Finished Object: BFF Rainbow Socks

The Specs:

Pattern: none
Yarn: Must Stash Yarn & Fiber Perfect Sock Self Striping

Color: Vespa
Amount: 382 yards, 83 grams, 0.83 of a skein
Size: men's 10.5
For: the Weirder Half
Needles: US 1 - 2.25m, magic loop
Start to Finish: 07 August 2020 - 21 August 2020

Notes:  Standard star toe with increases to the right of the start of the round on the first sock.  Increase to 66 stitches, continue in stockinette. Toe started at the start of the paler orange color, last increases occurred a few rows into the yellow.

Twinned short row heel over 33 stitches.  First attempt took 45 rows and all of two colors and only a few rows of the third.  So I counted and frogged and re-knit with exactly 15 rows of each color.  More ends to weave in, but it looks a lot better.

Knit to the orange color that the toe started with, then knit one plain round before starting k1p1 ribbing.  Knit orange and yellow in ribbing, then tried JSSBO for the bind off just as the color changed to green.  First tried Tubular kitchener, but it wasn't stretchy enough. 

Weirder Half confirms it fits.

I always struggle with self-stripping sock yarn like this, because the heel is always going to throw off the stripping pattern.  Of course, in shoes, you'll never see it... but I will know.

I had so much fun watching the color changes in both the sock as I knit and the ball of yarn.

This ended up being item number 20 of my attempt to knit 20 projects in 2020.  Some items were kinda small (baby booties for friends), so I might keep going, but it was fun to have a challenge.  I've not posted some of the items because they are to be GiftMoose gifts and I don't want to give anything away just yet.

Finished Object: Urban Aran

The Specs:

Pattern: Urban Aran by Jared Flood

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted

Color: Jalapeno green

Amount: 11 skeins, 1210 yards, 550gm

Size: me-sized

Needles: US 5, 3.75mm

For: me.  ALLL MINE

Start to Finish: August 2008 to 2009?  2010?  Seaming takes forever

Notes: This was a fun knit!  It went way faster than I expected it, once I account for the delay that always happens when it comes to finishing the seams and so on.  Even sewing in the zipper wasn't too bad, since I got to hang out with other CPaAG people in a Panera in Chicago and borrowed a sewing machine then and there.

Unfortunately, I washed it in the washer a few too many times and it felted and shrunk too much to fit anymore.  I still have my paper copy of the pattern and I think I might end up re-knitting this one in a super-wash option at some point.

Finished Object: Odessa Hat

The Specs:

Pattern: Odessa by Grumperina (in library)

Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Treasure

Color: Fog

Amount: less than one ball

Needles: no idea, but probably similar to Blaze.

Start to Finish: January 2008 to January 2008, a few days

For: me

Size: head-ish

Notes: Knocked this out in a few days.  Omitted the beads because I didn't have any.  

Unfortunately, it didn't cover my ears and what's the point of a hat that doesn't keep your ears warm?  Ended up giving it to a friend (I think DJ Cool Beans?)

However, I think I might have some of this yarn left in my stash, I could make another one.  Or use different yarn.

Finished Object: Print O' the Wave Stole

The Specs:

Pattern: Print O' the Wave Stole by Eunny Jang

Yarn: Taiga Yarns ALPACA

Color:  Lavender

Amount: 5 skeins, 1040 yards, 250g

Size: stole sized

Needles: US 5, 3.75mm

For: me

Start to Finish: Feb 2008 to October 2010

Notes: I am pleased with myself for this one!  Wore it for BFF's wedding, so it sat for a while before I finally finished and blocked it.  It lived on the top of my dresser for a long time, before enough items spilled and the cat threw up on it and a stain set in.  Would definitely knit this pattern again.

Finished Object: Eagle's Flight socks

The Specs:

Pattern: Eagle's Flight by Megan Humphrey

Yarn: Zwerger Garn Opal Uni Solid 4 ply

Color:  Brown

Needles: US 2, 2.75mm

Start to Finish:  2007 to 2008

For: me

Size: medium

Notes:  Man, these socks gave me a run for my money what with the LOSING AN ENTIRE SOCK, THE REMAINING YARN, AND NEEDLES.  I have no idea what happened to them, but I have knit this pattern enough to have at least two pairs.  And yet, there is only one pair.

Being Opal, they have held up amazingly well - I finished these nearly 12 years ago and they are still in the sock drawer.  Admittedly, one of them is sliiiiiightly smaller than the other one, so I am reminded on a regular basis to be thankful that my feet are not exactly the same size.

FO: Swallowtail Shawl

 

The Specs:

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark

Yarn: Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel (Colraine Lace)

Color: Grey Teal,  a blue green

Needles: US 2.5 (3mm)

Start to Finish:  Finished Dec 2008.

For: my sister

Notes:  Really enjoyed this pattern.  Fairly simple and easy, but not boring.  Added beads rather than nupps because I hate nupps.

I'm packing for a flight to Seattle this weekend, and one of the more important parts of packing is figuring out knitting.  (Well, that, and carefully calculating the number of pairs of underwear required for the time spent away.)

So, looking at knitting goals for the year:

-fornicating reindeer hat for coworker's brother-in-law
-fornicating ______ hat for coworker's husband - thinking horny toads? Not sure, may need to chart this
-socks for Tina
-socks for my sister
-socks for HWIA
-wrist warmers for ME, ALL MINE.
-wrist warmers for TSD
-sweater for me
-baby stuff galore!
-cowl for boss
-wrist warmers for A2
-socks for me
-repair all dying, holey socks on dresser

Fornicating reindeer hat would require the purchase of yarn.  No time for that, plus coworker's brother-in-law hasn't given me the money for said hat yet.

