2010 Goals

I have probably mentioned this before- I do not believe in New Year's resolutions. I think they set people up for failure. There is an "all or nothing" mentality associated with many resolutions that once people fail at them (usually by the end of January) they give up on the resolution altogether. Therefore, I do not make New Year's resolutions.

However, I think that it is good to examine the state of your life and how you wish it were different. I usually do this in September because for me September, with the start of the school year, is more about beginnings than January, right in the middle of the winter.

Nevertheless, I do feel that there are certain things I want to accomplish this year. I tried to make specific, measurable, long-term goals. These are not resolutions because I cannot fail at them the first time I do not go to the gym, yell at someone or eat a big piece of cake. My goals for 2010 are:

• Work out 130 times (that's a little less than 3 times a week)
• Start and finish a crochet project
• Finish the A to Z author project
• Knit two color work projects
• Knit a pair of socks on one circular needle
  

Do you make New Year's resolutions? How about goals for the upcoming year?

Christmas Scarf

This was a present for my stepmother. I did not finish it in time for Christmas, but I did finish it before I came back to DC.

Pattern: Fayfay by amblinglia
Yarn: Malabrigo Lace in Sapphire Green
Needle: size 6 circular
Date Started: December 23, 2009
Date Finished: December 27, 2009
Comments: CO 36 stitches to make it a little narrower. 19 pattern repeats. I had to use a slightly smaller needle than the pattern called for (and thus tighter gauge) because my size 6 is an Addi Lace and my 7 was just a regular Addi and there was no way I could make this scarf without a lace needle. Still, I'm surprised at how many more repeats I had to do. I would be curious if people who did get gauge had to do extra pattern repeats too. Note also that my stepmother is an average height, and if I'd been making this for myself, I think I would have added four or five more repeats. The pattern came out nice I think, but I get so bored of scarf patterns that I do not think I'll be making this again any time soon.

A close-up of the blocking lace pattern. Yes, I really need to get some blocking wires so that all my edges don't look scalloped.

"E" is for Eliot (Or Really, Evans)

My "E" book took awhile to read because of finals and Christmas, but I'm glad I persevered. I read Middlemarch by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans). This is a long book, not just in the number of pages (over 700), but also in plot. It traces the history of perhaps a dozen characters in late 1820s/early 1830s provincial England. The focus though is on several different couples. What I really liked about this book was its thoroughness. Although Dorthea and Lydgate are perhaps Eliot's main protagonists, I did not finish the book feeling that any of the other stories were ignored, except perhaps that of Celia and Sir James. What I did not like was many of the characters themselves. It is no surprise to anyone who knows me that I do not suffer fools, and many of Eliot's characters are exactly that. They are too selfish to realize the consequences of their actions. Although several of them grow, especially Dorthea and Fred, I still feel that Eliot was overly generous to some of them. I think unassuming Mr. Garth was actually my favorite for his good sense and desire to do the right thing, an anomaly in this story.

In the introduction to this book, Margaret Drabble writes "There is certainly a tone of sober reality in the last pages of Middlemarch: there is no fairy-tale ending". While I agree that the end is more realistic than those of many of Eliot's contemporaries, I contend that reality does not preclude a "fairy-tale ending". Rather, I think it is more fairy-tale like in that it seems to me to be the best possible realistic ending. I was not sure if I was going to be satisfied with the ending of this novel, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys 19th century literature the way I do. If it seems to drag on a little, skim some of the passages, because the last few chapters are worth the wait.

*Image from Amazon.com.

Happy Christmas Eve!

For all of you who celebrate Christmas, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas. For everyone else, I still wish you all good times with your family and friends.

When I think of Christmas Eve, I think about children leaving milk and cookies for Santa. I think it is one of the most enduring Christmas images. How do you organize all the potential cookie recipes? A cookie recipe book of course!

I have wanted to make this album for three or four years, since I got this kit. I wish I could remember what kit club it is, because they did a wonderful job. I love that it came with a little whisk. Here is the cover without the ribbon decorations:

My friends and I usually do a cookie exchange every Christmas. A few years ago I asked them to bring the recipe for the cookies. I'm going to add all those recipes to this book so that every time I open it, I think of my friends. Because the cookie recipes are the most important part, I kept the inside pages simple. Each has a patterned paper background, scalloped patterned paper strip, a ribbon, and a cherry sticker.

