Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated… September 25, 2008
Posted by La in FO, Family, Knitting, Miscellaneous.add a comment
…unless it’s been wishful thinking on your part, and to that I say HA! Foiled your evil plan!!!!
Yes, I am alive. No, no tragedies have befallen me or mine. Yes, I am still knitting (among other things). No, I have no excuse for not posting. Bad blogger, no cookie. Which is okay I guess…well the “no cookie” part at least because I’m supposed (she said, voice dripping with sarcasm) on a diet. But the bad blogger part? Inexcusable.
Now, I could blame Dizzy Blonde Studios and all the dyeing I’m doing just to be able to update the store in the relatively near future (I’m thinking first week of October), or Ravelry and getting lost in all the interesting stuff on there, or other fun interactive (read addictive) sites like Dragon Cave and Plurk and Molehill Empire, but I’m not gonna, because those are excuses. Nope, I’ve just been busy and lazy. End of story.
What have I been busy with? Well, Jackass is 95% retired, which means I have more responsibility, which means more work, and less time to play on the interwebs among other things. Also, the launch of Dizzy Blonde Studios was way more successful than I imagined, almost embarrassingly so…to the tune of being sold out in a matter of hours successful. So, since my inventory was entirely decimated, I’ve been busily dyeing yarn every weekend like a madwoman. Both situations leave very little knitting time, but I HAVE still been knitting, and other stuff. Wanna see?
It’s only been almost a month since the 2008 Ravelympics ended and I have some good new and some bad news. The good news:
My Team Rubbernecker, Sock-Put event project is a win!
Stats: Udones, or Roman Socks
Pattern: My own. One day I’ll write it up.
Needles: Addi Lace size 1 [2.25mm] 32″ Magic Loop Bay-Bee!
Yarn: 2 balls Knit Picks Essential in Cocoa
Thoughts: This is the same toe-up sock pattern that I’ve been knitting these Rometard socks in for the past year. I use Judy’s magic Cast-On with an encroachment/sherman short-row heel, and I’ve pretty much got the socks memorized. I like how the leg and the rolled cuff kinda remind me of an ancient Roman architectural column.
Now, since I’m so familiar with this sock, I thought I’d challenge myself by knitting 2 pairs of socks in the 17 days of the event. So I entered the sock-put event for team Mission Possible 08…and that’s where the bad news comes in.
For that project I chose to knit up my catface lace socks in my Momoze colorway (damn, but I still miss that cat!). With only 4 days remaining, let’s just say I was already SERIOUS pushing my luck. Then due to gauge issues, I ended up frogging the sock twice, and then rewriting the pattern so I could use fewer stitches. Needless to say, the socks are still on the needles, but I am thoroughly enjoying them, so I guess it’s not all bad. Of course, no pictures have been taken, so I can’t even show you how cute they are.
Recently, my SD and SGD moved to New Mexico…conveniently close to Taos. Unfortunately, I didn’t find out the dates in time to make it to the festival this year. But I’m SO there in 2009! I have a feeling that we’ll be visiting more than once a year. SBH really misses his daughter, and wants a chance to get to know his granddaughter. I can’t believe she’ll be 2 in February! And she’s getting so big! Wanna see? Of course you do…what kinda dumbass question was that?
And here she is with her beautiful mommy.
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Blogsylvania is celebrating birthdays in the next coupla days…at least 2 that I know of…probably dozens that I don’t. First, today is Restless Knitter’s, and tomorrow is Fluffy Knitter Deb’s! Why not head on over and wish them both a happy birthday! Happy birthday ladies, and many happy returns!
Baby Face…. September 22, 2008
Posted by La in Design, Dyeing, Family.7 comments
Don’t say I didn’t warn you! That bundle of cuddly drooling cuteness is my 10 month old nephew and godson, Levi, and right there he’s telling me to hurry up and finish this dye run so I can update my store so I can stop neglecting him, and get back to spoiling him rotten.
And let me tell you, I have been dyeing yarn every weekend ever since the store sold out last month, and I’m almost done with this dye run. I’ll be bringing back all of the original colorways, and I’ve even double up on most of them. I will also be introducing 3 new colorways, one of which is a new Signature Collection. Want a sneak peak?
When I’m not elbow deep in hot water, I’ve been doing a little knitting and a little designing. I’m done knitting the hood on Central Park Hoodie, and have been successfully procrastinating kitchenering the hood by knitting another pair of udones (Roman Socks). I think I’ve finally worked out all the kinks in that particular pattern, so I’ll be writing it up soon. As another procrastination tactic I’ve also knit a swatch of the Betty yarn, and not only to photograph for the shop and the site, but to get the gauge for a new sock pattern I’m designing. Hopefully you’ll find it something different than the usual hand-knitted socks out there. That is, if the engineering is sound and it actually works… determination to be made in the not so recent, but still foreseeable future. How’s THAT for being a tease Turtlegirl?
Anyhow, the Udones pattern is named “Lamassu”, at least for the time being, and the other sock pattern is named “Tenderfoot”. If I meet my deadline (which is highly doubtful), Tenderfoot will be submitted for consideration for the 2010 Pattern a Day Calendar. And if I miss that deadline, there’s always the following year! They asked me to submit as many patterns as I want, so I’m sure what I miss this year, I’ll be able to catch next year.
So, that’s been my fiber life for the past month in a nutshell. Glad I’m not allergic to nuts!
Wanna see another adorable face? But brace yourselves, one blog isn’t enough to contain this much girly cuteness…
Marina Sol (aka the SGD)
How YOU Doin’?!?
