No Knitting News

I have hit a knitting brick wall. The only project I have yarn to work on right now is the darn toe up socks. I have decided I HATE toe up!! I have started over no less than 7 times. At least 3 of the times I made the whole toe, but then lost a bunch of stitches trying to get out the crochet chain. The other times I ended up messing up a W&T somewhere and didn't know what to do to correct it other than frog. I CANNOT figure out how anyone could hate grafting enough to make socks this way all the time. And I'm STILL waiting for an invite to Ravelry:-( And I guess I'll continue to be waiting for quite some time. . . There are still 4000 people ahead of me!! I guess I should take solace in the fact that there are more than 8000 people after me, but I just want another place to spend my procrastination time! I'm also still waiting for confirmation from SP11. Looking at the comments, I'm not the only one, so at least that makes me feel better!

In non-knitting news, I had my first golf lesson on Saturday. I got golf clubs for Christmas and they have been sitting in the garage mocking me ever since. Jake, being the patient man he is, attempted to teach me a few things, but I tend to get cranky when I'm not good at something and so that was a disaster! Learning from a golf pro is definitely the way to go! I had so much fun, I can't wait to go to the driving range to practice. My left arm is a little sore, but I'm sure that will go away quickly. . . just that grip is so awkward!! We also went to the beach on Saturday. It was such perfect weather! The water was pretty rough (red flag day) but nice and warm. We messed around in the waves a bit, but after I got sand burn by being dragged back with the waves, that was enough for me! And I forgot to put sun screen on my legs, so they are a little pink right now. But really, I'm not complaining!!

For the love of puppies

In case you haven't heard the news (I'm not sure how much news it makes elsewhere, it's everywhere here), Michael Vick has been indited in a massive dog fighting ring that was 'allegedly' being run off his property here in Southeastern Virginia. The police confiscated at least 50 pit bulls and more than a dozen bait dogs. Even if you aren't a pet person, I don't believe that anyone can think it's OK to fight dogs to the death or kill them for 'poor performance'. Some of the things Vick and the other defendants are being charged with are absolutely horrific. Please take the time to send a letter to the NFL commissioner asking for Vick's suspension from the league.

I'm going to hug my puppies now.

Thanks, but no Thanks

Remember how I said on Friday I applied for a new job at my company? Yea. . .not working out so well. I submitted my application and resume Friday at noon-time. Monday at 3:47pm I got this:

Thank you for applying for requisition B035999: Technical Resolution Mgr . Application Date: 07/13/2007
Consideration was given to your application and qualifications but you were not selected for this position.
If you have any questions, please contact your manager or the hiring manager, for this requisition.
NOTE: This mail was created by a service machine.

Fastest rejection ever! And the manager never even talked to me!!

Progress!

Like I mentioned yesterday, I was mostly confined to the house this weekend, so I made lots of knitting and sewing progress. Unfortunately I didn't get to the fabric store, I had planned to start sewing a DPN case. Barb graciously gave me some help to make one. . . my first attempt on my own was a horrible failure!! I want to get some fun pattern fabrics, I'm pretty excited. Since I couldn't work on that, I did finish up Jake's jeans. This was more of a patch job than a sewing job, but at least I got to play with the machine. It's running much better after it's tune up.

On to knitting. I fixed my first and finished my 2nd shopping bag. I just had to sew up the sides on the 2nd.


The first one was done, and had been used, then I found this

A crazy dropped stitch!! Where in the world did it come from? I have no idea how I missed it in knitting, but I just brought it to the back and crocheted a little chain in back to hold it and it's all better!

I now have 2 of these knitted. I plan on sewing 2 or 3 more, and I'll be set to never take a plastic bag from the grocery store again! I highly suggest the knit bag if you're trying to cut down on bags. They can fit a TON! I spent $100 yesterday and used only those 2 bags, and one paper bag from the store.

I also finished the Fixation tank.

I'm not overly excited about it. I would have knit the front up differently if I had realized I wanted to do something else with the back. I tried a few different types of straps and nothing worked that well because of how I shaped the arm holes on the front. This cross type was the only thing that worked. We'll see if it fits better after I block it (not sure this will do much, given the yarn has spandex, but can't hurt to try.). If not, it'll head to Goodwill.

I also felted the envelope bag.

