Bean There, Knit That

Closing Blog

2008-04-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

There will be no further posts from me on this blog. Thank you to those who have read and commented.

Lace Revisited

2008-03-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

The best laid plans of mice. (If you add to that statement, you are not familiar with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.) I started the Spring Shawl Surprise back when the first clue came out. After about three hours, I decided I really was NOT happy with the fabric I was creating, so I frogged it. (Yes, I did swatch, but the swatches contained garter stitch, not stockinette.) I waited for a Knit Picks order with smaller needles (to use with the yarn I had), and slightly thicker yarn (to use with the needles I had), but after traveling and having my bout with this year's flu (in spite of snorting whatever the new vaccination of the year was), I never got back to it. I love the border of the piece, but have since decided that I don't like the overall piece enough to make it (I think it would take me roughly 110 hours to complete). I may adopt the circular motifs to another project.

I also signed up to do the Secret of the Stole ii. I really do like the way this one came out, but with all the moving around I did in February, I never got to it. I didn't collected my clues along the way, so I'll have to buy it like everyone else -- well worth it. I may opt to do one of Nautical Knitter's other stoles instead.

I looked back over the blog and found my Socktoberfest goals. I finished all but one pair of socks, and those I won't make because I REALLY do not like working with the yarn. So I feel I can say that goal was achieved, better late than never.

I made it into Round Two of Sock Madness -- we'll see what that brings later this week!

Valentine's Weekend in Charleston

2008-03-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

The biggest problem in not blogging frequently is that now I have SO MUCH I want to put in, I don't know where to begin! There's knitting & traveling & the antics of the kitties... and after viewing my Charleston pictures, I really want to study my camera more. I'm really just winging it here, and it is taking AWESOME pictures!

We met our friends Michael & Julia in Charleston for Valentine's Day weekend in 2004, and decided we wanted to do this every year. It is now 2008, and this is the first time we've been able to do it since then. Hopefully we can pull it off again before 2012...

We'll start with our tour with Beidler Forest. Absolutely beautiful walk through a swamp, which sounds far more romantic if referred to by it's definition of "a flooded forest." Appreciation for the true beauty requires watchful eyes, alert ears, and a tranquil spirit. In that attitude, you will discover some amazing examples of God's work, and maybe even a Madonna statue:We enjoyed looking at all of the knees the way you might look at clouds. We used a little imagination to find creatures including a cat, a bird, and a dragon.

Then we began to discover the real fauna with this Barred Owl:Isn't he simply gorgeous? I love raptors -- they are so majestic. Then we go for the sweet one:
Having a little trouble convincing my computer to let me zoom in on the Hermit Thrush (first attempts editing photos), but he's adorable nonetheless. They both posed well, unlike the Great Horned Owl we found driving back from the tea plantation:
At the Charleston Tea Plantation we toured the factory and grounds, and of course sampled the tea. In our "young" nation it is fun to walk through our "old" history.Lastly, I'll post the Saucer Magnolia picture. This is why we love Charleston in February:

Home, for a little while

2008-02-19T20:35:00.000-08:00

So, since the sixth I've flown to NC, driven to Forest, VA, driven to Dulles and back to Forest in an ice storm, driven to Charleston, SC, then finally returned to TX. We almost have everything in one place again. Almost. I visited seven yarn shops on my trip, and didn't buy anything in four of them. Yes, yes, I KNOW that buying anything adds to the stash, but I did manage to only buy yarns I have not yet tried, and the yarns have specific projects in mind. Really, they do. Tubey, Bayerische, March Madness socks, a sweater of my design, and socks of my design. See? Oh, I guess you don't. I'll take pictures tomorrow.

"Whoever said cats are reclusive must not have had cats who liked him."

The wisdom of my husband, as we are bathed in the attention of our two cats (and literally bathed...).

2 weeks, 3 days...

2008-02-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

... and no post. Oops. Let's see, what has gone on? I flew to NH, drove to MA, was down with the flu for four days, drove to ME, back to MA, and back to NH to fly to EP, TX. Less than 16 hours later I drove from EP to DFW. Had a meeting, got a job, watched the Superbowl (moment of silence, please), stayed up waaaay too late twice. Finished Monkeys, progressed on Felted Clogs, started Sidewinders, wound Malabrigo, received Wollmeise (yes, and the skein for Mom's birthday) and a Knit Picks order, which upon opening I turned one skein of Essential into fringe. (Note to self -- do not open boxes of yarn while talking to hubby. That wonderful man distracts me even more than yarn does.)

I'm tired.

I had big plans of visiting yarn stores in ME and NH, but since I lost more than half of my week in New England to sickness, I didn't get to them. Perhaps I'll be able to do a little store hopping over the next two weeks. (Oh, did I mention I'm flying to VA tomorrow, then driving to SC with hubby before driving back to TX?) If you can't keep up, don't worry. I am stumped on a regular basis when the cashier asks, "What is your zip code?" And since I make fairly regular calls to people in three time zones, I am constantly having to remind myself which one I'm in at the moment.

I suppose the silence must be broken with photos, so let me search my camera and see what I can find.
Ah, yes. Here is Sylvester. Once upon a time, Sylvester was a stray at the Fort Worth Zoo. He was adopted sometime between the ages of one and two by a military couple. When they both deployed in March, 2003, he was sent to spend the summer in New England. He attached himself to the man of the house, greeting him at the door when he came home and following him everywhere he went. Sylvester has never returned to TX. He lives a pretty cushy life, and has no interest in returning to the great outdoors, but it is fun to look sometimes... and even to make a paw print in the snow.On January 27th, I had the great pleasure of waking up to this:
Four inches of SNOW!!! It was so pretty! The birds were busy. I loved watching this Carolina Wren:The next day brought my trip to Maine. They received a little snow on Sunday, but with the previous snow, the result was this:Does this water look chilly?No, I didn't stick my toe in it. It was a little windy and I might have lost my sock if I'd taken it off...

