Ravelympics Roll Call

I'm trying to get something like unto a real grasp of what I've set myself up for in the coming weeks.

In descending order of nearly-finishatude:

1. Child's French Sock ~20% complete. I have not yet turned the heel of the first sock.










to knit: 1.8

2. Anniversary Sock ~25% complete. I am in the process of starting the gusset of the first sock.










to knit: 1.5

3. Mnemosyne* ~25% complete. I am turning the heel of the first sock.










to knit 1.5

4. Eyelet Sock 50% complete. I have one entire sock.










to knit 1

5. Swirlus Interuptus 75% complete. I am decreasing the gusset of the second sock.










to knit 0.5


Total Olympian effort required: 6.3 socks. More or less.

Which, unless math fails me entirely (as it is wont to do), comes to a whopping 0.37 socks a day.

I can do that.

*This is a pattern that I am designing with an eye towards publishing, so I won't be posting pictures. But I've knit half a sock, I promise.

Long Summer

Very shortly after my last post, my position was terminated and I very suddenly lost my job. Since then, I have gone into business with three of my closest friends, joined two Mystery Knit-a-longs, and cleaned the heck out of my bedroom.

Sudden unemployment does odd things to the psyche.

So. In knitting news, I have been a busy bee. I've started designing a pair of socks. I am pretty excited by this, and hope to offer my pattern on Ravelry once it's finished and completely written and beta'ed.

I've also joined the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl. It is a mandala-style pattern that I'm really enjoying knitting. It's my first pi-shawl, which is groovy. My only regret is the yarn choice. I am not really loving the variegated yarn. I think it obscures the lace entirely too much. I think once it's blocked I'll decide if I can live with it (as I know blocking will greatly change the look). If the answer is "no" then I'm gonna over-dye that sucker.



The second Mystery Shawl I'm working on is MS9 (also by Goddess Knits). I'm using Knitpicks Palette in Fawn. It is going to be a wonderfully warm , cuddly and big shawl -- perfect I think for gatherings.

I have tried, with no great success, two other projects with this yarn. This time, I'm happy.


I have also joined the groups for the Mystery Stole 4, and Secret of the Stole III. Neither have started yet, and I haven't decided whether or not to cast on with the group, or just save the patterns. I do know the perils of too many projects on the needles at once, honest I do.

Speaking of which (there is a segue here, I swear), I'm co-captaining Team Marmoset for the 2008 Ravelympics. My Olympian feat will be to finish all of the pairs of socks that I currently have on needles. This means 5 (yes FIVE) pairs of socks in various stages of incompletion. o.O This is me making the big eyes.

This Time With Pictures

The collar is on and quite handsome if I do say so myself.


I am really excited about this — as I've mentioned previously, this is my first for me sweater. I've made at least 5 little person sized sweaters, so I had some preparation. I was at least familiar with the concept of sweater construction, but dudes, making an adult sized sweater (and I am not a small person) is a whole different ball of yarn.


Anyway, the collar picked up and went in with little or no fuss. I merrily ribbed whilst watching A&E's production of Pride & Prejudice. Good Times.

Next Stop: Zipper Town.

Man-Sweater is Coming Along*

So.

I have no pictures to show you (yet), but I am pleased to report that my Man-Sweater is so very almost done.

It's seamed up, sleeves in and most of the ends woven in. All that's left is to pick up and knit the collar, and then to find and sew in the zipper.

I'm a mite apprehensive as regards to that last, as the left and right fronts don't seem to be entirely the same length. (I should have knit them together the way I did the sleeves. That worked surprisingly well). I am hoping that ease and creative seamstressing will save the day.

I'll post again with a proper update (and pictures!) later.

*heheheheheh. She said "coming"

This Way to Harlot Town

A grand time was had by all*

She is as funny, smart and adorable in person as she is on her blog.

My best Jess (who is now enjoying some fame and notoriety in the blogosphere) brought our beloved Harlot a lovely drawing of the reproductive parts of a butterfly, Whosiheimerus somethingorotheri. She (the Harlot) was delighted, and immediately began to practice her game face. She was making plans to show it to Joe and when he asked, nonchalantly answer, "Why Joe, it's the reproductive parts of a butterfly. Obviously." I think that she was, if I am using the word correctly, chuffed.

Anyways, I got my books signed (whee!) had my picture taken while we held each other's socks, and then went out for Sushi after.



By the by, I cast on that sock that she's holding earlier that same morning. I have mad skillz. Just sayin'. And yes, I did crop myself out of that picture. It was a bad picture of me. Really.

Alot.

It is worth noting at this point that I hate Sushi. So, the fact that I ate four or five or six pieces off of everyone else's plates exclaiming "Damn, that was good!" should clearly be overlooked as aberrant behavior brought on by close proximity to her Harloty Self.

*In the spirit of full disclosure I feel that I should report that the grand time had by Koren's husband was spent in the Manga section ignoring the doings of knitters. But even so.

Harlot Tonight!

No time to blog about how I haven't had time to blog.


The Harlot will be in Nashville tonight, and I (and many friends) will be there to see her!

(And, of course, I can't find my copy of Knitting Rules...which is my favorite of her books.)

How's the finishing going my chickadees?

It's going swimmingly over here at chez woolly. I am making great strides towards finishing my Man Sweater — the back and left front both completely done and the right front is thiiiiiis close. After that it's sleeves and making up, and voilá! a sweater!

In celebration of all of this nearly done-atude, I've been feverishly searching for the Next Great Sweater Project. Also, my best Jess is right about at the same place (or a little ahead) of me on her Man Sweater, so we've started talking about our next 'along. We're thinking of knitting something for each other this time. So, a future post will be published regarding my plans for the future. Stay Tuned!

P.S. March is for Making Mates might be a bust this year, as I'm focusing pretty much all of my energy into my sweater, and haven't actually finished any socks. I don't have any "Plain Jane" socks on needles right now, just two Nancy Bush patterns. These are less well suited for travel knitting. Oh well.

Whoops! Lucky Number 13

Dudes! I totally forgot to count Soleil.

Back up to 11!

