Cowl me anytime

This blurry picture represents the beginning of a new knitting project. What? Knitting? I know, it's been a while. But semi-regular crafting club lunches at work have gotten me in the mood.  Besides, it's...cold? ish? Ok it's not that cold out in California these days, but it is technically Winter, and there are days where it's cold enough to wear knits. 

So I'm making a cowl. It's my first cowl, and in true Kim fashion, I'm not going off a pattern. I have a hard time paying attention to patterns, since I usually knit in short spurts while on public transit, and also? I kind of like just knitting and seeing what happens. I'm doing a seed stitch, and Kath helped me guesstimate how many stitches to cast on (we settled on 111). And we'll just see how it goes!

My first round was nearly impossible to knit. I cast on pretty tightly, and the yarn (Waverly for Bernat) isn't very stretchy. Honestly, I almost quit and tore the whole thing out, vowing to cast on more loosely next time. But I persevered, and I'm glad I did, because once I got past that first awful row, it was a lot easier to knit. My seed stitch pattern is a little wonky - it was hard to tell which stitch I was on because it was so tight and I was blinded by frustration - but I'm not worried about a few mistakes on the end, and I'm back on track now!

I haven't made much more progress, not enough to photograph, but I'll keep posting pictures as I go. This thing will take a while, I'm sure, but maybe I'll finish it in time to wear it before summer?

Wedding Knitstuff, Part...One?

I promised a post about knitwear, and ye shall receive a post about knitwear!  I don't make promises I can't keep...I promise!

And now, it is my pleasure to present to you...The Completed (so far) Knitwear for the Wedding!  (yeah, the title could use some work)

Beautiful, beautiful hand/wrist warmers,
for the bridesmaids,
knitted and embroidered by Reed.
In the background, you can see the
bouquets and bouttonieres :)

I messed with the contrast because it really
shows off Reed's embroidery. 

While Reed was working on the hand/wrist warmers (and
a bunch of other stuff), I knit 6 scarves.  Yes, six.
Did you know that scarves take a long time to make?
I am about 3 months behind on The New Yorker now, but
I'm pleased with the way they came out!
Each one has a different stitch pattern, length, width, and
ratio of yellow to gray.  Coordinated but not matchy matchy.

So far so good, eh?  Reed's working on my hand/wrist warmers now, and is starting the dads' ties this weekend.  I'm about halfway done with the first mom cowl/neck warmer, and starting to think about whether I want something knit in my hair (decorative bobby pins? headband? hmmm) as well.

And that's the knitting update for ya!  Up next: a bonus wedding craft post!  I know you can't wait!

Look, I made a hat

Starting on a hat..
Finishing a hat...
Look, I made a hat...
Where there never was a hat


Oh Sondheim, you're always there for me with an appropriate quotation.  Even when it really doesn't have much to do with what I'm actually saying.


A while ago, I mentioned that I was knitting a hat for Patternworks’ Chemo Cap donation project.  It was a new pattern for me, and while it wasn’t super difficult, there were aspects that required some thinking (I had forgotten some ribbing details, like whether to start with a knit or a purl stitch at the beginning of each row…I really need to remember that better). I thought I’d share some pictures, because I think it turned out really well.

The hat.  I really like how the border looks a little knobbly.

They say when you make something by hand, you're supposed
to leave a mistake.  This shows God (or something) that you
don't think you're perfect. I think. I just made a mistake and
didn't know how to fix it. Plus, a little error brings the handmade,
humanelement to it, right?

Love the way it looks from the top.

I even think it looks cool inside out.

All ready to send!  And yes, I sent it on time!

Knitting!

Knitting on BART is fun!

With the weather finally being all gray and rainy (I wore a coat three times this week!), my knitting instincts have started to kick in.  It's hard to work up the desire to knit when it's hot out, especially when there are all kinds of excuses along the lines of "but the knitting stuff is all put away, and it's so messy in here, I don't want to take anything else out right now".  You know, excuses.  Justification.  So easy.  But now the weather is of the sort that encourages warm and cozy feelings, hot chocolate and apple cider.  And of course, knitwear.

Also encouraging me to knit is the Patternworks chemo cap donation program going on right now. Their goal is to collect 1,000 chemo caps by October 29, to send to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In addition, for every cap received, they will donate a portion of the yarn sales to the American Cancer Society.


