Looking Up

In between knitting socks, I've been baking brownies and playing with my blog header. What do you think?

BYOB Sock Update

I think I have taken the concept of focused knitting a bit too seriously. I was concentrating so hard on knitting the leg of the BYOB sock, I knit seven rounds past the point the heel flap should have started. LOL!

This sock is more variegated than the first one. The blue streak is thinner and is spiraling around the leg. The first sock had the blue color pooling in a lazy wandering manner. It would drive me nuts, but Mom is more laid back about the need for a perfectly matched pair. The novelty of sock knitting still hasn't worn off - I love knitting this sock!

It Was Destiny

A few weeks ago while surfing through the ISE blog, Mom called. I went on and on about this one scarf. It was blue. It was Malabrigo. It was multi-directional. I wanted it. I told Mom I would love my scarf no matter which one it turned out to be, but I secretly hoped it would be the one I had my eye on.

Then Peggy posted that she had sent the scarf on it's way to a new home. And I waited, and waited, and waited. I think it was all of four or five days but it seemed like forever. I had begun to resign myself that I would have to hunt down and stalk it's new owner it wasn't meant to be.

Sometimes, life is kind.


It arrived yesterday with some beautiful stitch markers - pale pink & green and a cute notepad. Honestly, I can never have enough stitch markers. The scarf is so soft and squishy. It's like a warm hug! Depending on the light it looks to be variegated denim blues or teal. Peggy, you did an awesome job! Thank you so very much!

It Has Been...

...THAT Kind of Day.

Let's see, first thing - I woke up late. Usually no big deal, but today I had committed to meeting a co-worker at 6:30 am to get a head start on the project we were working on. To make up time, I drove like I was Jimmie Johnson at the Daytona 500.

Second, I had to travel to the plant in Toledo, Ohio. On the way back, stopped for gas and a kind soul pointed out that radiator fluid was puddling under my car. Puddling was his phrase. I would have said, "Oh my God! Your car is gushing fluid all over the ground!" Fortunately, a dealership was located within a few miles. It was almost closing time, but I think the sheer desperation in my voice convinced them to help anyway.

Third, I agreed to meet my friend, Tina, at a local SnB meeting. We had been wanting to find a group and Kirsti had kindly told us where they meet. Of course, I didn't have the information with me and I must have remembered wrong. No one else was knitting at the local coffee shop. At this point, I didn't care and Tina was smart enough not to argue. We settled in and knit anyway.

Somehow throughout today I managed to keep my sense of humor. Perspective is very important if you are going to have a day that threatens meltdowns of hormonal proportions. How I maintained mine is still a mystery.

On the upside of the day, as I was driving home, my hubby called to ask if I knew who ISE was and why would they be mailing a box to me. My ISE scarf had arrived! I can't begin to do it justice after the long day so I will post wonderful photos tomorrow. However, I Love Love Love It! It also came with 5 pink and green stitch markers, a cheery sunflower note pad, and wonderful note from its maker.

Peggy - Thank you so very much! The scarf is absolutely lovely in it's own right, but to be the thing that balances out the other stuff of today makes it even more so.

Dedicated Knitting

Yesterday I awoke with an incredible purpose and a single-minded focus worthy of a knit olympian. I was on a mission to complete the BYOB sock. There was no distraction large enough, no incentive great enough to deter me from my goal. I wasn't going to be swayed. I was thinking sock, sock, sock all the way.

Yarn: Rowan Calmer, 1+ skein
Pattern: Shedir - Fall 04 Knitty.com
Time: 27 Dec 05 - 19 Feb 06
Notes: Maybe it's operator error, but the yarn had a tendency to split. A. Lot. My gauge was slightly off so that would explain why I had to dip into the second ball. Overall, I loved the pattern and had fun knitting it up.

Even though I turned out a hat instead of a sock, I liked the sense of accomplishment I derived from purposeful finishing. It is a rare occasion that I remain focused on one project for an extended time. More often I knit on three, four projects, and sometimes more in a day. As a result I will knit for many days and have little to show for it. Too often I arrive at the end haphazardly without intent because of my lack of focus or worse never reach the end at all. The feeling of achieving a goal because of deliberate action was liberating.

