the quacking fiber addict

What I was planning to blog about. Bugrit. Instead, I offer the distraction of handspun yarn p0rn:


I love my new wheel. It has beautifully smooth action, and it spins laceweight easily. What more could I want, eh?

Oh, now I remember what I was planning on mentioning. I'm not quite in shock (okay, maybe a little) over the fact that Sock Knitters Anonymous now has 589 members on ravelry. I'm also not quite in shock over the fact that people actually want to take part of the year-long knitting challenge I suggested. It is a bit surprising how many knitters are interested.

But, I must admit, I am a bit shocked by how many indie yarn dyers and Etsy sellers have agreed to donate yarn and knitting goodies for monthly prizes and for our Mystery Sock designers to use with their patterns. Seriously, last I heard from our great and wise Sockdown prize mod (Maia) we had 15 skeins of yarn donated and assorted sundry other goodies.

The challenge doesn't start until August.

Someone pinch me.

Labels: le Tour de Fleece 2007, ravelry, SKA

And you just might hear the 'thud!' of my mother falling off of the wagon.

She tried to get a prescription for a narcotic today. Luckily the doctor was either incredibly clever or unbelievably incompetent, because he wrote the prescription out incorrectly. None of us tried to stop her from doing this since we didn't know about it until it was too late.

The next week or two should be interesting. In a gum-gnashing, nail-biting, snippy sort of way.

I really wish someone would hire me already.

Until then, though, I shall knit like I'm being paid for it. Below are the Mystery Stole and my new traveling sock:


This sock is much better behaved than my last traveling socks and will thus be rewarded somehow. If you have any ideas on how to reward a sock, let me know.

Moving on. The landlord came by today, approved everything we'd done, and then left - all within 5 minutes. He's definitely my kind of landlord.

The Peace Corps was not so obliging. Upon inquiring as to my medical clearance status, I received this reply from my medical screening aide:

Greetings,
At this time, your medical file will need further review by our staff specialist. After the specialists have completed their review a letter, confirming the status of your medical review will be sent.
Regards,

X-X-X

I then called my medical screening aide, only to find that he wasn't in his office and still hasn't returned my call. Nice. I'm really going to have to start hounding these people more.

Good news? SKA has 350+ members on ravelry and we're starting a year-long sock challenge in August. I've even received a positive reply from the designer I contacted in regards to contracting a Mystery Sock pattern for this fall/ winter.

Bad news? Er, I'm officially terrified of my Bloglines subscription page. I'm so far behind on my feeds that I'm into the triple digits. I have a feeling that I've missed some important stuff, too. I've also not managed to send out Crimson's prize or Bulldogknit's goodies for her son. I also haven't forgotten the VACANT 1506 challenge, I'm just really really far behind on my plans. Expect it to emerge sometime in 2010 at this rate.

Someone please kick me.

Labels: cast on, Peace Corps, SKA, travelling sock(s), WIP

True to my word, I BO the last stitch on Bean's second bootie right as the previews started before HPatOP. I also only had 12" of yarn left. Is that kizmit or what?

The movie was fantastic. It is widely known that I strongly disapprove of the 1st and 3rd movies, for many reasons. But I liked this latest director's take on the HP universe - the Death Eaters were much cooler this time (in an evil sort of way), as was the Order (loved Tonks and Shacklebolt). The interpretation of the relationships of the 3 was closer to the way I read the books - neither saccharine nor sexual. I also approved of the actress who played Luna (great job) and the twins were as fun as ever. The special effects were even more impressive than the last movie. The final 30 mins are perfectly described as an apocalypse.

Go and see it. You'll definitely get your money's worth, and it'll be so much more entrancing on a large screen.

Moving on. Booties done meant I could spin for the Tour when I got home:


I love my charkha, but am even more excited to announce that Sheila at Journey Wheel emailed me today to let me know that my wheel would start it's journey to me tomorrow. Once I calm down enough, I'll send her a reply that goes beyond "SQUEE".

After that I got down to some knitting, and am very annoyed to report that I'm going to have to frog these two socks-IP:


Stretched, they'll fit a 7" foot. As my foot is 8" around... *sigh*. I think the sock yarn is punishing me for quitting on Titania's Revenge. I may just have to re-CO. Later. Much, much later. For now, I'll frog, rewind the ball, and CO a different pair of socks with different yarn.

Aaand, to cheer myself up I'll check the SKA on ravelry - last count was at 240 members.

Labels: charkha, frogging, le Tour de Fleece 2007, movie review, SKA

I don't know what's in the water or subliminal messages right now, but everyone in the family is so snippy. A person can't say the sky is blue without someone taking offense, "Did I say it wasn't?"

Oy. I ran away to the PDX Knit-Bloggers meet-up at Knit/ Purl today, just to escape the egg-shell covered floor. The ladies were very nice, very cheerful, and quite rowdy - I could hear them in the basement when I walked into the store.

Which reminds me. I found their group on ravelry, which I finally got invited onto last night! I'm so addicted. I've been searching patterns, adding pictures, and puttering about every spare moment I can. There are tons of lace knitters on already, so it's nice to see what they're working on and what they've got queued as well.

And, because they've started a new 'groups' section (and have asked for people to start groups of their own), I made up one: Sock Knitters Anonymous. Like any other group, we've got our 12 steps:

1. We admitted we were powerless over our desire to hand-knit socks and stash sock yarn.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our LYSes as we understood Them.
4. Made a searching and fearless accurate inventory of Stashes.
5. Admitted to ravelry, to ourselves, and to other human beings the exact nature of our sock addiction.
6. Were entirely ready to frog any defects of knitting.
7. Humbly asked for knots to be removed from our skeins, hanks, and balls of yarn.
8. Made a list of all patterns we had started, stashed for, or designed on cocktail napkins, and became willing to start/ finish them all.
9. Finish sock WIPs wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them, the yarn, needles, ourselves, or others.
10. Continued to keep a stash inventory and when we buy more sock yarn, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through trial and error to improve our conscious contact with sock knitting we understood It, praying only for knowledge of Turning Heels and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other sock knitters, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

C'mon and join if you're on ravelry. Also, friend me if you're on, please! I've lost track of all the members I know online and my puter is soooo slow that searching is nigh impossible :(

Labels: family, ravelry, SKA