anxious knitting

Taking this yarn from point A to point B was about as nerve wracking as knitting can be. I followed Nona's sidewinder pattern with no changes, I got gauge. Because there is no way to know if it will fit until you have done a lot of work, it requires a lot of trust in the pattern. I was surprised by how well the sock fits, now my only concern is whether there is enough yarn to knit the second sock. I guess I need to weigh the yarn.

My only disappointment is how tight the yarn got at the lifted bar increases even with an effort to keep it loose. I wonder if there is a way to finesse this?

Whoo Hoo

I am unblocked, I guess this means that nothing dirty happens here. I was one of many blogs that were erroneously blocked because "they contained elements consistent with spam blogs". My friends at blogger did not explain further but after several days it is unblocked.

I had really wanted to post last week because I was mid-dilemma about two pairs of socks. Since then with consultation from my SnB group, my monkeys were undone. They were in an opal yarn from Germany that had some serious contrast. I thought it didn't look so hot in the monkey pattern. The SnB'ers agreed and they are kaput. I made several starts at the sidewinder, and have just finished Act II. This sock is so hard for me because I will not know how it works out until it is done. The yarn choice seems good, it is from Opal Rainforest I. I will post pics later.

I was in New Hampshire to see my nephew at camp. It is his last summer, and his camp is super close to Patternworks. I bought a few things to send to my sockapalooza pal, nothing for me. So that makes only one slip from the yarn diet since January. I finally got my package from Marianne, and it was worth the wait and worth the slip!

random pics

Item number one finished, broadripple socks in cascade fixation for sockapalooza pal.

Item number two, finished Baudelaire for sockapalooza pal.

Item number three, gratuitous sock in progress shot. Now that all the knitting for my sock pal is done, I am considering my next project. I am thinking of something for -hmmmmm- me!

I am also thinking hard about what else to include in the package for my sock pal.

This and That

My latest knitting- 1 baudelaire done, one half od the second sock is done. I am seriously worried that these will not fit my sockapalooza pal. She did not give measurements but said she had generous ankles, or something like that. I know the lace has a lot of give but I don't really know what size they should be! I think I will make a second pair of footies out of fixation, so I can eliminate the ankle problem and know that they will stretch. The baudelaire socks look great, but I really want them to fit her!

Today's plan includes dentist for ds, and swim team practise for dd #1. Temperature is expected to be in the 90's, so I expect to maintain a slothlike activity level. Cooking will be minimal to non-existent, as will house work. I went to the post office on Saturday and mailed some yarn to Phyl for posting a comment to my 100th post! Hope she enjoys the choices. I went stash surfing to find goodies for her.

I want to give something away

I wanted to send a yarny gift to the 1st poster to my 100th post, but she did not leave any way to get a hold of her. She has an unlisted profile. Please let me know how to get some yarn to you or I will have to go send something to the next post!

brush with greatness

Well imagine me sitting in a playground in Brookline, working on Baudelaire when who walks by. Alison of the blue blog with her three lovely children, including the baby in a hand knit hat and pants. So what do I do? Nothing. I couldn't think of a way to say hello that did not seem weird and stalkerish. So I told my non-knitting friend that I had recognized the family. I am not sure what was weirder to her, the fact that I saw and recognized Alison or that the knit blogging community exists or perhaps that I would not say hi. Oh well, maybe it was a weirdness trifecta.

By the way, this is my 100th post. I am thinking I should commemorate this in some way. How about first comment gets a gift of sock yarn from the crazy big stash? How about it? Any takers? Make sure to leave a breadcrumb trail or at least an email address so I can find out where to send it. Hey, let me know if you have a preference (Hand dyed versus machine, color).

done and undone

What's done? The pedicure socks are fini, but have not yet been gifted, I will write and post the pattern soon. The Naga sock is done and gifted, and posted on the recipient's blog!

I cast on for Baudelaire in an apple green opal uni. These are for my sockapalooza 4 partner, who turns out not to be the original person I was sent but someone very interesting. I was intimidated by her recent post showing a drawer full of hand knit socks. I feel like I am sending coal to Newcastle. But the Baudelaire pattern knits up pretty fast and it is looking great! I am about to start the heel of sock number 1!

We are going to the Boston area for the forth, leaving tomorrow AM. I am not ready, not close. The minivan looks like it has been taken over by squatters with a sweet tooth. I can't pack it up till I remove all the extraneous shit that is there. I love the blink ads about how to clean a car, but those folks have not met my car! I hope to take in a yarn store or two while I am in the Boston area, one is near where we are staying in Brookline! Am I sounding like I am off the yarn diet?

summer sucks

So Monday was my last day at work, and I also found out that DD 1 has strep. By Tuesday, it was clear that I also had strep. Several days of fever and chills foloow. Then I took DD2 and DS to the doctor because she complained of a sore throat. They are all on antibiotics although DD2 did not show positive for strep. Hey barkeep, a round of cefzil for the house.

