Wool & Words

Peektures

A very belated thank you to my fabulous sock pal, Jessica, for a lovely package full of socky goodness!

The socks fit great and are soooooo soft!

And there was a box of these beauties as well:

Again, thanks Jessica for being such a great sock pal!

Idea!

So, today I was thinking that it would be greaten to have a KAL based on ProjectRunway. I envision knitting design challenges (maybe translating or updating a famous knitwear designer's aesthetic into some small item or designing stash-based projects?) that would be interesting, but small enough to complete in a short amount of time.

Thoughts?

In Knitting News...

I've got a new project--a baby blanket in Mission Falls 1824 Wool. So soft! It's a model and a design for the shop--fairly simple, and may be a class project if there's enough interest. Snuggly!

Nope, no pictures yet. There's not enough blanket and it's pretty boring right now. Later...

Something to See

Go, right now, and check out my friend Stephanie's Mitered Square Blanket on the Mason Dixon KAL.

Superfabulousness Awaits You

Aren't you glad you took a peek? Didn't that make your day? I smile every time I see that blanket. It's technicolor cotton love in blanket form.

Thursday is KAL Day!

...and the only day I'm posting, apparantly!

No pics today--I'm deep in the thick of things (LOL--I accidentally typed "think of things" first, which seems fitting).

The only KAL's I'm working right now are the Mason-Dixon and the Project Spectrum. I am working on a super-secret (to this blog, anyway) MDK project which is most emphatically NOT green, so I can't count it toward my PS knitting. I did, however, finish the Cedar socks (finally!), so those go in the green column for me!

In Other News

Steve and I are travelling to NY next week for my sister's graduation--hi Em! This will be Steve's first trip, so we'll be hitting the touristy high points (which I love!). I have, however, made a preliminary list of yarn shops so that I'm prepared if we find ourselves in proximity ("Oh, sweetie, can we run in for just a minute?" she says with her fetching gaze). On my list? School Products, Habu, Seaport, Yarn Co. Any other suggestions?

Thursday is KAL Day!

Well, it's supposed to be, anyway. I've been a lousy updater lately. In my defense, I'm trying to write a dissertation.

First, an amusement. Get thee right now to YouTube, where I want you to watch The Ten Things I Hate About Commandments. WARNING: if the "f" word or parody of a religious Heston film will offend you, DON'T CLICK THE LINK!

OK...now the updating:

Sockapaloooza

I really enjoyed knitting socks for Faith at The Needle and the Damage Done. You can see her sock modeling here--particularly loved the multiple shots !

I was lucky enough to recieve a fabulous (and sinfully lucious!) pair of purple socks from Jenny! Jaeger Matchmaker Merino....mmmm. My toes feel very loved in this yummyness.

Project Spectrum

It's a month of Green! So I'm knitting or have knit

Green Trekking sock (OK--it doesn't LOOK green, but there's quite a bit of green in there)

Socks Falling on Cedars (had to rip one out and redo, so I'm counting it)

And, segueing into the next one...

Green Baby Bib

Mason-Dixon KAL

Yes, I joined that KAL. Still haven't posted to the blog, but I've knit a bib (see above) and the Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono, both gifts to be given ASAP.

Kimono, in Blue Sky Organic Cotton. 2 skeins. Not as small as the one in the book, because babies grow fast.

I've got materials for more bibs, dishcloths, bathroom accessories (linen, gorgeous linen for towels and a curtain), and a scribble lace scarf. I love this book. I really want to get going on an afghan.

Other Knits:

I'm also knitting a Pi Shawl in gorgeous red Merino D'Oro doubled. It is delicious.

And, I must point out, it fits with the general theme of my knitting these days, which is simple, simple, simple. My brain just can't handle anything too complicated. Even my pleasure reading has been on the simpler side. But I'll chat more about that this weekend. Tomorrow I head to Clemson to give a paper at a conference.

Furious Knitting

One Sockapaloooza sock done...one to go.

The wire, it approaches.

While you're waiting, take a minute to check out what's happening with Carrie!

It's Thursday...

....so it's time for a KAL report.

Sockapaloooza

I'm going to be a sockapalooser...I'm so freaking slow. I'm still slogging along on the foot of Sock #1. What's taking up my time?

AWARD CEREMONIES.

