Back to the wild

It has been such a long time since I’ve last written, and I think the starting up again is based on, not really peer pressure, but more, uh, unknowing urging. I’m not the only twenty-something named Adam who has a knit-blog of sorts, and some new posts have started popping up on adamknits.com again. So here goes!

I think today I’ll just start with some of the knitting that has actually been accomplished. My first fair isle project ever was started and finished soon after the new year. There were several pairs of socks, and my first ever sweater. I’ll keep it short and simple today, just look at the pictures.

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/jerkameleon/lillehammer


http://www.ravelry.com/projects/jerkameleon/mad-color-weave


http://www.ravelry.com/projects/jerkameleon/seamless-saddle-shoulder-pullover


http://www.ravelry.com/projects/jerkameleon/gunpowder-eyes-neko-case


There will be more to come. I’ve actually finished too many projects recently that I haven’t had time to properly take pictures of them all. The list includes several hats, my first ever washcloths (which come with their own story) and my version of the Hemlock Ring Blanket (which if I had known exactly what was going to ensue during the bind-off I may never have started).

What to get

The one sale at my local yarn store has come and gone, with me unable to take advantage of it. I wandered around the store, with no plans in mind, and just kind of got stuck. Sure, there was yarn that I would have liked, but I just couldn't seem to justify it to myself. Since then I have come up with several ideas, but it's too late now. All I ended up buying was the remaining yarn for my sweater. Which is going swimmingly, by the way. Here's what it looks like now:



I finally managed to get a picture of the mittens that I made too.



I'm being slightly ambitious with gifts this year, but only considering how busy I think I will be the next two weeks. I've got one gift that I need to finish before I head back to Michigan, and one that won't need to be finished until Christmas day. They aren't exactly major projects, probably one skein a piece. I just need to make sure I find the time.

Across the hands that are changing

I've been listening to my music on shuffle for the better part of the past month, which is a bit strange for me. It feels perfect like that lately though.

It's been a while, and that's not really due to a lack of material. Like I've started my very first sweater. I'm doing the seamless saddle-shouldered sweater from Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Knitting Without Tears" in Cascade 220 in a purple color. I expect it to turn out great. maybe a little bit bigger than I intended, but that's okay. I'm about 8 or so inches into the body right now, and have about 10 inches of one sleeve done. I'm holding off for next Friday to buy the rest of the yarn for it. Michelle has been holding the rest of the yarn for me so I can just buy it as I need it, but she is having the annual anniversary sale on the day after Thanksgiving where all yarn will be 20% off, so I will be buying the rest then, and likely enough yarn to make another sweater out of Donegal Tweed.

The only other project that has had any progress on it since the start of this sweater has been the scarf I started this summer. The weather has gotten cold enough that a scarf will soon be a necessity. I'm already thankful for several of my hats and the yet-to-be-felted mittens.

It's been snowing in Houghton, MI already, and this year I'm less nostalgic for that particular aspect of life there.

To get it right

Remember that post I made a while back about being inspired by the article that John Roderick wrote about beards? Well that night was the last time I shaved. I am totally giving this beard thing a go. I'll post a picture of how it is going at some point. It looks fine so far, and not shaving is definitely a plus. I'll see what happens when I have to get around to trimming it though.

I started another new goal last week. I decided that I was going to try to do the hundred push-up challenge over at hundredpushups.com. The goal is to be able to do 100 consecutive push-ups after doing the six week training program. I started last Wednesday, was sore Thursday but still went to softball practice, and then ended up staying sore through most of the weekend. This week has just been crazy busy, and I've mostly just been using the downtime to relax. I think I'll try to get back into it tonight. Also, I never realized how much push-ups work your abs!

Knitting has finally progressed a bit. I finished the Salto socks from Knitty! This means I'm down to 4 projects on needles. I've got a second sock, a second mitten, a scarf, and two small teddy bear pieces still. I've decided that I'm going to refrain from starting any new projects until the beginning of November. I'm going to use my birthday powers to request a gift certificate from Fiberphilia, my local yarn shop, and get started on my first ever sweater. The plan is to do something from Elizabeth Zimmerman's book Knitting Without Tears, maybe something tweedy. I'm sure I'll do some consulting with Michelle, the LYS owner, and we'll figure out something grand.

Music music music. Oh man. New track from Frontier Ruckus. New album from Mason Proper. Bound Stems album from Kevin. And currently on my ears is the latest album from Alias, who I saw open for Why? the other week. Alias is Brendon Whitney, producer and rapper, and a native Mainer. I'd enjoy his music no matter what, but I especially hold local musicians in high regard. That brings my list of Maine musicians that I know and enjoy up to three: Alias, Nat Baldwin, and Ray LaMontagne. I'm going to have to talk to some people at the radio station (I have a show! Did I tell you? 91.9 WMEB FM Orono Mondays from 10 to noon) and see what they can tell me about local music. As for non-local music, I'm going with a friend to see Minnesota singer/songwriter Mason Jennings in Boston this weekend. Should be good times.

Now that was a lot of words, so here's a picture --even though it is recycled from a previous post.