Productive

I think February is the month for me to be productive.


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.


On the knitting front, I have already finished one of the Sock Knitters' Anonymous socks.

Clover Socks in Cherry Tree Hill, Loden colorway

The Clover socks 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.

Solid Socks Mystery KAL

Meanwhile, while watching the Superbowl (Yay Giants!), I cast on for and finished the first clue of the Solid Socks Mystery KAL sock.  I was smugly reveling in this fact when I realized that I was using Jojoland Melody from my stash.

Leyburn Socks in Jojoland Melody

CRAP!!! I need to learn how to read the instructions better, because Jojoland Melody is definitely 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 Leyburn Socks.  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.


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.

Super Bowl Sunday

 And I'm sitting in JFK airport, so I'm sure you can guess the allegiance of most of the people around me.

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.

I 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 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.

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.

 

UPDATE:  the Giants won!  Woo Hoo!!!

A Skewed Reality

Tuesday, I started a second pair of Skew socks.

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.

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.

(Right now, I REALLY don't like the fact that the iPad takes such horrible pictures.  I guess now is the time to try out Photoshop Express.)

That's the other thing I love about this sock; because of the uniqueness of the construction, SSS is virtually negligible.

2012! 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...

• Started working for a new client in January 2011
• Left project October 2011
• Placed back on the project (in a off-site consultant capacity) from October 2011-present
• Picked up new client in November 2011
• Gained entirely too much weight
• Knit entirely too little
• Bought Entirely too much yarn
• Had new flooring put into house (Yay!)
• Bought iPad, cracked screen horribly, bought new iPad...refuse to allow this iPad to know anything but the luxury of its case.
• New cell phone....same crap coverage inside my house.
• Ran up Credit Cards...Then manage to almost completely eliminiate CC debt
• Paid off my car (Woo Hoo!!!)

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:

• Remain employed (Always important)
• Out of debt by my birthday
• Stash away more Emergency Fund money
• Come up with decent milestone holiday spot
• Lose Weight (always a goal, even if it isn't obtained)
• Buy less yarn (already off to a bad start there.....33 skeins since January 2)
• Blog more....Already up one post for the year.

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.

I decided to get involved with Sock Knitters Anonymous's Monthly Sockdown Challenge.  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 TWO socks in one month!!!  Ha!!!

Sock one: Early Spring 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.

Sock two was the ever popular Hermione's Everyday socks.  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?

I'm literally chomping at the bit to start February.  February's sock challenge In Sock Knitters Anonymous is:

• Moderator Madness Month – we’re bombarding you with all the things you SHOULD have voted for just because we can :) 
• Technique: Knitting for a Cause or Mosaic/ Slipped Stitches or Self-Striping or Illusion Knitting 
• Designer: Kerin Dimeler-Laurence, Lykkefanten, Kate Blackburn

So, for February, I'm going to knit Clover and Ivy by Kate Blackburn For Sock Knitters Anonymous.

For The Solid Socks group, the challenge is 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, BDY February 2011 KAL, in a suitably "Springy" color way.


I'm actually excited about knitting again and returning to my blog.  I look forward to the new year now.

2011 Knitting Plans

Toward 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 Plan 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...

So here are 2011's knitting plans:

1. Finish the following projects:
1. Bedroom Blanket:  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.
2. Henley Perfected:  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.
3. Convertible Mittens:  I'm finishing these before I fly into Wisconsin next week.  I'm rather fond of my fingers.
4. Felt Beret for Mom:  This is actually a never ending project, since she wants one in every color under the sun.
5. Print O' the Wave Stole:  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.
2. Begin (and End) the following socks (Ravelry Links):
1. Firestarter in Inca Sportlace Hand-Painted
2. Baroque in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock Blossom
3. Rhombus in KnitPicks Stroll Tonal in Blue Violet (although this may change)
4. Sunrise Chevron Socks but the yarn is undecided
5. Bifrost in Noro Kureyon Sock Mt. Fuji Paths
6. Bex in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock Loden
7. Naive Socks but the Yarn is undecided
8. Mermaidia in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock
9. Twinkleberry
10. Oak Leaf Socks
11. Spring Forward
12. Elfine's Socks
13. Farfalle Sock (This is the backup Pattern)
3. Knit three Sweaters
1. Sweater Girl Pullover:  The Yarn has been wound, the pattern copied and sizing notes made, everything is ready to go.
2. Hey Teach!:  Again, the yarn has already been purchased and the pattern has been printed.  Just waiting to get started.
3. Deep V Sweater:  Yup, the yarn has already been purchased and the pattern has been printed.  Just waiting to get started.
4. The February Lady Sweater:  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.

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.