Sad socks in the spring

Do you remember these?

I made them almost 2 years ago, using Duet Sock Yarn from A Swell Yarn Shop, and the Waffle Rib pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. I loved them madly and the pattern was a great match for the yarn. I may knit that pattern again but I will never, NEVER, use that yarn again.

The idea behind Duet yarn is great - a skein of variegated sock yarn sold with a contrasting mini-skein for the cuff, heel, and toe. The yarn was lovely to knit with, and the finished item was soft and comfortable.

But the first time I washed the socks, the yarn bled. As it did the second time, and the third, and the fourth, and the fifth, and...oh dear gods how it bled. Each time, the dark brown overdyed the bright white and green more and more, washing them out to a dull beige. Now, almost two years later, this is what I have:

And just in case you think this is a trick of the light, let me show you the hard evidence:

You can see it now, can't you? Those two little balls of yarn are the leftovers from my once happy, pretty socks, now sad and murky.

Do not speak to me of vinegar rinses, Shout Color Catchers, and other remedies - I have tried them all. I gave up after the first year, there is nothing more to be done. I wear the socks because they are comfortable, and then wash them as I do all the others.

The lesson I have learned from this? (Besides not using that yarn ever again.) In the future should I ever want to do any colorwork at all, no matter how minor, I will swatch the two yarns together and wash the swatch.  Possibly a few times.

Actual Knitting Content

There's a reason this isn't a knit blog ya know? I'd describe it more as the life blog of a knitter. Because no matter how turbulent my life may be - there is always knitting. And indeed there has been knitting, I think quite a bit has piled up during my extended blog hiatus.  So let's see if I can get it all caught up to date. First I think we'll step back to:

Holiday Knitting

This is Kirsten Kapur's Rickenbacker Scarf pattern. I modified it by leaving off the ruffle and it's also shorter, I used almost every scrap of a skein of Be Sweet Bamboo gifted to me over a year ago.

The end result is gorgeous but knitting with it was a special kind of torture.  I've never used bamboo before and may never again because that stuff was the splittiest yarn ever! Seriously, why is it always the pretty ones that have to be so difficult?

Next up:

State of the Sock Knitting Report

Finally finished my Artichoke Socks:

They are lovely to look at and lovely to wear. I knit them up with Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock in the Apple Hill colorway. I have no valid excuse for why it took me over a year to complete these, other pairs of socks were started and finished while sock #1 languished in a project bag. Then one day the urge to knit on them again took hold of me and I just stuck with it and knocked out sock #2 in about a week or so.

I can also show you my new Staggered Lace Socks:

This is a test knit and a prime opportunity to dip into my stash of beloved Hazel Knits yarn.  No matter how much I try other yarns, this one is still my fave - to knit with and to wear. The colorway is "Blacklight" and it's not just any old plain black, when you turn it to the light it has a purple sheen!

Speaking of purple, let me introduce you to my current Sock-In-Progress:

I'm using the Broadripple pattern and some of the great whack of Cascade Fixation and other similar yarns sent to me by my good friend Beentsy.  I tried other patterns but something about this one just works, it does a great job of livening up the stripes and making them more interesting. I've got plenty more of that yarn in my stash, but this was the only multi.  Since we're on the subject of Cascade Fixation, I think we can segue nicely into...

New Project Categories

Behold, my very first ever actual garment!

After knitting miles of scarves, stacks of hats, and a decent amount of socks, venturing past accessories into the land of real garments was on my mind while I was at Stitches West in 2009.  Then I saw the pattern in a booth, bought the yarn and needles, and cast on while hanging out with Snuffykin in the lounge area outside the exhibit hall. The pattern is Joan Somerville's Fixation Tank and again, no valid reason for taking a year to complete it - there's certainly nothing wrong with the pattern!  I got bored and put it aside for a few months to focus on other projects, picked it up again only to put it aside when trying it on every few rows became an inconvenience.  Then the Knitting Olympics came along and gave me last push I needed - I took home a gold medal! I'm not entirely happy with the finished object but I will wear it and I learned enough that I'm ready to tackle something similar.

I also decided it was time to try my hand at knitting a shawl:

I'm using the Araucania Ranco I purchased from the Loopy Ewe last summer. I've heard that anything making a rectangular shape like this one is actually supposed to be called a "stole" but since the pattern is the Meandering Vines Shawl I consider it a shawl. And I've dubbed this the Stressless Shawl, because the stitch pattern is so regular I can stop at any time and easily find my place again, there's absolutely no decision-making, I just keep knitting, knitting, knitting, knitting, knitting, knitting...

