Try, Try, Again....

I am currently making my second attempt at toe up socks. This time using a traditional heel. Last time I tried using a short row heel and well.....I just can't ever seem to see the wraps. It could be the solid colored fingering weight yarn on size ones that is causing my problem....I just can't get it. I will have to practice short rows on something else in maybe a variegated worsted weight fiber. The upside to the first pair is they were going to be for a friends baby so I made it to the heel part rather quickly before learning that I just couldn't do it. When I tried to frog back my yarn got all tangled up and well I just cut it off and tossed it. This time though the socks are for an adult male. They are Walt's first requested knitted item since I started knitting. I have put lots of love in to them so far. I even hand dyed the yarn. My first hand dyed yarn. I am feeling enormous pressure from myself to make these the most perfect pair of socks I have knit thus far. I want him to love them and wear holes in them (seriously I want him to want to wear them all the time!!) Hopefully the heel will go fine and it will be smooth sailing from there. Had a slight mishap with these last night. I dropped stitch and it tinked back about 2 rows. Usually, not a huge deal, but when you are knitting with size 1 needles there aren't a whole lot of things you can find to help pick up that stitch. I didn't want to move my working needle at all for fear of making the stitch fall further so finally a found a safety pin and all was well. They are black and white striped socks with rather wide stripes (Walt's request) and I am on my second black stripe. I am actually really enjoying knitting on these and can't wait to see the finished product. Special thanks to Julie for helping me dye self-striping yarn!!!

In other try, try, again news. I got my first drop spindle last month. A swap partner on Ravelry sent it to me. It was her old one. It is so beautiful and I have been dying to learn to spin. She also since this B-E-A-UTIFUL pink roving. This is where the problem begins. First, I am a perfectionist. I like things to be perfect! I like to be GREAT at things! Second, the roving is such a pretty color that I just don't want to waste it. I want it to be beautifully spun yarn that I can actually knit with. I have watched endless youtube videos and I just can't seem to get it right. I am having a hard time drafting. I am going to try to predraft & see if that helps. I am just so frustrated with it that I can't even pick it up. I want to do it, but I want to do it well. So I am pledging to try, try, again!!

Randoms...

Wow! It's amazing how many memories certain songs can provide. I can relate to so many different songs and styles for so many different reason. I always tell people that I listen to all sorts of music & sometimes I don't think they understand. I am posting a playlist here of some of my favorite songs. The are on the list for one reason or another. Whether it is for the memories it provides, how it relates to me personally, or it just plain makes me happy & want to dance. While this list is by no means complete it is a start. There are still lots of songs and artist to add.

Ugh! Such a headache today. Really not looking forward to the walk home. I just want to curl up and sleep and hope that this headache goes away. While typically the walk home isn't so bad today I am just not up for it. That reminds me I need to learn to walk and knit at the same time.

To go with my random thoughts for today I will add a random photo!

Why Me???

Ack!! Life just keeps on piling up right on top of me. Things are just getting out of control and I am starting to feel like if anything else goes wrong I will just lose it. So money has always be lack luster in my life. From being a small child to becoming an adult. I found that I budgeted better when I lived alone because I had no outside influences. I knew what all MY bills were and how much I could afford to spend on non-important things. This was also much easier when I was making 3.00 more an hour than I am currently making. I have made some bad decisions with my money especially this past year. Where has that left me?? Carless, unable to pay my cable or internet bill which I am sure will soon be turned off, 900.00 behind in my rent. Really??? Where did I go so wrong in life. I look at other people and they seem to have everything and they are not working for it either. They are in front of me in the grocery store spending their food stamps and then going outside and putting their 3 carts of groceries in their Chrysler 300. While I am buying 40.00 worth of groceries praying they will last two weeks and then walking home with my groceries in hand.
I also just finished knitting 2 left socks. Socks that I hated knitting. While the final product is both cute & fun the process was anything but. 9 inches of stockinette I just can't bring myself to do this 2 more times. So that I could have 2 right socks to go with my two left socks. The other problem is I just don't have enough of this yarn to make 2 more and it came from knitpicks and I can't afford to place another order at this time. Every penny I have is being saved. It is so hard to tell my SO that we can't do something I know he has been looking forward to for months because the funds just aren't there. It's hard to be the one that bares the burden of bills, work, food, shelter, etc....
Well enough of that. I just have to do as much as can for as long as I can. Hoping things will ease up and SO will find a job and some of our problems will ease.

So much for that...

