Loving the new Fertility Doctor

I had my appointment with the new Fertility Doctor yesterday.  I was so scared going in that I was going to get really bad news.  Not so much!!!  Yay!  We talked about the period that will not end – he said it was annovulatory bleeding and it could go on for a long time.  The solution to it, strange as it may seem, is to make me bleed more.  LOL  He’s given me a Rx for Provera to make me have a “real” period.  That will be followed by 5 days of Clomid, then 4 days of Estrogen and later 10+ days of Progesterone.  He tells me that this cocktail of meds is twice as effective as using Clomid alone.  He also doubled the dose of the Clomid this cycle. So I’m feeling optimistic for the first time in a long time about having another baby.  With my birthday coming up, I can’t think of a better present than a positive on a pregnancy test.  Here’s hoping…

Finished K’s Multi-Directional Scarf finally.  I started it in Feb. of ‘08 when I was in CA. for a visit.  I put it aside for a long time when I got home.  When I realized that I was leaving to go out there again in May of this year, I got it out and started working on it again.  I worked on it while I was out there and hoped to get it done while I was there to give to her, but I didn’t have the time I thought I would for knitting while I was out there, so I didn’t get to finish it before I came home.  Now that it’s done, I’m let down.  I really enjoyed the simplicity of the pattern; made for great TV  knitting.  So now I’m working full time on the Moderne Baby Blanket for my FIL’s girlfriend’s newest granddaughter.  More easy knitting, but as you get to the end parts, each section takes forever.  I’m almost done with block 9 of 10 blocks and then I just have the border to do and it will be off to the baby.  I need to hurry, though, b/c she was born in Feb. so if it’s not done soon, she’ll outgrow it…:)  My sock plunge is really suffering, but I’ve got to get these things done.  It’s my motivation to hurry so I can finish my Coriolis socks.

I’m having a problem with size five needles, though.  It’s like I’m cursed with these.  In the last six months I’ve managed to snap in half one each of two different sets of Harmony Option size 5 tips and one of the Harmony Straights size fives.  Of course all of my current projects: socks, baby blanket, shawl are all being done on fives.  ARGH!!!  Time for a Knit Picks order.

Back from Cali, knitting socks and staying off my feet…fun times!

Been awhile again since my last post.  I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t seem to find the time or the energy for the computer these days for some reason.  I can’t remember the last time I actually checked my email.  If anyone has sent me anything and I haven’t responded, sorry.  I’m more apt to see something you send me on Facebook or Twitter than I am in an email…LOL  Kind of sad, huh?!?!

So I went to California on June 9th and stayed for 3 weeks.  Seeing my mother is always so great for me; if you know me and my mother, though, you also know that it’s a hugely stressful time for both of us.  We are both very strong personalities and we tend to clash in a lot of ways.  There is so much love there, though, that the happy moments always far outweigh the stressful ones.  This trip was about going to see David Cook with my favorite family member in the world, Krista and taking Jake back to Sea World to actually touch the dolphins.  The rest was all up in the air.  Spending time with Krista is always one of my favorite things to do.  We have the sort of relationship where we don’t really have to be doing anything special, we just like to be together.  One of our favorite group activities is, believe it or not, just sitting around with coloring books and colored pencils and coloring.  We both have these stupidly expensive Disney Princess coloring books that have really high quality paper and we guard them jealously, not letting anyone (no, not even Jacob) color in them but us.  Kind of sick, really, but it’s really so much fun to just stop for an hour and do something so simple and so rooted in our childhoods.  Oddly enough,though, neither of us really color at all when we aren’t together.  Krista gave me another new hobby this trip, though.  The Lakers were playing in the NBA championships against the Orlando Magic and K is a HUGE Lakers fan.  So the first night we hung out together game 4 (I think) was on and she said she had to watch it.  Anyone that knows me well at all knows that I’m absolutely not a sports fan in any way, shape or form.  So we got out coloring books and I got out Mom’s laptop and settled in for what I thought would be a boring television event, but still time with K is so rare b/c of the distance, so any time at all is priceless to me.  About halfway through the game, though, I realized that I was watching the TV almost as much as I was reading posts on Ravelry.  By the last five minutes of the game I had put the laptop down and was watching the action raptly.  By the time the final game rolled around a few nights later, I was all about the game.  I cheered and I booed and I jumped up and down.  I was almost hoping the Lakers would lose so that there would be another game.  They didn’t lose, though, and the victory was amazing.  So now I’m a basketball fan. A Laker’s fan at that.  Looking very much forward to pre-season.  Of course, knowing me, it may not last.  We’ll see.  I was a “hockey fan” for awhile when the Wings won their first Stanley Cup in however many long, long years.  That lasted about half of the next season and then I got bored out of my skull with it all (I think I just committed a sacrilege as far as my mother – a RABID Wings fan – is concerned).

I finally got my own copy of New Pathways for Sock Knitters, so I can finish the second Spiraling Coriolis sock.  I’m about 2/3 of the way done with it, maybe a little less.  I got so excited about sock knitting that I joined the 52 Pair Plunge III @ Ravelry.  Of course I haven’t even finished pair #1 so I’m WAY behind…LOL  I think , though, that once I finish the WIPs that are outstanding gifts I owe to people (the Moderne Baby Blanket for Fran’s new granddaughter and the Anouk dress for Lisa’s new baby due any time now) I’ll throw myself a little more into sock knitting.  I’ve just ordered matching sets of fixed circs. from Knit Picks: one each of the Harmony and the Nickle plated in sizes 0-3 (which is actually 6 needles in each material b/c there are 2 different sizes of 1 and 2 b/c of the metric measurements) in the 24″ length.  I was going to just order the sizes in the Harmony wood in the 24″ and 32″ lengths so that I could differentiate easily when using 2 circs (which I really do like for socks) but I thought that the different materials for the tips would make the distinction even easier and I really have found that I like the nickle more than I thought I did.  I have the Options sets in both materials so if I need longer than 24″ needles I’ve got that covered as well.

