tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49569260748838104142024-03-07T19:07:53.652-08:00Clandestine & CandourThe disorganized musings, failings and accomplishments of a girl who can't focus on only one art at a time.JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.comBlogger255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-61917637368763752912020-04-22T11:35:00.000-07:002020-04-24T10:49:21.645-07:003 Years Later
When I set my intention to start blogging again, I never expected my next post to be in 2020 instead of a month or two later in 2017. Yet, here we are in April of 2020, the world is dealing with the 2020 version of The Plague. We, as the human race, seem to be going through a similar Renaissance or Awakening. The fact that the waters of Venice are clear and there are dolphins in them, are eye JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-85079047831474790762017-12-06T13:40:00.000-08:002017-12-06T13:40:08.348-08:00Slowly Slowly Getting back into blogging has been just as challenging as I thought it would be. Success in writing for me means quiet time, no interruptions, focus, etc, etc, etc... At least, that's what I tell myself. I went back in time today. Back to 2007. I read my journal from that year. It stretched from February of 2007 until May 25th 2008. Going back to visit your darkest days, after ten years or so, JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-33436696092583360822017-09-26T14:21:00.002-07:002017-09-26T14:21:41.624-07:00When I'm Wrong I'm Wrong
Behold! A swatch!
You see, it had to be done. I was wrong to imagine the yarn you see holding the swatch up would ever look right in this pattern. I was also wrong to think I was going to double strand this cotton. I changed my mind accordingly and here lie the labors of my mind. Keeping it simple has many advantages.
My original failed project had 199 stitches. It was going to be fairly JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-17966484505678392192017-09-21T15:10:00.000-07:002017-09-21T15:10:09.463-07:00Where the Heck am I?
I'm here, lurking, reading, clicking all my links in the side bar looking for life in Blog Land. I've been feeling it's time to reconnect with the Knit Blog Community. This leads me to examine how I connected with Knit Blogging to start with, why I drifted away, and why I'm heading back in.
The reason I got into Knit Blogging was for a creative outlet that could encompass all the drives I hadJustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-7129097032436510322016-04-18T13:57:00.001-07:002016-04-18T14:09:53.671-07:00Tutorial For Making a Yarn Stranding Box
There are hundreds of solutions for keeping your stranding yarn untangled. As a person who struggles with the tangling disease, I've tried many and varied reported solutions. None of the methods I have tried work. Bobbins only make it worse. I don't enjoy little bits of strands on plastic floating bits of confusion. Stranding for Fair Isle is different from running two balls of yarn JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-55005088356304628172016-04-13T09:35:00.003-07:002016-04-13T09:55:40.435-07:00Once Upon a Morning Coffee
...there was a blogger, knitter, reader, podcaster, poet, painter, sketcher but master of none. Then life did some of those things that life sometimes does and she didn't do much of any of it for some length of time. But low and behold, life did some other things (and of course in this particular sentence, life actually refers to the blogger) and got back some of those things that she enjoyed JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-50807284383194326252016-01-11T15:23:00.002-08:002016-01-11T15:23:28.618-08:00Bad Habits Resurface
Days and days without posting. Days without knitting, actually. At least I finished the WIP! This one, is bigger, which I figured, since the yarn is slightly more bulky and I used larger needles. I guess I didn't realize quite how much bigger it would be. (Especially considering the fact that the baby isn't even born yet) It looks to be about a 2T, if memory serves.
I've been JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-31515077822224385412015-12-21T14:48:00.000-08:002015-12-21T15:06:54.522-08:00Baby Surprise the Third
I seriously love the drape of dishcloth cotton! I never really thought about it much until I realized I was out of nice baby yarn for baby boy sweater stuff. I have a whole slew of new relatives now I'm remarried to the second of NINE siblings. I have gained many brothers and sisters in law, nieces and nephews, step children and even a grand! Crazy, eh?
Well, one of my sisters-in-law has threeJustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-15274650005200334062015-12-19T21:05:00.000-08:002015-12-19T21:05:37.349-08:00Baby Surprise Sweater FO.
One Baby Surprise Sweater down and at least one or two more to go
I've started the next one, hopefully I have enough yarn to get through the whole pattern.
This one has a home waiting for it and the next one will, too, if mom likes it.
JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-72116496604618159572015-12-14T09:16:00.000-08:002015-12-14T09:16:35.396-08:00Casting Off I must say, that after a million miles of straight knitting (garter stitch) casting off a hundred miles in purl feels very strange =)
FO pictures of The Great Dame E.Z. Baby Surprise Sweater to come.JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-48537347194499670042015-12-10T10:44:00.000-08:002015-12-10T10:44:07.413-08:00Baby Surprise StashbusterElizabeth Zimmerman was a genius. I would love for my brain to work the way hers did. The baby surprise sweater is (as many others have said) engineering genius. I've made one and am working on my second. The thing is, the time in between knits means I've forgotten everything I figured out working the first one.
I understand her instructions being completely understandable to her and many JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-32143535812477768792015-12-07T14:28:00.002-08:002015-12-10T10:32:54.463-08:00Second Thought BeanieThe stash-busting continues. It's been quite a long time since I've actually been in the habit of knitting, that it's taking some time to get back in the swing of it. I ought to be doing better than I am, but, for one reason or another I can't seem to settle down and focus. So, in an attempt to knit down my stash of less marvelous yarns while getting myself back into being a real knitter, JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-33671000069536382492015-12-04T19:25:00.000-08:002015-12-04T19:25:52.782-08:002012
Over the last few days I've been updating the blog, moving around the "furniture" and removing old non-working links. As I was going through all my links, I noticed many bloggers seemed to have quit posting regularly very near the same time that I did. I have to wonder what was going on in 2012 that so many of us stopped blogging? Was knit blogging a fad that had run it's course for all JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-43846863928437351952015-12-04T19:17:00.002-08:002015-12-04T19:19:39.690-08:00Stashbuster Dish Towel
My very first knitted FO in some length of time.