I've been here for 5 years and this year was the big "whiz-bang-you're-great" year for me. Don't get me wrong--I'm not knocking recognition. I'm flattered and all. Really. I am. But this week I've had 3 events to attend. I'm writing. And I just don't seem to have the time or the mental capacity to knit LACE socks (even though the lace is wicked simple) AND go to these events AND work on my dissertation*. Sigh.

Back to the socks. I'm not giving up. I'm not going to be late, by jingo. I'm just kvetching a bit.

Other KAL

Am I in any others? Oh, yeah, the Sock of the Month. Well, you see how that's going.

Other Thursday Business

Thanks for all the loverly compliments on my sweater. I like it quite a bit myself.

OK...enough chitterchatter. Back to the salt mines for me.

*The diss business was mucked up mightily this week, courtesy of Microsoft (of course) and a buggy security patch (gah!) that rendered all of my MS Office software teh stupid for several days. All is repaired now, but I was really raging for a few days. Really. Ask Ruth or Tina.

Um. Yeah.

It's Thursday and that means you're owed a KAL report.

First, Project Spectrum. No knitting, but here's some orange and yellow for you.

These hang in my living room. I didn't realize that I had so much yellow staring at me all the time.

And here's the textbook I'll be using for this summer's teaching assignment.

And some sassy orange and yellow reading for fun (or, in the case of Pound's Cantos, torture).

OK...enough of that.

Sockapaloooza

4 sock patterns later, I finally found inspiration in Cara's completed Simply Lovely Lace Socks (pattern IK Spring 2006). So sock #1 is begun and # 2 is waiting in the wings. These will be done on time. I just won't get to knit anything else for a while.

Other Knits

You really didn't believe that business about knitting nothing else, did you?

I'm thisclose to finishing the Knitting Pure and Simple Tee in Silky Wool. The socks, they slow me down.

I'm trying to resist the siren song of the sassy skeins of Cotton Fleece in Robin's Egg Blue that are sitting on the shelf at Main Street. So far, I've swatched some CF I have laying about and I keep chanting to myself "Resistance is futile."

Knit on.

Thursday is Knitalong Day!

Nothing to report on the KAL front...Sockapaloooza socks (pink. garter rib.) are started and being knit.

Raw and Unedited Sapelo Pictures are here.

Thursday is KAL Day!

First off, Project Spectrum (which I've actually joined now).

I searched my desk for orange and yellow, but only found

A yellow mug

and another mug...with a cheery golden friend!

There. That about does it for me and the yellow/orange month. I'll keep my eyes open, though.

Other Knits:

Sockapaloooza Update: Not the Elenora Socks. I will make them (they are beautious), but I'd need to resize and my brain is so not there right now. So I'm hitting Charlene Schurch's book for a simple lace pattern. And I'm doing them in pink Wildefoote. And that's all I have to say about that...for now.

Other socks:

--Steve's socks are stalled.
--I'm STILL working on the Socks Falling on Cedars--I think I'm going to rip them out and begin again. Which is just tragic and sad--they're plain stockinette, for crying out loud.

Other knits:

No pics, but the Henley is coming along, as is his sister, Top Down Tee. He's fushcia, she's brown--no gender business here.

Haven't touched the Pearl Buck (sorry Ruth!). I need to get back to that.

And, I'm off for the weekend to Sapelo Island for a retreat. See you all next week!

Inspired Flashing

Go to Bezzie's stash blog, Lupe and Shawnee Do the Big City. WARNING: May not be suitable for work viewing or easily offended eyes. Oh, yeah, and there's a contest.

There. I bet THAT made you curious!

Stash Flashin'

Maurice insisted on showing you around the stash today, so without further ado...

First, the tub, in which we find our meddlin' monkey relaxing:

There's some Elann Baby Cashmere, Nature Spun Sport for a sweater, and Cotton Fleece. All tasty, all waiting to be knit into something grand.

Next, the cedar trunk, home to more treats:

An entire bag of white yarns that will someday become something. cones of garnet wool, crochet cotton, a bag of brown Brown Sheep, lots of luscious laceweight. You can't see to look at it, but there's some snappy stuff in that trunk. Maurice is enjoying his visit. He's not too keen on the cedar smell through.

