Alpacapalooza

This past weekend was Alpacapalooza Ohio!* I had so! much! fun! And I bought so! much! yarn! A good mix of huacaya (warm and wooly) and suri (soft and silky) yarns, both processed and natural colors.

Gotta get a little pretty in pink!


I love grey. I once heard highly gifted people are drawn toward grey because it calms their super crazy-smart minds. I'm sure that's why...

Or it could be because I'm just a tad bit colorblind. A friend called this colorway "teal". It so is not! Cadet blueish perhaps...but not teal!


And then there was this lady who had just piles and piles of yarn, all natural alpaca colors, and I looked and I pondered and I wished *desperately* that I had won the lottery on my way over so I could buy it all...but I hadn't so I finally setted on brown tweed and charcoal. (I actually came back later and she was sold out. Sold out of her mountains upon mountains of yarn!!)


These are llama, wonder what they had to do to smuggle them into Alpacafest? So pretty, the first two bunches I've balled. Balled? Made into balls... With which to knit...



*No, that was not what it was actually called...

Fuzzy Feet: Finis!

Bring it on Winter...me and my fuzzy feet are ready!

The obligatory wear it on your head shot:


Perhaps I added a tad too much detergent:


All done!


I worried from the start about compensating for my chicken-little ankles but was afraid to push my (non) knitting abilities in modifying the pattern...I think the pie crust effect looks quite cute:

And they fit! Kitty Caz thinks they're quite dashing:


I felted until they were slightly small, then wore them *alot* while damp to mold them to my feet. Mmm,mmm! Wet wooly feet! Then in a fit of genius (or happy coincidence) I tucked them into my drying rack so the arch bent around the rod while they dried...built in arch support baby! (Sorry for the dark pictures, welcome to Ohio.)

The Funky Feet, they call to me...

Will someone please *pretty please* tell me that those funky stitches will felt out okay and everything will be just fine in Fuzzy Feet Land?! Because I'm having serious issues forgetting about them and even more serious issues knitting past them.

Must...frog...must...frog...

Pucker up baby

...because I'm picking up stitches!

This is what happens when I multi-task -- knitting while watching tee-vee and talking on the phone with my sister, holding the phone between my shoulder and ear of course! Maybe that's why everything's just a little bit tilted.


You know, this side really doesn't look too bad...


...but rut-roh! I hope y'all aren't kidding about felting healing all.

Got Gauge? Hell no!

Okay all you Socktober knitters, I have one question: What the f*** happened???



This is a picture of my first knitted sock (aka Papa Sock: dark blue) compared to a heavy boot-sock (aka Mama Sock: perwinkle blue with design) compared to an actual sock I wear every day (aka Baby Sock: light blue). Sorry it's so dark but I think you can get the idea...obviously I had a gauge problem. I admit it. **Fine!** But this is what I don't understand, the stitch gauge was on at 12 st/2" but my row gauge was too big at 10 rows/2". Why does this happen, and how do you fix it? Go down a needle size? If so, how do I keep my stitch gauge?



Why did my toe come out so pointy? Did I decrease too much too fast? Should I have stopped the toe earlier, binding off with more stitches? Even with my super-long alien second toe, I still don't need this triangular of a toe.



I think the heel came out quite nicely, I mean for a giant, but still...

Anyway, I knit my first sock, turned my first heel, and made my first triangle-toe. Mission Accomplished. The sock is now a pretty center-pull ball waiting to be fingerless mitts.

It's official, I'm a joiner!

I have obtained stuff to make Fuzzy Feet! Granted some people are already finished, but me, I feel accomplished because I bought the damn yarn. That's right, I said it, DAMN YARN.

Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride in Raspberry, a very warm color to inspire very warm feet. And I'll be knitting on Clover Bamboo 10 1/2 DPNs.

Everybody needs a little MeMe!

I have a confession…I love meme’s! They’re fun, flirty, and make you think of things that you never think about. Together, anyway.

Ten Years Ago
(Note: Whenever I have to remember what I was doing in the past, or where I was during historical events, I immediately think of who I was dating. I do not know why I do this, and don’t call me co-dependent.)

Ten years ago I was a senior in high school. I was dating Jeremy Toler, whom I liked much more than he liked me. He ran track. I might have actually been dating this other guy who I ended up really hating later and will never speak his name again. But let’s stick with Toler, he was nice.

