Tuesday, January 29, 2008

A Year? Already?

A week from tomorrow marks my 1 year blog-versary. To celebrate, I thought I'd do a little contest. Leave a comment between now and 11:59pm on Feb 6th (my blog-versary date) suggesting ways for me to find time to sit and knit, or commiserate with my apparent inability to make as much time to knit as I'd like, or even just say "hi", and I'll enter your name in a little random drawing contest for one of the following two prizes:
A copy of Charlene Schurch's More Sensational Socks with a skein of Yarn Pirate merino in the Cannon Beach colorway. And, some chocolates (naturally) and possibly another goodie or so.

A copy of WendyKnits' Garden Path Toe-up Socks pattern with a skein of Lime N Violet Sasquatch Sock yarn in the Yahtzee colorway. Ditto the chocolates and other goodies.

First name drawn gets first choice of the above. Second name gets the other one.

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has commented on my blog or otherwise welcomed me into this virtual knitting community. Because of you all I have learned a lot and have tried a lot more things than I ever would have thought I might. I suspect I've also bought a boatload more yarn and patterns than I otherwise would have but that's all good too.

I wasn't too sure about this when I started out but I think I may even be knitting more because of finding this community. Certainly I have started (or planned to start) a large number of projects that I'd probably never have considered trying pre-blog so I am very grateful.

No knitting or spinning content today. The camera is full of little girl birthday photos and I need to deal with those before I can show you the tiny amount of progress made on actual knitting and spinning and whatnot.

65 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary Ronni!

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary!!

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary! I'm totally with you re: knitting time. I've begun getting ready for the day a little bit earlier (and skimping on the makeup & hair!) in order to sit down for a few minutes before I'm out the door. Not much, but a row is a row is a row! Thanks for celebrating with us, and I hope you get some cake out of the deal. ;)

sheep#100 said...

Hey that's a great blog title!!

Happy 'Versary, too.

Sheepish Annie said...

I am such a slug with my blogiversary...maybe next year I'll do it up right!

I have found that knitting for an hour on the exercise bike kind of kills two birds with one stone. I knit for a steady period of time and get the dreaded workout over 'n done with!

And I'm so very glad you picked up the blogging habit. I've so enjoyed getting to know you and reading your posts!

evergreenknits said...

Happy Blogiversary!

We *all* want to find more knitting time -- I can't wait to see what everyone recommends!

I just carry some knitting with me in my purse all the time. You never know when you'll find a few minutes to pull it out, while standing in line, talking on the phone, or taking a coffee break. Be prepared!

evergreenknits said...

p.s. I posted about your contest on WiKnit, my knitting contest blog. Hopefully that'll send some more folks your way!

Elaine said...

Happy Blogiversary! Great prizes - wow I want to win!

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary! It's almost on my birthday so maybe I have a little karma (and present coming my way!)

Sarah said...

Happy Blogiversary. I don't know how to get you more knitting time. But I want to try knitting socks, so I would love to win your contest!

AuntieAnn said...

Happy Blogiversary! I finished the Smooshy socks and have a lot left over, and just yesterday I found the craziest sock pattern for little bits of yarn, which naturally now I really want to try.

Good luck finding more knitting time! This is not much help, but now that DD is 13, I get a lot more "me" stuff done.

Vicki said...

Happy Blogiversary!! How to find more knitting time?? Hmmm, I could use a few tips myself. If you could grow to love all your food blended into a tasty shake, you could sip it through a nice long straw while knitting :)

Miss T said...

Happy Blogiversary! I like to volunteer for all the errands that require waiting time, like getting the oil changed in the car--perfect knitting time!

purple-power said...

Happy Blogiversary - count me in!

J. Denae said...

Happy Blogiversary!!
Ways to find more time to knit:
*Hire a driver
*Knit with a penlight in your mouth at the movies
*Tell everyone you are highly allergic to cleaning solutions and go to Starbucks to knit while someone else cleans your house

Tante J said...

Happy Bogaversary!

Here are a few ideas

Keep small projects in your bag. They are great for waiting in line, like post offices, grocery stores, doctors offices

Maximize your restroom time. Some people have been lost in there for hours caught up in books, why not a pair of socks?

