Tales of a Knitting Kninja...

Long time gone....

2009-04-19T11:50:00.002-05:00

Well, I thought I would be able to update more often when I had my BlackBerry, and then even more so when I got a little NetBook, but to no avail. I have been a complete slacker when it comes to blogging and almost as much with my knitting.

In regards to my knitting, I am still plugging away at my step-mom's Clapotis. It has made considerable progress in the past few months and I feel that shortly I will be able to move on to the next section, so that I can finally get out of the straight rows section. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

The other project that I have currently been dedicating some serious time to is something that I hope I will use quite a bit next winter. I finally broke down and started the "February Lady Sweater". There was much agonizing over the yarn and color and all that other good crap, but I finally settled on an olive green ComfortDK yarn. I really love the "all purpose" color and the yarn is just so squishy that I think it is going to feel fantastic when it is done. So far, I have gotten the yoke completely done and am just waiting on ordering some more stitch markers from KnitPicks so that I can begin the lace work.

I know I could easily do the Gull Lace work without markers, but I just think it will go much faster and easier with the markers in there to keep the headaches and miscounted stitches at bay.

Anyway, I think that is the current projects in the works. Have a few in the back of my mind for some Noro Silk Garden Sock and Rowan Damask that I have recently purchased in the past few months...but that is just gonna have to wait on the back burner, have bigger things to ponder to day with a hot cup of coffee.

Hope to see you soon.....

Fighting the urge....

2009-01-29T10:27:00.003-06:00

Alrighty, it is an average Thursday morning here and I am yet again fighting the early on-set of "startitis"....grrrrr!!!! What is a girl to do? Apparently, I have access to the Internet at work (no telling for how long though), and this causes me the dilemma of being able to get to Ravelry during the day, enabling me to look at patterns I want to try and things I want to knit.

I have been thinking about the "February Lady" Sweater for the past 6 months or so. I really do want to knit this and think that it would be a lot of fun and a real challenge to my skills. The first hurdle though is making sure I have enough yarn, which then presents challenge number two....do I have the money to buy more yarn? I Think I have solved both problems with one easy solution....Caron Simply Soft. I really think that this yarn would work great to try this sweater and it would then be washer friendly and if I either, didn't finish the piece (yeah...this is a side effect of startitis) or simply didn't like it in the end (not a likely thing), I would not feel overly guilty that I spent money on yarn and didn't like it. Especially since Walmart is selling Caron Simply Soft pretty cheap right now, since they are trying to get rid of whatever they have left in inventory. Heck, I managed to get 2 skeins of it the other day for a mere $2.88 per skein. Not a bad deal for the penny-pinching yarn addict that I am.

Anyway, I feel better now that I have confessed my desires for all the world and Internet to see....(not that I think all that many people actually read this thing, but hey...)

Tasty Eats....

2009-01-19T20:39:00.005-06:00

OK....so I thought I would share something that I tried tonight, completely unrelated to knitting.

Not sure who actually reads this blog, but for those of you who know me on a personal level, you probably already know that I LOVE to cook, for those of you that don't know me...now you know my true passion.

I guess I should explain where this is coming from. I found out last Friday that the company that I work for is planning some layoffs. Not sure yet of any details, such as who, when or how bad it will be, as soon as I know more I can stop stressing. Soooooo....anyway, after having a nice long heart to heart with my Dad and Stepmom, I took some advice my Stepmom had given me, which was to think about my passion.

Well, I have always had a passion for cooking. I have worked in several food service jobs, ranging from "coffee girl" to waitress and the last time was as a cook and kitchen manager (by far and away my favorite). I love to come up with new ideas, create funky recipes and just cook in general. The prep has always been the most fun, but my favorite part has to be the eating!!! Not sure which I like better, eating my own food or watching others eat my cooking and enjoy it. Either way, it is a gratifying experience for me.

So, I don't know how far the "exploring my passion" thing is gonna go, but for right now, I am having a lot of fun with it and hopefully my friends will get to eat some tasty treats, as long as the wallet can withstand it.

Anyway, tonight...on my way home from work I stopped at Central Market to pick up some beets for roasting. I had seen this nifty recipe in the New York Times online and figured I would give it my own spin and see if it tasted as good as it sounded (I will post my version of the recipe at the bottom of this post). It also didn't hurt that I had seen another recipe for roasted beets over the weekend on the Food Network....figured, apparently this was a sign that I might wanna try some beets tonight...LOL!!!

Along with my beets, I grabbed some turkey thighs from the Meat Department (was much cheaper and I generally like the taste better than chicken). Figured since I was roasting one thing I might as well take advantage of the oven heat and just cook everything at the same time.

I got home, grabbed the carrots and celery out of the fridge that I have come to keep as a staple in the house lately (mainly due to the recent bonding I have done with my crock pot and slow cooker meals). I chopped a few carrots and 2 ribs of celery to put in the bottom of the baking dish I would be using for my turkey thighs, seasoned up the turkey with a good sage-based poultry rub I had grabbed at the last minute for 40 cents while I was at the market (best 40 cents ever spent). Then I that in the oven to start getting brown and started to work on my beets. By the time I was ready to lower the heat on the turkey, the beets were ready to put in the oven (roughly 15 minutes of prep....not too bad for a week night dinner).

About 1 hour later, dinner was done and ready to serve. HOLY MOLY!!!! I have to admit, that was probably one of the best dinners I have made myself in a LOOOOONG time. I highly recommend thought. Only thing I might try different next time is to add some goat cheese on top as a nice salty compliment to the sweetness of the beets.

Now...here is the recipe (more or less)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Roughly 2 pounds of beets (red or golden, if you can find them), peeled and diced in 1/2 to 1/4 inch cubes
2 Tbs olive oil (or just enough to coat the cut up beets)
Kosher salt to taste
2 Tbs Red Wine or Balsamic Vinegar (I used red wine this time, since it was what I had on hand)

Peel and chop the beets, place in a mixing boil. Pour in the olive oil, just enough to coat the beets so that they don't stick to the pan or burn.

After tossing in the bowl, place in a metal roasting dish or pan. Sprinkle with salt liberally and then sprinkle with the vinegar (this is to taste...I like things with a lot of vinegar, so I was pretty heavy handed with it).

Place roasting pan, with beets in preheated oven for about an hour, depending on how small you managed to dice the beets. During the cooking process, check the beets for doneness, stirring at the same time to ensure that they are evenly cooked.

Once they are tender, take out of the oven to cool for a short period before serving. I added another splash of vinegar, but that is discretionary...finally...serve and ENJOY!!!!

Year End Sale....Hurrah!!!

2008-12-27T09:34:00.005-06:00

Alrighty then, I have not really spent any real time blogging in the past 6 months and I guess it is about damn time that I get caught up. I will try and review a few of the FO's from the past few months, there aren't too many of them, since I seem to have a pretty severe case of "finish-itis". I still have plenty of UFO's on the needles, but it seems that things are making progress each time I pull something from its current project bag.

