Showing coffee how much I love it

Three Musketeers Coffee Mitts (Rav link) by Sarah Nopp
It took one skein of Noro Silk Garden to make all three of these and I use them all the time. I'm making a few to show the morning Starbucks crew how they're appreciated, too.

Is there such a thing as too much coordination?

And, looky! A finished project!

You May Want to Cover Your Ears

Squeeee!!!! My invite to Ravelry came yesterday. Talk about the promised land! It's such a neat site, and very intuitive. I'm still feeling my way around, but I've got some profile pictures up, joined a few hundred groups, added a couple of projects, and queued a few things. And on days when I'm feeling particularly OCD, I could inventory my stash and my needles. (Hmmm . . . actually, the needle inventory is a good idea. I seldom have a list with me.) Anyhoo, those of you on Ravelry (which I'm assuming is most of the world because I was kind of a late joiner to the cult), my ID is GloamingOrchid, so stop by and say hello, please!

Socks in the Cities KAL



Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock medium weight in County Clare. I started these sometime in August of 2006 and finished 13 October 2007. I'm excited to have these done, as my grandmother's people are from County Clare in Ireland. I'll get a special thrill wearing them on St. Paddy's Day.



Vesper Sock Yarn in a sport/DK weight in Evergreen. I started these 3 July 2007 and finished 14 October 2007. These got to come with me on the Yarn Hop.

Continuing the Green Theme

Four years and one month after being promised for a birthday present, my mother's felted clogs:



(Obligatory before shot. Cat included for scale.)



Sadly, these puppies still have some felting to do. My father's feet fit into them confortably, and my mother keeps making noises about giving them to him. Nuh-uh. No. Nyet. I'll refelt them next weekend. Knitting these drives me slightly insane, and after the guilt of four years, I'm so relieved to have them (almost) finished.

Still Life with Fish, Bag & Yarn

Osiris poses with Piddleloop small project bag with Union Center Knits WhatNot Sport in Yesterday, purchased from Woolgirl.

Summertime

I keep meaning to blog, but I don't. So now it's catch up time.

What I've been doing on my (non-)summer vacation.

Well, there's been some knitting, obviously.


My basic socks in CiderMoon Glacier in Silver Pine.


More basic socks, this time in Mountain Colors Mountain Goat in Painted Rocks.


I finished my charity knitting for The Loopy Ewe's Second Quarter Loopy Challenge.

I actually took a knitting class at The Yarney for Cookie A's Knitty lace sock patterns. I missed the first lesson, but I really enjoyed the other two. Shelly was the teacher and you can see my Baudelaire as a baby. (Over on the right, bluish-grey with the witch stitch markers from ZenKnit.)

I did take a mini summer vacation over the Fourth of July. The house was loaded with pets.



Luke and Leia, obviously.


Marble has also been visiting while my parents are out of town.


Even Osiris paid a visit over the holiday weekend. He's catching up with his friend Little Red Poppet.


Osiris even had the pleasure of posing with a fishy-themed small projects bag from Piddleloop.

I've also been going to the movies. I've discovered the joy of movie knitting. Now, if I'd only stop starting a new sock for each movie.

Live Free or Die Hard in Twisted Kabam! in Ankh.


Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (or whatever that third one was). Yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock DK in African Grey.


Transformers with Vesper Sock Yarn in Evergreen (bag by Piddleloop).

Finally, my Poppets just wanted to make an appearance.

Distractions

Oooo, looky! I'm blogging!! Will wonders never cease? (I hope not. I need wonder in my life. Soon it'll be all I can afford.)

So, yes, a little discouraged by my complete inability to manage money. Or food. Or exercise. Or anything that is considered to be a sign of a responsible adult, so I will distract myself and everyone else with photos of knitting accomplishments.

First up, finished items:


Clapotis in Malabrigo Amorosa
This only took about 2 years. I may be over my Clapotis addiction. This will be a gift for someone.


Finished pair of socks #1. These took less than a year. (Funny story: Last year, in July, after a 4 month knitting vaccation, I decided I wanted, no, I needed, to knit wool socks. I had 13 pairs going. Made the first of each in about 2 weeks I'm still working on the second socks. Only 2 pairs left to go, though. To be totally accurate, I had two pairs of socks started before I added the other 11. Gidgie stop laughing. I can hear you in Seattle. Where I currently am.)
Art Yarns Supermerino #105. This is my favorite colorway, I have it in 3 other variations of their yarns, too. (No, I'm not obsessive at all. Why would you ask? Gidgie, I mean it about the laughing.)


