Knitting Class

I've been taking a knitting class at HCW (my local LYS) - Top Down Knitting. We are learning how to design and make our own raglan top-down cardigan/pullover sweater/top. Everybody is making a cardigan to start with. This class is so much FUN! Not only are the classmates kewl and the teacher wonderful but the companionship of sitting, visiting and knitting with others is way fun! I am learning and passing on tips, too. Everybody has their own way of doing things and sometimes you just want to clunk yourself in the head (ala the V8 commercials) that you didn't think of "that".

Here's my progress after class one:

Here's my sweater a little later:

The yarn is Mille Colori by Lang, color 586. It's 50% wool, 50% acrylic and it's a singles. (For those who don't know or spin, it means a single twist and not plied). I am using size 10 (6mm) Addi Turbo circular needles. With the Mille Colori I get 4 spi for the gauge.

I am now past the armholes and working the body. This is so neat - almost no finishing (as in sewing seams). When you're done knitting, you're done!

I am going to make another one from this yarn:

It's Kochoran from Noro, color 46. And this is what my swatches look like:

The top one is too tight (size 10) and the bottom just right with size 11. It's looser and softer which is what I'm going for.

I've signed up for another class next month with the same instructor - Fair Isle Socks!

PUUURRRfect Haircut!

Tuesday was a busy day! I went to class (I'll tell about that in a separate post), got my Jenny food, went to the grocery store and got my hair cut. And that's not telling what I did after I got home! Whew!

Now here's the wooly sheep BEFORE story:First, I whacked off about 6 inches myself. This is me (below) in the shop preparing for the shearing. My hair hung down past the middle of my back before the first whacking.This is the first AFTER in the shop. Still too long and full, but I lived with it for a while - just to be sure I really, really wanted to go all the way.

Here is me at home from the front about 3 weeks later. (below)

Wooly, wooly! Too full and full of static as well. Oh man. A good haircut (she's really good!) but too full for me. Here's my new haircut: TADA!

It is very difficult to take a picture of the back of your head. UhHmmm.I've slept on it in these pics, but it lays down better when I haven't. My Stylist is wonderful! I knew I could trust her (and I'm super picky about my hair) because she cut my mom's and it is beautifully done. If you live in Austin and you want her name and info - let me know in the comments!

Friday Weird Weather

The weather report is very weird this morning. There were SNOW FLAKES seen in North Austin! It's almost 40 degrees right now, but yesterday a COLD front came through and the daytime temp here never got above 49 degrees. I went out and the temp kept going down!

It rained on and off all day yesterday, too. ANd the wind! Wow. Very strange. I am surprised the weather is this weird. ANd of course, I had to go out in it!

I have a few real chores to do today, but mostly I want to knit on my "homework" from knitting class. Perfect knitting weather!

Monday again - but it's raining!

I am TIRED. I need a few days off from everything. I was out every day last week. Yesterday I did laundry all day to try to catch up. Today, more of the same. The good news is, it's finally raining! We had some weird weather last week. HOT, hot, hot. NOw it's getting cooler again. So strange. But hey, it's central Texas - wait 5 minutes and the weather will change again. That is why I keep a sweater, hat, extra shoes - in the truck.

There is so much I need to do - but I just am not going to be able to do a lot of it this week. I am just TOO TIRED. I WILL go get my hair cut though. I feel like an unshorn sheep! Did I mention I whacked my hair off??? It started with me chopping off 6 inches or so. WAited, but then made a final decision to go short. And I mean SHORT. Went to my stylist (she's a friend) and told her short - she didn't believe me! My hair was so long, it was hanging down the middle of my back and I HAD to either braid it or big-clip-it. I just got tired of it. I'd had it long for years. NOw, I do love to french braid it but the time has come to give it a rest.

Well, she cut it - but not short enough. I've lived with it for a few weeks now and I want to go really, really short - like one and half inches short! My hair is thick and wavy. Oh and one other thing about it - the longer it is, the curlier it is. Just the opposite of what you'd think it would do. It would make ringlets if I let it. However, the shorter - the straighter. It has a lot of body - no blow dryer here - just wash, comb and go. Wash and Wear hair!

I have an appointment for a cut Tuesday afternoon. I'll put up some pics after the final length is right.

The problem with having short hair is I have to get it cut about every 3 weeks. It grows fast. I must admit I am enjoying the fact that I don't have to pull my braid out of my purse strap anymore - or the seatbelt in the truck! Or pull hair out of my mouth or flick it back when it falls in the front after I've bent over. Or shake my head for the same reasons. HeeHee! Ah - I think the freedom of short hair outweighs the slight sadness of cutting it off.

Still Busy with Spring Cleaning

Busy Sunday, too. I did the laundry today instead of my usual Monday since I have to be gone. DH did some yard work and planted some Marigold seeds. Hmmmm. We'll see if they come up. They are supposed to grow in the shade.... Still didn't get the porch roll shade put up. Darn.

