Where has the time gone?

Wow. it has already been over a year since my last post. I had completely forgotten about this site since I got my new laptop. But excuses aside, I really need to get back into doing this!

Life has seriously gotten in the way of me doing much knitting in the last year and half, but I have managed to squeeze some in.

My friend, Erin, and I tried out the craft show market with knitting, crocheting, and candles, but it didn't go so well. I am not sure if we are going to try again this fall or not.

Lately, I have been on a knitting frenzy! I have decided to make the majority of our Christmas and birthday gifts this year, so I wanted to get a head start. So far, it is mostly dishcloths and coasters though. I need to stop being lazy and get out my other needles to start the bigger projects!

Well, since I have rediscovered this blog (thanks Ed Tech class), I will definitely be posting more often! This will be a great place to share my completed projects so I can control myself from showing my family and friends the gifts that I have made them!

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.

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.

Hellos and Welcomes

So I finally gave in to the blogging craze. I figure I might as well since I am really getting back into knitting and would love to share more of my experience than I put on Ravelry (which you should check out if you haven't already). After I set this all up, I will post some pictures and we will get started!