Yarnaholic

Since it hasn’t been till more recent times that I got serious about knitting and crocheting, my stash hasn’t had as much time to grow, but let me tell ya! It’s definitely apparent that I am a yarnaholic. I’m also a slightly ADD yarnaholic in that I like to start projects, flit from one to the other and back again, and leave partially completed projects lying around hiding under piles of yarn.

So, here are the stash stats:

• 21 balls of yarn de-cluttered
• 59 different yarns in my stash (types and colors – does not include multiples of the same yarn and color)
• 92 total balls of yarn (this includes leftover partial balls)
• 6 projects re-discovered (actually more, but I’m not counting the ones I’m ripping out).

Here are the project stats (not all were buried – I’m pulling this off Ravelry)

• 12 hibernating projects (ie: haven’t been touched in months, possibly years)
• 7 current projects (ie: have been knit on within the last month, or being picked up again)

The sad thing is that I’ve got a couple projects that I could easily finish in a day or two with where I’m at, including the very first knit project I started once I re-learned how to knit at my Santa Barbara knit group. It’s just a basic 2×2 rib scarf – I can’t believe I never finished it! I could certainly use it now, that’s for sure.

I rediscovered yarns I forgot I had, so I’m glad that I can put pictures up on Ravelry so I don’t forget in the future. Based on the numbers above, I’ve got about 55 pictures to upload to Ravelry between my stash and old projects. Yikes!

Now to finish getting the yarn all packed up again – whew!

 

Lots of Knitting

At the moment the priorities in my life are God, Nathan, family, friends, music, knitting, other stuff. Knitting has been keeping me sane in the crazy busy-ness of life right now. One advantage to my long commute to school is that the 40 min leg of the trip on BART is prime time for working on knitting projects. I bring a project with me pretty much everywhere I go and I’ve been able to get a lot done. I’ve really surprised myself because I’ve managed to make huge progress on my Holiday gifts. I’ve only got one and a half things left to go!

On top of that, knitting is starting to bring in extra income. I’m working on a custom pair of gloves for a woman who came into K2TOG looking for someone she could hire. My boss referred her to me and she wants two pairs at a price that’s worth it for me. And I’ve had two people request that I make them knit items that they would pay me for.

I’m considering putting some effort into selling my knitting, maybe opening an Etsy store or something. I’m gonna see how things go with the glove thing and maybe put some extra effort into things once Christmas break starts.

Most of my knitting is up on Ravelry, but here are a few highlights of what I’ve been doing:

Easy Flame Lace Scarf – Malabrigo Laceweight (Pattern from Knit & Tonic)

Dashing – Cascade Venezia (Pattern from Knitty.com) For Nathan

(The first one is actually completed, but I don’t have an updated picture yet)

Two-Ball Touch Me Hat – Meunch Touch Me Due

Felted Bowl – Crystal Palace Taos – Christmas Gift

(Before Felting – It’s been felted and is currently drying)

Lastly, I have to gush about Ravelry. I absolutely LOOOOOVE this site! I’ve got all my current in-progress and all my new projects listed. I did an inventory of my needles, and I’ve been keeping track of my knitting books and stash. It’s so helpful for finding patterns and people’s notes and experiences with particular patterns. It’s one of my favorite websites now. Here’s evidence of myRavelry love (and my birthday presents from my family as a little extra).

 

So, things are a little busy…

….if you can’t tell by the lack of posting. I am VERY happy to have a regular schedule now, though. I was about to go off the deep end if things didn’t settle down into some form of a schedule. One thing I learned, or at least was reinforced, is that I am most definitely a planner. If I don’t have at least some sort of routine, I go bonkers trying to figure out how and when to get things done…so much that it pretty much renders me useless and totally ineffective at getting anything done.

Anyway, I have no idea how long this post will be. Hopefully I will finish all my thoughts, but I wanted to at least post *something* of what’s going on in life at the moment.

While my schedule is pretty demanding and I have to really stay on my toes, I am LOVING being in school fulltime again! The faculty here are amazing. I don’t have a single teacher I don’t like. Even the classes that I’m technically re-taking (theory, musicianship and piano), I am learning so much more than I did the first time around, and I can tell that I’m internalizing it a lot better.