2 Days to Christmas

• I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve!
• Today I prepared for Christmas
• Tomorrow is celebration part 1
• All presents done except knitting
• Making progress on scarf, still need to do last set of ornaments
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot, soo close to finishing
  

Button Wreath

I have wanted to make one of these for years, but never seemed to find the time. I had originally planned to make it with clear and red buttons, but I like the slightly alternative look of the lime green better. This was a really fun winter afternoon project. Next time I think I would spray paint the wreath form red so that it is not so obvious. Interested in making one yourself? I used this tutorial from Craftapalooza.

*The photo is way overexposed, sorry. I hope you still get the idea.

3 Days to Christmas

Three posts in one day, can you believe it?

• Today I finished Christmas shopping, did some work, went to the post office, finished one knitting gift, and went out to dinner with my best friend
• Tomorrow I need to knit a lot
• Presents- 19/21 (only knitted presents to go)
• Knitting- finished one set of ornaments today, another set of ornaments and a scarf to go
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot, less than 100 pages to go
• Yay for finishing a knitting project
• My cats have been very protective of me today
• I got a complement on my new hair cut on the bus :)
• I was at the mall by 9:30 am this morning. That was a very good idea. There was almost no one else there.
• I got a pedicure too, fun fun! The woman sitting next to me was a knitter and we chatted for awhile.
  

Embroidery

Another Christmas craft: embroidery. The pattern is from Jenny Hart at Sublime Stitching. Check her out, she has the cutest patterns. My original idea was to make three of these, paint the hoops red, and make a wall hanging. I think I will make the other two after the holidays. I've never done embroidery before, and I definitely need more practice. But overall, I think it is a cute first effort.

First Knitted Christmas Gift

Ornaments! I made these four ornaments for my grandparents.
Sorry for the crappy photos. I had to get these to the post office today, so I couldn't wait for better light. They are cabled, I swear.

Pattern: Cabled Globe Ornament by Eunny Jang
Yarn: unknown. Perhaps Red Heart?
Needle: size 6 circular
Date Started: December 20, 2009
Date Finished: December 22, 2009
Comments: I learned how to cable without a cable needle, yay! Edited: I forgot to mention, I didn't have any stuffing, so they are stuffed with cotton balls.

Here's a really bad close up:

4 Days to Christmas

• Today I am officially in panic mode. So much to do in so few days!
• Tomorrow I'm finishing my shopping
• Presents- 14/21
  
• Knitting- Halfway through one set of ornaments, still need to start scarf and second set of ornaments
  
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot, less than 200 pages to go
• Finally got my tickets to go home
• I know I'm going to forget something in my apartment
• Why am I most stressed about packing?
• I should have done more work today
  

Christmas Album

I still had a lot of leftover supplies from my Christmas planner, so I made a little Christmas album. I left places for photos, so I can just print those up after the holidays and have a cute little album. I tried to keep it simple- Chatterbox patterned paper, some rub-ons, Bazzil cardstock, ribbon, charm, letter stickers, Prima flowers, brads, distressing ink, and a Maya Road (I think) ringed album. Here are the fronts and backs. Click on them to make them a little bigger.

5 Days to Christmas

• Today I had lunch with my best friend, got my hair cut, knitted, and played Mad Libs on the phone with my aunt, her kids, and my brother
• Tomorrow I need to work all day and finish at least one Christmas present
• Presents- 14/21
  
• Knitting- Halfway through one set of ornaments, still need to start scarf and second set of ornaments
  
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot, more than half way done
• Starting to get stressed that I still have a third of my presents to buy
• I wrote up Christmas craft posts for the rest of the week- I hope you like them
  
• Love my new haircut. I feel so much better when my hair doesn't look like I'm a total slob
  
• Metro and buses are still closed
• People here are so funny about snow
• I saw a person with their front wheel drive car stuck in snow. All they had to do was reverse and they'd be fine. They were from MA. They should know better than that, and I am ashamed for them
• Must buy tickets home tomorrow
• Long distance Mad Libs was fun
  

Twisted

Yes, I do knit on occasion. This was a super-fast fun little project. I think I might be done with cabling for awhile. I love the effect, but it takes so much longer. I did some of the cabling without a needle though. I'm quite proud of myself.

