Quietish

Here is what I’ve done in the last coupla days. I could make many, many more hats and probably not run out of yarn. The stuff just won’t go away!

And something fun: I received a lovely gift from fellow Crafty Witch Jenn today in the form of a crocheted baby dragon (pictured below) and a beaded dealthy hallows sign which unfortunately for you and fortunately for me is on my neck so I don’t have a picture. Hee!

2 hats: Yesterday - Today

Leftover Ultra Alpaca from the stockings. Made like my other turned-brim hat.

Improvised hat using some alpaca from Gourmet Yarn held with some Cascade 220. I like this one so much I may need to do it again and write it up.

I’m a bit more cheerful this evening, but I’m still accepting hugs, chocolate, and other gifts ;)

It’s a weird day today, but I think that will turn out to be a good thing.

Jamie has a field trip, which meant I had to drop her off early today. I hope this means I can get some more things done. I have things heaping up and while they are not huge things, well, I get overwhelmed easily. So yeah. The promise of a little extra uninterrupted time has lifted my mood already.

I’m pleasantly surprised because as recently as last night while on my walk (dude, I really need to do a Rivendell update) I contemplated shutting down all of my various internet haunts and hiding at home with my yarn, guitar, and old German textbook. This is a typical urge for me when I am feeling the previously-mentioned overwhelmedness on top of even mild general depression. I feel alright though, because I am at least aware of The Crazy.

I’m also feeling happier because I finished my Crafty Witch Project ™ contribution last night. (Note: It is probably not a good sign that I’m viewing most of my knitting WIPs as burdens. I must explore this thought later.)

Tyrolean Stockings by Ann Budd from Interweave Knits Fall 2007, knit shorter than written, in Berroco Ultra Alpaca in “Cardinal”

I also recently did a quick crocheted beanie out of Berroco Comfort.

(Late SPS, lol.)

The Quick Hat will probably be the theme of my knitting and crochet for the next month or 2. I am needing lots of instant gratification. And hugs too, really.

It seems I’m only capable of hit-and-run posting lately. Le sigh.

But. I’m here. Not only do I have a knit thing, but I have an SPS pic too. ON Sunday. Yes.

Pattern:
4.5 st/inch gauge, to fit someone like me (22 inch circumference) CO 94 with smaller needles, knit for 1.5-2 inches, purl one round. Switch to larger needles (with which you get gauge). Knit til its big enough (I switched colors every other round, folded the brim up when the hat part was the same height and knit the brim together with that next round, then kept going). Do a crown of some sort. I go “K5, K2tog around; K one round plain; K4 K2tog around; etc” until I have just a handful of stiches left then cut and pull the tail through all of the stitches. Weave in. Tada!
Yarn:
Berroco Comfort, in Bitter Sweet and Olive. This is my 2nd hat from these skeins and I STILL HAVE SOME LEFT.
Comments:
I love turned brims; They’re so finished looking. And this yarn? LOVE.

(First pic has more accurate color.)

Leaving town again. Not bringing computer. May check email on cell phone. Those in or near Little Rock should call me. Those not should text me. Will return Friday night.

Pictures for the meantime.

Kitten

Knitting

Waiting to pick up Jamie

Crochet

Pattern:
Upstream Master Pattern by Cat Bordhi from New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book One
Yarn:
Regia Stretch Color, Farbe (color) 117
Comments:
My 2nd pair from this book. Love.

Alrighty, I’m off to tear into and sort my craft stuff. I’m itchy for some organization.

Whooboy, it’s been awhile. I haven’t been sitting here all that much this week.

And while I did manage to make 4 dishcloths (washcloths, warshrags) for my Grandma this weekend:

they certainly didn’t take all of my time. I just can’t quite remember what I did with the rest of it.

Anyway, I’m around. Still pondering the point of life and what I want to be when I grow up. Talk atcha later.

Hee!

Berroco Comfort, in brown and green. 2×2 rib. Skull cap-ish fit.

I’ll warn you now that I’m in a mood to whinge, so the post below will follow accordingly.

I shouldn’t complain. Life is good. Really.

But the crafting? Not so good.

Knitting goes. It’s fine. I’m just a bit uninspired and when I am inspired, I’m too busy to do anything about it. I would be tempted to cast on every project I have the yarn for, but I would like to keep on with my tactic of not exploding my head.

I would like to quilt. I want to try paper piecing like Jen does. I want to make up crazy HP themed appliqué designs as well. The problem? I have a very lame fabric stash. It’s a stack of highly-patterned fat quarters, mostly. This makes it hard to find anything worth cutting into tiny pieces to sew back together. And if I did have a fabric stash, I’m not sure where I’d put it anyway.

I have been daydreaming about beading. Beads are beautiful. I want to loom bead. I want to learn the peyote stitch. I want to work with tiny, tiny Delicas. I don’t know how to start though and, as is usual around here nowadays, I don’t even have time to put the research into it. Although I think I’m hitting the bead market with Susan.

Yeah, you’re right. I have so much to do that not only can I decide what I want to do more, I don’t even have time to consider. So, it’s knitting by default I guess. I can cast-on a new project in my sleep.

I’ve managed to squeak a little reading in lately, but it’s still not enough! And my little dream of one day actually writing again? Just as I lost my ability to speak German with any fluency when I quit using it, I fear I will not know how to string a sentence in English when I finally do sit down and try to put something out. I can picture showing up for my first day back in college classes (maybe next year? gulp) all eager and happy-go-lucky with pencil in hand, only to have my brain leak out my ears when the Freshman Comp professor assigns the first essay.

This last weekend I spent a few hours in the tattooing chair of a very good artist that’s working in Oklahoma now. People that do such good work always make me wistful about art. I’m annoyed that I quit back when I was in the right place to keep going with it. Now I’m all rusty and feel like I’ll never catch back up. The idea of trying for art school now is laughable. I can’t find time to sketch even weekly.

While I’m at it, I suppose I could go ahead and mention that this year I’ve also had weekly guitar lessons. Full disclosure and all that. I’ve been at it since February, when I decided that I’d been wanting to play for as long as I could remember and should finally just go for it. I’m happy, I love it, I look forward to every session. It is VERY slow going though, I assume because my practice-at-home time consists of a few minutes here and there of grabbing the thing up and playing a few bars before having to put it back down. I really am not used to not being instantly good at something. (Double negative, wheee!)

As is consistent with my above statements about not knowing how to write anymore, I shall now end this post with no real point. I’m frustrated and while I know that you all will have great advice and wonderful words of encouragement, I’m just gonna have to live through the frustration for awhile. It’s just part of my regular cycle and when it’s done I’ll pick back up and happily move along. I just like to whinge about it now and then.

At least I’m thinking about creative things, right?

Thanks for listening. For sticking around, I’ll post the pic of a hat I started last night.

Ciao.

Finished 2 hats yesterday.

Insubordiknit Monster Hat Kit

Started Sunday, finished Monday. Ripped Monday. Reknit Monday.
Cast on with Judy’s Magic Cast-On, increase, knit to desired depth.

Foliage

Started and finished last night. Cascade Baby Alpaca Chunky