Screw Your Courage to the Sticking Point

Right, so tomorrow is February 1. Time to gird your loins, screw your courage to the sticking point and start counting.

Here's what I currently have on needles (in no particular order):

1. The Cambridge Jacket (the Man Sweater) by Ann Budd
   
2. Anniversary Socks (1 of 2) from Interweave's Favorite Socks
   
3. French Child's Sock (1 of 2) from Knitting Vintage Socks
   
4. Green Thing (its a gift, and must therefore be referred to "vaguely")
5. Mystic Waters Stole
6. Mystery Stole 3
   
7. Ab-Fab Afghan
8. Blue Kerry Shawl from Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls
   
9. Peach Scarf
10. Flamin' Fingerless Gloves
11. Eyelet Socks (1 of 2 complete)
12. Gryffindor Scarf
    

Twelve...well, that ain't a great number, but remember the first year I did this? Glossing over the fact that not one, but two of the above items graced that list as well, let's concentrate on the fact that 2 years ago I opened with 19 objects on needles.

Okay, I hear what you are saying. You are saying, Kade, if you have two things that were UFOs in 2006, and you still haven't finished them, isn't it about time to frog? And I answer... no. One's the Ab-Fab kit (Colinette yarn, all the way, baayyy-bee) and the other is a "shawl" that I'm knitting out of worsted weight acrylic—in other words, its also an afghan. I'm not ready to work on them, but dudes, I'm not giving them up either.

So. 12.

I'm totally frogging the Mystery Stole. Frankly, I like the yarn much better than I like the pattern. So, out it goes. That makes 11.

Gryffindor scarf. Its ugly, clunky, itchy, and... well, its Gryffindor. (No offense to the Gryffindorian amongst you. I mean no disrepect, but these are the people who's idea of a clever plan is "Everybody on Three!"*) So, there's 10.

I'm playing with the Alternate rules of "March is For Making Mates." That said, I have three pairs of socks and one pair of fingerless gloves on needles. The Eyelet socks are of my own design, and I have one completely finished (the other not yet cast on). This one is set aside until March. I'm working on the first of the pair of two different Nancy Bush patterns. I'll be finishing up both of these and then setting them aside. I've got the thumb to do on the first of two fingerless gloves, and then again, setting aside for March.

The Green Thing will probably only take an afternoon to finish.

I can't find the other skein of yarn I need for the peach scarf, so I haven't a clue what I'm doing about that. Maybe looking for the yarn. That would be radical.

Anyway, I won't be entering March with a clean knitterly slate, but I'll be enough closer to feel totally vindicated in casting on scads of new stuff.

*With all due respect to Cassie Claire's Fanon Draco

Crazy? I was crazy once...

I finished up my "Anti-OCD" pink socks yesterday. I was calling them that as something of a joke—I have the slightest of OCD tendencies, you see, so I deliberately made these socks not match each other. The stripe is offset by about three inches.

I decided to do this because I didn't really think it would bother me. It was meant to be funny, yes?

Except...it started to get on my nerves just about the exact second I hit the "repeat" in the yarn, and I could see where they would have matched up, if only I had...

*ahem*


So, yes. Here they are. My almost-but-not-quite-matching-Anti-OCD-I'm-not-actually-crazy socks.

P.S. They are very comfortable.

I can't help but think...

...that I would get more knitting done, if I spent less time playing with my blog.

Last night I used my google-fu and found this tutorial, where-by I learned how to modify my blog to three columns instead of two. I am inordinately proud of myself, and plan to fiddle with the settings for some time to come.

I am planning to have my Anti-OCD pink stripey socks finished before February, so that they will not be numbered amongst my UFOs. Some pre-February Finishing, as it were. I'm nearly to the toe of the second of the two. These socks have taken me surprisingly forever to knit. I barely picked up my needles during November (remember NaNo?) and then in December things exploded at my work. It was ugly — and I was too stressed out to knit.

So anyway, I'm happy to report that I'm back to knitting, and plan to hit February with a bang (although I do not promise that I will not also whimper.)

And to keep this from being a completely pictureless post, here's a recent acquisition (sock yarn isn't stash, I'm just sayin'.) I bought this to make a pair of socks for my eldest darling. She fell in love with it at, and how could I say no? I'm helpless against children who beg for hand knits.

It's That Time of Year Again

Here at Chez Woolly, we have a little tradition called "February is For Finishing." The concept is simple — for the entire month you concentrate on finishing whatever you have on the needles. Here are the rules (please feel free to post, alter, or ignore, as best suits your current needs).

3rd Annual February is For Finishing-Palooza

The Rules:

• List, list, oh list. By February 1st, have an accurate and complete list of ALL of your UFOs. Yes, even that one that you stuffed behind the couch in shame and despair last August.
  
• Take Inventory. Now that you have your list, decide which of these projects actually bless you. Did you not finish this UFO because you were led astray by that fancy new sock yarn? Or have you not finished it because its uglier than a really ugly thing, and will not fit man nor beast?
• Make Decisions. Finish, Frog or Fling. In my little world, UFOs can be sorted into 3 categories. Finish — I totally still want to make this. Frog — in the immortal words of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, "I like yarn better than I like bad hats." And, Fling — Wow. This is so bad that not even the yarn is worth saving. I'll say a passing prayer for the Acryls who gave their lives to make this fugly yarn, and move on with my life.
• Prioritize. At this point, you have to decide what your end goal is. Are you in this to finish as many items as possible? Or is there one specific UFO that you'd like to push through and finish? Some folks like to have a plan "I'll knit the last sleeve of Auntie Mabel's sweater, and then I'll finish up that scarf I've been knitting since the Carter administration." Others prefer a more holistic approach and simply knit what suits their mood and fancy at the time. Do as best pleases you.
• Be Strong. Do not, and this is very important, DO NOT cast on anything new during February. We're finishing here, people, not starting. The object of the game is to clear the slate so we can cast on a whole slew of new UFOs in March and April.
• Take a Button.

As an avid, yet inconstant sock knitter, I also have an optional rule.

