Pop Princess

I have had a couple knitted babes sitting half-finished for quite a while, and this weekend I attended to both of them. (Aaaaaand started two more.) This morning, after spending an hour making a hair piece for the bald dolly, we dressed her up in borrowed clothes and contemplated leaving her as a bald pop princess. Funny, my #1Man and I wanted to call her "Sinead" while the kidlets wanted to call her "Brittany."



However, my daughter was rather attached to the hair-piece we'd been working on all morning, so I got busy and attached it to her head after all. I may yet make a bald dolly, but she'll have to wait for a few more that are in the works. I haven't made her clothes yet, so she's borrowing from the resident Groovy Girls. We're still waiting to discover this girl's personality and her name, when we do I'll post her over at knitted babes.

love that cat...

Quick note to cat and dog owners. There's a recall of wet pet food, and it includes a zillion brands. Please see Menu Foods for the details. We fed a packet of the suspect stuff to our cat just yesterday, but I checked all the dates on the packets in the house and the food I have is just outside of the range of the recall.

Roxxy Roller

Meet Roxxy!

Roxxy is a junior in high school. She's also a poet, and can often be seen at poetry slams around the community, sharing and baring her soul. She's a barrista at The Coffee Hole, working there on weekends and on the morning shift, because she has first period free at school. She's been listening to Dead can Dance and the Cocteau Twins on her mp3 player a lot lately, and the last show she went to see was Evanescence. The message on her cell phone says, "Sorry I'm not home right now I'm walking in the spiderwebs so leave a message and I'll call you back." When her mom asks her why she wears skulls, she says "It shows that no matter how you cover up, everybody's the same underneath. It's a symbol of human unity, Mom!" She didn't get her mom's permission for the eyebrow piercing or the lip piercing and was grounded for a month. The only subjects at school she really cares about are English and Art. She's going to have a show at the Coffee Hole next month of her collages and sculptures.

Construction Notes

yarn: Knit Picks Palette in white
stuffing: natural wool stuffing
needles: Size 2 Addi Turbo
technique: Knitted top-down, in the round, face sewed on next, stuffed with the doll still on the needles, then kitchenered shut along her bottom. Next came the limbs, knitted by picking up stitches in the appropriate spots and knitting i-cord. Last came the hair.
pattern: Knitted Babes by Clare Garland, of course

Stash Diving

When my daughter asked me to make her a pair of mittens, I was excited because this meant I could knit something out of Favorite Mittens but not have to decide which wonderful pattern to knit first. I was surprised by her choice: she did not pick one of the many two-or-more-coloured patterns, but rather she selected the double-rolled mittens, because she was attracted to the shaggy cuff. Then I asked her what colour she wanted her mittens, and you know I was thinking, "Yay! An iron-clad excuse to go yarn shopping!" But she surprised me again and said, "Show me what you have." I took her on a tour of what stash yarns were mitten-appropriate, and she picked out a skein of Peace Fleece that's been waiting a project for more than 3 years. I even had thrums from Spinderella (purchased those back in the days when I didn't work full time and wasn't in graduate school, and was toying with spindling...), and contrasting Peace Fleece yarn waiting for the shag. No yarn shopping for me!

One of my confusions about this pattern was her insistence that it requires smaller-than-you-would-think needles. I tried that, and got all the way to the spot where you put the thumb stitches on waste yarn, and decided it was totally bogus and ripped it out. I stepped up to a size 7 needle. Still smaller than I would think. With all that lining and shag, wouldn't it make sense to use larger-than-normal needles? Because the lining and shag would make it warm. With this gauge, I'm knitting using the stitch numbers for a size 2, and the measurements for a size 8.

Weekends are for Finishing Up

WOOOOOHOOOOOO! I am DONE with school! I have a 2 week quarter break in which to knit and read. Oh yeah, and clean house.

Yesterday I finished my columbine socks. These were knit from Wildfoote Columbine, which I picked up quite accidentally one day while shopping for the Knit Mitt Kit Swap. It was one of those yarn purchases where the yarn leaped into my hands and before I knew it, I was out of the store wondering how it was I just purchased new sock yarn? They are knit on size 2 addi turbos, with a short-row toe and heel, knit toe-up. I was planning to knit on up the leg until I ran out of yarn, but I got to the point where I either needed to add increases or cuff and end. It looked like if I added increases, the socks would wind up being an awkward length, so I just stopped where I was. I used the yarn-over cable from Sensational Knitted Socks.

