Thursday, January 29, 2009

Overachiever?

Sometimes I don’t know what to do with myself.

Once upon a time I knit without deadlines. Unless I made something as a gift or wanted a garment for a specific occasion I knit what I wanted when I wanted, with no time constraints.
All that changed when I discovered knitalongs.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love knitalongs. I love the camaraderie of knitting alongside my “virtual friends” and I love the motivation and focus that result from knitting to a deadline. Even if my collection of WIP’s and UFO’s suggest differently, I have become a much more disciplined knitter since I began participating in knitalongs. Just think how many more projects I would have on the needles if I hadn’t set some personal goals for myself or felt obligated to complete a project for the benefit of my blog or Ravelry friends.

But really, sometimes I get carried away.

January started out great. After just a couple of weeks I was well on my way to meeting my goals for the month: to knit two pairs of patterned socks and two blocks for the GAAA. I had produced my Oolong socks for January’s sockdown and was almost finished the second afghan square (incidentally, here it is, designed by Julie H. Levy).

I’d also begun work on another pair of patterned socks called Kethry and had made some progress on the Rocky Mountain socks I’d begun last summer. Things were going so well I picked up my Muir shawl and gave some serious time to it. Wow, at this rate there was a chance that I could even finish it before the end of January. I felt productive but not overwhelmed.
The trouble started when I finished my Rocky Mountain socks a few days ago. “You know,” I thought to myself, “There is still a week left to cast on another pair for January’s sockdown.” I’d originally planned to do Queen of Cups but since I didn’t get the required yarn for Christmas like I’d hoped, I wasn’t able to cast on January 1st. I’d since bought the yarn but I was determined not to cast on. As much as I enjoy the SKA challenges I’ve found that I’ve neglected other sock yarns and patterns I want to knit in favour of those that meet the sockdown requirements and so I’m trying to limit myself to only one SKA pair per month.
Yeah, right. Who am I kidding? Sigh...here is the first of my Queen of Cups socks.

The trouble continued when I realized I needed a good trip project for this coming weekend. Like last year, Anna-Marie, Doug, Cameron, and I are heading to Clinton to spend the weekend with my parents and I wanted more than just plain socks to work on. I’ve been itching to knit up some Jo Sharp Silkroad DK I bought last year and this seemed like a good opportunity. The only question: Tangled Yoke Cardigan or Fylingdales? After swatching, Fylingdales won out and I cast on. 3” of ribbing and 5” of stocking stitch should provide plenty of mindless knitting for travelling and visiting.
Poor Muir, set aside once again. And what about Kethry?
Well, there's always February...isn't there?
Uh oh, more trouble. I had made up my mind to knit two pairs of breast cancer awareness socks for February’s “socks for a cause” challenge. Even after learning that one pattern I’d chosen doesn’t qualify I decided I’d knit it anyway and embrace the spirit of the challenge. Okay, two pairs of socks plus the second Queen of Cups by the end of February—that’s manageable, right? Well, maybe if I hadn’t read of others’ plans to knit a pair for the entrelac challenge and decided to try one too. Yep, that’s three pairs. Well, three and a half. Plus two squares for the afghan. And I’d really like to finish up my Garter Stitch Jacket. And work on Muir. And I can’t ignore Kethry.
Surely I wouldn't get into any more trouble.
Ahem.
Tuesday night I listened to the latest Stash and Burn podcast and they talked about Vest-uary. Very interesting but I had no intention of knitting a vest in February. Really.
Then yesterday afternoon I was having lunch with a friend in a neighbouring town and stopped by to say hello to the manager of the sister store of where I used to work. You know, the yarn store? She had a beautiful vest made up as a shop model and when I saw that the yarn came in green I fell. Hard.
It must have been a sign that I was supposed to participate in Vest-uary, right? Well, that’s what I’m telling myself.
Okay, so maybe I've bitten off a littel more than I can chew but you can't blame a girl for trying. There's always March, right? Wait—don’t answer that.

On another note, on this day in 1937 a baby girl was born in a small town in Manitoba. She grew up to be a very wise, generous, courageous, and talented woman. Lucky for me, she just happens to be my mother. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Return to Blogland

When I last posted two weeks ago I fully intended to blog again before now but life had its own plans. In addition to dealing with some private family matters, I've had to contend with the not quite unexpected demise of my old but faithful computer. I’d seen the signs but did not anticipate that its end would come so swiftly, without warning. One minute I was emptying my recycle bin and the next thing I knew my computer was repeatedly trying, unsuccessfully, to restart. Thankfully, none of my files were lost in the tragedy and my computer guru even transferred them to my new hard drive for me. When I turned on the new computer a few days later it was almost as though nothing had happened—he’d even put the same photo on my desktop.

I wish everything could be resolved so easily. These past couple of weeks I have felt worried and unsettled and I know there is more of the same to come. Like many others, I find comfort in my knitting but sometimes I wish it would occupy the mind as much as it occupies the hands. On the bright side, I have managed to get quite a bit done, including the Rocky Mountain socks.

Cross one WIP/UFO off my list.

