The play's the thing...

Last night I went to see Shakespeare in the park. I haven't gone since I was in high school and went for a class project. I loved it! The group did Hamlet and it was so much fun. As always (with me) the first few lines were lost on me, but before long I understood everything easily. Its kind of like being in a room of people who are talking about technology. At first you can't really understand what they are saying, but you kind of get assimilated and pretty soon you are thinking to your self, "Crap! I actually understand what they are talking about."
Anyway, it was a good time. The play was three hours long and I was the only one out of my group who stayed for the whole thing. It made me remember how much I loved learning about Shakespeare and that time period and how accessible it is. Not that I am going to attend every ren-fair on the west coast, but I think I will pick up a copy of "The taming of the shrew" or "Henry the III" next time I am at the book store.

My projects are coming along, however I am struggling to finish my second red slipper sock. Because I had to rip it back quite a bit it is beginning to really get on my nerves. So I am putting it down for now. After all, it's 104 outside. I don't need it right now. I am sure I will pick it up soon anyway. I have season 2 of Dexter on its way to me as we speak and I will need some good easy knitting to do while I (obsessively) watch.

Frogging and football

I stayed up super late last night working on my second red slipper sock. I don't know what go into me, but I had this overwhelming desire to finish the sock all in one day. I worked it all the way to the beginning of the toe only to realize that I had picked up too many gusset stitches and, although I decreased the right number of stitches, I still had five extra on my needles (which was significant. I am using size 8 needles with worsted). Anyway, put down the needles and took a breath. Went to bed and this morning at the park, ripped it back (and actually felt pretty good about it.) I used to get so nervous when I had to rip something back for fear that I would not be able to get it back on the needles correctly. I would also be upset about all the knitting time i had wasted. Now I am just thankful that I can rip back four inches and a gusset, and get the yarn back on the needles with out frogging the whole thing. And this time I will do a better job.

I also picked this weeks teams for College Fantasy Football. This is my first year doing it and so far it is pretty fun. My friend Eddie is the biggest Fresno State Fan ever and he invited me to join this group. I can't wait to see how I did. I know nothing about football so it should be interesting. I did take into account point spreads and rankings, but the confidence points were really hard for me to judge. I get the concept, but I really just kind of tried to weigh the odds. I am sure all my picks I ranked high on confidence will loose and the ones that win will be in the single digits. It was still super fun.

Do swatches count?

Well, I have already broken my rule about not casting on any more projects until I finish the ones I have already started. I made a swatch for a pillow I want to make for my friend, Kat and after reading about log cabin knitting in Mason-Dixon knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne I had to start a blanket. I think it is going to be a cozy place for my cat to rest, because I want to use remnants of old balls of yarn and most of my remnants are cheap acrylic that I bought when I was learning to knit and didn't know any better. The colors are fun, but I can't think of one person I would like to torture. The cat will not care and the blanket will be easy to keep clean.

I have been looking on knit picks for yarn to use for my swap bag. I have an idea for a color scheme that I love, but I also have a dilemma. I don't know my swap partner yet and therefor, don't know her color likes and dislikes. However, if I order the yarn now I will have it when the swap starts and can get going on it right away. Actually, the real issue is that I want to make sure that the colors I have selected look as good together as I want them to. The color card is not available until Aug. 31, so that won't help. So, if I order them on the 1st and they get there on the 5th and I don't like them then I have to order more!!! Hum, what to do, what to do?

Best to wait.

Terrible images. The lighting was really bad.


Finished my second baby shrug and ended up putting almost the exact same flower on it (at the request of mom). It really turned out very cute. I think it will be one of my go to gifts for baby showers and such since it only takes a few days to make and it will get more oohs and aahs than a blanket. I have decided to order some yarn and make my self the big sack sweater from Stitch n' Bitch: A knitters handbook so that I will have something warm and cozy for winter. This will be my first adult sized sweater and I am really excited to start on it. I have decided to work it on circs. instead of straights to eliminate some of the dreaded sewing together. I am, however determined to finish up my slipper socks and get at least three quarters of the way done on my blanket before the swap starts. When I am finished with my swap bag, only then will I allow my self to start on the sack sweater. See, rules are good. I respond well to limits.