I was supposed to drive to Philly today, but I can't see that being remotely safe. I am not sure if I will make it tomorrow. Time heals all, right?

How do you teach manners?

I try to teach my children to be civilized, some days it is hard. Today at the swim club we had a problem with the mommy's not wanting my child to share their child's toys. I know three is an uncivilized age and I know he is a bit wild but when the one mommy told me I needed to do something and I saw her friend (we'll just call them bitch and bigger bitch) wresting her son's toy from my son I was appalled. She actually said, these are ours we brought them from home. Well, where did she think the rest of the toys came from? We all bring things from home, but we still share. Usually if other kids play with my kids' stuff, I just let them know where to leave it when they are done.

The bigger bitch had been talking loudly about her son's need for pt, ot and speech - all I could think was this was a bad enough example for a typical child let alone a kid with special needs. My friend walked by and found them bitching about me, and commented that not only were they not nice but they were caught being rude. I would have cancelled my membership on the spot if it hadn't been for the two nice moms who made a point to come over and tell me how appalled they were. I still don't know if I can hang out there every day this summer and face that! I just don't know how I can tell my child that he must share nicely with other kids but that he must not touch the toys at the pool.

Let me share a happy amazing thing. I was going to post the new firebird color of STR that I received on Wednesday, but saw that someone had already knitted hers up and boy are they gorgeous. I will now humbly link to Nicole. I bow to her knitting speed!

new sock

This is the first pedicure sock, made with yarn dyed by my daughter for our dear friend from a made up pattern, now on to the second sock. I always forget to write the patterns as I make them up so the second sock is always a challenge. In this case the gauge seems slightly looser on the second sock. I'll have to get my foot model (aka dd #1) to test drive the second sock which is done up to the heel turn.

On a personal note, I finished up at work this week and I am hugely sad to be leaving this school. It was great to be back using my clinical brain, and I really enjoyed the kids. It makes me realize that I have no great interest in working with typically developing kids. To walk into an established team and have people welcome you and your input is amazing. I am glad I didn't get weepy on the way out. I got lovely cards and a few gifts. I will never again think that acknowledging the end of the school year does not matter to the school staff. Now on to the task of looking for permanent employment!

Guess who's been knitting

I just realized how long it has been since I have posted any knitting. So I have finished a pair of socks using the Naga pattern, which I linked in a previous post. I added a picot cast off, my new current obsession. The yarn is flamingo by opal.

The second shot is the beginning of a pedicure sock, which I am designing as I go. The plan is to end with k2tog yo picot edge (as opposed to the picot cast off which involves lots of cable cast-ons). Then I am going to make a little i-cord thong thing for between the big toe and its little friends. The yarn was hand dyed by my six year old daughter.

Another knitting related item. I tried to break my yarn diet by ordering from marianne's opalwolle in Germany. She has gorgeous undyed yarns, including a bamboo blend sock yarn. She has opal patterns that probably will never make it here. I haven't bought a single skein since before January 2007. Needless to say, I tried to order more than a single skein but somehow never got the thing from paypal to pay. As soon as that happens I guess I officially broke my diet. Oh, well- its the longest I have ever gone on any sort of diet!

Off the knitting thread, I was a little gathering this weekend with lovely women from my area. There was jewelry selling and wine drinking going on. I tried really hard to not be my usually strident self, but eventually I erupted. What set me off was listening to these lovely, well-educated women talk about how great our local school system is based on statistics. I couldn't hold back. How great do the school have to be to educate a bunch of privileged white children being raised in a community where more than 60% of homes have one advanced degree? Show me those stats in a city school where the homes do not average 3000 square feet, then I will be impressed. As someone who works in a school, I can't buy accepting the whole statistic thing without questioning it. I asked one mom who was talking about the great curriculum if she knew what the town's educational goals for kindergarten were. She did not, nor was she aware that there is no gifted intervention until middle school. I do not wonder why I don't get invited out more! I realize that I am by no means the world's easiest human. I am glad that there are people who get it and get me or it would be hard living in the blinding whiteness of this area.

redo photo

I just realized what a bad photo I posted. This is much better!

Mary's big day

My daughter had her graduation from primary (aka kindergarden). At the risk of sounding immodest, she looked so cute. Her behavior and that of her brother were less than cute. The nadir of the day was when George lifted the back of my skirt up so that I essentially mooned all of the Cobb school. Ahh, good times.

On the craft front, I finished a painting this week for a little guy who likes outer space. Hope he likes it, I liked painting it. I got a little carried away. There was glow in the darlk paint involved. Hehe.

my latest obsession

Well, just when I thought that I could go no further with my knitting obsession I joined a group that blows me away! The German sock knitters group is beyond belief. I joined thinking I could use my bad grad school German reading to understand but its more than a little over my head. I can say that language barrier or no its great fun to just check out the blog links. I have seen some great socks and some awesome dying. And just when I thought it couldn't be better, I realized that many Europeans understand some English and have gotten some great email from members of the group.

