Knit stamps!

From USPS: "For the 2007 holiday season, the U.S. Postal Service will issue Holiday Knits, four stamps featuring classic Christmas-time imagery designed and machine knitted by nationally known illustrator Nancy Stahl: There is a dignified stag; a snow-dappled evergreen tree; a perky snowman sporting a top hat; and a whimsical teddy bear." See the stamps here.

Clorox is buying Burt's Bees. Blech. A Clorox suit said, "It's in an economically attractive category with a margin structure that will be highly accretive to Clorox." Double blech.

Burt's Bees: Now with bleach and jargon!

I made this little wristlet to (hand) felt some time ago. All it needs now is a button. I'm thinking about a wooden toggle.

Before:
After:

Halloween

Last night I made six eggs and eight slices of bacon for a party tonight, which I totally don't feel like attending anymore.

The error

One of the rows between the dropped stitches was not as wide as it was supposed to be.

There are better ways

I've tried and liked this method of weaving in yarn ends while knitting rather than weaving them in after you've finished.

I want to try this method of creating a left-leaning decrease that purports to mirror the right-leaning k2tog. Found through Redshirt Knitting.

$70?

Our blanket went for $70 at the auction (as far as I know; I left before bidding closed). That about covers the yarn cost, I think. I didn't buy the yarn and need to give more money to the person who did. Last time I saw her I opened my wallet to give her some money for the yarn and I had a whopping $6. Here's what my final square looked like. Spot the error? I decided I could live with it.

Netherlands links

New wool shop in The Hague: Woool
Ribbels in Leiden
Wolgaarde in Delft (URL no longer valid but store open as of a few days ago)
Amsterdam: http://www.pingouin.nl/
http://www.afstap.nl/

I should plug these sites into a translator later (heh):
http://www.nchandwerken.nl/
http://www.allesinrotterdam.nl/l188418.html

And Belgium!
stoffenidee
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=168602.0;wap2
http://www.woolshop.be/
http://www.lana-antwerpen.be/home.html
http://www.yarnagogo.com/blog/2006/10/brugge.html

Who in the world carries Rowan

Welcome, fall

Cooler temps (my feet are cold and I'm wearing handknit socks!) are here, which might up the amount of knitting around here. Actually, there's been a decent amount of knitting (and re-knitting). I'm two thirds of the way done with my quarter of a blanket that will be at a charity auction at the end of the month. I need to finish it pronto, obviously. (No, I'm not the farthest behind!) I'm still working out gauge issues for the last square, which will be in blue. Knitting three 12x12 squares in a row sounded like a piece of cake but was a somewhat frustrating lesson in gauge. Swatches lie. Once I get the magic number of stitches and needle size combo, I am sure I will zip along. I saw my fellow knitters' yarns last week for the first time--we all have shades of green, red, and blue. Two of the knitters are threatening to bid on the blanket themselves. I have no idea what it will go for.

Not a big mouth

I haven't done any interesting knitting lately, but a while ago I cranked out most of this bag. I stopped when I realized the opening was way too small. I could barely fit a box of Cheddar Bunnies in it. Bernie does not approve. I need to rip out the handles/top edges and try it again with bigger needles.

Saucy socks are mine!

I received my socks and some extra stuff from my pal, Danielle at Aswim in Knits. The pattern is Saucy Socks, a lovely free sock pattern I'd not yet come across. They're extra saucy because the yarn color is zinfandel. The yarn is Nature's Palette Plant-Dyed Yarns, so I guess it wasn't dyed by dropping it in a big barrel of red wine. I love the subtle variations in color and the pattern. I mentioned that I knit eye of partridge heels for the first time for my sock pal and that I liked them, and these socks have them too. They are my new favorite pair of socks. Thanks so much, Danielle! She also included some lavender soap and citrus candy, which I sent to my pal as well. If this was a coincidence, that's pretty funny. I also got some Toblerone, a Burt's Bees sampler, and a sock bag. Wow! I'm going to be enjoying the contents of my package for quite some time. Now for the photos.


