It seems like every so often I feel the need to give myself a pep talk. Today is one of those days.

Let’s start with listing some truths:

1. I get overly emotional about things I shouldn’t. For example, at work it is a very stressful time, two weeks before a new implementation. My piece is, for the most part, ready to go; however as a whole team, we are far behind where we should be. This stresses me out like you wouldn’t believe. Last night I couldn’t partake in my hobbies of knitting/design because I was so preoccupied with work issues. I wasn’t actively working, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Which only makes me more angry that I cannot escape the emotional storm of the workplace.

2. I want more time to do my stuff. Where “my stuff” equates to knitting design. I finally found something in the knitting world that I love to do that maybe I could make some money from. But, I have no time to do it. Actually, I have some time – a little here, a little there. I grab a few minutes in the morning before I head to work, and then I have a few hours at night after work. But this isn’t the intense focus I want to give it. I want to do it right. The problem is I still need to pay the bills. So, for now at least, I cannot simply quit my job and focus on my dreams.

3. Everything I do, I want to do well. This has always been the case for me. I want to become an expert in whatever I am focused on. I don’t want to leave things half done. This drive has been the main force behind my obsessions with knitting, spinning, and now designing. I am always pushing myself to get better, improve, learn every new technique. As a result, setting false modesty aside, I think I have become (or am becoming) quite good at these things.

When I attempt a new interest, I seek to evaluate if I will reach the level of success I strive for. If not, I don’t pursue it. For example, I tried my hand at dying yarn and fiber. I found it messy, time consuming, and ultimately not something I could see myself excelling at, so I let it go.

4. I want honest friends. To me a friend is not someone that thinks everything I do or say is earth-shockingly-awesome. I see plenty of that online, and it’s annoying.

Popular person: “I clipped my toe nails today!”

Followers: “OMG that is so freaking awesome! Good job! I’ve been meaning to clip mine too and now that you did, I’m so going to do it!!”

Seriously people, this is stupid. I’d rather have someone tell me, “Wow, that’s nice that you shared, but really, I would rather hear about your new sock design than your hygiene habits.” I respect the person that is able to tell it to me straight. Then when they do offer a compliment, I know they mean it and it means more.

5. I have health issues. This is something that I often try to forget, which is both good and bad. Good because I don’t think its a good idea to define oneself based on ailments. I know some people that do, and it is a shame because they are more than their disease. Bad because I often push myself too hard which leads me to take more time away from doing what I love. I haven’t found that balance of acceptance.

Where am I going with this list? I have no idea. Sometimes it just feels good to write some truths, helps me focus on what’s important and what my goals are.

So, I updated WordPress…because hey, I like to be up-to-date. Didn’t realize that all my work formatting the blog to look like my homepage is now gone. So now it’s all back to the ugly default theme.

Sigh.

Awhile back Knitty held a contest in conjunction with the book launch “Spin Control” by Amy King. I entered because, I had a brilliant idea – or rather why the hell not? I have been spinning and knitting for some time now, and I thought it was high time I do something with it.

So I entered, not expecting much. I never win anything. EVER.

Weeks later, to my surprise, I receive the e-mail stating that I have won second. Me – I won something! Well, only second, but still! “Second Place Winner” still has the word Winner in it right?

Here are some pictures from my entry. I will be reformatting the pattern to release here on my blog at a later (hopefully soon) time. I also sent in an article submission about gradient carding commercial top that I will also post in the future.

Gradient Rolags

Gradient Yarn

New Day Scarf

New Day Scarf 2

New Day Scarf 3

Pattern now available HERE.
Technique Article on the Gradient Carding HERE.

With the development of this new web space, blog, etc, I have been giving quite a bit of thought to what I should do with this space and who am I. The question “Who am I?” is one that could drive a person insane if contemplated long enough. And so, I try to think about it in a sort of out-of-the-corner-of-my-eye kind of way.

My profile descriptions on many sites reads as follows:

By day, I am a web application programmer/designer and a spinner/knitter/writer/video game player by night.

This is all well and good, and perhaps true. However, it only captures the here and now. Much of me is more like my blog subtitle “ambitions, dreams and nonsense”. I think our dreams and ambitions define us as much as or jobs and hobbies.

Lately I have been struggling with my ambitions; trying to keep them under control, trying to not let them interfere with my ability to do my job. Real life has a way of becoming quite unpleasant if ignored for too long. Ideas and concepts keep creeping into my everyday thought processes. Sometimes I wish I were doing something else, somewhere else, with other people. Mostly, I just wish I had the power to overcome my fears and make a change in my life.

In real life I am indeed a web programmer. I am responsible for developing and maintaining many sites and web applications both internally and externally used by my company. It can be exciting, boring and sometimes both exciting and boring at once. Web work can be fun and writing programs that help others do their job is satisfying. But really, in the end it’s just 1′s and 0′s.

A large  part of why I love knitting, spinning, and all crafts in general is the creation of something physical. I like the end product as much as the process. If the power goes out, I still have a sweater and a pair of socks; something that cannot be claimed for web work.

