pattern: Martha from Rowan Magazine 28
yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed, Crush (color 144)
started: January 8, 2007
completed: April 11, 2008

This month at the library I work at we’re doing a Pedometer Challenge. There are different teams around the library competing for the highest weekly average. My average last week wasn’t great but this week is definitely going to be better. Biking can be converted to steps, so we dusted off our bikes this weekend. I’ve already biked over nine miles these last two days. My new walking shoes will be a huge help in motivating me to continue walking to work on those days that my seat is too sore to ride my bike.

pattern modified from Tweedy Vest by Mona Schmidt from Knitscene, Fall/Winter 2005
yarn: Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed, color: 20008
started: November 22, 2007
completed: February 10, 2008

The semester is winding down and there is still so much to be done. I’m looking forward to summer and growing vegetables again. Today I noticed the hostas we planted last year are coming up. They’re in a pot that we buried in the ground that we can dig up and put on our front porch. I just hope the apartment people don’t come by and chop them off thinking that they are weeds. My summer schedule is going to be a bit less crazy than this semester. I have two classes - Non-Fiction for Children and Adult Popular Literature. There will be a lot of reading but I loved reading for my Children’s Lit class last semester.

pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann from The Knitting Workshop
yarn: Berocco Cotton 100 in Blue (9198) and Lime (9225)
started: March 18, 2008
finished: March 28, 2008

Lately, I’ve been knitting washcloths. I’m nearly finished with my third in as many weeks. Maybe it’s spring fever, maybe it’s finally finishing the Martha sweater, maybe it’s feeling too pressed for time.

Six years ago on April 18, 2002 I started my lowly little blog. Last year, I noted all of the projects I’d worked on since April 2002. It’s been sort of a slow knitting year for me with school and all of the sewing that I did last summer. Since last April: I’ve started Library School, knitted two baby sweaters, finished the pair of Go with the Flow socks, completed a pair of Anniversary socks, and knitted one Waving Lace sock. I also finished the Moderne Baby Blanket. For myself, the Tweedy vest was knitted in a matter of a few months and the biggest accomplishment was finishing the Martha sweater. In the sewing department, I made six skirts for myself, several bags, two adorable bunnies, made my first quilt and started another quilt (which is a surprise).

So I wrote this post with the intent of having a few photos only for me to come down with something. I’m hoping it’s the 24-hour head cold but I’m fearing it’s not.

Wow, despite the fact that I have a ton of school work to do, several projects seem to be working themselves together. Knitting on the bus and during class breaks has proved to be quite fruitful in the knitting department.

First, the first sock of the Waving Lace socks is finished complete with a toe already kitchener stitched together. A new record for me, I stitched up the toe the same night that I finished knitting the sock.

This afternoon as I was relaxing a bit, I finished the back of the Martha sweater. Tonight at knitting, I did a three-needle bind-off of the shoulders and started the second front of the cardigan.

Since these projects have been coming together so nicely, my urge to start something new has waned, which is definitely a good thing. I still really want to make the Tweedy Vest and K at knit night started a new pair of mittens another project that sounds really fun. Plus I have a pair of long fingerless gloves I need to make my sister for her birthday that was last month. I’ve decided that this year I’m not even going to attempt to knit any holiday gifts. The thought of Christmas being less than 50 days away is nauseating. So many fun projects that I want to make and I want to get back into spinning. I haven’t touched my wheel since Mother’s Day weekend, how sad.

And finally speaking of everything coming together at the right time. Moving my website over to the new domain name was quite easy and only took me a few hours of headaches. :) At least it’s done and when the old domain name goes away on November 17th or 18th, I don’t have to worry about losing anything. Plus I completely backed up everything before I moved it over. If you’re wondering where Candles in Kites came from and whether it has any significance, it doesn’t. Bryan came up with it on Sunday morning after we’d been talking about domain names for a while, it’s just one he threw out there that I liked.

Please take note:
My website is changing. Please make note of the new URL http://candlesinkites.com/erica/wordpress

The old URL (http://candlesinkites.com/ericawordpress/) will no longer work after November 17!

Until I get it all updated many of the links may not work. I’m working on it. If you find any that you think I missed, please let me know.

Bloglines subscribers, the new feed address is http://candlesinkites.com/erica/wordpress/feed/

I went in to upgrade Wordpress today and somehow wiped out all of the previous formatting for the blog. The sick feeling in my stomach hasn’t gone away yet because I know that it was hours and months of time to get it just the way I liked it. I just wanted to add one thing on it and it would have been exactly what I wanted. Now I’m going to have to set it all up again. Argh! Maybe it’s a sign that it’s time for a new theme. This new theme is temporary until I can figure out one that I really like.

I’m upgrading Wordpress today, my blogging software so if things look a bit weird that’s why. Bear with me and I’ll get it all fixed soon.

3:40pm - After lots of fiddling with the new template, I’ve finally finished it. Let me know what you think.

I seem to go through this about every few months and maybe it’s just the day. There are times I’m just tired of blogging, it seems like so much work and I don’t feel like doing it. I’m sure part of this current phase is the heat or should I say was the heat (the landlord installed a new A/C unit yesterday). I haven’t felt well since Sunday. I’ve had a headache everyday since last Friday that I think is heat-related. Today, even though it’s only 68 degrees outside, I think it’s because I’ve been taking an Excedrin or an Aleve everyday to relieve those headaches. Once again, I have a headache because my body has gotten used to my taking something to relieve the headache. Sort of like caffeine withdrawal.

So I’m taking a few days off from blogging. Don’t worry I’ll be back soon. And don’t be surprised if tomorrow I’m over all of this. I have photos from the weekend and a photo of Mrs. Tomato with her friend Miss Oregano that I’m growing. Hopefully, in a month we’ll be celebrating our first baby tomato.

I’m transferring my website to a new host today. If you can’t access my blog or anything else for a bit that’s why. Just wanted to give you a heads up.

I’ve tried to publish a new post recently and it’s not working. I hope to be back up and running soon.