Little Sock That Could™

I try very hard not to make promises I can’t keep. It is one of the quirky things about me which drives the children absolutely freaking insane.

The Princess: Can we go to the mall this weekend and buy jeans?

CursingMama: Maybe, we’ll have to see.

The Princess: Why Not!?!

CursingMama: I don’t make promises I can’t keep. We’ll have to wait and see what the weekend brings. I might have time, I might not.

Never Forget – I am totally unreasonable.

Because I alluded to the possibility of a discussion of the Little Sock That Could™ today I am feeling fairly confident that it wasn’t a promise – but only a suggestion,

a “Maybe, we’ll have to see”

I believe we can see…….
I have, in fact, completed the knitting on the very first Little Sock That Could™.

As modeled by the very relieved owner, The Princess

I’m pretty happy with how it turned out, the striping looks good, the colors scream Princess, the knitting itself is really consistent and there are only a few minor issues. Issues that I know about, and since this is apparently “Full Disclosure Week” you are also going to be made aware of.

I have decided it qualifies as “good enough” considering it is the first sock I have ever knit. So I’m ignoring the issues and moving on to the second sock.

I do not plan on repeating these issues on the second sock – but you know what they say about the best laid plans. (For the record I have finished knitting all of the ribbing on the second sock and am preparing for heel flapping during Greys Anatomy tonight)

I Would Never Abuse This Trust

Cross Posted from the other joint

It's time to throw up the bat signal.

Thank Goodness Bookish Wendy came up with this!

So, despite all evidence to the contrary I have continued knitting along on the The Little Sock That Could™ even though there is a small little hole where I picked up the stitches for the gusset. (Per The Princess The Harlot reports this is not unusual and will go away when things get a little fuzzy) (see how I even know the terminology - I'm like a real live knitter now)

Knit - knit - knit - Some of the gusset isn't really pretty - but I'll live with it. Or rather The Princess will live with it, and quite honestly it's in the damn shoe and I'm going to beg her not to show them off to anyone.

(imagine pictures here I'm not alone in the office and taking pictures is not easily explained) (It's particularly difficult to explain taking pictures of my big foot stuffed into a sock sized for The Princess under my desk to get the proper lighting) (unfortunately trying to use the ladies restroom isn't a good alternative either)

And now I need to know:

• When do I start decreasing for the toe?
• Is there some magical place like knuckle area of the pinkie toe I know nothing about?
• Whose damn idea was this sock knitting thing anyway?
  
• How many rows will it take to go from full size to toe size?
• What the hell have I gotten myself into?

Since I'm not ballsy enough to email Cat Bordhi (I'm using her book to wing my way through this whole ordeal procedure) and ask - I'm depending on you (Chris, Jeanne, Beadslut, Annie, Hillary......you know who you are -)(although do you toe-up people appreciate the pain I'm in here?) to help me out before I cast myself upon the needles in a last sacrifice to the Knitting Goddess.
Overly Dramatic? I think not!

4 out of 5 Knitters Agree

Swag Bag Courtesy of the Yarnery

For the record, the Socking (stalking with a sock) has subsided somewhat. Fortunatley it’s the weird famous knitter stalking part that has calmed, not the sock knitting part.

When I arrived at the restaurant meet-up on Wednesday I had a nice little cuff, a pretty well executed heel flap, and a FANTASTIC heel turn (no really I did it right and I did the math all by myself) completed. The next obvious step is of course picking up the stitches for the gusset and knitting on my merry way while decreasing at a reasonable rate. All things I’ve done numerous times on bags and hats. No Problem. (that would be foreshadowing - I've a degree in Communications no doubt)

After finishing my Chicken Sate` (here’s a bonus link for a fab chicken sate’ recipe) I picked up my stitches and began the decreasing. I knit while Stephanie talked and I knit while I waited in line to say hello and get the ever important book signed for Princess. (She still doesn’t know but it is a hard thing to keep to myself can I make it a few more days? Should I put duct tape over my mouth? Would that be a give-away?)

At this point I wasn’t sure if I was on the right track. I worried about my decreases, I worried about the fit, I worried that it didn’t look exactly “right”. But, not only am I a worrier I am also delusional so I kept right on going not saying anything and definitely not entertaining the possibility that I might’ve mucked the whole damn thing up.

When it was my turn to get my picture taken, Stephanie asked where my sock was. I pulled it out of my bag with a bit of trepidation; and, when handing it to her to hold while I held hers for the photo op, I said

“I think it has some problems”

Stephanie gave it a closer look and concurred

“It does look suspicious”

Translation: “You’ve mucked the whole damn thing up”

I spent the next 18 hours mulling the sock about in my head. Looking at it. Thinking about it. Worrying about it. Worrying that I was worrying too much about the sock.

