Quick Fast Knits

No wonder this pattern is so popular:



I'm finishing this thing in lightening speed! Look I'm already working on the foot of the first sock!

Knit Picks Podcast

This past weekend I listened to all of the episodes of the Knit Picks Podcast. I have to admit that I had some reservations about the show before I even heard the first episode. This is because I figured the whole thing would be another marketing tool for Knit Picks and each show would turn into a commercial. However, it is my belief that though the idea of marketing Knit Picks may have started the process of creating a weekly podcast, the result is rather plesant. Kelley Petkun, the Owner and President of Knit Picks is the host and every week she does a book review, talks about her personal knitting, shares some exciting things that Knit Picks is doing with their monthly catalog and new lines of yarn that should be coming out this Fall as well as other personal experiences about her past and her coworker's past.

What I enjoy the most about this podcast is how obviously dorky Kelley is about her knitting. Lately she's been working on one vest for her husband and it is driving her crazy but she won't start any other projects till that one is done. And much like me, she also loves fantasizing about future projects and all the neat bags she can organize them into.

I think I like the podcast so much because Kelley is much like myself. For one, we carry similar names (however I do not have the extra "e" at the end of my name). Two, we were both history majors in college (can you believe I can actually say "I was a history major in college?). Three, she is as equally dorky about knitting as I am and does not really care what others think.

I guess the only qualm I have with this podcast is whenever the ladies talk about projects that they are working on, they seem to only use Knit Picks yarns. Frankly, I'm certain that they use other yarns, even if they get a killer discount on the stuff that they sell. However, this is a podcast for Knit Picks so I would think that talking about how great more expensive yarns are would be a bad marketing move.

Nonetheless, this podcast is great to listen to while you're drinking some iced tea on a big blanket under a big tree (or curl up on your sofa and sip on some hot tea, for you guys in Argentina and other parts of the southern hemisphere).

Band Wagon

This past week I started 3 new projects. Here are some pics:



A normal stockinette stitch sock for my boyfriend's Auntie Dee . These socks are my mindless tv knitting project and don't have to be finished anytime soon.



Some more socks, this time for my G-ma. I would like for these to be done by July 3 because that's when I'm flying out to see my family in NYC!! Very exciting, I know. Oh yeah, the pattern is very famous, BTW.



It's like 90+ degrees Farenheit in Michigan but I simply could not wait to make this scarf. It is the Here and There Cables scarf by Norah Gaughan , featured in the book Scarf Style. The pattern is great and the garment is reversable. The only problem is I'm not too sure that my scarf looks anything like the one in the book. I'm not complaining though. The Cascade 220 I'm using is pretty nice to work with and besides, I want to have a very nice grown up looking scarf for this winter. I even bought new needles for this project. Some Clover Bamboos in size 7 US. I usually buy ugly cheap needles. However, this time I decided it was time to work with nice tools so the process would be enjoyed even more.

New Knitty

So I'm sure you guys have already heard that the new Knitty is up. There are some patterns that I would love to eventually knit like Sweet Pea and Wisp , but the only pattern I really care about right now is Coachella . The garment is sexy and the pattern looks quick and easy. The only problem I have is the yarn of choice, Berroco Suede which is 100% nylon and not in my budget right now. In addition to that, when I think of summer, I want 100% cotton all the way. Is anyone else thinking of making this pattern? If so, maybe we could discuss some options for cotton substitutions for the yarn. Ideally I would love to have this baby made before the summer ends so I could wear it to this fiber festival in August. We'll have to wait and see.

That's all for now. This weekend should be hot and sunny so I'm planning on going to the beach (Lake Michigan) and work on my tan.

Second Post of Week

I did not want this week to end without showing you guys my finished Pomatomus socks:



Aren't they beautiful? The second time around was alot more enjoyable with Trekking XXL yarn. Now all I have to do is block them.

Remember the knitting group that I talked about last post? Well we met today and it was pretty cool. Only 5 ladies but that's all you need. They don't meet very often so hopefully the organizer will get to it this summer because I want to knit with them again!



