The KnitObsessed

Wow, I've actually been knitting

2009-09-03T20:52:00.008-05:00

It's been a productive year, however, I've resigned myself to sporadic blog posts. Nevermind since there's probably 2 people who read this blog anyway, me being one of them. A couple of finished objects to parade around. The first is a simple thing, a pair of socks as usual, made from Crystal Palace called Mini Mochi. Not to be mistaken with the tasty Asian treat Mochi.

The second accomplishment was a shawl I made for my best friend Emily. I intended to complete it for her to wear on her wedding day, but alas, as some lofty and complicated projects go, I did not finish it in time. Instead I presented it to her on her birthday. It's made from Alpaca with A Twist "Fino" in Plum. I used #6 needles and a pattern I found in Vogue Stitchionary Volume 1 called Traveling Leaves.

Here it is after soaking in Soak Celebration.

Here it is blocking and drying.

And here it is in all its glory!

On the needles now are a few projects. another pair of vanilla socks in Claudia Hand Painted Yarn the colorway is called "Oops". I've got another pair of socks in a Turquoise Fortissima Socka that is being knit in a fish scale pattern. I've started a stole out of Socks that Rock yarn I purchased this summer from from Bainbridge Island's Churchmouse Teas and Yarn, in Washington State. And I'm certain that there are half-finished projects started eons ago that are strewn about and stuffed somewhere. Oh the plight of one that has many interests...or who is easily bored. It depends on what mood I'm in I suppose.

This blog is a joke

2009-06-24T09:40:00.001-05:00

Ha! It's been a little over a year already and nary a peep from me. This life thing is getting out of hand and it's seriously cramping my blogging style. Part of it is laziness and the rest is just the whirling of life things to a degree that it's gotten hard to pin my ass down fast enough to take some knitting pictures and blab about what I've been up to. PhD is in full force, I am almost half way there with one more semester of classes to take. I foresee another 2 years of nosing the grind. I got a new job. We moved again. Several friends have gotten married. A few friends have had babies I've knitted a couple of socks. And I am quite involved in a couple of projects that may be too complicated for these busy times. I'm in the middle of knitting a pair of fish scale socks in some Fortissima Socka yarn that I bought years ago. I'm 1/3 of the way through a lace shawl in lace weight alpaca. I started spinning some yarn out of red merino with hopes of one day making a sweater out of it. And our recent trip to Washington State's Bainbridge Island has inspired me to knit Clapotis out of 2 skeins of Socks that Rock: Puck's Mischief. We shall see. The summer is already chugging along and I am dreading the coming of August for when school starts again. I need to have written my dissertation proposal by then and need to have started preparing for my comprehensive exams.

Things have changed

2008-06-06T20:49:00.004-05:00

I have a million excuses for my silence. I've been knitting, I just haven't been talking about it. Mr. Rich, Dale, Fred, and I have since moved out of the Valley. We just couldn't take the cold and the mold and the housemates and the crazy landlords much longer. This happened in March during the middle of the semester. It just has been recently that it feels good to loaf about without feeling like there's something else that needs to be done to get settled in and to get the house in order. Summer's creeping in already and I feel like I have every day until the semester begins accounted for. My first goal is to get my languishing thesis published. So...if you happen to be the associate editor for the Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, please be kind when you get my revisions. My second goal is to get my dissertation plans in order and get some semblance of a proposal together. If you can think of why it's a good idea to study endophytes on temperate region trees, please let me know. And finally, I just want to knit my little brains out. I just posted a completion on my Ravelry page for Vogue's The White Way Lace Shrug...This is what I said:

"What a pain in the ass pattern this was. By the 12th time I frogged it became a challenge. By 20th time it became personal. By the 30th time I was ready to start randomly strangling people on the street. First Vogue printed it wrong. Then they posted corrections which were also partially wrong. And took them weeeeeeeks to rectify the pattern. Then they didn’t bother to elucidate instructions at all…For instance…continue rows 70 to 74 20 times. Instructions like that make you think that you have to knit rows 70 to 74, that’s 4 rows, 20 times. Meaning when all is said and done you should have knitted 80 rows…Apparently this is not the case, you’re supposed to knit rows 70 to 74 and repeat until you have achieved 20 rows total. I should have gotten a clue when the sleeve just kept going and going. Vogue, what a bunch of effing slackers. You’d expect a magazine touting that name would have their s%$t in better shape, and that they would express their sincerest apologies by at least replying to your email suggestion. Thanks to the designer Tony Limuaco for posting corrections on her website, and no thanks to whoever it was that made her take it down.

Basically, if you want to get this pattern right, you’re going to need the magazine, all the corrections, and the designer’s corrections to cobble together what would have been such a joy to knit. The finished product is beautiful, but I don’t think it was worth all the curses, heartache, and anxiety attacks.

Oh, and yeah, good thing I didn’t pay the upwards of $250 to use the Tilli Tomas Rockstar yarn. Having to repeatedly rip something I knit made out of that would have really ended in violence.

I'm wearing this thing to my brother's wedding in a few weeks, so I'll have Mr. Rich's take some really hot pictures of me and I'll post soonafter.

Two weeks ain't cuttin it

2008-01-02T12:36:00.000-05:00

Rather than play catch up with what has happened in the past few months, I'll just pick up where I find myself right now. It is a Wednesday, I am in bed with dogs snuggled around me and it's almost 1:oopm. The sun is emitting a crisp warm yellow-white light outside but it feels cold in here. The wind is trying to force its way into every crack in the house by howling and pounding around outside. I did get out of bed today to get some cereal and make a really delicious cup of french press coffee. I should be working on my first assignment for my class tomorrow, however, I am finding other things that require my more immediate attention such as writing out my grocery list, finishing a row of knitting, debating on whether I should order new bedsheets and a duvet today or wait until next paycheck, and contemplating a nap.

I am on vacation. I have been on vacation since the weekend before Christmas, and with the long two week stretch ahead of me (at the time) I thought I had enough days for everything. With four more days left, I'm finding, I could have used a third week, maybe even a fourth to really get things done. Alas, I am not living in Europe where such a long vacation is practically required, so I'll have to make do and start squeezing for time to do things again.

I certainly got some knitterly things accomplished.

I finished this scarf-hoodie for my sister's Christmas gift. I divined the pattern myself, but have managed to lose the scrap piece of paper I wrote it on. Which reminds me by the way to get a couple more notebooks to leave lying around the house for such note-worthy accomplishments and to compensate for my lack of memory.

I finished this sparkly chevron shawl for my Granny in the Philippines. We ended up at my LYS during her visit last August where she saw this sparkly mohair shawl that she had to have. Being a sucker for knitting, and for my awesome Granny, I promised to make one for her. I shall FedEx it to her next week.

This pair of socks was knit out of Trekking XXL. The colors are so scrumptious! These were knitted for a special friend and have yet to be bequeathed.

The lovely lady hiding behind the lovely red socks is Ana Banana. These socks were knitted especially for her since she was a good girl this year and the Hannukah Weasle decided she should be rewarded for her excellent behavior.

Among other accomplishments...I'm 99.9% sure that you knitters out there have heard of this stupendous creation by extremely talented knitters called Ravelry. It is a knitting and crocheting community in this spectacular virtual world called the Internet. And, it has all sorts of really nifty and useful abilities like keeping track of your projects, your stash, your library, your friends, your needles. I have since joined this wonderful place and have completely dorked out by taking pictures and posting my projects, stash, hopes, and dreams. The inner obsessive compulsive organizer and everything must be compartmentalized and fit properly in its own cubby with tags full of statistics and information is rejoicing at the finding this wonderful place. If you feel this way too, I want to be your friend on Ravelry if you belong, so look for me, I am loops and sticks. If you don't belong, check out the site and ask for an invite.

I know I still have four days of languishing left, but a part of me feels sad that this freedom to loaf, and knit, and nap, and play Super Mario Galaxy, and reading fiction like Good Omens and enjoy scented candles for prolonged periods of time will not last much longer. Alas, I will make the most of this time and will continue knitting and soaking up the colors of Mr. Rich's Christmas present to me--Crystal Palace Yarns Taos, Cabled Scarf. This happens to be my first endeavor at cabling. Oh so fun!

Oh, Here I am...

2007-08-23T17:53:00.000-05:00

Yes...I am a lazy blogger, I'll admit it. But it has not been so because I've been loafing about, reclined, staring at nothing, and breathing--which I bet would feel really nice sometimes. It seems like life is catching up, or maybe it has caught up. PhD is on summer vacation hiatus, and while it's summering, I am supposed to try to publish my previous thesis, and conduct a literature review on all the knowledge out there on my chosen dissertation topic. While I'm busy doing that, I'm supposed to hold a full-time job that is increasingly becoming more demanding and prepare myself for the impending doom of the fall semester which starts next week aack! I am also supposed to, or rather I force myself to attend to lifely duties like laundry, cooking occasionally, eating, and fighting a never ending deluge of dust bunnies. I also have mildly amused myself by reading all of His Dark Materials Trilogy, the last Harry Potter installment, seen several movies--Transformers, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, gone tubing. Oh yeah, and I did a bit of knitting.

I'm not complaining, although it does sound like I'm whining doesn't it? I'm just stating what I've been up to as more things that I will be up to continue to swim around me. As you have probably guessed, there has been no publishing done (I actually got declined by the Journal of Ecology), so I have to try again elsewhere. So if any of you happen to have any sort of influence on any scientific journals, you know where to find me, I will knit you something beautiful in return...probably a pair of socks.

I did finish reading all I intended to read (ummm, fiction-wise). After years of reading science-y stuff, it's been hard to read fiction again but thanks to many good friends that insisted I got started again with His Dark Materials Trilogy. I highly recommend it. I also picked up a few more books--Christian Priest's "The Prestige" (most excellent), Stephanie Pearl McPhee Casts-Off (halfway through already), and Tolkien's The Children of Hurin.

So really, what do I have to show for this summer of blogging silence?

Knitting pal Emily finished her Monkey Socks

Knitting pal Ana started and finished these Jaywalkers in this uber scrumptious Jitterbug yarn. Alas I do not have a finished object photo.

My Mother-in-law acquired Bearance Bee Bernett or "Beary"...redunkulously adorable so we visited him a few times.

I finished these organge Jaywalkers in Koigu I got from a trip to Knit NY a while back. (Check out the squintage by Fred)

I purchased this most colorful knitting items containment unit.

Daley O'Maley took alot of naps in between knitting.

I acquired this beautiful yarn by Jitterbug which I absolutely love. Just absolutely love.

I wound it into this delicious ball

And I turned it into these socks from "Sensational Knitted Socks"

Then I completed this Lace Shawl (pattern from Vogue Stitchionary 1)

I soaked it in Eucalan Lavander Woolwash

Blocked it

Fred had to collect its smell as he always does when I wash something wooly (sometimes he misses).

And here it is in all it's glory, "Ana's Wedding Leaf Lace Shawl"

Which was gifted to Ana for her wedding shower. She married VJ that guy in the background grinning widely. Lovely couple. Meant to be together forever!

And the bane of my existence...Pomotamus...which I almost completed but ran out of yarn with two inches left to go. Beware of the Jitterbug yarn, it's not quite enough. So I basically reknitted and I'm still reknitting. And my head hurts.

Blunt force trauma

2007-05-15T18:12:00.000-05:00

I recently went on a business trip to San Jose California. As usual…I brought more than enough knitting to occupy my time on the flight and during my evenings at the hotel just in case for some miraculous reason my 50 pages of notes for my histopathology final exam was not enough entertainment. The trip went smoothly, it was actually productive, the team I worked with were good people, I ate well, and I slept well considering I wasn’t in my usual bed with Mr. Rich, Dale, and Fred. So…all went well. Thursday early morning (like 5:00 am early) I awoke, ready to go through the usual airline ordeal so I could happily fly home to my family. I queued up in line at the security checkpoint, put my belt, my bag, my jacket, my shoes in the dirty gray bins and sent my belongings through the x-ray machine, knitting and all. I stood on the other side waiting for my stuff, and my stuff did not go through. The x-ray guard was intently checking the x-ray contents of my bag with greater duration than the other passengers’ belongings. Oh no, I thought, this is it, he’s going to pull up all my knitting and pull out all my dpns which would cause my mom’s birthday jaywalker socks to unravel. Then he will probably wave them in the air in self-righteous indignation and announce that pointy wooden sticks were not allowed on the aircraft, and I, a persecuted knitter would be thought of as a terrorist with intents to skewer fellow passengers and be forced to withstand hateful glances during my 5 ½ hour trip home.

My bags came through, and the guard followed stating with much official-ness that he needed to further inspect my bag. Sure I said, let him do his job I thought. So he dug around, and as he did so I kept expecting needles to fly out and tempers to rise…but no, instead, he pulled out my nosteppinde. He raised it up, looked at it oddly and probably thought “hmmm, wooden dildo”. I echoed his thoughts “hmmm wooden dildo” and said outloud “umm, yeah, that’s a yarn ball winder”. “I know what it is” he said defensively. Okay, geeze, I had no idea that he would have a clue about what a beautifully turned walnut stick could possibly be for. Despite his affirmation that he knew what it was and that it wasn’t some weird, perverted, midevial thing he proceeded to inspect it with such seriousness, waving it in the air, and swinging it downward in a swift motion as he imagined someone…maybe me, probably me…wielding the thing with such force to crack skulls while on a plane thousands of feet above the mid-west with intent to take over the flight for evil purposes or for fun, who knows. He couldn’t decided, he had to bring it to his security pal for further inspection and deliberation and security pal asked “well, does it pass?” and guy says “yeah,” and security pal said “then it passes”.

