Some Days

I have seriously been off my rocker this week. I've been going from work to home typing the same genre of papers (library assessment and accreditation reports) all day, everyday and my brain feels just like this.

So, since I couldn't stand a weekend night of this sameness, I defiantly ignored my pressing school deadlines and sewed instead. And, I plan to do the same thing tonight! Here's a sneak peak at what I'm making. Come back next week when I'll debut the finished items and when my brain is less crowded.

Blue Scrappy

What do you do when one of your bestest friends turns the big 30 and moves into a new apartment at the same time? What could be a gift that encapsulates both a birthday and housewarming? Why a quilt of course!

This has been delivered (and she usually doesn't read this blog anyway), so here are a couple pics. Boy, was it hard not to keep this quilt 'cause goodness knows I could always use yet another lap quilt. The great beauty of this little quilt (besides the gorgeous fabrics) is that there is no batting. I simply made the quilt top and cut a larger piece of upholstery fabric for the backing and fold-over binding. I suppose that would make the quilt more of a small coverlet. In any case, my gal pal really seemed to like it and since she and I always hang out, I'll get to see this quilt often. Is that the true benefit of making crafts for others? That you can see everyone around you carrying and using something you made?





Also, as for the inspiration, I found this design somewhere on the web, but I really can't trace my steps.

Librarian

I don't think I'm this kind of librarian but some days I do wish we had compact shelving.

I've Arrived!

I did it dear readers. I made it onto a professional website that isn't run by one of my family members. Go check it out!

http://hometech.apartmenttherapy.com/

Sorry for the quick post, but I'm running out of the office as I write.

Love ya'll!

Erica

Fabric Art

France fabric art
Originally uploaded by bookwormadventures.

Many moons ago, as I was rambling through the internet goodness, I stumbled upon these creative gals who were making the cutest little quilts. I'd never seen or hear of such things but I instantly needed to make one. So, I created this little quilt to remind me of my trip to Paris last year. It's mostly hand sewn/embroidered and now sits right above my desk at home. Dont'ca just love that Eiffle Tower ribbon?

Corners of my *New* Home

So, I've lived in my new apartment for a couple of months now and finally have parts of it organized enough to share with family and friends. Enjoy these shots and head on over to my flickr account to see more.

My living room


My home office and sewing area

My Inner Geek

Warning: No knitting or crafting content. If that's your need, just move along now.

So, I'll admit it: I'm a techie, a geek, a gadget gal. I find these, these, and these type of comics really funny. (It's all right. Go read them. Just come back when you're finished.)

I also really enjoy trying to use technology to make my life easier, more fun, and/or more organized. Case in point: I have of late noticed that I really needed to get a handle on the piles and piles of papers and junk in my offices at home and at work. I acknowledged many years ago that I am a piler, but my piles were starting to threaten to topple on me and that's just not good. So, I resolved to "Be More Organized." Now, it wouldn't just do to throw away the current junk and file the rest because ya'll know what'll happen as soon as the mail is delivered tomorrow. No, what I needed was an easy-to-remember and flexible-and-yet-strict method for organizing my emails, slips of paper, crafts, and research in such a way that I would actually make progress on all my projects and not look so messy.

My Constraints
1. At work, everyone uses Outlook for emails, meetings, tasks, etc. so whatever parts of my solution involve emails or meetings would have to integrate fully and easily with Outlook. No way no how was I going to use a paper-based planner and then type the information into Outlook.

2. My to-do lists need to be accessible wherever I am at all times. This could be in any format (paper or electronic) but no way was I carrying yet another gadget or binder only for to-do lists. This gave me the the following items as possibilities since they are always carry with me: cell phone (basic phone, no email capabilities, but I do have text messaging), iPod, small design notebook.

3. My system had to be so easy and quick that it would be easier to follow the system than to create the piles.

My Solution
*Now, this may not work for others, but after a couple of weeks, I still have no piles on my desk and my email inbox is empty almost every day.*

1. For my to-do list, I set up a free account over at http://www.rememberthemilk.com. It's web-based and thus available from home and work. But, the best thing is that it will send a text message to my cell phone with reminders when tasks are due and/or a daily overall task list! This means that if I entered a task to drop off the drycleaning and set the due time for 7:30am, I'll get a text message before I leave the house for work when I have time to grab the clothes. Cool, huh!

2. I then set up a free account with imified. As much as the above task list thingy was cool, I needed a way to edit that list when I am away from the internet. If I'm out on the town and remember that I have a report that needs to be typed that night, I need that on the todo list now. Imified lets me use my cell phone's Mobile IM account (I set this up eons ago and it onlys uses my text message allotments) to add or delete tasks from RememberTheMilk. So, when I drop off the drycleaning, I can check that off the list. Yeah, I know! Cool!