I can't wait until it's cool enough to wear them.

Something weird happened with this post. It showed up two days late in my feed and was missing a picture, so I added it.

My socks made it to their destination!

The socks I made fit my pal and she likes them! Go check it out.

My camera's batteries have died so I'll have to wait to show off my beautiful socks.

Near, Far!

I have finished my sock pal's socks and sent them out. I included some other little things in the package: lemon drops (because Dumbledore likes them and I think/hope she will too) and Oregon-made lavender soap.

These are Chinese Fireball Dragon socks. I named them after the dragon in Harry Potter, which is "scarlet with a fringe of golden spikes around its face." My pal is a big Harry Potter fan and I hope she loves her HP-inspired socks and that they fit well. Here are a few pictures, starting up close and gradually moving out to the big picture.


Pattern: Scale Skin Socks, available free at the Six Socks Knitalong Yahoo! Group
Size: 68 stitches on size 1
Yarn: Louet Gems in cherry red and some gold Opal(?) donated by a generous knitter

This was my first time knitting an eye of partridge heel and I like it (this was a deviation from the pattern).
I'm including some leftover yarn in case she needs to make changes.

Purple

I tried to post this several days ago but Blogger would repeatedly ask me to log in, which is always a fun experience. The wisteria is pretty but wants to take over the world. It's growing like crazy.

I am still knitting the Sockapalooza exchange socks. They are supposed to be mailed anywhere between August 2 and August 7, and I should be able to swing that.

My husband's been gone for most of the summer but was home this past weekend, so I'm just now going to crack open book 7. I made him take pictures of my Gryffindor socks while he was home.

It's hard to photograph the back of your head

So my not-too-dorky but still-showing-some-Harry-Potter-spirit item was a little something to put in my hair:

I'm working on a (very) little something Harry Potter for the movie tomorrow

So stay tuned...

I could post a picture of my in-progress socks for my pal, but for some reason I'd rather wait until they're finished. So here's a picture of the yarn I bought for Melissa at Black Sheep Gathering. It's for the Chevron Scarf.

Mom asked about the pretty ceramic item in the previous photo. It's a teapot by Tasha that was a gift from Melissa. I think she had a hard time parting with it but was able to because she doesn't drink tea. I use it when I know I'm going to want more than one cup of tea, usually when I'm sick, cold, or working a lot.

One month to go

I have a month left to make my pal's socks. This is the yarn. I admit I am not sure how well this two-color idea will work.

Chevron for kicks

I took the only two variegated balls I have of Socks That Rock and started knitting them into the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I was not expecting much.It's not bad, though. The yellow and green from the left ball (Scottish Highlands) were hanging out on their respective sides too much, but you can tell they would move around a bit given more length. But I have to rip this out. I was not ever planning on keeping it, so I was very sloppy with the right-hand side where I switch colors every two rows. Maybe I'll do it again someday.

The other color is Lagoon and both are lightweight, not the recommended medium.

New socks are coming

I ordered yarn for my sock pal's socks so there will soon be some new knitting content. I feel a little like I've lost my sock mojo so I'm nervous about having to make socks for someone who can't try them on while I'm making them. But I'm excited about making them.

Baby Genius Burp Cloth

Swatching

I have been trying to figure out the best way to bind off toe-up socks. I tried several methods.
I decided to go with Grumperina's method because if it's good enough for her.... I also tried Elizabeth Zimmermann's sewn bind off, the Russian bind off, and the regular bind off (definitely too tight).

I tested out the stitch pattern I'll probably use for my pal's socks. Think it looks reptilian?

Bind off links
1 2

Some socks (and sock yarn) of mine

With sock pals checking out other participants' blogs, I feel the need to post something. Unfortunately I think all these socks and yarns have already appeared on the blog, so there's nothing really new here. My most recent load of laundry was blues and greens. I'm not sure how that brown one ended up with these others.

