Ack it can't be only a few hours til Friday!!

*deep breath*

So, yeah, didn't get as much done on the Thesis front as I meant too this week... oh well... it is not quite over yet.

On the knitting front:

*Jaywalkers in Shepherd Sock (Lorna's Laces) Pin Stripe are coming along nicely - a pattern I can knit in the movie theatre... while watching Rambo... and even get the heel started is always a plus in my book. I'm doing them toe up and I used a short row heel, because - dude, you ever try to knit a heel flap toe up in the theatre watching Rambo?! I seriously lucked out because the Thrifty Knitter's Sock Club decided to have Jaywalkers be one of the options for March - so I'll actually get to partially knit them in March (as I don't think I'll be finishing them in the next week), which is cool because I finished the February ones... before February started....

*My first stitch markers from a swap over at Stuff Knitters Want arrived (this is the blog link but the whole thing is actually run via a yahoo group). They are adorable hearts with words on them - I've already got two on the shawl I'm knitting now.
*Mom's birthday shawl is more than half done. I've got another 5 bead rows (of 15 with 31 rows between the 3 rows which in my head constitute 'a' bead row). I screwed up the third bead row so I'm going to screw up the same way on the 13th. It is knitting up really nice - the pattern is super easy - 5sts of seed st on each end, every thing else is mindless stockinette. The yarn is really soft (Suri Merino) and it is going to be really warm. I needs to be finished for the 8th and I think I can manage that.*I found a pattern I think will solve my left over sock yarn 'problem' - it is a cushion pattern based on different geometric shapes, I'm starting with the pattern and I'll be expanding (I've already altered the scale - to be about 3x larger) to make a blanket.

*My little sister - the one at the military college - wants to learn to knit. She bought stuff today to knit the Hangover Helpers from Son of SnB, which is the project which has inspired her desire to learn.

February: chapter 1

February is Chpt 1, Draft 1, Thesis month for me, so, less knitting more reading. But there are a few things that have yet to go up into Blogland.

1. I finished my Sydney socks. The construction is really interesting, the pattern is good, but they don't fit. I haven't got particularly high arches, but I couldn't get the socks over my heels, nor could the first friend I offered them to (though I did eventually find someone they fit). All a bit disappointing.

2. Mittens. I test knit the Ice Wine Mittens by Em (of Not Another Knit Blog). Great pattern, with amazing charts. The mittens are quite long, giving you lots of space for design and a really great long gauntlet for keeping the snow off your arms if it gets under your sleeve and keeping wrists warm.

3. I've been kind of click happy over on the Loopy Ewe over the last little while. I ordered the Wollmeise, and then a medium wooden sock blocker and a skein of Duet's Skinny (which came today) and then I signed up for the Mystic Lights KAL and realized I have a skein of Fleece Artist 2/6 Merino and so... I ordered another one and another sock blocker... (so I'll have two...)

4. I've started my mother's birthday shawl (and already managed to screw up the bead row - though not enough to go back and take it out, I'll just repeat the screw up at the other end of the shawl and no one will know.... right....). I'm enjoying it and the yarn is a really nice colour, despite the fact that it is shedding worse than a long haired cat.

5. I'm currently a level 41 Barbarian over on KnitWars...

While I was working

I've been trying to be a good girl... really... and do work... and stuff. I have actually managed to get a little bit of work done, and even have something written which will eventually be part of a thesis.

My birthday is coming up (never sure how I feel about that, but I digress) so I have been, um, treating myself. I bought books!! The Knitter's Book of Yarn; Knitting Lingerie Style; and Romantic Hand Knits. I like them all, but haven't had time to do much more than look at pictures. Then, I got a last minute (and by that I mean 3 days and week into the semester already) teaching job. So I needed to get a copy of the text book - so I ordered more books... to get the free shipping of course... (keep telling yourself that) - which means I should be getting more knitting books, possibly even on my birthday.

