I’m teaching a free beginning knitting class tonight to about 10 women at my church. It is 2 hours long. I’m wondering if I should cast on for everybody and just focus on the knit stitch, and possibly the pearl stitch as opposed to jumping right into casting on. My thought is that casting on can seem confusing and overwhelming at first, and by the time we get to actually knitting, they’ll already have the “this isn’t something I can do” attitude. Plus, they won’t remember how to do it when they get home anyway.

Knitting itself is easy, and if I can get them going on that, then if they ever want to cast on for another project, we can address it at that point, and they’ll already be comfortable handling needles.

Or, maybe we can start knitting, and if things are going well enough, we can stop towards the end of class and do the cast on bit.

What do you think?

I haven’t taught a group this big before. I’ve taught plenty of one-on-one’s, and that’s easier because when the “I just can’t do this” crap starts, I can get on their case. In a big group, I don’t think I’ll have that luxury.

Well, by necessity, I’m still photographing on my front porch to get enough light. However this time, to keep things interesting, I brought a prop.

Behold, the zigzag scarf.

After messing around with what felt like a zillion side edgings to open it up, I decided to just pick up stitches and do 2 rows of stockinette with a bigger needle, then bind off on row 3. It made for a tidy little edge that didn’t detract from the lace, and achieved the desired goal of getting the sides to lay flat and not roll. Hehe. Sometimes, simple really is better.

I’ll post the pattern soon.

Wow. New felted clogs are way cooler than year old felted clogs. And they’re pretty.

They’re also still lumpy. They need to be worn a bit to relax and settle in.

You wouldn’t know it, but taking that picture almost killed me. I had to lean back in a funny way to get the background foot in the shot, and my pregnancy-chemically-loosened pelvis had a fit.

It’s still raining. It’s still dark. It’s supposed to be raining and dark for most of the week, and that’s only because they didn’t forecast out any farther on the radio this morning.

Rain. Rain. Rain. Far as the eye can see.

I usually really like the rainy season, but not when I have a leaky roof and an 85 pound golden retriever that goes out in the muddy backyard to do his business a few times a day, and then tracks the mud onto my carpet when he comes back in. And we’re not even going to talk about the associated smell.

Ewww.

In other knitting news, I finished the Angora Zigzag Lace Scarf over the weekend. And it’s luscious. I’ll hopefully show you tomorrow, but I don’t know how a gray/blue scarf will photograph on a gray, gray day.

Also, I’ve started some socks! Can you believe it? I still can’t.

I picked an easy, garter-rib pattern out of the book, cuff down (not adventurous with socks yet), and I’m doing both socks at the same time, as usual. Cuff then cuff, leg then leg, etc. I like doing it that way. Right now, I’ve done both cuffs and have started one leg. And so far, they don’t remotely match. I’m making two green socks that are completely different shades of green.

I’m hoping it’ll all mesh out in the end, but right now, I don’t see how these two greens will ever match each other.

Good morning. I’m doing a little better today I think.

I haven’t been well enough to exercise, but I’ve been making efforts to eat better. I’m still eating junk food, but I’m making more of an effort to get some nutrition in as well, and I’ll start shifting over to more healthy food. I’m making lists.

We’re doing Saturday chores today around the house. Something neither of us usually do. It feels good.

How is your year starting?

I did get the clogs all finished up and ready to felt, but they haven’t had their bath yet.

I’m still feeling ill, but I think it might be dehydration like Kristy mentioned in the comments yesterday. On Tuesday, when I started to have a relapse, I was overwhelmingly craving water, almost to a panic level. I’ve been drinking fluids, but maybe I’m not caught up yet.

So, I’m helping out at the school today. This is our little lunch break between classrooms.

When I was knitting the clogs this week and found dyed straw in the Lamb’s Pride, I was reminded of how frequently I find undyed vegetable matter in dyed yarns. How does that work? Do they toss the dyed yarn back into the barn to pick up an essence of its origin? I don’t get it.

And for grins, I timed myself on the second clog. Size women’s large. The first sole took 35 minutes, the upper part took an hour, and I lost track at the cuff and second sole, because Nate started reading this book to me and I was laughing so hard I couldn’t see. Then my friend Michal stopped by at 10 o’clock at night (whenever the phone or doorbell rings after what are considered to be “polite” calling hours, I have learned not to panic, because it is most likely Michal. She’s a night owl. Now it’s funny.) to pawn off her ice cream because her husband is on a new diet and she doesn’t want it in her freezer.

