Book Game

Here's a game I saw on Vera's blog (she found it on Loretta's blog).

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the sentence on your blog with these instructions.

Here's the sentence I found:

"[Plaintiff] says that such disputes exist with respect to whether her old job at UP was eliminated, the manner and extent to which her post-merger job differed from her pre-merger job, and whether the employees who received benefits under the plan were similarly situated to her."

And here's the citation in case you're dying the read the rest of the opinion: Liston v. Unum Corp. Officer Severance Plan, 330 F.3d 19, 23 (1st Cir. 2003).

OK, you can now all join with me in a collective cry of "BORING".

Have a knitty weekend!

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The Holy Grail

I thought my week couldn't get any better when I found the Alice Starmore book at the library book sale on Saturday. Au Contraire! Check out the little beauty I happened upon at the specialty grocery near my house.

Yes, the holy grail of the candy world; a genuine Kinder Surprise Egg. My kids and I were speechless. It was my understanding that it's illegal to import these into the United States. Consequently, I won't disclose the name of the market in which I found it, both for that reason and because I don't want you all buying up the rest of them! OK, the price was a bit steep ($3.50 each!), but just watching my kids savor every bite was worth 10x that.

I've been working on a sock for my MIL for Mother's Day. It's an ankle sock and I'm hoping to squeeze both socks out of one skein of Fortissima cotton sock yarn. She's got a small foot, but it's still going to be close.

Here's the question. If they end up being too small, do I give them to her anyway knowing that she won't be able to wear them but still feeling as though I've fulfilled my gift-giving obligation? I mean, what are the odds that she'll ever tell me they don't fit?

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French Market Bag Redux

If you look at the comments that other readers leave, you'll see that my friend Erin is not completely satisfied with the way her French Market Bag turned out. I haven't seen it yet, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it's not quite the disaster she paints it to be. She does have a caveat for those of you who may be inclined to reposition the handles like I did on my second bag. The directions that I posted on March 29, 2004 will not make any sense if you knit the base of the bag using the alternative flat version.

What A Find

The Salt Lake City library had its semi-annual book sale this weekend. I dropped DD off at gymnastics and raced down on Saturday morning. There was only one knitting book left and I grabbed it. It was the book Tudor Roses by Alice Starmore.


What a find! It was a little battered but what do you expect for 50 cents! Now I just have to work up the courage to tackle a fair isle sweater.

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It's Done

Here's the Mexicale Ole sweater--finished at last.

I usually don't have such a vitriolic reaction to knitting projects, but I really despised making this sweater. It's the first thing in a long time that I got no pleasure out of knitting. If you're thinking of making it, I can offer some advice about the collar. Pick up the collar stitches with the wrong side facing you, not the right side as you're instructed in the pattern. If you follow the collar instructions as written, the collar will be truly enormous. I slipped only the first 10 stitches (instead of the 23 called for in the pattern) and then worked the short rows. This made the collar 26 rows smaller but, as you can see in the picture, it's still pretty big. Also, I whip stitched the collar to the body of the sweater to make it stay down neatly.

Can anyone who has made this sweater offer any other tips??

Check out the amazing sweater that this knitter in France just finished. Oh, I wish I had the time to tackle something like this.

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Wish Me Luck

I'm planning to finish my Mexicale Ole sweater when I get home tonight. Margene calls it my "frog sweater" and she's right! I've rippped out the collar three times already. I can report, however, that Reynolds Saucy Sport doesn't pill, split, or fray even when frogged repeatedly. Wish me luck!

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Shameful

"Come on, people are fungible. You can have them here or there. We have announced the judgment. It is clear. You understand it. Everyone in the room understands that we needed additional -- the commander decided he'd like to retain in-country an additional plus or minus 20,000 people and that is what we are doing."

-- Donald Rumsfeld


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Deutsche Post

Look what I got in the mail yesterday!!


Yes, it's a fabulous packet of goodies from my sock sib in Germany, Wapiti. If you can't read Germany, you can translate Wapiti's blog using Google. The kids snagged the candy, but I got the good stuff--the Opal and the mini sock ornament. Isn't it the bomb! Here's a close-up of the Opal.


