Last weekend was packed with field trips for nerdy adults. On Saturday, we converged on the 15th Annual Antique Science & Retro-Tech Show & Swap Meet. Although the convention itself was very small, everyone managed to find something they wanted. I bought the Forbes Handy Accident Reporting Kit, which was a set of rubber stamps depicting various vehicles, stop lights and people. According to the vendor, police used to use the stamps to recreate accidents on their reports. I could not turn up any information online except for a few Ebay sellers who said similar things. Not sure how long ago these kits were used, but it's a nice, slightly bothersome conversation piece. A old speculum was also on sale and after purchasing, I chased my friends around making duck-quacking noises. Apparently, I take any possible opportunity to behave like a juvenile.
Sunday was spent strolling around Gunter's Greenhouse viewing their shockingly large selection of orchids and hybrids. I created a photo set to show off just a few of the lovely flowers we saw. None have proper names attached because the handwritten labels on the plants were nearly illegible. I know the one pictured in this entry is a variant of a lady slipper because Michael took it home. I would have teased him for having a weak moment, if I wasn't seething with undisguised envy.
Knitting has taken a backseat to work responsibilities and will resume sometime this weekend. I have a wedding to attend and afterward, large blue male private parts to view.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Insomnia Much?
For the past two weeks, I have suffered an extreme case of insomnia due to a variety of reasons. Nothing has really helped, which is why I am wide awake at 3:00 AM, despite having worked all day. I am idiotically excited about attending my first Antique Science & Retro-Tech Show tomorrow and yet, sleep does not come. Missing the slide rule competition is not an option. To further fan the flames of nerdiness, a coworker organized a pie day. She brought in a breakfast pie filled with ham, egg and broccoli, covered in cheese. I cheated on my diet partially due to the amazing Pi Dish she used. It was also quite lovely to walk into the office and discover mathematical charts you would normally see in schools taped to people's doors. As if what we actually do for a living is not nerdy enough!
I have been absolutely dying to take photos of new projects, but sunlight has continued to be elusive. The temperature decided to drop exponentially and the rain continues to pelt my dead lawn. The one bit of cheer is the happiness that comes from stretching the knitted winter wardrobe out a little longer this year. Men in the office have commented on my fetching gloves and several have asked for a pair. This makes me giggle endlessly. I think I will secretly switch some of the presents to the dashing version in order for them to avoid mockery. Or maybe I won't.
I have been absolutely dying to take photos of new projects, but sunlight has continued to be elusive. The temperature decided to drop exponentially and the rain continues to pelt my dead lawn. The one bit of cheer is the happiness that comes from stretching the knitted winter wardrobe out a little longer this year. Men in the office have commented on my fetching gloves and several have asked for a pair. This makes me giggle endlessly. I think I will secretly switch some of the presents to the dashing version in order for them to avoid mockery. Or maybe I won't.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
For No Particular Reason
Since I am feeling all craptacular and stressy-like, I decided to turn to the blanket of doom for solace. After knitting a few more lumpy, misshapen "circles", I stepped back and felt slightly mollified when I realized this project is supposed to be very handmade-looking. And ultimately, what do I care? The throw is going to lurk on top of my bed, far away from prying, judgmental eyes. The Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride I have decided to sacrifice to the blankie gods better have at least six circles per skein. If the yarn ends up being a cheap date and only yields five circles, I will have to add another color. This is a good thing for clearing out yarn stash, but not optimal for my chosen palette. Maybe I instinctively chose brighter colors to satiate my need for some cheer. Or maybe, perhaps more accurately, it's simply bad taste.
Part of my dark mood is due to the obscene amount of money I am about to hand over to a service center for repairs on my car. Many months of pushing cash into my savings account are going to be undone in one transaction. The worst of it will not be over even then, because I also need new tires, shocks and an alignment. This car has been extremely reliable and I plan to keep it that way. I truly despise being an adult sometimes.
