Sunday, April 26, 2009

Security Blanket

So, since I didn't have any other projects on the needles, a few nights ago I picked up a new sock yarn and a pattern I've been eyeing for a while, and cast on a new sock. I've been carrying this particular flat feet yarn around for a few weeks like a security blanket, wanting to knit it but knowing I shouldn't (because I was lying about the not-having-any-other-projects-on-the-needles thing). Anyway, since I cast on this sock, I've had perfect project monogamosity, and in fact have been rather OCD about it. So, I finished it today while working at a fiber festival in Troy, OH. It was quite convenient to fling the flat over my shoulder and walk around while knitting the sock, and lots of people were intrigued by the unraveling-to-knit idea. Fun fun.


Then Dani made me cast on the second one. Since this is technically the seventh single sock (without a partner, and no, I have no guilt about this) I have going right now, it seems a shame to ruin the record by actually making the second sock. I guess we'll see.

Yarn: Flat Feet by Conjoined Creations, springy sock club version.
Needles: Size 2 dpns, of course.
Pattern:
Mockery Socks, by Katie Grady (ravelry link - free download)

Monday, April 20, 2009

Sockstrava-licious!

What would you do with a perfect sunny Spring day, a dozen sock knitters, piles of food, and a bunch of natural-colored sock yarn?

Why, you'd have a Spring Sockstravaganza, that's what!

Here's the final result of our dyeing:



And here are some of my favorite progress pictures:













Everybody got a door prize...


We had a great, successful sock yarn swap...


We even got some sock knitting done!



PHEW! Big fun.
Thanks to Tobie & Wendy for helping to set up and for keeping the store running while we were trying to take over.
Thanks to Dani for agreeing to be my assistant for the day and for jumping at every beck and call.
Thanks to Lisa for her generous donation of supplies and time helping me learn the process. We missed you!!!
And thanks to all the ladies who joined us for the day: Cheryl, Sherry, Terri, Kathy, Cathy, Laurey, Leslie, Dominique, Karen, Michelle, and Melinda... You guys made my day! I can't wait to do it again.

OH! P.S... here are the two lovlies that I dyed on Saturday. I can't wait to use them!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Return of the WIPs*

*works in progress

So, I've kind of gotten to the point where I mostly wait until I finish a project before I post about it, and it seems that it has been therapeutic in the past to post about my WIPs, so that I could get reassurance that I'm not the only one who has all of these crazy things going on at the same time. So without further ado, I present my most recent WIPs.

Boysenberry thingie for the youngest niece. It's for her birthday, which isn't until October, but clearly it made sense to start it ASAP.

Something blue and sort of stripy for the nephew.

Something mauvey-lipsticky colored for the oldest niece. This one is technically an FO, but it still needs a button, so I'm counting it as a WIP.

Unstretched burgundy alpaca crochet lace scarf. I started it just to see if I could do it, and I can, so it doesn't hold much priority anymore. But it's pretty, and fun, and I just need to make myself work on it.

1x1 rib scarf with Sedona (wool/silk blend). What? Two scarves in a row? I don't know... I love the yarn, and it's a perfect mindless project. We can picks it up when we wants to knit but don't wants to thinks.

Blue & white Tychus hat, made for a store School Spirit event. Not due till June 1. Done on April 8. BOO YAH! (Okay, so this isn't technically a WIP, but it was while I was knitting it.)

Cables & Corrugations sock from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters, knit with Malabrigo sock yarn and square knitting needles (which I HEART). I've been leading a knitalong for this book at the store once a month since January. No, this isn't the extent of my progress. See next WIP.

Cedar Dancing Socks from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I'm knitting this one from Fleece Artist yarn, and it's kind of big, and I think it's time to start increasing, and I'm not feeling it anymore. This is the one I started for the knitalong.

More socks? What? Don't mind if I do!

Cookie A's Twisted Flower socks in Claudia's Handpainted Limeade. The last time we saw this sock was last August. I tried it on. It fit, but it stretches out ALL the way and looks awful. So I put it in time-out for a while, but we recently got some of Cookie's individual patterns at the store, and I want to use this one as a sample, so I got it out again and renewed my love for this pattern. I'm thinking about auctioning off the pair if I ever get them both done.

New socks? We got 'em! Top: another Marlene in Rio de la Plata yarn. Hopefully for me. Middle: Brigit #2 in Berroco's Comfort Sock. (The first one is done. Seriously, this is a second sock.) Bottom: Hedera, maybe? It's Deborah Norville yarn that I got at Hobby Lobby. It's pretty and soft and I haven't gotten very far.

Look! It's a finished object (FO) and a WIP all at the same time! I finished my first Twisted Pretzel sock (what is it with my obsession with patterns with the word 'twisted' in the title? nevermind. don't answer that.), and I've been hesitating starting the second one because I was trying to decide if I should make it exactly the same (starting with blue and ending with blue) or switch it up (starting with yellow and ending with yellow). But my wise friend Kimmie told me that I need to make it exactly the same (blue --> blue) because otherwise I would make myself crazy. She's right. But I still haven't started the second sock yet.

There may be another couple of socks and/or amigurumis and/or baby sweaters that I'm thinking about and may have potentially started. Oh, and I'll be starting Christmas stocking store samples soon, too.

So why is it that I still have trouble deciding what to knit some nights?**


**Too many choices. I know, I know.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Harold


hello my name is harold i am a hedgehog
i don't have legs but i do have this flower
i like you very much will you be my friend?
i will always bring you a smile and a flower
because i like you - you are nice
okay have a nice day goodbye!