Knitting Obsession

Even my brother wants to know why I haven't blogged

....and he has a kid and everything. I have no such excuse, other than the R word, which continues to suck my time continually but in A Good Way, and really I don't have any other excuses. I can't even say that I have kept up with other blogs because...I haven't...so I expect my subscriber list is rather skimpy right now. I'm flying out to California to see my nephew (and my brother and sister-in-law) soon and I think I will archive all of the blogs I am behind on so I can read them on the plane. I have many big plans.

So, knitting! I did finish all of my Christmas knitting, which was amazing. My sister-in-law loves bright colors, so I made her Haruha in a bright J.Knits sock yarn in colorway Kansas:

This is blocking. It is pretty wild, but I am very happy with it. It pooled in an interesting way, almost stripy. The knit itself was fast and fun.

For Mom, I finally, finally made her something out of the brown-gold mohair that she has been coveting. This is a simple wrap, which I think needs a little more length, but for now is working out well. The yarn is Misty Mountain Farm Brushed Mohair, in an unknown colorway, which has been marinating since MD S&W 2006.

I'm certainly glad I managed to take a great picture of the one BIG mistake, which is the double row of garter stitch from when I put the wrap down in a fit of "can't take anymore" and picked it back up weeks later.

Since Christmas, I've been casting on innumerable projects and have developed severe second sock syndrome. I think I have 8 single socks hanging about. I also have a bit of a lace fetish going, which is keeping me hopping until my sock mojo comes back. The Ravelry Helpers are doing a KAL, for Tiger Eyes (that is a .pdf!), and here is mine (well, now it has about 5 more repeats. But I don't have a more current picture):

This is Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Sierra. It is tasty. I love the slight halo the mohair gives it. The pattern is a lot of fun, but I am always a little thrown off by the row in which you create the eyes, since you end up knitting and purling into the same giant yo four times, and it's kind of tricksy (for me). But fun nonetheless and currently marinating.  PS-I love my new camera. I "lost" ("lost"= intoxicated at New Years Eve ball and left it on the table when finding cab-hi Mom!) my other one. I lurve this one. It has image stabilizer. Good for the trembling hands.

I did also start the Kitri Mantilla, which is a kit I picked up in Rhinebeck last year. I got it with the Kitri sock pattern, but the mantilla has been calling me. This is truly my first large and real lace project, real in the sense that this is the smallest yarn I have ever worked with (unless I count crocheting doilies on size 20 yarn, which isn't that small really). It was agonizing the first two rows, and now I am getting a bit of a rhythm. I think I am going to wear this undraped, that is without the gathered area at the bottom, because really. I don't need to accentuate my booty that much. My booty is a little smaller since dropping 30 pounds, but let's face it. It's still there. The mantilla will still be gorgeous and as I am a fan collector, this really makes sense to me. Here's a pathetic cell phone blurry shot, with Bob as accent.

Let's see....I'm sure I have something else new on needles....oh! I started my first double knitting project. This was a wee challenging to me at first, but now it is humming right along.

I kind of love it. I love the bright colors. This is Uncle Argyle's Scarf from "Son of Stitch and Bitch" and the designer is Lindsey Hendricks, who I KNOW in REAL LIFE and who autographed my book. Sweet! Notice how I was able to cover up my mistakes with rotten duplicate stitching. Well, hopefully you can't notice it. Because otherwise what would be the point?

Tootsie is not impressed.

Hope to see you soon!

Long time no see

Hi! Wow, it has been a long time since I've blogged. I've been concentrating on my health (joined a gym and got a personal trainer and nutritionist) and that has taken up what little time is left over from the time suck of Ravelry. I'm a Helper there, along with a bunch of other wonderful women,  to help take the burden off the lone coder who is developing the site. The site is growing by leaps and bounds every day and it's amazing to watch. The organization of my stash alone has been great. The site developers are planning an Open House in January, since the site won't be out of beta for a while. It will be a chance for some of you to see what I've been yakking about for months (hi Mom!).