Part of my dark mood is due to the obscene amount of money I am about to hand over to a service center for repairs on my car. Many months of pushing cash into my savings account are going to be undone in one transaction. The worst of it will not be over even then, because I also need new tires, shocks and an alignment. This car has been extremely reliable and I plan to keep it that way. I truly despise being an adult sometimes.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
A Few Firsts
The yarn I have decided to post is my first experience in dyeing. It's not as wonderful or half as creative as that foxy minx Dee, but it was quite enjoyable. This occurred in the dye lab at yarn school (scroll down to see the picture of the angora bunny sticking out it's tongue!) and I have no idea if this was a success. I forgot to spray down part of the yarn before squirting the dye on top, so there are uneven patches and general oddness in this skein. One day, I will be brave enough to actually make something out of it to see what type of mistakes I made.
In my grand tradition of shutting out bad things by trying to replace with good, I have procrastinated horribly in my personal life. I sincerely apologize for the long wait for those people who want finished objects from me. Instead of completing the increasing queue of FOs, I decided to stash-bust by starting my first adult-sized blanket. Am I an idiot? Why yes. I believe I am. Friends and family are still patiently awaiting scarves, hats and socks. There is even a sweater involved! And what do I decide to do in my faltering attempt at wisdom? Knit a silly blanket that is full of child-like colors and heavy construction. After three and a half years, I still find myself telling others that the yarn tells me what to do. Of all the traits I have been accused of over the years, being submissive is not one of them. This is completely embarrassing.
Tomorrow, (I know what time I am writing this and it's not considered "tomorrow" until I wake up. At least, to me.) I will take photos of actual knitting projects to post at a later date. Of course, everything usually goes on Ravelry, but there is a scant amount of time that allows me to take photos to post each week. Usually, I am out for the weekend and this is the only time I have natural light available. If only the day job didn't interfere with my knitting...
In my grand tradition of shutting out bad things by trying to replace with good, I have procrastinated horribly in my personal life. I sincerely apologize for the long wait for those people who want finished objects from me. Instead of completing the increasing queue of FOs, I decided to stash-bust by starting my first adult-sized blanket. Am I an idiot? Why yes. I believe I am. Friends and family are still patiently awaiting scarves, hats and socks. There is even a sweater involved! And what do I decide to do in my faltering attempt at wisdom? Knit a silly blanket that is full of child-like colors and heavy construction. After three and a half years, I still find myself telling others that the yarn tells me what to do. Of all the traits I have been accused of over the years, being submissive is not one of them. This is completely embarrassing.
Tomorrow, (I know what time I am writing this and it's not considered "tomorrow" until I wake up. At least, to me.) I will take photos of actual knitting projects to post at a later date. Of course, everything usually goes on Ravelry, but there is a scant amount of time that allows me to take photos to post each week. Usually, I am out for the weekend and this is the only time I have natural light available. If only the day job didn't interfere with my knitting...
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Disasters in Knitting
After knitting almost daily for several years, I have become cocky and overconfident. The most recent trials have successfully put me in my place! Not only is the Durrow sweater giving me a run for my money, but my roommate's Gretel beret is now no more. I foolishly screwed up the sizing and tried to "fix" this by felting slightly. Huge mistake! I have done this in the past, but luck was truly not on my side. This pattern will be worked in a different yarn and gauge. Sometimes, the yarn is simply cursed and throwing the project in the trash is incredibly liberating.
Speaking of cursed yarn, I have a bad report on Plymouth Boku. I received this yarn as part of my birthday present and was determined to immediately de-stash it by making a simple scarf. The colors are absolutely gorgeous and the silk gives the yarn a more rustic look. I have often picked up a skein in the store, wondering if it would look similar to the love of my life, Noro Silk Garden. The Noro yarn has a much higher silk content, which gives the yarn some strength. Unfortunately, Boku is very weak and cannot withstand the normal wear and tear that comes with knitting. The yarn has broken seven times in 50 yards and I found four knots in one of the skeins. I have had trouble with other yarns in the past, but never to this extent. I know single-ply yarns are generally weaker, because they have very little twist. This project has been unusually trying on my patience and I am happy to say that my exercise in gingerly knitting is almost at an end. The scarf looks beautiful and I can call this near-disaster a triumph in the end.
In order to de-stash my ridiculous amount of single-skeins, I have decided to start working on the Poffertjes blanket. The process knitter inside of me is yearning to play with color and the lazy knitter in me wants a mindless project to occupy time while watching Lost. I have wanted a colorful blanket for my bedroom for quite some time and this pattern looks perfect! I can knit individual pieces to my heart's content and lay them out later to create just the right visual effect. It may end up looking like poop in the end, but that's half the fun.
