Internet DTs!

Wow, amazing how much we depend on the internet for so many things in our lives. 

News - both local and global

Email - keeps us connected to friends and family from everywhere

My knitting and crochet groups - they are my inspiration

So what do you do when your modem decides to crap out on you at 2 am this past Monday? Well, crochet your heart out, review paper editions of knit & crochet magazines and books you've been putting off looking at because you're usually on the internet checking email, and updates from your knit & crochet groups. 

Then you call your internet provider and go through all the different hoops they insist you perform to make sure that it is truly the modem that's crapped out. That took over an hour of various reboots of both the computer and the dying modem as well as deleting internet connections and reinstalling said connections. Switching cables around to ensure that it wasn't the problem. Until finally, they decided that the modem (which was 12 years old) was indeed on it's last leg. It was sending packets but not receiving them. Go figure since I told them right at the beginning of the tech support convo that it wasn't receiving and that indeed it was sending.

It finally came today!!! oh joy!!! After pulling out the old modem, cables, wiring, I plugged in the new one and waited the prescribed time, then started up the computer and waited. Opened the web browser to find that it wasn't connecting, check the little computers at the bottom of my screen to see the same message as Monday's. Little or no connectivity... Ahhh!!!! Again, I go through the wire jungle, switch them for new ones we always keep on hand .... just in case... switch the telephone cord.... just in case, reboot the computer, reboot the modem... still no connectivity. While doing all these various calisthenics..believe me, to get to our computer wire disaster in the making, you require calisthenics  LOL since everything is behind the desk which is against the wall. You may think, what's the big deal... right... try having 2 giant 24 inch crt's on your desk which alone weigh 75 lbs each! the desk itself is made with 1 inch plywood doubled up in a lot of places. (anything less sturdy and the crt's would have been on the floor long ago) This desk is so solid, you can get up on it, jump up and down and dance on it and it doesn't even make a sound...so yes, it's solid! and yes, we know from experience! LOL

Anyway... while doing all this, I unwittingly unplugged the router! Ack! Noooo!!! I quickly plug it back in and all I'm seeing is the single wee green power light. Nothing else is lighting up! Oh geez.. now what?! After waiting a few minutes, the router still hasn't lit up so back to the wire jungle to figure out if something is bent or crimped. Go back to the router, unplug it again and plug it back in, reboot the modem, reboot the computer and wait (patiently? Hah!) to see if all these various bits and pieces of technology will cooperate and give me back access to my virtual world. And while praying to whichever gods of the internet there may be, I watch the little computer icon on the desktop go green! We have connectivity folks, no clue what happened, guess the stars and planets were all aligned properly, but I'm back!!! 

Btw, the one who suffered the worst from this internet breakdown was my darling husband. Poor guy couldn't check any of his groups, blogs, updates, etc... and usually, while he's going through a kidney stone crisis, he'll spend most of his time concentrating on the virtual world instead of the reality pain brings, these past couple of days have been pure hell for him. He will be one very happy guy when he will finally be able to surf again.

As for baby blanket #2, it's halfway done insofar as the top stitching or tambour crochet is concerned. I'll likely finish it today or tomorrow at the latest, then it's photo time! I will be adding this pattern to my Ravelry designs page for a free download soon.

I've also been working on a couple of new crochet designs. One is of a lovely scarf and the other is of a matching hat. 

With my Mom's 71st birthday coming in June, I want to make something special for her. So I've also been working on a design for a sleeveless  zip/button  vest-style for her. I've already decided that she will also get the scarf and hat once I'm done working out the design. 

For a lady who is turning 71, she is in amazing form. She and her boyfriend go out dancing every weekend. They are part of a Senior Sandbag League (baseball pôches (fr)) and their team is leading by over 1000 points over the rest of the league's teams which means they will be travelling to Quebec City again this year for the league finals. She has her own market garden that she tends to and a market stall from which she sells fresh picked vegetables, eggs and local in-season fruits. So my vest design will have to be utilitarian as I can see her wearing it in early spring and fall while working in the garden. She also does supervision duty at the local elementary school during lunch times throughout the school year. I just hope I'm as able as she is when I reach 71.

Froggies and Lilypads and Babies Oh My!

I had previously spoken about this blanket in this post and this post. It's been a few weeks and for anyone wondering where I'm at with these blankets, here's an update.

I'm looking at the end run for the first blanket. I have 6 small sections left to top stitch. Glad that is all that's left since I'm quickly running out of the blue I used for the top stitching. I was hoping to have enough left over to crab stitch around the edge once but nope, no such luck. So I will be looking for another complementary color to do that with since I feel the crab stitch will give the blanket's edge the firmness it requires to lay flat.