Mystery Yarn

The other day I was approached by a local acquaintance I'll call "P".  Although she herself can knit, P is very enamored of my knitting and frequently introduces me to others as the "world's greatest knitter!" which is very embarrassing.  Because of course - I'm not. I'm just one of the few sock knitters she's every met and within in her limited circle probably one of the most proficient.  But we all know there are eleventy-bajillion knitters out there far more talented than I.

Anyway - P gets enjoyment from occasionally consulting me on knitting problems, showing me her most recent finished object, and hearing about my current work in progress and it's harmless so I roll with it. But when she stopped by my work the other day it was to share something new.

She explained that she had been gifted by another local knitter with a couple large plastic trash bags of thick and thin cotton yarn, in three colors.  P accepted it thinking she would knit up a small rug, or perhaps chair seatcovers, but found it very difficult to work with. She went on to tell me that this strange yarn was so very thick in some places that she needed large needles to work with it, but so thin in other places that it would break.  I asked her if there was any sort of label or ballband included in the bags of yarn and she said no, there definitely wasn't. P said all she knew was that the other knitter said that "it took her forever to wind it all up" and that she herself was stumped and ready to pass it on - so did I want it?

I admitted to being curious about this mystery yarn but for many reasons - time, storage space, etc. - did not want to accept this stuff sight unseen.  So the next day, P stopped by again with a small sample:

(Hand included for scale)

Okay, I agree with P, this is definitely cotton.  And the colors are nice. But the variation between the thinnest bits and thickest are so extreme, I think this perhaps verges on what some folks consider "art yarn"?  I should perhaps mention that I am 99.9% sure that there are no spinners in this town. (There was one - she moved back to the mainland earlier this year.) So the origin of this strange yarn is quite puzzling. 

(Ruler included for scale)

P said that she thought maybe the three strands could be braided together, I suggested she might try holding the three strands together and using very thick needles. She liked the idea but repeated her assurances that she was no longer interested in trying to knit something with this crazy yarn and was happy to give it to me if I wanted it.

(Wine glass include for scale)

Unless someone out there on the interwebs can quickly identify this mystery yarn and and give me a good reason why not, I think I'm going to pass on the offer. As I've mentioned recently, my time is very limited for the next couple months.  And once my time frees up a bit, I plan to put a considerable amount of it towards cleaning out my overflowing closets and cupboards, drastically reducing clutter (more on this another day) so it seems to me that the very LAST thing I need to be doing is accepting a couple of large bags of particularly odd or tricksy yarn. 

So what do you think?

I finally got Loopy

Ehhh...shifting work schedule, keeping up schoolwork, chasing down tenants, plumbers...aren't we just waiting for the moment I crack?  And then it finally happened.

I got Loopy.

And it was good!

Remember when I talked about the gift certificate I had?  I finally placed my order about a week before the certificate expired. Since this was the first order I've ever placed with The Loopy Ewe I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I received it, and the little goodies included.

So what did I get?

Three skeins of Araucania Ranco Multi in Cocoa Blue. To make the Meandering Vines Shawl. Yes, I know that more people advised me to buy either Malabrigo or Noro, but I have a long history of taking the road less traveled.  Plus, knitting up this shawl will be something new and different, something that will build on my skills.  I did wonder if the end result would be practical, but I have to believe that my life will not always be ratty jeans and sweats.  Or maybe this will help dress up my jeans!  Either way, I'm happy with my purchase and will be casting on as soon as I get a few other projects off the needles.

My other big spendy purchase last month?

These:

New sandals from L.L. Bean. I had $30 in coupons, so they cost me a whopping $9.99.  Even if I had paid full price, believe me,  they are worth every penny. Flat, comfy padded sole, soft lining - perfect for a summer of standing on your feet.

Oh and the cute red toenails are courtesy of my good friend Leah, the "nails" half of the Catalina Hair and Nail Salon.  See what she did on my big toes?

 A flower and a sparkly rhinestone!

Now aren't these just the sexiest lookin' toes ever?

My feet feel so much more appreciated!

Wanna get Loopy with me?

