between tuesdays

i.am.a.knitter

2007-11-09T20:14:00.000-05:00

seriously.

i am.

you have to take my word.

i have no pictures for you since my camera is in new orleans and i can not for the life of me find the other one. supposedly its somewhere in the house.

i started mr. greenjeans, i'm afraid it looks a little like camouflage, i'd really like your opinion, but again...no pictures. it'll have to wait until early next week.

i am so happy to be knitting, although that means that i haven't done a thing around the house since i've been left on my own. oh well.

yarn, needles...its the little things.

pumpkin horror

2007-10-30T11:20:00.000-04:00

sometime yesterday this happened.

fucking squirrels.

the one in which i fall into a time suck and find some yarn...

2007-10-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

as if the poor blog wasn't being neglected enough, a couple weeks ago my ravelry invite comes along and BAM - no more posting. the site is in a word amazing, but you've heard all that before.

so now, not only am i not knitting, i'm not blogging, and i'm spending hours exploring ravelry for ideas, inspiration, etc. it is addictive. i'm stephanieayn over there...come say hi.

although, i did unearth from the depths of the boxes, my project bag and the ivy pattern. honestly, i do want to knit again.

oh and i may have bought some yarn and ordered some magazines - if you didn't know Interweave Knits is having their back sale.

speaking of interweave, the winter '07 preview is up...i like the sweater girl pullover (although i'd have to sub the yarn - an entire sweater in mohair, ugh) and the gathered pullover but nothing else was really doing it for me.

ok, this was a really random post but its all i got on a monday morning.

bruises, splinters and paint chips, oh my!

2007-10-12T14:05:00.000-04:00

ok, so it's been WELL over a month since my last post and i'll be honest, i've actually felt really bad about it, but here's the thing.

i.have.not.knit.a.stitch.

seriously, in over a month. this house-buying, moving, rehabbing, shit is for the birds.

and really, this is supposed to be a knitting blog, but since i have none of that, i will share with you a bit of what i have been doing.

i bought a house.
it's really cute.
the previous owners were dirtbags.

this is a fact that i was not fully aware of until we actually closed - i just thought they had really bad taste! so...my grand plans of painting, de-wallpapering, etc were put on hold while we cleaned, and cleaned, and cleaned and cleaned and, well...you get the point.

so in order for us to actually be able to live there, we've been working our collective arse's off.

first up...the kitchen. here it is in all it's burger king glory...

yes, thats right, you are looking at vintage 1982 dark lacquered knotty pine cabinets, a red laminate countertop and linoleum floor. After much grease-scraping, priming, painting and purchasing of new appliances, here is what it looks like now...

yeah i know, it really needs a full gut, but that won't be happening till...oh i dont know, forever. so in the meantime, its clean and a little easier on the eyes (sorry about the blurry pic, too many late late nights).

there have been many other projects...and since i cant quite figure out how to link my pics to flickr just go here.

hopefully the knitting will resume (as soon as i can locate any projects, yarn, etc)...oh, the good news is that i am now in walking distance to a yarn shop.

I know I am alone in this

2007-10-04T15:43:00.000-04:00

...but I have a very hard time buying yarn in person. I know, its weird, but I buy much better in the sterile environment of the Internet. On the Internet, I think about things like yardage, and content and gauge, price comparisons and user reviews. This is how I shop. In real life there is the looking and the touching and the smelling, but no dry data. I honestly get turned off from buying anything at all. It all looks and feels nice, but I can talk myself out of it so easily.
Now, this creates a moral dilemma for me, because in my heart, I'd rather support the small local business person than buy online in the nameless, faceless cybersphere. I really would.
So that brings us to last weekend's Knox Farm Fiber Festival.

Last year Stephanie, Carolyn and I went, and I didn't purchase a darned thing. I thought so many things were beautiful, so many things I couldn't easily buy elsewhere, but I went home empty handed. So, this year when Carolyn and I went again, (Stephanie's moving day-yay)I asked for moral support from Carolyn to help me actually buy some yarn. (Can you imagine?)

It started out tough- I saw a lot of beautiful yarn, but I had an excuse not to buy all of it. I would seriously pick up a skein, admire it like crazy, then make up a reason not to get it. The festival is petite and soon we had seen it all, I realised it was do or die, so we went back and I picked up a beautiful skein of Looped Backsock yarn in a beautiful color called sand- sort of a semi solid caramel brown, and also a lovely skein of Knox Farm Fiber a lovely hand spun worsted in a mix of purples. They even put a picture of the sheep whose wool it is and her name on the tag. (but what was it? I don't remember!)

