Life / Book / Knitting Update

     As I sit here and write this, I am at work. Since I last posted on here in March, I have had two jobs, graduated high school and started college. (Officially as of next Tuesday, but I've already cracked open my textbooks.)

     I guess we'll start with the jobs. I started working at one of the local hotels towards the end of March until the end of June. I won't get into the specifics here, but I quit. At the end of July, I started working at the other local hotel, which is where I currently write to you from. I really enjoyed the hotel environment and wanted to stay with it. My new boss is great, and totally accommodates my schedule and being a student. Down side? I'm a night auditor. This basically means I come in at 11PM and clean up, run the end of day reports at 4AM and then have breakfast out between 5-6AM. Not many people check in after midnight so I get a lot of time to read, knit, and study.

    Graduation was pretty great! My mom surprised me and had the party at our family reunion so that everybody could be there. It had been in the works for months and I had absolutely no idea!

     I start college on Tuesday, August 29th. I've already taken two semester's worth of classes, but the college I'm at right now didn't accept most of them so I'm still considered a freshman. This semester I'm taking Biology for Science Majors w/lab, Essentials of Lifespan Development(Psychology), Interpersonal Communication (Speech), and College Algebra. I'm pretty excited, I've already gotten through the first chapter of my speech and psychology textbooks, and my biology textbook should be here Friday. I didn't buy an algebra textbook because it wasn't required and I wasn't spending $300 on a book I wasn't going to need.

     As for reading, since this blog is primarily reading and knitting, I've finished 15 books since I last posted a "Finished Reading Friday." I'm working on reviews tonight as well, but here's a list of what I've finished.

1. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (Audiobook)
2. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (Audiobook)
3. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
4. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
5. Marked by PC & Kristin Cast
6. Betrayed by PC & Kristin Cast
7. The Siren by Kiera Cass
8. Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
9. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
10. Seige and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
11. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
12. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas
13. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
14. Caraval by Stephanie Garber
15. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

     Books I'm reading (currently and just haven't finished.)

1. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
2. The Diviners by Libba Bray
3. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (Audiobook)
4. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
5. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
6. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor 
7. Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid

     Knitting Update:

     The last time I posted a finished object was in November, so I'll share from there! Links go to my Ravelry project pages so that you can see photos!

Finished Projects

1. Monster Longies by Kristine Jorskogen 
2. Matching hat
3. Three Ponytail Hats (I didn't take photos of the other two)
4. Vanilla Socks out of Sara's Texture Crafts yarn (Didn't get an FO photo, but there's a progress shot.)
5. Vans style baby sneakers by Showroom crochet
6. Hermione's Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder
7. Exploration Station by Stephen West
8. Tube Socks in Paton's Kroy "Singin' the Blues"
9. Socks in Knit Picks Felici "Soft Serve"
10. Flax by TinCanKnits (I'm such a horrible friend, this baby was born over a month ago...)
11. Breezy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig 

     I won't even list my WIPs because I know I won't get them all. Check my Rav page for a good idea. 

That's all for now, folks. I'll try to remember this little corner of the internet more often.

Work in Progress Wednesday: February 1, 2017

Front

Back

     First of all, happy February, everyone. Here comes Saint Valentine's day and my mom's birthday! Don't tell her, but I'm hoping to finish a pair of socks for her birthday. I have until the 15th anyway. This week, I've been focusing on the Serenity, and boy have I knit a lot. I joined the fronts on Sunday night and have been cruising 'round and 'round since then. It helps that I knit while I read because I read a lot, in case you haven't noticed.

     I haven't knit on anything else, but please, let me know what you've been working on in the comments!

Work in Progress Wednesday: January 25, 2017

New Back

Most of hat was left after I ripped out.

New Front

     This week has been the week of the Serenity. I had to rip out the Serenity by Joji Locatelli because it turns out what I thought was a size US 4(3.5mm) needle was actually a US 3(3.25mm). After riping out the sweater, I swatched and ended up restarting the sweater with a size US 5(3.75mm) and am back to where I was when I ripped.

     I also worked on my Color Affection by Veera Valimaki some while I read when the Serenity was at the short row sections. I've only put in a few rows since the rows are so long now. but I did decide that rather than doubling sections 2 and 3 and having to bind off a gazillion stitches, I'm just going to do 1 1/2 times sections 2 and 3 and bind off half a gazillion stitches. In the photo, I am on the last stripe and I will start the short rows eventually.