Pattern:Twisted by Galia Lael
Yarn: Araucania Azapa
Needle: sizes 10 and 10.5 DPN
Date Started: December 16, 2009
Date Finished: December 17, 2009
Comments: This is the beanie version. No, I do not have a mushroom shaped head, it's just the angle. I should look into having someone else take pictures of my hats on me. Here's a better view of the cables:

6 Days to Christmas

• Today I did next to nothing
• Tomorrow will depend on the weather
• Presents- 14/21
  
• Knitting- Still just contemplating- a lace scarf and two sets of ornaments
  
• I tried to start the scarf last night but I messed up and had to frog
• We got 15+ inches of snow today
• It's a real snow, not a fake DC storm
• Everything is closed
• Both my Christmas parties were canceled
  
• I finished my last two Christmas crafts- a cookie recipe book and an embroidery project
• This was my first embroidery projected
• I'd planned on doing a set of 3, but I don't think I have the patience for it now, maybe after the holidays
• I must knit tomorrow
• Too bad I lost my knitting mojo
  

Two More Books: D and H

I actually finished both of these awhile ago, but kept forgetting to post. The first was a school book, the second for "fun".

The New Public Service: Serving, Not Steering by Janet and Robert Denhardt
Two guesses which book was the school one? This book is an excellently organized overview of the public administration literature, focusing on three schools of thought that Denhardt and Denhardt call Old Public Administration, New Public Administration, and New Public Service. Two of the criticisms of the book is that other scholars think they misrepresent some of these authors and the categories are gross over-generalizations. Still, it is a good way to get your head around the literature. If you are interested in public administration, check out this book. However lay people (I forgive you) will probably be bored to tears.

The Rise of Silas Lapham by W.D. Howells
This book is the story of an 1860s Boston businessman, Silas Lapham, and his family. What is fascinating is that the author could have taken this story in two directions. In one sense, it is about the moral journey of a businessman. Some scholars argue that this is in fact the first major novel with a businessman as the main character. On the other hand, there is also a (underdeveloped, in my opinion) Austen/Bronte/Elliot romance between Lapham's daughter and his clerk. I liked this book, but the ending left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied. There are other books that I would read from Howells' contemporaries first, but for something different, give this one a try.

7 Days to Christmas

• Today I shopped, went to the post office, and (finally) did some work
• Tomorrow will depend entirely on the weather
• Presents- 14/21 (more than half way there)
• Knitting- Still just contemplating- a lace scarf and two sets of ornaments (I decided not to count the hat and scarf as Christmas presents- New Years presents is more likely)
  
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot, I finished book 2
• Finished my 2009 Christmas album (sans photos) tonight
• I wish the lighting would be good enough for photos
• I have two crafts and three knitting projects I'd like to finish before Christmas
  
• Is one a day possible?
• I made baked homemade mac and cheese for dinner tonight, perfect comfort/warm you up food
  
• The predicted snowfall for tonight/tomorrow keeps increasing
• I went to the grocery store today and it was swamped
• People in DC can't handle snow
• Guess what the most popular item in people's carts was?
• Beer
• I bought wine
• And cat food (but not for me)
• Should I craft or knit tonight?
  

8 Days to Christmas

• Today I went to the gym, cleaned my apartment, crafted, knitted, and did laundry
• Tomorrow I'm going to go shopping and actually do some work
• Presents- 9/22 (almost double digits)
• Knitting- Still just contemplating- a lace scarf, two sets of ornaments, bulky scarf, and a hat (last two aren't needed until January)
  
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot
• We're supposed to get snow tomorrow night. I can't wait.
  
• Snow in late December = happy
• Snow in DC = hilarious
  
• I finished the Twisted hat tonight
• I also made a button wreath (photos of both soon, I hope)
• I'm thinking about casting on a Christmas knitting project, but I'm afraid I'm too tired and might make a mistake
• I really should have done some work today
• I had to do 5 loads of laundry to catch up
• Why do I get a shock every single time I touch anything metal?
• I made meatloaf for dinner tonight, yummy!
  

A Christmas Project

Look, I have pictures to show you! I started this Christmas planner Thanksgiving weekend, added the final embellishment last week, and the weather finally cooperated for pictures today.

It is based on an idea by Lain at Scrap Happy. I've had this Basic Grey lunchbox and Chatterbox paper forever, with this project in mind. Somehow, I never have time to finish it, but this year I was determined. Here is a picture of the top:

I had fun going through my neglected embellishments and finding pretty flowers, rub-ons, and bling to add to it. The inside has six dividers: gifts, cards, to-do, crafts, recipes, and receipts. I put index cards in with everything I need to do, each present I need to buy, etc. Unfortunately, it seems that this lunch box is one of the few Christmas tasks I have finished so far.