In an effort to sustain this new found sense of purpose, I've reorganized my sidebar. To avoid the boredom or frustration that can ensue from monogamous knitting, I won't limit myself to single purpose knitting from cast on to bind off. I will however strive to dedicate my knitting to fewer projects at a time.

Sunny Day

The weekend is turning out beautiful. The sun is shining - a rare moment in Michigan. It is still bitter cold, so I haven't ventured outside except for a few errands. I have opened all the curtains wide so the whole house is filled with sunshine. Michigan can go for weeks without sun in the winter. I don't realize how much it is missed until it peeks out from the clouds.

With hubby up north standing in a freezing river risking frostbite to his fingers salmon fishing, I've planned a knitting DVD fest for myself. I've made great progress on the second BYOB sock. However, I think the sunshine has created some nervous energy because I can't seem to stay focused on one thing. As a result, I've also reorganized my stash, knitted on my Shedir hat, washed the car, knitted on my Aran Tweed sweater, and planned a new project with a rediscovered yarn from the stash. (Washing my car wasn't a highlight of my day but dreadfully needed with all the salt that is used on the metro area roads.)

Since I don't keep my stash in plastic bins or bags, I try to move it around every 2 or 3 months. This reduces my worry that moths or other destructive critters have made my stash their home. Buried in the back was some Filatura Di Crosa's Elena. I originally bought it for this, but ultimately decided that the style wasn't right for me. Thus, it has patiently waited for a new purpose. Sunshine inspiration struck and I'm thinking a cabled halter for summer might be the ticket. Although, I've told myself that I need to finish the BYOB sock before I can swatch. My stash reorg has also emphasized that I have enough projects on needles without one more.

Know it All

Maybe it's not my husband's fault after all that he is such a bad liar and unable to keep secrets for longer than 30 seconds. :)

You Were a Lynx

You are a great knower and keeper of secrets. A bit psychic, you can bring out hidden truths.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

BYOB Unveiled

The color is more true in the second photo.
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay #109, less than one skein
Needles: US 9 Lantern Moon
Size: 5" wide (7" at ends) x 30" long
Pattern: My own


I have fallen in love with sock knitting!
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM #608, less than one skein
Needles: US2 DPN
Pattern: Garter Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks

Knitting-1 Fishing-0

I'd like to introduce my next sock. Sock, meet my blog readers. Dear readers, this is Louet's Gem Opal in Handpainted Trout colors. This finely wound skein of Rainbow trout colored yarn is destined to be my husband's pair of socks. I've chosen a pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks and am ready to cast on. Secret Pal, my husband thanks you!

I'll come right out and tell you, my husband is passionate for all things fly fishing as I am for all things wool. He's been moping about this yarn ever since I informed him that yarn could be dyed the color of a fish. The moping escalated when he finally saw the yarn and decreed that it was indeed a good match to a Rainbow trout.

He has asked me several times to go fishing with him in the middle of nowhere. However, my idea of a fun weekend and his are not the same. I don't know about you, but I require box springs in my bed, my bathroom plumbing to be indoors, and more than one temperature choice for the water in my faucet. He could live in a shallow fox hole and be happy if there is a fishing pole attached.

I agreed to meet him halfway in his request to go fishing. He could go fish and I'd stay home to knit fish colored socks. The fact that he agreed this was halfway just goes to prove that the one with The Needles and Wool will win every time. :)

Lest you think I've succumbed to single sock syndrome I've already casted on for the mate of the BYOB socks. Mom won't get to her mail until late tonight. Though, I should be able to post pics tomorrow of the scarf and sock.

My Favorite Space

The BYOB sock and I have come to an understanding. It has agreed to after school tutoring. I agreed to finish the toe. Having never done the Kitchner stitch before, it took me three tries to get the tension right. But the sock is finished! My very first sock, it's enough to bring tears of joy to my eyes. Since it is a secret knit I can't show a picture. A shame because it's a darn cute sock!

