FO, Sorta

I knit the last stitch, finished the shoulder seams, and lay the garment out to admire it. I’m disgusted. I pull the top on, and feel worse. I cannot even post a picture of the Ballet Camisole at this point. Ugh! There is so much more to be done. It isn’t time for this fat lady (okay, so lady might be a stretch) to sing. This is good on two counts. One, I cannot sing worth a flip. Two, there is still hope for this mass of stitches. Ah, finishing work is the favorite part of the process for every knitter, right? There are a number of ends that must be woven in carefully, and invisibly. This is going to be a bit tougher than usual. I’ve tried weaving in one or two, and the result has been woefully visible. This is my first time working with Royal Bamboo. Tips, anyone? There is blocking to be done. That does not bother me one bit. There is the crocheting to finish off the neck and arm openings. For this, I have mixed feelings. I redid the crochet bits on the neck of my Thorn & Thistle top. I like it much better. This gives me confidence. Then there’s the part that makes me feel incompetent. I attempted to help one of my Monday Night Knitting Buddies. Brittany is amazing. She’s a practically brand-new knitter. I believe that her first or second project was The DNA Scarf. Anyway, she had completed the knitting of her Soleil, and needed a bit of assistance crocheting the edges. While I was able to show her how to crochet, and tell her what to do, it wasn’t quite coming out to our satisfaction. All I could offer was, “Rip back and try again until you get the look and feel you like.” I wanted to be helpful and admired. I wanted to sound wise and appear capable. I wanted to do more. But hey, I was just offering up the advice for what I do. There may be a magical mathematical formula for it all, but sometimes I think you’ve just got to get a feel for things. I was able to fix Beth’s problem with the clutch she was knitting and will felt. Then when it came to sewing it up, I felt that my advice fell short. We shall see what happens. I guess it is good that it’s a felted project. So, why all of this not-so-sudden lack of confidence? Why all the worry about my teaching ability? It’s Sock Wars. Yeah, I have been following the first two rules and telling everyone about it. So what’s the problem with that? Some of my Sock Wars anxiety comes from the fact that I knit two socks on one circular needle. Huh? You thought that this might sound like an advantage. I don’t know that it will help me out or anything, but I do know that it caused something to happen. It goes something like this (edited to combine several encounters; not all of this is fact-based):

Monday Night Knitting Buddy #1: Wow! Look, Sarah is knitting socks.

Monday Night Knitting Buddy #2: Whoa! Are you knitting both socks at the same time?

Sarah: Yep

Monday Night Knitting Buddy #1: Let me look at that. Oh, I’ve always wanted to knit socks. How many needles are you using?

Sarah: It’s just one really long circular needle. They call it the Magic Loop. See?

Monday Night Knitting Buddy #3: Sarah is so cool. I’ll never be as cool as she is, nor will my knitting ever begin to approach her advanced skill level.

Monday Night Knitting Buddy #1: Sensei Sarah, wouldst thou honor us with lessons?

Monday Night Knitting Buddy #2: Yes, please, Knitting Guru Sarah! We are humbled in your presence, and desire for you to teach us. I don’t think I could handle dpns, but if you could impart your circular wisdom to us, I believe I could be a socknitter.

Monday Night Knitting Buddy #3: Please lead us into battle. The start of Sock Wars looms ever closer, and we have never knit socks before. Save us, Great Sarah! Two socks on one circ is the only way we can hope to survive. You are the lone practitioner of this most ancient magic. Please don’t let the magic die with you. Won’t you pass on your ways to the new generation?

Sarah: Sure.

Monday Night Knitting Buddies: (in unison) Thank you, oh wise one, our greatest hope is to be slain by you in the Sock Wars.

So, the upshot of this is I am trying to come up with a good way to show others how to Magic Loop 2-on-1 in such a way that they can do it. That, and to not break out in stinky stress sweat. Oh yeah, and to not make any mistakes, let alone plain old showing them incorrectly. I shouldn’t worry so much. I will do my best, and be sure to offer other resources that may be more helpful than I am. They all know that I am human. Actually, it has been discussed that none of these people exist, and that they are all figments of my imagination. If this turns out to be true, I don’t have to worry (at least not about teaching). I already know how to do Magic Loop 2-on-1.

That’s right, just two more rounds from the charts and then the ribbing to finish these.

Round and Round

Yep, I’ve been spinning. I’ve been trying to make sure that I get in more time with the spindle on a regular basis. I hope that this will lead to improved yarn results. That’s part of the difference for me between spinning and knitting. Even when I was a beginning knitter I was able to produce nice, useful, knitted objects. A brand new knitter’s very first stitches could result in a garter stitch scarf if carried on long enough. It is true that over the years I have improved and become able to create a greater variety of nicer and more complex garments and accessories, but I was always able to make something. Once I knew how to make a knit or purl stitch, I created knit and purl stitches. My spinning has been another thing altogether. What I have previously created has not resembled yarn. I feel wasteful that I’m using up fiber and not producing something good enough that I can use it to knit. I’ve made messes. I’ve gotten in touch with the drop portion of drop spindle. I’ve created tangles. Now, however, I am beginning to make yarn. I know you can hardly wait to see my real-live, real-little, skein of handspun (penny included for scale). I may keep this little skein as a reminder of when I first created yarn. Then again, I might want to try and knit with it. What to try and knit with it is another question. I know that I have spun up 8 grams (1/4oz). What I don’t know is my yardage. Soon I will set my husband to constructing a niddy noddy for me. It’s not that I cannot make one myself, but he likes doing that sort of thing. He will probably have improvements to make on any set of directions I might provide. I plan to go the cheap-o PVC route for now. In the meantime, I’ve taken to spinning with the fiber my mom brought back for me from Estes Park Wool Market last year. She bought me the fiber, a nostepinne, and a spindle. The fiber is Polypay Wool Top, and it has been dyed some really groovy greens and purples with plain bits, too. The nostepinne and spindle are from Magpie Woodworks (no website). I never felt I spun well enough (and I never put in enough practice time) to do anything with the fiber. A couple of years ago I bought a kit with a Louet drop spindle and some fiber from Blue Goose Glen Farm at the Harvest Days and Fiber Festival at Cannonsburgh Village in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The wool from the starter kit is what I’ve spun up for this first little skein. Anywho, I’m going to keep working at the spinning on as close to a daily basis as I can. I’m having fun with the colored roving. I see how it looks different as I spin it up, and wonder how it will look when it is plied. It’s an adventure. Speaking of adventures, a fiber acquisition opportunity approaches. The Monday Nighters have planned a trip here on Saturday. I might be able to join them.

