Good Thing I'm A Process Knitter

See how much of these sock toes are done?



Well, that's how much of the socks were left to be done last night. Yep, I had the REST of the socks knit about 24 hours ago. Then I tried to have Adam try them on, thinking I'd just get a hint of how much farther the toes had to go... and he couldn't get them on. Holy poopers, I'd knit all but the last 2 inches of both of a pair of size 13 socks, and he couldn't even get them on his feet. Despite the fact that they were the "large" size of the pattern. And they were loose on my feet. *sigh*. For some reason I think Adam and I have about the same ankle circumference (he's bigger - I'm pudgier) but it just doesn't translate.

Sooooo... off they went back into a yarn cake, and I'm starting over at the toes.

No pic tonight, but I"m doing better with the second go at Titania's Revenge.

And I'm looking forward to this:

SPOILER WARNING FOR THE RSC!!!!








For some reason I had a brain glitch and forgot to photo this skein before winding, but this is installment 1 of Rockin' Sock Club '08. A Chinese-New-Year inspired colour called Dragon Dance. I must admit, I find it close to last summer's Firebird, and though I quite like it - haven't disliked ANY of my STR yet - I didn't dive right in. Just pondering it. I'll have to start soon, though.

Then there's this, arrived a few days before the Dragon Dance:



A pinkey-purple Merino called Plum Crazy by Crazy4Dyeing. Pick Up Sticks' January club. I think this might make a Mom sock, and the club pattern it came with lends itself to my expandable ankle trick as well.

So, once I finish the re-started Bearfoots, I've got some more lined up.

Is This Supposed To Make Me Dizzy?

Well, I'm keeping up with my spinning class.

If I'd been thinking about it, I really should have taken pictures of last week's materials before, and at various stages during working them.

Here's the better of the results:



What we got sent home with were a couple ounces of fibre in primary red, blue and yellow, with instructions to card, blending if we wished, spin, and ply the yarns. Check out the Gallery under Handspun 08 for more.

After finishing all my homework, I decided that, since my wheel is a loaner and I won't have it a month from now, I should have another go at the drop spindle method. Now, I got a "learn to spin" kit last summer, and really haven't done much after my Smurf Poo debacle. However, two things have happened since. One, the spinning class has given me a better sense on drafting, and PREdrafting, and I'm a little more comfortable handling fibre. Two, I asked the lovely folks who make the Journeywheel, which I am awaiting in the March batch, if they could make me an exotic wood special-request spindle.

This is she:



My pretty Pink Ivory mini-Bossie with a Tulipwood shaft. I still suck, and my single is alternately over and under-spun, however, it much more clearly resembles yarn than the stuff I tried on the Louet. I can see from this spindle why even amongst casual spinners, spindle collections quickly develop. First, you probably need different spindles in different weights to accomplish different things. But also, the tools themsevles, from the Bosworths' and many other coveted makers, are works of art. I'm already developing a list of vendors to keep an eye out for!

Firsts of the Year

Finished this weekend. First socks of 2008 (admittedly, started in December but I count by finish date):



My Lenores. I can't really call them anything else, the pattern is Lenore by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and the yarn is the Lenore colourway, the club preview of the Raven series Socks That Rock from Blue Moon.

And the first other knit thing, my Thrummed Moebius:



It is very warm and cozy, but I fear it looks like I've gone out and scalped a Muppet. I have since taken the large, poofy, widely-spaced thrums off and broken them into smaller, closer ones. It may be either around-the-house wear or under-a-coat wear (except, it's not cold enough!) but I love it anyway, the Moebius concept is brain-twistingly brilliant.

OTN for now: The perpetual scarf, Titania's Revenge socks for the Jan Sockdown, and RPM socks for the him, also qualified for the December Sockdwon though I might not finish them in time. My goal is to get both socks done by end of month because I'm starting two pair of Cat Bordhi "New Pathways" socks for the Feb Sockdown.

Here it is....

My first lumpy, over-twisted, attempts at yarn. Truthfully, my second, as the first was done in-class Tuesday, and this was my homework.

Is It Yarn Yet?

Well, it seems I am following in the footsteps, or perhaps that should be stumbling vaguely in the same direction as, that finest of yarnies, the Yarn Harlot. You see, it turns out that 'round these here parts, Tuesdays Are For Spinning. At least for tonight and 5 more weeks.

I just started the KW Weavers and Spinners Guild's Spinning 1 class. Oh, and for those of you confused between my crafty and fitness pursuits, this is not Spinning(tm) the Indoor Cycle Workout, I AM talking about producing my own string from the hair of sheep.

Unfortunately, I'll have to edit for photos tomorrow, just because my camera battery is dead again, it drains itself just sitting there and I keep forgetting. However, I should be able to show you half a bobbin of my lumpy string, and perhaps in a few more days, another bobbin of better string - because we have homework. They actually send us home with a Lendrum folding wheel and a baggie of roving, and we have to come back next week with two bobbins. So far, I'm not too promising but perhaps I can spend some time on it this week.

