Lazy, lazy, lazy

So, I've been totally lazy since mid-terms ended. I haven't even knitted! I have slowly been adding things to Ravelry....projects...needles....books, but even that is really really slow. Took a few pictures, but I haven't had the gumption to upload them, and that just requires plugging the camera into my computer.

I guess I wasn't that lazy this weekend, just yesterday and today. Saturday we went for the first hike of a series on the Appalachian Trail to try and join the 2,000 miler club. The idea came from a friend of mine, Dan, who wants to achieve this walk with his dog Bauer. He wants to get them both the little patches they get. So, we took a trip to Harper's Ferry and hiked from Weverton to Harper's Ferry (3.3 miles). This wasn't so bad at all, though the last leg back to the car (1.2 miles) was kind of rough. But it was a good time.

We then drove back and I went off to a jewelry party at a friend's house. I was a wreck by the time I got home, not enough water. The next day we had a work party to put some stones in the backyard that are acting like a pseudo patio. We're just hoping that it keeps the mud down some when the dog runs in and out during the rain. It actually looks pretty natural, like the stones were just there. We'll have to see if it actually works.

I have class tonight, which is never fun. This is my bad night because I have two classes back-to-back. Which means I have class from 4:30-10:00! Yuck. I let myself relax a lot, so now it feels like I've been on a long break.

Anywho, need to get some dishes done before I head to class.

Ravelry

I am so glad I didn't really look at this site until after Mid-Terms! I would've never have ended up studying for them!

It's Over!!

Mid-terms are done! Finito! Finished! Woot! This is me doing a dance....well, I guess if you could see me, you'd see me doing a cross between a jig and merengue....in fact, I look pretty silly.

So I took my last mid-term today and only have one assignment (reading a Chapter, posting a question) and then I can just relax until next Tuesday. I don't think my mid-terms went anywhere close to stellar, but I think I'll survive. My life was consumed with studying for the past week, no knitting (eek!), no pleasure reading, not even much TV watching. I have forgotten what it's like to be in full-time schooling. It is no picnic. If work wasn't paying me to be in school full-time, forget it!

A few more classes, then finals! But, sleep for now!

Death Becomes Her

It's official, I'm dead. Though I do have nice green socks to wear around. And of course war stories about cramped hands and ripping out mistakes. This was a definite fun activity. Next year though, I'd rather not have to ignore 4 classes worth of homework to knit socks.

Me, Dead.


The socks that killed me....


Even my dog misses me....



I didn't die before I sent my Death Socks.....My instruments of doom



Suck
On a completely different subject, this week is going to suck. It's mid-term week and all I'll be doing this weekend is studying....well, aside from going to the Renaissance Faire for a short bit on Saturday. I didn't even go to Sit 'n Knit (even though my class that night was over by 5:30). I'm trying to be somewhat of a good student....don't laugh too hard.

Death Socks Away!

I have sent my death socks to the intended target. She will die a good death, with really ugly socks. Though, I think they are growing on me and are now upgraded to "not quite so terrible." My mission is accomplished, first round completed. I can die happy now, bring it on!

The Good, The Bad and The REALLY Really Ugly

The Good

Stitches East was great! I was so totally overwhelmed, so....much....fiber. I ended up spending way more than I was expecting, but, what can you do? Want to see what I bought?? Huh? Huh?

Well, first, I bought this, in hopes that it would look awesome with the Leavened Raglan pattern from Interweave Knits Magazine (Fall 2007):
There is a bit of ribbon running throughout the wool fiber. It gives it a little interest. I hope it's not too much with the Brioche stitch used in the pattern. I didn't quite have the gauge written down correctly, so hopefully I can make it work.
There are many more than the picture shows, this will be a sweater after all.




Next, I went to visit Large Marge and Storm Moon, where I purchased some of Storm Moons lovely sock yarn. Always good to support local artists and she has fantastic colors!

The one on the left is called Muppets in Space and the one on the right is called Mandragora. The stitches markers were just freakin' cool.

Finally, I picked up yet more sock yarn from Neighborhood Fiber Co. I'm not sure what this style is called, the label didn't have any information. It caught my eye and didn't give it back, so I had to get it.


I just love all the combinations of pinks and purples and blues.






The Bad

I am so tired from wandering around Stitches and knitting all night. I've been staying up later, much, much later. But I'm determined to get these socks done for the Sock War. It's just more knitting in one period than I've ever done.

The REALLY Really Ugly

Speaking of Sock Wars. I hate the socks I'm making. They are so ugly! I can't say it's the patterns fault, but the yarn is just horrible with the pattern. The yarn wouldn't be great to begin with (discovering this after I started knitting), but just disastrous with the pattern. I'm so totally disappointed and embarrassed. I'll take pictures, but I don't know if I have the heart to post them.

I feel bad that my target is getting such monstrosities, but war is ugly right?

SOCK WARS!

Everybody better watch out! I got my sock wars assignment and preparing my weapons! Though, officially, this is the ugliest sock I have seen. I really think the patter would be very interesting if the yarn didn't suck. I bought this yarn a while back and was going to make something for myself, but then this came up. I feel kind of guilty using it.....I hope my victim doesn't hate it too much.

The yarn is self-striping Lion Brand (in Jelly Brean). Which would probably look decent in a basic pattern. But the cool pattern given us for the wars is lost on it.

I'll show the finished product, hopefully quickly. Though I have to watch out for cramped hands and tight shoulders from so much knitting!