• March is For Making Mates. If you have the first of a pair of socks on the needles, finish 'em up in February, and then set them aside. February is for what's already on the needles. Then in March, make the second sock for all of those first socks (or gloves, or mittens, or whatever) that you finished up in February. Clever, eh?
  

2008 Knitting Goals

In January, I like to spend more time than is strictly wise fantasizing about the great feats of knitting prowess that I plan to execute in the coming year.

Come on, admit it. You do it too.

This will be the year that you knit THAT shawl (you know the one. The one that gives you palpitations when you look at the pattern). Or maybe you'll tackle complicated colorwork, or Gods help you, an Alice Starmore pattern (any of them).

So, anyway, January is when I do a lot of my virtual fantasy knitting. Once the heady rush of imaginary accomplishment leaves me, I then take stock of my time, my budget, and my skills — and then I start setting some goals.

This year I am going to knit:

• A sweater for Morgan
• The rest of that sweater for me
• Lots and Lots of Socks
• I'm going to finish a bunch of things I've got on needles. Or frog them. Or whatever.
• I want to knit Knitty's Juno Regina out of this great Anne Schaefer I got that looks like peacock feathers... unless it ends up looking weird because it isn't a solid colorway. Lace can look weird in painted yarn. I'll need to swatch.
  
• Socks for my husband. He has big feet. I'm just sayin'.
• I'm going to finish the Mystic Waters Shawl, because I like it, and frog the MS3 Stole, because I don't
• Other things I haven't thought of yet

So there you have it... a random and ill thought out list of knitterly goals.

This year my REAL goal is to continue to improve my skills, and to start designing my own patterns.

The rest is just gravy.

Checking In

Hello All!

Just a quickie note to let you know that I'm still alive. December is a notoriously busy time of year for everyone — particularly those employed in the retail industry. So, after a month of posting daily, I give you a month of posting not at all.

I hope for a more balanced approach to 2008. Twice a week is good, ja?

So, tune in soon for Kade's list of Knitting Goals for 2008.

2007 Finished Objects

Here's a list of what I finished in 2007.

Arrr! Pirate Sweater
Ripple Baby Blanket
Sprog's Bib
Sekrit Bag
Spring Green Tank
Dancing Toe-up Socks
A Very Strong Pink Lace Hat
Monkey Shirt
Dinosaur Shorts
Kitty Hat
Glad Raggs
Iris Socks
Moon Tunic
Morgan's Witch Robe
Rowan's Ash Ketchum Hat and Shirt

I bring you two, and also three

Yesterday I mentioned that I'd met one of my three big goals for November. Earlier today, I met my second major goal. I've hit 50,466 words (and I'm nowhere near finished!). I can't even begin to tell you how proud of myself I am. When I decided to this, many of my close friends and family members gave me that wide-eyed, uncertain, do we need to call in the professionals who bring jackets that are all arms look.

In anycase, I plan to go celebrate by drinking a little more whiskey than is good for me, and by having a good snog. Or three.

And speaking of three, as I write this post, I'm meeting my third major goal -- to post daily during the month of November. I fell off the subject of knitting a ways back, but fear me not, it'll be back.

I still haven't decided what yarn to buy!

Here We Are Now, Entertain Us!.... Yeah!*

So, I made the first of my three goals for the month.

At the end of every Wednesday in November, I was either at or above the projected word count. I decided in early November that if I made this goal I would:

1. Be more likely to actually finish, and
   
2. Get a neat treat-reward-thing

Only, I never quite got around to deciding what that reward would BE. So, suggestions? What's some really yummy, decadent, luxury yarn that isn't so expensive my husband will have an apoplectic fit if I suggest buying it during the Month of Christmas? What would YOU want your prize to be?

My reward for finishing NaNoWriMo will be to get the T-shirt, and of course the satisfaction of having really DONE it. And of course the reward for successfully completing NaBloPoMo will be... thirty more posts than I had when I started. And did I mention satisfaction for stick-to-itiveness?

ETA: Okay, I've just made a decision. My other reward for finishing NaNoWriMo will be to donate $10 to the cause. Whaddya think, Koren? You with me?

*With apologies to Nirvana.

The Home Stretch

Well, I'm closing in. I've got a bit over 44,000 words written, and won't go to bed tonight before my word count is at least 46, 676, which is the "official" word count goal for today. That leaves me with just over 3000 words to write on Thursday and Friday, and then genties and ladlemen, I will be done.

I am so doing this.

Speaking of home stretches, there's three days left of NaBloPoMo too. I'm gonna make that too.

And then maybe in December I can start knitting again.

Then I would have something to post about!

A bit of a quick update

It's crunch time in NaNoWriMo land, genties and ladlemen. My fellow Wrimo-ers and myself should have written 50,000 words by this coming Friday.

I have at least one friend on my LJ Flist that's already reached 50K, and let me take a moment to express my awe. My Koren has, (and let me be proud here) managed to hit her word count goal EVERY DAY for the entire month. How much does that rock?

I set my personal goals up so that I'll be caught up at the end of every week. My "week" is a bit off-kilter, as I have Tuesdays and Wednesdays off, so my Sunday night is really on Wedesday. Anyway, I'm meant to have 46K and change written by tomorrow night. I've made my word goal (and my NaBloPoMo goals too, come to that) every week this month, and fully plan to hit it this week as well.

I was at 35K this morning, and am now sitting pretty on 41,005 words. Neville and Ginny have had a fight, and she's just told him about Tom Riddle. Trust me, it all makes sense in context.

But then, doesn't everything?

Christmas Knitting

It seems like I attempted to post on this topic earlier this month, and then ran into the problem that many of my recipients may (or may not — don't get your hopes up, y'all) be reading this blog.

But here's what I'd like to accomplish in December, once NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo are behind me.

• Scarf for Barbara — I've actually started this one
• Hats for Morgan, Rowan and Rhiannon
• Scarf for Liz (another co-worker) she also knits, and crochets, and last year she gave ME a scarf, so I'd really like to reciprocate

Okay, there's more I'd like to do, but at the rate I'm going, I don't know that it's going to happen.

Having just read Stephanie's Christmas knitting list, either I have a firmer grip on reality than she does, or I'm a wimp. Or, you know, both. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Victorian Lace Today (I got a new book!)

