Quietish

If you know me at all you’d guess that the current coolish weather has likely been making me happy and giddy. You’d be mostly right. I love Fall!

Unfortunately I’ve also been spending my time fairly overwhelmed. Or more accurately, spending my time thinking about how I feel overwhelmed. Not for any particular reason (although, I am behind on Crafty Witch goings-on); I guess I am just thinking about too many things and my brain doesn’t care for that at all. It makes me anxious when there is a lot going on. And then depressed, because it is such a natural progression for the mentally healthy.

Hm, I came on here to show you my knitting, not to whine about stuff I don’t realize is a problem until I start to describe it.

I’m back to taking my sweet time with the sock knitting. Here’s the sock I started the night before we saw the Yarn Harlot.

It’s a lovely pattern and I’m still completely digging the random stripeage. I will finish them when I get through with this pile of lace:

I’ll post the details on that when it’s done. The last time I knit this, it was done in 5 days so you won’t be waiting long.

Alrighty, I’m off to do a little thinking about the future and the meaning of life. Ciao!

2 out of 3 sweaters for the fam are complete. In other words: 2 Hobbits down, one Bowtruckle to go.

After taking so long on Cian’s, I’m a bit worried that when I do get going on Justin’s sweater it will take me til Summer next year. He’s definitely not a wide fellow but he’s pretty long.

I loved Cian’s yarn and the sweater is nice, but somehow I wasn’t excited enough to fly through this one as I know I have been in the past. So I’ll have to think awhile before picking just the right thing for Justin that will be entertaining for me at the same time.

Yesterday, pre-block.

Pattern:
Figured it out by looking at Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown Reinsel
Yarn:
Plymouth Galway Highland Heather, less than 3 balls (!!!). I got a bunch of it from Bonne Marie, and still have enough for an adult sweater.
Comments:
Knitting Ganseys was an excellent guide to the different elements of a traditional gansey. Cian said he liked the “christmas trees” motif from the book, so he got a bunch of those on either side of the diamonds. I’m glad to have gone through the method of making this.

Ok, loads to do today. I’m off for now!

So Jamie has already gotten her first packet of fundraising for school. Wanna buy something and help us out? They have it set up so that it can be done over the internet. Much better selection and much easier than the booklets they send with the kits.

Anywho, here’s the info:

MUSTANG ELEMENTARY-MUSTANG is having a fundraiser. You can shop online at

http://www.gecklerstore.com/store/brochures.php?sID=mus1392

The group receives profit from the sale and the seller will receive prize credits. Enter the seller ID below to begin.

Seller: Jamie Waits
Seller ID: mus1392

Thank you for your support.

If the link above does not work, please use the following link and enter the seller ID: http://www.gecklerstore.com/store/index.php

The combination of road-tripping all weekend and the still-strong excitement about Cat B’s latest book, made for a new sock project. I have already done the Cedar architecture, Susanhas knit the Riverbed architecture, and Mary Ellen is knitting the Coriolis. So I chose Upstream.

The yarn is making it especially fun because I had thought, all this time it has been in the stash, that it would be more variegated. Instead I have fun, random stripes!

Also, will you look at these stitch markers? Mary Ellen gave them to me as an early bday present. They happen to match my sock!

Wichita is only a mere 3-4 hours away, so of course a road trip is in order when the (completely brilliant) Yarn Harlot is booked for a signing. Knitpals Jeanell, Mary Ellen, and Matt joined me. I had fun spotting the knitters lurking everywhere.

Click here for photoset.

I also happened to get a SPS out of the deal.

The road tripping itself was fun. I drove, but didn’t realize how itchy I would be to knit when the rest of the car’s occupants were knitting. I really liked how Watermark had things set up. They used an auditorium for both the speech and the signing, which meant that we could stay seated with our knitting while we waited for our turns to get in line.

We also stopped in at the new knitshop, Twist and had dinner at Chipotle, putting us back in Norman at 10… something. Long day, but very good.

A couple of weeks ago I had a sudden desire to make a ridiculously big hat. I was at the yarn store and fell in love with a bigass hank of hypersoft yarn, despite the heat and despite being warned that it would pill like mad, I got it.