Speaking of project bags, I have to say that I am now the proud owner of some of the coolest and (if I do say so myself) prettiest project bags that I have ever seen (other than Lara that is). Got two from Momma for Christmas/Chanukah, four from Carissa for my birthday and a few that I got on the pre-Thanksgiving trip to Momma's. As soon as I can wrangle a camera to borrow or impose on someone to take some pictures, I will post them here for all to see. The good ol' crackberry just doesn't do them justice at all.

So, anyway, back to FO's and UFO's. I have finished a hat or two, one scarf (the Hamburger Scarf), a few pairs of fingerless in varying patterns. I think somewhere along the way, I finished a "toy" bag (which has never been used). Other than that, it seems like everything else is still a WIP and trudging along slowly.

Have a Clapotis in progress, along with a Movie Shawl for my stepmom, midway up the calf on the second Neverending Knee High, a few inches into the Convertible Shawl (from the CEY Make it Modern pattern book). Have made marginal progress on the Pi Shawl, but lordy...that is the never ending project from Hell. I'm sure there are other things that are on the needles at the present time, but do to lack of sleep and exhaustion, I just can't seem to recount what all of them are.

I keep hearing the siren call of a new"er" queen size bed in my newly aquired larger apartment. I may have bitten off more than I can chew, thinking that I could post a coherent blog after only a mere 3 hours of sleep last night. For now, I think I am gonna hit the save button and come back this afternoon after I have taken a much needed nap.

Be back soon.....

Been gone too long....

2008-12-10T10:05:00.001-06:00

Ok, it has been way too long since I have last blogged. In my own defense, it has mostly been that I don't have access to this website from work anymore and by the time I get home, I have no desire to do anything all that productive online. LOL

I have just today discovered how to post a blog from my handy, dandy CrackBerry that I so dearly love and cherish.

Anyway, now that I have the means and the knowledge I will do my best to try and post once in a while....so long as I don't wear out my thumbs in the attempt.

I was a bad, bad girl....

2008-06-05T08:30:00.003-05:00

I promised myself I wouldn't buy anymore yarn for at least a month or two and especially not until the SnB Swap was over....but I just couldn't resist. I was at the Woolie Ewe yesterday (no shock there), but I was feeling the shopping urge. It was STRONG!!!

There, right on the floor, near the register...my temptation sat. It was a basket of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool. I just could not resist the temptation, especially when it was at half off of $7.95. I had originally intended to only purchase one ball of yarn yesterday. It was gonna be the Debbie Bliss wool/cotton that I had found in the clearance section for a mere three dollars and change.

I was weak though, and I did succumb to the siren call of the Silky Wool, two skeins worth. It is a really pretty rust color and I think it will make a lovely fall scarf for me. If all else fails, I could even gift it after the fact. The decision now becomes...what stitch will I knit it up with? I am torn between a Mock Cable and a Simple Woven Stitch. My goal is to find a stitch that will highlight the tweedy-ness (is that even a word) of the yarn and show off the pretty color, yet make sure that the scarf lays flat when I wear it.

Now that I have confessed my yarn shopping sin...I feel much better.

On another note, I am almost done with the baby blanket and only have about 1 ball of yarn left. It has been decided, that the bind off will be a crocheted border resembling a scalloped edge. I am really looking forward to seeing what it will look like in the end. I will say, if I ever do this pattern again, instead of YO's for increases, I will just do a Kfb instead, so that the blanket has no holes, but still has the pretty swirl patter that I like so much. (must make mods)

In other news, the cupcake hat has been bound off, but the swirl-y topping has not been completed yet. I am on a quest for some white or cream colored DK weight yarn so that I can knit several feet of I-Cord and sew it on and be done with this insane idea. Maybe I will find a small amount of this at the Stash Swap this weekend....here's hoping.

Who'da thunk it???

2008-05-28T07:40:00.003-05:00

Well, if you had asked me a few months ago, if anyone actually read this drivel that I type here...I would have said. "Are you kidding me? Maybe one or two folks, three...TOPS!!!" Apparently, though, there are more of you than I had realized, and I can't begin to tell you how happy that makes me. For whatever reason you may choose to read this, I thank you.

Anyway...onto more knit-worthy news. The Babyboo sweater has been cast on...I did the 19 rows of 141 sts of seed stitch starting on Friday night, finished it at Sunday's SnB and progressed to moving up the body of the sweater last night at the final Woolie Ewe "Knit Night" (until end of summer...insert sadness here). I am really happy with the progress to this point. I know I have miles to go before it even remotely begins to look like a sweater, but I feel like a champ for even having gotten it cast on and gotten it into the WIP column finally.

The baby blanket is making progress, steadily...I have decided that I want to do a scallop bind-off on the edge of it when I am done. This is assuming that I can figure out how to crochet the edging when Sue shows me how (Lord help that woman for being willing and patient enough to teach me anything...), but here is hoping. If all else fails, I can always fall back on the Picot bind-off I had been originally planning, since both options are gonna take at least half of the last ball of yarn.

I don't think there is too much progress on any other projects to speak of at this point. There are about 5 different project bags in the big bag, so I am sure that I am working on other things. It just seems that everything else is, for the most part, on the back burner right now and percolating just a bit. It is kind of nice to have a variety of things to work on at any given time. \

In other news, since I guess it is a well known fact that I am a complete Stitch Marker "ho", so to speak. The lovely Brenda from Sunday SnB, has given me the most lovely set of Celtic Stitch Markers. I really appreciate the lovely knitting bling, I know I will use them often and as soon as I can get a chance, I will take a picture of them, along with everything else I talked about and get it posted here. Just been a bit frazzled lately with other personal stuff keeping the brain a bit distracted and addled.

I was gonna write about some other stuff today, but being that my brain is not fully functional and I have yet to finish the first cup of coffee for the morning...I think I will get to doing that and starting the dreaded work day, at least it is Hump Day today....on the down hill slide to Friday!!!!

Got me some new shiny bits....

2008-05-20T22:32:00.003-05:00

Yup, that's right folks...I finally got the much anticipated and long awaited stitch marker perfection today! I could not be happier with a set of stitch markers if I tried. They are a set of 20 colored (blue, green, teal and purple) markers for a mere $5. No knitting notion could possibly make me happier. Might even have to buy more of them when I get some more spare cash....LOL

Bad yarn...Very bad yarn....

2008-05-20T08:16:00.003-05:00

I jokingly call this bad yarn, but I know full well that there is no such thing as bad yarn, just a bad knitter. In the case of this lovely chenille "stuff" from Hobby Lobby, I know full well that it is me the knitter, that is the problem here. I have never before knitted with anything even remotely like this fiber (if you can really call it that), and I am not likely to try it again any time soon.

