one warm, if oddly disproportionate, leg

I've known for a long time that I have small feet. People having been telling me so for many years. I had one of those grandma's that came along to the shoe store and poked and pinched at your feet in new shoes to "check that they fit properly". "You need room to grow, but they can't be too big." Back then, most stores still had people that did that for you, yet Grandma still had to feel around the outside of the shoes. Somewhere around 8th grade, my feet became "small" in comparison with... something.

My height? No, can't be. I'm the same height as I was then, and 5'2", with size 6.5 shoes are not disproportionate.

My age? Once you reach 14, your feet should be at least size 7!

My bust size? Actually, that might be likely. I should have size 12 feet if we use that as a measure.

In recent years - like the last 5, I've noticed that "small" shoes - under size 7, are hard to find in "grown up"styles. Everything is for "tweens". Or they are ragingly expensive. Trust me, I have no trouble finding expensive shoes in my size. I theorize that this is so for two reasons.

1. As we generationally age, our bodies are getting larger. Average shoe size for women in the 1950's was 6 - 7. It is now 8-9. The older people with the "small" feet don't want inexpensive shoes. They want "well made" shoes. they are not the fashion whores that we young people are. Therefore shoe people are making less "adult" shoes in "small" sizes because there is less demand.

2. The shoe people hate me.

This is why I buy a pair of shoes I like when I see them for a decent, non heart attack inducing price. I never know when I will find another pair of black 3" heels again in my size. This might be the last year they make them! I'll be forced to buy patent leather flat with ribbon bows on the front for the rest of my life!! or, even worse, Old lady shoes!!!

Why all this blather about my feet? Well, dear readers, it's because I finished my 1st color work knee high. Take a look at this!

Is it just me, or do I have incredibly small feet?! Look at that! Now, if I had nice, average, size 8.5 feet, my sock would be another 1.5" long, and way less odd. Now, before ya'll get defensive about the sock, I realize it is a knee high, and knee highs should be "out of proportion" when compared to regular socks. But, shit! I do have small feet!

I used to get comments in Costume Design Class because I made my feet too small compared to the bodies. I think I have a legitimate excuse. Look at what I am used to!

On the plus side, the toe is really cute!

Fric and Frac

So, I was knitting away on a pair of socks. I finished one, and frankly, needed a break. So I cast on randomly for a hat. The out come is "Fric and Frac".

A bit o' background for ya'. Me Cousin Mel is a year younger than me, and lived less than 5 minutes away growing up. We spent a lot of time together. We called each other plenty of names - one of which was "fric and frac". In many ways we were similar - we both played instruments, were in sports, in choir, went to the same church, and even dated the same person - a year apart. But, we thought we were completely different. Mel played the flute and tuba, I played clarinet and percussion. She sang soprano, I sang alto. She had brown hair, I had blonde. Mel was good a sports, I frankly wasn't. When I cast on for my hat, I was purely setting out to experiment with variegating yarn. I ended up thinking about my cousin - who now lives so far away - but is still just as close to my heart.

I chose two colors of Paton's SWS that frankly, really aren't like each other, yet go together in an odd way. Much like Mel and Me.

"Fric and Frac"

Supplies:

Yarn: Paton's SWS in Natural Denim (#1) and Natural Plum(#2) - less than 1 ball each

Needles: size 7 circulars for ML, or size 7 DPNs

Other: Yarn needle, scissors, st marker

Size: to fit a small adult, or kid's head - approx. 20" around

Gauge: 4.5 x 6 st per inch

Pattern:

CO 64 stitches in color #1 (natural denim). Join for working in the round. Place marker to mark beginning of round.

(k2 p2) for 5 rounds.

knit 5 rounds.

Join color #2 (natural plum). note: the unused color should be carried up the hat, at the beginning of the round, twisting to prevent holes.

Knit with color #2 for 3 rounds, carrying color #1 up the hat.

Using color #1, and knit 6 rounds, carrying color #2

k 2 rounds color #2.

