The KNITTING PHILISTINE

I'm moving!

2008-08-24T20:09:00.003-04:00

This-a-way, this-a-way!

Turn there, then there, go left and then right--

and....

then....

down the rabbit hole!

PSST: Remember, don't eat anything that says "Eat Me," and don't drink anything that says "Drink Me." But DO update your RSS/blog aggregator so that you can visit often!

On stashing things other than sock yarn...

2008-05-27T21:54:00.018-04:00

I know it's been a while since I've been around the blogosphere--I'm sure most of y'all have by now heard about the super - awesome - fantastic hostessing of an amazing group of gals I got to do a few weeks ago, but it's high time I get back on board the bloggy train. Though, there may be a slight shift in focus, as witnessed by the mosaic above... (for more information about any of the photos above, please go here)

Because, apparently, I love patchwork. And fabric. And more fabric. And lots more fabric. And quilts! And making quilts! Patchwork quilts! If you sense any obsessed immediacy in my exclamation points, you'd be right on.

I know, I mentioned my plans to learn to quilt TWO MONTHS ago and what do I have to show for it? Well, not much, besides an obsessive love for fabric stashing which has completely eclipsed my love for sock yarn stashing. Yes, it's true. And, as the wee stack of fabric above attests, I have not one smidgen of difficulty finding fabrics I love. Love that is perhaps even stronger than sock yarn. Yes, I just dared to go there, I'm afraid. Also, I DO now have a sewing machine, and I have fabric cutting tools on the way. So this *is* actually going somewhere, albeit slowly. I promise that there will be profuse quilty action very soon!

And since the month is quickly coming to an end, that could only mean one thing: Project Spectrum colors are on the verge of changing! A I R here I come...

Next up: I play catch up on all of the E A R T H-y goodies that I've knit over the past two months. All in one post! After a massive destashing effort, of course.

Finished: More cowlses than you can shake a stick at.

2008-04-16T21:58:00.012-04:00

It started out innocently enough... see pretty cowlses, be inspired to knit cowlses. then see a cowl knit from sock yarn... and the perfect storm of cowlses and cowlses was released upon the knitting world.

The first cowl. Otherwise known as The Cowl that Instilled the Passion For Knitting Cowls.

Finished: Watery Cowl (click link for Ravelry info)
Pattern: Gloria Cowl by Orinda5
Fiber: 1 skein of Fleece Artist Somoko in Peridot, doubled
Size: 99 stitches around
Needles: size 7 16" circular needle
Date Started: April 2008
Date Completed: two days later in April 2008

I cannot lie--this was a shameless monkey see, monkey do act of knitting.

The second cowl. Once I realized that a single skein of sock yarn could be magically transformed into a glorious neckwarmer, there was really no stopping me. I'm certainly not limited in the way of sock yarn in the stash. So, off I went, knitting cowlses.

Finished: Mineral Cowl (click link for Ravelry info)
Pattern: Gloria Cowl by Orinda5
Fiber: 1 skein of Fleece Artist Cashlana in Mineral, doubled
Size: 99 stitches around
Needles: size 7 16" circular needle
Date Started: April 2008, directly proceeding the Watery Cowl
Date Completed: a mere two days after casting on

Oh, yes. Then there's the bulky style cowl. Again, I saw and had to have.

Finished: Dolores Park the First (click link for Ravelry info)
Pattern: Dolores Park by Parikha of sixoneseven
Fiber: half skein of Schaefer Yarn Esperanza
Size: one size fits all
Needles: size 13 16" circular needle
Date Started: April 2008
Date Completed: a few hours after starting it. Quickest FO ever.

And then came the culmination of cowlses: the realization that single sock knitting could be replaced by cowl knitting. Because what is a cowl? A sock leg knit on big ol' needles. Forget about the foot and heel business. Also, there is no second sock involved. Hello, most perfect way to use up some sock yarn from the stash (to make room for more, of course)! And the discovery that one could, if one wanted, transform all of one's favorite sock patterns into cowlses. Which, if you're me, gets you the Cowl of Kindness.

Finished: Cowl of Kindness (click link for Ravelry info)
Pattern: My own, derived from Chawne's Socks of Kindness pattern. See my Ravelry link for pattern details
Fiber: 1 skein of Handmaiden Casbah in Glacier, doubled
Size: 96 stitches around
Needles: size 8 16" circular needle
Date Started: April 2008
Date Completed: April 2008

Fair warning, dear readers: this is not the last of the cowls. No, indeed. Also, can you tell I don't leave home without my trusty jean jacket?

Up next: single sock (did you REALLY think I'd give them up for the cowlses, did you?) progress for E A R T H ...

What's next for our herione, the Philistine?

2008-03-26T10:01:00.001-04:00

Finishing my prelim exams has been such a tremendous weight off my mind, but I am now finding myself floundering a bit, asking myself, 'What next? What do I do with myself now that it isn't an absolute necessity for me to study for my exams 10 hours a day?' I'm finding it amazingly difficult to transition into the next big project: the dissertation. I'm finding it especially difficult to transition into the dissertation with the onset of spring. It just doesn't seem right to delve into this next huge undertaking at the *end* of the school year. Not... quite... yet...

Now that I've gained a bit of freedom and breathing room from my studies, I've finally taken the opportunity to expand my crafty horizons. I have been dreaming about quilting for a long, long while now. Mostly after having seen this beauty. (Ah, Maritza, my crafty muse). But it has always seemed like one of those big transitions, from knitting to quilting. I've still only recently become okay at knitting, and I haven't even knit any big lace thing yet (though, that, too, is on the horizon...)--quilting has just always seemed a bit too complicated to get involved with. I mean, you need a whole different set of tools, which I don't have. You need fabric, which I know nothing about and don't have. You need to have a clue about how to sew, which I don't have. And you need time and patience, which I haven't had much of... until recently.

But once I get something into my head, there's no stopping me, really. I have certainly discovered the lure of fabric. All it took was spending a little time on the internets surfing around the fabric stores and I was hit with massive amounts of quilty inspiration. Let's just say that finding fabric I liked was about as hard as finding sock yarn I like. Amy Butler polka dots and wall flowers, Alexander Henry birds and paper cranes... the list goes on. My fear of not being inspired by fabrics like I am yarn was utterly unfounded. It didn't take me long at all to discover *exactly* which prints and designers I like most. And once I started thinking about quilting combinations, there was no stopping me.

And so dreaming up ideas for quilts has replaced knitting single socks lately. And dream up quilts I have. What has transpired in this week away from knitting is that I have planned out no less than four quilts that I want to make. F O U R. The fabric combinations above and below are the beginnings of two of them. Above is the Birds and Gnomes Quilt-to-Be and below is the Colorful Chocolate Quilt-to-Be. I am very excited about both.

This one will have more fabrics added in, but I am trying to take this fabric acquisition thing slowly. Trying, anyway. But these two quilts are all planned out and I am ready to start. Now I just need that sewing machine and all those fun quilting tools. Oh, and some books to tell me how to do it. These all seem like minor details to me, though, because, for once, I have a little bit of time for myself and a lot of inspiration, so this quilting thing might finally happen.

Stay tuned... this blog might just become the Knitting and Quilting Philistine.

Also, the single socks will recommence on April 1, with the Project Spectrum color change to E A R T H.

F I R E

2008-03-18T19:53:00.001-04:00

First things first, for all of you who have been following my trials and tribulations of the ominous prelim exams, they are over and I passed. Thank you all for your well-wishing during the past crazy two months of studying and hating my crapademic lifestyle. What have I been up to since March 2, the last time I posted, you ask? Well, I have one word for you: socks. Okay, actually, I have two words for you: single socks. The beauty above is a Spearfish sock knit using Fleece Artist 3/6 in Beet. Such a vixen, this sock is.

Some--though I suspect not all--of you will be happy to know that the Single Sock Liberation Movement is a far cry from being just another passing fad on the knitting scene. I am currently entrenched in my latest project--Project Spectrum 3.0 The Single Sock Edition. Yes, friends, my Philistine magic can skew any interesting and well thought out project into a fun new excuse to knit a bunch of single socks with not even the slightest concern for the second sock. I am currently knitting (and will continue to knit) single socks in the colors of the Project Spectrum Elements colors. The past two months have been devoted to F I R E--pink, red, and orange.

This cable-y beauty is a Liebchen sock, knit using Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk yarn in Dusk. The alpaca and silk blend yarn is wonderful for socks; the silk makes it strong and shiny, while the alpaca makes it all fuzzy, warm and comfy. Once the mate comes along (don't hold your breath, though), these are going to make perfect bed socks!

And the ribbed back of the leg ensures a wonderful fit.

This 'un is a Sock of Kindness knit using Sundara sock yarn in Papaya over Grapefruit. I don't think I've ever made a sock that fit my foot so well. Num.

This sweet red singlet was another fun knit. It's actually knit from a pattern available at the moment only in Finnish, the Strawberry Fields Socks. Lucky for me, I happened to email Kris for some help, and, despite not being Finnish or knowing a lick of Finnish, she decided it would be fun to translate Finnish into English. Go figure, because she translated it perfectly (as Tehri, who IS Finnish, has attested to). And Tehri has contacted the designer to make the pattern available in English, which should happen sometime soon, in the event that a) you are interested in making this sock, and b) you don't speak/read a lick of Finnish.

Perhaps a closer inspection of the heel and toe will convince you that, despite not knowing Finnish, you want to knit this sock? Beautiful heel, with the garter stitch rib traveling all the way down the heel.

And the side panels of garter stitch rib travel all the way down to the tip of the toe, which I think is an amazing detail. It's what made me seek out Kris' translating skills in the first place.

And who can go wrong with the stockinette Koigu sock? I call this one the Picot + Koigu = LOVE sock. It's the first in a long, long series planned. I needed a reason to need to use lots and lots of Koigu, so I created one. A sock series. Ah, again, that Philistine magic up-to-no-goodery hard at work.

There you have it: the F I R E single socks.
E A R T H single socks will begin promptly on April 1. And I, for one, can't wait.

Finished: Giotto-With-the-Flow Socks & Prelims 2, 3, & 4

2008-03-02T10:35:00.002-05:00

Hello, all. Wow, do months just fly right by you before you know it when you're all stressy and preliming. I promised to show you some more finished socks long ago, and I've finally shown up to do it...

Finished: Giotto-With-the-Flow Socks
Pattern: These socks are a hybrid of of Anna Bell's Giotto Socks and Evelyn Clark's Go With the Flow Socks from IK's Favorite Socks. The idea for the hybrid was inspired by Whitney's clever machinations.
Fiber: Sundara Sock Yarn in Gray Green over Mint (one of my most favorite yarn colorways ever; that Sundara, she's a genius.)
Size: women's foot
Needles: size 1 Knit Picks circular needle
Date Started: a long time ago
Date Completed: January 2008
Modifications: No modifications from the two patterns. I knit the top section of the Giottos as written and the bottom section of the Go With the Flow pattern as written.

Love these socks. And such wonderful lounging-in-the-bed-socks.

Not that I've had much time for lounging in the bed any time recently...

Along with another pair (PAIR!) of socks, I've also finished my last three prelim written exams. If only I could say that the whole shebang was over and done. But the oral was canceled on account of a teensy bit of snow. It'll all be over soon, though. This Friday is the big day, finally. Then... maybe more time to blog? I'm hoping, anyway. I've missed you guys!

Up next: I rediscover what it's like to *not* spend twelve hours a day trying not to fail PhD preliminary exams. Also, my progress with Project Spectrum 3.0.

Finished: The Prettiest Darned Socks I've Ever Knit, If I Do Say So, Myself.

2008-02-05T09:31:00.000-05:00

Helloooo! I'm here to deliver up my most favorite FO to date--please excuse the glut of photos, but I just couldn't help myself... And I am now utterly convinced that yellow socks make the very, very, very, very, VERY best socks.

Finished: Coziest Cable Socks Ever
Pattern: Cozy Cable Socks
Fiber: Colintette Jitterbug in Vincent's Apron (1.5 skeins)
Size: women's foot
Needles: size 1 Addi Turbo circular needle
Date Started: December 2007
Date Completed: January 2008
Modifications: Continued the cable pattern down the heel flap.

While these socks looked really difficult and tedious to make, it turns out they aren't at all! The pattern is actually very easy to follow, and once the cable pattern was established, I barely had to look at the cable charts at all. But I sure can appreciate the detailed and textured finish of the socks. They look like an impressive knit, but I'd rate them more fun than fiddly.

I did modify the heel a bit. I rarely knit heel flaps anymore, preferring the short-row heel, but I really wanted the cable pattern to continue down the heel. So, I broke down and suffered through the flap and having to pick up all those gusset stitches. Looking at the result, I'm very happy that made that mod. The heel now mirrors the pattern on top of the foot.

These socks are pure happiness. And you'd better believe I wore them while taking Prelim #2, which, I can now report is done and done. Two more to go. And the oral. Then knitting vacation, here I come! And by 'knitting vacation', I mean writing a grant proposal to fund my dissertation research with a little knitting thrown in for good measure.

P.S. I eked out ONE last finished mate from the singles collection... which I'll share next time. But since then, I've gone and cast on three, THREE new socks! More soon!

Things that make my day.

2008-02-01T15:32:00.000-05:00

1. The Cat and Mouse Game.

Between Edwin Claudius and the computer mouse. Case in point: cat sees mouse.

Cat chases mouse.

Cat catches mouse.

2. Yellow yarn. I have it BAD for all fibers yellow right now. Maybe it's an attempt to fight the winter doldrums? Maybe it's a surefire distraction from the angst of prelim exams (is yellow supposed to be a calming color? I always thought it wasn't, but then, why was that awful soda of the 80s called 'Mellow Yellow', hmmmm?)? Whatever magic it holds, I am completely captivated by it. So much so, in fact, that I started a new Flickr group just for yellow knits. It is slowly sating my thirstiness for the yellow. If you need a swig of of the ol' Mellow Yellow, check the group out here.

3. Awesome, awesome knitbloggers telling me that I make their day. Big, big hugs to Alice, Em, Minty, Sarah, Jennie, barefootrooster,and Katie (a new blog to me! thanks for introducing yourself, Katie!) for including me on your 'You Make My Day' lists!

And it only seems fitting that I spread the love by telling a few people that make MY day in the knitblog community that I appreciate them. So, first, I have to preface by saying that there are a few among us who pretty much make my day on a daily basis--my knitblog homies, if you will... so thank you, Ashley, Minty, Sarah, Jennie, and Pam! Be heretofore advised that you are considered my knitblog homies!

So, the 'You Make My Day' awards. Rules: Give the award to 10 people whose blogs make you feel happy about blogland, then let them know so they can pass it on. In alphabetical order:

100% Pura Lana :: Because her take on Project Spectrum last year is still blowing my mind. I am in sheer adoration of all those socks!
adamknits! :: Because YARN NERDery is the best kind of nerdery!
Black Dog Knits :: Because she is simply my favorite Aussie, that's why.
Elliphantom Knits :: Because not only are her FO shoots utterly amazing, she also can crack me up with her witty photo description tags like no other. Seriously, people. It's hard to get me to smile, much less laugh.
Mustaa villaa :: Because anyone who can crank out that many beautiful pairs of socks (PAIRS being the operative word) makes my day in a serious way.
Neither Hip Nor Funky :: Because she has a penchant for making singing bad, bad songs that should never be sung seem so hip. And funky, as it were.
Slipped Stitch :: Because just when I had given up all interest in ever knitting anything but socks again, she went and came up with the most perfect sweater pattern ever. And then published it for free, no less. Also, I live a Londoner's life vicariously through her.
s i x o n e s e v e n :: Because not only does she share awesome vegan recipes with us, but it's all I can do not to toss aside my own knitting and knit whatever she's just finished. I mean seriously, this? And this? And what about that one? Seriously, who needs to knit mates to their socks, anyway, when one can be sweater-and-mitten twinsies with Parikha instead?
s t r i k k e r :: Because she can rock the emo fringe like no other knitblogger I know. And she's as freakish as me about coveting the perfect yellow yarn.
The Daily Purl :: Because, I once dubbed her The Daily Temptation, and I wholeheartedly stand by this nickname one hundred and fifty percent. Also, have you seen this girl's weaving magic?? Utterly, mind-blowingly amazing.

Be back soon with my most favorite FO to date...

Finished: Twinkleberry Socks & Prelim 1

2008-01-29T08:53:00.000-05:00

The throes of prelim exams require that I just poke my head into the blogosphere briefly, but after getting all that Embossed Leaves love, I couldn't resist taking a few minutes to show y'all another finished PAIR! And can I just say, WHO do I think I am, finishing things like this? I am seriously losing all my Philistine cred over this, I just know it.

