I find that the longer I wait to post, the more things I have to share with you! Nice, huh? I also find that when I don’t photograph things I have finished like, oh, let’s just say my Twisted Tweed Socks, it’s more difficult to share with you. Me and digital cameras? Not getting along so well lately.

Twisted Tweed Socks (with old photo!)

Pretend there are two of these

Pattern: Twisted Tweed Socks

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces in the Bittersweet colorway

Needles: US Size 0

Note: I like the finished product, but I don’t think I enjoyed slipping stitches purl-wise. Then again, I really dragged these suckers out so perhaps I would have enjoyed the second sock more if I had picked up the pace a bit, you know? First time working with Lorna’s Laces.

Palindrome Scarf

Fluffy Goodness

Pattern: Palindrome Scarf

Yarn: Handspun Llama from a very nice woman (I will update later with actual name of her company)

Needles: Oh….um….maybe US 4s? 6s? 4s. I think.

Notes: I love that this cable pattern is reversible! Love it! And I hope this is the last scarf I have to make for a long time! Bo-ring! I didn’t actually measure the scarf, I just knit until I ran out of yarn, but it’s long enough to wrap around your neck but not by much. More like a mini-scarf. The yarn is delicious and the color is outstanding. This pattern would be great for a cowl.

1st Summer of Socks FO!

Summer of Socks Kick Off!

Stitches in all their glory

Heel Shot

Pattern: Charades

Yarn: Socks that Rock Flower Power

Needles: US Size 0

Notes: Love the pattern, love the yarn, but I could have picked a better combination. Perhaps something less variegated? Nevermind, I love these. And I think the pattern’s subtitle of “heroin. peppermint flavored heroin.” was right on!

Phew! That feels like a lot of reporting! I’ve been inspired by the Summer of Socks project and am motivated by my weekly knitting group to keep on top of my projects. This is fantastic as I can be a bit of a knitting slacker. Next up is the Ironwork socks!!! Hot damn, they are pretty. I hope I can actually complete a pair.

Eh….that’s all I have people. Nothing too exciting going on here besides some swimming in the lake and berry picking. If I was getting along with the digital camera maybe I could turn berry picking into a sweet story like Lolly did, but nope, we’re fighting at the moment. So instead I’ll be attempting to keep up with my summer training for the women’s triathlon and balance that out with eating a significant amount of ice cream. I hope you are doing the same. word.

You know, I always feel a bit weird posting when I don’t have photos for you (or when I *do* have photos, just not the connector wire thingy to upload them). I did finish a few things in an attempt to wrap projects up before the Summer of Socks so I hope to post photos soon…eh, how boring….excuses on a blog!

Aside from some knitting clean-up, I’ve been trying to live up to my vow that I would spend more time at the Lake this summer. I live mere blocks from Lake Champlain and I hardly ever go there to walk along the shore, to sleep on the beaches, take the ferry to NY, or go swimming - this is NONSENSE. Sunday afternoon I found myself packing up the Sunday NY Times, water, knitting, and a friend to plant ourselves at the edge of the water. I can’t say that my knitting enjoyed the sand, but I can tell you that I am going to attempt to go swimming twice a week in the lake when possible (lately we’ve had thunderstorms so forget it). It’s a good vow to uphold, you know?

Also, has anyone else noticed that the second you commit to spending your summer knitting socks, all you want to do is knit hats and sweaters? Just wondering….

A small update on The Girls…the humans are doing ok post putting-down, although I seem to forget how long that takes. Thank you so much for your sweet and thoughtful comments - you people rock.

Why don’t I live by the beach? Why Why WHY?

I spent my time biking, reading magazines from September 2007, walking on the boardwalk, jumping into the ocean (ok, only once, it’s still cold), smiling at the scent of sunscreen mixed with sand, and remembering why we came to Rehoboth every summer when I was a kid. [note: back then there were no awful outlet malls, which i hate with an undying passion.]

You might notice “knitting” wasn’t in that list. It didn’t go well with the sunscreen. Luckily I got several happy-birthday-calls which means I did get some knitting in once I returned to Vermont (phone time = knitting time). Will post photos of still-not-finished-socks later (not that you need to see yet another photo of an unfinished Twisted Tweed sock…). I think I’m bored with them. I let it take too long. Damnit.

Ok, so since we’re not really talking (er, blogging? i guess “we” aren’t “talking” now are we?) about knitting, I thought I would throw out a Life Question. How do you deal with putting down a pet? I don’t want to go into any sad details (and cry at work. again.), but I participated in putting down animals that once climbed all over me in bed, stuck their cute faces veryclose to my cute face in the mornings, and generally made me admit that there are some good qualities in having feline pets. ANYway, I know that a lot of knitters have pets of all sorts - so how do you deal with Life After Pets? And dealing with the responsibility of your decision? It’s so sad and heartbreaking.

god, i can’t even look at this photo. you are missed daily.