I know I'm a day late and a dollar short on this one, but I'm only just now getting around to buying this book.

I have to say, in the interest of being fair, that I am a bit prejudiced against XrX — I have never forgiven them for the sudden and horrific fugnation of Knitters magazine....so I was a little worried about this book. On the other hand, I have Gathering of Lace, and Best of Knitters: Shawls and Scarves (which is pretty alright, saving the very 1980s-ness of it).

Anyway, I needn't have worried. The book is gorgeously laid out, and I've already picked out a few projects that will be moving into my "must knit" list.

My very favorite part of the book, other than the photographs of course, is the historical information that Jane Sowerby provides. I love reading about the history of textiles and fiber arts, so the sections on the early pattern books is a nice treat.

I haven't checked KnittingUniverse.com for errata yet, so I'm not sure how it fairs on the technical accuracy front.

The Aftermath

There was more Thanksgiving (and giving thanks) at Chez Woolly today, as my chosen family came and broke bread with us. A grand, delicious and pie-ful time was had by all.

And now?


We play dice!

And a Good Time Was Had By All

So, late last week my older sister Abby called and asked how I felt about her and her family coming over to my house for Thanksgiving. We had already invited Jess and her family over, and had talked to my friends Cindy and Heather about eating with us as well.

So, by the time all was said and done, rather than feeding the four of us (my eldest was away at her paternal grandmother's), I ended up feeding 16 people.

It was really pretty awesome. We had a great time, and the food was excellent. Cindy and Heather brought a Hubbard Squash dish (I think you have to capitalize "Hubbard Squash" its like a rule) and a righteous potato dish that involved feta cheese and tomatoes and YUM. Jess brought a loaf of the best bread she has ever baked, and some baked non-hubbard squash. Carl, my lovely and competent husband, baked pumpkin pies. Abby provided yet more pies and drinks, and very cleverly brought her Bunn coffee pot from home (I lust for her Bunn. That would sound wrong even if she weren't my sister. But there you are.)

I made cranberries, and sweet potatoes, and stuffing, and green beans almondine, and, and, and....

Turkey.

Thanksgiving V

Our Thanksgiving celebration was delicious, exhausting and absolutely wonderful. I had dear friends and family over and we had awesome and beautiful food.

I'll give you pictures tomorrow (I was actually bright enough to take some), but for now I'm off to my bed.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends, and to everyone else, Happy Knitting!

Thanksgiving IV

I am thankful for:

• Friends who will bring over their ginger when I run out at 10 p.m. on the day before Thanksgiving
• Pandora Radio
• Having my husband help me make my NaNoWriMo word count by use of bribery
• Random passers-by who tag me for meme's that will totally give me blog-fodder on Friday
• Sweet baby boys, snuggled up on the couch

Thanksgiving III

Today I am thankful for:

• universal remote controls (Please note that I would be even MORE thankful if we could find ours)
• healthy children who are able to go to school
• co-op farms with organically grown vegetables (even the icky ones, like Kale, bleargh!)
• pink M & Ms
• the easing of nasty cold symptoms
  

Thanksgiving II

I am thankful for:

• Blue Cheese on Hamburgers
• Home-made Mead
• A new tire on my car
• Mucinex (don't ask)
• A husband that does laundry

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for:

• a loving and supportive husband
• a sweet, charming and funny 13 year old
• an imaginative, kind and bossy 7 year old
• a brilliant, generous and sensitive 6 year old
• a good job that challenges me, and is offering the opportunity for advancement
• friends and family, and people I consider to be both

Knit Party

Tonight is Knit Party Night.

My friend the No-Longer-Blogless Cindy has begun hosting monthly Knitting Parties. (Please note that I have totally decided that two months running makes a tradition. So there.)

Anyway, so theoretically, one would assume that Knitting Parties are meant for knitting, and hey... that's valid. Look, we even brought knitting baskets.

See? Total knitting opportunities here. My basket is the one on the bottom right -- the observant among you will recognize the pink stripey sock and the Harlot Scarf.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should probably mention that I have knit two entire rows of the scarf.... and that's pretty much it.

There's wine, and cookies, and Broadway musicals, and NaNoWriMo and NaNoBloMo (I mean NaBloPoMo) and...

What kind of party was this again?

SOCK YARN!

Sorry, I didn't mean to shout.

We had a nasty storm two nights ago that knocked out our internet. AND THEN IT NEVER CAME BACK! It was traumatic. Happily Koren (who is indeed a very cool friend) rescued the blog and posted for me.

So, I had a total of 5 qualifying entries (I'm sorry, Chelsea!) for the sock yarn giveaway. So, using a nifty-skifty random number generator (too lazy to dig out the dice) I arrived at an answer.

Koren, darling, you are our winner.

(Koren asked me last night, "Should I go ahead and post the sock yarn winner?" and I said... "Um, no....")

Now, truly funny thing about this is that I was totally planning on picking out one of the many nice sock yarns in my stash (or if parting with one was too dear, I'd run to the LYS and pick out one to give away, and then one for me, to ease the sting.)

But, I happen to have some Lion Brand Magic Stripes in my stash, and I know for a fact that Koren covets it...


Call me, and we'll negotiate.

(P.S. I have two colorways -- but only a picture of one of them)

Drive-by remote blogging...

(I iz in ur blogger, posting in ur blog!)

Hullo, gentle reader! It is I, CyberMathWitch!

What? What's that you say? You were expecting Kade?

Well of course you were. Unfortunately I'm afraid I have to disappoint you, and you'll have to make do with me. All her interwebs are down, you see. And her outerwebs. All her webs, really. And since we're not quite *that* tech savvy yet, well, remote blogging means calling someone on the cel-phone and saying "hey you! For the love of NaBloPoMo, blog for me!"

(and let me just state, here and now, that despite the fact that I am generally the pusher and enabler extraordinaire, in this particular instance? Totally not my fault. Kade found NaBloPoMo all on her onesies.)

And for some reason, I have a bastardized filk version of "Don't Blog for Me, Argentina" running through my head. This means either a. I should take Evita with me to the Knitting party on Saturday, or b. Argentina really shouldn't blog for people. Possibly both.

