Stitch and Pitch

So I went to the Stitch and Pitch game at Shea Stadium on Sept. 25th.

It was kinda cold and rainy, but we didn't get wet because we were high enough up to be under the overhang. I've kinda been seeing a guy for a couple weeks and he came with me. Val didn't wanna come because it was her anniversary (10 years, big deal!), and my friend Liz was supposed to come, but she had Back to School night for her kids and actually fell that morning while running, and was in pretty bad shape. So Jay came with me, he really didn't mind the knitting.



see, no one around me is knitting....


I brought my Circular Shrug with me to work on.


I was a little disappointed with the whole thing, not to say I wouldn't do it again. We didn't get there early because I really was unsure of what would be going on and it was not really clear if goodie bags were gonna be given out so I didn't feel the need to go early, but then I thought that once we sat down we would be surrounded by people knitting.... not the case. There were a few people around me knitting but I thought I would be able to meet people and talk about knitting and stuff, but our seats were kinda far away from the large group of people I saw knitting. Maybe it's because I bought the tickets on my own, if they were purchased a group I might have been closer to other knitters.... but it was still fun to be able to pull out my knitting at a baseball game!

Running again

So it's really crunch time now, my next half marathon is Nov. 23rd, so it's really time to start training again.
I do my long runs on Sat. mornings, so I went out yesterday morning and I wasn't really feeling good, I had a sore throat and was kinda stuffy so I didn't really have great expectations of how the run was gonna go. plus the week before I was supposed to do 6 1/2 miles and didn't quite get there, only did 4 1/4....
I get to the 2 mile mark (I had to do 7 that day) and I look at my watch and my time was 19:44!!! less than 20 minutes, that's less than 10 minutes per mile! so I was psyched about it so far. I kept checking my watch and I wasn't really staying at a 10 minute mile but definitely less that 11 minutes per mile. When I got to what I consider 5 1/2 miles my time was 58:30, still doing good, better than my 5 1/2 mile run on Weds. so I'm still excited about it, but I still have a mile and a half to go.
So, at the end of my 7 mile run my time was 1 hour 19 minutes, which makes me think my run was more than 7 miles, I know I slowed down the last 1 1/2 miles but could it really have taken me 21 minutes to go 1 1/2 miles!?!?
the course that I run on is marked every quarter mile, but it's only 2.4 miles long, so it gets a little confusing for me what to do about that last little bit.... and then there's another part that only the first 1/2 mile is marked and then it's a little bit longer, so I don't really know how long that is..... so I just kinda estimate....
but for the most part I'm very happy with my running right now, I have been complaining about how slow I've been running lately, but the last two runs I had were very good pace, I just hope I can keep it up, and that my body doesn't rebel against me!!! but I seem to be right on track to get my mileage up by race time, and hopefully my time will be much improved over the last one!

Wish me luck!

Hello Stranger

ok, ok, I know.... I figured it was time to use this thing again!

I've been really busy since the last time I blogged

I finished my Talia vest, I really like the way it came out. My first garment! it's even been favorited on Ravelry, by complete strangers!

and the blanket for Juli's baby, so I was able to give it to her at the shower. it was really simple to make!

I finished hand warmers for my friend Lisa, she's gonna really like them and I plan on making her leg warmers too, which are bright red to go with the bright blue wrist warmers! It's just her style! and yes, she is a grown adult... the pattern is Hand Like a Hole by Vickie Howell, probably the quickest a simplest project ever, just the seaming was a little tricky, that's what older sisters are for!

I've started some new projects too:

the Razor Cami by Katie Marcus

the Hanami Stole by Melanie Gibbons

and a bunch of washcloths for a house warming gift for a friend

and I just found out another friend just bought a house, should be moving in in August so I definitely have to make her something!

I also signed up for another half marathon, since the first one went so well! but it's not till November so I have some time to get my miles back up, I want to try to get a better time on the one.

Things are starting to pick with the Long Island Dietetic Association, I have officially taken over as Treasurer, but I don't know what happened last year so I'm kinda lost with everything, but the people are really nice a willing to help me with whatever I need. we'll see how it goes...

and I have officially been commissioned to make a project for someone, well one of the girls I work wanted me to teach her how to knit so she could make a blanket for a baby shower, so I said ok, then it turned into, "well, do you want me to just make it for you?", to which she quickly responded yes. I'm not sure if she's gonna try to pass it off as her own handy work, but I'm pretty sure people will know. she's not really the knitting type.