It wasn't nearly as painful as I expected and I've already come up with plans for both! Yay to buying yarn in real life!

Thanks to Carolyn for taking photos. Heck knows I am unreliable in that regard. (not to mention the lack of camera)

Old F.O.gies: Toostiff Funnyfit Cardi

2007-09-19T15:02:00.000-04:00

Truth be told, if we all wait around until I actually finish anything, blogs will probably be obsolete by then, and you'll be driving flying cars and knitting with fiber optic cables or something. So, call it padding, call it filler, call it what you will, I'll be calling this ongoing series Old F.O.gies.

For the inaugural Old F.O. I'd like to present a little number finished 9/20/06:

Pattern: Pismo from the Berocco Calico Leaflet
Yarn: Colinette Wigwam
Colorway: No idea
Needles: How should I know
Mods: adjusted for gauge, lowered button

The story of this little number is that one day I was at a Stitch 'n Bitch in Brooklyn and one of the attendees happened to work at a big knitting industry establishment. Said establishment had lots of yarn they were discarding and the kind soul brought a butt load of it to the group to scavenge. I grabbed up this Wigwam, remembering a pattern I once saw in a magazine for a tank that used Wigwam.
As all yarn I acquire does, this yarn went to live in my closet for several years before it got called into service. I no longer desired a thick, bulky weight tank top. I came across this Berocco pattern, thought the asymmetrical shape was cute, and that it might make a nice piece for sitting in the AC at work. Totally hate AC.
Anyhow, she came out okay. I wear it sometimes. I should have added waist shaping, but I thought the ribbing was going to do the trick. The fabric is absolutely bulletproof. There is no such thing as drape. She doesn't flatter the figure much either. Still, it's not the worst thing I've made.

Button is white shell from the button drawer. Love that site. Button could've been bigger. My fault, not theirs. Still, I like it.

Of love and loss

2007-09-11T15:17:00.000-04:00

It pains me even now, as I write this, many weeks later.

You may recall a photoless post many weeks ago, in which I spoke of the socks I made for my husband's trip to Mexico- a tribute to our love.

Yeah, well, nothing is sacred any more, suckers.

Some excuses were muttered about the laundry and a taxi and how it wasn't his fault, but the fact remains that he returned home with only one sock.

Lucky for him he married a very reasonable woman. I have a policy about gifts in general, and that is that whatever the recipient does with a gift I have given is not my concern. Different people appreciate things in different ways, and I think it's poisonous to spy and wonder and judge their gratitude based on your expectations of what they will do with the gift. Furthermore, when it comes to knitted gifts, some think it more reverent to put the gifts aside, cherish them, bring them out only for special occasions so that they may forever be in the condition they were presented. Others lovingly wear their knitted gifts to threads. Both are a-okay by me.
Therefore, I choose to be glad he loved them enough to take them along and wear them. I will make a new partner for the lonely sock.

Here it is in all it's size 11, wide, high arched glory:

And here it is with one of my Sockapalooza socks for scale:

And so you can grasp the sheer length of the thing:

But replace it I will, because the only thing more tragic than loosing a symbol of love, is retaining only half of it.

In conclusion, these puppies will make good textbook-reading-knitting. 80 stitches around. The toe of the sucker looks like a damned baby hat.

Details when I finish.

no time for love dr. jones

2007-09-05T19:24:00.000-04:00

oy the guilt.

i havent posted in what seems like forever (i'm too lazy to go back and look) and to make matters worse i have NO new knitting to show for the absence. unless you consider the anastasia socks, which i've managed to completely fuck up two knit nites in a row. so with all the ripping back i've made no progress.

packing sucks. so what am i doing - sitting here in the extremely hot loft trying to catch up on a months worth of podcasts (tackling this american life right now)...NOT packing.

so...here's some useless crap to make this post less of a snooze.

You paid attention during 86% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

isn't that a relief???

and wow, my death seems to echo this post - boring as ever. couldn't die in a pirate attack or a freak ceiling fan accident. nope.

How will I die? Your Result: You will die while saving someone's life. The most noble of all deaths. Your rewards will be great in the next life. You are most definitely a humanitarian. If not currently, you will be. To give one's life is a precious moment that will be remembered by friends and family for many decades.
You will die in your sleep.
You will die in a car accident.
You will die while having sex.
You will be murdered.
You will die from a terminal illness.
You will die in a nuclear holocaust.
You will die of boredom.
How will I die? Create a Quiz

ok, time to kill this post. i'd end it by saying that hopefully i'll have something fun and fiber related to post soon, but honestly, even i don't believe it.