And the cubbies, which are Maurice's usual domain. See how he's the master of it all:

A ton of Brown Sheep for felting, hats, and those awesome mittens from that Interweave a while ago. Sock yarn--oh the sock yarn! And some Cotton-Ease stashed before it all disappeared.

I have to hand it to him, though. Of all the skeins, he wanted to hug this, the precious Balmoral, the longest:

Yes, that is Red Heart in the stash--Cotton Plus. Don't know what it will be just yet, but it will be something.

He's whispering in my ear that I've forgotten the coat closet, which is secret home to some items gotten at SAFF. And the other plastic tub, which holds the leftover skeins from projects past. And the yarn in the living room (about 5 sweaters worth). And the stuff that's probably at Steve's house in storage.

Sigh. It's obscene.

Thursday is Knitalong Day!

I have chosen.

The socks for Sockaploooza will be Miriam's Eleanora Socks. The yarn will be...well, haven't quite got that sorted, but I'm thinking Lorna's, I'm thinking solid, I'm thinking blue. We'll see what I can rustle up.

The Spectral Knitting continues. Here's a photo of the Knitting Pure & Simple Henley last week:

Today, it looks like this:

Gauge, people, gauge. Sigh. I'm casting it back on tonight while I'm teaching.

The left front of the Pearl Buck moves slowly.

The red and pink will continue into April. I just can't hang with yellow and orange knitting. I'll be scouting out those colors, though, in the world, since I actually like them. I just don't like them on me. Or in my knitting.

Thursday is Knitalong Day!

Sometimes, anyway.

So, KAL Report:

Nothing to report. Move along.

Actually, there's a bit to report. I did sign up for Project Spectrum (link in sidebar), since I've got lot of projects in a variety of colors lined up for the summer. In the interest of getting this post up, though, you'll have to imagine the colors--I've been sitting on this post for several days now. So, as we approach the end of red/pink month, let's have a (psychic) look at my Spectral knitting (spooky!) shall we?

First, the return of the Pearl Buck. Imagine a deep, rich red.

Back and yoke done, working on fronts. This will continue on well past the end of March, but since I'm not too fond of yellow/orange, I think I'll be extending my red knitting through April. I'll just try to be more aware of the yellows and oranges in the world. They are helpful, after all.

Next, a new entry, Knitting Pure and Simple's Henley in Mission Falls 1824! You are seeing a goregous dark pinkish red. The color name is Merlot. It's staining my needles like a fine red wine.

Unexpected, this knit was. I won't detail the drama that led me here. Sufficient to say a certain Green Tee sent me into fits of apoplexy upon finishing (neck way too big--pattern perhaps to blame?) and I needed to get my mojo back.

And a new addition to the spectrum in my life is a sassy pink wallet. I love Target.

Sock Knitting

My sock knitting has been spotty. I think Steve and I need to attend some concert-type events where you can't really carry a whole lot with you. I get lots of sock knitting done then. Baseball games are great. Movies are good too.

I need to make a final decision regarding my Sockapaloooza socks. Tune in next week for the (not so) exciting details!

Red Desk

OK...I'm not officially in Project Spectrum. But I couldn't resist Margene's meme, so here's a view of the red 'round my desk.

Red Rooster

My sister gave me this pen a few Christmases ago. I love it. He makes me smile.

Red Books

My research has red in it...book cover colors...programming languages...

Red Software

...even red packaged software.

Red Bible

A bit of prayer to help me deal with all of the

Red Tape

that plagues us all in life.

Cheers!

KnitAlong Report: Not in the Spectrum

I'm not signed up for Project Spectrum, but feel as though I should be. Yesterday I finished the Big Knitting for a Shapely Tank in Cotton Classic (gorgeous merlot color--just need to do the finishing), and I'm still chugging away on the Pearl Buck in beautiful red Jo Sharp DK.

As for the KnitAlong Progress:

Sock of the Month: I couldn't even get it together to finish the Cedar socks, which I've been knitting for 2 months now. What is wrong with me? I vow to have that pair and Steve's pair (on the heel of sock 1 now) done by the end of March.

Sockapaloooza: I'm thinking leafy or viney lace and I'm still thinking pink. And I'll be done thinking and casting on Very Soon.

And now back to the writing...pictures to come soon (I hope)!