Screw it, I'm making coffee.

You know that when this is your mantra for the day, it's been bad. (I usually stop drinking coffee by about 11:00 am but today I said this at 2:30 and am drinking coffee right now.)
It all started last night really. I watched Ghost Hunters on the Sci-Fi channel last night right before I was wanting to go to sleep. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I couldn't sleep. It wasn't just that. I also was totally stir-crazy and wound up all day yesterday. I can't even blame it on an overdose of caffeine since I didn't even finish my second cup of coffee yesterday.
I ended up starting another pair of socks.

I swear I took a picture but Blogger doesn't want to post it.

They are the Feather and Fan Pattern in Socks, Socks, Socks. I have been working on them most of today too so they are already past the heel turn on the first sock. Wow, they are going pretty fast.

So, why has today sucked? Well, for starters hubby is off work today and we thought that since we are blessedly alone in the house and have nothing to do until the show tonight(The Barn Theatre) we thought that we would have some quiet time and some nice snuggle time together. We didn't. We have spent the day at each other's throats. I think we are just overtired and also both stressed about the whole moving thing so every little thing seems to bother us more than ever.
Now he's watching TV and I'm playing on the computer. It's better, I swear. We are kinda spending some separate time so we can have fun together again, without getting on each other's nerves.
Well, I'm going back to knitting now and drinking my coffee until it's time to get ready for the show.

It's Baaaack!

So, lately the blog content has been pretty sparse and I have to say the pictures have been worse. Well, today I found some batteries for the camera so I hope to improve the pictures but the content is pretty boring.

I've been awfully discontent with my knitting lately and I think more than anything it's because I'm kinda stressed about the whole finding a new place to live thing. It's not easy, especially when you are technically supposed to be out of the house by May 1. Anyone else notice the date? Yeah, you see the problem.

So, I vary between wanting to do nothing but sit and knit and then getting frustrated because I should be doing multiple other things and I am not. This has led to a wicked case of startitis followed by project frustration and then rapid frogging. Case in point.

The lovely Schaefer Anne Socks. I finally finished and bound off. They were too tight at the bind off so I did it again, increasing the looseness of the bind off. Still too tight. This was like a week and a half ago. I was frustrated so I put them aside and ignored them. Just pretended like they didn't exist. Yesterday, I was in the mood to knit so I thought finishing this pair of socks would help cheer me up. I took them out and did it again. On one sock. I wasn't happy with it and then the other sock started giving me some major poopy attitude so they somehow ended up to be two balls of yarn. eep.

Then I started a scarf with my SWS yarn. I think I showed you that.

I bought three skeins specifically because I wanted to make a scarf out of it. I have started and frogged it about 15 times. I just cannot be content with whatever it is I'm making. This last time I was over halfway through the first skein. Yeah, discontent.

Then there's the LuLu yarn. I don't think I've shown you this.


It's 5 skeins of an all acrylic but very soft and fuzzy yarn that I bought on clearance like 3 years ago or more. I love it, it's super soft and I want to make something that I wear against the skin but I don't know what. I have (over the years) started and ripped this multiple times but twice in one day? Not until yesterday. I thought I could make a cute little throw that I could snuggle under. Yeah, no. I started it, decided it was too big and frogged it. Then I started again, smaller and knitted it for about 3 hours and then frogged it again. I just don't know what to do.

I did manage to finish my Vanilla swirl socks but I don't have a picture. I already wore them (that's my favorite thing to do with new socks, wear them right away) and I haven't washed them yet. I didn't think you needed a picture of dirty socks, right? So I started another quick and easy pair.


They are my Knit Picks Essential Sock yarn in Ash and they are a basic toe-up ribbed sock. I love them already. They are great to knit backstage while waiting for set shifts or your cue. You know, while you're not changing costumes. :)


Well, that leaves a set of size 2 bamboo needles open doesn't it? Yeah, well, we can't have that can we? No. So, they're baaack.

I was gonna make you guess what it was but honestly, this picture is so bad, I don't think you'd be able to. So, they're Pomatomus. AAAAH! At least it gives me something fussy to knit. Keeps my mind away from the moving thing. Maybe it will help.

Tonsils Be Damned!

So, I am sick again. Did I mention that a few weeks ago I had a double ear infection and was put on some kick butt antibiotics? No? Well, I was. For ten days. On the very last day I felt super. Then after I kinda felt icky and the last few days a nasty spring cold has turned its ugly head. I have snot and a sore throat (which makes it absolutely horrific to act and sing right now.) I have decided to blame my tonsils.

