Running tunes

I've been thinking a lot about a running playlist.  For most of my runs I just start up Pandora, but this is hit or miss.  Sometimes the choices are great and very inspiring, and other times sad songs come on and it's a total buzzkill.  For the Mother's Day half marathon I need something more reliable.  I have a few go to songs, but that's not going to last me 3+ hours.

Here's what I've got so far:

• Simple Minds - Alive and Kicking
• Pearl Jam - Alive
• Katy Perry - Roar, Firework
• Florence and the Machine - Dog Days Are Over
• Black Eyed Peas 
• Techno/EDM - ATB, Tiesto
• Swedish House Mafia - Save the world, Don't you Worry Child
• One Republic - Good Life 
• Beastie Boys - Hey ladies
• Pitbull - Shake Senora (ugh, I hate Pitbull but this song is catchy)
• Miley - Wrecking ball (I know, I can't believe I like this song, pathetic!) 
• DaRude -Sandstorm (oldie but goodie)
• Zendaya - Replay
• Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
• Lady Gaga - Just Dance
• Flux Pavilion - I Can't Stop
• Awolnation - Sail
• 3-11 Porter - Surround Me With Your Love (Mental Overdrive Remix)
• Armin Van Buuren - In and Out of Love
• Tiesto - Hide and Seek
• Stars - Sleep Tonight
• Natasha Bedingfield - Strip me
• Atb- Gentle Melody
• Deadmaus - Moar Ghosts 
• Pantera - Walk, This Love
• OneRepublic - All The Right Moves
• FloRida - Wild Ones, I Cry
• Rage against the machine - Killing In the Name Of
• Icona pop - I love it

I've tried running podcasts as well, but nothing so far has worked well.  I might re-explore that option.  I also plan to have things like audiobooks and Radiolab, but I don't see using that much unless I decide to walk a bunch.  For running mojo I need tunes!

If you have any song suggestions, I'd love to hear it!

Game over!

My first round of Game On ended this last Monday.  Our team didn't win, so I'm out $100.  I'm ok with that though, I lost 5 pounds and have finally gotten back on the calorie counting bandwagon, which I know works well for me to lose weight.  That's more than enough to count it as a win in my book!  I also found a few recipes for making healthy food ahead of time.  Why have I not done this before?!  Having a bunch of cooked chicken breasts and sweet potatoes doesn't really take that much prep time, but it's very versatile for cooking a quick weeknight dinner, or throwing together a work lunch.  In general, I'm fine eating the same thing over and over.  As long as I'm not hungry, it's all good!

A new round is starting next Monday, and this time there's a lot more people from work playing, so it would definitely make things more interesting.  I want to join, but need to think about a fitness challenge.  Each week you get a 20% bonus for losing 1% of your body weight, which for me is very challenging.  However, if you are close to goal weight you can opt to do a fitness challenge instead.  Since I'm signed up for doing the Mother's Day half marathon and I should be on week 2 of my training plan, but have not really been following it, maybe my challenge should be to do all the training runs.  I am only hesitant though because I don't want to set myself up for injury by over training.  I have struggled with plantar faciitis years aga, and tendonitis in my hips when I tried to start back up after Tilda was born, and it sucks!!!

Project updates

The New York cardigan came out lovely, wearing it now in fact!  Will get a good post blocking picture up soon.

As for the swaddle sacks, I had taken a complete guess as to how big they should be, and when I saw a comparison to a similar item it was laughable how small mine was!  It's funny how your memory messes with you.  I had an average sized newborn not all that long ago, how could I forget so quickly??  I'm gonna blame it on hormones and sleep deprivation haze.  After a reworking, it went from 14" circumference and 7.5" long to 20" circumference and 12" long and I used juuuust under one skein.  Next I need to write up a pattern and get it up on Etsy and Ravelry!  They seem to be a quite popular item, so I'm curious to see how they sell against the pants patterns.

I also need to work on my knitting design layout.  It's fine in Word, but definitely has an unfinished look. I wold love to have something more professional that I could take to the local yarn shops. Publisher seems to be the way to go, but I so far have felt pretty overwhelmed when I sit down and try to figure it out.  C'mon, I'm a techie, I can do this!!

Check out this snuggly baby in the swaddle sack, can you hear my ovaries screaming right now? So cute!!

New York sweater - Almost done!

I really doubted my ability to do some resizing to a smaller size needle on this project, not sure why.  It fits exactly how I wanted it to!  Once again, I was wrong to doubt myself, silly me!  

I did swatch up a square with a size 8 needle, and I liked the drape of it, but then the stitches become inconsistent looking.  I think that would come out in blocking, but anyways I decided to stick with my original idea on size 6 needles.  I find it's usually in my best interest to stick with the original vision I have for a project.  Once I rethink it too many times the vision is lost.

I did have to shorten the sleeves and I think I like it better this way!  I'll try wearing it a few times and see what I think.  I can always attempt to order a couple more balls of yarn.  

Here's a shot before blocking.  Just have to weave in those pesky ends and cinch up the collar at the back of the neck, which I will leave for after blocking. 

Swaddle sacks

Working on a new project for my photographer friend, swaddle sacks.  It goes on just over the baby's body, over a wrap.  Really cute and I love the colors, but not sure if I got the sizing right.  The thick and thin yarn is a bit challenging to work with though, it's tough to get good tension.  Can't wait to see what they look like on a lovely little newborn!

Current project

I'm currently working on the New York Cardigan (http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Suze/new-york-cardigan).  I had ordered 7 skeins of DK weight yarn intending to make a sweater out of it, but didn't have a pattern picked out for it.  Now I'm running out of yarn! :(  I had decided I liked the look of a tighter knit, so made it on size 6 needles instead of the size 9 the pattern called for.  Now I'm regretting that decision because a larger needle would make the yarn go a little further.  Is it totally crazy that I'm debating reworking an entire sweater so I can avoid ordering more yarn?  Gah! I'm not even sure if it would be enough to make the difference I need, but I'm still considering it anyway.  I think I will swatch up a piece tonight with size 8 or 9 need and see what I think of the drape.  As usual, I should have done that before I jumped into the project, but that's the great thing about knitting, you can almost always redo it!

Designing knitwear

In the past year I've started on a small side venture, designing knit wear.  It all started after I had Matilda and met my wonderful baby photographer.  I had brought some knit shawls in for the baby to be photographed all wrapped up in.  She later asked if I could knit her some baby items to use as props in exchange for future photo sessions.  I couldn't find a pattern for what she requested, lacy baby pants, so I designed one myself.  We were in the yarn shop and the owner was saying she could surely sell such a pattern, so I should write it up and give it a try.  So I did.  And it sold!  Ok, not a lot, but some anyway.  It's a great feeling, putting my expertise to use to create something new.

Since then I have created a few more patterns and it's interesting to see what sells and what doesn't, though I haven't put much effort into ads or self promotion.  I have a whole list of things that I want to try my hand at designing, either because it's an interesting pattern, or something I want for Matilda to wear.

Some designs that I've been thinking about:

• Pants with patches on them, hearts and ovals.  Maybe the patches could be little pockets?
• Entrelac heart banner.  A good way to use up odds and ends.  Could I make it all in one piece?  Most people prefer less sewing up at the end.  Another idea is to crochet the cord to desired length and add the banners every N stitches.
• Pants with a skirt/ruffle.  Tilda inherited some RTW pants with a skirt on them and I love that look, so cute!  There are lots of possibilities here: lacy, ruffly, garter, color combos, stripes.