New Year's Resolutions . . . maybe not . . .

I haven't checked . . . but I may not have actually typed into this blog . . . but sometime about this time a year ago I told myself that I wanted to blog daily . . . even if it was just to say that it was raining instead of snowing or that LJ said something funny (which is usually a daily event). This year is going to be different. I don't think that I'll say that I'll post daily because there are very few things that I do every single day unless forced to (don't think I could go a whole day without going to the bathroom). But I will say that I WANT to post at least weekly - that being said I want to go no more than 7 days between posts. Sometimes that might be that I post every day and other times there may be a gap of 7 days between posts but I'm going to try really hard not to let it go more than the 7 days.

I've been thinking a lot the last few days about what I want my New Year's Resolution will be. I've come up with a few but knowing myself they will all have been thrown out the window by the end of January. Some of them include to stop picking at my toes (I'll spare you the gory details of that one), to stop biting my cuticles (I gave up biting my nails years ago but that was only because I began to bite my cuticles instead)- I've even gone so far as to pick at my cuticles with tweezers. I also thought of putting myself on a yarn diet but that just isn't going to happen. No matter how hard I try - I WILL come up with a plan to buy yarn so that it doesn't count against my yarn diet, I'm cleaver like that.

One resolution that I really really really do want to keep/accomplish this year is to clean out and organize my "front room". This is what used to be the front porch of my house that the previous owner enclosed to extend the inside living room space. I have been living in this house for 5+ years and there are still boxes of of stuff out there that haven't been fully unpacked yet. Notice I said unpacked - they have been gone through and rearranged and what not and a few things taken here and there but they have never been fully unpacked. Hubby keeps threatning to get a dumpster and just throw it all out as if we haven't used it in the 5+ years we've lived here then what the hell do we need it for???? He's right, he's so right but I just can't bare to just throw it out. I know that there are things out there that I want, things that have sentimental value to me and things that one day I just might NEED!!! This brings me to a new show that we've been watching called Horders on A&E. I don't want to become a hoarder. So, my resolution this year is to clean out the front room and get rid of stuff I don't want or need anymore or things that I've been holding on to because I just might need it someday. It's been 5+ years - it's time to let go - they are just things.

So there you have it. I am making 2 resolutions this year:

#1: Blog a lot more often.

#2: Clean out and organize my front room.

and I'm going to add one more:

#3: Use up as much of my stash as possible instead of buying new yarn. There I said it.

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Sock update

So here are some pics of my most recent completed socks that I promised:

These are my Monkey socks that actually I finished a while ago. When I started this pair of socks I was still a relitively new knitter. So by the time that I got around to doing the second sock I had a little bit more sock knitting experience under my belt and I was able to make the second one fit better than the first. They are both still a bit loose but I'm gonna wear them anyway. The pattern I used was from Cookie A. and titled Monkey Socks. The yarn I used was from Blue Moon Fiber Arts in colorway Alley Oop in lightweight. I just had to have THIS specific colorway because, well becuase ut was named Alley! Duh! I love love love this yarn!

I started this pair of socks back in November. I was so anxious to see how the colors would work out but then got sidetracked with other pretty yarns . . . thus this pair suffered from SSS (Second Sock Syndrome). About two weeks ago I got it in my head that I needed to finish up some things before I started anything new. A novel concept huh? So I cast on for the second sock and ended up finishing it in 6 days. I think that might be a record for me or something. I used another Cookie A. pattern for this pair of socks called Spring Forward. It took me into half of the second sock to realize that the repeat for this pattern was the same just adjusted by three or so stitches. Once I realized that, the pattern was even more of a breeze to do.

This is my most recent FO (Finished Object). It's just what we call a "Plain Vanilla Sock". I wanted the self striping yarn do all the talking, er . . . walking . . . The yarn I used was a special collection that was created around the characters in Harry Potter - The Half Blood Prince. The LYS (Local Yarn Shop) that I frequent ran a special class the week this special yarn arrived where we could sit and knit while watching Harry Potter. Unfortunately for me I was in Texas at the time and was unable to attend. Ah well, maybe next time. The yarn is from Opal and in the colorway of Tonks. I haven't cast on the second sock yet but hope to this weekend so I don't wind up with SSS (Second Sock Syndrome).

So there you have it. I have been working on some other objects but will save those for another day.

Onwards.. and Upwards...

So... I'm going to get on with my life... without my sock... my first knitted sock... EVER... and get back to updating you on all that is going on with me :) because most of it is happy happy!

On Thursday I got my Knit Picks order! Whee!!! Lots and Lots of stuff for MEEEEEEE!

