Jan
23
Writer’s block
Filed Under Writing | 4 Comments
If you’re wondering why my blog entries have suddenly become few and far between, (and I know there only about 6 of you out there who even care) I’ve got it. Writer’s block. Oh sure, I’ve thought about writing about many different things: the socks I just finished (again), the baby shower gifts I’m making, the new painting that has sat untouched on the easel (that I got for Christmas!) for at least 3 weeks, the ideas to start illustrating some of my dad’s stories to surprise him, even the internal battle that is going on concerning my martial arts training, but for some reason I just can’t make myself write about them.
Hell, it’s not like there isn’t plenty to talk about with the Presidential race and the failing economy, but if I can’t talk about it with friends, I am surely not going to share my opinions to the world. Politics, money and religion are off the table for sure.
I guess, for me, it’s really important that a blog be visually appealing as well as entertaining to read. I can’t tell you how many blogs I have stumbled right past because the picture at the top (or lack thereof), or the layout are unappealing. Often I don’t even read the title of the first post. As shallow as that seems, I know I’m not the only one. And as I watch my blog stats see saw with occasional days of a gillion and one hits from StumbleUpon users, I wonder how many of them are doing just what I do. I’d love to get stats on how many people actually stay and read for a while.
The point is, that I feel sort of like I NEED a picture in every post. And while some of the most frequently visited entries are imageless, I still can’t shake the notion that it has to be there. And lately, my picture taking skills are at an all time low. I’ve got at least 5 items to list on Etsy that always come out blurry in photos. And there is yet another topic. The tremor and the other permanent side effects of having Guillian-Barre. And how about the depression that arises from those symptoms?
This past weekend as I was very carefully trying to piece together quilt pieces so that they all had very neat 1/4 inch seams, I started to realize that if my hands being shakey isn’t bad enough, my machine tends to take my fabric and twist it counter-clockwise, so that guiding it through the feed dogs/foot is more of a tug-of-war match than sewing. So now I have the added burden of researching and finding a new sewing machine. Not that I really NEED one, but I think it’s probably time to move on from the $200 White that I’ve had for almost 9 years.
So, potentially, there is plenty to write about, but I guess the block is more about the writing itself. I need to sit down and make myself do it every morning again. Somehow that little bit of alone time has morphed into shipping packages, paying bills and other dreary, but necessary tasks. Somehow I need to recapture that 45 mintes to an hour for myself. And my readers.
(All two of you.)
Jan
16
Hop Skip Jump…
Filed Under Crafting, Quilting, Sewing | 3 Comments
I skipped out of work early yesterday with a bit of inspiration. Besides, I was feeling yucky. What is with the allergens in Austin?! And lookie what I got!! I’m not telling what it’s for just yet, I’m afraid I’ll jinx my idea. But I am so disgustingly pleased with the colors.
I’ve been going back and forth on this project for a while. First I thought red and white. Then I bought some lovely fallish colored fat quarters from JoAnn. (I got a great deal on them too, because they were packaged together and I had a 50% off coupon!) I suppose I’ll have to come up with another idea for those. Or I could just keep looking at them in the cute little tin they came in. C’mon, I know I’m not the only one who does that. Pet the stash. Love the stash. Never EVER use anything from the stash. Ok, really, I’ve been working on that last one, and I have actually been using stuff I bought ages ago in NEW projects. Gasp!
For you Austinites who haven’t been to the Honey Bee Quilt Store, buzz your butts over there and check it out! I could spend all day just browsing in there. And it’s one place Alexis actually likes to go. They have a really neat little toy corner that keeps her entertained long past when I’m ready to leave.
Jan
9
Monday I got 2 lbs of dried flower buds in the mail. TWO POUNDS. Do you have any idea how many flowers that is? Or how much volume it takes up? OK, not as much as I expected when I ordered them, but still, about 2 shoe-boxes.
I immediately whipped up these little sachets. Lavender. YUM. I also got Chamomile, another favorite, but doesn’t come close to my love affair with lavender. I suppose I’m going to have to come up with a lot more ideas for dried flowers.