Speaking of socks, look what was waiting for me when I finally got back to knit with my Sisters of the Wool:My Wollmeise order came in! Top is Spice Market in 80/20, middle is Emil (like the sunset) and bottom is Vincent. (Both Emil & Vincent are 100% superwash merino.) Emil doesn't look as neat as the others because I untwisted him for a color match check. They are all gorgeous. Also added to the stash is the Malabrigo:Very pretty, very soft, and I fear it will pill like crazy, but I will reserve judgment for when the project is finished. (The swatch is three strands held together.)

And finally, here is the oh-so-cool Sidewinder:The completed toe is on the left, the first half of the heel is on the middle bottom, and the second half of the heel is just getting started at the stitch marker between my fingers. You can see the ribbing for the top of the sock at the right, and the garter stitch for the calf. It seems like it will fit, which will be good news since I just found out the Monkeys are too tight for the recipient. She may have the smallest feet in the family, so I don't know what I'll do with them. The worst part is that I dyed that yarn specifically for her, and I don't think I have enough left even just to do the ankles of another pair. She loves the yarn and the stitch pattern. I don't want to frog both feet and ankles to get it right, but maybe that is the best option since I'll have to knit another pair anyway...

That's Brisk, Baby

2008-01-20T18:36:00.001-08:00

Yippee!!! It has actually been a little chilly here the past couple of mornings! The weather has been about the same for a long time, so it is nice for a change. (Low 40s at night, mid 50s during the day. Boring.)

STILL working on those Monkey socks, completely gave up on the TP scarf, and I've cast on a FT Felted Clog. Praise God we are still allowed to knit on airplanes. And woe be it to the person who misbehaves and has this right taken away from the rest of us. I will personally hunt you down, and prove that it is not the knitting needles themselves to fear, but the person wielding them. I think my travel time on Tuesday is nearly eight hours, but snow is predicted for my destination, so I'm prepared to face delays. I should knit those clogs, but I will cast on my hot pink Baudelaires for January Sockdown. I really need to get those done before the end of January because I plan to do Bayerische for February. Ninety-eight stitches per sock. Whoa yeah. I am anxiously awaiting my KnitPicks order so I can catch up on at least one of the lace shawl KALs I joined. Also awaiting some Wollmeise. (drool...)

For the 101 update, I have completed #54, #74 (Blue Harvest -- rather amusing), and made some surprising progress on #60 -- not surprising as in a great quantity, more unexpected and exciting. (Nope. Still not sharing what it is.) So, 97 items left.

Tried to upload a picture, but our connection isn't cooperating today. Will try to get some New England shots in this week!

Third Time's a Charm?

2008-01-16T20:49:00.000-08:00

Post removed by author.

Please Pardon My Dust...

2008-01-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

...while I redecorate to serve you better.

Here's proof that I finished Back to Basics:I don't have the proper sized sock blockers, so they look a little funny in the photo. In person they are yummy.

And the second addition to my "Cookie Jar" in progress:
That's all for tonight. Trying to crank out a few more rows on a French Market Bag before going back to the Monkeys.

First FO of 2008!

2008-01-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

Yes! The Back to Basics socks are done. (Doin' the happy dance, oh yeah, oh yeah, it's your birthday, it's your birthday!) Ahem. Anyway, they are done, pictures to follow tomorrow. I've also begun to fiddle with a collar-style scarf, so I guess I have my first COO (cast-on object) of 2008 today as well. Placed my Knit Picks order so I can get back on track for the Spring Shawl and be ready for the SOTSii. I had to laugh at myself (often do) because when I left the doctor today and went over for blood work I was actually a little disappointed that I didn't have to wait. I was looking forward to knitting! I've done a rep on the Monkeys today and it is REALLY difficult to work with Jeannie after working with Acero. The Jeannie almost has an acrylic feel to it. I don't know how much this has to do with the dying process, if anything. It seems to be knitting up well, so we'll see. Okay, okay, pictures of that tomorrow as well! :o)

Sunset

2008-01-05T21:12:00.000-08:00

A photograph just does NOT do this justice. At first the clouds were dusted with a light purpley-pink (Elf says purpley, so can I). Then it was more of a hot pink. Then RED. Against a sky in the most gorgeous shade of blue. (I think even Angeluna would have liked THIS blue.) This is overlooking downtown El Paso, over the Rio Grande, and into Mexico. The Franklin Mountains are just off to the right of the picture. Now I need to figure out how to pop the screen back into my window...

Just went over to Wollmeise's blog and saw her new yarn colors. Emil is this sunset! What do you think?
{Yawn.} Time for bed.

101 in 1001

2008-01-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

Post removed by author.

While Shepherds Wash Their Socks by Night

2008-01-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

He, he, he. Couldn't resist.

I also cannot resist this little number, in spite of my ever growing queue (scroll down to Dec 27 on the Berroco blog):It isn't in Ravelry yet. And I know I'm goofy, but I love the beet, too. (Keep scrolling down in the blog, you'll see it.) I noticed they said Comfort will be out in a DK weight. I need to take the scraps from my baby cape and make a swatch to wash and see how it wears. I loved knitting with it.

Since it will most likely be taken down Monday, here's our tree, with close ups of Jake, and the new Santa we received this year from Keith and June.

SOTSii

2008-01-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

As I calm down from the swatch panic of Spring Shawl Surprise (which is open to new members until this coming Monday), I look forward to Secret of the Stole II. I will order needles tomorrow to make sure I'm ready for whatever size I need to get the gauge I like... for the yarn I do not yet have. I keep hearing about Jaggerspun, so I may actually try to use the Super Lamb 2/24 that Nautical Knitter calls for in this pattern.

Now, I have yet to master the "add a button" feature to the blog, so for now I will put the links here. Nautical Knitter's Website is here, and the SOTSii KAL is here. Guinevere and the Civil War Shawl both look pretty good to me, but I really need to get some other knitting done!

...and on the Third Day...

