The Secret Knitter

I wrote this about a year and a half ago and just found it lurking on my computer so I thought I'd share it. This is not about a specific moment. This always happens to me.


The Secret knitter

The subway is jolting back and forth, tossing the people it contains from side to side. A woman sits in one of the worn seats, bag held tight between her feet. Yarn trails out of the top of her bag to connect with the baby blue sweater she is knitting. It's obviously something she's worked hard on and she seems to be almost done with a front or a back, I can't tell which. I'm watching her. I don't think she realizes this because she is probably used to people watching her knit on the subway. It's fascinating to watch. She's very fast and the needles fly pulling loop through loop through loop with such ferocity. I want to tell her. I just don't know how. I want to let her know that I'm not staring because she's an oddity to see. No, I'm staring because I understand. I comprehend how it feels to turn a ball of yarn into something beautiful. Something that turns heads on the subway. I'm ashamed of myself for not bringing any project of my own. I imagine what it would have been like. We both would have sat knitting away until we paused for a break and looked up and saw a fellow knitter. We would smile knowingly, like we had a secret that no one else in that compartment shared. But she doesn't know.
"I knit too." I whisper, but she doesn't hear me.

Remember me?

Hello blogosphere. Remember me? I used to post short blogs about crochet and life every few days (or months). I stopped about a year ago for no good reason.
So, I'm back. At least for now.
Here's my update of the past year of my life:
I spent a year in Israel. It was amazing. I wish I would have blogged during that time because then I would have fun anecdotes to tell you. But it really was an absolutely amazing year.

I crocheted a bunch. Mostly from the summer.
This is another Pretty Puffs Slouchy Hat which I made bigger so that it actually slouched.



















I recently opened up an Etsy shop at www.organizedchaos.etsy.com and I had my sister model a whole bunch of my hats and scarves. Hopefully, I'll be putting up more stuff than is currently there, including headbands and crocheted eyeballs. It's going to be fun =)
And honestly I don't have much else to show. I have to get back into the habit of blogging because I am so severely out of practice, but I've missed this.
So, hello blogosphere. I'm back

Revelation

I've had a revelation. Today I looked around at the yarn on my floor, the WIPs in my drawer, and I realized something.

THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I CAN BRING THIS MUCH YARN TO ISRAEL (in two months and five days).

I mean, I'm only allowed to bring three suitcases and clothing is kind of a neccesity. As it is, I'm trying to decided how many books I can afford to bring. But yarn? I can maybe fill a quarter of one suitcase, but I really won't have room. I'm going to have to buy yarn once I get to Israel.And I have to organize my stash and finish my WIPs. I can't let them sit and get stale for nine months. I have to pick what yarn is coming with me and what I'm leaving for my sisters. So this summer is officially "Prepare-for-Israel" summer. It shall be adventurous.

Sometime this week I'm going to document all my WIPs here in addition to the stash organization progress. Along with this whole project I'll probably be putting alot more projects that never got posted on ravelry. Like things that I finished, but didn't bother to take pictures of.
In other news, check out this awesome video (from fiveawesomeknitters). If you skip to 3:50 you will see a KNITTING RAP. I love it.


My favorite verse is:
I spend my days
Browsin' Ravelry
Lookin' at the endless projects,
Searchin' patterns that are free
Check out my FO's
Or my WIP's
Whichever you choose,
they're sure to please.

In non-knitting news, I'm starting camp on monday! I'm going to be a counselor for seven-year olds. This wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that I did 6 year olds last year so this is going to be the same exact bunk I had last year! And a good majority of the kids are sort of bratty. Than again, some of them I LOVE, and I can't wait to see again. I'll see how the first week goes before I start judging the summer.
This post was kind of picture-less and since I like my blogs to have somepictures here's a random one that was floating around on my computer:

And now i must go. If I clean the house to get I'll be treated to a pedicure (yay summer!)

toodles.

Five Awesome Knitters

I know. I know.
A month.
May 7.
That was the last time I blogged. :( I have been doing things (like finals, and secret projects...), but still I've been a bum about blogging. In fact, the only reason I'm blogging now (besides for guilt) is because I'm avoiding cleaning my room.

Anyway I have many things to write.

First off, after miles of lace (um...16.5 inches) I'm almost done with the Razor Cami. I'm just working on the straps now (which are taking forever because of their boringness) I want it finished by tonight but we'll see what happens. Also, it's been super hot here for the past few days so I don't know if I can wear it any time soon.

I also cast on for an anthropologie type of bolero but I'm not posting pictures because it currently has the potential to be frogged...

