yeasterday's post, again

I hate rewriting posts, especially when they were really well worded, and I don't have much time to rewrite them. Yesterday Blogger dumped my post, and I was too frustrated and short on time to try again.
I'm giving it another go.

This is the first sock of the 'Friday Harbor" socks for DH.

front view

sock blocker view
Just because I know you all were waiting with baited breath to find out what I did to fix my reading problem, I'll show you.

My seriously in need of a manicure finger is pointing to the row of purls up for discussion. The pattern told me to stop purling st the sides of the front panel when I go tto the gussett. well, I neglected to actually READ the pattern, and started to merrily knit along. Half way through I looked at the instructions. whoops. I was supposed to stop purling. Not about to rip it out, I had to find a logical place to stop purling. As you can see, I stopped at the end of the gussett decreases. Looks pretty good.
Yeah, well. I ALSO neglected to read that I was to knit ribbing on the sole of the foot. I wouldn't have done that anyway, but it would have been nice to choose that, as opposed to just not paying attention. I also changed the toe. I couldn't figure out the math to use my stitch count with the toe called for. I ended up doing a plain ole' toe.

I suppose I should call them "Friday Harbor Inspired Socks".
In sweater news, I am working on the sleeves! Just one and 2/3 more to go! Then I block, seam, collar and done! ok. It's still a lot. I'm trying to be positive!

red scarf link

http://nownormaknits2.typepad.com/red_scarf_project_2007/

this one sold be better. I don't know how I linked to such an old ne the other day!

ps. I am up to 9 knitters at work, and I have 4 scarves worth of donated yarn!

Is it March yet?

I suppose not. I'm all ready for it to be warm again, and it's not even really cold. This is going to be a long winter I think. At least I have my knitting to keep me warm.

I had intended on showing off my first sock from my Friday Harbor pair, as I finished it on Friday, but I managed to forget it when I came to work today. What can I say, It's Monday. I am ready to cast on for sock #2, but have put it off in favor of continuing to work on Glascow Lace. I am ready to start the armholes! The front of the sweater has a deep "u", so the armholes and the split for the sides is done at the same time. It sould go pretty fast. Frankly, I should have the front done, but I had a show to design this weekend (- it's secret, but I'll tell you about it when it is over), and I had yarn tragedy.
I was knitting away on Sunday, when I needed to add another ball of yarn. I pulled out the center string, and I got a big ol'e tangled mess. ok. Untangle. untangle. STupid yarn. grr. STUPID STUPID YARN!!!. I left the cozyness of the coffee shop to go home and use the ball winder. Maybe it'll be easier if I wind up the untangled bit. not so much. I ended up needing to cut in two places. annoying.
To alleviate my sad ball winding experience, I decided to wind my laceweight rayon. I want to start a tablecloth with it as my next lace project, so might as well wind while my winder is out.
NOTE TO SELF: remember to watch the ball winder, as every skein of yarn will not fit. You will get a giant knot in the gears when the yarn slips off the cake because you let it get too full. 300 grams of yarn will not fit. you need to wind two balls.
This did not help my yarn disaster from the coffee shop. It just pissed me off.
SO I ate some super yummy potato chips that I can only get in Central PA. That helped. So did finishing the torso of my sweater.

Let's hope that tonight goes a bit better.

Just because I can, and since I have no pictures today, I'm going to start a list of projects, in no particular order, that I have yarn for, and want to make... well, at some point. Socks don't count. I'm always making them.

1. sweater vest for DH. It will be orange yarn for Farmhouse Yarns.
2. my superspiral rayon table cloth.
3. rona shawl in tidal pool alpaca cloud
4.3/4 length gloves for me -black sock yarn. I should do this soon...
5.new scarf for dh- unknown yarn, unknown pattern
6.silk garden fingerless mitts for me to use at work.
7.my new blankets and pillows for the couch. - I've had this yarn forever!
8.clapotis - yes. I still have not made one.
9.print o' the wave shawl in Handpaintedyarn.com dove grey lace weight.
10.the pretty green wrap sweater from Big Girl Knits, in light grey.
11. ok, this could go on forever. Let's leave it at 10.

After Glascow sweater and friday Harbor socks, I am definately casting on for "super spiral" tablecloth. I also have a little more gift knitting to do - just added gift knitting. (secret Santa stuffs- shhh) The comes the DH sweater vest. i will need the lace to keep me from going bonkers during the Stockinette Stitch "excitement". I maybe should get on those gloves too... if I ever want to wear them while it is still cold!

well. Now I want to knit, and not do anything I am supposed to do today - like, oh um... work?! I supppose I must. How else would I pay for all of my yarn?

