Airport Eyre

I am flying back to Washington today for the holidays. (Actually...I am bouncing all over for the holidays...Canada, Oregon, etc.) This means I need airport knitting. And, I actually need more airport knitting than normal.

I plan on arriving at the airport at least an hour before my flight, then there is the nearly 2 hour flight to Vegas, then the 3 hour layover in Vegas, then the additional 2 hour flight to SeaTac, then the nearly 2 hour drive from the airport to my parents' house...which comes to roughly 10 hours of knitting...and that is just on the way there!

After much thought and deliberation, I decided my best bet was the Eyre Wrap. It requires no pattern looking, and there is no way on earth that I will finish it and need to start another project.

The Eyre Wrap is my own adaptation of the Bridesmaid Wrap in Suss Cousins' book Wedding Knits. The pattern called for a very thin yarn to be knit on very large needles. I tried it. I tried it 4 times over the past 3 years or so with different yarns. I really did not enjoy trying to knit lace on size 11 needles. What should have been a fairly brain-free knitting project (1x1 rib for forever and a day) was horrid...also, the pattern called for the sleeves to be knit flat and seamed in. As anyone who knows me may remember, I hate seaming things up! The pattern kept going back in the queue and the yarns were repurposed.

Sister gave me a craft store gift for my birthday (thank you), and I found some Caron Simply Soft in Pagoda. It was the exact color I was looking for to make a drapey wrappy cardigany thing. Since I was gonna make it up as I went, I didn't want to spend a ton on yarn...so was willing to go with an acrylic. (I have used this yarn before for experiment projects...reasonably priced and nice to work with.) When I was drawing up the design, I kept coming back to a version of the Bridesmaid Wrap. The yarn's gauge was the same as the patterns, only the yarn was thicker so it wouldn't be a pain like the lace. This wrap should look similar to the original pattern, just less airy and lacy. (And I was actually wanting a cozier wrap anyway.)

But what about the piecing? Well, thanks to Wendy Barnard and her book/blog/patterns, I am confident in my ability to pick up the sleeves from the armscye and knit them down in the round...so we will see how that goes.

On Becoming a Sports Fan

I can honestly say that I have attended more sporting events this semester than the rest of my life combined. And I have definitely watched more football! (I actually understand the game now!) The advantage to having so much school spirit...aside from getting paid to...was that it offered numerous opportunities to knit.

I knit at intramural games...in the stands, and on the sidelines.

I knit at ACU football games.

I knit at volleyball games.

I knit at soccer games.

After the first game or so, people stopped staring. They simply didn't notice that I was doing anything out of the ordinary. Instead, on the rare occasion I wasn't knitting, they would notice I was idle and ask where my knitting was!

So, what was the most exciting thing that happened during this strange journey into jock-dom? I got a concussion. I got a concussion without even participating

I was sitting on the bleachers at a McKinzie Skull Caps intramural football game (they are our brother hall). I saw the McKinzie RD had arrived, and decided to go say hello. I stepped sideways off the bleacher. I thought the footrest extended out a bit past the seat. I was wrong. I missed the step, landed on the side of my foot and went over backwards...hitting the back of my head (hard) on the ground. The residents I had been talking to were worried. They helped me up and asked if I was ok. Then one of their boyfriends started laughing. They stared at him, since that was not an appropriate response...till he explained, and we all started laughing. See, I had been knitting a sock. The ball of yarn was in the pocket of my hoodie, and I had the circulars in my hand. When I fell over backwards, I had instinctively lifted my hands to keep my yarn from getting dirty, and somehow managed the whole thing without even dropping a stitch. He couldn't believe that I had tried to save the knitting rather than myself. (Clearly! I mean, a gal has to have priorities. My head would heal...the sock may not have!)

I am already looking forward to next season...knitting and sports! Who would have thought they were so compatible?

