Had class today. Sunday’s are always great because not many people show up which means I get a lot of instruction. Today was a little different. It was still intense, but Sensei didn’t spend a lot of time picking apart our technique.

We warmed up, did a few combinations and as I was moving through them, I envied my classmates ability to smoothly move from block to punch to kick. When I move from one technique to another it’s jerky and clunky and slow.

One of the things that Sensei said today was to relax. He says this all the time, but today he elaborated a bit and I realized what I’m doing wrong. When I execute a technique, I’m tensing my muscles all through the entire technique.. instead of waiting until the end of the technique and then tensing… and then relaxing.

Talk about using too much energy! and there is now way to move smoothly through one technique to another if I don’t allow my body to relax. Seriously I’ve felt like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. Oil Can! Oil Can!

When we did the next combination, I tried to remember this… and it was much easier.. maybe now when I do 20 front kicks I won’t look like I’ve done a thousand (at least that is what Sensei said I look like– I know that’s what it FEELS like!)

And I’ve been knitting and crocheting. I’m currently into dishcloths, so I made a set for a friend. She loves orange.. like for realz

Chinese Waves – pattern

Chrysanthemum- pattern

BallBand Dishcloth -pattern

And my FAVORITE!

Dog with Paw -pattern

Ok I hurt a lot.

After a month off of karate, going back was quite .. unpleasant.. but not really. It’s odd actually, because while my legs are screaming, my heart is racing and my back is complaining, I’m still kicking… and kicking..and kicking. (ok.. not kicking correctly, but kicking none the less)

It feels awesome. I have so missed this. I feel like I’m actually in my body again.

The weekend before I went back, Sensei had a small holiday get together that I really wanted to go to, but the day before I did this

And my ankle swelled up the next day. boo .. hiss.. but the tattoo looks great now (not so great in that pic but oh well. Do you know how hard it is to take a pic of your own ankle?

While I sat on my bum, elevating my sore ankle, I did some knitting.

I made these Nifty Gloves (Pattern: Knitting Neels or Ravelry Link) out of some sock yarn I had left over from the Pride socks I made.

And I did a little crocheting as well. I made these booties (Pattern: Marlo’s Crochet Corner or Ravelry Link) for me as a test to see if they would work as a charity donation. I ended up making 4 pairs out of the Dreaded Red Heart for a local nursing home. (Don’t get all over me about slippers being to slippery for the elderly. I labeled them TV booties and got approval from the organizer first mmmkay?)

But I passed!

And on the green theme, I did a little crocheting. Yes, I know the blog is “Kick n Knit” but “Kick n Crochet” doesn’t sound as cool.

A while back I made a pair of fingerless mitts for myself for dog walking. I used this pattern from Suzie’s Stuff.

A friend saw them and said “oh! I want a pair!” so of course I made them for her since they are a super quick project. She wanted them in Orange.. of which I had none.. acrylic works great for these since they get pretty dirty being used as dog walking gloves (which was her intention as well). So I picked up a skein of the dreaded but cheap soul sucking Red Heart in what I like to call “Flaming Orange of Death” color.

So I whipped off the gloves and I was left with a ton of this horrid stuff.

I decided my orange loving friend needed some green stuff.. you know green stuff that would use up that orange yarn.

Witness the Flaming Orange Market Bag (of Death) (Pattern Here)

I had made one of these for myself previously. Mine DOES have the CD for a base, but I don’t think you need it.

Mine is in a more reasonable color. Although, it does show dirt.

I had a little bit more orange left, so I also made the Flaming Orange Poofball (of Death) (Pattern here)

This is a tawashi, that should do a nice job scrubbing dishes… no more sponges!