Last night, I sat down to work on my chemo cap, since it's due soon, and I realized I was only halfway through with a baby hat I started months ago. I don't even remember who I was making it for, or if it was for a specific person, but I had to finish it.  You see, this chemo cap pattern calls for the use of size 6 circulars and size 6 DPNs, and those just happen to be the needles wrapped up in this unfinished hat.  Oh, the troubles! Such struggle! Such a hard life!


Anyway, I'm working on finishing this hat (should be done today) so I can get started on the chemo cap. This hat is a simple roll-brim baby hat; I've made several of them over the last few months for the long list of friends with new babies.  I love making them because the yarn is so soft, and the colors are so cute, but I'm excited to try the ribbed pattern of the chemo cap.  We'll see how it goes - I'm glad to be getting back into knitting!  

Remember when this blog was about knitting?

When I first started this blog, I wrote about knitting a lot.  And funny story, I actually used my knit lunch bag today, on the day I will finally blog again about something I've knitted.  No kidding.  PS - I just realized that I never shared the finished bag, avec lovely star button (that I don't actually use as a button, because that buttonhole would just be annoying).  So here ya go.  The bag. 

The lovely Miss Keira was my bag model, which actually ties in nicely with today's post about knitting.  Keira recently became a big sister, which inspired me to bust out my circular needles and learn how to make a little baby hat. Of course, my first attempt resulted in the tiniest hat known to mankind, which ended up being more doll-sized than baby-sized.  Perhaps (and this is just a guess) I have underestimated the size of a newborn baby's head.  Did you know that their heads are actually not all that tiny when they come out?  Terrifying.

I digress.  After teeny babydoll hat, I tried again...resulting in about 1" of twisted, mobius-y gigantor that would definitely have been too big for Baby.  I decided to invest in some slightly larger yarn, and use slightly larger needles, since um, I was frustrated and wanted to try again with something that wouldn't take quite so long.  I didn't want to venture in to the scary land of Double Pointed Needles, so I stretched that thing as far as it would go on my 16" Size 10 Circulars.  The result? The hat you see below on the left.

It was almost big enough to fit me.  My head is slightly larger than the head of Miss Baby, but I had extra yarn and tried again, casting on about half as many stitches.  The result?  An adorable pair of hats, perfect for Big Sis and Lil Sis to wear together.  And by golly, these hats better fit those girls! :-)

Actually, I made three hats in the last week.  Baby is getting 2 hats, because baby yarn is ridiculously soft and adorable.  I may have bought 4 different skeins of baby yarn. Attention friends: if you are pregnant, or recently had a baby, expect to receive a baby hat.  I might be obsessed.

I got an amazing deal on a set of DPNs on Amazon (5 DPNs in 13 sizes for $21.99!), and figured I'd brave the DPN knitting on the smaller hat...smaller hat = more difficult to stretch out on the circulars.  And you know what?  It wasn't awful.  I made a little mistake when making the pastel hat (it was my first try), and used 3 DPNs total instead of 3 for the stitches and a 4th to stitch with, but you can't even tell.  See?

Thanks to Crazy Aunt Purl for her awesome tutorial.  Also, see this one about decreasing stitches.  She is hilarious, and is one of the main reasons I am not afraid of DPNs.  After finishing off the pastel hat, I finished off the bright baby hat, this time using the correct number of DPNs.  Wow.  That was way easier.  I might even say that I love doing this now.  It's pretty awesome, and I really like pulling the yarn through the stitches at the end to finish it off - there's something satisfying about pulling it all together (literally) like it's a drawstring bag.  Super!  No fear!

Wow, totally scary!!!

I'm totally doing it!!

How-To Grocery Bag From Reed

In case you wanted to know how to make that awesome grocery bag that Reed made me, she was kind enough to write out some instructions and share her favorite links for me to share with you.  Right here.  On this blog.  In this post!  It's technically crochet, not knit, but I'm putting it in the category with the knit stuff, cause well, it's all the same type of thing, isn't it?

So here ya go - instructions and tips from Awesome Reed!


First of all, here are nice links to:

• making plastic bag yarn (pictures included) 
• and how to crochet (here, here, here)

I also recommend crochetpatterncentral.com for more info on crochet.

As for the pattern, here are the steps I use to make a bag. There are also patterns available on crochetpatterncentral.com if anyone needs more pictures.

