Clearance and Sales, the second part.

I seem to have yet another cold. I'd put it up for sale but I fear there won't be any takers... I'm having oranges instead. 

Lack of sunlight and a decent night's sleep probably don't help. I've been told I need another challenge. So far, 2012 sounds quite a lot like 2011, doesn't it? Well, not quite. 

Clearance has expanded to include the old hard drive that's keeping this laptop going. I debated, and debated and debated. What if I remove the things I have backed up from the working hard drive because I have them on the back up hard drive, and then the back up hard drive breaks down? What if?!?

I've been dealing with that question for years, to the dismay of the Photographer, who has to deal with the "no room on this hard drive for your thousands of .ORF files you managed to take in a week"-message. A lot. Again I cut off at 2010. Every picture from before that (except the folders I consult for this blog) has been backed up, and now resides only there. I hope that thing lives forever, or at least until I manage to backup the back up drive. 

Squeeeeeeeeeee!

I'm *in* the perfect sweater workshop. That is all. 

(A challenge, knit something that actually fits me). I might also sign up for the steeking workshop during the next Breidag, 'cause that *sh*t* scares me senseless. Excuse my language, but have you ever considered cutting your knitting? I have. I was away with the faeries just thinking about it. A workshop might be a plan, as steeking is another challenge. Thanks for confirming that, Stacey!

A challenge that will be a leeeeeetle *insert squeaky voice* bit more difficult is one that's been swimming around for a while. I'm not really worried about the knitting challenges above. I'm really good at following instructions. That's why I never have any bits leftover after a long day of IKEA construction. 

The challenge lies in the making of the instructions themselves. And obviously, I don't want to do half a job, so besides writing down the pattern for the adapted HEMA bootees, I want to figure out how to do basic publishing. I'm watching all kinds of videos, which have told me how to make a new document, and do something with columns. A template would be nice, wouldn't it? Anyway, I'm working on stuff. 

Will I get tired, what with all these challenges? You bet. I'm going to rest myself on an island for a week.



I received an invitation for Pinterest by the lovely Martine from the iMake blog and podcast and it looks like I can invite some of my friends as well! Pinterest is a place where you can share your favourite things with you friends and the world by 'pinning' an image to what I can only describe as a huge, digital pin board. it's a great way to discover new things, get some inspiration, and create your very own mood boards. Drop me a line on Ravelry or Twitter (or my email, if you have it) if you want me to send you an invite!
If you're already on Pinterest, you can find me here. I'd love to see what interests you!


Earlier this week I bumped into this lovely project called FLOCK. You can join the FLOCK by adding a wool pompom sheep to their collection. I can't think of a better reason to try out my new pompom makers...

I've had enough of writing and trying to put buttons on this page, so I'm calling it another night.

Stay calm,
Cast on.


Note to Stacey: Sometimes you have to liberate a knitting needle when it's been hijacked by the project of doom. So I did. I'm now using my 4mm to knit Damask, together with the other people who are doing the #damaskkal. Martine from iMake and friends of the podcast are organising the thing.

WIP Wednesdays: Clearance and Sales

This week, believe it or not, has been all about clearing out.

It started with liberating the 4mm needles. It all snow-balled a little from there...

I went from 1792 to a mere 814 unread e-mails, just by deleting everything from before 2010. Yeah, I know. Still working on 2010. Scanning through pages of unread newsletters, I stumbled upon a few things I forgot about, like contact information, and the wedding sermon. Sort of significant stuff, not to be lost in the deep deep cracks of the gmail account. Everything else had to go, so it went. 

Going by the amount of relief that gave me, I went through my list of tweeps. If I'm no longer following you, it's not because of you. It's because of me and my incompatibility with your tweets. I should let a few more go. I'm working on that, but for now my curiosity wins. 

To continue with this, I said goodbye to a few feeds in my reader. I don't quilt, but if I pick it up, I'm sure I'll find a few lovely people writing about it. Life blogs turning into lifestyle blogs also had to go. I just found myself not reading them, and then there's no point in letting them add up the unread numbers, is there? I wish them all the best, it seems mostly with living a blog-free life. Many of them are getting out of the blogging rat-race. Who knew?

I don't have the illusion that anyone will notice my clearing operation, other than me. But the numbers are down, and that is good for me. Me, me, me. It's me I need to pay more attention to. 

Sleep more, take care, achieve goals. Dare to fail. 

