If this blog were a pet...

...I'd be in jail for neglect. I really have been quite busy. I've done gobs of knitting. I just finished the Tour de Fleece with my best success ever. I went to Black Sheep, Westley is as adorkable as ever, I just manage to skip over the blog when it comes to my free time. And the more that piles up the more likely I am to pass on the blog because I don't know where to start! I'm such a bad blogger.

I will endeavor to catch up on what I've been doing with posts on the blog. This week one of my work projects is on hold (and the rest are in a serious slump) so I should have plenty of time on my hands.

I had lots of time yesterday, and after an unscheduled nap I had a surge of energy. Last Thursday I bought a new laptop (long and sad story there, I won't bore you). It is lovely and fantastic and it cost the annual income of some small countries. It is also much more portable, meaning that I will be taking it more places with me, and I wanted something to help protect it. Seeing as I bankrupted myself purchasing the computer, buying a case is out of the question, so I got crafty.

I based my case on this zippered laptop case, with some modifications to match my supplies and needs.

I measured my laptop, added the seam allowances, decided on the dimensions that I wanted for the pocket I added, checked all my math twice (this will be important later), and cut out all of my pieces. The fabric, both outer and lining, was left over from the ring sling I made for my sister-in-law (my niece is due late August). I had fusible fleece left over from my brown coat I made a few years ago, and I have stash of elastic and zippers just because.

On the front I added a contrast strip of the lining fabric.

I sewed it down using one of my decorative stitches.

On the back I added a pocket so I can carry my power source when I need it.

I sewed a casing into the top of the pocket, into which I pulled a length of no-twist elastic (cause that's what I had on hand, not for any special reason).

The bottom of the pocket has a nice reverse box pleat, and I basted the pocket on to the back piece of the case.

I also wanted a handle, for those days when I've got too many things to carry and can't cradle it in my arms like a treasured book. I went a simple route, folding the edges into the middle and seaming it all together.

I also basted this to the back outer case piece.

Then it was time for the hard part: sewing in the zipper. Which I made more difficult by doing it really, really wrong the first time, which resulted in having to rip out 2 lines of stitches. I finally got it together, and checked each placement after that to avoid more zipper related screw-ups.

This was my first time sewing a zipper around a 90 degree angle, and it was a learning experience. I ended sewing the corners down by hand because my machine just couldn't make the turn (or I didn't know how to make it make the turn). I finally got all of the outer and lining pieces sewed on to the zipper in the correct order with minimal ripping and redoing (there was a brief episode where I sewed 2 inches on the wrong side of the tape, make the zipper not work, but I got it sorted). Then it was time to sew the rest of the seams.

I had trouble getting the lining sewed, as the zipper pull was in the way but I couldn't really get the zipper closed, and the corners were also in the way and prevented my machine from getting where I needed it. I think there's and easier way than what I did, but I haven't figured it out yet.

I got it all sewn together after some difficulty (and no swearing, I've very proud).

I trimmed and graded the seams, since I did all the fancy math and checked it, too (remember from earlier? I did the measure twice cut once. Turns out it's not fool proof at my level of foolery). I turned the whole thing and got my laptop to do the test fit before I seamed up the turning space in the lining.

And the laptop didn't fit. No ifs, ands or buts, it wouldn't go in the case.

And I'd already trimmed the seams.

It didn't not fit by much, so I flipped the whole thing inside out again and evaluated. I had enough space (barely) if I resewed the seams 1/8 inch out all the way around, and I just had to hope it would be enough. (The seams were easier to sew at this reduced seam allowance around the zipper and zipper corners).

So after I ripped out the old stitching I flipped the whole thing out again, crossed my fingers, and slipped the laptop in.

It fits. It fits just perfectly. There's no ease, but it snuggles my laptop just perfectly. I had to do a bit of hand work around the end of the zipper, but that's not bad for my first time trying this type of pattern.

I finished the opening in the lining with my top stitch foot, I was tired of hand work (I have a small tolerance for handwork, and I'd reached it.

And now I have a lovely case.

And it was free.

Delinquent as Charged

So, it seems that promising daily updates when I'm hard pressed to do monthly updates was a little bit too ambitious.

I have had a chance to work with the pictures from my trip to Seattle. The trip was wonderful. I took the train up on a Thursday and home on Monday, which gave me 3 whole days of exploration. I bought the Seattle CityPass and used them all. I stayed at the LaQuinta in the downtown area. It was nice, clean, and they fed me breakfast every morning.

On Friday I started out by taking the bus out to the Woodland Park Zoo. It didn't rain, but about 1/2 way through the zoo my camera battery died (and I left the charger at home, noooo!!!) so I had to rely on my iPhone for the rest of the day. I didn't get to see the actual snow leopards  as they were feeling lazy and sleeping in, but the statue was very pretty. I did get to see the cavorting lion cubs.

Woodland Park Zoo

 Luckily there was a camera supply store a few blocks from my hotel, and now I have a dedicated luggage camera charger.

I had lunch at the zoo, then caught the bus back downtown and navigated my way through the market down to the waterfront and to the Seattle Aquarium. Amazingly, it still wasn't raining.

