Et tout range, enfin

I'll admit it. I love arranging and tidying up things like my purse, knitting bag, bookshelves... just don't ask me about the dirty dishes or the laundry piled on the basement floor. Today (after another pile of tech editing was done) I decided to finally figure out what needles I have and enter them on Ravelry (hopefully to avoid any further unecessary repurchasing of existing materials). Case in point, I discovered that I own 8 (yes, eight) size H crochet hooks. And 4 sets of size 10.5 straight needles (and I almost never use straight needles since I realized that circulars work that way too). Yes, some of the doubles (triples?) are different materials, length, etc, but a lot of them aren't. As a bonus I found out the needles I actually do still need (well, maybe not need). Anyway, even though I don't use them, I found I have quite a few straight needles! A sampling is shown above (l-r): Pony Total (kind of cut off), Aero, Lantern Moon, Pony Pearl, Suzanne's Rosewood, Swallow Casein (my old favorites), Hobi (love the little red plastic yarn ball that holds them together), Lion Brand, Swallow Casein again, some old yellow ones, Brittany Birch, Crystal Palace Daisy, Brittany Walnut (the first thing I bought at a "real" yarn store, ever), more Swallow Casein, Suzanne's Ebony, more Hobi, Bryspun (the heaviest size 19's ever- you could kill someone with a knock to the head), Crystal Palace Bamboo, and some old ones that say "Dependon".

Guess I was on the good list

I don't know about you, but Santa brought me some nice goodies this year. I got a few good knitting books I've been wanting, plus a really pretty Golding spindle, with the fruit of it's first use shown above (note the hairpin lace loom being used as a niddy noddy). I'm still getting the hang of spinning, but one of these days I want to get enough spun to make something with (I can dream, can't I?)

Anyway, party's over, time to get back to work. I've got a big pile of patterns to edit for a book, sweater designs to knit up, and submissions that need to go out....

Noro Sock Yarn!

I got this other day from Have You Any Wool in Berkley. The color is S95 (same as Kureyon #95) and I'm making another pair of Jaywalkers out of it since I like that pattern, it's easy, and, well, you know. Of course the colors are pretty... the yarn is a little rough, but I'm hoping it will soften up a little with washing. Despite the fact it is a singles yarn (like Kureyon) I think it will wear pretty well since it's not a fine, delicate wool and also because of the 30% nylon content. As you can see (with the Chevron Scarf) I'm starting to take to using my Socks That Rock stash for things other than socks, since the three pairs I made out of it have worn significantly less well than my other pairs (same goes for Koigu, though it did hold up a bit better than the STR). Since I really hate handwashing socks (though I will continue to do so for the now-mended 2 pairs of Jaywalkers and 2 pairs of plain toe-ups that had holes, as well as my Monkeys made of Yarn Pirate that I wish to protect from harm) I think I'm going to try to stick more to yarn-what-has-some-nylon for socks, since my now 5 year old first pair in Opal look brand new, as do Emma's several pairs in Trekking which she is very hard on.

Chevron Scarf

All finished, in Socks That Rock Lightweight- Mist and Downpour, from the pattern in Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

Relief

All the gifts are finished (the last one is blocking) and the sweater I was racing to finish was shipped out on Wednesday. From now until the 26th (when I need to start the 2 sweater designs that are due by Feb), I am knitting whatever I want! First up, another pair of Jaywalkers from my new Noro Sock Yarn and some sparkly pink legwarmers for Emma (to wear to ballet) in SWTC Vegas-- she's been after me for those! Pictures later.

Messing around a bit before I get to work

Saw this one making the rounds, so....

