We Interrupt the Knitting for an Important Announcement

Every year, the Alzheimer's Association holds a Memory Walk to raise money for research and support groups. This year will be my fourth walk, and it is in 10 days! If you've never known anyone with Alzheimer's Disease, it is an extremely lonely disease, and so much worse than losing memories. People with this disease forget friends, family, and eventually, themselves. The most heartbreaking moment I've experienced was when I first started at the home where I work. A woman pulled me aside and pointed to a man down the hall she had just met. She said, "See that man? He's an old friend of mine. I know he is. But I don't remember him. I can't remember anything. I don't remember myself. Who am I?" And she started to cry. She wasn't like this every day, but she was cognitive of the changes in her mind, and felt afraid. I will never forget that afternoon. I have been fortunate that no one in my family has this disease, but I've seen the affect it has on caregivers, family, friends, and the person with the disease. I would love all the help I can get raising money toward this worthy cause. I have a web page set up to receive donations here. I can also accept mailed checks (made out to the Alzheimer's Association-Maine Chapter). Just send me an email asking for my address to sassy_spice1975 at yahoo dot com. Thanks so much!

Today's post brought to you by the letter "B"

Remember the stocking I had to rip back because I messed up on the letter B?
I finally ripped it back last night. The whole process was painless, since I'm using Lamb's Pride, which is pretty sticky. I was horrified when I again forgot to do the middle line of the B again, but I decided to just do it on the next row, and I don't think it came out so bad. The 2006 on the other side looks kinda wonky, but I really think blocking will make it better. I remember the 2005 looking wonky on my other nephew's stocking last year, and blocking helped. I almost cheated and put 2005 on this stocking so they wouldn't know the difference (they're so young now, I doubt they'd remember they got stockings a year apart), but I decided to be honest about it. I have kind of a half-baked plan to make a stocking for a different family member every year. That way I don't get roped into making 15 stockings at once. Hedera is cruising along, and the scarf is progressing nicely. Right now there's an interesting red/pink pattern going on with the scarf. Too bad it'll be behind my neck when I wear it!

Bad Bunnies Are Still Cute Bunnies

A crime against knitting has been committed. The details are pretty gruesome. Those with weak constitutions should avert their eyes from the following images.

I have my suspicions of course, as to the identity of the guilty party, but no one's coming forward. Well, one party did seem to be beginning the stages of confession, but it turned out she was just after a treat.

I'm looking at this as an opportunity, rather than a setback. I now have the perfect excuse to knit Avast instead!

There is other, non-criminal knitting news. I'm safe to knit again! So I have actual works in progress photos to share! I'm halfway through the heel on Hedera #1, and almost ready to change colors on my Kureyon scarf. I'm a little concerned about my Kureyon scarf. The colors I chose to begin are pretty staid and conservative. They stay within the same three colors or so, just changing shading. For my second half, I chose Kureyon that has a lot more color changes, but still a lot of red. I guess the only way to see what'll happen is to knit it! Hopefully it'll work out. It's been getting steadily colder here, and I am in need of some winter accessories!

Missing!

Have you seen this hat?
I went to see the Rolling Stones on Wednesday, and, knowing it would be chilly, brought my beloved Malabrigo hat with me for some added warmth. In the car on the way home, I was horrified to discover that the hat was no longer with me. In a panic, I scrambled all over the moving vehicle, checking under the seat, by the door, even the back seat. No dice. All I can think is that the hat, feeling unloved by the way it was stuffed into my pocket and went unworn, leapt to the beer soaked floor in the hopes it would be found by someone who loved it more. The other option is that the hat, realizing we were leaving early, even before they (surely) played Sympathy for the Devil (the hat's favorite song), jumped to the seat as I turned to leave. Either way, I will never see this hat again. I only hope that some gentle Rolling Stones fan found it, touched it, and put it immediately on their head (which I admit I wouldn't do). I hope a knitter found it. A knitter who knows that Malabrigo must be hand washed, or you risk having a baby helmet. My fear is that my hat, my precious soft little hat, is sitting in a trash can right now, lost and lonely. I'm sorry little hat. I will keep a better eye on your sister (thankfully, I still have plenty of that green Malabrigo to make another.

Still Being Good

Well, actually, I've cheated a very little since my last post and gotten a few rows done. Not really enough to warrant a picture. It occurred to me this evening that I could easily satisfy my creative urges with sewing, but I ran out of steam after realizing that I don't have the right size zipper. (What possessed me to buy a 21" zipper for a skirt???)

Anyway, I was thinking we could have a little discussion about the new Knitty. Overall, I was impressed with this edition. I was more impressed with the sweaters, and personally felt there could have been more. Especially since the last issue was all accessories. My favorites?

Cactus Flower is so pretty, and I love the look of the tweed and mohair. Unfortunately, I can't use mohair, and I can't think of another fiber that is comparable, with the possible exception of angora. The only problem with angora, as I see it, is that I've never seen any like Kidsilk Haze.

Isn't Ivy great? It's simple, work-appropriate, and looks fun to knit. This is going on my short list, I think. I've not actually seen a wrap sweater before that I wanted to wear! I might even make more than one for color options!

