tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55808343017898685522024-03-05T09:39:37.027-05:00Mariposa's New LifeI hate the Bozone...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-38601875265899127992013-09-05T04:25:00.001-04:002013-09-05T04:25:25.784-04:00She Meant Well<div class="tr_bq">
So, I was browsing the internet, as I occasionally do, and ran across this article from Jezebel: </div>
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<a data-id="" href="http://jezebel.com/concerned-mom-slutty-girls-selfies-are-tempting-my-pe-1251831479" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #e21638; line-height: inherit;">Concerned Mom: Slutty Girls' Selfies Are Tempting My Perfect Sons</a></h1>
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Now, normally I would ignore this, but I clicked. I was curious. The article, and the comments, were amusing enough for me to go read the original post.</div>
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<span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 15.333333015441895px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://givenbreath.com/2013/09/03/fyi-if-youre-a-teenage-girl/" target="_blank">FYI (If you're a teenage girl)</a></span></div>
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Now the comments made sense and I laughed my ass off. I decided to write a comment to Mrs. Hall. I've included it for you below:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As someone who is writing a blog on sexism and sexist behaviors, your first post was bothersome. I see what you were aiming for and your intent. However, you perpetuated a double standard that left me with a bad taste in my mouth. You were attempting to shame a nameless, faceless girl for her activities while publicly parading your sons bodies over the internet. I didn't like the standard you set. It made your statement hypocritical.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now I see you've posted the same post (mostly the same) but with your sons covered up. OK but even if I had not seen the first post, I'd wonder about your motives. Does this mean that you'll eventually teach your daughter to ignore racy photos of boys on the internet (they do exist)? Or is it just girls who have the problem because, I assure you, boys are equally culpable. It smacks of the 'shaming' phenomena that's so prevalent in our society. Girls have to be held to a higher standard than boys because boys just can't help themselves. Really? Is that what you think of your sons? That once they see a classmate in a racy selfie, they'll never respect her again? They'll look at her and see boobs? I think, Mrs. Hall, you underestimate your sons while doing them a disservice. You seem to be a nice lady trying, as we all do in this world, to raise respectful intelligent sons. Respect their intelligence now. Assume they know better than to treat a classmate like a sex object instead of a person.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I also think you also forget that pictures taken by other people can show up on FB tagged to someone's name. Everyone who knows me personally knows I'm not a fan of having my picture on the internet. My pics are few and far between. However, a picture once showed up in my FB album but it was taken and posted by my best friend. I immediately removed the tag but if I had not, and the picture had been me in a racy bikini, would I be de-friended in the Hall household? I didn't take the picture. It's not my fault your son's started think of me in my bikini after it was posted. And honestly, Mrs. Hall, your sons' thoughts are my least concern. It's their ACTIONS I'm concerned with.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll never forget the speed with which a naked selfie of a former college classmate made the rounds on Facebook. Did I particularly enjoy looking at his dangly bits? Nope. Were they out there for me to see? Yep. Does that make him a slut for posting that pic? It definitely makes him an idiot if he posted it purposefully. And there is the hypocrisy. Turns out his ex-girlfriend decided to post some of his pics, pics taken in a spirit of love and trust during their relationship, on Facebook. He was able to remove the tags to his face but he had to contact the administrators to remove the pics. By then, at least six graduating classes, plus everyone THEY knew, had seen those pics. We know now what's in his BVDs.<br />But under the current policy in your household, you would block his posts (and probably him). He didn't post those pics. He never wanted those pics to get out.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But your zero-tolerance policy doesn't allow for understanding and judgment. It doesn't allow for explanations. It's absolute. So I kindly ask you to add another question to your list: Who posted this? Not all 'selfies' are selfies and, had I defriended him, I might never have learned that (a) he didn't post that, (b) he was now a cop (he wasn't when the pics were taken) (c) she was arrested. How did I learn all this? I remained friends with him. It was humiliating for him but I'm still his friend because I didn't judge and when I see him, I don't see his penis instead of his face.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Actually, I take it back. He's a man, not a girl. So he's still a friend in the Hall household. Because your policy doesn't take into account things your daughter shouldn't see. It's just geared toward girls, who are, more often than not, the victims of this kind of behavior. And if, indeed, some young female friend of a Hall boy decides to post a selfie on FB, she's within her rights. It's her account and can only be seen by those who friend her. If her parents don't object, she can do as she wishes. Does that make it right? Not necessarily. But again, you have a double standard and it leaves me feeling cold.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've seen your sons in their swim trunks. I still couldn't give two hoots about them but you chose to glorify their bodies in your first post. You fell into the same behavior that I'm fighting against, perpetuating a double standard against women that your sons don't have to meet. You put your sons bodies out in the world to be seen but you rail against photos that require 'friending' to see.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't require a response. I won't even be upset if you choose not to accept this comment for publication. I do hope you take a moment and think about my points and really ask yourself: Is this right? Is this fair? Or am I simply perpetuating the age old myth of male helplessness in the face of feminine wiles? Are your sons intelligent boys growing into men? Or are they helpless beasts driven by their emotions?</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have faith in your sons, Mrs. Hall. I choose to believe they're intelligent young men. Men in puberty, yes, and therefore capable of seeing anything and everything in a sexual way. But they don't have to act on their thoughts. I choose to believe you're teaching them to treat everyone with respect.</span></blockquote>
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8001652553_d48feb171e_o.png" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-13188376734352163492012-10-11T21:35:00.000-04:002012-10-11T21:35:32.413-04:00Gypsy Sling!!!<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Yes, she's complete!</i></b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8078554310/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="GypsySlingComplete02 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="GypsySlingComplete02" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8196/8078554310_56489cc484_b.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's ignore the scuff marks at the bottom of the door and the touch up I need to do to the walls, OK? THANKS!</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">My Gypsy Sling!</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8078563421/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="GypsySlingComplete03 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="GypsySlingComplete03" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8078563421_213f3f5653_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cell phones nestled inside already and four (4!) pockets you can't see....this bag is the perfect size for me!</td></tr>
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I used an outdoor fabric<span style="font-family: inherit;">, <span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.joann.com/solaruim-outdoor-canvas-merona-caribbean/zprd_02301372a/" target="_blank">Solaruim Outdoor Canvas-Merona Caribbean</a> from Joann's Fabrics, which is the same fabric I'll use to sew the Weekender bag (at some point....I'm too tired right now). The interior is canvas duck. No, seriously. I have about 10 yards of white canvas duck in the house that needed a use and this was it. I have a tendency to throw any and everything into my bags and I wanted something I could toss into the washing machine and not feel bad about it. My last 2 bags are stained with chocolate, numerous water bottles, hot and cold tea, ink pens in various colors, a lip liner pencil, ink from papers that had bled next to the water bottles, and all the other various things that get stuck in the bottoms of women's purses (I just named the stuff I could identify). Not to mention the numerous rips and tears in the delicate lining fabrics. The white Sak crochet bag I bought 3 months ago looks like I've owned it for three years already.</span></span><br />
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So this bag, for me, was about beauty, elegance, and durability. It had to look good, I had to look good carrying it, it had to be big enough (ie. Can I carry my laptop in this comfortably? Yes? Then it's big enough) to carry my everyday items. This is going to be the bag I schlep back and forth to NYC with. This will be the bag I schlep <i>around</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>NYC with.<br />
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Making this was a labor of love. I'm an occasional sewer; I can make what I want, when I want, as long as the pattern has great instructions. Otherwise.....well, the results aren't always pretty because I don't sew enough.<br />
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So, what went into making this bag?<br />
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I read the pattern for weeks after receiving it.<br />
I finally cut out the pattern pieces two weeks ago.<br />
I spent 2 hours last night cutting out the exterior fabric, interfacing and lining.<br />
I reread the instructions again.<br />
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I spent ~10 hours today sewing it. No seriously, from about 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM I was sewing this bag. What did I learn?<br />
<ol>
<li>Take breaks. Have lunch. Eat dinner. Walk away from it every so often.</li>
<li>Having a walking foot can save your life! I've never used my walking foot before today and I can't imagine living without it now. A walking foot is almost a <b>must</b> on this bag.</li>
<li>I don't think her instructions on making the fabric straps are correct. If I had followed her directions, I would have had colossal straps (like 80" long per strap). I took the first strap out, cut it in half, and sewed the ends together to get the correct length.</li>
<li>Amy must have a tiny phone, because there is so way I could fit my phone in her cell phone pocket. I had planned to put 2 cell phone pockets in my bag anyway (I have a work and a personal cell, so it was a must), but looking at the finished size of her pockets, she must have assumed that everyone making the bag would be lining it in some super stretchy material.</li>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8078554004/" title="GypsySlingComplete04 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="GypsySlingComplete04" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8469/8078554004_2c4722934f_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The cell phone on the left (work) is on top of the pocket sewn by her instructions (using a 1/2" seam). The pocket under the cell (personal) on the right is the same, but used a 1/4" seam.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8078586240/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="GypsySlingComplete05 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="GypsySlingComplete05" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8475/8078586240_cf80437e89_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final result. Each cell phone inside it's pocket....a perfect fit. I didn't bother with the crease/pleat at the bottom either....too much bother.</td></tr>
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I'm so excited and proud of what Ive accomplished. I'm on vacation tomorrow, so I'm going to transfer all my normal purse stuff to this bag and carry it around town for a while. I'm also going to studiously avoid all the fabric and thread scraps on the floor (only what missed the trash) and the mess on my bed. I need to enjoy this moment.<br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8001652553_d48feb171e_o.png" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-4187059243717830082012-09-29T08:57:00.000-04:002012-09-29T08:57:00.258-04:00February Lady in SeptemberWhen I initially started knitting my February Lady sweater, it was (<i>cringes</i>) November 1 last year. I assumed that I would have it finished by Christmas (see what I mean by procrastination?).<br />