How to wind a ball of yarn with a nostepine.

Farewell AssenVassen, Hello Lacey, and Other Things to Celebrate

2007-04-18T12:15:00.000-05:00

I know I haven’t posted in a while, and honestly the PhD is the one to blame. Ever since the semester started, I haven’t had a moment’s pause. Stupid PhD. I’ve had to squirrel away knitting time between term paper paragraphs as reward, and five minutes here and there before bedtime. This insanity should abate soon and I’m looking forward to a fairly free summer of knitting and napping, and blogging, and barbeques, and dissertation proposal writing, and master’s thesis publishing, and…well, I’m sure I can come up with tons of things that will try to get in between me and knitting but will surely fail.

What’s with the title you so astutely ask…It’s not a famous Filipino saying if that’s what you’re guessing. Let me begin from the beginning. My immediate family (before marriage) was comprised of six people—2 parents and four chirrens as we were called. All us chirrens at one point or another owned a Honda Civic hatchback or shared one, or inherited one from the others. Patrick had a red Civic, I had a silver one, Nina and Mark shared a gold one until Mark got his own red one (he’s on his third now). Anyway…so Nina got a gold Honda Civic hatchback, it was a 1990 and in great shape. She decided to get her nused car some vanity plates. I think at some point in time, maybe during the junior-senior powder puff football event she (my sister) was tagged with the nickname Asian Invasion—a force to be reckoned with (which she is, but that’s another story). Sticking to the catchy name, Nina decided to announce to all motorists that she is indeed an Asian Invasion. As we are all aware, license plates have a limited number of space, so how to put the essence of Asian Invasion in 7 letters? ASNVASN. It was supposed to say Asian Invasion but it really translated as AssenVassen, whatever that means.

So the AssenVassen continued its life through High School then graduated to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg for its undergrad, and I eventually inherited it as my mobile unit for graduate school. I kept AssenVassen for a good two years at least and about three weeks ago her clutch gave out. The average price to replace a clutch is roughly $200.00. AssenVassen was worth less than $200.00, how did I come to this? Well going further back in time to Thanksgiving of last year, AssenVassen was mangled in a hit and run event as it calmly sat parked in front of a friends home. Intent on getting my investment’s worth in auto insurance I contacted my agent and I was informed that since AssenVassen was worth less than the damage of the crushed front left panel, they would treat the situation thusly…

Insurance company would buy the AssenVassen from me for $250.00. So they would pay me $250.00.
After said purchase they would sell AssenVassen back to me for $1.00, so I’d be left with $249.00
After this transaction, if anything ever happened to the AssenVassen damage wise, nothing would be covered (unless of course AssenVassen ran over someone then their medical bills would be paid for)

So seeing the idiocy of this whole situation of having to sell my car and buy it back and whatever, and that I paid more in insurance than the worth of my car, I bit the bullet, refused to replace the clutch and decided although premature in my life plan, I went ahead and bought a newer used car.

Therefore…I would like for you all to meet Lacey, dubbed as such by Ana because of my new vanity plates YOK2TOG. The plates are cryptic enough for muggles to get confused over, but simple enough for a knitter who has dabbled in pattern knitting to recognize and smile. Yes I am a knitting nerd. Yes, I know…go ahead…bring it on.

It’s nice to finally have a car that runs, that has air conditioning, that has more than one speaker, that hasn’t been lived in by a mouse with a penchant for ketchup packets in the glove box, and that doesn’t shake when it’s driven. The AssenVassen has served my family well, but it is now the dawning of the Lacey knitting mobile.

The semester is coming to a close and there are a few things to celebrate and possibly more to come.

Emily has finished 1 of the 2 socks required for a pair of monkey socks!

Ana has finished 1 out of the 2 socks required for a pair of glittery socks. The sock yarn she used was very sparkly, but oddly enough there's a weird dark line that showed up on one area of the sock but not on the rest. Strange.

I finished my last presentation for the semester last night and I think I am well on my way to the end of this round of classes! Yay!

Now I have can look forward to a trip to NY with Mr. Rich to see Go Home Robot play at the Creek and the Cave bar in Queens on Friday 4/27, there's going to be some yarn hunting in Brooklyn with Ana, a lot of food eating with my brother Pat, and Rich will be attending the Bent Festival.

Why am I doing this again?

2007-03-03T12:06:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wake up in the morning and think...yep...this was a great idea. I have a plan. And plans are good. If I didn't have a plan I would be lost. So, god bless this plan.

Other times I wake up in the morning and think...ah s#*t, why am I doing this again? Wait...what was I doing again? I thought working full-time and getting a PhD was a good idea, a really good one at that. I thought, well...once I do that I'm pretty much done with official schooling, that I'll have the tools necessary to take on the world, and that any other schooling I'm going to get will be throughout life and through bumbling against other people that are equally bumbling around (who by the way will be apologizing and saying "sorry for bumbling into you Dr. Carmen").

In theory and most of the time in practice, taking this on was a good idea. But it's those other times, when my brain is so full that it cannot handle any more stimulation or input of information, or coffee--that forming sentences becomes a chore--such a chore that only jabbering sounds coming out of my wild eyed face. And I wonder or perhaps twitch more so about my future as a well-spoken and highly educated person (at least that would be my hope), and that my choice of activities for the next 3-4 years is like a piano around my neck.

Needless to say I'm feeling the pressure of time and its effects. I'm no old lady yet, but I remember when I could stay up all night and all day and all night to get things done. I remember when I could look at sleep in the eye and say "not today", maybe after I finish this 30 page paper, go to work, then to class, and have dinner. I suppose that with time comes experience and that I'm certainly better at juggling my waking hours and the responsibilities that come with them. My only quarrel really is that no matter what people told me, no matter what my parents said (and I thank them for arming me as best they can), we never are really prepared for this, we really, honestly don't know what we're doing. And I suppose that I'm okay with that, just mildly irritated that in general we lack foresight, and are loaded with hindsight.

So without foresight, and with alot of hindsight, I trudge on because I love what I'm doing despite how poor I am, and despite how tired I am, and despite how much this schooling is taking away from my knitting time. Honestly if I could get a PhD in knitting I would.

I keep the needles and the yarn around though, and try to force as much knitting into any free time I have regardless of how wierdly people look at me in public. I drag them with me to class, to places where I have to wait for things or for things to happen, to dinner with friends, to bars for drinks, to business trips, in car rides anywhere. It's the thing I grab along with other necessities when leaving home for any period of time (from running errands to road trips)...where I find myself at the top of the stairs saying--wallet, check, cellphone, check, lights turned off, check, directions to destination, check, knitting, check. With all that, I know I can pretty much do anything.

The First Snow

2007-01-22T21:17:00.000-05:00

It snowed yesterday. I was starting to worry that I'd never see snow again. It snowed while the mens were over working on some new Go Home Robot tunes while the ladies and I hung out and knitted. After a hearty dinner of chicken gumbo we sat around the living room talking about possible government and school closures. It was like we were back in grade school, wishing with all our might that he snow doesn't let up and that we would wake up the next day snowed in and glad to stay home. I decided not to take my chances. And in a moment of self indulgence, I contacted work and took the day off. It was an extremely spur of the moment decision in retrospect was partly made to cram as much free time I could before school started Tuesday evening. So today was my very own snow day. I'm glad I did it. I got lots of things accomplished.

Praytell what I did today? I woke up before noon. I stayed in my pajamas. I made a strawberry-blueberry-granola-and-yogurt parfait for breakfast which was scrumptious. I had one of the best cups of coffee ever (I don't know what it is that makes coffee taste so good when your surrounded by snow). I read my email. I looked over the news. I picked up the Jaywalkers in Koigu KPPM which I've been working on and vowed that its completion was my only goal for the day. I took a break and spun some alpaca roving. I had a salted duck egg with rice and tomatoes for lunch. I checked the mail and received the required reading for my Management of Wild Living Resources course entitled From Abundance to Scarcity. I continued to work on the Jaywalkers. I took a break and stained my Ashford Precision Lazy Kate which my brother Patrick gave me for Christmas. I continued on with the Jaywalkers while I watched the A Prarie Home Companion. I finished knitting by the time Mr. Rich got home and grafted the toe after some playtime with the dogs, leftover gumbo for dinner, and packing my lunch for work tomorrow.

I must add that this was probably one of the most gratifying knitted socks I have ever done. The yarn was made for this pattern, and I was destined to knit the yarn in this pattern. Whatever was going on in the cosmic world was working for me and I felt just right...that everything clicked...that everything fit. I'm glad I took this personal snowday. Mission accomplished.

Fred doesn't fare very well when photographed with a flash. He always squints.

Happy Birthday Beth!

2007-01-19T09:27:00.000-05:00

I am going to put this out in the open. Beth’s birthday is today, and of course I have had something knitterly planned to give her. Well…let’s backtrack here. I had something knitterly planned to give her for Christmas, as Christmas approached, I realized this gift would not be done in time, so I quickly put together the Orange Helix scarf—which was much appreciated. As her birthday approached, I worked on the delayed Christmas present now converted to birthday present and realized to my utter self-contempt and disbelief that I—who is incredibly organized and neurotic when it comes to these matters to the point that I have individual projects placed in their own Ziploc bags containing their notes and their patterns sheathed in their own protective page protectors, with places I stopped duly marked with post-it notes containing necessary details—this trait that I so pride myself for inheriting from my likewise very organized mother—did not clearly leave myself a note to notice where I left off concerning said birthday sock. I was lost. I did not know where to begin. So, in my irritation, I thought, no matter, I was not that far ahead, not much time has been invested, I know I made a mistake or two anyway, so I frogged the thing and decided to start over. Not only did I start over I also convinced myself that the pattern I was working with lost its spark and that in my delusion, I thought that to keep things interesting I should pick a totally different pattern. No matter, let’s just pick. Ya. Let’s. Let’s just pick mmmm, moss stitch, sure, can’t be too difficult, easy peasy.

Now, before I continue on to perhaps make myself look selfish, you must understand that I love Beth. Beth is a good friend, she is a confidante and a colleague and appreciates knitterly things, so I’d just about knit most anything for her to celebrate her birth. You also need to understand that Beth is a tall girl, like supermodel tall, and scientifically speaking from a physiological point of view, in order to be as tall as Beth, one needs feet that can support that height. What I’m trying to say is Beth has big feet, not in a bad way, she’s perfectly proportional, her feet are proportional to her height, it’s not like she’s 4’9” with size 11 feet, Beth’s got to be pushing 6’ tall so she needs feet that size. And in my haste to choose a gift, and a pattern, and to frog and to choose a new pattern, I did not choose appropriately. I chose to knit Beth socks in the most monotonous and painful stitch I have encountered for socks ever…the moss stitch. K2 P2 all the way around then P2 K2 all the way around, then K2 P2 all the way around then P2 K2 all the way around. Round and round for 80+ stitches, each row for a 7” cuff, and 10” of foot times 2 using size 1 needles. At first it was fine, I was fine, the sock was fine, I thought I could do it. Then I passed the heel of one sock and saw that I was not even halfway there. So I thought, well, if I cast on for the other sock it wouldn’t be too bad. So I did and started the cuff and part of the leg. Then the dread came, then the tight ball of anxiety in my chest got worse, then the wandering thoughts of what I’d much rather do…like taxes, dusting, laundry, cleaning the bathroom, finding a stray feral cat and giving it a bath. I was done for.

So, Beth, in celebration of your birth, I discontinued the socks and decided to make something else. This knitterly object is better and full of love and not a single stitch of resentment. I know you’ll understand that it’s not worth my sanity to make you socks that contained a single stitch that I loathed—also considering that school starts next week and I need as much sanity as I can muster to get me through the Spring semester. I know, it was bad judgment on my part, I think had I stuck to the first pattern it would have turned out better, but…well…anyway, so there. Just to make it clear, it was me, not you, and not your feet.

So happy birthday to you Beth!

P.S. Beth, if you are reading this, you need to choose an evening that we can get together so that you can be showered with love and gifts.

P.P.S. I will post a photo of the new birthday gift after Beth has received it

2-Week Countdown

2007-01-09T14:37:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd try to get a few more posts in before the semester starts in 2 weeks. Yep...I've got 2 more weeks of liberty before the hammer drops proceeding to continue my self-inflicted lobotomy. Did I say self-inflicted? Oh yeah, right, I did decide to do this to myself. I did decide that is was a good idea. How many semesters do I have left? Ummm, let's not talk about that just yet.

Christmas was missing some zing this year. I had a wonderful time with family and friends as usual, which is really what I love most about Christmas...but...with global warming and the impending doom of the earth's self destruction right at our doorstep, it just didn't feel like the usual Christmas season. We experienced temperature high's around 78 F. Okay, say, if I lived in Florida, that would be great...but I live in a region that's as temperate as temperate can get, and 78F for December and January lasting for a few weeks...that's just creeping me out. It should be winter. I want to wear knitted wintery things, like scarves, hats, gloves.

Speaking of scarves...here's the scarf gifted to Beth I call "Orange Helix"

I think I ended up burning myself out knitting like crazy for other people for the holidays that I needed to make myself something, anything. I just needed a quickie finished object. A little fix before the freakout fest of having no time to do anything grabbed me by the ankles and dragged me around for fun.

