Thanksgiving FOs

I had a minor fit of startitis right before the holiday weekend, so the time this weekend helped me finish a couple of smaller projects, and I finished sewing up and blocking Spanky's sweater. I'll get to the sweater when I can get some pictures of Spanky in the sweater, so that I can make sure it fits, but the others are blocking now too...



1. Toe-Up Socks
pattern: Moving On Socks (rav link)
yarn: Regia 6ply Crazy Color yarn, 2 balls, color 5264
needles: size 2 dpns
notes: I bought this yarn probably years ago, planning to make knee socks with it, before I knew how much yarn that would take. Obviously I didn't have enough! So I just used the pattern there to try doing a short row heel and toe. I like the way the toes fit and look, but all around, I think the socks are just a tad too big for me. They're even a bit big for the blockers. I should have decreased a bit for the ankle, but I'm still pretty new to knitting socks. Anyway, I think they'll make good house socks when it is cold in here, and also to wear out when it is really cold and I don't have to walk very far. I really liked the colors when I started knitting them, but I think I'm going to have to put them away for a while before I start liking them again. I have more of this self-striping yarn in my stash, and next time, I think I'm going to go for a simple pattern, just so I don't end up with tons of plain, stripey socks. I think I knit these basically to get the yarn out of my stash. It was one of those impulse projects that you don't mean to cast on, and don't notice until you're halfway done with it. I needed something simple to take to jury duty, and these fit the bill and went really fast.



2. Seamless baby sweater
Pattern: Seamless Yoked Sweater from Knitting on the Net
Yarn: Lane Cervinia Calzetteria, 2.10 balls. I used two full balls and a tiny bit of a third to finish the second sleeve. I like this yarn, which is good, because I have like 7 more skeins of it. I bought it at a Smiley's yarn sale in the city a few years ago. Again, I bought it to make knee socks, which I never did. But I also thought I could use it to make a few baby things, and for that, it is great. Because it is sock yarn (70% wool, 30% polyamide), it is machine washable, which is great for babies.
Needles: Size US 4 straights and DPNs.
Notes: I love the way this variegated yarn looks in the slipped-stitch pattern on the yoke.



It looks like red and pink camouflage. I liked everything about this pattern except that it doesn't suggest how long you should make the sleeves and body, and I really don't know how long a baby's arms are, so it would have been helpful to know what a typical baby's sweater would be. I guesstimated, and it looks about right, so hopefully it will fit for a while. It is for my cousin, who isn't due until Feb. She is having a girl, obviously.

Ok, a sneak peek of Spanky's sweater, because I'm so excited! (excuse the mess!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm coming off one of the hardest weeks I've had in a while. And let me tell you, this grand jury duty stuff is not for the faint of heart, especially if you, like me, are lucky enough to pull the SVU division of cases. I come out of the courthouse every week thankful that I have Spanky and not some rapist, child-molesting man at home, and thanking god that I've not run into one of the many ass-grabbers that apparently live in JC. Humanity is horrifying sometimes.

But on the plus side, it's Thanksgiving! It's a holiday weekend. YES. I needed a break so badly. And Spanky took Stella down to her folks' house for the week, so I have the house all to myself! I've already gorged myself on movies (Clay Pigeons, The Marsh, and The Legend of Leigh Bowery, if you must know, and the only one I'd really recommend is the last. I wish I'd seen Taboo now while it was here! That Rosie O'Donnell, she was ahead of her time, or I'm WAY behind mine!), and while out today, I managed to snag two more books from my EW reading list--Philip Roth's American Pastoral, and Dennis Lehane's Mystic River, both checked out of the Five Points branch of the JC public library. Go figure. Guess which I'm starting with? Yeah, the Lehane. It's a grabber. I haven't seen the movie, and I don't think I'm going to, but I guess that really depends on how the book ends up being, right? I had to skip Beloved, but my friend Scott supposedly has a copy he will lend me, and I'm going to try to talk him into going to see Twilight with me on Saturday so that I can also pick up the book.



Spanky and I had our Thanksgiving feast together last weekend. A Tofurkey feast, that is.