Question #3 from Lacevember

The third contest question for Lacevemebr is quite a doozy!

"What are your ideal lacemaking conditions?"

hmmmmm.

I love to knit on the beach in the summer. I really love that the beach is only a few blocks away, making this very easy to accomplish. I also love to knit at the coffee shop. I like to sit in the comfy chairs in front of the fire place. Very calming, and since it has a glass front, I get a lot of people watching done. I knit lace in the dark - as witnessed form this last weekend, I've knit on top of a mountain, I've knit it in the car, on the train, in front of the tv, during conference calls. Just to mention a few. So what is my ideal condition?

My ultimate favrite way to "get my lace on" is in the warm sun with a cup of coffee (hazelnut), and my cd player playing... Metallica. I knit best to punk, heavy metal, and hard rock music. I don't are if I am at the beach, or if it is summer, it just has to be warm and sunny. Even sitting inside the sunniest window I can find is good.
That said, I like to knit lace when it is really gloomy outside too. I don't feel guilty for "not going out and doing something."

I suppose I am really an anywhere, anytime gal!

A quick update on the Friday Harbor Socks: I have finished the gussett on sock 1! Unfourtunately, I forgot to read the pattern. (not unusual, btw) I picked up the stitches and started knitting away in pattern and decreasing like normal. The problem is - I didn't change the two edge stitches from purls to knits. Not a big deal, the socks will just has a one stitch wide purl line to offset the center motif. not quite. The center motif finishes with a decreasing motif that gets further and further from those two edge stitches. I have to find a logical place to end my little purl booboo bofore I start the final motif chart. The hard part will be remembering what I did for the second sock. I'll write it down, but will I DO it? Hard to say...

Until Monday, stay safe and keep knitting Lace!

Fulfilling my promises

*I hereby promise to not be political anymore on my blog. * I had a momentary laps due to my election ferver. Let's get back to our regularly scheduled knitting:

Also as I promised yesterday, pictures of the back of my Glascow Lace sweater. Just so we all know, it did block out to the proper dimensions. (yea! GO math!) I didn't *really* block it with water and all, although I was tempted - I like to see all the pretty holes. I still has some more stretch to it than I gave it. I just wanted MAKE SURE that I, at least, could fit it over my ample self.

I love lace. I love alpaca. Therefore, I shall love my Lace alpaca sweater when it is finished.
The stitch pattern is so pretty when it is all open. mmmm.

The ladies in the shop were tres impressed. They all knit, but nobody else is into lace or socks - mostly scarves at this point. They couldn't believe that my little purple wad stretched to be the proper dimensions. Magic, I tell ya'!

On the Red Scarf Project front, I have made some good headway at work. I put a sign up sheet on the call board asking for knitters. I sent an e-mail around to ask for non-knittters to make yarn donations to the knitters - so everyone could participate. I plan to remind everyone at staff meeting today. So far I have 7 knitters! Pretty good for a staff of 50! Want more information? Check out this link http://redscarfproject.blogspot.com/
Also, check out the OFA's web site. even if you don't have time to craft a scarf, they are always in need of other support. http://www.orphan.org/carepackages_main.xhtml

Thanks everybody! Remember, not only is Novemeber known at Lacevember, but it is also the month of Thanksgiving. A good time to give thanks for what you have, and to remember those who don't.

We got the House! We got the House!

uhh uhh! Yea baby!
we're coming after the Senate too!

Now, let's not Fart this up, please.

THIS is why I don't watch the returns. I go to see "Flushed Away" instead. Very funny, BTW. I think I'll need to see it again on Video, just to see all of the things I missed.
Dinner was good. We ate at the 'buffet". Tasty. Then to the mall to Borders. Still no IK, winter issue.. BLEH. Then to Panera in the mall. I knit, DH wrote and read. Then to the movie! Myself, DH and one other couple in similar age to us were the only ones at the "very late" showing of Flushed Away. I like it that way. No heads to see past, no crowds, no kids. Then I went home, and went to bed. No election coverage whatsoever. I did manage to knit the edging and one pattern repeat on my Glascow Lace, which would defintely NOT have occured had I watched election coverage. I would have thrown things at the conservatives. The poor needles and yarn would have been taken out by "friendly fire".

