Designing again!

So, pretty much I'm just going to talk about knitting today. I've started working on my Erebor Fingerless Gloves pattern to match my hat, and while it's been challenging, I've been enjoying it a lot. I had quite a bit done on one 'draft' when I realized that it would be a bit tight, and the charming side details of a 1x1 cable wasn't lining up where it was supposed to. So, frog it was! Now I have the cables in the right place, but I haven't started the 'exciting' main cable pattern.

I've blocked and finished my TARDIS shawlette; while it's smaller than I had wanted it to be (more of a scarf), I'm still pretty tickled with it, and not willing to pull it out and try again!

I made a bit more progress on my Celtic Knot stole, but I didn't finish the pattern repeat like I meant to in February. Oh well, Beth has stalled out on hers, so I don't feel too guilty!

I also knit on the back of the baby sweater that doesn't end--I learned the other day that a friend of mine had a baby last year, so I'm making something to sent in belated welcome of the adorable little girl. I just wish the sweater wasn't so boring! It will eventually have some cool finishing details, but I have to get the pieces done first.

I had a bad fall yesterday and sprained/strained my right foot, so I guess I'll have lots of almost guiltless knitting time this weekend! I feel so bad that I'm putting a strain on my weekend team by being somewhat useless, but I guess it can't be helped. Hopefully it will heal up soon. Until then, knitting it is!

If it weren't for my knitting, I might be in jail...

There have been some really challenging moments in this week, but it's over now and I have a glorious weekend off to recover and SLEEP. Dude, why can't you cash in on all those naps that were more for your parents than you?

In the midst of my 'stuff,' I've made some good progress on some knitting projects. I finished the first of three charts on the Serenitybaby blanket last night; this is the last time I'll be able to spread it all out flat because of how big it's getting. Exciting!

I'm also in the ribbed boarder that DOES NOT END on my TARDIS shawl; I'm at the point now where because of a) the weather and b) the project I'm itching to cast on that I just want this to be finished and in use.

I got most of my container boxes at one point or another this week, and I decided to display some of the lovely Mountain Colors mill ends I scored in Montana. So far the cat has only attacked them once...

One thing that really made a big impression of me when I was a kid, was a notebook where my mom had copied out and sometimes illustrated some of her favorite poems. I have been wanting to start one myself, and when I got my lovey leather dragon notebook I decided that the time had come. I've really enjoyed working on this--the smell of the leather, the feel of the handmade paper, and enjoying some of my favorite words. No wonder my kids think I'm bonkers...

So, that was this week. Oh, sleep, glorious sleep! I plan to spend some time with thee today!

Parting shot: Some guy made all these nerdy blocks for his son--dude, send me one or THOSE guys! This is totally the coolest thing I've seen all week!

Happy Valentine's Day!

This week was half-term which meant that we had Monday and Tuesday off from school. It was nice to get caught up on my marking, to work on a few other projects that I had been putting off, and to get some rest. Oh did I need it! I got some good knitting time in on my variety of projects; here are some updates:

The TARDIS’s are appearing and I am utterly charmed! The decision to use beads for the light instead of making a bobble was a good one, and I am thrilled that my crazy use of two very different needles and adding some stitches to the pattern repeats seems to be working out well. I had to pick up 367 stitches for the bottom part—not for the faint of heart! Depending on how long this is after the TARDIS section I might add some length to the ribbing while I’m at it too. We shall see…

Beth and I have set ourselves the goal of finishing the first (of four) knot charts on our knit-a-long stole by the end of the month. While not always the best thing to be knitting while watching Once Upon a Time, I managed to make some more progress this week. You can see the knot now!

Not very much has happened on the sock front this week, so there isn’t anything of note to take a picture of. I was an idiot and had to rip out a good chuck of one of the Weeping Angel socks, but I’ve mostly got it knit back up now. I also played with these adorable little knit hearts for some Valentine’s Day cards. So addictive—I could make 3+ in one episode of a show!

I got the news this week that a dear friend is expect a little blessing in a few months, so I reacted by joyously casting on some baby projects! Here is start of the Serenity baby blanket—my first center out/square knitting project. I’m loving this pattern; I love cables, I love the plain whiteness of the yarn, and I love that it is a subtle tribute to Firefly. This baby has a nerdy mother, so I’m taking full advantage of the fun! Besides, you’ve got to start them young…

Valentine’s Day is pretty much a non-deal out here, and since it is board meeting I won’t be able to celebrate as I would like to, but some cherry brownies and a new MP3 album will be good for me. Oh—my dishes will be done tomorrow too! Also, I got a few of my boxes from the container today--yay fun! Too bad there isn’t a Starbucks in the country… Oh well, if I DID have a Valentine, this is what I’d be sending him:

Knitting, Packages, and One More Reason Why Putting Me in Charge of Children is Questionable

It’s been a pretty busy week for me; the week before half-term always is. I’m trying to get to a stopping place before the two day break from school, and I’m also trying to meet my goals for this point in the term. Knitting time has been in short supply, but I have managed to do a few things.

