Red Dwarf Knee Highs!

Well, they are done. And they are PRETTY! I wore them to work and then knitting last night alone with one of my FAVORITE pairs of shoes (I own 3 pairs of mary janes and they are all great for showing off hand knit socks!)!!

Cristi's pattern is amazing and I am so glad I knit these!

The Random Ribbing portion is fun!!! As is the reverse ribbing at the cuff so that when you turn them down they match up to the leg ribbing!

And the front and back are different and both equally cool!

Pattern: Red Dwarf Socks - The Knee High Version (pattern is free on Cristi's site).
Yarn: Fiesta Yarns Baby Boom in Pansies - 2 skeins - purchased at The Loopy Ewe.
Needles: US Size 3 Addi Turbos - 32" - used magic loop style.
Started: Sunday, September 16th.
Finished: Saturday, September 22nd
Mods: I only needed 46 stitches instead of 50 called for - but that is the beauty of the toe up socks.

The colorway doesn't do the pattern justice since it is a bit busy, however the way that the pattern looks in the colorway when you really look at them is BEAUTIFUL and it socks are FANTASTIC. This is probably my favorite new yarn - the Baby Boom and the Boomerang (its big sister) are totally worth anything you knit in it! I could NOT be more pleased with these!!!

WIP Wednesday

Yes, I have been working on the Elizabeth Bennet Cabled Cardigan. But my hands hurt after Monday night, so I took a break.




The BSJ is almost finished. Something like 12 rows left...but I think I am going to run out of yarn and that is just going to piss me off.

Excuse the bad lighting, but in a moment of rare forethought I realized I am not going to be home AT ALL tomorrow as I have an all day training and then I am meeting up for knitting. So I decided to take photos and post in the weeeeee hours of the very early morning so as not to make you wait. Or it would have been bad lighting anyway...

Hey - is something missing????

Boyfriend Catcher

Look - A FO you didn't even know was on the needles!

In summer of 2005 I started this scarf out of Portrait from Artful Yarns. When I met Tattoo Boyfriend this is what I was work on (sitting OUTSIDE in ATLANTA in freaking late AUGUST! - yeah, I am smart). So, when he first saw me I was knitting. I had 19 inches into this when I picked it up last night.

I lost the pattern, so it sat. and sat. and I pulled the needles out of it. And it lost no stitches. YAY MOHAIR!!!!!

I have no idea of the colorway, but it is Portrait.
Size 10 needles
1 skein
blocked size: 6.5" x 47"

A skein of this yarn in another colorway will be coming up as part of the Lupus Walk prizes!!

Episode 13: Take Two and THE HARLOT!!!

FOs: (this is gonna be a long post...so scroll back for pics - sorry)
Rushing Rivulets – New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One – Yarn Pirate Calamity – 64 stitches.
Boyfriend Cabled Socks – My own brain – Brown Sheep Wildfoote Forget-Me-Not
Red Dwarf Socks – The Knee High Version – Fiesta Baby Boom Pansies – 46 stitches
Boyfriend Catcher – Artful Yarns Portrait – pattern on the Ball band. I have no idea what the colorway is.

WIPs:
Elizabeth Bennet Cabled Cardigan from Fitted Knits: 25 Designs for the Fashionable Knitter.

New Yarn:
Classic Elite Monteza – lilac (3817) – 2 skeins from A Strand of Purls
Fiesta Baby Boom – Pansies and Dreamsicle – The Loopy Ewe (Boomerang and Baby Boom are my new favorite yarns)
Wollmeise – Poison Nr. 5 – The Loopy Ewe

Shop Reviews:
A Strand of Purls – Hickory, NC
Knitch – Atlanta, GA

Lupus Walk update ($1081 as of 4:50 on 9/24 – thank you thank you thank you!! - yeah it takes me awhile to get all these links together...show notes are slow today!)
Prize Sponsors (all prizes will be featured on the blog – this is just a list of the VERY generous people who are helping with prizes! Thank you to all of them!!!)

