Now I just have the sleeves...and the collar...and the button band...and the finnishing...
I might be at this a while yet.
Showing posts with label sweater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sweater. Show all posts
Friday, October 25, 2013
Body Work
Now I just have the sleeves...and the collar...and the button band...and the finnishing...
I might be at this a while yet.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Pico Review: Knit, Swirl
Title: Knit, Swirl
Author: S
Price: USD $24.27
Notes: When I mentioned knitting a circular swearter, someone linked to this book for inspiration. I was curious right off the bat, because I love the look of circular or "swirl" sweaters. I picked up my copy from the library, just to give it a quick browse before committing the $25 to the book, since I'm not usually a sweater knitter (see London Calling sweater, on the needles since 2010).
Now that I've looked through it up close, I can say this: It's got great photography, lots of good information on the different shapes that can be used with this type of sweater (basically, knitting a flat circle with sleeves, which then drapes itself into a nice cardigan). I think many of the designs are beautiful. The book itself is quite thick and well made, and lies open flat, which makes it great for knitting directly from the book if you're so inclined (that being said it's a very heavy hardbound book, and I'd prefer to make a copy of each page I'm going to use).
Bad points: Every single sweater in this book has textural ridges. Here is the book page on Ravelry so that you can see what I mean (you can also click the "look inside" feature on Amazon, linked above. It's probably best illustrated by the image on the back cover). It's not that these are bad...they're just not to my personal taste. I would either find a way of hiding the increases to that the sweater could be knit all in one stitch type, or replace the garter/reverse stockinette bands with some kind of open stitch work (again, hiding the increases within). Or just knit a basic pinwheel swirl jacket, incorporating some of the elements from the book.
This is still on my wish list, because I find that the technique information at the beginning of the book is more valuable than the patterns it includes.
Rating: three out of five skeins
Price: USD $24.27
Notes: When I mentioned knitting a circular swearter, someone linked to this book for inspiration. I was curious right off the bat, because I love the look of circular or "swirl" sweaters. I picked up my copy from the library, just to give it a quick browse before committing the $25 to the book, since I'm not usually a sweater knitter (see London Calling sweater, on the needles since 2010).
Now that I've looked through it up close, I can say this: It's got great photography, lots of good information on the different shapes that can be used with this type of sweater (basically, knitting a flat circle with sleeves, which then drapes itself into a nice cardigan). I think many of the designs are beautiful. The book itself is quite thick and well made, and lies open flat, which makes it great for knitting directly from the book if you're so inclined (that being said it's a very heavy hardbound book, and I'd prefer to make a copy of each page I'm going to use).
Bad points: Every single sweater in this book has textural ridges. Here is the book page on Ravelry so that you can see what I mean (you can also click the "look inside" feature on Amazon, linked above. It's probably best illustrated by the image on the back cover). It's not that these are bad...they're just not to my personal taste. I would either find a way of hiding the increases to that the sweater could be knit all in one stitch type, or replace the garter/reverse stockinette bands with some kind of open stitch work (again, hiding the increases within). Or just knit a basic pinwheel swirl jacket, incorporating some of the elements from the book.
This is still on my wish list, because I find that the technique information at the beginning of the book is more valuable than the patterns it includes.
Rating: three out of five skeins
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Knitting Status and the Manicure of the Week
It seems that I've spent the bulk of the past two months waiting on people to get back with me about various things, mostly job related, which has lead to a lot of anxiety knitting. Mostly, this has been on the livingroom afghan, which has had several rows added this week as Missouri and I work our way through season two of The Murdoch Mysteries. Of course, being that it is a massive project done almost entirely in stockinette, you can't really tell.
I've also been attempting to finish the Christmas socks, but have hit that point of knitting purgatory where they don't seem to be getting any longer, no matter how much I knit on them. I've decided that they have until April 1 to reach the desired length, and then regardless I'm doing the cuff, casting off, and then going back for the afterthought heel. Really, four months for a single pair of socks is far, far too long.