I had really long permed hair and was probably excited about my senior year, future college plans, getting out of my hometown…all the fun 17-year old stuff. My parents bought me my first car around this time, which was a manual, so I learned to drive stick.

Five Years Ago
It was *The Year 2000*! I graduated college that May, then moved to Raleigh NC where I got my first job. (Aw!) Even more exciting I had my first apartment! I loved being in a new town, a young town!, but I didn’t know many people and (gasp!) was single! I met one of my best friends and favorite traveling companions that year, Tara.

One year ago
Last year…what was I doing?? I really wish I hadn’t thrown away that planner. As I get older the years kind of smoosh together. I had picked up knitting somewhere in there and was working on my Simple Ripple (aka Never-ending) Scarf, and had just started attending Stitch n’ Bitch meetings. I probably had just discovered knitting blogs, so that was a good year!

Five Snacks
1. Amy’s Organic White Cheddar Mac n Cheese (Yes that is a snack…those bags are small.)
2. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
3. The Balsamic Vinegar & Sea Salt Organic Potato Chips that come in the purple bag
4. White Cheddar Natural Cheetos
5. Strawberries. I had to have at least one non-processed food!
But really, Amy’s Organic frozen burritos. (Also a snack…a large snack granted.)

Five songs I know all the words to
(Ha ha ha ha ha! How about five songs I always sing along to whether I know the words or not.)
1. “Demons” by Guster
2. “You Look Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton
3. “Adia” by Sarah McLachlan
4. “Falling” by Alicia Keys
5. “Unbreak My Heart” by Toni Braxtion
(P.S. Please note that this list does not reflect my actual musical tastes. At least not that I will admit.)

Five things I would do with $100 million
1. Quit my job. Seriously. The very *second* I won! Actually I probably wouldn’t even call and quit, I’d just never show up again.
2. Move to a city on the water and buy a house.
3. Buy a horse.
4. Buy a hammock.
5. Set up the hammock overlooking the water, make a stiff drink, lie down and smile.
5a. Oh yeah, end world hunger.

Five places to run away
1. Nags Head, NC for total isolation
2. Key West for total relaxation
3. Carmel, CA for a whole new perspective
4. Boston, MA for a quaint big city (with really bad drivers -- cheez people, where’s the fire!)
5. NYC because I’ve never been

Five things I would never wear
1. Fur. Fun fur included.
2. Uggs (UGG!)
3. An outfit matching the person I’m with. *Especially* if we’re a couple! People…it’s not cute!
4. Belly shirts. Trust me, you don’t want to see it.
5. A muff. Not that I don’t think they’re cool, I just don’t ever seeing myself with one. In public anyway.

Five favorite TV shows (of all time)
1. “Buffy” I’ll admit it. I have the entire life of the show on DVD.
2. “Mash” I was too young to watch it when it was on the first time around, thank god for syndication.
3. “Sex and the City” How can anyone *not* love this show? Seriously, I want to know!
4. “The Sopranos” An insiders guide to living with Italians. (Actually “Growing up Gotti” is more my family, you know…without the money.)
5. “Veronica Mars” After I broke my OC addiction, I promised myself that I’d never watch another high school drama. I am a bit old for that now. But this show kicked that sh*t out of the water. I *love* this show!

Five biggest joys
1. My kitties. They’re so cool!
2. My family. Separately. Together, not so much.
3. Yoga. I’m such a yoga junkie.
4. Automatic coffeepots. How did anyone wake up before these were invented?
5. Yarn! YARN! YARRRRRRN!

Five people to pass this on to
Oh, I think everyone’s got this already. If you haven’t, take it.

There will be no knitting today. Try again soon.

Oh those tricky dpns!

In a newfound desire to never seam my knits ever again (Ever! Again!) I've decided to knit socks. Or die trying.

So I got a book, a major step in my self-realization that I need help! (In so many ways, but we'll just stick to the knitting.) And although I've done circular knitting on double-points before, I was excited to read about how it's actually supposed to be done, not just let's put this here needle in here and this one here and look at me, I'm knitting! Oh, my eye! My eye!

But see, I'm no good at the book-learning, and I'm even less good at the whole clockwise/counterclockwise thing because my clocks are digital. I like pictures. I like pictures that move and have commentary even better. So I googled like I knew what that meant and found this, my new knitting best friend. The videos are slightly matrix-esque, perhaps due to my (gasp!) dial-up internet connection, but still exceedingly helpful. Check them out. Tell them I sent you.

