"Street-Tough Gloves"

...and here they are. They did soften up nicely in the dryer. I look forward to it being cold enough to wear them.

(by the way, anyone who likes Wes Anderson movies, "Harold and Maude" is a must see!)

Nothing seems to fit

Hubby walked outside to go to work and said "There's a tree down." Thank heavens it wasn't on our property but it was across the street in the driveway where the thugs used to be squatting. They are now gone and a lovely family has moved in with 2 dogs that talk to us every time we walk across the street and a huge white exotic bird that sits in the front window, fascinated by the passers-by (i.e. mainly us). Ph-i-l got out there with the husband with his saw and clippers and I helped the wife by getting the smaller stuff and we got it cleared fairly quickly.

The wristlets were finished last night and I am washing them. They ended up a tad small for me but I think the washing and drying will relax the acrylic enough it won't be an irritation. Did you know acrylic "relaxes"? I didn't. I read it somewhere where someone was writing about it. They said never to dry acrylic in the dryer because it loses it's structure. I love drying acrylic in the dryer because that's when it gets soft and pliant enough, especially for baby blankets.

Anyway, once I wash them I'll get a picture posted. My goal for today is work on Marilyn's socks...

If you want to be you, be you...

The class turned out rather nice and low-key. There were only 3 of the 6 expected, one being my Elementary Education Math professor from college. She told me she expected me to call her by her first name, no college formalities, and I said I'd try. I did pretty well and I was proud of myself. It was really funny when she was asking a question about the 2x2 ribbing and I said "So what comes next in your pattern? You know, like you taught me." We all had a good laugh.

They are all fairly experienced knitters who have also knit in the round before. Them getting used to the double points is the biggest obstacle. I'm excited to see how they do. I try to be more of a guide than a teacher because with socks most everyone knows the stitches, just not the way they are put together. I told them to feel free to work ahead; it was not going to hurt my feelings. I love it when people come to the 3rd class wearing their socks instead holding themselves back and staying right with the planned steps. Of course it always depends on what that person needs and wants to get out of the class but there is always something fun and empowering about learning a skill and then taking off with it, suddenly making it your own and thinking outside the box.

This week my knitting is for Marilyn's socks, partially for an example in the sock class but also so I will finish them. I think I'm going to take a break from socks after this pair. This weekend I worked on some "wristlets," or, as Hubby calls them, my "street-tough gloves." They look similar to the gloves you see poor people wearing in the movies with the fingers cut off, only these only have holes for the thumbs; there is no sectioning for the fingers. They are a smokey gray color, Bernat acrylic afghan yarn (the same kind of yarn I did the newsboy cap out of but not the same color), and have a really cute yarn-over w/ garter stitch detail. I needed some of these because I don't like my fingers being covered but I needed something to protect my hands and keep them warm from the cold. I finished the right wristlet and am now working on the left. I omitted the thumb finishing step it called for because it was being too small a glove already and the thumb finishing called for 12 picked up stitches around the little thumb opening, making everything, including the knitting itself, too uncomfortable to knit. My hands are pretty thin already so when these ended up a little tight, I knew I needed to adjust the pattern, especially if I plan on making them again for a normal person. In fact I've already made the notes what to do differently.

Hubby convinced me to make myself a newsboy cap out of that yarn also, so I'm going to work on another one of those (it was a fun pattern!) and I'm thinking of developing a matching scarf that would combine the cables with the yo/garter detailing from the wristlets and tie all three things together. I could use some accesories that match. I don't have anything that matches or even looks like it SHOULD match. Also, I read on yarnharlot.com the Yarn Harlot's daughter commented that you can always tell the knitters because they're always wearing a hodge-podge of knitted things, none of which match, and if her mother was to knit her something it needed to look like it matches, i.e. could have been store-bought. Well, when I read that my first thought was "what's the fun in that?" and went grocery shopping in my scrap-yarn, wildly colored Granny-square scarf complete with red and white twisted fringe trim (that reminds me, I was going to develop a red and white peppermint candy scarf in honor of Jack and Meg of White Striped fame... must remember!) and Official Kitty-ville hat Sock Sis knitted in lovely varigated peacock-blue, chocolate brown, and cream (complete with little ears), and my black knitted sweater (bought, not hand-knitted, alas). But I got to thinking. Even though when it is just me going wherever and I can wear whatever I want, whatever color I want and no one in my family cares, what about when I am supposed to look like something other than a happy-rainbow mommy with a rainbow-knitting fetish? It might be a good idea to have this as an option to wear all at once or mixed with the Granny-square scarf, or mixed with the Kitty-ville hat, or the leopard-print fleece cape (definitely not knitted but still fun to wear and twirl around!) or... well, you know. Be whatever you want to be. Plus, it would be great projects to justify buying this lovely gray yarn. Little Bro turned it down in an afghan; I didn't think he'd want one anyway but I had offered just the same. Gave me the excuse I needed to buy it at the time.

I've spent some time getting ready for the next beginner sock class. I heard it filled up quick and I'm not sure if I'm excited or not. I'm excited that people are excited but the only night they could have it was Friday night. I like my Friday nights to myself but we'll see how this goes. I've updated and revised the pattern so that it is a little clearer, made little notes about what they should be seeing, and have Marilyn's socks ready to bring so they can see what they are working towards. Just let me know if anyone wants a copy of the pattern and I can post it or email it to you. It's really easy and easy to adapt to whatever other leg/heel/foot pattern you want.

I think I'm a little sock-ed out at the moment. I'm really wanting to work on my sweater and start some fingerless gloves (my hands are so chapped they are starting to snag on fabric). I even worked on my sweater a little last night. This is character building, though. I need to finish what I start, especially since they are a gift, and work through my immature grumblings. We teach kids to do it, adults can do it too.

