pictures tomorrow, i swear...

Edited to add: pictures!

I've been promising myself I'd post pictures of everything I'm working on. I wish I was a better photographer though. Funny thing about me and cameras. They hate me. Doesn't matter if I'm the shooter or shootee, it rarely turns out well. So I'm skipping that part for the moment. (Pay no attention to my laziness. Move along.)




Simple Knit Bodice. I swear I'm going to finish this. I've knit up to the lace panels on each sleeve, and I have to do the finishing on the neck, then wash, block and wear with pride. And a tank top. And probably a little smirk, cause it's really gorgeous.



Socks in Cherry Tree Hill's Supersock Merino in Old Rose. My feet are set on permafrost for most of the year, so I decided I need lots of warm snuggly handknit socks to keep them warm this winter. Since this yarn works up very quickly, I've finished this pair in a little under a week. Turns out the key for me is to finish the toe on sock #1 and IMMEDIATELY cast on for #2. Even if it's 3 a.m.



Christmas hats. Mad hattering over here so my big ass family will have warm heads on Christmas day. Six down, four to go. Two of those are for toddlers, so I'm ahead of the game. Maybe I should make extras or something. Yes that cream Shedir you see was for me, now it's for Grandma. She's real picky and wanted something complex. Doubt she'll ever wear it...such a tragedy.

Oh! Eunny's little Endpaper Mitts have caught my attention and I'm going to make myself a pair soon.

Central Park Hoodie is still on the menu, I'm just waiting for the yarn to arrive. I ordered some snuggly Araucania Nature Wool in a light brown color from Webs. Mmmmm I can't wait.
.......................

Enough knitting news.

All my paperwork is in to the grad school (thank you Karen!), we close on our house on the 30th (provided the builder type folks meet all our contingencies...p.s. hurry it up boys, this girl is impatient and you're stressing her out), and I have my resume out to several places, so I have some options. I asked for more money today, again (see previous posts on my intolerable lack of patience), but I'm not sure that I'll get it.

Add to that whole mess that I have an incredibly unpleasant co-worker who is about to get the very rude end of Melanie Being Pushed Too Far. I have loads of charm and southern politeness (not to mention an off-the-charts cute factor), and I normally go too far beyond all that in an effort to understand people, but when I go out of my way to engage in conversation with you FIVE whole times a day, you better fucking recognize and respond. I'm way too busy and stressed out to be bothered with somebody's bad attitude. She's stinking up the whole place and making an uncomfortable situation ten time worse than it has to be. The worst part is that it is her JOB to be outgoing and friendly. Ha. Maybe we should switch.

P.S. I take back what I said about the new MCR album. I didn't give it a fair listen, and frankly, I was in a bad mood. It's very cohesive and well done, and kinda reminds me of Green Day's American Idiot. Tight. Well played. An album, not just a bunch of songs thrown together. Me love it long time.

blahgity blahg

I'm in limbo. It is frustrating. I may become monosyllabic due to the melting of my brain in this time warp called 'everything in my life takes for-fucking-ever'. No wonder I've knit six hats in a week. I need action! Specifically in these areas:

1. Grad school. Still haven't heard about my application.

2. My job. Still don't know if I'm getting a raise at any time or in any dimension. However, work at this point completely fries my brain, so I'm not sure any amount of compensation is enough. The voices in my head want the pain to stop.

3. My house. Can I tell you guys how much I HATE to wait? I might be the most impatient person to ever live. Waiting to hear back from a finance person is just torture. I know I'm approved, now gimme my damn house key, beotch. I have decorating to do.

4. The Simple Knit Bodice. I only have the sleeves left to pick up and knit, and yet, I can't bring myself to do it. The thought of the lace panel on size ZERO needles makes me cringe. And yet if I just made it short-sleeved, I'd never wear it. Damn lace. And I really want to start on the Central Park Hoodie.

Blah.

it's about damn time

Not that I'm a raging Democrat (though I do scream in a liberal direction), but YAY!

Plus: woot.



And, thank you Britney. Take him for all he's worth.

