Some more FOs, and a reading spree
12 years ago
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
I've switched blogs!
I've moved. This blog served a nice purpose, but I wanted to host my own blog, with my own domain name. So, the blog is now at http://www.dreamstrivesucceed.com/.
Friday, March 12, 2010
An update!
Ahoy, all 2-3 of my intrepid readers. I keep wanting to write in this blog, but I just don't know what to say.
I haven't been knitting that much in the last few weeks. I've been sick, with a cold that turned into a sinus infection. And the garter stitch square of the baby blanket I'm working on? I got it done.....
.... and ripped it all out and have started over again.
I used a russian join for the yarn, and once the square was done, I realized how crappy that looked, and one of the joins caused a hole in the work. So, I started over. And have felt too tired this week to work on it.
I also bought some gorgeous Silk Twist Yarn from The Great Adirondack Yarn Co. to make a Clapotis (#3!) for me for a wedding we're attending in May. Haven't started the Clapotis yet.
Someday, I'll take photos again and upload to the blog. Maybe if I take photos, regularly, I'll update more often.
In other news, we're house hunting. As much as we love the location of our loft, and the wide open space of our loft, and the comparatively cheap rent of our loft, our neighbors have managed to get us to leave. Our landlord isn't able to make repairs that would be helpful (the old wooden floors really have to be replaced), and our neighbors can't seem to figure out that playing music or videogames at a very loud volume (when the bass from your music or game shakes our floor from downstairs, or I can clearly identify and hear what song you're playing, it's too loud!) and/or talking very loudly at 3:30 am on a Thursday is unacceptable. And if we rent or buy a house, we're not paying $250 a month for our 2 cars to park in Ramp C downtown either. So we get instant savings by moving, even if we rent or buy a house with a similar monthly payment in rent or mortgage. We have 3 rental houses to go look at tomorrow, and a potential house to buy on Sunday.
We found a neighborhood in Mpls that we love. One of Sean's co-workers wants to sell his house there, so we're going to look at it on Sunday and see if it'll work for us. Off the top of our heads, we can get most of the way to a 20% down-payment, so we could do it, and the house payment itself won't be that much more than our rent payment. It's a 3 bed, 1 ba, unfinished basement (I think), no garage, 1,400 sq ft plus 1,000 sq ft in the basement.
But, if that doesn't work, or we decide not to buy, we have 3 rentals to look at on Saturday.
1. The first one is in the Fulton neighborhood, one neighborhood south of our preferred neighborhood. It looks like it's probably a nice house from the photos, and is $100/mo cheaper than our current rent. This is a 3 bed, 2 bath, finished basement, 2 car garage. 1,596 sq ft.
2. The second one is in the Linden Hills neighborhood, which is our preferred neighborhood. 3 bed, 2 bath, partially finished basement, 2 car garage. This one is $50/mo cheaper than our current place. 1,584 sq ft.
3. The third house is in Robbinsdale, a city just north and west of Minneapolis. The house is near North Memorial Medical Center and Theodore Wirth Parkway. It's a 2 bed, 1 ba Craftsman bungalow with some kitchen upgrades. Unfinished basement and 1.5 car garage. 1,200 sq ft plus 1,000 sq ft in the basement. This one is $700/mo cheaper than our current place.
Option 3 of the rental houses is the best deal financially. But I suspect that if I like the house for sale best, we'll go that route. We shall see!
I haven't been knitting that much in the last few weeks. I've been sick, with a cold that turned into a sinus infection. And the garter stitch square of the baby blanket I'm working on? I got it done.....
.... and ripped it all out and have started over again.
I used a russian join for the yarn, and once the square was done, I realized how crappy that looked, and one of the joins caused a hole in the work. So, I started over. And have felt too tired this week to work on it.
I also bought some gorgeous Silk Twist Yarn from The Great Adirondack Yarn Co. to make a Clapotis (#3!) for me for a wedding we're attending in May. Haven't started the Clapotis yet.
Someday, I'll take photos again and upload to the blog. Maybe if I take photos, regularly, I'll update more often.
In other news, we're house hunting. As much as we love the location of our loft, and the wide open space of our loft, and the comparatively cheap rent of our loft, our neighbors have managed to get us to leave. Our landlord isn't able to make repairs that would be helpful (the old wooden floors really have to be replaced), and our neighbors can't seem to figure out that playing music or videogames at a very loud volume (when the bass from your music or game shakes our floor from downstairs, or I can clearly identify and hear what song you're playing, it's too loud!) and/or talking very loudly at 3:30 am on a Thursday is unacceptable. And if we rent or buy a house, we're not paying $250 a month for our 2 cars to park in Ramp C downtown either. So we get instant savings by moving, even if we rent or buy a house with a similar monthly payment in rent or mortgage. We have 3 rental houses to go look at tomorrow, and a potential house to buy on Sunday.
