Stalled?

Well, since I finished my Icarus I took on a few little projects: my sunshiney socks, the baby Sweet Pea hat, and the toys for the girls.

Now, I'm in a slump. I want to start on another big project, but I'm not ready for something big.

And I want to knit from my stash.

Every time I go into Ravelry to figure out what to knit next, I get sucked into something else. It's like all the problems of the internet times a million, because it's ALL KNITTING!!!!!

Hopefully the things I need to knit will help me figure out what I really want to knit. I really should be working on the armwarmers for Pemm, and a Secret Summer Project...

Oh, which brings to mind my current favourite joke:

"Where do generals keep their armies?"

"In their sleevies."

Bah dum bum, chhhh.

Almost an icarus!!!

As much as I may not want to admit it... I seem to have abandoned my blog for Ravelry. Eep! Here is my re-attempt at posting regularly. (Although, I don't think I was terribly good at it in the first place.)

Oh my goodness! I have FINALLY finished the last chart, and I am halfway through the 2nd-last edging row of dear, dear Icarus.

This project has amazed me for the last 18 months, and I can't wait to have it off the needles. At the same time though, I think I'll have some finishing pangs... I've been working on this for so long, that I just don't know what to do without it!

(I'll find something, I'm sure).

Stay tuned for an update sooooon. (Of course, there will have to be blocking, and I have a new 650 sq. foot abode. Wish me luck on that one!)

Blog Boredom?

I think I need to knit something a little more exciting than Icarus, so that I actually have something to blog about. Or just knit faster . . .

I am officially (according to the over-thought spreadsheet of doom) over 80% done on my lovely shawl, so things might get more interesting around here fairly soon. If I can ever figure out the edging. Why don't people chart edgings? Is it REALLY easier to explain it in words?

In other news, I am totally besmitten with Ravelry, and I am spending way too much time queuing new projects. Yeah, that's the last thing I need to do right now.

Off to work on the shawl so I can maybe get a surprise prezzie done sooooon.

Oh, anyone doing any exciting Christmas knitting? I don't know if I'll be able to this year, as I have the surprise prezzie, and I'm MOVING to my FIRST NEW PLACE!!!! AHHHHHH!

SOEXCITEDAHHHH!!!

Woo, I'm on Ravelry!!!
Come find me as linzknits!!!

AHHHHHH!

Half an Icarus?

Hmmmm!!!

You know... I felt like I was in the Icarus black-hole-of-doom-and-getting-nowhere for a really long time, but it looks like I'm escaping! Somehow, I'm magically half-done (last time I checked I was only 20% done)... and I'm 5 rows away from being done Chart 1! Woo!

I really can't wait to get onto the next chart. I think the beauty of Icarus is in the next part, and I can't wait to get there!

You know what I also can't wait for? Ravelry!
I've got about 3000 people on the list in front of me now, so it should be sooner rather than later. Yay!

Ok, off to see if I can finish chart 1 before bed...

Why Ravelry Makes Me Droooool...

Ok. I am already in love with Ravelry, and I haven't even gotten my invitation yet.

I found their Sneak Peek website (go take a look if you haven't already, I can wait) today, and fell madly in love with:

a) The Stash Notebook has a grid view. I think in grids, charts, spreadsheets, and matrices. I'm already in love. As much as I thought it was silly that our substitute math teacher in grade 11 wanted to be a fax machine when he grew up so he could play with matrices all day, I totally get it. I think I should be a fax machine when I grow up, too.

b) The Stash Notebook OUTPUTS TO EXCEL!!!!!!!! See point a. I love this excel stuff.

c) There's a Project Details page which will force me to record important details (such as: what magical needle size I used that differed wildly from what the pattern suggested, and why can't I remember so I can make it again?)

d) Ravelry doesn't replace a blog, it supplements it. Like the cliché saying about what a man is supposed to do for a woman: "He doesn't complete you, he complements you."

e) I'll be organized! And it's fun to organize yarn... even if it means owning up to my stash. This could mean destashing... in fact, it probably should!

f) I'll be inspired! The fact that it's so easy to see everyone else's versions of the same project blows my mind. Sorry, Google Image Search, I'm not going to be needing you much more.

g) Designers I love are on it! This includes the designer of my Icarus shawl, Miriam from MimKnits!!! How cool! I've already found another shawl of hers that I'd love to knit: The Cleopatra Stole, which will be published in Sensual Knits, in Winter (January?) 2008. Yum.

So, dearest Ravelry, please send me my invite! I'll be really good, I promise!