• To start, chain 32 stitches (this forms your foundation row). 
• Double crochet (DC) in 3^rd chain stitch from hook. Continue in DC for entire foundation chain, then turn work & DC down other side of foundation chain (you should have 60 DC) 
• Join round by DC in 1^st DC stitch of first round. Continue working DC around continuously until bag is 1 inch shorter than desired depth. Work 1 row half double crochet (HDC), then 1 round single crochet (SC). 
• Flatten bag & locate side edges of bag. Make sure your SC row ends at the side of the bag. 
• Work 12 SC, chain 50, skip next 16 SC of previous row, SC 24, chain 50, skip next 16 SC of previous row, SC 12. Work SC around top of bag & handles. Bind off (BO) 
• Join yarn in “skip next 16” SC stitches (inside edge of handles). Work SC around once, BO. Repeat on inside edge of other handle. 
• Weave in ends, and you are done!

Seems easy enough if you know how to crochet.  I'm not very good at learning from pictures (I learn by doing, and usually need someone to show me/do it with me to really get a feel for it), and I don't know how to crochet...I think Reed needs to come out for another visit so she can teach me in person :)  The actual making of the "yarn" looks like fun though...tedious, but therapeutic maybe?

Stone Mountain

For those of you who don't live in Berkeley, or don't knit/sew, or don't enjoy visiting fabric stores just to ogle the pretty things, you probably don't know about Stone Mountain. Le Sigh...how you are missing out. Stone Mountain is my favorite fabric and craft store in the area. There, I said it. It's my favorite. Why? Well, I'll tell you.

It's actually called Stone Mountain and Daughter Fabrics, and you should check out their website for the official details and such (or better yet, check them out in person if you're in the area!). But just know this: they are wonderfully lovely. They have an excellent supply of fabric, buttons (see slide show below), yarn, patterns, and any supply you might need for a project. They sell fabric scraps, have great discount yarn, and are super helpful. They have classes and events, and web-discounts and a really cool swatch service (can you say patchwork blanket?). Their website has a virtual tour, for those of you who can't make it in person to give you an idea of what they're all about (and to make you jealous). Just. So. Much. Goodness. Plus, they don't mind if you walk around the store taking pictures of everything. Bonus!

I've embedded a slide show of some of my favorite fabrics and such from my visit there today (while I was waiting for the dry cleaners to open, long story). I got to touch my first Noro yarn (Crazy Aunt Purl raves about this stuff), and boy is it yummy - too bad it's around $12 a skein. However, I walked away with some nubbly cotton yarn that was just too delicious to resist (see slide show), a little bundle of scrap fabric (awesome cotton polka dots - of course I have no project in mind yet) and that warm, cozy feeling you get after wandering around reams of fabric and bundles of yarn.

So check it out, and enjoy!

And Oh Yeah, Some Links

I can't tell if I am repulsed or intrigued by the idea of this fake jellyfish tank. I love looking at jellyfish, but I just don't know that this would do it for me. Plus, it's expensive. Plus, it's kind of chintsy, right?

My friend Erin is a really good poet. I have forced her to email me her poems for years now, and she is currently getting her masters in poetry (well, writing in general, I think...but she's a poet). Anyway, she's really talented, and her poems always rub me just the right way, and I usually feel smarter having read them. Reading poetry is a "smart" thing, right? Just kidding. I love me some e. e. cummings like the best literary snobs. That's not the point though. The point is that Erin is a wonderful poet, and her poetry is now available online HERE - through at-large magazine. Just click on POETRY and then E.C. MESSER [Why Captain, I had no idea.] This issue is the "Jungle" issue, though I'm not sure what that refers to (even after reading the blurb on the homepage). Maybe Erin can elaborate in a comment.

This might be one of the funniest twitters Dooce has ever twittered.

There is so much I want to do in San Francisco. I'm going to have to start scheduling things in, so I don't waste away my weekends puttering around the house.

Oh my lord, The Laptop Compubuddy Sleeve. Holy Crap. Trust me, you will want to click here and check this out. This is one of those "a picture's worth a thousand words" cases.

I really enjoyed this Leah Garchik column...sometimes I really wish I could go to one of these fashiony things, just to check 'em out.

Where have I been?

I just realized that I haven't blogged since Valentine's Day, and that was a while ago. My V-Day included a really yummy box of hand-picked chocolates (all dark, some with nuts, some with pomegranate, pretzels, marshmallow...all yummy). The Boy knows me, what can I say? I hope your V-Days were everything you hoped they would be...and more.

