Surprise Surprise!

Just when I was thinking that all hope was lost for Knit for Those in Need, it was saved at the last minute by two wonderful guys, Dan and Sean. Both are seniors, and were counting on this group to fulfill the forty hour community service requirement they need to graduate. They told me that they would do all the knitting themselves if necessary, but they had to do it. So I met with them, gave Dan a quick refreshing, and Sean a speedy lesson, and the two were off. As I was walking back to my dorm with all the yarn, my friend Devan saw me walking and asked what I was doing. Since she knows how to knit, she asked if she could do a square as well, and I handed over the supplies. Along with my amazing roommate Liz, that made five people working on squares, which I thought was perfectly respectable. Then two of my groupmates from Project Management and Team Leadership class caught wind of it, and, being the amazing people that they are, spent an entire class period knitting squares and have been working on them since. Finally, I got a phone call from a mystery number while in the library yesterday, and heard a man's voice say, "Is this Hannah? I'm friends with Dan and Sean and they told me about the charity knitting you're doing. I know how to crochet - is there any way I can get in on this?" And bang, we have a group rockin' and rollin'. I can't believe how it's come together in a way I never expected it to, and all at once. As soon as I let it go all the pieces fell into place without me even trying, and it became the joyful, happy experience I had hoped it would be. I guess what's meant to be will find a way (roll your eyes if you want Alex :P).

Happy knitting!

Easter in the Northeast Kingdom

For those readers who may not know, the Northeast Kingdom is a special place in the world where the men are men, the women are men, and fear/awe fills the heart of anyone who looks upon either. My friend Ian has the privilege of living in this blessed land of Northern Vermont, and this Easter weekend my four best friends and I made the trek up to his house for paintball, jeeping, and general bad-assery. Our friend Jared, who is the epitome of a Northeast Kingdom rugged wilderness man, was our first stop of the day (For instance, a man in camo came walking out of the woods with a mask and a paintball gun. Ian said "I think that's Jared." We asked how he knew, he said "I just felt afraid.").We were taken to a paintball spot of epic proportions - two wooden towers, each two stories high with a bridge connecting them and small holes from which to shoot paintballs at enemies. From there we drove around all afternoon to spots of note in the area. Jumping rocks on Lake Willoughby, natural water slides, a small beach, waterfalls, up a mountain. The day was bliss - 80 degrees and sunny, driving around with great friends, blowing donuts and having a good time. We returned to Ian's for some grilled hamburgers, a bonfire and s'mores. And now I must retire to my pop-up camper. Happy Easter, and good night!

Knit for Those in Need

It looks as though Knit for Those in Need will have to wait until next semester. No one is responding to the emails and the semester is running out rapidly, so the options are not many. I have not given up - I still think this is a good idea and that people will be interested - but right now everyone is very busy and the timing is all wrong. Next semester I will be fresh and ready to take on this challenge. For right now, I just want to sleep.

First Knit for Those in Need Meeting

It's my own fault, really. I unknowingly scheduled the first Knit for Those in Need meeting the Saturday of St. Patrick's Day weekend, as well as the first weekend back from spring break. I shouldn't be surprised then, that my roommate and I sat alone at the meeting point for a half hour, quietly starting our little blanket squares and watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets playing on the Fireside Lounge tv.

This has not been the best of weeks, to say the least, and I won't pretend I'm not disappointed. I have $300 worth of yarn and needles in my possession, and an idea that I think is really great, but doesn't seem to be exciting too many others. Another thing going against it is that it took so long to get going that it's already spring. Spring blossoms do not inspire people to knit heavy woolen blankets for people who won't need to use them for almost a year. Maybe I should return the yarn I have and buy something lighter, think of a different project. There are lots of charitable knitting things that are appropriate for springtime. I don't know. Maybe I should put the project on hold until next year.

I know only one or two people read this at most, if anyone does at all, but if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. I could really use some encouragement right now.

Seeing in Color

I have been knitting a pair of black and white mitts for my mother F.O.R.E.V.E.R. This pair of black and white mitts, to be exact.