And then there's the dresses. It all started a week ago, when I wound up going to the fabric store with my coworkers at lunch time. It was a huge mistake. It's like taking an ex-alcoholic into a bar. I was short of breath. My heart started to race. I was shaking like a leaf! I managed to get out of there without buying anything, well, except for a candy bar to help settle my nerves. But then--just like an addict, eh?--I went back later alone and bought some green embroidered interlock. That wasn't all, the next day I went back and bought some green ribbing to go with the interlock, and then some blue embroidered interlock, a matching plain interlock, and ribbing.

And that wasn't the only danger. My coworker was asking about sergers. We had a day off work coming up so I told her to come on over and try it out. I did warn her: I told her she'd have to buy one if she tried one. We spent the day looking at patterns, cutting out, and sewing. That night I finished my first dress out of a really cool organic hemp/cotton jersey, straight out of my stash. (yes, I have a fabric stash, it is astonishing to behold.) The very next day she went out and bought a serger. By the end of the weekend I'd sewn two and a half dresses, with a nightie all cut out. However, I had to stop for the week, working as usual plus I had to finish up the quarter.

Anyway, this morning I was able to finish up the third dress. These were made after my #1Girl was cruising through a mail-order catalogue and spotted dresses that she absolutely had to have. Now she has three of them... but I'm off the wagon. It's difficult to know whether to knit, sew, read a book, or what?

Three weeks, second sock

Well, it may have taken just one week to knit the first sock, but it took 3 for the second. A lot of that was on frogging and redo-ing. First of all, I forgot to start on size 3 needles, and had a good 3 inches done on size 2 needles before I noticed it was considerably smaller than the first. I also turned the heel not once, not twice, but three times. Once I got past the heel, it cruised along.

Knit with fearless fibers, I used a size 3 needle on the leg, then switched to a size 2 needle to finish up. The braid at the cuff comes from Nancy Bush's Folk Solks.

Yay, new socks!

Knitting Dreams

Last night I dreamt about knitting with alpaca yarn. How very vivid, my dreams! When my kids ask me what dreams mean, I tell them it's like your brain flushing. All the things that are rushing about in your head get swirled together on their way out. And that's what my dreams usually are. Something familiar, something totally unexpected but unsurprising in the dream context, all mixed up with weirdness, that I just find strange when I wake up. But lately I've been having very unstrange knitting dreams. Where I wake up wondering when I'll get to knit that! In my alpaca dreams, I could feel how soft the yarn was. The yarn was all natural, undyed, and the only strange part was that I accepted the forest green yarn as coming from a green alpaca without questioning that. I have one gorgeous skein of alpaca yarn that I got in the Mitt Swap from Beth at The Spinning Loft. I haven't yet decided how I'm going to use it. But I must knit alpaca soon! My dreams said so!

You're so weird

Me: Man, I was awake at 6:45 this morning.
Kid: I slept in til 9!
Me: At least I didn't get out of bed until 7:30. I just lay there thinking about socks the whole time.
Kid: Did you /really/?
Me: Yes, I really did.
Kid: Mom, you're /so/ /weird./
Me: But I thought about some socks I might like to make you...
Kid: Oh! Cool!

2 pairs in 1 day

The Anne of Green Gables books represented some of my most beloved childhood reading. As an adult, I've reread them all several times. One I particularly enjoy is Rilla of Ingleside. Although I've never been really a fan of WW history books, I find this story to be a gripping tale of a family and a community caught up in the fervor of war. Written in 1921, if I remember correctly, WWI was fresh in L.M. Montgomery's memory, and she makes reference to a number of events that were clear to Ms. M, but I have no idea about the background stories. One of the things that fascinates me is how everybody's lives completely shift when Canada goes to war. Not only does every eligible young man leave, but every body left behind goes into action, crafting and sewing things for the army, planting gardens and rationing. A friend of mine told me that at the University of Calgary, this book is regarded as the most accurate depiction of the homefront during WWI. I cannot verify this fact, but it makes sense.

