That Darn Internet

I've been looking for what appears not to exists: DK weight self-striping superwash sock yarn in manly colors. DK weight because xmas is rapidly closing in on us, self-striping because the sock pattern will be generic and I need some entertainment to see me through, we know why superwash, and manly colors because the socks will be for a man. Not an easy bill to fill.

But I did find DK weight superwash yarn in manly colors that, while not self-striping, will still amuse, at Simply Socks.



Schaefer Yarn Lola in "Toni Morrison". It is so lovely, I could not wait to cast on the socks.



And, since I could think of at least one other man who needs another pair of socks, I also bought "Empress Wu Zhao".



All fine and good. But then I made the mistake of checking out the sale items and wound up adding some Noro Kureyon Sock (I did not pick the colorway because that was the deal - potluck)...



... and also Cherry Tree Hill in "Island Red".



The next thing I knew, I had free shipping.

Lesson was not learned because within 24 hours I was also at Amazon, but we'll discuss that economic stimulus package on another day.

Wear Your Sitcom Chic to Work Day

Post blocking, I slipped on Sitcom Chic the other night and said to myself, "Huh. I knit me a sweater." Not the first one, but the first one I feel comfortable wearing in public.



Pattern: Sitcom Chic from knitty
Yarn: Classic Elite Four Seasons
Needles: US 7 for most of it, US3 for the ribbing and edging (because I didn't have US4 circs).
Modifications: Made the body and sleeves longer, and in the process made them a little bigger around; omitted button/button loop (because I don't have any good buttons for this sweater)



I really like this yarn - 70% cotton, 30% wool. It is not as stiff as cotton and knits into a nice dense fabric, which makes it surprisingly warm. It blocks well, too.

Since my yarn choice deviated from the yarn recommended by the pattern, I calculated how much I needed by yardage. After all, I had seen this done in yarn stores. But it might have been a ploy to sell more yarn, as I have over SEVEN 50g skeins left over. Since it is such an intense color, I'm not sure what I will do with it.

Thursday I wore my new sweater to work, but had to go begging for compliments. One of my knitting cohorts has been "made redundant", another fellow knitter was out sick, a third was on the phone, etc. While chatting with the cashier in the cafeteria, I pointed out my new hand knit sweater, then mistook her polite interest for more and started waxing poetic about learning to spin. As her eyes glazed over, my supervisor stepped up beside me in line. He thinks I also churn butter. The cashier suggested I could add adobe brick making to my repertoire of skills. Ha. Ha.

Darn socks

Another FO, another finally finished FO.



Pattern: Hedgerow socks from Knitter's Review
Yarn: Yarn Daze in Raspberry
Needle size: US1
Modifications: Increased girth by one pattern repeat, leg length by one inch



I thought I had enough yarn to make these bigger, but the result is I ran out of yarn. Consequently, the feet are really short, too short for me. Blocking makes them wearable by my daughter. (You're welcome, dear.)

See? This is why I need to learn to knit socks toe up.

Xmas shopping, sort of

If you need some individual attention, Thanksgiving weekend is a good time to visit your LYS. I hit all two of them on Saturday, and was the only shopper there.

LYS #1 didn't have anything on my shopping list, but felt compelled to make a pity purchase, two skeins of Noro Silk Garden. I wanted to see what the big deal was about the striped 1x1 ribbed scarves "everyone" is knitting with this yarn, alternating colorways.



So far, I'm not in love with the colorways I picked. The dark blue belched green from the center pull skein, the mauve spit out gold and pink. And I think I was supposed to by four skeins, not two, to complete a scarf. We'll see how this goes.

LYS #2 had the Addi Turbo Lace needles I wanted, in US8, for knitting Kidsilk Haze.



I started Wisp on Sunday, and these worked better than anything else I tried. I'm not loving Kidsilk Haze, either, but I viewed some finished Wisps on Ravelry and am inspired to continue.

Then, in the interest of learning to knit socks toe up, I purchased some superwash worsted.



My plan is to practice toe up with worsted, then DK, and finally fingering. I can wear these red red socks with my red, red, red sweater. Should be comfy.

Dash it all

The Dashing mitts are done.