I'm bringing the end of the roast out to my aunt's tomorrow, along with a pumpkin bread that I made today for the morning after Thanksgiving. It looks just like this chocolate banana bread I made last weekend, only in the pumpkin bread, the chips sort of sunk into the batter.



I still haven't decided yet if I'm spending the night there or just coming back late on the train, but either way, they can have some with coffee in the morning. God, I really love them, but I really don't want to spend the night on a couch.



I also made a peanut-butter pie from a link that Spanky sent me from Gothamist. I'll see if I can find it later and link all this stuff in the post, but right now, I just wanted to wish everyone happy Thanksgiving. It's a fine time to look around you and be thankful for what you have, even if it isn't as much as you'd like. It's hard to remember that when we live in a culture that is always shoving consumerism down our throats, but people don't need a whole hell of a lot to survive, and even thrive. We just need each other. And we need for each other not to be rapey, child-molesting, ass-grabbing criminals, so just remember that. More on the knitting later, pets.

scenes from a life

1. SO. I have grand jury duty. Not just regular jury duty. GRAND jury duty. And do you know how they differ? By about ten weeks! I have to go to the courthouse one day a week for the next 8 weeks! I am actually lucky--it can be up to 11 weeks, but because of the holidays, I'm on an 8 week panel. We have the awesome responsibility of indicting people for their crimes so they can face a trial (or not). We decide if there is enough evidence to go forward. I'm kind of looking forward to the experience, and getting to get out of work one day a week is nice, but it's not like I'll be sitting around at home in my jammies knitting.





2. Speaking of knitting... Because I had to go last Friday to get picked for Grand Jury Duty (GJD), I bought myself the Verena magazine that I've been eyeing for a while. I am not really sure how I feel about this magazine. I bought the first one because it was the first issue and I wanted to see what it was like, and I liked that one. The magazine has a lot of patterns for the money. I think in this issue there were over fifty. However, the models are even more over-styled than in Vogue Knitting. It is hard to see the garments the way they would be if I were going to wear them myself.

But I figured I deserved a treat for having to go to court. Of course, that was before I knew I'd have to go once a week until JANUARY. And when I thought I might somehow get out of it. I wasn't picked until the last panel was picked. Also, there are 23 people on a panel and I was like #20 of the last panel. So I almost made it.

Anyway, there is way more here than I could ever knit, but like the last issue, there are a few stand-out designs. The two argyles seem like versions of the same pattern, which is great. My favorite is the plaid jacket. That is just so awesome. It would take me a million years to actually make it, but I do love thinking about it. The red sweater coat thingie reminds me of the Tilted Duster, except the connection is in the middle rather than the neckline. I was just looking at finished tilted dusters today on Ravelry thinking how weird it was to knit a sweater that didn't close at all in the front, leaving the chest open. Plus, I don't really like things flapping around in the front, and this design solves that problem. However, I don't really see myself doing this much ribbing. What a boring knit!

So, in the end, I think this is a mag to get for the inspiration, like the wacky European cousin of VK.

3. Knitting update:



I'm actually at the armhole shaping on the front of Spanky's pullover. If I keep going at this pace, I'll be blocking the thing at the end of the week and seaming together next weekend! YIPPEE. I'm so excited to see if it actually turns out like I think it will. I'm modeling it on one of her sweaters (picked out by her, so there's no blaming me if the fit is off), and right now, it looks like the whole thing is going to work out to the right dimensions. I just hope it all works out. I'm anxious. Plus, it is a whoooole lot of stockinette. I'm ready to put it to bed already.



4. This weekend I did a little baking. It was part of getting back into the swing of things after my trips. I'm just now starting to feel normal again. I tried to go back to the gym last week, but that didn't work so well. I'm going to try again, lest you think with this offering that I've gone the exact opposite direction. These are cream puffs with Nutella whipped cream filling, and they are SO GOOD. And SO BAD. But so good too. I'm very pleased with myself that they worked out. Some knitters quilt as their second craft. Mine's baking. I love to cook. Unfortunately, Spanky's a picky eater, making it hard to try anything spicy or somehow too 'different', but she is the ultimate fan of baking. Anyway, this recipe is from a special edition mag called Holiday Baking that I got at a Joann's in SLC (also bought out of some need for a reward, but more on that later on).



