Blog Neglect

So I've been neglecting my blog. I've been busy and kinda stressed out lately, so that's probably why. I still have not finished my socks. I'm working the gusset decreases on the second sock. I could finish it in a day if I felt motivated.
Instead I've been working on crochet and cross stitch. However, my first cross stitch isn't going so well, and I'm considering scrapping the current bit of fabric and starting over. Maybe I could use the fabric for something else. I have another cross stitch project I need to start working on, and plot it out correctly this time. ( I know its supposed to be counted and yadda yadda, but I'm spatially challenged so I plot it out. Not a good idea in blue pen, I should get some colored pencils)

My crochet efforts have gone slightly better.I managed to make a granny square. I have a blanket I should be working on, but I'm feeling a bit less than motivated.

Uh, that's about it craft wise. Ciara and I have been doing some baking lately, and I really need to learn how to decorate a cake.

And another thing to add to my list of stresses, I leave for Ireland way too soon, without any money; and I have stuff that I should be booking. But that requires money!

Gah, my life is one filled with woe. *Cue Violins*

HA!

It's a DODO! ( http://www.crochetme.com/mauritius-dodo)

That just made my day. I'm now determined to get better at crochet just so I can make a dodo. Then my life will be complete.

Knitpicks

So I hadn't really looked around knitpicks a whole lot until now.


It's like Mecca for cheap yarn.
I think I've fallen in love.

Saturday

I was grasping at straws for a title there. Very enthralling, I know. So today is Saturday and tomorrow is Easter, and then its back to full time hell...I mean school..yes. Well actually, school isn't so bad, its the getting up so gosh darn early that I despise, that and the standardized tests. I have WASL's the next week after I get back. And then AP tests in May ( those are the ones I'm worried about, WASls and SATs are easy) and June second I have my SAT. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but seeing as how this is the most boring blog on the face of the earth, and may have one, occasional, accidental reader, I feel that's OK. I guess I should start commenting on others peoples blogs more.

My Yellowstone sock is a bit past the heel gusset. I'm paranoid I won't have enough yarn, so I'm not feeling all that motivated to knit it.

The last two days here have been quite sunny and lovely, and today its overcast. Which I guess I am glad about. I went out yesterday for about 10 minutes, and ended up with a hundred new freckles and pink angry skin. ( Can you say lily white? And I don't even have red hair,I have dark hair) so Aloe Vera is my buddy today.

Instead of our own coreography, Ciara and I have decided to dance Miserlou in hafla, which is good because we are learning it hands on in class and can get lots of help.

Well..I have the worlds most boring essay to finish, along with some bio, but instead of doing that right away, I think I'm going to watch a movie, or look through cookbooks to find a chocolate pie recipe. I write better under pressure anyway. ( Really, while it sounds like an excuse to procrastinate, I can write out a decent essay in 30 minutes under pressure, or a crappy one in two days if there's no pressure)

Back from Chelan

So I'm back from my short vacation to Chelan. It was fun. We visited the yarn shop in Leavenworth, and I got the book " Domiknitrix" which is spiffy. I finished up my Fleece Artist socks, I'm having tons of left over yarn from my socks, I should figure out what to do with it. I've decided to knit my socks on size 0's from now on, unless the yarn is thicker or some other circumstance. My next pair, which I will probably cast on for tonight will be made out of Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Yellowstone.


I am excited for the Fleece artist update coming up on the loopy ewe. I still might place an order at simply sock yarn though.
Coming up later this week, pictures of my Woodland Socks, and other ramblings.

Finished Socks!

Aren't you proud of me? I finally got pictures of my finished socks. My first real Blog FO. Please excuse that I'm terrible at photographing things. I didn't inherit the family talent.

I have to send a picture of these in to the loopy ewe. The color isn't terribly accurate, but its close. The colors IRL are a bit brighter and darker. If that makes sense. ( Yes, that is a daffodil, unfortunately I couldn't capture the other 15 daffodils behind that one.)

