I did it!

I got those Jaywalkers finished, washed, blocked, and wrapped on time! Ah sweet victory, how I love you. Red Todd Kidd snapped a few pics of them for me before I wrapped them up and sent them on their way so I'm sharing those with you. No, I didn't cut my hair, it's just pulled back. We had a very nice day yesterday. Carne Asada, Pacifico, homemade rice, and refried beans. It was also RTK's sister's birthday (it was actually on the third but we celebrated it yesterday) so my MIL made cupcakes. It's funny because I'm doing cupcakes for Lola Beans' birthday party in two weeks. Are they the new black or something? I haven't decided on what flavors yet so if anyone has a recipie to suggest I'd be happy to hear it. Oops, got off the subject. Anyway, we had a nice day. Red Todd Kidd got me way too many presents but I'm not complaining! My favorite of the gifts was my very own copy of the book The Princess Bride. I'm so excited! I can't wait to read it with the kids. If you've never read it I suggest you go out and get a copy. There's more background to the characters than the movie provides and it will make you love the movie even more. Man, now I wan to knit Andre! Well, that's going into the queue (Has a UK knitty infected my brain? That just came right out...) for a bit since I should be getting the pattern for my sweater today! I placed a Knit Picks order last week and should be here today. I ordered two books, a pattern, and a sweater stone. That's right, no yarn. I knew if I ordered yarn I'd HAVE to cast on with it. I was being good... I was being stupid wasn't I? Oh well, it's done now! Just Crumbs and the sarf for Uncle Elvis to finish and then I can do what I want. Namely, my sweater. I can't wait.

You know what I need? A project.

Yeah, you're going to want to click on that to make it bigger. Please. You see, I've worked so long and hard on that sock and now I'm worried that it won't fit. It may be too long. It could be too tight. It's (and it's soon to be buddy) for my MIL and it really has to be right. Not because she's an exacting tyrant (you're thinking of your MIL) but because for her birthday last year I gave her a vest that was too small but that she really liked. The yarn was discontinued and I've never gotten gauge with anything I've tried. I know I should just alter the pattern but since it was such a boring knit I'd really rather find something else . I've just felt terrible that I haven't made it up to her and it's been over a year. Let's not even get started on the cableknit sweater my mom requested. Anyone else feel like a walking apology? Then of course there's my favorite pattern ever: Crumbs. It's coming along but every time I pick it up I just want to rip the whole damn thing out and start fresh with my very own pattern. I'm very seriously considering writing a pattern (or rather a formula that can be easily adjusted for any size) for a top/dress that is strikingly similar but different enough that I wouldn't infringe on the copyright. If I do that, it will be a free pattern that I'll post here on the blog. Any volunteer test knitters (for child and adult sizes)? If I have test knitters willing to allow me to use pics of their projects once finished, I'd be able to offer the pattern much sooner. Like, in time for summer soon. My newest project that's due at the end of the month is this. I know it looks like a swatch but it's bulky yarn and it'll be a scarf before you know it. It's for my uncle, Elvis*, who has a bad bout of bronchitis. He lives up in the Bay area (San Francisco, Oakland) and works a job where he has to be out of doors a great deal. As Mark Twain said, "There's no colder winter than summer in San Francisco." Hopefully this scarf will help him get well and stay that way. It is alpaca after all. Anyway, Uncle Elvis and Aunt Ivanna are going to be coming down for Lola Beans' birthday party so I want to have it ready then. On top of these projects I also have my super secret Kate modification that's not quite done yet. It needs appendages and it has more than your standard mammal. Will I finish in time? I sure hope so! I've got a Knit Picks order coming with a pattern I adore and a book by EZ that has a sweater I want to modify. I've gone project MAD! *As always the names of subjects are changed to reflect their true character, or because I felt like it.

One sock down, bi-atch!

One Jaywalker is done and the second is on the needles. I should be working on it now but I haven't posted in over a week! In my absence I've made progress on Crumbs as well, I'm in the skirt now and though it's slow going, it is going. Small favors, blah blah. Okay I have to get a move on but Ill post something witty and worthwile tomorrow. Okay I can't make those promises but something will get posted tomorrow. And coming soon: The Fourteen Feet of Fug takes a trip...

Bilateral symmetry you are my nemisis!

Damn humans with their two feet. I have a severe case of PMSSS (for the uninitiated, that stands for Pre-Mature Second Sock Syndrome) and as such I have a question for all of you: Once you finish turning the heel of a sock do you suddenly knit in slow motion? I seem to. I did up the top of that sock in no time flat. The heel took some time because I had to rip it out to get the reinforcing thread right but still, it was fairly quick. Then I picked up my gusset stitches and started the decreases. That was Wednesday. Today is Friday and I've gotten through the decreases but not much further. I'm treading against the tide trying to do the foot of this thing and going nowhere. And there's another whole sock to do! Now I remember why I don't knit socks much. I'm bad at finishing one thing let alone one two-part thing! Damn your two footedness human kind! Damn it!

How'd I get on this bandwagon?

Yeah, it is what you think it is (Notice the unintentional diffused glow that alerted me to clean the camera lens, makes it look almost other worldly, eh?). It's a Jaywalker. I don't know what compelled me to do it but suddenly I looked down and I had an inch of ribbing on my size 1US DPNs. I swear I don't even remember winding that skein of All Things Heather (gift from the lovely Keohinani) into a ball but there was that inch of ribbing and it was time to start that pattern stitch. I've picked up and put down the DPNs quite a few time since I found that ribbing in my hand and I'm always astonished at how quickly it seems to be going. Until I got to the heel. Now, I've made socks before and I have never understood why some people don't get turning a heel. To me it seems intuitive. I've never had any heel turning trouble to talk tabout (the alliteration is out of control!). The trouble I had with this particular sock was with the reinforcing thread. I couldn't seem to choose one. They all looked crappy. I'm not sure I'm happy with the one I ultimately chose but I do know that I'm not ripping that damned heel out again. Also, purling across a sliped stitch heel pisses me off. I don't like it. I am pretty proud of how neatly the stitches look where I picked up around the gussets. Usually I get one perfect side and one that pulls but this time it's looking pretty sweet. All in all I'm pretty happy with this pattern. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this sock and it's mate for my MIL for Mothers' Day and then I'll go back and finish Crumbs. I'm not stalling on it so much as I just can't find the beads and I have to string more. That's a "GRR!" for another post though. (The color is more accurate in the first picture)