Shedir She Done!

As modeled by one of the girls rubber balls (this is by no means meant as a comment on the recipient's head size or shape. I just needed something to hold it out). As promised, this is an amazingly stretchy hat! Now to wash it and get it ready to be gifted to the DH's coworker!

Everyday Can't Be Your Birthday

But you can pretend! I got my first ever Knitpicks order today and my order from Joann.com came as well! The box from Joann's really cracked me up, as it looked as if it were packed to bursting, which was
really overkill, considering all I had ordered was four sets of circs (2s and 3s) so I can try socks on two circs. Since I'm not sure I'll even like it (and, yes, I'm cheap) I didn't spring for Addis. I got Susan Bates Silverados (ooh, how very cowboy that sounds). We'll see.

Upon seeing the Merino Style in person, I don't think I'll have to double it, but only swatching will tell. If I don't have to double it, then more yarn for me!

(honestly, I don't know how the sock yarn found its way into the box, really!)

Shedir is almost finished despite ripping it off the needles and frogging back 1 1/2 repeats last night due to it getting too long. Getting all those stitches back on the needles took some slick maneuvering, and then it took me a good ten minutes to figure out where the "extra" 16 stitches were coming from. (Hey, it was late!) I took a picture midday during naptime when the light was decent. So, knitting wise, things were great today.

In other news, the girls are both sick. Bad phlegmmy coughs and just general ickiness. We may have to skip the library this week, which would break their hearts, but I don't want to be one of the parents I complained about when I was teaching. You know, the ones who send their sick kids off to school like mini Typhoid Marys? Yeah, that won't be me, if I can help it!

Socks by the Wayside

I've set my February socks aside for the moment to complete a more pressing project. I'm knitting Shedir for a co-worker of the DH who is battling cancer for the second time (she's my age). I cast on last night and was this far by this afternoon: Yellow is her favorite color, and I thought that the starburst on top lent itself nicely to that color choice. I know that yellow is not the most flattering of colors on a lot of people (especially when you're not feeling well), but if it is her fave, at least it will be a mood elevator. So, until this is done, I'm going to try to keep away from the socks.

In other news. We are attempting potty training. Yeah. I think I went a little too gung-ho for the kick off. Zoe has informed me that she "hates potties" so I have backed off a bit, which seems to be helping her mood. I'm just so tired of diapers! Not just changing them (since that is my real hobby, knitting is just an elaborate ruse), but buying them, having them around, thinking about how to find them on the cheap, all of that. I swear, I'm devoting too much of my brain to diapers lately. It would be nice if the end were in sight, but Ilsa assures me we can always "go Target and get more." >Sigh<

Toddler Sweetheart Socks Pattern

Here is the pattern for the little heart socks. (If you need a larger size, please let me know and I will try to work it out for you ASAP)

Gauge: 7 sts / in.
Needles: US size 2 dpns OR size needed to get gauge (of course, you could always use 2 circs as well; needles 1 and 3 on one circ and needle 2 on the other)
Yarn: Fingering weight. Example is made in Dale of Norway Baby Ull. I used leftovers from another pair of socks, so I can't tell about yardage, but it doesn't take much!

