It just gets everywhere

It's the end of term: time to finish all the end-of-term assignments (plus a couple others that...never mind.  I have poor time-management skills when it comes to essays, apparently.)  A stressful time.  And whatnot.

Kids, this is what university is like: your eyes hurt when the sun comes up because you've been working on the computer all night, on a paper you put off for two weeks and now have to finish in one night.  It's 7am and you just realized you have no real thesis.

                               Here's my floor, post essay. ->

That nice, yellow-y glow?  

That's because the sun is coming up.

Or, you know, you manage your time better than I do.  That's probably the better option.

One of the ways I react to stress, it turns out, is to get out nice yarn and hold it.  Sometimes that will be enough, and other times I start thinking about the things I could make with it.  Sometimes I wind it into a ball, despite the fact that I already have six balls around (and under) my desk, waiting, patiently, to be used.  (Some of them are getting a bit dirty - but it's ok!  Those ones are crappy yarn.)  Some of these balls have half a gauge swatch attached, complete with needles.  Some of them even have multiple gauge swatches, with multiple sets of needles, all attached to the ball.  (Which makes some kind of sense, in my personal design process.)

Here is my desk, covered in yarn that accumulated without me thinking about it:

Remember to not stab yourself

I've been embroidering a bit recently.  I'm not terribly wonderful at it (yet) but I feel like I'm making a bit of progress.

I have learned a couple things about embroidering over acrylic paint or paper:

1. Always use a thimble, goddamnit!  A painted canvas is stronger than the top couple layers of your skin.  Needles are pretty pointy at both ends.  Using a sharper needle is also a good idea.
2. Also: puncture the canvas/paper from the front (even if your needle's in the back).  This one is less painful if you forget, but it does make things look nicer.

Pretty pictures are nice, so here are some other things I've embroidered:

"On an unrelated note..."



"All wrapped up"



"You may have already won"

Damn my sticky fingers

The worst thing about sex is having to get up and wash your hands before you can start knitting again.  Lame!

Slightly related: String Theory has BULKY YARN OMG!  My yarn diet is seriously being tested.  Ok self: when we've used up enough yarn, we can buy ourselves some gorgeous bulky stuff to make ourselves something awesome.  For our very strict definition of "enough."  Now get off the internet, we should have been asleep hours ago.

Slightly more related: get wet wipes.

Metric vs. Stupid

Can I just complain for a little?

It's about the metric system.  Well, not exactly, it about the lack of use of the metric system, particularly in knitting.

I am continually (CONTINUALLY) frustrated by patterns that list needle size by US size (or UK size, Canadian size, etc).  These numbers are ENTIRELY ARBITRARY!  Worse, they are incomplete (there's no US size for a 3.mm, 7mm or 7.5mm) and inconsistent (for some reason, at larger numbers, they start being labelled 15, 17, 19, 35, 50).  What is this nonsense?  These large sizes are not proportional to the metric sizes - maybe there was a system at one time, but I don't really care because if there was a system it was clearly a terrible one.  To be accurate about what needle you are using, you should always just use mm.  ALWAYS. 

It's not just needles, either!  When you're given a gauge, it's assumed that 10cm = 4".  This is accurate enough for thicker yarns (bulky, worsted, DK), but when you're working at gauges like 28st = 10cm/4", that quality is actually off by over a mm, meaning your gauge can be off by half a stitch or more.  I'm aware that most people just don't care that much, but damnit, if I'm making a gauge swatch, it needs to be accurate, otherwise what's the point?  Obviously, I'd rather if patterns used cm, but if that is too difficult then it would be nice if they at least specified which measurement they were using.  (Some people do this, it's true - yaay for them!)

The point is that everyone should just switch to the metric system already.  Hasn't it been long enough?  There are a million demonstrations of why the imperial system is broken and unwieldy, and I'm not going to go over that here - I think I can assume that anyone who's actually thought about it prefers metric for pretty much everything.

The only exception I had, personally, was for measuring household-size objects.  Cm are clearly too small, and m are clearly too big.  Luckily, because the metric system is great, there's something in between: the rarely used decimeter.  I don't know why this isn't an everyday unit of measurement, because it's great!  A decimeter (dm) is 10 cm.  I'm still adjusting to using it - I have a ruler that's a dm that I'm carrying around, so my eyes can get used to approximating it more easily.  When I guess at measurements, in the past I'd guess things like "a bit less than a foot" or "maybe a few inches" - I'm not talking about accurate estimations (that's what cm are for!) so this works out really well.  My waterbottle is "2 and a bit" dm, my mouse is "between 1 and 2" dm.