No lining yet, since I haven't made it to the fabric store. It didn't shrink as much in the width as I expected. The complete opposite of the first bag I ever made that hardly shrunk in length but got super skinny. Go figure!

I got back to my halter, too. (Told you I did a lot of knitting!) I won't post a picture of that, it's not all that much different than it was before, just longer. I finished the first 5.5 inches, so I'm at the waist. I have to think about the shaping before I move on.

Finally, I started a pair of toe up socks with my leftover Lorna's Laces.

I plan just to make them ankle socks in a basic rib. I'm doing it more to learn the technique than to get socks I love. I finished the toe and I have to say. . . I can't believe people like this better than grafting!! Seriously!?! Grafting is over like 10 stitches. . . this short row wrapping and double wrapping takes FOREVER! I started over twice, to make matters worse. I had a problem when it came to the double wrapping and getting the purl stitch to work. I really like the idea of doing a sock toe up because they often end up too tall for me when I do cuff down, but I'm not sure I like this path. Maybe I need to find another pattern!

I did some pattern hunting, too. I found this FAB little bag that I am going to make for my friend Laura's wedding. I was going to make it in blue so she had her 'something blue', but she's doing a blue garter, so it'll just be ivory. I'm debating between a gold and silver purse clasp with the ivory, though.

Goodness. . . after buying fabric and cashmere for the bag, I'll have to go on another spending freeze!!!

A boyfriend does not a swift make

Bless his heart, Jake offered to help me wind yarn today. Since I have neither a winder nor a swift, yet always forget to ask the store to wind my yarn, I typically use the back of two chairs and wind away when on a teleconference for work that doesn't force me to be by the computer. This is actually quite a wonderful thing to multitask with, given it takes zero concentration to wind a ball. I had a horribly tangled blob of cotton leftover from one of my shopping bags, Jake wound while I unknotted. Unfortunately, he wound it WAY to tight, but not being one to discourage willing help, I just used his arms to hold the Lorna's Laces I needed to wind (the leftover from my lupine lace socks. I'm not sure this was really an more efficient than two chair backs. I really need to buy a swift! But with my spending halted for the month, and three projects needing yarn when said spending halt is over, it will still be quite some time before a swift enters the picture.

I did lots of sewing and knitting this weekend, being confined to the indoors from my chigger bites. The doctor told me to stay out of the sun, since the sun and heat will make the itch worse. Not knowing how it could possibly be MORE itchy, I was more than happy to take her word for it and not try. I don't have pictures, yet, so will post details and pictures tomorrow.

Boredom

So I was too bored with my halter & tank to work on them. And too bored with other things to not knit, so I decided to make a bag. (Of course, it's 95 degrees, why wouldn't I want to work with wool). I knit it up pretty quick, using the skein of Lopi I had from Jake's hat. I thought I would be able to do the whole thing in one skein, so I had planned to knit in a teal eyelash yarn I have had for years, would have looked cool after it felted. But, I ran out of charcoal, so I did the flap in burgundy leftover from another felting project. Here it is, without woven ends, pre-felting:

Hopefully it will turn out cute. I plan to sew in a lining and either a zipper or cut a button hole, if I can find a neat one.

On a slightly more exciting note, I am applying for a new job today. I'm a little nervous, we'll see how it goes!!

CHIGGERS!

EWWWWWWWWWWWW! THAT IS WHAT BIT ME! I couldn't deal with the itching. . . . I was miserable. Then I got paranoid that my home was infested by some phantom bug biting me while I sleep (but we have memory foam. . . bed bugs can't live there!). So, I walked into my local urgent care center, feeling like such a whiner. Really, if the paranoia about home invasion wasn't there, I could have sucked up the irritation (probably) but I couldn't live with the unknown possibility of needing an exterminator. Thankfully, the urgent care center is nothing like an emergency room where you need to wait for 6 hours. .. though I had the knitting with me just in case. I saw a doctor in about 20 minutes. . . she had not even closed the door to the room when she said 'Good Lord, the Chiggers really got you, huh?'. Being a northerner, I have never heard of chiggers. Apparently they are too small to be seen by a naked eye and they anaesthetise you while they bite you so you don't feel it. The doctor proceeded to make me feel better by saying I had the worst case she had seen in at least 3 years. "It's nice to be the best at something, right?" she told me. . . . ha ha, enough with your doctor comedy. . . can you make it itch less and are these things in my house? Bottom line, they can't live indoors so I guess I picked them up fishing without bug spray (so much for avoiding DEET). The good news is my house isn't infested. The bad news is there is nothing you can do for them except keep yourself slathered in anti-itch cream until they dissipate in 6-7 days.

