I accidentally left my socks in the office, so no progress there. I did spin the yellow merino/silk on Friday night though. I just have light blue (3), navy (2), brown (2), white and black to go. I'm hoping to get 2 pair of socks out if it - light/blue/navy/white calf length socks, and then something more spring-y with the pink/yellow/brown/black/white.
Mostly I spent the weekend freaking out about my Hungarian midterm today. Oh, and that defensive driving class on Saturday. 6 hours in a dark room watching the same tapes as they showed 3 years ago.... sigh. I couldn't even study.
woensdag, maart 19, 2003
Okay - here's a the cast off methods, which I found from a link on Wendy's blog
Anything to procrastinate.
Anything to procrastinate.
Just knit until the ball of yarn runs out, eh? These things are going to end up knee-high! Usually I make the leg the length of the foot and call it a day, but there's this nice bright stretch of red I'm trying to get to before I cast off. Oh well, I can always just cuff them over. I would have been done with this sock already if I could remember how to properly cast off ribbing - y'know the method that requires a yarn needle? So I'll have to do that when I get home. I should be studying for my midterms on the bus anyway.
dinsdag, maart 18, 2003
Well, the sock isn't turning out as I imagined. I did it the way I intended, but didn't like the look, so I've been frogging it here and there. It's no longer foot specific, and I think I'm going to scrap the entrelac. Oh - no heel stitch either. I think they're just going to be plain socks. Some times your yarn is busy enough that it calls for a plain sock. The striping turned out nicely. I hope it's the same on the other ball of yarn.
woensdag, maart 12, 2003
Foul foul mood today. Work will do that to you. I'm glad I'm off for the rest of the week.
I got my first stinky fleece of the season yesterday. The Icelandic lamb from True North Farm came yesterday.
My cat was in heaven. Normally he ignores my fiber. There are fleeces and rovings and whatnot all over the house, he could care less. He doesn't chew on drivebands either. But there's something about Harry's fleeces.... I laid the fleece out on the living room floor to inspect it. He was ecstatic. He would roll on it, and bury himself in it ... he was so happy. I had to take it away and wash it because he kept drooling all over it. I saved some second cuts for him and he lay on that for the rest of the evening, then I made a knitted ball and stuffed them into it - his new favorite toy!
I got my first stinky fleece of the season yesterday. The Icelandic lamb from True North Farm came yesterday.
My cat was in heaven. Normally he ignores my fiber. There are fleeces and rovings and whatnot all over the house, he could care less. He doesn't chew on drivebands either. But there's something about Harry's fleeces.... I laid the fleece out on the living room floor to inspect it. He was ecstatic. He would roll on it, and bury himself in it ... he was so happy. I had to take it away and wash it because he kept drooling all over it. I saved some second cuts for him and he lay on that for the rest of the evening, then I made a knitted ball and stuffed them into it - his new favorite toy!
dinsdag, maart 11, 2003
SzerencsEtlen vagyok. (I am unlucky.) Imagine the capital letters to have diacritics on them.
One day back at work from the knee injury and I come down with uvulitis. (Inflamation of the dangly thing in the back of your throat.) I still went to work, as I don't yet have a fever (...mEg nincs lAzAm.) I don't understand how or why I would get this, as I've been on antibiotics (Keflex) for a week already, for the knee injury. Perhaps that's why this bout of uvulitis is not as bad as others I've had. All I can do is keep taking it, and try not to talk (triggers the gag reflex).
I knitted a gauge swatch on the bus today. Size 4 needles look okay. I'm working with the thicker ball of yarn first, as it has less yardage and will dictate the size of the socks. As always, I think I'm going to make up my socks. Toe-up, shaped feet, short row heel with heel stitch, ribbing at ankle, entrelac through the cuff, ribbing at the top. That sounds about right. This is my "basic" sock. If I'm using a soft wool, like Cormo, Merino, or an Angora blend, I'll knit the whole sole in "heel stitch". It fulls nicely. But it's probably unnecessary with the merino/hemp. Most times I skip the entrelac, but I've found that the entrelac socks are my favorite. I have a pair in purple cashmere, with a black/blue/purple, merino/silk contrast yarn, and a pair with all of my first spindle spinning, in various natural fleece colors, with Cormo feet.
Now if I could only find a ruler to measure my swatch....