I love shopping at Amazon, btw.  I just ordered and received the newest version of the Kindle; it was an early birthday gift from my mother.  LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!  I’ve already got five or six books and several blogs on it.  So nice to have choices in such a slim and light container.  I always want to take something to read with me, but can’t ever decide what so I end up schlepping three or four hard cover books with me on vacations or when I know I’ll be bored for awhile.  Great for choice, but heavy as all hell.  This is much nicer!!  I also ordered a whole slew of knitting books:

• A Treasury of Knitting Patterns Volumes 1 & 2:  I’ve always wanted to have a great stitch dictionary collection and I like these the best so far.  I’m not big on designing things myself – I’m still too chicken to even play too much with changing elements in patterns that I’m following.  Just looking through these books, though, has inspired me a bit.  I found myself thinking ‘that would make a great cuff or edging on a sweater’ or ‘that would be a great cuff or leg pattern for a sock’.  It’s a step in the right direction.  I WILL get braver with my knitting before the end of year.  My goal is to design one thing, no matter how simple it is – maybe I’ll design the scarves I’m planning to make for TJ and Jake this year rather than following a pattern.
• Elizabeth Zimmerman’s  Knitting Workshop, Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Knitting Almanac and Knitting Without Tears:  I’ve  heard so many great things about E.Z. and I thought this would be a great time to “get to know her”.  I thought I ordered The Opinionated Knitter as well, but I guess not.  It’s something for the future.
• Lace Style:  You can never have too many lace knitting books
• A Gathering of Lace:  See above….love the lace knitting!!
• The Intentional Spinner, The Spinner’s Companion and Spin Control:  I’ve been spinning for a little more than a year and a half now and I still kind of feel like I’m working blind.  I can spin a decent yarn but I have very little control as to how it comes out.  I’m still not sure about the different kinds of drafting and how to do them.  I’m in love with spindle spinning, which I feel like I have a lot more control with, and I love my wheel, but I feel like I’m always playing catch up when I’m using the wheel.  I rarely, if ever, get the yarn that I expect to get from it.  I want to learn more and to get better.  I really need a spinning class to get me on the right track.  I need someone to teach me all these different “draws” and how they work and what I’m doing wrong…
• Teach Yourself Visually Hand-dyeing:  I love hand dyeing and another book on it can only be good.
• Sock Innovation:  I’m all about sock knitting these days and I’m a big fan of Cookie A.’s designs even though I’ve never knit one.  The chapters on design are really a big selling point for me.

• Toe Up:  This is the WendyKnits book.  I didn’t actually order this one, I bought it at Barnes N Noble while I was in CA.  I found I really like the toe up method of knitting socks and there are really cute patterns in this book.  I’m looking forward to knitting some of these for the “Plunge”

I’ve had a lot of time to look through my book and play with the Kindle in the last few weeks.  Here’s a big TMI warning if you don’t want to know more than you ever dreamed about my cycles and periods….

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I’ve been undergoing the very beginning of fertility treatments since late March.  50 mg. of Clomid from days 3-7 of the cycle.  Only did one cycle and it didn’t work.  I got my period 50 days into the Clomid cycle and it started with spotting that lasted for almost 2 weeks, which was annoying but tolerable.  When I was out in CA the real period finally started and was heavy (which I expect) and irritating – it got bad the same day as the David Cook concert, of course – but it wasn’t unbearable.  Now that I’m three weeks into this period and I’m bleeding like a stuck pig half the time with HUGE clots and not bleeding at all the other half, I’m irritated.  It’s gotten to the point where I have to stay in bed or on the couch most of the time b/c any real activity or straining myself makes the bleeding horrible.  For example I got out of bed on the 4th to hang out at the bonfire in the yard b/c my mother-in-law and TJ’s Aunt Nancy were there.  Just sitting out there, walking around and playing with Jake a bit was the most I did and when I got back inside I ended up having to change my pajama bottoms twice in 30 minutes.  I’ve been feeling dizzy, foggy headed, crampy and just plain yucky since this started.  Saw the doctor today, had an ultra sound and am going to meet with a new fertility specialist tomorrow morning.  So nervous!!  I am terrified that I’m going to find out that I can’t have another baby and that would break my heart.  TJ and I are not necessarily in agreement about fertility treatments.  I’m all about doing whatever it takes to have another child and TJ isn’t sure if he’s on board for getting really into the infertility treatments.  He’s terrified by the though of higher level multiples and he’s afraid that my body won’t deal well with “forcing” pregnancy.  IVF is still a long way away, I hope, but he’s so against the thought and while it’s not my first choice for a way to have a baby, if it’s my only option, I’m totally on board with it.  This is going to be a long process, and it’s going to take a lot of talking and figuring out what is important to us and what our priorities when it comes to family are.  I’m scared!

96 Yards of Handspun lace/fingering weight

I just finally (I actually finished spinning and plying the yarn in December) skeined up and finished the singles that were left after spinning and plying my Girl Insane top.  The colors in the top were light to medium pinks, shades of grey to black, light to dark purples and white. (Don’t have a picture of the top, so here’s the link to the original listing in etsy: Girl Insane Top.  I split the colors into lights and darks, spun the singles fairly thin (I’m still terrible about figuring out things like what drafting method I used or how many twists per inch etc.) and then plied the two together.  It came out really pretty.  When I was through, I had just under 100 yards of singles left from the dark batch, so I skeined it and finished it tonight – it’s drying right now.  Pictures to follow once it’s dry and I get off my lazy ass and take the pics.

