It's too bad school related things keep taking up all my time... otherwise I'd be a super-productive knitter!

Have I mentioned that I'm sick and tired of the snow and it would be nice if Mother Nature decided to stop dropping it on us here in NJ.  I really wouldn't mind so much if it weren't for the hassle of finding parking spaces... well, really the hassle of Kevin and I shoveling out spaces only to find some jerk-off took our spaces when we get home.  How freaking rude is that?  The people who live in the small apartment complex across the street from us never shovel out their cars, they just drive away leaving piles of snow, and then park in the spaces Kevin and I cleared!  ARGH!!!  We've tried leaving a trashcan marking the space figuring that they wouldn't get out and move it, but we found out last night that they are so rude that they will just run over the trashcan.  Sometimes I wish I could be a hermit and not have to deal with dumbass people ever again!

On a happier note... 6 days until Motley Crue at MSG!!

(Oh, and how kick ass was tonight's ER?  I initially didn't like Neela's character, but now she's one of my favs... with Dr. Carter and Kovac of course!!  And Dr. Pratt is hot too... and how hot was Galant tonight!!  Maybe I'll have some good dreams tonight about visiting County General...)



February 23, 2005
Ok, now that I have some time to elaborate on things...

1. I took a pottery class last night.  Silly, naive me thought that it would simply be a painting pre-made pottery sort of class... but noooo we had real clay and got to shape and form it with our hands.  The painting will come in a couple of weeks.  It was a lot of fun to touch the clay and form it, although I had no clue what I was doing and the teacher had to drastically cut apart my vase, which morphed into a jar.  I'm hoping it will be pretty enough that I can display it with my knitting needles in it!  So maybe sometime near the end of March I'll have some pictures of that!

2. Oh my god!  I am in love with a magazine.  But really it is a book, not a magazine.  This was the first Rowan mag I ever saw.  I was thinking magazine would mean magazine like Interweave, but no... this is like a book!!  I soooooo love it and want to make nearly every pattern.  I think I'm going to sign up for the subscription.  There is a guy's sweater that I showed to Kevin and he actually said that he liked it!!  So, guess what the first project in line for next fall is!

He probably wants it in grey, but maybe I can talk him into another masculine color.  Oh, and I found out that the halter I want to make for myself requires 800 beads!!!!  Ack!!  Does anyone know of a good place to get beads?

3. Mariah hasn't seen any love the past two days.  While I am loving the cables and sleeves, the cabling is bothering my wrist a bit, so I'm putting it on hold.  I'm flying through sitcom chic, I'm already to the second set of increases in the body.  I've been practicing knitting (forward and backwards, no purl stitches here) while not looking.  While I'm not totally confident, I am improving.  I've been trying to work on the Flock of Chocolate sock a little each day, I'm hoping to make it past the heel by the weekend.  (Speaking of the weekend, there probably won't be too much knitting because we're going to see Bill Cosby on Saturday!  Woohoo!!  And then driving down to Delaware to hang out with some of Kevin's friends.  Sunday will probably be devoted to doing work because I'm just barely staying ahead of the class I'm teaching, and am drastically behind in the class I'm taking).

4. Secret Pal, you are so awesome!  I was so happy to come home yesterday and find the package waiting for me.  It was a great way to end the day!!  You said in your note if there was anything from the UK that I'd like to let you know... I know this might sound silly but anything UK-ish would be awesome, even kitschy touristy things.  I really need to travel more because to me other countries seem so mystical and interesting.  (I have been to Canada, but I was in those early teenage years when I hated the world and couldn't believe I was on vacation with my parents, so I didn't quite give Canada a far shot).  Anyways, here is a list of the goodies...

• Candies!  Yum!  A Cremosa lollipop in Strawberry and Cream flavor (my favorite!!!).  I think I'm going to eat this now!  Also a package of Sainsbury's Devon Cream Dairy Toffee.  I've actually never had Toffee before (what rock have I been living under?!), so I'm excited to try these, they look and sound yummy!!!
• Bath salts!  I can't wait to try these (though it means I need to scrub the bathtub! hahaha... something I ought to a bit more frequently).  From looking at the ingredients, I'm pretty sure it won't bother my skin.  It seems that products heavy on fragrances (particularly man-generated, and not natural fragrances).
• Wool Fat Handsoap!  I've never seen this before and it smells so good!  I can't wait to get my hands dirty so I can wash them with this.
• Last, but certainly not least!  3 balls of Rowan Cotton Tape.  This yarn is so cool and the colors are fantastic.  If I didn't have 3 other projects that need attention, I'd certainly be pulling out some needles and playing with this.  But waiting is actually good because then I can find something wonderful to make out of it and not just jump into a plain, old scarf.

