A Notion to Knit

631

that's how many unread blog feeds (not blogs, oops) I have on bloglines right now.  this is an improvement though, because i've had between 800-900 unread for the last 2 1/2 months.

anyway, here at A Notion to Knit, i've a notion to follow a list format today (cheesiness, huh)

1.  knitting still happens here.  lately the only knitting is on sockapaloooza socks because let's face it, as usual i've procrastinated (but this go around i will not be late!) and have 7 days until they ship off.

2.  the weather has been beautiful the past couple of days.  today was even 74 so kitties are in absolute heaven - as are kitty parents because it is unbelievable how sad they can get over needing to stay indoors even when it is self-imposed (due to rain, they know they don't like it out there).

3.  i've been re-evaluating a few personal life details that might welcome change at this point.  school, relationships, goals and such.  this might not be a term for school, for one thing - for me, that is.

4.  i need a vacation.  this may be a laugh (especially to readers who know me in real life) considering i don't have a 40 hour a week job, but sometimes a vacation from things at home is in order.  i'm thinking about going for a couple of week visit to texas again, hopefully this next month.

5.  my car is having problems.  she's older but i love her, i mean love her - she's an older volvo wagon and her body is pretty much flawless.  i'd wanted one of these for years before i found one in as good a shape as her.  anyway, it seems like maybe her transmission is about to go out.  [and yes, i realize i referred to her as her and she!  like i said, i'd been in search of her for years, so i'm very fond . .  even though she is a car]

6.  back to knitting, here at the end . . . i'm saddened (maybe discouraged is a better word) by all of my works in progress that need to be finished, especially with the weather turning nice and so many knitters working on summer knits.  several weeks ago i bought myself the pattern for green gable but i don't think i have yarn that fits this right now.

7.  last, i'm making a great trade with cari for a copy of socks, socks, socks! yay!  i need more sock books, i only have sensational knitted socks, which i just bought a few weeks ago.

sorry no pictures, which i think i promised but next post will be better and not so far apart as the last one.

30, yes, f***** 30!!!!!!

Yes, that WILL BE me as of 735pm Central Time (born 7:35pm Central time), because of  course, I'm holding on to 29 as LONG as possible.

So, I'm having lunch with my best friend, L.  And then dinner with DB, followed with dessert at a wonderful local place (whose name I have no idea how to spell but will share later).  I wish my Mom was here like last year, she's my dearest and most cutest friend, plus we just giggle & giggle like best friends.  Otherwise, I'm having many thoughts (which I know I don't normally get too personal here but I'll barely get there on this post) including: where I thought I'd be by 30, what I'd like to do SOON, the changes I'm aware of in my thinking and much more, I'm sure.  I just am so shocked about it ... some of it in ways that I can't really share blogging.  Just shocked that I made it here.  Huh.  It was fair to think I wouldn't make it to 30.  30!  Yay! and not.  Like I said, ultimately, huh. . . . . . . . . . .

***BTW, I feel 15 aside from adult decisions I make here & there, I fear when I make bigger ones, which I've been bidding to make for a few months now.  Guh!  Fear 

Gloomy Day

Well, there isn't any sunshine out right now.  But, on the bright side there were no puddles (only mud) around either, so I took some pictures outside.  Some of my kitty pictures came out good.  If one of my cats is walking around while I've got the camera in hand, like any good kitty mama I've got to snap pictures! . . . .

Candie's face isn't clear but this is why she rarely shows up in photos.  She is always moving about - moving, moving, moving.  I can't get over how her hair has changed color so much and it's gotten really long.  Most of what you see is hair, not her body, but it used to be so black like her face.

Okay, onto knitting.

Unbiased completed.  Now I can use this beautiful bag!  This pattern was very straightforward.  My only complaint would be the yarn.  While it is very beautiful, it caused my hands to cramp up and abandon it for periods of time.  That only got worse when doing the strap on smaller needles.  So, I don't know for sure that I'll do anything (at least not this big) using recycled silk yarn again.  -I put some yarn inside to try and give it more shape for this picture.  The bag is hanging on one of the cherry trees in our backyard.  I think the blooms look really pretty.