K7 rounds color #1

K1 round color #2

K7 rounds color #1

K3 rounds color #2

K2 rounds color #1

** if you need to increase the length of the hat, do it here, striping away at random, ending with 2 rows of color #1.

Start decreases:

still using color #1

row 1(K6, k2tog)

row 2 knit

row 3(k5, k2tog)

row 4(k4, k2tog)

switch to color #2

row 5(k3, k2tog)

row 6 (k2, k2tog)

row 7 (k1, k2tog) break color 2 at end of round

Using color #1
row 8 (k2tog) 8 sts remain.

Break color #1, and pull yarn through remaining 8 sts. Sew in ends. If you carried the unused yarns up the hat, you should only have 4 tails.

mom. mom. Mom. MOM.

MOM.

WHat?!!?

Look what I can do.

ooo. heels.

Now I'm rockin' the two different patterns on the foot, and I'm still in love with this pattern and the yarn. Check out the cool little point the heel makes:

The pattern tells me this will smooth out with wear. I choose to believe this. But, it does remind me of those folded newspaper hats we used to make as kids.

Also, while I am bragging, check out my kitchner awesomeness.

I might as well brag while I can, as I have to do a set design this weekend that, most likely will eat up most of my time. Oh well. Maybe by Monday one leg will be warm.

we have a leg!

Yes, a whole leg!

I can hear ya'll now. 'you said it would take you forever.' 'we told you it wouldn't take that long!' Yeah yeah yeah. But, I don't always have a nice three day weekend, one of which I *had* to stay home the whole day. Being required to stay home adds a lot of knitting time onto life. I could have cleaned, I could have done laundry, I could have even blogged since I was home anyway. I did none of those things. Kind of in protest to having to do a miserable and gross doctor nonsense**, I decided that I would only do things I wanted to do. None of that Suzy Homemaker shit for me!

I am now working the heel. In the process, i am learning a new thing. I have done quite a bit of color work before, but, as I went to turn the work to purl back across the heel flap, I realized that I have never purled in color work. As in, worked colors on the wrong side. I did something new! Awesome! I hope to finish up the heel tonight, so ya'll can see the cool construction. Oh, and for the people who wanted to know where I got this pattern:

Norwegian Sock


**the gross doctor thing, 'cause I know you want to know. I had to collect my pee for 24hours. nasty. nasty. nasty. Yeah, the person you saw on Monday with a bio hazard orange, gallon jug was me. And it was full o' pee. Yet another reason I did not go into health care. Giant orange jugs of urine.

Skiing, ya?

We haven't had much of a year for skiing, not that if we did, I would have gone anyway. But, that's neither here nor there. I do like to ski, but you wouldn't know it based on the fact that I haven't actually gone since...1996. I think. Someday I will go again, and I will be totally prepared since I am making these socks:

Yeah, baby! These are Norwegian knee high color work socks! Well, not yet. As of now they are 2.5" of ribbing, and 2.5" of color pattern. 5" of one sock, knee highs, do not make.

I figure I might have these socks done by 2015. Then I can go skiing again. Maybe we could keep having mild snow winters until then?

My office smells like roses,

and my coworkers are SUPER jealous. Haha suckers!

I've been getting calls all afternoon wanting to know who sent me flowers and to know what kind they were.
Here they are:

24 roses all for me. DH did good this year. I got roses, TWO boxes of chocolates, a poem, and a clean living room. DH did real good.

On the other hand, I'm going to have to talk to Evad. He didn't get me anything. (grin)

This weather blows

Literally. Sideways rain really sucks. Bring on warm clear sunny days, please! Also, it would make photographing knitting projects easier too.
So sorry, everybody. I know I have been a bad blogger. It has been over a week since my last entry. I have nothing to blame except work, crappy non photo friendly weather, and sheer lack of desire to blog - only want to knit. Seriously. I get home, and if I don't go right to bed, I just want to knit. I have no interest in blogging. Then I feel guilty, and think, "I'll get up a few minutes early and snap some pics before I head to work." It is inevitably raining the next day. Sigh.

But, I did get some pictures today. Rain be damned!

First up, I finished my current socks in progress.

