Category: Blog

My family just found out yesterday that my sister, Heather, has cancer. She has been sick since November, and the last couple of weeks finally narrowed it down to the point where we got a diagnosis of cancer. She either has lymphoma or leukemia or a combination of both, so she will see a specialist to help type her cancer. Heather has been amazing–she has been calm through the testing and diagnosis and she is prepared for the treatments ahead. She is even okay with losing her hair, and that’s saying something because she has long gorgeous hair.
(Left to right: my mom, my sister Wendy, my sister Heather and me. Easter 2008)

The first thing I’m going to knit her is a flaming pink Hallowig. I’m sure my knitting needles will be busy making things to keep her spirits up. Please keep my sister in your prayers as she begins this battle.

I wish I wasn’t so busy. The last five weeks of the semester are going to be crammed full of writing assignments; everything is due at the same time, and I’m freaking out. I wish school was over and I was graduating; I can’t believe in five weeks I will be a college graduate.

Lately all I’ve been knitting is socks because they are quick and easy to take with me everywhere. I need something that I can finish quickly so I don’t get depressed with not being able to finish anything. When I’m stressing about essays to write, I get so tickled when I finish a sock. I’m like a little kid. I show everyone my sock and squeal with delight. Socks are keeping me going right now; so far I’ve finished three and a half pairs. Pics to come soon (probably in five weeks).

I also wish it wasn’t as hot as it is outside. Parts of the country are still battling winter storms with snow and cold, and here I am in Arizona with eighty degree temps, wearing capris and short-sleeved shirts. I really wish I could wear these:
I received these hand-knit traditional fair-isle mittens from my secret pal in Norway on the first day of eighty degree weather here. I wanted to wear them so bad that day, but all I could do was just admire them. Don’t laugh, I’ll eventually get a chance to wear them!. Just not for a couple of months.

When my mom asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday this year, I had only one thing in mind: Yarn Shopping! My birthday usually always falls on Spring Break, which makes it quite convenient to plan something that won’t interfere with school or work.
To begin my birthday bounty of yarn, my Mystery Theme Swap Package arrived last Monday as an early birthday present from my swap partner. The theme she chose was “Cables,” which is something I am quite fond of.
The contents included three patterns for cabled items (hat, arm warmers, & socks) in a purple folder, Cascade 220 yarn in Heather Purple (my favorite yarn and color), some luxurious Alpaca Sox yarn in a muted orange color, Talinay Wool yarn in a blue-pinkish-purplish variegation, a nice letter and some mini stitch markers.

Since Leap Year only comes around every four years, I figured I had to at least post a little something on this rare February 29th. I was digging through my projects looking for something interesting to take pictures of for a day like today, and I came across the very first thing I ever knitted.My first project three years ago when I first learn to knit was this purse. The pattern is from “Easy Knitting” magazine (now known as “Knit Simple”). When I made this purse, I used yarn-over increases because it was the only increase I knew at the time; luckily the increases were done on the edges, so they got sewn in the seam.
I also made two straps and two bags that I sewed together to make double thick–it was the only way I knew how to make a lining at the time. It worked though, and I used this purse a lot after I first made it. For awhile it got buried in my closet and I just recently dug it out so I could show my students in my knitting class my first project. I’m pretty amazed that this was my first project, actually. I can’t believe I did this on my own.

Hoppy Leap Day!

Some days the only answer is you just need some silk and wool Fetchings. 
That’s all I have to say.

A couple of months ago, I tried my hand at my first pair of socks. And, I’m happy to report that I did not suffer from gauge problems, size denial, measuring problems, heel-turning mess-ups, or second sock syndrome. In fact, they were quite easy and quick to make; I made a pair in one night!
I used the book Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd and I used the simple sock pattern with a gauge of 5 stitches per inch. This pair is made with Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in purple. It’s a worsted weight yarn, so the socks are fairly thick compared to the traditional knitted sock, but I didn’t want to use fancy yarn on my first attempt. I have actually worn this pair numerous times and they wear and wash just fine.
Now I am trying the technique of knitting two socks at the same time on a long circular needle using the book 2-at-a-time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. I had problems at first, but now I’m starting to get the hang of it. And the great thing is, the technique can be applied to any sock pattern, so I don’t have to alter the pattern to fit this style of making socks.

Oi! Busy semester. At times I feel like I’m being eaten alive (see above picture for dramatization). I have been doing a lot of writing and the printing of a lot of paper for my classes this semester. Here is the lowdown on my classes:

Class 1 is Intermediate Shakespeare. Luckily, I had Intro to Shakespeare with the same teacher, so this class is quite pleasant. I used to not be a fan of Shakespeare, which seemed wrong since I am an English major, but I found out that it was mainly because I didn’t understand it. Mind you, I wouldn’t sit down on a rainy afternoon and grab one of his plays, but I find it better now.