We found a neighborhood in Mpls that we love. One of Sean's co-workers wants to sell his house there, so we're going to look at it on Sunday and see if it'll work for us. Off the top of our heads, we can get most of the way to a 20% down-payment, so we could do it, and the house payment itself won't be that much more than our rent payment. It's a 3 bed, 1 ba, unfinished basement (I think), no garage, 1,400 sq ft plus 1,000 sq ft in the basement.
But, if that doesn't work, or we decide not to buy, we have 3 rentals to look at on Saturday.
1. The first one is in the Fulton neighborhood, one neighborhood south of our preferred neighborhood. It looks like it's probably a nice house from the photos, and is $100/mo cheaper than our current rent. This is a 3 bed, 2 bath, finished basement, 2 car garage. 1,596 sq ft.
2. The second one is in the Linden Hills neighborhood, which is our preferred neighborhood. 3 bed, 2 bath, partially finished basement, 2 car garage. This one is $50/mo cheaper than our current place. 1,584 sq ft.
3. The third house is in Robbinsdale, a city just north and west of Minneapolis. The house is near North Memorial Medical Center and Theodore Wirth Parkway. It's a 2 bed, 1 ba Craftsman bungalow with some kitchen upgrades. Unfinished basement and 1.5 car garage. 1,200 sq ft plus 1,000 sq ft in the basement. This one is $700/mo cheaper than our current place.
Option 3 of the rental houses is the best deal financially. But I suspect that if I like the house for sale best, we'll go that route. We shall see!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Still around, trying to find time to knit!
I'm still here! I'm still knitting!
Working on the baby blanket for the little one due in early May. The garter stitch square is almost done, and I'll probably start picking up the stitches on the outside either tonight or tomorrow.
If this one comes out all right, I'll make one for my new nephew, Michael, who was born on Feb. 10.
Started a few other things, but haven't made much progress. I was sick for most of February with a cold and resultant sinus infection, so we'll see. If I rip out the Forest Canopy Shawl and start the Clapotis with that yarn, I could get it done by the wedding we're going to in May. Need to do that though.
I think the Malabrigo afghan is going to become my Xmas knitting. I will work on it every Xmas vacation until it's done. :)
Working on the baby blanket for the little one due in early May. The garter stitch square is almost done, and I'll probably start picking up the stitches on the outside either tonight or tomorrow.
If this one comes out all right, I'll make one for my new nephew, Michael, who was born on Feb. 10.
Started a few other things, but haven't made much progress. I was sick for most of February with a cold and resultant sinus infection, so we'll see. If I rip out the Forest Canopy Shawl and start the Clapotis with that yarn, I could get it done by the wedding we're going to in May. Need to do that though.
I think the Malabrigo afghan is going to become my Xmas knitting. I will work on it every Xmas vacation until it's done. :)
Monday, January 4, 2010
Hoppy New Year!
The theme for the beginning of this knitting year is baby blankets. Started a rib check blanket last night for my BIL & SIL, whose little boy is due any minute now.
Have the yarn on the way for Jared Flood's baby blanket, which I am knitting for the little girl of dear friends, who should be making her appearance in early May.
Also cast on last night for a lacy cowl made out of Mini Mochi (like I needed another project).
Forest Canopy Shawl is on timeout for the moment, and may become the Clapotis I envisioned when I bought the yarn. May need yarn I can see well for the FC Shawl.
Feather and Fan afghan out of Malabrigo is 1/3 done, and is my mindless knitting.
Exercise didn't happen on vacation; back at it tonight. Have to exercise before I can knit. :)
Have the yarn on the way for Jared Flood's baby blanket, which I am knitting for the little girl of dear friends, who should be making her appearance in early May.
Also cast on last night for a lacy cowl made out of Mini Mochi (like I needed another project).
Forest Canopy Shawl is on timeout for the moment, and may become the Clapotis I envisioned when I bought the yarn. May need yarn I can see well for the FC Shawl.
Feather and Fan afghan out of Malabrigo is 1/3 done, and is my mindless knitting.
Exercise didn't happen on vacation; back at it tonight. Have to exercise before I can knit. :)
Monday, December 14, 2009
Xmas is next week!
I need to catalog my needles. I don't know what I have and in what UFO it's currently hanging. I can't determine and obtain the other needles I need unless I do this. One more thing to add to the to-do list.
I also am discovering that I have problems with most patterns that involve a lot of YOs. It's like I have a mental block keeping track of patterns with a lot of stuff in them. A shame, but I suppose I'll be a happier knitter focusing on what I do really well. Not to say I won't keep trying to increase what I know, but I know where my comfort zone is.