Having dealt with technofail for most of the evening, the sleeping thing means that this blog post will be published incomplete. I'll return later this week with some things that caught my attention, and explain the Sales part of the title of this post. 

Lady Gift

section 4

Tanit's Jacket

row 40

Damask

Knit-a-long

row 19

Tardis

close to 1/6th spun

I'm setting myself the goal of working on the looks of this blog. Expect some changes in the near future!

WIP Wednesday: WIP Galore!!!

Ahhhhhhhh. A WIP Wednesday with some actual WIP's! (and tools, FO's and near FO's, and secret WIP's)

Yes, well, here we are. I promised you a daylight picture of the thing that The Photographer and his brother made for me as a Christmas gift. How special is that?!? It makes a little noise, but I figure I can get rid of that somehow. I'll ask, before you ask. 

I used it to skein 276 meters of a light fingering weight yarn I made out of Dutch Wool Diva's September instalment called Doctor. Not the, the other one*

It took a while to spin, not just because that's an awful lot of 3-ply out of 1 bat, but also because the gift knitting got in the way. It was so nice to get back at the wheel!!! I'm now working on the BFL by Dyeing for Ewe which I finally managed to get my hands on. Colourway: Tardis. I need not say more. It shines. 

Last year I spun some DWD mini bats and some Zwartbles I was gifted by Louise of the CaithnessCraftCollective. Both remained a little under the radar ever since, and they've turned into a something. I'm not sure what it is about it, but it isn't quite a thing yet. I've decided it needs pompoms. 

Knitting is taking place, some of it on this start of a cardigan. I've loved it ever since it was published by Gurdun Johnston a few years ago, but it never got made. Attempt #3, with a new yarn. Love the stitch, but it moves along so very, very slowly. You're looking at 26 rows. That's right, 26. On 4mm needles. I suspect it will be finished indefinitely.

This one's twin is now almost off the needles, which means I get to carry on with the twin of my own mitten, remember the cameo mitten in blue and cream? 

Another WIP I've got going right now is a future gift to a female. The female is not yet been determined, although I am fairly certain of the continent she resides on. I'm not on it right now.**

There's also a perpetual sock. It'll be another one. 

Once I get a thing off the needles, I'll have some needles free to join a KAL. Recruit me while I'm not yet otherwise engaged!!!

Oh, and Donna said yes. Hi Donna!

*House

**Guess

WIP Wednesday: a year unplanned but in progress

It's not too late to say Happy New Yarny Year is it?

No?

Well, in that case, I wish you all a Happy Yarny New Year!


I spent mine many miles away from where my mobile phone provider thought I was (the Isle of Man, really?), and even further away from where I am right now (as home as home can be, when one is away from one's home, or one's heart). I got to spend it with my love, some old and some new friends. Yes, there was a little alcohol involved. However, and I cannot stress this enough, I did not have a hangover in the morning, epic or otherwise. Ha! Whether it be age or wisdom or both (or an upset stomach in the middle of the drinking) I can't claim to know, but hurrah!

I managed to meet up with some wool I had delivered, and delivered some jelly I had made earlier this year. Both were well received. My love and my BiL made me a most wonderful tool in the shape of a swift, of which I did not get any pictures in the sun. My camera took some shoddy pictures while my other camera made some difficult ones...

I visited new places (Cooper, twice in a day, twice!), met some new people (the best bar-keep of the week, nay the year! (2011, for 5 minutes) I'm just saying!), found some family not as I left them (Ehm, what happened to your chest area? It has bumps!) and left some family not as I came in (street-walker lipstick, the newest rage amongst toddlers).*

I found my shoes but not my kettle, a LYS and the bottom of my wallet, more bad but oh so good food (cheesy tots and a banana shake, unless they're out of banana at 4pm. Really?) and a potato pouch.

We travelled many more miles than we expected and did not see the Atlantic Ocean. We'd seen it already. We did go see Shiner though...

2012?

A work in progress. Let's all assume it's about moving onwards and upwards and maybe the universe will start believing it. (All together now!)


Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go meet up with my jetlag...**



PS. Nell, Heidi, how does February sound to you two?***


*Remind me to get those pictures off of MiL
**getting older
***yes, I'm trying to plan a meet-up through my blog. Why does that surprise you?****
****also, thank you Donna, for the potato pouch! Planning some sweet potato soon!*****
*****does Donna even read this?