Pattern: Dashing from knitty
Yarn: Gedifra Volata Tweed, colorway 9093
Needles: US6 DPNs
Modifications: None



If I were do knit these again, I would select a less busy yarn, as the cables get lost in this so-called tweed.



These are going to be "computer gauntlets" for my dad whose computer room is a converted sun porch. These should keep his hands warm so he can write me emails more often.

So, that completes the xmas gift package that needs to go in the mail. Onto the presents for those who are not only dear but nearby.

Elbac Is Cable Spelled Backwards

FINALLY! It's done.



Pattern: Elbac from knitty
Yarn: Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Worsted in "Soft Sage"
Needles: US6 straights
Modifications: None



I did soak and block this scarf, which helped relax the yarn. It is still a little scratchy for my tastes, but it's not for me.



(This scarf was made possible by the many web-based conference meetings that occurred at work during the month of November. Not that I would knit at work.)

Idle Hands

Last night I was too tired to knit (hard to believe but it was true), so I decided to check the stash for xmas potential. Specifically, I was looking for some manly sock yarn. Two possible candidates were all I could find, so I wound them into balls while listening to the final chapters of The Amber Spyglass.



The one on the left is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in "Serengeti" but I would call it "Muted Fall Foliage". The one on the right is "Coffee Pot Rock" from Sprightly Goods, which I thought would look more like coffee not coffee pot, let alone rock (one of the downsides of buying yarn online). The latter is unassigned, but the Serengeti is destined to become a pair of Monkey socks. Hmmm. No xmas potential here - besides, it's getting late so I'd better make those socks from DK.

Now, a smart knitter would have put that yarn away. And I truly did try to ignore it. I even tried to start a little something with Kidsilk Haze, but came to the conclusion that I need some lace Addis for that. I even went to bed, figuring tomorrow is a new day. And yes, today was a new day, a beautiful day, the perfect day to start those Monkey socks.



My only defense is I am trying to save gas by combining car trips, so I couldn't go to the LYS until Saturday, after yoga, to find some DK or Addis. And this is a little reward for having not one, not two, but three FO's ready to block. Whoo! I think I deserve a little quality sock time when not eating Tday leftovers.



Betsy, aka Roomba, says, "Make me a plate, too!"

Take Your Sitcom Chic to Work Day, Part II

With many knitting projects, when the actual knitting ends, the real work begins: seaming, edging, etc. Not so Sitcom Chic. Last night I started the edging and today at lunch I finished the edging. Now I just have to sew up the armpits, weave in the ends, and convince the ribbing not to curl.

Betsy update: The good news is Betsy's lymph nodes are back to normal, so we will interpret that as meaning no lymphoma. I was feeling a bit discouraged that the ACL surgery did not make Betsy good as new, but then I remembered that she was not all that good to start with. Prior to blowing out her knee, she had been on prednisone for unknown back problems. So last Friday I convinced the vet to provide more prednisone and now, five days later, Betsy is close to being back to what is normal for her. She still needs to build up her strength, but at least I don't have to carry her around anymore.

On, Dashing!

How did I wind up with two cable projects at the same time? I think I remember wanting some cable practice, in preparation for a cable-y sweater. Be careful what you wish for.

Fingerless mitts are an easy project (except for the thumbs), sort of like socks without the heel turn or Kitchener stitch. Dashing is broken into sections by the cabling, so it has also easy to pick up and put down. But now I am in the homestretch, heading for the finger tips.



The cables make the wrists kind of snug, to the point of impeding circulation. I hope blocking will relax them a bit.

Scarves go on forever, especially if they are supposed to be 80 inches long and even more so if one is not sure how to bind off cables while doing a diagonal decrease. Regarding the latter, I did not like how my first attempt turned out. I tried to just rip back to where the diagonal bind off started but discovered that the yarn wanted to cling to itself, almost as bad as Kidsilk Haze. Eventually, I tinked back, row after row, then more rows because tinking cables is a bit tricky and I kept dropping stitches. That was how I spent Friday night. Saturday afternoon I recovered and finished the scarf. I decided to soak 'n block, hoping to make the yarn bloom more and to soften it a bit.



Once it is dry, all that remains is to weave in the ends.

The above projects are xmas gifts that need to be mailed, so I have been concentrating on them instead of finishing Sitcom Chic.