Tip: Buy shares of the company that makes Deep Woods OFF. . . . I shall be purchasing copious amounts to avoid this issue in the future!

An Itch I can't scratch. .

for fear of losing my skin. and making it itch worse. I am COVERED in awful itchy bug bites. I don't know what they are, because they are WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY more irritating than mosquitoes and are filled with some yucky yellow-ish fluid. I don't know where they came from, since I haven't really been outside, and when I was on Sunday, it was during the day. Apparently they grow some super bug in Virginia that can bite without you noticing and bite thru layers of clothes (seriously, I have bites underneath where my bra band goes. . .) I could hardly sleep last night, trying so hard to resist the urge to scratch and convincing myself that it didn't really itch. Even calagel on them isn't helping. I feel worse than a 6 year old with Chicken Pox. (do kids still get that anymore?)

Not much knitting progress, simply because holding pointy needles makes it entirely too tempting to use them for scratching rather than knitting. I did finish the body portion of my tank and am working on the straps. I've decided to ditch the rest of the pattern. It was going to be a little too conservative if I did it per the pattern (yes, I could see that from the picture when starting, but I thought it would look better in real life). I bound off the neckline lower than it called for and am going to leave the back low and just bring the straps down to meet it. I'm considering cris-crossing the straps in back, but haven't decided for sure.



I also got my yarn from Mama Llama yesterday! I am supposed to be on a spending freeze on all things yarn related this month, but since this was a DISCOUNTED skein, my friend Susan convinced me it was OK to buy it now, because if I waited it would cost double and that's just silly. Plus, it was in my favorite colorway she dyes. . .. so I HAD to get it. he he. . .I love having someone help me justify my obsession!
It is merino lace weight. The color is vino.

This picture doesn't really do it justice. It will be used for my first attempt at 'real' lace just as soon as I am out of spending freeze and can buy some needles!

Finally, because Zosia looked so sad that I was taking pictures but none of her, so I had to make her feel better!

Umm, OK, blogger won't let me click in my 'title' box, so I guess this post will be unnamed.

Big news of the weekend is that we FINISHED a project! This really is big news, since we are REALLY good at doing 95% of a project and letting it sit for months and months and months. So, here is our new headboard.

As excited as I am that this is complete, I'm not as excited as I thought I'd be with the result. I like it, but I was expecting to LOVE it. I think it may be because I don't have any bedding that really goes with it (I'll be sewing a bed skirt, pillows & bedspread) yet, so it just looks a little out of place. One of our friends was over yesterday, though, and she thought we bought an antique bed, so I guess we did an OK job.

Not too much knitting happening this weekend, since we had friends over Saturday night and Sunday afternoon AND we fit in a (completely fruitless) fishing trip, too. I am almost to the arms on my tank top.

I am not sure it's going to be the most flattering fit when it is done since there is no shaping, but I do like the colors. My only real issue is there is a section about 1" wide where the colors totally stacked up (you can sort of see in the picture) and so it doesn't look like the rest of the project. Oh well, it can go to Goodwill if I don't get a kick out of it. .. it's not a difficult pattern, so it goes quick.

I need to work up the motivation to get back to my halter top. . . maybe I'll take it to knitting group tomorrow!

AND, I'm so excited, I signed up for SP11! I've heard about this swap from other folks and can't wait for it to get started. Patience is a virtue I don't exhibit very well. . . and we don't get matches until August 15!!

Another reason to Loathe Navy Federal

Let me start by warning you, there is no knitting, sewing or cute puppy stories. This is purely to vent.