Juli came up to visit, she was a little cranky because she's all pregnant a such, and when she was here was the hottest days we've had so far up here. but it was a good visit. I wanted to podcast while she was here but we didn't get a chance to.... maybe Val and Juli can record when Val goes to visit....

Ok, Val, I hope your happy I blogged again!

Offical Time!

So I checked the website again for the Long Island Half Marathon and my real offical time is 2:30:24! even better than before!
Because it takes so much time to actually get to the Start line after the clock starts, you wear a computerized chip that gets your actual time. Now I'm really happy with it!
Still no pics to link to....

13.1

I did it! I finished the Long Island Half Marathon!
my time was 2:33:28, that's a long time to be running, well it was really more of a jog! I'm happy with it though, I think I did good for my first time.
I don't have link to photos yet.....

White Wine Spritzer......

KUI
That's Knitting Under the Influence, for those of you who didn't figure it out.
My thoughts on that, since I'm doing it right now, yes people, I am a little drunk right now.
I think it's really not such a bad thing, I'm binding off my Hemlock ring blanket, and not messing up at all..... shocking I know, because I tend to mess things up while I'm sober.... just listening to podcasts, knitting, gonna watch my thursday night shows in a little while. all around a very enjoyable evening!

another note: i know this blog is called the "occasional" knitter, yea, really not occasional anymore, I've become completely obsessive!

Oh yea, one more thing:
so I had a "I'm totally blog about this" moment. I'm surprised Val hasn't blogged about it yet.
so I had a friday off from work, cause I had to work on Sunday (boo), and I took Val to the doctor, and we decided to go out to lunch after, we went to IHOP, cause it was right next to the doctor's office, and we had a waitress that was a little too excited to be working at IHOP (I really wanted to take her out for a drink, just to see what she was like in public!), and Val pulls out her socks and starts knitting in IHOP!!!! I didn't have my camera so I only got to take a pic on my phone....

Just Keep Running...

That's what I had to tell myself this weekend. I was out house-sitting, and cat-sitting and I had to do my long run on Saturday. I wasn't feeling good on Thursday so I didn't do anything on Thursday or Friday.
So, Friday afternoon I sit down at the computer with g-maps and start planning out an 8 mile route......I managed to plan out a route that was exactly 8 miles back to the front door, so I had to stick to it very closely, and there were lots of twists and turns because I was trying to avoid busy roads, the one thing I didn't take into account...... ELEVATION! Wow, was this route hilly! I just kept thinking "if I make it up it will be down hill on the way back!"
But I survived, a little woosy when I got back, and took a 2 hour nap afterwards, but I survived. I just have to do that, plus 5 MORE miles, in about a month. I'm hopeing adeneline plays a big role here!
But I pretty much fell in love with running outside this weekend, it's so much better than the treadmill!

On the knitting front.
I finished my lace scarf, yes, I really did! It's blocking right now so I'll post pic when it's done. But I pretty much think blocking sucks, I'm not sure I did it right...

and I'm almost done with my socks, I turned the heel so it's smooth sailing from here, I just need to hold out starting something new so that I'll actually finish it.

Speaking of starting something new.....
so my cousin's wife found out she's having a girl and I decided I'm not ready to make a baby sweater so I went out and got some new, girly yarn and I'm thinking about making the spiral baby blanket. But I like this yarn and pattern more than the one I started for Juli, so if Juli has a girl too (I'm thinking she is!) I'll give her this banket and give the other one to my cousin's baby. But I'm still thinking about making a sweater anyway and giving it to whoever, depending on how good it comes out!
and I can't wait to start the Talia vest! I really wanna make it but I'm nervous about making a garment... I don't know what size to make, and how all the shaping is gonna work...... this is scarey stuff!

and on a personal note:
I'm running for the Treasurer position of the Long Island Dietetic Association, I might be a shoe-in cause I'm pretty sure I'm running un-opposed but I'm getting kinda excited about it. I'm looking foward to being invloved in that kind of organization, networking, opening doors for other things...... I feel like a real grown-up now.

Vacations Over!

Ok, it's been a while since I posted.

I'm back from my visit with Juli, we really didn't do much which was exactly what I needed, and when I got back to work everyone said how much *better* I looked.... did I look that bad before! guess I needed a break even more than I noticed!

We accomplished everything I had on my list so I was happy about that.

I worked on a very special project while I was there:

My Jaywalkers!

I've already started working on the next one, I just want it be done so I can wear it!

We found a bead store right in town, so I made a purchase there. Juli wants a beaded bookmark, and I thought I would try to make some earings.