WendyKnits – set of signed patterns
Yarn Harlot – Signed Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off: The Yarn Harlot's Guide to the Land of Knitting
Crazy Aunt Purl – Sign copy of Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair: The True-Life Misadventures of a 30-Something Who Learned to Knit After He Split
Charlotte Yarn
Turtlegirl76
The Loopy Ewe
Poppy Flower Fibers
The Yarn Bar
Berroco
Rosie G
Snowmoon3

Changeling
Rainy Day Creations
Ugottafriend jewelry
Interweave Press
A Touch of Autumn
Jennifer at Modern Salon and Spa in Ballantyne

There is more coming – waiting to have some things in hand before I announce.

Oh yeah - and I talk about the Yarn Harlots visit to Atlanta!!!!! Comments are from (blogless) Olivia, Turtlegirl76, knitterboy76 and turbochicknits! Thanks to you all!!!

Knitting, Tea, Tapas and Ice Cream!

I was pleasantly surprised this morning when my phone rang and the fabulous Kaitlin was on the other end. Unfortunately, I was taking a nice bath at the time, but when I got out and dressed, I gave her a quick call. She and I haven't had much of a chance to hang out other than at Knit Night, so it was awesome when she asked if I wanted to meet for some knitting, tea and a spot of lunch.

We went to a little spot called Urbana City Spa and TeaBar located in the Carmel Village. The place has been open about a year and a half I heard them say. The place has a very clean and modern feel. Black couches which are perfect for curling up and knitting on, a large ottoman/table in the center and some very comfy chairs. The music is very relaxing and trance-y. Not uber new age or anything. It was nice.

If you are in the Charlotte area, I HIGHLY recommend this spot. We had a lovely Peppermint Ginger Tea. Their tea selection is AMAZING! For lunch we shared the Sharp White Cheddar with Tupelo Honeycomb and Grapes and the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Pita Chips with Grapes. (Ummm...I love grapes, so that was all awesome!!!). The food was excellent. By splitting two apps we had more than enough for lunch and a variety. The tea was hot and wonderful - we shared a small pot which was served with honey (they asked if we would like some, but the tea was perfect without it, so I didn't actually add any). They also have wine, so there is more than just tea for us drinkers. Total, we spent less than $20 on our 2 dishes and pot of tea, which one may think is a lot, HOWEVER, the apps were $6 each and the tea was $5 I think - I usually spend $8-9 at knit night at our usual place, so it is comparable, the food was fantastic and the atmosphere was amazing. I was really expecting it to be more expensive, so I was shocked when I saw the menu.

We sat there for several hours - knitting and chatting. The staff was friendly, observant, sweet and knowledgeable. They didn't hover, but noticed when K got chilly and brought her a blanket. The fluffy carpet makes you want to take your shoes off and dig your toes in...and I did (come on, you all know I only wear shoes so that I can wear HOT socks!). There is also a massage spa. They don't offer facials or other spa services, but the massage offerings are varied and I saw a lot of couples coming in for couples massages - massage is something I enjoy. A lot. I am thinking there is going to be a hot rocks massage in my near future.

They offer the Dani body products. Let me tell you the Lemongrass Lavender Soy and Shea Body Butter is just heavenly - we wanted a travel size to put in our purses for daily hand use! There was also a lotion bar which I should have noted the name of (bad blogger!!! no pics and no name!!!!). I like lotion bars for my purse as they are great for toting when you knit and you don't have to worry about it leaking or getting weird in the temp changes (because here in the South it can me 95 outside and 60 inside...20 if you are in my office).

One of the men who works there used to work in the yarn industry, so we talked yarn and about the socks I was working on. He loved the Baby Boom I was working with and talked to me about fiber content. He knew it was wool and that there was something else (yes, it is treated to be superwash. nice catch. He gets an A+). The other clients were quiet and respectful. Several commented on the knitting. A crocheter commented on my socks and I invited her to come out - and that we would teach her to knit since she expressed an interest.

Over all, I would totally recommend this place. I loved it and totally plan to go back.