I find it very interesting what a difference between the lives of the people at home during that war and the lives of the people in the United States during this war. For one, it is a different country. And for two, it's a very different war. But I see the people of the U.S. living a very comfy life compared to people at home during the great wars of the twentieth century.

When I first re-started knitting when I was 18, and then again when I was 23, I was all excited to "make socks like Rilla", although I never did complete that first pair I started then, made of a questionable gauge out of yarn that was 75% acrylic and all black.


When I discovered the group Socks For Soldiers, I was interested partially because of my reading and love for the Rilla book, and also because whenever I think about the people serving in the desert and their families back home I think about what an extreme and horrific situation that might be. I like that the group is very non-political, so they don't care what anyone thinks about the war or the current politics, they're all about sending care to the soldiers.

I finished my first pair of "big black socks" yesterday, knit to conform to military regulations and to fit some big ol' feet. They're huge socks. So huge. Really all that was left for yesterday was one last kitchener.

Then I knit on what are called "leisure socks", or rather socks to go to soldiers but cannot be worn in uniform. These are knit with much less restriction in form or colour. I knit them with yarn donated by Woven-n-spun. I won it in a contest on the SFS group, with the stipulation that I use it for leisure socks for soldiers. The yarn, colourway Summer Haze, is gorgeous so it was fun to knit with. I didn't expect to finish them yesterday, as I was pretty busy working on a paper, but I got dragged out late in the day, as I'd made good progress, and I knit on the go, and then in the evening while I watched Hoot with the family. This gave me enough knitting time to actually finish these socks, too. I kitchenered them up in bed, last thing of the day, after a full day of intense homework and some really good knitting, too.

The Summer Haze socks were knit on size 2 addi turbo needles, knit in the Ridged Feather pattern from SKS. I knit the heel and the toe in a size one needle. I used a short-row-heel, and the standard wedge toe.

Looooooot!

Today my #1Son called me at work to report that I'd received not one but TWO packages. He probably hoped I'd say something like, "oh, son, those are surprise gifts for you!" and barring that, at least a "Hey, why don't you open those for me?". I said neither.

I've been having this issue with the library. I keep checking out the same books and they keep making me give them back. After countless holds and renewals, I finally was able to apply some credit towards buying them for my very own. The Knitted Babes book is really good to have because of all the clothing patterns. Sensational Knitted Socks is one that I like to refer to for the textures/patterns. I don't ever follow an entire pattern in it, but I just get stitch patterns from it. And Folk Solks... Well, I check that out of the library every few months and spend hours drifting through the pages. And when I'm done, I'm all grouchy because I should have spent hours knitting! But dreamy about all the socks I might knit. I've modified stitch patterns from that book several times but never followed a pattern start to finish.

And, in package number two, my new stitch markers! My picture doesn't do them justice. You can see the skull markers here and the others here. I bought them off of Etsy from Sunneshine. I hadn't heard any reviews or recommendations of her, I just wanted some skulls to hang in my knitting. She shipped the very next morning, and they arrived the following business day. She has all sorts of cute markers, like a set of Buddhas, and Hello Kitty, and others. I decided I wanted a set with a lot of markers, so that I could lose a few and not be completely out.

one week one sock

One sock!

Usually I knit two at a time, but I don't relish having four strands going at once. I've tried it before. It's insane.

While I was plotting this sock, it was obvious I needed to do some serious swatching. It was also obvious that I couldn't do a tiny swatch like I usually do, I would need to do a fairly good sized in-the-round swatch. So I cast on the number I thought I would need, and swatched with the intent that if it worked out, I would have a sock. If it did not, I would not be so attached to it, because it was officially a "swatch" and could rip it out. Turns out I got attached to it anyway, but when I was approaching what would be the ankle, I finally accepted that it was not satisfactory and ripped it out.

This is knit with Fearless Fibers. I cast on using a size 3 inox needle and knit the braided cuff according to directions in Nancy Bush's Folk Socks. It was truly magical. The instructions seemed a little whackity, but after following them, poof! I had a knitted braid! I was awed. It was beautiful. I used some guidelines from Simple Socks, Plain and Fancy. For example, I would normally knit this yarn on a size 1 needle, but I used a size 3 on the legs and size 2 for the rest of the socks thanks to her instuctions. I did not choose to make a double-wide striped down the middle like she says, nor did I do the short-row toe with a seam. I did follow her yarn-over heel instructions and was very displeased with the results. It made a join line so flimsy that it looked like a line of starry lace along the heel seam. I left it because I didn't want to figure out how to make it so the stripes line up on the usual short-row-heel I do. But I did weave a long strand of yellow yarn behind the joins to strengthen them and to hide the lacy see-through look.