     And the Hermione's Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder in Knit Picks Stroll Handpainted "Gemstone" are coming along slowly but surely. I'm still getting the hand of Two-at-a-time socks so it's slow going.


     The last thing I've been working on this week is spinning. I've been spinning a lot more lately and am working on my Woolgatherings 50/25/25 merino/bamboo/silk.

     What have you been working on this week? I'd love for you to share in the comments!

Will I Ever Knit a Sweater that I Don't Have to Rip Out?

     If you've followed the blog for a while, then you know that I have started tons of sweaters. Okay... Like 10ish. But how many sweaters have I actually finished? 3. Out of all of the sweaters that I've started, I've finished four. And technically, one of them was still to big and the wrong dimensions because I can't leave well enough alone and messed that one up, and one was too small because I hate swatching. With my second Featherweight, I knit it in sport weight so technically I altered that too. So out of the three sweaters I've finished, I've only knit one according to pattern. ONE.  *sigh*

Attempt #1 or #2, I can't remember.

     The Hana Hou by Mel Ski was actually my first sweater. I was going to do it out of handspun and I was trying to alter the gauge to (what I thought) I would follow. It ended horrendously. Three times. Well, I didn't actually finish the sweater any of those times, but did I learn, no. I thought I could figure it out. Thankfully, Grace loves boxy sweaters and still enjoys it today.

     I realized last week that the Cozy Neighborhood that I started last summer for Grace's Christmas gift, Was too small. Barely, but enough that it wouldn't be flattering. I (again) was trying to alter the pattern fit because apparently I have little faith in designers actually knowing what their doing. (So NOT TRUE! I absolutely know that designers are the experts.) At first I did the extra-small size for the whole sweater (as much as I had knit anyway.) and this second time around I had done the medium for the shoulders and the extra small for the rest. I currently have a whole sweater body minus the bottom shaping, and of course, as fate would have it, I need to rip it out. I will be knitting the medium size the whole way this time. I will not alter it in any way, and I will put all of my trust into Joji Locatelli.

Take 1. I had to pray it would fit
on the hanger.

Current progress It's fitting!

      Did you think that was all? Haha. NO! I also had to restart the Serenity by Joji Locatelli. This error was a complete mistake though. When I started this sweater at Grace's house back in August, Grace had already started it but it needed fixed. As it turns out, she thought she had cast on with a size US 4(3.5mm) when in reality it was cast on with a US 3(3.25mm). Neither of us actually like to swatch by the way, can you tell? When I finally realized this, three inches past the armholes,, I decided to be a good knitter and swatch. I'm glad I did too because I didn't get gauge with fours either. I ended up casting back on with US 5(3.75mm) needles and am finally knitting a sweater that *should* fit her. On a good note, what took me a few months to knit has only taken me a week this time.

      Now, just because I've only technically knit one to pattern sweater, I am not discouraged. I have plenty of sweaters on the needles with plans to knit plenty more this year. I will not be deterred. Let's just hope I don't try and "fix" the patterns.

FO Friday

So, it's been some time since I've done an FO Friday post. These last few months, I've mainly finished orders that are for babies. Either way, I've finished some things. These are September to November Time Frame.

September

Azel Pullover by the Velvet Acorn

October

Azel Pullover by the Velvet Acorn 

November

 ( I also finished an Exploration Station by Stephen West for Grace Mae over at One Girl, One Life, One God, but she's going to have to send me photos of that.)

     So, as you can see, I'm a knitting fiend lately. I've also taken on the crazypants idea that I can knit an Owl Cardigan by Mari Chiba in just 13 days for NaKniSweMo. (I just cast on today, in case you were wondering.) Which means that I have to knit 7,035 stitches per day (or 7.69%) to get it done by November 30.

Where Have I Been, and What have I Been Doing?

     So Blogger says that the last time I published anything was on May 29, 2015. Therefore, it's been a year, 4 months, and one day. A lot can happen, and has, in this amount of time. I had just started working at Sonic around the time I last posted, and I am no longer working there. It is a Blessing, let me tell you. I have been able to stay up late reading, well, I've gotten to read period. I've knit SO much more, and I really enjoy being able to work at my own schedule.

     Knitting, let's talk. I do believe that the last thing that I had talked about on here was the black Featherweight, which has been finished for what seems like forever. it was knit in In the Loop yarn
(some yarn that my mom picked up at our Dollar General and honestly, wasn't/isn't awful to work with and wear) and I wear it pretty regularly.
Socks are a staple in my knitting "schedule." They make great purse projects and my mom loves her handknit socks. Lucky for her, it's officially the season for wearing them.

