The feats and foibles of a fiber fanatic.
3/21/2005
After a bit harrowing Friday and Saturday I had a pleasant surprise in my mailbox to lift my spirits…
Click above to view the contents…
Not only was there a lovely pair of purple socks with a basketweave pattern in the leg made from Lorna’s Laces Shepards Sock and the extra yarn, but Dawn included a lovely card and a big purple flower which is crocheted I think. It’ll look great on a bag or perhaps a bucket hat.
They fit lovely and are of course one of my favorite colors!
Thank you so much, Dawn!
knittingfool @ 2:32 pm ::
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3/18/2005
I got the cutest ever e-card in my inbox today from Fiberphile, my sockapalooza recipient who is now the proud owner of Spearfish v1.0. The card even involved sheep 
What makes me happiest is that the socks fit her! I think they look mighty fine!
I chose a blue because it seemed she had quite a bit of blue things in her FO gallery and it seemd that she liked lace details, so that was the true beginning of the Spearfish v1.0 socks.
This was such a nice thing to see and hear about today as I just got home from the most hairied round of errand running. Well, it was really errand interrupted. I set out to check my PO box for my own socks (no socks, empty mail box) and my car died. With some really creative driving I was able to get it to the garage and I got a ride back home from them (sans the rest of my errands, including lunch). So, this was a great day brightener!
3/15/2005
While packaging the Spearfish Socks to head out on their 1516 mi journey from here to thier new home (yes, that is clue) I realized these are quite the traveling socks. They were inspired by scenery in South Dakota, knit in Colorado and will be living 1500+ mi east and slightly south (yes, another clue) in yet a third state. Too bad I didn’t drive the hour up to Wyoming and do some of the knitting there, LOL!
If you’re curious to see the wrapper I designed a little closer up, click here.
In other news, I’ll be adding another button over in the upper right in the not too distant future. In case you didn’t know, Snow is a big bully. Don’t let her musings on kielbasa toes fool you. She twisted and twisted my arm to join her Blackwater Abbey KAL. It’s an ongoing one with no formal start or finish date, so with the low pressure I decided I could join in. I’m not sure what I’ll be knitting for it yet. It might be socks or it might be one of the totes. We’ll see. I probably won’t have time to get to it for a couple months anyway so I have time to think about it. Give me a holler if you have a suggestion for me… And, join with us yourself why don’t you?
3/14/2005
Designedly, Kristi Spearfish Sock Pattern (v 1.0)
Lang Jawoll Superwash (83)
US Sz 1 DPNs (set of 5)
Completed March 12, 2005
Here is a look at the lace detail…
There is nothing like finishing in the knick of time, LOL! I just have to make a band to wrap them with and get my postcard for Ft. Collins. I might cheat on that and get one for Rocky Mountain National Park. We’ll see I guess. Then off in the mail they go tomorrow. I hope they fit well and that she likes them. It was a blast designing them.
Speaking of designing them, I’ll be tweaking a few things and will have the pattern available for purchase later. I’m suspecting at least a month, if not two as I’ll have to knit another pair with the changes and I don’t have any appropriately colored yarn in my stash.
Now that these have been off my plate since Saturday night the vixen Clapotis has been getting attention again. Pics and progress report on that to come tomorrow…
3/11/2005
I headed to the PO yesterday afternoon in a huff about a publication I hadn’t given permission for. The offending rag was not in my PO box, but instead I found a package from my SP4 to wash away my rant.
I resisted ripping it open right there in the PO and instead rushed home. As soon as I had the envelope unsealed this love aroma came wafting out. It was a very sweet, yet floral scent. I reached my hand inside and first discovered the Cachet Journal with it’s spiral binding (always great for arting in, that way the book stays open and flat) with black pages! I haven’t had the pleasure of working on black pages in a journal for a long time. In fact, ever since I discovered my preferred paper for binding journals has a bleeding problem with their black. And, the cover is in my favorite color - PURPLE! Wheeee!
