Many Happy Returns

Several factors have converged to encourage my return to the blogosphere, not least of which is the new computer I recently bought, whose very arrival I am now anxiously awaiting. Ah, sweet portability, coupled with the mountains of yuppie-cred I will collect every time that little white apple sends a beam of hipness through some poorly-lit cafe.

Also a monumental contributor to my renewed interest in fiber-documentation:  this year’s trip to Rhinebeck. Unlike last year–when I dragged my poor unsuspecting boyfriend along–this year I took the WEBS bus. I mean absolutely no insult to my dear, sweet boy when I say I had a mush lovelier time surrounded by other people who share my personal brand of insanity.

Once again, the festival was completely overwhelming. Sheep everywhere (this year’s featured breed was romney*), knitters everywhere, and golly-gee-whiz, was there a lot of beautiful wool to be had. Because I feel that any Rhinebeck update without pictures is worthless, I will share my haul. I will warn any unsuspecting viewers that my camera, bad apartment lighting, and shoddily constructed “lightbox” all conspired to help create (literally) the worst photos ever taken. Please don’t mock me. When I regain the motivation to go outside for pictures, the blog fodder will improve, I promise. In any case, without further ado, I present fiber pr0n:

(That last one is a fabulous prize gleaned from the annals of the WEBS bus. If only all my public transit experiences were so lucrative…)

I also managed, in spite of my all-encompassing shyness, to meet a lovely fellow fiber fetishist, who spent the day ogling fluff with me. Thanks for being awesome, Nina!

On the home front, I’m only working on one project right now (!!!), a make-it-up-as-I-go, top-down raglan sweater. I’m projecting an end date of around mid-November, as I really only have time to knit at work (I know, I can hear the knives being sharpened, but trust me, my job is not worth the ability to knit while doing it, so there’s no need to lash out in envy), so until then, I offer you this bad macro shot:

More later. Now that I have the ability to internet in class, expect frequent updates. Don’t judge me.

*Something they don’t mention in the Wiki: Romneys totally have fleece on their ballsacks. Imagine the possibilities.

Dish-pan Hands, and Other Occupational Hazards

This is how I hold yarn and needle while knitting:

Pretty standard; English-style with working yarn wrapped around my pinky and maneuvered  with my index finger. Nothing to see here, or so I had been thinking for the two years or so I’ve been knitting in this fashion. (I won’t photograph the monkey-grip I was using prior to this set-up, but trust me, it was ugly. Not to mention slow.) Anyhow, about a week ago, after a marathon session with my needles, I noticed my right index finger had a rather angry mark on, um, itself. This is what it looked like then… 

…and now:

I’m guessing it’s the dry weather, as it is most definitely not the Lamb’s Pride Superwash (quite lovely, by the way!). In any case, I have finally injured myself while knitting. Amazing that it hasn’t already happened, actually. I’m not the most graceful person I’ve met, by any means. In any case, I hope I get a seriously burly callous from this.

I can’t stand it any longer!!

Even though this is a knit blog, and knit blogs are traditionally filled with pictorial documentation of projects past, present, and future, I cannot wait even one more day to start sharing my knitting life with you, the faceless internet. Until my beautiful camera arrives, I will pepper these posts with pictures of things that are similar to the things I am writing about, so you aren’t left in the dark, oh faceless internet.

So let’s get down to business. As of right now, I have one FO (finished object, in case by some bizarre coincidence a non-knitter stumbles across this blog), and at last headcount, three [active] WIPs (works-in-progress, by the same token). I’m not going to mention how many discarded projects are hidden around my apartment or ends I have left to weave in, out of fear that I may face litigation for causing an epdemic of heart failure amongst knitters.

I’ll start with WIPs, so we can all end on a happy note with an FO. Right now, I’m working on a generic top-down raglan baby cardi out of

Valley Yarns Longmeadow.

This is for my best friend, who moved on way across the state, and I moved the other, so we rarely get to see eachother anymore. I’m hoping that showering her with handknits on a regular basis will make up for the distance. Oh, and let the record state that I am doing the body in olive, and the collar, cuffs, waistband, and button bands in yellow.

WIP number two: Ysolda’s Gretel. I love you, Ysolda. This beret is adorable, you are adorable, yay on all accounts. I’m working it in:

Ella Rae Classic.

As a note to anyone thinking about trying this pattern: it is meticulous. Try it, you’ll like it.

And as for WIP numero tres, I really can’t do it justice without a camera. So internet, you’ll have to put your waiting caps on.

And now, the moment I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for, wherein I vainly boast about my FOs. Or FO, if you want to get technical. So about a month ago, I realized that although we have been dating for over two and a half years, I had yet to knit my dear, sweet (large-footed) boyfriend a pair of socks. This had nothing to do with fear of any curse; for I am cynical and don’t believe in anything, let alone some foofy knitting curse, muahaha! Ahem. Anyway, this had nothing to do with the curse, just that I hadn’t thought of it. A travesty, you say? I agree, and so got to work quickly. Unfortunately, my plans were waitlisted do to us moving and a mild case of second sock syndrome. Flash forward to the beginning of this week, when I realized I had better get my keister in gear if I was going to finish this damned pair of socks before Socktoberfest, and there you have it. Socks under pressure (really the only way I can work, honestly). In any case, they’re simple, generic stockinette toe-up socks with a short-row heel, out of

Knitpicks Essential Tweed.

I promise a proper writeup when the blasted camera arrived, but for now, this little lady’s got homework to do.