So, how goes this blogging thing again?  Oh, yeah, I remember.  I always write the best posts in my head, usually when I’m driving, or waiting in queue at the store.  In other words, when I can’t actually blog. 

I’ve been a little crazy lately, what with real life intruding, and my computer time being sucked up by that Traveling Doctor thing.  Speaking of which, we have a flickr group, and a map, and even a calendar!

(The calendar is the only one I know how to imbed…it’s also the least interesting right now.  Oh, well.)

I *have* been making things as well.  Let me just check what I last informed you, my three readers, about.  ~goes off to check, insert hold musak here~  Ok, I’m back now.  Wow, it’s been a while.  Well, I’ll get right down to it then.

I had to go back five pages in my flickr stream to find where I was!  Well, no more of that “update a little and hope to catch up stuff.”  I’ve proven that with the level of crazy I’m living with, it just ain’t gonna happen.  So this will be a big one.  I’m not going to bother with formatting, either.  So here we go.  (All the pictures will link to flickr, so you can see the bigger version.  I’ll keep them smaller so as not to kill slower connections.)

Specs -

Pattern - Slave to the Plurk socks by Terry Ross (Rav link - and just to save typing it again, all the pattern links are.)

Yarn - Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solids in Loden, 1 skein

Needle - US 1.5/2.5mm addi turbo magic loop

Notes - I did these pretty much as written, though next time I would do a provisional cast on - the long tail is a bit tight.  I *adore* this heel.  Normally, short row just isn’t deep enough for me, but these fit like a charm!

Here we have the PlurkSlave sock.  I’d been holding on to this yarn for the perfect pattern, which I was attempting to design.  However, the needle size plus the stitch pattern made for what looked to be a sloppy knit.  Since I already had it split and wound, I decided to cast these on instead.

Here we have a project bag that I made.  Had this idea in my head for a long time.  When I came across not quite a yard and a half of a linen blend fabric in brown with teal pinstripe, I knew it was time to make it.  Found some quilting cotton in a watch print and some teal kitchen cotton to match the stripe, and got down to business.  I crocheted the bottom outer panel, drafted the bag pattern, and sewed it all up.  I put a karabiner on the outside, along with a drawstring, but decided that the karabiner really wasn’t the optimum tool for the job.  That night, I decided that I wanted to make some more of these, and this one became the prototype.  I ran into all the problems with this one, and was able to correct the next one (which was a gift for MissViolet when I visited her.)

Look for me to start an etsy store, as soon as I have enough to list!  I’m trying to crank these out right now! (There are more pictures of this bag in the photostream if you want to see it all closed up, or check out the karabiner.)

I am resorting to collages now.

Inset to the left and right are 40z merino/bamboo roving braids I got from MissViolet.  In the center is a hank of merino/silk from KnittingDragon from Cables & Lace (and Sweaters for Dragons podcast.)  I was sitting in MissViolet’s computer room when he threw it at me!  (Don’t misunderstand - I’m not complaining, I *love* it when people throw yarn at me!  Yay for yarn showers!)  It’s in the colorway Lust, and I’m thinking the body of a shawl, with some tonal black fingering along the border.  I’m still working on the design, though.

(Yes, I had a grand ole time at MissViolets - yes it really is as fun as you think it would be, no I will not give you details.  Suffice it to say, I wish I lived nearer to the yarn-y, sniff-y fun.)

I knit Nanner socks. 

Specs -

Pattern - Nanner Socks by Wendy Barnard

Yarn - STR Lightweight in Lemongrass

Needle - US 0/2mm addi turbo magic loop

Notes - I mirrored the design on each sock.  I’m actually not a fan of the pattern - it biases so hard to one side it feels like it’s twisting on my foot.  But I do love the STR lightweight, and this was the first sock for myself I’ve knit on 0s - I like the firm fabric it makes.

Specs -

Pattern - An Unoriginal Hat by the Yarn Harlot

Yarn - Paton’s Classic Merino, two green/tan/brown variegated, one green

Needle - who knows

Notes - Proof that not everything I knit comes out nicely.  (Though I am entitled to only posting a teeny picture of it!)  I give you The Unfortunate Hat.  It fits, but it looks like something I dredged up from Shrek’s swamp.  I’m considering overdying, but really - is there any hope?

