Sunday, September 23, 2007

To Space! And Beyond!

Finished Object Alert!!!

Pattern: Split-Neckline Cap-Sleeved Tee from Stephanie Japel's Fitted Knits
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Invito Print for body / Pima Tencel for trim
Needles: KnitPicks Options circulars, size US 8 (for body) and US 6 (for trim)

Modifications: I followed the pattern for size 34" until I separated the sleeves from the body, where I increased three stitches at each underarm. Approximately four inches below that, I decreased by one stitch at each underarm marker every fifth row three times. I finished the garment following the pattern, including the darling picot eding and the split-neckline. After the first wearing, however, I realized that this was just not practical. The split-neckline split sooooo far that my bra strap and my underarm kept showing, and that the fit of the tee was awkward and unflattering. The picot trim, while having a very "finished" look, tended to flip over, so that the inside of the trim would show and the neckline would pull and sag.

So, home I went, and ripped out all the edging. For the bottom of the body and the sleeves, I decreased the stitches by 10%, then knit a 2x2 ribbing. I stitched up the split-neckline, then knit in a little faux split-necking garter edge. Leaving the clasp in place, I knit a 2x2 ribbing around the neck, in the round, and decreased at the raglan "seams" on one round. And, yeah, I have to be a little careful when I pull the thing over my giant noggin, but the fit is so much better -- even if the sleeves do still flip out a little.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Grrr! (On Being Shorted and STILL Smarting From It)

The office in which I work is just one floor in a 13-story building filled with drab, depressing, SAD-inducing, grey cubicles. There are 33 cubicles that have windows and 28 interior cubicles. I have been in one of those miserable interior cubicles since the day I started this job. As you may recall, I recently celebrated my second anniversary at my job, so it's been a long miserale interior cube while. Additionally, most employees get outta Dodge either just before or just after their second anniversary, so sticking with this job after two years adds me to the group of more "senior" attorneys. When someone does get outta Dodge and their cubicle becomes available, one of my supervisors (and I have four, count 'em, FOUR supervisors, so if you're picturing Office Space right now, you're on the money) sends out an email offering up the cube. Interested persons send a reply email. As you can imagine, people just jump at the chance to upgrade to a window cubicle. From the pool of interested persons, the supervisor gives the cubicle to the most senior attorney. Or, at least, that's how it's supposed to work. (Foreshadowing!)

For the past two years, I have sent in reply emails for window cubicles on the other side of the building, which is warmer than the side of the building that I am on. For the past two years, I have come up empty-handed, which smarted just a tad when the two fellows I started the job with got warm window cubes before me. Fine, they probably just sent their reply email before I did.

Once a year, on a Tuesday in August, a handful of special projects come up. These projects are important, expedied matters which require the participating attorney to go off-site to the main building (see, our drab Cubicle Village is in a separate building from the rest of the operation because there isn't enough room for all the attorneys in the main building), conference with the Head Honchos, and remain at the main building until the matter is settled. Attorney participation for these special projects (usually) works on a voluntary basis. I say "usually" because one of these projects was thrust upon me that Tuesday morning. So off I went to the main building. I conferenced with the Head Honchos. I stayed there all day.

When I returned to Cubicle Village at approximately 4:00 p.m., there was an email in my inbox. Turns out, the most wonderful window cubicle had become available. This was some prime real estate, I tells ya. A window on the warm side of the building, with Southern exposure. Direct sunlight, whoo hoo! I sent my reply email, letting my interest known. I figured I was a sure thing because everyone who had started before me already had a window cubicle or did not want one.

I heard nothing from the supervisor. Days went by. Finally, I contacted the supervisor and asked what the situation was with said Prime Real Estate. I was told that the cubicle had been given to another attorney. He was set to move in to the cubicle the following week. And this is where I was officially gypped, Dear Reader, as the attorney who had gotten the Prime Real Estate had only been at the job for just about one year. When I pointed this out to the supervisor, what did I get? An email that contained one word: "Sorry."

So what happened? Did the supervisor drop the ball figuring who was the most senior attorney to reply to the email? (In which case, couldn't the supervisor rectify the mistake, as the winning attorney had yet to move into the cubicle?) Or did I not reply to the Cubicle On the Real Estate Market Email fast enough? (In which case, should I be penalized for the supervisor sending out the email while I was, at the supervisor's request, away from my desk and at the main building, working on a special project with the Head Honchos?)