Those two solutions work anywhere and let me revel in my uber geekiness but they are only part of my master plan.

3. I gleaned ideas from the book people over at Lifehacker have been ogling over, Getting Things Done, for dealing with my email and electronic "piles" of stuff. Email first. I went through my entire email inbox and dealt with all emails. Ones that I could take care of in under 1-2 minutes, I forced myself to do so. The others, I filed in one of 4 categories: Action, Read/Review, Reference, Someday/Maybe. The action emails are the most critical and I set reminders to deal with them when I need to. The Read/Review require some form of research before I can make the decision, but I also put electronic reminders on those. The Reference folder include emails that I need for their information but they don't require any action on my part (ex., emails with usage statistics for my library). Lastly, the someday/maybe file includes leisure reading that I may or may not ever get around to looking at. If something languishes in that pile, so be it.

Still with me?

Now that everything in my email inbox is categorized, I can start attacking that Action list. I'm still tweaking the system, but each morning, I restrict myself to first completing items at the top of the action list (the ones with the more recent due dates). The hardest thing so far is forging past my well-honed skills of procrastination and laziness. There was a reason I was ignoring certain tasks in the past; signing budget requests just isn't as fun as compiling statistics.* But, I'm training myself in this new habit. And, boy howdy does it feel good to have a clean desk and a clean email inbox!

I'll post updates once in a while on how this new habit-building project is progressing. And, when I finish organizing my new home, I'll post all the cute pictures of my office/craft studio area.

Lastly, can I just say how cool it was that John Holmes included library science as a web design/technology field of study in the A List Apart Web Design Survey? Go take it. I did.


*I know, I know. I like statistics. I know that I'm weird.

On how knitting is like engineering

The Mission:
To use the basic construction and shaping of the Rowena cardigan to create the perfect vintage-y cardigan.

The Inspiration:

Rowena Cardigan from Knit2Together.

For sleeve ideas

The Goals:
To create a unique vintage-style cardigan;
To build upon knitting techniques learned in last project;
To learn new and exciting knitting techniques;
To learn how to adapt a knitting pattern to meet my needs.

The Strategy:
Shorten the sleeves to just barely below the elbow;
Change the ruffles on the sleeve to a lighter more fluttery style;
Convert the pattern from knitting flat to circular knitting (or Knitting in the Round) to eliminate side seams;
To use steeks to create the cardigan to completely eliminate having to do so much purling.
To contemplate creating a different neckline that is less wide;
To contemplate attaching the sleeves differently instead of the step bind-off technique in the pattern


The Yarn:



Is this mission impossible? Or could this just be the best way to move knitting from the School of Home Economics into the School of Engineering with Yarn? I feel myself turning into a scientist. :)

Oh, and check back once in a while to see if this mission succeeds.

Fini!

The Hourglass sweater is finished!!!

I've already been wearing this practically non-stop and it officially passes the wear-in-public test. I even had to convince my friends that I did indeed make this and that it wasn't store-bought.

So, without further ado, here are a few pics of the beauty:





Source: The Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (with errata).

Yarn: Cestari silk blend (67% cotton, 25% wool, 8% silk) in the Sea Shell color). I used just over 4 skeins

Mods: Increased the arms and body by an inch or so just 'cause. Added about 1-2 inches in the yoke to make a smaller neck opening.

Overall impressions: I love this sweater! The techniques were perfect for a first sweater and the fit is flattering enough to wear out in public. I got many compliments on the wide neckline; even by people who didn't know I made the sweater. If I wasn't such a slow knitter, I'd make many more of these.

Look Ma, no hands! or Head. or neck.

So, check out the progress I've made on this here Hourglass Sweater! Both sleeves are attached and I'm making my way up the yoke. I'm amazed at how much I'm learning about garment construction during this project. Though I already knew a bit from sewing several outfits in the past, this new process of knitting fabric that'll then become the sweater gives me plenty of time to analyze the construction of the garment.


This next shot is completely unrelated to knitting, but I was testing out my fancy new lightbox ala Splityarn and these giraffe wandered over and asked for me to take their portraits. They look so sweet don't they? But, I'd watch out for the guy in back with the glint in his eye.

And the last shall be first

They say that in order to keep the attention of fickle readers a writer should lead with the most important or interesting part of the story. So, for those readers I haven't already lost, I present to you my weekend ... backwards.

9:30pm Sunday: I finished this little art quilt.


I don't know about ya'll, but all throughout my life, whenever I find myself doodling in the margins of a notebook or on scrap paper, I frequently notice that I either have sketched a boat on the ocean or a bunch of rolling hills. So, I had this idea to finally preserve in fabric one of those doodles. All of the fabric here came from the scrap basket and I just cut and sewed blue, purple and green fabrics until it felt ocean-y enough. This little fella measures about 8"x10" and will soon hang above my home desk.