I have also finished the BYOB scarf, but it is still intransit. Thus no picture yet.

Since I have nothing to really post about, I'm going to try obvious distraction by doing the meme I saw over at Sandy's.
Knitting Space Meme:

My first knitting space is the family room couch.

This is where knitting and television are combined. My husband doesn't like clutter and is always putting away my knitting clearing off the coffee table. He hasn't been home yet so this is a pre-husband view of the space.

However, this is my favorite knitting space. It combines my two great loves - knitting and reading.

The desk at the right was built by my grandfather and stores sentimental knick-knacks, my needles, notions, and fabric for sewing. The sheep is a recent Christmas gift from my husband. The ribbons hanging from the photos are attached to a curtain rod. I've haven't found the time to sew them up. Beneath them are built in bookcases crammed with all genres of reading material. The dressmaker's dummy behind the lamp holds my longest and forever remaining unfinished object. It's one of my first sweaters, before I understood the meaning of "ease". It is way too small for me and gauge was difficult to maintain - so I have no plans to finish it. If someone out there sees fit to do so or would like to give the yarn a new purpose let me know. I'd gladly donate it to a loving home. The yarn is Phildar Cabotage. It's a cotton acrylic blend that I purchased in Chateauraux, France. Behind the door, to the right of the photo is a closet that we converted to hold a small desk and my sewing machine.

From the chaise I can see my stash.
The bin on the left holds my larger works in progress. The bin on the right holds my non-wool left overs. There is a third bin just out of the picture to the right that holds my wool left overs. My father is making a shallow shelving unit with clear doors to hold the stash. I like the crates but they are so deep that the one or two skein stashes get lost to the back and forgotten about. And let's face it, yarn isn't exactly stack friendly. Since Caesar treats this as his toy room, I'm always finding a stray ball that has been dislodged from it's place.

I am tagging anyone who wants to show off their space. Leave a comment and we'll all come over for a visit.

Divisible by Two

I am good at math. It may mean I'm a little strange, but I actually like math. My favorite subject in school was math. My BYOB sock, however, despises it. The sock and I are not talking.

I had knitted almost the entire toe. Then, I realized that while my total number of stitches was spot on, they were not divided evenly between top and bottom. Surely 64 divided by 2 is easy even for a sock. Apparently not. So the whole toe region was ripped.

Sock? What sock? You mean that thing over there? I'm not knitting with it until it can play nice.

An Engineer's Dream

I've been a knitting fiend the past few days. Alas, it's been nothing but swatches for my lace class tomorrow. Very boring swatches. I did start my Silkroad Aran Sweater a few weekends ago. It's finally a length that is worth posting.

Click for a close up.

I interrupt this blog post to bring you the following surprise! Seriously, the doorbell rang as I was uploading the Silkroad photos.

I knew it wasn't my ISE scarf. My scarf pal has been emailing me with constant updates - incredibly thoughtful of her! So I knew that wasn't being mailed until next week. One glance at the return address told me it was my SP7 pal. Yee Haw!

Inside was a lovely valentine card and well, to a geeky engineer like me - the coolest knitting tool/puzzle/marvel I've ever seen. You would think in my years of knitting I'd have come across interchangeable needles.
Look at all the fun I've not been having!

I can make circular needles that match.



Or circular needles that don't.


Or straight flexible needles. Great for the days when my arthritis kicks in. Yes, I know I'm too young - blame it on my mother.

Or if I use a second disc instead of needles, I get stitch holders.
No pictures of that option, too busy mixing and matching needles.

So. Very. Cool! Thank you so much Secret Pal! She knew I was stressing about having the right size needles for my lace class. This is definitely the thing. Plus, it fits neatly in my small tote that I take everywhere. Now, I will always be prepared.

Lace On!

