Ms. Ellaneous crafts a life

The big green sweater returns

I've just spent about an hour looking through old posts trying to find a picture of the big, way too big, green sweater that I knit for myself, then unraveled and began to knit into a smaller "Spring" sweater last year, I think.  I could have sworn that I had pictures of the the yarn rolled up after frogging the sweater.  I might actually be losing my mind.  I digress.

In any event, she's back, and I'm finally going to finish her.  Her first incarnation was as an overly large Vanilla sweater out of the Rowan Summer tweed book.  I tend to overestimate how large I am but I went way overboard with that sweater.  After I tried washing and drying it was obvious that the only thing to do was un-sew and frog.  I HAD to reclaim the yarn because it was yards and yards of Rowan Summer Tweed and, frankly, I didn't know anyone who was actually big enough to fit into it!  It was BIG. 

After a period of mourning, I decided to re-knit the yarn into a February Lady sweater.  I happily cast on and began knitting.  I knit the entire body of the sweater and realized that I would not finish it in time for the Spring season, promptly placed it in The Closet and moved on through the seasons until once again I was reminded, briefly, of Spring.  Around this time of year I have the urge to look through The Closet and finish up lingering projects, there she was, waiting patiently.

I began the first sleeve and in the process realized that I am not knitting this sweater for me.  This sweater has belonged to L since I cast on last year.  Sometimes it takes me awhile, but luckily I realized it in time to measure L's arms!  There have been many projects that I thought I was knitting for myself and have turned out to be for someone else.  Does that happen to anyone else?

I have a renewed sense of purpose now.  It seems like I am far more motivated when I am making something for somebody else.  The first sleeve is done and I'm well on my way with the second.  There may even be enough yarn to knit the February Baby sweater for B too!  Did I mention that sweater was big? 

Try and try again.

I found out recently that I did not get in to the Twist craft fair that I applied to in February.  It was a stretch, personally, for me to apply and I'm disappointed that my work was not accepted.  I was optimistic when I sent the application in and a little derailed when I found out My work was rejected. 

So, what do you do when faced with disappointment?  My first reaction was to throw a big baby fit, and I have to admit that that is often my first reaction and that I often do throw big baby fits.  After a couple of days, I decided that, perhaps, I should take the advice I often give my children when they face disappointments, "Stop throwing big baby fits!"  There is also the requisite follow up advice, "If it is something that you really want (good grades, better at swimming, lacrosse etc.) you need to keep trying."  This advice rolls of my tongue, in very supportive tones, when I'm talking to other people, but it was hard to hear when I was on the receiving end.  Thank you A1, my almost 16 yr old.  Maybe they really do listen.

That being said, I am making a valiant attempt to not let it get me down.  In the spirit of spring, I am looking around the studio and finishing up some lingering projects.  Given the lack of commercial outlet right now, there might be some serious giveaways around here soon!

Baby shower wrap up

Here are the baby gifts that I brought to the shower. This is my favorite baby sweater, a Debbie Bliss pattern from Baby Knits and a hat that I just free knit (it looked about right).  The cows are also a favorite and highly appropriate for this little baby,  the baby's grandparents own a dairy farm and ice cream stand, my favorite place to get ice cream.  The other gift, the gift I knew I wouldn't finish, is still on the needles.  Hopefully it will be done by the time the baby arrives.  It might be time to get a new book on i-pod to help complete the project.

A brief sojourn to San Francisco

G and I are finally back from our week in San Francisco.  The main event for me was running my first 5k right next to the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge!  I promised not too much running on the blog, but I'm going to chat just a second about this race.  I started running, for the first time in my adult life, in January using a couch to 5k program on my i-pod.  This year, the year after I turned forty, has been about doing things that I have always wanted to do but have never done, running was one of those things.  Every time it was a run day, I would think that there was no way I was going to make it, every run, but every run I found some way to make it through. 

The culmination of this challenge was an actual race.  This, for those who know me in real life, was WAY out of my comfort zone.  So, G and I signed up.  I'm glad the race was a day after we arrived because I was so nervous I could barely think about anything else except,"There is no way I'm going to be able to do this."  I kept thinking this, even though I had run the 5k distance three times a week for three weeks in a row at home.  I had three goals going in to the race, I wanted to run the whole thing, run it under 40 mins, and not be last.  I managed to accomplish all three goals, coming in at  36 mins 11 sec. You would think, after accomplishing what I set out to do, I would realize that I can do far more than I think I can. 

Tomorrow's a run day.  You know what I'm thinking? "There's no way I'm going to make that run."  I guess what I really learned is, I need to do some more work around this or that I'm a really slow learner.  It could go either way.  Tomorrow, I run.

(Thanks for putting up with the craft interruption, tomorrow, baby gifts!)

Practicing Patience

If I could figure out a place to tattoo it where I could see it all the time, I would.  There seems to be a whole list of things I need to be patient about.  Here's a sampling:

1. The arrival of Spring

2. The paint to dry

3. My skills to improve (in many arenas)

4. Adding distance to my runs

5. Growing a business

6. Mastering the art of patience (a little circular, but true, nonetheless)

I'm not sure how to go about the practice other than muttering it under my breath every time I start to get antsy about "progress".  I've already embraced knitting, which seems to be a good patience practice, loop, loop, loop etc.  Any other ideas?