I missed knitting

It's like I'm simultaneously living two lives. One in 2010, and one in 2009. The me of exactly one year ago is at her first day of orientation in Paris. The me of exactly one liturgical year ago will be going to Mass on campus tomorrow and then getting to explain to all the non-catholic students at "Catholic University" what carême is.

The Knitting Olympics have started! I'm absolutely in love with my project. The 100% superwash merino wool, the bamboo double-point needles. It's a dream to work with. And, though the colors are deliberately jarring, they are just so cheerful that I can't help but be so happy when knitting this hat! Even stockinette in the round isn't boring.

"What hat?" you ask? "Knitting Olympics?" you question me with a disdainfully bemused expression? Yeah! I'm making myself Jayne's Pretty Cunning Hat! It's pretty universally awesome.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch firefly here or here before asking. You won't be sorry you did. The hat makes its debut in "The Message".

I'm taking a picture of my progress every day and posting it on ravelry and Picasa. Check it out!

Red, Yellow, and Orange. And Allspice.

I went to a time management talk last night, and I won a set of multicolored permanent markers in a raffle. I then proceeded to go back up to my room, where I spent fifteen minutes of valuable homework time proofreading the pack of the marker package:

Unfortunately, the "Rambunctious Red" marker was too big to use, so I had to use a normal red pen. (Thanks, Emily!)

And my yarn came in today for my knitting Olympics project. I'm making a Jayne hat! If you don't know what I'm talking about... I'm sorry for you. Go watch Firefly. Now.

I got some bamboo needles, something I've been wanting to try for a while now. I tried them out today when I made the swatch to test my gauge. They're so great. I love how they feel with the wool, and they just slide beautifully. I can't wait to get started! I'm not allowed to cast on until the opening ceremonies begin at 9:00 pm Friday.

I was so glad to be able to find almost the exact colors I needed for the hat. The thing is though, that I would feel sorry for anyone who received a project made with "Allspice" in anything other than an ironic manner. It's the exact shade of the carpet in Nana's old house. Knitpicks wasn't around in the 70s though, so I don't know where that die came from. In any case, I am grateful it's there though, because I'm gonna make me one pretty cunning hat!

Christmas Cards

Did I mention these in an earlier post? I feel like I must have, because they took up a significant portion of my Christmas break. Well, I think I made 16 cards total, though there were still a few I wanted to get to, so, sorry if you didn't get a card from me. There's always next year, right?

Anyway, I took some photos of some of the cards before I sent them out, and I've just put them online. You can see the collection here. They're not all there because a lot of them had very similar designs. Take a look. Enjoy. Lament that you know my parents. ('cause these only went out to people who didn't get the family card)

Cheers!

Cross Stitch Bag

My mom sent me a package!

It included the cable for my camera, so now I have access to the photos I take.

It also had the bag that I started working on in August 2008. I thought I had mentioned it, but I can't find it anywhere on my blog.

Anyway. It's a cross stitch bag to hold my bible, etc. when going to the chapel.

I had a lot of fun doing the needlework, and I finished that part just after Easter this year.

I was going to sew it into a bag this summer, but I wasn't able to get around to it.

It's all right though, because my mother did a much better job than I ever would have.

Here's the picture!