Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Back to Snow

Well, we had a good two weeks without having to look at any white stuff, but this morning this is what we woke to. Pretty isn't it? Enjoy it, 'cause it's bound to melt tomorrow; it's supposed to get up to the low 40's tomorrow.

This has been an unusual January. It was like we had January in December and now we're having our usual December in January. Not that I mind! I'd rather have more of the dreaded white stuff by Christmas and then it can all go away. Usually we have at least one big snow storm in January, which is the month where we will get a snow day if we get one at all. This winter we had a snow day in December, the first I can ever remember since we moved here.

Yesterday it was warmer and it rained all day. That was actually much more depressing than snow; it's wetter, for one thing, and it just went on and on. There was maybe an hour or so break in the afternoon, then it started right back up again. I ended up taking a nap in the morning because it just made me so tired and achy. Bleh.

Saved by Common Sense

I've decided to participate in the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics. To do this, I need a challenging project. My first thought was for the Great American Aran Afghan. After all, I have all the yarn for this (bought at a Super Bowl sale at Old Village Yarns in Plymouth) and I have the pattern. It certainly would be a challenge! I was starting to get excited and then I noticed that this pattern has 20 squares. The Knitting Olympics will last 16 days. I did the math. I realized I was nuts to think I could knit more than one square a day, given the complexity of the patterns in each square. Poot!

So now I am trying to think of just what I should do. Socks are out, I've done socks. I've made baby sweaters, kid sweaters, adult sweaters, vests, mittens, a shawl, scarves, hats galore, purses, and dishcloths. I've never made an afghan, a pillow, or a tea cozy (though I don't have a tea pot, so that seems like a dumb idea.) Hmmm...must fink! Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Progress

I went to knitting last night and got some work done on the project from hell colorblocks sweater, which is just as well, since I got so little done during the day due to my nap and Dan taking me out to lunch and hardware store hopping. As you can see in the background, I did buy something last night. I really like this book by Sally Melville, which is the third in her series. I didn't buy the first two, but I liked this one. I also picked up a pair of short straight 2's for Emily. She had sat on her knitting bag and broke one of the cheapo Target needles she had gotten for Christmas from her grandma. So I bought some nice Inox needles for her. I'm such a NICE mom!




In addition, since the project from hell colorblocks sweater has been demoted from computer knitting (too headache-making with all the skein juggling), the purple Ann Norling Sock has been enjoying its new role as computer and car knitting project and I am getting closer to dividing for the heel. Could it be that the curse of the second sock will be broken?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks to the Harlot, I am now also reading your blog. Being an almost-computer-illiterate, I don't have an URL or a Blog or any such thing, but I thought I'd let you know that I like your blog too. I hope you get this comment. I think I tried once before and was not successful. You girls are also way ahead of me in your knitting skills. (Never made socks). Anyhow, what I'd like to know is that if I spend the day reading all this wonderful blogs and trying to catch up on the archives, when am I supposed to knit?

Connie

Anonymous said...

Hey Jan~
I'm a sock knitter from way back, but for the challenge, I'm making a pair of felted cow slippers. i'm not really good witht more than one color, so this promises to be a challenge for me. Perhaps you could do something you've done before but more complex...Good luck! Janet