Gardner Hall Intramural Knitting Team

When I came back to ACU, I decided to resurrect an old program that I had done when I was an RA here. I used to have a community service group called Team Tabitha. I taught the girls on Team Tabitha traditional domestic skills, with their first project being a service project. (We did baking, and took cookies to the firefighters in town. We did flower arrangements, and took them to nursing homes. I taught knitting, and they donated their scarves to the homeless.)

This year, I revamped the program. We created the Gardner Hall Intramural Knitting Team. I ordered team tshirts. The girls started calling our get togethers "meets". We met once a week. I taught them simple knitting, and offered them service hours if they donated their scarves to homeless ministries.

45 girls came to the first "meet". Attendance varied after that...anywhere from 3-30 residents in any given week. I started seeing girls knitting in the lobby, at football games, in the campus center. It is epic. And really, that may have been an underlying motive in starting the team. See, I don't look as strange or odd when I am constantly knitting at events around campus anymore because there are a lot of people randomly knitting. Instead of trying to blend in with the "normals"...I have proselytized...creating more "quirks".

Once the tshirts came in, guys wanted in on it. Officially I have 7 guys on the knitting team...in that they ordered shirts. I have only seen 3 actually pick up needles.

I have had residents come knock on my door at 10 o'clock at night...holding their needles and yarn tentatively in front of them, with huge eyes..."I did something wrong! Can you fix it?" I have fixed more dropped stitches and knots this semester than the previous several years combined. (The really exciting oopses happen when my lefties come to have me fix stuff.)

I have also had crocheters come to me for help, and more than a few hand sewing emergency help requests as well. I am getting quite the reputation for handiness!

So far a lot of my residents have completed their first scarves. Some have gone on to knit more for Christmas presents out of "fancy" yarns. A couple have even learned how to purl, or knit in the round. It has been, by far, the most popular hall program this semester. I can't wait till next semester to see what they come up with!

Go Gnomes!

Last night was the inaugural game for my resident hall's intramural flag football team, the Gardner Gnomes.

I wore my team jersey, and took our mascot, Gnorm, over to the intramural fields. Once there I cheered on the team in my typical fashion...while knitting.

We ended up losing, but only by one touchdown. I was very proud of the team, especially since this was the first time they had ever played together. (Our first game was scheduled before we had a chance to practice, and we were pitted against a veteran team of older girls that played together last year.)

We'll win the next one!

(By the way, I am making my version of the Brompton Cardigan out of Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Clementine.)

iGraduated

I graduated from the UW iSchool's Master of Library and Information Science Program!

To celebrate I went to my instructor, Teen Queen's, home today for an afternoon barbecue.

Several of my fellow graduates were also there.



We discussed which lectures we actually listened to, and which ones we...well...skipped, etc.

Song brought up the fact that I used to knit during all of our residencies. I replied that I knit while I was listening to lectures at home as well.

Teen Queen looked shocked!

"Did you knit during my lectures?" she asked.

"Well...yes...but only when you were talking!"

Flight Delays

I went out of town Sunday-Tuesday. Specifically, I went to Texas. More specifically, I went to Abilene. On my way, due to late arriving planes and subsequent maintenance issues, I got stuck at DFW airport. My total layover was originally scheduled for an hour...this quickly, or actually gradually, extended to over 3 hours.

I was fine. I had knitting.

I am working on the skirt from Custom Knits. It is an easily memorizable stitch pattern, only 13 stitches and 6 rows to keep track of. Rather than take the book in my carry on, I significantly abbreviated the pattern in the notepad function on my iPhone.

As I knit away, around and around, a twenty-something guy across the row from me kept staring. I politely ignored him, and continued people watching. Eventually he caught my eye. I paused my audio book, and pulled out one of my ear buds.

"Sorry to keep staring, but what are you doing?"
"I'm knitting."
"But you aren't looking."
"It is an easy stitch pattern."
"Wow. That's cool, cause it doesn't look easy."

I smiled, and returned to my knitting and watching. A few minutes went by, and he caught my eye again. I again paused my audio book.