Any suggestions on what to do with just about 100 yards of light fingering to heavy lace singles?  I’m stumped, but this came out so pretty that I want to use it.  I thought about plying it with itself after it finishes drying, but then I’ll only have 50 or so yards and I know there’s not a lot I can do with that.  Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

The Coriolis socks are coming out beautifully.  I’m back on track after the frogging incident and I’m really enjoying these socks.  I’m going to buy the book (I’ve had it out of the library for two renewals now and I don’t want to keep it out of the hands of others who might want to read it) before I leave for CA (on Tuesday) and work on the last sock on the plane ride.  It seems like a good, portable project for the plane.  It’s either that or my Clapotis and that thing is pretty big and bulky for a plane ride at this point.

As for my two baby gift projects:  I’ve hit a wall with the Moderne Baby Blanket as the book is still packed up in a box somewhere in this house (I swear we’ll never be fully moved in) and I was able to find the pattern as a freebie through Ravelry, but it’s a scan of the book and doesn’t include the border, so until I find the book I’m kind of stuck.  I know I could just come up with my own border, but I’m just not feeling that creative with this one.  I draw a blank whenever I try to think of a good border pattern for this…again, suggestions are welcome and appreciated.  The Anouk pattern is coming along nicely.  The baby it’s for is due in July and I’ve got the first half done and am ready to start on the second.  The first went really quickly so I’m hoping the second will be as swift.  These are the only projects I plan to bring on the trip, along with some needlepoint that I’ve been working on for awhile on and off.  I figure if I don’t have many choices I can’t get caught up in “startitis” and might actually finish a few things on time…

Adventures in Sock Knitting

Sock knitting has been one of the things that I’ve always been most intrigued as well as most intimidated by since I learned to knit.  I’ve tried to knit a simple sock on a few occasions and have failed rather spectacularly.  I’ve always been terrified at the thought of a toe up sock – the top down was more than difficult enough for me.  So I got this New Pathways for Sock Knitters book out of the library a few months ago (I’ve renewed it twice now; I really need to buy my own copy) to check it out.  I was so impressed with the Coriolis sock that I was emboldened to try it even though I was sure I was going to fail just as horribly as I have in the past.  I did the practice sock since I hadn’t knit on 2 circs before and even though I’ve done several things with Magic Loop, I didn’t want to deviate from the instructions at all since I knew I was going to be intimidated enough to begin with.

I used Socks that Rock Medium Weight in the color Hot Flash which I bought as a gift for a friend (I was going to knit her something with it) that I never got around to doing.  I thought the color was WAY too pink and bright and I really didn’t like it much – until I wound it and realized that it was actually a gorgeous color.  I started a pair of Monkey socks with the yarn, but frogged it when I decided to try the Coriolis socks.  I decided to use the Spiraling Coriolis master pattern and got started.

What I’ve discovered is that toe-up socks are much easier for me than their top-down counterparts and that sock knitting is not the frightening concept that I thought it was.  It took me about two weeks of working a few hours a night to finish sock #1.  The biggest problem I had was binding off in a way that made the sock go over my foot.  After tearing out several different B.O. methods, I settled on Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Sewn Bind-off, and that worked for me.  I just finished the heel turn on the second sock (no “second sock syndrome” here) and I’m hoping to have the pair done before I leave in a few weeks for three weeks in CA with Jake, visiting my mother and going to the David Cook concert (which I’m so excited about I’m like a 14 year old teeny-bopper….mmmm….David Cook).

The thing that I found most intimidating was the short rows with the wrap and turn and then concealling the wraps as well.  I think I’ve finally mastered it, though, or at least it’s not so scary for me.  I think the heel turn is my favorite part of sock knitting; there’s something magical about it to me.  I simply love sock knitting and now I completely understand why there are people who are so obsessed with it.  I love having a project that is small enough to take anywhere, yet interesting enough to keep my mind occupied.

What I really need to do is to get back to spinning.  I look at my wheel every day and I never seem to find the time or energy to pull out fiber and spin.  I think I’ll take the wheel with me to CA.  I’m sure I’ll find time at Mom’s house to get some spinning done.  I have some great bamboo batts from Loop that are deep brown, scarlet red and amber colored bamboo in layers.  I have 15 oz. of it and I think I’d like to spin it to fingering weight in a 2 ply and then make a shawl for myself out of it.  We’ll see how that goes since I’ve never spun bamboo before.  Maybe I should grab some bamboo in a single color that I don’t love as much as these batts and give it a go first.  Any hints/tips on spinning bamboo would be appreciated.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the very last day we can be at the blue house…Tomorrow is so soon and there are still three rooms to pack up…argh!!  This tooth-ache has really been rather inconvenient.  I’m here alone for the last night, which is kind of fitting, I guess.  Jake is at Unky’s house playing and TJ went back to the new house b/c he has to work in the morning and it’s so much closer from there.

It seems like a lot to do, but the sorting is minimal, everything just needs to be boxed up here and I’ll go through all of it when we’re back at the new house.  I’m surprised at the number of boxes that have already come out of this house and the knowledge that there will be tons more after our bedroom w/bathroom and closet, Jake’s bedroom and the craft room are emptied.  It will definitely take at least 3 van trips (one of them will just be the bed, though, b/c it takes up the entirety of the back of the van.  While TJ moves the bed, I’ll work on packing the rest of the bedroom and the bathroom/closet.  Then I can work on Jake’s room and the craft room (which is mostly done) while TJ is dropping off that load.  It will all get done if I just get off my butt and do it.  I was going to do some packing tonight, but I was watching Dr. Who on Netflix Instant Watch feature (Netflix is the death of me when I find a show I really like on there.  I do love there watch instantly option, though) and I lost track of time.  I’m not going strictly in order, I keep jumping back from the Martha year to the Rose years (I much prefer David Tennent in the role).  I’ve already watched all of the Donna year that is this season.  Okay, I’m babbling about the show again.  This is how I always am when I discover a new show that I like.  When I finally discovered that I like House (about 6 months ago) I spent all my tv time downloading and watching episodes of the show.  I have all 96 episodes available through Amazon.com right now.  Pity on not big on re-watching shows unless I’ve forgotten all the key elements.  Not so with House yet.  Anyway…

I’m making real progress with the A Little Twist wrist warmers.  I’m through the wrist and have started the increasing for the thumb gusset.  If I could just stay away from “computer breaks” and watch TV on the computer (which I actually prefer to watching TV even with DVR lately) and knit, I could have finished the project by now and be back on the socks.