2008-01-03T06:31:00.000-08:00

...we knit. And clean. Won't that be exciting? (Well, part of it will be, anyway.)

I just realized that I have ten UFOs. Ten. How DOES this happen? One is ABF (all but felted). One is the mouse that is naked (no gauge given for clothes, knit a cute skirt too small, haven't gone back to it). One was started to make the Sockdown deadline. One technically isn't started, just swatched. One was started as travel knitting. One keeps changing recipients, therefore changing priority.

Oh. So THAT'S how that happens.

We had swatch panic last night. I delayed on swatching for the Spring Shawl Surprise until yesterday and wasn't thrilled with the look of my first swatch. My yarn is much lighter than what is called for. My concern was that it would look flimsy if there were larger stretches of stockinette. The PROBLEM is that I don't have smaller needles suitable for lace knitting. So I did the second swatch, which has larger patches of garter stitch. I think I can live with the result. Dear Husband did say to just order the other needles and start when they come in. He's so sweet. Of course in the back of my mind I'm having a true woman's rant of he just doesn't realize that the needles won't be here for at least a week and next Tuesday I'll have 50 more rows to do and there are drawings I must complete each section on time in order to be entered.... Panic aside, I think I'll be okay with my current needles. And I have to keep in mind that I'm dying the finished product. I'm sure it will look MUCH better when it isn't stark white.

2008 Underway

2008-01-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

Making progress on the 101 in 1001 list. Currently trying to finish the Back to Basics socks and complete the Monkeys that I started for the December Sockdown. I started them, then read that I was supposed to post a picture, not just reply to the list that I had started them. If it becomes an issue, I guess I can track down the pictures taken at the New Year's Eve party where I sat by the fish tank knitting the evening away. (Yes, I very much wanted to be in swimming with the fish. Diving again is definitely on my 101 list.) Will start and have pictures of Thelonious well in advance of the January deadline.

Finally counted the stash. Over 200 skeins, balls, and hanks, oh my! I didn't count the Sugar & Peaches 'n Cream, nor could I count what is in VA (which is mainly my dishcloth cotton stash). This does include some partially and half used skeins. So, just knit a ball a day to get though it, right? Ah, if only it worked that way. Oh, and if it takes two skeins to make a pair of socks, I just counted that as one. So yes, that means technically there is MORE...

Blogs are more fun with pictures, so here is Floyd from Busch Gardens Tampa:

Of course he can't be outdone by the two lorikeets that took a nap on my head:

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

The craziness of 2007 has passed, and here we sit (together, can you believe it?). I may begin the new year with a new blog, considering a spell check split my name in a place I never intended it to be split. Eclectic + chick = Eclectichick. Not Eclectic -hick. No. Definitely not. And I lurk and envy the layouts of other blogs, so it may be time to make a clean break and start anew. I also have found that my original need for blogging has been filled by Ravelry, and in a better format. (Just fill in the blanks.) And how cool is it to see that someone from Israel or Finland has half-a-dozen projects in common with me? I do find that the blog is not completely obsolete, hence the need to seek another outlet, or just a different name (which will be thoroughly put through the ringer prior to starting the new blog). Content will probably not change much although, as many in cyberspace are doing today, I intend to post more frequently.

Bad Bug

2007-10-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, we thought the third time would be a charm. HA! Bug still going buggy, so we STILL have not been up to McKittrick Canyon. From what I can understand, the fuel mixture isn't rich enough. Hubby says this is why the car seems a little "gutless." The mechanic said he'll need the car for a few days to fix the problem, so perhaps a rental this weekend? We'll turn over the car when I head out on Monday.

I joined SparkPeople again so I can track what I eat. I forgot they have a journal, too, so this actually added two useful things to what I can do with my iPhone. I dabbled in SparkPeople a little before, but it isn't very useful when you can't get online everyday. When you can, it's great! My ID over there is KNITWALK -- please reference me if you join! And of course there is a group for knitters in the Spark realm, as there is a group for Sparkers in the Ravelry realm...

Knit, Ravelry, Blog... Life

2007-10-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, well, my dear little blog has taken a bit of a backseat with the knitting that must be done as well as my still relatively new relationship with Ravelry. Yes, relationship. For the amount of time I spend there, it should be. We're planning a trip to the Caribbean early spring....

And of course we cannot discount the time spent with continued car troubles (we think it is now fixed -- ha, ha, we think -- bad Bug, bad Bug) and a little bit of bedroom renovation. Yes, we are in an apartment. The couple that lived in the room before us fought -- violently. Supposedly all the splatter marks on the walls were from beer bottles being thrown about. Yes... we may have to repaint a "normal" color when we leave, but for now we will enjoy "Golden Butter" and "Orange Slice" with hints of "Lime Passion." We also put up shelves and a peg board for the knitting, sewing, crafting, etc. that must occur. And there has been walking -- not as much as I would like, but there has been some. The temperature has finally reached something more reasonable here a.k.a. bearable. The nights are cool, but sadly because of the street lights, bus depot, poorly tuned exhausts and booming stereos, we have to shut our windows up tightly at night.

Oh, yes, and there is that other "little" thing... my new phone... new iPhone, that is. Jeff reminded me that seven years ago I said I wanted one device that did it all -- phone, camera, music, PDA -- and here it is! It just blows my mind that I'm holding 8G of memory in my hand -- my first computer was a Mac Classic (see? I have Apple roots) and it had a whopping 40MB memory. Can't believe that was seventeen years ago. Blech. I'm still getting used to the fact that there are things I can say I've been doing for DECADES. Twenty-six years of flute playing -- that's a quarter of a century -- ohmigosh -- grab my orthodics, roll my knee-highs down to my ankles, and I'm off to play bingo...

I'm also gearing up for three trips ("real" ones, requires a plane to get there & back) in the next seven weeks. Praise God we can bring knitting needles on flights.

So that's current life in the Chihuahuan Desert for The Chick. Photos to follow!

BTW, Did I mention I got into Ravelry?

