Foreign Correspondent

I'm blogging to you today from the sanctity of my parents' condominium. They are away for the weekend and so I am utterly alone. Say it with me: a-l-o-n-e. No husband, no kids, no chihuahua. Just me :) I came here to get some work done.

These are some sweet digs, let me tell you. Marshmallow Fluff, miniature Dove Ice Cream Bars, Lean Cuisines (selection's a bit skimpy tonight though, I'll have to speak to management about that) and lots of diet beverages. And q-u-i-e-t. Did I mention I'm alone? They have DSL, cable tv, an impressive selection of dvds... Unfortunately, though, I'm here to work. Which I really do plan to do, any time now, as soon as I'm done talking about myself.

Knitting has been slow going. I'm finding I can only knit for a little while and then my fingers ache and I have to switch to something else, like crochet. I crocheted and then ripped out two scarves (pics later) because they were too big for a child and too dorky for me (well, I didn't think so at first but dh had that look on his face like, "OMG you aren't actually going to go out in that, are you?" Yeah, that look. Significant others are our link to reality.) The baby sweater's coming along slowly, and I've made some progress on the ripple afghan. Henry's on hold as I realized I haven't nearly enough yardage with the hand-dyed I bought. But thankfully knit and crochet things are still happening, so all is well on the fiber front.

Ravelry: ultimate time-sucking vacuum! Whee! One could conceivably go in there and never come back out. Lots of fun, though, and it's sort of like the heaven of the knitting world because you get there and are greeted by all those people you thought you'd lost. You know, the ones who used to blog :)

So, anyway, knit on. Hope you're also enjoying your little corner of the world.

Any Day Now....

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Dogs on Thursday

Frisky is nothing if not expressive:

"Oh, I am filled with ennui...See how my eyes weep with despair..."



"What? Did someone say peanut butter?"



There's a reason they call it a dog's life :)

ETA: Check out the new DOT button - cute!!! Looks just like Frisky ;) Thanks, Paula.

Pictureless, Woe-filled Post...

...don't say you weren't warned!

Not much to report on from the knitting front due to the lingering finger pain problem that now appears to be related to carpal tunnel syndrome. I am treating the problem with ibuprofen, a compression brace, and *hopefully* a more ergonomically kind computer workstation situation. Because apparently, I've been going about the computer-using stuff all wrong. Stay tuned.

Knitting is still uncomfortable, so I am sticking to crochet for the time being. Couple a scarves, a few rows on the old ripple afghan, you know. sigh. Reading the old blogs. Stalking some new blogs. What I am really wanting is to finish the oh so cute baby sweater and the Tess twisted rib socks. I also want to cast on for Henry for my dad, for which I have already even purchased the yarn (color=Michigan), from here (a great little shop btw). sigh again. Oh, the humanity.

Anyway, I have to think about the blue skies ahead - the Ravelry waiting list is cranking along and I am now #4545 in line. Woo-hoo! And things could be worse - at least I still have plenty of time until Christmas to finish up some of these things, right? Right?

Dogs on Thursday

And They Called it...Puppy Love---



Frisky as a Pup

More fun with blogging! I wrote this yesterday (Thursday) but forgot to post it! So it says the 13th, but in my world, it's actually the 14th. Weird! Anyway, happy DOT.

Startitis, and Some Other Kind of -itis...

Startitis: it strikes when we least expect it, and usually when we can ill afford to experience it, like right now as I return to teaching,student-ing, coaching, and the kidlets' return to school after a decidedly more leisurely summer.

Startitis: there is no cure. And I am its poster child.

Here's what I've cast on since my last post:

1. Textured Baby Jacket by Lois Dakin (Knitting, August 07.) I've been trying to choose from amongst a few baby sweaters, and this seriously cute baby was the deciding factor. (I'm doing mine in red.)




2. Twisted Rib socks in the bee-ewe-tiful Tess Designs yarn I bought at the TKCGA yarn market in July.

3. One-skein scarf from Debbie Stoller's Happy Hooker in Paton's Classic Merino, Regency colorway.

4. Felted backpack for my nephew, because he wants one, in a pattern from this ebay shop. This is a great pattern, by the way. I had to look for a while to find one that would work for a boy. I'm doing mine in blues and browns, with a slightly different stripe configuration:



Also, a WIP: Finally! The endless kid socks have ended.



Plain stockinette 64-stitch sock on sz 1 dps in Colinette Jitterbug Sahara. I love this yarn - vibrant colors, great feel, a treat to knit. I made them a little big so that (1) the kid won't outgrow them by next week and (2) if my some twist of fate he does outgrow them by next week, they will fit me ;)

The Other Itis: I really could have gone up to at least a size 2 needle on the Jitterbug socks. In fact, I probably should have because, as it turns out, I knit these so firmly that I actually did something to my finger. As in, like, damage! Doh! The metal dp ended up pressed too tightly against the inside crease of the uppermost knuckle of my left hand ring finger, and the tip of that finger has been alternately numb and tingling (painfully!) for almost a week. My middle fingertip (or, "Tall Man" for you parents of little people) is also experiencing some sympathy spasms. This leaves me in a dreadful sort of startitis knitting purgatory. So many lovely projects, and all I can do is look. *sigh*

Fortunately for me, I don't really need Tall Man or Ringo to crochet, so I have been working on both the ripple crochet afghan and the one-skein scarf. So all hope is not lost, but somehow, it's not the same.

Knitting, Blogging, and Dogging on Thursday

Knitting…

...the endless kid socks (or, as the knitting ladies put it last night, “Black Hole Sock”.) Finally, they are ready for toes:



Well, at least this one is. The second is about 1-1/2" behind. But soon!

Blogging…

…about how I am possibly the last knitter on planet Earth to discover the joys of the diet scale for weighing yarn:



Why didn't I try this before? Used it to make these babies, 50 g apiece, oh yeah. Ask me how I know :) They will soon be cast on for socks, Rosa’s Socks, I think. The photo does not do justice to the lovely purples in this yarn (Tess Designs Super Sock and Baby from my stash.)



Also, fun pins. This one from Day Trip Society cracks me up.


"Shhh..."

Dogging…

...because it's Thursday. Isn't it nice when your loved ones appreciate their handmade gifts?



"Thanks, Mom."

A GBCAC

Okay, so I had to give it a whirl. Here is my answer to sophanne's question: GBCAC*



*(Great Big Crazy-Ass Cable)

An interesting look, but I think the bulk might make it too uncomfortable to wear, at least in the heavy worsted I used. I'll be watching to see if anyone else takes a stab at it ;)

I really need to get some sleep. Must. stop. reading. blogs.