Olympics, Day Hey Look Over There

To distract from my lack of exciting Ravelympic progress, here are some more finished objects. Not really so recent anymore . . .

First, some Mindless Socks:


Once again in my beloved (and discontinued, /cry) Regia Silk. And once again too small for me. I haven't gifted these to anyone--the last, similar pair went to my mother for her birthday. I'll keep 'em on my shelf until I find the right recipient.

Then, continuing in the sock vein, yet more Mindless Socks for my boyfriend, the Irishman:



The astute observer will note that dude has ENORMOUS feet. Just trying to get one to a size that would fit took me six weeks! The second, however, was a much quicker knit once I knew the proportions I was looking for. It's really quite incredible, though; I'll have to get a comparison shot at some point. I have big feet myself, but this is ridiculous.

On the other hand, I don't have much leftover yarn hanging around. So there's that.

My Ravelympic shawl is progressing very slowly, and I'm quite sure I won't finish it time to medal. Boo. But it is a lovely knit, just as Anne Hanson is a lovely person. (And omg I MET HER LAST WEEK!!1111ELEVENTY! Details of which to come.)

Olympics, Day 4

Well, I got off to a blazing start by . . . forgetting the needles I needed to cast on and therefore not casting on until Saturday.

Whoops!

But Irtfa'a is safely on the needles now. The provisional cast-on gave me a bit of trouble, as I'd never done one before, but I think i figured it out . . . Anyway, I finished the opening edging section, and I'm now working on the shoulder shaping. I only have 15 rows of that knit, but it's been getting faster all the time. My hope is that I can really fly once the increases are finished!

Meanwhile, here's something I finished a while ago:


This is a plain scarf for the Red Scarf Project, which, basically, gives care packages to young people with no families. These kids (I say kids, but they're not much younger than I am) are making their way with virtually no support networks. My family has been very supportive of me, especially in the past year, financially, emotionally, spiritually, and in generally making my life easier, and I can't imagine living without them. So this is definitely a very, very worthy project, and I encourage any of you reading to check it out.

I'm part of a 2010 KAL for the Red Scarf Project running through the #1 Knitspot Fan group on Ravelry, so I hope to knit 12 scarves to donate this year. As well as being lots of fun, it's a good way to give back with my knitting.

Knitting Olympics!

*squeeeeeeeee*

I'm participating in the Lace Luge and the Short Track Shawls events with an Irtfa'a, and I am SO EXCITED!

I'm part of Team Mawelucky, and I made this to use as a ravatar during the games:


I am such a nerd. But I have fun doing it!

Whoops

I am so sorry I disappeared on all two of you who read this. Long story short, my desktop is busted, and that's where I keep all my photos and whatnot. Between the desktop and work, I haven't been able to get things together long enough to blog. But I promise, I swear, that I'll be back for the Ravelympics and after.

In the meantime, more comics:


marriedtothesea.com

Merry Christmas!

I hope you are all spending it the same way I am. That is, at home in your pajama bottoms with nothing compelling you to go outside. Other celebratory details optional.

It's been quite the year for me on many fronts, but it's been eventful in terms of knitting, too. I was inspired to pick up the needles again about year and a half ago by the guy I was dating at the time. (I told him if he picked out the yarn I'd knit him a pair of socks.) What had been a pleasant hobby in college quickly grew into a consuming passion--especially when I got onto Ravelry.

Now, I'm living in a new place, pursuing a different career, dating a different fellow, and have actually published knitting patterns that people want to knit. Seems kind of crazy, but there you have it.

I have lots of thoughts on how knitting builds community and can make life more fulfilling and blah blah blah, but you know what? In lieu of a boring meta-post, I'm going to go knit.

Merry Christmas.

This Married to the Sea cartoon is for Jane. She knows why.

*squee*

So a few months back I designed a scarf for my brother's birthday. I wrote up the pattern all pretty-like, and today I put it up on Ravelry. Since I put a lot of effort into it, I decided to offer it for sale rather than for free.

And people have actually BOUGHT IT. Thrilling! I may never realize this whole yarn store/designing for a living thing, but this is one tiny step closer.

In case you're interested, the pattern is up on Rav as The Manly Scarf.

(Oh, just so you know--the pictures are of my long-suffering friend R3. He's a good egg.)

Awesome hat

I designed and knit this hat over the Thanksgiving holiday. It's based on one sold at Old Navy; I reverse-engineered that hat, but didn't have quite enough yarn to make an identical version. I improvised, and I think it worked out very well.

The yarn was a gift from Superquail when she was living in China; it's 100% acryllic in a super-bulky-weight. Beyond that, I know nothing. I ran short on that, so I rummaged in the stash and came up with leftovers from a hat I made for Aspen a long time ago. I remember that it was 100% wool (very similar to Lambs Pride in the way it knits up) and handpainted, but I got nothing else. I finished the top of the hat in that and then Swiss-embroidered it over all the knit stitches in one row to make it look like I'd done it all on purpose. Here's a shot of the hat in use:


I'm quite pleased with myself. Now to decide whether I want to give it away or wear it myself . . .

Bad blogger, no cookie

I've been terribly busy lately, and in consequence I've neglected not only this blog but the knitting blogosphere in general. With the holidays coming up, however, I should have more time to blog. And I've been knitting! Lots of things! Really I have!

Actually, I've been knitting a lot but I haven't felt that I've gotten much done, which is such a frustrating feeling. So a good part of my holiday relaxing is going to be devoted to finishing up various WIPs and planning knitting to come. Meanwhile, I give you this picture of a kitty:


He loves yarn too!

Shamefully tardy

So I got a new job recently, and it's been kicking my butt in terms of knitting. First, I don't have as much time, and second, I'm often too tired to knit. (Horror!)

I am working on a few things, though--I had a major breakthrough on a scarf project that I should be able to show you soon.

In the meantime, here's a mindless sock. Enjoy.

Birthday loots!

It was my birthday, and I gots presents!


The book, 2-at-a-time Socks, was a gift from my mother. She doesn't knit, but she very much appreciates it that I do. I sense that this is a hint! Since I'm a die-hard DPN fan, I probably won't use the two-at-a-time method, but the patterns are really cute.

The other gifts are from the wonderful Aspen. I've already stowed all my notions in the bag (which is AWESOME), and a beautiful beaded stitch marker (not pictured) is on my latest Mindless Sock. The yarn is a breathtaking silk laceweight from Redfish. (And a little sample skein of sock yarn from Miss Babs *Squee*

Yay birthdays!