a stitch in time

Waxing philosophical

This was quite a week. My third summer of Montessori training is winding down, and I’m starting to feel the anxiety I always get when my routine is about to change. I try to temper it by reflecting onall the great things that have happened this summer…new friends, a new outlook, preparation for a new job. I got to teach every singe person in my class who didn’t already know how to knit. I started my first two sweaters. I planted a garden, which is admittedly a tad sickly right now, but it’s still there. I have a lot to be proud of, or at least content with. But at the same time, anxiety. “What next? What next? What next?” keeps spiraling around in my head. Well, what is next? Visiting California for one thing. Time with a good friend I haven’t seen in ages. The Bay Area yarn stores! Then school starting up, and seeing all my work-friends again, and being around all the kids…all fabulous things. But I still keep wondering about these larger questions I have about myself and my life, and they don’t seem any closer to being answered then they were when I first asked the questions. I guess if I can focus on the tangible “what nexts” that are coming up, I can let go of trying to answer the big What Nexts. Maybe that’s how it’s supposed to go…I just don't know.

In knitting news, I’m working on Hoodie’s stripes, which is most pleasing and pulled me out of my rut. I’m using this great winey-purpley color and a periwinkle-esque blue. Floofa is very jealous, I'm sure! I used the Lamb's Pride superwash for one of the stripes, and even though the gauge was supposedly the same as the worsted, it looked really loose knitted up. So, I unravelled and used a double strand, which really did the trick. Some of my yarn got a bit damaged Tuesday night during the Montgomery County Monsoon. I went to the knitting group at Savory (where I got to have a great chat with Michelle about the world of blogging), and for whatever reason decided to brave the rains to get back to my apartment, rather then waiting them out like a sensible person. I had been carrying Hoodie around in this little paper bag, and as I scurried towards my building’s door, I felt something tangling around my legs. Looking down, I discovered that the bottom of the bag had gotten so wet it just fell apart, and two balls of my yarn were trailing along behind me. Frick! Luckily, no major damage was done, and I learned a valuable lesson...Mother Nature is out to get me. Or at least wants me to invest in a actual knitting bag.

No good pictures yet...until I get back to work and back to getting regular paychecks, I have to rely on my camera phone.

Happy week-ending!

Know thyself...

floofa vs. Hoodie

Comments! I have comments! Thanks so much for all the support...I just love feelin' the love.

Progress on the floofita-poofita continues...I was getting into a stockinette stitch rut, so I decided to make the back piece the front piece so I could try my hand at the neck shaping. Much unraveling did ensue, especially tricky with this brand of mohair...Chelsea warned me that it would get knotty, but did I listen, oh no, of course not! I was ultimately triumphant, and am all but a few rows done with what is looking like an actual garment. Hooray!

I have to say though, that Under the Hoodie is being very much neglected...as much as I try to be an open-minded, non-discriminatory fiber hog, it's hard to get excited over gray wool after spending so much time with pink mohair. But floofa is knitting up so quickly, I figure Hoodie will soon be without any competition. Of course, once I get my hands on a good beginner cabling pattern that doesn't scare me to death, all bets are off...:)

In non-knitting news, I went down to putter in the garden this afternoon only to discover that someone had plucked my first ripe tomato and my almost ripe pepper. Why would someone do that? I just don't get people sometimes. My only hope is that the plucker is a really good cook, so that at least my produce wasn't plucked in vain.

Happy lazy Sunday to all!

Welcome! To me!

In the grand tradition that is my life, I am diving headlong into a new activity when I only have, oh, about a million other things I should be focused on. But the call of the wild world of blogging is not to be denied! :) While I hope to make knitting a major part of this blog, be prepared for forays into other aspects of my life as well. What can I say, I ramble!

So this has been a big week for knitting get-togethers. On Tuesday night I went to the first meeting of the Silver Spring stitch 'n bitch. It was a small group, just four of us. We swapped gossip about local yarn stores and just had a grand old time. Thanks to Martha for getting this group going! Wednesday was the Montgomery County Knitting Meetup at Mayorga in Silver Spring. It started out a bit awkwardly, but I was lucky to get a seat nice and close to Sarah, Chelsea, and Lara. We took some time to show off our work, swap techniques and tidbits, and snack, of course. Sarah even taught me to cable...I fear those twisty tangles of yarn no more!

Right now I'm working on two projects from the SnB book, which together are the first and second sweaters I have ever attempted. The first is To Dye For, which I am knitting for my roommate with Classic Elite LaGran (a mohair blend) in pink. Nicknames for this sweater include: cotton candy, floofa, and the floofa-poofa. Is it pathetic that I have nicknamed a sweater? I really hope not. The second is Under the Hoodie, which is for yours truly. I'm using Lamb's Pride worsted and my slick new Addi Turbos, which make knitting, well, soooo slick. Once I snag myself a digital camera, I'll post some photos of their progress.

Okay, back to the floofa...thanks for reading!