Thanksgiving Blues

Today is one of those days where we must come back to reality. Everyone I know is in a down mood… I think it’s the lack of turkey and family. We’ve all come back to the reality that is midterms, lack of sleep, and stress.

For me, it’s not that bad. I have this weekend at home to look forward to, and only one midterm this week. I’ll have a decent amount of knitting time, and I hope to get these socks off the ground. The sweater is going to have to go on another hiatus for the time being, while the Christmas knitting consumes me.

Since I’ve exhausted my supply of television shows to watch at the present time, I’ve taken to listening to audiobooks while I knit. I’m loving it so far… It’s intellectually stimulating, and you don’t have to look at anything but your knitting while you do so. I can get these audiobooks free from my library at home online. It’s great for me, since it’s completely free and allows me to continue to utilize my library privileges while I’m here at school. I got completely sick of the library while I worked there this summer, but I’ve been away long enough that I’m craving books again.

To make matters worse, my boyfriend and I have been working our way through the Harry Potter movie series, and now all I want to do is go and read the books again. It’s actually quite difficult to choose between reading and knitting during my down time sometimes. I love the audiobooks; this way, I don’t have to choose.

Leftovers!

I’ve been staving off the Thanksgiving Blues with leftovers… Above was tonight’s meal. My mom came by yesterday to drop off some food. I love holidays that involve leftovers!

Now, time for some knitting and a cup of tea. I’ll get to that school work eventually.

Turkey Day

This weekend definitely didn’t go as planned… But it was still great! I made it to Nationals, which was a lot of fun. We went to Wonderland and Woodbine Racetrack in our spare time. The team finished second overall in Canada, and individually I came ninth. It was a lot of fun!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it home for Thanksgiving. Instead, I’ll be heading home next weekend. My mom visited today, on her way back from dropping off my older brother at school, with a full Thanksgiving dinner for me. I know what I’ll be eating for the next few days!

I also didn’t get anything done on the knitting. However, as I don’t have class until 5:30 tomorrow night, I have oodles of time to knit and relax. I’m glad that this semester is so relaxed… I feel as if it’s the calm before the storm, and I’m about to be bombarded with school work. Only time will tell I suppose.

I would love to put all of my photos from Nationals on the blog, but nearly all of them contain my teammates. I try not to post photos of others on the blog without asking them first, so I’m only able to put up photos that don’t include them. It’s too bad, since it won’t give you a feel for the overall experience, but hopefully it will give an accurate enough representation.

A horse being walked in the tack-up area before the race

The finish of the turf race

Racing!

One of the racehorses in the barn at Woodbine Racetrack. We got to go behind the scenes early in the morning in the barns and watch the exercise riders.

It was a great weekend, and maybe tomorrow I’ll have some more photos to post (hopefully of the knitting as well!). I’m so glad that I got to have this great experience of being a member of a National team, and I’m so proud of all of my teammates on our success!

These Socks Are Killing Me

I swear. This is the fourth time that I’ve ripped them out. This time, it was because I didn’t have the right size. Apparently, my father has extra-large, extra-wide feet… According to this pattern anyway.

I am beyond frustration, but these socks will be finished. They are coming with me this weekend, and I’ll finally get them going properly. No more ripping out, no more re-casting on.

I don’t know if I’ve ever done this much frogging on something so small and simple. I guess there’s a first time for everything! I’ll be glad when they are finished and I can start something else.

Now, back to packing. I thought I had everything in the two bags I brought, but it turns out that I forgot to throw in the knitting. I don’t know where I’m going to put it, but I’ll find a place. I’m sure of it.

I probably won’t be able to post until Tuesday, so until then, enjoy the weekend. For all of my Canadian readers, happy Thanksgiving!

The Smell of Flowers

Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Like socks, for instance.

Those socks are out to get me. I swear. This morning, after finishing some of the cable section of the leg, I realized that using self-striping yarn for cabled socks isn’t too intelligent. I couldn’t see the cables at all. The sock pattern is really beautiful, and I didn’t want it to go to waste.