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I even planned (ha ha . . .planned...lol) to complete the jacket for the Ravellenic games! I pulled it out of its basket, reviewed what needed to be done (everything) and added the appropriate tags of EventWIPS & TeamKPLovers.<br />
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I completed 2 pairs of socks for the Ravellenic Games.<br />
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Now, it's getting cool here in NYC and I could really use my February Lady Jacket. To compensate, I did order some jackets from Land's End, but it's not the same as a nice, custom made jacket.<br />
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So, let's review what I currently have.<br />
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<a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/veiland/91123665/document_upload2302-0_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/veiland/91123665/document_upload2302-0_medium2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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What's worse, I know I need to frog some, because I attempted to add short rows (to raise the back) and I didn't like how they looked. So, I think the September 2012 game plan is to finish the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/badges/redirect?p=rubus-suberectus-socks" target="_blank">Rubus Suberectus Socks</a>, & finish <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/veiland/magrathea" target="_blank">Magrathea</a>. I think that's enough to be going on with. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-11992492842590003582012-09-27T20:55:00.000-04:002012-09-27T20:55:00.228-04:00Holiday Knitting? Already???As much as I hate to acknowledge it, now is the time to start thinking about Holiday Knitting. Yeah, Christmas is only 3 months away, so in the true fashion of a procrastinator, I'll start planning now, ignore the plan, then knit like mad starting 3 days before Christmas.<br />
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And not finish.<br />
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So, once I finish 2 more pairs of socks, I will have officially completed the Sock Knitters <strong>"unofficial" 12 socks in '12 KAL"</strong>. I signed up to knit 30 pairs of socks <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors="true">on May 28</a> and I'll probably reach my goal by mid-October 2012. 4 months to knit 30 socks (smh) . . . gotta stop sniffing the wool fumes. Anyway, I'm also thinking I'll cut back to two socks a month on the sock knitting to make room for the holiday knitting.<br />
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I'm looking forward to the possibility of a project that's just a bit bigger. I had a queue of 2012 projects that I've wanted to complete all year and I'm just now acknowledging that the majority of those projects will never see the needles, but some of them will. I'm determined.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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Remember this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;">I'm getting really desperate to cast on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/semele-2" target="_blank">Semele</a>. The yarn has been ready for months now and my fingers are itching for a pattern that doesn't involve turning a heel (more on that after the jump). This is what's on my project page in Ravelry: </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Originally queued: July 25, 2011</span></em> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Project created: January 28, 2012</span></em> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hibernating: May 14, 2012</span></em> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;">See, this has been waiting a very long time. I was hoping to get started this month, but it might not happen. Damn.</span></blockquote>
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Yeah. Still hasn't happened. The yarn is wound. It's ready. Socks have continually gotten in the way. I think it's because I can take them on a flight and not wonder if I've reach the midpoint of the skein. That is what is holding up progress on <a href="http://ravel.me/veiland/m4" target="_blank">Magrathea</a>. Knowing that I have a 42 gram skein of silk to work with for Magrathea means that every time I finish a repeat, I'm anxious to determine if I'm getting close to the midpoint.<br />
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It's <strong>beyond</strong> frustrating!<br />
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Anyway, holiday knitting (see, I even procrastinate <strong>talking</strong> about the holiday knitting). I'm officially staring <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://4" x-apple-data-detectors-result="4" x-apple-data-detectors="true">on October 1st</a> with the holiday knitting. Regardless of what is on the needles, I will cast on for the following:
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<a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=5322&lang=us" target="_blank" title="">Parker</a>: I love the over-sized fit and the shawl collar. I don't like how sloppy all the edges look, so I'm thinking a nice tubular or i-cord bind off. Now, I just need 2500+ yards of sport-weight (amazing that I don't already have that in stash).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/drops/mag/135/45/45-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" class="" height="400" id="blogsy-1348002622518.9607" src="http://www.garnstudio.com/drops/mag/135/45/45-1.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parker by DROPS Designs</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/franklin" target="_blank" title="">Franklin</a>: Ribbed, mock turtleneck, raglan sleeves, this looks like something I could finish fast. . .if I put the socks down. Then again, endless ribbing.....I don't like endless ribbing in socks, so how will I fare with a cardi?<br />
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<a href="http://www.janeellison.co.uk/26-104-thickbox/queensland-men-book-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.janeellison.co.uk/26-104-thickbox/queensland-men-book-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Beck</b>: A Cabled, half-zip pullover....this sounds like a challenge. I can sew zippers into fabric with ease, but sewing zippers into hand-knits??? Always problematic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.janeellison.co.uk/26-102-thickbox/queensland-men-book-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.janeellison.co.uk/26-102-thickbox/queensland-men-book-9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beck by Jane Ellison</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/135-26-edward---mens-jumper-in-alpaca" target="_blank">Edward</a>: Shawl collar, close fit. . .this looks interesting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/drops/mag/135/26/26-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.garnstudio.com/drops/mag/135/26/26-1.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edward by DROPS Design</td></tr>
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<b>#11 Ruffle Trim Jacket</b>: The Moment I saw this all I could think is "Mom would LOVE this jacket." Mom, not me. I don't do ruffles.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EioYIe1gvyA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<b>Scalene by Carina Spencer: </b>I might even make one of these for myself.<br />
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<a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/SweetMama/57477295/stripes_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/SweetMama/57477295/stripes_medium2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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and some socks. Yes, there will be holiday sock knitting, if only because the knit-worthy people closest to me have come to appreciate hand-knit socks. My father has even started matching them with his outfits, which makes him my <b>most</b> knit-worthy person. Mom has too much fondness for ruffle scarves (thank GOD they're in this season).<br />
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Now, to ignore all the holiday knitting until after Thanksgiving....</div>
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<div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-21630000529663731202012-09-26T09:47:00.000-04:002012-09-26T09:47:00.803-04:00I'm back in the grooveYeah, I know.<br />
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Shocked, aren't you?<br />
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I'm actually blogging again. I'm actually sitting down and putting my thoughts to....well, not paper, but on something.<br />
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Anyway, here's a status update:<br />
<a name='more'></a><b>Rubus Suberectus Socks cast on</b>: I'm trying to knit them 2AAT off one skein using both ends. So far, this hasn't degenerated into a tangled mess, but we'll see.<br />
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<b>Magrathea</b>: The problem with using a gorgeous silk laceweights is that you can't eyeball when you are done. So far, I have 15 repeats and it took 2 repeats to decrease the weight 1 gram. I have 11 grams to go. I'm not feeling confident I'll finish this before October.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/veiland/74104369/document_upload3990-0_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/veiland/74104369/document_upload3990-0_medium.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Must have been a cell phone upload</td></tr>
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<b>Bulky Hat</b>: This is sort of a "Let's get this finished and to Grandma's before it gets too cold' sort of present. I knit two of them, a blue one (below) and a black/grey one for my maternal grandparents and I have just enough leftovers from both skeins to knit a bucket hat style hat for my paternal grandmother. I want/need to line them in Polartec Fleece before I send them off. Yes, the Polar fleece has been purchased; I just need to finish the last hat, line them and mail them. Before October. Yup, I have a plan.<br />
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<b>The Rockefeller Shawl</b>: After painful consideration, I'm going to frog this. Not only would I never wear it, I don't like it. This is why I don't participate in mystery knit-a-longs I have to pay for: When I don't like the pattern, I want my money back.<br />
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I think I'll send pictures of completed ones to Mom first to see if she likes it. If so, then I'll finish. Otherwise, frog pond.<br />
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I needed a massage last week like you wouldn't believe. The muscle on the side of my neck was so tight, I could barely turn my head. So after 90 minutes of almost torturous bliss, I finished my afternoon of pampering with a mani and pedi. Then I decided to grab a Chai Tea Latte.<br />
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Now, personally, I don't really drink anything from Starbucks unless I know I'm expensing it later. It's not that I don't like Starbucks, their coffee (actually, scratch that. I don't like the coffee), or the atmosphere. I just don't feel a pull for it until I'm on the road. So to feel a <i>need</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>for a Starbucks run is rare and almost always obeyed. One grande Iced Chai Tea Latte later, I began to wonder about my dislike of coffee. I've had good coffee before; I've even had coffee so good I didn't need to add any sugar or cream to it. But never have I found that elusive mixture at Starbucks.<br />
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Anyway, a year ago I spied a post about Iced coffee on the Pioneer Woman website (I like her. Not the show b/c I've never seen it, but the photography and Cooking sites are great). I perused the links to <i>Imbibe</i> magazine she offered and decided to take a chance and try making iced coffee.<br />
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Then I promptly forgot about it.<br />
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I went back on Friday and pulled up the site. I purchased a 1 gallon jar from WalMart ($7.44) and a Drink Dispenser ($9.00) and set out to work (on a side note: Now I'm really wishing I had not melted the cheapo one Mom bought me at the end of Summer. $3 and it melted when I poured hot tea in it. Well, at least this is BPA free and a lot stronger). Well, actually, there isn't a lot of work.<br />
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<ol>
<li>Buy Coffee</li>
<li>Weigh 8 oz and dump into 1 Gallon Jar</li>
<li>Add filtered water from fridge (refill Brita pitcher)</li>