Claudia's Handpainted Purple Earth

Started- March 11 Finished March 19ish

Size 1 Addi Turbo's Magic Loop Method

I think they turned out fairly well for my first pair of real socks. I like the yarn a lot, it was very sproingy and all her colors are gorgeous. Turns out that a yarn shop in Seattle stocks most of her colors. I was in there yesterday and got a size 0 addi and some Bearfoot sockyarn in Yellowstone. Next time though, I will get some of Claudias. There were a bunch of colorways I loved.

I'm almost done with my Fleece artist Garter Rib socks. I'm working on the foot of the second one. I love the fleece artist yarn, love the colors. However, my second socks colors are a bit different than the first one, but it doesn't bother me.

I'm a bad blogger

Well, it's been a while.
I finished my Claudia's Hand painted socks. The yarn is nice, very vibrant. I like her colorways and will definitely use the yarn again. I did end up ripping back and doing it on my own, and figured out how to graft the toe shut. Thank goodness for that spiffy knitty article on grafting.

I started another pair in Garter stitch rib from " Sensational Knitted Socks" I finished the first sock. It looks pretty good. I'm really liking the yarn I used, Fleece Artist merino Socks in Woodland. I think I shall have to get more of this yarn.

Other than that, life has been generally busy. I have spring break next week, so I have tons of pre spring break finals. Ugh. And soon we start massive review for my AP tests, and I have to work to have money for my trip. It's all coming at me pretty fast. I also have to take the SAT in June. ( While that may make me sound like I actually accomplish things school related, don't let it fool you.)

Well, until tomorrow, when I can get pictures of my socks frolicking amongst the daffodils. If I can bear to go outside with all of the fun pollen running around out there. Too much plant sex for my taste. And its sunny out there. Kinda.

Sock! Camera Troubles solved, and other equally exciting stuff.

Ok, so First of all, I have nearly finished my first sock. I need to graft the toe shut, and it looks like I'm going to have to go to the yarn shop and get help. I'm debating ripping back to before the decreases and doing about another five rows, because they fit just a little too close. If I do rip back that much, someone else is going to have to do it for me. Well..maybe not, I could do it I guess.
I also need to work on my join technique because I have some slight ladders in my sock, just enough to bug me, oh well, my next pair will be better.

It turns out my camera troubles were simply related to batteries. Turns out if you buy the cheap dollar section batteries at target they suck. Oh how they suck.

So I have a deep dislike of my WASL procter, besides just being generally bitchy, she keeps flowers in the room and I don't think I can deal with it next session. I'm going to get a room change.

I also bought more yarn ( Surprise I'm sure) my dad and I have been headed to Seattle once weekly for my accupuncture appointments, so I get to visit lots of fun yarn shops. I went to Tricoter, which is right next to my orthodontist and got some Socks That Rock lightweight in Puck's Mischeif. I regret not getting more, as they had this great purple color called "Purple Rain" or something similar. Oh Well, there is always next time!

HI CAITLIN!

Hi! And Ciara too!

( My friends have discovered my blog...I guess that means I have to watch what I say now..but someone might actually read it...)

%#&%^(* Camera

So this entry was going to be fantastic. Filled with pictures to prove that I do actually knit, I don't just buy yarn. But nope, my camera decides to break. Technology is just having a go at me today, my cell phone (which is quite old) won't really take calls anymore, and now my camera only turns on to view the pictures you have taken. It won't let you take new ones.

Grrr...
I am angered.

So as to why I've been a bad blogger and haven't been updating is because I had a terrible migraine last week and couldn't stand to look at the computer screen all that long.
So I took my magic loop class, and its very easy. I also turned the heel of my toe up sock, not quite as easy. I think I like top down better.
Today I got my double points from Celtic Swan forge. They are very pretty, shiny and rather heavy with a pretty swirly celtic type design on them. I'm very glad I got a one because my gauge on twos is a bit off, so my first pair of uggo socks are HUGE.
Oh well, I can find someone to give them to.
Hope everyone had a nice weekend. I'm off to clean up my bedroom and do a biology take home exam.

