My mom was really surprised and she loved it. She went right home and put all her stuff in it and she says she's gotten lots of compliments on it in the last couple of days. So, I would say it was a good birthday gift and now I can try to do my bag. In case you're curious, the pattern she used is the same I used for my huge bag. Hers is the Smallish Carpet Baguette and mine is the Rather Huge Carpet Bag (both from the Fall 2005 Collection).

May 24, 2007

Easily Distracted

I had a post in my head last night and then this morning I got distracted. I was cutting into my last loaf of Oatmeal Bread and I realized that bread is probably my favorite food - overall. I love it plain, toasted, with jam or honey, or in a sandwich.

As much as I love the Oatmeal Bread, I think I'm going to try Farmgirl Susan's Farmhouse White this weekend. Having a good white bread recipe seems like a good idea - so we'll see how it is.

Yesterday Carole posted about her lovely felted bag and the lining she made for it. You long time readers probably know where this is going. Talk about easily distracted - I have a great Noni bag that is STILL waiting for a lining. It isn't that I don't want to use the bag and it isn't that I don't have time to sew the lining. I think the problem is that I'm scared I'll screw it up. The bag needs some stiffness because of it's size and that means Timtex is likely the best solution. I think if it didn't need that I'd be less intimidated to try to line it. I'm really going to do my very best to get that done over the weekend (or maybe Monday since I don't have to work).

Jaywalker has seen a little knitting time while I've been waiting for lunch or in line at the bank, but with the DUI class I haven't had a lot of time to knit on Butterfly. Oh, the DWI class! I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you. I learned a lot - cops really do have to know a lot of stuff. I learned how to administer a field sobriety test and then I learned about drug categories and how to tell if someone is impaired due to drugs in addition to or instead of alcohol. I learned what horizontal gaze nystagmus is - it's when your eyes don't tract smoothly when you follow the tip of a pen with your eyes. When you're under the influence of depressants and a couple of other drug categories your eyes jerk when you follow the pen. A good indication of impairment - even if you ace the field sobriety maneuvers. Very cool stuff.

This morning I was surfing around a bit and stopped off at Hello my name is Heather. Now there's another project that I want. Look at these cute pin cushions! And speaking of cute patterns, I know I've said this before, but it's worth saying again. I covet this purse. I wish she'd hurry up and put out the pattern (I know - she's busy, but I'm not a patient person).

May 21, 2007

The Cure

When life is looking crappy because your knitting isn't going anywhere, the best medicine is a sock. I believe the Yarn Harlot said something about socks for the soul (it was in one of those really funny books - Knitting Rules maybe. Well, she knows what she's talking about. I worked at the yarn store Friday afternoon and Saturday and Butterfly didn't seem like the best choice for in-store knitting, so Jaywalker got the call. It's amazing how much you can get done on a sock when you dedicate 10 hours or so to it.

And what is it about turning the heel that makes you feel bullet proof? I just get giddy when I get to the heel flap. It's like proof that all that knitting around and around is actually going somewhere. Oh, speaking of the heel - apparently I can't count. The pattern calls for a 2 row repeat 16 times (for the small size) (one repeat and then you do it 15 more times) - that means you should have 16 chain stitches on the side of the heel flap (at least I think that's what that means, but at this point I'm willing to admit that I don't know anything about knitting in general or socks specifically). 32 rows has either shrunk dramatically between the first and second sock (it's possible this is the case - black holes do that to your knitting) or I can't count because the two heels are not the same length.

If I were a good and dedicated knitting I would rip one sock out to the heel flap and reknit it. I AM NOT. I don't care if they're self-striping and it's obvious that they aren't the same. I don't care that one sock could potentially fit better than the other. In the face of the lack of progress on Butterfly, these socks are staying exactly like they are and to hell with anyone who feels the need to point out that they don't match. So there.

