Sunday Morning/Afternoon… roommates suck

Yes, it is definitely before 9am on a Sunday morning and I’m wide awake!  Have been since 5:30 – showered, cleaned the shower, went for a drive and watched the sun casting first light on the mountains, reading blogs and searching the net for odds and ends….  why am I awake!!!!!

There are some new projects on the needles – pair of corset fingerless mittens (will post pattern when I finish them, it’s residing in my head right now and too dangerous to let out until tested!), a pair of red and green Christmas/Holiday socks, a blue and white sparkly Christmas Stocking which I’m NOT liking right now, still working on Mom’s wrap.

Knit Picks box arrived a couple of days ago and I plan to start on three more projects later this week.  We went to Kamille’s in Gardner Village yesterday and I didn’t buy a single thing there!  Yes, it’s true!  I really didn’t.  Of course, I did the fairly demented touchy/feely thing on nearly every skein in the shop but there is simply no way I can justify any more stash adding right now.  (read ‘can’t afford it’ and ‘no where to put it’)

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and in other news…. I wish our roomate would turn his freaking alarm off.  It’s been going off for over an hour now.  I’ve come to the conclusion that I really don’t like roomates.  Living with family members is okay, roomates – not so much.  Best friends/buddies – ok.  Roomates – not ok.  uh… how else shall I put it…  nvm, you get the picture.
Mind you, there doesn’t seem to be anything inherently wrong with him; it’s me – I dont’ like having an unknown quantity in the house. Maybe it’s the family bond thing – which definitely includes good friends – it feels like an invasion into my personal comfort zone. On the other hand, Will not making the mortgage would be a far bigger invasion on the old comfort zone so…. guess I shall adjust my little attitude problem here. hmmmph.
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several hours later….. okay, so I’m not going to work on my little roommate attitude problem. My BFF just called to let me know that my rather psychotic old roomie called her house phone to 1) pass along his phone number – the one I DELIBERATELY lost; 2) see if she would offer my new number – I changed it on purpose dumba** which of course she did not offer; 3) ask her what my parents’ last name is – he KNOWS what it is, they changed their phone number recently. She didn’t give out any information, she’s good like that even though it wasn’t until she hung up that she realized who it was. (prompting the immediate call to me.) She did let him know that I was living in another county – which he knew – but there’s no reason for him to know where. It’s not that I’m ‘hiding,’ I just have no reason for further contact. There was a reason I moved out of the ‘funny farm.’

This is disturbing for several reasons… I never gave him her phone # – he HAD to have stolen my phone when I lived there to get it. I don’t have her last name in my phone, only her initials, her home phone is not in her name so he couldn’t have found it through the phone book or directory assistance. He’s obviously tried to call my parents or he wouldn’t have tried to verify their last name. No… there’s no mail sitting there waiting for me, I didn’t use that address for mail. Nothing like that. The last contact I had with the guy was a rather terse text when Heidi was in ICU following numerous texts from him. If I wanted contact, I would have been in touch. Thought that was obvious! grrrrrrrr
ok…. I’m done with that now.

One thing….

Thought seriously about going in to work this morning but after breaking into spontaneous tears around 5:30a.m., decided not to.  Grief is a rather odd thing; it sneaks up on you and slams you pretty hard then slowly edges off just a bit until you feel like you can function then it starts over again.  What an odd emotion!

We’re all getting laid off September 2nd anyway so I’m going to spend part of the day in the ever dreaded job search mode then go over to mom’s for a while and then up to WRT’s and see TJ for a bit too.

Yesterday some of my sisters, nieces, Marci, parents and I spent hours in Mom’s living room  going through a life time of pictures sorting out the ones we want to use for the funeral program, etc.  My poor sister, Lynna has very few in comparison to the rest of us.  Apparently, that’s what happens when you’re #8 of 9 children. ooooops!

And, might  I add…  the 70’s had some fairly horrendous color and fabric choices.  Frightening, actually.  (Then again, the 80’s hair – how did we do that?!)  We chuckled over the ‘unisex’ outfits Mom made – she was quite the seamstress back then.  Everything went with everything else for the younger kids since they came in ’sets’ of boy/girl then boy/girl again.  Think red white and blue plaid double knit pants with red shirts, white shirts, and blue shirts.  We got a bit teary eyed looking at Heidi’s graduation photos – there weren’t a lot of them, wonder what happened there?  and didn’t bother holding back the tears when we came to the photos of her and her son, Tyler. (He passed away at age 4 1/2, his birthday is today.)