This is very simple and has likely been done many times before, but I’ll share my “pattern” anyway. (And I’m totally claiming early SPS points, as I’ll be busy all weekend again.)

Big Hat
A thick and quite large crocheted hat with a rolled brim. Fits loosely on an average adult.

Yarn: Twinkle Handknits Soft Chunky Shown in 18 French Grey
Hook: 6mm / J
Gauge: 7.5 stitches and 3.75 rounds = 4 inches

Please do check your gauge; The Soft Chunky yarn I used is VERY thick and it really will take more than 2 strands of worsted to get the same ridiculous size I did.

Chain 3, slip stitch in 1st ch to make ring.
Round 1: Ch 3, dc 11.
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc right below chain 3, *dc 2 in each stitch* around to end. Sl st in 3rd ch to join.
Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc 1 right below, dc 1 in next st *dc 2 in next st, dc 1 in next 2 sts* around, dc 2. Sl st in 3rd ch to join.
Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc 1 right below, dc 1 in next 2 sts, *dc 2 in next st, dc 1 in next 3 sts* around, dc 1 in next 2 st. Sl st in 3rd ch to join.
Rounds 5-9: Ch 3, dc 1 right below, *dc 1 in each st* around to end. Sl st in 3rd ch to join.
Round 10: Ch 3, dc 1 right below, dc 1 in next 2 sts, *dc decrease in next 2 sts, dc 1 in next 3 sts* around, dc 1 in leftover stitches to end.
Weave in ends. Roll up brim. (If you don’t, it will surpass so-ugly-it’s-cute and go straight to friggin’-ugly.)

Yesterday Jamie was in the other room drawing pictures (probably of birds) and I could hear her as she began to tell Cian what her picture was about. She said “I am drawing a story” and then told him about the animals in the picture. They could change into other animals. She included crazy, swishing sound effects.

So I called them into the office where I was sewing something and told them a bit about Animagi.

“What kind of animal do you think you’d turn into if you were an Animagus?” I asked, my preschool-show-host voice surprising me.

“A penguin.” Jamie, of course. She has a thing for Piplup.

“A woolps.” Wolf. Cian has not yet mastered the use of the -f- sound at the end of words.

“What would I be if I were an Animagus?” I was sure it’d be “Turtwig!” or some other such creature.

“You would be an owl.”

I’m quite pleased. I’m not sure I would have thought of owls first. Don’t get any ideas. I will not be carrying anyone’s mail.

——-
Anywho. Nothing new to show on the knitting front. Cian’s sweater has a few inches on the first sleeve, but I’m moving pretty slow.

My brother’s on his way to California and I believe will be stopping by tonight. Must. clean.

Since it’s been so long since we’ve had one. How about a puppy dog picture?

Ginevra, sitting atop the crates.

Who doesn’t love socks that are started and completed in the same month? These certainly went much faster than my last pair, which I think were on the needles for 3 or 4 months. Things must just be lined up really well for sock knitting lately.

Pattern:
Cedar Dancing Socks, by Cat Bordhi from New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book One
Yarn:
Sweet Georgia Superwash Sock, a gift from Julie
Comments:
I am totally impressed by Cat B’s new sock “architectures.” I loved this one and can’t wait to try several more.
These socks are not for me, hence the lack of Harry Potter name.

Sorry I’ve been so quiet. My internet connection is completely uncooperative lately. I seem to be able to log in now though, so I will take my opportunity to post.

Sorry for the randomness although really, life is pretty random.

First: Please look at these pictures of my lovely girl-hobbit, who has been enjoying dressing herself for school.

Second: I was about to post a pic of a good local-knitter friend who finished sock1 of a pair of Fred and George socks this past week when I checked my email and saw that she had just finished sock2. Go look.

Third: FUZZY KITTEN!!

Fourth: I love Bonne Marie. *hugs* CLICK for her post. She totally rocks my socks, often.
I shall now, once again, not tag anyone. I’m lame that way.

I stayed out way late knitting tonight, so I’m off to veg. Smooches!