"So...is that going to be a sweater or something?"
"No, its a skirt." I held it up.
"I didn't know you could knit skirts."
"You can knit pretty much anything."
"But, what are those hoop things."
"They are stitch markers. They tell me where I am in the pattern. This way I don't have to count higher than 18. And the purple one tells me I am at the beginning of a new row."
"Cool. You don't mind if I keep watching you, do you?"
"Nope, I am pretty much immune to staring."

I went back to my audio book.

As time dragged on, and the delays piled up, I heard another passenger mutter to her husband: "At this rate that girl is going to be able to finish that skirt and wear it to Abilene!"

I didn't quite get it done. But I did do a LOT more than I should have been able to!

Miracles Do Happen

I went to a minor league baseball game tonight with Sister.

I didn't knit. Not a single stitch.

(And not for lack of knitting...I had a sock in my purse...)

Miraculously, I survived!

But, let's not make a habit out of it...

Basketball Games

I love after church pickup basketball games!



I got a whole half a legwarmer done!
(I also did a lot of cheering...which was welcomed...and commentating...which was not!)

How to Knit in Theaters

Twilight and I took Whiz to see the movie "How to Train Your Dragon" this afternoon. (Bonus: since Whiz's uncle works at the theater...our tickets were FREE!!!)

I took knitting. (Big surprise.)

Specifically, I took a pair of wrist warmers that I am making out of the yarn leftovers from the Martinelli sweater. I cast them on before I got to the theater, but only had time to knit one round.

During the previews, I did the rounds for the knuckles, and successfully navigated the button hole for the thumb. (I'm debating whether or not to pick up stitches for an actual thumb later.)

Once the film itself started, I merrily knit my 2x2 rib down the rest of the warmer. I figured I could get the sleeve finished by the end of the film.

Then...

...disaster.

I came to end of a round and realized that I had ended with a P1 instead of a P2. Somewhere I had messed up. But where? How far back? (and frankly...this occurred during an especially poorly lit portion of the film...night time, fog, smoke...so I didn't even have bright light from the screen to help me.)

Aside from the inherent headache of tinking when using 2 circular needles in the round...I was trying to tink in the dark. In a theater. During a movie that I wanted to pay attention to! The whole point of movie theater knitting projects is that they are not supposed to require ATTENTION!!!

I had to make a choice. Enjoy the film and have fidgety fingers, or fix the error and miss some of the movie.

In the end...the movie won. And it was a great film. Absolutely nothing like the book...but great in its own right.

(Incidentally, I fixed the error in the theater hallway while Whiz and I waited for Twilight to use the restroom. The mess up, it turns out, had only occurred 3 ribs back.)

Spoken For

I was working at an after hours event at the library Friday night. Ya-Ya, Boss Lady, and I found ourselves with some down time. We were all sitting in the back taking our breaks and eating. Naturally, I pulled out some knitting. I happened to have the fatigue (Fort)Knox beanie in my purse.

Ya-Ya, my enthusiastic co-worker, has been on a roll since the Get Knittin' program she came to. She has made several afghans, more purses, and recently started in-the-round hat projects. She was intrigued by the crossed stitches/faux cables I was doing. I demonstrated how to do them, and told her I would write up the pattern for her. (I have...I will post it on Wednesday or Thursday...)

While we were engrossed in our knit-chit-chat, Boss Lady looked over. She really liked the color of the (Fort) Knox beanie. I pulled out my i-phone and showed her the blog entry with Perky's picture so she could see what the finished product would look like. Then I went back to my knitting, and she went back to her cheeseburger. A few minutes passed. Boss Lady commented again on how much she liked the beanie. I laughed and said I had been planning on selling it on my Etsy Site (coming soon...I promise!). I told her what I had charged Perky for her version, and said if she wanted it she could have it.

The break ended. We went back to work. I didn't think anymore about it.