<li>Stick in fridge and hope for the best.</li>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8025125251/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" title="IcedCoffee_02 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="IcedCoffee_02" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8038/8025125251_c5f904c86a_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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It's only supposed to hang out 8 hours to overnight, but I started it at 9PM Sunday and didn't feel a need for coffee until yesterday morning.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8025125508/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IcedCoffee_03 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="IcedCoffee_03" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8034/8025125508_33842a6b3e_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Hmm. Looks like brownie mix. Smells like coffee.</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8025126342/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IcedCoffee_06 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="IcedCoffee_06" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/8025126342_f746e900f9_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Bubbles like primordial sludge. Whatever that is. I mean it. All the bubbling isn't appetizing. Also, I love the flour sack towels as WalMart. They're slightly thicker than cheesecloth, which means I can use just one for a task that would need 2-3 squares of cheesecloth. It's secured with a rubber band.</span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8025127248/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IcedCoffee_09 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="IcedCoffee_09" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8309/8025127248_392e5a24d9_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Looks promising.</span>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8025128077/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IcedCoffee_12 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="IcedCoffee_12" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8180/8025128077_17e23c2cfe_z.jpg" width="300" /></a>
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Oh my God in Heaven.....Does this have a Chai Tea Latte equivalent??? Because <i style="font-weight: bold;">this</i> is some seriously GREAT stuff. For the first time, I understand what coffee snobs are talking about when they talk about the "bold rich taste with hints of chocolate and vanilla" because it's <b>all</b> there. I added some sweetened condensed milk, a teaspoon of sugar and thought I died and went to heaven. I actually have no idea how much I drank because I kept topping the cup off. These cups are the kind you can prefreeze, so I won't have to add ice cubes to have iced coffee.<br />
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Best of all, living in Florida means that the weather outside will encourage iced coffee consumption until at least December. :) I can see now that this item will have a permanent place in my fridge in the months to come.<br />
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Excuse me. Gotta go refill.<br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8001652553_d48feb171e_o.png" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-29146488749955341842012-09-25T20:52:00.000-04:002012-09-25T20:52:06.453-04:00New Crafty InterestIn the past six months, I've spent a considerable amount of time at home. It was past due; I had not spent any appreciable time at my parent's home since I can't remember when last year. So, I spent about 6 weeks at my parents in May and June before heading home for a while. Then, I spent almost all of August in Georgia.<br />
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So why do I mention this?<br />
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Well, Mom doesn't knit. She sews. So when I run out of yarn and my fingers start itching for a project, I take a side-eye to her fabric stash. During August, after finishing my two Ravellenic projects, I needed a project. I needed something to knit....but with only Michael's and Joann's at my disposal, sewing was looking good. For the past few months, I'd spent a lot of time contemplating sewing again. Mostly, this interest was sparked by necessity; I needed to recover 3 ottomans in my house. Well, I've finished 2 ottomans; one was recovered in white duck cloth, with a blue and white navy stripe cording offsetting the ottoman and the ruffle at the bottom. It took all of my rusty skills (thank you, internets!) to remember how to make a bias strip for the cording, how to insert a zipper, how to accurately cut the fabric (lol.....I still goofed quite a few times) and how to work my iron (no seriously. I don't iron.).<br />
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Once I was done, I cast my eye toward a long-time, back-of-the-brain project that I've wanted to do: An update on my knitting bag.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/3446418332/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Coffee&Chocolate_005 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee&Chocolate_005" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3351/3446418332_ae85775566_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Project Bag from Coffee and Chocolate Swap</td></tr>
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I received this from the Coffee and Chocolate swap 3 years ago and I've used it <b>constantly</b> ever since. It has logged as many miles back and forth as I have. However the longer I used it, the more I realized I needed to update it.<br />
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You see, when I travel I never check bags. So when I step to security I have a 22" upright carry-on, a Swiss Guard Book bag, and my knitting bag. After a while I realized that to make life easy, I could tuck my cell phone, keys, ID, credit cards and Plane tickets into that knitting bag and go right through security. No digging through my book bag; no having to stuff my purse into my upright right at the ID check. After a while, TSA stopped checking the knitting bag. But placing my ID, credit cards, keys, etc, inside the bag meant it got tangled quite often, especially if there were more than one project. What I <b>wanted</b> was an outside pocket or two for those items. So, that's what I did, I <b>made</b> one!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8003730072/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Larger Box w/Pocket3 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Larger Box w/Pocket3" height="382" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8322/8003730072_a81083ab9b_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/8003725941/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Larger Box w/Pocket5 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Larger Box w/Pocket5" height="382" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8439/8003725941_d188668c4f_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ha! Just what I needed. And it matches my DPN Needle roll...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/4883713760/" title="DPNeedleRoll_001 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="DPNeedleRoll_001" height="400" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4099/4883713760_0a5d75ee8a_z.jpg" width="300" /></a>
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So, I've been bitten by the sewing bug yet again....Next up</div>
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<a href="http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/images/patterns/gs_cover_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/images/patterns/gs_cover_med.jpg" /></a></div>
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:) I can't wait.</div>
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8001652553_d48feb171e_o.png" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-20838148341223918362012-09-18T17:45:00.000-04:002012-09-18T21:35:06.531-04:00Fall Hope<div style="text-align: justify;">
Right now, I'm suffering through an overcast day in NYC. It's wet but not rainy, cool but not cold, and grey but not dreary.</div>
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It's matching my mood.</div>
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I'm back at the site of my very first consulting client, the place I was thrilled to leave 2 years ago and the place I'm <b>thrilled</b> to be back at 2 years later. I've had some difficult clients since then and I never realized how much I missed this place. </div>
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If you don't know, I work in higher ed and one of the things that makes this job wonderful is the beginning of the Fall Semester. I love this time of year. Scads of eager, hopeful students pack college campuses around the country, excited yet scared, eager to start this portion of their life that is, essentially, a bridge. They are old enough to be responsible for their own actions yet not old enough to make it on their own, without help.</div>
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Years ago (I'm not saying how many because I just had a birthday), I was one of those students. I was <b>not</b> thrilled. I was resigned. I was going to my parents' alma mater, a school I loathe and <b>never</b> even considered in my college search. I had been admitted into my dream school, I would be joining my best friend there, and I would be away from the horrid racism that was my hometown.</div>
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Then the financial aid letter came and dashed all my hopes. I received their second best scholarship, which paid all tuition and fees, but not room and board and without an additional $10K a year, this school was too expensive for my parents. Then, to add insult to injury, my parents called the FinAid office and found out that I was #4 on the list for a Presidential Scholarship, but the school had decided to give 3 Presidential Scholarships to new students and 2 to returning students they had not been able to fund the previous year. They smiled and commended my parents for all the hard work that I'd done and advised that I come anyway and apply for a Presidential Scholarship the next year.</div>
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My parents called their alma mater and told them to attempt to recruit me again. They did and, with my parents' standing firm against taking out loans for my education, I resigned myself to the school I hated. I got their Presidential scholarship and, after doing the math, realized I would essentially get paid to go to school to the tune of $6K a year. This still didn't improve my mood. I joined my new classmates on campus, doing my best to hide my unhappiness, and resolved to get out as quickly as possible.</div>
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I tell this story to contrast it with what I see around me. The students at the school I am currently at have been running around the grassy knoll, playing Frisbee and tossing footballs, laying on blankets catching the afternoon sun, and talking about the brilliance that encompasses their professors. They are getting dresses up to catch the "B" line downtown to party at the hottest clubs or try to new restaurants. They are enjoying the cultural advantages their campus and city have to offer while getting a first rate education. They are signing up to work the presidential campaigns (many of them in contrast to their parents' political opinions, if what I'm hearing is accurate) and generally getting involved.</div>
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They'll graduate in debt and hope against hope that they can find a job.</div>
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You see, regardless of how the economy is doing 4 years from now, the Class of 2016 is still going to be in a rough spot when it comes to employment. They will be competing against 8 <b>years</b> worth of graduates who also desperately need jobs. Chances are, the stellar University education that they and their parents have paid for will still leave them with debt. And they will still be living in one of the most expensive cities in the entire world. Recently, I overheard a client employee bragging that his studio apartment was "<b>only $1500 a month."</b> It took everything I had not to mention that he was paying more than 2x a mortgage. Then again, I don't live in NYC.</div>
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This entire post is a little rambling and may seem somewhat pointless, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm somewhat envious of the students around me. They have that hope that I haven't felt in quite a while. A future of endless possibilities awaits them. They are just beginning the journey that I've been on for a while now and I hope they have as great a time as I did. Yes, I had a great time. Once I stopped moping and got into my classes, I started having a great time. My other best friend was my roommate and we've been friends for over 15 years now. Going to a school where I didn't have to worry about money left me the freedom to take internships and fellowships others couldn't take, including those from my dream school. I graduated with honors, took a few jobs I wasn't crazy about until I landed in my current position, a job that I mostly like (last 2 years notwithstanding). I'm thinking about the next step at my current job and I am trying to rearrange my life to take more vacation and more time for myself. Fall is usually my time for introspection and this year was no exception.</div>
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Now, if the wind would let up long enough for me to get to the train station. . .<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com01475-1499 Thieriot Ave, Bronx, NY 10460, USA40.8370495 -73.865429540.8130325 -73.904911500000011 40.8610665 -73.8259475tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-53463583854329729182012-06-12T08:42:00.000-04:002012-06-12T08:42:00.475-04:00Planned InsanitySo, I know it's been a while. There's a reason: I can't stop knitting socks. In nearly 5 months I've knit 16 pairs of socks....well, perhaps 18, depending on how long it takes me to finish <a href="http://ravel.me/veiland/m2" target="_blank">Maeva</a> and<strike> knit the second sock of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/veiland/skew-2" target="_blank">Skew</a></strike> (Nevermind. Finished sock two while writing this installment). I've learned that my limit (for sanity's sake) is 3 pairs of socks a month. That's all I can really handle. Besides, at the moment, I haven't been able to cast on anything else.<br />
