In Like a Lion

Happy March everyone! Last month my Totally Do-Able 12 Month Plan went out the window almost totally. It's nothing I'm upset over though. Most of the reason why I wasn't able to stick to my plan was because, even though I now have a paying job, I won't get my first paycheck until the middle of this month. Which meant another month pinching pennies and buying/doing only what was necessary to get by. I'll get back on track this month though.

That doesn't mean that I was idle all month. I finished the Wurm hat (which I already blogged about) and a Tweed Watch Cap.

Tweed Watch Cap

The Tweed Watch Cap is a pattern from 60 Quick Knits put out by Cascade. this is actually one of the hats I have enjoyed the most. The fit is absolutely perfect, not too tight and not too loose. I used a different yarn than Cascade 220 (as suggested) but, of course, any worsted weight yarn works with this pattern.

Speaking of yarn...I ordered some Knit Picks yarn using my Christmas gift certificate. It's been *a long time* since I've bought yarn from myself so this was a nice treat.

Stroll Sock Yarn

More Stroll

Swish Worsted, a washable wool

 I'm thinking about holding the sock yarn doubled and making some socks for charity since we're really in need of some warm, but thin-ish, winter socks for some of the kids. I don't have definitive plans for the worsted yarn but I'm thinking mittens (another need for the charity) or maybe a sweater (again, for charity, not for me).

In the world of my nonprofit (Eastern European and Russian Orphanages Project) things are busy as always. I made contact with a woman from Russia (through a friend of a friend) who is working with two small villages in need of some tangible support (see my last post for more information). I've begun hitting kids consignment sales and Goodwill looking for deals on like new kids clothes. I would say I've had pretty good success...

This is just one box of clothes that is almost full to the brim for one of the villages. Another box has already been sent and this:

Is the $10 (!) suitcase I picked up at Goodwill yesterday that is getting stuffed with more clothes and being sent this week with yet another friend of a friend who will actually be visiting the kids this summer! Despite all I've managed to get together (including 3 sets of sheets) there is a still a lot that they need. Shoes, bathing suits, and sports equipment are now becoming a priority. As always you can check out the EEROP website for info on shipping and needed items. EEROP will also be undergoing some changes this month. We are planning on rebranding under the name Walking with Orphans. While EEROP has accurately described our purpose for years it's not as memorable as Walking with Orphans (which, coincidentally also describes what we are doing really well). Be sure to check the website and Facebook page for more information as we make the switch.

It's only the 3rd and March is already shaping up to be a whirlwind of a month!

Wurm

I mentioned in my last post that one of the things I had hoped to accomplish by the end of January was to knit a hat. That was definitely a goal that can be crossed off the list!

This is the Wurm hat in Malabrigo worsted (color: Snow Bird). I've had this hat in my queue for quite some time so I figured now was the time to make it. I knit the small size because I'm donating this to charity and was thinking this would go to a child or pre-teen.

It fits my head but doesn't look (to me at least) as slouchy as the larger sizes. The only thing I don't like about the hat is that I used double pointed needles to make this and you can see the "seams" where I changed between needles. It still needs to be washed so maybe the seams won't be as evident. Also when I was working on it, the yarn kept wanting to slide off the ends of the needles. I think it should really be worked magic loop style but apparently by circulars were already in use because I couldn't find the right size.

All in all I think it's a good pattern but I don't think I'd make it again. First finished object of the year! Let's see if I can keep up the trend in February!

Knitting and Reading

I so love these breaks from school. They give me time to relax and enjoy some almost forgotten pastimes. Reading and knitting have been the order of the day. Of course there are still "work" type things to take care of. I ordered a book on how to form a non-profit so I can (finally) submit paperwork for the Eastern European and Russian Orphanages Project. And I'm still working on lining up/finalizing an internship for the fall. Side note: If you are the praying sort might I ask that you remember me? I spoke with an internship site that sounds very promising but I'm waiting on final confirmation that they can give me a large enough case load. I have been disappointed in the past (several times) by sites that have seemed like a good match but have fallen through. I'm trying not to vomit in my mouth when I think about it but instead to lift up prayers. Your spiritual contribution would be much appreciated as well :) And of course I'm working at my full time nanny job every day (which I'm very thankful to have right now). So, there is still work going on. But also some relaxing. Here's a glimpse of what that looks like:

The Poppy Hat

Part of the EEROP Yearlong KAL/CAL. A March pattern. This worked up quick in some Dark Horse Fantasy (an acrylic yarn that I love). A note: The entire pattern is worked flat/back and forth. I did not realize this on the brim so mine does not have the cute fold over that the ones in the picture do but I think it still turned out ok. I (very poorly) crocheted something that looks like a flower and stuck it on the side. Very 1920s.

