Twitch Knits

Hectic Season

2011-11-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Hallow-----wait. Whoops.

It's the time of year when time seems to race by me. I know, I know; the way I post in this blog you are probably shaking your head at the lack of discernible difference. Time tends to elude me in general, but there is something about the corridor between Halloween and New Year's that makes me (and many others, I suspect) feel like I'm constantly in the middle of some important project. Luckily, the panicky feeling this used to ignite in me subsided after I graduated from college.

November is easily the busiest month in my year--between Christmas gifts that need to be finished and Nanowrimo, there is always something waiting for my attention. Now, though, I get to revel in the joy of pursuing things I want to do without the stress of knowing that I'm procrastinating when it comes to the things I have to do.

I'm not sure what effect November will have on this blog. Like Charlie Brown, I pretend that I work best under pressure, so there's a chance that having so much on the go will increase my productivity. There's also a chance that my lingering proclivity towards procrastination will result in a flurry of posts. Then again, by week three of Nano, when the pace starts causing me to huddle in the corner and mumble about plot holes, I may end up abandoning the blog at least until December, when (of course) I will bring you the news of my triumph. (Please color the tone of that sentence with maximum skepticism.)

Rainbow Road

2011-10-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

(If you want to skip my inane babbling, feel free to scroll to the pattern at the end!)

I’m terribly excited (and nervous) to be posting my first pattern online. It’s such an easy, intuitive pattern that I’m really hesitant to even label it as “mine”—but for the sake of brevity, I won’t post my full inner monologue concerning the subject. Just know that if, after viewing said pattern, you should feel that I’m utterly ridiculous for even committing it to the page…well…I can understand. That said, I ultimately decided to share the pattern because I had a blast making it.

It all started with two skeins of Malabrigo Silky Merino in Arco Iris that I bought on a whim. I needed the perfect pattern for them—something that would show of their beautiful variegation while also allowing me to keep the snuggly yarn as close to my skin as possible. Though letting them remain on my desk as mascots/pets/the most deliciously soft, yet ineffective paper weights you could imagine was tempting, I finally decided that the yarn was meant to be a scarf. However, I couldn’t find anyone pattern that suited my needs, so I decided to make my own. (I highly recommend checking out some of the patterns that helped inspire me, though—they are gorgeous. I originally looked for chevron patterns, but wavy turns up some fantastic options, too!)

I wanted a long scarf that wasn’t too wide, with gently textured waves that would play up the beautiful colors in the yarn. I used needles a few sizes above the recommended gauge to produce a fabric with extra drape. (I used size 10 needles; however, because this is a scarf, go with whatever gauge makes you happy!)

This is a fantastic project for someone who wants to practice increases and decreases.

Rainbow Road Scarf

There may or may not be a lot of Mario Kart played in this house.

Cast on 36

Knit first 4 rows

Begin pattern:

Row 1: (k2tog) 3 times, (kf+b) 6 times, (k2tog) 6 times, (kf+b) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times.

Row 2: knit

Row 3: knit

Row 4: knit

Repeat these four rows until scarf is desired length, bind off loosely.

Just in case you don’t already know:

K2tog: refers to a decrease in which you knit two stitches together

Kf+b: refers to an increase in which you knit into the front and back of a single stitch

You can substitute alternate increases to produce different effects—for example, working a yarn over instead of the kf+b will create holes within the fabric, giving it a lacy effect.

You can purchase Malabrigo Silky Merino from a variety of stores--but I recommend using Eat.Sleep.Knit. (Follow the link on the top of my sidebar for a paradise of yarny goodness.)

Five Years Five Years La la la

2011-10-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

Because this is public, I'm going to try and keep this as brief and non-mushy as possible.

Dear Daniel,

It is not every man who would gladly put up with a knitter.
Who would joke about stealing my yarn stash while patiently enduring hours at the yarn store while I fondle every skein. (And who would only tease me a little about using the word fondle. It's funny, I understand.)

Who would wear the silly hat I made him for our first Christmas together (don't worry, those pictures are stowed safely where no one can see them).

Who would not only graciously accept that first, horribly wonky sweater I made him, but also keep it hanging in his closet.

Who would wear the second sweater I made him even though it was itchy.

Who would encourage me to pursue my wild dream of becoming a professional knitter, knitwear designer, writer, and editor.

Who wouldn't bat an eyelash at the fact that this means most of my days are spent at home surrounded by yarn. Or the fact that I have so far made a grand total of $20 dollars.

Who would be patient, kind, and caring as I struggled to find myself.

Who would start randomly dancing, singing, or tickling me when he knows that I'm sad and I need a reason to smile.

Who would tell me I'm beautiful despite the fact that I've worn the same dress three days in a row and my hair hasn't seen a hairbrush in...well...too long.

Who loves me not just in spite of my flaws, but because of a fair few of them.

Before I met you, I was sure that I would never want to get married; now I can't wait to be your wife.

I love you so much, Happy Five Years.

Quick Blurb

2011-10-18T10:53:00.002-07:00

Also, because the last post was *gasp* completely unrelated to knitting, here is a sneak peak at a post I'm working on for later in the week:

Pumpkin Daze

2011-10-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

I know that after a two week absence, I should probably be posting some sort of fantastic, moving yet funny, picture filled post that comes with a free pattern. Unfortunately, as much as I would like to have something to that affect, I'm going to do this post instead. It was on my mind over the weekend, and I'm going to get it out of my system.

I love Fall--the decorations that start to go up (be they Halloween or inappropriately early Christmas decorations), the spirit of anticipation, and the way that I get a chill just listening to the wind gusting outside. (That might also be the air conditioner.)

One of my favorite things about fall, though, is the fact that come September, you can find pumpkin flavored stuff Everywhere. I'm wild for pumpkin--real or fake, salty or savory, on its own or mixed in with oodles of other yummy things.

Most people anticipate a struggle with their weight during the holidays because of Turkey feasts and rampant baking. For me, it is all about the pumpkin.

Fact: I have had at least six pumpkin lattes since I spotted the telltale sign go up late August. I don't think I have six lattes in the rest of the year--let alone that many in a little over a month.

Sometime in the last two or so years, someone high up--or actually, many someones high up--noticed that I'm not the only one who suddenly becomes a latte junky the second they roll out the pumpkin syrup. This year, there are more pumpkin products on shelves and menus than ever, and I am reveling in it.