Speaking of everything you hoped it would be...and more...I saw 27 Dresses this weekend. I was visiting the lovely Reed in Colorado, and we got some girls together to totally girl-out at a chick flick. I hardly EVER do this, and boy is it fun. There's something so guilty-pleasure-satisfying about a totally predictable, rom-com (as Chrissie calls it). Cute guys, pretty clothes, witty banter, what's not to love? It's so formulaic, down to the sarcastic best girl friend and the puppy-eyed cute boy who the ingenue/sassy heroine fights with but eventually realizes she's in love with. But I love it. And this movie hit the spot. Especially with appearances by Jan from The Office and Kitty from Arrested Development (ok, I know Judy Greer is in a ton of movies and things, and she's fabulous in them all, but she's probably best known in "this crowd" from AD). [note: spoiler - if you can have a spoiler in a rom-com - quote from the wedding at the end of the movie..."Is this day everything you dreamed it would be?" "No. It's more." eeeewww aaaawwwwww cheeseball!]

Anyway, highlights from this weekend include:

dorking out at the Boulder, CO office

margarita (only needed one!) at this mexican restaurant whose name i've forgotten

aaaaand I MADE THIS HAT!

Post Number 91, Ta Da!

I am sneezing. I am sneezing because of the sun. The sun is shining in my eyes, through the big glass windows of the shuttle. The shuttle that I ride for free. Ok, I'll stop complaining about sneezing. Sometimes I forget to put things in perspective.

But still, sneezing is kind of annoying.

Oh well. I haven't written a real post on here in a while--it's been a lot of lists and re-posts and such, and I feel like I haven't really been contributing any interesting life tidbits lately. Which I guess doesn't matter because there's really no format to this blog. Well, the format is "whatever I feel like posting whenever I feel like posting it." Ah, freedom.

Anyway, I just thought I'd include a few life updates today. I'm in the mood.

First on the Agenda: Finances. I haven't been doing as well as I'd like in the money department. My income has significantly increased since my internship (duh), but so have my expenses. I can afford all my bills, and even to pay my parents a bit of what I owe them every month (and I should be done paying them by late January), but I just hate the feeling of wanting more. I want to be putting money into savings, which right now I'm just not doing at all. I say it's because the money I'm paying my parents will eventually turn into money I put into savings, but right now I'm just frustrated that I can't do both. But paying my parents back is more important, so I just have to be patient. Nobody wants to be in debt--even if it is to an interest-free, late-payment-forgiving, nice and understanding source like your parents.

Anyway, I've been thinking about sticking to a budget for a while. I have definitely succumbed a little to the "ooh I have new money!" thing, buying a new shirt here...spending $100 on food for a housewarming party there...etc. Not that I'm going nuts, and I can still pay my bills, but I have certainly not been as frugal in the last few months as I'd like to be. Maybe it just took 2-3 months of being excited about my newfound steady income and now the excitement has worn off? Maybe it's finally hit me that pay increase + bill increase does not = tons of disposable income? Do you have any experience with this, readers?

Item Two: Knitting. I have joined a weekly knitting group at work. We meet for an hour at lunch on Fridays. I'm excited to have a regular (whenever I can make it, anyway) knitting time...and some of the ladies in the group are very experienced! Hopefully I'll finally finish the scarf that I'm making with the yarn Reed gave me for graduation...in 2006. It's going to be a lovely scarf, soft and warm and wide, even if I did mess up the seed stitch every once in a while. Gives it character, no?

Also, a few of the girls at work and I have been talking about starting a biweekly craft night, where everyone brings a craft she (or he, I suppose) is working on, be it knitting or crocheting or scrapbooking or beading or basket weaving or celebrity gossiping...and we will sit and eat and craft and watch cheesy-but-classic movies (Dirty Dancing, Return to Oz, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, etc). Sounds like fun to me!

Perhaps I'll post a picture from my housewarming party later--I, of course, did the cheesy thing where I take a picture of my tablescape. It was not so much a tablescape as it was a lovely display of food with one vase of flowers, but it was (I thought) deliciously impressive. So I took a picture. If I get it uploaded, I'll post it later.

Item Three: Fun. This weekend was really great. Friday night housewarming = really nice. Saturday Cal beating Oregon and moving up to be the #3 school in the country = awesome. Splurging on dinner items (fresh salmon, yukon gold potatoes, lemon, strawberries, gourmet cheese) and having a mini-wine sampling (had small amounts of a few bottles left over from Friday) and cooking a delicious meal at home with The Boy = truly wonderful. It was so nice to hang out and spend the day shopping at Market Hall (pricey, but fun to splurge), wandering around the "Out and About in Rockridge" festival, tasting fruits and cheeses. Then to come home and prepare a delicious meal together...just one of the best ideas we've ever had.