...oh wait

...nevermind.

i'm lazy, but i'm quick

Hi! This week has been super insane, what with the end-of-month work junk, and the knitting on my purple sweater, and the buying of a house.

YES! I said buying a house! We did some budgeting and made an offer this week and the builder is meeting our contingencies. We close on the 30th! It's big and adorable and perfect (except for the things the builder is changing, specifically the driveway and yard/drainage issues), and we're both just crazy excited. (Could I use more 'and's' in one post?! I do that when I'm excited. Insert lots of giggling here.)



See that whole lack-of-a-yard thing? Gonna be fixing that.

Also, I finally sat down today and wrote the Corset Scarf pattern, with some technical help from Denise, as you can see on the sidebar. Let me know if you download and knit it! I'd love to see some of these worked up in different colors. I almost made it in black with red ribbons or totally black with red rosettes, but the Funky Scarf Swap was about funkiness, not so much with the sluttiness. I might make the black for myself, since I'm cool with the slut/goth factor.

So, to the meat of the post...since we're buying a house and almost every cent of our money is tied up, I'm going to be breaking that little vow I made a while back. I'm going to be knitting ALL my Christmas gifts. All of them. Needless to say, every one is getting a scarf or a hat. But I'm quick. I made this decision yesterday, and I've already finished my mom's Blanche hat in Jo Sharp's Silk Road, in a pretty light blue. Tonight I started my step dad's hat in a brown tweed. He's a very brown tweed sort of guy. It's perfect.

My brothers will probably get black hats with various color stripes, and most of the ladies (my grandmother, aunt and SIL) will get scarves. (Lisa, this does not apply to you, unless you want it to of course :P)

I think I'm going to reserve Tuesday nights for our LYS's Sweater Support Group night when I want to work on my own stuff.

Whew. It's gonna be a crazy few months. House, holidays and grad school (January) all at once. Somebody cross their fingers and junk.

these socks did not kill me

And I have them BEFORE Halloween, as promised. These are now my official Punkin Day socks. Or any other damn day I choose.



Pattern : Jaywalker by Grumperina
Yarn: Socktoberfest by ScoutJ

The first sock took infinitely longer than the second. Having a deadline helped motivate me to finish, and I blew through the second one. It's way cool to have handmade socks on my feet. Crafted by these two hands. These! Mine! It is reminiscent of Tom Hanks on the beach and his pride at having made a fire. I have made sock! Not just one, but two! And they match! And fit! And they're so cool I think I might faint!

My costume tomorrow is Awesome Chick in Jaywalkers. Or serial killer. One of those.

(and god did i really post 3x in the last 7 days? what has the world come to?!?)

i can't sleep

i woke up this morning unable to move. at some point in the night the muscles in my neck seized up and it hurt so much i couldn't even turn over. after several muscle relaxers, muscle creams and a heating pad, it feels better, but not enough to let me sleep.

i'm also a bit depressed, and i can't put my finger on why. i'm doing so well right now, with the whole grad school thing and looking at houses and my insomnia has greatly diminished, so i can't figure out what's bugging me. and i hate a mystery. surprises too. i like to know what's going on so much that it almost makes me obsessive after an answer. growing up, it was almost impossible for my parents to surprise me at christmas. i can hunt down a stocking stuffer like no one else. and if it's a person i'm trying to figure out, god help them. i develop a weird stalkeresque vibe and i dig and dig and dig until i find what i'm looking for. then i just retreat back into my head and contemplate what the world means with my new-found information. i can't stand being left in the dark, or worse, lied to...that just makes me want to know more and dig harder. but at the end of the day, i just want to know what's going on.

so maybe it's that in the last few weeks i've gotten a lot of messages on my myspace account from guys i used to date, with the usual wording being 'hey stranger! what's up? how ya been?'. the immediate response in my head is along the lines of 'you dumped me in college and you wanna know how the fuck i am?!? don't make me get shitty with you, asshole' and 'i dumped you and i still remember why, and i still have nothing to say'. old friends are great to hear from, but someone who wouldn't return my phone calls can fuck off. still, i can't help but wonder what the hell they're thinking. they're probably losing their hair and having early midlife crises.

ok i just stubbed my toe and cut my foot open. i think it's time to attempt sleep again. maybe.