Go to the Japanese Tea Gardens (in Golden Gate Park) The zen inducing effect is sure to stop time, giving you a secret stash of minutes or hours

Work with the Google people to create a 25 hour day. The extra hour will be purely for knitting

Anonymous said...

Happy blogiversary!
I've started bringing my WIP in the kitchen when I'm cooking. I knit a few rows, stir the soup, a few more rows, add some seasoning, knit again a few rows, check if it's ready... That's a win-win: the work gets done, and there's progress made on my knitting project!

Anonymous said...

Happy blogiversary.

Whenever I go anywhere with my husband, he drives and I knit. Also on planes - I let the pilot fly while I knit.

Awesome Mom said...

Have your tired knitting on the toilet? I haven't but it is a time when you are sitting lol. I think the key to eeking out more knitting time is to always have a project with you and knit every time you sit down (when appropriate of course). I have even knit and read blogs when I was trying to get something finished by a deadline. I just can't comment.

teabird said...

Happy Blogiversary!

Always, always have something to knit in your purse, whether a facecloth, hat, or long skinny garter thing that maybe you'll use on a Maypole some day!

teabird - Ravelry

edina said...

Happy Blogiversary! I keep some knitting by my bedside and sneak in a few rows before drifting off. Just be careful where those needles end up before you fall asleep - it's all fun until someone loses an eye!

Unknown said...

Hi, happy blogiversary! You'd have more time to knit if you ate only raw foods (so you don't have to waste time cooking).

wenat said...

I get knitting time in the cracks and corners of my life -- on my daily commute to work; carrying a small sock project bag on my wrist as I watch my kids playing in the back yard; getting in 10 minutes while the kids take their baths; and in the car while my husband's driving us to wherever we're going -- even if it's only a 2-minute drive to the local swimming pool, that still gives me enough time to get two rounds in on a sock.

Obsessed with knitting? Me?

The Bon said...

Happy nearly-blogiversary!

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary. I'm really feeling lucky right now so don't disappoint me!

I try to knit whenever I can - those rare occasions I'm watching a movie or TV.

Sharon Rose said...

Happy Blogiversary!!

1) Always have a small project with you for time waiting in line, etc.

2) Have an insane driver for a husband (who insists on driving) and knit rather than look out the window to avoid panic attacks as you careen around the other cars.

3) Be an acupuncturist and knit while your patients are "cooking" with the needles.

4) Become a Netflix addict and knit during movies. Do NOT rent subtitled films!

Anonymous said...

Don't we all?

Need a good laugh that is.

Thanks for commenting...

Blessings!

ThriftyKnitter said...

Happy Blogiversary!!

I can never find enough time to knit so just as some of the others have suggested, I knit in the car while my husband drives, knit in bed while the tv is on, knit at playdates while the kids play, and knit while talking on the phone, I have started to do the unthinkale. I knit at red lights! When I absolutely have to drive, I put a project in my lap and knit at every stop. No I don't drive while knitting well maybe when it first turns green, just to finish my row. Hee hee. I find I never take the freeway anymore - No stop lights. :) Happy knitting everyone!

cthulhulovesme said...

Happy Blogiversary! As for finding time to knit, you could always take up insomnia. it worked for me. =P

Natalie said...

Hmmm - toilet knitting - I am not so sure...

How about pulling an "All Knitter" (like all nighter...).

Happy anniversary!

Bianca said...

Happy Blog-anniversary. :-) I hope you'll be inspired to write for many more years to come

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary!

I have to say I'm slacking in the knitting department (still getting over my dpn fear-lol), but I do have a friend that is a knitting machine. She has said she knits whenever there is a pause. Meaning... when the pasta is cooking on the stove, she's knitting away. When she's reading blogs, she's knitting away. Whenever she's doing something that keeps her hands free, she's knitting.

Hope this helps.

Turtle said...

Happy Blogiversary! I have been loving the 2 months i took off this winter just for the knitting time i have had! But other than that I have always a pair of socks in my bag for those times when you get stuck waiting..dr's, on the ferry, you eventually end up with a sock! Of course i also have something sitting near my chair to work on when a few minutes creep up, having coffee, watching the news, waiting for the dog to finish her business....shoot, why not put something in your powder room...people put books there , lol! I also plan out a menu on sunday morning for the week, shop for it and pre prep items. Crock pot cooking gives you at least a half hour in the evenings as you took 10 minutes to prep just before bed or before you left for work.I also take something to work with me a knit as i nibble on my lunch, or when i have no clients! Just a few ideas to find some time for a few rows.