Finished 2nd pair of socks. Interlacements Toasty Toes in Poppy Fields. I love the orange in these socks, but it must be said that there is a lot of dye still in there. I soaked these 3 times after wearing and they still bled a little in the wash.


Third pair of finished socks. Black Cat Yarns Sock Hop in Mai Tai (Sorry, I got this yarn on eBay but the store and its website are no longer there.) These socks I wish I had knit on smaller needles. Because I have concerns about their durablitity, they are bedtime socks. (I live in Minnesota. My toes get cold in the winter months. Why am I explaining this?)

Next up, a couple of in progress items:


Because on my birthday last year (it's September 28th; I know you wanted to know that so you could mark your calendars), I decided I needed more socks to work on (it was my birthday, I can do whatever silly thing I want to), I started these. Mountain Colors Twizzle in Mountain Tango. This is a wool/silk blend, so I planned these for comfort socks. They are currently in my office at work for when I really need to destress.


Ever wonder how much knitting you can do on a flight from the Twin Cities? Most of the leg of a sock you're designing. Fiesta Yarns Boomerang in Iris. I love this yarn! I love this color. I'll try and remember to get a better picture tomorrow.

And just because:




The lovely ladies at Cider Moon keep sending samples with my orders. They're so pretty!

Forgive me, but I don't actually have time for a spell check right now.

About Last Night

Dear Stephanie,


Just wanted to say Thank You for last night. (And a big Bravo! to The Yarnery for a wonderful event. I love the bag.) I enjoyed the stories and the whole CHOKE thing, well, let's just say that will be my new thing to get the muggles off my back: "You're CHOKing me!" Of course, I might be forced to remember what CHOKE stands for. Cultural and Historical Oppression of Knitters Everywhere? (Why, oh why didn't I take notes?! Oh, right, I was knitting.) Anyway, that looks close enough. And I left pondering the importance of Accumulated Effect, a concept I had been taking for granted. Now I recognize its power.

I do want to apologize though for my behavior upon reaching the table. I am a shy girl, but I know that there is no need to go all fangirly when in the presence of one's idols. I know that "idols" and "heroes" are ordinary people, too, and as such, my equals. So, I can only explain my total inability to make eye contact and forgetting my book on the table to this: I was possessed by a frightened woodland animal.

Now, I realize that seems a bit out there, but hear me out. It was a long night. (Longer, I'm sure, for you.) I got there at 5:45pm, armed with coffee, water and a light snack. Stood in line for 15 minutes until the doors opened. Got my hand stamped and grabbed a seat. Knit for an hour. You came out and made with the funnies. Laughed and knitted on my Interlacements Toasty Toes sock for another hour and fifteen minutes.

Got up again and made my way to the line for the early signing. Stood in line for an hour and a half. Thank god for knitting! As someone next to me in line said, nicest line ever because we all had something to do. I wish someone had done a sock count, though. The line was good, and I made quite a bit of progress on my Fleece Artist Sea Wool Bordello sock.


(I should, perhaps, pause here to tell you that I have recently begun knitting again. We had been on a break.)

Now, I should say that the line was fun. I met a number of nice women from North Dakota. Good times.

Anyway, standing around for an hour and a half with no real food does not do the body good. Mary Lou tried to help by bringing around chocolate. Now, normally I'd call this behavior evil, but no sane person can call another evil when she gives you sock yarn just for pulling out the blue-wrapped chocolate.

So, the combination of the wool fumes (oh, I forgot to mention the mini-store), exhaustion for standing for an hour and it being 10pm by the time I got to you, worry about getting home to the cats

(I had said I should be home by 9pm) and existing at that moment on sugar . . . well, it left me vulnerable to outside forces.