I took advantage of the sale Knit Picks was having on books (until Aug. 8th in case anyone was interested) and got a few that I've had my eye on for quite some time. Just in case you can't tell what they are... The first one on the left is the "Knitting Workshop" by Elizabeth Zimmerman - what good knitter would be without one of these??? I had to wait for it to become available (which also held up my order with KP) but I just knew it's going to be WELL worth the wait. When ever I'm talking to Muggles (as I've heard someone call non-knitters) and I tell them about Elizabeth Zimmerman I call her "THE Grand Mum of Knitting". I think that she would be one of the 3 people I would want at my dinner table (dead or alive) if I ever got the chance. You know that hypothetical question that some people like to ponder. Although right now I don't feel worthy enough since I am such a beginner... but then again... who better to learn from right?

The next book is the "Sweater Workshop" by Jacqueline Fee. I've also heard lots and lots and lots of good things about this book as well. Kelley Petkun talks about it often in her podcast. At this point in time I'm a little intimidated about knitting a garment for myself or anyone else for that matter. When I first started thinking about knitting it was SOCKS that I wanted to knit the most. But from what I've heard about this book that this is THE book to learn how to knit a sweater from. If I follow it from beginning to end I'll be a pro and know all there is to know about knitting/designing/tailoring a sweater.

The next book is called "I Can't Believe I'm Knitting Socks" from Leisure Arts. I'm not sure where I heard about this book - it could have been Kelley Petkun or it could have been Lime & Violet or both... but it looks good to me. I think it was Lime & Violet that raved about the basic sock pattern in this book because the instructions have you make each part of the sock in a different color so that you'll really really be able to visualize the different parts that make up a knitted sock. Very cool!

The last book on the right is called "The Magic Loop" by Bev Galeskas and based on Sarah Hauschka's Magical Unvention. I'll admit it looks strange but anyone I've talked to about it LOVES knitting socks this way. I don't know if I'm quite ready for it but I got the book on sale for a really great price so even if it sits around for a while who cares right? It was on Sale!!!

Now for my goodies! Of course after getting "The Magic Loop" book I had to have some longer cable needles to do it with right??? So that's what you see on top of my books - All 3 are size 1 needles in 32" length, 40" length and 47 " length. Oh, and you can't tell in the picture but they are made out of Knit Pick's Harmony wood which is absolutely beautiful. They truly are pointy pieces of art!

Now what kind of knitter would I be if I didn't get YARN too???? Duh!!! I am trying to keep my stash down - as I can become quite a hoarder when it comes to a new craft. Let's just leave it at that shall we??? So I only bought what was on clearance because: A. IT WAS ON SALE!!! and B. it was most likely going to be discontinued right??? I got 2 skeins of Essential Sock Yarn in colorway Dune Twist - I thought this would make a nice pair of brown socks. I also got 2 skeins of Shine Sport in colorway Sky and 3 skeins of Shine Sport in colorway River. Now to be perfectly honest... I'm not sure why I ordered the Shine Sport yarns. I vaguely remember looking through the site and coming across a book with a pattern to make a knitted puppy... out of these two colors. But I didn't' buy the book that went with it... hmmmmm..... yup that's what it was... I meant to buy "Knitted Toys" and make the Floppy Dog pattern out of this yarn... maybe FAB all ready has this book... hmmmmm...

So that was ONE of my exciting moments on Thursday. When I take pictures of the other one I'll post it.

WAAAAAAAAA!!!! I WANT TO CRY!!!!

Before anyone feels the need to tell me how stupid I was and that I should have known better... I KNOW!!!! But it still doesn't make me feel any better.

I got out one of my old purses to put my knitting in. It was a knock-off " Kate Spade" silver case-like purse. I guess it would resemble a cross between a pilots case and a metal lunch box. It wasn't too big, actually it wasn't big enough for everything that I'd need to put in a purse but it was so darned cute I didn't dare get rid of it. I got it out because it would fit one skein of yarn and my double pointed needles (DPNs) which my first sock was being worked on and it all would be protected.

So tonight we went shopping with my MIL to look for patio furniture (her and us) and LJ wanted to carry something (DUH I know!) so I thought giving him my knitting case to carry around would be less damaging than if I had given him my purse (also small) with my digital camera, ipod and cell phone in case he dropped it. I was keeping a pretty good eye on him and actually piked it up a few times but when we got to dinner it hit me. WHERE WAS MY KNITTING CASE????? I got up and went back through the store (the pizzareia we were in is attached to the store we went to) - I looked everywhere - asked everyone I saw... no one had seen it... went back to the table... Hubby asked me if I checked one spot - I said no, I didn't - so he went to check for me and also did a sweep of the areas we were in - still didn't find it. After we ate my MIL, LJ and I all went back through a third time looking for it and checking with the staff and still no one had found it. I even went outside and looked around in all the shopping carts but still... no purse.

