So hey, remember me? I knit sometimes.

I had a brilliant blog post all written out in my head last night, you think I can even remember a word of it now? Hell, I don't even remember what it was about. This is my first completed project of this year. Twinkletoes from knitty. Miss Beans asked me for some ballet shoes last weekend and being totally broke but having a ton of the yarn you see there (from my failed Crumpets, if you're my one long time reader) I whipped up those little babies on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon while hanging around in the ninth bolgie of the eighth circle of Hell (also known as Chuck E. Cheese's). They turned out cute but a little small so I'll have to make another pair. She loves them though, she's barely taken them off to let me wash them and has even slept in them twice. In other knitting news: I received a large portion of Andean Treasure for my birthday which will become a Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I'm still working on that damn Wavy for Hercules because I hate it and don't want to do it anymore. Why do scarves have to be so l o n g ? I'm working on a little baby set for the soon-to-be-baby-girl of RTK and Darth's barber who is a very cool guy. If you're in San Diego and need a barber, I can't recommend Lefty's enough. As far as news about my life... Well, it's never pretty, is it? My son got glasses so that's both kids are in glasses now. Neither RTK nor I wear glasses so we're a little baffled as to how that worked out. Our rent is going up so along with the price of gas and groceries we could really use a raise we're not going to get. You'll probably see me on the news when my moneymaking scheme goes horribly, terribly wrong. That's about it for the moment. Except, I've been collecting yarn for the Alpaca Lounge Pants and I think I've almost got enough. If I start them soon they should be ready for Autumn.

I love Tiger Balm.

I have been absent because I now coach 5-7 year olds at flag football. It may kill me. Not from the stress like I thought but from the fact that I have to demonstrate all the drills to the kids. Sometimes several times. Until Monday I don't think I'd ever done lunges IN MY LIFE yet there I was doing lunges for 15 yards and then back 15 yards WITH EACH KID. My legs hurt. The third quarter earnings of Tiger Balm, Advil, and Kleenex will skyrocket thanks to me. I hate it. I don't want to coach football. I want someone to come up to me and say, "Hey there, thanks but I know what I'm doing and I'd like to take over." Oh, how I would thank that unnamed stranger. Cpurl has tagged me with the first meme I can't respond to in kind. The challenge was to show off where you keep your handknit socks. Though I have knit at least 5 pair of socks I don't actually have any. I give them away. Mostly to my son who loves handknit socks and requests them for his birthday every year. So I guess, I keep my handknit socks on my blog since it has all the photos of my long gone knits.

I made stuff. Lots of stuff.

My road trip dissolved into the ether of unrealized dreams. Alas, it was not to be. So anyway, I actually do knit. In fact my lack of blogging has been because of a tremendous amount of knitting. As evidence I will now submit pictures of what I've been up to as well as a few pictures of FOs I hadn't gotten around to posting for some odd reason even though I finished them MONTHS ago. As always, click on the pictures for larger versions. First up we have Unbiased done in Patons Soy Wool Stripes that was a gift for Irie for her graduation. I have made Unbiased twice before in sari silk and have yet to really perfect this pattern. I have intentions to line this for Irie at my earliest convenience which will be sometime around 2022 when Lola graduates from high school. Anywho, the vital stats: Patons SWS. Britany Birch needles in size 8. Pattern alterations: Only increased to 5.5 inches so I'd have a narrower deeper bag. I actually did the whole purse in two days, in between casting off Entrelac's first sock and casting on the second. Lastly, when you seem this up in the weird order that I did you actually get something that looks like a giant goofy bra for a minute. Next up we have the Socks I'm knitting for Entrelac (Pattern from Folk Socks by Nancy Bush). I have finished the first one and am starting to panic that they don't fit so the sock you see here will be wining its way out to Texas for a fitting to ease my mind or make me cry depending on the outcome. At least it's cute, right? It's my first bit of Fair Isle type work and I'm in no hurry do do anything more ambitious. I'm very pleased with the way the first one has turned out and I'm hoping Entrelac really likes them when they're all done. She and I both live in the country's "No Sock Zone" but knitted socks are just too tempting. I love contrasting toes, they make your feet look smaller. And now the last two little projects I had been forgetting to post: Dashing and My So Called Scarf (which I have had bookmarked for years with nary the right yarn nor occasion) both out of Lorna's Laces Shepard Worsted in Mineshaft and both for my friend GK. I actually knit these up for him when he was going through a really hard time and had no heat in his house (he's in Pennsylvania). By the time I finished them it was spring and he had heat again. I've had these stuffed in a care package box that I keep forgetting to finish filling and mail. If only it were the thought that counted, eh? The scarf was done on size 11 Britany birch needles and only one glaring error was made. I didn't fix it so if you feel like it you can stare until you find it, it'll be like a really uninteresting Where's Waldo picture only instead of a cute drawing you're searching for my failure! Who could deny the fun of that? The wristies were done on Clover bamboo needles in size 7. I actually finished these up at the San Diego knitty meet up. Pomegranate has pics of them somewhere I think, I had forgotten my camera. I apologize for the shitty photos. I know pics of FOs just lying about really suck but I have no model today, Iman didn't show up and they gave Tyra her own show and I just didn't feel like trying to track down Kate Moss or Fabio because she's annoying and he's always trying to take stuff from the shoots.