Next, we were bad and hit Marble Slab for ice cream...opps. And more knitting. I don't think I need to talk about the greatness that is Marble Slab. I had Double Dark Chocolate with Raspberries.

Came home and was so relaxed, I took a nap. It was a beautiful afternoon full of good food, good tea, good friend and good atmosphere!

Gas stations and getting lost

The drive TO Atlanta was uneventful. Cristi and I stopped at Taco Bell just south of Gastonia and we got to Atlanta in good time and Olivia's directions were GREAT (hence we got through the highlands with NO issues).

The way home was not so uneventful.

First we stopped at a gas station in middleofnowhere GA. The gas station was clean (we didn't go in the bathrooms though, so I can't tell you if they were) and the staff was nice. Interesting, but nice. (I learned WAY too much about the off duty cashier and her "tall boy" waiting for her at the hotel.

Thing is, we were in GA and Dulcedosa asked us to get her a Georgia magnet for her collection (ummmm...I see no pics of said collection, so I don't think it exists).



You will notice that there are NO Georgia magnets in this picture. There are magnets for her homestate (and soon mine too) Missouri. And Utah. And a Hawaii for crying out loud. But not a damn Georgia in site. Finally we found them in a LOCKED GLASS CASE. Apparently GA magnets and minifakeporcelain bells are prized possessions there.

While there, we were hit on. Yeah. I was off grabbing some peanuts (because the healthiest dinner ever was had last night at almost 11 pm - peanuts, beef jerky and coffe) I got some "psst. hey, girl!" calls. ummmm...I don't even look like a hooker. Cristi got it when she went to the back to get some headache meds. We made it out in one piece.

Then we stopped in Inman SC for gas. Now, a couple weeks ago I stopped at this same stop and got lost getting back on the highway. Apparently you can only go south from that direction and we wanted north. I mention this. We pass south. there is no north, we turn around. We get on what we THINK is 85N but it isn't and we have to make a quick left turn onto another road that took us to the highway. I said it last night and I say it now - FUCK YOU INMAN SC and your badly signed highway information!!!

Harlot-y goodness on Talk Like a Pirate Day!!!

Cristi and I decided to head to Atlanta for Knitch's big event - a reading and book signing with BEST SELLING author and blogger Stephanie Pearl-McPhee - better known as the Yarn Harlot. Yes, we left at noon. We got back after 2 am. I am a tired fairie.


First we met up with Olivia over at Dad's Garage where she works. If you are in the Atlanta area and you like theatre or theatre sports - this is THE place to be. Olivia is blogless. Chastise her here! Then there was drinking at The Dark Horse.

Off to the line for the reading. And then inside for waiting, knitting and a lot of squees.

Why are we blurry? Well, this was the best pic out of like 6 of them. STOP MOVING!

Mary (who just got married - YAYAYAYAY!!!) and Olivia were having a blast. They know each other from the theatre and they are both knitters. I just met Mary, but I think I have a bit of a knitterly crush on her. She made her ballet wrap sweater with italian merino she bought 60% OFF and designed it herself. And it PERFECTLY matched her dress.

Also - I had the pleasure of meeting Jen (my googlefu is set to fail, and I can't find her blog!!! HAHAHAHA googlefu failed, but stalkerfu for the WIN!!!!!!) and Jenifleur. Wow, what a delight these two are! I can't wait to see them again at SAFF!!!

I thought you were going to use the other pic? Well, trust me when I say you will thank me that I didn't!!!

We met JP!

I can haz Cat Bordhi!!

It was his 31st birthday! Stephanie even knew who he was later and he got his picture taken with the sock! MOVE TO CHARLOTTE PLEASE!!! He learned to knit toe-up socks! Cat Borhdi will be his new sock master!

My precious!!!! She is already Cristi's master.

Stephanie's talk was lovely!!! She was sweet and wonderful and signed a book not only for me as well as for the Lupus Walk.

