two knits of ivory

After flying through the two feet of the Digitessas , I thought I was destined to make this sock in a rainbow of colors. This weekend's knitting bodes ill for such an endeavor. By the number of mistakes I've had to fix on the legs I have to concede I may be done with this pattern. Such is a knitter's life.

Most people can handle surprises. For example, most people can wait until the gift giving occasion arrives before giving the gift. I cannot. When I was six or seven I was charged with bringing my sister to her surprise birthday party at a family friend's home. Before we arrived, she not only knew there was a party, but my excessive exuberance led me tell her what her present was from our mom. I don't know what those adults were thinking, giving me such a heavy responsibility. I was not to be trusted with surprises, nosiree. Poor sis. Now that I am a married woman, living in the cocoon of married life, I don't do much damage anymore. I have learned to wait to open my own gifts until Christmas day, but I have not yet learned restraint when it comes to withholding the pleasure of others. My latest accomplishment was not getting on the cell phone to tell hubby I was surprising him with an ice cream cake, once I picked it up last December. I was able to hold off until about a ha...

Before last night, this was the extent of my lace knitting: Maybe 30 rows? Maybe? The pattern is called shadows and something or other, or something or other and shadows. For the life of me I can't seem to remember the name of it and the google is of no help. Not even ravelry has this pattern, which is from Evelyn Clark's Knitting Lace Triangles booklet. It's a beautiful pattern that she showcases knitted in garter stitch. I've chosen to go the knitted route, as I'm not so big on the garter stitch look with lace. That little piece of knit was HOURS in the making, as the first transition from one lace to another kept tripping me up in the same spot at least five (FIVE!!!) times, maybe more. (It's been two weeks since I knit this, so my memory is notsogood.) I can say in very good faith that I am an expert in making the same error, in the same spot, each and every time. So much the expert, that I finally understood how to account for it flawlessly (not hubri...

I didn't knit a stitch yesterday, and I failed to even blog about the loveliest lovely that came in the mail (at the speed of light!) straight outta Cal-i-for-Ni-A on Tuesday, an inchworm just in time for spring: This is the skein I purchased from Nell's destash sale and it did not disappoint. Of course, all I see is a Digitessa in this yarn, but ya never know, I could surprise everyone, including myself, and branch out. Either way, thank you Nell! What's really on my mind is why I am ignoring both the knitting and the blogging of my lace project. Is it the yarn texture? Is it my lack of interest in following an unfamiliar pattern? Both? But before a decision was made I had a meltdown over a work situation and it was during my pep talks in the car, occasionally catching glimpses of what a beautiful weather I was ignoring, that inspiration struck. I should design a lace project using the twining vine leaf pattern that I love so very dearly. Yeah, and knit it in a l...

A big thanks to all of you for giving me your support, and your perspectives, on my recent foolishness . It definitely helps relieve some of the weight of it, you know? I thought I would have some lace to show this week, at least, but no. I'm still so absorbed with my Digitessa's. Do you think I have enough needles in use? Ha. The most challenging part of the La Digitessa pattern begins right after knitting up the heel. I tried many different methods, using a variety of needles and the best tool I found, through it all, is patience. I have been seriously contemplating knitting this pattern in all the colors of the rainbow, &agrave la Tiennie Knits . The only thing that could veer me off this path was grooving over Shannon 's Embossed Leaves Socks . I have the most perfect yarn for this pattern. If I don't get the pattern soon, it just might be another pair of Digitessas.

I was feeling pretty punchy last Thursday afternoon and so considered every thought that came to mind as clever and funny. We all have those kind of days, right? Ergo, the post I made that day was stream of consciousness. Within an hour or so, as I was running errands, I began fretting in a big way. Did I seriously just insult an entire city and think it was funny? I did. I obsessed for hours over whether or not what I did was offensive and later that evening I made my husband read the post to get his perspective. Where I had begun to think I made the most egregious faux pas, he assured me could not be mistaken as anything but an attempt to be funny. It was clear I was being tongue in cheek, rather than a grade A asshat. So, I felt better, but not necessarily relieved. The hours of worry made me reflect on how narrow minded I sometimes am, and sadder still, how narrow minded I can come across as. Self-disapprobation is par for the course with me, but the slightest notion that...

It remains a mystery why the USB port on my camera refuses to work. It's thrown my blogging off kilter. When I finally had access to my pictures at the same time I had time to blog, I lacked inspiration because everything I had to blog about felt so yesterday's newsy. So what have I been thinking about? I'm excited to take more time off; I'm padding an extra day and a half onto a three day holiday weekend (Monday is Patriot's Day aka Boston Marathon day in Massachusetts.) and glad to be facing some bonafide spring weather. I was surprised to see these last week: I always associate daffodils with the beginning of May, not the beginning of April. I know I'm no expert on nature, but I swear these are early. They came just a week after the crocuses. Maybe the crocuses are late? I'm seriously trying to get inspired to blog about my knitting here. I use my blog to keep track. I lost the start date to my Herbed Carrot socks to the mists of time. Was it the same...