It's going to be epic.

Tomorrow Lucky Champagne is picking me up at 7am (yes, on a Saturday) so we can go on a road trip. Our road trip was supposed to be a weekend and it was supposed to be to our friend's bar in Arizona. Now it's just Lucky driving to wherever we can get to and back by the end of the day tomorrow. It would not surprise me if we end up at the Center of the World. I know he wants to go take some paint to the guy at Salvation Mountain. Hooray, a field trip to the zealot swindler's place! Actually I know it will be fun because it will be something different to do. Plus funny crap just always happens to Lucky. I have no idea what tomorrow will hold, I'm just along for the ride. I will be taking my camera so hopefully I'll get some amusing pictures. I had hoped to show you one finished sock for Entrelac today but I totally fucked up the toe (all because I was totally caught up in that cinematic masterpiece The Brothers Grimm) and had to rip it out so you have to wait. Not that I expect anyone was falling all over themselves in anticipation. Oh, and since a few people have asked the pattern came from Folk Socks (Welsh Country Socks), I didn't come up with it. I did modify it a bit though.

I'm no Eunny.

But of course, that should be obvious. I mean, come on, my knitting is not even close to on a par with hers (I have two kids to watch, if I knit up lace they'd haul me away for neglect) and my photography leaves a hell of a lot to be desired (and much the time it leaves most of the work to your imagination). I mentioned that I was knitting socks FOR a knittyboarder whose screen name is Entrelac. I have been asked several times now how my Entrelac Socks are going. I have never knit entrelac so I really don't think I'll be introducing myself to the technique with knee socks! Lord, I can barely find the time, tenacity, and inclination to knit a pair of plain old socks letalone knee socks, letalone ENTRELAC knee socks! You people expect too much from me (and by 'too much' what I mean is 'anything, anything at all'). Now I feel bragging about my very first bit of colorwork is going to be a letdown. Oh well, I'm going to do it anyway, far be it from me to not gloat about an accomplishment. Go back and look at that first pic again to see my very first attempt at colorwork! Okay so it's not really my first attempt, my first (and second and third) attept was ripped out so I could get a nice even band that wasn't to tight to stretch. I wanted to make sure these things will fit (Jaywalkers taught me to always double check). After I did the colored band I knit a few rounds, put it on waste yarn and pulled it up my leg to see how far it would go. I got it past my knee. I am certain that it will fit. Ooh, I hope they fit! I want these to be awesome. It helps that I have great yarn. I'm using Wildfoote again. It makes a really lovely fabric on size 1 needles. SOme people think it's too splitty but I love it anyway. The colors shown here are Black Licorice and Purple Splendor (which is a tweedy yarn with some blue in it). Now, I have to tell you about the fabulousness that came in the mail today. The lovely Miss Entrelac for whom the above socks are being knit, sent me some of her famous stitchmarkers. These are not the plastique kind I usually use, oh no! These are better than most of my jewelry (and more useful, although I have used a dangly earring as a rowmarker but...). Anyway, the fabulous markers featured in these pictures are made of niobium wire and the beads are hematite, except the larger beaded markers which are sterling and hematite. I could just swoon, couldn't you? I only wish I could take a picture that would really show them off. Even with the macro function on my camera the best I could do was an exquisite photo of the woven detail of my tablecloth (though it is a nice one, it repels liquid, really it just stays beaded up and wiped right off). Jealous?

Socks for a pirate

I finished Red Todd Kidd's socks. Twenty days ago. I'm totally lagging on the FO posting. I was mortified to discover that I was going to run out of the main color before completing the second sock but since my LYS was out of it and RTK didn't care I just finished it off with the grey. It makes me crazy but no one else cares so why should I? But I do care. Jebus help me, I care. I want that sock to match the first one and it galls me that it doesn't. Especially after having to rip out the tops with all the beautiful braiding and replace it with regular boring ribbing. Which is one of the reasons that I ran out of the MC yarn. Anywhoo... Pattern: St. Peter Port Stripes Socks from Folk Socks by Nancy Bush. Yarn: Brown Sheep Company's "Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn" in Zane Grey (MC), Black Orchid (CC1), and Gunsmoke (CC2). Needles: Takumi Clover size 1 DPNs (went up a size from the pattern to make a larger sock). Adjustments: Well, I did the beautiful braid work at the top but couldn't get it loose enough to go ver RTK's foot so I had to tear it out and put some plain ribbing up there. Also I ran out of yarn, as I mentioned before, so if I did this again I'd get two balls of the MC. What I hated: I wasn't crazy about carrying the colors up the back of the work, I think I'd ratehr weave in ends to prevent puckering. I also loathed the heel on these things. I'm not a fan of grafting so doing it once at the heel and again at the toe just made me mad. The heel for these is just show-offy and I don't like it. A standard heel is good enough for me plus, no seam under the foot that way. What I loved: RTK likes them and has worn them several times, that makes me very happy. I do really like the yarn, many people find it splitty and I agree that the tweeded MC is, it also twists back on itself some which is annoying BUT I loved it anyway. Well worth it. And that's what I did on my summer vacation. Whoa, De ja vu.

