Too Many Scarves

Re-inspired

I love the internet. I know some of you knitters out there can understand this.

The whole Cute Little Red Sweater debacle really made me lose some of my knitting mojo (for a lack of a better word. I never use that word but I couldn't think of another one that fit the bill.)  I always feel so defeated when something doesn't work out. And it's even worse when the mistake is something that could have been avoided.

The problem with the CLRS? The armholes are waaaay too big. I know I have tiny arms...why didn't I pay attention to the measurements on the pattern and modify it?!

*sigh* 

So...I may rip back and make modifications, although I really don't know how I am going to do that since they are set in sleeves. I may just re-do the whole thing. And I also may just make up my own pattern.

So how does this relate to the internet? I came across the KnitPicks podcast with the Yarn Harlot this morning and it just re-inspired me. She says something about how new knitters will say things like, "I can't wait till I am a really good knitter and I don't make mistakes anymore" and how that's hilarious. It's so true. Even the most experienced knitter make mistakes.

I feel a bit better now. Maybe after I finish the French Market Bag I have been working on I will go back to the Cute Little Red Sweater.

Sad face...

I don't know if I find anything more disappointing than when after weeks of knitting something, I realize it's just not going to work out. I'm talkin' about the Cute Little Red Sweater. *sigh*

I can fix it, but I'm a little exasperated right now and think I need a little time away from it. Maybe I'll pick it up again in a few weeks.

Always procrastinating...

This ones for Lara:

A real post later...

Just a bit of what's going on...

It seems like there is either absolutely nothing going on or too much to even know where to begin.

Right now, it's the latter for me.

I wish that "starting a new job" was one of the things going on right now, but it's not. *sigh* I have plenty to keep me busy though.

I'm taking a sewing class that has really inspired me to go further with the craft. I've seen a few patterns for dresses that I might just try one of these days. I really love dresses, although you'd probably never know it by looking at my closet. I wear jeans and t-shirts most of the time because they are "easy". But so are dresses (Come on! It's and outfit all in one!) but I rarely see any I like. Necessity is the mother of invention. So I'm going to try and make one. We'll see when I get around to that though. For now, it's more aprons:

My friend Brenda saw the apron I made and promptly asked me to make her one. Brenda is one of my biggest fans. If I make something and show it on here she asks me for one. I love it though, it's never an inconvenience, it's flattering :)  And how cute is this fabric?!

Brenda said she could send me some more because I love it so much. I think I might use this for my first venture into quilting.

The sewing class is just a beginner class, but I knew I was missing out on a bunch of basics considering I basically self-taught. The project is a pair of pajama pants, which I've made before, remember these? * but can't find a picture of. But this is what the current pair for the class are being made of:

I love the retro 50's cowboy thing. Don't know why, but I love it.

They should be finished up next week at the last meeting.

My Cute Little Red Sweater should hopefully be done by next week too. I am sooo close. I ran out of yarn goddammit! All I have is a couple inches of a sleeve and the button bands left.

Since I haven't had a chance to go get more yarn yet, I've been moving along on the French Market Bag:

What a boring little brown lump. Anyway, it's stash busting. Woo hoo!

* I just spent nearly an hour trying to find an old post that had a picture of the pajama pants. Can't find it anywhere, but I did have a nice little trip down memory lane. It's so weird to think of my life back in 2004-2005 when Randy and I were in San Francisco, it seems like so long ago.

Things that may or may not interest you...

In bullet form:

• I have signed up for some classes in the fall. For those of you that may not know, or remember, I dropped out a few years ago and this is a big step for me to finally go back.
• I am still working on the Cute Little Red Sweater. I could be done with this in a matter of days if I just put my mind to it, but I'm dragging my feet because I am not looking forward to picking up stitches for the buttonband.
• I'm also not doing so well with the "one knitting project at a time" thing right now. Truth be told, I've been looking at my stash on the bookshelf (the one that spurred a friend to recently say "Are you planning on opening a yarn store?" Ha. If they only knew how much more I had hidden around the apartment.) and I've been wanting to get rid of it. Badly.So I've been doing some stashbusting. A couple of hats and now there is a French Market Bag on the needles.
• And lastly, I think Randy and I just committed ourselves to a 50 mile bike ride around Thanksgiving time. Woah.

