Still doing too much. ><

Ok, so I DID cast off on that cuff. Then I decided "my hands are cold. I have no idea what to do with this skein..." TADAH! Fetching.

THEN I got a Box of Yarn! :D 10 balls of cotton that will become a baby blanket for Isabelle, the first member of the next generation on my dad's side of the family! I haven't seen pictures yet, but I'm sure she's very cute ^^ 11 balls of wool that will be sockses. I cast on for one of the pairs of sockses... worsted on size 1 needles!? That's crazy- like a very thick, very warm-feeling socktoe. However, I need to go to Knitty Gritty and buy more needles in general, and more size 1s in particular. And/or resurrect Vinnland so I can get them off the needles. But I do need a few straights for that blanket, so I'll do that.

Also got a package from the Budapest Semesters, and I may stay there and never come back purely because of their chocolate. They sent a bar that was like eating a perfectly blended hazelnut mocha. *bliss*

OMGEEZE RAVELRY.

I'm going to go sit in the virtual yarn fumes now kthxbai.

An Acute Case of Startitis.

I think I may have a love affair with argyle. It's so nicely geometrical and clean and fun to knit. Also, I am imposing a rule on myself that I am not allowed to post this blog until I finish my little argyle project. So, my break from the loving of argyle will be spent phreakowting over how I have too much yarn and too many ideas.

With that being said:



I have a bunch of cotton that's going to become a sweater at some point before the end of time (the pattern's been frustrating, so sue me). I have two luscious balls of handdyed laceweight that I have no idea what to do with. I have some green alpaca I similarly have no idea what to do with. I have a lovely ball of yarn that was going to be a beret, but I may just give up on that delusion and make it into socks.

I also have socks on the needles, my special argyle project, and a scarf for RC:



I blame my lack of progress on this:



If all of this isn't enough, I'm expecting a package from KnitPicks this week. Crayon in Azure and Yellow (for a baby blanket for my new cousin! :D She was born on July 10, luckily the shower isn't until September). Wool of the Andes in Cream for a surprise for my Eol. Palette in Fawn and Navy for a surprise for my Eol. Palette in Green and Fog for a similar project for me. Oh, and the Harry Potter pattern book. I am teh geek. >>

So, here's the argyle. Love it.



Also, I got to use Ravelry's cool "antsy" feature... OMG it's almost here!!111!!eleventyone11!!!!!1!

* You signed up on May 27, 2007
* You are #5588 on the list.
* 208 people are ahead of you in line.
* 10611 people are behind you in line.
* 32% of the list has been invited so far

Knitting.

I love knitting. Knitting makes my life better. Knitting is instant gratification- you can see your piece coming together with each stitch! Knitting is soothing- repetitive motions without much mental taxation. Knitting is challenging- just look at these! Gorgeous. Knitting makes for great gifts- give me a $6 skein of merino from Hand Painted Yarn, my #5 bamboo double points, and a few spare hours (in a coffeeshop, on the couch, while commuting, between classes, on a plane...) and I can turn out beautiful socks (sure, for this yarn you have to be a woman's size 7 or smaller for me to get two socks out of one skein. But the point holds). Knitting is a community- I'm anxiously waiting for Casey and Jess to get to me on the waiting list for Ravelry. Knitting is a great hobby for me- I've got just enough perfectionist to make things nice, coupled with the intellectual stamina to pick up new skills well-nigh instantly and the ability to get fascinated with simple things to keep me focused.

What I am currently knitting:

* This sweater (for me! ^^). The band is green with a white contrast stripe, the rest is burnt orange. Sounds strange, but you'll have to see how nicely the colors mesh when it's done. Knitting it in Mandarin Classic cotton on Addi Turbo #3 circulars.
* A double-knit scarf of my own design for RC. It's made of deep green and black Cascade 220 superwash wool, and it has a Green Lantern motif. I'm stuck as to whether to stripe it all the way around or to have a solid panel with stripes and motif at either end.
* The Vinnland Socks. I'm going to try to finish something tomorrow (since my plan is to slather on some sunscreen and sit by the pool most of the day), and since I'm done with one of these I think that it's a no-brainer to get them off the needles... so I can start another pair of socks! :D