Finished: Twinkleberry Socks
Pattern: Twinkleberry Socks, a free Knitzi pattern designed by Beth of good-natured ribbing
Fiber: Yarn Nerd merino/tencel blend sock yarn in denim blues
Size: women's foot
Needles: size 1 Knitpicks circular needle
Date Started: September 2007
Date Completed: January 2008
Notes: This is a really wonderful pattern--super easy pattern repeats that turn into a gorgeous lacy sock with just a hint of cables. The merino/tencel blend also made these socks especially pretty; I've got it bad for merino/tencel sock yarns right now. I'm convinced that merino/tencel + lacy sock pattern = shiny, happy socks of perfection. More to come on this combination, just you wait.

And, as of yesterday at 5:00 pm, I have another FO! Prelim exam 1 down, and 3 more to go. What a grueling experience. I typed 14 pages (single-space!) in 4 hours. Can we say OUCH?! Don't they know I use those fingers to knit? Jeez.

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments on my Embossed Leaves socks! I appreciate them all, and I hope that as soon as these narsty prelims are over I can get back to responding to comments and... LEAVING comments. Just 3 more weeks. I swear, once the exams are over, I am going to do nothing but knit for a week (maybe two!) straight. It is going to be awesome.

P.S.--Would you believe me if I told you I have already finished yet ANOTHER pair of socks?? It's true, I swear. I'll be back very soon...

Finished: Embossed Leaves Socks

2008-01-23T14:47:00.000-05:00

Yes, dearies, you read that title correctly. The uncouth philistine who brought you the Single Sock Liberation Movement all those months ago has finished a pair. A PAIR. Wow, I can actually wear the socks I've knit! And match! How crazy is that!

The real question is, how could I not finish these?? I was quite smitten with the first sock; the pattern and yarn color was just such a happy marriage that I had to have the mate!

Finished: Embossed Leaves Socks
Pattern: Embossed Leaves from Favorite Socks, designed by Mona Schmidt
Fiber: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock lightweight in Olivenite
Size: women's foot
Needles: size 1.5 Knitpicks circular needle
Date Started: November 2007
Date Completed: January 2008
Notes: I really, really love this pattern. The pattern repeats are simple and painless, but the resultant leaf motif is awesome. This pattern is what they call a whole lotta bang for your buck! I will definitely knit more Embossed Leaves someday.

So, there you have it. I'm off to a good start on my resolution to knit mates for at least these 12 single socks. One down, eleven to go. Though, I do have a secret that some of you know: I've actually gotten another mate finished. Expect a full report on that sock very, very soon. Look at me, I'm a finisher!

Preliminary exams update: first exam was moved to this Monday, since the original scheduled time conflicted with the course I am TAing this spring. Thus, the cramming continues for another few days before the real fun starts... Life! I want my life back!

Resolution(s).

2008-01-13T12:01:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I know it's been really quiet around this blog for awhile now, but I have resolved to catch you up to speed. Speaking of resolutions, it is high time I made one. No more single socks for awhile, people. It's time that all these lovelies had mates. I'm planning to knit at least all the mates to the pretty nine socks above. I want to knock these mates out before the onset of Project Spectrum 3.0, as I am already thinking I want to try Mari's approach to Project Spectrum, and, well, I foresee a fair share of single socks coming out of that endeavor. So, Resolution: Knit mates to these nine socks. I doubt I can knit all nine mates before the PS February beginning, but I will get a good start, at least.

Ooops. Did I forget to mention that I *might* have added to my single sock pile over Christmas break? Well, I did.

This new singlet is truly one of my favorite socks I have ever knit. It's the Cozy Cables Socks pattern, knit with one of my most favorite yarn colorways EVER, Colinette Jitterbug in Vincent's Apron.

This one will surely have its mate in no time! And who knew I enjoyed knitting cables so much??

And this little number is just a nice stockinette slouch sock knit from a great non-pooling variegated yarn from The Plucky Knitter's etsy shop. The ribbing, heel, and toe is knit in a more solid contrast color.

And look, a star toe! I'm trying out some of my newly learned techniques. So, add those two socks to the nine that need mates. Just eleven mates. Doesn't sound too daunting, right? Hmmmmm.

And I have already followed through on another of my knitting-related resolutions: to destash all of my variegated sock yarns. I've had all this great variegated yarn sitting in my stash for a long time and I never feel like knitting with it. Every time I go to pick out some sock yarn, it's the solids and nearly solids that I reach for every time. So, I destashed and destashed some more. And thank you SO much to everyone that purchased from my destash sale! Because of you, I've been able to reinvest in some yarns that I think I might actually knit with. And if you are still interested in any destash yarns that might be left, they're still up for grabs here.

Happy New Year, everyone! Expect to see PAIRS of finished socks around here very, very soon!

New Year's Destash!

2007-12-30T20:47:00.000-05:00

As they say, out with the old and in with the new...
ETA: NOW WITH REDUCED PRICES!!! And a few new destash yarns!

SOLD
1 Skein of Tess' Designer Yarns Super Socks & Baby
Color | Lime
Yardage | 450 yards
$18 (includes shipping within the US)

PENDING
1 Skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot
Wool/Mohair/Nylon Blend Sock Yarn
Color | Moondance
Yardage | 350 yards
$17 (includes shipping within the US)

1 Skein of Tweed Trekking XXL
Wool/Nylon Blend Sock Yarn
Color | Blue
Yardage | 459 yards
$12 (includes shipping within the US)

1 Skein of Sweetgeorgia Yarn
100% Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn
Color | Black Orchid
Yardage | 370 yards
$22 (includes shipping within the US)

SOLD
1 Skein of Hello Yarn Tough Sock
Merino Wool/Nylon Blend Sock Yarn
Color | Dusty
Yardage | 500 yards
$23 (includes shipping within the US)

4 Skeins of Zitron Loft
100% Merino Wool (Bulky)
Color | Olive
Yardage | 110 yards per skein
$25 (includes shipping within the US)
Would be perfect for winter hats, mittens, or scarf!

SOLD
2 Skeins of Fortissima Colori Socka
Merino Wool/Nylon Blend Sock Yarn
Yardage | 229 yards per skein
$8 (includes shipping within the US)

SOLD
2 Skeins of Fortissima Colori Socka
Merino Wool/Nylon Blend Sock Yarn
Yardage | 229 yards per skein
$8 (includes shipping within the US)

SOLD
2 Skeins of Fortissima Colori Socka
Merino Wool/Nylon Blend Sock Yarn
Yardage | 229 yards per skein
$8 (includes shipping within the US)

Go ahead... get yourself a nice, squooshy after-Christmas giftie from my destash pile! Email me or leave a comment if you are interested in anything above. Paypal only, please.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I will be back very soon to tell all those interested what life is like NOT being in the UAE during Christmas...

Finished: Chevalier Mittens

2007-12-11T13:01:00.000-05:00

Despite my batty need to cast on a million and one projects in order to sate my batty nerves through crunch studying for prelims, I appear to have discovered a new side to myself. The side that actually finishes some of the knitting projects that I begin... and in a timely manner, no less. Case in point: I got yer awesome chevalier mittens right here! (Actually, these are MY chevalier mittens, but you could always make yourself some... no seriously, you NEED some. Really, they're that awesome.)

Finished: Chevalier Mittens
Pattern: Chevalier Mittens designed by tikru aka MadeByMyself
Fiber: Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK in "Skip" (sadly, discontinued)
Size: Women's hand-sized
Needles: size 4 DPNs
Date Started: November 2007
Date Completed: December 2007

I can't sing enough praises for this mitten pattern! The cable design is spectacular and the shaping and fit of the mittens are perfect. I like my mittens to fit snugly, and this pattern fills the bill and then some. Because they have long, tight cuffs, too, which I love. I foresee lots and lots of chevalier mittens in my future (especially since the boy has already espied them and wants some of his own).

I also like my mittens to have a dense, tightly knit fabric so as to keep out that pesky winter wind. I knit my chevaliers at a slightly tighter gauge than the pattern suggested, and while my fingers didn't really enjoy knitting twisty-turny cables on size 4 needles with DK yarn, they're thanking me now, from inside their awesome new WARM mittens.

Chevaliers in their new habitat: permanently on my hands.
Me + my chevalier mittens = 4-ever and ever.

Cast-On Craze of Winter '07

2007-12-03T12:42:00.000-05:00

Because for me, knitting with wild, unfettered abandon relieves stress like nobody's business.

Simple handspun mittens, using a merino/tencel fiber blend handspun by Carrie and the Madelinetosh Simply Mittens pattern designed by Janice Lynn. I heart handspun yarn beyond belief. How is it that I don't know how to spin? Note to self...

One mitten done. I like my mittens with long cuffs. The second mitten will be cast on soon enough; there will be no Single Mitten Liberation Movement. Heading up one movement is enough for me.

Chevalier Mittens, using Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK. Because one pair of mittens is never enough come winter, right? Yes. I am in love with this mitten pattern, though knitting twisty cables on size 4 needles with DK weight yarn gives the fingers a good workout. But the ultra dense fabric it creates is worth the extra effort. The first mitten is done and its mate is nearly done. No dallying with these--I want to wear them NOW. And all winter long.

Embossed Leaves socks, using STR lightweight in Olivenite. The first sock is finished, but I can't promise that it will have its mate immediately. You know me and socks.

Swatching for some simple garter fingerless mitts, using some delightful handspun yarn given to me by Vera-the-Sweet. Did I already mention that I have a newly realized handspun fetish? Because I do. And, as winter is quickly setting in, I'm rethinking the garter fingerless mitts... I'm going to want covered fingers. So, maybe I am actually swatching for a handspun neck hug and didn't even know it until now.

Gotta keep those fingers good and busy with the knitting, lest my brain implode from stress before I take those ol' prelims. Seven weeks until the dreaded exams. Tick, tick, tick. I already can't wait to have my life back.

Finished: Colville Mitts

2007-11-26T18:34:00.000-05:00

Hiya! Just popping in for a second to finally show off my new favorite winter accessory, the much-loved-by-me Colville fingerless mitts.

Finished: Colville Mitts
Pattern: Based loosely on Knitting at KNoon fingerless mitts
Fiber: crumbs & co. handspun merino in "Colville" colorway
Size: hand-sized
Needles: size 7 DPNs
Date Started: November 2007
Date Completed: November 2007
Notes: Easy-peasy mitts that now live on my hands all the time!

Made from handspun yarn and so snuggly! I am such a convert to handspun yarny goodness. I thought I would be bothered by the thick-and-thin aspect of handspun merino, but it turns out that I don't mind so much that some stitches are big and puffy, while others are thin and teensy. Handspun is so fluffy and warm--perfect for awesome mitts like these. Also, the color combination is pure, pure genius. I am also a total convert of all things aqua and olive.

The mitts, they live on my hands. Always.
I like my street cred striped, buttony, and awesome.

What is more, I can combine my mitts with my 'roo pocket for double hand-warming action. I didn't think it was possible to improve on the 'roo hand-warming method, but it turns out I just did. Perfection achieved.

Also, mitts are great nose-warmers. What aren't these things perfect for? Must have more. Many, many more.

And now, alas, I must *sigh* return...

Drat those prelims. They are kicking my brain's butt.

Fieldtrip! And then more cramming.

2007-11-12T16:16:00.000-05:00

Please humor me, my friends, and insert copious amounts of clever and humorous text of your choosing throughout this post, because it will have none otherwise.

At the moment, my brain is being crammed nonstop with such useless preliminary exam knowledge as: the measurements of the Bouleuterion at the Hellenistic site of Priene and what buildings the important king of the Sabaean Empire, Karib'il Watar, established and when and where and what they looked like and what archaeological materials were found in them.

You see? It's fact-cramming no-stoppa around here, and it doesn't end until sometime in mid-February, when I take 4 written prelim exams and then take an oral exam in which I try to fool my advisors into thinking I am very smart and know an abundant amount of knowledge on many archaeological subjects. So, remaining loyal readers to this blog is going to take some serious commitment in the months to come.

Hopefully, I'll be able to throw in a camel or two when I go off to the UAE this Christmas to excavate, to keep y'all modestly interested. And I'm still harboring the illusion that knitting might appear regularly here, but I wouldn't suggest anyone hold their breaths for such an occurrence.

I did manage to sneak away from prelim cramming and teaching long enough to take a very short trip to Boston last weekend. I should clarify that the trip was specifically to meet with a professor at Harvard regarding my dissertation topic and to scout out a collection of ceramics that I will be writing my dissertation on.

Despite being a buisness-y fieldtrip, M and I packed some serious fun into the trip, and we really saw most all of Boston (and every darn museum in it) in two days. I have so done Boston. And it was awesome. I love that city.

And lest you think there is nothing knitting/crafting-related in this pathetic rambling...

There was a bloggity meet-up Boston-style, in which I met the super-talented Maritza and the über-fabulous Diana and her adorable LL. Fun and fun and fun some more was had at the Darwin's sandwich shop. And lots 'o archaeology gossip was spilled. (Diana is an archaeologist, too). That's right. Archaeology gossip. And it doesn't get more juicy and scandalous than archaeology gossip!

Up next: a post chock full of things that are actually knitted. I swear.

Lofty aspirations.

2007-11-03T08:51:00.000-04:00

My life, these days, along with being über-hectic with nail-biting over upcoming prelim exams, preparations for Christmas excavating in the UAE, and setting into motion my dissertation research, has been one failed lofty aspiration after another. I just can't seem to find enough time in the day, people! Most recent example: Socktoberfest, replete with lofty socky aspirations, drew to a close DAYS ago. As I am wont to do, I started out with seriously intrepid plans for Socktoberfest. That, friends, obviously didn't happen. My revised plan was to knit ONE mate to my overabundance of swingin' singles (newest phrase of choice for single socks, a là Mrs. Blue Garter). Just a one. Of course, in due diligence, I chose not only the oldest single sock, but the biggest, too. The infamous Pomatomus Almost-Knee-High.

So very, very close. The good news is that these socks will be finished imminently, which is most excellent. The bad news is that these socks will not, as had been previously hoped, mark my celebration of Socktoberween. October 31 came and went, and despite furious pomatomus knitting, I couldn't eke the entire sock out by the deadline. But not to worry... my Socktoberween ended up being fantastic, thanks to the super-speedy delivery service of Barnes and Noble...

Hello, every single last episode of Twin Peaks on dvd digitally remastered and in 5.1 surround sound. The definitive gold box edition. And that, my friends, made this the best Sock-less-toberween ever.

And now my lofty dissertation aspirations are leading me off to Boston this weekend to scope out some pre-Islamic Iranian ceramics in the Peabody Museum. I do love a good field trip! Will report on my adventures upon my return...

Happy belated Socktoberween to one and all!

all chocolate cables all the time.

2007-10-25T00:12:00.000-04:00

Hi there, my lovelies! Can I just say how happy it made me that y'all showered me with so many wonderful compliments on my finished Wide Collar cardigan? It really was a painstaking knit, so it's great to know that it was worth all of the tribulations. And, well, it *did* turn out awesomely, didn't it? So, thank you and thank you for all of your comments. And with the Wide Collar cardigan off the needles, I hurriedly cast on for something new... something chocolaty... and something cabley...

The beginnings of Femi from the Debbie Bliss Luxury Collection. I'm not usually a fan of Debbie Bliss patterns, but this particular pattern book is chock full of fall-sweater-goodness and I actually highly recommend this book. I'm knitting Femi in Jaeger extra fine merino aran, a yarn I also highly recommend and which was recently discontinued so is available right now on super-duper sale around the internets. This is my first heavily cabled project--I've allowed myself to be unduly intimidated by cabled sweaters, after attempting and failing miserably at knitting Demi from Rowan Vintage Knits. But, turns out that not all cabley sweaters are entirely impossible, and some patterns with multiple charts are *not*, in fact, very difficult at all. And I am quite enjoying this new project of mine. I've only made it through one pattern repeat, but now that I have the rhythm down, progress is sure to pick up and move along.

Speaking of chocolaty, cabley goodness, I just finished one I Love Gansey sock. And can I just say that I am in complete love with this sock? Because I am. I love this pattern, and while it looks semi-complicated, it really isn't very difficult. And I initially didn't like how the Rowan 4 ply soft knit up as a sock, but that feeling vanished quickly--the 4 ply soft makes a dreamy fabric for the foot! It's no accident that the word "soft" is in the name of this yarn! Dreamy, I say.

I did make one modification to the pattern: I replaced the heart gansey motif in the central front and back panels with a diamond motif. Because I have never been one to endorse the hearts on my garments. Diamonds, though, I can get behind the diamonds.