Since I've been concentrating on the socks, I haven't been working as much on the cardigan as I would like. I did start over, and have finished the three-ish inches of ribbing around the hem (I actually don't remember how much ribbing the pattern calls for, but it was in that neighborhood) as well as the first cable repeat. I'm staring at it right now, fighting the desire to work on it some more before I have to leave for my day job.
The Mario nails seem to have gotten me hooked. I've been giving myself decorative manicures every couple of days. Currently, it's a deck of cards inspired by watching Missouri play Alice: The Madness Returns. I did these a couple of days ago, so they're not as fresh and clean as they could be (my sock needles rubbed off part of the thumb). I also discovered that my clear coat seems to cause the other colors to bleed. It's not as noticeable on a darker base color, but you can really tell on the white. I do have a typewriter themed manicure planned in the future, but I'm sure I can do lettering with my left hand. I might try a stencil of some kind. Maybe contact paper would work.
____
Anyone know anything about Photoshop? I keep getting an error message every time I try to save, and it's the only software I have that will let me resize images.
I've also been attempting to finish the Christmas socks, but have hit that point of knitting purgatory where they don't seem to be getting any longer, no matter how much I knit on them. I've decided that they have until April 1 to reach the desired length, and then regardless I'm doing the cuff, casting off, and then going back for the afterthought heel. Really, four months for a single pair of socks is far, far too long.
Since I've been concentrating on the socks, I haven't been working as much on the cardigan as I would like. I did start over, and have finished the three-ish inches of ribbing around the hem (I actually don't remember how much ribbing the pattern calls for, but it was in that neighborhood) as well as the first cable repeat. I'm staring at it right now, fighting the desire to work on it some more before I have to leave for my day job.
The Mario nails seem to have gotten me hooked. I've been giving myself decorative manicures every couple of days. Currently, it's a deck of cards inspired by watching Missouri play Alice: The Madness Returns. I did these a couple of days ago, so they're not as fresh and clean as they could be (my sock needles rubbed off part of the thumb). I also discovered that my clear coat seems to cause the other colors to bleed. It's not as noticeable on a darker base color, but you can really tell on the white. I do have a typewriter themed manicure planned in the future, but I'm sure I can do lettering with my left hand. I might try a stencil of some kind. Maybe contact paper would work.____
Anyone know anything about Photoshop? I keep getting an error message every time I try to save, and it's the only software I have that will let me resize images.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Life Keeps Getting in the way of My Life
I have things I want to make, do, and see. Places I would like to visit, chores that need done, books that should be written (more that need read), groceries that need bought and bills that need paid. But as of late, it seems I mostly have knits that need designed.
This is the current work-in-progress pile, or the PhD pile (Projects Half Done). I am ashamed to admit how long most of these items have been on the needles, though in my defense I have lost two of the last six months to tendonitis, and then there were the holidays, too. So it's not all my fault.
Though come to think of it, maybe having a little focus in my work would be beneficial...
Let's examine the damage, shall we?
In excavating the layers of my knitting basket, the first striation we come across is a basic stockinette afghan, cast on at the start of the winter months as much for variety of knitting material (i.e. size of needle; see tendonitis above) as for warmth, since the moron who built our apartment complex obviously did not know what insulation, double pane windows, or general weather sealing are. What could be better than a blanket that keeps you warm as you knit it?
I don't remember the name of the yarn for this, but it's a generic aran weight I picked up at Michael's for $9.
Progress: 20%
The next level is The Socks. I started these around December 7, having had to wait for funds to clear before I could order the supplies, and then as soon as I cast on the brand new needle I'd ordered for the project broke. When the replacement came in, I discovered that the join between the needle and the cable was sub-par, and ended up switching to one I already had. These were supposed to be done for Christmas. Right now, I'd be pleased to finish by Easter. (When is that again?) These are toe-up knee highs knit on one long circular needle, with an afterthought heel (to be added) out of KnitPicks Comfy.
(note: these look a little funny because when I'm knitting from the toe up, I keep the yarn inside the foot of the sock. Keeps it clean, neat, and out of the kitten's mouth.)
