No time for a proper post

You are Strength

Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.

This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Nice glutes.

Sock Madness: Mad-tini Pair Done

Mad-tini Pair Done
Originally uploaded by SnidKnits.

So, for the record. I really like this pattern. They knit up quickly, look nice with the variegated yarn, ft well and are just generally kind of cool. I would totally make another pair of these!

Defeated.

I am out. My opponent beat me. There are strategic mistakes I made:

• using a fingering/sport yarn makes for more stitches than a "true" sportweight
• feeling rushed at the start due to errands that I had to make and thus making a mistake in the pattern that more careful reading would have avoided
• going to Bobaknit Thursday night- well not really, that was fun and they are my cheerleaders - that was my "represent" moment I guess!
• having early morning plans for both Friday and Saturday meant I couldn't stay up as late the night before
  

But really I just had too many things to take care of in the last couple of days and since Bryan was out of town I had no one to share the burden. Oh well. Now I can finish the socks at my leisure and cheer from the sidelines. (Dang!)

We will now return to our regularly scheduled blogging...

Mad-tini Sock #1- Wendys division

Mad-tini Sock #1- Wendys division
Originally uploaded by SnidKnits.

Sock number 1 is done. Off to cast on #2!

'Twas the night before Madness
When all through the lands
The needles were quiet
While we laid rest our hands

The yarn was 'a waiting
And so too the lap
While we tried to breathe deep
And perhaps take a nap

The stockings we'd finished
Were all put away
For a new pair would come
As we start a new day

So, to all who are waiting
With your bated breath
Better get your rest now dears,
I'll knit 'till my death!

(muah ha ha ha....!)

Sent out in good fun to all my fellow Sock Madness knitters. Good luck tomorrow!

Countdown to Round #2

Well, the next start date has been announced, as has my competition. Next round starts this Thursday (sometime between 1-6 p.m. my time) and I will be knitting against Mt. Mom. I finished before she did last time, but last time I did little else for the entire weekend. This time will be a little different. For one thing, my daughter Isha will be coming home for Spring break on Thursday, my husband is away an yet another business trip to FINLAND, I have volunteered to judge at a debate competition Saturday morning (somehow I don't think they would understand if I were to bring my knitting) and... yeah. Oh well, at least it's not St. Patrick's day weekend again. I am looking forward to getting started again. Still trying to decide on my yarn though. You see, I have to contemplate my strategy (not-so-evil "muah-ha-ha" snicker). Yarn color, yarn weight, fiber make-up of said yarn, it all plays into the game. Yeah, I know- I'm just making a pair of socks. Well whatever. I'm more competitive than I thought, that's for sure.

What else. Well, as you may have noticed on the side there, I have started a new sweater for Bryan. I purchased some Araucania Chunky at Stitches from Webs and have finally gotten started on the sweater. What do you think?

Ignore the bad photo. I just wanted to show you real quick and I am in the middle of taking out a row or two because I screwed up a cable. (That's what I get for working on it at BobaKnit!. Too many distractions.) Don't you just hate that?! Actually, I think cables are more of a pain to fix than lace. argh. Oh well. At least it is not too far back.

I am feeling like I should have more on the needles though! It's kind of driving me nuts. I want to start so many projects, but with this Sock Madness thing I want to have a bit of a clear slate. Maybe it's just the time of year. Maybe I am just feeling restless because Spring is almost here and the weather can't decide if it wants to be hot or cool.

Well, I guess I'll go finish taking out my bad cables, or maybe I'll go swatch some yarn for Sock Madness, or read some knitblogs, or I could go take a bath, or....

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What a week. It just kept going and going and going. I kept trying to post and then something would come up, and another something and so on and so forth. It has been busy. On Monday Hannah came over to make banana bread. Yes, she has an oven, but this way we got to smell the lovely aroma and share in the experience. She had never made banana bread before. Again, she had never made banana bread before. Can you believe that? Still, I think she did an excellent job and next time she will know how to use the timer. ( She set the timer for 60 hours instead of 60 minutes...) Doesn't it look good?


While she was here she was able to witness me opening my new yarn swift. Yes, yes, I am just getting a yarn swift. I never felt the need for one because my husband was so good at holding yarn for me. You see, his mother was a weaver and so he had been well trained. But, alas, my husband is traveling quite a lot these days, in fact he leaves for Finland again tomorrow, and I now find that I am in need of extra help. Actually got it for 1/2 off from Joann's. Nice. Makes ball winding much faster. Of course, I am still doing that by hand.