good things

1. I finished one Jaywalker, and have started on the other.

2. I'm getting a fat raise in January.

3. I scored a 434 on the MAT, out of 500, and I only needed 374 to get in. (p.s. i rock)

4. I'm going to grad school.

many things, one post

Last week took about 3 days too long. All work and no play makes me tres boring and also a little brain-fried. And very frustrated at my job and all the changes. And I'm still waiting to hear my test results to see if I get into grad school. Also, I want to buy a house RIGHT. NOW. And then have babies (twins, please, so I only have to do the whole labor thing once), and knit lots and lots of sweaters and wee things. Be glad you aren't totally subject to the workings of my brain. Ya'll would be fried too.

Yesterday I was home sick and finally went to the doctor for this month-long cough. The usual suspects are to blame: upper respiratory infection/bronchitis. I get the same thing all the time thanks to my allergies and asthma. Allergies cause mucus, while the asthma makes my lungs weak. Slap me with some TB and call me a lunger.

While I was home, I was privy to the insane amount of cuteness that goes on here during the day. I give you shameful evidence:

Tristan snuggled in my blanket while I took a shower.



Murphy and Sydney keep the computer chair warm.



Tristan and Molly get a solar recharge.



I'm in serious need of updating, and a big shout out of "Thanks, you rock!" to my Funky Scarf Pal, Kristin.




I love this scarf. The blues are exactly me. And she sent some yummy pink yarn and lots of Asian goodies!!

And a bit of Jaywalker progress:



I love this yarn, and I am ready to wear these things already!! I wish I knit faster, cause it's getting cold around here. My toes need wool! I will finish this toe tomorrow and immediately cast on for the second one. I will have a completed pair of socks by Halloween if it kills me.

I am still going to write a pattern for the corset scarf, I just haven't gotten to it yet. But soon. It's really pretty easy, I just have to sit down and map it all out.

In other random news - go see The Departed. I love Matt Damon in many sick ways, so it creeps me out that he looks a LOT like my little brother. A lot. Good script, awesome cast, crappy continuity (so sayeth the film major), and a bit too much of the shootings in the head. I'm not a DeCaprio fan, but I totally bought his performance. Jack rocks, of course. Overall, a good movie with lots of bad cops (a total shocker, I know).

Also, I picked up the new My Chemical Romance CD today. Not sure yet if I like it. It might be a little too over produced for my sweet punk heart. But I love with a passion the Open Door CD from Evanescence. If you have any feeling for Amy Lee, you will go get it now before I steal her voice and run away to be a rock star in some other country. 'Call Me When You're Sober' and 'Weight of the World' are my favs. Not many women make me swoon, damn it. Buy. It. Now. or the drummer gets it. I'm just sayin.

Socktoberfest & FSS

**Edited to add: I'll be writing up the pattern in the next few weeks since there seems to be a tad of demand for it.


I'm back from Philly, and they kept us so busy that I had no time to knit (other than put the finishing touches on the Funky Scarf for Michelle), and I didn't even see Philly or do anything worth mentioning, aside from working my ass off.

However, now that I'm back, I've started on a pair of Jaywalkers with the Socktoberfest yarn from Scout (who is awesome, as is her yarn).

Drool at the yumminess of it all.



Aren't those colors just perfect for fall? I plan to have these finished by Halloween. I actually started another pattern and realized about 3 rows in that this yarn would make kickass Jaywalkers. And so it shall be.



As for the Funky Scarf, it got sent out on Friday to Michelle in Canada. I really hope she likes it. I went with a corset theme, using Elsbeth Lavold's Hempathy in Off White. I knit two identical strips lengthwise and joined them together at the lace section using a green velvet ribbon. I also used yarn overs strung with ribbon to create a boning type effect. Then I imbellished with some silk rosettes, and tied the ribbons at the bottom for fringe.



Some Detail!



Closer boning detail.



Yet another view.



