New Heroes

So, I've been a Keith Olbermann junkie throughout the campaign, and still think he's great. He's extremely biased, but I'm cool with that, because he's honest about it, and he backs up every single thing he says with quotes and documentation.

Recently, I've also become a huge fan of Rachel Maddow.
I still like Olbermann, but I now like Rachel's new show even better. it's more fun to watch and some conservatives occasionally come on as guests (even if some of them are mean...bad move David Frum!). Her ongoing disagreements with her friend and fake uncle, Pat Buchanan are endlessly entertaining.

Also, I gotta say, Nate Silver
and his awesomely geeky blog kept me sane during the last month of the campaign. Turns out I was completely right to trust his calming and very positive predictions. Almost all of his election forecasts were correct. You rock, NATE! The geeks will inherit the earth. Now that the election is over, he and some of my other favorite bloggers, are reporting on the transition and I am fascinated by every word.

Let's try this again

This is a short post just to prove to myself that I am capable of blogging again...the election, work, Ravelry, and life in general has sucked me away from my blogging. I will try to post regular short bits and show off my new knitted bits. Speaking of which, here's what I've been up to lately:

Socks for my mom-in-law, Serita for a holiday gift:
She doesn't know about these socks yet, but since she also doesn't know about the blog, I think I can safely post them. These are the common 'Monkey' socks but I shifted the pattern 8 stitches so it would be centered on top and I like it much better. The yarn is STR lightweight from Blue Moon Fiber Arts and the colorway is Lunasea.

Socks for me with a cool honeycomb like pattern:
The pattern is called 'Replicating Anemone Rib', but I think it looks so much like a honeycomb pattern, that at some point I want to do more of these socks in a honey color. Mark also loves this pattern, so he will get a pair of socks with this pattern at some point. This is a RSC club exclusive colorway called Tidepooling which I am so in love with.

Socks for my mom for Hannukah:
I used the flame wave pattern, found in 'Favorite Socks', but I altered the pattern to be used for finer yarn. (70 stitches on 2.5mm needles instead 56 stitches on larger needles). So far these are coming out even better than expected. The flame wave pattern looks really good with the variegated yarn:
The yarn is STR lightwight from Blue Moon Fiber Arts and the colorway is Alley Opp.


And finally, I am working on a wrap cardigan that I love:
I am half done with the second sleeve. After that I still have ends to sew in, I-cords ties to make, and given that I have some yarn left over I think I may redo the bottom and add an inch or so. I love this yarn (Berroco Jasper - Verdes Lavras colorway) and the pattern is the neckdown wrap cardigan from Knitting Pure & Simple is a good introduction to making and fitting a sweater.

That's more than enough for now.

Absolutely Addicted to Ravelry

If you are a knitter, or a crocheter (is that what people who crochet call themselves?) or a spinner or a weaver, or anyone who likes to play with yarn in any way, Ravelry is hugely addictive. I have to admit that that is my most recent excuse for being a slacker blogger...(I have so many excuses).

Seriously though, if you take Facebook and Wikipedia and Yarn and mix them together, you get Ravelry. If you bother to read my blog and you like to play with yarn, go there now and sign up...the current waiting time for invite once you sign up is only 3 days...I spend way too much time there these days checking out new patterns ideas and looking at other peoples projects.

not gumdrops, not rocks...

Peacock feathers! That's what this pattern looks like. Here's a closeup of the pattern:
During our drive here (to Holden Beach, NC) on Saturday I drove a little to help out but mostly just knitted and knitted and knitted. I got past the heel and on to the foot before we pulled in.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this heel! I've never done a garter stitch heel before and am now a huge fan.

Yesterday, I cruised along...finished the foot and started the toe before I decided to put it down and give myself a little break. This pattern has a garter toe which is constructed like the short rows heel and then grafted to the sole stitches under the foot...love it.
My plan for today is finish and graft this sock, cast on the second one, make a pie, go for a run and a swim, and actually do some really work from my actual job...hmmm...that's not too ambitious, is it? I wonder which thing might not get done. Mark and I are also scheduled to cook for everyone tonight (we take turns) so as vacation days go, this is a busy one.

dorky knitting con't

Mark and I are driving to Holden Beach for the annual 'Eisenbies' beach week. I don't really like the beach, but I'm bring plenty of knitting and reading. I just wanted to post a quick 'Ravelympics Dork' update. Here's what I got done on day 1:
The pattern is challenging but fun. I also made my life harder by doing it in the largest size with the smallest needles (80 sts on 2mm needles), but so far I really like how they're turning out. Twelve hours in the car today (UGH!), which means lots and lots of knitting time....good thing I'm bringing plenty of extra projects to the beach with me...wouldn't want to run out of things to knit cuz then I might start twitching and drooling in the corner from withdrawal which might freak Mark's family out a bit.

More updates to come when I can find wifi near the beach (always a challenge!)

seriously dorky knitting

I will try try try to post regularly...this has been a rough summer so I slacked off. Anyways, tomorrow starts the Olympics which is cool all by itself. It's made even more fun because it brings all the knitting dorks like me out of their little hidey holes to "compete". Ravelry, the online home for all cyber-knitting dorks, has organized the 'Ravelympics' complete with knitting "events" and teams that you can sign up for. You can sign up for as many events as you want. Each event corresponds to a project (or group of projects) that you intend to start during the open ceremony (tomorrow) and finish before the closing ceremony on August 24th.

No big surprise...I'm in the 'SockPut' and hope to start and finish a pair of socks with a new pattern that I've never tried before. You're allowed to swatch ahead of time (and I did) because that's considered training (See what I mean by dorky?). I'm on the 'Blue Moon' team since I am using their yarn and their pattern.

I'm using July's pattern from the sock club I belong to, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club. This club is great (a little pricey, but worth it) but this month they sent me pastel yarn...YUCKY! Instead, I'm knitting the socks with some cool earthy-muted-variegated yarn called 'Metamorphic':
The sock club dyer seemed excited about experimenting with pastels and I respect her creative urges BUT...not only would I never knit with pastels, I think they are a scourge that should be eradicated from the earth...a little harsh, I know, but I'm allowed to express my true feelings in my own darn blog!

The pattern is called 'Gumdrops', but because I'm using a different yarn, I think the the little knitted circles will look more like tumbling rocks than gumdrops. These will be my tumbling rox sox! (Yep, dorkin' out again)
(You can see the pattern done with the pastel yarn here. This pattern makes the yucky yarn look a little better, but I still wouldn't ever knit with it.)

I'll keep posting on my Olympic Knitting progress for anyone who is dorky enough to care.

unburned out

So I got kinda burned out on blogging cuz I was writing too much and and too long so my knew goal is to post more and less...i.e. more posts, that are shorter and less rambling.

I'm working on 3 pairs of socks at the moment. I'll take pix and post them soon. Other than that, I still have no life here so there is not much to write. Mark and I will probably go see two new movies this weekend. When you have no life and live a small town with a cineplex, you see every summer blockbuster that comes around. This weekend, we probably go see both Wanted and Wall-e. More soon.