Progress: 40%
As we dig deeper into the project bin, we find the Evie shell, so named because it is based on the main character of my novel Threadbare, which is currently making the rounds to various potential publishers. Also made of KnitPicks Comfy, this is the project that brought my knitting to a halt last fall.
This is my first time delving into the world of actual lace, rather than the Cheater's Lace I usually do, which mostly involves using really big needles and doing yarn over, knit 2 together over and over again with no real pattern in mind.
This project has been on hold since Christmas, because I can't seem to work on two major projects on size one or two needles at the same time without risking my limbs, and really, those socks are more important at this point. Though it's disappointing, because I found a magazine that this pattern would be perfect for submission. Too bad there's no way I'm finishing before the deadline.
Progress: 10%
We have now reached the point were it becomes embarrassing to look at things.
For example: This is not a pair of socks. This is just a sock. Just one. One sock, which has been in roughly this same state since...uh...September? What's worse, the pair was supposed to be finished in time for Missouri's book release. With photos. And completed pattern.
Part of the problem with this sock is that I'm bored of the pattern. The prototypes were knit, ripped, and re-knit about five times. Then I had to make a second pair because I discovered an extra set of ribs in one of the socks, and the sizing wasn't quite right. I corrected that problem in the pattern, but simply can't get up the motivation to finish this pair.
Other reasons/excuses why it isn't finished: I'm not over fond of the yarn. It's okay, it's just...meh. Really nothing exciting. I would tell you what it is, but again, can't find the ball band (I swear they are all around here somewhere). I do know it was el cheapo sock yarn from Michaels, which kind of explains the problem right there. I'm a yarn snob when it comes to socks. I should have remembered that when buying this.
Additionally, this is one of those smaller-gauge projects that risks mobility and limb for me, so it's been on hold while I try to finish other things.
Progress: 25%
When I pulled out my TKGA binder for this photo, I thought I had three or four of my Master Handknitting swatches complete. Turns out, it's just two. I'm also behind on my questions.
When I got my packet back in July, I thought, "Knitting! Tiny swatches! Writing about Knitting! I'll be done by Christmas!" In this case, life happened. Other projects took precedence, and once again, I had to put this on hold because of physical challenges. See, I knit...weird. Not like a lot of other knitters. It's a side effect of being mostly self taught.
Then there's the carpel tunnel/tendonitis issue. I normally knit much looser than most instructions call for. Doesn't really bother me, but to meet the standards of the program, my stitches have to look a certain way. So instead of using a size 8 needle as the yarn recommends, I have to use a size 5 and knit as tightly as humanly possible.
But I still don't think that's a good excuse. I should be further with this. Especially since my 1 year deadline is in July.
Progress: 15%
Forming the bedrock of our dig site, we have the London Calling Cabled Cardigan, from Vogue Knitting...Fall 2010. Yes, this sweater has been on the needles for about a year and a half now.
When I pulled out this piece (which is only one of the fronts; there is more done), I had a brief moment of panic because the panel that was actually in progress was missing. I didn't panic because I'd lost all that work. I paniced because I thought briefly, "Oh, I'll just start over. I've been thinking it would be better seamless." Yes, you read that correctly. I considered ripping the whole thing out and starting over again, even though at about 50%, this project is the furthest along of them all.
I've kind of been avoiding this project. I like the pattern. I like the sweater. I even kind of like the yarn (even if it is just some basic Red Heart). My problem is that I am concerned about the shoulders and the sleeves. I'm afraid they won't fit. Part of the temptation to start over is not just to create a seamless body (knitting the fronts and backs together as one long flat piece, then separating at the underarm to finish the rest) but also because I'm considering going up a size. My stitch count is for the small, though my measurements actually match the large (like I said, loose knitter). When I whip stitched the completed pieces together to give it a test thought, it just didn't have the ease I'm looking for, especially in the bust and shoulders.
I think I just talked myself into starting over. ¬_¬
See, this is what happens when I try to get things done.