Because I am positively preoccupied with pumpkin (yeah, that made me gag a little bit, too), here is a list of my top 10 favorite pumpkin products. You will notice that I do not mention homemade pumpkin pie on the list. Please trust that this isn't because I am not completely gaga over it--it is by far my favorite of all pumpkin foods--I just wanted to focus on commercial items.

10. Mellowcream Pumpkins-- Yes, I know that these are not actually a pumpkin food--they are candy corn's hyper delicious cousin. In a world of miniature snickers, tiny bags of skittles, and teensy rolls of life savers, these pumpkins are the candy par excellence. Your mileage may vary.

9. Pumpkin Delights-- Like mellowcream pumpkins, these snacks contain very little actual pumpkin. However, they are still scrumptious enough to serve at your next fall themed fete. I may or not refer to these as Pumpkin Pasties around my house...

8. Store bought pumpkin pie--(See what I did there) Though not anywhere near as flavorful and satisfying as my Mom's homemade pie, store bought pumpkin pie is still a delicious alternative to being pumpkin pie free. After years of testing, I've found that Fresh Market's pie is the best of the grocery store alternatives--although both Publix and Whole Foods do pretty well.

7. Pumpkin Bread-- Again, this is best homemade, but the store variety is still yummy. I'm putting pumpkin muffins in this category, as they don't differ much in terms of flavor.

6. Pumpkin Ice cream --I would place this higher on the list, but unfortunately not all pumpkin ice creams are alike. My favorite version ever came from a small mom and pop shop out in California that made homemade pumpkin ice-cream. Unfortunately most of the big brands only sell pumpkin pie ice-cream or, worse, pumpkin cheesecake. While these are both pretty tasty, these varieties get weighed down by chunks of crust mixed into the batter, and overwhelming non-pumpkin flavors like vanilla or cream cheese.

5. Pumpkin whoopie pies-- I get mine from Fresh Market, and they pretty much taste like a dream. A cake cookie made of pumpkin with a layer of frosting in the middle--what isn't to love? I haven't been able to yet, but I'm dying to try these.

4. Pumpkin Spice Soy Milk-- Like my fiance, you may be loathe to try this stuff. However, there is a reason that it is one of the few products with so little actual pumpkin content to make it this far down the list. It is crazy delicious--smooth and not too cloying, with a very nice pumpkin-y flavor and a good blend of spices. I also highly recommend Silk's soy Egg Nog--it isn't as heavy as regular Egg Nog, but it's just as delicious.

3. Pumpkin Cheesecake--I've linked to Olive Garden's pumpkin cheesecake rather than any other brands for three reasons: the ginger cookie crumbles provide a nice contrast, they drizzle it with caramel sauce (my favorite companion for pumpkin pie), and my first piece this year contained large spots of pure, un-cheesecake-adulterated pumpkin pie flavored goodness.

2. Pumpkin Latte-- I'm not going to link this one because there are so many to choose from. Starbucks may have marketed the first big name one, but these puppies are popping up in just about every coffee shop you can find. I will, however, link to this search page of homemade latte recipes. I haven't tried any of them yet, but they look delicious.

1. Pumpkin Bagels--Einstein Bros. gets the link because that is where I tried my first pumpkin bagel. They have two varieties right now: an ultimate pumpkin bagel that skews sweet, and a plain pumpkin bagel. I tried the plain pumpkin with my requisite garlic and herb low fat cream cheese--it was a pumpkin experience unlike any other. I paired with a pumpkin spice latte (there's are my favorite, officially) for the ultimate pumpkin breakfast. I've been bugging Daniel to go again for a whole week.

Gratifying

2011-10-04T09:58:00.000-07:00

When I first started knitting, I--like so many other fledgling fiber enthusiasts--was sure that my creations would make perfect gifts for the people I loved. I would take great care in picking the softest yarn, the most appropriate patterns. Unfortunately, I quickly learned--as all knitters eventually learn--some people don't understand the value of a hand knit.

There are tons of biases that inhibit people from understanding the love, effort, and (not to put too fine a point on it) sometimes massive amounts of cash that are invested in a hand good. A lot of these biases stem from the knitting stereotypes that are perpetuated in the media: doddering old lady who create itchy, ill fitting sweaters in garish colors. Even worse, in my opinion, are the people who decide that those who give craft work out as gifts do so because some how it's cheap. (Yup, that $60 of yarn was totally easier for me to find in my budget than a $20 gift card--and that's not even factoring in what my work would have cost.)

Now don't get me wrong--I know some of my early projects weren't exactly the stuff of dreams. I've made my fair share of wonky scarves and lopsided sweaters. They were all made out of love, though--and there were certainly a few people who recognized that. (That these people overlap with the group of people who now receive my more refined products is not a coincidence.)

Every time I give someone a hand knit, though, I still get a little nervous. I think it's natural--each scarf, hat, or blanket represents not only a lot of my hard work, but my good will. It's scary to think that might be rejected. I find giving knits to children especially daunting since they are both capricious in their tastes and vocal about what they don't like.

So, it was with no undue trepidation that I presented my fiance's niece, Emma Claire, with the blanket I had made her for her Baptism.

I held the blanket out for her to touch and she immediately grabbed it in a vice grip and brought it to her mouth to taste. After processing this initial data, she removed the blanket from her mouth just long enough to give me a big grin. I think that sounds like resounding baby approval.

Her mother helped me snap a picture later in the day--though her smile is an "isn't Mommy silly?" smile, not a "man this blanket makes for good gumming, Aunt Alex!" smile. Isn't she gorgeous?

The blanket is a Bookman Blanket, using Comfy Sport in Peony.

Yarn Accidents

2011-09-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

My pseudo yarn diet came to a screeching halt yesterday after Eat.Sleep.Knit announced that they were having a special sale for 10k club members in hour of their five year anniversary. (If you haven't been to Eat.Sleep.Knit before, click on the button in my sidebar--it is my absolute favorite online yarn store.)

I had agreed to a yarn diet a few weeks ago with the idea that I would save up for ESK's annual Black Friday sale (an unrivaled event of yarny madness).

Of course that resolve crumbled like a box of graham crackers being stocked by a lazy, accident-prone teenager. I was honest about this, though, and despite being tempted to hide my indiscretion I texted Daniel to get clearance for breaking the rules.

He wrote back saying that I could get enough yarn for one project--a decent opening offer, however when I countered with a request for four skeins he failed to rise to the bargaining challenge and told me to only buy what I could afford. I imagine he heaved a beleaguered sigh at this point, but I can't be sure.