ScWiNoNa

Finished this multicolored, simple scarf finally. It's even been washed and blocked! I like how the colors came out. Nice and manly but not too plain. This was a February KAL pattern for the EEROP Yearlong KAL.
Reading has been another relaxing activity for me and I'm almost done with the first book in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. I actually read the first four books in this series about 6 years ago but life took over and I lost steam on finishing out the 15 book series (13 books plus a prequel have been published. The 14th and final book is expected to come out next January. Oh, and there is also a companion book available.). I really like the books so I decided to re-read the first four and finish out the series.

The books are really richly written and not for the fantasy faint of heart. There is a lot of mythological stuff that comes into play and it can be hard keeping all the characters straight (which is why I'm re-reading and not just picking up where I left off). While the rest of the world is reading the Hunger Games I'll be picking my way through these.

There is more about what's been going on but I feel this post is getting longer than I intended (further proof I should update regularly). I didn't even get to tell you about the progress on the wedding blanket, my SIL's socks, or my new language books but I'll save that for next time...

Project count up:
Charity: 6 completed
 Self: 0
Family and friends: 2 on the needles

Post Holiday Mash Up

I hope that your holiday season went off with a bang this year. Or maybe I don't, bangs might be bad things like a blown circuit or the tree catching on fire. Whether it went off with a bang or not I hope it was spectacular nonetheless!

I was rather glad to see Christmas day. That meant I had survived the holiday stress. I got a lot of really nice Christmas presents: new pots and pan set (since my old ones were flaking their non-stick coating into all my food, yay for chemical aftertaste!), clothes, Amazon gift cards, a skein of yarn I forgot I'd picked out for myself 2 months earlier (my mom gifted it to me), and plenty more. Festivities with the family were wonderful as always and I didn't come in last place in the Christmas Day game-a-thon.

The day after Christmas I boarded a plane and spent the next 2 weeks in Romania. I had an awesome time. The best part was getting to connect more deeply with some of the kids I met during the summer (I was also in Romania in July, remember?) and making new connections with some of the kids. I think there's something in their hearts that draws them to people who they have seen before, even if their brains don't remember you. One of the things we got to do was deliver Christmas presents. There were some handmade items from EEROP in there :)

New Years was a crazy celebration where the whole city shut down and everyone sets off fireworks. Nothing says, "Let's start the year off right!" like lighting questionable explosives in the middle of a street! This is one of the biggest events of the year for Romanians so it was really cool to get to experience that.

After arriving home I have been slowly recovering from jet lag (my sleeping and eating schedule is completely erratic) and trying to get motivated to do more than just sit on my couch in my pajamas all day. I do have grad school work that needs to be done but this does not require clothes or (much) movement so that doesn't really help things. The only thing I have been really motivated to do it knit. There's something about this time of year that's really inspiring: the holiday knitting is done so there's no deadlines to meet, the air is cold (and there might be snow), the slate is wiped clean from last year, and there's the feeling of hope for a better year than last. Anyways, all that sappy stuff to say that I've cast on at at least 3 projects in the last few days.

Item 1:
Scrunchable Scarf

This was actually started in the Atlanta airport the day that I left for Romania. I knit on it some while I was there and finished it up shortly after getting home. I used a bulky wool (Cascade 128, one of my favorite bulky wools) and a size 10.5 needle. I cast on less stitches (somewhere in the range of 25 or 28, can't remember). The pattern was easy to memorize and this was a great take along project (it's also part of EEROP's year of KALs). I used two full skeins and the finished (washed and blocked) scarf ended up about 6 feet long.