So I made this scarf from Plymouth Rimini Rainbow. Nothing fancy, just quick and easy, and super soft and comfy.

So...before the semester begins I'd like to explore some of the reading material I received as gifts...

Been already reading this one. It's a keeper, funny, engrossing, informative in the usual Yarn Harlot style. This lady is my hero, ask Mr. Rich, I've told him all about her, and he in his dutiful husband way agrees with me.

These books, I like to flip through to absorb yummy colors and dream about what life would be like if I could just spin and knit and nothing else (aside from necessary biological needs). By the way, this is where Mr. Rich's band "Go Home Robot" enters the picture. They have been tasked to make it big and sell out asap so that I can open a knitting/yarn/cafe store and live on a farm tending alpacas and malteses. The whole band has received this mandate.

While I relish the colors of the pictures in these books, I suppose I need to educate myself on the differences in fiber qualities. So I got this book too.

And I take all this information on fiber and color and junk and apply it to this stuff that Beth got for me from Hello Yarn accompanied with some Jacquard dyes, a face mask, and bottles.

As if I wasn't twitchy already to begin with...This whole fiber dyeing kit has made me even more so. I am in a terrible position at the moment of wanting to do so many things and having the bestest, most funnest time ever but not having enough time to do so because I have "responsibilities" like laundry, going to work, eating, sleeping, cooking, and making ends meet. Anyway, regardless...I will find time...nope I will make time. And I think this coming weekend is dying time, given that it doesn't rain so that I can mix up deliciously vibrant colors outside.

If I totally botch that endeavor and realize that a few years in art school has given me no sense of color combinations, I will spin this stuff that Beth also gifted to me.

Gorgeous isn't it? I just want to wish myself to a tiny size so that I can recline in this roving and absorb all its colors. I haven't decided yet what kind of yarn to spin out of it. I might just carry it around with me wherever I go like a colorful little pet.

And if the pile of books above is not enough...I thought I'd put some light reading on the bedside table.

Don't ask me how I know...but I think I might end up a mycologist after all this schooling and learning I'm doing.

So...there's my 2 week to do list. Ask me again why I'm doing this to myself?

And for your viewing pleasure...Daley O'Maley

There just isn't enough...

2007-01-01T17:01:00.000-05:00

Since I started pursuing my PhD I have very limited time for anything... for knitting, for sleeping, for pissing, for blogging, for cooking, for laundry, you name it I just don't have enough time for it. Hence the lag in my blog posts which is a shame. There has been knitting going on, tons of it, it's just the chronicling of these events that happens with difficulty. So, I will try my best to keep an update, I will try my best to take photos, but I may have to resort to blips and random postings in the next few years. Too bad, so sad.

So, Happy New Year to all. 2007 holds promising knitting adventures. I can feel it my bones.

What has happened since then?

I knitted this scarf as a farewell gift to the receptionist at my office who had been ther for over 30 years! Happy retirement to Miss Barbara!

I spun this from sage colored merino to start a shrug (it's DK weight)

I knitted this scarf from Plymouth Yarn Rimini Rainbow #13 needles. CO 10st. Stst for 2 balls. Super easy, super soft!

This doesn't look like much of a scarf, but the yarn was so weird and cool and slubby that I couldn't help but try. This was gifted to my godmother for Christmas. Trust me, it is a scarf and looks better in person.

Somewhere in the insanity of school and knitting and working Thanksgiving happened.

Brined turkey, based on Alton Brown's Good Eats recipe. You cannot screw this turkey up.

Soon after Thanksgiving, Mr. Rich turned 30! We surprised him with a party and a gorgeous bass guitar: The Fender 60th Anniversary American Precision Bass

Between this time and Christmas, I finished spinning 130 yards of corriedale roving. I blended 2 different colored browns to make what my sister requested a doo-doo brown color. From which I knitted a skinny scarf for her (sadly I did not take pictures). Also in the spinning front, I spun some multi-colored red corriedale roving which I dubbed "Red Delicious" for my mother-in-law who crochets (sadly, I also did not take pictures of this either). If you have not guessed, I was working the knitting and spinning department down to the wire before Christmas. Along with this, I triumphantly completed my first ever pair of fingerless gloves with a mitten cap/cozy for my brother (despairingly, I didn't take pictures of this either). I know. I suck.

Mr. Rich's band, formerly known as the "Replacement Agents" (for like a month), now renamed "Go Home Robot" played a show at the Grog and Tankard in D.C. The new Fender bass was thus debuted. Needless to say, these guys totally rocked!

After Christmas and before New Years, I finished Brooke's socks knit from Cherry Tree Hill's sock yarn. I knit these suckers with size 0 needles. I don't think I'll venture to do a whole lot of that again. Let's just say, I have been working on these socks since the summer.

Today, my last day of vacation before I return to the grind, I finished this simple two-piece scarf made with Classic Elite Bravo Silk and Mohair blend which I named Orange Helix.

So ther is the whirlwind tour of my goings on the past few months. I have an inkling things won't slow down again until Spring Break and then until summer. I will try my best to keep up with blogging, but you know that knitting comes first. Oh, I also forgot to mention another reason why the blogging front may be a bit quiet, I have invested on a Nintendo Wii which I foresee will be consuming my attention before the Spring semester hits.

Halloweenie!

2006-11-05T13:58:00.000-05:00

October has passed and autumn has fallen on us bringing gales of cold Canadian wind the past few days. I have been knitting as fast as I can. Knitting while I'm studying for exams. knitting every spare chance I get. There's about 6 projects floating around and a bunch more swimming in my head. I can't wait until winter break when all I can do is snuggle, bundle up, knit, and drink warm beverages.

The Valley hosted its first Halloween Party which proved to be a belated success. At around 8pm the Saturday before Halloween, we awaited our guests arrival. Nobody showed up until 10 or 11, maybe I'm getting older, but it seems like our parties are starting later and later or our friends just have no sense of time at all.

Here's a taste of the festivities...and yes...those are knitted pumpkin hats Dale and Fred are wearing.

Condensed thoughts

2006-10-24T12:07:00.000-05:00

So much time has passed and so many things have occurred that I don't even know where to begin. The end of summer has been a bag of mixed emotions and mixed knitting...

1. Beth and Jimmy tie the knot: a lovely wedding set in rustic Pennsylvania. The leaves and waves shawl was debuted and received many compliments.

2. Eric and Margaret tie the knot: a celebration of how rockin love is. No knitted items were worn, but wedding socks to both the bride and groom were gifted.

3. School is cool. I get a 95% on my first fungi and ecosystem exam.

4. Bad news...our wonderful neighbors Johnny and Becky across the street received a notice that their property is going to be sold to McMansion developers. There is nothing sacred anymore.

5. The completion of spinning a few hundred yards of worsted weight merino to realize I might not have enough to make the planned project, and I don't have any roving to spare to make enough to complete the project.

6. The spinning of some Colonial roving for a hat for Mr. Rich to realize that it's not the right color. Note to self, order something in brown.

7. The receipt of 2 pounds of merino roving in a colorway called Cranberry which should be more than ample to make first handspun, handknitted sweater ever. This better be enough or I'm going to scream.

8. Gorge on sushi dinner before oral surgery.

9. Problem molar on left side, second from the back is extracted. First time I ever went under. Last words I can recall--Dr: "Now you're going to feel really relaxed.", Carmen: "Okay, Woooooooaaaaaah!" Lights out. The weekend was spent swimming in soup and mushy foods, and many attempts of Mr. Rich to find some Kozy Shack Rice Pudding while I floated in and out of a Vicodin stupor. I attempted to knit at first and thought I was quite successful. After checking my work, everything seemed to have moved 5 stitches to the left. I commenced ripping the socks and restarting.

10. Completion of the Jaywalker socks in Cascade Fixation. I just wasn't feeling it with these socks. They look great, I like how they turned out, but the process of knitting (which wasn't abnormally difficult) was for some reason painful. I blame the yarn.

11. Our little Valley neighborhood has disintegrated within 2 weeks, along with the coming of autumn...love ends, things start anew, people make painful decisions to move away, reality has caught up with our little haven and I am sad.

12. Despite our woes we drag our heels to put together a final Halloween party. I think I'll just knit myself a pumpkin hat.

13. Mild rejoicing because I can now eat semi-solid foods. My mouth still hurts.

14. New Colonial Roving in 2 different brown shades arrive--methinks I will blend them to make Mr. Rich's hat. Merino roving in Sage arrives as well--this should be more than ample for my previous attempt to make another shrug project

15. Because my mouth still hurts, I have used this opportunity to quit smoking. Again. And hopefully for the last time. Today is day 12.

16. Gotta start studying for Fungi Exam #2, term paper 1, presentations 1 and 2.

17. Started and completed pumpkin hats. It's ridiculous, you'll see. If I ever have kids they're bound to hate me.

18. Started a sweater for Fred in Noro Kureyon after noticing sweater from last year looks like a teeny muscle shirt on him.

I do have pictures to go with this list. Stay tuned and they shall be posted soon

A Happy Birthday

2006-09-11T16:00:00.000-05:00

A happy birthday was had by me. My extended Labor day weekend was just the get-away I needed to sit down and get to know my birthday Kiwi. Thanks to Mr. Rich, my parents, and my siblings I have acquired another hobby!

I previously mentioned my ordering the Kromski stool and for some reason no one wanted me to have it. After attempting to order the stool 5 times from 5 different places, I decided it was fate and purchased the Ashford Spinning Chair instead. I ordered my unfinished chair from this lovely guy named Bob who is the proprietor of Winderwood Farm in upstate New York. He was terribly disappointed that he couldn't acquire the Kromski stool for me and gave me a discount on the Ashford Chair! What a nice guy! So 2 weeks before my Labor Day Holiday I received my chair, stained and sanded and coated it and made a little seat pillow for my optimum spinning comfort.

The Sunday before Labor day weekend my family had a joint birthday celebration for me and my dad. Thanks to Mr. Rich, my parents, and my siblings, I now have my very, very own Ashford Kiwi. I spent my afternoons after work during the week leading up to Labor Day weekend sanding and staining and sanding and coating all the wooden parts.

Here she is!

Unfinished Kiwi

Finished Kiwi

How I stained my Kiwi and Ashford Spinning Chair
Materials
1 small can Minwax Pre-Stain treatment
1 small can Minwax Water-based Stain in Vermont Maple
1 can Minwax Wipe-on Polyurethane
Foam brushes
Lint Free Cloth
Sand Paper (Very Fine, and Super Fine grades)
A few nice dry days outside
A sturdy table
Some cardboard/newspaper to set pieces on while you stain and dry
Patience
A lot of time

Step one: Lightly sand all wooden surfaces with the grain until smooth.
Step two: Apply Minwax Pre-Stain treatment, wipe off excess and let dry for 15min. Sand lightly.
Step three: Apply even coat of Minwax Water-based stain with a foam brush and rub in with a lint-free cloth. Allow to dry for 2 hours then sanded lightly.
Step four: Repeat step three
Step five: Repeat step three but let dry for 24 hours then sand lightly.
Step six: Rub-on Minwax Wipe-on Polyurethane with a lint free cloth and let dry for 2 hours then sand lightly.
Step seven: Repeat step six.
Step eight: Repeat step six but allow to set for 24 hours then sand lightly.
Step nine: With a lint free cloth, wipe down all pieces to remove any sanding dust.

In my excitement to put my spinning wheel together, I spent my day off the Thursday before the big weekend working on the finishing touches. I did not follow the instructions to wait 24 hours to let the polyurethane cure. In my haste I brought all the parts indoors and commenced putting it together and ended up with a panic attack thinking I was going to die of heart failure because I was exposed to the sicky fumes. The panic attack subsided and I continued to put it together the next day.

These are the tools needed to put the Kiwi together.

Ashford provided wonderful instructions. I had my wheel put together in less than an hour.

Here is my finished and built Kiwi!

So in-between a couple of parties that weekend I spent all of my time spinning. It is heaven. There is a sense of connection to history, and a quiet calm much like that I get from knitting. The rhythm of the wheel turning as I gently push on the pedals while the roving spins and pulls away from my hands allow the rest of the world to fall away leaving my thoughts with me. My Kiwi makes me happy. If everyone spun yarn and knitted, I don't think we'd have time for bickering and wars.

My very first, very own handspun singles yarn from undyed Corriedale Roving.

Double-Plied and on the niddy-noddy.

After a bath and hung to dry the twist is set!
It's kinda slubbly but I love it!

Just having the Kiwi isn't enough. I had to complete my little wheel with the large flyer adapter and some extra bobbins, so between Labor Day weekend and today I placed an order for the adapter and worked on staining it as well. So in total I have the wheel which came with the high speed flyer adapter, 6 extra bobbins (so 9 total), and the large flyer adapter for spinning bulky yarns.

Large flyer adapter kit.

And finally, I didn't only get around to staining and putting together my wheel and spinning my first yarn, I was able to spin a second skein with some roving Ana gave me last Christmas. I was able to control the gauge much better this second round, and now that I'm working on my third spinning project I'm even more able to gain control with drafting.

Second spinning project with Merino Roving.

And finally on the knitting front (yes I am still knitting) I completed 2 pairs of socks recently, both in Mountain Colors Superwash, one pattern in Cherry Tree Hill Super Socks, and the other in my first pattern making attempt ever, I'm not sure what to call it yet.

So yep, that's what I've been up to, and that's why I've been so quiet the last half of August. I'll have more yarn to speak of in a few days, and hopefully I'd have mad some progress with my other sock projects.