I figure that someone thought it might be a REAL Kate Spade and took it. We even looked around the parking lot thinking someone may have dumped the knitting (YIKES!!!) and just taken the purse but no... that didn't happen either. I did leave my name and number and description of the purse with the check out girl. Then as we were leaving after one more sweep I saw one of the ladies I was talking to about it and told her that it wasn't the purse that I cared about it was the knitting inside.

I'm not getting my hopes up - it's gone... it's my own fault.

On the brighter side I get to cast on a new sock! And I think I'll treat myself to a new skein of yarn to boot!

FAB was here!

So it's been a few days since I've been here... I've been busy... KNITTING!!! FAB was here over the weekend and just as we planned she taught me to knit - now I just have to practice... practice... practice! And that's what I've been busy doing.

She also told me about Podcats. Now I've heard of these before but didn't really know too much about them or how much I would LOVE them! Of course the one's that I am listening to are all about knitting and crocheting - DUH! There were a few that she told me I just HAD to listen to and that's what I am doing... downloading them... putting them on my ipod and any chance I get I'm listening to one. And last night for the very first time I turned off the TV and just sat and knitted while listened to one. OMG I turned off the TV!!!! I equate it to back in the ol' days where people would listen to radio shows and the like... you know... BEFORE TV. I have already discovered "books on tape" but I rarely have an occasion to listen any of them. So I've been tinkering around with itunes and my ipod - taking music off that I really don't listen to - to make room for some podcasts... boy to I have a lot to catch up on!

My first thing to do is practice... so I cast on 25 stitches (actually FAB did it cuz I just wasn't getting it) - showed me how to do a few then she handed me over the needles and I was off... a few times I had to give it back to her and say "here - this doesn't look right... what did I do?" and she'd fix it and give it back. Apparently in the beginning I was adding on stitches - how exactly I have no idea - but I did - when I finally leveled off enough to know what it was I was to do I was up to 38 stitches (from 25) - but from there on I pretty much know what to do and a little bit of how to fix something if I didn't do it right the first time. FAB calls this tink-ing (you know... knit spelled backwards... tink". I am also trying to learn the anatomy of a stitch - where the yarn comes from - how it makes the stitch - and what it looks like after the stitch has been completed. With crocheting it's a little bit easier to tell - then again you are only using one needle when you crochet.

While FAB was here we visited my local yarn shop - which I am sure is going to become my 2nd home. While we were there I was talking with the owner and showing my excitement of learning to knit and she suggested that I come to the Sit n' Knit class she has every Tuesday - oh what fun that sounded like! But when Tuesday came I really didn't think that I was going to go. We had LJ with us all day at work and that is trying - so really all I wanted to do was go home and go into my craft room and not come out... but then I got to thinking that there wasn't going to be another opportunity to surround myself with other knitters for a whole week! So I went. I packed up my little practice piece and all my equipment and off I went. It's about a 20 minute ride from my house to the Yarn shop so I had plenty of time to listen to my newly downloaded podcasts. When I got there I really didn't know what to expect. But really there was a table with chairs around it and different people sitting there knitting & crocheting away. I was 5 min early but these ladies appeared to have been there for a while because they had all ready settled in and were knitting. So I walked in - looked around for a familiar face (didn't see any) but I did see lots of welcoming ones. I made myself to a seat and sat down and introduced myself. Right off the bat I had some questions and all the ladies around me were full of advise and expertise. Now, I knew that there were some out there but I honestly didn't think that a MAN would be there knitting away and lo and behold there was. And what a nice Man he is... funny too! I had a really good time - got some advice - and some help and I think next week I'll let them talk me into making more than a practice piece. I'm really hopeing to maybe making a sock but I just don't know if I'm there yet. Honestly I thought that I'd start out with a scarf. Which brings me to yesterday...

Mom and I went to ACMoore's and I bought some yarn to make myself a scarf. I may start it tonight even. I don't know much about yarn - YET! I have some podcasts on the subject to listen to. :)~ I always thought of wool as hot and scratchy - but even the little bit of knowledge about it I was WAY OFF!!!!

So there you have it... what I've been up to lately... I'll let you know how I make out on the scarf and maybe even post some pictures!