Argh

I'm beginning to think I'm not destined to finish this mitered squares blanket. I'm seriously considering throwing in the towel for at least another 2 years while this thing sorts itself out. I believe that after tonight it deserves a time out. Why? Well...


Remember my plan to make big mitered squares to flank the sets of four multi-colored mitered squares? I cast on one night not too long ago for the first one:

Big mitered square #1. US size 9 needles.

The first time I tried on the size 9 needles I realized after about 7 rows that it was coming out too short. So, I ripped and cast on again with more stitches. Then I realized after a few rows that this was going to take FOREVER on size 9s. I ripped again. Then I pulled out some size 13 (or were they 15? who knows...) needles, did a cheater gauge "swatch" (10 stitches, 10 rows), and cast on a third time. This time it seemed, things would work out.

Attempt on large needles.

And, lo and behold, it did. For the most part.

The large square laying on top of the four multi squares. Seems like it will work!

So, then a little time passed and I knit on some other stuff and then I decided I needed a carry around project so I cast on for the next solid colored square. I knit away happily following my directions and finished just minutes ago. And this is what I had:

Second large mitered square (top) compared to first large mitered square (bottom).

!^%&$#% It's too big. Seems I never corrected my notes about the number to cast on and I cast on the number needed for the size 9 needles and not the larger ones. Which means not only did it come out too big but I knit way more stitches than I needed to thus eating up more time. And now my options are: rip it out and re-knit; knit the other large squares then rip and re-knit this one; cry, scream, and act totally undignified, then rip and re-knit this square; or send this blanket to time out, cast on for different blanket, rediscover the mitered squares in 2-3 years, rip out the offending square, re-knit it, and finish the project. Right now I'm leaning very strongly towards this last option.

Secret Knitting

I'm so counting down the days until school is out. Today had some interesting, trying moments. It started this morning when I was trying to help a friend out and I ended up catching some unexpected slack for it. It wasn't anything illegal, or even very big (in my opinion) but I still got an earful. And then at lunch we began discussing what was going to happen for next year and all hell broke loose. New teachers going to be hired without any one's knowledge, having new classes in reading and math that no one wants (especially the kids), and the dreaded block scheduling discussion. I really feel badly for everyone. For some reason more problems with schedules and hiring seem to come up in middle school than in high school and certainly more than in elementary school. I think we as educators need to stop thinking about what is most convenient to us and start thinking about what is best for the students. Unfortunately, there are people who teach who don't really have the drive that is needed for this field. And this isn't just a problem for the public schools, it happens in the private schools too. Don't think just because you pay more for your kid's schooling that the teachers want to be there any more.

Needless to say I took a nap, worked out, and then settled in to knit when I got home.

What do you get when you take this yarn...
Rowan All Seasons Cotton

and these needles...

Boye needles US size 6

and knit it up? This of course!

Oh, wait, you can't tell what that is? That's because it's part of my mom's secret Mother's Day gift. I have pictures of the finished project on Ravelry where my dad can't spy and tell my mom :)

I'm still working on the mitered square blanket but I've taken a little break on it to finish this Mother's Day gift. See, here's a recently finished square.
It needs a fraternal twin but it will have to wait for just a few more days. More teaser pictures tomorrow!

Slowing Down

I'm finally able to slow down a bit now that the crazy week/weekend is over. This weekend I helped my mom celebrate her birthday and went to a friend's wedding. Yesterday we had a big fundraiser dinner for our band. The only major events I have on the horizon are 2 concerts next week. Then we are basically done. I'm so looking forward to the summer and some time off to relax. For now though I'm just going to chill on my couch under a blanket with my kitty and watch some tv. I'm also starting a super secret mother's day project that I'll post about after the weekend. And I'm still knitting on the mitered square blanket but that's not too exciting so I think I'll save the picture posting for a day when I'm a little more rested.