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Which is why, for the month of June, I signed up on Sock Knitter's Anonymous to knit 4 socks. Actually 5, but I removed one because it didn't qualify for the time limit.<br />
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Yes, 4.<br />
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And I volunteered to test knit a pattern. Thankfully, she only needs one sock complete (here's looking at you, Skew2!)<br />
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Six socks in one month. And I won't be home until mid-month.<br />
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No, I'm not losing my mind.<br />
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It's already vacated the premises.<br />
<a name='more'></a>My father, upon seeing my knitting successes with Mermaidia, In the Weeds, Bellflower Socks and Ginger Socks, has asked for a pair. The choice of pattern didn't take long; I've long had a list of socks I wanted to knit for Daddy in my queue, so it was simply a matter of picking one. Plus, I recently bought as many VeryBusyMonkey patterns as my budget could afford, so my preferred sock for him is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/coriolis-effect-socks" target="_blank">Coriolis Effect</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6310959739_c17dee2ec5_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6310959739_c17dee2ec5_z.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
Manly enough for him, enough interesting stuff to prevent me from losing my mind.<br />
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However, I also want to start working on the socks from <a href="http://www.knitterscuriositycabinet.com/" target="_blank">The Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet</a>, which I loved (side note- did I ever mention that the first sock I knit from the book, Chrysanthemum , is one of the featured photos on Ravelry!!!!!SQUUEEEEE!!!). I looked at Pinus Silvestris and fell in love, not just because it's a beautiful pattern, but because it would have special meaning for my Dad.<br />
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This is my father's mortal enemy.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesussman/5478136987/" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Southwest Georgia pines by The Suss-Man (Mike), on Flickr"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><img alt="Southwest Georgia pines" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5057/5478136987_54e99a39eb_z.jpg" width="640" /></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12px;">© Mike Suss of Sussman Imaging</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<i>Pinus Silvestris</i>, i.e Pine Straw. This stuff is <b>hell</b> when it drops onto your yard constantly in the winter. With an entire acre to clear, my father can't clear pine cones and straw away fast enough.</div>
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<a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/hunter/82826959/4pssock2_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/hunter/82826959/4pssock2_medium2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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What better way to say "I love you" than to give my Dad the opportunity to literally and figuratively trod upon his mortal enemy?</div>
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The only problem with this sock is I want the <b>exact</b> right yarn for it. I'm thinking of order <a href="http://www.hazelknits.com/products/Bronze-Age.html" target="_blank">Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Bronze Age</a> but I'm holding back for some reason....That probably has a lot to do with the fact that in the past month, I've ordered probably $300 worth of yarn. That last $20 might be pushing it. In any case, I keep holding off in case I find a better yarn. Does anyone have a suggestion? What do you think? Christmas? His birthday is a week before. I might be able to come up for air and get them knit by then.....</div>
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The last option was the Par 5 Socks. They're still an option. But thanks to the pine straw, he really doesn't gold as much as he used to.</div>
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I've spent the past 4 weeks at home and I'm ready to go back home to Florida. Not that I haven't had a great time at my parents, but I just miss the creature comforts of my own home. Mom is driving down with me and she wants to leave on Thursday or Friday (I'm aiming for Friday), which will give me two or three days to get back into the comfort of my home before I have to vacate it for work. This has been a great three weeks at home though.</div>
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I napped.</div>
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I watched lots of Netflix.</div>
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I read lots of documentation.</div>
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I helped clients get a module up and working sitting in my nighties (Yay Remote Work!).</div>
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<br /></div>
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I visited a few friends, including one I haven't seen in almost 4 years.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The only thing I didn't do is go see my grandparents. I feel <b>enormously</b> guilty about that, but my sanity and need for rest won out. Besides, I offered to got pick them up for Memorial Day and bring them to my Mother's, which is only 90 minutes away, and they shot me down. My grandmother won't go anywhere, even if you propose to pick her up, unless you're my uncle Bernard, who somehow miraculously manages to get her into the car every time. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I gave up. One must make a pilgrimage to their house. You cannot pluck them away from theirs. I've even offered to have them come down to my house in Florida in the winters, much milder in Florida than Georgia, and they won't leave.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'll try to convince them again this year. I don't expect a lot of success, but I can at least try.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Wildwood Dr, Albany, GA 31721, USA31.5890368 -84.277061231.5856553 -84.281996700000008 31.5924183 -84.2721257tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-50765442143434592762012-06-05T01:25:00.000-04:002012-06-05T02:00:13.151-04:00Frustration and Accomplishment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>**This is a photo heavy post**</b></div>
<br />
I'm getting really desperate to cast on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/semele-2" target="_blank">Semele</a>. The yarn has been ready for months now and my fingers are itching for a pattern that doesn't involve turning a heel (more on that after the jump). This is what's on my project page in Ravelry:<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Originally queued: July 25, 2011 <br />Project created: January 28, 2012 <br />Hibernating: May 14, 2012</span></i><br />
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i>See, this has been waiting a very long time. I was hoping to get started this month, but it might not happen. Damn.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
One of the things I like most at Madeline Tosh Merino Light is the fact that its a beautiful spun single ply. Right now, I think I'm just in a single ply moment; some of my favorite yarns to work with have been single play and Maddy is up at the top.<br />
<br />
This<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7040/6825553244_5129a57797_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7040/6825553244_5129a57797_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madeline Tosh Merino Light in Creme de Menthe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
is desperate to become this<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/jancacha/65329335/1106-semele-08_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/jancacha/65329335/1106-semele-08_medium2.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Semele by Åsa Tricosa</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: center;"> in green, of course.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I also have another pattern hibernating, yarn ready, waiting for me to release the socks.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-align: left;">This </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7060/6988894843_0abb037183_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7060/6988894843_0abb037183_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tess's Designer Yarn Petite Silk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
is very ready to become this</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5494379060_98dfd401c4_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5494379060_98dfd401c4_z.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magrathea by Martina Behm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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when I finally release the socks.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So why haven't I released the socks? Well, I'm a very competitive person and actually winning prizes has done NOTHING to help that situation. What's more, I'm now using Sock Knitter's Anonymous and Solid Socks for my own little sock improvement tutorials. While I'm getting nowhere learning to knit faster, learning to knit multiple socks Magic Loop two at a time (ML 2AAT) is now pretty easy. Thank you, GoodReader for iPad!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, what have I knit since my last post? (insert evil laugh).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
March</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Bridging Columns
</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7061/6991849955_8e4a32cf6c_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7061/6991849955_8e4a32cf6c_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MAY 2010 SKA Mystery Sock by Cookie A</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Started: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">March 11 2012 - </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Completed </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">March 17 2012</span></b></div>
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Yarn: <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_1577226223">Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in </a></span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 26px;"><b><a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/cfyarns/yarn_display.cfm?id=5420151" target="_blank">Serengeti</a></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 26px;"><b>Challenges: </b></span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Solid Socks: (Color Brown)</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>SKA: Cables </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 26px;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Vrille</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7225/6865121276_649a4eedba_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7225/6865121276_649a4eedba_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vrille by Laura Jenkins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Started: March 5 2012 - Completed March 21 2012</span></b><br />
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yarn: <a href="http://www.stringtheoryyarn.com/product.php?productid=790&cat=99&page=1" target="_blank">String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn Caper Sock</a> in Java</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 26px;"><b>Challenges</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> Solid Socks: (Color Brown)</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b> SKA: Cables</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Not sure which of the brown socks I won this for, but I won this from Solid Socks:</b></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5152/7084187927_49280d6078_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5152/7084187927_49280d6078_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Handwerks Super Twist in Granite</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<h3>
Tara</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7213/7032834767_651d241039_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7213/7032834767_651d241039_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Tara - SKA March 2012 Mystery Sock by Janneke Maat</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Started: March 1 2012 - Completed: March 30 2012</span></b><br />
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(The lovely thing about Mystery socks is the fact that you have <b>plenty</b> of time to finish it.)</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yarn: <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/cfyarns/yarn_display.cfm?id=5420133#" target="_blank">Knit Picks Stroll Solids in Forest Heather</a></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Challenge: SKA Mystery Sock</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<h2>