I desperately want to block my one completed piece of Glascow Lace. I want to make sure my calculations are correct. I'd really hate to knit both the front and back, THEN find out I'd made it too short. The problem is, I also want to have the unblocked side seams to match up, just so I know I am staying on gauge, and that all will line up when I finish it. I KNOW! It will be fine. I should just block the back to alleviate my concerns. Still, I really don't want to frog the whole dang back if it is too short. That will blow - big time. I suppose it is better than frogging both pieces....

err. That was called stream of thought.

Tomorrow I will block the back. we'll see pictures one way or another. Let's cross our collective fingers please!

A lace update and some YARN PORN!!

As I said yesterday, I finished Falling Water. Here are the pictures:

I used about 2.5 balls of plymoth Suri Merino, with size 8 needles. It is about 60" long, 12" wide. Over all a very enjoyable knit. I really liked the look after blocking. I twas almost cabled looking before I took the wires to it. I highly recomend it!

On the needles are the "socks with holes", aka lace socks for DH. I am knitting "friday Harbor" socks from Knitting on the road, by Nancy Bush. Regia yarn, size 1 needles. Thank goodness for lace!

Also on the needles is my Glascow Lace Sweater for Interweave Knits. I really like this sweater, I just gave it a break to work on Christmas Presents. I finished the back last night. I am casting on for the front tonight! Frankly, I don't want to sit at home while the election returns come in. It gets my blood pressure all up and out of control. I voted. I'll find out who won in the morning. I am going to dinner, then to the coffee shop to knit, then to a late movie, then to bed. I think it's best.

now to the Yarn Porn!
I got my package of Lornas Laces Shephard Sock yesterday in the mail!!

Top to bottom, the colors are: Mardi Gras, Clay, Socknitters Winter Sunset, and Seascape. Clay is the only one that I might not have picked for myself, but it's growing on me. It will be perfect for someone on my gift list in the future.

FOr somereaseon I can't seem to upload the closeups without getting the pixelation I got from yesterday's post. I need to find out what I am doing wrong. I think it's a photobucket thing. (I know! It's not Blogger for once!!)

knitting in the dark

This has been one busy weekend! I did get to see my cousin and the kids. They are the sweetest most well behaved kids I've met in a long time. It was like she and I were never apart. (big grin) The baby really liked me and DH. It was hard to give him back. Of course we got the obligatory, "when are you two going to have kids?" DH said, "we're not. You guys can keep pumping 'em out. we'll pick the one we like." I'm glad people find him funny. Cause it's kinda creepy out of context....

The fun of the trip was getting to Middletown! It should take about 4.5 hours. It took 9.5!!! That's right people 5 extra hours of this:


We DID NOT MOVE FOR 5 HOURS!

So I did this:

I knit in the dark. DH tried to get a picture, but it didn't come out well. I was a little leery of Lace in the dark, but it all turned out ok.
I'm blocking it now. Pics tomorrow!
I finished it. Good thing I brought along a sock project! If you recall, after I finished my first pair of Mystery Socks, DH wanted some just like them. "You know, with holes." DH wants Lace Socks. oh kaaaaaaay.
I found him a sock pattern that I think is "guy" enough, and am making out of his grey sock yarn choice. Good thing it is lace, because the grey is boring. These are his feet. (we were really bored in the car for 5 hours.)

I plan to snap a picture of the socks tomorrow, asI will have more to show for my work than a grey cuff!

Lacevember questions:
The participants were asked to answer a few questions, so I complied. Enjoy!

How long have you been knitting?
Since I can remember. My Mom taught me when I was a kid. I picked it back up, in ernest about a year ago.

How did you learn to knit?
From my Mom, and from books

Favorite thing about knitting?
The creative aspect and the calming aspect

How long have you been knitting lace?
about a year

Favorite thing about knitting lace.
the oohs and ahhs you get when you give it or wear it, and that it makes me feel smart.

The yarn questions, or flash your stash
Favorite lace yarn?
Hard questioin. I haven't met a lace yarn I haven't liked. I am currently working with a lot of Misti Alpaca, so I'll say that.

variegated or solids for shawls?
SOlids, to tonal varigants

Favorite lace color?
Purple. I love purple.

Technique, or show us your skillz
Circs or straights?
Circs all the way baby!

Favorite lace knitting trick?
Sewn bind off! Tricksy!

Lifelines?
Sometimes... I'm so bad

If so with what?
Dental Floss

Fancy blocking wires, or just sewing pins stuck in your carpet?
I made blocking wires for myself, but they aren't fancy.