ETA: I was going to finish the last few inches on the cardigan. I started knitting, and working on the decreases, and realized that for some reason, it didn't look like the other front. And then I held all three pieces up together, and realized that somewhere along the lines, I'd made an error in the cable pattern and none of those cables lined up. If I were to finish it as is and wear it, I would look lopsided because the fronts are offset by half a repeat.
So. Starting over it is.
This is the current work-in-progress pile, or the PhD pile (Projects Half Done). I am ashamed to admit how long most of these items have been on the needles, though in my defense I have lost two of the last six months to tendonitis, and then there were the holidays, too. So it's not all my fault.Though come to think of it, maybe having a little focus in my work would be beneficial...
Let's examine the damage, shall we?
In excavating the layers of my knitting basket, the first striation we come across is a basic stockinette afghan, cast on at the start of the winter months as much for variety of knitting material (i.e. size of needle; see tendonitis above) as for warmth, since the moron who built our apartment complex obviously did not know what insulation, double pane windows, or general weather sealing are. What could be better than a blanket that keeps you warm as you knit it?I don't remember the name of the yarn for this, but it's a generic aran weight I picked up at Michael's for $9.
Progress: 20%
The next level is The Socks. I started these around December 7, having had to wait for funds to clear before I could order the supplies, and then as soon as I cast on the brand new needle I'd ordered for the project broke. When the replacement came in, I discovered that the join between the needle and the cable was sub-par, and ended up switching to one I already had. These were supposed to be done for Christmas. Right now, I'd be pleased to finish by Easter. (When is that again?) These are toe-up knee highs knit on one long circular needle, with an afterthought heel (to be added) out of KnitPicks Comfy.(note: these look a little funny because when I'm knitting from the toe up, I keep the yarn inside the foot of the sock. Keeps it clean, neat, and out of the kitten's mouth.)
Progress: 40%
As we dig deeper into the project bin, we find the Evie shell, so named because it is based on the main character of my novel Threadbare, which is currently making the rounds to various potential publishers. Also made of KnitPicks Comfy, this is the project that brought my knitting to a halt last fall.This is my first time delving into the world of actual lace, rather than the Cheater's Lace I usually do, which mostly involves using really big needles and doing yarn over, knit 2 together over and over again with no real pattern in mind.
This project has been on hold since Christmas, because I can't seem to work on two major projects on size one or two needles at the same time without risking my limbs, and really, those socks are more important at this point. Though it's disappointing, because I found a magazine that this pattern would be perfect for submission. Too bad there's no way I'm finishing before the deadline.
Progress: 10%
We have now reached the point were it becomes embarrassing to look at things.For example: This is not a pair of socks. This is just a sock. Just one. One sock, which has been in roughly this same state since...uh...September? What's worse, the pair was supposed to be finished in time for Missouri's book release. With photos. And completed pattern.
Part of the problem with this sock is that I'm bored of the pattern. The prototypes were knit, ripped, and re-knit about five times. Then I had to make a second pair because I discovered an extra set of ribs in one of the socks, and the sizing wasn't quite right. I corrected that problem in the pattern, but simply can't get up the motivation to finish this pair.
Other reasons/excuses why it isn't finished: I'm not over fond of the yarn. It's okay, it's just...meh. Really nothing exciting. I would tell you what it is, but again, can't find the ball band (I swear they are all around here somewhere). I do know it was el cheapo sock yarn from Michaels, which kind of explains the problem right there. I'm a yarn snob when it comes to socks. I should have remembered that when buying this.
Additionally, this is one of those smaller-gauge projects that risks mobility and limb for me, so it's been on hold while I try to finish other things.
Progress: 25%
When I pulled out my TKGA binder for this photo, I thought I had three or four of my Master Handknitting swatches complete. Turns out, it's just two. I'm also behind on my questions.When I got my packet back in July, I thought, "Knitting! Tiny swatches! Writing about Knitting! I'll be done by Christmas!" In this case, life happened. Other projects took precedence, and once again, I had to put this on hold because of physical challenges. See, I knit...weird. Not like a lot of other knitters. It's a side effect of being mostly self taught.
