With a Swiftness

If you've been stalking Ravelry recently you may have seen a post from a user called FizzTheCarbonated about a swift she made using 4 clothes hangers, a lazy susan, and some clothespins. Well, I thought her idea was mighty fine and I said to myself, "Hey, I have hangers and a lazy susan...I can build a swift, too!!" I dug up all the necessary ingredients, found a bit of tape, and assembled my masterpiece. And I spun my swift in glee. Then my lazy susan came off its ball bearings (or whatever was making in spin) and my masterpiece was no longer in operation. Damn. So I trekked off to store after store until I finally found a new lazy susan (at Target!) to purchase. I brought it home, re-taped various things, and was off spinning again. Swift Part Deux works like a charm..

..which is very good because I have three more skeins of Knit Picks yarn to ball up for Alison's Nightie. I don't have a proper ball winder, but that is a-okay because at least with this swift I can sit comfortably on the couch while balling up yarn, as opposed to standing on dining room chairs with the yarn draped over the chair backs.

Not to let a wave of DIY motivation go to waste, I decided that my closet was full of a lot more clothes hangers, and surely some of those would be fit for turning into sock blockers, right?

Yep.



It doesn't matter that I have only one pair of hand-knit socks that needs blocking. Someday the sock bug might bite me again. The best part about these blockers is that they can hang conveniently in closets or from doorknobs for extra speedy drying.

*Sigh* fun time is over now. It's time to get back to knitting on Alison's Nightie. Did I mention that I am using size 1 needles? Or that this piece needs to be at least 30 inches long (at a gauge of 10 rows/inch ?!)? And there are 288 stitches/row?? Crazy, I know. The good news is that I'm approximately 15 inches in already.

Changes keep happening

Yesterday was my last day at work. I was thoroughly excited about it for weeks, but now that I am actually unemployed...well, it just feels weird. I left on a good note, though. And just in time, too. Next week the store is going to get a completely new register system and a remodel. But the best part about all this newly found free time will be that I can spend more time working on Alison's Nightie, which has to be done by June 26.

So on Thursday night the husband and I saw Ben Folds live at the House of Blues. Holy hell, that was one awesome concert. We were really close to the stage, the performance was really spectacular, and he played all the songs I wanted to hear. Everyone know that I am a Ben Folds fan to the point of lunacy, while my poor husband is not. But even he thought the concert was one of the best live shows he's ever seen. I didn't get any pictures from the show, but I did get a souvenir t-shirt. It was one major thing to mark off of my life's To-Do List.

More changes are coming up quickly. In a week my wisdom teeth are getting pulled, which gives me anxiety to no end. But at least the damn dentist will stop telling me how badly they need to come out. And soon my sister will fly out to San Diego so that she can help me load up my stuff and haul it back to Arkansas. In August I will be an official med student. I just hope that knitting time won't be completely overshadowed by study time.

Today was a good day

Although I still have one more week to go at my job, today was my good-bye potluck party. I have to say that it was a pretty touching event. I was given a card that all of my coworkers wrote nice little comments in. I was surprised all day with sneak-camera attacks. One of the women I work with said she is going to print those photos out and make an album for me to take back to Arkansas. All in all, it was a great day. And everyone loved my spinach artichoke dip! I would have taken a picture of it, but that sort of thing doesn't photograph in an appealing way, you know? It is, however, super easy to make. Here is the recipe I use:

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 pkg. cream cheese
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained very well
1 can or jar artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (the kind in the plastic tub that is often found close to the cream cheese)
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper

Soften cream cheese at room temperature. Heat oven to 350. Lightly spray a glass baking dish (8x8 is a good size.) Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into baking dish and smooth the surface with a spatula. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. If you like an extra cheesy top layer, uncover dish after 25 minutes and top with a layer of the shredded cheese blend. Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes.


On the knitting front things are at a standstill. I had a moment of why-the-hell-do-I-keep-casting-on-new-things-when-I-should-be-working-only-on-Alison's-nightie frustration, which led me to throw my hands up in the air and turn my back to all the wip's sitting on my coffee table. I did, however, pick up a couple of cute buttons from a fabric store that I learned about from crochetgurl. The problem is that I am not sure if the project for which the buttons are intended will ever reach fruition. Oh, well. I'll write more on that once I decide whether to abandon it or just plow forward.

But all my facebook friends are doing it...

I stole this meme from some peeps on facebook to celebrate the fact that my favorite artist is finally swinging by this neck of the woods, and that the concert is a mere 9 days away(!)

