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work in progress wednesday: the I-am-slowly-going-crazy-123456switch edition

22/8/2012

5 Comments

 
Many ridiculous things are happing in my life right now: I'm unemployed with graduate student loans, I'm planning a wedding, I'm moving in a month, there are roofers outside and cable people inside all banging and tearing things up ten hours a day six days a week, and, not surprisingly, I'm a bit of an emotional mess.  Just one of those things is enough to make this girl wacko, but all of them at at once makes me wake up (at six, because the roofers arrive at seven and I'd prefer to be caffeinated) and really question what the point of getting up is (mostly, I conclude that  having loud banging both in and outside of my apartment is best faced not in my pajamas,  but it's often a close call), and how in the world I'm going to get through the day.  I have a loving family, wonderful friends, a partner that really balances out my crazy... and honestly, reminding myself how lucky I am in all these ways does very little about the freaking roofers.  Or moving.  Or not working.  Or trying to plan a wedding.  Or not working.*

Just call me a cranky ingrate.

Sigh.

Because our landlord decided that the month before our lease is up is the absolute perfect time to have all these workers trouping through the place, demanding things like a completely clear patio, pictures off shelves and walls, and all furniture three feet from all walls (yeah, that one's a serious issue-- you have no idea how many books, and therefore bookshelves I have.  I try to cut down every time I move, but still the first thing 90% of people say when they walk into my home is, "Wow.  That's a lot of books."  The other ten percent are either related to me and/or have seen my parents' house first, at which point my book collection really isn't that impressive), we're packing up to move now, six weeks before we're actually moving and several weeks before we can even sign a new lease, and therefore throwing various boxes into storage in various places.

Which means (and here, finally, is the piece that's relevant to a knitting blog) that The Stash is not going to be immediately accessible for probably two months.  In this case, The Stash not only includes the yarn and fiber, it also includes the books, needles and notions that accompany said yarn and fiber.  Now, I'm not a fast knitter by any definition, but I do like variety and choice.  I'm thinking about keeping with me the contents of my "basket"-- which is the area in the living room that contains things I think will be knit next.  Please note: I'm probably delusional, but it's at least partially due to the banging.

  • Devin's sweater, including the two skeins of yarn that I haven't got to yet (the pattern is a photo copy from the book so I can scribble on it at will, so the book can go into storage) and three sets of needles (body, sleeve, sleeve).
  • My MadTosh sweater (meaning six skeins), and it's pattern (PDF) that I haven't even swatched yet.
  • The two scarves I'm currently working on that are kind of like watching paint dry, and their accompanying skeins not yet integrated (3-ish).  One is pattern-less and the other is a PDF; one set of needles apiece.
  • A pair of socks for Mom, accompanying needles; pattern is a PDF.
  • The bag of scraps for both my squares and puff, two sets of needles (one for squares and one for puffs), and polyfill.
  • The alpaca (5 skeins) with which I'm trying to learn stranded knitting.  Not that I've started or pulled out needles for that, but I can make a copy of the chart so I can cross it off as I go...
  • Skeins from frogged projects that I feel like I ought to knit next (4), even though inspiration has not struck
  • Pristine skeins of cotton I've pulled from the stash because I had an idea that then got buried by the next shiny idea (5)
  • Oh yeah, and my spindle(s) and current fiber, and maybe I should pull out an extra bump in case I finish this one?  I should maybe store the bowl of handspun (2 skeins) though...


So, who wants to talk me off the ledge?  Please?

For more reasonable crafters with WIPs on this fine Wednesday, visit Tami's Amis.  Most of them probably have pictures, too!

* I really miss working, and the whole treating a job search like it's work?  Doesn't fill the void of not working.  If I hear one more person tell me it should be easy for a secondary science/math teacher with three years experience, a national award, and a masters degree to get a job, I think I'm going to use some words that are very inappropriate for the classroom.
5 Comments
Suzy link
22/8/2012 10:22:02 am

Which ledge am I talking you off of? Cuz I'm still stuck in a bit of vapor lock at the thought of being without my stash for 2 months. It's not ME being without stash but just the thought made me twitch for a while. OY. I think your list of knitting to keep out looks quite reasonable. A little short if anything. Cuz even though, if I were in your shoes, the likelihood that I'd get to all of it in 2 months time is very slim, I know that any less will make me feel like I have nothing to knit and it's going to result in a stash acquisition trip whether i need it or not. Sounds like stash acquisition is to be avoided for multiple reasons so I'd say it's best to err on the side of over-preparedness.

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Megan link
26/8/2012 03:51:52 am

I ended up going the over-cautious route, I think, for exactly that reason! I am trying to avoid major stash acquisition, and I have the exact personality that leads me to buy when I can't see what I have already...

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Lissa link
23/8/2012 01:36:13 am

Okay, first of all, CONGRATULATIONS on the wedding. I had wondered, given the countdown to "the big life event" on your year of projects. Corrin and I are both grinning for you today. :)

With regard to the stash... I think the list you have is fairly reasonable provided that you don't add anything else. Since the extra bump is a "wondering" thing, trade out for it -- maybe by storing the skeins from frogged projects that don't seem to be making you happy.

And with regard to the "not working" ... *sigh*. I'm terribly, terribly sorry that there's no easy fix for that. Would it help to set yourself daily goals in other ways? Like "pack four boxes, knit an inch of sweater, make myself a real lunch on a washable plate"?

Hugs from the beach.

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Megan link
26/8/2012 04:03:33 am

Thank you! It's been interesting so far... the first thing almost everyone asks is "Is it legal?" and the second thing is "What are you both going to wear?" which we find a little funny because the former, while important, isn't as much of a factor in the event as everyone seems to think it would be, and the latter isn't something we'll think about until next spring. One unfortunate side effect is that I seem to be in a match-making mood, and am annoying the snot out of my single friends!

As for the not-working thing, yes, it really really sucks. And sometimes I totally have to make myself a list that includes things like "wear actual clothes today" and "have a face-to-face interaction outside of the house." Ugh.

Hope your vacation has been a blast; the new pictures/camera look(s) great!

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Alicia link
26/8/2012 05:49:28 am

Oh my, that all sounds completely terrible. I hate construction SO MUCH, they've been doing it at work for the last few weeks. Speaking of, I'm about to be unemployed as well and while I'm looking forward to a little bit of a break right this second (also planning a wedding and moving soon, etc etc) I know that in a few months it will drive me crazy, too. Best of luck with everything!

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