Back to Earth

Give me a moment, I need to step off the bully pulpit :D

Ok, now that I have that out of my system, we can go back to regular blog material.

I finally did it, I installed Apophysis on my work computer. 16 GB of RAM, and 8 cores with 2 threads apiece . . . this machine is a fractalist's wet dream. (Or an engineering CAD station) I fully plan on doing work with my work computer, but hands down, my work computer makes my laptop look like a brick. I rendered a 3072x1920 flame at 20,000 quality in less than 2 hours. It is super duper exciting. My previous work computer was better than my laptop, but the new one's performance is so much greater in comparison.

I know I will not be a full-time artist, so it is a moot point. As someone who makes fractals as a hobby, it nice that it doesn't take so long anymore. A 40,000 quality render, for a pattern that takes something around 1-2 days to render on my laptop took 2.5 hours on the desktop.

I find it fascinating how much the character of the flame changes with changes in background.

On the knitting front, the end of the bridesmaid shawls is far closer. I blocked the 3rd one, and I am half way through the chart of the fourth and final shawl. It is funny because I still need to reference the chart at the beginning of the row, and by no means is the pattern boring. I'm just sick of knitting gifts. I know I want to finish the project, and I could enter another shawl for the chance to win a prize, and I do want to get started on the next thing, so I need to finish. (circular thought much?)

I also included the others I knit, to prove I'm not just taking photos of the same silly project on the couch. This really was the 4th time I knit this pattern.

On the subject of the swap, my package arrived!

 There were all sorts of interesting goodies, like NORO! WM Lace! I will need to go by the yarn shop and get a coordinating skein so I can make a double knit noro scarf. I don't think 1 will make a long enough scarf by itself.

 Here is a picture of the swap lace with the stash elephant. It is a regular Petersillie, which is a very medium green. It is not dark, or light, or bright. The dear sweet lovable one thinks it is ugly, but I think it is a fine semi-solid color. My upstream swap partner has actually had me before, which was pretty neat. She had already stalked me before :D My downstream partner was a tough one. She likes much nicer yarns, so I decided to go big and get her a project bag. I had heard a lot about the Tangerine Designs bags from The Knitgirllls videocast, so I went with her. I got a cute one that was blue/teal with farm animals like ducks, lambs, dogs and cats on it. I don't really need a project bag because I have the Tom Bihn one that holds everything I need. I like the idea of it though. Next time I swap I am totally going back to the local candy store. It was fun to pick something out, and I like the idea of shopping local.

The time will be soon, that I will cast on the featherweight.

I have already made my one page version of the pattern, and my lace is wound, and the only thing I need to do is finish my silly shawl.

I really love making 1 page patterns. (Front and back) 3 columns in as large a font as will fit (8-9 pt normally). Most patterns have too many pictures, and too much fluff, or instructions that you can ignore once you get the pattern set-up (ie row by row stitch counts of short rows). So I choose a size, delete the counts and instructions for the other sizes, and cram it all in. It is a pain to carry several sheets of instructions all the time, and for a raglan sweater that is mostly stockinette, it isn't like you need a lot of instructions anyways. I keep the original pattern, but I like having 1 sheet of paper that has everything I need to carry around with me.

I did buy a new book this week too.

Obviously I can't do the 1 page patterns with a book, however I think those hexagon socks are really awesome. I didn't even double check that I wanted more than that pattern (thankfully there are several awesome ones).

Not like I need more things to knit, since my list of potential projects is really long, I just know I will be getting to it eventually.

I really need to cut back on the extreme queue jumping. I was going to knit Laminaria after I finished Rhodion. Since I wanted to practice with wool lace weight and Elizabeth Freeman, before doing silk lace weight with Elizabeth Freeman. My skills are up to snuff now, and I really believe she totally thinks through every detail of her patterns. I even fan-girled out on the dyer of the yarn, and asked her thoughts on using every gram to make Laminaria with the tussah silk in Blood Queen. Oh well. I guess I am knitting a lace weight sweater in wool first hahaha. Then the WM bender will end, briefly, for this shawl (after the wedding).

I think that's all for now,
Take care guys

Molly : )