I originally joined all the hexagons at only 3 spots, knowing that I would be doing some type of joining to reinforce once the blanket was completed. I'm not fond of blankets with ridges on top or underneath so I went with the top stitching. When I work on blanket #2, I will be doing the topstitching when I have a row of hexagons done. It will be easier that way and I won't end up manhandling a blanket with one hand while pulling up the loops from the underside. Interestingly enough, the style I chose looks a lot like the faggot stitch used in embroidery since I'm pulling loops up through alternating chains or each hexagon. 

I love how the motifs remind me of lily pads surrounded by water. All that's missing is a few froggies scattered amongst the flowers and that may just happen :)

None of the hexagons have been blocked since I feel that blocking on a blanket makes it appear stiff and that's the last impression I want this blanket to cast. I want Mom to take the blankets and use them instead of squirreling them away in a closet to be forgotten and never used. I didn't do all this work for the twins only to find out 20 years from now that they sat in a closet being saved because they were 'too' special.

Well folks, the jury is in on the frog pond binkie

I've mentioned in previous posts that I found a really cool crochet motif and decided to turn it into 2 baby blankets for my newborn twin nephews. I also posted a not very good picture of my progress at that point.

Well, I haven't stopped working on it since then. Remember, I set myself a goal of finishing what I start to combat the dreaded "Startitis virus".

Within seconds of laying the blanket out of my bed, Gambit was right at it, inspecting every inch of it, smelling and walking around it, on it, and finally, after some deliberation decided that he approves of my work so far! (19 motifs)

I'm really enjoying the creative process for this blanket. I started off with a hexagon motif, chose colors and then set to with my crochet, assembling the hexagons as I go. Finally, to give the impression of lily pads, I'll be adding some blue between each hexagon. I'll also be adding a bit of whimsy to the blankets, but that will be a surprise for later. Still stewing on that idea and really now, can't give it all away, can I?

I've been keeping notes on the blanket so I may end up writing up the pattern yet. First though, I'll finish the blanket! 

Here in all it's glory, the Gambit approved binkie!

Doesn't he just look like the cutest kitten ever all curled up on the edge of the blanket? Last time he was a kitten was 8 years ago but that's not stopping him from behaving like one most days!

Last night, he was having a rollicking good time with one of his toys. I had an extra McDonalds kougra (neopet plushie) and gave it to him last year. Up until last night, he'd pawed it around a few times, but not much else. The toy just lay in the pile with the rest of his unwanted amusements. For some reason last night, he dug him out and there began a grand game of toss and chase. He would nab it with a claw and toss it up high enough to bounce off the ceiling in different directions and he'd follow in hot pursuit and toss it again when he'd get to it. This game went on for 20 minutes or so. I didn't dare move since he doesn't seem to want anyone moving about when he's playing this game, so no photos. Sorry! We don't even dare laugh when he's up to his bengal games since he takes laughter as an insult and we wouldn't want that now would we :)

On a different note, I know Easter was yesterday. I just felt too sick to really care. But to all my readers, Happy Easter, or whatever you want to call it if you celebrate it.

In case you're wondering who this silly looking cat/dog/monkey combo is, it's Marsupilami
One of my favorite characters from a comic book (bande dessinée) written by André Franquin. He would bounce in and out of trouble always coming out smelling of roses and his trademark "Houba!" exclamation.

Other comic books I enjoyed as a kid were filled with well loved characters like Boule et Bill, of which the modern equivalent would be Calvin and Hobbes. Others that I looked forward to reading were Astérix and Obélix, they made me laugh and The adventures of Tintin, I loved Captain Haddock for his incredibly convoluted swears. I also awaited with anticipation the further adventures of Lucky Luke. All these bandes dessinée were collected by our catholic elementary school librarian, considering the times and how most adults felt about comic books, it was quite surprising that she would keep ordering the books as they were released. Whatever reasons she had, I loved and cherished every one of those books. Would rush over to the comic book section every week to see if a new one had been added. I read each one several times, scrutinizing the art work, laughing over the jokes and prat falls and wishing I could keep the books for my very own. And all this shows that I was a nerd before the word even existed! LOL

Why is it... startitis explained

With the wealth of information now available online, the knitting and crocheting community has come out of the living room and spilled over onto buses, trains, parks, ball games, doctor's offices and anywhere one is apt to be found waiting patiently to be served. We as fibre lovers fearlessly wield our needles, crochet hooks and spindles while the populace at large watches in awe as beautifully stitched garments and yarn flies from our fingers giving birth to original garments, yarns, and much more. It has also given birth to the newest disease on the block known as "Startitis".

Why is it that multiple patterns, stitches, blocks always seem to come in groups? I find one and I want to make it, then I find another and I want to start that one too! and so on and so on...until I have a pile at least 3 feet high of projects that await me, softly calling to me, begging, trying to make me feel guilty. And then, I realise, I've developed a rather bad case of "Startitis"!

