Sleepy Sunday Updates

Why, hello!

It has been a while. I apologize. I just didn't want to keep showing you scrappy trip pictures, which is all I have been working on sewing-wise. But then today while sitting on the couch, enjoying an older episode of Doctor Who and knitting, I thought, why not take pictures of my knitting? Yes, knitting! I thought I would be a crochet girl for life, but I have seen so many beautiful pictures of things bloggy people have knit (knitted?) for friends and family and selves that I just had to jump on board. I do have a set of needles, after all, from an unsuccessful foray into knitting my freshman year of college. It was hard. I just didn't get it. But I thought maybe since my fingers are so quick with yarn and hook now that maybe they'd be able to catch on to using needles much easier.

My theory held! I caught on so much faster this time around. I don't know why it was so difficult for me when I was 18, but I'm glad I've gotten over it :) I took a picture of the wrong side because I fail, but this will eventually be my very own Honey Cowl. I know what you're thinking. "But Anna," you say, a bewildered expression on your face, "don't you live in the desert? Doesn't that mean cowl-wearing weather passed over a month ago?" Well. Yes. That's true. But living in the heat has never stopped me from making yarny delicious things. And besides, I know the library I am going to be working for. I have spent many hours perusing the stacks, looking for the perfect lit crit book, studying, typing, doing group projects, and just escaping the heat for a few minutes before class. It is cold in there. Trust me. I don't know exactly what my day to day will look like yet, but if there is any sitting around at all, I will certainly need a cowl and maybe some new wrist warmers and a few more cardigans and some knit socks and maybe a few other things... So don't worry. My homemade items will likely still be used frequently.

My yarn bag runneth over...

I think I may need multiple yarn bags now. One for crochet and one for knitting... This is getting a little full!

Because see? I am definitely still crocheting. These lovelies are made using this pattern from The Purl Bee. Obviously mine will be quite different. Hers is a rainbow of colors with white frames. Mine is two-tone. She also used lighter weight, much fancier (and more expensive) merino wool. Mine is cheap worsted weight acrylic a friend bought me for my birthday. But I don't care. It is still going to be fantastic when it's finished! I just love the look of these circles in squares, don't you? I love, too, that they finish up at about 7". That's going to be much easier to manage than the 4.5" she had listed as the finished size. I tried making an afghan out of squares that small.. No. Too many squares. It was also incredibly frustrating because I used two granny square patterns I thought were compatible but were not at all... But that's another project that is safely tucked away somewhere until my anger at it has dissipated somewhat...

I will, of course, show you one picture of my scrappy trip progress, though...

It is half quilted. WOO! It might be totally quilted now if I hadn't run out of thread halfway through. I knew that was going to happen... but did I run out and buy more thread when I realized I wouldn't have enough and save myself the headache later? No. Of course not. Instead I took a late night trip to Joann, which is on the other side of town, of course (well, not *that* late). But by the time I got back all I felt like doing was sitting in front of the TV, watching Captain Jack Harkness strut his stuff, and working on my cowl. Then this morning I got a weird cleaning bug and totally cleared off the incredibly neglected patio. My neighbor has pomegranate trees that lean over it and there are always SO MANY LEAVES. Always. All year. It's ridiculous. So sometimes I go months without sweeping them up because it's such a never ending (and losing) battle. But now it's all swept up- just in time for the brush and bulky trash pick up. Go me! I also cleared off Mario's "work table" that was covered in tree bits and nuts and bolts and almost a whole (rusty now) tool set and claimed it for myself. He hasn't used it in 2 years. That's the rule. Two years with no use and it becomes mine or it becomes trash. I'm going to put plants on it :)

I think I have definitely earned my crafting time today, don't you? If you need me, I'll  be quilting...

Linking up to Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted Monday linky party, hosted this week by Nat at Made In Home! It is definitely one of my favorite linky parties. I always get to see so many new blogs :)