Another deadline …

AAahhhh!  As you may know, I have been a stay at home mom (with some work at home when my two jobs need me) for 7 1/2 years now and as IM will be starting full time school next year I will be able to look for a full time job.  However, this hinges on BR’s project finally finishing sometime in the Fall, for a Christmas release.  Whenever I find a great job I get so frustrated that I can’t apply until the Fall (and sometimes I make the mistake of applying because I get very overzealous and can’t take the job) that I almost can’t stand it!

Today there was an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about how the Silicon Valley is in a growth cycle, and there are lots of jobs, and then I find a very almost perfect job at Etsy that I am so frustrated I can’t apply for!  Of course it is based in Brooklyn, but they have a San Francisco office, and maybe they would let me do it there?

My perfect job would be in an Internet radio, music, podcasting or television company, but hey, I am a crafter and Etsy is right up my alley.  I cannot wait until Fall!

June 15 is approaching.

Yesterday when I was waiting to pick up my kids from school, OR’s teacher asked if I was knitting – now I have the self imposed pressure to make scarves for those three too, by June 15th! At least I pretty much have one done – Ella:

it looks kind of like a mauve, lacy uterus, doesn’t it?

I’m also hard at work on my 2nd scarf (I’d love to finish 6 by the deadline, but I’m doubtful):

it’s a drop stitch pattern that I’ve started and restarted 3 times already, but I think I’ve gotten it to a good neck size. I’m matching it to the size of the cravat in Last Minute Knitted Gifts – 20 inches long and 9 inches deep. We’ll see how it goes.

I also have my previous triangular shawl that I’ll start up again after school again and before C.Lo’s birthday. (You might remember her son A.Lo that I made a Cotton Ease sweater for last year.)

It’s going pretty well and I’m on my 2nd of 4 balls of Pachuco Organic Cotton.

Obviously I’ve been doing a lot of TV knitting, to start and restart scarves. I must have watched 10 hours of Law and Order:Criminal Intent this weekend, including a few starring our favorites Stephen Colbert and “Ben” from Lost.  It’s interesting to see them way back when.

I was very surprised to see that The Riches had their season finale with very little fanfare. Also, my TiVo had been great up until this one, but this time it cut off 10 minutes before the end. So it was somewhat anti-climactic.  The problem is that there wasn’t much of a climax to begin with, so I can easily wait one week to be able to tape it again.

I enjoyed The Shield last night, but can’t believe it’s already almost over! The new TV schedules are so confusing – with the half seasons like Lost and HBO shows, the summer seasons and the starting after other show seasons I can never tell when something is going to be on.  The good news is that even though the networks have just completed their official season and cable channels are finishing off their season (like The Riches, The Shield and The Sopranos), some channels are starting up soon.  I’m looking forward to watching more Loop (Fox) and Kathy Griffin’s Life on the D-List that start up very soon, not to mention The Closer and The 4400.  I won’t be relegated to crime show marathons for much longer.

We now interrupt your regularly scheduled marathon …

I meant to post yesterday, and the day before, etc., but it’s been too crazy to get pictures and get them posted, so I’m just going to write for now, and add the photos later.

This weekend has been a collection of crime show marathons (mostly Law and Order: Criminal Intent, but some Monk), and shawl/scarf knitting.

I kept screwing up the lace on Ella, for some reason, on my 2nd ball of Classic Elite Pima Alpaca, so I decided to just bind off. It is a good size for a triangular scarf, I think, but I will try to block it (I am not a blocking expert, so we’ll see how it goes) to see if it gets slightly bigger.

I have also been knitting my triangular wrap in Pachuco Organic Cotton. As I mentioned I was going to make 3 wraps (or 9 – yeah right!) for teacher gift. Meanwhile I met my friend in Palo Alto on Friday and she noted that she really liked the colors of the yarn. It is her 31st birthday at the end of June, so the timing would be right for me to give it to her for a birthday present, and I’d have 2 weeks past the end of school to work on it. I read that a good length for shawls is the wearer’s height, which would mean I would have to make it 6 feet long (you do the math!). I wonder if having 4 skeins of Organic Cotton would be enough? That is my current plan, especially as Ella is looking like it will be a triangular scarf, so I’d make 2 more similarly sized items for the other teachers.

Meanwhile, I collected some smaller sized patterns that I could work on for the teachers, including shawl patterns I would make smaller, and dishcloth patterns I would make bigger. This lead me to my disaster of yesterday. After I frogged it I realized it would have made a great blog photo – oops!

I cast on for Dave’s Garterlac dishcloth, and instead of getting 2 triangles and a square, I got a very interesting oddball shape, that was bound to be nowhere in the vicinity of a triangle or a square. I would have loved to be better in geometry … Where I got lost was in the beginning of the pattern where you’re told to “Pick up 8 stitches along the side of the previous row”. I guess I picked up stitches in the wrong place, because it was not turning into anything useful. I’ve never done entrelac or modular knitting before, so I guess I’ll have to find a tutorial before I attempt this pattern again.

