Picture Time -- check yer cowlick, honey

The sun came out for a few minutes, so we have picture time! I recently restarted a pair of socks in my size, in a very citrusy colorway. This is Red Heart’s Heart & Sole, but as the ballband is long gone I couldn’t tell you a color # or name. I’m working Mellis’ Socks from Kristin Benecken/Wollkistchens Pattern, and I think they look great in this colorway:

I also restarted the Steeler’s (Claudia’s Hand Painted) socks for my Dad, using a pattern called Cenotes by Linda Jo Park aka The Bead Knitter, because the 2X2 ribbing was just too boring for words. I haven’t gotten very far, but already like this pattern a whole lot better:

And I kinda fell down the rabbit hole, agreeing to make a woolly headband for a coworker’s niece. I’m “winging it” as far as a pattern, having only a picture of something the niece admired. The yarn is called Bazinga, by Patons. It’s very bright! The first pic was indoors, at night, and doesn’t do the yarn justice:

Hmm, I just realized that I didn’t get a picture of the button that will close this headband. Maybe next time; the clouds have already rolled back overhead.

Plaidman & I have had another discussion about his unilateral decisions, and the benefit that might be derived from running his ideas past another adult with a stake in the outcome, like his wife, and maybe he’ll remember that the next time he wants to make a major change in our financial or mental health status. Nothing like stressing the wife to the near-breaking point is to occur, ever again (dream on….).

So far, I’ve bought 3 Christmas presents for DiscoDame and none at all for the Plaidman, but there is a plan. Disco & I did go shopping last night at Stein Mart, and I found some shoes I liked, and I bought them. Don’t look at me that way; I needed some dressy brown heels.

More FO's

Yeah, baby! We like this kinda party! Erm, I mean, I have really enjoyed the mini-vacation I just had -- I worked last Wednesday, and didn't come back until today!-- I did some knitting (of course), and I actually finished & photographed some more fingerless gloves. Presenting another (!!) pair of my own design, the Cob Stitch Fingerless Mitts in Lion Brand Wool-Ease:


And just who it that Mysterious Model? None other than the fabulous DiscoDame, with a different prop. Makes her look intellectual, doncha think?
I've started on yet another pair of fingerless gloves/mitts, the Twisted Chain Link Fingerless Gloves (you can use that title to find the pattern on Ravelry). The charts are wonky: written instructions for rounds 3 & 10 include purl stitches, but they're not on the chart; the stitches represented on the chart appear to read from left to right which is weird because aren't most charts set up to be read the same direction as the stitches are worked -- right to left? Anyway, after several attempts to reconcile the chart to the written recipe, I've decided to ignore the chart. I figure the pattern was probably written down first, then charted but not proofed. So the written instruction is likely (more) correct than the chart, right? Stay tuned for further developments.
You know, I have been entering just about every blog giveaway I can find--so it had to happen: I won one! I will tell you all about it in another post, when my prize arrives. I can say, I'm tickled; I never win anything. That's why I don't buy the Power Ball & Mega Millions tickets; I can just about gaurantee the big $ isn't coming home with me!
Oh, Disco had a disappointment last night: I had just about decided to let her frog my Olympics vest, but when she pulled it out of hibernation, I saw how little was left to do--so it's still intact, only needing a few more rows on the back, a couple of seams, and the front edge/neckline.

Wondrous light

Ok, I got the neatest picture the other day, purely by accident. Disco was modeling some of the FOs from my last post. We'd decided to "dress up" our photo shoot with nice scarves and a few props -- Disco has a large handful of very large marbles, which looked nice in her palms while she wore the mitts. But the photograper (moi!) didn't realize just how reflective those things were, until editing the pics. Check this out, you can see me in each of these marbles (click on pic to make bigger):

Every one of the pics with the marbles in it also has my self-portrait. Kinda cool, eh?

More ways to win!

So, I see another giveaway--and another chance to win something! Have a linkie:
http://knittingwithsandrasingh.blogspot.com/
and check out this lovely cowl. Now you know I love me a cowl, though frankly I'd rather knit it in the round. Don't know if I can adapt this one or not, but I guess if a provisional cast on was used, a three-needle bind off or Kitchener stitch would make a nice closure. Well, go check it out!
I have FO's!! DiscoDame was willing to model & help with props:




Whaddya think of them apples, huh? Wanna see more? These are F. Pea's Raging Fingerless gloves, which are knit flat in her pattern, but which I converted to knit in the round. This pair is going to someone tiny.



