Knitting Rambles

I am dreaming about knitting.

Maybe that's a sign of going crazy?

Also, my mom came to visit. I had one Monkey done. I had originally thought they would be for her until I saw how the yarn striped up. I didn't think it was her style. Apparently, I was wrong. She grabbed the sock up, tried it on, and exclaimed how cute it was. And the monkey flap wasn't too big on her. It fit her just right! I think I definitely have weird ankles now! I said, "Mom, where in the world would you wear those?" "To work!" she said. So, I guess she'll get them after all.

Happiness Comes In Baby Knits

As soon as I finished up my baby sweater, I cast on for the Reversible Stripes and Dots hat from itty bitty hats. It seems I can not get enough baby knitting in. Of course, it seems like everyone I know is pregnant, so I have the perfect excuses! The picture doesn't show much progress... but I finished the blue part of the hat, and I am now on the off-white with dots part. The Rowan Denim is really saturated with color, and I love it, but it turned my bamboo circs into a pale blue...

Good news on the work front. I will be going to a day shift position, in the recovery services area. I am very excited. Next week is my last week of nights. Maybe I will not sleep and work my entire life away now.

Been watching a bit of tennis today. I used to play. As a teenager, I even took private tennis lessons. I am making myself a promise that I will find myself on the court again sometime soon. It's a nice outlet, and I need the exercise. I always felt at home on the tennis court, and maybe I can find that home comforting again.

I leave you with this creepy picture of Sam.... I think my husband took it.

"Give me all your food, and nobody gets hurt."

FO: Pea Pod Baby Sweater

I finally finished the Pea Pod Baby Sweater. It's my first completed sweater, even though it is baby sized. Here you see pins in it - I gave it a wash before I plan to send it, and I just lightly stuck some pins in it while it dried... I am sending it to my husband's cousin.

Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, Knit Picks Size 5 Circular Needles (I knit flat with circs...) Took just barely 3 skeins.

It is not perfect, and I had a lot to learn in this - I had never seamed anything together before. I am pretty happy with the outcome, though. It's very cute, and I would knit this again.  I enjoyed the lace panel, and I think it makes the sweater just perfect.

My Knitty Secret Pal!!

I got a package from my Knitty SP today!!! I got a Vogue Knitting magazine, which already has many projects on my "to do" list. Wonderful tea and chocolate. mmmmm! Two skeins of Karaoke yarn from Southwest Trading Co, which I am so totally excited to try! I have already been on Ravelry, searching for pattern ideas. Row counters (I only had one, and was so desperate for more!!), scissors, pins, and measuring tapes, some bags to hold my skeins (this is great for fair isle work - that's how I keep it from tangling), a book called the "Homeowners Headache Solver" (did I need that or what?!).....all in such a cute cute strawberry bag. I can tell my SP did some snooping and stalking on me! My SP is wonderful!!!! :)

Feeling so Far Removed from Myself

I haven't done any actual artwork for a year at least. I have thought about picking up my pastels again. I only worked in pastels for about a year, then nursing took over my life. I don't regret nursing, but I do regret that it limits the time I have to do anything else.

This is the first pastel I ever did.

 

This is my favorite that I did.... it's my cat Loverbunny, and it makes me chuckle every time I view it. I wanted it to be a light hearted and whimsical painting.

Actually, this picture isn't of the finished product, but it's all I have. I had not done touch ups or added whiskers yet.

 

 

I've been thinking about getting back into the pastels, but I have no idea when I'd find time. I can't find time to knit, when am I going to add in pastels?

 

This weekend was a musical treat... I saw Nickel Creek with Glen Phillips.

 

Knitting updates: To the toes on a Monkey, and I took a deep breath and ripped out the Pea Pod Baby Collar.

 

My Monkey Flap Seems Too Big.

I am now on the foot of a Monkey sock, and I put it on, and my heel flap seems too large. It's not so large I can't wear it, but it's definitely not as snug as I like. Anyone else who knitted Monkeys have this trouble? I'm trying to decide if I have unusually weird ankles or something.

I still haven't ripped the collar out of the Peapod Baby sweater. Partly because when I'm working, I don't have time to knit. I barely have enough sleeping time. But, part of it is just the dread of trying to fix it.

I'm also having trouble sticking to one project. I have 4 different things that I'm working on.. or need finishing. I just can't focus. My new thing I am daydreaming about is a tank. I have been thinking about several different knitted tanks... I can't let myself start another project - or the others may never get finished!!

Oh, and the Brea bag isn't even sewn together yet, but I'm already fantasizing about Damask.. a new bag from Berroco.

I Have *$(*ing Poison Ivy

So, this weekend I had this small spot on my arm that looked bad, but it's drying up.  Now, it's everywhere!!  My back, my leg, my hip.... I asked one of the docs I like before I left this morning what it was....  Poison Ivy.

I don't know how I got it, but it really itches. :(

And I had one of the top 3 worst nights at work last night.  :(

I wish I were Buffy.