I started sock #2 last night. Unfortunately I did not look at my notes, just started knitting, and forgot about the size 3 needle thing. I knitted to five rows past the braid before I remembered, and that braid is some slow-going knitting! I had to rip it out and start over, and as we were watching a foreign movie at the time, (SUBTITLES, can't stare at my knitting so much) I didn't get very far.

kidknitting

Some surprising things happened this week. I feel like the chronology should be important, but I honestly can't recall which came first.

One) My NumberOneSon, who is 12, reported that he was involved in an argument at school that pitted knitting against football. One of his female classmates contended that knitting was far better than football, and one of his male classmates claimed the opposite. He sided with his female classmate, to her astonishment, and defended knitting by praising its portability, noting that you can knit in a bank, in the car, or even in the stands watching football. His Dad told me I had better give that kid a doughnut, and I promptly agreed! (this in itself is surprising, because his Dad's so vehemently against hydrogenated oils, so why would he suggest a doughnut, of all things???) Naturally then NumberOneDaughter started saying that knitting was wonderful, so now I owe both children a doughnut. Mmmmm.

Two) #1Son was fidgeting, as usual, so I picked up some knitting that just happened to be in the living room, a purple cotton dishcloth on size 8 bamboo straight needles, and handed them to him. He's learned to knit a few other times in his life, so I just needed to refresh his memory and he was off and running. He said, "If I'm going to take this to school, it won't be purple!" I was going... who said you're taking it to school? I found him some cotton yarn and the needles he made 4 years ago following the directions in Kids Knitting. We even sanded the needles a little more, then rubbed them with oil to make them a little smoother, and he started knitting his own project. He wanted a bookmark, but I'm not sure what it will end up being. The funny thing is he was knitting with some kitchen cotton that was blue and white, and it wound up pooling so perfectly that the left vertical half of the project is white and the right half is blue. The first night, I had him counting his stitches after every row, and when he added stitches or dropped stitches, I'd fix it for him. The next night, he picked it up when I wasn't around and knit several inches further on it, and figured out for himself how to fix his problems. He's increased by one stitch, but that's not too bad. He took it to school today, and then on to the sleepover, so I haven't heard if he actually knit at school. I don't quite get why he was determined to take his knitting to school.

Oh, and while he was knitting, he told me he was doing a lot better now that he wasn't trying to use that stupid poem. The poem is also from Kids Knitting, and I didn't think it was stupid! Could it just be that he's 4 years older? eh?

Needles and socks

Well. I found some glue and put the broken needle back together. It seems to be holding, so far. Additionally, a set of size one and size two needles from Comfort Zone arrived. My theory is that a set of needles that look like toys won't offend airport security personnel. Also, icord is a pain on a long circular needle.

The fearless fiber socks I started Friday got knit almost as far as the ankle, but only one sock. This morning I decided the fit was unacceptable and ripped them out and started over. The new sock features a braided cuff as described by Nancy Bush, and I stepped up a needle size more for the leg, which had been too tight. No picture yet, but the sock is gorgeous to my creator's eyes.

5 pair

What do you do when 3 pairs of socks are stalled because your size one needle needs repairs or to be replaced? Do you work on the fourth pair on the needles? Nooooo, you cast on a new pair!

I cast on my fearless fibers. This yarn is so fine that it usually needs a size one needle, but I cast on a pattern that says to step up a size. :)

I just wanted to knit socks!

