Whovian Wrist Warmers and a meme

First, the knitting: I present you with one completed Whovian Wrist Warmer!



Knit in garter stitch on size 8 needles with worsted acrylic. The very same worsted acrylic I'm using on the Dr Who Scarf. I just needed to take the edge off.

The warmers are just a rectangle with a buttonhole-style thumb hole on one side. Very easy. Kind of bulky, though, but nice and warm. (And I need warm at my house. I refuse to turn the thermostat above 60 degrees.)


Secondly, a meme I saw over at lisslo's blog.

An interesting animal I had
I've owned cats, fishes, and dogs. Oh, and a mouse I caught once in our house. And a lizard thing I won at a county fair that died a month later. The most interestingly named pet award would go to Obie, I think. As we were driving out to the farm to get her, my mom said, "We're going to get the D-O-G." My brother, who was probably two at the time, said, "O-B-D?" And so that was her name, Obie for short.

An interesting animal I ate
I tried swordfish once in Greece. It tasted like fishy steak.


An interesting animal in the museum
Museum animals, eh? How about zoo? I always kind of like the big cat houses. What's really cool, though, is the Henry Doorley Zoo in O!-town, because there's a huge rainforest there.

An interesting thing I did with or to an animal
I helped my mom dress her dog Chloe as a reindeer once.

An interesting animal in its natural habitat
Well, I watched one of my cats chase a bouncy ball for 10 minutes last night, and that was sure funny. Especially when it got stuck in a box.

Okay, I thought my answers would be a little more interesting than they were. Feel free to answer this meme on your blog!

Also into cats!

Last night, after coming in to work to fix my desk drawer and did the unthinkable to my computer, I sat down to watch a little Addams Family Values and Firefly (the second disc, with "Shindig," which is fast becoming one of my favorite episodes). I decided, as there are very few days left until Nov. 19, I ought to work on my dad's Dr. Who Scarf.

After finishing three color sections, it reaches from the floor to just under my nose. That's 504 rows and 21,168 total stitches. Boo ya.

Lastly, I'd like to share some misheard lyrics with you, courtesy of BeChaotic's YouTube video. The song is "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" by Fallout Boy. The part I'm most interested in is the last section of the chorus.

The real words
I'm a leading man
And the lies I weave are oh so intricate,
Oh so intricate.

What you hear
I'm a little man
And I'm also evil, also into cats.
Also into cats ...

That is all.

That's a long scarf, friends.

The Dr. Who scarf is coming along nicely, I think. I've finished the first of four columns in the text-based pattern; 23 color blocks and 360 rows later, the scarf reaches from the floor to right about where my scar from gallbladder surgery is (or about 7 inches below my sternum). There's a nick on the cable of my circular needle, though, so I'm going to try to exchange it later today. It didn't bother me at first, but I think it's beginning to catch the yarn more and more.

I don't know a whole lot more than that. I'm just doing a lot of reading (Something Wicked This Way Comes, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and The Princess Bride) and a lot of watching movie commentary (POTC: Dead Man's Chest and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy are the most recent). Really, everyone should watch movie commentary. It usually has excellent bits of trivia.

Now off to work, where I shall think about fun things (Haben Sie mein Dodo geshehen?) whilst performing the mundane (Bingo starts Thursday at the Community Center. A meal will be served 5:30 p.m.).

Toilet plunger + elongated egg beater + timelord = must-knit scarf

My dad's birthday is November 19, and he will be 50 this year. Clearly this would be a good year to knit him something special and meaningful. So I cast on for a Dr Who Scarf yesterday. When I was younger, we would watch Dr. Who every Friday night on Iowa Public Television. (Preceded by Jack Horkheimer's Star Hustler, too!) So I thought something a little Who-related would be nice. If I have time, I may try to do a knitted Dalek as well. (With a toilet plunger in one hand and an elongated egg beater in the other, Daleks are some of the deadliest cyborgs in the galaxy. — ThinkGeek)

I'm going for the season 16 colors, but not nearly as long. In season 16, the scarf ends both reach the ground, and have a knee-length loop. That's a 15-foot scarf, I'm thinking. And that's a walking hazard. My dad's not always the most graceful of folks, so I'm going to give him less of a chance of tripping himself and knit it to only (!) ten feet or so. So far, I've done six bars of color, or 96 rows. Did I mention that this scarf is entirely garter stitch? Talk about mindless knitting.