<b>April</b></h2>
<h3>
Mum's the Word</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7058/7084106355_fb5ec57dea_z.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7058/7084106355_fb5ec57dea_z.jpg"><strike></strike></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Chrysanthemum frutescens Socks by Hunter Hammersen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Started: April 6 2012 - Completed: April 16 2012</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yarn: Anzula Haiku in Ducky</span></b><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Challenge: </b><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Solid Socks April 2012: Challenge Yellow</b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b>THIS is the featured photo on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chrysanthemum-frutescens-socks" target="_blank">project page</a> in Ravelry! Yes!!!!! This sock also won a prize:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5234/6999881174_e72c839dcf_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5234/6999881174_e72c839dcf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sock & Baby Yarn - 2 ply in Merlot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b></div>
<h3>
Cheery Littlebottom</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7259/6981149388_c7560c9068_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7259/6981149388_c7560c9068_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheery Littlebottom<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> by Allison Isaac</span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Started: April 7 2012 - Complete April 29 2012</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill in Island Red</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Challenge: SKA - Literary There; Solid Socks: April 2012 Mystery Sock</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<h3>
Aragorn</h3>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.static.flickr.com/8002/7127234765_6956ebdea5_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm9.static.flickr.com/8002/7127234765_6956ebdea5_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Aragorn (English) by Janneke Maat</span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><br /></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Started: April 19 2012 - Completed: April 28 2012</b><b><br /></b><b>Yarn: <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/cfyarns/yarn_display.cfm?id=5420133#" target="_blank">Knit Picks Stroll Solids in Navy</a></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Challenges: SKA - Literary Theme</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<h3>
SOD: Nutkin</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7241/7184318930_97538a7179_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7241/7184318930_97538a7179_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nutkin<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> by Beth LaPensee</span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Started: April 30 2012 - May 20 2012</b></div>
<div>
<b>Yarn:
<a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/cfyarns/yarn_display.cfm?id=5420173" target="_blank">Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarn in Frog Prince</a></b></div>
<div>
<b>Challenges: Knit for the Socks of Doom! Group on Ravelry. I've resigned from the group. They aren't organized.</b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
May</h2>
<h3>
Ginger Socks</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7226/7292208530_11bac0984a_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7226/7292208530_11bac0984a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger Socks by VeryBusyMonkey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Started: May 14 2012 - Completed: May 23 2012</b></div>
<div>
<b>Yarn: <a href="http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-Heritage.asp" target="_blank">Cascade Heritage Solids in Mango</a></b></div>
<div>
<b>Challenges:</b></div>
<div>
<div>
<b> SKA: Lace</b></div>
<div>
<b> Solid Sock: Summer (Mangos)</b></div>
<div>
<b> VeryBusyMonkey Inaugural KAL</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<h3>
Bellflower Socks</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.static.flickr.com/8009/7292237086_e16a9e461e_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm9.static.flickr.com/8009/7292237086_e16a9e461e_z.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bellflower Socks by VeryBusyMonkey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Started: May 14 2012 - Completed: May 25 2012</b></div>
<div>
<b>Yarn: <a href="http://www.hazelknits.com/products/Beachglass.html" target="_blank">Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Beachglass</a></b></div>
<div>
<b>Challenges:</b></div>
<div>
<div>
<b> SKA: Lace</b></div>
<div>
<b> Solid Sock: Summer (Sarasota sky and water)</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<h3>
In The Weeds</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7211/7294761732_1f78720430_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7211/7294761732_1f78720430_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CHIENDENT-SKA May Mystery 2012 Socks by Rose Hiver</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Started: May 14 2012 - Completed: May 29 2012</b></div>
<div>
<b>Yarn: </b><b><a href="http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-Heritage.asp" target="_blank">Cascade Heritage Solids in Citron</a></b></div>
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<b>Challenges:</b></div>
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<b> SKA: Lace</b></div>
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<b> Solid Sock: Summer (Grass and Weeds)</b></div>
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<h3>
Mermaidia</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7227/7311501402_5232106a70_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7227/7311501402_5232106a70_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mermaidia by Christine Jeffery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Started: May 5 2012 - Completed: May 31 2012</b></div>
<div>
<b>Yarn: </b><b> <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/cfyarns/yarn_display.cfm?id=5420133#" target="_blank">Knit Picks Stroll Solids in Lantana</a></b></div>
<div>
<b>Challenges: </b><b> SKA: Lace</b></div>
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Whew! However, you haven't seen anything yet....</div>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-20172073532302831282012-03-19T00:58:00.000-04:002012-06-05T03:42:19.854-04:00More KnittingI made a commitment to blog more this year and I'm determined to do so.<br />
<br />
My ongoing commitment to <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/sock-knitters-anonymous" target="_blank">Sock Knitters Anonymous</a> continues to lead me down the primrose path of sock knitting foolishness.<br />
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For the month of February, I planned to knit 4 socks (yes, 4...I know, insane me....). More interestingly, I finished them, some in March, but I started in February and that's what counts! (more after the jump!)<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Clover</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/6914003103/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Clover Socks2 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Clover Socks2" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7064/6914003103_8a4440f4d4.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clover Socks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I did complete two socks, but this is the least blurry photo.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Solid Socks February 2012 Mystery Sock: Galileo Socks</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/6842776364/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Galileo Socks8 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Galileo Socks8" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7208/6842776364_680668b3f4.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galileo Socks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My first mystery sock and I must say, I enjoyed every minute of knitting it, even though not knowing what I would end up with made me extremely nervous.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Leyburn Socks</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/6812847038/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Leyburn Socks3 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Leyburn Socks3" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7051/6812847038_18ae5dd27a.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leyburn Socks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b><br />
This was actually my biggest disappointment. The pattern was great. The yarn is lovely (I love the gradation of color and the yarn is even more impressive when you look at it up close and observe the individuals plies). I knit the pattern happily with no problem. I just made one massive mistake: I attempted to use the Sweet Tomato heel on this sock. That made this sock incredibly tight across the instep. In the picture above, if you look carefully, you can see how I tried to hide the bunching caused by the third wedge. Ah well. These are now bed socks. In any case, the entire point (or one of the 12 steps) was to improve my knitting (actually, it's step 11: "<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i>Sought through trial and error to improve our conscious contact with sock knitting as we understood It, praying only for knowledge of Turning Heels and the power to carry that out"</i>.)</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Ivy</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/6988897421/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Ivy2 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Ivy2" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6988897421_8ba7c5299c.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ivy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ivy was the last sock completed (March 11) and only because my wrist needed a break for the few days.<br />
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<br />
Hey, did you notice I purchased foot Mannequins? I've been running around the house setting my socks up on the mannequins trying to get new shots of them. It feel nice to have more professional looking shots of my socks. :)<br />
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<hr />
My commitment NOT to buy more yarn has been continuously broken since January 2. These are the purchases in the past 7 days:<br />
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Entirely too much Petite Silk from Tess's Designer Yarns in Portland, Maine. I went there on a whim, thinking that it would be far too expensive and not very "designer". I've never been so happy (and so broke) while being wrong.<br />
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Two skeins of the Superwash Merino Lace, also in happy colors.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4l3AjgwlXfWMhtj_8cviHOjj2Hw6l7OOT5Nuke3Bxmnk86FLxYGZ-JLiims9396tYA4ib2TMohevH-8YV7YUwl_Au1GRnNXS-9JCVOOny0ZLjMeB5vc_7Siuqf1q6PMahnv5EvJXn89f/s1600/IMG_1820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4l3AjgwlXfWMhtj_8cviHOjj2Hw6l7OOT5Nuke3Bxmnk86FLxYGZ-JLiims9396tYA4ib2TMohevH-8YV7YUwl_Au1GRnNXS-9JCVOOny0ZLjMeB5vc_7Siuqf1q6PMahnv5EvJXn89f/s320/IMG_1820.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And my new obsession in Sock yarn, <a href="http://www.stringtheoryyarn.com/home.php?cat=99" target="_blank">Caper Sock</a> by <a href="http://www.stringtheoryyarn.com/home.php" target="_blank">String Theory</a>. I <b>love love love</b> this sock yarn.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTVhaViE3yeBjCpN21phiNaqWxjaUuswfz17_6cSvqYtZ4GOyCa363XKd7XRIqjdqONwgbo9MB29k9GkKTH96vmSRaccwFwmk_-SqkTwwXglsSoFvCl6IYaDa2XhP_-x2KPB2TeV02OYr/s1600/IMG_1824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTVhaViE3yeBjCpN21phiNaqWxjaUuswfz17_6cSvqYtZ4GOyCa363XKd7XRIqjdqONwgbo9MB29k9GkKTH96vmSRaccwFwmk_-SqkTwwXglsSoFvCl6IYaDa2XhP_-x2KPB2TeV02OYr/s320/IMG_1824.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grove</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laguna</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-70000342219512204082012-03-17T00:00:00.001-04:002012-03-17T00:00:34.302-04:00Something new to like<b>I hate to clean.</b><br />
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There, I've told the entire world (not that anyone really reads my blog).<br />
<br />
I absolutely despise cleaning. As a child, I was given washing dishes and dusting as a punishment, thus kicking off a lifelong hatred for any kind of cleaning chore. As an adult, I clean begrudgingly.<br />
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I stack and run the dishwasher. Hand washing is done only when I've stared at the same plate in the sink for 3 days straight and I'm leaving on a week-long trip the next day. Besides, I heard that the dishwasher uses less water than hand-washing.<br />
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My bed is made when I put new sheets on it.<br />
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Clean laundry is consistently piled in my bedroom chair.....Rarely does it make it to the closet....not that my closet has a lot of room for it anyway.<br />