Then there's the carpel tunnel/tendonitis issue. I normally knit much looser than most instructions call for. Doesn't really bother me, but to meet the standards of the program, my stitches have to look a certain way. So instead of using a size 8 needle as the yarn recommends, I have to use a size 5 and knit as tightly as humanly possible.
But I still don't think that's a good excuse. I should be further with this. Especially since my 1 year deadline is in July.
Progress: 15%
Forming the bedrock of our dig site, we have the London Calling Cabled Cardigan, from Vogue Knitting...Fall 2010. Yes, this sweater has been on the needles for about a year and a half now.When I pulled out this piece (which is only one of the fronts; there is more done), I had a brief moment of panic because the panel that was actually in progress was missing. I didn't panic because I'd lost all that work. I paniced because I thought briefly, "Oh, I'll just start over. I've been thinking it would be better seamless." Yes, you read that correctly. I considered ripping the whole thing out and starting over again, even though at about 50%, this project is the furthest along of them all.
I've kind of been avoiding this project. I like the pattern. I like the sweater. I even kind of like the yarn (even if it is just some basic Red Heart). My problem is that I am concerned about the shoulders and the sleeves. I'm afraid they won't fit. Part of the temptation to start over is not just to create a seamless body (knitting the fronts and backs together as one long flat piece, then separating at the underarm to finish the rest) but also because I'm considering going up a size. My stitch count is for the small, though my measurements actually match the large (like I said, loose knitter). When I whip stitched the completed pieces together to give it a test thought, it just didn't have the ease I'm looking for, especially in the bust and shoulders.
I think I just talked myself into starting over. ¬_¬
See, this is what happens when I try to get things done.
ETA: I was going to finish the last few inches on the cardigan. I started knitting, and working on the decreases, and realized that for some reason, it didn't look like the other front. And then I held all three pieces up together, and realized that somewhere along the lines, I'd made an error in the cable pattern and none of those cables lined up. If I were to finish it as is and wear it, I would look lopsided because the fronts are offset by half a repeat.
So. Starting over it is.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Knit Knit Knit
In the DVD Player: BurlesqueCurrently Reading: Blood Rites
The socks are going well. I'm about an inch away from starting the gusset increases for the heel, which is great because I haven't read the little math section for figuring out the number of increases to do yet. Will work on that tonight or tomorrow morning most likely. Once I'm done with these I'm going to use the top-down two at a time method to re-do the test knit for the Wedding Ring Socks. They must be identical, dammit! I can't believe I screwed them up like that...
Yesterday I went to teach Missouri how to cable, and for demonstration purposes I brought the London Calling sweater with me, since it has an example of pretty much every type of cable out there on it. When I measured the side I'm working on against what has already been done, I discovered that I still have at least six inches before I have to fiddle with the decreases for the shoulder, so I really don't remember why this project ended up in the bin for so long.
Since I managed to do a repeat and a half yesterday, I'm hoping to have the right front done in the next week or two, so that I can start the sleeves. In the mean time, I need to take out that horrible seam connecting the left front and the back. Mostly, I was trying to make sure that all of my cables lined up and that I didn't have massive gauge failure or something, but that's a pretty ugly seam. Question: how do you seam two pieces in reverse stockinette? I have directions for regular stockinette, which I could conceivably use, but they all say to keep the work right side up, and since the knit side is actually the wrong side in this case, I'm not sure what to do with it.Well, it can wait. I believe the directions actually call for seaming the shoulders and the sleeves first, and I think those will be a bit easier since I won't have to worry about mimicking stitches.
I might even get this baby done in time for cooler weather.