This week was also science fair for Conner and Anna. They work on these projects all Fall and Winter and finally, on Wednesday they were able to present their projects. They did an absolutely great job! Anna's project was a continuation of one she did with Brianna last year, but this year she designed and made a filter that used aloe vera to filter water that had been contaminated with e-coli bacteria. It was successful in that there was actually a reduction in the level of bacteria in the water, but a lot more testing would be needed to determine how well it would work as a n actual product. Good project!

Now Conner, well he always has a good time at science fair and is good at creating a lot of, ...hmmmm.... interest.
But he did actually have a good project as well. His involved using solar panels as a way to boost the range of electric vehicles. Sort of a renewable hybrid if you will. His project was also successful in that the range of his vehicle was improved. But he also learned how to make electronic circuits and did an awesome job.

Of course on Thursday I went to Bobaknit. There were 25 people there! Yowza. I was able to teach a newbie how to knit and she picked it up very quickly... Good job Leilani! I also learned a new technique for doing cables without a cable needle from Linda. Awesome. I have a feeling that this will come in handy in future Sock Madness challenges!

And of course, today is St. Patrick's Day. We got an early start yesterday with some dance-outs at local schools, senior centers and the like. Anna was a little unenthusiastic about going to the last stop for her for the day, Palm. Now they had danced there last year and had a good time. They treat the kids well, make sure they have something to munch on and something to drink (always a nice touch when you have invited Irish Dancers out), so Anna begrudgingly came along and danced... but it was hot and she was tired.

(That is Anna above on the far right and below in the front row facing the audience, 2nd from the right)

So, after the kids were all done dancing someone comes and wheels up a trolley with a goodie bag for each of the dancers and inside is, well - look for yourself:

...they gave each of the dancers a Palm Pilot. Only in Silicon Valley.

So. Sock Madness should start up again soon since all of the brackets are now complete. Today we have more Irish dancing to do, the local Irish Social club dinner dance should be fun. They are bound to be a very appreciative audience!

So, a quick update. I have just learned that I have indeed made it to the 2nd round of Sock Madness. Thanks to all of you who have been cheering for me! Now, I am not entirely sure when the 2nd round will begin. It may depend on when others are finished, for example at this time only 6 from my division are done - we need 10 more to finish before we can move on.

It was fun. I am not sore or crampy (I credit my arnica cream!) and today I will rest and enjoy the very beautiful weather that we are having!

Sock Madness-Round One

Sock Madness-Round One
Originally uploaded by SnidKnits.

Phew. What a weekend! I am wearing the socks now and even though they are a little smaller than i would normally knit, they are actually comfy.

I am going to bed now...
g'night!

Sock Madness- sock #1

Sock Madness- sock #1
Originally uploaded by SnidKnits.

Look what I did today! Yup, one day, one sock. hopefully I can repeat my performance tomorrow.

Don't they look like mint cookies or something?! (Maybe I'm just hungry)

Blankies and BobaBabes

So after several days of blocking and drying, blocking and drying, the Spanish Christening Shawl (blanket) is officially a Finished Object! Yesterday I gifted the blanket and took the opportunity to take a couple of picks before I stole Tyler away for some cuddling with his Great Aunt (that would be me and yes, "great" is an adjective!) Tyler spent the time fussing, eating and needing a new diaper but he is cute and it was nice to get a baby-fix in. Danielle looks absolutely amazing for someone who has just had a baby!

And here is a closeup of the TWO finished objects!

After I hung out with the babes, I went to bobaknitting and hung out with the bodacious bobababes (yes we have some nice "bobaboys" too.) This is a fun group and somehow Thursdays are becoming the best night for me to get out and do some knitting.
There are knitters of all ages,

Wonderful knitters who make me laugh and inspire me with their beautiful knitted objects,

And friends who know how to have a good time!

There was lengthy discussion on the deeper meanings of boba but after some time we banned Hannah from talking until she had "made a circle". She was having so much fun that she forgot that we were there to knit (had been there for and 1 1/2 hours and still hadn't joined her round on the beanie...)

