Monday, February 19, 2007

Sockius--HIDEouS

I just completed my FIRST sock--ever. AND it is ugly, hideous even, in a comical CAT In The HAT, Seuss-ish kind of way.

hid·e·ous /ˈhɪdiəs/ [hid-ee-uhs] –adjective
1. horrible or frightful to the senses; repulsive; very ugly: a hideous monster or SOCK.

The sock is not propped up in the picture, it is standing completely on its own. I ran out of yarn and natrually the shop didn't have another ball of the same yarn. ASIDE HERE: Ok, so I have BIG feet (size 11, if you must know). I consider them a "design feature" they very handily balance out my big butt. In my opinon, nothing looks goofier than a person with tiny little dainty girly feet and a big butt. We may have a little chicken-or-the-egg situation here. What came first big butt or feet? Now there's something to ponder. Back to the SOCK. Sooooooo I got a similar gauge and color, but dissimilar texture yarn to complete the toe. On close inspection, you'll see I kept getting lost in the ribbing so it is knit 2/purl 2 OR 3, sometimes 4. Just like mothers love even doltish and homely children, I love my sock.

And speakking of DOLTISH. (I'm talking about myself here). I've watched the Cat Bordhi episode of Knitty Gritty about 5 times, checked the Treasury of Magical Knitting out of the library--renewed the book TWICE--paid the overdue fine and bought the book. But DAMMIT, I keep screwin' up the cast-on count for making a mobius (or Moebius). THREE overly longish mobius (ii? mobii, plural?)later, I do have it figured out now and am starting an alpaca version of the cowl today. ( Did I mention I have two degrees from a fine private university--AND I essentially READ for a living??? You can't buy smarts, but sheesh you'd think I could count--especially when the show and the book EMPHASIZE how to count the cast-on).

So, now I'm off to complete (well, begin--really) my second sock, correctly count Cat's mobius cast-on technique, work on my modular scarf, and scrub the bathroom. I LOVE having Presidents' Day off.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Backwards Knitting????

Oh yeah!! I can do it!

In the Modular Knitting book I read about backwards knitting. Knitting from your left needle to the right keeps you from having to turn your work so often on short rows. I was making myself crazy AND cranky twisting the yarn around my work every few stitches. So, I tried AND can actually do it. Suprisingly the tension is really even so when the row is finished, I can't tell which way I knitted. Problem is, unless you can remember where you were (like THAT would ever happen), when the knitting is laid aside it is REALLY hard to tell were you are in the pattern 'cause you can literally go either way.

I'm gonna give it a try with the lace pattern on the monthly dishcloth KAL and see if I completely confuse myself.

My Tattoo

My Tattoo
A bike chain tattoo, that is It's chain lube ya know