I went in to work at the Other Branch this morning. It was Boss Lady's day up there as well. I popped my head into her office to say hello, and let her know I was there to cover lapsit storytime. She asked if I had finished the beanie yet. I said, yes. She said, great. Bring it to work tomorrow, and I will bring you the money.

Go Figure! I guess she was serious about buying it.

So there goes another one of my meant-to-be-etsy items...

...but never fear, I cast on a replacement on my lunch break!

Public Displays of Knitting: Florida Edition

Here are a few of the pictures from my Florida trip...a few of the knitterly pictures that is:



Knitting the Gotham Socks at a Starbucks in Temple Terrace.



Knitting Beret Pour Moi on my mattress on the floor of Blondie's dorm room.



Proudly wearing handknits in the college student center with Blondie. (Shortly after the picture was taken, I went back to knitting socks.)



Jester, looking clearly relieved that we have arrived at Knit 'n Knibble in one piece.



The 100% sugar cane yarn that I purchased at Knit 'n Knibble

All in all...I finished 2 projects on this trip, and made significant progress on 2 more. I also wore at least one handknit every single day...a scarf, a beret, socks, or wristwarmers!

Proud of my Productivity

Today was a good day, knitting wise. Actually, this whole weekend was very productive on the knitting front.

-I wove in the ends and delivered two baby burp rags at a baby shower this afternoon (Bounce's mom, Vintage, is having a baby boy).

-I designed, knit, then fiddled with and redesigned the purse for the next adult Get Knittin' @ the Library program.

-I started the felting of said purse...unfortunately, it is still really cold, so the booger is taking FOREVER to dry.

-I winged it on yet another gift for Nephew...I will post pictures and pattern once it is delivered.

-I completed the body of Martinelli, one strap, and have started the second strap. It should be done by the end of the week. (Fingers crossed.)

-I got some more burp rags done to replenish the stash.

-I did a wee bit of work on my Gotham socks. (Have I mentioned those?)

-I lined up some knitting lessons with Mama L. I guess learning to knit was one of her resolutions.

-Finally, I picked up several commissions at church last night. 2 sets of luxery yarn wristwarmers, and a pair of fingerless gloves. (I have a new pattern I found for fingerless gloves that I am anxious to try out.)

Not bad for four days...especially four days in which I did endeavor to have some semblance of a social life (shopping trip, New Year's party, baby shower, girls trip to San Jose, dinner out with friends...)!

Packing...?

I have actually finished my knitting to-do list for Christmas. With two days to spare!

This leaves me with an interesting quandary...I no longer have any projects that I have to do...so what projects do I want to do?

I am heading to WA as we speak to be with the family. I needed to take at least 3 projects, one of each type:

1. Purse Project: Beret Pour Moi, which doesn't require a pattern, but does require attention.

2. Brain-free Project: Les Tuileries...which just keeps going and going and going

3. Pattern Project: Martinelli Sweater...I have the goal of completing it by New Years.

(I am also taking my Rivendell socks...they are small and portable, but totally require a chart. I figure they will be good for the car trip to my aunt's for Christmas, or the plane trip home.)

Another Midnight Showing

My friends and I went to the midnight showing of New Moon Thursday night.

There were 26 of us. Boys and girls. (Or, men and women...since we ranged in age from tween to mid 40's!) Luckily, my friends are not easily embarrassed, because I did indeed knit the entire time. In the car, in the line, in the theater, during the movie.

Last year I worked on my Twilight scarf at the Twilight midnight showing. This year I wore my Twilight scarf to the New Moon midnight showing.

The projects of the evening were:
1. Beret pour Moi, which was small and portable, but required some attention to be paid to it. I worked on this one in the car and then while waiting in line. Unfortunately, I messed up in one of the stitch repeats, and finding the error and unknitting was going to require too much attention be paid to my hands and not my friends, so I went on to my back up project.

2. Lacy Lady Scarf, which was larger, still portable, and brain-free. I worked on this one the rest of the time in line, and then in the dark DURING the movie. I didn't need to look at what I was doing. Also, I was sitting by the time the project grew to the point of being slightly unweildy.

