Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Knitta Sunday!

No pictures, but I am happy to report a happy gathering of girls and pointy sticks, even if we weren't later joined by a boy for a Vampire Spectacular Spectacular. Normal nearly finished one of her mittens, and it is lovely enough to make me think that maybe I ought to try some sort of fair isle creation in 2008. Filmmaker is coming along on her dad's sweater, and as for me, well, we'll just pretend that I never made the previous post.

In my defense, I can cross several things off my list: I've finished my mom's shawl, as well as Wisp, and I've decided to frog Juliet (*sob*) and remake her in a size more fitting to my frame. As for the sock, well, I just can't bring myself to cast it on. So, it's not like I'm being a total liar. I think this brings me back to the realm of little white liar.

In other projects, I made a lurvely bag out of the skein of yarn I snagged at my yarn store's white elephant gift exchange - it's ready to be blocked, constructed, and lined. I was able to exchange my extra skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Haze for a hank of yummy alpaca, and I've cast on Glee. Given my experience with Juliet (and based on what I've read on Ravelry), I cast it on two sizes smaller than I think I need. If worse comes to worse and it's too small for now, well, losing weight is Mission Numero Uno once my sprained ankle heals.

So, that brings us up to date. Who's hosting next?

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

I'm a work-in-progress kind of girl.

I have made an important discovery about my habits as a knitta in 2007: namely, I do enjoy knitting as much as I enjoy spinning, and also, I have severe knitting ADD. I am constantly distracted by yarn that is new, brightly colored, and soft. It calls my name, it beckons me, it whispers to me what it would like to become someday. And I am helpless against its siren's call.

But I have decided to steel myself against any further onslaughts; NAY, I DO HEREBY SWEAR TO FINISH ALL OF MY UNFINISHED PROJECTS. AND YEA SHALL THESE PROJECTS BE FINISHED BEFORE I START NEW PROJECTS, FOR EVER AND EVER, AMEN.*

So, here are the projects on the docket:

1. Mom's shawl. Must be finished by Christmas, or else!!



2. Juliet cardigan. Even though it's about forty-seven sizes too big for me and it's made with acrylic so I can't even shrink it in the wash. Not that I'm bitter, yo.


3. Wisp. I love this scarf/shawl/hood combo, and Rowan Kidsilk Haze looks amazing. But damn, it hurts my hands to knit!



4. Stupid socks. Have I mentioned that I hate knitting socks? I'll probably end up knitting more socks, but really, I hate them.


5. Designer bag. I haven't taken a picture of this one, because really, what's the point of taking a picture of a felted bag before it's felted? It looks like a lumpy sack. But when it is finished, oh, it will be a wonder of felted baggy goodness! All will bow before my felted bag prowess! If I can stand looking at any more brown yarn, that is.

6. Muir. Oh, lovely, lovely lace, how I adore you so. But why must you be so complicated that you require a chart?



And there you have it. As much as I am craving a new project, the excitement of casting on a new yarn, the joy of watching my WIP grow, the anticipation of wondering how my labor will turn out - no, I will be steadfast.

Well, for now. :-P



*Well, okay. Except for Muir. But only because lace is hella hard and this is my "gots-to-use-my-brain-cells" project for breaks from monotonous single-color knitting.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Bloodiest Extreme Knitting Tournament!*

So, did we all see the article on the Sock Wars in today's Wall Street Journal?

Sock Wars requires each participant to knit a pair of socks for another
player and ship them off to the target. Players are eliminated from the contest
-- or "killed" -- when, like Ms. Williams, they receive the socks. Once they
receive their socks, participants have to ship to their assassins the pair they
were still working on for their own targets. The assassins then must finish
those socks and send them along, hoping that they don't first receive their own
killer socks from another assassin. The last assassin standing -- or sitting --
wins.

Sounds demonic and awesome. If I knit socks, I'd totally be down with this. But I don't. Yet. Socks are on the "future plans" section of my magic knitting spreadsheet, after "intarsia" and before "lace."

* Wait...there are other, less bloody extreme knitting tournaments?