Wednesday, January 21, 2009

How can it only be Wednesday?

This week has been draggginnngggg by. I feel like I should already be in the middle of the weekend. At least I only have one more class tomorrow and then I am done until Monday!

In Knitting, I have completed one dishcloth this week called the Citizen Kane Dishcloth and started another called the Starfish Cloth. I am in love with this dishcloth! I going to end up making a ton I am sure!

Rosebud Dishcloth
Citizen Kane Dishcloth

My Clapotis is coming along quite nicely. I don't have as much time to work on it as I would like because I don't want to take it out of the house. I just know that somehow it would get messed up and I would be sad. Plus, it is getting rather large! My goal is finish it before the end of the month so I can start on a new one!

In Progress Clapotis
Close up of the dropped stitches and how the end is rolling.

In Progress Clapotis
See how big!!

Related to knitting...my friend and I went to Goodwill on Saturday because I wanted to find some sweaters that I could unravel. Here are some websites to check out so that you know what I am talking about: My Virtual Sanity and Recycling Yarn. Here is a pic of my finds:
Goodwill Sweaters
There is a blue turtleneck (2.99), a white speckled hoodie (2.99), and I already started on the gray kid's sweater (1.99). So far I am enjoying it! Its like two hobbies in one and this is way cheaper than buying yarn!

I also made a niddy noddy out of PVC pipe to help wind my new yarn!
PVC Niddy Noddy
It has some of the gray sweater's yarn on it. It was really simple to make and took me about a half an hour. Here is the pattern: As The Yarn Turns.

I think that is all for now because its getting late. I am sure that I will have another update for you soon!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

New Quarter, No More Time

I went back to my part time babysitting job and school last Monday. Already, I am behind, exhausted, and procrastinating. There seems like there is going to be a lot of reading, which I admit is not my favorite thing to do. I don't want to read about teaching, I want to do it.
The nice difference between my grad classes and undergrad classes is that most of my grad classes don't involve taking notes or tests. That means that I can knit during class! So far, during class I cast on 2 dishcloths and finished one. The one I have finished is called the Bee Stitch Dishcloth.

The pattern is easy once you get the hang of it, but if you look closely you can see some areas where I have made mistakes. But oh well. I still like it and will most likely make another one.
I also may take all of the dishcloths and sew them together to make an afghan. I am not sure though yet. I guess that depends on whether I like the way they look or not.
The weather is pretty bad here so I am missing my evening class. :( I hate to miss classes because I feel guilty, but there is nothing I can do in this case. I guess this will give me a chance to catch up on some reading and knitting. I will keep you posted on my Knitting progress.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Why am I still awake?

Copy, paste, and bold what you have done!

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Gone rollerskating

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (It was closed. :( )

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - Half of them.

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Acted in a play or performed on stage

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris - Not all the way to the top, but it was high enough!

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business - with my sister when we were little

58. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason - Thanks hubby!

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job - Well, not fired. Just taken off the schedule...

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible once

86. Visited the White House

87. Won Money

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Had to put someone you love in Hospice Care

94. Had a baby - Hopefully soon.

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day - Twilight...

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Two in One Day!

I saw this on another blog and I just had to do it. It ties in with my goals for 2009! You bold the items/techniques that you have done and italicize the ones that you would like to try! Here we go.....

Afghan (In progress)
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns (In progress... --->)
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting
Twisted stitch patterns ( In progress --->)
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (I attempted and failed, so much try again.)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Participate in an exchange
Scarf
Teaching a child/teenager to knit
American/English knitting
Knitting to make money
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars Knitting with someone else's hand-spun yarn Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Free-form knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/arm-warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine ( In progress)
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift Knitting for pets Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

I guess I have done more than I thought. How much have you done?

New Year's Resolutions?

I generally do not like New Year's Revolutions. They are over general and hard to keep. So this year I have decided to make a list of things that I want to do this year. I was inspired by all of the lists of goals by other Ravelry members. This list includes things I would like to try and things that I would like to do before the start of next year. I am sure that things will change as the year goes on, so I will have to rewrite and rework as I go, but this is a good starting place.

Knitting
  • To knit my first socks.
  • Try cables in earnest. (I tried once, but the whole scarf got messed up. I really should frog that...)
  • Finish an afghan. (I have one on the needles right now.)
  • Try dpns.
  • Try alternating or rewriting a pattern. (I figure that this is that first step to writing my own patterns.)
  • Go to a knitting night. (My friend and I are trying this this week.)
  • To make a WIP progress bag, since I can't afford to buy one.
  • To get at least one new person into knitting (my goal right now is my sister).
Crocheting
  • To learn how to!!! I tried once, but it didn't go so well.
Other Fiber Related
  • To try dying yarn.
  • To try spinning.
  • To try tatting.
  • To finish several cross stitches that are half started.
Non-Craft Related
  • To finish decorating our house.
  • To finish ebaying and selling all of the stuff we have sticking in a pile ready to go.
  • To visit Disney World this year (I know this is a long shot, but it has been over 2 years and I am going through withdraw. My family went A LOT before I got married.)
  • Maybe start having kids or at least making more concrete plans for them.
  • Visit my best friend, who is moving to Colorado in May, at least once.
  • To stay focused on my schoolwork.
  • To gain more experience working with children in a classroom setting.
  • To read 50 books this year.
I think that that is all I can think of now, but I know that I will think of more later. I have also decided to join several KAL to better my skills and to help me make time for knitting.