacier yarn and one for plying. Later on I might also add a niddy noddy and a nostepinne.

I spin a little every night after the baby is asleep. It gives me more of a chance to relax before I start. I noticed when I go back to spinning, if I haven't taken a minute to unwind myself, then my spinning gets all funky. I'm learning to control the spin a little better and I'm taking time out for me, even if it's a little late. When it's quiet, I think better about what I'm doing and the actual process of what I'm doing and the yarn is beginning to respond to that. There are still a few slubs here and it's usually because I didn't pull the strip of roving thin enough before attempting to join it. But they aren't nearly as noticeable as they used to be and that's a problem that can be easily fixed when I pre-draft. Right now I'm just getting used to what I'm supposed to be doing and slowly but surely trying to work in a more consistently spun yarn. I got a few good sites to help me. Pixie Purls started a brand new forum that is for spin discussions only that I like here. And there is a drop spindle section at Knitters Review that is pretty good too. That's here. I haven't checked out knitty to the extent I could yet, but I know they have a spinning thing on there in the coffeeshop. Good stuff.

Casted on for my SF KAL too. I decided to do the felted bowl. I think they're really nice looking.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

I really want to get back to my knitty scarf too!! And since the yarn won't work for that dress, I'm going to use that yarn for one of those ponchos. Yay, because that is really what I wanted to do with it anyway.

I did my first real workout at Curves since paying for it over a week and a half ago. I do it 50% for me and 50% for supporting my mom since she started and has been really good about sticking to an exercise program. It's a nice program and I like it, but I refuse to go three times a week. I work all day and when I get off there is still always something else I have to do. I had interests before I started the program though and I want to be sure I keep up with those. Two days a week is the max. But I will return because they did tell me that I had the perfect weight for my age...and you know, flattery will get them everywhere (especially since I get so little of it-lol!). Don't get it wrong though. I attribute that weight to the fact that I was a college student most of my adult life (up until three years ago to be exact). Eating well was a luxury I wasn't able to afford! And old, bad eating habits are hard to break. What thirty-year old eats Doritos for dinner? I won't raise my hand because I may incriminate myself. Perfect weight...That's good. I would just like for the weight to be disbursed differently is all. Maybe not so much on the rear? That would help.

Happy knitting and spinning and everything.

There's good news and there's bad news. What's your poison tonight? There is a good reason why there are no pics, too. We'll get to that.

Okay. Good news first. Spinning may not be so bad this time around. I'm learning how to spin with an inch worm method on my high whorl drop spindle with romney roving. It's supposed to be the best setup, the easiest way for beginners to learn how to control the yarn that is being spun. Let me say that I vehemently disagree. I am not exaggerating when I say that that roving was man-handling me! And the spindle was beating me like a bald-headed stepchild! After my last black eye though, I snorted to hold back the tears, and then I started to see a pattern...when I got those slubs that wouldn't want to twist, it was usually right where I pinched at the bottom of the drafting triangle where the yarn was fanning out, the spot where I was attempting to let in more twist. Hmmmm....So on my next lengths of roving, I pinched where the yarn was twisted under the drafting triangle, just before it fanned out (instead of at the beginning or tip of the fan) and I noticed a more consistent yarn. Not perfect. But much less slubby. Yeah baby! Who's your daddy now?! So maybe a few more weeks of practice and I'll be ready to post some handspun yarn.

Ugh. And here's the bad news. I got a chance to see the dress. It is a tent on me and the yarn doesn't match. Besides, my mom likes it. Nuff said.

There will be absolutely no pics tonight.

Happy knitting and everything...

That startitis is kicking up again. I've decided this is the year I will learn how to spin yarn. Well, before the end of the year. I will spin my first ball of yarn no matter how ugly!