When I was younger I had strep throat three times in a year and it left my tonsils scarred and icky. They told me I would probably have to have them out if I got it again. I haven't officially had strep throat again but I seem to catch every little bug that comes along. I swear it's because of the tonsils.

Luckily USA has an NCIS marathon starting soon so I'll be in bed knitting and dozing to NCIS.

Later.

Wowza have I been lacking in blog content

So, I realized today that it's been a ridiculously long time since I have blogged.
Not much has been going on in the knitting world and what has, I haven't been able to take pictures of as the batteries in my camera have gone kaput and with hubby driving my van as his car is still waiting to be fixed after his deer crunch I haven't been able to get to the store very often and the two times I have been to the store it was a very, very quick trip on the way to rehearsal and so I forgot the batteries.
I finished the vanilla swirl socks yesterday which is good. I need something new and kinda bright to cheer me up because we have snow in the forecast again today. Uck! Don't they realize it's April?! We're supposed to get 7 inches today. How ridiculous.
In play news, tonight is opening night. Which is the only reason that I'm missing the Yarn Harlot in the Cities tonight. It's killing me. Although last night we had an audience because our underwriters gave a party and invited people. It's a lot of fun but exhausting. I could easily sleep all day but I don't. Hubby and I had our pictures taken in our fancy dress costumes. Hopefully I will be able to post the pic here because I think it will look totally fab.
In other news, today is the 10th and we are supposed to be moved to a new place by May 1. We don't have a place to move to yet and we don't have a lot of time as the show ends April 27, but we are supposed to be moved so posts will probably be light this month.

See Ya!

So, it's Friday afternoon and I'm packing a bag to go to my parents' house. Hubby and I are leaving straight from play rehearsal.

Here's the bag:

In clockwise order from top left we have:

1. The Schaefer Anne Socks. These are almost done and I think that I can finish them if I set my mind to it.

2. The Lotus Blossom Tank. I have just finished the first repeat of the Lotus Blossom Pattern. This has not stopped me from packing all the yarn and the pattern.

3. The Vanilla Swirl Socks. So far this is the most accurate picture of the colors in it. These are my Take-everywhere-cos-I-don't-need-a-pattern socks.

4. Barely Visible are the Tiger Eyes socks. These are close to done too but are fussy so they can't be worked on just any time.

5. Mittens. I haven't shown you these yet. They are kinda boring and may get frogged. I haven't decided yet but I was worried that I wouldn't have enough to knit.

No, I didn't pack the yarn first but as you can see, it has pride of place and takes up most of the room in the bag.

So, the question is: how long will I be gone?

Until Sunday.

Is it wishful thinking that I will be able to knit this much or am I delusional?

Good question.

Updates with New Stuff

Since the never ending socks are making my whole body itch (figuratively not literally, it's beautiful yarn and I am not having an allergic reaction to it.)

and the Tiger Eyes are too difficult to take along anywhere because the pattern is too complex.

So, I started another pair

They are Sockotta Socks. It's just the Basic Sock Recipe from this book: Knitting Rules But the yarn makes them interesting so I am calling them my Vanilla Swirl socks. Vanilla because the pattern is plain and Swirl because the colors kinda swirl.

This picture is not even close to accurate for color but it will have to do for now.

I also picked up this yarn a few weeks ago

It's Patons SWS (Soy Wool Stripes) yarn in Natural Pink. The ball on the left is pretty accurate as far as colors go. At least as good as I can get my crappy camera to take. I want to use it to make a cute scarf. Maybe something with drop stitches again but I haven't decided on a pattern yet.

I also got out this yarn from the stash

I have already swatched it for this:

It's the Lotus Blossom Tank from Interweave Knits Summer 06 (I believe) I've got gauge so I think I will get going on it soon. I've been wanting to knit a new sweater for myself for awhile.

Other than all this project planning, I've just been busy with the play but I thought it was time you got an update with pictures.

Neverending socks

Did you ever see that movie "The Neverending Story"? I feel like my socks are neverending. I'm trying to stick to it and luckily I love the yarn but quite frankly, I'm getting pretty sick of them. They are the Schaefer Anne socks. I started the one at the toe and worked it to past the heel.

