SloKnit

2010-01-02T13:48:00.001-08:00

Hi Blog,

I know I haven't been around much for a long time, but if you're on facebook and want to check in ... you can find me there.

Slowly, D

I’m Baaaack

2009-06-09T07:52:00.001-07:00

HI All,

I know it's been a long time since I posted but I figure it's about time. I've been busy since my last post. I've knit a few doilies, ridden my bike, learned to spin a bit of yarn on my spinning wheel, and added new responsibilities at work. It all added up so that I just didn't find time to blog.

Recently HH had a crash on his bike and I felt so bad for him that I felt guilty about getting on my bike so I didn't ride for around 6 or 8 weeks. He's getting better and yesterday he went to the Foot Dr. and got the okay to start riding. (Yahoo!)

When I looked at the blog recently I realized that I didn't get off my bottom, I wouldn't reach my goal of doing a century this year. So to that end I decided to join Team in Training (TnT). TnT is a really neat organization, in that they train you to do an endurance event in exchange for your raising funds for the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

My event will be the Tour De Poway on October 4^th, 2009.

I did my first team workout last Saturday and I had a lot of fun. We met in Mission Bay and rode around Fiesta Island learning about pacelines and getting to know one another. We did 17 miles and I was thrilled.

I'll get more details up soon but if you'd like to help me meet my Goal of raising $1800 please go to my fundraising page. Remember that everything you donate is tax deductible.

Go Slowly,

He spoils me

2009-01-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that HH spoils me? He's a doll and most of the time I don't think I deserve him.

He gave me a bee-yoo-tee-full bicycle last September and we did a spinning class together. It was great fun , but I didn't ride during the holidays when I went on vacation to see Dad, and then let life get in the way of exercise. Well, I just started another spin class and I'm really having fun. Hopefully this can take the place of running since I don't think I'll be able to run marathon distances anymore.

I'm considering doing some long rides this year. I know for sure that I want to do a metric century (100 km or 66 miles), and I'm considering doing a regular century (100 miles in 1 day). I don't know what draws me to these endurance events, maybe since I know I'll never be fast I might as well be out there longer than most everyone else? We'll see.

If you see someone out riding and they have a knitting bag with them, It's probably me!

Slowly (on wheels)
d

Updates and new projects ...

2009-01-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Time for an update. Back in December I let you know what I've been working on and I've decided that it's time to let you know how things are going.

I finished my philosophy paper, my professor accepted it and gave me an "A" for the course. He was really very generous since I don't think that I produced good work. I hate feeling like I slid by just because I stuck it out and turned something in. I'm grateful for the grade, but I should have done better.

I finished up the pi shawl with a crochet chain bind-off. Now I just need to find the time to block it. I think it will finish up about 3' in diameter.

I only made one of the Ysolda mitts. It's an ingenious pattern, and the hand portion fit really well, but the wrist portion was too tight. I'll try it again, but I'm going to noodle the pattern a little to get it to fit me a little better.

I'm still working on the gansey. I've separated the front from the back and I've decided not to put in gussets because I'm afraid that it would just be too much fabric in a sweater that is already on the thick side since it's being made from worsted weight yarn.

I do have a new project on the needles. I've cast on for Brooklyntweeds Hemlock Ring Blanket. I'm using some Jamieson New England 2 ply wool on size 6 Addis.

I'm also starting a basic pair of toe-up socks. A dear friend of mine brought some lovely sock yarn from Germany. It came in a single 100 gram skein and I've had trouble getting 2 matching socks from a single skein recently, so I decided to try an experiment. I borrowed my HH's digital scale and divided the yarn into 2 (hopefully) equal balls. We'll see how this works out.

Slowly,
d

2009-01-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

This is my "small" spinning wheel. I recently did some research and couln't find out much about it.

I found it for sale on Craigslist. The seller had no information and had used it only for decoration for over 20 years. It was a real steal and only cost $40 (US). I almost feel guilty because whether or not it works, it's a really pretty piece.

I think it's an old (early?) Kromski Mazurka. It's a double drive and only has one ratio. I'm hoping to learn more about it since I don't know where to get parts or how to set up the double drive.

I found another lady on Ravelry that has a similar wheel so I'm going to contact her. Maybe we can compare notes.

Slowly, d

I'm here ....

2008-12-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've been really busy at work lately, but I'll have a post for you soon!

Slowly, d

Wise, very, very, wise

2008-12-14T09:11:00.000-08:00

I was working on my PI and surfing a little and I spotted this quote.

"Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance."
- John Petit-Senn

I like.

Slowly, d

I'm a baaad poster ....

2008-12-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been over a month since I posted. I keep thinking of subjects to write about then (obviously) I don't. Maybe I'll end up posting pithy little ditties or really short "one liners" or quotations... I'll think about that.

Now what have I been working on ...

I'm finishing up a paper for my philosophy class about what we've lost since feminism started gaining strength. I really think that we've lost a lot of respect for peoples individuality, for men in general, and for any opinion that opposes our own. I'll post it once it's done and graded.

I cast on for a PI shawl by Elizabeth Zimmerman on Thanksgiving Day and I'm working on the last 2 dozen rows before I add an edging. I'm using 3mm needles and some crochet cotton I found among my Mom's abandoned projects in her sewing room.

I'm about to graft the seam on 1/2 of a pair of garter stitch mitts by Ysolda Teague. I'm using some mystery worsted weight stuff that's so ugly I didn't even have it with my "good" stash yarn and #8 KP options needles.

I'm also working on a Gansey sweater I designed myself for MrHandsome. I'm using some burgundy Patons Decore because I wanted something machine washable in prder that he might be encouraged to wear it. He's the sort who buys something nice and then refuses to use or wear it because it's "too nice".

then I have those WIP's that I haven't picked up in a while but don't want to frog just yet. (you know the ones,I'm sure any crafter has little projects that may take an eternity to complete, but will never be entirely abandoned)

Now what do I want to knit next? lace? a Hurry up sweater? a little baby something? Hmmm, so many projects ...

I think I'll be better off doing some housework or laundry (yuck). Maybe an audio book will make it more palatable .... hmmm

Slowly, d

First Posts

2008-11-11T08:21:00.000-08:00

What does one say in their first blog post? Do I tell you who I am and what I want to do? Do I set goals and expectations for myself? I hate to do that because if somehow I don’t meet the expectations I place on myself, then I’m unlikely to keep using the blog. I do want this to be fun and I want to be able to post about anything that strikes my fancy. So I guess that is my goal, I want to have fun and maybe bring you along for the ride.

Why SloKnit? I love knitting, but I wouldn’t say it’s my only passion. There are so many things I love, that sometimes knitting gets pushed aside for a little while, I may get caught up in cooking, or a good book, I might (basket) weave for awhile, I could go for a bike ride, or I might even try to get some housework done (yeah, uh, right). If something else gets my attention I might not knit for a while, but I always come back to the needles and yarn. Projects might take a while to get done, or they might not get done at all, but for me the process is almost always more fun than the product. The end result of all of this is that I “knit slow”.

Slowly, d