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Thursday, April 29, 2004
Springtime Presenting the back of my new extra cute strappy tank- Springtime because the color (rowan glace in Bud) perfectly matches all of the new spring growth!
Once I finally figured out the edging, and really got some solid knitting time on this one (thank you, oh long and boring meeting!), it literally flew off of my needles, especially once I realized that there was NO way I wanted my now non-curling tank bottom to hit me 15.25" below the armholes. So I stopped right where I was when I had this epiphany- at 13". Another example of how it pays to actually READ your pattern before you knit it- I had re-typed it so I could actually follow the instructions (magazine patterns have this unfortunate tendency to combine about 6 steps in one tiny line), but I hadn't actually READ it. Luckily, I figured out that I didn't need to knit a tunic length tank before I actually had knit those last 2.25"! Cricket, as usual, was VERY helpful when I was casting on for the front of Springtime. She especially likes this project because I'm knitting with the yarn doubled, so there are twice as many yarn balls for her to attack. She figures I can only really be using one of them at any given time, so the other one is for her to play with, right? :) 
0 comments || # Wednesday, April 28, 2004 Trusting Your Knitting GutSo yesterday I was making great progress on the extra cute little strappy tank from the latest Vogue: I was about halfway up the back when I realized that the bottom edging REALLY bothered me. Now, in the picture, it curls nicely at the bottom, making a softly rolled hem. On mine, it just flipped up, and looked like a mistake. At first, I tried to convince myself that it would all turn out in the end, but really, the more I looked at it, the more I realized that it BUGGED me, and that it would bug me even more when I was wearing it. So I ripped the whole thing back, and started over. Now there's a nicely behaved inch or so of garter stitch at the hem, and I'm much happier. Moral of the story? ALWAYS listen to that little voice that says "this doesn't look right"... give your knitting a nice fair chance to prove that it doesn't look terrible, but ultimately, trust your instincts. It's far better to rip out half of the back than the entire project!
In an effort to save my fern from becoming Cricket's salad bar, I've grown her some kitty grass... and wouldn't you know that it sprouted on her birthday? She's one lucky kitty! 
But just in case you were worried, kitty grass will NEVER replace kitty treats... 
0 comments || # Tuesday, April 27, 2004 Fabulous Monday!So yesterday I blew off work to play with some fabulous people- Wendy, Rachael, Bethany, and Em. It was amazing! First, we knit while waiting for the restaurant to open...
and then we knit while waiting for food... 
And then, after poor Wendy had to return to work, we decided to be truly degenerate and head across the street to a bar, where we proceeded to drink beer, eat obscene amounts of brownies, and knit. It was fabulous. Then, when I came home, I brewed a lovely cup of tea, listened to the rain falling steadily outside, and finally finished Pines. I was extra motivated because it's actually still supposed to be sweater weather for the next couple of days- I'm so scared it'll go back to the 90s!  
Cricket very much enjoyed her birthday- she had LOTS of treats and got to meet all sorts of new people, and then, like any smart kitty, she curled up on the pillow. I must breathe in 10 pounds of cat fur each night... 
0 comments || # Monday, April 26, 2004 
0 comments || # Wednesday, April 21, 2004 Maybe I Should Take Up Spinning...
Doesn't Cricket look so proud of her pile of fur? I vacuumed FOUR times yesterday... that pile of fur is from the daily "oh good, you're home from work, want to rub my tummy?" I guess it's a sure sign that spring is finally here... either that, or I'm shortly going to have a bald cat. Not much is going on here at work- it's even less exciting than usual because I'm in the midst of moving offices (or so they say), and my phone is already hooked up in the new office, so I can't get phone calls or messages until I physically move to the new office, and I'm not sure when that'll be yet. I'm hoping soon, because my new office has a window!!! Nothing's definite yet, but I *might* be meeting the fabulous Rachael and company next week... keeping my fingers crossed! :) Oh, and I'm still working on Pines... I might just manage to finish the sleeves tonight! 
0 comments || # Tuesday, April 20, 2004 59 Pounds of Merino Wool, Anyone?Proof that happy sheep are those that get their shearings:
The fate of a Merino sheep named Shrek, with more than 59 pounds of wool on its back, is being hotly debated in New Zealand. The 9-year-old wooly wanderer had avoided shepherds and shearers. He roamed for six years before he was spotted in central Otago in the heartland of the south island. Barely recognizable under nearly a foot long fleece, it took the skills of a well-known shepherd, Daniel Devine, to capture the elusive beast. Shearers said his coat would yield enough of highly prized merino wool to make more than 20-large men suits. Shrek was to have its wool sheared on Sunday evening but his notoriety has prompted owner John Perriam to give this shaggiest of all sheep a brief reprieve. Perriam said he's been contacted by a television network interested in filming a documentary about the animal. He also said people have suggested raising money for charity when and if the fleece comes off. 0 comments || # The Siren Call of Ebay
 {sigh} ;) update: my faithful camera now has a new home. thanks!! 0 comments || # Monday, April 19, 2004 Wanted - Good Home For Faithful Camera
So here's the deal- realizing that I will soon become a very poor student, I splurged and bought myself a nice new fancy digital camera... and immediately felt guilty because my old camera has been so loyal, and has taken so many great pics throughout the years. And what to do? I don't know anyone that needs a digital camera, and I can't just throw away a perfectly functional camera... so I thought I'd offer it to blog-land in a trade.
