Victory

Esperanza is complete. I have three rows of plain knitting, and then I cast off. I can't believe she's done. It's been hours of work, and I'm so happy with the result, so far. I can't wait to see her blocked! Completing Esperanza is extremely meaningful for me. I cast her on as a symbol of hope, and as she grew, so did I. Things are so much better in my life than they were the day I cast her on, and it's so wonderful to have a physical manifestation of all of the work that went into that change. I can't wait to share pictures of her, completely finished. My Green Hope has grown into something truly lovely.

Tip of the Iceberg

Well, tomorrow afternoon is my graduate school orientation at DePaul. Unlike in undergrad, where everything was carefully spelled out, and mailed out, and charted out, I know almost nothing about what's going to happen tomorrow. I know that I'll schedule my classes, and I may have to take some placement exams. May. I have no idea. Aaaaah. But, once I get my classes scheduled, I can really get started on Operation Barista--I am absolutely determined to get a job as a barista in my neighborhood. There are at least a dozen coffee shops within walking distance, and I know that it's the right job for me. I love the smell of coffee, I love the atmosphere of coffee shops, and I love the benefits that places like Starbucks offer. I also love that I'd be able to walk there before/after school and from home. So, hopefully that will work out for me, soon, and I can have a yarn budget again! Have I mentioned that there is a yarn shop right by our apartment? I need yarn money!!

*ahem* Anyway, I've been working away at Esperanza. I reached row 80 today--which is technically halfway, since there are 160 rows, but it's actually nowhere near halfway labor-wise because each row is so much larger than the one before. But, I'm enjoying this project so much that I really don't care how long it takes, as long as I get to wear it to Vogue Knitting Live. Here is another sub-par picture of her progress:

I never think to take knitting pictures during the day, lately. I promise I'll get a good one soon. There's so much pretty scenery around here, I really should go out and take some pictures.

Oh, also, I ran a lifeline through my knitting today using the hole in my interchangeable needles for the first time. I can't even express how much time that saved me--or how much time it could have saved me in the past. The best part is, if you're using a spool of thread or dental floss, you can actually leave it attached and just knit the lifeline through, breaking it when you're done--eliminating any guesswork about the proper length of the lifeline. Magic!!

P.S. Also, I just realized today how close I am to Lorna's Laces. Immediately afterward, I began contemplating plans similar to those about Skywalker Ranch in the movie Fanboys. :D Just kidding. Mostly.

The Starting Gun and the Home Stretch

Hello, everyone. It's been a wild ride lately, and I currently have nothing to show for it. I started school this week, and have never had such an overwhelmingly busy first week. I have hardly had time to sleep and eat, it seems more like finals week than the very first days of class. Before starting school, and during the occasional free moment, I have been working on a Morlynn shawl, which I would link to if I had time, but alas. I am partially done with the edging, but it is somewhat complicated and my brain is somewhat dead. I have no pictures of it in progress, but it is, indeed, almost done. I have very high hopes of finishing it this weekend, at which point I will finally share it with you all. I will return soon!

Doing Things Right

It has been so long since I've posted on my blog that I almost couldn't remember how to log in. When classes resumed, my life got so busy and stressful that I haven't finished more than a couple of projects. However, last night I realized something that really reset my perspective. I usually knit to relax, help relieve stress, and to enjoy myself. However, I have been turning away from my knitting over and over again because the lace is too complicated for my tired mind and eyes. Last night, we were passing by a Michael's, and I suddenly decided that I needed something. I went in and bought a ball of wool and some aluminum straights, and cast on a garter stitch scarf on the spot. After knitting about ten rows, I had everything all figured out.

I am officially resigning from the Ten Shawls in 2010 Challenge. When I started working on that scarf, I had red flags waving in my brain, telling me that I'd never get the four remaining shawls done if I wasted my time making something else. I beat myself up about it for a while, and then realized that the whole reason that I knit has gone out the window for the past few months, all because I've been pressuring myself over this challenge.




This school year has been the most stressful one yet, and I certainly don't need to be spending my free time freaking out about having to knit four more shawls before midnight on New Year's Eve. Also, I'd rather work at my own pace on complex shawls that I love than churn out four more simple ones just for the sake of completing the challenge--that's not what it's about. So, instead of trying all the way to the end and failing, I am acknowledging that this is what is best for me and my mental health, and I am making my garter stitch scarf. After that, I'm dreaming of mittens and socks and maybe a sweater. The moment I gave myself permission to stop stressing over the shawls, I remembered why I love to knit.

So, I'm going to return to the stress-relieving creative outlet that knitting is supposed to be. I don't know why I took so long to figure this out. I feel better already.

Look for some posts soon with older projects that haven't made it up yet. I hope that everyone is well, and that at least a few people still check my blog!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

The past couple of weeks have been a whirling race to the finish line, to the end, to the beginning of the eternal weekend that is summer.

The opera is on Monday. After that, a presentation, exams, and I'm done.

Not only am I done, but this summer will be the first real summer of freedom for six years. The last time I had a summer of freedom, I was pretty much a child. I decided that how I usually spend my summers has really not been good for me for quite a few summers now, and I'm ready to be free of that and have a summer of relaxation and actually doing things that I want to do.

There have been many revelations as of late, and life is getting pretty great from where I stand. I just have to get through these last few crazy things.