Seattle Aquarium

After the aquarium I walked through Pike's Place Market. The top level was interesting, and if I'd had cooking capabilities it would have been fantastic. As it was I picked out a lovely spring bouquet and saw the famous fish guys through some fish around.

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny! I spent the morning downtown doing some shopping and taking pictures of the  neat things I encountered. The collage below is a mixture of pictures I took throughout the trip that weren't museum specific.

Seattle Montage

The cityscape in the lower right was the view from my hotel living room (I had a suite).

Sometime during my shopping it began to pour in more usual Seattle style. It made the Argosy Harbor Cruise I took just that much more authentic. Despite being stuck on the indoor deck of the boat, the tour was interesting and enjoyable, and I did manage a few pictures.

Argosy Harbor Cruise

See that bright jacket I'm wearing? It's my new rain jacket that I had just purchased that very morning on my shopping trip.

After the cruise I decided to head back to the hotel, as I was soaked from the knees down, my feet were sore from all the walking, and the engine noise on the boat had given me a mild headache. When I was nearly back at my hotel, the rain stopped and the sun came back out.

Sunday was my last day, so I started early. I began by walking to the Seattle Space Needle. I got there right after they opened and had no lines to wait through :-). I was raining, but not as hard as the day before.

Space Needle

The middle picture was taken on Saturday morning when the weather was gorgeous. I'm tickled that I managed to get the elevator in the picture, and I have plans to print this one for framing. The view was magnificent, I only wish it hadn't been rainy and cloudy as I'd have liked to see the mountains.

After I came back down to Earth I headed over to the Pacific Science Center. It too had only just opened (and yes, I planned that) so for a while it was uncrowded and quite pleasant. I managed to luck out and visit during the annual science weekend hosted  by University of Washington. Lots of scientists had tables set out and many hands on activities, from earthquake simulation to pharmacology and health sciences. Of course, that meant that the museum got crowded quickly, but it was small enough that I got through before it got really bad.

Pacific Science Center

After a quick (disappointing) lunch at Starbucks, I headed to my final museum, the EMP/Sci-Fi Museum. EMP stands for "Experimental Music Project" and the museum had a heavy emphasis on music. I walked through the Nirvana exhibit (so many smashed guitars). I went into the Jimi Hendrix exhibit and saw the guitar that he played "the Star Spangled Banner" on at Woodstock. I got nostalgic in the "Art of Video Games" exhibit. But what I was really there to see, and why I saved it till last, was the "Icons of Science Fiction" exhibit.

EMP Museum

Kirk's chair, tribbles, Data's uniform, Jack O'Neil's sunglasses, Vader's lightsaber...and the real treat of an Imperial Dalek from the original Doctor Who. Yes, that is my sonic screwdriver. I had to make sure the Dalek was really dead. I also wore on of my Doctor Who shirts. And bought a bunch of stuff at the gift store. 

And that's it. There wasn't going to be anything that topped the Dalek anyways. Monday I rode the train home and Westley was very happy to see me.

Where to Start?

I could do a blog post every day this week and still not cover everything that happened. Though it would be preferable to trying to cram everything in on post, so I think I will spread this out.

The biggest news is that this past weekend I turned 30! I had a lovely birthday party with many friends in attendance.

I made yummy sweets, including a red velvet cake with (not enough) cream cheese icing, and chocolate chip cookie dough truffles.

And, because I'm a grown up now, I did a very grown up thing and updated my cookware (which I've wanted needed to do for quite some time now).

I got the Cuisinart 11 piece Chef's Classic set (at Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% off coupon). I made chicken and black bean tacos last night in the 10" skillet and it came out beautifully!!

Stay tuned tomorrow for more updates on my very busy life. Here's a sneak peek:

While the Sun Shines

I have been on a tear lately. I've been knitting, sewing, cooking, and until disaster struck, spinning (more on this, I promise). I finished the Looped Loop scarf out of my lovely Dicentra handspun. About 2 days after I finished it, the weather warmed up to the point that a heavy BFL cowl was entirely impractical (trust me, I tried).

I'm chugging away on the Sweet Dreams shawl for my cousin. I'm into the beaded lace section, and I'm really enjoying the knit. The lace pattern is simple in this section, but doesn't lack for a dramatic finish. I'm using 11/0 clear square beads, and they look like ice crystals in the lace.

The Springtime Baby Cardi needs only seams and buttons to be complete. I could finish it in an evening. It's been in this state for over a week. Once it's done I promise pictures.

Finally, I've started a Dapple Bolero for myself out of Berroco Remix, color Old Jeans (3927). It's the yarn called for in the pattern, and I just happened to have the exact amount, and need a spring knit for myself.

On the sewing front I have nearly completed a dark grey wool (blend?) tweed vest. All that needs to be done is the final handwork (2 incomplete lining seams and 3 buttons). As with the other finishing work, this is languishing. I've got too much startitis going on too many fronts to actually finish things right now. It's a side effect of the burgeoning spring weather.