So that should explain it. You did a very good job of trying to connect, but the frightened animal in my body just wanted to use that flight reflex. Sorry. I will endeavor to protect against such possessions in the future. Just as soon as I figure out how to.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you what I would have told you had I not been possessed by a frightened animal:

The whole whiplash syndrome you covered in the book, that was extremely helpful. I was in my second break from knitting after a frantic Christmas knitting season. I was wondering if I had lost the joy of knitting forever. But it was just Whiplash! I was so relieved. And I'm being careful about the rebound stash enhancement. This Zen Yarn Garden merino/bamboo/nylon in Sunny Orchid notwithstanding.

(Or those four or five other orders on the way.) But I digress. The Whiplash syndrome in Casts Off saved my relationship with knitting.

Thank you! Keep up the good work.


Sincerely,
Alexis

PS An addendum to that note I gave you last night. The one you put in your back pocket. I laughed so hard last night I snorted.

Knitting Update

In no particular order:

Malagaiters

For: Best Friend
Yarn: Malabrigo Forest
Knit: 1 Jan - 7 Jan 2007

and


For: Mom
Yarn: Malabrigo Blue Surf
Knit: 8 Jan - 10 Jan


For: Me!
Pattern: My basic sock
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock heavy weight in Lucy
Knit: 8 Oct 2006 - 7 Jan 2007


For: Sister-in-law
Pattern: Basic 4 Needle Mitten
Yarn: BlueMoonFiberArts Worsted Wear in Aubergine/Eggplant and Cascade 220 Navy
Knit: 12 Jan - 22 Jan 2007

OK, so the knitting mojo seems to have run off to Tahiti again. I just wish that it would take me with it. I am currently working on a gift for my cousin's baby, though.

Part 2

I did not get all my presents knit in time. Why? 1) I plan big. 2) I have poor time management skills. I feel particularly horrible about these two.


Pattern: Fiber Trends Felted Clogs
Yarn: Cascade 220 #7601 Sage Tweed and Araucania Nature Wool #42
Needles: 13 and 11 24" circs
Size: Woman's small
Knit for: My very patient grandmother


Pattern: Hello Yarn Besotted Scarf
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted Applewood
Needles: 8 straights
Notes: It's around 50 inches long
Knit for: My grandfather. I wanted him wrapped in hugs and kisses.

Here's a detail of the cabling.

I thought it came out pretty well.

I'm still going on the knitting. My mother's felted clogs still loom over my head like a big fuzzy umbrella, but in the meantime, here are gratutous kitty shots.




And, because she's back for another visit. . . .

What I've Been Up To

I've been knitting like mad for Christmas presents.


First, there were these.
Pattern: Miriam's Baby Hats
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted Indigo & Azul Profundo
Needles: 10 16" circs
Size: 1 year and Newborn
Knit for: Two of my friends' sons


Next up.
Pattern: Star Brocade Stocking from Knit Christmas Stockings
Yarn: Cascade 220 #9410 Celtic Green and #4010 Straw Heather
Needles: 6 16" circs
Knit for: My friend's daughter. Finished in plenty of time for Christmas, too.

Wanna see a close-up?



This one cut it close. I finished it while at coffee with the recipiant. Actually, I finished it while she shopped for yarn at The Bead Alley.
Pattern: Hand/Wrist Warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Fiesta Yarns La Luz Bluebonnet
Needles: 6 DPN
Size: One
Notes: I add length and width. I also cast off with a larger needle.
Knit for: My good friend whose come home to me after being far away for years. (Come to think of it, she's still far away. Cross the Cities feels that way, anyway.)

Now, it was almost Christmas, and I was starting to panic. There was family to meet on Christmas Eve.

Pattern: Hand/Wrist Warmers from LMKG
Yarn: Art Yarns Supermerino #126 & #120 and Atacama #506
Size: one
Needles and Notes: See above
Knit for: My two aunts and my uncle


This got knit because my mother wears hats and the felted clogs I'd been promising her for years were not going to get done. I'd given her the yarn for those as a present last year, so I couldn't do that again. I finished this on Christmas Eve day. I love Last Minute Knitted Gifts. And I love my stash.
Pattern: Kim's Hats from LMKG
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted Cuarzo and Nore Transitions #7
Needles: 9 20" circs and 10 1/2 24"circs
Size: Largest
Notes: I probably should have decreased to a woman's size once I went to bigger needles, but it seems to work.
Knit for: My mother

Back soon with part 2