9 Days to Christmas

• Today I went shopping, watched a lot of tv/movies, and knit
• Tomorrow I need to do work, go to the gym, and clean my apartment
• Presents- 8/22
• Knitting- Contemplating- a lace scarf, two sets of ornaments, shawl, bulky scarf, and a hat (last three aren't needed until January)
  
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot
• I cast on for a "Twisted" hat today
• Not much else going on today, needed some quiet time
  

10 Days to Christmas

• Today I studied, took an exam, and went out to dinner/drinks with friends
• Tomorrow I'm going to start reclaiming my life
• Presents- 6/22
  
• Knitting- Contemplating- a lace scarf, two sets of ornaments, shawl, bulky scarf, and two hats (last four aren't needed until January)
  
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot
  
• I've developed a twitch in my eye, I think from lack of sleep and too much caffeine
• I'm not setting an alarm tomorrow
• I love how supportive the people in my program are
• Done with my first semester of doctoral studies, yay!
  

11 Days to Christmas

• Today I took an exam, attended a study group, and studied for my last exam
• Tomorrow I'm studying then taking my final exam
• Presents- 6/22 (progress!)
  
• Knitting- changed my contemplations- a lace scarf, two sets of ornaments, shawl, bulky scarf, and two hats (last four aren't needed until January)
  
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot (not so much reading happening here)
• I HATE the library here- I couldn't find a seat, and it is so loud
• I've had so much caffeine lately that my eyes twitch
• Scared for my econ exam tomorrow- it's going to be difficult
• What should I get two of my uncles for Christmas?
  

12 Days to Christmas

• Today I'm studying
• Tomorrow I'm taking an exam, writing a take-home, st21dying for another exam, and having a long study group
• Presents- 1 out of 22
• Knitting- contemplating a lace scarf, three sets of ornaments, bulky scarf, and two hats (last three aren't needed until January)
  
• Reading- Middlemarch by George Elliot
  
• I need to buy presents, especially the ones I want to ship
  
• Finished my Christmas planner (pictures soon)
• When should I go home?
• How long do I trust my cats alone?
• My Christmas tree looks a little worse for the wear from my cats playing in it
• Loving my Christmas plates and mugs
• Hot cider is an awesome holiday night tradition
• It is cold today
• Fenway is being extra snuggly today- I wonder if it's the cold or me being around so much
• I need to remember to post about the two books I've finished
  

6 in 6: Project 5-Mystery Sock!

A two-for-one post this week. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of clue 4 of the mystery sock. This is the final product.

Pattern: Mystery Sock '09 by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solids in Mint
Needle: size 2 DPN
Date Started: October 1, 2009
Date Finished: November 19, 2009
Comments: I love Kirsten's patterns, and her mystery socks are so much fun. I love the mock cable look of this pattern. Right now I'm really into patterns down the middle of the foot, so this was perfect. I don't like the yarn, however. The stitches look uneven. Blocking helped a bit, but they are still not as neat as I would like them. Yes, I know that's knitter error, but other yarns are more forgiving. Plus, this yarn isn't soft at all.

A picture of the cute foot:

I Want It to Be Christmas

Hence the color changes around here. I have been planning a bunch of holiday crafts, which I am hoping to start over Thanksgiving break. So stay tuned.

"L" Book

My "L" book is Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. If you have not read this book yet, stop reading this review and go get the book. Seriously. I will wait.

(photo stolen from Amazon.com)
Ok, the reason why I told you to read the book is that it has received an incredible amount of hype. So much so that there is no way that it could live up to all of it. Yes, it is a really interesting book. It asks unusual questions. It makes you think. You find yourself finding economics fun. However, it is not the book of the century. Perhaps because I consider myself a policy analyst with an economics persuasion, I found myself poking holes in Levitt and Dubner's arguments. The authors talk a lot about the importance of not confusing correlation with causality, but then they go on and do just that. As I read some of the chapters, I thought of all the omitted variables and externalities they did not consider. Perhaps this book is better for someone with little to no training in economics. Now do not get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. Even within the field of economics, I prefer applied economics like this, as opposed to the theory in textbooks. I just think it is impossible for it to ever live up to its reputation. But I am still looking forward to reading Super Freakonomics. Overall, I recommend this book to everyone, just know that it is not the best book ever written, and for those of you who know something about economics, some of the methodology and assumptions are questionable.

On My Needles

A fun Cookie A. project in more KUAS yarn.

Author Project: J

A new author! My "J" book is The American, by Henry James.