My only regret is that I didn't have my steamer with me, as I had blocked the pieces prior to putting them together and the edges had begun to curl. They could have used a final blocking for a slightly crisper look. Regardless, I like it a lot, and when I get some time, I'll probably make one similar to this for myself.

whee

just found out i'm flying to philadelphia on sunday for a week-long work training conference.

there had better be some good shopping and lots of yarn stores, and maybe a little history for fun.

i should remember to pack my camera.

maybe i'll be able to pop in while i'm gone with knitting pics, cause i plan to take a few projects along so i can finish them. oh la la!

b'day recap

Remember how I'm not so great with the details? Let's just say we had a lot of fun at Emeril's for my big fat birthday (and thanks for the good wishes everyone!). Food was good, service was awesome, company was even better than all that. The restaurant is gorgeous and we'll definitely go back, but we'll probably just have appetizers and drinks instead of a full course meal.

My birthday was awesome. It was a beautiful day, and I just felt amazing. I spent most of the day being very high energy and feeling one with everything (cause I am everything and everything is me. ya'll know*).

And now plans are in full swing for our May trip to California. Lisa and I bought travel books, cause all I know about is LA. We'll probably fly into LA and drive up the coast then fly out from somewhere up there, maybe Portland? That would rock.

I'm madly working on my funky scarf for the swap, and it will be ready, blocked and put together on Friday. Then it's back to my sweater and casting on some socks. I have strange sock urges these days.

*(and apparently my stalkers know too. cut it out already, you suck.)

Wow.

I'm officially 30.

I guess it's ok, since I was really lucky to survive 20 (drunken near-death experiences) and 25 (divorce).

When I was very young, I was convinced that I wouldn't make it to 16, so in that respect, being 30 is fucking awesome.

And now my family officially has permission to bug me for babies.

Dear gods help me.

SKB progress

But first, a little cuteness diversion. That's Molly (stripy cat) sitting on Tristan's head in the window. I guess he was there first and she maneuvered in on him for quality solar regeneration. Ellie was sitting on the chair and wanted to say hi as I was clicking.




Here's the SKB so far. Pay no attention to my jammies and the random shit on my countertop. Can't wait to do the finishing edges on the neck to see how much it actually reveals. But I LOVE it. I knit a few rows before starting the lace after having to rip it out b/c when I tried it on the first time the purl rows were on my boobs...not good.



The lace took forever on size zero needles. Bleh. But that's what it took to get gauge. Finally finished that section and the purl ridges last night and I've done 3 repeats of the hip increases today. I should be finished with the body soon, but I'm feeling the crunch on finishing my funky scarf for the swap, so I may put this on hold until that's completed.



Also, I love these beads and I think I've used them effeciently enough so that I'll have plenty for the sleeve lace sections. They're size 11 in dark cranberry. This is gonna rock once it's finished and blocked. I can hardly wait!! I wanted to wear it to my birthday dinner this weekend, but that's clearly not gonna happen.

buzzed

this blog post brought to you by the letters C (caffeine) and Z (Zyrtech) and the number 2 (2 Dayquil).

the body is on GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO and the brain is on 'huh? slow down i'm sleepy".

yay drugs.

i heart fall

Thank the gods for fall weather and Saturday nights. Seriously. I've had a rough few days, but the wave of cooler weather and the possibility of sweaters at night have really brought my mood back around. I can't wait until the leaves change and we can go shopping for pumpkins and crunch through the dead leaves in our hiking boots. A little piece of zen right there folks. Ahhhhhh.

It also helps that last night Karen, Jenna, Becca, Jen&Zack and I went out after the play. Downtown Athens, post-football game (a win, of course), tons of people everywhere, all having a great time...just yum. I've missed giggling at fashion victim sorority girls who flash too much boob and the boys who stare at them (title of a Springer episode?). The desperate air of "someone PLEASE notice me" is so obvious and sad, and yet, I can't help but snicker at the spectacle of it all. Because it's not just one girl, it's ALL of them. (And also because I used to be one of them...shhh.) Competing for attention, when really, it should be the other way around with the guys trying to impress instead of just ogling at the free show.

Anyway, we had homefries and milk shakes at the Grill, then a stroll around the scenery of downtown. Sadly, I missed the Bling show at Tasty World, but I plan to catch them when they show up again on Halloween at the Georgia Theater.

