Miscellaneous

(Deep sigh) Is it Friday yet?

Saturday was cold and wet in Denver. So was Sunday. And Monday. Tuesday started out nice enough (cold, but sunny), but now it's yucky again. This weather just makes me want to curl up in a soft, dark, quiet place.

I've been testing out some lace patterns. I think I mentioned that I found a website that suggested I begin knitting lace washcloths. The first one was feather and fan and it turned out nicely. Well, except for the fact that three quarters of the way through, I knit one row twice and it reversed the pattern. It still looks nice and really--it's a washcloth.

Based on my success at the feather and fan, I opted to skip "level two" and dive into the snowflake pattern. I knit the 5th row six times before I got it right. I'm still only 10 rows into it, but I'm not sure I like it. I figure I need to repeat at least three times before I judge.

Meanwhile, I dropped by the library last night and picked up a book about lace, one about cables (hats and scarves), one about knitting two socks at a time, and a couple cookbooks.

I'm still dieting. It sucks, but it's working. I topped out at 184 at the end of August and have managed to whittle myself down to 172. It has not been easy--under any stretch of the imagination. I get up at 4:45AM so I can workout for 40 minutes before work. In case any of you were wondering...it is REALLY dark at 4:45AM...and cold. Cold and dark.

I've started eating more whole grains. More specifically, flax seed meal. I add it to my oatmeal and it's dee-lish! It says you can use it to replace eggs in recipes. I decided to try it out last weekend by replacing one of the three eggs in a muffin recipe. I soaked the flax meal as instructed, then cracked the other two eggs into the batter, then realized that the recipe only called for two eggs. Oh well--we'll try again this weekend.

I also bought some wheat germ and wheat bulgur. You're supposed to be able to replace 25% of flour in a recipe with wheat germ. That's why I bought it, but I haven't tried it yet. My dad used to put wheat germ on damn-near everything he ate. It tastes great on cold cereal, yogurt, peanut butter sandwiches, blah, blah, blah. As for the bulgur--It's one of the main ingredients in the cabbage rolls I'm making for dinner tonight. Don't tell my husband.

FOs and WIPs

Okay--the fact that I started these in April, I think, only makes this FO that much sweeter. I just finished these beauties on Monday. I'm not sure if they fit my daughter's feet anymore, but I wasn't ambitious enough to make them any larger than I did. Behold my first ever pair of socks! I also crocheted a hat and blanket for my stepson's mother, who is expecting a baby in November. I started this project in August and finished it the day of the baby shower (September 13).

And I crocheted this hat in August for the baby's Christmas gift--matching boots to follow.
This furry stuff on the hat was a joke. I couldn't see squat, so I just kinda made it up and put "stitches" where I thought they should be. To the non-crocheter/knitter, it looks fantastic. People who know...know it's jacked up. Fortunately, I'm a "good enough" kind of person and I think it's great.

I'm working on this scarf for my daughter. I think it's too wide, but am not bothered by it enough to rip it out. I think it will be just fine. I also expect to make her a hat to match.

Meanwhile, I'm working on the traveling scarves as they arrive. I have to say, these scarves are starting to look pretty crazy! It's getting more and more challenging to find colors to "match".

I expect to cast on a pair of socks for my mother, but am nervous about getting them finished in time for Christmas. At the speed I knit, I'll be lucky to get those socks finished by Christmas 2009. So I thought maybe I'd knit her a lacy shawl instead. Based on the reaction this statement has gotten from some experienced knitters, that ain't gonna happen either.

I'm slow and I'm really very green (meaning inexperienced). The only thing I have going for me is that I'm fearless...and I'm a "good enough" kind of person. I don't care if I screw up, it's not like anything will be ruined...Just take it out, right? What could go wrong? But my mom is a life-long knitter, so I want her gift to be perfect. I think I can do it. I've got 2 and a half months...I think I can do it.