Around and around and around....

cardipic
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

The Rowan Calmer sweater was coming out totally unstretchy, so out it came. In its place, a flattering little cardigan jacket in a dark forest green color. I do have a funny story about "forest green."

We all know kids have strong opinions about things that are often sort of... well... unimportant, really. They don't have causes to get up at arms over at 5 years old, but they want to have an opinion on something, and it usually ends up being totally weird. One of my students was choosing colors for a project (a rainbow polar bear, if you're curious) and kept pulling out green after green. Each time she'd pull out a green, whether it was leaf, lime, chartreuse, moss, olive, etc, she would say "Is this forest green?" And I'd say not really, and start looking for a forest green, thinking that's what she was wanting. Finally, after getting out ALL the greens, she said in a very firm voice, "I can't use forest green. I HATE forest green!" Never mind that she had at least two or three greens that could fall under the "forest" label. I don't think she really knew what it meant, but she sure felt strongly about it. I admit, I laughed about it later.

Anyway, a simple, in-the-round cardigan with seed stitch edgings and bands and a nice, nipped in waist to keep the dumpy look at bay. And may I just say, that with all this gym time lately, I actually am developing some muscles?! Soon I will be a smokin' cardi-wearin' hot mama, with bandaids on every finger because I still cannot let go of the wool. It is bad for me. It gives me a rash, and the medicine thins my heart muscle (slowly, but still) and "helps" me gain weight. If only cotton sweaters provided the same hugging effect... I'd never need rash-causing wool again!

I have been real bad with the blogging, I know.

swallowtail shawl
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

But I have a few reasons:

1. I am working on a lot of gift projects. For people who know how to use the internet.

2. My life is more of the same right now - just imagine me talking about job-hunting and knitting. (You can also imagine me watching Cartoon Network all evening, which I've never told you that I do that. But I do. Especially Camp Lazlo, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Danny Phantom [though he's on Nickelodeon.])

3. I am still working on losing weight, but to keep myself from becoming obsessed with numbers and pouring my frustration into counting every.single.calorie, I only weight every Saturday. Therefore, poundage news only once a week!

But this little number, this shawl, is a gift for someone who never reads this blog, mostly because if she is online, she is running her Ebay business and playing Bejeweled. She has no time for silly pointless pursuits like nosily reading her daughter's blog! ;)

You recognize the pattern, I'm sure, but if not, it's the Swallowtail shawl. Very, very easy and good tv knitting. It's in Karabella Vintage Cotton, which is one of the most beautiful cottons I have ever seen, EVER. It has a real sheen, and the coffee bean color is just perfect for her java-loving self. It took exactly 3 balls, 140 yards each, and I'm planning on making another one just because they're so darned easy. =)

edited to add (because I am a dumbass and forgot): I got my second secret pal package!!! Generally when I get yarn-related mail, I don't open it til I finish the project at hand, to ensure fidelity to my knitted partnership. So, I finished off the shawl and opened it up. Three skeins of Cascade Sierra (and 80/20 cotton/wool blend) in a lovely cornflower blue color nestled in the box, along with a shamrock pin (prolly shouldn't have waited to open it, heh, but I'll wear it next year) and a really cute card with a bunny on it. YAY! I took some pictures, but the yarn kept coming out a gray/brown/eggplant color (NO idea why..!) so I gave up. THANK YOU, PAL! It will soon be transformed into a little baby thing. ;)

WIPs for March

WIPs for March
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

There has been a little bit of knitting around these parts, lately. Largely I knit in the morning, to help wake up, and while I'm catching up with folks in the knittychat. I am really trying to be gentle with myself, as my mood has improved greatly (no doubt due to the sunshine and occasional email from an English man friend) and I don't want to do anything to sabotage that. I'm still job-hunting, and as sick as it sounds, it makes me happy to hear that others out there are having the same issues. I was starting to wonder if I smelled funny or something! Now I know it's just the market and the field I'm in. All the same, I'm staying positive about my prospects. After all, I'm in a field I love, that's good, right?

Anyway, you're here for the knitting. On the left is the Swallowtail shawl from Interweave Knits' Fall 2006. The yarn is something I picked up on sale at Angel Hair; Karabella Vintage Cotton. It's a rich coffee color with a lot of depth. Would I describe it as "fun to knit with?" Not really. The end product is going to be so pretty (for my mom) that it's worth it. I'm through 8 repeats of the second chart, so 6 more to go and then I start the nupp bits.

On the right, we have some Rowan Calmer. I am really in love with this yarn. I actually CRIED a little I was so happy with how wonderfully it knits! Here is something with the spring and softness of wool... but no wool! Now if only I could afford it for every project, and also, they need an Aran weight. Just sayin'. I am knitting Blaze from Knitty. I like the long, scoop neck as I have lovely shoulders and a long neck. I am worried how it will traverse my bust, but I'm not going through what some other bloggers have and put short-rows and all that and it STILL not fit "perfectly." I just want it to fit, look nice, and be comfortable. It does not need to become my daily uniform. =)

I also have a pair of socks on the needles, as usual, in Lisa Souza Sock! which has wool. Sock yarn is really the only thing I'm having a hard time giving up. I have been eyeing that Panda Cotton, but I really don't want to spend any money right now, so it will have to wait. I'll just knit up the other 30 pairs' worth between now and full-time-job-land!

(Remember, you don't have to make the right decision every time, for the rest of your life. It is normal to screw up and oversleep, not reply to an email quickly, or eat too many calories. You just make each decision as it comes...)

Lorna's Laces Envy (pickle)

Lorna's Laces Envy (pickle)
Originally uploaded by The Prolific Knitter.

Whee, I finished two pairs' worth this past week. I'm nearly done with the first sock of another pair for my grandma - I finally decided to just knit a child's pattern and hope that fits her itty little frame!

I returned the rental car yesterday and my own car should be ready today. I haven't been feeling well physically so I haven't been doing much, including knitting. For some reason my back muscles are very tight all the time, so all I want to do is take painkillers and sleep. I have the first massage soon so I am hoping that will alleviate the tension. I have been going to the gym & park, I'm able to run further now, but still not the full mile. But rather than quit after 1 mile of run/walk, I've been doing 2 or 3. It's easy to get myself to do one... then I just tell myself it is a waste of time to drive all the way over there and then just leave again. I'm happy to see that my local gym is now offering classes. I haven't been using my membership much, but now I definitely will! ('free' yoga class, here I come!)