Happy Tuesday! May Tuesday be better than Monday!

The Bag. Finally.

Here you go. You can stop holding your breath. Pictures of the bag. Before and After. I still have to add a button (I bought a big, red, star-shaped one. Fun!), but at least I can check this off my list of things to do...enjoy.

front of bag (before)


front of bag (after)


folded bag (before)


folded bag (after)


water bottle for perspective (after)

it looks like it's jumping. awkward.


view from the top (after)

Apologies for the weird formatting. I'm not so great at adding multiple pictures to my posts. Yet.

Friday the 13th...oooh scary

Not so scary, this Friday the 13th.

Things of note:

1. Another newspaper article about my mom, this time with a picture! To see the first one, click here. For those not in the know, my mom recently received an award and grant (with the highest possible score!) for her outstanding developmental kindergarten program. She rocks.
2. Today, we at Berkeley Rep said goodbye to Madelyn Mackie, our fabulous production manager. She's leaving the "reptiles" for a job with the Red Cross, something she's incredibly proud to be a part of--which she has made apparent by providing us with several earthquake/fire/emergency preparedness seminars. We had a lovely ice cream social, and we all went home a little early.

the one and only madelyn mackie

1. I saw a surprisingly good production of The Cripple of Inishmaan tonight, presented by Berkeley's Wilde Irish Theatre. Read a review here--I also thought it was quite good. The room is tiny, and upon arriving, I thought it was going to be an amateur, community theatre type production, but I thought wrong. Martin McDonagh is fantastic on taking his audience on an emotional roller coaster (pardon the cliche) - you are literally taken by the twists and surprises throughout the entire play. Just when you think you know what you're feeling, or think "oh, well I figured out that twist," he surprises you again. Love him. And this production certainly did him justice.
2. Last night, at a lovely little 2-person SnB at Espresso Roma, I (finally) learned how to pick up stitches and knit in the round (SO easy! I can't believe I was such a scaredy cat)! My brown bag is (finally) on its way to becoming a bag! It even looks bag-ish! For a moment, which sadly I did not photograph, it looked somewhat like a beret. I might make a beret. It might be ugly. I should have put the "beret" on my head and taken a picture. Not.
   

note the bag-like shape. pouchy! ah, bag, I remember when you were but a mere square...

note the lovely seam created by picking up stitches and beginning to knit in the round...


note the square-ish, bag-ish, totally 3D knitting! progress!

So you see, all in all, a rather un-freaky Friday the 13th. More posts soon...maybe more knitting? Eh? Eh?

Random Thing of Interest...and Knitting!

These things could not be more unrelated, but here goes anyway.

My friend Josh is currently on an Adventure in Thailand. He, being the morbid, sarcastic, zombie-loving, nerdtastic (lovable) freakshow that he is, wanted to go to someplace he had heard of called the Human Bakery. Check out his latest blog post for more information. Quite interesting indeed. Linked to said blog post, however, was the Japanese Banquet of Cannibalism. It may be one of the most disturbing things I've heard about. Ever. Although it's not as bad as it sounds. Really. Check it out. Josh, being a pre-med (and as I said before, a zombie-lover), would probably love to eat her. erm, here. editor's note: Josh is not a pre-med. He is a "full blown med" now. my bad.

In Other News...Knitting!

I have begun to work on my bag. Must rip out what I've done to re-size it. See how tiny it is? That's the base of the bag. And when I felt it, it will be about 1/2 the size it is now. Even tinier. Not so good for holding my lunch; and let's face it, I like to eat.

such a tiny, tiny square

So now I begin the task of ripping and restarting. Stay tuned for the exciting results...

I Want This

I have decided that I MUST make this bag. It is the perfect solution to my lunch bag needs (lunch box is too heavy, plastic market bag is too flimsy). I think it might even keep my food cold if I stick an ice pack in there. I have included a picture, just in case you didn't believe me that it MUST be made. I mean, it rules. I would use a different clasp, or maybe just a giant button, but I totally can't wait to get started on it. I would need to get a 16" size 10.5 set of circulars, and possibly some yarn (unless some of my 52-skein-megastash that I bought for $5 would work, I'll have to check), and I may try to make it a little bigger (math skills???), but man...I can't wait to make it! And Michaels is having a sale this week! 25% off bamboo needles! SCORE!

such a good idea. with a different clasp.

