the quacking fiber addict

Because yesterday was so traumatic, I promised myself that I could CO any project I wanted, free of guilt. I didn't get the chance to last night - I spent the rest of the evening frogging my Titania's Revenge. The pattern is great, but I'm just not together enough to knit it right now. Sooo... different sock project. And a different lace project.


I've been wavering on the subject of the Mystery Stole 3 for several days, after seeing it on Sunflowerfairy's blog. When the Harlot mentioned that the deadline to join was tomorrow, I seized my "guilt-free CO" card and went for it. I'm signed up, I've printed out the info and Clue 1. This evening at Knit/ Purl's Sip 'n' Knit Night, I even bought both yarn and needles for it - 3.4 oz of silvery grey bamboo by Habu Textiles and US 3 Addi lace needles.

I have to say I've finally figured out the reasoning behind the Sip 'n' Knit Night - the workers at K/P are devious creatures. They give us glasses of champagne, leave us in the presence of luscious yarns and stay open for an extra 3 hours.



After Opus and I browsed, spent too much money and played in the yarn, I got Opus to get a shot of my cotlin camisole:


ETA*: PROJECT SPECS

• Yarn: Knit Picks Cotlin in "Royal Plum"
• Needles: 40" Denise circulars, 4 mm/ US 6
  
• Gauge: 5.5 sts/ inch in stockinette
  
• Size: 42" bust
  
• Pattern: I made it up as I went
• Recipient: ME!
• Date started: April 5, 2007
  
• Date finished: July 3, 2007

I swear to you, it looks more flattering in person. We had a heck of a time taking a picture of it. Oy. But it's done, it fits, and it's comfortable to wear. S'enough for me.

Other news? I finally have my little package for Bulldogknits done, and Crimson's prize ready (yes, I am very very slow). I'm working on the package for Stephieface and Beans and TheBon's prizes next. I've even taken to carrying the booties-in-progress with me everywhere, I swear. The lace shan't distract me too much.

I hope.

*edited to add

Labels: finished object, MS3, Sip'n'Knit

I finished the Seaside socks for Mum this afternoon, between rushing around unpacking more and more boxes. A guy at Knit/Purl expressed interest in the pattern last night, so I thought I'd type it up.

Credit: Crest O' The Waves is an old Shetland lace pattern (I found it in Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns). And I used this really cool FREE knit chart program to make the two lace charts. Here we go...


SIZE

• Adult women's M (change the gauge to change sizes - 8 sts/ inch would be ideal for a woman's L/ men's S, etc)
  

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

• Circumference (unstretched): approx. 7 inches
• Will stretch to comfortably fit up to 9 inches.

MATERIALS

• Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock [80% superwash merino, 20% nylon; 215yd per 2oz skein]; 2 skeins "Seaside" colourway
• 1 set US #1.5/2.5mm double-point needles
• Tapestry needle
• Cable needle or stitch holder

GAUGE

• 36 sts = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

NOTES:
The pattern is written for 1 sock/ 2 circs. For information on how to knit 2 socks/ 2 circs, visit my Socktoberfest tutorial. To convert the pattern to 5 DPNS: circ#1 = N2, N3; circ#2 = N1, N4.

The Cuff Crest O' The Wave lace pattern is worked over a multiple of 12 sts (in the round):

R1: K across
R2: P across
R3: K across
R4: P across
R5, 7, 9, 11: *K2tog, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, K1, YO, K1, YO, SSK, SSK, K1* across
R6, 8, 10, 12: K across

The Instep Crest O' The Wave lace pattern is worked over 35 sts (or a multiple of 12 + 11 sts):

R1: K across
R2: P across
R3: K across
R4: P across
R5, 7, 9, 11: *K2tog, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, K1, YO, K1, YO, SSK, SSK, K1* TWICE, K2tog, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, K1, YO, K1, YO, SSK, SSK
R6, 8, 10, 12: K across

PATTERN:
Cuff:

• CO 72 sts, divided evenly between 2 circular needles (36 sts each)
• Work 6 repeats of the Cuff Crest O' The Wave pattern (72 rows total)
• Work rows 1 - 11 Cuff lace pattern again
• On row 12 (a knit row), move the last stitch on circ#1 (the K1 st between dec's) to circ#2. Circ#1 will have 35 sts, circ#2 37.
• Knit across circ#1

Heel: (worked on circ#2)

• Row 1: *Sl1, K1* to last st, end K1
• Row 2: Sl1, P across
• Repeat Rows 1 & 2 17 more times (total of 36 rows)

Turn:

• K 21, SSK, K1, turn
• Sl1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn
• Sl 1, K to 1 st before gap, SSK, K1
• Sl 1, P to 1 st before gap, P2tog, P1
• Continue working heel (dec'ing 1 st per row) until all sts have been worked. End with P row.