And just look at that sexy heel and gusset! Such fine detailing.

As much as I adore this sock, it is being packed up for a friend who will knit the mate for themselves. It will be sent off to its new owner November 1, tucked away in a Schrodinger Original cube project bag with a second ball of Rowan 4 ply soft for the second sock. Oh, how I will miss it, though. I will surely be making a pair for myself!

Now, back to feverishly studying, teaching, grading, and doing all I can to survive the mid-semester ickles...

Finished: Silky Wide Collar Cardigan

2007-10-15T15:33:00.000-04:00

At long last, the silky Wide Collar Cardigan, she is done. This one was quite the adventure. And by adventure, I mean ultimate test to a knitter's sanity. On the verge of giving up knitting entirely, I somehow managed to come out of this battle of perseverance with a pretty, pretty new fall cardigan.

Finished: Wide Collar Cardigan
Pattern: Jo Sharp Knit vol. 3
Fiber: RYC Silk Wool DK (14.5 balls of Porcelain)
Size: 35 3/8" bust (Medium)
Needles: size 6 Lantern Moon ebony straight needles
Date Started: July 2007
Date Completed: October 2007
Modifications: My gauge was looser than the pattern calls for, so I knit one size smaller than I would have had my gauge been accurate.
Notes: I simply cannot express enough that, while not the cheapest yarn on the block, RYC Silk Wool DK is well worth every cent you spend on it. The stitch definition is impeccable. The knitted fabric is heavenly--shiny and pretty, snuggly and soft, and so warm. And not the teensiest bit itchy like our good friend the tweedy wool can be. And pilling after a good wash? Nope and nope. Smooth, shiny and flawless. I will be investing in more of this stuff very, very soon.

Aqua silk wool + marble of fancy Philadelphia Mercantile building = prettiest FO photo shoot ever.

I am happy to report that my skepticism of the final fit/wearability of this knit was entirely unfounded. The wide collar does not tug uncomfortably on the back of one's neck, the collar flaps don't beat wildly and uncontrollably in the wind, and having no front closure on the cardigan is not utterly annoying and fiddly. The shortness of the garment is a little odd for me, mostly because I am tall and I'm not used to wearing "cropped" things, but the style of it actually works, because I tend to layer super-long shirts with shorter jackets, so I think I can pull it off. And, seriously, it feels like I am wearing a blanket--which is a sensation I am willing the throw fashion out the window for. Mmmmmm, blanket-y goodness...

Love the extra long ribbed cuffs, too. Heh, speaking of ribbing...

Ah, yes, the ribbed wide collar that would not end. It really, truly was painful to knit the wide collar portion of this otherwise easy-as-pie cardigan. Let's just say that it will be a very, VERY long time 'til I can bring myself to knit another scarf-like object of any kind. That said, the wide collar is the best aspect of the cardigan... it really is cushy and snuggly and makes the cardigan very cozy! (and warm).

See how preeeetty? Sweater with a built-in scarf. Ingenious.

And that's a wrap. A pretty, pretty, snuggly wrap.

Also, Grizzly Bear? So very, very good live. And live in a church, no less. (yes, that *is* the inside of the church the show was in. super-awesome. i'll be seeing Yo La Tengo there this week. super-duper awesome. sit-down shows in churches rock.)

The state of things.

2007-10-08T17:46:00.000-04:00

Hey there. Things have been uneventful 'round these parts, mostly because I've been diligently knitting the never-ending miles of ribbing for the wide collar portion of the Wide Collar Cardigan. That, and I've come down with the ubiquitous change-of-the-season cold. Achoo! I've been doing a lot of that lately, and the draggy feeling that goes along with change-of-the-season colds tends to inhibit one's blogging stamina.

Back to the state of things. I had dreams of finishing the ribbed collar a week ago, but every time I measure it to see if it is long enough, it turns out it's not. Long enough to be a knit yoga mat? Yes. Long enough to be the length needed for a complete Wide Collar Cardigan? Sadly, frustratingly, NO. Go figure. I do see, if I squint reeeally hard, the finish line just ahead, and I suspect I'll be able to get the Wide Collar finished and in action very soon. I can't wait, either, because it turns out that I love--nay, ADORE RYC Silk Wool. It is my dream yarn.

In my funk of hacking and sneezing, I only yesterday realized that I've been completely tardy from the Soctoberfest '07 party. Shame on me. It seems that all I did this summer was knit single sock after single sock, which was quite the entertainment at the time. However, it may be time to do a bit of second sock knitting so that I can actually wear some of these socks this winter. So...

...now all I have to do is retrieve the second socks from this great big pile. They're in there somewhere, it's just a matter of FINDING them. Ahem. So perhaps there will be some pairs of socks this Socktober.

I do have to fess up though, that I started a new sock recently. I am the first pattern repeat into a I Love Gansey sock (free via the Six Sox KAL). While I do indeed heart this pattern, I decided I diamonded it even more. That is, I replaced the gansey heart design in the center panel with gansey diamonds. I just couldn't imagine wearing a bunch of hearts on my socks. And, while this is a sock I'm knitting for someone else as part of a swap, I spared them from having to wear hearts all over their socks, too. Because hearts on pretty much any garment? No thanks. I do love this pattern, though, and I'm already contemplating a nice tweedy pair for myself.

So, that's what's going on around here. A whole lot of sheer thrills and excitement: ribbing, more ribbing, some sock knitting, ribbing, and ribbing, and did I mention ribbing?

I do look forward to the day when I can write a post that is free of the word "ribbing." Til then...

Death by ribbing.

2007-09-29T13:01:00.000-04:00

And on and on it goes. I really, really want this unending mass of 1x1 ribbing to be this. But thus far, it continues to be this. I'm about eleventy million rows of ribbing into the wide collar part of the Wide Collar Cardigan, and I have learned a very important lesson. Shall I share my wisdom with you?-- Wide collars that wrap around the entire vertical length of a sweater? Gorgeous and intriguing in theory, but beware: they will test your very sanity. And commitment. Today I will attempt the impossible. Today I will finish the wide collar.

On and on and on.
And do have a listen to my favoritest song ever right now. It's a fitting favorite, friends. Enjoy.

Finished: Central Park Hoodie

2007-09-27T10:39:00.000-04:00

Yes, my friends, at long last it is finished. Can I get a collective "'Bout time!" 'Bout time, indeed. This knit dragged on and on mercilessly, but I can finally say that it is done and move on. But in order to move on entirely, I had to get a few FO shots of it, which, given the 85+ degree heat wave in Philly, was not at all easy. In fact, standing in front of this mural a few blocks from my apartment was the only way I could convince myself that it was cool enough to wear this thing. The hood? Turns out it makes a good shade source from the 85+ degree sun. Note to self: aran wool is suitable for blizzards only. Not 85+ degree, super-sunny days.

Finished: Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinksy
Pattern: Knitscene Fall 2006
Fiber: Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran (8 balls of "Darkside")
Size: 40"
Needles: sizes 6 and 8 straight needles
Date Started: September 2006
Date Completed: 25 September 2007
Modifications: I used size 6 needles for the arm cuff ribbing and used the 8s for all other ribbing. I really dislike bunchy ribbing around the waist.
Notes: I went a little crazy with the buttons. Clearly, this sweater did not need six huge wooden buttons. But I just couldn't help myself, as I had found the best wooden buttons ever. They help to balance out the bulkiness of the sweater, too. The buttons were an surprising score from the LYS, Rosie's Yarn Cellar.

If there's one thing a bright 85+ degree day is good for, it is showing off black tweedy goodness and cables. It's also good for sweltering, which I was doing lots of here.

There really is no excuse for me having taken so long to knit this. It's a fun, easy pattern that, surprisingly, I want to knit again. I know, I know. This first one came out too big, and I really want to knit one that fits me now. With lighter, softer yarn that will feel more like a sweatshirt than a sweater. So, you can expect to see another one of these babies hot off the needles in...oh, 2010 or so.

And now, I am off to continue being a finisher.

My two favorite things to sniff.

2007-09-23T08:37:00.000-04:00

Hi all, just popping in briefly with some Fiberlicious! action on this fine Sunday morning. I mean, what better time is there to think about all of the best kinds of expresso than a cool, sunny Sunday morning?

Here are my two favorite forms of Expresso. Yum. While I am still working diligently on sweaters, I am getting the urge to knit socks again. Could it be the imminent onset of Socktoberfest? So, I picked up two balls of Rowan 4 Ply Soft for a little I Love Gansey action. That should satisfy my need for a sock on the needles. And those teensy cables should keep me occupied, too.

Speaking of sweaters and diligence, this little stack of buttons is the only thing remaining between me and a finished Central Park Hoodie. So very, very close. And I can't think of a better thing to do while drinking my Sunday morning expresso than putting the final touches on a pre-fall sweater.

Happy weekend, all!

Sanity maintenance.

2007-09-14T08:49:00.000-04:00

Hi. Can you help me? I can't seem to find the week that just flew by. Oh...right. There it went. Good-bye, week. Okay, the good news in my search for the long lost week that has passed between this and my last post is that it is once again Friday. Yay, Friday! The bad news is that I must cope with the fact that I can't seem to get everything I need to get done in a week done in a week. Know what that means? Time for some sanity maintenance.

Yes, yes! Just the thing! The perfect tools for sanity maintenance...a goodly mix of wooden knitting needles poised and ready for action and a hank of crumbs & co. handspun fiber in the most perfect shades of aqua, moss, and grey. Nothing like the discovery of handspun fiber to cure one's frazzled state. Mmmmm, handspun fiber...it's my newest love.

Ahhhh, all better now.

CPH Update: I just can't seem to get the button band finished in a way that I am satisfied with. So, I am now ripping and re-knitting. Why is it I can manage to knit an entire sweater plus hood, but I can't get a button band right?? This weekend, I will prevail. I. Will. Prevail.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Fiberlicious: Ooh, Shiny, Eee Pretty! Edition

2007-09-07T14:36:00.000-04:00

Few words will be necessary for this post. The title and these photos of the gorgeous Yarn Nerd merino/tencel blend sock yarn I recently acquired from the talented Adam speak for themselves, I believe. And Adam, in the event that I haven't thanked you profusely for the shiny, shiny, pretty swap goodies, I thank you, profusely!

That's Shiny, there on the left. And there's Pretty on the right. (Sorry, Adam, I might have re-named the colorways in a fit of eee-xcitement!) There was no chance in resisting the allure of this yarn. I mean, is finishing the Central Park Hoodie in this decade truly necessary?

Hey, look! Now I have a shiny, shiny, pretty sock! Yes, yes, another one to add to the pinwheel. I mean REALLY, is there any huge rush to finish a *pair* of socks this millennium?

Check out this fabulous new sock pattern: it's a free one forthcoming from Beth of good-natured ribbing, so be on the lookout for it!

Ooh pretty: a sweet little wavy cuff sans ribbing, my favorite!

Ooh this is new: a short-row toe with a kitchner'd closure on the bottom of the foot. I like this technique! I was always concerned that the kitchner ridge would be bothersome on the foot bottom, but you can't even feel it!

Dare I even make the claim that the Central Park Hoodie will make it's long overdue appearance in the next post? I daren't. But perhaps...

Happy Friday, everyone!

Between the Stitches :: Back-to-School Edition.

2007-09-04T15:23:00.000-04:00

My first post in the :: Between the Stitches there is Life :: series--in an attempt to share the goings-on in my life besides the knitting (because, well, there is still as of yet no finished Central Park Hoodie. But! There is now most of a hood! I plod along...). This edition is brought to you by the Bryn Mawr College Harassers' Committee, who decided that it was a good idea to have the first day of every school year fall on a national holiday (they're the ones who make all of the decidedly inconvenient graduate school policies, as well, by the bye). Thus, my Labor Day was spent trundling through barbeques just kicking off and kids drawing chalk pictures on sidewalks on my commute from Philly into school. The trains were uncrowded, at least, since I was commuting out of the city on a beautiful, sunny holiday. There's me, above, dashing off to my first day of classes.

My new back-to-school tote, made by the lovely Claudine and purchased from her sweet little shop, quelled my bitterness over having to give up my holiday in order to go talk about the origins of agriculture and the Urban revolution, which is what I am teaching this semester. Don't I look smart, with my sassy new bookbag!

While I was laboring away at school, a few others were hard at work back at the homestead being über-lazy and squeezing their freakishly large kitty bodies into empty beer boxes. Who better to manage such toiling than ECC?

Fear not, ECC, you shall soon be able to trade out your Harpoon Summer variety pack box with a brand-new fall edition Punkin Ale box. Mmm... it is almost that time of year again.

Block away, black sheep!

2007-09-02T10:01:00.000-04:00

Yes, friends, you heard correctly. I used the word "block" in a knitterly context. Which means --you guessed it!-- I am actually approaching a --wait for it...wait for it-- finished object. By my calculations, the last finished object the readers of this blog witnessed was on July 12. Okay, okay, not so long ago, right? Oh, wait. Those were the Sockapalooza socks, which had a ... very firm deadline. And so what if the last sweater I finished was on November 12 of last year? I am averaging a finished knit sweater per year. Not... SO... bad... right? Well, the requisite finished sweater of 2007 is blocking! Or most of it is, at least. There might still be a hood and button band left to knit. Mere formalities.

And what made this blocking experience all the more exciting, besides the actual *finishing* of something? I got to use my awesome, awesome new pincushion handmade by the fabulous Maritza. I really bought it (from her Etsy shop, check it out here!) because I've been dreaming up this fantasy lately in which I learn how to make quilts and sew. And, well, one would presumably need a pincushion for that. For now, I'll have to be satisfied using it to block --once again, with feeling!-- FINISHED knit things. The quilt-making will come in due time, once I figure out how to finish my knit things more frequently than once a year.

"Hi, I'm a big blob of Yorkshire tweed. The rest of me is blocking away, having become a finished Central Park Hoodie. I am no longer the black sheep of the unfinished objects pile. I can't wait to become a hood and button band!"

Yes, my stray balls of yarn HAVE acquired voices of their own. What?

Up next: a new sock finds its way onto my knitting needles. New. Sock. As in those mateless, single socks remain... well, mateless.

Wip-ed.

2007-08-25T22:06:00.000-04:00

Wiped, indeed. Summer is coming to a close and fall is peeking around the corner of the next block. I am ready for it. This summer has completely wiped me out, intellectually. I spent the last three months researching like mad for this fall exhibition I am curating at Bryn Mawr College. This project turned out to be a massive undertaking--a six month project (at least!) that had to be done in a mere three. Insanity. And plenty of stress. It is finally nearing completion, and I couldn't be more thankful. I have a week left to finish it and then everything has to go off to the professional printer's. One week left. Eek. The exhibition postcard has been finalized and is being printed, which is pretty exciting, but it's the first thing of the exhibition that is in concrete form, so I'm a bit nerved over it. So there it is. In all of its... glory? The opening date of the show is September 25, and it runs through January. I have an opening speaker and everything. It's an actual... event. And public, very public (bites nails).

Speaking of WIPed, I feel like I owe y'all an update on my knitting. There has been so little blogging these past few months, but I've actually been knitting rather steadily the whole summer. First, of course, there are lots of single socks. Eight, to be exact. It is getting to be that time when I am yearning to have pairs, so I might actually be ready to knit some mates. For those interested, the eight socks are, clockwise from the top:

:: Pink Fancy Monkey Socks :: Fleece Artist Seawool in Light Pink
:: Lemongrass Pomatomus Almost Kneehighs :: STR Mediumweight in Lemongrass
:: My Bloody Valentine Socks :: Hello Yarn Merino Sock in Hush
:: Skyblue Giotto Socks :: STR Lightweight in Blue Moonstone
:: Red Robin Socks :: Woolley Boully Meanie Sock in Red Robin: Bird, Nest & Eggs
:: Giotto-With-the-Flow Socks :: Sundara Sock in Grey Green over Mint
:: Child's First Sock :: Fleece Artist Seawool in Buttercream
:: Rum Runner Socks :: Yarn Pirate Merino in Rum Runner

In addition to a bunch of single socks, I have been knitting piles of sweater parts. I've had 10 balls of Rowan Silk Wool DK in my stash for awhile now, and though I had plans to knit something else with it, inspiration struck and I decided to knit the Wide Collar Cardigan from Jo Sharp Knit 3. I'm knitting it at a completely different gauge to create a less stiff, more loosely draped fabric, and I must say, it is turning out beautifully. The only problem is I have run out of the 10 balls, and I'd guess that I still need another 4 or 5. D'oh. And the wide collar is taking for-EH-ver to knit. 1x1 ribbing for about a scarf's length... ugh. So, this beauty is taking a little siesta while I wait for funds to acquire more Silk Wool. I have maybe 2/3 of the collar left to knit and the right side. All else is done and waiting patiently in a gorgeous aqua-colored pile to be seamed. This will be a pretty little early fall sweater, when it is finished.