My hatred of Navy Federal Credit Union started in March of 2006. In general, I do not hate inanimate corporations, so I'm not a 'hate the man' kind of person. After all, I work for a corporate behemoth, so who am I to talk. (OK, the one exception is my true, absolute hatred for WalMart, but that is a whole separate issue). Back to Navy. .. .Everything began with trying to open an account before I actually resided in Virginia. They input my address incorrectly while trying to open the account (online, of course, you cannot do this in person). Jake opened his account online, too, with no problem. I, however, get a letter that, due the the Patriot Act (oh yes, thank you President Bush), I have been flagged and they will not open an account for me. This is because the address they have for me does not match my credit report address. Simple me, I think by calling to point out that they had the wrong address will fix things. I call customer service but am told they cannot help me, my file is flagged and I must speak to an account fraud specialist, and they are not working at this time. Well, VERY long story short, it took 3 months, an in person verification of my passport and a certified letter from the Social Security Administration that I am, indeed, who I say I am and reside where I say I reside, for them to open my account. You may ask why I even bothered. . . I had NO CHOICE! Because I was now 'flagged' the Patriot Act would not allow any other bank to open an account for me until it was resolved. (We can't prevent a guy with TB from flying, but make sure that girl can't have a checking account!)

I hoped my first experience would be the first, last and only bad experience, unfortunately, they have only worsened their track record. I only keep banking with them because it is convenient for Jake, and, because they are the largest credit union in the world, they have really great rates (so shoot me, money talks). Today, is another example of their ridiculousness. I have no cash and several small errands to run. First stop, the post office. I ask 'can I get cash back with a debit card?' You can, so I am happy, now I'll have cash for the rest of my stops. 'I'd like $40 please'. tap tap tap on the screen, teller asks me to input my PIN, I do, and nothing happens. He asks for my card to try again. Still nothing goes thru. Hmmm, I guess perhaps I could have forgotten my PIN, so he runs it as credit and I leave before the very long line behind me gets too cranky. In the car, I call the number on the back of my card. After several selection menus and 8 minutes on hold, I get a person.
me: "Hi, I just want to check on my CheckCard. I just tried to use it for cash back at the post office and it wouldn't go thru. I'm pretty sure the PIN is right, since I just used the card last week."
Navy: "Yes, ma'am, there is no problem. You cannot use your card as Debit at a retailer'.
me: "What do you mean?"
Navy: "You can only use the card as credit at a retailer. If you want to withdraw cash, you have to use an ATM machine. There is no debit capability."
me: "But my card says Debit right on it. Why can't I use it at a store?"
Navy: "Yes, Visa requires us to put Debit on it, but it is not. You may use it at a store, ma'am, just not with your PIN. That is the way we set it up"
me: "Umm, OK, can you set it up so that I can?"
Navy: "No ma'am. All accounts are set up like that."
me: "Well, then, can I have a card that I CAN use at a store to get cash back?"
Navy: "We also have a CUCard that you could get, but it only works sometimes."
me: "What do you mean 'sometimes'?"
Navy: "It only works at some places, at others it does not."
me: "So you purposely issue cards that do not work reliably."
Navy: "Well, ma'am, that is why you have a CheckCard, but we can give you a CUCard if you would like."
me: "Umm, no, I don't want a card that works less than the one I have now. I guess I'll just stick with this."
Navy: "OK, then, is there anything else I can help you with today?"
me: "Aah, well, you haven't really been helpful with this, so I think I'm all set."
Navy: . . . .click. . . .dial tone. . .

Reason #382 is duly noted. . .

To Frog, apparently, is the answer

After much consternation, the Better Sweater is being FROGGED. . . . . ALL. . . THE ... WAY. I decided if I was going to frog 75% anyway, I may as well start again, easier than trying to be careful and get my stitches all back on the needle. And, it's pretty quick knit, on sz 15s, so. . .

Here is the sweater, in it's non-fitting, half-sewn state (looks strangely lanky in this picture, but it isn't really):

Here it is as a big pile of Plymouth Baby Grand Alpaca:

I did not have the motivation to cast on again, so the yarn sits. . . for now.