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When I had carpet, I occasionally vacuumed.<br />
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I still consider mopping the fifth ring of hell, and it's only done when I stick to the kitchen floor.<br />
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I never dust. No amount of money on earth can compel me. When I dust, I end up spreading the dust around by sneezing. Besides, no matter what, you have more dust the next day. Given that I am now the proud owner of laminate floors, this is a problem.<br />
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And now that I've given you this litany of things I hate about cleaning, why did I title this post "Something New to Like?"<br />
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<b><i>Because</i></b> I <b>have</b> found something new to like. Meet the Swiffer Vac and the Swiffer Duster/Extender!<br />
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Don't ask me why, but I'll load a Swiffer Dry cloth onto the Vac and take it all around the house. I have no problem putting a dry cloth on the duster and quickly swishing the coffee and side tables or tackling cobwebs in my house.<br />
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These two products are so simple and easy to use that I almost have fun with them. My only problem with the Swiffer Vac is the 10 minute suction time on the Vac part. That sucks, but then again, I don't need to run the Vac all the time. Just when I get something I can't pick up on the dry pad.<br />
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Of course, Swiffer isn't solving my messy kitchen problem (anyone have a solution for that?), but at least my floors are clean and most (wood) surfaces in my house are now dust-free.<br />
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PS. The people who made Swiffer aren't paying me a dime for this post. I just really really like the SwifferVac.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-68031219640492946672012-02-17T22:18:00.001-05:002012-02-17T22:18:46.936-05:00I want to stop now.... I am not a fan of Cat Bordhi's sweet tomato heel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/6893597261_86555b9582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/6893597261_86555b9582.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leyburn Socks with Sweet Tomato Heel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Perhaps it's just me, perhaps I've done something wrong, perhaps I simply chose too complicated a pattern to try this out on, but I have finally turned the heel of one of my Leyburn socks and the sock is so tight around the instep as to need me to tug it into place when I attempt to wear it. I'm also not a fan of the bunching look created by executing the third set of short rows. <i>Sigh</i>.<br />
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Maybe I'm pushing myself too hard, but I'm just now binding off the first sock in this pair, which has put me behind in knitting the 4 socks I had planned this month. I would like to get the Solid Socks Group Mystery Sock knit before the last clue come out. I also need to get <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/veiland/ivy" target="_blank">Ivy</a> knit before the end of the month. I reestablished my cast on day for the sock (tomorrow) and if I can get a decent amount of work done on the Mystery sock tonight, then I will get started on it tomorrow.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-75107453250917554252012-02-08T21:37:00.002-05:002012-02-08T21:37:26.323-05:00Productive<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think February is the month for me to be productive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At work, I managed to wrap up a project that was continually delayed last year (not due to me....there was always a competing priority). It only took a month, mostly due to the developer needing to fine-tune code. Otherwise, I'm waiting on feedback from the end user. Meanwhile, I'm up in Maine finishing another project, helping a school automate some of their processes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the knitting front, I have already finished one of the Sock Knitters' Anonymous socks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/6843745201/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Clover socks by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Clover socks" height="238" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6843745201_f996805d8f.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clover Socks in Cherry Tree Hill, Loden colorway</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://ravel.me/veiland/c1" target="_blank">Clover socks</a> were a lot of fun to knit and they took no time! One week for the pair, which is probably the fastest I've ever finished a pair of socks. Even better, I bound them off and immediately put them on my feet (since it was 18 degrees here in Portland, ME today), I have a load of handknit socks to wash when I get home tomorrow and for some reason I'm not looking forward to it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/6834355791/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="SolidSocks Feb2012 mystery KAL by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="SolidSocks Feb2012 mystery KAL" height="238" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6834355791_7f13314f83.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solid Socks Mystery KAL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, while watching the Superbowl (Yay Giants!), I cast on for and finished the first clue of the </span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/solid-socks-february-mystery-kal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Solid Socks Mystery KAL sock</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. I was smugly reveling in this fact when I realized that I was using Jojoland Melody from my stash.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/6843726131/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Leyburn toes by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Leyburn toes" height="238" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6843726131_d655ee7361.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leyburn Socks in Jojoland Melody</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CRAP!!! <span style="background-color: white;">I need to learn how to read the instructions better, because Jojoland Melody is <b>definitely</b> not a solid or semi-solid sock yarn. So, after admiring the beauty of that bit of knitting, I frogged the cuffs and searched through the Ravelry queue for something else I could knit. I happened on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/leyburn-socks" target="_blank">Leyburn Socks</a>. These have been in my queue forever, so I cast on. So far, I've finished one full repeat of the instep pattern and I can see that I'm going to need to break out the stitch counter for this pattern because it's so easy to miss those rounds of plain knitting.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">So far, in 2012, I've finished 3 pairs of socks....I'm thinking that I just might challenge myself to finished the full dozen for the year, especially since I'm already making good progress (2 socks completed, 2 on the needles, 1 waiting to start). I'm not counting the Escalator socks because they were begun last year.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Scarborough, ME 04074, USA43.6083314 -70.397636843.5163534 -70.5555653 43.700309399999995 -70.2397083tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-54212247098272176162012-02-06T00:51:00.001-05:002012-02-06T00:51:46.790-05:00Super Bowl Sunday<p> And I'm sitting in JFK airport, so I'm sure you can guess the allegiance of most of the people around me.</p><p>I'm rooting for the Giants, mostly because that's who I rooted for in 2008. I'm what you would call a "day of" fan; I make my decision of who I'm supporting the day of the game. So in 2008, newly settled in Florida, bored out of my mind, and wanting to be able to keep up with the inevitable discussion at work the next day, I watched the Super Bowl.</p><p>I <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">had absolutely no facts on either team. I didn't know that the Patriots were coming into the Superbowl undefeated and were looking to set a record. I didn't know that Plaxico Burress would later shoot his own dumb self in the </span>leg and earn some prison time. All I knew was that it was Eli Manning vs. Tom Brady. Eli, the newly drafted little brother of one of the few names in football I recognized vs. the supermodel (who was married or engaged to the supermodel and had a child with another gorgeous woman in relationship circumstances that were as murky as Brangelina). Since I adored Peyton, I decided to give Eli a chance.</p><p>How time flies. Now Tom is still a brilliant, dominant player, Peyton is seriously injured and Eli has come into his own. This game is killing me.</p><p> </p><p>UPDATE: the Giants won! Woo Hoo!!!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-76895664216507699172012-02-03T00:57:00.001-05:002012-02-03T13:29:24.992-05:00A Skewed Reality<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6800389343_f7f5812abb.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title=""><img alt="Skew 2, such fun!" class="alignright" height="400" id="blogsy-1328248564607.0205" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6800389343_f7f5812abb.jpg" width="300" /></a>Tuesday, I started a second pair of <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter09/PATTskew.php" target="_blank" title="">Skew</a> socks.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This has to be one of my favorite patterns, mostly because of the unique construction. I love the ergonomic toes, the origami heel, the candy cane feeling when knitting the legs...there is so much about the sock to love.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, I'm thinking I'll probably finish the first sock sometime this morning and go ahead and cast on for the second sock. Or I can go ahead and get started on one of my SKA socks.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
(Right now, I <b>REALLY</b> don't like the fact that the iPad takes such horrible pictures. I guess now is the time to try out Photoshop Express.)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
That's the other thing I love about this sock; because of the uniqueness of the construction, SSS is virtually negligible.</div>
<div class="blogsyText" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-3295162979575424862012-01-29T21:27:00.000-05:002012-01-30T12:24:32.140-05:002012! A Milestone Year!Wow, how time flies!The last time I updated my blog it was January 2011.....now, it's January 2012 and I'm back again. I would recap the year, but there isn't much there to get excited over...<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Started working for a new client in January 2011</li>
<li>Left project October 2011</li>
<li>Placed back on the project (in a off-site consultant capacity) from October 2011-present</li>
<li>Picked up new client in November 2011</li>
<li>Gained entirely too much weight</li>
<li>Knit entirely too little</li>
<li>Bought Entirely too much yarn</li>
<li>Had new flooring put into house (Yay!)</li>
<li>Bought iPad, cracked screen horribly, bought new iPad...refuse to allow this iPad to know anything but the luxury of its case.</li>
<li>New cell phone....same crap coverage inside my house.</li>
<li>Ran up Credit Cards...Then manage to almost completely eliminiate CC debt</li>
<li>Paid off my car (Woo Hoo!!!)</li>
</ul>
Yup, that's pretty much a recap of 2011. So, what am I hoping for for 2012? Well, this is one of those milestone birthday years....and I don't really have anything planned, which is depressing me. So, I guess the big goals are:<br />
<ul>
<li>Remain employed (Always important)</li>
<li>Out of debt by my birthday</li>
<li>Stash away more Emergency Fund money</li>
<li>Come up with decent milestone holiday spot</li>
<li>Lose Weight (always a goal, even if it isn't obtained)</li>
<li>Buy less yarn (already off to a bad start there.....33 skeins since <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors="true">January 2</a>)</li>
<li>Blog more....Already up one post for the year.</li>
</ul>
Speak of which, I finally figured out how to get more blogging done this year. I purchased Blogsy for my iPad and this is the first post I'm using it on. I love it. It combines all the application I use most in blogging in one app and if it weren't for the fact that I'm hunting and pecking with one finger (although rather quickly). so let's see if this was a decent purchase.<br />
<br />
I decided to get involved with <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/sock-knitters-anonymous" target="_blank" title="">Sock Knitters Anonymous</a>'s <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/sock-knitters-anonymous/pages/Sockdown-Ravelry-2011-2012-Sockdown-5" target="_blank" title="">Monthly Sockdown Challenge</a>. I started back in October and managed to finish that sock. I didn't finish November's sock in time and, to add insult to injury, I've managed to lose one sock! However, I did complete January challenge and not only did I complete it, I finished <b>TWO</b> socks in one month!!! Ha!!! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/28850348@N02/6779762295" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignleft" height="400" id="blogsy-1327890877187.2786" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7022/6779762295_00d85a8bfa.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