I’m also discovering new and exciting things about my voice. My voice teacher told me I have a big ol’ Cadillac of a voice that I’m driving like a Civic. I’ve usually thought of my voice as being lighter, airy, and more ethereal in it’s sound. But as she was having me go through some exercises to get a feel for my voice, she told me it sounds “rich and chocolatey”. For anyone familiar with the different types of Opera voices, she described me as a lyric soprano. This was all news to me!! But I am SO excited to see where things go. Even in the two lessons I’ve had, I can tell that my voice has more depth to it than I ever realized.

In my fiber world, I finally got an invite to Ravelry, so I’ve been uploading some of my info slowly but surely. I need to get picture sof my projects up, but I have to transfer them to Flickr first for that to work.

I’ll update more as soon as I get a chance

 

I CANNOT WAIT!

I want in on the Ravelry, but I’m #1912, so I got another two weeks or so to go before I can finally get in to the site I keep hearing so much about!

*impatiently waits*

Ok, so it’s been a while since I’ve updated. Things have been BIZZAY and I really need to update our joint blog. But I’m here so I’m updating this one first. You lucky readers you

Things have been kinda nuts and up in the air, but overall really good. We got moved in with the help of Ryan and his neighbor (they got it done FAST!) and we’re getting settled in now. It’s been pretty laid back since I’m working part-time and don’t really have a set schedule yet, and Nathan is in the process of job searching.

Speaking of jobs….I’m working at a yarn shop! It’s the perfect job for me at this point in life. I don’t feel overwhelmed with details, my boss, Ellen, is great, and I LOVE the atmosphere of the store better than the other local stores. She’s also keeping her store as environmentally friendly as possible, with local and/or “green” yarns. AND, she’s really made an effort to have affordable, quality yarns, so I have a lot of choices to pick from even if I’ve only got a little bit of fun money!

This month, I’m essentially getting her online store up and running, and once that’s up (by September 1), I’ll be doing order fulfillment. So if you want to order any Crystal Palace yarns or needles, order them from k2tog and I’ll get to pick them up from the warehouse, package them up, and send them to you! I am so excited about seeing the warehouse! I’ll be in heaven!

As far as projects are concerned, I’m still working on Wicked. I only have two more rows till I take off the sleeves and continue with the body. I am sorta surprised that I’m actually sticking with this project. Normally I get bored and end up putting it aside. I think the colder weather up here is motivating me!

I did start another project, though. I’m working on an Irish Hiking Scarf in Cascade Venezia (super soft merino & silk blend) in a deep purple color. It’s going to be a store display for September and then I’ll be wearing it all winter, haha.

On the home front, since I’ve had more free time than I’ve had in, well…. forever, I did some baking yesterday! I made whole-wheat/semolina rolls and corn bread muffins. YUM! We were out of bread, but I had the stuff to make it, so I did. Although, I have to admit, I screwed up my first attempt at bread-baking here. In our old apartment, I could turn the oven on and let the dough rise on to of it. Well, that doesn’t work for this oven!! The dough started BAKING in the bowl since the oven was releasing so much hot air. I don’t know if the stove is slightly defective or what, because I’ve never had the top of an oven get so hot like that. I mean, the bottom of the dough was actually turning golden brown! Unfortunately it wasn’t edible so it got tossed *sigh* The next day, the muffins got made first, since those don’t have to rise. Then I just turned the oven on warm and it was perfect.

Well, I gotta go. Time to get ready for work!

 

Current Projects

I haven’t had much free computer time lately, but I have a few projects to share!

I finished the Fetching gloves and I LOVE them!! They are gonna be so handy in the Bay Area. I don’t have pics of both, but they basically look like the other picture

The Malabrigo Clapotis is still in progress, as is a new (and bigger) Clapotis using a mercerized cotton that I got at BB’s Knits sale just before she closed. I thought it would be cool to see how it looks in the shiny cotton, and it will be nice as a light cover-up for mildly cold days. I’ll take a picture once I get at least one of the dropped rows so I know that I like how it looks.

Lastly, I started Wicked last week in the light blue Cottonease and it’s been FUN. I’m already at 5.5 inches – about 25 more rows till I put the sleeves on hold. I have a feeling that top-down sweaters may be what my brain needs to stay focused on a larger project. I’m planning on doing 3/4 sleeves, although I have enough yarn to do full-length if I change my mind. I can’t wait to see how it looks! This is definitely my favorite sweater I’ve started so far (hopefully one I’ll actually finish).

I do really like the Rebecca lace sweater that’s basically on hold (I pick it back up every once in a while), but I need something that works up faster at this point in my knitting life.

