Twistedtexan's Weblog

So what do you get when you add a flame to a pumpkin?  You get Indian corn:

Or at least that’s what springs to mind whenever I look at the yarn.  Tomorrow marks the end of the first week of the Tour de Fleece, and I’m doing pretty dang well if I do say so myself.  I have done a little spinning every day – some days more than others.  But fiber has at least passed through my hands every day.  I am more than halfway through my fiber, which makes me downright giddy.  I’m already eyeing my stash, trying to decide what to spin next. 

In addition to all the spinning, I have been knitting too.   After a disastrous attempt of shaping – while keeping the lace pattern going – I ended up having to frog back all of the lace and try again.  Thankfully I found a great thread on Ravelry that saved my bacon.  I am now about 8″ into the back of the sweater:

(This second photo better represents the actual color of the yarn.)

Now that the hurdle of shaping + lace pattern has been conquered, it is moving along smoothly.  And take a peek at what’s been keeping me on track…

The Hubbster and I recently got iPhones and I’ve been using 2 knitting apps: StitchMinder and KnitMinder.   I have to say that I really love KnitMinder.  I have been able to jot down notes (like how I did the decreases while maintaining the lace!) as I’m knitting away at my pattern so that I’ll be able to match up the front and back of the sweater.  Usually this entails little scraps of paper, or my big ol’ honkin’ graph paper notebook.  Now I’ve got all the little details stored away in my convenient (and always present) iPhone. 

And if you look very carefully under the iPhone you will see my yoga mat.  I still haven’t been able to run, but I’ve been keeping active by doing yoga and pilates.  It definitely doesn’t replace my treadmill, but at least it’s something.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.  Sunday I’ll be testing out my ankle again.  If it buggers up, I’ll be heading to the doctor. 

P.S.  Tomorrow I’ll be heading out to my favorite yarn shop (Twisted Yarns) with two of my favorite knittas.  Hopefully we’ll get to meet up with Janet (aka twistedknitter) and see her incredible soft waves ripple blanket.  And with any kind of luck I’ll have some updated yarn pr0n!

A certain someone put a bug in my ear about joining the Tour de Fleece this year.  As I looked at my fiber stash, I decided “Why the heck not??”   I’ve got fiber.  What’s the fun in having it if I never spin it up?

I’ve decided not to go hog wild and have made my goal very simple. 

Yes.  Goal.  Singular. 

My goal is to finish spinning up the 4 oz of orange merino that I started months ago, and to ply it.  That’s all.  Simple.

Let the spinning begin!

P.S.  And for those of you (yes, you know who you are!) looking for WIP photos of the Apres Surf, they are coming.   I had to frog back several inches of knitting because we all know I have teh lace dumb.  It’s well documented.  So having to do waist decreases AND keep the lace pattern in tact was a bit much for me.  So I’m monkeying around with the pattern, and we’ll see how it goes.  I hope I can figure it out because I absolutely adore that hoodie.

What was that?  My ankle feels kinda funky.  I wonder if I can just run through it???  I mean, it doesn’t feel THAT bad.

 Step, step, step, OW!

Erm, crap.  Guess not. 

Today marks week #2 of the running hiatus.  If it doesn’t improve soon, it’s off to the doctor’s office. 

(Sigh)

The temperatures around here have been in the upper 90’s/triple digits for I dunno how many days.  So what do I do?  I cast on a sweater with this yarn:

Dream in Color Smooshy in Midnight Derby.  Don’t you love the varying shades of blue and purple?  I hope to have some WIP photos this weekend. 

Yanno, sometimes I question my logic.  Sweater in the sweltering heat?  Sure!  And what do I want to knit after this one’s finished?  A cardigan out of laceweight yarn.  Yep… sometimes I think my wiring’s not quite up to code.  

I think I have some redemption after the whole “UGH” fiasco.

