blog previous May 2008 next August July June May April March February January 2007 December November October September August July June May April March February January 2006 December November October September August July June Archive River of Life socks May 31st, 2008 These past few weeks I've been spending much of my time tech editing a sock book. While I've never really been much of a sock knitting lover, working on this book project has certainly made me appreciate the complexity of the patterns. Plus, I've been learning a lot. I received a free hank of Alpaca Sox recently from work because it was a color that was not chosen for the line; and last night I pulled it out, wound it into a ball and began my first sock pattern. It's rather addictive. I'm calling them the "River of Life Socks" for a few reasons: • They're blue. • The stitch pattern has a wave-like effect • The way the stitch pattern is made, by increasing stitches at the edges, then decreasing them in the center, reminds me of how everything in life comes and goes—birth and death—and that the cycle is continuous, beginning and ending at the same time, always. Ravel it. The Not-Yellow Tank pattern is now available! May 20th, 2008 View the Web-Letter here. Ravel it. Not much knitting going on… May 9th, 2008 I know I've said this before, as I've been blogging through this cycle for awhile now… but it's that time of year again—it happens two times a year, when the deadline looms closer to getting CEY's booklets to the printer—the time when all my at-work hours are spent staring at the computer screen with only short breaks to do important bodily functions. With so much energy secreted while at work, when I get home I'm pooped. But, rather than crashing and burning when I get home, I'm spending my time energizing and recharging myself outdoors—enjoying the sunshine that remains for the day and sharing stories with friends. While I do still have the physical energy to play around outside, my mental facilities tend to shut down around this time of year, thus leaving the knitting and crochet design in the lurch temporarily. It's slightly frustrating, and each time it happens I realize again how much I really want to be entirely self employed. I do absolutely LOVE my job, but when I think of having the time and mental space to create freely without bogging down my mind with distractions like the "day job", I sigh in relief. It just seems like the direction I'm heading. I do have a goal in mind for when this may happen, it's all contingent on things beyond my control… but a goal none-the-less. For now, I just plug along, like the little engine that could. One of these days I'll get to the top of that hill... maybe. No expectations. Updates May 2nd, 2008 Well, I guess I've been pretty busy the past week or so. I've forgotten to post about anything. This surprises me because I really don't feel like I've gotten much done. Funny how that works. I've finished starting all my dreads—by which I mean, they have all been back-combed. A few days ago I picked up some felting needles and started poking in all the loose fly-aways and wrapping in the tail ends. They're beginning to look more "finished", which I'd prefer to the frizzy loose hairs that stick out of them all willy-nilly like. So, now I'm in the process of felting all of them, which is a pretty slow process. These dreads are like my latest craft project. They consume my evenings with friends and family visits where I used to be entertained by knitting or crocheting. To be honest, I didn't expect this. But I'm completely okay with it. I finished working on the piece which you may remember as the dress that's not yellow. It has been transformed into a tank-top/vest like garment. Since I really didn't want a dress in white, and I didn't want my efforts to go to waste, I changed the "skirt" some and stopped earlier than planned for the dress. I think it's a fun little top. I've been wearing it over long sleeved shirts to work because even if it's warm outside the AC at work is still keeping it nice and chilly. It's appropriate that I work for a yarn company, and it's always chilly inside... it makes me want sweaters. Anyway, you'll see the finished garment and the pattern will be available mid-May in one of CEY's Web-Letters. Keep your eyes peeled (not literally of course). I'm also getting pretty excited about the Walk for Hunger this weekend. I'm still collecting pledges for my walk. My goal is to collect $250 this year. I'm almost there! Thank you to all of you who have donated. I greatly appreciate your generosity. Patterns to Buy River of Life Socks Crochet Motif Cardigan Beatrice Ribbed Tie Coat Stormy Diamond Eyelet Cropped Vest Work's in Progress CEY Knit - Due Sept 10 Secret Project - Fin by Sept 4 Secret Project - Fin by Oct 10 Quilted Toe Up Socks Mountain (Knee) Socks Philosopher's Girl PO Crocheted Raglan Rasta Hat Master Knitting Striped Hat Forbidden Lace Cardigan Master Knitting Program - Level 1 Hauk Smiley Face Tire Cover