Fornicating _____ hat for coworker's husband:  I do have the yarn for this one, and I just spent quite a few hours figuring out the chart for the horny toads and toadstool(s).

Socks for Tina:  One done, about 2/3 of the way done the foot of the second.  These are toe-up, so I hate them.  Also, on  metal needles so not appropriate for plane knitting.

Socks for my sister: One done, dipped into second yarn ball to finish first, thus insuring that I will run out of yarn for the second.  Have yet to decide on solution, and also, on metal needles, even if I am very near the toe on the second sock.

Socks for HWIA: going to be modeled after socks knit for my father, so will be using same yarn/needles/pattern.  Again, that means metal needles.  ARGH.

Wrist warms for me: have yarn, have wooden needles, have idea of pattern.  Just not sure if I want to figure that out on a plane/train to airport.  Hrm.

Wrist warmers for TSD:  ALL DONE!  And even gifted to him already as well.

Sweater for me:  need to decide on pattern.

Baby stuff galore:  Hoping to pick up baby stuff yarn in Seattle.

Cowl for boss:  Boss got another pair of wrist warmers to replace the ones she lost.

Wrist warmers for A2:  ALL DONE! and gifted as well.  They've even been worn.

Socks for me:  One of the few projects already going AND on wooden needles! However, feel guilty for knitting stuff for me with all the above not done yet.

The other option is the second pair of Bayerische Socks, but I dug those out and appear to be missing a needle.  I have sock, I have yarn, I have pattern, I have only 4 needles and that pattern requires at least 5.

Brand New Day*

Knitting goals for the year:

-fornicating reindeer hat for coworker's brother-in-law
-fornicating ______ hat for coworker's husband - thinking horny toads?  Not sure, may need to chart this
-socks for Tina
-socks for my sister
-socks for HWIA
-wrist warmers for ME, ALL MINE.
-wrist warmers for TSD
-sweater for me
-baby stuff galore!
-cowl for boss
-wrist warmers for A2
-socks for me
-repair all dying, holey socks on dresser

*Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog

You Told A Lie

I've had the itch to write lately, but not a lot of topics that demand expression through this particular outlet.  At lot of it seems to be short bursts of mental activity, well-suited for twitter as a result.  Such as my theory that cats have some sort of homing-device to find full bladders.

Of course, I've not explored the reasons why cats might want to find full bladders, what sort of reasoning(s) they have for happily walking all over the bladders in question.

Which is now reminding me of an article I read on the death of the footnote - the purpose behind such a skill could be observed in a footnote.  After all, the purpose is yet unknown, but the skill has been fairly well established, yes?  Since we're just academically stretching our muscles and making observations, further musing could take place in the form of footnotes, rather than paragraphs of tangential thinking.

In other news,  I'm tired and avoiding bed because I have to do night check first.  My hair is still wet and pulling out the blow drier in order to top off hay and water seems a bit much to me.  Maybe I'll just break out the cover-alls for the first time this fall/winter.  October 9th - not too early, yes?  Given that my winter hat has seen regular use already, I'd almost argue I'm behind schedule.

I've been knitting, but mostly a little bit on this, a little bit on that.  I did finish a pair of socks, but have sleeves and button bands left on a baby sweater, half a sock, etc. etc. etc.

I would not be surprised to find that I have a touch of ADD/ADHD.  I've found that my mind works in such leaps and bounds that even I have trouble keeping up.  I can sit and read for hours still, so I'm not too worried.  But unless there's something good on the radio, I get bored at red lights.  I don't have the attention span for IM anymore - if they don't respond right away, what's the point? and off I go to something else and get irritated when I'm drawn away from that back to the IM conversation only to have it pause for the mere seconds required for someone to type out a reply.

I've recently been reading Les Mis while listening to the musical.  Gotta say, loving all the (plot-moving) parts of the novel that were, by necessity, left out of the musical.  Also, wishing to discuss the novel.  Need to find a read-along or something.

And because every post ought to have a picture:

Man, when I decide to forget about something, I manage to forget about it.

In other news, I recently spent some $3,000.00 on a three year old cat.  The correlation between the two numbers has not been lost on me, and I fear what his old age will cost me.  However, he's rather cute and lovable and snuggly and I suppose I can forgive him for his stupidity.

(This is not the injured party, though she would like to get some share of his reward for pain and suffering for her life was also disrupted and that is Clearly Not Allowed.)

For, you see, he injured himself jumping off the kitchen counter.  Well, falling off, if I am to be honest.  He made a mad scramble to jump off because he knew he was about to be scolded for being where he KNOWS he does not belong, and chose a piece of paper on the corner of the counter as his launching pad.  It failed to provide the support he required and evidently cats need at least four feet vertical distance to get their feet back under them.

The more you know, I guess?



In other news, I have finished my father's Christmas Socks.  I still need to weave the ends in, but that shouldn't take too long.  I've also purchased my mother's yearly calendar (www.despair.com - love their stuff, as does my mother.) and a welcome mat for their new home.  Three Christmas gifts done, way too many to go.

I have, however, started figuring out my Christmas Knitting.  In theory, it would be a good idea to do that a bit earlier in the year, but I work best under pressure.  Or something.

I have to say, the iPhone 4 takes some very nice pictures.  I'm very interested in what the iPhone 5 will be capable of managing.

Other random observations:
- Beer is a wonderful, wonderful thing.
- My mind continues to be as weird and random as ever.