*sigh*

So I frequent a forum on Ravelry devoted to the work of a certain designer. (I.e., nothing to do with food, politics, dieting, fat, or various other potential minefields.) Everyone there is very nice and funny, and I love reading it--it's one of the highlights of my day.

But.

People never ever EVER stop talking smack about their bodies. Either it's "I've lost so much weight and I'm so pleased," or it's "I'm [insert fat euphemism here] so I won't do the waist-shaping on this sweater." (And don't even get me started on how wrong that last one is.)

It gets me down. I feel judged for not constantly apologizing for weighing too much, and I feel bad for not caring about what other people consider an accomplishment (because, seriously, diet talk is just plain boring). And I feel bad for women who feel like they need to disguise their ugly, ugly fat so thoroughly that they won't even consider waist shaping in a sweater.

What does the peanut gallery think? Should I ask the mods to ask the group to axe the diet talk? On the one hand, I don't want to ruin anyone's fun. On the other, I don't want my own ruined.

Seaweed Shawl

A rather long time ago, my boss decided to do a mystery project KAL. I thought this was a fabulous idea, but of course I didn't get around to knitting the project while it was either a) a mystery or b) a KAL. I did knit it eventually, though:


Blobby!

The shawlette is designed for DK weight, and, wouldn't you know, I somehow managed not to have enough of any one DK in my stash to make it happen. Ridiculous, right? But what I DO have is laceweight, tons and tons of it.

This is Knit Picks Shimmer, colorway Shallows. This is my first time knitting with this yarn, and I'm very pleased--it has a lovely hand that's (frankly) as good as many luxury yarns I've used. Much more impressive than their all-wool laceweight.

I altered the pattern further after substituting the yarn weights. As it was going to come out much smaller in the lace yarn, I did two extra repeats of clues 4 and 5. (You can't see it in this picture, of course, but it'll be evident in the finished piece.) And since I'm not wild about ruffles--and since I was running a little low on yarn--I shortened the smocked mesh section and went straight to the picot bind-off rather than continue to the ruffled hem.

I'll block it sometime this week, then put a formal FO post.

I seem to be constitutionally incapable of knitting a pattern as written.

Year of the Sock: February

So far so good! I finished the second of the Faux Fair socks:


Then proceeded to wear them away from the photo shoot, as they are comfy and awesome.

I've made substantial progress on the second Big Black sock:


But knitting it is boring, so it's been superseded in entertainment terms by this:


Which is a Twisted Angle sock. This pattern was designed by a friend from my hometown, who gave me a copy and said "knit this and tell me what you think." So I am and I will!

I do need to get cracking so that I have two socks to show for February. I'm thinking the "pair a month" thing doesn't work so well, since I tend to have so many pairs going at once. Then again, maybe it's just the tedium of the Big Black sock that is wearing on me. The Yarn Harlot makes it seem so easy.

Rainbow!

Here is a little hat, knitted to teach beginners. (Noticing a theme, anyone?) It's Malabrigo something-or-other that I grabbed from our leftovers bin. I think it's destined for a young cousin of mine--the only person I know with the proper-sized head!

Year of the Sock: Update

I am declaring the first month of Year of the Sock a success!


See above the first two completed socks of the year. Okay, granted, they aren't part of a pair, but that's just a technicality. The first of both the Big Black Socks and the Faux Fair socks are complete. One is obviously sized to fit me, the other is . . . obviously not.

So on to February! I plan to get the mates to these finished up, and then it's Malabrigo time.

Year of the Sock

I have declared 2011 to be the Year of the Sock! I plan to knit 11 pairs this year. Totally doable, right?

I mean, just for starters I'm almost done with the first of the Big Black Socks:


All this needs is another inch or so of ribbing before I bind off.

And since I took this picture, I turned the heel on the first Faux Fair sock:


So it needs another few inches and it, too, will be ready to go.

Then I'm going to cast on a test knit in this:


So that's three pairs sussed out, and January's not even over.

Aside from these, I also owe my dad a pair (promised for Christmas), and I . . . somehow . . . may not have anything appropriate in the stash. I also have in mind to knit the Irishman another pair of socks for Valentine's Day; the socks I knit for him last year are wearing out a bit on the soles. (My fault for knitting them in something without added strength--he's hard on them.)

Quick and dirty

Complete: one hat, size enormous.

Aside from its use as a teaching tool, this hat went to our charity knitting bin to keep someone warm this winter.

(Someone with a large head. I have gauge issues.)

Pattern: Most Basic Hat from Hip To Knit.

Yarn: Cascade 220 (100% wool, 220 yds per 100g skein), colorway . . . green. 8893, probably. Needles: size 8/5mm.

And isn't the Irishman cute as a button?

Shrug (as a Bug in a Rug)

I knit a thing! It is a Knitting Pure and Simple shrug in Rowan Drift (100% merino, 87 yds/100g skein), colorway 905 "Plantation." I used three skeins for the 36" size, but a normal person would probably need four. (The pattern called for 10.5 and 10 needles; I used 10 and 9 for gauge.)

Yay shrug.

Hello, my yarny friends

My, it's been a while, hasn't it?

Between holiday knitting, traveling, and work (nonstop since I returned!), there just hasn't been time to post. I've gotten a few things off the needles, which with luck I will be showing you toot sweet.

In the meantime, I'm going to knit my plain-jane faux Fair Isle sock and chill.

Lost my mojo

After working so hard to get Papyrus released last week, I find myself in a bit of a knitting slump. Neither the sweater nor the shawl I'm designing are working well, so they're both in time out.

Otherwise, I had only mindless socks on the needles . . . boring! I cast on for a garter stitch scarf in a yarn with a nifty texture so at least I had something to do with my hands while I was thinking.

And that's pretty much it. I'm working on a shop sample, so perhaps pictures of that later? I really should get cracking on some Christmas knitting--I think I'll make a dramatic scarf for the gift exchange at work . . .

What do you do when you've lost your mojo? (Knitting or various.)