1. Kim does pottery!

2. Hoorhay for Rowan Mag showing up!

3. Why am I knitting two sweaters at once?  Especially when I need to finish sockapalooza soon since my buddy is over seas!

4. Hoorhay for Secret Pals!!!!!!!!!  I love this stuff and will add details later!!!

Since two people suggested this, I put their names in a hat and Connie is the winner of...

My eternal thanks to everyone who offered suggestions!  Some day after I hit the lottery (which will be hard considering I don't play the lottery) I will give prizes to all!!

I picked out this yarn for Sitcom Chic...

Cascade 220.  I've never used this, but it fit the requirements and I've heard good things. (Though I ought to knit up a gauge swatch).  I looked on line and I could get it several places for about $7 a skein + shipping, but Brass Latern was selling it for $6 and no shipping (obviously)!  Woohoo!!  I can totally see the advantages of having an LYS, although Brass Latern is mostly an LYR (local yarn room).

Mariah's sleeves and Flock of Chocolate sock 2 are progressing (albeit slowly).  Though I know I shouldn't, I am casting on for Sitcom Chic tonight so I can work on it during my knitting class.  Both Mariah and Flock require too much concentration, and I don't want to be shooing my students away in order to focus on cabling.

I posted the pictures and descriptions of my stash.  The link in the sidebar called "The Stash Diner" will take you there.  At one point when I had everything spread all over the bedroom, Kevin came up and said "wow!"  If he thought what I have now is a lot, I don't know what he'd think if I had a stash like those of you who have been knitting much more than my 2 years!  If you have any ideas or suggestions of what to do with the yarns without a purpose, I'd appreciate hearing them!



February 20, 2005
The cardigan entries...

• Lauren: 3 varieties from Classic Elite
• Connie: Sitcom Chic
• Kim: a bunch of awesome French designs
• Wendy: Eyelet Cardi and Sitcom Chic
• Traci: BPT, 2 beauties from Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2004 (#9 and #20)
• Chris: Ladies Mock Cabled Cardi

Tune in tomorrow to find out!!!!

Boy, that sounds like it should be the end of the post, but I do have a couple of other things to say.  First, Mariah is progressing beautifully (I really ought to show you a picture).  Both front pieces and the back are awaiting the yoking stage.  I started on the sleeves (doing both at once).  It is a little slow, but the cabling pattern is fun.  Second, jumping on the bandwagon, I've decided to make a photo album of my stash.  I've taken the pictures and have the appropriate information written down, but now I have to get all that up on the computer and onto a webpage.  So be on the look out for that in the next couple of days.

Third, I went to Brass Lantern again today and they reorganized their yarn and had some new stuff.  I touched and petted and picked up that yarn above, as well as the cardigan yarn, and this...

Ok, this is the end of the post... enjoy the rest of your Sunday!!

February 18, 2005
So far I've got some great suggestions for a cardi pattern for my mom, but I'm still open to more. Please email me or leave a comment with your suggestion by Sunday. On Monday, I'll post a which one I selected and the winner of a knitting-related prize.

Remember the pattern should be not too plain and not too fancy, lightweight, and around a worsted weight gauge.

Apparently, the mail problem is not fixed. Things were more mixed up than ever yesterday! But the one good thing is that Kevin got a package and that was delivered correctly, so Secret Pal, hopefully yours will get here fine... I'm so excited! And check the comments from yesterday, apparently Chris has even worse mail problems! (I've mentioned this before, but I love getting comments from "new" people, it usually means a new blog to add to bloglines!! And I love wasting time checking bloglines everytime it beeps!)

Over the weekend, there will be pics of Mariah (2 fronts and a back awaiting the yoking phase) and progress on sockapalooza sock 2.

February 17, 2005
Well, it seems I'm not the only one with mail problems. Thanks, Heather, Kim, and Lauren for letting me know I'm not the only one, and also thanks for the nice compliments on Mariah. The back isn't seeming quite as small, so I've got my fingers crossed for it working out. One last thing about the mail... I called the central mail place (I don't know what it is really called) and complained to some woman who said she would get it taken care of and if things don't improve, then she will personally make sure the mail is put in the right place. I figured that meant something would be getting done!