And this week is especially sweet, because on Saturday night, my sweetie and I along with my older brother and sister-in-law will be dining at Emeril's Atlanta. I'm pretty sure I'll be having Atlantic Salmon and the Banana Creme Pie for dessert. I'll be 30 next Sunday, and I intend to revel in it!

Oh, I also created a new blog over on Vox, just to try it out, but I haven't really done much with it yet. Might keep it as my own private hideaway, though. Still pondering.

(I just noticed this post is very comma-ful, and it's making me giggle. I'm so easily amused.)

and then there's worse

turns out the whole "you DO have a job and a place to live with your six animals for free" thing, is not as certain as it seemed to be. i'll know what IS certain for me and my staff next week (maybe), but we do know than an entire division of our staff is going to be replaced, and potentially all of us will be gone once the buy goes through.

it wouldn't be such a huge deal if i actually knew what was going to happen. i don't enjoy being left without any knowlege, and no way to get any info because no one will answer a direct question or return a phone call. it was never the plan to stay in this place or this job for very long, but i'd like the choice to leave to be MY choice. it's just more stress than i need right now.

i'll be very glad when this play is over, because despite the fact that it's fun and the cast is awesome, it's totally exhausting. but it's a nice distraction from turning 30 next weekend. not that i'm freaking out about that or anything.

no new knitting content here. the poor sweater has been sitting in a paper 'whole foods' bag for over a week now, and very little progress has been made.

i swear there will be more chipperiness someday in the future. promise.

bad, good, and better

Bad: Just the tiniest hint of stress going on at Chez Lotus. I definitely took on too much this month, and I'm paying for it physically. My only opportunities to hit the gym have been my planned visits to see my trainer. Once this play is over though, I'm cycling and lifting with a vengeance. I'll also need to make an appointment with my chiropractor and a massage therapist, cause ow my body is all screwed up. Even when I sleep I don't relax. I dream about drowning and suffocating and being chased by awful things (luckily though some nice guy always saves me, or better, I figure out a way to save myself. woot.). But, I wake up strugging for air, even though I've taken my inhaler and my allergy meds. Bleh.

Good news: I get to keep my job. For now. We find out more details today about benefits and pay (do a little rain dance for more money!), and various other things with the new company. I'm still peeking at other options, but I haven't seen anything that really strikes me yet.

Better news: I'm applying for grad school this week. And taking the GRE or MAT in October. If I get all my shit together in a timely manner, I can start school in January. Woot. And still work during the day. Double woot. And live rent free! I don't think you can triple woot a double woot, so yay instead. I'm just sayin.

In knitting news, I've almost completed the lace panel for the SKB, and I'll post pics later this week. My funky scarf is coming along. And I dropped out of Sock Wars. I know, I was so excited about it. But with this play and the other things I want (need) to work on, I just don't have time, and I *so* didn't want to be out on the first round. I'm a sore loser, what can I say?!? I'd rather take an honorable DPN thru my skein than lose because I'm pressed for time. Ya'll know.

Needless to say, I've been very introspective today. This time five years ago I was getting a divorce, worried about my mom (she works across from a federal building, and at the time, no one knew what the hell to expect next), and pretty damn sure that the world was coming to an end somehow. And in some ways, for a lot of people, it did.

I guess I could go on and on about how our country has changed (for better or for worse) and how we're still not safe, and who we should blame. I haven't had any peace about it today because it still hurts a lot. It broke my heart when I visited the site in March. It made me cry this morning when I watched the CNN coverage from that day. But more importantly, it's made me really grateful for what and who I have in my life. And that is what has dominated my mind today. Yes the anger and the curses, but the gratitude is always underlying.

On to more 'trivial' subject matter. This sweater.



It is stunning. (I'm so in love with purple right now, it's getting quite disgusting.) It fits!!! (Praise all beings I could possibly name.)


But these lace rows are KILLING ME. To get gauge I had to dig out my size ZERO needles. Guess I'm really loose *cough cough*.