Getting my hopes up

2006-08-16T12:45:00.000-05:00

It's been quite some time since I have gotten really excited about my birthday. The past few years have been quiet birthdays, mellow and chill, where I didn't really want much of anything except to relax. Is this what we call getting jaded by life? Enter my knitting fixation, which logically lead to a spinning fixation. So this year my head is buzzing with anticipation because I blatantly asked for a spinning wheel, some accessories, and some roving. The request was submitted via email to Mom and Dad, Mr. Rich, and my siblings sometime last week. I received confirmation today that the said wheel (an Ashford Kiwi) will in fact be gifted to moi much to my mother's disappointment that the gift would not be a surprise. It would have been a nice surprise, but I have an agenda and needed to ensure that if I was to receive the wheel that I would have all the neccessary accoutrements available as well as the time.

So here's the plan before I can even start spinning...the wheel that was ordered is unfinished therefore I need time to finish it to my liking along with a Kromski stool I just ordered. So if said gift is received 2 weekends from now, I have one entire week to go to Home Depot to purchase sand paper, wood stain, and finish, apply finishing touches, and assemble the wheel before labor day weekend. So, with that said, the wheel should be ready to go well before labor day weekend, then I can brush up on some spinning reading (orderd from Amazon.com today). I also plan to take a day off from work during Labor Day so that I can hermit myself for four days in my yarn corner and spin my little heart out.

Ze Ashford Kiwi

Ze Kromski Spinning Stool

I am hoping that this situation does'nt complicate the fact that I am working and also starting my first semester as a PhD student in a couple of weeks. I'm sure I'll be able to master the art of spinning and studying simultaneously.

Here's The Plan:
sometime before: hit Home Depot and get sealer, sand paper, stain, and finish. Read up on wood finishing here
8/26: Prepare garage for staining activities.
8/27 : Welcome Ashford Kiwi!
8/28: (evening) stain Kiwi and Kromski Stool 2x
8/29: First class on Fungi and Ecosystems; (after class) finish Kiwi and Kromski Stool)
8/30: First class on Land-Use Modelling Techniques; also should have received roving by now, read up on spinning techniques
8/31: Do homework; assemble Kiwi and stool (whichever comes first)
9/1: Day Off; fumble around trying to learn how to spin, maybe regretting that I embarked on this; rejoice that it's Labor Day Weekend.
9/2: Spin, spin, spin. House Party in the evening.
9/3: Happy Birthday to me! Spin, spin, spin. Neighborhood Crab Feast.
9/4: Labor Day; Spin, spin, spin. Oh and Knit, knit, knit too.

Enough of my giggly raving...On the knitting front, it's socks, socks, and more socks.

Here's what's going on in the sock world.

Sock Bug's Lacy Socks frogged to restart the Jaywalkers (again)

Super Socks in Progress (a Christmas gift? a wedding gift? who knows.)

Opal Tiger Socks in Progress

Hedera Socks in Progress

socks, Socks, soCKs, and SoCks

2006-08-07T08:27:00.000-05:00

The Country Girl Socks are done, and another notch goes on my sock knitting belt. Toot-toot! After completion of this gorgeous lacy number I realized "hey, these look kinda like the leaf lace socks that took me all of 6 months to finish, did I just knit the same pair of socks again (except this time in red)?". Sort of. Not really. Maybe with some minor differences. I don't know. It's kind of like when one goes shopping, and one tends to gravitate towards certain styles and colors of apparel, then upon coming home to neatly hang the newly procured clothing items one comes to realize that said purchases closely resemble other previously bought items. No?

But anyway...check out the Country Girl Socks. And, moreover...check out the awesome sock blockers (my purpose primarily for photo ops rather than actual sock blocking). Pretty cool huh? Thanks to Wendy of Wendy Knits and her inspiring purchase a few weeks ago, I too was tempted to track down ChappieWoman on eBay and found her store Chappy's Fiber Arts and Crafts. There I chose 2 sets of sock blockers, one small with a sheep knockout carving, and one medium with a lightning bolt knockout carving. Hand made and very cool, a necessary luxury for any sock knitter with only two hands and who's sick of taking sock pictures using their feet as models hence causing a warp in camera perspective which makes all self taken sock on feet pictures look very cankle-ish. Cankle-ish: adj. (Kang-cull-ish). a physical state wherein the calves of the legs do not taper into ankles then the feet, rather the calves of the legs go directly to the feet. a pair of legs having no defined end of the calf area as well as no defined beginning of the ankle area. having no ankles.

Cankles

Country Girl Socks
Heartstring Fibers Pattern
Schaeffer Yarns, superwash, "Anne" colorway

Check out the lil' sheep on the sock blocker

Now that the Country Girl Socks have been completed I move on to the previously cast on Jaywalkers in Cascade Fixation. And then, I decide that the pattern doesn't call out to this yarn. I don't know what it is but there wasn't a whole lot of knitterly joy being produced while knitting this sock. So, I frogged it, and now I'm trying for the 14th time to knit something, a sock, something, out of this beautiful yarn. Hopefully Sock bug's Sheri's Lace Socks which can be found here will work.

During this entire sock fiasco which is way far from over, I found that in switching back and forth between different socks I have cast on in different yarns that I really prefer knitting with wool. I like the hand of the wool and I like the consistency of its stretch, it is a very supple fiber whereas cotton and cotton blends (such as Cascade Fixation) don't have as much give and is not very forgiving when stretching hence the reason I had to put the Jaywalkers on a break and save the pattern for some wooly yarn.

Sock Mania

2006-08-02T10:42:00.000-05:00

In my quest to get a head start on Christmas (my favorite holiday ever, and I say that without a hint of sarcasm) I went a leeetle crazy with the sock yarn collection (of course with the assumption that everyone's going to want socks, also with the assumption that I am capable of cranking out said socks day and night). It is as if I heard through the grapevine that sock yarns would never ever ever be spun ever again, ever, that the sock sheep out there just up and quit boycotting their destiny, thus causing a twitchy freak out response that resulted in the procurement of a s*&t-ton of sock yarn: 1 ball Cascade Fixation, 3 skeins Cherry Tree Hill, 2 balls Regia Cotton Surf, 6 skeins kntpicks Gossamer (Leprechaun, SweePeas, and Red Hat), 1 ball knitpicks Ballet Dancing. This is not counting 2 skeins of Koigu, 2 balls of Fortissima, and several (mebbe 6 or 7?) perfectly fine left over balls that could easily crank out a few more pairs.

Is it the heat? Do I have a fever? I'm not sure, but the postman must think so because he's been by my house more than twice this week already with packages and it's only Wednesday. The worst part is...that I want to knit them all right now. The even worsest part is (well not really worsest because I do have a choice) that one year exactly after the completion of my MS in Biology, I am going back to school again--this time for a PhD. Yay for edumacation, as my knitting gently weeps in the background. It shouldn't be too bad (sigh). I do miss school, but it has been nice having a full year of stress-free, knit all you want, nap without guilt slothfulness. So maybe it's good I have these sock yarns because they are small, they are portable, and they are easy to knit in a jiffy. Is this wishful thinking? Anywho...if there's anyone out there who has figured out how to read, write, and study while knitting I'm gonna need some of whatever you're taking.

Sunday challenge accomplished, now I'm trying to get a head start...

2006-07-28T08:09:00.000-05:00

The Blue Heron Shawl for Manang Pining was successfully completed at around midnight-ish on Saturday and was gifted with much love and pride on Sunday. The one thing I forgot to do in my haste (as I am a bad blogger) is get a photo of the finished work and the happy recipient. Flog me why don’t you. But take my word for it, the shawl turned out beautifully and will not be the last garter stitch shawl you’ll see me crank out.

So as you can probably tell, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were mostly consumed by shawl knitting. But in between, during breaks, and much feet dragging during laundry, I was working on a new pair of socks using some turquoise blue Fortissima Socka from the stash. The pattern being applied is Knitty’s Hedera Socks by Cookie A. Very simple 4 pattern sock that adds a bit of challenge but not overly consuming of brain power.

Photo by Cookie A. of Knitty.com

Another thing I am working on, or at least began to work on, or am trying with all my might to make a gauge swatch for is some Shaeffer Yarns fingering weight in Clara Barton. I know, I know, gauge is very, verrrry important, but I hate doing it. I hate making swatches because it cuts into my actual project knitting time. I understand that the effort is not useless, but it always seems that way. I’ve refused to make swatches on several occasions and just took the plunge and found myself starting the project and frogging it several times. And more often than not, that knitterly voice in the back says, “see, you should have swatched” and I reply with a crinkled nose and a curl in my lips “swatch, smatch, whatever”. I’m trying to be a better knitter this time, so I am trying to make a swatch with a happy heart. I figure one can always work on their patience, no?

a few days later...I have no patience

So the swatch didn't go over too well, and I ended up just knitting with different sized needles until I got the right size. The sock I'm knitting now is HeartString's Country Girl Socks. In the midst of all this and the impending beginning of my long long journey to get my PhD starting the end of August, I managed to delude myself even further that I could get started on Christmas presents (hahaha, ya right?), partly to spread out the holiday spending over a few months rather than in one month, and partly to have a reason to try all those wonderful sock patterns out there like the Lacy Alhambra Socks, Sock Bug's Lacy Scallop Socks, River Rapids Socks, and Sheri's Lace Socks, partly to give myself some milestones during the fall semester, and partly to save myself some sanity to enjoy the holidays instead of scampering and frantically freaking out to achieve unrealistic self-imposed deadlines. To motivate myself, I visited Simply Socks Yarn Co. and got a bunch of really, really, really, yummy yarn. And you ask...for who pray tell are the socks for...mmm, dunno yet, it's secret. I'll let you in on the progress, but can't really tell who they belong to just yet.

Beverages and Birthdays

2006-07-20T13:08:00.000-05:00

Before I get into the knitting stuff...

I recently purchased a new tea kettle. It's called the Chantal tea ball. I thought I had a tea kettle to begin with and after much cabinet searching and soul searching I've come to the conclusion that I am delusional and no such tea kettle existed. Though I swear Mr. Rich and I got one for our nuptuals. Hmmm. Anyway, so I decided to purchase this new kettle from the local Bed, Kitchen, Things and Beyond store as I had a $5 off coupon to redeem. My decision was influenced by size, shape, and functionality, characteristics which would be important to a tea kettle, so the leeetle Chantal Tea Ball was perfect. Not too big, not too small, not so wide that I couldn't dispense spring water from our spring water dispenser directly into the vessel. The handle was ergonomic and didn't heat up thus not requiring a pot holder, and it came with a whistle to announce the completion of the water boiling. Happily I came away with a new addition to my kitchen. I washed it, filled it with water, set it on the stove with its whistle capped on and waited. Minutes later...what ho! Lo, what is that sound? So beautiful, so in tune, so spiritual. Wait...what is that sound? Oh my tea kettle is boiling! And it's making the most harmonic sound! Oh no folks, this is no ordinary tea kettle, this kettle is inspired by spirit, intuition, and creativity. This tea kettle brings pleasure to boiling water, it sings like the lower registers of a harmonica. I am not kidding. Really. Plus, imagine the Tea Cozy possibilities!

And one more thing... Because I was on DAN antibiotics for the past 2 weeks I needed to ensure the healthy regrowth of my internal bacteria. Yes, we all have bacteria, and yes, most of them are good long as they stay on your inside and not your outside. So, in attempts to replenish my gut microflora and fauna I'm consuming many yogurty things. Among them includes this mini beverage called BioFeel produced by a Korean food company named Maeil. I used to drink them when I was little and have just recently been reunited. It's a softdrink with mixed flavors of yogurt, mandarin oranges, and vanilla. Yum! Try it best half frozen as a mini slushi.

On the knitting front. Guess what? No, no, guess. Okay. The Leaf Lace Socks are done! Toot-Toot! (That's me tooting my own horn). What fun! I can move on with my life. The things knitted up so beautifuly, and although the pattern looks complicated it's oh so easy. Easy Peasy.

And because I am so proud of these socks I will gratuitously post photos.

So, I've posed a quickie challenge for myself. I thought I'd have more time, but plans change and dates of little party get togethers are changed so that they're moved closer and you're forced to delude yourself that you can finish a whole shawl by Sunday morning of this week. I mean it's a very simple shawl, you know that garter stitch one I've been cranking out for all my loved ones. Well, Manang Pining (man-nang pee-ning) (her real name is Josefina), she was our family nanny for the longest time while we were back in the islands. A few years ago she moved here to the states to care for my Godmother's son Jordan and we continue to include her in all our family functions as she is family. Anyway, her birthday was a few days ago and we are throwing a joint brunchie celebration for her and my brother Mark's birthday. And I am going to make a shawl out of this Blue Heron Yarns Slik/Rayon Twist in Marshgrass. Looovely! Delicious, very subtle, looks very antiquey. I think I can make my self-imposed Sunday deadline. Ya?

Nerding out

2006-07-11T11:33:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention last time my participation in a total nerdy-dorky-geek-out. Before I continue I must add that participation in such activity is totally impossible unless you have a co-nerd to play with. Enter email scrabble. Oh you say, I've heard of this. Oh no I say, this is total old school. You're thinking of that program that people can use to play together. Ah, but Emily has a Mac and I have a PC and that stupid program only works for PCs. So what to do? Follow me...

