Knitting Librarian

election results as they happen

2008-11-04T18:48:00.002-06:00

Election map - can't figure out how to embed the code. Oh well.

X-Files: I want to believe

2008-07-29T16:10:00.001-05:00

DON'T

update

2008-07-03T09:19:00.002-05:00

figured since I haven't updated lately, I should. Not much is going on - hence no update. I went to a dyeing workshop last weekend - dyed a skein of DK and a skein of sock yarn - all using a microwave. That was new to me. I'll try to take some photos. The weekend went rather well. I parked my car in North Little Rock and a friend who was taking the class picked me up there. I was having cell phone issues, so that worked out pretty well. The best part of that, when I got ready to head back home, I went in Barnes and Noble and ran into my best friend's folks! Her dad had triple by-pass surgery the week before!!! It was so good to see him up and around - although the scar on his leg where they took the veins from .... EWWWWWW..... but he really looked good!

I've gotten my second spinning wheel back - but it's being polyeutheraned. (yea, I'm sure that's spelled wrong - but blogger isn't offering any suggestions). I should have photos next week. I've also been having car issues. I no longer have an ABS. But the car runs, and the breaks work! That's what matters.

I'm spending the next few weeks in a workshop on using Blackboard 8. That's the course management system we have here at the university. I'm hoping to eventually put my entire course online. We'll see how it goes.

Class is about to start. Guess I should pay attention!

my advice

2008-06-26T12:31:00.000-05:00

never go bowling.... I went Tuesday and I am still so sore! bad for the knees it seems. Oh well... hopefully by Saturday I'll be better - since I need to drive to Little Rock for a dyeing class.

What I'm reading:

2008-06-17T15:44:00.002-05:00

Fire Study - by Maria V. Snyder
It's classified as "romance" which shocked me. Yes, there is a love story, but still... I'd call it "science fantasy" or "young adult". This is the 3rd in the series and I've plowed through them very quickly. I'm enjoying the story

Dead Witch Walking - by Kim Harrison
We had the newest book at the library and I gave it a read and found it interesting enough, so I went to the bookstore and bought what I thought was the first book - turns out, it was the one right before the one I had read.... so, after reading the 3 most recent, I finally figured out that this one is the first.... so now I'm starting the series from the beginning!

Spin-off - this one is a magazine that I enjoy (not surprising since I'm a spinner.

Well, that's about it. I'm trying to get caught up on some reading, and spinning, and knitting... you get the idea!

Oh.. tentatively I have someone coming to visit later in June. We'll see what happens!

Goals

2008-06-05T12:37:00.002-05:00

I got this from http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/. It seemed good advice, so I thought I'd pass it along.

1. Set achievable goals. How much did you make from your freelance endeavors this year? Set a slightly higher goal next year, and figure out how to get there.
2. Start out by saying yes. Say yes to things that are unpaid, or that pay badly, or that require you to go out of your way — at the beginning, this is how you build name recognition and a portfolio.
3. Value yourself and your work. Yes, this does seem contradictory. But at some point, once you have built up a body of work and contacts, you need to start saying no and being more choosy about where you expend your energy.
4. Get a little help from your friends. You hear about networking’s importance in job hunting — well, freelancing is like going on tiny job interviews, all the time. How do people find out about you? How do you find out about opportunities? Most often, through people you know.
5. Do ask. Get yourself these two books by Linda Babcock: Women Don’t Ask and Ask for It. Convince yourself of the power of negotiation — and your ability to do so. (Probably more on this later; I just finished Ask for It and am thinking back on where negotiation, or my failure to negotiate, have figured into my own career.)

Editor humor

2008-06-04T23:09:00.001-05:00

humor swiped from an email - no idea who is the original author. It just seemed appropriate as I am currently managing editor of Arkansas Libraries and am working on getting the summer issue to the printer by next week.

Rules for Editors

1. Verbs HAS to agree with their subjects.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat)
6. Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
10. No sentence fragments.
11. Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.
12. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's
highly superfluous.
14. One should NEVER generalize.
15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
16. Don't use no double negatives.
17. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words
however should be enclosed in commas.
22. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
23. Kill all exclamation points!!!
24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
25.Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth
shaking ideas.
26. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not
needed.
27. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate
quotations.Tell me what you know."
28. If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Resist
hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
31. Even IF a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
32. Who needs rhetorical questions?
33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

new wheel is here

2008-06-03T19:31:00.002-05:00

Well, sort of here. It came in the mail. It is now at the "pimper". She's painting it/pimping it out for me! I'll post photos when I get it in. Other than that, I have a shetland fleece on order, along with 2 other lbs of fleece to be washed. I still need to wash all the alpaca too - along with the various samples of different wools I have on hand. Hmmmm....

I would do it this weekend, but... there is a spin-in in Mountain View which Debbie (fiber friend) and I are going to on Saturday.

Not much else to tell.

New Spinning Wheel - NOT

2008-05-22T13:35:00.004-05:00

Well, I had agreed with a "lady" to buy her used spinning wheel. I told her I'd get the check to her as soon as I could - I get paid on the 15th. Well, I mailed the check on Monday of this week - after the hospital thing, it wasn't exactly in the forefront of my mind. Today I get this message from her:

"hmmmm - the mail has come and again no check from you. I’m beginning the get the message that you no longer want the wheel. Thanks fine, I only wish you had told me this instead of ignoring the issue. I had tried to do a favor for you.
I will now offer the wheel to someone else. Hopefully, not to late to make another deal."

So much for her doing me a favor - after all, I was just paying her to get a spinning wheel that she doesn't use out of her way....

Guess I'm not getting another wheel. And yea, I'm pissed. Now I have to decide whether to pay to stop the payment on the check or not, or whether to trust her not to cash it. /sigh

**update** she contacted me and said she will return the check.

weird law

2008-05-20T20:47:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure exactly what the law is - and whether it's state or more local, but you can't buy a sampler bottle of liquor in the area I live in. You know - those little bottles like you get on airplanes. Strange....

not much going on here. Oh... for those that know, it's pancreatitis. So nothing fatal, just a long hospital stay - about 5-7 days.