I think it is important for everyone to read a book like this once in awhile. Frankly, it made me feel a little stupid. This is the type of book that you get more and less out of each time you read it. I am sure that if I had read it when I was in high school, I would have said that it was an interesting book, if a little pointless. Reading it now, I know that there is a lot more to it. James' writing is full of sarcasm, double meanings, and witticisms, if you can understand them. That is where the feeling stupid comes in. I knew that James meant more than he was saying, but the language was so convoluted that I could not figure out the meaning. I would like to claim that my confusion was a result of changes in English grammar since it was written in 1876. However, I think it is more than that. I have a tendency to read "candy" books. Reading this book was a great reminder that I need to stretch myself more often by reading Literature (with a capital L) and to challenge myself with subtlety and metaphor. In terms of the story itself, I agree with my imaginary high school self that it is a bit trite. I do not think the characters learn a lot nor do I think the situation at the end of the book is very different than the beginning. Overall, I recommend this book if you want to stretch your mind by reading something deep and well written, but not if you are looking for an exciting story line.

*Photo stolen from Amazon.com.

6 in 6: Project 4

I have given up on finishing my six original projects in six weeks, but I am still on schedule for finishing six patterns. I have been on a bit of an instant-gratification-knit kick.

Pattern: Autumn Rush Wrist Warmers by Anna Peck
Yarn: KUAS Worsted Weight in Scarecrow
Needle: size 10.5 DPN
Date Started: November 12, 2009
Date Finished: November 15, 2009
Comments: This is a perfect quick knit gift project. They only took a couple of hours to put together. I love the cables, and the yarn is sooo soft. Now I have a hat, cowl, and fingerless gloves in this colorway. It's a cute set. I have a ton of yarn left over, so maybe I will make a scarf too.

6 in 6: Project 3

This actually was not one of my original six goal projects. It replaces the beret for my best friend. I started to try to frog the original beret a few nights ago, but Malabrigo is hard enough to frog and you add in that it has been knit for six months or longer and it is an impossible task. I need to buy some new yarn. Hopefully I'll still get that done. But in the meantime, I made another hat.

Pattern: Autumn Rush Hat by Anna Peck
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk in Pitch
Needle: size 7 circular
Date Started: October 30, 2009
Date Finished: November 1, 2009
Comments: This is the second time that I've knit this pattern. It actually calls for bulky yarn, but using a different needle size I was able to get gauge. I added an extra half cable repeat to make it longer (my row gauge might have been off, I never measured it) and changed the decrease cable crosses accordingly. Even with frogging the decreases to add the extra repeat, this hat still took less than four hours to make. It's a perfect gift pattern. I do not think Anna has released it to the general public. If you like it, go bug her at her blog, Knitting Up A Storm. I have been itching to make cables lately, and while this pattern started to satisfy that need, I think I'll be making the matching fingerless gloves soon. I think I want to modify them to mittens, but we will see how ambitious I am feeling.

6 in 6: Project 2

A hat!

Pattern: Ballard Slouch Hat by Felicia Lo
Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed
Needle: sizes 7 and 8 circular
Date Started: October 13, 2009
Date Finished: October 15, 2009
Comments: The more I think about this hat, the more I like it. It is slightly slouchy, but not too much so. Just what I was looking for. The pattern was well written and easy to follow. I would not want to wear this yarn on my body, but it's perfect for a hat. Actually, you might remember that I have already made a beret out of another skein of this.

I apparently forgot how to smile today. All my pictures look like I'm grimacing. But here is another shot:

B is for Brown

My B author book is The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Another not-new author, but a book I have been looking forward to reading for the last five years or so, since I first read The Da Vinci Code.

The best way to describe this book is a Dan Brown book, no more, no less. If you have read any of his other books, you know exactly what I mean. Plenty of action, danger, puzzles, plot twists, and history. I was eager to read this book because it is about my city, Washington DC. It definitely made me want to explore it again with fresh eyes. I stayed up all night last night reading this book. It was good enough that I did not want to put it down. However, in some ways I found it more fanciful than Brown's other books. There is no way I can explain how without giving anything away. Oh, and I guessed one of the main plot twists halfway through the book. Overall, I recommend this book to those people who want to be able to talk about the books that everyone else is reading, and who want a history-based candy book, but as always with Brown's books, be prepared to suspend the constraints of reality a little bit.

Please Vote

As a political science/public policy nerd/student/future practitioner, it is my duty to please ask you to vote today if there is an election in your area. Voting is just as important for "minor" races as for presidential ones. I will not tell you who/what to vote for. I only ask that you please voice your opinion.

6 in 6: Project 1

I have actually completed three projects, but the weather and my hair have not been cooperating for pictures. These were my take-on-the-Metro socks for October.
Pattern: Dead Simple Lace Socks by Wendy Johnson
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug in Marble
Needle: size 2.5 circular
Date Started: October 1, 2009
Date Finished: October 28, 2009
Comments: Very simple pattern that was perfect for stop and go, I do not want to think too much knitting. They did get a little boring though. I modified it a little because Jitterbug is a thick sock yarn and there was no way I was going to get 8 stitches an inch. I do not really like the pooling on this socks. Maybe at a different gauge it would be more even. I made these a little shorter than I usually make socks, but I think the anklet feel is perfect for the cute lace pattern.