So what’s a girl to do? The only thing she could in a situation like this. We had a breakup. I ripped them back, completely and utterly. I’m planning to use that pattern for some yarn that I have for my brother for Christmas.

I re-wound the yarn and did a little gauge, and I’m planning to cast on for some vanilla socks for this wonderful yarn. I hope my dad doesn’t mind. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll notice too much.

In other news, movies and sweater-knitting nights are my favourite.

The sweater!

There it is (although apparently it turned out blurry). I’ve got 9 inches done so far! I love working with the yarn… It’s my favourite kind for a reason. It’s squishy and warm. I can’t wait for this thing to be a sweater. The pattern is just mindless enough for me to get really into a movie and yet still stay awake.

I love it.

As a result, I’m totally undecided as to what to bring home this weekend in terms of knitting. It’s Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, which means a long weekend. I’m actually going to Toronto to compete at the National level with Pony Club. I’m excited, though not as excited as last year. That was my first year and we travelled to Calgary. I got to go to Spruce Meadows, and it was definitely a very cool experience. This year it’s a little closer to home, but I’m sure it will be a lot of fun. I’ll be heading home for Monday and most of Tuesday. I’m glad – I miss my family and of course my horses.

This begs the question… What to bring with me? I won’t have time to knit while I’m at Nationals, but I will have time when I’m at home. I’ve actually been thinking about it for about a week! You can tell where my priorities are…

Now. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go and do some studying for Nationals this weekend. There may be knitting. But most of all, there will be the smell of flowers.

Flowers from my boyfriend, just because. He’s the best.

Busy as a Bee

I can’t believe how busy it’s been the past few days! Yesterday I worked both of the horses in my last riding lesson of the summer. I also packed some stuff… There was lots.

This describes my Saturday quite well:

Ignore me on the side there, I couldn’t crop it out….

Packing, driving, unpacking, putting together furniture, driving, then home. That’s only half of my stuff, too! Still, my room is looking good, and I’ll post a photo of it when I finally get it all set up tomorrow afternoon. I’m starting to get really excited to go back to school, though I’m loathe to leave my horses.

All that driving time has given me lots of time to get working on some knitting… The Hat-Heel Socks have been my weapon of choice lately.

The hat-heel socks!

They are so much bigger! The foot is done and I’m onto the leg. I’m loving this pattern. I’m going to have to make some for myself soon… These ones are for my mom for Christmas (she doesn’t read the blog, so I can say that). The pattern is back to boring stockinette stitch again, but they are progressing quickly and are quite addicting!

The needle rolls are completely planned for, and will be made today, and I’ve got all of the yarn that I’m bringing to school in a tupperware bin, ready to go.

Here’s to a great second year!

 

#54

Today’s post is about #54. On my list of 101 things, #54 reads: Knit a really scary pattern.

This is what I’m working on right now. I started the Hat Heel Socks on Saturday afternoon. It’s the strangest construction of a sock that you’ve ever seen… You knit a little hat for the heel, then two gussets (like ear flaps for the hat) then the foot, then the cuff. Go look. You’ll be shocked.

Anyway. I had to learn how to do the magic toe up cast on for these socks. I did it! I was so excited. I did the heel “hat” and the two gussets by Sunday night. I then proceeded to try it on, and…. It was too small. I was so upset. So, I ripped it out and started over, this time a size up.

These socks are going to be a gift for someone, so I want them to look perfect. I feel as if I will be ripping them out again. Regardless, I haven’t made much progress with this new size yet. You’ll see:

Some blurry progress of #54, knit a scary pattern.

It’s just a tiny little nub, so far.

The blurry Nub that is the Hat-Heel Socks.

My camera didn’t focus in for this picture very well, but you can see that the socks are just a nub so far. After more Olympic viewing this evening, they will be much larger!

That wasn’t all that happened this weekend. I’ll show you what happens when you have two days off and non-stop Olympics.

This is what my coffee table looks like after a weekend with two days off and non-stop Olympics.

It isn’t a pretty sight, but it means that knitting was accomplished. Even needle rolls have moved on from the planning stage… I now have fabric!

