Stuck on Socks

New WIP

As soon as I saw the Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters book, I knew I wanted to knit this vest.

It just looked like something I'd wear. And wear a lot if I happen to knit it well. Or at least not horribly. I was in the mood for some easy knitting but I find myself stopping to measure every couple rows.

The armhole is a bit deep, but I feel a little better about the project seeing it laying out like this and not in my lap. The photo I posted the other day just gave a little hint of this project. This bit of detail shows the provisional cast on which I've since picked up more successfully than ever before. Didn't split my yarn even once. Doesn't sound like a big accomplishment, and yet...

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My other knitting would be these:

My very first miters. I prefer the look of the stockinette one, but the squishy fabric of the garter one leaves the other in the dust. I'm not embarking on an afghan. But a sofa pillow... maybe.

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And I can't end this entry without a bow down to Cathi of my Fantasy Football league. My Bengals lost today to her Steelers. There was a tiny bit of sock yarn on the line and I'll pay up as soon as I know which you'd like.

Chris Henry - are you reformed yet?

Biorhythms suck

Cookie posted her biorhythm chart yesterday so I checked mine.

I'll be hibernating until further notice...

If you feel some sort of twisted urge to check yours, click here.

With some luck I'll make it through my spinning demo today. Angela will be along and I'm sure she'll look after me. But the more critical problem is November 3rd where I'll really need a babysitter as it seems that not only will I be deathly ill and in the depths of depression, but I'm also going to become stupid as well.

Just playing around

Spell with Flickr

New stuff

I think it's been a while since I shared some of the great yarn that's come my way.

Top left is prize yarn - This is Tess' Super Socks & Baby that came from Mindy as a prize for supporting Team Pickle in the local Down Syndrome walk last month. It's a very interesting yarn - very springy and gorgeous colors. Thanks Mindy!

Below that is my newest stash addition - Oceanwind Knits' Merino in Elderberry. This is so much more beautiful than a photo can convey. The colors are subtle and almost iridescent. I know that whatever socks I knit from it will be wonderful.

I can't remember if I showed you this next yarn already or not (top right) - I joined White Oak Studio's TV Yarn club. The theme here is Chick Flicks and this one is Fried Green Tomatoes. I *love* this yarn and I'm thinking that I might end up with yet another pair of Monkeys. Her Etsy store is empty just now - you lucky people going to SAFF can get her goods there this weekend.

In the lower right is another new-to-me yarn, Sasquatch Sock from Lime & Violet. The colorway is called Sea Gardener and I've been sitting on this one while I look for a fabulous pattern. I might try to turn this yarn into Charade socks. (pdf link)

Below all of it is the beginnings of a vest - I'm going a little by the seat of my pants so we'll see how long I manage to work away on this.

To give you a little Dogs on Thursday, I had a photographer's helper. For your full dose of puppy goodness, see my DoT costume contest entry from Tuesday here.

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Last is some autumn color (with bonus power lines...)

The Movie Meme

I picked this up from Karen who has inexplicably missed not only the Tolkien series, but also the Indiana Jones series and the entire Star Wars collection.