I've also been opening and closing my knit picks cart, though I haven't placed an order...yet.... I'm determined to wait to order more yarn until the Loopy Ewe and Webs orders actually get here.

I'm on the lower body of the Coachella, everything is a bit funky with mine due to the yarn I'm using, I added a whack more body shaping, we'll see how that works out.

I'm nearly halfway through my test knitting project, but I need to do something a bit fiddly so I'm waiting on that a bit (as I need to do some research on the necessary technique).

I cast on Feb's Thrifty Knitter's Sock Club sock - Sydney, and um, I'm only 1 chart repeat and the ribbing on each sock away from being done ... I think I'll have to knit a different pair of socks for my Feb socks in sock a month... I've been working on these while listening to back eps of L&V and because I'm doing them at the same time (fyi I think the pattern way over estimates how much yarn is needed) and don't want to leave one at a different stage than the other I'm whizzing through them much faster than I expected to.

Gratuitious baby picture- my God-daughter was baptized this weekend, she makes this face a lot...

Football, Spinning, and Net Browsing

Football playoffs are in full swing, which means the swearing at the screen and screaming at the defence is getting louder and more intense. And my special Pats' games socks are at the heel turn of the second sock and can't be knit at any time other than during the game lest I upset the delicate balance of the football universe.

I finished spinning and plying the green Fleece Artist merino/alpaca. I think it is about a DK weight, but it varries, not very good at spinning consistently. I have been trying to find a pattern to knit with it, and I'm leaning towards Foliage at this point.

Today I downloaded all the early eps of Lime and Violet (1-35) from before I started listening to it in the Summer. I've been listening to these all day (as I translated Middle Welsh). Once I got that done (it took all day, but I'm blaming that on the fact that I tweaked my neck and leaning over the table to translate was causing my neck great pain) I sat down, with L&V and got working on my second Bellatrix sock. And I was browsing the Loopy Ewe (as I am wont to do) and suddenly some new roving appeared. So I went back to the main page and oh.look. the Wollmeise had updated! So I managed to get a skein of Gewitterhimmel and also a pattern I've had on my wishlist for awhile. Wasn't planning to buy yarn for awhile, but - dude- when the knitting gods send you Wollmeise you do not spit in their faces! One good thing about ordering from the Loopy Ewe is that- given I end up paying duty on their packages - I am very restrained in my purchases so as to mitigate additional charges (yarn money going to the government is bad - better to spread the purchase out over time).

Jan lull

It is Jan. The Christmas knitting rush is over as are my hopes of getting various things done for Christmas/New Years for myself.

I'm settling nicely into some sock knitting for me (one pair of Slippery Socks done, half + of a pair of plain old wonderful generic stockinette socks in Austermann Step for watching football, and a pair of Bellatrix underway - more below). I am slowly replacing all my non-athletic socks with hand knit ones.

There are a few other things, some left overs from last year, most especially a shawl in my first skein of mini-maiden, and the mohair shrug - currently in a shoe box under the chair in the living room. Plus the spinning that is out on my desk. I'm spinning up the green Fleece Artist (merino/alpaca blend), which is pretty but I'm not sure I like the put up, it got very, um, gnarly, just sitting in the basket. I'd also like to ply what I've got of the cosmic blue and spin up some more of it - when I get better I'll tackle the luscious purple bamboo from Glenna. And then there are the things I have yarn for I want to knit - the red carpet convertible -which I started but frogged because I did something backwards and then forgot where I was... and Cochella, and oh, another half a dozen sock patterns/yarns or so including: Thelonius, Gothic Spires, and Esther.

The Bellatrix socks are the January project for the Thrifty Knitters Sock Club on Ravelry. I'm using the hideous yarn I overdyed, which turned out a great emerald and black - perfect Slytherin socks. Only problem, I knit the leg - great, heel - great and I even did the flap, and foot - problem ... not enough yardage oops! So I frogged back to the leg and set up for an after-thought heel (a la after-thought thumbs on mittens, as in I'm not gonna cut anything, I used waste yarn to knit across the sts I'll want when I go back to do the heel). I'm nearly through the foot now and will have to see whether I will: a) have enough yarn and b) want to do the toes in the main colour, I'll probably find myself some black for the heels (and toes if need be).