5. We had a zipcar today and took it over to Linens & Things for their going out of business sale. During one of our moves, Spanky made me get rid of the shitty stereo I'd had since college and only kept around to play my records on. For about five years now, I've been carting my crate of records from one apartment to the other, wondering if I'll ever be able to hear them again. Enter my new Crossley. I'm not a connoisseur of music, so the poor speakers don't really bother me all that much. It not only plays records, but also cds and CASSETTES! This is exciting, because back in 1994, Spanky was a DJ at a college radio station, and her awesome step-grandpa recorded all her radio shows, even though she was on from 12:30 to 5:30 am. Isn't that wonderful? So now we have all these awesome recordings and we can actually hear the sweet little Spanky's voice on the radio. Plus, she's playing things like the SugarCubes and Sebadoh and L7 and the Pixies. Quality music.

Election Day

I almost didn't post tonight! It's election night (sooo exciting!), and I had my knitting group, so I've been a little preoccupied, but Spanky and I are in bed right now watching MSNBC on her computer (streaming--we don't have cable--shocking, I know...), and I realized I could be posting while we're listening to Rachel Maddow, et al.

Not that I have anything to show you. Just working on the front of Spanky's boring, brown, stockinette pullover. I'm ten inches into the front now, and I have six and a bit more inches before decreasing for the arm holes. Plugging along. But you know, I did find myself thinking tonight, 'Well, maybe I should put this away now so I don't finish it too soon...' I just love some plain stockinette. But I also can't wait to see if this sweater fits her.

Coming up over the next few days--some reviews. See you on the flip side, folks. (go Obama!)

FOs from the road #2

Sometimes, I feel like I don't control anything in my life. My job is cajoling other people to turn in work they don't want to do and/or doing it faster, better, and cheaper than is probably prudent. And, well, you all know how family life is. It isn't easy, and it never goes the way you think and wish it would because your own wants and needs are not always the priority.

I think that's why I love knitting so much. You can pick out something that want, you can choose colors you think are pretty, and you can fit something to your own body if you want, or knit it all shapeless and boxy if you want. You can control the results if you know what you're doing. And if you don't really know what you're doing, you can make it up, and it is still damn fun.



Yarn: Artyarns Supermerino, color #138
Needles: Size 6 straight needles, with one DPN for the 3 needle bind-off.
Pattern: Garter mitts from Weekend Knitting

I made these mitts to replace a pair of ribbed mitts I'd made out of some leftover Noro Kureyon last year or the year before. I loved those mitts, but I lost one of them in London on a business trip. Later, I told Spanky that I would make her another pair of 'croc socks' out of some Artyarns Supermerino, since she actually wore the first pair I made her. I found the cheapest place online to order the supermerino (which I absolutely LOVE, but it's so expensive!), and I ordered enough to make her a pair, her mom a pair, and I got some for me. When I got the yarn, mine was the only color I balked at making socks with. It is this very dark purple and black, and I just thought it would look stupid knit up as socks. So I planned on using it to make these garter mitts.



I like the way the colors look in the garter stitch--somehow the bumpiness suits the deep goth colors and makes them more wearable.

However, it only took one skein to make both mitts! So now I have one lone skein of this garish supermerino colorway. I think I'm going to make a little garter stitch (at least the border will be garter) cowl from this yarn too, so that I'll have a matching set and can use up the rest of the yarn. I don't know when I'll get to it though...


Calling occupants of interplanetary craft--how do you like my mitts?

FOs from the road

When I was in New Orleans, I found this really sweet little yarn store in the French Quarter called The Quarter Stitch. It is both a needlepoint store and a knitting store. They had the most elaborate needlepoint canvases hung up on the walls--so beautiful, in fact, that I was reeeeallly tempted to actually investigate buying one. I didn't, but I was close! I probably would have been closer, but the owners, after a pleasant hello, proceeded to ignore me while I looked around and they talked with their friends. That was fine with me at first, as I do like to look around before being helped, but I did have some questions about stuff, and they probably could have gotten more money out of me if they'd paid more attention.