Got my Bach's in. Am needing to order some more, but am waiting to hear from a friend who might order with me - saves on shipping. Now to get a dosage bottle. Been doing 2 drops under the tongue once a day - uses it rather fast, but...

Not much else to tell. Will hopefully break out the camera this weekend and take photos of fiber I've been blending and of my small skein of alpaca I spun.

Borrow a person?

2008-04-28T09:24:00.002-05:00

Got to love the library world. First we have people complaining about people hanging out in the British Library, now we have the first UK "living library". Check it out here. Actually, this is a kinda cool idea.

Fugly yarn

2008-04-27T16:51:00.002-05:00

Well, usually I LOVE spinning BFL fiber, but this time, I hated it. I'm thinking it wasn't well prepped. Usually BFL spins like butter - smooth..... but this time, there were lots of short clumps and such. I was very disappointed. To make matters worse, the color sucked. It was part of a fiber club so sometimes it's just not a good match. I'm sure someone would love the color, but not me. I gave up spinning thin and spun the 2nd half thick/thin. The yarn is now sitting calmly in the soak pot and will soon be simmered in purple wilton food color. Hopefully it will look much better even if I hated spinning it. It's always interesting to see what overdying looks like. Here is a photo of the original yarn:

God Forbid....

2008-04-22T19:42:00.001-05:00

A library actually being used! Horror of Horrors!

I cast off Kerry Blue!

2008-03-23T15:52:00.004-05:00

Well, that might not make sense to many, but it's a shawl I've had on the needles for AGES. I had set it aside for about 3 months, but finally picked it back up and finished it. I hope to take a photo soon and post it.

I got "The Step" in last week! It's amazing how much it hurts to just step up and down on it.. hehe... I've got a workout dvd coming, so I'm pretty excited. I'm still using Get Ripped, and now I can do it better because I have the Step to be able to do the arm exercises better!

Well, not much going on in my life besides that. Oh... I ordered a Drum Carder!!! For you non-fiber people, it lets me take washed wool and line up the fibers for easier spinning. It's a Strauch Petite. Depending on how much I like processing fiber, next will be a Wool Picker (which looks strangely like a medieval torture device) Here is an example. and here is a video!

fiber post

2008-03-09T00:07:00.005-06:00

time for a fiber post. I finished my Kaylee socks - pattern by Momma Monkey. They are part of a KAL memorial to her as she pass away recently due to Lupus complications. Purple is the 'lupus awareness' color, so I know have bright purple socks.

Also, I've been doing some spinning:

This colorway is called "Tainted Love". I've spun 2 of the 4oz I have. I've done tons of other spinning, but haven't had time to photograph it yet.

Hmmm....

2008-03-07T20:52:00.001-06:00

Your Score: Hermione Granger

Don't fight it...it is who you are!

You are super intelligent and try to help the world. Not just witches and wizards, but also house eleves. You are the natural born healer.

Link: The Mega Harry Potter Character Test written by lucky_dip on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test
View My Profile(lucky_dip)

So, does it fit?

Other things going on: I'm almost finished with my Kalee socks, and I've been asked to teach a knitting class at Barnes and Noble. Actually it's more of a case of assisting people with questions, but still... it's once a month. It should be interesting!

Yoga attempt

2008-02-25T18:40:00.002-06:00

Well, I now believe that Carla is trying to kill me *hehe I made it through about 15 min of the yoga workout. I've realized I really don't have adequate space, but I tried anyway. Watching the video, it didn't seem that difficult. YEA RIGHT........ I survived at least. I do have a question though - for those of you that do this sort of thing - my knees can't handle the floor. I think it comes from years of kneeling on concrete floors when working on computers. That and a few *cough extra pounds. It's truly painful.

On the knitting front, we had our local knitting group meeting this past Saturday. There were 4 of us there. We will be meeting again on the Saturday before Easter. Also, since 3 of the 4 of us are going to knit the Icarus shawl, we are going to start meeting on Thursday evenings at the library - 6pm. This is a knit-along that some of us in Arkansas decided to start. Our start date is March 1st, so the first Thursday after that, feel free to grab your needles and come join us!

Enough for now. I need a shower.....

Thursday

2008-02-22T08:19:00.002-06:00

Not much of a blog title, but well, that's what yesterday was - Thursday. And as with any day of the week, I had the best of intentions. I recently purchased Resistance cord workout and Yoga beginner kit. I've watched the yoga dvd and it doesn't look to bad. I even have a spot cleared out in my room so I can do the workout, but last night... oui! I got home from work, took a shower and then just collapsed. I have no idea why I was so exhausted. But tonight, I'm planning to do the yoga workout and probably watch the other workout. I like a preview so I know what to expect first. As Saturday is our NE Arkansas Knit day, hopefully the yoga won't kill me! Later!

not much to see

2008-02-14T10:28:00.002-06:00

an interesting blog

I'm still knitting and spinning, taking classes... the usual.

Oh.. one strange thing that happened - I walked into Barnes and Noble on Sunday to get my usual latte and the girl said to me "we were talking about you at our staff meeting". Hmmmm..... that gives a person pause. Turns out they want me to do a knitting class! How's that for an unusual day. I'm going to do it. It will probably be one of our "knit in public" days - so there will be lots of us there to help anyone who wants to learn to knit or to learn new techniques!

Enough for now - see... I told you there wasn't much to see!

update

2008-01-28T18:34:00.000-06:00

It has been pointed out to me that I haven't updated lately. That's partially because nothing interesting has happened! Oh well. Here's an update anyway

Friday I signed up for the ASU Biggest Loser "competition". It's not a hard-core competition, and I only joined the team component, not the individual. So, the goal of the library team is to lose more weight as a group than any other team at ASU. We'll see how it goes!

