Bron's Blog II

Don't Get Me Started

...on how you can knit & knit & knit & still have 2" left to go:

I have been sucked into a knitting vortex and I see no way out. The only reason I know there's been progress is the fact that I added another ball of yarn. However, this knowledge is failing to sustain me as I swirl farther down into the darkness....

....on how poorly organized and ridiculous the state DECA championships are. Dylan had to miss half a day of school and be at the hotel for 7 hours when he did a 10 minute bit of competition. They were running late last night at the "opening ceremonies" that were mandatory so I finally pulled him out at 7:30 for the half hour ride home...he has to be back at 7:30 this morning! None of the kids from his school want to be there or have any interest in business. They just happen to be bright & able to think on their feet. His teacher had told him the way it would be and it's nothing like she said. Dylan is disillusioned and disappointed.He's quite sure he did well, although we left before the day's winner were announced, but everything else is so bad he doesn't care!

There - that's off my chest!

This is what's been taking my attention at school these days (in between making kids be quiet & do their work):

I thought Ken Follett couldn't top The Pillars of the Earth but he did. The are set in the Middle Ages, 200 years apart, and they are stand alone books with the same town as backdrop. Read them in any order, just read them. With brilliant characterization and incredible historical accuracy, they are a rare treat.

Just wanted to end on a high note. ::wink:::

Yarny Goodness And School

First...goodness:

14 skeins of Rowan All Seasons Cotton in "Military", a wonderful, gorgeous green, courtesy of a Cucumberpatch deal on eBay.

Seriously - I love that color. The best part is, it's not orange! hehe

On the school front, I was asked "a favor" yesterday because I was "so highly recommended." Ahem. In a nutshell, the school has about 100 kids waiting to get into TIPS (our in-school suspension program) for dress code violations. Since TIPS only holds 10 at a time, the minimum sentence is 3 days, and there are other kids in there for much more serious offenses, you can see why getting all these kids processed before the end of the year is becoming problematic. Not to mention if they hold over the offenses until the last 9 weeks, all these dress code kids will lose their privileges (8th grade dance, yearbook signing party, etc.) So - the answer is a special TIPS classroom in March, holding 30 kids for 3 days with one teacher running it. (Yeah - I know it's only 30 out of 100...some might choose home suspension instead. At least they hope!)

I'll bet you all can guess what the favor was, eh?

I said I'd do it for a couple of reasons. First, there probably isn't anyone else on the sub list that could handle it. I'm not being conceited, there just aren't any subs whose discipline strategies mesh with doing something of this magnitude. (Our problem is that most subs don't have discipline strategies...but I digress...)

Second, I'm keeping my eye on the prize. I want that full time job next year and getting hired on an intern license is always an iffy proposition, even if the whole school is pulling for me. Soooo...I can't afford to say no. Once I have a contract, once I'm a member of the union, once I've become a real boy like Pinocchio, then I can say no. Maybe.

Next week is testing - hopefully I'll be able to work a few days in there escorting students to & from the bathroom like last year - then there will be the TIPS adventure - and the last week of March is spring break.

Looks like March is coming in like a lion & going out like a lamb. :)

And I Don't Even LIKE Orange!

But it seems to be all I can work with lately. Rather than stashing the rest of the Malabrigo skein, I started a London Beanie:

Yep - I wanted more Magic Loop practice too. :)

I'm STILL working on the Autumn Keyhole Top:

I'm starting to see light. Just a few more inches, then the edging, then done! It's interesting to see the color pooling in the top since it isn't evident when I'm knitting. The camera flash really brings out the changes.

We had some family togetherness fun yesterday. We sent Dylan diving for clothes that had fallen behind the washer & dryer:

He's just thrilled that I got pictures too. hehehe

Colin has a cold, so he was feeling rather pensive yesterday:

But everyone improved when we went to Garduno's for lunch & spent my Xmas gift certificate from work.
Emma was devastated that she couldn't have enchiladas too:

Dylan is off school for the next two days because the Sophomores are having their standardized testing. Then he's off Thurs. & Fri. because he's qualified for state in the Marketing/DECA finals. If he wins at the Marriott this week, he'll go on to compete in the nationals in Atlanta, GA.

