Goodbye. Hello.

I planned on posting a blog last night, but when I finally had a minute at 4AM (I'm not getting anywhere on the go-to-bed-earlier front), I decided that it might be better for all involved for me to wait until today to post something that would most definitely be more coherent.


I watched the last sunset of 2009 from the passenger seat of Ben's truck as we returned home after giving a friend a ride to Slidell:



I felt such a sense of contentment as Ben and I cruised down that quiet strip of interstate. My life--all our lives--have improved so much over the past few years, and things are all in place right now.

We headed home to console a somewhat antsy Smokey, who does not like fireworks:






But, the best part of the night was definitely me managing to get my Evil Stepmother into the bath about five minutes before midnight. I hadn't even considered that I would be able to finish it last night until I realized that I had reached the end of the repeats. It took me a very, very long time to get all of the ends weaved in, but I got it underwater at 11:55. I pulled the pins out this morning, and I couldn't be happier with it.

Here's the play-by-play:


Before:


In the bath:



I love this picture.


Blocked. The book's still there for size comparison.



Looking fabulous in the morning light:






Unpinned and ready to go:



Happy! Happy! Happy! I'm really thrilled with the drape. This is my first sock yarn shawl. But, it most certainly won't be my last! They'll be a post soon involving my brainstorms for all of the sock yarn shawls.




The Facts:

Pattern: All Tied Up Version B by Mary Beth Temple

Yarn: KnitPicks Imagination Handpainted Sock (50% Superwash Merino, 25% Superfine Alpaca, 25% Nylon) in Evil Stepmother--2 skeins (438 yds)

Hook: D (3.25mm)

Size: 43" x 15" (after blocking)


I started the next shawl almost as soon as I was done pinning this one out. I'm using a pattern called Magnificent Mantle by Selena K. It's a crocheted version of the Aestlight Shawl. I'm trying to figure out gauge, because her pattern calls for worsted, but I want to use sock.

I ordered a ball of Zauberball in Cranberries



in the hopes that my mock Aestlight comes out looking something like TsunamiTattoo's did.

Still trying to figure out what hook size to use. I hate using huge hooks with fingering weight yarn, so I'm going to probably wind up with a slightly smaller shawl than the pattern dictates. We shall see, we shall see.

I really wanted to get a picture of the "blue moon" last night (the first one on New Year's in nineteen years, I read), but by the time I tried to, it was too cloudy.

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful, happy New Year.

Many Victories

I find it amazing that I often get less rest during holidays than I do during the normal year. Because I have so much free time, I stay up even later, and then I try to get up early the next morning so that I don't waste the day. Ultimately, I wind up totally whacked out when I go back to school. I'm really going to try to keep this from happening this holiday, but I'm going to have to start fighting it now. I've stayed up obscenely late almost every night, so far.

Generally, the past day has been full of win. There was massive owning at Pictionary, and the beating of Halo 3 by Evan (and crying by me, as always).

But, best of all, was this:



That is Evan. Yes, he is crocheting.

Last night, he expressed an interest in learning how to crochet (after talking to me for quite some time about how absolutely wonderful it is) and I told him that I would teach him today. We started, of course, with the chain. Because I wanted to teach him just like I was taught, I sent him home with some acrylic and one of my hooks (no one can ever doubt that I love this boy), and instructed him to practice chaining until I see him again over Spring Break. I spent a lot of my childhood practicing the simpler stitches, and it really benefited me.

I'm extremely impressed with how quickly he grasped the concept, and how enthusiastic he is about it. I taught him both pencil (what I use) and knife hold, and he chose knife hold, for the time being. I think it will work better for him, because he has big hands. I am mega proud of him, and I can't wait to teach him more when he comes back. Ben captured the last few minutes that we spent with Evan before he left to go home again (sad face). Me and my Evil Stepmother, he and his blue acrylic starter chain: shoulder to shoulder.




These are the moments that make me remember just how wonderful my life really is.

Trucking along

I just finished winding the second skein of Imagination for my shawl, using my favorite swift (read: my knees) and my favorite ball winder (read: my hands). I sometimes toy with the idea of buying a swift/ball winder, but I really don't have the space for it in my room right now. When Ben and I have our own place, I may get one, but I really enjoy the personal feeling of winding every yard of my yarn by hand. My mind may change later.

So, today we went to Borders with Alex, Ben's brother, to pick up a book. Normally, I have a reasonable amount of restraint in bookstores. It almost makes me sad to go into them, because I want so many of the books, but I don't like to let myself buy them, because it always snowballs. We spent at least an hour browsing and enjoying the loveliness of the store.

I caved.




I've been wanting Abundance, At Knit's End, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but the other two were spontaneous. One is about the Salem witch trials, and one is about China. I don't know much more about that last one yet, but I read a bit out of it, and it seems like it's going to be amazing. I love reading fiction that is immersed in other times and cultures. I never buy this many books at a time for no reason, but I'm really happy to have these.

I sent a message to the designer of All Tied Up, and after reading her response, I think that I'm going to tackle the seams on the shawl soon, so that I can stop thinking about them. It seems like they're looming, and every time I stop to look at my work, that's all I see. I'm going to get it done now, so that I don't get any more psyched out.

Ben and Evan, a good friend of ours who lives too far away, are beating Halo 3 on Co-Op while Evan's here for a visit. He's leaving tomorrow night, and I'm very sad to see him go. We only see him twice a year, and we're such good friends. I find it amazing how close two people can become so quickly. I only met Evan a few years ago, but I feel as if we've always known each other. I think that my favorite thing about the holidays is getting the time to see the people that you can't see any other time of year.

It has been decided today that men are like Rocket Launchers, and women are like Spartan Lasers...because they are apparently Vehicle Sniper Rifles. LOL.

Well, it looks like they're saving the final mission of Halo until the morning. It's time for a match of Extreme Pictionary. I love the holidays.