In actual knitting news, I'm making great progress on the sleeves of Pines... I'm working both at once, so it's going slower than I'd like, but I have to keep reminding myself that at least I won't have to conquer second sleeve syndrome! :) I would have taken a pic, but, well, the sleeves are pretty boring. I did, however, take a pic of the finished fronts: 
:) Oooo, and Rachael might be bit by the same debbie bliss cabled hoodie bug... (aka Pines, but that's my name, not the name of the pattern). I agree with Rachael- it would be HEAVENLY in Rowan calmer... speaking of which, I just won 2 lots of rowan calmer on ebay. MUST STOP SPENDING MONEY! but does yarn REALLY count? ;) I leave you today with the wildlife segment of the blog entry- first, an adorable turtle I met on friday while 
And finally, Cricket would like to remind you all that the best use of a JAMIESON & SMITH color card is as a pillow: 
0 comments || # The Calendar Says April...So why have I been struggling to work the last few days in 40 degree temperatures and driving rains? {sigh}... at least this weekend is supposed to FINALLY feel like spring... I'll have to go outside and soak up some sun!Life continues to be crazy and hectic... but GOOD crazy and hectic, so I can't complain. In May, I'll be flying to California for almost 2 weeks for a wedding and some quality time with my college buddies, and in June I have my choir concert on the 13th, my birthday on the 14th, and a new apartment on the 15th. So the next few months are going to be quite a challenge... hopefully everything will go smoothly! Hmmmm.... remember how I wasn't going to buy any new yarn until I had knit many more of the sweaters for which I already have yarn? Hmmmmm.... seems like that didn't happen quite as planned. It all started with the new Vogue Knitting... and Rachael's extra cute strappy tank. A girl HAS to have yarn to knit the strappy tank, right? Enter ebay, and suddenly I am the proud owner of 20 balls of Rowan Cotton Glace...
And, to make matters worse, by tomorrow I might own even MORE yarn (but from the same seller, so hopefully I'll save a bit on shipping). I'm thinking I'll make the strappy tank out of the cotton glace, and then have enough left over for a cute pullover... or maybe (depending on gauge), that ADORABLE new pattern from Chicknits... If I win the OTHER ebay yarn auction, I'm making one of the cardigans from the new Vogue Knitting. One does wonder about the advisability of buying MORE yarn in order to pack it up in boxes and move it to a new apartment... but hey, yarn is soft, right? Couldn't I use it like they use those styrofoam peanuts? (Have you ever heard such a pathetic attempt at justifying a yarn-buying frenzy?) I hope everyone is having a great week, and HOPEFULLY I'll manage to take some pics of Pines soon... I'm almost done with the second front piece... then onto the sleeves! 0 comments || # Monday, April 12, 2004 Another Exciting WeekendWooo HOOOOO! I have a roommate {happy dancing all around}... She and I met last week at the preview festivities, and really hit it off... and on Friday she finally had a chance to look at the pics, and she and I had a great conversation, so now it's almost all settled- just have to figure out the final logistics. :) But I am SO excited!!!!! :) Hopefully I'll get her address soon, and I'm going to send her a cute skinny eros scarf as a surprise.Progress on Pines continues slowly... I've finished the left front, and am powering through the right front- then I'll have to do 2 sleeves and some seaming... oh yeah, and buy a zipper. I've pretty much decided to alter the Sirdar pattern for my next project and replace the buttons with a zipper on that, so I need to get the measurements figured out and place my order! I guess I'll also have to buy some dark green thread for Pines... I should do that before I move since the craft store is right down the street! oh, and I did end up picking up the latest Vogue Knitting... as well as the strappy tank, I'm so going to have to make at least one other project from the magazine... definitely worth the $6! But I'm going to be very disciplined and knit the projects for which I have yarn FIRST, and then buy yarn for the new projects AFTER. Unless Elann suddenly starts selling the perfect yarn, in which case all bets are off! ;) 0 comments || # Thursday, April 08, 2004 Knitting Time Becomes Kitty TimeFor the first 2.5 years of her little life, Cricket was a snuggle-kitty, but not a lap-kitty. She would curl up sweetly right next to me in bed or on the couch, but never ON me. It was so nice- kitty snuggles AND the ability to knit, and use the bathroom, and answer the phone. Well, last winter, she realized that the world revolved even MORE around her if she actually sits on me. So now I can barely get near the couch, or the bed, or the floor for that matter, without a furry black kitty-butt making itself at home. Now, don't get me wrong, I love snuggling with a purring sleepy kitty, but I also love to knit, and the two activities are basically incompatible. {sigh}. Consequently, Pines is progressing rather slowly... but they