     I have knit a few (five or six) pairs for myself, but I'm still not sure how I feel about wearing handknit socks... I swear I can feel the stitches on the bottom of my feet.

Knit on All the Things, Buy All the Yarn

    This last couple of weeks, I've cast on another sweater (Shapely Boyfriend by Stefanie Japel) worked on my two in-progress sweaters (Hana Hou by Mel Ski and Julissa by Vanessa Smith) decided to frog my brothers birthday socks because his feet are enormous and wide, and sewed five project bags.

First off, the Shapely Boyfriend. I'm knitting this out of some In The Loop yarn that my mom got me. She bought around 15 "Made by Me" knitting kits at the dollar store for less than a dollar and they each came with 2-75g skeins of yarn. I don't know what the content is-I'm guessing acrylic- but it's really nice and soft. It's a heavy fingering weight, and the only way I know this is because I did a WPI measurement and got 14. More about the yarn later. I had to do a generous, and I mean generous, amount of math to get this yarn to work for the pattern. My gauge is 24 stitches by 32 rows = 4 inches, so even doing the largest size, It would still be to small. I cast on 78 stitches and increased to 270 before starting the neck shaping. I used this handy little site to help with gauge calculations, and I will say, it's pretty spot on. I've already split for the sleeves, it only took three days, and tried it on. It fits nicely and I can't wait to finish it.

   The Hana Hou is currently being sewn up. I decided to sew the body of the sweater up before I knit the bands and collar (which hopefully, I won't regret later) and get the seaming over with. I won't bother with a photo of that, because it's just a mess of sweater pieces and yarn  ends.

   The Julissa got a few inches knit on it. I just have a sleeve and a half and the collar left and I'm done. Why haven't I already finished it you ask? Well, because I'd rather cast on two more sweaters.

   My brothers socks.... How do I put this nicely... HE HAS SASQUATCH FEET! He has the same size feet as my mom, and I swear I had her try them on. They were supposed to be a surprise birthday gift, but I really needed to make sure they fit before I finished them and said "Happy Birthday." He tried them on and they were too short, and too narrow. I think the shortness came from the short row heel that I did, I hate doing short row heels by the way, and the narrowness came from only casting on fifty some stitches. Granted, the yarn is sport weight, but it's Peruvian wool and silk, so I guess it doesn't really want to give much.

   I'm sewing the project bags for my friend Grace, she hosts the Daisy Creations Designs podcast if you'd like to check her out. She sent me three different fabrics with three different linings and asked if I could make some bags for her. I really love the fabrics she chose, she has great taste!

 

All of the house bags have this orange polka dot lining that I LOVE!

 



   Last Wednesday, we went the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument in Fritch, and went hiking. It was a long two hour hike up hills and rocks and trying not to touch the cacti, get bit by a snake, or step on a lizard. Mostly, what we did was look at pieces of flint and boulders of limestone. It was probably more fun for those who enjoyed the hike, but me? It was hot, I was sweaty, and I really don't like to hike. The view was gorgeous though! And the rocks were pretty, we found a few with crystals, which I loved, but they said 'back then' the rocks with crystals wouldn't be valuable because the crystal was in the way of the flint.

  
  I have been crafting, I just have been sharing it. I haven't been blogging much in general, I know. But not because I don't want to, not even that I don't have the time. I  plan on blogging at least a few times a week, really I do! It's just that I need to set everything out to photograph, I need to set aside time to type everything up, think about what I want to say, etc, etc. I get three days a week off from work, so maybe I should just set down and write a post or two each morning with my coffee or at night with my tea. I'll post some book reviews later today, I finished two books yesterday and want to tell you what I think.

FO Friday... On Saturday

I actually just cast off my Sockhead Hat last night, but it still counts right?

So I've missed What I'm Reading Tuesdays and WIP Wednesdays this week because I started a new job, but I know you'll forgive me because I'll make it up this weekend!

FO Friday

This week, I have finished three things. Two potholders, and finally, my Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig!

Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig in Lost City Knits Oak Barn Merino Lace "Cocksure"

9x12 potholder Peaches 'n Creme "Black Currant"

9x12 Potholder in Peaches n' Creme "Pastel Pink"

FO Friday

This week, I have finished my cousin's legwarmers! Finally! The colors faded near the end of the first ball, and were marled in the second ball. I don't think my cousin will care, she just loved the colors and she didn't want them to match.

