Same Yarn; Different Socks

I just started this sock with Regia Nautica. It has looked a felt to me like a sport weight, but it's sold in the sock section of my LYS and I couldn't interpret the diagram on the ball band because it's teeny tiny and uses cm, not stitches or inches. Anyway, I just looked it up on Ravelry and it is a sport-weight!

That would explain why the first socks I knit with it are so thick!

I do like it. The colors are gorgeous and the tweediness is very rustic and pretty. It is splitty, though, I  would not use it on anything that would require much frogging.

The pattern is Spring Forward from Knitty. It's an odd choice, now that I know I'm knitting a winter sock, but it is really pretty.

Teaser: I have an FO for Friday made out of the same yarn.

New Skills

Sometimes, for no reason at all, I just feel like learning something new. There is something addictive about acquiring new skills, isn't there? I find this applies to knitting as well as jewelry. One of these days, I am going to figure out brioche stitch!

Yesterday I decided it was time to learn spiral peyote stitch. I pulled a book off my shelf and quickly found directions. It's truly not a hard stitch, if you have mastered the basic peyote stitch.

 As you can see, the tension is a little loose, but I think that's a good thing. Tightly woven spiral peyote is extremely stiff. I don't think it would bend enough to be a necklace.

What do you want to learn?

Mistake Monday

Over all, my Garland Shawl is coming along beautifully.

However, somehow, in the middle of a super-easy garter stitch, I made a big mistake. I thought about frogging and reknitting, but I just couldn't bring myself to do that. Instead, I decided it was time for me to learn how to knit to the point of the problem and fix it with a crochet hook.

Clearly, I don't understand this procedure:

If this were a gift, I would have ripped back and reknit. But I know that I want to keep this and I decided I could live with this sloppy fix.

Does anyone else choose to live with visible errors?

The Potato Chip of Pets?

Apparently the llama is the "Potato Chip of Pets." Who knew?

I certainly didn't until I stumbled across this article in the New York Times.

Owners say you can't start with just one because they are very social animals, so you have to get two or three. Like potato chips, you can't have just one.  The scary part is that you can start with three and end up with dozens.

Llamas are fairly new to the States because foot-and-mouth disease kept them out for many years. But the Peruvian animals are here now and number 115,000. That's about the same number as alpacas -- but let's not go there. It seems that there is bad blood between owners of llamas and owners of alpacas.

Owners say llamas have amazing eyes that make you feel that they understand all your troubles. Not being a huge animal person, I'm thinking that maintaining theses fairly large animals would involve a certain level of trouble. And expense.
But, not to worry. They say that llama wool is as desirable as alpaca, so maybe they pay for themselves. However, I haven't seen llama yarn in any store. At least not yet. Have you?

Happy Independence Day!

I admit it: I love Independence Day. I wait all year to hear a string of voices read the Declaration of Independence on National Public Radio. It's really an amazing document -- and short, too. I guess that makes me a history geek.

I'm celebrating another type of independence today. I no longer have to wear a walking boot. Look:

Those are my feet and there is a shoe in each one! I have to admit that the cute shoes didn't last. I have to wear adjustable, athletic shoes because 1. The doctor said so; and 2. My right foot is still swollen (as you can see) and it doesn't fit comfortably in most of my shoes. The doctor also ordered me to do a minimum of walking for the rest of the month. I can't even go for a recreational walk! So, in a way, I have a little less independence.  But that's OK -- as long as I'm healing!

It's a beautiful, beautiful day here. Keith is out biking (moment of self-pity). I parked myself on the porch and worked on this:

I

It is the beginning of a Moderne Baby Blanket, a freeform and fun design by the Mason-Dixon Knitting girls. I am making this one out of Lion Brand Jiffy, a bulky alcrylic yarn. This baby is due in August, so I figure he will need a blank that you can toss on the ground and throw in the washing machine. It's a fun, mindless project.

Thinking About Retirement

OK, I'm nowhere near old enough to retire, but I can't help but think about it in the summer, when I can spend tons of time on creative pursuits instead of rushing off to school each weekday. Also, a lot of my friends are older than me, and they are retiring.

And yet, I do like my job. Yesterday I went to the courthouse to support a former student who had been charged with felony battery and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. I adored this young man and just couldn't see him hurting anyone! Turns out, my instincts were right. He did not commit the battery and the court dropped that charge.

I am so upset about the drug charge. This young man just graduated from high school -- which is a real victory. School is not his style! He's enrolled in a trade school. I told him I'd try to help him get through the criminal justice system.

It is an honor to get know young people and to feel -- once in a while -- that you've actually helped someone. My days at school are hectic and intense, and I often feel that I'm treading water. It's easy to forget that I am lucky to be a part of a larger community.

The End Of Monogamy

Seeing as I'm almost done with a pair of socks -- and I'm over the halfway point with my Garland Shawl -- I decided it was time to cast on something new.

This is the Ericka Scarf from Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders, a book I just happen to own. It's an easy 2-row pattern -- perfect for traveling. I chose this pattern because it's portable and it can be done on circular needles. In a couple weeks I'll be heading for Spain, and I don't want TSA to take away my knitting!

I spent quite a while on Ravelry, reading about other people's experiences with flying to Europe. It sounds like the folk in the EU are stricter than in the US. If anyone has any advice for me, feel free! I haven't been to Europe since 1985. (Yes, I am that old.)

The yarn, which is so yummy, is Manos Del Uruguay Alegria. It was an impulse buy at a LYS. I hope it doesn't pool, but the colors are so beautiful that I'm not sure pooling would ruin it!

In Progress

This is not an FO Friday, but I do have projects in the works, including:

Any guesses on what this is going to be? It won't be used as a flat picture.

I am not going to share my sketch from yesterday. I went out sketching with Marsha and Tsela again, and my drawing was absolutely awful! In the future, though, I should try to get copies of their pictures. They are both really talented.

I started the decrease half of my Garland Shawl. I'm looking forward to having it go faster as the rows get shorter!

WIP Wednesday: The Trouble With Monogamous Knitting

You've seen a photo similar to this:

But what is a monogamous knitter to do? I've been knitting steadily on my Garland Shawl, and today I hit the halfway point!

Monogamous knitting is not typical of me -- and I think that blogging is part of the reason. Really. Who wants to see the same project over and over, with just a few more inches each time?

I could probably be 75% of the way done if I haven't had to frog and re-knit so much. I don't know why I've been making so many mistakes. I can't blame the designer as the pattern is very clear. I guess it's just my ADD brain.

Is it my imagination: The garter section looks ragged. Hopefully it will all block out!

I've finally gotten on board with Tami Amis's Work-In-Progress Wednesdays. You can join in the fun here.

Very Dramatic Colors

My latest piece of original jewelry:

Don't those colors just pop? I love the way the whole piece came together.

These are not "my" colors. I tend to stay with the traditional jewel colors, which is a mistake. Working with a different palette is fun. It's also got to be a good business decision. It's not like the whole world shares my taste!

This piece was inspired by the beautiful glass disk beads I found on Etsy. They are handmade by Patty Miller of CabariBeads. She does beautiful work in metal as well as glass. I'm quite sure I'll be ordering more from her!

BTW, the piece will be up in my Etsy store later today. Just saying.