Just Peachy

Sometimes good things can happen when you outsmart the map. Truth is, we didn't look at our directions until we thought we had reached the point in our journey when we would begin to need them. It turns out that Mapquest had planned for us to get off the road we were on much earlier. However, it we had followed those instructions, we would not have been able to take the exit to a nice fruit stand where I took a picture of the Pomatomus and Bruce bought a big basket of peaches.

Sock Wars

It has been called the knitalong to end all knitalongs. Okay, so I haven't read this description of the event anywhere, but I want to impress upon you the enormity of this happening. There were over 200 sign-ups in the first week. You still have plenty of time to join in on the fun (sign-up deadline is 8 September). I'm pretty excited about all of this. I've been telling everyone about it. My husband think it sounds nifty, too. When I wasn't sure about taking part in it, he was encouraging me to jump in and become a part of the madness. I'll need to clear the sock needles to get ready. This will help me move my Pomatomus from the needles to my feet. I think this is going to be fun. I don't see myself winning, but that's not really the point. Still, the worst case scenario is a new pair of knitted socks. Yes, I know there are always possible flakes and other things that can happen, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm going to play by the rules and have fun playing this game.

Monday Night Knitting Report

I almost stayed home. Then I saw the enthusiasm in the e-mails of others that would be there, and I decided to go. There was more gabbing than knitting that night. First it was double show and tell. JJ had returned from a business trip to California and brought back yarn for Jaspher. They generously gifted each of us with yarn. I got this extra groovy Cascade Pearls. Margaret’s Knitpicks order had arrived. She had a boatload of shade cards for us to view. That is so cool. I can’t tell all about the rest of her yarn because I want to wait for the finished object. Begin to prepare yourselves now. I don’t know when it will happen, but it is awesomely frightening for some, and frighteningly awesome for others.

Eventually I did get the needles out and began to knit. I didn’t get but about three stitches in when I saw something was wrong. There was a problem with my Pomatomus that I could not reconcile (more on that later). I had already begun and completed one project that day. Don’t get too impressed. It was a sweatband made from worsted weight cotton. I shoved more of that yarn into my knitting bag before I headed out that night. It was a good thing that I did. Otherwise I would have been just sitting and not knitting. Sure, I had a ball of Royal Bamboo and the Ballet Camisole pattern, but I still couldn’t decide on the right size (details to follow on this, too). So, I pulled out some needles and that cotton, cast-on, and began knitting. They asked what my project was, and to answer I modeled the one I had made earlier that day. They got a good laugh. Do sweatbands improve the appearance of anyone? Not mine, nor anyone else’s I’ve seen. Still, they serve a function, and I’ve needed to knit more.

I sweat when I exercise. I’ve been expanding my exercise repertoire, and to aid in this, I received another sweet prize. Margaret kindly gave me her old VHS copy of Buns of Steel Power Yoga. Her VCR is kaput, and since she doesn’t plan to get another, she passed this workout video on to me. I viewed it last night, and I know that it will challenge me. It is a great addition to my exercise video collection especially because I’ve needed more stretching. Of course it will also serve to strengthen and get my heart going.

Monday Night Knitting is very dear to me. I’m thinking about something for them. I won’t write about it in case they stumble across the blog. They really do help me and my knitting. In fact, I think that it was the fact that I spent time with them that I was able to fix two knitting problems. One was the Pomatomus. Turns out I just needed to read some of the written directions to see what to do before working another repeat of the chart. Next, I figured out which size to knit on the Ballet Camisole. I was so focused on the chest measurement. Then I looked at the numbers on the schematic and the measurement at the bottom of the top let me know which size will be best. I’ve progressed a couple of rounds on the socks, and I’ve cast on and passed the ribbing on the camisole. I’m doing things and it is good. I was beginning to stall out a bit.

July Recap

I’ve managed to finish four hats this month to send in to Caps for a Cure. Two are Odessa (both beadless), and two are Shedir. I ran out of yarn on the second Shedir towards the top. I took a risk and added in a different color. At first I wasn’t sure and thought that I would frog it. I went ahead and finished it and then solicited opinions. The general consensus was that it is cute this way, and I agree. Then when I found myself tugging at the hat on my head in attempts to make it fit me so I could keep it, I became sure that the hat is good enough to give away. As soon as I got the second Shedir off the needles, I cast on for the next Odessa. I loved knitting with the Cashsoft. It was so generous of Louise to hold that contest for the group. These hats are bound for South Carolina. I really need to work on my photographic skills (or a lack thereof, rather), and perhaps purchase a form for modeling the hats I knit. We’ve extended the normal two months per group time line to three months due to summer. That means I’ll have the opportunity to knit more hats before we rotate to a different spot.

War

Have you been keeping up with the news? A war is beginning, and soon. I’m not sure how I feel about it, though. At first I just had to read about it when I saw the headline. Should I get involved, or am I just going to sit back on the sidelines and watch events unfold the way I have so many times in the past? This definitely calls for some time spent seriously contemplating all of the issues concerned. One shouldn’t take lightly the commitment of joining in on such an endeavor. I’d like to encourage all of you to investigate the situation for yourselves. I feel like some of you may want to be a part of this quest. Go ahead, check it out, you might just be surprised.

Options

Raise your hand if you thought this was going to be a post about the new KnitPicks Options knitting needles. Hmmm...I guess most of you rightly discerned that I would have been unable to keep quiet if I had ordered them, and that I would not have waited for them to arrive to begin blathering on about the subject. Now, just because I haven't made an order doesn't mean I don't have something mailbox related to share. Monday was a wonderful mail day. I received the lovely Cashsoft from Louise, which in and of itself was enough to make my day. As I flipped my way through the rest of the mail I did not expect anything else to delight me, but I received a happy surprise. My epoll reward had arrived. I had cashed in my points for an Amazon.com gift certificate awhile back. I hadn'’t expected it to show up this soon. I think I'm going to buy knitting books, of course, but which ones? I reviewed my wish list; at first this only spawned more indecisiveness. In order to narrow things down a bit I considered what types of things I most like to knit. I love knitting many things, but perhaps lace, socks, and shawls most. Next I thought about the books that have spent so much time on my wish list but haven't made their way into my library for some reason or another. I think I have whittled down the list of possibilities to a more manageable number.