I'm trying to knit down my stash so I won't have to much yarn to pack. Of course, it'll still be about the same amount of packing, it'll just be stuff instead of materials for stuff.
I've also made a little beanie thing, but I don't have a decent picture of that just yet. Have to get into good light and not look quite so tired under my JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-50256957781592596752015-11-19T10:20:00.001-08:002015-11-19T11:05:14.865-08:00Don't You Love it When......you randomly cast on an amount of stitches for stash-busting/getting your groove back and form your plan quite after the fact and by accident you start doing a sampler type of what becomes a kitchen towel (with dishcloth cotton) and you realize 67 stitches doesn't quite do the sampler thing so great, but then you find a stitch pattern just happens to work!?!? Yeah, me too!
Here's how it JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-74565550597177635492015-11-11T15:51:00.001-08:002015-11-11T15:51:25.177-08:00Twists on "The Sweater Curse"
It's time to start blogging again! SO much has happened I can barely wrap my head around it. I'll try to catch y'all up by an anecdotal study of The Sweater Curse phenomenon, which applies to any knitted gift intended for a significant other. All you have to do is read my last post - actually the first paragraph is enough to cue you in.
When I started knitting and then subsequently JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-43852180766879123822012-12-20T13:38:00.000-08:002013-03-16T16:43:49.695-07:00Too Little Too SeldomI haven't posted here in a shamefully long time. Lots has happened and nearly happened and I've knitted two more scarves and a baby surprise sweater. Scarf the second is safely on the neck of someone who really doesn't deserve it. Scarf the first, given to a dear new friend since the person who is was originally knit for didn't deserve it even worse than the person who got the second scarf. JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-25618556585064748612012-01-04T11:32:00.000-08:002012-01-04T11:51:35.394-08:00A Few FO's and a couple WIP'sOne Tweed scarf twice my height which makes it just about 11 feet long Several dish clothsA chart for my next two projectsAnd the start of one of the two from the chart that is sadly no moreI've started and restarted and ripped and tinkedThis is the way of the lace with meI'm making a red one for me for practiceThat way I can get it right andmake all my mistakes using yarn much more sturdy than JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-58442029343985963962011-11-28T10:40:00.000-08:002011-11-28T10:53:33.290-08:00I'll Be Back - I Really WillI have been knitting - believe it or not. I am knitting dish cloths for some reason. Lots and lots of dishcloths. I will take pictures, but I have to knit a few more first! (clearly... I'm obsessed) So don't go completely away, I'll post very soon =))Until then - something to look at:PUPPIES!this is Pounce a very sweet boyThis is Momma Jacque playing with Fifi - the only girlAdorable little JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-24041683707776945142011-10-01T13:53:00.001-07:002012-12-20T13:56:48.782-08:00Admissions
I think I must admit somethings to myself. I must admit:
I do not seem to knit in the Summer
Nor do I blog much in the Summer (or much at all anymore)
I have issues with procrastination
My motivation to exercise is about nill
My morning person days may be behind me (WAY behind)
I love random stripe generators
I need to make more socks because I seriously dislike all the ones from the store
I'mJustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-57106984415517467342011-08-05T08:22:00.000-07:002011-08-05T08:30:32.044-07:00OY the heat!It's been almost two months since I posted anything in here, or knitted anything, or had anything interesting to say. Well... that's not entirely true, I've had interesting things to say, just not anything I'd want to post on the internet. Eventually, perhaps, but we'll have to wait and see about that one.The heat has been a killer this year, as you all know. I've been thinking I might have to JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-58287689856564517402011-06-16T07:10:00.000-07:002011-06-16T07:27:03.196-07:00Mystery Shawlette KAL FO!YippeeeeeeI've completed my first real FO in a long long time. This pattern was really fun, and I enjoyed the mystery of not knowing for sure what it was going to look like. It turned out the be the perfect size for my daughter, and she loves it. Now, hopefully, she won't be stealing my stole (haha) every time she gets cold at the meetings or assemblies. yaaaayMystery Shawl KAL at Wendy Knitsthe JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-8107371532208273292011-06-05T14:11:00.000-07:002011-06-05T14:24:37.133-07:00Giveaway Contest with WIP ProgressFirst things first, check out Sandra Singhs contest giveaway. A very pretty yarn hangs in the balance. =)And here is my Wendy Knits Mystery KAL Shawlette progress.This is what it looked like after the first repeat of Chart CI am currently on row 7 of 24 of the second repeat of Chart C with one more repeat to go. Each one is shorter, though, so it's cool. I love how easy you get each line JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-77573245144548581832011-05-30T12:41:00.000-07:002011-05-30T12:52:59.747-07:00Mystery Shawlette KAL WIPI'm done with the second chart! YaaaaaayI really like this pattern. Not too difficult, not too easy. My daughter is going to really enjoy wearing this.JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956926074883810414.post-62832496363346947302011-05-29T11:40:00.000-07:002011-05-29T12:37:48.747-07:00Wonders of All WondersIt's a miracle! I'm knitting AND posting! I'm about to start chart two of the Mystery KAL Shawlette . I have had some little bits of difficulties when the YO are immediately following a stitch marker, and they scootch over enough to make it seem they belong on the other side. For the most part, though, I've been able to deal ok. I should have probably mentioned it before, but I only knew about JustAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743298029997051043noreply@blogger.com0