My Sockapalooza haul

2007-08-30T15:06:00.000-04:00

At long, loooong last, may I finally present to you, the lovely socks I received quite a long time ago from my excellent Sockapalooza pal, Angela.

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, colorway Cool
Pattern: Landlocked Socks from I'm Knitting as Fast as I Can (seems this may not be available any longer?)

They fit great, very soft and comfortable, and a yarn that is among my favorites.
There were several other goodies in the package, including a beautiful bracelet that I failed to photograph, but have already worn many times.

Thanks again, Angela!

Are we in for a rude awakening?

2007-08-29T15:45:00.000-04:00

This may hit a little too close to home.
Hide your stash and don't turn out the lights.

Utterly pathetic

2007-08-28T14:44:00.000-04:00

I blame knitting.

1001 books you must read before you die (spotted at the much better read Fillyjonk's Progress )

2000s
67. House of Leaves – Mark Z. Danielewski

1900s
214. The Passion – Jeanette Winterson
249. Dictionary of the Khazars – Milorad Pavi?
272. The Color Purple – Alice Walker
291. Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
301. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
375. Slaughterhouse-five – Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
417. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater – Kurt Vonnegut
434. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich – Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn
436. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey
437. A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess
444. Stranger in a Strange Land – Robert Heinlein
456. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
494. The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
495. The Talented Mr. Ripley – Patricia Highsmith
508. Lord of the Flies – William Golding
529. The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
547. Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell
564. Animal Farm – George Orwell
574. The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
592. The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
608. Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
610. The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
649. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
663. A Farewell to Arms – Ernest Hemingway
699. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

1800s
797. The Time Machine – H.G. Wells
804. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
825. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
897. The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne
916. The Fall of the House of Usher – Edgar Allan Poe

Hmmm....
Well, in my defense (defensiveness) I forget a lot of what I read, so I may have missed a couple. Also, I do own several on the list that I haven't gotten around to yet.
And, too, I have read several books I did not have to read before I die. I wonder if those books would be available to read in the afterlife, or if they simply have no effect on whether you die or not.
It follows then that I am better off taking my time reading these books, thus preventing my death indefinitely.

Inadequate

2007-08-22T12:27:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm back. I've actually been back for nearly a week now, but once again, I've been procrastinating posting for lack of photographs.
You see, and I know its lame, but I am somewhat of a Luddite. I don't actually own a camera, much less a digital camera. Now, my husband is a photographer, so I do have cameras available to me. Still I have never touched those fancy cameras. I have a talent for breaking things that don't belong to me. Scott is happy to take photos for me, but its hardly top priority, so we'll just have to take 'em when we can get 'em until I get a camera of my own. Preferably one with very few knobs or buttons.
Anyhow, here's a quick breakdown, and I'll go into detail when I get my act together:

- I did receive my gorgeous Sockapaloozasocks the day before I left on my trip. The socks are lovely, and my wonderful sockpal, Angela, included a handmade bracelet that I have already worn several times, some cute notepads, and postcards from her hometown, Cincinnati. Funny coincidence, I had a layover at the Cincinnati airport the very next day. Anyway, this deserves its own post for sure, and very soon.

- My trip to Mexico was wonderful. Had a beautiful time. Knit socks. Not so wonderful. Post with pics soon.

- Other knitting...I made Scott a Zeebee before I left. The pattern is amazing, it looked great with the yarn. It didn't fit. Why didn't I measure one of his other hats? Why didn't I check gauge after knitting a while? I'll reknit after I've given it a timeout in the UFO closet.
I haven't touched the sleeves to my princess pullover. I am so uninspired.
I started aura but am only a few rows in.
Finally, the last project I have on the needles is one about which I could write a novel. I'll leave you with a link and let it suffice to say that I have made this hat at least 3 times now, without success. I am so not a crocheter, nor am I skilled in the ways of colorwork. I give you the Peruvian Motif Banded Crown Cap . In its latest incarnation I am attempting to knit it. Let me say, in its defence, that those Hatternique patterns are really brilliant and the fault is mine, not the pattern.

That's all I have strength for now. More when I can provide evidence.

who doesn't love the smell of cardboard in the morning?

