Pieces

These pieces are now a sweater. It's an unblocked sweater with no buttons, but it's still a sweater. And cute, I might add.

I'm still pretty in love with this pattern.

It's so quick and easy and cute. I think it will have staying power.
Speaking of staying power... check out this flawless segue...

Artemis Fowl.

I started reading this children's series years ago- after I was already out of the target age range, but when I was considerably younger than I am now.

I'd read the first four, and then, when I went to the library in search of Melville (which they didn't have. Seriously, a library that didn't have Melville) I found the last three in the series.

Seven books, you say. Sounds a bit like Harry Potter. Yeah, but Artemis is cooler. And I'm pretty sure Eoin Colfer didn't plan to have seven books like HP, it just happened.

Artemis Fowl is for slightly younger audiences- this library had it shelved under "teen series" but we've already established the merits of this library. I disagree with the "teen" label. Young teen, PRE-teen, really.

Artemis is a boy genius (I believe he is ten in the first book, which is also a reason I disagree with the teen series label) and a criminal mastermind. He has discovered the existence of fairies and sets about trying to capture them with his superior intellect and never-ending fortune.

Of course, it's a lot more complicated than that. And I just read the fifth book, which involves demons. I can't give you the whole back story, that would take too long. About as long as it would take you to just read the first four books for yourself, because they're really quick, fun, and easy reads. So just do that.

Go read Artemis Fowl. Then come back and we'll talk about the demons.

While I wait, I'll work on turning this into a sweater vest. (A cool one, not the kind of sweater vest you're thinking of.)

Mondays are for Blogging

As I mentioned, my blogging has been incredibly sporadic. Sorry about that. It's a problem that I've been having lately. In a way, I sort of miss academia, because I had things that I had to do. Currently, there is nothing that I HAVE to do, except go to work four days per week, so subsequently, I find it hard to get motivated to do anything beyond that.

Okay, if I'm honest, it's hard to get motivated to go to work, too. My job is pretty damn boring right now. But because I have nothing that I have to do, I tend to fall back on the "why should I? I don't HAVE to," excuse.

Thus, new rule: Mondays are for blogging. And writing. Something, anything. Mondays are for hauling my ass to the library if necessary, just to get something accomplished.

I did go to the library today, although not to write, just to pick up some new books. Because, you know, the shelf full of unread books here isn't enough. Nope.

Weeknights will be for crocheting/knitting/reading.

But Mondays are for blogging.

I have a new finished object to show you this Monday, too. Hopefully, I'll have at least progress, if not something totally done, to show you every Monday.

Here it is, Doris Chan's Snow Day Cowl:

I absolutely love the colors of this yarn.

It's called 'Catskill' and while it isn't really the colors of the Catskills at all (not enough green. Actually, not any green, and that's a problem) it's still a really gorgeous colorway. I have a new addiction to Mobius cowls. They're genius. At least, I think they are. I'm still not totally sure how they even work- they just do.

Here's another FO- this might be the cutest thing I've ever made.

I'm not preggers, no worries. I know a ton of people who are. I'm cool with that however, because it means I get to make more sweaters, and boy do I love this pattern. I even made matching booties with the blue, to bring that out in the sweater a little more.


Cute, right? I've already ordered the yarn for the next one.
Next Monday, I shall return. Hopefully with a finished project, and likely a book review. (Whoa, I know, I haven't done that in forever.)
Now- Pitchapolooza time! (NaNo sponsored pitch contest.)

A blog in bullets

- I'm terribly out of the blogging habit.

-Going to take a page out of Steven's book.

            -Mondays are for blogging.

                                -Seriously. Starting this one. New rule.

-Dark(ish) picture sneak peak:

A Study in Purple

I've been noticing lately just how much purple I own. And the amount of purple I own just keeps getting bigger because I keep making more purple things.

For example: 

 

                                                                                                                                                                             And now apparently I am stuck writing in the middle of the page. 

Wtf, blogger? 

Anywhooo... That up there, is Doris Chan's Valley Cowl, made with the GLORIOUS cashmere that my wonderful boyfriend gave me for Christmas. It is now the nicest thing I own. Seriously. I love it. 

AND! What made it even better? Who should I run into at Vogue Knitting Live in the city, while I was wearing it, but Doris Chan herself. We were, she has since informed me via Ravelry, equally excited to see each other. Me, because I'd never met her and always wanted to, and she, because I was wearing her cowl.

In addition to that purple thing, I made this purple thing: necessary, as it is now winter here, but not nearly as nice a yarn. Still-- functional.