Picture a photo of a sock just past the heel here.

Then I took the other end of the yarn and started the other sock.

Picture a photo of two socks worked just past the heel.

I worked both of them alternating back and forth until they were just about to hit the calf muscle. Then I started thinking about it and put the one on a piece of waste yarn to try it on. I realized that I would have to increase if I wanted to have it fit my calf. I increased two stitches on each needle for two rounds (so a total of 16 stitches increased) and changed to 2x2 rib. I thought that if I changed to ribbing that when I ran out of yarn that they would have a better chance of staying up even if it was on the middle of the calf muscle. Now, I'm trying to just keep working them until I run out of yarn.

It's taking awhile. I do a round here and another round there and once in awhile I sit down and work on it for awhile. It's still taking awhile. I feel like I have been working on these socks forever.

What else. I frogged the Feather and Fan socks because they weren't going to fit. I love that STR yarn and I want to do something special with it but I haven't figured out what yet. I guess I'm just going to have to take some time one day and look through my patterns to see what I want to make.

I am getting close to done with the Tiger Eyes socks. They require a lot more focus though so I haven't been working on them much. I think if I took one day and just sat down for an hour or two and worked on them that they would be done. Now, I just need to find a couple of hours one day. hee hee.

Not much else is going on. Hubby and I have been busy rehearsing for the play. That's what has been taking up most of my time. One day I'll get some more pictures for you too.

Happy Leap Day!

I always feel like Leap Day should be a special day that you don't have to work and you don't have to do anything you don't want, like a vacation day. It never works out that way but it would be nice.
I'm not working on anything new, I haven't finished anything and I don't have any pictures to show off. I'm just waiting for our new bed to be delivered. I am so excited. Our old one is horrific and I can't wait to get the new one. Plus, we are upsizing to a queen, which is good because my husband is not a small person and he takes up a good deal of the old one. Okay, I'm not exactly a small person either but he gets the lion's share of the bed and usually of the blankets too.
Hopefully I will have at least one new pair of socks to show off soon. It's difficult to find time for it now because my husband and I are busy every evening with play practice. Our local community theater is doing My Fair Lady and we are in it! Very exciting. I haven't been on the stage for 10 years! Hard to believe.
Anyway, hopefully I will be back with pictures soon. Until then, keep those sticks twitching

I couldn't find the pictures for my Tiger Eyes socks so I had to take another one.

It looks pretty good if I may say so myself. The picture doesn't but we can't have everything. I really need to find the tag for this yarn because it is absolutely gorgeous. It is so perfect for this time of year when it's cold because the colors make me think of warm summer days. It makes me think of watermelons or a strawberry patch. Yum!

This is also the first time that I am doing socks with the Magic Loop method on my very first pair of Addi Turbos. Also yum. I don't mind this method and for this particular pattern (which I was having trouble with) I really think it's working the best but I am not going to leave my dpns in the dust. I still prefer them.

A note about the Schaefer Anne: This skein has 560 yards and the yarn is so beautiful that I want to use as much of it as possible. That's why I am doing these socks toe-up. I am also doing this:

I started the one sock from the center of the center-pull ball and worked it to past the heel. Then I took another set of needles and the outside strand of yarn and started the toe of the second sock. I plan to knit to past the heel on this one and then alternate to use as much of the yarn as I can. It's so beautiful and I'm hoping to get a little bit taller socks from this skein. I would love to have knee-highs but I don't think that I will be going that tall.

While going through some projects to post all my current projects on the fabulousness that is Ravelry I found this:

It's a shawl I started made of Knit Picks Shadow in Redwood Forest. (I don't remember if I ever blogged about it.) I am designing it myself and so far, I do like it. I think it's turning out very nicely but I have a Long way to go. Since I am trying to finish up some projects, I think that this is going to be added to the list.
I have two skeins and if I like the pattern, I might try to sell it. We'll see. So far, it's just a pretty little thing I'm making.

I have one other thing that's currently in the Basket but it's a secret project so I can't blog about it. I promise photos of it when it's done though.

Up to No Good

Well, I think the start-itis has finally abated. I am so busy working on all the socks I've started that I don't have any time to start any new projects. Here is the gorgeous Schaefer Anne sock that I started.

It really is quite gorgeous. I do have another pair that I'm working on but I can't find the picture. I guess I'll have to take another one.