I have been working on these puppies since Christmas. Why, you might ask? It may have something to do with the fact that it is my first attempt at fair isle, and the completed mitt took me three tries to get right. Well, three tries once I found a good yarn. I actually purchased and twice tried another yarn before finding this one and beginning. And in fact, it still isn't right, as the top is too loose and will have to be redone upon completing the second. As you can see, it has been a bit of a frustrating road.

At first, I was excited about the pattern, the yarn, the fact that it was perfect for my mother and I knew she would love it. It was a challenge, and I love complex and visually stunning knitting patterns. The enemy was tension. For the life of me, I could not get my tension correct or even. I couldn't get the hang of carrying the yarn behind without pulling too tight, not understanding the concept behind it. I tried and tried, getting over halfway done at one point and having to frog my way back to the beginning. My optimism is running thin, and it is taking longer and longer to get anything done with them because I am so fed up. I still love the pattern and cannot wait for the completed product, but the amount of effort is not stacking up in solid results.

Luckily for me, there is such a thing as Mochi Plus, by Crystal Palace Yarns. :) I bought this from Northampton Wools a few months ago, and have been dying to try it out ever since. The colors are amazing, the softness is divine - it was exactly the sort of yarn therapy I needed. So yesterday on the way back to school from a quick weekend home, I whipped up this cute little hat with earflaps (it still needs to be blocked and have the ends woven in). It was easy and fun, and just what I wanted - great results with very little time and effort.
Luckily I still have two more skeins of this yarn left, so I can make another little something before having to buy more!

I also took a little time to spin, and finally finished up some alpaca that I have been working on for months now.
Although I got myself into a little rut with the mitts, all I needed was a break to get me back on track feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the first Knit for Those in Need meeting on Saturday! :)

Keep Knitting!

Spring Break

My excuse for not posting on Saturday is that I forgot. I wish I had a better one than that, but it's all I've got. Oh, and it's spring break. That helped with the forgetting.

Yes, spring break. That happy time when college kids all over the country are making their way to the warmth and fun of the Carolinas, Florida, or the Caribbean and drinking themselves into oblivion for a week. At least, that's what a lot of college kids do. If you are like me, however, you would rather have your organs harvested by a thug with sensitivity issues than spend eight days enduring the loud and the mess of hundreds of college-agers in varying stages of inebriation. No, sadly, that scene is not for me. To all of you fellow academics out there choosing to break it up with the help of a little drink and dance, I mean no offense. It's just not for me.

No, for me, spring break is being spent in a quieter fashion, with my boyfriend up at school. There is no place I would rather be. (Sorry family :(). Here are some pics from a walk we took today by the river, and to see an old abandoned mill. Feel free to comment with your spring break plans/spring break favorite memories. Enjoy! :)

A pretty rock the boyfriend found on our walk.



Inside the mill

Down by the water - we had to climb over ice and snow to get here :)

The ice formed in really interesting patterns.

It was a wonderful day and it's been a great start to the break!

Valentine's Day

Now, everyone knows that Valentine's Day is traditionally a day of disappointment. A special time of the year where women's expectations are too high and men's greatest efforts are too little. More so than usual, I mean. If you're single, it is an especially soul-crushing day, when everyone in the world it seems is paired up apart from you, and you are sure it will remain this way for all time. This is how Valentine's Day has been for me in the past. But then, this year, something amazing happened. Something I never thought was possible. I got a boyfriend. And he is wonderful.

Over the course of my dating career I have learned a few things about Valentine's Day that can make it more enjoyable for everyone involved. Today, I would like to share some of those observations with all of you.

1. No Pressure: One of the biggest issues with Valentine's Day, I am convinced, is the amount of pressure that is placed on it. The need for it to be "perfect", and the idea that anything less than that is a failure. This is just silly! Don't put so much pressure on the day, and it will automatically be better.