In other news, the weather was gorgeous today. 70 degrees and sunny. Took a walk to Yogurt Park with the roommates for some delicious frozen yogurt. I love sunshine. And frozen yogurt.

Milestones Shmilestones

Happy Purim (apparently)!

Once again, Purim has snuck up on me, and I am unprepared. So sad. I'll have to get some Hamentashen and a noisemaker and write the date down next year. Not that I really have any feelings towards Purim one way or another, but it could be fun if I didn't remember it's happening the day before it happens.

But to celebrate (like I've been planning this special pre-Purim night out all along), tonight I am going to see my friend's band play in San Francisco as part of this crazy thing called the Noise Pop festival. Maria Bamford is appearing on Sunday, but I cannot go, because alas, tickets cost $24. And alas, I am poor. But I digress. My friend's band is called Street to Nowhere, and they are playing tonight at Slim's. And I am going for free (because really, folks, when do I ever leave the house if it ain't free?). I am excited. His girlfriend will be there, and I haven't seen her in a while, and that will be fun. But the "big news" is that I am going to the show alone.

"But Kim," you quickly interject, "you just said you're meeting the ladyfriend there. Hence, a lack of aloneness." Yes, but I am going (ie: travelling) to the show All By Myself. Finding my way in the Big City. I'm not taking public transportation, because the directions involve BART and a bus and walking, and I don't really know where this place is, and I'm always terrified of getting on the wrong bus or going the wrong direction or paying too much because I didn't ask for the right kind of transfer or standing on a dark corner all alone waiting for a bus that is running late...or something. (apparently I am not afraid of long sentences, but we knew that, didn't we?)

So, the point of this highly entertaining story is: I am driving. Which does not terrify me as much as getting lost on public transportation, but does terrify me a little. Driving in San Francisco is a little scary to little old Kim from the valley where streets are flat and there are no one way streets and oh my god these hills are steep and where the heck am i and how do i get back to the east bay from here. So yes. I will be driving tonight. And it will be an Adventure. And I may call you in hopes that you are sitting in front of your computer to help me via googlemap.

In other news, I stumbled across this wonderful hat pattern from everyone's favorite Crazy Aunt Purl today. It's called the Brangelina Hat (see also: prototype), and looks like SO much good times I don't know what to do with myself. Before I knit it, however, I will need:

• one set of 16" circular size 10 needles ($$)
  
• one set of 16" circular size 11 needles ($$)
  
• a couple double pointed size 11 needles ($$)
  
• the cajones to knit with double pointed needles (priceless)
  
• some delicious WoolEase Thick N Quick yarn (not a problem here, I love buying this stuff! so cheap! so thick! so quick!)

So once I get these things, I will attempt this hat. Because gosh, it looks cute. And jeez, it's time for me to get over my irrational fear of double pointed needles already!

Another fear I am hoping to get over: my fear of going to Stitch N Bitch. I am thisscared of going by myself because let me tell you, I do not love me an awkward situation. I'm sure everyone would be lovely and welcoming and nice and all, but I'm also sure I would babble on in a rather embarrassing manner, and probably share too much information, and there is also the chance that I would sit silently and not talk to anyone. That last one isn't quite as likely as the babbling on and being the Queen of TMI, but you never know. I would much rather have the security blanket of a friend who wants to come along and stitch and bitch with me. Anyone? We'll see. Maybe the cajones needed for double pointed knitting will help me to venture forth solo to a Berkeley Stitch N Bitch. Or vice versa. Either way, I need me some balls.
side note: why, when we need courage, do we say we need balls? (or cajones or testicles etc.) is it because we, as a society, feel that men are more courageous? so if a woman, or anyone for that matter, wants to feel Strong and Brave, they need to be more manly? i'm not saying that many men aren't Strong and Brave and all that, but so are many women [duh]! i am not particularly Strong and Brave myself, but why don't i say that i need to get myself a pair of breasts when i mean i need to suck it up and just not be a wimp (or a pussy???) i mean, come on. these gender-identified character traits are really silly and stereotypical and outdated. even though sometimes i am indeed a "pussy" and feel like i'd like someone who has indeed "grown a pair" to walk down the street with me.

