Saturday, April 28, 2007

How Many People Have Your Name?

Fun web find:


HowManyOfMe.com
LogoThere are
5
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

More Photos...


More stash! and new needles! That's 3 balls of Paton's Merino, which will probably be used for Kool-Aid dyeing with the kids. Also 3 new sets of needles - size 1 dpns for socks, size 10.5 circulars and dpns for a felting project somewhere down the road (but already in mind...)


The Blue Cascade socks for Boy1. My first toe-up socks.


I-cord Snake. This really shouldn't be taking this long. And it wouldn't, if I would actually work on it!


The faux-lace stole. AKA the beaded cotton stole. So close to being done.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

PHOTOS!

Ok, wow, just noticed the little photo icon in the upper left corner of the post box. I guess THAT's how you add photos! Let's see if I can show you some of these WIFs:


Here we have the socks I am calling "Stormy Sr." to differentiate them from the toddler socks ("Stormy Jr.") that I also made from this yarn.


Looky what I got from Knit Picks last week! That's Wendy's book, Knit Picks "Dancing," and Knit Picks "Bare" in superwash fingering - just right for dyeing some Sockapalooza socks! "Dancing" is a cotton/wool/nylon/elastic blend in the "Hula" colorway, which I think will be perfect for my mom, who lives in Hawaii.

So once I figure out more of the ins & outs of iPhoto (I *just* upgraded from OS 9 - I know!), this will be a more visually interesting blog!

SockapaLOOOOOOOOOOza!

Woo hoo! Headway is being made over at the Official Sockapalooza 4 site. I can't wait to get my invite and secret pal info!

I took some pictures of the WIFs, but still need to upload them to the computer, edit, find and set up an online photo account, and link 'em up. Could be a while yet.

Anxiously awaiting a phone call (in the next 35 minutes?) regarding a job I applied for. I received an email from the company asking for a "15-minute phone conversation." Great! I gave them a couple of 2-hour windows to call during (while daddy took kids to carpool, and during Boy2's nap), but haven't heard a thing yet. Still hoping.

Knitting? Oh yeah, the knitting. Stormy Sr. Sock 2 is past the heel gussets and on to the "slog on bravely" part of the foot. Still nervous about having enough yarn. I really don't want to have to buy another ball so I can finish the toes! (Note to self - it's ok if the toes are a different color. Right?)

Monday, April 23, 2007

Quick Update

I am still working on the second Stormy sock and hoping I have enough yarn. I made a pair of toddler-sized socks for Boy2 out of this yarn first, so I hope I didn't mess myself up. I had to frog/tink back the heel flap TWICE - you would think I hadn't made this sock already!

I could probably finish the shawl with one good TV night, but I won't get one until probably Thursday.

I've been looking through the Barbara Walker books. I requested all of them from my local library, and they can pull them from a library network that includes most of the libraries in Southeastern Michigan. Anyway, I found a few simple lace patterns I liked - I definitely want to try lace pattern socks soon. I would love to participate in the Barbara Walker Project, but, as usual, I lack both time and skills to take on another project right now.

I signed up for Sockapalooza 4 back in April. This is my very first KAL, and I am getty antsy for info on my secret sock pal! I have no clue how these work tho; I'm sure it takes some time to set up the whole thing, especially with 1,000 participants. I really want to dye my own yarn for it. I bought a skein of superwash Knit Picks Bare, and Meijer had Kool-Aid on sale last week, so I stocked up in preparation. Fear not, I plan to mix colors so the socks don't end up neon green. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) I hope my sock buddy likes stripes.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Current Works in Frogress

Forgive the lack of photos. I hope to get some up soon.

Since it's so late that I keep dropping my dpns, of course it's a perfect time to post! Just thought I'd talk a little about the projects I have going right now.

Blue Cascade Socks (colorway 8030) - knitting these for Boy1. He seems to appreciate what I knit for him more than the other two kids do. So far, he's received a pair of slippers, two pairs of mittens, and two knee patches inspired by Kay's knee patch. This is my first pair of toe-up socks. I used a Figure 8 cast on, and, yes, I got that wonky gap at the tip of the toe. It's not too bad (only frogged it once!), so I am going to weave the cast-on end into the gap and call it done (when it is).

I-cord Snake - These are so fun & easy! The pattern is from the "Snake Charmer" version of this sweater. Simply omit the sweater, and - ta da! - cute little yarn snakes. Just to make things difficult, I am knitting it on size 9 (US) dpns in a stripe pattern of two colors of Kool-Aid yarn we dyed last winter with the big kids. He might end up felted; we see.

Moda Dea "Stormy" Socks - knitting for myself! My first socks ever were a pair of Stormys for Boy2, so cute, so stripey. He hated them. Oh well, I liked them and it was good practice for making socks. I'm using Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's basic sock recipe from Knitting Rules, therefore, cuff-down. I have one done and am working on the heel flap for the second.

Recycled Navy Sweater - Last summer, I found a 100% merino wool sweater at a yard sale for 25 cents, completely frogged it, and started a sweater for my daughter for school. I made my own pattern based on Ann Budd's book (will link later). I'm on the sleeves, and I'm not sure if I'll have enough to finish! At least I am knitting the sleeves at the same time - we'll see how long that lasts, since I am using straight needles.

Cotton beaded shawl - Technically a stole, since it is rectangular. The yarn is from a Target knitting kit bought on clearance for 75% off! I love clearance! The beads are wooden, so the whole thing feels very organic. Again, my own design, size 15 needles and drop stitch faux lace.

3:00 am! Bed time!

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Tinky McFrog

I am a knitter.

I am not the best knitter.

In the language of knitting, "tinking" refers to undoing your knitting one stitch at a time. "Tink" is "knit" spelled backwards.

Also in the language of knitting, "frogging" refers to undoing your knitting many, many stitches at a time. It's called frogging because you "rip it" (say it fast).

Since it seems that every project I start eventually gets frogged or at least tinked at some point, well, why not Tinky McFrog?