GUSSETS:

• K across heel sts, pick up and k 18 chain sts + 1 st between heel and instep (prevents gap/ hole)
• On circ#1: P across instep sts (Row 2 of instep lace pattern)
• On circ#2: pick up and knit 1 st between heel and instep + 18 chain sts. (94 sts TOTAL). Knit across heel sts, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
• Circ#1: K across (Row 3 of instep lace pattern)
• Circ#2: K1, SSK, K across
• Circ#1: Purl across (Row 4 of instep lace pattern)
• Circ#2: K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1
• Circ#1: Work row 5 of lace pattern, ending with SSK on 3rd repeat
• Continue decreasing gusset sts on circ#2 and working instep lace pattern on circ#1, until 70 sts remain - 35 sts on each.

FOOT:

Continue in instep lace pattern on circ#1, and K across circ#2 until foot measures from heel 2" less than desired length.

TOE:

• Row 1 (starting with circ#1): K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1
• Row 2: K across
• Repeat Rows 1 & 2 until 19 sts remain.
• Repeat Row 2 until 9 sts remain.
• Using Kitchner st, graft sts on circ#1 to circ#2.

Repeat for second sock, unless you followed my tutorial ;D Please drop me a line if you finish one, a pair, find mistakes, or have comments!

Tomorrow: another contest and Titania's Revenge!

Labels: finished object, pattern, socks

Most of the time I'm a process knitter - I knit for the simple pleasure of knitting. But every so often I want something for myself. The Shibui socks were a good example of that. I immediately (and selfishly) wanted the yarn for me, and now there is no way in hell I'm parting with my new Jaywalkers:






Project Specs:

• Yarn: Knit/Purl's Shibui Sock in "Spectrum"
• Needles: 2 22" Addi Turbos, 2.5 mm/ US 1
  
• Gauge: 8 sts/ inch in stockinette
  
• Size: 8" foot circumference
  
• Pattern: Magknits' Jaywalker by Grumperina
• Recipient: ME!
• Date started: May 29, 2007
  
• Date finished: June 11, 2007
  

I finished them this morning, and showed them off to everyone who'd stand still long enough. Dad was the most appreciative of the bunch, strangely enough. I wore them to Madame de Farge's, but the place was nearly deserted. Jodie was there with a couple others, but we definitely had the place to ourselves.

The four of us (Jodie, Emmos, St M and I) plotted for this year's Sheep-to-Shawl, but the info's Top Secret, sorry. I think. I dunno, I certainly don't feel in charge. I hope St M or Emmos knows what they're doing...

Ahwell. It's all for fun anyway.

In other news, knitting news again, I decided not to let my Addi's languish and immediately cast on another pair of socks. Well, actually, first I cast on Pomatomus with my Lorna's Laces "Seaside" (Shepherd Sock yarn):


But, 2" in, it looked horrible. Bad. Really, really bad. "Ne'er the twain shall should meet" bad. So, *sigh*, I ripped. And cast on another two socks (different pattern) to make my life easier. I picked an old Shetland lace motif from Barbara Walker's "A Treasury Of Knitting Patterns" and went with it. Progress pix to follow...

Major packing tomorrow, wish me luck, I'm gonna need it.

Labels: cast on, finished object, knitting, socks

I look like a chipmunk with mumps, but all is well. Thank you, everyone, for your well wishes and kind words. I really, really wish I could just eat solid food, right now.

Otherwise? Not too bad. Even better news... actually, I have a lot. First, I received two images from my sister of baby T in her new sweater, the prototype wraplan - making it an official FO:


I'm definitely going to have to change the pattern - the button band was completely wonky and the edge kept curling (despite ribbing), but it looks cuter than a bug's ear. Project specs:

• The pattern: my own
• Knitting start date: I have no idea. December-ish, 2006?
  