My lack of motivation for casting on came because of a *hidden* project. I absolutely, positively forgot I ever wanted to make this tank. I LOVED the pink/coral/burgundy colors in the ball when I went looking for Cascade fixation to make some socks. I didn't want to make socks out of it (needed a solid color for those, so I went with a baby blue), so I decided the tank would be a good project to use the yarn. There it was, hidden under the Better Sweater, on scrap yarn. Then I remembered I somehow shifted several stitches from the round join (yes, i know better, should have used a stitch marker). I couldn't find my mistake, so I put it away and apparently erased it from my memory. So, in the spirit of Frogging and Independence, I ripped it out and re-cast on. I was very excited. I forgot how much I loved the yarn color and how the shirt was knitting up, which is why I had to restart it right away. Here is my progress:

Given this discovery, I decided to go on a bit of a stash exploration. I pulled all my leftover wool to do a mis-mosh felted bag, and maybe a can cozy or two, if I can find a pattern. Then, I noticed an interesting group of purple. The big ball is Plymouth Encore & Berocco Chinchilla together. I think at one point this was going to be a rolled-brim hat. I have no recollection of why it didn't make it, or why I rolled the two yarns together. The angora is leftover from a scarf I made for Jake's mom a couple Christmas' ago.

I have an image in my head of a poncho out of this . . . Encore/Chinchilla on the shoulders, finished with an angora/lacy border. I need to stew on this for a while and figure out just how to go about it, but seems like a good idea. And, since I have put myself on a spending freeze for the month of July, any new project starts have to come from the stash!

Finally, I am getting bored with my halter design. It's just not all that interesting! Maybe I only feel like that because the cable isn't really popping out yet, as I'm not thru one full repeat of it. But I mostly think it is a big, grey, reverse stockinette BLOB! I'm almost to the waist, which is close to 5 inches:

To Frog, Or not to Frog. . . That is the question

Since today is Independence day, I want to declare Independence from my nagging UFO. . . Stephanie Japel's Better Sweater. I am not the type of knitter to start something an not finish it. Maybe I just haven't found a pattern I despise that much yet that has made me not want to come back to it. . . I'm really not sure, but other than avoiding weaving in ends for a few weeks, I tend to not let projects sit. So this sweater sits and gives me the evil eye every time I go into my knitting bag. It is all knit, it has been since mid-April. One arm is seamed, should be easy to finish. . . BUT the problem is, even though my gauge is right, and I knit to the size I should be IT DOESN'T FIT!! I even tried it on while knitting it, but now that the sleeve is seamed up, it's entirely too tight and also too short (I think the tightness leads to the shortness). My arm looks like a burgundy-cased sausage in it!! So, it has sat. . . to finish sewing it is to admit defeat, as I know I won't wear it and I don't know anyone smaller than me that I would give it to. The dilemma. . . .

A lady in my knitting group suggested I could knit gussets and sew them in along the seam to give some more room. While in theory this works, I'm concerned that having two seams will be pretty visible and will probably drive me nuts. If I could graft the seam somehow, maybe, but I can't picture a good way to make it un-obvious. Otherwise, the only option to make this sweater and actually be able to wear it is to frog. .. . . just about ALL of it, and start over from the top of the arm down. UGH! That sounds just as unappealing as two seams. Of course, the final option is to just finish it as is, throw the sweater in the Goodwill bag and forget about it. I have until 5pm today, when we leave for our BBQ, to make a decision. . . then at the fireworks I can celebrate the country's independence and my own!

Have a great 4th of July!

Apparently it's the second day that kills you

Because of the trip to New York (and our lack of working-out motivation) we have not been to the gym in like 3 weeks. We went yesterday, I expected it to SUCK! Ended up being not so bad. I only ran for .75 of the 2.75 miles I did on the treadmill, but that's not awful. Jake decided to play hooky today and go fishing rather than to the gym. So I went by myself. OMG, I wanted to DIE! I BARELY made it thru .25 miles running, I had to walk nearly the whole 30 minutes. And, since I'm meeting my girlfriend for dinner out at a Mexican joint, it hardly seems to have been worth it. I feel a SORE July 4th coming on. . .

Just call her Elaine

Remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine tries to steal her medical records because she has been noted as a difficult patient? Well, apparently they are much more obvious in the animal world. Poor Zosia now has a huge, red CAUTION on her file at the Vet. I'm not sure what stressed her out so much, and she has gotten progressively worse over the last 2-3 visits. She doesn't freak out until she has to go up on the table. For this round of shots, she had to wear a muzzle, which she hated almost as much as I hated seeing her in it. Even with the muzzle, she still tried to snap at the Vet and jump around to avoid the shot, so a tech had to come in and hold her. That still ended up with the Vet getting kicked (who knew a dog could kick like a horse?!). I think it may be time to find a new Vet, hopefully new smells in the office will ease the tension.