Item B:
Antonia's Fighter Bomber Helmet (a.k.a. the Thorpe Hat)

I started this Tuesday evening and finished it by Wednesday afternoon. Used a little over 1 ball of Revolution from Bollicine for the actual hat and some hand-dyed for the contrasting crochet trim and braids. US size 9 needles and crochet hook as recommended. Just a word of caution, this is the small size and it almost fits my huge noggin; the sizing runs big. To me this looks a little like a helmet and I immediately thought of a little girl who I met in Romania who would look perfect in this. She's a beautiful little girl of about four but there's a strength in her eyes that says, "I can conquer the world!" So this is named after her. Also an EEROP Year of the KAL pattern.

Item the third:
SIL's Christmas Socks (Show off Stranded Socks)

Hazel Knits sock yarn in Camo Chic. US size 1 needles. Two at a time using magic loop. Cuff down. Finally started these the other day. I read a good review of the pattern and it was one I was considering so I decided to go for it.

Item Lastly:
Mossy Ridge (Not So) Toddler Socks

Yet another EEROP Year of the KAL pattern (if I'm hosting can I still win something?). I'm really into this charity knitting thing...Making these in a not so toddler size by doubling the worsted weight yarn (Paton's classic wool, another good go-to yarn) and knitting on size 10 needles (or maybe they're 10.5, I didn't really check). Everything else is just as the pattern notes. I like how these are turning out but they do require me to read my knitting pretty closely which means I can't space out and read blog posts or watch new movies and tv shows that require me to actually follow the dialogue. Should be a quick knit though.

Also still on the needles is the wedding blanket that will never end. I did finish the fourth square and started the fifth so that's positive.

Totals for the year:
Charity: 2 completed, 1 OTN (on the needles)
Self: 0 and 0
Family and Friends: 2 OTN

Summer Knitting

Here is the thing about Georgia in the summertime: it is hellfire hot here. Molten lava from the sun hot. 90 degrees Fahrenheit at midnight hot (you think I jest). And it's humid. Can't breathe because the air is so thick humid. I can see the haze on the city humid. It may be hotter in Arizona but they have a dry heat (I don't understand dry heat but I hear it is a magical thing, like unicorns and fairies) so it actually feels hotter here. The northeast is experiencing a little taste of what we in the South affectionately call "Every Summer of Our Freaking Lives." I'm sorry if I have no sympathy. The only place hotter than Georgia is New Orleans, Louisiana. I spent several weeks there one summer and lost half my body weight in water every minute I was awake. This, if you couldn't guess, is my least favorite time of year. The heat literally makes me ill and the only cure I have found is ice cream. So, until October rolls around I will trying to consume as much of this tasty treat as possible. I feel it is the only way I will make it.

One would assume then that any knitting I have been doing is small, light, and made of cotton. This is actually what I have been working on:

A large wool blanket made with bulky yarn. Ah! Perfect summer knitting. Ok, in reality this thing is huge, heavy, and hot. Sometimes I sweat a little while I work on it.

The blanket is for a collection of blankets that the Eastern European and Russian Orphanages Project is doing. 154 blankets for 154 orphans. By November. Tell your friends. I need more full sized blankets and 8" or 10" blanket squares. Seriously, tell your friends. Teach your children to knit. Teach your significant other to knit. Learn to knit with your feet and hands simultaneously. Send me blankets! (or squares)

The blanket isn't the only thing I've been working on. In fact that's just a few weeks old. While I was in Asheville for the Friends and Fiberworks Summer Retreat (vending) (2 weeks ago) I finished up my Red Dragon socks (finally).
Hotel room photo shoot.

Close up of "scales."

And on the sock blockers.

So glad to have these finished. I always want to jump right into another pair of socks but I'm wisely waiting. They take so much out of me. Oh, details on these...um, I think I used a US size 2 needle. I know I cast on more stitches than the pattern called for (68 methinks). I ended up adding 3 reverse stockinette stitches to either side of the pattern on the foot and 6 on the leg (since the pattern is doubled). Used Lotus Yarns in the Hairdresser on Fire colorway.

Instead of starting socks next I started a little hat.

Worked from the top down (probably until I run out of yarn) in Vivid Creation Fiber's Hawaiian Hibiscus colorway. I was going for newborn but I think this is going to be a bit bigger (I'm such a precise knitter). Haven't really worked on it much since Asheville. Will probably be used for a sample in my booth.