Mystery Socks Clue #3

* * Spoiler Alert * *


As I mentioned earlier, clue #3 was the perfect opportunity for me to catch up on these socks. This week we got the clue for the heal. Positive comment- I like how the pretty mock cable pattern continues down. Negative comment- I wonder if the texture is going to be annoying in shoes. We'll have to wait and see.

Next week is the foot. I think I will probably get a little behind again, but I am going to try my best to keep up.

P is for Parker

I am not doing so well on the "new authors" provision of my A-Z Author Challenge. I have read four books since it started (2Rs) and only the Rs were new authors. I guess I am more of a creature of habit than I thought I was. I'm waiting for a copy of the new Dan Brown book and I have several John Grisham's sitting on my bookshelf, but I am going to try to search out some new authors. For now, here is the review of my "P" book.

"Rough Weather" by Robert B. Parker
Full disclosure: Parker is one of my absolute favorite authors. His books have all the characteristics I look for in my fun books- interesting plots, characters that develop over time, a series so I don't wonder "what happened to....", just enough smut, references to places I know (in this case, Boston/Cambridge), and a readable style with some vocabulary I have to look up in a dictionary. That all being said, this particular Parker book was juvenile. My father read it first, and we both agree that it is almost as though someone else wrote the first chapter. Spenser would never say "Wow!" The plot has the requisite twists and turns, which I cannot mention here without giving away the plot, but Parker hand-fed it to the reader a little bit too much. Towards the end I had the "Duh! That's how it happened." moment, which I really do not like. I recommend this book if you are looking for a brainless read, but you would honestly be better off with one of Parker's earlier Spenser novels.

Mystery Socks Clue #2

* * Spoiler Alert * *

I got a little bit behind on the mystery sock because I was out of town last week and took a sweater instead of socks as my airplane knitting, but after a marathon session last night, I'm almost caught up. Actually, I almost did clue 3 on the second sock, forgetting that I needed to take a picture.

Clue #2 is the leg. As you can see, it is a mock cable/ribbed pattern. I have never done something like this combination before, so I am having fun. The pattern repeat is only 8 rounds though, so I have to admit it got a little boring, especially on the second sock. I think the finished sock will be worth it. These are definitely socks I want to show off, not hide in shoes.

I'm sorry for the blurry photo. The weather here is atrocious, which equals very bad lighting.

Clue #3 for next week is the heel.

Six in Six

Thanksgiving is approximately six weeks away. My goal is to finish six projects by then. I have some lingering unfinished objects that deserve to be in my wardrobe, not in my knitting bags. I know six projects sounds like a lot, but I am almost done with two, and more than halfway through two more. These are my goals and what I still have to do on each project:

1. Liesl 1- just needs finishing
2. Ballard Slouch Hat- just needs finishing
   
3. Liesl 2- finish body, sleeves, finishing
4. Mystery Sock- finished with clue 1 on one sock and clue 2 on the other
5. Dead Simple Lace Socks- finished one sock, a few inches past the toe on the second one
   
6. Katie's Beret- I need to frog my old one and make one that actually fits my best friend

Next week is midterms and I'm a little behind on my schoolwork, but my goals for the weekend are to finish the hat, one sleeve of Liesl 2, and finish clue 3 on both mystery socks. I'll let you know how it goes.

Milkweed Shawl

Pattern: Milkweed Shawl by Laura Chau
Yarn: KUAS Fingering Weight Superwash Yarn in Blizzard
Needle: size 4 circular
Date Started: August 11, 2009
Date Finished: August 29, 2009
Comments: This is a very well written pattern. It is easy to "read" the knitting. This reminds me a lot of Ishbel by Ysolda Teague. See my Ravelry notes for more information about that. I was worried that this would be too small, but it blocked out nicely, even though I just patted it into shape because I could not find my blocking pins. The yarn is soft, but a lot of the color came off when I washed it. I usually don't have that problem with KUAS yarns, so maybe it was just the dye she used this time.
A detail shot:

Mystery Socks Clue #1

* * Spoiler Alert * *
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm doing Kirsten Kapur's Through the Loops! Mystery Sock again this year. This time, I decided to try to do both socks at once so that I will have a pair at the end of October. I do not actually know how to knit two socks on one long circular or two circulars, nor do I have a scale to divide a cake of yarn into two cakes, so I'm doing the socks on DPNs, one from the center of the yarn cake, and the other from the edge. I put the yarn in a plastic bag and punched a hole through it to try to prevent tangling. So far so good.