On the surface it looks pretty good. Not great (don’t forget the craptacular skill set) but certainly not like something that was constructed with dull pencils & macramé twine. It’s when you look a little closer that you maybe notice an issue or two I like to call

Gaping holes in the knitting that will not keep the feet warm

Also, it is too small. Clearly she grew overnight.

I broke the news to The Princess yesterday afternoon on our way home. 4 out of 5 knitters agree* I need to start over.

If there is a shining moment in any of this it is that I am not defeated. This I know because if you peek into my fancy new knitting bag somehow a little something extra we like to call sock yarn found its way home with us last night.

Heh.

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*The 5^th non-concurring knitter is The Princess. She would like her damn socks already thankyouverymuch. The delusional part of me is thinking it would be awesome if I could just get my arse in gear and knit up the anklets (there isn’t even much of a cuff for craps sake) to go with the book in her Easter basket. Fortunately the rational part of me that worries (how is the worrier not the delusional one?) is worried that I’ll fall flat on my face with this and will be found on Easter morning sound asleep with a ½ knit sock and a ½ eaten chocolate bunny next to her basket. So the worrier is looking for plan B to go with the book…..

Cross-posted for posterities sake ;)

A Harlot By Any Other Name

Yesterday afternoon I left the office a tad bit early, dressed in jeans & a sweatshirt with an adventure on my mind. Let it be known that I didn’t really leave the house without a wingman, my wingman just happened to be a flat woman. (all pictures suck butt. it is what it is when the camera has seen better days. if i win the lottery i will buy a bigger better camera)

So, tucked away in my bag along with the sock (which we shall discuss at length tomorrow) was Flat Vicki Knitorious – and we headed off to Pad Thai Grand Café to meet up with Beadslut, Chaos Chris, Jess Mikknit, Amy KnitThink, Stephania MoraieKnitting, Connie Scrapovers, & blogless (?)Cynthia. Vicki checked out all of our socks, and had a beer while the rest of us ate.

Then we headed over to the college to get some good seats. I made sure Vicki had a good view and we prepared for all things Harloty.

Let it be said that the staff at the Yarnery knew what they were doing. This was VERY well organized AND we got Swag. Anyone that hands me a nice tote bag is one of my very best friends ever in the whole wide world.

To welcome Stephanie we sang the Canadian Anthem. Knowing my own voice prowess I let Vicki have the lyrics and I mouthed the words.

Stephanie was absolutely fantastically funny and there wasn’t a hint of how little sleep she’d had over the course of the last few days. Beadslut, Vicki, & I waited in line to have our books signed, to say hello to Stephanie, and to get the necessary photos. Along the way the Yarnery had a table set up with things to buy. I managed to refrain, but only because I spent so much time trying to keep Vicki under control. It might’ve been that beer she had with dinner.

Vicki rolls in yarn

A basket of HOT CHICKS! – Vicki & the felted ones

Vicki had her photo taken with Stephanie & the sock.

I had my photo taken with Stephanie, the sock, and my ummm- I guess you can call it a sock

Beadslut had her photo taken with Stephanie & the sock.

And then it was time to go home. Even though I didn’t get home until after 11:00 next time I will consider more seriously bringing the Princess. Even if it means revealing my on-line persona to more family members than Mr. Motorcycle. Princess will be thrilled when she finds her own personalized & autographed copy of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off! In her Easter basket on Sunday.

*************************

Let it be said that once again Mr. Motorcycle pinched in to make sure I got my share of fibery goodness. Honestly he would’ve liked to attend this gathering of knitters – he gets us- but that would’ve meant I couldn’t have done dinner based on logistics. So he sacrificed for the good of knitting everywhere (and to get a little work done in the basement too).

While I was off cavorting with knitters he was questioned by Gameboy regarding my whereabouts. Not only did he have to answer the question as to what the hell knitting humor was he was also asked what in the hell a harlot is. Mr. Motorcycle said “Queen”. (I told you he gets it)

When I snuck into Gameboys room to wish him sweet dreams he murmured “you smell like yarn”. I slipped and said “that’s what happens when you’re hanging out with a yarn whore. I mean harlot.” He totally busted me and questioned me – I told him to look it up in the dictionary. Hopefully at this point someone isn’t busy getting his masters degree in googeling harlot.