Upon dipping my hand in the envelope again, my hand found a box of jewelry proportions. I was shocked! Inside was a love memory wire coil bracelet all beaded in blue and purple with wonderful accents of a shocking lime. I *love* it! I don’t have much in the way of bracelets so this is a wonderful addition to my jewelry collection. I think the bright spots of the lime are my favorite.
Hmmm, I still hadn’t uncovered the source of that lovely smell that had permeated the entire package and its contents. The next item I removed from the package solved the mystery. It is Mango soap from Ten Thousand Villages! Ah-ha! I think it must be more like mango blossom as there is definitely a floral scent mixed in with the sweet, but it makes it smell very exotic and intoxicating.
At the very bottom was one last little giftie - a retractable tape measure in blue! This is great. I have one that is clear that resides in my main “accessories kit” (a clear make up bag with my gauge/needle sizer, calculator, darning needles etc.). However, I just got this lovely new tote bag from Target a week or two ago and with somewhat sizable projects (like Clapotis) I don’t have room for the entire make up bag, but there is a small bag attached to this tote bag that will hold some stitch markers a calculator and this tape measure. So, now I don’t have to go hunting down which bag I have my kit in because I’ll have a tape measure in my two main project bags!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know you’ve probably left on your trip by now, but hopefully you’ll see this when you get back.
Yesterday evening was movie night. I watched
The Prince & Me with Julia Stiles before DH got home. I’ve always been drawn to her movies. I love the characters she plays. I think because they remind me of myself, only her life always turns out. Anyway, that was not a DH movie, though I think I may have to put it on my wishlist so I can add to my Julia Stiles collection. Then after supper DH and I watched
Bringing Up Baby, as it was just releasted by WB in their
Classic Comedies Collection a week or two ago.
With all the movie watching I’m in the home stretch on the Sockapalooza sock, having nearly completed the gusset. Not bad considering I hadn’t picked up knitting needles in the two days prior. I won’t have much knitting time today as I’ll be busy getting all currently enrolled persons into their respective classes today (class doesn’t start until next Wednesday but I like the students to be able to get settled before the actual classes begin). But, I’m hoping to knock off a little early on all that and enjoy the nice weather we are to have today and knit and little bit outside with Emma. I know I’ll be needing the calming factor. Opening up the classrooms always makes me irritable as you always get at least a handful of people who don’t read ALL of the directions and then can’t get into class.
Poor, poor Clapotis has been banned to the project bag, not to be taken out again until the Spearfish socks are complete. She’s lonely and sad and wishing that I would get done with the darn sock!
3/8/2005
I brought the two Sally Melville books to SnB last night and ended up trading Amanda for these two lovely hanks of Interlacement’s Houston rayon/cotton boucle yarn. There is 2500 yd there with a label gauge of 6 sts/in on US 4 needles. I’m not quite sure what I’ll be doing with it at this point, though I have a few ideas. I don’t think the photo is very accurate in the color, but it’s a cloudy, windy, rainy day out today so this is the best I’ll get. It’s kind of a dusty mauve as in some lights it looks kind of pink, but in others it looks more lavender. I do know that it looked great with my plum jeans I was wearing last night
In progress news, I have 2 or 3 more repeats before I start the heel on second Sockapalooza sock. It’s funny because I remember the first sock looking better without blocking than this one seems to be, but I think that was because I photographed it on a glass… But, anyway I bring you another progress pic…
I put the sock aside for the last 30 minutes or so and picked up Clapotis and made another drop. I think I have three more to do before beginning the decrease section if I recall correctly. It looks awesome in this yarn! But I’m really needing to focus the majority of my knitting time on the sock. I have less than a week now to finish it. Clapotis is just for me, so there is no real deadline.
