trish badish

First Socks ... again

2010-05-08T19:11:00.004-04:00

Okay, so the first pair was coming along swimmingly, I was just starting the heel, when I finally had to admit that the needle I was using was too big and the fabric was too loose. So, ripped out everything and started again (after swatching) with 2.25 needles.

Here is the 2x2 rib after 17 rows:

It feels much better, so that was a good choice. Now, another choice is needed: do I do the whole thing in 2x2 rib, or do I switch to stockinette? I'm leaning toward the rib, as it'll be good practice for my purl stitch.

First socks

2010-05-01T23:03:00.005-04:00

I've started other socks before, but I am optimistic that this will be the pair I actually finish.

Here's where I am so far:

I'm just starting the stockinette portion, and I'm very happy to be done with the 14 rows of k2p2 ribbing.

Here's the details:

needles: size 2 bamboo
yarn: Schoppel Wolle Crazy Zauberball in Herbstwind, purchased at Loop.

Knitting

2010-04-19T11:17:00.005-04:00

It is high time I start keeping track of what I'm working on SOMEWHERE, and it may as well be here, as I haven't been successful doing so anywhere else. I love the idea of knitting so very much; I love the idea of keeping a project journal a lot too; I'm generally a very organized person. But why can't I combine all of these things and actually keep organized, actually knit something, and keep a project journal? Anyway, this is my plan, and I will stick to it, dammit.

So, here's what I'm working on right now:

Fair isle baby sweater. I just need to finish the sleeves, then attach the sleeves, and do the button band. All things I've never done before, whoo! It's looking great so far, and I am optimistic that it will all come together nicely. Which is good as the recipient is expected in a month.
Clapotis. Oh, how I dreamed of sitting at a cafe and knitting this in Paris. Dear self: three nights in Paris is not enough to just sit in a cafe and knit, especially when you're overcome by the malaise for almost 24 hours. Anyway, this is coming along, slowly but surely.
Ruffly scarf with that one weird yarn. Yeah, I'll figure out the details for this one eventually. Not sure who this will be for.

What I want to knit/crochet in the near future:

Socks! Socks for Peter, specifically.
Mittens! Makes perfect sense, now that Spring is here and Summer not far behind.
Chunky cowls! For me and KMF.
Granny square afghan! For Peter and Martha's Airstream. To be completed by Christmas. Must get started on this immediately. Just pick up the yarn and do it, quit messing around with designing colors. Ugh, it's the execution of something that always trips me up.

I have a million other projects in mind, hopefully this will be a good place to keep track of all of them.

dammit

2009-02-19T19:27:00.001-05:00

Stupid fucking B37 masquerading as a B67 making me get home 30 minutes later than I should have.

Shit shit shit.

1:39

2009-02-16T01:40:00.003-05:00

Spent most of today resting/napping with a heating pad on my lower back, which was so sore when I woke up this morning. Lugging my sewing machine, maybe? Playing a bit of Wii Tennis, perhaps? My best laid plans got derailed somewhat, and so I plan to make the very most of my holiday tomorrow. I shall get out of bed early and shall get this place cleaned, so help me god.

three

2009-02-15T03:03:00.003-05:00

Still awake, wideishly, at 3 a.m., watching a documentary about Air Force One, mostly so I can see the bits with Obama being charming and cool. That is a big damn plane.

I sorted through my yarn today, putting everything into ziplock bags. I think I need to get cedar balls (that's what she said) to keep the bugs out. I have a lot of yarn, and plan to get more tomorrow to make blanket #2 for Cynthia.

I need to stop shopping online, if only to cut down on the amount of cardboard I'm recycling.

i <3 tatyana

2009-01-04T19:14:00.000-05:00

My first (of two) crochet class was today, and was great. Just me and one other student, so we got lots of one-on-one attention from the awesome, patient instructor, Tatyana. She went at a perfect pace, not too fast but not too slow. I have already started a scarf with an awesome lime-green wool yarn.

