Florida Knitting

Okay, I have missed you guys. Work's been crazy and knitting's been off and on.

We took a week's vacation to Florida. Yes. Orlando. DisneyWorld. Very much fun. Very much spending.

But in the middle of our vacation, week took a day to just 'ding around' as we like to say. We Googled. We found two knitting stores within driving distance.

This is a sparse knitting environment, in my humble opinion. Considering that, at home, I have about TEN knitting stores within driving distance. Okay, so Florida is hot and perhaps there is less knitting than there would be in a cooler environment. It's also more densely populated. If anyone needs relaxation and knitting, it would be these dear folks.

So, anyhow. We drove up, blindly, trying to find the little community of Longwood. After a panicked call to the proprietor, we found the delightful store Knit! That first picture is me, seated, in front of their selection. You can tell that I'm on vaction. I look so relaxed!

And this is a photo of Marney Gibson, the delightful proprietor:

She's holding the book I bought and ringing up the one skein of sock yarn that called to me. She was very hospitable and gave us lots of good tips for what to do and how to get there. If I get to go back to Florida, I'm calling Marney first and running my plans past her.

She is a good soul. And she runs a knit shop. In Florida. Lucky woman!

My knitting project for the trip was Dave's mythical socks, the ones done on size ZERO needles, with Lorna's Laces in Black Watch.

I did okay, knitting an inch or so on the flights to Florida. Got the marker in for the afterthought heels. And about an inch or so after that. But, on return flight, disaster! I pulled out my project only to discover that one of the tiny bamboo needles had been broken. Woe.

And we arrived home late on Sunday, with no opportunity to replace the size zero circular needles. I visited three of my local yarn stores, and found one replacement needle (Addi Turbos, this time), came home, slipped all the stitches onto the replacement needle, set the project down and leaned over to move something on the couch, and BROKE THE OTHER BAMBOO NEEDLE.

Curses!

And on Tuesday, I had to work, and thus, less freedom to pursue another size zero Addi Turbo needle. Work. So annoying.

Socks for Dumbledore

I've been on a Harry Potter binge.

I'm re-reading books 1-6, so I can be all fresh and prepped to read Deathly Hallows. (I should explain. When I say 'read', I mean listen to Jim Dale read the books aloud to me on CD or cassette. I adore Jim Dale.) I've just started my second read of Half-Blood Prince, and it seems very fresh and new to me.

So, I've been surprised at all the knitting references in the HP series. Besides the house-elf hats, which I do have plenty of, I love Professor Dumbledore's continued reference to knitting. I'm thinking about knitting a pair of Dumbledore socks, given his comment in The Sorceror's Stone that he sees himself holding a pair of thick woollen socks, and "one can never have enough socks."

I like him. I like knitting.

I did enough knitting during my time with my grandfather, following my grandmother's death, and I have set it down for a few weeks. I will pick it up. I have some in the car, some in the bedroom.

I will knit again. I will knit good socks for Dumbledore, and then I will wear them myself. Perhaps I will get some of his intelligence and insight, some of his eccentricity. I'm still hoping for some of his patience and poise in the face of threats or difficult news.

Ribbing on Pink Socks

I've reached the ribbing on the pink socks. I've done two rounds, so I still have a while to go. I kept dropping stitches as I switched over to the ribbing. Strange, how such a simple, and fixable, mistake creeps up on one. Oh well. I was able to fix both of the cases. And I doubt you'll be able to

Sock Sensei Judy, when asked, how much ribbing to put on, replied wisely, "Always a little bit more."

They fit really, really well. What good socks. I can see why they become addicting. I already want to try one with an afterthought heel.

I ordered lots and lots of needles from the KnitPicks ladies. And just a little yarn.

I'll be coming down to Tangle or Lint or Naked Sheep for community knitting soon, I think. It is good for my soul to sit among others like me and knit.

Oh, and... We attended the Opera this week and, as opposed to last time, there was no unpleasant episode in the parking lot with a nasty driver in a car bearing a knitting bumpersticker. I can perhaps regain my belief that all or most knitters are truly nice people. Even when behind the wheel.

Or maybe she moved.

Or maybe she didn't like Opera.

Turned two corners

Or rather, two heels.

I have turned my third and fourth heel ever! I feel the power!

I was aiming for eye of partridge stitch, and I'm not sure I did it correctly, but nonetheless, the heels are turned. They are also nice and thick and should wear well.

And I did them while riding up to visit relatives, and while visiting relatives, including the World's Cutest Nieces.

Yes, it is an official title. They won it fair and square. They are 10 and 7 and 7. Blond hair, blue eyes, and a set of twins.

These socks fit me very well, and I am excited to finish them and wear them myself.

'Course now, Dr. Parts wants his socks to be finished at the same time, silly goose. Hasn't he ever heard of gauge?

