Crafty Schmafty

Having loads of "extra" time (I'm still in awe of how much of my life grad school took over), I'm on crafting overload. Additionally, my job is one of those "feast or famine" kind of things - I'm either so busy I don't get to go to lunch, or I have nothing to do. So, I've been spending a lot of time trolling the internet for new and exciting projects. Oh, Etsy, how I love you so!

I saw these on etsy a few weeks ago, and thought to myself, "I could do that!" I do feel a little guilty stealing someone else's idea, but since I'm not planning on selling these, just using them myself, I don't think its unethical. I mean, if you see a sweater in a store, then knit your own version, that's not really stealing, right? It's inspiration.


Also, I have succumbed to the awesomeness that is Ravelry. Every knitting pattern and everyone's version of it laid out for you to see?? It's genius, I tell you, genius. I finally got around to starting something I've been wanting to for a while: Orangina. I've had some bad starts with lace in the past, but this seems to be going OK. I've memorized the pattern, but for some reason I can't knit more than 4 rows a day. I'll finish it, I'm sure . . . eventually.


Since my office doesn't have a break room, I have to find creative places to eat my lunch (going home just seems like a waste of gas.) Frequently I visit the library, and now that I actually have time to read more than one book a month, I tend to go a little crazy. I always check out more books than I can read before they're due, but I need to have options. You know how sometimes you just feel like reading a certain book?


Maybe I should slow down. I've even forgot to feed the cat once. Oh, she'll never let me live that one down.

What's going on

Ah yes, the ubiquitous Jaywalker. This is what I have been knitting recently, since May when I was so over-excited from MD Sheep & Wool that I had to cast on right then. The yarn is Tess Designer Yarn's superwash sock yarn, and I love it. The colors are amazing, its just the right weight for my size 1 sock needles, and it even smells good. I'm liking this pattern so far, although it is a little, um, tight. Because the fabric is knit on the bias, it has absolutely no stretch. I can squeeze these over my heels, and after a short production they fit snugly.

In other crafty news, I've started quilting again. I've been quilting even longer than I've been knitting, and every once in a while I just get a hankering to start a new one. Now that I have the time and space, I'll probably be sewing a lot more often.

Speaking of space, I now have my very own craft/anything else I want room. This room was such a horrible shade of hideous green, that no one even wanted to deal with it. The door was kept shut in order to keep out the horrible soul-sucking color attack. (And what was up with putting up a RED gingham board above the window?) After FOUR (that's FOUR) coats of paint, the green is gone. I now love to go in here, and its so great to have my sewing machine always out, instead of taking up the kitchen table.

Whew!

Whew. That's pretty much sums up the past 3 weeks.

Who knew that moving was such a big deal? I drove about 2,300 miles, moved into a house, unpacked, painted, moved stuff around, got a job, joined the gym, bought furniture, read, and . . . lots of other stuff too. My biggest project has been re-organizing and painting my new craft room. The hideous, hideous green paint that was in there took FOUR coats to completely disappear. Ugh.

I also got a job, quite suddenly and with perfect timing. I was all set to become Ranger Sarah once more, when I found a position as a graphic artist at the local paper. It's very exciting to have the word "artist" in my job title - I've been dabbling in graphic design for years, and I'm lovin' it so far.

Knitting pictures are coming - not much excitement in that area. When its 100 degrees outside, the only thing I want in my hand is a glass of iced tea.

My latest website obsession has been "This Day in Type." I submitted an image for July 10th - vote for me! (Click on Calendar - then July 10th - then click the image - ratings are at the bottom.)