The sock attempt

I really have enjoyed this past week. No classes, a 4-day Christmas weekend, and since the husband is off of work until next year, I don't have to spend time driving back and forth picking up and dropping off. It's days like this that I find myself thinking...

"Hey, I should totally knit a sock!"

Never having knit a sock before, I figured it couldn't be all that bad. I mean lots and lots of people knit socks. That means it's easy and fun, right?

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Things I have learned so far about knitting a sock:

1) I have learned that I don't have enough fingers to use 4 needles and the fingers that I do have, hurt. Like, A lot.

2) Starting over from the beginning is not so bad, but only when you are 4-rows in.

3) Mistakes happen, learning how to hide them will keep me from having to repeat lesson #2. 

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I really really really  hope I love knitting socks. 

Sock yarn is gorgeous. Have you seen this stuff? There are so many pretty yarn colors available, I just want to play with them all!

Brownie {ripple}

I am happy to say that the Brownie {ripple} has been completed and is now in the hands of Nephew 1.0. 

He really does like it and I think he appreciated it more than I thought he would. He told me he bought a girl some knitting needles in exchange for some fingerless gloves and he is now awaiting a scarf and a hat. I have a feeling that anything I make for him in the future will be gladly accepted.

As for the Brownie {ripple}........

I started with a chain of 171 using a 6.0 mm (J) hook. A smaller hook size would have been ideal but I couldn't find one in my stash at the time. With the larger hook, this blanket worked up pretty quickly and the drape of the entire blanket is really nice. If I ever make another ripple blanket though, I will probably go with a smaller hook size.

Pattern: Neat Ripple Pattern from Attic24

Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice and Lion Brand Wool-Ease

Hook size: 6.0 mm (J)

Chained: 171

Finished Measurements: 55 x 54 inches

And just in case you are on Ravelry and are interested in more details, here's the link:

Brownie {ripple} on Ravelry.

I knit a hat

What's a person to do when they run out of yarn in the middle of a project? They start a new one, of course.

This past weekend, I ran out of yarn and had to put Brownie {ripple} on hold. I was just too comfy at home to go out and buy some more. 

The yarn was purchased a year before with the intention of making a hat or two, but instead found itself sitting in a bag in the closet. I searched online to find a pattern that used the yarn and needle size that I already had. Pressed play to watch Charmed on Netflix and a few episodes later.....Viola! A hat!

Click to view larger sizze

Yarn: Lion Brand, Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, Grey Marble

Pattern: Chunky Knit Beanie (knit flat)

Needles: size US 13 circular

I cast on 44 stitches and then followed the steps for the large size pattern. I knitted 10 rows of garter before changing to stockinette and then knitted the entire piece for about 6 1/2 inches before starting the decrease rows. 

I knit the hat flat and seamed it up at the end. I totally learned how to do the mattress stitch and now know that there is nothing to fear from seaming. I actually kind of liked it, although I would still prefer not to have to do it.

Finally Friday

I cannot tell you how happy I am that it is Friday. This past week has been so exhausting.

At work, I began what I thought would be an easy peasy software conversion update. I started on Wednesday and had hoped to complete the conversion that same day. I had to run an error check on all entries from 2004 to 2010. I ended up with 8592 errors that needed fixing before any converting could be done. I am fixing errors that people made that worked there before I did. Some are really dumb, others are because of new fields that the software program created in 2010. Some entries require just a zero to be entered into an empty field. Others are much more involved. Needless to say, I still have not run the conversion.

Every night this week, I have barely been able to keep my eyes open. Last night was the worst. I even fell asleep while crocheting. Like right in the middle of a stitch. That has never happened before.

Speaking of crocheting.....Brownie is almost finished "cooking". Only a couple of rows left to go.

Isn't it pretty?

Meet Brownie {ripple}

I think it's about time you all met Brownie. 

I started working on Brownie back in September, but had to put him aside in order to concentrate more on studying for my final exam (I think I may have mentioned something about said final exam, maybe once or twice). Now that all that stressful study time is over and done with (at least for now), I can finally get back to spending my evenings on something much more creative and fun. This really is good thing since I do plan on giving Brownie as a Christmas present. 

So, here we go again, the pressure is on and the countdown begins. 20 days and counting.....

Eek!

Do you know what happens when you poke a praying mantis with a stick? Well now you do.

This picture isn't mine, but I would have totally taken a picture of my own if the thing hadn't scared the heck out of me!