Weeks went by. Every time I stepped into my miserable interior cubicle, I smarted from being shorted out of the window cube. Finally, another cube opened and I fought for it and I won it. Dear Reader, I settled (only after the supervisor told me, in so many words, that there were other attorneys he would give window cubicles before me). I settled for another interior cubicle. The new cube, however, is on the warm side of the building and it is just across a Cubicle Village Street from a window cubicle. Accordingly, when I would turn around in my chair in my Old Cubicle, I would see this:


Now, when I turn around, I see this:


It's no window of my own to call home, but it is a vast improvement.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

What They Don't Tell You

Talking with my girlfriends at work this week (by the way, am I the only one who isn't a great-grandmother that still calls friends who are girls "girlfriends"?), the topic turned to things They don't tell us. Such as, when we were growing up, shouldn't someone have told us that when we got older, that mole on our chins would grow a big ol' black hair out of it? Wouldn't it have been much easier, less shocking, if we had been warned?

Know what else They don't tell you? That once you start knitting, you will want to knit everything you see! Especially when it comes to Christmas knitting, where my eyes are definitely bigger than my stomach -- I mean, budget... time limit... talent limit.

I have already started my Christmas knitting, and good thing, too, because every day that passes, I find another project, another gift for another person. Shown to the top right is some yarn for two Super Secret Christmas Projects: Ella Rae Classic Wool, on sale at Webs, and Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in "Provincial Rose." Shown to the left is my progress on Danica, which will also be a Christmas gift, but the future recipient does not read this blog, so it is not an Official Super Secret Christmas project. There is also one other Super Secret Christmas Project on the needles which is so Top Secret, it cannot even be photographed! And that's not all! There's more to come! I can't stop myself! Handknits for everyone!

Monday, September 3, 2007

Knit Your Own Linebacker

Finished Object Alert!!!

Pattern: Two-Tone Ribbed Shrug from Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash -- 1 skein "Iris" for ribbing and 1 skein "Black" for body
Needles: KnitPicks Options 24" circulars, size US 8 (for body) and US 5 (for ribbing)
Modifications: None!

I didn't even have this baby on my To-Do list, but I thought it would be a nice little somethin' to wear with my little black dress. It was a very quick knit -- for me, at least -- at just under one week of Commuter Train Knitting in Public. I am pleased with the shrug, and I will most likely wear this combo to work tomorrow, but if I knit it again, I'd probably knit a larger size, despite my actual shoulder-to-shoulder measurement, to reduce the way my shoulders look like those of a linebacker.

Happy Labor Day!

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Viva Las Road Trip!


Well, oh, well! Where HAVE I been?!

My boyfriend and I went on an old-fashioned road trip down to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (where we went on a four hour hike on Mount Le Conte), Nashville (where we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, ate BBQ sandwiches, and listened to a guitarist in a bar on Broadway), Memphis (where we went to Beale Street and -- most importantly -- visited Graceland!), and then up to Chicago (where we spent some time with my family). And I kid you not, Graceland (seen to the above left) was The Experience! Before, I was merely a casual Elvis fan. The extent of my celebration of Elvis was limited to "Viva Las Vegas." Now... I'm obsessed! I've had an Elvis Awakening, if you will. If you ever have the chance to go, you absolutely must!


While on the road, I knitted up some baby washcloths and burp cloths out of Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Bachelor Button and Cream. Our friends were due to have their baby while we were gone, and lo and behold, the little one arrived last week!

Arranged in a basket, and accompanied by an All Star Baby baseball, from left to right: Alex's Cloth, Ballband Dishcloth, basketweave cloth, another Ballband Dishcloth, and Baby Genuis Burp Cloth. And yeah, sure, some of them are technically dishcloths, but when it comes to spit-up, does it really matter so long as it's mashine washable and dryable? (Credits to Amanda at Yet Another Knitting Blog for the idea!)

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Summertime Winter


Finished Object Alert!!!

Pattern: Winter Socks, Magic Loop book, Mens size
Yarn: KnitPicks Swish Superwash (worsted) in Grey, just under 3 balls
Needles: KnitPicks Options 40" Circulars US 6
Modifications: None

This is only the second pair of socks I've ever made. The first pair was for my mom's beau for Christmas last year. I had only been knitting for two months when I'd decided I'd try the sock thang. As much as knitting those socks flew by on the dpns, after a while I got used to using circulars and wanted to try out the Magic Loop method for my next pair. So I cast on for these, and I took months and months to knit them. Poor things kept getting put on the backburner.

This pair was for my boyfriend, who is seen in these photos sporting the warm, wintery things. He loves that they were especially made for his two different sized feet.

PS: Thanks for all the get-well-wishes when I was sick! Summer colds/flus are the pits! I tell ya, I have gotten sick more times in the past two years than I have in my whole life. I blame the building I work in. It's kept at 63 degrees year-round, has terrible ventilation, and there's a "clinic" on the second floor. Recipe for immune system disaster!

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Sick...


So sorry to keep you waiting for that Split Neckline Cap-Sleeved Tee, but I've been sick as a dog, as they say, with a fever that felt as if someone set fire to my bone marrow. The fever has, thankfully, passed, but I'm still recovering. Just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about you!