Boredom...Focus...Knitting

If you've read my blog for a while, you'll know that I do not deal with boredom very well.  I hate it...despise it...and even fear it a little.  It leads to me becoming dissatisfied, wanting to run around and do something a little crazy just to stir things up.

I can't seem to help myself.

Yesterday I was bored.  I didn't want to be bored and tried to make myself focus, but to no avail.  Luckily I was wearing a new dress and felt unbelievably cute, so was able to avoid the nasty mood that usually comes along with boredom.

So...what does a girl do when she's bored at work?  Knit of course.  I don't like to do that outside of my lunch hour, BUT, when no one is up here and nothing is going on and even the boss is complaining about not being able to focus...well, one should definitely take advantage and knit!

and voila!  I finished a pair of Turkish Bed Socks for Alyssa.  Intended to be a Christmas present, but apparently something else captivated me in the meantime.

Yarn:  Felici by Knit Picks in color Firehouse (I think...not listed on their colors anymore).

Yarn Club #2: Magic

I'm addicted to this knitting pattern.  I've worked and worked and worked and hardly feel like I've done anything but play.  The fact that I'm having to read a chart (which I usually don't like) and doing so while also watching the Olympics (which I usually can't) is testament to how beautiful and perfect the design is for this pattern.

I've never knitted anything quite like it.  Quite that captivating and thrilling.

I usually shy away from difficult patterns.  Not because I'm not capable of doing them, but because I've discovered that I don't always have the mental tenacity to stick with a project that is hard.  But this sock is pure magic.  From the twisted knit rib (which I usually hate doing, btw) all the way to the toes.  Magic.  I'll let the pictures of Sock 1 speak for themselves.

I can't really tell you if this pattern is difficult because it simply doesn't feel like it.  It looks super-complicated and very detailed and involved, but it is not difficult to do.  It flies off of the needles, not because there isn't much knitting to do, but because the knitting being done is just purely so much fun.  I also feel like I'm really learning to "read" my knitting.  On the "resting round" I'm able very clearly to see and know what I need to do without looking at the chart...AND I'm learning to look at the symbols and easily understand what they mean and what I need to do.  I feel like I've grown as a knitter while having the time of my life.

I cannot wait to show you my finished pair...probably by the end of this weekend.  I have decided that I'm doing the next pattern from Cookie A in my Dream in Color Smooshy yarn I had set aside for my next sock project (I'm not completely ignoring the 4 (maybe 5???) other pairs of socks I currently have on the needles...but these patterns must be knit).  I'm thinking of setting aside a notebook with the patterns in it for my "special go-to" sock patterns.  Hickory (the Bertie Bott's from earlier this year), this one, and Simple Cable socks...and of course vanilla socks.

And then after that??  Well, in the spirit of yarn clubs, I think I'm going to finish up that Rockin'Sock Club sock that I started last year sometime...it's an ankle sock and the first one is already finished and the 2nd one started.  I have no idea what captured my attention to drag me away from that loveliness, but that should be the next pair, don't you think?  If I manage all of that by the end of February (possible if I'm not distracted by fairies...fairies are pretty prevalent in my house, btw)...that will be 5 new pairs of socks in the first 2 months of 2014...amazing if I can say so!  (oh, and that's not counting the Turkish Bed Socks I'm working on during lunch...and I'm almost finished with one pair of those!)

Yarn Club #2: Beautiful

Ok...Cookie A has astounded me.  Her patterns are beautiful and encourage such a confidence in my knitting abilities.  I no longer feel like a beginner who can read a pattern and make things look nice but an intermediate knitter who can follow a pattern intuitively and make something beautiful.

If you're in the Cookie A club and haven't gotten your yarn yet and haven't looked at the pattern yet, look away...read this post after you've received your goods because spoilers abound.

Need proof?

I started the cuff night before last.  I just needed to get the project on my needles.  Feel the yarn, work through the easy part and build my confidence for tackling what looks like a pretty complicated pattern.  Pearl loved my work almost enough to eat the needles.  I had to convince her that it was a bad idea to eat knitting needles but she didn't believe me.

Last night I worked farther on the sock.  I was having the best time until I realized that I'd read the pattern slightly wrong.  Nothing major, I was just doing my decreases slanting in the wrong direction.  I did this for 3 rows before I realized it, but I was proud that I could look at the way the knitting was going and realize it.  I decided not to go back and enjoy the "wabisabi" of the mistake...it's not huge enough to notice, and certainly not huge enough to go back 6 whole rounds to fix (6 because there are "plain rounds" inbetween  "Pattern" rounds).

Anyway, at one point I see a black arm dash out from under the chair and looked down and saw this.  She didn't know I was watching her too:

That cat is just so freaking adorable.

I made it this far before calling it quits.  Beauty.  I could have knitted all night just watching the pattern unfold, holding onto this gorgeous yarn.

