Tag Archive for ‘works-in-progress’ at adam knits!

Tag Archive for 'works-in-progress'

Drill Happy 22Jun08

It’s been 2 weeks, and the honeymoon period is definitely not over yet. I never knew you could have so much fun with a cordless drill! Just take a look at my latest project. It’s like I have my own little yarn store, right in my office!

Pretty sweet eh? It turns out that the yarn hutch I bought a few months ago was way too big for the new house, so I came up with this alternate yarn storage system. Oh the things you can accomplish with graph paper, a tape measure and some screws.

I also got all the Yarn Nerd boxes unpacked into the Shedquarters, and am almost ready to get the dye pots going. I’m so psyched to have a separate dyeing workspace, especially such a snazzy one. I have lots of work surfaces, plenty of storage, and lights and electricity. There’s no water, but I think a big plastic utility sink and a big drain bucket should suffice. There’s a hose right outside the shed that I can hook up to the sink faucet, and I’ll be in business. Although, first I might inform my neighbors that I’m not running a meth lab, since they might wonder what I’m doing in the shed with gloves and a dust mask. ;)

Now that Yarn Nerd HQ is unpacked, it means that there is only one stronghold of boxes left, in the garage. It may stay that way for a bit though, since I don’t have a pressing need to park inside, especially since I’m riding my bike to work lots. Did I mention that the new house is only 3 miles from work? It takes no time at all to get to the office (about 18 minutes on the bike, versus about 15 to drive and walk in from the parking lot), which I’m really loving. There’s even a small detour through one of the local golf courses. Nothing like the possibility of getting clunked in the head with a line drive to speed up the commute.

Knitting has been a bit slow with all the house chores, but I do have a bit of something to tease you with. I just have to finish the lining thumb on my second mitten, and the Fiddleheads will be complete. These are about the most perfect mittens ever, and I get so many compliments everytime I work on them in public. Adrian really hit it out of the park with this kit, between the amazing pattern and the heavenly yarn.

I’m reluctant to finish the thumb, because then that means I’ll be done, and I’m not sure I want the experience to end just yet. Not to mention that I won’t be able to wear them for many months. Unless I want to be sent to a white padded room for wearing lined mittens in 98 degree heat.

Also, thanks to everyone on your comments about the house tour, I really appreciated all of them! Not to mention all the good paint suggestions (I think I’m going to go with the sage green if you’re curious, but it may be a bit before I actually get around to it).

That’s about all I have, but check back soon to find out what I’ve drilled a hole into next. It’s such an exciting life I lead. ;)

Tags: biking, colorwork, dyeing, home ownership, knitting, mittens, stranded, works-in-progress, yarn nerd.

Sock 911 28May08

24 Comments - you know you want to

I think lately I’ve come to the conclusion that the process of buying a house is really just a large obstacle course, designed to weed out all but the most resolute of people. Between house searches, offers, contracts, inspections, repairs, mortgage applications and moving, it really is a tiring process. And just when I thought that the end was near, another obstacle appears.

The mortgage program I applied for is swamped with refinances these days, and as a result, the standard processing time has gone way way up. It took so long, in fact, that I didn’t actually find out about final approval until just a few days ago, almost 6 weeks after my initial application! Suffice to say, that delay wasn’t anticipated, which means that we had to push back the closing to give the bank extra time to actually finish the paperwork.

I’m supposed to find out soon when the new closing date will be, and I’ve been told it won’t be more than a week away. Unfortunately for me, I was expecting to move this weekend, which means my entire house is pretty much packed up. I’m a bit OCD when it comes to organization (ok, a lot.), and let’s just say it’s a stretch for me to have my house in such chaos. So here’s hoping that I can move soon, because I might go postal and attack someone with a moving box if this lasts too long.

In an amusing note, I had a bit of awakening regarding my fiber stash when it came time to pack up the yarn hutch. I’ve always thought I’ve had a very small stash, but I think it might have become a bit bigger than I realized. See those boxes? The small one on the right is the box I thought could house the stash, and the large one on the left is the one that the stash actually fits in. I bet next time I move I’ll need more than one box. Sigh.

Due to packing, I haven’t had much quality time with my needles, but I have managed to finish one Fiddlehead Mitten. I’m pushing to finish the pair before the EARTH round of Project Spectrum is over, but my moving to-do list might dictate otherwise. I don’t think I’ll mind too much though, since the more time I have with this buttery soft alpaca the better.

In the department of having plenty to knit, Dallas decided to ensure that I have no shortage of projects on the needles. In what I’m sure he thought was a considerate gesture, he decided that he would chew out the heel on a handknit sock, so that I could have the joy of fixing it. He’s tried to work his goodwill on many handknit socks before, but I’m always one step ahead of him when it comes to putting them away. He won this time though.

Thankfully, it was only the heel that he was interested in, and since it’s a short row heel, I think I can fix it by knitting a new one and grafting it to the foot. How fortuitous that I got bored with the ribbing and quit before running out of yarn! Anyone have experience with this type of sock surgery?

I just suppose I’ll have to forgive him, because I’m sure he had the best intentions. And how can you stay mad at such a face? I certainly can’t.

