On The Busy-ness of Knitting

So, yes. I’m still alive, still knitting, just rather busy. This year has been all about World Travel (photos to come), and, I am sad to say, my blogging has definitely suffered for it. This is what happens when you go places where you’re rushing around without reliable internet access. I’ve finished (and photographed) several projects, gotten into test and sample knitting, and done some knitting-related writing. I’ve also been sitting on a secret, and I’ve been given permission to post this wee little link here:

The Sock Report

Go there. Check it out. There’s a contest. You could win yarn!

Of course, all I’m allowed to say about it, really, is “We Love Sock Yarn.” Well, that and “It’s gonna be AWESOME.”

Bucking Tradition (Just A Little)

I finished my last knitting project of 2011 with about 2 hours to spare.

These are the Nine to Five Socks (Ravelry Link), a pattern that I have made twice for others but never for myself. I should fix that oversight sometime soon. Check out my Ravelry Page for these socks for more details and photos.

Some of my readers may be saying (to themselves, because my readers are polite people), “You know…those socks don’t appear to fit very well.” This is because, while those are my feet, those are not my socks. They’re another been-on-the-needles-for-over-a-year project, promised to my friend Amy ages ago. While my feet are wee and bitsy, her feet are more normal-sized. I hope they will keep her warm. It felt nice to get them done in the stub of the year, another promise kept (if rather late).

On to the New Year!

It is traditional at this time to make Resolutions. I don’t like Resolutions. Somehow, they always feel as though I’m setting myself up for failure, as though, when I fall down occasionally and do things like gain a pound (of flesh or sock yarn), my resolve itself has failed. Because I don’t care to set myself up for a Sneaky Hate Spiral started by waking up one morning in a pile of cookies and yarn (wait, that might not be so bad), I’ve decided that, this year, I’m going to have Goals. It may seem like simple semantics to you, Dear Reader, but it makes a huge difference to me. Goals, if not achieved, are still okay. They carry over. They’re more forgiving. If I miss a Goal, it’s more of a shrug-and-move-on sort of thing, rather than an EPIC-FAIL-my-resolve-is-weak sort of thing. ‘Kay?

So. Knitting Goals for 2012:
1) Finish a knitting project every month. It can be a project that’s been hanging out on the needles for a long time, or it can be one I started that month. The point is to finish something.
2) Avoid buying yarn over the internet. Yarn may still be purchased, but only if I can hand a real person my credit card (or cash–cash is fine) and receive the yarn immediately.
3) Knit down some of this wonderful Sanguine Gryphon yarn in order to make room for some of that wonderful Verdant Gryphon yarn and Cephalopod Yarns yarn. (Yes, Sanguine Gryphon split into two companies. The Yarn is Gone! Long Live the Yarn!)
4) Steek something. I’m trying to learn a new technique this year. Steeking is the scariest one for me, because, once you cut the knitting, there is no going back. Aieee.

Happy New Year, everyone. May your year be full of Knitting Adventures (the fun kind). May your yarn be snarl-free, and may your needles never break.

I’m just going to go and work on this sock now.

Christmas Aftermath

(Well, WordPress just completely deleted my entire post except for the picture of the Christmas Rosemary Bush. Graugh!)

Alex and I both came out of Christmas celebrations with many happy memories, very spiffy new toys to play with, and colds. I’ve started some knitting, and finished some knitting. Unfortunately, the cold has wiped me out enough (and the weather/light is bad enough) that getting up and digging out the camera and taking photos of stuff sounds not-so-much-fun right now. With luck, I’ll feel better tomorrow.

I hope you all had a wonderful, peaceful, stress-free winter holiday. Knit On!

Why No One Names A Child “Organization”

There’s a theory about naming your children after virtues:  Don’t.  Name a child Patience, and you’ll have someone who can’t sit still for five seconds on end.  Name a child Tolerance, and you’ll wind up with someone who can’t stand anybody. Name a child Chastity, and well. That’s the theory, anyway.