I am sure everyone will talk about how great Stephanie was. She really was a lot of fun! I would like to say thank you to all the knitters we met. The staff of Knitch. The wonderful people. There was one person there that made the evening a bit crap, but some sweet Atlanta knitters apologized for her rudeness, the Knitch staff was AMAZING and I met some awesome people like Mouse and Chickengoddess!! And a whole lot more - I handed out a lot of cards, but didn't write down enough names - so if I handed you a card - please comment so I can come stalk your blog! Or just say hi if you are blogless. Heather - we are looking for you!!! thank you for covering parking when there was no one there to take our money and then we used all our cash.

While the event itself was worth it, I think the knitter community MADE this event. Thank you to everyone.

And for the record, I didn't buy a damn bit of yarn. I did buy a Lantern Moon basket, but we aren't talking about that. Knitch is a BEAUTIFUL store and if you have a chance to go by there, please do. I really am hoping Kim will agree to an interview on the podcast in the future, she is FANTASTIC as is her ENTIRE STAFF.

OK - enough gushing. Thank you!!!

WIP Wednesday - The Project Bigamy Version

Project Monogamy is on and off again. I was very good for 2 and a half weeks of only working on one project at a time. When I picked up the Elizabeth Bennet Cabled Cardigan, I knew it was over. I did, in fairness, work on only this from last Wednesday night to Sunday afternoon. When last you saw this beauty she was just above the arms. Now I am down to the cables at the bottom of the body. WOOHOO! Still have the arms and button band after this, but I can SEE IT!

On Sunday, I decided I needed socks on the needles too, since EB is really too big to take anywhere. Incidently I took some pics of some beautiful knee highs for Cristi on Saturday. And I happened to have some yarn I thought would make a great pair of SUPER COMFY knee highs. .

Why yes, that is a finished knee high and a toe. Since Sunday night I have cranked out an entire knee high and a toe (the toe is pictured as I left it last night, but it is now DONE!) Since we are going to see the Yarn Harlot today, I expect to be quite a ways up the foot and leg of number 2 by tonight. We may have a FO by the end of the weekend.

I mentioned the yarn. Well, it is the Fiesta Yarns Baby Boom. Ummmm...I am in LOVE. I have a skein of the Boomerang and had been coveting the Baby Boom. Well, now I have it and I love it. It takes 2 skeins to make a pair of socks (each skein is 220 yards), but as you can see, 2 skeins can make a pair of knee highs. See those 2 little scraps? That is all I have left from skein one. No, I am not kidding. I used every single bit I could squeeze out.

Tuesday in paradise

Today there should have been a post of a new item. But by the time I got out of meetings and then picked up my now happy again car* and came home and snuggled with Rozz (because he has been extremely lap kitty this week) and then accidently napped, well, there was no decent light. Yeah, I suck, but there were 2 items yesterday and I promise something tomorrow MORNING - as well as a WIP Wednesday post. Sound like a deal?

Good because Rozz just informed me that my typing is getting in the way of his sitting in my lap, so I must stop now.

*My car was in the shop for almost 2 weeks. Tomorrow would have been 2 weeks and now I have my sweet baby car back. YAYCAR!!!! I should tell you how much I hated the rental. How is sucked gas. How it was terrible. But instead I just say YAYCAR!!!!

FO Friday!!!

After a little mishap with heel number 2, Project Monogamy directed me to rip out the heel of the Boyfriend Cable Socks and finish them up.
Yes, these are Turtle Daddy Sock Blockers available at Cristi's Etsy shop. Also, a set of these are up for grabs in the Lupus Walk Donation Thank You Prizes.
The Details:

Yarn: Brown Sheep Wildfoot in Forget-Me-Not
Needle Size: US 1 (yeah, I am a glutton for punishment)
Size: Boyfriend Size - he is like a size 9 foot or something
Pattern: Basic toe up - short row heel. The cables are a 4 cable with 2 purl stitches on each side. The Left is cabled front and the right is cabled left and the cables are placed on the opposite sides so they face out when worn. The last cable moves out to have a purl 2 in the center then feeds up to the ribbing. I can throw the pattern together if you need me to.

