I have a bad habit when it comes to knitting...I really like to look at knitting patterns.
I actually think it's the pictures that I like the most. I am a very visual person...I like bright, shiny things...as do most people from my generation that have been labeled "ADD"...I like to think of myself as more "Hyper-Imaginative" or "Uber Creative". Either way, I like color and I like interesting shapes and designs. They bring a sort of calm satisfaction on me that's hard to explain.
So really, it makes sense that I like to look at knitting patterns and at pictures of knitted items.
Here's the bad habit part of the whole thing...I could spend hours browsing around on Ravelry, or Etsy or other places on the internet doing this. Call it "yarn prOn" or whatever you want...but I've discovered that this has seriously cut into my knitting time lately.
I used to get on the computer to the basics....check e-mail, chat with friends, download music, etc. Now, first thing in the morning, I'm on Ravelry with morning coffee in hand perusing through patterns and pictures of FO's and yarn stashes, queueing things like they're going out of style and justifying them all..."I'll knit that for so and so for Christmas" or "I could really use another scarf and that one would look fabulous with my black felt pea coat"...and so on and so forth. (Personally, I think one can never have too many scarves....but I've got at least 2 in progress with several balls of yarn set aside for several others.)
Let's face it, my eyes can knit faster than my hands. I'm sure this is a common conundrum among the knitting community. But I think it's gotten a bit ridiculous on my end. Especially since I do have so many WIPs lying around, begging to be finished (including 3 pairs of mittens from Christmas, gifts to my mom, sister and grandma, that have yet to have thumbs put on them and ends put in).
The good news is that I've been slowly, but steadily making progress on it all. I could make more progress though if I'd cut back on the virtual knitting and spend that time on the real knitting.
I think 10 minutes or so of looking each day is healthy though. It inspires me and gives me ideas and sort of takes the edge off of the day. Speaking of which...
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
So this is what 6am looks like...
It's been awhile since I last posted...it's also been awhile since I last saw 6am. I have this weird thing where if I know that I have to wake up in the morning I have a heck of a time doing it, but if I don't have to be up at any certain time, I have no problem waking up much earlier than I actually want to. (Especially when I'm sick...ugh). Sounds like some twisted form of reverse psychology to me....anyway...
I rediscovered my flute the other day. I hadn't played it in a few weeks...mostly due to the drive-in being open and there not being enough hours in the day to balance work, house work, family work and drive-in work. It was a blessing though...I got a phone call from a student that needed a solo for music camp on very short notice and was wondering if I had anything for her. It was like a fire had been lit inside me. I hadn't taught a lesson in a very long time...much less had a good reason to get out my flute and play...other than just to play. I suddenly had an excuse to dig through my repertoire and come up with something on her level (which was a bit challenging since most of the stuff I have is advanced high school/college level material). I picked out 3 pieces that I thought she could handle and compiled a cd for her with examples of each piece (to help her learn them more quickly...whichever one she choose) and offered to give her a lesson before she left. Though it took some time out of my day and it was something I wasn't getting paid for...I really enjoyed it. The next day we had a lesson and though the stuff I had found was a little too advanced for her, I was able to find something in her method book that was perfect. In short...it was fun...a lot of fun. It sort of made me regret quitting my music major.
I think a lot about when I was a music major. I struggled a lot. I was very far behind on my instrument...I struggled to adapt to college life...I had a huge inferiority complex...etc. It clearly wasn't what I needed to be doing at the time...but I learned a lot from the 2 years I was in the program. I think I've come to realize that I was so immature and unsure of myself that I pretty much set myself up to fail. I look back and see that I never really gave myself the chance. But that was where I was at that point in my life...nothing will change that. I have matured and grown since then. I've realized that there are certain things in my life that I do have control over and that I am just as talented as anybody else that was in that program...I just needed to dig deep and work hard for it, instead of giving up before even trying. I've also realized that I don't think I would've been happy as a music teacher in a public school system. I enjoy teaching and working with kids...but I think I'd rather be a studio teacher than a band teacher.
So maybe going back to school to finish my music degree is a viable option...though I think I'd probably go someplace else other than SDSU...and I'd probably pursue another aspect, such as Music Industry or Therapy or something else. It certainly sounds better than all of the other things I've thought about going back to school for. We'll see...
As of my last post, I was trying to stick to a few knitting projects to whittle away at my heaping pile of yarn and things to do...
That really hasn't worked out as planned. While I have been making progress on my Hufflepuff scarf...I've still been jumping around...not really sticking with one project for very long. That's okay though...I hear it's good to vary techniques and needle sizes...supposedly it's better for your hands. I do need to get crackin' on my dad's socks...they were supposed to be a father's day gift for him (oops).