2007-08-21T09:02:00.000-04:00

what do you think the movers will think? i'm guessing not much (i dont think they care nearly as much about my stuff as i do), but it's still kinda funny.

during my last move, i realized that i am a very bad box labeler - what? who would have guessed that "fans and crap" isn't descriptive enough? and that 3 boxes labeled "bathroom" didn't help me find my soap any faster.

so this time (since we are moving waaaaay more crap), i've been trying to be as exact as possible, it is really quite funny. we'll see how well it actually works, i'm still expecting a near meltdown when all i really want to do is take a shower and i can't find the freaking soap!

so knitting, eh? yeah haven't been doing much of it. i left myself the anastasia socks and the ivy sleeve (that still needs to be ripped) and a very old WIP languishing at that bottom of my knitting bag. but honestly between work and packing and TRYING to squeeze in some summer fun i just haven't knit a stitch.

here's to hoping i'll pick up the needles soon.

shakespeare socks

2007-08-20T08:57:00.000-04:00

my sockapalooza socks had their first outing this weekend, thanks to a cold spell here in the northeast (at least my part of the northeast).

the socks arrived packed away with a sweatshirt as part of my "just in case" plan...it wasn't long before they were in use.

the socks committed a fashion faux pas, but since they are german, they were excused.

the socks thoroughly enjoyed othello...

they are incredibly warm and comfy (i can't wait for winter!)

schöne socken

2007-08-12T12:16:00.000-04:00

my sockapalooza socks have arrived and they are absolutely beautiful! tanja, these socks are perfect! they fit like a glove and are amazingly vibrant. can you believe she dyed these herself? they are one of my most favorite color combinations too!

the socks are 100% merino and the pattern is out of a german sock book. i love them, i love them, i love them! they are going to be perfect once the buffalo winter sets in. :)

thank you tanja!

Socks and Itchy Feet

2007-08-06T15:33:00.000-04:00

Much to say, no photos.

My socks are winging their way to their new home, where I hope they'll be well recieved. Its exciting stuff, and I can't wait to recieve my own new socks as well, but sadly, I won't be here when they arrive.

I depart on Wednesday morning for sunny Mexico to rendevous with the man of my dreams. I know, I know, eat your hearts out.

8 hours of rarely interrupted knitting.

THat's what you were jealous of, right?

I am a little sad that I will miss the climax of all this Sockaplooza knitting and schemeing, but I think we can all agree that it'll be worth it.

THe fella and I are meeting in Puerto Vallarta, then we will proceed to lolly-gag our way down the coast, spending the nights in quaint fishing villages and our days playing in the surf. Finally, when we hit Acapulco, we will head inland to Mexico City, and fly home from there.

That means I get the bonus of car knitting too! Awesome. I think I'll focus on small bts of lace- but I'm conflicted. Perhaps you'll have some input? Here are my options:

1- The lace sleeves to my Princess Pullover
This sucker was started in summer 2005, and all I have left are sleeves!

2- Aura in Rowan Calmer for my niece who lives in Long Beach. She'll be home to visit shortly after I get home.

3- Droppy scarf in Artfibers Tsuki for my best friend who lives in Santa Cruz. She bought me a big box of Artfibers goodies last birthday, and I promised half would become gifts for her. So fart, only delivered a hat, so I have some knitting to do there.

4- some kind of socks, cause socks are that perfect sort of thinking, but often not thinking too hard, portable knitting.

Thanks for your input- you know I'll probably bring at least 2 of those!

Pics when I get home!

and off they go...

2007-08-02T16:19:00.000-04:00

Library Gestapo

2007-07-26T09:10:00.000-04:00

this is way too much pressure. when did the library become blockbuster?

and no this is not the first book i've taken out in the last couple months that's had that sticker, its just that i clearly have no knitting to blog about.

sarah and ally i will be holding you responsible. kinda like how i bitch to my dad about the post office.

no clever title...

2007-07-24T17:25:00.000-04:00

i can't come up with anything witty, so i'll just distract you with yummy sock goodness.

the anastasia socks are finally back on my trusty #2's now that my sockapalooza socks are finished .

i'm anxious to get my knitting back on track, i've been a bit preoccupied lately (don't want to jinx myself but i'd appreciate positive vibes around 9am tomorrow)

so yeah, excited to get back to some ufo's, i've still got to rip out the sleeve of ivy, that will come soon...first some yummy sock goodness.

