i want

On her LJ Ariel reported that she wanted a huge poster of her DNA (its probably a picture of DNA cut by restriction enzymes). And while I think its neat, its not something I would pay that amount of money for. Something more in my price range is the tee-shirt from Science showing the annotated gene sequence map of human chromosome 1. I want one! Do I Need it? No! But that doesnt stop me from wanting it..... I'll probably refrain, but it would be sweet to have it..... Sigh
I'm such a geek!

Travel Log

Over the summer this blog will temporarily move from craft/general posting to travel posting. Originally I had intended to go over to Europe for 8-10 weeks and do a Grand Tour of Western Europe, of sorts. Sadly, thanks to the falling economy (the money I have saved is worth less and the price of flights to Europe just tripled) I have to cut it short. I'm hoping for 6 weeks but I think in reality its going to be more like 4 weeks. Which is extremely sucky, but there's really nothing I can do about it. I need to be a responsible adult and not go into ridiculous credit card debt if I run out of money while I'm there. Sigh.
After making this decision, I consoled myself by buying my backpack for the trip. I had my REI Co-Op member 20% off discount for March, and obviously I wanted to use it on the pack. Alexis was kind enough to accompany me and watch my stuff. I had originally hoped to get the biggest pack that would still be reasonable for the trip but as it turned out I had less choice in the matter than most. My tiny 5 foot barely 3 inch frame doesnt allow for comfortable wearing of most packs. But luckily with the help of awesome backpack fitter guy at REI, I was able to find one that fit perfect and still had a decent capacity. I ended up with the Gregory Jade 50 womens size small pack and I Love it! The REI guy showed me how to put it on, what all the straps were for, how to pack it up, and even put in 15 lbs of weights so I could give it a test drive. I'm super excited about my pack now, did I mention that I love it? (:

In other news the Rook has finally stopped hurting like crazy but now it itches like hell. Its annoying, but perfectly normal.
Also, a spring update on the Resolutions: today the scale read the smallest number I've seen in over 2 years! So excited. I'm just 2 lbs away from my pre-diabetes weight (the Byetta is def helping). Too bad all of it has come off of my breasts, arms, and back and not my belly. So I still have a beer gut that I need to work on.
Hopefully I will be casting on a second go at a first sock soon. I've made major progress on the 2 year mittens for my sister, too bad my gauge has changed over the years and I had to rip the new one out. Grrrr.

to leave the country?

In case you have ever wondered why I want to leave this country so badly..... It's because we're surrounded by idiots, and they piss me off. And they are ruining this country! I don't know who this reporter is, but this is a pretty good piece.
Obama tests America's cult of ignorance


Also, that name personality testy thing I did the other day - I started putting all sorts of names into it, and everyone was a Type -A personality... hmmmm

FO: Brim hat redux

So last year I attempted to free form a seed stitch brim hat for myself. And true to my status quo of free forming hats, it didnt fit me. However, instead of being way too small, it was way too big. I ended up gifting it to my brother this past christmas (and of course, forgot to get pictures) so it wasnt a total waste, but still, i was sans hat. Then a pattern came out in Magknits that was nearly exactly what I wanted, and I knew I must try it.



Project name: Possibly Hip??
Pattern: Reasonably Hip by Elizabeth Cobbe, free on magknits.com
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca, charcoal gray
Needles: US size 5 metal circs and same size bamboo dpns








Pattern adjustments: Lots.
The gauge in the pattern was 3.75 st/inch (15 sts = 4" in seed st) but I was using a different yarn and my gauge was 5 st / inch in seed st. So I cast on 81 sts instead of 63. This means I had to re-work the short rows for the hat and the brim.
My hat short rows were as follows:
Row 1: K 45, w&t . . . . . Row 2: K 46, w&t
Row 3: K 47, w&t . . . . . Row 4: K 49, w&t
Row 5: K 53, w&t . . . . . Row 6: K 55, w&t
Row 7: K 57, w&t . . . . . Row 8: K 59, w&t
Row 9: K 61, w&t . . . . . Row 10: K 65
Row 11: K 67, w&t . . . . . Row 12: seed st for 72 sts, w&t
Row 13: seed st for 77 sts, w&t
End of short rows.
Then I knit for 6 inches measured from the front of the hat where there were no short rows.
I followed the pattern for the decreases, just added an extra round before the pattern starts.

For the brim of the hat I cast on 40 sts instead of 34.
Short rows I changed as follows:
Top visor
Row 1: work 2x2 rib for 30 sts, w&t
Row 2: work 2x2 rib for 20 sts, w&t
Row 3: 24 sts . . . . . . Row 4: 28 sts
Row 5: 31 sts . . . . . . Row 6: 34 sts
Row 7: 35 sts . . . . . . Row 8: 36 sts
Row 9: 37 sts . . . . . . Row 10: 38 sts
Row 11: 39 sts . . . . . . Row 12: 40 sts
End short rows. Continue 2x2 rib over all sts for 4 more rounds.
Bottom visor:
Pick up and knit center 20 sts from front edge of visor.
Row 1 (ws): p20, cast on 10 sts
Row 2 (rs): k30, cast on 10 sts, should have 40 sts
Row 3: p30, w&t . . . . . Row 4: k24, w&t
Row 5: p28, w&t . . . . . Row 6: k31, w&t
Row 7: p34 . . . . . . . Row 8: k35
Row 9: p36 . . . . . . . Row 10: k37
Row 11: p38 . . . . . . . Row 12: k39
Row 13: p40
end of short rows. continue in stockinette over all sts for 4 more rows.


















