Circular Logic

It’s a beautiful, sunny, and warm day (finally) here in South Mississippi and The Husband and I are still thinking about how to spend it.  As we’ve come to no particular decision, I thought I’d write a few lines here since it’s been a few days.  This was a much better option than going out and cleaning up the yard—our five little dachshunds leave a rather large ecological footprint.  TMI?  Sorry, but this is my reality…

I have managed to complete a hat that I was going to send to my MIL, but it came out too large around the ribbing, so I think I’ll have to try again.  The rest of the hat is very cute:

Sorry Mom2, I ruined the surprise, didn't I?

The slouchiness came out exactly as I wanted it, so I think I just need to adjust the number of stitches I cast on and I’ll probably use a size or two smaller needle than before.  The pattern is a freebie, the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson.  The pattern calls for Aran weight yarn, but I used a super bulky (Katia Peru) and I thought I’d adjusted my needle size appropriately but I’ll have to have another go at it.  I like the pattern and it’s helping me work on my cabling (which needs a lot of work if I’m ever going to be able to knit myself an I Heart Cardigans by Tanis Lavallee—which I simply MUST do).

Since I’m on a hat kick recently, I decided it was time to invest in a few 16” circulars (I had none) so I ordered a few sizes I thought I’d use a lot from KnitPicks.  I’ve used their fixed circulars before and they are a perfectly adequate and affordable option for fixed circulars.  

My, aren't my pictures bland today...

I knew before ordering that the needle tips would be shorter than what I’m used to, but was really unprepared for how different it would feel to actually knit with them.  I’m getting used to it, but I am SO glad that when I ordered my Addi lace interchangeable set, I opted for the longer needles rather than the original short ones.  I have a way of gripping the right needle with my entire hand and I’m used to feeling the tip with the edge of my hand and not the cable.  It kinda throws my knitting mojo off.  

I have a couple of other things on the needles right now that I can’t quite share with you, but will be posting about them soon.

On another note, my mom had been here with us since Christmas but yesterday we drove her to the airport for her trip back to Ohio.  I miss her already but haven’t quite convinced her to move down here (yet).  While on our way to the airport in New Orleans, I sustained some damage to my vehicle when some cars in the next lane kicked up debris that LDOT hadn’t picked up.  

A very special thank you to LDOT

This is the second time I’ve had more than minor damage to my vehicle on Louisiana highways from debris.  The first time it was a cracked windshield that had to be completely replaced.  This time, I have a cracked headlight and some major scuffing on the front of the car.  To say I am not happy would be an understatement.  >:-/  I’m hoping most of the scuffs rub out but I know the headlight is going to cost me.  

Well, The Husband just bribed me away from my computer by offering me a trip to the sushi restaurant.  We haven’t been in ages, so I’m off.

Happy Sunday!
Lisa

Corrie

Several months ago, my best friend, Taryn, moved over a 1,000 miles away and in spite of my most earnest pleadings, she refused to leave her baby girl here with me, can you believe it??  I don’t have any grandchildren yet so this sweet little child was filling in quite nicely and I really enjoyed kisses, hugs, and making a few knitted items for her before she was whisked off to California by her parents.  After they left, I wanted to continue to knit for her, and after an initial attempt in which I realized that the sweater I was making for her would fit for all of a day and a half, I started over and this is the result:

The pattern is Corrie by Sarah Ronchetti.  I love Sarah’s designs - her Basketweave Rib Socks are some of my favorites and I can’t wait to try her Scout Base Socks soon.  I purchased the buttons on Etsy from Moon Garden Stitches - aren’t they adorable?  Yarn used was Sublime Extra Fine Merino DK from my stash.

Anyway, Corrie came out really well and I’ll be shipping it off soon to my adopted granddaughter, whose name just happens to be Corinth (Corrie for short - how appropriate) and who just turned a year old a few days ago.  I’ll have to rely on her mommy to give her several big hugs and smooches from me.  

What’s on your needles right now?

Lisa 

My Conversion

The world is full of conversion stories.  Some dramatic and unimaginable.  Others subtle and unimpressive.  But my conversion, it’s nothing short of miraculous.  It happened so quickly - I hardly know how to say it except to just say it quickly:

I’ve been converted from a PC to a Mac.

There, I said it.

It all started several months ago when my trusty Dell laptop began to be not-so-trusty.  The browser began to freeze up.  Programs would die right in the middle of something I’d spent a lot of time on.  Not to mention the fact that on startup, I could pretty much cast on for an adult sweater and complete the ribbing by the time the thing was actually completely booted up and ready to use.  It was annoying, to say the least (and when have you ever known me to “say the least”?).  The problems were not the result of a virus or malware.  The poor thing is just getting old.  I know how it feels.

The Husband has been a Mac person forEVER, it seems, and he has harassed me with every Windows-based problem I’d encountered for years.  I always thought “Apple people” were elitists who were brainwashed into buying something simply because they thought it was cool, not because it was actually any better.  I had taken to calling them “Job-ites”.  Reinforcing this idea was the fact that with each new iPhone The Husband upgraded to, the changes seemed, well…non-existent.  I still hold this notion about the iPhone. The Hubs just got a 5s and all I see is Apple tossing a crumb to the masses with micro-changes that don’t amount to much.  My Motorola Droid Maxx dwarfs the iPhone in screen size while pretty much doing the same things (If you’re a true Job-ite, right now you’re saying, “No, it doesn’t.”  Yeah, whatever dude…it sure does.)

So why the sudden openness to the Apple world?  I blame my iPad.  Over a year ago, The Husband bought me an iPad and I haven’t gone a single day without using it since.  Who knew how subtly this small device would work on my technological affections?  Aside from a few small frustrations with web pages that wouldn’t display correctly (and the ever-annoying lack of a Flash player), the tablet has been wonderful.  And hello…the iPad is the only platform on which to get Knit Companion at this point (although the developers are making a drive to raise funds to do KC on the Android platform which would’t make me mad at all since I’m still running my Android phone—if you want to help, go here).  I'd be lost without my KC.  Seriously.

Honestly, I think The Husband bought me the iPad with the end view of bringing me over to the dark side, the sneaky rat. 

And so, I present to you my very first blog post completely composed, edited, and published using my brand new iMac.  It is lovely so far and while the jury is still out on how lovely since I have to get used to some things, so far, I like what I see.  Plus, the screen is ginormous which gives these aging eyes a break.

So what are you?  A Mac or a PC?

Lisa