Leap-Day

Thirty days hath November, April, June, and September.

All the rest have thirty-one,

Except for February. Which only has 28. Except sometimes it has 29.

I love how that little jingle starts out as a sing-song rhyme and then completely breaks down in the face of exceptions to its simple rules.

I'm spending my leap-day doing homework, trying to wrestle down the giant pile of dirty laundry in my closet, and generally playing catch-up. I might also sneak in a little knitting time. Rusted Root is past the point where I put the sleeve stitches on waste yarn, so it's a lot of simple stockinette and a bit of lace from here on out.

If I had to use one word to sum up this month, I think it would have to be "exhaustion." I've been so tired, it's sort of unbelievable. I can't wait for the sun to come back and for the weather to warm up, just a bit, so that I can get some energy back. I need a rush of motivation to get through the finals week that's coming up here in about 14 days.

Oh, by the way!

Gretel II!

Project Specs
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft, Iris, about 1/2 a skein (these slouchy hats use up massive amounts of yarn)

Needles: US7s, US5s for the ribbing

Pattern: Gretel by Ysolda (Ravelry link)

Verdict: Still love the squishy cables and the effortlessly classy look of the finished object. I've got one more to go for good ol' "anonymous", who posted the creepy comment I WANT THAT a few posts ago :) As soon as I acquire some gray yarn, your dream will come true.

If I look sleepy in that last picture, it's because I've been swamped with homework for the last few days. This problem probably won't get better in the near future, seeing as how it's the end of the quarter. I'm preparing a paper for presentation at a workshop in April (and Peter Piper is picking a peck of pickled peppers), finishing a paper from last quarter, and starting research for a new one I've got to write before this quarter ends.

Anyone up for some stress-knitting?

No Sweat-er!

It's on the needles and off to a great start.

Rusted Root from the talented ladies at Zephyr Style in KnitPicks ShineSport, the Hydrangea colorway. I'm making quite a bit of progress while I watch episodes of Lost (ABC putting the first three seasons online in HD? A HUGE distraction; love it.) and avoid translating Greek.

But I'm just on my way back in from a fantastically lazy weekend, so I actually should be doing homework right now. Right.

Hopefully I'll continue to get little bits of knitting time this week and a chance to post more progress pictures soon...

Happy knitting, all!

Ah, Knitting Magazines

First, the update: I did not, in fact, cast on for Rusted Root last night. I decided it would be best to finish this hat before allowing myself to be distracted by anything else. I've never been good at the whole knit-project-monogamy bit, but I've found since the new year that I complete things really quickly when I'm not flitting from project to project! It's quite satisfying to zoom through something in a week or two instead of having three UFOs languishing on the needles. Speaking of UFOs, Gretel is coming along swimmingly. I'm at the crown decrease section of the pattern, so before I head to bed tonight, it will probably be finished and delivered to my lucky roommate. Then I can get going on the sweater.

Today I got my first issue of Interweave in the mail (yes, I just became a subscriber, after realizing that I'll save a significant amount of money buying it this way instead of off the stand). I am a huge sucker for cardigans, so I want to knit practically every piece in the spring issue. The Printed Silk Cardigan and the Auburn Camp Shirt are especially appealing. They're both tiny tiny gauge projects, though, making me hesitant about jumping right in.

As far as things I might actually make in the near future, the Drawstring Chemise is at the top of the list, though mine will probably be in a soft pinky gray. The Dovetail Pullover is number two, and I think it would look nice in brown or a darker purple/maroonish color. And since I don't have any yarns that match that description, it may be time for a yarn shopping adventure! It might take place online instead of in person, which means no sneaky feeling up of skeins in dark shop corners (ah, cheap thrills!), but beggars (grad students) can't be choosers.

Enough rambling - more knitting!

What am I doing?

I'm admiring all of this great knitting - those mitts? Super cute!

I'm wishing that we could have a day where the sun being out meant it would be warmer instead of colder.

I'm getting ready to head to Latin class and read about the man who got turned into a donkey.

I'm craving a coffee date with my best girlfriends. I may also be craving potato salad.



I'm feeling pressure to finish up one paper and get started on another. When will the pressure translate into accomplishing some actual work? Hopefully this afternoon...

I'm looking forward to attending a fancy departmental event with a cute boy on Friday. And maybe to going shopping and picking out something fancy to wear to said event.

I'm knitting that hat and getting antsy to finally cast on that sweater I've been talking about forever. Will it happen today when I should be working on papers? Probably! Check back tomorrow for an update.

Do you like my hat?

Ugh, I'm starting to think the reason I've been feeling so exhausted is because I'm actually coming down with something! Today wasn't great, and in the last hour it's escalated into full-on wretchedness. I can't stand being sick, especially when it means I miss class, and I hope whatever I've got a) doesn't get worse or b) doesn't last long.

Since looking at the blank white screen is making my head hurt, let's look at some pretty knitting pictures instead.

Meet Gretel II, in purple, for my roommate.

If I have to lie in bed translating Greek all day tomorrow because I'm feeling too gross to make it to class and the library, I'll console myself by staring at the cable-y goodness.

