Lazy Sunday

Today was a slow day, just bumming around, knitting, watching a movie, then the really fun stuff like cleaning the bathroom and the kitchen.


Once football started, I made myself a cup of Constant Comment and sat down with the We Call Them Pirates hat. Funnest project evah! I just started this thing on Friday evening, and it has sped by, probably because the pattern is so fun to see emerge that it's hard to stop working on it.

I was in the LYS on Friday asking for help with a provisional cast-on and the store owner told me she thought this pattern was going to be too difficult for me. What the hell?!? I had never even met this woman before. And, of course, this is the same store I complained about before. So why do I keep going back? Because it's close by and I'm an idiot.

One thing I have learned to be when it comes to knitting is fearless, and her discouraging comments only increased my determination. Plus, the stupid woman didn't even know how to do a provisional cast-on. She had to get out her reference book and showed me something involving a crochet hook.

Anyway, my husband saw a photo of this hat online and decided he wanted one. So this one's for him. The project is so very entertaining though that I might make myself one too. I was thinking of doing it in pink and green, just for fun.


Speaking of the husband, here he is with Elly "watching" football. Doesn't he know schnauzers prefer soccer?

The worst part is I know that if I stole the remote and changed channels, he would instantly wake up and I'd be busted. Bleh. Football sucks.

Socks Finished, Socks Begun

I finally finished the Koigu jaywalkers. They look great, I think, with the picot edge. However, even though Koigu costs $11 freaking dollars a skein, they still can't seem to get the dye lots to match. So one of my socks is a slightly more washed-out version. Ah, well.

So when I finished the socks last night, I decided to work on some more MDK warshcloths, just because they are so fun. No sooner did I get settled back in my chair with my dishcloth cotton did my husband say he wanted me to make him some socks now.

Ok, fine. I got out the Heritage Handspun Jae sent me a couple of months ago and cast on for the Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. This should be a nice realxing knit. The yarn is gorgeous, by the way, 75% wool, 25% mohair. It's very lustrous.

Also, I forgot to mention when I got my One Skein Secret Pal final package, although I did thank my pal via email. She sent some mint hot chocolate, scented candles, and a lovely crocheted scarf in a great shade of blue. I love the scarf--I think it's very pretty and has a vintage-y feel to it. Thanks, Melinda!

ETA: My deckhand photo made it into Yarnival! That's pretty exciting, thanks, Eve.

A Plethora of FO's!

It would seem I've been very busy lately, but in reality, I have been working on rather small projects, and it's amazing how quickly they go.

Let me give you a tour....

An iPod cozy knitted for my nephew. Just a basic rectangle with 2x2 ribbing and an i-cord long enough to go around his neck. The yarn is KnitPicks Dancing sock yarn.

Ah, the beautiful and addictive-to-knit Fetching from Knitty. I used the yarn specified in the pattern--Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran--but be warned: I ran out of yarn before finishing, so I had to buy another ball. This was also my first cabled project, and the pattern was easy enough to follow, and I had absolutely no problems with it. Nope, not even with the thumbs (which I had also never done).

I finished the baby kimono--Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn here. This is not only my first ever non-sock, non-scarf garment, it's also my first attempt at actually using a sewing machine for anything. Woo hoo!

And a close-up of the bows:

Heartbreakingly cute, no?

I got the lining sewed into my One Skein Secret Pal project, thereby making it my second ever attempt at using a sewing machine. I decided not to add a handle or strap or anything to this bag and just leave it as a little pouch. I hope my pal likes it!

I found an easy little pattern for a headband made from leftover sock yarn, so I gave it a shot. Definitely a fun, quick project. This yarn is leftover Lorna's Laces from my first pair of Jaywalkers. Awwww....

Finally, since Fetching was such an amazing, fun, quick knit, I decided to make another pair! Yes, seriously.

I had no idea what I was even going to do with the red ones when I started them, let alone the blue ones. This blue is such a lovely shade of cornflower, I may just keep this pair for myself.

So there you have it, a brief tour of what I've been working on--and finishing!--lately.

I So Need A New Camera *Now With SP Update!*

I take tons of pictures, but it seems like only about half of them come out well-lit and non-blurry. Hopefully whoever draws my name for Christmas is reading this post...

Anyway, on to a bunch of photos that actually did come out decently.

Knitting stuff first:

You know, I just feel a lot of guilt about Pomatomus. I started it waaay back here. And, as you can see, it looks pretty much the same today. Now, the reason I feel guilty about it is because I joined the Pomatomus KAL and it feels like I have some kind of obligation to finish these. But, to be honest, I really don't want to! Also, I looove Cherry Tree Hill supersock, and I want to use it, but not for these socks.

It's ok, right? I can frog this and use the yarn for something else, right? Hmmm.

The second Koigu Jaywalker is all primed and ready to be started:

And, for my first non-scarf, non-sock garment, I am making the Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimon from Mason-Dixon Knitting. Heart's not broken yet, but maybe when the ribbons get tied on.

