Persian Purls and Yarnovers: September 2006

So long September, Hello (S)oc(k)tober(fest)

Without to many hours to spare, I finished up Karen’s Sugar-free Socks for September's Sock a Month KAL. The Debbie Bliss is so soft, and looks so good! These socks were also my mystery socks, because I knit them without a photo (and that was much harder than I thought!). And while we’re on the subject of socks . . . finishing these was how I spent Socktoberfest Eve (well, I also chauffered to two soccer games, cheered my head off, froze my fingers, and sat in the rain--won one, lost one!)!!!

Cuffs of a different kind

I re-joined the Warm Hands kal (I played along last fall!), because I love to knit mittens! I have several patterns at the ready, and several skeins, waiting in the wings! First up is a pair of fingerless gloves for my daughter’s brithday. The cuff is ruffled, perfect for a 12 year old girlie-girl!
And there’s the 2nd Sugar-Free sock cuff . . . I better get moving on this!

Lana Grossa Meilenweit Magico, #2525
size 2 doublepoints
Pattern from Not Just Socks Book
and
Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, #34027
size 3 doublepoints
Karen’s Sugar-Free Socks, designed by Chrissy

Recovery Plan

ripped back several rows, on that yarn gobbling thing called clapotis
sent the yarn off to Mama E, who is going to see if can match it up and dye some more for me
will wait patiently for the answer to number
bought new books, as inspired by the RIP Challenge (felt a little better after spending some money)

And plan to

finish Karen’s Sugar Free Socks, by the end of the week.
work on sitcom chic
finish the picot edging on the orange clementine cardigan
get groceries
not think about clapotis.

Clap-atrospy

I forgot to tell you how wonderful the Pink Martini Concert was--fabulous! The only disappointment was not wearing my clapotis! However, I figured I'd wear it out to brunch this morning, looking all french and lovely with this wrapped around me in a care-less, but secretly careful, way.

Well . . . lookie, lookie: it's still on the needles, and it is going to stay on the needles, until I figure out what to do. With only a bit more to do (some more decreases), I ran out of yarn. Yes, that's right, the little tail in the photo: that's it. I'll spare you the ranting and raving, and how disappointed I am, and how I can't figure out what happened, because I had 660 yards of this yarn, which should have been plenty, with some left over (get this, at one point early on, I thought about making this thing longer!!!!), and I was wondering what to do with the left over yarn. ugh.

Falling Ahead

Autumn has arrived officially, and there has been a nip in the air for most of September . . . I love it!!!! The only swap I have allowed myself to join from now until (eternity?!) the new year, is the Harvest Sock Swap. There’s something about that knit-1-sock-and-send-it-off, get-another-and cast-on, that I love. I will be knitting for Megan, in Florida!

I have 2 skeins of Wildefoot which are screaming autumn, and I think the pattern I chose will work up beautifully. While I have until November to knit and swap, I am shooting for the harvest sock and accompanying goodies to arrive for Halloween! Ra-ha-ha!

In celebration of the beginning of Fall, I tried my hand at baking zucchini bread, using a recipe from Allison---since I found it on a knitting blog, I had to try it, even though I am a disaster in the kitchen!!! It is still baking but smells wonderful!

RIP challenge update: 2/5
Socktoberfest: 0/5

Think Pink!

We are off to the Pink Martini Concert tomorrow evening, and I have had a little “think pink” thing going on at my house . . . I have been desperate to finish my pink clapotis to wear to the concert!

Let me say, I don’t have any idea what took me so long to decide to knit this, but I am so glad I did! I don’t have anything to say that hasn’t been said before, but I’ll say it again: the design is ingenious, and the end product is so lovely!

At the beginning of this project, I could not wrap my head around how this was all going to work, but blind faith (and the knowledge that everyone else’s was so wildly successful) allowed me to knit-on!

Good News: I love this thing!
Bad News: it won’t be finished to wear tomorrow. . . rats!

Socktoberfest

Check out this parade of single socks:

The red hot chile pepper, the lobster pot sock, the sugar free sock, the bamboo sock and some Wildefoote that needs to be a sock (by the end of October). All of these socks need a mate (and in some cases need to be FINISHED!), so it is a good thing Socktoberfest is right around the corner!

In non-knitting news, RIP book challenge update: 1/5 read . . .

Doing the Happy Dance

I have joined Scout’s Indie Swag Club, and without a doubt, I feel like one of the luckiest people in the knitting world! Read all about the swag frenzy! Six months of Scout’s yarn plus other goodies . . . this is too much for me. I want my first package tomorrow! Thanks so much, Scout!

ps: I am pretty positive that Scout doesn’t require any sleep. . .

