A Little Yarn On The Side

Gaidig raised an interesting point yesterday--bigger needles don't always mean faster knitting.  Actually, I don't often knit with anything bigger than size 8s because the big needles feel uncomfortable.  Of course, there are still faster options than this: which is the project that got all the attention yesterday.  Does anyone think size 1 needles are the fastest knitting option?  I was actually planning on tackling some sweater WIPs because I have THREE sweaters really close to being finished--two of which I can even locate.  But, Monday I lifted some weights, walked in the pool for an hour, assembled the monster tree: had a turkey-rematch, vacuumed the stairs, and did lots of physical therapy exercises.  As you might have guessed, Tuesday was a bit painful, but my back did pretty well--or well enough for me to think another hour of walking in the pool yesterday would be a good idea.  So, whether or not the socks are fast or slow knitting, they...

So, no new "things" from my personal account this year, but I am allowing activities.  Last spring a friend invited me to meet her Great Discussions group.  I had never heard of the Great Discussions program, but it's this wonderful program put on by the Foreign Policy Association.  They send out books and a DVD, and the group meets once a week for 8 weeks (I think) and you read a chapter in the book, watch the DVD, then discuss that topic.  I got to join them last year for the last one, which was on global energy policy.  For a topic I had honestly never thought about, it was fascinating.  I just got the email about this year's group, and while I will need to buy my own booklet, I'm counting that more as an "activity fee" than a "thing."  Extra points for it being a totally nerdy activity, too.  :)

I am now just over 1000 yards away from tying my best yardage year ever , and 2000 yards away from that 20,000 mark that I've been chasing for years.  I see a lot of BIG needles in my future next month.........

Knowing that I am on a year-long buying ban and knowing that it could be very, very dangerous, I still couldn't help myself:  I had to look at the Cyber-Monday sales at Knit Picks to see if the yarn I had recently ordered to do ornaments next year was on sale.  Why, I don't know.  Torture?  Curiosity?  Tempting fate?  But for once the Knitting Gods were on my side.  NONE of the colors I had bought were on sale.  Ha! Ha! What I would have done if they were on sale is anyone's guess, but thankfully it didn't come to that.  I am feeling supremely smug anyway.

The Stashdown group on Ravelry is having a virtual "Black Sheep" retreat this week in honor of the holidays and going NOWHERE near a mall for the holiday weekend, and without officially signing up, I have pretty much been participating, thanks to a cold.  Yep, missed Thanksgiving for the second year in a row, but at least this year Andy got to join our friends for the festivities, so we're making progress.  And sleeping most of Thanksgiving Day really did help, as I now have only a slight cough and intermittent sore throat, and I think the nausea level has moved back to the general "I'm-taking-pain-pills" level, versus the "Get-out-of-my-way-if-you-know-what's-good-for-you" level, and never did get to the "please-just-let-me-die" levels of the new muscle relaxers a few weeks ago, so REALLY there is progress.  And, a sock for next year's Christmas gift bag is in progress, the cowl neck sweater is gaining the cowl neck, which ...

Sweater number EIGHT is done: which also counts as WIP number 6 for the year, AND it counts for "Blue Christmas" as well as "What Child is This?" in the Holiday Music Stash dash.  Dang, that feels productive--which is sort of amazing since 11 months to finish a toddler sweater is anything BUT productive.  I know I've been busy, but when it takes longer to produce the baby sweater than the actual baby, something is wrong. 

*  Wake up at 7:00 after a long Nyquil-induced night which you hoped would relieve the back pain from having thrown your back out the day before. *  Make your way to the bathroom, only to realize you are about to pass out. *  With as much grace and speed as one can muster with a sore back, get down to the floor before actually passing out. *  Realize now that you're on the floor, you can't get back up *  Have husband hand you 3 Advil tablets to see if you can numb the pain enough to get off the floor, which you now wish you had swept over the weekend. *  After a while and repeated examinations by both cats, realize it's rather hopeless.  Consider spending the entire day on the floor.  Wish part of the bathroom was carpeted. *  Admit defeat and allow husband to call for paramedics. *  Give the neighbors plenty to talk about as both an ambulance AND a fire truck pull up outside your house. *  Surrender any ...