See the shiny strand of Lurex running through it. Fabulous. The picture just doesn't do it justice. Ooooh, vielen dank, Wapiti!!
Yup, I'm sitting pretty today, petting my wonderful new yarn and dispensing justice at the same time.

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Ole Schmole

Hmmm . . . notice there's no picture of a finished Mexicale Ole sweater. I worked on it this weekend but finally tossed it aside in disgust. Oh, I'll finish it; but I have to stop hating it first. The sweater itself worked up nicely, although the side seams are a little bulky. It was somewhat awkward to sew together the sides because the sweater is knit cuff to cuff. However, it's the collar that threw me into a foul mood. I had to frog the damn thing twice. The first time, I realized that the pattern was wrong, wrong, wrong! It instructs you to knit one row then purl the next. I don't think so. You really need to purl the first row, then knit. Lesson #1 learned. I frogged. Then, after almost completing the whole collar, I realized that the thing was just massive. I mean, there was almost a whole 50g skein of yarn knit into that collar. It was just ridiculously huge and bulky. So, I frogged. I did, however, pick up the stitches again. This time, though, I plan to make a much smaller shawl collar. Anyway, I knit a couple of rows and put it aside. Maybe tonight I'll shake off my annoyance and finish it up.

I do have pictures of the felted slippers that I plan to pair with the sweater.





Cute, huh? They're from the book, Knit Baby Head & Toes. I think Bev Galaskas wrote the pattern. There were no mistakes in that pattern. How can you not love her.

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Baby Sweater

DH informed me that one of his frat bros is having a baby. Gosh, I haven't made a baby sweater in a long time. All my friends are at that in-between stage--too old to have more kids, but too young to have grandchildren. I decided to make the Mexicale Ole sweater that was in the last issue of Knitter's Magazine (or maybe it was the issue before that?). Anyway, I wasn't really enamoured with the self-patterning sock yarn called for in the pattern for a couple of reasons. The gauge was really loose and the finished sweater, which is on display at my LYS, seems really flimsy to me. Also, it looked too much like a bad Mexican blanket that you can buy in Nogales. Plus, it had to be solid red; the color for Cornell, DH's alma mater. So, I settled on plain old cotton yarn--Saucy Sport by Reynolds.

It's cute, although not as fast a knit as I thought it would be. Hopefully I'll finish it tonight or this weekend. The date for the demolition of my kitchen is fast approaching and I've got lots of cabinets to clean out. Fun.

What's Up With My Blog Address??

You used to be able to reach my blog by typing: www.ma2ut.blogspot.com
For some strange reason that won't work any more and I've not clever enough to figure out why. Oh, crap. If you're linking to me, please use this address which does seem to work: http://ma2ut.blogspot.com

Can anyone tell me if it's possible to redirect people from www.ma2ut.blogspot.com to http://ma2ut.blogspot.com?? Please.

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This and That

See, I really did finish my Broadripple socks.


I've just been too busy to take a finished pictures. Actually, there's a prize for "best" final picture so I'm not disclosing that picture 'til the end of the knitalong. There are 267 members in the knitalong now which is contributing to my lack of time for knitting and picture taking.

I went to my first guild meeting last night. Thanks, Margene, for letting me tag along. It was fabulous. Our resident famous knitter, Nancy Bush, gave a slide presentation on her trips to Estonia. It was really interesting and informative. She had a huge table littered with Estonian knitted items, including the most amazing lacy shawls. She also brought some handknit socks, mittens, and gloves for sale - straight from Estonia. Oh, I coveted so many of them but was unable to find a single item that fit my hand; one of the neverending sorrows of being a "petite" person.

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Productive Weekend

Well, I finally had some serious knitting time this weekend and was able to finish a couple of things (and start some more!). First, I finally finished the crop top I made for my niece.

I crocheted around the armholes and neckline and then sewed the bead ribbon to the bottom edge.

I haven't seen it on her, but my daughter says it fits her great and looks cute.

I spent most of the weekend working on my Broadripple socks. We have more than 250 people in the knitalong now, including several from Germany! I finished the second last night but haven't taken a picture of both yet. Here's the first.