For those non fiber readers, I will explain. Startitis is the problem knitters, crocheters, and fibre lovers encounter when they have too many projects on the go and keep finding more wonderful things to try. That leaves us with many many projects begging to be completed. It has become a problem for most knitters and crocheters. We are like children in a candy shop when it comes to new fibres, patterns, stitches, and the accompanying paraphernalia of needles, hooks, stitch markers and so on.We can't resist!

Symptoms vary from one to the other, but the dominant one is bags and baskets holding partially completed projects being hidden in closets, behind furniture, under the bed, in the attic, at friends' homes, in the car boot and the list of hidey holes goes on. These symptoms are not to be confused with stash gathering or stash nest padding. Those are another can of beans I have no intention of opening today.

How to battle it?

Reward system: This works only if the guilty party is willing to finish a project before going on to a new one. It usually works if two fibre lovers team up and encourage each other. Trying this method by oneself usually leads to dismal failure and more 'startitis' items to be squirrelled away.

Frogging vs gifting: Go through your piles, bags, boxes of unfinished projects and seriously ask yourself "Will I ever finish it?" If the answer is no, frog it! If you stopped working on the project because you didn't like the yarn, Gift it! Someone else will love it I'm sure. Once you've separated the projects into 3 piles, of which the to be finished pile is hopefully the smallest. Get rid of the pile for gifting asap! Otherwise it will sneak it's way back into your stash when you're asleep! The pile that's to be frogged, get busy and get it done! You'll be adding some much loved yarn back into your stash to be used for new projects and you will feel so much better.

Once the frog or gift piles are gone, look at what's left and put them in priority of when it needs to be finished. Be it for a birthday present, Christmas, surprise, whatever, assign it a deadline. I surprised myself on how many projects I finished during the Ravalympics held in February, just because there was a deadline!

Now I'm not making any promises that these suggestions will work, but at least it's a start and one way to help ourselves out of the "Startitis" cycle. 

So what do I have in my "Startitis" pile you may ask? Yes, I will be honest and list everything in the pile. I'm not proud of it, but I'm the first to admit, I'm addicted and I need to slow it down somehow LOL

A child's summer top of my own design half done

A kitty blanket - crochet

A skull blanket - knit

A pillow cover (2 squares done, 6 more to go!)

A dress for a 19" barbie

A hoodie scarf - will be frogged and design changed

3 pairs of socks (2 crochet, 1 knit) all 3 are experimental

1 pair of baby socks w/ a 2nd pair needing to be made

2 baby bibs of my own design, one to embroider, the other to actually finish crocheting

A small collection of 3"x3" granny squares for a child's top. (this one doesn't really count since I make the squares out of leftovers from other projects, but I'm listing it anyway)

A dishcloth - trying out a new stitch pattern - See?!?

A child's top for winter - will be frogged - too small to fit any of my nieces

And... a baby blanket I started today! I wanted to make blankets for the twins who were born last month but couldn't settle on a pattern I liked. Yesterday I found the perfect pattern. It's a crochet hexagon block called African flower. It is super easy to make and looks incredibly gorgeous! I'm using stash yarn to make this blanket. The green is from the same yarn I had used to make a chemo cap for my sister last April before she passed away. I wanted to use the rest of the green for the boys' blankets in memory of their aunt who would have adored them. Each hexagon measures 6" from side to side and I'm using worsted weight yarn with a 5.50 mm hook. I'm assembling as I'm going hopefully to cut down on weaving in ends and hours of tedious seaming once the hexagons are all done. I still may run a row of crochet stitches to better secure the hexagons to each other, but I'll have a better idea once I'm done assembling them.

So where does that leave me you ask?

I'm going to focus on the baby blankets and finish them since I want to send them to the boys before they outgrow their cribs. LOL From there, I will finish the wee pair of socks since they are also for my two nephews and can be sent with the blankets. After that, I plan on frogging the hoodie scarf and starting that one over with changes to the pattern. This one has a deadline of May 31st so I have to get busy.

The child's summer top I'm designing now has a due date of June 30th that I've set for myself so I get it done or frogged. Either way, it will be over.

The kitty and skull blankets will remain on hold until it's Fall again since I'll die under them LOL The pillow cover blocks may get frogged. I'm debating on those.

The baby bibs will be next since I want to finalise the design on these and get the pattern published!

Somewhere along the way the dishcloth will get frogged and a different stitch tried out since the current one isn't doing it for me. Thank goodness I'm not desperate for a dishcloth!

Boy do I have it bad!!! LOL
I just joined a CAL over at Crochet Soirée that ends April 30th! Mind you the pattern is really cute and I know who I'm making the scarf for already :) My 16 year old niece will love this funky fun scarf. Scroll down the page a bit and you'll see the Flower scarf post. Nothing to buy, just make the scarf, follow the instructions for entering a picture of it in the CAL before the end of April and get a chance at a prize! How much better can it get? Don't forget to sign up for their free newsletter... which is how I found out about the CAL :)