Pattern, or can you follow directions
shawls or lacey items?
Both!

triangle, rectangle, or circular shawls?
All! I love shawls!

Charts or printed instructions?
Charts. I deal with printed instructuons, but I don't care for it.

Favorite lace you've knit?
I loved Adamas - it was my first big lace project, so it holds a speacial place in my heart.

Favorite lace you want to knit?
there are so many. I cannot pick just one!!

Just Fun, yup that's right, just for fun
Favorite jelly belly flavor?
Cherry Cola

Tell me everything you know about Eric the Red.....
He had a red beard, hence the name. He was a viking.

Coke, classic or with lime?
LIME?! Gross. Classic. My favorite is still Fountain Vanilla Coke

Holiday carols, sing along, or wish they would be banned from all public airwaves?
annoying as all Hell. ban away!

What is the definition of irony?
That the stupid 90's song "Isn't it ironic" isn't ironic at all.

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?
I don't know... 115? Wait the comercial said 3!

Why is my cat always puking in front of my son's bedroom door?
He doesn't like your son. Or he really likes your son, and this is his way of telling him..

What is your superhero power?
Mind Control Powers!

If the laundry is 9 foot by 11 foot (just dreaming, that's a big laundry room), and the walls are 8 feet tall, and you are going to tile the entire room in tiles that are 3 inches by 5 inches, what color should those tiles be?
blue.

What's for dinner tonight?
I'm going out.

What is clogging my children's bathtub drain?
gross! WHo cares! Get the Husband to clean it out!

Hope you enjoyed! Tomorrow I promise pics of finished objects and yarn porn!

shame shame shame on me

I am not OFFICIALLY on a Yarn Diet, but I've been TRYING to be good. It doesn't work. ever. That said, I really wen on a binge. It might not seem like it since I spent a scant $46 , but I spent it all on sock yarn. Lorna's Laces to name names. Check out "The Fifth Stitch" on line. It is not listed on the site, but if you call or e-mail her about the "Lorna's Laces Surprise", you can be the proud owner of a Lorna's Laces surprise package. You get 8 skeins - 4 pairs of socks - worth of yarn for $46. For Lorna's fans, you know this is a steal. Usually 8 skeins would run you around $80. Nearly 50% off! Whoot! I told her to send me anything but pink yarn. we'll see what I get....

In other news, the show and party were great last night. NO hang over - go me!

I am headed home this weekend to see my Cousin and her babies. She lives in Montana, so getting to see my closest cousin is a special treat. We are a year and 2 weeks apart, so we were inseperable growing up and moving away from each other was hard to do. This will be the first time our schedules have lined up in nearly 6(!!!!) years. The oldest is almost 4! I've never even seen her! It is so odd to me. all of our time growing up together, we talked about how our kids would be like sisters, just like we were. It's weird how life takes you in different directions. I hope we haven't grown apart too much. I want us to pick up were we left off.
Wow. I can't believe this is making me sad.

Moving on.

I am still moving forward on the Final Christmas Scarf. I will probably finish it this weekend - even with the driving. I might throw a sock project in the bag, just in case. I think it is DH's turn to get a pair. On that note, I am off to find a suitable stitch pattern for his socks. 'till Monday!

Falling Water Cascading Along Nicely

I am delighted to officially welcome everyone to Lacevember! In Honor of the event, I have added a button to my blog. I am not sure who made it, but he or she made a lovely kiri! I picked it from the official Lacevember blog beacuse I made one too, and well, I love it. So how about a Lacevember update?

Falling Water, the Frank Lloyd Wright house near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, was one of my favorite field trip locations during undergraduate school. We went for Art History, Architectural history, and scene design classes. The house was built for the Kauffman family, over top of a water fall. Instead of buliding the house to view the water, Wright built it overtop of the water - in essence blending it into the environment, instead of exploiting the environment. Kinda cool, eh? I have no idea what the real inspiration for this scarf was, but that is what it is for me. The cascading water effect is dazzling, even if it is hard to photograph "pre blocking".

This is a picture of the amazing array of colors in this yarn.

You can see the pattern a little better through the back. I promise it will be stunning when I block it.

Tonight I am off to another opening night. We open our second show of the season, and have much merriment afterwards. Probably no update tomorrow, as a I will not knit tonight. No drinky and Lace knitty! That should be my Lacevember motto...

I'm ahead of schedule

wow. This never happens. I am actually ahead of schedule.