Then last night I cast on for another scarf/wrap with the rest of the Classic Elite Pima Alpaca. I knit 4 or 5 rows then screwed up the lace pattern (lace is so frustrating!), and thought I may not end up with enough yarn anyway. So I just frogged it again, and cast on one-third the original stitches. I’m going to make three triangles and then sew them together for a larger wrap. Then I can stop anytime, and can use other yarn if need be. Have I mentioned before why I never finish any project? Sure, I lose the tools I need, like the needles I needed to kitchener the two socks I’ve completed, but I do spend a lot of time trying out new projects that don’t get off the ground. Carrie calls it “extended swatching” and I really like that idea.

So current WIPs include my two wraps/scarves, and the Palette sweater I have sitting in my car for when I run out of yarn in another project. I’d say more, but I’ve got 8 hours of LO:CI to watch!

P.S. Damn, I knew I shouldn’t have read Dave’s blog, now I’ve found another yarn to lust over!

Damn.

I’m currently addicted to triangle-shaped shawls. First I found this site that has recently had a contest to collect triangular shawl patterns. Now I’ve found so many that I want to make/buy the pattern of:

Caryl’s Kerchief

Landscape Shawl

Musings on the Poncho

Aunt Phebe’s Comfort Shawl

Victorian Shoulderette Shawl

Luna Moth Shawl (if only it weren’t started with provisional cast on which I hate)

Thrift Shop Shawl

Weaver’s Wool Mini Shawl (I even have this yarn, thanks to my SP9!)

Fan and Feather Triangular Shawl

Which Way Do We Go Shawl

eep! Now I need to buy this, with all the shawl pattern reading …

Isn’t this the coolest?

I don’t drink beer, but if I did, I would totally buy this:

I just may have to create a similar (or commission her to do so) soda cozy!

Oops … I did it again.

I was going to a birthday party this afternoon and I knew I couldn’t take Ella along with me, so I decided to cast on for yet another wrap. I think I’ve decided to make wraps (assuming I have time) for each of my kids’ teachers, which means a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 9 before June 15. We’ll see how it goes.

So I went through my stash, and found this Patagonia Organic Cotton yarn and figured it would make a nice not too hot wrap for one teacher. After about 3 or 4 iterations, I ended up with something much more plain than I would have liked, but it had to be easy to do while sitting at the park trying not to eat chips.

I’ve been doing a lot of TV knitting lately too, with all the season finales. So far the only one I was really impressed with was The Office, where Jim actually asked Pam out on a real date. Hallelujah!

I was very disappointed with ER, which literally gave me nightmares about Ray and his bus accident. And blaming Neela, honestly. I am a “liberal” but the war stuff is really over the top for me on this show. The poor soldier who had PTSD was almost as bad as Ray.

I’m not so sure how I feel about Grey’s Anatomy. I did have a revelation, however, that I can’t believe I actually cared in the past about Meredith and Derek, but then again I think that show is very different than the show that has evolved. It’s gotten to be almost ludicrous with the couplings and outrageous patients. But I was upset when Burke called off the wedding (no clue why, however), and wanted Alex to end up with Ava or at least Addison. Couldn’t everyone except Meredith and Izzy move down to L.A. with Addison? I like the spinoff cast 1000 times better than how Grey’s has become.

Coming up next and soon, Lost and the Sopranos. I think The Riches and The Shield are winding down too. It’s almost time for that summer schedule, like The Closer, which I really miss!

Re-energized.

I’ve done so well not buying yarn for, I don’t know, a month (? – I did buy myself one skein of Pastaza while I was buying yarn for my SP10 – does that count? If not, it’s been longer since I’ve bought myself yarn), but I am very tempted by this Scout yarn.

I’m not really making socks these days, except for finishing up the 4 pairs I’ve already started (I actually have put them farther back in the line behind my scarf and sweater WIPs actually), but isn’t that a gorgeous colorway? I’d prefer it to be red-based rather than pink-based, but it is right up there with a perfect colorway for me. Don’t worry, I’m just ogling it from afar, and am not really tempted to buy yarn right now. I’ve actually been really good at least starting projects lately with my stash.

As I mentioned I’ve turned the Pinwheel scarf for my kids’ Sensei into a sweater (assuming my geometry actually works), so last night I cast on for yet another project. I decided on Ella, and was going to use the Knit Picks Shine that I started my A Good Bias from IK with, but before I pulled down 3 plastic bins of yarn to find it, I found this Classic Elite Pima Alpaca that I got through De-Stash recently. When I first received it I wasn’t all that excited – I expected it to be more red, and it is actually more of a mauve color. It also looked really beat up so I felt like I couldn’t do much with it but leave it in my stash until I gave up and put it on Good Yarn Karma. Well, I’m glad I picked it up yesterday because even though there may actually be pet hair in it (I’m not sure, but it seems a bit less pristine than I would like), it is a really nice yarn. It’s predominately cotton, but the 20% or so of alpaca gives it a really soft feel and a shiny look. I’m hoping that it will make a much more versatile scarf for my sons’ Sensei.

