Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Keep keepin' on


This past week has been more eventful than I would normally hope for. Impromptu visits home, important phone calls, apartment searching, waiting. Waiting is the worst. I'm no good at waiting. I have a long list of plans that I would like to accomplish but they have to wait. Waiting is no fun.

So instead I've been keeping myself occupied, trying to ignore the laundry list of things that I want to be doing and instead working on things that I also want to be doing but are far less important in my mind.

A new swatch today. Tentatively called the Panty Droppers. Even if they don't become popular socks, at least they'll be fun. That's all I want out of life is to have fun and be happy. Something to keep me busy instead of worrying about waiting. Waiting is tough, have I mentioned that?



I also need to remember that this blend of yarn (45% Viscose, 40% Nylon, 15% Angora) is very fragile. I tore this yarn multiple times when it would get snagged on itself while ripping it out. Recycling yarn is the cheapest way I've found to get somewhat better quality sock yarn. Sure it's a lot of work and sometimes you end up with a pile of yarn that no longer looks like a sweater and resembles more of the aftermath of an atomic explosion but it's worth it for the good yarn you can end up with.

I've never really been a fan of swatches up until about a month ago. Now it seems the only things I actually finish right now are swatches. They're important too, just not as productive as finishing a sock. I have a lot more swatches planned for the future.

Something to keep me busy while waiting I guess.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Best not shared right now

I just spent the last hour writing a post that I felt needed a different audience.

I recently inherited a lot of baby colored yarn, pastel blues and greens and yellows with a little bit of pink. The woman I inherited it from was one of the truly good people I have ever met, no matter how awkward that sentence sounds. She regularly donated to various wildlife funds and would always stop to ask you how your day was and was actually curious about it.



I would never personally use this yarn. I don't plan on having children for a very long time and I don't know of anyone who currently is waiting to give birth. But I do know that she would've wanted me to use the yarn and give the resulting item to someone who needed it. So that's what I'm doing. I'm knitting up various baby accessories to donate to local charities. Premie caps, blankets, maybe a sweater or two, all of it will be used by someone who needs it.

It's what she would've wanted.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

It's Sunday and I'm in Love

I know that's not how the song goes but it isn't Friday and frankly this is my blog and if you don't like it, no one is making you read it and if someone is then you should contact the proper authorities to make that person stop.

I'm strangely fine with everything that has happened lately. I've had so many unfortunate things happen in the past year that I have just gotten to the point where I have to be okay with everything. If I continue to be upset about every little thing then I'm just going to make myself sick.

So right now I am going to list a few things that I am enjoying, happy things, good thing.

Miranda Hart in the titular role in Miranda

Maybe it's the genuine nature of the show or how honest Miranda Hart is but there is definitely something that I absolutely love about her and this show. I recommend it to everyone.

Knitter's Pride Karbonz

I don't spend a lot on myself that is for something that I don't "need" and that I just want. Most of my money goes towards bills or food because a girl's gotta eat. This set has been the best $16 I've spent on myself in a very long time. Possibly the best $16 I've spent on myself for knitting, ever. They are a dream. Mind you, I've only ever used aluminum needles and my sock needles are not something to be desired with their bent ends and warped middles and mismatchingness. I honestly don't remember the last time I bought myself needles or yarn that wasn't meant for someone else's project. I figured though if I want to give the whole designing thing a try, I should have at least one good set of needles and boy, are they great. It's like knitting with BUTTAH (except not in anyway at all...)


I have a lot of time at work and on my walk to class to listen to podcasts. I get bored with them a lot though so I only listen to the same one for a few months and then move on. Right now though, I am listening to CraftLit. It's half crafting, half audiobook and absolutely wonderful. As a self described reader who doesn't read that much and a knitter who believes she should always be knitting, this podcast is a perfect blend of the two. 




My favorite time of year for candy is Easter time. There are so many different types of candies that you can't get the rest of the year and that are just better than everything else. This year, I found Sixlets in bright spring colors and then proceeded to eat the entire bag. It was a lot of Sixlets. And I don't regret it at all.



And finally on this list, Happy Endings. It's a fantastic sitcom that is probably going to be canceled and might or might not get picked up by another network. No show makes me laugh out loud as much as this one and no show is as unique as this one. I will even go as far as to say that this is my current favorite show that is on air right now and showing new episodes every week. So good. Give it a chance if you catch it on. 

Looking at the things that make you happy, even the small things like favorite candy or new notebook, can brighten the mood. I know I feel better.