I have been working on the cupcake hat, and thought I was well into the home stretch. Finally figured out how to get the ribbing to fit my head (dropped down not one, but TWO needle sizes to get the stitches to shrink up enough to fit my "itty bitty head". Then, when I thought I had enough ribbing and was ready to bind off, I did so...in pattern, no less....and HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THAT IS SACRED!!!! that thing is so small now it won't even fit on a small child!!!!

Not that I would want to torture a small child so much as to put this atrocity on their head....but sheesh.... So, now at some point tonight, I get to take out the binding and try again. Maybe with a sewn bind off? That would probably work, since there are only 56 or so stitches to bind off and it would at least keep the integrity of the ribbing.

All of this being said....I reiterate, I will not ever voluntarily knit with this chenille stuff again....chuckle.....

Somedays, nothing makes it better....

2008-05-19T07:46:00.004-05:00

For the most part, on any given day...if I am feeling shitty or just plain cranky, knitting can make it better. It is just one of those things that takes me to another place in my mind. It is sort of like my own personal Zen meditation, clears all the clutter from my mind. This weekend though, it just wasn't working. Nothing I could do or say, no amount of knitting or hanging out with friends was getting my head clear or coming close to putting a smile back on my face.

Suffice to say things have gotten a little chaotic lately in my life. I am trying to take one step at a time and clear the decks as needed, but sometimes it just seems like no matter how hard I try, I'm gonna trip and fall over something...usually ending up with me falling flat on my face.

I am very thankful though that I have understanding friends, that put up with my moods and ever changing array of issues. Whether it be the current issues on my mind or something as trivial as a boy that hurt my feelings.

So, that being said...there was an attempt this weekend at some "kitch" knitting...you know, that stuff that serves no real purpose other than to make you laugh when it is done. Well, my version of that is the hat that is supposed to turn out like a Hostess cupcake.

I got it on the needles and I am to the point of ribbing for the end and it really holds no resemblance to a cupcake...but I am not giving up hope...I am just gonna have to work at it for a bit. I will not let the Hobby Lobby chenille beat me!!!

Also on the needles is the co-workers baby blanket, after having ripped it and restarted it, I am actually seeing progress and I think it looks really good and will totally turn out to the desired plan. I haven't worked much on my Pi Shawl or my second sock, but both of those still have some time, neither of which am I in a hurry for.

Also spending time in the isolation booth is the Fan & Feather shawl that I still haven't corrected from my silly mistake. Other than those projects, I don't think I have any other projects to update. I keep meaning to get the sweater cast-on, but I just haven't gotten to it yet....oh well, not like the yarn is gonna run away or anything.

Totally unrelated...

2008-05-14T08:17:00.003-05:00

but, I just had to share some pictures from this past weekend at the Dallas Trocars 6th Annual Casket Races.....I know it isn't knitting related, but I still had a lot of fun!!!! Thanks for the great pictures Amy.

One step forward and two steps back....

2008-05-14T07:49:00.003-05:00

This is how I do the knitting dance. Yes sirree....I thought I was making progress on the spiral baby blanket and then realized that instead of having the 10 sections it was supposed to have, it only had 5. Which would explain why the center of the blanket was creating such an extreme peak and not laying flat, as it should.

So, even though I had already knitted one full ball and started on my second, there I sat at work yesterday, listening to the mind numbing chatter of the girl on the other side of the cube from me.... (I'll save that for another post), frogging the entire thing and re-winding the ball. I proceeded to cast on and this time the correct number of sections and I have started over again. I have hope for this, since it only took me 2 days to knit that far the first time, I truly think that if I knuckle down and get to it...I could probably have the project finished in about 3 weeks...realistically.

Anyway, in other news, I have begun to cast on for my sweater. I say "started" simply for the fact that casting on 141 stitches to begin seed stitch was just too mind numbing for me to continue last night and may have to be started on a Friday evening or sometime over the weekend. Who knows...

In other news, I have finally broken down and bought the second ball of sock yarn for my SECOND pair of knee highs last night while I was at knit night. It is this nifty bright green, dark green and orange self-striping stuff from OnLein that I have been thinking about for a long time. The point is that I have had one ball sitting in stash for a while now and it finally has a mate to cuddle up with. I figure, once I get the second 9 mile sock done, I can get started on a pair of these.

Well, I don't think the coffee has fully kicked in so, that is probably all my brain is able to spew out this early in the morning...there might be a venture onto Etsy sometime this morning...I'm on a quest for some really simple and easy to use stitch markers, that have no dangling pieces and will fit over most of my needles. Basically all purpose stitch markers that also look pretty.

Out with the old and in with the new....

2008-05-12T08:36:00.005-05:00

First off, Friday night was a momentous occasion...finally finished knee-high number one!!! I have to say, I am really happy with the way that it turned out. Plenty of ribbing at the top, picot bind-off to finish it and the fit is PERFECT! I'm in love with it and there is no chance of second-sock syndrome, since the 2nd sock was cast-on Sunday at SnB. (Yes, there are pictures to prove it...I'm just waiting on the e-mail with the attachments)

Edit....

Along with casting on the 2nd sock, there is also a baby blanket in the works for a co-worker. I just couldn't resist the "knitting for others", when she was willing to buy the yarn (Sirdar Snuggly in Baby Bamboo....very pretty colors), a set of Addi Turbos and didn't mind if I picked the pattern for the blanket. Doesn't get much more accommodating than that.

So, now I have two new projects on the needles, but I still haven't cast on the Turquoise sweater that was supposed to be my summer project. I guess I will have to get to that sometime this week, since I don't think this baby blanket will take all that long to get done. Working that in a simple spiral pattern that Lara had suggested. At this point, now that it is bigger than the magic loop stage, it has become mindless knitting. Same thing goes for the 2nd sock, until it comes time to turn the heel (ick...).

I'm sitting here at work, typing away and trying to think if there are any other project that got started over the weekend....but I just can't seem to think of any.

The Pi Shawl is also on the needles, but that is somewhat mind numbing and for the time being has become somewhat of a back burner project for the simple fact that I can pick it up and put it down at any time....but it is handy that it is still small enough to fit in my bag and makes a good on the run project.

OK, so...now that I have done a run down on the current projects and I really don't have anything too new to tell, since the pictures haven't shown up yet...I am gonna get back to knitting..ummmm...I mean working....yeah, that's what they call that thing I do during the day Monday through Friday.

Thump...thump...thump...

2008-04-28T13:34:00.002-05:00

There is the slow, dull...yet consistent sound of "thumping" coming from my desk at work today. I have the distinct impression that it is me, pounding my head against the desk in the vain attempt to put myself out of my misery and end this HELL of a Monday as soon as possible....