-------
P.S. I updated the blog list on the left hand column to reflect all of the new blogs I've started reading in the last few weeks. We've got knitting, we've got typewriters; sewing/steampunk/design, and some that are just plain funny. So if you're looking for something interesting to discover, or just something to read, check out that list.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Dipping My Toes In
Edited for clarityCurrently Reading: Blood Rites
Currently Watching: Charmed, Season 3
I've decided to learn a new skill: two-at-a-time socks. I've seen these books around and they've always intrigued me. Silly me, though, I always thought they were the same volume. I guess the local Michaels only carries the toe-up version, while the library only has the top down book, hence the confusion.
I did a bit of a practice run, but got bored around the gusset, primarily because it was practice. This is not my first time knitting toe up socks, and the construction seems to be about the same, except that there are two socks on the needle and I normally use DPNs. Also, I hate swatching. I know, I know, a thousand lashes with a limp circular needle, but I do. Especially in this case, since I was using a different color for each sock--that meant I'd be doing one "pair" for the test run, and then I'd have to do another set to get mates for them (and since I was using leftover balls, there really wasn't enough. Not to mention the fact that I don't have any use for child-sized socks and most of my donation items go to nursing homes rather than NICUs). Thus, I made the decision to dive right in.
The yarn is a Bernat Baby Jacquards in the color berries and cream. I don't know about you, but if I pulled cream that shade of yellow (lemon yellow) out of the fridge, I'd be tossing it right in the garbage. It looks really good in yarn, though. To save myself some hassle, I'm knitting one sock from one end of the ball and the other from the opposite, and I'll cast off when I run out of yarn. I believe the needles are a size 1 or 2, maybe a 2.5.
The patterns in this book don't really light my fire. Sure, there are two or three that I might one day knit, but I don't HAVE to knit them RIGHT NOW. I bought the book primarily for technique anyway. Thus, the socks I am working on are plain vanilla, which for me means 1x1 or 2x2 ribbing up the foot and leg (haven't decided which it will be yet).
For the last few weeks (since the first tournament of Nerd Wars ended) I've had a bad case of knitting enui, to quote Jasmine Knitmore. But since I now have a 40 minute drive each way to work, I've had a lot of time to catch up on my podcasts and that has gotten me in the mood to knit more (by the way, are there any typewriter podcasts out there?). The combination of socks, podcasts, and a new way of doing things has jogged the mojo a bit. It even has me thinking abou the London Calling sweater that has been languishing in my PHD (Projects Half Done; again, see the KnitMore Girls, episode 150ish I think) bin for the last few months. I'm at the "hard part" as I keep calling it. Basically, the instructions say for the right front that you should do everything you did for the left front, but in reverse. Which for me, requires math and drawing a diagram, both of which I've been too lazy to do. I also need to rip out the seam I put in to test the left front and the back together; it looks awful. Finishing is not my forté, but I do have this book by Vogue knitting that has several really good instructions on methods of doing seams, so I might refer to that once I'm actually ready to construct the sweater. I've read several of the history essays and regularly use the instructions on kitchner stitch/grafting; it's a bit bulky but very handy to have around.
Anyone else tried this technique? What do you think of it? Do you prefer top down or toe up?
Monday, November 1, 2010
Treking through the lost month, burried in work. Please send knitting and novels.
I think I lost October. And my camera. So I can't take any pictures for you of my beautiful sweater back that is now about three inches from finished, or of the stack of dishclothes I'm crocheting, or the socks I'm knitting. I also can't coerce mom into modeling her sweater for the camera, though I don't think she'd let me post it online even if she did. It shall have to wait until the weather warms up again, since I finished it just in time to start scraping frost off my windows.
I've been working like crazy on the CFM for the past week, but it's about to go on the back burner for a few days because I have 4 chapters (roughly 100 pages) of reading, plus 12 quizzes for my anthropology class due this week, on top of a bunch of make up work for French (I swear I did my homework. The website ate it. I can show you the teeth marks and everything!) and two quizzes next week...well, let's just say I might camp out at the library and just save myself the trouble. (By the way, if you are interested in contributing to the Steampunk issue of the CFM, we are still looking for 2 works of fiction. Deadline is December 15. You can find the details over here.