I set about choosing my yarn with care, focusing on procuring only those skeins which I had been coveting for some time. I scored a couple of skeins of some sock yarn I'd been eying for a few years and a new worsted that I have been wanting to try.

And then....well....I had an accident.

A skein of the squooshiest, most scrumptious, most lustrous yarn in a shade of blue that I frequently dream about fell in my basket.

Despite my efforts to remove it, it just kept hopping back in--so finally, I accepted that this yarn was simply destined to come stay with me and I placed the order. It should be hear early next week--I'll try to take pictures, though I might end up hiding the special skein, lest anyone recognize it and figure out just how much money I dropped on an impulse skein of yarn...

You can knit if you want to

2011-09-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

Last night I decided that I would post about how I’m pining to order from a new (to me) yarn retailer. (Well…when I say decided, I mean that my fiancé suggested I write about it, since he’s been subjected to my obsession for a few days now and I think he wants to share the wealth.)

However, when I sat down to write said post, I found myself distracted by something I read about a few days ago. I’d list the original source, but a) I can’t remember where I saw it and b) sadly this topic is ubiquitous enough that you’ve probably already encountered it. Therefore, I will let you draw from your own experience with this ongoing discussion, while I continue with abbreviated preamble.

Apparently some people think that being a knitter makes me a bad feminist. Now, I’m not going to kid myself—there are a lot of things about me that make me a “bad” feminist in other people’s eyes. I like to wear dresses, I cook, I played with doll’s as a kid, I hope to be able to stay home with my children when they’re small, and from time to time I’m not averse to watching a sappy romantic comedy or a period film. The list of “feminine” clichés could go on, but I don’t think either you or I would find it very interesting.

As you can tell from my use of scare quotes, I don’t agree with either of the aforementioned designations. In my opinion, “bad” is subjective and “feminine” is a cultural construct. For the sake of avoiding too much unnecessary chatter, I’m going to focus on the latter. Femininity is not a universal concept—or rather, our Western conception of femininity is not shared wholesale around the world. Some of the most fascinating articles I read during my time as an anthropology student focused on cultures that had conceptions of gender that varied from our own—one of my favorite of which concerned a tribe where women were seen as the tough, valuable workers while men adorned themselves in jewelry and fancy robes to attract wives. (At some point, I should dig through my books and find this specific reference.)

The assumption that being a woman means (or worse should mean) any one thing is ill conceived at best and offensive at worst—which is why I find it so frustrating that some people have decided that feminism must entail the eschewing of all “feminine” trappings. Feminism is about fighting for equality between the genders, not homogeneity, yet so often it seems that people equate feminism with women attempting to be men—or at least trying to distance themselves from the image of “woman”. Yes, I believe that women should be allowed (and encouraged) to take on traditionally “male” roles, if that is what they so desire—but I don’t think they should be forced into being less “feminine” if they don’t want to be. To me that smacks of agreeing that being male is somehow better than being female—and doesn’t that defeat the purpose?

The most recent article I read about this was written by a knitter who had been told by another woman that she was a bad feminist for engaging in craftwork. At the end of the article, the knitter said that she didn’t care if she was a bad feminist, she was going to knit because she liked it. I am going to take it a step further: I am a good feminist because I knit. I refuse to be pigeonholed. I’m not going to cook, clean, wear a dress, or knit because someone tells me that I should because it will make me a better woman—but I’m also not going to give up these just because someone says that doing so will make me a better feminist.

For me, feminism is about supporting women in the pursuit of their own happiness. Women shouldn’t be limited by anyone else’s expectations; women should be free to define themselves.

At this point, I could also bring up the long history of male knitters, but that feels tangential (if not contradictory) to my point.* So instead, I will stop preaching to the choir, and go drool over some more yarn.

*However, I’ll probably do another post on it later in the year, because I think it is really cool!

Part Deux

2011-09-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

As promised (I know you've all been eagerly awaiting it, after all), here is the second half of my Takumi Clover Interchangeable Bamboo Needles set review. (Word order may vary.):

Yup. They're amazing alright.

The Join:

I really like the join. It comes together easily, and stays together for the most part. I tried the Knit Picks Sampler interchangeable kit a few months ago, but found that I frequently had to tighten the joins while I worked. It was especially frustrating while working with lace, as my yarn would decide it was in love with the gap created between tip and cable and, like head strong teenagers sure that this was the end all and be all of life, it would take way too much frustration and cursing to untangle needle from the yarn. So far, I have only had this issue arise a smattering of times—and only on the needle in my right hand. I’ve found that checking the join every few rows eliminates this problem entirely.

Also, the join is tapered nicely—I’ve had no trouble transferring my yarn from cable to needle, even when I’ve been using the magic loop method. (Magic loop plays havoc with my gauge; I tend to tighten like crazy to prevent ladders, and have had a lot of trouble inching the working stitches up joins in the past. Expect an exasperated post about it at some point.)

The Needle Tips:

Initially, I was very underwhelmed by the tips. As a long time clover enthusiast, I figured I couldn’t go wrong buying their set. I’d read a few reviews that talked about the tips being a little coarse—one even mentioned having to sand and refinish them—but I dismissed that given that most of the negative reviewers also mentioned not being big fans of clover needles in general. For various reasons (namely my own unflappable ability to set my expectations ridiculously high as well as a few product descriptions that described “silky” finishes and “finer grains”), I thought the needles would fall somewhere on the spectrum between the regular Takumi needles and the Velvet Takumis. In the interest of full disclosure…I also forgot which set was the nicer of the two types; I mistakenly thought that Clover was the designation for the nicer needle finishes, not Velvet.

As you can guess, my dismay upon opening the case was palpable, but not unrelenting. The needles are a little bit coarser than the regular Clovers—which stinks if you’re expecting Velvets, but isn’t so bad ridiculous expectations aside. So far I’ve worked with superwash merino in a variety of gauges (even lace) and have had absolutely no problem. The needles also smooth out after a few hours knitting, so I recommend breaking them in on something like cotton if you are really worried about them snagging more delicate yarns.

***

Overall, I’m happy that I bought the set. It’s not as fantastic as I hoped it would be, but for a hundred bucks I feel like it was a good deal. These needles will last me for at least a few years, and it will ultimately be cheaper than buying individual needles. If you are interested in getting a set of your own, I highly recommend purchasing them from either Amazon or Nancy’s Notions, as both shops provide a sizeable discount—and frankly, given the finish on the needles, I don’t think they are worth the full price.