When my husband sees this photo he'll probably start shaking his head at all.that.yarn. Remember, my mom and Melissa gave me some of it! And most people have way more. I can show you pictures. Scary pictures. Anyway, I've stalled on working with the STR cake in the bottom right. I'm thinking of giving Monkey a go. It's in Broadripple right now and it's OK. If Monkey's no good I'll probably go back to that. The Regia Silk may someday be Bayerische. The tanzanite STR on the left may become Leyburn socks. I'd also like to make Anastasia socks, Embossed Leaves, Retro Ribs, and I'm sure some others I've forgotten about. So, I hope that helps my sock pal out some.

I have a pattern idea for my sockapalooza match: the scales skin socks, aka snake skin socks (photo 1, photo2). I like that this pattern isn't too popular out in blogland, and I can find no evidence on my pal's blog that she's made it or even heard of it. I can see she has read Harry Potter, so I think it would be cute to make these and rename them for one of the dragons. Sound like a decent idea? I just don't know how they'll knit up--stretchy? always falling down?--so I may do some swatching before I decide.

Sockapalooza matches

I found out who I will be knitting socks for today and figured I should put something up on the ol' blog for whoever is knitting socks for me.I've had some good mail recently. I got the two magazines free from two separate knitters. I wanted knitscene for the Central Park Hoodie. The Vogue was just something up for grabs, so I grabbed it. There's one interesting-looking pattern in it, but I may pass it on to someone else. I had an extra copy of an old Interweave Knits and sent it off to a knitter in Australia. In exchange for the postage ($9.50), I got a $10 gift certificate to WEBS. Woohoo! That's it for the free stuff. I did pay for the Greenwood Fiberworks yarn, but only $12 (including shipping)--much cheaper than buying it new!

Tulip in my front yard

Taken just moments ago

Civil War socks!

On Monday's Antiques Roadshow (from Salt Lake City) there will be a pair of socks from 1861 up for appraisal. I've already watched the segment online. They're in great condition. And worth a lot!

Hurt finger

Since Monday I've had a sore joint in my left hand: the joint at the tip of my middle finger. I didn't injure it. I knit a little just to see how involved that finger is in my knitting. As I thought, not that much. But I'm still taking a rest from knitting for a while. I may have to go to the doctor even though I'm sure it's nothing serious and nothing can be done except take Advil, which I haven't been doing because it's such a small area of pain. Aren't I too young for arthritis? Phooey.

I signed up for Sockapalooza after all. I would refresh the sign-up page and feel a little sad at the thought of it coming back up with "sign-ups are now closed," so I decided to join. I'm no longer ambivalent about it!

Looks can be deceiving

So, what is the difference between the Greenwood Fiberworks (top) and the Zen Yarn Garden (bottom) cotton/lycra sock yarn? Why did the 72-stitches-around pattern that worked perfectly for the former come out huge in the latter? Let me show you something.

Both strands below were about 7 inches with no tension on them, but when pulled tight, the Greenwood about doubles in length, whereas the Zen only gets to 10 inches. So Greenwood's more elastic and contracts more after it's knit. That probably means it wears better than the Zen. I think I'm willing to keep the pink for myself and give my mom the "campfire" color if she wants.

Sockapalooza 4 signups have started. I've been ambivalent on it for a while now. I loved knitting socks for other people (I had one pal and was a sock savior for another), but the socks I received are a little too big for me. I don't have much sock yarn I'm willing to part with, and I'm trying not to buy more for now. I don't know what to do!

What a difference 4 stitches can make

60 stitches around instead of 64

This yarn might do well with size 0 needles. If I still think these socks are too loose I'll buy some.

Next time: Why is this yarn so different from Greenwood Fiberworks?

Dyeing

I dyed eggs at a friend's house the other night. I didn't make all of these, and some of the ones I did make stayed at her house. I am responsible for the marbled ones--I learned it from Martha Stewart.

Want to see my pool?

These photos are of the same sock.
I didn't see it before, but the two sides are basically negatives of the other. I suppose that makes sense. I'm not sure if the pooling is OK with the recipient. I can try casting on fewer stitches--the socks could stand to be a little tighter still. I could do that with the other ball of yarn and see how it looks without sacrificing this sock, but all my size 1s are in use. I am lazy and haven't finished the Harry Potter socks because I don't know how I want to bind them off.