Back to good things.  A friend outside of the country wanted me to order them a KP sock flat, but seriously - I have a knitting machine and can get hold of sock yarn, so I made her up a sock flat and sent it to her.  As a thank you, she made me part of her sock yarn club for a month!  This is 100g of the handpaint, and 50g of the coordinating tonal.  I’ve always wanted a duet like this!  Thanks, selana!  You rock!  The colorway is Pretty Girl, and you can find her at Handarbeitskram.

We took a weekend trip to San Francisco…wow, was it really last weekend?  Anyway, I got some yarn-y bits.  (Who’s shocked about that one?)

Anyway, due to a packing mishap (I forgot to pack shirts….ok, you can stop laughing now) we had to go across town, so I got to go to Imagiknit.  Got three skeins of Malabrigo Lace in Dusty Olive (Faroese, maybe?) and four skeins of Shibui Sock! - two in Pagoda (tonal rust) and two in pebble (which reminds me of a cold beach…somewhere like the pacific northwest.) 

I also got to meet a friend from Ravelry, Tigereye.  She was great - though my MathMan was a little overwhelmed.  He didn’t think there was anyone else out that as nutso about knitting and Doctor Who as me.  We proved him wrong!  She also took us over to Urban Fauna Studio, where I got the pin drafted roving (I couldn’t wait to start using it, hence the semi-balled state.)  I’m going to make (*ahemanotherahem*) Unoriginal Hat out of it.  I sincerely want this hat!!!  (I actually finished knitting it already, but preemie sized doesn’t quite begin to cover it.  Frogging will occur soon as I’m over the heartache.  But it looks fantastic!)

I got a peek at the pattern for a hex blanket, and fell in love.  However, my memory ain’t what it used to be (and it wasn’t much to begin with) and I didn’t have access to a computer to check out the blocks, so I improvised this pattern.  I would say it’s a far cry from the hex I thought I was making, but I like it!  I’m using scrap yarn, and started this to bring on trips when I can’t continuously consult a pattern/only have a few minutes to work on it before I have to be somewhere else.  It’s being crocheted out of scrap fingering weight yarns (of which I have an abundance, mostly of the sock variety.)  I love how crazy it’s coming out!  It’s the one project lately that has actually gotten remarks when I’m working on it in public.  Here’s hoping that it makes a dent in the almost 1000g of scrap fingering yarns!

Yesterday, I went to the Taos Wool Festival (in Taos…)  MissV had a blast seeing all the animals (she wanted us to take home an angora rabbit…maybe next time, or not.  (I dislike rabbits - I think they’re disgusting creatures, but I won’t go into that now.)

Anyway, clockwise from top left is Plain & Fancy sportweight in Amish Colors, 1.5 oz of a mill end of roving that spoke to me (how could it not when it looks like vanilla ice cream drizzled in caramel?) and two different 4oz batches of alpaca/merino from LoneSome Stone Fiber Mill.

While we were at the festival, I ran into a friend from my knit group (which I have been unable to attend for almost two months now) and was able to catch up with her.  I also was able to hand off the Doctor for the official start of the Traveling Time Lord Passalong!!  Woot!  And he met Jess and Casey - MamaRav and the BobFather themselves!  (Unbelievely sweet, and adorable - a dangerous combination!)  If you want to see those pictures, you’ll have to head over to the flickr group. 

The incredible shrinking desk chair has struck again.  Over the course of writing this post, I have sunk until my eyes are approximately even with the keyboard.  But I’m all caught up!  Time to go!  But I leave you with the amazing Jess and Casey - and MEEEE!!!!!  (Also, MissV was *totally* flirting with Casey!)

Edited cause links are good…

Sorry ’bout the lol-title, but it kinda equates the mood I’ve been in lately.  I’m working on a sorta swap-like thingie.  It’s the Traveling Time Lord Passalong - TTLP for short.  Ten and his TARDIS (pictured here) are going to travel time and space.  Well, maybe just space.  Well - at least the earth.  He’ll start here, and then make his way across the globe (seriously, we have companions in no less than four countries signed up right now!) having his picture taken with interesting people, places, and things.  A few people are planning on re-creating some scenes from the show!  I can’t wait to get this started!!!

Well, the catalyst to finally get me posting again was Knitting Pretty in DC tagging me for a meme.

Here are the rules:

1. 1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. 2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. 3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. 4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. 5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. 6. Let the tagger know your entry is up

And here are 6 random things about me in no particular order:

* I have an obsessive personality.  I find something I like and go completely overboard about it for a while, before moving on to the next obsession.  With TV shows, it renews when the season is about to come back on.