Look!  A towel without holes!!!!!!!!!!!!  At first I did think that my card might be corrupted (again),because the design was leaving the stupidest number of "jump threads" possible: which are the threads you can see crisscrossing the design.  All those random threads were left by the machine "jumping" to another place to start doing the outline of the design.  It's been so long since I did this design that I didn't remember if it was like this to begin with, so I was worried until I pulled up the design in the software and discovered that, no, it really was just designed that badly.  Whew!  The cards are $200 IF one can find them, and my hip can't currently do a 4-hour round-trip drive to see the non-criminal Husqvarna dealer I finally found. And I am happy to report that there were no nightmares last night!  Thank heavens.  I can't decide what is freaking my subconscious out--a spending ban or buying more stuff.  Seemingly, it's bu...

Today is the 15th day of the buying-ban, which I thought I was handling pretty well--and awake, I seem to be.  Last night, though, I had another nightmare.  This time I was leaving Joann Fabrics having spent over $1,000.  Besides not having that much money in my personal account in the first place, I was seriously stressed about having blown it so badly--not to mention having to find space for everything.  The weird thing is, I would have thought I'd be stressed about the lack of buying things--not stressing over blowing it by buying things.  I guess I'm really determined to do this--even on the subconscious level.  I do wish, however, that I hadn't woken up before seeing what in the blazes I bought at Joann Fabrics for $1000!  I mean, really--how much fabric do you think that would be?  And if I'm going to keep having these sorts of nightmares, could I at least make it about cashmere or silk?

With less than 2 months left to go in the year, I have 5 sweaters and 7 WIPs left before completing those "12s."  So... a toddler sweater I started last December is the new favorite project.  I have one sleeve and the back done up to the raglan shaping.  The pattern doesn't say to do so, but I'm putting everything on holders as soon as I do the initial decrease for arms and will knit the whole thing in the round for the rest of the sweater.  Why would anyone sew raglan sweaters together?  Besides the fact that I am just lazy, the shaping never looks as neat when I sew it as when I just knit the whole thing together. Since they're fast and the least-complex part of the sweater, I'm about to cast on the second sleeve, so then I'll be so close to being finished that I (hopefully) won't even hesitate to cast on for the front.   Childish?  Yes.  Effective?  Sometimes.  Besides, if I get this thing done, I can also count it for "Blue...

Yesterday was my last physical therapy appointment, and tonight I'm sore and laying on the heating pad.  Yeah--anyone who didn't see that one coming?  In my defense, we had discussed a "plan of action" for my ongoing progress, and exercise REALLY is the key right now.  As my hip grows stronger, I'll have fewer and fewer problems.  The therapist, of course, was a big believer in "slow" progress, but try as I might, I just don't seem to grasp the concept.  I thought I WAS going slowly today. This may be a VERY long month...........

Last year I landed in the hospita l the Monday before Thanksgiving, which left me sulky, immobile and feeling sorry for myself just in time to get ambushed by Cyber-Monday sales.  No one on drugs of any sort should be confronted with tremendous deals on fabulous yarn in such a weakened state, and the results weren't pretty......though the yarn is.  NOT THIS YEAR!  Ha!  I'm ready!  Cyber-Monday, do your worst!  I am cheerfully deleting every email offering to sell me anything as I will not be spending money until November 1, 2013.   Ha! Of course, that probably means that I should put my credit card in the Witness Protection Program before next year's Cyber-Monday when I will be coming off a year-long personal spending ban and may be in a weakened state, but I will worry about that next year.  Bring it on, baby!

One of the sweaters I have been working on this year is Elizabeth Zimmermann's Epaulet Sweater   because I knew it had some unusual shaping,which intrigued me.  Well, the shaping part was intriguing.    Now it's been derailed because--and it pains me to say this because EZ is my knitting idol-- this is a really boring sweater.  GASP!  I know--I can't believe I have said this, but I am going to frog an Elizabeth Zimmermann project!!!! I thought it best to do it while I still have access to Valium.......I may need it.