What I've been up to...

In picture format:

 

Apron...

A couple of months ago I started this apron.

Remember this picture?

I had cut out all the pieces, sewn a few pieces, then my machine jammed and I had to take it in to get it fixed. The apron got forgotten about until a few days ago.

This is almost as cute as the earrings Carrie sent me:

Here's the other side, and with the tie in the back instead:

I love this thing. I love it so much I am tempted to wear it in public. I won't, but I would love to find a dress like this though...

I thought I was going to like the polka dot side more, but I think I prefer the floral side.

So there you have it. The cutest thing I have ever sewn.

New things...

So I've been in the mood to blog more lately. Probably because I've been doing things or wanting to show off some recent acquisitions, but you know what? I really don't like this new set up on Typepad.

Have you noticed the gap after the pictures in the past couple of posts? I had to do that so the text wouldn't wrap on the side of the picture. Now, I know there's options when you post pictures but I haven't worked out the combo where the picture is decent sized and the text is not wrapped. We'll see how this goes today. If there are gaps you know I walked away from the computer cursing.

Let me show you first, the best thing I have received in the mail in a long time:

Oh my god...how cute are those?!  Carrie made them, blogged about them, I commented on how cute they were and she sent them to me. She is fabulous. And very talented! I know they were some of the first pairs you made Carrie, but really, they're very good! I'm sure you all will agree with me. I've toyed with the idea of getting to this kind of thing, but Tracey claims she has no hobbies and she likes the idea of beading so she says I need to leave this for her. Ha ha! That's fine...just as long as she makes some stuff for me!

Another recent acquisition:

I've always wanted Keens and last night when I was at REI, I'm telling you, it was fate. One pair, on clearance, in my size and the perfect color. I would have taken the light olive green color I've seen some Keens in too, but this rust would have been my first choice. They are soooooo comfy. I originally tried them on just out of curiosity (I mean, I shouldn't be buying shoes, I am unemployed!) but, my god, as soon as I put them on...it was over. I got out the credit card. Horrible, I know, but I don't do that too often. I don't consider myself to be an impulse buyer but they were that comfortable. Now I want more Keens.

There are a few other things I wanted to talk about, but so far, Typepad has been cooperating and I don't want to push my luck. Tomorrow, pictures of the cutest thing I have ever sewn.

*I figued out the picture problem on here. Yay for being smarter than the computer.

Let's try this again...

I can't bear the idea of typing all the Orangina info again considering I've done it about 5 times now. So here you go.

Done. 2 months to the day that I cast on. I don't know if I will be doing another lace project for a while. This one was really testing my patience for a bit there. It has nothing to do with the pattern, Stefanie did a great job, it's written very simply, it was my doing. I just wasn't paying enough attention.

It's supposed to be a little more loose fitting, but I kept hearing on Ravelry how some were stretching out, so I took that into consideration and made a smaller size. I've already worn it a few times and have received compliments.

I might make one slight change soon though, if I can find what I want. Buttons at the shoulder seams purely for decoration. I put these on originally but then took them off because it wasn't quite the effect I was going for.

I want something that looks a little more antique to go with the lace. Anyway, it's good enough for now.

Testing...

This is the second time today that I have tried to post with pictures (I think its the pics that send the computer over the edge) and out of nowhere it says Internet Explorer has stopped working and it shuts down Typepad.

Just a test here...

Ok, well it seems to have worked this time, but I really don't like the new set up here on Typepad. Ok, I'll try again later with a real post when I have regained some of my patience.