A swatch and a ball of Knitpicks Essential yarn for some socks for my grandmother. Other than that, nothing special around here.

As always, Happy Knitting everyone!

Lethargic

The official beginning of summer in Michigan is not for another couple weeks but already I'm feeling the vibes of a lazy summer. I did not knit much this past weekend because the sun was so beautiful and the weather was so warm. Last week, however, I did have some knitty encounters. Let me explain:

Wednesday

On Wednesday I went to the local supermarket to pay my rent to my landlord. I bought my socks to keep me busy as I waited for him. Suddenly these 2 women walked towards me and ask me if they could examine my sock. I said, "Sure!" Turns out that they were knitters too and we exchanged e-mail addresses because they were apart of a knitting group! They asked me if I could show them how to make the socks and I said okay. So you know what this means? I now have a support group of people who are just as fanatical about knitting as I am. No more knitting alone or going to Stitches Midwest by myself (I did that last year). I'll tell you all about it when it happens.

Job Search

This is not quite as knitty but I have to tell you guys about this. When I paid my rent on Wednesday my landlord asked me what my plans were for the future. I told him I wanted to work with Spanish speakers and he told me that he knew someone that may need my skills. Thursday I made some phone calls and filled up even more applications online. Friday I dropped my resume off at the Memorial Hospital in South Bend, IN and even got a phone call from the World Headquaters of Whirlpool Corporation.

What does this have to do with knitting, you ask? Well the sooner I get a better paying job, the more money I will make. It seems to me that I am so focused on getting a new job that I'm not relaxed enough to pick up some needles and knit. However, I am positive that this trial in my life will be over soon so long as I keep at it till I get the results I want.

Saturday Night

I gifted my friend the socks she asked for way back in March. She absolutely loved them. I was glad she finally got them. She, another friend of mine, my boyfriend and I also played a card game called Dutch Blitz and watched the hockey game, in which the Ottawa Senators beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 (my boyfriend put me up on American Football, now I must learn about Hockey). We laughed and ate fries. It was a grand night.

Deborah

Last post I got a message from Deborah, a Jamaican lady living in Michigan. She told me alot about herself but I would like to know more about her. If you are reading this, Deborah, please send me a message at my e-mail address kellyson718@yahoo.com, and tell me a bit more about who you are. Please do not forget to answer this question: If you were born in Jamaica, how did you end up in Michigan?

That's all for now. I know it's getting warmer and all you want to do is go outside and play. However, I think for the sake of knitting blogs this summer, can we all promise ourselves to make at least 2 posts per week? That way we all know that we are all still alive!

Politics

I haven't knitted much these past days but I feel as if the following is very important for you guys to hear. It won't be long. Bear with me please.

Monday was Memorial Day in the United States of America, a day in which the country honors its dead soldiers from past wars. As people were busy eating barbequed chicken and stuffing their faces with corn on the cob and potato salad, Democratic presidential candidate hopeful, John Edwards posted this video on this website. Please watch before you continue reading this.

FoxNews, a leader in cable media in the United States and several other more politically minded blogs than this one, have been reporting how abominable it is for Edwards to politicize this sacred holiday. I understand that Memorial Day is in honor of the troops and their families, however, let us not forget that wars are mainly, if not always, politically driven. Some good examples of this are the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and of course this current war in Iraq. The first two conflicts began because the United States had just started it's Cold War with the former USSR. The objective was containment, as in, keeping communism at bay and preventing it from spreading to other parts of the world. However, politicians tried to trick citizens and soldiers alike that they were fighting these wars because it was the "right thing to do" or because "democracy must prevail because it is the best form of government."

The present war in Iraq is politically driven as well. Did anyone forget that Saddam actually received direct military aid from the United States back in the 1980's when he was fighting a war with the Iranians? It's called the Iran-Iraq War and all the information is here if you would like to know more about it. Obviously, once Saddam had ended being useful to the United States, Bush Jr. goes after him and his oil, which not surprisingly has kept money in his pocket for quite some time now.

