The trouble with patterns...

Somebody wise once said, "No good deed goes unpunished."  It was a quote that resounded enough with people to get incorporated into a song from "Wicked," which I have a tendency to belt out unsolicited at random points in my life anyway.  Musicals aside, I get reminded of that old dictum plenty in my daily life, but today I encountered a--well, not glaring, but moderately annoying--reminder in my knitting life.  In the process, I think I may have broken the Blogger platform.  Just a teeny tiny bit.  Temporarily.

I tried to post a pattern to my blog.  Not just any pattern, but a lace scarf complete with really big charts that had to be converted from spreadsheet to image to PDF before it could be uploaded into the bowels of Ravelry.  I then proceeded to try to make it available to the Ravelry-averse, aka me up until 3 months ago.  Um...no.

So, the problem with including a link to a pattern in Ravelry is it deletes/inactivates your uploaded PDF.  Oops.

The problem with Blogger is it doesn't like reams of spreadsheet charts.  Or PDFs.  Yeah.

Basically, I spent the afternoon wondering why nobody could download my pattern on Ravelry and why I couldn't simply delete my blog link and reactivate the PDF.  Somebody computer-savvy understands why this is the case.  I, on the other hand, who had to type up said pattern and painstakingly convert my hand-charted lace into an acceptable spreadsheet equivalent, then input all the steps involved in submitting it to Ravelry, and all for the reward of zero dollars every time somebody uses my pattern, had a few choice words with my computer.

Alas, the result is that in order to access "Let It Go" (pictured to the right), you will have to follow this link.  That is, until Blogger gives me the ability to import knitting charts and PDFs.  Anybody want to work on that?  It's a good deed that won't go punished, at least not by me.

Updates?

There haven't been many.  By which I mean life has been going by quite in its normal haphazard fashion and I haven't had the time or the brain cells to blog about it.  But one thing I've added to my bucket list since moving up here: make it to New York Choral Society auditions.  One of these days.  I scheduled a time and everything, and what was I doing on Wednesday evening?  Um...looking at microscope slides.  'Cause I'm cool like that.  To be fair, there are probably other developments in my life besides the not-exactly-9-to-5 work schedule of a resident in any field whatsoever in New York City, but we don't talk about that.  Do we?

Meanwhile I'm taking a break from CLEANING ALL OF THE THINGS!!!  By which I mean, of course, scrubbing the bathroom.  The air outside today has all the charm of a wet gym sock, so frankly the ring in the bathtub had more appeal.  And while I was attacking said ring with a generous amount of bleach spray and elbow grease, it occurred to me I haven't shown off any of my knitting "conquests" since Smaller on the Outside.

So, anyhoo, Foreign Correspondent scarf is done.  No longer in a fingering weight, it looks a bit more geek than chic, which is exactly how I like it.  I'm quite looking forward to wearing it with tees and Chucks this fall.  If it ever gets to be fall and not sweaty gym sock.

Yep.  EXTERMINATE.  Still life with Dalek.  Awesome.

 As for this little number pictured to the right, this was from my English Lit geek rearing its ugly head during baby things knitting.  Because now that my friends are having babies, there must necessarily be baby things knitting.  I gawked at the surprisingly quick Girl's Pinafore on Ravelry (free pattern, by the way, don't everybody jump on it at once now...), knit it up during a particularly procrastinatory weekend, and came up with a matching bonnet with the leftover yarn.  I now have 2 fewer skeins of Lionbrand Jiffy.  When I've depleted 2 more, it will be time to purchase more yarn of better quality.  Ha, who am I kidding?

In any case, bonnet pattern, rechristened "Bennet" (named after, oddly enough, Lydia Bennet from Pride and Prejudice because of a dialogue/monologue nobody but me is likely to remember), is also up on Ravelry for hours of "entertainment."  By which I mean creative swearing.  Not to worry, I indulge in plenty of it while knitting: keeps the brain cells working during lace sections.





When shall we meet again, you ask?  Or probably don't, really.  Oh, I don't know.  There's bound to be another CLEAN ALL OF THE THINGS and then procrastinate on real work weekend coming up between now and vacation...right?

Hello, world!

I've maintained radio silence long enough, haven't I?  Long enough to pay rent (twice), take call (third time this month), and rack up a sizeable sleep debt.  And possibly actual debt, but we won't think about that.  In other words, welcome to New York.

Funny how little time it takes for a new place to become something like home.  South Carolina seems like a misty memory now, and my brain is stuffed full of histologic patterns, subway routes, and GrubHub orders.  Unfortunately, this new glut of information seems to have crowded out most attempts at serious knitting.

One thing I did manage to do (sort of) properly before the onslaught: Smaller on the Outside.  Geeks of the world, rejoice.  Well, maybe just smile a little, indulgently.  I'd take that.

Otherwise, it's slow going on Foreign Correspondent.  I'm on skein #2 and somewhat more than halfway done.  How long to all the way, you ask?  Check back in a week or two and we'll see if I've actually made any progress.  You be the judge:

Windows to the...

...well, you know.  Mine are a bit tired at the moment.  Because I just frogged an entire hat to free up yarn for something more likely to become a completed project.  I also spent the earlier part of the afternoon trying to translate TARDIS washcloth into a spreadsheet chart.  After which I realized worsted-plus yarn and size 7 needles would make an absolute monstrosity on the pattern I charted, and therefore decided to free up the sock weight and fish out some size 4s.  If it's still enormous I may have some editing to do.