2007-10-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm finally one of the gang. You'll find me as the chickadee under "tayaelaine." Ohhhhh, so that's why blogging has been sparse. Just a little. I really like having my projects listed -- there is just something about seeing the pictures with "wip" in the corner that makes me want to get them finished before casting on the next project. Of course we'll just see how my resolve holds up since I've wound a ball of Solana and rediscovered this Knitty Pattern. Hmmmm, do I dare?

I have an ambitious Socktoberfest goal: finish two pair in progress and complete four. The four are all Christmas gifts, so I do need to get crackin' anyway. Here they are:
I suppose this means I really need to stick with my socks and not start that throw...

Sisters of the Wool Visit

2007-10-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

Yippee! I got to knit, dye, and buy with my fellow Sisters! We spent a Saturday at Heritage Arts in Beaumont Ranch dying yarn.
It's a fun setting -- I half expected a fight to break out and a couple of cowboys to fall off one of the second story balconies!
Angeluna was creating a sinister green for her Nagini socks.
The fall decorations were fantastic. I think this one is demonstrating what happens when someone attempts to get between us and our yarn!
Here's some of our beautiful work!
There were a couple of bored teenage girls at the ranch who wanted to try out dying, and they came up with this lovely creation (which magically found it's way home with me!):
I made some mostly red yarn with a little green and navy, which in turn made a little purple. This was my first attempt at dying yarn. It will become a pair of socks for my sis-in-law for Christmas -- trying to decide what pattern to use.
This was my second hank that I dyed -- I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I have no idea what it will become when it grows up. That is real silver glinting through there, with superwash wool and silk.

My camera battery was dead when I showed up to Borders for our Brooks Farm trunk show. So, I can only show my "haul," which includes some Four Play, Solana, and Acero. Three Christmas presents and one unknown project.

I'm a Hooker...

2007-10-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

Take it in context, people, take it in context! I took a class at Unravel in Las Cruces and here's my first project completed. I'll finish this one off as a pillow. I've started the next one, but probably won't work on it again until after the first of the year.

Not much computer time over the past few weeks, with a very full visit to the Fort Worth area, and doing a little "home improvement" in our apartment. Posts to follow!

From None to Five...

2007-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

...or six, wait, is that SEVEN? Darn. I thought I was doing well...

Yes, I must confess to seven if this is full disclosure. At one point in August, I had no WIPs. Here's what I have four weeks later. Clockwise from the socks:

1. Broadripple in Cascade Fixation, midway through gusset on second sock
2. One Skein Wonder in CTH Twister (started last night b/c I didn't have sense enough to go to bed)
3. Daphne Baby Cape, a few ends left, buttons, attach one side of hood and fringe (completed but not pictured)
4. Unmentionable, needs to be stuffed, assembled, & dressed (see Knit 2 Together, Ullman & Clark, p. 66)
5. Danica Scarf for Red Scarf Project, Lion Wool Worsted, about 25% complete
6. Loose Five Braid Cable out of Vanna's Choice, needs fringe to make it a scarf. Done to test yarn and make a cable swatch. Have washed a stockinette swatch twice and I'm not happy with how it is wearing -- looks worn and fuzzy already.
7. Unmentionable, a few ends to weave in and buttons -- cannot find 2" buttons. (see Fitted Knits, Japel, p. 48)

Unmentionables are obviously gifts, but since they are going to non-knitters I've given references for the curious knitters out there. Love the #7, tried it on enough times that hubby asked if I was going to be able to give it away. I reassured him that wouldn't be a problem since I already bought yarn to make one for me.... And #4 should be gifted soon, so I can show pix and describe a couple of minor adjustments I made to the pattern.

Planted some window boxes yesterday with plants from Sierra Vista Growers in La Union, NM. Just love this place. All their plants look full and healthy, and there are plenty of hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to keep you entertained while shopping. They are also the only place I could find vermiculite to make Mel's Mix for our Square Foot Gardens, and the only place we could find seaweed extract, fish emulsion, and gypsum to keep our plants healthy. We've had quite a learning curve here -- we actually OVER-watered at first. Anyway, here are the boxes:

More Travel + More Knit = Less Blog

2007-09-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

The good news is, the silence will be broken with good pictures, because we FINALLY got our new camera! So, let's start with Mr. Picture Purrfect Posing Puss:
Awwww... isn't he a sweetie? And I captured one of the hummingbirds on our patio.
For our anniversary weekend in August we went up toNew Mexico and stayed at the Inn on Broadway. We weren't the only guests.I got a little bit of knitting done, here's the Daphne with two skeins down.We spent Saturday wandering around the town, visiting various shops and galleries. We ate lunch at Vicky's and dinner at Diane's -- highly recommend both places for their spectacular food. On Sunday we drove out to the Gila Cliff Dwellings, which wasn't far as the crow flies, but took several hours on those twisty mountain roads (which is good practice for Ireland next May, according to Jo). Our hike had a little added excitement as we were caught in a downpour, which is spectacular from the cliffs as you can see.

We ate lunch at The Lodge, where they had a few hummingbirdsmost of whom were not camera shy.On the way home we stopped for a quick peek at Lake Roberts.

The following weekend we made our usual escape to Cloudcroft and our favorite coffee shop, Jamocha Bean, to sit in the garden and visit with Kate.Then we hiked through Lincoln Forest and found this little guy.My first time seeing a horned toad. The birds were uncooperative for photographing as usual. We went back to Jamocha Bean in the afternoon and just hung out because we didn't feel like doing anything else and certainly didn't want to go back to EP just yet. Wait! Who's that posing by the fountain in the garden? Yes, Potomatomus has made an appearance in all her glory.This is certainly a better shot of the colors, but now that I see it on the blog it isn't showing the detail quite as much as I had hoped. More knitting pictures tomorrow, including FOs!