Whew…that was a whopper of a review—I promise future attempts will be a bit more streamlined. (And hopefully quite a bit funnier. I found as I wrote the review, most of my jokes tended to be based in innuendos and inappropriate puns, so I figured I would spare you. All two of you.)

Interchangeable days

2011-09-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

First off, let me apologize for such a long absence. We celebrated my fiance’s birthday this weekend in what can only be described as a bonanza of family activities—several of which I spent last week planning. My mastery of automated reservation services aside, it meant that I didn’t have a great deal of time to devote to personal projects. A flimsy excuse, perhaps, but sometimes weeks are just like that.

Now, sitting here in my tidier, more festive apartment, I find that I finally have time to get around to a blog post that has been percolating in the back of my head for a few weeks. In a show of very uncharacteristic foresight, I managed to snap pictures for this post more than a week ago. (Of course, I assumed that these pictures would be utilized the next day.) Without further ado, then, I present:

The First EVER Twitchknits Review!

*Disclaimer*: This review represents my own personal opinions. I am in no way affiliated with the company that produces this product, nor have I contacted them about creating this review. As a consumer, I know that I appreciate being able to read my peers’ reviews of the products they use; I’m simply trying to contribute to my community.

Please remember that just as every knitter’s gauge is personal, every knitter’s experiences and opinions are subjective as well. This review reflects only my opinion; your experience with this product may vary.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff.

After a period of intense rumination and internet scouring, I finally purchased a set of interchangeable needles. I had been searching for a set that met my criteria (bamboo, 16’’ cords included, good value) with the intention of saving over the fall—when I saw these on Amazon, I pounced, much to the chagrin of my savings plan.

^ That's my excited face, apparently. Not to be confused with my "somebody let me have too much sugar" or "nope I'm not crazy from lack of sleep" faces.

I find it easier to organize my thoughts if I provide myself some sort of structure, so I’m going to write this in order of what I noticed about the set, and then give an overall impression. Please feel free to skip to the end at any time, as I may start a’ramblin’!

Case:

The case is no more than I expected it to be—unlike some of the fancier sets the Takumi Clover set comes in a very basic, black vinyl case. It smelled a little of plastic at first, but now that it’s aired out for a week or two, the fumes have dissipated. The layout of the case is intuitive—well organized, with snug bands for the needles and a deep pocket for the cables. Because the bands are snug, I’m a little concerned about scratching the bamboo tips as I remove them from the case; however this may just be regular Twitch paranoia.

Cables:

Admittedly, the cables (along with the price point) are what sold me on this set. I’m a creature of habit, and 16” cables are my weapon of choice—they’re essential for hats and are great for scarves. I was so disappointed to find that most interchangeable sets don’t include them. (After reading a few interesting google responses, I think that this has to do with the length of most interchangeable needle tips; they are usually too long to be used for shorter circulars.)

The cables are easily my favorite part of the set. They come in their own separate pouch, complete with a diagram for telling the needles apart based on which pocket they’re in.

They are flexible, but don’t fall completely slack. In the past, I’ve had trouble with the regular clover circulars bending back on themselves and or remaining crimped in a certain position after storage. So far neither of these issues has arisen with my interchangeable—it’s fantastic. The only negative thing I can say is that the cables squeak and creak sometimes as I’m using them. However this is extremely faint.

Alright, as I'm being my usual verbose self, I've decided to leave this blog as *bumBUMbum*

To Be Continued...

Return tomorrow for an action packed* review of the sets joins and needle tips, as well as my overall recommendation!

I know, it's exciting right?! I'm totally not doing this as an easy way to get two blog posts this week...I would never do that....this is all about streamlining the content.....yeah......

*Much like recent action movies, the action-packed-ness of tomorrow's blog post may be grossly exaggerated.

Unbridled Enthusiasm

2011-08-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite parts of knitting is the rush I get when I start a new project. The clack of needles as I cast on and the feel of new yarn rushing through my fingers.

My poor fiance is frequently subjected to my surge of excitement—usually in the form of me calling for him to come and look at my (sweater/ hat/shawl, etc). Invariably, this occurs just after I’ve completed one of the first few rows. Like a toddler with her crayon scribble family portrait, I’ll proudly direct him to look at my fledgling project. (“See the Hat? Can’t you tell it’s going to be an awesome hat?”) He’ll admire my mass of freshly created yarn loops—sometimes he’ll even muster up a nod or a somewhat befuddled noise of appreciation. We both know that I don’t actually expect him to see the hat (sweater/shawl/monster doll); it’s enough that I know what it will be, I just need to enthuse to someone outside of my head for a little bit. In a few days (weeks/months/three years later when I find it in the stash and finish it) Daniel will look at it again, and this time his nod will be grander, his noise less befuddled. (He is really fantastic about reacting to my projects.)

This exuberance has only increased now that I’ve started designing my own patterns. It’s no longer just yarn loops that I show off—no, sir. Now I have random letters and charts with strange symbols. He takes it in stride, being one of the best of men.

But today…today I’m going to give him a break.

Look! See the shirt! Doesn’t it look like it’s going to be a great shirt?!!!?

That familiar feeling

2011-08-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

It happens to me every August. Maybe it’s something to do with the sweltering heat or the fumes radiating off of new school supplies, but for some reason every August, I have the sudden, intense urge to overhaul my life. To sit back, take stock, and then rearrange my schedule and goals jigsaw style. Some people make New Year’s resolutions (and I’ve tried those, too, to mixed success), but for me Fall is the time for change.

Perhaps it’s a bit of hardwiring leftover from my all too recent student days. From kindergarten to college, Fall meant new beginnings: new teachers, new lessons, and, most importantly, new books. The calendar may start in January, but my year starts in August.

So it came as no surprise to me last week when I noticed the itch to set new goals, establish new habits, and resume forgotten campaigns. I restarted the blog, finally started a knitting project (pictures—and pattern!—hopefully up soon), and set up my list of goals.

First and foremost on the list, as it is nearly every time this mad urge to reconstruct myself occurs, is weight loss. Now, I have no intention of transforming this blog into a fitness blog. The internet has more than enough already, and (honestly) that’s a level of privacy that I’m not willing to give up yet. Mostly, though, I know that even if I tried, my posts would eventually lapse back into a yarny fervor. Today’s post will be an anomaly; it’s constructed out of one part distraction (I’ve been thinking about it all this week), two parts flim-flam (I know that I don’t have any patterns or pictures ready, but I wanted to post something), and several parts (more than I’d like to admit) the knowledge that by making some sort of public declaration will ultimately keep me from straying when the way gets hard.

