Planning, but no progress

The Evenstar cast-on still alludes me.  I'm going to meet up with my SnB friends tonight, so hopefully I'll have the shawl started tonight.  Since I've had a bit of the "startitus" since attempting to cast-on this shawl, I've made a few dishcloths.  Dishcloths were my way of distracting me from working on my scarf (see previous post).  I have discovered a black hole in my scarf pattern.  I can see the ball of yarn getting smaller and smaller but the scarf seems to be never ending.  I feel as if I'm just knitting and knitting and the thing will never come to an end.  It has all the makings of a non-boring pattern, but this project has become boring. .  My plan, at first, was to keep going until all the yarn was used up, but now I'm thinking that I'll stop once I get to the same place in the color changes as to where the scarf started.  I really want to just give up on this project.  But prevail I must, at least to the next color change.  The scarf is already long enough and planning to cast-off where the color changes, I think, will make it look more uniform and planned out.  

Aside from dishcloths and black holes, I've been focusing on my organization skills.  I still haven't found the right shelving for my stash.  But I have found several options that won't be to expensive.  I've chosen against wire shelving because I'd like my books to be organized with my yarn.  I'd also like to get some nice baskets to hold small balls of yarn, leftovers, and projects that need to have the finishing touches done.  The rest of the yarn, I want to be able to see.  But most importantly, I want to get rid of the dresser and table.  I'd rather have a small desk for the sewing machine (that I never use) and a comfy chair to knit in.  More shelf space, less boxes and baskets of stuff on the floor, overall cleaner crafting area.  The scary thing about this is that I might have to get rid of some of my craft supplies to make this happen.  I'm not sure if I'm ready to do that yet. 

Circular cast on = Ugh!

My knitting skills are being tested. . seriously.  I can't get the hang of the cast on needed for the Evenstar shawl. 

During knit night, I started using some spare lace wt. and size 3.25 double points, using some written instructions. . and it wasn't happening.  So when I got home I started looking though videos and I found this:

Emily Ocker's Circular Cast-On

I then decided that I'd try it with sock weight, making it a bit easier until I got the hang of it.  WRONG!  For some reason, after I finish the first row, my knitting us upside down.  So, I'm going to have to wait until I can sit next one of my SnB peeps, show them what I'm doing, and maybe I'll have a shawl cast on by next week.

This is really bothering me, mostly because I've been playing in my stash and I now have that itchy feeling of startitous, where I really want to start a new project.  But I keep telling myself. . you have a shawl you want to make, evently you will get the cast on and all will be ok.  Also, I'm still working on my foreign correspondents scarf.

So calm down!

Knitting in 2014

Last year my New Year's Resolution was to not purchase any more yarn.  I made it to October-ish. .   My LYS announced that they were closing and everything had to go. .   I made several trips and made it home with some really nice stuff.  Yes, getting expensive yarn at a cheaper price is nice, but the actual shopping for the final few times was not.  I visited the store three times after they made the announcement that they were closing.  Each time was a very depressing shopping trip.  Mostly because I kept thinking, "this will be my last time to come in here."  I used to visit the shop, with no money in my pockets, just for inspiration.  I used to go in just to smell and/or squish some yarn.  And now I don't have that.  Sure, we have a Hobby Lobby and a nice JoAnn's  but there's something about squishing alpaca/silk blend that you can't find at a craft store, or smelling Lamb's pride wool.  Now that I can't visit a yarn store as often as I'd like, I've decided that I needed to display my stash.  Set it up so that I can smell and squish and be inspired by what I already own.  

Here's my current situation: 

the "Craft Table"

the "Yarn Dresser"

Most of my stash is stored large Ziploc bags in the "Yarn Dresser".  The top drawer is full of projects that need to be blocked and the rest is stash.  There is also stash in the plastic tubs next to my dresser.  Obviously, the tubs aren't enough since I'm overflowing with sock yarn.  Also, the yarn dresser just so happens to be a broken dresser.  *sigh*  so I'm looking in to shelving and cute baskets.  Something where I can get rid of the plastic bags and have my yarn where I can see it.  Hopefully that will be all it takes to find my knitting mojo again.  

EVENSTAR

My knitting New Year's Resolution for 2014: Knit the Even Star Shawl by Susan Pandorf.  

So far I have a swatch:

The idea for knitting this came from my knitting group, Manhattan SnB.  There were several of us that wanted to knit this.  One of the ladies is an amazing lace knitter and has offered to help each one of us out.  We're going to call her KnttaMama.  Thank Goodness KnittaMama is so willing to be there for each of us!  I'm going to need some serious help.  I've knitted lace before, just not with actual lace weight yarn.  There are also beads involved which I've never used before, *deep breath*, I have also never knit anything round. . not like a hat (in the round) but like a mathematical pi.  KnittaMama has done all of these things, many, many times.  So we're doing a knit-a-long.  I think it will be slow going for me.  The pattern looks complicated and the instructions seem to be all over the place.  I printed the pattern out and it was 19 pages long!!  *le sigh* My goal is to have this completed by Thanksgiving 2014.  I'm so glad I have a great knitting support group to help encourage not only me, but all of us to be better knitters!  I'll post progress pictures as I go along!  

