It’s Furious Balancing

I finished the first of the Pagoda Socks last night.  I had almost completed it Sunday evening when I was at Weber’s during the power outage.  I got down to the last 16 stitches but I discovered I’d forgotten to bring a tapestry needle with my knitting gear.  This is probably just as well since it was close to midnight at the time and I was a little slap-happy from finishing my first sock.  Kitchener stitch requires a bit more attention than I was up to at the moment, I’m certain.

So, here it is.  A sock.  A feat of knitting engineering.  I made this, I did I did I did.

This fits my chunky calf and teeny foot, but it’s loose around the ankle.  When I knit the second sock, I’ll go down a needle size on the heel flap and gusset (and maybe go down yet another needle size on the foot). I don’t want to start messing around with adding decreases or removing rows from the heel flap until I’ve gotten more experience making socks.

Oh, and I did cast on for the second Pagoda sock this evening.   I will not succumb to Second Sock Syndrome.

The college I attended – Kalamazoo College – was very big on the Foreign Study bit, and I spent six months abroad at the University of Nairobi in Kenya.

While there were times I questioned the wisdom of sending a wet-behind-the-ears 20-something to Nairobi, I have to admit that the experience changed me for the better.  I became less self-centered, more aware of my cultural biases,  more tolerant, less judgmental, etc., etc, — all those good “personal growth” phrases you toss out in those situations. I learned self-reliance, and when not be so self-reliant that I couldn’t ask for help when I needed it.  I learned how obscenely wealthy America is.  I learned patience.  I learned not to be a diva.  I figured that if I could travel to Lake Turkana and stay at a place where the toilet facilities consisted of a hole in the ground with cockroaches crawling out of it, I was up for pretty much anything.

Well, that was twenty years ago, cats and kittens.  I now admit to being a Wimp.  I admit to being very much in touch with this Inner Wimp, who, upon discovering that the electricity went out during the night, packed up a suitcase and high-tailed it to a hotel.  Heat.  Light.  Internet connection.  Room service.  I’m doing much better than I was two hours ago, let me tell you.  I do miss my kittens, but they have a thick layer of fur (I don’t) and can see in the dark (I can’t).  The prospect of sitting in the dark and wearing my winter coat to bed just didn’t appeal to me.

I’ve been lax in my posting, but I’m going to chalk it all up to work stress and knitting obsessions.  I’ve discovered sock knitting, and am well on my way to finishing my first (completed) sock.  My very firstest ever sock only got a little past the heel turn, then I decided my gauge was off and my gusset was full of holes and that it would just be a better idea all together to start afresh.

WIP Project:  Pagoda Socks

Pattern: Garter Rib Socks, from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch

Yarn: ShibuiKnits Sock, 100% superwash merino, Pagoda colorway (S1675)

These are looking on the large-ish side as well, but not as much as my first attempt.  I’m trying this one on as I go, and I can tell that there will be some bagginess at the ankle.  I have very muscular German Potato Farmer calves and tiny, high-arched feet (I wear a ladies’ 6.5 shoe), so the quest for the Perfect Sock Pattern or the Perfect Mods for Existing Sock Patterns will be ongoing.  Considering that I’ve bought enough sock yarn to last me through 2009, I think it’s do-able.

I used Silver’s One Sock on Four Double-Pointed Needles Tutorial for my first sock-making attempt, and I heartily recommend it to other beginners.  Once I had worked my way through the heel turn and the start of the gusset, I was able to approach the instructions in Charlene Schurch’s book with more confidence.

A note to aspiring sock knitters – That heel turn really isn’t as impossible as it seems the first time you read through the instructions.  In fact, after I did my first heel turn, I thought it was absurdly easy. Ridiculously Easy.  Easy to the point where I didn’t want to mention it to other knitters because I was worried they would impale me with their DPN’s.   If you can count and can tell your right from your left (most of the time), you can turn a heel.  It’s more difficult picking up the gusset stitches, to be honest, and that isn’t even that difficult.  I discovered that sitting in front of my computer with the Sock in Progress in hand worked really well.  Just reading the instructions didn’t clarify it for me; to really have it “gel,” I had to Just Do It (or Just Knit It, as the case may be).

I should have a finished sock to show you soon.  /knock wood.  Heck, if the power doesn’t come on at home by this evening, I should have a picture for you in the next day or two.

