Entrelac is not easy.

And it's not "intuitive". But if you get good directions and follow them, you might just make some.


I have a design in my head. Actually I also whipped it up in powerpoint. For a classy looking entrelac bag. So I used the "bad" colors from the wool of the andes and worked up a swatch. It took me awhile to get the hang of it. But I gots it.

I'm not happy with how that last row looks. You can see where the other color peeks through. I don't think I did it wrong though. I need to do some web research. And I plan on felting it here in a minute, so it may not matter.

I feel like a mad scientist. No, in a good way. Oh and look how happy I get when you give me girly beer:

I have cute kids.

The pirate is my nephew and the power ranger is my little guy's best friend. But we're all about the Teen Titans at my house. And beast boy? Well beast boy is the best because he's a vegetarian.

I suppose I should post a picture of my sock. But's it's sad, unfinished and has no cuff. And don't shoot me, but I may frog it. Yes, I know. But I think I might be making up my very own toe up sock pattern, with some interesting pattern for the top of the foot and the cuff. We'll see.

Socktober Madness

Socktober Madness Part One.


They didn't offer navy in the palette, and I didn't want to mix and match yarns, so I opted for a medium charcoal gray. And then I thought I'd do the petal color (the coral-y pink) instead of the green. Not a bad mix I think.

Socktober Madness Part Two



This is where I'm not sure it's gonna work. The blue is fine. The "tan" evens works as a dark cream. But the green just seems way to bright. So my idea is this. I swap out the green for the petal from above, and do the socks in cream, blue, and petal. What do you think? And then the "relax" socks get worked with a charcoal background and the rest of the colors as pictured.

Natural light is hot.

It's only seventy-five. But standing out on my tiny balcony in jeans and a black 3/4 sleeve sweater I wore to church this am, the sun beating down on you produces some serious heat. And I did this all for you. All for you, my faithful readers. I thought I'd try to show you some true colors. It worked. Well, sort of.

First up, Knitpicks Shadow in Oregon Coast to work up the lovely Mary Jane.


This picture still doesn't do it justice. It's a grey heathered yarn, with all sort of pretty flecks in it. I think the Mary Jane will be just lovely. Although I need some new needles for it. It uses three types of size 6 needles. 16" circs, 32" circs, and dpns. I'm tempted to hope that I get gauge on size 5, because at least with that, I have two of the specified types. Oh well.

Next up, wool of the andes for the Market Sqares Bag.


Two problems. I read "hush" as "blush" and thought it was pale pink. It's not. It's hush and it's pale lavendar. But I can work with that. I'm not sure the tulip is gonna fly. It's screaming zonkers magenta/fuschia. I'm tempted to edit the pattern to not include the fifth color. I also had an idea to whip up a striped or entrelac bag of my own that would be perfect for church, to carry a bible, a small wallet, a pen, and a lipstick - you know? Don't know yet about that.

Four and a half inches of pleasure...

Sorry. I couldn't resist. Have I made much progress on my toe-up socks? Well, not really. Am I subjecting you to more pictures of my glorious toe-up socks? Well, of course. Do my amazing splendiferous toe-up socks fit my feet? Well, yes, yes they do.

Tonight, apparently, I have to go to Boy Scouts. So I guess I will get more work done on the sock. Maybe tomorrow you'll be blessed with a picture of a heel! :p

(And I know I opted for free shipping, which might take 5-14 days, but dangit, I want my knitpicks yarn now!)

I refuse to give up.

I have lost count of how many times I have casted on for socks using this knitpicks hydrangea. Lost count, I tell you. But I joined Socktoberfest, and dagnabbit, for once I'm actually gonna follow through on one of these knitalong jobbies.

Last night I cast on for Wendy's Toe Up socks in you guessed it, knitpicks sockgarden hydrangea. Please cue the applause as I have taught myself yet another technique -- the provisional cast on. I had a lot of trouble visualizing how the toe was gonna come together when I started out knitting it straight. But then I realized what I really needed to do was STOP THINKING! I think too much, I overanalyze things, and then I screw myself up. Let us not forget the #19 frogging experience.

So I stopped thinking, and I just followed the directions. And it worked. And how. And now I have 3 inches of toe up socks on the needles! And crap a duck, it looks like they are gonna fit. (Yes I realize that I am the only person in the history of the world who uses "crap a duck" as a pseudo curse word/phrase - shaddup!)