Rules:

Pick an artist, and using only song titles from that artist, cleverly (preferably) answer these questions. This is harder than it seems! Additional rule: You cannot use the same artist I did, or duplicate song titles even if they were performed by another artist.

Ben Folds (including Ben Folds Five)

1. Are you a male or female:
*Girl

2. Describe yourself:
*Not the Same

3. How do you feel about yourself:
*Learn to Live With What You Are

4. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend:
*Satan in My Master

5. Describe your current boy/girl situation:
*The Luckiest

6. Describe your current location:
*In Between Days

7. Describe where you want to be:
*Landed

8. Your best friend is:
*Gone

9. Your favorite colour is:
*Silver Street

10. You know that:
*There's Always Someone Cooler Than You

11. What's the weather like:
*Trusted

12. If your life was a television show what would it be called:
*For Those of Ya'll Who Wear Fanny Packs

13. What is life to you:
* Fear of Pop

14. What is the best advice you have to give:
*Don't Change Your Plans

15. If you could change your name what would it be:
*Give Judy My Notice

Oops

I cast on another project today. I am equally ashamed and excited. It was an instant gratification sort of thing. It was an irresistible sort of thing. Follow the link and you'll see what I mean.

It's blocking now.

The times, they are a-changin'.

It was just about a year ago when I began making the transition from "meh, I've knit a couple of scarves.." to being a "mufuggin' KNITTER!" Sure, I had enjoyed knitting in the past, but there were large gaps between new projects. After picking it back up last year in an effort to keep from being so damn bored at home, I really haven't stopped. As a matter of fact, I don't think I will ever stop again. Knitting isn't an occasional hobby anymore; it's my (nearly) everyday lifestyle.

Over the past year of knitting, there have been natural changes in my technique and attitude. Once I was a thrower, and an inefficient one at that. Now I am more of a "flicker" as I no longer let go of yarn or needles to make a stitch.

A more noticeable change at the moment regards the four WIP's laying about the apartment. Not that four is an outrageous number or anything...but a year ago there was no way I would start a project before being finished with another. The focus was solely on the project at hand, on which I would spend all available time, then admire the FO briefly before casting on for something else. Now there are four unfinished pieces here, each one wondering when it will receive the proper attention.


Paradise Beach Cover-Up. Lily Sugar n' Cream. The yarn is such a bargain, and the photo of this project in Custom Knits is so alluring. But the colorway is really too pale for my skin. The sizing is not right. The desire has fizzled out. Perhaps when it's time to actually go to the beach the desire will be rekindled. For now, this wip is just keeping the dress form decent.

Silky Negligee. Knit Picks Gloss Sock. This negligee is for a friend getting married at the end of June. It's knit on a fine gauge and is therefore going slowly. After ripping it out three times or so already, I have finally worked out some kinks and am about 5 inches in. Only 25 more inches to go.


Ilene Market Bag. Lily Sugar n' Cream. A coworker of mine as been very friendly lately, sharing recipes and a love of cooking with me. Since I'll soon be leaving the job and moving back home, I wanted to make her some sort of gift to say "thanks."

Psychedelic Squares Afghan. Most of the leftover pieces of yarn in my drawer are worsted, so this pattern seemed like a good way to use up those leftovers in a visually stimulating way. I've gotten up to 20 squares or so. Maybe one day I'll have the gumption to knit 76 more so that this becomes an afghan of decent size. I'm actively trying to not even think about the amount of mattress stitching required to sew 96 squares together.

At least I'm not running out of things to knit.

Hokay, so...

Want to hear a damn catchy song? Admittedly, the video is strange. But this song plays constantly in my head. Ben Folds feat. Regina Spektor - "You Don't Know Me" (YouTube)

Anyway, the reason for today's post is to propagate a meme I have seen on a few different blogs. The idea is to take stock of what knitting accomplishments one has made, and what one is interested in doing in the future.

The original instructions: Edit the list, bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.


Afghan/Blanket
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book (you never know…)
Scarf
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting/Ravelympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Teaching a female how to knit
Teaching a child to knit
Reminding someone how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Food Time

Wha what?? Two posts in one day? Yes, well, I remembered that I want to incorporate some foodie goodness into this blog, seeing as how cooking and knitting have finally learned to coexist in my life without one pushing the other completely out of the picture. Last week I made a chicken broccoli casserole, and damn..it was good. There are certainly all sorts of ways to make this dish (and healthier ways, too) but this is how I made it:

Chicken Broccoli Casserole with Cheese

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, seasoned and cooked until slightly underdone
Florets from 2 bunches of broccoli, chopped and steamed
2 cans whole button mushrooms
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/3 brick of Velveeta
French fried onions
Salt and pepper to taste

To Prepare:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Melt Velveeta in microwave and stir in cream of chicken soup.

