Girl Who Knits

What is up with my blogging lately?  Or I should say, my lack of blogging?  If I really think about it there are several contributing factors.  They are as follows:

1. The gym: I joined a gym in early December and ever since have been working out, a lot.  When you factor in my commute (2 hours a day) and then 2 hours at the gym 3-4 times a week, my free time starts slipping away from me.
2. Obligatory knitting: I have been doing a lot of what I call "obligatory knitting" in January.  These are projects I committed to knit, am gifting to people, or have a deadline for.  This doesn't necessarily mean it is boring knitting or knitting I don't want to do, it just limits me from casting on and working on whatever pleases me at any given time.  I HAVE to knit these projects, and thus they become obligatory and often squelch my interest in blogging about them. 
3. Stupid blogspirit: I joined blogspirit when I first decided to blog because a blogger I really liked used them.  I signed up for the free service but after about a year and a half they told me that I couldn't continue without paying them to host.  I didn't have the time or the inclination to switch at that point (all my photos are hosted through them) and so I thought I would pay for 6 more months and deal with it then.  Well, due to a mix-up on their part with payment, they charged me twice (for 2, 6-month periods) and refused to give me a refund but instead told me it would be applied to a year of hosting.  It didn't matter how many emails I sent asking for a refund, they only answered a fraction of them and those that were answered were annoyingly simple and never addressed the content of my emails.  So I gave up.  My paid for year is about to reach it's end and so I have been working on launching a new blog--stay tuned for details on that soon.  Oh, and maybe the new blog will finally start showing up in bloglines. One can only hope.
   
4. The departure of a most beloved sister: Kara left, this week in fact, to start her grand adventure abroad.  I flew home last weekend to see her off and to help her pack.  She called me from the San Francisco airport on Tuesday right before she got on the plane to Hong Kong.  After our call I realized I don't know what I am going to do without our regular check-ins.  It is rare that a day goes by without me getting an IM, text message, or phone call from Kara.  I am not sure if I like this international living situation she has planned.  It is just not the most ideal situation for me.  Plus I am painfully jealous. But I am very proud of Kara for what she is doing and support her all the way. May (the month of Kara and my London/Scandinavia/Paris trip) can not come soon enough. Miss you Kara!
   
5. Hunger: This is a little misleading, I have not been going hungry.  But the whole no sugar, no white flour/rice/pasta pledge for the month of January took a lot of planning and energy in order to not go hungry.  It much easier to order a pizza then cook healthy meals.  Why that has to be I wish I knew.  Well, today is the last day of January.  I survived and feel great.  Especially since tomorrow I can eat a cookie if I want.  I am not saying I am going to, but the fact that I can is very comforting.

In my last post I mentioned that there was an award for completing this January eating goal.  Over the holidays, Kara and I went shopping at our favorite SLC LYS, Black Sheep Wool Co.  As often happens when Kara and I shop together, we 1. enable each other to buy more and 2. often end up buying the same thing.  On this visit I fell in love with the Norah Gaughan Vol. 1 book by Berroco.  Oh my goodness, I love these knits.  Kara and I both bought yarn for a first project from this book.  Justina is the first knit skirt/dress I have seen that I think I could actually wear.  The length is flattering and the a-line shape is a good style for me.  I believe I finally found the project that I could use to take my first deep dive into what is uncharted territory for me: the knitted dress.  

So for my reward, I decided that I would not cast on for this project unless I completed my January goal.  Part because it is something I was excited about and part because I wanted to loose a little weight before I started a knit dress.  Well, I did it.  As of tomorrow I am free and clear to cast on for my reward. More on this project, other WIPs, my new blog, make my day thank yous and anything else that crosses my mind soon. 

(yeah, yeah, I really mean it. more blogging soon. promise.)

This is my brother Brett.  I have written a lot about my sisters on this blog but yes, we have a brother.  The oldest in the family by two years (I am next) Brett was lucky enough to be raised with a bunch of girls in the house.  Yes, he was SOOOOO lucky.  Then again, so were we.

The Cobblestone Pullover was the first guy sweater that I really wanted to knit.  I had never knit anything for my brother before and I thought it was about time.  The Cobblestone would be his. 

I really enjoyed knitting this sweater.  It was that perfect mix of mindless and interesting knitting.  And the result...well, I don't think I have seen a bad looking Cobblestone.  It is modern, has really cool details, and it fits great.  I just knew it would look great on my brother and I was so right. 

I think my favorite part of the sweater is the side panel.

It is funny to think that a simple garter stitch side panel can make me this happy.  But it just does. 

There are many reasons why I love my older brother.  Like how he is kind, loves his family, opens his home and kitchen to his sisters at any time and fathered three of my favorite people in the whole world. Oh, and there is also how he let me put a picture of his backside on my blog.  I told you he was a good brother.

Project Stats

Pattern: Cobblestone Pullover

Source: Interweave Knits, Fall 2007

Size: 43 1/2 

Yarn: Classic Elite Skye Tweed, 1206 (Gray)

Needles: US 7 Circulars

Mods: None 

Notes: A perfect starter sweater and a great one to practice and/or learn techniques like short rows and seamless sweater construction.

...to not eat white sugar, white bread, white rice, or white pasta in the month of January.

...to organize my work/craft room.

...to travel domestically and abroad.

...to remember birthdays.

...to sew a pair of lounge pants.

...to not over-commit myself. 

...to finish things I start.

...to be a more thoughtful friend.

...to be more bold and less afraid.

...to send cards.

...to learn a new skill.

...to refresh my blog.

...to knit something completely fabulous and challenging for me.

...to have better abs then my brother-in-law Adam by July. 

2007 was good, bad, difficult, happy, scary, full, lonely, not at all expected, but all in all pretty great.  Still though, I am kind of excited to see it go.  So goodbye 2007.  2008, I am so ready for you.

Happy New Year Everyone!!!