I'll be slowing down a lot for the next while knittingwise as I try to get serious with my thesis (aka- the shirts will keep waiting and the socks will go more slowly and the mittens I want to knit will take a couple weeks instead of two days). My goal is to have 25-ish pgs for the 5th of Feb when I have to meet with my supervisor and give some kind of account of my last several months. Somehow I don't think my FO list will go over well as an explaination of where last semester went...

Happy Christmas to all

Things have calmed down around here (yesterday was, well, what do you think Christmas in a family of 7 kids is like?!)

I finished the first of my Slippery Socks yesterday and promptly cast on for the second in the grand tradition of avoiding second sock syndrome, because it is worth xp on knit wars, and because I need more knitted socks now! I really like the pattern and it worked up nicely. I was worried about whether the darkness of the yarn would be a problem but it turned out lovely. There was some pooling of the darkest colour on the leg, and it striped vertically on the leg and horizontally after the heel - I think I like the horizontal better. The slipped st heel looks really neat with this colourway. And I did it with a heel flap, which I normally avoid, but I rather like the way this one turned out.

My Hand-dyed yarn swap package arrived from Australia - yeah my sock yarn! and fun stuff.

I got two knitting books for Christmas:

*Stunning Shawls and Wraps by Scarlett Taylor - all shawls with beads, there are a couple that I really like, and a few other that I'd like to modify into sweaters/tops. Several different techniques for adding beads are included and patterns range from simple garter sts triangular shall to shrugs and caplets, colour work, and cables.

This is one of my favourites, and as my mother rather likes it... (I think I'll have to tell dad that she wants it for her birthday... - what is it they say, find a pattern you love and get someone else to pay for it...)

I liked the creative use of self-striping yarn in this one.

And these two I'd like to take and turn into tops.

This one would make a nice pull over.

And this one I'd like to turn into a sleeveless top, but adding arm holes (between the collar and the body) and extending the body.

*At Knit's End by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee - always hilarious, my family has been enjoying it (though they haven't exactally gotten the mohair jokes...)

My Grandmother gave me the sock needle set of Harmony dpns. And two antique metal circs - they belonged to my great-great grandmother Annie (Grandma's father's mother). They are pretty heavy duty - as in if I ever needed to garotte someone... I'll be interested to see how they work.

My Christmas knitting was distributed, and much enjoyed. Mom is now wearing both the socks and the shawl and L. carried around the Dr. Who scarf all day yesterday, while T. wore his hat -inside- all day.

Socks, fingerless gloves, and shopping

Today I (finally) finished mom's Hedera socks and also finished a pair of Fetching for my cousin. The Hedera are in Louet Gems Sage, they are sized for ladies 9 narrow and they should fit her fine. I could have made them longer and between the left over of the two skeins I used and the extra one I bought I should be able to make another complete pair of socks. I did a short row heel, because I like them better.

For the Fetching I used SWS in Natural Violet. I love the way the pinks work in it but I'm not sure about the greenish sections. They are much bigger than the other pairs I've made, which makes me think I'd used smaller needles for the others and that the yarn is definately smaller guage. But I like the extra length and will be making myself a pair, probably in Natural Garden. It is a bit scratchy so I'm thinking maybe I should wash them...

When I picked up the SWS (in Violet, Garden, Plum, and Navy) I also picked up a skein of Mini-Maiden in a beautiful green-brown colourway, I will be making something shawl-scarf-ish out of it eventually. I also got the new IK, and will be doing the Ivy League Vest as soon as my Christmas knitting is out of the way (and KP gets more of the Tidepool Heather...). I ordered a Cro-hook too, which I hope to get in the next week or so. I heard about it on David Reidy's Podcast Sticks & String, it is a circular needle where one of the points is a crochet hook, great for picking up stitches along arm-holes and neck edges. I like toys, this is an exciting one.

