knitting is hip!

okay, i'm not an 80 year old woman, i swear. but i've recently picked up knitting again and i can't get enough!

i say again, but i should really say for the first time because this time, i'm learning how to knit properly. before, i only knew how to do one kind of stitch - your basic knit stitch. so basically, i only knew how to knit one way, the very basic way. and i could only make scarves. that was it. but now, i'm working on my very first non-scarf knitting project - a baby blanket! okay okay, so a blanket isn't that much further from a scarf, but i'm using two different stitches (knit AND purl!) and i'm using a different stitch pattern (seed stitch!). i'm a little intimidated by the sweater patterns and knitting on circular needles but...baby steps. which is why i'm starting out with this baby blanket. now, i just need someone to have a baby so i can give them the blanket when i'm done (christina and victor - i'm looking at you). or, i could just frame it and hang it up proudly as my very first non-scarf knitting project.

i'm so happy. and i feel a bit dorky. but mostly just happy. the blanket is coming out pretty well. but it's going to take me forever. but it's okay because i can't. stop. knitting. i'm pretty addicted to it. it's gotten to the point where i'm at work all day and the only thing that i can think about is going home and knitting in front of the tv. i don't care how weird or dorky that sounds; i'm fully embracing it! and i owe it all to this wonderful, wonderful book: Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook by Debbie Stoller. it's a great beginner's guide and the writing is very down to earth and also kind of amusing. she's like the knitting best friend i never had.

so does this mean i have a hobby now? i've never had a hobby before. seriously. i really wouldn't call tv and shopping hobbies. i just hope that i can bring my project on the plane with me when we go to vegas on wednesday. i know the flight is short but my fingers will be itching to knit. it's pretty much the main thing i do in my spare time now. i know i sound like some crazy old lady, but i don't even care. i just really enjoy knitting and wanted to rave about it on my blog. :)

anyway, that's all for the crazy knitting talk. some other updates: K's program has sadly ended. K was seriously the most adorable child i've worked with. i wish i could take her home and show her off to you guys because there is no way you would not be able to go "awww" if you saw her in person. no way. but her school district took her away just like every other school district. at least, with this one, i was able to go to school with her for a few days to help her transition. and the teachers liked me and invited me to come and visit any time so i'll probably do that some time soon. in the meantime, i picked up another client who lives just around the corner from K; i'll call him A. i've only worked with him a couple times but i'll be working with him more once i'm back from vegas. unfortunately, he, too, will also be going to the school district in november. sigh. it's like the same story every time. i've also picked up another client in fremont; i'll call him R. i started working with him a couple weeks ago. he throws quite a lot of tantrums. think of the stereotypical child's tantrum - throwing themselves on the ground, rolling around, crying, shrieking, wailing, pounding fists on the ground, banging their head on the ground, more rolling around, etc. that's basically R at the beginning of every session. and, if i'm lucky (heh), random times throughout the session. i have such a high tolerance for tantrums now. i can just tune them out. and think about knitting. :) and, in some good news, T and his family have come back from vacation and they have some banked hours with the agency. so his mother requested me to finish up the rest of the hours. which i look forward to because i really enjoyed working with T.

anyway, that's about it for an update. we're going to vegas on wednesday and coming back on sunday. i can't wait!! i'm going to get drunk and gamble and shop and eat! not necessarily in that order.