I bought the equipment when I first learned to knit and I've had the Twisted Sisters Sock and the Spin it books for forever now. But after the first few failed attempts, I put it in the closet and figured I might get better at it later on. At least I didn't throw it away, right? Now I'm seeing that whatever top I bought was a difficult roving in the first place (don't ask me what the name of it is because I wouldn't remember now-all I know is it's gray and very silky). So I figured I'd give it another try on something easier. I'll probably just sit it out in a corner of my room and look at it for a couple weeks before I pick it up. Yes, I do get that intimidated. Don't judge. You're time will come.

Anyway though, I found this really great site for learning and I'm going to use it. Some kind of inch method. Send good knit/spin thoughts my way...I'm going in!!

I hope to post pics of the dress pretty soon. I haven't even opened the box yet. More intimidation. I swear. If I don't get over the intimidation of these inanimate objects in my life...

You Have a Phlegmatic Temperament

Mild mannered and laid back, you take life at a slow pace.
You are very consistent - both in emotions and actions.
You tend to absorb set backs easily. You are cool and collected.

It is difficult to offend you. You can remain composed and unemotional.
You are a great friend and lover. You don't demand much of others.
While you are quiet, you have a subtle wit that your friends know well.

At your worst, you are lazy and unwilling to work at anything.
You often get stuck in a rut, without aspirations or dreams.
You can get too dependent on others, setting yourself up for abandonment.

What Temperment Are You?

I don't know. I answered the questions as honestly as I could.

Hi. I'm Stacey. I am one of millions of knitters suffering from chronic startitis. I have had this particular ailment for about three years. It isn't rare. It isn't necessarily contangious. And you CAN learn to live with it. If you are a sufferer of startitis, there is help....

I just don't know where.

But I have found that while I do suffer from starting a million projects all at or around the same time, I actually am a finisher...albeit a rather late and wrong finsher. I have only been knitting for three years, so I didn't know. But recently, projects that had been unfinished from even back when I started this blog, I have completed. I finished the Forever and a Day baby blanket, though I didn't gift it. That baby is three by now! It's now the happy blanket of my daughter, Mya. I finished this awful looking bag...

...which, yes, is the reason I didn't finish it then. It was part of a kit so I would have thought it would have come out much better than it did. But as I was knitting, I noticed the stripe colors just weren't consistent and the bag is only but so big. Oh well, I'll use it for something. I have a sweater from a chunky knits book that I'm going to finish seaming although I still have a feeling that it will come out lop-sided? (Yeah, didn't know much about seaming at the time I made it and I was scared to death of doing it.)

And I finished that K1F2 bag. But I didn't do it the way the book said. It started out okay. But much of that yarn got used somewheres else...don't ask. Also, since I decided to gift it to my daughter, I didn't have much time to make straps and felt the thing. So I made some plain striped straps and called it a day. They were drying here.

Although I'd like to find a way to make cleaner stripes in a felt project (these look kind of organic to me), I think it looks cute! Note the creases. I had to run it through the wash a couple times to get those creases just the way I wanted them. Note also that if we can keep formula stains out of it, she may use it sometime in the future and I'll never have to buy a lunch box!! You knitters who are mothers of sons who have to have a new one every week because he left his at mom mom's house (or at school or on the bus or "I don't remember where") understand exactly why this is such an important aspect of the bag.

I may use the last bit of green yarn to make an enclosure if I feel the bag needs it. I'm going to give it a week and see if stuff tumbles out first. It's pretty stiff and stands on its own so, it might not.

As I said, this was a gift for Mya. Mya had her first birthday yesterday!

She turned 1. She's a happy peanut. But I guess a lot of drugs will do that to you.

There you have a beautiful view of a new first tooth. It made it's debut about a week ago. Since then, it has been seen gnawing my yarn among other things...It never fails to amaze me that with all the toys and gifts you get a baby for a first birthday, they're still happier with a roll of paper towels!

I'm going to be in the wedding of one of my best friends! I have always wanted to be in a wedding. I've known about hers for a year though and while I've always wanted to be in one, not so excited now. Why? BECAUSE.