Ugghhhh....will the agony never end???? I'm sure it will in a mere 3 hours.....

Riddle me this....

2008-04-22T11:53:00.003-05:00

Ok, I am usually not a big fan of the survey for blogs...but hey, saw this and thought..."what the heck, I'm bored at work." So, here goes.....I found this survey from another blog "The Black Yarn Swap", just so know one thinks that I came up with this on my own....

1. Do you knit, crochet, or both?
Primarily Knit, I know how to Crochet, but do not do it well or enjoy it.
2. What do you prefer to knit or crochet? (socks? sweaters? cables?) What would you like to try to knit or crochet?
I prefer to knit socks and hats, just about anything in the round. I would like to try more garments in the future.
3. What are your hobbies outside of knitting or crocheting?
I love to read and watch movies
4. Do you have any fiber allergies? Fiber preferances?
No allergies, that I know of. I prefer Merino, Bamboo and Cotton
5. Do you have any favourite books, music, or tv shows? If so, what are they?
I love Emma Holly and most fiction. TV shows are tough, because it changes so much. Currently I like Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, CSI and most thinks on SPEED Channel
6. Do you have any pets?
Nope, no pets...
7. Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?
Depends on my mood, I like salty stuff...but I am a complete sucker for Ice Cream
8. Do you prefer coffee or tea?
COFFEE!!!!! Definitely
9. Aside black, which colours do you like/dislike?
Magenta and Teal
10. What is your favourite time of the year? (season-wise or holiday-wise)
I like winter and fall...pretty much anytime of the year that it is cold and I can wear a jacket, jeans and a set of wrist warmers
11. What is your favourite scent?
Oranges and citrus...along with clean man (that always works for me, too)
12. What do you collect?
Hehehehe, you mean other than yarn? I guess I collect purses, watches and books.
13. If there's anything else you'd like people to know, list them here:
I am a sucker for a comfy place to sit and knit, good hugs, great music, chocolate cake and a truck stop that serves steak & eggs for breakfast!

And the sweater begins....or should that be saga???

2008-04-22T08:34:00.002-05:00

To be more specific, it is a cardigan. I have bit the bullet and finally broken down and decided to knit a sweater for myself. The original impetus for this happened a few weeks back at a SnB, when I decided to wear a skirt and cute shirt. It was a bit chilly out and lo and behold, I had nothing to wear over my shirt other than my H-D (not really the look I was going for), so I decided it was time to start looking for a pattern and decide on a yarn to use.

Well, almost 2 weeks later and I have found the yarn. I opted for K1C2, Babyboo in Bright Aqua. I am still debating on the pattern, even though I think I have a general idea of what I am wanting to do. I really like the style of Tahoe pattern from Knitty.com, but I know for sure that I would adapt this to have 3/4 length sleeves. There is no way that I could wear this sweater in the spring and summer seasons, here in Texas with long sleeves....it is just way too warm for that.

So, I have swatched the yarn, managed to get gauge and now I just have to find someway to work out the pattern to work with the yarn I want to use. Par for the course with me, never follow the directions...LOL!

Anyway, cross your fingers and wish me luck. I am going to take all the info, along with the yarn and needles (so graciously loaned to me by Kenny) with me this weekend when I take a trip to see Mom up in Oklahoma. Hopefully between Lara and Mom there will be guidance as to how I should proceed with this endeavor... One day I will figure out why it is that I don't just take the well traveled road and stick with a pattern that is established and tested to work...(shaking my head at myself).

Too long gone....

2008-04-21T11:01:00.003-05:00

Well, it has been a week...I didn't fall off of the planet, albeit I feel like have. I think this allergy season is just about to kick my ever lovin' ass.

I have been trying to knit in the evenings to get some of the never ending projects off of the needles, but no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to get caught up.

Thanks to Miss Knotty, the spiral hat is in the finishing stages. I did the ribbing last night and am stopping before I get back to the colors in the ball that I don't really like. I just gotta figure out the best way to bind off so I don't shrink the hat too much.

After I get the hat off the needles I am going to cast on a new set of fingerless mitts for my friend Brett. He bought the coolest colorway of Cascade 220, it is olive green and black heather....should be lots of fun to see how they turn out.

I know I said I would never knit for anyone else again, but I guess I consider this an exception to the rule....Mainly since he is learning to knit right now and hasn't really progressed to knitting in the round yet and I have knitted 2 sets of these already and they work up pretty quick...lastly, I really wanted to try the Cascade 220 and this is as good a reason as ever to get my hands on a skein of it, without having to actually buy any...LOL!!!!

Coffee??? Where is the coffee???

2008-04-15T07:37:00.002-05:00

I haven't slept nearly enough hours in the past few days, not sure if this post is even gonna make any sense at all. I figured I would give it my best effort and try anyway.

Was definitely a fun day this past Sunday at Cafe Express, there was much winding and very little knitting on my part. I have to say, I would have actually been better off leaving my knitting at home. I got absolutely nothing accomplished and what I did get accomplished wasn't on pattern and should probably be taken out and done over....but that remains to be seen.

I have determined that the ribbing on my knee-high will go, as according to the original plan, and I will knit it like I do everything else. Thanks to Lara, the spiral hat has had a round frogged and corrected so that I can start in on it again when I have some quiet time and can pay attention to my counting. I really don't want to rip that, and I know she doesn't either.

Anyway, I should be able to tackle a few more knitting projects the rest of the week, since I will be back in my own apartment as of tonight...not sure if I want to just sleep the night away or actually go to knit night and knit my little fingers off....who knows, I guess I will have to wait to see what happens at 5 o'clock.

Bringing a newbie into the fold...

2008-04-11T09:11:00.003-05:00

I have begun the conversion of another knitter. That's right folks, I was converted and brought into the fold roughly two years ago, and it was about time that I brought my first convert over to the dark side.

The convert in question is a very dear and sweet friend of mine from work. He has long heard me blather on and on about the joys of knitting and fondling yarn. So, this past Wednesday, he finally agreed to meet me at my LYS and I sat him down around the knitting table with two balls of Berroco Comfort in the most shocking color of green (it is SO his color, too) and a set of Bamboo needles in 9.

Sue, the knitting wizard at The Woolie Ewe, had him start with a Long Tail Cast-on. He took to it like a duck to water. It was so awesome to watch him sit there, so focused, cast on each and every one of those stitches. I started to notice the odd silence from the direction of his chair, so I turned and there he is, 5 or 6 rows of garter into his first scarf. I felt like a new mom, just overcome with joy that he was actually having FUN and had a big smile on his face!!! THIS ROCKS!!!!

There have been a few hiccups along the way, there was some unraveling, a few dropped stitches, frogging of the entire project and a new cast-on this morning. But, all in all, things seemed to be a success so far. I was a little worried at the frogging point...I had this fear that he was gonna text message me that he really didn't like the idea of knitting and was gonna just drop the idea entirely....but NOPE, he asked me to help him out and he was gonna give it another go....YOU GO BOY!!! KNIT ON!!!