In fact, politicians have been using this strategy for decades, that is, using the war to further their agendas. I must ask, though, does dying as a soldier make your death more honorable, even if your reason for being at war is not an noble one? I'll let you guys answer that one.

To wrap up this thought, wars are political things, caused by political bodies to advance their own political (or maybe even personal) agendas. For John Edwards to release this video on Memorial Day made sense because people are thinking about the Nation's dead as well as have the time to sit and watch a video. Why not use a political thing for other political purposes?

The View

I used to watch The View whenever I got a chance to see it several years back. Lately I have not been watching but I feel as if I know everything that goes on, mainly because FoxNews (my boyfriend can't stand CNN because he says it's not fair nor balanced. Yeah, like FoxNews is any better) keeps reporting about Rosie O'Donnell. Apparently Rosie has decided to leave The View 3 weeks before her contract with them would be up. However, FoxNews does not do a good job of explaining why she is leaving. Instead they choose to focus on this clip. Go ahead and watch it before you continue.

Some bloggers are contending that if Rosie was allowed to say this before the show was to go live, then the producers also support her theories. However, judging the type of character this woman has, you really think she'd tell the producers what she planned on saying to the audience before the show was ready to tape? The show is called The View for a reason, but I guess the only time a hostess' opinions can be expressed is when the cameras are rolling and millions of viewers can hear it. I'm not a fan of Rosie, but leave her alone. She does not have enough influence to cause a revolution in this country. Oprah on the other hand, does.

Job Hunter

This past Tuesday I picked up my degree. When I got home I framed it and placed it on this chair:





Then out of now where tears began to form in my eyes and I balled (cried) for 5 minutes straight. All this work for this piece of paper that represents the past 5 years of my life. It was overwhelming. It was spectacular. It was wonderful. Then reality hit: I GOT TO FIND A JOB FAST!!! So this past week I've been looking into jobs around my area for Spanish translators or customer service type jobs. I'm even willing to work for the newspaper because I do have alot of experience with that. The plan is to get paid more money as well put my degree to good use and find a job that I actually like. Wish me luck guys!

Knitting
I'm not one to knit a pattern more than once, especially a sock pattern, but Cookie A. got it when she made these Pomatomus socks. Here is a finished pic of the first one:






The socks are for my friend, Berverly (the first "r" is silent) who also graduated with me more than 3 weeks ago. She's planning on going to Korea for a year to teach English. That should be fun! We went to Argentina together too so of course I taught her how to knit while we were down there. Unfortunately, she does not do it as much as she use to but I think one day she might pick it up, maybe when something stressful happens in her life or she simply has nothing better to do with her hands!



A pic of the second sock that will complete my personal pair of Pomatomus. The yarn is Trekking XXL in colorway # 103. I bought this skein last year at the Michigan Fiber Festival in Allegan, MI. This is the second time I have worked with this yarn and it is a good value (about $13-$15 US for one skein makes one pair of female adult socks or 2 pairs of children socks). The yarn is cool because it has two strands that are colored differently so when the fabric is knitted up, you get a very interesting pallette that does not repeat very often if at all. I got it because the colors were so gorgeous. I believe that If I work on them for the next couple of days, it should be done by Memorial Day. We'll just have to see.

I have to admit that since I've returned to the USA, I've been feeling rather lathargic about my knitting. There are alot of things to be knit like socks for my boyfriend's aunt, socks for my granny, some sweaters for my twin nephews, etc. But there are also things I want to knit for myself like this sweater pattern I got in Argentina (sorry no pic yet) and some socks for this winter (yeah I try to prepare months in advance for things). Then there are things that I just want to knit because I like the experience of knitting them but they aren't gifts or stuff that I need like a hat (because if a gift needs to be given at some point in the future, it is already done) or a lace shawl (because it is something I have never done before). I've also been dying to dye some yarn (corny pun, I know) but have not found the time nor the right tutorial to school me on the process. I've even been thinking about picking up a cross stitch at WalMart or Michael's to do some old fashion hand work. Good thing we have a 3 day weekend coming up. I'll get my crafty fix soon.

That's all for now. Currently I'm in job search mode so if I'm not knitting, I'm on the web searching for jobs. Have a good weekend everyone and Happy Knitting!