My plans for Lacevember include finishing up Glascow Lace, and knitting 2 more Christmas Lace scarves. I'm doing the scarves first, since they have a time line, and the sweater is for me. I cast on for my Green Skulls scarf at 11:45 Sunday morning, expecting to get a little into it, before Lacevember officially commenced. Well, I knit, knit, knitted, and ended up casting off at 12:30pm! And I drove around, ate meals, watched tv..... all in all, it only took me about 10hrs! sweet!

Stats:
yarn: Lanett Superwash fingering weight, color #9544
needles: KP options, size 4
pattern : I made it up, but I used a modified "Skull & Crossbones Lace" from www.knitting-and.com , and knit it "longways".
Frankly, I didn't use the chart as written because I didn't like the crossbones part.
I really like this yarn! I might use my second ball to make a scarf for me. It is so shiny after it is blocked! although... I already have a Branching Out in nearly the same color...

Aw man, Les is going to love it! Skulls are so "in" this year. I've seen lime green skull print scarves all over the designer houses. As Les is not a silk scarf kind of gal, I think she will really get a kick out of a knit scarf!

So, since I finished "green skulls" I cast on for my last christmas lace scarf last night. The "Falling Water Lace Scarf". It is a pattern graciously put up for free on bluepeninsula's blog. http://bluepeninsula.blogspot.com/ I am making mine out of Plymouth Suri Merino, color #791. It is a worsted weight, so the scarf is coming out wideish. The color is a lightblue with green, purple, and pink fibers blended in. You can't even really see the other colors unless you really try. I am 5 reps in, and loving it. This is good tv lace. (I didn't mess up even though I watched Prison Break and Heros - both shows which I find it hard to look away...)

Pictures tomorrow of the progress!

Socktoberfest is Ending, Let Lacevember Begin!

this one is going to be PICTURE HEAVY!
I finished wrestled with the idea of starting another pair of socks during Socktober, but I decided that I'd met my goal - 4 PAIRS!, and S.E.X. would be a better use of my time.

With that in mind, I spent my Saturday at the "Frankin County Fiber Twist" in Deerfield MA. This was a really cool, albeit tiny, festival. It was all Franklin County Fiber artists and crafts people! There were lots of bagged fleeces, hand dyed roving, hand dyed yarn, hand crafted fiber items - like blankets - and Bosworth's Journey Wheel!
I talked my DH into going by saying it was going to be a nice drive, free admission to the local history musuam, etc. Well, it rained, and frankly, neither of us wanted to see the museum. (sorry Deerfield) DH was disappointed at the lack of live animals, and if we would have gotten there sooner, we could have toured all of the vendors' businesses. I thought that was pretty cool! Like a giant fiber open house!
Back to the S.E.X. ...
My fist purchase was this:

It is rayon laceweight yarn, dyed an amaing array of muted greens, with a tad of pink, that you can't see because of the way the skein is wrapped. guess how much... $5! The artist had a basket of "lone skeins", which is where I found my new lovely. I must now research knitting lace with rayon...

I walked about some more, then stopped to stare longingly a the journey wheel booth. Now, I am not a spinner. I know how it works, I've tried it in Grad school for class, but I don't really know what I'm doing. I must have watched for 20 mins, as the owner spun with a spindle and talked with the customers. I needed one! (Recently, I'd bought the new "Spin Off" magazine for DH. (research for his book) Of course, I read the issue too. In it there is an article about Mr. Bosworth and Journey wheels. I was intrigued...) I hemmed and hawed. Watched and Asked questions. DH told me I should get one. SO I did...


Now, the yarn did not come on the spindle, I put it there. It is a "mini" drop spindle, and it turns FOREVER. My other spindle is one that you can get when you go to a "ye olde tyme history place" for kids to learn about "historical crafts". Let's say it's.... rustic. I learned it so that I could sayI'd tried it. I didn't see what the hubbub was.

I get it now.
Check out my very own poorly spun yarn!

Just when I'd get pretty even, blap another thick spot. Oh well, practice makes perfect I guess. I now must research how to remove it from the spindle, and how to "set the twist".

Onwards...
we stopped next at a used bookstore. That's a whole other post.

Then we went to Webbs! I wasn't going past it with out stopping. Don't be silly. As it was still Socktoberfest, I told DH to pick out some sock yarn. He picked grey Regia 4 fadig. I didn't take a picture. It was grey sock yarn.
I also got this:

Granted, also grey, BUT it is Alpaca Silk! It is a lovely pewter version of my Mystery Stole Yarn. I think I officially have enough lace weight yarn to knit for the rest of my life.
But, It's ok, because it is LACEVEMBER (almost)!