Somewhat more resolved about the New Year

OK, so, having messed up my exercise on New Year's Day and calmed myself by looking at what a good 2007 I had, here's some thoughts and intentions - not "resolutions" with the inherent implication of failure - for 2008.

I have joined another Running Room 10 k walk clinic, and I will do my best to attend every weekly clinic night, at least. If I miss, it will be for reasons of illness or critical issue with work (being 24/7 support and all) and I will then try to make sure I walk the required kms another time in the week.

So far I've got my blood glucose off to a good 2008 start, and I will try to keep it there.

I will learn to spin my own yarn. At least get the basics covered.

I will try to finish the 3 lovely big quilt projects I have half-done, before the year is out. Preferably the fourth one, which is "in queue", as well.

I will continue with an intention I started last year, that at least 1% of my take-home income will be allocated to charitable donations of some sort.

Knitting will continue, but I will try not to stress out about it!!! Additionally:

• I will at least attempt the rest of the Ravelry Sockdowns. Even if I don't like the theme of the month, learning new stuff is good.
  
• I will have no more than 5 projects on needles at once.
  
• No more than three will be socks.... (a pair is one "project")
  
• While I am not yet at the critical mass requiring yarn fasts or stashbusting, I will do my best to knit at least half my items from yarn I already have. That is, I can only buy one "batch" of yarn for two or more projects done. For the purposes of having half a hope at achieving that, yarn from already-subscribed "clubs" which will be delivered throughout the year is counted as "yarn I already have" - since I paid for it.
  
• Just so I don't completely scam out on the above, I will not stock up on anything sweater-sized. I must finish one sweater-sized or blanket-sized project (and one other) to buy enough for another sweater; otherwise, two pair of socks finished lets me buy one sock-sized (hat, mitts, etc) yarn quantity.
  
• Only one non-sock-club Blue Moon purchase permitted. I will choose conscientiously and will NOT order "one of everything".
  
• Gifts don't count as "purchases" - should anyone wish to help me stick to my intentions by supplying me directly.
  

A review to better my resolve.

Just finishing some Gallery rearrangements and tidying up for the New Year.

In 2007, I accomplished (in no particular order):

A heck of alot of work. I earned my keep. Day job, 'nuff said, nothing more exciting.

an A- in a long-overdue programming course. A-, btw, is a score of 85-89 in Athabasca's books. I can deal with that.

Somewhat-regular Yoga, and my first Yoga Show intensive.

I began a fitness-walking program. Taught gym classes, though with decreasing frequency.

Kept my A1C tests below 7 for another year, though they sneak up and down a bit. If you don't know what that means, nevermind, it's not that exciting.

Adam and I travelled through parts of New York State and to Manhattan, NYC, for a few days. nice place to visit

The cool stuff: Knit 24 or 25 pairs of socks (not sure, amongst the 27 in the Gallery right now, if it was 2 or 3 pair that were actually finished in '06. I'm now documenting anually).

more cool stuff: I knit 11 projects that weren't socks, including the geek-coolest Dalek, and my first lace thing, Stormwater.

startitis: though I finished one small quilt actually started in 2006, I started 3 more, as yet unfinished, in '07.

I made my very first attempts at spindle-spinning. More to come.

A Happy, though Irresolute, New Year

2008 has had its ups and downs so far. The first 3 hours were spent in good company and rather surprisingly intellectual discussion (given the hour and the likely inebriation of the participants). The next 6 or so were spent getting home to bed then sleeping. The following 3, unfortunately, sucked dog butt big time, but it's improving a bit again.

I woke up with the half-formed idea in mind of blogging a New Year's greeting today, complete with an overview of my triumphant conquering of a first race-walk event.

Well, THAT didn't exactly happen. What also didn't happen was a coherent explanation of why - 10 pages of blogging that farce have just been deleted. Here's the equation: Snowstorm + holiday, no plowing + event location at the Kitchener YMCA + 3*(missed turns) + poor and obscured signage & direction + no parking lot management + idiots idling cars and blocking traffic in 3 different directions in a parking lot + a race route THROUGH said unplowed, mis-managed parking lot such that cars were struggling in 8 inches of snow to avoid randomly oriented runners and walkers = Johanna 40 minutes late for the race start and getting out of car just as her walking group was finishing.

No one thing would have flipped me out, but by the time I bumped in to my happy and finished gang as they were heading in for hot chocolate I was ready to take a bat to the windshield of the moron who wasted the LAST 10 minutes of my time blocking my way to parking - so I quit.

So Happy flippin' New Year. I am back home where I belong, on the sofa in my PJs, knitting and setting up Obsidian the Mac to play Torchwood. My first resolution is to avoid attendance at any more organized race events.