Meantime, I have convinced myself to pick up the black sheep of my old WIPs, the ol' Central Park Hoodie in Rowan Yorkshire Tweed. You know, the pattern craze from last fall... finally, finally, it might actually be finished soon. I have the right side to knit, then it can be seamed up and all that will be left is the hood and the button band. Well on it's way to becoming wearable!

I have big, big sweater-knitting plans for this fall, involving, you guessed it, the fabulous new designs from the latest Interweave Knits. Tangled Yoke? Yes please. Minimalist cardigan? Serve it up. And the Tilted Duster? Yes, yes, and yes some more. Now comes the impatient wait for the stipend checks to begin rolling in again to replenish my yarn supplies. Until then, I'll be finishing up my WIPs and yearning for fresh bags of Rowan Felted Tweed and Kid Classic and Berroco Peruvia.

Happy weekend, all!

Sockapalooza'd!

2007-08-19T17:44:00.000-04:00

I'm rather late in showing off my great new Sockapalooza socks, but I really, really love them, so I figured better late than never!

These beauties were made by my sock pal, Julia of Moon Tea from a shade of Koigu that suits me absolutely perfectly. And they're Roza's socks! Yay! I love this pattern, and it was literally the next one on my list of socks to knit... excellent choice, Julia! (Though, now that I have one pair, I feel the need to have many, many more so they remain as the next on my list of socks to knit).

And look at all the goodies she included in my package! On the left are some super-crafty sock blockers made specifically for my sized feet that Julia cut from IKEA placemats. So cool! And some delicious, natural bee hand balm! Yum, yum! Thanks for the great package, Julia!

And I feel especially lucky to have gotten these socks because they are Julia's first pair of knitted socks. Yes, the first pair ever. I can imagine that these babies were difficult for her to give away... I am sort of nostalgic over my first pair of socks. And she did a terrific job on them, being her very first pair! Great job on the learning to knit socks in the name of Sockapalooza, Julia!

The computer remains incapacitated and I have only a mere two weeks left to finish my exhibition (opening September 25), so blogging time continues to be nearly nil. I have been knitting when time permits, and I'll have some pre-fall sweaters to show off soon, I hope. I can already tell that my summer sock knitting is falling by the wayside, and I am gearing up for fall sweater knitting.

I'll check back in soon with a WIP report on the nearly finished sweaters...

Til then, happy Sunday everyone!

Fiberlicious Friday: The "Where Are They Now" Edition, or, The Most Overdue Blog Update Ever.

2007-08-10T13:52:00.000-04:00

Hi friends. It has been quite some time since I've last checked in, and what a hectic and befuddling couple of weeks it has been. I have joined the ranks of the computerless, as the troublemaker ECC knocked coffee into my year old (and not yet paid for) Macbook a few weeks ago. My, what a difference not having a computer makes on one's presence in Blogland and Flickrdom! Hello, vanishing act. Not to mention that much of my summer exhibition work was lost in the process, which means I've been scrambling at work to redo what was lost, rather than take blogging breaks. Ah, well. Life goes on, with or without one's computer, and so here I am. Finally. Said broken computer is still, well, good and done in, but I've finally caught a spare moment at a public computer to pop in with some well overdue Fiberlicious!-ness. Today I am servin' up a cool treat of sorbetto, of the Yarn Pirate Rum Runner variety (the first installment of the Yarn Pirate sock club). Deelish!

Speaking of the Yarn Pirate sock club, as many of you know by now, Georgia was kind enough to endorse my Good Soapworks of Athens soapy goodness, and she included a mini soap in the first installment package of the sock club. I had a lot of fun working with her, and I really thought it was awesome of Georgia to include me! AND speaking of Good Soapworks of Athens, the Etsy soap shop has been officially closed in order to make way for the new and improved Good Soapworks of Athens Soap Shop! An independent website! The new soap shop is run entirely by my mom from Atlanta, GA. She has the facilities to keep all soaps in stock all the time. And without all of those exorbitant Etsy fees, we are able to offer cheaper soap, so go check it out! As for me, I'll still happily do soap swaps with people, but I will no longer be selling it, but my mom will happily supply everyone's soapy goodness needs!

So, there's where I am now. I am hoping that with Michael's return from France on Tuesday (with our household's laptop deux in tow), I will be able to return to regular blogging, and perhaps I'll even be able to regain my commenting mojo. And where is the yummy Fiberlicious sorbetto these days? In glorious, perfectly pool-less stockinette sock form, that's where!

I just couldn't resist the lure of the Yarn Pirate sorbetto. And I am in love with the sock it has become. I used the Hello Yarn Simple Sock pattern that she gives away free with her sock yarn. See the awesome short row toe raised bind-off? Love that.

And, of course, nothin' but short row heels here! I should also point out that you should not be fooled by the above photo into thinking I had finished a pair of socks. The sock on the other foot is my My Bloody Valentine sock. The Single Sock Liberation Movement continues (and now you can join it here)!

Up next: I get Sockapalooza-ed by an awesome pal!
Have a happy weekend everyone!

Picots, Picots, the Biggest Philistine, Picots.

2007-07-19T18:25:00.000-04:00

Hi, meet my newest obsession: Picots. Hi there, picots, nice to meet you. You do look fabulous on all my socks. And I do mean all of my socks. I'm not exactly certain what instigated this obsession, but I suspect it was the Princess and the Picot. The hybridization of the sweet picot cuff and the addictive Monkey pattern. How perfect! How perfectly adorable (not to mention one miraculously gets out of knitting ribbing, which I am all for)! But what if one were to push the envelope a bit further...

OH MY! Picoted Monkeys with a schmancy (but easy!) twisted rib??? Tell me more about this fabulous new FANCY Monkey! This most excellent discovery was made by one Ms. woolforbreakfast, and upon seeing hers, I knew I had to have some Fancy Monkeys too. In pink, no less. And theeeeen... another amazing hybridization came into being...

Giotto-With-the-Flows! Truly, one of the most clever melding of two great patterns into one FANTASTIC pattern! Anna Bell's Giotto socks have the most amazing cuffs. So detailed and pretty. But the main stitch of the sock, the infamous T3s (otherwise known as the triple twist stitch) is VERY hurty. Pretty, yes. But hard on the fingers and hands. Ow. I miraculously made it through one skyblue giotto, but the experience was pretty intense, with all of that crazy triple twisting and such. Then along came Ms. Clever, one Ms. whitknits who discovered, after suffering the pain of the T3s for herself, that a super-fantastic sock could be had pain-free with the substitution of Evelyn Clark's Go With the Flow sock pattern. Voila! Again, had to have for myself. Oh, I am in love with these two socks!! They both have me quite captivated at the moment.

And just when I thought I was sated, I started daydreaming about other potential picot/giotto cuff hybrids... the giotto cuff with plain stockinette (oh, Kris read my mind! I might just have to have a matching pair...). And the giotto cuff with the hedera leg pattern, perhaps (OH! Lori is clearly on the picot wave-length, as well!). Mmmmm, picots. They are clearly taking over the world. And my blog.

Oooooh, right. And the winner of the blogiversary contest! Of course! How could I forget? Silly me and all of those sweet, sweet picots!! And the biggest Philistine is...

Ms. schrodinger knits! Congratulations, Ms. schrodinger! You are the new owner of a complete set of soapy goodness! I do hope you enjoy it! (Have y'all seen this gal's newest sock design? It is way cute! Check it.)

I really do owe everyone (all 102 of you!!!) a great big ::THANK YOU:: for the blogiversary well-wishing and taking the time to humor me and play my silly little online quiz games. That is about as interactive as this blog will ever get, I SWEAR. Believe me when I say that I know how horrible FORCED FUN (oh, poor Minty had to endure it recently) is. And I rarely wish it on anyone. (What do I have to say about Charades? It makes a great sock pattern. Period. The end.) But I hope you all had a bit of fun learning whether or not you harbor a true inner Philistine nature.

Now, show me those picots!

I know I am, but (what) are you?

2007-07-15T12:21:00.000-04:00

'Tis the season for blogiversaries! Apparently, a ton of people start blogs in July, and I am no exception. My blog turns 1 today! To celebrate the occasion, I'm re-issuing my very first blog post and turning it into a contest for a fabulous prize!

My question to you: Are YOU a Philistine? (Or do you just like reading about one that knits?) Take this very *official* test and find out! (If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will remember my penchant for trusting the results of online quizzes). There are several choices of quizzes. Choose one of them and report your quiz results in the comments, and your name will be entered into a drawing for this fabulous prize:

A complete package of soapy goodess that includes one bath tea, one jar of bath salts, one silky hand & body cream, and one soap! What would my blogiversary be without a heap of soapy goodness? I guarantee the winner will be the best smellin' Philistine around! I'll randomly draw a name and announce the winner on Thursday, July 19. And remember, the higher your percentage score is on the quiz, the less of a Philistine you are!

And thanks to everyone who left me comments on my newly finished Sockapalooza4 socks. Believe me, I was just as surprised as you that I was able to knit TWO of the SAME socks in a row! But not to worry, the Single Sock Movement hasn't crumbled entirely. I'll have some more single socks to share with you very soon!

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Finished: Sockapalooza4 Rococo Socks

2007-07-12T21:15:00.000-04:00

They are finished. On time. My sock pal will have socks! And a matching pair at that. And, um, they fit me perfectly, despite my apparent sizing them for a foot two sizes smaller than mine. Hopefully with a little wash and block action, they'll fit her, too.

Finished: Sockapalooza4 Socks for my sock pal!
Pattern: Rococo by knitspot
Fiber: All Things Heather 100% superwash merino in "Orchid"
Needles: size 1 dpns
Date Started: 20 June 2007
Date Completed: 10 July 2007
Modifications: A few minor modifications. See below for more details.

First, I now love these socks. The whole time I was knitting them I was so not into them. But they turned out great. They're sort of difficult to photograph with any due justice, mostly because the yarn is very fine and the pattern is subtle. But the combination of those two qualities created these amazing light, wispy socks. Love the Rococo pattern. I *will* knit some of these for myself, definitely. And see that cool detail in the above photo? Gutters of purl stitches along the sides of the sock, which work a lot like elastic. For, you know, a perfect fit. Great design detail.

The most extreme modification I made to the pattern was knitting the back panel of the sock in plain stockinette, rather than repeating the front lace panel. I just fell in love with the little stripes the colorway created on the foot bottoms that I wanted to keep it going on the back of the sock. Now, I have to admit that I do like the lace panel knit in back too... have a look at the newly finished pair knit by the chemgrrl. Very pretty. But I think the plain stockinette works better in the case of my socks. The yarn is thin, so stockinette adds stability to the sock and seems more balanced for the variegated colorway.

Cute toes! I love the combination of pseudo-cables and laciness.

And check out those cute lacy cuffs! Love that detail.

Did I mention already that there are two? That's right, there are two. I hope my sock pal loves them.

Next up: 'Tis the season for blogiversary celebrations! Seems mine is coming up in a few days. There will be a big-time-fun contest. With some sort of give-away, I'm sure. Though I have yet to establish what that will be; I'll have to get creative, as I am beyond poor right now. Yay, one year old blog!

Between the stitches there is life.

2007-07-08T20:16:00.000-04:00

This weekend, a very special friend got married. I rarely see this friend, so it was an extra-special nice time, seeing her so radiant and happy with her new husband. Her new life. The wedding was also extra-special because I got to see another very good friend whom I also rarely see. And he was the officiating minister (a very non-religious minister, mind you) of the wedding. A good friend marrying a good friend. What could be more awesome?

This wedding, while serving as a milestone and changing the life of my friend Michelle, served also as a reminder of the importance of friends and their interest in one another's lives, even if it is from afar. I was reminded that my friends are interested in my life, even if they cannot be a part of it on a day-to-day basis, and they check in on me via the blog now and again.

My friends are, therefore, very much up-to-snuff on my latest handknits and yarn purchases. And, as my friend Michelle pointed out, very VERY familiar with portraits of yarn poised just so in bowls and such. But where is the life? When are they afforded a glimpse of what I am up to lately?

So, on occasion, I am going to attempt to incorporate some every day life and happenings between the knits and fibers. So that my friends can feel even the slightest bit involved in my life. Between the stitches there is life.

Congratulations, Shellie!

My sock pal has a sock!

2007-07-05T11:29:00.000-04:00

Okay, sure, so maybe it's just one sock, but one is better than none, right?

And look: it's a pretty sock! I'm happy with the way it turned out. I had some trouble knitting this sock... for one, the yarn I'm using is very fine, and, well, I really dislike knitting with fine yarn. I always feel like I can't keep the stitches at an even gauge. I almost ditched it for another pattern (again!) but then I decided to stick with it. And... I'm glad I did. It's a nice sock. I did modify the pattern a bit... I only did the lace panel on the front and left the back in plain stockinette. I just really loved how the subtle variegated stripes looked on the bottom of the foot that I wanted to continue it up the back leg.

And my sock pal suggested lacy socks, and, while this pattern isn't the laciest ever, I think there's just enough of a lacy look to suit my sock pal just fine. {And let's not mention to my sock pal that I squeezed my size 9 feet into her dainty little size 71/2 sock.}

And you know me, I'll have that second sock done in no time flat, what with me having the reputation for being such a monogamous knitter. I mean, if there's one thing I endorse it's finishing what you start. One project at a time. I'd never fall prey to Second Sock Syndrome. Not me.

Oh, and I'm not a sarcastic person, ever. Nope. Never, not at all.

Fiberlicious Friday: The Sencha Edition

2007-06-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

My favorite thing about this post is that Ashley and I are using the exact same fiber (color and all!) for our respective Fiberlicious Friday posts, but we've come up with completely different interpretations! Salad? Tea? Proves once and for all great minds think alike AND differently all at the same time.

And I've been completely blown away by the creativity popping up in the Fiberlicious! Flickr group. I'm glad to see I'm no longer alone in my bizarre penchant for photographing yarn as delectables!

Happy Friday, all!

Tart.

2007-06-27T19:38:00.000-04:00

What an appropriate description of my life, these days. Tart. Not really very full of sweet, blithe, happy-go-lucky freeness that I have for so long associated with the summer months. No, these summer days are more aptly described as tart. My knitting time has plummeted to an all new record low, so I'm lucky if I even have a spare moment to glance longingly at my sock pal's half-finished sock, much less be able to knit more than one round at a time. Gee, at this rate of work and study, I may have to ditch fronting the Single Sock Liberation Movement and spearhead the Half-A-Single Sock Movement. Half a sock? I have one of those! Hope my sock pal likes anklets!

Luckily, Fiberlicious! continues to inspire me, so I may have more yarn-as-delectables to post than yarn-as-knitted-wearables to show you for the next few weeks. Though my tart mood has had me seeing reds, and I am feeling inspired lately to knit with the gorgeous merino/cashmere sock yarn that Nora so graciously and generously sent me a few weeks ago. Of course, the sheer lack of free time may inhibit actual knitting with these beautiful reds, but nevertheless, they are inspiring. I have great plans for some beautiful red Roza's socks. But for now, those reds make some nice yarn cake decoration pieces.

And thanks VERY much to all those who weighed in on the issue of awkward variegation of my sock pal's socks. The consensus, provided by those variegated-yarn lovers more qualified on the subject than I, was that the socks should go on. And so they shall. Now, where's that spare moment in which to knit them?

Sweet as...

2007-06-25T09:11:00.000-04:00

Fiberlicious! An update for those interested: Fiberlicious! isn't limited to Fridays. Initially, I was going to establish a "Fiberlicious Fridays" thing, but that's sort of silly. You should post when the fancy strikes you. No need to put rules and restrictions and days of the week on this. Also, there's a button, now, for those who are kind enough to advertise this silly idea of mine on their blogs. Feel free to take one, just please link it to your own server, yaddah, yaddah.

Okay, real reason for this post: a Sockapalooza sock update. In the wake of a series of unforeseen decisions, I was forced to scrap the double set of Marigold socks. Now, I stand by my love for this pattern and my desire to have a ~~garden~~ sock drawer filled with blooming Marigolds (I already have very definite plans to knit another pair of Marigolds in some STR Sunstone). But I decided that the All Things Heather yarn just wasn't fit to be Marigolds. It's just a little too fine to knit up ruffly. That said, I've decided that I couldn't just scrap the yarn altogether. It really is perfect for my sock pal, I think. She likes pinks and purples AND she prefers variegated yarn over semi-solid. Check and check. This yarn fits the bill. So, I decided to try another sock pattern that I've been eyeing, knitspot's Rococo Socks. Love them. And the pattern suggests using a finer weight yarn. Check.

