Meet: SuperKnitter

Last week I threw a teen National Comic Book Day party at the library. One of the activities was to design your own super hero. Here is what I came up with.

Name: SuperKnitter

Powers: Advanced Knitting, Speed, Nimbleness, Accuracy with Knitting Notions (Yarn, Needles, Etc.), Extreme Intelligence

Origin of Powers: Knitting outside with metal needles, when a thunderstorm suddenly arose. The needles were struck by lightning.

Hometown: Downtown Seattle

Lair: Hidden Basement of a Local Yarn Shop

Transport: Souped-up High-Powered Orange Vespa

Gadgets: Yarn Rope, Crossbow that Shoots Double-Pointed Needles, Circular Needle Garrote

Enemies: Mothman, Crook Crochet, The Tangler

Catchphrases: You Made Me Drop A Stitch! By All the Fleeces in Scotland! Existential Yarn Boogers!

One Sock Off and One Sock On

I grafted the toe on the first Rivendell Sock last night...

I felt a great sense of accomplishment.

I then immediately cast the second Rivendell Sock on...

Lest I be tempted to do something else.

I didn't get much done on it. (Honestly, after the first row, I got nothing done on it.) But at least now I won't merrily start another pair before this pair is finished! And all those lovely skeins of OTHER sock yarn will be a great motivation to get this pair done so I can have the needles back!

Take that Second Sock Syndrome!

Now...Or Later

I am getting a lot of work done on Les Tuileries...

It is turning out beautifully.

Although, it is a wee bit of a pain having to alternate skeins every 2 rows. (Honestly, they had the same exact dye lot on the label, and looked the same when still skeined...once they were balls though...WOW...huge difference...I'm talking a difference you could drive a Mack truck through...)

The problem is, that I am not sure that the two skeins I have are going to be sufficient for the wrap I have envisioned. If they are not, I will need to introduce a third skein into the mix, alternating it every two rows with the remainder of original skein A, and then every 2 rows with the remainder of original skein B. Which means, I will need to get it now so that I can start the intermingling as soon as possible.

But I am on a budget.

And there is always the chance that the two original skeins WILL be sufficient, in which case I will have spent 20 odd dollars for nothing. AND I will be left with little bits of left over yarn in odd dye lots...

I'll probably just cave and buy another skein...Ugh.

Get Knittin' @ the Library 4 Kids

Yesterday afternoon was the first of two kids knitting programs I am doing at the library this month. (It is a one session beginning class being offered on two different dates.)

I had 13 kids show up, ranging from 2nd-5th grade. Miss-A and 1 volunteen helped. (We wore some of my handknit socks and got to be shoeless in the library!)

It was a LOT of fun.

We provided the yarn (red heart worsted rainbow variegated acrylic), but the kids had to bring their own needles. I had had teen volunteers cut and ball the yarn during the summer. We made VERY easy garter stitch bookmarks. Still, its amazing(and endearing) how many bloopers you can make when you are 7 and have never knit before...even when it is an easy pattern!

We had one child show up with double points, so I stuck a few rubber erasers on the end. We also had one show up with size 13 or 15...so I loaned her some 7's and at the end of the program we moved her knitting onto a pencil to take home.

The kids were very patient, with themselves and with us. They waited their turn for help without whining (which I REALLY appreciated!). We quickly learned some things...kids learn better by doing, not watching. I ended up sitting behind most of them and doing hands on hands teaching. I also learned that the variegated yarn was hard to work with if you started with the blue/purple bit...the yellow made for a better beginning.

Pattern: Cast on 7 stitches. Knit every stitch in every row until you have a bookmark length. Cast off.

Next Tuesday...same thing all over again...

Progress Report

I worked on the Rivendell Sock on Thursday at the Survivor Kick-Off/Very Late Birthday Celebration. I was already to the foot with the gusset finished, so I was very comfortable working on it in the dark.

I got to within a 1/2 inch of the toe decrease, then put it away.

I got it out again Saturday night when Twilight came over to watch Big Bang Theory. There in the light of my living room I saw it...a dropped stitch...I had dropped it almost 3 inches back, and it had run for about 6 rows.

GASP! The HORROR! GASP! (Too far back to pick up...unable to frog the socks...I would have to tink...for nearly 3 inches!)

Once the hyperventilating stopped...I put it away. Worked on a garter stitch scarf.

Sunday afternoon, I got down to business. I tinked. I tinked. I tinked some more. I tinked for 2 1/2 inches, till I was close enough to pick the stitch back up.

Here is the current progress:



I would celebrate more...except I realize that in addition to the remaining 3-4 inches of this sock that I have to REknit, I have still another whole sock to knit!

In Which I Attend ANOTHER Convention!

Belle invited me to go to a craft show with her in San Mateo yesterday.

Please note: a friend asked ME to go...I didn't drag along a friend.

Psych even volunteered to watch Ark, Fish, and Blossom so that Belle could have a much needed break.

Please note: Psych would rather supervise 6 kids under the age of ten than go to a craft show. That's saying something!

Well, we had a splendid time!

(Also, please note, that I showed extreme self control and walked away from several bolts of fabric and one particularly nice bag of cotton/silk blend yarn that was only $20 for 8 skeins...)

A Great Day!

Yesterday was a great knitting day...thanks to The Client.

The Client commissioned a scarf. As a result of that commission, yesterday I:

-Got to go to my LYS and buy yarn with SOMEONE ELSE'S money!

-Was able to fill my stash card at the LYS, which means I have a nice gift certificate to use the next time I go in!

-Had the perfect amount of yarn to wind on my nostepinde while I finished listening to my audio book, "Silverfin" by Charles Higson. (When the last CD ended, the last skein was wound.)

-Got to cast on a new original design...which is always exciting! I love trying out my own stuff!

All in all...a great day!