Now we're cookin' . . . .

Boy howdy did the knitsibs ever get my mojo going again! I've been a knittin' fool ever since Cat's book party.

Here are the socks that were finished in only 8 days:




They're so cute they deserve another picture from the side.



Here are the stats:
Fraternal twin socks ('cuz they're not identical, don't ya know)
Lion Brand Magic Stripe sock yarn in "Lucky" colorway, 100 gram ball
US size 2 dpns
Using Judy's Magic Cast On, my standard sock recipe knit on 56 stitches with a reverse heel flap and k2p2 ribbing starting right after the heel gusset ends
And knit entirely on the commute to and from work!

Now that I'm commuting to downtown, I may have to seriously consider having more than one project going at a time. I have always been "project monogamous", even years ago when I sewed my own clothes and when I (GASP!) crocheted. In fact, every craft or hobby or handiwork, whatever you want to call it, has been "one project at a time" for me. Maybe it's because I'm so anxious to get it completed and can hardly wait to see what it looks like finished, or maybe it's because I have a short attention span, or because I'm obsessive, or because I'm afraid that if I start something new that I'll never go back to finish the one left behind. Whatever, I've never had more than one thing going at a time. But the commuting means that a big project is just to much to drag around all week. Plus, my MAX ride is only about 30 to 40 minutes, which isn't a lot if I'm working on long rows in a sweater or an afghan.

Up to now, I'd been knitting socks on the train, which are pretty good at keeping the seat next to me empty. But then, I saw the "Aunties In Stitches" on Duffy's blog and committed to knitting up all the baby yarn odd balls in the stash into preemie hats. And since I alter every pattern to have the least amount of seams possible by converting the patterns from flat knitting to dpns, assuring that I'll still have an empty seat next to me.

I started knitting preemie hats on Friday of last week and here are the first 3. First, an itty bitty one, sized for a 1 to 1 1/2 pound preemie:



Yes, I had to stretch it to fit over 4 fingers. It makes me sad to think of somebody that small and fragile fighting for their life. I hope my little cap helps him or her succeed.

Then, a couple in successivly larger sizes:




The front one is sized for a 2 to 3 pound preemie and the one in back is for 4 to 5 pound baby. Here's a close-up of the larger one:



I found all these patterns on Bev's Country Cottage. This one is called "Angel Lace Preemie Cap - Seamless", but she's got a whole bunch of patterns on her website for preemies, infants, and more. This gal's definitely got a heart of gold for accumulating all these free patterns for charity and gift knitting.

Tomorrow evening, our local ABC station, KATU is having a "Meet the Bloggers" get-together. It seems they were surprised to learn that Portland has 300 bloggers, so they sent out open invitations to this shindig. What they don't know is that the Yahoo Group, PDX-Knit-Bloggers is now at 84 members. If our little niche has that many bloggers, I think 300 must be a really low estimate! Tool Man has decided to go with me; he says he doesn't believe people actually blog about something besides knitting and has to see this for himself. Being the good knit blogger that I am, I'll be toting along not only my camera and paper for notes, but some traveling knitting as well. I plan on some getting some pictures of the crowd, al la Stephanie, and maybe even one of Tool Man. So, I'll be puttin' on my travelin' socks to hot foot it over there right after work tomorrow.

All knittin', all the time . . .

A week and a day after they were cast on, I'm already done with the first Magic Stripe sock and the second one is not only cast on, I've made it past the heel turn, finished the gussets, and started up the leg while riding the train to work this morning. And, hey! They're even the same size! Then, I remembered that I worked the entire leg in a k2p2 ribbing on the first one, but was doing straight stockinette on the second one. Fortunately, I was only 7 rows past the gussets, so I didn't have much to frog off. But, I discovered the error of my ways on the train home, so I didn't have anything to knit.

Good thing I had my MP3 player with Kelley's latest podcast and two episodes of Rhonda's Knitting News to listen to. I don't know why Rhonda stopped her podcast; she hasn't posted since March. I'll have to find some new knitting podcasts or audio books to listen to on the train. If you have suggestions for either of those (preferably free), leave me a comment. Anything's better than listening to other people's cell phone conversations on the train.