Finding Solace

So, I'll be honest, tonight could have been much better than it was. I suppose finding out that there is a shortage or people in a line of work that you just (a little unwillingly) left* and also finding out that someone who you thought (and hoped) like you had suddenly changed their mind and no longer was really that into you...these things kind of put a damper on being 100% happy.

I really was all set to come in and just fall into bed and try and sleep off a not so great evening. But on the way home I started thinking about the good things in my life. You know, to try and pump myself off a little. And one of the good things in my life is knitting.

I find solace in knitting. It's something I can do without fear of any real outside scrutiny (besides the occasional, "You're knitting?" comment) or failure. And knitting for charity might be the best thing I've been plugged into in a long while. I feel like I'm really helping someone who needs it.

All this thinking made me want to share my thoughts with the world (or at least the internets world): I'm feeling bummed but I know I'll pull through. And in the process I'll knit a bit. For example, some mitered squares for a blanket.
And part of another one.
We here at Casa de Singleton are really into the mitered square thing and may be for awhile. However, I did want to share that today I found out that my vest was chosen as a featured photo for the Warm Woolies Seed Stitch Center Panel Vest (or the Jan. vest-o-the-month, which ever you prefer). That makes me feel like a little bit of a pseudo celebrity. Can I make a button that says "I'm a Ravelry Pseudo-Celeb"?

*This is not a reference to leaving my job as a band director. I have other side jobs (dealing with music) that I have done for almost 6 years now. One of these side jobs is what I'm talking about.

Time Out Coach, I'm Burning

This has been my week since Monday's post.

Tuesday: Run (literally) out of work once children are dismissed for bus call. Go to dentist appointment. Decide to get car's emissions inspected. Decide may need cash to have car inspected. Go by bank. Discover ATM is being serviced. Drive across town to other ATM. Decide too far away from shop and too tired to have emissions test done. Go home. Hang out with newly groomed (and clearly uninterested) cat.
Finish knitting 2 mitered squares for blanket.
Lay out clothes, money, and lunch box for visit to new job in the a.m. Remember must get up early for said visit. Collapse in bed.

Wednesday: Wake up early. Spend day at new school observing the fun that is first grade (including field day!). Go to Guitar Center to pick up drumsticks to teach lessons on Thursday with. Run into old friend. Chat. Go have car inspected. Skillfully avoid having to count money for fundraiser dinner with co-teacher (ok, so he called and cancelled but still...). Go to grocery store. Come home and make dinner. Watch tv and knit 2 rows on new mitered square. Decide to take a wee little nap at 7:30 p.m. Awake at 9:30 and reluctantly drag self from couch to bathroom to get ready for bed. Collapse into bed.

Thursday (today): Wake at normal time and begin getting ready. On way out the door try and juggle very big trash bag, old box (for trash), box of teaching supplies, computer in case, knitting for class at school, and work bag with miscellaneous junk. Decide to take 2 trips to car. Get to work and run a percussion ensemble rehearsal for 45 minutes. Unpack bags of junk needed for the day. Teach music type stuff. Teach 2 private lessons after work. Run home. Feed cat. Change clothes. Drive across town to Mom's birthday dinner #1 (we like to celebrate birthdays for about a month. My mom's actual b-day is this Sunday). Come home. Blog.

What is slated for the rest of the week:

Friday: Field day at my school (=hours in the sun). Teach 2 more private lessons. Have late dinner with N.D. Collapse into bed.

Saturday: Bike ride or workout in the early morning hours. Meet with A.G. about possible job helping with his business. Drive to parent's house. Get addresses for a proposed mail out/fundraising for Moldova effort. Ride to Athens. Watch UGA baseball game (weather permitting). Come home. Collapse into bed.

Sunday: Church. Come home. Lunch. Nap. Drive to Lake Hartwell in North Georgia for wedding at 6:00 p.m.* Drive home in the late evening. Collapse into bed. *Note: The possibility that I will actually go to this wedding is still up in the air even as I type this.