2. No Money: There is another idea surrounding this day that oodles of money need to be spent in order for it to be a success. False statement. It has often been my experience that the less money is spent, the better. My best friend and her boyfriend had a shared Taco Bell dinner that was full of romance and laughs. The best thing you can do is just spend time together - go for a walk, watch a movie, make dinner together. Soak each other in. You won't regret it.

3. Talk: V-Day doesn't have to be some big surprise that the guy cooks up for the girl to be wonderful. Talking about plans beforehand and brainstorming fun ideas together can be a great way to enhance the anticipation and make it a shared activity.

4. For Singles: Last year I was single on Valentine's Day and had a blast on a group date with all of my other single friends. We went out to dinner together, and spent the night with each other having fun. There is no need to be sad on this day as a single person! Being single can be lots of fun, and that should be celebrated.

This year my Valentine's Day was spent at my boyfriend's apartment, watching movies with his roommate and her boyfriend and relaxing. In the evening he cooked me an amazing meal of king crab legs, corn on the cob, peas, and garlic bread, and the whole day neither of us even thought about the heaps of homework awaiting us the next day. Success indeed! :)

Emma's Senior Night

In life, little sisters are like trial children for their older siblings. We feel protective of them, we adore them, we share in all of their joys and sorrows, and sometimes they drive us crazy. In most cases we also take care of them, although in my particular case it's usually my little sis who's reminding me to take food out of the plastic wrap before putting it in the microwave. Whatever our relationship with them, it is always special when we can be there with our sisters during their important moments in life, and lucky for me, this week I was given an opportunity to do just that.

At Gateway Regional High School, the girls' basketball team is like a family. Even though I haven't played for them in two years, I still feel a strong connection to the school, the team, the coach, and the experience. This year, I had more of a reason than ever to get to as many games as I could given that I go to school three and a half hours away - it is my little sister's senior year. And this year in particular, senior night was going to be a spectacular event. You see, when I played for the Lady Gators, the team didn't win a single game in five years. That's right, five. Then, my senior year, everything changed and we ended up going to tournament! Now, in my little sister's senior year, not only are they going to tournament but they are League Champions and undefeated at home. Watching this transformation come about has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

So, as a family we decided I was going to surprise my little sister on her senior night by showing up. So three missed classes, a bus ride and a car trip later, I was sneaking into my old school with my big sister and brother-in-law, a bouquet of roses and basketball balloons. When they called the families of the seniors out onto the court and Emma saw me, her look of confusion and then her exclamation of "oh my god!" and prompt tearful break down were entirely worth the five hours of sleep and crappy bus ride it had taken to get there.

The game was incredible, the girls played amazingly. And, very different from when I was there, the stands were packed, there was a great pep band playing, and varsity cheerleaders filled the timeouts. (Though we all know that the cheerleaders should technically go in the "negatives" column. No offense to any cheerleaders reading - it's just been ingrained in me and now there's nothing I can do about it.) After another incredible game from the Lady Gators, the girls brought home their 12 win of the season, and so brought the regular season to a spectacular close.

Pics from the epicness:

My little ginger warming up (#43)

The Seniors!

The girls during the National Anthem. F.A.M.I.L.Y.

My girl on defense. Against behemoth woman.

The pep band!

Good form ladies

Another win in the bag for the Lady Gators

Seniors after the game with Coach, Emma feeling the emotion of it all.

The Loot.

To any of the Lady Gators who may be reading this post, I would just like to let you know something. Cherish these moments. This school, and this team are so special, and will be so important to you for the rest of your lives. No matter where you go or what you do, your memories from this time will stay with you, and your hearts will bleed blue and gold.