Just keep knitting...

Question:

Do I want Emerald, Plum, or Ruby zephyr or similar colours of the Elann peruvian baby lace merino for knitting the Mediterannean Shawl? (Now if I can manage to get some Wollmeise lace weight all bets are off... and if it rains blue cheese ...)

I've finished another dish cloth (of which I will spare you yet another picture), and the Baby Bobbi Bear and I've nearly finished one Phineas sock - I'm keeping it on the needles until I knit the other one (the first one is to the ribbing) so that I make sure I have enough yarn for both of them.

The bear will be a Christmas present and was knit with about 4 skeins of fingering weight Katia alpaca (double stranded) on 5.5mm. It is super soft. The pattern was fairly easy to follow though the head does end up a little oddly shaped, mostly in the back -my mom suggested it needed a hat...

In other news, the Crazy Knitting Lady brought me a present from Rhinebeck - the most beautiful lilac bamboo roving!! I am soo excited. Spinning has always fascinated me, but since I've really started to look at it, it has been the thought of spinning bamboo, silk, and flax that have excited me most. Ergo, much squee! I am saving it for the moment until I get a bit better, and trying to decide whether I might not try spinning it with some silk...

Also, I have my new swap partner for the next round of the Hand-dyed yarn swap. This time all the way from Australia - which is very exciting to me. I think given the icky wet cool weather we've started to have, I'll have to do the dying this week to give it time to dry properly, now I just have to figure out what my dad did with all my dying stuff when he cleaned the garage...

Done!!

The shawl - the purple monster- is done, blocked, and nicely wrapped in tissue paper and stored away for Christmas wrapping. I finished knitting it on Thursday and blocked it Thursday night (I left it soaking while I chatted on the phone... there was no water left in the sink when I got back!! NTS- wool is absorbant, if you don't want to be wringing water out of lace for hours don't abandon it in the sink....). I had to fold it in half to block it and then it only just fit on the towel/foam mats combo that I wanted to use.

Yesterday I started on my mitten blitz. I'm doing three pairs for my sibs - not really that big of a deal. But naturally I decided to try stranded colour work (which I rarely do and never do well) and that I wanted to do Norwegian style stars on them. Unfortunately the only patterns I have are for adults (one pair is for a 7 year old girl and one for a 3 year old boy - adult sizes not so much). So generic mitten pattern to the rescue... sort of... I used the template to create a scaled down template in excel and then did the design on that. Then I tried knitting it, first version too small... even for Bertie, so I frogged back to the ribbing and knit again using larger needles, which seems to have worked.

Last night, for some variety, I cast on the tea-cozy. The pattern was great, very easy, and I finished it last night before I went to bed. I really liked the picot hem, I've never done a hem before but this was easy and very smart looking. I think I may modify the pattern in future to make a toque.

Today, more mittens, and maybe working on the socks. Phineas is going slow, the needles are tiny!! So I've been leaving it to the side in favour of projects with greater instant gratification potential. I'm thinking maybe I'll cast on the Hedera for mom....

In my last KP order (which I was waiting for for my mitten yarn and sock needles) I also got the set of metal options. I have loved them, I actually knit the tea cozy on two cables and one set of 5mm tips (I had to switch tips at the end of each half row, but it worked really well anyway). I'm going to have to get more tips (and some doubles I think) and more storage and cables.... (obsessive compulsive much ....) I also got the Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning book. I really like it, though to my mind there is too much attention devoted to spinning novelty yarn. I'd have liked more space given to non-wool fibers (like bamboo), though I did like the sections on flax and silk, and to the properties of different fibers in general. The result has been, the plying of two spindles of singles that I had and pricing spinning wheels. Oh, how I want a Kromski Symphony...