I'm so happy for him...I just can't express how much it makes me smile. There is some serious knitting love in me today...even though I can't bring myself to work on any projects today. I opted to bring a book with me instead.

grrr.....frustration and knitting....

2008-04-10T21:17:00.004-05:00

In the spirit of having a decent sense of humor left after being frustrated at my current project, not much to say and my extreme love of knitting...here is something that I think everyone should watch....I don't usually surf YouTube all that much, but someone showed this one to me, and I just feel compelled to share it. Enjoy!!!!

Just figured I would throw a picture or two of the current project that leaves me vexed and perplexed....

ok....Alpaca Redux....no dice

2008-04-09T23:04:00.002-05:00

Well, the plan was to use the Baby Alpaca to try out the cupcake hat. Yet again, not my best plan or idea. I have never knit with alpaca and I seriously overestimate my skill along with underestimating the slick and fluid texture of the yarn I am trying to "tame".

So, that idea was scrapped...but I have rethought the plan and am going to put the Alpaca back into stash hibernation, yet again. But....I am still going to knit up the Fauxstess, there is no doubt in my mind about that!!!

I am going to try the cupcake with some Berrocco Comfort and Comfort DK. I think this would make an ideal media for the hat and I am also going to rework the pattern to make it more my own and slightly more my style...I will share my plan when the idea is at least on the needles and taking more of a physical shape.

On a brighter note, though....I did cast on at least one project tonight. I cast on some Noro Kureyon (colorway 139). Not my favorite yarn to knit with, but the colors are just so pretty I could not resist. On top of the fact that I really needed some work knitting for the morning since things have been so slow at work lately and I can only surf Ravelry so much without feeling compelled to start a new project.

The idea behind this new project is to do a spiral pattern hat. Like the other hat that I have done and loved so very much, I am starting this one in top down fashion and knitting in Magic Loop until I have it to 80 sts and then I will just knit in the round until I get to the length I want and will either finish with rib knit, seed stitch or just maybe i might finish it with a picot bind off...who knows? I'm sure I will have decided by the time I get to that point.

Anyway, it is late and I am sure that sleep is a long time in coming for me tonight and the knitting will all to me from the couch while I try to sleep, but I must at least make the pathetic attempt to count the sheep....or maybe just the balls of sock yarn I wish to add to my stash.

Hmmm..one ball of Regia Silk, two skeins or Shibui Knits, three balls of On-Lein sock yarn, four balls of Jawool.....ZZZzzzzzzzzz

Yummy....I wanna be called "cupcake"....

2008-04-09T10:34:00.002-05:00

I found this pattern in Ravelry and I am completely and TOTALLY in LOVE (love, love, love) with it...it is called the "Fauxstess". I must knit this as soon as possible.

I think I even have the yarn in stash to do this....even better, right? Thinking of using the Misti Alpaca - Baby Alpaca in black that didn't work out so well for my first cable attempt. I know for sure that it would make a really soft and snuggly hat.

I normally wouldn't knit something quite this "kitschy", but I just can't resist. The picture just seemed to call out to me...knit me, knit me...knit me, damnit!!! So, yet again, I will answer the siren call of the yarn and cast it on tonight....hell, it's a hat...I could probably have it done by the weekend if I put my other projects down for a bit. I might even get brave and try it on DPN's instead of my much loved circulars.

Only bummer about knitting a hat in April (in Texas, no less) is that I won't get to wear it till it starts to get cold again....at the END OF OCTOBER!!!!

Anyway, I guess I will head back scouring Ravelry some more for patterns, that I most likely won't have time to knit...but if it distracts me from the massive headache I have had all morning, so much the better!!!

Progress, I say....Yes, progress....

2008-04-08T09:43:00.002-05:00

Ok....so, I got at least 4 more repeats done on the fan & feather shawl/wrap last night, while sitting home watching the boob tube. I tried to start the ribbing on the knee-high, but due to the fact that I knit weird, the ribbing was not working out correctly.

I have since gone to my favorite website for help with the icky dilemma, knittinghelp.com!!! I think every knitter should have this website bookmarked and easily accessible at any given time. I have always known that I knit a bit different that others, and from Lara's educated guess, I have watched her knit enough, that I picked up combination knitting without even realizing it. Good grief, as if I don't do enough things differently already, now add knitting to the mix.

Well, luckily knittinghelp has videos on this very dilemma. The conundrum is that when I "knit" in the round, everything works out fine. When I "knit and purl" flat pieces, that too works out without any problems. The problem started when I tried knitting "ribs" in the round. For some reason I wasn't wrapping the yarn correctly so, half of my stitches were becoming twisted. Not a total tragedy in my opinion, since I liked the way it looked and made the ribs a bit more snug (a good thing, in IMHO).

The catch with all this mess, is that I am starting on the ribbing for my knee-high socks, and I really want these bad boys to be PERFECT!!!! I am still on the fence as to whether I should do 1x1 ribbing or 2x2 ribbing.

So....I started the ribbing last night (I am VERY thankful that I put a lifeline in before I started) when I was sitting at the Woolie Ewe, after the second round I knew there was something slightly amiss. I stopped work on them as soon as I noticed there was a problem, so tonight when I go to knit night, I am going to have to rip out what I started (yet again, thanking my life line) and start again, but this time keeping in mind what I learned on the website about how to wrap the yarn on the purl stitches....WOOO HOOO...I'm not a FREAK!!! YAY!!! Cheers all around....

Now back to your normally scheduled programming....

This shit is just evil.....

2008-04-07T09:12:00.005-05:00

I am not sure if it is the yarn or the needles I am trying to knit it on...but the aforementioned Ty-Dy yarn that I had planned on knitting up today, well it is just plain EVIL...F'n evil I say!!!

I have cast this damn yarn on probably a good 5 or 6 times so far this morning. It is not nearly as forgiving as any other cotton yarn I have ever knitted with. There is no slip or slide on the needles whatsoever. It's almost like the yarn just wants to fight with me. Maybe it isn't liking the idea I have for it as a FO.....LOL

I had thought that the variegated colors would look pretty in a shawl or wrap, maybe some eyelet. Well, that didn't work out as planned, so I started again. Try number two was just to do some knits and purls and maybe a 3 stitch border. Nope, yarn didn't like that idea either. Last try was to do a basket weave pattern in about 48 sts wide "thing". Apparently that idea was also vetoed with out my consent.

Needless to say the yarn is off of the needles and probably going to stay off for a good long while, unless I am just looking for some blatant agitation and frustration. Which, quite frankly, I have more than enough of that to go around without having to involve yarn in the mix.

