Thursday, November 25, 2004
happy happy!
congratulations to peggy! welcome to the world, baby brogan.
happy thanksgiving to all who celebrate. xoxo.
5:33 PM /
Monday, November 22, 2004
updates, soon. i swear it. i might even remember to charge my camera!! don't give up on me yet.
xoxo
2:16 PM /
Monday, November 15, 2004
these are my favourite chords, i hope you like them too.
today, i treated myself to the newest issue of interweave knits. i looked through the new vogue k1 (or whatever it was called) but dismissed it because a) nothing would fit me, and b) i'm just not that hip. I didn't look through the regular vogue issue because nothing that i like in that magazine ever comes large enough to fit my succulent frame. but interweave will always be my magazine. i went to university for a year or so in colorado (i grew up out there, remember), and loveland, which is the home of interweave press, was not more than 20 minutes away. in fact, i worked at the outlet mall in loveland. interweave press would put on fantastic textile shows, which my department (textile art) would drive over to see (a memorable one was 'men of the cloth'). as a weaving major, their magazine 'handwoven', became a staple. when i seriously started knitting again (about four years ago), i saw that they produced a knitting magazine as well. I've been hooked ever since. it is the ONE magazine i buy every season without fail. i purchased the last fcek, but i wasn't inspired at all. but interweave, ahhhh interweave! there are at least four things from this issue on my to-do list (this, of course, is a hypothetical list that exists only in my imagination- full of amazing and luxurious knits to be knit when i have lots and lots of money). For example: te rosado, colorwork classic, tilted jacket (this is my favourite and i MUST have this sweater), nordic mittens, fair isle sampler hat, the lace knee-highs, the pine cone scarf, the retro rib socks... okay- that was more than examples. that's all of them. this is one of my more favourite issues of late, which is odd, because my friend, megs, wasn't thrilled at ALL with this issue. not that we have identical tastes, but in knits - we tend to like the similar things.
anyway, that was my big splurge - because broken footed, stomach freaky, trying to find the job of her dreams girls can't really afford treats. tonight i'll be working on adam's sock (the first one, still. i didn't have much knitting time on the weekend). tomorrow, i have an interview for a part time job (not really what i'm looking for, but i figured i'd go) and i'm getting my cast off!! i'll likely get a walking boot next, but, no more cast!! today, my foot hurts more than it has in days, but i was out and about a lot- and i'm down to using only one crutch while i walk. i think i did too much. so i'm staying here on the couch with my leg up until bedtime (which will be early, because i am a sleepy girl).
again, i apologize for the lack of photos. i haven't had the chance to plug the camera into the charger. and besides, all i'm knitting at the moment is a pair of gigantic man-foot socks in a lion brand regia rip off. think puke brown, light blue, navy blue and the white/grey fake fair isle band. picture that? now you see adam's sock!
thanks everyone who has offered kind words and support during my month of shit. i'm confident things will get better- i'll find a good job (fingers crossed for the one i really really want), stop having a bum foot, and finally get on the right mix of medication for my stomach. things will be swell. and in the meantime, a new season of the amazing race starts tomorrow night! yay!!
xoxo, keep your stick on the ice.
6:17 PM /
Thursday, November 11, 2004
insert creative subject line here.
this will be an update sans photos, because i keep forgetting to charge my camera. don't worry. there isn't much interesting to look at. all i've done in the last week is knit one toe of one sock for adam out of unattractive lion brand magic stripes in one of their regia fair isle rip off colourways. i started the other day, double checked my gauge, cast on and then realized my gauge was off. way off. like, i had counted, several times, six stitches per inch and in reality, i had 7.5 stitches per inch. ho hum. rip rip rip. re-cast on. spend day in hospital having tests to determine why you're sick all the time. have nothing figured out but get violently ill doing so, spend another day sick as can be and finally start reknitting. did i mention this yarn is unattractive? the blues are nice. but there is an awkward shade of brown happening and i am just finding it kind of repulsive. but he picked the yarn, he'll wear them and i'll be a good girlfriend once again. these are his anniversary present (three years on the 23rd). they're also the fourth pair i've knit for him. he loves my handknit socks. he wore them when he spent two months backpacking in europe and says the wore better than any of the store bought socks he brought with him.