I am psyched about going to the Black Sheep Gathering in June in Eugene, Oregon. I am debating whether I should take any classes. They have openings in the mitten class, in the Design-your-own-sock class, a couple of rug classes, and a few other interesting ones. I should probably take the class on finishing techniques. Or should I go down early Friday morning with my credit card and scour the booths for the Blue Moon booth. I can blow my entire budget there, no doubt. And knit more wonderful socks. And soft scarves.

Ommmmmmm, Blue Moon. I'm working up to a sock trance. Oooommmmmmmm, Blue Moon.

Quiet Needles

My coworker is on vacation for two weeks. That means I'm trying to do her work and my work, and I'm still only one person.

My knitting lies in its beautiful bag on the floor.

I did receive my 2nd Blue Moon Rockin' Sock Club package today. Hooray! I'm not at the end of the list this month. The yarn is great, but I don't know whether posting a photo would be a spoiler for anyone else. So I'll wait on the photo. I'm liking the pattern, although I didn't look closely at it.

I've gotta say, though, I really don't like the way this particular yarn smells. I'm not sure what it is. And I'm not usually aware of the odor of the yarn. Strange that this one is unpleasant to me.

Perhaps I'll go on down to Tangle on Saturday, where someone can oversee my turning of the heel, for only the third time in my entire life. Socks still make me nervous.

The knitting muses will return to me. I'm thinking about lace now...

Pink knitting.

I did the math. I'm working on my pink socks. I've started the gusset increases.

I have the Barbara Walker treasury, volume 2, from my favorite local library. Husband has gone to the woods for the weekend. It's just me, the cats, and the yarn at home until Sunday. Life is good. I should have several more inches on the socks by then.

Oh, and someone asked where I get all my Blue Moon Socks That Rock. I ordered three skeins directly from them. I also have purchased skeins on Ebay.

Perhaps I will set up the ball winder and the swift and wind some skeins into balls. That's fun. Then I can hold them in my hands.

Creeping Socks

My two pairs of socks are creeping along. Tonight, I did the math so I know how long to make the body of the foot before creating my gusset increases for both pairs.

I had planned to do this in MS Excel, because I can put in formulas and add enough words and reminders to keep myself on track. I don't have this software at home, so I tried to use Google's new documents & spreadsheets feature. Didn't work so well for me. I can't figure out how to put a formula in the stupid cell, so I just used it to record the specifics of my math. It has down my foot measurements, and his foot measurements, and the specifics for each sock of my stitch and row gauge, and the number of stitches per needle. I think I can make a link to it here. If not, and if you want to look, the name of the spreadsheet is SWORDave and SWORLori. (That stands for Socks WithOut Rules, in case you didn't get it, the name of Judy's excellent sock instruction booklet. I sure hope she's looking for a publisher, hint, hint.)

I'm almost ready to start the gusset increases for my socks, the pink ones. Husband's, being smaller gauge will take longer. His feet are about 1 inch longer than mine, but are also larger in diameter. Very interesting.

I'll keep knitting.

Little Knitting

I haven't been knitting much. I've been struggling with pain this week, so my evenings have been taken by the Percoset fairy.

Opiates are not conducive to good knitting. Imagine that!

Did a few rows on the socks. I will soon have to do the math to set up the gusset increases for the heel turn. I might have to go to see Judy for that. Better take the pill AFTER we do the math, right?

It's slow going, though. Maybe two pairs of socks on two pairs of needles is too much small gauge knitting all at once. I knit two rounds on each pair tonight.

I'll go sleep now. Knit later.

Socks in progress

The sock on the left is for me. It is Blue Moon SocksThatRock, although I've forgotten the colorway.

The sock on the right is for Dr. Parts. It's Lorna Laces Shepherd Sock in Black Watch.

The pink is on size 1s. The blue is on size 0s. I'm also trying a 2x1 rib in the foot portion for the green.

Dr. Parts says, "Why isn't mine done yet?"

Does he not realize how many pointy sticks I have in my hands?

I figure they'll be ready by next fall.

Almost Socks

I've been working away on the ribbing at the top of my sock. I am close to actually having a sock. A completed sock.

My tupperware is in, but I haven't called Becci back yet. Gotta do that.

I've been having some insomnia this week. Lots of good knitting time

And look, I sent a scarf to my friend Allison, and she showed a photo of it. (Okay, the best part of her post is, of course, the headline. Go on, go on.) The scarf is two balls of Be Sweet's Magic Ball in, I think, Fire Red. Rather spendy, but lots of fun to knit with. The scarf is garter stitch on size 15 needles, use two balls and stop when you run out of yarn! I got this yarn at Lint in NW Portland. I have purchased more since then.

Must sleep now.... Pictures next time....