Sock Class

The sock class was very good. I'm just about to the point where you would start to turn the heel, so I'm going to lay it aside for now, until the next class.

Yeah...thats about it really. I've been super busy, so I will get a better entry here soon.

I so gave blood today.

It was very exciting. The girl who took my blood, bruised my first vein, so they had to use the other one. It didn't really hurt. However, I expect bruising and the wrappy things are itchy.
Woo disease free O+

In other news, I signed up for the magic loop class and ordered more yarn from the Loopy Ewe. Thanks Dad!
( My dad helps to fund my yarn/book habit. Hey, it's better than crack)

Hump Day

Hm...that title may not be the best thing. Oh well.
My day was alright, very little on the knitting front. I cast on and finished one GIANT MITTEN OF DOOM!!! last night. I still have to knit the second one. In other news, I got new batteries for my camera, so pictures are forthcoming.

I had dance tonight which was fun, we just did veil stuff and tried on costumes.

Books, Classes, and Other Equally Exciting Things

So I got my copy of Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle that I had ordered from Amazon today. It's interesting. However, I am very tiny and many of the shawls are very huge, and I have a dislike of downsizing patterns. Mainly because I'm lazy. But many of them are very pretty.
I didn't realize there was a Folk Mittens book. Now I must have it. ( In addition to the couple of other knitting books I would like, those being: Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush, Knitting Vintage socks, Also Nancy Bush, and Socks Soar on two circular Needles by Cat Bordhi)

Speaking of Socks ( I am having an alliterative day) I am going to do my sock knitting class as planned, toe up. However, in addition to this class, I'm going to take another on knitting socks on two Circs. It can teach me a new technique, and I can learn how to do them top down. So that will be good.

My hat is finished and seamed up. I'm still working on the feather and fan thing, but I am worried that I made it too wide and its going to end up like a hankie sized square. So I may rip it out. We shall see!

I have too much to get done.

I'm having sort of an off couple of days.

I have a ton of stuff to get done today, I need a shower, I have homework that has to get done. Ok, so I guess thats not a ton of stuff, but still, its college level Biology and World History ( all of it is fairly easy for me, but gee is it time consuming)

I've decided that I want to work with Afghans for Afghans for some community service type stuff, because I need it, and I might as well do something I like while working for charity. So I started a little kid hat last night, made out of some burnt orange Manos Del Uruguay that I had lying around. I had forgotten how nice it is to knit with. This skein is particularly slubby and its making a nice thick fabric, and I feel good knowing it will eventually keep a little ones noggin' warm. In case y'all haven't noticed, I am the queen of run on sentances and comma splices. No, I don't write school papers like this, just on the interweb.

I know I promised pictures of my lace shawl/thingy, but they will have to be here later as I have stuff to do that I'm not doing.

It's Friday, and I got Yarn!

Woo! My order from The Loopy Ewe came today. Best customer service ever. They will be getting lots of my spare money ( well, if I weren't going off to Europe this summer, they would be getting 80% of it or so, a girl has to support her LYS too!)

My feather and fan shawl/scarf/thingy is progressing nicely. The yarn passed the Brian test ( in which he rubs it over his face, eyelids specifically, and no I really can't say much about this, except maybe finding that quote by Mark Twain. Something about redheads evolving from cats) so I'm good to go there I guess. It looks kinda mushy, but I am assuming that will go away with some blocking.

Today is Beth's ( Brian's mom) birthday party. Her birthday was on the same day as mine. In other sad news related to them, one of their cats ( Hooter the cat) died yesterday. She was very old and blind in one eye, and had epilepsy, but she was a very cool cat and I will miss her.

Other things on today's agenda are pie making and dressing up for the party. As well as going out to lunch with Ciara and her Madre.

There are only a couple of days left until I must return to school and only a bit of my homework is done. However, it will all be done before it needs to be turned in. I am a good kid, I do my homework. I also really,really need to clean up my bedroom, as it is a disgusting sty. Ew.