• Finish date: March 25, 2007
  
• The yarn: Jo-Ann's Bellezza "Smania" (which, incidentally, I do NOT recommend)
  
• The needles: US 5's Denise needles
  
• The size: 12 month old, 24" (ish)
  
• Knitting techniques: continental, flat body, DPN sleeves, intarsia for baseball-sleeves.
  

And the other good news? Sheila, kind soul at Journey Wheel, contacted me to let me know that one of their customers is selling her DT Journey Wheel (w/ case and extra bobbins) for much, much less that I'm scheduled to pay for the new one. She offered to have Jonathan look it over and fix it up for me, before sending it over - IF I want it.

Of course I want it! Hopefully, I'll actually get it. How cool is that? I love these people, they're very friendly and trying so hard to help me (and all their customers) out.

And that is all. Now we're set to go and watch a movie, while my face swells even more. I should get a picture of this. Give everyone over the nets a laugh.

Labels: baby T, finished object, knitting, The Move, wraplan

Just got back from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

WHOA. It was amazing. I read a bad review of it and was extremely anxious going in, but the ponce who dared to insult it's film-making genius needs to be locked in the brig, if you ask me.

LOVED the (Greek) mythology. LOVED Sparrow this time around (every time, if I'm completely honest). LOVED Elizabeth this time (don't always). LOVED Chow Yun-Phat. LOVED Kieth Richards as Jack's father. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THE ENTIRE FILM.

DISLIKES? None, really. The beginning was painfully honest and historically accurate for the most part *grimace* (it may not be appropriate for some children, beware the PG-13 rating!!). The scenes in Singapore are confusing at first, but make sense over time. The end was bittersweet (ooh, there's your spoiler). But, all in all, I really loved the entire thing. The editing was tight, and everything was explained eventually.

Oh. Be sure to stay past the credits. There's some gooey sweetness.

How did we (St M, Mum, Emm, and I) manage to see it a day early? Mum saw an advertisement for a, well I guess, sneak(?) preview. Because there were only, like, 2 commercials for said sneak(?) preview last night the show wasn't sold out! There were actually seats empty.

Crazy, huh?

And of course I wore the tricorn. I finished sewing the trim on about 5 minutes before we left to pick up St M (who was in costume). I got, before we set sail, Emm to model the FO for a shot:




I think I will change the front 'horn' or 'point', now that I think about it.

But, that's done. I've already started another Top Secret knitting project, gotten beads for the Sheep-to-Shawl competition, and yarn arrived in the mail today (I'm in the legal clear, I ran out of yarn previously in the stash! ... sorta).

Now, I really ought to go to sleep, so I can get up early in the morning - we're heading to Portland to, er, 'close' on the lease to the house we're going to be renting for the next year...

Labels: felting, finished object, movie review

I have to say that the pattern was fun, but I hate stockinette heels. Next time, I'll just change it. The yarn was lovely, and even though I knit it from the inside and outside of the skein - the stripes matched up perfectly. Until the heels. Then they reversed for a short period. But the socks went back to matching after the insteps, so I'm happy, and the weird arches are growing on me. TheBon was kind enough to take a couple of shots for me (she even reminded me, too):



Pattern Specs:

• The Pattern: Monkey (from Knitty)
• Knitting Start Date: April 15, 2007
• Finish Date: April 26, 2007
• The Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, "African Grey"
• The Needles: 2 Addi Turbo 24" US 1 circular needles
• The Size: 8"/ Women's M
• Knitting Technique: Continental, 2 socks on 2 circs
  

So, yay, they're done, but I kinda miss working on them. I need to cast on another pair of socks (just to have to tote around, if not for any other reason), but I'm having trouble choosing a pattern. (suggestions are always welcome)

Umm, quick timeline, before I pass out from exhaustion:

1. I finally fell asleep after 4 am (it was one of those horrible things where I couldn't sleep because I needed to sleep)
2. I got up at 7:45 am exactly (eugh)
3. I arrived at TheBon's appt at 8:30-ish.
4. We went to meet with the seamstress that's altering TheBon's gown. She was very personable and seemed quite competent and sensible. She agreed with TheBon's request to remove her train. The gown's gonna be gorgeous.
5. We went and got breakfast and then skiddadled over to VRC (local mall) to look for men's ties for the Best Man. After dawdling in the knitting section at Barnes and Noble (my fault) and a massive hunt (3 stores!!), we admitted defeat. Men don't wear ties very often in Eugene.
6. We got lunch, TheBon photographed my socks and we ended up parting ways
7. At 2:30 pm, I arrived home and collapsed. I was woken later for The Move stuff.
8. We watched The Prestige again. It made much more sense this time, and I had to admit that the film editing might be the best I've seen. It was very tight.
9. And here I sit, typing, ready for bed. So, nightnight.

(also, yep, we watched the deleted scenes, and outakes, of The Boondock Saints - very funny!)

Labels: finished object, friends, socks, update

Just to prove that I am not completely fixated on teeny, tiny gauged things (hey, I was starting to wonder, myself). Last night I just couldn't even look at my knitting projects any longer. They were slowly driving me insane. So, as I dug around in my stash I found 3 balls of complimentary yarn (oh, alright, I bought the blue to compliment the purple on purpose) and uncovered a pattern they were perfect for:


The Stripy Beret from the July 2006 issue of Simply Knitting. Project specs?

• Yarns: Garnstudio Silk/ Alpaca (yarn A) - it was the yarn from my second Magic Yarn Ball - and Nashua Julia (yarn B), which I bought to match the Garnstudio. Both are obscenely soft and luscious. I had to resist the urge to rub myself against it on the needles. I didn't bother to resist the urge after it was finished...
• Needles: US 7's and 10's
• Gauge: 16 sts & 20 Rs (to a 4" square) on larger needles
• Size: er... mine?
  
• Pattern: Stripy Beret by Claire Vallans
• Recipient: ME!
• Knitting time: 5 hours, max

Now all I need to do is put on the finishing touch - the embellishment to pin down the fold permanently. Right now I like the flower that Crimson crocheted for me (pictured) - but I'm worried about it clashing or being too big. Opinions? I always can use one of our "one of a kind" antique buttons, but I've been wanting to use the flower Crimson made me for a while now, on a hat in particular (because I'm all about the funky hats, man).

So, yeah. Cast your vote.

Next. The Move stuff is going well. I packed up over a dozen boxes of stuff today, and moved another dozen. My back and knees hurt so much by the end of the day, I was moving around like a little old lady. Blech. At least I got to knit afters, though.

And, thank you everyone for the encouragement. I'm really going to have to be disciplined about my eating now. I also need to get more active exercise (moving boxes doesn't really count). I wanted to take the dog for a walk (I miss walking), but hurt too much by the end of the day...

Oy. Maybe tomorrow.

Labels: finished object, knitting, The Move

Hark! Hear my rejoicing (albeit far away). Little D's gansey is finally "finished". Remember his gansey? The sweater that took 3 times (1st, 2nd, 3rd) to block? Well, I received "action" shots of it today from my sister, A, and have to share them:


And, just because, project specs:

• Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (colour: Malibu)
• Needles: US 6's, I think.
• Gauge: 5.5 sts/ inch
• Size: 30" chest (10-year-old size, supposedly)
• Pattern: err... I cobbled one together using Knitting in the Old Way, The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, and sheer insanity.
• Recipient: Little D, my nephew
• Date started: October 14, 2006
• Date finished: December 7, 2006 (I am so glad I have a blog to document this stuff!)
  

And it's DONE!! I'd run around squeeing like a madwoman, but I'm tired (yeah, I did nothing today) and haven't finished typing up this post. Other good news?

Hrm. The kitchen is painted (even if it does smell like wet paint and I can't cook anything: yay!). I have two rows done on the lace border for Mum's shawl (only 14 to go!). I'm nearly to the heels of the Spox (er... woot?). And, hehehe, I think someone might have a crush on... a friend (no, I won't tell you who, she reads this blog) (I can't believe I even wrote the word "crush", that is so bloody high school) (It's just a thought, I may be crazy, but...) If he does, he'd better make a move before I leave for Africa, cuz I reserve the right to torment my friends' b/f's to strengthen their characters.