We had a "knit-in" at Barnes and Noble here in Jonesboro on Sunday. There were 6 of us there. It was good meeting other knitter/spinners in the area. Granted, 2 of the people came up from the Little Rock area, but still... One of the people there runs a yarn shop in Memphis! We are talking about getting a "knitting weekend" set up. We also discussed starting IcArkansasus - Arkansas Icarus KAL. It is a KAL for Arkansans and others interested in starting the Icarus Shawl from Interweave Knits. The KAL starts on March 1st. Here is a photo of the shawl. So far we have 4 people signed up (4 of the 6 who were at the meeting).

Other than that, school has started, so we are busier at work, plus I'm taking 2 graduate classes, so life is busy. Not enough time for as much knitting/spinning as I'd like. I am trying to finish my "january" pair of socks. I'm part of a group that is knitting a pair of socks a month. I'm getting closer to done, but I don't have much time left. On that note, I'll sign off, hit the shower, then start knitting again!

Sock Sadness

2008-01-17T17:55:00.000-06:00

Well, I had signed up for the Loopy Ewe sock yarn club. This would have been my first club, but alas, I just got my rejection letter. My name didn't get drawn in the lottery. Seems they had more than twice the number of people sign up than there were slots open. I do understand, but it still sucks.

My name is Morandia and I'm an addict

2008-01-11T11:51:00.000-06:00

This is from a sock knitters anonymous group I recently joined:

Like any other Anonymous group, we’ve got our 12 steps to accepting and managing our addiction:

1. We admitted we were powerless over our desire to hand-knit socks and stash sock yarn.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our LYSes as we understood Them.
4. Made a searching and fearless accurate inventory of Stashes.
5. Admitted to ravelry, to ourselves, and to other human beings the exact nature of our sock addiction.
6. Were entirely ready to frog any defects of knitting.
7. Humbly asked for knots to be removed from our skeins, hanks, and balls of yarn.
8. Made a list of all patterns we had started, stashed for, or designed on cocktail napkins, and became willing to start/ finish them all.
9. Finished sock WIPs wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them, the yarn, needles, ourselves, or others.
10. Continued to keep a stash inventory and when we buy sock yarn, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through trial and error to improve our conscious contact with sock knitting as we understood It, praying only for knowledge of Turning Heels and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other sock knitters, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

At this point, I think I have only 2 pair of socks on needles, but I'm realizing that my stash of sock yarn is much larger than I had thought.

I am camel

2008-01-10T15:01:00.001-06:00

Camel – Consistent and inflexible
“Camel has very little elasticity, and it doesn’t felt easily. The fiber also doesn’t bleach easily, so you’ll normally find it used in yarns whose color either masks or enhances the natural tan shade of the camel fiber.” –The Knitter’s Book of Yarn

Camels are frank and straightforward in their manner. You know what you want and, while you are extremely polite and tactful, you have no difficulty being firm and definite. You are not very flexible or adaptable; you like things to be a certain way.

The quiz is here

today is a good day

2008-01-09T12:18:00.000-06:00

went searching through my backpack for some loose change for something to snack on. I found 3-$20 bills. Then I found that the frappachinos in the vending machine were only $1.25 - normally they are twice that here on campus. I have a "productivity report" due on Friday this week. I turned it in before noon TODAY! Talk about a good day!!! Just had to share

L&V's FinishaMarathonapalooza ‘08

2008-01-03T20:36:00.000-06:00

Here's my list.
1. Kerry Blue Shawl - 95% finished
2. Mystery Shawl 5 (I think it was 5) - 60% finished
3. Pretty as a Peacock Shawl - with Ravelry KAL
4. hat/scarf/mitten set I’ve started
5. Numerous pairs of socks I have started
6. Spinning my past fiber club offerings - about 8 packages of 4oz each
7. spinning brown fiber collection - to eventually become a shawl

I think that’s enough for starting the year - that and 7 is a lucky number - and the number of completion!!

right now I'm working on a pair of socks and the mittens part of the set. No casting on until I finish at least one of these two projects!!!

*edit I changed #3 to the Pretty as a Peacock shawl since I'm part of the KAL and had forgotten. It was already cast on so it counts (even though I did frog and start over today). You can see a photo at http://prettyasapea.blogspot.com/ I posted the finished first part.

yarn

2007-12-18T00:31:00.001-06:00

well, I'm guessing not many people read my blog, but I have to share my new favorite vendor. White Willow has the most beautiful lace and sock yarns! Once I get my camera back from my brother, I'll take photos of what I've gotten from her. Her colors are amazing!! If you want to see some of her other colorways, here are her sold items. Check out the beauty!

Life

2007-12-07T09:04:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been a while since I've posted. Life tends to interrupt things occasionally. My most recent interruption was:

another pointless quiz

2007-09-08T21:35:00.001-05:00

Goals for September

2007-09-06T11:39:00.000-05:00

Finish Kerry Blue shawl - 90% done
Finish Emily's shawl - 30% done
Finish Bird's Nest shawl - 90% done
keep on track for I can do it challenge
Don't start any new items until at least one of these is done.

sockapaloza

2007-08-09T12:38:00.000-05:00

got my package. What a wonderful fit! I absolutely love the socks. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to take a photo yet to post. Hopefully this weekend!

what kind of cake are you?

2007-08-09T12:32:00.000-05:00

You Are a Marble Cake

Eclectic, inventive, and peaceful.

You are never willing to accept what's "normal." You live to push the envelope.

You find it hard to make up your mind. You prefer to have everything you want, right away!

What Kind of Cake Are You?

Which Star Wars character are you?

2007-07-04T00:09:00.000-05:00

Your results:
You are Obi-Wan Kenobi

You are civilized, calm, and
have a good sense of humor,
even when those around you don't.
You can hold your own in a fight,
but prefer it when things
don't get too exciting.