No. You cannot have my oh so cool Scooby Doo mousepad. It's precious to me. Precious, I tell you. And so is my really big scooby mug & saucer set. And all of my mystery machines. And the stuffed pillow on my futon.



Um, that would be just a photo of the scooby stuff that sits on my desk. Aren't you jealous? Oh, and this week on Cartoon Network they are running a bunch of newer animated Scooby movies. Aloha Scooby Doo anyone? Yeah I know. Now I'm just embarassing myself.

I do have an excuse...

My mama was here. We had a wonderful time. I gave her my clapotis for her birthday. So it's gone.... (please observe a moment of silence...)

So what am I up to knitwise? Good question. Well I totally surrendered to the spirit of Socktoberfest. And I cast on for some lovely lacy rib socks in that knitpicks hydrangea that I've had for awhile.


Do you see the problem? Maybe not. Lemme give you a clue. There is something(s) missing from this picture. Oh yes. Now you see it. There are no needles in this picture. Because I pulled them out. Because these lovely socks are not gonna fit my size 9/10 feet. I should have known that. The pattern states a woman's size medium. But in my mind I wear the same socks (size 5-9) that everyone else does, so I didn't need to size up. No sirree bob. But they aren't gonna fit. And I'm too selfish to give that pretty yarn away. So I will be recasting on (again) for something with this yarn. The lacy rib is lovely, but the purl stitches are too prominent when it's stretched out. Plus it's slow, slow, slow knitting. At least for me.

Does that sound like total surrender to the spirit of Socktoberfest? Of course not. But Saturday night I spent about 3 hours picking out just the right shades of palette to knit fair isle and combo intarsia/striped socks in. Which will arrive sometime in November. Good move Corrina. Oh and let's not forget how many pairs of successful socks I have completed. None. Zip. Zilch. Zero. Nada.

I also bought Wool of the Andes to do the Market Squares bag in shades of pink and grey. And some shadow in Oregon Coast to do the Mary Jane Cardigan. Four projects for $32.83. Amazing.

Wait. Here's some more project pictures.

My rogue cardigan. The back is finished, and I'm working on one of the side panels. Splitting up the cable pattern on the neck is turning out a bit harder than I anticipated. But I'm plugging along.


The linie scarf. Yarn picked out for my sister, who likes blues, especially turquoise. Simple garter stitch skinny scarf. I tend to hate fun fur/novelty yarns, but this one is actually quite pretty and very soft. Of course it's 10.95 for less than 100 yards, so that might be part of it.


That's all for now folks. I have to cut out 22 foam craft masks for the fall festival this evening.... when I'd really rather be knitting.

Just in time for Grandma...

The camera has been found. Which is good, because I've been stressing over it. After I do this update, it's back to crazy cleaning mode so that everything is just so for her visit.



That would be the first few rows of my Socktober sock - Holly's Socks. It's an easy lacy rib pattern, but it was made up with sock garden in mind, so I'm hoping they will turn out all pretty. I'm using knitpicks sock garden in hydrangea, which was a gifty from my knitty sp4. The pattern recommended 2.5 mm needles (size 1.5?) but I got gauge on my size 1's which are 2.25 mm, so that's what I'm using.

Do you see the lovely walnut heather background for my sock start? That's my gorgeous rogue. The picture below shows the top of the left cable panel and the armpit shaping that I've got going. Just what you wanted to see, huh? Armpits. I've got about 90% of the back done. A few straight rows and then the neck shaping to go.



And as much as I would love to go blog jumping and lavish love and commments on all you knitting bloggers, I've got to go. There are yellow rubber gloves waiting for me in the kitchen.

MCR - Missing Camera Report

I'm not sure where it is. I vaguely remember trying to take more pics of Rogue in natural light and cursing the fact that I couldn't seem to get good pics, but now I can't find it. Maybe all the cursing scared it away. I really need to find it. My mama will be here on Wednesday and I need a lot of boy/grandma/papa pictures. A lot.

I think I love rogue. I just finished chart A, so I'm ready to divide 'er up! I dropped a stitch in the selvage on the front, but I did some fancy yarn work and secured that puppy right up. The cables look pretty decent - even before what I hope will be the washing that makes them "bloom".