I knit with someone who was knitting socks on size 0 needles, which I've never used. I asked her how many stitches around her sock was and was stunned to hear 56--or was it 52? Anyway, something in the 50s. She admits to knitting very loosely. I'll say! I've never used the yarn she was knitting with, but I would start with 68 stitches on a size 1.

Test knitting

I learned a new way to make short-row toes and heels, with double wraps a la Wendy this time (top in photo). This photo shows what I think is the uglier side of the wrapping method. The two sides of the YO method (bottom) look pretty similar to one another.

I started these socks but had to redo them because they were coming out too big (at 72 stitches cast on). So the Zen Yarn Garden cotton/lycra sock yarn is a bit thicker than the Greenwood Fiberworks. I'm trying 64 stitches now and it seems to be good. I took a photo of the new attempt but my camera ate it.

Whose sari now? Mine.

Our house guest's "crafty" gift I mentioned a while ago is a sari. It's very pretty. He said he figured I could make something out of it.
It's very thin:
I have no idea what to do with it. It feels wrong to chop it up, but it's about 15 ft long. Oh, and I don't sew! Any ideas?

Creepy

Knitted animals--cute!But the rabbit's legs kind of creep me out.
(Cover of the latest KnitPicks catalog)

A sock that will make you laugh, if you're a woman. If you're a man, it will probably make you uncomfortable.

Here's my Loopy Ewe order (with flash): Regia Silk in pewter and Sweet Georgia in Omakase 2, if that means anything. The order came with small samples of a couple of yarns and some needle inventory cards.


The Sweet Georgia in sunlight:I wonder if one skein really has more red in it. The Regia Silk (55% new merino wool, 20% silk, and 25% polyamide) is so soft. I may have smushed my face into it several times. I'm thinking Bayerische, but that may be too ambitious. We'll see.

If you're not yet a Loopy Ewe customer and want to be, let me know so I can email you an invitation and get $5!

Cappuccino chill

This arrived yesterday. Yarn that I don't have to pay for but still get to play with is pretty cool. I told my mom about this yarn I found online that looked similar to Greenwood Fiberworks' cotton/lycra sock yarn and she bought this for me to make into socks for her.

Cotton/lycra sock yarn from Zen Yarn Garden (which also has an etsy shop)

Does bad outweigh the good?

Good: Trader Joe's hummus with pita chips.
Bad: Trader Joe's pita chips are actually tiny pieces of former pita chips.
The deceptive hummus container that has a partially elevated bottom you don't notice until you're dipping into the hummus and wondering how you could be hitting the bottom already.
How full I feel after eating so much hummus and chips.

Here is the current state of my drying rack--pinks and browns against the pink miniblinds (that were already in the house when we moved in).

Muggle visitor = no knitting

Though some knitting/yarn was in plain view while the muggle was here, I didn't feel comfortable doing any knitting. I could do some now, but I'm too damn tired, so I probably won't. Upcoming blog topics: my package from The Loopy Ewe, my crafty gift from the muggle, my quest for the ideal bind off for my toe-up socks. Now I need to zone out--to The Best of Nature. Hm, my PBS station is behind.

Suck It, Swiffer!

I went to the store and threw a box of Swiffer wet cloths in my basket. I continued shopping for a while and then noticed that my suede shoes had drips on them. My pants leg had drips on it. My groceries were wet. The damn Swiffer box had not been level and so it leaked. Thank you produce department for having paper towels available! I abandoned the box on the floor of an aisle (I never do that! I was mad), wiped off what I could, and got new ham and eggs. I did not buy the damn leaky things. I came home and finished this:

CO 53 on size 6 needles, knit every row until it fits. Obviously, these were scraps, from the baby bibs and burp cloths, which the mom loves, by the way. I was just at her house and she pointed out to me how the cloths are sitting all around the house. I plan on buying more cotton to make more mopping cloths. Swiffer can suck it.