Reasons why this may be a difficult rest of the week:
1. I will be exposed to so much sun the probability of me getting sunburned is very high.
2. I need more sleep than I can schedule. Notice the amount of collapsing into bed that I am/will be doing.
3. I'm still not sure there are enough hours in the day to accomplish all I have to do. I have not even scheduled in things like paying bills and ordering supplies that I need for teaching my private lessons.
4. I went and left my knitting bag at work today.

If You Can't See...

...it says "National Champions." Yep, on Friday UGA secured it's 4th back-to-back(-to-back-to-back) national gymnastics title. And on Saturday 2 of our girls placed first in their events. It was well worth the drive up there 3(!) nights in a row.
Saturday was also the day of baby-sitting Munchkin #1 (#2 is on the way and due to arrive in August/September). Is he not the cutest thing?!?! And so well behaved too.
And, yes, there was lots of knitting.

These are for a mitered square child sized blanket. I can turn out one every 45 minutes to an hour. Each square is made with a fraternal twin. Same number of rows before a yarn changed just reversed order (ex. if I start with purple and after 3 rows change to multi then on the "twin" I start with multi and after 3 rows switch to purple).
These 2 have subtle changes that you might not catch unless you were looking for them but you can really see the fraternal thing on the squares in the lower left hand corner above (because they are worked with a majority of one color and only have 4 rows in the contrasting color).
Changing it up keeps it just interesting enough that I haven't grown tired of knitting them...yet.

I had to give you a view of the reason why I love my apartment.

That is the view from my office windows. It's like living in a tree house. I could totally be a member of the Swiss Family Robinson.

And, look close...can you see it?
Right in the middle is a blossom. The trees are full of them but, unfortunately, they were a little hard to capture.

For now I'm off to knit more mitered squares and wait for the groomer to come (45 minutes late and counting...grrr!).

Trying to Remain on a Schedule

I'm trying to update somewhat regularly but sometimes I'm a little behind on the photo content which means I usually put off blogging for another day or two (or three). I don't know if anyone actually reads this thing regularly but I'm an avid reader of other people's blogs and I love opening them up every few days to a new post. Therefore, I try and post on something of a schedule (I was trying for every day but let's be honest here folks, we're all busy people).

I say all that to say...here is my post for today, sadly pictureless.

Since I finished with the vest I started working on a mitered square blanket. I was surprised at how quickly I finished the squares. I made 2 full finished squares plus 3/4 of another one yesterday. That was about 3 hours of knitting total. I'm hoping to crank this thing out in a couple of weeks.

Yesterday was rather exciting. After I left work I rushed home. I was going to meet my aunt at 5:30 to go to Athens for the NCAA gymnastics tournament. I figured if I could be home by 4:30 I could change and go to the gym for 15-20 minutes before I rushed back to my apartment and got ready. I miraculously made it home by 4:30, threw on a change of clothes, and was at the gym by 4:40. I was on the treadmill for 3 minutes when I heard my phone ring in my bag (which was weird in the first place because I usually turn it off when I'm working out). I jumped off and looked to see who had called. It was my aunt. I figured she was running late and almost didn't bother to listen to the message but I rethought it and decided to anyways. Boy was I glad that I did! She had actually left work early and was 10 minutes away from my apartment. The look on my face must have been priceless. I jumped off the treadmill and bolted to my apartment. I actually was ready to go (minus a shirt change) when she arrived at 5:00.

The tournament itself went really well. It was a long evening but the girls looked really good. The University of Georgia Gym Dogs came in first and they and LSU, florida (boo), Alabama, Stanford, and Utah will go on to tonight's Super 6 finals. Yes, I said tonight. I'll be up there again cheering on UGA. And Saturday I'll be up there to watch the individual competitions. Some knitting should be done during the car ride but I don't like to knit during the meet. Too much is going on :)