Plain and Simple

In the interest of getting Sensai Nancy's socks to her as soon as I could, I chose to knit a pair of the YH's Basic Sock Recipe again. I'm using Heart and Sole from Red Heart, and I don't know what colorway this is but it ROCKS and almost makes up for the lack of fancy stitching! I'm on the gusset of the second sock, no SSS problems here, and was about to get back to work on it with a movie. First, though, I have to take inventory...

I have no time or money for Xmas gifts this year :'( However my immediate family is in need of the following...

Dad-He has a sudden desire for a scarf, ideally one similar to a scarf he saw in the Gap. Different ribbings and blocks of manly colors.

Mom-Someone accidentally ran her Center Square hat through the wash, sooo...felted. Unevenly so. Another one of those is in order.

Lil' Sis-Not sure. I made her dolls clothes recently so she hasn't asked for anything.

Me!-A copycat Noro scarf. You know, the 2 row 1x1 rib scarves everyone is making? Like the Yarn Harlot for example? Only Noro of any kind is way out of my price range, so I'll follow the advice of a Ravelry forum I saw and try Paton's SWS instead. Never used it, but it seems beyond soft! And unlike Noro, is much more affordable and is carried by a shop right down the street!

Anyway, must finish socks!

WOOT!

Ok so here's my exciting bit of info for today...While I was at musical, the usual dojos got together for a good old-fashioned karate grading. (I'll test later at a makeup grading with another musical buddy and a student who was sick that day). One of my instructors, sempai Nancy, has now become SENSAI Nancy! OMG! I'm so happy for her-she's the first female sensai in the USA IFK!!! This is such a big deal, and I wanted to make her a congratulatory pair of-what else? Socks!

Haha I'm still debating on what kind though. A plain pair would be quick and stretch a bit more than cabled, and they'd look better in multicolored yarn. But it almost feels like a cop-out on this sort of an occasion. I think I'll end up with plain ones, just because I have no cash to go and buy solid yarn for fancy cables. Or maybe a lace pattern would be better...I don't know! Any suggestions?

Nothing Gold Can Stay

So quotes Ponyboy in The Outsiders. And it's true.

Our last show was put on Sunday afternoon. It's over.

This time it was the Seniors' turn to talk in the spirit circle, where each class gets a chance to speak before a show to the cast about musical and their experience. By the end there was nary a dry eye in the band room-even the guys were crying over the end of what I consider the best experience I've ever had, and the fact that our beloved seniors will never have another performance with us. I'll never have another practice with Jack Scott whispering hysterical things in my ear backstage, or fight with my fave stage crew member over whether I need to smile or not. They don't have to leave yet, but they will, and we'll just have to face next year without them all.

So throughout act one, each scene was the first time this year I have had to feign a smile onstage. And throughout act one, the adults scolded us for crying and causing our makeup to run. But I for one didn't completely pull myself together until intermission, and many others didn't either. After the show we bonded together for the last time, all 60-70ish of us, stage crew and all, at the cast party. One of my fellow freshman and I straightened our guy friends' hair. (One looked uncharacteristically emo, another like a girl). The dj's played good music, and I danced with a bunch of my friends of all ages and genders. It was great,and a really fun time. Even the adults got involved! But by the end I was crying again, the whole way home. Because really, we were all each other's family. I have no older siblings, and have gained so many of them only to suddenly realize that at some point I'll have to say goodbye to all of them. All I can say is the fact that all of us were so reluctant to let this experience end means that it was a great one, and hopefully all the seniors will come back next year to help make the show a success, and cheer us on. I love you all musical cast, and couldn't have wished for a better group of people to put on this amazing show with! Hugs!

Ironic, Isn't It?

I obtained a Ravelry in the hopes of organizing my knitting supplies.

I joined the Knitty coffeeshop to become connected with other knitters.

My blog was to share my knitting with any who may wish to check it out.

All were to help my knitting skill along the way.

The irony?

I am online so often my knitting itself is being replaced by it.

I think I need to step away from the keyboard now...

And start a sweater for my dog.

She's super skinny.

It started snowing today and she needs the warmth! :)

Opening Night!

OMG I just got home from opening night of the musical!!! We did sooo good the leads all were fabulous-my friend who played Martha was hysterical, and my other friend who played Jack Scott (the school's announcer person) didn't fall this time so all was well. Coach Bolton and Mrs. Darbus were completely in character to the point of believing they were seriously adults. We sounded amazing, harmony was great, dancing crisp, FABULOUS. Now we only have to keep it up for five more shows...wish us all luck! Or no, that's bad luck-break a leg! But not really! Haha woo-hoo!

Finally! Contact!

My lack of knitters in the real world has caused me to take action. I am now online at the Knitty Coffee Shop, under teenage_knit_wit. Forums galore, both knitting related and not. Lot's of fun. I have actually found some SnB's in the area on there, but since I feel iffy about revealing my location and meeting up with people I don't think there's any help there. I'll have to go local sometime when I don't have karate, and hop down to the group that meets at the local coffee shop.

I also have procured a Ravelry under teenageknitwit, and though it is in it's early stages of organization the ability to look up almost any project and see everyone else's FO's b4 diving in has me hooked. I'm thrilled.

Thirdly, I brought a dk black scarf to work on in between acts of my school musical, and got some interest from my friends! One of the girls from my softball team had learned and forgotten, and wants me to reteach her. Another friend has never knit in her life, but wants to try it out. On top of that, all of my other friends were intrigued, at least to the point of pensively watching the process while they talked to me. Maybe I don't need to find a teen knitting circle around here...maybe I need to create one from scratch! We'll see if it amounts to anything.

Oh, and I finished the Banana Berry scarf, fringed it, and handed it over. It was much appreciated. Job well done! :)

Happy Halloween!

Nothing to do with knitting, but lots of fun. I ended up going to one of my best guy friend's house for the big night. Initially we weren't supposed to go trick-or-treating, since there were enough of us that there was a little concern about us emptying the neighborhood's candy bowls. We went anyway though, and I ended up traversing the waterfront with a hippie, a cat, a princess, the Grim Reaper, Edward Scissor hand, a south-of-the-border dude, and my personal favorite-a ticked off m&m. (Meaning one of my guy friends showed up in only a werewolf mask, stating he had worn this every Halloween since sixth grade because his mom won't buy him another costume. But with a quickly borrowed outfit, he combined the two and became a ticked off m&m). Myself? I went as a pirate, using what I could still locate of the costume from two years ago.

So after covering part of the neighborhood, we headed back to the house, inhaled two huge pizzas in 10 minutes and proceeded to watch Shutter, a horror movie perfect for Halloween night. (It was unrated, which had us on our guard, but we dutifully fast-forwarded through anything questionable and instead paid attention to the creepy spirit terrorizing a young American couple temporarily living in Tokyo. Unexpected ending. Usually horror movies are so outrageous in plot and storyline that they don't even make a 4 on my rating scale, but this one may have made 6 or so. Not bad at all.

So it was a great Halloween, and I got much more candy than I should have considering the amount of the block the actually visited. I hope it goes as well next year-here's a late Happy Halloween for you!