A Few Needles Short of a Commission

On Wednesday night, Perky asked me if I could make her another (Fort) Knox beanie. This time she wanted it in black.

I thought about it, for maybe a millisecond, and agreed. They are fairly quick knits, they make for good movie/social knitting, and I had plenty of good black wool in the stash. In an impetuous moment (so out of character for me...), I told her I would have it Sunday morning.

Then I got home.

I found the yarn.

I could not find the needles.

I went through my entire bag of needles.

Then I saw them. My 16" US size 6 circular needles.

They were attached to half of a rust (Fort) Knox beanie that I had cast on a couple of weeks ago.

I had two options:

1. I could move the rust beanie over to waste yarn and recover the needles.
2. I could finish the rust beanie, and then cast on the black one.

Option 1 was probably the smarter and more practical choice.

So of course I chose option 2! (I knew in my heart of hearts that once that rust beanie was on waste yarn, it would languish in the stash...never to be heard from again.)

Luckily I knit FAST!

I finished the rust beanie Thursday night at Preach and Psych's house.

I cast on the black one Friday night.

I finished the black one Saturday night.

I even wove in the ends!

D(one). C(omplete). Socks

I finished the Gotham socks while I was stuck at home sick on Wednesday...seeing as how I didn't have the right size needle to finish the Tilney sweater.

I think they are great!

I had never used this yarn before (Crystal Palace's Panda Superwash), and it is very cushy. I also used my new knitpicks sock needles, which were a delight as well.

The only slight issue was that the needles are very slick, and the yarn was a bit slippery. If I knit with this yarn again, I will most likely use my Susan Boyle needles which are coated with something. But, the new needles will be amazing with some of my wool sock yarns that tended to stick to the old needles.

Sick Day

I called in sick to work yesterday. (We are tentatively assigning blame to either the hard boiled egg or the fresh spinach I ate the night before.)

Vodka called to see how I was doing, and asked if she could pick anything up for me.

I thought about it for a minute, but could only think of one thing...

...and somehow I figured that a 16" US size 3 circular needle was NOT what she had in mind...

...so I thanked her for the offer, but said I was ok.

Tilney's neckline and sleeves just had to wait.

Bummer.

New Needles

For Christmas, Mom gave me 2 pairs of nickel plated circular knitting needles from knitpicks to use for sock knitting. She thought it was silly that I only had one pair of sock needles, and she loves the knitpick ones.

She, of course, was anxious to get my opinion on them. I, however, didn't have spare sock yarn with me on my trip.

What's a girl to do?

(Buy more yarn of course!)

I went out to coffee with my friend Spirit that Saturday morning, and sweet-talked her into taking me to Pacific Fabrics. There I was forced to buy some Crystal Palace Panda Superwash in "Dark Night" just so I could test drive the needles. What a hardship!

I cast on my boring old plain vanilla 2x2 rib socks. This not only gave me a purse portable brain-free project, but it allowed me to focus more on the needles than the yarn or pattern.

Needle Review: These are AMAZING. I HIGHLY recommend them. I like these more than...gasp...Addi Turbos. (And they are a fraction of the price!) The points are sharp, the needles slide gleefully into the stitches, and the purple cable makes me smile. So...thanks Mom!

(FYI: The color "Dark Night" -sounds like- Dark Knight -another name for- Batman -who lives in- Gotham...thus the socks are called the Gotham Socks...)

The Song That Does Not End

Yesterday was the third and FINAL Kids Get Knittin'@The Library program this session. (And I don't currently have a kids' program on the winter/spring calendar...)

We added this session last minute, and only opened it to the kids who had been wait listed from the first two sessions. As a result, I had a much smaller crowd. There were four girls, second through fourth grade, and two were sisters. I had not asked Volunteen to come in, because I asked that the kids RSVP to me if they were going to make it. And, although she was standing by, Miss-A didn't come in either.

There was a brief moment of panic shortly before the program began. Although I had left the hand knit socks, the instruction sheets, the project yarn, and all of the paperwork in my program box...for some INEXPLICABLE reason, I had taken my spare needles, demonstration needles, and demonstration yarn home with me the week before! This would normally not be a big deal because I am me. I always have knitting in my purse. Unfortunately, yesterday's knitting was a coffee cup cozy and a sweater...both of which were on circular needles!

