The Neverending Story

Atreyu!!!
That's how I feel right now with my current project...it...never...ends...
Yes my first sweater, and I decided on a simple pattern, not really noting how much yarn it took and the connotations to said yarn amounts. I know, crazy. Crazy to start a sweater without paying attention to yarn amounts. What can I say, I am spinning the yarn myself, so the sheer volume of yarn needed didn't really catch my eye. You could say that I totally freakin' ignored it. Although I have named the project now...it's the Kilosweater. Because when I am done it's going to weigh at least kilogram. By the time I am finished spring will have sprung and I will have no use for the -40 winterweight sweater for several months.
The first part of the sweater went like a breeze! The piece for the back which is hunormous (I just made that word up 'cause I am a genius) had six million miles of stocking stitch. When I finished it, the sweater was over a third done and it had only taken 3 days... The 2 front pieces are hideous vortexes of mind-numbing knitting. Millions of miles of yarn have passed under my fingers, all for a sweater I merely like. I don't love this sweater. I never have. It's not like I started out in love and after all the work I had to put it into it I said "meh" (although that does sound like a past relationship or two I have had). I knit it because it was easy, and I didn't HATE it. I have several sweaters that I want to knit next, but I didn't think I should jump in and knit complicated sweaters immediately. This was a huge step for me. Usually I dive in headfirst and then realize I don't know how to swim very well. For once I was good, for once I followed logic, for once I tried to walk before I could run. How has that worked for me? Imagine me sobbing, drinking gallons of Dr. Pepper, desperately trying to find shows or movies to watch while I knit miles upon miles of stocking stitch for a sweater I like. Just writing about it is making me...ancy...
I have been knitting swatches to take the edge off. SWATCHES! EGAD I MUST BE LOSING MY MIND!! I have been knitting entrelac swatches and I find them exciting and thrilling and beautiful. All it takes to break up the hideous monontony of stocking stitch is to do multidirection stocking stitch...
Excuse me, I have to go knit some more now...

Art, more than foofty woofty

This is an article I wrote for the local paper about how supporting the arts improves the economy

With the current downturn of the economy more Canadian are becoming purchase conscious. Wallet snaps and zippers are closing, belts are tightening and budgeting is becoming the latest couture. More people are making an effort to buy locally in order to foster positive change in our local economy and there is a spreading realization that sending our money to other countries does not help Canada. Through difficult times there is a part of the local economy that is often overlooked or deemed as frivolous and that is the arts and culture sector. Indeed, our own federal government recently made cuts to arts and culture funding. What people don’t realize is that spending money on local arts has an immediate and significant impact on the local and federal economy.
Kamloops is alive with art. The arts community in Kamloops includes virtually every style of art and artist imaginable. A Kamloopsian can furnish their home with locally made furniture and objet’s d’art, wear locally made clothing and accessories, read locally written books and poetry, and fulfill their other entertainment needs with local music, theatre and dance. Every year Kamloops art is coming closer and closer to the forefront of our community. Buying local art does not just improve our community spiritually it also improves it economically. Buying mass-produced or import art sends a huge percentage of your money out of our country. When you go to a big box store or a large-scale importer, a tiny portion of your money spent goes to local wages, rent etc. The mass of it flies out of the country never to be seen again. Buying local handmade goods keeps the majority of your money not only in Canada, but also in the Kamloops area.
The impact of fostering local arts can be seen in any well-known arts-tourist destination in Canada. Cities and towns that promote and nurture arts are strong economically. They are socially and economically healthy, and pleasant places to be. Arts rich communities not only keep more of their own money in the local economy, they bring in more money from other places. Artistic communities are places were people enjoy being and people visit such places with the expectation of spending money.
Buying locally can be daunting for some, there is the belief that local handmade goods are significantly more expensive. Sometimes this is the case, although the price almost always reflects the quality. There are many instances where buying local art is comparable or cheaper then buying from a large retailer. It is not difficult to find paintings, drawings, and prints that are similar or less in price then mass-produced home décor “art” from department stores or furniture retailers. Next time you redecorate your living room, consider purchasing a local painting-you will be supporting the local economy and be making an investment. Mass-produced “art” only decreases in value over time; unique art can increase and become a family heirloom. Another easy way to support local art is through gift giving. It is not difficult to find a reasonably priced piece of jewellery or scarf, and you are giving something truly unique. The next time you have a night off, consider going to a local theatre production or music performance, it won’t cost you much more than going to the movie theatre, and will almost certainly be worthwhile entertainment.
Buying locally is a proactive approach that has almost immediate positive impacts on the local economy. When you purchase a local piece of art your money not only stays in our country it stays in our community. This has a huge positive impact on our community. The Kamloops Arts Council and countless other local art supporting groups and societies help to improve not only the cultural well-being of our community, but also the economic climate. Take the time to check out local galleries, shops, and shows. You will enrich not only your life, but the lives of everyone in our community.

My Precious...

