Got heel?

So, this will be my artsy sockapal-2-za photo, because my camera does not want to take photos that are in focus tonight. The lack of light might have something to do with it...



Two heels, onto the tops!
(What do you call the part of the sock above the ankle anyway?)

SnB anyone?

Oh, it's too exciting! I am all a fluster!
Jillian from the Knittyboards and I have started a State College SnB, so if you're in the area drop me an email and I can let you know where and when!

Woohoo!

(I also have one Sockapal-2-za heel done... photos when the next one is done too!)

Check it!

Dun dun dun dun. I am quite happy. Although the first fish still needs an eye!

Button, button, who has the button?

Check it out:


It's little, and I like it.

Plus, there are more in the sidebar . . . ooooooh.

Oh, the socks, they are a growin'

Bob Dylan is stuck in my head now. Le grrrr.

Anyway, here's what my socks are doing:


You see? I am much happier with them now! The one on the left is the sole, the right is the top of the foot.

Can you tell the design I've decided to put in? It's almost done:


I think you need a close-up:


Seriously, I see the design, and I'm not sure if that's only because I know what it is. Could you tell me if you see it? Next time, I am using a SOLID colour!

SP5 -- oh, it's so exciting!

By the way, I feel a little disloyal by moving on from SP4 to SP5... but excited at the same time!

So here's another one of those questionnaire-a-ma-bobs:
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you? Yarn snob = me. Yes. Sometimes I need novelty fibres for special projects... but generally I stay far far away from acrylics.

2. Do you spin? Crochet? I'd love to learn to spin; when I have my own house I'm going to get a wheel. I used to crochet, but I don't like the look of it. Knitting wins hands down.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.) I don't exactly like smoke, but I'm not technically allergic.

4. How long have you been knitting? Seriously for five years. On and off before that.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Ask me if you want them.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Grapefruit/citrus or vanilla.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Oh yes, moo-moo. And I have a big chocolate tooth.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Beading, and I'd love to learn to sew properly.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Just about anything. I listen to classical a lot (for my career), and to singer-songwriters like Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright and Sarah Slean.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? I have a lot of pinks/purples because I can't resist them. And recently a lot of browns have been calling to me. I adore orange, but can't wear it well. This was the summer of turquoise, but cherry red and burgundy are my classical favourites. Colour is good!

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I currently live in a shared university apartment; no pets allowed.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know) To be an opera diva with a house, kids and a dog. A domestic opera diva?

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Anything alpaca, koigu, merino, wool/silk blends (eg. Fleece Artist), anything soft.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Acrylic (unless it's for babies). I haven't found a cotton I like yet.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? I don't have a pattern, but I really want to make

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Shawls and toe-up socks.

17. What are you knitting right now? See this entry.

18. What do you think about ponchos? Some of them look great, but they're not for me.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Circs exclusively - I'm slowly switching over to Addi Turbos.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Addi Turbos - aluminum.

21. Are you a sock knitter? YES!

22. How did you learn to knit? First from my mum, then from the Internet.

23. How old is your oldest UFO? A few months. They get frogged otherwise.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? Dragonflies or dragons.

25. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!!!!!!

26. Is there anything that you collect? Dragonfly stuff, books, sheet music, CDs

27. Any projects you want to make but haven't gotten there yet? See this post. <

Lucas's Bunny

This is what Lucas's Bunny looks like so far:


Not much to look at . . . but really, you just knit a square and it magically turns into a rabbit!

Knitting I want to do

And I am debating these projects, at some point:
1. The most beautiful shawl I've ever seen. I don't have the yarn for this one yet, but it'll be Kidsilk Haze or something similar. I still don't know what colour, but it will be my precious.


2. Find a lovely shawl pattern for my nonokitty mohair:


3. Design a pattern for a sweater from my SP4 yarn:


4. MARVIN!!!! (No explanation needed...)


5. a) Mmmm, alpaca. This is really one of the softest yarns ever -- thanks, Lisa! It's a little more teal in real life, but oh is it lovely!


5. b) More SP4 alpaca. I got spoiled. This one I dyed, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it...


6. Something with Alpaca-y goodness:


7. A Brooks Farm Kid Mohair shawl, pattern still undetermined:


When I bought the last two, I was wearing brown. One of the ladies who owns a yarn shop, said that she always sees people buy the colour they're wearing. Hmmmm. There may be something to this - especially as it was proven by all the other people in line with me!

Knitting plans

'Cause if I post them in public, I'm more likely to do them.

Here is the knitting I must do:
1. Finish Sockapal2za socks:


2. Knit bunny for new baby cousin, Lucas Alexander (isn't that a gorgeous name!) -- a blue version of:


3. Christmas Knitting: A scarf for a friend. I need some advice on this one. She said colour doesn't matter, as she has a ton of different coloured winter coats. It just has to keep her warm. So I was thinking about finding something lusciously soft, warm, and not too expensive. Any ideas? She'd appreciate anything, I think! I'm debating something with a drop-stitch pattern, and maybe a novelty-yarn accent.

So in love with you am I

Oh, Delphine Wilson, you are so fabulous.

I really want to make this, the most beautiful sweater ever.

You know you've been knitting too much when . . .

Please note, this was an actual conversation.

Linz: What would you do if I made you this:


K: How does the mane stand up??

Linz: I have no idea... probably starched or something...
How did you get your mohair to stand up?

K: Ahem, it was called a "mohawk"...

Best. Site. Ever.

You know you want to.

Um...

There are no words. You have to go click here.

Trust me on this one.

Ramen Socks

Ok. I think I just have to face facts.
I don't like my sockapal2za socks.

So here's what they currently look like:


Sock barf. Excellent.

MOVED IN!!!

Well, I am all unpacked, and guess what? My yarn and knitting books didn't make the cut... they wouldn't fit in the car! *sob*

However, I did plan ahead and shipped some loveliness from Denver. So I'm not without knitting!

My sockapalooza socks have been on hiatus for long enough. I'm hoping to finish them this week! (Let's see how that goes... classes start next week, so this might be a necessary plan.)

And, because I have no knitting news, I leave you with my crafty view of how I co-ordinated my ugly cardboard TV box to match my bedspread:



And I promise, I'll be updating more now that I have a home and internet!

I wish I could post smells

I got the most fabulous package as a welcome-home gift from my SP: A Tea Set!
- a whole bunch of gorgeous rooibos teas (I'm saving them for next week...)
- a tea pot
- a hand-knit tea cozy (in the colours I want my kitchen: yellow, orange, red)
- a book, An Equal Music by Vikram Seth, which I am very happy to own
- NORO KUREYON in purple and teal (someone knows my colours!)
- Chai Latte hand and body wash (!)

Oh yes, I am happy. So instead of leaving you with smells, I leave you with:

and

I finally found the perfect shawl

Now really, tell me this isn't beautiful:


But really, what made me want to make it, was the one here:

tablet brick potato llama

Oh dear. If you're having a bad day, you definitely have to go here: Click for the Llama song.

And you can take a look at my new friend:


Llama, llama, duck.

Coming home already

Well folks, there will be much more knitting activity soon -- I move back home today.

On a completely unrelated note, I've been thinking of making several people gloves for Christmas. I've also been thinking of just measuring all of their body parts so that they don't know what I'm knitting them, and I've got the specs for whatever I want to knit.

Anyone else planning holiday knitting already?