I think this theory is one of the reasons why no one ever names his or her child Organization. (Another reason being the nicknames. There aren’t any. No good ones, anyway.) Very few people (at least, very few people of my acquaintance) are well and truly organized, and most parents don’t want to tempt fate. That said, I’ve never heard of anyone named Slobbiness or Can’t-Be-Bothered-To-Pick-Up-Clutter, either.

My parents, wise as they are, refrained from naming me Organization, but that didn’t help me. Despite their best efforts, I am a horribly disorganized person. My middle name is also emphatically not Self-Discipline. I am easily distracted by shiny objects, and the only way I’m able to find things once I’ve put them down is to leave them out in plain sight. If I put things away tidily, I forget where they are and wander around in a frustrated rage trying to remember where I’ve put them. This mainly applies to projects. Some things can go safely in a drawer (like socks) and be found again; other things (like that sweater-in-progress that I’m still looking for) cannot. I have a hard time finishing things in a timely fashion. This also applies to projects.

I am not proud of this. I wish that I were more self-disciplined, able to truly finish things (like writing up patterns once I’ve finished test-knitting them, or making better progress on that novel I’m writing). I also realize that there is a solution to my problem: Practice. I must practice finishing things, and that means working on them regularly. It means actually looking at the novel, pulling it up on the computer, finishing a chapter or two. It means actually working a few rows on that blanket (which I did this morning) before allowing myself to be distracted by the Very Squishy Socks. It means taking out those pattern notes that are quite comprehensible to me but would be absolute balderdash to the uninitiated (i.e. people who do not live in the confines of my head) and typing them up in a clear and concise format with proper English and spelling and grammar and everything.

It’s not like organization and self-discipline are bad things. They would make my life so much easier, if I would just buckle down.

Beginning is easier than finishing. Knitting is easier than organizing. (For me, anyway.) That doesn’t mean that there isn’t room in my life for both.

For now, however, it’s nearly one in the morning, and I need to go do something else I’m good at. Organization and Self-Discipline can wait on my very good friend, Sleep.

Holiday Special: How To Make An Apple Pie

WARNING: This entry is high in sugar and low in fiber.

This year, I spent Thanksgiving with Alex and his side of the family. Our contribution to The Big Feast was an apple pie. Alex makes a lovely apple pie, and we thought you might like to know how to do it.

First, you make the dough and put it in the fridge. (Not pictured. It involved a Cuisinart and was very quick and boring.)

Next, you source out your usual job (peeling and coring the apples) to cheap child labor using a machine.

“Hey, this is hard!”

(That’s my niece, Chiara, on the left and my husband, Alex, on the right. We are totally getting one of those hand-crank machines for our house.)

Next, liberally flour a butcher block island with flour.

“This part is fun!”

(Added to this photo is my charming sister-in-law, Marina. She’s supervising.)

Take half of the dough out of the fridge. Press out the dough…

…then roll the dough out on the floured surface.

“I want to use the rolling pin!”

Once your dough is at the desired thickness, roll it around the rolling pin. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough to the pie pan. (It’s best to let the adult part of the team do this part.)

Mix the apples with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and a little bit of sugar, then dump them in the pie pan.

Next, get the other half of the dough out of the fridge and roll it out on the floured surface. Cut it into strips and make a lattice top. (Child labor helps with the placing of the strips, but not with the cutting.)

Put the pie in the oven and feed your child labor…

…and your photographer.

Take the pie out of the oven when it’s done, forget to take a photo of it until it is decimated by relatives and friends, and have a happy holiday anyway. (The pie was delicious.)

Work on your sock.

Enjoy the peace.

A Conversation Between Me, Myself, and I Regarding Socks

Like many artistic people, I talk to myself. (I am choosing to believe that talking to myself is an artistic trait indicative of a creative mind, as opposed to a sign that I am losing my marbles.) Here is an example of the type of conversation I have with myself about knitting:

SCENE: Home, on the couch, looking at Ravelry on my laptop. A package arrives.