I had a funny thing happen to me last week on the train, but I forgot to tell you about it. I did share it with some of the knitsibs last Friday night, though. Usually, when I knit on the train, the seat next to me stays empty. People always rush towards the empty seat, but when they see the dpns, they stop short, hesitate, and move on. Or, if they're forced to sit next to me, they move at the first opportunity. But then, last week, an older lady got on, saw me, and deliberately came to sit next to me. She asked if I was knitting socks, and said she hadn't seen anyone knit socks in years. I told her that socks were one of my favorite things to knit, especially on the train, and that I sometimes knitted Socks For Soldiers. She asked when I learned to knit, and said she used to knit years ago, but hers was never as nice and even as mine. I thanked her, and she was quiet for a few minutes. Then, just as she was getting off the train, she turned to me and said, "I could knit Socks for Al Qaeda because mine would give them blisters and athlete's foot. Between us, we could win the war." And she didn't even crack a smile! I, however, was howling with laughter! I wish she'd take up knitting again, because I'd love to meet up with her in a knitting group!

I've decided that as soon as these socks are done, I'm going to use up the leftover baby yarn in the stash by knitting preemie hats and socks and mitts. There's no baby knitting on the horizon (unless Christie and mark have decided to add to their tribe), so it needs to be put to good use. And those will make nice small projects for commuting on the train.

Tonight when I got home, Tool Man proudly showed me the cedar he bought to make some sock blockers for me. He'd even sketched out a rough pattern with hedgehogs on the top. And he's working on a design for a vertical yarn reel that will wind even strands of yarn for dying. We support each other's addictions.

I had another funny thing happen to me this week. OK, not funny, like the other one was "Ha! Ha!" funny; rather funny, like "Wasn't that surreal?" funny. I was at work on Tuesday morning when a woman walked up to my desk and said she'd read my blog. I was completely bumfuzzled by that statement. OK, stop laughing! I realize that I post this on the web for people to read, and that anybody could be reading it; even people that I don't know, and will probably never know, and will probably never meet could read it. Intellectually, I know those things. But when I write this, in my head, I'm talking to people I know and who know me. I'm talking to you. And I hear you answer me. Yeah, yeah, I know; they have drugs now that can make the voices stop. Very funny.

But, it never really sunk in that strangers could be reading this. This was the first time that someone I hadn't met previously walked up and said things like, "I read your blog and had to come meet you", and "I knit, but not like you", and "I think you're funny." I was completely blown away by this experience; so much that I basked in the afterglow for a few moments. Then I called Tool Man to share with him. He was polite about listening, and congratulated me on my first "fan." But he did laugh when I told him that it never occurred to me that strangers could read my posts. Then he asked me how much money I've earned from the AdSense. When I told him, he said to get back to work since I obviously wasn't going to retire on earnings from my blog. I did; but I daydreamed about being Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.

Did somebdy say "knitting"?

Friday was the day Blue Moon Fibers hosted an event for Cat Bordhi to announce her new book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I am absolutely gobstopped at the way that woman's mind works.

It was also the night my knitsibs helped get my mojo going again.



Remember the Bamboo Sweater From Hell that I said needed to leave my house? Chrispy, ever so tentatively, commented that if I decided not to gift it, she would take it off my hands. She does not lie well, that girl. But she does look good in that sweater, even if I did make her put on the Groucho glasses. Oh, see that sweater she's got on under the Bamboo Sweater From Hell? She did that; it has a beautiful lace pattern off-center down the front. She's a Knitter with a capital K.



The rest of the motley crew and I waited, somewhat patiently, for the doors to open. Did I mention we were there two hours early?

Once they did let us in, the first thing we did was inspect the sock samples. If you've ever knit socks in your life, even once, or know how they are constructed, this book will rock your world!



All Cat's beautiful and wondrous socks on sock blockers being fondled by knitters. The range of sizes, colors, patterns, fibers, and constructions is simply mind-boggling. Cat took a look at traditional sock construction (she even examined 4oo- year old socks in museums for research!) and thought to herself, "Gussets? We don't need no stinkin' gussets!"

Did I mention we were REALLY early for the event? The plan was: Cat talks, books are sold and signed, and dessert is eaten. Well, best laid plans of mice and men and knitters, being what they are, it was: socks are fondled, dessert is eaten, books are bought and signed, knitters chat, Cat talks, more books are sold and bought.

I know you can't see this in detail, and that's just fine. This is the fabulous Duffy and her fabulous sock. We've only seen parts of this on her blog and in person. She's holding out on us intentionally as she wants to eventually publish and sell the pattern. I cannot even begin to tell you how beautiful the pattern is; the black background makes the hand-painted yarn really pop. And that's only the beginning of the stuff she's doing on this sock. Ms. Duffy is definitely a Knitter with a capital K.

