A freak of knitting nature?

2 Day-old Sock

This sock is 2 days old. Commuter knitting and a little bit in the evening–work has been getting in the way of my normal activities since the holiday. But that’s okay because I like what I do. Really.

The designer has a beat on what makes a pattern just flow off the needles. I love patterns like this. I like designers who think this way even more so.

Oh? You want to see the 4 day-old sock? Okay. Here you go…

4 Day-old Sock

The ladies at Knit Night were just as amazed as I was. When the evening started I had about 3 inches of sock knitted. 2.5 hours later another 3 inches had appeared like magic.

Now–I need to go make nice with my bed since it’s decided it misses me.

Sock Update…

Just finished 1 of the Lacy Ribs Socks at 12.15AM. I would’ve posted the pic but the camera battery decided to die just after “click”.

Slaying the dragon…or not.

I’ve been wrestling lately with not whipping myself into a guilt-ridden frenzy. As a 20-something, a very good friend taught me the concept of “you don’t have to slay that dragon today” when dealing with parental emotional baggage.  That key concept has been a life-saver.

There’s only one problem with concept though–there’s a flip-side and it’s “if you don’t slay the dragon, you’ll hobble yourself eventually.” Well, I’m at the “just realized I’ve hobbled myself” part and while I’m pretty confident in most things , there are some critical areas where the dragon is lurking.  It’s time to haul-off and attack certain things like: learning to calmly confront conflict, reasonably explain and logically defend a process, learn to handle public speaking without wanting to pass out or white-knuckle-wheeze my way through a presentation.

As a knitter of obsessive tendencies, I’ve spent quite a bit of the New Year meditating on the “slay the dragon” concept and have decided that “being fearless” can certainly be applied outside of my knitting endeavors. So, onto working on the first item on my list: learning to calmly confront conflict. No, I have no idea as of yet how to approach this but I’m sure I’ll figure it out–I figured out plenty of other stuff along the way and haven’t killed myself yet.

Onto the knitting world.

Greg’s socks are done-completed Friday AM, July 3rd. I’d say they are the fastest socks (these too exactly a month of commuter knitting and incidental time during the evenings and weekends) I’ve ever knit but Britney’s Lacy Rib Socks are flying off the needles.  WH modeled the socks last night.  He was being silly:

Silliness with Greg's Socks

But the socks fit beautifully. I must admit the decorative rib is a mistake. Totally and utterly an incomplete interpretation of a twisted stitch from Vol. 1 of the Barbara Walker Treasury. But as with most things serindipitous–I kept it.

Stitch detail

Britney’s socks (Lacy Rib Socks from Wendy Johnson’s “Socks from the Toe-up“) really are just freakin’ flying off the needles.  The first sock is complete excepting the cuff and bind-off. These were started on Friday afternoon not long after Greg’s Socks were completed.

Britney's Socks - Lacy Rib

This is really kinda freaking me out. Is it the pattern that’s allowing me to go so quickly? Is the amount of time all compressed into 4 days? Okay, logically it’s both. But still…freaky!

Now? Onto finshing said sock and starting the second one tomorrow. Yeah, nothing like a little knit ambition.

Oh, Furry Child’s illness seems to be fading. The bloodwork came back clean so we’re down to thinking “trauma” which I seriously doubt since puppy didn’t flinch at all when I a “pat-down”. For that much bruising, swelling, and edema–he would’ve had to have almost broken something. The other option is “spider bite”.

Furry Child

And WH is very happy with the garden so far. Now he’s lamenting the lack of worms for fishing.

Bee Balm

Butterfly Weed

Zucchini

Front Flower Bed

Spinning, spinning, and plying

I’ve been spinning up a storm lately. The reason being that none of my current knitting projects are easy.

Yes, there’s the Clapotis scarf I’m working but that’s a little tedious and it’s fingering weight yarn.  Then there’s the Vintage socks which are complicated and also fingering weight yarn.  And finally there’s the Bavarian Rockstar socks which are a little complex and on light fingering weight yarn.

See? Nothing quick and easy. So spinning has become the relaxing activity of late. No counting, no charts, no stitches or multiple tools to keep track of. Just a spindle, some fiber and my two hands. Ahhhhh.

This evening I just finished plying my very first yarn. This is the mystery fiber I received from CarlyKnits. I figured it would be a good fiber to play around with since it doesn’t feel “precious” but does have a very nice woolly but soft texture to it.

Here’s the single spun version:

I know the Yarn Harlot recommends waiting overnight to ply after spinning but I just couldn’t contain my enthusiasm.

Here’s the plied version before being wound into a teeny, tiny hank:

And here is the final product:

I should mention WH helped. Yes, WH got involved in the whole spinning process.  He simply held the ball of single spun while I plied to keep it from getting too twisted up.