I: Ooh, my order from Tanis Fiber Arts has arrived. What lovely, squishy yarn. I shall wind it right away and cast on a pair of socks to reward myself for finishing all those other socks.

MYSELF: You don’t need any socks. You have lots of socks. You need mittens. Your hands are always cold, plus your rainbow handwarmers have holes in them. You should knit yourself some nice mittens out of that yarn.

ME: I like socks.

I: But this yarn is green. I don’t have any green socks.

MYSELF: Liar. You have those pretty Madeline Tosh socks. They’re green.

I: They’re old socks, and they’re too short for me. I need new green socks.

MYSELF: You do not. Your hands are cold. Knit mittens.

I: (Reasonably) By the time I finished a pair of mittens out of this yarn, winter would be over. I have perfectly serviceable leather gloves. They are warm and nicely lined. I don’t have to knit all of my accessories. I can knit nice mittens later. Besides, I want to try out this sock pattern.

ME: (Without discussing further with I or Myself, casts on socks while they natter on.)

Aaaaaand…SCENE.

I argue with Myself a lot, especially about knitting. I say things like, “Shouldn’t you be finishing that shawl” and “You can’t wear only one sock, you know” and “You promised that knitted thing to your friend, So-And-So; shouldn’t you be working on that?” Honestly, it’s my hobby; I should be able to knit what I want. It’s hard to get Myself to understand that.

I hope that all of my American readers have a lovely, peaceful Thanksgiving. I hope that all of my non-American readers have a wonderful day!

On Being A Yarn Collector

The stashing of yarn is not universal among knitters. Some knitters only buy enough for their current project, finish that project, and then go and purchase just enough yarn for the next one. Other knitters like to have a little yarn “laid by”–a few skeins of sock yarn, perhaps, along with a sweater quantity or two. Some of these people are organized enough to have the patterns they want to knit printed out and placed in bags along with these carefully-stashed amounts.

And then there are those who inspire murmurs of “SABLE” (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy, for those not in the know). They purchase yarn, not necessarily willy-nilly, but definitely with less restraint than other knitters. There is a craving, not quite an addiction, to buying yarn. The colors and textures are so seductive that the knitter purchases without necessarily knowing what he or she will knit out of the yarn they buy. And they don’t mind. As long as the yarn can be stored safely, these SABLErs can, in times of slim pickings or unemployment, “shop the stash” for yarn for projects. Wool shortage? No problem. These knitters can just keep knitting.

There is another level. The people who go beyond SABLE are not yet named, but I think we (yes, I said “we”) might like to be called “Yarn Collectors.” Yarn Collectors are knitters who buy yarn, not just to knit it (though we really, truly plan to knit at least some of the yarn we purchase), but to look at it. To have it. To know that it’s there, come hell, high water, or discontinuation of brand or base. Even if the manufacturer stops making that yarn or, heaven forbid, that color, we have it safely stored, laid down against a rainy day. If we need to make a hat that is precisely that blue, we can. If we purchase a color that just isn’t us (you know what I mean), that yarn can be a gift to another knitter, or be knitted up into something lovely for someone we love. We don’t even necessarily know what that yarn will be; we just know that we must buy it and keep it safe, just in case.

Not all yarn, of course. That is another important aspect of the Yarn Collector mentality. A Yarn Collector does not just buy yarn because it is on sale. Sometimes, a Yarn Collector may wait and think for days, even weeks, before making an important purchase. (Not always. I, for instance, have been known to impulsively fall and swipe my credit card on the way down multiple times at certain yarn vendors.) Yarn Collectors have favorites and must-haves, and these vary from Collector to Collector. But we all Collect.