I’ve finally decided on my first garment knit.  I’m putting it out here so I don’t change my mind again.  It’s pretty, it doesn’t look super hard, but it does look like a lot of  hard work went into it, IMO.  The Bohus-Inspired Pullover from the book Knit So Fine.  When I first saw the pattern in the book I thought it was kind of cute, but it didn’t really strike my fancy.  I took a really good look at it tonight and how the color graduating like that is achieved, simple yet effective, and decided that it would be a great first sweater.  I read through the whole pattern and it convinced me.  I’m going to have to figure out what yarn I want to use and order some in the appropriate colors.  I have a few other things on my to knit list first, though.  For example,  I think the winter wear for Jake and TJ should be first on the list of “to knit”.  In fact, once the Malabrigo arrives, those projects will trump even the Monkey Socks b/c of need and time restraints.  You can always where STR made socks, but winter only lasts for a short while and I don’t want to see all that gorgeous, soft Malabrigo locked up for the winter before it even has a chance to shine.  I still have to pick patterns for the hats and scarves for the boys.  I’m not sure if I want to do something matching or give them each completely different hats and coats.  I know that I’m going to make the hats fairly simple…no big texture or color work involved there.  When it comes to the scarves, though, I was thinking that they needed something other than a plain garter stitch or stockinette stitch scarf.  I asked TJ if it would be okay if I found a cable pattern for his scarf and he was surprisingly not just accepting, but kind of seemed to really like the idea.  I’ll find something equally nice, and warm for little Jakie’s head as well.  Since Jake’s projects will be smaller, I think I’m going to also make him some little gloves to keep his hands warm and dry for a little while.

Reverse needle snobbery

This seems like a fairly simple statement, and I guess it is. I’ve had a kind of reverse needle snob thing happen to me tonight. When I first started teaching myself to knit, I bought the most inexpensive aluminum needles that Michael’s had to offer. When I realized that I was going to like knitting and want to continue at it, I went back and bought needles in every size in the assorted color metal (aluminum, I believe) kind. This was before I knew anything at all about the world of knitting; I was such a “babe in the woods” that I had spent the whole 15 years of my crocheting career thus far using the acrylic yarns that I could buy from Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Meijer’s, Wal-Mart etc. I thought, when I discovered TLC Brand Amore (the boucle yarn in gorgeous colors that they have), that I had discovered the pinnacle of yarn. It was fuzzy, but not like those eyelash yarns that I saw there that scared me so much, and it was so soft and the skeins were 6 oz. (didn’t yet think in terms of yards). I had hit the fiber jackpot here. Okay, that was a bit of a tangent, and I still do really like that yarn for a quickly knitted or more likely crocheted (I still much prefer to get out the hooks than then needles when it’s a blanket that I’m going to be working on) blanket where you just work mindlessly back and forth until it’s as long as you want it. Back to my point, though…

Right after I managed to put together a few decent rows of knits and purls; my first scarf was barely off the needles, I decided that what I really wanted to do with my knitting was to knit socks. That seemed like the pinnacle of knitting to me. Who doesn’t want hand knitted socks? So I did sock knitting research and my next purchase were double pointed needles in the same multi-colored metal as the straights. I wasn’t even going to touch those crazy circular needles at this point. That happened when I bought the Denise set on Ebay (A descent into the madness that is an obsession with having the best working interchangeable set out there…I’m still waiting for the Addi set…again I digress). So now I have these needles and yet I somehow never try the sock knitting. The DPN’s, I find, are quite long and pointy and seem really frightening somehow. Nope, I think to myself, I don’t want to mess with those. Then I got the Denise set and I swore that I wasn’t going to mess with those DPN’s. I could learn 2 circs. or Magic Loop and I wouldn’t have to worry at all. Next I discovered the wonder that is bamboo needles instead of the metal ones. Hallelujah!! So much easier to work with – things stopped always sliding off. So I bought a huge mixed lot of bamboo needles on Ebay not long after I tried my first one. In the lot were a few pairs of bamboo DPNs. I put them aside until a project came up that I, for some reason, didn’t have the circs. to use; maybe it was something knitted on needles smaller than a U.S. size 4. I don’t know why I can’t remember what the project was. It’s driving me nuts…I’m sure I’ll wake up in the middle of the night (it is the middle of the night) and remember it…I’ll write it down. Anyway, I dug out the DPNs, screwed up my courage, did a bunch of reading of websites and went to Knitting Help a half a dozen times to watch it done, and then I finally cast on for that mystery project. Long story short, after some initial wrangling, swearing, throwing balls of yarn etc., I discovered that I really liked knitting on DPNs. For awhile I found small little things I could make using the DPNs, I knit a lot of hats and put the stitches on DPNs before they really needed to be b/c I’m a dork like that. J