Here's the part where you have a good look and tell me if this was a good move. The socks are coming along rather slowly, as the pattern is not the easiest to memorize, and the yarn is pretty fine, so there are more stitches that usual. But I've finished one foot and am about to begin the leg. There is a bit of awkward striping of the dark purple sections of the yarn, but I think it works with the pattern. And my sock pal DID say she liked variegated yarns, so surely she likes the variegated effect (insert liberal amount of paranoia from one who doesn't like variegated yarns so is unduly concerned about variegation). What's the consensus? You likey?

And thanks so much to everyone who helped me do a little destashing. It's much appreciated, given the absence of grad student stipends during the summer months. And there are still a few things left in the pot, so if you're interested go have yourself a look. Destashing pot this-a-way.

Have a manageable Monday, all!

Fiberlicious Friday: Tess Limeade Edition.

2007-06-21T23:17:00.000-04:00

Just popping in to say hi before I return to my regularly scheduled program of working on the Women in Archaeology exhibition or studying for prelim exams. Oh, um, or watching the first two seasons of Lost. That's right, I made it through the first three seasons of the Wire in a scarily short period of time. We're talking mere days. And if you haven't seen the Wire yet? See the Wire. So good. But addictive. And while I wait impatiently for the fourth season to wrap up and get released on DVD, I watch Lost. And after Lost, it will probably be Deadwood. Oh, and preparing for prelims, of course. Can't forget about that.

And hey! Because I have copious amount of free time on my hands (insert liberal amounts of sarcasm here), I take photographs of yarn as if it were edible. It's this series I've been doing for awhile now (check out the entire series here), sort of unconsciously, and then at some point I realized I was taking lots of photographs of yarn as if it were, well, food. So what does one do when one realizes they have a bizarro photographing habit? They start a Flickr pool for said bizarro photographs and they encourage others to participate in taking their own bizarro photographs! And then they create a day (and who doesn't like Fridays, right? Sorry, Eye Candy Friday) when they post said bizarro photographs on their blog. Ta-da!

For those who are on Flickr, come join Fiberlicious!
For those without Flickr accounts, there's always Fiberlicious! Friday. Or, really, Fiberlicious! Any Day of the Week, Whenever You Feel Like It! And if you're participating, feel free to nab a button from the sidebar.

Why? Because sometimes yarn looks good enough to eat. And who doesn't need more fiber in their diet?

Have a great weekend, all!

destash :: part deux

2007-06-20T17:41:00.000-04:00

Sock yarn stash getting low? Perhaps you need some of mine! I added a few more skeins of sKNITches and Pippikneesocks handpainted sock yarn to the destash pot! Go check them out here.

destash!

2007-06-19T19:08:00.000-04:00

Sock yarn stash getting low? Perhaps you need some of mine!
I'm destashing some sweetgeorgia handpainted, sKNITches kettle drum semi-solids, and more! Check them out here.

Singles and toes.

2007-06-18T17:39:00.000-04:00

The Single Sock Liberation Movement continues! As it goes, there is waxing and waning of members, and there are those that don't realize they are taking part until it is too late. Then, of course, there's the plain ol' mutinous. But all is well... this leader understands that some second socks must be knit... how desolate knitblogland would be without any FOs!

But since the Movement must march on, have a look at my most recent contribution: an unmatched pair of pastel beauties.

Left :: Giotto by Anna Bell :: STR lightweight "Blue Moonstone"
Right :: Child's First Sock by Nancy Bush :: Fleece Artist Sea Wool "Buttercream"

I've never been much into pastels, but it seems that I've acquired a taste for it recently. I really do love how both of these socks turned out. And oh, the textures! Don't they make a handsome pair?

The pastels phase has left as abruptly as it had come, and I've moved on to purples and more purples. Though I've been partially encouraged to this new palette by my Sockapalooza4 sock pal's color preference.

Left :: All Things Heather Fingering Weight Merino :: "Orchids"
Right :: Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR Lightweight Merino :: "Star Sapphire"

A pair of toes has been completed in each of the two yarn choices for my sock pal's socks. Remember when I said I was going to knit Lombard Street socks for my sock pal? Well, that was before Pamela Wynne so graciously published her Marigold Socks pattern. I absolutely love this pattern! So much so that I am knitting two pairs of these socks in a row... one for my sock pal and one for me! What's more, I've *finally* learned how to knit toe-up AND how to do magic loop (yes, yes, I know, "welcome to the 21st century of sock knitting)! I'm knitting one of the Marigolds on DPNs and one with the magic loop method. By the end of it, I should know which method I prefer, once and for all.

Now, if I could just decide which pair of Marigolds my sock pal would like more: the reddish-fuschia-purple ones or the bluish-purple ones? I'm leaning toward the reddish-fuschia ones for her, but I'm still undecided. Knowing me, I won't decide definitively until the very last second. So until then, each purple Marigold will grow at the same speed.

Happy Monday, all!

Finished: Photographer's Mitts

2007-06-14T18:33:00.000-04:00

Finished: Photographer's Mitts
Pattern: Fingerless mitts loosely based on Eunny's Endpaper Mitts
Fiber: Claudia Handpainted Yarns fingering weight in "Navy Olive"
Needles: size 2 DPNs
Date Started: 02 June 2007
Date Completed: 13 June 2007
Modifications: A number of minor modifications were made to these mitts to make them more boy-friendly; most obviously, no schmancy 2-color stranding in girly pattern.

Gather 'round, dearies! I have a finished object! No single socks, here, I'm talking about an actual finished object! Fingerless mitts made especially for my boy and my photographer. Though, they're a lot like socks...

Ever since I made my fingerless mitts, M has been begging for a pair of his own. This year, he has really gotten serious into photography again, and, having acquired a new *old* camera (the trusty Rollieflex), he'd traipse all over town taking rolls and rolls of photos. Often, with chilly hands and fingertips. Fingerless mitts to the rescue!

Granted, it is summer, now (ahem, procrastinating girlfriend just got around to making them), so chilly fingertips really aren't a huge problem for him these days, but he took off today for the Dordogne to excavate and to begin dissertation research (yes, there will soon be two academics cohabitating and both writing archaeology dissertations. we'll do our best not to permanently injure one another out of sheer stress and frustration). Apparently, mornings in the French countryside tend to be quite chilly (especially for those archaeologists/researchers living in tents). Fingerless mitts ("Finally!!" he said) to the rescue!

He likes them, he likes them!

Up next: Another single sock. And I finally get around to starting my Sockapalooza pal's socks!

Afternoon delight.

2007-06-11T20:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was just that, an afternoon delight. Not only did I get to spend a delightful afternoon with one Minty of pepperknit fame, but I also got to spend far too much of my afternoon watching the absolute best show ever to be broadcast on television, which, for 30 minutes every week, while it was on air, miraculously transformed said idiot box into a very, very clever and funny box, which happened to include one of my favorite episodes, Afternoon Delight. (For your very own slice of afternoon delight, go here). Minty met me right outside my front door (now that's service!) and then we went to lunch at the 10th Street Pour House, one of my favorite little brunch spots just a few blocks from me. Deelish! Good food and great company! And whoops, there I go posting photos of myself, again. So much for ~~shy anonymity~~ Philistiny mystery and intrigue.

Minty's company, of course, was the primary source for my delight, but the delicious, delicious gelato that we consumed post-lunch at my favorite Philly gelateria, Capogiro, was another derivation of pure afternoon pleasure. My lust for gelato treats has been particularly strong lately, as was made clear by the shot of Koigu gelato that appeared in my last post. But hurrah! I was able to consume actual gelato, made doubly good by Minty's visit! And, seriously, if you ever find yourself in Philly, you would be doing yourself an immense disservice if you didn't stop by Capogiro while you were here. It's the Loop of Philadelphia frozen treats.

Thanks, Minty, for our wonderful first date*!

*To avoid any unnecessary confusion, Minty and I had an interesting conversation in which we compared knitblogger meet-ups to first dates... by the end of our meet-up we concluded that we both had an excellent first date.

Summer treats.

2007-06-06T13:30:00.000-04:00

What's better than a big bowl of Koigu gelato to cool you off on a summer's day? I can think of nothing. The ever-generous and always delightfully sassy Heather sent this delicious bundle of Koigu to me as a surprise summer treat. What Heather may not have known about me is that I have this secret soft spot for Koigu, but, strangely, I have never knit with it before (shocking, I know). Well, I've knit the ribbing of my fingerless mitts in semi-solid gray Koigu, but that's it. I do have a small bit of Koigu in my stash, but I've not yet knit with it. The thing with me and Koigu is that I tend to be warily suspicious of variegated yarns. I also tend to be overwhelmingly indecisive, and as Koigu comes in a enormously vast number of pretty, pretty variegated colorways, I tend to sit and drool over Koigu anytime I see it, but I never commit to any, being a semi-solid loving, indecisive kind of gal. So, it was especially wonderful to find this gorgeous fibery package in my mailbox. It's beautiful! And I love it most because it didn't involve any decision-making. I'm super excited to finally get to use some Koigu! And just in time to contribute to a fun new Flickr group, KooKoo for Koigu!

Thanks so much for thinking of me, Heather!

Where is she now?

2007-06-05T12:06:00.000-04:00

Just dropping in ever-so-briefly to say hi... I've just begun settling into my summer job in Special Collections, so I'm already at a loss for time again, not to mention that my weekly meetings with one of my prelim advisors start back up imminently. And then there's the newest time-sucking vortex in my life ... The Wire. As you can see, I'm a very busy girl again. I did manage to squeeze in a lunch date with Liz K. and Ashley this past Saturday (How could I refuse such great company? I could not). As you can see, we had a fabulous time eating delicious Japanese cuisine, sipping wine, and knitting. This really should become a regular occurrence. Thanks for a fabulous time, girls!

I've managed to get a little bit of knitting in, though I already feel like I have to schedule it in, like I do during the school year. The first Child's First Sock is fresh off the needles (and already desiring to be worn with fab purple shoes), and now I am in the midst of a surprise quickie project for M ... more on that soon.

Back to braving the muggy day...

souvenir.

2007-05-30T22:02:00.000-04:00

Hey, all! I'm back! Hey, Philly! I've missed you! Ahhh, it's good to be home. M and I had a fun (and busy!) trip to Atlanta/Athens, filled with family (hi, sis!), barbecues (veggie burgers, yum!), beer (Dogfish Head, of course!), baseball games (Phillies whooped the Braves), movies (28 Weeks Later is way scary!), and lots and lots of Grit food. An all-in-all good time. And, as always, I came back with a far heavier suitcase than I brought. I always seem to accrue the best souvenirs when visiting my family (see, for example, the awesome gnome mug I got from Helix, my favorite little Athens shop).

There was much gabbing about knitting with my mom and rifling through patterns with my sister (the knitting bug runs in the family), but surprisingly, I didn't go to any of the local yarn stores. I meant to stop by Knitch, but it never happened (Leah! I promise, promise, promise we will meet up next time I'm around!). You know how it is, all these plans and too little time to do everything and see everyone one you intend to.

My mom and sister made sure I didn't go home empty-handed, though. I somehow returned home with a suitcase laden with yarn - beautiful juniper green Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn from my mom (along with some other goodies) and a whole bag of Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4 ply in black tweed from my sister.

And - dare I admit that I am determined to try some more Lorna's Laces? My sister gave me some Shepherd sock yarn in an intriguing colorway (upcomig Project Spectrum colors!), "Embers." She also gave me some Shepherd sock in "Black Pearl." My mom and sister both swear that Lorna's Laces makes the best Jaywalkers ever, so I'm going to give it a go.

And, of course, my mom had a stack of handmade pottery for me that she had picked up from a local craft fair to add to the ever growing collection. Thanks, mom! I love all of it. The best souvenirs are family souvenirs.

Coming up next: a teensy bit of knitting progress on the latest socks and sweater. And coming soon: a meet-up with two super-cool gals. Stay tuned!

And thanks SO MUCH for all of the congratulatory comments on my newly-acquired Mastery of the Arts!

official mistress.

2007-05-22T08:44:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, seeing is believing. I officially got my Master's degree last May, but because of some logistical issues (*cough* a professor lost my French reading exam and THEN forgot to turn my German reading exam in to the appropriate person on time *cough*), my degree wasn't conferred until last December. And only now did I actually get my paper degree. Ah, the throes of academia.

At any rate, I officially have a Master's and am now ~~blithely skipping~~ struggling tooth and nail toward my PhD. Next up: preliminary exams. September.

The Summer of Non-stop Studying begins in one week. But for now, I am off to Atlanta/Athens to spend some time with my family. There will be copious amounts of eating at the Grit. And maybe I'll have a finished sock or two when I return. Though they'll likely be an unmatching pair, but we'll see.

Be back in a week!

After school special.

2007-05-20T19:39:00.000-04:00

Life as I once knew it (ahem, *not* grading papers and exams non-stop, 24 hours a day) has finally returned. At some point since my last post, I finished all of my work with immediate deadlines... grades submitted, preliminary exams scheduled to be taken in late September, meetings set up for beginning dissertation research.

And a small, much-needed resurgence of knitting time has finally resumed. I decided to rip my mossy twisted flower seeding, as the Sea Wool just wasn't doing justice to the intricate pattern. In its place, I cast on the dark green vintage cardigan, which is a nice respite from sock knitting. Sometimes it's so nice to escape into row after row of stockinette. Unending. In a deep, dull green. I considered joining the mason dixon Slogalong for this project, as I am knitting this cardigan on size 3s and 4s, but there's just nothing sloggy about this project thus far. Nothing but enjoyable row after row of stockinette.

And I've re-cast on the Child's First sock by Nancy Bush, after frogging the first attempt using Lorna's Laces. This time 'round, I am using Fleece Artist Sea Wool, and I've flown through 6 repeats with nothing but glee and joy. I love this yarn. Love. This. Yarn. New. Favorite. Yarn.

Just look how shiny and pretty! Stitch definition is fabulous, the Seacell blended into the wool is smooth and shimmery. No fuzziness like 100% merino can be sometimes (especially superwash merino). Perfect thickness (I am knitting on 0s, not 1s, but it's okay, somehow). Nice and sproingy, too. Love. People, you need to try this yarn. I'll be interested to see how the Sea Wool holds up to a ton of washings, though, since I read somewhere that the Seacell eventually washes out of the wool. I'm hoping it doesn't get all fuzzy as this happens. We'll see. Meantime, I'm in love with Sea Wool.

AND I finally got to leave the house to do something OTHER than catch the train to school. Oh, glorious day! The bikes were unleashed (mine's the orange Veloce and M's is the silver Pista) and M and I got to enjoy a nice gallivanting around town today. In M's words: an adventurous adventure was had.

It had been so long since we'd been to the Art Museum. Too long. And we never miss a good "Pay What You Wish Sunday". Mmmmmm, art for exceedingly reduced price. My favorite kind of art. That and some good Rothkos and we're in business.

And a sweet owl sculpture by Picasso. One of my favorite pieces in the Museum. A good Sunday, indeed.

Next week M and I are off to Atlanta to visit my parents, then it's back to the grind for me. A full time job in Special Collections and non-stop cramming for my prelim exams await.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Tagged.

2007-05-17T10:37:00.001-04:00

Apparently, I'm it. I got triple-tagged by Ann, Kris, and 5elementknitr to do the 7 or 8 Random Things thing. Triple-tagged? How is that even possible? Conspiracy, I say! Y'all must know how terrible of a sharer I am. When I was notified of the first tag, I was already conspiring on how to get out of it. Then the second and third came. Clearly, I am just going to have to do some sharing.

It isn't clear to me whether I am supposed to share 7 or 8 random things about myself, and if I'm tagged thrice, do I have to share 21 or 24 random things? I'm going to stick with the least amount of sharing possible and go with 7. So, 7 random things about myself:

1 :: I am a huge slob. I leave piles of my stuff laying around everywhere. Books, papers, knitting, shoes. My worst habit is the anomaly known as "Clothes Mountain," a big pile of discarded clothes (not necessarily dirty, just discarded) next to my bed. It drives M crazy. There is nothing feng shui about my slobbery.
2 :: My favorite part of speech is the adverb. In my humble opinion, describing the ways things are done is by far more fun than describing things themselves.
3 :: I'm a vegetarian. And while I avoid confrontations about vegetarianism and rarely feel compunction to spend any amount of time trying to convince others to be one, I cringe when I hear, "I'm a vegetarian. I mean, I eat chicken on occasion, but only if it is free range."
4 :: Sarcasm makes my world go 'round.
5 :: I have a strong aversion to white walls and white socks. And, really, most everything white. (I am sensing Nora cringing).
6 :: I am a happy heathen, as well. If I were to believe in a god, it would be Camus.
7 :: I am supremely indecisive. I can't make a decision to save my life. It took every bit of decisiveness I have in me to choose what 7 things I'd reveal about myself, the whole time asking M, "What are 7 things about myself? What should I write about myself? Do YOU know 7 good things for me to say about myself? 7 things? Do you have any ideas?"