1. Scour internet for nerdy solution
2. Find a solution
3. Purchase 2 Travel Scrabble Boards
4. Send one to nerd and fellow knitter: Emily (with instructions)
5. Bring on the Scrabble Master
6. Play Ball

The Scrabble Master is an email program devised by an intelligent programmer who wanted to stay intouch with equally dorky sister by playing scrabble. This game used to be played snail mail style, but Scrabble Master has improved upon the concept. Scrabble Master is a keeper of the letters. Each player has their own boards at wherever far away timbucktoo location they're at. You just send emails to scrabble master and to each other during game play and there you go. Total unabashed long distance dork out fest. I love it. Thanks for playing along Emily!

*More on Knitting Later*

Sometime around the 4th...

2006-07-10T22:06:00.000-05:00

I love this country, despite its flaws and that guy running it right now, I think I can hold out for another 2 years for a fresh start. Despite all the crap going on in the world right now we had such a wonderful 4th of July week! So many things happened in the span of such little time I don’t know where to begin.

Firstly, congratulations to my good friends Matt (ex-roommate) and Carolyn on their recent marriage on the 1st of July. A fun time had by all, so much so that the party lasted until 5:30am the next morning. It took me all of Monday to get my head straightened out.

Secondly, on the same wedding Saturday, roommate Brooke celebrated her birthday. We (me and Mr. Rich) bequeathed to her some Koigu KPPPM sock yarn, some #2dpns, a silk bag from Lantern Moon, and a little box with some knitterly essentials such as tape measure, scissors, and the like. More fun had by all! Now, Brooke is working on her first ever pair of socks (toe up nonetheless). She is developing into quite the knitting prodigy.

Thirdly…drumroll…trumpets…saxomophone…the leaves and waves shawl is done! Yay! Yay! Huzzah! Hooray! This was my first ever large scale, mohair, lace, endeavor. I completed the project sooner than expected which resulted in an increased sense of smugness. It wasn’t blatant bragging. Perhaps I should have…bragged I mean. I just felt really, really good about myself is all.

So now that the mammoth shawl is completed I have picked up the Viennese Shrug from Spring 2005 of Interweave Knits. I started this project a while back, and decided it was time for a revisit. I unpacked it, looked at it confidently (as it is a super lacy pattern) decided that I couldn’t deal with the minor mistakes in the seed stitch pattern, frogged the whole thing without batting an eyelid or twitching with guilt and shame, started again, and am now almost done with the first half. I am so glad I did, so, so glad.

With that shrug in the works, I have a nagging voice in the back room in a whispery-whiny voice saying “what about them green leaf socks?” what about it? “you finished one” ya so? “where’s the other one?” it’s halfway there “well? are you gunna finish it?” oh, right. Them green leaf socks are still hanging out at bedside waiting to be finished. My doctor says that this is the symptom of the dreaded second sock syndrome. I agreed, I know, I know, it will be finished. Give me some time. Really, I promise. Don’t break my kneecaps, I’ll have em done, I just need more time. Note to self…finish socks to prevent mild case of schizophrenia from burgeoning into full blown psychosis. In the meantime, somewhere even further in the back room is a bag with some tiger striped socks roaring to get done or is it meowing. Not sure…

Anyway, perhaps the stress of the various unfinished knitting jobs can be attributed to these antibiotics. Something bit me a few weeks ago (methinks a very dirty fly) and the bite went from a small little itchy bump into something a blazing, scathing monster the size of a tea saucer. The thing was nasty and mean looking so my urgent care doctor put me on some antibiotics. Upon receiving my new drugs, I open the bottle to take my first dose, and sure enough as I looked at it, it said DAN nicely printed on one side. Huh? Ya. Go figure. Anyway, the swelling's gone down. I don't have leprosy, but antibiotic DAN makes me queasy in the tummy.

A few things of note...

2006-06-28T20:32:00.000-05:00

Be sure to revisit the 6/23/06 post of Siblings in the Big Apple for I posted some photos that visually illustrate how wonderful a time we had eating food!

I also mentioned the completion of the Opal Lady Bug Socks so here they are for your socky pleasure. In progress are the Opal Tiger Socks just incase you were wondering.

The Koigu KPPPM sock yarn I picked up from The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn NY is this gorgeous, blazing orange streaked with purplish blue. I can just imagine how beautifully burning my feet are going to look in them once knitted up. I'm still trying to decide what pattern to use, I think I'll go with something lacy. Watchu think?

Koigu KPPPM Goodness, 2 skeins

While Patrick was visiting a few weeks ago, he showed me this insane website. You will absolutely die from crazy cuteness. You will probably become obsessed with the website as I have become and make it your home page and start posting cute pictures as your desktop and showing all your co-workers this fountain of hope for world peace. Dewd, seeeeriouly, you're not gunna make it. Be forewarned. Here's a taste incase you're worried about that link.

Aaack the insanity!

Stay tuned for the leaves and waves shawl is sooooooo close to being done and done. I'll be sure to show it off in all its glory.

For those that live far away...

2006-06-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

If you happen to live so far away that you just cannot or are physically unable to get your paws on some Magnolia Cupcakes, and feel that you're fairly decent at following instructions, go here if you dare. WARNING: If your friendly neighborhood doctor has you on a cholesterol treatment program, or has mentioned to you on several occassions that you need to watch your blood pressure, your heart, your arteries, you really should not try these cupcakes because they will kill you.

Ooh, also, my faves are the vanilla cupcake with the chocolate frosting. Alas the choco frosting recipe is not provided, run a Google search for "Magnolia Bakery Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe" and you should find yourself in choco bliss. Amen.

Some Sibling Time in The Big Apple

2006-06-23T11:38:00.000-05:00

We were born in the following order: Carmen (me) in ‘77, Patrick in ‘79, Nina in ‘82, and Mark in ’83. Our mother emphasized to us as we grew up that no matter what happens we always have each other, that friends come and go, but brothers and sisters are deeply tied together.

L to R: Mark, Patrick, Me, and Nina

A couple of weekends ago, Nina, Mark, and I drove up to Brooklyn to visit Pat and spent all of our time doing what we love most—eating, eating, and eating some more. Did I ever mention I am a foodie?

Our itinerary was as follows

Friday night
6:00pm Finished Opal Lady Bug socks and arrive in Brooklyn, freshen up
9:00pm dinner at Fatty Crab We dined on some Skate Panggang – grilled on a banana leaf, sambal udang kering, Fatty Duck – brined, steamed, fried, Quail Egg Shooters, Fatty Tea Sandwiches, Watermelon Pickle and Crispy Pork, Coconut Rice, and Beef Ribs. The name says it all, this stuff is fatty, and this stuff is good, beware of your cholesterol levels!

Quail Egg Shooters: Quail Egg + little teeny itsy tiny fried fishies = Yum!

12:30am dessert at Magnolia Bakery of 8 cupcakes in variations of chocolate and vanilla goodness with glasses of whole milk

Saturday
12:30pm brunch at St. Helen’s Café where I made up for all the Fatty Crab the night before by having baked eggs and salmon with a side salad, some orange juice and a café Americano. Espresso drinks only and no regular coffee. We met up with Pat’s lovely girlfriend Meghan.

1:30pm Mark was still hungry so we started to make our way into the city for more grub, on the way Nina spied a Thai restaurant with mango and sticky rice so we stopped, alas’ I don’t remember the name. Mark grabbed a slice of pizza. Did I mention my whole family is a troupe of piglets?

2:00pm I had to get some knitting adventures in somewhere. Pat, my gracious host and brother included this stop in our plans. I got to snoop around in The Yarn Tree and found some awesome Koigu KPPPM for myself (in oranges and reds) and for roommate Brooke’s birthday (in pinks and purples). I decided to make up a birthday package for Brooke and also picked up a green, small, silk, Lantern Moon bag, and some #2 Clover dpns.

3:00pm in the city on our way to St. Marks Place a street with kitschy vendors we fortuitously ran into a Filipino Restaurant. In the mood for some down home nostalgia we stepped into Elvie’s Turo-turo, we stopped in and ended up having a late lunch of longaniza and rice, pinakbet and rice, and some halo-halo for dessert.

Kare-kare, Pinakbet

Longaniza, Halo-Halo

3:30pm Did I say Pat was a good host? He’s a great host, and gets extra 200 points for planning another knitting pit stop. We visited a knitting store appropriately called Knit New York a knit shop/café that caters to people who like to sip, chew, and knit. Refreshments and coffee are available to go along with pastries. I came away with the latest issue of Interweave Knits (which was a bit disappointing), some darning needles, and the coolest thing of all a The Go Knit Pouch a handy pouch that hangs on the wrist for mobile knitting pleasure, if you don’t have one get one. The colors they come in are yummy and the design sporty.

4:00pm Mark is still hungry. Before I continue, my litter blazzer is not a glutton, he is a personal trainer cut like a Greek character like Atlas or some really buff Greek dewd. So, needless to say he has an appetite of a lion and eats approximately 7 meals a day. So, like I said, Mark was still hungry so we made our way to Crif Dogs what should be the Mecca of all red blooded Americans. This place rocks, albeit I couldn’t fit any more food in my paunch, past experiences have shown me that the hotdog can be very very very versatile. Case in point “the Chihuahua” a luscious home made hot dog wrapped in bacon, deep fried, served on a hot bun, topped with guacamole and sour cream, OMG! Or, try this on for kicks, a hot dog, grilled to plumpness, served on a bun with a slice of pickle and cream cheese (I can’t quite remember the name but trust me it is rockin!). Or just go for a traditional heart attack—a hotdog wrapped in bacon, deep fried, served on a bun, topped with chilli, cheese, and onions. Mark settled on a corn dog.

So after the hotdogs we spent some time at a park, and walked around peeking in shops until we could work up an appetite for dinner.

Meghan & Patrick--awww

9:00pm Another thing one must know about me…I love noodles. Enter Momofuku Bar seating in a minimalist organic space, the food was generous and savory. Try the pig tail appetizers and the Momofuku ramen with pork. I’m still drooling.

Pig tails...somehow we thought they'd be curly.

12:00pm A quick jaunt through Time’s Square to show Mark why the city that never sleeps is called such and back to Brooklyn we went for what was left of the previous evening’s Magnolia cupcakes.

Sunday
1:30pm no time for brunch as all four of us (Pat included) embarked on our trip home. We stopped by Whitecastle, a fast food joint made famous by a cheesy cult film Harold and Kumar Go to Whitecastle which we have all seen, which also made an impression on Mark who wanted the experience. Okay, the crave case is pretty impressive, it’s a cardboard suitcase filled with 30 little hamburgers. The first hamburger was scrumptious. The second one was a chaser to the first. The third one was a warning, and anything beyond the fourth hamburger starts pounding nails in your coffin. I liken this experience to crack. It tastes so good, you are constantly chasing the taste, and you’re killing yourself.

A case of crack for you? Hmmm don't mind if I do?

We made it home by 6:00pm-ish. I was tired, happy, satiated, shopped out, toting my Koigu KPPM dreaming of what sock lace pattern to tackle.

I have pictures of the trip and will post them later on this afternoon. Many apologies for being a total blog slacker.

Where the hell have you been?

2006-05-31T21:35:00.000-05:00

Jeebers! It has been a while hasn't it? Well if it had not been so stupid hot the past few days I would have posted sooner. It seems like Spring just fell off the earth and Summer entered with a vengeance causing much cursing at the sun. But I'm over it. Really I am.

Flashback to past events...Emily has moved to Richmond to learn all about being nursy and doing nursy things to sick people. I miss her. Mmmm, the mens have finally decided on a name for the band after many months and are now known as "The Replacement Agents". Finally, we can move on with our lives. Hubby Rich is nearing completion of his feature length film Project 15 which will be shown on the big screen at the Arlington Cinema and Draft House on Tuesday night June 13 at 7:30ish, come early for some shots! No not vaccinations, liquor shots or whatever you fancy. I am maximizing my free time by doing slothful and sluggy activities so as to have enough energy stored to expend over the next 6 years while I earn my PhD. I recently saw the Davinci Code and was stupefied by how dull it was. The book was thrilling, gripping, insanely consuming that I couldn't put it down. The movie...made me fidget in my seat cause I could have been knitting instead. I also saw X-men 3. I paid no attention to the shoddy plot and had a great time. What a fun movie! And finally, I grilled one of the best steaks of my life tonight--Rib Eye, Medium Rare, Grilled tomato and French Greens. MmmmmYumMMMMm. I think that about covers it.

So where does the knitting fit in all this? Alright...current projects include the Leaves and Waves Shawl from Knitty which will hopefully be debuted at Beth's wedding in September. The shawl is halfway done and is being constructed with loving and gingerly care out of Karabella lace mohair in bright green and black. Daring you say? That green is pretty intense but I'm in love with it. And it will be beautiful I say. Just beautiful. P.S. Flying Fingers Yarn Shop from where I ordered the Mohair, super awesome store. The yarn came in such a cute package with cool stickers and a fun surprise of complimentary knitting needles in my fav color purple. How did they know that purple was my favorite? Those mindreaders! Since the shawl was taking so effing long, I took a detour and started some plain vanilla toe up socks in some scrumptious Opal Rainforest Yarn in Lady Bug, I also got some of the Tiger pattern just incase the shawl takes doubly effing long. I've still got Interweave Knits 2005 Viennese Shrug on the needles but I don't forsee much happening to that until the shawl is completed. Oh, and I've got the minty green nylon blend that I got from the Sheep and Wool festival on the needles too as a simple garter shawl, not sure who to gift that to yet.

As the weather gets warmer, I can see how difficult it is to get motivated to knit. I mean I want to knit but it's so durn hot that all I want to do is nap.