Obi-Wan Kenobi		63%
Han Solo		63%
Lando Calrissian		62%
R2-D2		59%
Mace Windu		58%
Princess Leia		58%
Padme		57%
C-3PO		56%
Yoda		56%
Luke Skywalker		56%

(This list displays the top 10 results out of a possible 21 characters)

Click here to take the Star Wars Personality Quiz

Novely and Nightshade

2007-07-03T19:20:00.000-05:00

These are 2 of the three batts I got from KnittyDirtyGirl, I still have one to go. This was my first time spinning a batt and WOW... it's so much fun!!!

And this is my Spunky Eclectic Club
fiber for June plied with some green merino I had on hand. I wanted to keep the dark tones but keep with the gardening theme.

40+2days

2007-06-26T19:39:00.000-05:00

woohoo! I made it to 40... even a few days past!! wow! who would have thought?

Ernesto's trip

2007-06-19T13:13:00.000-05:00

These are the photos from Ernesto's trip to Israel and Turkey

(ok.. I admit - I'm testing the code to see if it works properly. Enjoy the photos!)

Elmindra Rose's first Skein

2007-06-04T21:45:00.001-05:00

Well, here it is in all it's glory!

It seemed appropriate for Min's first skein to be Red. Actually, it's Lisa Souza's Little Devil in BFL. What an amazing fiber to spin! If you haven't checked out her fibers, DO! She's an amazing colorist.

Girls Gone Wild

2007-06-04T21:39:00.001-05:00

Friends

2007-05-31T21:00:00.001-05:00

I was going through some old photos and came across these. I thought I'd share them. This is my high school and college gang of friends.

My New Baby

2007-05-29T19:43:00.001-05:00

Yes, I have a new baby. Her name is Elmindra Rose - Min for short. Isn't she beautiful? and she even matches the floor!

She is my b-day present to myself. I turn 40 next month and I thought I'd treat myself. I've been saving my tax return until I picked a wheel. It was a tough call. There are lots of beautiful, functional wheels out there, but Min just called my name. I'm learning to spin on her now - she's a bit different from the HitchHiker wheel I currently have rented from The Naked Sheep Knits.

I'm thinking it's getting close to time to "flash my stash". I'll have to think about that. Maybe this weekend!

Dakota has a puppy!!

2007-05-29T19:33:00.000-05:00

Well, she's had a puppy for about 2 weeks now - just took me forever to get a pic. Her puppy's name is Scrapper. Isn't she cute???

Ok... she is another stray, but she is a Sheltie puppy and although she seems to tower over Dakota, they are within a pound of each other weight wise. Plus Dakota lets Scrapper know that this is HER house, HER doghouse, and I am HER person. hehe.. Dakota is a little feisty fireball! and very jealous. I can't even pet Scrapper without a "fight" ensuing. Ok.. they don't really fight... they just snap at each other and jump on each other. Dakota is definitely the dominate though.

Secret Pal 10 - WOW!!

2007-05-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

Not only my favorite fiber to spin (BFL) but also presents for my Dakota! She's still getting use to the lamb, but she LOVES the treats! BFL is a dream to spin and I've been debating on buying some "natural" color. I'm wanting to spin up some sock yarn and use natural for the heels and toes! now I can!!!!

And don't miss the Chocolate, and notepads, and ribbon - OH MY!!! *HUGS MY SECRET PAL*

Oh.. if you guys want to see some of my spinning:

This is the FIRST (and second) skein of yarn I ever spun on a wheel (a little Hitchhiker I rented from here. The bottom skein is majorly underplyed, but the top one is much better. This is my fiber from Spunky - my first shipment from the club.

I didn't get a pic of my 3rd skein - it's a mystery wool in blue. I gave it to a friend of mine.

My 4th skein turned out very nicely! Here it is:
It's superwash BFL I got from Dyeabolical Yarns. I LOVE the way it turned out!

Well, besides making a presentation at a conference on "The Reference Interview", I haven't been up to much. I'm trying to get a few things off the needles, but as of yet, have not been successful. Well, at least I got around to posted here!!

secret pal 10 challenge

2007-05-04T15:47:00.000-05:00

It's May, and time to think about all things SPRING! The Secret Pal challenge is to post our favorite flower and color combo Hmm... I'd have to say that I love bluebells. Unfortunately I don't have any around to take a picture of, so you'll have to use your imagination. Second would be Sweet Peas. They are lovely also! I have a brown thumb, so I prefer to spin/knit those colors rather than trying to grow the flowers *GRIN*

In case you aren't sure what the flowers look like, here are some links I found:
Bluebells

Sweet Peas

Hmmm....

2007-05-03T13:34:00.001-05:00

Seems I'm on the fence doesn't it???

You Are 50% Left Brained, 50% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning.
Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others.
If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic.
Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet.

The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility.
Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way.
If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art.
Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Your Brain is 53% Female, 47% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female
You are both sensitive and savvy
Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed
But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

What Gender Is Your Brain?

more grading woos

2007-04-30T13:31:00.000-05:00

hmm.. is woos a word? Well anyway - my students are currently taking their final. As you know, I'm a librarian and I teach a course about how to use the library. Note that today is the FINAL exam. I just had a student ask me "what is the difference between a print and an electronic resource?" /sigh If you don't know that by now, chances are you will not pass the exam or the class. Same student asked if it was ok for her to leave the room to go put change in the parking meter. /double sigh I let her, but she will get no additional time to finish her exam.

Two students haven't been saving their answers in Blackboard as they went and managed to lose all of their work. Sometimes I hate technology. One is a very good student and chances are she will be able to finish the test in the remaining hour.

I hate grading papers

2007-04-24T16:23:00.000-05:00

I teach a 1 credit course in how to use the library. My students turned in their final project yesterday, and still have their final exam coming up.