The finalists:

Folk Shawls Cheryl Oberle
A Gathering of Lace Meg Swansen
Knitting Vintage Socks: New Twists on Classic Patterns Nancy Bush
Sensational Knitted Socks Charlene Schurch
Shawls & Scarves: The Best of Knitter'’s Magazine

If it were up to you, which of these books would you choose? Are there any books on this list that you would advise me to avoid? If you must, you may nominate a different book than the ones I have listed. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thank you, Louise!

Ever since I read that I had won, I had something positive on which to set my sights. When I knew that the package had been posted, I could make trips to the mailbox accompanied by eagerness, rather than dread. Tonight as we drove home, I told Bruce that a package would likely be waiting for me in the mailbox. Finally, the moment had arrived. I reached inside and extracted a wondrous parcel that had been sent to me from across the pond. Thank you, Louise! The Cashsoft so generously offered up in your contest will soon be transformed into a cap to comfort someone in need. I think my current Shedir just might be temporarily set aside.

Notice of Cancellation

My fellow knitters, please pardon the interruption for the following important notice:

Last week has been canceled. Yes, you read correctly, last week has been canceled. Informal survey and research has shown that many people consider last week to have been extremely unfortunate; therefore, it has been canceled. You may now disregard any worries or concerns that may have arisen. There are no plans to reschedule. We sincerely regret any inconveniences this may have caused.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled calendar, already in progress. Thank you.

What Lies Beneath

Have you seen these? I really enjoyed the Dark Chocolate M&M's when they had their short run as a part of a Return of the Jedi promotion. Now they are widely available all the time. This may or may not be a good thing. For now, I'm trying to focus on the positives. If you look beneath the candy, you can see my latest swatching. The swatch is good. The yarn (Royal Bamboo, Plymouth Yarn Co., Italian Collection) is wonderful to knit with, the fabric is fabulous, but I think the swatch and its yarn will sit a bit. I had thought that it would be either the Bonita Shirt (IK SU 2006) or the Ballet Camisole. I had nearly settled on the Ballet Camisole, but then I had problems. The biggest problem is that my brain won't function well enough to choose the proper size to knit. The next issue is this and this. Anything look familiar? Yeah, it would seem that I could be knitting the same top (more or less) over and over. Even the color between the prospective Ballet Camisole and the already knit Soleil is nearly identical. Still, if I could measure, think, and choose, I believe I would knit the Ballet Camisole. I've swatched and have gauge. Perhaps I should just knit the smaller of the two sizes I'm vacillating between and then exercise like mad whenever I'm not knitting the top. Mostly though, I feel like going back to bed. Perhaps lace would help. I don't know why, but sometimes it does. I'm having trouble knitting. Perhaps I should work to be less inwardly-focused and work on my second Shedir for Caps for a Cure. That seems like the best thing to do. That, and work out some more. I got a new set of exercise dvds. I'm still working out the steps. The choreography is a bit more complex than I'm used to doing. I've only done the Cardio Blast (haven't tried the Weight Loss one, yet) dvd so far. It sure makes me sweat.

Where's the Passion?

Miles of stockinette stitch stretch across the landscape. The never ending columns march on toward the edge of the world. Shadow and light reveal the soft, flowing nature of the fabric. Actually, it's just a swatch. Details to come, once I figure things out.

In continuing with our theme of feeling uninspired, I must say that I'm not very interested in watching Passions, lately. To be honest, I've lost interest in most things, but we'll pick on this wacky soap for today. Throughout the spring and summer they had a storyline taking place in Rome. There were collapsing catacombs, virtual reality wolves, a hunchbacked nun, a pope, a chalice, Swiss guards, a mystery monk, bad writing, and sadly predictable disappointments. What did we really expect, anyway? Whether you're a disenchanted viewer or not, why don't you check this out? It has nothing to do with the soap. It is a blog detailing the real-life Roman adventure of my amazing friend, Susan.

Don't Let the Name Fool You

I don't know about you, but Thorn and Thistle doesn't make me think of anything I'd like to have next to my skin. Still, I like my new summer top. It is so soft and lovely. The picture does not do it justice. I was using the self-timer function of the camera to take the photo. I would have enlisted my husband's help, but he isn't wild about taking a million shots (he would say that they all look good and that he can't tell the difference between them) for me to declare that I don't like any of them, and then to hear me drone on and on about how I dislike my body. I can't say that I blame him. I'm trying to keep busy to drown out my own thoughts on the subject because I'm just not in the mood to put up with me. I still have to weave in the ends from doing the crochet finishing around the neck and arm openings (my, oh, my, how that made a difference), wash it again, and then it will be ready for wearing. Well, I guess I won't be wearing it until I can calm down a bit and really love the top again properly. I go through a bit of post project dislike in which I feel I didn't knit well enough, I'm ugly, I'm fat, it's not good enough, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, just typing it makes me tired and bored. You don't want to spend time in my head. I'm thinking of stepping out of it for awhile, but I've never quite perfected that move. Besides, getting back in can be particularly tricky. Enough of that. I know that if I'm boring myself, I've likely lost most of you.

Are you ready for the details (as best as I can recall them)?
Pattern: Thorn & Thistle from IK SU 2006 by Joan Forgione
Needle: Denise Interchangeable US 6 (4mm)
Hook: Susan Bates Silvalume Size E/4 (3.5mm)
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece Coral Sunset (3 skeins, I'm pretty sure)
Size: 36 1/2" (that's how the pattern sized it)

Dry Already, Will Ya?

The Thorn & Thistle is nearly complete. I'm waiting for it to dry so that I can seam the sides and then work the edgings around the neck and armholes. I really like the way it is turning out so far. I was able to complete all the knitting except for the three-needle-bind-off at the shoulders while I was at my Tuesday afternoon knitting meeting.