Lastly, a look at my current progress on Glascow Lace:
I'm about 2/3 through the back. I totally put this down for Socktober, so now I should pick it up again.
Tomorrow we'll talk about Lacevember goals. I'm all written out for today!

Woot Woot!

Get down on it!
Get down on it!
Woot Woot!
I finished pair #4 for Socktoberfest.
Now before ya'll get huffy 'bout these not being "socks", I think they count. If baby socks count, pedicure socks count. so there.

The matching Manicure mitts are mighty fun too!
Easy peasy Christmas present, if I do say so myself...

To make this lovely set, you need:
2 100 gram skeins of any TWO colors of worsted yarn (I used Red Heart SOft Yarn in Grape and Leaf)
1 pair of size 7 DPNs
1 yarn needle, and some waste yarn

Socks:
CO 36, work in 2x2 ribbing for 5 rounds.
Knit in St Stitch for desired length of leg
work heel of your choice over half stiches - I used a short row, w/ 6 unworked stitches
Knit across top of foot, when you get back to the heel, begin to work in reverse stockingette for sole of foot.
knit until foot is 1.5" less than desired length.
Change to contrast color, and knit 5 rounds, maintaining pattern
change back to MC, and knit one round in pattern.
Work in 2x2 rib for5 rounds.
Bind Off in stretch BO of your choice

Mitts:
CO 32, work in 2x2 rib for 5 rounds
Knit in St stich for 2.75"
1. *K8, M1* around (36)
2. K1. PM, K around
Begin gusset.
1.k1, m1, Knit to marker, m1, sip marker, knit around
2. knit
rep gussett rows 1 and 2 until you have 13 stitches between markers.
Knit across gussett stitches, place on holder
knit around, increasing 1 stitch when you get back to the gussett, join in the round
k one round mc
change to CC, and k 5 rounds
change to MC, Knit 1 round.
work in 2x2 rib for 5 rounds.
Bind off in Stretchy BO of your choice.

Thumb:
Place held stitches on needles.
Knit across, and PU 3 in fabric above gussett (to fill the hole)
Dec by two stitches at the "corners", on the next two rounds (12 stitches)
(look for the little holes created where you added new stitches)
work in 2x2 ribbing for 3 rounds.
BO in your stretchy BO of choice.

TADA!

I hope everyone had as much fun as I did during Socktoberfest! I am definately participating next year!

Look out Lacevember, here I come!

Someone needs a Pedicure...

...and it would be me.
Wow. That is some ugly toe action going on.

This is sock #1 of my Pedicure socks. I decided to add the contrast band around the toes, just for fun. The mani mitts will be in the green color, with a band of the purple.

This is a super fast project. I frogged the whole thing last night and started over. I orgianlly cast on 44 stitches, but it was a tad to big, and I had a split stitch staring at me in the ribbing, and I had a little hole in the heel. All together to many issues to live with. I suppose that is what happens when you knit in the dark with yarn larger than your normal "knit in the dark knitting". SO I started over. It's ok. I frogged at 8:15 pm, co 36 stitchess, knit for about 30min., drove to work, knit for another 30min., drove home, and knit for another 2 hrs, and TADA! One finished pedi sock.

I would guess that if I knit solid on this gift, I could complete all 4 pieces in one day. This may be my christmas gift for the staff next year..... Shhh! Don't tell them!

Socktoberfest Pair #3!!!!

Pair #3 is finished, and ready to wear. Who Hoo! I'm calling them the Ocean City Jaywalkers, after the location I bought the yarn.
Someone is going to ask the color # of this yarn. I don't know. I thought I had put it in a previous post, but I didn't. And I took the ball band out of my bag, so tough luck.
As you can see, I didn't even try to match the stripes. I don't think it's possible, and I like them this way.


I like this shot. It makes me feel artsy.

So I am on to pair #4 of Socktoberfest fun. I've been inspired by Knitty.com to make a pair of Pedicure Socks for my Mom. The ones on the web site are very cute, but not really her. She's not a stripey kind of girl. I am making them with a ribbed cuff, shortrow heel, and princess foot - afterall my Mom is Princess Theodora. She'll get a kick out of the "Princess foot".