It'll be interesting to see what personalities are in this sock class. There are 6 of them, one being more experienced than the rest.

If you'd be my bodyguard...

It's been a Paul Simon day full of work and the lovely little boy you see at the top. I couldn't resist that picture. He loves helping! He also helped me deliver the hat to the girl and she was thrilled with it. It's still cold here at times and she was happy that it would be warmer than the one she lost.

The other picture is the one I tried to post about a week ago and for some reason it "exceeded messaging limit." Now, for some reason, it doesn't, so here it is: the yarn for the wonderfully funky sweater I had started and will be working on once I get the 1st sock finished for Marilyn. (I told myself that if I can make a hat for someone in a few days after offering I can get the socks for someone else finished a few weeks after offering.) As you can see the yarn is all the same kind, just different colors. It is cashmere/merino and I got it close-out price at Tuesday Morning without having any idea what I was going to use it for. The sweater (so far) has been heavenly to knit and is turning out really cute. I decided to make the medium and I hope that won't be too big. I don't think it will be. I wear small a lot but for some reason that size seemed a little risky on this project. In taking the measurements of myself and comparing it to the pattern (also keeping in mind my gauge and awareness of knitting is tons better now than 6 months ago with Sweater #1) I realized that if the small fit there was a great chance that it would be skin tight and I would have no one smaller than me to give it to if that was the case. At least if the medium is a little roomy I can still wear it. Plus the bones of this sweater gives the wearer more freedom to be the size she wants rather than... well, Sweater #1. That one, ha, not only was it too big but it had a scoop neckline and broad shoulders without much structure so if you were the slightest bit smaller in any way (breast, shoulder, anything) it would fall off of you because of the HUGE neckline. LOLA has it, loves it, and looks great in it.

Peanuuuut, peanut butter.. (and jelly!)

We, as a family, have embarked on new lengths for our personal health: gone is store-bought bread and peanut butter. I'm now making it myself. It's incredibly easy. For peanut butter you put the peanuts (dry roasted, no added anything) in the food processor and grind until it's as smooth or chunky as you want it. Smoother takes longer, chunky not so much. Dribble some honey in the mix for however degree of sweetness and some canola oil if you want it smoother and that's it. You can add salt and mix right at the end but we like it without. For the bread I just do a basic whole wheat recipe for a 1.5 lb. loaf in the bread machine. It's whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, water, and yeast. If you want herbs, add herbs before the yeast. That's it. It's extra time to prepare and extra dishes to wash but it's not crazytown-like and the prices of store-bought bread are making my eyebrows raise ($3-$5 for the true good-for-you whole grain) and it just feels good. I'll willingly eat this bread and I figured I'll have to make a loaf every 2 days during the week for Hubby and SuperGirl's lunches.

Now if I could just find a way around the nitrate-injected, sodium-rich lunch meat. Any ideas apart from me having to bake 2 chickens every week? The Biggest Loser cookbook suggested getting a meat slicer and scale to weigh everything but when I mentioned that to Hubby he gave me a funny look. I don't think I'd want to own a meat slicer with a 19 month old and 4.5 year old anyway...

The rasta/newsboy hat is nearly finished. I finished the brim and all I have to do now is cut out the template in the plastic mesh and sew it up in the brim. SuperGirl is so excited about the hat. She can't wait to give it.

I did find some things about that pattern that needed further explaining (which I penciled in just in case I decide to revisit the pattern) and I have a re-occurring question about my personal knitting: ssk. Is it supposed to look THAT different from K2tog? I get a little line crossing in my ssk when in k2tog it tucks in nicely. Again, any thoughts? I thought I was doing it right but possibly not. It's consistent so I'm not going to redo anything but it's something I would like to correct if there was a pattern that called for things to look more superficially symmetrical.

The hat looks cooler with each finishing touch. And the cool thing is (especially for those of you with big hair issues, SuperKaren!) this hat can be made for dreds, big hair, or just extra floppy-ness simply by adding more cable repeats. It was a pattern to fit the varying degree of expression. Cool beans! :)

Gotta have that funk

I have had the best time with this. This is officially my first project using for real cables and I can't believe how funkadelically gorgeous it has turned out. I got to turn on Parliment for this one. And the fact that it's for a sweet, three-kid mom makes me love it even more. All I have left to knit is the rest of the bill that folds up so a piece of plastic mesh can fit inside; what you're seeing is what will be on the inside of the bill. The right side is stockinette. (this is the newsboy hat from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation done in a Bernat worsted afghan yarn in varigated colors.)

The girl it's for is about my age, has three kids that have all gone through SuperGirl's preschool program, and is an aide for the preschool. She's beautiful, blonde, thin, graceful, impeccable dresser, and the sweetest thing to everyone. SuperGirl adores her and I've gotten to know her through the different things at the school. One morning she was wearing a crocheted hat in a similar style to this (no cables though) while working carpool and I commented on it. She said she bought it at Target and absolutely loved it, it was so warm. A week later she saw me in carpool again and lamented the fact that she had lost it. Later that day I got the inspiration and offered to knit her a new one and asked what color she wanted. She named off lots of colors (my kind of girl!) but purple, blue, and green seemed most prominent. I asked SuperGirl what color she wanted and she said purple. She went with me to the store to find the yarn. That was exciting because she was picking out the hottest, brightest, pinkest purples EVER and I had to explain the art of finding colors the person receiving the project would want, not the colors the person making the project wants. SuperGirl seemed to understand but she still pointed out all the brightest, hottest colors.

I should finish it tomorrow and get back to Marilyn's socks and my sweater. Hubby now thinks I need a hat like this; it would be cute. I don't know. He even recommended red. He never says red. Hmmm...