Yarn:  Plucky Knitter fingering, Colorway "Going Steady"...exclusive for Cookie A February 2014 club
Pattern:  Possibly Maybe by Cookie A, exclusive for Cookie A February 2014 club

Sparkle Socks

Life is happy, especially when wearing sparkle socks.  See how happy those feet are!

Yarn:  Sparkle Gnome by Gnome Acres
Colorway: Under the Tree
Pattern:  Firefly in Knitter's Book of Socks

I really enjoyed working on this pattern and making these socks.  They were quick, fairly easy and super-rewarding.  The yarn is wonderfully soft and the sparkle...so pretty and just makes me happy thinking about it.

I was sad that I only had 40g left when I finished...I'd hoped since I made the socks a little shorter in the leg, I might have enough to make another pair, but alas...this yarn, too, will go to the scrap basket to be made in blankets (for which it will be ridiculously happy, trust me).

The pattern will show up better in a solid or semi-solid yarn, but it looks nice in a variegated yarn too, even one this variegated.  The color runs are usually around 1-2"...never more than 2", so there are only a few stitches in each color before shifting to the next.  Even so, beautiful pooling and swirls occur, making for a very lovely finished product.

The fit on this sock is a bit tight in the instep for me.  I lengthened the instep a little knowing that it was probably going to be too small, but it has to be eased over my heel...it's comfortable once on, so I'm not worried about it, but if I do this pattern again, I will make the heel flap a little longer to give me some extra stitches to pick up and that should make the gusset more comfortable for my high instep.  Otherwise, the pattern is perfect and looks and feels wonderful.

And because I can't get enough of these socks today...here is a close up so you can see how the little cables really do make one think of pretty packages under the Christmas tree.  (click on the photo for a better close-in view)

Oh, and yes, I started my Cookie A socks last night.  Photo to come when I'm far enough along to show off the pattern...it'll be worth the wait, trust me.  This yarn is gorgeous and the pattern...wow...

Thoughts on goals

Some people really like goals.  They write them down, figure out what steps are necessary to meet the goal and then work very hard, assessing themselves along the way for progress.

My husband is like that.

I'm not really.  I like to have a general direction in which to strive, but I typically don't set hard and fast goals for myself.  One reason is that I'm likely to not meet them in the time I've set for myself--therefore, it can be assumed that I set unrealistic goals.

I do this with knitting all the time.  For instance, last night I was going to finish my "under the tree" socks and cast on my "possibly maybe" sock.  I wanted to have it ready for wearing to work today (even though I'm wearing a dress and wouldn't wear the socks with this particular dress, though I do that sometimes.)

More than anything I wanted to cast on the new project...I wanted to start working with my Cookie A yarn.  It's so beautiful and perfect for this time of year (I think everyone needs some color!).  And no matter what, every single pair of socks is a little bit of magic, so knitting a pattern that looks like magic with yarn that looks like magic...oh, it will just be the perfect thing all around.

But I couldn't.  Yesterday I was hungry all day...and I was a bit stressed and grouchy all day...I don't think it's related to the hunger, but I could be wrong.  Even so, I was hungry and grouchy so when I got home I also had a back ache and was tired.  I was snippy at David.  It couldn't be tolerated.

So, I sat down with my knitting, and then when it was evening snack time, I had that AND some chocolate and wine.

Then I started feeling better and more realistic about my expectations...and the silly goal I'd set myself to finish my sock.

After all, isn't knitting supposed to be fun?  Relaxing?  The thing I do to make myself feel better?  What's all this anxiety to get something finished RIGHT NOW when I have tomorrow, next week, next month...this weekend?  What was the rush?  Why the hurry and what is the expected return I'm going to get from it?  I found myself laughing that I was getting all in a rush to finish THIS sock, when all I want to do is cast on another.  How is the new sock really that different from this one?  Different pattern, sure.  Different color, definitely.  But really, it's a sock, and it's knitting and the thing that it'll give me isn't really any different than the thing that this current sock is giving me and there was no reason to stay up past my body's determined bedtime (9pm last night), get some rest and work on the bad attitude I had yesterday.

So, that's what I did.  I didn't meet that goal last night, but I'll finish the sock tonight AND start the new one.  And I'll be very happy about it this evening when I'm sitting and knitting and relaxing.

It's all good.

---------

And you want to know what's even better?  I set a size goal for myself when I started losing weight last year (11 months ago...almost 1 full year, hard to believe).  I'd dreamed of being a size 10 for the longest time.  I graduated from high school in a size 14 and haven't been smaller than that since.  A size 10, to me, seemed like the "end all"...smaller than my body would probably get, but as in all goals I set for myself, I set one that I reasoned was too high, and was curious to see where I'd end up.

Well, here I am...comfortably in a size 10 dress.

I don't look like me, except I know that's me.  It's weird and wonderful and ridiculously exciting all at the same time.