Frog Pond

2007-08-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

The good, the bad, and the ugly:

Glasgow Lace from Interweave Knits Fall 2006, but you can't see the curves to the lace pattern because of the striping in the colorway (CTH potluck supersock). And AFTER I got to this point, I found information about shaping the garment here. I also kept asking myself why I wasn't knitting in the round. So, IF I do this sweater, it will be in a solid or nearly solid, and knit in the round with waist shaping. I am left with 840 yards of this CTH potluck. Yes, I could make socks, but I feel like I should use it on something bigger since I have an ample amount of this "one of a kind" colorway. I do think the colorway would be perfect for Nagini, so maybe I'll give in and do that.

I have an unknown amount of laceweight merino -- it is my mom's yarn but she didn't like working with it, so I'm trying to make a scarf out of it for her. I was using US size 5s, but I don't like the way it looks, so I think I'm going to restart with 4s. In some places the yarn is so light it looks like there is a dropped stitch. The question is whether to stay with this leaf lace pattern or look for something else. It came in a little kit with knitting needles and instructions for three different lace patterns including a feather & fan. If this sounds familiar to anyone and you know the yardage, please let me know!

Daphne's Baby Cape

2007-08-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

One skein down, two plus to go. I'm using Berroco Comfort in 9810 Nosegay Mix. I picked up the yarn Monday at Unravel in Las Cruces. The store had a nice selection of yarn and books. The pattern (From Knit Two Together) calls for Cascade 220, but I wanted something washable. The Comfort is super soft -- it can be a little splitty if you aren't paying attention. The first skein I used had two knots in it, one about six yards in and the other just a few yards behind it. Haven't found a problem in the second skein -- will wait until the project is complete before I write to Berroco.

Hubby and I have been touring as much of Southern NM as we can before we are relocated next month (insert temper tantrum here). So far we've been to Cloudcroft twice (30 degrees cooler than it is here) and out to Carlsbad Caverns. We may stay local this weekend, but we are looking into B&Bs for our anniversary weekend. Maybe Silver City area so we can see the Gila Cliff Dwellings, or back into the Ruidoso/Cloudcroft area.

And It's been a while since I posted these mugs, so here they are:

Norton just knows the doormat was purchased for him.

Frank considers the entire world his toy.

Emerging from the deep depths of the dark water...

2007-07-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

...is Potomatomus! I'll kitchner the second toe tonight & be done with them. The second picture is a little closer to the real colors.
I followed the pattern with the exception of using the Channel Island cast on (found in my page-a-day calender). The yarn is Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Steelhead. Just couldn't resist using a fish-named colorway for a fish-named pattern and maintaining the theme with the island cast-on. These did seem to be "the socks that never end" because of the 1x1 ribbing, but I still love them. Very much looking forward to cold weather, especially since these are the third pair of socks I've completed this summer.

I realize yesterday's posts were rather shortly stated. Part of that is from the attempted to cram in the chronicles of several completed projects. And part of that was just plain feeling cranky. The previous five days were filled with a variety of malfunctions in our apartment (refrigerator, overflowing toilet, loss of electricity) and I'd had enough. We've been told the power will be out again this Friday so they can make permanent repairs. Last night the AC wasn't working all that great, so I'm kind of sluggish today. Hopefully that will be then end of that type of excitement for a whil. Hubby will be home soon and he always makes things better! We've been discussing various vacation options and at first I offered a few options, but now my only request is that it is someplace cold. I want the luxury of shivering a little. Being able to don the comfy handknits will just be a bonus!

Jaywalkers & Vog-ons

2007-07-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

Jaywalkers in Regia Silk. I only changed the pattern for the heel:

I used a Strong heel, which allowed me to continue the pattern all the way down the heel. The sock is very tight as others have noted with this pattern. It fits fairly well except for the buckling around the ankle. I'm through using Regia sock yarn. Technichal comment: blech. It has no sproing at all. The colorway is very pretty.

The pattern came out on a Tuesday. I cast-on on Thursday and finished the following Wednesday. My Koigu Vog-ons:

Love the pattern and the yarn. It is a fairly stretchy lace, so I probably didn't have to make the pattern change -- I added some ribbing to the back of the ankle. It makes a nice panel out of the lace. I did the toe-up version, and I think I did thirteen 4-round repeats instead of the ten shown. I have my notes somewhere...Oh yeah, BTW, ignore the dates on the pictures.

W & Flamewalkers

2007-07-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here's the first in the FO parade in a lame attempt to "catch up" my blog. This is from Knitty. I followed the pattern, and kind of wish I hadn't. Instead of making two separate pieces, I wish I had made a provisional cast on, then instead of knitting the fifth wedge, I'd just knit the third again and make my way around the back. That leaves just the shoulder straps to seam. The garter stitch border looks better in person than it does in the picture. I'm really looking forward to being able to replace this picture because the yarn is gorgeous. It is CTH Twister Potluck in colors that look like Sugar Maple, heavy on the pink. I'm thinking of making a One Skein Wonder in pink Twister to go with it.

CTH Supersock in Maple, Flamewalker pattern. Followed the pattern. I like the finished product. The yarn seems to be pilling a bit, especially where the ankles rub against my shoes. I've heard this is a merino problem. Curious to see how they continue to wear.

Ravelry

2007-07-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

I decided not to wait anymore to get into the queue. Here's the result:

Found you!
You signed up on Today
You are #17320 on the list.
11389 people are ahead of you in line.
6 people are behind you in line.
32% of the list has been invited so far

I'm glad I'm not actually standing in line for this one. Although, that would be lots of quality knitting time...

Crawling Out from Under the Rock...

2007-06-25T09:31:00.002-07:00

...or at least out of the internet black hole I was in. Six months later, I find myself no longer in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but high in the Chiuhuahuan Desert. Yes, I realize it is hot here. Yes, I realize we just moved OUT of Texas six months ago. Yes, I acknowledge that I am not in control, and I am thankful for this. Everything works out so much better than I could ever plan it.

