Adjusting

In order to keep track of one of the few things that I immediately liked about Elko, I have started a photo blog called Elko Sky. I'm going to try to take a photo each day around sunset for a month, excusing myself for days when I just can't get outside for one reason or another (like last night, when I was in a meeting). We'll see how it goes. If I can stick with it for a month, I'll keep it going.

On Monday I went to a knitting group. There were two people, but it was an attempt at being proactive. I need to force myself to get out and meet people. I had to go at lunch, so I didn't stay long. It was nice to have a place to go knit in the middle of the day.

Over the weekend I made some slippers for myself. I used some left over 1824 Cotton from other slippers I made. This pattern was fast. It took about three hours to complete one, sewing on the button and all. Were I to make this again, I'd increase less before the ribbing. The slippers are just a little too big. They are comfy, though.


I am working on the baby blanket still, and I ordered the Flair kit from Kpixie. I'm headed to North Carolina on Sunday. My brother returns from Iraq next week, so I'm excited to be there greet him. All my projects are big, though, so I might have to start a hat or some socks. I'll see what's in the stash. I'll take too much, no matter what.

Elko Sky

Today is rough. I don't know what to do. I'm bored. This is the major drawback of a small town. There aren't even any movies I want to see. There was a craft get together, but it started at ten and I was still in my jammies. I was going to go for a walk, but it's hailing (afternoon update: now it's snowing), so that's out. I like my job, but the jury is still out on Elko itself. I guess I could do things around the house, but it's not my house, so I don't quite know what to do (my roommate is in Québec City at a conference I decided to skip because I didn't want to take time off my second week of work). I will say this for Elko: it has beautiful skies, especially at sunset. Here are few pictures from last night.



I'm thinking of starting a photo blog called Elko Sky. Every night I've been stunned by the sky. I don't have the skills for a photo blog, really, and I doubt I'd keep it up, especially daily, but I feel the need to share this sky. I guess since there aren't any trees to block the view, the sky is more notable.

Knitting? I'm still loving the Suri Merino. It is the softest yarn I've used. Here's the hat I made for Dan, still unblocked (I guess I can do that today), which is why the brim is rolling.

Trailing of the Sheep

I finished a hat for Dan. I am so busy, though, I haven't blocked or photographed it yet. I was too busy last week, working at the Trailing of the Sheep Festival in Idaho. There was plenty of yarn around, but I didn't take advantage of any of the hand spun. Mostly, I was helping to interview people at the festival. Our interview station was in the blue sheep camp.


It was a really lovely time. The bummer (which is a term for an orphaned lamb, by the way) is that I used my camera to record on video the actual trailing of the sheep and then proceeded to immediately delete it.

Work is extra busy. At least, I hope it's extra busy. I don't know if I can be busier than this.

I'm working on a baby blanket from Blue Sky's Suri Merino. Wow. It is super soft. I think the recipient won't care that she'll have to hand wash it once she feels how soft it is. I love it. I'm already scheming excuses to make other things from it. I'm hoping I don't use all the skeins I have so I can make something else with it. I'm not sure what I'd make from a baby-pink yarn, but I'll find a way just so I can touch this some more.

Warming Up

So far, work has been good. I've only been there two days, and today was full of meetings. I feel like I have enough knowledge now to really start working. The weather has improved, too. Today we saw a high of seventy--and a low of thirty. I think these vast temperature differences are normal for the desert, but it's going to take some getting used to. I wore leg warmers this morning but walked home this evening in short sleeves and with bare legs.

I finished some mittens. I started them in Chicago and finally got around to finishing them this weekend. I made a mistake in the same spot on both mittens, so they are a bit tight. I'm hoping that they will loosen up, since they are a cotton/silk blend. I designed the slip stitch (mosaic) pattern myself, with a little math correction from a friend. Three times thirteen is thirty-nine, I've learned. I like the effect of the slip stitch, but I find the yarn strains a little over two rows. It's even worse over one row, like in my mistake, but I'm not sure why.

I'm not sure what to make next. I have a couple things in mind for Dan, but I don't have the yarn for it. Really. I have some nice Top of the Lamb, but only in one color (graphite). I don't want to make a solid color hat. Especially since he wants earflaps. It will be too helmet-like. I might use that yarn for some slippers, though. I have to research some men's slippers in a worsted-weight yarn. I guess I could work on Usferud. I did promise it to a friend in Chicago. I should get that done before it gets cold there.

Tomorrow I'm going to the Trailing of the Sheep Festival. For work. I think I might love this job.

Not Ready to Post

In fact, I'm not ready for anything. I start work, managing the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering for the Western Folklife Center, on Monday. I loved the event last year, and I'm really excited to be a part of it. But. After four months of very little work, I'm not sure I'm ready for full time. Quitting my job was the best thing I've ever done for myself. Will I be able to adjust to working again? I know WFC is not crazy or extremely dysfunctional and passive aggressive like the last, and I like the people I know and the ones I met last year. I am so very excited to work with other folklorists, doing work that I think is important. But. Do I know how to work in a healthy environment? It's been a while.

I'm also not ready for Elko. It's 40 degrees today, and it snowed yesterday. It's in the upper 80s in Chicago. I was definitely sick of the Chicago humidity, but I am not ready for snow and the dryness of the desert. This is small town, too. Not just small town, but small town in the desert, which means no other towns for miles. Elko is "town" for a lot of the smaller populations in Northern Nevada. This is new. Am I ready for this, either? I feel so unprepared.

I haven't done any knitting. I have one mitten complete and another started. I'm trying to unpack and infiltrate my stuff into my friend's house (she's been so gracious about me living with her). Perhaps I'll get back to knitting soon. My friend doesn't watch TV, so my knitting time is going to have to adjust to that. The knitting might be slow going for a while.

Oh, I did get a fabulous gift from Nina and one of her employees before I left Chicago. She gave me a great drawstring bag from Della Q in my colors, and four skeins of O-Wool Balance. Add the two blue and two purple to the two purple I already have and something good will come of this, I'm sure. I really liked that yarn for the February Sweater, so I'm trying to find something just as appropriate. Maybe a throw. It's cold here.