Notes: Other than the mishap with the heel, this were fun to knit and fast. The heel was my own fault as I worked on it during a pedicure and then an oil change. should have been fine, but that day was the day before vacation and I was super busy and apparently lost the ability to w&t.

WIP Wednesday

As of right now - I got nothing new to show.

Project Monogamy has taken over.

That means...yes...it means there will be a FO TOMORROW! (need to block tonight!).

Rushing Rivulets

Last week while I was on vacation, I started a new pair of socks. hmmm...I guess tomorrow it will be 2 weeks. Anyway...they are finished. Cristi wasn't sure about this yarn when I got it. It wasn't super soft in the hank...but it knits beautifully and feels GREAT! I can't wait for sock weather!!!! These are the Rushing Rivulet pattern in New Pathways for Sock Knitters Book 1 . This is a super easy to remember 4 stitch 6 row pattern and I loved working on it.
Pattern: Rushing Rivulets
Yarn: Yarn Pirate - Superwash BFL - Booty Club Color - Calamity
Sockitechture: Riverbed Master Pattern. Whirlpool toe, reinforced heel, picot cuff

I cast on for this at knitting and didn't do the math, so I just knit to the number of stitches I would usually use. The joy of negative ease...they are a little too wide, so I shortened them. they look short, but they fit perfectly!!!! The Riverbed architecture uses arch increases along the sole of your foot and it really hugs your foot. I love these. I may rip out the bind off and do it again, but I doubt it. The BO is loose, but still a little tight to get them on without a good tug, but once one they are beautiful.

Now...back to the Boyfriend socks so that I can start another project (I am not allowing myself to start anything until those socks are finished...and maybe another item too, I don't know...what do you think??)

stuff and things

socks are done.

boyfriend socks are out of time out and the heel that offended me has been ripped back and is halfway to being reheeled.

fifi still makes me hate it so I haven't even looked at it.

I want to cast on gloves, but I am being good.

There are no pictures because I am really tired from the weekend of crafting delight and running all over the state of north carolina with Cristi.

I own a baby sized anvil. I love it to pieces.

I think I have reached the snot quota for the year.

Podcast may be late because I still sound like a frog with sniffles.

Olivia is my first donor for lupus walk.

must sleep now.

kthanxbai.

YIPEE!!!

Something special happened while I was on vacation. (no, Tattoo Boyfriend did NOT pop the question, sorry, that will be a long time coming as he told Peter Beagle).

The winners of the Hill Country Yarn Sock Pattern Contest (round 1) were announced. Congrats to Holly and Tyler who won first and second respectively!





And I won third!!! *dances about* this is the first pattern I have ever submitted anywhere. I have to say I am super pleased with these socks.

These are toe up with a short row heel (because that's how I roll). They have a main stitch panel with side panels of ribbing. This creates a pretty dense fabric, so it is a nice warm and cuddly sock, but it isn't so dense that you don't want to wear them under your favorite show-off-your-hand-knit-socks shoes. These will be part of the Hill Country Yarn Sock Club packages, but at some point they will probably release the pattern. I don't know. Anyway.

The details:

Yarn: Hill Country Yarn Instant Gratification in Hot Fuscia

Needles: Size 5 Addi Turbos (magic loop used)

Pattern: Available at Hill Country Yarns

How they came to be: I wanted something that reflected the yarn and the yarn company. I thought and thought and thought. And then I came across this stitch pattern. It didn't do it for me. Then another. Nope. then another. Not yet. Then this one. And as I knit it evolved into something altogether different then what I thought it would be in the beginning. I love them and I can't wait to wear my pair in sock weather!!!

Practicing Project Monogamy

For those of you who listen to the mild mannered podcast...this post will contain graphic language.

First of all, I would like to say that seeing Tattoo Boyfriend on vacation this past weekend was AMAZING and we had a great time. Nothing that happened to make this weekend suck tons of ass were because we are anything but happy. Dragon*Con, while packed, was still a lot of fun and we had good times with friends we don't get to see nearly enough.

Next, I would like to say a big FUCK YOU to the crackhead who did this....