Kathy was there, too. She's had a rough couple weeks and needed some cheering up so I passed on ownership of two pairs of Groucho glasses to her. I'm expecting to see pics of her boys in them on her blog soon. I didn't see what she was working on, but she recently finished her Almost Cobweb Crepe Shawl (scroll down if you haven't seen it). She is also a Knitter with a capital K.

The PDX-Knit-Bloggers, shy little wall flowers that we are, took the front row. The traffic was terrible on Friday night; there was a concert at the Zoo, which tied up people who weren't savvy enough to take MAX to The World Forestry Center. Good thing the event was delayed, otherwise we wouldn't have had time to show off what we were doing, examine and praise what others were doing, eat way too many fabulous desserts, and laugh our arses off.

And Blue Moon gave away skeins of their yarn for unusual things in knitting bags. There was a credit card used to measure WPI, a plastic fork used as a lucet to make cording, a bread tag used to hold the loose ends of knitting, a bent paperclip used for spinning fiber, and my own plastic hair clip used to keep dpns from sliding out of socks and to hold pieces together for seaming. By the end of it, every PDX-Knit-Blogger had at least one skein of free yarn. They obviously know the way to a knitter's heart.

Cat gave a great talk about how knitting is made up of knit stitches, purl stitches, and that indescribable thing that makes it irresistible. She talked about taking a single fiber and watching how it floats in the air and lands, how to twist fibers together to see how strong they are, and how knitting probably was invented and forgotten a hundred times before it "took".

She also described how to knit at tree house. That's right; knit a tree house.

And she mentioned, in her talk and in her book, the inimitable Judy, who invented the Magic Cast On for toe-up socks. Judy is most definitely a Knitter with a capital K.

Knitters asked Judy to sign their copy of Cat's book on the page where her cast on is given. And Duffy shows off her sock yarn winnings.

Then we all toddled off to the MAX and home, high on yarn fumes, stuffed with tasty desserts, and heads spinning from Cat's new sockitectures.

My mojo's definitely back at full force. And no voo-doo dolls were harmed in the process.

In which I need constant supervision

Tool Man and I have always shared one cell phone; mostly he had it to use if he was out of the house and needed emergency towing or something. Well, with me working downtown now, we decided to go completely mobile by getting each of us a new cell phone and changing to a shared plan and turning off the land line at home. So we trucked over to the cell phone store, signed the papers, and walked out with shiny new phones (and mine is so tiny, and it's a lovely shade of blue! So cute!) Then I thought, "Hmmmm. I should send an email out telling folks we did this." That, apparently, is where I wrong. Again.

So, I wrote this cute email about the new phones and the changes and the whole shebang. And I sent it out to EVERYONE on my entire email address list.

With the WRONG phone numbers.

I need a keeper.

Last weekend, after I finally snagged a job, albeit contract, Tool Man suggested I pick up a couple more wardrobe items just to round out the ol' closet. So, on Saturday we went to The Rack and Kohl's; I picked up a couple tops and some dress slacks. Then, for some inexplicable reason, I decided that I needed to have my hair done.

Until several years ago, I did almost everything imaginable to my hair. Every few months, I would change my hairstyle. Radically. Over the years I have frosted, dyed, bleached, permed, hot rollered, curling ironed, blow dried, straightened, crimped, rinsed, let it grow long, chopped it off short, used gel and mouse and spray, put in clips and barrettes and rubber bands and combs, ad infinitum. Then, when I started having allergy issues and before the sarcoidois was diagnosed, I quit doing all that stuff. My hair is fine and limp, so I started keeping it really short and doing very little except using a blow dryer on low.

So, when I decided to have my hair done, in a moment of obvious insanity, I decided that I also needed a perm. By a stylist I've never met. At a salon where I've never been. Because the one I've never been to is closer to where I wanted to eat breakfast. How's that for logic?

Let's just say that my definition of "I need a trim and a light body perm on top" didn't exactly jive with that of the 20 year old stylist. This is what I think my new 'do looks like. Go ahead; click it. I'll wait. After all, I'm not going anywhere with this hair.

And, no, you WON'T be seeing pictures of yours truly in the blog anytime soon. Or at least until the perm either relaxes or my hair grows out enough to start trimming it off.

The nice thing about commuting on MAX to downtown is that I have about 45 minutes each way on which to knit socks. I happily knit away on socks for the first two days of commuting. So, remember these from last week?