We went over to Mom's in the afternoon and he worked in her yard a while - mostly getting rid of old, dead plants and some unruly weeds. Checked out her sprinkler system, too. We stopped at McD's on the way home since it was late. French fries! Oh so bad for food plan but boy did they taste good! Chicken strips were kinda over-done but I ate them anyway. Needed the protein. Probably should have opted for the Subway but neither one of us really wanted to get out of the truck. Pooped is a mild word for it.

I did some video edits today, too - while waiting on laundry in between changing machines. I even managed to KNIT on a sock this afternoon!

Busy Spring Day Saturday

Wow! I had no idea when I went to bed Friday night that Saturday would be so busy and productive. We went to Lowe's and came home with 2 huge shelf units which we put together after taking most of the stuff out of the garage (just the stuff on the floor). We had one of these big units already and 2 other, smaller units - which were re-organized last spring and had pretty much stayed nice. There were some things that came out and didn't get put back but I took care of that, too.

I love those clear, plastic "boxes" you can get at Wal-mart (well, just about anywhere now) 'cause you can see what's in them without having to open them up! I also have a label maker that was put to good use. We aren't quite finished putting things away. Our son needs to get his stuff put up there, too - which includes cleaning his room some more and I need to buy some more plastic boxes because 3 of them were too tall to fit! Oh well, maybe DS can use them in his room.
My DH had a "workbench" on the washer/dryer side and he put that out on the back porch to use while gardening. The other shelf went in it's place. Wow - what a difference in the garage! Most everything has a place to be now. It's great! I can't wait to completely finish it.

And yes, it is very spring-like here. 80 degrees!

Maizy Start

Since my Mom is having eye surgery next week, I needed something to knit in hospital and then at her house for after. I have lost another pound so I gave myself permission to use new yarn - Maizy!
This yarn is 82% corn fiber and 18% elastic Nylon. It is very soft (even before washing) and I am getting about 8.5 spi with #0 Addi Turbo circular.

Pattern: Lava Flow Socks by Sock Bug
Yarn: Maizy - solid=Sea Gray 1281; Multi=Miami Nice 1004
Mods: I used Judy's Magic Cast On for the toes and am working toe-up with Magic Loop. I plan to use PGR short-row heels and a 1.5 to 2 inch rib at the top of cuff. Toes and heels will be solid.
The yarn is a little bit splitty, but once you know that it is easy to remember to "scoop" a little deeper than usual and you'll catch any stray strand. It's really not bad at all.

I have a pair of sea green pants to re-hem that these will go with. Also brown pants and a green-ish top come to think of it! And my brown Birki clogs! I've been wearing my Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream socks with this outfit, too.

Knitting With Oddments

The socknitting email list I am on has been talking about flying and not being able to take knitting needles (pits). Someone said maybe we could knit with pencils!
Now, in my mind, it seems a pencil would be a worse weapon than a circular knitting needle!
Well, in my quick search I could only find two mechanical pencils. Does this say something about the times we live in?

I did knit a bit with the mechanical pencils and it can be done. I've knit with toothpicks in the past also. Hmmm... what about bamboo skewers? A little sand paper, a coating of nail polish - it's a thought. Hey, just give me a Wal-mart or a dollar store and I can find something to do!

Thursday Feb. 21: Food - of All Things

Meatball Sandwich for lunch - Jenny Craig. This is year two for trying weight loss with JC. Last year, I lost 16 lbs, went off JC in August (mom's accident/surgery) and 6 months later have kept off all but 5 lbs!

I like the fact that you don't have to make hard food decisions. You make your menu for a week ahead of time and buy your JC food and reg stuff accordingly. You're all set for the week. You follow your menu (there are always some deviations, but that's ok as long as you keep in mind WHAT you are eating) and drink water. Try to exercise as much as you can -with me that is difficult. I love to walk but don't live in the best neighborhood right now. I do have an exercise bike and it is where I can use it. I am looking into weight training, too.

I am kind of different where food is concerned. I FORGET to eat. Food is not that important to me. I have to eat on a schedule or I forget! I have also found that I don't lose weight if I don't eat enough. Weird, I know. With JC, it seems I'm always eating! I guess being borderline diabetic that is a good thing. I have to eat to keep my system in line!

I want to look into vegetarian eating. I would have been a veg a long time ago, except I married a meat 'n tatters kind of guy. Well, if I have my way, our way of eating is going to change for the healthier in the future. Let me get to the weight I want (meanwhile introducing new veggies etc into our eating) and we'll get there.

After 32 years of marriage, I am still learning things about my DH. I found out (and I'm sure he didn't mean to let it be known ) that he is a veggie chopping demon! Whoa! He is in for it now!

Waterfall???

Look what I learned to make last night! It's called a Waterfall Fold. This is so kewl! I don't know how to plug in a video on blogger, but you can see the first one I saw here
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sJgwd--i14) at YouTube.
The instructions are here
(http://sbl.tvweekly.com/player.php?3b2af33bd989e706e9f5de79edef886dz971) at The Scrapbook Lounge at tvweekly.com. This is very cool site! The video archives have some really neat techniques. You can also download the video for iPod (iTunes) and get a PDF file of instructions.