FO Friday

This week, I finished my mom's socks! Deborah Norville Serenity Sock "Amethyst" vanilla sock, 72 st. The yarn was amazing to knit with! It knit up so quickly!

WIP Wednesday

This week, I don't have much progress. Okay, I did finish my mom's socks, but you'll have to come back on Friday for that. I've worked on my Julissa, which I won't bother posting a picture of because it pretty much looks the same, only 10 rows longer. I've also worked on my cousin's legwarmers, I'm almost done with the first one, and hopefully, they'll fit her. The yarn is Premier Yarns Wool-Free Sock in "Vegas Lights." The color is extremely hard to capture accurately, even in natural lighting and up close (right) but you get the idea.

No FO Friday- A Catchup Post

I didn't post for What I'm Reading Tuesday or WIP Wednesday this week, mainly because I haven't been feeling up to doing much of anything this week. I've come down with some kind of cold, stuffy nose, coughs, you know, the awful stuff. So I figured I'd at least get one post out this week, why not combine both Tuesday and Wednesday posts?

What I'm Reading
This week, I'm reading Manic: a Memoir by Terri Cheney, it's about a woman with manic bipolar depression, and let me tell you, it is interesting.

(C) Goodreads

On the outside, Terri Cheney was a highly successful, attractive Beverly Hills entertainment lawyer. But behind her seemingly flawless façade lay a dangerous secret—for the better part of her life Cheney had been battling debilitating bipolar disorder and concealing a pharmacy's worth of prescriptions meant to stabilize her moods and make her "normal."

In bursts of prose that mirror the devastating highs and extreme lows of her illness, Cheney describes her roller-coaster life with shocking honesty—from glamorous parties to a night in jail; from flying fourteen kites off the edge of a cliff in a thunderstorm to crying beneath her office desk; from electroshock therapy to a suicide attempt fueled by tequila and prescription painkillers.

With Manic, Cheney gives voice to the unarticulated madness she endured. The clinical terms used to describe her illness were so inadequate that she chose to focus instead on her own experience, in her words, "on what bipolar disorder felt like inside my own body." Here the events unfold episodically, from mood to mood, the way she lived and remembers life. In this way the reader is able to viscerally experience the incredible speeding highs of mania and the crushing blows of depression, just as Cheney did. Manic does not simply explain bipolar disorder—it takes us in its grasp and does not let go.

(C) Goodreads

And Me, Myself, and Them by Kurt Snyder. I only started this book last night, so I really don't have anything to say about it just yet.

(C) Goodreads

During his second semester at college, Kurt Snyder became convinced that he was about to discover a fabulously important mathematical principle, spending hours lost in daydreams about numbers and symbols. In time, his thoughts took a darker turn, and he became preoccupied with the idea that cars were following him, or that strangers wanted to harm him. Kurt's mind had been hijacked by schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder that typically strikes during the late teen or young adult years. 
In Me, Myself, and Them, Kurt, now an adult, looks back from the vantage point of recovery and eloquently describes the debilitating changes in thoughts and perceptions that took hold of his life during his teens and twenties. As a memoir, this book is remarkable for its unvarnished look at the slow and difficult process of coming back from severe mental illness. Yet Kurt's memoir is only half the story. With the help of psychiatrist Raquel E. Gur, M.D., Ph.D., and veteran science writer Linda Wasmer Andrews, Kurt paints the big picture for others affected by adolescent schizophrenia. Drawing on the latest scientific and medical evidence, he explains how to recognize warning signs, where to find help, and what treatments have proved effective. Kurt also offers practical advice on topics of particular interest to young people, such as suggestions on managing the illness at home, school, and work, and in relationships with family and friends.

(C) Goodreads

WIPs

Julissa by Vanessa Smith (RHSS "Country Rose")

I am LOVING this pattern, I can't wait to finish it and get to wear it!

Vanilla Socks (Deborah Norville Serenity Sock "Amethyst")

I literally have like 30 rows left. Why I haven't buckled down and gotten these done yet, I have no idea.

Featherweight by Hannah Fettig (Lost City Knits Oak Barn Merino Lace "Cocksure")

As you can tell, it needs a serious blocking. I've got about 5" on the first sleeve left to knit, and half of the second sleeve.

MKAL Spring 2014 by Cheri McEwen (RHSS "Soft White" "Glowworm" CSS "Black")

I haven't worked on this this week, but I think I forgot to show it last week.