I once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered, but I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue:  No good in a bed but fine up against a wall.

Even though the quote is decidedly Mae West-ish, that was actually said by Eleanor Roosevelt.  That made my day.

This is one of the dozen roses currently residing in my bathroom.  I enjoy having fresh flowers in the house.

Yeah, I know I’m supposed to be writing a post about sock knitting, but I’d rather procrastinate.  How can you blame me when I’m surrounded by Bad Influences?

I spend a lot of time shopping online.  Books, yarn, clothes, cat toys, shoes, household goods, gifts, toiletries, etc.  I buy just about everything online since I hate shopping in stores.  The idea of going to a mall makes me break out in hives.  I’ve been buying books from amazon.com since October 1998 and I’ve had my eBay account since August 1999.

Still, I find items for sale online that surprise me.  Things that make me say — sometimes out loud, hitting notes only cocker spaniels can hear and scaring the cats — Oh. My. GOD!  That’s PERFECT!!

I found this gem on Etsy the other day.  If you’re not a knitter, this may be lost on you.  If you are a knitter (or are shopping for one), I highly recommend visiting 5elementknittr’s shop and buying one — or five — of these:

That is indeed a wee little crochet hook attached (with a lobster clasp) to a keychain ring.  The one I’m holding in the photo is a size US D/3 (3.25 mm) hook.  She has them as small as US C/2 (2.75 mm) going up to US F/5 (3.75 mm).

Don’t overlook the decorative bead! These will vary, so just go on over to her shop and read up on them.  She has much better photos than I do and you can get the whole run down on sizes, colors, etc.  There is also a version customizable with letter beads (up to 6 characters).

To the Non-Knitters out there: Knitters use crochet hooks to pick up dropped stitches or fix mistakes in their knitting.  There are other uses for crochet hooks, but I use them primarily as a “fix it” tool.  You always need one in your knitting project bag (together with several different kinds of stitch markers, a retractable measuring tape, and coilless safety pins).  Sometimes I swear that the likelihood I have a crochet hook in my knitting bag is inversely proportional to extent of the error I need to fix.   These little darlings are convenient, portable, and useful beyond what mere words can say.

Later this weekend — Knitting Notions, Part Two — in which I demonstrate that I have clearly lost my mind;  but now, a handmade LOLCat!

moar funny pictures

FO as in “Finished Object.”  This is one truly finished object.

Way, way back in October, I was contemplating what to knit during the Vice Presidential debate.  A lot of of the Knitters for Obama would watch the debates on streaming online video, knit, and keep a running commentary in a forum thread on Ravelry. Well, I could do two activities at the same time, but not all three.  Multi-tasking is not my forte.

This question of “what to knit?” was an important topic.  I knew I would be frothing at the mouth at the insipid and pathetic attempts of That Woman trying to sound even remotely intelligent for one millisecond distracted, so I didn’t want to work on a complicated pattern.  I knew I would be stressed and angry, and didn’t want to channel my bile into a sweet little catnip mouse project — sort of the flip side to the knitted Prayer Shawl concept.  So, I decided to knit a political effigy of Sarah Palin and burn it on Election Night.

Before you all start whining about how evil I am to do this to poor Sarah, I’m going to refer you to the centuries-old tradition of Guy Fawkes Night.  Bonfires.  Effigies of politicians and Popes.  Do some reading, please Sweet Jesus and All That is Holy, DO SOME #*%#&^  READING!

Ahem.

The choice of yarn for this was easy.  I’d inherited a ton of old acrylic yarn from my Gramma Fran’s knitting supplies/stash.  This yarn was at least 15 years old – minimum.  Old scratchy Kmart yarn.  My Gramma, a devout FDR Democrat  who once told me “Democrats care about people; Republicans care about rich people,” would not have been in the least bit offended.

So I cast on at the start of the debate, played Sarah Palin bingo, and made some progress:

This photo was picked up by The Huffington Post in an article showcasing Flickr photos from the campaign.  It’s about 40 pictures into the slideshow if you’re interested.

I worked on the Sarah Palin Political Effigy (SPPE) off and on leading up to the election. I finished her the day before.  Kissy isn’t too interested in her.