Lately I have been doing my knitting but I have also been a bit into some stitching. I am working on a little needlepoint that's cute.

(insert image here.)

As you can see, I don't actually have a picture of it right now.

I also dug out a cross-stitch of butterflies that I am working on:

(insert image here.)

Wow, the glaring lack of pictures is getting kind of obvious isn't it?

Otherwise I have just been resting. It's been super cold here again. Last night we were in a winter storm warning because of the blizzard-like conditions of the blowing snow. I had a bit of an earache last week and I was so tired that I slept a lot and drank entirely too much coffee when I was awake.

Well, I'm off to stitch my butterflies and watch the Shark shows on Discovery Channel for today.

Startitis

Okay, so I have a wicked case of startitis. Maybe it's the cold weather, I couldn't tell you. Today it's really windy and Really cold. I am thinking about going back to bed just to warm up my feet.

Anyway, I finally finished the hat and scarf set.

grr, that picture looks even worse than I thought it would. (Don't mind me, I'm having an argument with my digital camera and if it doesn't shape up soon, it will be in the trash can before dinner!)

Its made with Moda Dea Richochet yarn. I had some onhand that I got on clearance and I sort of like the hat and scarf but it's not my style. I'm not sure who I will give it to so I am putting it away for Christmas. Never hurts to be prepared.

Since I finished that and I only had one pair of socks on the needles:

Purple Rotating Rib socks. (Toe up) I will have to post the stats on the yarn later because I don't have it with me right now. They're fun but not really a ignore-what-you're-doing kind of sock because they are rotating so you have to remember to rotate. Plus I'm getting a little sick of them.

So, I decided that before the winter blahs get me down, I should get out my beautiful STR Sock Yarn that I ordered last spring. I'm trying so hard to cut back on the sock yarn in the stash. I have a really cute little tin bucket that sits next to my knitting spot and I have made myself a rule that all my sock yarn needs to fit inside it. One day, I'll remember to take a picture of it.

Right now, the thing is overflowing. Because of that, I wish, I really wish that this STR yarn wasn't so great. No offense to the lovely people over there at Blue Moon Fiber Arts but I really wish their website wasn't calling my name. I followed our lovely Harlot's advice and used the Feather and Fan Socks Pattern from Socks, Socks, Socks.

I didn't get the same results.

I don't completely hate them but I don't really love them either. The yarn is a beautiful color that's called Lemongrass that is sublime. Very springy and makes me not hate the gray outside quite so much. I am knitting them on US Size 2 needles and they are swirling very strangely. Within the color (you can't really tell) they do change. There's the brownish mixed in with the yellow and lighter greens mixed together but I can't decide if I want to keep it or rip it. Last night while thinking about it, I just kept knitting. I am apparently a glutton for punishment.

I'll let you know the fate of these another day and I'll post my other new projects when I am not arguing with the camera.

Warm, Cozy wool is my friend today

So, the weather advisory for this morning said that exposed skin freezes in 15-20 minutes. This isn't good. I have decided that I won't be leaving the warmth and safety of the house today. It actually took the promise of some nice, hot coffee to even get me out of my warm, cozy bed.
The thermometer outside of the kitchen window says -20 and that doesn't take into account the wind chill. It's cold. Way too cold. Crazy cold. This is the kind of day when you are very happy you are a knitter and have a house filled almost to the brim with wool. I'm pretty sure that I will just be snuggling up with some of that lovely wool today. I am really trying to be strong and work on projects that are already started. It's not entirely easy. The biggest thing I am trying to finish right now is the Red and blue scarf and hat set. The hat is done and I am just trying to run out of the yarn on the scarf. It's taking some willpower though. Not only do I long for the new projects, I think they might be calling my name, but I am dying with the length of the rows. I don't know what compelled me to think it was a good idea to knit a scarf the long way. Plus it's garter stitch so it's really boring. I find myself wishing for some fiddly, tiny lace knitting. Which is a good thing because the other thing I want to finish is my Mystery Stole 3.
Anyway, off to play with my wool now.