Cut up cooked chicken. Layer in baking dish with broccoli and mushrooms (seasoning layers with salt and pepper to taste.) Spread Velveeta and soup mixture evenly over the top. Cover and bake about 30 minutes. Uncover, top with a layer of French fried onions and continue baking for another 5 minutes, or until fried onions are deep golden brown. Serve casserole with rice or mashed potatoes.

I used Velveeta in this dish because it was already on hand. But more often than not shredded cheddar is in the refrigerator instead, so I may use that as a substitute next time. As it was, the Velveeta/soup mixture was melty, creamy, and delicious. The chicken was seasoned heavily with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Overall, it was very flavorful and the husband loved it. Definitely a win.

What Was Missed

Well now, it's already May. Absolutely unbelievable. At the beginning of 2009 I wanted so badly for the time to pass quickly because I was majorly hating my job and itching to go back to school. But now reality is setting in and bringing with it some kind of melancholy. Leaving San Diego and moving back home is going to be a big change with emotional effects- and it's coming up just around the corner.

The people I work with are the potluck type of peeps, and as such they decided to have a work party to wish me good luck after I go. That was the original premise, anyway. It has since grown to encompass all sorts of other things (Cinco de Mayo, some coworkers' springtime birthdays, Mother's Day (!?), a corporate takeover...) Whatev. Even though it's turned into a party for partying's sake, it's still nice that I was considered. I mean, no other work place of mine has had a potluck in my honor before. And perhaps the best part is that it gives me a reason to make a huge batch of homemade spinach artichoke dip. Yep. It's going to be a good party.

Anyway, the other point I have about it already being May is that I haven't made any FO posts since finishing all the Christmas knitting waaay back in December. Well, after all the gifting to family members the first thing I did was to purchase some Malabrigo to knit myself a lacy camisole. It was a very easy pattern. Just join in the round and knit a long tube, drop a few stitches, sew on some straps, and voila!

Pattern: Vixen Camisole by Illana Shapiro
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in Velvet Grapes, 1 skein

Next I got an unusual urge to knit a little animal, which was probably directly related to all of the polyfill that happened to be hanging around the apartment for a totally unrelated reason. I chose a little lamb pattern that was fun and quick, but unfortunately required a fair amount of sewing to attach his pieces together. Everything was flowing just fine until it was time to sew the head to the body (the head is tilted about 45 degrees to the right) and the tail to the backside (the tail is remarkably off-center...how did that happen?) Oh well.

Pattern: Fuzzy Mitten Lamb by Barbara Prime
Yarn: Leftover acrylic in light gray and dark gray

The next urge was for a wearable garment in cotton. At first I really wanted a top-down pullover, but couldn't decide on a pattern. Hours and hours were spent searching Ravelry and scrutinizing my queue before I finally picked out a cardigan with lace panels and 3/4 raglan sleeves. The whole thing was knit in one piece, which was the major selling point. This cardigan has wonderful drape over curves and a nice wide neckline. The only disappointing aspect of the FO is that the button band gapes open like there's no tomorrow.

Pattern: Rylee by Jordana Paige
Yarn: Aslan Trends Class in Blue Jay, 4 skeins

Lastly on the list of 2009 FO's is a mesh market bag. After working Rylee in a cotton, nylon blend, I wanted to give 100% cotton another try. I had some Lily Sugar n' Cream in the stash for quite some time. The first few attempts to knit it up into a set of dish cloths and towels left me less than impressed with cotton yarn. Anyhow a market bag was on the brain for several days, so the cotton made a reappearance. It's surpisingly stretchy and strong at the same time. Good for so many things besides hauling produce.

Pattern: Ilene Bag by Hannah Ingalls
Yarn: Lily Sugar n' Cream Twists, 3 skeins

That about sums up the FO's for 2009 thus far. The next post will be about the trials and tribulations of works currently on the needles.

Starting Over

Hello, knitters. This blog is a new version of a previous one, http://fearofpop1212.blogspot.com/.
I grew tired of the layout and color scheme of the last blog, and as a result, quit posting. Perhaps a new look will rekindle my desire to write about knitterly activities. Here's to a fresh start.