I like that Serrano is simple and spare, but I'm not sure if I would wear it. I don't usually buy tight cardigans, so why knit one? But you never can tell. I could be aching for a tight cardi in six months, and I'll turn to this one.

Is Avast not the perfect man's sweater? It's simple, classic, and has just a little bit of fun on it for the knitter. Plus... it's kinda sexy! I'd like to see my boyfriend in it!

I think that Sherwood is so adorable! I love the cables, I've never seen any quite like that in a sweater. I don't know if I would use Cotton Fleece for it, since in my experience, CF pills like all get out. I've been thinking of doing one in wool... maybe even matching ones for my nephews! I also have a tiny issue with the collar on this one. It looks a little shallow to me. I might even put a turtleneck on it.

I know there's a lot of blog buzz about Intolerable Cruelty, and come on! It's dead sexy! Would I ever wear it? No. Probably ten years ago, but not now! That doesn't mean I can't admire it though.

Lizard Ridge kicks ass. Love the way the colors play out, love the fun pattern, hate that I just finished a blanket and can't imagine doing another one right now. It might be neat though to plan to make this one for myself. I could follow the original intent of the pattern author and do a square now and then.

And, finally, Cable Net. These look awesome! I've really been getting into patterned socks, lately, and have been wanting to do something cabled.

So, that's my take! What did you all think?

Talking and Stashing

Thanks to Knotingale for the tips! I'm going to the pharmacy tomorrow for a brace and new glove, and I have not knit a stitch for the last two nights (including this one, which isn't done yet, but I'm on my way to read). This does not mean I don't have knitting to show you!

Here is my Kureyon scarf, in progress. I love how isolating two rows at a time causes surprising colors to come forward. For instance, see that stripe of green? It comes from a skein that looks completely black, gray and burgundy. I think this will be a perfect project to pick up for a half hour at a time. That's not to say that Hedera won't be touched, just that some of the stitches on that are a little more fiddley, so I won't be doing much knitting on that.

In better news, the lack of knitting is doing wonders for my stash! Today's acquisition? Ten skeins of Noro Kureyon in color #88! I've been searching for this color, and decided I was meant to have it. And I don't even mind if it takes awhile to ship!

Doctor's orders? I prefer "suggestions."

I went to my doctor last week about some pain I was having in my hand. Diagnosis? Tendonitis from overuse. She asked me what sort of things I did, and I held out until the very last possible second when she asked if I had any hobbies before revealing that I am a knitter. She suggested I lay off the kitting for two or three weeks.
Uh, yeah. Sure.
My first stop after the doctor's office was to my local knitting mecca, where I drowned my sorrow in the yellow yarn I showed you last week, as well as some Noro for a scarf, some more US1 dpns, a shawl pattern for my Granny, and some Handeze Gloves.

Because you didn't really think I'd give up that easily, do you?

While I was at Halcyon, I saw some really great stuff that was a little more than I was looking to spend that day. That does not mean I am exempt from tempting you! How about a giant cone of DK weight wool/silk? Or an equally giant cone of wool/silk lace weight? Cashmere is always nice... but so is silk. Okay, okay! Enough enabling.

The gloves really do help, but I've been trying to keep my knitting in half hour intervals. Where I used to spend about three hours a night (type: knight) knitting, I now get in about one hour. A couple of nights, I haven't knit at all! It's sheer torture, but we just got a PS2, so that's been easing the pain a little. Since I haven't bene knitting much, I don't have much to show you. I started a Kureyon scarf, but there was a problem when I tried to upload the photo to Flickr. All I have to show you is my progress on Hedera:

Sad, isn't it? But I do love the pattern, and love the yarn, so it's just as well that they're slow going.

One last thing... when I was looking for the Hedera pattern, I couldn't help but notice that the new knitty is up!

Regressing

When I was 13, my favorite color was yellow. I didn't wear much of it, but I decorated my room with it, and tended to choose yellow things. By the time I was 15, black starting coming to the forefront, and yellow was forgotten. I think I may be possessed by my 13 year-old self.

Exhibit A: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in two shades of yellow





Exhibit B: Sugar and Creme Cotton in a yellow and a yellow/white mix





Exhibit C: Malabrigo wool & angora, purchased today for a cheery winter hat/mitten set



Now I just need to go get myself a pair of Tretorns and a perm, and she'll be truly happy. (Did I mention the walls in my apartment are yellow?)

Lemons

Well, it turns out that the glove I turned into a sock really wasn't working out for a sock. The leg was fine, but when I made the heel (my best one yet!), there weren't enough stitches to make a proper one. I considered trying to size the foot for a child, but selfishness won out. I want that yarn on my feet! Here it is on its way to the frog pond:

I'm thinking I'm going to use the yarn for Hedera by Cookie A. The more I see that sock, the more I like it.


My pain does not end there, though! I casted on for a Christmas stocking last weekend. It's a pattern I've made before, so I didn't think much of working on it while I visited with a friend and taught her how to make cables. Turns out that you really need to pay attention to those letter charts. I made two O's instead of an O and a B. Oops.





I don't think I'll need to rip this all the way back, just to the beginning of the chart. I tried to drop the stitches and pick them back up correctly in fair isle pattern. Yeah... it didn't quite work out. But I gave it a shot!