And we checked out the local yarn stores. I got the yarn to make Talia from the new Knitty. Juli helped me pick out the color, it wasn't until we got home that we realized Juli is very biased to green! But I decided I have to finish something before I can start this, even more motivation to finish my socks!

and the weekend after I got back I did a race, it's the same 4 mile run I did in November. In November my time was 46:25, in March my time was 40:58, huge improvement, I was so happy!

If anyone is interested to see what I looked like while crossing the finish line, it's pretty embarrassing!

Vacation!

Ok, so I still have a week before I go on vacation but I probably won't have time to blog before then so I figured I'd do it now.

I'm going to visit Juli on Ohio, I'm so excited, I've never been to Ohio, and I want to see Juli pregnant!

I have some plans of things we should do when I'm there and I'm pretty sure she will agree with me on these:
1. Knit
2. yarn shopping
3. make sweet bread
4. podcast
5. do absolutely nothing!

I'm looking foward to a relaxing vacation, I havn't taken any time off from work since October, and it's been so busy there, we've been short-staffed since October, and now we finally have a new person but we're training her, and we have a new intern who started the same time as our new employee, it's just been really busy, and everyone else has taken time off I think it's my turn!
I told Juli I wanted to come visit and she said "you know there's not really much to do in Ohio", I said "yea, that's kinda the point!".

It will be nice also to take a week off of running, I really needed to take a break last week but I told myself if I could get through two more weeks then I'll take the whole week off, because with the weather and stuff in Ohio I don't know if I'll be able to run outside and I don't have a gym membership there. I could pay to use a gym for a day if I wanted to go use the treadmill, but I'm on vacation! that's too much effort.
I've been running 3 times per week, one long run and two shorter ones, and I increase by 1/2 a mile on my long run every week. so now I'm up to 7 1/2 miles! a big accomplishment! I didn't increase my distance this week, I kept it at 7 1/2 cause I really struggled with it last week, so this week I'll try 8 for my long run, and then take some time off, maybe do a couple short runs in Ohio if the weather is ok, but if not, I won't stress.....
the half-marathon is in May so I should be ok getting distance up by then, my friend says I just need to get a couple good 10 mile runs in and I'll be ok, the thought of running 10 miles is just so mind boggling right now!

I haven't started anything new, I haven't gotten my sock needles yet, so I guess I'll have to wait till I get to Ohio to start those. and I think I want to finish something before I start any other new projects. (I know what your thinking "that doesn't matter, cast on anyway", but remember people I'm the "occasional" knitter, I'm trying, quite unsuccessfully, to not become obssesive!)
The Hemlock ring blanket should be finished soon (if I can figure out the bind off!), and I've been working alot of the lace scarf (that thing is never ending, I think I started it in November!), but since I finished the fingerless gloves I want to finish the scarf while it's still cold enough to wear the two together.

I think I may become one of those people who wear scarfs in all knids of weather just because I have so many of them!

Independent Knitter!

I'm feeling quite accomplished these days!

My latest finished project:

I did it all on my own! I cabeled without having to franitically call Juli, although I did mess one up and it's going in the wrong direction, but I dare you to find it!

and I placed the thumb hole and did the thumb all by myself too, I did ask Val to help but we never got a chance for some knitting time, so I did it myself!

I've got skills I never knew about!

I haven't stared any socks yet. Juli heard about my new desire to knit socks and insisted she send me some sock yarn. How could I refuse!

I still have to get needles and I think I'll start them soon so that I have a nice small project I can bring with me when I go visit her, I don't think the Hemlock Ring Blanket would travel so well.....Two weeks till my trip!!!! (and so she can help me with it, I've only got a few skills!)

Oh, and here is a pic of my friend with the scarf I made her, she loves it so much!

she got teary eyed when I gave it to her and said noone had ever made anything for her, I guess she doesn't come from a crafty family!

I'm considering starting a sweater I got a kit for, but I think I can kinda put that off for a while, it really is a year-round sweater so it doesn't matter when I finish it.

Other than that, running, I'm up to 7 1/2 miles! a big accomplishment for me, the race is in May so I'm right on track.

I'm gonna try to do a run in March, it's a St.Patrick's day run but it's on the 22nd..... but it's the same course as the one I did on Thanksgiving, so I can compare time, that's pretty cool!

Confession

ok, so I have a confession to make.

I wasn't gonna say anything because I wanted to just do it, and surprise everyone with it. but here goes....