I'm currently at my office, I have to teach in about an hour. So I'm just hanging out and listening to David Bowie. I did get an email earlier that said my Rowan mag should be on its way and arrive sometime next week! Woohoo!! I better get quicker on Mariah! So I can start that halter.

And of course I've added another project to my list of must knits. Well, there isn't a specific project yet, but my mom's b-day is in about a month, and I want to knit her a cardigan. Ok, yes I realize that I will never finish it by her birthday, but I'd like to have a substantial portion started. The problem is, I don't know what to make. I surrepitiously found out her size and color preferences, but I need a pattern (and of course yarn). So here's where you come in... I need some suggestions for a light weight cardigan. I'm thinking something in a worsted weight yarn, not overly plain, but also not too complex. I'm not opposed to purchasing a new book to get the pattern. So please send me an EMAIL with your suggested pattern and its source. The person who sends me the pattern I pick will get a nice knitting related surprise! And if I end up picking a pattern on my own, I'll draw someone's name out of a hat!



February 16, 2005
Mariah...

I got my new IK in the mail on Monday.  Of course, the cover was nice and destroyed and the mailperson didn't seem to care to protect it from the rain, so it was all wet and warped.  Maybe those things are why I didn't particularly find anything appealing in the issue.  There wasn't anything that really struck my fancy.  But in the long run that's probably good, since I have so many other things I want to knit!

If you only come by for the knitting content, that's all for today!  For anyone else still reading, Kevin and I spent a lovely Valentine's Day each at our own offices working for most of the day, and then ate BLTs for dinner and played video games.  No cards, no flowers, no gifts, no special dinners.  Take that consumeristic, phony, hallmark holiday!!!

This week, like last week, is going to be too much time spent over at my office (have I mentioned lately how much I hate it over there, though it is a little better now that I got the internet functioning again).  It seems the week before and after an exam is packed with meetings with students.  Generally I don't mind meeting with students, but it really pisses me off when they set up a meeting and don't show up.  Grrrr!

Oh, and because I'm venting and I already mentioned the stupid mailperson... do you have to be officially stupid in order to be a mailperson?  Do they give you a test to make sure you can't read the names on the envelopes or the numbers on the houses?  For the past two weeks, we either get no mail because it is in the other apartment's mailbox, our neighbor's mail, or a mix of our's and our neighbor's.  This is utterly ridiculous!  The mailperson tried to deliver a package to the person who lives in the front apartment, but since he wasn't home, instead of placing the notification in his mailbox which was right in front of the stupid mailperson's face, the mailperson puts the notification in our mailbox where I find it several days later.  I feel bad that the guy didn't get his package, and I am now paranoid that I won't ever see any packages again because the mailperson never, never walks back to where we live.  ARGH!!!

I was having the greatest dream this morning about being a new med student on ER and flirting with Dr. Carter.  I wish I could go back to sleep and fall right back into that dream...



February 13, 2005
Flock of Chocolate Sock is officially finished!!

I was so happy to finish this sock that I had to celebrate with some champagne and Chambord.

And of course, start Mariah...

So this is the left front (I figured I'd be different and start with a front panel since the sleeves on this should be fun).  As you can see it is only 5 inches wide, I'm assuming that it will need to be blocked out a lot!

Remember that wonderful Blizzard yarn... well, yesterday I whipped up some wonderful mittens.  Using less than 1 1/2 skeins of Blizzard and size 11 needles,  I knit up the Super Mittens from Weekend Knitting in about 6 hours of knitting time.

So today I embark on trying to fix the Flock of Chocolate sock.  Wish me luck!!



February 11, 2005
Flock of Chocolate Sock 1 for Sockapalooza is finished!  Well... maybe not...

I am sticking by my not starting Mariah until the first sock is really, truly finished, but that doesn't mean I can't start on something else!  I love making my own rules.  Last night before falling asleep I was petting the Blizzard yarn asking it what it wanted to become (asking through mental telepathy because I didn't want Kevin to think I was totally psycho, especially since at one point he asked "are you going to sleep with your yarn?").  Inspiration struck that it wants to be big warm fluffy mittens from Weekend Knitting, I think they are actually called Super Mittens.  So today instead of the minisucle size 1s for the socks, I will be playing with size 11s!  That is of course after a spent the majority of the day over at my office administering exams and trying to write a lecture.