Trip Pictorial

So we returned this past Sunday afternoon but it has taken me way until now to actually get situated and sit down to write. This post will be filled with pics so please be patient in terms of allowing for the photos to load.



Kinoosao was a great place to vacation. By the end of the week, we seriously did not want to leave! As you can tell by the picture above, it is a wilderness with only one road to access it:



When we drove to Kinoosao, Saskatchewan, we took the quickest route possible. However, states like North Dakota aren't the most exciting places in terms of landscape and photo oppotunities. So we decided to take a longer route back to Michigan and drove on the Trans Canada Highway from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay to Sault Saint Marie and then entered the US from the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. The following is a map of Michigan so you guys know where we entered:



While in Kinoosao we did alot of things like camp under the stars and watch some Aurora Borealis:

*



* Top pic is Internet Photo

We also built a fire by the lake, cooked some hot dogs, and Nathan even caught a fish:



I was very proud of him to say the least. We decided to cook the fish with some salt, pepper, and butter over the fire we had built for the day. It was a Freshwater Pike Fish. Very tasty!



The time spent with Nathan's family was grand. Here is a pic of them:



From left to right Allison and Jerry (married), Enoch (Nathan's Bro), Me, Aunt Deanna (Nathan's aunt, Jerry's mother).

We also got some great shots during the trip. For example, while driving up to Kinoosao, we saw a beautiful sunset:



However, 9 days later the weather looked more like this:





Still, we were able to visit some falls like Pisew and Kakabeka in Manitoba and Ontario:





And I even got to buy some yarn at this fabulous store called Egli's Sheep Farm & Animal Park on the side of the highway:



They have a website and they also sell other wool products like rugs, handknit sweaters, even cosmetics.

The trip was long:



With many signs warning us of the length of space between rest areas (don't worry, it's in kilometers, not miles).



So I was able to get some knitting done:





Another pair of Pomatomus, this time for me. I finished the pair for my friend but it turns out that the heel is shorter on one than the other! No worries. I'm not ripping it out!

All and all, a good vacation:

In Kinoosao

I am absolutely in love with Kinoosao Saskatchewan, Canada. Even my hair feels fabulous (the water here is so clean you can drink from the tap with no problem and there is not so much crap in it to make your hair feel like straw after a shower). Located right on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Kinoosao was a all-white community that thrived off of a booming fishing industry. However by the 1970's, the area had been over fished and in 1997 it was converted into an Indian Reservation.

The community consists of 1 large extended family. Two brothers and their sister moved there some time back in the 1960's and had their own families. In other words, everyone in this town, (except for Nathan's aunt who teaches there), is related in some way. Though there is a small convenience store in the town with 1 gas pump, it is awfully expensive and the nearest supermarket is a 3 hour drive from home. Nonetheless, the people here are happy, hunt duck, caribou, and other wildlife when buying meat is not an option, and live simple lives. They do have modern things like cars, televisions, and trampelines. But because the town is so small and everyone is related in some way, more often than not, people interact with people more than they do video games or YouTube.

Contrary to what many of you may think, I have not been knitting. Truthfully it is not boring up here. In fact, we've been walking around the town, digging through old dumps for old bottles (Nathan and his aunt love rummaging in trash for "treasure"), taking pictures of the breath-taking views, and just chatting and eating with each other. I did knit some Fetchings as a gift for Nathan's aunt on the trip up here but have not done much knitting at all.

Anyway, that is all for now. Surprisingly it is not that cold up here. I'll have more pics about the trip and maybe some knitting if I get to it when I return to the USA.

What To Do Next

So remember a couple weeks back I told you guys I was going to Saskatchewan? Well Nathan, Enoch (BF's Bro) and I are leaving tomorrow night after work. The drive will be about 30 hours long and we should be in the middle of nowhere by Sunday afternoon.