I know...I should not take my frustrations out on my yarn....it didn't do anything wrong and doesn't deserve to be mistreated like this. But, come on...it's not like I am asking too much of my yarn. All I want is for my yarn to go along with the plan and understand that I should have at least some say so in the creative process.

On a brighter note, I am thankful that I opted to bring more than one project into work today. I figured if all else failed (which it so obviously has) I could keep working on the knee-high sock and get further along to the cuff (....gulp).

Blush....but not bashful...

2008-04-06T23:00:00.004-05:00

Alrighty then, how many times can a group of people make me blush??? I think I lost count somewhere around ten or so.

Yup, it was another Sunday of laughter and fun at SnB. Good food, good times and productive knitting, can't ask for anymore than that. I haven't laughed this hard in awhile, I must say that this is my favorite way to spend a Sunday.

I got some work done on the green socks....almost ready to start ribbing on the knee-high, and got a few more repeats accomplished on the fan and feather shawl/wrap. All of this productivity actually inspired me to cast on YET ANOTHER project this evening. Not sure if it will stay on the needles, but I decided to cast on the Ty-Dy that has been sitting in the stash for almost 6 months. Gonna see if a bag started from the bottom up with Turkish Cast-on will work for me. I started in 8's but I think that may be too loose to actually work and be a usable bag. Guess I will have to get some of it knitted up and see how it goes....time will tell.

Alas, it is time for bed and I am sure it will be the challenge that it has become lately...guess I will have to mentally catalog the stash again while trying to sleep and plan a few more projects in my head.....gives new meaning to the idea of counting sheep....LOL

Fiiiiiiber Fest.....

2008-04-05T18:48:00.005-05:00

OMG!!!! I haven't had this much with fiber and yarn since the year end sale at Woolie Ewe. It's safe to say that going to a place with this much yarn and a full paycheck in my wallet is probably not the wisest plan in the world. Although, I did make it out with only a small dent in the checking account. And that was including the luxurious buffet lunch at Tokyo One for sushi galore.....oooohhhh my tummy was happy.

Now, on to my two most recent acquistions to stash are pretty darn cool. The first one is a skein of Collinette - Jitterbug Lagoon in the most amazing greens and turquoises ever. Take a peek....

The next acquistion would be a skein of Lace weight in Navy that I purchased from Lone Star Arts, it is a very pretty semi-solid that I just could not resist (and hey...it was 800 yards ofyarn!!!) Take a peek....

I have to admit, now that I have figured out how to post pictures of my stash and WIP's it is even more fun to blog and share the things that I am working on and hording in my ever growing stash baskets.

If you are at all interested, there are a few pictures that I have also posted of my apartment, for those of you with a voyeuristic nature. Or even, for those of you who wondering how the hell I managed to fit myself, all my yarn and all the other crap that I own into a 350 sq ft apartment.

Yes, folks...it is small and messy...but I have proven that it can be done!!!

Anyway...I may come back later and shrink my pictures or add a few more to other posts...but I think for right now I am gonna get back to movie watching, laundry drying and KNITTING!!!!

Happy, Happy....Joy, Joy....

2008-04-03T09:23:00.003-05:00

Things are good in Blogland again...I have finally figured the last few things out that I was having trouble getting a grip on. Now there is a little slide show of pictures in my flickr acct....I am still working on getting pictures loaded into the actual posts that reference them. I'm sure with a bit of patience and some more time, I will get this all worked out.

In other news, I have started knitting on the "evil green" socks again. I swear, I think these socks are cursed. It seemed for a while there after the messy, "gee I have turned the heel and am on my way to finishing a pair of socks for a really nice guy" episode...that everything just went wrong, wrong, wrong with these things. I could have sworn that every time I took the dang things out of their project bag there was another slipped or dropped stitch, and of course it didn't drop just ONE row. NOOOOO, these suckers would go for at least 6 or seven rows down and be a complete and utter pain in the arse to fix.

But, again...I digress. I have picked them back up again, as of last night. I think it is about time I finish the bad boys and give them off to the soon to be new owner, Lara. Because there is no way that I am giving these things to the originally intended recipient, cursed or not.

In other sock news, I have stalled on my knee high. I keep meaning to finish it and get started on the second one, but for some reason the thought of completely figuring out and writing down the pattern that I created for these "9 mile o'sock" bad boys is just more than I am willing to do right now. Along with the fact that I am on the fence about whether or not to carry some elastic through on the cuff of the sock or just suck it up and do some 1x1 ribbing and be done with it. Who knows...I guess I will have to just ponder this as I work on the PAIR of "evil greens".

Pictures???? What pictures....???

2008-03-31T21:29:00.002-05:00

Well, I finally got my pictures loaded into flickr. Unfortunately for me, I am not nearly as computer and internet savvy as I used to be and haven't quite figured out how to link my pictures to my blog. I'm working on it though and hopefully I can either figure it out or become really humble and realize that I need to ask someone for help.....

Aaaack.....

2008-03-31T18:49:00.002-05:00

I just got it in the mail!!! FOUR...yes kids, I said FOUR skeins of Gossamer Lace Weight yarn from Knitpicks in colorway Sweet Pea. Oh my...it is mucho lovely!!!

I just can't wait to put it on the needles. I am completely in love with the idea of a lace shawl, but now that the yarn is here...I can't decide if i want to knit Fan & Feather or the Regina Juno patter from knitty.

Nor can I decide whether to use my addi turbos or to use my Options (so that I can change cable length if I need to). Again, this leads me to think....AAACCCKKKK!!!!

What ever is a girl to do with all these choices and options at her finger tips...

YAY!!! SnB...

2008-03-31T14:33:00.003-05:00

I have to say...I positively love, love, love when I get to go to Sunday Stitch & Bitch. There is probably nothing in the world that makes me happier these days. I think it is one of the few groups of people that I feel comfortable chatting with about anything and everything and I don't feel the slightest bit awkward about the fact that I am knitting the entire time I am around them. ROCK ON!!!

So, there was an "odd weekend" S&B this past Sunday. Was the first weekend we have tried on an odd weekend, and we even opted for a northern location at Cafe Brazil as a switch. For those of you who don't already know, this is like handing out crack to an addict, when it comes to me. I was there early and if I hadn't had a prior engagement that couldn't not be canceled or avoided I would have been the last person sitting around the table.

I was really glad to see that so many people decided to show up and share in the fun. Made for a very happy, happy day.

The kniitting goes on forever and the party never ends....

2008-03-30T18:47:00.004-05:00

Alrighty, so it has been a while since I have blogged. A few things have changed and projects have been started and finished since the last time I blogged. Still no pictures as of yet, I keep procrastinating about this, but I know that sooner or later I will get around to it...cuz by lord knows I really am proud of some of the things I have knitted.