February 10, 2005
Picture post...

Thanks Lauren, Illanna, Melissa, and Ashley for the nice compliments on the DNA scarf.  I love how it turned out.  Kevin got to wear it for a few days before this mini heat wave (it's 46 right now!).

Thanks Cordelia for the congrats on finally making a ponytail.  I'm so anxious for my hair to get long.  I haven't had it really long since college, and not really really long since high school.  My plan is to grow it longer than it has ever been (which is a few inches past my shoulders).  I wonder how many sweaters I can knit before it gets that long...

To Christy... as far as winding skeins into balls, I'm old fashioned right now and do it by hand.  I open up the skein and stretch it between my knees and pray it isn't too tangly.  Then I wind, wind, wind into a ball.  I really want a ball winder and a swift, but there's a long story behind why I don't and I don't have time to explain.  So unfortunately, I'm probably not much help.

Thanks Heather for the compliments on Ruffles.  I'm glad to finally be finished with it!

Secret pal... I can't wait to get a package!!  Hooray!!!

Barb... I know, my family still mourning the Eagles loss.  I still don't know what the Blizzard yarn will become, but to be truthful, I'm actually keeping it right next to my bed with some needles just in case inspiration strikes, and also so that I can pet it before going to sleep.  Wow, I really need a real pet!  I wonder... has anyone out there ever been so in love with or obsessed with some yarn you bought that you actually fell asleep cuddling it?  Come on be honest...



February 8, 2005
I'm writing this post from my office and will hopefully post it tonight when I get home.  A bonus Tuesday post!  I've been stuck in my office all day yesterday, today, and tomorrow proctoring exams.  I gave my students the option of taking their exam early and who knew so many would?!  Oh, well, at least they are doing well on the exam.

So about this little yarn room I found on Saturday.  In a nearby town (5 minutes up the road) is a store called the Brass Latern.  I'd never been in there, but a non-knitting friend tipped me off to the fact that they have a yarn room.  Well, this store isn't huge, but it is packed with stuff.  It is really interesting because right next to vintage lace curtains that are extraordinarily expensive is chocolate edible underwear.  Right next to beautiful christening gowns for babies is fake boob inserts.  It was crazy!  But way in the back in a cramped little (but very pretty) room was a variety of yarn.  Some of the yarns I had seen before (Jo Sharp yarns), but a lot I hadn't seen before or at least noticed in other places.  They had a bit of Cascade 220, which I have seen a lot of people talking about and was excited to touch, but I wasn't impressed.  Maybe it knits up more nicely.  Or maybe it was the fact that before I touched it, I discovered a tiny skein of 100% cashmere and was petting that.  That tiny
 skein of cashmere was $55!  I quickly put it back after petting it.  Most of the yarns were fairly pricey.  Most skeins were around the $10-14 range for about 100 yards.  Like I said before, I picked up some yarn for my SP, which I will be sending off next week.  The yarn I got for myself (that I pictured yesterday) was 4 skeins of Blizzard (Alpaca and acrylic made by Reynolds), which is so heavenly soft and destined to become... I don't know yet, but I had to have it!!  The pink yarn is Steadfast Fibers and is a lovely wool/mohair blend.  They also had matching 100% mohair to go with it, but I just got the 1 skein because again, I had to have it and had not specific project in mind.  Although this morning, I was thinking it would be pretty if knit into flowers and attached to a headband or choker a la the pattern in Stitch n Bitch Nation.  But I really really shouldn't work on any of that until sockapalooza sock 1 is finished, and Mariah started.  Bah!

What else... oh last night was the first night of my knitting sweaters class.  It seems to go well.  There is a mix of experience levels.  Some are more experienced and some are less experienced, so hopefully we'll all be able to help each other out.  After measuring gauge swatches most everyone cast on for the back of their sweaters.  I'm so excited!!  I should really work on Mariah with them... I want to start it sooooo badly and I feel my resolve to wait diminishing.

The sock and legwarmer are progressing slowly.  I'll post some pictures soon, as well as pictures of the Ikea purchases.