What's better than anything? Receiving yarn from someone I love to stalk! The yarn pictured in this blog entry will make a killer set of fingerless gloves.
Speaking of cursed yarn, I have a bad report on Plymouth Boku. I received this yarn as part of my birthday present and was determined to immediately de-stash it by making a simple scarf. The colors are absolutely gorgeous and the silk gives the yarn a more rustic look. I have often picked up a skein in the store, wondering if it would look similar to the love of my life, Noro Silk Garden. The Noro yarn has a much higher silk content, which gives the yarn some strength. Unfortunately, Boku is very weak and cannot withstand the normal wear and tear that comes with knitting. The yarn has broken seven times in 50 yards and I found four knots in one of the skeins. I have had trouble with other yarns in the past, but never to this extent. I know single-ply yarns are generally weaker, because they have very little twist. This project has been unusually trying on my patience and I am happy to say that my exercise in gingerly knitting is almost at an end. The scarf looks beautiful and I can call this near-disaster a triumph in the end.
In order to de-stash my ridiculous amount of single-skeins, I have decided to start working on the Poffertjes blanket. The process knitter inside of me is yearning to play with color and the lazy knitter in me wants a mindless project to occupy time while watching Lost. I have wanted a colorful blanket for my bedroom for quite some time and this pattern looks perfect! I can knit individual pieces to my heart's content and lay them out later to create just the right visual effect. It may end up looking like poop in the end, but that's half the fun.
What's better than anything? Receiving yarn from someone I love to stalk! The yarn pictured in this blog entry will make a killer set of fingerless gloves.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Exceeding the Life Expectancy
After the initial jolt from the yarn influx last month, my boyfriend found a huge sale at a local fabric store near his home. Since he is a craft-friendly sort, he walked out with a bag of ten skeins of Plymouth Suri Alpaca. There are five balls of two different shades of gray which cost less than $20. Despite my ridiculous need to not accrue any more fiber, I asked him to go back to see if there was anything nice left over. He found a slew of bamboo needles and ten more skeins of Plymouth Royal Llama Silk in mauve. I am quite set for many years to come and hope I can actually begin to de-stash some of the newcomers (and old standbys) lurking in my closet.
The fiber pictured here is some loveliness that Del and Andy brought on my birthday. There is no gauge, suggested needle size or yardage. Online searches drew a blank, so my best bet is to visit the LYS where it was purchased and ask probing questions. Oh, and attempt to refrain from buying more yarn.
The fiber pictured here is some loveliness that Del and Andy brought on my birthday. There is no gauge, suggested needle size or yardage. Online searches drew a blank, so my best bet is to visit the LYS where it was purchased and ask probing questions. Oh, and attempt to refrain from buying more yarn.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Yarny Days!
My birthday this year was more than a little shocking. For the first time, my friends decided to give me copious amounts of yarn. Part of me is giddy and the other part is, well, horrified. I probably have close to 8,000 more yards of yarn to knit up. See the conundrum? My birthday yielded a batch of new pretties that will serve to confound me over the coming years. The next few posts will contain photos of more delicious acquisitions since I usually only put up one picture at a time. My non-knitting friends did so well with their choices that I suspect devilry is afoot.
Dee shocked me with a baker's dozen of her beautifully hand-dyed yarn. The woman is gifted and she is mine! I officially marked my territory and everything, so all others (except Amy) can back off. I dimly recall flashbulbs going off when I opened the doughnut box and saw the fiber it contained. I believe a tear came to my eye, but only the camera knows for sure. The other yarn will be posted here within the next month, with equal respect. Thank you all for doing this because it was completely unexpected and I was just happy to spend time with you. Now I am going to roll around in the fibery goodness and maybe, just maybe, knit something with it.
Dee shocked me with a baker's dozen of her beautifully hand-dyed yarn. The woman is gifted and she is mine! I officially marked my territory and everything, so all others (except Amy) can back off. I dimly recall flashbulbs going off when I opened the doughnut box and saw the fiber it contained. I believe a tear came to my eye, but only the camera knows for sure. The other yarn will be posted here within the next month, with equal respect. Thank you all for doing this because it was completely unexpected and I was just happy to spend time with you. Now I am going to roll around in the fibery goodness and maybe, just maybe, knit something with it.
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