As you may recall, I ripped back to the armpits to make the sleeves and body longer. In the process of lengthening the body, I also increased the width a bit. When I re-attached the sleeves, though, I forgot about the increased body width and set them in their old location. This error actually turned out to be a good thing. My shoulders are kind of broad and rounded, so this gives the sweater more room where I need it. Serendipity, baby!

Socks for Bottles

I thought I would get a lot of knitting accomplished at WW. I took Elbac, Dashing, and Tropical Treat. But the cabin where we stay is not well-lit and it was too cold to sit on the porch and there were movies to watch, so after a while I just gave up.

A friend of one of my WW friends knit this water bottle cover for her.



Basically, it is a sock without a heel. The decreases on the bottom look like those on a sock toe or a raglan sweater, but one could also decrease like the top of a hat or a pinwheel.



Wouldn't this make a quick and easy xmas gift?

P.S. My SO just called from the library. He spotted Free Range Knitter on the shelf. Score!

Take Your Sitcom Chic to Work Day

I really, really, really wanted to work on Sitcom Chic last night, but when I got home, the dog looked perky so we did 10 laps around the fireplace. Then I had to feed her and eat something myself and change clothes and read the paper and go to yoga. On the way home, I stopped at Pet Supplies Plus, Walgreens, and Marathon (gas is under $2 a gallon! Time to stock up!) When I did get home, I made some popcorn (this too made the dog perky) and cleaned up the kitchen and performed a bit of neighborhood association business I had been neglecting (I'm the treasurer), and updated two of my blogs, which led to a little blog reading. Suddenly, it was 9pm. Bunny Hour was reduced to Bunny Half-Hour while I knit a couple of rows on Sitcom Chic. Then it was time to do bunny chores, take the dog out one more time, surreptitiously feed the cat out of the dog's bowl, and crawl into bed with a crossword puzzle.

This morning, when I picked up my knitting bag and saw SC sitting forlornly on the coffee table, I said screw it, the cables can wait. Although technically a bit bulky to be portable, SC crawled into the bag and off to work we went. I didn't make all that much progress over lunch, but with every two rows, the stitch count drops by 8 stitches, so the more I knit, the faster it goes. Every little bit helps.

Tonight, date night is over, I'm in my jammies, so it's just me, The Amber Spyglass, and Sitcom Chic. Aahhh!

Update on Betsy: We went back to the vet on Monday, for a butt squeeze (the dog's, not mine) and consultation. Dr. M was a bit shocked (but not dismayed) that Betsy is doing better. He thinks her stiff gait is related to her ongoing back problems. A co-worker of mine whose golden retriever recently had hip surgery has had good results with fish oil, so I will start Betsy on that soon. And Who? Me? recommended Ester C, so I may add that to the arsenal. Betsy is only 6 years old and should be enjoying her life more.

BUT. The lymph nodes behind her knees are still a little swollen. I worry that she is really sick but we don't know for sure and I don't want to know for sure because I am 99% sure I would not put her through chemo anyway, so why spend the money to find out? Sometimes I'd rather just be fat, dumb, and happy.

Did I Do That?

I screwed up posting my last post, and some comments got lost. It's a little fuzzy, but I think I published, then unpublished because I wanted to add some pix, then gave up on the pix and republished.

Anyway, I didn't delete your comments! Don't stop commenting! It's not you, it's me!

The Trouble with Scarves

Most patterns for scarves that I am interested in knitting invariably give the finished length as 80 inches. Gah. None of the patterns are THAT interesting. I do get in the neighborhood, though. Eventually.

Elbac is bogging down again, about three-quarters of the way through. I even bought myself some real cable needles to help spur my interest. But Dashing started whispering my name. Today at lunch, instead of slogging through more reversible cable, I cast on Dashing - both mitts - and worked about ten rounds on each.

First off, I want to whine about yarn that comes in doughnut shaped balls. Ostensibly, these are center pull balls, but about 90% of the time, I cannot find the end that is buried inside the center of the doughnut, 75% of the time when I do find the end of the yarn and pull, half the inner contents of the ball belch out from the doughnut hole, and 50% of the time, I have a snarly mess on my hands. These statistics appear to be holding true with the current yarn.