Productive Week

I completed two projects this week, the Foliage Hat (I'll have to get my roommate to model it for a few pictures!), and a pair of armwarmers. No, I cannot stop making them.




These ones fit right in with Project Spectrum's fire theme as well, since they're a deep burgundy with hints of golden brown.

Note: my skin does not actually glow in the dark; there was just no good light going on this afternoon.

That's all I've got for now. I'm feeling really exhausted after a long week (seriously, what is it about February that makes me so tired?), but I'll be back to post again tomorrow.

Anatomy of a Saturday Morning

1. Decide it's time to start knitting the roommate's red hat. Gather up needles, yarn, and pattern. Be pleased with yourself because red fits with the Project Spectrum theme of FIRE.

2. Knit the first four incredibly fiddly rows of this hat. Rip them out in frustration because "I am knitting upside down! Something is really wrong!"

3. Knit those fiddly rows again, worry about the upside down factor for a few minutes, and decide to suck it up and keep moving ahead. This is a tough call, so you pause for a second (ahem, 10 or 15 minutes) to look at other people's fancy knitting.

4. Knit about an inch more and realize "OH! This hat is top down, so of course I'm going to be knitting upside down! Right!"

5. Take a break to do your hair and get dressed. Contemplate heading to the library to start homework, but decide to continue the knitting. It's just starting to get good, after all.

6. Knit until you've completed the first whole leaf. Do a bit of a happy dance and reward yourself by checking out a few more blogs (hello, does anyone else want to knit a ribby bolero now?!).

7. Get right back to knitting. Feel guilty about not going to the library for a minute, until you've completed another set of leaves; then remind yourself how much more fun this is than translating Greek. Take more pictures.

8. Knit! Decide it's a good idea to finish all the crown increases before stopping and heading to the library. Document your progress frequently.

9. Look at some more blogs and decide that it would be a good idea to put your pictures up to share with everybody. Hey, it beats going to the library...

Secret Scarf

Secrets seem to be all over the place lately - people revealing theirs, me being reluctant to reveal mine, me being really anxious after having revealed mine, unspoken secrets that everyone guesses at anyway. All these secrets! I'm starting to feel like it's not safe to talk to anyone about anything, or that I have to be selective, and (like all the intricacies of some monumental lie) it's hard to keep track of what's been discussed with whom, and when, and why.

Did I tell you a little detail?

Or maybe you've got a few more contours of the story?

Maybe I've given you the bigger picture, and you're just missing some details?

What do you do with the secrets you keep, and how and when and with whom do you choose to share the ones you don't keep?

Blustery days

The blustery sort of days we've been having lately, the sudden changes in temperature (Good morning! It is 40 degrees out in February, but by this afternoon, we will have a snowstorm and you'll wake up to 8 inches of snow with more pouring down!), and the days that continue to seem shorter and shorter are really doing a number on me. I've been feeling unproductive (probably also because I have been sort of lazy and unproductive) and rushed, as though there is just not enough time in the day to accomplish all the things I need to get finished and to take any moments for myself. Anyone else have this sort of reaction to winter? I wouldn't exactly call it grumpiness or anxiety, it's more like a generalized confusion about why I can't indulge my hibernation instincts or something.

I've been trying to combat this by taking a little time to knit each day, and I've got two new FOs to show for it.

The Seed Stitch Scarf

Yarn: Lion Brand Incredible, ribbon yarn
Needles: US 9s, straight needles this time
Pattern: Just some seed stitch. I like how the texture works with short stretches of color.
Verdict: It was made for a friend, and I think she likes it, so success! It's always nice to have a scarf on the needles for a go-to project when I have to concentrate on something else but still want to be knitting.



The Scrappy Mitts

Yarn: leftovers of Regia and Palette
Needles: US1 dpns
Pattern: None, just my own "knit a tube, add a thumb gusset" armwarmer recipe. I'm thinking of writing this thing up and sticking it in a pdf for fun, so if anybody would be interested in having a copy of it, give me a nudge and I might be faster about it :)

(hello, I am blurry)

Verdict: I love these things, and I knit them all the time. Clearly I am obsessed.



Other listy things crowding my brain -

*I'm on Ravelry! Username Perknitious. This place is a lot of fun!

*I'm determined to get a sweater on my needles this week - watch out for an update.

*After being without a phone for over a week and a half (that's how I communicate with family, so I've been feeling really cut off), I got a new phone yesterday! It is red and shiny and I think it is cute. Plus, ahem, it works. Which is the most important part. (Red! Shiny!)

*I just started watching Lost on the abc website. I think I caught all of two episodes when my roommates watched it in college, but now that the whole thing is online and I have so much free time (ha!), I think I may be ready for this. I certainly leave every episode wanting more.

*I should be translating Latin. So I'm going to go do that.



Happy knitting, all!

Third Annual Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading

February 2nd is, as the title shows, Bloggers' (Silent) Poetry Reading Day. It's held in honor of the feast day of one of my favorite saints - St. Brigid of Ireland, patron of scholars, poets, healers, metalworkers, and dairy workers.

This one has been on my mind lately, so here you go.


Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Robert Frost


Find more here and here.