another sock done

This morning I finished the first store sample Tofutsies sock. It's the one on the right. The one on the left is for myself from a different skein. Although, they are different colours, one would expect them to stripe similarly (this yarn isn't being advertised as hand dyed) but they don't. They're both knit with the same needles and the same number of stitches. I tried adding 4 sts to the sample sock but the colours just pooled differently. As you can see the colour runs on the right sock are much shorter than the left one.

I do like the sample sock (eventhough, I don't get to keep it). It reminds me of Monet's Waterlilies paintings. You know - blues & greens with little bursts of pink. It is one of my favourites.

I don't expect to get any more knitting done today. I have to make a chemo cap for a friend who's lost all her hair. Plus I need to get the binding sewn on the Coca Cola quilt.

I got nothin'

I've been knitting the Tofutsies store sample all weekend. I'm almost ready to start the cuff. But I've run out of Grey's Anatomy to watch... Maybe I'll haul out the Avengers and re-watch that. Sorry but I don't have any pictures of the sock yet. We're supposed to get a break from the rain so maybe there'll be enough light to take decent pictures tomorrow.

I was out shopping today. I picked up some Eco-fil yarn from W*lm*rt. It's supposed to be made of recycled cotton. I am planning on making soap sox as Christmas gifts for this year (I wanted to make them for last Christmas but I ran out of time and only managed to knit 1). I noticed that the new Bernat Cotton colours are available.

I also stopped at the dollar store to buy myself a case for my new cell phone. They had a huge bin of Moda Dea yarns (like Dream, Tutu, Cache, Lazy Daisy) for only $2 per ball. I was sorely tempted by the Dream (I made a scarf for a friend who absolutely loves it) but I still have a bunch of Eden leftover from my Knitting Olympics cardigan. I need to stay away from the novelty stuff. No more yarn for me unless it's something really special.

keeping my neck warm

(my first self-portrait - not too shabby)

Yarn: 1 skein Malabrigo; colour velvet grapes

Needles: 7mm circs

Here's the pattern for this version:

Cast on 90 sts

Join for knitting in the round; do not twist

Round 1: Knit

Next round: k1, *yo, k2tog; repeat from * until it's long enough (remember it will scrunch down) and leave enough yarn to cast off

Cast off & weave in ends

This is big enough to fit over my head without taking my glasses off. You can adjust the size (to suit your yarn, etc.) by casting on an even number of stitches. This stitch pattern is called "Turkish Stitch with right bias".

It's the first time that I've knitted with Malabrigo and it's a very soft yarn. I'm probably going to buy another skein - maybe in blues and make myself another neck thingy.

I started another Tofutsies sock today - not a mate for the first one. When I bought another ball of it on Wed, I was asked to knit a pair as a store sample. That's what I am working on today. Unfortunately, the colours are pooling. (Before anyone suggests it - yes, I did cast on a different number of stitches but it still pooled and I do not have bamboo needles in any other size. I will probably knit the second sock from the other end of the skein.) The runs of colour are much shorter than the first skein - probably because it's a different colourway.

Remember the Clover/Takumi bamboo dpns that I bought last week specifically for knitting Tofutsies sox? They have developed a curve. All the needles are no longer straight. I don't know what I'm doing but I must be holding them too tightly. Sigh...

For the Second Annual Brigid in Cyberspace Poetry Reading

This poem is so cheerful and bright. It's like how the boys are when I release them from the house and let them go and get all rambunctious outside. Happy almost-springtime to us. Apparently it's going to be an early spring.


in just-

    in Just-
spring       when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame baloonman

whistles       far       and wee

and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer
old baloonman whistles
far       and         wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's
spring
and

      the

              goat-footed

baloonMan       whistles
far
and
wee

- e.e. cummings

socks for Valentine's Day

The Feb issue of MagKnits is up and look at these very cute sox. Wouldn't they be great to wear on Valentine's Day or anytime you're "in the mood"? I need to buy some red sock yarn!

what a week

(slight rant ahead - skip to the picture for knitting content)
First, the chimney is leaking. Then our land line is flaky - we can call out but people are having problems calling us. The phone company's coming tomorrow to check things out. My cell phone forwarding seems to be broken and there's a problem with my account so it can't be readily fixed. While I'm on the phone with tech support, I'm told that my phone will be obselete in a few months so I have to upgrade to a new phone. Didn't I get the notice in the mail? What notice?
This morning, I'm woken up by the sound of my cat retching in our bedroom. Not a good way to start the day. And then I find out that my dishwasher is being recalled. Can anything else go wrong?
(end of rant)

I finished the left front of Arwen yesterday at knit nite. I haven't knitted the hood because I want to knit it in one piece. Despite my slight panic about the armhole size in the original pattern, I added extra short rows and the sleeves fit fine. I think I will seam the back and left front together before I start the right front.

Because of my bad week, I indulged in a little retail therapy during knit nite. I bought a skein of Malabrigo in Velvet Grapes which I knit into a cowl/neck warmer for myself. I finished it tonite so I'll post pictures tomorrow. I also bought another skein of Tofutsies (before all the nice colours are gone).

If you've been reading this blog, you know that I have a blonde cat named Ricky. He sits pretty low on the IQ chart. When hubby got home today, Ricky promptly stuffed his head into my hubby's shoe and proceeded to sniff and roll around. He did this several times. It looked like he was drugged with catnip except there's no catnip in the shoes. He really likes the smell of feet. How bizarre... It doesn't end there. While we were eating supper, there was a strange noise and we turned around. Ricky's head was stuck between the wall and the TV cabinet. There's nothing back there except cables and dust bunnies. You gotta wonder about that cat.

G - if I can buy myself clogs for my July bday, you can get yourself a bag of Noro for your birthday this month.

Great tips blog

I just found a neat blog: TechKnitting. Scroll down for her entry on jogless stripes — I think I'll be trying that out when I on my next striped socks.

And oh, bugger. Little Knits has a full-bag sale on Noro Silk Garden. $55 for a bag. And my birthday is coming up, isn't it?