Going back even a little further to the beginning of July (what sort of order am I blogging in exactly?) I made this little hat while I was in Romania.

I like making little international knits. This will be going to Project Hope for care kits for new mothers in Eastern Europe. I'll make some little magic slippers to go with it. I love how this was finished in Eastern Europe and it will eventually end up back in Eastern Europe.

In closing I leave you with a sheep picture, just because I can.

I'm going to go eat some ice cream.

Matchy Hat

If I did everything correctly then this post should be showing up on Saturday, after I've already gotten to Romania. If not, well, then enjoy the extra post but be sure to read the one below this one for an extra crazy pants story about my life.

As I mentioned in the previous post I managed to finish a matchy-ish hat for the wavy scarf. I used the Noro Spiral One-Skein Hat pattern. I thought it was a little bit wavy and a good showcase for the yarn.

The spirals at the top are definitely the coolest part.

I didn't block the hat but I think that it will be ok. It worked up very quickly. I started it on Tuesday and worked on it when I took my baby sitting charges to the pool on Wednesday. Yes, I said the pool. And it was hot. And this is a wool blend yarn. But I'm hard core like that. Finished it up on Thursday night and packed it up to take with me to Romania.

Here the hat rests on my computer on Thursday afternoon while I read the Redshirt Knitting Blog.

Also, just for fun, I did a little photo shoot with the finished scarf before I packed it up.

Here it is drying on my bedroom floor. It was quite long.

I modeled it in my closet with the full length mirror trying to get the total effect. Things about this picture that I have noted: 1. My closet looked super stuffed in this picture so I cropped most of it out. 2. I look kind of inflated in this picture. Like I'm wearing three shirts. 3. This scarf is of Dr. Who proportions. Or maybe it's just because I'm super short and this is a loooong scarf.

Ohhhh! I made a pretty thing! So, there it is. My wavy scarf and matchy hat.

What to make next...

Moment of Panic

I got a package today full of crocheted toys for the Eastern European and Russian Orphanages Project. We're doing a toy collection for the orphans for Christmas so some very on the ball people are already sending in donations which is awesome! Well, I took the bag full of toys out on the deck for a moment to try and get a picture in some decent lighting.

Toys in bag waiting for good light.
However, my friend Megan was over so I just figured I'd leave the toys out until later and come back. I went inside and Megan and I watched some t.v. and chatted and what not. After an hour or so I remembered the toys and went outside to get them. That's when I noticed that the bag, which had been sitting on the metal patio chair had sort of fallen over and a couple of the toys had fallen over onto the patio. Unharmed of course but they were dangerously close to the edge of the balcony. Danger Will Robinson... Cautiously I peeked over the edge.... Is that....

Do you see the blue speck down there?

Could that be one of the toy balls? In front of my neighbors porch? Crap it. I couldn't leave it down there. But what if my neighbors were out there or worse, what if I go poking around in their bushes/monkey grass and they come out (as they often do) to hang out on their porch. I thought about all these things while trying to calculate the time of day and wondering if my neighbors worked and what time they might come home from said jobs as I snuck around the side of the building and tried to causally see where my neighbors were and what they were doing. P.S. This is totally different from stalking. Please no one call the police. Thankfully they weren't out there and the blue thing turned out to be a piece of plastic or something. It looked way bigger from my porch (I should have known, I have a problem with depth perception).

Oh, and I finished a hat to go with the wavy scarf. More on that later.

Weekend

I've had a very busy weekend and it's not even Sunday yet! My grandmother moved from Arkansas to Georgia early, early, early this morning (I think they got in around midnight) so I went to her new house yesterday to help my mom put the finishing touches on things. Of course, I was late getting there because I was waiting on a parent to pick up a student until 4:20 at the school (lesson here: do not try and drive anywhere in or around Atlanta at 3:00 on a Friday). I stayed until a little after 11:00 at my grandmother's place sweeping, attempting to put magnetic closers on cabinet doors, putting together a bed, blowing up an air mattress, and cleaning. This morning I woke up earlier than I would have normally for a Saturday and drove to north Georgia. I have a friend who works at a boarding school/farm on the weekends and I went to help and meet some of the kids. I'm thinking about volunteering up there some so I wanted to get a feel for the place. I had the random chance to ride a plow horse backwards while I was up there! Bareback too nonetheless. Which is just as weird as it sounds. After getting home this evening I took a shower and put on my pajamas. All before 6:00 p.m. I sat down for a few minutes and finished sewing the edging on the prairie hat.