I also can’t stay mad at this face for long, even after she brings a dead bird into the living room. (Note that she was not allowed to lick me for quite some time. I might be a pushover, but I do still have common sense.)

Ah, now we come to the part of the post where you realize that I have no new material, and that I’m just baiting you with cute dog pictures. Is it working?

I should mention that the Caterpillar Sock Kits are up, and there’s just a few left. Anne is nearly finished with the pattern, and the yarn is ready to go, so they’ll be shipping out soon. The yarn is a new base, called 950 MHz Merino. It’s a nice heavy fingering weight yarn, with a gauge of 7.25 - 8.5 sts / in on US #1 - #2 needles. The yarn has a nice tight twist and will knit up into a very firm fabric, meaning that your socks will last for quite a while. Each skein is 430 yards too, so you’ll have plenty for a pair of socks.

Hopefully next time I’ll have a new house to show off!

Tags: dallas, house, knitting, mittens, moving, shop, socks, stranded, works-in-progress, yarn nerd.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Stalker 14Apr08

48 Comments - you know you want to

I’ve been quite the busy boy this last week. Let’s see what I’ve been up to, shall we?

→ I bought a sweet new cabinet.

I scored this hutch on Craigslist, and it’s already been put to good use storing all my knitting accoutrements. I’m also hoping that putting my stash on display in the common area of the house will help curb any future impulse purchases. My stash isn’t the biggest (I’m looking at you Maryse and Adrian!), but it’s certainly big enough to provide months of exciting knitting, and in the interest of fiscal responsibility (more on that in a bit) it’s going to have to be content with itself for a bit.

→ I started Fiddlehead Mitten #1

Then ripped it out about 10 rows in. Since mittens are fairly small, they’re an effective swatch on their own, especially since you can’t really an accurate measurement of the stranded gauge when not in the round. I started with US #5’s, and quickly ascertained that it was going to be too big. So it’s back to the drawing board with #4’s. I don’t mind though, since it gave me something to do while drinking my Saturday morning Americano at my favorite local caffeine spot.

→ I brought home a spinning wheel.

Unfortunately, this one’s just a temporary fix, but it’s already got me wrapped around its flyer. (Ha, that was a spinning pun!) See, a little while ago, I signed up for the beginning spinning class at my local yarn shop, and this week was our first tryst with spinning wheels. Last week was spindle spinning, which I’d already practiced a lot, so I was anxious to try something new this week. The class includes a wheel rental for the next month, and every week we take home a new model to play with. This week I drew the Lendrum out of the hat, and we’re already fast friends.

I’ve already managed to spin my way through 6 oz of Corriedale Wool, and a bump of Yarn Nerd BFL in Denim Blues. I’m pretty sure my shins are going to be sore tomorrow morning. I don’t mind though, since I’m very smitten with the resulting yarns.

The blue one is the Yarn Nerd BFL, which I split in half by weight, and spun into the classic 2-ply. I really love how the semi-solid looks shows up in the yarn, especially with the sheen of the BFL. The white skein is a Corriedale single, spun up from the big bag of wool that they gave us at the start of class. The Lendrum’s bobbins are a bit small, making it hard to fit all the plied BFL on there. To use up the leftover bits, I plied it with some of the Corriedale to create the final mini skein.

I’m definitely going to get a wheel at some point, but that’s also gonna be put on the back burner. Why you ask? Well that brings me to the last thing I’ve been doing this week.

→ Buying a House!

I’m just as surprised as you are by this one, it’s all happened so fast! About 2 weeks ago, I started thinking that maybe it’d be a good time to buy a house. I’ve been renting for the last 2 years, and while I love my current place, I often wish that I was putting my money towards something I actually owned. So being the engineer that I am, I started some spreadsheets and forecasted a ton of scenarios. I was unable to find a decent reason why I shouldn’t buy a house, so I started looking around. I also got approved for a great mortgage, so all things were go.

After seeing 7 houses, I found it. The. perfect. house. It was everything I wanted and more. It was the right size, in my price range, and needed no fixing up. So I made an offer. I was on pins and needles for an entire day, and received a counteroffer from the seller. I accepted that offer, and now a week later I’m a future homeowner!

The house has 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a remodeled kitchen, a huge sunroom, and an awesome backyard. Oh, and it has a big shed in the backyard with lights and electricity. That’s going to be the new Yarn Nerd headquarters. :) Now I just have to contain myself until I move at the end of May! So far I’ve been passing the time by driving by everyday, just like a stalker. I’m so giddy, I just can’t help it!

I think a sweet new house is a fairly good reason to not buy yarn and a spinning wheel for a bit, don’t you? (Oh and the cabinet doesn’t count, since I really bought it for the new house. Wink, wink.)

Tags: albuquerque, home owner, mittens, moving, stranded, works-in-progress.