Enough ranting and raving for now. Back to thinking about knitting and the fact that it is Friday! What a nice, long bloggy blog to satisfy you as you sit in your cubicle waiting for Happy Hour!

PS: I have no idea what's up with the title of this blog. Something about it feels like it negates my whole "get over my fears of driving in the city and going to SnB alone and knitting with DPNs" thing. Oh well. It rhymes.
PPS: This Hat Calculator looks useful. Once I figure it out, I'm sure I'll rave about it. For now, check it out!

Correctly Calorimetry-ing

Thanks, Bobbie, for reminding me that I haven't posted the altered pattern for the Calorimetry! So, take the original pattern, and do this:

• use a size 6 needle instead of a size 8. Now, this (and everything else I'm about to tell you) will vary based on the kind of yarn you use...and be forewarned: your gauge swatch might lie to you. mine did. My gauge on the tan/brown monstrosity (which I am wearing on the thunder and hailstorm that is today, by the way) was perfection, but the thing still ended up gargantuan. Go figure. I blame the size 8 needles. Somehow. The size 6's worked on my Caron Simply Soft Shadows yarn just dandily.
  
• instead of casting on 120 sts, cast on 82. This fit around my average-sized head, but if you have an unusually large (or unusually small) head, you might want to do one of those math-y things where you knit a gauge swatch, measure your stitches per inch, and do some division to find out how many stitches to cast on to come out with the number of inches around your head. Keep in mind that it does stretch. And if you knit with acrylic instead of heavy worsted weight (erm, like I did), it will stretch and pretty much stay (flop) there, rather than being all ribbed and contract-y like ribs are supposed to do. That said, mine is ok. A little loose, a little floppy, but hey, aren't we all?
• instead of repeating row five 15 times more, repeat 7 times. or 8. or 6. Reed suggested I just repeat until it was about half as wide as I wanted the finished product to be. Really, she's a bit of a genius. I mean, I'm sure I could've come up with it on my own, but she did suggest it to me when I was holding my giant Calorimetry in my hands, laughing/weeping because it was such a babushka looking thing and wondering how I would ever work out the math to make it smaller.
  
• that's it. just keep repeating till it's 1/2 as wide as you want it to be, then start the decreasing part (row 7). You're skipping "row 6" in the original pattern.

The finished product should be a deliciously delicate (at least compared to what it would be if you followed the pattern) headband of sorts. I love mine. Can't wait to make more. Love it!

Oh, and if you were curious about why it is called the Calorimetry (I sure had no idea what the heck that meant...don't worry, you're not the only one!), this is why:

"Calorimetry is a scientific term describing the measurement of heat lost or gained. [I did not know this. I haven't taken science or math since high school, and I'm pretty sure I never learned it.]

Knit hats are a wonderful way to block out the cold, but when you have long hair it usually requires wearing it down, not often the most comfortable option on a blustery day. [so true! so true!] This headscarf allows you to wear your hair up while keeping your ears warm and preventing heat from escaping from the top of your head." [I love it!]

That paragraph can be found at the beginning of the pattern, but I thought I'd include it here anyway, just for simplicity's sake. Now go! Knit away!

Think I included the pattern link enough times?

In other news, I'm still having trouble posting the fabulous photoblog, but I'll try again later. Or give up. Please respond to my "help me" inquiry, oh blogger help gods and goddesses! I am no quitter!

Questions? Comments? Calorimetries?

PS: I have reached 100 blog views! Unbelievable! I'm hoping that most of them aren't from my refreshing the page to see my changes...but hey, thanks all y'all.

Adventures In Blocking

Before I proceed to the fabulous photodocumentation (although, admit it, you skipped straight to the pictures anyway--click on them to see larger versions), let me just say, blocking was an Adventure. An Adventure that took:

• 15 minutes figuring out new iron and preparing it for steaming
• 10 minutes creating the Cardboard Contraption so I wouldn't be trying to pin directly into the hardwood floor
• 25 minutes pinning the thing down
• many hours drying...just to be sure it was really dry