7:00pm Sunday: I sewed up curtains for my bedroom.



Anyone who's read my past posts will surly remember that I recently moved into a cute upstairs apartment with window seats in the bedroom. I do have mini blinds, but really, how attractive are those? What I needed were some adorable linen cafe curtains to block out any possible Peeping Toms but keep in the tree views. These linen curtains do just that. And, they included the kind of flowering garden that I don't even have to water. Mark down this project as a total success!


Oh, if Lisa and Chip ever read this, yep, this is that orange velvet chair you gave me. I'm taking that thing with me everywhere I move. Don't ya all just love that bright color?

And for Mom: Yep, these colors are very bright. Yes, I think I can still fall asleep knowing that bright oranges and reds are only a foot away. :)

5:00pm, Sunday: Finished new ironing board cover.

If ya'll had ever seen my old ironing board cover, you'd recoil in horror over the discolored and dirty fabric. So, using the wonderful tutorial over on The Purl Bee, I repurposed an old twin bedsheet that I wasn't using anymore. Voila! (sorry no pics. Use your imagination here).

8:00pm, Saturday: Ate Mexican Mix-Up on this dining table for the first time in several years!



Several years ago, this dining table was stripped of its dining duties and assigned double-duty as a computer desk and sewing table. Well, I finally created a new computer desk (pics to come some other day), so I was able to confer back upon this table the sophisticated task of serving as a dining table (and sewing table on occasion). It appears to like this new assignment, no?

Every other waking moment:
I made great progress on the Hourglass Sweater. At about midnight on Saturday, I attached the first sleeve to the sweater's body and started knitting the second sleeve. I expect to be done with that this week. Add another week or two for the yoke and neck. So, barring any serious frogging, I hope to be done in a couple of weeks!!!

Amber waves of grain

So I woke up so excited today and went to work still excited and then went home even more excited. Why? The local knitters guild was having a "social knitting" event at the local Starbucks and I wanted to go! Even more, I decided to be oh so hip and ride all the way over to that far part of town on my scooter. Well, I am here to report than knitting in public with other people is soo much more fun that knitting at home. Go knitters!

In other news, the hourglass sweater you've been reading about so much lately is now... 11 inches tall! What? How can that be? Yes I have proof. Untampered photographic evidence.

Photo 1 - Can you believe I actually have that much patience to knit 11 full inches of stockinette?


Photo 2 - Look at that stitch definition will ya? What evenness of stiches. What color depth. You can almost feel those stitches.

Okay, okay. Back off now. This is my sweater.

I'm home!

Well, it's late and I already lost an hour this morning, so this post will be brief. After lugging oodles of boxes upstairs Friday, Saturday, and today, I am finally moved in to my new apartment! For the next week or so I've decided to decorate with cardboard boxes, but I may change my mind if I can find where everything is. So, since my fingers are barely working, I gotta go veg out for a while.

See ya'll in the morning.

On having a cold

The older I've gotten the more of a wimp I've become when I get sick. After my wonderful vacation with my sister last week, I now have a cold. I have made progress on that Hourglass sweater (I frogged the twisted parts, started/finished the first sleeve, and recast the main body) but my brain won't function enough to take a proper picture, so I'll just leave you with this recent shot out my front window.


I'll be back in a few days with a proper post.

Queen of Sheeba

This post was meant for Valentine's day (or week), but late as it is, I still thought it worthwhile to post.

Astute observers of this blog will notice that my blogger profile lists one of my favorite films as The Long Hot Summer. Besides being an opportunity to watch Paul Newman, it's a little movie with lots of fodder for great quotes. Other astute observers of this blog will remember that I absolutely enjoy spouting off movie quotes in normal conversations even though I never have enough opportunities.

So, that leads to this quote. In the movie Paul Newman/Ben Quick has been pursuing Joanne Woodward/Clare Varner. This is her response.

"Mr. Quick, I am a human being. Do you know what that means? It means I set a price on myself, a high high price. You may be surprised to know it, but I've got quite a lot to give. I've got things I have been saving up my whole life, things like love and understanding and, and jokes and good times and good cooking. I'm prepared to be the queen of Sheba for some lucky man, or at the very least the best wife that any man could hope for. Now that's my human history, and it's not gonna be bought and sold, and it's certainly not gonna be given away to any passing stranger."

I don't know if ya'll think I'm being sappy or naive, but I've like to think that I can identify with that quote (especially the first half).

Anyhoo, gotta get away from sappy topics and back to textile-related convos.

All I have to show today is my latest little WIP. I need a small wallet to organize gift cards, library cards, credit cards, etc. and being the DIY-er, I thought I'd make one.