Yeah, that’s kind of how it went.

What’s the one thing you ask?  Life goes on.  It’s such a cliche, but comes from truth.  The last few months have been fairly intense; my living situation got too tense and I just moved back down to Utah County and am renting a room in my first husband’s house (yes, we have a fine relationship, just can’t be married to each other), the kids are here and that’s what’s important to me; was diagnosed with Lupus; Mom had breast cancer and a mastectomy, still needs the knee replacement; my oldest graduated from high school – insert happy face here;  getting laid off in a little over a month and the job market here is bleak; and the most painful of all,  Heidi passed away….  yet time keeps moving forward and so do we.  I’ve made plans for the near future, the further future and it will keep going.  (as I tell myself every few minutes)

In knitting news – I ‘discovered’ Verena and The Knitter while browsing Barnes & Noble across the street from the hospital.  Wow!  I’m in knitting love.

Verena Knitting

The only problem that I have with Verena is the exclusive use of charts.  I’m not that great at reading charts.  I’ll just have to work on it.  The Knitter has a different emphasis

The Knitter

They have Trailing Leaf – a lovely diagonal lace patterned sweater.  Zippy-Applebrain (Ravelry) is currently working on this one and it looks gorgeous in the light blue she chose.

.   There is also Honeysuckle by Sarah Hatton (ravelry link)

honeysuckle

WRT’s summer socks are coming along, I’ve stopped working on them for a couple of days since all the knitting in the hospital makes them difficult to pick up just now.  I’ll pick them back up tomorrow.  Anyway, basic men’s short sock – 1.25″ 2×2 ribbing, 1.50″ SS then broken pearl stripe for another inch or so, down another 1.50″ then heel flap worked in Sl1 K1, pearl WS rows, short row turn and then gusset pick up and on to foot portion.

Some of the nurses in ICU are knitters; talking knitting with them was a pleasant diversion from the constant chatter about the monitors, meds, ups and downs, etc.

And in entirely different news:

David’s been wanting to get his ears guaged for a while now so…. I took him to go do it a month or so ago.

Life, death, knitting sanity

Heidi H. Benson 1966-2009

My dear sister Heidi (of Heidi’s stole ‘fame’) passed away early this morning after a long struggle with health and mental issues. The last two weeks have been spent knitting socks in the ICU to keep my hands busy, give WRT something tangeable to show my love and appreciation for his support and strength through all this, and a blue wrap for Mom to hopefully comfort her a tiny bit.

I wish I knew how to express my feelings at this point. I love Heidi so much and I’m grateful that she is finally at peace. I’m filled with grief that she’s gone, I miss her horribly all ready. It hurts that my parents are having to deal with her passing. Parents simply aren’t meant to outlive their children, particularly aging parents. In addition to my own sorrow I have a hard time watching my other sisters go through this. Heidi has certainly had her ups and downs, it’s been a difficult and tumultous life for her.

Her son, Tyler, passed away several years ago and she put the love and energy she had as a mother into her nieces and nephews. Yet she was always the favorite aunt, the one who entertained, provided for, loved all her nieces and nephews – all her family but particularly the younger generation.

Mom and two other sisters are working on her obituary right now and I need to get over there to help out with the other arrangements. I’ll write more later on.

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I ended up writing her obituary with a lot of input from the rest of the family. We went to the mortuary, picked out her casket – she’d like it – went over the arrangements. It was a bitter-sweet experience as we cried, smiled at memories, Mom even commented on how much knitting I got done at the hospital, we wondered how to get everything finished and just what really needs to be done…

I’m so grateful that my parents have the support of their neighbors/fellow church members; as I was pulling in the driveway this morning several of their friends were all ready there. By the time we got home from the mortuary someone had dropped off a few groceries so Mom doesn’t have to worry about going to the store, another friend had brought a pot of stew over and had it simmering on the stove. Their church group has worked out meals for the next few days, a house sitter during the funeral, a family lunch afterwards, etc. Again, I am so tremendously grateful that they are being taken care of.