I still can't believe it. He's fifteen and a freshman! Yikes! But it'll look great on his college app. if he wins. :::grin:::

As for me, today I'm in my gifted teacher's class again. It's interesting because originally I'd been in for an advanced math class...then I was taken out of that so I could sub for my friend, who's the band director...then that didn't work out & for one day I was scheduled for 8th grade Lang/Lit. Now this morning I wake up to Gifted Seminar. (This is the class I'll take over when their teacher has her baby.)

Yeah - I realize it's only interesting to me but I had to share. ::wink::

Well, I'm outa here. I was able to sleep in a bit since Dylan isn't going to school (I get up at 4:30 so I can get my stuff done & get HIM up at 5:30!) but time's a wastin'.

Have a great Monday!

A Saturday Of Firsts

Edited to correct typos that resulted from posting at 8:30 after taking a sleeping pill!

 

First Malabrigo, in the Oro y Vino colorway.

First hat made with the Magic Loop method.

First all-over lace hat.

The results: A really beautiful hat with a couple of boo-boos in the lace that, thankfully, no-one can tell because of the busyness of the yarn & pattern. I'm still, quite unfortunately, allergic to this most lovely, most soft, most beautiful of yarns. If I don't have bangs down covering my forehead, I feel very itchy with a nice rash around my hairline. Sigh.

However, I have over half a skein left and I will persevere in making some sort of neck warmer from it. I'm thinking small enough to have over other clothing so the wool doesn't come in contact with my skin. We'll see.

The Magic Loop method served me well once I got past the unbearably fiddly portion of starting out with only 4 stitches. Once I got to 12 and 16 I was flying right along. :)The hat is a little on the large side. I sued a size 8 when I really should have gone with the 7 as instructed, but I have a big head & had planned accordingly. It's not so big I'd rip it out. I think a little looser fit makes for a better hair day in the long run. ;)

Hmmm...Don't I look like a pale, medieval wench, cap & all!

Malabrigo = 1, Bron = 1/2

I'm sooooo tempted to buy more of this stuff for some sort of capelet/sweater, but I'm just not sure my wool allergy is up the task.

I will, however, be keeping my eyes out for Malabrigo deals. Hey - it could happen! You never know! I'm impressed with the yardage. I could make two Foliage hats with just one skein.

Next - more little stuff. I have a stash to bust!

Old Dogs & New Tricks

Magic Loop, where have you been all my life? Look Ma, almost no hands!

Much easier than dpns, IMO, and you don't have to worry about ladders at all. (That gray circle isn't anything - just practice.) It took me about 10 minutes to get used to pulling the needle through, etc., and that was that! I'm so much faster with this than dpns. Yay!

I predict top-down hats in my future. ;) And sleeves in the round....and, you know, other dpn stuff.

More new tricks: I read Norma's rant about comments yesterday and I must say, she and her commenters have a point about answering comments IN the comments. Some of you might have noticed I've been steering away from that lately. I did used to answer in the comments because back in the dark ages when I started blogging, Bloglines didn't notify me when I had comments & I had no way of emailing people back. However, Typepad now makes it easy with every comment showing up in my inbox. I used to think that I'd be rude if I didn't acknowledge what someone says, even if it's a "Looks great!" But yesterday I realized that when I comment, I never, ever go back to see if anyone answered me. I'm thinking if I don't do it, I shouldn't expect my readers to either.

So, unless there is a question that would truly interest everyone (like, "Bron, what in the hell where you thinking knitting up that monstrosity???") I'm going to try to restrict my comment answering to email.

Sound good?

If it doesn't, leave a comment & I'll get back to you.....in email. ::wink::

 

Ack!

Why have I never tried the Magic Loop style of knitting? Here's another great tutorial. It took Bonne Marie's entry yesterday to give me a polite kick in the butt. Foliage  will not only be my first experience with Malabrigo, it will be my first experiment (after a practice piece) of the ML method.

In the meantime, I'm still working on Autumn Keyhole Top:

I bought Sinfonia at Hobby Lobby for the trim. I really think the dark lavender color tones down the orange -especially with the purple against my face:

Plus it was on sale for $2.66. How cool is that?

Let's just hope this neckline isn't too high for me, OK? (Seriously, cross fingers, light candles, pray, do a spell or two..anything to ward off the dreaded choking sensation!)