I guess it's time for me to decide between Bonita (IK SU 2006) and Ballet Camisole (July 06 Magknits). I suppose I could start swatching with my yarn and see if that helps me decide. I know I was going to change Bonita (a bit less of the lace on the front and no embroidery), and I felt a little unsure of it for me. Deciding which cute top to knit for myself is a happy dilemma.

A Star is Born

I was able to wrangle my nephew for a moment to capture this picture of Shedir. This doesn't show the color well, and I couldn't get him to hold still long enough to take a picture of the side cabling. In all fairness, the hat is too big for him and it was very hot. We can all be impressed that I was able to get this image. I love this hat. It will be sent off with others to the Caps for a Cure group. I think I want to knit it again. I may have already chosen the yarn. It is a mystery yarn with no label. I must test swatch, first.

I've finished Mary Ann's Cashmere & Pearls Lace Scarf (yes, I know it's been renamed Angel Pearls Beaded Scarf). It is blocking, and I haven't gotten a good picture of it yet. I figure I'd limit today's post to one poor quality picture.

I need to redo the bind-off on two pairs of socks. They have sat in a sat state of near-finishedness, but I just haven't been able to sit down with them and do the work. I was so excited to get them done, and now I'm just blah about taking out the bind-offs and redoing them.

The Thorn & Thistle top is nearly done. I've completed the back, and the front is worked nearly to the point where I'll be working the shaping along the neckline.

IK is pleasing me. Thanks to a head's up from one of my Monday Night Knitting Buddies (or Knitters Anonymous as the Ultra-Friendly Barnes & Noble Starbucks Guy wants to call us), I checked out the preview for the Fall 2006 issue. There might be enough patterns I like to purchase it. I'm not sure, though. I really love that Swallowtail Shawl. One pretty lace pattern can be enough to make me think that an entire issue is worth buying. Most of the time I end up putting a magazine back when it is just one pattern tempting me, but that might not happen this time. I mean, just one lonely ball of Misti Alpaca Lace to knit such loveliness? How can I refuse? Maybe Mom would like it.

I also think she might like Snowman and Skates. She would definitely want it button-up style, but steeks frighten me. I like the other patterns in the booklet, too. They may just be beyond me for now. Still, maybe it is just being up at 2:13 in the morning, but making us matching vests appeals to me a bit.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

I love you, Bruce!

Her Fans Called Her Tuffy

Last Sunday I went to a birthday party for one of my Monday Night Knitting Buddies. I had such a great time. The evening started with dinner and ended at the Roller Derby. I found this poster Wednesday when I was at Starbucks. I wanted to take the poster, but I did not. Those are the socks I’m knitting for Bruce. I did not knit those that night, but rather I knit on Shedir. That is such a great pattern. I wouldn’t call it the greatest choice for knitting in the low light while you try and watch the roller derby, though. Several of us knit away throughout the match. This guy asked why we were knitting. I responded, “Why not? We love to knit and knitting is awesome.” He said that he just wondered if it was a derby thing. It could be one day. One of my other Monday Night Knitting Buddies wants to join the team. She has to finish healing a current injury before she can get new ones roller derbying. She decided on c-squared for her derby name (I can’t write what it stands for), and it was determined that I should be called Spike because I can be seen knitting with dpns and I sometimes stick them in my hair and forget about them. This made "Roller Derby Queen" run through my head even more fiercely. Anyway, when I was making my way through the parking lot outside the roller derby I thought I saw my brother’s car. Although it is not an uncommon car, I knew it had to be his. There was a band playing, and I thought they must be my brother’s friends. I kept looking at the band and the people around it to see if I could spot him and say, “Howdy!” I never saw him, so I left a little note on the windshield when I left. I tried calling him, but I couldn’t get anyone to answer the phone. We ended up at his house yesterday, and when I inquired about the previous Sunday, I got quite a surprise. As it turns out, it was not my brother at the roller derby. It was his wife. Had I looked more closely, I would have seen her out on the floor. She wasn’t skating (still in training), but was keeping stats. She says that she doesn’t know if she will keep with the derby. I can’t say that I blame her. I think she would really get hurt. Anyway, this non-knitting tangent has been brought to you by the It’s a Small World concept.

Cars, Socks, and More

We went to see Cars on Friday. Outside the theater they had cardboard cutouts of some of the characters. I thought it was a good opportunity to take some pictures of Bruce's socks in progress. It's good to focus on progress. It's not good to dwell on the mistakes. We all have to rip back. Sometimes we have to rip back a large number of stitches. Sometimes it is two thousand four hundred ninety stitches that must come off the needles and be returned to the skein. When I knit something where the pattern gives numbers for multiple sizes, I have a plan. Photocopy the pattern, (good idea anyway for notes and preservation of the original) and then cross out all the numbers not applicable to the size I am knitting. But I could always do that last thing later. I mean, just look at the cast-on number and then knit those thirty rows from the chart. I wouldn't need to look at the rest of the pattern for thirty rows. Guess who cast on for the next size smaller than what she intends to knit? Argh! Oh well, the yarn is wonderful to work with, the lace is nice and simple, (fulfilling my desire to knit lace and being simple enough for the feeble state of my mind these days) and I love knitting. It is the shell from the Thorn & Thistle twinset that I made the big mistake. I've moved on, now. I ripped it out, re-wound the yarn, marked out all the numbers I don't need, and began again. I've passed the lace and the decreases for shaping. It's coming along nicely. I've turned the heel on one of my mom's socks, and I'm part of the way through turning the other. My Pomatomus now have a few rounds of lace going all the way around the legs. Amazingly enough, I made that progress on Pomatomus at Monday night knitting. Monday night knitting helps me make it through the other 165 hours of the week.

Treading Water

I'm getting ready to knit the Thorn and Thistle Twinset from the current IK. Actually, I'm just knitting the tank portion of the twinset. Something about the cardigan/bolero thing doesn't look quite right to me. Anyway, I've made my working copies of the pattern. Now I'm about to begin crossing out the numbers which pertain to other sizes. I'm making the next to smallest size. I hope I've chosen well. I've already swatched. I'm on for stitch gauge, but not quite for row gauge. Eh, I think that's where I'll be making changes, so let's just forget about row gauge, 'kay? We've gotten plenty of warm weather. How great would it be for me to finish this in time to wear it this year? I also want to knit the Bonita Shirt from the same issue, but with several more changes. I don't think I'll be doing the embroidery, the sleeves aren't quite making me love them (tank, maybe?), and perhaps not all of the lace on the front. I think the length issue (yeah, I'm not looking to showcase my tummy) won't be an issue because I'm short. I've done some measuring, and I think I'll be groovy without having to make changes there.