Because as one of my dearest friends, she is making me wear an off the shoulders dress. She knows I have a scar the size of TEXAS on my shoulder from when I used to pop wheelies at age thirteen. How could she?

Now folks, I am a good friend and I do love my friend like a sister. So, I will put aside my feelings of insecurity about the thing to be there for her big day. But everyone is definitelty GOING TO HEAR MY MOUTH ABOUT IT! Sorry for punishing you folks. But the bride must be happy, and yet, someone has to pay...it's only just...SO TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!

I HATE THAT THING!

I know we need to love ourselves in all our imperfections but, I am still on the road to self-acceptance and as such I will indulge myself by saying it again, and yet, more emphatically:

I HATE THAT THING!!!!!!

That's okay though. I'm a knitter. And knitters are fighters. I will make do. You hear that, Ni Ni! I will make do!! I am going to make the best wedding shawl ever! Well, as long as it covers that thing up, it'll be the best wedding shawl ever, to me...

I am to be the matron of honor folks. Me? Matron of Honor? Her humor knows no bounds. Here's the dress, only it's supposed to be a champaign-pink color. She's sending it to me by mail. Go ahead, Ni. Rub my nose in it.

Clearing my throat, wiping my brow, smoothing my hair, pat down my skirt...

Okay folks, these are the picks I found for the shawl. I know. I should've waitied for the dress. But I can use any excuse to buy some more yarn (hee, hee).

And for the leftovers, I plan to use this book to make a poncho:

So, there is a reckoning, Ni! Oh, yes, there IS a reckoning!!

On the home front, my little peanut (we call her doodlebug) has an ear infection. :( Just found out from the doc. She had RSV at three months and it has been nothing but congestion and boogies ever since. Poor boogely baby. I have been taking her back and forth to the doctor nearly once a month since then with no real answers. So this time, the emergency doc took a really good look at her, pulled a huge plug out of her ear and said, "Yeah, that's red." Yay!!! Not that I want her to be sick. I'm just grateful that there is finally a treatable answer. Usually all I hear is, "You're doing the best thing you can for her." And that has been chasing her with a nasal bulb and fighting a very strong baby to help her breathe, getting up at four in the morning at least ten times a month, and giving her way more medicine than I think a baby should ever have to take. I've asked her regular docs to look at her ears more closely and I felt like I wasn't being heard. This was a different doc and it was a very, good day. She will take an antibiotic and then be put on some singulair and we hope that things will get better.

My husband and I are in counseling sessions every other week (just about). There is still much pain for me to work through. If it weren't for knitting, I just don't know. On the whole though, I really am in decent spirits (all except for that dress :) ). Happy knitting.

I got a new toy recently. I got an ipod. It's my way of rewarding myself for all the stress of late. I'm happy with it so far (although that battery power thing does annoy me, along with the negative web postings that I see now only after I bought the thing...but knitting podcasts are interesting). But right out of the box, the thing is pretty cool. I sit and knit with the plugs in my ears and the world goes away. Nice.

I did upgrade on the ear phones to some cheap Phillips earphones. They actually sound much nicer than the ones that come in the box. Just one problem. Apparently I have tiny ears. I had a lot of hope for these particular earbuds because they had some kind of rubbery things on the ends that looked like they'd fit into small ears. But I would need an army of lilliputians to get them in and keep them in place. So the ipod earbuds don't hurt. But the Phillips sounds so much better. There's always a trade off, isn't there? Sony makes a tiny-looking earbud. But I've never bought anything from Sony that didn't break quickly. We'll see.

I hit a snag in my lace project which I'm sure I can fix but I had to stop to knit some other things. I have been knitting a lot. But nothing to blog about. More knitted gifts for people so they don't even stay in my care that long. But nice stuff. Hmmm....maybe knit something for me some time soon? Mmmm...maybe not.

Take a look at this charity called iknit a river and think about helping out...I found out about it on knitty.com. It's a worthy cause. I'm starting tonight.