And for reading this far, I'll let you in on a little secret...I have a finished object. Picture to come soon. Maybe a whole *gallery* of finished objects to come soon. We'll see...

knit knit knit

Sorry there haven't been many posts lately. Not only am I not a very good knitter-er, I'm not a very fast knitter-er either. I suppose I could post in-progress pics: Look...knitting! Oops, frogging. Here's some kinky yarn for you. Look...knitting! Oops...

I'm also hitting a lot of patterns points where I just have not clue. No freaking clue whatsoever...

And in sort-of knitting news, I'm now down to just two visits to the chiropractor a week, Mons and Fris. So hopefully my knitting will pick back up now that I can make my Wed night Stitch n' Bitch! I've also put in a vaycayday for our Stitching in the Park adventure too. Let's just hope I can make them without being rear-ended...

At least I don't hunt and peck...oh I so do!

I was recently starstruck when Crazy Aunt Purl emailed me! If you don't know about her blog (um...how could you not?) go check it out. Like right now. It's fabulous.

Besides saying a lot of really nice things, she let me in on the secret that only registered blog users could comment on my site. (I just thought everyone hated me.) So I wrote her back saying really mean things about Blogspot and their capitalistic tendencies, plans for world domination, etc. and as soon as I had time I was going to learn how to write code, and all this other 'Net stuff, and take over to liberate my comments. Let them be free!

Yeah, under the Settings tab on my Blog Page, there's this little box called Comments, and there's the option of who to allow to comment, and there's an "anyone" option...

Internet Domination will be mine!

To frog or not to frog...

I have a cardigan from Ann Taylor Loft (100% cotton) that I like, but I don't like like. I mean it's cute and all, but I think it could be cuter. A little more form-fitting. A little more bolero-esque.

So after checking out a few sites around the 'Net, I've discovered that it has the "good seams" for ripping. I really like the texture of the yarn and the color, and since it fits big and baggy now, I'm guessing there's plenty of yarn to make a cute little girly sweater. Or bolero. Or shrug.

So, to frog or not to frog...that is my question. Or a more accurate question, am I a good enough knitter-er to do this...

It's cute...but could it be cuter? 

Well, Hell's Bells!

(My mom used to say that all the time, I never really thought about how that phrase would be punctuated until just now...)

It's official! I have my first big loser of a project! Stitch n Bitch Nation, the "Om Yoga Mat Bag". Loooooooooser!

I, however, will take at least partial responsibility because I did substitute the yarn from Lion Brand 100% cotton (of which I could find very little locally and in no color that would coordinate my mat or rug, which were both thoughtfully purchased to coordinate...because I'm like that.) for Lion Brand Cotton-Ease 50/50 Cotton/Acrylic.

And I also didn't check gauge, well...I did, but with the diagonal lace stitch I couldn't figure out what a "stitch" was or if I made gauge or not, and I figured it wouldn't matter since it was just a damn bag!

And also my measurements are off, but purposefully! I have an extra cushy mat and a rug, so added width! And because it's a diagonal stretch, added length to get the added width. It's all proportional! I think...

It's also not blocked yet, or really completely finished (still have to buy some string and figure out what in the hell you're supposed to do with the bottom of the bag...just seaming it closed would be too simple I guess. I also couldn't figure out how to do a mattress stitch, per se, on CO to BO edges. I think the pattern should have had you knit 2 rows beginning and end so there was a substantial strip of something other than diagonal lace to mattress stitch together. And also so I could just follow the directions on how to mattress stitch garter rows together, which is in every single book I have. No mention of how to mattress stitch CO and BO edges...maybe I'll google that today. And can I just say mattress stitch one more time? MATTRESS STITCH!

(I'll put a pic up as soon as I get my computer back...got a nasty little virus over the weekend that took down my firewall! I didn't know they could do that. Then my non-technical self tried to restore to an earlier date which f*ed everything up. The Geek Squad has it right now, and it's still under warranty. Which I could actually find for once, don't you just love that!)

Gratuitous Cat Post

What's a knit blog without cat stories!

Friday night I planted my flowerpots on the back deck, hoping that by the 27th of May, Ohio would *finally* be over the frost. Really now. I didn't account for the spring gully-washer (yes...I live in a gully, it even has a crick) that would blow through Friday night unplanting all my flowerpots.