Anyway, there were two rooms in the store. The front room had Noro, and some other yarns (including Bee Sweet, which is amazing and expensive), as well as the needlepoint stuff. The other one had tons of books and then lots of novelty yarns in a big basket on a table. Novelty yarns! All different kinds, which seems puzzling to me, since most places I think are turning away from these types of yarns and toward more traditional wool yarns. But then again--why would you need wool in New Orleans? It's HOT THERE. So anyway, the upshot was that I bought this really pretty yarn that looked like Malabrigo (1 skein), but didn't have any label (I would have asked about this as well--I thought maybe it was some sort of locally handspun hand-dyed yarn, but honestly, it's probably Malabrigo) to make a cowl, and then I bought, in a moment of weakness, this really pretty, sparkly, colorful skein of novelty yarn from Prism Yarns, based in St. Petersburg, FL (ahh, a Florida yarn maker!). I figured, well, I'm in New Orleans, and this yarn really screams New Orleans to me.



The yarn is called Dazzle, and it is 100% nylon. The color is Firefox, which you can see here and there was 116 yards in the skein. It is way more expensive than your run of the mill novelties (which aren't that cheap to begin with, really), because it is hand-dyed. Crazy, right? You can't tell in the pictures, but in low or fluorescent light, it is really SPARKLY. And the stripes were a happy surprise! I really love the scarf. I think it shows that you can make something with a novelty yarn that doesn't look too dorky or twee. At least I think so, anyway.


(please forgive Stella--she apparently sees a pigeon behind Spanky)

The other thing about The Quarter Stitch is that they package all the yarn to an insane amount of cuteness. I mean, look at this:


There was some confetti in the bag, and she curled all those ribbons while I was waiting for my receipt. It is such a great package, I was sorry to even tear into it, but I did take the Dazzle yarn along with me to Salt Lake City, just in case I finished Spanky's second sleeve and the garter mitts I'm going to talk about tomorrow.

so this is November...

Well, I'm back, and I think I'm almost caught up. I took a 'sick day' during the week to get some much needed sleep and to get some laundry done, but there is still grocery shopping to do, and some extraneous cleaning. Today, Spanky and I went to a party to call voters to vote for Obama. It was an interesting experience--I was calling people in Virginia, and I talked to some really interesting folks. I really hate using the phone at all, so it took a lot for me to suck it up and call strangers, but Spanky had it harder than me--she was calling in Ohio, and she got some irascible McCain supporters. My McCain supporters were very polite. I'll just be glad when the whole election is over. I feel like it's been going on all year! Be that as it may, I hope everyone does go out to vote (even if you're voting for McCain!).

Anyway, on the knitting front, I do have two FOs to document, and I've started working on Spanky's sweater in earnest again (WOOT!). The back and both arms are done, and I'm 7.25 inches into the front. I've been working on the front for about three days now, so it's going pretty fast. That's mainly because I have nothing else on the needles. It's really a weird feeling. I mean, the sweater is plain ole stockinette, and I LOVE IT. I don't have to think at all, just knit and purl. But I do keep thinking of the next things on my list--
1. green striped toe-up knee socks
2. brown felted canteen bag
3. black lace shrug
4. brown clementine wrap

That's it. I also have to do some baby gifts, but I really am not buying any yarn for a few months. I know I've said that before, but with this recession and my brimming stash, I think I should just concentrate on what I have now, instead of what I could buy. That means that I'm going to be focusing on smaller projects for a while, since I have many more 1-2 ball amounts than I do a sweater's worth. I have one more sweater's worth for me, which is WAY down the list, and then two sweaters' worth for Spanky, which I bought years ago, and would REALLY like to get rid of so I can reclaim the space for better yarn. They were originally intended to be practice sweaters, but hopefully this time I can do something a bit more impressive. Like, that she'll actually wear.

Anyway, I will definitely have more tomorrow, with actual pictures, but I did want to get in a short post since it is November 1.