And yesterday, my geekdom surpassed itself. I was knitting the Dr. Who scarf, at 42* stitches wide, while watching Firefly. Maybe I'll knit it to The X-Files next.

Also, I've been working on a wedding present for a couple of my friends. They're getting married October 20. I'm doing a little something-something that, like the Dr. Who scarf, involves garter stitch. (Really, a fancified garter stitch was the only texture I was pleased with. Lace was too big, and the other was just too fiddly.) Size 3 needles, 59 stitches, Elann Canapone 100% hemp yarn. It will be a pair of items, probably around 24 inches long.

I have no photos. My camera's still lost in No Man's Land.

Oh, and I forgot to say that I got a very interesting book, Mark Dunn's Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable because I'm a bit of a nerd.

*That's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy speaking. 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything.

Of knits and pirates

I woke up yesterday morning and thought to myself, Brr! It's cold in here! There must be some Clovers in the atmosphere! After I realized I was crazy, I picked up the knitting I'd started the night before (which happened to be lying next to me in bed. Fall asleep knitting? You better believe it). I got a few rows done, actually. The project? Horcrux Socks (link is to a PDF).

I'm using up some miscellaneous acrylic worsted, because I have a lot of that. Size 4 circs, two socks at once. I'm pretty sure that's the only way I get socks done, doing them two at once. I'm kind of surprised that I'm using US 4 needles with worsted yarn, though. I have a very loose gauge, lately.

I feel like I've been obsessing over what to knit next, lately. I've added a few more things to my Ravelry queue: the Lucy Bag, Spooky Cabled Armwarmers, Arch-Shaped Socks and the Shetland Triangle shawl come to mind. (I saw one rather delightful Lucy Bag that had needle felted paisley on it, and I love it and want it.)

But then I was thinking yesterday, as I spaced off in bed knitting the Horcrux Socks, how much fun teaching a knitting class at the Art Center would be. I really just need to sit down and plan something out, make a few million swatches to share, and maybe make a list for a mini knitting kit. So that's still rolling around in my head, too.

Other than that, I just remembered that Wednesday is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. (It's also a friend's birthday. Huzzah!) Ye best be celebratin' with yer finest grog, mates!

She turned me into a newt!

If I had access to my mom's camera right now, I'd share a picture from my trip to the DM Renaissance Faire on Saturday. I was nearly strangled by a troll — a local one, at that. (He's from my community and used to own our internet service provider.) We only got to spend a few hours at the Faire Saturday, but I'm planning on going back this Saturday with a group of friends. I'd like to stay for both the opening and closing gate ceremonies, as they're rumored to be quite entertaining. (I just noticed that the troll is posted on the DMRF website today. Excellent.)

Also, I'm working on my pirate costume. I decided to wear skirts (yes, plural) and become a wenchy sort of pirate. I still love my dreads wig, so that's continuing to be a part of the costume. The tricorn, I decided, needs a better shape. It looks a little weird.


In knitting news today ... I've been working on a project. (In fact, the paper was so late today that I got quite a lot of new stitches made before I had to start actual work.) I don't want to say too much about it yet, lest I stop working on it. I'll just say that what I'm working on has black and white stripes, and shaping.

Oh! I was cruising through my feeds today and I ran across something I have to share. Go have a look at what The ADD Knitter did. I'll wait.


Back? Isn't that shawl gorgeous? Did you see the part where she said, I am new to the whole lace shawl game, so it was with much trepidation that I cast on for the Shetland Triangle. Dear Jebus. That does not look like work from a "new to lace" knitter. It's jaw-droppingly gorgeous.

The best part of the whole experience? I discovered, through my public library's website that they actually have Wrap Style, the book with the Shetland Triangle pattern. (This was very surprising to me, as they have about five knitting books, one of which I own and two of which are somewhat dated. And Suss Cousins' Home Knits , which is delightful beyond comparison.) All of this to say that I'll be making a library pit stop on the way home.

Circles and circles, again

Spiralen is pinned to a towel in my bathroom, blocking. I don't have any high-tech blocking equipment, like those famed T-pins and blocking boards everyone's so keen on. Towels and push pins seem to do the trick enough for me. If I want it to be perfect, though, I'll have to find the pins I got some months ago and start over, since I could only find seven straight pins this morning.