(The shoes seem to be fine.)

Feed Me

No, this isn't another food post. If the number of blogs you read is getting a little high and you frequently check them only to find no new posts since your last visit, it's time to look into setting up a feed reader. I only had the vaguest idea what it was all about, but I managed to get it going on my own, and it is pretty cool. I didn't go the popular Bloglines route because it provided too little information for my liking and I didn't want to create yet another account somewhere. So because I already have a Google account I am using Google Reader. There are several ways to subscribe to feeds:
(1) In Google Reader, hit "Add Subscription," type in the URL (I haven't actually tried this. It probably works best for blogger blogs).
(2) Click on the link or button within a page that says RSS or subscribe.
(3) Click on the feed icon within the address bar.
Options 2 and 3 may require some setting up in your browser. It was easy in Firefox 2.0.

You can subscribe to more than just blogs. Find out when your Flickr contacts add new photos or when someone comments on your photos. Sign up for newspaper feeds (NYTimes or Washington Post). I've gone a little crazy and have 54 73 subscriptions, the majority of which I never visited regularly before, when it was more work. I may cull the list later. One knitting blog I read does not have a feed, and I've already forgotten to go to her site a few times. I don't know about Bloglines, but Google Reader can take its time to update the feeds, so if you want to be alerted of any current traffic jams while they're still current, you're better off visiting the site directly and not relying on your feed (likewise with the hot yarn deals you can find at Destash and Good Yarn Karma--a lot are already claimed by the time I see them).

I'm not crazy about being logged in to Google so much, but it is very cool to see your Reader tab update when a new blog post comes in.

I don't have a shared list yet but maybe I'll share it someday. Like I said, I may drop some subscriptions.

Cheering Charm ingredients

OK, not so much a charm as a potion. I needed cheering up last Thursday, so I mixed Gryffindor socks with Cadbury Mini-Eggs and three hours of TV.

No food this time

Three entries in a row about food. It's time for some knitting. The socks are coming along nicely. I still don't know what's going to happen with the heels and the striping. It's fun to try on toe-up socks for a change.

I'll get back to my peekaboo mitts soon because those are my "normal" project for knitting get-togethers.

And yet...

I burned the bottom of the bread and was so upset. But it's really, really good even so. I'm just cutting off the burned bottom crust. The rest of the bread is still soft and moist. We had it still-warm with butter and minestrone from the bakery last night for dinner. My bread was better than theirs (sourdough)!
(Picture with flash so you can see the grains better)

Recipe modifications:
2 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1/8 c flax seeds
1/4 c cooked wheat berries
Use leftover cooking water with fresh water (needed more water than usual)

Eatin'

This is (was) Guinness chocolate cake from a local bakery. There was only one bite where I thought I could taste the Guinness, and as soon as I sensed the flavor, I lost it. It was good, though a little dry.

Today I am starting dough for a whole wheat/whole grain version of the no-knead bread. I have no idea what I am doing and the husband is skeptical. I used whole wheat in addition to white flour, I added some whole flax seeds, and I added some cooked hard red spring wheat berries. I bought them from the bulk foods section because they looked like something that might go in bread. Then I came home and found out I had to cook them first or risk breaking a tooth. I'm still a little nervous. Like I said, I have no idea what I'm doing.

Cookie status

On Sunday our local Girl Scout came by with our order, of which only 25% remains. I put the remaining thin mints in the freezer in an attempt to make them last longer. Hah.

Erised

I'm excited! I will have to wait and see how the striping works out once I need to do the heel, but it's possible I'll decide top-down is better after all. Unfortunately because of the striping needing to be maintained I had to separate the yarn into balls of different sizes. One is about 10% bigger than the other. Eek!

Melissa, I think it's pretty safe to say these socks will stay with me. Dem's the breaks when you admit to hardly ever wearing socks. And you said I could keep them. And you know I will love them. But when you look in the Mirror of Erised, will you see the same thing Dumbledore did?