Told you it would either be feast or famine. Not that I have much in the way of knitting to report. I've done another repeat on the Snowdrop, added a few rows to the Rogue sleeves (nowhere near completion), have almost finished the first leftover sock yarn ball for the Log Cabin, and have started another Chunky Diagonal throw for myself. It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't nearly as much as I normally do. I've been in a bit of a knitting/fiber slump this week. I have barely even worked on spinning. I've been busier than usual at work, true, but not crazy busy. Most of it is that one of my friends is going through some rough times right now, and the only way I can talk to him is online. It's difficult to spin and type at the same time. It's slightly easier to knit, pause, and then type, but I just haven't been doing it.

I love using the sock yarn on the size 5's for the Log Cabin. The fabric is very light, but it's not really loose or airy. Of course, I expect that this will change as I go through different brands of leftovers, since they are all just slightly different. The new CDT is being knit up using solid colors of LB's Jiffy. Beverly's was having a sale, so I got 5 skeins and a Chibi w/ some darning needles for just over $12. I'll have to go back for more yarn as I work through it. I'm okay with that. I'm working it up on size 10 needles. It's much denser than the first one, but I think it will make a great blanket. I'm also going to make it bigger by changing the total number of stripes per strip to 15 instead of 13 and doing at least five strips (maybe six) instead of four. I like my blankets big. The Jiffy isn't quite as bulky as the Homespun, though, so this does involve more rows and stitches than I had anticipated and it's going much more slowly than the first. The Log Cabin has been my show project, and the CDT has been my bus project. I'm saving working more on the April Fool's Socks for Socktoberfest.

Eight more Dames performances. Seussical starts rehearsals Tuesday, but due to Dames, I won't really start until the week after. Everyone's getting sick, including me (though no one else knows that, they'd flip as we're already seriously shorthanded), so think good thoughts for us!

Oh, and I got a new toy! Woo for new mp3 players that actually work and hold a charge! Now I just have to find songs!

Quick Update

Before I have to go get the van, as our bus is unavailable tonight. Sigh.

Yes, I spent the rest of the evening playing with the spindle. I totally...well, not ruined, but shall we say, had some difficulties with the trial batch of the pretty blue/green fibers. I realize now that I was not drafting nearly enough - I ended up with something very close to a polar weight yarn, although it was still useable (of course, I had to knit a swatch with it, which was where I figured out that this isn't maybe the way things were supposed to have gone). I don't know if I can rescue it or not. I hope so. Once I realized where I had gone wrong, I pulled out the Corriedale and started playing with that. It is going much, much better. I'm trying to work on keeping a constant tension/drafting. Sometimes I've gotten too thin and the yarn has broken. I'm not really good with joining, yet, either, but that is getting better, I think. This is So Cool! I do miss my knitting, though. Will have to get some lovin' time in on that.

Anyway, gotta go. Show time!

Package!

I did finally convince Blogger to upload the Ferocious Guard Kitty:


He was uncharacteristically vocal with me last night, but I'd like to think that he knew I was upset (we had a CRAZY rehearsal last night and I was pretty stressed by the end of it) and was trying to talk to me. I notice that the more stressed I am when I come home, the more vocal and attention demanding he is. He knows. A warm cup of mint tea, a purring kitty in my lap, a good night's sleep, and life is much better. Now he's contentedly curled up in my lap (not for very long, as you'll see in a minute), so apparently all is forgiven. I love my Teddie Cat.

But anyway, enough melodrama. Let's get to the Good Stuff:

This is the package my very sweet super left inside my door this afternoon (new postman, long story, needless to say she had permission)! My first ever spindle and fiber purchase!! I'm so excited. I, of course, had to rip it open the minute after I took the picture. It contains 4oz. Corriedale in Rosy-Fingered Dawn, 4oz. BFL in Purple Haze, a small amount of an unknown fiber (I think maybe Corriedale as well, but I'm just going by feel) in a pretty blue/green color, which was wrapped around my new Greensleeves Barebones spindle! Oh, and a rootbeer DumDum, which cracked me up. Amy, are you trying to tell me something? ;-) The instructions are pretty clear, although it did take some looking around to figure out what was meant by "drafting" on the spindle. A quick look at her Hints and Tips page on the store site, and I think I have a better idea of what is supposed to happen now. I LOVE the feel of the BFL! It's so incredibly soft! I just have to squish it every once in a while. The Corriedale is a little rougher, but seems like it will be easier to learn on. I've decided that I definitely need another pair of hands and arms - I can't knit and spin at the same time! I wasn't expecting the kit to come so quickly! Rogue sleeves? Snowdrop Shawl (now corrected, I think)? Spinning? Oy!

