A Trip to Kinokuniya

We went to the International District today. I scoped out all the knitting books at Kinokuniya but didn't find anything that was all that special. I did notice that there was an entire shelf devoted to sewn and knit dog clothing. I don't mean little sweaters and coats. I mean evening gowns, wedding gowns, dress shirts and beach attire. The dogs did not look happy about it.

Hand Made Costume
Hand Made Dog Wear
Another Hand Made Dog Wear
Still another Hand Made Dog Wear
Dog's Wardrobe
How to Make Dog Wear

A Quick Fix

I cast on for my second Whitby sock for my Sockapal2za pal last night. I got a fair bit of knitting done on it today and was trying to remember how long I had knit the leg on the first one. I held out my sock to examine it.



I was about to do what I usually do when I encounter a knitting mistake--whip the knitting off the needles, rip back to the mistake and then slip the stitches back on. But this yarn is quite splitty and hard to pick up and the mistake was so isolated I decided to try to drop down and fix it.

First I put the stitches that needed to be fixed on a needle. Then I dropped down to those stitches. I reknit that portion and voila!



The tension in the area I fixed still needs some massaging. But all in all I'm happy with the results and not having to reknit four rounds on my sock.

Happy Fourth of July

Perhaps you'd like to celebrate with a little patriotic macrame?

Forgive Me Oh Spinning Gods

I am so sorry to have angered you. Perhaps it's because I haven't touched my wheel in ages. Perhaps it's because every time I consider doing some spinning I think, "I'd rather knit instead." But clearly you are angry at me. Which is why it took me an hour to spin 3/4 oz. of 80% merino/20% mohair roving. And when I say "spin" I mean "spin half, destroy the other half and throw it away." You may also be angered by the fact that the standard flyer I bought for my wheel, oh, I don't know, many months ago is still in the bag on my desk and I'm trying to spin sock yarn on my cruddy old jumbo flyer. Just a guess. This must be why you sent Teri to the shop today to tell me about her gorgeous Romney fleece. I see now how I have failed.



So again, sorry.

Imagination No Longer Required

Use Your Imagination

I'm leaving for work in a few minutes so I don't have pictures for you. Try visualizing this. I have knit about 4 inches on the right front of Martha. Can you see it? I have finished the garter triangle base of the Wool Peddlers Shawl and am six rows into the first lace section. It looks like this but much bigger and clumped up on my needles.

Join me at the shop for Sit and Knit today if you're free!

A Little Explanation

Yesterday I had had enough. The house was a falling down disaster. There was yarn, toys and bits of paper in great tilting towers on every horizontal surface. There was a repairman coming to fix the lock on one of our doors and I was embarrassed that he, a total stranger, would see the squalid conditions in which we were living. The boys were at camp for three hours--the last camp they would have for weeks. I had a small opening and I got cracking. I managed to tackle most of the first floor. I vacuumed (thanks Roomba!). I did all the dishes. I shined my sink. I cleaned off the counters and tables. I cleaned out the crab tank and put in new gravel. Finally I could breathe. And then I looked in my office.



If I was going to pull out all my yarn and rearrange it, why not take pictures? And if I was going to set up a photo album, why not a blog? As Rebecca once pointed out to me, you can create as many blogs on Blogger as you want for free. I know it's not very interesting to anyone else but it gives me a place to "think out loud" about my stash and future projects.

Going through my stash I learned several things.
1) I have a shitload of yarn.
2) Only three items were purchased at full price.
3) Lots and lots of it came to me as gifts or prizes.
4) I need to knit a lot more.
5) I love yarn.

This Can't Be Good

My stash has gotten so large it has it's own blog.

Thursdays are For What the Hell is This?

Ah Berocco. The design team that originally prompted me to cry "What the hell is this?" You have not let me down.

I believe you have supplied the world at last with the most horrible poncho for it's sheer ugliness and size. Congratulations. Are those sleeves?



And the least flattering hat. Unless you think looking like a chestnut or a hedgehog is flattering.



Most repulsive tank top. See the detail shot for the full horror of metallic fluff.



Worst home accents.



Celeste pointed out the no knit, no sew, no crochet, no brains, no taste necklace.

But then you outdid yourself by introducing the world to the Creepiest. Mannequin. Ever.



Thank you.

For the People Who Have Come Here...

...looking for fun fur flip flop patterns.

Psych!

Shesh, That Took Long Enough

Since starting the Martha-along in March (March! For crying out loud!), I have just tonight squeezed out my first sleeve. Now don't be mistaken. This is my first and only piece of the sweater I've knit so far.

We've had four finished Martha's so far. Most recently Melanie has finished hers in a delicious wine color.

Also recently spotted:
AmyP's working on her back.
Erin's left front and right.
Holly's front is in the works.
Kristy's almost at the armhole shaping.

Sad Times for Pooh

How creepy is it that the man who voiced Tigger died on Friday and the man who voiced Piglet died the next day?