I'm really..... seriously..... considering knitting....socks.
that's right, you heard me, I'm really thinking about it. I think I've finally been bitten by the sock bug!

Alright Alright

So, I've gotten into my knitting groove!

On the Dashing, I cabeled for the first time and did it correctly! no frantic phone call to my sister. I have to figure out how to do the thumb, but I'm confident I can do it.

I'm working away on my lace scarf. it's moving along.

I finally figured out what the hell I'm doing on the Hemlock ring blanket, it's moving along too.

things are going quite well if I do say so myself!

I'm procrastinating a little on the baby blanket, I still have 7 months! I know, I know it will be here before I know it!

New Projects!

Well, it seems like its been a long time since I blogged...

not much new going on here, I have some new projects I'm working on, I'll put links on the side in my works in progress and finished projects. I find it kind of annoying to put pictures in the actual text of the blog, it always seems to mess everything up.... if anyone has some tips on an easy way to do it I'd love to know.

I haven't done any cabling yet. I think I'm gonna do the dashing pattern. After the fiasco that is gauge swatching I think I finally have the right size needle, just need to find the time now....
Little story about gauge swatching:
I decided to try on size 7 and 6 needles, but I went to the store and couldn't find any size 6, only size 7. So I get the 7, get home and start swatching, it's too big.... Then that weekend I was at the mall and there was a craft store in the area, and after driving up and down Woodhaven Blvd. I finally found the store, looked at the needles, and NO size 6, every other size but no 6. So I find size 5, bye them, get home and swatch... it's too small....
so I decided I'm just gonna cast on with the size 6 and see what happens, no more gauge swatches! (my mom and sister found the size 6 for me!)

I'm still working on my lace scarf. I messed up at one point and after a frantic phone call to my sister, ended up ripping out a few repeats and was able to save it!

I started a My So-called Scarf for one of my friends. it's coming out really well, I will be really sad to give it away. I bought 3 skeins of the yarn, and will probably only use 2, so I can still make something with it.

I started a Baby Blanket!
For who, you ask? My sister is pregnant!!!!
She's not due till September so I'll have plenty of time to work on it, I'm doing a garter and rib pattern, so it will look like a basket weave, I've always wanted to do that pattern.

And I joined the Hemlock ring Blanket Knit-a-long.
My sisters are also doing it so when I call Juli frantically she will actually know what I'm talking about! it's going good so far, I think I messed up the very beginning, but I don't feel like doing it over, so it will just add to the "hand made charm"!

That's about it as far as projects, I'm keeping myself busy!

I have a knitting in public story too!
So, I had a day off from work last week, I decide I'll go to the book store or Starbucks or something and get hot chocolate and knit, and see who I pick up..... so I go to Barnes and Noble and get myself all set up, and this girl comes and sits at the table next to me, and I can tell she's looking at me knitting, I soon realize that she is looking at knitting books. So I'm contemplating starting a conversation, not really who I wanted to meet, but Hey! if I can't find a man it might as well be another knitter. I soon realize again that she is copying patterns out of the book!!!!
I got very insulted by this and I'm not even a knitting designer...... so I decided to not strike up conversation because they didn't seem like the kind of knitters I wanted to meet anyway, I mean really, how hard is it to buy the book!

I'm still training for the half-marathon, it's in May so I still have a lot of time and I got up to 6 miles last week! I still run really slow but 6 miles is quite an accomplishment.
I also found out I've been "training" all wrong..... this stuff is complicated!
I just want to stay injury-free until race day.

New Years Resolutions

ok, so for my new years resolution I decided I'm gonna try to be a better person. But mostly I want to make sure that I show the people in my life who are important to me how much I appreciate them, like friends who go out their way to do things for me.
But it seems that I've already managed to get one one of my friends mad at me...... hopefully it will blow over but it seems like she's been a little weird with me since my birthday...

other than that I really need to find a man in my life (one who's not gay), I was told by one of the attending doctors at the hospital that it's now a matter "of national concern" that I find a boyfriend!! no pressure or anything!!

and this year I would like to stay catastrophe-free, I had too much happen in 2007 that I would really be ok with a completely uneventful 2008!
I'm trying to have a more positive outlook on life and not let little things stress me out so much, although that may require intesive therapy, I'm pretty sure I have some kind of anxiety disorder...

As for knitting goals:

• knit more lace
• learn to cable
• knit on public (this actually goes with my personal goal of find a man, one of my friends meets men all the time when she brings her knitting places, maybe it will work for me too!)

so Happy New Year, hope its a good one!