Head Games

Since I started the Camp Loopy KAL this summer, I've been thinking about KALs (and prizes!) so I decided to join along with the Ravellenic Games this year. (You may remember that way back when I taught myself how to knit socks on 2 circular needles during the first? Knitting Olympics, and I haven't followed the Olympics or its associated KALs since then.) First I looked at the list of teams, and found the group "12 Shawls in 2012". I figured since I had already finished 8 shawls this year (!) that I would join the group. Little did I know that you had to start and complete the shawls this year, and at least 2 of mine I had started in December 2011, just over the line. And I only had 5 completed photos, so somehow I need to complete 7 *more* shawls this year to be eligible for all the prizes. I tried really hard to understand the Ravellenic Games' rules, but they got more and more convoluted as I went on. I was going to compete in the "WIP Wrestling" game and try to finish the Summit shawl I started for my MIL earlier this year. But then I started getting worried that I wouldn't finish it in time. So it was suggested to me that I compete in the "Cast On Trap Shoot" game. I thought that was fine at first since I have to cast on and knit my Camp Loopy final project during this time too, but then as I started reading the rules again I got even more confused! Ultimately as I've understood it, the goal is to start as many projects as you can in the 20 day time period (?), and complete them to 1/3 before you move on to the next one. So far I've "finished" 3 shawls, and started 2 more since July 27th! The first one is also my first intarsia project ever (and isn't the Knitting Olympics goal to challenge yourself? :) ), Two Face, where you use two different yarns and knit them together into a shawl. So far so good ... Next, my second intarsia project ever, and I'm loving that one too! It's called the Universal Kite Shawlette and I can't wait to finish and make another even! And finally (the other two are only a few rows done, so you'll have to wait to see them!), my Camp Loopy #3 project. I bought a Zauberball and some solid black yarn from The Loopy Ewe and went through many project ideas, all failing miserably. (Mostly because they ALL were only charted and I hate charts!!!) I tried Multnomah, 22.5, and Revontuli and Lazy Katy, but to no avail. I finally settled on Autumn in Vincennes, a lacy shawl that has two colors but is not entirely charted (and is free), and so far, so good. I "finished" it for the games, but of course need to get back to it to finish it by the August 27th Camp Loopy deadline.

Summer Sunshine

Well, believe it or not, my summer is already over.

Last year my kids started in our local schools and our neighborhood school is in the year round program. Personally, I'm not a fan, but I don't really want to change their schools since they're doing pretty well and they are the schools we're assigned to. Anyway, we got out of school on June 22 and started again on August 1st! Back when we had a summer I hated summer because we couldn't afford to send them to camp all summer. Now we could afford to to that, but we don't have summer! :(

The 5 weeks the kids had off was pretty fun, though. We went to San Diego to celebrate my mom and aunt (father's sister)'s 70th birthdays, and my sister and husband's 40th birthdays. I got a lot of knitting time during our long drive (normally about 9 hours but it took us 12 to get back :( ) Then the weekend afterwards we went up to Fort Bragg, CA to go on the Skunk Train (and of course Mendocino Yarn Shop!). That meant another 4 hour drive (each way) and a 4 hour total train ride to knit!

Needless to say, I finished my second Camp Loopy project. It's a really fun one, and I would seriously consider making it again. It's Elfe, and I used 2 skeins of Cascade Heritage sock yarn, in 2 different reds.

One

I am happy to say that I have finally finished my Camp Loopy project one. It was such a hassle. I got the wrong yarn. I started a project. That project failed (the Peasy pattern was horrific to follow). I got the right yarn (after escalation). I started my Zauber Shawl. I decided I hated the yarn and how it knit up; and the pattern was pretty boring. I started my Boneyard shawl. This was also boring, and I hated the way the yarn knit up. I had pictured it having longer color repeats, so it looks very muddled. So a month later, I have projects to donate to EEROP; project one done, and still have the one skein of Mountain Colors yarn to use (love that colorway) and the Peasy pattern (any takers?).

Two Years, Two Days

Camp Loopy started today. I agonized for 4 straight days over which pattern to use, and I'm still not fully on board, but I figure I'll give it one out of the four weeks I have to complete the project and then reevaluate. I'm trying out the Peasy pattern. With Mountain Colors yarn in the colorway Mountain Tango. I love this colorway. I hope it works out great on whatever project I end up with in a month!

