Recovery

I'm back! From my trip to southern California, that is. Having a few days of sunshine and getting the chance to visit with my Grandparents was superb. Getting there and back was difficult, though - our first flight left late, so my parents and I ended up having to run to our connecting flight in Las Vegas only to get to the terminal just in time to see the plane pulling away from the building. Spending the night in an airport is NOT on the list of things I ever want to do again, that's for sure.

We wandered around some boutiques in the downtown area of my Grandparents' town. My Gram took me to the LYS...I'm not sure if any of you remember me mentioning a certain flowy top I wanted to create with mohair held double on size two needles, but...um....let's just say there are 7 balls of Crystal Palace mohair in my car right now and there's a size two needle holding some stitches in place.

I also got to see Oklahoma(!) live. Entertaining, if a little long.

As for knitting, I've only done some small things. I just took a set of size 2 DPN's with me so I could work on a sock or something while I was on planes, but that didn't really happen. I made a cute little ipod case with a wooden button with some leftover silky wool I had. Nathan and his family bought me a brand new ipod as an early birthday present. I was (and kind of still am) speechless. My last ipod was either stolen or severely, severely misplaced. It was a really wonderful birthday gift. I need to brainstorm some ideas to make sure his 21st birthday (not until September, foo) is just as good.

Thursday before my flight out of LA, my Gram and my parents and I went and wandered around Rodeo drive, which was pretty neat. My Gram insisted that I get a dress to wear out on my 21st birthday, so I'm now the proud owner of my very own "little black dress". There will be photos next week, I promise.

I know I don't have any pictures today, but I just wanted to make sure to get a post up here to prove that I'm alive. Spring term classes start tomorrow, so I'll be back to school-work-yoga-knitting again soon. I've been told that the big beastly baby blanket doesn't need to be 4 feet after all, which is both good and bad - good because I don't have to knit 4 feet of blanket, and bad because I already bought the yarn. Oh well, can't win them all, eh?

In other news, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka YarnHarlot) is going to be in Portland on April 22nd. Anyone from the area heading up? I think I'm going!

Simple Cabled Bag

Here's that secret project! It was my Mom's birthday present this year (her birthday is on the first day of spring!), and she absolutely loves it. She claims it will accompany her the next time she visits Saturday market.

Here we see the bag, studying up on its astronomy.

I'm actually going to put up the pattern for this one because a) it's really simple and b) I think it makes a cute and functional little market bag. I've even put buttonholes on this one, so that buttons can be added in the future.

The bottom of the bag is plain reverse stockinette, and then simple cables up the body of the bag for just over a foot. The top of the bag is seed stitch, and then I created two "ropes" of I-cord and twisted them together to make the strap, which I quite like.

I've got one (rather poor) shot of the bag in action, but I swear, it looks better when being properly used.

I'm very happy she likes it, and I'll put the pattern up (free!) this week.

Yesterday, Nathan and I headed home to Central Oregon. We're officially on Spring Break now (yay!). I took a couple of pictures on the way home just because I think Oregon is fantastic.

Here's a shot of how green the world is in this part of the country:

The greens are so vivid! I always think of movies like the Lord of the Rings when I drive through this part of the forest. I half expect to see hidden castles on the other side of the river. It's very beautiful!

Then, just a few miles up the road, we see this:

I drove through all kinds of weather yesterday! Sometimes I really like to just appreciate the natural beauty that I'm fortunate enough to live in. It's really something, isn't it?

On Tuesday, my parents and I are heading down to sunny southern California to visit my grandparents. It'll only be for a few days, but I'm very excited. I hope I can decide which knitting projects I want to take with me, and I really hope they don't make me give up my size 2 DPN's before I get on the flight!


Until next update...Happy Spring to everyone!

Happy Green Sweater Day!

Yeah, that's right: Green Sweater!

Pattern: Cable Luxe Tunic (Purchasable from Lion Brand online)
Needles: US size 8
Modifications: I made this into a fitted sweater rather than a swingy tunic. I also made the sleeves fitted rather than flaring open, and I decided to go with a k2 p2 rib for the yoke instead of garter stitch. I wanted to create an edge that was stretchy/fitted enough to stay up at my shoulders. The end result is exactly what I was hoping for.
Notes: I was thinking on my way home from Nathan's house last Monday morning about how Eunny Jang supposedly knit her Venezia sweater in 5 days. I needed something green to wear for St. Patrick's day, and I decided I would knit the remainder of my cable luxe tunic by Saturday. And man, I did it. I was weaving in the ends Saturday afternoon. I couldn't be happier with the result.

Check out those seams.

I've gotten a ton of compliments and looks of amazement from my fellow college-going friends, and my parents can't wait to see it when I head home for spring break (yeah!). I'm so happy that everything worked out precisely as I wanted to and I ended up with a great sweater. I have to admit, I kind of feel like an invincible knitter at the moment. It feels pretty good, and I'm looking forward to the next project (which is a secret for another few days. Then you'll get the updates). My sweater and I wish you a very happy St. Patty's day.