I've turned the heels on Bruce's socks, have one more round of Pomatomus with lace on top only before the lace goes round and round, and I'm ready to turn the heels on Mom's socks. That makes Bruce's socks easy traveling knitting. I think I might just leave that project in the car, perhaps. Mom's socks will soon be to that stage, too. My Pomatomus socks will take more careful attention. I feel like I'm not progressing much with any of my projects. That's okay, though. The dementors have been relentless lately. It's surprising that I'm getting as much done as I am. Speaking of surprises, I'm going to a birthday party (not a surprise party, though). Wow! I have not been to a non-family birthday party in ages. Time to test my social graces, and flex my trying-to-not-look-like-such-a-freak muscles. I'd better stretch first. I think I should bring knitting. It really does help me. I'm going to let new lace projects wait until my mind is a bit clearer. I don't consider the Thorn & Thistle tank to be too lace-intensive to qualify it for back burner status. I'm doing what I can. So far this month I've done three dvds from The Firm and exercised in the water one night. The Fit Knitter thing is good. I want to be an even fitter knitter.

Fearless Frogging

Who knits five heels on one pair of socks? I do. Well, I will, and more if necessary. I've already turned the heel three times for my mom's Wick socks. The first time I was turning a heel I thought there was a problem, but I carried on with it. Then I worked the heel of the other sock. I compared the two and saw that the first needed to be redone. No problem. I ripped back and worked that heel again. Still, I was unsure. I decided that I needed to have Mom try on the socks because I began to think that they were not long enough in the foot. Sure enough, she pulled one on, and I could see that they were too short. I've now ripped back both and gotten them back on the needles. Time for more round and round with the stockinette. I guess I just want to give this pair of socks to my mom so much that I've gotten ahead of myself. I also want them to be great, so I don't mind frogging and reknitting them until they are right. I've already redone toes two or three times. It was well worth the effort to get the toes right. I know these are going to be great socks. I love the way they feel. This yarn is so neat. The other good thing about all the frogging and reknitting is that I have greater confidence that this yarn will hold up well. It still looks great after all the abuse it has been through. It makes me believe that these socks will stand the test of time.

Well, the socks aren't showing progress, but that doesn't mean I don't have an accomplishment to report. I got those chemo caps off in the mail. They're somewhere between here and Maine. I believe the next group we're knitting for is in South Carolina. Time to bring out some lighter weight and cotton yarn, I think.

To the Post Office

Here is my humble offering to the Caps for A Cure group. Now to put them in the mail.

The Year's First Yarn

A sale at Yarn Expressions led me to make my first yarn purchase of 2006. I scored this Crystal Palace Kid Merino at 50% off in Painted Iris and Ultra Blues. This picture does not do justice to the colors, especially to the Ultra Blues colorway. Thanks to my mom, more yarn followed two days later, but I've yet to take pictures.

My Pomatomus socks (discussion on proper pronunciation has led us to call them Hippopotamus socks) are progressing nicely. I took a picture at Monday night knitting, but it didn't turn out well. I've managed a few more rounds since then, and I'm about to begin working the fish scale lace all the way around the leg. The heel turning went well, and they feel great on my feet.

I'm still doing the Fit Knitter thing. I did Aerobic Body Shaping from The Firm today. I really am getting in better shape. While most of my workout dvds remain a challenge, none of them make me feel like I'm dying to complete them.

Caps for a Cure

I joined this group awhile back and have been knitting away on caps. I'm finally getting a respectable pile of them to wash and ship. I received this fabulous package in the mail on Wednesday from Mandy of some donated Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Lovely Lavender and Columbine Blossom. I can hardly wait to get it on the needles and knit more hats for this group. I have often thought about knitting chemo caps. There is a strong family history of breast cancer. In fact, I have an aunt undergoing treatment for it right now. To say she's a dramatic gal doesn't quite capture her, but it really does sound like it is more serious than even she knows. I would like to have knit some chemo caps for her, but sometimes parts of my family do things in ways that are not my favorite. Suffice it to say, my sending her handknit chemo caps full of love and prayers would have turned into a brouhaha. Drama and then some, y'know? Still, I love knitting and I love to help, and this is a cause near (physically, too, I suppose) and dear to my heart. So, rather than sitting back and wallowing in the dysfunction that family can be at times, I decided to do something. I am very pleased to have found this group. Knitting these hats helps me, and helps others. That's about as perfect as it gets in my book.

Fit Knitter

It slips my mind where I discovered this "a-long" the other day, but it interested me. I've been working on becoming a fitter person, and of course, I knit. We're supposed to post a bit about what we're doing to be fit. I do a lot of in-home exercising utilizing various dvds. I began with Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds Express, and have gone on to add some Pilates (among others, Mari Winsor), stability ball (aka Swiss Ball) dvds, Tammilee Webb, The Firm, a bit of yoga, and some other Leslie dvds. My quest for a healthier me began about two-and-one-half years ago. I'm about fifty pounds down and in better shape than any other time in my life. The changes prompted me to branch out in some of the clothes I wear and garments I knit. Now my fashion sense is seriously lacking, but if you'll check out the pic of me and Stephanie, you'll see me wearing Soleil. I never would have had the confidence to knit and wear that three years ago. Besides, it would have taken more yarn. Now I'm looking at some cute tops in the current Interweave Knits that I'd like to knit for me to wear.