This is the Koigu Jaywalker in progress for my Sockapaloooza pal.  I'm still not sure about this.  I just started it late yesterday (the Embossed Leaves sock is also still on the needles while I decide) and  I think I mentioned worrying about it being small and anticipating problems.  But, now I think it seems big.  I'm surprised because I'm using US# 1 (smaller than normal for me) and I'm going by the smaller size.  Also, any thoughts on Jaywalker in this solid color?  I want my pal to like her socks, but I'm not sure that the Jaywalker shows up much in a solid.  Also in this picture, some special order Cherry Tree Hill worsted weight in Country Garden for a Mesh Shawl from Vogue International Knitting (I think Summer 05') for my Aunt.  And last, a new pedestal that I found at a thrift store.  I love this, it is so beautiful!

The rain has started again, so I need to check for kitties.   

One Less UFO

I finished Unbiased (even weaving in ends) minutes ago!  Tomorrow I will post a picture, hopefully outside in some sunlight.  I have also been working on my Sockapaloooza sock but not as much progress as I'd hoped for by now.  I had originally chosen Embossed Leaves from Interweave Knits but the cuff alone seems so big, even for me and my ankles are bigger than my pal's.  So I started a Jaywalker but am still doubting that (though I'm continuing on) - mainly because I recall several knitters talking about them being a tight fit.  I'm knitting it on a US #1 regardless of my problems with Waving Lace last fall, because the Jaywalker has more stitches so I think it might be okay.  We'll see.  Anyway, they have my attention!

School started this week so I didn't get around to posting as planned.  I'll do better this week. 

See you tomorrow.

*BTW, I'm particularly annoyed with the internet/my internet maybe, because the last few days there are numerous pages that will not open.  There are even a few blogs that I cannot get to if I try to go straight to the page, but a few of those will open if I go through Bloglines first.  I tried to link to Sockapaloooza above but my computer will not open The Blue Blog any way that I try.  Ughh, so frustrating!

Flashing the Stash

*BTW, this post looks much better on the blog than from Bloglines.  Just sayin.

I must say, while I know that many people have yarn stashes larger than mine, I am astonished to see mine all laid out.  I really had no idea.  And how could that be?  The fact that we're unable to walk through one area of our bedroom couldn't have been a clue to me.

Also, please disregard the horrid 70s-ness (nice word, eh?) that is our bedroom - the carpet and paneling.  Since we are renting, we just try to ignore it all.

Here we go . . .

This is most of the sock yarn.  I later found a few stray skeins but just added them to other pictures.

   

Layers of Cotton Ease.  There is one package of Licorice (black) missing.  There is also 10 or 12 skeins in Texas at my Mom's house. 

Shame - the Turquoise Disco yarn was free, I swear!  This basket is a particular example of one skein of this, one skein of that.  There is some Lion Brand Wool Ease and Microspun, Pakucho Organic Cotton, Sugar & Cream, Paton's Classic Merino Wool and Sock It To Me Collection Esprit.  The pink ball of yarn is Berroco Cotton Twist. 

The Noro Silk Garden is going to be a Clapotis for me and the brown Online mercerized cotton is probably going to be a Picovoli for me.  The purple yarn is Berroco Softwist.  Some of the other yarns are Berroco Zen and KFI Cashmerino.

Some Burly Spun, Lamb's Pride, Tahki Cotton Classic and Frog Tree Alpaca.

This picture brought up some yarn I didn't even remember I had, like the Melon Lana Stop Mohair.  There is also some Encore DK, Lion Brand Thick & Quick, Mission Falls Cotton, Frog Tree Alpaca, Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille and Cascade 220.

Some of these are Sugar N' Cream, Mission Falls Cotton and KnitPicks Shadow.

My Monchichis actually live in this basket with yarn so I thought I'd let them take part in the photo shoot.  Again, yarn I'd forgotten about - the cream colored KFI Cashmerino to the left.  I don't think there is much I can do with one skein of this, but I had to have the yarn!  The cream colored Berroco Cotton Twist on the top and right is going to be a Debbie Bliss Fiery Bolero for my Mom.

This doesn't really count, it's acrylic.  Nice reasoning, right?  I bought this when I first started knitting, to practice techniques on.

That's all for the bedroom.

Cascade 220 for the handwarmers.  Although this picture looks dark, this one without the flash showed the yarn truer to life than the others.  Frank(enstein) lives in the guest bedroom so it was only fair he pose!

Some Cascade 220, Koigu KPPM and Opal sock yarn.

So, this is my stash.  I missed a few things, but I really mean few.  I'm too lazy tired to go back upstairs to drag it out.  I hope this wasn't too bad.  I lost any ideas after the sock yarn, but really nothing could compare to Wendy's post anyway.  If you haven't seen it, you should really check it out.

I'm off to bed now.