Lots to go yet

So I got this brilliant idea that I wanted to knit a pair of knee socks.

I have no idea why.

I mean, lets face it.

I’m 38 and I work in a conservative business office.

Also? I’m 38.

Ah fuck it.. I’ll figure out someplace to wear them.

I fell in love with this colorway last year.  It’s called “Brach’s Candy. I can totally see it.  They remind me of those coconut Neapolitan candies.. you know the ones that were in bins in the grocery store?  Back when Brach’s had a display.

Damn I loved those candies.

I remember walking by those bins and thinking that if it wasn’t for my fear of getting caught, I would totally nick one of those and pop it in my pocket.  I actually watched, dumbfounded, as another kid did exactly that. I kept waiting for the lightning bolt to strike him dead.

Never happened.  I still never took one though.

When I saw this yarn, I totally had to have it.

Mmmm... YUMMY!

HAD TO HAVE IT, I SAY!  *ahem*

When it arrived, I hugged it and squeezed it and pat it and pet it and rubbed it and caressed it and  and called it George.

And then stuck it in the stash bin with all the other gotta haves.

When March rolled around and I needed to make something for the Old School Sock Knitters KAL and I cast on for three different things and none of them really appealed.. so I dug through the stash and found this yarn.

It wanted to be knee socks. So with only a month to make them, I decided to cast on and go for it.

They are gonna be so awesome. If I don’t fold the cuff over, they go over the knee!

Only the toe left!

I really do have a plan for how to wear them.. I’m thinking maybe a jean skirt that covers just the tops and wear them like tights.

One Down.. one to go

The pattern is Long Socks By DROPS Design (Ravelry Link)   (DROPS link to pattern).  The original pattern is not in English and the translation confused me a smidge.  So basically, I made up my own way of reducing stitches for the ribbing and also did my own heel, foot and toe.

Hedonist: someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything other than recipes.  Recipes, which I’ve not really been following that well.. to tell the truth. This past two months, I’ve been lazy and just doing the things that I feel like doing.

For example:

• ordering take out instead of cooking
• reading books instead of working out
• staying up too late
• not packing healthy lunches
• sitting and knitting
• snacking on inappropriate things

I can’t really explain why other than it’s easier.  I got on the scale this morning… it took me almost a week to work up the nerve to do so.

152lb

It could have been worse.  I expected worse.  A month ago, I was 148 so all told, this really ain’t too bad. But it’s the wrong direction.

I did pretty good today.  I’ve gotten to where I really crave something sweet in the afternoon.  I’m going to have to bring some sugar free puddings to work to help curb that.

I have gotten a bit of knitting done at least.

A Turn a Square Hat

A Good Start on my Somewhat Cowl

One last thing to post.  I posted a recipe for my Sausage, Escarole and Beans.  Very yummy.. Very Easy

Yah, cuz my theme is old.. like two years old and evidently the templating system in WordPress 3.0 is really very different than it used to be.

So I decided to just adapt the new “default” theme for WordPress and I did it the right way. You know, copying it into a new file, renaming it in the style.css file so it doesn’t get all wonky and over written when WordPress updates again? Yah, like that..

(ETA: 07/07/10- evidently I’m supposed to do it THIS WAY now)

And I gave myself a schnazzy new header. The old was was kinda just chucked together.. I’m quite happy with this new one.

In other news.

I finished my first shawl! Yay me! It’s for my mom. She bought me some lovely yarn from a farmers market. It’s kool-aid dyed alpaca. Handspun.

Pretty yes? Lumpy? kinda.. but I think it’s okay. She’s going to be surprised when she finds out I used her gift to make her a gift!

I made the Travelling Woman shawl because, well it looked easy. I did an extra repeat of chart A.

It looks kinda messy before it’s blocked

Before blocking it was 32×13

Of course, it was curly so kinda hard to tell exactly how long it is.

After blocking.. whooboy! 57×20!

I got the niftiest shawl pin too. My mom is a Dragonfly nut (sheesh.. I hope she’s not reading this). Just in case, though, I won’t post a pic!

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?)