Christmas Meme
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I like the bags, but I get outvoted on that one, usually.
2. Real or artificial tree? Fake, all the way. Vacuuming needles really sucks.
3. When do you put up the tree? Early in December, usually.
4. When do you take it down? Hopefully before New Year’s.
5. Do you like eggnog? No way. It's like a big glass of phlegm.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Fisher Price Weaving Loom, although I really liked the Snoopy Sno Cone Machine too.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Absolutely not.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Hmmm…. In-laws, I think. Luckily Hubbo does most of the shopping.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Me? No, probably Hubbo.
10. Worst Christmas present you ever got? Not sure, I usually get nice things. When I was teaching I got an alarming amount of candles and body lotion (usually lavender, which I really can’t stand).
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, on years I actually do it.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? Probably Charlie Brown.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I prefer to wait, but Hubbo usually gets cracking in October.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me.
15. Favorite thing to eat on Christmas? Tasty appetizers. I like appetizers more than real food.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear. The colored ones are too alarming.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Not really a song, per se: Santa Claus and His Old Lady (Cheech & Chong). I like Feliz Navidad too (hey, with Jose Feliciano, you’ve got no complaints, right?)
Travel at Christmas or stay home? Just visiting, not too far.
18. Can you name all of Santa’s Reindeer? No, sorry.
19. Angel or star on top of tree? Star.
10. Open presents Christmas Eve or morning? A little from column A and a little from column B.
11. Most annoying thing this time of year? Obnoxious and crabby shoppers-- shopping is supposed to be fun, right?
12. Do you decorate your tree in any theme or color? Unless “random crap” is a theme, no. Between the cats and Emma's frequent "redecorating", there's more on the floor than the tree anyway.
13. What do you leave for Santa? Cookies, hold the milk (Pinecone sticks his arm in any unattended glasses of the stuff).

Want to do it too? Have fun.

Knit Michigan and little update

First, yes, I'm still furiously working. I finished the little sweater and am up to my armpits in another, with yarn for 2 more on my shelf. Plus gifts to finish as well. Yes, I'm crazy.

But more importantly, once again I'm participating as a "marathoner" at Knit Michigan. Just like last year, I'm offering up a pile of yarny goodness to one lucky supporter. What kind of goodness, you ask? Well, I've put together a mighty pile of 20 skeins of nice stuff, including Yarn Pirate, SWTC, Louet, and more, enough for several pairs of socks and plenty of smaller 2-3 skein projects. Here's a little peek:


How can you get this, you ask? Well, it's simple. If you are interested in donating whatever you can to any of the cancer charities that Knit Michigan supports (list follows), simply email me at frottez AT att DOT net and I will tell you how to get your check (made out to the charity of your choice) to me and as a thank you I will put your name in the hat to win the goodies. Last year I managed to raise $350, and I'd love to beat that this year-- will you help? The charities are:
Barbara Ann Karamanos Cancer Institute, Beaumont Hospitals - Rose Cancer Treatment Center, Genesys Regional Medical Center, Gilda's Club, and University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Apparently he's still got it

Hubbo and Emma got the tree up the other day (love the fake ones, sorry!) while I sat nearby and knitted furiously on the little boy's sweater for Aslan Trends (which is now done, glad to say, and all packed up and ready to ship!!) Apparently Pinecone still has it in him, because he's spent most of the past few days in the tree, knocking down ornaments and trying to take a nap in there. Emma made all these candy cane ornaments out of red and white pipe cleaners, and he's especially fond of those (which shouldn't surprise me since I've caught him opening Emma's desk drawers to get pipe cleaners before). Rosie, thankfully, is too busy sitting next to the humidifier (??) to bother with the tree (he's generally the "good natured idiot", while Pinecone is the criminal mastermind). Being home with the cats is entertaining, to say the least.

Anyway, of course I'm still buried in work, though now I'm down to only 2 more sweaters before the new year. (Hopefully I'll finish my unfinished gifts as well, we'll see-- the work knitting has to come first). I did get that other big tech editing job, so now I'm working on 2 books-- pretty cool. Hopefully I'll actually get out to knit with my knitting friends soon-- too many things have been conspiring to keep me away lately! :(

Repetition

I feel like I'm getting a bit boring, rambling on about how much I need to get done, but yet I continue. I've finished 4 design projects in 3 weeks, and this weekend I'm trying to get a little boy's sweater finished for Aslan Trends as well as continue on another one for SWTC. I also have a sweater to do for Shibui Knits, but the yarn was delayed and isn't here yet. There's a few patterns I need to tech edit too-- I think tomorrow. (Despite hanging out with my sister a fair bit the last week or so (she was in town), I've managed to keep up).

More good news, though-- I may have another big huge exciting tech editing job on the horizon (at least 1 book, maybe 2).

Impatient me, I bought a copy of the new Creative Knitting with my slipper sock pattern at Kroger's the other day rather than waiting for copies to come in the mail.

Oh, and bag ho update... Hubbo gave me an early gift, which I just adore. We have a bunny thing at our house, so it is really perfect. It holds all my junk, a medium Go Knit pouch, plenty of room left over, and yet it's light and doesn't look huge on your shoulder. Amazing!

And here's a little something for festive-ness sake (no, the tree isn't up yet, I doubt Pinecone could still get up that high-- this is from a few years ago!):