Needless to say, I am quite overweight and I want to change this. Mostly for health reasons—I’m young and relatively unaffected at the moment, but I know that the hammer will eventually fall. I have myriad other reasons, but they are not really the stuff of public posts.

The only reason that this blog should concern itself with, of course, is knitting economy. Losing weight means smaller sized garments, less yarn consumption, and a shorter knitting process. I, frankly, cannot wait!

To these ends, I’m employing several strategies, with the hope that a few will actually stick. Daniel and I are training for a 5k—we’re set to race at the end of September. I’ve restarted my Kettleworx program. (Not to sound like a salesperson or anything, but if you’re interested in toning/weight lifting, this is a fantastic system. I did it for twelve weeks last year—another fall resolution—and friends told me I looked like I had lost twenty pounds. It’s a wee bit pricey, but I think it is well worth the cost, especially if you can get it on sale through sports authority, like we did!) I’ve also set up a list of rules for myself:

-I have to drink water with all meals. (I’m allowed exceptions when we go out.)

-I have to get up and move every 45 minutes.

-I have to walk for 15 minutes after every meal.

On that happy note, I think my 45 minutes are up. I’m off to pace around the apartment like a loony!

Coming Soon

2011-08-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

I know that the first post after such an extended absence (almost two years, I'll be impressed if anyone even remembers that I have this blog!) should be something grand and thought provoking. It should dazzle the readers (ha. readers.) into forgetting that I had been negligent.

Failing that, it should at least have the decency to look the other way and pretend that it's unaware of my previous bloggy failings.

I prefer to face things head on, though. Or at least I'm telling myself that these days.

Yes, I've been horrendously bad about regular posting in the past. I'm not entirely sure that this will change in the future, but I'm going to do my best. Sorry.

and

Yes, this is really I'll I'm posting (for now). In the coming weeks there will hopefully be carefully crafted posts about different techniques, yarn reviews, and (cue the exciting, if trite, crescendo) Free Patterns! Yup, that's right. I'm a pattern designer, of sorts, now.

Until then. Hello! For those of you who added me to some sort of google reader or notification system SURPRISE! I'm Back. Bet you forgot you did that!

Back to normal

2009-11-14T23:07:00.000-08:00

There's a chance that the new yarn--the product of the day that magically cheered me up--has moths in it. It's been quarantined to the freezer for the week. (Did I mention that part of what made me so happy was that I was really excited to work on this project right away?)

And since I spent the evening knitting with it, they could be anywhere in my room...so...all my other yarn is magically in jeopardy as well.

I'm going to go figure out a different way to de-stress, now that I'm officially too afraid to knit.

Yarn Carnival

2009-11-14T17:59:00.000-08:00

As a college student, I very rarely experience what I would call a "full" day. Days full of class, or (more often) days filled with reading and writing, yes. Days in which I'm too busy to brush my hair or eat more than popcorn (bless you, you sweet self contained microwaveable food), certainly. But days in which I wake up early, spend several hours roaming between different events and errands, then return home happy (if a little worn down)--those are few and far between. (I traffic in mental exhaustion--the likes of which keeps me shuffling through thesis research and grad school applications rather than writing blog posts--so admittedly, my sense of physical exhaustion is a wee bit warped.)

Today, because of a concurrence of wonderful events, was such a day.

I was up by 8 (a full 3 hours and 15 minutes before our campus expects a Saturday morning to begin) for the fourth annual AIDS walk (warning: there is a short video). This is my third walk, but Daniel's first, so I was excited about registering early and getting a good place in the walking order. A good friend of ours was in charge of leading the walk this year so I figured we'd start out near him--however, he'd been told to set a brisk pace (as there are usually a few walkers who want to finish quickly), so I assumed that (being so very out of shape) I'd eventually fall behind.

We were clipping along, and somehow (I suspect the Wii Fit was involved) I was keeping up. When we reached the first point in which the route gets confusing (we turn off of a well designated road into a neighborhood with lots of turns), we glanced behind us and realized that of the 500+ walkers signed up, there were only 9 of us keeping pace. The rest of the walkers were so far back that they were almost out of site--we had at least 150-200 feet of clearance, and frankly....it made me feel pretty darn good.

Because of our speed, we made it back to the dorms just after 10 and had a small breakfast and a very important Twitch hydration hour. Then....we went to the yarn carnival.

I've had a rough couple of weeks populated by all manner of disappointments and set backs; the kind of days which the Yarn Harlot labels as "the universe seeking balance" and which (when put together in such an unrelenting sequence) tend to leave me curled up in a corner petting yarn and muttering to myself.

On Thursday evening I serendipitously stumbled across news of a new yarn store in the area which would be celebrating its Grand Opening today, and well....I lost my shit a little bit. I started jumping up and down, and counting yarn points (ask me in another post), and begging Daniel to let me go. It seemed like the perfect thing to cheer me up--brand new yarn in a brand new home, with sales and give-aways. And because I'd just gotten the news, I didn't even have to wait long!

As I slogged through Friday (and some more "balance"), I kept the yarn store grand opening in the back of my head....and it began to swell to epic proportions in a worrisome way. I have a tendency to get my hopes up. I do it often, and I always chastise myself afterward, but apparently I'm a very slow learner. Last weekend we'd attending a "season tasting" (yes, shudder at the name, it was gross---but we were promised delicious free food) at a local grocery store, and I'd built up hopes of finding it a magical autumnal fairy land, with slices of pumpkin pie and cider, and good cheer and fellowship of man and blah blah Charlie Brown blah. It was (as you probably guessed it) nothing of the sort. It was a crowded, overly hot, mess filled with rude patrons who shoved past you or rolled over your toes with their carts as they made a bee line for the last of the stuffing or the 1 inch cubes of pumpkin pie.

So when I started talking about how wonderful the Yarn Store Grand opening was going to be, I think Daniel got a little worried. I started by talking about the yarn selection--would they have Malabrigo? What about the Handmaiden I'd been hunting in the wild for a few months? By midday I was speculating over the what sort of entertainment there would be (other than, of course, the fondling of a multitude of beautiful soft precious glorious yarn)--the internet had hinted at demonstrations, and famous knitters, and music and snacks and maybe even contests.