Directions: Using Picot cast on (*K on 5, BO 2* repeat from * to *), cast on 42 sts. Being careful not to twist, join into round. Knit one round, decreasing 2 sts evenly (knit 19, knit 2 together, k 19, k2tog). You should now have 40 sts distributed as follows: needle #1: 10 sts, needle #2: 20 sts, needle #3: 10 sts.
Work three rounds in twisted rib (*knit through the back loop, purl* repeat from * to *)
Knit three rounds, then begin heart chart on needle #2.
Chart Key: Read all rows from Right to Left (<-- Thataway) Blank spaces indicate knit stitches, /'s are knit 2 together, o's are yarnovers and \'s are SSK. Work 5 rounds, following chart for needle #2, all other sts knit, then begin heel flap on the 20 sts from needles #3 and #1. Heel flap: RS rows: *Slip 1 Knitwise, knit 1* repeat from * to * across 20 sts, turn. WS rows: Slip 1st stitch purlwise, p across, turn. Continue these two rows until you have knit 19 total rows in this fashion. Your next row should be a WS row. Turn the heel as follows: Purl 11, purl 2 together, purl 1, turn. Slip 1, k3, k2tog, k1, turn. Slip 1, p4, p2tog, p1, turn. Slip 1, k5, k2tog, k1, turn. Slip 1, p6, p2tog, p1, turn. Slip 1 k7, k2tog, k1, turn. Slip 1 p8, p2tog, p1, turn. Slip 1 k9, k2tog, k1. All stitches should now have been worked, 12 stitches remain for heel. Gussets: Pick up 10 sts along heel flap, work row 6 of chart, pick up 10 sts along other side of heel flap, k6. You are now at center back of sock. Redistribute sts so that you have 16 sts on needle #1, 20 sts on needle #2, and 16 sts on needle #3. Knit next round even, working row 7 of chart. K to last 3 sts of needle #1, then k2tog, k1, needle #2, work row 8 of chart (k all sts), needle #3, k1 SSK, k to end of needle. Complete the chart in this manner: If you are on an odd row of the chart (ie. one that has decreases and yarnovers) the rest of the round is knit even. If you are on an even row of the chart (k all sts), work the gusset decreases. After completing chart, continue gusset decreases every other row as established until you have decreased back to 40 sts total. Knit these 40 stitches even until sock measures one and one half inches short of the desired completed length (measure from back of heel). Toe decreases: (to be worked every other row until 16 sts total remain) Needle #1: knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. Needle #2: k1 SSK, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. Needle #3: k1 SSK, knit to end of needle. When 16 sts. remain, weave toe together using Kitchener stitch.

Weave in ends, place on little feet and watch em dance!

My Powers are Beyond Your Comprehension

Powers of procrastination, that is. Remember that Zigzag sweater I swore was "dead to me?" That was headed to that froggy soggy pond? So, it's still (now literally) hanging around. I decided to see if I could pseudo-block it by schpritzing it and letting it fall victim to gravity.
Here it is, on the rack, as it were. It's still lumpy as all get out, but I have learned a couple of things from this experiment. I still really love this sweater. It needs to be made in a natural fiber. And I think I was making the wrong size, as this is far too broad for the intended silhouette of the sweater. (I always think I'm bigger than I am. I should just take my measurements and post them near where I knit. It would save me a lot of baggy sweaters, that's for sure!)



But, lookie here! Isn't the stitch pattern purty? I'm thinking of doing this in Knitpicks Merino Style, either in vanilla or fog. Any opinions? Doubled or no? I really am looking for feedback here, as I have never ordered from them and the thought of spending money sends my heart into mini palpitations, it's been so long. But I have some cash I got for Giftmas, and, hey, why not? The DH has suggested starting a Yarn Savings Account as well. He's starting to get it, I think.

Speaking of opinions, what do you think of this sock?

Ilsa wanted pink socks like her daddy's, so I designed this girlie little shortie sock with eyelet heart. Does it work for you? Yes? No? You could care less? You don't exist? This was the only non-wiggly picture I could get of it on her foot.

Just Remember This...

Knitting should make us all this happy.








That's all for now.

All the Gory Details...

I've had some (okay, one) request for where to find the pattern for the "Clown Barf" bag (aka: Small Entrelac Bag, but that just sounds so... ordinary). So, here are the details: Small Entrelac Bag: Theresa Gaffey Designs #99 published by Erasmus Press, 1371 Albany Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108. I bought the pattern on my recent MN trip, so I don't know if it is widely distributed. I would write the company and ask if they could send a copy. The pattern is well written, and the only error I found was in the gauge, where they listed sts/in. but labeled it as sts/4in. (NO ONE should be able to achieve 5sts*7rows=4in on size 8s with worsted weight yarn! Also, at that gauge, this would be one behemouth of a bag! Small Entrelac Bag, indeed!) Well, I hope this helps all you aspiring Clown Barfers out there! (You know who you are!)

And, hey! I made a button! It's hanging out in the sidebar under the Sockamonthalong button. Grab one, why don'cha? Just leave yer mitts off my bandwidth!

My own little brand of political action...

The DH has returned to the bargaining table to help hash out the new agreement twixt the teachers and the school district. Last year's negotiations were tough (the girls attended their first ever picketing session) and, since pink is the power color for the union, I designed these little beauties for him to wear as he sees fit:


We have been calling them the "Stickin' It To The Man" socks. It's hard to tell from the photo, but they read UNITY down the ankle. These are also my January entry for the Sock a Month KAL.
They were knit in Dale of Norway Baby Ull, color #4504 which is a nice, bright, Pepto Bismol pink. Needles used were size US 2, and the pair took 2 50g balls with some left over. I finished them just in time for negotiations to start, and I truly hope he will never have to wear them, but they are ready "Just in Case."

