Midway with Mindful Steps

I cast on these socks in March, did a few rows of ribbing for the cuffs and then left them alone until last Thusday's knit night at The Fiber Universe.  Having just finished my entrelac scarf a few days before, I did not have anything else on the needles.  I have lots of thing I want to start, but I was in a hurry go get going so, I grabbed the socks.  I am glad I did because I am really enjoying them.

The pattern is Mindful Steps available on Knit Picks.  I am using Cascade Yarns Heritage sock yarn.  I love the blue-green color.  I have been buying a lot of things with this color in it lately.  The photo really does not do the color justice.  I really need to sharpen my yarn photography skills.  Maybe I can get my husband to make me a light box.  I can hope.

I am making these socks two-at-a-time.  This is only my second time with this technique and first time on socks (well they are only my second pair of socks).  If you ever plan on making matching round objects, I highly recommend you try this method.  I love it.

I am really enjoying the construction of these socks. There is this fun, little two-stitch cable that really adds interest.  I only have another inch to knit before I start turning the heel.

I have three more projects I want to get started soon.

Sojourn Falls Scarf

 (image Ravelry)

Yoked Cardigan

(images Ravelry)

I am going to make one for me and one for D.

and last but not least

Huggable Hedgehog

 (image Ravelry)

 I have the yarn, pattern and needles to make them.

Which do you think I should make first?

Lock and Key

Over the weekend I was fortunate to read:

(image Goodreads)

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen.

Abandoned by her mother, Ruby has to go live with her older sister, Cora, who left for college and never came back.  Ruby has had no contact with her sister in 10 years.  Now Ruby, who never wanted to rely on anyone, has to learn to make friends in a posh new neighborhood and school and live with her new family.

This is not my favorite Sarah Dessen novel, but it is still pretty good.  I did read is in a matter of a two days on my Sony eReader. In general, I love Sarah Dessen novels. She writes sweet coming-of-age stories with a bit of romance.  (I mean most coming-of-age stories have some love interest so I am not sure if that really defines her.)  Dessen's style is to have a female protagonist with a "tragic" past.  The tragedy may be a dead parent, abandoned (as in Lock and Key), divorced parents or the like.  The point is: home life was not great for the protagonist.   But in the story she learns to cope with her feelings and overcomes obstacles and usually finds really great friends and a guy to crush on.  I love these books.  They are just feel good books.  I know in the end everything will turn out alright and sometimes I just need a story where everything turns out alright, even if this is not so true to real life.

I want to read every book she has ever written.

Her bibliography includes:

That Summer
Someone Like You
Keeping the Moon 
Dreamland
This Lullaby (Read)
The Truth About Forever (Read-My favorite!!!)
Just Listen
Lock and Key (Read)
Along for the Ride (Read)
Infinity
What Happened to Goodbye (Read)


So I am about half way to reading all of them!  I also need to see the movie How to Deal because it is based on Someone Like You and That Summer.  Of course, I'll have to read the books first.




Who is the author that you want to read everything they have ever published?

Tuesday?

It is Tuesday, already?  I guess my long weekend went by too fast. I had a great time with family over the weekend and we even got a project of two accomplished around the house, plus lots of knitting and reading.

But the big news today is: my daughter is in pre-k!  Yup, D moved to the pre-k room this morning.  She is 4 years old after all.

This does not help with my "feeling old" situation.

 She just moved next door from her former room, but psychologically, it is a big jump for me.   I mean she is a pre-k kid. I am the mother of a preschooler not a toddler or baby.

I wish we had state funded pre-k here, but that is mostly because I am cheap and don't want to pay day care.  I am very happy with her school and all that she is learning and that is the most important thing.  

Next important lesson : teaching her to smile and pose for the camera so she doesn't look like she is in pain.

Another Dishcloth Set

I belong to this site called Whoopdwhoop where crafters can swap their crafts for whoops (like a point system) to get other people's crafts.  It is just a fun little thing I do.

This past week I have been working on making 4 dishcloths for a Whoopdwhoop swap.  I used one of my favorite patterns, Not Your Average Washcloth by  Elizabeth Prusiewicz and it is in the book, 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders.

The order requested black which is not the best color to photograph. 

As for my birthday yesterday, I had a good time.  My parents, brother and his family all drove 110 miles just to have dinner with me and return back to their homes.  My lovely husband and daughter got me chairs and a little table for the back yard patio.  We ate DQ ice cream cake.  I feel pretty special. 

The Last Birthday

Today is the day, my last birthday because ladies stay 29 forever, right?

I have mixed feelings about this 29th year, probably similar feelings to what I felt when I turned 19, my last year in this decade of my life.  I feel young and old at the same time.

No matter how I feel about today, I know I have big plans for this year because 30 is going to be great and I have a whole year to build for it.

Entrelac Completed

Over the weekend, I got a new Netflix addiction: The Vampire Diaries.  I have always wanted to watch this show, but I don't normally watch CW shows.  I am not sure why I don't watch the CW because it is right up my YA-loving alley.  Plus, this series is based on a YA book series, as are Gossip Girls and Pretty Little Liars, both on the CW. I should probably be watching all these shows.  Maybe I should read the books, too...

Anyway, due to this new obsession, I had time to knit pretty fiercely at the entrelac scarf.

Finished.

I followed the Entrelac Scarf Tutorial by KnittyOtter

Yarn is Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock in Bryne.

I started this "little" project on March 3rd so I am glad that I am finally finished.  But, now what do I knit next?

On Being Dauntless

I love dystopian fiction.  Lucky for me, it us the hot, new sub-genre in Young Adult literature.  I guess the rampant success of The Hunger Games will do that. And I am so very glad it did.

The big talk lately is about the Divergent series.

First time author, Veronica Roth (and recent college graduate) wrote a New York Times Best-Selling novel.  I could never be a creative writer and I can't help but be jealous of her amazing creativity.

I read Divergent in a 2-3 day time period. I read Insurgent, the sequel/second book in the series, the very next day. The whole book, all 525 pages.

This story follows the life of Beatrice Prior.  Beatrice, or Tris as she is later called, lives in a society were at the age of 16 you go to a choosing ceremony to decide what fraction you will live with.  There are 5 factions that each have a certain way of living based on their philosophy.  Amity values non-violence. Abnegation treasures selflessness.  Candor are truth-tellers, at all costs.  Edurites are scholars. Dauntless are brave and courageous and hate cowardice. Tris has to decide to stay with her parents in Abnegation or leave them forever to follow another faction.  Where do her loyalties lie?  Her one choice will change her future forever (hint: and everyone else's future) and her decision is difficult because she doesn't really fall into any fraction.  (Guess what she picks?  See my blog post title.)

This highest praise I can give a series is to not hate the middle book of a trilogy.  I usually find the middle to be boring with too much back story and not enough action or something like that.  Insurgent delivers.  I so loved it.

Some claim this series to be the next Hunger Games and I hope it does reach that level of popularity,.  The rights have been sold to make a movie, but lots of books get optioned and never get made.  I definitely think my various book clubs should read it.  Everyone should read it.

I am even purchasing new personal copies.  This is a big deal.  I tend to only buy books used or read library books (and I still own a ton of books).  I did read both these books from libraries copies, but I just want to own them too (then I can make my family and friends read them so we can discuss).  The last series I did this with was The Hunger Games.

Divergent #3 is scheduled to come out Fall 2013 (Veronica Roth calls it "Detergent" because she can't reveal the real name yet.).  That means D will be in Kindergarten before I find out what happens.  But, the wait will make it all the sweeter, right?

What are you waiting on reading?