Alright already!

Pics!
The lovely Bearfoot


joins my slowly growing wool sock yarn stash.


(The Regia just jumped in for the photo op, it normally lives with my KnitPicks sock yarns, which haven't been touched since I met superwash wool. It's warm, but it's so soft! I will, however, need to start making some summer wear socks again soon.) I know, it's not nearly as impressive as lots of other sock yarn stashes. In fact, it's kind of lame. I just don't like having lots of unused yarn around. I do have one full skein of the Lorna's Laces left, approximately 200yds. Anyone have any ideas what to do with it? I realized after I started the afghan that I could have used the LL leftovers to probably make another pair of socks. I still might. Maybe.

A lonely Rogue awaits its sleeves:


The not even close to finished, unblocked, messed up goodness that currently is the Snowdrop Shawl:


I think the mistake is on the left side somewhere. I know I flipped a yo and an ssk on the border several rows back, but am pretty sure that is not the problem. I am pondering tinking back to fix that, as well, though. EDIT: I think the problem may be a missed YO in that same row. Maybe. Unfortunately, it's like ten rows back. Sigh. The first time I didn't use a lifeline on it and look what happens!

The Majestic and Ferocious Guard Kitty has apparently made a deal with Blogger to not have his very good picture published, as I can't get it to upload for anything. No kitty pics today, sowwy!

Stupid Shawl, Stupid Moths, and Ooo...Was That Bearfoot?

The Snowdrop Shawl has bitten me. I still haven't figured out a.)HOW I made this mistake and b.)HOW I went on for several more rows before realizing that I didn't have the correct number of stitches at the end of the row. I swear it kept working out until That One Row. So I tink back to where I thought the mistake was, fix it, work back up to where I was, and am STILL two stitches short and the pattern isn't working correctly. What on earth?? So I am now in the process of tinking back even more rows of very fine laceweight yarn. Sigh.

Two more skeins of Mountain Colors Bearfoot arrived in the mail today, a result of a KR poster's destashing. You know I can't resist Bearfoot. In Elderberry and Firestorm. Sigh. I'm practically drooling over this yarn. It's so pretty! No idea what I'll use it for yet, of course. Teddie actually WAS drooling over the yarn, or rather, the envelope it came in. I think the sender must have a pet of some kind, because that envelope got the most thorough going-over I have ever seen him give a piece of mail. It's also almost time for another Sock Yarn of the Month shipment from Spunky Eclectic. And I broke down and got one of her learn to spin kits, too. In an attempt to vary my color schemes a bit, I got a combo warm/cool color thing. I have a feeling that I'm not going to be very good at spinning, but hey, I might as well try it. And there is a yarn shop down in Solvang that is also supposed to cater to spinners, so maybe I can go down early sometime and get some help or something. At any rate, the point is that I really don't need anymore sock yarn. Someone remind me of that next time I mention wanting some. I just can't knit it up fast enough. I saw a moth in the apartment today and promptly put all of my wooly sock yarns (which had been readily accessible for fondling display) in Ziploc bags and in the freezer, because I know I won't get to it to use it fast enough. (The poor moth was probably just lost and had no desire for my yarns whatsoever, but you can't be too careful.)

I did another couple rounds of the April Fools today, and started a new project that I totally stole (with her permission) from a fellow KR poster. I'm using leftover superwash wool sock yarn to do a Log Cabin. It will most likely take ages, given that it is sock yarn, on US 5 needles, and I knit socks slowly anyway, so I only have about three balls of leftovers in the correct weight, but it is a good mindless project. My idea is that I will work each block until I run out of yarn, and then spiral to the next. I have every belief that it will be the ugliest afghan anyone has ever seen, but honestly, I don't really give a damn. It's not like I'm gonna sell the thing. I'm just doing it to get some use out of yarn that I really don't want to throw away, and eventually my grandchildren might be able to use if I get it done in time!