Name: Sailors Take Warning
Pattern: based on Tidal Wave Socks by Debi Lake
Needles: KP classic circs, size 0 and size 1
Yarn: TOFUtsies
Notes: I used the stitch pattern from Ms. Lake's pattern, but that was about it. I just did my own toe up thang. Overall, I am quite pleased with them. I am wearing them today, and they are super comfy. I love the softness and drape of the fabric after it is washed too. Before washing, the yarn is a bit stiff to work with - like cotton. I must also point out that I was knitting a pair of socks called "Sailors Take Warning", based on a pattern called "Tidal Wave Socks", during technical rehearsals for a show called 'Shipwrecked!". Funny!


I also cast on a hat for DH during tech.


It is called "Short Row Hat". It is made with, you guessed it short rows. As I was knitting it in the dark, I began to think this pattern might be a tad bit challenging for pitch blackness. But, I was doing well, much to my surprise. Well, that didn't last long. On Monday I fell asleep whilst knitting. Yeah I know, don't try and knit while napping. Anyway, I woke up and couldn't figure out for the life of me where I was in the dang pattern. Just when I thought I had it, I made a bigger mess. This is not the kind of pattern you can just go back a few rows and fix it. SO, I frogged. Then I did it again. I am now up tot he point I was when disaster happened. I am going to try not to make the same mistake again.

Adventures in Yarnsitting

What an adventurous weekend I had! Frankly, it feels like more than two days have gone by - more like three or four. Sheesh! I wish I could say it was relaxing, and it felt like three days because I am so rested. That would be nice. However, so not the case.

First of all, Friday, while peaceful, was a tad stressful. Two of my employees are going on to new and interesting things next week. One off to manage her own shop,. the other back to school to finish her degree. In case you are tallying, that makes four people doing the job of 7. To say we are understaffed isn't really correct. But, I digress. On Friday we went out to a farewell luncheon of Mexican food. Quite yummy. As per our usual after Mexican habit, we then went to an antique shop. (don't judge our habits) Anyway, I found these for a steal!

Neat, if I do say so myself. Then Friday night, even though I have a shawl that is nearly knit, and a pair of mittens only half done, I cast on for yet another project. Yes. It's a pair of socks.

I'm calling them "Sailors Take Warning" as they are loosely based on the Tidal Wave Socks from STWC's pattern support for TOFUtsies. The TOFUtsties I pulled from the stash is the yarn I got from Tara in a care package when I was home for a week in December. Knitting with yarn that I know was bought for me to make me feel better somehow makes them all the more special.

Saturday was wonderful. I slept in. (Way to late) Then I went to lunch, then sitting and knitting, then to see the closing performance of "Caucasian Chalk Circle". The show went really well, and the students were so enthusiastic, and talented. It was a joy to work on. frankly, this show is really hard - even for seasoned professionals, so seeing high school kids not only do it, but do it well, was awesome! I hope I get asked back again.
Sunday was spent waking up early - not easy on a Sunday - and attending the Yarn Garden Super Bowl Sale, with about 3/4 of the New Haven SnB. At least, that's how it felt! I only picked up a few things.

I got 5 skeins of Baby Ull for a pair of colorwork knee highs;

and two skeins of French Hill French Twist. I've never used it before, therefore, couldn't pass by it. I'm weak that way. oh, and you can't beat 42% off! Then JennSquared and I went to Country Yarns in Wallingford. She had never been, and we were going right past, so we stopped. Somehow two skeins of Noro jumped in my car. I have no idea how. Maybe Jen saw...

Was my day over? No way! I still had to Strike CCC! Off to LWT with a car load of costumes to put them away. DH and I decided we needed a treat after such an event, so we went to see Juno. Is is AWESOME. Really. If you see one award nominated movie before the academy awards, see Juno. I cried, and crying is my litmus test for liking a movie. oh, and it wasn't sad crying, it was sweet crying. :)

oh, and my Jury Duty was cancelled! Sweet!

Table Merkin's: Fun for the Whole Family

I'm starting a trend. Merkins for your table. Also known a doilys, these coverings keep your tables protected and warm, as well as hide nasty scars - such as coffee rings. I think the concept will take off like wild fire.

BTW, for a good time, google images "merkin". It is quite an adventure.

But not a work.