Otherwise, I'm liking Gedifra Volata Tweed. It's made in Italy for a German company, and little of the labeling is in English other than "New wool". It's fuzzy, though, and feels like it would felt well. If I have enough left over, I may use it to make a little felted bag or box. If I manage to accomplish that by the end of the year, I will have attained one item from my "Learn in 2008" list. Whoohoo.

On Screen Knitting

I watched "Babette's Feast" the other night, a foreign film with subtitles (see my review here), but I had a difficult time reading the dialog because I was distracted by the handknits. Two of the main characters knitted socks for the needy and sported some lovely shawls and wraps. While watching the movie, I wore one of my own wraps. Cozy!

I'm up to the yoke detailing on Sitcom Chic. The fuchsia is getting tiresome, but I still like the cotton-wool blend yarn.

It's Okay - It's for Xmas

The other day I pulled out the pattern for Dashing and perused the instructions. Afterwards, I examined the yarn that I now feel was foisted upon me at a LYS. Not quite what the pattern calls for, which was an excellent excuse to buy yarn, this time at a different LYS.



Although I have been fairly successful as of late refraining from yarn purchases (yarn purchased while out of town on vacation does not count, as vacation is all about contributing to the local economy), Dashing is for my dad for xmas.

Disappointed in Me

While updating my blog template, I noticed that I have not accomplish any of the things listed under "Learn in 2008". Other than my half-assed attempt at spinning, nary a one was even contemplated in any depth. Not that I did not knit (see "FO's in 2008".) I just did not try anything really new.

It's not entirely me fault, though. There are so many intriguing patterns and gorgeous yarns, it is difficult to see beyond them.

And then there are the UFO's, many of which have been sitting in the sidebar for at least a year. Unlike some of us, I lack the discipline to stick with self-imposed rules. My rebellious nature fights my inner adult as well.

The past two years I have been successful at keeping my New Year's Resolutions, though. Maybe I can work some knitting goals into this year's resolution.

Update on Betsy: She continues to feel better - her appetite is improved, she is back to barking at nothing again, and there has been further reduction in the swollen lymph nodes - but she is still stiff. Before her ACL surgery, she had x-rays which showed insignificant amounts of arthritis, so it's not that. She has lost muscle mass, though, so I think she is just incredibly out of shape from laying around for the past seven weeks. She is not a high energy dog to begin with, so it doesn't take much for her to give in to total inertia. (Like owner, like dog?) So I'm trying some gentle doggie massage and PT. She loves the extra attention. (Don't we all!)

Cautiously Optimistic

Betsy appears to be responding to the antibiotics and new pain meds. The swelling of the lymph nodes on the backs of her knees has gone down some, she is getting around a bit better, and she is displaying some of her old self. I'm hopeful.

I did a little Internet research on lymphoma in dogs and discovered that chemo, when it works, extends their lives only 12 to 14 months. I think Dr. B is the kind of vet who will spare no effort, while Dr. M takes into consideration the cost effectiveness of a treatment. ACL surgery can make a dog as good as new, while with chemo you are just buying time. We shall see.

Meanwhile, the arms are back on Sitcom Chic. Since I am reknitting the yoke, I am trying out the SSK "Improved" as described on Knitting Help, to see what the difference is.

Elbac has been neglected for about two weeks, but tomorrow we have a "lunch and learn" session which should allow me to make some progress.

Poor Dog, Part II

Betsy has never recovered from her ACL surgery. After her pain meds were gone, she was obviously still in pain, so I started giving her baby aspirin. This helped some, but she continued to walk stiff-legged. I tried weaning her off the aspirin a couple of times, but then she was truly miserable.

She had been back to the vet clinic where the surgery had been performed a couple of times, once to have the sutures removed and again when I felt she should be improving more rapidly and wanted someone to see her stiff gait. They seemed to think she was doing okay, and assured me it would just take time.

Six weeks later and she still has good days and bad days. Today is a good day - she is willing to hobble around and can make it up the one step it takes to enter the house. Sunday was a bad day - she whimpered and trembled, not even getting off her pillow for popcorn.

Today we went back to the vet clinic where the surgery was performed, to make sure the problem was not related to the surgery itself. While waiting our turn, one of the techs came out to give Betsy some love and commented that Betsy felt warm. The exam revealed no fever, but Dr. B found some swollen lymph nodes. Fever + swollen lymph nodes = infection. Swollen lymph nodes without fever = ???

