Here We Go Again

So, ya, I disappeared for a year and a half. But, I've just moved back to Oklahoma and have lots of time for knitting and blog updating, so be prepared to see some beautiful new work.

I'm on a mission to make all my second socks that I've been putting off. Last night I finished a pattern called Fawkes (which can be found on Ravelry). I knit the first sock Jan/Feb 2010.

I just knit the second one in six days. Boredom really can inspire productivity as far as knitting goes.

I'm pretty happy with the results. They're knit in Knit Picks Imagination in the color Frog Prince on circular #2s. I don't really like the color, but that's what I get for ordering yarn off the internet. Actually, I've never been disappointed with any knit picks yarn before, but this color just wasn't what I was expecting. I loved working with the yarn, and the result is a super comfy pair of socks. the pattern is great. Highly recommended.

I just realized the only projects I've completed in the past year haven't been documented. Expect another post in the next couple of days. The wind here has been crazy, so I can't take anything outside to photograph at the moment.

<3 uhlissa

Let's talk about socks, baby

(I refuse to believe I'm not the first blogger to come up with that subject line.)

ANYHOO, I was just thinking about how strangely divisive socks are in the knitting community. There are those who hate them and would never even think about knitting a pair, and there are those who can't imagine actually buying a sock from a retail store when they can make their own. The latter group has divisions of its own - DPNs vs Magic Loop vs Two Circs, fiber wars, the works. Socks is a crazy subject.

I am the Switzerland of socks.

I've been knitting off and on since I was 8, really getting back into the craft in high school and college. By the time I was 19/20 I'd made potholders (both on purpose and accidental), sweaters (ok, just the one huge one), scarves, hats, fingerless gloves, lots of things. But I'd never made a sock. Until the Knitty of Winter 2006, when a pattern called Monkey caught my eye.

I was awestruck, both by the beautiful pattern and colorful designer/model Cookie. If I made this pair of socks, would I too become as hip, knowledgeable and supremely well coiffed as Ms. A? Short answer: No. Longer answer: HELL no, idiot! But I WOULD become fascinated with an item of clothing I'd never thought to make before. My first pair of Monkeys was knit in Knit Picks Memories, and because I knew pretty much nothing about yarn (haha, still don't) they felted after a few washings and were unwearable. But I was hooked.

That first pair was knit on DPNS, and I continued to use them until I found out about Magic Loop, which I regarded as some kind of miracle magic. Non knitters seemed to feel the same way, staring at me like I was creating clothing out of thin air. I don't recall having trouble turning a heel (which seems to be the main complaint of the anti-sock group); when I got confused Ravelry and the internet had abundant amounts of information regarding the caring, keeping and knitting of socks.

I became the Switzerland of socks when I realized that people became very, very particular about the way you knit your toe toasters. I say (as they say in Switerland*) do what you gotta do. Hate knitting socks? Then don't, dude. That's cool with me. Love socks only on DPNs? More power to you! Magic Loop's the only way? As long as you don't strangle me with your circ we are fine. Knitting is knitting is knitting, so as long as there's fiber in your hands and needles in your closet (or something like that) we are all on the planet Knitting Nerd, capiche?

I know that there are lots more Switzerlands (Switzerlii?) in the socks community. I say be proud! If not, come on in, there is cocoa and cheese and very nice knives and clocks.

- Love love AMBRRR (who promises some photos soon, as soon as the bees stop scaring me out of the backyard)

*This is a lie.

You guys. Really.

Guys, we need to talk. Seriously.

I was so enthusiastic about Pomatomus! I was all "Oh my gah, I simply cannot wait to knit this sock. Cookie A. is a genius. Honestly. And all that Koigu! Fantastico!"

Guys. I have failed us.

While Ms. A is still an amazing genius genius, Pomatomus is kicking my arse in a serious, intense fashion. The pattern itself was not hard after the first repetition, but it takes me so long to do one that I just cut out a pattern repetition of Chart A entirely. I've just started on the heel flap, which seemed so much easier using Magic Loop. I forgot how much DPNs tends to poke you and try their hardest to slit your wrists. Oh man.

I'm putting it on the back burner for now, as not only do I have some intense studio work due this week but there's a Brotherhood Retreat for my architecture fraternity Alpha Rho Chi this weekend. Anyways, enjoy some pictures of me knitting on the way to and from the APX National Convention in Memphis this weekend. Hurrah and sadness!


I took the photo above on the way there. I'd only just cast on a week before, and done the ribbing. I think I mentioned this already, what with the messing up and whatnot. That's at one pattern rep, I believe. And also something like 4 hours.


Here's Pomatomus on the way back, at two pattern reps and the beginning of the heel flap. My hands were hurting so bad I thought they'd fall off. I stopped soon after this.


A little close-up of the stitches. I really love the way they look all scaly, it's really fascinating. In the sun it looks like I am making some sort of fabric fish. Weird.

<3 Ambrrr

New FOs

So, I'm a knitting maniac. Well, that's kind of a lie, but I have recently completed a few things.

1st: Whitney's Calorimetry (still awaiting buttons) knit on size 8s with Jaeger Baby Merino DK in color 193(I think). Pictures coming soon.

2nd: My first sock! So, I haven't knit the other one, but I'm still proud. It's Monkey . And becuase I can't just use the same pattern that Ambrrr did, I also used Knit Picks Memories. The color is called Pansy, and I'm particularly fond of it. It's knit on size 2 Knit Picks double points, which are my new favorite toy ever. Pictures coming soon.

3rd: I remembered recently that I enjoy some crafts other than knitting. I made a shirt last night as a costume for a costume party I'm attending tonight. The theme is "Connections" and Ambrrr is being the internet, and I'm being facebook. I'm really proud of how my shirt came out. Pictures coming soon.

4th: I think I mentioned this the other day, but the Harry Potter scarf is finally done. I'm really proud, and I've been in contact with the buyer, so that transaction should be complete in the next few days. Earning money for doing what I love is awesome! Pictures coming soon.

I think that's about all. I'm about to cast on for my second sock, if my room ever gets clean. I've procrastinated for days, and it's finally to the point that I'm about to go crazy, so I've slowly been cleaning all afternoon. I've decided not to knit until it's clean, so we'll see how that goes.

<3 uhlissa