Time moved on and I got better at different techniques, but I never did knit those socks. I tried on the DPNs once, but it was an unmitigated disaster. The pattern was Jaywalkers by Grumperina and I don’t remember exactly what happened, but it was bad. I moved on and used mostly Magic Loop if I had to do anything with a small circumference. I don’t think I ever really got over my fear of DPNs. I loved using them to end projects or even work in the middle, but I stayed away from small things that needed to start with a small number of stitches, or I used the long circular for them. I ordered the Knit Picks Harmony sock knitting DPN kit and I’m working on the Monkey socks, which has lessened my fear of both small DPNs and sock knitting, which is good. So I’m working on the second A Little Twist wrist warmer for my mother and I don’t have a cable with my Options sets that is long enough to Magic Loop that hasn’t had the cable come unattached from the little silver housing. No Magic Loop this time. So I dug out the old box I had put all my DPNs in during an organization kick; I wasn’t going to be using them, after all, so why not put them up? I grabbed the bamboo needles in the right size and got out the yarn. The biggest annoyance I had with the DPNs came rushing back to me: The yarn always “stuck” to the needles and I had to take the time to push everything along constantly. I worked through the first pattern repeat this way, knitting looser and looser until my gauge in just those 6 or 7 rows was crazy. I frogged the pathetic mess and went back to the box to look for a smoother set of needles but the only other thing I had in size 8 were those old, long, scary metal DPNs from ages ago. I don’ t think I’d even used them other than to practice learning circular knitting when I was still learning to knit. It was not a good experience, IIRC, and I wasn’t anxious to use them. The thought of going on with the bamboo needles, though, was too annoying, and I would never do something as normal as say, maybe I should work on the socks if this project is becoming such a nightmare. Work on the socks now and the wrist warmers when we get home where the rest of my knitting needles and notions are (we’re at the old house this week getting things packed up and cleaned before the foreclosure finishes going through and we’re locked out. It would suck to not have the rest of my clothes, books and most importantly yarn and fiber.) So I grabbed the needles and the yarn and cast on while watching TV. Guess what?! I LOVE THESE DPNs!!! The Malabrigo moves like butter over these needles and they are just long enough that the looser stitches from the beginning don’t constantly slide off. I do have to admit that I tried a little “cheat” for joining in a circle here: I knit the first three rows of the pattern flat and then joined in the round in the fourth row. We’ll see how that comes out before deciding if I’m going to do it again. It didn’t really alleviate the stress of joining, just b/c there’s already a little knitting there doesn’t stop it from trying to pull apart, leaving a ladder, at the joining point etc. Again, we’ll see how it comes out.

I’ve gone on WAY too long to just have told one little story re: DPN’s. I’m very chatty tonight, it seems. I think it’s the combination of pain meds. and penicillin for this tooth that needs to be pulled. Ah well, thanks for listening to me ramble. The move is coming along nicely. Not with much help from me, though, I’m afraid. I’ve been in mind altering, brain numbing pain on and off with this tooth ache. It’s the worst pain I’ve ever endured, childbirth excluded b/c that’s a class all to itself. We were planning to be done yesterday morning, but this has slowed things way down. I’m hoping to be able to accomplish a lot more tomorrow. I plan to work on the Twists (as I call them for short) for a little longer and watch and episode of Doctor Who before going to bed and will get back to the Monkey socks when I get home. The Twists will become my travelling pattern and stay with me at all times. I hope to have it cranked out before going back to CA in late March. If it’s not, I have a serious slow knitting problem. I just have to remember that I can’t start new projects until old ones are finished. The only knitting I’ve done in the last few days is related to the Twists. I swatched and then played with needles for two days and now I’m finally getting into really knitting them. So I’m off to warm up a Sloppy Joe from dinner for a snack and then get back to the good Doctor and Miss Martha Jones.

2009 knitting/spinning goals

24 projects in 2009. Any size project, any weight of yarn, ect… (finishing WIPs and UFOs can count!! )

12 of the projects must be made from stash (you can make more from stash if you want) AND

3 of the projects have a new technique that you haven’t tried before.

At least one of each of the following will be knit this year:

1. Fair Isle project
2. Intarsia project(even a very small area of intarsia)
3. Two sweaters (one cardigan and one pullover)
4. 4 pairs of socks (regular on dpns, toe up, Two at a time on magic loop or 2 circs)
5. COMPLETED Shawl

For spinning, my goal is to use at least 2 oz. of stashed fiber for every oz. of new fiber that comes into the house.

These goals may change a bit over the course of the year, but I’m going to try to stick to them as fully as I can. I’m hoping putting this all out there will give me a sense of accountability for working towards these goals.

This idea came from mmlocke on Ravelry in the Stash Down 2009 group that I’m a part of. Her post is entitled “All Realists Check in Here.” I think she has the right idea, setting up stash busting/project goals that are more reasonable. When I first decided to participate in some sort of stash down/stash diet/ knit from your stash idea I decided that I was going to make it my goal to go through at least half of my stash of fiber and 1/3 of my yarn stash this year and that I would only make projects out of yarn from my stash. My rationale for this was that I had a TON of yarn in my stash and even though I don’t have sweater amounts in much (if any) of it, there are so many smaller projects that I could be tackling. After all, there’s the whole of Ravelry out there to keep me in project without having to spend any more money on yarn that will probably only end up on stash when I either over-buy or never get to the project in the first place. I was going to be a good and economic knitter and finally use all this yarn and/or fiber that I loved so much I just had to have it. Hell, I’ve got projects with yarn and/or fiber enough on hand for the whole year just in “Mystery…shawls, stoles, etc.” to last for a whole year, more than that most likely. With all the best intentions, I also promised myself that I was going to be project monogamous and only knit one thing at a time. I was going to be the most restrained little knitter in all of knitterdom. Boy was Tj going to be thrilled with me and my no money spending this year.