My answering machine was blinking when I got home. Woot! My lace class is back on. Of course, now, I have to do a feather & fan swatch, two more swatches that increase needle size every few rows in fingering and lace weight yarn, and read two chapters of my lace book. This is my homework which I promptly took off my list of to do's when the class was cancelled. And the homework is due in three days. Nothing like a deadline to get the needles flying. :)

Ingredients of a Good Weekend

This weekend has thus far been a good one.

Reason 1 - Sisterhood of the SHEEP
Friday night was the first meeting of the SHEEP. It is an every other month event held at my LYS. For the curious, details are on the last page of their newsletter. It was a blast! Twenty-one woman fondling yarn from the new spring line. Gifts were given, swatches were knitted, and plenty of food to eat. The owners have made their store a warm, inviting home away from home. Last night's event was no exception. After all, how can you go wrong with drink, stitching, and good company?

Amongst the group at my table was a woman with a metal wrist ball holder. It was incredibly light weight and easy to slip on/off your wrist. I think I may have to invest in one. This would allow me to walk while knitting. No longer the debate or guilt for choosing the passive activity of knitting over actively walking. Which leads to...

Reason 2 - Size 6 Jeans
For most of my young adult life, I was a petite framed person with good genetics that allowed for teflon coated thighs when it came to fried fast food. This meant I could delude myself into believing that thin equaled healthy. There is something mystical about turning 30. In three years I gained 35 pounds, 20 in my one year of marriage. Do the math with that last little fact, it ain't pretty.

One would think I reached bottom when my first anniversary came around and I couldn't wear the dress from my rehearsal dinner. Not only would it not zip, it sat all bunched up under my arms because of my expanded waistline, butt, and hips. But no, illusions are powerful things and mine weren't shattered until the following week when I nearly passed out from the effort of climbing one flight of stairs. Yeah, you read that right. :(

I set a realistic goal of improved health and decided to let weight and body shape be what it would. Three months later I have to buy new clothes because I'm just not a suspender kind of gal. I choose a trendy pair of embroidered jeans in a size 6 - two sizes smaller than my current wardrobe. They fit with just a little ease. However, I forgot an important fact about jeans - they stretch as you were them. Size 6 is too big!! Plus, I can now climb 3 -4 flights of stairs before I start to feel winded.

Reason 3 - Winter's back
I have really missed the snow and the cold weather. This quirky warm weather we have been experiencing has really thrown me off. The weather outside should reflect the need for warm socks, mittens, hats, and woolen sweaters. This morning I woke up to this wonderful white world. The snow is still coming down with just enough weight to be good for snowman making.

Reason 4 - Sock Knitting and Cat Lapwarmers
'Nuff said!

Knit 2 Together

I feel I am so out of touch with the virtual knitting world. I haven't visited bloglines for almost three days. The number of posts waiting for my attention must be quite large by now. I haven't been able to find time for my own blog this week despite of having knitting progress to show. Having said that, this week I was reminded how important it is to stay in touch with the real knitting world I live in.

I've been so busy since the holidays, that my weekly knitting time with Tina hasn't happened. Yesterday morning, I received a call from my friend requesting an emergency session and could it be anywhere but her home. In the background, I could hear her normally cute, well-behaved two year old crying like a banshee. The stress in her voice was so thick I could almost see it.

We spent the evening enjoying sushi, coffee, quiet conversation, and knitting. Scarves were our project of choice for the night. The simple pattern - garter for her, stockinette for me - allowed us to concentrate on catching up and letting go of the emotion of the day. No distraction from the yarn that flowed through our fingers. I realized how much I had missed my grrl time with her.

If it weren't for knitting, we would never have been more than colleagues at work. Our lifestyles and personalities differ in ways that would not have led to a meaningful connection through casual work contact. Infact, our friendship was the result of her husband asking me to help Tina knit a real item. Apparently, her instructor from the store had said she wasn't ready for a real garment - she should practice more swatches. Working together on her first project, a felted purse, we found the things that made us friends.

At the coffee house, the wall displayed a quote. "What person are you today?" She and I talked about the past three years of our friendship and the changes we've witnessed. She's become a mother. I've become a wife. We aren't the same persons we were then, but our shared love of knitting has kept us friends.