I think it turned out more Little House than I had originally thought. I think the original color of grey that they used in the book was what actually made it more sophisticated. Oh well, it's still cute. Just need to add the pompoms.

I'm still cranking away on the wave scarf.

I get a some time in every morning to do a few rows. I'm thinking 6 repeats of the 80+ row pattern should make it long enough.


Tonight I'm going to cast on for another hat so I can help Teanne when she goes on her trip to Romania in December. I'm thinking this one:

This hat is also from 60 Quick Knits. Speaking of charity knitting... I received some cute little socks from knitwitchery for Socktober! Can't wait to see what else starts coming in.

Coming Up Next

The next few months have some big knitting related things happening. First it's time to start thinking about Christmas knitting. Actually, I should have started my Christmas knitting 2 months ago but I prefer the pressure of a deadline. Especially a fast looming, completely set in stone deadline. Who said I don't like to live dangerously?

The next big thing is another Eastern European and Russian Orphanages Project drive. This is collection is to help a member of our Ravelry group, Teanne. She is going to Romania in December on a mission trip and will have the opportunity to distribute hats to gypsy children and orphans. Every member of the EEROP Ravelry group is encouraged to knit just 3 hats. So simple and quick but if everyone donates just 3 hats we could collect over 300 for Teanne to distribute! I'm calling it the "Hat Trick" for Romania campaign because in hockey a hat trick is when a player scores 3 goals in a single game. Clever, huh? I'm going to cast on tonight for this hat:

I think it's cute and yet isn't too "Little House on the Prairie." The pattern is from this book:

I picked this up using my birthday gift certificate from Rare Purls. I'm already in love with this book. I started a scarf from the book just the other day.

P.S. This yarn is too cool. It looks like Noro but is softer than Noro. It's Classic Shades by Universal Yarn. My only complaint is that it's a bit splitty but I can deal for those lovely color changes.

The final big thing is that EEROP is also starting a month of sock knitting called Socktober Madness! We're collecting socks in all sizes for distribution with various organizations that EEROP supports. The person who knits the most socks will win some prize goodies :) There are more details about all the campaigns on the EEROP web page. I kind of got a jump on things and started (and finished) a little pair of socks.

Going to get started on that hat now. Have the window open, listening to the end of a thunderstorm and enjoying the cooler (finally) fall weather we are having this evening. Perfect knitting weather!

Breather

I thought I might take a little break from knitting for awhile. Nothing more than just a few days. See, I've been working really hard lately. Doing what? Getting all this ready to ship:

Those are all items for the Project Hope Christmas drive. Some of the items I've had lying around for awhile waiting for an opportunity to come up to be shipped off. Lots of the items though, were knit with this campaign in mind. You'll notice I even managed to finish this guy off in time:

There are still some tweeks I could have made to the collar but after making this sweater I feel like I have a better grasp of raglan construction. Especially from the bottom up. I don't know that I will be trying my hand at design again any time too soon though. Well, especially not on something so complex as fair isle. But I was able to make the sweater wearable and it will go to a little boy who was going to miss out on getting anything because his designated knitter got carpal tunnel :( I guess there was a reason I made this too small after all.

So, like I said, I was going to take a little break from knitting. Work on the Eastern European and Russian Orphanages website and get ready for some up coming campaigns. Maybe organize all the donated yarn I've been getting.

I was going to do all that...

But my hands just needed something to do.

I Make These Hats Look Good

My hat mojo is back! I finished up two super easy ribbed hats for Project Hope.

Purple hat in 4x2 rib, US size 9 needles, Vanna's choice yarn-a discount acrylic I think is actually pretty nice!

More Vanna's Choice (this time in silver), US size 9, 2x2 rib. This hat has pretty much convinced me I need to rock the watchcap all winter this year. In this color. But more like this hat (including those kick ass decreases).

I'm so glad I've broken my bad hat knitting streak.