mini random vent.

mini random vent.i have to vent a little bit. keep in mind that this has been a bit of a crazy week, and normally, i hope i wouldn't be so sensitive about this. but this week, i have had so many people share variations of the following, "how are you and joe doing? i'm sorry, i haven't checked your blog in weeks." some of these people told me this in person...the same people who said the same thing to me several weeks ago. some of these people told me over email...uh, couldn't you have spared a minute to check the blog before you emailed? now i don't expect everyone to read our blog (i'm of course talking about the REAL blog, not this one. i don't care if nobody reads this one, because i realize i just post all kinds of nonsense here...). some people are truly super busy. some people are truly computer illiterate. some people don't have regular internet connection. some people don't feel all that close to us, and therefore we don't register in their daily thoughts. i understand that. and i understand that people are not supposed to think about joe every waking moment like i do. and i understand that the fact that people are asking at all shows that they care. and i understand that any inkling of love and support we receive is an incredible blessing because we're not entitled to any of it. but at the same time, i just think...if people really cared as much as they claim to care, wouldn't they try to check up more regularly? i have learned to pick out the polite people from the caring people. polite people almost always get the answer, "oh fine, thank you for asking" when they ask about joe. the others get a more honest answer. that is my vent for today. and that is all it is. just a vent. i'm not actually mad at anyone. really.

Soleil

I'm currently working on Soleil from Knitty.com. I'm really excited and really nervous at the same time. I decided that I have made enough scarves and hats...although, I do love making hats, and I'm getting quite intrigued by "fancier"scarves. Still, I thought it was about time that I jump in and create my first "real" article of clothing. Woohooooo! I chose Soleil because it has no sleeves...it is knit in the round...and the suggested yarn is pretty yarn that works within my self-created budget. I was a very good girl and I created a couple of gauge swatches. This is so that my sweater does not end up too tiny or too big. (when that happens with hats, i can just find a different head for the hat...) I'm still not entirely convinced that the top will come out the right size, but every good knitter must start somewhere. If it works...Joe's mom will be the lucky recipient. Yes, she is like the most perfect lady in the world, and so I must be out of my mind to think that I can knit a top for her. But if it DOES work, even if she hates it and will not ever wear it, she will be so impressed, since she does not know how to knit, and I will get bonus daugther-in-law points. (that was a really long sentence) Oooooooh! If it does NOT work, then I have decided I will frame my creation, because I will still be so proud that I created something that is not a hat or a scarf.
I am almost finished with the lace part at the bottom. I must confess that I'm pretty amazed by myself. Hahaha. I promise I'm not trying to brag. It's just that after a few months of knitting, I really don't think I will ever NOT be amazed by the fact that a pile of yarn can turn into MATERIAL. It is seriously magical. The whole magical process has kept me calm and sane through many hours of waiting in the hospital, and many moments of not receiving the news that we wanted to hear. I'm not even kidding. I think that knitting (& crocheting) ranks right up there with music as being extremely therapeutic. *sigh* Yes, I'm in love with knitting...
I have another confession though. I'm really quite nervous about the day that I pull out my knitting and find that I'm sitting next to a "real" knitter. Although I'm tickled pink with my creations and my techniques, I'm quite certain that I do a million things wrong. Oh well. In music therapy, it's all about the process and not the product. Meaning the goal is not to be a musical genius and create amazingly beautiful music (although, it's a bonus when that happens.) I figure the same goes with knitting. As long as I'm having a blast that's all that matters.
Geez, who knew that I could become so long-winded about yarn? Actually...Joe probably knows.

And here we have my latest creations...

A hat for my brother. It is HUGE...because with little things I am bad and don't bother with gauge. But miraculously it fits my brother's head quite well. So then, I guess I can confess that it was originally for Joe. :)

Hat and blanket for my friend's new baby boy. I crocheted the blanket and knit the hat. I used sugar'n' cream cotton...which in retrospect I should have chosen something nicer and softer...but being budget concious makes your brain different. It got much softer after a washing though.

A purse for big sister of new baby boy.

And another hat and blanket for another new baby boy.