3/7/2005
Just a gentle reminder… 
I’m taking an easy day today and will be popping in the second DVD of season 1 of Gilmore Girls and knitting away on the second Spearfish sock. I’m at about the half way mark of the ankle. If all goes well, I hope to get to the heel tomorrow and get that turned and then I’ll be in the home stretch!
knittingfool @ 3:09 pm ::
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3/4/2005
I have a few books I’m ready to part with. They’ve served their purpose or were not a good fit for me and they are looking for a new home…
Stitch ‘n Bitch by Debbie Stoller
Retails for $13.95
Selling/Trading for $9 + Shipping - Spoken For
The Knitting Experience: The Knit Stitch by Sally Melville
Retails for $19.95
Selling/Trading for $12 + Shipping - Taken
The Knitting Experience: The Purl Stitch by Sally Melville
Retails for $19.95
Selling/Trading for $12 + Shipping
I can ship Priority or Media Mail, whichever you wish to pay for. I can take non-CC paypal payments. In the case of a trade, I will require a delivery confirmation number before shipping your item.
For trade, I’m interested in Sz 0-2 5″ Brittany Birch DPNs, or 16″ AddiTurbos, sock yarns, there are some books I’m also interested in. If you are interested in any of these, just drop me an e-mail (remove the NO SPAM) and we can work out the details.
I completed the lacey top of the 2nd Spearfish sock and 2 repeats of the main ankle portion yestrday. I’ve dropped one more stitch on Clapotis since the last picture. So, Clapotis is sort of crawling along while I focus on Spearfish in order to mail it on the 15th! More pictures early next week!
Check in tomorrow for a surprise…
3/3/2005
Well, I decided it was okay to reveal the super sekrit project. This is only a prototype of the actual project, which was why I decided it was okay to share it. Here are the specs:
- 5.75 X 8.75 inch covers featuring sage commercial handmade paper and custom handpainted paper
- 60 pp of 8-Quadrille paper for easy drawing of schematics for projects in 5 signatures
- 10 folder pockets for stashing those napkins you made notes on during lunch, or yarn ball bands etc.
- Swelled spine to allow easy pasting in of inspirational or FO photos, small pieces of yarn, or ball bands without stressing the binding and still allowing the book to close
- Elastic strap on back cover to use as a bookmark or to keep the book closed when in a project bag
- 12 pp Reference section
- Common knitting and crochet abbreviations
- Yarn standards, including typical WPI for each weight
- Common measurements for infant - large men, including upper body, foot and head
- Yardage estimate tables for a variety of projects - sweaters, scarves, socks and more
- Needle and Hook Inventory sheet
- Pattern book inventory sheet
- Exposed spine that shows off the intricate stitching used to bind the book
- Binding that allows book to lie flat on a table, making it much more practical to use than most commercially bound books
It was met with positive response at Mano yesterday so I am moving forward on making others.
And, yes, I did make it over to Textiles a Mano yesterday to knit for a while. I cast on and completed the first 12-row pattern repeat for my second Sockapalooza sock. Yes, I’m cutting it close. But the first one did only take me 2 weeks to complete. And, now I’ve conquered the second sock syndrome because I have cast-on, right? RIGHT? Please say yes!
There it is. Not much to look at so I included the first one in the shot as well, LOL!
Well, since I’m doing real well these days, I think I’ll sit back on my heating pad and work on the sock some more the rest of this afternoon.
2/7/2005
I did the toe grafting on this sock this morning. Unfortunately we have very cloudy skies right now and forecasted for the next few days so the picture isn’t great. But, it gives you an idea. Once again I got a nice clean graft of the toe. Could it be that I really *get* the Kitchener?
There are some changes I’ll be making the next time I knit this pattern for a pair of socks, though I have to ponder some things before I decide exactly what the changes will be. I have lots of ideas. But, overall I’m quite happy with these. Hopefully someone at SnB will have a foot that is approximately the same size as my sock pal, as my foot is 1 inch too long and 1 inch to wide to actually try it on :-/ Though the blocker I made is almost exactly the dimensions she gave me and it fit on that easily. I even steamed it! Yeah for the steamer DH and I bought as our Christmas gift (besides the loveseat which should be arriving in a few weeks).
Sitch ‘n Bitch tonight!!! I need to remember to see if everyone is going to be celebrating Valentine’s next Monday night or if they are celebrating over the weekend. I don’t want to be the only one there next week…