I am a Yarn Collector. I have been tempted to build lovely display cases for some of my yarn, or frame them in shadow boxes and hang them on my office wall like the works of art that they are. (They would have to be cases and shadow boxes that are easy to open—after all, I may need to knit that yarn someday.) The potential that is locked in a skein of yarn is a beautiful, beautiful thing. The knowledge that all of those deep colors and varied textures are waiting for you to turn them into practical art is inspirational. The freedom of options can be absolute ambrosia. Being a Yarn Collector is like having the perfect palette of paint, the perfect selection of seasoned hardwood, the perfect spice cabinet. No matter what you want to make, you know that the ingredients are there, and you know that they are exactly what you need.

There is no shame in stash or lack thereof. If you prefer to purchase yarn for current projects only, Knit On. If you like having a little stash, Knit On. If you enjoy your SABLE status and having enough yarn to roll around in if you feel like it, Knit On. And if you, like me, are a Yarn Collector?

You’re in good company. Knit On.

(ETA: Post 42! Woo-hoo!)

Done And Dusted–Finally

Today’s entry involves three projects that were on the needles for a needlessly long time.  There was really no good reason for these to stay UFOs for so long–other than the fact that I’m really easily distracted.  Still, I’m incredibly happy with all three of them and glad that they’re in a wearable state at last.

Let’s begin with the project that was on the needles the longest.

High Octang Socks (Rav Link)
Cast On 11/6/2010
Bound Off 11/18/2011

I created the pattern for these socks and knitted the first one while I was on vacation in Japan last November. They’re relatively simple–the pattern notes fit on a 3×5 card, and that includes the cable chart. I plan to write up the pattern and release it on Ravelry, just in case anyone else wants socks like these. (Knitting them in bright orange yarn is not necessary, but it’s fun.)

The yarn, by the way, is absolutely fabulous. It’s Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in “High OcTANG.” I purchased two more skeins of this in other colors, and I’m looking forward to knitting them up.

Next, we have (SURPRISE!) more socks.

Toe-Up Ladies’ Socks With Lozenge Pattern (Rav Link)
Cast On 11/27/2010
Bound Off 11/7/2011

I am absolutely in love with this pattern. I made Alex a pair a while back, and these, while based on Nancy Bush’s original pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks, are turned toe-up and size down to fit my wee feet. I love the pattern and plan to make at least one more pair.

The yarn here is Lana Grossa Mega Boots Stretch that I bought on serious sale at some point. It’s okay, but a little thin and splitty for my tastes. On the other hand, I love the subtle color changes, so I might give it another try sometime.

And, finally, the piece de resistance:

Near-Year Kimono (Rav Link)
Cast On 8/5/2010
Bound Off 7/18/2011

Needless to say, I am very proud of this piece. This is the Kimono Shawl from Nancy Oberle’s Folk Shawls. I learned a lot from knitting this. One of the most important things I learned is that you shouldn’t take almost a year to knit a rectangular lace stole, because there’s a good chance that your gauge will change over time and you’ll have to do some creative blocking in order to get it to look nice. Still, it does look nice, if I do say so myself. Look at the lovely autumn sunlight shining through the lace.

This stole is knitted in Malabrigo Lace in the colorway “Velvet Grapes.” Just so you know, pretty much everything you’ve heard about Malabrigo Lace is true: It pills and wants to felt to itself, it is incredibly soft and warm, and it is luscious to wear. The wants-to-felt bit is actually nice while you’re knitting lace, especially if you’re like me and you drop stitches once in a while. Those stitches won’t go far with this yarn.

I’m doing my best to keep from having projects on the needles for as long as these three were. The main one that’s bugging me is my Log Cabin Moderne, but it’s difficult to work on. It’s not that the pattern is difficult or anything like that, it’s just that…well, see for yourself:

Hiro thinks the blanket is done enough.