*pout* My connection is being stupid so I can't upload pictures right now...

Still here

Christmas Knitting up-date:

* Christmas shawl 1 is done

* Christmas shawl 2 is done

* Christmas shawl 3 is paused for now, since I screwed something up and need to pick back a couple of rows

* I've been working mostly on my lace shawl (for Mom), I'm on repeat #14 (of 11... *sigh*) I'm going to do at least 15, then check how long it is then.

I've started working on the Marvin I want to knit for my sister for her birthday in early October. I knit it in the round instead of flat, and now I need to stuff it before I can do the arms.

The yarn arrived today (my first order from the Loopy Ewe) for my Dad's socks - I'm thinking I'm going to do the Phineas socks. I'm now trying to decide whether to do them in Cherry Tree Hill (navy) or the Fleece Artist (midnight).

I really like the Loopy Ewe, and want to keep ordering from her, but I have a slightly problem - customs. The duty I had to pay was actually more than the shipping, which is a pain. I order lots of things from all over, and a fair amount of stuff from the states. I've never had to pay duty on yarn before, I'm trying to figure out what the difference is that makes this package require it vs. others. Ideas anyone?

Forget Jan, the new year is just around the corner

September is the real new year, summer ends, the weather changes, and school and work pick up again. It is the time of year when I make my resolutions and refocus on what needs to be accomplished. (Which is consequently, why I am in pain right now - stupid new exercise programme). It is also the point by which I absolutely have to have begun my Christmas knitting, or things like last years - finished two hours after Amy left- senario.

I am doing much better this year. I have projects planned (for 3 friends - who never read my knitting blog so I can post all I want) and my sister (who is in the army and has better things to do than scope out Christmas and birthday present spoilers on a knitting blog she doesn't know exists).

Plans are as follows:

*3 shawls for the girls in Sea of No Cares, California Dreaming, and something I haven't dyed yet, because Boston and St. John's didn't work out. Sea of No Cares Shawl is cast on and 1/4 finished - if only I could keep up this pace, I'd be done no sweat.

*I'll be knitting a Marvin doll (from Hitchhikers Guide - see here - amazing what you can find on Ravelry!) for Leah's birthday

*She'll be getting a Dr. Who scarf for Christmas, and possibly I'll use the Boston and St. John's to knit her something, socks maybe or even a stuffed animal of some description).

I also have to finish my Socks for Solider's socks (the legs of both socks are done, and I'm through the heel and gusset on one, hopefully it'll be done in the next week or so) - NTS: these socks are huge!! (oh, and the socks for Nonna...)

I've also bought yarn to make my Coachella, which I have been resisting casting on, though as it will be quick I'm sorely tempted. I may even be able to do a smallish size, given that the comments seem to be that it runs big.

Xfiles and Sock Combat

My first BBS is now into the gusset decreases. (Three cheers for the YH's guidelines, because my pattern left ALOT to be desired - as in it is really more like confused guidelines than anything resembling useful instructions... but the sock is turning out a sock so oh well).

It took a full ball to get through the leg, the heel and the first 8 or so rows of the gusset, I've cast on the second one and am hoping to get to the same place -yeah right- and that 1 ball will be enough for both feet - which is a whole helluva lot of hoping...

My shawl is still no where near done, not much farther ahead - probably because I've been living and breathing these socks for the last few days. But I've discovered that the xfiles mak excellent sock knitting back ground (so apparently does pre-season football...)

Pretty good, for a Wednesday

* I made a dent in the annoying little things that have to be done to my paper, (the plan is to add a wee section before bed and then have nought but a trip to the library and editing to do).

* My Socks for Soldiers kit arrived today and I cast on my very first pair of Big Black Socks. I've been thinking about doing this for awhile, and finally got around to it at the end of my vacation a couple of weeks ago.

- it also came with 4 stitch markers; a cute little monkey ruler thingy, a couple of plastic darning needles, and some really really flexible plastic dpns (I tried using them and it made me feel twitchy -weird- so I switched back to my bamboos).