So Saturday morning, when I woke up about the time I was supposed to be leaving for work, I took an extra 30 seconds to clean it up and rushed off. And made it on time...yay!

I came home a little early because, with the first horseshow of the season this weekend, a lot of kids had cancelled their lessons. And it was *so hot* upstairs... So first thing I opened the deck doors and got plowed over by Miss Sasha running back in! Poor little kitty must have been outside all day! Without her food! And one thing Sasha loves is her food!

Thankfully the Saturday spring gully-washer came about ten minutes later or I would have had one royally p*ed off kitty.

Miss Sasha slowly being buried in leaves. 

Gahhhh....Cascade Sierra! (wipes drool) Pima Cotton / Wool 80 / 20. Colors 10 and 16...I don't remember which is which. They are both *beautiful*! 

HelloKnitty.com "Play Date" wristlet pattern. My first dpn project! And I still have both eyes! 

It's really hard to take a picture of your own arm. And no, my arm usually *doesn't* look that hairy. No Photoshop here! 

The Never-Ending Scarf...Finished!

Finally! A finished object!

The Simple Ripple Shawl, a *free pattern* from Lion's Brand website. (I would put in a link, if I knew how, but I don't. That's why there's Google.) Made in Lion's Brand Microfiber, 100% *microspun* acrylic, color 153 (black) on either US 7 or 10. I don't remember which but at the time that's all I owned. Oh how things have changed...

This was my first big project and it took me about a year to finish. It should not have taken me a year to finish. I had no idea what I was doing but all too soon learned what a dropped stitch was. And again, and again, and again...

That's also why I decreased the width to half, casting on only 60 stitches. If I had cast on the full 120...let's just say I wouldn't even own knitting needles right now. I also called it finished with the third skein so it's also a little short. I really like it though! It works well as either a scarf or a stole, which is how I premiered it at Emeril's Restaurant in N'awlins! I used a metal bracelet to hold it together and buena!

None of the pictures show it's true glory. I would model it, really I would, but I've been going through Haircut Hell and now have the Recovery Cut. You know the one, we all get it eventually. Way too short, way too spiky, trying to convince yourself it's way cute and hipster, but everyone sees it for what it truly is...The Recovery Cut.

Lion's Brand *free pattern* Simple Ripple shawl.  

Close up of the Simple Ripple. 

It was too soft to resist! Lion's Brand "Micro Spun" microfiber 100% acrylic. But the good acrylic... 

I got it in purple too! 

No surprises here...y'all

Well, this was certainly right on mark. Where's the fun in that?

Growing up in WV, right on the Mason-Dixon line, then moving south (VA then on to NC) for six years, then back up to Ohio for the past three. I guess I picked up a bit of local culture at every stop.

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English

15% Dixie

15% Yankee

10% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Live, Learn, I need knitting Love

Ah, like so many new to the needles, I was so naive. I think my exact words were "I don't need no stinking ball winder!"

It became very obvious, very quick, that I was very mistaken. Whoever said you could make a center-pull ball with a toilet paper roll had to be smoking. And I mean smoking out of an apple smoking! I can't even describe just the *mess* of yarn I had. Knots, loops-in-loops, just general yarn...turds. Not the Cascade 220!

THREE HOURS and a ball winder later I finally had workable yarn.

However, I still hold strong that I don't need no stinking swift! (Unless someone wants to buy me one...)

Note about the three balls: I didn't actually have to cut the yarn; my cats were remarkably restrained for most of the yarn winding escapade...then they just couldn't take it anymore. String! Winding! We must attack!

I don't need no ball winder! 

Three hours later... 

My first post! Ooot! Ooot!

Like so many, when I first learned to knit I started with a swatch. It was lovely, greatly admired and absolutely useless. Loved it, left it, went on with life. Read: went to the barn.

Horse people are, among other things, fanatical. We pay inordinate amounts of money for things that really should be cheap, but see...they put a horse on it, and then we...must...buy...

My second knitting endeavor was going to be a garter stitch scarf. But it was summer, I was hot, and eh...I got scarves. I ran across that swatch again and realized that if I made one really big, folded it over, sewed it up, crocheted a cute little chain handle *Bam!* I'd have a wash mitt. It was so much fun that I did it again in stockinette.

And 2x2 ribbing. And seed. I did not, however, learn how to properly sew up seams. As a matter of fact, I still haven't...

Wash Mitt: This was the second prototype in stockinette stitch. Sugar n' Cream 100% Cotton.