Fortunately we are just here temporarily. However, we may move back to DFW rather than central VA -- definitely keeping the house. Although it has a much more glamorous sound than our actual lifestyle, it will most likely become a summer home and vacation retreat.

The lack of internet access inspired reading, gardening, knitting, and a little cross-stitching. I wasn't exactly having to carry water to the house in a bucket or scrub my clothes on rocks, but day-to-day operations in that old house took some extra doing. And I had fun working as a cashier-jockey and barista in a bagel shop. That was my winter and spring. We did make one trip to the DC area, and visited the CnO Canal, where we first met. (Insert romantic sigh here.)

I have several FOs and WIPs, but our old camera died and the newer one takes really bad pictures. Will update with what I have, and replace the pictures when I can get better ones. Some FOs are still in VA unphotographed. Oh well, I'll just have to add them to the blog later. They include: Anthropologie-Inspired Winter Capelet; Entrelac Shrug; Beechwood Scarf; Mosaic Mitts; Nautical Notes Hat; Mabel's Scarf; Kureyon-Chan; and probably some others I'm forgetting.

I completed the CTH Flamewalker Socks and a pair of Jaywalkers, however Blogger is currently not cooperating with uploading my pictures (it must also acknowledge that the pix are bad). And I made the 'Vog on socks from the new Knitty. The issue came out on the 12th, I cast on the 14th and picot stitch cast-off on the 21st. My first time working with Koigu -- yes, I love it, too.

WIPs include W (Knitty) and Pinwheel Purse (both blocking), and Potomatomus -- I'm on the heel flap of the first sock. Glasgow Lace and a lace scarf I started are on time-out. I have the Trio Tote Bag and another partial sock that are set aside indefinitely. And I cast on a pair of socks for my husband months ago, but there's barely enough done to cover his big toes. It is a dark gray yarn and very hard to see except in daylight. So I guess it adds up to seven knitting WIPs. Note the word "knitting." Some machine sewing will take place this summer as well.

My First Meme

2006-12-23T08:19:00.000-08:00

I've been memed. The details:

“THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”

Only 6? Little does this person know that when asked to share one quirky thing about myself, the speaker said, "Well, YOU are a quirk." So here goes:

1. I don't buy trash bags. I cannot stand the thought of spending money on something for the sole purpose of throwing it way. I reuse shopping bags for trash. And of course recycle anything I can.

2. I have never seen "Finding Nemo" or "The Lion King." I don't think this is strange, but everyone who finds out about this looks at me crosseyed.

3. I was born and raised 40 miles north of Boston, MA, but 95% of the time I do not sound like it. I refer to this as a birth defect. In the extremes of my emotions, when I'm really tired, or when I'm around others of like accent it comes out.

4. I alphabetize my spices. I do go back and forth in my head as to whether or not I should divide them into "sweet" and "savory"...

5. I've never had the chicken pox.

6. I didn't eat meatloaf until I was 18, grits until I was 25, and my first corndog was consumed at age 26.

And the list could go on...

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2006-12-19T07:54:00.000-08:00

Just received this picture from the hubby. It is an aerial view of Antarctica. This gives "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" a whole new meaning, especially since it is SUMMER down there...

Modern Inconveniences

2006-12-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

Wow. What a pain it is to not have internet access at home! And to put a little icing on that disappoinment cake, my digital camera is broken. In order to make it in time for Christmas, I had to mail a pair of handwarmers without taking a picture of them! Fortunately, I intend to make a matching pair for myself, so I can take a picture of those. For those of you who pay attention to detail and noticed the location change, yes, we've moved. Still not north of the Mason-Dixon line, but I will no longer have to endure five months of temperatures over 90! Woo-hoo! yes, there are many things I will miss, perhaps the topic of a later post, but I'm very happy to be at the feet of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains!

Free Blockbuster Total Access

2006-12-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Try Blockbuster Total Access FREE for four weeks by going to www.blockbuster.com/bbfamily and entering the code 2004ta. It will be free for four weeks -- you will need to cancel it before the end of the four weeks if you don't want to pay for the subscription. You even get a coupon for a free rental the day you sign up. You get three movies by mail and if you take those movies into the store you can get three more! We signed up late Saturday night and got our first two movies in the mail Monday morning.

My brother-in-law works for their corporate office and he will get $10 for everyone who tries it out for free, and $30 if you sign up. There is only one person at the office who has more sign ups than he does, and that person spammed a whole bunch of people to do it (he is now in trouble). Let's beat the cheater! Pass this on to your family and friends -- anyone can do it. Send me a comment and let me know you signed up. Thanks!

Friendly Felines

2006-11-21T05:53:00.000-08:00

When it is chilly, you'd never know that Norton and Frank usually don't get along.They started getting along better when we brought in my niece's cat Shadow. Now their proximity is an indication of ambient temperature. I have to agree with Calvin, that fur must be strictly ornamental.

Stop the world, I want to get off

2006-11-21T05:21:00.000-08:00

When I began this blog I did not intend for it to be a monthly report. However, it appears that my life is spinning about me and I've turned into a whirling dervish trying to keep up. Knitting has been my sanity break, but pictures of that knitting are non-existent. (Free time to knit, not take pix.) It also appears that I won't weave in ends until I have a pile of projects requiring that step. Well, now I have a pile of post-pumpkin projects itching to be tackled with a tapestry needle.

I planned to work on a specific financial project today but, alack and alas, it is on the OTHER laptop, which is in Virginia with my husband. And my shoes. Which are in the washing machine. And I hope my crockpot -- not in the machine, just in the van. Moving is fun enough as it is, but it becomes a real adventure when you pack everything up, then decide to stay for three more weeks. There ARE many advantages to this, decluttering being the first and foremost. Now, my husband and I thought I/we had done a good job paring it down. We loaded up a 1-ton van and a 3/4-ton van with well over two tons of stuff. We made it as far as Dallas. Praise God because our own personal bearded angel in jeans (you know who you are) was able to rescue us (again....) and we got back "home" safely.

