Wool & Words

First, many thanks for all the lovely birthday wishes! I apologize for not returning every message; life is seriously getting in the way of my email time.

35 is good, and I'm recovering from the festivities nicely. A brief summary:

--They Might Be Giants concert with Steve on Saturday
--Delicious Thai dinner with Steve on Sunday
--Mucho fun at Athens's best watering hole, The Globe, with friends and Steve on Tuesday

and who knows what else is in store!

But I know what you're really here for--the knitting! So here are my confessions...

1. I have started ANOTHER project. The Twinset has been on hold for quite some time now--it's really better suited to summer wear--so I had to begin a more seasonal cardi for me. Debbie Bliss's Lara (from the new Alpaca Silk collection) really caught my eye, but not quite enough to get its hooks into my yarn pocketbook. I give you, then, Lara ala Berroco Softwist (in French Blue):

The yarn is a dream, the sweater is fun, and I'm really enjoying this knit. I just hope the sweater actually fits. I have large bosoms.

2. Then, there's the poncho. I've resisted posting pics because, well, it's black so it's boring. But in the interest of full disclosure, here's a photo in progress.

It's a poncho with a loose turtleneck. It's black. It's pretty darn dull.

3. And here's a photo of my stranding from the Fair Isle Bag class I took at my LYS a couple of weeks ago. I've put this aside to work on more pressing projects (plus, I'm not totally thrilled by this color combo), but I plan on finishing it up sometime. May make a good holiday gift.

4. No knitter can resist the urge to collect tools...I have many pair of dpns begging for organization. With that (and my knitting bag) in mind, I purchased a yard of this fabric to craft a case. We'll see how long it takes for me to get out my sewing machine to make it....

5. And who could forget the Pippis? After some bracing ripping, knitting, and RERIPPING, I'm at this point:

Yes, the striping is off (must be the dye) and yes, one looks a wee bit smaller, but I don't care. These socks will be completed.

And just so that you know--I have successfully knit pairs of socks. Steve received a lovely pair from me last Christmas. My friend, Lizz, got some snappy ones this spring. I myself wear a pair that I knit as well. But these freaking socks are just making me crazy. Pray for me.

So that's the update. Knit on, my friends, knit on.

Posted by KnitNut at 12:19 PM | Permalink

LOL. Yeah. Right.

It's raining here as we get the dregs of Hurricane Jeanne. What an active season it's been. I feel like I'm back in South Louisiana.

Whirlwind weekend of activity. Grading Papers. Planning web projects for my OCDS group (and no, it's not for folks with obsessive-compulsive disorders). Doing pre-birthday celebration (They Might Be Giants concert and some really yummy Thai food!--thanks sweetie!).

What's that? You didn't know my birthday was approaching? Well, don't feel bad, cause I keep forgetting about it too! LOL.

I'm going to be 35 tomorrow. 35 years old. 35 years young. 35 years of me on this planet, being myself, with my thoughts, fears, and actions all entertaining folk wherever I go. 35 years is a long time, but not that long.

I feel good about it. I'm really pumped and excited. It's like a new chapter or something.

Speaking of chapters, I need to get cracking on my dissertation. I'd like to have my PhD before I leave 36...

Posted by KnitNut at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

This is, I know, supposed to be a knitting blog. But I just can't bring myself to share the joy, the bliss, the rapture, the utter f%&*ing stupidity that is my knitting on these infernal socks.

I speak of the Pippis, of course.

Sufficient to say, I am still working on them, have not yet tossed them into an obligatory bonfire, and am determined to complete said socks ASAP. The fact that I can't seem to even frog them correctly is, of course, slowing the process a bit.

Now to pick up that row of 12 stitches that have somehow lept off the needle...

Posted by KnitNut at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Merc & Zeus say "Cuddle up and keep warm! Fall winds are coming in!"

Now go get cozy!

Posted by KnitNut at 09:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Have I told you guys how much I love stranding? How color gradients make me weep with joy? If a thing of beauty is a joy forever, then my color wheel will always be by my side to bring me that joy.

This weekend I took a Fair Isle Bag class at my LYS that helped me see the difficulties and possibilities in this type of knitting first hand. First, we chose the pattern combination for our bags, then went forth in the shop to choose colors. I chose a gorgeous olive green, hot pink, softer pink, white and a lighter green all in Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport, which is fast becoming My Favorite Yarn of all time. When the time came to cast on, I decided to make the olive my background color and then arrange the rest as I went.