Notes: the pattern never explicitly states where to join the hat and begin to work in the round. i found out the hard way that you are supposed to join immediately and do the short rows in the round (otherwise it makes no sense).
Also, having 6 inches of hat measured from the front edge is a bit long for my taste and you'll notice in the pictures that i'm rolling the back brim of the hat. I'm ok with that, it gives it a unique look but in the future I wouldnt make brimmed hats so long b/c then you have to pull them down so far on your face you cant see a damn thing. Other than that, i'm pretty happy with the pattern and the result.

trouble

saw this on Amanda's blog, had to steal it.
Apparently I'm the good kind of trouble, hehe.
I have to say its pretty good.... What does everyone think?

What Cassandra Means

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

scary

have you ever thought that you were being very careful about the information you put on the internets about yourself? that you were making sure there wasnt a complete story of you out there? and then you are bored and go googling shit and it turns out that you are an idiot and if someone tries hard enough they could probably steal your identity or find you to stalk you or some other crazy *ss sh*t? yeah well now i'm terrified. and i have to go around seeing if i can delete stuff. grrrrrrr
seriously i should just get a shirt w/ my name on it like they used to make us wear in elementary school for gym. better yet, i'll put my address and birthdate on it too. and wear it when i go to the bar.

i actually finished knitting my reasonable hip hat but just havent had a spare moment at work to post about it. and internet at home has been tricky tricky.

WIP monday

I've been feverishly working on my reasonably hip hat and I've finally finished the hat body. All i have left is the brim. I tried it on last night and took a picture.

It comes down a bit far for the brim but I think it will be ok anyhow. a little wiggle room. i guess we'll find out after i attach the brim - hopefully tonight!
also, my hair looks insanely red in this picture..... odd. I already like the way that the short rows make the hat curve down the ears though, so that's good.













In other news i'm so not excited about a drinking holiday landing on a work night. booo to that. i'll probably still go out for a Guinness or two, but it wont be nearly as fun a night as it could have been.
Completely forgot to tell the yarners about what happened knit related in Georgia. One of the scientists (JR) I was visiting has a 1.5 yr old daughter. When she was born I knit her a blanket. We stopped at JR's house before a lab dinner out and her daughter was still awake. She was talkative but tentative towards all the new people in the house. Then JR said to her daughter "You know your blanket? The red one you like so much? Well, Cassandra knit it for you." Blank stare from daughter. "Yes, Cassandra made the red blanket for you when you were born." Daughter: "Yay!!! Yay, yay, yay, yay" (she yelled it while jumping up and down). After that the daughter decided I was awesome and kept coming up to me and talking to me and giving me toys.
Honestly, it was one of the best responses I've gotten from knitting a gift because it was such a surprise. I really didnt expect her to react that way. But apparently she loves the blanket, so thats good.

Funky Georgia Demise

Well since this post is about 3 things I decided to combine them all into one title.
Funky sneakers.
Georgia business trip.
Untimely Demise of a wonderful crochet hook.

You may recall my yearning for some new funky sneakers a couple weeks ago. Well, I took the plunge and ordered some off the internets after not being able to find anything good in local stores. They arrived right before I headed down to GA and I'm just in love. They are the awesomest. And I'm so glad they fit since they were limited addition and I had to order them in men's sizing and hope they fit.
Since my sneaks are so ridiculously good looking, I thought they merited two pictures.


















Next on the agenda is the trip to Athens and then Atlanta GA. Nothing too fun and exciting in either place but I did get to stay in a hotel for one night and it was a tribute to Frank Lloyd Wright so the architecture and design of the place were pretty amazing (Emory Conference Center). Everything about it, down to the light fixtures and pillows were designed with Wright in mind and I think that it was a fitting tribute. I had a balcony overlooking a beautiful courtyard where I had planned to sit and eat my breakfast (room service! for the first time!) but sadly it was cold and rainy when I woke up. Sigh. Only 1 day of warm sunny weather made for a bummer of a trip. It even snowed the last day I was there! Which of course freaked the sh*t out of the Atlanta airport and caused massive delays.










Swanky bathroom and view from balcony. And only one night to enjoy it.






After having been gone for what seemed like forever my lovely fellow Yarners and I were finally able to get most of the group together for some knitting at Panera this week, where I worked on my almost completed Reasonably Hip hat. It was during our little SnB session that I discovered the horrible and untimely demise of a wonderful little crochet hook that had lived in my wip bag for quite some time. The sizeless, brandless, and possibly ageless hook was my great grandmothers and I inherited it with the rest of her collection of semi-antique hooks of various sizes and materials. (she started to crochet around 1910 and stopped in the 1980's and her hooks aren't exactly dated so I'm not sure how old they are). The little red plastic wonder was, before its death, the perfect size to quick fix any knitting mistakes. I adored it. But I suppose a possibly 90 year old plastic hook just cannot last forever stuffed in my wip bag and carted all around the country. Sigh.
In other news I went to go see Persepolis with M (new guy alert!) right before I left for Georgia - it was really good despite its abrupt ending. I highly recommend it. After I returned we watched Shaun of the Dead, which was really quite hilarious for a British zombie movie. Also managed to chat on the phone for 4 hours!?! and barely notice that it was that long. Feels like high school or early college all over again, but in a silly, laughy, fun way. (:{