Over the limit

2007-07-22T01:04:00.001-04:00

I tend to have about 3 active projects at a time: one for at work on my lunch break, and two at home- a mindless one and a thoughtful one. Truth be told, usually i focus one just one or the other, but I like to consider them both "active". One of my goals this year is to clear out a significant number of UFOs, so I have been trying to make 2 of the 3 a revived old project. See how I like making up rules, then forcing myself to follow them?
Anyhow, my thoughtful, at home project that I chose to revive was started in summer of 2005. It is the Princess Pullover, a free pattern from Elann. I keep returning to this project because i think the finished product will be really beautiful, but honestly, this yarn is no fun to work with, and the pattern is written in that vague, German-y way that makes it frustrating at times. At this point, I have only the sleeves left to knit. Last night I sat down with a glass of wine and cast on both sleeves at once. By glass of wine number two, I realized my stitch count was no long working on one of the sleeves, so i took it right off the needles and figured I'd just proceed with one sleeve at a time. By glass number three, I was headed for bed, both sleeves ripped and vowing not to knit lace while A) drinking, even a little B) talking to ANYONE C) Watching anything on TV that I need to see to enjoy

Very sad. Fingers crossed that the new rules will lead to progress tomorrow.

Hearsay

2007-07-18T16:01:00.000-04:00

I'll have to ask you to take my word for it, but I did finish another pair of socks last night. I have no real evidence to prove that I did so, nor will I be able to produce evidence in the very near future.

But hey, have I ever lied to you before?

You see, my husband Scott left for Mexico this morning for a 4 week trek, and I burned the midnight oil to finish some warm woollen socks for him to take along and think of me when the night gets cold.

How does that Paul Young song go? "Every time you go away, you take a piece of meat with you..."

Perhaps he'll send pics home of the socks in their exotic locale.

I hear this all the time....

2007-07-17T13:34:00.000-04:00

Your Celebrity Boob Twin:

Jennifer Aniston

Who's Your Celebrity Boob Twin?

friday finished fotos

2007-07-13T15:55:00.000-04:00

well here they are...i am so excited. i absolutely love them and i hope my pal does too!

here are the specs...

pattern: hedera by cookie a. , from knitty spring '06
yarn: cherry tree hill super solid in slate
needles: addi turbo us2 (after the frogapalooza )
mods: other than knitting it on two circs there were none. the pattern was great (as always with cookie).

these were great to knit, having never used cth before i was psyched. i will definitely be picking up more of this. the process was really awesome, from pattern and yarn selection, even through all the drama, these were a joy to knit. and i've loved my first sockapalooza experience so far, browsing the pligg, getting to look at all the great socks everyone else is working on. i can't wait for august 2nd!

and thankfully there was sun today so the pics are pretty true to the color too! now i just need to find some goodies to send my pal!

but not today, the sun is still shining and shhhh (it's my birthday and i am playing hooky from work), so i am off to have some fun!

debunking the myth

2007-07-11T20:51:00.000-04:00

did you ever have one of those days/weeks/lifetimes where it seems like no matter what you did you just couldnt get it right? i'm not talking about making mistakes in knitting or calling people by the wrong names, i'm talking more like tripping up the stairs on the way into work with your staff coming up right behind you.

You know what i'm talking about, right? like talking with your boss and the pen not only flies out of your hand but it hits you square in the head and lands on your light blue skirt leaving a lovely black line?

how about hanging out with your girlfriends and some others you dont know as well (outside the office lets say) and accidentally sitting on a cherry, having to change into shorts 2 sizes to big while you tide-to-go your pants and realize that you have just debunked the myth to everyone around you that you really dont have your shit together?

oh, thats just me? ok then.

its funny really. how on the surface we can convince ourselves that we've got it together and all it takes is an old sandal with a bad heel, a piece of fruit and an unwieldy bick roller pen to bring everyone to the conclusion i came to a long time ago...i.am.a.spaz. it's really ok, i've known forever, i was just hoping to keep the myth alive a little longer.

oh yeah...i finished my socks - yipee! its too dark for a photo - will get to that on friday.

The Garden...

2007-07-05T23:04:00.001-04:00

We have been having an amazing summer here in Buffalo this year. Lots of sun and temperatures in the high 70's and I truly feel bad for all the folks that have been soaked with rain and scorching heat. Our great weather has fortunately coincided with my inordinate desire to garden, resulting in what I would consider (and I use this term lightly) successful results.

It all began at some point this spring when Sarah gave me a book on square foot vegetable gardening. This book for some reason made me decide to grow vegetables this year. Now, after my Tomato famine of 2006, I swore to never again plant another food producing plant in my garden again. You water it, weed it, and in the end get one f*@&^!# tomato. For the amount of time I put into that damn plant I felt I had better get at least enough to make some salsa.

So, this year when the urge to plant a tomato and (gasp) a cucumber, and zucchini plant I tried to suppress it. But it was Sarah and her sprightly encouragement that made me reconsider. So far the stars have been in alignment and everything had been going well. I had an early aphid scare which I quickly got under
control with an organic pest control product, and (although I dare not say it out loud) am on target for a bumper crop of tomatoes, both heirloom and common, cucumbers and zucchini.