Clue #1 was the cuff. I have never seen a cuff with a little bit of lace in the middle, but I really like it. I'm using Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solid in Mint. I've had this yarn in my stash for awhile. It was supposed to be a pair of Baudelaires by Cookie A., but who knows when I will have the time or brain power for those. The yarn seems easy to use. We will see about stitch definition, etc. once I have done more non-ribbing.

This week we get the clue for the leg. I can't wait!

Cheer Me Up Socks

Pattern: 3 x 1 Ribbed Socks
Yarn: Yarntini Self-Striping Sock in Lemon Drop
Needle: size 1.5 circular
Date Started: September 3, 2009
Date Finished: September 29, 2009
Comments: I needed a mindless knitting project for riding the Metro, so these socks were born. I love the bright colors, but I feel meh about the socks. I do not like this yarn. This is the second time I've worked with Yarntini Sock, and although I love her (their?) dying and color choices, I dislike the yarn base. It is not very soft, even after washing, and the stitches never look even. I know that I do not have perfect tension, but other yarns hide it much better. Also, I'm not very happy with the pattern at this gauge. The purls stretch out when I put on the socks so that they almost look like little holes. Next time I'd check that, maybe even (horrors!) doing a swatch. Overall, I'll wear these socks, they just are not my favorites.

Found My Camera Cord

Now if I could only remember how to make a photo collage.... Here are the yarns I've been working with lately. Teaser: I'll have finished object photos as well as Mystery Sock Clue #1 spoiler soon.

I Really Need to Find My Camera Cord!

As you can see from my progress bar, I have not been completely idle during my hiatus. I want to show you what I have been working on, but my camera cord is in one of the 30 boxes all over my apartment. I really need to get moving on unpacking...

Last night I finished a pair of socks and started a second Liesl. Tomorrow is the beginning of Soxtober and I will be doing Through the Loops' mystery sock again this year. I think I will do another series of posts about that, so if you do not want any spoilers, do not check out this blog for the next month or so. I've chosen my yarn- some Cherry Tree Hill Supersock (Rav link) in an awesome green that has been in my stash almost a year. The next challenge is to find it in the aforementioned 30 boxes.

M and R

A few mini book reviews for you.

"Beyond Machiavelli Policy Analysis Comes of Age," by Beryl A. Radin
In case you did not guess, I read this for school. The basic premise of the book is to compare the policy analysis field in 1960 to that of 1990. Radin does that through a combination of vignettes about two imaginary policy analysts, John Nelson (1960s) Rita Stone (1990s), and analysis of contemporary theories and organizations. While the differences in only 30 years are interesting, this book reads like a textbook and is definitely not a "before bed" type of read. I would only recommend this if you are really interested in public policy analysis theory.

"Up Close and Personal," by Fern Michaels
In contrast to the Radin book, this is definitely a "before bed" book. It is a party mystery/part romance book about the search for a lost woman and her journey to find her true identity. Not a lot of substance, but a quick, entertaining read. Perfect for a rainy day where all you want to do is wrap up in a blanket, make some tea, and read. This is actually the second of Michaels' novels that I have read. Maybe it is just those two, but the plots are very similar: girl has been missing for years, childhood sweetheart goes looking for her, she must struggle with which identity is her true self, childhood sweetheart and girl fall in love and get married when she decides she is finally home. I would recommend this book if you are looking for a mostly predictable escapist book for a rainy day.

R Authors

I have two books I have to write summaries of for class. Of course, both authors' names start with R. Time to find a pleasure book for Metro reading.

A-Z Author Project

Hi everyone! Long time no talk, I know. I'm still adjusting to my new apartment, new school, etc. so I don't have a lot of free time yet. I do want to talk a little about a new thing on my sidebar- the A-Z Author Project. I saw this on a couple of blogs, and I liked the idea so much that I'm stealing it. My goal is to read 26 books, each with an author who's name starts with a different letter of the alphabet. Extra points if I've never read anything from that author before. I'd like to put a deadline on this as the end of the school year, but I doubt I'll have time for that much free reading, so I'll leave it open-ended for now.

I'd love to hear your recommendations of favorite authors, especially ones with last names that start with unusual letters.

Rules:

• Read 26 books by 26 different authors
• Try to read the majority of the books by authors I've never read before
• Two books by the same author only counts as one
• School books count only if I've read the whole thing (not selections)
  

Done!