On a non-puppy note, Jake has (partially) fixed the table saw. Ironically, what needs to be fixed is COMPLETELY unrelated to all the fiddling he did with on Saturday that we thought actually broke it! The good news is now we have to spent $14 for the new part as opposed to the $300+ for a new saw!

In knitting news, I got about another inch knit on my halter last night. As an engineer, I really never thought 'simple' math would be a problem for me, but GOOD LORD! Trying to logically work out all the decreases (how many sts need to be removed, where to put them in the round, how many rounds between them, etc) to get to the waist really takes some time! I haven't knit a wearable in the round like this from someone else's pattern, so I don't really have anything to mimic, either. We shall see how this ends up!

The Bedroom Debacle

Unfortunately, the weekend wasn't as tawdry as the title may imply. Let's talk about goodness first though.

Here is me wearing my mini-cardi out (it's not the greatest picture of me):

LOVE IT! I got tons of compliments on it, I totally want to make another for me, and it's a pretty quick knit (sewing the frogs was a pain, but that doesn't count. . . .) so I think this might be a gift project, too.

And here is a picture of Jake wearing the pajama pants I sewed.

These are the project I sewed in my 'learn to sew' class. I was so incredibly excited they (a) looked like pants and (b) actually fit!! I believe my next sewing venture is going to be a case to hold my DPNs.

OK, enough of that!

Saturday I stopped by one of the LYS'. . . calling it local is a bit of a stretch, it's like 40 minutes, but whatever! I was going to find bulky, not itchy yarn for Jake's Valery hat. I found two tones of green right away, but there was no Charcoal Grey in the same yarn (Classic Elite Two Two). So I SCOURED the rest of the store looking for grey, to not much avail. I asked Sheri if I missed any and she talked me into buying Lopi. I drove home and was excited to get started. I cast on and realized what a bad decision I made! I've used Lopi for felting projects before, I forgot how rough it is. No way this is going to work for a hat that I actually want someone to wear! No biggie, I think, I'll just grab some Two Two online, there are probably more colors than she had in the store. I google it. . . .results make me cranky! Classic Elite discontinued the Two Two in 2005!! Seems like something pertinent the store would have noted and I start to wonder if some of the rants on one of the local SnB groups about this particular shop have some truth to them. (That story is a post all to itself one of these days!).

So now I can't start the hat, so I decide I can start the hat I am making for me, 'Clara'. I decide that is what I'll use my alpaca from NY for, I certainly remember it being bulky in the hank. WRONG! I opened the hank to wind a ball and calling it worsted weight is possibly being generous. .. . it may be more like DK. Certainly not suitable for my hat, and now, having ~9g which I estimate at about 350 yds, I now have no idea what it will be used for. The signs for starting a new project this weekend are not looking good. I decide I can use the lopi combined with all my leftover wool scraps to make a new felted bag, but I'm not in the mood for mindless stockinette!!

We have plenty of unfinished projects at the house, so I figure this is the universes way of telling me not to pick up the needles and pick up a paint brush or broom or lawnmower. . . . I decide we should finish our headboard. It has been upholstered for quite a while, just sitting in my sewing room taunting me:

The trim has been stained since the end of April. . . . . but we haven't put it all together. Should be quick. . .cut the trim, attach it, then attach the support legs. Jake gets the trim on. . half way home! Then everything goes down the toilet. I won't get into the whole story, frankly it's too exhausting, but the short version is after ~ 7 hours and 50 miles of driving to stores & friends houses, the table saw is broken, one of the two support legs is ruined from trying to use a friends table saw, and my headboard remains unfinished. We wasted another 40 minutes at Lowe's trying to pick out a new table saw, but the thought of spending $300+ on a new one was not so well received. It was not a productive weekend!!! I hope this is not an omen for the whole month of July.

To finish on some better news, I cast on (4 times!) for my halter top. I'm beginning to think this may be too ambitious as a first try at designing, but I've already begun, so we'll see how it turns out. Even though I am an engineer, somehow the math of converting stitches to inches and determining where to place decreases is quite taxing! I am knitting from the bottom up. . . here is my progress. . . 1" of rib for the bottom hem.

That's all for now. . . I have to run outside to cut the lawn before the trash men come!