Also my flower beds in the front of my house and the lilies on the side of my porch are looking great.

It is difficult to see in the photo but my Cosmos and Cleome are over three feet high. I love them because the reseed themselves each year. The less work the better, and my Hydrangea,thanks to my grandmother's advice are looking better then ever.

Thanks Grandma...

Finally F.O.-tos

2007-07-02T15:05:00.000-04:00

At long last, I'd like to present my Sockaplaooza 4 socks.

Pattern: Go With the Flow, Interweave, Summer 2005
Designer: Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, colorway Java
Needles: US1

I totally love them. It was absolutely serendipidous. I got my sock pal info, and her tastes jived with mine well. She wanted earth tones and she likes wool. I knew right away what socks I would make her, and it was smooth sailing from there.

It was sheer luck- I often don't like multicolored yarns along with a lacy stitch pattern, but these two didn't compete, they just worked together naturally. The lace adds a feminine but not foo-fooo softness to the earthy colors. I think the result is downright graceful, if I do say so myself.

Toot!

Necessity one…procrastination zero

2007-07-01T20:39:00.001-04:00

Well, after several weeks of absenteeism, much razzing from Stephanie and Sarah, as well as my neighbor, it was necessity that finally caused me to actually get back on the horse and post something. I think part of my problem was much like Sarah’s. I wanted my next post to include a picture of my sock pal’s socks. The problem however was that they were not going very well and I was distracted by gardening, my birthday and a virus on my computer.

My birthday is over, my garden looks good, and I actually was able to get the virus removed form my computer, and most importantly I’m actually on a roll with my socks. After ripping them out four times in an attempt to get the size right. I think I’ve got it now, or at least I hope I do.

The issue however, and I hope to get some insight on this from someone, is now that I am turning the heel I’m not too sure I understand the directions. The socks I’m working on (in case you don’t recognize them) are Monkey, by Cookie A. The directions indicate that from row 2 until row 14 (under Turn the Heel) you should slip the first 11 stitches then knit/purl…blah, blah, blah. That does not seem to make sense to me. I have done plenty of socks before and never turned a heel like that. So my question is, has anyone done it that way? I would think by slipping 11 stitches in a row you would end up with a long piece of yarn on the inside of the sock…no?

Any input would be most helpful…

Edited By Author - 7/2/07
I guess the old adage measure twice cut once should also apply to knitting as well. Translation...read pattern twice and knit once. When I got to work this morning Stephanie and I were talking around the water cooler about my heel issue and how strange the pattern was. For some reason Stephanie suggested we take a look on the Knitty site to see if there were any edits to the pattern. I was embarrassed to discover that in fact the pattern read Sl 1 not S 11. I guess when I spilled water on the pattern the ink ran causing the "l" to look like a "1". I guess on a positive note, at least I caught my idiotness first. SO, lesion learned... If a knitting pattern does not seem to make sense, read it again, out load, preferably to someone who knits.

On the bright side at least my blond moment got me to post something.

leave your drama in the driveway

2007-07-01T19:22:00.001-04:00

so i am happy to report that after all the drama of frogging and such, i decided to put my anastasia socks on stitch holders and snag my number 2's for my sockpal and guess what?

perfect socks.

oh and i am so lucky that i printed out my sockpal's info, so when i grabbed it to use as scrap paper and jot down the name of a book i want to be sure and get from the library, i reread my pal's measurements. Oy, here i was operating under the assumption that she was a size 9 - not the case! i have NO idea where i got that notion from, but thankfully i looked. her foot is only 1/2 inch longer than mine, so these were whipped out pretty quickly.

i absolutely love them! (and secretly want to keep them).

The Honeymoon Phase

2007-06-27T15:30:00.000-04:00

The deciduous forests of New York's Allegheny Mountains, late afternoon. The sun peeks through the dense leaves of the trees, leaving twinkling, jagged shaped disco lights on the huge glacial deposited rocks covered in soft green moss.
The woods are silent as a handsome man, early 30s, speeds to a stop on his mountain bike.
(Pause)
A woman speeds to a stop beside him. They are both silent for a moment.

Man: The woods are beautiful today.
Woman: Yes. It reminds me of my [Socakapalooza] sock.
Man: *sigh* Yeah, me too. *rolls eyes, speeds away*

I've been thinking about you all the time, baby. All I need to do is snap some pictures so I can share you with the world.