In keeping with the “fearless knitter”, I’ve become a “fearless spinner”. I went to 2 doctor’s appointments last week (everything is fine–great even) and garnered some rather odd looks while in the waiting room.  While in the ENT’s office, I noticed a rather mature gentleman trying not to look too interested in what I was doing.  He kept staring and I happily kept spinning.

Later in the exam room, I was waiting for the nurse to arrive. Well I can honestly say I’ve never seen anyone with a “pole-axed” expression on their face. The nurse upon walking in the door stopped dead in her tracks and looked at me and what I was doing as if I was Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgaard fleet come to Earth himself. A rather long pause of silence ensued.

What are doing?

Spinning.

…

…

…

Two tentative steps further into the room.  Why?

Spin some more, wind some more. It’s fun! And relaxing and keeps me perfectly entertained and out of trouble–most of the time.

…

…

Blinking, more blinking.

Wanna try?

No! Er — I mean it looks like something I wouldn’t do well with. What fiber are you using?

Yak and merino. It’s really soft. Want to feel it?

Oookaaaaay.  Feels fiber. Oh wow! That feels wonderful.

Yes, yes it does.

The nurse and I continued the conversation ranging from fiber weight to relaxation techniques (she tends to hide in the bathroom with a cold beer so her children won’t bother her–good for her!).

A few minutes later, my ENT walked in, stopped squinted his eyes and blinked…

I’m spinning, I say with a big wide grin on my face.

Oh! I thought you were playing “Itsy-bitsy Spider”, he replies and chuckles in return.

Now I ask you, could a Friday afternoon spent at the doctor’s office enlivening your doctor’s day get any better?

It’s time for a washcloth

I spent Mother’s Day weekend working on something completely mindless…a washcloth.

Just simple garter stitch. Slip the first stitch, increase with a kf&b at the end of each row *sigh*.

My washcloth

This took about 5 hours to knit. The crochet edging was done on my Monday commute into to work. That’s probably the most peaceful part of my week so far.

And now? It’s time to go use said new washcloth. Time to wash away the frustrations of dealing with JIRA tickets and compressed timelines. Time to look forward to actually going to bed and sleeping.

Score!

This past Saturday was the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I made the most fantastic score.  This year was all about fiber since my friend TinkrKnit taught me how to spin. But the bargain of the day was picking up 1lb. of 100% cashmere for $30!

Cashmere Fiber

Yes, you read that right. Cashmere. $30.  How could such a thing happen? I asked and was told that the vendor bought the remnants of a warehouse (said fiber being sold and purchased as 100% cashmere). They went to have the fiber certified and unfortunately they couldn’t it since the fiber had already been dyed.

Well…their loss is SERIOUSLY my gain. And I’m grateful for it. So Mama-san, I had just enough money left from your Christmas present to go buy this…

I also purchased a lace-weight spindle and have already started spinning up the luscious 50% yak-50% merino fiber. Again, I’m totally in love with the color and the texture is just a delight to have running thru my fingers.

Lace-weight Yak/Merino

I’ve broken down and started spinning while commuting. After watching my friend TinkrKnits at knit night on Wednesday, I realized my spinning technique wasn’t quite right and followed her example. Since then the rate at which I’m spinning up fiber has increased 3-fold and I’m getting a more consistent thread.

Time to invest in a wheel…just not quite yet.

The Vintage Socks are simmering along. All the leaves are done and the toe portion to 1 sock is started.

Vintage Sock-grape leaves

However, I’ve let this project marinate a while since I’m to a point where I really should inset the grape-leaf into the big toe area. I’ve read the instructions and looked at the pieces but still I’m kinda waiting until it all “clicks”.

Vintage Socks-toe

For commuter knitting, the Bavarian Rockstar socks have made it into the rotation.

Bavarian Rockstar socks

And finally, I’m starting to feel like the Clapotis scarf is coming to an end. Sometimes it’s not important knowing how much fiber or yarn is left. It’s important to just feel like progress is being made.

Clapotis scarf

And now really last is the Hourglass Sweater. Progress. Gotta love it.

Hourglass Sweater – 1 sleeve

There was much, much, much more happening at Maryland Sheep and Wool but not enough time and space here. I’ll share more photos as I upload them. The alpacas, angoras, bunnies, llamas, and sheepies were just adorable this year. But then again, when aren’t they?

So, to all the Mother’s out there…Happy Mother’s Day.

Grape Leaves Status – Complete

This evening while watching The Daily Show with John Stewart (and being thoroughly charmed by the French Minister of Finance), I finished the grape leaves.

