school’s out

11Dec09

Fall 09 is coming to a close. I have three exams next week and then I’ll be on my way home by Thursday. I can’t wait to get back home to spend the holidays with my favorites.

I don’t want this to be totally boring so I’ll have you know that I’ve finished (with the exception of buttons) my grandpa’s vest. I’d like to send it to him in Florida when I get home. Maybe I’ll make Cameron try it on for some FO shots until next spring.

I went through a short period of being unable to cast on and just knit something already. Then I remembered I wanted to knit the Ulmus Rectangle scarf.

I’m using Colinette Jitterbug on US 5s. It’s so perfectly squishy and simple. I wish the edge that isn’t having yarn carried up it would lie flatter, but I don’t think there’s a way to fix that now. Probably won’t rip back. Probably not.

Oh.
And snow:


couch to 5k

16Nov09

By the suggestion of Holly, I’ve decided to join her and several other Zombie Prom Date Knitters in the couch to 5k running program. I decided to blog it so that way I feel accountable to actually do it. I sure could benefit from it physically and I need some sort of work out routine/motivation. I think that if I finish this program I will be able to run on a regular basis. I’ve never really allowed my adult self to gain the stamina it takes to run for a long time. I need to get that under my belt before it’s too late.

My routine is that I run or do some exercise for a few days with no problem and then I just stop. I’ve been realizing that I’m getting older and I can’t keep doing that. I need to find something to keep me going everyday to stay fit.


I know, I know. It’s halfway though November, but I’m here to recap my Socktoberfest FOs.

Pair 1: Sweetheart Socks from IK Holiday 2007
I started these back in January, hoping to get a head start on my holiday knitting. The first sock took nine months for me to finish. The second sock took only one month. I cabled all the cables without a cable needle, which is a really handy technique. I don’t think I would have finished them if I had to carry around and use a cable needle. These are for Cameron’s mom for Christmas. I decided to help the foot be more snug by working the sole stockinette stitches on a size smaller needles.

Pair 2: Through the Loops Mystery Socks 2009
These were really fun to knit. I did much better finishing these this year than last year. (If you recall, I made the 2008 pair too. I’m anxiously awaiting the prize drawling happening over on the Ravelry TTL group. I worked them at the same time on DPNs, alternating between cuff, cuff, leg, leg, etc. I was so pleased with this pattern that I more often than not had each clue finished a day or two after release. These are for my grandma.

Pair 3: Koigu Socks
I finished these on 4 October, so they barely made if for Socktober, but I’m counting them anyway. These were pretty quick to knit because I enjoyed watching the color change. These are for me. :)

I also finally finished a pair the other day while watching The Office on Netflix on repeat. I have yet to photograph them but they’re a pair of Pomatomus that I started before Mother’s Day 2008 for my mom. She’s getting them when I go home for Thanksgiving.

I’ll be going home in a week for Thanksgiving break. It could not be more needed. It will have been 12 weeks since I’ve been home. I’m looking forward to seeing my family, pets, and the ZPDK.

See you tomorrow!


Socktoberfest!

02Oct09

I’ll talk about the knitting in a minute, but first I have to agree with many other people that October is the best month. September means school, but October really means fall. Yesterday I closed my eyes outside on my way back to my car from class and I swear I was back in my hometown on a pumpkin farm getting ready to go through a hay maze. I could smell it and everything. The turn of the season is when I miss home the most. Tonight is my high school’s homecoming game. While some aspects of high school were utter crap, I miss being together with the people with whom I grew up. I liked getting bundled up to go watch a football game and listen to the marching band. Go Cards! The town gets dressed up in the fall, the leaves change, and it just feels magical every year. This year is no different, except that I’m 500+ miles away and the magic here is just as beautiful, but I’m not with my family. I wish my grandparents didn’t winter in Florida because I love going to their house, but they’ll be gone by the time I’m back home for breaks.

Fall means sweaters, hats, scarves and other knitted goods. And thanks to Lolly, October has become all about socks. I may be getting a bit ambitious, but I hope to have at least three pair finished by the end of the month.

Pair one, Through the Loops Mystery Sock-a-long 2009. I finished the first cuff last night with a yarn that I feel is pooling a bit too much, so I’ve started over with a solid blue Trekking Pro Natura, a bamboo blend. It’s nice and shiny.

Pair two, I’d like to finish the Sweetheart Socks for C’s mother for her birthday in November.