Speaking of ideas, I got the best idea for storing all my knit picks needles – and yes, I just took the plunge and ordered some of the interchangeable circulars. I really dislike their cases though, and I have come up with what I think is going to be a great solution. I’ll show it to you when I’m done. (I know, I know, I’ve been promising the same thing about the sewing room for months now! Someday it will be either clean enough to show you, or I just won’t care that day).
And I got my new yarn for someone’s birthday present. I should take pictures, but that would ruin the surprise. I mean she already KNOWS I am making them, I’m not giving away the entire picture before I gift them. It’s not bad as far as cotton blends go. In fact, it really doesn’t have too much of that sticky cotton feel at all. I might’ve had to trash it if it did. Cuz knitting with that kind of yarn is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
I also figured out how to wind centerpull balls. Do I need to get a winder? Is it better than using your fingers? I know my thumb starts to go numb after a while, but no pain, no gain, right? At any rate, centerpull balls is SO much better than using balls or knitting straight from the skein. For one thing, they stay put. Um, well that’s pretty much the only advantage.
So, as usual, I’m way too busy. So busy that I’d like to just crawl back into bed. But I can’t, because I have to go to the dentist now.
Jan
3
Socks!
Filed Under Crafting, Geeking, Knitting | 4 Comments
I did it! I finished my first pair of socks. Well, my first adult sized pair. Two at once is definitely the way to go for big people socks. No second sock syndrome. It didn’t really even take me that long. Maybe a week or so?
Anyway, they are far from perfect. There are so many accidentally picked up stitches that I later had to “decrease out”, so the stitch rows are all a bit off. And the short row heel has a bit of a hole on one side on both socks. I guess I didn’t pick up enough stitches there? Still, I really like them. I’m wearing them right now, in fact. So soft and snuggly on my always cold feet. You can’t see it, but I finished them off with a pretty long 4×3 ribbing on the cuff (cuz I have an odd number of stitches foot size).
And check out the cute little tiny socks I made for a friends (upcoming) baby. I swear they are sooo teeny. I think I cast on a total of 20 stiches – on size 1 needles no less!! I based the size on Alexis’ newborn foot print, so I hope they aren’t too big for the new baby. I can’t stop playing with them. They’re only as long as my index finger (which is small to begin with). I love making them walk and dance. I know, I’m a giant dork. But they’re so cute!
For those of you interested in such things, the yarn is two balls of Knit Picks Felici Arugala and I used two circular needles (also from knit picks). I had plenty left over even after the baby booties.
And, like Susan, I’ve been sucked in once again. After much looking I found a single ball of Regia Cotton Surf 5410. Why does no one have that? I have looked EVERYWHERE, and you know where I finally found it? On Etsy, of course. I hope I don’t hate it. I’m not very fond of cotton yarns, but this one is mostly wool, so I’m hopeful.
Dec
20
I’m not sure what made me decide I wanted to try knitting two socks on two circular needles with two balls of yarn at the same time, but I am. Some sock demon has possessed me and demanded that it be so. 
Actually, once you get the hang of it, it’s not really that complicated. Even if there are about fifty ends of something dangling about at any given time. Chris keeps staring at me in awe. It’s nothing new that he is fascinated by “women work” (that would be sewing and knitting and crocheting, etc), but he keeps staring at me with this face that says, “I can’t even wrap my brain around that without getting tangled up in the two balls of yarn”.
One day while he was staring so intently, he sort of muttered, “It looks like you are knitting a bra”. Now, of course, every time I pick the socks up, Alexis wants me to hold them to my chest like some sort of homegrown Madonna tit-sling. Thanks dad.
I do have to admit, that I LOVE that I won’t have to start the second sock when the first is finished. I can’t tell you how many single socks I have. In fact, I’ve only ever finished 2 pairs. One for Alexis, and another for her teddy bear. You can see how focused I am.
I’m not sure what I’m going to do with these socks. They are so full of mistakes and the toes are too pointy, and it bugs me that they are fraternal (that would socks – oh never mind). When I started them, I was all like, “Hot damn! the pattern is starting in the same place for both center-pull balls”. Sigh, apparently there are two instances of each color in a repeat, so they are sort of staggered. Not that they look as bad as I always imagined fraternal socks would look, but still… The perfectionist in me is really trying to overwhelm the I-don’t-have-time-to-frog-this-and-start-over in me. I. will. not. let. it.