I have super exciting news. If anyone is familiar with vlogbrothers, nerdfighters, fiveawesomegirls, or other youtube projects this might make you super-excited. If you don't know what those things are than you might still be excited anyway. Short history of Vlogbrothers (Brotherhood 2.0) ripped from John Green's (yes, the author) wiki page:

John and his brother Hank Green run a video blog project called Brotherhood 2.0. The original project ran from January 1 to December 31, 2007, with the premise that the brothers would cease all text-based ("textual") communication for the year and instead converse by video blogs, made available to the public via YouTube and on their website. The vlogs have several recurring themes, including "Nerdfighters," the official name for their more dedicated viewers, based on a video game John saw at an airport; the Foundation to Decrease WorldSuck, Hank and John's paypal-oriented "foundation" that vows to "decrease worldsuck" by giving the money donated to worthy causes; the Evil Baby Orphanage, a proposal to use a time machine to kidnap historical despots in infancy and pre-habilitate them at a mountain retreat; and amusing songs posted by Hank on a regular basis. In the December 31, 2007 video, it was revealed that the brothers had decided not to stop vlogging even though the project had ended. John and Hank now continue to post vlogs, though not daily, on their Youtube account, vlogbrothers.

Anway, this project inspired many similar youtube projects where 5 or so people would get to know each other in a similar way that John and Hank did. Vlogbrothers spawned such projects as fiveawesomegirls, fiveawesomeguys, fiveawesomegays, oneawesomeworld, fiveawesometeens, fiveawesomekiwis, etc. These projects became known as "fiveawesome" spinoffs, the original being fiveawesomegirls.

Whew, that was alot of explanation.

So why am I telling you all this? Well, recently on a site known as Knitting Knerdfighters 6 people (including me) have decided to create a spinoff of our own entitled FiveAwesomeKnitters. It's official. Knitting Knerdfighters have come to Youtube. Our first vlog (video blog) will be posted on June 9, 2008. A different knitter will post a video for every day of the week except weekends (though occasionally our resident guy knitter will post on saturday). The project is going to at the very least last through the summer and we'll see where it goes from there.

Monday: Jenny (http://www.ravelry.com/people/SodaSpill or www.youtube.com/sodaspill)

Tuesday: Me! (http://www.ravelry.com/people/Ithinktoomuch or www.youtube.com/lunylvgd)

Wednesday: Kayla

Thursday: Whitney (http://www.ravelry.com/people/whitneyskywalker or http://www.youtube.com/aratiel)

Friday: Lauri (http://www.youtube.com/thebookdiva or http://www.ravelry.com/people/thebookdiva )

And our awesome friend Cameron (http://www.youtube.com/cameronkabookie), intro maker and resident male knitter will be seen around from time to time.

Find us at www.youtube.com/fiveawesomeknitters

It's going to be awesome :) Be sure to check us out and subscribe if you have a youtube account.
Also, go check out Knitting Knerdfighters if you're a Brotherhood2.0 fan (or even if you're not)
Feel free to ask me any questions if anything confused you because that was a lot of info.

Here we are:

toodles

P.s. Look what I found sitting around on my computer

French Vanilla Ice Coffee

I'm beginning to realize that a good cup of ice coffee is exactly the crack I need sometimes (note: I don't condone drugs). 7-11 seriously makes the best ice coffee. It's like a piece of heaven and exactly what I need on this crap filled day.

Why today is crap:

1. My AP US exam is on friday and I know nothing and I'm freaking out like crazy!!!!!
2. My brother is stinking up the house with smoke again. grr
3. My computer keeps getting pop ups and it is not conducive to blogging
4. I haven't knit or crocheted in days. It feels like a self-imposed exile
5. Even if I did want to play with fiber I have to study.
6. Of course, instead of studying I'm posting here, going on youtube, checking my mail and facebook, and generally wasting time.
7. I haven't caught up on anyone's blog posts in weeks!

Why today is not crap:
1. I took a day off from school to study
2. Procrastinating is fun, if unproductive
3. I got 8 hours of sleep o.0
4. Ice Coffee

Sorry I haven't posted in forever. As soon as the AP is over I'll post a yummy long post.

toodles

I Thought Eco-friendly Meant Talking To My Plants!

I've been working alot on the razor cami and I really love how the lace is turning out. It was a gorgeous day yesterday so I got some pretty photos.

See the pretty flowers in the background?

Also, although lace has never deterred me, cables have always been something that I was frightened of. But no more! Thanks to knitty's awesome article on beginner cables I knitted up a cable sampler/bookmark. I now love cables! (notice the flowers!)
The book in the picture below is Uglies by Scott Westerfeld and so far it's pretty good.I couldn't resist the beautiful flowers my dad has been working on:
Speaking of nature, I went shopping two days ago and my mother pointed out this shirt. I HAD to get it.
It says "I thought eco-friendly meant talking to my plants!?" lol

In a completely unrelated story, I was cleaning my room and unearthed these.