Now I have to go, because I still need to work on my husband and feed my NaNo. Wait. Maybe that's the other way 'round?

Nah.

Technical Difficulties

The intarwebs are broken.

Sock winner tomorrow!

Omphaloskepsis

I think that it's interesting that of all of my throw away comments on this blog, the one that has generated the most commentary was my piteous query, "But what do I write about?" Several people offered suggestions (many of which I fully intend to take advantage of) for future blog posts.

Tekopp in addition to reassuring me regarding the price of post to Norway (not too dear) asked an interesting question:

How do you feel about daily blogging and why are you (not) going to
continue with it?

I guess I'm ambivalent about the daily blogging. On the one hand, I am enjoying the challenge, and the discipline, of making a post every day. On the other hand, well, I intend for this blog to be primarily a virtual scrapbook and history of my crafting, both knitting and sewing. I rarely touch too deeply on other aspects of my life here, and I'm pretty okay with that.

So, I think that I might decide to blog daily on a private journal, something like LJ, where my posts can be locked if I decide they need to be. I don't think I'm going to try to maintain daily posting here though, because people, I'm going to start to bore myself. Yesterday I posted a picture of a peacock and went to bed. I mean really.

BUT (you had to know there was going to be a "but" didn't you?) I definitely want to post to this blog more often. I enjoy the process and exercise of writing, and I enjoy the exhibitionist aspect of putting up pictures of things I've made. "Look at how neat I am! Look what I did!" I am the very Leo-est of Leos when it comes to this sort of thing.

So, in answer to your question, tekopp, I don't think I'll continue to blog daily at this blog, but I am definitely going to be blogging at least weekly. And I'm (so far at least) really glad that I decided to do NaBloPoMo.

omphaloskepsis: from the greek, to contemplate one's navel.

Nothing to Write About

In lieu of an actual blog post, I give you more Bird Pr0n:


In my defense, I at least took this picture, instead of finding it on Flickr's Creative Commons page. Last summer we vacationed in Pigeon Forge and this fellow wandered past our cabin.

Tune in tomorrow for a real blog post.

Knitting in Public

Two of my dear friends were married yesterday, in a lovely little ceremony at Cannonsburgh Village, here in Murfreesboro.

Wedding receptions being what they are (interminably boring) I instructed my son to bring a book, my daughter to bring a notebook and a pencil, and I brought my current sock-in-progress. We were all playing to our strengths.

Anyway, there I was with Jess standing around and knitting on our respective socks (like you do). Mingle, mingle, knit, knit and a friend says, "Is this some sort of sock-knitting cult?" I turn around and there is Koren, working away on her Nagini sock.

I swear we didn't plan it.

(And you would think that someone at the wedding would have had the sense to take a picture of three women standing around, in all our Shakespearian glory, knitting. But if they did, I haven't heard about it.)

Promised Pictures and Re-thinking My Plans

As promised, I have some pictures of yesterday's yarn acquisition adventure.

However, I think that I need to re-consider my plan about using the yarn for the Chevron Scarf. At the gauge that this yarn knits up, it really would be a Chevrolet Scarf (looks like I was right the first time). There is another scarf pattern in the book that I think will work out just fine though, so it is really not a big deal. Someday, when I am rich, I'll buy the Koigu that the pattern calls for.

In other news, I've made some progress on the Harlot Scarf I'm making for a friend at work. (This is not intended as a slight on her character. The scarf pattern was designed by The Yarn Harlot.) It is looking less like a ball of yarn and more like a scarf with every passing day.

Joann's Trip

We'll pretend that I didn't have a blog post earlier this week that implied (outright stated) that I already have enough (too much) yarn.

Yes.

Anyway, my darling Koren and I went out for dinner and shopping this evening, and of course I came home with yarn. I picked up two skeins of some new Debbie Mumm (!?!?) Traditions yarn and two skeins of one of Joann's Sensations yarns. My plan is to try out the Chevrolet (uh.. no, that's not right. Chevron. Sheesh.) Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I'll post pictures tomorrow, when I'm awake.

A Cardinal Number

Well, how about that, folks? I've made 100 posts here at Woolly Discipline. Now, I know I've been a sporadic poster, and if there is one thing that this past week of daily posting has taught me it's that.... it's probably just as well really.

Wow, how do daily bloggers come up with new stuff to write about?

Moreover, when have they got time to knit?

But anyway, 100 blog posts calls for a celebration, or (dare I say it?) a blog contest!

I shall choose randomly from amongst the comments, one lucky winner who will take home some lovely sock yarn. The rules are as follows:

• While contestants may comment more than once, this will not afford them multiple entries in the drawing.
• The comment that is either the most witty, or makes me laugh the hardest (I'm sure you see how these two need not be synonymous) will receive Honorable Mention.
• I'll be monitoring the comments on this post through midnight on Tuesday, November 13. I'll announce the winner in Wednesday's post. If you were clever enough to leave me an email address, I'll email you too.
• If you don't happen to live in my hometown, I'm happy to mail the sock yarn to you. We'll work out the details as we go along.)
  

Now, since I have three regular readers, one regular commenter, and two or three occasional guests (I'm looking at you, tekopp, "hi!" and goodness, how much is post to Norway?) I'll be interested to see how many commenters crawl out of the woodwork at the promise of free yarn.

Yay for 100 posts!

This Little Alien Went to Market*

I figure everyone must have a system for determining what does and doesn't count as an actual UFO. I mean, these things are all relative, right? Does it become a UFO moment you cast on? Or is that a WIP?

How long does it take to make the transition? Let's say, hypothetically, that you get bored and wander off. When does it loose its shiny WIP status, and join the lowly, the unloved, the uncounted, the UFOs?

For myself, I have a graduated system (and clearly, if I put as much effort into actually knitting as I do to thinking about it, much of this post would be moot.)

(Image © Annais)

Pipe-Line Projects: these are the knits I'm dreaming about, reading the patterns and shopping for yarn. These are "what's next."

