Mind over Matter

It's picture time. I have been working steadily on two main projects this month: Stripey Socks and Baby Fish Blanket. I'm not really close to finishing either one, but I thought I would show you where I am presently. I also have been experimenting with my hair of late. I was doing 1940s hair a year and a half ago. For some reason, I decided to revive it a couple of weeks ago. I really like my hair curly...too bad my natural curls are so wonky!

Stripey Socks
I don't have enough hand-knit socks. Okay, I have 7 or 8 pairs, but I want to have enough so that I don't wear the same pair for at least two weeks. I spend a lot of time knitting socks, and I would really like them to last as long as possible. So I have been trying to finish up my first pair of (successful) knee socks. Remember this disaster? Well, I learned my lesson, and chose complimentary colors this time. I also made sure I had enough yarn, even though I guessed on the yardage. I think they are turning out marvelously well, and I can't wait to finish them and get them on my little legs! These socks will be pure happiness!

Baby Fish Blanket
I was waiting for my friends to start procreating, and it has finally happened! 4 couples are having babies in the next nine months! Behold the first of the baby presents. Originally I planned to have the warm colors face to the right, in strips, and then have the cool colors alternate in strips facing to the left. I would need 30 fish total: 9 green, 7 yellow, 6 blue, 5 red, and 3 orange. Turns out that looked really messy.

Then I decided to make the cool colors single color strips. This looked a lot neater and chic-er, so I decided to re-chart the layout and reconfigure the number of fish I would need to knit in each color. I still thought I needed 30 fish: 8 green, 7 blue, 7 yellow, 5 red, and 3 orange. After I laid out the fish in the new configuration, I realized that it was rather narrow/squat looking. So I got out my tape measure, and yup...short by 10 inches! 10 inches!

As I remeasured over and over again, as if magically it would lengthen itself, I slowly accepted that not only was I going to have to make a lot more fish than intended, but I was also going to run out out yarn. My trusty scale came in handy as I weighed the fish and the leftover yarn. Now I have to make 48 fish: 12 green, 12 blue, 10 yellow, 8 red, and 6 orange. I was not a happy camper for about an hour. Luckily my friend Katie was able to pick up two of the three colors I needed, and my mom is going to send the other one via post. Not only will I have the supplies I need, but I thought to myself...the new design is so much better than the original! So I am a happy camper:)

Curlilocks
My hair has finally grown out...For five years I have been waiting for it to recover from burning hot Mediterranean sun and dry New England winters...the breakage has not fully recovered, but it has grown out quite a bit. I have to confess...sometimes I am quite vain about my hair and other times I could care less. Well, a few weeks ago, I got a hankering for curly hair...It was curly for nearly five days! Here's me in curlers, posing in my bathroom. (Why, yes. That is my Picovili, I'm wearing. What a good eye you have!) The second picture is me with curlers removed, and combs in. I'm in Katie's truck after an evening at AS220 enjoying local musician Kim Lamothe (accompanied by her all-male band). I was amazed by how short my hair was after the curlers came out. Almost 1920s in style. I used no product at all. Just wet hair on rollers! I definitely need to buy some larger ones to accommodate the extra four inches or so of hair I now have for a more 40s style!

That's all I have for this week. I'll be back next Sunday with an update on my workout/challenges goals!

Until next time...