Every day I’m shuffling

Hey, Ravelers. Have you heard about Operation Provide Warmth? It’s a drive for handmade items for people affected by Hurricane Sandy. It’s getting cold in the northeast so a blanket, hat, scarf, mittens, and even a sweater may be useful. I bet a little handmade doll would be comforting for kids, but I’d ask the coordinator before you make that.

The month of November has been busy but a great learning experience. I took an online PHP 2 class 3 days a week and shadowed several clinical dietitians at a local hospital. From the PHP class, I learned that I hate online classes. Unless I just hate PHP. It’s a tough call. Although, I did get a TON of knitting done during class.

The job shadow was awesome. I was able to see both the good, the bad, and the crazy. The paperwork is immense and the knowledge needed (drugs, food, surgeries, diseases, etc) is scary, but going on rounds to talk with patients was awesome. I really liked it. I only focused on long-term and in patient care. My favorite was long-term care because you get to form a relationship with your patient. Unfortunately, because long-term care is for elderly, I can see that one would be extremely sad as your patients eventually die. I did not have an opportunity to try out patient. That would have been interesting.

Both the PHP class and the job shadow will help to inform the next steps I take switching careers, but I just can’t figure out what.

On top of all that, I kept starting projects before I finished the old ones. I did finished the Norwegian Star Scarf as you can see in my last post. I also finished a hat for Operation Provide Warmth, which I need to write up. I also made some pot holders out of the leftover Doctor Who bag. Apparently Doctor Who yarn is much like the tardis. There was more yarn on the inside of the skein than on the out! The Doctor Who bag itself is knit and felted, but I need to add grommets and fabric. It’s beautiful, oddly enough and the fabric just came in this week so hopefully I’ll be getting back to it soon, but it really depends on the ability to pull out the sewing machine when the little one isn’t going to want to help.

In the meantime, I’m still working on a shawl, a blue and purple sock, started a purple-only sock for a magic loop class, and a hat for OP. I’m planning to start a hat next week for me and leg warmers for OP. Oh, and probably hand warmers for her too. She needs hand warmers with big goofy flowers or something. She likes big goofy flowers.

I hate everything you think I like, so your goofy flowers will be for naught.

Help! I’m Surrounded By Projects!

I am a one project kind of gal. I wasn’t always that way. When I started out knitting I’d have two or three projects going, but with multiple projects going, I never seemed to finish anything. Eventually, they’d get done but with my time split among projects it always felt that I wasn’t getting anywhere.

A few years back I decided to stick to one project at a time. Of course, sometimes I would work two projects. For example, a project would end up in time out and I’d move to something else for a break, or I’d go on vacation and didn’t want to bring the intricate piece I was working on in case I lost it so I’d start socks. For the most part, however, I focused on a single project.

Comparing the two phases of my knitting “career,” I think I’ve been happier focusing on one project at a time. I do admit being jealous of my friends who would have 3 or even 5 projects going on at a time. From the outside they looked so prolific!

Recently I’ve begun to regress. I’m working on 3 projects. 4 if you count the hand warmers I have yet to weave in ends for. I have the handwarmers, a hat, the Husband’s scarf, AND Skew is back out of the naughty bag. I’m stressed. I have too much on my plate and I’m not able to focus as well. I need to get them all done ASAP, but I only have two hands. (Why couldn’t humans have been built with more hands!!!) I need a plan so I can stop feeling overwhelmed and focus. I will weave in the ends of the hand warmers and then focus on the hat. Maybe I can get the hat finished by Friday. Once they are done, I’m only down to 2 items. I want to get the Husband’s scarf done ASAP, and with the addition practice I’ve put in knitting with two colors I’m feeling confident. But I also really want to get Skew done before the new year. I do need to get that scarf so the Husband can wear it while it’s still cold. Argh!

Maybe it’s time for extra knitting sessions with the girls and OP can live at Grandma and Grandpa’s for a couple weeks?

Um, I would like that very much. Grandpa let's me do anything I want.

FO: Fingerless Gloves

Pattern: Knucks
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss Fingering
Needles: US 2

Don't my hands look so warm?

I have been wanting gloves like these forever. Well, maybe not forever, but for the last couple years. I just love the idea of them. In an effort to clear out my stash, I decided that this was the winter I would have fingerless gloves.

The pattern was pretty easy, although I misread the directions to attach the thumb and did it backwards. That said, my screw up still worked out fine–I just had to make sure I repeated said screw up for the second glove. The pattern has you make the fingers first and then work from the fingers to the wrist. I”m not sure I like this method, but I’ve never made gloves the other way so this may be better. I’ll let you know if I ever make them from the wrist up.

That's what you'll see if you shake my hand.

I love this yarn. It is soft and reasonably warm. My only complaint is that it is pilling a bit faster than I’d like, but then again, I’ve been wearing them constantly.

Normally when I knit something, I like it but there are a couple flaws that I really wish there was something I did differently and that’s all I see in the piece. Not this one. I don’t know if I’m growing as a person (ha!) or if that sweater class last February improved my knitting, but I’m happy with every part. I don’t see the mistakes, but rather see the good. I hope more of my projects go like this.

I’m sensing a theme

Do you notice something about my last few projects?

That’s a lot of blue and green projects. Granted there are some gray and purple, but still. The socks I’m working on now are red and I think the next project will be red. Um, after that I have to stop with the red too.

FO: Scarf!

Pattern: None (simple garter stitch)
Yarn: Red Heart
Needles: US 17

I received a ton of Red Heart yarn almost two years ago. Three gigantic Skeins of red. I had no idea what to do with.

Finally, I decided to whip up a scarf for the charity drive. I was panicking that we didn’t have enough stuff. We pulled in over 100 items but that doesn’t mean I’m rational.  So I triple-stranded my yarn and did garter the entire way. Quick and simple and I think it looks pretty good!

It was sent to the homeless shelter. I hope it’s warm enough.