(well, the broken window part anyway. Tattoo Boyfriend was sweet enough to cover my window for the drive home)

and this...
To my pretty little car. Yes, you can see some Yarn Pirate in that picture. There is more damage, but this is all I can handle right now.

What was taken, you ask? Well, Tattoo Boyfriend had thrown his camera bag in the back seat and UNDER a bunch of stuff. That was all they took. Because the idiot crackhead didn't try to unlock the door after breaking the window, only pull things out of the broken window after trying to PRY MY DOORS open. ASSHATS! My car is at the shop now and it will be sometime late next week before I get it back.

Next, fuck you to the ATL PD dispatcher. She told me that she would call a car and as soon as one was available they would be there. The guys were ready to drive 15 hours home and I was ready to drive 4. I was sick and tired and sad that I was parting with Tattoo Boyfriend (no, I didn't cry that I had to leave him, yes, I did cry that my pretty car was defiled - I had promised him no crying that we were leaving - I was too stressed about the car and the camera to be upset about anything else). Eventually (almost 2 hours later) we noticed a (very nice) police officer on the street below us, so we went down and asked him to find out what the deal was. He pointed us to another officer who, it turned out, was on foot patrol on that block the whole fucking time!!!!!!! The boys could have been on the road HOURS before, but NO! (It was very sweet of them to wait for me, I did try to get them to at least go inside, but all 4 of them stayed with me. We expect this of Tattoo Boyfriend since he is the sweetest guy EVER, but his brother and 2 friends didn't have to stand out in the Atlanta heat sweating their asses off with us).

Enough of that. *takes deep breaths* I can't get all worked up over it again. Must see socks.

I have been practicing project monogamy since last Wednesday when I put all my WIPs in time out. I have not worked on FiFi. I have not worked on Boyfriend Socks. I have not worked on anything I had on my needles this time last week. So, what I have I been doing? Meet my new pretty.

This is my first Rushing Rivulet sock in the Riverbed Sock Architecture from the new Cat Bordhi book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters. Thoughts on this sock are that it is weird looking when it isn't on your foot. It looks a bit deformed as the increases are done across the sole, but it is comfy!!! I will finish the second sock and then move back to something else. The yarn is Yarn Pirate Booty Club in Calamity (superwash BFL, baybee).

Oh - and I have some kind of crud thanks to the crapass AC in our room at the Marriott which pumped out cold wet air all weekend. And fuck you flickr for getting a "massage" all afternoon instead of letting me upload my photos. And fuck you crackheads. And fuck you, evil bitch who was mean to me this weekend.

Things we are happy about other than the sock and Tattoo Boyfriend???

If you like the Misfits, you will LOVE Calabrese!!! Had they opened for the Misfits, they would have put the Misfits to shame. Seriously. I think I have a little crush on the drummer. I looked at Tattoo Boyfriend and told him it was a good thing I loved him cause I thought I was falling for the drummer. We picked up their CDs and a couple of buttons before the show and the show rocked. (FUCK YOU HYATT that it was -4 Kelvins in that ballroom and my nether regions froze solid while we were in there!!!) Tattoo Boyfriend rushed the stage with everyone else AND had a good time in the pit. He was adorable. The Pit Daddy (as I now call this guy) helped a brand new punk kid learn the art of the pit - it was a very friendly crowd. Only at D*C can you see a guy in a loin cloth in a mosh pit.

Ummmm....I got a signed copy of The Last Unicorn (and Peter Beagle tried to look down my top - ewwww).

Oh - I bought a new corset.

I have been told that I didn't have back fat really, it is just that DJ Kaidy is leaning on me funny.

And here is CapnBob of Lost Rhapsody fame. I did his hair for him that morning. He was a lovely roommate to have. There are other highlights, but this is getting rather long and I am pretty sure you don't care. I did knit through the entire Ellen Muth panel. Also, the panel I was on for Jericho. And while waiting in line to get Ellen's autograph for Tattoo Boyfriend's niece. Lots of talking about knitting happened.

Hopefully I will have enough of my voice back and the cough and sniffles gone to podcast this weekend.