Oh, yes. All that needs to be done on the tree skirt is–for it to be frogged. I can't in good conscious waste precious knitting time on a lost cause. It's a shame, too. I started it in april, all excited and imagining giving it to my mom after decorating the tree. My down fall, I think was lack of experience making round objects combined with lack of pattern.

Recycled plastic bag bag is still in the works. I am collecting colorful plastic bags.

Work, work, work!!!

I am so excited to say that I am almost done applying to be a substitute teacher. I just have to get fingerprinted and voila! I am a sub. It feels really good to be (almost) working again and even better to have a job that will allow me to take care of my son when he is with me and substitute on the days he is with his dad. This wasn't as easy as it sounded, because his dad is a firefighter with a rotating schedule and every week he is with me different days and his dad different days. Also, he doesn't get picked up until 10am which is well after school starts which will further limit the days that I can work, but I don't care! I am finally able to start working for my baby and our future and I don't have to give up the precious time I have with him. And in a year he will start preschool (tears! I don't want him to grow up–but I do) and I will have more opportunities to sub. Anyway, it just feels good!

Going to pick up my sweet baby from his daddy this afternoon. I always look forward to him coming home. People always say, "well that's nice that you get a break," and I am sure if I didn't get the break I would need it, but I just miss him. It's only one night and I miss him.

Speaking of missing people, my sister, and (hopefully her BF) are going to Japan for a year in Jan and I am going to miss them so much. The good news is they are going in Jan and not Oct. as previously planned. Becca (sis) decided to go in Jan. because the friends of theirs who are there now are going to come home for Christmas and since Frank (BF) can't go in Oct. she would be all alone for Christmas. I am so happy that it worked out this way because it would have been a very lonely Christmas with out her. Last year was the first time she wasn't home for Christmas day, but she was there for Christmas Eve. I can handle not seeing her for a year, but not during the holidays! It would be too sad!
Here's a pic of uncle mike blowing out the candles on his birthday brownies. Happy 47th mike!

In other news...
I finished the second baby shrug and just need to block (both) and add embellishment on the lapel. I don't have very many ideas for embellishments as this is the first time I have done them. I usually like to let the yarn and patterns speak for themselves, but in this case the finished product needed a little something. I like the flower I added to the first one, but I was thinking about buttons or something on the second one. It's always fun to do something a little different and since I used the exact same yarn for the same pattern I could use a little variety at this point. Kind of like one sock syndrome but with baby sweaters.

My UFO's
Below tree skirt, slipper sock (need to cast on for second), baby blanket.

Super excited...

After knitting for a year and constantly searching for patterns on the Internet, I am almost embarrassed to say that yesterday was the first time I had ever heard of a knitalong or swap. In my defense I started knitting when my son turned 1 and have been knitting in my "free time" (which is nap time and for a couple of hours after he goes to be and before I fall asleep.) It is only now that I have had the kind of time to do anything else. So I guess that is my excuse for being uninformed.

Anyway, when I heard of the concept in Larissa and Martin John Brown's awesome book "knitalong" I was immediately interested and after a little searching, found the Big Bag KAL/Swap which I am totally excited to participate in.

I also can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with.

Reach out and knit something

So, I have created this blog in the hopes of making contact with all those other knitters rumored to be out there. My failed attempts to get my friends and family to knit with me have left me feeling a little alone in my obsession and who wants that?

I have been knitting for about a year and while my mom and sister knit (a little) I am craving a
more of a community. This is not so easily found as I live in a YLS free zone, 40 min away from the nearest stitch n' bitch and as I said my friends want nothing to do with yarn.

My latest project is a baby shrug from Debbie Bliss' "Simply Baby". I have made one already for my friend Ally's beautiful baby girl. I added a little I-cord flower on the lapel and I believe it to be adorable. I am in the process of knitting up another one at the request of my mom who wants to give it to a co-worker, and it is turning out even better due to the fact that I made a few mistakes on the first one (that actually added a nice touch to the FO, but made it hard to sew up at the end).

As for my other UFOs I am going to lits them here in an act of self preservation (if I put them out there for the world to see I might finish them some time before my two year old starts junior high).

Yellow and white baby blanket
Ugly tree skirt that was a good idea in theory, but may get frogged
Red slipper sock, one more to go and I am keeping this pair
Recycled plastic bag bag, sister will be leaving for Japan in Jan. Must finish!
I think that is it.