Foiled!

I had high hopes for my most recent post. It was going to be awesome, it was going to be stunning, people would weep for joy and be inspired. That's how good it was going to be.

However, I need my camera for it, and right now, my camera isn't turning on.

Everyone project nasty thoughts at my camera battery (because it's totally the battery's fault I am without camera-action) for robbing you of your glorious post.

Aforementioned post will have to wait until tomorrow, I suppose, when I go home and have a chance to charge the thing.

Until then!

(Ooooh, the suspense!)

Blobs are a girl's best friend

Because I certainly don't think they look like diamonds.

I decided this would be my first attempt at being "funky", so the gloves don't match. The diamonds are in different positions on each glove. I even did the thumb gussets differently. Yeah, that was totally on purpose. Totally.

I'm just glad to have these off the needles. It'll mean I can focus my full attention on the baby blanket (HA) and get that finished asap. Then I'll be free to focus on my own fun designs and all the projects I have laying around to finish up.

I'm glad the recipient of these gloves likes them more than I do. She picked up a finished one and put it on, then said: "Oh my God! It fits like...like...a glove! HAHAHAHAH!" Yeah, she couldn't believe she actually said it either. I hope she gets lots of wear out of them.

I wasn't planning on making a pattern for these just because they're so simple, but if anyone actually likes them, I can put up some guidelines or something for how to create them.

I know the people who visit the blog typically are more knit happy than spin happy, but I wanted to post this image just because I think it's an interesting comparison.

The little skein on the left was created using the navajo plying method, and the skein on the right is a 2 ply. It's pretty amazing how big the difference is, I think.

Now that I've finished something up, I have to go and continue my war with the baby blanket. Wish me luck.

A case of the mondays

I seem to come down with a case of these once a week. Thursday night through Sunday evening is usually prime time for me. But Monday? Monday is relentless. Monday never fails to smite me like the fist of an angry God. Well, maybe that's a little bit too severe a phrase to use, but you get the point. First, let me backtrack a bit.

Thursday evening, after a nice session of yoga, I come home, and successfully bake myself a tasty cake from scratch.

Alisha: 1 Universe: 0

I let it cool (I think), and then attempt to move the cake onto a plate. Cake splits in two, and tasty crumbs go all over my counter.

Alisha: 1 Universe: 1

No problem. Cake may not be pretty, but cake is still tasty. Roommate confirms this. We stand in the kitchen picking bites off the side of the cake and saying "mmmm" repeatedly. I make a note to make this cake more often...without breaking it into pieces.

Friday: Head up to Nate's house. Discover that he is feeling stressed about his education and his future. Discuss options, give girlfriendly support. Succeed in (seeming to) make him feel better. Spend an excellent evening with friends.

Alisha: 2 Universe: 1

Saturday: Do a weensy bit of grocery shopping with Nate. We both decided to roughly split the cost of groceries, since I eat half of his food on the weekends, anyway. I handed the checker a card, and was told the "account number was invalid". Confusion results. I try again, and get the same message. I am told that this establishment does not accept "Debit visa" cards. I stare dumbfounded at Nate, who is holding a Debit Visa card he has just successfully used. He looks as confused as I do. I break out a different debit visa card, and it works. Unfortunately for me, I was doing my best NOT to touch any money in that account (my primary checking account). At least I know that if anyone robs me (god forbid) over the next few days, all they'll get out of me is about 4 dollars and some change.

Alisha: 2 Universe: 2

Sunday: Successfully complete business project on time and submit it. All group projects for business are now officially finished. Rejoice.

Alisha: 3 Universe: 2

Monday: Head back home. Successfully make it to class. My Japanese skeelz were actually applauded by my classmate and teacher today. I attempt humility, and likely fail.

Alisha: 4 Universe: 2

Head to work. Work let me know a few weeks back that they would be hiring an administrative assistant as a full time position, since my hours are very much part-time. They told me my role in the office would change a bit, but they'd like to still keep me. No problemo. The new administrative assistant lady was in the office today, and I was introduced to her. They showed her around the building, talked with her, and introduced her to the rest of the staff. I worked away at a big stack of papers. One of my coworkers (he's a professor at the university) walked into the room where my desk is and said: "You know...right now they're trying to figure out how to make this new assistant thing work without having to fire you."

Alisha: 4 Universe: 5

Thanks, man. Thanks a lot. To make matters worse, after he said it, he just started to laugh. I panic, and bring home a giant stack of papers to get as many hours in as humanly possible just in case I need to look for another job sometime in the near future.

New assistant doesn't start till April, but that's my birthday, and call me selfish, but I'd hate to be stressed out about jobs and money and miss the chance to properly celebrate my 21st.

Right now, the universe is winning, but only by a little. I figure that as long as I stay on top of it, I'll conquer all the irksome little things that have been popping up for me to deal with lately. I'm going to be busy. It's going to be OK, though, because I have yarn and candy. Plus, something I once read on Yarn Harlot has stuck with me for a very long time: "It's all going to be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end." Yeah. I like it.