155 Items, $50, and Five College Students: Scavenger Hunt of the Year

A Florida driver's license, the original Duck Hunt game with gun, a My Little Pony with blue hair. These are three of the one hundred and fifty-five items my four friends and I set out to find over the course of this week while participating in Champlain College's scavenger hunt. Patrick, Liz, Ian, Brooke and I demonstrated our not inconsiderable skill in such areas as wheedling, cajoling, and trash-talking with competing teams, all things necessary to be successful scavengers. We searched all over Burlington, used every contact we had at our disposal, and pulled out all the stops with the $200 first place prize shining in our eyes. On the night of the tally we piled all of our pictures, childhood toys, a hula hoop, Carlton the plant, a sombrero, and various other goodies into boxes and bags and trooped them all over to the meeting point. For an hour and a half the facilitators called out items and checked off lists for the six teams competing while we sorted piles and ate Doritos in anxiety and excitement. The tallying complete, the facilitators gathered together to compare notes before the big reveal. A hush of anticipation fell over the room as the woman organizing the event, Morgan, came to the front of the room. First place - not us. Second place - not us. Third place -US!! $50 was ours for the taking, along with the memories of some good times together.

Here are some pictures from our escapades!


The teams assemble to tally their finds and await the results.

One team member had to come to the final meeting dressed at a Ninja Turtle. Hooray Patrick!




Some of the items we found: A Coach handbag, boots with fur, animal crackers, and a singing card.


A picture of all of us in a bathtub? Check.


Playing leap frog with the statue on Church St.


A picture by a mural off of Church St.

Revamping the Blog

Clearly, something must be done. The posts are getting shorter and farther between. No one is reading them, including me. They are more short news updates than anything else. I'm putting my foot down. I promised it wouldn't get to this point, and by golly, I meant it. So I'm increasing my scope, broadening my horizons, whatever you want to call it. Here goes.

It is becoming clearer daily that writing solely about knitting and spinning does not give quite enough material for a blog. With my full-time student status, friends, boyfriend, etc., I don't have the time to devote to my craft that I'd like, and therefore do not have the goods about which to write. So I started to brainstorm. What else could I write about? What is interesting, fun, and will provide enough substance to fill out my sadly lacking blog? And then my brilliant roommate, in her infinite wisdom, got it. Being a college student. Better yet, a college student living in Bankus Hall at Champlain College. The shenanigans we get into up here are worthy of our own tv show - they would be perfect for writing about on a blog for all the world to see and ridicule!

So, the idea is here, and now, after a lot of soul-searching, I have also learned something about myself: I need structure. I obviously can't handle writing a blog post whenever the heck I feel like it (have you seen some of the posts lately? Pretty pathetic), and so have decided to put some restrictions on myself. There will be a new post up every Saturday by the end of the day. We'll start at one per week, and see how it goes.

Ok, I think that does it for now. See you next week!

P.S. Quick Knit for Those in Need update: I got word yesterday that there is a 99.9% chance of my budget being approved and everything moving forward! More updates soon I hope. :)

Service and Non-Profit Fair

Seventeen people expressed interest in Knit for Those in Need today at the Service and Non-Profit Fair! This was more support than I could have hoped for in a two-hour period during a small, out-of-the-way fair, and I am thrilled! This has inspired me to get the ball rolling as soon as possible, which will require some juggling on my part.Look for more updates soon!

:)

Service and Non-Profit Fair

Come sign up to participate in Knit for Those in Need today at Champlain's Service and Non-Profit Fair from 3-5 pm in Hauke! There will be food and fun prizes! Please stop by we'd love to see you! :)

Knit for Those in Need Update

Hooray! Things are back on track to get Knit for Those in Need up and running as an official group! I spoke with our amazing local yarn store, Kaleidoscope Yarns, and they were generous enough to offer us a discount on our materials, and in addition to that Champlain's own Center for Service and Civic Engagement has expressed interest in providing funds. Now we just need people!

I will be recruiting sign-ups at the Service and Non-Profit fair in Champlain's Hauke building on January 25 from 3-5 pm, and I will try to have a date for a first meeting decided before that time. Anyone reading this from Champlain should try to spread the word, and anyone else should still feel free to mail in items! Although the donations coordinator for COTS is on vacation until the 19th, and so cannot answer my email about items needed, the COTS website has a wish list that includes winter socks, XXL adult winter clothing, and L adult waterproof gloves and mittens (I asked in the email if good quality wools that would be warm when wet would be acceptable.) Just look for my address in the top right corner of this blog, and comment below if you send something to let me know it's coming!

Keep knitting!