This person almost made me cry:

1. topic: biology

2. How many books are there in Reference with your topic somewhere in the record?
Question 2 answers
Given Answer: 2.59

3. How many books are there in the library with your topic somewhere in the record? Question 3 answers
Given Answer: 3.2940

4. How many journals are there in the library with your topic somewhere in the record? Question 4 answers
Given Answer: 3.162

pardon the language but HOW THE HELL DID HE GET THOSE NUMBERS??????????

How can you have part of a book? and for the record - the answer to the first one is 49, not even 259 (which I had hoped but still....) GEEZ!

I hate grading papers....

Dakota

2007-04-21T16:25:00.000-05:00

Here she is in all her glory!
Isn't she the cutest thing? and she LOVES sleeping in my bed - she burrows down under the covers and nuzzles up. Actually she tends to sleep in the kitchen (I close my door so she can't get in), but my dad lets her in my room early in the morning, so she gets to crawl in with me then!

finally some pics

2007-04-21T15:59:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm finally catching up on some pics, so bear with me!
This is a close-up of the beading done on the swallowtail shawl. I also increased the size.

And the full shawl (almost)

and this is a baby sweater I knit for a former student worker (and a darn good friend)

And the "April Fool's Day ugly yarn swap" gift (I love the yarn.. can't wait to try it)

And of course, my Secret Pal 10 - I even managed to not eat the chocolate until after I took the pic - but now it's all fair game!!

and finally - I've begun spinning, so here are the baby skeins I've managed on my drop spindle!

what color is your brain

2007-04-16T10:45:00.001-05:00

Your Brain is Purple

Of all the brain types, yours is the most idealistic.

You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense.

Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries.

You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

What Color Is Your Brain?

wow... time flies

2007-04-12T11:57:00.000-05:00

It's already the 12th of April! I still haven't taken pictures but hope to this weekend - depending on how long it takes me to finish my 20 page proposal for one of my classes. It's the end of the term crunch, so I can't promise anything.

I've managed to finish a baby sweater and a pair of socks, so photos forthcoming on those as well. Plus pics of my new baby- Dakota (she's a dachshund - before anyone panics).

Well, back to the grind!

packages, packages and more packages

2007-04-01T00:37:00.000-05:00

I have received an "April Fools" sock yarn package - the idea was to pass along unloved/ugly sock yarn to someone else who might appreciate it. I got some very interesting yellow/black/white self striping opal. I can't wait to try it out! There were lots of other goodies too!

Also, I received a lovely package from my Secret Pal in the Secret Pal 10 swap! I got loads of lovely stuff including tasty chocolate and some funky "crazy color" regia sock yarn - Woohoo! More bright colors. There were lots of other goodies too.

I'll post pics as soon as I get my camera back! well, pics of all but the chocolate!!!

Thanks to both of you!!!!

Spinning

2007-03-18T19:51:00.000-05:00

Today I had my first spinning lesson. I got to try multiple wheels as well as learning on a drip spindle. My teacher was Penny Teem of The Naked Sheep Knits. The shop will be opening in a couple of weeks but this was my spring break, so she agreed to teach me this weekend! YEA!!!

Adventures in Dyeing

2007-03-18T18:47:00.000-05:00

Well, a couple of weekends ago I decided to try my hand at dyeing yarn. It was a most interesting adventure. I used Country Colors dye and a variety of yarn. I used Henry's Attic yarn, natural opal sock yarn, zephyr lace weight, and I even overdyed some Lisa Souza sock yarn.

I'm having fits with the images, so I'm going to just upload them without any dialog. Sorry...

What kind of flower?

2007-03-07T15:37:00.000-06:00

I am a
Snapdragon

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

What Flower
Are You?

Secret Pal 10 questions

2007-03-06T10:25:00.000-06:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love merino. Superwash is even better. I'm a big wool fan, although I'd love to try some of the "funky new stuff" - you know, soy, bamboo.. those sorts of things. I love sock yarn, and lace weight yarn! I’m not a big acrylic fan, nor a pure cotton fan, but the worst is Angora. I’m allergic to Angora so I NEVER knit it. Mohair is not a favorite either - too fuzzy.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

A fishing tackle bag. 90% of my needles are circular and the rest are dpn, so they all fit in it nicely.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I’m not sure when I started knitting. I’d have to say on and off for about 15 yrs. I taught myself from an Elizabeth Zimmermann book. As to my skill level, probably near-advanced except for two-color or intarsia knitting (I have no clue on either)

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Not really.

5. What's your favorite scent?

I love vanilla, peppermint, and sandalwood. How’s that for variety?

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Of course! I LOVE dark chocolate. The darker the better, although 99% is a bit much – and yes I have tried it!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I’m currently trying to learn to spin. I also crochet and have been known to quilt although quilting has been pushed off the stove (beyond the back burner). I'm also an online gamer (MMORPGs), so a bit on the geeky side.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

Celtic music is my favorite. I also like quite a bit of country music. I have a computer that will play most anything!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Favorite: Rich Greens, with blues and purples close behind. I’m really not a yellow/orange fan but in very small doses they might be ok.

Currently I'm trying to branch out and get more into earth tones

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live with my parents and no indoor pets. We have an outdoor raccoon.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I do wear scarves (traditional, not the skinny/vogue ones), hats and mittens, but I’m NOT a poncho fan. I’m a big girl and ponchos just don’t work!!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I’m a big sock and lace shawl knitter.

13. What are you knitting right now?

See above: Socks and shawls!