**I just got home to post this and Mr. Wonderful (Kevin) is making us pasta with homemade tomato sauce!  And Mr. Wonderful 2 (the mailman) brought me a goodie from across the Atlantic Ocean... some yummy Rowan yarn I ordered, although not the current mag with the pattern I want to make... more on this tomorrow (or when I find time!)



February 7, 2005
So the Eagles lost.  As disappointing as it was, something wonderful did happen during the Super Bowl.  **Drum Roll Please**

Some things to share in more detail later... we got some fun stuff at Ikea and I found a tiny, yarn room in a local store with some nice stuff (pics of purchases later).

Here are some pics of the Flock of Chocolate socks.  Right now, I'm past the gussets, so we're in the home stretch.  I've been forcing myself to work on Ruffles during the game.  Pork is ready!  Gotta run!!

In knitting life, the sweater class I'm teaching starts on Monday.  Woohoo!!  I think it is going to be a lot of fun, and the little bit of extra cash will be very nice.

I'm about to start the heel of Flock of Chocolate socks.  I'll post a picture over the weekend (post-heel, hopefully!)  As soon as this sucker is finished, bring on Mariah!!

I do have pictures for you of the glorious completion of Kevin's DNA scarf.

Kevin wore the scarf to work yesterday and reported back that it is very warm, and that everyone thinks I'm amazingly talented (boy, are they far from the truth! hahaha!).  I have 2 full skeins of this yarn left over, and I'm dying to make a hat or mittens with it.  But I must tell myself, no no no... stick to the plan!  Flock of Chocolate and then Mariah!

So what is on deck for this weekend... well, tonight we are going grocery shopping (1. we have no food, 2. we are hosting a mini-Super Bowl party and need supplies).  Tomorrow we are cleaning (because of Super Bowl party) and hopefully going to Ikea!!!  And of course Sunday is Super Bowl time... the Eagles better win if I want my family to not go into deep, deep mourning!  I plan on cheering for the Eagles and knitting, knitting, knitting.  Oh, of course I'll help with the eating of the yummy food Kevin will make (oh, and maybe help with the making), but I plan for Super Bowl time to be 4 hours of knitting, with brief breaks for stuffing my face.

February 2, 2005
Thanks Lauren, Cath, and Cordelia for the comments about the pictures in my last post.  Kim the Vampire Slayer.... hmmm... might be more fun than graduate school...

Since it is the start of a fresh month, let's review what's going on knit-wise to see if I can keep myself on track:

1. Sockapalooza socks.  I'm calling these Flock of Chocolate because the pattern is Flock of Geese and the colors remind me of chocolate.

2. Legwarmers.  I started these, I might as well finish them before it gets too warm to wear them, though the groundhog did see his shadow, so six more weeks of winter.

3. Kevin's scarf.  Oh remember this mess.  Well, I went to the Rag Shop (talk about poor customer service! argh!!) and picked up some nice gray fleecy fabric to sew onto the back of the scarf.  The idea of sewing it by hand was so depressing that I avoided it for nearly a week.  The past three days I've been sewing, sewing, sewing... I'm hoping that tonight I can finally finish it.

4. Future projects:

• Mariah
• Second Argyle Sock
• Second Kool Aid Mitt and tops for both
• Frylock
• And something absolutely gorgeous that I ordered yarn for yesterday.  Shhh!  Don't tell!!!

ABOUT ME:

I'm in my fourth year of graduate school at Rutgers University in the social psychology program.  I've completed my Masters and am starting work on my qualifying exams before heading onto the PhD.
 

I've been knitting since March 2003.  I had been searching for something creative to do (previously I did a bunch of scrapbooking, but I put all my photos into albums, so didn't have anything left to do) when I received the current issue of Bust Magazine.  In it, there was an article reviewing knitting books.  I started thinking about it and decided I wanted to knit.  I went out and bought A Passion for Knitting and read through it.  I didn't yet have any knitting needles or yarn so I was trying to imagine how to knit.  After reading the book, I went to visit my grandmom over Spring Break because I knew she used to knit.  (Nowadays, she only crochets because the knitting is too heavy and slow).  She gave me an assortment of her needles and some old yarn.  She taught me to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off.  Since then I've been teaching myself the rest and learning from my mistakes.  I love that some of the needles I use have a history of being my grandmom's.  I've developed an obsession for knitting books and magazines, buying as many as my tiny graduate student stipend can afford.