* I played more on Ravelry. I now have several things I'd like to try.

QUESTION: as cotton shrinks, what can I use or how do I modify (ie. how much bigger do I make it) if I'm trying to knit a hat (not for myself that will definately get washed hot) that calls for cotton?

* I had a couple more adventures on Lime and Violet's KnitWars.

Cottage Knitting

So I've finished the Fawkes, and here they are. They are in Koigu, which was nice to knit with, but I think I'm missing something since I'm at a loss to know what is so special about it (please don't hit me...). Like I said, they turned out a little short and next time I'll make them longer.

and I taught my sister to knit! And here is her first project, she is knitting Fetching in some yarn I hand-dyed.

So much knitting, so little vacation

But I am making the most of it.

Fawkes is done. I like the pattern, but the leg ended up a touch on the short side. If I make them again I'll add at least one repeat of the chart, 4 just wasn't enough for me.

The thing I can't talk about is also done.

I'm thinking tomorrow might be a good day to cast on the Clessidra (or I could do some work... nay!!)

Vacation knitting

Tomorrow my family leaves for vacation, a week at a rented cottage.

So I've been preping and packing all the knitting I will need.

Thus far I've got:
* my shawl, which I'd love to finish
* the Red Carpet Convertible, which I need to finish for the july KAL at Sexy Knitters Club
* a random hand towel in elann's Camila for testing that yarn with
* the first of a pair of knee socks for Nonna (I'll leave the other one until she's tried the first one on)
* something I'm thinking I might try submitting to Knitty and therefore can't talk about...
* a pair of Fawkes to be knit with some Koigu from my stash
* a pair of Clessidra to be knit with the green below
* and I've also thrown in a ball of Austermann to maybe try the Monkey socks with

oh and my little sister wants to knit a pair of Fetching, so we'll be using some leftovers from my stash for that - which I dyed red for her earlier this week.

Yesterday and today I've done some last minute dyeing.

Yesterday was this for the thing I can't talk about, the colour is irrelevant to the project in many ways, I just wanted to see what would happen if I combined Tropical Punch with Cherry:






And today I did up this, for my Clessidra socks, it is Emerald Green with some Jet Black of the Jacquard dyes, I need to find my sister to help me wind it...

Also: I broke down and ordered a swift, which should be here when I get home and the fabulous Captain will hopefully bring me my very own ball winder when she comes up next month. So now that I've gotten pretty good at winding respectable cakes I won't have to do it myself anymore - go figure!

(*Pets VISA and promises to be good in the fall). I may also have ordered 20 balls of off white superwash to dye up for various things, including some Christmas knitting.... and decided that come the fall I'll order the necessary wool to knit my sister the Dr Who scarf she has long desired...

um.... look isnt' it pretty!!
[EDIT] After posting the above I walked to the mail box and found...



fashion accessories from Australia!!!

And now the After Dark Nightie is finis! The blue doesn't match exactly, but it isn't horrible. The red I think will match the Euro-flax exactly, the purple is beautiful, but very dark and the olive is quite bright. I'm even thinking that maybe the clear printed ones might be an nice alternative. But I am pleased with them over all. (They are from Strap Me Up, and the girl there was friendly and prompt, so if you are looking for something... NB: When I ordered shipping to Canada was $10AUD, so you might want to order a few things at once).

Here is the finished Nightie, straps attached:

varia

Socks - they are going to be knee highs for my nonna (bed socks since her feet get cold), I dyed the yarn myself and am quite happy with the way it has turned out.

And - the needles -I made them too!! How awesome is that?!

And I just finished convincing a friend to try the two in one socks - Rock on!!

Socks socks and more... socks

I finished my first knee high! (also my first garment of my own design to be completed - if a sock can be said to be of my design....) It fits and is - amazingly- knee high. Now I need to knit the other one and then I'll do the post pictures and put the pattern into some semblance of sense and post that too. (Writing up patterns = way harder than designing and knitting it in the first place). Unfortunately it is June and the humidity has hit ergo I have little desire to wear socks at all let alone knee highs.