Not really sure why blogger is being such a bitch and screwing with my formatting today. I'm sorry for the scattered and rather annoying look of this blog. I don't know how to fix it. Everything I try to do makes it worse. I'd give you more details about Vogue Knitting Live, but now I'm just frustrated. So I leave you with pictures of my two purchases. Some purple (surprise!) sock yarn, and my favorite purchase- a yarn bowl. 

 

(Yeahr but...no but...that bowl's blue but...) Yeah, it is blue. Keepin' you on your toes. I don't know how I ever lived without a yarn bowl. 

(If you got the obscure television reference, you're my new best friend.)

Cut. Print. It's a Wrap!

I've just returned from a day in South Philly, watching the Mummers Parade and ringing in the New Year. If you're ever in the neighborhood and want to do this, I have one piece of advice that will save your sanity from screaming college girls, grown men dressed as babies, and little kids with air horns:

Bring a flask.

The Mummers Parade is a strange Philadelphia tradition, but it is fun to watch. Not so much fun that I'd want to come back to see it when we're gone, but while we're here, it was an entertaining way to celebrate another year.

I've heard from a lot of people that 2011 was a shitty year for them. I can't say that things happened the way I wanted them to this year, and yes I did spend more time in the emergency room this year than I ever have in my life, but overall, everyone I love is healthy and relatively happy.

Instead of dwelling on the things that didn't go the way I wanted them to, I think it best to move on. In the immortal words of Rafiki, from The Lion King, "It doesn't matter! It's in de past!"

If I was the kind of person that planned ahead, I'd look to the future. However, I don't plan ahead. Anything, really. Which brings us to the next segment, which I'm calling:

"If I Actually Kept Resolutions..."

If I actually kept resolutions I would resolve to cut back on my drinking.
If I actually kept resolutions I would resolve to get back into some kind of shape besides "extra squishy."

If I actually kept resolutions I would resolve to write. Every day. No matter how I felt about it, and no matter if I had nothing to write about.

If I actually kept resolutions, I'd prepare to apply to PhD programs by seriously thinking about what I want to do with my life.

If I actually kept resolutions, I'd make a pattern list for my 12 in 2012 endeavor and stick with it.

If I actually kept resolutions, I'd stick to a blogging schedule and tell you all about my success.

But since I don't, we'll see how it goes. Stay tuned.

Happy New Year, from Ben and me.
Oh, and the Loch Ness Monster.

Neglect and the New Year

Happy Holidays to you all.

I've been neglecting this blog because I've had an enormous amount of holiday knitting/crocheting/spinning to do.

However, I did make:

1 luna moth shawl

1 autumn leaves wrap

1 baby blanket

1 beard hat

2 fish hats

1 pair of cuffs

4 washcloths

5 pairs of owl mitts

and 1 ball of handspun yarn

Pretty good, right?

For Christmas, I got all kinds of goodies as well- a ball winder! blocking wires! gift certificates, and....wait for it...

CASHMERE. 3 WHOLE SKEINS OF CASHMERE.

My boy is the best boy in the whole world.

12 in 12 on 12

It's the first day of December.

Do you know what that means?

It's World AIDS Day. I encourage you to donate as much as you can afford to a worthy AIDS-related organization. Steven over at Bitches Get Stitches has organized a project for the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force- you can go over there and donate to them, and be entered to win some incredible fiber prizes.

Or, you know, you can just donate, if fiber's not your thing.

Don't forget to share it with your friends. AIDS isn't any less important an issue than it was 20 or 30 years ago.

The beginning of December also means that NaNoWriMo is over. It's been over for me for awhile, but I should check in with others and see how it turned out for them.

December means that I should be working on holiday crafting and not blogging.

I'm making progress though...see?

That's Gabriella's sunflower blanket blocking on my dining room floor. She's not supposed to make her appearance in the world until the middle of January, but her mom is getting a box of baby-knits (crochets, but knit has a nicer ring) for Christmas.

Finally, in keeping with the 12 motif I have going, I present my rather vague project list for the 12 in 2012 thing that I'm going to participate in on Ravelry next year.
I intentionally kept my list vague because I can't be distracted looking at patterns at this time of year. I need to focus on clearing out the yarn that has been accumulating in boxes around the apartment before the boy gets annoyed. (I don't think he will, clutter bothers me more than him anyway, but I still need to get it done for presents).

So my 12 projects in 2012 will be:
-3 shawls, wraps or cowls
-3 garments with sleeves (or at least armholes. vests count)
-3 pairs of socks (as I am a new knitter it could potentially take me a year to make three pairs of socks)
-3 wild card projects

Again, donate!
Off to do some more crocheting before work.