This weekend was a very productive one, because I said no to one of three parties and finally had the time to sit down, wind some yarn and start a new project. Endpaper mitts! So far the only problem for me is that I really don't have enough free time when I am awake enough to focus on the colorwork. Usually I am just sneaking in a few rows of something before I go to bed. But this pattern is fun and I am trying to get other things done more quickly so that I'll have the time to sit down and work on it more often. I've made it up to the thumb shaping now so I will definitely need to concentrate for that!

Now that I've been tagged by three people (Rachele, Sarah, and Jenni--do you even have a blog anymore?) to do the random things meme, I have finally been persuaded to write one here.

1. If you know me you probably already know that I love, love, love anything with polka dots or stripes. I came to the right country!

2. For nearly a month now, I have been on a no-sugar (or caffeine, among other things) diet. I haven't eaten a single thing with sugar in it, and despite my infrequent cravings for a rich hot chocolate or a piece of manju, honestly, I don't miss it. I have so much more energy and I feel much less lethargic, especially when it comes to getting out of bed in the morning. That alone is worth it!

3. I'm a bag lady. I know that I have a ridiculous number of bags and purses but sometimes I find one that speaks to me and I have to add it to the collection. Many of them are polka dot or have some other kind of goofy pattern.

4. I get on food kicks and eat the same thing over and over again for a while until I am sick of it, then move onto the next food. I just got over grilled eggplant and this delicious soup, and I don't know where my eats are headed next.

5. I'm not an athletic person, but my 2007 New Year's resolution was to run a 5k and a 10k. Now I've done two 5ks (one just two weeks ago) and I found a 10k in my town that I could run on the 30th of December if I get my act together. I might actually do it!

6. Brand names don't appeal to me at all, especially those that have their logo plastered on the outside of their clothing or apparel. The only exception is Lesportsac. I am addicted to Lesportsac bags (see number 3).

7. I love Halloween and usually get totally into it, especially here with my classes at school. But this year I am not remotely interested. I wonder if it has something to do with my sugar ban.

8. I don't like animals. I don't hate them, but they scare me, and I don't think that makes me such a terrible person. If kids at school asked me my favorite animal, I used to say, "None. I don't like animals," but their reactions were never good. Recently, I decided that pandas are cute and I will never have to encounter one in real life, so they have been bumped up to favorite.

I'm breaking the rules and I won't tag anyone to do this, but if you want to do blog about some random things and join in the fun, then go for it!

Happy Halloween! Go eat a piece of candy for me.

Posted by Molly at 04:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Pattern: Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors, from Mason Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Knitpicks Palette from the sampler set
Needles: US size 5 circs
Time: FOR.EV.ER.

I enjoyed knitting this blanket a lot and I have to say that I really love, love, love log cabin squares (I posted a ton of this project on ravelry). But my love for log cabins started long before Mason-Dixon Knitting came out with this book. I may have been smitten ever since I was little and my mom let me drag the big fluffy quilt down from my parents' bed on movie nights. I miss that quilt! Something about knitting this blanket seems really homey. And even though it's pretty small, a lap blanket, really, I know that I will enjoy having it around to drape over me when the temperatures in my place start getting low.

When I spread the whole thing out to take pictures today, I realized how wonky it looks as a unified piece. Hmm. I was really surprised when I saw this picture, actually. I guess knitting 12 squares over the course of a year goes to show that personal gauge can change over time! I hardly noticed when it was on my lap and in use these past few days, finishing the border and weaving in ends, so I'm inclined to just let it go. It's a blanket after all, meant to be used, tossed around and loved. Plus I really don't think I have it in me to block a blanket anytime soon.

I can't wait to get the needles I am waiting on to get hopping on some new projects! Until then, I always have dishrag cotton.

Posted by Molly at 07:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

This past weekend was fairly low-key for me as I recovered from my parents' visit and started my no sugar (among other things) diet. It's been hard but I have these great projects to distract me from the sugar cravings. At one point in the weekend I was actually surrounded by several projects on the couch, not knowing which one I should knit. Without further ado..

It's the perfect season to be knitting with a big wool blanket on my lap. It got cold here all of a sudden! Even though the rows on the border of this thing seem endless, I am so close to finishing that it's no problem.

My granny square addiction is still going strong. I have made six of these squares and I am going to make six each of slightly different squares with the same colors and put them together to make a scarf, or at least that is the plan. I can't say enough how happy I am now that I can knit and crochet.

I call this the cornflower series, although it is a bit more periwinkle sometimes. The one on the left with orange turned out to be the most offensive color combination yet, and it almost turned my stomach to look at it for a while. But after seeing it all the time, it has gone from repulsive to so-ugly-I-kind-of-like-it in my mind. I might have to call it my own and put it to work at my sink soon. I have lost count of the dishcloths I have made, so the whole lot of them have become a kind of ongoing project that is decorating my living room (like an installation of sorts). What colors will I move onto next? I have a whole Target bag full of sugar and creme, so it might be hard to choose! No end in sight.

(If you subscribe in bloglines or another site like that, you may have noticed that I changed the display name of my blog to knitty knitty bang bang. *Edit: or not? I don't know, I'm going to bed.* I don't remember why I ever set it as something so boring as "my knitting blog" when I switched to Movable Type in the first place but today I decided to reset it to something more accurate).

Posted by Molly at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I bade my parents adieu before work this morning when I dropped them and their bags off at the ferry terminal to start the long journey home. It was a whirlwind 12-day trip and after all the planning and traveling, training and driving all around Japan, I am left in my empty apartment with this pile of yarn. I am too tired to even look at the pictures from our trip!

Thoughts on my new acquisitions:
* Finally, the black yarn I have been needing to finish my log cabin blanket! It is getting to be the perfect time of year to knit with a big blanket on my lap so this could not have come at a better time.
* Knitpicks makes Palette in some paletable colors now! They are heathered and wonderful and not of the same harsh/gross color families of the original colorways. Hurrah!
* Got my hands on one of Emily's gorgeous sock yarns in "American Patchwork" colorway. I can't remember if I actually talked to my mom about how much I loved this colorway or if she just *knew* and got it for me coincidentally.
* All ready to swatch for my Ms. Marigold, yay!

As soon as I emerge from the post-trip coma, I might actually start to use some of this stuff. It's a good thing I don't have to deal with jet lag! I'm off to get into my pj's, park on the couch and watch season 1 of Brothers and Sisters on DVD.

Posted by Molly at 05:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)