Speaking of being tagged, I was recently tagged (see it there, in the above photo?) in another way. A most fabulous way. The fantastically talented Pamela Wynne agreed to swap soap for a beautiful handmade blouse of my fabric choice. And I've never properly thanked her for this great swap and beautiful, beautiful blouse.

So thank you, Pam. I love the blouse. And I promise I'll get some modeled, action shots of it soon. And should you need any more soapy goodness, you know where I'm at.

And now I'm supposed to tag 7 other people? I say that if you want to share, you should share, and consider yourself tagged. But there are 7 people that I would like to know 7 random things about, so if I had to suffer, so do they: Brooke, Beth, iSeL, Brenda, Christy, Specs, and Stacy, prepare to share. Or to send me some yarn. Your choice.

Greens are good for you!

2007-05-13T19:32:00.000-04:00

Where has the time gone? A whole week has gone by since I've last spoken 'round these parts? If you're wondering where I am, I've been spending copious amounts of time here (staring wistfully out of the above window), the good old standby, as my life has devolved back into this familiar scene. It seems like forever ago that I finished my Rosy Baltic Socks and got showered with copious amounts of the nicest comments ever about them. Thanks, everyone! Apparently, they're keepers!

What am I up to these days? Well, this. And this. And still more of this. Which really leaves little room for much else. I did manage to start some twisted flower socks using some amazing mossy green Fleece Artist Sea Wool. The pattern is great and the yarn is wondrous, but I'm already having doubts about my progress. The Sea Wool may not be the best match for this intricate pattern; the slight variegation and shininess of the yarn seems to be obscuring the pattern somewhat.

See what I mean? Hmmm. You can see it, but it doesn't really stand out like it should. Like it does in this beauty. I REALLY love the pattern, so I don't want to stop knitting it, but I think I might, and find something else to knit with this gorgeous yarn. Speaking of, I just so happened to have stumbled upon the perfect pattern for it! Vinnland Socks! People check this pattern out! Best part about it is it is free on the internets. It's toe-up, though, and I am not yet equipped to perform the toe-up. I have to invest in some of these first, which will be happening very soon, I suspect. (Thanks, Bockstark, for introducing me to the Vinnlands and encouraging me to learn the magic cast-on for toe-up socks, which is FAR more doable than figure 8!) And you all should go check out Bockstark's amazing Vinnland sock beginnings!

I've also been doing a good share of ogling this stuff (above: Classic Elite Skye Tweed in "Spruce") that I bought for a song on WEBS many months ago, and that stuff (below: Rowan 4 ply soft in discontinued color "Military"), also acquired for a pittance when it was discontinued. Ahhhhh, deep, dark, dull greens! Yum.

I've been feeling a bit overwrought by the brights and pastels I've been steeping myself in. I'm so NOT a lover of these colors, usually, but I've vigorously embraced them lately for Project Spectrum - pushing comforts and boundaries is a good thing, sometimes. But I'm finally feeling the effects of all of the color, and lately I've begun to feel the urge to work with darks and dulls and stave off pinks, yellows, pastels, and bright colors.

I'm thinking this might be a good solution. A nice vintage-y ~~pink~~ deep, dull, dark green cardigan designed by Norah Gaughan (pattern from IK Spring 2005). Problem of overabundance of brights solved. And nicely, I might add.

Here's another project that I've been contemplating, though this one would be less suited for spring/summer knitting: an intriguing collar cardigan in a nice dark, foresty spruce tweed (pattern from the new Jo Sharp Knit Issue 3, which Nora was kind enough to send me straight from Aussieland). I'm still contemplating the functionality of the collar on this sweater, though. I'm afraid it might tug and weigh heavily on my neck, or that the collar would flap awkwardly when I walked. So, perhaps I'll stick with the vintage cardigan for now.

I'm off, now, to resume doing... surely you can guess... more of this. One day I'll be able resume knitting (and blogging, and reading others' blogs, and commenting on others' knitting progress) with some sort of regular frequency.

Until then, have a happy Sunday evening, everyone! And Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Finished: Rosy Baltic Socks

2007-05-06T14:17:00.000-04:00

Despite my spearheading the ~~Single~~ Multiple-Women Single-Sock Liberation-Movement (thanks to these great gals for joining me!), I've managed to finish a pair! Two! A complete set!

Finished: Rosy Baltic Socks
Pattern: clementine's Baltic Socks by Di of clementine's shoes
Fiber: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock lightweight in "Rose Quartz"
Needles: size 1 DPNs
Date Started: 10 April 2007
Date Completed: 05 May 2007
Modifications: I cast on 68 stitches instead of 64 and completed 8 pattern repeats on the leg instead of the 10 called for in the pattern. I reduced the number of pattern repeats because STR does not have super-great yardage. I may have had enough yarn to do 9 pattern repeats, but definitely not 10.

The reason for my ability to finish these socks? This must easily have been my favorite sock pattern I've yet knit. What a great pattern! It is written clearly and it is super easy to memorize, making it a fun, quick knit. And the best part is that you end up with some really cute lacy socks that look somewhat complicated without the fuss of following charts.

See how cute? They go with my Birk mary-janes like nobody's business! Love!

The other reason I was able to finish these socks without procrastination is because it turns out I *am* a fan of STR... with two very important qualifications: it must be the lightweight version and it has to be the semi-solid "Shaded Solids." I love that the STR base yarn is perfectly spherical. It is sproingy and really tough (doesn't break easily, which is a characteristic I like in sock yarn). It also has great stitch definition. I will admit that even the shaded solids pool a little bit, but paired with the right patterns, like this one, it isn't incongruous and doesn't make me shriek in terror, like the pooling effects of some of the multicolors. I am no longer hesitant to openly praise STR. I like it, I like it!

Some favorite details of this pattern: I got to try out the short-row heel technique again. This time 'round was much easier, and, well, I love the short-row heel. Having done it a couple of times now, I am more able to appreciate the not having to pick up gusset stitches and try desperately to avoid gaps and holes. I also love the pattern the slightly variegated yarn makes on short-row heels.

I also love the vertical lacy-leaf pattern on the front and back of the socks. The lace panels are separated by panels of stockinette stitch on the sides, which makes the socks fit really well, as they provide a bit of stretch. You can also add or subtract stitches from these side panels to customize the fit of the sock for your leg size, too. Ingenious.

I love these socks. They may very well be my favorites that I've knit thus far. I know I will knit this pattern again, no question about it.

And now that I've finished a whole pair of socks, be prepared to see several new beginnings of socks-to-be popping up shortly!

Have a terrific Sunday and can't wait to see everyone's MDS&W Festival loot!

Secret swap-tastic.

2007-05-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

Since I don't have the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival to look forward to this weekend (ack! too, too much work to do! MDSW treats and yarn donations will, however, be accepted), I'm looking forward to other summery events. Like Sockapalooza4. It's my first time doing a Sockapalooza, so I'm excited. I started my blog at the end of last July (oh yes, there will be a contest come July), and I distinctly remember reading a million different knitblogs about Sockapalooza, and then of course I had to suffer through everyone's grand reveals during August. Well, this time I won't feel out of the loop because I am in it to win it! Oh, wait... it's not a contest... we all win! Yay mystery socks!

So, I have my sock pal, the yarn, and the pattern. The yarn is that baby above--some STR lightweight in Star Sapphire. I've been saving it for a special occasion, and, well, since I am having such fantastic luck with STR these days, I figured it would make the sock pal knitting a breeze. I'm thinking Lombard Street Socks for the pattern. Free pattern, which I'm all about these days, interesting lace, and some great details like the picot cuff and the eye-of-partridge heel. Fun and interesting to knit AND my sock pal will appreciate a little bit of schmancy, I think. What do you think? Would *you* like to get these socks? I was also sort of considering the Lacy Quill Socks, too, but these might be a bit too holey for my taste.

And at the very last moment, I joined the Knitting Gnome Swap, because I'm a big sucker for a sweet roaming garden gnome. This gnome is a sweet knit gnome (like this one) who is sent to each person in the swap, and each person, upon receipt of the gnome, takes it for a tour of their hometown and then packs it up with some yarny treats for the next recipient, and sends it on. So at some point this summer, I will have a gnomey visitor. Should be entertaining.

Now, if only I would hear something from my Sockapalooza4 pal. I haven't yet been contacted, which makes me a little sad... do I have a secret pal? Is someone getting advice about what to knit me?? ~~Please contact me, secret pal! Please?~~ Woot! My shout out worked! My sock pal sent me an email! I have a sock pal! Yay sock pal!

I have heard from my Gnome Swap pal... yay!! (Hi, Gnome Swap pal, if you're reading this! Thanks for the email!)

And if you want to know where my awesome Etsuko squirrel family is from, go visit Maritza's Etsy shop, soto softies! (My Etsuko squirrel family just got a little bigger tonight, too! I can't wait for this little guy to arrive at his new home!)

Have a great rest of the week, everyone!

Fresh start.

2007-05-01T21:17:00.001-04:00

Having done all of that ripping recently, I decided that I needed a fresh start, you know, to keep my sock love and knitting mojo from slipping away entirely. And, having had such great success with the STR Rose Quartz yarn, I decided to get out some more STR and cast on a new sock--you know, to replace those two that were ripped. I can't rightly expect others to take my One-Woman Single-Sock Liberation-Movement seriously with just one sock on the needles, right?

Enter a skein of Blue Moonstone. And Anna's super-schmancy Giotto pattern. These two things combine to create a most happy resurgence of sock love. Throw in a gorgeous stitch marker handmade by Nora and you have, well, heaven.

Picot attempt number two was a success. Golly, I love picot teeth. And the lacy, holey, YO-y Giotto cuff is clever and so, so pretty. (I am already planning to make many a pair of stockinette socks with this Giotto cuff, as Kris is planning to do with her pretty Fleece Artist Giottos.)

Thin yarn be gone (I'll be destashing some thin yarn, soon)! Hello, sweet STR friends. So sproingy and substantial. So full of pastel goodness (who knew I was capable of loving such soft, sweet, pretty colors?).

A happy beginning to more single socks (see? one done!). And look! It seems as though I have a partner-in-crime for single sock knitting! The Two-Women Single-Sock Liberation-Movement has been born!

Spectral.

2007-04-29T16:41:00.000-04:00

St. Peter's Cemetery :: Old City :: Philadelphia
A resting ground for some very old souls, indeed. Shades shaded by glorious rosy dogwoods, dappled and in full bloom.

yellow :: limestone
A bright tulip or two nod their heads sleepily in this placid spot.
Limestone tucked in tight under leafy bedcovers.

A very old soul rests here.
Ancient marker cracked, doubled over, sagging with the weight of age.

red tulips :: monument
In the midst of bustling streets, there are pockets of peace and quiet.

pink :: limestone
Lone beauty overseeing this sleeping place.

pink :: dogwood underside
Floral overhang, a winsome canopy for this somnolent site.

Spectral, or, how I spent a glorious Saturday afternoon.
I love this old cemetery, mere blocks from my own sleeping place. It's quite a pretty place to spend a sunny moment, breathing in old history and marveling at the lovely new growth of the fresh season.

I'll be back soon with news of sock knitting that, happily, involves size 1 needles and substantial, sproingy yarn... ahhhh, frogging the two Lorna's Laces socks was vindicating! I'm enjoying my sock knitting all the more now.

Have a relaxing Sunday evening!

An admission and a frog.

2007-04-27T11:59:00.000-04:00

I am finally, finally ready to admit that I am not a Lorna's Lace-aholic. I wanted desperately to love it, and I tried desperately to love it. So much so that I even tried to knit two different sock patterns out of it.

I fully recognize all of it's great qualities: it's soft to the touch, it's strong (nylon blends are so good!), it comes in an array of glorious solid colors (but yet still handpainted!), it's affordable, and it's easy to come by (who *doesn't* sell Lorna's Laces?). What's not to love?? Apparently, there are things not to love. Apparently, I do *not* love knitting with size 0 DPNs. I hate it. Too many teensy stitches. And the patterns I've attempted to knit with Lorna's all come out either too loose when I used size 1 DPNs, or too small for my feet when I use size 0 DPNs. Sigh. I've even tried adding more pattern repeats when knitting with size 0 DPNs, and, well, I'm just not happy with any of these adaptations to the yarn.

I'd rather just admit that I like a more substantial sock yarn, as hard as it is to frog these two nearly finished socks. Especially because I am so in love with both of these colorways. And I am fully aware that I am in the extreme minority with this most recent discovery. Likely a veritable blasphemer of the knitblog community. They don't call me a Philistine for nothing. Looks like I'll be reverting back to my staple sock yarn.

Anyone up for a sock yarn trade? I'm even willing to do a 2-for-1 with this stuff, since it's been wound and used. I have two skeins of "whisper" and two skeins of "firefly" (plenty for two pairs of socks). I'm willing to trade it for a single skein (enough for a pair of socks) of some nice semi-solid sock yarn, something more substantial than lorna's. Leave me a comment if you're interested. Thanks, Mom!

And a special thanks goes out to pamela wynne: this was what finally enabled me to frog such seemingly pretty almost-finished knits. It was hard to admit, but it had to be done. I'm glad there are others making such decisive sock-killing decisions and taking some of the sting out of mine.

sock zealot.

2007-04-25T00:07:00.000-04:00

I have socks on the mind. I really have a desire only to knit socks. I have no idea where this tunnel vision came from, but I suspect that it has much to do with the contained nature of sock knitting. And the portability, perhaps. And there is just so much variety in patterns and fibers available for sock knitting.

And thank you so much to everyone who left such positive feedback on my One-Woman Single-Sock Liberation-Movement, otherwise known as ~~doingwhatIwantwhenIwanthowIwant~~ Surviving Crapademia. As a thank you, I've compiled a visual (above; go here for a better view of individual socks) and link-tastic (below) list of the socks that are on my mind, just waiting to be the next singlet. The best part about this compilation is that all of these fabulous sock patterns are ::free::free::free:: and therefore you really have no excuse not to be knitting all of them (simultaneously, even)!

Find these fabulous patterns (and some excellent blogs!) for yourselves, here:
::Charade Socks (socks and pattern by Sandra of I May Be Knitting a Ranch House)
::Leyburn Socks (socks and pattern by pepperknit)
::Boyfriend Socks (socks and pattern by Alice of slippedstitch)
::RPM Socks (socks in photo knit by joko knits; pattern by Aija of sock pr0n)
::Hourglass Eyelet Socks (socks in photo knit by edda-ruska of my lovely red wellies; pattern by Cindy of Cindy's Knits)
::Elfine's Socks (socks in photo knit by Di of clementine's shoes; pattern by Anna Bell of My Fashionable Life)
::Bayerische Socks (socks in photo knit by blogless pie princess; pattern by Eunny Jang of See Eunny Knit!)
::Orchid Socks (socks and pattern by Steph of craftoholic; pattern here)
::Donyale Socks (socks and pattern knit by Nora of Black Dog Knits)
::Seed Stitch Rib Socks (socks knit by Carson of Needle's Edge; pattern by lane cervinia calzetteria: a 2X2 rib with seed stitches in the gutters)
::Eleanor Socks (socks in photo knit by Princess Pumpkin; pattern by Socktopia here)
::Poseidon Socks (socks and pattern by Elinor of Exercise Before Knitting)
::Matahari Socks (socks knit by blogless wool for breakfast; pattern by Steph of craftoholic)
::Zonki Socks (socks and pattern by pepperknit)
::Baudelaire Socks (sock and pattern by Cookie A. of knitters anonymous)

I'm continually amazed at how many knit bloggers are behind-the-scenes sock designers. More people should be knitting these fantastic socks! And, ahhhhh, the font that is Flickr! What more could a girl in the throes of crapademia need besides Flickr and tons of fabulous free sock patterns?? I can think of nothing. (::cough:: more sock yarn ::cough::)

Off to knit more singlets...

bloom.