In knitting news, I'm busily working on my Pomatomus and Bruce's socks. It's heel turning time here. I feel the need to cast on another pair of socks for on the go knitting. I also long after Icarus for several reasons. It's a shawl. It is gorgeous. I have the yarn in stash. I think I'm about to break the dry spell on not buying yarn (nothing so far this year) as one of the LYS is having its anniversary sale. I'll definitely have to be there Saturday, if not sooner. They also have books and patterns buy one get one (of equal or lesser value) free all month long. I think I'll finally get Folk Hats. Yeah, I know there are some "out there" patterns, but I've gotta have it.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo

It wasn't quite the Cinco de Mayo we had in mind. Up early for a long drive to Birmingham. The Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC) to be more precise. A day at the BVAMC is always a long one. We never sleep well the night before, and we need a day or two to recover afterwards. At least I can always count on some good knitting time. I knit the whole way down while Bruce drove. The patterning in the sock yarn was revealing itself, and Bruce decided that the colors suit him and that the socks will be his. This makes me happy.

Bruce has had some trouble with his gall bladder in the past. He has recently had more flare ups of what seem to be more gall bladder trouble. Previous testing has been inconclusive, so he was scheduled to have a HIDA scan. That's what we did with our Cinco de Mayo. I sat in the Imaging Department waiting area for three hours and knit. This is a picture of what I worked on while I waited. Things did not go well. Two hours into the process someone comes out of the Nuclear Medicine door to be sure that I will drive home. They say they are having trouble finding the gall bladder and that they are going to do something with morphine. I didn't get the details about what all they intended to do before she disappeared behind the door again. An hour later, a disheveled Brucie staggered out into the imaging department waiting area. Apparently this morphine business isn't something they do too often and they were hesitant to do so then. They all gathered about and discussed the possible things that could go wrong. Bruce has quite a sense of humor; he believes that the folks working in Nuclear Medicine has either had theirs removed or just nuked to death. He jokes around with everyone, including medical personnel. So when they pulled the crash cart up next to him (just in case) he said that he usually didn't get the morphine until after he'd been jumped off. All of a sudden, they declared that they could find the gall bladder, and that they didn't need to administer morphine. Hmmm...we'll see. Bruce partly wished they had given it to him anyway because they caused him plenty of pain. They got the gall bladder good and angry and his digestive tract is still upset. I still ended up driving home because he was just so exhausted. We were parked on the eighth level of the parking garage and I did manage to snap this terrible photo of part of one of the socks and Vulcan off in the distance. Of course my driving meant no more knitting for awhile. I did knit when we stopped for lunch, though. I made good progress on the socks and nearly finished another chemo cap. I used the Odessa pattern again, but without beads this time. I was able to finish it later on Friday night.

Thinking Positively

I can be a bit negative. It's good to try and look at things from a different perspective. Sometimes when I'm having difficulty keeping the depression at bay I take the extra time and energy to focus on how things could be good. Yes, I am having trouble beating back the beast. In fact, I forgot that I had begun cooking on Sunday, went back to bed, and nearly burned down our home. It is with the idea of keeping a more pleasant perspective that I write this post.

While I did temporarily have a Sarah-style freakout moment over the excitement of meeting Stephanie, the overall effect has been positive. I was getting into a bit of a knitting slump. Now I am about halfway up the feet of my Pomatomus, and I've cast on and passed the toes of another pair of socks. The only decision is whether this second pair of socks will be for me or Bruce.

I've been spending more time reading knitting blogs. It seems like I can spend a whole day following links and getting inspired. My trip to Threaded Bliss Yarns has me keeping up with their blog now, too. They are having a captioning contest for the pictures from Stephanie's visit. Check it out and see if you can be a winner.

Somehow I found myself on the preview page for the Summer 2006 Issue of Interweave Knits. I think I might need to pick up this one. There are a few patterns I think I'd like to knit. I'll need to look through the magazine to be check them out more closely. There are some nifty patterns available online, too. I find Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' Bazaar Socks to be especially inspiring. I see potential in the patterns in this issue. I might need to do a bit of tweaking here and there, but that's not a problem. In fact, it's good. I'll expand my knitting skills and stretch my brain to change the patterns to suit me.

Harlot Day

Wow! I'm still overwhelmed today. We drove on up to Threaded Bliss Yarns in Brentwood, TN and saw The Harlot. I have the best husband in the world. I told him about the upcoming event on Wednesday and how I wished we could go. Money is tight, but he just brushed past this little detail, broke out the plastic, bought me At Knit's End and Knitting Rules, and then on Thursday he drove me on up and we had such an amazing time. As soon as we decided to go, I immediately became nervous, because, well, that's just the kind of girl I am. I started on a pair of Pomatomus (I'm working them toe-up) and tried to relax a bit. I could only manage about 90 minutes of restless sleep the night before. The entire experience was just unreal. I can't even begin to find the right words. Stephanie is so funny and nice. I confess, I was star-struck. I was so nervous, I sweat horribly, so I became more nervous and sweat even worse. The whole evening was incredible. We had another knitting celebrity to introduce Stephanie. It was Ann of Mason-Dixon Knitting fame. Harlot gave a great talk. She is a riot, and so cool. Then it was book-signing time. I was self-conscious and stumbled over my words, but she was great. She said she had been here to my blog. I could hardly believe it. She was gracious enough to pose for some pictures. She didn't run away shrieking or pass out when I clumsily put my arm around her. I'm such a sweaty freak. Then she took my picture holding her sock. Zowie! I'm still getting flustered just thinking about it all as I type. Before we left, I apologized to Ann for missing her and Kay when they were nearby at Yarn Expressions. I had been watching my four-year-old nephew, and I knew he wouldn't have been able to sit quietly while his Aunt Sarah got wrapped up in all that knitterly goodness. Everyone there was great. I received kind compliments on my Soleil. After the book-signing and picture taking, it was time to go. We grabbed a bite to eat, and then headed for home. I pulled on a little head lamp and read most of the way. As it turned out, I was not the only person from NAKG to attend. Freda and Tiffany made it, too. The excitement of the night kept me up most of the night and got me up early, too. I'm still reeling from it all. If you have the opportunity to make one of these wondrous Harlot On Tour events, I urge you to attend. It was incredible.