I very quickly realized that the hot pink and white combo was too strong. After I finished that band, I started the next one, this time vowing to do some more subtle shading. There are no pics of the first experiement--when I added in the lighter green, I quickly discovered that it made the whole thing look rather wimpy and I ripped it back. In the end the lighter green (Nervous Green by name) was set aside for another project, and the pinks got a chance to be seen together. Only one row in that band used white and the difference was remarkable.

So now I'm on band 3, which was designed to be the focal point and the center of the bag. I'm having a blast, and see some colorwork in my future...

Posted by KnitNut at 08:50 AM | Permalink

Dialup really sucks
Cable modem very dead
Ivan weakens blog

I'm fine, I'm home, I have power. That is a good thing. I do not, however, have my beautiful cable modem, which is really making me sad.

Sort of unrelated to these issues, I've been considering switching to DSL service. Any of you out there using DSL? If so, do you like it? Hate it? Stable? Unstable? Fast/slow?

Let's see how long this takes to post...

Posted by KnitNut at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A teaching "gasp" moment for your coffee:

British Student Says University Was Negligent for Not Stopping His Plagiarism

I'm going to laugh my ass off now.

Posted by KnitNut at 09:39 AM | Permalink

I have been a sock knitting fiend. So much so, in fact, that I'm having to rip out a couple of rows on the Pippis because I was overzealous in my stockinette. These socks are going to be the death of me.

In a moment of sheer blasphemy, I began a new pair of socks pour moi before I had finished these. Gasp! Have I no shame? The new pair, in which I am learning to knit a peasant heel, is in Plymouth Sockotta. The colorway looks kinda like #4 on this page, but that's not quite the right number, so I'm unsure. Anyway, I'm knitting two socks at the same time. What fun!

In other news, the projects are languishing. My poncho is about 1/2 done--I just need to rent a couple of movies and sit on the couch long enough to knit it while watching. The Nymph Pi was weeping from its bag last week and I took it out to comfort it, but quickly returned it to the bag as the little siren was bewitching me. I have to finish this pair of infernal knee socks.

Posted by KnitNut at 10:44 AM | Permalink

Yes, I have electricity and I am raring to go!

On Wednesday I gave a sock knitting lesson to my friend and office mate, Monica. She's just started knitting and finished her first project--a dropped stitch scarf.

This week we just covered managing the dpns. Next week, we turn the heel!

On Thursday, after a grueling day of lab orientations (I feel like a robot sometimes), I ventured over to the LYS for some ripping and sympathy.

A bit of background:

It's always about the Pippis. After I realized that there was a gauge (and therefore a size) discrepancy, I took the socks into school and had the recipient try them on. Then I took a couple of measurments and figured out that I needed to rip out the first sock and reknit it.

Ripping at home seemed like a lonely idea, so I brought the sock into the shop and did my ripping there:

Pre-ripping

During the great rip

All done.

After my exertions, I sat down and started knitting again. I'm about 6 inches down in the knitting, so I'm moving right along. I have got to finish these socks!

Kitties!

Last, but certainly not least, I leave you with Steve's first FO--a pre-felted kitty bed, complete with grande kitties. Merc has already declared ownership and dares Zeus to enter his turf.

Nighty night!

Posted by KnitNut at 12:05 AM | Permalink

There will be no updating for a couple (at least) days, I'm afraid, as I have no power at home (am typing this from my office on campus). I'm feeling fairly miserable (wah!) because I'm still working on that cold from yesterday AND I didn't sleep well last night because of Frances.

I'll emerge in a day or two perky and excited. But right now I just want to crawl under a rock.

Posted by KnitNut at 01:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

When I haven't been sneezing/blowing my nose, cooking, cleaning, sorting, and organizing, I've been swatching for the TKGA Master Knitter program. I'm pleased to say I've reached the halfway mark in the swatches--8 down, 8 to go. Of course, there are all those little essay-lets to write, so that will add some time on. But at this rate, I should be mailing this bad boy out by the end of October at the outside. Wahoo!

Off to find more Kleenex!

P.S.--Thanks, SPIII Pal for the nice note! This is so much fun!

Posted by KnitNut at 09:05 PM | Permalink

For your reading pleasure, here are my answers.