I have a lot of yarn. This is a fact. I know of people who have more yarn than I, I'm sure you do also. But by my standards, I have a lot of yarn.  I knew this to be true last year, so I deliberately put myself in check a bit.  But then came Stitches West in February, and an unexpected gift from a friend, and now? I have a hell of a lot of yarn.

I'm actually glad to have this sizable yarn stash, and glad that I purchased so much yarn back in the days when I had either more income or more hope of having an income. Because now I can entertain myself for months on end, knitting through my stash, without spending any money or buying anything more. Except for one thing.

I have a gift certificate from The Loopy Ewe for $25. I have been holding onto it since last year . Why? I'm not really sure. Indecision? Procrastination? I don't know. But I need to use it before it expires and after putting some thought into it, I've come up with an idea.

If you look through my stash you will see single skeins. Whether solid or multi-colored, fingering or worsted weight, wool or acrylic - it's just about all single skeins.  Great for a hat, a short scarf, or a pair of socks. Which is mostly what I want to knit, so no problem. But occasionally I do have the desire to knit up something that would require more than just a single skein. So instead of spending this $25 certificate on yet another single skein of pretty yarn, why not put it towards buying a few skeins of yarn for one specific project?

I've whittled the list down to three possible projects, and I'm going to ask for your input in helping me decide which one:

1. Malabrigo Celtic Cable Set

Last year I knit up a Celtic Cable Neckwarmer in Malabrigo as a gift. It turned out amazingly well, and I thought, why not do another one for myself? And then make a set of mitts and a hat to match?  The Loopy Ewe has worsted weight Malabrigo in many gorgeous colors, but I'm particularly fond of Cinnabar. 

2. Araucania Meandering Vines Shawl

I almost purchased a skein of Araucania Ranco Multi at Stitches, but held off because I couldn't think of a pattern for it. Then someone pointed out the Meandering Vines Shawl, with a very simple stitch pattern similar to the socks I am currently working on, I saw a couple on Ravelry that had been knit up in the Ranco Multi (like this one) and I was hooked. The stitch pattern is strong enough not to disappear in the colors and I've heard nothing but good things about the yarn. Speaking of colors - I like Verdigris the best. 

3. Noro Stripe Scarf

Does this need explaining? You know the pattern and I'd have happily jumped on that bandwagon a while back but that doing a decent job of it requires at least 4 skeins. I realize ordering the yarn online could make it tricky to match up colors, but I think the beauty of that pattern is the mingling of two different Noro colorways to create something unique. And the Loopy Ewe has plenty of colorways to choose from!

So...thoughts? Ideas? Comments? Bring 'em on!

Spring Forward, Tink Back

Sometime last month I hit a point where every single knitted item I had on the needles was either boring me senseless or driving me mad with frustration.  So when someone in the Hazel Knits group on Ravelry suggested a knit-along of any Hazel Knits yarn in any Knitty sock pattern...I was an easy mark.

I've had this particular skein of Hazel Knits in my stash for a while:

Drool all you want, it's one of Wendee's rogue colorways.  A one-of-a kind-whoopsie-how-did that-get-there-I-didn't-mean-to-mix-that-color-in-with-that-other-color happy accident! But maybe if we beg enough she'll add something like this to her regular colorways. (Hint, hint...) I picked this one up last summer at the Strands & Stitches Trunk Show in Laguna.

A bright, sunny yellow like that seemed destined for an open, lacy sock pattern and I found just the perfect one in Spring Forward.  So I cast on and just loved the way it was working up!

I was initially concerned about the 66 stitch cast-on, 56 is more the norm for me with that yarn. But I gave it a shot and was rewarded - the cuff fit comfortably and the stitch pattern on the leg did a nice job of hugging my skinny minny ankles without sagging. I really enjoyed the stitch pattern too, sailed on through the heel without incident, proceeded happily up the foot and through the toe. Which is where I hit a small snag:

That is my Spring Forward sock with, according to the pattern, four rounds left to knit before closing the toe with kitchener stitch. Clearly, that's not going to cut it. And let me be perfectly clear here - this is in no way the fault of the pattern. The pattern is just fine.  The source of the problem is my freakishly long toes!

I know that along with having long stick person arms and legs, I also have long fingers and toes. But it wasn't until I actually knit socks for myself, that I really knew how friggin' long they are!  I have yet to find a sock pattern that does not have to have additional plain rounds added in between the decrease rounds on the toe in order to accommodate the mutant digits. Sure we all have issues from time to time that may require pattern modification, but seriously? These bad boys seem to actually get a little longer each time I try on the sock in progress! Really!