Brunch after at Perch, where I proceeded to get way over-caffeinated. Am trying to channel my energy into cleaning, and am amazed how much better my office looks just clearing the extra junk off of my desk. And I discovered a new New Yorker that came last week, and which I completely forgot about. Hooray!

farewell betsy

2009-01-03T23:43:00.000-05:00

So, my iPod, Betsy, is dying, or she's at least wounded. According to Google, I'm not the only person with dead pixels or whatever the cause is (lines on the screen when the backlight is turned on), but restoring her didn't help. Theoretically it should sound just fine, but watching videos won't be so good. This is clearly a sign I need to get an iPod touch. Must resist the urge to buy one immediately, but will definitely be considering it.

This has been a particularly nap-heavy weekend. I feel like I lost the entire day today, and suddenly it's almost midnight...

I'm excited about my crochet class tomorrow, I hope I learn a ton!

oh, the shame

2009-01-02T13:15:00.001-05:00

Park Slope librarian, I am really sorry that the (really) overdue book was the same one you'd reserved. And I even told you I was sorry, but I don't think you believed me. But I am, really.

Almost every time I venture out into my neighborhood, I'm reminded how much I love living here. Everything's so close! There's a shoe store next to the hardware store, and then a block away I can get a tasty latte, and then a few blocks more, hey, it's the library! Most of these trips involve the library, so maybe this means I should spend more time there?

To do today:

get all my recycling outside
take out trash
break in my new candy thermometer
pick my next book

resolve

2009-01-01T16:43:00.000-05:00

Things I plan to accomplish this year:

re-learn to crochet, and make something good enough to give as a gift;
figure out the whole Martha Stewart embossed-leaf thing and complete at least one project in time for Christmas '09;

eat a home-cooked dinner at least four nights a week;
eat a fruit and a vegetable every day;
bring lunch to work at least three times a week;
lose 35 pounds;

get on a regular sleep schedule - ideally, so I can wake up around 5:30 and leave for work by 7;
establish and keep a daily and weekly schedule;
play with Darcy every day;

see a movie, attend a performance, or go to a museum every week;
read 25 books (and keep track of them here).

My over-arching goal is to establish routines. I spend so much time doing nothing, and where's the fun in that?

I reorganized my kitchen cabinets today, and think the new arrangement is much better -- more room for my pantry, and all my glasses in one place.

the new style

2008-09-01T15:10:00.000-04:00

One of my neighbors - maybe in the brownstone next door, maybe in my brownstone upstairs, who knows - has some phlegm issues. Every time I'm in my office

Which, let me tell you, is so much nicer now that I have finally put down the carpet tiles I got for this room. They look fantastic and feel awesome beneath my feet. I'm seriously considering getting more for the long, long, long hallway. Although that might be prohibitively expensive.

I hear the dude snorting and spitting and ugh it's just awful. As far as I can remember it's been happening since I moved in. Is it healthy to have so much gunk in your sinuses for two months? Maybe I should leave Claritin in all my neighbors' mail boxes, just to be nice. And so I don't have to wear headphones every time I'm in here.

And another thing...

2008-08-31T16:24:00.000-04:00

Why can't I stop playing this? Whyyyyy?

Ed Gavagan: Drowning on Sullivan Street

2008-08-31T16:21:00.000-04:00

I've listened to this podcast - specifically, the last five minutes or so - five times already today. Amazing, touching, funny, and just awesome.

New York, I love you but you're bringing me down

2008-07-06T17:51:00.000-04:00

Possibly my favorite part of my new apartment -- built-ins from the original dining room (now kitchen).

My first Sunday, officially, in Brooklyn. A week ago I thought I'd lost my cat (sounds like a figure of speech, doesn't it? Alas, I mean that literally) and was about to lose my shit due to pre-move stress. Since then, the cat's been found and is spending time among the living, all my stuff has been transported across the East River, and today I'm happy for a cool breeze coming through the window.

Seriously, New York, why you gotta be so humid?

Watching two-month-old TiVo'd episodes of John Adams is surprisingly relaxing.

Why can't I just watch TV any more. Even shows I love -- like So You Think You Can Dance, which, my god, I love that show -- I can barely focus and watch it, I have to get up a million times in the middle and do something, or check my email. Maybe it's ADD. You'd think I would be burning more calories, getting up do damn much.