So the big question is: Am I bringing enough knitting projects to keep me busy during this whole trip? I was thinking of knitting 2 pairs of plain jane stockinette socks for the ride back and forth and while I am there, start my twin nephew's Christmas sweaters (yeah I want to start early this year). However, my boyfriend says that I will not have much time to knit because we will be doing things like fishing and hiking and other outdoor stuff. Still, the small New York City girl inside of me says, "We are going to the woods. The nearest market is a 3 hour drive! You must be crazy if you think you do not need a truck load of yarn, needles, and patterns to survive this next week!" So do you think I should bring more or is what I have now good enough?

Thursday Teaser

Remember yesterday? Let's find out what those pictures were about. As you guys all knew my boyfriend was away in Florida for the past 6 weeks on business. Being a fanatical knitter, I searched for some yarn stores near Orlando before he even left Michigan. I asked him to stop by and buy some sock yarn for this project. However he came back with these colors:



Obviously the wrong colors for Clessidra. Nonetheless it was a pleasant surprise because he made it seem like he did not have the time to go while he was down there (BTW, for you Florida knitters or knitters planning on visiting there soon, the store that Nathan visited is called The Black Sheep in Winter Park, Florida). Boy was I surprised when I saw the two skeins! He's a trickster, that boy. Despite that, he is a good man because he knows what his girlfriend likes--YARN!!!





Not only was my BF busy buying me sock yarn, he was also busy knitting me this bikini top. I asked him for this a year ago, and the pattern I asked him to make came from the first Stitch & Bitch book. However my boyfriend is a maverick knitter who seldom uses patterns. He came up with his own design. Here are some more shots:





Unfortunately the top makes my boobs look funny. Either way the fact that he could have been out in the Florida sun instead of inside knitting for me is a very nice thought.

That's it for today. I have alot of stuff to do before we leave for Canada (like pack). It's a roadtrip so we got to go buy snacks and other provisions today. I'll try to write a short post tomorrow before I leave for 10 days. If not, you'll know where I'll be (or at least have an idea, right?).

It Is Finished!

I think the title for today's post is rather appropiate because like Jesus Christ's mission on earth 2000 years ago, I have complted my mission, which was college (the title refers to the last words that Jesus Christ said on the cross right before He died). On Sunday, May 6, 2007, I marched my way to freedom, I mean, a Bachelors of Arts in History and Spanish Studies. Surprisingly, although it was somewhat windy, it was still a sunny day. My family was there:



From left to right is my mother, father, and grandmother, came all the way from New York CIty to see me graduate. Yes, I had a small entourage. Trust me when I say, though, that if this graduation was closer to NYC, there might have been 20 or more people there. That's why I love my family, because it is so BIG.

I got lots of presents too:



In the middle is a frame for my my degree. I'll still be in the area when the school is ready to give them out so I'm just waiting for them to get their act together. I remember a conversation on the phone with my mom a month ago about how I could no afford a frame for my diploma (they were like $100 each!). She surprised me with it last week. The iPod in the right corner is to replace the one that got stolen last July (long story, I won't get into it here). I also got a souveneir Graduation pillow in the left corner, and some Teavana tea because my mom loves tea and wants me to feel as strongly about it as she does.

I even took some pictures with some very important professors of mine:





The first pic is of my spanish teacher, Dr. Pedro Navia. El es Chileno y su esposa es brasilera. (That means, "He is Chilean and his wife is Brazilian). I like him because he's laid back and funny. For example, whenever we speak Spanish (which is all the time) I can use "Tu" (informal "you") instead of "Usted" (formal "you") and he, his wife, and his children (he has a son and a daughter) are completely multilingual (Spanish, English, Poutuguese). I aspire to have a family that is as proficient in modern languages as his one day.

The second picture is of one of my favorite teachers in the world. His name is Dr. Lael Ceasar and he is Guyaneese. Outside of our common heritage, what I love about him the most is that he is also multilingual, incredibly intelligent, and fun to be around. In the past 5 years I have been fortunate to take some classes from this man. I think he is cool because he reminds me of Master Splinter, or some other type of Martial Arts trainer that is unbeatable by even the best students in the world. And even though he is a Religion professor (not my department), I still visit him from time to time just to chat about life and my future plans.

