The knitting hedonist: Back to School

Monday, September 8, 2008

Back to School

As a recently graduated wanna-be language arts teacher, I'm hoping to reconnect to the substitute teacher I became last spring. That is, I hope I haven't forgotten how to survive subbing. I spent summer praying to get a full-time position, to no avail. It is disheartening and discouraging to be facing a whole year of subbing after working my tail off to get my degree and license.
Luckily I have my yarn obsession to keep me sane, even if it looks like crazy to the non-knits of the world.
Also I'm happy happy happy that my bellydance teacher, Razia is back from her tour of London and I get to start shimmying under her guidance again next week. I want to knit a dancing skirt or hip shawl, but my pile of UFO's keeps me from casting on another project.

I've been doing small projects, hats and mitts, to have a feeling of accomplishment on a regular basis. The top picture is of the "Gwen Slouchy Beret" knit in Bearfoot sock yarn. The model and recipient is my lovely Mom-in-law, Mary.
It was fun and quick to knit. It's basically Vine lace in beret form, and I'm a vine lace devotee.

I'm experiencing frustration with my blog, in that I can't figure out how to get my pictures where i want them. So even tho' I have a lot more to share, I'm gonna stop before I end up throwing my computer across the room.

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Old Blog- aka "Meredith Knits

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Current Projects

I'm really close to finishing my Stitch Diva "Sahara." I've really enjoyed the knitting, especially being able to try it on as I go. It relieves a lot of anxiety about fit and color, knowing that yes, this garment fit and looks good on you! I wasn't sure I would like the edging either, but it's beautiful and drapes nicely and the texture makes the sequins shine even more. So I'm thrilled with that. I'm also designing a cropped, tie front cardi using similar construction techniques. This may change my knitting even more than learning toe-up socks. The cardi is knit in Dream in Color "Smooshy" which I'm currently in love with because of the subtle yet dazzling changes of color. It's a light knit, which I would have shied away from before because of the smaller gauge, but now I'm able to see beyond the gauge to the superior drape that can be achieved with a lighter knit. That's not to say that my worsted sweaters don't have their place, but it will be nice to have something to wear when the weather is above freezing.
Also on the needles is my "Fit and Flare" skirt, which will likely take the rest of my life to finish, seeing as how I've barely touched it in weeks. I feel bad about it, but I have these exciting, finishable projects going. This may be the one place in my life where I can be fickle and no one gets hurt. Still, I would like to finish the skirt someday.

adopt your own virtual pet!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Favorite Projects -FO's

This is what I call the Flame Shawl. It has tiny beads at each tip along the border. I feel like a superhero when I put it on. It's very dramatic and bright.

The Snapping Turtle Skirt, with Pics!

I finally am all moved in to our new love nest, and the size of it really is nest-like. I think my husband my have gotten a glimpse of the stash size, but he didn't mention it. He hoards tools and guitar equipment, expensive things, so he can't really say anything to me about the yarn.

I've been cruising through Ravelry.com a lot and I've been quite inspired by the gorgeous projects and the time people spend communicating their fiber-love to the world.

I just finished my "Snapping Turtle Skirt" from Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature. I just turned on the italics and don't know how to turn it off!!! Okay, i figured it out.

Anyway, the construction is unique, as you knit one hexagon, pick up stitches, cast-on stitches, and then knit another, and so on. I had a love hate relationship because I love being able to fix a mistake by unraveling one hexagon instead of inches of knitting, but you have to cast on or pick-up well over two thousand stitches, and that was with shortening the length by one full row of hexagons. Also, because I chose two colors, I have a huge number of ends to weave in. I swear there must be a better way. Even so, I love the skirt, and I'll be casting on for the "Trumpet Skirt" from Knitting Lingerie Style, ASAP (maybe today!!!)

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Moving!

I've been in the process of moving for the last week, which has brought my knitting progress, social life and job search all to a screeching halt! I would absolutely hate moving were it not for the lovely place I've moved in to. Someday when I actually know where all my stuff is again I hope to post pictures. (HA!)

During the moving process I was afraid that my hubby would discover the truth of my yarn habit, but either I pulled it off or he was too stunned to mention it too me. Maybe he saw all of the yarn and just blocked it out, or possibly he realized that it's hopeless to change my ways now that its gone this far . . . anyway, I know people with much bigger stashes than mine. I'm not an addict.

I just realized that this could be read by non-knitters. If you are a non-knitter who has stumbled onto this page, and your now wondering if yarn addiction will be the "new crack," don't worry. Most knitters can afford their habits, and those who can't just max their credit cards or mortgage their home. No one will be robbing liquor stores to get yarn.

Well, as I mentioned above, my job search has been put on hold also. As a new-Master of Education recipient I need to begin by subbing. I want to teach middle school language arts, but I can sub for any grade, k-12, although I honestly don't think I could survive four hours with 25 kindergardeners. Meanwhile, kindergarden teachers would usually rather endure having their leg hair pulled out by the roots than spend all day with a group of middle school students. It takes all kinds to make a world. Or a school system. Soooo . . . It is my goal to get my info where it needs to go so that I will be ready for anything (job-wise) come Monday.

Luckily, I really like what I do and so I don't feel like it's merely stealing time that I could be spending knitting, talking about knitting or reading about knitting. I do however believe that all middle school students could benefit from a meditative yet creative pursuit like knitting. I get some of my best ideas when I'm knitting socks (never mind hat they are ideas about knitting socks)

Okay, back to unpacking and wishing that I could twinkle my nose and have all my belongings fly to their rightful place. Although, maybe imagining it will help me figure out where to put all this stuff.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Procrastination

I really want to whip out my camera and photograph all my current, recent, and favorite projects, but my unfinished resume (imagine the accent over the e) is not going to finish itself, and the mound of miscellany on my desk probably won't photograph well. On top of that, I have to find a new home and make phone calls, go to the bank, blah, blah, blah . . . a million things to keep me from my yarn and needles. Too much reality, if you ask me. So, work first, fun later. I know I will be happier with my bills paid, a new roof over my head, and several classes full of students to teach. In fact, I will be ecstatic!

Monday, January 7, 2008

My Knits so Far

My first post on my new blog! How exciting (sort of.) I've been knitting like a maniac for two years now, and I've just recently begun looking at all of the awesome blogs out there. I've been inspired by all of the knitters whose work I've seen via the internet, and I want to show off some of my own. Besides knitting, I also have been known to dye yarn and occasionally crochet. My most recent FO was a pair of slippers that I made as a christmas gift. I currently have 2 projects going: a Alchemy yarns Haiku (a kidsilk haze like yarn) lacy stole and the Snapping Turtle skirt from Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature. I've wanted to knit this skirt since I first saw it, and I found the yarn half price on a recent visit to Wild Fiber (of Knit 2 Together fame.) I'll be posting pictures of these projects and other FO's soon. I look forward to having this record of my knitting life.

The knitting hedonist