Another thing I’m grateful for is how wonderful and supportive my own friends have been throughout the last two weeks. I’ve had constant texts and phone calls, offers of rides and a great deal of support. I’ve been very blessed.

And again….

Blogging from the library today – yes, there is still no computer around and won’t have one for a while yet. Other priorities and all…. although school is very high on the list and obviously requires one.

Anyway….. I’ll be posting pics of the roll top purlies, green fraternal twins (socks, I got bored, they are ‘matchish’ rather than matching), along with a couple other projects. Socks for Soldiers is still a high priority although I’m hybernating the original pair and working on olive ones now. The first pair is still giving me fits so the logic is, go to the second one.

I’ve moved into a house with several roomates, constantly changing roomates, lots of coming and going. It’s really not working out that well, unfortunately so will be doing something differently soon. Oh, and the current diagnosis is lupus. Not exactly thrilled but it’s the only thing that makes sense to the various doctors so am moving forward.

Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. She’s handling things reasonably well but Dad’s taking it very hard. We’re trying to show him the statistics on how treatable it is when caught early but he’s a bit stuck in the death sentence it was a few years go. It doesn’t help that she had to postpone double knee replacement surgery to go to her oncology apt. Yes, I’m concerned.

Still kicking

Sorry for the long silence, being without a computer is a pain!!! I’m still alive and kicking though, and knitting, of course!

I’ll be posting some updates shortly and looking forward to some serious blog browsing time.

Free Lace Stitch Patterns, Roll Top Pearlies Progress, more of life….

Roll Top Pearlies are coming right along -

Roll Top Pearlies free sock pattern

So….. there have been several new pattern possibilities running through my head. I want to combine several lace patterns for some new stoles, a blouse or two, perhaps even a skirt. Rather ambitious for such a slow, beginning lace knitter! One of the projects rambling around is screaming for attention – a wrap/stole/shawl type object with combination of lace edgings and lace border. A few of the current faves are:

Apple Leaf Lace 1

English Lace 1

Palm Leaf Insertion

Wouldn’t this make a gorgeous sleeve edging?

Fluted Lace With Edge

Where can these pieces of visual delight come from? Knit Wiki, of course!

And I’ve been toying around with the idea of using the underskirt and edging panels in Inspired to Knit by Michelle Rose Orne as a shawl and matching skirt.
Will I get those projects on the needles and turn them into finish objects?!? Very good question!

The words for the week are: insomnia and nightmares.

It hasn’t been a bad week just long and a hella lot of life ’stuff.’ I got home about 7:30 or so last night after work, made some spaghetti for myself, sorted through knitting and yarn, threw away a bunch of stuff that I’m simply not moving (some call that stuff ‘junk’), approved a couple patterns for inclusion on ravelry (go me!!!!! seriously – I’m beyond thrilled), knit for a while, frogged about 2″ on sock1 socks for soldiers due to a dropped stitch then re-knit, they even have their own container now – Christmas candy bucket, works perfectly! - 

I wasted some time playing games online, re-worked the divorce papers and went over January’s bank statement (so far). Maybe that was the root of the latest round of nightmares hehe. 4B has spent $1,068 on bars, taking someone or other out to dinner, etc so far this month. Rather a lot considering his income is about $1500/month.  That doesn’t include ANY household expenses such as electric, gas, rent, etc.  I’ve spent $500 total on myself including regular meds, 2 doctor visits and 2 rounds of other meds, my luxury item – nails, of course, and a couple other necessary things.  Yet, I managed to get rent paid, utilities paid, blah blah blah.  He wonders why I’m not out of here just yet…. hmmm……

I’d do a self-congratulatory pat on the back but that’s soooo not the point. Can you hear the “it’s only a few more days” chanting in the background?

Getting the hang of it

I haven’t blogged the last few days, been trying to find a place to live and had some complications with that. It’ll work out somehow though.

This week I’ve been concentrating on getting gauge while knitting between calls at work and am FINALLY getting there. The first roll top pearly is nearly done, it’s been my concentration/experimentation knitting. When I’ve got it down, I’ll be able to work on the Socks 4 Soldiers there. I’m so glad! The legs of first regulation pair are nearly finished (knitting consecutively on dpn’s) and I am soooo glad. I can’t wait to get these sent off and get started on the next pair.