On other topics-

Sock Madness starts tomorrow and I have been practicing different methods of toe-up construction in case we are given a pattern that needs to be knit up in that way. (I have never done a toe-up sock before) I have also learned how to do socks on two circular needles and used that as an excuse to pick up some of the new Addi lace turbos! They are pretty nice, but also similar to the Knitpicks Options needles.

My dear husband who was supposed to return from China yesterday, is instead returning from Taiwan tomorrow. Only to leave again in a week for Finland :(

The cold I was fighting off earlier in the week has returned to rear its ugly head again (ugly head filled with mucus and painful sinuses). Ugh. Great. Not.

Countdown: 4 Days

Four days until Sock Madness and I am in resting mode. Which is good since I have been sort of neglecting other areas of my life in favor of knitting (what? really?!) for the last month or so. So I am trying to catch up on some business stuff, taxes (ugh), and house cleaning - well a little anyway. I am also in the process of blocking the blanket. Since it is so large and I can't lay it out on my carpet anywhere (too many cats and kids) I am having to do it in stages on my blocking board, which of course takes up my whole dining room table. You should have seen me this morning:

Make coffee, cook egg, toast bagel, take coffee out to dining table... wait can't be there, turn around back to kitchen, where to sit?, back to table, can I move this? No, nowhere else to put it, egg is burning, back to kitchen, where did I put coffee?, put cream cheese on bagel, there is coffee!, take coffee to coffee table, remove the accumulated stack of knitting books and paraphernalia, get breakfast with slightly crispy egg, grab newspaper, dang -no room to lay it out on coffee table, start to eat breakfast while sitting cross-legged, oops - forgot cream for coffee, unfold legs and get up... etc.

Quite comical. I still haven't read the funnies. Round two tomorrow.

But the blocking is turning out beautifully, especially on the edging, does wonders for the funky corners. But seeing those beautiful repeating patterns is just so, I don't know, calming?


The calm before the storm of Sock Madness maybe?

I missed it!

So last week while I was caught up in all that is Stitches West, I missed my 1 year Blog Anniversary! Wow. What a year. I am so glad that I started this, I have met so many wonderful people and feel like I have a lot of fun new friends. It all started with meeting Jeni. She and I both homeschool and when we were both knitting, we discovered a few shared interests and random connections to Nebraska (and our daughters became best friends as well). Jeni introduced me to social knitting and knitblogs. What a wonderful world! I met Janice, and Mary, and discovered a LYS that had some great, wonderful, helpful people like Nathania! I should also say that Jeni introduced me to The Harlot and then warned me about drinking coffee over a computer keyboard while reading her blog (good tips those!)

Then Hannah decided to take up knitting! So fun! And she even has a blog now too. We now knit together often, either with Jeni or at Bobaknit where we have discovered more laughter and hilarity than we can sometimes handle graciously. Among the Boba (almost typed bodacious!) knitters are Tina, Linda, Kristi and Cookie. There are many others who I am still getting to know and whose blogs I have yet to find/discover.

I have learned and laughed so much with all of you this last year and am looking forward to so much more!

Now on another note... That blanket.... you know the one. Guess what. I am done knitting it.

I Need a Cheer Squad

Sock Yarn Stash
I did it. I'm in. I am committed (or should be committed maybe?) I am officially in Sock Madness. This crazy Knit-along will start on the 10th of March and will match me up against other knitters in a sock knitting tournament, a nutty knitting alternative to March Madness I guess. They supply the patterns and the first one to complete their sock in a given bracket moves on - or something like that. We are supposed to be matched up according to ability, which is good cause I haven't made that many pairs of socks yet. I must confess that I signed up in a moment of weakness, encouraged by Jo and sent the e-mail as I gazed at the very full bag of sock yarn on my shelf. "Would be good to get some of those knitted up!" And there you go. I was in.

Insanity. I have so many other projects I want to start, and with the Spanish Christening blanket (I can no longer call it a shawl) almost done I am eyeing new projects like a squirrel darting back and forth on the fence trying to decide between the apricot tree, the peach tree or the plums. (dang squirrels get ours every year). What's a knitter to do? So, in the meantime;

• I am finishing said blanket,
  
• I need to write up the pattern for the Pine Forest Scarf,
  
• I want to work up the pattern for the as yet un-named narrower version
• And I need to decide on something to knit.
  

Do you see why I need a cheer squad? I need to FOCUS!