So the sock that came so close to completion last weekend, will now be tinked back to the beginning of the toe and re-knit.  And maybe if I do it fast enough, I can finish it before my toes get any longer. 

Rav swag at last

For months now, I've been stalking the store at Ravelry, waiting for them to come up with something that was right for me.  

At this point in my life I apparently have eleventy-jillion tee shirts with promoting various non-profits and corporate events. Plus while some of the businesses here simply ask their employees not to wear logo merchandise from a competitor, others frown on any logos other than their own. So with my limited budget and uncertain job future, I just couldn't rationalize buying yet another shirt that I can't really wear for anything other than exercising, cleaning, or just hanging out at home. (Obviously that last one happens the most.)

And then the folks at Ravelry came up with this:

Wheeee!!!! Isn't it cute? The first version they put up for sale featured a plunging neckline and was made of what I'd consider to be tissue-paper thin fabric.  Both of those are not on my list of clothing preferences so I was initially disappointed. But then they announced that the design would also be made available on a Hanes women's v-neck shirt.  I think the point of that is to make it possible for larger ladies, but if you are a smaller person who prefers a more modest neckline and clothing that you can't see through - this is perfect.

And the logo?  It's back there:

Up high on the back, where my hair easily covers it. So essentially it's a nice white tee with a dark reddish pink graphic on the front that I could wear just about anywhere. (Yes, I'd put my hair up if I was meeting up with other knitters!) It's a perfect fit and it makes me very happy!

You know what else makes me happy?

This:

Doesn't that make you smile?

Hammer Time!

I don't get too many opportunities for social knitting, most of the time I'm a solo act.  But this past Saturday I had the fun of going on a field trip to meet up with a group of knitters at the Hammer Museum.

The trip was organized by Ellen Bloom who came up with fabulous idea of getting a group of knitters together to meet with Lisa Anne Auerbach and view her participation in the Hammer's exhbition, "Nine Lives...Visionary Artists from L.A."

We gathered in the courtyard around noon and spent an hour chatting, knitting, and munching before heading upstairs to the gallery.  Our group of about 15-20 wandered through the exhibit, checking out the other eight artists, and ending with Lisa's portion. Her knitted art is displayed on torsos that hang from the ceiling so you walk through and around the individual pieces in the collection as you view it. This one is my favorite:

It was wonderful to meet Lisa and learn more about her work! I'm actually very interested in the graphic design element but when you add in translating the image into knit stitches? Wow, just wow.

I really enjoyed the day and I think that's why I didn't take very many pictures, and none at all while we were in the courtyard.  So for more pics, check out Ellen's post on our field trip!

Maybe these are the electric sheep the androids dream of

You just gotta love this:



I'm impressed as all hell with the idea, but the execution?  Whoa....

*Edited to add: If the post title made sense to you, or you caught the reference, let me know!

The stash burped

Just recently after seeing the photo of my Stitches West haul which included some Cascade Fixation, my friend and fellow blogger beentsy contacted me to say that she had some of that springy cotton yarn she'd love to send on to someone who'd put it to good use. She listed all the different colorways and I replied back saying that I'd love to have the two blue and the two purple and she responded to let me know that they were on their way.

Then the other day I went to the post office and picked up a package.  I recognized the sender's name and location, and thought, "Wow, kind of a big package for four li'l balls of cotton yarn...she musta really wrapped that up good..."

You see what's coming don't you?

I didn't.

She sent me all of it. The whole enchilada.

Uh, hunh - yessirree.  That is eight, count 'em, EIGHT balls of yarn.  The equivalent of up to four pairs of socks. That's like - my whole summer sock knitting right there!

Yes, of course I know you can use that yarn for something other than socks. (And I plan on proving that soon, more on that another day.) But this is me, remember?  She of the sweaty Southern California summers?  I know I will want to knit socks during the season, even when I am too hot to be wearing 'em, and on those days, this may be the only yarn I wanna get near.

Between my Stitches purchases and this, my stash is full to the bursting point.  I already had a guilt thing going about the yarn still lurking in my stash from last year...but now??? Knitting exclusively from stash will be my mantra for the coming months, and clearly, I also need to be knitting more! 