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Definitely!!!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I’m a bit twisted, so definitely circular! I generally use addi turbos 32", but am looking forward to their new lace needles. That or I want to try knit picks circular needles. Circular needles rock but frequently aren’t very pointy!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yes to both! I love my toys!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Hmm… Probably a bit over a year.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving! I love to cook!!!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Although completely unintentionally, I seem to have acquired a collection of sheep and sheep related things. I also seem to "acquire" teas. I love tea so that's not a bad thing, but it's hard to call something that is consumable a "collection"

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I subscribe to vogue knitting. As to patterns I’d love to get my hands on – Heirloom Knitting patterns Cameron Shawl, Rosebud Shawl, and the eagerly anticipated re-release of the Princess Shawl. I've got plenty of sock patterns, so I don't really need more. Actually any shawl pattern is good.

As to needles, I am eagerly anticipating the addi lace needles!! I've heard such wonderful things!

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I’d love to learn fair-isle knitting

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yes. I’m a womens size 7.5 wide (US size)

23. When is your birthday?

June 24

Your Literary Personality

2007-02-15T14:00:00.000-06:00

You scored as A college textbook. You're an authority on something, you just know it. Everyone else does, too, but that doesn't mean they like you. Since you think very highly of everything you say, you charge a pretty penny to entertain your listeners. Those forced to pay do so grudgingly and try to defray the costs of learning from you by selling portions of their access to your charms to others. As a result of this speedy dissemination of your knowledge, you constantly add to your repertoire--and then hike your price. Despite your usefullness, which is rarely in doubt, nobody likes you. They find you didactic, boring and irrelevant--but still necessary.

A college textbook

71%

A classic novel

54%

A coloring book

54%

A paperback romance novel

39%

Poetry

39%

The back of a froot loops box

36%

An electronics user's manual

25%

Your Literary Personality
/>created with QuizFarm.com

A New Bag!!!

2007-02-05T10:47:00.000-06:00

Woohoo! My yarn swap buddy (from the One Skein swap) sent me this today!!! It's lovely!

Her website is http://klaj.blogspot.com/ She's a librarian as well and she is an amazing knitter!

Hmm.. can't get the pics to lay out quite the way I want, but then again, I'm a new blogger, so.... At least the pictures are here! Thanks again Kahla!

Sock of the Month club

2007-01-05T16:47:00.000-06:00

This is from http://time4moretea.blogspot.com/ I came across her "sock of the month" idea and I like it!!!
"Join me in your own personal Sock of the Month Club.
To join you get your needles, yarn and patterns together for the next 12 months. Then each month you knit yourself a pair of socks. Then at the end of the year you have 12 socks."

I've started on my January pair and things are going well. I like the idea of picking my own pattern and yarn to use. I'll post a pic of my January socks when I get a chance to grab my camera back from my mother! I'm knitting the "gentleman's fancy socks" from Nancy Bush's Vintage Socks book. I'm using Lorna's Lace sport weight - in the Purple Iris colorway. As always, I'm converting to toe-up (I can get them to fit me better that way).

Knit from your Stash... Hmmm...

2006-12-27T10:13:00.000-06:00

I think I will give this a try.

Knit From Your Stash 2007!
http://wendyknits.net/stash2007.htm

L-B mentioned to me that she was thinking about attempting to knit from her stash exclusively in 2007. I, of course, laughed at her initially, but started thinking that attempting to knit from my stash exclusively was not a bad idea. Both L-B and I have stashes of epic proportions. L-B had suggested a period of 9 months of knitting from the stash, so that we could go to Stitches East next October and buy yarn there.

So, in a phone call, we sketched out our guidelines.

Knit From Your Stash 2007: Guidelines for L-B and Wendy

1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months.

2. We will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:

2.a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think we are made of stone?

2.b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that we really and truly do not have the yarn for, we may buy yarn to knit that gift.

2.c. If we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough to complete the project.

2.d. We each get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- we are each allowed to fall off the wagon one time.

3. We are allowed to receive gifts of yarn.

4. Spinning fiber of any sort is exempt.

Anyone else who would like to join us in this is welcome to do so! Feel free to link to this page or to post the guidelines on your own blog. You may also alter the guidelines to suit your own situation.

Christmas Knitting

2006-12-25T16:45:00.000-06:00

Well, here is what I've been up to lately! Hope they enjoy the items

I've been a bad girl....plus new socks!

2006-10-18T09:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I went on a yarn buying binge. It isn't yet, so I can't post pics, but I will when it comes in. One of the problems is that I have "discovered" Zephyr yarn. I LOVE the DK weight, and the lace weight is darn nice too!

I also went on an ebay yarn binge. /sigh....

Well, I did finish another pair of socks! Here they are! *quickly ducks out of blogger to edit the pics to a reasonable size*

Oh.. the lovely yarn is from www.lisaknit.com The toe and heel are "Wild Things" and the rest of the socks are "Gendarme".

The pattern is a variation of Diamante from the fall 2006 issue of Knitty. Diamante I just changed the lace pattern. I LOVE the gussets on these. They fit like a dream! Major Kudos to Deb Barnhill for designing the pattern!

wow.. it's been a while

2006-08-30T21:56:00.000-05:00

Since I last posted, I've had company from London visit, and now school has started. I hope to add more about that later. For now, I wanted to post my sock pictures. I've been working on kiddy socks for my friend Lisa. Here they are.

Life goes on

2006-07-18T19:01:00.000-05:00

Well, the car is in the shop being fixed. I've started on a pair of BBS for the "Socks for Soldiers" group. I'm supposed to have lunch tomorrow with one of my friends that is shipping out on Saturday.

Hmm... not much else going on today, although my fortune (from my fortune cookie with dinner) was amusing... "Be prepared to modify your plan." That had better not be in relation to the company coming in Friday. If he flakes out, I'll be PISSED! I've already spent $1400 toward this trip - a trip that would have cost me about $450 for just me since I'd be mooching off my friends rather than staying in a hotel! But then agian, the hotel looks pretty sweet so we'll see....

Hopefull I'll get a pic of the BBS posted soon. I'm done with the 4" of ribbing.. now to complete the 10 more inches of stocking stich before turning the heel. Geez.. these will be very tall socks!! but that's the requirement!