More Socks!

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Black Purl
Pattern: plain old stockinette, done cuff-down and with a heel flap and gusset
Notes:
-I really prefer doing socks toe up. I like trying them on that way as I go. However, Twisted German Cast On is a lot of fun, for some reason, and it is nice to get the damn ribbing out of the way early.
-The heel flap and gusset was fine, no major problems. I had no stunning moment of turning the heel, and it takes more concentration (and more light, can't do that one in the booth during a show). I also like the look of the short row heel better, but I have to admit that this one is more comfortable and fits better and doesn't slouch. I will try a toe-up heel flap and gusset on the next pair of socks I start. (April Fools are cuff-down as well.)

That's three completed pairs of wool socks for Solvang. I've also finished the cabling on the sleeves for Rogue. I am hoping that I can get the sweater done by this weekend. I'm a bit nervous about having to sew in sleeves, though. I've done a few more repeats on the Snowdrop Shawl, and have progressed on the April Fools a little (over half done with the first repeat). I'm in the process of hunting down the perfect yarn for my Hogwarts vest (and possibly sweater, too, we'll see) and a Chunky Diagonal Throw for myself. I'm leaning towards Patons Shetland Chunky for the throw (found an online store that has it at $3.50 a skein), and possibly for the vest as well, although I would prefer a worsted weight for that. I really want a superwash or machine washable yarn for a sweater, but I can't find the right colors. I may have to go with Patons Classic Merino, which I found in Michaels at a decent price. Oh, and I also picked up a couple balls of Sugar 'n Cream cotton, which is what my grandmother always used to make washrags with. I've finished one and am about half done on another, just a k2, yo, k to end to increase and k1, k2tog, yo, ssk, k to end decrease. They're definitely better to have around than sponges!

Moving to Solvang this week. Woo!

Additions to The List

Woo! The Fall '06 Knitty is up! New additions to the "To-Do" list include Ivy, Avast, and the Back To School washrags. Potential maybes include Lucie and Intolerable Cruelty.

This is, of course, after I realized this morning that I really needed a Hogwarts school sweater. Yes, I'm a geek. You don't have to point that out again. I don't get into the dressing up as characters or anything, though. I haven't even made a House scarf, although I would if I had anywhere to really use a scarf other than Solvang. However, a nice sweater is always appropriate. Looking at the sweaters used as part of the school uniforms in the movies, they seem to be fairly simple. I didn't know how to do a v-neck or neckband, though. I was looking around the 'Net, and lo and behold: Hobbie's Wizard Wear has free patterns of exactly the sweater I was looking for. Then I thought, but a vest would be really cute and more versatile given my climate. And such a pattern exists for that, too! So they were promptly printed out. Really, how many people would know they were Harry Potter themed but me? Only other geeks who would appreciate it! Now the real question is which House colors to use. I'm thinking Ravenclaw. I don't really like Gryffindor or Hufflepuff's colors much, and Slytherin's don't show up well against the dark grey MC of the sweaters, not to mention it's, well, Slytherin.

Oh, and Amy is evil. Honestly. I'm totally going to have to get one of these. Just to try, you know. Because I have nothing else to do (*cough*RogueSnowdropSocksShows*cough*). Because she HAD to offer the choice of warm or cool or combo colorways. I'm gonna have to wait until next paycheck, though. I wonder what kind of spindle I should get? Suggestions?

Where Were You?

I know these will start going around like wildfire tomorrow, so I figured I'd get a head start.

Where was I on 9/11/01?