The spirals are really quite pleasing, and I think I'd like to do a larger, maybe blanket sized Spiralen in a worsted weight yarn. Probably something inexpensive, because I'm cheap. Maybe even something from the acrylic stash, since I ought to be getting rid of that beast. I think I'll use size 10 needles. Or maybe size 9. Whichever I'm not using for the entrelac bag.

Speaking of size 10 needles, I'm going to bust out the 14-inch straights that Fyberduck gifted me ages ago, and make a little something with the handspun yarn BAS gave me for my birthday. Something easy, perhaps, with a 1-row repeat. But that's all I'll say about that project for now.



Oh, and my mom bought me an obscene amount of cheese and a cheese slicer today, still poking fun at me for my cut thumb. I told her I felt as though I was a cut above the rest of the people here at work ...

Mmm ... entrelac

When we last left our fearless knitblogger, she was not knitting. Luckily for her and her varied and many (okay, two) readers, she has embarked upon two Exciting Knitting Projects.

First up, Spiralen. It's lace, rather doily-like, and quite easy to knit in the space of about two movies. I have probably 15 minutes more work to finish the crochet edging, and then it must be blocked. By the by, crocheting with the yarn in the left hand is pretty much essential if you don't want to go crazy.

Why do I know this? Well, in order to start the crochet border on the 128 stitches, I had to wrangle a hook, the yarn, and a needle. I had been "throwing" the yarn (knitting with it in my right hand) and I thought it would be too much hassle to switch to the left. It turns out that wasn't such a great idea. Tension goes kaput, stitches somehow become itty bitty, and I then have to magically figure out how to transition between the first and second rounds of the crochet border.

But it's okay. I've got it covered.

I also decided to start using some of that Lamb's Pride Worsted that I'd received for my final SP8 package. My initial plan was to use it on a French Market bag. Well, I've expanded on the idea. I have been wanting to knit more entrelac, so I thought, "What's stopping me from making this bag entrelac? Nothing!" And so I doodled out the color scheme and everything. I'm going for a rainbowy sort of feel: magenta, cranberry, turquoise and navy, in that order. I started the base with the cranberry; the first tier of blocks will be cranberry, the next turquoise, then navy ... you can see where I'm going.

And then, when I'm done, I will felt the lot.


Oh yes — I forgot to say that I finished The Dark is Rising series yesterday. Excellent conclusion. However, from rumors I hear, the movie won't hold up at all to the books' standards. Pity, that.

I can has satellite cat

Gwiffen has already licked all of her stitches out. This did not bode well for the now-gaping hole in her abdomen, so I took her back to the vet this morning. He was surprised that she'd been so industriously disposing of her stitches. He is re-stitchifying her today, and when she gets home she will look like a satellite dish, as she will be the proud owner of her very own dorky cone collar.

Meanwhile, I decided to add another inch to the bottom of my Boobholder, just for a little more stability. Right now I'm still waffling between having buttons or having ties, so we'll see what happens.

As for the socks, they will be my let's knit at the bookstore while waiting for Deathly Hallows.

Here is a tutorial for a very cute keychain. It's made of felt, embroidery floss, and a little bit of ribbon. I might make one or two. (That blog, by the way, is filled with very cute, very crafty things. I'm rather smitten at the moment.)

As someone's apparently leaked a little of the DH out, I'm going to avoid most of the internets until Monday. Because I'll be very done by then.

I suspect Nargles

Hello, friends!

Harry Potter!
My brother and I hit Order of the Phoenix last night. I was late leaving work, and we got to the theater at about 11:05. I went up to the counter to get tickets, and the checker said, "We sold out three hours ago." (Meanwhile, she'd seen my dork-ass self coming to the counter wearing my Trust Snape shirt, a string of corks around my neck and some weird looking radish-like earrings, and she didn't even give me that "oh, I'm so sorry but I'm going to tell you something you don't want to hear" look.) So off we went to a theater on the other side of town, which had plenty of tickets and seats to spare. They were much more prepared, and much more cheerful. Good for them. (Good for them. Hee hee.)

The movie itself? I don't know how I feel. I don't hate it, but I don't necessarily love it. My favorite character was Luna (of course, since I kind of dressed as her). Evanna Lynch captured the "air of distinct dottiness" that the books describe Luna to have. So that I loved. That and the running joke about Nargles throughout.

Knitting!
I've been working on the Eagle's Flight socks fairly steadily — I worked on them quite a bit Saturday morning at Sister Berte's apartment before everyone woke up, Saturday evening while waiting for Joan Jett to take the stage, and last night while standing in line for the movie. By the by, the photo above is (Harlot-style) one of the socks in front of the stage at the casino. Too bad I couldn't catch the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts sign better in the background!