I have been proud of the fact that I have bought NO yarn since the beginning of the year, but I have been finding some amazing stuff from the SKL. If these vendors ship to the US my yarn diet is doomed. I consider it a bad sign that I have emailed one vendor, the diet is circling the drain.

not that I am vain

I want a photo on my profile and this cockamaimie blogger thing says first I have to post a photo. So this was taken on a rare good hair day. I have a bad edit gene and end up erasing all images if myself, after 9-11 I tried to stop because I was worried that if I died somehow my kids would have no clue what I looked like. But yet I delete, in a ballsy move for me - I will keep my hands away from the delete key. You should see, its like the scene in Dr. Strangelove, one arm is pulling the other away from the delete key.

Any bets about whether from this point I can figure out how to get this connected to my profile?

the cutest sock pal

Painting by Mary age 6

Painting by George age 3

Painting by Sophie almost 11

George and the stars from his class

I just checked out my sockapalooza 4 pal and she's a 17 year old from finland! I love young knitter except they make me feel like an old knitter.

In other craft news I have taken leave of my senses and am allowing 4 kids ages 10 through 3 to paint with acrylics in my house. I am sure I will live to regret this but the paintings rock. I will post pics later.

happy mother's day

Happy day to all of us hard working b****es. I am celebrating on this day by doing several thousand loads of laundry. Would it be too much for the people in this house to use a towel more than once? They can be easily hung from a towel bar or hook and used againd, the same can not be said for the towels that lie in a damp heap on the floor of the bedroom. I also buzzed the little guys hair because he was looking sort of shaggy.

I am also knitting the naga sock in opal flamingo (this is the doomed ball of yarn that I rescued from a fellow snb'er because she wanted to set fire to it after attempting the sideways sock). I think that I have taken the smell of doom off the yarn. I have turned the heel on the first sock and am up to the second repeat of the cuff. I finished two pairs of socks in april, but have to cop to the fact that one pair was started earlier.

I mailed off my package for knitter's treat exchange. Now I can start to work on my sockapalooza socks!

a huge mea culpa

Last week on Wednesday, I received the most lovely package from the knitter treat exchange and I couldn't believe how lovely and thoughtful each item was. Patty clearly read my responses to the questions and shopped very carefully.

Literally the gift was too large and generous for one photo. It didn't help that my daughters were grabbing at things. And truly it couldn't have come on a better day. My husband is finally off disability, and I had my first tough day at work. The politics of the environment caught up with me and I was feeling pretty low. So needless to say, I am so grateful. It was truly what I needed.


But in the chaos that has overtaken me and sometimes immobilized me, I failed to immediately acknowledge the gift and today when I read through the 500 emails I have neglected during the week I got an extremely kind email from one of the exchange organizers, letting me know she was concerned that I had not acknowledged the gift, and that she was concerned because I also hadn't posted since April 19th. I so appreciate her concern, but am I feeling like a shit! I haven't mailed my gift, I haven't properly acknowledged this incredible gift and I haven't written in ages. The responsibility is mine and I feel every bit of it. All I can do is hope to find the time and energy to properly respond to all these lovely people who have done me such a kindness. Needless to say that I lack the words to adequetly thank these kind women, but I do thank you both.

time to buy a scale

Not for food of course, but for yarn. I ended the leg of the tofutsie sock because I thought I had reached the magic halfway point in the skein. I would have liked it to be longer. Then I went to a friend's house, and used her food scale (she does weight watchers) only to find that I had 67 grams of yarn left. I wasn't even close to half way. So its off to buy a food scale today, so I don't have sock regrets. Its amazing how helpful actual measurements can be, clearly I am not a good guesser.

So I am enjoying the week vacation from school, but not as much as I would enjoy it if it were a paid vacation. My goals for the week are already shot, but I remain optimistic about getting some time to dye yarn, maybe tomorrow. I have colors dancing in my head and I was inspired by Scout J on Knitty Gritty to try using less haphazard methods to dye.

The City of Sisterly Knitting

I went to see my parents over Easter weekend, and I got to see my sister knitting for the first time ever. She has been taking lessons and is now working on a scarf. I had to pick up a few stitches here and there, the sock at the left is mine. The good news about learning to knit at a great shop is that you are using nice wool, no matter what the out come is. She also got to experience knitterly insta bonding with the women in her class. Sadly she is not yet making sparks with her knitting as she does not yet have the compulsion to be knitting when ever and where ever possible.

This is my current sock in progress and it fits perfectly. I have not yet managed to get anyone else as excited about this as I am. Its the Queen Kahuna cast on, increases, gussets and heel. My plan is to do the picot edge, in other words - my favorite sock! The yarn is tofutsies, and I am using zero addi's (getting about 10 stitches to the inch). Shocking that I can't get my husband and kids excited by this, it looks so exciting in print.