• Pattern:  Kai-Mei from Cookie A.’s Sock Innovation
• Yarn:  MMMalabrigo sock yarn in the velvet grapes colorway
• Needles:  2.5 mm harmony wood dpns

This is the first time I’ve used the Malabrigo sock yarn.  It’s soft, it’s squishy, and I love it.   My only complaint is that the skein was a major arse-pain to wind.  I also have two other colorways and found the same issue with them.  These are also the first Cookie A. socks I have ever knit, and I have to say that she’s pretty darn clever.  I’m surprised at how quickly these socks worked up!  I can’t wait to try out another pair. 

And for those of you who were wondering… Yes.  I’m still running.  I have succesfully kept up with it for 4 weeks.  Weight loss?  Brace yourselves.  I have lost a whopping 3 pounds.  I know,  you’re jealous.  I’m trying not to get discouraged, though.  I am exercising 4 days a week and watching what I’m eating.  It’s bound to come off sometime, right?  I’m keeping an exercise and food journal on fitday.com, and last week I even went so far as to take some measurements.  I’ll revisit them in a month and see how things are progressing. 

While the weight loss may be slow, I am making incredible improvements in stamina and speed.  It’s amazing that only 4 weeks ago I was barely able to run for 2 consecutive minutes.  This is what’s keeping me from giving up.  Because believe me – running your ass off and only losing 3 pounds can be a bit demoralizing.  

Now that the socks are done, what should I knit next?  Decisions, decisions.  Maybe I’ll get around to finishing the other shawl on the needles. 

So what happens when you pair a beautiful yarn with a beautiful pattern?  Usually you end up with something stunning, right?  In my case you end up with a big fat piece of humility pie.  Allow me to illustrate.

First, meet Spring Forward from Knitty. Beautiful pattern, right?

Now, meet Jester from Three Waters Farm:

Gorgeous, ain’t it?

So we’ve got beautiful pattern (A) + beautiful yarn (B).  Here is where all logic goes awry.  Prepare yourself.  I introduce to you The Sock That Defies All Logic.

Now do you see what I mean?  Beautiful pattern (A) + beautiful yarn (B) = UGH!!  And the worst part of it all is that I was in complete denial all the way down to the foot!  Oh yes folks, I knit the leg, heel flap, gussets, and part of the foot before I decided, “You know?  This yarn may not work very well with this pattern.  Hrm..”

Here’s another math equation for you.  Me + denial = StupidStupidStupid. 

So now I’m going to attempt to knit Kai-Mei (Ravelry link) with a skein of Malabrigo in velvet grapes.

I’m hoping I can’t get into too much trouble with this one.  I’ll keep you posted.

So it seems I’ve got a couple of finished projects to show off.

Woo!  Those pasty legs are HOT!!! 

• Pattern:  Biological Clock Socks  from The Eclectic Sole by Janel Laidman.
• Yarn:  Knit Picks Bare – Superwash dyed up with black cherry and strawberry Kool-aid
• Needles:  2.25 mm

In typical Eclectic Sole fashion, I did not particularly enjoy these socks.  The pattern charts were a little difficult for me to decipher since they were broken up into 4 mini-charts spread out over several pages.  I ended up having to graph it out into one continuous chart to make sense of it all.   There have been complaints that the heels in this book turn out  baggy (as was true for my Rivendell sock), so I substituted my usual short-row heel and toe. 

My second F.O. is a true labor of love.  I worked on it steadily for a full month.  Behold the Mama Llama shawl:

• Pattern:  Horseshoe Lace Hat & Scarf (adapted to make a shawl)
• Yarn: Mama Llama Silken Cashmere.  Oh yes, you heard me right.  800 yards of silk and cashmere.  I am truly spoiled!
• Needles:  4.0 mm

I am truly honored that Catherine asked me to knit something to display at her booth for this year’s Sock Summit.  I’ve always been a big fan of her yarns, so I am beyond thrilled that she has the opportunity to show off her stuff at the summit. 

So what am I knitting now?   Well, I’m glad you asked.

I am knitting Spring Forward from Knitty Summer 2008 with some very special sock yarn that came from a good friend who was lucky enough to attend Maryland Sheep & Wool.  So far I am really loving the pattern and I was even able to try my very first tubular cast-on. 

On the running side, things are going great.  Last week I ran about 8 miles (2/day) and have noticed that my endurance  has improved tremendously.  All good things in my book.