SUPPOSEDLY if you’ve seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you’ve seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste this as a note. Then, put x’s next to the films you’ve seen, add them up.Have fun!(X) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
(X)Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(X) Neverending Story
(X) Blazing Saddles
(X) Airplane
(X) The Princess Bride
(X )AnchorMan
(X) Napoleon Dynamite
(X) Labyrinth
( ) Saw ( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
(X) The Princess Diaries
(X ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
( ) Scream ( ) Scream 2 ( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie ( ) Scary Movie 2 ( ) Scary Movie 3 ( ) Scary Movie 4
(X) American Pie ( ) American Pie 2 ( ) American Wedding ( ) American Pie Band Camp
(X) Harry Potter 1 (X) Harry Potter 2 (X) Harry Potter 3 (X) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1 ( ) Resident Evil 2
(X) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
(X) Lilo & Stitch
(X) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
(X) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre ( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
(X ) 13 Going on 30
( ) I, Robot
( ) Robots
(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(X) Along Came Polly
(X) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
(X) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) KING KONG
( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
29 So Far
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(X) Dumb & Dumber ( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination ( ) Final Destination 2 ( )Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring ( ) The Ring 2
(X) Surviving X-MAS
(X) Flubber
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(X) Practical Magic
(X) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( )Secret Window
(X) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards ( ) The Whole Ten Yards
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky ( ) Bride of Chuck
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
(X) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge ( ) The Grudge 2
(X) The Mask ( ) Son Of The Mask
( ) Bad Boys ( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(X) Ocean’s Eleven ( ) Ocean’s Twelve
(X) Bourne Identity ( ) Bourne Supremecy
(X) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I ( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(X) Ice Age( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
(X) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(X) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
(X) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
(X) Rush Hour ( ) Rush Hour 2
( ) Best Bet
(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(X) She’s All That
( ) Calendar Girls
(X) Sideways
49 So Far
( ) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(X) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
(X) Big Trouble in Little China
(X) The Terminator ( ) The Terminator 2 ( ) The Terminator 3
( ) X-Men ( ) X-2 ( ) X-3
(X) Spider-Man ( ) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(X) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(X) Freaky Friday
(X) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
(X) Cruel Intentions ( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek (X) Shrek 2
(X ) Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
(X) K-Pax
(X) Krippendorf’s Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
(X) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring (X) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(X) Elf
( ) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
76 So Far
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
( ) Chronicles Of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(X) Waterworld
( ) Kill Bill vol 1 ( ) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator ( ) Army of Darkness
(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace (X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(X) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith (X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back (X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage (X) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
(X) The Matrix (X) The Matrix Reloaded (X) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead ( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon (X) Silence of the Lambs ( ) Hannibal
89 Total

Pretty light on the bloody / evil / gory / scary films.

A Halloween Tale (Tail)

When I was a just a lass, a peculiar crone shared knowledge with me.
“Sparkling snail trails come with consequences.”
“Ferns that unfurl facing west are tasty fried up with onion and parmesan.”
“An unstruck match will burn your enemy.”
“Bones of the Hellhound captured in the half moon’s light restore life to the dead.”

She gave her knowledge to me so it wouldn’t be lost at her passing.

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Three days before I was a bride, my love was taken from me. Taken too young. Taken too soon. He was mourned by many and my heart wept.

I remembered the fateful words of the crone.

Waiting for the night of the half-moon lasted an eternity. But at last it came and as the storm rolled in, I searched for Hellhound bones in the only place they could be.

Hellhounds skillfully evade those who seek them. I was determined not to search in vain.

I caught glimpses from the corner of my eye. A trick of the moonlight?

Did that stone move? Was that their howling I heard? Or just the wind?

I crept closer and couldn’t believe my eyes. Were they allowing me to see them? They weren’t running. Did they want me to catch them? Didn’t they realize I wanted their bones for the crone’s ritual?

Closer… closer……

They’re mine!

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Finally in my grasp, I gathered the bones and rushed them to the safety of my home and prepared for the ritual that would return my love to me.

Doubts swirled in my mind. Knowledge that men are fickle with their affections was certain. Suspicion that my heart had not been treasured once given. And finally… resolve to choose love that would be faithful and true.

The ritual completed, Hellhound bones transformed death into life, and my new puppy loves lived with me happily ever after.

Trick or Treat!

Still plugging along

The second Jewel sock with plenty of gusset to decrease. At least I know I've got some easy knitting for SnB on Tuesday evening.