Today and tomorrow I'm off to DWUI school. I get to learn how to do field sobriety tests (and I think maybe learn to recognize the affects of various drugs). I don't think they're going to provide me with free beer so I can see how well I'd do on the walk and turn test, but it should be fun anyway. Jaywalker is coming along in my purse, but I'm not sure how much knitting time I'll have. At this point I'm just happy that I made some actual progress on something I'm knitting. God bless socks.

May 18, 2007

The Black Hole

It has happened. You know...it. I've fallen into the black hole of knitting. You know Butterfly? Those of you who've been around awhile are rolling your eyes at that. Butterfly is that gorgeous fair isle I've been working on since...well, the dawn of time really. And I'll be the first to admit that my level of commitment has, let's just say, fluctuated over the last year and a half. First I was scared to start, then there were those gauge issues. I finally mustered up the courage to actually cast on and I was sure it would be smooth sailing from there. Ha. Why do I tempt the knitting goddess so? Right after I cast on I realized the error of my ways - right about the time I learned the joys, yeah the joys, of purling with two colors. Good times, I assure you. Ok, I'll admit that things got a little better once I got past the waist band. My tension evened out - mostly - and I was making progress. It may have been at a turtle's pace, but by the goddess it was progress. Then something happened. Hold on - let me go back and see if I can remember exactly what that might have been ... ... ... Oh right, it was a little bit of everything. There were some socks, and even some more socks, a clapotis, an hourglass sweater, some spinning. The list goes on and Butterfly got put aside for more pressing (or just more in the moment) matters. Time went on and other projects were started and completed, but Butterfly sat in her basket quite neglected. Until last summer. I went to my sister's - we drove 14 hours - and Butterfly made the trip. It only seemed fair since my sister gave her to me for my birthday - in 2005. I made marvelous progress and until a couple of weeks ago I hadn't touched her since. I have no idea why. Not a single clue. I love the sweater, I love the process, and I love the product - at least what I have done. I suppose it's somewhat like a habit and I got out of the habit of Butterfly. Sad and appalling, but true I'm afraid. Then came the whole business of quitting my job and the somewhat related idea that I needed to finish the projects I had in-process before I started something new. Just as an aside (and you might want to sit down for this), I haven't bought any yarn or fiber since January. I get a little queasy when I think about it, but I went back and double checked - it's true. YaiAnn did send me a lovely skein of Liza Souza Sock from Stitches West in March, but that's the only new yarn around these parts.

Ok, we have to stop talking about that or I may start to cry. Anyway, back to Butterfly. I started on her again as soon as I'd finished the knee-highs. There was some work on Jaywalker in there, but I was working on Butterfly too. I promise. So, here comes the black hole part. I haven't heard about it being contagious, but if you have a sweater in progress you may want to move it away from the computer just to be safe. You can't be too careful with these things. I swear to you and any knitting goddess that wants to take the time to listen to my plight that I've been working on this sweater at least 3 nights a week and a couple of times I've worked for 4 or 5 hours in a stretch. Here's the sweater 10 days ago:

And here's the sweater this morning.

Can you see the progress? Yeah, me neither. I swear I haven't seen any change. The black hole is upon me and I can't even see the light at the end of the tunnel. I believe that knitting equals progress, but my faith is being tested. I am hopeful that this weekend will yield much knitting time and while I hope for progress, I am afraid it will continue to allude me. Have a good weekend and do your very best to avoid the black hole. I really wouldn't recommend it as a nice vacation spot.

May 14, 2007

Temptations

I used to get a lot of magazines. By a lot I mean somewhere around 8 a month. That doesn't sound like a lot when you first say it, but when you consider that I'm anal and think every magazine should be read cover to cover, and that anal someone would rather spend her time knitting or reading a good Nora Roberts, you start to see my dilemma. Over the last few months I've let a number of these magazine subscriptions expire and I'm down to a few (maybe 4 - including IK and SpinOff). There is a relatively new magazine that I've subscribed to since it first came out - Blueprint. The nice thing about this magazine is that it only comes out once every other month - less actual magazines to read and they pack a lot of great info into each issue. It has a little bit of everything - fashion, home, decorating, health, fitness, and even a little bit on crafting. This last issue had a nice article about Joelle Hoverson of Purl, Purl Patchwork, and Last Minute Knitted Gifts fame. There were all of these fabulous pictures of both shops (drool city, by the way) as well as some pictures of Joelle's apartment and craft room. She has a gorgeous handmade quilt on her bed, and Blueprint is providing the pattern for free! I really don't have the time or the inclination to make a quilt like that right now, but I think it's really cool. I still have a bunch of pajama pants to make for Christmas (I'm way behind on my Holiday Headstart projects - shame on me) before I can even consider something as elaborate as a quilt, but it never hurts to look. Right?