I still haven't met my weight goal...in fact, I'm still about 40 pounds away from my weight goal.  I think I may have to abandon that one as I abandoned the goal of finishing the sock last night.  I continue (and WILL continue) to eat healthily, watch my portion, rein in my hunger.  If I continue to lose weight while doing so then that's great.  If I gain, I'll have to rethink how I'm eating and fix it...but I'm happy where I am and looking forward to seeing where I'll be this time next year.

Surpassing my goals, I guess!

A little fortune

Yesterday was the great arrival of three of my yarn club purchases.  And boy did they surprise and delight me.

I won't give anything away for a week or so since people still haven't gotten theirs...but I will describe a little about the joy the yarns brought me.

(yes, I'm a simple girl at heart).

First, I came home, got the packages from the porch and then heated up supper.  Even though I'm technically not dieting any more, I find that I'm hungry a lot of the time, and waiting on supper, or snacks, even for yarn, is just not going to be a good idea in the end.

SO, I ate, then I put all my packages together and took their picture and sent that to David who was in class last night.

And then I opened them one by one starting with Vesper.

The colorway name for this month is Abracadabra and boy it is perfect.  Beautiful.  5 of my favorite colors.

The next package I opened was the Cookie A.  I'd looked at the patterns during dinner and knew they were gorgeous...and I'm really excited about knitting another Cookie A sock pattern...the yarn is sumptuous and I cannot wait to cast those on (as soon as I'm finished with Under the Tree).  There are 2 patterns, and I'm going to make the first one with the Cookie A club yarn and the 2nd one with something from my stash.  Both are gorgeous and lovely.

Now, I will NOT make the cookies...I may collect all the cookie recipes and have a giant bake-off at Christmas...maybe.  We shall see.

Finally I opened my Rockin'Sock Club yarn.  I was really conflicted about whether to join again for 2014, but I've been in the RSC for 2 full years now and love the yarns that I've received during that time.  And as I said yesterday I've made a few of the projects.  I have a special place on my shelf to store the yarn and don't take it out of the clear package until I'm ready to use it....I was so excited to see this installment, though.  Bright colors, beautiful, rich bright colors.  Pretty patterns, too, but probably not ones I'll use.

OH...and the theme for this month's color is the Chinese New Year, so there was a fortune cookie in the bag...here's my fortune:

Here's my plan for handling all my club yarn:

Club Dragonfly--cast on as soon as I get it and work a little each day until I'm done.
Vesper--keep a simple sock on the needles at all times for travel, work, and social knitting
Cookie A, pattern 1--cast on as soon as I get it and work a little each day until I'm done (after I'm finished with CD)
Rockin'Sock--keep one project with RSC yarn on the needles and work on a little each day until I'm done (after I'm finished with CA, this does not have to be the most recent shipment)
Cookie A, pattern 2--cast on with stash yarn and work on it a little each day until I'm finished (after RSC)

Of course I probably won't finish all that knitting before the next installment comes along or the next desire to work on something else comes along, but this should keep me busy with interesting projects at least until April when the next installments arrive!

Yarn Clubs

This year I am "doing" 4 yarn clubs.  2 are ones that I did last year:  Rockin'Sock Club from Blue Moon Fiber Arts and the Vesper Sock Club from Knitterly Things.

I have made several pairs of my Vesper socks, but saw last week that I have about 9 balls of yarn that will need to be made up into something luscious and wonderful.  I love my Vesper sock yarn.  They are all striping and while I feel like I have enough striped socks, I find myself casting on a pair as soon as I finish another one.  They make up into amazing socks that have worn well.  The colors stay true, the yarn doesn't fuzz or felt or otherwise wear out.  Really very lovely.

Rockin'Socks?  Well, I have only completed 3 projects from the RSC.  The first was a pair of purple socks.  Cables...and my first attempt at cables.  I made a few mistakes, but generally I love those socks.  My one complaint is that the dye wasn't set well and the purple bled and bled and before I realized I needed to put them in some vinegar water for a bit and the bleeding has stopped...but not before it lost a lot of its color.  The other project I finished is a gorgeous shawl that I love love love.  The 3rd was a colorwork hat that I made in April last year while living at the apartment.  The hat was gorgeous but too small for my head, so it now belongs to the daughters. I have only had one month's pattern/yarn combo that I wasn't crazy about but the rest have been wonderful....Still...I want to make them all and will do something different with that yarn with the chicken pattern.

The new clubs?  Club Dragonfly (which I got a couple of weeks ago and showed you the pic of the lime green and purple cowl with dragonfly colorwork) and Cookie A sock club.  I'm very excited about these.

And you know what's even more exciting?  That 3 of these yarns are supposed to arrive today! yea!

So, all weekend, Pearl was adorable.  More so yesterday than usual.  This, is pretty much what she did all day.

And, in case you're wondering, she is NOT inviting tummy rubs...unless you enjoy getting your arm and hand chewed off.

I'm hoping to have a pair of socks to show off in a couple of days.  Stay tuned.