stefanie is helping me do the math to create my dream sweater, she is truly an inspiration and a hero to the knitter in me. plus, she's purty. anyway, i'm going to use her basic top down raglan pattern, but adapt it for my round body, short arms (3/4 sleeves for me!) and a boat neck. i have the yarn here with me (black wool ease from the abandoned fcek cardi) and i have my denise needles but i keep getting sick and distracted and i don't have a mind for math on my good days.
i have an interview tomorrow. fingers crossed please, this is a job i'd really want.
today is veteran's day (or remembrance day if you're from slightly further north). not many in my family have joined an armed service (in face, only one that i know of). but i still remember. i've had friends fighting in an unjust war, former classmates pulled out of school to defend our once great country. so today, as every other year, i remember those who went, fought, defended and returned (or didn't). and i remember those who are veteran's to be. i hope you remember too. now is not the time to turn our backs on those who went, we should turn on those who send.
and with that, i'm going to watch reruns from the 3rd season of west wing and knit. and be sick. always sick. oh, and jobless. the life of rachel never quits.
xxo
7:00 PM /
Friday, November 05, 2004
when it rains...
monday night i went to bed very early.
tuesday night john kerry lost the election.
wednesday night i finished knitting the hatmione.
thursday night i was vomitting and sleeping
friday night i am newly fired, still a little sick and officially broke. again.
here is a picture of hatmione:
project specs: hermione's cable and bobble hat.
yarn: serendipity in south america in brown berries
size 7US needles
start date: october 21, 2004
finish date: november 3, 2004
this was my first 'cable-intensive' project. i've done cables, sure, but never more than one a piece, and never more than one crossing a row. i'm pretty pleased with how she came out, except- if i was to knit her again, i'd do it on size 8US needles. she's snug on my head, and i have a SMALL head. i'm going to attempt to block her out a bit, once i'm back on my feet, but for now i feel accomplished.
i was going to buy some cheap wool/acrylic blend yarn to knit a quick poncho with this weekend, but as i am now unemployed, that has fallen by the way side. so. i will finish gauntlet #2, i will knit socks for adam and socks for me, and i have two skeins of koigu waiting for a project. i have a basket full of black wool-ease to knit a sweater with. i'll keep busy. i've been broke before, i can do it again.
my foot is improving. a little more than a week left in the cast. i'm so ready to get it off and get back to my life, find a new job, stop being so stressed and unhappy, go back to my home for good. this has been such a rough year and i'm so afraid it won't get any better.
if you are in northeast ohio, stop by for a spell. i could use the company and laughs.
xoxo
8:25 PM /
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
update from the couch
tonight is a big big night. i'm hanging out on the couch with my brother, my mom, and the four dogs. we are watching msnbc right now, but my brother is channel flipping. our familiy is a bunch of bleeding heart liberals and we are praying for a regime change.
unrelated to politics: the bad news is, i saw my orthopedic surgeon today- now i'm in a hot pink cast. this will last for two weeks, and then i should get a walking boot. for now, i'm still staying here at my mom's. i was given a cast shoe and next week i'm to attempt to start putting some weight on my foot. if can walk, i can go home. until i can walk, i'm here at mom's. here is a new picture of my foot, hot pink and all:
i'm not happy and i'm not comfortable, but i'm alive. that's the positive point.
i made my first elann order last week, it arrived three days later. i bought two skeins of their 'sock it to me' sock yarn, and a new set of size 2.25mm bryspun dpns. i love this yarn, i think it will be socks for me. i was quite pleased with the timeliness of their service and when i have more disposable income, i'll buy from elann again. this yarn was my 'you broke your foot' present to myself.
i'm about to put down the computer and pick up my hat- i have about 10 rounds to go before i'm all done with the hatmione. here she is in progress:
right now the election returns are making me nervous, i hope i don't mess up my knitting.
xoxo
7:28 PM /
i'm rachel m, i'm 26 and i live in cleveland, ohio. i knit, spin, and read. i have a steady sweetie, two chubby cats, a full time job
and a messy apartment.