So much for me making list and getting organized this year. I haven't been very successful with anything. Still no stash pictures or project pictures on Ravlery. No weekly blog post. Maybe I will aim for bi-weekly. Babysteps! I have sort of begun Christmas knitting the only problem I am foreseeing is wanting to immediately pass on what I have made. My mom's socks are so close to being finished I keep saying maybe I will give them to her for Mother's Day or her Birthday. No!!!!! I have to wait until Christmas. I have also begun knitting socks for my neices for Christmas. Asia will be getting Marshmallow colored socks with a pocket for a tiny brown bear to go in. Elizabeth will be getting some red fun fur socks. The totally suit her personality and I think she will love them. I am not sure what to make for Alexis yet but I am thinking maybe toe socks or something with animals. I am trying to make a schedule of what to knit and when to knit it with alternatives. I don't want to feel like I am forced to knit some socks for whoever and be in the mood to knit anything but socks. My candles were a big hit at Christmas!! My sister called and requested that I make her more. Yay!! So glad that she loved them. I have been doing a lot of swapping lately. I feel like a lot is going out and nothing is coming in. I did get a package from my Pen Pal the other day and it was fantastic. It contained some yummy dark chocolate (my favorite), the red fun fur that I will be using for Elizabeth's socks, two really cute heart dish/washcloths, and the best part was a picture of Captain Jack Sparrow!!! I should be getting about 2 more packages this week and then one that I sent out for our round robin back next week. Fingers crossed!! Well so much for that!

A New Year & New Goals

So did not quite get everything I wanted to get finished for Christmas done but I made a good dent. First goal of the new year start Christmas knitting sooner. I was soooo busy with all of the holidays and birthdays that I have neglected my blog. Second goal to blog once a week. I really need to start focusing on Ravelry and my swaps. I am currently involved in three and a possible 4th. The first is the 'Sole' Food Swap. I need to start shopping soon hoping we go to the LYS in Tampa before I have to mail my package. It should be great fun though since it is all about socks and food. Warm feet and a full belly. The second is the Round Robin Swap with the best group of people anyone could ever ask for. It is a monthly optional swap with different themes and hosts. Third is the 2010 Swap For All Season the first package is due by Easter (April 4th). The possible fourth is if my pen pal and I decide to do the January Swap which is one handmade item and 5.00 worth of trinkets. A cheap and simple swap. With money still be a little low I am having to budget my butt off to do the things I want to do. I really need to upload my stash and take pictures of my finished knitting projects and put them on ravelry. Oh yeah I also need to finish my last Charity scarf and get those sent off as well. Maybe I should make a list. It will be my year of list.

A list of swaps
A list for Christmas
A to-do list
A blog list
A list of list

Off to make some lists!!

Is Christmas Really Only 8 Days Away.....

Wow! I can't believe how close the holiday is and I still have so much knitting to accomplish. I wasn't originally planning to knit for Christmas since I am still relatively new to knitting. However, with our current money situation it was kind of the best option. Unfortunately, life happened and my grandfather passed and I was sick for about 3 weeks which put a huge damper in my knitting. What have I accomplished? Well let's see: One purse (well sorta it still needs to be seamed and have handles), Hat for my step-dad, one sock for mom, half a scarf for Jeannie....

What still needs to be accomplished: Other sock for mom, other half of Jeannie's scarf, 2 more purses, 3 elephants, golf sweets for my step-dad, dish clothes for my sister (need to find patterns still), non-knitting but I need to make some more soap to go with her dish clothes.

So stressed lately struggling to make ends meet and still be able to enjoy ourselves. Can't wait for knit night tonight. I really need a break from the apartment and life!!

'Sole' Food Swap Q & A

I just can't seem to stay away from the swap bug! No matter how hard times have been and how tight money seems to be I always seem to find space in the budget and life for just one more swap. Here is the Q & A for the 'sole' food swap:

1.What weight of sock yarn do you generally prefer (fingering, sport, or DK?) I have knit socks in just about any weight yarn it doesn’t really matter to me.

2. What is your favorite type of yarn to knit with? For socks I have found that I really like Sensations Bamboo & Ewe (40% Wool, 30% Nylon, 15% Rayon). It is warm enough when I need it to be but cool enough for Florida weather.

3.Are there any brands of sock yarn that you have wanted to work with but have not had the chance? Ummm…Sockenwolle 100% superwash

4. What colors do you like? Pink, Green, Purple (anything really bright is always good) I also really like anything that is self-striping!

5.What colors do you not like? Boring colors (black, brown, beige, etc…)

6.What type of recipes do you usually cook with? I LOVE one pot/pan meals. Easy to clean up!

7.What type of recipes do you usually bake with? Nothing particular. I am a huge fan of cake baking so I tend to bake a lot of cakes. I like trying new decorating techniques.

8. What is your favorite food? Just about anything. I love food and enjoy trying new food.

9.Are you a tea or coffee drinker? Both

10. What type of sweets do you like? Whoppers

11. Does your kitchen have a theme? Penguins

12. Do you have any allergies (to food, fibers, pets, etc) or diet restrictions? Nope!

13. Is there anything else you would like your pal to know? I am an infomercial junkie. I love to watch all the food infomercials (slap chop, magic bullet, perfect brownie pan, & Xpress Redi, Set, Go)