Back to work. It's my night on the desk.

Socks Finished and Car Crunched

2006-07-08T17:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I finished my color blox socks! The heel is different from the first pic, but I like this way better. What do you think? I like the "fraternal" aspect.

Friday on the other hand wasn't the best of days.....

On Friday when I went to lunch - I was picking up food for me and one of the student workers at the library- I got more than I bargained for at Sonic. As I was driving around to get a ... er... spot so I could order, I was waiting on someone backing out a bit furthe up. Well, another guy decided to back out. Right into my car!!! He was in a plumbing company truck. There was someone right behind me, so I couldn't back up. All I could do was sit there and wait for him to hit me. I was blasting the horn, but nope... nothing. He just backed right into the front left of my baby....

Fortunately it's not horrible and no one was hurt, so now it just has to go to the body shop and me give the company the bill. I wonder how much it will be????

Well, time to start getting ready for Line Dancing!!

Sock Progress and more

2006-07-05T12:59:00.000-05:00

Well, after frogging the heels, and then the cuff... I'm back working on the cuffs and it is going well. I'll post a pic as soon as I take one. I got in my sock bag also! It's so cute!!! I'll get a pic of that too! I have also cast on the top ribbing of one more pair of socks. yea, yea... must have many many projects on needles at once.. hehe.. One of these days I'll finish something! I'd better hurry actually. I'm waiting for my black yarn to come in for my "socks for soldiers". I'm hoping to get them started as soon as it comes in. I have yarn ordered from two places, but one order isn't finalized. The propriorter was out of town. Oh well.... Maybe I'll get these two pair done before the black yarn arrives!!!

socks - I so love socks!

2006-06-27T16:54:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm on a serious sock kick... what a great way to start a blog! Nothing like a good sock kick. I've ordered way too much sock yarn from kbrece on ebay. She manages amazing colors in her hand dyed sock yarn!!! My other favorite is Lisa Souza (www. lisaknit.com) - her dye jobs are amazing also!

I've joined a sock knitting group here on yahoo and have started making a pair of Elizabeth's Color Blox Sox. It's a toe-up pattern (which is my favorite kind). I'm making then in a variegated green and a variegated brown from Kbrece. I'll post more pics of my progress soon! I'm alternating the colors (one toe is brown, one green - then switching the colors..) This way the socks will be mates, but opposites. I rather like the idea of "odd" socks. If I want truly matching socks, I'll go to the store and buy them.

Right now I'm trying to figure out how to make my socks less baggy right at the ankle (not just this pattern, all sock patterns). It's a vertical issue, not a horizontal one that can be solved with ribbing or a smaller needle. It's as if there are too many rows. One suggestion I've had is to lengthen the heel flap. I think I'll give that a try on this pair... we'll see how it turns out.

Actually, I've frogged the heels since I took this pic to change the color sequence, but they are going well! I'm almost ready to start the leg portion! YEA!!!

Knitting and other questions

2006-06-27T16:02:00.000-05:00

ohhh.. an interesting knitting questionare.... knitting related but other questions too.. this was originally for a yarn swap, but I found it interesting so thought I'd post it here...

1. What's your knitting skill level? (beginner/adv. beginner/intermediate, etc):

Intermediate... probably advanced in everything but color work.. there I'm a beginner, so it averages out to intermediate

2. How long have you been knitting?

20 yrs with some major breaks

3. What are your favorite fiber colors?

rich jewel tones - greens/blues/purples even deep rich reds (aka - blue/red, not orange/red)

4. Are there any fiber colors that make you want to hurl? If so which?

Actually, most pastels, and orange... the only orange I like is the fruit/fruit juice

5. Other than bran, what are your favorite fibers?

Wool, wool, and more wool!!! Merino is so soft.... but other wools are great too

6. Do you have any unwelcome fibers (stuff you just don't need more of or like?)

Angora - makes me sneezy

7. What is your Dream Yarn, the yarn you are desperate to get your hands on?

Hmm... I love Toasty Toes, but I wish they made solids as well as verigated

8. Novelty yarns: super cool or blight on the earth? How about the stuff made with them?

BLIGHT!!! actually they are fine for others, and I even have a scarf with long eyelashes ( I love it!!) but for me to knit... BLAH!!

9. Talk about your needles! Do you prefer straight or circular needles (are there any sizes you really need)? How about DPNs? Bamboo? Birch? Ebony? Do tell!

I love circulars!! Not into the woods - well, I've only tried bamboo but I hated it!!! The only think I could say I need would be 000, 00, 0 in circulars. I might have 0 in circulars - can't remember - ordered them recently and haven't come in to double check sizes I ordered

10. What is the next thing you want to learn (techniques etc)?

fair isles

11. What item(s) do you knit the most?

probably socks! I also have shawls on needles and a sweater, but socks are my favorite!!

12. What are your favorite items to knit?

er.. socks????

13. What are you knitting right now?

socks... and a sweater, and 2 shawls

Wants and Nots:

14. Do you have any food, fiber, smoke, pet allergies your SP should be aware of?

angora, mushrooms, cats, smoke

15. Do you smoke, have pets, or process peanuts where you store your yarn? If so, please declare them here:

nope

16. Do you have an Amazon.com or knitpicks.com wishlist you'd like to share with your SP (please add URL if applicable)?

hmm.. you can make a knitpicks wishlist????

17. Anything you've been longing for or would really love to get (knitting or not)?

Sean Connery.. er.. did I say that outloud?? hmm.. for knitting, a subscription to a sock of the month club (or bi-monthly). Otherwise dark chocolate!

18. What about stuff you don't need at all?

Hmm.. there is no such thing as too much yarn, so I can't think of anything... actually I think I'm set on needles for now

19. What about knitting accessories?

stitch markers maybe... otherwise I think I'm set

20. Do you have hobbies other than knitting (tv, sports, collectibles, favorite things)?

mmorpgs, reading

21. Are there any books you would like (knitting or not)?

sock books!!!! I have some though.. so guess I should be more picky at this point!