Sunday's football game was So. Much. Fun! Here's one photo (#9 should need no explanation for football junkies) but there are more on the Fantasy League blog. Why yes, the seats are really, really high up there. :)

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Also, we have officially entered No Ringer season for the telephone. Twice tonight in quick succession it rang and there was that telltale pause that indicates a computer-dialed call. I blame this on Election Day fast approaching. Seriously, I turned the ringer off. Can't stand even hearing it ring knowing it's most likely not really for me. If it's an emergency - email. The longest it'll take me to answer it is 6 or 7 hours (overnight).

Holding down the fort

While everyone is in Rhinebeck, I figure the few of us left home need something to read...

A knitting thing...

I want to knit the cool striped side to side vest in the Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters book. So last night (while sing-songing in my head: I'm going to the game!) I knit a swatch and even washed it. What do you think of the colors? Do they go together OK? And what about the yarns? Are they too different? Gauge-wise I think they're all right.

The grey is leftover Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky (from my Olympic sweater) and it's a little bit fuzzy. The other is Mission Falls 1824 wool in color #9 called Nectar. Much smoother than the Elann. I think that's my only worry with this project - but am I just too close to it to see that it's actually OK?

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Game Game Game Game

Oh yes, I'm going to the Bengals game tomorrow. I'm going to the game. This has been going through my head in a loop since my favorite aunt emailed last night to say she had a ticket for me. Yay! I'm going to the game! It's supposed to be 82 and mostly sunny and I'm still going to wear my vintage Opal Tiger socks.

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A meme!

Li posted the book meme where you go to page 161 of the book you are currently reading and share sentence #5. Here's mine:
"Hi," she said.
Since that one is less than thrilling, I'll give you a random one:
I considered whipping out the OED after all on the grounds that Wales was a foreign country, but I didn't think they had microfilm in 1940.
These are from The Winds of Marble Arch and Other Stories by Connie Willis. If you haven't read Connie Willis, you are really missing out.

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And now I'm heading out to run errands. I can see in my Bloglines that Monkee Maker and the Pioneer Woman have both posted but I'm saving those as a reward for getting a few things accomplished. (Yarn store, drugstore, Target) I'd link to them but then I'd see the posts and my reward would be gone. Google 'em - if you don't already read them, you'll be glad you did.

First Jewel Sock

I just love this sock. It fits like a dream and the colors put a smile on my face. I know (seriously, I know) that I have plenty of yarn for the second sock but I'm already second guessing myself. I'm not going to go begging for leftovers until I'm really, truly, completely out of yarn.

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And a late Wednesday picture for Dogs on Thursday...

Don't you want to play with us?

If I've done nothing else right in their training, at least I've taught them to pose for the camera.

Light posting

I've tried to add enough light to this picture so that the stitch markers can be adequately appreciated. Not sure I've succeeded:

These beauties were part of the prize package I received from Jane as part of her Show Me Your Socks contest. (She's just finished pair #97!) The yarn that came with them was Regia Bamboo in blues/pinks/greens. So much softer than I'd have thought. Also an orange Chibi - you can never have too many Chibis! Thanks Jane!!

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In the interest of confession being good for the soul, and since I've recently confessed this in a few emails so I might as well here too... I bought some Kauni.

If the colors you see there are olive green, dusty blue, dusty lavender, and plum, then your monitor is telling you the truth. I admit that the rainbow colorway would have been my first choice, but really, this is a much better set of colors for me. And after I saw this beautiful shawl in Margene's queue on Ravelry, I'm wondering if this yarn would be a good choice for that one. Or some other shawl? Suggestions? Please? Remember, I've really only finished 2 significant bits of lace. It can't be too difficult.

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Last picture is some spinning - this was done ages ago and I needed a bobbin emptied so here it is:

Not much here - not even enough to measure. 50/50 merino and tencel that I purchased months ago at the Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival. I'll be spinning in a couple weeks at an Appalachian heritage festival at one of my branch libraries. I've been looking through my fiber stash and I think I'll be spinning some thrums from Spinderella. Unless I change my mind a dozen times between now and then. :)

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And look what came in the mail today!!!!

Armchair dream-shopping is now underway!