It may well appear…

…that I am living with an undiagnosed case of extreme startitis (in layman’s terms, inflammation of the WIP pile). I do feel compelled, however, to put these vicious suspicions to rest and explain the madness to my method.

Exhibit A: I reorganized my little stash the other day and I have less yarn than I thought I did! Weird. (Sock yarn, as always, does not count.)

Exhibit B: I was in possession of a gift card to my LYS from a student’s mother (“A” for the day, if I gave grades!). I don’t have to tell you all the danger of LYS-gift-card moths which pose a morbid threat to LYS gift cards held past a week, so I did my duty and dispensed of it as quickly as possible. I also succumbed to that other dreaded fear, that of not having the Perfect Bag for some occasion, and used said gift card to buy yarn for the Doctor’s Bag (the link is to a really cute one from a fellow Amy Butler fan!) from Knit 2 Together.

looks like lungs!

single strand- GAUGE! … with yarn doubled as per pattern- HUGE!

Exhibit C: In a few weeks, I shall embark upon a road trip with the in-laws to watch a baseball game. I enjoy my family and a good exhibition of America’s ex-favorite pastime (especially Triple-A: Go Clippers!), but my fiber-filled skull cannot quite comprehend the baseball game roadtrip–I’m going to sit in the car for 3+ hours so I can go sit in a stadium for 3+ hours, and when that’s over, then I’ll sit in a car for 3+ hours.* But I participate in said sitting because the DH family is Sporty, and I am Arty, and thus the Weird One. And of course, because the trip yields at least 6+ hours of knitting (not counting trips to the concession stands, America’s real favorite pastime). For this endeavor, I plan to work on a plain pair of socks, and Orangina–both chosen because they are rather small and require limited involvement of the gray matter. Thus I need to cast on for Orangina, except I can’t because my needle is in…

Exhibit D: The Interweave Trellis pattern looks beautiful whenever I see it completed, but I’ll be honest, of the FO’s that I’ve seen I really like a DK or fingering weight version better. So now my Knit picks Alpaca Cloud will now be Icarus. In about 600 years.

Exhibit E: And that leads to the new and improved Trellis! Great yarn (Elann baby silk in oxblood), and the pattern is intuitive and fun. Can’t stop!

Exhibit F: The knitty.com article about taking care of feet really hit close to home. My grandmother has been a diabetic for almost my whole life, and the only socks I’ve ever made her are cotton and patterned, apparently two no-no’s. I happened to be in Hobby Lobby and found this really soft acrylic, which I hope is white enough to meet grandma’s white-sock-only requirements. Besides, I had empty double-point sock needles, and that is entirely unacceptable.

And picked up a skein in a color I liked, just in case it worked out ok after all.

Exhibit F: My mom asked for dishrags, the Mason-Dixon book was in at the library, I know the voice of divine inspiration when I hear it.

Exhibit G: I am in denial of an undiagnosed case of extreme startitis.

*I am certain of the riding and not driving because anytime we go anywhere with my in-laws and I happen to make the error of driving, my FIL kindly takes the seat directly behind me so that I might better hear his dramatic inhalations as I continually put his life, the lives of his family, and his van at risk.

A Day Late, and we won’t talk about the Dollars

Yesterday in my first-official-day-of-summer-break hysteria I made a list of things that I could potentially take on, since I was no longer hampered by Responsibility. As the day went on, however, I thought well why not? What else have I got to do? So here is the result:

“I had to stop the Zokni socks just shy of grafting last night. It looks like today is officially Grafting Day, so might as well get on that project too.”

Here they are!

“And winding yarn to maybe start an Icarus shawl.”

(silence)

“And decide if I like the MIL socks.”

Answer: don’t! Finally after many potential patterns, I settled on my own. I originally wanted to go plain, then opted for Jaywalkers (under the influence of affiknitty. Everything she touches is gold–just look at these!), then moved on to the Hello Yarn Cable Twist socks. I tried to convince myself that I liked them, but really there were too many elements: vertical ribbing, horizontal bands of color, and the broken diagonal of the cable. See, it even mocks me photographically:

They are muuuuch better now, but I’ll save the progress shots. This yarn is too pretty!

(Notice the distinct resmblance to an image I posted several weeks ago. Sigh.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

“And finish my tweed cotton U neck.”

Nope, not going to happen. Still waiting patiently for some love. Have I even blogged about this one yet??

“And spin.”

I DID spin

around in my desk chair.

I just didn’t take a picture.

“And swatch for Orangina.”

Any experienced Orangina-ers out there want to weigh in? With the slubs and varying texture, it will be a bit different, but I have to admit I’m a bit smitten.

“And cast on for the second sidewinder.”