Yesterday I had one of those days where I left the house at 7am and returned home after 8pm. Needless to say, I was exhausted, and I just accepted the fact that I wouldn't be any good at homework, and settled down for an evening of knitting socks in front of the tv. I started out with my ridged-feather socks knitted in yarn from woven-n-spun in her colourway Summer Haze. But, it was time to turn the heels, and I step down to a size one needle for the heels. I went to grab it, expecting it to be in my needle case, as I have been fastidious lately about putting my needles away so I can find them when needed. But nooooo, it wasn't there! I looked around by the computer, a high-frequency-knitting zone, and also by the bed. It was neither place. Since we were in the middle of Laurel and Hardy, I just put those socks aside and got to work on my Wildefoot columbine yarn-over-cable socks. In contrast to the previous pair of socks, which were top-down, these are toe-up. But coincidentally, these socks were also just ready to have the heel turned. And they also need a size one needle. So I replayed my previous search, but this time I noticed a pair of socks tucked under the computer desk. This pair was the Christmas socks I made for the girlchild, only to discover that I'd made them an inch too short. A few days ago, I ripped out the toes and started reknitting them, with that very size one needle. Now we were watching a Hawaii-5-0 episode, and I got to work finishing the striped socks. It would be a quick fix, and I had the girlchild's feet handy so I could regularly try them on her. Eventually we had to send the girlchild to bed, and I was on to the second sock. Mr Man and I settled down to watch Everybody Stares, The Police Inside Out. I was on the decreases, on the home stretch, when disaster struck. My size one Crystal Palace bamboo circular needle came apart!!! I was traumatized. I was shaking. I've never lost a needle before in such a graphic way. I've misplaced a needle now and then, but it has always come back to me. And my other size one needle got damaged when it took off on an autumn adventure. So i am without a size one needle, and have three pairs of socks that cannot proceed without a size one needle!!!

Hey, a contest!

So the other day I stumbled upon a list of knitting podcasts, and wound up surfing through some. I haven't listened to any in their entirety yet. I tried listening at work, but wound up being too distracted to perform my workly duties. I surfed onto http://www.pointysticks.org/, and even I even got to listen. Hey, she talked about Nancy Bush! And is planning an interview!

But I wanted to point out that she's got a contest. An ooh-la-la, get yarn and other goodies contest. She wants to hear all about people's attitudes towards knitting socks. If you hate em, if you love em, whatever it is.

I don't know how to articulate why I love knitting socks. I just got Nancy Bush's Folk Socks out of the library, and before lunch I was turning the pages back and forth. You'd think I'd have that book memorized by now, but I still don't. And while I've made a pair of socks utilizing a few of her patterns, I haven't made any of the patterns yet. But it was all I could do to keep from running off for yarn and needles and casting on RIGHT THEN. I have a paper due in 48 hours, so I have to refrain. But I want my socks!!! I'm thinking a Nancy Bush pattern and fearless fibers. It will be beautiful.

So, uhm, why do I knit socks? Yeah, uhm, why do I breathe? Why do I eat chocolate?

Meet Deaux

He was summoned. Summoned by a 12 year old boy, and he came. His purposes are unclear. His origins are a haze. His methods of travel a mystery. He communicates inaudibly, yet clearly. When he is present, colours seem brighter, rooms seem larger, questions seemed answered, songs more melodic. Smells are more vivid, and the breezes more vibrant. When he is absent, all lapses into a blur.

Technical notes: Deaux was created from Fearless Fibers merino sock yarn on a size one circular bamboo needle. He was created from the Knitted Babes pattern by Claire Garland. He was knit in the round, top down, like a sock. I sewed on the eyes while the head was still in process, in order to make the sewing easier. I put a wooden dowel inside him for stability, then stuffed him with wool stuffing from The Magic Cabin. After stuffing, he was kitchenered shut along his bottom. His arms and legs were made by picking up stitches in the right spot and then knitting icord.

Fearless Fibers!

Oh wow. Oh wow oh wow oh wow oh wow oh wow oh wow oh wow. It's mine. Allllllll miiiiiiiiine!

Fearless Fibers!

I. Did. Not. Squeeeel.

No, I am not hyperventilating. I did not just jump around in circles. And I am certainly not pulling the calendar off the wall to count how many days until July 21st. (170)

I did tell my family not too long ago that it was TIME for Harry Potter Book 7 to come out. I'm so glad to know I have significant influence. I'm bitterly disappointed that it won't be released 7/7/7, but 7/21/7 is pretty cool, too.

Book 5 came out while we were rushing to leave town. My Man and #1Son picked up our reserved copy from the library at the midnight release party. I managed to not read it for a full day while we packed. Then as we drove to Seattle, I read the entire way. The book was finished before we got there.