Clearly this is a good idea.  If you like to measure smallish things inaccurately with your eyes, you should Try This At Home.

Anyway.

In other news, I've been super good about my yarn diet so far this year!  I haven't bought ANY yarn since x-mas (except stuff for a commission, but that doesn't count because it's a commission and I don't have to pay for it).  I am slowly but determinedly working through my stash.  I know it's only been a month an a half, but damnit, that's enough time to be proud about!  But not enough time that I get to buy myself yarn as a reward.  (That's just my yarn-brain talking.)

Away we go

Do you ever get the feeling where your thoughts are kind of floaty and unfocused?  Your body wanders around, eating food, reading books, putting on sweaters, fucking around on the internet, picking up yarn, taking off sweaters, and you aren't really all that aware of what's happening?

Which one should I do first?

Yes, well.  This is an inconvenient time for a floaty head.  I need a brain that is paying attention in order to work on various school tasks that are due rather soon.  Knitting could possibly help - or I could just want to keep knitting.  Oh dear.

Go the fuck to sleep

Here is my current wish: I wish I could program myself to sleep on time.  Ideally, I'd set sleep/wake times - I'd get warnings at 30min and 10 min before sleep time, and I'd get 20 minutes leeway in the morning (though of course this could be reset if needed).  Sleep is entirely difficult.  (I'd rather not have to eat than not have to sleep, but that's only because I have alllllll the food issues.)

Shelves

I got some!  From the garbage!  So now I actually have a real place to put my knitted shirts!  So much win.

Everyone always tells me I'm wonderful, and it's turning me into a bitch.

I need some constructive criticism, yo!  

I think the main problem is that I don't have many close friends who are better than (or equivalent to) me at the things I care about.  Clearly I need to be more social and actually talk to people.  (I'd really rather just hang out in my room and make stuff.)

I can crit myself (though I'm not sure how constructive it is), but it's got less impact when it comes from my own brain - plus it's easier to forget.  Self: go socialize with interesting people and stop being a jerk!

On another note, I finished a couple nice knitted things (plus some embroidered stuff from last term!) that I need to take nice pictures of, but I keep sleeping till 2pm (notice how it's 3am right now?) and miss the good light.  I guess I could go outside, but it's COLD.  And I don't have a backyard.

Do any embroiders have a good recommendation for a stitch guide?  I want to get better at this!  I'm thinking something along the lines of this site, but in book form.

Also, related to books, The Principles of Knitting is being re-released.  Now, full disclosure, I don't actually know much (anything) about this book, but the title makes me really excited for it!  I hope I get a co-op job so I can buy it without having to wait until it comes out in paperback.  (If it ever does.  Damn you, Loop-d-Loop, and your delicious hardcover patterns!)

Too much stuff

I'm running out of space for my knitted things.  I also have too much yarn.  So, my goal is to clear out one box (milk crate) of yarn, so I can keep sweaters and things there instead.  This is going to be very difficult.  The yarn is reeeeally stuffed in there tight.  Plus, I reeeeally like buying yarn. 

Since it looks like I'll have to move again soon (I hate my landlady/co-op) cutting down on the yarn is probably a good plan.  I would really like to not have to move.  I've lived at my current place for two and a half years, and I've acquired a lot of stuff.  Ok, going to stop writing as this is making me stressed.  Going to go to other work now.  Sigh.

A Question for skilled draw-ers (drawers?)

Here is the skill I would like to develop:

Drawing: (left hand = picture one) (right hand = picture two)

How often should I switch for optimal skill development? I am willing to spend time practicing. 

My instinct says switch every time. y/n?

I've been (mirroring lines and circles, looking at the paper) and (drawing circles with both hands, not looking).

Do I find it more difficult to draw a line than a circle?  Which is preferable?  Should I draw lines first?  Perpendicular to each other?  Lines and circles?  Circles and lines?  (Circle Circle) (Line Line) ?

I am enjoying having this thought and excited to work on this skill.  I would appreciate input if you feel that you: (have a constructive response) or (don't understand and want explanation)