Farewell for now

2006-05-11T10:06:00.000-05:00

No, no one has died. God, way to jump to conclusions you guys. I'm just supremely bummed that Emily has to go away temporarily. (This better be temporary Emily or I'm going to be even more miffed).

Emily is going to nursing school at VCU in Richmond and in approximately 18 months she will be joining the honorable ranks of the much needed care-givers in this country. We have been friends since highschool, got in trouble together, had fun together, got in fights, and knitted together..sob. But like I said this is temporary and she will return to the fold in a year or so. Therefore, much luck to my best friend, I wish her well, good grades, and ample knitting time in between studies.

As a bon voyage gift, the Schaeffer Yarns Laurel (Frida Kahlo) Shawl is hereby bequeathed to her for comfort.

Oh, and by the way...if any of you kind knitters and bloggers are out in the Richmond area and you happen to bump into Emily, please keep her safe, and feel free to dump yarn on her. She likes any color in the family of red.

The Sheep Party

2006-05-09T17:28:00.000-05:00

So I'm standing at the Funnel Cake line at the 2006 Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival at the Howard County Fair Grounds and a group of four retirees were standing in front of me bragging about how many years they have been attending the festival. My internal response was...uuh, so jealous that these ladies and gentlemen have attended since the festival's inception. Then, one of them said with a distinct twang in his voice "Now the Virginians, there are two types. There are the Virginians and the West Virginians. The Virginians will say that the West Virginians are hillbillies, while the Virignians themselves are called down home." Hey, wait a minute I thought, but I'm from Virginia, I don't think I'm "down home" whatever that means. I think down home and I think Bob Evans down on the farm biscuits and gravy. I had a mind to tap the man on the shoulder and point out my un-hillbilly-down-hominess but I thought better, remembered my mom saying "respect your elders", and reminded myself that these were fellow knitters and knitterly loving folks so they get away this time.

The festival needless to say was great and I'm treating this first ever visit as the scope out. I had never been to one before and did not imagine that it would be as big as it was.
I was accompanied by fellow knitter and long-time partner in crime Emily and our dutiful mens Rich and Eric. We carpooled together for the hour drive.

Emily, Rich, and Eric

The festival was quite overwhelming with masses of people attending and all the wool and knitting and fleece and lamb talk chattering in the din. This festival was so huge and so packed it was like being in a friendly mosh pit of people with crazed grins on their faces fondling yarn and fleece like every .00023 seconds in every direction you turn. Overall the experience was memorable and will certainly be an annual pilgrimage.

alpaca angora

assorted sheepies

A few things to remember for next year's festival expedition...

1.Bring only interested parties to the festival, don't make this a "let's spend some quality time together" event because there is no quality time to be spent with uninterested say husbands or boyfriends (albeit our mens were troopers, but it was extremely obvious that sheep and wool festival just did nothing to turn them on).

2. Must save up for this event as it can cost a fortune especially if you are compulsive or are seeking to enhance your stash. Also bring cash monies to this event as the credit card and check writing folks took up alot of waiting in line time.

3. One should consider bringing lunch as opposed to buying from the numerous stands because the average wait in line for grub was about 15min. Also, between me and Rich, lunch cost us $25 for 1 lemonade (mostly water), 1 lamb gyro, and 1 lamb kabob with side dishes (see * concerning lamb consumption at the sheep and wool festival).

4. Bring sunscreen, water, and a hat.

5. If possible make a weekend of it and stay at a b&b.

6. Get a good night's sleep the night before. Seriously. This could potentially suck with a hangover.

As far as stash enhancements, Emily and I went away with a few bargains. I in my quest to knit a green shawl for Beth's wedding found 2 hanks--one a gorgeous mohair loop in the color of spring moss, and the other a nylon blend icy green. Emily came away with a nylon blend sports weight black yarn for a shawl she'll be making for herself for her brother's wedding. So the festival was a success and several missions (shawl yarn hunting) were accomplished. Next year will be even better.

*On consuming lamb
During the festival and soon thereafter at local yarn stores in the area I overheard people proclaiming in self-righteous disgust about how people come to this festival which celebrates all things sheepy and wooly and have the gall to eat lamb in a variety of forms. So I, in my self-righteous-fist shaking response have this to say...We are a country of consumers, a world of consumers for that matter so far removed from the source of the things we engulf that when faced with it we shriek and back away in realization of what we are. We need to eat, we need to be clothed, and these sheep and lambs provide us with these comforts. These things are not bad, because that is what we do like all other creatures on this planet. We have to survive. So instead of being disgusted about eating lamb at the sheep and wool festival, we should engender a sense of respect and understanding of who these animals are and how they fit in our lives for these creatures support our livelihoods, these creatures keep us alive and warm, provide jobs for many humans and even dogs, and that they are so important to us that they are cause for celebration. We just have to remember that the things we eat and the things we wear come from animals and plants not styrofoam and plastic containers devoid of origin.* End of sermon, forgive me for my blather.

Hey...do I know you?

2006-05-09T11:32:00.000-05:00

It's been a while hasn't it? Where was I last? Oh, right, pretending to be all professional and jetsetting around the East Coast..haha. Please don't take my silence as inactivity, I have been doing stuff, it's just I haven't had the time to write about it. Projects have been completed, life is going on, the earth is spinning round, and stuff is happening. Need I say more?

For starters, my sister Nina and her Miami friend Lindsay are opening an online upscale shopping boutique and I was invited some time back to contribute a knitted piece of some sort that someone would be willing to pay booka bucks for. Well, remember the yarn I picked up from Nashville which was supposed to be another knitting bag? It didn't quite turn out the way I wanted. I mean it's cute, I like it, but I don't love it. I'm hoping some rich person will want to buy it from Nina and Lindsay's enterprise. I call this the Tulip Purse, made from beautiful hand painted 100% wool, hand knit, hand felted, and hand sewn, any takers?

(As an aside, I really like to felt things and in my felting of a variety of objects, I've discovered that Fred absolutely loves felting more than I do. So much so that he excitedly watches me, occasionally sniffing the felting water, watches me dry the piece and shape in on a towel on our floor, waits for me to leave the room, then proceeds to do a little rubbing dance all over which inlcudes rubbing his back and his furry little cheeks all over it. Here he is caught in action.)

What else have I been up to...well, I have a friendly completion to announce. Emily has finished her sweater. Huzzah for Emily and her first sweater ever! It's made of Lamb's Pride Bulky which was very difficult to find locally. I think it's gorgeous and a wonderful addition to our gallery!

My parents are currently in the Phillipines on holiday which means that my Mom's birthday was missed, tis ok though, we'll be celebrating upon their return on Mother's day. And boy do I have stuff for her, I'm sooooo excited firstly for them to get back safely, and secondly to present her with the following happy birthday mother's day gifts--a shawl made from Laurel (Schaeffer's Yarn) and Cherry Tree Hill Super Socks made with Fortissima Socka. I will present an update of her response after the festivities this weekend.

It's all Business

2006-04-25T09:49:00.000-05:00

The past week, and this one we're in the middle of was and will be a bit hectic. I've been traveling for work and haven't had much time to sit down and think about things to blog about. I have had some time for knitting of course, but I suppose as much as I enjoy blogging, I enjoy knitting firstly.

My business trip last week brought me to Nashville, TN. I've been to Memphis before but not Nashville, and I found the city friendly, a good city to walk in, and more importantly a good city with a great yarn store. I visited Angel Hair Yarn Co. and was very impressed by the large yarn selection neatly stacked in wooden bookcases which were by the way complemented by the lovely wood floors. The staff were very helpful, and there were customers wiling away the afternoon chatting, knitting, and sharing. I wish I could have stayed for the Mason-Dixon book signing but I had a very early morning the next day...they don't call it a business trip for nothing. I did find some excellent yarns to take home.

Plastic bag handles & Mountain Colors Hand-Painted Yarn in Lupine which I'm hoping to turn into a felted hand bag to carry guess what?? More knitting of course.

Schaeffer Yarns Laurel, Cotton Color Concepts for Memorable Women in Empress Wu Zhao

I'm just totally loving the Laurel yarns, the hand is so soft and sturdy and the colors are absolutely scrumptious. It's the same yarn I made Nina's birthday shawl from (except hers was in Victoria Woodhull). I picked out the same yarn in Frida Kahlo for my Mom's birthday shawl which has now been converted for me since Mom expressed that the color was a bit too much for her, so...enter Empress Wu Zhao.

The concept is really cool. Each hand painted color scheme is named after a famous and distinguished woman Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to ever run for President of the United States (1872); Frida Kahlo was a famous Mexican painter who endured great physical and emotional pain and depicted this in her works; Empress Wu Zhao the only woman to rule China in her own name. Cool huh?

Anyway, this week, I'm off to Baltimore, MD, not too far away from home so the travel time won't be so arduous. I'm not sure if I'll be able to hit up a yarn store there, but I'll be sure to report if I do.

And now for your viewing pleasure, I bring you the most adorable picture of Fred.

It's a Good Friday

2006-04-14T15:42:00.000-05:00

I'm not the religious sort, although born Catholic, but I must say this Good Friday is a pretty good Friday. Firstly, thanks to my thoughtful employer, I got the day off. I slept in longer than I should have (and I'll let you guess until what time I slept till). I had this rare craving for some Chicken McNuggets so I indulged for lunch. I had a great cup of coffee thereafter. And I had a very fruitful visit to the yarn store.

I slept in because I was up late around 1:00am-ish finishing the Streaker's Shrug. And I am proud to say that I have finished my first sweater-thingy ever. Quite proud of myself, a visit to Uniquities Yarn Store was in order to find some inspiration for another sweater-cardi-shruggy-like thingy. I left the store with another shrug pattern from Interweave Knits (The Viennese Shrug from Summer 2005), 5 skeins of yarn, some new #7 circs, some T-pins for blocking, and some Eucalan wool wash to make the Streaker's Shrug softer for wear.

Upon arrival at home, I tidied up my modest stash, wrapped my sister's birthday presents with some yarny embellishments, soaked the Streakers Shrug for about an hour, and now I'm wearing it as I write.

And as i write, I look around me and and feel proud of my accomplishments and works in progress. As I look around more I feel a twinge of guilt for all the other things I've let go to feed this knitting mania i.e. the laundry, the clutter, the dusting, the dog toys strategically placed for maximum damage as one falls from tripping. But the twinge is just a twinge and nothing strong enough to act on.

Oh my, that’s swift, and boy is it steamy in here

2006-04-13T09:44:00.000-05:00

A few new gadgets for the knitting inspired. I got me a swift and a steamer. The swift was acquired from JoAnn Fabrics. It’s a beautiful wood swift for a fraction of the price at most other places online, there’s a 40% off coupon on the website. I was very pleased with the swiftyness of it. Rich liked the way it looked that he insisted on spinning it round and round.

The steamer is a Scunci Steamer. So far it seems to work well and seems durable. I’ve only used it to get wrinkles off a shirt, but I’m sure it will work quite well with blocking as the thing can spray like hell. If I had to defend myself with this steamer I think I’d have a pretty good chance. I initially bought the Rowenta Steam and Press Steambrush but was unhappy with piddly amount of water it held hence the reason for the exchange.

On the completion front, I finally finished my sister Nina’s new and improved birthday shawl. It was a very simple design of CO 48st and M1 after the first stitch and before the last stitch of every row until I ran out of yarn. The whole piece was knit in garter st. I like the simplicity of it as it lends a more casual feel than a lacy one. I think it will look good with jeans on a summer’s eve.

I also finished a small felted bag loosely based on the French Market Bag for Nina’s birthday as well. And check this out, I made a little label to put on the inside. I was informed that this is uber dorky! I used polyester ribbon and melted the edges to keep it from fraying, and oh so delicately hand embroidered the label.

Hmmm, what else, the Streaker’s Shrug is well on its way, I have a feeling that it will be finished before Easter Sunday, so I’ll actually have something to wear.

The Leaf Lace Socks have been put on hold temporarily so has the Super Socks for Mom’s birthday—The Streaker’s Shrug has commanded my full attention.

Yellow there! Orange you glad!

2006-04-05T10:02:00.000-05:00

So I've decided to spice up my days too by contributing to project spectrum.

April is yellow and orange.

Lost!

2006-04-04T18:29:00.000-05:00

I’m going to let you in on a secret…I hate losing things. OK so you say “who doesn’t?” Well…I especially hate losing things. Really. Like, really hate it. Loathe. I absolutely especially hate losing things that belong in sets. And when I lose things, especially set things, I go crazy and I cannot function until I find that thing. In my most recent case, the lost thing was one needle from a five needle set of Clover Takumi #1 dpns.

So I’m knitting along yesterday, after work, on my Mom’s birthday socks which have been 5 times frogged (because I couldn’t decide on a pattern). I finally decided on Cherry Tree Hill Super Socks. As I was knitting I was basking in gleefulness that my order from Peace Fleece (worsted weight in Lena’s Meadow) arrived for my first sweater project ever—the Streakers Shrug from Interweave’s Spring edition.

Lena's Meadow

I reached in my accessory pouch to grab a tape measure and decided halfway through that I might as well dump out the pouch and organize it since I already had my hand in it. The usual things tumble out, scissors, stitch markers, lip balm, toothpicks, snacks, what have you. I went through the pouch conducting an inventory, or actually just making sure that what I knew were already in the pouch were still in the pouch.