By the evening I was gone. I envisioned what can only be described as a yarn carnival--with Yarn streamers festooning the ceiling, balloons out front, and an impromptu silk tent in the parking lot. There would be yarn ball jugglers and calliope music and friendly clowns making balloon animals dressed in wee sweaters. There would be acrobats doing ball winder tricks, and free samples from yarn vendors, and maybe (just maybe) a bit of magic--not too much, we wouldn't want to over shadow the yarn.

As we pulled up to the quiet shop front this afternoon--sans clowns, acrobats, and jugglers--I could feel the foreboding welling up in my stomach.

But after spending an hour and a half at the actual yarn store grand opening (which was filled with beautiful yarn, nice and mostly polite knitters, and a few door prizes), I realized that I hadn't swelled my hopes to high.

Who needs a yarn carnival? I just would have ended up inside the store fondling yarn anyways--and this way there were no creepy clowns or jugglers getting the yarn dirty.

Bet you thought I was gone for good

2009-09-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've taken a day off from knitting since the day I learned how to use string and sticks to make beautiful (or...at least interesting) things. Even when I don't have yarn in my hands, there's a good chance that at least some part of my thought process is devoted to a skein somewhere. (Generally a skein that has yet to make it into my stash....much to the chagrin off everyone involved.)

Unfortunately, this means that knitting often takes precedence over my other non-academic activities (it would probably displace the academic ones as well if not for the fact that I learned how to knit while reading). For the past few weeks I've been busy preparing for my final year of college: cleaning my dorm, reading for my thesis, and losing sleep while I worry about my future. Most of my spare moments involve squishing yarn or sleeping--and sadly, I haven't focused enough of my attention on blogging.

Hopefully now that the semester is settling into a pattern, I'll be able to eke out more time for frequent posts.

But for the moment, there's a beautiful skein of Tosh Merino waiting for me.

*squish, squish*

Apparently it's compulsion

2009-07-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

Knitting is a deceptively stressful hobby. At first, the act of knitting--rhythmic wrapping of yarn, repetition of motion, and complete occupation of generally twitchy hands--is relaxing. It lulls a person into believing that all projects are soothing--but when one delves farther into the world of skeins and dpns, this tranquil facade slips away.

There are patterns that require constant tinking back, perhaps willfully encouraging a knitter to lose her mind.
Yarns that are on an unholy quest to blind and debilitate all who are drawn by their siren call.
Needles that gleam and promise faster knitting, only to drop hundreds of stitches from their shiny, high-polished, heartless tips.

Yet these insidious fiends are not the worst plague awaiting in a knitter's stash.
Deadlines far outstrip their brethren in malice, for only deadlines can turn a normal, relaxing project into a shudder inducing, panic inspiring jumble of knots and sticks.

Deadlines have many attacks:
Last minute pattern Snafu's
Overestimation of knitting ability
The dreaded three yards short syndrome
and of course,
Christmas

After succeeding with the last minute Trilobite hats, one would think that I--being a moderately sensible Twitch with a healthy respect for the maintenance of my mental faculties--would have avoided all knitting deadlines until the Christmas knitting season really flares up (so.....August?).

However, I'm apparently a glutton for stress.

I don't know if I've posted about the Wonky Scarf--I might have been waiting for pictures. It is a simple garter stitch striped cotton scarf worked out of mysterious yarn that Daniel's parents brought back from Italy for me a few years ago. Luckily enough, I happened to have a few skeins in Gryffindor colors, so I decided to go the way of loving girlfriends and force my boyfriend to dress up for the Harry Potter premiere.

This decision, of course, was made without knowledge of my impending adventure--in the flurry of preparing for said adventure, the half-finished Wonky scarf was swept aside.

Yesterday, the magnitude of my mistake hit me: with less than 36 hours to go, I had to knit a whole half a scarf--the first half of which took me a week.
Momentarily, I considered accepting defeat--especially considering that my knitted accessory for the evening--my beautiful Ravenclaw beret--was MIA, and jealousy of the Wonky scarf would run high at the premiere.

You can probably guess what happened next.

I dashed out to Michaels, bought two skeins of Vanna's Glamour (Sapphire and Platinum), and a hook, and I started crocheting in the car.

Finishing my Sparkly Luna Lovegood Hat and the Wonky scarf before this evening? Why not. I'm sure I'll find a time turner or something.

So little time...

2009-06-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

Well, it's soon to be bon voyage to the stash once more.

In little more than 32 hours, I'll be winging away on a new adventure--one that happily requires a little knitting. So far I've made one hat (Trilobite!) for myself--and I've started another for Daniel. If I'm lucky, I might be able to get one more done before it won't matter.

That said....I have a great deal of knitting to which I must return.

Regular blog posts will hopefully recommence after my life stops being quite so interesting.

Like a toddler with a room full of shiny objects

2009-06-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

As you can easily see, there are still no pictures on the blog. Shameful, yes. Unwarranted, only if you have never felt the borderline obsessive (ha, borderline) joy of returning to a copious and beautiful yarn stash.

In honor of our being reunited, I decided to attempt a minor stash dive--a difficult and dangerous maneuver in which I perch precariously on the far side of my bed and open up all the various boxes that comprise a portion of the stash. A full stash dive--which would involve both shifting my room in order to access bins and braving the inner depths of my closet--is not recommended at this time. The minor dive, however, was fruitful enough.

I harvested no less than five skeins of malabrigo, and nearly wept for joy as I inspected the haul: three skeins of worsted (in purple, green, and a beautiful pink/brown/green which sounds ridiculous and looks like paradise) and two skeins of dark blue lace weight. The lace weight has been partially wound and bagged up to become a Tilli Tomas Mystique shawl. I also balled up the pink/brown/green with the thoughts of maybe making a Trilobite hat, though this is pending the opinions of my readers...

Unfortunately, winding both balls proved to be even more laborious: having been in the stash for a Very Long time, they had felted and grown finiky from the lack of my direct adoration. The experience has inspired me to attempt to knit All of the remaining malabrigo in my stash as soon as possible--with the exception of the superwash socks, but we'll see.

This could prove to be a very interesting summer.

I can almost smell it

2009-06-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

My conspicuous absence and my separation from the stash are almost at an end.

This week has been lovely: I've enjoyed the summer sun, gotten together with two of my favorite people (coincidentally both readers of the blog...not that their reading it has anything to do with their status as "favorite people"), knit quite a bit of a very wonky scarf (it's story will be song by the bards...or you know, posted when I set up my camera), and resisted the temptation to buy yarn from ESK.