On Saturday I visited The Rain Shed and found stretch knits that aren't pathetic! I bought a yard each of a 100% merino 1x1 rib in Magnolia, weight/ sq yard 5 oz, and a 92/8 organic cotton/lycra blend in Palm Green, weight/sq yard 6-7 ounces. The wool is going to be a spring top out of a recent Burda magazine, and the cotton will be this Vogue skirt (pattern 8711).

Also a result of the improving weather, I've been cooking lighter meals. This past Sunday I made a delicious pancetta, mushroom and asparagus risotto. I managed to cook the rice to perfection.

And now, the tragedy of my spinning wheel. I was spinning along, happy as could be, working on my delightful Purple Nebula fiber.

Then, suddenly, the left foot pedal broke. The right connector broke several weeks ago, but I was able to repair it. The left side posed more of a problem, but I was determined. I was on the floor, with kitchen twine, rubber bands, and various other bits to help muddle together a fix. I was almost done when the second connector on the right side, the one that connects the footman to the drive shaft, broke.

Sadly, there's not a kitchen twin fix for this much damage. I'm in the process of sourcing local parts to fix my wheel, as ordering them online would require ridiculous shipping fees (one of the reasons I hate flat fee shipping).

I thought I had a good fix set yesterday after a trip to the home supply store. Wes even gave it his seal of approval.

I was going to replace the yellowed, aged plastic with plastic coated cabling. It has the right amount of flexibility vs. stability, and would last a heck of a lot longer than plain plastic. However, upon taking out the screws (2 different sizes of Robertson head screws, hence the two new screwdrivers that are only good for my wheel) I learned that the screws pass completely through the connectors. Which I can't do with the cabling. So today I'm heading back to raid the plumbing section for appropriate tubing. Maybe that will work better.

I'm foaming at the mouth to get my wheel fixed because this came in the mail yesterday:

It is a lovely Boho Knitter Chic batt with merino, bamboo, tencel, and sparkle. It is a color based on X-Men's Storm, and is part of her X-Men Spin-a-Long. It is beautiful and soft and oh, so sparkly.

I'd like to get this spun while the sun is shining.

Busy with the Knitting

I have been a knitting fiend lately, though it doesn't feel like it most days. I currently have 5 projects going, and am actively working on 4. Also, I've got spinning going on, too. Plus, of course, everything that normally goes on for school and work. I'm feeling tired and overwhelmed just writing this down.

Bigger on the Inside has gained momentum. I picked up the 311 stitches along the bottom edge of the Time Vortex, and have worked several rows of the TARDIS charts. Each row takes a considerable amount of time to complete, as you may imagine, so the going is slow.

I'm using my LEGO stitch marker that I got down in Austin at The Knitting Nest. Turns out grabbing a Lego brick while knitting can be just as painful as stepping on one. This may become a decorative piece in some wall art in the future, I'm undecided.

My bus/meeting/class/waiting knitting is the Looped Loop Scarf by Kristin Johnstone. I'm using my most recent handspun, 5.2 ounces of Dicentra BFL top in colorway Bouquet 2.

I really love the way the yarn is only sort of stripey with the marled effect. To me it feels more like looking out at a blanket of spring flowers in a verdant field. I haven't weighed the scarf progress against the yarn remaining, but I don't think I'm quite at the halfway mark yet.

Next is a commission from my mother, who wants to give my cousin a lovely wedding gift this coming April. We searched the patterns and decided on Sweet Dreams by Boo Knits (Ravelry link).  Then there was some discussion about color. My cousin may decide to wear this at her wedding, so we wanted it to be appropriate. Her dress is reportedly ivory with mocha accents. She lives in Orlando, so we decided that 100% would be the way to go. The task of finding ivory silk in the appropriate weight was not successful, and there was no way of knowing if the 3 options I found would be the right ivory. So I decided to go with the mocha accents (I think it will be more re-usable in this color, too).  I searched high a low on the internet and decided to use Colourmart 18/120 NM 100% silk in dark chocolate.

I'm going to have a hard time giving this one up...I wish you could feel it through the internet.

I'm almost done with the increases in the stocking stitch section, then I get to start the beaded lace section. Yes, beaded. There will be between 350 and 400 glass seed beads in the completed shawl. I'm going to stick with the dark brown color so that they sparkle but don't overwhelm or detract.

Finally, nephew #4 is due sometime in March, so there is a wee little sweater on my needles. Since he a spring baby, I chose the Springtime Baby Cardi by Kaity Fraker (Ravelry link). I'm using Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Dots in a lovely spring green color.

This one is going fast, since it's worsted weight yarn and a tiny little sweater.

Then finally there is my spinning. I picked out the fiber yesterday and spun for about 90 minutes in the early evening. I'm very pleased with the way the ply is coming out, and I'm planning on chain plying it for a nice shimmery 3-ply.

The fiber is 116 grams of 60/30/10 merino/tence/white firestar. It's soft, it's silky, and it's shimmery. I've named it Purple Haze Nebula.

The final project, for those who are counting a curious, is my Mythos cardigan. It's on hold a little bit until I power through some of the other projects (namely the Sweet Dreams shawl).

I'm going to go lay down now, maybe take a nap. I should learn how to knit in my sleep...