Class 2 is online American Literature post 1865. Not a big fan of online literature classes, but this one is tolerable, better than attending a class for this particular subject. Unfortunately this is a required course for my major, otherwise I would not be taking it. American writers are weird.

Class 3 is Poetry Literary Forms in Theory and Practice. The name sounds really complicated, but basically it is one of my two last classes for my creative writing degree in which we discuss different types of poetry and practice those different types. The class is made up of mostly seniors, so no wishy-washy writers in this group.

Class 4 is Capstone Poetry: Dramatic Monologue. The second class that is the last one required for creative writing. Basically, we write dramatic monologues (ie…write in the voice of other people using first person. I could write as a serial killer if I wanted to in this class, not that I would) and then have a workshop to critique each other’s writing. Again, the class is made up of all seniors, so people should be serious about their writing at this point.

Suffice it to say, I’m doing a lot of writing, especially poetry writing, and a lot of reading for my two literature classes. That doesn’t leave much time for blogging and gasp knitting. That just means that I have to take my projects with me everywhere (and I mean everywhere: restaurants, shopping malls, book stores, car rides, classes etc.) if I hope to get anything done.

Here is something I finished before the beginning of the semester, Sleepy Snake and Mischievous Mouse from Mochimochi Land.
These cuties were a gift for a little boy who just became a big brother, kind of a “sibling gift,”you know, like when one sibling is having a party or something and you give the other sibling a small gift just so they won’t get jealous (yeah, pretty much a bribe to keep the sibling pacified).
I used Patons Merino Wool in green, off-white, and blue for this duo, then ran them through the washer/dryer to felt them. They turned out really cute and I was sad to see the go. But I’m sure they will be in much more adventurous hands now.

The Unicorn.
I posted earlier about my first “hank” of wool that I purchased at my LYS: Cascade 220 in fuchsia. I was so excited about buying this first “hank” and went on to explain the project I was going to use it for: a knitted unicorn from Dream Toys by Claire Garland. Well, my uncle read my blog and thought that I had named the unicorn “Hank” since I kept talking about my hank of yarn. I thought it was so funny that the name stuck and Hank the unicorn was born.

In anticipation for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I cast on Hank with my first hank of wool and worked off my excitement by making a unicorn. I thought it was an appropriate project for working on while waiting for a Harry Potter book. Of course, I stopped working on him when I got the book, which I proceeded to read in 13 hours straight all night long. (Since I wasn’t interested in Harry Potter when the other books were released, I figured I would do the “stay up all night and read” thing for the last one.) I finished Hank a couple of days later and he has added such personality to my room.
As soon as I put the last strand of yarn in his mane, he took on such a big personality, it’s hard to keep his unicornian excitement under control (I know “unicornian” isn’t a word, but it sounds cool. I’m a creative writing major, so I can make up words.) He gallops around the bed like he owns the place and keeps me up at night showing-off to the yarn stash in the corner of my room, taunting the hanks of wool that have since joined my stash that he is finished and they are still, well, hanks of yarn.

Ah well, unicorns will be unicorns.

I’m happy.

All the problems have been solved and I will be graduating on time in May. Four months and the Bachelor’s degree is finished!

I think I deserve some reward yarn, don’t you?

This post will be all about the items I’ve made recently for other people. I love making stuff for other people, and lately, I’ve had co-workers and classmates asking me to make them things more frequently than ever.

First, here are some things I made my secret knitting pal during the exchange that I couldn’t post about. I sent her three packages and I made three things. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the first thing I made, which happened to also be my first lace knitting project. The finished piece was a triangle neck scarf with diamond lace detail on the edges and a cute button closure, made in blue. The second thing I made her was a set of colorful striped mittens out of Patons Classic Merino Wool. Her last package contained an Unorginal Hat in Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick Cranberry (pattern by the Yarn Harlot can be found on her blog).

I also crocheted her a birthday cake for her birthday in January.
Next, I made a set of Dashing gloves for a friend of mine in my poetry class. We’ve been in classes together twice now, and we will be in the same class this coming semester, so I was thrilled to get to make him something. I used Patons Shetland Chunky in Hunter Green.
Here is a scarf I knit for a co-worker. She found out that I started teaching classes and asked me to make her a warm scarf that she could wear. She purchased some soft Bernat Berella yarn in cream, so I decided to stick with a simple pattern that would use up as much of the yarn as possible. I went with a simple “Mistake Rib” pattern and loved how it turned out.

(Mistake Rib: Cast on multiple of 4 stitches plus 3 [*K2, p2; repeat from * end K2, p1.] Repeat this row every row until you run out of yarn. Great rib that has a complicated look without being complicated)
I have other finished gifts that haven’t been given to the recipients yet, so I can’t post about them yet. Let’s just say that my friend and my cousin are having babies soon, so cute baby stuff is being made right now.