Book 6 came out while I was out of state at My Man's high school reunion. We went to the mixer on Friday night, and on our way home were going to drop by Barnes and Noble, for I had reserved a copy there in my name. But the lines were so long that we just went home. I picked it up early next morning, and while he picnicked with his high school buddies I read read read. It was finished by dinner time, then my son, now old enough to read it independently, grabbed it and read read read. I actually sold that copy to a librarian friend.

Now book 7.... I will be HOME for book 7. I wonder if I'll have to buy 4 copies to prevent any major home wars???

Compulsion

I've never really identified myself as a compulsive person, but it happens at times. Like when I should have been packing for my trip to Seattle and instead had to make a pair of mittens. Last night compulsion struck in the form of beadwork. I can't explain it. Instead of politely doing my homework, I kept sneaking off and playing with beads.

A picture says a thousand words

Examine this picture. It tells many things. It may tell you things it doesn't tell me. Some of the important points I see in this picture are as follows:

1) I have a swift. It is a lovely swift! My father made it for me this last summer.

2) I have a ball winder. It is a lovely ball winder! My children gave it to me for Christmas.

3) Having a ball winder AND a swift together is marvelous. Much better than having either alone.

4) I am preparing to knit with Knitpicks's gossamer in blue jeans. This is a springy merino that is fabulous to knit with and wear.

5) I am blessed to have children who love to wind balls for me. This contributes to my quality of life. I can hand the yarn skeins to the slaves and have them returned to me in pleasingly plump center-pull balls. In the case of this skein, #1Daughter is preparing it to wind while I linger over my breakfast tea. She asks, "Can I really just break these knots?" as she removes the ties that hold it in a skein, and I assure her that she can. She proceeds, and then comments, "I just broke the yarn to get the tag off, too, that's okay, right?"

6) She broke the yarn in the middle of the skein!!!!! Have I mentioned how much I hate joins? How much stress they add to my knitting? What lengths I will go to in order to prevent any extra joins?

7) Here's the kicker: No one got hurt! That must have been some good tea, because I did not leap up and take her down.



8) It turned out not too badly. The break was near the end of the skein, so what's leftover shall be set aside in case I'm approaching the end of my project and I feel like I absolutely need more yarn. If that doesn't happen, it will probably become some shawl for a knitted babe.

Knit Mitt Kit Swap

KMKS
Originally uploaded by forestpixie.

I used to particpate in swaps when I was a member of the Stitchin' Bitches, a hippie sewing group that proceeded the S-n-B craze by many years. I haven't done a swap since then, and it was fun to immerse myself in one again. I swapped through the Knit Mitt Kit Swap. My swap angel was Beth, and she really spoiled me! She made a lovely knitted/fulled bag in dark colours with lovely stripes, and included some Baby Alpaca that is soooo heavenly and soft. And did I mention what a big fat skein it is? It's a whole lotta wonderful yarn! She included candy goodies, like the biggest roll of Smarties I've ever seen (did she know I was once the Smarties Fairy, running about campus distributing Smarties to all?) and some way cute Knitting Girl mints in a tiny tin that's definately a keeper. I got some extra tools: a funkity measuring tape and some tapestry needles. (I was looking at a photo of those tapestry needles in some one else's kit with curiosity, just today). And lasty, she gave me a fabulous mitten book! It's called Favorite Mittens and has all these really cool folk patterns. I'm all excited to get knitting!

Uncluttered body, uncluttered mind

joy's underwear
Originally uploaded by forestpixie.

Joy likes to get comfortable before she meditates, and in this case, comfort means just her underwear. This underwear was cut from a small blue sock.

Joy's beach wear

joy's beach wear
Originally uploaded by forestpixie.

This lucky young lady sports a multi-coloured one piece bathing suit, and a warm cotton hoodie to cover up with. Her big SWIM TEAM towel was not pictured.

Joy's athletic wear

joy's athletic wear
Originally uploaded by forestpixie.

These pants and hat were cut from a lovely soft t-shirt that I pulled out of the donation bag. It's so soft I almost wish I'd kept it to wear, but the decoration on the t-shirt was unsavory. The top was made with cotton yarn, inspired by a pattern in the Knit Babes book, but as I couldn't locate the book at the time, I just knit it how I thought I should.