And that's about it. I want to go and spin that pink batt.

(Oh, and I have some slight 'bad' news. I fell off the wagon. But that is for another post!)

Labels: family, finished object, gansey, knitting, little D

Now welcom somer, with thy sonne softe
That hast this wintres weders over-shaker
And driven awey the longe nightes blake!
(attributed to Chaucer, sung by the Mediaeval Baebes)

Before we get to the terrifying weeds, let us rejoice over a finished object! (and sun, sun is good) I finished the wraplan for baby T tonight! It's currently blocking in the laundry room, but here's a pic of it after being steamed for the purposes of being photographed:


It's done! It's done! Project specs:

• Yarn: JoAnn Sensations Bellezza: Smania
• Gauge: 5 sts/ inch on US 8's
• Size: 12 months/ 22" (I think, I'd have to check)
• Started: I have absolutely no idea
• Finished: March 25, 2007
• Recipient: baby T

I'm gonna try and send it by the end of the week, and demand a modeled photograph. I still haven't gotten a pic of little D in the gansey, and I need to mention that to A.

Stuff that happened earlier today:

1. As I went through my Peace Corps medical eval forms I noticed that one of the forms wasn't signed by my general practitioner. I will. Not. Scream.
2. I actually, finally!, got a load of laundry done.
3. I got a nasty splinter in my foot whilst weeding and paring down The Beast (also known as our passion fruit vine):

I also managed not to scream when I saw these little pests on the side of my garden waste bin:



At the sharp pain in my foot and severe heeby-jeebies, I went inside. Sat down and knit (finished) baby T's wraplan. While working away, Dad and I watched 3 episodes of Planet Earth. It was really good. The photography was amazing. And Sigourney Weaver makes a great narrator.

Then we watched the series finale of ROME. Twas good. But, I feel incumbent to mention, not entirely accurate. But good. Poor Vorenus. I also have to mention that I didn't like how they made Augustus seem like a sociopath. But, again, otherwise quite good. It's sad to see it end.

Also, I have to agree with Maura. I think that An Inconvenient Truth would have been better (and a little less, well, manipulative) without Gore's life story and personal tragedies on display. That was just tacky.

And that is all. I think I shall spin a bit.

Labels: finished object, gardening/ weeding, knitting, wraplan

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”
Henry Ward Beecher

I am so sleepy. I meant to write a nice, long, post to make up for my paltry updates lately. To make up for my incoherency, I come bearing pictures (I actually managed to get pictures from my digicam to the desktop). First of all, a picture of me and baby T literally 5 minutes before we left to get me on my plane:


And, here is a picture of Boston Harbor (WA) on the Peninsula. Right before sunset, ahhh, salt water:


And here's the hat and wrist warmers I knit for Mum, using Malabrigo kettle-dyed merino yarn:


They took me all of, maybe, 6 hours of knitting. I love quick knits. They're very soft, and cheered Mum up considerably (major achievement, all things considered).

In other news, I mailed my Hogwarts Houses Swap parcel to my partner today. It should arrive in two days. Hopefully, my partner won't think I'm a total freak since I got a little too into the Wizarding spirit. It was too much fun not to.

In Knitting News, I have 3 inches on my silk pullover. I'm going to rip out my socks for the third time. I'm thinking of ripping the original La Primavera stole. I don't have enough of the yarn, so I'm going to try again with my new Lorna's Laces Helen.

And, err, I've forgotten everything else. Something to do with the new Colbert ice cream? Hrm. Ahwell. I'll try again tomorrow. Night night.

Labels: baby T, finished object, travel

Before that, as we watched American Idol (just don't ask), I worked with A on her knitting. She had just finished casting on:


And was, quite reasonably, please with herself. So, she called out to K, "Look at this beauty I have wrought!" (or something similiar). To which K replied, "I love you," and went back to her computer. "She's humoring me," A explained. "That's what she always says when she thinks I'm being silly." A looked back up and called, "Yes, my love, but you don't understand the complexity of my achievement!"

I think K actually raised one eyebrow, but dutifully came over to see what all the fuss was about. Watching A cast on another couple of stitches, K looked more impressed. "Huh. Now how do you make another row on top of that?"