2007-04-22T14:41:00.000-04:00

I continue to have nothing of consequence to report, unless you happen to be enamored by such things as the construct of gender in ancient Egyptian art, or a surfeit of other topics I am finding particularly inane at the moment. Luckily, things of beauty are blooming around me, making my uninteresting work more bearable.

Other things continue to bud around these parts as well. I am relishing sock knitting these days. No, no, not of the ~~absurd~~ amazing variety, like this or this. Any project larger than a sock (of the ~~unexceptional~~ normal-sized variety, that is) is just too overwhelming for my distracted mind to handle at the moment, and it seems that it's all I can do to finish one sock before moving on to the next. Two of a kind? Pairs? Not so much. Singles, please. I can't be bothered right now to follow such sensible knitting rules as project monogamy and warding off single sock syndrome. Knitting is my pleasure and respite from the stresses of crapademia, and it's one of the precious areas of my life where I can do what I want when I want how I want. Who knew knitting single socks could be so liberating?

Happy Sunday!

Poking my head in, if only for a brief moment.

2007-04-18T11:38:00.000-04:00

Hi, remember me? I'm that girl who shows you knitting sometimes. And on very rare occasions, a finished, wearable thing, even. Yes, yes, I understand all of the blank, beguiled looks. It HAS been quite some time since I've actually produced stitches on needles for your viewing pleasure. But wait...

Here's some now! A sock in progress! And... and...

There's more! Another sock in progress!

Left: Child's First Sock in progress, knit in Lorna's Laces Shepherd sock, "Firefly"
Right: Clementine's Baltic Socks in progress, knit in Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR lightweight, "Rose Quartz"

And now back to my regularly scheduled unraveling sanity and the academic work load that never ends...

Lagniappe.

2007-04-15T16:39:00.000-04:00

Have you ever seen something somewhere before, taking special note of it, but then, upon the onrush of a busy and hectic stretch of work and stress, it fades away, forgotten--albeit temporarily--and captivation in it suddenly reawakens upon its unexpected appearance in your mailbox?

I received a wonderful gift last week from the temptress herself, Brooke. Beautiful and utterly glorious Shokay pure yak down. Truly, a most luxurious gift of 100% pure and natural goodness. Apparently, the temptress can read minds as well as entice. She's gifted, this one.

It really is amazing how something so beautiful and luxurious can make one giddy about what one might make from it. I've reveled lately in simply thinking about what I might make.

The proper tools are ready at hand. It's now a matter of decision. And not wanting to spoil such a pretty thing. What will it become, this beautiful yak down?

Happy Sunday, everyone.

yarn :: art

2007-04-12T14:09:00.000-04:00

Handpainted by the Yarn Pirate :: 50% Merino 50% Tencel :: Rosehip

Because sometimes my yarn likes to smile seductively and say cheese. And because I continue to be a very busy girl. Enjoy!

Literary Spectrum: Greens, Yellows, Pinks Edition.

2007-04-11T10:51:00.000-04:00

Who knew I had so few pink books? In the event that you missed the first installment of Literary Spectrum, it is here.

My week continues to be bothersome and hectic, but I'm surviving. I've gotten a few fantastic treats in the mail to keep me afloat, which I'm sure you'll hear more about soon. Have a great rest of the week!

soak.

2007-04-08T20:49:00.000-04:00

There are lots of new treats in the soap shop. Some old favorites, too.

The mineral sea salt soaks turned out just gorgeous. This stuff is heavenly to soak in. A supremely beautiful mélange of pure Dead Sea salt, Epsom salt, Breton organic gray sea salt, and Himalayan pink salt. And so, so good for your skin.

I had a great birthday weekend full of wine drinking, cake munching, and sock knitting. Thank you all again for every single one of the well wishes! I may be truant from blogland this coming week, as it is looking like a hectic one, but I'll try to keep Flickr updated when possible, and I'll certainly be around to send out some soapy goodness, if anyone feels the urge to treat themselves!

Have a grand week!

Breakfast of 30 year old champions.

2007-04-07T12:20:00.000-04:00

Just so you don't think I had to eat this birthday cake, here's the one I actually got to eat. Turns out that not only is M capable of giving me the perfect birthday present, he can also bake the perfect birthday cake. Of the carrot variety. Yummy. Carrot cake is my absolute favorite. Nova, I hope yours turns/ed out as perfectly as mine!

Thank you, thank you, thank! you! for all of the birthday wishes! And I was especially happy to see some of you came out from 'neath your lurking rocks to leave me ~~new blog fodder~~ such nice comments!

30.

2007-04-06T11:43:00.000-04:00

That, my friends, is how old I am today. I can't say I was very thrilled about it. That is, until I got this...

That, my friends, is something that I've needed for a very long time. Something that was always just a wee bit too expensive for me to want to fork out the cash for. Thank goodness for milestone birthdays and boyfriends who know what their girls want. He's witnessed my frustration of winding skeins of yarn off of backs of chairs and from around knees all too often. And, because he's a smart boy, he knew that 30-year olds really do need their own swifts. Beautiful wooden ones.

And because my mom and my big sister know me all too well, I also found this beauty waiting in my school mailbox for me. Wasn't I just saying something about green yarn and how it has some sort of weird magical quality? Apparently, it willed itself into my mom's and my sister's minds. They're smart cookies. They, too, know that 30-year olds can never have too much green yarn.

Never. Have. Too. Much. Oh, just look at all these cakes. Yum.

Off to have some big time birthday fun!

Renewal and Revival.

2007-04-04T18:27:00.000-04:00

Spring has been fickle lately... one minute she's here, the next minute she's overcome once again with cold and gray. But she should be here to stay any day now, any. day. now. And with the turn of the season, a new bout of Project Spectrum colors regales us. Despite my complete and total devotion to gray (and, lately, oaty goodness) fiber, I'm happy to begin thinking afresh, in greens, yellows, and pinks.

Greens, especially. Green fiber just has this alluring, magical quality about it, no? And what a perfect color for this time of year, new shoots and all.

And, because Project Spectrum is meant to push the boundaries of tried-and-true comfort colors (ahem! gray, my dear friend! neutrals, I love thee!), I might even cautiously stick my fork into a few more colors than I might normally choose to associate myself with. I have a few things stashed away deep in the crevasses for such an occasion.

And since spring IS, after all, the season of renewal and revival, I am feeling the desire to revive a lonely, single lemongrass pomatomus who desperately needs its mate.

Greens, yellows, and pinks commence!

Soft as a bunny's bottom.

2007-04-01T13:51:00.000-04:00

I'm making great progress on the Cottontail Cardigan... I see, now, how when you are totally infatuated with a certain yarn paired up with an intriguing pattern, things tend to just fly across (and off!) the needles. I am finished with the back panel, and it really seems like it has taken me no time at all.

The shaping though the waistline is most fascinating. As are the combinations of textures throughout this sweater. And all of these captivating details are captured so crisply by the Cottontail yarn. I have decided that Norah Gaughan is a genius. I am her newest disciple.

Here you can see the magic of Norah's method of shaping--the ingenious switch to needles two sizes smaller than the main needle size just in the midsection ribbing panel. But because the midsection panel is still ribbing, it stretches easily to conform to whatever size it needs to. It's like an elastic waistband for your pants, only not a fashion faux pas at all, because Norah has made the elastic pretty.

Pretty, pretty details. Love the combination of seed stitch, garter stitch, 3x3 ribbing, and lacy ribbing. Who would have thought such a busy combination would be so fetching?

My adoration of the soft, ever-so-slightly furry Cottontail continues. And speaking of things soft as a bunny's bottom...

You can now find new Silky Hand and Body Creams in the soap shop. I guarantee that this stuff will work wonders on dry, rough skin. Check it out if you are at all interested in having skin soft as a bunny's bottom. And, as knitters, we could all use a little help on the hands.

Happy April, everyone!

Philly Love Friday.

2007-03-30T10:32:00.000-04:00

FARMiCiA, Old City, Philadelphia.
Old City Coffee, Old City Philadelphia.
Metal Kangaroo Sculptures, Old City, Philadelphia.

Happy Friday, everyone!
I'm off to meet iSeL in the city I love!

My Precious Cottontail.

2007-03-27T22:06:00.000-04:00

Laura has one. And now I have one, too. My Precious. My Precious Cottontail. Soon to be my Precious Cottontail Cardigan. We all need a Precious, a project that is sheer and utter joy to knit. Not one that you want a whole lot and so work, work, knit, knit, toil, toil to finish so that you can have it (ah, product knitting!), but rather one that you take pleasure in, every stitch, every moment you spend knitting it. Wait... I've become a process knitter?? So long as I have my Precious, I have.

Did I happen to mention that I love this yarn? I should clarify that the Cottontail is more wheaty-tan than smokey-gray. I might just be the biggest gray yarn lover ever, and, I must admit that when I purchased the Cottontail, I was expecting more gray than brown. But it turns out that I love this wheaty-tan. It's nice and subtle.

My Precious will soon be this fabulous Norah Gaughan cardigan. The thing I love most about this cardigan is that it is so full of different textures without being all full of cables. And it has some ingenious shaping in it: instead of decreasing through the waist, you knit sections through the middle with smaller sized needles. Interesting concept, I think. I'm not exactly sure whether or not the Cottontail is a perfect match for this cardigan--it may actually be a tad too thick--but I'm convinced that it will be a beautiful match in the end.

The first section of the back panel is already finished. The lace ribbing is so pretty. I start the next section, a K3, P3 ribbing, on smaller needles.

Off to follow the fiber trail to happy, contented process knitting...

The Daily Purl Temptation.

2007-03-26T18:10:00.000-04:00

Hi. Does this look familiar to you at all? This gorgeous, gorgeous fibery goodness? Do you read Brooke's blog? If you don't, you should. Go now and add her to your blogroll. You won't regret it. Though I must warn you, there's a very good reason that I've taken it upon myself to re-name her blog The Daily Temptation. Because that's what it is for me. Daily. Temptation.

Let's get back to the fiber at hand. If you DO read her blog, you'll surely recognize the fibery goodness above. Let me refresh your memory: this. Look familiar now? And how about this? Perhaps after the first glimpse, I could have gotten over seeing it. The Beaverslide 2-ply mule-spun yarn in Cottontail. But she just had to keep posting about it. Who could blame her? Not me, certainly. This must easily be the most beautiful yarn I've seen or felt in a good long while.

And so I caved. Big time. I am now the very, very VERY happy owner and coveter of six glorious skeins of Beaverslide cottontail. That's 65% fine Beaverslide merino and 35% of the finest kid mohair. Oh, it is heavenly. I've never had such a crush on any yarn before. And my next-sweater-dilemma is officially over. I've been floundering about trying to find my next big project. (Don't worry, Mom! Your Saffron Aud is progressing just fine! Okay, maybe be a *smidge* worried). I swatched a few things and researched and pondered a few more, but nothing congealed to anything even near certainty or excitement. Until this loveliness showed up on Brooke's blog. And then it appeared in my mailbox. Eurkea and eureka some more! The Cottontail Cardigan, it shall be. The Norah Gaughan v-neck number from the Fall 2006 Vogue Knitting magazine, to be exact. Very excited.

Speaking of thrilling crafty gorgeousness, did you happen to notice the amazing little minaudière from which the cottontail has been peeking? That, my friends, is my new Zakka pouch, designed and made by none other than the amazing Nora. You know, of Good Yarn Karma fame. (If you don't read Nora's blog, you should. Go, now, and add her to your blogroll. Then come back, of course, and read the rest of my post.)

This pouch is absolutely beautiful. So well designed. So well constructed. So full of amazing details. So perfect for my new perfect project. And just look at that fabric!

Any and all of you who are able to operate a sewing machine, you can find Nora's Zakka pouch tutorial here. It's a very good thing I *can't* work one of those whirring things with a big plying needle-tooth, 'cause otherwise I wouldn't be able to stop myself from making a million of these bags. Love.

Gorgeous details aplenty!

This is me full of contentment. Beautiful project imminently on the needles, perfect project pouch to keep it tucked safely into. Really, does it get any better than this? Heaven. I'm experiencing it. Thank you for the inspiration, Brooke. And THANK YOU for the stitchy-sewy magic, Nora!

And, wow, thanks so much to everyone who commented on my chevron scarf!! I heart it, and I'm glad you all are in agreement! (I have a feeling this scarf will show up again on my blog... Can't. Stop. Photographing. It.)

Finished: Lucy Loves Schroeder Chevron Scarf

2007-03-24T16:36:00.000-04:00

Finished: Lucy Loves Schroeder Chevron Scarf
Pattern: By the talented Joelle Hoverson in Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Fiber: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock mediumweight; one skein of "Lucy" and one skein of "Foofaraw"
Needles: size 5 straight needles
Date Started: 08 March 2007
Date Completed: 24 March 2007
Modifications: Just some random tinkering here and there with gauge and starting some rows with different ends of the balls of yarn to obtain maximum color variation. Quite a bit of effort went into controlling where the red portions of the yarn appeared.

Lucy loves Schroeder! Well, we always knew that, but, more importantly: this time Schroeder loves her back! Okay, before I truly confuse any readers who are not regulars around these parts, an explanation: Lucy, of course, is the STR colorway name of the blues and tans yarn, but, for the purposes of my own keeping my own palette of colorway names pleased, I took it upon myself to rename Foofaraw (the reds, oranges, greens, and pinks colorway) Schroeder. Foofaraw, as much as I understand that it is an authentic, verifiable, perfectly correct word, is just not a word to be used by the likes of me to describe anything likable. And this scarf? It's very, very, VERY likable! That Lucy and that Schroeder, they do make a great pair!

As much as I claim not to be a bandwagon-eer, I'm glad that, deep down, I just want to be like everyone else. I really love this scarf and it was such fun to make! Scarves usually feel like a hassle to make, what with the über-repetitiveness and über-ÜBER-length, but this scarf just flew by. I can definitely imagine making another one of these babies. And SUCH a productive way to use STR without wanting to gouge your eyes out to deliver yourself from pooling horrors. And, on that subject, the STR mediumweight is, in this case and ONLY this case, a better choice than Koigu. You will likely never hear me say that again, but I mean it. The mediumweight STR is just a tad thicker than Koigu, and for the purposes of making this scarf, the STR is definitely more suitable. More variegated colors are also better for making this scarf, too.

Now, did anyone happen to notice my oh-so-very swell ensemble? I'm referring to the awesome, awesome red t-shirt I'm wearing. The one with the badass swallow freezer paper stenciled on in black ink. Did I mention that it's my new favorite t-shirt? Because it is. Did I mention that the very talented and very generous Christy made it for me? Because she did. And it is my favorite. Heart! Thanks again, Christy, for being talented in a way that I am not and being willing to share those talents. And look! It goes perfectly with the chevron scarf.

Thus concludes the saga of the longest scarf I ever knit (thus far). This sucker ended up being over six feet long... close to seven, I think. I love the scarf and I think the color choices--though I was very dubious in the beginning-turned out fantastically. This bandwagon was well worth the ride, indeed. Now, where are those Fetchings and Jaywalkers I've been meaning to knit??

And now that I have a completed chevron scarf to flaunt, won't some knitbloggers come visit me so I can flaunt, too?

Have a wondrous weekend, all!

Not just for drinking, anymore.

2007-03-20T22:50:00.000-04:00

Bath tea! Try soaking in it. Try splashing around in it! It's a lovely experience. But don't take my word for it... it's now available in the soap shop.

And ::thank you:: to everyone who left cheery notes and personal flood stories during the Leaky, Spurty Kitchen Pipes Crisis '07, which, I am happy to report, has been swifty repaired. Commence washing dishes. And not having sink sewage everywhere. Hurrah!

Good day, Sunshine.

2007-03-19T16:24:00.000-04:00

I'm taking a stab at being cheery, even though the spring break is officially over and the kitchen pipes are busted and leaky. And hey! I updated the soap shop with a few springtime goodies. Because who doesn't want a little springtime in their showers these days?

Happy Monday, all, and here's hoping your kitchen sink isn't flooded right now like mine is--oh, right, being cheery...BEING. CHEERY.

Happy Day to Flaunt Your Green Yarn Stash!

2007-03-17T15:14:00.000-04:00

I got this Green Sock KAL in the bag. Hearting the green sock yarn.

A Piece of Vermont
Real Vermonter sock yarn
70% mohair/30% Romney and Corriedale
Spearmint

Yarn Pirate
Bluefaced Leicester sock yarn
100% wool
Celery

Yarn Botanika
Radiance merino/tencel sock yarn
100% wool fortified with tencel
Spring Greens

The beer selection for this Paddy's day. I like my beer like I like my yarn: indie-style and mixed up in small batches.