I stand corrected

Here I have been happily throwing around the term "Clown Barf" for the (admittedly) cute bag I made for my friend Skippy, and then I am confronted with true clown barf. I truly didn't appreciate the gravity of the situation, and I apologize.

Clown Barf?

You decide! I, personally, think not! Here are some photos of the Entrelac Bag. Pre,


and post felting. I like the Leaf button Skippy chose for the closure.

And here is a progress pic of Kiri. I know, it just looks like a fuzzy blob right now, but I like the yarn, which was a giftie from Skippy. And, in case the image overload didn't give it away, after over an hour on the phone with Kodak, our software is once again up and running!

A Little Song, a Little Dance

A little seltzer down your pants!

I find I'm developing a close personal relationship with the tech assistance people at Kodak. They are very nice, but have yet to resolve my photo problems. But here are a few I managed to squeeze out of the camera by sheer force of will...
This is one of the eggplant Fuzzy Feet I made for myself. The lighting is bad, but the cuffs are green with the foot in a nice, deep, eggplant color. I made them out of Lopi, and it's a rare day that they aren't found on my feet.





This is one of the infamous Mr. Ed slippers. I slipped it over a bottle of wine to illustrate just how much it was not even vaguely reminiscent of a human foot. Not my finest hour, pulling those out of the machine, let me tell you. Their final fate is TBD, perhaps I will make them into puppets for the girls.



This last one is me and my grandma with the girls on X-Mas eve. Lest you think I'm just showing off my kids, if you squint really hard you will see that I'm wearing Rogue. (Yeah, I'm just showing off my kids, you're right)

In other news, my phone died and we went in to get it fixed 24 hours before the warranty expired! Hello, free upgrade! For those of you who do not see the timing of this incident as sheer luck, you really haven't the foggiest just how disorganized I really am, do you?

At any rate, with any further luck, you will soon see photos of the completed "Clown Barf" bag and other lovely stuff (a Kiri in progress, perhaps?)

One Woman's Clown Barf

Is another woman's expression of color. Over the holidays, my friend Skippy took me to the LYS near her house. The intent was to pick out some lovelies to take home with me. Hopefully something that would scare the pants off all the Red Heart I seem to have lying around. While we were there, Skippy, who is very wool sensitive, decided that a felted purse wouldn't cause her to explode into hives or whatever it is that happens to people with wool sensitivities (I sometimes, in my darkest heart, believe all this wool avoidance is an elaborate ruse to keep me buying acrylic. Then again, maybe it's just encouragement to move up to alpaca. Hard to say). I sat her down with the pattern books and went to paw some laceweight and peruse their sock yarns. She found a pattern that she liked: I told her I've never done entrelac, and suddenly realized just how much of a process knitter I am when I said that not only would it be a gift for her, it would be a gift for me to learn a new technique, and I actually meant it! Then, we proceeded to the wall of Cascade 220 to select colors. Skippy is truly wonderful with colors, and I have learned to trust her, no matter how weird the combo may seem (no, Skippy, I'm not saying the colors you chose are weird... this time), it always looks great in the end. After a lot of shuffling and consideration, she chose these
That's a really dark brown, not black, BTW. When she was showing off the pattern and yarn to some friends later that day, one of them responded that it would look like a clown threw up on her. Of course, this friend has more demure taste in colors, but she is the rabid scary monkey lover, so we all have our issues. Anyway, I promised Skippy I'd post progress. So far the most time consuming part is winding the hanks into balls. I have neither swift nor winder, just my wits and my knees.
I'm ready to start the final color. Ilsa has taken issue with this, however, as she feels the purple should be for Barb and her Auntie Kirsten (both of whom love purple). When I informed her that it would be used for Skippy's purse, her lip trembled and tears threatened. I then backed off and claimed that I would, indeed, use it to knit something for Barb and Kirsten. That cheered her up and she sternly looked at me, held up two fingers and told me, "Two mittings, Mama. Bahb and Ma Antie Kirsten!" Here's hoping there's enough left over for potholders or something. Felted trivets, maybe?