Project Notes:  Sarah Palin Political Effigy

Pattern: Bad Juju, by Zabet Stewart; The AntiCraft, Samhain 2005

Size: Bigger than Gov. Palin’s brain, which isn’t saying much.

Yarn: Very, very old 100% Acrylic Yarn of Unknown Origin – Ivory

Needles: U.S. Size 5

Mods/Notes: No mods, but I didn’t do all the embroidery called for in the pattern.  My embroidery skillz are not that great, and this Witch was Made for Burning, after all.

A group of us got together to drink, watch the Electoral College numbers come in and set the SPPE on fire.  I don’t think they use this old grill in their backyard anymore, so it was a perfect place to do the deed.

Photos by HunterXan’s Husband, maker of awesome frozen margaritas and professional journalist.  There’s no way I could take a picture this good.

This was sometime between 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., before the election was undisputedly in the bag for Sen. Obama.   Sometime soon afterwards, the neighbors started setting off fireworks, which gave the green light for our Husbands to start setting off fireworks and scare the Tibetan Mastiff under the porch.  In the word’s of HunterXan — “The neighbors totally started it.”

Let’s just say that acrylic yarn and polyester fiberfill burn quickly.  It was like watching the Wicked West of the West melt into a puddle at the end of The Wizard of Oz. Think on this whenever you feel the urge to knit with plastic yarn.

Rock on, cats and kittens.  Inauguaration Day is coming.

Lest you think I’m spending all my time killing giant radioactive cockroaches with a plasma rifle, I thought I should post some pictures from My Other Hobby.  These projects have been completed over the past month or so; I just haven’t gotten around to doing a write-up on each one.

The latest project was a pair of fingerless gloves.  For the record, I don’t care much for fingerless gloves, especially the sort that consist of a knitted tube with a cable slapped on it.  Gloves, in my mind, have fingers, and fingerless gloves should still have five little tubes where your fingers and thumb  go — as opposed to the aforesaid knitted tube with a cable slapped on it.

Despite my rather strident opinion about fingerless gloves, I made a pair anyway.  I wanted some Red Knitted Somethings to wear on my hands to match the Rose Red beret I made earlier this year.  I had some Malabrigo languishing in my yarn stash that was just begging to be used.

Project Notes: Fetch!

Pattern: Fetching, Knitty Summer 2006

Size: Small (See “Mods” below).

Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted, Torero colorway, approximately 100 yards.

Needles:  U.S. size 6

Mods: I cast on 40 stitches instead of 45.  That’s not a huge difference — the elimination of one cable repeat — but if you have small hands I strongly suggest it.  I also did a regular bind off instead of a picot bind off.  The word “picot” makes me itch; too girly-girl.

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Next up — Charity Knitting.  I’ve discovered I really enjoy knitting hats, so I’ve finished one bulky wool hat for the local homeless shelter and three cotton or cotton-bamboo bebeh hats for Save the Children’s Knit One, Save One project.

Project Notes:  Brother’s Keeper Hat

Pattern: Helping Hat, by CanKNITian

Size: Men’s Large

Yarn: Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds, Dark Grey Welsh, approx. 100 yards. This is seriously sturdy, rustic yarn; it still contains the natural lanolin and some guard hairs.  It’s not the softest yarn in the world, but it will keep the recipient toasty warm (which is quite important for a charity knitting hat).

Needles: U.S. Size 10

Mods: None.

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Project Notes:  Knit One, Save One Bebeh Hats

Pattern: Intermediate Pattern for Knitters, Sport Weight Cap.  The patterns and information about the project can be downloaded here.  Registration required.

Yarn: KnitPicks Crayon (orange), Jo Sharp Soho Summer DK Cotton (light blue), and Crystal Palace Yarns Bamboozle (red cinnamon), approx. 50-70 yards each.

SIze: Extra-small (approx. 10″ diameter)

Needles: U.S. Size 5

Mods: None.  The patterns are really “guidelines” and you can get quite creative with your hats, or not.   My preference is for “simple and functional.”

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There are more FO’s to come.  I’m just too tired to finish writing them up today.  I’m fighting off a cold and a sore throat and feel like sitting on the couch with a kitten, a cup of tea, a blanket, and some yarn.  Except for the cold and sore throat bit, that’s pretty close to bliss as far as I’m concerned.