Sock one: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/veiland/early-spring" target="_blank" title="">Early Spring</a> by Janice Kang. Knit with SWTC TOFUtsies in color way 923. I enjoyed knitting these, but I worried the entire time because the yarn is ~48% cotton and soy (meaning elasticity might be an issue). I was proven horribly right, but they're still a great pair of socks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;">
<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/28850348@N02/6779760111" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title=""><img alt="" class="alignnone" height="400" id="blogsy-1327890877215.611" src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7156/6779760111_dd44a09548.jpg" width="300" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Sock two was the ever popular <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/veiland/hermiones-everyday-socks" target="_blank" title="">Hermione's Everyday socks</a>. Talk about a fun pair of socks to knit! The only reason I didn't finish this in three days is because occasionally I have to put the knitting down to work. Umm, yeah I've been wearing the socks around the house, on my new (and dusty) floor. Why do you ask?</span></div>
<br />
I'm literally chomping at the bit to start February. February's sock challenge In Sock Knitters Anonymous is:<br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Moderator Madness Month – we’re bombarding you with all the things you SHOULD have voted for just because we can :) </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Te<span style="font-family: inherit;">chnique: Knitting for a Cause or Mosaic/ Slipped Stitches or Self-Striping or Illusion Knitting </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: inherit;">Designer: Kerin Dimeler-Laurence, Lykkefanten, Kate Blackburn</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: normal;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">So, for February, I'm going to knit <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/clover-2" target="_blank" title="">Clover</a> and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ivy-8" target="_blank" title="">Ivy</a> by Kate Blackburn For Sock Knitters Anonymous.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: normal;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">For The Solid Socks group, the challenge is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: normal;">Spring or a mystery sock designed by LauraJ. Since I'm not big on mystery socks, I'm knitting one of LauraJ's old patterns, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bdy-february-2011-kal" target="_blank" title="">BDY February 2011 KAL</a>, in a suitably "Springy" color way.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit; line-height: normal;">I'm actually excited about knitting again and returning to my blog. I look forward to the new year now.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-26029970853969749082011-01-03T16:45:00.000-05:002011-01-03T16:45:00.766-05:002011 Knitting PlansToward the end of 2010, I cast on so many projects I surprised myself. Even more shocking is that I managed to finish 3 of the 5. So that got me thinking, I need to <b>Plan</b> this year's knitting for maximum efficiency. I had planned on going to Stitches South, but I realized that I would rather spend that money on more yarn and actually make some sweaters...you know, improve my skills, before I go to Stitches South...<br />
<br />
So here are 2011's knitting plans:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Finish the following projects:</li>
<ol><li><a href="http://ravel.me/veiland/v3suu">Bedroom Blanket</a>: I cast on for that on April 3, 2010! Time to finish up. Besides, it is currently longer than I am tall. Then I need to determine if I'm going to keep it or gift it to someone.</li>
<li><a href="http://ravel.me/veiland/8au6r">Henley Perfected</a>: I really wanted to knit this. I was perfect for my sensibilities and I knit it in a linen/cotton blend perfect for South Florida. Now I'm worried if it will turn out OK because I'm pretty sure I goofed up the armholes.</li>
<li><a href="http://ravel.me/veiland/a2rhu">Convertible Mittens</a>: I'm finishing these <b>before</b> I fly into Wisconsin next week. I'm rather fond of my fingers.</li>
<li><a href="http://ravel.me/veiland/u18d7">Felt Beret for Mom</a>: This is actually a never ending project, since she wants one in every color under the sun.</li>
<li><a href="http://ravel.me/veiland/jho2m">Print O' the Wave Stole</a>: I wanted to knit this so much. It's a beautiful project. But I despise the yarn. Cobweight and I will never be friends but the colorway is so pretty I'm determined to finish.</li>
</ol><li>Begin (and End) the following socks (Ravelry Links):</li>
<ol><li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/firestarter">Firestarter</a> in Inca Sportlace Hand-Painted</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baroque">Baroque</a> in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock Blossom</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rhombus">Rhombus</a> in KnitPicks Stroll Tonal in Blue Violet (although this may change)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sunrise-chevron-socks">Sunrise Chevron Socks</a> but the yarn is undecided</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bifrost">Bifrost</a> in Noro Kureyon Sock Mt. Fuji Paths</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bex">Bex </a>in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock Loden</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/naive-socks-this-must-be-the-socks">Naive Socks</a> but the Yarn is undecided</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mermaidia">Mermaidia</a> in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/twinkleberry">Twinkleberry</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/oak-leaf-socks">Oak Leaf Socks</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/spring-forward-3">Spring Forward</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/elfines-socks">Elfine's Socks</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/farfalle-socks">Farfalle Sock</a> (This is the backup Pattern)</li>
</ol><li>Knit three Sweaters</li>
<ol><li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sweater-girl-pullover">Sweater Girl Pullover</a>: The Yarn has been wound, the pattern copied and sizing notes made, everything is ready to go.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hey-teach">Hey Teach!</a>: Again, the yarn has already been purchased and the pattern has been printed. Just waiting to get started.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/deep-v-sweater">Deep V Sweater</a>: Yup, the yarn has already been purchased and the pattern has been printed. Just waiting to get started.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/february-lady-sweater">The February Lady Sweater</a>: This was supposed to be the backup pattern, but I get the feeling I might make this first because I'll get more use out of this.</li>
</ol></ol><div>I also made the obligatory promise not to buy more yarn. Then I completed my $100 order from KnitPicks, thereby breaking my New Years promise on New Year's Day. :) I like to start as I mean to go.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-30169377536823170252011-01-01T16:44:00.000-05:002011-01-01T16:44:06.722-05:00You deserve betterFor all my readers, I want to issue a sincere apology.<br />
<br />
I'm sorry. You deserve much better. I haven't been blogging as I've meant to, to the extent that I thought about changing the entire format over to Tumblr . . .as much as I tweet, you would get more frequent updates. But I'm loathe to move from Blogger. I just have to try harder. For me, blogging takes effort, because I really hate releasing a blog without a picture to go with it. So, I'm going to start taking my camera with me more often so I can blog my mobile life and update you more. Yes, I'm still knitting (more on that below) and sewing, so maybe I can get more info released.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Two weeks ago was the last week I would spend as a consultant to a certain NYC based school. It was a bittersweet week for me. If asked a year ago if I would miss the school, I would have looked at you sideways and said, "HELL NO!" (Then I would have continued booking my table at one of NYC's finer restaurants). Now, a year later, I find myself really missing the people that I met there. I miss the individuals I had to work with and the teammates I could lean on for support. I miss NYC in the winter, the sights, the sounds, the fact that there was always something to do. Man, how times have changed. I'm actually regretting the fact that I'm not booking my normal flight into LaGuardia and am, instead, booking myself to Newark.<br />
<br />
Yes, Newark. I know it's only across the river, but that's a long distance in NYC. Then, once I land, I'm probably going to spend the next hour driving to my destination. However, I took this job as a consultant because I wanted constant travel and change and, by George, be careful what you wish for because I'm certainly getting it. So here I am, on New Year's Day, packing for my 6:20 AM flight tomorrow morning. I certainly didn't want to fly that early, but that's all that was available.<br />
<br />
So right now, I'm looking at all my clothes (I've just done a month's worth of laundry...I live alone. <b>How</b> does that happen?!?!?) and trying to decide what to pack. My new favorite books are packed (yup, in love with the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich), I've queued up Doc Martin on Hulu (I watched all four season in 2.5 days via NetFlix! I hope Season 5 shows on Hulu), and I'm trying to decide what to knit...<br />
<br />
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope 2011 is the year things happen for YOU! Wish me luck.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Florida, USA27.6648274 -81.515753522.804715899999998 -88.9864565 32.5249389 -74.0450505tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-82635556176588950092010-10-13T12:08:00.001-04:002011-07-28T23:30:11.091-04:00A year laterAs of September 28, I have been a traveling consultant for my company for 2 years. What has that meant for me?<br />
<ul>
<li>I'm so tired these days I missed the 1-year anniversary of this job.</li>
<li>I sleep in my bed at my own home (the one I pay taxes on) 3 nights a week.</li>
<li>I consider the hotel (any hotel) my home.</li>
<li>I've developed gastritis and d<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 33px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">uodenitis</span></span>. Trying saying that five times fast.</li>
<li>My yard is a disaster-zone</li>
<li>Spiders are running my house</li>
<li>I visit family twice a year and they're only 5 hours away.</li>
<li>I have 300K frequent flier miles. I am now Platinum Medallion on Delta. I'm aiming for Diamond by the end of the year (My coworkers have been doing this so long that they think my mini-celebrations when I hit a new level are mildly amusing. They're so jaded).</li>
<li>I have 200K+ points with both the Marriott and Hilton chains. I like both, but I think Hilton sometimes edges Marriott out.</li>
<li>I constantly feel stupid.</li>
<li>I'm back to working 10+ hours a day just to keep up.</li>
<li>I've developed the ability to fall asleep anywhere.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've also learned the following:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>To be grateful I have a job. Unemployment is at 10%. Nothing can be taken for granted.</li>
<li>That regardless of intentions, higher salary really does mean you spend more. I can't understand how I'm spending more than I use to, but there it is.</li>
<li>Savings are important. Emergency funds are your friends.</li>
<li>It is important to take time to enjoy the small things.</li>
<li>The North has four distinct seasons. I've now experienced them all and I like them. The south has HOT, "I'm sticking to the car seats HOT", Hot, and cold snap.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
I initially started writing this post on September 30 and was planning on publishing it that night. However, I found myself unable to press the button and I still don't know why. Possibly because it just didn't feel right, but now it does.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Bronx, NY 10458, USA40.8621792 -73.8860140.8459512 -73.9151925 40.8784072 -73.8568275tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-13206435529232209412010-08-13T23:36:00.000-04:002011-07-28T23:37:22.404-04:00Twitter + Kanye<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">What happens when you combine pictures from the New Yorker with Tweets from Kanye West?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/9181/slide_9181_121961_large.jpg?1281762362190" imageanchor="1" style="color: #336699; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/9181/slide_9181_121961_large.jpg?1281762362190" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
LMAO!!!!</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
Please excuse me. I need to find a tissue to wipe my eyes....That was hilarious!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-70747121309048953702010-08-12T20:17:00.001-04:002010-08-12T20:17:00.374-04:00InvestingI've been watching <a href="http://www.mystyle.com/mystyle/shows/cleanhouse/index.jsp">Clean House</a> all week. It's an exercise in amusement and bemusement. My favorite part is watching the homeowners, who have presumably watched the show and know what's going to happen, try desperately to hold on to their stuff.<br />