One day back at work from the knee injury and I come down with uvulitis. (Inflamation of the dangly thing in the back of your throat.) I still went to work, as I don't yet have a fever (...mEg nincs lAzAm.) I don't understand how or why I would get this, as I've been on antibiotics (Keflex) for a week already, for the knee injury. Perhaps that's why this bout of uvulitis is not as bad as others I've had. All I can do is keep taking it, and try not to talk (triggers the gag reflex).
I knitted a gauge swatch on the bus today. Size 4 needles look okay. I'm working with the thicker ball of yarn first, as it has less yardage and will dictate the size of the socks. As always, I think I'm going to make up my socks. Toe-up, shaped feet, short row heel with heel stitch, ribbing at ankle, entrelac through the cuff, ribbing at the top. That sounds about right. This is my "basic" sock. If I'm using a soft wool, like Cormo, Merino, or an Angora blend, I'll knit the whole sole in "heel stitch". It fulls nicely. But it's probably unnecessary with the merino/hemp. Most times I skip the entrelac, but I've found that the entrelac socks are my favorite. I have a pair in purple cashmere, with a black/blue/purple, merino/silk contrast yarn, and a pair with all of my first spindle spinning, in various natural fleece colors, with Cormo feet.
Now if I could only find a ruler to measure my swatch....
maandag, maart 10, 2003
Back at work so no spinning for a little while. I had already scheduled to take 2 days off at the end of this week, before the accident, so maybe I'll have some time then.
I simply cannot find my IK with the PG-R generic sock article. It's very annoying... I had wanted to try that pattern. Until then I'll swatch and try to think up something else to do.
I simply cannot find my IK with the PG-R generic sock article. It's very annoying... I had wanted to try that pattern. Until then I'll swatch and try to think up something else to do.
zondag, maart 09, 2003
Well, I ended up finishing that second skein of yarn last night anyway. So I can make socks whenever I find a suitable pattern (or make one up). The second skein is slightly heavier than the first (thicker yarn) but I don't think it will matter much. I've started spinning some merino/silk from my stash though. I was impressed that I could actually get rid of stuff - why ruin the momentum?
zaterdag, maart 08, 2003
I've got one skein done - about 180 yards of 15 wpi 3-ply. The overall tone is a heathered wine with gold and green lengths, so it's not that bad. I'm setting the twist now and will hang it in the yard while the sun's still out and the temperature's still above freezing. It took me most of yesterday to spin that, so I don't think I'll get to the second skein today. But maybe I'll give it a go.
I'm getting tired of this brace.
I'm getting tired of this brace.
vrijdag, maart 07, 2003
I got bored 20 minutes into the dim sum cat toys. So that's still on the needles. But I started spinning about 2 hours ago. woo hoo!
See, someone offered books in trade for fiber. She had a book I wanted, so I listed what fiber I had to trade. Once I listed it it's like, hey - I have some roving I could spin! (So Kate, if you're reading this, the wool/hemp is gone.) My wheels are all double treadle, but with weighted flywheels, so it's perfectly easy to treadle with the "good" leg.
By the way - the right knee is sprained badly - I have a hinged soft brace and 6 weeks of physical therapy to look forward to once it heals.
I'd bought this fiber 2 years ago at Rheinbeck with the idea of making socks. I obviously never did. I'm going to try to spin it fine enough to Navajo-ply it (maintaining the color changes). Why I chose this colorway is beyond me. (Burgundy/red/yellow/green) Nothing in my wardrobe matches this.
Sigh - another impulse purchase.
See, someone offered books in trade for fiber. She had a book I wanted, so I listed what fiber I had to trade. Once I listed it it's like, hey - I have some roving I could spin! (So Kate, if you're reading this, the wool/hemp is gone.) My wheels are all double treadle, but with weighted flywheels, so it's perfectly easy to treadle with the "good" leg.
By the way - the right knee is sprained badly - I have a hinged soft brace and 6 weeks of physical therapy to look forward to once it heals.
I'd bought this fiber 2 years ago at Rheinbeck with the idea of making socks. I obviously never did. I'm going to try to spin it fine enough to Navajo-ply it (maintaining the color changes). Why I chose this colorway is beyond me. (Burgundy/red/yellow/green) Nothing in my wardrobe matches this.
Sigh - another impulse purchase.
dinsdag, maart 04, 2003
Okay - I may be forced to do something here.
