PolarGrrlPurls

On Publishing and Stranding

I have noticed several trends in the knit-blog community in my brief tenure as a member. Trend #1 seems to be Publish or Perish. While this is a phrase mainly reserved for graduate students and professors seeking PhDs and tenure, it seems to have morphed into the folk wisdom of the knit-blog world. Trend #2 looks to be knitters abandoning their blogs, knitting, or both. I  can't say whether the abandonment is due to a failure to publish or some other basic cycle of the folk and fiber art communities and I am not willing to hazard a guess. As I don't intend to abandon ship, however, this may be why I am feeling a strong draw to publishing.

I am still atop the picket fence regarding publishing the Nina pattern, but while I was hanging out and looking at the view I knit up a quick scarf out of a decadent silk/wool blend yarn called Grace by Louisa Harding. And as it is a fairly simple repeating lace pattern but produced a lovely and elegant scarf, I've decided that while the Nina Debate rages on, I may as well publish the scarf pattern. Or, try to, anyway. I'm going to start with the online knitting mags and see what happens.

Several weeks ago, I made a jaunt out to Salem, MA to have breakfast and spend time with a friend and made the first of what I expect will be many trips to Seed Stitch Fine Yarn. Having just bought a bunch of holiday gifts, I was short on spending money and long on sticker shock. Nevertheless, I walked away from this fine establishment with a beautiful skein of Noro Silk garden in color #241 (I do hope Twisted Knitter doesn't mind me using her blog to show you the color - isn't that shawl stunning?! Truly lovely.) and a skein of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Baby in a rich chocolate brown (color #340011). I had a vague idea of making a stranded hat of some sort but after a thorough review of the various and sundry hat patterns, came away with the impression that I would have to write my own. Until I happened upon this interesting rendition, that is. I admit that I dislike the rolled brioche ribbed edge a great deal, and I'm not entirely sure about the first pattern segment but I absolutely adore the rest! Particularly the crown. I'm not sure who will get this hat. I refuse to wear them and this is a bit too "girly" for most of the women I'm close to, but I'll figure that out later. I may end up just putting it in the gift drawer until the right recipient comes along.

Take a look at the picture of the crown of (the very aptly named) Stranded:

Good News All Around

Things have been ridiculously chaotic with school, the biz, work, life, etc. lately. I've joined NoBloPoMo, but it seems that it hasn't motivated me to start posting more yet. I'm working on changing that, however, and have decided that I'll do my own personal version of NaBloPoMo as soon as I have my new digicam in my hot little paws. Speaking of....while the verdict remains out on whether my company's buyout and our new parent corporation will be good or bad, there has been a positive (I'm looking at it as positive, anyway) off-shoot of the sale. The Employee Stock Option Plan for my old company has been dismantled and we have been given the opportunity to exercise our options and liquidate our shares. The exercise price isn't as high as it would have been if the company had gone public, but it's certainly respectable. In order to exepedite the company's sale, the Powers That Be have decided to issue the liquidated share $ as an extra payroll deposit tomorrow. Which means a new digicam sooner than expected! Yay!!! Half will go to the camera and half will be added to my (rather anemic as of late) savings account.

In other great news, I have finished Nina! While I'm jiggering up the last additions to the pattern instructions, I'm debating submitting it for publication. A few of my knitting friends seem pretty neutral on the topic, which makes me wonder if I have delusions of my own grandeur? Hm. Anyway, I'm thinking that I might submit it anyway. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? And the sweater came out quite profesional looking, if I do say so myself (and I do ;-) ). The part I think I am most pleased about  (other than the obvious that I have a brand new sweater that I made with my own two hands that's warm, snuggly, and soft) is that I managed to design it to look and fit exactly the way I had envisioned. To me, the ability to create what I have in my mind's eye the biggest success of all. So, while I go through the process of submission and (hopefully) publishing, you'll all have to wait for pictures. Well, that, and the fact that I won't have the new camera for about another week, as the best price I found was an online retailer. Failing outside publishing, I'll likely publish it here as a PDF download in the (likely? unlikely?) event that someone else will want to knit it.

Hello! I'm Still Here

Between the biz, work, and school life got a little unmanageable for a few weeks. Sorry! The company that is my work-job has been sold to a multi-national conglomerate (no, not exaggerating all, actually). This may be a good thing.....or not. It remains to be seen how this will effect my world.