Needles-wise, I am slogging through Christmas knitting, and have one more gift to complete. It shouldn't be a problem, and I'll post those projects after Christmas. As soon as I finish Christmas stuff, I can get back to Jeanie from the most recent Knitty, which is entrancing. I'm using this gorgeous stuff:

which is Dream in Color Smooshy Sock in Black Parade, and I lurve it. I love the depth of this colorway. It is a little challenging to knit at night though! I need brighter light bulbs, I think.

My other WIP that is on hold till Christmas knitting is over is my first Clapotis, which I started to stave off my longing for Jeanie.

Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb in Gold Hill. Mmmmmm soft.

The kitties are doing well....and here is Tootsie, snoring on the scraps from one of my Christmas gifts.

She is so loud....wakes me up sometimes. Chloe has arthritis, so she is on a multivitamin with glucosamine. She is not very enthusiastic about her chewable tablets. I have to hide them in her food and bribe her with Greenies, and she still eats her way around the pieces. She is as active as ever, so she can't be in too much pain.

I did make it to Rhinebeck, and it was amazing. I drove up with two good friends from Ravelry, (bunnysquirrel and booksherpa) and we had a blast.

It was beautiful, and we met Casey and Jess from Ravelry, a whole lot of other Ravelers, and the party was so much fun. Bob guarded our car, along with bunnysquirrel Jess's animals.

We were sorry to come home.

I'm gonna try hard to blog more...a friend suggested following WIP Wednesday and Yarn Pr0n Fridays and I may try that. I also have been spinning on Katarina off and on (more off while trying to get through the Xmas stuff) and want to blog that too, as I am spinning stuff that looks less like garbage and more like string.

I am so far behind on my blogs that Google Reader refuses to count above 1000. I am a little (a lot) ashamed about it and need to remember to do the thing where you can save up a bunch of posts to read off line while I am in PA for Christmas. That will help me catch up though I won't be able to comment. But know that I am thinking of all of my friends and hoping you are having a safe and blessed holiday season.

Bad Blogger Alert!

This is me.

Highly pixellated b/c it's an avatar picture and I can't handle taking another one. I'm a square on Saturday at Rhinebeck and I think I'll wear the Noro scarf above for indentification purposes. My hair will likely be in my face too. It's often there. I'm also going to have a Blogger Bingo T shirt on and my teardrop bag has lots of buttons including a Ravelry ribbon and a Blogger Bingo button. I'll be there with other squares/players if that helps....I was going to be wearing Kerry but Kerry is in a time out in my knitting bag as I could NOT finish the never ending sleeves in time. Full disclosure-I really started the sleeves about a week ago. I'll bring the sleeves with me though! Maybe I'll finish it in NY.

Ok! Who else is going? I know a couple of you are...but let me know for sure! Saturday, 12 noon, Ravelry meetup. I'll be there~ and will be at the Ravelry party and likely the Morehouse Merino party. See some of you then!

I had a fun day today

Guess who I met?

The most famous kitty in blogland, Lucy.
Here is Lucy and her momma, Wendy.

Will you look at those blue eyes! Notice also all of the socks in front of Wendy and Lucy. Those are Wendy's Summer of Socks spoils. I got to see them up close and personal, and it was a real pleasure. I'm in awe of Wendy's skillz knitting so many socks up!
Why, may you ask, was I at Wendy's?

Besides flirting with Lucy, that is. You will notice what is behind Lucy? Now it is in my living room.

Wendy graciously allowed me to buy her Kromski Minstrel, Katarina (I'm not going to rename her. I have a firm policy on not renaming anything...I doubt I would have named Brynn that if I got her before she got a name, but that was her name and I couldn't call her anything else. So Katarina stays Katarina!). She has a mahogany finish and she is really beautiful. I've been thinking and thinking about buying a wheel and I couldn't stop thinking about the Minstrel that I played with at Maryland Sheep and Wool. There's just something about the way it looks. I watched the video that came with the wheel which was very earnest and educational and then I made some really really crappy yarn.

My goodness, spinning is hard! I have some serious work to do. Wendy, it was a pleasure meeting you and Lucy, and I'm so excited about the wheel! Thank you! I need to work hard on my predrafting and slowing down my treadling and maybe I'll be able to make some nice yarn someday.

Yet Another Single Sock

Here is yet another single sock...socks are still very comforting, and they have been small and easy to complete.
   