Stitches West '09 - the rest of the story

The nice thing about blogs is that if you need to leave them for awhile, they just sit there and wait patiently for you to come back. (The blog readers, now that's another matter.) Cats however, if left for a week, even in the care of someone nice and sincere, have issues. Serious issues. Forgiveness is still pending.  I'll keep you posted.

So where was I?  Having entirely too much fun at Stitches West. More fun than I've had in the longest time.  I took a class in designing cables taught by Fiona Ellis, and missed out the opportunity to take classes in double-knitting and knitting continental style because the classes filled up much faster than I'd expected.  I tried knitting with square needles and learned about sock knitting machines from an enthusiast. I visited with friends I met last year at Stitches, like Didi, Tracy, and Wendee. I met some great new people like Christine, Michelle, and Laura.

And I did do a wee bit of shopping:

That, from left to right and then top to bottom is, a pair of sock blockers from Chappy's Fiber Arts, a couple skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Louet Gems fingering from Discontinued Brand Name Yarn, Madeleine Tosh sock in "Jade" from Webs, two skeins of Hazel Knits in new colorways "Blacklight" and "Lipstick 1984" from Bobbins Nest Studio, some Cascade Fixation from Rumpelstiltskin, and a skein of worsted wool from Creatively Dyed. Phew!

I'm very pleased with what I bought, I think I did I much better job of navigating the marketplace than I did last year, when it was all just completely overwhelming. But that's not all I got, just all I bought.

The night before I left to travel to Stitches I was frantically calmly packing my suitcase and tying up a few loose ends when I got a surprise phone call from my friend D.  Now I'd already received a great b-day card from her, and an email, but phone calls are nice too.  She informed me that a couple of her old friends from her glass-blowing days ran a business selling their glass beads, jewelry and other work and that apparently they were going to have a booth at Stitches West. Okay, any friend of D's is a friend of mine - great!  But then she went on to say that in honor of my 40th birthday, she had arranged for me to have a $40 credit at their booth! Oh wow - do I have the bestest friends or what???

So on Thursday evening at the market preview I went and introduced myself to Mingo and Asho of Glasscapes.  Their products were so amazingly gorgeous I knew I was going to need to come back and spend some quality time making a decision. And on Saturday afternoon, after over 30 minutes, I finally did:

A beautiful glass pendant and two stunning buttons. (Ruler included for scale). I wore the pendant when I went out Saturday evening, and had Mingo and Asho's business cards in my back pocket so every time someone commented on it...you get the idea!  I don't know what I'll use the buttons on, they are similar enough to be used together but so outstanding I think it'd be great to use just one as an accent at the top of a line of plain black buttons, or solo on a hat. We'll see!  (And thank you so much D!  Wonderfully thoughtful and far too generous!) 

But I got a lot more from the trip to Stitches West than what you can see in these pictures.  For just those brief days, I was completely surrounded by people who shared my level of interest in knitting. Not just a few people, not even a few dozen, but maybe a few hundred.  This, for a long time solo knitter like me, is a fairly heady experience.

Is it any wonder I'm experiencing a bit of difficulty in returning to my regularly scheduled programming?

I just love it when a plan comes together

Don't you?

Unlike last year, the weather was clear and dry as I drove out of L.A. and headed north on the Interstate. I stopped for a quick lunch at an IHOP near Bakersfield where I learned that today was National Pancake Day.  I had never heard of this before but I wholeheartedly approve of the concept and will note it on my calender for next year.  (I expect you will do the same, yes?)

Also unlike last year I'm using a rental car. I love my little truck, it made the round-trip to Stitches West 2008 and back without complaint and performed like a trouper.  But I just didn't feel right about attempting that again without giving it a little TLC from a qualified mechanic. And the past few months have just too busy to squeeze in that task. So my beloved grey truck stays home and instead I am driving this:

Yep, it's OhPleaseTicketMe Red.  Not what I would have preferred but I'll make the best of it. At least it'll be easy to find in parking lots!

I arrived in Coalinga at about 3pm and was mightily tempted to continue driving and make the most of the clear sunny skies.  I know I have an unfortunate tendency to try and be Superwoman, pushing myself harder and further than necessary. But this time I caught myself, and stuck with the plan. I checked into a Motel 6 and for an insanely low price got a bright, clean room with WiFi. After a break I cleaned up and went over to the Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant.