And with any luck, I will soon be able to cross off another. I’ve made some good progress on Muir, a shawl I began a year ago.

Like all lace, it doesn’t look like much in the making but I assure you it will be lovely when it’s blocked.

I have a few more things to show you but they will have to wait for another day. Stay tuned.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Let Me Tell You 'Bout the Birds and the Bees...

…and the flowers and the trees.

First, the birds…

Here’s the scene I woke up to this morning.

Next, the bees and the trees…

The first block of the Great American Aran Afghan (heretofore known as the GAAA).

Designed by Judy Sumner, the “kisses and hugs, spiders and bugs” theme was inspired by a birthday card from her granddaughters. I knit the whole thing before I realized that I was supposed to choose the placement of the bugs before I began and work their heads and bodies into the design at the appropriate spots (the wings are added afterwards). That meant ripping back and reknitting about half the square, not exactly an auspicious beginning to this project. After I’d blocked it I decided the spider would look better suspended from the web but thought that a line embroidered in worsted weight would look too heavy. Jessica had the brilliant idea of using laceweight and the yarn I had just received in my Year of Lace shipment was perfect for it. It's hard to see in this picture but trust me, it looks good. I am planning to feature a new block every two weeks throughout the year as a way of keeping me motivated.

Now, for the flowers…

I was feeling a bit down last night and Cameron bought these to cheer me up. I don’t have anything to say about the moon up above but that’s what I call “Love”.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Five Things

Generally a glass-half-full kind of person, I hate it when I get into a funk like yesterday. To counteract my bad mood, last night I wrote down five things to smile about:

1. I finished my Oolong socks and love them.

2. A new book arrived in the mail, thanks to Colin, who gave me a gift card for Christmas. Country Weekend Knits by Madeline Weston is full of beautiful ganseys, Fair Isle sweaters, Aran designs, and Shetland lace.

I have been wanting to make a gansey for a long time and I think I’ve found my pattern in the Eriskay Gansey.

3. I received my fourth and final shipment from the Year of Lace Club. It is a rectangular shawl by Nancy Bush—need I say more?

I am also eagerly awaiting her book, Knitted Lace of Estonia, which I pre-ordered ages ago. Amazon has not yet received it and I see that Chapters also shows it as unavailable. Has anyone seen it in the wild? I’ve seen the project pics on Ravelry and can’t wait to drool over it in person.

4. Warm, delicious rice pudding, full of raisins, cranberries, and candied fruit (you know, the stuff that goes into fruit cakes).

The quintessential comfort food.

5. Phone calls and emails from friends and family, checking to see that we were okay. It’s good to know that we are loved.

I’m not a morning person so I am not feeling quite so happy about the fact that I am up early, ready to begin the first of two or three looong days of work, helping Cameron and the crew get the new store ready to open Monday morning. But at least I woke up this morning. (See, glass-half-full.)
Have a great weekend!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Feeling Cronky

I began writing this post about how cranky (or cronky, as my grandma used to say) I was today. I described the scene in our backyard when I woke up this morning

and bemoaned the fact that I had to deal with a different sort of flood when the downstairs toilet clogged. I also grumbled a little about the long hours Cameron has been working, getting the new store ready for opening on Monday.

Then my sister called to see how we were making out on the valley floor. On her drive home from work she had heard reports of local mudslides and flooding and told me that city hall had declared a state of emergency. From her vantage point on the hillside she could see extensive flooding in fields and yards. We've had a lot of rain these past few days but I didn't know things were that bad.

I turned on the 5:00 news and saw pictures of flooded homes and heard the story of one young girl who had escaped from a bedroom full of mud and suddenly I didn’t feel so cronky anymore. I am warm, I am dry, and I am safe in my own home tonight. Kinda puts things in perspective, ya know?

Monday, January 5, 2009

A Snowy New Year

Not only did we have a white Christmas, we also spent New Year’s Day shoveling out from a few inches of fresh snow. After experiencing a few flurries over the next few days heavy rain was predicted for yesterday. Oops, I think the weatherman got it wrong again.


I don’t really mind it. I’ve been (excuse the pun) feeling under the weather for the past few days so I’ve been able to admire its beauty safely and cozily from inside. A post-holiday cold has been making its way ‘round the family and it’s my turn. Thankfully, even though I can hardly breathe, I can still knit and I’ve managed to crank out a few socks since the first of the year.

This morning I finished the second of my Lime & Violet plain socks and promptly put them on.

I love them.

I’ve also had a good start on my socks for January’s Sockdown challenge. I’m making Oolong from Knit Picks Essential in the Granny Smith colourway and completed the first of the pair yesterday.

I had also cast on another pair (Kaibashira) but frogged them because they were going to be too loose.

Meanwhile, I have also been knitting the Rocky Mountain socks I began last summer and finished the first this afternoon.

I love this yarn—Silky Sock from Great Adirondack Yarn Company—the colours are so deep and rich and they don’t flash or pool. Once I finish this pair I can cross one WIP/UFO off my list.

Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but so far this whole New Year’s resolution--I mean, goal--business is going pretty smoothly.