In knitting news (because I realize that most people reading this really only care about that) Nina is 98% complete. Yay!! I've finished the steeking and am half-way through installing the zipper. After that will be the collar and then I can wear it. :) Just in time for the temps to drop, actually. New England has had unseasonably warm weather for the past month and so I haven't needed many sweaters yet this fall, let alone winter coats.

Fall's Fall Sweater has been deigned too small. I'm very frustrated at the prospect of having to frog it down to the raglan shaping and re-kint most of the body. Sigh. I'll get to it, but I needed a little fortification in the form of a mismatched pair of gloves and so have been focused on that for the past week.

My digicam is well and truly DEAD. Which really bums me out. I'm working on procuring a new one, but it will be a boring blog for a few weeks. I've been in denial about the upcoming holiday season, but maybe I should wake up about it enough to keep my eye on the sales. I'm thinking about this camera. It receives positive reviews, has a good resolution, and fairly quick shutter speed. Good for the price, anyway, and a respectable camera overall. I'd love an SLR and a tripod, but that will have to wait until I'm a grown-up with real money.

And since blogs are boring without pictures, have a picture!

Still Here

I realized the other day (when I got an email from typepad billing dept. telling me that my credit card had expired) that I have not posted in ages. I blame it on complete and utter exhaustion from walking around, first on crutches, and now in an aircast. I realize this is a lame excuse (haha), but I'm sticking to it.

There has been a great deal of knitting going on! I'm on the last half of the second sleeve of Nina. All that's left is the rest of the sleeve, a collar, and the finishing. (It's really less than it sounds, as the sleeves and half the body are knit in the round.) I finished half of a new pair of Trekking socks and started swatching for Fall's brown raglan crewneck pullover.....which needs a name because Fall's-brown-raglan-crewneck-pullover is just too much to type. I'll call it Fall's Fall Sweater (FFS). I hope to have pictures of all these and possibly a few baby items (which I haven't even bought the yarn for yet) soon. Yes, baby crap. A&T are expecting. I've found a few cute (and quick!) patterns for baby crap, but I'm worried that they might not find them as cute and funny as I do. I may make the duck and frog booties from each, but make a regular aran style hat and aran cardi. I think the booties are cuter (and less disturbing, not to mention blackmail-picture-inviting) than the hats. Then again, duck feet booties, duck hat, and yellow onesie would make a very cute baby Halloween costume...either way I really ought to get on the yarn buying and knitting pretty soon, no?

School! I've really cut it close to the wire, which is likely a more accurate reason for why I've been MIA. I received my acceptance letter from State U. 2 weeks ago and sent in the $200 deposit today. I also sent in my request for registration and placement testing (required, apparently), but haven't yet gotten a response. And I'm still waiting on the accountant for the financial aid stuff. Why, yes, classes start in 11 days, why do you ask?

The Ankle Bone's Connected to the Leg Bone

I have a stress fracture of the 5th metatarsal in my left foot. They think. I apparently did it walking around Northampton a few weeks ago wearing cheap flip-flops. After Xrays and podiatrist visits and things, I'm told that a cast is not necessary for the moment, but may become necessary if it does not heal in a timely manner (read: if I cannot manage to stay off the foot enough without a cast, they will put one on to force me to stay off of it). I was given a single crutch (as I cannot use two) and essentially told "have at it!" Well, it was doctor-speak, but ammounted to the same message. So, after a little experimentation and a bit lot of cursing I managed to figure out how to use the damn thing and then quickly realized that I would have to switch to a backback, as a shoulder bag really gets in the way. I am now keenly aware of every bump in the side walk as well as where - precisely - my triceps are located in my upper arm. I've read some distressing articles about how this type of fracture is notoriously hard to heal and takes a long time. Distressing because hobbling around with a crutch will lose it's cache quickly and also because my foot is too swollen at the moment to wear my regular fall/winter shoes. Sigh. Well, I guess I must just stay off it as much as possible and see where things go.

In other news, I got my haircut at the local cosmetology school on Wednesday. Had my eyebrows waxed, too. (I have mentioned my overblown sense of adventure, haven't I?) The student who did it was very nice and pretty good. It's certainly not a $50 Newbury Street quality cut, but for $5, I'm quite happy. And as my hair grows so quickly, in a month, the minor things I don't love about it will not matter.

I'm still waiting for a shipment of yarn to complete Nina. I'm a little frustrated that Knitpicks is taking so damn long, but I guess that's what I get for choosing the cheapest shipping option. I finished the Monkey socks and like a doofus, totally forgot to photograph them before they got wrapped and put in a gift bag. So, trust me, they are pretty, soft, fuzzy, bright red, and awesome. :) I've started some plain socks with one of new balls of Trekking XXL in color #76 that I got from WEBS in Northampton while I wait for green yarn.