Current Projects: projects that are on the needles, and that I'm either currently, actively knitting, or have done in the very recent past

Once and Future Projects: projects that I used to be really excited about, but for whatever reason have fallen by the knitting wayside. These are projects that I will totally (someday) finish. No really. Stop looking at me like that.

I'm sorry, Do I Know You? Projects: Projects that I don't remember why I was knitting. I would frog them, but to do so would require admitting that I'd ever cast them on.

Yarn: Gone daddy, gone. I came, I saw, I frogged. As Stephanie Pearl McPhee would say, "I remember that I like yarn more than I like bad hats" (Knitting Rules, pg. 125).

So, How do you count your UFOs?

*When my youngest two children were babies, my husband liked to play "piggies" on their toes. Never one to leave well enough alone, we changed the rhyme every time we said it. Sometimes the piggies went to market to buy tofu (my husband is a hippie, what can I say?) Sometimes though, they weren't piggies at all. Sometimes they were aliens "This little alien cried NargleBleepZoop all the way home!" It seemed a logical progression from counting UFOs to counting aliens.

Christmas Knits

For those of you in the blogosphere smart enough not to decide to write a novel during November, it's time to start (ha!) your Christmas knitting. The clever, prepared knitter, of course, began this process last March and is now smugly seaming up complex fingering weight fair isle sweaters for their postman.

I think we all know that I am not that knitter.

I am not actually intending to knit (or sew, for that matter) too many of my gifts...but what seems to be a perfectly reasonable number at the beginning of November is a one one way ticket to crazy-town come late December.

Now, pretend that this paragraph is a list, detailing exactly what I intend to make for whom, and how near it is to completion. Pretending is what you'll have to do, because the people I'm making gifts for? They read the blog.

Right. Well.

That was helpful.

I Like Soccer Balls Better

The good news is, I found my camera. When my boy-o was using the computer night before last, he knocked my camera bay over and my camera fell between my tower and the "random box of old video games" (admit it, you know you have one). I have been having a series of ongoing adventures with my son and the computer. Two weeks ago he got on-line while I was at work and very thoughtfully bought me $20 worth of "gems" on pogo.com. Yes, my little dude spent twenty bucks on electrons. This is as much my fault as anyone's because my password was set to auto-fill. I really ought to know better (and yes, I fixed that little faux pas on my part.)

So, long story short, we are keeping a closer watch on what he does when he's playing his games on my PC, and we've set him up his own account with restricted access (no installing). Yesterday I notice that the little icon for his account has changed. It was a little car, then it was a soccer ball.

Me: Honey, did you change the picture for your profile?
Little Dude: Yes. It was a car.
Me: Did Daddy help you?
L.D.: No.
Me: How did you know how to do that?
L.D.: *shrugs* I like soccer balls better.

Dude is 6.

This morning, it was a frog.

I am in so much trouble.

Nothing To See Here, Move Along

I can't find my camera.

This bodes ill on day 4 of NaBloPoMo. How am I going to excite and titillate the masses without my camera? We'll ignore, for the nonce, the fact that I haven't actually knit anything worth blogging about in the last several days, and just focus on my total lack of cameratude. It was on my table yesterday before the party. (Yesterday 20+ lovely people invaded my home, ate candy, wore funny clothes and imbibed fermented beverages. Good times. Gut Glory only knows what became of my digital picture maker).

Oh, that reminds me, did I remember to tell you that I decided to do NaNoWriMo afterall? On October 31 I was very smugly helping a friend work out a plot point in her story when all of the sudden a plot-bunny the size of a moose bit me square on the tuckus.

Immediately, I ran to the computer and composed an email to three friends, begging them to talk me out of this insanity. I seriously miscalculated—all three of them had already committed to NaNo and were no help at all. (By 'no help' I mean, one of them said "Ooh, that would be awesome you totally have to do it!" and the other said, in a brilliant bout of reverse psychologizing, "You're probably right, it would be too hard for you." I hate you both so hard.)

So, let me leave you with a random picture of a scarf. No, I didn't find my camera, I took this one the other day when I was playing with my camera settings. I know it looks like a ball of yarn. You're going to have to use your imagination. I'm too busy writing to knit.

Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon

I like socks. Self-patterning pink and brown and purple and gray socks in particular. Today, these are my favorite (almost) socks. Not that they are almost my favorite, but rather that they are almost socks. I'm preparing to turn the heel on the second sock...just as soon as I get around to it.

See, I like socks. I like these socks. I really like wearing socks that I've knit.

So how come I haven't picked these socks up in two weeks?


I have no idea.

Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy

Knitpicks, as the entire blogosphere is already well aware, is having a clearance sale. I am really ambivalent about this, because Hey! Sale! 440 yards of gorgeous merino lace weight for a buck ninety-nine. But then on the other hand, discontinued colors. DISCONTINUED, people. This means no more ever.

EVER.

This means that I have to buy it all right now, because what if I want some later? Well, I won't be able to get it, will I? No, I will not. Because, discontinued.

So, long story... well, slightly less long, three buddies and I all went in together and bought a Giant Box O' Fiber Goodness.


My personal haul?

1 Shine Sport Aquamarine
1 Shine Sport Coral
1 Shine Sport Crocus
4 Shadow Redwood Forest Heather
2 Shadow Grape Jelly Heather
2 Gossamer Caribbean
4 Gossamer Blue Jeans
2 Gossamer Sweet Peas
2 Gossamer Leprechaun
2 Gossamer Sunrise

When, in my whole life long, am I going to knit all this up?

WHEN?!?!?

All Saints Day (and a Hallowe'en Hangover)

Hallowe'en is a pretty big deal here at Chez Woolly. I have made it a point to try to make costumes for the kids while they're still small enough to care—and most years I manage pretty well. This year, Rhiannon (13) originally told me that she didn't want or need a costume, so I factored her out of my time budget. Unfortunately, she changed her mind too late (sorry Rhi!) so she is costume-less this year. I plan to make it up to her this spring when she goes to our local Anime Con, so I tell myself it'll all come out in the wash.

Miss Morgan decided she wanted to be a witch. She was very specific in her design requirements. "I want a black robe just like Rhiannon's, but with blue instead of purple, and not so long I trip and fall on my face."