All please feel free to oooh amd ahhh over the inside of my Pedi Sock, with it's transistion to the Princess foot.
I am also making companion Manicure Mitts. A little Mani/Pedi set as a side gift = happy mom. I should be finished with the Pedi socks by the end of Socktoberfest, but I'm not sure about the Mnai mitts - maybe. It depends on how much I get to knit this weekend. I want to try to go to MA to the spinning fiber festival thingy, and I'd like to go to the Farmhouse Yarns Sale. I'll be really busy I think.... buying yarn..... (evil grin)

Socktberfest, how do I love thee?

I love thee because thou art inspiring;
I love thee because thou art useful;
and I love thee beacuse thou art pretty.

Visions of Socks dance in my head as socktoberfest starts to wind to a close. I'm excited to move onto Lacevember, as I have three more lace scarves to finish for Christmas, but frankly, I am not ready for October to be over. I love this month. It is the last bit of warm, the last bit of green, and the last bit of dry feet for a long, long time. I love the pretty fall colors, but it somehow harkens the sad greys of Winter. I look forward to the bright spring greens a lot more. I'm not ready for the yicky slush yet.

In that spirit, I have one more Socktoberfest pair of Socks left to do. I am finishing the toe on my second Jaywalker right now, (so pics tomorrow!) and am ready to make my Mom a pair of Pedicure Socks - a pattern from the Knitty.com archives. My Mom is a Mani and Pedi princess, so I am making matching Pedicure Socks, and Manicure mitts. In purple, of course, as it is her royal highnesses favorite color.

The yarn is (deep breath) Red Heart Soft Yarn. I can hardly even type it. I decided to use acrylic because I don't want her to worry about washing them, and this yarn is pretty nice. Well, for acrylic. The plus side, this project will go fast - it is worsted weight. I will only have to briefly play with the Red Heart.

let's move on to other things...
I had a S.E.X. trip yesterday. I went to fabric place (WHY MUST YOU CLOSE!) and got some nice 40% off yarn. 3 skeins of100% black angora for ME - I'm making a neck cozy thingy (drool); 2 skeins of sport weight wool, filitura dicrosa zara in a gorgeous bright turqoise - I think this will be gloves for my Grandma; and lastly a needle case - for which I payed$3. $3! It had no tag, so the cashier just made up a price. I wasn't going to argue....

THEN I went to Sit n' Knit, in West Hartford. I love Sit n' Knit. It is really hard not to go crazy in there. Yes, I bought more Misti Alpaca Lace Weight. But it's a color I don't have! Pretty coffee colored yarn. Do I know what it will be? .....no. Of couse not. But I have enough for a triangle shawl.

THEN I went to Borders. I used my Personal shopping day. I got a Chai and the Interweave Knits Christmas Gift special issue. Pretty cool issue, I must say. DH got a magazine and a CD. Oh yea. He was along with me.

THEN we went to Red Lobster. Let me explain. I love Red Lobster. I LOVE Crab legs. In my sad poor person world, Red Lobster was THE fancy place to eat. Where I live now, great individually owed restraunts are everywhere. 4 and 5 star places. We still go to red Lobster. I will be rich and famous some day, and still go to the RL. That is just the way it is.

On another RL note, I read a quote on "Overheard in New York". "My man's got to give me roses, and bling, and take me fancy places like Red Lobster."

sweet. It is all I ask for in life.

Today, I went to an antique store. That is not unusual. I love them in an unnatural way. But I got quite a haul. I got a bowler hat for $7, a 1960's cashmere coat with fur collar and cuffs for $95, and for One measly dollar, I got this:

It has 60 (!) patterns in it! Perfect comdition, no missing or creased pages! Aw yea! Socktoberfest is working for me!

Finally, here is a Picture of the show I opened on Friday:

A staged reading of "Franklin in Love", a new play by an up and coming playwright. I wish I had gotten better pictures, but I had to sit in the balcony. Overall, a very rewarding experience, for which I recieved much praise. Can't beat that!

Cheers!

Heading into another busy weekend

Well, the time has arrived. My show that I have been working on is opening tomorrow, and the show I am managing goes into tech tomorrow. I'm set to be a busy girl. I'm trying really hard to make sure I have everything planned out, and all of the problems thought of before they happen. It never works that way, but you can't blame a girl for trying.