I sadly succumbed to a little temptation while I was here. On the second trip to Michael's (can you see where my mistake was?) I found some acrylic self patterning yarn. It's cunning little stripes and delicate spotted pattern defeated my will power; I bought a skein. Four dollars of temptation wouldn't look so bad...except for two reasons:

-Daniel bought two skeins of the same type of yarn in green and brown. He wants a "camo" scarf.

-I fully intend to plead with my loved ones for the permission to buy some special yarn for the trip that shall not be typed. If I type it might not happen...and I really want it to happen.

This place makes me nervous

2009-06-13T20:05:00.001-07:00

I'm on the first of what will be a series of trips this summer--which means two things: my blog posts will be erratic, and I will have limited access to yarn. The latter aspect frankly makes me a little anxious.

Generally, I'm never farther than 30 feet away from a variety of yarn for more than a few hours. For some unknown reason, this summer I've agreed to several trips that will not only take me away from my ample stash, but will also make the acquisition of more yarn very difficult (I can hear all those who love me and wish to preserve my sanity...err, I mean bank account heave a great sigh of relief).

Perhaps half way through the week I will find a Michael's--just to look (and pretend that I could knit the yarn at will) and maybe fondle.

Then maybe when I get home I will begin looking into self help groups.

A hush runs over the Knitting community

2009-06-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

There's an electric buzz in the air and my fingers have the urge to abandon poor Surfie for unknown glory. It's not my normal knitterly fickleness; this is a special brand of wanton abandon.

The new Knitty is up.

I haven't even looked at the patterns yet (lies, I saw the crab pattern while I was making the above link, but that doesn't really count does it?) but I look forward to the new Knitty with the sort of all consuming, heart stopping joy of a child before her birthday.

I had another post planned today (it even turned out to be weirdly relevant to my day, given that I had a swimsuit breakthrough today), but....

the new Knitty is up.

Twitch Knits III: Revenge of the Shrug

2009-06-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

The DIC Shrug got its revenge this evening. After a fortifying day of exercise and reading, I decided to settle into the sunshine chair (a squooshy chair located right by the window), watch a little Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and get to picking up those stitches. Everything was zipping along until my dad asked me to close the window--but even then I figured I'd be fine. It wasn't as idyllic, but I still had some light to work by and the movie was so funny--how could I deny him a better viewing experience?

A few hours later, and I've realized the mistake. Somewhere after the first forty of the 182 stitches I picked up, I got off of the double rib pattern. Also, somehow--despite careful counting and a great deal of patience--I picked up a number that can not possibly be 182 stitches. If it were 182 stitches, I would have do some wiggling to make the pattern work.
Yet the appropriate wiggling made the edging wonkier than it was before.

However, all this wonky-ness did not catch my attention until a row and a half later. At first, my natural reaction was (as a wise, wise knitter once told me) to just keep on knitting and pretend nothing had happened.

This quickly proved to be a bad plan, leaving me with a wierd mish-mash instead of lovely, defined ribbing.

The appropriate swearing ensued and I dug a crochet hook out of my needle binder.

After an hour I had everything in order--plus I can now boast that I'm completely adept at dropping and picking up stitches.

But I've confined the shrug to it's ziploc bag once more--it needs to take a long hard look at it's recent behavior before I let it try to cozy up to me again.

Get off my back...

2009-06-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

...you stinkin' shrug.

I can feel you watching me everywhere I go, but smothering will get you nowhere buddy. Just ask the Mystique pattern that keeps "bumping" into me as I try to clean the unholy sty that I occasionally call a bedroom. Familiarity breeds contempt, and the more you harangue me about finishing (or casting on--I'm looking at you Mystique) the more appealing the non-demanding Cinched Waist top becomes.

Picking up the number of stitches that you keep insisting I need to requires fortitude...and possibly some liquor...or an incredible, yet non-consuming movie. Maybe I'm exaggerating--you're not really asking for much. But in a world recently filled with Malabrigo Sock, how can you expect me to stay focused?

Speaking of, I have to get back to my busy schedule of staring at the Mal and wondering which pattern is worthy of it.

A day without yarn

2009-06-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

Well, if I'm being honest with myself I could never survive a day without yarn. My conspicuous absence yesterday (it was conspicuous--I have followers now! *yarny dance*) stemmed from the fact that I'd spent 6 hours at the mall helping my dad. The local mall was hosting a "hurricane expo"--this being Florida and all--and my father's office was invited not only to man a booth, but also to give intermittent presentations. However, complications meant that for a good part of the day, my mom and I were manning the booth--causing me to kick myself for not having the foresight to pack a project.

Also, someone needs to alert the mall that they've made a serious oversight: they have absolutely no craft stores.

To celebrate getting through a day filled with false smiles, talking to strangers, and carrying heavy objects, I devoted myself to finishing the back of the DIC Shrug. This morning I hit ribbing once more, meaning that if I work my tail off I might be able to finish the shrug in just over a week.

Unfortunately, between the mall and the shrug I've been unable to devote any time to uploading pictures. I would promise their impending addition to the blog--but I sense you're begining to doubt me.

YAY! Someone's reading this!

2009-06-05T17:36:00.001-07:00

(hug) to Jamie!

I'm still working on pictures; hopefully they will be up by the end of the weekend!

In other news, I took yesterday off from the KAL in order to cast on with some of the acrylic yarn I found in my stash. I'm making the Cinched Waist Top by Vladimir Teriokhin from Vogue Spring/Summer 2006. I think I found enough Simply Soft Brite in Rose Violet to make the top--and maybe even add some extra frill, or longer sleeves. I decided it would be easier to give into temptation and knit a few inches of the corset waist--then get back to the DIC Shrug.

Don't tell Surfie.

Failure

2009-06-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

My resolve has already cracked.

This morning, my mom offered to take me to the awesome local yarn store--the Knit and Stitch. I initially declined: I knew the temptation that lurks in Cocoa Village, and I didn't want to put myself in danger of breaking the yarn diet. However, I decided to check the store's newsletter anyways. (I told myself that I wanted to check the class schedule...yeah right.)

All it took was the phrase "shipment of Malabrigo sock yarn" and we were in the car. Well...actually, we had to wait for a thunderstorm to pass--during which time I convinced myself that I only wanted to meet the yarn. I'd never seen it in person, and it's always good to feel a yarn for future reference (that sounds oddly dirty--but we'll ignore the potential psychological ramifications).