Thankful

In the 7 years that I have had this blog I have not really written about Thanksgiving except maybe to complain share the bad. I don't know why I do that. It is the good memories/happy stuff that I want to remember, not the bad.

Starting now that is going to change.

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This year, the husband and I spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house. It was a smaller crowd than usual, only 30 people and all of them family. Everyone showed up right on time, but something happened with the oven so the turkey was not completely cooked. So, we had to wait. 30 hungry people, waiting at least an extra hour for turkey. Luckily, the majority of the turkey was cooked, so enough edible pieces were able to be cut off and 30 hungry people were hungry no more.  

I am thankful for my family and the time that we can get together and visit. That extra hour gave us more time to catch up.

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The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday to most of you) the husband and I had our own Thanksgiving. Every year, usually a week or two after Thanksgiving, the husband will cook a turkey just for us. He really really really LOVES to cook and this way we are able to have our own leftovers. This year, he invited a co-worker, whose wife is deployed overseas, to join us for dinner. It was nice to share our own Thanksgiving dinner with someone other than just the two of us. All the food was very yummy and looked pretty too.

That husband of mine sure does know how to cook and for that I am thankful.

The husband's deviled eggs

Fresh fruit cup. Yep, the husband made this too!

I made it!

Yay!

I survived my final exam.

What a wonderful feeling it is not to have to worry about this class any longer.

My life can now get back to normal.

Well, as normal as my life can be.

Too bad this wasn't my final final exam. Lucky me, I get to do it all over again in 15-weeks.

A less whiney post

2 lessons left to complete.

1 quiz left to take.

1 day until Thanksgiving with the family.

2 days until the husband cooks our own Thanksgiving dinner along with added guest.

5 days until my final exam.

I have a feeling that I just might make it. 

panic is starting to set in

So much study-ing left to do.

I only have 16 days left until I take my final exam.

I still have 8 lessons and 2 tests that I need to complete. 8 lessons may not sound like much but those lessons involve many many hours of online reading and many handwritten exercises that I will need to complete. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there are no hidden surprises, like the extra lessons that were not on the syllabus, that I encountered in my last course. Plus, somewhere in the next 16 days, I need to fit in Thanksgiving and some regular old house cleaning. Grocery food shopping would be an awesome accomplishment at this time as well.

As if the stress of completing my lessons before the deadline were not enough, while working through the course there have been many references to reviewing information/notes from the other specialty classes in the program. Only one problem, one of the courses that the instructions refer to is the next class, the one that is supposed be taken after my current class. How can I review notes and follow steps from a class that I have not yet taken?

Yarn, Cats & Clouds

I am so behind on uploading photos. I really do need to upload something new. Something new and different. Something other than yarn, cats or clouds.

Do you have new pictures to share?

31 days of clouds :: day 31

We often praise the evening clouds,

And tints so gay and bold,

But seldom think upon our God,

Who tinged these clouds with gold.

~Walter Scott

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Whew! I cannot believe that this project (and the month of October) is over. It feels like it all just started. I am very surprised that I made it through to the end. October was not a cloudy month at all.  Probably about 75% of the month was cloudless. Maybe that is why I like clouds so much, I never really get to see them.

The above photo is totally unedited. Isn't that sky amazing? It was so beautiful. I don't remember ever seeing such a gorgeous sky.

If this is your first visit to my blog, click on the button below to see what this project was all about and for links to all the other cloudy posts.

31 days of clouds :: day 30

sunset clouds

31 days of clouds :: day 29

“Behind every cloud is another cloud.”

~ Judy Garland

31 days of clouds :: day 28

The weirdest clouds I have ever seen.

31 days of clouds :: day 27

"When the sun has set, no candle can replace it."

~ George R.R. Martin

31 days of clouds :: day 26

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, 

but to add color to my sunset sky."

~ Rabindranath Tagore

31 days of clouds :: day 25

Sunset skies.

31 days of clouds :: day 24

Arizona sunsets (with clouds, of course) are the best! Don't you agree?

31 days of clouds :: day 23

backyard sunset clouds

31 days of clouds :: day 22

Clouds help to make the most awesome of sunsets. Especially in Arizona.

31 days of clouds :: day 21

Give yourself the freedom to soar high above the clouds.

31 days of clouds :: day 20

Clouds on clouds, in volumes driven, Curtain round the vault of heaven.

~Thomas Love Peacock