What I want to do with the yarn I have:
# Make socks for my little sister. I don't know what pattern, but it's going to need to be fine-gauge since it's laceweight merino.
# Make a beret to replace the one I felted.
# Make a lacy scarf or stole for either me or my mommy.
# Decide on something to do with that red yarn. >>


What I want to make but don't have yarn or pattern ideas for:

* Something (a blanket? a layette?) for Isabel, my cousin's proto-daughter due in September. She's my grandma's first great-grandchild, so naturally the entire family is rather excited. I intend to send her handknits and tony intellectual gifts for each birthday and holiday. Because she is the first of the many fetuses I shall wreak my influence upon, now that I am an adult and my non-Mark-the-jackass cousins are reproducing (actually, Mark-the-jackass' oldest daughter is not only succeeding despite her circumstances, she's the sweetest, most down-to-earth person I know, and she actually started me knitting- Mouse and Cait finished the job). Suggestions for either the type of handknit or the type of tony intellectual gift are always welcome. Actually, what I really need right now is a suggestion for childrens' books that have pretty pictures and nice stories, in order to subtly nudge Aimee and her husband into reading to her. Tell me your favorites.
* A special surprise for miss Megan that will probably have to wait until I have scrap multicolor sock yarn.
* A scarf for me. A stylish, warm one for traveling in Europe.
* A sweater for me. A stylish, warm one for traveling in Europe. Either of my own design or one from Knitty.
* More socks. Sock sock sock.
* Christmas gifts. It's never too early to think about Christmas gifts. But who gets them? What will they get? Decisions, decisions...

Morning rants.

A recent BBC article on Facebook and MySpace as "class divides"

I think they're conveniently forgetting that Facebook was originally supposed to be a tool for college students. Including a requirement of a ".edu" e-mail address. Hmm, wonder why more college students are on Facebook? IT'S OBVIOUSLY A REFLECTION OF THE CLASSIST NATURE OF AMERICAN SOCIETY! D: It can't be that Myspace lets any chatspeak-abusing emo camwhore over the age of 13 get a profile! Good job missing the obvious, Danah Boyd. Or should I say Dr. Danah Boyd? Why does she get a Ph.D. from noticing that a site designed to cater to college students has a greater amount of college students?

A ridiculous story about pants.

Um. Someone stab this guy in the face. He wanted $54 million over a pair of temporarily misplaced pants!?

I have been knitting too, I swear. A photo survey of the yarn taking over my apartment will follow.

Jax is are eejit! D:

I was taking laundry out of the dryer this morning and felt something staticy. A little poking around revealed...

it was my beret. D: Sure, I bought it at Meijer for $10. However, I was rather attached to it before I went and shrunk it. It looks absolutely ridiculous now, and I feel silly.

This brings me to the question of what to do about it. The obvious answer? Knit one!

This one is adorable, although I'm not one for flowery bits. I do like the shape, so I'll borrow that... and find a yarn that I don't have to make myself. I don't have a decent selection of needles yet, much less a spinning wheel!

I have a headache...

because I knit for four hours straight with my contacts in. >< Should've switched to my glasses.

Today I went to the farmer's market and bought yummy food. I have carrots, cucumber, and asparagus, which will be consumed individually and possibly in vegetarian sushi if I can get to the Asian grocery for nori and sushi rice. Bok choy will be cooked in soup, lettuce will be used for sammiches and salad, and potatoes and onions... make me wish I'd bought ring bologna. :) Maybe I'll stop by Safeway and see if they have any tomorrow.

Right, back to knitting.



Proof that holding both hands in front of the camera and hitting the shutter with your tongue DOES NOT WORK.



That's better! These are Knitty's Dashing (Spr 2007), made in Universal Yarn Inc. Classic Worsted Tapestry, colorway Forrest. Yes, it is 80% acrylic. However, it is 100% machine-washable, so these lovely fingerless gloves shall never be accidentally felted by their lovable recipient! :D I think I might try this pattern again in a different yarn- although you can feel the cables and see them up close, it might look nicer in a tighter-knit solid.


As an aside, it seems that the apartment has recognized I am a knitter... observe the trail of yarn.




(Yes, that is a Hot Topic bag. I'm cold at work, and where else do you find a sweatshirt in the middle of a desert in the summer?)