Knit n Things

But be gentle. I was invited to go to a formal "black-tie optional" wedding in November. I'm trying not to spend money on yet another dress I will never wear. Think this dress is fancy enough? If I glam it up with some fancy shoes, blow out the mop, and some good accessories? Why are all the fancypants bridesmade dresses I own spring colors???

Labels: spinning

Sooner than you think. It occurred to me yesterday that September is almost over. That leaves me just about 3 months for Christmas knitting. I’m not going nuts just a few things. Something for mom – something that will be useless for blog fodder cuz she reads the blog. A new hat for Laurie – I love seeing my knitting being used on a regular basis it makes me smile. There will be a few “caps for kids” for the guild - that’s a late November project.

Then there’s the biggie.

My brother, my cousins, and myself have beautiful hand knit Christmas stockings, bought for us by a good friend of my Grandmother’s. After my Grandmother passed we got a few more cousins and my Mom felt that they should have stockings that matched the rest the cousins. She started in July and knit the three young cousins stockings matching the ones that we had. It started a trend. When my cousin Maria had a baby she made him a stocking, my niece Alexis has one too. Mom’s is making plans for a new stocking for this year’s new addition. Stockings for everyone – the woman is nuts.

I’ve got myself new godson. I suppose he needs a stocking to match the rest of the crew. Did I mention these stockings are extraordinarily complicated bits of INTARSIA?!?!? I don’t do intarsia. I don’t want to do intarsia. Intarsia is not one of those knitting techniques I’d like to learn. It doesn’t look like fun. It doesn’t sound like fun. I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna! Mother swears if I just suck it up and do it one stitch at a time like any other complex bit of knitting it’s easy. She thinks I might even like it. I think she might be smoking something when I’m not looking. I’ve seen the ugly tangle of yarn that comes from all those bobbins. I’ve seen her spend an hour sorting it all out before she begins to knit.

Please, please, please tell something wonderful about intarsia. Tell me it’s not as awful as I fear it will be. Tell me your favorite tips and tricks to keeping it all sorted out so I don’t get a big ass mess of yarn barf. I’m one of those knitters that feels the knitting absorbs the good vibes you give it. I don’t want to hate this experience and give Cameron a stocking filled with not so much love. Tell me something good…. Please.

On to other things. My clessidras. I have only touched these once or twice all summer. Something about not being able to wear them when I finish is keeping me from wanting to knit them. We're getting close to sock time :) so I'm thinking about them again - I got to wear jeans the other night :) Last week I mentioned I had a problem with them. So I took them out of the bag to take pictures of my issues and get an opinion on fixing them. See the problem?

How bout now? See it now? Sock #1

Sock #2

Can't see the problem?? Hehe... me either! Yea that means I don't need to fix it!! :) Yea for taking pictures of your knitting!

I know - you can't figure it out and it's killin ya. The problem was - despite copious note, taking and working both socks at the same time I managed to goof the decreases on the last few rounds. See that small section of purl stitches at the bottom of the "v" well on one sock it's a few rounds bigger than the other sock (I think sock #2 is the one that's correct). I thought it was a noticeable issue & I'd need to unknit one sock to fix it - I can't rip cables, unknitting would have been a nightmare. You know when I realized I screwed up I threw them into the knit bag and haven't looked at them since. After letting them stew then taking them out for closer examination the error is really negligible. I really had to look for it when I was taking the pictures so no one but me will ever really notice and I can totally live with that.

For the record the first one of you in person smart alecs that says "hey your decreases aren't even" is gonna get it with a dpn. Luvyou!

***Warning Picture Heavy Post