And remember the tip I picked up from Kelley's podcast about the spare yarn to keep track of the number of rows? And how I thought it was great because I wouldn't be using and losing more stitch markers? Apparently that works only if you start using the spare yarn marker at THE SAME PLACE ON BOTH SOCKS. Otherwise, this happens:



Fraternal socks: same sock pattern; same number of stitches; one women's size 8 with a long leg; one women's size 6 with a slightly shorter leg. Don't believe me? Go ahead; click on the picture. I'll wait. After all, I can't go anywhere with these socks.

Then yesterday, I thought, "I'll save some money by taking my lunch to work." So, Tool Man wrapped up a leftover turkey cutlet, bagged some salad mix, and popped a bottle of ranch dressing in a bag for me, and off to work I went. Where, at lunchtime, I discovered that I had nothing to eat off of and no utensils. And neither did any of the 6 break rooms in the firm. So, I had to buy lunch anyway.

Last night, I cast on another pair of socks. With yarn from the stash. And a new supply of markers.



I cast on with Judy's Magic Cast On and worked just past the increases so I'd have them to knit on the train today. Off to work, knitting happily on the train, inserting stitch markers. With a plastic plate and fork in my bag. So at lunch, outside on the shady terrace with a nice breeze, I decide to weave in the loose end at the toe. Yup, dropped the darning needle and it went down between the pavers. Before getting the end woven in. I did NOT get down on the ground to hunt for it. Only because I was surrounded by non-knitters and I didn't want to freak them out even more; they had moved far away after I pulled out the sock and started knitting.

And I lost an earring from a pair which I've only worn 3 times. And I broke the string on one of my favorite necklaces.

I need to be among my peeps and get the ol' mojo going again, so I'm going to see Cat Bordhi for her book release on Friday at the World Forestry Center. You bring the voo doo dolls; I'll bring the pins.

I know it's' been a while . . . .

First, I owe you pictures of Clapotis. When we last spoke of knitting, it was on the needles. I finished it, washed it, and here it is pinned out to block for three days.



So, in the meantime, I started in on some socks with that Moda Dea Sassy Stripes that I bought last week at Fabric Depot's big sale. I know it's really a FABRIC store, hence the name, but they were having a 30% off sale and they carry a good selection of what I consider "standard" yarns: Lion Brand wools, Moda Dea sock yarns, some Berrocco, etc.



I like the colors of these enough to keep them for myself, but they may be gifted for Christmas. These are my standard, toe up generic pattern, but I did a picot bind off on the cuff.

Oh, see that yellow yarn running down the sole of the second one? It's also on the first one, but you can't see it very well in that picture. It's something I picked up from Kelley's podcast a couple weeks ago; use a length of scrap yarn to mark every 10 rows by flipping the end either in or out of your work. I love this idea! I usually use little coil-less pins and move them every so often. This way, I don't have to keep track of the pin container, I use up those little scraps of leftovers, no problem losing pins or markers. I must leave a trail of markers behind me wherever I go, because I am constantly buying the cheap plastic ones. At the rate I lose markers and pins, there's no way I'm buying the pretty beaded ones, no matter how many times they say, "BUY ME! BUY ME!" from the computer screen.

By the time I got that far on the socks, my Clapotis was done resting, I decided to take her out for a little spin.



Some family members aren't quite as enthusiastic about photographing hand knits.



Then other times, they try stick their head into the picture at the last minute.

I did get downtown to have lunch with a girlfriend from the old job this week. It was SOOO good to see her! Although she's got a new job, I know she's had a particularly hard time adjusting to it, so I gifted her with a shawl I'd done some time ago and was in the Christmas gift pile. She needs to occasionally have a "hug" from a old friend, and knew that would do the trick.

Oh, yeah, and I got a job this week! WHOOO HOOOO!

The old headhunter didn't seem to be doing anything; after all, I hadn't been on an interview for almost 2 weeks. And even what she had sent me on in the past, wasn't the best fit. So, I emailed my resume to another headhunter on Tuesday afternoon. Then they called me on Wednesday morning to have me come in on Thursday morning. They started calling contacts while I was still in their office and had an interview for me the same day at a VERY prestigious firm. So, I hung around down town through lunch. I got a sandwich and settled myself in at Starbucks at Pioneer Courthouse Square, listened to Noon Tunes (Barbara Lusch was there, and she's good!) and knitted for 3 hours. How self-indulgent does that sound? Then went to my interview at 2:30; which took only 15 minutes because I NAILED it. Probably because I was so relaxed from all that knitting. The headhunter called me at 4:00 to say they want me to start on Monday. You know what that means don't you? My self-imposed yarn diet is over and I can buy yarn! And Oregon Flock and Fiber is coming up! WHOOOO HOOOOO!