(side note: I'm not a hack- its just that great minds think alike)

Knitting in Denial: A Play in Two Acts

2007-06-21T19:23:00.000-04:00

by stephanie

Act One
Scene One

Curtain rises on a lone yarn cake, spotlight slowly reveals a beautiful hank of Cherry Tree Hill, color slate.

Enter the knitter. Working diligently on her socks. Light upbeat music faintly in background.

Knitter: The plan, knit a gorgeous pair of hand knit socks. The pattern, hedera

Knitter: Oh cth how I love the way you slide effortlessly across my needles.

Stage lights dim. Low, foreboding music begins to rise.

Knitter: How about we try you on, you've been a bit snug, but I know that your beautiful lace will expand. Let's just play it safe, you know my pal's feet are a little bigger than mine.

Music crescendos. Lights dim lower. Knitter slumps further into the overstuffed couch.

Knitter: Hmmm...where did that sweater I was working on go?

Act One
Scene Two

Knitter sits happily on overstuffed couch, legs crossed, ipod playing.

Knitter: Oh ivy, how soft and fluffy you are. You set my mind at ease. Even though your gauge is off, my expert knitty math keeps me confident that you will become a wonderful work-appropriate knit cardigan.

Stage lights dim, low foreboding music begins to rise.

Knitter: Hmmm...something doesn't feel right.

Knitter: (sniffling) You have GOT to be kidding me. Goddamn Goldilocks...sock to small, sleeve to big. Argh.

Act Two
Scene One

Curtain rises on the knitter, cross-legged on the overstuffed couch, knitting in hand.

Knitter: (taking deep breath) Alrighty then...goodbye beautiful.

Knitter begins to not-so-carefully rip out the sock.

Knitter: Alrighty, a fresh start. Let's add in an extra repeat, that should give us almost an inch to the sock and plenty of room for my pal's well deserving foot.

Knitter: Well, since we don't want a repeat of last week, lets give her a try on and see.

Stage lights dim, low foreboding music begins to rise.

Knitter: F*@#, f*@#, f*@#.

End scene.

Inertia

2007-06-21T14:25:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to post. Really I have.
It's just that procrastination has its own inertia. Once you stop posting, its damned hard to start again.

I'm nearly finished with my Sockapalooza socks. I was planning to post about them, but I really wanted to include pictures. You know how that goes...I cast on and I wanted to wait until there was enough of the leg to see the stitch pattern. Then I thought I might as well wait until I turn the heel, and then i might as well wait until I finishe the first sock. Well, here I am near the toe of the second sock, so I might as well finish them and do glamour shots of the suckers. I really love them, but I'll save the story and the details for the F.O. post.

Come to think of it, the sock knitting had inertia too. The first sock went fairly slowly, but with this second one, the further I got, the more I wanted to knit, the more progress I saw, the more I kept going. Did I mention that I love them?

quickie...

2007-06-13T21:53:00.000-04:00

so i haven't ripped the sock yet, but at knitting last night a wise knitter, who always dispenses the most sage advice and has to be the most encouraging knitbuddy (just ask chris about his intarsia project), advised me to put the sock on stitch holders and begin a new sock from the outside of the ball (since it was from one big hank) with the extra repeat and see how i like it before i rip.

sigh...

it really is the best plan, and please, it's not like i've never had to rip anything out before, apparently though i am easily derailed and then just start new things...a little knitting ADD initiated by frustration.

oh, and thank you to the person who left the idea of starting the second sock before commencing the ripping in the comments, thats what originally sparked the thought.

the sweater sleeve is progressing nicely, no pics tonite, maybe by the weekend.

i guess size does matter...

2007-06-05T20:56:00.000-04:00

i love the yarn.

i love the pattern.

i love the sock.

the sock however does not love my leg...in fact it wants to strangle my leg (i'm not sure what offense my leg committed, but the sock is not happy). the sock is just too tight. i was really hoping that it would loosen once washed and blocked, but i think i need to rip it.

so...my options.

1. reknit sock on larger needle. i'm a little apprehensive about this as i love the way the yarn knits up on the current needle.

2. rework pattern to add width. i can add in another repeat (this will add about an inch).

oy.

My happy place

2007-05-31T15:18:00.000-04:00

I do most of my knitting on the couch in front of the TV. It sounds almost shameful to me- plopped on the couch in front of the idiot box, the boob toob. It works for me because I can focus on the knitting, but I enjoy the TV in the background. I'd probably like listening to pod casts or audio books just as much, but I'm a bit of a technophobe- sadly iPod-less.

Sometimes I knit in the car on longer trips. This is a pretty good compromise for the multitasker in me. The only hang up is juggling all of my stuff in the car- especially the pattern and notes.