I decided to wing it.

I took two pencils out of the supply cabinet, sharpened them, and stuck erasers on the end for needle stops.

The girls thought it was pretty funny that I was teaching them how to knit with pencils.

I wasn't the only one using the rubber erasers either. Two of the girls had purchased double pointed needles...so they got erasered as well!

Since I had a smaller crowd, I was able to spend more individual time with each girl. They were amazing, and caught on surprisingly quickly...especially considering how young they were!

(They all were VERY frustrated by the "out" in the "in, around, out, and off" sequence. But that frustration is normal in everyone I have ever taught from five year old Spaz up to senior citizens! It is a difficult step to explain. I truly have to demonstrate it one-on-one with their hands under mine on the needles...)

The girls got farther on their bookmarks than the majority of the kids did in previous weeks, but that is probably due to the smaller class size. No one finished though, but I didn't expect anyone too. The bookmark took me a little over half an hour and I have been knitting for over decades...literally.

The next library program is going to be in January or February. It is a scarf for teens at the other library branch. Also, at the beginning of the year, I have a two-part adult felted purse program. (That will be interesting, since for felting you need feltable yarn...)

Movie Theater Dishcloth II

This is another pattern for a simple dishcloth that also makes for great brain-free knitting at a movie theater. This one is a little more complex, in that you have to quasi-pay attention to whether you are on an odd or even row. Also, unlike Movie Theater Dishcloth I, it is probably best to cast this one on before the lights dim since you need to count and accurately place the marker!I just look at where my cast on tail is though to keep it straight...still really easy. (Also, again, makes a great gift!)



Movie Theater Dishcloth II

Finished Size: 8"x8"

1 - 2 oz ball of 100% cotton worsted weight (Another great use of self striping yarn!)
1 - pair US size 7 straight needles
1 - stitch marker or bit of scrap yarn

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in garter stitch

Cast on 40 stitches. Place marker. Cast on an additional 40 stitches. (80 stitches total)
Row 1 (and every odd row): Knit to marker. Slip marker. Knit to end
Row 2 (and every even row): Knit until 2 before marker. K2Tog. Slip marker. K2Tog. Knit to end.
Repeat until there are 4 stitches on the needle.
K2Tog. Remove Marker. K2Tog.
K2Tog. Trim yarn. Thread tail through remaining stitch. Pull tight.

Weave in ends, block if desired, clean dirty dishes.

(This pattern is sort of original with me, since I don't remember seeing it anywhere else as a dishcloth. However, mitered squares are, again, common patterns, so I still can't really take credit for it!)

Movie Theater Dishcloth I

This is a pattern for a simple dishcloth that is great brain-free knitting at a movie theater. Not only is it an easy pattern, but it is small enough to stash in your purse! They are fast knits too! I finished 3/4 of one of these during Up on Sunday night. (Great gift idea!)



Movie Theater Dishcloth I

Finished Size: 8"x8"

1 - 2 oz ball of 100% cotton worsted weight (Such as Sugar'n Cream...it is especially fun to use a self-striping yarn like I did in the sample!)
1 - pair US size 7 straight needles

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in garter stitch

Cast on 4 stitches
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: K2, YO, K2
Row 3: K2, YO, K to end.
Repeat Row 3 until there are 56 stitches on the needle (53 rows)
Row 54: K1, K2Tog, YO, K2Tog, K to end
Repeat Row 54 until there are 4 stitches on the needle.
Knit one row
Cast off 4 stitches

Weave in ends, block if desired, clean dirty dishes.

(This pattern is not original with me, but I don't remember where I first saw it. It is a common pattern...kind of like a garter stitch scarf, so no one can really take credit for it!)

Techno Knitting

I have an iPhone.

I love my iPhone for many reasons: the built in iPod, the built in GPS, constant email access, remote facebook access, internet at my fingertips, high quality camera, etc.

But now I have a NEW reason to love my iPhone: the "EweStash" app.

This app allows me to not only catalog and keep track of all the yarn in my stash by color, fiber, gauge, and yardage...it is also fully searchable, AND lets me take a picture of the skein with my phone to save with the record. It also has a section to catalog knitting needles and crochet hooks.

Needless to say, this is a library knitter's dream come true.