I mailed out a bound copy of my thesis today. I meant to take a picture, but I forgot.

Thesis- check
MPA- check

Now why was I crazy enough to agree to start this whole process again on Monday?

It's Too Hot to Knit

Actually, it's too hot to do anything. See you when I've moved and it has (hopefully) cooled down a little.

Lavalette

I have actually finished three projects lately. This is the second one. I've been dying to make this pattern since Kirsten showed us the finished prototype on Ravelry, and I was not disappointed.

Pattern: Lavalette by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: The Plucky Knitter Merino Cashmere Nylon Fingering in Burning Down the House
Needle: size 7 circular
Date Started: July 25, 2009
Date Finished: August 1, 2009
Comments: Gauge, gauge, gauge. How many times have I heard how important it is? Well actually, I did not completely learn my lesson this time because I think it came out the perfect size. The pattern calls for lace weight yarn, but I used fingering. I forgot to up the needle size when I cast on, but the resulting denser fabric is perfect for a winter scarf, which is what I planned this to be all along. I ran out of yarn, so I had to be a little inventive. I did not finish the last stockinette section and I cut two rows off of the edging. So this did not come out exactly as designed, but it is perfect for my purpose, so no harm no foul on the gauge issue this time. (Shh, don't tell anyone I said that)

The third project I've finished is a Liesl. I need to weave in the ends and sew on a button (of course I didn't make a buttonhole) so it might be a little while before you see that. And yes, my progress bar on the left is correct, I don't have anything on the needles. I know, shocking! But between my thesis, moving, and looking for a new place to live, I don't have a lot of time for knitting. I plan on changing that soon though.

Featherweight Cardigan

It's finally done. Actually, I did not know if I was ever going to finish a whole sweater made out of lace weight yarn, so it was completed much more quickly than I had imagined it would be. Picking up stitches for the collar was not quite as bad as I thought, although it is a little messy.

Pattern: Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Lace in Sapphire Green
Needle: size 6 circular
Date Started: May 1, 2009
Date Finished: July 28, 2009
Comments: Made the size 43. It's a little big- next time I would make it one size smaller. Modifications- M1L and M1R for increases, k1p1 rib for the collar, changed arm decreases a bit. I love this sweater. I'd like to have more, but I don't know if I'm willing to commit to another big project like this for awhile.

Jeanne

Pattern: Jeanne by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: The Plucky Knitter Silk Merino Handpainted Laceweight in Grandpa's Cardigan
Needle: size 5 circular
Date Started: June 20, 2009
Date Finished: July 11, 2009
Comments: Made the size medium. A very pleasurable knit. It's a little fancy because the yarn looks like spun silver, but it will be perfect for special occasions.

Picked Up Stitches

Unlike my thesis, my Featherweight Cardigan is coming along nicely. I finished the second sleeve tonight and picked up the stitches for the collar. It's not very neat, but not too bad for a first try...I think...I hope...

Next time I'll definitely slip the first stitch of each row though.

Busy Busy

I won't be around for a little while, so here's a photo of my unblocked Jeanne to keep you entertained until I return to blogging.

Progress

Now that I have finished my other works in progress, I decided it was time to get back to my Featherweight Cardigan (Ravelry Link). I am still loving it, although I am approaching the collar with trepidation. I was going to start two projects for the upcoming busy couple of weeks (including a new sweater), but this monogamy thing seems to be working so well that I think I'll stick with this sweater and see how far I can get.

Ta-Da!

It took me 19 weeks (gad!) but I finally finished my Marlene socks!
First off, let me say that I do not like having something on my needles this long. Most projects have a two month max time limit, unless it's really big, which a pair of socks are not. However, the last 19 weeks have been very, very full. The pattern is actually very easy to "get" but with about 3 million twisted stitches it takes forever. I finished the first sock fairly quickly, but I got a wicked case of second sock syndrome. Facing that many twisted stitches again was not appealing. I did the second cuff and two pattern repeats a month or so ago, and then it languished again. I picked them up again, and finished them in three days of knitting. It was just a matter of making myself do it, and I'm glad I did. I think this sock deserves a second picture:
Pattern:#03 Marlene by Cookie A.
Yarn: Louet Gems Sport Weight in Soft Coral (the color should be named Soft Pink- I don't think it is coral colored at all)
Needle: size 8 circular
Date Started: March 7, 2009
Date Finished: July 14, 2009
Comments: Despite the amount of time it took to finish this project, I think these are one of the prettiest pairs of socks I've made. I don't think I'll ever make this pattern again, but it really is stunning. Of course, would you expect any less of Cookie A.?