the quacking fiber addict

“With fingers weary and worn,
With eyelids heavy and red,
A woman sat in unwomanly rags,
Plying her needle and thread -
Stitch! stitch! stitch!”
~ Thomas Hood (1799-1845)

That about covers my physical state and mental condition right now. It's the wrong time of the month for me to eat anything but chocolate or mint-flavoured ice cream. Eugh. But, in spite of my "puny" condition, I have made progress on the Last Minute socks:


So-called because I cast these on at the beginning of the week (or there-abouts) because I wanted to get some socks done, but didn't want to work out the logistics of the Socktoberfest Tutorial I promised. It's due sometime next week or so, which means I've still got some time, and I swear I've been thinking about it. I haven't figured out how I'm going to photograph it all, but that'll come to me eventually, right? Suggestions are always loverly, btw.

Anyway, the socks. Yeah. Over halfway through the heel-flaps, doing the Eye of the Partridge stitch pattern for sturdiness (and to mix things up, I admit). I like the Mosaic pattern from Here Be Wyverns (I do!) but it can get a bit old. It only has 10 rows in a repeat (I feel so affected here, in a truly ridiculous sense). But, I think I can get the socks done in time to make the tutorial now that I'm to the heel. The foot always goes at least twice as fast as the cuff (can't figure that out). There must be some Law of Sock Knitting Physics of Time and Space or something.

Again, a clue or hint would be great from anyone in "the know". I should marry a physicist.

Umm.. ah, yes. The SKB is coming along. I am 7 rows away from finish the body (rejoicing!!) and then I'll be onto the sleeves (oh, thank you, knitting fairies). I can't wait to wear this thing and all that. It's so soft and fuzzy and warm. Which is very surprising as I got the yarn for under $30 all together - gotta love sales at Michaels.

I am about ready to give up on knitting Dylan's gansey out of my handspun. The handspun in question is evil. It is possessed by some sort of demonic spirit. It will not behave. I'm heading over to the Knit Shop tomorrow anyway to help an acquaitance on Craftster with a sock problem - so I might just check out some machine washable yarns for this fVcking gansey. Please do excuse my... well, whatever that was.

Also, to destress, I have started another bobbin of lace-weight. This also serves the dual purpose of providing me with experimental yarn. There is a debate going on (across the net and in local knitting meetings) over whether or not I should use handspun singles or plied handspun for my Wedding Ring Shawl (when I get to it, anyway) so I'm spinning up my blond baby camel down and trying it out. The traditional Shetland shawls were usually knit with singles... so, yeah, worth a shot. And plying lace-weight yarn is such a pain.

That's it. It's nearly 2 am. I want to sleep. I need to sleep, in order to go and help a knitter with some socks...