As you can see, I had some lovely supplies. Well, the iron is lovely. The pins, not so much.
The scarf wasn't stretching evenly, and I was a bit concerned about my edges turning out all scallopy...does anyone know how to make the yarn stretch in straight lines? More pins? I didn't think it was possible...but the final product didn't turn out really scallopy (except for a few spots where I think I pulled too hard) so maybe it doesn't matter? I'm guessing it's the type of yarn I used (Caron Simply Soft Shadows--100% acrylic. yep. that could be the problem).
The ribbing didn't hold as stretched-out as I wanted it to, but the end product did turn out more airy and light than it was pre-blocking, even if you can't really tell from the photo. It does feel like it weighs less, and it is much softer and more comfy around my neck, which is always nice. AND even though it only grew a couple of inches, the extra length is just enough so that it actually stays wrapped around my neck, which the short and stubby version did not.So there you have it. A longer, more airy scarf. Not as different as I thought it would be, but it was...a learning experience? Thanks to this blog and this blog from Crazy Aunt Purl for making me believe that I, too, could be a blocker. I do kind of want one of those steamer thingies...even though I don't need it. Ah, gadgets. Also thanks to Kristen for humoring me as I let out exasperated cries from the next room. And for this expert photo portrait, shown below.It's going to be a while before I attempt another photodocumentation blog...it takes a lot longer to put together than I had anticipated. So enjoy it while it lasts, kiddos, because I just may go on a photo-limited or primarily-text-based blogging binge in the near future. Matchingly (and awkwardly) yours, Kim

So Much To Blog, So Little Time

So many adventures to write about. Such a small amount of interest to so many. Nonetheless, I proceed...

As you may recall from a few days ago, The Time For Blocking was close at hand. Well...The Blocking has occured. Wonder of Wonders, Miracle of Miracles, Kim has blocked a 2x2 rib scarf. Please, alert the press. This could be the front page story of no local paper!

However, as said blocked scarf is still pinned to my floor, and as a bit of exposition is necessary (ie: why the heck did I decide to attempt blocking anyway?), I must elucidate you with my tale of The Calorimetry Who Wanted A Scarf.

Several months ago, my dear friend Reed showed me this wonderful pattern. It really is quite a lovely and versatile piece of knitware, and I plan to make many more. However, BE WARNED: The Pattern Lies! After a gigantor first attempt (no photos available, though I've heard that Rachel does actually wear it), I came up with this second, smaller (yes, smaller. the first one was extremely large) version. See below for examples.

example #1

example #2

example #3

So, after this one wrapped its way around my head, I began to think that maybe the problem wasn't me, after all, but an error in the pattern. Turns out several people had the same problem (thank you, google. and Reed.), and I devised (erm, followed Reed's instructions) a new version of the Calorimetry. Way Awesome. Even if it doesn't hold the rib as well as it should. Heck, this yarn cost about $2.50 a skein, and each Calorimetry only uses about 1/3 of a skein. I don't care.

lovely, smaller version

check it out! so fancy!

So I'm lovin my new Calorimetry, and wearin it all the time, when suddenly I realize: I have 2/3 of a skein left of this gray-color varigation yarn! Illustrious! It seemed the only thing to do was make a matching scarf...but THAT, my friends, shall require it's own bloggy post.

Rain, Glorious Rain...etc.

I must admit, I do love the rain. I especially love it when I can stay home and get all cozy in front of the fireplace (or at least I would if our fireplace was in any sort of usable condition), and I especially love it when I have a new pair of boots to keep my feet dry, and an umbrella that isn't broken. Such is the case this fine Thursday morning. It's gray and wet outside, and I got to work at 9:25, and I'm going to be here until 11pm, but I am in quite the good mood. Thank you, new boots/umbrella/messenger bag!

I have big, beautiful, blogtastic ideas for this here blog-o-mine, but as it is only Day Two, I don't feel too bad about not having uploaded all of my photos and jazzing up my profile and filling pages with glorious information (labeled, of course) about all sorts of hodgepodgey things. It will happen. Don't you worry.

For now, I leave you with the oh-so-interesting knowledge that tonight may be the night I try blocking. oooooh. For those non-knitters, blocking is a process in which you take the knit garment, stretch it to the desired size, pin it down, steam it, and let it sit overnight--the end result is (hopefully) a larger, better-shaped piece of knitwear. I'm trying it on a 2x2 rib scarf. Hey, I never claimed to be an adventurous knitter. Baby steps. More on this later...with pictures?

SuperSweetShoutout to Erin Messer, Jessie Gaskell, Reed Burton, and Crazy Aunt Purl (Laurie, whom I've never actually met or talked to...but her blog rocks!) for inspiring me to finally just do it already. Now I have a blog. Maybe you care, maybe not. Either way, I'm having fun. Enjoy! :)