Instant Gratification

I gave in to my impulses. No, I didn't buy yarn. I haven't done that at all this year. I surfed on over to The Knitting Zone. I have looked at this pattern more than once. I like this sort of thing. I was going to buy this when I was out at Mary's awhile back, but she was out of copies. My desire for the pattern lingered in the corners of my mind. A couple of times I wished that I had it because I knew it would be an excellent gift. Out of curiosity last night, I checked out that pattern again with a thought that it might be available for immediate download, and it was. I purchased, downloaded, and printed. Now I just need to dig up all my materials to knit it. I like putting a lace edging on a handkerchief. That was the first self-designed thing I ever did crocheting. I miss that handkerchief. Now that I have this pattern, I can edge more handkerchiefs, but use laceknitting this time. It gives instructions on how to seamlessly join the lace edging. The pattern, Lace-Edged Hanky comes from HeartStrings FiberArts. I feel it will be a jumping off point for other lace-edged handkerchiefs.

Now to the justifications. No, I really didn't need to buy the pattern last night. I could have waited until my next trip out to The Knitting Zone. I love to go out there. I know that the goats have had kids since my last trip, and Burrito the burro probably continues to look even cuter as he transitions out of his baby fur. Then again, I know that I saved money by just downloading the pattern last night. If I had indeed made it out to the shop, I know I would have purchased more than just one pattern. Then you factor in what is happening with fuel prices, and I think it's safe to say that I practically made money by buying this pattern online last night. Okay, I'm getting carried away now.

It's Springtime!

For proof, I offer a picture of the first kittens of the season. I took this picture two or three weeks ago. Join me in welcoming these new kittens' and my husband's first appearance on the blog. The kittens have been rediscovered under the lawn mower. Guess that means I'll not be cutting the grass yet. Thanks, kitties! They now have their eyes open and they move about a bit. Anyone want a free kitten?

Next we have proof that the grass does indeed need to be cut. Atop this is Mary Ann's Cashmere and Pearls Lace Scarf (which I now see has been renamed Angel Pearls Beaded Scarf). This is my second time knitting this scarf, and I love it. I am using the dental floss threader method instead of the teeny-tiny crochet hook method for placing the beads. I think I prefer this way.

This makes back-to-back lace projects in Misti Alpaca. I've yet to take pictures of my Sheep Shawl that I completed last month. Yes, I know, I'm a bad blogger. Maybe that means I shouldn't sign up for Secret Pal 8. I've been vacillating on this decision for awhile now.

All Those Socks

I gathered up all the small balls of yarn for the March Madness project, and it made me stop and think. I thought about all the different pairs of socks I had made. I recalled the different knitting lessons I learned and new techniques I tried. I reflected on who received each pair. I got the itch to knit more socks. On the needles now are socks for my nephew. I just got him to try one on that had made it about halfway down his foot. I wanted to check the fit, but we just weren't on the same wavelength. I asked him how it feels, and he told me that he likes socks that make it all the way to the end of his toes. Yes, dear, I'll keep knitting. The good news is that what I have knit so far fits him pretty well. The other good news is that I have already mailed out my contribution for March Madness. It should be there soon.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Here are the completed Frolicking Shamrock Socks. I really enjoyed knitting these. They have my mind swirling with other bead ideas. I've been using the little beaded shamrock motif to knit some little pins for today.

It's Madness, I Tell You

I'm gathering up the bits and baubles of leftover sock yarn to help with this project. It's yet another reason to get the current socks off the needles. I think I'll have them ready in time for St. Patrick's Day. I've finished all but the last two rounds of beading. I ended up doing all of that plain knitting because my other shamrock patterning did not give me the look I wanted. Better luck on the next pair, eh? Knitting with beads has been quite enjoyable. Now I'm knitting some pins using the beaded shamrock motif from my socks. My nephew asked me to knit something green for him to wear Friday. Maybe we should pick him up early and take him to the parade. I don't know, though. That would require getting up early.

Socks and PJs

I finally began knitting my Frolicking Shamrocks. I've got the toe done on one, and I'm halfway through the toe on the other. I want to finish up that part tonight and get them both on the needle (I'm doing Magic Loop 2-on-1). I was knitting them while we were out today, but hadn't brought my bag in from the car. I had begun to settle in for the evening when I realized where my knitting was. My sweetums isn't feeling well and was already in the bed. If I wanted to knit, I needed to go out to the car myself. I didn't feel like getting dressed again, yet I wanted to knit. But wait, it's a PJ Weekend over at our local Bruster's. So, I hopped in the car, got my free ice cream, and brought my knitting in when I came back inside.

I think I know how I'll modify my socks. Instead of all that plain knitting, I'm going to work shamrocks up the foot of my sock. I was going to use the shamrock graph in the pattern and replace beads with purl stitches, but I wasn't wild about the look. Then I remembered a shamrock pattern over at the Dishcloth Boutique. Over on page 3, there it is: Reversible Shamrock. I like the looks of that, and I'm going to work those into the socks. I think it will be mighty nifty. If I don't like the looks of it, I can always try something else. Afterall, it's my knitting.

Shamrocks!

Over at The Knitting Zone, they are having a knitalong for Jackie E-S's Frolicking Shamrocks socks. There is also a free companion pattern for wristlets. I've looked at these socks before, but was a bit unsure. I think I have a plan to change it up a bit. I love the beading, but there is quite a lot of plain knitting. That can be a bit tedious, so I'm going to try something a bit different. After the beading, I plan to carry the frolicking shamrocks patterning down the leg and top of the sock using purl stitches. Actually, I think I will be doing that in reverse. I want to start the socks at the toe. Yes, this is another change, but not a biggie. However, I have already prestrung my beads as per the instructions. Since I don't plan to battle those beads whilst knitting the rest of the sock, I've got a bit more prep work to do before I finally cast on for these puppies. Yes, I am behind everyone else, but I finally did finish the socks for my sweetie pie that have been on the needles for so long. I'll get him to pull the socks on long enough to take a picture. We're in the midst of a warm spell around here, so he's not going to be wearing these socks just now. Oh yeah, and this is the first button I've ever made!

Bristow Completed

Here's a quick picture of Bristow, my entry in the Knitting Olympics. 

Knitting Olympics--Goal Completed

I've finished Bristow. The ends are all woven in and the buttons are in place. I can hardly believe I got it done in less than the time allotted. I'll get the camera out and get some pictures posted, soon.

Thank You, Nona!