Of course, I knit at knit group. this is very fun knitting to be sure, but rarely the most productive. There's always the talking and eating and not so much with the the reading complicated charts of watching what I'm doing.

But in summer my very favorite place to knit is right here.

This is the deck on the pond at my in-laws' cabin. This is the only place where I knit with absolute, undivided attention. This is where complicated problems are solved, where lace charts are deciphered. The only sounds are the crickets and frogs and the dogs barking on the other side of the valley.

I'm near finished with Sockapalooza sock #1 after out visit to the cabin last weekend. I'll post a pic and details when I finish the toe.

socks, interrupted

2007-05-27T21:17:00.000-04:00

ok, so i haven't started my pal's socks yet...for those who asked i'm making hedera here's why i haven't cast on...

see...i kinda started a sweater.

pretty, isn't it? wanna see a close-up. ok, here you go...

it's the beginning of ivy . i'm actually using the yarn called for, peruvian quechua (i love elann). its super soft and has great drape. i'm not getting gauge so i've gone up a size, lets hope this works.

i've also finally stared my second anastasia sock. i made them into knee highs and i LOVE them!

ok i swear i'll cast on this week! don't worry sockpal, your socks are on their way!

sigh...

2007-05-24T21:13:00.001-04:00

why is it that i am not at all surprised i am the last one of us to post?

oh well...

i do, however have pretty pictures to show - i suppose that's my excuse. at least it sounds like a good one for now.

so while i haven't started my pal's socks just yet, i have the yarn and pattern (its a start right? right?)

pretty, eh?

it's cherry tree hill in slate, neither pic is the true color its a bit in between both. its actually a bit bluer than i expected. but gorgeous none the less. i've never used cth before, i'm excited!

unlike sarah, i'm usually pretty project monogamous, but wouldn't you know, now that i've actually got deadline knitting to work on i've got 2 other projects on the needles.

guess its time to make it three...

My name is Sarah, and I'm a knitting masochist

2007-05-23T15:52:00.000-04:00

I am the kind of knitter that has 1000 projects planned.

I have 100 UFOs. I have a healthy stash, and plans for every last scrap.

Hell, I'm the kind of knitter still working on last year's Christmas gifts in May. Every year I swear that I will never again commit to any sort of deadline knitting.

Yeah, right.

I'm the kind of knitter with a problem. I have a knitting problem and it has grown beyond my control.

That is why, when Chris and Stephanie gently nudged me to sign up for my second Sockapalooza, I told them, "Probably not. I'm way behind right now."

That is also why, when they asked, "Are you sure?"

I said, "Oh, what the hell. I'll do it!"

Now, don't get me wrong, folks. I'm not the sort of person who would ever-EVER- flake on a sock pal. I love to figure out what my pal might like the most. I love to match pattern to yarn. I love the mystery of what I might receive.

So the juggling act begins. I got a strong early start, so hopefully I'll put this baby to bed with plenty of time to spare. Then I can get back to my 3 year old UFOs.

In the beginning…

2007-05-22T15:49:00.000-04:00

I suppose I should start out by giving a little background about our group. Sarah, the grandmother knitter of the group (not because of her age but because of her aptitude) sparked my interested in knitting about two years ago. Although she is an amazing knitter, her ability to teach someone how to knit leaves something to be desires, so I turned to my next door neighbor and the internet for help. Within a week I was off and running. Next comes Stephanie; a friend that I work with that swore she did not have a creative bone in her body. Well, after I helped her with one of those no sew fleece blankets that were ever so popular about 2 years ago she became a crafting convert and in no time was cajoled into learning how to knit. Being the patient teacher type that I am was on the job teaching her to knit using terms like “stab, poke and pierce”. From that point on she was hooked.

Our combined love for the Amazing Race and knitting quickly drew us together every Tuesday night to watch the Race and knit. Although the Amazing Race has changed nights and Sarah’s school schedule fluctuates we try to get together once a week to watch the Race, either live or DVR and knit. A knitting group was born…

OK well that brings us up to present day. Why now? Good question. We each individually thought having a blog and showing people what we were working on would be an interesting idea but none of us wanted the responsibility for having to keep one up. Then came the all anticipated Sockapolloza 4 and everything changed. Once we joined we immediately thought this would be a great reason to start us on our blogging adventure.

Our plan is to keep people up to date on what we are working on knitting wise and anything else that seems important like saving the planet, or stabilizing the world economy.

Break out the champagne!

2007-05-17T22:03:00.000-04:00

it's thursday, so i guess this counts. the blog is official now. so...what to write.

next?