Trolling for Praise

Today I have (finally) earned my Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts. Just wanted to share the good news!

Six Months

The Husboy and I slipped away to the Magic Kingdom yesterday, and while we were looking at the new exhibit in the Disney Gallery we figured something out:


Six months ago, in this very spot, the dork in the Dodgers cap asked the dork with the sock-&-a-half in her purse to marry him. What a long, strange six months it has been! Speaking of socks, if anyone happens to find a Clover Takumi size 0 bamboo dpn between the Matterhorn and Space Mountain, it's mine...

In knitting news, I just realized that I haven't provided you with even the teeniest peek of the $1.50 cardigan. Well, too bad, the batteries in the camera have died and I am too lazy to find the replacements. Maybe there'll be pictures once the second sleeve is done, who knows?

Another sign that the world is finally coming back to normal for me: I ordered a whole bunch of non-wedding related books from Amazon. Aija was kind enough to clue us all in on the Knitting Nature / Last-Minute Knitted Gifts two-pack for 10.98, who am I to pass up such a deal? Unfortunately, Amazon seems to have come to their senses; the set will now set you back $32.94. There are other insanely priced two-packs if you like golf or chocolate, just in case.

(Sorta) Social Knitter

I have been terribly remiss in my blogging; no wonder no one reads my inconsistant rantings... In my defense, I have been attempting to get out of the house more and be less of an anti-social hermit.

Step #1: I actually made it to another Knit Night, courtesy of the Long Beach Stitch 'n' Beach group. I wasn't nearly as self-concious this time and everyone was very friendly, making for a lovely time and lots of progress made on the $1.50 cardigan. I learned that the 50% Modal in yarn I'm working with, which I thought was some sort of plastic (doesn't it sound like plastic?) is actually made out of tree. Me likey learning.

Unexpected Pro: The guy behind the counter at the coffee shop we met in whipped up my iced soy vanilla latte in a martini-shaker. Quite awesome.
Expected Con: I'm usually either working late Wednesday nights or really early Thursday mornings, so I won't be able to make it often. I just hope they don't think I'm being snubby.


This week held a trip to the Stitch 'n' Pitch game at Dodger Stadium. The Husboy is a HUGE Dodgers fan, so this was the perfect way to spend our one-month anniversary (fortuitous timing, I swear).


There were a ton of knitters at the event; we must have filled up two whole reserve sections all together:


Par for the course, I stuck to my knitting and was among the few who actually watched the game, so I didn't meet any knitters. I just have to get better at this buddy-buddy thing! In actual knitting news, the sock somehow avoided the mustard and peanut hazards and doubled in size at the game.


Next time, if I remember, I'd like to go over why I've been liking Knit.1 so much. Keep swinging!

I Can't Help Myself!

You can always tell when I get a little time off; the blog entries just pour out of me. Here is a little survey of what kinds of knitting I've done lifted from the Samurai Knitter (I love her deeply, she carpet f-bombs).

Things I've done in bold, things I haven't gotten to aren't:


Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Participate in an exchange
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting
Knitting to make money
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars
Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Free-form knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/arm-warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Rug Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Want more information about anything on the list, give me a jingle!

Love & Pictures

The ducks are coupling up, it must be the season of luv...



...and in commemoration of this love, I hereby present the first wedding photo ever on the blog. Ladies and Gentleknitters, I give you The Money Shot:

Well, money shot of the chuppah anyway. I cannot tell you how pleased it made me to answer "I made it" when people asked where I picked up the chuppah. I picked up the poles at Pier 1 for $3 each. Add a little ribbon and viola, instant impressed inlaws. Adam's little brother (the gray elbow in the foreground) kept letting the pole lean, so pictures of the chuppah actually over our heads and not on them may be rare.

And, for your further amusement, one of my favorite wedding gifts:

Now I can dry my socks and sweaters without sleeping in a stinky wet-sheep-butt-smellin' bed afterwards. Knitting those shawls for Grandma must have made an impression!

Cross-Country Jaywalking

I have a finished Jaywalker, and it only took me six planes and over 4,000 miles!

I finished the toe as we were touching down at LAX after my district conference in Tampa, Florida. I'd love to show you some pictures of the sights and wonders of Florida, but we did not leave the airport the entire three days I was there. Honestly, the hotel was actually in the airport. Cripes.

And yes, the second sock is already on the needles. I wonder where I'll be shipped off to in order to get this one done...

It's not all bad; at least Stinker missed me. Can you tell which book she's reaching for?

Distractions

The wedding is over, and gosh darn it, so am I. Remember this project?



It is a little less than half of the Clementine Shawlette from the Spring '07 Interweave Knits that I was planning to wear before/at/after the wedding. As that obviously did not pan out, I've given it some thought and realized that I hate this pattern and do not wish to knit another stitch of it. There's nothing technically wrong with the pattern, it's just not something I'd generally knit and, without the special occasion looming ahead of me, I have no desire to knit on it anymore, not even for the thrill of a FO. So, it will be coming off the In Progress list and sit in limbo while I contemplate its fate: reclaim the yarn or try to palm off a little less than half a shawl on someone who wants a head-start (it's hard for me to give up on all that work....).

How to distract you from my project failure? Let's see, let's see... Hey look! A chicken!



This chicken actually did cross the road ahead of us, though his purpose was unclear. Oh darn, now how do I distract you from the bad "why did the chicken cross the road" reference? Hey look! Yarn!



This crummy picture represents my haul from Artfibers in San Francisco. Kyoto is a silk/mohair/wool blend that has great variation and reflection within the strand and is just as soft and lovely as one could hope. This also represents my most expensive yarn purchase ever. So expensive that I have cancelled all yarn purchases for the rest of the year, including souvenir and sock yarns. It's Summer o' Stash all over again, but this yarn is totally worth it.

Now, how do I distract you from my hypocritical extravagance (here's me: "Who would pay $XXX.XX for the yarn for one sweater?" Apparently me.)? Hey look! Pizza!

Have I ever mentioned that HusBoy cooks? Cooks awesome, delicious, and mostly healthy things like homemade pizza?

Well, he does! This is Tomato, Basil and Garlic on a white crust.

This is my pizza, a Spinach, Bell Pepper, and Onion on wheat crust with just enough cheese to make it stick together. He also made Israeli Salad, but we already finished that off.

Now, how do I distract you from the fact that, due to the fact that there are two pizzas here for two people, you're this close to realizing that I'm having pizza for breakfast? Hey look! Isn't that a sleeve?

I tried to start Jolie while I was still on vacation, but the Totem yarn from Knitpicks (no link, they don't have it and I don't want to lead you astray) has too much of it's own texture to let the subtle pattern come through. This texture, so detrimental to Jolie, is perfect for the $1.50 Cardigan featured in the same IK as the shawl, shamefully seen above. I am loving the pattern so far, but I am considering going down a needle size; my gauge is a little shaky and I may not have all the yarn I need to finish this bad girl up.

I'm all out of distractions for now. Go knit.