He drew some fluid from the most swollen lymph node and examined it under a microscope. He had two other vets look, too (which I later found added to the bill). They felt there was a definite possibility of a tumor.

Further diagnosis involves blood work and a biopsy, and presumably more visits, so I decided Betsy should return to our regular vet whose office is much closer to home. In case my regular vet didn't treat lymphoma, we discussed possible treatment if it were a tumor: chemotherapy, three doses, three weeks apart, administered "in hospital".

Um, how much does that cost? I asked.

Oh, it won't be that much, said Dr. B.

I recently had a lawyer tell me his fee would not be that much, I countered.

Ha-ha-ha! Okay. Around $200 a treatment.

$$$! went my brain.

Only because it has to be done in hospital. The chemo itself is not that expensive.

How successful is the treatment? I asked.

Oh, very successful! I get almost 100% remission rate. But it will come back eventually, and then we just try a different chemotherapy. And then another.

$$$$$$!!! went my brain.

Oh, and by the way, her other knee is showing signs it will need surgery, too. See? Dr. B wiggled Betsy's "old" knee. Jeesh, I'm thinking, don't add to the damage!

As I was leaving, I asked Dr. B if I should continue to give Betsy the aspirin. Oh, no, don't do that. The aspirin may be masking a fever. Huh?

$100+ and a phone call later, we are on our way to Dr. M. I'm petting Betsy as I drive, thinking, Hmmm, her ears feel warm. When my kids were small, I used the Mother's Kiss Method of Fever Detection. There is something about a feverish child that just feels different from a hot and sweaty one. Dogs don't get sweaty, but Betsy definitely felt unusually warm. Maybe it is just an infection?

At Dr. M's office, Betsy still had no fever. I told him the whole story, then suggested, before we go crazy with tests, that we just try a round of antibiotics. He agreed, added a different pain reliever to get Betsy off the aspirin, and offered a cortisone shot to boot. I said, Let's try just one thing at a time. Besides, he said that if it were a tumor and I decided to treat it, the cortisone may affect the efficacy of the treatment.

So now we are home. Betsy has been dosed and is near comatose from exhaustion. And so am I (exhausted, not dosed). I think I'll just knit a bit and take a nap.



Owning a dog - and being a dog - can be exhausting.

Vintage Shawl

This dropped stitch shawl was an unusual experience, because dropping stitches (like steeking and felting) just feels wrong.



But the results are interesting.



Pattern: Vintage Shawl from Runway Knits
Modifications: None, except I didn't understand the bind off instructions, so the ends don't quite match
Yarn: Krabella Aurora Bulky in "Aubergine"
Needles: US10 straights



This is for my daughter, per her request. Hope she protects it from cat puke because I'm not sure how it would stand up to washing.

Lucky IU Socks

The problem with striped patterns is, unless you can carry the yarn along, there are a bazillion ends to weave in at the end. Alas, I did not carry the yarn along, but socks are small (compared to sweaters or blankets), so the final weave-in was not too bad.



Pattern: Men's Striped Socks from Lion Brand
Modifications: Used only two colors, contrasted toes and heels as well
Yarn: Moda Dea Washable Wool, in "True Red" and "Ivory"
Needle size: US5 (cuffs US4)



These are for my son, ostensibly for xmas, but he may get them at Thanksgiving. Gifting knows no season.

I Blog Three Blogs

It is NaBloPoMo again. I participated last year, but that was possible only because I magically was able to blog from work. Ordinarily, I can read blogs at work, but not comment or write blogs, at least not in Blogger. For the month of November, however, the blog window opened. Someone, somewhere up the chain of command, must have decided it was okay, but then on December 1, the window slammed shut. I am curious to see if the same thing happens this year.

Anyway, I actually have three blogs, one for knitting, one for home and garden, and one for everything else. I seriously doubt I could post in all three everyday, but I will try to hit at least one of them each day. We'll see. No promises.

It is also NaNoWriMo, but I'm not that crazy. Yet.

I Passed

Since the instructor let me knit in the training class at work, I felt obligated to pass the test at the end, just to prove that knitting does not interfere with learning. My score was 83%, so now I'm certified (or certifiable).