I pulled out some dpns that were hastily thrown in the pouch and began organizing them in their sets and returning them in their own vinyl containers when I realized that the #1s were missing a needle. Oh…it’s probably stuck in the pouch. Nope. Hmm, probably in the bigger bag that houses my accessory pouch. Nope. Huh. Let’s check again. Let’s count all the needles we put away. Let’s dump out the contents again and reorganize again and count again. Nope, still not there. Maybe the other knitting tote? Nope. What about the other knitting tote and the basket the tote is in? Nope. Your purse? No, your other purse. Hmmm, I’d better check the furniture—the couch, the bed, under, in cracks, the dresser, the bathroom, the nightstand, under rugs, in pillow cases. So, at this point, knitting has ceased and I was running around the house, up and down the stairs looking for that one stupid needle for an hour. I didn’t even need the needle for the project I was working on. I was just extremely bothered that the set was incomplete, that somewhere out in the void there was a needle unaccounted for.

So began the self-searching. “What are you doing? This is ridiculous. Carmen, you are wasting your time. You can still have a set with four needles. You can still knit socks with four needles. Look it’ll turn up, it always does. Ya, the four needles still work but there’s a fifth out there. I have to find that fifth. But you have to cook dinner soon and you’re freaking the dogs out.” And on and on the conversation went until I reached a point where I made myself say out loud—“It’s ok. I am ok. I don’t need that lost needle. I am wasting time, I mean really how much do I get paid for an hour of work? In the time I spent looking I could have gone out and bought another set. Well if it bother’s me that much, I will buy another set, and just hide that incomplete set somewhere and pretend it never existed and that this never happened.” OK? Ok. Good. I cooked dinner, and picked up where I left off on the sock I was working on. This was two hours later.

So, this morning, I thought I was over that lost needle. I thought I was so over that lost needle that I’m going to purchase some #0 Inox dpns online for some really lacy socks, and that if they had the Clovers in #1s I’d go ahead and get a new set too. I ended up getting 2 sets of #0 Inox and 2 sets of #1 Crystal Palace bamboo dpns. That’s it. The lost needle was behind me. I went downstairs to get some coffee and as I came back up the stairs I was stopped. I was stopped by something, some force, so strong, I knew where the needle was. Well I didn’t know, I just felt it, I headed straight for the bed, looked under, felt mildly ashamed by the dust bunnies, looked deep in the murky darkness…and shit, there it was, sure enough, that little f*&^er. The set is complete, and now I have more coming in the post. The sight of that lost little needle made my heart jump and I was relieved. See, the problem wasn’t that the needle was lost. The problem was that the set was incomplete. And so now, the storm has passed, and the day can continue on.

A Confession

2006-03-28T10:28:00.000-05:00

As the title suggests, I have a confession to make. The birthday shawl that was to be gifted to my sister--that beautiful watermelony shawl--has been demolished, partly due to the type of yarn I used and partly to my own desperate stupidity. When I finished the shawl I thought I would be a good knitter and block it. Dutifully, I doused the thing, gently squeezed the water out, lay it gingerly on some towels and stuck blocking pins to keep it from escaping. As I checked on it occassionally, I watched to my horror the dye slowly seep out. Okay, so I said "this is not unusual, some dye is expected to seep out", so I stayed true to the blocking plan and practiced patience.

Approximately 24 hours later, the thing was dry and upon inspection, the dye leached onto one side of the fabric so that I had one side of the shawl a vibrant blend of colors and the other an ashen mess. What did I do then pray tell? First I worried that my sister would get stuck in some typhoon wearing the shawl and come knocking on my door wet and covered in dye and bitching at me for ruining her outfit. Second I worried that I was facing a knitting challenge that I did not understand which would just be preposterous.

Well, with that said, I proceeded to f*&$ things up even more. I said to myself "self, don't second guess, let's read the ball band again and make sure that it didn't say anything at all on how to treat this fabric". So I did. And the band said nothing. I then said "self, based on other articles of clothing that you own and have run through the wash and dried, this birthday shawl being rayon cotton and linen would hypothetically respond to such a treatment positively. Hah. So I stuck it in the wash, cold, delicate. Then I...I stuck it in the dryer on super dooper gentle knits.

When i first pulled it out, I was jubilant, the color was back to normal, and the shawl felt soft and luxurious. Then I noticed loops sticking out. Loops sticking out all over the place. Like someone had taken a crochet hook and just pulled out random areas. The color was pretty, the hand was soft, but it looked like shit. And my heart kept falling closer to the floor. One last pitiable attempt to fix things, I sat down with the thing and a cup of coffee and started tugging and stretching and shoving the mocking portrusions. Then, and this is close to the end...I took scissors to it. I cut the loops and tied them back together, and that's when it happend. I cut too close. I cut into the shawl. And the thing unravelled before my eyes. And that's when I balled it up. Swallowed my pride. Admitted hatred for the thing, and then admitted defeat. And then threw it into the corner of the closet. There, I said it. It's ruined. The birthday shawl is ruined.

So, the days passed and I stopped thinking about it. And I worked dutifully on my Lace Leaf Socks and finished the French Market Bag.

prefelted felted

I went to Uniquities the other day to cheer myself up and returned the other 2 hanks of Cherry Tree Hill Cotton Linen Rayon that I was to make a twin shawl from for fear of another disaster. I ended up picking out some new yarn for a new and improved birthday shawl for Nina and for Mom, some birthday socks for Mom(either Pomatomus, Elfine's socks, or the Japanese Feather Socks), and a felted bag to put Nina's birthday shawl in. Wish me luck!

Ribbit

2006-03-21T09:34:00.000-05:00

I find myself confounded once more, wondering how in the hell did I end up at Uniquities…again? And how in the hell did I end up with more supplies for another project…again? And why does this keep happening to me…again? And again? The knitting project that caused the detour is Knitty.com’s French Market Bag. My justification? I need more room to schlep stuff around in (ya right?) and that Market Bag screams schlep. I could definitely put more knitting in that bag, I bet it would fit two shawl projects at once, and some socks, or some fiber for spinning, some snacks, and one of my dogs, I am certainly going to try. Seriously, watch me.

I started out with three shades of green to make the bag striped, but then realized as things developed that I really didn’t like the striping and felt a very strong dislike bordering on hate and proceeded to frog more than 3/4 of the bag while watching the Sopranos and Big Love Sunday night, which by the way have me hooked. Brooke the roommate was very sad for me. I consoled her while I frogged.

Moving back further into the weekend, I had started the Fiber Trends Lacy Leaf Socks and was just amazed at my utter capacity to follow instructions and not f*%# things up. I felt really good about myself, chanting the instructions as I knitted, feeling pride as little lacy leaves miraculously appeared before me. And then as things progressed I realized that I amazed myself too soon because I couldn’t, no matter how much I stretched the sock, I couldn’t shove my foot through the damn thing. I realized that I was making lacy socks for an elf, or a very very 2-dimensional version of myself. So, I frogged those socks and started again with larger needles.

Despite all the frogging I was able to complete 2 projects. I finished the shawl that was to be mine but will now be birthday-gifted to my sister and I finished the robins egg blue socks. I must say that I am mildly disappointed with these socks because the blue that made me want to knit them in the first place was very very sparse; and those crazy Fortissima Socka Germans have snuck in the colors of the German flag on the sock. I have nothing against Germans, nor do I have anything against German colors, but I was really excited about that blue, and instead I got at least 2 German flags per sock. Also, Kudos to Brooke who finished her first felted bag.

Nina's b-day shawl

tell me that's not a German Flag in there

On other fronts Rich and I went on a tattoo date on Friday. I took the day off from work and we headed up to Rick’s Tattoo in Arlington and got some new ink. I have a growing piece on my left leg, and Rich has a growing piece on his right arm. I worked on the leaf socks while Rich was getting his tattoo. I tried to wind some yarn while I was getting my tattoo but decided to quit before I made the tightest center pull ball of yarn ever. Man, I’m never going to get a tattoo on that part of my body ever again. That had to be the most painful inking job I’ve ever gotten. Just say no to inner foot areas. Ow, ow, ow!

Arts and Farts and Crafts and Jam

2006-03-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

So there has been some arting, and some farting, and some crafting, and some jamming the past two evenings. Ana and Emily have joined me both yestereve and the yestereve before to knit, chat, and whatever else we get accomplished while knitting whilst our mens jammed in their still unnamed band. A fun time had by all I must say.

Rich & VJ Eric Blake

Emily finished a felted pouch and commenced to attempt her first ever toe up socks. Ana cast off on her scarf-hoodie thingy and will begin the hoodie part soon. So as we chatter about life, career goals, school goals, weddings, biology, the environment, etc. the subject of spring arises and we all get crazy eyed and start blathering about spring, how many days left before the equinox, and when we will pull out our sandals to start dancing out in fields and forest clearings. I am counting the days to the 20th, as if that will magically bring warmer weather and force things to bloom.

Ana Emily

And along with this fever for spring comes a slight twinge of worry that my knitting may naturally be pushed to the wayside as I start other warm weather hobbies. I don't know. What am I talking about? Despite all this crazy talk, I thought, if I don't feel like knitting in the next few months, maybe I'd feel like...spinning. Well, this then led to a perusal of spinning wheels online and my aching desire to now own one. What the hell have I started? Well, now I am calculating how many paychecks it will take for me to own a spinning wheel of my very own (which by the way I have no idea how to use). And I have begun to daydream of sitting outside in the spring and summer time spinning away spools and hanks of yarn to clothe the world with. What am I doing. Please somebody. Anybody. Help me. Or, I will gladly take donations for the said wheel, as well as suggestions on what goal I might set for myself to justify rewarding myself with said wheel. I mean really, this is not outrageous, I was just thinking about the Ashford Kiwi which was described as economical and excellent for beginners...

The rewards program

2006-03-06T11:04:00.000-05:00

Man, I should really get another reward for all the cleaning I got accomplished yesterday. The whole upstairs is spotless. I even scrubbed the tub. Really, cleaning is overrated. But when everything is clean, boy, does life feel good! So we're even steven. I think I paid my dues for the shawl I will make for myself to replace the shawl that I was going to make for myself that I decided during dinner on Friday to bequeath my sister. She will be thrilled on her birthday. And I don't have to worry about her being cold on summer evenings. The Fiber Trends Leaf Socks that made it home with me last minute I'd say is an added bonus and is an extra reward for the awesome cleaning job I accomplished yesterday.

If you haven't noticed...I am a big fan of the rewards program. Here's how it works. It's very simple. Set a goal. Set a reward for reaching the goal--I suppose the worth of the reward should equal the difficulty level of reaching the goal. Attack goal. Reach goal. Get rewarded. Rinse and repeat. Really, it works. It's a great motivator and adds greater meaning to tasks that don't necessarily hold any meaning.

Case in point. Ana has recently accomplished the completion of her field research for her Master's Thesis (though I am not implying that this is a meaningless accomplishment). The reward for said accomplishment was a dinner with friends on Saturday night at Dukem's Ethiopian Restaurant on U Street in DC. The prices were good and the portions generous. Overall the experience was great but the ambience lacked that of Fasika's Ethiopian Restaurant in Adam's Morgan and the combination section in the menu was inundated with numbers requiring the hungry patron to utilize library skills before dinner. Unfortunately Fasika's experienced a fire last November and is currently undergoing rennovations.

If I clean the house are we even?

2006-03-04T14:57:00.000-05:00

I went out to dinner with my sister Nina and my brother Mark last night at Sushi Yama in Vienna. Being Filipino and understanding the concept of CP Time, I brought my spring-summer shawl to the restaurant just incase of the 95% probability of my sibs being late. Surprisingly I didn't get to knit a stitch.

Dinner was outstanding as usual and I stuffed myself silly and chastised myself for being a piglet yet again. Our visit was jovial and I took the opportunity to share the yummy color of my shawl with my sister who exclaimed her admiration for my "skills" by blatantly hinting? that the shawl would be a wonderful birthday gift for her in April. Slightly relieved that I could gift the shawl to my sister instead of withstanding the guilt from the previous day, I decided to pursue that option.

I lovingly worked on the spring-summer shawl when I got home thinking of how beautiful my sister would look in it, and how pleased she would be to see it wrapped in birthday paper and ribbons. As I worked, a twitch of envy passed through me...but I wanted a shawl. I really could use one. I've wanted one for years...and there was that other color of Cherry Tree Hill Linen, Rayon, and Cotton blend that I was close to choosing instead...

So, I find myself at Uniquities this afternoon accidentally taking home 2 hanks of Cherry Tree Hill in Green Mountain Madness, and also accidentally picking up 2 skeins of Fortissima Socka Yarn in this wonderful grass/kelly green that would knit up beautifully as the Fiber Trends Leaf Socks pattern that also made it in my shopping bag.

How did this happen! What am I supposed to do? A deal. I needed to strike a deal to make this reasonable. I will clean the house. At the very least finish the mountain of laundry. I will do this and then allow myself to think about the 2nd shawl and the leaf socks. I am not allowed, absolutely not allowed to pet these yarns or even think about inspecting them as I wind them into center pull balls until the house is clean. Agreed? Agreed.

Knitting away my guilt

2006-03-02T09:53:00.000-05:00

The peachy socks are done and I am master of the short row heel and anti-weaving toe! I also finished some felted pouches for my needles.