Obviously the Inn is a bit out of my budget, but I'd heard their store was worth checking out and they have a great restaurant.  How great is the restaurant?  So great that they actually have two separate restaurants, one for "family" dining and one that is 21 and up only. I'm betting you can figure out where I had dinner!  I ordered the "Smokey Blue Flatbread", which is like a personal sized pizza made on crispy flatbread, with barbecue smoked tri-tip, roasted tomato sauce, caramelized onions and gorgonzola cheese.  It was deelishus! (I may be tasting it for a while longer this evening but trust me - SO worth it.)

Even though my motel seems to have filled up quite a bit more since I arrived this afternoon, it's very quiet so now that I've got a full stomach I expect to have no trouble falling asleep. And tomorrow, I'll be back out on the road again.

Keep your fingers crossed for more good weather!

Packing...

Don't you just love it? NOT!  

The advantage of a driving trip is supposed to be the ability to take as much stuff as you want, you just fill the car up. Right?  Unfortunately I have to drag everything on and off the boat before I even get to the car. That complicates things.

My plan is to leave the island on the 8am boat and start driving north.  Weather permitting, I'd like to make it Coalinga before stopping for the night.  Then on Wednesday I'll head out again and arrive in Santa Clara at a reasonable hour. Yes, I could do the entire 371 mile drive in one day and that's exactly how I did it last year when I went to Stitches West.  But last year I also arrived completely wiped out and fell face first into a coma within seconds of arriving at my hotel. I'd like shoot for a better experience this year.

So...clothes & toiletries in the suitcase, laptop & accessories in the carry-on with knitting paraphernalia...somehow, this will all come together between now and tomorrow morning. I am Stitches bound and I have faith.  But faith is not going to be enough, in order to make this happen first I have to get off the couch and off this computer.

See ya further down the road!

When the drama llama comes to town

Just shoot 'em, plant one right between the eyes.  Think that's too extreme? Okay, use a tranquilizer gun and aim for the fleshy bits. That's usually not hard to locate on that particular animal.

Again, you may think I'm being too harsh, but I've discovered in recent years that I have an extreme dislike of drama and those who manufacture it. I'm guessing that these are people who have never lived in a town that is less than 3 square miles, on an island of about 76 square miles. Set a year-round population of 3500 people into that space and you'll see some drama. Trust me on this.  

I don't really, fully, understand why some people feel the need to stir up issues, foment discord, and generally cause trouble. You've known someone like this haven't you? So what do you think? Entertainment? Insecurity? I dunno - maybe you can explain it to me.

 

With Stitches West right around the corner I've been thinking about last year and some of what occurred in the weeks prior, and how that might have affected my enjoyment of the event. Some might say that I opened a can of worms.  I don't mind letting a few worms out, even statistically significant amounts of worms, but there's a big difference between that and popping the top off a jar of a angry pit vipers, know what I mean? One could also point out that instead of fighting back, or asking for outside help/mediation, I chose to walk away.  I admit that might not have been the best choice, but it was the right one for me at the time.  Seriously, as I see it some things are worth fighting for and others are not.  Choose your battles.

We've all got opinions

Don't we? And I'm not talking about life and the world in general, I just mean about knitting. Styles, tools, yarns, vendors, patterns - you name it - we've all got somethin' to say about it. So here's another chance to put in your two cents.

One very clever college student has found a way to accomplish what I dreamed of - get college credit for knitting! She designed and knitted up a jacket and while it achieved the objective of impressing her instructor, she's not exactly in love with it.

Now this daring lass has thrown caution to the wind and asked us, the knitters of the blogiverse, to contribute our opinions of this project.  Wise to the ways of the knitbloggers, she's even offering a contest to win, of course...yarn. 

So why not follow me over to Logan's blog and share your thoughts?  I know she'll appreciate it. Just tell her I sent you!

State of the Sock Knitting Report

You might think with all the hat & scarf knitting going on over the past couple months, that perhaps I'm no longer interested in knitting socks? Not so.  I've been knitting 'em, I just haven't stopped to blog them or even update my Ravelry notebook.

First up, a pair of basic stockinette socks:

Made with a couple balls of Red Heart's Heart and Sole in the Rustica colorway that I purchased from a mainland big box store in November. The joy of knitting round and round in plain simple stockinette when my brain was already overloaded with formulas and other such nonsense.