In the car I decided that if they had any of the three colors that I'd been stalking at Eat.Sleep.Knit (indiecita, solis, and terracotta) I would buy one skein--but that was all I was allowed.

When I arrived, I found what I really should have anticipated: a decimated Malabrigo sock section. They'd had all the colors in at the begining of June, but they'd sold faster than water and bleach right before a hurricane (why do we need the bleach for a hurricane? Really, someone tell me).

But amongst the wreckage: five skeins of terracotta. I know own two of them.

However, I'd like to believe that the knitting gods don't really mind: as a sign of good faith, they graced me with a free knitting pattern for a beautiful shawl.

What was that about an honors college?

2009-06-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

So I frequently have moments when I realize that I've missed something obvious. For example, during my first blog post, when I substituted "darn" for my usual colorfully unladylike vernacular it took me three paragraphs to realize that it wasn't just a nicety to my potential readers (if I have readers), it was also a pun.

Or the fact that every few months I realize that the Stitch (copyright Disney) key chain I attached to my needle binder is oddly appropriate, though completely unintentional. (Maybe my subconscious loves indulging in puns when it knows I'm not looking?)

For the ESK DIC KAL (eat.sleep.knit dream in color knit-along; if no one is reading I might as well use abbreviations) I decided to continue my new habit of recklessly flying in the face of instructions--instead of knitting flat, I'm knitting in the round. I tried to think through the problems this might pose to the project as a whole and decided it would be fine.

Last night I noticed something strange going on with my shrug--the sleeves had lovely little stripes going in quick succession, but the back of the shrug was knitting up into bigger stripes and blocks of color. I'm ashamed of how long it took me to figure out my knitting phenomena. Eventually it hit me: knitting in the round for the sleeves caused different color alignments than knitting flat for the back.

In recognition that I'm a darn idiot, I will leave you with this:
Midvale

Good Behavior is encouraged

2009-06-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

Despite manifold temptations from my favorite online yarn store (see the links to the right), I've been a good girl and I've stuck to my yarn diet. I've watched as skein after skein of my favorite yarns have arrived in new colors, and my favorite colors have waltzed in on new yarns. Each time I feel my addiction leap forward, I try to remind myself of next years tuition. I may have money for the minute, but in a few months I really and truly need to be an adult--a transition that will be so much easier if I stop acting like a spoiled brat and start the maturation process now.

It might also help that I'm having recurring nightmares about trying to pack up all of my stuff and move out of my dorm.

The universe has smiled on my attempts to be a realistic and sensible person--a fact that hit home today.

So far I've had very nice evaluations (my college doesn't rely on a grade system--but trust me, written evaluations might make you miss a good old anonymous GPA), but today I received a doozy. It's always satisfying to do well in a difficult course--especially when the teacher is at times scant with her praise. I believe that this good (okay, great) evaluation is cosmically connected to my trying to reign in my wild yarn accumulating ways.

But even better than getting a good evaluation:

While I was cleaning my death corner (a corner of my room that is notoriously avoided during other cleaning sprees because it is more or less a black hole of doom devouring all the odds and ends that I'm never sure what to do with) I discovered yarn that I don't remember purchasing.

Really pretty yarn. Enough to make a sweater with.
Who needs to buy yarn, when you can discover it for free?

For once I'm glad that there's more room to clean...who knows how many potential sweaters may be hidden in there?

It's not you, it's me

2009-06-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Surfie,

It's not that I don't love you...I just think that we need to take a break. You probably saw me this afternoon, working on the Dream in Color shrug with it's tantalizing lace pattern and sultry color variegation. It's not that I want it more--I signed up for that knit-a-long before I even met you. You don't want me to back away from a commitment do you? What kind of knitter would that make me?

Please just give me a week, and I promise I'll come back to you. I'll knit you for the rest of the summer...but maybe we'll do some double dates.

I miss you, painstaking stitches and all,
Twitch

Still no pictures...

2009-05-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

However, at this point Surfie is still just an endless ring of stockinette....it's probably better that you are spared having to stare at so many tiny, uniform, unchanging green stitches.

If I lose my mind this week, I will probably be able to blame the stockinette. I've invited this madness though; I could have chosen the worsted-weight lace hoodie but oh no, I had to have the filmy laceweight.

Late tonight I finally hit a decrease row. I am perhaps only 2288 stitches away from the beginning of the lace chart and I can feel the excitement growing. (Can you hear that...it's the sweet siren call of yarn overs and 8 stitch repeat sections!)

Personal Growth

2009-05-30T19:56:00.000-07:00

I've always had a fondness for instructions. When it came to legos, I was no fly by the seat of my shorts kid, creating random blobs of interlocking mess. If I bought the kit, I darn well made the kit. I never messed with the alternate suggestions: I wanted the jet plane, not the robot with the random propeller on it's back or the race car with cumbersome and non-aerodynamic design features.

I was forever searching out new instructions: I tried my hand at almost every Lisa Frank or Klutz craft that I could cajole my mother into buying (I'm sorry Mom) and spent the long lonely summers between moves learning to make beaded necklaces and about four dozen different kinds of friendship bracelet.

As a teenager, I discovered that yarn was the gateway drug into a whole world of instruction--I could peruse patterns to my infinite pleasure, learn how to block and swatch. I was dumbfounded and awestruck by the endless lists, and I greedily devoured patterns. I took everything as written--okay, I may be guilty of shortening sleeves and adding stitches to hems--but for the most part patterns came out intact.

Given this life long courtship of anal retentiveness, you will understand why last night represented an important turning point in my life as a knitter.

For two months, I've been coveting the Apres Surf Hoodie, wistfully eyeing yarns and dreaming of flitting about in its wispy glory. The only thing that stood in the way of my lace hoodie joy was my undying loathing of sewing---the sheer number of seams made me weak at the wrists. However, I was going to choke back the bile that inevitably rose at the thought of so much sewing, bolster myself with the fantasy that somehow this sweater was the key to having a succesful and fulfilling summer, and soldier forth.

But then...I realized what a terrible idea this actually was. While I'm all for discipline and fortitude and conquering my knitting weaknesses--it would be absolute crap. I would never finish it. It would languish in my knitting bag comparing notes with Flutter Sleeve Cardi that I cast on last summer. Together they would curse me to infinite yarny doom, their soft whispers haunting me in the night and plaguing me as I admire patterns on Ravelry.

It may be too late for Flutters, but Darn it--Surfie shall live. I'm throwing caution to the wind, and knitting in the round.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find some instructions for putting pictures on this blog.