* I love to shop.  Maybe a little too much.  Definitely a little too much.  Doesn’t matter if it’s for myself or others, it’s fun.  Online shopping is good cause it doesn’t allow for instant gratification, thus I can resist better…

* I’ve crocheting since I was 6 - my mother taught me one morning before school (first grade) with some green and white variegated, and I went home that evening and made a (very uneven) square that I called a potholder.  I had never found a use for the skill, and since leaning to knit about 2.5 years ago, I had set it aside thinking that nothing useful could be done with it.  Then I saw Snuffykin’s patterns, and went nuts with the hook again.  Now, I know that toys, summery lace, and blankets are great for crocheting.  Don’t ask me to give up the knitting, though.

* I am really terrible about finishing things.  I guess my attention span is just too short.  That’s probably why I’m such a rabid sock-knitter.  Socks are quick, and just as you get sick of what you’re doing, it’s time for the next bit.  Plus - there are so many different stitch patterns and construction techniques that it really keeps my interest.  But don’t ask for a speedy blanket or sweater from me.  Three years from now, it will probably still be on the needles!

* I’m great at coming up with *ideas*.  You know, not just a regular idea, but an *idea*, something creative and fun and different, but I’m a total slacker at actually putting idea to application.  I’ve got quite a few sock patterns that I need to do more with than just a basic sketch on a post-it, but I keep getting distracted.  As in I could attempt to make this sock work, or I could knit a proven pattern and have a sock much quicker.  I just can’t keep up with my brain - I get an idea, and if I don’t write it down somehow within a minute or two, it’s gone to the ether.  Kinda stinks.

* I used to read every day.  I would finish a novel in one or two nights reading.  Then I learned to knit and had a baby, and since she was born, I’ve read exactly eight books, and am working on the ninth (not counting picture books of course.)  Seven of those eight were the Harry Potter series, which I read aloud to my daughter and husband.  I miss reading, but have converted to audiobooks for the added bonus of being able to listen and knit at the same time, which I can’t really manage with the trade paperbacks that I generally buy for reading.  I’ve purchased several books that I really want to get to (continuations of series I’ve enjoyed in the past) but just can’t find the time.

It’s really hard to come up with random things about yourself.  A person is so used to themselves, it’s hard to break up the aspects of their personality into random droplets like this.  Hope it was entertaining for you, it took an entire kidlet’s naptime for me!

Knitting updates soon!

Hmm.  I haven’t posted in a bit, have I?  I could blame life, houseguests, getting dragged into a new book, or even the Ravelympics, but to be honest?  I don’t care.  I feel bad for not keeping up for myself and my own records, but I have other posting/recording spaces, so I’m not gonna feel the guilt of not posting here.

Wow, I appear to be snarky today, huh?  Well, on with the knitting content - after all, this is a knitting blog.

Right at this very moment, I’m working the hybrid short row heel on the Slave to the Plurk sock by Terry Ross.  This is the first time I’ve done socks one at a time and not had SSS.  This thing knits up so fast, and since I’ve got a deadline on it, I’m almost done with sock #2.  The hybrid heel fits wonderfully, too - much better than a standard short row heel (which pulls tightly on my instep.)

I’ve finished a doll!Ten.  Isn’t he cute??

Specs -

Pattern - Tenth!Doctor Doll by Snuffykin

Yarn - Random bits of acrylic, mostly Vanna’s Choice

Hook - Size F, 3.75mm

Notes - I held a single strand of machine sewing thread to simulate the blue pinstripe in the suit, and I changed from white to a cream yarn on round four of the foot to look more like the Chucks trainers the Doctor wears.

Uh-oh.  Just realized I didn’t post about the package I got from Clare in the Jelly Baby swap.  She sent me some yummy rainbow dyed fiber, some yummier hand dyed and hand spun yarn, and the yummiest of sweeties!  TimTams are addictive, the Jelly Babies were really good, but the Violet Crumble and I are a perfect match.  Seriously?  I went to the local import store to see if they had them and bought a case.  Y.U.M.  (The Ginger Bears were ok, but a little strong for me.  I see them being very helpful when I’m feeling ill and don’t have any ginger ale in the house. :)  )

See those cute little Adipose over there?  Mine’s one of them!  Once Mazzamatazz has all of them together, they’re going to the BBC for some sort of publicity stunt.  I can’t wait to see what happens with them!  Oh, and I’m one of 100 people who got to make one for this stunt!  Once they’re all done, they go to the cast and crew of Doctor Who.  Can anyone say Squee?  Cause I can’t - I’m so excited the words won’t even come!