Those pink blobs that you see there? Those are what I have dubbed “The Fuzzballs”. Remember those tube socks I was going to make for my sister, out of that crazy soft yarn? Well, I’ve started. Just a little ribbed cuff at the top and then straight stockinette from there on out. They are quick and easy, if I can just get over the bits of fuzz that end up everywhere.

A closeup of the Fuzzballs.

These are going to be super quick, but I’m glad I decided to go for tube socks. I don’t think I would even be capable of seeing the stitches to pick up.

The Fuzzballs.

They’re also a little strange… The fuzz tends to come out more on the purl sides. So the ribbing is just a mess of fuzz, but then the inside is fuzzier than the outside when you get to the stockinette part. I guess this is a good thing… It means the warmer, fuzzier side is the inside.

I also spent a little quality time with the weaving in box. The products? Hat: finished. Sampler Texture Socks: Finished. My sister’s socks from the beginning of the year: not quite finished.

This is what happens when you spend some time with the weaving-in basket.

There they are! I just have a wee bit more to do with my sister’s socks… I think there’s literally 3 more ends to weave in and then the box will be empty! For the time being, anyway.

I also realized that I have yet to show you the hat, officially finished.

The hat!

Don’t you just love when I’ve had the day off? I come back with photos!

Gosh, that photo of the hat turned out really well. It’s a little small, so I’ve decided that it will be for my sister. She’s going to have a pile of knitting for Christmas this year!

PS. 101 things list: I’m up to 17/101, with many in progress!

Less

Today I’m “less” everything. Book-less, lunch-less, knitting-less. I’m at work, and I’m focus-less.

The knitting-less thing is really starting to get to me. I have tomorrow off (finally) so I’m planning to make a dent in the weaving-in-ends pile. It’s getting a little excessive. I’m also hoping to get something on the needles as soon as possible. I’m definitely going to cast on for a couple of things; I need some vanilla-zone-out-and-nod-off-knitting as well as something a little more convoluted. I can’t wait to sit by the Olympics and knit again tonight.

Is it sad that I can’t wait to sit and watch Olympics and knit? I’m a teenager; I should be partying and having a great social life! That’s what school is for, I guess.

I’m also hoping to get some photos up tomorrow of the finished hat (once the ends are woven in of course) and my current Christmas knitting pile. I know it’s way too early for the C-word, but I need to get some focus if I’m going to seriously do some Christmas knits this year. I’m actually getting excited for the December grind, when I’m working on 5 different projects at once, and all I do is knit in every spare moment.

I’m so looking forward to some time off this weekend. I’ve been busy these past couple of weeks; when I’m not working, I’m doing something. It’ll be nice to have a little time to re-energize before my last 4 days of work then vacation! I’m learning that I really do need time to myself to just relax. It makes me happier and I’m more productive.

In Canada, this is a long weekend. I have plans on Monday, but that means I actually get two days off in a row! And tomorrow, Olympic Show Jumping is on, early in the morning. I’m feeling some breakfast-in-pajamas-knitting-early time coming on! I used to do that a lot during the winter Olympics in Torino in 2006. It seemed like every day was a snow day too, so we were home from school a lot.

Gosh, all this talk of Christmas and winter… Looks like I’m ready for fall!

And a gold medal goes to…

Me! Your gold medal winner of Olympic-hat-knitting. I’m finished! I don’t have any photos, since it still needs the ends weaving in, but this officially means I have nothing on the needles! I know, it’s pretty shocking.

I’m not sure what I’m going to start next, but I actually have two days off this weekend, so I’ll finally have a little time to relax. I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed this past little while, since I feel as if I haven’t had a moment to myself to just relax. I ride my horse every morning, so that should be enough, but I’m finding that it’s really not. I need some time to sit back and just think, without having the pressures of work or socializing.

Speaking of, my family holiday is coming up soon! We go to Florida every year in August with all of my cousins, and it’s a great way to just all be together. We don’t do anything, except relax. There’s a gorgeous beach and a gorgeous pool on our doorstep, and we go out for dinner every night so that we don’t have to cook.