It looks the fit will be just right. I'm starting to get a tad nervous. I've never done sleeves, much less a fancy-pants cabled hood. And oh, yeah, I've never done knitted on i-cord either. The cardiganizing instructions say that you should pick up 2 out of 3 stitches along the front edge for the i-cord. But they also say to slip the first stitch for a nice selvage. So have I screwed up the 2 out of 3 idea? I don't know. It's too late to stop slipping stitches.

Why am I stressing myself out over this? I think I just need to plug along and not worry about it.

I got the new KnitPicks catalog. Except for the scary twirl and the equally scary novelty yarns I want everything else. Especially the shadow to knit that adorable Mary Jane cardigan. And that's such an affordable project.

And in the scary category I watched Knitty Gritty on DIY today. They knitted skirts. A horizontally striped skirt? Um, ok, whatever. A mottled black & grey fun fur skirt? For the love of Pete!

Rogue is slow going...

But the Cascade 220 is so dreamy and easy to work with. And on the addis... *swoon* Who knew I could feel this way about knitting?

I'm gonna settle in with her here in a few minutes for a nice evening of knitting and drinking girlie beers. I'm hoping that copious consumption of girlie beers might help me sleep tonight. Either that OR there are some prescription sleeping pills that I've been saving for emergencies. But I think this constitutes an emergency. I haven't slept for more then 3 hours a night in I'd say 6+ weeks.

This morning after being up since 2:42 I headed for our bathroom around seven to get ready to face the day. While in there I spotted a roach. Or some psychotic roach hybrid. I sprayed him with the mildew cleaner and the mofo flew right at me. Since when do roaches fly? Do roaches fly? I screamed bloody murder and of course woke up the man. Who was none too pleased since he had about two minutes left til his alarm went off. So he decided to show his ass and throw a tantrum about me stealing his last few precious minutes. He's a hard man to sleep with. Which isn't helping my insomnia any. So I broke down and started bawling about missing 6 hours of sleep every night. He told me to go to a sleep clinic. *grrrrr*

So since we are in a state of emergency, we will be doing something tonight to encourage sleep. Wish me luck.

ETA: If you were wondering if I'm reading your blog, well the answer is probably yes, yes I am. I updated my sidebar with the list of blogs I actually do read. And I do read them. Every time they are updated - unless bloglines is showing it's ass. And if I'm not reading your blog? Throw me a bone honey! If you comment on me, I seek you out!

Frickin' frackin' internets

I had a lovely post about my Rogue here. Let's see if I can recreate it. Otherwise the keyboard might be getting the bamboo under the spacebar torture treatment.

As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by burping internets, I'm a follower. And the next project for this lemming is Rogue. Yes, I know it's a year late. I've been loving it for awhile, but I really need a cardigan for a Floriday style winter "coat". And steeking really skeered me. But then I found the cardiganizing directions. And there were no excuses left for ole Corrina. Except the yarn excuse. I had been looking at yarns for awhile and couldn't decide. But then I went into my LYS and found this. Cascade 220 in color 8013, Walnut Heather. And just enough skeins to make my sweater. It was fate. Fate, I tell you.

So here's my progress on Rogue thus far:


I did the ribbed hem instead of the twisted. I didn't want to deal with the bias in an open front sweater. I only did four rows as well. I thought the 12 row hems were overkill. I knitted the hem right up into my sweater. I did do a turning row. I think the purl bumps make a nice finished bottom.

The cables are not super hard, but the increases used to begin the closed loop cables were a little tricky. But I figured it out.

I realize it's still in the high 80's here. But soon, soon I tell you, the temperature will begin to drop. And if it goes under 60 (gasp!) I will have my Rogue at the ready. Of course all the other thin-blooded folk around here will be in down coats, hats, mittens, and scarfs at the sign of sub-60 temps, but we just laugh at those people. Laugh at those people in my stylish lemming sweater.

Net break....

There won't be much net time for me in the near future. This week, every morning after I take the boys to school I get to go "feed the dogs". This entails at least an hour of round trip driving plus the actual feeding etc. Because it's such a long trip (and gas prices are so high) I will only be going once a day. So I really need to spend at least a good hour there letting the dogs play outside, giving them belly rubs, etc. I really, really wish my sister lived in my neighborhood. Then I could have just stayed over.