A pair of Ribby Slipper Socks:

Pattern from the Interweave Knits Holiday issue. I made this pair using Lion Wool-Ease Thick & Quick for the feet and Red Heart worsted for the cuffs.  They knit up amazingly fast and I've already cast on another pair for someone else.

My Artichoke Socks have finally seen some progress:

But I'm only showing you one sock 'cause that's all I've done. I don't know what it is about this pattern, somehow I just have to be the right mood to work on it. And apparently that mood doesn't come along very often! But it is a gorgeous sock so I'm hoping having the first one completed will help motivate me to do knit up the second.

Lastly, I cast on another basic sock in 2x2 rib:

I'm using a skein of Spunky Eclectic yarn I've had in my stash for a long time but kept passing up because this stuff is just crazy thin. Like dental floss thin. The colorway is named "Goblin Eyes", but to me those colors - purple, gold, green - say "Mardi Gras" so that's what I'm calling these socks.  No rush to finish this pair, the work in progress will just live in my bag and travel around with me wherever I go. Think of it as insurance policy against being stuck somewhere, anywhere, without knitting.  Because we all know that would be bad. So let's just say I believe it's important to Be Prepared.  And although these days my interest is limited to the cookies, yes...I was a Girl Scout once.  How 'bout you?

When the world dishes out weirdness

I mean really - I know why I'm hanging out in the kitchen. But unless my cat has suddenly developed a hankering for oatmeal cookies I can't imagine what Miss Thing is doing here or what she suddenly finds so fascinating about my oven.

Just a few minutes earlier my land line phone rang and get this - I actually answered it.  I've got almost everyone trained to either call me on my cell phone or email me at this point but there's still a few holdouts.  And how am I rewarded for getting my deadbeat tired tushie up off the couch and picking up the phone?  By a cough.  Seriously.  Whatever happened to good old fashioned breathing? Noooo...this one hacks up a lung into the phone and then just hangs up. Thanks, I needed that.

I've been neglecting the blog and many other things I'd much rather be doing because of one specific project that is sucking up far more of my time than I'd like. Between that, some course deadlines, the Hallmark Holiday, and an upcoming b-day (that we will discuss some other time) I'm feeling a little squeezed and not in the best of moods.  But there is a light at the end of the tunnel and its name is Stitches West.

Pidge me!

All my running around last week put this knitting project on the back burner but now that I'm home and getting caught up, I completed my version of the My So-Called Pidge:

It is very warm and soft and I'm very pleased with it. Even though I don't have buttons on it I consider this to be "finished" and plan to take it Stitches West and shop for the buttons while I'm there.  In the meanwhile, it can be held together easily with one of my little hairsticks, like the one I used in the picture above.

Why I know not, but it took me three tries to get the hang of the stitch pattern but once I had it down, it was incredibly simple and I really like the fabric that results.

I think this is the kind of stitch pattern that works equally well for many types of yarn. In a solid, the stitches and texture really pop. In a variegated or multicolor, the slipped stitches and psso's do a marvelous job of mixing up the colors.  I'm sure I'll use it again in the future!

While I was on the mainland I stopped by one of those big box stores that like many, are drastically reducing the amount of yarn they stock.  So for the whopping price of $2.47 I picked up:

Very interesting stuff this.  You can read more about it here, but the basic concept is that 20% of the content consists of a fiber made from recycled plastic bottles. It is quite soft and at a washable worsted weight very practical.

In fact, I've already decided that I want to make a hat with it.  What I have in mind is sort of slouchy tam, one I can tuck all my hair up inside of, like the tam I made last September. But I don't wear that one as much as I'd like to because of the colors, so I think something similar in basic black will be more useful and hopefully will be something that looks equally good with my usual blue jeans lifestyle or on the rare occasions I dress up more. I'm thinking about maybe the Baroness Beret. Very pretty, but is it too lacy to look okay with jeans? I have a couple other patterns in mind, but that one's the frontrunner - so let me know what you think!

Mama's got a brand new bag

I should take a moment to remind you that I am very easily entertained.  Considering where I live and my current income level - this is a damn good thing.  So it should come as no surprise that getting anything in the mail besides textbooks or cat supplies is just cause for celebration. Especially since Christmas is in the past, and my birthday's still a month away.