I'm venturing back to blogland and all those sweet comments have given me the tearies. Thanks for the sweet thoughts on my travails and my Digitessa . I wish I had something to show for myself this weekend but my camera isn't cooperating. I'm not worried. Yet. Here's a gratuitous Wii picture: His and hers GHIII guitars for the Wii, differentiated only by our sticker preferences. Oh, and I sewed that pillow that they are leaning against. From scratch, with no pattern. (Eat your heart out Martha!) That's the only crafty angle I have here today. Or is it? That rocker is a recent acquisition. This winter, my Aunt Nan gave me some of my grandmother's things. The rocker was one, as was this crocheted coverlet I have draped over a bench. (The bench I received after she died in 1999). According to my Aunt, my grandmother began this project when her youngest, my father, left for college. I can't imagine the time it took to crochet all these squares. I'm pretty ...

This has not been my spring. I'm all discombobulated and every little snag and hiccup has the potential to bring me to tears. I think I need time off, but I'm downright miserly when it comes to taking vacation time. I squirrel it away and begrudge every hour used. So today I am using a day. I really need it to work magic. This week's irritation began with the Knit Picks catalog coming in the mail a day or so after I made my big purchase, wherein I actually paid the hefty 2-day shipping charge. The catalog indicates they sell Zimmerman's Knitting Around (book & DVD!), but their website has no mention of it. That was one of the items I really wanted when I made this purchase. Seeing it in the catalog immediately got me grudging. Having to order it either the free shipping way, that takes two weeks, OR by paying an additional $17, to be quickly satisfied, is about as enticing as an iced enema. Fooh!!! Then yesterday I receive my package and my heart sunk even ...

Sunday found me wiping my knitting plate clean, so to speak. I accepted that the log cabin afghan, which had been thrown over for a chevron afghan, was no longer a project, and that the Malabrigo lime and blue scarf/cowl/wtf should be frogged and put away, also. I then whipped out my swift and my ball winder and lost myself in making sock yarn cakes. When the cakes were done, I frogged my jewel rib sock and recaked the yarn. My knitting heart is elsewhere and I need a fresh start to take full enjoyment of it. So where is my mind? Two places. I hit an LYS Sunday and picked up these two beauties: I truly don't understand this direction my interest is taking, as I don't wear lace, and am not a lacy, ethereal, delicate type of gal. But my desire goeth there, so musteth I. I think my recent blogstalking of Cookie , over at Shut Up and Knit is making me a wannabe. Dogged Knit's Ashley's recently completed Shetland Triangle probably played a part, too. But as I contemplate ...

The state of fashion has been on my mind with the finishing of Blueberry Moon . To be honest, I felt a little self-conscious posting that FO because I know it represents a style that is, well, a smidge past it's freshness date. And then there's all that stockinette! Lovely for it's creator to ogle over, but really? lacking in visual interest. For this middle ager, fashion has been speeding by. Knitting Kris hit the nail on the head in the comments section. What the heck are all these people running around in baby doll sweaters and blouses and t-shirts? I always considered myself fashion forward until about five years ago. Then all heck broke loose. The clothing and shoes (especially shoes!) began to incorporate elements which were abhorred when I hit the tenderest age, the age when fashion was everything in life. It is near impossible to fight fashion aversions which have been a part of me for lo on 30 years. And like Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory , I can't see...

We all know there was life before Wii. I have knitted proof. I wore said proof to work on Monday with my Digitessa socks . Woot. The kitties wanted to get in on the photo shoot yesterday, too. Right over that bridge is a pathway into the boggy woods behind my house. I take the dogs there almost every weekday. Over the winter our most scarediest of cats, Hunter (background), started coming with me on my walks. I was amazed, and encouraged him. Hunter was hit by something, most probably a car, when he was one. His leg was shattered in three places requiring an orthopedic surgeon to insert three sets of pins at each break. Three months later he had all but one set of pins removed, the poor guy, and he's never been the same. Who would be? Now he spends most of his time out of doors in the woods, or when he's indoors, under the kitchen sink. For several weeks now, since the weather has been less hostile, Hunter comes with the dogs and I every single day. Grissom joined us two days t...

For several weeks now our weekends have been beautiful. Perhaps a little windy, and maybe a little chilly, but sunny and bright and absolutely fabulous. And since it was March, sun really is the most important thing. And lots of it. Then would come Monday and the sun and it's hopefulness would decamp. Has it been two weeks or three of this? I don't know, but it's getting on my nerves, and just acknowledging this contrary attitude puts fear in my heart. I am not one to mock fate. Nosiree, not me. But yet I do. And I do all in the name of blogging because once again I finished a project on Sunday, but have been unable to photograph it due to inclement weather. Oh yes, Blueberry Moon is done but when I'll have the photograph proof is anyone's guess. What I do have for show and tell today is an example of extreme patience and lackluster indoor lighting. I have cast on the mobius for a fifthmillion time. Yay me. When I cast on and knit the latest version, th...