Instant Gratification Week

I have had somewhat of a busy week. To start with, our new Computer Aided Dispatch system is going swimmingly. I am very happy about that. Work just got a hell of alot easier for me! Everyone is pretty much getting the hang of things and the majority of us are all about discovering new things to make life/work easier on our own. The company gave us the overview, how it works, what it can do for you and basic training. I had the benefit of some seventy hours of training, but everyone else got two days- the officers got 1. That makes me the go to girl. But after the first month, everyone has it pretty much down pat. It gives me a kind of free feeling and gives me time to concentrate on other duties. 

The only downside was that I have had so much data entry in preparation that my arm has revolted, and become so painful it forced me to go to the doctor again  (blast and damn)... But you know me, I won't let a little physical pain stop me- No Way Jose! I just keep plugging along (making it worse of course) and had myself a little knitting marathon.

I have also begun packing- which lead me to finding some yarn in my stash that needed knitting. I have had this ball of Noro Silk that has been laying around since I finished my Tilted Blocks scarf. I have been meaning to make a matching Calorimetry to match it. My first one ended up a little bit too big. It has a lot of stretch in it, so I adjusted the pattern, went from 120 cast on stitches to 100. This also makes it more narrow that in the original but it still covers my ears and it doesn't slide off. 

Not a very good picture I know but here it is. (all my model heads are packed already), and since my apartment is kind of small, I really don't have a lot of surfaces for photo shoots so I know my pictures are on the tad boring side, but it is what it is. And of course, my co-workers (the male ones) had been teasing me about how I am going to need this because it is sooo cold in the summer time. 

Men...whadda they know!

Doesn't this picture make it look like some weird scifi wormy thing?

Project Scoop:

Pattern: Calorimetry

Yarn: Noro Silk Garden

Needles: 7

More stash finds! I have had these next two balls of yarn since-who the hell knows when! 

I love working with Peaches & Creme yarn. It is so uber soft it makes knitting with it a dream. 

I spent some of my freed up work time surfing Ravelry for dishcloth patterns to compliment the yarn. I know St. Paddys day is past but since I am mostly Irish I can do Shamrocks any ole' time of the year. 

I spent one whole day off watching movies and knitting! 

Project Scoop

Pattern: Shamrock Cloth
Yarn: Peaches & Creme - Baby Green

Needles: Size 8

I love this pattern! Super easy and very cool to look at, I think it really shows off the variegated pattern in the yarn in a unique manner. I feel like running right out to Hobby Lobby to buy some more Peaches & Creme in variegated colors. The other thing I like about this pattern is the texture. I just love a good scrubby for my face. This one is earmarked for my new kitchen but I am needing some new face cloths too so I think I will be making more of this particular pattern. 

I do have a couple more instant gratification projects on the needles but I will save that for another day. (I seriously don't know how CA Dawn posts so much and gets so much knitting in)

Project Scoop

Pattern: Darrell Waltrip Dishcloth

Yarn: Peaches & Creme 

Needles: Size 8

Not wanting to jinx myself or tempt fate- I haven't said much about the whole housing thingy, but I think it is now safe to say - I found my new digs! I am going today to sign the addendum's to the contract. It is a townhouse of course, no outside maintenance for me. I neither have the time nor the energy to worry about things like that, plus I am just plain getting to damn old/broken for all that hard labor. 

But- there will be no more living below ignorant people who throw furniture- or what ever it is they do up there. No more kids playing by my bedroom window when I am trying to sleep. No more car dings from people who don't know how to park, and no more being nervous about walking my dog through the neighborhood. 

I have done  a lot of drive by's at different times of the day and night in the new neighborhood so I think I have a pretty good idea about the peacefulness, and how well they maintain the exterior of the properties and that sort of thing. Snow removal was a big one for me, so I also drove through after a good snow fall. I probably do things a little different than most people, it is all part of the inherent quirk, I think. Location was more important to me than finding the dream house. I picked the neighborhoods first, then checked out the affordable housing available. This poor housing market has really been a boon for me, since there has been so much to choose from in my price-range. 

But I won't really feel like it is happening for real until I actually have those keys in my hand, but there it is. I am prepared to move at the end of June regardless, hence the packing- I don't like to leave things for the last minute. 

I also didn't want to tempt karma so I have put aside any practical joking business until the deal was sealed. 

Finally - A Pair

Here they are! The long awaited Tidal Wave Socks!! TA DA! I know, I know, I can hardly believe it myself, and TN Dawn has already ribbed me about the number of blog posts it has taken to get them done. This has been the for-ever sock project, with multiple restarts! I was actually shocked to see I had started these in the beginning of December when I updated them on Ravelry. Kinda down right embarrassing in fact.