Whatever You Like

It's that time, another Ten on Tuesday! This week, it's "10 Things You Wish You Liked": 1. Sports. Life would be so much easier for me if I had any interest in playing or watching sports. Both as a person and as the mother of boys. I have some interest in some sports, but that only extends to playing them. Sometimes. I've always liked tennis, but haven't played it in years. I liked learning Bocce recently, and I love bowling. But paying for and/or sitting and watching a game is not for me. I feel bad too that I'm not interested enough to get my kids into it (although I did try to get them into tennis a few years ago, and karate), but my husband doesn't like sports either. 2. Dogs. I'm a cat person. I don't dislike dogs as much as I get annoyed by some attributes of dog owners. And there is definitely a backlash against cats by some dog owners which makes me extra frustrated with them sometime. But again, I feel like my life would be so much easier if I liked dogs and had a dog I could use to meet other people and have a reason to socialize with them. But I don't. 3. Church. This is another one of those "I wasn't brought up with it and it would have been so much better socially for me if I were" experiences. My husband is actively an Atheist so he's no help either. I'd love to have a group of people to do stuff with, but I can't bring myself to join a church to do it. 4. Throwing parties. I love to be invited to parties, and I'd love to get together with people more, but I'm just never going to be the person who just throws a soiree together at the spur of the moment. I'd love to be that comfortable with inviting people over or organizing events. 5. Technology. Living in the Silicon Valley, technology seems to be everywhere: even the English majors are now "Senior Software Engineers" and everyone knows all the programming languages and cares about the latest product or website coming out that is going to change our lives. I don't get it, and never will. And I'd love to be good with working with technology and be up on all the new companies, because I do want to get a new job sometime soon. 6. Video games. We are a huge gaming family (our rent and amenities have always come from video game companies as well) and I like word games, but that is the extent of it. I will never be interested in most of the games that come out, and I feel, like with general technology, like I want to fit in, but so far it's not sticking with me. 7. Sci-Fi/Fantasy books and comic books and TV. I love TV. I have in the past gotten into certain sci-fi popular shows and movies, but for the most part I'm just lost when it comes to virtual worlds and things that aren't realistic. I've always been drawn to people that like sci-fi and fantasy and games and comics, but I myself never really get into them. 8. Knitting socks. I used to knit socks, but at some point I decided I didn't like it, and now I can't bring myself to deal with sock knitting, sock yarn, etc. It's a large subculture within the knitting community that I would love to be able to be a part of, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I'm actively thinking if/how I can get over my distaste of sock knitting to go to Sock Summit for the express purpose of hanging out with knitters, but I'm doubtful. Where's my "Sweater Summit"? ;) 9. Vegetables. I know they're good for me, and I'm getting so much better with them, but I still really don't like most vegetables. I can't believe I'm starting to actually eat them by choice a bit more lately, mostly because I really need to lose weight and I know they're good for that (if you don't chase them with bread or chocolate, I hear ;) ) 10. (Borrowed from Sarah) Talking on the phone. Once I get talking I like talking to people on the phone, but for the most part I dread making phone calls and prefer to just go somewhere and get something done in person (texting and email being even better). It's just a shyness thing, I think, but I really avoid it as much as possible, even if people call me I'll often ignore it and call when I feel like I'm in the right situation to talk to them.

Camping

It's official! My friend Laura convinced me to try out Camp Loopy this year! She did it last year, and I thought, why not!

Camp Loopy is a project set created by The Loopy Ewe yarn store, where you make 3 projects over 3 months using yarn purchased at The Loopy Ewe (I'm also hoping that spending that money will get me all the cute The Loopy Ewe bags that Laura has sported over the year!).

Project 1 is something that is at least 450 yards, knitted within the period of 5/27-6/27 and designed by a crafter not from your country. So I've spent all day trying to figure out what project is relatively quick, has a non-American designer, and will work with this gorgeous yarn: Here are my ideas: Pintuck T-shirt Harlequin Learns Japanese and/or any suggestions you have ... fingering/DK weight yarn, t-shirt or shrug, not too many yards (under 1000 - I've got less than 800 on the way), non-American designer ...

Happy early Valentine's Day! I just happen to be working on a very nicely themed project, so here it is:



This is my second Wingspan shawl. I just finished one (in 7 days) for my MIL's 60th birthday last week, and I love this pattern so I decided to make myself one too.



I'm not as much a fan of the yarn I'm using for this one, though. The Karaoke did a surprisingly good job of blending light and dark reds and black, but the Lazy Perry Ranch (etsy.com) yarn I'm using for mine is much lighter than I would like and not dyed all that well, IMHO. But I wanted something that had gradual color changes and I already had this yarn, so that's what I chose.

Valentine's Day on a Tuesday is a bit difficult. I don't plan on doing anything special, maybe because my husband is working extra hard these days and maybe because I've already got a busy day every Tuesday. But suffice it to say it will be unmemorable. Tuesday tends to be good TV, so maybe I'll get to some of my favorites.

I've been watching Glee since the beginning. I used to "enjoy" the very soapy storylines but since the first year it seems to be trying to be more serious and is failing miserably. I now scan through to the songs, and only watch if my favorite characters are on or I like the show. I'll continue watching, but it's not nearly as good as it used to be (and that's saying a lot).

Also on Tuesdays is the competing Storage Wars and Storage Hunters. I used to only watch Storage Wars, but I discovered that I really enjoy Storage Hunters too, mostly because the auctioneer on Storage Hunters always thinks the bidders look like someone famous, and it's funny to see who he'll call out next. Both shows include some regulars bidding on storage lockers and then their own guess on what something is worth (which seems lame to me). They try to make money selling the stuff they buy sight unseen. For reality shows, they're pretty entertaining.

I hope you get to have a more festive Valentine's Day than I do! I know at least I'll be knitting something festive!