After all that stress and strain my workspace sort of looked like this:

I'm not convinced it doesn't always look that way, come to think of it.

But my workspace does bring up the point of "WTF is she working on now???"  That yellow blob happens to be Foreign Correspondent's Scarf from Ravelry.  You may find the *free* pattern here.

One obvious change I made to the pattern was using DK instead of fingering weight yarn.  Which also meant upsizing the needles to size 6.  After all, I loved the designer's comment on gauge: "meh."  Scaling up lends a little extra weight, yes, but it doesn't mess with the latticework.  (Yes, it does make me think of windows, for some odd reason.)  It also eases the difficulty a bit, since DKs tend to be in reasonably low-maintenance materials such as cotton and don't break apart or produce little fuzzy nubbins that glue your yarn strands together (at least not often).  Maybe it was a tad too easy, because I found myself knitting during House Staff orientation.  And spending an awful lot of time on YouTube. 

(Disclaimer: I promise I did not set out to follow Tom Hiddleston's early career on YouTube, but I definitely do not take back Albert Finney's master class as Winston Churchill in "The Gathering Storm" or Chiwetel Ejiofor's heartbreaking Othello, so there.  Nor do I entirely blame my Facebook friends for posting audio clip of "May I Feel Said He" by E. E. Cummings in status comments, except that I always need a cold shower after I listen and I will insist on listening, and I pity the man who tries to use this to his advantage because for all I know it'll only work if you actually are Tom Hiddleston reading poetry.  Eyes are the windows to the soul?  Try ears.  Dammit.)







But we were speaking of knitting projects.  In future, I shall avoid upsizing a lace pattern.  It seems I could use the distraction.

Being Patriotic

Truth be told I meant to do this at least a year ago.

The dress, not being patriotic.  Although the latter is debatable.  Let's just say I'm not normally someone who goes around wearing flags.  I am, however, as female as the next chick.  So when a friend of mine sent me a couple yards of this little number and dared me to make a dress out of it, I was happy to comply.  You know, eventually.

As the hunk in the center says, "I want YOU to love your country."  Okey doke.  Will strapless do?

By the way, this is not based on any pattern (sorry, folks!).  I just cut out front bodice, 2 halves of back bodice, and front and back skirt panels based on my own measurements and worked from there.  The zipper goes up the back and extends a few inches into the skirt.

Feeling a bit exposed?  No worries.  Have a halter collar.  It attaches to the bodice seam with snaps, because I hate commitment.

You know how long this dress actually took me to make?  That's right: approximately 10 hours from start to finish.  So why didn't I actually do it when the bet was fresh in people's minds?  Because my sewing machine was way over in the office...

So, advantage to a studio apartment: no more out of sight, out of mind.  Sewing machine was promptly unpacked, cleaned, doused in liberal amounts of WD40, and put to its intended use.  The bed being in full view from every angle might be a problem though.  To sleep, to sew.  Aye, there's the rub.

At least this year I don't have to worry about what to wear for the 4th.

Moving day(ish)

I'm typing this on my very beat-up (externally) ThinkPad while sitting on the hardwood floor of my new apartment in Long Island City and waiting for the movers to make it in through the New York traffic.  Why?  Because I preceded the cable guy who installed my internet by about 3 hours, and he in turn outstripped the movers.  It's a long story.  At the end of which the only thing I can be sure of is I know where my towel is.  I am a hoopy frood.

I'm also, incidentally, extremely impressed at Blogger's recognition of Hitchhiker's Guide terminology, as there is currently no squiggly line below the phrase "hoopy frood."  Or at least it disappears once I move on to the next paragraph.

Now, we all know the most important thing about my move was that I was headed to New York to start my new career as a pathologist.  We also know that's only partly true.  Since I'm also a yarn addict, the most important part of this move was ensuring the continuation of my rich knitting life.  Well, "rich" is a relative term.  But packing up the crafting closet and the prospect of unpacking it into the confines of a(n admittedly generous-sized, 3-closeted) studio apartment are...daunting to say the least.

Once unpacked, however, it's off to the races.  Or rather, the Ravelry.  Anybody remember the geektastic washcloths of my first residency?  Charts and patterns await just beyond these doors.  Well, this one door.  If the movers ever get here.  With all my stuff.  Relatively intact.

Incidentally, the towel is in the bathroom.  Eventually I shall require a shower curtain.  Right?

Joining the Dark Side

I'm writing this on the fly while an adorable baby takes an incredibly amazingly long after-dinner nap.  Admittedly, since she's a child of the Big Apple and used to traffic noise and loud neighbors since she was a fetus, it probably takes quite a lot to disturb her dreams of eating and snuggling.  Still, not to be an obnoxious hovering fill-in babysitter, I've taken to joining the dark side and finally setting up a Ravelry account.  It was that or, you know, re-enacting "Waiting for Godot."  Cast of one adult plus possibly one hungry/wet/stinky infant.

So in the process of setting up my Ravelry account, I decided to see if I could post a test pattern.  Test pattern in question being newly rejected from Knitty Sand Dollar Cap.  Goodness knows I have no idea if the link works properly or not, so let's give it a go.  Forgive the lack of handy PDF file for download, as that takes a few extra brain cells which I seem to be lacking at the moment.  You might still be able to copy and paste to your favorite word processing document at will, so don't despair.

I leave you this image as a teaser/peace offering.  It's a free pattern, since I'm still working out the kinks of both designing and posting to Ravelry.  Try it at your own risk.  I'm actually quite curious if anybody else can decipher my ramblings.

And now, perhaps, back to the task at hand.