So I lost track. But still, an hour and 35 minutes to the cuff is pretty cool. And I’m not a particularly fast knitter, it’s just a really quick pattern.

That was quite a response yesterday. Thanks! It’s fun to hear from you.

My internet shy neighbor and I were talking on the phone last night, and I asked her if the shoes were cute, even though I knew they weren’t her style (she’s extremely conservative, fashion-wise). She paused a moment, and said that they looked well made. I had a very good laugh over that, and Nate and I continued laughing about it the rest of the night. It was so her.

I’m almost done with the second clog, but it is extremely dark and rainy out, so there’s no way I’m getting a picture, and I don’t even want to try. I am hoping to get them into the washing machine today.

I’m still sick. I don’t know what’s up with that. Monday and Tuesday I felt I was recovering, but yesterday and today I have a lot of stomach pain and nausea, even though I’m not throwing up. And I am able to eat, I just don’t want to.

Lame.

This is what? Week number 3 of someone in the family being sick such that no one can do anything? I can’t go out.

So I’m sort of knitting, but really, I’m spending the bulk of my down time working on Veronica’s scrapbook. She’s giddy, and it’s really cute.

If you recall, she’s the only one that up until this week, hasn’t had a scrapbook.

So I’m spending a lot of time immersed in hospital/baby photos, and it is making me so baby hungry I can’t stand it. I’m glad my little one is only 3 months away (13 weeks to due date). On the one hand, it’s freaky that we’re this close and we’re so not ready, but on the other hand, I want to hold my baby!

I’ve had multiple requests now to show my new shoes. (Fluevogs, if you’ve been out of the loop). Well, thank you. I just made an idiot of myself on my front porch contorting into strange positions trying to get a decent shot of them. Being six months pregnant made it all the more ridiculous (and difficult). All for you. :-).

De blue ones…

De red ones…

And de pink ones…

They really are pink, despite how washed out the photo is. I’ve figured out why I haven’t managed to get an official VCC or an Interlocking Balloons scarf picture in the sidebar yet. THIS DARK, WINTER LIGHT MAKES FOR CRAP PHOTOS, AND I’M TIRED OF FIGHTING IT!!!!

Back to the shoes. (There’s also a pair of white leather knee high Cece boots in the post somewhere in Canada that will eventually end up here. Nate spent a very long time hunting them down as they’re on clearance, and according to most every employee of Fluevog in our country, completely sold out in my size. He was not to be dissuaded however, because these particular boots were the other reason he took me to the shop. He likes them).

I’ve never owned strappy heals before. I don’t even remember the last time I owned “heels”. When Nate found these on the website and said he wanted me to try them on, I looked at him like he was insane. However, they ended up being really stable shoes. I don’t feel wobbly. They have substance to them.

(I am SO not a fan of flimsy, “are you insane for even trying to walk in those” shoes. I think that while they can be cute, they’re stupid. Shoes are for walking, and if the occasion calls for it, you should also be able to do a little jog in them to avoid things like, cars, unexpected puddles, dogs, people that look like they may want to mess you up, etc. You’re not going to find me in an otherwise avoidable pickle, just because I was wearing stupid shoes).

Right. No one ever accuses me of not having an opinion.

V and I went to the yarn store yesterday, bought the skein of pink Lamb’s Pride for my clogs, and picked up a ball of Fixation to try my hand at the Panta. I saw that Angela made a super cute couple of Pantas with Fixation, so I knew the yarn would work out. Once I’m more familiar with the pattern, I may try to modify it such that I can use some of the gorgeous, bulkier yarns that my LYS has in right now.

Last night, as I was sitting on the couch thinking about another boring post I’d have to write today, and contemplating my cold feet, I decided to whip up a new pair of clogs.

Well, I managed half of a new pair of clogs. These are Lamb’s Pride Victorian Pink and Raspberry. I’m going to need another skein of Victorian Pink, so Veronica and I are heading out to the yarn store in a little bit.

The girls went back to school today. I’m kind of sad.

I really thought I’d have some knitting to show today, but I don’t. I got horribly, terribly, awful sick yesterday morning, and it lasted 24 hours. I’m feeling human again now, but weak and sore. I felt like I was going to die yesterday.

Plus, since I could only lie in bed, and since being this far along in pregnancy I only have two laying options (pick a side), my back is killing me.

Today isn’t going to be a picnic either.

Happy New Year.