And the camera is back!

All that lovely stuff is from Pam. She sends a fantabulous package doesn't she? Some of the stuff isn't even there, the kids had already high-tailed it with the candy bracelets and little pills that turn into animal shaped sponges when you put them in water. They could have died from the awesomeness, by the way. Both of them love stuff that turns into other stuff. Does anyone else remember how fast you could transform a Transformer as a kid only to grow up to totally suck at it? That's what I learned from Christmas: Mom can't figure out the Transformers for crap. Anyway, Pam sent me a ton of stuff including some Patons SWS (Soy Wool Stripes) which I've wanted to try, frou frou smelly vanilla stuff, bomb homemade hot chocolate mix and marshmallows (one of my son's favorite things), a spiffy new knitting bag, the aforementioned treats for the kids, and last but not least: my very own pair of knitting gloves! I was totally stoked to get them I've been thinking of cannibalizing and old sweater to make some mitts for my freezing fingers but now I don't have to. Truly an awesome gift that I was practically giddy over. They room in my knitting caddy so that I can pull them on when the temperature drops. I'm toying with the idea of moving one of the fingers over because I had no idea I used my right ring finger while I knit but I do. Though now that I'm working on something other than the socks for RTK, it's not as much of an issue. The naughts (size 0 DPNs for the uninitiated) really got tangled up but I think it's because there were so many as oposed to just the two size 7s I've got going now. Yeah, I've got a dead line for Veste Everest so the other sock can wait a bit. To tell the truth I'm still mad that I had to rip out that beautiful top to replace it with plain old boring ribbing. Okay, I didn't even rip it out, I had to cut it off and pray I didn't lose the whole damn thing. As you can see I didn't but I'm not in a huge hurry to start the next one. It's one of those projects you can't take with you since you carry the yarn through most of it you have three balls attatched to tangle up around each other.I've included a nice close up of the yarn here so you could see the pretty colors. I really do like them, so at least something worked out. Red Todd Kidd tried this one on and ended up wearing it the whole night, it was pretty funny. I mentioned the peg-leg to him but I don't think he's going to go for it. Of course one of you all pointed out that if he did have a peg leg I'd probably have to knit it a cozy. I fell off the ground last night. I was walking out to the car to put groceries away and just fell right off the walk into the grass. Yet, somehow I still managed to slam both my knees down on the concrete. That's the kind of thing that never happens when you're by yourself but when you have both your parents, little brother, best friend, and husband standing there... How was that for a non sequitor? Lastly, I'll leave you with the begginings of Veste Everest for my MIL. She likes red but rather than the darker tones I enjoy she likes the really bright reds. I'm using Patons Decor because it's soft, bright, and washable while still containing enough wool that it will block well. If this turns our well I'm going to use the same yarn in a white or off white for my mom's aran sweater if I ever get around to it. I've discovered that I do like cables. They don't vex me like lace work or color work. I've been having a fairly relaxing time knitting this up so far. Though, now that I've said it, I'm sure disaster looms just ahead, you know how that goes.

I wish I could show you what I've been up to...

...but I can't. I left my camera at my sister's house on New Year's and so I can't quite show you the sock I made for Red Todd Kidd. Yes only one, he has a peg leg as all good pirates do. Okay not really but after doing an 80 stitch sock that I ended up having to rip the beautifully braided top out of because it was too small to get over his heel, I'm not ready to cast on for the second one yet. What I can show you is the pattern picture from Folk Socks, so that's what I've done here. Look to the left and marvel at the socks that look remarkably unlike the one sock I have just completed. My version is in the yarn called for (Wildfoote, which is a little splitty but liveable) but in different colors. I've used Zane Grey ( a similarly tweeded looking yarn for the main color), Black Orchid (as called for), and Gunsmoke (instead of white). I also went up a needle size and I'm glad I did because there's no way these would have fit otherwise. I got to do a bit of colorwork with these, the braided pattern on the top is done by switching colors while purling which tangles the yarn like crazy but makes for a beautiful result that can cut off the circulation of any man's leg with little effort. It's something I'll definately try again for a sleeve detail or something but never for the top of a sock! Also, I hate the heel in these. Luckily RTK is fine with it and that's all that matters to me. These shall be his lucky socks. They will get him a fantabulous new job. I have decided it. Also in the works is Veste Everest from IK Fall 2005. I'm going to my LYS today to get the yarn for it. It's for my MIL for her birthday in February. I think I'll be able to do it since I'm pretty good with cables and it doesn't have sleeves. I'll be adding a bit of length to it as I don't think she'll be hot for wearing a belly shirt (oh, I wish you could view my mental picture of that). We'll see how I do. I've been actually knitting since October after being so patchy about it in the past year, I'm excited to see if I can finish some real projects this year.

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)