And LO!, there are more FO's -- the resized granny square stockings for Donna Kirby:



Donna was kinda tickled that her stockings were going into Ravelry & on a blog; she thinks she'll be famous! LOL!! Merry Christmas, Donna!

Up in smoke

I had a dream to finish, over the weekend, the two pairs of fingerless mitts on the needles. One is the lovely pattern I designed in teal acrylic, looks like this:


Unfortunately, I forgot what needle size I'd used for the first one, before I started two other projects...the upshot of which, is that when I made a second one, it was wa-a-ay smaller than the first one. Well that first one was huge, so I frogged it & have since finished it with the same needles used for the "second" one. The other pair on the needles is a slightly tweaked version of Raging Fingerless (Gloves? Mitts? brain is swiss cheese & this bit seems to have slipped away!), which is an F. Pea design. My version looks like this:


These are the second pair I wanted to finish, as the first one (pictured above) was well on the way to being done. But with the delay in getting the teal ones finished, all I managed on the brown pair was to finish the first one and start to cast on for the second--I didn't even finish the cast on, as I fell asleep with the needles in my hands! I was using Pie's Long-Tail Purl cast on alternately with a regular long-tail cast on, to make the cast on edge K2P3. It's pretty slick, but I have to look at her pictures & instructions every time (see above, re: swiss chesse for brains). I still haven't started on a repeat customer's request to modify some of the granny square stockings I'd made. Remember these old friends?:


Yes, they're crocheted. Generally, they need to be bigger. This can be accomplished by frogging the stitches that are holding the two sides together & adding a row of double crochet, or a couple of rows of half-double crochet, to each side before rejoining. It's a good thing I've still got lots of Christmas-y yarns left.

We've been around the bush three times with the &^%^#& auto finance company. I'd set up a payment online, gotten a confirmation, then a week later they started calling about the "delinquent" payment! Meanwhile, we received a statement showing the payment credited. They kept calling anyway! The bank traced down the payment, and spoke to the finance co rep, and she "admitted" the payment had been received. So we know they are bad actors, and if they call us again we'll tell 'em off. But I'm quite pleased with the service from the bank!

*Pack; repeat from * (with apologies to Franklin)

I started packing last night, for the trip to Texas. I nearly knocked down DiscoDame at least 4 times -- small house, big gal running around crazy trying to gather gear, and Disco trying to play with the cats -- it was a madhouse. Only the cats have sense enough to stay outta my way!
I've got all the thumb gusset stitches held on a length of yarn, and about two more rounds done after, on second of the black mitts:

* * * * * * * * *
And I have such a lovely model: DiscoDame wears my printed scarves very well, don't you think?

Back at work

It's mid-week already, thank goodness. My vacation was by turns relaxing & slightly stressful: I spent most of the week on the couch, knitting for holiday gift giving -- that was the relaxing part. We got some news about our car loans, also about the mortgage, and more medical bills from Plaidman's surgery -- which was the stressful part. I declined to allow myself more than about 10 minutes of stress over this stuff. I just will not let myself get too wrought up about the money matters. This has always been a big source of excess worry for me, and I'm tired of it, and that's all I'll say here.
On the holiday knits front, I've completed several small projects which I'll not photograph or describe in detail, just in case someone I know checks out the blog. I'm having fun, and using up lots of acrylic yarn.
Ok, last week was my birthday week. What, you don't take a week to celebrate being alive? Try it, you'll like it! Pup sent me a check, so I went out & got some glasses & new lenses for my sunglasses. I bought myself 3 new purses -- and you know, I don't really like changing purses all the time, but these were cute & cheap. Plaidman & DiscoDame took me to the Haus of Yarn (in Paddock Place) for a spending spree: Disco gave me a copy of EZ's Knitting Workshop, which has the Baby Surprise Jacket pattern--yippee! I've only skimmed it, but already learned how to cast on without a slip knot, something that had never occurred to me before. I got two new Addi 40" circulars, in sock sizes for Magic Loop knitting. I also got some aluminum DPN's, sizes 7 & 8, for the Christmas knitting. AND we went to Books A Million--I got a paperback copy of Wee Free Men: The Beginning, which I tore through in no time. The Plaid Patrol loves the Nac Mac Feegle! Ach, crivens!

