The Mitered Square

I bought two knitting books this week. The first was The Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller, the same knitting goddess who brought us Stitch N' Bitch and Stitch N' Bitch Nation. Really I bought it for the crocheted necklaces (I know!) and the string (haha, get it?) bikini (just kidding). I'm really getting into this crocheting thing, but shhhhh, don't spread it around too much.

Oh, and I bought Mason Dixon Knitting. Quite possibly the best book I have ever, ever read. You should go get it right now. Don't read any further, just go buy it now and come finish reading this later. Already have a copy? You need another.

The pictures are simple and colorful, the projects are practical and pretty, the writing is witty and inspired. The book is, in short, yet another confirmation of what we already knew, these ladies are astonishingly talented. I can't wait until they go on tour.

After drooling over the blanket section for a little bit, I was totally reengergized about my mitered square blanket, which is still in my stash box in the form of yarn. I whipped another square up while talking the the BF on Wednesday night.

There are somethings you need to know about The Mitered Square:

1) They are the fast food of knitting. Like a little snack between bigger projects. You cast on 72 sts and the next time you look down, its done. You can literally gobble up a half dozen of them in one sitting.

2) They are self-generating. Just when you think you're done with one, another is starting to cast itself onto your needles.

3) You need about 80 squares to make a decent-sized blanket. And in the beginning that will not sound very bad. Then you will have to remind yourself that eventually they all have to be sewn together.

zee mitered square (not my picture)

I've got some delicious colors to work with, too, but I don't want the blanket to look too structured. I hope to have it done by the end of the summer. The little squares will be perfect traveling knitting. More pictures next time on other summer projects and what I've been knitting now. Anywho, now that March is over there are only 5 weeks of school left and I couldn't possibly be more excited!!!

Personal Victory

What a great week I had! First I found my camera in (where else) my yarn stash box while cleaning my room. Of course the batteries are dead, so you'll have to wait at least another day for pictures. Then I finished the right front of my ballet wrap from Interweave Knits winter issue (its the one on the cover) which means I only have the left front to do before I get to sew it up and wear it proudly. THEN I went shopping for new jeans - found some that actually fit which is a miracle in itself - then they rang up for $6.95 I know, right! Amazing!

I'm officially on Spring Break this week, so here's my list of things to do:

1) drive to Omaha to visit best girl friend and drink a lot of booze (not while driving of course)

2) spend an entire morning in bed (sleeping off the booze) without annoying alarm clock/cell phone, then get up and go shopping

3) spend an entire afternoon outside in good weather/sunshine

4) get my nails and toes done, deep condition hair and go tanning (or fake n' bake as my friend calls it), basically pamper myself silly

5) do not check my school email the entire week - or actually just don't touch a computer for one whole day (already know I'm gonna break that one)

Basically I'm just going to spend a whole week in 'I-dont-have-t0-turn-in-another-damn-paper' mode. Which of course will end on Sunday morning, when I'll have to spend eight hours in the library to make up for not doing anything for a week.

Here amuse yourselves until I get back. :0)