Ah the frozen fingers, how the make typing interesting

So, I realized today that I may be getting just a wee bit lazy in terms of blogging. Of course the whole reason I started to blog is to share my projects with the world. Or at least keep a record for myself, complete with pictures. If I don't write things, how will I keep a record? Hmm, interesting thought.
What's been going on that I haven't been blogging? Well, nothing really. I got the cold to end all colds that appears to be spreading like wildfire around the blogging world. If you haven't got it, take your Vitamin C, you for sure don't want it. I am starting to feel better but the old nose still won't stop with the constant streaming so I'd better not go very far from a tissue, like Ever! Grrr. Hubby even got a bit of it and missed a couple of days of work. It's also been so cold around here it's ridiculous. I find myself getting up for awhile to play on the computer or you know, do things to keep the health department from coming in to tell us we can no longer wallow in the filth or cook something and then I get so cold that I can't feel my extremities and go back to bed for several hours. The excessive sleeping I'm sure is in large part to the cold but I don't seem to be getting a whole lot done lately.
I did hear a story about some bloggers who are setting 12 goals this year to create twelve things. I like that although I don't think I want to set them all at once.
I will start by saying that I want to finish my mystery stole 3. It would be helpful if, you know, it was done before #4 started. Then I have that red and blue scarf and hat set. I have been working on that for over a year and it's not that difficult, I should just finish it. My trouble with the motivation on this one is that I don't know who to give it to. I created an interesting design and while I like it, I know it isn't my taste and I won't wear it, but who to give it to is quite a conundrum. Hmm, well, I'm off to do a little of that cooking and then probably back to bed to warm up the toesies.
By the way, yes our heat is on and the cold I am feeling is through flannel pajama pants, handknit wool socks, slippers, a t-shirt and a large sweatshirt. I promise that it isn't imagined.

Yay! New things are done

So, I did remember that I promised a picture of all the flame hats together. So, without further ado, here they are.


I made the red/black one first and I think it turned out well. Then the blue/black one and finally the green/black one. I think they all worked out well and they were all very well received. As a matter of fact, they didn't believe that I knitted them at first. My brother asked where he could buy another one. hee hee.

I haven't just been sitting on my thumbs though. I have been doing some knitting.

I now present the very first post-Christmas finished object. A pair of socks for me! Finally, I can knit things for myself and not feel guilty. Yes, those are my pajama pants, yes it is almost 10:00 am. Wanna make something of it? I actually made the foot a little long on these. I think a washing will help them to snug up though. They are kind of weird colors but very pretty and springish. About this time of year I totally get into the sunshine-y and green colors because I start getting bored with all the white and brown outside. I may have to order something orangey soon to quell the need for spring.
I do have another pair started but I am going to work on finishing up some projects before starting a bunch of new stuff. One thing I really want to finish is my Mystery Stole. It's so pretty and I just want it to be done so that I can show it off.

Looking back and looking forward

The family Christmas celebrations are finally dwindling down. We do actually still have one left. It's on the 20th but it's really more of a chance for the family to get together than a "Christmas Party" it's with my husband's side of the family and they're pretty reserved so it will be a meal and a few board games and it will be time to go home.
On Sunday we had the big family Christmas for my side. As is our tradition, we watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. It so epitomizes our family's holiday celebrations. It never works out the way you think it will. Something always falls apart but in the end all that matters is that we are all together. That's how it always is. We had lots of things to celebrate this year. My cousin had her baby. A healthy little girl. I got to hold her and she was so sweet and snuggly, I could have kept her. Another cousin got engaged. She's marrying the man she's been living with for several years. It's great. Happy times for all.
As the year changes to a new calendar, I'm always reminded of how blessed my family is. We are all in good health. In the last year, two uncles had terrible accidents. Both of them are fine. We could have easily lost one or both of them but they are still with us. We have new beginnings, a baby and a new marriage coming soon and it's a wonderful thing.
Here's to a new year that's as full of promise as the previous years.

Ah, the sighs of relief

So, the holidays are finally over. I did manage to finish the last sock on the morning of Christmas Eve. At least it was before we had to leave the house.
I haven't been around much because of the many holiday celebrations and the nasty cold thing that has it's fickle little grip on me.
Hubby and I are starting a "healthier living" thing. It involves more exercise and eating right. In order to get on track I'm logging our calories and so, planning and cooking healthy meals and logging in our calories has taken up some of my time. Hubby is sick too and we all know how men can be when they are sick.
"I don't feel well, wait on me hand and foot despite the fact that you are sick too." Actually, he's not too bad, but I am the official household soup-maker. Luckily, it's been canned soup lately since I haven't felt like doing anything.
I should have at least one finished thing next week. Until then, happy knitting.

I think I'm going to make it!