Obviously, more stuff has to go. When we got back to the house that day and the next, we had a much more critical eye for what will make the journey. Several hundred MORE pounds have been eliminated, with the next three weeks to get rid of even more. I do find it amusing because we are moving into the biggest house we've ever lived in, and it is nearly twice the size of the house we are renting now. It will be much easier to do all the renovation in a nearly empty house. Details forthcoming, pix on the other computer with hubby, and the camera, in Virginia.

Okay, time to tackle my other big project. I have mentioned that I view caffeine as a drug and there are times that I abuse it as such. Definitely will be a user today. Starbucks French Roast. Rather stout, should keep me going. I can think of few things worse than having to study something that bores you to tears, but I'm looking forward to being DONE with it!

KTS2

2006-10-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here's the package I received from Bethanie in Kansas. Thank you! The package I sent had to go all the way to Germany, so I don't think she's received it yet.

Orca Tails Scarf

2006-10-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

Although the pattern calls for two skeins of Noro Kureyon, I can count this as one of my accomplishments for the Lonesome Skein KAL because I used just one skein of CTH Silk & Merino Bulky in the Quarry Hill colorway. Orcas are black and white, so I'm not sure why Lori named her pattern as such, but it looks gorgeous in her Noro and in my CTH. Because I only had one skein, I could not fringe. The cast on edge looks great, but I'm trying to work on the bind-off edge to better match it, a problem that would have been easily camouflaged behind a little fringe. (That's why the ends are hidden!) The yarn has a much more shiny jewel tone finish than is show in the photo. It is VERY soft and was a dream to work with. I hope the person getting this for Christmas likes it as much as I do! Here's the pattern: http://www.oceanwindknits.ca/sectionpage2.asp?blog=free%20patterns.

Frank, that's not a cat bed...

2006-10-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Felines make everything more interesting. I was showing my pre-felted pumpkin to my husband and before we knew what was happening, there was a cat in it. And yes, the collapsed felted piece with the icky border behind the pumpkin IS a cat bed.

But back to something much more successful: that wonderful PUMPKIN! The pattern is 12:01 from the October 2006 MagKnits (http://www.magknits.com/Oct06/patterns/1201.htm). The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Potluck Worsted. I had three hanks of that gorgeous orange and one of an "almost solid" green. As soon as I saw this pattern, I knew this is what those hanks wanted to be when they grew up. Wanting to enjoy it in the fall season, I couldn't resist dropping everything and making it right away. The only change I made to the pattern was in making my handle just a tiny bit longer. It is twisted and attached pre-felting, and it is still two separate "vines" post-felting. Make sure the twist is evenly distributed before attaching and it should felt fine. The CTH worsted felted BEAUTIFULLY! The triple stranding made a very thick basket. "And when the clock struck midnight, it turned into..."
The colors did not fade the way it looks in the two photos. For the record, Frank has not tried to wedge himself into it since it was felted.

RPM Revisited

2006-10-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

Whew! I made it! It has been LESS THAN one month since my last post! This past month (not quite!) has been filled with traveling, knitting, house hunting, decluttering, and other less exciting things in life. Here is a better shot of the "Rs" of the RPMs:

My little swirls go in the OPPOSITE direction! Here's how that came to be: J discovered by reducing the cast on by one, 53[62] instead of 54[63] it eliminated the need to alter the p3, k6 repeat at the end of each round. I made my first one like that, but I wanted my "flags" to fly in the opposite direction. So for my second sock, I ADDED one to the nine stitch repeat, making my cast on 55[64]. It is simply magic to watch those little swirls wind around the sock. Now, this does mean that one sock is two stitches bigger in diameter than the other. Find your guage and do the math to figure out how big of a deal this is going to be for you. For me, my right foot & ankle are bigger than their southpaw counterparts, so both tootsies are happy with their custom fitted cocoons.

I used about 67gm of Schoeller & Stahl Fortissima Colori in Stars/Stripes. The fuzz from the red "bleeds" a little into the white.

I've been asked if they twist around my foot while I'm wearing them because of the pattern. I wore them all day yesterday in Birks and they stayed right were they were and there was absolutely NO slouch to the ankle. I also don't feel the purl bumps on the bottom. I am very happy with this pattern and will do them again, but first there are about seventeen other patterns I'm itching to sink my needles into! (And that's JUST socks!)

Souvenir Yarn and Needles

2006-09-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

What does a knitter buy for souvenirs while traveling? YARN of course! I started those Thuja socks for my husband and after a couple of inches had him try them on -- they were too loose and I didn't have the next size smaller needle to use because we were on the road. That's it! I'm buying the Denise Needles! So now I have them. That gorgeous handpainted yarn is for socks for me! I should be able to get those started on the trip home next week.

We are packed and ready to head out this afternoon for a six-day hike on the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. A little shorter trip than we planned, but it should work out well. It is going to be an absolutely gorgeous hike!

Finished Objects Times Four!

2006-09-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've definitely been spending more time knitting than on the computer lately. So, let the tour of FOs begin! The Absorba is complete! I grabbed a quick picture of it on my windowsill before we left -- when I get home I plan to weigh it to see exactly how much cotton it used. I held five strands of single worsted together and went through 10 balls, then I worked from the inside and outside of two more balls and just the inside of a third to finish it off. I made my monthly dishcloth from the leftover, and can probably do one more cloth from the last bit left. I love this month's cloth! It looks like butterflies to me -- don't know if that was the intent of the pattern or not. I'm not sure how I ended up casting on sooooo loosely. I made a mental note after the last cloth to try a seed stitch border instead of the garter stitch because I don't like the way it draws in the sides, but obviously forgot to do that.

"His and hers" socks. My patriotic RPMs, made with a couple of modifications. Alas, my notes are in Texas, so I will have to add those later. Can you see that my ripples go in opposite directions? And the Thuja socks are the first pair I've made for hubby. He really likes them. I like that they only took three days to make while traveling and working a warshrag. They are made with the Possum Worsted from CTH. They were cuddled frequently during the knitting process. VERY soft... and slippery. Hubby doesn't recommend wearing by themselves on wood floors. (Gasp! Must wear with Birks! Protect the handknits!) Both patterns are from Knitty.