That’s all for the knitting at the moment. I do have a non-yarn project I am just about done with. I’ll have to post pics of that later.

 

An FO, a UFO, and a haircut

I officially love Fetching! As I was working this pattern, I realized that working on DPNs is my favorite way to knit. I definitely need to learn how to knit socks.

In the meantime, I learned the cable cast-on, how to make a thumb (using waste yarn, pulling it out, then picking up stitches), and do a knit picot bind-off with this pattern.

AND, this is a feat for me. I finished it in TWO DAYS! I started it at our WWKIP (World Wide Knit in Public) Day event and finished it last night (and not late either). I worked on it while I was chatting with ladies at my church’s 3rd Annual Ladies Spa Day so I got a good chunk done there.

I still need to work in the ends, but it’s basically finished. I also made sure to start the next one right away so I (hopefully) don’t get catch “second-sock syndrome” (a knitters “illness” in which the second item in a pair is not made, or delayed, because the knitter loses interest in the pattern). We’ll see how successful I am, considering the number of UFOs I’ve got stashed away. People, I am sick. SICK!

Speaking of UFOs….here is the Clapotis. Horribly neglected for the past few days, but still in my WIP (Work in Progress) bag.

I love this pattern, and I love this yarn. It’s such a beautiful color and texture. I think it will be my favorite scarf for the winter in San Francisco.

I think it’s kinda weird that I’ve been so interested in knitting cold-weather items. Perhaps I’m subconsciously preparing myself for the colder climate in SF (sheesh, I’m talking like we’re moving to Wyoming or something, ha!), and using this as my therapy. All I know is that I’m going with it!

Hopefully I’ll finish that tank top sometime before summer ends so I can actually wear it. Or maybe I’ll end up working on it in the winter so I can feel closer to summer. I am so weird.

Lastly, going back to my Ladies Spa Day reference, I got my hair cut! I also got my eyebrows a bit more under control, thanks to the wonderful women at my church. For the past three years we’ve done a spa day where brunch and various treatments are available to the women and guests for FREE! It’s an awesome opportunity to spend time together and fellowship as women and be pampered. A number of women in our church are skilled in various areas, so it makes for a fun day.

This is kind of a weird picture – it’s at a funny angle, but I was having a hard time getting Nathan or I to get a good picture. Most of you who read this will see it in person soon enough anyway!

By the way, if you look closely, you can see that my shoulders got a bit burnt at WWKIP. I wasn’t expecting to stay as long as I did, and I paid for it – I really need to find my sunscreen!

PS: I forgot to mention the cool new sidebar gadget. I discovered My VisualDNA through Tracy and Chauntel’s blogs. And I liked it so much that I personalized it and put it up here. It’s pretty accurate in describing me if you go to the website and view the details of each “label”. I don’t know where you gals find this stuff.

 

Knitting to-do list

I picked this up off Suzanne’s blog and thought it’d be fun to see.

Bold for stuff you’ve done,
Italics for stuff you plan to do one day (or will maybe do in my case),
and
Normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter Stitch
Knitting with Metal Wire
Shawl
Stockinette Stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with Camel Yarn
Mittens: cuff-up
Mittens: tip-down
Hat (in progress)
Knitting with Silk
Moebius Band Knitting (I have no idea what this is)
Participating in a KAL
Sweater (in progress)
Drop Stitch Patterns (in progress)
Knitting with Recycled / Second Hand Yarn
Slip Stitch Patterns
Knitting with Bamboo Yarn
Two End Knitting (I’ve never heard of this either)
Charity Knitting
Knitting with Soy Yarn
Cardigan
Toy/Doll Clothing
Knitting with Circular Needles
Baby Items
Knitting with Your Own Handspun Yarn
Slippers
Graffitti Knitting (Another never heard of)
Designing Knitted Garments (In progress)
Cable Stitch Patterns
Lace Patterns
Publishing a Knitting Book (One can dream)
Scarf
Teaching a Child to Knit
American/English Knitting
Knitting to Make Money
Button Holes
Knitting with Alpaca
Fair Isle Knitting
Norwegian Knitting
Dying with Plant Colours
Knitting Items for a Wedding
Household Items (Dishcloths, Washcloths, Tea Cosies…)
Knitting Socks (or other small tubular items) on Two Circulars
Olympic Knitting (huh?)
Knitting with Someone Else’s Handspun Yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday Related Knitting
Teaching a Male How To Knit (I will convince Nathan someday!)
Bobbles
Knitting for a Living (I’d rather make music for a living)
Knitting with Cotton
Knitting Smocking (I think I know what this is and I have no clue whether I’ll do it)
Dying Yarn
Steeks
Knitting Art
Knitting Two Socks (or other small tubular items) on Two Circulars Simultaneously
Fulling/Felting
Knitting With Wool
Textured Knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/Bags
Knitting with Beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting
Machine Knitting
Knitting with SelfPatterning/SelfStriping/Variegating Yarn
Stuffed Toys
Knitting with Cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with Synthetic Yarn
Writing a Pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with Linen
Knitting for Preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform Knitting
Short Rows
Cuffs/Fingerless Mitts/ArmWarmers
Pillows
Knitting a Pattern from an On-Line Knitting Magazine
Rug
Knitting on a Loom
Thrummed Knitting (Again, no clue)
Knitting a Gift
Knitting for Pets
Shrug/Bolero/Poncho
Knitting with Dog/Cat Hair
Hair Accessories
Knitting in Public