They are taking an exorbitant amount of time and cramping my hands in the process. At this gauge, my beloved Highland Silk is being splitty and the beads are barely cooperating. They are also photographing in orange. They are most certainly NOT orange, and if they continue to act in such an offensive manner they may get ripped. That, or the camera gets a good solid flushing. I'm also a bit concerned that I won't have enough beads to do the arms and the trim. Tragedy may ensue.

I'm so incredibly knee-deep in my purple funkiness, that I even dyed yarn that is variegated in purples. Some of it is almost magenta, some a very deep grape crush color.



This pic does it absolutely no justice. Just so you know.

list o' things

first, the offending sweater, pre-divorce.



so far it is behaving itself in ball form. i've shoved the entire bag of yarn into a drawer so it can't mock me openly.

also, i seem to have gotten myself involved in a few more things than i was prepared to handle this month.

1. makeup art direction for 'the tempest' at our local theater. i barely wear makeup myself, so this is getting interesting. still researching and drawing designs. probably gonna need help, unless time stops for about 5 hours every night while i work on everyone.

2. sock wars. i'm not a very fast knitter. guess i should pick up the pace right quick then. this is a sock i'm working on for myself from some simple cable patterns in lorna's laces chino colorway. cause i'm plain like that.



3. simply knitted bodice kal. i heart this design so very much, which is making it hard to want to practice sock knitting. progress so far. i'm using elann's highland silk in autumn purple with some irridescent pink/purple/gold beads. i had to use size 5 needles to get gauge. and i'm diligently checking gauge every few inches, lest i be insulted a second time.



4. funky scarf swap. i have the design charted and supplies purchased. just need time to knit on it a while and make it more of a reality than just 5 rows worth of knitting (though they are lengthwise rows). this is the beginnings of 'the corset scarf'. i'm knitting two separate identical thin scarves that will be joined at this lace section of each by some pretty white ribbon in a crisscross pattern. each side has two 'boning' sections, also threaded with ribbon. i think it will be pretty, and somewhat funky. at the very least, it will be unique! oh, and i'm using elsbeth lavold's hempathy (so in love).



5. and then there's work. plenty to do there. and our company just got bought, so i may not have a job next month. must look for a new job just in case. and a new apartment since my current job provides that for me.

eep.

divorce

Dear Raglan Sweater,

I really thought that this time, you were the one. I fell for your teal colored cotton/angora-ness, your softness and your shape...oh my your shape. I adore the very stuff you're made of and (especially) your gentle touch and warmth, and I even could have learned to love the way your occasional loose fiber would make its way up my nose and cause me to sniffle and sneeze. "Allergies be damned!" I said. Cause when it's love, who cares about a little nose tickle?

So where did we go wrong? When I swatched you, you were a perfect five stitches per inch. Perfect! I know, cause I counted repeatedly, as it seemed too good to be true. So I printed my pattern guide, did all my math based on what you told me, and cast on. But you, Raglan...you lied. Once we actually began, you changed your mind about your gauge. Maybe you saw me working on designs for the funky scarf pattern. Maybe you heard me talk about Sock Wars once too often. Perhaps you saw the printed pattern for the Simply Knit Bodice, and that was Just. Too. Much. And so you sought to get even. Did you silently giggle as you sent angora up my sensitive nose? Were you cackling with glee when I'd try you on and think "hmm, it seems a little big, but it's ok, it's supposed to be a tad big, and besides it's cotton and will shrink a little, so really it's perfect"? Oh how you deceived and deluded me.

I suppose I just fell so in love with how easily we seemed to get along, that I hardly noticed that suddenly you were half a stitch off and becoming far too large for my frame. I made excuses for you. Shame on me. And I would have been faithful! I diligently worked on you, neglecting all other projects in hope of savoring and embracing our time together. But no, you just couldn't trust me. I may have had other yarns on my mind, but you flat out lied. And technically, I didn't cheat.*

I made mistakes here, yes, but so did you. We could have been so beautiful together. Perhaps the timing wasn't right. Perhaps you're really supposed to be a v-neck. Whatever. It's over.


Not exactly cordially,

Mel


P.S. After I've had my way with a few other projects, we'll try again. But until then, you just sit in your bag, all balled up, and think about what you've done.


*As far as you know.