Now when I am out at the store, if I come across a pattern I can make sure I don't already have the yarn at home. And, once I use a skein, I just delete it from the stash!

I am in love.

Itty Bitty Knitty

I am apparently over at Preach and Psych's house often enough that their kids (Wiz, Spaz, and Angel) are totally over me. I am there so often that I even have an assigned seat on their living room floor. It doesn't matter whether I am there for Idol Night, Monday night Bible Study, the Oscars, or just cause, I always sit on the floor to the left of the fireplace, with my back against the wall. And I am almost always knitting. Angel doesn't even come look at me anymore, she just toddles around and occasionally throws a ball at my head.

A few weeks ago I noticed Wiz staring at me. Actually, to be more correct, he was staring at my hands. I could just tell what he was thinking. It was something along the lines of, "Hey, that doesn't look too hard. I bet I could do that!" So, I offered to show him how. I was working on Broseph's scarf at the time. Seeing as how he is their cousin and lives with them, I figured he wouldn't mind. Wiz ended up knitting a few stitches, proving to himself that he could do it, then he lost interest and went back to whatever tv show we had on at the time.

Well, last night was American Idol night, and so I found myself in my spot on the floor working on B1's birthday beret. Psych took Angel upstairs to bed, but Wiz and Spaz were allowed to stay downstairs for a while. (Which was good since I had brought ice cream cake over for them!)This time it was Spaz that was staring at me. All of a sudden he scooted over next to me and just kind of looked at me. I asked him if he wanted to try knitting. He nodded, and I had him crawl into my lap. With great concentration, he knit a stitch. The beret is seed stitch, and I was not about to teach him the difference between knitting and purling. We ended up knitting for a while, him in my lap, and alternating stitches. He did the knits, and I did the purls. It was, I kid you not, one of the sweetest things I have ever done. Blondie even snapped a couple pictures for me.

Eventually he lost interest and went back to his pillow. Still, several times throughout the night he came back to do a couple more stitches. At one point he rummaged around in my bag trying to find something he could do by himself. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything to give him. All I had on me was a lace scarf and my sweater.

After a few minutes of him rummaging, and Wiz watching us knit, I asked the boys if they would like me to bring them stuff to make their own scarves. They both nodded. Wiz, to be exact, actually said "That would be cool." So, next Tuesday I will bring 2 sets of small needles (I think I have some red heart kid's 8's and 9's somewhere), and a skein of blue yarn for Spaz, and a skein of green yarn for Wiz. I will probably go ahead and cast on for them both, and maybe even knit the first two rows or so, before I get there. Then, before we turn idol on, I will show them the knit stitch and set them free. Between Jester, Blondie, and I (all who will by that point be able to knit), we should be able to help them out. Even if they never finish the scarves, or if they only work on them when I am there, its OK. I am just excited that they were excited about it.

Rock Your Socks Off Storytime

I did a pajama time family story hour last night at one of the other library branches. I got to pick any theme I wanted, so I chose...SOCKS!!!

It was a LOT of fun. The program included:

New Socks by Bob Shea

Smitten by David Gordon

Where's My Sock by Joyce Dunbar

"Black Socks" (One of my favorite Girl Scout songs.)

An insanely long time dancing around like crazy people to "At the Hop"

And a flannel board that I did for a poem about socks that I found online.

I wore my crazy Sesame Street Socks and let all of the kids take their shoes off.

We even played a game where they had to put things in order from sheep to sock:

A stuffed sheep

Wool Roving

A Skein of Yarn

A partially knitted sock still on the needles

A finished sock

Some moms nearly had apoplectic fits as their children messed with the needles of the sock-in-progress. I quickly reassured them that it had been knit for demo only, and was not an actual project I was working on. (How crazy are they to think that I would actually let 3 year olds unravel an actual sock sock? Silly non-knitters!)

Happy New Year!

I rang in the New Year with all my friends from church. We threw a big party at the house. (And by "we," I really mean "they." With "they" being my foster family.)

I spent the evening doing all the things I love the most:
-Laughing and playing games with my friends. (We played Risk.)
-Getting hugs from the small folk.
-Snacking
-Knitting.

Yes, that is correct. It is quite possible to play Risk while working on a 2 row striped Noro scarf.

Was I mocked? Yes. Did I care? No.