Lucy and Schroeder continue to mingle together harmoniously.
(click the photo for a better, slightly less dark view).

Happy Day of Leprechauns, Shamrocks, and All Things Green!

Edwin Claudius Cat Candy Friday.

2007-03-16T10:02:00.000-04:00

Warning: Self-indulgent, cat-heavy post ahead: those with kitty allergies or those who are easily bored with non-knitting pet content, this post is not for you.

This is a Special Edition post, dedicated to Edwin Claudius Cat. I am making up for his rare appearances on le blog, though he is an integral part of my daily life.

Edwin spends the greatest part of his existence doing this
and this,

a little of this, and a whole lot of that.

On occasion, he does other things. Like this,

and this and this.

What a guy.

Edwin: he's one bad muthua. No, really he is. He can definitely defend himself against the towel of doom, which he gets wrapped in when he has his claws clipped. (That's poor M's mangled hand--it happened once, and now there is some serious dual-person cat-wrangling during claw-clipping).

Who knew that I'd get so little knitting done during spring break?? Oh, the irony. When you have the leisure to do it, you don't; all other times, you want to do nothing but. Go figure.

Have a terrific Friday! (As sleet tinks against my windows on a mid-March morning).

Lapping that kool-aid up.

2007-03-12T12:28:00.000-04:00

Lookie here: turns out Schroeder hearts Lucy, after all!

And I HEART my Lucy Loves Schroeder scarf. If I weren't entirely opposed to using the word "squee," I would certainly use it here. Effusively. What the hell, SQUEE! And, while we're at it, LURVE!

And the progress continues... what an addictive knit. Perhaps everyone I know just might need one of these.

It is now...

this long. And growing.

Back-up plan entirely unnecessary. Off to squee and lurve all over my new scarf, now.

Happy Monday to you all!

Finished: Mossy Monkey Socks

2007-03-10T14:23:00.000-05:00

Finished: Mossy Monkey Socks
Pattern: An amazing sock creation by Cookie A.
Fiber: Sundara Somewhat Solid sock yarn in "Burgundy over Moss"
Needles: size 1 DPNs
Date Started: 22 December 2006
Date Completed: 10 March 2006
Modifications: I worked seven lace pattern repeats, rather than six.

What a joy these babies were to knit. Upon finishing these socks, my third pair of knit socks, I realized that I have somewhat of a fetish for Cookie A. sock patterns. The Monkeys are my second Cookie A. sock pattern, and they fit just as perfectly as the Hederas.

Cookie's patterns really are ingenious. Patterns that are rather easy to memorize (um, except for, perhaps, the Pomatomus) with tremendously fantastic payoff results. Her socks look complicated to knit, what with all of the texture and lace, but they aren't at all. Easy peasy. And did I mention lovely? Yes, lovely.

You can image how disappointed I was that I couldn't go to Stitches West, where Cookie was going to be selling the myriad of unbelievably, mind-blogglingly AMAZING sock patterns of hers. There are like twenty. Each of them more awesome than the first. Is Cookie a robot? How is a single woman capable of such things?? (oh, right). The latest news is that Cookie will be selling her most recent sock patterns online through her blog site on Tuesday.

I'm sure you all can guess where I'll be on Tuesday.

The Monkeys turned out fabulously. And, as per usual, the Sundara sock yarn certainly worked its customary (but not to be overlooked or taken for granted) magic.

Number two of my set of 4 things to finish is done. Next mateless WIP up: this guy's other. Long overdue, I'm afraid. Now, I'm off to gambol with my chevron scarf and gear myself up for grading the stack of midterm exams that must be dealt with.

Have a super-terrific weekend, all!
And WOOT! for Knittin'-n-Sleepin' Fest 2007*!!

* more common appellation: Spring Break

A smart girl always has a back-up plan.

2007-03-08T16:07:00.000-05:00

Say, guess who I met yesterday?

Yup, that would, indeed, be Ashley. A knitblogger! A doggedknits-blogger! I think the first thing I said to her as I approached was, "Wow, you internets people really DO exist!" I am now a believer in the existence of knitbloggers.

Ashley and I had a fab time, if I do say so myself. Can't you tell from our utterly whelmed faces? We both share the uncanny ability to relate our sheer joy and excitement for life itself through nothing but our singular facial expression. Okay, so perhaps our underwhelmed expressions had something to do with this:

In fact, it was all we could do to not burst out into sobby hysterics. Hrm. I thought I was being such a good Philly knitblog hostess by suggesting that we go to loop. You know, to make sure Ashley had some Philly goodies to take back to Michigan with her. Oh, and because I was desperate to get to some koigu. Because a smart girl always has a back-up plan, and, frankly, I feel as though I might need one. But before Ashley and I were able to go through with our plan of throwing bricks through the storefront window riot-style, the loop employees returned and let us in. [Apparently, the peeps running loop feel entirely entitled to take *be back in a minute* breaks without feeling a compulsion to put a note on the door to inform customers of their absenteeism. I mean come on people, really, what is more important? Your Starbucks coffee or our fibrous sanity??]

Sweet success! Beautiful bright, orangey koigu!

Back-up plan for Chevron Scarf. Check. So, next time I meet up with a fellow knitblogger, I won't be shamefully lacking in knit accessories (note Ashley and her beautiful chevron scarf, and me, well, in my not-knit green scarf).

And, just for the record, Ashley is one super-cool Amazon.

The finished Monkeys are on deck; I'm now waiting for the snow from the freakish March 7th blizzard to melt so that I might actually have some decent photos to proffer. Stay tuned...

Plays well with others.

2007-03-05T21:56:00.000-05:00

I've taken a big swig of the cult kool-aid, and I am currently petting my new scarf-to-be. Chevron scarf, that is. You know the one. So, while I am rarely, if ever, described as one who plays well with others, I am attempting to rectify that characterization by ~~jumping on the bandwagon~~ joining the KAL (Flickr group) for the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

Now, the question remains: will these two play well together? Opinions?? I am dying to hear your opinions. Me, well, I'm hopeful... but doubtful. The image above makes me hopeful. Great contrast between the red, green, and orange of the one against the brown of the other. The image below makes me doubtful. Too much brown--both colorways are full of brown. There will be a lot of brown in this scarf. And the colors of each are lightish, rather than one dark colorway and one light, contrasting one. Still... the aquas, oranges, reds, and pinks all go well together.

We shall see. But not before I get one last thing off of my chest. Did the Blue Moon people jamb their colorway-naming apparatus?! The names of the new colorways? Hrm. Foofaraw? I bought a colorway called FOOFARAW?!? What, pray tell, is a foofaraw? No foofaraws allowed on this blog, I'm afraid. I'm just not comfortable with that designation at all. It's just a tinge too weird and abstract for me.

And so, I am ready to commence my Lucy Loves ~~Foofaraw~~ Schroeder Scarf. And darn it, Schroeder better love her back, this time.

Stay tuned for an FO, next! FO hint here.

Skin Candy.

2007-03-02T12:11:00.000-05:00

More of the good stuff is available, so go check out the Soap Shop and get your birthday suit a treat for Skin Candy Friday.

I've thrown in a few new soaps, too, so have yourself a little peek.

And say, what's this? I've been doing a little experimenting, concocting, and product-developing... new, exciting things are on the horizon for the lil' old Soap Shop. Mmmm...bath teas and salts. Pure epidermal boon. Just out of curiosity, would there be interest out there for skin candy such as bath teas and salts?

And can I just say *WOW* and *THANK YOU* to everyone who left me a comment on my short-cut fingerless mitts! I hit a new zenith in comments! Thanks for taking the time to comment: I love, LOVE hearing from y'all!

I also really do need to send out an appreciative WOOT! to both Brooke and Val for their wonderful reviews of my skin candy. I have on my grateful face right now. It looks like this.

Have a terrific Friday, everyone, and Happy March!

Finished: Quicksilver Fingerless Mitts

2007-02-27T20:44:00.000-05:00

Say, those aren't socks at all! The first of my set of 4 things
to be finished (perhaps my previous appellation of an "avalanche" of FOs may have been a slight overstatement--more like a slowish mudslide) is off the needles and on my hands! And, boy, are these babies my new best friends!

Finished: Quicksilver Fingerless Mitts
Pattern: Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts (sans schmancy colorwork)
Fiber: Yarn Pirate merino/tencel sock yarn in "Quicksilver" and dark gray Koigu KPM for the trim and cuffs.
Needles: sizes 0 and 1 DPNs
Date Started: February 2007
Date Completed: February 2007
Modifications: There were many minor modifications to the Endpaper Mitts, as I just used the pattern as a general template to make these mitts.

Okay, time for my few cents on merino/tencel, since it is a relatively new phenomenon in sock yarn, and several commenters asked me specifically what I thought about knitting with it. Merino/tencel has this magnetic, corporeal quality about it, definitely. The tencel added in makes wool tough and beautifully sheeny and lustrous. And soft and silky. When you see a merino/tencel blend in person, you immediately want to own as much of it as you can. And want to knit everything you can with it. Well, you do if you're anything like me (read: attracted to shiny, shiny prettiness). All the wonderful physical properties aside, however, I found knitting with it a little on the annoying side. It's significantly slipperier than 100% wool, so my gauge tended to be more loose and if I wasn't paying attention at all times, some of my stitches would become loose during transfer from left to right needle and become wonky looking. So, basically, I had to keep the yarn pulled somewhat taut as I knit. And the slight lines that are created when knitting in the round on dpns--the ever-so-slightly more loose stitches right at the "corners" where you shift from one dpn to the next are exaggerated, which I found a little bothersome (back, perfectionist, back!).

Merino/tencel is also somewhat less stretchy than pure wool, so I am not convinced that the tencel blend is best suited for knitting socks--that is, unless you compensate for the lack of stretch and make slightly bigger-fitting socks, in which case they may turn out a bit saggy. That said, the added tencel does provide wool with a great amount of added strength, which makes it seem appropriate--if not perfect--for sock knitting. Turns out, given all of its qualities, I really love the merino/tencel for mitts such as these. The added strength is perfect for taking the mitts on and off all day, for one thing. And the smoothness of the fabric is also perfectly suited to mitts. Okay, that should suffice for an opinion on merino/tencel. I feel compelled, though, to admit that I have purchased more merino/tencel and will probably be knitting socks out of it. I suspect I'll grow to love merino/tencel indefinitely with time.

I have a few more cents to throw into the bank: the Yarn Pirate yarn (When did I become such an opinionated-and long winded- knitter?!). Yarn Pirate sock yarn has this sort of surreal, über-alluring quality to it. I am not typically one of the many who are lured by the siren song of variegated yarns, but for some reason, I am drawn to the variegated Yarn Pirate sock yarns. And as much as I don't want to admit it, there is that "For a Limited Time Only, Get it While It Lasts!" appeal to Yarn Pirate as well. That stuff sells out on Etsy pretty much instantaneously. Not as instantly, perhaps, as Sundara, but you can't ponder your desires for very long, or you'll miss out. I don't fully understand the strong appeal it has for me, but the Quicksilver merino/tencel was the first Yarn Pirate yarn I have tried, despite my skepticism toward variegated yarns (pooling is one of the most horrific knitting-related things to me... if it pools, I rip. period.). And I had a helluva time getting it to not pool. Every darn sock pattern I tried pooled like a mofo. I tried many a sock pattern and many a needle size to no avail, and I finally gave up. Then I realized that if I reduced the number of stitches, the pooling disappeared... unfortunately, I had to reduce the number of stitches by too many to knit a regular sock. Enter Eunny's Endpaper Mitt pattern. Marvelous! Perfectly pool-less! Because my wrists are significantly twiggier than my calves!

Just look at that thumb gusset! These mitts were my first foray into thumb gussetting, so I did a bit of experimenting with methods of increasing around the thumb gusset (though I lacked the foresight to take any comparative photos of the different methods I tried). Eunny's pattern suggests the "lifted bar" increase, which I found to be a little on the holey side (perhaps I was doing it wrong?). So, I decided to try another method--not one I had seen anywhere, just one that I totally made up as I went. I think it was a way more complicated maneuver than necessary for a thumb gusset increase, but it created a hole-less gusset, so I was satisfied with it.

Overall, I love this quick little knit, and I suspect I'll be making many more of these dumbed-down, Eunny-style fingerless mitts (though I DO plan to make some of the two-colored ones, as well). They're simple, yet functional, and I can enjoy my variegated yarns in pool-less peace. That's my "Lookie at my fantastic, shiny new mitts! I heart them!" face. Otherwise known as my whelmed face. That's about as excited as I get, y'all.

1s and 4s.

2007-02-24T16:58:00.001-05:00

4 works in progress, each 1 without its mate.

1 to 4, top to bottom: My Bloody Valentine; Lemongrass Pomatomus; Mossy Monkey; Quicksilver.

There's really no justification for this FO-block. Mix-n-match, anyone?

4 squishy, delectable skeins of handpainted sweetgeorgia goodness. A recent intemperate overextension of my wallie over at the Sweet Sheep. Should tide me over until Felicia returns to action.

1 to 4, left to right: Blue Steel; Black Orchid; Kissed; Snap Dragon.

How was I able to justify? Sweet, good-natured Beth provided that:

Surely you want further details about this most excellent new like-a-KAL? You can go here for that. And while you're over there, be sure to thank Beth for being the bestest knit enabler ever (besides, ahem, Anne).

Y'all go get your warmest, comfiest knits on and prepare for the impending 1st FO avalanche of 2007. And while you're all in your coziest gear, sit back, relax, and have yourselves a super weekend.

Vessel Wednesday: Soapy Goodness Edition.

2007-02-21T13:23:00.000-05:00

In honor of Carson's most intriguing and delightful Vessel Wednesday, I give you the Soapy Goodness Edition.

The Soap Shop has been updated with three new soaps. Here they are, in my favorite handmade rice bowl.

Did I mention that they are all-natural and so very good for your skin? Your birthday suit will thank you for the treat.

Also, I would love feedback from y'all, so PLEASE let me know what you think about the soap. You can leave me a comment here or email me at megan@goodsoapworksofathens.com.

Happy Vessel Wednesday, all!
And check out some other marvelous vessels here and here.

Sunday musings and LOOT.

2007-02-18T17:57:00.000-05:00

It's been a relatively lazy, plain-vanilla weekend Chez Philistine. For some reason, I feel as though I've been bustling about, getting things done, knitting up a storm... but then I sit down to recount it and there's really not so much to tell or show. Except for some sweet, new LOOT!

This pile of goodness is the stash-enhancing, bed-warming result of some swaps I did with Ashley and Kirsten. Soap for amazing bedwarmer à la Ashley and delicious tweed and sock yarn à la Kirsten! And look: Edwin, despite his uncanny ability to sense and evade impending photographing, has shown up for the treats. Though he hardly looks interested in them; well, I never said he was the smartest cat ever.

Yum! Treats! Ashley's bedwarmers went like hotcakes over at her Etsy shop, so I am glad to have cajoled one out of her before she tossed the others into the vortex. And I feel lucky to have scored some Sweet Georgia yarn from Kirsten's stash, especially having heard the news that Felicia has granted herself a well-deserved hiatus from dyeing. (I *might* have also recently ransacked the Sweet Sheep and gotten a few more Sweet Georgia colorways as well, but more on that some other time). And, well, Rowan tweed is what it is: utterly amazing, and these guys will make an excellent EZ Ganomy hat, agreed? Thanks again, Kirsten and Ashley for some super swapping! Now about all of that knitting with nothing to show for it...

A little peek at what I've been working on. While it may not look like much, to me it looks like nothing less than a small miracle! I have had an exceedingly antagonistic relationship with my skein of Yarn Pirate merino/tencel sock yarn. Despite it being the nonpareil colorway for this month's Project Spectrum, it hasn't exactly been at all cooperative on the non-pooling front. After many attempts and MANY patterns, I was *this* close to giving up on it and relieving myself of the pooling horror by letting it fend for itself over at Good Yarn Karma (this new site is ingenious, by the way... unwanted yarn FREE to good homes?! It certainly DOES seem to be the year of the clean and tidy stashes, indeed!). And then... I tried ONE. LAST. THING. And so far, so good.

And, finally, I really must send out BIG HUGS to Ashley and Kirsten, for the raving reviews of my soap! And, of course, BIG THANK YOUs to all of those who've decided to try some for themselves. Anyone who ordered soap this weekend: your soap is packed up and on its way to you! I updated the SOAP shop this afternoon, so there are a few new treats in there ready for new homes in YOUR shower! Go check them out!

Now, it's off to Tria for some delicious and cheap Abbey Dubbel-style Belgian ale.

Have a wonderful Sunday night, all!