Thursday, April 29, 2010

Such a Space Case

So, I've been completely lax about finishing my Gloves of Awesomeness.  Maybe the super hot weather we've been having here in Florida is the deterrent... or I could just be a lazy bum.  I think I'm a lazy bum.  What I have been doing is playing around with my style and going out.  My first anniversary was also on the 26th this past Monday ^_^ Yay.

Speaking of my anniversary, we are supposed to be going to New Orleans this weekend with friends to celebrate.  As of right now, all but one friend has said they aren't going and we can't get a hold of the last one for some reason.  We are supposed to leave tomorrow and no word.  Ari and I can't afford to go by ourselves so it sucks big time.  I have to admit that I am angry/frustrated with our friends and my husband.  Ari didn't make reservations three or four weeks ago when I told him to, we didn't set aside enough money, and my friends essentially all bailed (like the last trip to New Orleans I planned for my birthday a few years ago...except that time, a few of them went anyway without me after the trip was canceled).  I was soooo pissed.  I think New Orleans is cursed for me...I'm starting to think I'll never get to go. *crosses fingers and scrunches face*  Ok, Bitchfest is over.  My apologies for sounding like a brat.

It is now my job to figure out what we will do for Plan B if Plan A doesn't pan out...it's looking like it won't.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Note To Self :

Tuna fish, peanut butter, cheddar cheese, honey, and crackers do NOT taste good eaten in the same sitting.

Gloves of (Temporarily Reduced) Awesomeness

   The first glove was going along smoothly until I realized my proportions are not the same as the pattern's.  I had to start over and figure out a way to make them fit.  My choices were to either continue with the same gauge and reduce the stitch counts in certain places or fuck with the tension a lot which can get hairy and shift later.  I first tried the tension method (four times) with little success so gave up and started over a fifth time to reduce the stitch count.  The measurements are much better now. :)





<< This is a picture of the first attempt... which was way too big on my arm.




   For some odd reason I could not, for the life of me, stop making silly mistakes.  It was due to sheer inattentiveness, I know.  Also, somewhere in there, there was a half-hearted attempt at starting the second glove before the first was done... that, also, was unraveled.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Gloves of Awesomeness


I have an amazing knitting book called "Alterknits: Imaginative Projects and Creativity Exercises" by Leigh Radford filled with amazing projects just waiting to be crafted. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to expand their knitting horizons. One pattern in particular was at the tip-top of my list...lace-up fingerless gloves (what I like to call Gloves of Awesomeness). It wasn't until two days ago that I finally acquired the needed supplies to make them.

My husband, Ari, took me to Hobby Lobby! I tell you, I almost peed myself I was so excited. We have to travel an hour away (or more) from town to visit craft stores with anything resembling a selection. After about 30 minutes of nail-biting, pacing, indecisiveness, Ari stepped in to aid me in my crafting crisis, bless him. The man is so damn patient and understanding about my neuroses and absentmindedness it just blows my mind sometimes. He'll just smile kindly and help me. * sigh * ... Ahem! Sorry. Where was I? Oh, yes, supplies for my gloves.

On the ride home, I realized I had forgotten the book at the house and now was stuck in the car for an hour with my delicious new needles and yarn....but no instructions to get started. I almost cried in earnest I was so distraught. Then, it dawned on me: I need to work a swatch to check my gauge! The day was saved and away I went.

This will be my first time using double point needles and working in the round so this should be quite the adventure. So far, I am very pleased with how even my stitches have come out considering I haven’t knitted in three months.

So, it’s coming along quite nicely and progress has been rather smooth and bumpless (to my great surprise). I was shocked at how simple and NOT scary dpn really are to use! They have been great fun, actually. The first glove is almost complete muah ha ha ha!! It feels as if one could take on anything after discovering that something, once seeming so terrible to behold, is in fact a breeze.

Watch out, yarn stash!

NOTE: If I don’t come out of my house after a few days someone may need to rescue me from the tangled mess I will surely be in after trying to conquer something too far out of my league. lol