Holy mother I have been frightfully neglecting my blog!! I have been too busy actually knitting and spinning to write about it! I have also been going to karaoke 3-4 nights a week...I don't care if that makes me sound like a loser, I am just preparing for when I become famous and do a world tour-I won't get burnt out because I will have had my multiple karaoke night warm up!
I've got a horrible case of startitis right now! I have started multiple projects but can't seem to finish any! Some of them I drop because I realize they aren't working (I am a process knitter so actual patterns are rare for me...that means I get halfway projects and realize they are way to big/small/ugly) other times I get distracted by new shiny things. So I am putting myself on house arrest and not starting anything else until I get everything finished...OK everything that isn't going to turn into crap-everything that is going to turn into crap I HAVE to frog.
It's all for the reward knitting...I really want to knit a fabulous project but I am not allowed to until I finish what I have started...one way that will make this work is that I don't have the pattern for it...it can't be bought online. My friend has it and has strict instructions not to give it to me. Not even if I show up in the middle of the night dishevelled and weeping staring at her from sunken eye sockets..."...please...I just want to knit a swatch...that's all I want...just a little bit so I can get gauge...I am not going to start it...I am going to knit a swatch and then stop...sob...just a little biiitt..." There's a picture of it here. I am going to do it in red...
So right now I am knitting like a crazy mofo-because all I want to do is knit the cropped hoodie...I have the yarn and needles sitting together just waiting to be knit...I keep pulling them out to look at them and talk to them...
So gotta go and knit...not time for blog...must finish knitting so I can knit something else!

hehe

Booyah!!! I am totally posting twice in one day, with absolutely nothing to say, while I am at work!
Hells Yes I won the Awesomest blogger in the world award-that's like a real award only not real...

Work shmerk

I wish I didn't have to work and all I had to do everyday was pursue one of my many hobbies...I could wake up and go "Today I am going to spin, knit, draw, paint, drum, play guitar, sing, model railroad, read, play video games, watch movies, or any combination of the aforementioned...
I guess I can't complain too much since i am unethically writing a blog post at work...

For the Love of Socks

For the love of socks and all that is holy I cannot stop knitting socks!!! I am on my 5th pair with 4 pairs in progress...doesn't sound too crazy until you take into account that I have only been knitting socks for a month and a half. That's over 13 socks!! Good god how do I find time to feed myself inbetween all the sock knitting! And it is not as if the only thing I have knit in the past month and a half has been socks! I knit scarves, mittens and hats too! Only to invariably return to socks...like that illicit lover that you just can't get enough of, not that I know what that's like (the illicit part) but I imagine it would be like an insatiable need to knit socks. Maybe I should tell my husband he is just like hand knit socks...
Right now I am learning how to knit 2 toe-up socks at once. I do not labour under the misconception that it is faster (despite what everyone who knits that way says) but it is interesting and fun to learn new methods. The messing around with the cables slows me down, but I like that I won't have any leftover yarn when I am done, and that my socks will be the maximum length for the amount of yarn I have. I don't plan on using this method too often, except for perhaps when I am unsure of having sufficient yarn...
Did I mention I love socks? I love watching variations in yarn. I love turning the heel and watching my knitting become three dimensional. I love putting them on my feet and wiggling my toes. When I knit on DPN's I often stop knitting the second sock to admire and stroke the first one...I feel a bit like Gollum...we loves the preciouses...
I find that I get irritated when I have to go to work because it cuts into my knitting time...I wonder if I could conceivably think of a way to drive and knit at the same time. I think I could do it, I just don't think I could do it safely...maybe if I moved to the prairies and all the roads were straight...I have completely mastered knitting while watching movies, reading blogs (I can spin and read blogs too) and reading books (as long as the spine is not too stiff) I also take sock with me to the pub when I go to play pool or sing karaoke.
One of my socks in progress (SIP) is made from Opal self patterning yarn, it's plain old boring stocking stitch but I am charmed and intrigued by the patterning and striping. I thought the repetetive pattern would become boring, especially with the straight forward knitting, but it doesn't! I just think "Oh look, it's the little white bit with blue bits between the grey and green stripe..." and I start thinking that I am incredibly clever because now it is repeating so I can go "Ok, I just knit a green stripe, grey stripe, white stripe, another grey and green stripe so next must be a white stripe with blue dots..." so I keep knitting away and guess what? I was right! HAHA!! I am the smartest person ALIVE!!!
I am designing a sock while I am knitting it and I am pretty thrilled. I am going to write the pattern up (maybe chart it if I get adventurous) and post it on Ravelry...apparently knitting socks is not enough, now I have to become a sock designer.
Man...do I ever love socks...

Do you have enough fibre in your diet?

I can't quite seem to get enough fibre. My doctor told me I need to increase my fibre intake, but it is possible that I may have misinterpreted. I have significantly increased my fibre and I am not really noticing a difference in my digestion. I am, however, noticing a significant increase in my temperature, I seem to be much warmer most of the time, particularly my feet. This is not a side effect that my doctor mentioned, and I wonder if I should be worried. I have added several types of fibre to my life, and think that fibre, in all it's forms, is beneficial. One thing that William Shatner neglects to mention in all his fibre promoting commercials, is that it can be quite detrimental to your pocket book. And, of course, fibre is not covered by medical, so it's a straight out of pocket expense. I sometimes wonder if perhaps fibre is addictive, it certainly seems to be. But I remind myself that I can stop anytime I want to, and that I continue with my fibre endeavours because it's healthy and good for me.
Upon reflection, I have decided to continue with my increased fibre intake, as I have noticed it's beneficial warming effects have been spreading to my friends and family. In the spring, I may find this pandemic effect to be rather alarming, but at this cold time of year, I think we should reap the benefits.