Aug
11
Life gets in the way…
Filed Under Knitting, Quilting, Sewing | 2 Comments
It’s been too long. As busy as we’ve been, I’ve barely found time to breathe, much less write. But I missed it. So, imagine my surprise when I tried to post two weeks ago and found out that my software was busted. My poor friend Bryan, I bugged him for at least a week straight. In the end, I figured it out myself, and here we are… albeit with a few glitches. I’m still not sure my spam filter plug-in is working correctly. But enough geek stuff… I’m not a geek, remember?
So instead, onto the dork stuff. I’m still plugging away at the butterfly dress. I really need to take new pictures of it, I’m actually almost done with the decreases, which means I’m getting closer to the bust, but it’s looking pretty damn short. I’m sure it will stretch lengthwise when blocked, right? Don’t answer that. I don’t really want to know. Tell you what though, that pattern is horribly written. They fail to mention about how to keep the correct number of stitches on the needles. With all the increasing a decreasing, you’d think they’d mention something like that… but no, there’s a chart, and it doesn’t even start in the right place. Anyway, it’s going better now, and I hope to finish it in the next 48 days. Before our cruise. Ahhhhh.
In other news, I threw these blocks together this weekend. I love them. And I love my linen board thingy, too. Quilt blocks just stick to it like magic. No more worrying about the dog stepping on carefully arranged blocks. Hopefully it’ll be a full fledged quilt top by bedtime tonight. I really need to start quilting it.
I’m having trouble getting anything done. The Olympics are taking waaaay too much attention. And the gymnastics coach/karate instructor in me is being overly critical. But that’s another post.
For now, it’s just good to be back.
Jun
24
Butterfly Beginnings
Filed Under Knitting | 3 Comments
I’m not feeling particularly wordy these days, but I have been knitting! I’ve started the hems of the Rowan butterfly dress. Of course, I never do anything by the instructions so I’m planning on knitting it in the round instead of flat. Someone just shoot me. I should be shot, don’t you think?
Anyway, it is going very well. At some point during the first layer of hem, about 5 stitches FELL OFF my needle, and I had no idea how to pick them up. I was so frustrated I even yelled at Chris and Alexis. Bad mommy. But since then, it’s going much better. I have the 8 row sequence just about memorized, and I’m more than half way there. I’m really really ready for the dress part, though, I’m sure after 35 repeats of that I’ll be bored as well.
May
30
Wow, I’ve been on a downer kick lately. But yesterday was good. Full of lots of surprises. First thing in the morning, step on the scale and see a weight I haven’t seen since I was nursing Alexis. Of course, then there was a reason for losing so much, and now I don’t know whether to worry or be grateful. I guess I just need stuff to worry about.
Work was pretty good in that I am about this | | close to being done with stuff about a week early.
Get home, fire up Quicken (which sucks for Mac BTW) and start paying bills. Yeah I know, what’s good about paying bills? Well, nothing usually. Usually it’s unbelievably depressing. You know, when you’ve paid all the bills and you have like $32 leftover? Ugh. But yesterday was a big milestone. Another credit card PAID OFF. Then, I went to check our utility bill. Remember when I said we had not turned on the A/C yet? Well we finally gave in and turned it on at the beginning of this month. I was expecting a huge electric bill. With the A/C on, and the pool running more, I was just sure it was going to be astronomical. But NO! It was LESS than last month. WTF? Doing all of this stuff really helps.
But then, there was one more surprise. In the mailbox. And this one is good.
See? I told you it was good. It’s a lace hand dye from Heritage Needlework on Etsy. 50% merino, 50% silk. I don’t know why I needed it, but I did. So now I’m searching for the perfect pattern for 1200ish yards of yummy, shimmery yarn. You know, because I have so much spare time.
And only one more happy note. Friends and I are ducking out of work to go to Alamo Drafthouse at lunch so we can see Sex and the City and drink at the same time.
May
22
I’ve got nothin’.
Zilch.
Zero.
Zip.
Nothing new to share. I tried to take pictures of the shawl I’m knitting, and of the now 3/4 quilted baby quilt, but the pictures are terrible. I’ve also been ignoring my Etsy shop. I haven’t made anything or listed anything in days weeks. I have a couple of Elefelts in pieces in the sewing room, but I think they might just stay there for a while.
I suppose a lot of it has to do with how draining work has been lately. I’m not even sure why, it’s just trying to meet deadlines, and I’m not really behind, but blah. I’m not upset about it or anything, just completely apathetic about everything lately.
On the other hand, I’ve had a horrible headache for several days. I’ve tried everything. Even exercise — see? you know I’m desperate. I swam 50 laps (about 5oo m) in our pool yesterday for the first time this season, and all I got were sore arms. I mean really painfully sore arms. Usually when I get sore it’s about 2 days before it sets in. Last night, laying on the floor watching TV, I thought my arms might just fall off. And my head hurt more. Go figure. I suppose I’ll have to swim again tonight, just to loosen up the arms.
I also downloaded some software that is supposed to help make writing stories/novels easier. I actually picked something to write about, too. But damn if I haven’t been stalling on writing it. I even organized the desktop on my computer this morning to avoid writing it. Sigh.
Maybe this weekend I’ll find some motivation to write or finish a project or something. But for now, has anyone seen my blankie? I wanna go back to bed.
May
1
Wow! Remember this yarn? Well here it is, all knit up into the CUTEST baby sweater. This is by far the quickest knit I’ve ever done. And I love, love, love it!
And I know I’m repeating myself, but the pattern is Baby Bolero in the book One Skein by Leigh Radford. You know, just in case you didn’t hear me the first time.
The night I cast on, I finished the bottom and both sides. I think the entire thing took me about 8 hours (4ish nights) to finish. It’s been done since Sunday, and I tried to post it on Tuesday, but iPhoto ate my pictures!
I did try to match the stripes, but for the most part, things worked themselves out nicely. And the little eyelet detail on the back is adorable. I wasn’t sure how that would work out as some of the ones I saw online kinda looked like a big hole in the back… But maybe that’s what happens when you put a baby inside it.
So now, I’ll just leave you with the eye candy/knitters porn.