 

Crackyarn, Clapotis, and the Kiss

Evidence of my newfound addiction. I saw the update on K&P’s blog yesterday, stopped by after picking up Nathan from work and bought a hank, once I got home, I cast-on for a skinny Clapotis.

PS: It is actually “Indigo”

I’ve also had some other projects going on lately. This is a puzzle version of The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. We bought it over a year ago (maybe even two years now) and never got started on it. This is what we’ve gotten done in the last week (and we weren’t watching TV or movies all last week). IT IS RIDICULOUSLY HARD. I didn’t think it would be this difficult. I’ve been working on it on my lunch breaks and we’ve both been working on it in the evenings.

It’s 1000 pieces (there are actually some in a box off to the side, so that isn’t even all of them) and 26×17 inches.

This is the Home Resource Binder I recently put together. A reference guide to our family, if you will.

Notice the lovely decorations instead of the Ugly Black Bar. Hee.

 

CRACK!!!!

Yes, that is right folks, I am now the proud owner of my first hank of what is affectionately known as “Crack Yarn” around these parts. I got a pretty purpley-blue kettle-dyed color (I think it’s Marine, but I’ll have to check later) from Knit & Pearl for $12.50.

Julie wound it into a ball for me using the ball winder and swift, and Nathan was positively fascinated. He turns to me and says “Why don’t you get one of those?” [referring to the swift and ball-winder]*faint* I love this man!!

Julie then says “Do you have an anniversary or birthday coming up soon?” Why YES I DO! Ha! Anniversary in three months, birthday in four. Oh yeeeeaaaahh. Maybe I will end up with my own swift and ball-winder (or at least the winder). That would be awesome.

So later after my small group at Starbucks in Goleta, I called Chauntel to get suggestions for what to make with it. After stalking her at Kmart (hee), she suggested the currently popular chevron scarf. Very good idea. But then I got home and realized that I’ve been wanting to make a Clapotis, and what better yarn to use? (I’ll still make a chevron, though. It’s such a fun design)

I think I’m going to try to make a “skinny” Clapotis. We’ll see how well that works. I’ve already cast on for it, so if I need to buy another hank to finish it, well, I suppose I’ll just have to do that then won’t I! hehehehehe….

(I’ll take pictures and post later).

Oh, and speaking of crack, Nathan is teaching me how to play Counter-Crack…I mean…Counter-Strike. I am getting my badass self ON! At the end of our late-night terrorist adventures, I’d been killed about, oh…20 times, after making a measly 2 kills. Hopefully I’ll get better once I start playing before 11:30pm without Aunt Flo pestering me.

I am stealing the DomiKnitrix’s name for my CS alias cause Nathan agreed that it was awesome. We’ll see how long this lasts. If I get frustrated (or Nathan gets frustrated with me commandeering the computer, hehe), then I’ve always got my crack yarn.

 

So many happenings!

I feel like all my posts lately have been “updates”. This one is a long time coming (I can’t tell you how many posts I’ve started over the last couple weeks, but then not managed to finish and get posted).

There’s so much going on, I’m finding it hard to limit what I say without getting overwhelmed by all the details. I’ll try to make this short (HA! Who am I kidding?!).