We have 27 other things to do this week as well. Soccer practice, special stuff at church. And I get to prepare for the camping trip. Yes, my entire family is going camping. It's the cuboree! Aren't you jealous? Two nights in a tent in Florida. It might be very hot. It might just monsoon. But of one thing I'm sure. There will be bugs. And not just "Eek! A daddylongleg!" type of bugs. Nope. There will be bugs that will bite. The new hole in the ozone that you will hear report of come Monday? That will be due to my abuse of bug spray.

I do think I might get some serious knitting time in while hanging at my sisters. At least I hope to. I also would like to get in a few extra volunteer hours this week at school. But we'll see how that goes.

Hiding from my own blog...

Mostly because I've been wishy-washy and not of the finishing sort of variety of knitter. But I have an FO! So yay for me!

It's the kitt trinket bag from the Mission Falls East-West pattern booklet. Worked in Mission Falls 1824 wool on size 6 addi turbos. The drawstring is crochet.

The cable pattern:

The swirly bottom:

The completed bag:


I would highly recommend this as a first cable project. In fact if anyone wants the booklet and wants to swap something else for it, let me know. It uses a variety of cable techniques and in the 1824 wool, the cables are gorgeous. I now have the confidence to make the Rogue cardigan. I just have to pick out the perfect yarn.

You gotta stop believing me...

Have you not figured out by now that I am a habitual liar? I'm going to frog, I won't cast on.... yada, yada, yada.

In that spirit, I present, #19:



It's actually starting to look like something. I have do 12 total repeats of this 36-row pattern for both sides of the shawl. I have um, one complete repeat and 20 rows. Slow going. I haven't been working on it faithfully because I'm still cheating with hopeful and the occasional bout of screaming and cursing with size 1 dpn's and the hydrangea yarn....

But anyhow, isn't she lovely? It's just so ethereal looking. And during car line today I tested it and it does fit through my wedding ring. Snugly, but still.

On the Hopeful front... I have both fronts done and I'm working on the back. After that it's just the sleeves and the neck tie treatment thingie. It's a little too snug right now. But that's ok. I've been dropping weight like gangbusters. And a short sleeve sweater around here will quite possibly work all winter long.

I still don't know what to make for my winter coat. I ransacked my paypal account today buying clothes for the man. He's ahem, a big and tall man. And his clothes are so freaking expensive at the store. And I found three pairs of pants (nwt) at prices I just couldn't pass up. Oh well. Life goes on.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Anybody there?

Man. It's been a week since I posted. Why?

Well for the last two days I've been sick. Real sick. As in I spent the last 48 hours in one of three places, bed, bath, or perched over the potty. So there you go.

And before that? Well I think it was shame. I talked a big talk about frogging and tending to my wips. And do you know what I did? I cast on for another project.

I wanted to make hopeful. Despite the fact that it was made for little girls and not for "me". So I re-ordered it. Because I gifted away my original. But she never sent the new copy. Um, ok. So then I remembered that she had sent edits a while back that I had forwarded to my giftee. Yay! It was still in my saved items folder, so I was able to pull it up. And no, I do not feel guilty about this. I paid for it twice and two people are using it. So there. I never did receive another copy of the pattern. I don't know if she thinks I already had it or what. I mean I did send another $6 via paypal. Whatever.

So.... here she is...



She's being worked in sugarplum cotton-ease and the leftovers you see there are from only the second ball! I don't know if it will take 3 or 4 to do her, but she's turning out nicely. CE has a much bigger gauge that the suggested yarn so I'm actually knitting from the small instructions. She should be done in a few days. Or less, if I keep watching Lost.

My husband and I caught the last few episodes of Lost in reruns. And now we're hooked. So on Friday we picked up the dvd set. And have been watching ever since. So alot of my "bedtime" has also been Lost-time. I don't know. I think Lost might be even more entertaining while doped up and delusional. :)

Gettin' froggy with it

Froggy takes one step at a time;
The way that he moves has no reason or rhyme;
He hops and jumps, dodges and ducks
Cars and buses, vans and trucks

If you remember that song and the album it was on, well... then you probably enjoy that VH-1 show I Love the 80's. Yes, I was an arcade kid.