I am so very flattered, but . . . mmm, no

I received a very interesting email from a local college professor, who through a mutual friend, wanted to know if I would be interested in knitting 2 sweaters from the current issue of Vogue. Okay, here’s what I thought:
Oh my God, ME??????? She wants me to knit for her, and she’ll pay me? Ooooo, I can’t wait! That progressed to:
ME? I have 50 projects going at once, I hate to knit in a confined time frame, and I only really knit for people I love, which the hell sweaters does she want (patterns 27 and 29, if you want to know!)? I probably can’t knit them anyway, and I can’t sew seams together very well, and one more thing, how in the world will I establish a fee??
After a few moments (read: hours, and a couple of days), I got a hold of myself, and decided I was so very flattered, and gave her the name of someone at the LYS who I know could whip these two babies out in a week!
Ahhh, back to my socks, clapotis and cardigan, as well as the oodles of other things on my knitting to do list!

This was my weekend . . .

Well, not my entire weekend--I did manage to fit in some time to do laundery, clean the house, watch a soccer game (they won, he scored!), go to the grocery store (twice), sleep, eat and have several meaningful conversations with people I live with!!!

Let’s start at the top, and work our way down, shall we? I started Devil in the White City, and also cast on for Karen’s Sugar-Free Socks. I got as far as the cuff (I would have gotten much further if I was a monogomous knitter!), adding a purple stripe (not in the pattern!)--I love the contrast of these two colors. The baby cashmerino is so incredibly soft! I figured I better start these, as the pattern, with a photo, is appearing in lots of places! Quick, go and order one, but don’t show me a photo!

Next on the pile--ummmmm, yes, that’s right I cast-on for clapotis. I feel like I am the only living knitter left who hasn’t made this thing. I am still on the increase section (it goes on forever!) and the yarn is knitting up like pink with camouflage!

Last, 2 sleeves finished for sitcom chic--I am still finishing the body of the sweater, but I banged the sleeves out so that when 14” of the cardi are finished, I can immediately, and I mean immediately, attach the sleeves.

M is for Mystery, Money and a Marvelous idea!

Okay, I decided what to do. I have been noodling around on what pattern to knit for the Mystery Sock KAL, and now I know. I am part of Chrissy’s clan of test knitters, and she had a pattern for testing, without a photo. On top of this, it involves cables, which, can you imagine, I have never even worked?!?!! So, this cashmerino (well, some of it) will become a pair of mystery socks--

But here’s another twist--Chrissy has named these socks "Karen's Sugar-Free Diabetes Walk Socks", and for $5 a copy, you can purchase the pattern (it does include a photo!!) with all the proceeds from the sales going towards Karen's pledge drive. Marvelous, huh? Hurry, and get it because the sale ends the day of the walk, October 15th. Doing this will allow you to make a marvelous contribution, and knit a marvelous pair of socks!

I am going to be using the test pattern, without the photo (I promise!)--and when I am finished (my intention being before Karen’s walk!) I am then going to purchase the pattern--this way, I can knit my mystery socks, using a pattern by a wonderful designer, named for a fabulous friend, while making a donation to diabetes research! I love marvelous ideas!

RIP and Read

Summer is over, school has started, the summer reading challenge has ended, so what’s a girl to do besides knit?

Carl over at Stainless Steel Droppings is hosting the RIP Autumn Reading Challenge. Choose a few books with a gothic, mystery, fall-like, spooky theme and . . . read! This challenge runs from August 30th (ooops! I am a little late to the party!) to October 31st. So, here’s my list:

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
Lemony Snicket’s Book 13--The End (being released on Friday, OCtober 13th!!!
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

And I am planning a bit of Halloween knitting as well. Last year, I knitted Knitty’s Yorick (a white and a pink one!) and had such great fun--This year I think there will be more skulls in my knitting!

Sock and School

Bamboo sock #1 is off the needles (and on a foot) and I am a ready to cast-on for bamboo-two. In non-knitting news, today was the first day of school for charming children . . . hence, the photo of the sock on top of the school books which, incidently, need to be covered tonight (and that cuts into my knitting time!!!

Charming!?

Only One Skein

I had a house full of family this weekend: 6 adults, 3 teenage boys, 3 under 12--whew! But Saturday, these arrived by way of our postman---

Kellie, my wonderful one skein pal, whipped up these wrist warmers, using Cascade Indulgence (angora and alpaca blend) . . . not only are they absolutely beautiful, but they are the SOFTEST things in the universe! And isn't that color so lovely? I put them back in the lovely wrapping to be photographed because I thought they looked so terrific like that, but be assured you'll see them on me! She has been such a delight to one skein with, and I hope we can stay in touch, and perhaps meet up with each other since she is as close as Maryland!