I used a Sherman heel that I've modified slightly from the original directions that were posted on the Socknitters List. I think it's become my heel of choice. This is my second Broadripple sock and my first out of fingering weight yarn. I think next time I'll go down a needle size when I knit the foot. Because of the st. st. on the bottom, it's slightly larger than the leg. It still fits, but I like my socks really snug.

Do You Have Extra Needles??

I read on LynnH's blog that she's looking for donations of needles, yarn, and canvas tote bags. The details are in the April 8, 2004 entry and include the address to which you can send your donation.

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Sidetracked

I wasn't able to work on my Broadripple socks yesterday 'cause I made a Reverse Bloom Washcloth for my neighbor who's in the hospital.

The patten is from Weekend Knitting but I used the one that was printed in Interweave Knits. This was my first time working with chenille. Can't say that I liked it, although the finished washcloth is very soft and beautiful. It was just really difficult to keep the stitches uniform. Of course, this is just a washcloth but I think a sweater in chenille would be an extremely trying project for me.

Went to SnB last night at Jitterbug Coffee Shop. Margene, Laurie, and Steph all brought their Everyday Cardigans. Oh, the Peace Fleece yarn is so lovely. Each color has beautiful, subtle, multicolored flecks. Unfortunately, Laurie took a trip to the frog pond after our little group meeting where she discovered that she was getting 3.5 stitches to the inch instead of the 4 called for in the pattern. Man, that sweater was going to be big. I feel slightly responsible for her pain since I was the most vocal of those calling for her to suck up and rip it out. But, she'll thank me when it's finished and it fits--really you will, Laurie.

The Broadripple Knitalong continues to grow exponentially. I think there are something like 210 members now. There are pictures of quite a few socks and it always amazes me how socks done in the same pattern but with different yarns can look so different.

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Contest!

Margene is having a contest on her blog! If you want to join the Broadripple Knit Along but don't have any Fixation, you can get two skeins if you win her contest. But, hurry; she's picking a winner on Thursday!

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BROADRIPPLE MADNESS!

By now you've heard of March Madness (well, sans Syracuse at this point) but today I give you: Broadripple Madness. This knit along has taken on a life of its own. We're up to 152 members with some waiting in the wings to be approved by Donna. How fun! There are even prizes to be won by those who finish their socks by May 30th.

I started my sock on Saturday when our power went out and I couldn't do anything else for a couple of hours. I got the leg almost finished on Saturday:


I'm using some Fortissima wool sock yarn that I dyed with Kool Aid. Of course, I got addicted to this project and couldn't put it down on Sunday. I've turned the heel (no wrap, short-row) and am now 14 rows into the foot.


Isn't the pattern great! You owe it to yourself to join the KAL! And don't forget to steal the button at the right.



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Knit Along FEVER!

Yikes! 59 people have already signed up for the Broadripple Knit Along. What are you waiting for??? Just click on the link to the right or send me an email and I'll send you an invitation. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun and even Rob, the designer of the pattern is a member!

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Socks, New Knit Along, and (speaking in hushed tones) Crocheting!

It looks like Donna and I will be co-hosting a Broadripple Knit Along. We're planning it out now and I'll post details once they're worked out. So check back next week. I'm actually thinking of offering some kind of raffle-type prize to motivate everyone to finish. What do ya think?

I made some progress on my mindless, self-patterning socks. I'm using a combination heel: a very short Eye of the Partridge heel flap, combined with a no-wrap short-row heel that's detailed in this pattern.

See:


I've done this heel before and really like the way it fits.

Look at the drawstring treasure bag I made last night:


And, yes, it is crocheted! It's made from that recycled silk yarn that's spun from sari leftovers. The colors are beautiful but the yarn was a bitch to work with. I actually started a knitted bag with it a few months ago and just couldn't bring myself to work on it 'cause I disliked working with the yarn so much. This only took a couple of hours to finish. I forgot how much faster it is to crochet.

Did you see Beth's French Market Bag? Oh, the colors are so beautiful; she used Kureyon for the bottom.

Last, but not least, check out the spring edition of knitty.com!!

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Yarn Labels

Check out Kim's blog entry from yesterday. She has a nice discussion (with lots of pictures) of yarn labeling and weights. She also maintains an extremely comprehensive list of yarn reviews which are submitted by knitters. I know she really appreciates new reviews.

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