The wig was her Unka Monka's (Uncle Monkey's) edition to her costume. Not my fault....




At first I tried to talk Rowan into being a Ninja for Halloween (hey, black fabric is cheap this time of year) but he said that would be "too silly." He opted for Ash Ketchum of Pokemon fame (and after a bit of confusion on my part...turns out Ash Ketchum is no relation to Hal Ketchum) I found some pictures on the Intarwebs and commenced to figuring it out. Best news? I already had the fabric — his costume cost me less than $5 to make. I win at life.

NaBloPoMo (or How We Knew She'd Finally Lost Her Mind)

I'm sure you've heard of NaNoWriMo (if you haven't, either you don't know any geeks or you live under a rock.) Well, for those of us who don't actually know 50,000 words, apparently there is "NaBloPoMo" or National Blog Posting Month. The theory is, you make one post a day, everyday, during the month of November. (Can you say Meme? I knew you could!)

Now, those of you who know me in what passes for my real life, know that I work as a Team Lead in a customer service call center for a national bookstore. We are entering the fourth quarter, where retail does more than half of their year's business. This is when call center season really heats up. This seems to be a logical and reasonable time for me to decide to post daily. Yes.

As a side note, what's wrong with June? I grant you "NaJuWriMo" sounds funny, but people do not pretend to me that "NaNoWriMo" doesn't sound silly. I certainly grant you that there could be some confusion as to whether the Ju is referencing June or July, but surely we can work that out. Why does it have to be November, which is a notoriously busy time of year even for people who don't work in a retail environment? (Yes, I know the "No" really refers to Novel, not November. Hush.) I could conceivably string together 50,000 words in June. In November, I only know two words. "Sleep" and "Coffee". That would make for a decidedly boring novel.

But I digress. Frequently, and with panache. Tune in daily! There will be thrills! Chills! Photos! An attempt at being vaguely interesting!

Since I'm going to be posting daily, I did some research on what makes a good blog post. Many agree that good photos are KEY for generating and keeping a reading audience. Never one to shirk from duty, I present you with.....

A duck! (Photo © Victor Geere)

P.S. When I initially considered doing this, I was talking to my husband about it. I referred to is as NaNoBloMo (National November Blogging Month?) Anyway, let's just say that my husband was disappointed about what that doesn't mean. If you catch my drift, and I know you do.

She's Building A Mystery

I don't know what it is about Mystery Knitalongs that grabs me. I knit the Ragnarok shawl (also known as the Mystery Shawl 2) and hated every second of it. Now, don't get me wrong, the shawl turned out beautifully — it's easily the most complicated and beautiful thing I ever knit. Then there was the Mystery Stole 3. I think that the final design is really interesting, and I don't mean that in a bad way, necessarily. But it might be more interesting than I'm really comfortable with these days. In any case, the fabric I was getting wasn't quite right, and I stalled out at the end of Clue 2. I haven't frogged it. Yet. Right now it's in time-out under my bed.

So. Mystic Waters KAL. Maybe I'm a joiner. Maybe I'm addicted to possibility. This shawl could be nearly anything. It could be the masterpiece of my knitting career. It could be an incredible learning experience. I just don't know. Cuz it's a MYSTERY, see?

Drive By

No actual pictures to share — but I did want to do a quickie update. (I know, I know, quickies are less satisfying, but sometimes that's all you have time for).

Anyway, I've been working on adding projects to my Ravelry notebook (I'm Kadollan over there too, if you want to look me up). It now looks like I'm actually a knitter. I had a lot of fun going through old photos, reading old blog posts and generally trying to recreate history. I'm not done, but I'm not in any big hurry either. One thing I've noticed — I take better pictures now.

On the man-sweater front (or, rather, the back) I'm nearly ready to start the shoulder shaping. So far I'm loving the fabric I'm getting with the Wool of the Andes. In sock news, I'm mid-way into my second pink stripedy sock. I made a deliberate decision to make the two socks fraternal and it is absolutely driving me nuts. See, I'm the littlest bit OCD, and I look for ways to challenge myself .... I'm challenged.

I am seriously considering casting on a shawl. The Mystery Stole 3 is hibernating right now, to borrow a phrase from Ravelry. I may very well frog it, as it fails utterly to turn my crank and babies, my crank needs turned. I'm considering the Swallowtail Shawl for a dear friend of mine, or the Mystic Waters Knitalong for I don't know who.

The Man-Sweater Knitalong

So, my best Jess and I decided it was time to knit ourselves a sweater. A while back, Knit Picks had some of their Wool of the Andes on sale for $1.59 a ball. An auspicious time to undertake a project that (in my case....cuz I'm bigger) will take upwards of 15 balls of yarn. But what to knit?

I probably own, no lie, over fifty knitting books—and do I really need to count all of the magazines I have? Over the years I've seen scores of sweaters that I'd love to knit, would look great on me, or include a technique that just looks like it would be cool to learn. So, choosing a sweater to knit should be a piece of cake, non?

Non. Too many choices! Also, in the spirit of true -alongatude, we needed a pattern that Jess and I could both sport. For those of you who don't know us, Jess and I don't so very much have the same body type. I weigh an entire 2nd grader more than she does. We are the Amazon and the Pict. (We should have t-shirts or something.)

So, after a fair amount of ruminating...by which I mean "Whaddya want ta knit?" "Uh... I dunno?" We settled on Ann Budd's Cambridge Jacket from Interweave Summer 2006. We ceremoniously and with great fanfare dubbed it a Man Sweater Knitalong and commenced to ordering our yarn.

Jess went with Iron Ore (a pretty rusty red color) and I bought Blueberry (tealish). We both decided that in addition to making ourselves a sweater, we would try to move outside of our color comfort level a bit. As an interesting side note, the cardigan that Jess knit for the Olympics, which is her only adult sweater to-date, was a green with some blue to it. Meanwhile, I was knitting in nothing but cinnamon, brown, and red for MONTHS. Apparently she and I chose to move out of our own comfort levels.... and into each others. Go figure.