<br />
However, it is making me look around my house and wonder what I would get rid of if Niecy and company blasted their way into my house. Thankfully my house isn't very cluttered, just slightly messy. So I started thinking, what would Niecy and Company want me to get rid of the most, my Tigger?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3137/2801627938_f33cb51286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3137/2801627938_f33cb51286.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Eh. That might not hurt.<br />
<br />
What would hurt?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4613118274_7833d876ae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4613118274_7833d876ae.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The Yarn. Yeah. I would put up a fight over the yarn. So, just out of curiosity, I pulled a spreadsheet from Ravelry and did some quick math to determine how much yarn I have.<br />
<br />
$1,140.33<br />
<br />
That was the total for the yarn, in stash, that I had prices attached to. 71 yarns didn't even have a price attached. So, that means that I probably have over $2000 of yarn...<br />
<br />
<br />
Whoa....<br />
<br />
I have ~$2000 of yarn in my house. That means that the stash is easily the most expensive collection of anything in my house. The stash is worth more than the TV, the computers, any other single item. I have in yarn what I am trying to save for wood floors.<br />
<br />
Whoa...Clearly, I need to rethink some priorities. Perhaps I won't put so much in the yarn budget each month...<br />
<br />
I'm glad I have alarm system on the house.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Palmetto, FL 34221, USA27.5605501 -82.540227527.4083686 -82.773687 27.7127316 -82.306768tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-246143139909689342010-08-11T19:17:00.000-04:002010-08-11T19:17:33.321-04:00Vacation CraftingI spent all of last week chained to the desk in my spare room doing work, so I wouldn't have to do any work this week (that plan failed. I've checked the email everyday this week, even if I didn't act on it).<br />
<br />
However I do have some knitting related items to share with you.<br />
<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4883113493_b58b5d3412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4883113493_b58b5d3412.jpg" width="320" /></a>The Cambridge Jacket is 99% finished!<br />
<br />
I still need to modify the zipper (the instruction called for a 26in zipper, I bought a 24in zipper, and it's <b>still</b> too big) but do you remember what I said about the size issue?<br />
<br />
Yeah . . .It fits me. This will definitely swamp my dad. I'm a little worried about this. <br />
(<i>momentary pause to acknowledge that it is currently 89 degrees outside and I'm standing here in a wool sweater</i>)<br />
<br />
I have a few things I need to finish on the jacket (weaving in ends mostly), but the jacket is largely done. I feel pretty good about it because it is my first completed sweater, it looks pretty decent and I learned a lot. The Rubicon has been crossed.<br />
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I've also done some sewing this week. I finished this in two hours last night.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4883713760_0a5d75ee8a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4883713760_0a5d75ee8a.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back of the DPN Case</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4883715174_6daf10e679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4883715174_6daf10e679.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DPN Case Interior</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4883713760_0a5d75ee8a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4883716912_abb9ffe079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4883716912_abb9ffe079.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When it comes to sewing, I don't have a case of Startitis. I can sit and look at the pattern and the fabric all day long and won't cut the fabric. However, I have to admit that once I get started, I'm always pleased with the results. I still sew decently well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been working on this hat all week</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4883721218_0aa86b8b98.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4883721218_0aa86b8b98.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://twistcollective.com/collection/index.php/component/content/article/75-fall-2009-patterns/412-mgonigle-by-jennifer-appleby">M'Gonigle Hat</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I loved the pattern when I saw it on Ravelry and I thought it would be a breeze, since the cable pattern has the look of the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/veiland/bayerische-socks">Bayerische socks I knit</a> two years ago (wow, has it been that long?).<div><br />
</div><div>I've had to rework this hat 4 or five times. Every day I end up tinking something because I either forgot to do a second repeat of the cables, or I messed up the pattern or I put the pattern where it wasn't supposed to be. Either way, I goofed something. But now I'm almost at the end of one skein of Stroll Sport Mink Heather and ready to finish this off.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In sad news, Needles and Knobs in St. Petersburg is the newest victim of the economy. I got her email yesterday saying she was going out of business. I know I should run up there to see what is on clearance, but since I just spent $151 at <a href="http://www.agoodyarnsarasota.com/">A Good Yarn</a> Monday, I'm holding off. I'll probably go on Friday.<br />
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</a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-30057131793755900942010-08-03T23:28:00.006-04:002010-08-08T17:40:57.149-04:00The Cambridge JacketI am trying not to say "I HATE SEAMS", but I'm really feeling that way.<br />
<br />
This jacket is turning out really well. I can see myself doing another sweater from my queue, but I need to find a better way to manage shoulder seams. I have the side and sleeve seams down pat, but seaming in set-in shoulders is getting the best of me.<br />
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I am worried about the size, though. I'm probably twice the size of my dad and I made this jacket in the 39" size. Soo.....<br />
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Why do I fit in this jacket? With room to spare? This is very scary. It will SWAMP my father.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-48384519572846783522010-08-03T16:48:00.001-04:002010-08-03T16:51:14.600-04:00Weekday Vignette: SundayWell, here's another travel update story.<br />
<br />
Sunday (7/25/2010) was supposed to be an easy day. I would sleep in, then drive to the airport to catch my flight to LaGuardia, drive up to Westchester, have dinner and enjoy the season's premiere of <i>Mad Men</i>. Well, that didn't happen....Enjoy!<br />
<hr /><br />
9:00 AM: Finish packing. Take nap.<br />
<br />
11:15 AM: Wake up to the sound of the cell phone. Delta is calling me to tell me that my "3:15 pm flight to New York--LaGuardia has been delayed to 4:30PM. We regret any inconvenience this may cause . . ." I smile and roll over to continue my nap.<br />
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2:15 PM: Leave the house to head to Tampa. I need to return some items to IKEA and this is the most time-efficient way to do it without using extra gas.<br />
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2:40 PM: Phone rings. Delta is calling me to tell me that my "4:30 PM flight to New York--LaGuardia has been cancelled. We regret any inconvenience this may cause . . ." SERIOUSLY!!! You mean I just wasted my gas on a cancelled flight? Nah, dude, you are getting me to NYC today.<br />
<blockquote><i></i><br />
<i><a name='more'></a>I think now would be a good time to explain why (1) I'm traveling on a Sunday and (2) I'm ticked about the flight being cancelled.</i></blockquote><blockquote><ol><li><i>I'm always irritated when my flight is delayed. Even when it is delayed for a good reason, I'm irritated.</i></li>
<li><i>Being delayed in Tampa is wonderful. Since the airport is new, they built all kinds of workstations and power strips into the design and the airport has free Wi-Fi. This can make all the difference in the world. When I'm stuck at LaGuardia, I'm usually praying that someone buys me a Delta SkyClub membership for Christmas. Seriously. The airport is THAT bad.</i></li>
<li><i>If I'm stuck in Tampa, home is 45 minutes away If I get stuck in NYC I have to find a hotel room.</i></li>
<li><i> The last time I went to this particular client, it was a disaster (partially chronicled in blog posts </i><a href="http://veiland.blogspot.com/2010/06/weekday-vignette-monday.html"><i>Weekday Vignette</i></a><i> and </i><a href="http://veiland.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-shit-would-happen-to-me.html"><i>This SHIT would happen to me</i></a><i>), partially attributed to the fact that I arrived at 2PM on a Monday (not my fault. Thanks Delta!). This time I wasn't taking any chances; I was arriving with plenty of time to spare.</i></li>
</ol></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>So now I'm about 5 minutes away from IKEA and I'm on the phone with World Travel, trying to get another flight. All the flights leave at 5:30 PM or 7PM and they all have a connection, so now matter what, I'm not getting to NYC until late. I finally decide to take the 6:59 to NYC-JFK on JetBlue, so the agent books the ticket and reroutes my car pickup so I can relax.<br />
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2:15 PM - 4:00 PM: Killing time in the Tampa IKEA<br />
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5:00 PM. Well, obviously since I'm not leaving until 7PM, I can get something to eat while in Tampa, but I'm not hungry. I grab a slice of pizza at Whole Foods and try to decide what else I can do to kill time. I finally decide not to push my luck and head to the airport.<br />
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5:30 PM: I've dropped off my bags and now I'm headed to ...OMG!!! How many people are in the security lines? It's Sunday??? Where are you people going?<br />
<br />
6:00 PM: I'm now through security and I walk over to the departures screen to figure out which gate we are leaving from and . . .My flight has been delayed to 7:59 PM. Tonight is the Mad Men Season 4 premiere episode. Obviously, I'm going to miss that and True Blood. This sucks.<br />
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7:20 PM: Hmm . . . we aren't boarding the plane.<br />
<br />
7:30 PM: We still aren't boarding the plane.<br />
<br />
7:45 PM: We will begin boarding in 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
8:15 PM: We're on the plane but we're 21st in line for takeoff. We aren't going anywhere any time soon. On a positive note, JetBlue planes have TVs in the headrest. On the other hand, no HBO, no AMC, no Comedy Central. In other words, really nothing I want to watch. I guess I'm watching <i>Family Guy</i> reruns until I fall asleep.<br />
<br />
11:30 PM: We land at JFK. I've never been at JFK, so now I need to figure out where ground transportation is.<br />
<br />
12:00 AM (Monday): I found National Car Rental and I'm trying to decide on a car. I need to make a choice fast; it's pitch black out here.<br />
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1:00 AM: I realize I haven't eaten since that one slice of pizza 8 hours ago. No wonder my stomach is talking to me. I stop at McDonald's for a quick meal.<br />
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1:45 AM: I'm at the hotel. I can't sleep. This isn't fair.<br />
<br />
<hr />There you have it. Another travel story for you. Since I'm home for the next two weeks (thank you Jesus), I won't have any travel updates, but I might have some knitting updates to share.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580834301789868552.post-71010364430478736132010-07-24T16:26:00.003-04:002010-08-05T01:45:10.494-04:00The Final Stretch<span id="goog_1114293293"></span><span id="goog_1114293294"></span>I'm headed into the final stretch with the Cambridge Jacket cardigan. All the pieces have been blocked.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/4824789594/" title="Back003 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="Back003" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4824789594_aefcf9a7e3.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/4824788984/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="FrontSides001 by veiland, on Flickr"><img alt="FrontSides001" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4824788984_37686ecb59.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cambridge Jacket--Left and Right Fronts</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Sleeve002" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4824790072_3211ce884b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cambridge Jacket--Sleeve</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/4824790072/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Sleeve002 by veiland, on Flickr"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veiland/4824790072/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Sleeve002 by veiland, on Flickr"></a></div>Now for the sewing up part. . .</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1