Besides the physical object, crafting also creates something else in me; something so satisfying, it distracts me from my day to day duties. That something is the desire to create my own original designs. True, I get a little bit of that from programming. Designing new sites, dreaming up new layouts, drawing some new images. However, those things are intangible. I cannot touch or feel them. They can be pretty and appealing, but again, when the power goes out, they do not keep me warm.

How to quench this thirst? I have started, slowly, trying to put some ideas onto paper, sending some designs out into the world to be judged, and trying not to hold my breath for a reply.

In my heart, I am a designer.

I have started a new blog! I haven’t yet decided what to do with this one.

Find me here: http://digitalnabi.com/blog

So now I’m conflicted. Do I keep my old blog going? Import all my old posts to here? Copy only the good bits to here? Start completely fresh?

Well, I think I have most of the styling finished on the blog. I left the main content typography and colors alone, but may change them up at a later time.

It is weird that sometimes the sidebar appears down and other times it’s correct. Or sometimes just refreshing the page corrects it.

Also, I have only viewed the page in Firefox as well as on my iPhone. If it looks terrible on any other browser…well, tough luck for now.

Hello! Welcome to my new blog. It is undergoing construction at the moment. I’m sure at times it will look downright hideous – be patient and it should soon be as pretty as the home site.

I have been doing quite a bit of reading this year and thought I would post my book list. These are books I have read since January 1st 2009.

1. Ender In Exile – Orson Scott Card
2. Coraline – Neil Gaiman
3. Twilight – Stephenie Meyer
4. New Moon – Stephenie Meyer
5. Eclipse – Stephenie Meyer
6. Breaking Dawn – Stepenie Meyer
7. Stardust – Neil Gaiman
8. Anansi Boys – Neil Gaiman
9. Cryptonomicon – Neal Stephenson
10. American Gods – Neil Gaiman
11. The 19th Wife – David Ebershoff
12. No Plot? No Problem! – Chris Baty
13. The Host – Stephenie Meyer
14. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
15. UR – Stephen King
16. First Meetings – Orson Scott Card
17. The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman
18. Uglies – Scott Westerfeld
19. Pretties – Scott Westerfeld
20. Specials – Scott Westerfeld
21. Extras – Scott Westerfeld
22. The Chosen One – Carol Lynch Williams
23. My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult
24. The Golden Compass, His Dark Materials Part 1 – Philip Pullman
25. The Bourne Identity – Robert Ludlum
26. The Subtle Knife, His Dark Materials Part 2 – Philip Pullman

Most were fantastic, others, not so much. The series by Scott Westerfeld for one. That was more, I read the first one, and felt compelled to finish the series, no matter how bad they were. Good news, they were a fast read, and the torment was over quickly.

I have a love of both Neil Gaiman and Neal Stephenson. Must be something with the first name, no matter how it’s spelled. I think I have read pretty much anything either author has ever written. Both have very different styles and subject matter, but yet, both are equally intriguing.

Of course anything Orson Scott Card, and the Ender series specifically, I must read.

My latest obsession is Philip Pullman’s series, His Dark Materials. To keep the suspense, I have been reading something else in between each. Currently I am reading: The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker. Then I will finish the HDM series.

knittinpretty's Shop Announcement
Most of this year has been very quiet for Knittin' Pretty. This is mainly because my husband and I have been busy building a house! We are moving the first week in September, but need to start packing now. We thought the first 5 months were hard, but now the real work begins…

I will be closing the shop temporarily to accommodate this move, and should be reopening again sometime in mid September. This reopening will be accompanied with a sale – so keep your eyes open for the announcement!

If you would like to be notified of the reopening and receive the store newsletter, please send an email to heather (at) lost-angel (dot) com. Use the subject NEWSLETTER.

Thank you – hope to see you again soon!

–Heather

Hello! Wow, it has been a long time. But really, I have been very busy…

Building a House!

Have you seen the new Knitting Purls? I have a review of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts cotton sock yarn called Sock Candy in it.

To subscribe, send an email to infoATknittingpurlsDOTcom. Ask to be sent the most recent issue to see my review!

I know I haven’t been around for a long, long, Long, LONG time…That will be in another post.

Tonight I just want to share something quick (or should I say “Click”) that came today in the mail:

Yay for the new Addi Click Interchangeable set!

…have I been knitting? SIX! Can you believe it? I was again asked recently how long I have been knitting. The first time I realized it was six years I was stunned, couldn’t say anything except “6 years!” I think the shocker really is, I have hardly any FO’s to speak of during those six years

I have been spinning for only a bit over 1 year, and I feel like I have accomplished so much more.

Seems like I am much more capable of finishing a spinning project than a knitted one. It’s really quite embarrassing how many WIPs I have going on.

So what does this all mean? I will be focusing on finishing projects for a while. I really love the feeling of casting off…I think its more the sewing up that gets me put off. In any case, I plan to really try to finish a good bit of projects before starting any new ones…wish me luck!