They are the empty mousse bottles I have used from the past 8 months! woah.

Lastly, I was listening to a Cast On podcast when brother #2 walked by:

Brother #2: What are you listening to?
Me: A knitting podcast.
Brother #2: What? but doesn't that have to be a video?
Me: No, they talk about knitting, they don't teach it.
Brother #2: What like the "cult of knitting"?
Me: yes

toodles

WARNING: This post contains all the colors of the rainbow

I almost didn't post today.
Here's the conversation that occured between myself and ... me.

Myself: I shouldn't post today. I have nothing interesting to show. I already posted basically everything I'm working on in the last post.
Me: ... you do realize that not every post has to be novel.
Myself: Oh... right.

So, actually there was something I didn't post last time. I'm working on the Razor Cami. It's going slowly, but it's really pretty and I get to use my circular needles (yay circs! I never get to use them.)

The cami is actually into the lace part already. It's about 6 inches in (including ribbing). Yay!

I also had way to much fun with my camera and crochet hooks today...
Hmm... new rav avatar perhaps?

Also, I went to the mall today, so therefore:

Crafty Sightings!

First, a cute crocheted cardigan (say that 5 times fast):

And an awesome shirt which unfortunately did not come in my size (at all. Not even something I could squeeze into): Yes, those are knitting needles, yarn, and scissors all over the shirt. !!!!!
Both sighted in H&M. It's funny because although I can almost never find clothes to wear there I can always find crafty sightings. I've already gotten past the weirdness of taking pictures in H&M. ("crazy lady with camera! run!") Hmm, I've just noticed that they are both green... random observation.

On a more serious and completely unrelated note, I wanted to write about an amazing project. I'm going to end up explaining this terribly so I 'm stealing this bit from the site:

My name is Shawn - I'm a 26 year old former graduate student from the University of Notre Dame. After attending the 2006 Notre Dame Forum on Global Health and meeting Dr. Jeffrey Sachs (author of the book "The End of Poverty") - I was inspired to come to Bangladesh for a small, short-term, and self-funded project to see what difference I can make in helping some of the world's worst off. My goal is to inspire those who read this to ask themselves the question "are we doing enough to make a the world a better place?".

This guy put his graduate degree on hold and is doing wonderful work in Bangladesh. His main objective is not to hackle people for money, but rather to show the poverty from a firsthand perspective. He is completely self-funded. He posts videos on youtube, writes on his blog, and posts picture on his Flickr account.

Shawn's blog - http://www.uncultured.com/
Shawn's Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/UnculturedProject
Shawn's Flickr - http://flickr.com/photos/uncultured/

He's doing amazing work and I really recommend you check him out.

toodles

Okay I lied...

I said I would post on monday... and I didn't. So now this is gonna be a big post to make up for it.
First, I want to answer AJknitz's power-of-7 tag-game-thingy that she tagged me in a month and a half ago (woah, procrastination).
I have to post 7 weird/random things about myself:

1. My computer's name is Samantha
2. I have 4 siblings (2 older brothers and 2 younger sisters who are known on this blog as sister#1 and sister#2)
3 I LOVE Harry Potter
4. I got a 2000 on my SATs (1380 for those who go by the 1600 system)
5. I once ran up the down escalator
6. I will be voting for McCain (Lesser of the three evils. I don't like any of the candidates)
7. I will be spending next year in Israel!

And now I have to select 7 people to continue the game. I'm sure a large amount of people have already been tagged so I apologize if I pick someone who already went.

1. http://g-ster.net/

2. http://therealbabybeth.blogspot.com/

3. http://thelumpysweater.wordpress.com/
4. http://artinreality.blogspot.com/

5. http://theknittest.blogspot.com/

6. http://susanwritesandknits.wordpress.com/

7. http://sisterlyknits.blogspot.com/

Some of the people I picked I knew from before and some I've never talked to in my life (but would like to get to know you better!). Considering that fiber addiction seems to be the only constant in my life it's good to make friends I can take with me wherever I go. (Yes, that was a mini-freakout that OMG WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NEXT YEAR WHERE I ONLY KNOW ONE PERSON!)

Anyway, if you were tagged make a post with 7 random/weird things about yourself and then tag 7 more people. Good luck!

I'm beginning to notice something. I get obsessed with things way too quickly.
Obsessions:(As of today. They constantly change)
Crocheting
Knittting
Craftster (I’ve been neglecting this one lately)
Yarnharlot
Ravelry
Indie music
Facebook
Making random montages
Scrubs
Firefly (squee)

Quotes
Charlieissocoollike (this is a new one)
Nerdfighters (also a newish one)
Limenviolet
David Reidy
Taking massive amounts of pictures
Reading
Harry Potter
Tamora Pierce
Twilight
Earrings
Nailpolish (yes, this can be an obsession)
Blogging (hahahahahhahahaha... okay, I'm trying to make this one an obsession)

Dear God, I have no life.

