Stressed Out Needles (and Giveaway Winners)

Yes, I know I haven't updated in a week or more, but I think I have a good excuse. Giant paper plus Western Civ test grading equals get out of blog jail free card? Normally I wouldn't even feel guilty, but I have to announce who won the free signed comic book giveaway from last week. But for those of you who don't care about that, what has been going on in the life of this geek girl?

Well, like I said, giant papers and grading, which amounts to quite a bit of stress. Ironically, our Bible study tonight was about dealing with stress. And how do I deal with stress? I knit of course! (well, and I write random promos for Buffy Between the Lines, but that's not important)

Since last I blogged, I finished Fetching. I loved this pattern and can definitely see why it is so popular. The construction is grand and with my naturally small gauge they fit just right (I have been told I have small-ish hands). Though I loved the green in my Summer Beret, I didn't think that I would like using it in the gloves. Boy was I wrong.



(Me pretending to be artistic. Hey, I only have 2 hands and do my own photography)

The weather here has been wonky so fingerless gloves have been great for early mornings or late nights that I have to be on campus and fit nicely in my purse. I'm wanting to make more. Maybe Susie's Reading Mitts? Though those are knit in yarn that isn't sock yarn and that is currently the bulk of my yarn collection. I've recently been on a yarn spree via Ravelry users' destashing. Most (ok, fine, not most. All) of it has been verigated sock yarn. But I promise I'm finding uses for it. A couple weeks ago I bought some Socks That Rock Lightweight in the Knitters Without Borders colorway.



I just love the colors in the skein and had this vision of a haunting vampire style shawl/scarf that would look stunning around my neck. Well try as I might I couldn't find anything . . . until Ysolda released this last week as part of the Whimsical Little Knits 2 collection (sorry non-Ravelry users. It's not on ysolda.com yet). It's perfect! Right? Well, I hope so. I cast on last night and the white is a little more striking than I'd like but I think once I get a bigger portion completed it'll look like what I imagine.

And speaking of shawl-like things, I finally blocked my Angela Shawl. I was very unsuccessful in pulling out the points (asking for blocking wires for Christmas), but I think the result is still great.



Only problem is that I still don't see myself wearing a shawl almost ever, but I wore it this way yesterday (it was so warm outside by the time I got to church I had to take it off).



I also knit all of the pieces for the French Press Knits slippers (ballet flats actually) pattern on Friday night (told you I am stress). I put the pieces of one together but haven't gotten around to finishing the second, let alone felting. Not an exciting task. Overall I'd say I've been quite productive this week.

Oh! You wanted to know who won the giveaway? Well that would be Dariclone and Crystal! Email me with your address (tharensolo@gmail.com) and we'll get those sent out to you straightaway!

Cast-On-Itis: In Search of a Cure

I have a confession to make. I've been casting on projects like crazy. I'm growing concerned for my workload. You think I'm kidding? Here's a picture of my project bag.



Still don't believe me? Inside are 2 gift projects, a shawl, and a set of fingerless gloves. Plus I need to start on a hat project for a friend. It's insane. Yeah, ok, so maybe this isn't a lot for some knitters, but I'm a pretty consistent monogomous knitter. I might have two projects on the needles at times, but never this many (did I mention that the Great Gatsby Dress hasn't been touched since July?) I have a case of cast-on-itis, and I have it bad.

In addition to these projects I've been pattern surfing again (I know I know. Just bear with me). The temperature dropped significantly this week going from 90ish on my birthday (Saturday) to the 50s today. And I thought I'd never get to wear my sweaters. Well I know better now. This drop in temperature has made me desperate to knit warm items. It hasn't quite been a year since I started this blog and that was the time I actually got into pattern knitting and such, so this is the first time I've really seen all these possibilities for what they are, possibilities. There are so many cool options and I just don't have the time or the needles to keep up with them all.

As I've said before, fingerless gloves have become something I'm desperate to make for myself. I actually cast on Fetching last night (and by cast on I mean there are about 6 stitches on one of the five needles). I'm going to use the other skein from my Summer Beret. The idea of soft green bamboo gloves is very seductive. I can't wait to get more done with them. But my love really is devoted to my Angela Shawl (aka, the Traveling Woman shawl that's such a big hit on Ravelry right now). It's an amazing pattern and looks so good! Plus, it's really not boring for what has got to be over 200 stitches per row (and still increasing might I add). I can't put it down. It's like a really bad habit. And the Three Irish Girls yarn is simply gorgeous. I can't wait to put up pictures when it is done. Blocking is going to be the hardest part but I've been told that's when the magic happens (my first shawl, what do I know?)

This obsessive knitting has gone great with my tv watching. Via computer, of course, because I don't have cable and my tv isn't digital so we get 0 signal. In addition to the myriad of programs I've been watching, I've also had a mini-obsession with the OC in the past months (don't judge me, I was in highschool when it was on). I picked up the first two seasons for $20 (which is a miracle for dvd sets) and am now in the middle of season 3. I had seen random episodes but didn't really get it. My geek girl friends kept telling me to try it so I finally gave in and am loving getting caught up. It's weird in some ways because I was talking to a student about a research paper and tv came up and I realized . . . she barely remembers it being on tv. That's so strange to me. I must be getting old.

But what sort of blogger would I be if I didn't brag about my birthday? I did in fact get some knitting goodies. My roommate, goddess that she is, bought me two GIANT skeins of Bernat Super Value. One skein of purple and one of teal (teal because it's our school color. She went there for undergrad so she's a bit obsessed). I was trying to decide what to do with them and I think I'm going to go with afghan squares. I think a purple and teal blanket would be pretty cool, plus it would match the color skeem that seems to be developing in my room. She also gave me one skein of Lion Brand Homespun but I haven't decided what to do with that one yet.



Also in this picture is the yarn I went out and bought today because I found a pattern I just had to have. These slippers over at French Press Knits are absolutely awesome. I love them so much I actually bought the pattern (I know. How long did I sit and ponder Whimsical Little Knits 2?) It was $7 on Ravelry but I think it'll be worth it. The yarn is a really pretty lavendar that photographs more blue than it actually is, but you get the idea. Plus, it's a felting pattern, so I get to try my hand at that. I really think these will be practical to have because my feet are always cold, but I can't wear socks around the apartment too much or they'll get holes. The only problem I can forsee right now is that they are knit with multiple strands held together and I'm not sure how to do that.

Overall the knitting prospects, while looming large, are pretty exciting. Plus, I'm doing this to myself so I might as well deal with it. And I have two new dvd sets to watch while making them courtesy of my fraking awesome boyfriend.



And maybe some pretty roses to try to keep alive.