And…. have been re-working the divorce papers. I plan on submitting them on Monday, was going to do it a while ago but some things changed and had to add a few clauses. Wow that feels good!

Stash additions – fun stuff!

The olive drab Regia Stretch arrived from Sarge (Kim Opperman, President of Socks for Soldiers, Inc.) on Saturday and my KnitPicks order arrived today!!! The Regia is well… drab… but I’m knitting away an hour a day as promised.

KnitPicks rocks! They have great wool and silk yarns are very affordable prices; perhaps not top of the line but well within budgetary constraints and soooo fun to work with. I’ve got a couple skeins of Jay Kettle Essentials which will eventually be a pair of soft socks for B.

A couple skeins of Essentials Glacial which are mine, mine, mine for socks and… several balls of Fog Palatte just waiting to be turned into a lace piece. I also bought another pair of double points from them, seem to be needing more all the time. I also found a previously stashed ball of acrylic multi color that will be turned into toys for grandkids – no, NOT mine, none of those yet thank goodness.

Currently on the needles are Socks 4 Soldiers leisure pair 2, roll top pearlies socks for me, grylion’s socks, lace scarf, rib scarf and some handwarmers.

This weekend B and I went to O’Sushi again, we love that place.

O'Sushi

We’d planned to go to a show at the planetarium but I managed to lose my phone so we spent quite a while trying to track it down. He’s such a good sport and is constantly amazing me. The rest of the weekend was pretty quiet and thoroughly enjoyable.

2009 commitments

I don’t make resolutions. I turn into a big bowl of pure fail if I do. So… this time it’s commitments. I can do those! I’m a pretty committed person.

Knitting:

• Socks for soldiers – knit 30 – 40 minutes per day.  It’s not difficult, suck it up and do it girl – you enjoy it, the need is strong and you know it.
  
• Get stash replenished.  1/4 of purchases will be socks for soldiers regulation yarns.
  
• Learn color knitting and finish at least 2 major colorwork projects
• Finish Grylions socks.  Geez!
  
• Make yourself some socks – your feet are cold, you silly girl!
• Finish your scarf – it’s beautiful and you know you want to.  Besides, it was a gift.
• Make the freaking sweater – you know the one.
• Make at least one lace shawl.
  

Personal:

• Get the divorce finalized and survive through it – well.  It’s the best thing and you know it. You’ve moved on.
• Lose those pesky last 20 pounds.  Again, it’s the best thing and you know it.
• Get back in school.
• Pay it back and then start paying forward.
• Get a new sewing machine and start sewing, quilting again

Work:

• Keep moving forward.

The tree is up and knitting away

The great leaning tree is now up and semi-decorated.  It’s actually starting to look like the holidays in Hollyland (aka Redfear’s place).  Last night was spent talking with my former roommate and knitting – it was relaxing and wonderful!

The scarf for 4B is now about 7″ long, WRT sock 2 is nearly 5″ long but have a great deal more to get done in the next few days.  Wow….  if I knit straight from now until midnight Christmas Eve I would possibly make it.  It’s not going to happen.  hmmm….   what to do?!

I’ll be making several more pairs of fingerless gloves in January and may even be able to start on a sweater for myself.  That would be delightful.  Other projects are lining up as well.

This morning I knit for about 45  minutes while waiting for our training finals to be graded and got to the heel.  I thought about starting it but didn’t think it would be a good idea knowing I’d have to stop shortly.   Although I was a re-hire rather than a new-hire, I hadn’t been on the job all that long when I had to temporarily quit.  And… I passed the final with flying colors.

Knitting away

What a weekend… and a Monday!  I was able to get just about to the toe turning stage on WRT sock 1.  The rest of the projects are coming along as well.  If we could somehow add about a week between tonight and Christmas, I’m pretty sure I’d make it!

My company has gone through a buy out since I left (which I was aware of) but so far it won’t make changes in our department.   I have no idea what my ‘real’ schedule will be other than something between 6am and 7pm.  Guess we’ll just wait and see.  The problem with training right now is no knitting during work hours!  yikes!!!!!