My TARDIS shawl/scarf continues along—I’m in the exciting decrease section now, so the rows are getting shorter and shorter. I hope to pick up the stitches at the bottom over half-term. It curls a lot so you can’t see the real shape of it very well, but here is what it looked like this morning:

I also started the knot chart of my Celtic stole that Beth and I are doing as a knit along. There is something so satisfying in working with the soft cream colored wool that just makes me happy!

I got to packages in the mail yesterday—so exciting! First, I got a box that Mercy sent me from Korea while she was studying there last fall. She had put in all sorts of fun goodies; I love them all!

The socks are particularly fun, and what’s more shocking, they fit! Happy feet!

Jennifer sent me a package that had lovely smells emanating from it, and when I opened it I found to my delight that it contained a jar of pumpkin butter, and some pumpkin pancake/muffin mix. Oh, there will be some pumpkin going on in my house this weekend!

Funny story: This week Pam gave me back a book that I had recommended almost a year ago for her to read to the boys, Red Hugh. I LOVED this book as a kid, and I was excited to see it in the staff library. few months ago Pam had finished reading it and said that it had too many crude and coarse things in it to read to the boys. I must admit that I got rather upset about that. I felt like my judgment and my family’s had been called into question, and I sputtered and fumed a bit internally. Well, when I go the book this week, I sat down to read it and got quite a shock. This was not the book I though it was! It was about the same historical figure, but it was a totally different book! Boy did I feel stupid… When will I ever learn…Well, a

I thought I’d close with this picture of what my cat has done to a ball of my TARDIS yarn. Beth’s theory is that she likes the color blue. My theory is that she is a CAT and thus doesn’t need an understandable motive, but whatever the case, Java has taken it up herself to make this yarn unusable, or at the very least full of cat hair. Brat…

Funny story

A few weeks ago I was coming down the hallway of upper school with an armful of handwork stuff, and as usual, the girls were crowding around the library entrance. I told them, "I'm glad you think I'm so skinny, but I can't fit through that gap." One little girl pipped up, "But Miss Burklin, you ARE skinny." Immediately the other girls all went, "EEEEeeee." Which means basically, "I can't believe you just said that/you liar/Nuh-uh!" Good thing I have no delusions on that score! Gotta love kids and their honesty...

Some knitting and Happy New Year

Well first of all, I finished my lovely blue cowl this week; too bad it's a little warm to wear it just yet!

I also finished a set of knitted luggage tags--these should help solve my frequent baggage carousel luggage freakouts! Or maybe I'm the only one who stands there and tries frantically to remember a) what luggage I brought and b) what distinctive thing I put on it so I WOULDN'T have to go through this routine again...

Last night I ripped out and restarted my "Bigger on the Inside" shawl/scarf because I was under the increasing and unshakble opinion that it was not going to be big enough even if I blocked the living daylights out of it. So, bigger needles it is, and I get to work the "time vortex" lace all over again. Maybe I'll make fewer mistakes this time...

Finally, I finished the first "Weeping Angel" sock, and am well on my way with the second one.

Finally, while I know it is really the year of the horse, here is a picture of what I'm wearing today in rebellious celebration:

Guess that's what you get for letting a fire tiger on your station! I'm debating how much effort I want to go to in putting up a decoration or two--depends on how the res of the day goes. After being down at the river yesterday I'm pretty tired still!

A little knitting was accomplished this week....just barely!

So, I started to get excited about a holiday next month and pulled these out to play around with an idea I have. Oh poor frustrated celebrator that I am! I have to say that doing this brought back memories of the Valentines supply box, and the annual process of trying to come up with something different. Some of the terrible things I have created in the past were truly scary…hopefully this one is better!

This week has been pretty busy on the school front, so not much on the knitting or crafting side has been going on in my little house in the bush. I am working on this Greenlycowl that I LOVE—the pattern is , and while I’m not sure it’s worth quite what the designer is charging, I love how mine is knitting up. I’m trying to use up every last bit of the beautiful laceweight I bought in St. Louis. Just in time for dry season! I might want to wear for a few minutes now and then! Oh! it can be so frustrating to be a knitting in a tropical climate…

I’ve also been working on some luggage tags. This mitten is the only one I have totally finished. What a good use for all those bits of sock yarn I have!

On the sock front, I’m doing the toe of this Doctor Who inspired sock. I’m making myself finish that before I swatch for the Bigger on the Insidethat I can hardly wait to cast on! I want to make another pair of these socks for myself, and I’m going to tweak the pattern a bit. There are a few things that I think I can do a bit better. Watch it end in disaster, but at least knitting rarely explodes in your face!

I’m off this weekend, and so far I plan to take a nap, swatch for Bigger on the Inside, and keep playing with my pink glittery mess. For now though, excuse me while I got deal with a mountain of marking that seems to have accumulated overnight!