Promised Yarn Pictures

So I managed to get some pictures of my recent stash enhancement. ( I don't really have a stash yet, but I guess I'm getting a good start on it)

In addition to these, I ordered a skein of Fleece Artist in Woodlands and two Skeins of Lorna's Laces sock yarn in the "Black Purl" colorway. I also contacted Scout of Scout's Swag about ordering a skein from her, she has a colorway that I actually liked better than Little Bunny Foo Foo. Also, shes based in New Mexico, which is where I originally hail from.

Ok, Now I know you are bored and want to see yarn pictures.

First one is Collinette Jitterbug ( The new sock yarn) in the "Jewel" colorway. This was really hard to photograph accurately, and yes, that is a bright orange velvet futon in the backround. Thank you Ikea!

This is Koigu..mmm...not quite as hard to photograph, but close. I'm sorry the tag looks odd, but it looked even weirder beforehand, and that was the best I could do without putting it into photoshop, which I am far too lazy to do.

I'm still in my PJ's, which are cherry pie print, so thats what the odd fabric in the backround is. In other news, I finished the alpaca scarf, and it needs to be steam blocked, so I will get a picture after that happens. I also started a new project with some Helen's Lace that I have had lying around for a while, well, so long that the colorway is now discontinued. It's a wide feather and fan scarf in the Amish colorway, I will get a picture when I've done more on it.

Stash Enhancment Expedition

Well, I'm going with some knitting friends to Seattle today. However, I am only bringing $40 because there are some colorways on the loopy ewe that I must have, and therefore cannot spend the money elsewhere.

I have a week off from school, so I will be cleaning and finally taking some pictures of the yarn and things I buy. I will also be working and, when he returns from his trek to book mecca, hanging out with Brian.

Knitting with DPN's is quite easy, which is a relief. Now I have to teach both Ciara and Dennis how to do it so they can be prepared for the sock class.
Well, I think thats about it.
Aufwiedersehn!

Birthday, v 2.0

Today I celebrated my birthday with Brian and my mom. We went out to breakfast at the Black Diamond bakery, located in scenic downtown black diamond. ( It's a tiny little mining town, but they have the best hashbrowns)

Then we were going to go and get my MP3, and we did, but I got the new ipod instead of anything else, mainly just to avoid software transitions. Its a 30GB, named Zack ( as in Muzac) and it's white.

Then we were going to go and see Pan's Labyrinth ( again for me) buut the theater doesn't update their website enough so it wasn't showing anymore and I didn't want to see something else instead. So we just sort of spent the rest of the day wandering around doing stuff.

It was pretty fun, though I'm dissapointed by the lack of a movie. And I have fallen in love with the Socks that Rock colorway Little bunny foo foo. I'm gonna have to get some of that.

It's My Birthday!

Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear jocelyn, happy birthday to meee!!

Today was great, a friend taught me to knit on DPN's, which was way easier than I thought it would be. I went out to eat with my dad at a neat restraunt, I got to go to a yarn shop ( only one unfortunately) and they had severely cut back their sock yarn, they used to have tons of Lorna's Laces and Koigu, but now they just had some of the new collinette and lion brand self stripy stuff. I got some of the new collinette Jitterbug in the "Jewel" colorway, which is turquoise and burgandy and orange. ( Much Prettier than it sounds) I also got some size 7 dpns and some Cascade 220 in red to practice with, I got the Wendyknits book and some ebony size 2 double points. Overall, a good haul.
After that, my dad and I went and saw Music and Lyrics, which was good.

I had fun.
Tomorrow Brian and my mom and I are going out to breakfast, and then going to go get my MP3 and then go and see Pan's Labyrinth ( again for me).
Brian is leaving on sunday to go down to portland to go to Powells bookstore ( he's picking up some knitting books for me, yay!) so if you happen to be in Portland next week ( Sunday, Monday or Tuesday) and see a very tall, thin red head, it very well may be him, of course I don't know the redhead population of Portland.

Well, I'm off to beddy bye now.
Nighty night!

