Soctacular Saturday: How Far?

How much time and effort would you be willing to devote to obtaining a sock pattern?

This week, I found out what my limits (or lack there of) are. I was on Rav cruising through sock patterns when I saw one that looked really cool and funky. There was one little problem. It was a pattern that was exclusive to a Yahoo Group for German knitters. Yep, that's right - German knitters.

Now, the closest I've gotten to Germany is purchase German yarns such as Woolmeise and Opal. Oh, and also coveting the ever beautiful Crazy Zauberball yarn. (It kind of reminds me of Noro, but A LOT softer.)

So here I am, drooling over a German yarn and what seems like an unobtainable pattern. What to do . . . what to do . . . After careful consideration, I decided to take action. I joined the Yahoo Group. Nope. I don't speak or read German though I'm starting feel as though I should learn. Nor, do I know anyone who does. (Or, at least anyone I am comfortable calling up and asking to translate.) However, that didn't stop me.

After accessing the group, I started my hunt. The fact that everything was in German just made the experience THAT much more interesting. It actually took me a few trips back to the site, but I eventually prevailed!

Just when it looked liked there were no obstacles in the way, I realized the pattern was in German. Duh! The next quest had begun. Now I needed someone to translate the pattern. I had tried a few online translators, but they didn't work that great. As it turns out a two of my friends knew people who knew and could translate German. They were happy to ask them to do so on my behalf. Yeah, I saw the text of that e-mail . . . "Hi, I have this friend who knits and she found this pattern that, but in German and she asked me if you could translate it for her. It's for a pair of socks." In the meantime, I started looking at the other patterns this group had online and noticed they all had English version. Could it be that I was a special kind of dazed and didn't see the English version for my prize pattern. So, I back tracked and alas, victory! Not only did I have a copy of the pattern I wanted, I had a copy in English!

No need to learn German! I was home free!! WooHoo!!!

Until later . . .

Definitions and Choices

A few years ago I had to make one of the hardest decisions I have ever faced. To make matters even harder, I had make an immediate decision. At the time, I made the decision that seemed like the "right" decision. Since then, I periodically doubt that decision. So much so, I sometimes ask my friends if I really did the "right" thing. After these moments, I returned to the place in my heart, and gut, that tells me I did what was right.

This past week I was told that I most likely would not be "good" at something and it might be a "good" thing if I don't do it. After I recovered from being blind-sided by this comment I discussed the comment with a few of my closer friends. The thing that got me most about this comment being made was that there is no way to know if I would be good at it or not unless I went ahead and did it.

Day in and day out (in theory) I make decisions on what stories and thoughts I want to put out into cyberspace. Over time, what I am comfortable blogging about has changed. Over time what I thought I would blog about has changed.

All the blurbs above may seem as though they aren't related, but in reality they are related. They all have to do with definitions and choices. What does it mean when I say "the right choice?" Or, your definition of "good" may be far different then mine. What I deem acceptable and not acceptable to shoot off into cyberspace revolves around my definition of these concepts.

From these definitions choices are made. Some small. Some large. Some of the small choices have larger effects than originally thought. Some of the larger choices have less of an effect then originally thought. How we define things and the choices we make are more tied together than they look to be on the surface.

There is just a little food for thought that has been tossed around my world these days.

Until later . . .

Until You Get There

• I've said it once and I'll say it again - you don't know until you get there.

• "That type of p0nr is ok."

• This takes crazy to a whole new level.

• It's the dream jobs we speak of all the time, but realistically so not doable - ugh!

• Cautiously Optimistic

• As much as I hate to break it to you, yarn will not cure the common cold.

• Adventures in driving

• The decision took 5 months to make, but it paid off in the end

• Bad Hair Day - It's not only a Weird Al albumn; it's reality.

• What it's not normal to travel over an hour for yarn?

• Twice in two years - I need to take advantage of it more often.

• 20 and 19

• 14, not 12

• Knitting makes everything better!

Until later . . .

The Great Wall Of Blankie

The Official Sock Yarn Blankie Square Count for February 2, 2010:

Squares Needed: 736


Squares Knit and Stitched Together: 430


Remaining Squares Needed: LOTS! In real numbers 306

After 10 months of diligently working on this monster I have reached "The Great Wall of Blankie."

Yes, "The Great Wall Of Blankie." Maybe it's because my personal life is crazier than usually these days. Maybe it's because of all my other knitting commitments. Maybe I'm just burnt out. Whatever it is, I've hit a wall with this project. It makes me a bit frustrated. Ugh! That was painful to say. Very painful! It makes me want to give up and just accept defeat.

As of tomorrow I have 300 days to finish this. In theory that means I have to knit about 3 - 4 squares a day. Just the thought . . .

***SIGH***

I'm sure I will be over this wall soon. At least I hope that is the case. I hope this frustration is just like the frustration I felt during Sock Wars. Now that I've "thrown" the blankie across the room and declared defeat it's time to pick it back up and start hacking away at it once again. I can do this . . . I know I can!

Here's to the next 300 days!

Until later . . .

Socktacular Saturday: My Number

Whenever we have the conversation I laugh - a lot. Mainly because if you didn't know what we were talking about you'd think we were revealing how many individuals we've been intimate with. (Sorry if that is what you thought I meant by the sub-title, "My Number." This is not one of "those" type of posts.)

In reality I'm talking about the number hanks of sock yarn I have. I have to admit it's easy to lose track - fast! Recently, I reorg-ed my stash. I was talking with someone about the stash situation and their intial suggestion had given me the idea of using the top compartment of my cedar chest to store this plentiful abundance. This came as a creative solution to the complaint I had made that just throwing the stash in the main compartment made it difficult to find what I was looking for.

The result:



If you ask me, it worked out well. It has helped me better visualize my inventory and get a handle on what I have.

For those that don't knit, or knit as often as I do, it may look like a lot. However, it's not. My number is a lot lower than others I know. (Yeah, I realize I just rationalized this by comparing myself to others . . . no need to point out the obvious.) However, the truth is that my number is a lot lower. For example, I know someone who could knit a pair of socks every month for the next 10 years. I'll let you do the math on this one. When I tell other sock knitters about this amazing number there are some that sigh with relief their number is not so bad. Others laugh at me and say something to the effect of, "That's nothing."

So, why is there a need for so much stash? Well, if you are a sock knitter than you have to answer that for yourself. For non-knitter, no reason I give you will suffice. Honestly, do you think you'd buy into any reasoning I give you?

When I first converted my number into actual dollars, I had a minor heart attack. I instantly wondered if this was covered by my insurance policy G-d forbid something happened. Then I realized that some of my number was gifted to me. Yeah, a majority of it has be bought by yours truly, but it is true that I didn't pay for ALL of it. (Yes, I realize that I am continuing to rationalize.) At the end of the day it makes me happy and I know one day all this fibrous goodness will be used to make the o-so coveted knitted socks I look forward to putting on every day. To me that is all that matters.

Oh, and as for my number . . . I'm not telling. It might make a good blog contest some day. : P

Until later . . .