When the opera's over, there will be much posting of pictures and telling of stories. I promise, I will be back soon, with tales of victory.

Oh--and I finally saw Blade Runner today. It was awesome.

Minutes

Things have been hectic for me lately. It's midterms time, and even when I'm not studying, my mind is so used to stressing that I sometimes find myself wondering what I'm actually stressed about.

Gaenor is half done now. I did not meet my goal of having her done in time to order the yarn yesterday. I plan on knitting my butt off tonight, in the hopes that I will get close to being done. That way, I won't feel quite so bad for ordering the yarn early, which is going to have to happen if I don't finish it tonight. This is the last picture I took of it:



I had one of it actually spread out, but I accidentally deleted it, and it's nighttime now, so I can't get another one today. You can see one of the lovely stitch markers that I got recently from babydragonjewlery on Etsy. I was looking for something cute, but these were so downright badass that I just had to have them.



I'm going to get in a good two or three hours of knitting tonight on Gaenor, so hopefully I will make real progress.





Someone decided to leave this on the garbage can by the practice rooms today. It gave me a smile that I desperately needed. I hope it brightens your day, too.

My copies of Whimsical Little Knits 1 and 2 arrived from Ysolda yesterday. It took a little while for them to get here because of the international shipping, and I'm so glad that they're here! I can't wait to make some of the lovely things inside.

We're leaving for Brahms in a week tomorrow. Wow. I'd better decide what projects I want to bring with me. I don't anticipate being able to finish more than one during the trip. It just depends on how much progress I've made on my next one before we leave.

Deep Breath

This week, this month, the past six months have all been leading up to today. Tonight, for the first and last time, I'm going to go sing my role in the opera. I'm a little anxious, but I always am when I'm waiting to get started. Once I'm up there, I feel great.

It's been a very hectic time for me. The construction in the city has only made it harder to get around, but I try to enjoy the little moments, regardless. I think that may be another reason why I wanted to do Simple Things first. It's all about the mindset. Enjoying little moments of beauty is what makes life worth living.



Here are the long-awaited photos of my brother's scarf:






He really likes it, but of course it's gotten warm since I made it, so he can't wear it. That's how it always goes, though. I made it with Impeccable, by Loops & Threads, and killed the acrylic by ironing it with a wet cloth over it.

Sunday, the Saints play in the Superbowl. That's really all I'm going to say about it. We'll see how it goes.

I finally managed to sit down and start my Simple Things shawl yesterday. I had been waiting on the right needles to come in the mail. I planted my butt in a sunny side room of my university's library, and cast on several times until I was finally satisfied. Since then, I've done quite a bit of it, and I'm quite pleased so far! I'm loving the pattern. It's so clear and approachable. Mary-Heather's pattern writing style makes me feel very comfortable. I'm going to work on it for a while before I leave to do the show tonight.






By the next time I post here, all of my work for Pirates will have culminated in-- God willing--a fantastic show, and we'll know who won the SuperBowl.

Everyone, take a deep breath.

Crunch

I have never been this busy in my entire life. I realized this afternoon, when I began to feel inexplicably ill, that I had not eaten since 3pm yesterday. I forgot to eat for 26 hours. I don't think I've ever been that busy before.

The opera is approaching, and I think it's going to be a damned good show. I'll be sad when it's over, but I will also finally get some rest.

In yarny news, I finished my brother's scarf. I will be uploading pictures of it, but I never seem to be at my own computer anymore. There are pictures on Ravelry, for now.

I decided that I wanted my first shawl to be Mary-Heather's Simple Things. Originally, I was going to do Gaenor first, but because Mary-Heather was the one who pretty much gave me that last nudge towards learning to knit, and my Malabrigo Sock in "Archangel" is going to be perfect for that pattern, I decided to start with that. Unfortunately, my prediction that I would be a tight knitter, as I am a crocheter, was incorrect, and I don't have needles small enough to do Simple Things right now. So, I'm going to have to wait until I do. I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to get to the yarn store and get them. I'm thinking of ordering them online, but I'm not sure yet. Regardless, my Simple Things is going to have to wait until I can get 3.5 and 3.25 needles, and figure out which ones will make the fabric come out like it should.

Hopefully I will be able to post again soon with lovely pictures and good news all around. This week is dress rehearsals and such, and the show opens on Friday with the other cast, and our performance is Saturday. I can't believe it's time.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus

Dominus Deus Sabbaoth...

I cannot get the Verdi Requiem out of my head. I just came from choir, where we've been working on it for over an hour. I may be doomed for the rest of the day. It's just so darned catchy.

Today's been an interesting kind of day. I have lots of breaks as it is on Fridays, but now I'm off until 6, when opera starts. It ends at 10. This makes me sad. I want to go home and enjoy my Friday night. Oh, well.

I'm not getting much of a weekend, either, due to a wedding that I'm singing, and several rehearsals and other musical obligations. Maybe next weekend, right? Ha.


On a lighter note, my friend Amanda is well on her way to becoming as much of a fiber freak as I am. She's trawling Rav with the best of us now.

Things are going to be very relaxing for the next couple of hours. Me, coffee, Ravelry, my Cranberry (which I will finally work on for a change) and a quiet, warm, dry library. Under the circumstances, I don't think that I could ask for more.