Pair three, Pomatomus for my mother that were supposed to be for Christmas last year, then mother’s day, then her birthday, but I really must finish them for Christmas this year because I have all but one toe finished. They’ve been like that since June. There’s no reason for me not to have those finished. So, if I don’t please scold me.

I hope you’re having a happy Socktoberfest so far!


I’ve been back at school for a couple weeks now and I guess it’s finally time that I should put up some photos of our apartment. (click the mosaic to go to the flickr set)It’s only about three or four miles away from campus, which is nice. We’ve got downstairs neighbors who aren’t very annoying at all. The only thing I can really complain about is our mailboxes, or rather, the lackthereof.  There are three mailboxes down by the road, which would work just fine if more than one of them had a door. We got notes in them last week from the USPS saying that we needed “new, bigger mailboxes”. My housemate took that note to our landlord’s office, but I don’t think she presented it very well because she seems to think that the secretary thought that we wanted a new mailbox, just beacause.  It’s supposed to be done by today or our mail service will be suspended until we get it fixed.  SIGH.  I just might have to go back to his office and check on it tomorrow.  If you want it done right…

In knitting news, I’ve been finished a sweater, but I still have to weave in all the ends before I can get finished photos.


A look at the insides, ’cause you know you want to.


exciting news

21Aug09

Look what I got yesterday!

And the great part is that I got into a digital photography class with my best friend at the last moment. I’m very happy about this. I’ve taken a few photos already, but I have no idea what I’m doing.

Today is the last day of my summer job, which is bittersweet. I’ve enjoyed my coworkers, but it will be nice to have free time again. I’ll be using the rest of my summer to catch up with friends and family before I leave on Monday.

Saturday, I’ll be going to the Wonder Why Alpaca Farm to hang out with the Zombie Prom Date Knitters for a little going away/end of summer/fun time. On Sunday, I’ll be packing for most of the day but my family will be going to my grandparents’ house to celebrate my birthday before I leave. The thing I hated most about my job is that it wasn’t easy to plan a day at the lake like it used to be, so I missed a lot of time with my grandparents this summer. Over the years, I think I’ve taken for granted how close my grandparents live and didn’t visit them as often as I should have.

I’ll leave you with a few photos from my trip to Oklahoma, taken with my old camera. (I have an “old camera” now!!)


I started sleeves for a sweater while I was there, knit with yarn that I bought on vacation last summer at C’s other grandma’s vacation spot.


blue cheese!

03Aug09


On Ravelry.

I’ve also started a sweater, that I have yet to photograph, based on Elizabeth Zimmermann’s seamless yoke sweater in Knitting Without Tears. It’s just a tube of gray at the moment, so you’re not missing much.

This is just a quick update because I’ll be going to Wonder Why Alpaca Farm momentarily. I’m really excited, but it’s bittersweet because this will probably be the last chance I’ll have to meet up with everyone before I go back to school on the 24th. I’ll most likely be missing the Michigan Fiber Fest because I’ll be driving home from Oklahoma that weekend. Giant bummer. I need to be saving my money anyway.

See you tomorrow, hopefully with photos of the farm, if the weather cooperates!


catch up

26Jul09

Hi, again.  It’s nice to see you.

Let me say that Muzzlepuffs merino wool is incredible. The dye is perfectly saturated and it’s a dream to spin. I’ve only spun up about half of my eight ounces (116.6 grams to be exact), and I got 488 yards of light fingering three ply.

Since I’ve been away for a while, I went up north on vacation with Cameron’s family. I got a few sewing lessons from his aunt, which I’m looking forward to applying to my own sewn projects. I’ve also been biking nearly every day for the past few weeks. I’m beginning to see a difference in my body, which I’m pleased about.

And onto a different subject, I’ve been seriously considering purchasing a DSLR. I want to take my novice photography skills to a different level. I haven’t been anywhere where I’ve been able to play seriously with any camera and that’s making my decision between a Nikon D60/D80 and a Canon XSi (with their standard 18-55mm lenses) quite difficult. This will be my first foray into the camera world and I know that the decision I make now will most likely influence preferences later. It’s just a big decision to make and a lot of money to spend.

I’ll leave you with a vacation shot.


Apparently, I don’t know the definition of “daily” because it has been months since I’ve posted. It took a month, but I got a job. It’s officially summer, and with a broken AC, I am really feeling it.

More later when I am not drenching the keyboard.


This last week of school is going to continue to be tortuously slow. I almost wish I had more than one exam per day, just to get them finished faster. Instead I’m going to be stuck here for four days, when I could have been gone in two or three. My mom is heading up here tomorrow and I’m happy to see her.

I am ready for home.