This is the Twisted Flower sock, pattern by Cookie A. I am using Dream In Color Smooshy Sock in Petal Shower, purchased from the Loopy Ewe, and a lovely yarn. The pattern is enchanting and the charts are very easy to follow...even though it looks intimidating. I really like the way the pattern goes down the heel too...I need to find clogs that I can wear without killing myself to show them off.

I have been saving my spare change, and selling off a bunch of my yarn, in order to be able to buy a used spinning wheel. I managed to save it all up (it's amazing how fast spare change adds up) and sold a lot of sock yarn that I wasn't going to use...I am too enchanted with my handpainted sock yarn collection. I also haven't bought yarn in a while, and the only new yarn that has come into the house has been from sock clubs that I paid for a while ago. This is all going to make my mom stick her tongue out at me and say "Nyah, nyah, nyah" since I was able to save some money. And I have knitted up quite a few pretty socks from my stash! I'll be picking up the wheel this weekend and will be sure to post pictures.

I also realized that I could go to Rhinebeck after all, though my budget will be curtailed. I am looking forward to it! I may bring my wheel!

Do you like my pointed ears?

0831072339.jpg
Originally uploaded by Suzannabanana.

Interesting.

You're The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!
by Douglas Adams
Considered by many to be one of the funniest people around, you are quite an entertainer. You've also traveled to the far reaches of what you deem possible, often confused and unsure of yourself. Life continues to jostle you around like a marble, but it's shown you so much of the world that you don't care. Wacky adventures continue to lie ahead. Your favorite number is 42.
Take the Book Quiz at the Blue Pyramid.

I did have to take this quiz twice. The first time I got "The Mists of Avalon" and that was just silly! All in good fun. I saw this on Vicki's blog today.

Socks are comforting

Hi there...I'm still a bad blogger. B and I decided that the best thing for us would be to be friends rather than anything more, and it has been a hard adjustment for me. It really is the best thing for both of us, and we have been able to keep talking, so that's good, but it does change things a bit.
For comforting, mindless knitting I've been working on numerous socks. This is the 2nd of 4 socks that are currently on needles...this is the "Little Arrowhead Lace" pattern from Charlene Schurch's "More Sensational Knitted Socks" and the yarn is Skinny Duets in Platinum Sun. I really love the colorway, as it is unusual and I love the pattern.
I'm saving my pennies (literally) to buy a spinning wheel and I've saved about 3/4 of what I need by keeping my spare change in a jar and by selling some of my yarn stash...that was a little challenging for me, but it has worked! I'll be listing some yarn on the Destash blog soon, so if you need some sock yarn or some Lamb's Pride Bulky you'll have to check it out.

I'm a bad, bad blogger

I've really lost the mojo. I'm hoping it comes back in the fall! I think posting will continue to be sporadic, though I do have a lot of things to tell everyone about. Such as my new pair of socks on the needles, pictured here. Pattern is Giotto by Anna Bell, the yarn is Claudia Fingering in Jill's Pinks. A fun pattern to help with the boring stockinette blues of my other three socks.
My lovely, wonderful brother sent me a computer to replace my dead as a doorknob Compaq. It's a Dell, dude. I lurve it. It's very fast and energetic.Bonus-he sent me a doohickey to get my old hard drive out of my Compaq and so I didn't lose any data. Huzzah!
My darling B came back from Eastern Europe bearing the most lovely Hungarian embroidery/lace piece, as well as some Czech pottery. I hope to have pictures that do them justice soon. Check this out...he is willing to go to Rhinebeck with me. What a guy!!
My sister is getting married! Yay! This has prompted a serious reckoning in the "must buckle down and get in shape" department since I have to look fabulous in a dress by March. I may knit myself a lace wrap to go with the dress too...but I have to vet that with my sis.
Hope everyone's summer is going well! I'm keeping up with your blogs, even if I don't comment every time!

Get a surge protector!

Hi! I killed my computer a week ago. There was a bad lighting storm and my laptop was charging in a regular old socket with no surge protector. I tell you of this idiocy in hopes of preventing one of you from killing your computer like I did!

My dear brother is sending me a new (used but awesome) machine that I should have on Monday. I am having Ravelry and Google Reader withdrawal, and I need to catch up with all of your blogs!

Miss you!