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!