Sometimes, You Just Gotta Knit A Chicken (Or Three)

I have this problem.  I keep coming up with these really neat ideas for posts, with spiffy titles and everything.  (For instance, my next entry will be about projects that have been on my needles for at least eleven months.) “Ha ha!” I think to myself.  “These posts will be so clever, so witty, that all my readers will split their sides with jollification!  They will be so amused!  I must write them up and post them!”  And then…I don’t.  Why not?  Most of it has to do with my habit of not taking photographs during the daytime and forgetting my camera somewhere and the fact that I hate putting up blog posts without photographs. Also, I have this idea that if I post too often, people will get tired of me and my blabbering on about knitting. This is, of course, silly. I don’t get tired of my favorite bloggers, and I wish they would post far more often than they do. Besides that, this is my blog, and if people don’t like it, they don’t have to read it. (But you like it, right? Right?)

Ahem.

This post is about chickens. Tiny, knitted chickens, posed on a nicely wound cake of yarn that is slowly turning into a linen-stitch scarf for my husband. (That’s progressing nicely, by the way. It’s very elegant-looking. I am never doing another linen stitch scarf.)

Exhibit A, Chicken the First:

Note his adorably lopsided wings and quizzical expression. He’s done in Knit Picks Palette on size 1 needles.

Exhibit B, Chicken the Cool:

Friends say his oversized eyes look like sunglasses. He’s knitted in Crystal Palace Mochi Plus on size 3 needles.

And, finally, Exhibit C, Sparklechicken, or the Bluebird of Happiness:

He’s knitted in Dream in Color Starry with Palette accents. I’m loving the tinsel.

All of these chickens use the “Tiny Chickens” pattern from Teeny Tiny Mochimochi, which is full of wee and squeeful projects, including an itty bitty brain-melting dinosaur. There is also a bunny rabbit, which, if you read Franklin Habit’s Blog, you already know about.

Speaking of wee, squeeful, and brain-melting, this is Freya’s new favorite napping spot:

That’s my pile of shawls (plus a hat). Freya loves them. Adores them. Makes it very difficult to go out in the morning.

“Freya, sweetheart, Mummy needs a shawl so she can avoid freezing to death.”

“…I see. Maybe I can find a scarf in the closet.”

(I did pull that blue alpaca shawl out from under her, for the record. She was a little upset, but it was nothing a little chin-scritching couldn’t fix.)

And now, I must gather my chickens and continue the scarf.

Yeah. We’ll see how that goes.

One of the Many Awesome Things About Knitting (or, Why I Should Not Photograph Myself)

One of the many things I love about knitting is the fact that, should I require a new, warm winter hat, I can sit down on my Sunday afternoon/evening and darned well make myself a warm winter hat. I can wind that worsted weight yarn (Sanguine Gryphon Zaftig Bugga!, to be precise, which is, sadly, going away), cast on 88 stitches, knit those jogless stripes, and have myself an awesome hat striped with awesome and covered in awesomesauce by 11:00 at night. Then, having woven in the ends, I can take silly photos of myself with my cell phone and no natural light, thus exposing myself as one of the palest people on the planet. However, don’t you think the blue brings out my eyes?

Yes, I turned up the brim. It turns out that this particular hat is just a wee bit too long. However, folding up the ribbing makes my ears super warm! Let’s just pretend that I meant to do that, shall we?

And now, an amateurish shot of the really neat square-y thing that happens with the decreases!

I love this hat, and I love this yarn. The pattern is Brooklyn Tweed’s “Turn A Square” (Ravelry Link). The yarn is Zaftig Bugga! in “Bark Scorpion” (pale blue) and “Burying Beetle” (variegated purples). I think I used about half a skein of each. I probably have enough left for stripy fingerless gloves.

I’m going to call this hat “Sunday in Skyrim” on Ravelry, because I knitted it while watching my charming husband play Skyrim on the Playstation. The icy blues and purples also remind me of the frozen wasteland in which his character spends a lot of time.

So, now I have my warm Skyrim hat to keep me warm in the (admittedly snow-free thus far) cold of winter, and it only took me a couple of hours, some sticks, and some string. Amazing.

What have you been doing to stay warm?