Between Saturday and yesterday, though, I got very distracted by the Boobholder. I'm working it out of cheap-ass yarn: two skeins of navy TLC Lustre and one of bronze for $1.99 each. Well, and I had to buy another set of needles, so $6 more for that. $12 for a project? I'll take that. By the by, I have no Boobholder pictures, as it pretty much looks like a shapeless blob on the needles.

I worked on the Boobholder Sunday night, doing a lot of the raglan shaping, and then again on Monday night, when I noticed that my increases were off on one side of one sleeve. I dropped some stitches at the mistake and picked them up. It either fixed what I'd messed up or fudged it enough that you can't tell (I think it's the latter, personally, but who's to know now? Oh yeah ... all y'all who read this). I have a few more raglan increases to make before the edges of the sleeves will join around my arms.

Otherwise, I've been spending a lot of my time on Ravelry, where I've joined a multitude of groups. So with that, I'm going to Ravel a little more.

When the first bud opes

I know what the caged bird feels, alas! When the sun is bright on the upland slopes; When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass, And the river flows like a stream of glass; When the first bird sings and the first bud opes, And the faint perfume from its chalice steals — I know what the caged bird feels! —Sympathy, Paul Lawrence Dunbar*


Spring is my favorite season. It has been for at least a few years. Fall is a close runner up to spring, though I prefer the growing to the harvest. Snow gets old fast (especially when it's slushy and dirty). Hot, muggy Iowa summer days get old faster.

It's the green that gets me, I think. The green on our front lawn seems so vivid; looking at the bright, saturated grass, it's as though I've never seen color before now. Especially on days when a mist hangs in the air, perhaps as a last glimpse of night, I'm struck with awe. I love it.

---

I've finally gotten my pictures from the latest package from MonsterPal on my Flickr. This is a photo of the yummy scarf she sent. I love the colors! It must be Noro. I sent out a package to my SP a few days ago. It should arrive by the weekend. I hope she likes it.

I worked on a bit of HP swap stuff last night. Something I'd intended to finish for the Hogwarts Houses swap is going to be used for The End swap, as it's still the right color. I needed the needles to start project number two, so I just went ahead and finished the WIP. I'd show a picture, but I haven't taken one. And I want Mint to be surprised. After I cleared the needles last night, I cast on this morning for a sort of cozy. It will be about the size of a small handheld device — phone? camera? iPod? I'm not telling.

Also, Knittyboard's annual Flash Your Stash is on April 1. I'll have to see if I can clear a space in the house long enough to flash ... hopefully the cats won't attack my yarn. I joined the Flash last year, so I should probably see how my stash enhancement has developed over the last year. I've got time. I'll take a personal day tomorrow. It's not like I have a whole lot to do at work at the moment, now that we've gotten moved.


* I chose this stanza of the poem particularly for the line that reads "When the first bird sings and the first bud opes," though I do love the rest of the piece. That line captures how I feel about spring, I think.

What in the world could that be?!

I cannot distract you any longer. I've actually got proof of the shawl.



This is through 10 (of 14) repeats of the second chart. See how the fabric is all crinkled up on the left? That's why I'm going to need circs right quick. But hey, look at that schnazzy stitch marker (that silvery smudge near the top) from Fyberduck! I love seeing it glittering there, marking the middle of the shawl. It's a good goal, too, because if I stop in the middle of the row instead of at an end, I'm more likely to remember where I'm at. (Call me crazy, but that's how I roll.)

That's all I've got for now. More after we see El Laberinto del Fauno tonight.

Kitty Pi-rate! and other such nonsense

On Monday my family received a visit from the Christmas Pirate, who had a large bag of booty slung over her shoulder. Okay, fine. That was me. I thought it would be fitting to break out theDepp-wear again, since I knew I'd be getting some piratey gifts — giant cardboard Johnny Depp (Be jealous. Be very very jealous.), my very own copy of POTC2 and a Davey Jones' key keychain. There were pictures that were taken, by the by, but of course they're on my mom's camera, so it will be a while before they see daylight again.

I managed to finish almost all of my holiday knitting; the only thing I didn't finish was the pair of glittens for my dad, but I knew they wouldn't be finished. I'm not that quick a knitter. I did promise my brother a new Jayne hat, though, since he got theoversized monstrosity. We'll just give the huge one to their friend, my honorary third brother. (He's at my family's house so often that my mom's begun referring to him as her third son.)