22. Any magazines you would like (knitting or not)?

not really... I'm not a big magazine fan (I already subscribe to all the knitting magazines I need!!!)

23. No matter where you live there's bound to be something you'd like that you can't get your hands on. What is it?

Greenwood Tarot deck and Ambre Tarot deck

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things (How about now? Are you singing it now?):

24. Who/What is your favorite...
a. Chocolate: DARK
b. Muppet: Animal or Beaker
c. Cartoon Character: marvin the martian
d. Flower: rose
e. Ice Cream flavor: vanilla or coffee
f. Fragrance: sandlewood or musk
g. Shoes to wear: cowboy boots or athletic shoes - although I prefer barefoot
h. Type of garden: veggie
i. Animal: dog
j. Beverage: water
k. Author: george r r martin at the moment
l. Musician: heather alexander
m. Holiday: thanksgiving
n. Time of Day: early evening
o. Bath or Shower: bath if I have lots of time
p. Country: Scotland
q. Number: 17
r. Card game: spades
s. Candy: not a big candy fan

Getting to know you, getting to know ALL about you (Yeah you're singing it now baby!):

25. How did you learn to knit?

self taught from an EZ book

26. What is your oldest UFO and how old is it? Surely there's a story behind it!

since I recently started knitting again, I'd have to go with a shawl and probably 3 months or so

27. What is the most exciting thiing that happened to you this month, how about this year?

hmm... learning to line dance

28. What is your favorite thing to do to waste time?

read message boards

29. The things that make me the happiest are:

friends, family, chocolate, time to myself

30: If you were a Wild West outlaw what would you call yourself?

yarn bandit?

31. If you were candy would you be sweet, sour, or cinnamon?

gingery probably

32. If you were a fruit which would you be?

pomegranate

33. Are you a Java Junkie? How about a Tea-totaler?

both!!!

34. Your birthday?

june 24

35. Do you have a personal mantra?

not really

36. How do you feel about holidays?

depends on the holiday

37. How do you really feel about socks?

LOVE socks

38. What is your shoe size?

7.5-8W

39. How do you feel about ponchos?

EWWWWW

40. What kind of music (and/or which artists) do you listen to when you are happy?

celtic or country

41. Rate yourself on a girly/fruh fruh factor from 1 - 10:

4

42. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

living with parents, 3 racoons

43. What are a few of your life dreams?

get a PhD, find someone special to share my life with

44. What languages do you speak (besides English, Pig Latin counts)?

just English

45. Hey baby, what's your sign? How about the Chinese Zodiac? Do you read your horoscope or do you think it's all bunk? Anybody think it's bunk and read it anyway? How many questions was that?

Cancer, Sheep. I read it occasionally, but don't take it too seriously

46. If you could live anywhere, where would that be?

Scotland

47. If you could do anything for a living what would it be?

own a yarn/coffee/tea shop with used books also

48. If you could have any "super power" which would it be? What would you use it for?

long life but not seeming to age (don't want to live to 200 and look/act/feel it)

49. You're given $10,000 for traveling. Where do you go and why?

Russia and ride the Trans-Siberian railroad - then to Scotland

50. What's your favourite season?

Winter

one skein secret pall exchange questions

2006-05-11T14:10:00.001-05:00

1. Which yarn is most like your personality (you can be specific or general with your answer- brand, type, color, fiber, whatever)?

I tend to go with natural fibers. I love wool, alpaca... things along that line. I am not too fond of cotton though. I guess I'd have to say animal fibers with the exception of angora. I love it but am allergic.

My favorite brand of yarn is by far Toasty Toes... actually anything by interlacements is great stuff...

2. What is your favorite color yarn to knit/crochet with?

favorite colors - blue/green/purple - even deep reds.. basically rich jewel tones are my favorite. I'm really not into pastels

3. Have you ever used variegated, or magic, yarns?

Varigated in rich colors is fine, but magic yarns just don't do much for me.... self striping is just not my thing.

4. Do you tend to favor certain fibers when choosing yarns?

wool, wool, and more wool...

5. Do you prefer to work with center-pull or traditionally wound balls of yarn?

I tend to use center-pull, but I have a swift and ball winder, so I can easily wind it myself.

6. Have you ever worked with organic yarns or are you interested in trying them?

can't say I've tried organic... but I wouldn't mind... I'd love to try bamboo or something like that

7. How many and what projects have you made in the last year?

hmm.. I'm just getting back into knitting, so right now I have 2 shawls and 2 pairs of socks on needles.

8. Will you be knitting any gifts this year?

bought yarn for a shawl for a friend as a graduation present - she picked the yarn and pattern

9. What is your favorite one skein project?

I would have to say socks... Living in a warm climate, scarfs are a bit warm most of the year - even fashion ones

10. How much yarn do you have in your stash and how do you store it?

well, I have enough for about 3 sweaters and 2 more shawls... plus a few random skeins of sock yarn. right now, it's on a book shelf.

11. Do you have a yarn in your stash that you love so much you can never use it or part with it?

nope.. it's all fair game!!!

12. Do you knit less or differently in the summer?

no change...

13. Do you belong to any knitting groups (online or offline)?

nope...

14. Pal, please confirm for me your mailing address (some East Coast zip codes may have lost the beginning Zero value and appear as four digits, and some pals were in the process of moving when they registered).

sent via email to exchange partner

Welcome

2006-03-22T19:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Knitting Librarian! I thought I'd start simple and show my stash - assuming I can figure out how to insert pictures. here goes nothing!

*edit* hmmm.. that didn't work so well... so instead, try this!
My Stash

Hopefully I'll get pics of my Clapotis and my Mobius scarf posted soon. I'm trying to arrange a model!