"We haven't gotten that far." Right. So, I showed A and she knit a couple of rows (slowly but surely). K leaned over her shoulder, watching curiously, and finally declared, "I want to try that!"

So, she did. And to our bemusement, she started knitting:


A and I looked at each other. "Wow," was all I said. I think A muttered something under her breath. But, she complimented K on picking it up so fast.

It's amazing how humbling teaching someone to knit can be. I think it took me a full 15 minutes for me to knit my first stitch. It didn't take K 15 seconds. Nor A, admittedly. Finally, K gave A her knitting back. A proceeded to knit through AI to the end of LOST (occassionally crying out for help) as I knit a button placket and sewed on the buttons for K's socks, err, spocks.

Oh, and at some point therein, we blocked little D's gansey for the third time. Let me retype that. THE THIRD TIME. This jumper is going to be the death of me:


Something we can't say for A this morning. Somehow she has the stomach flu (half of the office does apparently), and is lying in bed. K and I have taken Airborne. Heaven help us.

Darn, I have to make Hamentashen. And something garlicky for A to eat...

Labels: family, finished object, knitting, socks, travel

“Happiness, that grand mistress of the ceremonies in the dance of life, impels us through all its mazes and meanderings, but leads none of us by the same route.”
Charles Caleb Colton

I was awoken bright and early this morning by the cleaners arriving to scour the house (A and K engaged a company while A was pregnant). I dressed in a hurry and helped keep baby T occupied for the duration:


Then, once she was down for her nap, we returned to the cleaner living room whereupon I noticed that A was wearing the socks I finished for her last night. I demanded a photograph:

Project specs:
Yarn: Knit Picks Dancing in Jig
Pattern: ... what pattern?
Gauge: 8 sts per inch
Date started: January 7, 2007
Date finished: February 25, 2007

After a whole bunch of errands (done after baby T woke up) (and, OMG, the staff at that Thai restaurant were so funny, we're amazed the chef didn't come out to play with baby T), A and I sat down for a knitting lesson at Starbucks, during little D's piano lesson. We didn't get very far because this one:


proceeded to fall apart whenever A picked up her needles. Coincidence? We thought not. Whatever the reason, we didn't get past the cast on stage. I think I'm going to try again in a bit. I had to lay down once we got back because I was on the cusp of a migraine (was seeing auras).

So, that's it. More tomorrow. I have a sock pattern to try out.

Labels: baby T, finished object, knitting, socks, travel

Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.
Alexander Pope

Walked 3 miles today. Visited TKS. Bought a Lantern Moon wrist bag in pink taffeta. Love it. Highly recommend it.

St M came over for dinner and dyeing tonight. We're playing with the banana silk and cotton dyes. We went for a walk to get me chocolate (none in the house) for medicinal purposes and took Charlie with us. Charlie made a friend, named Duffy, along the way. Duffy followed us home. We called Duffy's human friend (aka "owner") who was worried about Duffy. We took Duffy inside to wait.





Duffy's owner showed up, he and Duffy demonstrated several tricks and offered to fix our furnace should we ever need it :D Then we went back to knitting...




I've assigned everyone their partners for the Hogwarts Houses Swap, made that pollo pomodoro soup, and made it to my Peace Corps dental eval today. I'm calling it a night. Loodles.

Labels: Charlie, chemo cap, finished object, knitting

I'll buy my love some flannel, I'll make my love a shroud
And every stitch I put in it, the tears they will pour down
With every stitch I put in it, how the tears will flow
Cruel fate has put an end to his growing
Anon/ traditional

I have no idea why, but this ballad appeals to me tonight.