Twits and Nit Wits

As much as there are many many things going on in my life these days, most of them are not really suitable for blogging. Hence my current quietness. I could entertain you with stories of my experiences with the various twits and nitwits employed by the Federal Guv'mint, university administrative staff, and financial aid but trust me when I say that it's more hair-pulling than funny.

But, here's some random observations and news:

I've found that the best way to save money on your air conditioning is to buy a beautifully energy efficient window unit and then delay installing it in the window until you're halfway through the month of July. Or longer, depending upon how long my apathy lasts.

I bought a generic Nalgene bottle at Brooks for $1 and it's bright green, like the color of peridots. Little things make me happy. It looks like this only it's not the Nalgene brand and it's a narrow mouth bottle. Ok....so it doesn't look much like that at all, but you get the idea.

I've decided that since my financial universe has come to a screeching halt with the current interference from the Practical  Jokes Department of the IRS that I'm going to give the students at the local beauty school a chance to cut my hair and wax my eyebrows. They have a "sale" going on last I checked, so a wash/cut/style is $5.00 and an eyebrow waxing is $8.00. Granted, I admit to having a slightly over-blown sense of adventure. ;-)

It's been hot and I needed a break from knitting Nina, so I've started on baby crap for the spawn of A&T and a pair of Monkeys (yes, there's still room on that bandwagon) and a seater for my friend Fall.

Kitten Update: She's gaining weight and getting longer, but is still super skinny. She's discovered that she can climb the fabric shower curtain and so there are tiny little kitten claw marks all over it now. And she likes cheese and ice cream and lettuce and spinach, but doesn't really care for tuna fish.

That is all. There is no more. I'll locate my digicam and take a pic of the sock-poos tonight so that you have something to look at.

I Made It!

Yesterday morning I turned in my term paper and took my final exam for Western Civ. I. I can't believe I made it through! The prof said that he's email/call each of us today and let us know our grades from the final and for the class. I'm hoping I got an A, but I'd be just as happy if it were a B, seeing as I've been away from school for so long. The past 5 weeks of school has taught/shown me a few things, though:

1. I need to better manage my study time
2. I need a desk for schoolwork; the coffee table and kitchen table are not comfortable enough for long stints of reading/note taking
3. The kittens must be banned from the area when studying, as they like to play and get in the way and generally distract me
4. Term papers take an average of 3 hours per page in research and writing; best to plan accordingly
5. It is not necessary to re-write my class and text notes as long as I reread them once a day
6. Paying attention to the prof's teaching style can save a lot of time and aggravation in planning my studying
7. Make sure your printer and laptop are communicating long before your term paper is due so as to avoid printing problems at 3:00am the night before it must be turned in
8. Ditch the idea that you'll be able to study at work on your lunch break; it's far too distracting an environment
9. Establish study goals for each day so as to avoid doing too little one day and having to catch up the night before the next class
10. Establish a repertoir of fast, easy, cheap meals to make at home, or you will be eating take-away and delivery food far too much

The next few weeks are also shaping up to be rather busy. I'm taking a mandatory 1 credit class in research and study skills for the second half of the summer, as well as working on getting together a work space as referenced in #2, above. I also have a meeting with an accountant and then a financial aid advisor to see how many internal organs I'll have to sell on the black market to pay for school in the fall.

In my knitting world, I've gotten the first sleeve of Nina up past the elbow, but then stopped, due to the term paper and the heat. (It's been 95+ with a dewpoint of at least 70 for the past three days. Yick.) I have been giving some attention to a long neglected straight-knit sock and have gotten it almost to the toe decreases on the second in the pair. After the Desk Project, as it will now be called, is complete, I'll be taking the sewing machine in for a tune-up/cleaning (nope never got around to it last winter) and then I'll be starting on a super-simple quilt top. Even I can sew straight lines, right?

A Sneek Peek

I know that I have been talking about Nina for ages and haven't shown you a thing. That's mainly because I am on the fence about submitting the pattern for publication when it is complete. Since there are all sorts of rules about that, I've been keeping the project largely under wraps in order to keep my options open. As I mentioned earlier in the week, I have completed knitting the body of the cardigan and have now proceeded on to the sleeve(s). I ended up ripping out the 4+ inches of the sleeve I had on Sunday/Monday because I hated the increases. Have re-knitted that bit and gotten a little further, I present a Nina partial sleeve (well, a peek at it, anyway).