Bad Yarn Store Experience

In the nearby town, there are 3 different yarn stores. I like(d) them all, and visit them all. They all carry different items, so there is room for all three. I went there on Saturday, and I went to two leaving all smiles.

However, the last one on my trip was much different. I have visited there before, and they have never been overly nice to me, but never mean either. It is called the Stitch Niche. Now, I hate talking age groups in knitting, but the other two yarn stores do seem for a younger crowd, while the Stitch Niche seems to only have older women working and shopping there. Of course, it doesn't phase me as I've made friends with all ages through knitting. I guess I always thought the ladies at the Stitch Niche didn't seem overly nice because I am so young. Hell, I look 13. I always gave them the benefit of the doubt, and thought perhaps they didn't know how to make conversation with me. At the other shops, we talk about blogs, internet patterns, but when I've mentioned that to these ladies they look at me as if I have a third head.

My experience Saturday:

I am browsing through the store, my purchase yarn in hand, and a lady was getting assistance from one of the employees. She wanted something different than what the employee kept handing her. When she did find a yarn the lady liked, they only had 6 balls of it. She finally, very politely asked if there was any other yarn stores in town. The employee then proceeded to speak to this lady in a tone I've never heard - like a queen talking down to a peasant. She literally stuck her nose in the air and said "We are the ONLY yarn store in town, unless you plan on going to Michaels, which would be a very disappointing visit!" When she hit the word "only", her voice actually went up an octave. She walks off, and I approached the lady and quietly said, "Actually, there are 2 other yarn stores." Another customer joined in, "Yes, and very nice ones!" and the other customer begins to give her directions.

It really enraged me at first, but then I thought... I should give the employee the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she doesn't realize there are two other yarn stores. I'm not sure how she wouldn't know that, but maybe she doesn't.  (I've actually heard one of the other stores, mention her store to customers before.)

So, I have my purchases, and I make my way to the counter. The two workers are chatting with apparent regulars, who are also older (as in over 60). I don't mind, I can enjoy the eye candy of yarn around the counter. Finally, one says "Maam give me your stuff". I hand it to her, smiling, but I don't get a smile back. She starts to add up my purchase, and I say "Could you wind those for me too?" (At this store, it costs 50 cents a skein to be wound, where as at other stores it is free, but I know this and I'm ok with paying a fee for the winding.) She looks at me with a harsh glare and says "Well, it will be a few minutes!!!" I say "That's ok, then, nevermind." She then starts ranting about how she could do it, but it takes a while for her to wind it so I would be held up. I kind of startled, and said "Oh, I thought you meant I was in line behind other customers, but I know how long it takes to wind a ball of yarn, I'm ok waiting."

So, she has me swipe my credit card. Then, after my card is swiped, she turns to the other store employee, with my balls of yarn in her hand. She says "I am SO tired of winding YARN for people all day!" She then went to her ball winder and ignored me while chatting with the ladies at the counter.

It made me so angry. When I was telling my mom this story, she said "Why didn't you tell her to just keep the yarn?" and I squeaked "Because I already swiped my credit card!"

The more I thought about the way they acted through my whole shopping experience, the angrier I got. They had put a cast of anger and unhappiness over my day out, especially since they were my last stop. So, I am officially boycotting "The Stitch Niche". I can go to the other shops, and get treated like I'm a friend, and if the other shops don't have what I need, I can get it from an online store that is great like The Loopy Ewe.

I had a pea pod disaster.

I picked up the stitches for the collar.  I managed to pucker it in the back.  A lot.  I am going to rip out the collar, it has to be done.  But I couldn't handle doing it last night, so I took a deep breath and set it aside.  I will probably rip out the collar tonight.

We are going shopping today and out to have some fun, and I am so looking forward to it.  My husband cracks me up because he said "I guess we have to stop at every yarn shop in town too?" but I think he secretly likes my knitting.  When I told him I couldn't get a good picture of my Monkey sock yesterday, he took great pains to get one for me.  Then, he started browsing my favorites on Ravelry.  He seemed to really like this Clapotis.

"I mock you with my monkey pants!"

Eye Candy-less Friday

I have no pictures to share.  I tried to take some, and it was a shameful attempt.  And, I find that I am very boring lately with not much to take pictures of.

Knitting progress:  I am currently attempting to pick up stitches on the Pea Pod Baby sweater collar.  Started working on a Monkey sock, and have been extremely disappointed.  My mother wants socks - "with brown yarn that has lighter flecks in it".  So, under some delusional shopping moment, I picked up Lorna's Laces Safari colorway with the illusion that she would like it.  Ha!  No way she would like it.  It is a very dark brown with some light brown in it, but it stripes up like a tiger.  I don't mind the yarn, but I think it hides the beauty of the Monkey pattern.  I am going to finish them and keep them for myself, and consider it a good practice of the Monkey pattern (which I love, love, love)....  because I plan on making Monkey with my new Socks that Rock yarn.  I have never bought Socks that Rock before, so I am excited to see how it knits up.  I bought the "Pink Granite" colorway!