After finishing those projects, visiting the yarn store against my promise to myself, and starting new projects that couldn't be helped I've realized what a selfish knitter I've become since after the holidays. Everything I've got going right now are for me--more socks (2 pairs) and a shawl for the spring and summer (which by the way is sooo yummy looking). Okay, I guess I can reason with it and say I deserve this, which I suppose I do after all the years of hampered knitting while I was earning my Master's degree. So I will give myself this but will begin concocting something new for someone other than my selfish self.

So these new projects...The socks. I have one on the needles right now and this yarn just hypnotized me when I first saw it. I think it's the beginnings of spring fever and seeing the robin's egg blue color spattered around other springy colors in the skein, then imagining what that sock would look on my foot in my blue Chacos. The other socks are soon to be cast on. They are more of the deeper brighter color persuasion with lots of intensity. I also imagined what that would look like on my feet in my Black Thong Chacos. And since these sandals are thongy I think I will try making thong socks, you know kinda like what the Japanese customarily wore whith a special little place for just the big toe? I found this perfect pattern from Spun Magazine for Geisha Socks.

So the socks are fine those were totally planned and totally selfish although laden with a bit of guilt--though I can live with myself for that. What I am embracing with all my guilt is the stuff I bought yesterday and proceeded to turn into a shawl.

I was at work thinking what a great thing it was that March 1st decided to come along and that Spring was a few weeks away. Then I got to thinking that the selfish sweater (which would be my first human sweater ever, discounting doggy sweaters) I was thinking I would make for my selfish self was probably not practical as the weather gets warmer. I started thinking about tank top weather and cool evenings that would probably warrant a shawl or a wrap. So...I talked my selfish self to stop by the yarn store (a completely unplanned visit) and proceeded to buy scrumptious yarn in amounts I've never hoarded in my short knitting career.

The shawl pattern I picked is nothing special since I wanted a very very very very plain pattern. I mean the thing has no pattern at all and was gladly free. It's just knitting back and forth. Increases and knitting. I guess that's why it's called Easy Knit Shawl from FrugalHaus. But the yarn, this yarn, oh man, so yummy and delectable. I'm thinking watermelon and cherry blossoms, irises, and silver stars. And it feels smooth and different compared to all the sock wool I've been using. Despite my supreme guiltiness and urge to flog myself for unabashed knitterly selfishness, I am enjoying this shawl.

The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Spanish Moss a blend of Rayon, Cotton, and Linen. God, don't you just wanna eat that! I bet it tastes like fruit and smells like cut grass and twinkles like fireflies.

Into the fold

2006-02-27T11:42:00.000-05:00

So our new roommate Brooke has been recruited into the knitting fold. We have another one! mwaha, mwahaha, mwahahahaha! We attempted to go to Uniquities last Friday but arrived too late and found the store closed, so we settled for Hancock Fabrics down the street. She picked up her first pair of bamboo needles and some Lion Brand Bulky to knit up a green and rust colored scarf. I told her there was no turning back, that she will forever be changed, resorting to her own battle of increasing her stash and overcomitting to clothe the world in knitted good. She didn't listen, she forged on any way.

In other news, apart from the new recruit and some sock progress, this weekend was quite eventful. Firstly, I made a list of projects that needed finishing and swore not to buy a single scrap of yarn until the list was demolished. I finished knitting up some pouches for my needles and promised myself to felt them come Monday (that's today).

The highlight of the weekend was our celebration of the 8th annual Birthday of the Universe Film Festival, where new and old friends got together to showcase original short films. It was an awesome turnout this year and hopefully it will continue to grow as we collect more to join our minions.

In between showing movies I was able to start and finish a quick and dirty scarf for my sister Nina. I used some #13s and a skein of Lion Brand Fun Fur (Tiger Eye color). The pattern in the band was soo easy peasy, and the thing knit up in two hours. After the film fest, we moved the party to our house where my hands proceeded to knit up a little pouch for my digital camera (without my knowing it). I realized later that I subconciously noted during the festival that my camera was homeless, naked, and unprotected throughout the evening and needed an outfit. It was finished by the time our guests headed home at 3:30am.

With all that knitting done my hands are still twitching to get some new things started. I'm dreaming about using up my left over lamb's pride for a felted tote or purse of some sort. I am also drooling to start on my next pair of socks. The colors are just so scrumptious I can't stop fondling the skein.

Gooroo

2006-02-24T12:59:00.000-05:00

I just took this cool quiz that I found through a link through a link through a blog through a link through a blog. I was cordially informed that I am a (tadtadada...horns!) a "knitting guru". Oh how I blush!

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting and do it all the time. While finishing a piece is the plan, you still love the process, and can't imagine a day going by without giving some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation involves leaving ample space for the stash and supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn ends and you begin. From marniemaclean

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

My right foot is warmer than my left

2006-02-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

The peachy socks as I lovingly refer to them are almost done. I am wearing the right sock as we speak after much deliberation over the method of bind off. I decided to play it safe and bound off with #5 needles. In my excitement after binding off I tried to slip them over my foot to marvel at my knitting genius and to my surprise I realized that alas, I am not--err a genius. In my effort to waste as little yarn as possible and to take my sock to new heights ergo closer to my knee, I told myself overconfidently that my legs are quite slim and that a ribbing pattern would suffice so I should respect my shapely legs and not insult them with increased stitches. Ya, the f*#&!ng thing didn't get past my heel. This is unfair as this one sock (and the other to follow) was highly planned and chronicled in detail. This was to be and with hopes still will be the perfect pair of socks.

The solution? I had to (gasp) use even larger needles. #7s. I knitted the whole thing with #2s and I'm binding off with #7s. I've read using at the most two needle sizes up to bind off, but here I am. #7s. And they fit! Yay! It's not my cankles, it's just the needle size and the highly intelligent (as I have demoted myself from genius) suspended bind-off method which adds extra elasticity to anything. Pictures to come when the left sock is done.

Plans for tomorrow: Contemplate showing my one sock to my mom at work (we both work at the same place) and my new found knitting work pal Sheryl, or squirming with the urge but holding off to show my sock until it has a partner next Monday. I will place finished sock on nightstand to stare at me in my sleep and aid the decision making process. It should have an answer for me by morning. Other plans tomorrow...take Brooke (the new roommate) to Uniquities with great hopes that she catches the knitting fever and never recovers, also to survey potential stash fattening opportunities. Good night.

Knitting Mania: A Global Epidemic?

2006-02-23T09:56:00.000-05:00

Carmen is very, very ill. Ana is ill, too, but Carmen seems to have an unfortunate susceptibility to whatever this manic knitting disease is. It's obviously highly contagious, so I assume I have some inate resistance. (Although I was teaching my friend Eli how to cast on the other night, thinking, "Is this it? Is this a symptom? Should I call my doctor?") For better or worse, life has been too busy for me to get caught up in the craze, but there's always hope I will be afflicted in the future.

Toes up and short rows I can doo iiit! - Part 2- The heel and the rest

2006-02-22T13:35:00.000-05:00

The Heel
I will begin this section by saying that I had great difficulty understanding this part at first. Emily will tesify to this as she witnessed my mutterings and cursings. Maybe I'm exeptionally daft, or just need very, very, very specific instructions. BUT, once I got through it a few times albeit with some minor frogging involved it started to come together. In retrospect the technique makes perfect sense--in a structural way--that the wrapped yarns will eventually pull the heel together. Even more exciting was the magical way that this little cup began to form under my fingers and before my eyes. That's when I realized, this little cup will cradle my little heel! By the way, eating plenty of peanut M&Ms for motivation and chanting "I will learn how to short row" also helps. Oh, and another note, when it says turn, just turn, there will be stitches left on the left needle but turn anyway, just do it, don't think about them. I think that was also my problem, I thought too much about those stitches hanging around. Just let them hang out until the 2nd half of the heel.

First part of the heel

On Needle 1, K to before the last stitch, bring the yarn infront, then slip the last stitch from the leftneedle to the right needle. TURN.

Facing the purl side on needle 1, with the working yarn in back, slip the first stitch from the left needle to the right needle (just move it over, don't do anything to it) (this stitch will be wrapped). Then purl the next stitch and purl across to before the last stitch on the needle. Move the yarn in back and slip the last stitch from the left needle to the right needle. TURN

*Facing the Knit side, with yarn in back, slip the first stitch off the left needle to the right (which is now going to be wrapped) then knit to before the last unwrapped stitch move the yarn to back, slip the last unwrapped stitch from left to right. TURN.

This part is pretty much the same as the previous step except it's a purl side. So, facing the purl side, with wrapped stitches on the right needle and unwrapped on the left, slip the first unwrapped stitch from left to right and purl across to before the last unwrapped stitch. Move the yarn from front to back, slip the last unwrapped stitch from left to right. TURN.*

Example of short row progress.

Continue from * to * until there are 7 wrapped stitches 10 live/unwrapped stitches and 7 wrapped stitches. (Stitches were divided between 3 needles to illustrate difference between wrapped and unwrapped stitches). Note that the wrapped stitches look like they're being "choked" compared to the live stitches.

Second part of heel

Beginning on a knit side, knit across to before the first wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrapped yarn around the first stitch. With the wrapped yarn picked up, insert the needle into the stitch that is wrapped and knit both wrap and stitch together. Move the yarn in back, slip the next wrapped stitch from left to right and TURN (this is double-wrapping)

On the purl side, with yarn in front, slip the first stitch from left to right and purl to before the last wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrapped stitch and purl it together with the stitch its wrapped around, wrap next stitch (which will now be double wrapped) and TURN.

Slip the first stitch and knit to before the first wrapped stitch. (The wraps that will be picked up from here on are double wraps. So you'll have 3 loops to knit together). Pick up both wraps and knit together with the stitch they're wrapped around. Wrap next stitch (bring the yarn in back and slip the first wrapped stitch from left to right). TURN. Continue knitting or purling across, picking up double wraps and wrapping until all wrapped stitches are no longer wrapped.

Once all wrapped stitches are picked up and they are "live" again, The Heel is Done! Pause, do a little dance because your heel has a home! Yay, yay, yay!

Begin knitting in the round. At your leisure, dived the heel stitches between two needles for easier handling.

Continue knitting around until desired ankle/leg length is achieved then switch to ribbing. I chose knit 2 purl 2 ribbing.

So far here is the progress of my socks, stay tuned for the finished product!

Again, I'd like to emphasize that this design is a combination of some sources online specifically the knitting fiend's blog on the toe of toe up socks and wendy's toe-up sock pattern.

Toes up and Short Rows! I can doo iiit! Part 1 - The toes

2006-02-22T09:41:00.000-05:00

I decided to give socks a try again after my brief stint with some lovely self-patterning Fortissima Sockas that ended up too loose for me to wear and sagged down my feet. After much searching and a firm decision to commit to learning toe up socks and short rows I found some sources online to patch together a hybrid dream sock. I recruited the toe pattern from the knitting fiend's blog on the toe of toe up socks and the rest of the sock with slight modifications from
wendy's toe-up sock pattern. All I had to do was make a gauge swatch, measure around the ball of my feet, and measure the length of my feet and I was set! I hope that this helps in understanding how to make short rows and how to wrap stitches. I really had trouble with this at the start!

Yarn: Fortissima Colori Socka, 2 skeins, 50g

Needles: #2 dpns

Gauge: 7st/inch
Measurements: Ball of foot - 6.75in; Length of Foot - 9.5 in (US women's 7)

Number of st for foot circumference = 48st

The Toes

CO 14 st using the backward loop cast on method

Knit into the loops of the 14 CO st

Pick up loops of knitted stitches

Begin toe increases:Needle 1 (heel needle): K first st, Make one st, Knit to before last st, M one st, K last stNeedle 2: K first st, Make one st, KnitNeedle 3: K to before last st, Make one st, K last stSecond Row - Knit one round

Alternate one round with increases and one round of knit until number of stitches as determined by gauge for ball of foot is achieved (48st in this case)

Once the number of st for the ball of foot is achieved, K around to 2in less than measured foot length (in this case 7.5in)

Yay! looks sort of like a sock now yay!

Some history...

2006-02-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

It wasn't until a few years ago that my friend Ana introduced me to knitting and her one lady group of arts and farts and crafts. Soon after learning the basics I was tackling dog sweaters, socks, handwarmers, and hats. I discovered that the problem lies in that I have to make a living which completely cuts into my knitting time, but is a necessary evil in order to fund my knitting addiction. Sometimes I wonder if this is any better than a crack habit. It's a good thing that my hubby Rich and our dogs Dale and Fred are supportive of my strong interest in knitting or I might find myself in an intervention soon.
anarichdalefred

2006-02-17T14:31:00.000-05:00

I am addicted. I can't help it. Maybe I was born with an addictive personality, but this knitting thing has got its hooks in me that I can't stop thinking about it. All I want to do is knit, all the time, and I don't care where. I want to knit, I want to talk about knitting, I want to teach every interested human being how to do it, I want to wrap all my loved ones in knitted things, and I act like my dogs are interested in my addiction. I show my husband every detail I accomplish, I drag my friends to knitting stores, and I'm trying to convince my co-workers of the wonders of this fiber art form. I drool when I see new yarns, and I have to physically keep myself from spending every cent in my bank account on yarns, markers, needles, felting needles, baskets, bags, baskets, and more baskets, and more knitting things and paraphanelia to place in those baskets. I suppose I have an illness of some sort, or a compulsion at the very least so I have decided to use this blog as an outlet for whatever it is that knitting creates in me...that giddy, excited feeling of creativity and connection. I'm hoping that this will be a good way of cataloging my knitting experiences and to share what I learn and at the same time learn from other crazy knitters out there.