Shea said...

I find that car pool lines at school is always a good place to knit. During nap times are great and sometimes a shorter lunch so that I have a little extra time to knit.

Love the blog title!

Kendyl Young said...

Happy Blogoversary! I wake up early to knit, I knit during conference calls and I knit at the end of everyday.

monica said...

Grats!

I usually sacrifice sleep for knitting. Not always the best trade-off, but what can ya do?

rainberry said...

Happy Blogiversary! You could wake up early and go to bed late so you would have more hours for knitting.

GHouk said...

Happy Blogiversary!
congratulations.
Get someone else to drive. I get a lot of knitting done as a passenger. My boyfriend doesn't mind, because he knows he gets the benefit of my knitting too.

You could also make more doctor's appointments. Waiting rooms are good for knitting.

For me, I'd have more knitting time if I spent less of my free time on Ravelry, but I don't think I could do that.

tripletsmom said...

Happy Blogiversary!

As a mother to 3 year old triplets, I am forever looking for more knitting time. To find more time I stay up very late after they go to sleep, then nap with them :-), or if I really need a knit fix I let the housework slide a day or two. I never said they were the most constructive ways of finding knitting time ;-)

Jen C said...

Happy Blogiversary!

I knit during breaks at work. Staying away from the internet and Ravelry also frees up knitting time!

z's momma said...

Hello and Happy Blogiversary! Need more time to knit? well, you can do as I do and sleep less...

Unknown said...

I knit a little compulsively (or crochet or sew or whatever) because I can't sit still without doing something with my hands. I do it any time I'm waiting or watching TV or movies or even talking to people. I think it stems from being an ex-smoker and needing replacement habits to keep the hands busy and the mind distracted. I don't think I recommend taking up then quitting smoking though, so I'm not much help. :)

Glad to find you!

adrienne said...

happy blogiversary! need more time to knit? don't blog, don't read others' blogs, and don't be on ravelry. time-users all! ask me how i know. LOL!

Kenyetta said...

Happy Blogiversary! I have the same problem- I keep knitting stuff everywhere, next to the bed, couch, in the car, at work etc.
I second, stay off of Ravelry- it's a time stealer! LOL

kathy b said...

Happy anniversary. Hmmm more knitting time.
Cut naps to 1 hour instead of 1 and a half.
use peapod to shop
wear same clothing every day for a week. less laundry.
I agree with sulafaye: a row is a row. Sneak it in whenever you can.

txknitter said...

Happy Blogiversary! I once saw a teenage girl with double points hanging out everywhere knitting the fingers of gloves in the grocery store. She was with her mom. Given the amount of time I spend waiting in the g-store check out line, I should pack a no-brainer project in my purse.

squiggi said...

Happy blogiversary!
Hmmm,finding more time to knit.
Well, you could always give up sleeping and showering.
(maybe not so much on the showering)
I always have a small project with me. We just don't realize how much of the day we spend waiting sometimes.
A friend of mine has figured out how to do the elliptical and knit.
Double duty!

Christy said...

Congrats! It is a wonderful accomplishment.

Knitting time....if I give up eating and exercising, I might be able to finish some of my UFOs.

The most productive time for me is when my kids go down for bed at 8 p.m. I make a cuppa tea and knit from 8:15-9:00. It may not be the longest stretch of time but it is my most productive.

So I guess my answer is this. We can't extend the time but we can make it more productive by removing noise and distractions.

ikkinlala said...

Happy blogiversary!

I'll commiserate - there are some days when I don't get a chance to knit at all, even though I try to make time. I'm unwilling to give up sleep for knitting, because if I do I make a bunch of mistakes and end up having to rip out what I've done anyway.

Deece said...

Happy Blogiversary! Posting your contest over at www.chamolinaole.blogspot.com.

Being a full time working mother of a 2-year-old and a 9-month-old doesn't leave me with much time to knit. I find more time to knit during my two 15-minute breaks at work and in the car when my husband drives.

My friend (www.atreehuggerswife.blogspot.com) and I set aside two hours every Saturday to knit over coffee. And I have a WIP in almost every room of the house, I get a few rows in whenever I can.

