Hold On To Your Hats

Yes, it's Sam and she's done. That wily bitch.

The saga of Sam is long. I started her on June 1, 2004. Things started going wrong in July. By mid-August 2004 we had separated. We got reunited in February 2005. On May 21, 2005 I started working on her again. By June 12, 2005 I was ready to put in the zipper. On July 19 I finally installed the zipper. Sadly it was a non-separating zipper. I had to rip it out. And now, a mere seven months later I have finally sewn in a separating zipper.

This gives me pause. Should I do another zipper-related project for the Olympics? I don't know.

Pattern: Sam from the Cotton Angora Collection by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Bandolino
Needle: US6?? Inox??
Changes: I added a few inches to the body. It's still pretty short because I've *ahem* put on a little weight since I started this project nearly two years ago.

Decision Time

It's getting down to the wire and I haven't decided what to knit for the Olympics. I've dismissed the shawl idea because I've got shawls coming out of my ears. I need a sweater.

I've narrowed it down to three patterns. I have the yarn already for all of them.

Ribby Cardi
Yarn: Peruvian Highland Wool
Pros: Simple knit. Very wearable.
Cons: I need to sew in a zipper.

Cable Knot Jacket
Yarn: Cash Iroha
Pros: Cashmere! Cables!
Cons: More complex to knit. I need to sew in a zipper.

Sitcom Chic
Yarn: Cotton-Ease
Pros: Easy-shmeasy.
Cons: Perhaps not enough of a challenge for this event. Out of season.

***I've removed the poll because it was seriously slowing down the page loading.***

Office Overhaul

The unusually warm winter must have all the knitbloggers in a mood for spring cleaning. My office was a disaster area. I have photos to prove it.


WARNING: The photos you are about to see are not for the faint of heart. If disorder, chaos and sloppiness make you dizzy, you might want to be sitting down for this.







One trip to Ikea for a small table later and many dusty hours later I have this.







Check out all the empty horizontal surfaces! There's room for my new sewing machine! It doesn't induce panic attacks or threaten to fall over and bury you alive in yarn, papers and books!

Threepeat

My Sockapaloooza sock has begun.



I'm using Sockbug's Crooked Cables (.pdf file) pattern with Brown Sheep Wildfoote in Rhapsody on 1s. So far, so good. The colors detract from the lace and cables a bit (in this photo a lot) but I think it works.

It's Not an Air Raid

The streets are deserted. Apparently there is some sporting event today.
I worked for a few hours this afternoon so Molly could go to a party. (Hmph!) I stopped on my way at Jo-Ann's to get fabric and a pattern for my Sew? I Knit! skirt. I chose a LOUD fabric. It was cheap and will hopefully distract from poor execution. Photos tomorrow when there will allegedly be sun for the second day in a row. It's crazy, I tell ya.

Country Socks

Pattern: Country Socks from Folk Socks by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Rowan Classic Yarn Cashsoft DK
Needle: US1 Crystal Palace circulars
Changes: I made the leg slightly shorter than specified in the pattern.

These socks are so soft and lovely. I will definitely be using Cashsoft for more socks in the future.

Where Am I?

I'm disoriented. The kids had the day off from school--some nonsense about a "day between semesters." Wes, bless him, let me sleep in this morning. When I dragged myself out of bed at 10 I thought it was Saturday. This delusion has persisted throughout the day. I took the boys to the library and off to our funky neighborhood barber shop so my 7 year old could get his hair cut. He likes going there because that's where his dad goes. Plus they have candy vending machines. I'm not as fond of it because the magazine selection ranges from Maxim to Playboy. I had no idea there were so many of these mid-level "men's magazine" featuring women I've never heard of on the covers who all sport identical over-inflated spherical breasts. A learning experience indeed. While there I was overcome with acute stomach pain. I called Wes to come and take over but he had a job interview. Oh right. It's Friday. I got through the haircut, got the kids home, turned on the computer for them and crawled into bed. I stayed there until dinner time. (Wes came home during this time. I didn't completely abandoned the children.) I feel better now and still have no idea what happened to me.

I'm nearly at the toe decreases for my second Country Sock. But now I feel like spinning instead. I started some of the CVM (California Variegated Mutant) I got during my spinning class. Soooooooft.

I have also been trying to crochet a pair of baby booties. Yes, you heard me. Crochet. Usually when the subject of crochet comes up I throw my hands in the air and proclaim, "I'm tragic at crochet." But more and more customers at the shop want help, advice, etc. on crochet and I feel like I should be able to help them. Molly gave me a few pointers on Wednesday and I've been crawling my way through these. I have maybe half a bootie that doesn't look horrible but doesn't look great. Isn't crochet supposed to be fast? Isn't that what crocheters always say, "Oh, I couldn't knit. I takes forever." I could have knit three pairs of booties in the time it's taken me to crochet half of one.

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

It's hats off to Liz this week for sending me the links to this week's passel of unfortunate knits. It's especially good since I was recently speaking of my love/hate relationship with Nicky Epstein. Okay, I was only talking about the hate part but there is some love here for her too. But not today. She has published a new book called Fabulous Felted Knits. There's already errata for it here (pdf file). Fabulous? I don't think so. I would like to put forward a title change suggestion, "Inconceivable Felted Bags." These bags cause such a riot in my brain I don't know if I can write anything else about them. I'll sum the whole thing up for you in two words-- dangly bits. The photos are a bit small so I apologize but you may thank me in the end.








This one is called "S'wanderful." Oh, Nicky, the wit! The wit!



I think I speak for all of us when I say that I will never again look at a chess set without feeling a little ill. And dirty.

Leaf Lace Shawl Finale

This outdoor shot gives a better sense of the color (and of how mossy my deck is).

Pattern: Leaf Lace Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark from Fiber Trends
Yarn: Fairy Hare lace-weight from Kimmet Farms
Needle: US6 Addi Turbo
Changes: I only knit mine slightly smaller than the original large size. I managed to use up pretty much all of my yarn without running out.

There is a Special Hell for These People

Puppies Used As Drug Couriers

I promise I will stop posting disgusting/disturbing/sad news stories for the rest of the week.

All the Elements for a New David Lynch Film

Nude Man Struck, Killed On I-90.
Cue Angelo Badalamenti.

Welcoming a New Arrival

Sorry about being such a downer yesterday. I just couldn't be frivolous and silly on such a sad day.

My day was brightened by a new arrival.

The cursing has already begun. Wes looked at me yesterday and asked, "Why is sewing so hard for you?" He assumed that since I knit and am generally crafty that sewing should just go along with that. But I don't know the answer. I usually chalk it up to the fact that sewing is a precise craft and I am not a precise person. Also I emit some vibe that breaks sewing machines. They all behave badly around me. Fortunately I was able to wind the bobbin, thread the machine and take it for a test drive without injuring it or myself.

I also started a project for a baby due to arrive soon. I wanted to use up the last of the Fairy Hare yarn from my Leaf Lace Shawl. I picked the "Moss and Faggot Hat" from the Summer 2004 IK.



I didn't think I would have enough yarn to knit the whole hat. I hoped to knit the lace and use a second yarn to knit the crown. Now I don't think I'll make it to the end of the lace which means I'm knitting this for nothing. I remember that I tried to knit this when the magazine first came out. Not a very serious push to do it, more of a "huh, wonder if I could do that." I spent maybe an hour standing at my kitchen island but couldn't get past the first few rows. I hadn't knit any lace before and I was stymied by the chart and really thrown by the YO as the first stitch on all the even rows. Now it's no biggie. Progress is good.