Long overdue

I have finished the pair of Fetching Mitts I started oh ages ago! Couldn't remember how to do the picot bind off on the second one, so I just winged it--it looks the same as the first one LOL. I really detest the yarn, Schachenmeyer Nomotta Bolino! But these four balls were only $1 each at Threaded Bliss, way back when it was still Threaded Bliss. Anyway, I also finished another pair of Aunt Maggie's slippers, and cast on for yet another pair as well as another pair of mitts in the Bolino. No cables this time! For fun (!?!?!) the cuffs are corrugated ribbing, what a PITA. I'm glad the rest of the things are in stockinette, up to the knuckles, and plain 2X2 ribbing after that. I think the pattern calls for a thumb gusset, which should be interesting. So, the count of holiday gifts finished includes one (1) pair of slippers and one (1) pair of mitts. The holiday WIPS are a pair of mitts, a pair of slippers, four Grumpies (need to be felted),and one tall latte cozy to be felted. I still have to mail Dolly Blankie #2, and the books for The Amazing Abigail. I have two sets of metal bangle bracelets, which I'm thinking of using for bracelet bags for the nieces--but I'd really rather have plastic bangles for them. Depending on some financial footwork the Plaidman is supposed to be performing today, those plastic bangles could be bought this weekend. If the bracelet bags go pretty quickly, I may work a couple of them for office gifts.

Startitis

I have it. I want to cast on about 3 more items. I have cast on for a tank top in Cotton Bam Boo, lacy enough to be a nice camisole. Took several swatches to find gauge, but I'm glad I swatched. I believe I'll keep the swatches, as I really like the yarn & could definitely see knitting with it again. But I'm not really very far into this tank, and I'm yearning to cast on for a sweater for the Plaidman--I've got a pile of Blue Sky Alpaca's Alpaca Silk in three colors. Boy is it soft. And way too pretty (*snif*)! Anyway, I'm looking at pullover patterns for gentlemen, which you'd think would be pretty easy to find on Ravelry. Not so much, dudes! Pickings are slim. I bought a book about knitting for men; there a some ganseys in there I rather like. Ok, so that's one new cast on item, one still in development with yarn already bought, and I'd like to knit some hats for Christmas in the office.

We actually cooked today, even though we don't plan to eat our cooking until tomorrow night. We (DiscoDame & I) chopped veggies, browned pork sausage, measured broth/wine (!),tomatoes, etc & threw it all in the slow cooker to make Italian Sausage Soup. Then we went to the Music City Barbecue Festival, where we ate no barbecue...DD & I ripped into a turkey leg instead. Go figure.

Weird vibes

I want everyone, not just the handful of folks reading this, but the entire world to read the Yarn Harlot's "Fallen..." blog entry. Make sure you all visit the bathroom first, though; I won't bear responsibility for any accidents. I laughed like, 4 times while I read it, then laughed again while the DiscoDame read it, and again while Plaidman read it. It's so funny because it just sounds like something the Plaidman & I would get ourselves into, and I know I'd laugh the whole time.

I wish I could stay awake & alert longer during the week; I actually made notes on Monday about things I wanted to mention here. Of course, it's now Friday evening, and I have no idea where my notes are...But I do recall that The Shoe Thrower was gonna be a feature. I kinda cracked up when one newscaster mentioned that "in that region" throwing shoes at someone was an expression of contempt. YA THINK!?!?!? Hey, newsnerd, I suspect it means the same thing pretty much wherever it occurs. And WTF was the Secret Service doing, that this guy was actually able to pitch the second shoe at our President? Uh, fellas, he was throwing stuff at the Chief Exec! What if there had been something other than stankfoot inside either of those shoes? (Be afraid, be very afraid: President Cheney!!!!) What you want to bet those agents are working in the "company" carwash now.