So that was the end of 2008. Here we are only 5 days into 2009, year of good knitting behavior and I’ve gone back on most of this. I started the Monkey socks a few days before the holiday and was plugging along on them. I was going through the yarn and fiber bins trying to figure out what was next. I have the first half of the fiber spun for Spirogyra

The first set of singles for that are ready to go on the wheel to be Navajo plyed; I really hope that my calculations (or comparing the yarn I spun to the one that is supposed to come right) were right for the wpi for the singles in order to end up in the 13ish wpi area for the finished yarn. I’m also terrified about yardage. It seemed like it went on forever, that I was spinning and then balling endless yards of yarn. I know it’s more than the 200 yards I need for the gloves, but is it enough to still be a little over 200 when it’s plied? ARGH. The point is that I have plenty of projects to work on. So what did I do? I ordered a shit load (okay only 7 skeins) of Malabrigo. (Edited to add: There was a problem with the credit card i.e. I entered the number wrong, so while I was correcting it, I added a few extra skeins to the order…now there are 18 skeins of Malabrigo coming to my house). In my defense, though, they were really pretty and they’re for making winter gear for my family. No excuse, though. As for only working on the Monkey socks…I got a bug up my ass last night (btw, this post started last night 1-5 and is being continued now on 1-6.) and I decided to swatch for the second A Little Twist wrist-warmer; I made the beginning of a pair for my mother when I was in CA last Feb. and hadn’t bothered to finish #2 b/c somehow she managed to lose the one that I had given her so the whole thing was on hold b/c I only had one skein of the Malabrigo that I was using and didn’t know if I could get three mitts out of it. Long story short, when we were visiting Mom over Thanksgiving, I found the missing glove and now I need to make it a mate. So rather than plug along on the Monkeys like I should have, I’m getting ready to start mitt #2.

I’m feeling completely useless today. We’re at the old house (In Kalamazoo) and today is moving day. The “real” moving day where we have the great big truck etc. and I’ve been sitting in the old bedroom in the bed for the last two days. I have a KILLER toothache. I’m not talking about a small pain that has to be looked at, I’m talking about the kind of pain that makes you scream out loud b/c there is nothing else to do and you feel like you are going to lose your mind if you don’t do something. I think a tooth needs some pulling…J I’ve gotten up and done the best I can to help sort and move things, but any motion that requires too much walking seems to intensify the pain. I’ve taken at least one of every pain killer in my arsenal, and those of you who’ve known me through the back pain debacle of ‘04-’07 know what a big arsenal that really is. The pain is finally starting to recede now, blogging (which keeps me from focusing on the pain) seems to be helping, so I thank you if you’re still here for the rambling… I just went downstairs to get Jake a drink and all the furniture (along with TJ) is gone. He’s taken the truck to the house to unload appliances and furniture (and just when I was getting used to our only means of cooking being the microwave and the electric fry pan. We also have two crock pots. Still a stove and a dishwasher, positively decadent!!

I’ve rambled on more than long enough now. I’m doing much better at blogging more regularly, though. Go me!!

A Barrel….er Pair…of Monkeys

Happy 2009 everyone.  I hope New Year’s Eve and the beginning of this year have been great for everyone.  Both have been pretty good for me so far.

We went down to Farmington Hills to visit with TJ’s dad and mom (separately, of course) for New Years since we didn’t spend Christmas with them this year.  It was the first year in our new house and we wanted to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Pictures to follow soon, I promise) in it.  So we left Tuesday evening and drove down to Dad’s.  We spent an uneventful but very enjoyable night there; Jake opened Christmas gifts from his Papa and Grandma Fran and so did TJ and I.  As always they were generous to a fault.  Jake is now the proud owner of the game Operation which he’s been coveting from TV commercials for months now.  It’s much more high tech then the version that was out when I was a child.  Instead of just making that horrible buzzing sound for the parts, there are individual sounds for each different part.  Wicked.  He was very happy.  My favorite gift was the incredibly warm pair of pink suede moccasins that I swear have hardly left my feet since I got them.  I love having warm feet!  I’m not sure what TJ’s favorite gift was, probably the lined, puffy lumberjack type jacket – he likes being warm too.  Why do we live in Michigan again?  Not to mention right on the edge of a lake effect snow band?  Hmmm…  After presents we got the Wii (by far our favorite gift of the holiday season) out so Jake could show Papa how good he is at boxing (stay out of the kid’s way, I tell you, he just kind of punches and kicks wildly, but does very well) and tennis.  He ended up playing baseball, too, and now that’s his obsession.  I see Little League in my future this summer and possibly tennis lessons as well since that’s his other favorite thing.  After finding out how much we love the Wii, my mother very generously offered to buy me a Wii Fit as an extension of my gift (an already ridiculously generous Sony Alpha 300 DSLR camera).  I can’t help but wonder if this is her not so subtle way of reminding me that I need to lose weight.  Either way, I’m thrilled to be getting it and I can’t wait to start getting in better shape (one my resolutions for this year).

Wednesday afternoon we went to TJ’s mother’s house to spend the afternoon and eat an early dinner.  We were surprised, pleasantly of course, to find Aunt Nancy at the house when we arrived.  It made for a great afternoon filled with Christmas gifts, Wii bowling and pizza and ribs.  So much fun.  Mom knows Jake so well and got him a Michigan CAT train set which he went crazy for.  After the afternoon at Mom’s we left Jake with Dad and Fran and we went to a party with friends that we haven’t seen in a few years.  It was a great night and it was so much fun to see friends that we haven’t been able to spend time with.  I’m usually not much for parties and I actually thought about not going for a bit, but I didn’t want to disappoint TJ so I went and had a better time than I can remember having in a long time.  I should really do things like that more often.  Depression sometimes makes you forget how much you like your friends…:)