I slipped on black ice last night, twisting my knee and bruising it badly. Which puts me at home and off of my feet. I may have to break down and knit something Treadling a wheel or a loom is probably not the best idea.
I visit a specialist tomorrow so I'll know what exactly is wrong (probably just a sprain). I'll keep you updated on any new projects. Hey - I just thought of one - I liked the dim sum cat toys in the new Knitty.
I slipped on black ice last night, twisting my knee and bruising it badly. Which puts me at home and off of my feet. I may have to break down and knit something
I visit a specialist tomorrow so I'll know what exactly is wrong (probably just a sprain). I'll keep you updated on any new projects. Hey - I just thought of one - I liked the dim sum cat toys in the new Knitty.
maandag, maart 03, 2003
And another quiz just for the hell of it:
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Well this is a fine situation.
I have a loom. 2 wheels, numerous spindles, at least 10 fleeces, a chest of roving, a couple of chests of yarn, knitting needles of every size and material (okay, not glass - yet), a bookcase of knitting, spinning and weaving books, hundred of free patterns and dozens of original sketches...
... and I have no desire to do anything with it.
And I will probably get at least 3 more fleeces this spring and I already have an inquiry out regarding another book. I know that when I go to Rheinbeck in October, I'll buy another spindle, some more magazines. But why? I can't think of anything I feel like making, despite the fact that I need more wool socks and I'm tired of wearing the same old sweaters over and over. I bought a nice sweater recently, but it's so hard to go back to off-the-rack. I just don't feel like making them anymore.
Maybe it's the cold. I do most of my knitting/spinning outdoors, while I'm waiting for/riding transportation. It's simply too cold to have my hands out for any length of time. I won't start up again untill it's well in the 50s. So why aren't I weaving or spinning at home? I don't have a good answer for that.
I have been cooking like a madman. This weekend I made Spiced Eggplant and Mushroom Stew, Strange Flavor Eggplant, Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, & Raita. I stopped myself before I lept into Vichysoisse, and Eggplant Gratin. I don't have enough room to store all of this food, and it's only me eating it. (The rest of the house thinks vegetables are akin to cooties. I suppose that's why I'm the only one in the house who hasn't been sick this winter.) My kitchen bookshelf is full, full, full and I can't even think of buying another cookbook. I kept pulling them all out this weekend and seeing what I could make with the fresh ingedients I had. (eggplants, obviously, leeks, potatoes, mushrooms, avocados, tofu, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and a mango.) But the cooking didn't satisfy me. I hardly even ate, just packed it away in the fridge/freezer.
I need inspiration.
I have a loom. 2 wheels, numerous spindles, at least 10 fleeces, a chest of roving, a couple of chests of yarn, knitting needles of every size and material (okay, not glass - yet), a bookcase of knitting, spinning and weaving books, hundred of free patterns and dozens of original sketches...
... and I have no desire to do anything with it.
And I will probably get at least 3 more fleeces this spring and I already have an inquiry out regarding another book. I know that when I go to Rheinbeck in October, I'll buy another spindle, some more magazines. But why? I can't think of anything I feel like making, despite the fact that I need more wool socks and I'm tired of wearing the same old sweaters over and over. I bought a nice sweater recently, but it's so hard to go back to off-the-rack. I just don't feel like making them anymore.
Maybe it's the cold. I do most of my knitting/spinning outdoors, while I'm waiting for/riding transportation. It's simply too cold to have my hands out for any length of time. I won't start up again untill it's well in the 50s. So why aren't I weaving or spinning at home? I don't have a good answer for that.
I have been cooking like a madman. This weekend I made Spiced Eggplant and Mushroom Stew, Strange Flavor Eggplant, Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, & Raita. I stopped myself before I lept into Vichysoisse, and Eggplant Gratin. I don't have enough room to store all of this food, and it's only me eating it. (The rest of the house thinks vegetables are akin to cooties. I suppose that's why I'm the only one in the house who hasn't been sick this winter.) My kitchen bookshelf is full, full, full and I can't even think of buying another cookbook. I kept pulling them all out this weekend and seeing what I could make with the fresh ingedients I had. (eggplants, obviously, leeks, potatoes, mushrooms, avocados, tofu, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and a mango.) But the cooking didn't satisfy me. I hardly even ate, just packed it away in the fridge/freezer.
I need inspiration.