Otherwise, just playing around with this blog's template. Don't be surprised if it changes a few more times.

How Lucky Can I Get?

Facing three days of training this week, I was looking for something small and inconspicuous that I might work on during class. I didn't know if the instructor would mind, but I decided I'd rather be prepared. Sitcom Chic and Tropical Treat are too bulky, Elbac a little too futzy because of the cables. Maybe now would be a good time to start a pair of Lucky IU socks for my son.

It took me a while to find the yarn that I just knew was in the stash somewhere - Washable Wool by Moda Dea. I bought it specifically for this project but it's worsted weight so I wasn't sure where it would be. Well, by golly, it was in the drawer with the sock yarn! My stash is more organized than I thought.

I planned to do these socks in two colors, red (crimson) and white (cream). In my pattern stash, I found a Lion Brand pattern with stripes on the leg, and I decided I could just wing the heel and toe. Usually I drop a needle size, but for some reason I am short on US4's, so I went with the recommended US5's. Looking back, this is a good idea.

Okay. Yarn - check. Pattern - check. Needles - check. Last night I even cast on and worked the ribbing. All I needed now was a compliant instructor.

This morning I kept my knitting hidden away until a pause during a group exercise when I decided it was safe to pull it out. To my surprise, the instructor marched over to me and exclaimed, "I wish I could knit socks!" Turns out she is a knitter too, but she hasn't mastered knitting in the round yet. I knew I was safe when she said she drove her college professors nuts by knitting in class. And as an instructor herself, she appreciates how engaging all the senses can enhance the learning experience.

So I made some progress.



I'm going to cast on sock #2 tonight so I will have plenty to keep my hands busy the next two days.

No-o-o-o-o-o-o!

Today is the last day of my vacation. Boo! I am so ready (except financially) to retire. With the economy not just in the toilet but down the pipes and halfway to the sewage treatment plant, I've been wondering if real retirement will be possible in the future. I'm not one of those people who say, I'll always work somewhere doing something. Uh-uh. I have plenty of things to keep me busy. I just hope I get to do them someday.

Maybe I would get more done now if I didn't have to redo so many things. Like Sitcom Chic. Yes, I thought I would be wrapping this baby up while travelling to and from southern Illinois, and I did, sort of. I finished the knitting part and tried on the sweater before applying the final finishing touches, only to discover that while I had made the sleeves longer, I had not made them long enough. And while we are at it, the body could be longer, too.



Yesterday, I assessed the damage and decided to frog the yoke. Then today I frogged the body a bit farther, so I could add more increases. I'm knitting forward again now.

Since vacation knitting on SC was on hold, I worked on Elbac some, and on the drive home, slaved away on Tropical Treat. The latter is turning into the Never Ending Blanket. It feels like I have been working on it forever, and yet am only two-thirds of the way done. It doesn't help that the Lion Brand Babysoft yarn occasionally belches a wad from the center-pull skein, which, if one is not careful, can lead to a snarly mess. Which is what happened in the car. Not that I would have gotten anywhere near finishing TT on the drive home anyway. Still. It was annoying.

I follow NFL football, but apparently not close enough. Why are the Chargers and Saints playing in London? The cabin we stayed in had Dish Network, so I was able to watch Monday Night Football for the first time since it moved to ESPN. Too bad the Colts weren't playing then instead of tomorrow.

Happy Birthday to Me

You know how you lose track of what day it is when you are on vacation? If my daughter had not called to wish me a happy one and had my son not remembered either, my birthday would have passed unnoticed by me.

While I missed out on Rhinebeck this year (I think I was the only one not there), I did find an LYS on the way to southern Illinois. River Wools in Terre Haute has quite an extensive selection of great yarns. I have been in the market for some Euroflax as I want to make a Mason-Dixon Bubbly Curtain for my kitchen window.



The "pure white" skeins are for the curtain, the multicolored skein for another M-D project, the Moss Grid Hand Towel.

Aloo is from Himalaya Yarn, made in Nepal from the Himalayan nettle plant. It feels like rough linen.



I plan to use it for a string bag and/or a wash mitt.

If yarn was not birthday treat enough, when I got back to town, my daughter presented me with this book...



... and flowers...



