Um, hi.

I finished these Austermann Step socks in March:
I am currently working on some cotton ankle socks for which I learned a new technique, Judy's Magic Cast-On (for toe-up socks). I'm still thinking about trying some sort of lace shawl or scarf, but I've also been thinking about getting a haircut for months, and that hasn't happened yet, so....

I did try to write a blog post about a month ago, but this was all I had saved in the draft:

"What is up with the wall-to-wall couch in this picture? It's crazy! I think there's a built-in step. I also think it's depressing the dog."

There was also a link to an old Nirvana video and a comment about guys in dresses equaling the '90s. This came about because I was reminiscing over some old ("vintage") videos at mtvmusic.com.

Recent items from my kitchen:

• Wheat berry salad with fresh peas (and fennel) from Eating Close to Home: A Guide to Local Seasonal Sustenance in the Pacific Northwest (a recipe book that fails to provide any idea of how many servings the recipes make):

• Walla Walla onion rings--Very tasty, but I ate too many and felt a little sick, and the leftover oil is kind of gross. If I make them again, I'd like to try putting some smoked paprika in the coating. No picture because we ate them very quickly.
• Lentil, apple, and banana salad from Rosa's New Mexican Table--It's unusual, but I decided to make it because I liked all the ingredients and the book acknowledged the fact that it sounds weird. I plan on making it again for a potluck in a few days.
  

More FO's from 2008

My mom received two pairs of cotton/lycra socks (Greenwood Fiberworks yarn) knit toe-up over 68 stitches. The purple ones have some calf shaping, as seen above, and are really this color.

These are the Gentleman's Half Hose in Ringwood Pattern (from Knitting Vintage Socks) for my dad. I think I followed the pattern exactly as written except I used size 2 needles. These are the largest socks I've ever knit and really hope they fit well. Yarn is Knit Picks Essential in navy (2+ balls). These also have calf shaping!

As for what I'm doing now, I ripped out this sock, last seen in March, because it was too tight all around. I'm now knitting it over 72 stitches and with a stockinette leg.

Final FO of 2008

I don't use it too often, but my dryer has a rack for items that need to dry flat. Pretty sweet.



I knit this hat, the Jacques Cousteau hat, in one day as a late Christmas present for my brother-in-law.





It's actually quite dark, a charcoal gray.


I think I messed something up in one of the four sets of decreases, but he'll never know. And it's a bit big. Eight inches of ribbing is perhaps too much.

Yarn: Cascade 220, one skein
Needles: Size 8
Size: 120 stitches