There has been knitting!!!!!! The green sweater is progressing, and I have just finished the THIRD ball of fingering-weight yarn for it.   I have not yet looked up how many balls of yarn I'll use (I did when I ordered it--thank heavens), because I think at this stage it would just depress me.  But I love this sweater!  The pattern is interesting but not difficult (yet), and I'm still just immensely proud of myself for finally starting this sweater.  I just hope the feeling lasts for the next year, so I can get it finally finished.  For knitting-while-reading, I have another sock:  the beaded scarf got several more rows:  and the new sweater has a front AND back, and I'm doing the sleeve shaping already.  It's another cowl neck sweater because 1. I love that sweater and wear it a lot, 2. It's fast and I'd like some instant gratification, and 3. the pattern I intended to make with this ribbon stuff was designed for ribbon stu...

I think I speak for most people--  and cats-- when I say THANK HEAVENS THE ELECTION IS OVER!!!!!!  In their election night speeches, both Romney and President Obama called for a joining together and moving forward, but I am not too optimistic, largely because of this: Snopes articles about President Bush Snopes articles about Romney Snopes articles about President Obama Not counting anything listed as "half true" or anything except false, there were 9 untrue rumors circulating about Romney 17 untrue rumors about George W. Bush, even though he spent 8 years in office 85 untrue rumors about President Obama Not to imply that everyone who voted for Romney believed this junk or that everyone has to be a fan of Obama, but this taints us all--whatever we personally believe.  That level of hate that it takes to generate so many false stories and to circulate and believe them is just not going to go away or compromise.  Whether or not one likes a candidate, t...

Just as I was starting to enjoy NOT being flooded with election emails, the Black Friday ones begin.  Why yes, after the one day a year truly dedicated to stopping and appreciating everything in our lives, getting up at 4:00 AM to trample others to buy myself cheap electronics made by people in foreign countries who cannot possibly be earning a liveable wage and which I don't need REALLY is how I would like to kick-off the season of giving and good will toward all.  On what other day of the year can we completely trash the meaning of TWO holidays simultaneously?

*  When a knitter believes knitting is the best craft EVER, he or she doesn't then hate all other crafters for their personal preferences.  He or she might even ask the other crafter for a few lessons. *  Selfishness is not a virtue.  There are very few crafters (if any) who haven't made something for someone else as a gift, or answer questions from other crafters. *  "Compassion is not weakness and kindness is not socialism."  Making items for charity is highly popular in the crafting world and is seen for EXACTLY what it is:  kindness *  Most things can be fixed, but only through effort--not yelling. *  If something isn't working, try a different approach--don't just blame other crafters *  A bumper sticker or Tweet is not sufficient length to convey even the simplest crafting solution or idea *  Hanging onto anger won't fix anything, and can really mess up your gauge. *  Just because someone doesn't like the sa...

Remember when I could just pump out embroidered towels like they were nothing?  Well, today was not one of those days.  Needing four more towels and enjoying a day that didn't involve the heating pad, I dug out several towels from my stash, and almost thought my spending ban was in trouble.  The "reader" that copies designs onto cards that can then be inserted into my embroidery machine wasn't reading the card.  As everything else I have from Husqvarna has had issues, I was worried that the reader had now reached the end of it's life cycle (because while accessories are wildly expensive, Husqvarna generally carries pathetic 90-day warranties on them).  Again and again I tried, rebooting my computer twice.  I finally pulled the card out, carefully wiped it off, blew gently into the reader, and turned it upside down in case I missed any lint, and that finally got it to work.  Notice that at no time did it occur to me to contact Husqvarna to ask for ...

I'm not sure if it's a good or bad sign, but I woke up this morning seriously confused as I had dreamed that I had placed a MASSIVE yarn order, and I was worried about where to put it all.  As much as I love yarn, it was a relief to wake up and realize I wasn't about to be bombarded by yarn.  (I know--I can't believe I'm saying that either)  Obviously, the spending ban has permeated my subconscious, though I'm hoping the nightmares end soon.  Being attacked by large amounts of fabric would just seem too realistic given some of the issues in the sewing room......... I fell a bit short of the 4,000 yards needed for the Mad Halloween Dash , but I suppose 3,599 yards is a decent showing.  I think I might have made it if it hadn't been for the problems with the pain medications this week, no use crying over spilt wool.  I still ended October with: Skeins of yarn used:  11 Yards of yarn used:  1805 Yards of fabric used: 0 The Holiday Music Bask...