Cross posted at the other place ;)

The Last Knit - But Not For ME!

I'm assuming that everyone has seen this - but to be certain:

Now How Did That Get In There?

When I go shopping and accidentally buy something I didn't really need but thought needed a good home I have a tendency to say that it "accidentally fell into my cart"

When I'm hanging out at home and I happen to eat a few pieces of candy I have a tendency to say that they "accidentally fell into my mouth"

I'm using the same story for this.

It's a box that accidentally fell right into my mailbox.

Be careful when you open boxes that accidentally fall into your mailbox - they explode with goodness
Theres some of the new options needles (for sock knitting on 2 circs), color cards, and of course yarn. Just 3 skeins of sampler yarn. I couldn't expect to have needles fall into the mailbox and expect yarn to follow.

I've got two skeins of this to try out...I'm thinking NOT SOCKS!

Cross posted at the other joint - as usual.....

It's Got Pursinality

When we last left the world of the Mangy Cat Hair Scarf the Princess had taken a liking to it's scratchy plasticky ikyness. There was only one way to extricate this acrylic nightmare status from her grips.

Bribery.
That's right - I bribed my child to get back something I knit ugly and badly.

I proposed a trade
CM: Princess, you don't really want that scarf, you have a lot of scarves that are so much nicer, what else would you like.
Princess: A purse
(definitely my child)

I rummaged through the stash and came up with several yarn options & their corresponding patterns and presented them to her. She chose a skein of Brown Sheep Naturespun in the Spring Break Colorway and the Sophie pattern from Magknits.

I have knit Sophie before so I knew there were a few modifications I would make to the pattern for Princess. I got busy working up the bag, making it a little deeper than mine so she would have plenty of room to hold a book and other pre-teen purse items. When I came to the handle I knew the I-cord handle wouldn't take the weight of Princess's stuff so I came up with a cabled handle which I knit long enough to wear over her shoulder.

Pre Felting



















I ran the bag through the washer once - loved how the handle looked, but not the density of the bag. So I fooled around with boiling just the bag, running it through the dryer, and using the steam setting on my iron to get it just right.

Both the Princess & I are very pleased.















Hopefully the Mangy Cat Hair Scarf didn't come to life, crawl it's way out of the garbage bag it was in & scare the trash man.

*Totally Cross posted at the other joint ;)

Olympical Knitting

Once upon a time a kind blogger that knits decided it was time for her first knit-along. It ended up being a knit-along of epic proportions and receiving mind blowing media attention.

The intrepid blogger chose a project that would challenge her. The famous Irish Hiking Scarf. As everyone knows I didn't win a medal. In fact when I finished the scarf in July I was so upset it had taken so long I put it in a drawer without washing and blocking it.

September came - the wind started blowing - the damn rain won't stop falling (where was that in July, the water bill is scary) and I'm freezing my ass off. Out came the Irish Hiking Scarf - it's been washed & lazy blocked.

I friggin' love this thing - it is the most beautiful scarf ever in the whole history of scarves.
*cross posted at the other joint ;)

A Knitters Field Trip

I've no idea how to start this post. I've started and deleted and restarted so many times my brain is a fuzz. I'm dying to be funny and clever like The Yarn Harlot but crap on a cracker, shit on a shingle I just don't know what to say.

My fabulous and wonderful husband* drove me 2 hours to Eau Claire on Sunday afternoon. We met up with a band of fabulous knitters** (and one quilter) at the Accoustic Cafe.








After a yummy sandwich, soup, cup of coffee, sip of beer, and bite of ice cream we headed over to Yellow Dog Knitting.











A very awesome wonderful, warm, friendly shop. LOVED IT!
Some yarn may have been purchased











(the photo does not do this yarn justice - Rowan Tapestry in the Rustic colorway)
Then it was off to the Masonic Lodge to see Stephanie - Thanks to all those wonderful knitters who saved seats for Mr. Motorcycle & I so I could take care of that Yarn thing











What do I say - Stephanie was funny & clever in ways that I could never be. Her knitting is flawless and she can knit & talk at the same time. I knit & talk at the same time only what I say isn't necessarily good conversation:
"knit, knit, four, shit, four, knit, purl, seven"

although she did have help at one point











Following the talk, we walked back to Yellow Dog, waited in line, got my book signed.











Had my picture taken with the sock











and drove home.

*the level of spoilage here has reached perportions that aren't necessitated. I knit all the way to Eau Claire & all the way home while Mr. M drove with the lights on - One lucky girl I am.

**Thanks for keeping us company ladies - we had a blast!