(I even bring my knitting with me to the nursery at church.)

Jason said...

Hi Ronni, found our blog on Maia's blog, happy blogiversary!

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog through Maia spins , I now have you in favs Great blog.
Shelda

LaurieM said...

Happy Blogiversary! I'm drawn out of the woodwork by a contest. ;-)

I keep a sock in my purse at all times. I knit in traffic jams, or if my husband is driving. I whip out the sock and knit in lineups at the grocery story and at Walmart. I'll knit in the line up for the bank teller, on my lunch break and in meetings at work if they'd let me.

But my favorite knitting time of all, is an uninterrupted chunk of time on the weekend. Then you can really sink your teeth into it.

OhAmyKP said...

Happy Blogiversary! Well I knit on the train to and from work. my commute's 1hr 30min one way so I get lots and lots of rows don in this time. However, that basically that only place I knit nowadays, ONce I get home I'm so exassated. Sometimes I have such an itch to knit, I cant even put it down to go to the bathroom...So Yes I take it with me. :)!

Sheepish Annie said...

And I just got my mail!!! You truly are an angel. I'm so overwhelmed and flummoxed that I can't even sort through my email contacts to find yours! Thank you so very, very much for your kind gift package. It just made my day, let me tell you!

I'll probably be wearing the t-shirt to work tomorrow. Maybe under my sweater so only I'll know it's there...but I *will* know. ;)

Thank you again so very much!!!

Jane said...

The only way I can count on is to plan an appointment with myself that involves getting together with several friends to visit andKNIT. I need to socialize with adults, we have a common interest and you can lots of knitting down in 2 hours if you do it regularly. good luck

dichotoMe said...

Happy blogiversary! I too have a very difficult time trying to find enough time to sit and knit!

I've developed a plan to ameliorate this in which I invent a new day in the week that only I know about. That way I'll have a whole day to do nothing but luxuriate with the yarn! (I'm still working on figuring out how to beat the time/space continuum.)

missemilysmom said...

Happy Blogiversary! I find getting up an hour before everyone in the house or going to bed an hour later then everyone always finds prime knitting time!!

helenlam said...

I like to knit on the car, bus, train... any mode of transportation where somebody else is in charge of driving/navigating!

squiggi said...

here's the patter for the dog paw shawl,
http://www.fibertrends.com/viewer/patterns/AC71.htm
It's a fibertrends and it turns out really cute when it's blocked.
Just a little knitting addiction enabling...
Tami

Lavender Brocklehurst said...

If you live in a city where you take public transport, then bus and subway knitting are a must. If you need to drive everywhere and you have a teenager, let them chauffer you around while you knit. I get a lot of very simple projects finished by knitting at my computer, waiting for stuff to load or while reading long posts.

Anyway, I enjoyed cruising through your blog, I'm adding it to my list, and Happy Blogiversary!

Dharma said...

First I have to tell you that Feb 6 is kind of a special date for me. My grandmother (who has passed) and her twin brother (who is still with us, at um maybe 90) were born on that date. Also early in my career as a doula my first and only twin birth occurred on February 6th - twin girls. Cool no?

Knitting time. I have a friend who knits while she walks her kid to school.

Carry it with you all the time. Sometimes I feel like it's okay to knit while at the in-laws even (we are still getting used to one another). My partner does the driving when we are together, so I often knit, even if it's a short trip. While watching tv. Get up a bit earlier, stay up a tad later. Join a knitting group - my favorite meets on Tuesday from about 5/5:30 until close to 8pm at a bar that serves yummy treats too.

Happy Blogiversary!

Tally Knits said...

I am often pressed for knitting time with school, fiancee, and studying. I find time by:

1) Shorter showers in the mornings. I'm helping with the water issue we've been having here in Georgia AND making more time to knit.

2) Take my knitting bag EVERYWHERE. Even if I don't think I'll have time to knit. I've been able to finish up projects this way.

3) Knit while reading for class. I'm able to multitask pretty well and can knock out reading assignemtns while doing "mindless" knitting (simple socks, etc).

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary. I totally wanna win a prize.

Beverly said...

Happy blogiversary! One way to get more knitting time might be to carry a small project (sock?) with you, so anytime you have to wait, you have knitting time!