By the way, I never did mention something. Months ago I bought a ravelry T-shirt!

A myspace-esque photo:Yay!

Okay, Okay. Now I'll talk about crocheting. You may have noticed that I completely disregarded crocheting in my past post and it made me sad to think I wasn't sharing my greater love.

I finished the NatCroMo Freeform CAL! It was such an interesting project because I really got to try out so many different styles and stitches of crochet.
I'm trudging my way through my ripple blanket again. I want to try to finish it by August so that maybe I can bring it to Israel with me.Do you love it as much as I do?

I finished the Seraphina Shawl for my grandmother and the cable scarf for my grandfather in January.

A while ago I finished the Shades of Plaid scarf from CrochetMe (awesome book!).

This is the scarf before I wove in the chains:And all finished!Flying scarf picture! I've seriously fallen in love with flying scarf pictures. Also, flying sister pictures (this is sister #1) And my awesome photographer: She's decided she wants to be a photographer when she grows up so she tries to make the pictures look artsy instead of focusing on the object. Oh well, they come out looking cool.

Book Review!The Sweet Far Thing by Libbra Bray
The third book in the series and definitely just as awesome as the first two. I was a little dissapointed with some of the plot turns, but I loved how she kept Gemma's humor and insights throughout the book. For example (the passage continues on both pictures. It's not two seperate things):
Heehee. Cheese.

Hmm... wow. Okay, I think I'm done. That was LONG. This post actually took me two hours to write (if you count taking the pictures, picking blogs to tag, etc.)

Phew. Okay, I'm going to go eat lunch.

toodles.

L-A-Z-Y

That word probably accurately defines me for the past two months. I mean lazy in writing this blog. Here are some of the excuses I used to convince myself that I was not indeed very lazy:
-my internet is annoying
-my crocheting has been boring
-I don't have time
-I have schoolwork
-I should really clean my room instead
-I want to browse youtube instead...
-I want to comtemplate a secret project that might not even happen
-I just want to see how many comments I get on my last post and see how many "i'm sorry about your computer problems" it takes for me to feel guilty.

beacause the truth is I could have written. In fact, I should have written, but I guess when it comes down to it I was lazy. And then rainin9 says she's going to link to me. My stomach clenched, my mouth opened. "But I haven't written in two months!!!" my brain (on crochet) screamed. So I pulled up the keyboard, kicked myself in the butt, and searched my pictures file for recently finished projects.

Here we go:
First, I've been knitting socks. I used the Universal Toe-up Sock pattern from Knitty.com and have been making thick-ish socks for the winter that just flew by. Luckily (or unluckily... this is a glass is half full moment) it is still cold here.
Um... this is only a third of the pictures I took. I was slightly obsessed and amazed with myself.

The above is currently my desktop background...

By the way remember the long ago pink and black skull socks (oy vey)? Well, it's actually the pink and black sock - as in single. And it could probably fit Hagrid (HP!).

Oh I also made a second pair using the Universal toe-up sock pattern and this time put ribbing on top (how adventurous...)

pretty!

Next up- knitted Mrs. Darcy sweater by Mary Weaver. I know this is a knitting filled post!

lol myspace-esque photo...

I added 3 inches to the back and 1 1/2 inches to each front side. I was too much. I didn’t count in negative ease so it’s a bit on the big side. The arms were too long because my needles were too big. oy vey. All in all though I’m pretty happy with it. It’s very cozy and gets me lots of compliments. It's Patons classic merino wool in rich red.

Last, but certainly not least, a Crafty Sighting!This knit sweater was spotted in the window of Infinity. I want it. Now. I'm debating working on a pattern for crochet (because I'm more experienced with it), but nothing is definite. I just like looking at the picture (because they took it outof the window already :( )

So, I've just noticed that it is two in the morning and I am not finished at all with posting all my projects. So instead I'm just going to write one tomorrow (see that. I put it in writing so now I have to do it)

Just as a by the way, I've been working on the NatCroMo Freeform CAL so I'll try to post tomorrow... no, no, I WILL post it tomorrow.

By the way if anyone has any questions, opinions, random facts, please comment because I'd love to interact with my readers, but I'm not completely sure who my readers are.

Also if you have come by way of Ravelry- HALLO! - friend me (I'm Ithinktoomuch) and we shall discuss yarn related things. :)

toodles

p.s. I will answer AJknitz's tag challenge tomorrow!