An Earnest Plea 19Mar08

22 Comments - you know you want to

Dear Mr. Postman,

I just want you to know how much I appreciate your tireless effort to deliver the mail, be it rain, shine, snow or sun. Everyday, despite the risk of losing your fingers, you gladly insert letters into the mail slot, no matter how ferocious the growling Schnauzers may sound. You work hard to make sure that I receive every single “no strings attached” credit card offer thrown at me by the crumbling loan industry. You don’t bat an eye when I hand you a big box filled to the brim with yarn, no matter how strange it may seem to you. And I can always count on you when I need a bit of ~~crack~~ yarn to brighten a dreary day.

So even though I am deeply appreciative of your years of dedicated service, I can’t help but be a little disappointed today. See, I’m awaiting a very important package right now, and I’m not sure you fully understand the weight you bear with this particular parcel. It all started last week, when I was innocently checking up on my Flickr friends, when I came across this photo. My heart lept. Could it be? No way. Surely they’re sold out, I told myself. But something from deep within told me to try anyway. It was with trembling hands that I hastily clicked “Add To Cart” and then “Checkout”, hoping to claim my bounty before someone else. 30 seconds later it happened.

I had acquired a Fiddlehead Mittens Kit. The most coveted pattern and yarn combination ever unleashed upon the Internet would soon be mine. I was as elated as Ralphie, when his father pulled out one last box to reveal a Red Rider BB Gun.

So you can imagine how my level of excitement and anticipation has been building all week, since the kit shipped on Monday. I was sure it’d be here today, waiting for me to come home, but I can’t seem to find it.

I checked the outside mail box.

I checked the indoor mail slot.

I checked the front porch, the space in between the front and screen door, and the side of the house. All I was able to find was this lousy credit card offer.

Don’t think me a fool either. I ship a whole lot of stuff with the Postal Service, and I am very attuned to how long a Priority Mail package should take to arrive. I’m very good at reading in between the lines of your cryptic delivery status messages, and I’m almost certain that my mitten kit is in New Mexico. You may say that it arrived too late to get placed on your truck today, but I say that’s not good enough. This is not an offer for Propecia we’re talking about here. This is a very sacred package, which definitely warranted a trip back to the station for a pickup.

Because I’m a nice guy, I’m willing to give you one more day. And maybe, if you’re really diligent about bringing my impulse yarn purchases this year, I’ll knit you a pair of socks to keep your feet warm this winter. Does something like this suit your fancy? It certainly does mine.

So get some rest tonight, because you have a very important job to do tomorrow. Oh, and if you could tell a colleague up in the WA area to make sure that my mystery gift gets delivered tomorrow, that’d be g r e a t.

PS: If you do not deliver the goods tomorrow, I will be forced to let my attack Schnauzers follow you back to the station to retrieve it. Dallas would love nothing more than to give you a huge wet willy.

Sincerely,

Adam

Tags: knitting, mail, mittens, schnauzers, shopping, single sock, socks, works-in-progress, yarn.

Letting Out My Inner Bum 29Feb08

21 Comments - you know you want to

Let’s just pretend that two weeks hasn’t gone by ok? Moving right along ;)

Anyway, I’ve been up to my usual tricks, including work, homework avoidance and lots of orchestra practice. I had a big concert this past weekend, featuring some of the most difficult music I’ve ever played in an ensemble. Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances may sound nice, but man is that thing a beast! The tempo is pretty much the equivalent of a Mack truck barreling down the highway at 120 MPH. In the end though, I got most of the notes, so I was fairly pleased with myself.

As far as knitting goes, I have no proof I’m actually knitting anything, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. My primary project right now is top secret, but the big reveal should be soon. I also have a lovely sock going, but at this blogging speed, you’ll probably see a finished sock by the time I get around to the pictures.

I had a small Yarn Nerd shop update last week, including a lovely new merino/bamboo/nylon yarn I’ve termed 900 MHz Bambylon. (Try to type that 10 times fast!) The small batch I put up went fairly quickly, but I will have more on the way soon, so don’t despair, there’s plenty of bamboo yarn action to be had.

Also, I will be receiving a shipment of some new yarns soon, including a Superwash Merino DK Weight and a Merino Sport Weight. Both yarns are absolutely lovely, and the DK Weight is a great replacement for my older 1500 MHz Merino base, which I had to discontinue. So look for a future shop update with those yarns, I think you’ll really like them!

I’ve been fighting off a bit of a bug this week, and so I whipped up some soup to soothe my tempestuous stomach. Nothing like a delicious chicken and rice soup made with wild rice and rotisserie chicken to cure what ails you.

Thankfully, I’m mostly on the mend, save for a pesky sore throat that just won’t go away. I wouldn’t mind if the deep sexy voice stayed around for a bit longer though. Anyway, it’s a good thing I’m feeling better, since I’m off on another snow excursion this weekend.

I think a weekend spent ripping up the mountain with my Dad, Uncle and little Brother will definitely do me good. Maybe not my throat, but definitely my inner ski bum. You gotta shirk that responsibility and play everyone once in a while right?

So whatever you’re doing this weekend, make sure to take a least a few moments and let our your inner bum. Lay around, knit a bit, watch TV or just sleep in a little longer. Because all work and no play turns Jack into a raving lunatic.

Tags: family, knitting, music, school, skiing, snow, weekend!, work, works-in-progress.

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