sock it to me

Busy week! I received a great tote from travelbug on Craftster. It's a knitting project bag, and has been absolutely invaluable for carrying my now-not-as-blue sock around:



I'm about four repeats into the pattern now and it's starting to look sock-ey. I'm glad, too, I decided to use a smaller needle. I've still got a long way to go but it does go quickly when I can work on it.



I also finished and sent off this yoga bag--the pattern is from snb (snb nation maybe)? Simple pattern, but I did find myself wandering and had to go back several times to fix careless errors. I just used the bastard yarn, sugar n' cream (2 skeins) which was inexpensive and sturdy--just what you want for a project like this. Next time, I would make it slightly smaller.



Anyway, I've got some volunteer work to do before they write me off as a crappy non-employee. I'm ready for the weekend!

Blueberries + Blue Socks

What a great weekend! Saturday, I met K at the farmer's market and we drove to an organic blueberry farm in Cedar Grove. After picking blueberries for an hour or two, we, of course, agreed that we needed to visit the new lys in downtown Hillsbrough. During the course of our conversations, we learned that neither of us had ever knit socks, so we picked out a pattern, eventually found yarn and set off on our own paths to see what would happen.



Approximately two days later, this is staring at me.. not that I haven't tried. In fact, as soon as I got home, I happily cast on and plunged right in. A few rows down, I could tell that something wasn't quite right, but I kept plowing through thinking that it would get better (even though I knew that wasn't the case.) It's my own fault--I should have checked my gauge--I didn't and so I frogged and realized I didn't have the size dpn needles I need. I had sent them to a new home for someone on craftster because she wanted needles for socks, and I knew they'd be perfect, not taking into consideration that I didn't have a backup pair. Not a huge deal, though.. never have to twist my arm to go yarn/supply shopping. Hopefully my blue socks won't be so sad looking.

Tonight, we had a great dinner. Inspired by an apple and currant chutney tempting me from the fridge and my never-ending desire for pakoras, J and I whipped these babies out in no time--zucchini and red pepper fritters



It was a fly-by-the seat attempt, but I think the results were good that even the ghost was trying to surreptitiously sneaking forkfuls in.



Lots of wedding stuff, too. After it's all said and done, I'll write much more about everything I've learned, but for now, I'll just leave it at that.

Shortly after my last post, work became really hectic. We had a staff member just stop showing up for work, so for the last two months, I've been working 60 hour weeks, juggling the job of two people. All the free time I had was spent trying to catch up on life around here--J, the laundry, the cleaning, the pup--and I was left with scraps of time to merely collapse with exhaustion.

Luckily, the past two weeks have been better and I am starting to feel more like myself. The wedding is quickly approaching us and I am beginning to feel the logistcal worries. I'm antsy to go blueberry picking. I am trying to find time to do all the things in life that my head tells me I can.

I have started a regular Monday evening knitting group at Driade. Because the girls were out of town this week, I found another group that met around the same time. I had a good time--everyone seemed to be similar enough to make a random group like that work well. I am a little torn about next Monday, but maybe I can start at Driade early enough to make it to both.

I also have taught myself crochet. This week, I'm working on a big, soft afghan which is pretty, but not very photogenic, and I taught myself granny squares. J says it reminds him of the 70s. I agree and in maybe a not-great sorta way.



Oh well. The first ones are just practice, right?