Speaking of knitting (as if I'm ever not speaking of knitting), I decided earlier this evening that my cats need a cat bed. I started on Wendy's Kitty Pi cat bed tonight with some left over Lopi, in a variegated brown and a cream. I hope the cream color decides to felt, though if it doesn't, it will just act as edging.

In bloggy news, both of my roommates decided to start blogs. I Work In A Cube is Kas' blog (whose alias I mispelled last week, sorry). Tarnished Border Collies is Sister Berthe's.

Time to call it a night. I've got a new book to read — Seven Touches of Music by Zoran Zivkovic. I'm through four of the stories thus far.


Whoa. I just watched Alton Brown make sushi. He is a god.

'Twas the Knit Before GIftmas

I was reading through my Bloglines subscriptions this morning and came upon two or three versions of "The Night Before Christmas", knitta style. My favorite, though, was the original by Purl Needlemeyer of Knit and Plenty. I'd like to share it with you.

The Knit Before Christmas

Twas the Knit before Christmas and all over the room,
unfinished projects were everywhere, strewn.
The stockings weren't hung; they didn't have toes,
and the wrap in my lap needed sixty more rows.

The children's new mittens would never been done.
They looked more like wristwarmers sporting thumbs.

Dad's fisherman's knit had a large gaping hole.
My sister's striped ski hat could fit a large bowl.

I forgot to put fringe on my mother's new shawl.
And my husband's socks lay in a magic loop ball.
The backpack I felted would have to be sewn,
since it shrunk in the wash and might fit my phone.

I started to panic, but then I decided,
"I'll just give them cash, they'll all be delighted."

But then I remembered I had not a cent.
I'd spent it on yarn, leaving not even rent.

Tears welled in my eyes as I put down my needle
and curled on my side in a position quite fetal.

Then, out on the lawn, I heard such commotion
that I ran with my scissors and dropped every notion.

Away to the window I flew in a flash,
knocked over my basket and tripped on my stash.

The moon on the snow gave me a start,
caused it looked like a pompom that had fallen apart.

When what did I see that made me feel loco,
but a little old man with a beard of Berroco.

He was dressed all in mohair, or maybe a blend,
with a stockinette scarf that just wouldn't end.

His sweater was Fair Isle, he looked like a rogue.
The pattern so detailed - it must be from Vogue.

He spoke not a word but went straight for a stocking.
Then he grabbed for the purses that all needed blocking.

More rapid then Addi's the projects they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name.

Now Capelet - Now Afghan - Now Leggings - Now Rug.
On Poncho, On Dickie, on Earmuffs - on Shrug.

To the top of a crewneck, he added a cowl.
From a lightweight chenille, he knitted a towel.

I watched in amazement as he dropped and yarned-over
to crank out a coat and some booties for Rover.

From a fingerweight silk he knitted a glove.
As he purled all around me, I thought it was love.

He fixed every stitch without one single rip.
In the wink of an eye, there was nary a WIP.

I thanked him profusely. He kindly accepted.
My last minute elf was hardly expected.

As he started to leave, I grabbed for a skein.
And he turned back around and he said, "You're insane."

"But my projects are finished, you made them all better,"
I replied, with a wink, "I'll just start a sweater."

He ran from my sight, on his sleigh off he flew.

Now, Merry Christmas to All. I've got to knitting to do.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some WIPs to turn into FOs. (Also, I didn't get past yesterday's six degrees experiment due to an emergency shopping trip with my mom. Today I'm watching both Wonka movies, first the Gene Wilder classic, which is almost done, and then Johnny and Deep Roy.)

Little Shop of Knitties

Looks like we made it through to beta-land. I think everything looks okay-ish, so I'll go with this until I hate it.

I've managed to finish one of the Jayne hats — it is officially ginormous. So much so that I am thinking of stuffing it and sewing it shut to use as an odd throw pillow. Really, it's that big. If I pull the top all the way down to the top of my head, I look like that one guy from Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. Seriously.

I started another Calorimetry, this time in Lion Wool Prints. I don't know what colorway it is because the cat is sleeping on it. It's going to have mini-cables, too.

And now that I've confessed my love of Rick Moranis in Little Shop of Horrors in the Knittyboard Chat, I ought to hit the hay. (Oh, it just started raining again.)