Introducing the book

In keeping with the book part of the Bookworm Adventures, I offer this video. Oh my, how hard it is to learn how to use new technologies. So, enjoy and remember that times weren't so easy back in the "good ol' days."

*Edited to fix the link to the movie. The original version was taken off Youtube. Hopefully this fix lasts for a while.

Meanwhile, back at the sewing machine

I've neglected my dear sewing machine for too long while I indulged in my newest affair. But, I've dusted off the sewing machine and put it through it's paces today. For the longest time, I've been craving a cute smock/apron like I've seen here and at other blogs that I can't remember right now. So, since my knitting is sitting in the corner until it decides to behave, I've returned to my roots.




The color's a bit off but I used some leftover purple linen that's been in my closet for ages. I just love using this fabric since it feels sooo regal. I imagine King Solomon and all the kings of biblical times wearing this lovely fabric. As for the pattern, I just figured it out as I went using ideas from all the other aprons and smocks I've seen before.

I leave you all with these views of Southern California from where some friends and I went rock climbing today. Who knew that So Cal could be so pretty? Even with the overabundance of browns and greys in So Cal, I have to admit that this area can be rather pretty at times (like at sunset from atop a mountain).

Out, dog! Out, cur! Thou drivest me past the bounds of maiden's patience

The Hourglass sweater is beatin' me down. After my previous misstep, I dutifully - and very good naturedly, I might add - frogged, recast, checked and rechecked (and checked again) that the join was not twisted, and then knit for 2 DAYS to find it twisted AGAIN! But, because either I have Great Faith or that I am now living within un-, sub- or supernatural forces, I will keep the curs'd sweater on the needles and hide it until my dear sister comes to visit in a couple of weeks. I can only hope that she can salvage it in some way that does not include frogging. Otherwise, it's back to making scarfs and other rectangular items. And, no, I don't have a picture of the sweater. I just couldn't force myself to do that again.

By the way, aren't Shakespeare's plays just perfect fodder for curse words? I've never allowed myself to use *real* curse words, but sometimes my feelings are too vulgar for the words I am allowed to utter. In those cases (see above for prime example) I actually find myself proclaiming like a mad woman some Shakespearean insult. Admit it now; don't you just want to yell this to someone sometimes: "[Thou hath] not so much brain as ear wax" (from Troilus and Cressida). Or perhaps this? "Thou idol of idiot-worshippers" (also from Troilus and Cressida). And, when I'm totally exasperated, I just give up and utter, "I am amazed, and know not what to say." (Be assured, I don't actually do this verbally when I'm with other people. I'm not *that* loony). If you're looking for Shakespeare verbal assaults of your own, may I recommend you start with A Midsummer Night's Dream? Or, if your nerves can stand it, try browsing the Shakespearean Insulter.

Finally! Shakespeare for everyday language!

I'm all twisted

I don't know how this happened.

I checked and double-checked to make sure my sweater wasn't twisted. Quelle deception. But, it's my first sweater and what is that besides an opportunity to learn with each mistake. So, it'll be frogged and started again.

Isn't is beautiful yarn though? It's a cotton/wool/silk blend called Sea Shell (by Cestari). For my first sweater, I'm attempting the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I love the simple pattern, shaping, and that it's knitted in the round. So, expect to see plenty of this beauty in the coming months.

I've reached my techie limit

It's sad to have to admit this, but I actually don't know everything when it comes to technology.* I confess to you all that I don't know the bloggy ettitiquette for responding to comments. Should I sent you each a personal email? Respond in the same comment section? Or, respond in the comment section of your blogs? What I really want to do when I receive any of the lovely comments I've gotten is to call you up immediately and start chatting. But, that would be wierd, eh? To receive a call from some strange blog-woman? So, any ideas? What would make Emily Post more happy? For me to respond to your comments on your blog or on my own blog?

Meanwhile, this new obsession of mine is getting worse. I finished my fetching mittens and started the matching scarf (2x2 ribbed). Those mittens were my first KIP (knitting in public) project. During my doctoral program's week-long residency, I had plenty of time to waste just waiting for classes to start, for breaks to end, for people to stop lecturing. These mittens were the product of putting those wasted minutes to great use. My idle hands are not the devils tools anymore, no siree! Oh, if you look closely, you can see a peek of my First Ever Scarf. Can you tell what kind of stitch I used?




* In other techie news, last night I got to play around with iChat video chatting for the first time! It's like all those science fiction stories have come to life. Am I the biggest dork that I'm still excited that I had an online video chat with people in Michigan over 24 hours ago? This must be so old hat to everyone else, but I just want to hug my computer.

This last shot is a special treat for my dear sis. Don't I look swell on two wheels?