I’m feeling pretty peppy after a great run today.  Ok, maybe not “great” by other people’s standards, but it was damn great for me.  I leave you with a little something to tickle your eardrums.  Enjoy!

I’m not exactly “falling to pieces” these days, but this song became my Power Jam on the treadmill today.

Falling to Pieces

by Faith No More  

Back and forth, I sway with the wind
Resolution slips away again
Right through my fingers, back into my heart
Where its out of reach and its in the dark
Sometimes I think Im blind
Or I may be just paralyzed
Because the plot thickens every day
And the pieces of my puzzle keep crumblin away
But I know, theres a picture beneath
Indecision clouds my vision
No one listens…
Because Im somewhere in between
My love and my agony
You see, Im somewhere in between
My life is falling to pieces
Somebody put me together
Layin face down on the ground
My fingers in my ears to block the sound
My eyes shut tight to avoid the sight
Anticipating the end, losing the will to fight
Droplets of yes and no
In an ocean of maybe
From the bottom, it looks like a steep incline
From the top, another downhill slope of mine
But I know, the equilibriums there
Indecision clouds my vision
No one listens
Because Im somewhere in between
My love and my agony
You see, Im somewhere in between
My life is falling to pieces
Somebody put me together

…and as a teeny side note:  Please-oh-please-oh-please-oh-please let FNM get their heads out of their arses and tour the U.S.!

Yes, the “running” – I use that term loosely – is going slowly.  But what do you expect after a two (+) year hiatus?  At this stage it’s not about speed or distance.  It is about endurance.  It is about being able to run “x” number of minutes without keeling over.

I am following a 10-week program from The Complete Book of Running for Women by Claire Kowalchik.  It’s a combination walk/run that gradually takes you from running 2 minute segments to 30 minutes.   Once you reach the 30 minute milestone, the program then shifts over to increasing your mileage. 

Personally, I am looking forward to the day that I can climb the three flights of stairs at work without sucking wind at the top.  Nevermind being able to run for 30 consecutive minutes.  I just want to get the hell up those stairs!

The title of this post can also apply to my knitting as of late.  For the past month I have been working on a project that will be displayed in Mama Llama’s booth at The Sock Summit. 

Yes, THAT sock summit.  SQUEE!!

At this stage I am tantalizingly close to being finished.  Want a little preview?

Yup, I’ve been knitting Ramen Noodles.

 

There are several other projects patiently waiting in the wings.  One little fellow, however, may have to wait a while for its turn.  Can you guess which one? 

Pick me next!  Pick me!

No way, pick ME instead!  Look at how soft and fluffy I am!

Those two other projects ain’t got nothin’ on me.  How could you possibly resist my combination alpaca/silk charms?

Never a shortage of knitting A.D.D.  Nosiree. 

Today’s treadmill jam superstars were: 

• “Walking A Line” by the always popular Foo Fighters
• “The Kids Aren’t Alright” by The Offspring

Lately I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about ways to change my life, as I haven’t been very happy with the way things are going.  The majority of this stems from my (undiagnosed) infertility.  In 2007, my husband and I lost two pregnancies and I got very depressed.  Depression led to eating.  Eating led to major weight gain.  Major weight gain led to apathy, and so on…

We took a year-long break from trying to conceive in 2008 and bought our first house.  The Hubbster also convinced me to attend a weekly Stitch and Bitch group.   This was not always easy.  There were some nights he had to force me out the door, but I’m glad he did.   Thanks to the baby-making break, the distraction of our new home, and my new friends, I no longer found myself depressed.  

So now that the depression fog has lifted, I’m still left with the gift of flab.  Before the pregnancies, I was in the best shape of my life.  I was eating well, running 4-5 days a week, and about 25 pounds lighter.  I think it is time for me to get back into my running mojo.  Starting is always the difficult part, but once I get into it I actually enjoy it.   

So I’m hoping that this blog will now be about knitting, spinning, yarn, and running.  I’m also hoping that I will update it on a more regular basis.    So stay tuned, folks.   There’s lots of new stuff on the horizon.