And just in case your blog reading list isn't long enough, Purl has a great blog - Purl Bee. There's a nice mix of all things crafty to further inspire your crafty souls. Another nice blog with more varied information is Bluelines. They have a lot of entertainment, but also fashion and home decorating. All good things in my world!

I taught two classes at the local yarn store on Saturday. I was so nervous and scared - this teaching business is hard work! The first class was on fixing mistakes in your knitting. I found that class very satisfying because the women had no idea you could fix mistakes any other way but to rip the entire thing out and start over. I can't even imagine knitting that way. I have a hard enough time getting anything finished - can you imagine if I was constantly ripping and starting over? Yipes. We stuck to the basics - twisted stitches, how to pick up a dropped stitch, tinking and frogging - stuff like that. They were amazed and it made me feel really good to help knitters feel better about the process. The second class was all about gauge. That class wasn't as satisfying because while you can promise them that knitting a gauge swatch and washing it and letting it dry before you measure will produce a better fitting garment, they are a bit amazed at the amount of work that takes and the fact that it's really all about trial and error. As you all know, gauge is a bitch and swatches regularly lie so I didn't feel like I could send them on their way with any answers. Hopefully the feedback will be positive because I enjoyed teaching and there may be more classes in my future. In my own knitting, I'm still working away on Butterfly - no real progress to speak of - and the second Jaywalker. My sock knitting has taken a back seat to Butterfly lately, but I'm anxious to get both projects done so I may have to divide my time more evenly between the two. I start my second week of work today and I think I'm going to be on my own for a lot of it. That makes me happy, but it's kind of scary too. I hope I don't mess anything up too badly and at least I can ask questions when I need to. Have a great Monday. Happy crafting.

May 9, 2007

Gainfully Employed

The new job is good. Surprisingly good. Especially since I haven't done much - you know how it is when you start a new job. There's all that paperwork and then there's getting the office set up, learning who's who and what's what. Added to that was the fact that my office was being used as a storage closet, so there was a lot of clean-up and moving things out, but today was productive. I got my desk set up and all but one extra table out. There's still a bookcase to move in, but hopefully there'll be time for that tomorrow. The thing I've noticed most is that when you don't sit at a desk for hours on end, time goes quickly. It seems that as soon as I get to work it's time to leave. Working until noon is kind of odd, but I do believe I'll be able to handle it!

Yesterday I went to the greenhouse to look at trees. I've picked a couple of Colorado Blue Spruce and a Patmore Ash for a little variety. I'm trying to convince Travis to take some time to go look at them, but so far I haven't had a lot of luck. I'm pushing hard for this weekend, and hopefully the weather will be better than last weekend (it snowed last weekend - all weekend). The idea is to put the blue spruce behind the house to provide shade on the back of the house and to hide the propane tank from the back yard. Travis thought the plan sounded like a good one, but as always, the implementation is the kicker.

I've been knitting away on Butterfly and have a whopping 27cm - I know - not much more than I had 4 days ago. What can I say, but I promise I've been diligently working on it. I guess the only consolation is that every cm done is one cm closer to the end. I enjoy knitting on Butterfly, but I can't help but be frustrated by what appears to be a lack of progress. I know, it's about the process, but it's a little bit about the progress too.

May 6, 2007

Baking, Spinning, Knitting, & A Job!