I guess I will just rattle off the current progress of my projects...whether they are on needles or not. I have finished the "market bag" I was working on, it has since been felted and turned in to the current project tote that I keep with me like a small security blanket o'knitting at all times. For some reason I feel better knowing that there is knitting within arms reach at all times.

Anyway, I digress. I am still working on the knee-highs for me. The soxx appeal socks that were originally for "the guy" (who is the guy no more) have since been renamed the Best Friend Socks...because who better to give a pair of hand knitted socks than my best friend (sister in another life) in the entire world, who is also a knitter. At least I know she will have a sense of appreciation for these socks and won't discount the hours of work I have put into these bad boys. Luckily for me, they fit her foot for the most part....this means no froggin' for me.

I think the most ironic part of these socks has to be the fact that as soon as I had knitted the last stitch on the first heel I have ever turned in my life, the jackass for whom they were originally intended broke up with me!!!!

Well, anyway....lesson learned.....NEXT!!!!

In the completed department, there would be a pair of Malabrigo Wrist Warmers based on the pattern for wrist warmers out the "Last Minute Knits" book. I modified them slightly to leave out the thumb hole and instead of doing 2 repeats of the patter below the wrist I did 3, along with a picot bind off for the top edging. I couldn't bring myself to waste a single inch of this yarn, I have so much love for this yarn it goes beyond description. Lord only knows what I am ever gonna do with the ball of "Paris Night" that is now sitting all alone in my stash.

I have also got a set of these wrist warmers in Noro Kureyon, one is off of the needles and the second one is just waiting anxiously for the bind off. Gonna get that done on Tuesday at Knit Night. I really do need to get pictures of these, simply for the fact that the color is positively WONDERFUL!!!

I could have sworn that I had finished more projects that this, but I guess I was wrong. I do have quite a few in the works though, other than the socks that are in various stages of finish.

Just today, I started a fan and feather shawl/wrap out of some King Tut Egyptian Cotton yarn that I have been trying to decide what to do with ever since I frogged it a few months back. Figure that is as good a yarn as any to turn into something for the summer with a pattern that I have never tried before.

Also, thought that working it in the cotton would be good practice for when the FOUR skeins of knitpicks lace weight yarn arrives sometime this week. I am fairly certain it won't take long before it is on the needles and in my grubby little hands.

They came, I saw....I knitted

2008-02-26T14:38:00.002-06:00

Alrighty then...I finally got my knitpicks order yesterday, and before you could say k1, p2....I was casting on for the next sock. This would be the guy's sock....I'm very excited. Not just because I get to start a new sock, with new needles and a new yarn...but because I did the cast on all by myself with no help from anyone!!!!

This is a first for me. I was so damn proud of myself, that I had to call Lara at some awful hour of the night to tell her how happy and excited I was for myself. Heck, I even gushed to the guy this afternoon when I called him at lunch.

But the kicker to it all is, that not only did I cast on last night...(on 2's), but I cast on yet again twice more this morning. I wasn't sure I really liked the way Soxx Appeal was looking on 2's with the Toe Up Cast On, so....I tried twice more with another ball on my set of 1's (muuuuuch better).

I have to say...this cast on gets easier and easier the more that I do it. I can't imagine why more people don't use this for more than just socks. I know I am sure as heck gonna use it for a few of my bags in the future...it is just easy as all hell and knits up super quick.

Anyway...as soon as I get a chance (and a Flickr) account I will start posting pictures of my FO's, UFO's and SIP's (socks in progress). Now back to my regularly scheduled knitting, while at work....yay me!!!

the bag, the bag....THE BAG!!!!!

2008-02-22T09:29:00.002-06:00

Well, I have almost completed the bag for my co-worker...damn, did I really dislike knitting this particular bag. It was a pretty simple pattern that I had used before, but for some reason nothing went quite according to plan with it.

Alas, the bag is all but done. All I have left to do at this point is bind off, whip stitch it shut at the bottom and then felt the hell out of it. There are a few minor mistakes here and there, but nothing that a bit of felting won't hide and smooth out.

I can tell you one thing for certain though....it will be a long time in coming before I knit with Lamb's Pride - Bulky again. I just wasn't real keen on it, the color was pretty...but that was about the only redeeming quality I can say for it.

Now, onto crossing my fingers that my knitpicks order shows up today...along with at least part of my Etsy order. I am mainly concerned with the knitpicks order, since I would really like to be able to cast on the guy's socks this weekend and get cracking on them....

I haven't progressed too much farther on my knee high since I was trying to bust out with the felted bag in time to get it in the washer this weekend. Thank heavens for dating a guy that has his own washer and dryer...cuz that would just suck having to spend a dollar on the washing machine at my place, just to felt a bag....but oh well.

Anyway, I guess I am gonna get back to the grind of actually working. Gotta do something to earn the money to buy more yarn, right??? Then again...as slow as I am today, I will likely either get to knitting on my sock or finish off my latest reading of "Friday Night Knitting Club".

The road goes on forever and the stash that never ends....

2008-02-19T11:08:00.004-06:00

OK....so, I said I wasn't going to do it, but for anyone that knows me, knows that I rarely if ever hold back on doing things that I really want to do..It goes without saying though, when it comes to yarn, I tend to give in to my baser desires and BUY BUY BUY!!!!

Well, I gave in and bought a skein of the Comfort Sock that I had been eyeballing the last few times I went into my LYS along with FOUR....yes kids, you read that right FOUR balls of Soxx Appeal in Oceana. This should make some really pretty socks for the guy....I sure as heck hope he realizes just how much knitting is going to be involved in a pair of size 14 socks with 8 inches up the calf to fit under his riding boots. Although if he doesn't, then I guess I will just have to look at it as a chance to perfect my sock knitting skills and learning to work with elastic yarn....LOL

I think I have figured that between all the needles I have coming from knitpicks and the stitch markers I ordered from Etsy I should be good to go for a while. I plan on having all my needles, aside from the 0's, filled within days of them arriving. Blue & Grey Jawool on the 1's (for me), Black & Pink from Lara on the 2's (again for me), Soxx Appeal for the guy on 1's and still on the 2's is my never ending knee-high.

At least there will be a variety of sock knitting to choose from, and by the time most of them are finished I will surely feel confident in my Toe-Up cast on and turning the heel will hold no trepidation whatsoever for me.....ahahahha...NOT!!!

I really do need to finish up a few of the bags that I still have on the needles as well. I feel like I have been a complete slacker about them lately...there they sit in their pretty little bags, all lonely, neglected and such. Naughty knitter that I am....I try really hard not to have too many UFO's in my house at one time....can get really overwhelming when there are just too many.

Oh, I almost forgot....I bought some DPN's last night (in case I get a wild hair to try knitting socks that way, not likely though). Figured it couldn't hurt to have them in the house or in the knitting bag in case I need to pick up the stray stitch here and there and grab it before catastrophe happens. Also, bought a set of kid's shorty plastic needles in 8's to play with.

