Archive for the 'Miscellaneous' Category

Losing Socks

h1 Saturday, February 14th, 2009

Losing things is never fun.  But when those things are your first pair (I stress the word “pair”.  They were actually my third and fourth socks, but the first two weren’t a pair and one was freakishly large–even for my feet) of handknit socks?  It’s terrible.

I didn’t know that they were missing for a long time.  That’s because I knit them during the first few weeks of summer.  No one in their right mind would wear wool socks when it’s so hot that they might cause a heat stroke.  So I did what any self-respecting knitter would do–and threw them onto a pile of stuff.

About a month ago, I remembered these socks.  I also vaguely remembered which pile I threw them on.  But even after moving the pile around a few times in search of them, I still couldn’t find them.  I thought of them as sort of an offering to the Sock God.  Maybe, I thought, these lovingly handknit socks would stop His Mighty Sockiness from wanting more offerings from me.

There was a gift card on a pile next to The Pile, but it went missing just when I needed it.  So there I was, on my knees with my arm between the two, when I touched on something dusty.  Lo and behold, my sock returned to me.  Convinced that the other one would be nearby, I continued to search.  Soon after I was sitting, lovingly picking off dust bunnies that were large enough to eat a bunny.  My pair–the first, ever so special, pair–were reunited with me.

Now I sit wearing them, even though they’re still quite dusty.  I wasn’t able to find that gift card, but these are much better.  Never will I just throw them onto a pile.  Well–unless it’s summer.

That Crochet Sphere…

h1 Thursday, January 29th, 2009

…is actually working!  I have now finished half of the wedges for the sphere.  I’m hoping that they will work!  I’m glad I stopped the first one, because it was way too small.  I don’t know how I convinced myself as long as I did that it was going to work.  I was almost halfway through it when I realized that it was about 3″ diameter (the goal was 6″).  Even after a late-night realization that my calculations were off (darn you arc length!! *brandishes fist*) I continued crocheting on it.

The only reason the knitting sphere worked was that knit is much stretchier.  And I did stretch it a lot.  Now I have to decide whether I will redo the knit one.  I guess it all depends on my laziness (be afraid. Be very afraid.).

A Finished Bear and Crocheted Sphere

h1 Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Last night while watching The Savages, I finished up my bear for the Mother Bear charity.  It took me about an hour to just seam him up, since I had so many ends to weave in, too.  The Savages was a good movie.  It was one of those ones that have a “bittersweet” ending that I like so much.

For my senior project for high school, I am knitting/crocheting/sewing spheres with my own patterns.  I have already finished the knit one, though I made a mistake in the pattern.  Knit is so stretchy that it worked anyway.  Today I finally figured out the math for the new crochet pattern. (The first crochet pattern was not even close to spherical.)  Now, I know it is probably much easier than I made it, because I had to use Calculus.

While watching my Guilty-Pleasure show (The Secret Life of the American Teenager–so cheesy/over-emotional but awesome none-the-less) I crocheted the first wedge.  Just 5 more to go!  I hope I don’t run out of yarn…

Too Busy to Craft

h1 Sunday, February 3rd, 2008

Homework has been overwhelming the past few weeks.  AP tests are in just a few months, so it is going to get even worse.  Sadly, I have been so busy that I have no time to spin, sew, or knit.  I haven’t even touched my wheel in over a month.  Yesterday I was looking at Fiber Friday over at Craftster,  and felt the need to spin again.  In an impulse buy, I ordered 4 oz of roving and a 4 oz batt from copperpot.  I figure that I have got to make time to spin these beauties once they arrive.

The one craft I have been squeezing in is crochet.  I’ve been crocheting 7×9″ rectangles for Warm Up America.  Mostly while watching Friday Night Lights, Season 1 on DVD.  In fact, I watched the whole season in a week.  What can I say?  When I like something, I kinda get obsessed.

I saw Hairspray last night (the stage musical) and it was amazing in spite of the terrible seats.  I wish I could start wearing my petticoats and circle skirts again, but it has been cold and wet.  Jeans are so much easier.

I’ll post the yarn I spin once I get it.

Acrylic

h1 Monday, December 24th, 2007

I have a problem with acrylic.  No, I’m not a yarn snob.  My problem is that acrylic is just too affordable.  I go to Joann’s or Michael’s and can’t stop myself.  Next thing I know, I’m sitting at home with five new skeins of yarn around me with no idea how I got there.

I’ve got a bin full of different acrylics and no idea what to do with them.  An afghan won’t work out, since I don’t have that kind of attention span.  The last time I tried that, I ended up with more yarn.  So — scarves.  I know I am in California where it is only cold enough to wear for a month or so, but I’m desperate.  Yarn is being stuffed in every spare space in my closet.

I need to get rid of some of my stash.  Today I’m gonna start my first crochet scarf.  No idea what color or pattern, but it is happening.

Then again, there is a sale at Joann’s today…