People to Whom I Shall Send Postcards!

-The UMBC Scholarship Office
-Humanities Office
-Honors College Office
-Study Abroad Office
-The CIC
-Sally
-Tyler
-Viki Viki Vikadin
-Sharon
-Jewlia
-Super Corporate Jesse
-Papa Steve and his Mignons
-The Ann Arbor Contingent
-Grandmama and the Aunties
-Anyone else? You comment and/or email me your addy and I will give you much love via the postcards!!!

I'M IN!

I've been officially accepted to Massey U at Palmerston-North! As of today, I have just four months til I get on a plane and fly away. I'm picking out my classes and it looks like I'll be taking:

- Japanese cinema

- Physical Geology

- Soils!

- Sustainable Energy Systems (best class EVER)

I think it's a really good mix. I'm getting worried about actually going, though. I'm worried that I'll only hang out with Americans or I won't meet anyone I like. I'm really nervous about missing my family and my friends and my Viki and my Tyler. It seems like now that I've finally found good people, I have to leave. But it's nice knowing that the people in my life right now are wonderful enough that they'll be waiting for me (or at least thinking of me while they're in Thailand) until I get back. And it's not that long. I'm trying to stay focused on the "WOW NEW ZEALAND!!!" aspects of the trip, but the reality of the scariness involved is also starting to show up. I still can't friggin' WAIT til I go though, so I guess it'll be okay :)

Me Likey You Knitty

Well! I have done so much in such a short period of time, that GOD KNOWS I must be neglecting getting work done... First, I finished Daisy's scarf. My Dad wants me to make him a new, softer, longer scarf with no ribbing because, as he says, "Wouldn't it be cool if it didn't curl up like that?" Yes, Dad, it would, if it were not RIBBED, as you said it was okay for me to do. Oh well, another day another project. I gave Daisy her scarf the weekend before Valentine's Day. She was really flattered and said "WOW!!! It's so pretty! I've never made something that people could wear before." It made me really happy. And she was impressed with the softness.

After finishing Daisy's scarf, I felt very neglectful of Marlie's socks, and could feel Second Sock Syndrome coming on hard. So I got to it and finished up. I finally understand kitchener stitch even though I didn't do it quite right. I understand what they're going for, even though I might forget by the time I do my next socks. I'm thinking that when I go to kiwi a gogo land I will do mostly socks, as they take a small amount of yarn per time, as compared to a scarf or a blanket. Plus I can use just a few sets of needles. And socks are easy to send in the mail as well.

I'm kind of worried about the price of yarn in en zed, but I plan to check it before I go. I've heard it's really expensive there, being as it's an island, and as Sarah says, "Maybe it's because it's sheep yarn, and not synthetic, d'you know what I mean?" Yes, Sarah, wool is more expensive. GOOD ON YA! (She is not an idiot, but rather a very cute former yarncrafter. She has left the guild and it makes me cry.) Anyways, I will probably stock up on yarn and needles and run through all the patterns in my "Knit Socks!" book while in en zed...

I'm giving Plu her socks on Friday and she better wear them CAREFUL AS HELL!!!

After Plu's socks, I decided to crochet a scarf out of this beautiful ribbon yarn. The stitch was basically sc, ch1, sc, etc etc and made little loops in the scarf. It created a really beautiful, 3D kind of effect and the colors I used made it look just as mermaidy as I wanted it. Plus, although it's not soft, it keeps me warm and is nice to the touch now that I've gotten used to it.

In other scarf news, Viki made me a scarf last year and I love it even though I make fun of the fact that she did it on size 13 needles. It is adorable!!!

So, you might ask, what are you working on now? Because I know a lot of people read this blog and want to know such intimate details about my yarn life... Well, I am currently working on a fuzzy scarf. I got some of the Paton Allure yarn to knit a wheel cover out of, but I had to use size 8 needles and put simply it was HELL. So I decided to make a drop stitch scarf on it for my little sister, Nondi, who I'll hopefully be seeing in a few weeks. Once that's done, I can begin on an afghan I want to make. I'm hoping to work on it a bunch over spring break so the project doesn't stretch out forever. I also now have plans to make Kemp an alternate ribbing scarf out of some soft blue yarn I have and my Grandmother a "sophisticated" scarf (snb nation pattern) out of some grey yarn that my dad pawned off on me. So that will help me get through a bunch of my stash.

Vik and I came up with knitting names: me = Ethel; Vik = Trudy; Kate = Phyllis. Plus Vik's Dad "bought" me a YARNCRAFT box (which has been thoroughly stickerized) as well as a set of METAL (thank god) crochet hooks!

So that is all the news that is unfit to print... Someday, maybe someone will read this...

... Now that I am combining these blogs, I can't move the one comment I got: 

From Marlie:

zomg- i read it!

aren't you proud of me?

i care about mai sister.

and her knitty.

knitty, knitty, knitty.

and socks :)

they're warm.

(oh you know what else?

I just had to REGISTER

with a BLOGGER ACCOUNT

just for YOU.

Feel loved, m'dear)

<3

The Process of Studying Abroad...