Nothing like doing the bare minimum!

“And swatch for another cotton tank.”

(crickets)

“And start another sock.”

Why? why? why? is this on the list? There is no logical reason to CO another sock with the above and many more projects awaiting my attention. My habit of hyperbole is a real burden sometimes.

Mintyfresh’s “Leyburns”: nascent Leyburns and after a chat with my MIL

“And work on my Monkey socks.”

I really did do this. I’m down to the heel on the first sock. I thought a picture would be a little unnecessary given the space Monkey invasion we are currently experiencing.

I also organized all of my patterns, and threw out a bunch from the prehistoric days of knitting when the Lion Brand yarns & website were all I knew. They have some good things, but let’s let bygones be bygones. And I read a book (The Thirteenth Tale. Fun).

Man, I am a taskmaster. Maybe I should be thankful I’m going back to school next week.

(After a moment’s reflection): Nope.

cake lineup

Lorna’s Laces in “Aslan”; Cider Moon Glacier in “Apple Crisp”; Cider Moon Glacier in “Pistachio”; Cherry Tree Hill “Potluck- Earth”; Cherry Tree Hill in “Water”; Lorna’s Laces in “Tuscany”

And their fates, respectively?

Aslan- DH socks (although I’ve threatened to commandeer this yarn. I’ll have to see how it works up!);

Apple Crisp- socks for my Mom’s birthday (good thing she hasn’t figured out how to use the Internets yet);

Pistachio- socks for MIL’s birthday (good thing she thinks I cook and clean and don’t have time for this sort of nonsense);

Earth- Leyburn socks for me;

Water- perhaps Mirabella? pdf;

Tuscany- of course, the ubiquitous-for-a-reason Monkeys!

I’ve also got the second of the S’mores socks going, just in the interest of full disclosure. And the Zokni socks, which are not pictured. Hmm, I’m going to stop now (with the post, not with casting on for socks).

cat included for scale (?)

(above) trying to decide whether to continue in plain St st, do a lace pattern, or do a feather & fan à la Wendy, whose new toe up patterns I’m using this sock–sportweight–and the S’mores sock–fingering.

(right) a rib and a row of Monkey, and nothing more

 

 

 

 

Monkey see, monkey do

And today’s Jaywalking report: heel and gusset complete. Foot today, toe tomorrow, Monkeys on Monday!

 

Now, what’s up next? I have seen too many beautiful monkey socks to resist their siren wail. I have three potential yarns and I can’t decide which one would be the best monkey. Help! Especially all you experienced Monkey-makers, which one would be best?

Cherry Tree Hill sock superwash. This was my yarn capture from New York last summer from Seaport Yarns, a crazy place if there ever was one. Another potential pattern for this one is Minty’s Leyburn.

Another Cherry Tree Hill, on an amazing sale at a cute LYS. A different potential pattern: Spunky’s Pulsations.

Lorna’s laces in Tuscany, from the same LYS sale.

 

 

 

 

Why I Love Knitblogs, part 5 million, 78:

Have you seen Carrieoke‘s Forecast?

Love Glamyre (have NOT yet seen Fitted Knits, to my shame and from what I’ve heard, great loss), but was not drawn to the Knitty pictures in any way. Bobbles = no love. I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do about it, it is what it is. Convince me otherwise, please.

Loved Carolyn‘s version (April 7, 2006 post), but still not enough to make it. Then I saw Carrieoke’s in-progress. It took me a minute to figure out what attracted me to her version. No bobbles? Major score. But the real love deepening every minute in my heart was for the sleeve modifications. Extending the ribbing to the elbow is a masterful touch.

I have some Coopworth, or something I am choosing to believe is Coopworth, that my mother-in-law bought for me. I think someone told her that greasy scratchy things are easier for beginning spinners (not my experience at all, now that I know how heavenly things like silk, merino, and even a slippery merino & tencel blend can be). The resulting yarn is uneven, more worsted than anything, and I had planned to make a bomber jacket/sweater kind of thing, with ribbing on the bottom and a standupish sort of collar.

Enter Carrioke and her Forecast. My first thought was that it would be THE new maroon jacket that I would wear all the time, but the ton of bricks landed and now I can only see it in my home(ly)spun.

Besides, I can always buy maroon yarn and make another one…

PS In case you wondered? Why I Love Knitblogs #1: the Harlot. How does she manage to be so durn delightful every day???

PPS Is it weird to link to people that I don’t really know? Although I’ve been reading, I haven’t really spoken very much in the blog world until now, and I’m not really sure about the proper netiquette for these things.

PPPS Why yes, my conversation in “real life” generally consists of more asides than actual straightforward remarks. Why do you ask?