Charity Knits

charity knits
Originally uploaded by Smiling Sheep

All together now......"Awwwwwww." Here are a few things I made for the Knit-a-Thon that was held on 10/06. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to a prior obligation, but I decided to make these:

The hats are both knit from the top down. I found a quick tutorial on the web for top down knitting. Once I found out the increases, I did my own thing.

The pink one has a 2x2 rib and the green one is straight stockinette. The green one is WAY cuter in real life and I just want to keep it forever. Alas, I cannot.

The pink ribbon scarf is just a 1x1 rib with a bit of pink ribbon woven in at the end. I call this my pink ribbon, pink ribbon, pink ribbon.....

I hope someone enjoys these!

So, I'm also experimenting with Flickr and posting images. Let's see how this works.

True Knitters

So, are you a true knitter when you start dreaming about knitting? Or am I just crazy?

Look! Pictures!

Ok, so since I actually got this whole picture thing down. I'm going to post pretty pretty pictures of my past projects (just to catch up). The very very first project was a baby hat and that was before I thought about taking pictures......but on with the show!

1. This is a shawl I made, it's this pattern from Knitty. Yes, it was lace and infuriating because I could not memorize the pattern for the life of me. Unfortunately, I felted it slightly, a few weeks after finishing. Not enough to ruin the yarn, but enough to make it too small. I'm currently recycling the yarn for practice in Kool-Aid dyeing.


2. Next, I tackled these knee-hi socks from Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook. This was my first sock project. Of course, trial by fire is my thing, so they just had to be knee-hi socks. I had some trouble with the heel. I realized after I finished them both the heels were different sizes! Luckily because of the color change I just ripped out the heel and re-made it.





























3. This is......the Baby Surprise Jacket! Woot! I took these pictures with my Dad's camera, which I wasn't sure how to use, so they aren't great. It's also before finish or seaming. This little jacket is just the coolest thing ever! I knit and knit and knit and had no idea how it was supposed to turn into a baby jacket. I took it off the needles and started folding and it was amazing! I'm so making another couple of these. Originally, I was inspired by this post by the Yarn Harlot.




























Hrmmm, I thought there would be more to this.....but as I look at my knitting basket, I realize that there are a lot of projects that are partially finished. Maybe partially finished pictures will be ok tomorrow?

Wonderful Exhausting Weekend

So, I took a long weekend, it was relaxing and exhausting at the same time. A long weekend without my husband, who I missed, but sometimes it's fun to see the family and do stuff on my own.

The weekend began with a lovely drive up to NEPA (Northeast Pennsylvania), where my parents live. I was really looking forward to a taste of Fall. Being here in MD, it never seems as prominent. I miss the Fall and Spring times of PA. I also miss my mom's cooking and luckily for me, my mom made one of my favorites.

I also had the pleasure of meeting my sister's boyfriend's kids. They are a great group, but tiring! They have so much energy. Apparently they were told that I eat little girls and throw little boys in the garbage. :o) But they figured out that was a rumor.

Saturday I spent with my mom, shopping! We went to this place called Holley Ross and looked at some pottery. Then, we had a surprisingly great lunch at Hazard's Raintree. To top the shopping trip off, we went to Ritter's Farm. This farm actually has two store areas, one down the road which newer and more commercial, and the other which is the original that has the cider press you can watch and you can see them making cider donuts. We went to the old school one to watch the donut making. We then purchased a bunch of yummy apples, a couple pies and of course, cider donuts! Yum! Then my dad, my dog (Emmy) and I went for a nice walk down to the lake behind my house. Unfortunately, the dog got into something stinky, so it was a bath for her.

Sunday the dog and I took a drive to Penn State. Woot! It's been a while since I went there and I have definitely missed it. I spent the evening hanging out with my husband's family (is that strange?), which is always great fun.

The best thing? I finished the Baby Surprise Jacket (pattern from an Elizabether Zimmerman book, I can't recall off hand)! The thing is, it was a total surprise and the coolest thing ever! I had no idea how it was going to turn out. I knit and knit and followed the pattern and did not have faith that it was going to turn out. It took a few minutes to figure out which way it went after it came off the needle. People weren't kidding when they say it's amazing! I'll post more about this later, I have to rescue the pictures from my father's camera.

I am a Sheep

First things first, why a blog?
Honestly, knitting. Knitting is the whole reason I started this blog. I am currently obsessed with knitting. I knit, though very slowly and sometimes, not for days at a time, but somewhat regularly. But I am TOTALLY obsessed with reading about knitting, websites, blogs, books, almost anything I can find about knitting. When I do actually finish something, I am so proud, but my husband is not as impressed as he should be. So, I decided to post my stuff here, for whoever has the inclination to care.

I am fairly new to knitting, I learned about 2 years ago from a friend. Though I set it aside until about a year ago, when I decided I needed a hobby. I picked it up and have been doing it (slowly) ever since.

Will this only be about knitting?
No, I do have to vent every once-in-a-while. So, this will be a catch all for everything, Karina. If you like it, let me know, if you hate it, let me know (though I prefer politeness and a well structured argument). Though most likely, yes, there will be a bunch of knitting.

So, you may ask (or not), why "One of the herd"?
First, most of the entries I tried with Sheep in it were taken (though many not being used), so I went for something similar.

The idea came about due to a conversation between a co-worker and I. He stated that most people in this country are sheep. I decided to agree with him and declare myself a sheep.....one of the herd. Though in reality, I think there are a few black hairs in my sheeply fleece. So, I call myself a sheep, but everyone can make up their own mind.

What next?
I need to start from the beginning. I'll work on importing my images of what I've knitted so far and say a little about them. Then I'd like to comment on my WIPs (Works in Progress). Which, yes, is more than two. Then we'll see where this crazy thing called blogging takes me.