You know, I really meant to be better. But posting to your blog is one of those habits that it's easy to get out of the habit of. Sort of like knitting or spinning or well, just about anything that we do in our lives. It isn't that I haven't been doing a lot of things that deserve some blog-time, but I didn't make time to talk about them. The good news - and I mean really good - is that I finally got a job and I start tomorrow! As much as I've enjoyed being a complete slug, I'm really excited about having a job again. It's only part-time, but there's a good chance it will work into full time in the fall. So, for now I'm working for the city doing prosecution work. I'll be the one prosecuting traffic offenses and dui's, stuff like that. It's from 8 to noon every day. That means I have my afternoons free to knit, spin, work in my garden (more on that at a later date), bake, and maybe even ride the horses once in awhile. I'm nervous. I didn't think I would be because it's a really small office and I really liked the girls that work there, but it's Sunday night and I need to think about what I'm going to wear and what I need to take with me, and I'm nervous. I imagine things will be fine about 15 minutes after I get there, but I'm just going to have to be nervous until then.

Baking has always been one of things that I love to do. I find that it's a great way to relieve stress. It's kind of like knitting - you take a bunch of ingredients and mix it all together and when you're done you end up with something that makes you happy. I'm lucky my husband likes to eat baked goods (and has the metabolism to handle it). Lately I've been doing A LOT of bread. I joined A Year In Bread, which is probably when the desire to improve my skills started. Since then I've been baking up a storm and I think I might be getting pretty good at it. I've made Farmgirl's Oatmeal Toasting Bread a couple of times and it's been a big hit with everyone I've given a loaf too.

Next time I make this bread I think I'll make a couple of regular loafs and the third I might make the cinnamon swirl version from Kitchen Mage. I love this bread - it's moist and yummy and it freezes great!

Yesterday was sourdough bread day. I made sourdough bread a couple of weeks ago and it was terrible - blah and yucky. I don't know that it was anything I did or it might have just been the recipe. So, yesterday I made the sourdough bread from How To Be A Domestic Goddess - with a few modifications.

I didn't add the yeast the recipe called for, but just relied on the wild yeast in the sourdough starter. I also let it rest for 20 minutes before I added the salt (as Farmgirl Susan recommends). This bread is really good and I'm quite happy with it (and I'm impressed that I could make something that tastes this good). It's nice and moist with just the right amount of "sour." I'd like to get a good bread cookbook, but there are so many that it's hard to decide. I guess for now I'll just continue on with the recipes and cookbooks I have (and it isn't like I don't have a whole lot of them) and see if I can get better at this bread business.

My major knitting project lately has been Butterfly (yes, I know - exciting!).

I was really excited because I thought I was almost at the point of starting the armhole steeks and for some reason that milestone seemed important. Then last night I remembered that while I'm knitting the petite size (yeah, who would have thought I'd ever be petite) for the width, I was supposed to be knitting the medium size for length (or a combination of the petite and medium - it's complicated). That means that rather than starting the armhole steeks at 26cm, I need 31cm. I know, it doesn't seem like a lot, but it is! The good news is that it's still fun, which I think is kinda the point.

And the miracles just keep happening here at chez Unwind. Yesterday, I sat down at my spinning wheel! I know, shocking. I tried spinning the alpaca over the fold and it worked.

It's slow going, but I seem to be having an easier time making even singles. And once again, it was fun! I probably spun for 4 hours and I put it away feeling good about it, so I think I'll have an easier time making time again (maybe even on Friday!)

I hope that as I get back into the swing of steady employment, my old blogging habits will resurface. I miss you guys when I hole up and do my hermit thing, so I'll at least let you know how the new job's going this week. Thanks for sticking with me through what can only be described as a troubling time in my life. I don't know what I'd do without friends like you.

Edited to add: There seems to be some sort of problem with my comments. I sent Living Dot a help ticket and they say they've forwarded it to the appropriate department (whatever that means). I'm hopeful that they'll get it fixed asap. In the meantime, if you can't comment, send me an e-mail - I love to hear from you guys. It's fixed!