Speaking of cool, I had my presentation last night at my creative writing class. It went very well (IMO) and I think I'll be getting an A. I did get an A on my short story - yay! That was really great news. It looks like I won't be needing extra credit ....as long as I do well on the second one too.

I'm still exhausted but I did get a bit more sleep last night than the night before. If I'm running true to form, tonight I'll finally get my 9 to 10 hours.

I think I'll wait to practice the ML until I've had a full night's sleep, though. It's mindless in-the-round knitting for me tonight!

Today Is Too Much A Monday To Be A Tuesday

I go in to work for two hours & find out one good friend is getting a divorce (not totally unexpected, but still...) and my best friend at school is turning in his 2 weeks notice - and moving back to Iowa for awhile to be with his aging parents. It's the best move for him at this time but....I'm selfish and don't want him to go. Sniff.

Then after some blog reading I find out another good friend just got a diagnosis no-one wants to hear.

And you know that sweater I just finished? I wore it half an hour & remember the real reason I didn't wear the first Cabaret I made. The neckline is too high! The front just cuts across my trachea and I'm constantly pulling the front down. I'm going to see if I can wash it, then block the neckline bigger but I'm not holding out much hope.

Not a big problem after the first three things I listed, but it certainly is the icing on the cake, eh?

Grump, whine, kvetch, whimper, moan.

Now where is that magic wand that makes everything better????

Ugh

Up since midnight (especially bad when you've taken a sleeping pill!)...class tonight 'til 9 PLUS I need to do my presentation tonight. Sigh. Can you hear the native drums pounding away in my head?

Luckily I have two jobs scheduled today - the first ends at 11:00 and the second is just for 4th (last) period. I'll have my sub coordinator find an emergency sub for the 2nd & I plan to be home & back in bed by 11:30!! Since I have yet to call in sick in the 3 years I've worked there, I figure I can take one class period, right?

Amuse yourselves with yesterday's post - I'll see y'all in a couple of days....

Of Course It's Finished

I promised, didn't I?

Just had to wait until my photographer woke up. ::wink::

Pattern: Cabaret Raglan - Norah Gaughan

Needles: Susan Bates Quicksilver (amazingly enough) - size 8. Also Addi Turbos in size 8 for the sleeves.

Yarn: 10 skeins of Rowan All Seasons Cotton.

Mods: Well, the gauge was different than the pattern called for but it almost always is on everything I make. ;) I think I ended up making a size 44 and it came out to a 42 - just the way it should. I didn't do the sleeve notches - I had issues with my last Cabaret showing bra straps so I just knit evenly up to the neck. I knit this in the round also. The only reason to knit it flat is to make seaming the raglans easier but I honestly don't think it makes a difference. At least it didn't to me.

I like it.

On the last one I made I shortened the sleeves and that was a bad mod. I never liked it & never wore it. I really like the All Seasons Cotton - it's more comfy next to the skin than (gasp!) Cotton Ease. It's a great, spring color and I really am going to wear it to work tomorrow. :)

The only thing I would change is maybe adding a bit of waist shaping. Although I doubt I'll ever make this pattern again. Twice seems to be my limit!

I'm off to clean house now that the fun stuff is done. 'Cause after I clean a couple of bathrooms I've promised myself a little winding party...just me & my Malabrigo. (Sounds kinda naughty, doesn't it?? hehehe)

A Saturday Yarn

To show you that I'm on track for finishing Cabaret, here's the completed front:

I'm hoping I can do a "sleeve-a-day" today & tomorrow. :) I'll be back next time with a completed Cabaret.

Now - the yarn:

11 skeins of Calmer in Garnet and below is Malabrigo in "Oro y vino." I hadn't realized when I was ordering just how closely the red in the Calmer matched. That one skein of Malabrigo is destined for Foliage.

Here's another reddish interlude for you- an artsy amaryllis shot:

It looks like I'll have another quadruple bloom. I'm definitely saving those two bulbs for next year!

Once I got it home, I was less enamored of the Spring IK than I thought I would be. However, I do like Bonne Marie's pattern:

Now that I'm losing weight I'm able to contemplate things like this.

This one is a definite maybe:

I love all the detailing - the darts, the ribs. I'm just not sure of the collar. Sigh. (I'll bet I could leave it off & just finish with a narrow, plain something-or-other, eh?)

Here's a touch-of-red finale:

See ya Monday!