Looky what I found!

Yesterday was "Celebrate Hillsboro" day, so Tool Man and I took MAX to join the festivities. It's a street festival showcasing local businesses and charities. Last year, they set a Guiness Book record for the number of people wearing balloon hats. This year, it was Groucho Marx glasses.

The Mayor said the standing world record was set at 3,000 people in July by Springfield, Missouri. Well, since that was my old hometown and this is my new hometown, I had to get in on the action.

First stop: pick up our Groucho Marx glasses so we could join the group setting a new world record.



As soon as I put my glasses on, Tool Man took control of the camera. See that empty plaza behind me? It didn't stay that way for long.

Then I found the Farmers Market:



I found some of Washington Counties finest.



Tool Man said I was hard to spot in the crowd since everyone was wearing Grouch Marx glasses, so I found a clown



who made a hat for me.

Then I found this Humvee, but I didn't find any Guardsmen.



I did find some basketball players in the 3-on-3 tournement.



I also found a baby and his momma.



Then I found some ice cream.



And I found the craft booth. Would you look at the temporary tatoo on that kid's arm?



I looked for a job at the Courthouse, but they were closed.



I found a firetruck, but no firemen.



But I did find a sailor.



Then I found these people getting ready to set the world's record for the most people wearing Groucho Marx glasses.



And all these people.



And all these people.



Can you spot me in the crowd?



United Way handed out 3,700 pairs of glasses and a photographer on top the Civic Center took our picture. We have to wait for Guiness Book to verify it, but we think we beat the old number. And Hillsboro is now a town FULL of world record holders.

ADDED LATER: If you're one of the people in these pictures and you'd like to have a copy emailed to you, please leave a comment with your email address and I'll send it to you pronto!

Swatches are not to be trusted.

This is based on Grumperina's Picovoli sweater on MagKnits. I swatched; I swear I did. I even told you about swatching for this sweater. In that lovely wine-colored Bambu 7 from Woodland Woolworks. I got gauge, and off I went. Ok, so I made a few changes to the pattern. I changed the shoulder increases from KFB of adjoining stitches to M1 increases on each side of 2 center stitches. But that wouldn’t account for this thing being 10 inches smaller around than it’s supposed to be. Did I try it on before I got this far? Sure, just before I started the decreases for waist shaping; and yes, it did fit then. I even made it longer than anticipated to account for stretching in width. I faithfully followed the rest of the pattern, counting stitches and rows. So why is it too small? Because swatches are untrustworthy, that's why. Because now this sweater isn't 7 stitches per inch like the swatch said it would be. It's 9 stitches to the inch. Swatches should be treated as the filthy little liars that they are and kicked unceremoniously to the curb.

Maybe it’ll get bigger if I block it? Gee whiz and gollywhompers! Why didn’t I think of that? But getting 10 inches wider? Not really buying into that plan. Besides, I’ve knit on this damned thing so long, I’m not entirely sure that I can stand to wear it; even if it DID fit. The far too long and way too small of it is, if you want this thing, you’re welcome to it. I don’t care if you block it and wear it, frog off the demonic thing and start something new, or use it as a really nice dustcloth. It just needs to leave my house.

When I threw that awful sweater into the guest bedroom, I started on a Clapotis and I’m almost done with it. I don’t know if I’ll keep it for myself (although it would look stunning with my brown skirt) or put it into the Christmas gift pile.



Since I’ll probably finish the Clapotis tonight, it’s a good thing I fell off the wagon today. Tool Man and I went to Fabric Depot this morning, and these followed me home.



I know, I know, what about my self-imposed yarn diet? Well, sock yarns don’t count as stash; it says so right over there on the left. And the beautiful Lion Brand Romance is mohair that begged to be adopted so it could live near its big sister.



That’s the 17-ounce skein of natural, English, brushed mohair from Woodland Woolworks; her name is "Aigle", from Greek which means "light, radiance, glory". Since the new skein color on the band is "Leaf", I think she should be called "Cloris", again Greek, the name of a minor goddess of vegetation. What? You don’t name your pets?