MLK

Indeed.

Christmas almost a month late!

This Saturday I was thrilled and delighted to finally get my Christmas packages from my family. There were lots of wonderful goodies in those boxes, and I spent a very happy afternoon unpacking and exclaiming in delight over the gifts. Here are some of the things I found:

Mary and Jordan sent me a Star Trek calendar which is now hanging in my room safe from certain eyes—yay for some more nerd!

They also send me some pumpkin spice latte VIA—one of my most hoarded treats out here where I can’t make Starbucks runs. My mom also sent a lot of wonderful pumpkin spice mix; the one box and it’s contents smell rather strongly of it fact! Notice my cool nerdy coffee from Beth right beside it…

My younger siblings sent me some TARDIS blue yarn for the “Bigger on the Inside” wrap I have been wanting to make for quite some time. Now I just need to hold off from casting on right away…

My parents sent me the beautiful “Jane Austin Knits 2013” magazine, as well as the next season of “Once Upon a Time.” YES!

Flynn totally made my day by sending me the last two volumes of “Digger,” a webcomic about a wombat. Yes, I know what it sounds like, but it’s a GREAT story, and I love the art. Flynn, I miss you more than a stormtrooper too!

I feel so blessed to have such an awesome family who is willing to ship gifts across the ocean at great expense. Thanks so very much to each of you, and know that your gifts are being loved and used! Oh—my mom made me something else that is totally AWESOME, but I don’t have decent pictures of it yet, so you’re just going to have to wait to see what it is!

Not much to report...

I don't have much to say this week other than that I finished my Stary Cowl! I love this yarn; it was my souvenir from St Louis, and it was so lovely to knit with. The beading was tedious, but the result was well worth it. I don't like how it curls (stockinette, go figure!), but I'm happy enough with it to not do a re-knit. Here 'tis!

I've already found a lovely little cowl pattern to use up the last of this beautiful yarn; I'll be casting that on later today. I also want to start playing with some fingerless gloves this weekend, but as I'm on it might be a bit hard to do.

I was so tickled this week because after years of wanting to do it, I finally got to teach my first Latin lesson! I'm using it as part of my grammar program; the idea being that it's easier to understand English grammar in the context of another language. The kids seemed to enjoy it, and I'm so tickled to finally have this dream come true! Also, in grade 8 & 9 literature I started reading the kids The Giver, a book that I've wanted to have the right group to do it with for a long time. I might write a book review or two this week and post it; not sure how my time is going to pan out yet...

So, that's me for this week! Happy weekend!

Kitschy Knits

One of the side benifts of living on a mission station that has been here for decades is that you never know what you're going to come across next. I spent close to 5 hours this week sorting through the music stuff, and I found among other things a book of ABBA tunes for the recorder, some Bob Dylan, and an orchestral version of the Doctor Who theme. Who knew such goodies lurked here in this most conservative of places? That got me thinking about some of the pictures I've saved from the horrifying knitting patterns we have around here. Oddly enough, missionaries don't necessarily want all Aunt Eliza May's 1950's-1980's knitting patterns and yarn. Here are items that I just can't imagine ever burdening an innocent child with.

This poor child is trapped in a bonnet and mittens covered in loops. No parent worth their salt would ever put this on a child--the snag factor is far to high. I'm trying to imagine as a knitter wanting to waste that much yarn or feeling the urge to clap such a thing on a probably ungrateful child recipient.

This poor child’s mother apparently thought she’d kill two birds with one stone—the kid needs some kind of soaker cover/bloomers thing, and since she’s going to be scooting around on the floor anyway, she might as well be dust moping it!

There is no excuse for these hats. None whatsoever. "nuff said.

In which I find out some interesting things about dying with dahlias

So, before the 'hoards' descend on the school again tomorrow, I decided to try dying some yarn with dahlias as they are blooming right now. So, first I went out and harvested 28 flower heads (no particular reason--that's just how many red and pink ones I felt I could get away with cutting). Into a pot they went to start being simmered for their dye.

After about half an hour, the dahlias were all bleached of color, and the water was a nice Kool-aid colored orange.

After soaking my yarn mordanted (pre-treated) with alum, I got the bright idea to throw a little alum into the dye pot to see if it darkened the color. Oh, boy, did it ever!

Oops. Well, after all that I decided to put the yarn in anyway even though a quick paper towel test revealed a rather nasty yellow was actually the color the yarn would end up. Sure enough, despite the merlot colored dye, the yarn went a rather limp hay yellow. I think I'll over-dye it after it dries...

I was rather interested to see how unexahusted the dye in the pot was, and that it had returned to something close to the previous orange color. (The picture makes it look more red than it really was) Another paper towel test revealed that it would still be yellow, so I dumped it out rather than use it again.

So, now I know that alum creates shocking and drastic color changes when dying with dahlias, that dahlias look really gross when all their color has been extracted, and that I should have left well enough alone. Who knows what I'll find out next year?