I have not had any more time for reading or writing, and it's starting to make me crazy. I've had so much reading to do for school that I just haven't wanted to sit down and read a novel, and I'm sort of ADD right now which makes writing hard. Harder than usual. Since it is November now, and I'm not taking part in NaNo, I'm going to set my own writing goal for myself: I want to have all of the edits for Fortune's Fight done by December 1. So far I think I've added about 3,000 words to the original draft, and it's only going to get longer since I'm condensing two novellas into a single volume. I'm hoping that once I do that it will hit 80,000 words (I'm a hair's breadth away from 50k at the moment.
My one bit of non-knitting recreation has been watching Star Trek (the original one, which I'd never seen). I am LOVING it. I got the boxed set from the library, and managed to get through four disks before I had to return them. I have the next six waiting in my Netflix queue. I remember coming across a few random episodes when I was little and trying to watch them, and they were just too far over my head at the time. I have so much more appreciation for them now, especially after the anthropology classes I've taken.
And Spock rocks my socks. Seriously.
I've been working like crazy on the CFM for the past week, but it's about to go on the back burner for a few days because I have 4 chapters (roughly 100 pages) of reading, plus 12 quizzes for my anthropology class due this week, on top of a bunch of make up work for French (I swear I did my homework. The website ate it. I can show you the teeth marks and everything!) and two quizzes next week...well, let's just say I might camp out at the library and just save myself the trouble. (By the way, if you are interested in contributing to the Steampunk issue of the CFM, we are still looking for 2 works of fiction. Deadline is December 15. You can find the details over here.
I have not had any more time for reading or writing, and it's starting to make me crazy. I've had so much reading to do for school that I just haven't wanted to sit down and read a novel, and I'm sort of ADD right now which makes writing hard. Harder than usual. Since it is November now, and I'm not taking part in NaNo, I'm going to set my own writing goal for myself: I want to have all of the edits for Fortune's Fight done by December 1. So far I think I've added about 3,000 words to the original draft, and it's only going to get longer since I'm condensing two novellas into a single volume. I'm hoping that once I do that it will hit 80,000 words (I'm a hair's breadth away from 50k at the moment.
My one bit of non-knitting recreation has been watching Star Trek (the original one, which I'd never seen). I am LOVING it. I got the boxed set from the library, and managed to get through four disks before I had to return them. I have the next six waiting in my Netflix queue. I remember coming across a few random episodes when I was little and trying to watch them, and they were just too far over my head at the time. I have so much more appreciation for them now, especially after the anthropology classes I've taken.
And Spock rocks my socks. Seriously.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
October Update
How can it already be the 11th? Really? I swear I just started school a few days ago.
The London Calling sweater continues to progress nicely. I have two more pattern repeats left (well, one and a half) and then I can start the armhole shaping. I've also started on my washcloth stash for Christmas presents, and I have a little portable knitting project out of some handspun that may or may not stay with me and may or may not be a scarf. We'll see how well I do with a superwash wool blend around my neck, and go from there. It might end up on Etsy if I decided that's just too sensitive of an area for me to wear wool (curse you, allergies!).
I did manage to find my camera and snap those pictures of the sweater, but my battery died before I could take a picture of the scarf. Which is a shame, because I'm really enjoying it. It's an entrelac pattern I downloaded from somewhere a few years ago, and I have to say, I love entrelac. It's easy, it's fun, and it provides just enough interest without being distracting. I was able to knit on it all through French with no problems.
I did manage to post a new yarn to the Etsy site this week. Red Brick Tavern is actually inspired by a place where I used to work, so it's kind of close to my heart in a way. It's superwash merino (undyed) mixed with some rose and navy bamboo. In other news, I'm plugging away at the research for my column in the next issue of the CFM, which will be all about the spiritualism movement. I've found some interesting books, but looking at their so-called "spirit photography" it is so obvious that it was double exposures and some cotton fiber. It really is too bad that there were so many fakes during that time (and also now).
Well, my day job is calling and my paycheck won't earn itself (but how I wish it would!).
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