And… it’s snowing!

speaking of socks:
see more pwn and owned pictures

Felted Christmas Stocking Pattern

Felted Christmas Stocking

Here’s the pattern/guidelines:

Original guage was 8 st st = 1″    feel free to alter as you’re going to felt and may want a different size stocking.  After felting this stocking is 6″ (15 cm) from top of ruffle to bottom of heel and 6″ (15 cm) from back edge of heel to tip of toe.  Prior to felting it was a women’s large size.

Materials:
Needles – 1 pair straight sz 3 (3.25 mm); 4 (or 5 if you prefer) sz 3 (3.25 mm) double pointed needles

Yarn – Knit Picks Palette Fingering Weight, 1 skn Garnet Heather (main color), 1 skn Ivy (second color)  note – requires apx. 1/4 skein main color and a few dozen yards of second color.

Ruffle and Top:

• Using SC Cast on 300 stitches (yes, 300) on SINGLE points using fairly firm cast on of your choice.  I used loop cast on.
• Knit right sides, Purl wrong side or 4 rows (2 each k and p)
• On right side K2Tog every stitch (total of 150 stitches)
• Switch to double point needles arranging 50 stitches per needle (if using 4 needles total),  join being careful not to twist stitches.  The ruffle tends to curl so be extra cautious.
• Knit 3 rounds
• On right side K2Tog every stitch (total of 75 stitches)
• Knit 2 rounds
• Knit to last 3 stitches of 1st needle, K2Tog, K2, K2Tog, knit to last 3 stitches of next needle, K2Tog, K2, K2Tog, knit to last 3 of last needle, K2Tog
• K2Tog, knit to last 3 stitches of 1st needle, K2Tog, K2, K2Tog, knit to last 3 stitches of next needle, K2Tog, K2, K2Tog, knit to last 3 stitches of last needle, K2Tog
• Knit
• It helps stabilize the top if you add about 1/2 inch of K2P2 ribbing here, you can omit if you wish to and knit
• Change to MC and K 4 rows
• Knit decoration of your choice  – this one has an eyelet heart from Stariel’s Blackhearted.
• Knit another 4-6″ (again, depends on how long you want the stocking)

Heel:  (I did slip stitch, if you prefer a different one – go for it!)

• Arrange stitches so there are 32 on 1 dpn – this is your heel needle
• *Row 1: SL 1, K1 – repeat across
• Row 2: Sl1, Purl *
• Repeat 10 times
• Change to SC
• Repeat 10 times
• Change to MC
• Repeat 12 times (32 rows total)

Turn Heel:

• Change to SC
• K19, SSK, K1 turn
• Sl1, P7, P2Tog, P1, Turn
• *Sl1, knit to stitch before gap, SSK, K1, turn
• SL1, purl to stitch before gap, P2Tog, turn*
• Repeat * to * until all stitches are worked – DO NOT slip first stitch on your last purl row.
• Knit across

Pick up and work gusset:

• Change to MC
• Pick up 17 stitches along side on same needle
• Knit across instep needle
• Working on 3rd needle, pick up 17 stitch along side, knit across
• Arrange stitches so beginning of round is now in the middle of the heel (it should be there all ready, but just in case…)
• Knit around to 3 stitches before instep needle, K2Tog K1
• Knit Instep
• Knit 1, SSK, knit
• Knit until 16 stitches are on each of the two ‘heel’ needles

Work around until stocking is 4″ shorter than desired length

• If you want to add SC stripe or pattern here, go for it.  I did a K12 MC, K SC, K12 MC around then K10 MC, K3 SC, K10 MC around then K12 MC, KSC, K12 MC around stripish pattern (didn’t work out perfect but it was pretty close)
• Go back to MC
• Work until stocking is 2″ shorter than desired total length

Toe:

• Row 1: K1, SSK, knit to last 3 st on instep needle, K2Tog, K1. K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts on sole needle(s), K2Tog, K1
• Row 2: Knit around
• Knit these two rows until 40 total stitches remain then do Row 1 five more times

Graft:

• I did Kitchener, do whatever grafting you’re comfy with though.

