Whew

Finished my submission in the nick of time, since it turns out the deadline was today and not tomorrow as I had thought. I must have gotten the date all mixed up with the Fiber Revival date, which is tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to the two-handed fair isle class with Isobel and seeing/meeting people.

Tomorrow is also my grandmother's birthday, and I'm a little behind on her present, but I think she won't mind when she sees her new pair of Amy March Slippers. I'll finish them up to mail on Monday.

And on Monday I also hope to mail some presents to my new niece Lena (after photographing them, of course).

Keep on Blogging

I'm trying to blog more regularly, but it's not as easy when you want to include pics but are working on seeecret projects (well, projects that shouldn't be photographed before they are accepted/rejected to online publications). And internet access is only working on Nick's laptop, while I like to keep the pics on mine (where Photoshop lives). Plus, I prefer blogging FOs with pics, much prettier than jumbly in-progress shots.

Anyway, I'm close to finishing up the project I want to submit this week and am pretty psyched with how it's turning out. The gals at Knit Night approved. I would only need to submit a swatch and sketch this week but really wanted to knit it up to make sure it will actually work, since I don't want my doodles to write a check my needles can't cash. If it is liked I can spend the model knitting time grading the pattern, which I have yet to do.

And I'm kind of waiting for my dear sister-in-law to have her baby to show you the things I've knit for said baby.

As an aside, I've read a number of blog reports from Sock Summit, and I just have to say that it's Meg Swansen (not Swanson). I'm sure it's just jealousy on my part, but if you get to meet the lady (wonderful in her own right *and* the daughter of Elizabeth Zimmermann), spell her name correctly. They'd better have another Sock Summit next year, and I'd better figure out a way to go.

I Do Not Like Magic Loop

I'm working on a sweater for Penelope for her birthday (why, yes, it is today, and I started on Sunday, with sock yarn, but it's August, so she doesn't really need a sweater *today* today). Anyway, it's a top-down raglan cardigan that I'm winging. Apparently, I don't have a set of US6/4.0mm DPNs but do have an Addi Turbo (cue light saber sound effect). I think the problem is that I only have 44 little stitches on these needles, so I am constantly having to shift the cable. Gah, I think I'm going to frog the sleeve and knit it flat - the sleeve is small and the yarn dark (BMFA's Socks That Rock Lightweight in Lenore from the 2007 Rockin' Sock Club) and practice seaming is always good.

Ah, that's better. I can purl far faster than I can wrassle cables. Off to figure out rate of decrease on the sleeves. Or should I leave them full and decrease rapidly at the cuff for a little puff?

Sock Summit 2009 article

Sounds like a great time was had by all. And not a single mention of "grandma's knitting" :) [Link]

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Zimmermann

Today is Elizabeth Zimmermann's birthday, so knit on with confidence and hope through all crises!

What are you knitting today? I'm working on a design in which i-cord and circular knitting play prominent roles - very EZ.

Why don't you go knit some Christmas Fiddle Faddle in the Woods? It is August after all. I'm going to work on mine in a couple of weeks when I am, in fact, in the Great North Woods of Wisconsin - very EZ, indeed.*

And if you haven't seen this online companion to the New School Knitting exhibition of 2006, check it out.

*If you don't have Knitter's Almanac, why not order it from Schoolhouse Press (scroll down a little ways) today? It is such a wonderful book.

Hudson Valley Fiber Farm/Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm

Just found this little bit of fiber p0rn while perusing photos of the lovely Hudson Valley Fiber Farm on apartmenttherapy.com. Antique house, fiber-bearing beasties (and chickens), and a lovely yarn shop. I may need to take a trip to the Hudson Valley!

Wait, there's more! These folks also own the Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm, and you can go to Shepherding Camp on the Island. OK, that's now on my someday list!

FO: My Socks

Pattern: Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Sock, plus Judy's Magic Cast-On, plus a picot hem - Purly's Own Hodgepodge Sock :) [Ravelry link]
Yarn: madeline tosh sock in Twilight from Purl Diva
Needle: US0/2.0mm HiyaHiya sock/glove DPNs (the short ones)
Mods: None, since I was kind of making it up as I went along

Ah, nothing like putting on a pair of wool socks in August. The things we do for our blogs. I am looking forward to wearing these, though, when the weather gets nippy. They fit like a dream, particularly for my spaghetti toes. The ability to try on as you go is great for people with long feet like mine.

Way back when I started these, I think I tried using a US2 needle, which made for a floppy fabric, not what you want in your socks. I ended up going all the way down to the US0 needle but broke one of my bamboo ones before I found these HiyaHiyas. I used the metal ones, which are very silky (I find Addi Turbos too slippery sometimes, though they work well for certain projects). I'm looking forward to the interchangeable set that is coming this fall from HiyaHiya. Perhaps right around my birthday next month?

Anyway, the first sock went quickly, but I suffered serious Second Sock Syndrome (SSS), which might be alleviated on future sock projects if I chose socks with, you know, patterns or something. I keep trying to convince Nick to take up sock knitting (he's a nail nibbler) to keep his hands busy. And I'd get socks out of the deal. But he's not buying it.

The picot edge flips a little, as you can see in the heel picture, so I may redo it. But for now they are done and ready for the cold weather sure to come eventually. Don't you like the heel? I think the way the yarn sort of bull's-eyes is cool.

OK, off to work on a design. It's a good distraction from Isobel's father's visit. Luckily, she's having a great time, so it's worth it.

P.S. Like the lobster-red adirondack chair in the heel shot? It finally stopped raining long enough for Nick to paint them - pretty fabulous.