So now we’re back home and the Christmas knitting is done.  It was a relief to finish in time (just barely) but also a bit of a letdown at the end.  For a few months now I’ve been working to get these gifts done in time and once they were done I had nothing on the needles so to speak…I actually have quite a few WIPs in the not finished basket.  I decided that this would be a perfect time to actually knit that pair of socks that I’ve been wanting to make since I taught myself to knit a few years ago.  I grabbed the Socks that Rock in Hot Flash ( a color which I thought was atrocious when I bought it as a gift for Andrea, but when I balled it I discovered that it was absolutely gorgeous) and swatched and grabbed a set of dpns to cast on.  This time I’m going to finish these socks.  I picked the Monkey Socks because it’s a pretty pattern that seems like it’s not too complicated.  I’ve started multiple pairs of socks with a plain 2×2 pattern or a simple 4 st. repeat from Sensational Socks but have always gotten bored and stopped by the end of sock one.  Not so much Second Sock Syndrome as bored out of my mind with the boring pattern syndrome.  This time, though, I’m determined to finish these socks so I’m not allowing myself to cast on anything new until I’m done with these…and I have some really great yarn in my stash and some more on the way.  I may not be able to force myself to work on only the socks until they’re done; I’ve never been able to be quite that monogamous with my knitting, but if I get bored with the socks I will pick up a WIP rather than starting something new.

On the spinning front I’ve got two things currently in the works.  I just finished the first half of the roving for the Spirogyra Mitts which has great spinning instructions in the same issue’s Knitty Spin.  I’ve spun it on my Spinsanity Spindle to 28 wpi and am planning to chain ply it to get 13 wpi (I hope).  If I did all my math correctly, I should have plenty of yardage for this pattern (I’m using 4.2 oz. of merino/tencel in a 50/50 blend).  Tomorrow I’m planning to get the first half on the wheel for plying (I’m still not really clear on chain plying on the spindle).   Once I’m sure I’m getting the right wpi and correct yardage, I’ll get to spinning the 2nd half.  I also just finished the second bobbin of singles from the Girl Insane roving (80/20 Merino/Tussah Silk roving in shades of light to bright pink with accents of purple and a darker black shade).  I split the roving by colors (light and dark) and spun them on separate bobbins.  I’m going to ply them together in a simple two ply and hope to see the colors blend together in a really pretty way.  We shall see.

That’s about all for now…back to the monkeys for a few more rounds before bed.  Next time…my 101 in 1oo1 or at least the first part of it.  I’ve decided I want to try this resolution thing with a little extra time.  I’m excited to do it and see how much of it I actually accomplish.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to come up with 101 things, though…

Back in Michigan and doing great

I’ve been a very lazy and bad blogger.  Lots has happened and been going on.  Life is better than it’s been in years and I’m thrilled with almost every aspect of my life.

I was wary about being away from home and visiting Mom for as long as I was.  Friends were starting to ask if everything was okay with TJ and myself.  Yes they are, better than ever, actually.  This trip was one of the best things that I’ve chosen to do in a long, long time.

Today was not a great day, though.  I planned to get up early, get some chores done and hopefully spend part or much of the day with my friend Shannon who I haven’t seen in over two months (sigh).  I didn’t end up being able to fall asleep (probably due to extensive napping earlier in the day) until after 9 am and when the alarm went off at 1:30, my head was pounding so bad that I couldn’t even turn the light on.  Migraine hell, my friends, migraine hell.  It wasn’t until almost 6 pm that I was even able to get out of bed.  Even now my head still hurts to some degree, even down into my neck, but it’s more bearable as long as the noise level is low.  I probably shouldn’t even be playing with the computer, but TV hurts, reading hurts and I’m crazy bored.  Anyone that called today and I didn’t answer or get back to you, I’m sorry.  Will get with everyone tomorrow or over the weekend.  I’m going to keep it simple and quiet tonight b/c tomorrow is ZPDK and I’m not missing it for anything.  I miss my knitting buddies.

Back to my life changes…since I’ve been back, I’ve left the house more than I have in the last few years.  Living in Lake City screwed with my head a lot and I became very much of a recluse, to the point where leaving the house was frightening for me.  Moving here helped, but not as much as I would have liked.  I joined my knitting groups, which I love, but even that was hard.  I have yet to drive myself to any of the meetings.  First Andrea went with me, which got me going in the first place, then either TJ would drop me off and pick me up or Shannon would pick me up and take me.  The fact that I was going was progress, but not enough.

Driving has been a huge issue for me.  I don’t know what it has been, but I’ve been terrified of driving.  Even getting the new car last year didn’t change it much.  Socialization has also been an issue.  I was really shut off, preferring to stay at home and watch TV or knit or whatever over going out and having fun.  In CA, though, I didn’t have that option.  I had to go out with Mom and the family and having renewed my friendship with my cousin Krista was a HUGE factor in my change.  She really pulled me out of my shell a lot.

Since I’ve been back, just over a week, I’m happy to say that TJ and I have taken Jake bowling twice, have gone to the carnival in town twice and since they’ve been up north (since yesterday) I’ve left the house to pick up this and that ON MY OWN, even driving the car.  I know how stupidly simple that sounds, but to me it’s a HUGE deal!!  I feel better about myself than I have in a long, long time.

I’ve been knitting and spinning quite a bit as well.  I finished my first mini-skein of plied yarn.  It’s far from perfect, but it’s pretty.  I’ll post pictures once I get the camera back (I left it in CA).  I’ve been working half-heartedly on a few mystery shawl projects, and I’ve gotten really back into working on my Clapotis shawl.  I love working with the bamboo yarn; it’s hand-dyed from Yarntopia Treasures (Tammy has gorgeous yarns, btw.  Her bamboo and cotton/bamboo blends are so soft and so pretty.  I love them) and the colorway is Seventh Heaven, a combination of blues and greens.  The drape on this yarn is so pretty and I can’t wait to finish this so I can wrap myself up in it.  This and the multi-directional scarf I’m working on for Krista (also with Tammy’s bamboo yarn – Surreal colorway this time) are the only two I’m really working on at this point.  I’ve tended to start many, many projects and set them aside when something else catches my eye.  I’m determined to finish at least one of these two projects before I start something else.  I want to work hard now, b/c I know that once I get my wheel, I’m going to be spinning all the time for awhile.