It’s a long weekend for those of us who are lucky enough to get off work for Memorial Day. In an effort to 1.) not be in town for my birthday 2.) get to hang out with my family and 3.) go to the OCEAN I am taking my bad self to Delaware. I’m looking forward to jumping into the ocean, no matter the weather, and making sure I am thoroughly soaked in salt water for the first time in years. I grew up going to Rehoboth Beach every summer and then a few times in the winter and I MISS IT! Don’t get me wrong, I love me some mountains, but there is something so rough and peaceful about the ocean that sort of hums in the background of my brain. In a good way. When I was little, we would arrive at the beach, drop all of our crap at the apartment, and then hit the boardwalk. My mom would lean over and tell us to “Smell that sea air!!”, inhaling deeply. Being the brilliant individual that I am, I would wonder why my mom was giving the air only a “C”, and not an “A”. I recall one time saying “I think it’s an ‘A’-minus air today!”. Yeah, we’re not all destined for greatness, ok?

I resisted packing up a month’s worth of yarn and am only bringing my Twisted Tweed socks to finish. Lately I seem to knit one row on them and then forget to keep going. I hope to post with photos of finished socks when I return. If not, I might just give up. It’s kind of driving me up a wall having them unfinished.

Thank you for all the wonderful comments on my trio of knitted goodies! I really appreciate it and have been enjoying all three (yep, still chilly enough to wear wool around here, just ask Vamanta).

Have a good weekend, peeps!

Holy mother of all things….uh….holy….

I have THREE FINISHED OBJECTS to show you!! Yeah! I don’t know what came over me but I’m not making this up! Ok, so one was finished months ago aside from the buttons but who’s keeping track? Here we go!

I am training for the army, how do I look?

Figgy Plum Sweater

Pattern: My own, top-down raglan cardigan with ribbed 3×3 ribbed sleeves and bottom edge. Buttons from Islay, Scotland.

Needles: US size 8 circulars

Yarn: Jamison Shetland

Notes: In.Love. Really. I love everything about this sweater (except for that whole button band bullshit. I hate button bands with an undying passion.). It is flattering, warm, the colors are divine, and it was a simple knit (again, except for the button bands). But I think the part I like best about this sweater is that I took the time to think about what I really wanted and would wear on a regular basis. I thought about what would look good on me and I decided that it was ok to knit a sweater for myself. One of my first knitting projects was a sweater that took me years to finish due to my inability to follow direction (complicated directions like “knit two stitches together”). While I love that first sweater, it is big enough to fit me and a few of my friends. Pregnant friends. With wiggle room. So the Figgy Plum sweater is such a treat seeing as it fucking fits. LOVE.

ah….what next?

Ain’t Never Again Spring Fling Socks

Pattern: Basic, 3×3 ribbing, short row heel, funky round toe.

Needles: US size 0 29″ circular (too long!!)

Yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn

Notes: Just like that spring fling where you slept with that person that gave you clamidia AND stole your wallet, this is something I’d rather not repeat. I hate this yarn, I don’t care how pretty it is or how soft it will be after it’s washed and dried, I don’t like it. The over-pliedness of it all was so obnoxious! I would knit three rows then hang the sock to allow the yarn to untangle itself. SO ANNOYING! NOT PLEASANT! While I’m sure I’ll enjoy the finished product, the process of these socks sadly sucked.

hm…I seem to wear my cloud pajamas a lot during knitting photo shoots…

But wait, there’s more!! (I know, I can hardly believe it myself!)

I was going to post this photo and tell you that I ran out of yarn….

…but, as it turns out, I had a bit more tucked in my yarn chest! Brilliant! I was able to knit a freakin’ cowl! I thought cowls were stupid - who needs a tube around their neck? - but then I realized that I spend most of the winter (and part of autumn and spring) with my nose tucked into my scarves, shirts, sweaters, jackets, etc. Perhaps I would wear a cowl?

Perhaps….

Blue Cowl

Pattern: Can you call a knitted lace tube a pattern? 90 stitches, knit in the Faggot and Cable pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks. Garter stitch edging.

Needles: US size 6 circular

Yarn: Tregelly’s yarn…erm….it’s blue and I think it has some silk in it….and it dyed my fingers and needles blue as well. I match my cowl.

Notes: Hm. I think I might actually use cowls. I find this very amusing. Due to the cable patter it does pull a bit in the middle, giving one an Elizebeathan look, you know? Oh well. I think it will tuck nicely into a winter coat, although I’m more likely to wear it around the house all damn day since I am such a heat nazi.

hm. I am kind of proud of myself.