Forest Canopy Shawl is progressing slowly. I've had to rip back to the 2nd repeat lifeline 4 or 5 times now, but have now managed to get to the halfway point in the repeat, so I am optimistic.
I still need to put something mindless on the needles for when I just can't seem to follow the yo, sl1-k2tog-psso stuff in the FCS.
Last week, I got back on the bandwagon of exercising and eating right. I'm using heart rate training, getting on the bike for 30 min 3x per week and doing yoga for weight loss 1x per week and doing a 10/10/10 on the bike/rowing machine/elliptical.
Going to do that again this week, and adding C25K workouts on the elliptical after the bike. Eventually, want to get up to 2x/wk yoga for weight loss.
Did well on food tracking last week, and when I got on the scale on Saturday, it said 4 lbs gone. I won't get that every week, nor do I expect it, but it was nice to see. :)
My inducement to workout? I can't knit in the evenings unless I've done some sort of workout, unless I'm injured or sick. It worked well last week.
I'm going to bring workout clothes to work and do workouts at work during quarter-end close, so that I don't muck up the good foundation I'm setting here.
When we go to Iowa next week, I can bring workout clothes and do bike/elliptical, probably, and once we get to Denver, I can go for 60 min walks every day and that will tide me over.
I also am discovering that I have problems with most patterns that involve a lot of YOs. It's like I have a mental block keeping track of patterns with a lot of stuff in them. A shame, but I suppose I'll be a happier knitter focusing on what I do really well. Not to say I won't keep trying to increase what I know, but I know where my comfort zone is.
Forest Canopy Shawl is progressing slowly. I've had to rip back to the 2nd repeat lifeline 4 or 5 times now, but have now managed to get to the halfway point in the repeat, so I am optimistic.
I still need to put something mindless on the needles for when I just can't seem to follow the yo, sl1-k2tog-psso stuff in the FCS.
Last week, I got back on the bandwagon of exercising and eating right. I'm using heart rate training, getting on the bike for 30 min 3x per week and doing yoga for weight loss 1x per week and doing a 10/10/10 on the bike/rowing machine/elliptical.
Going to do that again this week, and adding C25K workouts on the elliptical after the bike. Eventually, want to get up to 2x/wk yoga for weight loss.
Did well on food tracking last week, and when I got on the scale on Saturday, it said 4 lbs gone. I won't get that every week, nor do I expect it, but it was nice to see. :)
My inducement to workout? I can't knit in the evenings unless I've done some sort of workout, unless I'm injured or sick. It worked well last week.
I'm going to bring workout clothes to work and do workouts at work during quarter-end close, so that I don't muck up the good foundation I'm setting here.
When we go to Iowa next week, I can bring workout clothes and do bike/elliptical, probably, and once we get to Denver, I can go for 60 min walks every day and that will tide me over.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
projects!
My second Clapotis found its way to its home, in scenic San Bruno, CA. California's in the middle of a cold snap, and it seems that something snuggly to wear such as a Clapotis is a Good Thing. Glad you like it, tk.
I went to find yarn with her in mind, knowing she likes oranges and browns, and the autumn colors in this one are nice. She's been one of my best friends for 10 years now, and I wanted to make her something that was one of a kind.
I have now cast on for the forest canopy shawl twice. I now have a 3rd start on the needles, and am hoping it'll work this time. I'm having a hard time getting the pattern in my head, so I may be missing yarnovers or something. I may not have chosen the best yarn for 1st lace project, but I'll keep at it. It's also not easy to un-knit, so I guess I'll learn to knit more slowly/carefully. I need to get a mindless project on the needles - I was exhausted last night and wanted mindless knitting, but all of the projects I have on needles are complicated for me.
I should start a basketweave blanket or something. I seem to have more luck when not knitting for myself.
I went to find yarn with her in mind, knowing she likes oranges and browns, and the autumn colors in this one are nice. She's been one of my best friends for 10 years now, and I wanted to make her something that was one of a kind.
I have now cast on for the forest canopy shawl twice. I now have a 3rd start on the needles, and am hoping it'll work this time. I'm having a hard time getting the pattern in my head, so I may be missing yarnovers or something. I may not have chosen the best yarn for 1st lace project, but I'll keep at it. It's also not easy to un-knit, so I guess I'll learn to knit more slowly/carefully. I need to get a mindless project on the needles - I was exhausted last night and wanted mindless knitting, but all of the projects I have on needles are complicated for me.
I should start a basketweave blanket or something. I seem to have more luck when not knitting for myself.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Finished Object!!
Knitting, knitting, knitting! Haven't been working out or watching what I eat, but I have been knitting!
My second Clapotis was finished yesterday.
There are more photos up on Flickr:
I'm casting on for the Forest Canopy today. Cast on last night but managed to mess up near the end of the setup rows. So, I took it all apart and will start over again tonight.
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