...and a fajita dinner (with beer!), which I wolfed down before thinking to take a picture. I should be the one treating her, though, as she kept Betsy while I was gone.

Next time: vacation knitting.

I'm Back

Just a quick note to say we had a great vacation at Giant City State Park. More details to come, but just to prove crafters are everywhere, here is a sample of filet crochet in the visitors center...



... and some artistic quilts in the lodge diningroom.

I Can Quit Anytime

I week or so ago, I was trying to remember what my New Year's Resolution had been this year. Senior moment - I had to look it up on my own blog. Oh, yeah, manage my vacation time better and include a do-thing vacation. Well, that is exactly what we are doing next week - a do-nothing vacation. My SO and I will transport our tired but restless butts to southern Illinois with no plans whatsoever for what to do when we get there (other than see my son who lives there).

I am so ready for a vacation from my job, from my house, from my pets. For a couple of crazy moments, I even contemplated making it a vacation from knitting. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Besides, it will be a seven-hour drive and I am more willing to share wheel time if I have something to do, like knitting.

Which projects should I take? Well, Sitcom Chic is a no-brainer. It's mostly sockinette, so won't require juggling instructions and sticky notes. Elbac is halfway done, and with its reversible cables, would serve as an alternative. And Tropical Treat, all garter, all the time, is another candidate for the drive, despite the four colors of yarn to wrangle. And I think I will draw the line there. If I finish all three of those in the course of five days, it will be a miracle because, even though we have no plans, one of those non-plans is NOT to spend all day, everyday knitting.

I don't get to read as much as I like, so I am known to take along a tote bag of books and magazines on vacation. Unless I am on a plane, they rarely even get opened, because, well, there are things to do and when there are no things to do, I usually knit, and if I am tired of knitting, I am usually too tired to do much of anything.

The laptop was also a brief candidate for being left behind. Where we are going, we will not have Wifi in the room. However, it will be available in the lodge, and even the best of travelling companions need an occasional moment or two of alone time. And there will be photos to download and maybe blog about. We'll see.

Hmmm. I wonder if there are any yarn shops along the way.

TMI

It seems like someone in the cafeteria at work is playing Russian Roulette with the ExLax. A couple of weeks ago, I blamed the chocolate chocolate chip cookie for an afternoon in the porcelain kingdom. Today the three-dollar bowl of chili went down the toilet - literally. A couple of hours later I was feeling hungry again, and against my better judgment, followed the chili with a seventy-five cent Snickers bar. Tonight's toast appears to be sticking, but we'll wait a while before taking Betsy on her therapy walk. On a brighter note, my sinuses feel better. If it's not one end, it's the other.

Proof that I have been knitting:



This Sitcom Chic is working out much better than my previous attempt. The body is up to the armpits and one sleeve is close to being the three-quarter length the pattern describes but I am going to make it longer. I'm not a three-quarter length kind of person, plus this sleeve as is is too tight for my fleshy arms.

Today was not a good cable-knitting day, but I still managed to add a couple of inches to Elbac.



I'm tempted to slow down on this a bit, just to show a friend of mine at WW in November that scarves don't have to be boring.

Personal Trainer to the Dog

Betsy the Bionic Dog is healing very slowly from her ACL surgery to my way of thinking, but the vets say she is doing fine. They don't see her sleeping 24/7 or hear her whimpering when she does get up off her pillow. We have a little physical therapy to do - bicycle movements for her "new" joint - but we have also been taking a couple of short walks each day, which seem to be helping. The vets warned me to keep her on leash, worried that she would get rambunctious, but they don't know Betsy. We are already the dog walking spectacle of the neighborhood because she always trails behind. And now she really lags, moving as slowly as she can without standing still. The walks have become opportunities for me to practice walking meditation with a poop bag.

My knitting is progressing a little faster than the dog walking. During my lunch hour I doggedly (HA) work on Elbac (which I finally realized is "cable" spelled backwards), and in the evening it's Sitcom Chic while I listen to The Subtle Knife, the sequel to The Golden Compass. I reworked the toes in the Hedgerow socks and still ran short of yarn, so they are taking another time out.