As you can see this past weekend has tired us out:



Thursday Teaser

Tomorrow we shall return to regular knitting content. For now I leave you with these two pictures to look at:

Almost There

I don't have much time right now. I just wanted to give you guys a quick update. I'm very excited because in less than a week I graduate from university. I just finished one take home exam and now I have to continue the second one that is due tomorrow. I'm trying to see if I can finish it today because if I turn it in today at 5 pm, I get 10 extra bonus points towards my test. We'll have to see if I can actually do that. The great thing though is that after that test, I'm ABSOLUTELY DONE with school, and all I have to do is clean my apartment, cook a shitload of food for my family, get my hair done for the grad (I have to look professional now), and run some other errands. This week is really going to fly by.

Knitting

Between studying, I have been procrastinating, I mean knitting on my Pomatomus socks. Sorry there are no pics but I turned the heel on it this past Saturday. I don't think I'll have it done for my friend on time for this week, but I'm sure she's not leaving right after graduation. (Side note: Remember last time I told you guys I was hanging out with my Argentina crew? Well that has been postponded to this Tuesday or Wednesday)

That's all for now. Next week I'll have pics of the grad for you all!

Just for Kicks

As of late it appears that I have only been posting once a week. That is because I have less than 2 weeks before I walk down that aisle to a college diploma and freedom from papers, exams, quizzes, and other projects. Today I have my first final, an oral exam in my Senior Seminar class for history. After that torture session ends, my next final is on Wednesday, History of Photography. This class was really a filler class, something I needed so that I would not loose my student loans (I only needed 9 credits, but you need at least 12 credits to keep your loans). I also got to read a whole book and write a two page paper by Wednesday. After all that, the rest of my time will be dedicated to two take home exams, both essay, both requiring at least 16 typed pages. So as for these next couple weeks, I will be looking like this all day:




Knitting

This is a blog about knitting though. Between studying for exams (i.e. falling asleep in my books, procrastinating a bit with Food Network, Vh1, and Style Network) I have managed to finish one sock of Pomotomus and even start it's sibling.





The friend I'm making this for I saw this past Friday night at a Vespers program at my school. I told her the progress on the sock and she was very excited. That may mean that I placed some pressure on myself to have it done by this weekend, when me, her, and a couple of our other friends that we went to Argentina with meet for the last time to hang out before we all graduate and move on. It should be a bitter sweet evening, filled with junk food, movies, jokes, hopes, and maybe even tears. I'm looking foward to that.

Primavera

Thanks for the response to Primavera. I would love to know if any of you guys are planning on knitting this thing. Again it is my first pattern so it won't be perfect. Nonetheless, if you come up to a mistake or problem or something, let me know. This pattern won't be my last. It was a lot of fun doing it.

And with that, I leave you all. Have a good day! Happy Knitting!

I Did It!

Last Friday I went to Purdue University Calumet to present my research. Don't I look professional? It was fun! I got to miss work for a day and even hung out with one of my favorite professors. He told me on the way back to Michigan that he and the other teachers believe that I have what it takes to go to graduate school and do a Masters, even a PhD! But we'll have to see about that. I have to admit though, doing research and teaching college students history does sound appealing.

The Debut

I present to you all Primavera:






(Click on images for larger, more detailed pictures)

This is the first pattern I've ever written, let alone published. Needless to say that I am very proud of it. Thanks Valerie for your suggestion in last post's comments. Your words inspired me to name this pattern Primavera. For those of you who do not know, "Primavera" is Spanish for "Spring." The reason why I called this pattern Primavera is because the yarn is green, which made me think of spring time for the whole time I knitted it. Plus, the lace pattern is called Foliage Lace from the Vogue Stitchionary, Vol. 2 and Spring is all about growth and vegetation. Lastly, the material of the yarn is cotton, which is perfect for warmer weather garments.

Now, seeing that this is my first published pattern, there may be mistakes. That's why this pattern is free (I'd be a complete narcissitic ass if I, a novice, charged you guys for this). Here's a link to the pattern and you can also access a free copy on my sidebar. Have fun with it!