Bristow has been coming along so well. I completed the left sleeve, and then I began some assembly work. My side seams are nice; shoulders, not so much. I want this sweater to be nice, so I tried again, and again. It wasn't looking better. I couldn't make it work. So, I set it aside and bought buttons. That didn't fix the shoulders, either. I searched my books, but alas, they failed me. How about that ol' internet? Yah, buddy! Giant thanks to you, Nona. Your helpful information on how to change my pattern to short-row shoulders did the trick. It also allowed me to do my first three-needle-bind-offs. So, I ripped back, and it worked. Those shoulders are so much nicer. This helps me feel better about the fact that I really didn't make any new progress on the sweater. Okay, so buying the buttons and fixing the shoulders is very good. I learned new things, and elevated my knitting level--excellent. I just mean that I didn't get started on that right sleeve, or on the button/buttonhole/neck/bands. Possible bad weather and a long car ride to take someone to the airport mean that I should get some knitting time in on Saturday.

Olympic Update, Day 7

Whoa! Just a week in, and I've already completed the back and both front pieces. I have begun the left sleeve, and it's coming along nicely. Of couse my cardigan doesn't look quite as nice as these little pitcures because I have not yet blocked.

Wannabe

I wannabe a Knitting Olympian. I think I signed up too late to be counted. Even if I don't show up as an official participant, I'm doing it anyway. I've been knitting my first cardigan, Bristow. As I don't have the lovely KnitPicks Andean Silk, and I'm trying to be a good girl and use up the stash, I'm knitting this in Blush Heather Woolease that I picked up on clearance so long ago. I feel like I'm making good progress. So far, I have knit the back and the left front. I have no idea if I can do this in the allotted time. I just decided to set myself a challenge, and go for it. I guess that's part of the reason I was a bit tardy in attempting to sign up for this event. I've also set another Olympic challenge, and that is to exercise each day throughout the Olympics. That means no rest days, but I won't workout as hard everyday like I would normally. Besides, with all this knitting, I figure it's important to move about and make my muscles work in different ways. I'll also have to burn off the extra Valentine's calories. In fact, it's time to get moving now. We may try and avoid the crowds by doing our Valentine's Day celebrating tonight. Of course, if we hold off until tomorrow, I can go to knitting tonight. There is a request for my help on some socks. I'm flattered that she thinks I can help, but I think the other gals are better knitters than I am. Still, I'll do my best to be of assistance if I can.

A Month Later...

...and nothing to show for it. Well, that's both true, and not true. I've been knitting away. I just don't have any pictures right now. Here's what I've done:

1. Completed Kangaroo
2. Knit two 12" squares for a charity afghan
3. Knit all but the border on The Sheep Shawl
4. Won another round of "Fastest Knitter" at the local Michael's 5-Hour Yarn Event
5. Knit Odessa (more about that, later)
   
6. Made progress on the socks for my sweetie.
   
7. Finally revealed myself to my SP6, Rhonda.

Check out Rhonda's blog. She's pretty nifty. I enjoyed spoiling her. It was my first go at the whole Secret Pal adventure. I wish I would have done better that round, but I really was trying. I hope to do it again one day. It is my desire that I will improve in my endeavor each time. I guess that goes for everything (except the bad stuff--I don't need to do those things well).

Can't See the Orchard for the Trees

Okay, that's not really the cause. I'm knitting The Sheep Shawl from Fiber Trends. This has been an enjoyable knit so far. I'm about to begin the last "Orchard" chart. From time to time, I've spread out a small section to see what I've been knitting, but I know I'll have to wait for the blocking to see the real beauty of the shawl. There's no need to post a picture, because right now it just looks like a crumpled mess. I'm knitting this with the Misti Alpaca that I received last month. I feel like quite the knitting geek when I smile inwardly at the idea of knitting The Sheep Shawl with Alpaca. Yes, I'm crazy, and I know it.

One Knitter's Nightmare...

...is a dream for another. I was fortunate to be the recipient of some laceweight Misti Alpaca that one of my fellow knitters just did not like. I love that yarn. It is so soft and lovely. Oh, how I long for the return of lace to my needles. I think that some of this gifted yarn will be a Sheep Shawl for me.

The Christmas knitting is really coming along. I just started a purse for one of my baby chickens. I'm knitting it in Cascade 220 and using Glitterlash for the accent. I need to have it ready by Friday night. In the meantime, I've been doing some holiday baking in between cleaning and organizing projects. Fingers, don't fail me now.

Hat's What I'm Talkin' About

I first fell for Hats On! because of the Triple-Patterned Watch Cap. I thought it would be a great hat for me, and it looked to be a challenge to knit. One day I should knit this for myself, but this one is for my nephew. Working the Twined Herringbone edge was new for me. The yarn became terribly twisted as I worked the one round (just like the directions said), but untwisted beautifully on the next. This is a fabulous hat, and it has nifty patterning on the body beneath the cuff, but it will always remain hidden. That's why I feel the need to show all of these pictures. I'm even brave enough today to show my floats.

Thank You, Secret Pal

The cold rain fell on a dreary afternoon, and there was a knock at the door. The UPS man was hurrying back to his truck and I quickly pulled the bagged box into the house. What was inside? This lovely cashmere yarn from my Secret Pal. Now to determine what it is destined to become.

Two for Tuesday

I just need to wash these, write a Christmas note, and send them on to Alaska. The color on Cassie's hat just isn't showing up right. I think the hats turned out nicely; I just hope they fit well. Onto the next hat!

Productive Needles

Oh, how I am knitting along so well these days. My mind is beginning to wrap itself around more holiday knitting, and not even getting stressed about the idea. I'm about to begin the luskofte portion of the second Norwegian Stars hat. I've looked at the new Knitty, and I think I want to knit Bristow & Festive. Whoa! I just noticed that they are both knit in red. I don't know that I'd do them in red, I'm just seeing the pattern, so to speak.

I'm probably going to miss my Monday night knitting group because it is Mom's birthday today and we are partying with her tonight. I've knit her a cabled headband as a little giftie. I hope I chose the correct size. If not, I'll knit it again for her. It was a joy to knit (mostly because I knew it was for Mom), and done completely without the cable needle. Mom has not much asked for knitted items, but I think this one should be a hit. She doesn't like hats (mess up hair), but her ears are sensitive to the cold and wind. This seems like it should be a match.