The movie was good. The knitting was productive.

...and thankfully I was off work the next day, so I got to sleep in!

Broken Heaters

I got a text message from Vodka last week.

This is not unusual. We text a lot.

This particular message had the basics: she misses me, how is my life, we need to get together...

It also gave the interesting update that she loves her new job in Berkeley, but that the heater in her office building is broken.

The poor thing is freezing.

(Not to mention the fact that she has to take BART into work, and BART stations and trains are COLD!)

She needed wrist warmers. So, I obliged! (Actually, this was my ultimate frisbee project.)

We decided on olive green, since it goes with just about every other color. It wouldn't show BART dirt and grime as much as some colors. And finally, it just seems to be a good serviceable color that won't fade out! Why else is it used in so many military uniforms?

Depending on how this pair works out for her, and how soon they fix the heat at her work, I may be making more!

The Ultimate Cheerleader

I may not play Ultimate Frisbee.

I may not even completely understand the rules to Ultimate Frisbee.

But that won't stop me from cheering on my team.

And knitting.

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Postings

For a brief moment of extreme cuteness:



Psych texted me the above photo of Angel yesterday morning...she is all decked out in her Envy Hat and carrying her Birthday Bangle Bag. I had an appropriate moment of reveling in the cuteness, and then went on with my day.

My day included redeeming my birthday pedicure gift certificate from Psych's family. I went to the nail salon, which was surprisingly busy for a Friday at 3! There were 6 other customers there. I sat awkwardly in the chair, wondering what I was supposed to be doing while my feet were being mucked about with. My choices appeared limited to watching a Vietnamese soap opera or reading trashy gossip magazines. I decided to do neither. I reached in my purse and pulled out a blue Envy Hat to work on. Knitting while getting my feet massaged is my new definition of bliss. (Also, since this hat is being commissioned, and the pedicure was free...I was essentially getting paid to have my toes painted...just saying.)

Anyway, by the end of the day I had hats on the brain. It has FINALLY gotten slightly chilly. It even sprinkled a bit yesterday. So I pulled out the tub-o-scarves (which also contains my hats), and started rummaging. I found my alpaca beret and decided on a whim to wear it to church. (We are having a gospel meeting this weekend.)

When I got to services, I was greeted by Angel. She started giggling and announcing that we matched. (This announcement was accompanied by her pounding herself on her head, in case I hadn't seen she was still wearing her hat.) Yet another moment of extreme cuteness:

Why I REALLY Love My Job

Yesterday: another teen movie. (Well, to be accurate, the same movie, a different library branch...so really just another screening.)

Finished: another burp rag.

YAY!!!

The truly exciting thing was that this burp rag had a much more intricate stitch pattern, but since I had JUST watched the movie the day before, I was able to pay more attention to what I was doing!

Why I Love My Job!

I supervised the teen movie at the library today.

I was able to get one Burp Rag done.

I get to supervise another teen movie at a different branch tomorrow.

Perhaps another Burp Rag will be done as well?

Speaking of Knicks...or Knickers

(A conversation typical of my life)

Cast: Super Knitter, Matador, Broseph

Setting: Preach and Psych's Living room. Super Knitter is sitting on the floor, knitting the acrylic rainbow bookmark for the kids' knitting program at the library. Matador is also on the floor leaning against the couch. Broseph is reclining on the couch.

Matador: What are you knitting?

Super Knitter: A bookmark for the kids' program I am doing at the library.

Matador: That's gnarly yarn. (pause) Hey, can you knit me a coat of many colors out of that?

Super Knitter: Yes, I can. But can and will are two very different things.

Matador: Why not?

Super Knitter: Because you are over 6 feet tall and it would take forever, for one thing.

Broseph: Can you knit me some boxers?

Super Knitter: Um...no.

(Seriously...eew. I would totally knit Matador a 3 piece suit of many colors before I ever knit a pair of boxers for anyone!)