I frogged the peaks and valleys socks. The color wasn't doing the right thing. The top was gradual waves and the next part was just stripes. It looked wierd. I even picked up another set of size 1's to work on it. I'm trying to have the strength to NOT recast on for these socks in another pattern. I'm really trying hard.

I may actually have a nice big carthatic frogging session today. The moda dea man socks are not gonna work. And the starter stockinette socks... well let's just say they are not really for me. They are cascade 220 on on size 3 needles. So they are crazy thick and heavy. I'm thinking that lovely yarn mix might make up a very cute bag. So I should frog them as well.

That would take me down to 5 wips. The gator mitts may never happen. The fun fur scarf I should really whip up. I have a friend in Ohio who would really love those colors. The mariposa... I don't know. I'm not sure if it will ever fit quite right. I could frog it and set the microspun aside for a top for next summer?

I'm actively working on the lace shawl. But I can't really pick back up the kitt trinket bag until I reach a breaking point in the lace shawl, as it uses the same needles. I have to finish the green man socks. But the man is on my sh*t list so I can't really stomach working on those right now.

It's not as pathetic as it sounds, is it?

Oh my.

That's really all I can say. I just spent a few minutes updating my sidebar. With what I've completed and what I'm working on. I've been knitting since the first of the year. I have completed 10 things. That's about a thing a month. Ok. Probably could be doing more, seeing as I'm a sahm with kids in school, but whatever.

The scary thing is the wip list. I have NINE wips. Nine. Nine, as in one less than ten. That's just frightening. Truly. And right now I am seriously jonesing for some mushroom colored rowan cork to make this set. I do need a winter sweater/coat. Yes, I am trying to justify this insane purchase. But wait gentle reader. I will not be spending that insane price on it. I can get the yarn and the pattern book for that for a mere $58. Mere. Strange choice of adjective to tack onto $58 freaking dollars.

I must finish wips before I cast on for anything else. Or at least frog the wips and be honest about it.

I fear for my fleshy parts.

There has been an escape in our home. A thin piece of pointy bamboo is on the lam. With it, it took all hope of working on the lovely hydrangea socks until Tuesday. But it has also instilled fear in my heart. Even though it is skinny bamboo, if I sit my bottom on it just right, will it do bad things to me? The last time I saw it I was using it on the sofa. So for now I'm sticking to the couch.



I was a finisher tonight. I finished the marvelous clapotis and I redid the straps on my chickami so I can wear it in polite company.



There's a reason everybody loves clapotis so. It's just gorgeous. Mine is made from Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Watercolor. I used three full balls and maybe a few yards from the fourth ball. I worked the pattern exactly as written on size eight straight needles. I now have 95% of a fourth ball left. I might make the matching hat, but I'm not sure yet.

You are not allowed to see it.

I will not post pictures of #19. I refuse. Because if I do, then I will screw up and have to frog it. Well not frog it, as much as trash it. Cause kid merino don't frog. But yay, I'm on row 27 of the 36 row lace pattern. And it seems to be coming along. It's slow, but it's gorgeous.

I'm also working on my hydrangea peaks & valleys socks. I'm on the heel flap right now, while doing a lot of Harry Potter audio. It's good. No real interest in my CE. Hmmm... maybe it was too pricey. Maybe I'm just supposed to keep it. I am selling a bunch of clothes on ebay though and it looks like that might net me a pretty penny.

In other news, it's perfectly normal to feel like you're 13 when the cute gym guy helps you plan your workout routine... right?

KADHD

Knitting Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

So I was happily tooling along on #19. But the hydrangea sock yarn kept calling my name. Whispering how pretty it was gonna work up. And then mamma gone and done it. She ordered the same yarn. So therefore it must be super secret extra beautiful yarn that will knit up into the most wonderful and perfect socks ever.

I cast on for the peaks and valley sock from the Knit Socks! book the other day. Here's what they look like so far:



I haven't had a lot of knitting time the past few days. I did some ebay-ing and some research and spent all day today volunteering at my son's school. I need one more inch of the leg and then I'm gonna do the heels. I want these to be shorter. The chevron pattern really is lovely.

I must say though, this isn't quite what I expected from the yarn. I expected either self-striping OR variegation. What I'm getting as you can see is wide diagonal waves of color families. One wave of hot pink/light pink and one wave of indigo/periwinkle. Very interesting.