Felt:

• To semi-customize the felting I ran EXTREMELY hot water from the faucet and held the ruffle portion under it for about 30 seconds at a time until it was 3/4 of the size I wanted it to be (think it was 5 times).  Then I held the rest of stocking under the water for about 30 seconds per time three times.
• Then… threw it in the dryer with the darks and… out came the Christmas Stocking.

Still having holiday issues.  Maybe it’s because the tree is in a box by the side of my bed (er now 4B’s bed arghhhhh) with about 10 boxes on top of it.  idk. But…. my son is happy as the proverbial clam!!!!  He was gifted Slipknot tickets for their March 09 stop in Denver.  Thank you, B!!!!!!!!!!!

and another oops!

Forgot to add pics of works in progress that have actually made progress:

World of Warcraft Allied Giants glove

These are for D to wear while playing WOW and will eventually have Allied Giants double stitched in white across the hands – in Alliance colors of course.

Turned heel and picked up gusset stitches on WRT socks, going as fast as possible on foot so can cast on second sock.  Then work on another two pairs, finish Tj’s second sock, a pillow for Dad, a pair of cabled gloves for daughter.  omg – Christmas is when?!!!!!!!!

Basic Sock Chart Socks

After ripping out WRT socks yet again, I decided to switch over to the Basic Sock Chart by Linda Peck offered for free.  It’s straightforward for sizes baby through men’s 9.  WRT socks are size 10.5 so had to do some knitting math but think it’s working out far better than the toe up I was trying.  Mind you, the toe up pattern I was using is a perfectly good pattern, it just wasn’t working with this combination of yarn and gauge I was getting.

Why do I like the Sock Chart so much?  1) I prefer using 4 dpns not 5 whenever possible but typically do gusset pick ups and subsequent next row with 5 then drop back down to 4 needles;

2) the top of the sock and over the foot can be done however you want – lace, cables, ribbing, plain – you just have to divide whatever stitch pattern you want to use into the number of stitches for your size/gauge;

3) it’s easy to adjust for wider/narrower feet and ankles;

4) you can do whatever heel type you like.

The heel is turned, gusset stitches are picked up and am working on the gusset shaping now.  That’s what happens when you are awakened at 2am for the third night in a row and can’t get back to sleep.  Not happy about the annoying wake ups and ridiculous conversation but thrilled at the unexpected extra two hours knitting time.

ohhhhh… and guess what I noticed yesterday!!!!  My son has a nekkid iPod…. hmmm….. wonder how he feels about cables done in blue.

Sock Summit 09 and frog pond visit

WRT socks were still giving me sizing fits so I took them to the frog pond and started over again.  This time from the top.  I’ve been doing more research on the yarn (ONline Supersocke 100) and it seems my experience isn’t that unusal.  I like the yarn, I like the self striping and the firmness but it lacks the stretchy qualities of the other sock yarns I’ve worked with.  I was used to more ’spring’ requiring slightly smaller sizing with some negative ease rather than a more true sizing.  oops!

So….  after working several inches beyond the first unraveling, I decided not to risk socks on the floppy side and go for a more standard fit.  Fortunately, the recipient prefers fairly short socks.  This is good!  Christmas is around the corner, this is very very good!  I was able to do about 1.5″ 2×2 ribbing late last night and hope to get to heel on first one today.  Being the silly sort  it’s one at a time on this pair.  All the other same sized dpn’s have other projects hanging on them.  Mental note – freakin’ learn two on two circs and magic loop in ‘09.

Has anyone gone to Sock Summits before?  It sounds like an awful lot of fun – I’d love to hear your experiences.    Although it’s doubtful that I’ll make it this year….  it’s in the back of my wee brain!  Seriously, I’d LOVE to hear comments on this.

I’m not a sock maniac, just knit socks but it seems like a great way to learn, meet other knitters and have some fun.  Perhaps I’ll put it on the docket for 2010.  Yeah, that’s it!

What are the project plans for ‘09?  Relearning cables, I want to do a proper Aran Pullover as well as a few other cabled projects.  Expanding my lace knitting skills and have at least 3 shawls done.  Make some to die for sweaters.  Oh, and most importantly, relearn continental knitting.  That’s the only way I’ll get everything done.

And… in other news… I seriously need chocolate.