I've also started knitting the Chevron socks from elann.com. The initial cast on is a bitch, but it seems to be knitting up nicely. I'm using some self patterning blues and white that I had in my stash (the selection of this yarn being inspired by the next section). This is my second toe up sock, the first having been the test knee high (which is why it didn't have a mate). I'm not sure how I feel about this method - I don't think it was the best for me for knee highs -shapely thighs do not accommodate dpns (and I don't have enough circs in small/same sizes to knit them that way). I like top down, but I was stubbornly determined that I would not let the pattern defeat me. So I managed the toe shaping and learned how to make left and right leaning increases in the process. Anyway I'm liking the pattern and since fit beyond the foot is not my issue on this sock I don't think the toe up is going to matter much going forward.

(Here's what the sock looks like:)




And the last socks - I went and signed up for the Hogwart's Sock Kit Swap 2. I heard about it while listening to the SSK podcast (BTW - those things need warning labels the number of KALs etc. that I've wanted to join and yarn/roving to buy is just scary!) I joined, I am excited. I get to make up a package of goodies centered around sock knitting goodness and connect with other knitters. This makes me happier than it ought to, but it's been (and promises to continue to be) a stressy summer so I figured why not have the fun anyway. In order to participate I had to first be sorted, there were 5 quizzes listed on the side bar for that sort of thing, I did them all, I was sorted into all 4 houses!! I went with Ravenclaw, since it won the tie breaker - hence the blue based socks-, but I found it terribly amusing. FYI- if you are interested sign-ups are open until June 21.

When you can't knit...

you can always listen to someone else talk about it.

As I've been doing a marathon of RA hours I've been listening to knitting podcasts - lots and lots of podcasts.

4 of my favourites are:
*Lime and Violet
*Sticks and Strings
*SSK
*Knitters Uncensored

Other randomness:
*Check this out, I totally don't have time for it but... (once I hear back I'll post more extensively)
*Also, I heard about Ravelry, I'm now on a waiting list - it looks like fun
*I'm almost to the heel of the first knee high - not sure if it might be a bit too tight...
*I bought Kool-aid, I feel like a 6 year old - so excited, there will be sock yarn dyeing with fruity smells (vs. vinegar-y ones) soon

Knee highs!!

So I spent knit in public day knitting at home :( Though many people saw me doing so, as we were hosting a BBQ for my father's staff.

I finished knitting a test version of a knee high. Since I can't just follow a pattern on one because I have... um... shapely calves... so there is need for modification, but I also have gauge issues so I didn't know how much would be required. Ergo a test sock, which is done and now I know (and knowing is half the battle, Go Joe!!... wait, sorry, channeling my childhood...). I also tried out a couple of pattern options and used up some really really old sock yarn - bought before I understood about the wonder of knitting socks (or much about knitting in general - about oh, 7 years ago), but apparently I had decent taste when set loose in a real yarn store. The test sock, as a result, looks really funny. But it fits and is a sock so, go it!

Things I've learned:
*It is possible to memorize a lace pattern and to understand where to place what
*counting to seven is hard (or can be when also talking to people etc and trying to mentally keep track of rows)
*this merino/silk is really really nice to work with and the pattern is showing up so much better on the natural coloured wool than in the crazy variegated stuff
*writing out the pattern is hard! Trying to explain is so much harder than just doing! (Though working out the math so the pattern centres properly makes things much nicer)

Question:
*What does one do with a pattern once it is designed and knit?
*Who does one tell?
*How do you make the world understand how important and brilliant it is that there be a decrease on needle one and an increase on needle three to create a centre for the lace pattern and the decreases while facilitating the cool ribbing pattern on needles 2 and 4?

Now - bed
Tomorrow - Iter (my sock will just have to wait! *sniff*)