Knit the Dog

[...because if I ever run out of yarn--- I can just knit the dogs.]



Sunday, February 15, 2009

Being firm with one's knitting projects

I had a Facing Reality session about my projects yesterday, and put away all but these: the blueish raglan sweater [because I need to learn to knit a raglan]; the Afghan-We-Have-Always-with-Us [because I need some mindless TV knitting and finishing it will make a nice, fillable hole in my stash]; and socks. Well, several socks. Everything else went into bags and into the closet. Out of sight, out of guilt.
We did figure-eight cast on sock toes in class on Tuesday, and it is fairly quick if kind of fiddly. I added a little shell rib design to the front of the sock to alleviate boredom... from one of Charlene Schurch's books. Heels next. I want to make toe-up socks not because the toes scare me; I really don't mind kitchener stitch; but I'm tall and have big feet, and this way I can use all the allotted yarn and make the socks longer in the foot and up the leg than if I had to guesstimate where to stop. I just knit up the leg until I run out. The current pair in Paton's Kroy looks like it could make a prodigious sock.
Little Cate was sick this week, an evil stomach bug; the first time she's really been ill (she's about 20 months.) Times like this I hate being a continent away from them, and wish I could help.
Weather won't settle down into spring. The temp jumps from 60's to 20's and back. We had much needed rain yesterday, just poured buckets, and then in true NC fashion today was sunny again. I went up to the huge Harris Teeter grocery, known locally as the Big Teeter or the Taj Ma Teeter, and did what the English call a big shop, with a list and coupons and everything. I'm sure I missed something, but I should be able to hold out for most of a week. Being retired has made me cavalier about running to the store, since now I have the time.
I've gotten the mileage in the Civic Hybrid to average 40 miles around town, better than at first. I don't know if it's the car or my driving, but it's fun to try to edge it up by hypermiling. Oh yes, I'm easily amused.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

The love of inanimate objects

I am in love with a hunk of plastic. NO, no, not that. This is my new ball winder--- YARN ball winder--- and swift.

It's nicely made, easy to use, and best of all was a Christmas present from Phil. I've been winding like mad, including winding together yarns I want to knit together, or hold double; yarns I've already wound into clumsy hand-done balls-- must. stop. winding.

That colorful litter of stuff on the table is a WIP, a Noro vest I'm calling Joseph's Coat, knit in jigsaw pieces of different colorways to join together. It's a plot to get Noro out of my system for once and for all. I love the colors. I detest the feel of the yarn. I could support a sheep on the bits of hay and grass seed I pick out of the stuff. I keep buying it because of the colors. Do you see a circular argument developing here?

Finished a turquoise mohair scarf, pix later. It is just long enough to make it around my neck, saving me from having to find another skein of it. I'm all about finishing things at the moment; the ladder scarf is two inches away from being done, and then the vest is next, and then socks. Taking a sock class next week to spur me to make more socks, because I need them and refuse to buy any until I have made at least a few pairs for myself. There's also the burgundy sweater, and the blue raglan sweater, and if it's not summer by the time they're done, a few other things lurk in the stash--- not to mention the Afghan Which We Have Always With Us. [Eventually it will be long enough that it will serve the purpose of keeping me warm even as I knit it. By next winter it even might be finished.]

If it stays this cold, I might need to crawl under the afghan anyway. 21 degrees this morning. I was whining about how we live in the South and this shouldn't be happening and Phil reminded me that we live in North Carolina. Still. The birds are eating everything I put out, we've even had snow this week-- but hey, I'm getting to wear scarves and mits and things. And cook stew and soup in the slow cooker, and last night I justified a big pan of gooey bread pudding by saying it was cold and we needed the comfort. Can't beat bread pudding for comfort.