Sock yarn

My wonderful, loving, perfect husband bought me the parrot and zebra sock yarns that I posted about a few days ago. I had a hard time deciding between the zebra and the fish patterns. The yarns looked even better in person than on the web, and now I want the chameleon and the fish, too. Of course, I love knitting socks so much that I now want just about any sock yarn that I see.

Socks

The socks are finished! My husbands LOVES them, and I think they turned out just fine. On the first sock there are a couple of largish holes where the instep joins the gusset (I figured out how to fix it on the second sock), and my weaving is... well, let's just say I need a little help with weaving toes. In addition, they have already gone through the washing machine and came out looking slightly fuzzier, but no worse for the wear.

I am so excited. I love sock knitting. I think I'm hooked.

My Christmas present

I blew all my Christmas money on an umbrella swift and a ball winder from Schoolhouse Press. Unfortunately the ball winder is backordered but I received and I love my swift. It hums just a touch when it turns, but I'm hoping that will stop after it's been used a while. Here the swift is wearing some cream 3-ply Sheepswool - also from Schoolhouse Press - with which I plan to knit my Olympic vest.

So let it be written. So let it be done.

I've committed. For the Knitting Olympics I'm going to attempt the Shawl Collared Vest from Handknitting with Meg Swansen. I already have the book and the yarn (thank you, Mom), though I need to do some swatching and see if I have the correct size needles or not. One advantage of knitting the vest is that if I decide down the road that I want it to be a sweater, it would be pretty easy to just add sleeves. I can't wait.

Coveting

I want these sock yarns. Especially parrot, zebra, and tiger.

Vegetarian snake

Okay, not really, but this is an interesting story about a snake in a zoo who has a "pet" hamster.

My husband's first knitted bribe

You are viewing history in the making here. This is my very first sock, just before weaving the toe stitches. I was telling a dear friend about how my poor husband always gets stuck with the "first" projects; first hat, first scarf, first socks, etcetera. They are usually full of mistakes that I can fix the next time I make something similar so I can give it to someone outside our immediate family. She, in her wonderful way, reminded me that when artists become famous their first works are often the most sought-after and valuable. Anyway, I have now turned the heel on the second sock and just have to work my way down the foot.

My other major project is a Christmas gift, a scarf for my mother. I procrastinated in the first place, then when I went to buy the yarn the store had to order it, then I took forever choosing a pattern. I'm using black Heirloom Easy Care 8 yarn, which I won't use again. It splits way too easily. After hours of poring over my knitting stitch library, I decided to use the tilting ladder pattern from Barbara G. Walker's Second Treasury. No photo because I want it to be somewhat of a surprise for my mom.

Knitting Olympics

So Stephanie Pearl-McPhee has initiated the first (to my knowledge) Knitting Olympics. Basically you have to choose a project for yourself that will be a challenge, cast on no sooner than the Olympic torch is lit, and have the item(s) finished by the time the flame goes out sixteen days later. Whoever finishes their projects within the time frame will be entered in a drawing for "something".

I'm in. I haven't yet decided what my project will be. I am trying to decide what I can handle while still having time to feed my daughter her meals (though I suppose she could live off of finger foods for a couple of weeks... just kidding, in case anyone was truly concerned that I would do that to her) and change diapers occasionally. Perhaps a pair of socks? Two pairs? A vest?

I need to finish up my mother's Christmas scarf (last Christmas, not next) and my husband's second sock before I do anything else. And maybe make something for my yet-to-be-born nephew.

Shark vs. Octopus

This is a very interesting short video clip about what happened at the Seattle Aquarium when they decided to move an octopus into the shark tank.

Poor me.

Since I'm sure you really care, I thought I'd stick in a photo of my Nasty Bruise. I spent fifteen dollars and over an hour making sure I didn't have a broken bone (I didn't). The doctor - not our usual - insisted on calling it a "contusion" and told me to ice and elevate it, rest, wear comfortable shoes, take an anti-inflammatory, and call back to let her know if it's healing or not. C'mon. It's a bruise. I think I'll survive.

Clutter

Does everyone else in the world have less stuff than I do, or are they just better at hiding it? Sometimes I feel like I am drowning in clutter.

Every "storage system" on the market calls out to me, but everything I've tried seems to result in more of a mess than I had to begin with. Sigh.

At Knit's End

From a great little book I got from the library, At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee:

There is no wrong way to knit. The debate between throwing the yarn and picking it, using circulars or straights, choosing Fair Isle or intarsia... it's all a moot point. If you get something knitted at the end of it, you are doing it right. We should all agree to stop correcting each other and deal with the more important issue. How wrong crochet is.

This is only one of many devotional-style entries, the vast majority of which I find highly amusing. Highly recommended.