I’m really looking forward to it. This year I’ll have no electronics. My phone stays at home, and my iPod is for the plane only. I’ll probably turn it off after we arrive.  Come to think of it, I might not even bring it.

I’m excited for the break. It means no knitting (because who brings knitting to a beach?) but it does mean some much needed refreshment time. I’ll come back with lots to blog about and all of the thoughts in my head going straight.

It’s fairly distracting to have a vacation coming up. I can’t really focus on anything and I’m completely at loose ends. I don’t want to start anything, since I’m going to be away for a week, and I want to finish everything up as quickly as possible. I think I’ve got cabin fever!

Anyway, back to the knitting. I’ve got numerous patterns picked out, and lots of yarn in the stash, but nothing is really calling my name at the moment. This seems to be a common theme this summer. I’m thinking a quick baby hat, since I have a pattern in my head that I want to write down, and maybe start on some of the socks for my family. I also need to sit down and have an end-weaving-in-session.

See? I told you I’m at loose ends. I can’t even write a decent post without going all over the place. You’re going to have to bear with me for another week, then I’ll get my brain together, I promise.

It’s raining, it’s pouring

It’s raining! I’m looking out the window, and let me tell you how excited I am. Last year at this time, I would be sad at yet another day with a miserable forecast. We’ve had an awful drought this year though, and everything is dusty and brown. The rain is welcome. There’s a country song that goes, “Where I come from, rain is a good thing”. It couldn’t be more true. All of the farmers will be doing a happy dance!

Enough of my excitement over the weather. Back to the knitting. Have I mentioned that 35 degree Celcius weather is not conducive to knitting? No, it’s really not. So instead, while at work, I’ve been looking up summer patterns on Ravelry.

Here are some cute drink cozies that look like watermelons.

This is the cutest tunic for kids (good thing I have a new cousin).

And then there’s this excellent shirt that I wish I had the fortitude to start.

The socks? Down for the count. If they could tweet, I would be hearing about it. It’s too bad that they can’t, really. It might motivate me to spend a little more time with them.

I can just see it now: “SamplerTextureSocks: @thetravellingsock you’re awful, I’m almost at the toe and you leave me to die in this heat, on the coffee table without the protection of a bag? #pathetic #notarealknitter” “ZoomobileSock: @thetravellingsock I’m still stuck in my prison, the knitting bag, where I haven’t been touched since your trip to the zoo. This isn’t second sock syndrome, this is first sock syndrome, you fickle thing. #helpless #abandoned”

And I get mad at others because they don’t like my knitted things enough? Ha. I don’t even like them enough to finish them.

Tonight. I’m going to go home from work. Do the chores, boil some water and make some tea. Turn on the Food Network, and finish these babies.

What? You think I can’t finish the toe of one sock, half of another, and another entire sock, while still getting a reasonable amount of sleep? You of little faith. Challenge accepted.

How about this one? It’s the Summer Blues Cropped Lace Cardigan (click photo for link)

Finally!

Woohoo! I’ve finally made some progress on those Sampler Texture Socks! They aren’t finished, but still…

Last night I finished the purple yarn and switched to the pink. I can’t believe how long it lasted – I thought for sure I would have run out long ago. I only have about 25 more rows of the chart to do before I’m onto the toe decreases… Then done!

I’m excited that I’ve actually got some of my mojo back.

Now if I could just regain my readers… No views since last Sunday.

Hmm. Maybe I can lure you in with some photos on this fine Canada Day weekend. I’m going to see the fireworks down at the beach with the boyfriend tonight. It should be great, since it’s such a gorgeous day!

In other news, I’m wearing a dress today. Now, to most of you, this seems like not a big deal. But if you knew me well, you would understand that I have an aversion to anything girly. But I am at work today, in the NON-AIRCONDITIONED library. It’s like 35 degrees (Celsius) out there people. And I can’t wear shorts… Mine are all way too short to be deemed work appropriate.

Ah well. Tomorrow I’m working at the ice cream store, scooping ice cream. At least it’s airconditioned. And I can wear shorts there.

Who wears short-shorts? I wear short-shorts!