I am still suffering under the delusion that Christmas will still somehow come together. Despite the fact that I am nearly manic, I think this is normal.

The great Clog Capade of 2007 is finally over. I had the foresight to take a picture of all of them together before I started wrapping

Okay, technically they still aren't wrapped and this picture doesn't include my husband's since he was wearing them at the time and I try not to rip things off of people's feet for pictures. It so seems like there were more than 12 pairs. As you can see from the picture though, that's all there is. Wow, so glad that's over. Now if only I had a pair for myself.

I removed my mom's scarf from the list. Don't worry, she's getting other things instead, like the homemade sugar body scrub I made for her and my grandma this morning. While baking cookies. What? I think it's perfectly normal to have about 18 things going on in your kitchen at once. I am making dinner, blogging and baking right now. So what?


I think I must get that from my mother since I was at her house last week to help her get her baking done and we had about 6 different kinds of cookies and dinner going at once.

I did end up adding the other two flame hats but I don't want to spoil surprises so I won't post a picture of them but the second one is almost finished so I think that's gonna be okay. I also finished this:

What's that you say? Why would you go to all the trouble of making a purse for a gift when you could find one almost exactly like it at the store? Well, here's why.


The purses from the store don't have cute little piratesque skull and crossbone linings. The lovely young lady to whom this will be gifted is a teenager and going through a bit of a goth phase. I thought a purse that looks nice and "adult" on the outside and had a little bit of a "surprise" inside would be appreciated and her parents wouldn't object. Despite issues with my sewing machine in which it very nearly took a nice flight through the bedroom window since I couldn't get the tension right, I finished this and somehow managed to finish my niece's care bears blanket done as well.

I didn't take a picture of the dragon picture (which is finished, framed and wrapped) but I will try to remember to get a picture when it is opened.
So to recap; the only things left to knit are to finish the flame hat and finished my dad's socks. (I've barely started the second one) I still see glimmers of hope.

Things are looking up

So, things have vastly improved since my dismal Friday post. I have gotten better about almost everything. I have a nasty skritchy throat and I think it may be a cold trying desperately to get it's hooks into me, but I am fighting hard with a sock around my neck at night and some nice hot tea. (Don't tell me you've never heard of the sock/neck thing. You take a long, old sock and wrap it around your neck and pin it with a safety pin while you sleep. It helps to insulate your neck and makes me feel infinitely better in the morning. I sometimes put a little Mentholatum on my neck first but they don't recommend this.)

I have finished and felted my little niece's clogs

Shown here lounging on a standing and as-yet undecorated tree. My husband wants to help and he's off tomorrow so we will do it then. I had a little trouble getting the top to felt at the same rate as the bottom so I had to do a little hand-felting in the sink. I think they will be okay though. (The white sticking out is a plastic Wal-mart bag I stuffed inside to help keep their shape as they dried.)

With the completion of these, (for my older niece) I think I am done with this pattern for awhile. (I will not say for sure because I know what will happen if I do. I will be back at the needles with it.) I love this pattern. These are the Fiber Trends Felted Clogs but I have knit it about 12 times this year and I'm so burned out on it. These have a date with my washing machine later today. (I am felting the children's ahead of time so they don't have to wait to wear them and also so they can have a design of fabric paint painted onto the bottoms for non-skid reasons.)

I am apparently on a roll because these are done too.

They are for my mom's friend Teri who is like a second mom. I think she will really like them.

I am currently working on some yellow "daisy" colored dishcloths for my sister-in-law and when I have finished them, I will be using the needles for more flame hats. These are too boring for pictures though so I will spare you.

The fate of the branching out scarf has been decided. It's been frogged and I have a date with the yarn store on Friday to get more. It's last on my list though since I have other gifts for my mom and she would understand if she didn't get a scarf.

Back to the grind.