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

Truth be told, I've got plenty o' Lion Brand in the house, particularly Wool-Ease. I like it for quick washables and playing around with techniques. That said, I'm not buying anymore. I have plenty and I really prefer nicer yarns. So I guess I'm not a "snob," but I am not purchasing the "less expensive" stuff anymore. Love Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece and Fine, and just about anything wooly.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

No crochet happening here. I just took a handspinning class, but I wouldn't ever characterize myself as a spinner.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

I am highly allergic to pet dander and am sensitive to smoke and strong perfumes. I have found that knitting with mohair and angora makes my throat itchy and my nose sneezy--sniff! Wool, however, is always delightful.

4. How long have you been knitting?

I started knitting 2 years ago last July. Wow. Has it been that long?

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Ah, Amazon. I love you so. I need to do a bit of weeding and watering to my list, though, since it's looking really crazy. I've got this bad habit of stashing book titles of interest for my teaching there, so there are a bunch of books on the list that I'm no longer interested in getting. I'll try to weed it out and freshen up.

Find the list here.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I love vanilla, Opium perfume, smoky florals, spices. Mmmm.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

My mother used to eat dessert before dinner. Does that answer your question?

Love York Peppermint Patties.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I'm in the Clean Sweep mode right now and I'm beginning to dabble in scrapbooking. But knitting is my one true love.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if you want to make her a CD)

Eclectic tastes. No rap, no hip hop, no techno. A quick sample of the faves: XTC, Lyle Lovett, They Might Be Giants, Kate Bush, Stevie Wonder. Eclectic. And yes, I'm mp3 ready.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?

I tend to wear black, blue, khaki, white, brown...are you sensing a theme? I look great in blue-reds, but I tend to be shy about them. I wonder why? No orange or pumpkin or yellow. And for some reason lately I've been drawn to greens--olivey greens.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I am single and have no pets of my own (see above), but I am "stepmom" to my sweetie's kitties, Mercury and Zeus, who, when they aren't making me sneeze, are the sweetest orange chunks around.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

Someday I will teach my grandkids to knit in the community center my husband and I have developed. It will be a shop selling craft items with a cafe/community gathering space for evening poetry readings and musical performances and, of course, knitting and crafting classes. Oh, and I dream of this shop selling its own line of books on tape, read by local students to joyous crafters on weekend nights. Bliss.

The hubby will likely run his own brewing training center as part of the deal. Mmmm.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I love Brown Sheep Nature Spun (no Lambs' Pride because of the mohair), Cotton Fleece, and Cotton Fine. Elsbeth Lavold's yarns are divine. I'm about to have my first Frog Tree Alpaca experience, and if I don't sneeze, I'll be a devotee. Silk. Silk is sexy. Patons Grace and any good quality mercenized cotton. Even soft silky nylons/acrylics (the high end stuff) are good. And sock yarn. Mmmm. Socks. Love Lorna's Laces.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Hmmm. Scratchy stuff. None of the stuff that makes me sneeze. Not into the glitzy novelty stuff, but the fluffy stuff is amusing for kicks.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Lace. Socks. Stranded/Fair Isle. Cables. And, believe it or not, at least one project of mindless stockinette in the round. Keeps me balanced.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Finished items. It's all good.

17. What are you knitting right now?

An endless pair of knee socks. A poncho. A hat. A pi shawl. Wow. That's all?

18. What do you think about ponchos? (this is really a curiousity question for us)

They make lightweight sense. I'm making mine out of an inexpensive acrylic for easy washing and guilt-free tossing when they go out of style.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

I'll pick circs almost every time, but when I do knit straight, I like bamboo.

20. How did you learn to knit?

A crafting friend taught me to knit one of those diagonal dishcloths. It looks like a Christmas tree. Then I took a class in sock knitting--no guts, no glory!

21. How old is your oldest UFO?

Well, it can't be more than 2 years old. I'll have to check the Evil Box of Finishing to see.

Posted by KnitNut at 08:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Yes, it's not fun to go a blogging and find a quiz. But I so dearly love the Aqua Teens...

You Are Frylock


The Ultimate Aqua Teen Hunger Force Quiz
brought to you by Quizilla

Update and pics tomorrow on the knitting front. I've been busy!

Posted by KnitNut at 09:16 PM | Permalink