Aug 31, 2005

Hoping all the verses rhyme

Way... too... HUMID. OMG, it's friggin disgusting out there.
I think the hair in my nose is frizzy.

Well, kitty is better than I anticipated. Turns out her kidney decline is at the very least, slower than I originally thought and the sub-cutaneous fluid therapy only needs to be done 3-4 times a week, for now at least. If you are interested in seeing the process of this kind of therapy click here but if needles bother you, it isn't for you. She had her first treatment today and it seems to have perked her up a bit.

I didn't much have the time to knit today, but i did squeeze in a little work on my sock, which is nearly done. Desdemona, clearly feeling better, had to put her own stamp on the picture. I apologize for the image quality, my hand just didn't want to be steady today.

Aug 30, 2005

There's a halo 'round the moon

Well the prevailing reality of the day is that my kitty, Desdemona, is having some health problems. I won't get into the details but its been pretty much the main thing on my mind.


I knit more of sock #1 on the train ride home today. The subway only barely counts as knitting in public as it's so public its almost private, if that makes any sense. People go out of their way to not notice what you are doing. Anyway, barring any disasters (and given my sock history, I should really expect one), I should finish it tomorrow. Then I have to do the hard part - the second one ;)

Aug 29, 2005

Wash your tangled curls with gambler's soap


After 5 months or so of knitting, it occured to me that people knit baby stuff because it's quick and small. Duh.

I love knitting socks.
Or more realistically I should say I love "trying" to knit socks. I have yet to do it successfully.

1. Sock number one was a gallant attempt with dark colored fingering weight yarn and size 1 needles - smart eh? After going blind I threw the wretched thing against the wall and haven't looked at it since.

2. Sock number two was a much more sensible choice, in Regia Crazy on size 6 needles. It was going along swimmingly, I turned the heel, I did a little happy dance, and i kept motoring onward until I realized that somewhere between picking up the gusset stitches and where I then was, I'd switched to garter stitch where I was supposed to have stockinette, and couldn't figure out why. I tore it down to where i had it right, then couldn't get it back on the needles right.

3. Sock number 3 (no I don't have three feet) made it through all the leg part before I reached into my bag to get it one day and came up with four empty double pointed needles. I can fix a dropped stitch or two, but 40 of them? Er.. I tried, but its not yet been the same.

Which brings us to our present sock - a toddler sock, quick, less painful, and much faster to do over if necessary. I did manage to lose a handful of stitches setting up the pic, but I think i recovered em all, and truthfully, I don't care, I'm finishing this damned sock even if it has holes, spurs, and flames coming out of it.





I hope to finish these guys as an expert because I'm dying to make knee socks out of this :



It's Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, in Bee Stripe.
Bzzzz.

We shall see.

Aug 27, 2005

I choose (not) to let the mystery be.

I noticed a few other SP5 (Knitty, not blog) participants posted a second set of questions to help out their secret pal, and decided to join in!

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

I like the higher end natural fibers, and I guess I'd say I prefer them, but I am pretty good at making use of most anything.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I haven't tried spinning yet. I crochet a little. I can't seem to get anywhere near gauge when I crochet and it bothers my wrist some, but I like the look of crochet for some items (bags particularly) so i may keep trying.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
Walnuts, Raspberries, Mussels, heavy perfume, tree pollen and ragweed. So no ragweed and shellfish yarn please ;) The smell of patchouli gives me headaches.

4. How long have you been knitting?

Only since April - but you'd never know it to look at my stash.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Not yet, but working on an Amazon one.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Red Currant (candles), I love anything that smells like clean linen.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Oh my yes. The mere mention of ice cream gives me an unnatural glow.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I am remarkably uncrafty in all ways other than knitting - most of my other passions are less analog.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I have kept a few artists from every musical phase I ever had, which has led to a pretty strange music collection.

My most recent obsessions have been classic country (merle haggard, johnny cash etc..), bluegrass, alt.country, the cabal of early 80s Nick Lowe compatriots (Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, Dave Edmunds) and I'm madly in love with the new Knitter's album (go figure ;) I heard something today that I believe was called Gram Rabbit, and I loved that too.
Good Songwriters: Tom Waits, Steve Earle, Dylan Haunting Voices: Sam Cooke, Patsy Cline
I love Michelle Shocked. Sheesh I could go on about this all day!

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?

I like many many colors- Purple, pink, cranberry, orange, silver, teal, deep blue. I don't much like pastels unless it's super icy pink.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I'm divorced
I have a wonderful boyfriend.
I have a great kitty that is going on 15.

12. What are your life dreams?

I'd like to get into the mental health advocacy field. I feel very strongly about helping the mentally ill get equal (or any in some cases) access to health care and would love to start my own non-profit to do that one day.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
I love a good merino (Aurora 8, yum), wool blends, silk blends, cotton blends.
Things that are soft to the touch but with a little sturdiness to them.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Squeaky acrylics and very scratchy wool.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Socks (if only I could finish a few),

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I'm liking socks, and knitted blocks

17. What are you knitting right now?

Baby Socks, Big Socks, a blankie, a neverending clapotis, and a tank that may not make it.

18. What do you think about ponchos?
eh, they can be cute but they don't flatter me much so I'm not so enthralled

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Circs mostly - though I actually seem to like dpns

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Bamboo for socks and anything requiring dpns (though i can make do with plastic for those)
aluminum for anything less scary!

21. Are you a sock knitter?
Getting there!

22. How did you learn to knit?
A one night lesson from a friend, followed by knitting help.com, knitty boards, and the first S N B book.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
Since about the day after I learned - sometime in april

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

Pepe Le Pew. I love cats, well all animals really.

25. What is your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving

26. Is there anything that you collect?
dust and cat hair?... hmm Most of my "collections" are inadvertant.

27. Any projects you want to make but haven't gotten there yet?
Tons. I'm anxious to do my first sweater.. or is that eager..
Actually it's probably both.

Birds do it, Bees do it

So I finally decided to break down and do this.

Why?

  • I can't resist any free softwarey type item that comes with all sorts of prepackaged tools.
  • I'm participating in Knittyboard secret pal 5, I figured I should have someplace to show proper gratitude to whomever is gifting me.
  • I've had a halfhearted desire to create a "how the restaurants near my office screwed up my lunch order today" chronicle, and this seems like a good way to do it.
  • If i'm expected to post pictures of finished knitting somewhere, I might actually finish some of the stuff I have laying around.
  • Someone is organizing a group of "Amy's who knit and have blogs" thingy and I couldn't resist that either.

Thanks for stopping in.