Saved by Knitting

I knit because I like it, not much for the finished products. Right, for example, I am making a pink baby blanket even if I know nobody who is having a baby girl. I just had some yarn in my stash that I thought would make a very nice light baby blanket. Did I mention that I am making it in fingering weight? It will take me forever.

But since I have gone back to work full time in an office where I am supposed to look professional and put together everyday including Friday, I have a new appreciation for my large drawer of shawls and lacy scarves:



After five years as stay-at-home-parent who was never home but running around volunteering for everything and everybody and the previous five years working for a company where the dress code was something along the line of jeans and t-shirt, I owe three dressy pants (one of which I bought for the interview) and a hastily put together colletions of black, grey, and white (one!) blouses that lasts me exactly from Monday to Friday when I get to do my laundry. But, wearing everyday one different shawl or scarf, nobody notice that I do wear the same outfit oever and over again.

After, would you look at anything else but this?


Raspberry Gaenor

or this?
 
Plum Shawlette

Yes, I know, I could go shopping, but this working thing it is time consuming! Oh, wait, I did, in February, at Stitches West:

Again? Seriously?

Last Tuesday I ran out of yarn for my Plum Shawlette. So I weighted the whole thing (104 gr), I frogged until the increasing part was 50 gr (to leave myself some wiggle room), and I re-knit all of it.

And again ......

And the weather report was lying

Not a drop of rain yesterday in San Francisco, cool weather for a quick trip to the city: Artfibers, lunch at Mixt Greens, naturalization interview, and back home.

Everything well but I ran out of yarn for the Plum Shawlette:

The day I have to go to San Francisco

Snow in Rome

My Facebook wall is floored with photos of Rome under the show. With 35 cm (less than 14") of snow, the whole city has come to a screeching halt, quite understandably it was the first time in 26 years.  As we say, a Roma nevica ogni morte di papa ("in Rome it snows every death of a pope"- not translatable, similar to "once in a blue moon".)

Anyway, what I do not understand is the complains. Blocked at home? Pull out your knitting ...... in solidarity of my Roman friends, I plan to finish my Plum Shawlette today:

6th annual World Nutella Day

The kids think it is really serendipitous that this year the World Nutella Day happens the same day as the Superbowl: Nutella is such a nice contrast to all the junk food they will be eating.



Usually when 3pm approches on Superbowl day, I withdraw into my room, close the door, look for something more interesting to watch on tv (and this category is pretty broad), and knit or spin until it is safe to go out. This year this perfect plan has been derailed by my kids extending invitations to watch the Superbowl with to several friends, including some friends of mine. My daughter decided that we need to introduce our recently moved year friends from Italy to the Superbowl. I am just hoping that they will not take it as a reason for running back home.

The Predictable "2011" Post

Finished Projects 2011, a set on Flickr.

From my handy Excel spreadsheet, here are the 2011 stats:

Yarn knitted: 16,377 yards and 43 projects
Yarn swapped out or gifted: 6,647 yards
Incoming yarn: 18,654 yards

Balance: -4,370 yards (negative number is good, it means that I actually manage to consume more yarn than I acquired.)

Interesting facts:
- in 2010 I knit about 16,000 yards as well;
- at this rate, I have 5 years worth of yarn in my stash.