In my last post, I mentioned the possibility that I'd spend more time crocheting. Well, I found the cutest free patterns on Annie's Attic (they have a new one daily!), for tiny crocheted stockings. They're ornament-sized, and just adorable. I wonder how quickly they work up? I'd still like to give handmade gifts to my co-workers, even if the gifts are just tiny things. Ornaments would be cute. I've also thought about making some of the Minutia sweater ornaments from the Berroco website. Oh, and I finished my reg & green slippers! and they are long enough, and come up high enough on my ankles, that I skipped the crochet mesh & I-cord lacing around the ankle. I've been wearing them all week. I should be wearing them now. I'm still working on DiscoDame's scarf (the hat's done), but I've finished the Wool-Ease hat for Plaidman, and started another in a different color. So, what have you been up to?

Now with 15% more crafty-ness!

I have forgotten to mention the finished crochet project! All 5 new, super-size granny square stockings were delivered to Donna K, and I collected $30/each! I have pics in the camera, but haven't loaded them into the 'puter yet. Unfortunately, the pics were taken in the late evening, indoors--so they're pretty crappy. Justice is not done to the fabulousness of my granny square stockings. But Ms. Donna was pleased, and I had some fun making them. In fact, I had so much fun that it reminded me of why I like crochet, and I may wind up doing more of that in the future.


The Plaidmobile should (cross fingers, knock on wood!) be ready for pick up this afternoon, if the shop wasn't just blowing smoke up the Plaidman's arse. We took the rental car back last Monday (that wound up costing us as much as our deductible on the car insurance), and have gone an entire week with just one car. So no Sit'N Stitch this week, and very few extracurricular activities at all. And this is truly the BEST TIME OF YEAR to have massive added expenses... I was soooo happy to get paid for the crochet stockings, I told Donna that now I could go grocery shopping--I wasn't kidding! But I think she thought I was, or hoped I was.

I still haven't gotten the Wool Ease Thick N Quick I need for the Plaidman's hat; if I can get DiscoDame up & moving I'll head over to the Hobby Lobby. Yes, I know Angel Hair Yarns is going out of business & has a huge sale, but I don't think they carry Wool Ease. Speaking of the DD, she's been commenting on my blog--as if we don't speak regularly or something! I wouldn't mind seeing some other comments too--I have been making a point of commenting on some of the other blogs I read, so maybe someone will return the favor. But lordy, I only have time for surfing the innerwebs on the weekends! Somebody needs to bring high-speed access to Joelton, TN! Actually, I haven't checked for hi-speed in a while, so maybe someone did? Hope springs eternal.....

Need that fine adjustment tool....

For some unknown (to me, anyway) reason, all the stuff in my sidebar got moved to the bottom of the page. This happened a while back, and I've had my tech support (DiscoDame)looking into getting the sidebar back to the side. I've had to offer her actual money (!!!) for this assistance, and have no earthly idea when she'll either fix it or give up. Stay tuned for developments...

In the knitting news, I've started yet another pair of the funky slippers. These are in Christmas red & green, 1 strand each, worsted wt acrylic. I'm knitting both at the same time on sz 9 14" plastic needles. I've modified the sides by adding two stitches each side, so they'll rise higher on my ankle--yes, they're mine! The last pair I made were supposed to be mine, but are too short & I don't want to futz with taking them apart. I intend to knit the newest pair to 8" from cast on before I start the toe decreases, and by working both at the same time I hope to eliminate the unequal lengths I've been getting on all the previous pairs. AND there's more Christmas knitting: The Dame needs a "real" nice hat & scarf, so I'm making a set for her in brushed alpaca--YUM! What lovely stuff it is! Absolutely feather light, but oh so warm. I sure hope she takes good care of it. The Plaidman needs a seriously warm hat too. We found an appropriate pattern, but I'll need some Wool Ease -- yarn shopping!! Yippee!

I have about given up on the idea of handknits for all in my dept. at work -- that's 18 people, folks! And I'm just one knitter, running out of time. So what to do with the few pieces I've finished? I'm real tempted to store them for next year, & just say I got an early start. Why not? Because it feels like cheating, I guess. I think I can get over it, though.

The Pupster called Thanksgiving day, & I have not yet responded. I'm a baaaad daughter, I know. But geez, if you could hear the message he left--he sounded half stoned. He was visiting some friends, and I guess they got him hammered. Sure hope they let him stay the night! I should call.