are progressing!In other news, I finally told my supervisors here at work that I'll be leaving in August... I work for the government, so they won't fire me before my last day or anything, and they need a LOT of lead-time to replace me... they probably won't be able to do it before I leave in August! Everyone was very pleased about my news, but it was bittersweet because it is going to make life more difficult for them. As an added bonus, though, they're going to move me into an office with a window... right now I'm in a totally different section than all the rest of my team, and they don't want to lose the office that just opened up in the same area. So yeah... windows! I will be SO much happier being stuck at work. :) Plus, they're giving me some really nice boxes to move all of my office stuff, so I'll be borrowing those for my move in June, too! :) And, thanks to Rachael, I'm going to have to go buy the new Vogue Knitting and make that adorable tank top from the cover. {sigh} ;) Well, off to fill up boxes of stuff in my office... and then take the boxes home and fill them up again! Moving is exciting, but a big pain in the @$$. Good news, though- I've gotten 2 'nibbles' on the roommate situation... I'm just waiting to hear back from the girl who has 'first dibs', but it looks like I'll be able to find a roommate from the other incoming law students, and hopefully without too much trouble. (although I'll feel MUCH better when it's all settled!) 0 comments || # Tuesday, April 06, 2004 When a Weekend Changes EverythingLast weekend, I attended the various "Preview Day" activities for GW Law. As a result, several things have happened. Most importantly, I crunched the numbers with GW's budget, and realized that there was really no way I could live alone and not potentially run out of money. Second, I realized that if I was going to move anyway, I might as well move a lot closer to school. So by Saturday, I had decided I needed to find a 2 bedroom apartment, and then a roommate. On Sunday, I completed my application for a really cute little 2 bedroom in Rosslyn (just 1 metro stop away from school!):
If you're really bored and want to read all about the new apartment, you can look here at the page I've set up to hopefully find a roommate. So if you had asked me on Thursday, I would have told you that I would be staying in my apartment through law school. By Sunday, I had a totally new answer- and I'll be moving June 15!!! I did manage to find time to go see the cherry blossoms- they were amazing. The weather wasn't the greatest, but the trees are so beautiful that you really can't complain about things like icy wind and the occasional drizzle! 
I also, thanks to my 'sick day' on Monday, managed to finish the back of Pines: 
And Cricket, as usual, enjoyed her sunny spot. I hope she'll like her new apartment- I'm hoping she can explore a little bit OUTSIDE since she'll have a little front yard! 
0 comments || # Thursday, April 01, 2004 Plugging Away at PinesYesterday, I got to spend the entire day in boring meetings. These meetings would truthfully have been much more interesting if I weren't leaving in 4 months... but since I am, and nothing that was discussed in these meetings will really matter for at least 6 months, there was a distinct lack of interest on my part. However, it has forced me to the realization that I have to give them my notice here soon- they are apparently interested in making me the lead on several projects, and I really need to let them know that I won't be here to fulfill all of these responsibilities. And, since I work for the government, it's not like they'll fire me before my last day... so it makes sense to give them a 'heads-up'. I'm totally dreading the conversations, though, since I've known I would be leaving for over a year now- and I've known for SURE since December, and I haven't let on. Well, I'll give myself a deadline of May 3... hopefully I'll get it over with sometime in April.In knitting news, I was able to get a significant amount of progress done on Pines... I'm past the initial arm shaping, and have another pattern repeat and a half or so to go before I finish the back. I would have taken a picture, but, well, it looks basically exactly the same as before- only longer. I debated about whether to do the sleeves or the fronts next, and I've decided to go with the fronts so that I can duplicate what I've done on the back without having to stress my brain out too much. :) Tonight and tomorrow I get to spend all of my time at GW's "Preview Day" activities- I hope I can get something out of them, and maybe meet some new folks! And then on Saturday, I have a date with the cherry blossoms... I saw some amazing trees yesterday by the National Gallery of Art, and I was so tempted to skip my meeting and sit under the beautiful trees... but it was kinda chilly and the grass was wet, so off to the meeting I went. ;) I hope everyone has an amazing weekend- I'm making mine a 4-day affair by taking Monday off... after all, I have to use up those sick days, right? ;) 0 comments || # |
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