Well, my passport application is in so that is not yet a problem. And as of tomorrow my entire Study Abroad application will also be in and in the mail to en zed! Then just two to three weeks before I know whether or not Massey is going to have ME to deal with in July.

Things that I Would Like to do In New Zealand:

(to be added to)

-Try Surfing
-Go to at least one yarn shop
-Try to go to a sheep farm (for yarn)
-Visit Australia
-Go to Auckland
-Go to the awesome DIY shop in Auckland
-Not forget to blog and email
-Visit the set of LOTR and/or Narnia
-Get a tan
-Swim in the Ocean
-Go to the South Island
-Go to or start a yarncraft circle / stitch'n'bitch
-See a sheep sheared
-See yarn spun
-Take LOTS of pictures
-Go to an All Blacks match
-Go to another rugby match
-Learn to understand rugby
-Go a restaurant and order a strange mixed alcoholic beverage
-Go Bungee Jumping
-Swim with Wild Dolphins
-Visit the South Island

... any suggestions???

Projects Completed

I completely finished the first sock, although the kitchener stitch didn't work as well as I had hoped. During playoff weekend, I kicked ass on the second sock and I'm already working the heel flap! Yester-afternoon I took the time to finish crocheting Jordan's scarf (first scarf I've crocheted!) and I WILL post photos of that, because I took them! The best part of that was when I laid it out on the table to take pics of, Jor walked in and said, "That looks COOL!!!" which made me really really happy. So I gave it to him and although it's a little thin, it used up all the army yarn and looks good. Plus it's nice and long so it's not overbearing or going to smother him.

Also, after trying about 3 different patterns for Daisy's scarf, none of which worked, I'm making my own. I tried putting a diamond on end, using purl stitches and it looks okay-- not great, but okay. I decided to knit the rest in garter to get that textured feel. The yarn looks really nice with the ridges it creates.

So for now, I'm working on the second sock and Daisy's scarf. I'm going to start looking up patterns to knit up some of my stash so as to (a) save $$$ and (b) use 'em up before I go to New Zealand so I have less to pack and an excuse to buy more yarn. I also want to find some crochet patterns so I can learn to crochet things that don't involve single crochet through the back loop. But I can do that til the day is done, baby!!!

So Close!!!

Well I'm almost done with my first sock... about half an inch more and I'll be down to the toes and the dreaded Kitchener stitch. Ah!!! Once I finish the first sock, I will be faced with a dilemma-- to start the second one immediately or to first work on a scarf for Papa Steve's lady friend, the Daze. I found a beautiful pattern which I will put up here later and yesterday I bought some pretty "homespun" red yarn. Hopefully the fuzzy softness will not mess up the holes in the design pattern thingy... I should probably go ahead with the second sock so that it gets done... Meh... We'll see. Coffee time!

Ripping Out my Stitches (and my hair)

So after mostly finishing the heel flap, I measured it and it was about 3 inches instead of 2 and a half. I ripped our a couple of rows and got it to about 2 and a half. Then I turned the heel!!! And it looked AWESOME!!! Then, as I was picking up the stitches for the heel gusset, I realized that by decreasing the rows I had completely messed with the pattern. I was already confused enough about picking up stitches, so I decided to back, rip out the picking up of stitches AND the heel turning. So now I have to re-knit the rows I ripped out in the first place, redo the heel turning, and then somehow manage to figure out how to pick up the stitches for the heel gusset. Despite the set back, it's going well. I just hate ripping out stitches, but oh well!!!

Done with the Easy Part... Hurray?

Well, I've finished the ribbing and the sock leg and it looks adorable so far. Now I'm on to the difficult parts. I've already hit a snag, as I've never dealt with slipping knitwise or purlwise and the whole thing has me absolutely confused. From what I've picked up at various websites, I just stick the needle in "as if to purl" but then I DON'T purl-- I just put the stitch on the other needle... something about this seems off. Maybe it's just the way I hold my needles or something, but it seems that if I slip a stitch it will look the same, whether I stick the needle in the front or the back. I guess I'll just have to experiment and guess. I think it has something to do with the yarn being in the front or the back. Meh... Hopefully I'll figure it out tonight...

Ribbing and Leg

Well I have the cuff at the top done and I'm starting in on the leg. I am amazed that I got the whole knitting in the round with dpns down!!! It really isn't that hard at all. I'm glad I waited awhile though and got down the basic knitting skills first... Now I'm just worried about the hard parts of the sock... heh...

The Journey of Sock Knitting

After much putting off and finally (a) finishing Dad's JETS scarf (b) starting and finishing Ty's blanket and (c) giving up on my steering wheel cover because I hate fuzzy ass yarn, I shall begin to learn the art of sock knitting! I used my Christmas Craft money to buy "Knit Socks!", the exclamation mark leading me to feel optimistic. And today I ordered the double pointed needles (aaah) and the yarn Marlie picked out. So they should arrive soon, along with the "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah" album. Hours of indie music and sock knitting shall soon be upon me. I'm starting with the easiest pattern, the "simple stockinette" sock. So hopefully that won't trip me up and Pluto will be happy and the socks won't fall apart immediately.