I’ve never made a wrap before (okay, I have made four scarves in my life, and two ponchos), and this is fun so far, and I’m really enjoying making something from a pattern again. I’ve been winging it for so long that it’s nice to be able to follow a pattern and see where that pattern takes me. The only problem so far is whether I’ll actually have enough yarn to make it a good size. I have three skeins of the Pima Alpaca, which is probably one third or one half of the yardage that was used to make Ella originally, but I’m not planning on making it as big as the picture.

So as I said I’m back into pattern knitting, using up some stash, making a gift (which is always fun), and I’m even getting out my laptop for photos! Don’t you feel special?

P.S. Yes, I did “skein” the yarn before knitting – no tangles! There must be something wrong with me!

G*d Damn it!

So apparently CBS is going to cancel The Class. I have just emailed them about how upset I am to see it go (frankly, it is the only show I watch on CBS) and I don’t expect any response, but I had to do it. It was a really good show that didn’t get the publicity it deserved.

I guess I should be happy that NBC renewed Friday Night Lights (but is putting it on *Friday at 10 pm*! Like it’ll get any viewers then) and Dirt was renewed as well, and I am.  Those two and The Office are my top 3 shows, but that puts The Class at #4 in my list, so I’m going to miss it a lot!

I definitely have a love/hate relationship with TV and the television industry. (Which means, I’m upset, but please give me a cool job when I’m looking in the fall )

Still no pictures

Since I haven’t been working lately (it definitely all comes at the same time and then nothing) I am too lazy to set up my laptop so I can download from my digital camera, so hence no pictures of the many swap packages I’ve received and the knitting I’m still working furiously on.

I am timing out on the two swaps I’m still in, and then I hope to never join another non-Swap-bot swap.  I can’t believe I got yet another “you should know better” email from a swap hostess today.  I don’t get paid enough (ha ha) to feel bad about voluntary things that I’ve attempted to follow through with.

Suffice it to say that I’ve received some amazing swap packages lately.  My Knittyboard Spring Fling pal sent me some amazing stuff from Canada (I am a huge Canada-o-phile so I enjoyed it even more!), and I was introduced to my SP10 pal, Elizabeth, who sent me some gorgeous red yarn! I was also introduced to my PRGE Pal, Carissa, who sent me some red sock yarn and three books that should be very helpful!  You should check out her blog if only to see the tasty pictures of cupcakes that she offers. Delicious!

I have been working somewhat on my most recent sweater (April, I think), but mostly the pinwheel scarf that is slowly but surely being turned into a sweater. I hope.  I really need to employ Grumperina to make one of her fancy charts that show how a scarf is supposed to turn out and what part she is already done with.  However, this project has become essentially freeform knitting since I’m just testing out attempting to change a circle into a rectangle, with moderate success.  I completed the inner pinwheel while I was at the movies this weekend and am now slowly adding and moving stitches to hopefully create a rectangle that would become the back of this sweater to be.

This pinwheel scarf/sweater issue is exactly why I never get anything done when knitting. I f(*&* around knitting for days or weeks on something which doesn’t end up turning out so I have nothing to show for all my hard work.  I hope this isn’t the case this time, but I have my doubts.  Oh why can’t I just jump on whatever the latest pattern bandwagon is and make a sure thing?

Speaking of which, the kids’ school ends on June 15th and I still really want to make something nice for their Sensei (my Japanese exam is next Mokuyoobi  — eek!) I have been thinking about giving in and making her a Clapotis or a mini-Clapotis but first I have to pick some acceptable yarn.  So much gift knitting, so little time.

More honesty.

I am feeling overrun by WIPs. During WIP it Out I even frogged my oldest WIP and sent the remains to Susan, but since that time my group of projects has become huge. I blame, yet can’t entirely blame, the Sweater A Month KAL. I have been interested in sweaters this year, so I keep starting one per month, yet I am a slow knitter so knitting a sweater takes forever! I have yet to finish a sweater this year, and the year is almost halfway over. I currently have these projects actively OTN:

Bad Seed socks – 1 done

Mountain Colors socks – 1 done

red Regia socks, In the City socks, The Garden socks: cuff of sock 1

(January) Stash sweater
(February) Schachenmayr Micro sweater

(March) MicroSpun sweater
(April) Blackberry

(May) Palette sweater

So that makes, what, 5 sweaters and 5 socks OTN? Adding my wool scarf, which I think will end up becoming a sweater too, that makes 11 WIPs. I’m really scared to compare this list to my WIP it Out list – are there other things out there I don’t even know I’m “working” on? How many is too many WIPs, anyway?