Kitty Needs a Home Update

So a long while back I wrote about a cat that was living under my house.  She was affectionate and seemed very relaxed around me, so I thought she'd make a good pet for someone.  So I started calling around. . I was able to find a no kill shelter near my house (which is surprising since I live out the country) that, if they were able to make room, would take her.  The other condition was that she had to be Leukemia (FeLV) free.  I would compare FeLV in cats to AIDS in humans.  It's the number two cause of death in cats.  So, our goal was to get the cat to a vet.  Here is where things went down hill fast:  I had to trap her. . get her into a pet carrier. . I tried for two weeks, every time I saw her.  She had a towel that she'd slept on, so I put that in the carrier.  Didn't work. . so I started putting the food dish in the carrier.  That sort of worked.  She was scared of the carrier.  I tried being mean and forcing her into the carrier.  That was a mistake.  She is now scared of me. . unless I have food to offer.  So maybe she wouldn't make a good house pet.  I just wish I could get her to a vet, do the FeLV check and get her fixed.  She's a tough kitty, she's lived under my house during the coldest winter I've ever lived through.  And the issue she was having with her eyes seems to have cleared up on it's own.  So she's a fighter, so I'll continue feeding her.  If I can get some updated pictures of her, I'll post some on here.

Kitty needs a home: Sep 23, 2013

I used to have a problem with feral cats. I say problem because caring for them became to emotionally heart breaking. I fed them and befriended many of them. This resulted in finding homes for their kittens. One kitten had an injured leg, the human society found a vet who would removed the leg at a discounted price so that the kitten wouldn't have to be put down. I also know that the vet that performed the operation eventually adopted the kitten. But caring for them was also very hard. Most of the cats passed away, disease, malnourishment, and getting hit by a car. The last straw was the day after a major storm. The storm brought with it lots of wind, rain, and a tornado that went through parts of town. Though my house was fine, my yard had become a mud puddle. The morning after the storm, I dug a kitten out of the mud. He seemed fine, just dirty. But within days it's mother had abandoned it.  I called local shelters, trying to find one that wouldn't just put the kitten down.  Before I heard back from anyone, the kitten had died.  I regret not taking it to a shelter or to KSU vet school even if they were just going to put it down.  I assuming that it had internal bleeding which lead to it's passing.  That's when I stopped putting out food.

Fast forward to early September 2013; a white and brown spotted female started hanging out near my porch. She was friendly and affectionate but malnourished with some kind of eye infection. Up until now I could resist, but for some reason, with this cat I couldn't help myself. I had to feed her and give her clean water. Since then she has gained weight and looks much healthier. Her eyes still have some problems but are not as nasty as they were. I've decided that she needs a home before she gets pregnant. Now, I can't afford another cat as a pet, I also can't afford to take a feral cat to the vet. So I'm asking for your help.  

I have a friend who can't take the cat in but is willing to help with vet bills. So I'm posting these pictures, hoping this cat will find it's forever home.  If you personally can't take the cat, please pass this on so others can see it.

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UPDATE: Nov 16, 2013

A cat sanctuary might be able to take her in but will not be able to house her IF she tests positive for feline leukemia.  IF she does, no shelter can take her.  My husband and I have talked it over and decided that we can't expose are current cat to this cat if she is sick, even temporarily.  Being in contact with the sanctuary has given me hope, so I decided to name her Hope.  Hope needs a temporary home until she's all clear to live in a shelter or move into a forever home.  Please share this!

Catchup And Liquor

I know, I know, I've been gone for a LONG time. . 

I won't even try make any promises to be more consistent. Consistency is apparently not apart of my nature.  But that doesn't mean that I haven't been writing posts!  

Here's one I wrote on OCT 20, 2013 :

So I've learned an important lesson. One that my 2013 New Year's Resolution has tought me. Never underestimate the value of your stash. Most of my stash is sock yarn. I am SOOOO bored making socks. I know. . There are thousands and thousands of sock patterns out there. Earlier this year I decided I wanted to make something big. Something not out of sock yarn. I did accomplish a few shawls out of my very small worsted to bulky weight stash. However, I'm now down to sock yarn and one or two hanks of random "other" yarn. Not a whole lot to work with.  But I'm trying to make due.  

Next year's resolution is going to be project based.  I have several projects in my queue on Ravelry that have been there for YEARS.  So I'm going to make a list of things I'd like to make and try my darnedest to finish the projects on the list.  I will allow myself to stray and make something off the list, but the projects that make the cut are top priority.

 The first project of 2014 is the Evenstar shawl by Sunflower Designs. Lace weight yarn and size 3US needles. I will get to make something big, but not out of big yarn. Oh my, this might take a VERY long time.  I'll give myself until Thanksgiving 2014 to complete it.  

In other New Year's Resolution news: The non-purchaseing resolution has been tested a lot during the past month. My job has become very very stressful. They've compinsated me by giving me a small raise. So I'm stressed AND I have extra cash I didn't expect. So I got myself a gift. 

I promise I didn't break my new year's resolution, I just bent the rules a bit, right?  

Both cones are mystery lace weight. The pink is cotton and the lavender is wool.  I got them because I wanted to 1) work with lace before I started on the Evenstar shawl and 2) wanted to make a Christmas present for my (insert family member here). Secrets will not be reviled here, but hopefully by Christmas 2014 I'll have a nice (knitted thing) for my (family member).  Yes, Christmas 2014, It's lace and I'm not a very fast knitter, that's why I'm not shooting for this Christmas.

The biggest temptation has been the recent news that my LYS will be closing in min-december. I will have to drive to the next town over in order to touch, sniff, and buy yarn. Of course I will still have the internet, but going to a yarn store is an experience all in it's self. The owner is closing her doors because she wants to focus on her pattern writing. I am excited for her that she is getting do do more of what she wants to do. Because isn't that what we all want anyway?  

Wildflower's yarn and knitwear, you will be greatly missed.