This sweater also has the advantage of a technique that neither of us has tried before: the sewn-in zipper. I am totally not counting "finishing a knitted sweater for myself" as a technique I've never tried before. I have knit my little people scads of sweaters....same technique, less staying power....or something.

Currently, my ManSweaterKnitalong-o-Meter is at approximately 25%. I'm less than an inch away from shaping for the armholes on the back. I've used nearly three balls of the 15 I ordered. I think I will have enough yarn, but that it will be close enough to make me sweat.


P.S. I really want to make the Icarus Shawl, from this same issue. I will, however, be re-christening it the "Daedalus Shawl" cuz dude.... do I really want my wings to melt from crashing into the sun, and then to plummet down into the sea and drown? Meanwhile Dad is circling around at a reasonable altitude saying "JEEZ! Why don't teenagers listen?" No thank you. Daedalus Shawl for me, please.

Well, aren't I a lamer then?

I don't know why I haven't been blogging more consistently. Too much other stuff going on, I guess. I am getting some knitting done, I'm happy to report.

I'm trying to decide how to make this blog coincide with my Ravelry—I definitely plan to continue this blog, but some of the information on it is going to become redundant. Do I need a running tally of projects in both places? I think I may quit using the percentages in the sidebar completely on this blog, because Ravelry does it so seamlessly. I will probably continue to update my Recent Work list though. Hey, I need all the encouragement I can get. Look Virginia! She really does finish things! Not just cast them on!

Okay, enough omphaloskepsis and on to the pictures!


Last month I blogged about the Nasty Acryl socks that I'm knitting for Iris. I have a serious hate on for that yarn. But! I persevered, and the socks are finished.

The socks are finished, the yarn is no longer lurking in my stash and that's one more Christmas/Yule present finished. Good times.



In a moment of weakness (Hey, I went to Angel Hair Yarn, Co. with Koren and no-longer blogless Cindy) I bought yet more sock yarn, and cast on a sock for me that is delightedly NOT acrylic.


Self-striping yarn makes me happy. I am a simple woman. I am seriously considering flouting my OCD ways and deliberately making these socks wackily-fraternal. We'll see if I can make myself do it when the time comes.

In other news, have you checked out Knitpicks new funknatious wooden needles? How cool are they? I just acquired some double-pointed sock needles, so a report on how they knit will be forthcoming. (P.S. the DPN sock needles come 6 in a set. How awesome is that?)

I See No Reason to Mention or Comment Upon a Month and a Half of Silence

So. Summer.

Yeah.

But also socks!

These Rags are, whatchacall, Glad.

Or to be more precise, they are what Laurie Andersson calls Glad. I started these puppies back in April of '06, but then I got bored and wandered off. You know, like you do.


But then, I got bored with something else, and wandered right back again (if by "right" you mean a year and a half later. And I do.)

I've modified the pattern slightly—ignored the beadwork and continued the lace pattern into the feet. I'm pretty happy with them, but discovered the inevitable consequence of losing 30+ pounds between casting on socks and kitchenering them. They's a twee baggy.

In other socks, I'm using up some of the old sock yarn stash (wait, am I allowed to call sock yarn stash?). I'm making a pair of wee socklets for Jess' Chi-town Princess. Showing barbaric cruelty, many, many acryls were harmed in the creation of this sock yarn. I cannot discuss it here. No, it is too barbaric. I am merely honoring the spirits of the many acryls slain in the processing of this yarn by knitting it up. Surely it would be crueler to let the yarn go to waste?

Summer is for Socks!

From now until the Autumnal Equinox it's all socks all the time here at Chez Woolly Discipline. Well, all socks, and Man-Sweater Knitalongs, and Mystery Stoles all the time. If you wanted to get technical about it. Which you didn't. But I did.

Anyway, the Glad Raggs socks are nearing completion — not so very far to go on the second sock. I had a minor disaster involving a torrential downpour at Dollywood. My extremely cool portable sock carrier that my best Jess made me has a lining that is not what you call "colorfast". So, once the socks are complete, I'll be experimenting with dyeing. Should be fun, and I'm not really fashed about it — the original color wasn't all that exciting to begin with. So, no wukkas.

Now, lest my total number of SIPs (socks in progress) accidentally ever dip below two, I went ahead and cast on a new sock. The Waving Lace Socks from Favorite Socks. I'm using Knitpicks Palette in Fawn on size 2 needles. Good Times.

(The Canada sock? What Canada sock?)

Sewing Queues, Mystery Stoles, Man Sweaters and RAVELRY!

Wow, I am lame in my non-postitude.

I haven't gotten much sewing done lately. I'm nearly done with a Yule gift for mumblemumble, and I've got a dress for Jess' Chi-Town Princess cut out and ready to go. Next in line is a shorts and T-shirt outfit for Morgan. Dig those crazy lime-green crabs.


In knitting news...well, I have lots of knitting news. Melanie is designing a third Mystery Stole and the group is crazy active. There are fifty-three million knitters already signed up, and there is a world shortage of JaeggerSpun Zephyr. I am exaggerating. A little. I'm pretty excited about all of this. The 2nd stole is absotively gorgeous (I never even cast on, although I did join the group) so I have high hopes for this one. In the spirit of stretching my skill set, I'm planning to knit this one with beads. Exciting stuff.

Jess and I are planning a wee tiny two person Man-Sweater-Along. There's a grand cardigan designed by Ann Budd in one of last year's Interweave Knits (I'll be more specific in an upcoming post). While Knitpicks had their Wool O' The Andes on sale for a buck fifty-nine, she and I both bought enough to make ourselves this sweater. More skill set enhancement with this one — it has a zipper. Neither of us have ever installed a zipper into knitwear before, but she and I both sew and have both done zippers in garment making. We'll figure it out.

Oh, and let me also casually mention.... I got my invite to Ravelry! Dudes. It's groovy. Totally worth the hype, and wicked fun to play in. Jess (different Jess) and Casey have my deep admiration and respect. I hear tell that Casey has quit his "real" job and they've decided to make a go of running Ravelry full-time. I am so impressed with the both of them. That's courage, people. Pure chutzpuh.