I'm still working on projects that I need to finish though...one of these days I might actually get one done!
I did start a new one...a shawl for the hospital shawl program. That I think is justified as it's something for a good cause (and it gave me an excuse to buy a new pair of circular needles).
:) I'm about half way through as of now...it's knitting up very quickly. (I'll post images of it soon).
In other news...I figured out how my drop spindle works. That's probably the main reason why I haven't been progressing very far on my knitting projects. I was able to procure about 3lbs of wool roving and have been spinning a lot ever since.
I'm saving up for a wheel right now but I've discovered that I really like the drop spindle. Maybe I don't really need a wheel...though I've heard wonderful things about them.
I guess there's a fiber festival in Watertown towards the end of Sept. Maybe I'll see if I can try a wheel out there...hopefully that will help determine whether or not I should invest in one.
In the meantime...I'm doing the best I can to spin what I have and hopefully I'll make something out of it at some point soon!
That's about all for now...I think I'm going to crawl back into bed and see if I can get a little morning nap in.
Chao!
I rediscovered my flute the other day. I hadn't played it in a few weeks...mostly due to the drive-in being open and there not being enough hours in the day to balance work, house work, family work and drive-in work. It was a blessing though...I got a phone call from a student that needed a solo for music camp on very short notice and was wondering if I had anything for her. It was like a fire had been lit inside me. I hadn't taught a lesson in a very long time...much less had a good reason to get out my flute and play...other than just to play. I suddenly had an excuse to dig through my repertoire and come up with something on her level (which was a bit challenging since most of the stuff I have is advanced high school/college level material). I picked out 3 pieces that I thought she could handle and compiled a cd for her with examples of each piece (to help her learn them more quickly...whichever one she choose) and offered to give her a lesson before she left. Though it took some time out of my day and it was something I wasn't getting paid for...I really enjoyed it. The next day we had a lesson and though the stuff I had found was a little too advanced for her, I was able to find something in her method book that was perfect. In short...it was fun...a lot of fun. It sort of made me regret quitting my music major.
I think a lot about when I was a music major. I struggled a lot. I was very far behind on my instrument...I struggled to adapt to college life...I had a huge inferiority complex...etc. It clearly wasn't what I needed to be doing at the time...but I learned a lot from the 2 years I was in the program. I think I've come to realize that I was so immature and unsure of myself that I pretty much set myself up to fail. I look back and see that I never really gave myself the chance. But that was where I was at that point in my life...nothing will change that. I have matured and grown since then. I've realized that there are certain things in my life that I do have control over and that I am just as talented as anybody else that was in that program...I just needed to dig deep and work hard for it, instead of giving up before even trying. I've also realized that I don't think I would've been happy as a music teacher in a public school system. I enjoy teaching and working with kids...but I think I'd rather be a studio teacher than a band teacher.
So maybe going back to school to finish my music degree is a viable option...though I think I'd probably go someplace else other than SDSU...and I'd probably pursue another aspect, such as Music Industry or Therapy or something else. It certainly sounds better than all of the other things I've thought about going back to school for. We'll see...
As of my last post, I was trying to stick to a few knitting projects to whittle away at my heaping pile of yarn and things to do...
That really hasn't worked out as planned. While I have been making progress on my Hufflepuff scarf...I've still been jumping around...not really sticking with one project for very long. That's okay though...I hear it's good to vary techniques and needle sizes...supposedly it's better for your hands. I do need to get crackin' on my dad's socks...they were supposed to be a father's day gift for him (oops).
I'm still working on projects that I need to finish though...one of these days I might actually get one done!
I did start a new one...a shawl for the hospital shawl program. That I think is justified as it's something for a good cause (and it gave me an excuse to buy a new pair of circular needles).
:) I'm about half way through as of now...it's knitting up very quickly. (I'll post images of it soon).
In other news...I figured out how my drop spindle works. That's probably the main reason why I haven't been progressing very far on my knitting projects. I was able to procure about 3lbs of wool roving and have been spinning a lot ever since.
I'm saving up for a wheel right now but I've discovered that I really like the drop spindle. Maybe I don't really need a wheel...though I've heard wonderful things about them.
I guess there's a fiber festival in Watertown towards the end of Sept. Maybe I'll see if I can try a wheel out there...hopefully that will help determine whether or not I should invest in one.
In the meantime...I'm doing the best I can to spin what I have and hopefully I'll make something out of it at some point soon!
That's about all for now...I think I'm going to crawl back into bed and see if I can get a little morning nap in.
Chao!
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