School

I finally got my official Acceptance Letter from SF State (after a Notice of Denial scare a couple weeks ago…). Technically I am “Conditionally Accepted”, but they just need to get my final transcript for my current classes at SBCC (which I just took care of last night). *whew*

I had issues (big surprise) with the math placement test….they never got my registration form (I suspect it got lost in their offices or something because I faxed it to the right place), so I had to take a chance and try to walk-in to take the exam. Which meant I had to be there way before check-in at 8:30am (I was there at 7am). I did get in to take it, so that was good! And we stayed at Nathan’s grandparents’ house in Oxnard the night before so we wouldn’t have to drive as far. It was so nice to see them and go out to dinner. We’ve never spent time with them without other family around. They are so cute and still in love after 40ish years of marriage!

Also, I found out that I’ll need to go up to SF State for an orientation in mid-July for priority registration, advising, etc. Of course it smack dab between when we go up to finish up stuff for Nathan’s school and when we’re planning on moving AND in the middle of the week. I found a cheap flight out of LAX ($108.80 RT), though, so I’m just gonna fly up the night before, do the orientation thing, and fly back that night.

So, everything is on track. All I have to do is sort out financial aid, go to the orientation and register for classes! I’m in the home stretch…woot!

As far as SBCC is concerned, I’m nearly done! I turned in all my Work Experience assignments last night, now I just have choir rehearsals tonight and tomorrow night, then performances Saturday (7pm) and Sunday (3pm) at First United Methodist Church on Anapamu (in case you want to come *grin*)

Financial Aid

I’m waiting to hear if I have gotten a Cal Grant or not (should know next week), and I’ve got a couple music scholarship apps out. I’m auditioning for one later this month, and I’ll hopefully hear back about the Santa Barbara Foundation music scholarship in a couple weeks.

I’ve also got to get back on Fastweb.com and apply for the miscellaneous scholarships they’ve got on there.

I’m a little nervous about managing the cost of both of us being in school. I’d like to live with as little debt as possible. I’m really (trying to) trust God to take care of us. I know He will, but I still can’t help but be a little nervous about it at times. Hopefully I can find a flexible job (I really cannot figure out what type of job I should try to go for…I’m gonna have a relatively big commute, so I want to find a job either on campus, or close to home and it will need to be flexible due to school and performances etc).

If I get a Cal Grant, then we might be able to live off the federal student loans plus part-time work, and not have to take out more loans (at least for my school – Nathan’s is much more expensive, though).

Fiber projects

The bag for my mom is complete! I haven’t gotten around to taking pictures yet (the lighting has been bad by the time I get around to it), but it turned out well. I just need to figure out what to put in it. It may end up being gifted by itself cause I don’t have time to shop before Saturday and we’re probably going to celebrate early due to the crazy weekend (choir performances, sisters’ work, etc).

I’ve also been working on the black tank-top I’m designing. I’ve started the waist decreases (I actually started a little early cause the yarn stretches more than I thought) and it looks like it’s going to work out pretty well as long as I can get the short-row bust shaping done right. I’ve just been trying it on every once in a while as I go to check shaping.

Food!

I’ve been doing a lot of cooking lately, here are some pictures and links:

Oatmeal Bread (Yummy recipe!)
I’ve made this a couple times now. It just needs to be given plenty of time to rise.

Easy and quick recipes that I use regularly:
Oven Baked Brown Rice
Oven-Baked Basic Polenta

(These are my bulk food purchases and a few Farmers Market veggies: organic flour for bread, brown rice for recipe above, and white rice that I used to rice pudding)

Oh, and I shelled peas for the first time a couple weeks ago – I felt very domestic *grin*. They are SO much better than frozen ones! I did it while my first batch of bread was baking.

Moving

It’s only about 2 1/2 months now till we move. I keep saying that “once school is over I’ll start working on [de-cluttering, packing, getting together with people, etc]“. Well, school is over after Wednesday of next week! The reality of moving is going to be staring me in the face and I don’t want to be rushed at the last minute.

But I’m getting REALLY excited about all the possibilities! We’re going to go up to the East Bay area at the beginning of July to take care of some administrative stuff for Nathan’s school, then hopefully find a place and put down a deposit (I really don’t want to have to go up there again to look for a place). Later that month I’ll be flying up for the orientation, and then we’re gonna move up.

I’m gonna try to make June the big “push” month to get everything in order and start packing up the stuff we don’t need till we get there.

So that’s my big huge update!