Knit n Things

ETA - Photo
I need some help with some knitty math. I'm making these socks. Aren't they fab? I'll show you pictures when its not so late and I've got something more interesting than a cuff. Anyway the pattern calls for a cast on of 76 stitches to fit a calf circumference of approximately 14.5 inches. My legs are a tad more shapely than that so I did some math and cast on 100 stitches for about three extra inches. That's worked out fine the cuffs fit great.

Next the pattern calls for you to increase to a count of 110 stitches. Obviously I'm going to be needing more than that.

Here's my question. 110 minus 76 is an increase of 34 stitches is that how many I should increase? Do I just distribute those stitches evenly around my cuff? I feel like a should just abandon the directions - which are kinda funky k2, [p2, m1, k2, m1] 4 times, p2 [k2, m1, p2, m1] 5 times, k2, [p2, m1, k2, m1] 4 times, p2 [k2, m1, p2, m1]4 times I'm guessing they're like that to distribute the increases evenly - yes? So what I want to do is abandon those directions and increase 34 stitches evenly (however that will work out) around - is that right? I know a bunch of you are knit designers extraordinaire - help me out please. Your fabulous thank you!

I'm off to get a good nights sleep - got a rugby game in the morning.

Back in January I signed up to do a swap on one of my sock groups. Since Valentine’s Day is my least favorite holiday I figured a Valentine themed swap would be a great way to embrace the forced romanticism of a Hallmark holiday and try to have a little fun.

I was right and had a blast putting together stuff for my partner Franney. I jumped with both feet into heart-shaped red themed goodness and put together a slammin’ package. Franney got it the week of Valentines and loved it. She told me mine was on the way. I waited patiently. And waited, and waited. Did I mention she lives in England? I waited some more.

Yesterday I finally got my package from her. The post office must have sent the stuff over in a rowboat it took so long, but it was so worth the wait!! I got so many goodies I couldn’t photograph them all at the same time.
There’s the non-knitting stuff. Pen’s, pencils, measuring devices, a calculator, a notions bag, the cutest little sheep key chain, chocolate, coffee (which somehow didn’t make it into the picture), highlighters, notepads, note cards, lotion, a CD of music from the 20’s (which I love).

The Crafty stuff. The CUTEST little project bag in my favorite color. Adorable little crafty crocheted things a little heart & a pear, and a handmade note card - which she left blank so I could use it.

The knit stuff. Stitch markers, a row counter bracelet (which I didn’t manage to get a good picture of), a sheepy needle gauge, and of course yarn. The yarn is so nice! It’s soft and squishy and the color is fantastic!! Love it!!
Thank you Franney! You Rock!!

I've been wanting to knit lace for weeks now. None of my other projects are very satisfying because of this lace thing in the back of my mind. However I've learned something about my knitterly self in the past year. If I don't like the needles I WILL abandon the project . Knowing this I figure I had better get myself some good lace needles before I start on anything new.

I called my LYS and she orders me some of the new Addi lace needles. I'm so excited! She warns me that it's going to take a few weeks but that's OK because I can't find anyone selling them online yet. I talked to my LYS lady on Tuesday - a month later - she says to me "oh I'm so sorry I just spoke to them this morning, and they're back ordered until May." Are you kidding me??? Nobody could have told her that when she ordered them?!

OK fine, deep breath. I figure it's a month later someone online has got to be selling them by now. Hallelujah I find a spot and place an order. Got my order yesterday - wow that was fast. Perfect timing - just got some new lace weight - I can't wait to cast on! I take the needles out of the package and "hmmm these seem a little small" - that's because THEY'RE THE WRONG FLIPPIN SIZE!!! Are you kidding me?! WTF?!?! I'm gonna go lay down and cry now.

I came, I knit, I finally kicked it’s ass!! It only took my - sadly this is not an exaggeration - SIX tries. I’m pathetic. I tried a single wrap, I tried the yarn-over method three times - I really wanted this one to work it seemed like it should be so easy. I did a heel flap but it did bad bad things to my pretty stripes. Ordinarily this wouldn’t bother me but the stripes on these socks are so precise & the pattern showcases them so well I just felt like it would be a sin to do that pooling gusset thing. I finally managed to get heels with the double wrap short-rows. Double wraps are a pain in the ass. I wound up using a stitch marker for every single wrap to help me keep track. Like training wheels for short rows - but hey at this point whatever worked was fine with me as long as I got a heel at the end, and now that I’ve got both heels done and out of the way it’s smooth sailing to the end - yea that statement isn’t just beggin for trouble.

Since I've got all this secret knitting that I can't show you I'm forced to talk about this boring sock. I ripped out the holey short-row heel and decided to do a heel flap instead. Started that then decided the funky striping around the gusset would ruin my design and abandoned the sock. I started the second sock while I thought about my dilemma. After an abundance of knit time while sitting in the ER waiting room (I'll get back to that) I'm now at the heel on both socks and forced to deal with my "short" comings (ha ha I crack myself up). People do short-rows heels all the time so it's not impossible. I'm going to try again. I'll let you know how it works out.

As to my ER visit Megan decided she was jealous of Trek's fancy crutches and wanted to get her own set. She came down on her foot funny during our basketball game and hurt her ankle. Since it was her right foot Mom & I took her to the hospital and spent a few hours hanging out with the insane staff. I think the entire staff of our local hospital was hitting the happy pills. These people were so out there that I can't even come up with a good story - where to start?! The woman that gave Meg the pain meds checked her ID band 5 times. Left the room came back checked twice more before giving her the meds. Left the room came back again and gave Meg an allergy band about 5 minutes before we left. Yes ma'am the cats must know that Meg is allergic to Oxycontin. Wackos all of them.

All nuttiness aside I did get some knitting done so it wasn't a waste of anything. Megan is doing just fine (it was a sprain) and is already pushing her luck to hobble around with just her air cast & one crutch. Actually by the time I post this & you read this she'll have probably abandoned that too.

**Love bloggers new spell check! So much better!!

Yesterday I was hanging out with babysitting some kiddies of a friend of mine. The middle child (she’s 9) is fascinated with my knitting and the last time I was there I showed her a few things. Unfortunately I don’t get over there very often and her interest has been left to linger with no knitters in the family to help her. She did however get this knitting “kit” as a gift for Christmas

So she brings me this kit. It’s one of those kits geared for kids that has all the supplies you’ll need to make a cute little pocketbook. I know you’ve seen them and been tempted to pick one up for that little someone whose been eyeing up your knitting. Do your self a favor - DON’T - go buy real needles and yarn.

This kit is the worst introduction to knitting I could ever wish on anyone. First there’s the yarn, it’s yucky Red Heart like acrylic and some icky funfurish funky stuff. That’s not the worst of it. This stuff has more knots than a macramé plant hanger. While I was balling it up I was untying a knot every few yards! The kick in the ass though is the needles.
This cell phone shot does not fully express the horror that is these needles. How do they expect anyone to actually knit with these tree stumps?? I had issues getting the needles into the stitch and I’m a Knitter - how is a knit virgin suppose to get serious about knitting if the first project has such a huge hurdle to overcome? Luckily on my last visit I had taught my little protégé with normal needles and she managed the tree stumps just fine. What about all the other kids out there with no Knitter to help them with this evil kit? I’m so sad for them.