I'm starting to feel like I am getting a little bit of my groove back on. I am keeping it small to start with, and continuing to work on new goodies for my new digs. (That's if I ever get any new digs)

This was an easy start to finish project, another dishcloth to be packed away for future use.
And as always, Brodie is right there to help me take a picture! This was an easy pattern stitch to remember and I probably could have finished it in a day if I hadn't started it right before my beddy bye time. I used less than a ball of yarn on size 8 needles. I have to say, with this yarn a smaller needle would have been better. I like a denser fabric for dishcloths. I guess I really did not take into account this is a dk weight yarn instead of a worsted weight when I was following the pattern. Ah well...next time. and who knows, maybe by the time I wash it, it just might shrink up to a dandy little coaster size.

Project Scoop
Pattern: Waffle Stitch Dishcloth Rav Link
Yarn CotLin Glacier
Needles: Size 8
Size: 10x10

I had the kids come and pick up my dining room table and chairs the other day. I had been meaning to give it to them for a while now and finally got the lead out of my but and got it out of my place and into thiers. ( I just love dumping stuff on them...hehe)

Now I have this big empty space to fill, but I am not buying new furniture yet, nope, I am going to fill it with boxes of packed goods. I don't like to wait for the last minute to do things, and even if the right place doesn't come along, I will still move away from the ignorant neighbor upstairs and the usless landlord and into a different place.

Hopefully my next post will have another F/O to share, but failing that I will definately have a story.

First F/O of the Year?

It would appear so! I could hardly believe it myself! My little shopping spree at Knit Picks got me started  on my new home accessories. I grabbed a ball of CotLin in Kohlrabi, and took it to work with me. (Yes I have managed to get caught up with my work, after a fashion, and found time to knit). CotLin is a blend of cotton and linen, which I have to say, I did enjoy the feel of. I am used to a heavier weight yarn in cotton so the dk weight took some getting used to. 

This little project was a breeze to finish and is darn near mindless, you know how I like those mindless ones. I used a size 7 needle but I think I would have liked a tighter weave for the fabric.  

Now I am not saying that I have actually been functional in the last week or so but I have been somewhat productive.  I have New Girl Lisa trained and on her own -Yay!  That means Jeanne gets a little bit of a break, or at least I can take a personal day or two.  This weekend was the Special Olympics Polar Plunge, usually I pump that up quite a bit before hand but the energy has been lacking in that regard. Even tho I am not the one plunging into Lake Michigan  (just playing the part department photographer) it is still a completely exhausting day. Standing on the ice for hours waiting and watching a group of crazy law enforcement personnel dress silly and jump into 32 degree water then compound that excitement with a complete turnaround in waking hours and you get one pooped out chick with sticks. Is it any wonder I am unbalanced??

Ya'll know I suck at project stats so this year- since this is my first Finished Object of the year (pathetic I know) I am going to start out right.

Kohlrabi Dish Towel

Pattern: Basket Rib Hand Towel Rav Link

Yarn: 1 Ball Knit Picks CotLin in Kohlrabi

Needles Size 7

Size 11x17

I got my March installment of Art Walk Sock Yarn from Zen Yarn Garden. This month is another tribute to Gustav Klimit, Musique. 

Another beauty out of Canada!  Some day I may actually knit with these yarns...in the meantime, I shall become a collector of affordable art...LOL 

This picture does not bring out the beautiful greens and blues to it's full advantage. The colors are much closer to the painting that this shows. 

Another no brainer project-  A new place placemat! Same CotLin yarn but in Swan. This project is a winger, meaning a no pattern project. It may also be a do over because I am not sure that it will be wide enough to suit. Do you think 16 inches (unblocked) will be wide enough for a placemat?? I wanted this to be a tighter fabric than the dish towel so I am using a size 4 needle. I like how the fabric is turning out, I am just unsure of the size. Give me your thoughts. 

Another Winger- Impulse yarn buy of Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick n Quick. I bought this a while ago when it was still frigid outside ( I think spring is finally here). Big yarns make my hands tired when I knit so I don't get very far with with them at any one time. A few rows at a time and eventually I had a scarf. Not enough yarn left to make a hat to match so I may have to go back to the store. 

 
Chocolate and Vanilla Scarf

Pattern: Simple garter stitch stripe

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick n Quick in Wood and Linen

Needles size 13

Size 6x58

CA Dawn's question about my thrummed mittens prompted me to get out that one lonely mitt and finally finish the thumb. That was all that was lacking, so I did that this morning. Like I mentioned, they are not going to be pretty but damn they're warm! With any luck I just might have a pair by summer!

I think I have about 3 days of mids then another flip for the CAD training for a week and then I can finally settle into a single shift. That will be a blessing! At this point I don't care which shift, as long as it is only one shift.

Maybe then I can get caught up on all my blog reading :p