Okay, the headache is back a bit, so I’m going to sign off for now.  More later…

An actual knitting post

This post is actually going to be about knitting and only knitting.  It won’t be super long, as I’m in the midst of WIP’s and have no real FO’s at the moment.

Having finished my Christmas knitting, sort of (I still have the shawl to finish, but am working on it rather slowly b/c I got so sick of it in those last months of trying to finish it in time), I’m not really in the middle of anything, rather at the beginning of several things.  I’ve gotten one of a pair of Fetching mitts done in Alpine Pearl Malabrigo (there should be a law about wool singles that butter soft) and I’ve been totally slacking about finishing number 2.  It’s the knitting ADD I tell you.  I know it would only take a day at most to finish, but I’m all caught up in trying to pick patterns, yarns etc. for new projects.

First up I have Secret of the Stole ii.  (BTW, Emily, it is still open for sign ups, in case you didn’t already check for yourself)  I’ve chosen my yarn:  a rayon/silk blend from Over the Rainbow yarns.  It’s listed as sport weight, but feels a bit lighter than that to me.  The colorway is Vanilla Parfait and it’s gorgeous.  The instructions say we shouldn’t use varigated yarn for this shawl, but the varigation is so subtle that I think it will be okay.  Even if it’s not, so what?!?!  It’s my shawl and I can do whatever I want with it, so there!!  LOL  It’s a blend of cream and some very pale taupe and tan.  I really love this colorway and plan to snap up more of it if/when it’s offered.  I’m thinking about socks with this yarn, but I don’t think that rayon/silk is a great combination for socks; not enough elasticity and I think they would sag terribly.  We’ll see.  I’m in the process of swatching it right now, from written directions that I copied by hand b/c the printer is being a butt.  LOL  I like the pattern thus far and I think that I’m going to like the number 4 Harmony needles for this, although I have to finish the swatch before I’m sure.  It may not be lacy enough.  This will be my first mystery knit-along.  I’m going to be gone for 3 weeks of it and I’m not sure if I’ll have my laptop with me as it has some “issues” (like it’s falling apart and I need a new one, but won’t be getting one before I go) and I’m worried about getting behind, so I’m going to make sure that I’m up to date before I go and hope that I’ll be able to borrow an aunt or cousin’s computer a few times a week to check in on stuff.  My email alone will get completely out of control with me not checking it for 3 weeks.

Next project in my mind:  The Silken Cowl from Sensual Knits.  This is a pattern and a garment that I REALLY love.  I used to have a silk tank top just like that.  I loved that thing and have no clue what happened to it.  I’m guessing one of the roommates from hell has it in her collection of clothing at this point.  I started swatching with the same rayon/silk yarn that I’m using for SotS ii but in a different colorway, but the gauge is off.  The weight called for in the pattern is worsted/aran and the rayon/silk is more like a heavy fingering to light sport weight, so I’m having trouble getting to where I need to be gauge-wise.  I don’t want to spend all this time and yarn on something that isn’t going to look right.  I have a fingering weight 100% silk that I might use, doubled in two different, but similar colorways.  I would just double one colorway, but I don’t have enough of it and I bought it at least 2 years ago from Ebay and doubt I could get an exact match for it, or even a close one.  It kind of sucks, b/c I really had my heart set on the colorway in the rayon/silk blend.  Any suggestions on using a much different weight yarn for a project like this?  My only real concern, other than weight, is that the pattern states that the yarn is un-elastic, which seems to be true of the pure silk yarn that I have as well.  The rayon/silk combo, however, does have some stretch to it.  Will that be a problem in the wearing of the tank top?  Any suggestions/opinions are appreciated.  Thanks.

Other things I’ve been playing with:  I’ve got yarn and needles chosen for a pair of Jaywalkers (my very first pair of socks).  The yarn is also from Over The Rainbow Yarns (do we have a pattern here or what?  LOL) and it’s rainbow colored. In the skein it transitioned from red to violet ala ROYGBIV and wound into a yarn cake it’s just as spectacular in a different way.  I’ve been holding onto it for about 2 1/2 years or so.  I wanted to make sure my knitting skills were up to par for sock knitting and not end up wasting the yarn on a non wearable effort.  I bought the Giselle pattern from Stitch Diva; I’ve been stalking the site waiting for this to come out for a LONG time.  It’s also one of the Sexy Knitter’s Club KAL’s this time around.  I’m going to do it.  In fact, I might put my thoughts of the Silken Cowl aside for now and concentrate on Giselle or Belle Paquita (the other SKC KAL choice for Jan-March).  I figure three weeks in CA without a computer to speak of will allow me to get a lot of knitting done – I hope.  At least I’ll have 5 hours of plane ride each way, if Jake cooperates.  I’ve also got the pattern for Fiber Trends Felted Clogs and lots of Cascade 220 and Philosopher’s Wool also, as well as the first SotS pattern, Guenivere.  It’s an unusual stole in that it’s got a forked end, like a renaissance  banner or flag.  Very pretty.

I guess that’s it for now.  Oh, I also got two spin your own sock kits from Fiber Fiend that I can’t wait to work on.  I have two of my three Spinsanity spindles (She does AMAZING spindle work, btw, go get a spindle from her right now, you won’t be sorry) full of singles right now waiting to be plied.  I also want to be a little more proficient at sock knitting before tackling them.  Any advice for spinning yarn for sock making (I have one braid of superwash Merino and one of Angora to spin) would be much appreciated.

That it for me.  I hope all of you are doing well, and 2008 has been full of joy thus far.