Knitter's Tea Swap

2006-09-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

Here's my current stash of tea for those interested and amused. It is not as exotic as usual. For yarn stash, see previous post and envision the addition of a little worsted cotton, handpainted sock yarn, and a handful of other miscellaneous goodies. While you're at it, add three cats for the complete picture. I've already put together some of the box for my swap pal, Ulrike. We should be home from this New England trip early enough that I can get it in the mail to GERMANY in time! Fortunately I have a German friend back in Texas who can translate my swap pal's blog for me! http://www.myblog.de/2malig (Please pardon the lack of hyperlink -- Blogger is not cooperating.)

Cherry Tree Hill

2006-09-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah I had fun. This is what I brought back from the CTH Labor Day Sale, all squeezed into one suitcase. I've already sold some of the yarn, and considering we will probably be moving soon, I'll sell some more. Never fear, more sales in the future and there never seems to be a shortage of yarn to purchase. Some of it has a definite future, and some has already been done, post of FO to follow.

Dishcloth Patterns

2006-09-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

These are the links to the cloth patterns pictured in a previous post. The one that looks like bricks is the Peaches & Cream Ball Band Dishcloth. The pattern is on the ball band and is featured in the Mason Dixon Knitting book. I also found the stitch pattern in my copy of The Harmony Guide to Knitting by Deborah Mountford.

The Garterlac dishcloth can be found here: http://criminyjickets.blogspot.com/2006/07/garterlac-dishcloth.html.

I got several patterns from http://knitting.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://dishclothboutique.20m.com/ and http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/dishcloths.php before joining the Monthly Dishcloth KAL here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MonthlyDishcloths/. Some of the patterns can be found in multiple places. Waaaay too many to knit in one lifetime. And of course, basically any stitch pattern can become a warshrag depending on how many stitches you cast on and how many rows you knit!

Out of Knowwear

2006-08-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

Greeting from Out of Knowwear! My mother-in-law is the artisan who handcrafts these delightful little guys, or in the case of the one above, not so little.
"Taking a Break" is sitting in a regular-sized chair. She usually makes 36" tall Elves, Santas, Bird Ladies, and Witches, but often her creativity makes her break out of that mold. She uses recycled fabric and handpaints all the soft-sculpture faces. They have so much personality! She's been doing the craft show circuit and has a few more this year, but now she is busy getting the barn ready to open up shop in November.

I took pictures of my current project from the top of Clark Mountain (Cornish, ME) with beautiful views of the Maine countryside in the background, but after looking at them on the computer I realized that most of the picture is of a dirt pile (some lucky person is building a home up there). Perhaps I'll get better pictures tomorrow. All I can say is I'm enjoying the deliciously cooler weather, stuffing myself with blueberries, knitting, and enjoying the company and countryside.

Absorba the Great

2006-08-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

I could not wait to sink my needles into this project! It is not as difficult to work the five strands of worsted cotton as I thought it would be. This is how much I got out of one set of balls (2 oz. each). It is about 13 inches square, and half-way through the fifth strip. It seems my binding-off is just a touch on the tight side, but that should block out pretty well. I wanted to buy the 1 lb. cones for my next one, but I like the way the five strands of the varigated are dancing through the strips. I guess it will depend on the look I'm trying to achieve, as well as if the colors I want are available during the next $0.99 or $1.00 sale.

Bitten by the Warshrag Bug

2006-08-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

I am beginning to think no one is safe. Hide your size 7 needles and avoid all stores that sell Peaches & Cream and Sugar & Cream.

These are some of many. The first few I made I did right off the PnC ball band, but I confess I finally broke down and bought Mason-Dixon Knitting. I also joined a Monthly Dishrag KAL, and have found a few free patterns around the internet. All are done in either PnC or SnC with size 7s. The two done in the purple, green, tan, and white varigated show just how far one 2-ounce skein will go. I had to add a little to the garterlac cloth to complete it. I think that is my favorite other than just the ball band in general.

I was disappointed in the bright rainbow ball band because the white in the orange and yellow varigated pooled right in the middle and blew the effect I was trying to achieve. Next time, just two stripes of each of the six solid colors. Next time? Hmmm, have lots to knit & many new ideas. I may not get back to that particular one...

First Finished Footwear

2006-08-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

Here are my first socks, somewhat blocked and drying. I can definitely see the purpose of having sock blockers after just trying to smooth these out by hand. Of course, they are just going to have feet in them, then be put inside Birks or shoes, so it probably isn't that big of a deal.

The pattern is Classic Socks by Melinda Goodfellow (Yankee Knitter Designs). The yarn is Sockotta, color #502. The needles are Inox DPNs, size 2. I did the K1P1 top rib, then changed to a K3P1 rib. I misread the pattern on my first one at the beginning of the heel flap, which resulted in the first 1/4 inch being too tight and it causes a little puckering on the top of the foot. This is where I used just enough extra yarn to make the toe blue and not match it's mate. I also kitchenered earlier than the pattern said to, with 14 stitches on each needle rather than 8. I had made the first just a touch too long, so I had to frog part of it, then I just made the second one match it. I am going to Magic Loop my next pair and start both at the same time. I had partial sock syndrome then one sock syndrome with this pair. I think I originally started back in December, but started working on them in earnest in June.

I'm Melting

2006-08-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

Trying to work with this blog has been a real

Between the triple digit heat and trying to figure out how to make the page look the way I want it to look, my brain is turning into tofu. I really wish I was back in Alaska catching salmon with this brown bear. Either my camera or the new memory card I purchased for the trip is to blame for the funky picture, not the blog.

It's Only the Beginning

2006-08-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

"Chicking" out how this whole blogging thing works. In other words, this is a test, this is only a test.