And I am still recovering from my "bug". My teeth hurt, so I suspect sinusitis, which supposedly is not to be treated with antibiotics anymore since it is caused by a virus, but what does one do in the meantime? Besides take Advil and Sudafed? Ooh - maybe sushi with wasabi! I'll have to try that for lunch tomorrow.

Menopause Shawl

A few years ago, when my hot flashes were worse than they are now, I had what seemed like a brilliant idea: handknit menopause shawls. Pullover sweaters and turtlenecks had become impossible, cardigans were better, but shawls would have been best for tossing off and on as the internal thermostat dictated.

I still think the menopause shawl is a good idea. I just can't seem to get the hang of wearing a triangle. I'm still not feeling too perky, so am home and test driving the Sun Ray.



Maybe I will alternate between it and the Falling Leaves shawl, which is rectangular, to see what shape I like better.

Project synopsis:
Pattern: Sun Ray Shawl (free from Elann)
Yarn: Elann Peruvian Highland Wool, color 2507 (antique rose)
Needles: US9 circulars

OMG. While recording the above information, I took a closer look at the photo with the pattern and at my results: the picot edging is completely different between the two. The pattern photo's edging is much prettier. The difference stems from the blocking: I was supposed to stretch out every fifth picot to form a scallop. Rats. Well, if I ever feel so inclined, I will reblock the shawl. Likelihood of my doing that: 5%

Break Out the Handknits

I have not been able to park my car in the garage because it (the garage, not the car) is full of everything that was displaced by the room addition, and now that the temps are a bit frosty at night, I need knitted mitts between my hands and the steering wheel. Not quite ready for hats and scarves, though.

The yarn did run out on the Hedgerow socks, thanks to my shenanigans. I will have to get creative with the toes to finish up, which may result in something whacky looking, so I am glad these are for me. The socks are taking a little time out until I decide what to do.

Which gives me a good excuse to knit away on the Sitcom Chic. I am feeling much better about the Four Seasons yarn than I did about the Pima Tencel. The cotton in it gives the knitted fabric body while the wool softens it. No second guessing this time around (knock on wood!)

I Got Gauge

I got something else, too, a bug that strongly recommended I stay home today. It's the perfect illness, as I am too uncomfortable to go to work but not too sick to knit.

The stitches in the swatch for Sitcom Chic fattened up in the soak, so now the gauge is spot on. Before casting on, I played with a couple of cast ons for 1x1 ribbing, settling on this one from Knitting Daily.



Last night, during the VP debate, I dropped the rest of the stitches on the Vintage Shawl, which did lengthen it to 60". That should be plenty long, especially once the fringe is added.

Now it is time for a nap.

I Can't Help Myself!

New yarn calls to be cast on, so I did.

I chose Elbac for a cable project. I chose Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Worsted because that is what the pattern recommended. Initially, I did not like the pattern much, but it is growing on me. Instead of knit cables against a purl background, we have ribbed cables against a garter background. The result is a reversible scarf with subtle cables.



Initially, I liked the yarn, but now not so much. It is soft and has a nice halo even in skein. But there is very little twist, even less spring, and it tends to split. Now that I am past the initial diagonal rows of the pattern, though, the knitting and cabling are going fairly smoothly, so I will probably continue with the status quo.

The Sitcom Chic sweater has been in the back of my mind, and now that I have a new yarn for it, I just had to swatch.



My MO is to drop a needle size from what the pattern calls for, but cast on with a needle one or two sizes larger. So I cast on with a US9 and knit with US7. My gauge is a little off, but I have yet to soak the swatch. Which I will do because I do not want to start a third version of Sitcom Chic.

I am progressing nicely through the Hedgerow socks.



I had increased the pattern by one pattern repeat, which made the legs six stitches larger. The decreasing in the toe relies on multiples of eight, however, which I did not have until I thought to terminate the gusset prematurely and leave a couple of extra stitches for the footbed.



Now I am running dangerously low on yarn. *sigh*

And just in case you think nothing is getting completely finished around here, this pic is proof otherwise:



The Sun Ray shawl in all its blocked glory.

Today Betsy got her stitches removed. Forty minutes of driving for four minutes of work. Betsy is still reluctant to put much weight on her "new" leg, but recovery from doggy ACL surgery takes one to three months. It has been only two weeks, but I am really tired of helping her up and down the ONE step it takes to enter/exit the house.