Gonna try and knit a few face/wash cloths and see if that might keep me occupied for a while. Figure I have plenty of Sugar & Cream cotton as well as a few balls of odd colored Gedifra Frisetto that I have no clue what I will ever do with. Soooo....what the hell...the more I knit from stash, the more I rationalize that I can add to stash. HELL YEAH!!!!

Up the ankle and away we go....

2008-02-17T09:25:00.006-06:00

So, I have been knitting away on my sock...so far I am at mid-calf. Before you know it I will be all done with this one and able to cast on to my second one, then I will have my very first pair of hand knit knee-high socks. I am very excited about this, since I have never owned anything like this ever.

I have since put almost all of my other projects on the back burner for the time being. Oh well, almost all of them were for me and were just a mere time filler until I found my true calling as a sock knitter.

Although, I still have to finish a bag that I promised to someone else....would be just wrong to start it, not finish it and leave them hanging....damn if only they knew how to knit, they could finish it themselves.

In other news, I did finally get my check from Uncle Sammy....YIPPEEE!!!! Put in my order for some new needles from KnitPicks, got some more 2's, a set of 1's and an 0 on the way. This just means more socks to play with at one time in case I get bored with a color. I haven't bought any yarn yet...been looking at a ball or two from Opal Sock Yarns, think this would make a nice pair of socks for the Harley-Davidson fan I have been seeing lately. Who knows, I may just buy two balls, knit him some socks and them done in time for his birthday in JULY!!!! Then again...those can be done on my 1's along with some Jawool that I have recently gotten back (should make some pretty blue and grey socks) and then there is the sock that Lara was working on for me that I need to knit a bit of so that she can turn the heel and I can trek on up the leg on that one. Those should be SEEEEEXY, though...hot pink viscose toes and heel, along with black foot and leg....MORE knee high's baby!!!! WOO HOOO....I'm starting to see a trend here.

The irony is though, I was gonna buy a shit load of yarn with my income tax money, but as of yet...I haven't bought a single skein. I did, however, buy new furniture for my apartment, this way I can sit and knit or read in the comfort of my home. The cool part is that I bought a futon, so...anyone that needs a pad to crash on for the night is welcome to come over. Hell, the futon bed is bigger than my bed is. I guess I really am the benevolent host....either that or my ass needed something of substance to sit on when I read and knit. LOL....

Anyway...I am sensing that it is time for me to cook breakfast since there is a pan now sitting on the stove and the guy is stumbling round the kitchen...coffee cup in hand. Still wondering where my cup of coffee is...hmmmm....have to work on that one....

Have a great day and here is to thinking that Junior will win the Daytona 500 today...woo hoo...racing and knitting...HELL YEAH BABY!!!!

2008-02-12T17:33:00.001-06:00

Just thought I would see how easy it was to blog on the go.....hmmmm

toothpicks & paperclips....oh my

2008-02-12T10:27:00.005-06:00

OK...so this would be my inaugural post. I'm not sure if I will have anything of any great interest to post, but I will give it a shot.

I guess first and foremost I should tell you a bit about myself. I am 31 years old, live by myself in the old part of East Plano in an apartment that used to be a storage closet. I have a serious addiction to yarn and all things knitting related, along with a passion for movies, books and food.

For the most part my friends are my family and they are by far and away the most important thing in my life. My best friend (most people think we are sisters...HAHAHA), is my knitting guru and I am sure that her name will pop up from time to time in this blog....but anyway.

As far as knitting goes, I work on some pretty basic projects. I like to knit bags, hats and things of that sort. I am currently working on my first sock, which is what the title of this blog eludes to. I was sitting at work the other day (which is where I do a LOT of my knitting), looking at yarn on the internet and realized that most of the yarn I was coveting was sock yarn....so, I figured maybe it was time to learn how to knit a sock.

I had already planned to take a beginner sock class at the Woolie Ewe (my favorite LYS) as soon as I got my income tax check into my hot little hands...but alas, as usual I did not have the patience and just could not stand the wait. This led to my stand MO...."Laaaarrrraaaa....will you please teach me how to...insert technique here". Which luckily was received with a resounding, "Sure will, when and where?".

So, there I was Friday afternoon learning how to do a "Turkish Cast-on" for Toe Up socks, while sitting at Mr. Wok eating an afternoon snack. I was surprised at how easy and fast it was to cast on, and the yarn (colorway 310) that I am using for this particular sock is LOOOOOVELY.

So, as usual, I have gotten off track. Started the cast-on on Friday...knitted all Friday night...again on Saturday morning and afternoon, more knitting yet again at Stitch & Bitch Sunday afternoon. Everything seemed to be going really well for the most part. Dropped a few stitches Sunday morning while at the guy's house, this was where my TOOTHPICK save came into play....eheheh...

This was how it played out....
ME: "Grrr...Hey hon, are there still toothpicks in the cabinet?"
GUY: "Yeah, why?"...
ME: "umm...I dropped a few stitches and don't have a crochet hook here with me."

So, minor cursing and slight struggling come to pass and I have picked up my lost stitches. Nothing major or catastrophic, just some mild angst and annoyance. Gotta love the handy dandy toothpic!!! NOTE: I HATE dropping stitches...cuz I suck at picking them back up again.

Onward and forward now we trek. Sunday night, Lara and I manage to turn the heel on my new sock in preparation for Monday morning "work knitting"...feeling all proud and such, I try it on....too small. We commence to froggin' the little bugger and try again. Success!!!! Now I have the wonderful knitted object that actually resembles a sock and not just a really pretty tube.

Alright, Monday arrives. I take my sock to work for a daily does of knitting at my desk while on the phones. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, seemed to go right on Monday. I dropped stitches left and right, including a runner that went almost 6 rows down into the turn of my heel.

Enter PAPERCLIP!!! Yet again, I have left home without my crochet hook...DOH!!! So there I am taking a call from a customer and freaking out all at the same time as I am trying to pick up stitches and listening to a customer scream in my ear. All I wanted to do was ask the person to give me just a moment while I picked up my stitches and I would then be able to give them my undivided attention.

But, needless to say...I managed to get the stitches picked up and figured out (YAY me!!), but I promised myself to wait until I finished work for the day to touch my knitting again, for fear that I would drop more stitches and just get too frustrated.

Insert deep sigh of relief here....left work, had some culinary therapy (again, at Mr. Wok) and commenced to knit again...starting on my increases up the back of my sock....

I haven't picked up my knitting yet today. For some reason, working internet retail can really make a girl hate her favorite holiday....Valentine's Day....sheesh!!!

Anyway....I hope this didn't completely bore anyone...I will try to have some pictures posted of my FO's soon and pics of sock in progress to follow....

Happy Knitting....