But I bought myself an early  birthday present this year:

It's a Baggallini Messenger Bagg. And it is a marvelous thing.  It hangs comfortably on one shoulder like a normal purse would but can also be slung over so the strap runs across your chest.  It has a variety of pockets to stash everything I might carry around town with me and/or take when I head overtown for the day.  The inside of one of those pockets has a pen or pencil loop and a key clip and there's even one of those clever little pockets on the strap for your cell phone.

The bag I've been using for the past several years is a small tan leather backpack I purchased from the leather goods booth at the Sawdust Art Festival.  It was beautiful when it was new and over time it did what good leather is supposed to and acquired more character with age.  Periodically I'd clean it out and wipe it down with a good leather cleaner, even give it a  few weeks off while I tried using a smaller, dainty, girlie looking purse. But I always went back to my old faithful leather bag. Last year one of the zippers finally broke and I was only able to get it replaced with one of a slightly different color.  So...more character, eh?

What finally pushed me over the edge towards buying something new was that the acquisition of that leather bag actually pre-dates my becoming a Knitter.  You know, the "Knitter" being that person who does not leave the house without some sort of knitting project to work on in random moments because for the love of wool, you just know you are going to get stuck somewhere waiting and having that knitting will keep you from murdering that poor bank teller/postal clerk/bus driver*.  

Anyway, I found that even squeezing a sock in progress into that backpack required a certain amount of strategizing of the contents, and I was constantly rearranging the contents everytime I needed to pull something out and put it back.  Not so fun. However, in this bag, the sock in progress gets it's very own pocket! Now how's THAT for giving the knitting a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T?  (Knitting gods, please take note.)

The only thing I still need to figure out is what to do with my camera.  I am one of those people who takes a little digital camera everywhere (seriously, it pays off) and in my old bag there was a perfectly sized pocket with a soft lining, just right for my camera.  Now I have a pocket for it in the new bag, but it looks like it might get knocked around a bit and that's no bueno.

Sure I could buy one of those small padded camera cases but hello, I am a Knitter and you know what that means...I should knit up a camera case!  There are over a dozen patterns on Ravelry and after looking through a few of them I think I should be able to just wing it on this. Right?

I looked through my yarn leftovers from various projects and though initially I thought sock yarn would be good, I've decided to try using the partial ball of Berocco Love It remaining from my Sweaty September Tam.

As you can see, I've got 40 grams and that seems like it ought to be enough to make a little camera pouch. I'm thinking a little 2x2 ribbed tube, seamed at one end and a little flap and fastener at the other.  How hard could that be???

*True story - a few years ago I impulsively hopped aboard one of our bus tours into the interior of the island with my friend Judy, her husband John was driving and guiding the tour.  The bus broke down in one of our dead zone areas where the driver gets no radio signal and there is no cell phone reception. It was summer and there is no A/C on that bus.  I had knitting. Everyone lived.

Neck and neck

At the beginning of January I showed a lineup of what I'd been working on, including the Celtic Cable Neckwarmer that was part of my holiday stealth knitting.  It was made using that well-known knitter's crack - Mmmmmmalabrigo.  And after completing the neckwarmer to my great joy I discovered that I had almost half the skein left over. To make another gift you ask? Uhhh, no. (What are you new here?) To make something for me.

This is Sonia's Ribbed for Your Warmth cowl pattern and it is so soft and snuggly and I just lurve it. I noticed a few months ago when we skipped immediately from summer into winter without enjoying a fall season, that I had a lot of crewneck shirts I never had a chance to wear since I went straight from tank tops to turtlenecks.  Something like this will make a huge difference and now I understand the whole cowl craze.  It really does serve a purpose. I almost want the weather to get cold again so I can wear it. No, strike that. I don't really want it to get cold again. But I know it will and I'm getting ready.

I'm also interested in trying some of the shorter scarves that have become popular. Whether you call them neckwarmers, mini-scarves, or scarflettes, I can see the positive side of just having a short, warm, colorful bit wrapped around your neck without any extra bulk or more importantly, long dangling ends. (Other cat owners are nodding their heads here.) It also seems like a great way to use up one single skein of yummy yarn, when you'd need a few for a long scarf.  So I started this:

My So-Called Pidge, using a skein of Yarn Place Adalie Bulky that I purchased at last year's Stitches West.  I think I'm going to complete all but the buttons, and then shop for those at this year's Stitches West, sew them on in my hotel room, and wear it home. Sounds like a good plan to me!