I was on campus when I initially heard about it. I was running late to my advanced theater technology class (of course) around 9:00a (I think, Central Time), and saw unusually large numbers of students in the Union, all watching the various televisions. I was vaguely curious, but since the prof already didn't like me and it's hard to sneak into a class of only nine people w/o attracting attention, I didn't stop to find out what was going on. One of the girls in class told me that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center, but we all were under the impression it was a small, private plane and it was a freak accident at that point, and didn't really give it much more thought. When the prof came in, though, he said he had been running late because he had been on the phone with his wife about "the news." He started to try to teach the class, but after a few minutes just said "Forget it, I'm going to go find a television," or something like that. At any rate, class was dismissed, but we all went into a nearby office to find out what on earth was going on that was more important than classes. We got there just in time to see the Towers fall. It took us a while to figure out what had actually happened, given our initial, very wrong, impression. Classes were cancelled (I presume, I didn't go to anymore after that, I don't think. I may not have had anymore that day anyway, I can't remember), and I went back to my apartment and spent the rest of the day sitting on the couch with my laptop in front of me and the television on. I think I called my parents at some point, but I'm not sure. I do remember that there was a lot of rumours about going to war, and that since Purdue has a nuclear research facility (non-military, of course), it was a potential target. Purdue also boasts a very large international student community, including a large number of Arab students, and there were instant reminders everywhere that those students had nothing to do with the attack and any attempts at "retribution" would result in drastic punishments. I don't remember hearing of anyone trying to hassle any of the Arab students, so I guess it worked. There was a candlelight vigil a couple of nights later, and a prayer led by local religious leaders - Christian, Jewish, and Muslim - but that was about it. It didn't really directly affect my day to day life, but it totally changed my outlook on the rest of the world. I think I am not alone in realizing for the first time that day not just that we could indeed be attacked on our own soil, but that someone would WANT to attack us. That someone hated us so much that they would kill 3000 innocent people. I've flown many times since then, domestically and internationally (France and Australia), and while I'm not scared of flying or my fellow passengers as a rule, every time now, there is a little voice in the back of my head wondering, "What if it's this flight this time? What would I do? What could I do?" It's a scarier world now.

UhOh

Alright, I'll admit it. I've been fascinated by spinners for a while now, and have no idea where to start or even what questions to ask. I've seen several "begin to spin" kits online and wondered if they are at all helpful. I know lots of people who sell fiber and spindles and whatnot (Amy comes to mind immediately), but no idea at all what I should use to "try out" so to speak. Really, the last thing I need is another hobby to eat up what little time I have left, but I wouldn't mind trying it just to see.

Oh, and I did, indeed, finish the hood on Rogue Monday (woo, I have a hooded tank top!) and CO both sleeves. I haven't had a chance to work on it since, so I'm only almost done with the hem facing rows. I am thinking about finishing those tonight so I can start the cuff cables tomorrow. Sock knitting has been slow, as I can't knit DURING Dames, it's too busy, but I do get in a few rows here and there. I'm still hoping that I can get this pair of socks and Rogue done by the time we go to Solvang! A week and a half, think I can do it?

Whew!

Dames is OPEN! Woo! It's the biggest little show I think any of us have done here in a long time, and a lot of work for the cast and crew, but it really is so much fun! It's very sweet and cute and funny and the audience is eating it up! That's such a nice reward to see after the exhausting week of tech we just went through for it.

Two personally awkward moments today, though. 1.)Steve's parents and sisters came down for the weekend. They saw Dames last night, and the Song of the Oak (the fall Outreach show that Steve set designed) preview this morning. I didn't see them last night, and didn't even know they were there until I literally almost ran into Steve's mother in the lobby this morning at the preview. They were pleasant to me, as always, it was just slightly surprising to run into them and then try to figure out what to say to them. As they were leaving, though, his dad turned to me and told me he was very sorry about the way things had turned out. It was very sweet, but slightly heart-wrenching at the same time. 2.)A guy I had kind of started crushing on, and who I thought had been showing some signs of interest, came to the preview this morning with a second-year student actress on his arm, who he has apparently been seeing for some time. Sigh. Oh well. I really wish him no ill will, but I know that he is applying for a staff job (and he well deserves it), and I'm wondering how well it will go for him if he is dating a student. I guess we'll see.

Between the tech week from Heck (I've had worse, but it definitely wasn't fun) and two awkwards in one day, I'm totally hibernating tomorrow. My big plans are to make my apartment liveable again and then curl up on the couch with Rogue and Harry Potter. I'd really love to go to the beach as well, but that would require leaving the house, and I'm not sure I'll have the energy for that. My brother is going to drive out next Monday to visit for a while. I hope I can find something for him to do!