In Which, I try

So, I try to be a better, more organized person. I rarely succeed but I do try. The following are the ways in which I try.
1. I try not to be addicted to caffeine.
Success Rate: Snowball's chance in hell.
Why: My family is huge for coffee drinking. Like by the pot coffee drinking, I have never gotten big on this bandwagon. My mom will drink a cup of coffee directly before bed. I don't know how she does this except that maybe she has built up such a tolerance to it that it no longer affects her. Who knows. My issue is that I tend to have a little trouble sleeping. Okay, that's kind of an understatement. I have enough trouble right now when I can pretty much sleep whenever I want to. I hate being tired and try to get enough sleep each night. This means I will try to go to bed at a decent time and I have resorted to setting the sleep timer on the TV so it can play long enough for my brain to be distracted and let me relax. (Please don't lecture me on this, I know it's bad but I don't know what else to do.) So, this week, since I have been spending much time at home and I have been drinking some coffee. For me, this usually means a cup or two a day. I have a smallish kind of unique pot and I make a bit and drink it. Yesterday, I exceeded this "bit" by about 4 cups. I felt like I was flying yesterday afternoon. Luckily there were no illegal drugs involved or I'm sure I would have been one of those people that jumps off the roof because they think they can fly. I am now hopelessly in need of coffee, despite it being 2:00 in the afternoon. I need to stop, I know this, I have. (I only drank 3 cups today) I feel the need for caffeine. I'm hopeless

2. The scarf for my lovely mother.
Success Rate: Pfffft. I don't want to talk about it.
Why: The scarf I wanted to make was this one: Branching out I think it is lovely but the yarn was not cooperating with me. I knit about 5 repeats of the pattern and decided that the only way I should continue with a yarn that I wasn't particularly fond of was to block it and see if it was as gorgeous as it should have been. If it was, then I would continue and ignore the whiny part of my brain that says the yarn isn't nice. I blocked it on the needles. It didn't look good. Oh, the lacy part was fine but the bottom had this little swoop that didn't block out. I didn't like it. The only thing I could think that might hide it was fringe and I don't think fringe would look good on this scarf (I think it would cheapen a very nice lace pattern) So I frogged it. Sigh, back to the drawing board.

3. Knit Night
Success Rate: In the dumps
Why: I make these plans. "I should make more knitting friends. The lovely lady at the yarn store is getting to know me by name. I should go to knit night. It is this week after all and wouldn't it be nice to make some friends who knit (in real life)." I tell my husband I'm going to go. (He goes over to a friend's house on Thursdays so he doesn't care.) He encourages me to go. Then the day arrives. I think, I'll get these socks to a point where I don't have to pay attention to what I'm doing and I can visit. Then I don't get dressed very well (my ratty sweatpants and a comfy t-shirt that does not match.) So I would have to change in order to go (at least the pants) Then I get self-conscious because I don't know the people. Then I think about driving 20 miles one way for two hours of knitting and the fact that I want to buy yarn if I go to the yarn store (especially since the yarn for my mom's scarf is not making me happy.) I am trying to save money for Christmas gifts so I am trying to be better about buying things. This strategy will not work. I decide to stay home. I watch more Law & Order (still) until I'm pretty bored and kinda paranoid. Then I go to bed upset with myself that I didn't go. (I think the majority of it is that I don't know the people and I get totally shy.) Well, there's always the next knit night.

Enough with my dissapointments in myself for today. I drew a pretty nice dragon picture for my stepsister last night so all that remains is to color and frame it. we'll see how far that gets today, right now the socks are calling my name. Later.

Law & Order Overload

I don't have much to say today. Due to the recent snow and the money spent on Christmas gifts, I have been spending much time at home. This means that I am drinking more coffee than is probably wise and am getting a little bit stir crazy. Luckily, tonight is knit night at my LYS. Uniquely Knit. I am probably (my shyness sometimes prevents me from going to things like this where I don't know people) going to go. This means I should probably stop drinking coffee or I will be shaking too much to knit.
I would also like to thank the lovely people at USA Network for their Law & Order: SVU marathons yesterday and today, it's making for lovely knitting time. While I am enjoying it, I'm starting to think of everything in terms of criminal investigations. It might be time to change the channel. Probably not though.
I am trying to work on the radioactive pink scarf but I'm not thrilled with the yarn. It's absolutely not stretchy at all, worse than cotton. It also kinda flattens out on the needles, making it difficult to knit. I am still working on it, but I can tell I don't like it since I cleaned the spice rack instead of knitting it. This makes sense if you understand my unusual household cleaning style. I put off cleaning the bathroom for two weeks because I didn't feel like it. I knew no one else would do it and it had to be done. I finally did yesterday, I even washed the bath mat. I will suddenly get an itch to clean and will rip something completely apart to clean it. This is especially true if I am avoiding doing something else. Or I'm bored. With all the knitting, I usually don't get bored that often. That would explain the state of my home.