Anyway. The Tea Cozy Hat is finished. TheBon kindly offered to photograph it for me, and the tiny bit of yarn that I had left once it was finished (eep!):





Can you tell which one was taken by me and the other by TheBon? I bet you can, her's doesn't suck ;D

And back to business. Lemme see, lemme see. Quick update:

• I still need to make that soup
• La Primavera stole is coming along nicely. Alas, I might need more yarn... Oy.
• An accord has been reached with the parents. The finally agree that the possibility of me not getting hired at MoC will not cause the Apocalypse. We have agreed that my tickets to SF WILL be bought tomorrow, come Hell or high water. Seriously. I don't care if I have to stand down Satan himself at this point.
• The Corset-A-Long starts tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.
• 22 participants in the Hogwarts Houses Swap
• I am a bad organizer, or was, for the Handspun Swap. I'm not nagging enough, I admit it.
• I just may have to strangle Bon's MIL
• Rome and Extras kick @ss this season
• The Guild is going to start meeting at Starbucks now, instead of on campus.
• And my foot is feeling much better now, thank you everyone, and hopefully I shall somehow manage to make it to 100 mi by April 1 despite my recent bipedal issues.

Nightnight.

Labels: finished object, friends, guild, handspun

Blemishes are hid by night and every fault forgiven; darkness makes any woman fair.
Ovid

Would that I could only show my face during the night, eh? I'm having an epic outbreak of just awful acne right now. It's really NOT fair, I tell you, since I never had any skin problems through my teens. The moment I hit twenty, my skin decided to go on strike.

Blech.

Anyway.

In happier news, I got my Winter Handspun Yarn Swap package from darlingbud today:


I'm madly in love with the merino (and would have loved to have kept the black, but that's another story). I'm trying to figure out what to do with the 140 yards I have now. Oh, and look!, a closeup:


Also, I finally found out that Crimson got my extremely and embarassingly late Christmas package today (Damn you, Bloglines! They actually deleted several of my fav blogs from my blogroll... so if I haven't commented in a while, that's why). Here's the pix, if you're bored enough to look at my terrible sewing skills. And I WANT that Snape shirt, OMG.

No mileage today. My ankle's still a little achy. But I have every confidence that I shall be able to start up on the challenge again tomorrow.

Umm, I've forgotten everything I was gonna write. Oops? Maybe I'll remember tomorrow night...

Labels: craft swaps, finished object, handspun

How cunningly nature hides every wrinkle of her inconceivable antiquity under roses and violets and morning dew!
Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's no secret that my favourite colour combination is pink and violet. Which might explain why I am completely pink and violet in the picture below:


I knit up a pair of mitts today, using some handspun yarn I've been battling ever since I started spinning it. It was too scratchy for a neck warmer, and I found out mid-hat that I didn't have enough for a hat. Mitts seemed to be the easiest solution. Thus, I ignored housework, swap projects, family presents and even eating to knit these up and finish them.

Clearly, I need a break from something.

If only I could figure out what.

Labels: finished object, handspun

The tones of gray, pale turquoise and pink will prevail.
Christian Dior

Aside from it being my favorite colour, I'm tickled pink by this photograph TheBon took whilst battling my ancient digicam:


It's always nice to know that it is it and not you. And to prove that some adjectives just don't fully express the absolute dejected nature of Eugenian winter weather.

Anyway. Today was interesting. Bon and I kidnapped St M from TKS for lunch today (we didn't make it far as it was quite nippy and I'm apparently more cold sensitive than I'd realised). At some point, on a chocolate run, Bon and I went outside (brrr) to take some "action shots" of the clapotis and lace mitts. I think I'm going to salvage my bruised pride (we shan't talk about my recent weight gain), by putting my favorite shot first:


Right before we dashed back inside, so I might regain feeling in my appendages, Bon took two pix of my lace mitts. I have to include them both cuz I'm just crazy that way, and I like the angle of the first one:




Aside from freezing half to death and consuming too much chocolate (I assure you it was for medicinal purposes), I also helped Bon pick out yarn for Eunny's Anemoi mittens. She's gonna have the most kick@ss mittens ever. Seriously.

And, brownie point to me!, I actually managed to escape the yarn shop without buying yarn. I did buy a book (First Book of Modern Lace Knitting). I also looked through every lace book they had, and put 'em back. Including Victorian Lace Today (again, brownie point to me).

After that, things get a bit blurry. There was the Great Shiitake Hunt of 2006 and a very scrumptuous dinner, the preparation of which lead me to fall in love with Ariel wine. G-d help me, it's good. It's also non-alchoholic, so I can actually keep it in the house.

It's 4 am. I think I'm going back to sleep again (not enough sleep last night and what could be construed as a long nap later make for a weird schedule).

Labels: finished object, lace