So, it’s a gorgeous sweater (or jumper, depending where you’re from.)  And the Malabrigo aspect?  Only makes it better.  Even has a fairly wide size range already mathed out for you.  But then you get to the errata.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a deterrent, it just means a little extra work.  But after close study of the pattern and the images, I have come to the conclusion that a few more things need to be said about it.

Firstly, the ones that Annie addressed herself is that the book instructions give you ribbing all the way down, while the picture in the book has a slipped stitch band all the way around.  No biggie. (She also corrected a few mistakes.)  However, the errata has errata.  The first lines state to cast on and work in K2P2 rib for two inches.  Should be two rows - if you’re going after a look similar to the photo.  Secondly, the center panel in the photo (after the bottom band) looks to be more of a rib pattern.  In close study, and a little swatching, I have determined that after about one pattern repeat, the sweater completely drops row 3 of the pattern (or row one, either works) so that the slipped stitch row occurs after two rows of plain stockinette, and the slipped stitches stack above each other creating a pseudo-rib look. 

The last two issues I have are more with the photo than the pattern - the model is wearing the sweater backwards.  You can see the beginning of the round on her right side, between the slipped stitch and the ribbed panels.  And since she is wearing it backwards, there is no bust shaping visible, though it would look much better with that, in my opinion. 

The purpose of this post is not to deter, nor to place blame, but simply to point out these issues.  It’s easier to knit the sweater/jumper you want if you know why it doesn’t look the same as in the picture.  (Plus?  This sweater is easy enough for a beginner, though they may not be able to decipher why the photo looks so different, so I’m offering up this info for them as well.)  I may knit another Dark Victory, after this one is done, with the three-row pattern repeat of the pseudo-rib, since I like the look of that as much as the true pattern stitch.

I’ve also finished my Noro socks.  Aren’t they pretty?

Specs:

Pattern - basic stockinette stripe

Yarn - Noro Kureyon Sock, color S164

Needles - US 1 Knitpicks, magic looped

Mods - did a flap heel, which is unusual for me

Ravelry Link

Specs:

Pattern - Drop Stitch Scarf by Christine Vogel

Yarn - 50/50 Merino/Tencel handdyed and handspun by me

Needles - US 8 Knitpicks Harmony

Mods - None

Ravelry Link

I’ve also started a pair of socks for my dad in Crystal Palace Maizy.  The beginning didn’t go so well - cast on and got four inches in, then realized they’d be too big, so frogged it all.  I’ve got a few more things done, or in the works, but this is already getting long enough, and MissV will be up from her nap any minute.

If you haven’t already checked this out, go, now, run.  It’s gone in a few short days, and it’s GREAT.

I’m not able to get into plurk right now, and I’m having major withdrawals.  So you get to hear nonsense from me.  Aren’t you lucky…

Lessee, I’m also working on what has been affectionately dubbed “Teh Crazee” because, well, I’m bleedin’ nuts for even contemplating casting it on.  Four scarf, on 000, in embroidery floss.  I’ve restarted about three times so far, changing both needle size and cast on number.  0 is too loose, but 000 is too tight.  I don’t want to work it as wide as it would need to be since it’s for an amigurimi doctor and his head is out of proportion from the rest of his body but it should still be wide and just floppy enough to fold in half to go around his neck.  So, as you can see - Teh Crazee.

Wwent out for brunch today and I needed something to bring to knit.  I didn’t want to bring Teh Crazee since it’s still in infancy with the how-to, and Dark Victory is a little too large, so I grabbed my 1s and some Maizy and cast on for my dad’s holiday socks.  Looked great, until I realized that it would bag around his ankles.  (He and I have about the same shoe size, his foot is just a little longer.)  So I ripped out the four inches I already had and instead of trying to scale the pattern in my annoyed state, I just checked for a new one.  Went from Gentleman’s Sock with Lozenge Pattern to Gentleman’s Shooting Stockings with Fluted Pattern (both from Nancy Bush’s Knitting Vintage Socks.  I’ve only knitted men’s socks from this book, for men, but it’s great for that!)