Two last things:

1. It is astonishing to note how quickly people can become acclimated to your knitting in their presence. The guys: Broseph, Matador, and JoNo didn't even blink when I pulled out my needles.

2. Ark crawled into my lap part way through the evening and asked me if I was knitting a sock. Now, I realize that a 16 inch length of striped Noro scarf looks NOTHING like a sock...but every time I babysit Ark and his little brother Fish I bring a sock to work on. (They love watching me try it on, and giggle when my toes peep out the ends.) So, in Ark's little 4 year old mind needles and yarn=socks in progress...no matter what the project looks like!

COMPLETED!

My frequent buyer card is, as of 10:23 this morning, full! I now get $25 toward my next purchase! (And there is no minimum purchase amount. If I buy $26 worth of yarn, I only have to contribute $1 and the buyer card!)

Now, what to buy?

Does this mean I can finally give in and buy the hand-painted beaded silk that is over $50 a skein? (Pros: I will stop coveting and drooling every time I walk into the shop. Cons: I will still have to spend over $25 for the one skein which is not large enough to do anything with.)

Should I use it toward finally buying the yarn for the Abotanicity sweater I have been planning? (Pros: The sweater calls for a lot of sock yarn, and this would be a useful savings. Cons: The shop doesn't have enough of any one color way to make the sweater and I am not sure I can use the buyer card on special orders.)

Should I be practical and use it for needles or notions? (Pros: They have gorgeous Lantern Moon needles and Addi Turbos that are pricey. Cons: I already have a zillion needles and don't really need anymore.)

ARGH!!!! TOO MANY DECISIONS!!!!

I think it best if I just think on it for a while. Wouldn't want to do anything rash...the stash is already full of rash decisions!

Blimey! I Forgot About The Blarney!

So, after posting about the Bremerton Bamboo Stitch Socks, I realized that I never posted about the completed and beautiful Blarney Socks! HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN THESE GORGEOUS DARLINGS?!?!?

I worked on them during the spring grad school residency...and let me tell you, it is NOT easy to juggle circulars, yarn, and a cable needle on the bus.

I also worked on them while I had laryngitis last spring...thanks to Dad.

I am more proud of this particular pair of socks than any other pair I have ever made. In fact, I think I am more proud of them than I am of anything I have ever knit period!

Part of my pride comes from the fact that I developed the design myself. I took the pattern for the braids from my stitch-a-day calendar. I then infused it into the basic sock pattern that I got out of one of Mom's sock books. (I would give credit to the author, but I honestly don't remember...either Schurch or Bordhi...) So, while it is not an entirely original-from-scratch design, it is an original hybrid! (Kind of like rose breeders who don't try to reinvent the wheel...I cross pollinated!)

Anyway, I finished these before I moved...I think in May. Wish I had posted then. I took the pictures then.

I have a wonderful father!

I meant to post this earlier, and just forgot.

About an hour after I posted my previous entry about the woeful lack of a cable needle, my father came by my condo.

He had seen my needle sitting on the table and, knowing I was stuck at home, thought I might want it. So, along with some library books my mom had checked out for me, he brought it by on his way to the office.

He noted that it appeared a little the worse for wear, since both their cat and puppy had gotten a hold of it. He offered to buy me a new one if it was ruined.

It wasn't ruined. I got a lot done on the sock...and was able to put off frogging the baby cardigan yet again!

Isn't my dad the best?

Now What?

I had promised myself that I wouldn't work on any other projects till I finished the Blarney socks. In this way I hoped to avoid second sock syndrome. Today I am stuck at home with laryngitis and have some seriously glorious knitting time ahead of me.

The problem: I accidentally left my cabling needle at my parents' house, thereby rendering it very difficult to work on cabled socks.

Possible Solutions (and why they won't work):
1. Use one of my other cable needles. (The socks are knit on size 2's and the cable needles I have are all 8's and larger)
2. Use a double pointed needle. (Don't own any.)
3. Buy another cable needle. (Not supposed to leave home when you have called in sick to work...besides, what if the teller wanted to ask me a question...I have NO voice.)
4. Go get my cable needle from my parents' house (Same reason as above)

So what am I going to do? Bite the bullet and do the other project I have been avoiding...frog back the baby sweater with the twisted stitches...

And then maybe work on a scarf...

The end