I’m just too tired to contemplate starting the sock portion. That is a task for Tuesday’s commute.

It’s spring and I’m doing spring knitting

Spring usually makes me want to START a whole bunch of projects. Instead, I’m loath to start anything new but I’m in a regular tizzy FINISHING stuff!

WH’s Woven Bands Pullover is 100% done. I just need boy to model if for me. Turns out, everbody is a bit camera shy right now.

I must confess, I did actually start something new–The Pinwheel Baby Blanket. This is a “surprise” present that is woefully late. But I’m thrilled with it. It’s easy and has a good rhythm which is one of the things I really enjoy about knitting. The whole “let me interrupt you with odd-ball syncopation” patterns tend to send me right over the edge. Not that I don’t enjoy a challenge–but most of the time, I leave that kind of thing to figuring out IE 6 bugs.

Pinwheel Baby Blanket

I should mention that quite a bit of progress has been made on Vintage since it’s now in the Commuter Knitting rotation schedule.  My commute is approximately 35 minutes long from station to station.  Which is just about enough time to complete 1 grape leaf.

Vintage Socks-leaves

I’ve been getting odd looks from fellow commuters since I keep switching a DPN to a crochet hook depending on which part of the leaf I’m working on. Oh, forgot to mention the key part of that statement. I keep them anchored in my hair so I’m constantly reaching up into my hair to pick out a needle or hook.

Okay, time to hit the hay. Sleep and I haven’t been the best of friends this year but then I guess I shouldn’t complain too much since it means I have more time for knitting (and reading SG-1 fan fiction).

I leave you with how we entertained ourselves on Easter Sunday: fishing.

WH Fishing

Rock in creek

Geese in creek

No fish. Just a peaceful Sunday morning knitting, spinning, and reading while WH fished.

More stuff done

I’ve been flying under the radar lately. While there has been a fair amount of knitting getting done, I must admit I’ve been spending waaaaaaay too much time reading Stargate SG-1 fan fiction.

While WH was attending the Arms and Armor show in MD this weekend, my best friend came over to keep me company.  I think we hit a new level of doing the absolute minimum to entertain each other. While we can pat ourselves on the back for not turning on the TV for 48 hours, we failed miserably at avoiding other electronic devices–namely our laptops.

And I must confess, I have succumbed to the peer pressure and gotten myself a Facebook account. Yes, my best friend is an evil minx.  My only excuse is sleep deprivation (as I don’t sleep very much when WH is away).

WH’s birthday sweater is more than 65% done. It looks like it’ll be done before the end of the month but since it’s experiencing a case of the “shy-bees” I couldn’t get it to pose for a picture.

In other completed news, the Inuit Adventure socks are done and in Dad’s possession.

Inuit Adventure Socks

For these socks, I used an “afterthought heel“. Yes, I tested these socks on my feet before delivering them to Dad and discovered that this heel just might be my favorite heel for fit.  If you know how to do a toe decrease/increase then you already know how to do this kind of heel.

Afterthought Heel

I mean, look at it! Isn’t it just beautiful? And ever so suited to stranded/Fair Isle knitting.  However, I’ll be stepping away from multi-strand knitting for quite awhile. This project simply tuckered me out (but not on a permanent basis–I just need recovery time).

What else have I been up to? Well, there’s a new sock pattern. I’m pretty sure I’ve settled on the name and am almost done with writing the pattern.

New socks

For this sock I used a modified “Eye of Partridge” heel. I kept the 2×2 rib as I worked the heel and slip stitches.  I’ve worn these socks several times now and the heel is nice, sturdy, and very cushy.

Modified Eye of Partridge heel-interior

Aren’t those stitches just beautiful?

So. My gems of wisdom for the day? Nope, don’t have any.

Spring? Are you there?

It’s me–Roralee.

The snowdrops have bloomed. The dog is getting us up earlier and earlier. We’ve just about given up using an alarm clock.  In short, the depression of winter has just about released its grip–but not quite. These past 2 months have been much more challenging than I’d really like.

There’s nothing that lifts the spirits like a newborn baby–specifically, someone else’s newborn. Hence, my knitting the Inca Dincadoo Jacket from Luxury Yarn One-skein Wonders.

This is so adorable, I can barely stand to be in the same room with it.

Alexi in Inca Dincadoo

And the buttons, ugh. I can’t wait to give it to my co-worker for his brand-spanking’ new daughter.

Inca Dincadoo Buttons

This jacket is knitted in 1 piece starting with the back and progressing to the fronts.  The only finishing is weaving in ends, seaming up the sides, and sewing on the buttons.

Now? Back to working on WH’s birthday sweater. Three weeks to go and I’m determined to get it done.