I finished the Twitterpated purse (although it kind of ended up more like a pouch) for my One Skein Secret Pal. The lining is not quite securely attached yet, but you get the ide.

Outside (it's actually not a washed-out, grubby looking gray. It's a very deep black, like in the next photo. Stupid camera.):

Inside:

And now, in non-knitting stuff, I found this today when I was listening to the Lime and Violet podcast. Ohmigod, it looks like so much fun! It's merit badges for adults! In all kinds of artsy-crafty areas! What's not to love?

I suspect that many of you are, like me, chronic hobby-collectors. I have tried my hand at a variety of activities over the years, and never really stuck with anything long enough to get good at it (until knitting!). This Artscouts program really appeals to me for that very reason, I think, because it provides direction for the activities so you're not just floundering around on your own, not making any progress.

I love this idea! I am so signing up.

Lastly, we went to, of all things, a rollerskating party last week for our friend Tara's birthday. I haven't skated in about 20 years, but I did manage to make it around the rink once before calling it quits. It's just that I've never broken a bone in my life, and I don't want to start now.

My husband Paul (in red) and Tara's husband Alex (in the crazy pants) tying on their skates. Alex had actually never rollerskated before, and he was the only one Paul was able to beat in the group rink-race!

I got the final package from my SP today. Hooray! It was a big, heavy box, so I knew it had to be full of great stuff.

And it was!

Seven skeins of this really soft Misty Nevada yarn, two balls of soft, fuzzy brown yarn, two Christmas tree ornaments (which I always need more of, especially ones like these, which are unbreakable), a box of Sopapilla mix and a box of New Mexican corn bread mix (yummy!), Some little dark chocolate cookies, freaking adorable cat toys, some Japanese rice candy, two skeins of Cascade 220 and a pattern for a felted tote bag, and Japanese seaweed bits.

No, seriously, Japanese seaweed bits!

What an awesome SP package; this swap has been a lot of fun, and I sincerely thank you, Jos, for all your efforts and prezzies. I hope you have enjoyed this experience as much as I have! Now I have to go read your blog...

And the cats thank you for the Super Fun tissue paper!

Time for Cat Photos

I just realized I don't have nearly enough cat photos for a knitting blog! Also, I need to update so I don't get yelled at by Cecily, my SP8 hostess.

And, to be honest, I just don't have much going on knitting-wise at the moment, at least not anything that would be interesting to display. I have one small project I am making for my Secret Pal, a prezzie for someone in real life, a couple of warshrags. I need to get cast on for my second Koigu Jaywalker, and that damn Icarus shawl.

I did, however, sign up for Sock Wars, even though I am not entirely sure I understand it. That's why I made Sue sign up for it too. She can explain it to me. We also need to learn how to do the Magic Loop so we don't get killed in the first round!

That would suck. Although I guess we would end up with our pair of hand-knitted socks all the sooner. If this is not correct someone please let me know. I told you I don't fully understand how this works.

I'll throw a doggie pic in there too--she's so cute, how could I resist?

Finished Object--Knitty's Cozy

Aha! Totally done. This was a huge (for me!) lace project, and it took a couple of months, although I did keep putting it aside for other things. But I was knitting this for my mother who kept complaining about how cold it was at work, so she really provided an incentive to hurry up and finish!

It's still blocking, but I think it looks pretty good. It's amazing to me how I could create something so delicate and intricate looking. And yet the pattern is not really difficult at all!

Project Specs:

Pattern: Cozy from Knitty
Yarn: Andean Silk from Knitpicks, Cream
Needle: Addi Turbo, size 8


Such a fun project, and the stitch pattern was pretty easy, even for me, being a lace novice. I'm sure there are some mistakes in there (Mom'll find 'em!), but it turned out beautifully.

Nothing New

Not much to report here. It's just so hot outside, it's hard to work up any enthusiasm for much of anything. I seem to recall that the last two summers here were fairly mild, and I think we got spoiled. This is a more typicals ummer for us, but I just can't wait for it to be over!

I have been working on Cozy, just a few more inches to go, and it will be done. It seems like it's going to be really long, but my mom wanted it for a lap blanket, wrap, whatever, so at least it will be versatile.

I did finish one Koigu Jaywalker with picot edge. You can still see how cute it is, even though I took a totally lazy photo. Ah, the classic sitting-in-front-of-the-computer shot. Gotta love it.

And, just for reference's sake, this is the same sock that I was working on while on vacation. Some of you may remember seeing it in this photo:

I found this website called Lost Tulsa, and I read about some tunnels that connect the buildings downtown. The tunnels apparently were built in the 20's by the wealthy building owners who wanted to be able to travel between the buildings without worrying about being kidnapped, which was happening to wealthy businessmen in Chicago at the time. The tunnels were also possibly used to transport contraband during Prohibition.

Supposedly there are tours of the tunnels available . I'm trying to find out more information about that. I think that would be really interesting.

Hee! Edited to add: I had to rip out what little I had done on Icarus, which is, I guess, why I forgot to even mention it. I don't think reading charts is for me. That, or I need to come up with a new system.