It would appear that I am chatty.  It’s all due to plurk (again with the withdrawals.)  Plurk made me into a Babbling Betty, and now I can’t plurk and I want to and I’m thinking about poking MathMan with something small and sharp (where would I get something like that) and telling him to go see if it’s something on our end cause everyone in Ravelry seems to be able to get in but I can’t and I.  WANT.  TO.  PLURK.  I can’t even get through this post without f5-ing constantly to see if plurk is back up!  I need contact from other geek-y craft-y people like me!  I need procrastinatory tools and random senseless chatter and what amounts to a threaded chatroom, and I need it NOW, dangit!

So I woke up this morning to an empty house - for the first time in over two years.  MissV stayed overnight with my parents, and MathMan is at work.  Now, MissV has spent the night at grandma and grandpa’s before, but never on a work night for MathMan.  Last night before I went to bed, I was questioning what I was going to do with myself this morning.  Well, I answered that question at 6:30.  Wake up.  6:45?  Get up, get showered.  I’m now about to clean, vacuum, and do some laundry, at least until the stores open, then I’m doing some shopping.

Now, some background is needed here, I think - MissV does not have the typical toddler schedule.  She is up until at least nine with us, and usually sleeps ten to twelve hours per night, meaning on average she wakes up around eight.  Factor in time to get ready, make breakfast, and her to eat said breakfast, and that’s another hour and a half gone.  Lunch is at 11:30, and nap is whenever she manages to finish lunch (and sometimes this can take a *while*.)  Nap usually lasts for 1.5-2 hours, then afternoon snack and it’s time to prepare dinner.  So what I’m saying is that, while her sleeping in is nice (very nice, I’m not complaining there at all) and she takes a nap that affords me cleaning/whatever time around the house, we have a very small window of time in the late morning to get things done outside the house - considering that it takes me about half an hour to drive anywhere from here.

So, it appears when MissV’s away, I get productive…go figure!

And since this is a knitting blog, here’s the knitting content - I’m going to pick up supplies for a Fourth Doctor scarf.  I’m officially off my rocker!  Oh, did I mention that it’s going to be an…unconventional…Fourth Doctor Scarf?  Bye now!

I’ve liked this meme ever since the first time I saw it, so I decided to tag myself with it!

Who Am I?

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

(I would like it known that I had to do this twice - only *3* images weren’t blocked from BigHugeLabs.   :(   )

Ok.  I tried to do this thing.  Twice, even.  Took me over an hour.  The first time?  Three images were allowed into the mosaic maker.  The second time?  One.  One stinking image.  I’m saddened by this, as both times I found amazing images and was looking forward to pointing people to the photographers, but all of them opted out of BigHugeLabs, so nothing.  I give up.  Those of you able to successfully do this meme?  I applaud you.  I’m not among your numbers.  I’ll just be sulking over here, cause it would’a been gorgeous.

Introduce yourself. 

(it’s a bit long)

Read more »

Plurk is addictive.  It’s like a chat room, but threaded and with timelines.  Now, normally I’m more of an “I’ll be over here, lurking away and not commenting,” but I’ve actually been plurking.  Lots.  So you should check it out.  And friend me, too!  (Gotta get that Karma up for the new emoticons!)

I’ve also been on a naming frenzy - I picked out the name (that won in a poll) for WendyKnits new sock: Ribbon Candy.  I’m going to have to get that pattern when it’s published!  I also named NoSmallFeet’s newest sock - Riptide.  (I got a free copy of that one!  Thanks, Carissa!)

I’ve been dyeing and spinning, but I won’t bore you with too many pics of that - if you’re interested, the picture links to my Flickr set.  

On the knitting front, I got the first Magic Mirror sock off the needles, which freed it up for the second Noro striped sock.  (I know I’ve said it before, but I like to “leapfrog” my socks - gets them done at relatively the same time and no SSS.) I’ve also been working on another Doctor Who doll.  This one is a surprise for a friend, so no pictures.  I’m fairly certain she reads here, but as I have several DW-loving friends who read here, I’ll just let all you be curious!  This doll is done in cotton, and though it truly KILLS my fingertips, I like the fabric quite a bit.  Lessee, what else.  I’ve got the “Ten” merino singles all balled up, and in a bag with the needles, but have yet to cast on the MSCS.  I’ve finished one of the two MIL set mittens, but took extensive notes, so the second will come sooner or later.  I think that’s all I’ve been working on lately.  Definitely not a monogamous knitter, me!

Off to plurk!