Almost Friday!

Woo! The week is almost done, and then next week I have off because they give us "Mid-Winter Break". My computer is acting so oddly, the typing keeps stalling out and i'm not sure what the problem is. Gosh Darn computers.

I got the nicest email today from Dave @ Cabin Cove,so many bloggers are so friendly. I did change my comments so now anyone can comment, which is odd as I figured they would have it that way to start, but what seems logical to me must not seem logical to blogger.

Dance class was great last night, It ended up being just Ciara, Beth ( My DBF's Mom) and I because it was valentines day. I managed a walking shimmy up on my toes which was neat. We did a ton of veil work; and I being ever so short, kept getting tangled in mine. It happens every time, and I got the shortest veil I could find. It's very pretty, I should take a picture of it to put on here.

I got the research on MP3's today from a friend, so I'm deciding which of those I want to get. I refuse to get another Ipod. My mini died and was generally pissy the entire time I had it, and Itunes is equally bad.


Well, I'm waiting for my aunt (ugh..whole 'nother story there) to get here, so I'm gonna surf around and read some blogs, listen to some music.

Scarf..Still not done.

Well..that scarf still isn't done. It's freakishly long, and my yarn ball is getting smaller and smaller, so it should be done by Friday or so.
Speaking of Friday, It's my birthday so I get to go on a massive yarn binge. I'm going to Seattle with my Dad, and he's paying...I think we will at least hit Hilltop Yarn and Little Knits, but if I can make it to Tricoter to pick up some Socks that Rock, that would be great. ( However, if I don't manage it on Friday, I'm certain I can manage it on Sat.)

I ordered some Bronze DPN's from Celtic Swan forge in a size one. (www.celticswan.com) They should be here in a couple of weeks. I wish I could have been able to afford some silver ones, but perhaps I will get there eventually. Their customer service was really great, and I've heard nothing but good things about the needles. Speaking of which, my brother broke one of my Brittany Birch straights, so I need to email them and ask for a replacement. Another place with great customer service.

I have my sock knitting class on the 4th of March, I convinced a few friends to come along and I'm learning how to use DPN's tomorrow which will be most helpful.

I have bellydance tonight, I'm going to talk with Hasani ( My fantastic bellydance teacher www.hasani.net) about dancing in my first hafla. My plan is to do a solo in the August one, and then a duo with Ciara in the november one.

I need some picture practice!

Well, here is a picture of the scarf I mentioned previously. I've worked on it a lot more, and ended up with a little hole that needs to be sewn up from where the yarn wouldn't join properly.

(Yeah, that is my foot in the foreground, not sure how that happened)

Well, I just spent most of my morning cleaning up the parts of the house that my mom demanded I tidy. Then I'm headed over to Ciara's to make the worlds best apple pie and work on her increasing/decreasing skills. After that, we are going to halfa. I'm excited, I haven't gotten to go to hafla since we were looking for a house here about 3 years ago.

Spinning

So, I want to try spinning. I'm thinking about starting with a cascade Little Si ( I love the cascade spindles because I can see Ranier from where I live, so I may have to start with that one...)
But I do want to get a wheel. I've gotta start saving for my spending money for ireland ( saving meaning doing a ton of scans (I clean historical scans for $, beats working at MickeyD's) But I figure that I can do enough scans to get my $500 for Ireland/London and enough for a wheel eventually.

As of right now, I'm totally sure nobody is reading this. Perhaps I shall put a link in some forum signatures.

Hello There!

This is my second attempt at a knitting blog. ( For any of my friends that manage to find this, Hi, you already know that I am exceedingly nerdy, now you can keep track of it) I'm Jocelyn and this is now my humble abode of a blog.

I've been knitting for about three years, but in those three years I took a little bit of a break. I just started up again. Currently..I'm detangling a big ball of Cherry Tree hill sparkly alpaca stuff, it is to be made into a small scarf for my DBF's mom, the colorway is Java.

I've been reading a couple of blogs, and I recently found some new ones I really enjoy.