Starting tomorrow evning, I'll be BORED though. Tech is always so dull. At least I have plenty of time to knit, even if it is in the dark. I'll be working on my Jaywalker socks. I am nearing the end of the gusset decreases, ready to start the foot. I am going to SnB tonight, so I'll probably be pretty far into the foot by tomorrow night. I might even have this pair of Socks done by next wednesday. Or Monday, for that matter. After doing complicated lacey socks, or the constant counting of RPMs, these Jaywalkers fly off the needles.

and...just because Trekking is SOOOO pretty, here are a few pics.

the color transitions! The softness! The wonderfullness!
Ahhhhhhh.

Stop me before I join something else!

DH started a kntting movement. Lacevember has taken off, ven to the point of having a blog.

Of course I joined. Don't be silly.

Clicky on the "Lacevember!" on the side bar to check out the blog. It isn't much yet, but I'm sure the hosts will have it looking spectacular soon! I got a few pm's expressing their toughts on why I should host. Well, thanks everybody, but no way. I barely know how to make this blog work, let alone host anoter one. Let us let that up to the technically aware.

I also updated my sidebar to include a "socktober" link. TADA! (Like I said, I can barely keep this sad blog going...) It only took me until nearly the entire event was over.

I am on the heel of sock #1 of Socktoberfest Pair #3, the trekking Jaywalkers. Woo! I hope to finish a good amount tonight while at my friend's place. We are watching the Project Runway Finale. I don't have cable, and I am really missing out with this show. EVERYBODY in my field watches this show. I had to catch up. Ahh marathon tv watching. Iam now totally up to date, and super excited to find out who comes out on top, and what becomes of the sewing scandal.

I sent the RPM's off to their recipient, "Princess Evangaline". Hopefully she will love her "custom royal foot coverings". I suspect she will. (grin)

That is it for now. I have a fitting coming in, and a fur hat to make. The fun never ends!

New Sock needles

Ya'll might remember that I knitted a pair of socks in exchange for a pair of needles...
http://costumechick.blogspot.com/2006/08/half-of-mystery-sock-pair-2.html

Well, the needles came yersterday. I, of course took pictures immediately!



They are absolutely gorgeous size 1's, in SOLID brass. OMG! The pictures look "silvery" but in real life, they are a beautiful brassy brass. The one needle is stamped with the size, and the artist "signed" her work. The middle bit on each needle is swirly and twisty, like a churning sea. Frankly, these are a work of art. You almost feel like a musicain whe you pick these needles up. The artistry wants to flow out of your hands and into the yarn. Sort of like a great violin player... she can play beautifully on an violin, but give her a Stratavarious, and the world stops to listen. My DH even thought they were really awsome.
I started knitting with them right away. The socks I just started were on us 1's! I switched over. The swirly bits help keep the stitches in the middle of the needles, yet the yarn slides over them when you want it to, and the points are nice. Now, they are not the usual razors I like to work with, but I'm, doing double descreases with them on my Jaywalkers just fine. The points are similar to addis, imo. As a matter of fact, think I will go back to that now...

IF you are interested in some fancy needles of your own, or would like to buy me another pair, (grin), you can find then at:
celticswan.com

It's not Lacetember

This weekend, I spent some quality Socktoberfest time, both knitting as well as shopping. DH and I went to Saybrook yarns, one of my favorite yarn stores, and I of course, couldn't decide what to buy. I had some yarn for a gift, but I also had two skeins of sock yarn and one big hank of lace weight. I can't resist either kind of yarn, so I asked him which I should buy. He said, "Well, It IS Socktober, not Lacetember." I bought the sock yarn.
It's Lang Jawoll, in a pretty dark brown color. AS you can see, I also broke down and bought Sensational Knitted Socks. I had a Borders coupon burning a hole in my pocket. I cannot wait to try some patterns!

Also in Honor of Socktoberfest, I submit my RPM's!

They aren't even dry yet. I had to post the picture, though.

Pattern: RPM from Knitty.com
Needles: size 1 KnitPicks circulars
Yarn: Regia 4 fadig Jaquard , color 5270; 2 balls
For: Vangie's Birthday.

I took a sock hiatis... shameful, I know, and worked on my Glascow Lace sweater. I progressed quite a bit, but it is in the dull stage, so no photos.

Then I felt guilty, and started Socktoberfest socks, pair 3. They are the ever famous Jaywalkers, from magknits.com. I am using Trekking XXL, for the first time, I must add, and I love it! SO pretty! Unfourtunately, i think they might be too big for me. All of the online chatter points to these socks being **tight**. I decided to make the larger size. They seam huge. We'll see. It might change when I get to the heel. This is the progress, thus far.


I love Socktober, but I can't wait for Lacetember!