FOs: Socks and Shawl

Wowee....it's been super long since I posted. I'm wondering if I'm just a terrible blogger or if I just had the summer from Crazyland.

First off, I subletted my place for the summer so that I could stay with my parents in the 'burbs without distraction so that I could finish my novel. Check. Sort of. I have a very rough draft that is all kinds of messy and it's not even ready to send to friends for feedback, but there are 380 pages of something written down on the page.

I also wanted to finish my final revision of my screenplay. Check. No more adjustments will be made to it in the immediate future.

I wanted to get healthy. Check. Lost five pounds and cut sugar substitutes and soda out of my diet. Sort of. I cheat with Diet Coke. I'm sorry, nutrition gods, but Diet Coke is my crack. Mostly I now try to limit my intake to a gargantuan cup of it when I go to the movies.

Wanted to get my mother to enjoy knitting. Check. She made two pairs of socks, a scarf for my dad, and a garter stitch shawl for herself. Now she wants to make a Clapotis. I think I created a monster...especially b/c she just wants to steal my yarn.

Wanted to post about my continued love affair with knitting. Um, not check. I did plenty of knitting, but I forgot (?) to update my blog with my goings-on. But it's always better late than never, no?

Here's the first round of a veritable FO parade:

Fireworks Socks
Pattern: Waving Lace Socks by Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Jojoland Melody, 2 balls
Needles: US 1.5 circular

I. Love. This. Pattern. This pair went by so quickly. I had one and a half socks finished when 4th of July came around. My family and I went up to Tanglewood to see Diana Krall sing (and to drink wine on lawn chairs, of course) and it got very, very chilly as the night went on. I forgot about those pesky Berkshires.

Anyway, my mother put on one of the socks and begged me to hurry up with the other one so that her feet could be warm. I ended up letting her wear a 90% completed sock with a stitch holder around the toe. It was too dark to knit by then anyway.

And this, my friends, is Marlene:

Sea Blue Marlene Socks
Pattern: Marlene Socks by Cookie A.
Yarn: Shibui Sock Yarn, 2 skeins
Needles: US 1.5 circular
Mods: Did one less repeat of pattern on leg

Another lovely, lovely pattern that creates a really elegant sock. I want to make another pair in something richer. Maybe red. Like femme fatale lipstick. But for my feet.

And finally, this is Ishbel:

My cousin is sick in the hospital in Korea. He's lived here since he was little and he was about to head into grad school in New York this fall. Unfortunately, his limbs suddenly swelled and went numb and tingly a few months ago and his parents packed him off to our uncle's clinic in Korea. (A swell example of what lengths people have to go through without universal health care.) Since then, he's been confined to bed and dealing with the unbelievable diagnosis of dermatomyositis, an autoimmune disorder I had never heard of that affects the joints and connective tissue of the body. It's treatable, but incurable. So as my cousin goes through his healing process, my aunt is at his bedside while my uncle runs their restaurant by himself. She needed a shawl. Ishbel was just the ticket.

...and the FO parade shall continue in the next installment.

FO: Jaywalkers and Clapotees...Like Pringles, Once You Pop, You Can't Stop

Yep, I finished off that vacation clapotis:

Sandy, Oceany Clapotis
Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Jojoland Harmony, 2 skeins
Needles: US 5 (I think) circs
Mods: None, unless you count extending the increase section.

I think I could quite possibly make a zillion more of these. It's the perfect travel knitting as long as it's not made with a lightweight yarn. Plus, a bunch of my friends covet mine so who knows. Maybe the birthday fairy will be kind to them this year.

Doesn't it look like a waterfall? Argh, now I have that song stuck in my head. "Don't go chasing waterfalls...Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to..." Oh, the nineties.

I also whipped these up faster than I even had time to post details on Ravelry:

Candy Jaywalkers
Pattern: Jaywalkers by Grumperina
Yarn: Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock in Maureen, 1 skein
Needles: US 1 Addi circs

I'd only ever made one pair before (if you don't count the aborted attempt that I did when I was first venturing beyond rectangles and did not think gauge was important at all) and that pair was kind of a ho-hum result b/c the Colinette Jitterbug I'd purchased wasn't enough and I ended up doing one sock cuff down, one toe up. And the toe up one was still about an inch shorter than the first one. Rather than ripping, I use them as house socks.

I thought it was about time for another pair and this yarn, while pretty, looks nothing like I thought it would when knit up.

I thought it would be a pretty, variegated affair, but it turned into crazy one-row color shifts between lilac, pink, and chocolate. I ripped out a bunch of different patterns before I decided not to fight it. Yarn: 1 point; Sway: 2 socks.

I actually like them like this. There's something very juicy and delicious about them. But I doubt I'll be buying more of this yarn b/c I don't want a drawerful of crazy striped Jaywalkers. I think one pair is enough.

Plus, at long last, I've rediscovered my knitting mojo and I started on a cardi for my dad:

It's the famous Jarrett from Rowan Vintage Knits. I'm not going to do the shoulder and elbow patches b/c this will just make the sweater unwearable for my dad. He likes plain. Except for when he joins the pick-up soccer game for the baby boomers at his church. Then he will wear whatever my mother packs for him to sweat in.

Also, I saw this pattern and decided right then and there that I must have them:

They're Marlene Socks, designed by Cookie A. That Cookie A. I sometimes wish she had never thunk to design socks, because I love almost every design she's ever made. Grar. These are addictive and I'm already on the heel of the second sock. Go knitting mojo!

FO: Baby, It's Cold Outside

Yeah, it's 29 degrees outside. Yesterday's high was 24. In my brilliance, I chose yesterday to take my first spinning class in a year. My hamstrings are really not happy with me.

I know I've been a "bad" blogger. It's just that life has been getting in the way and this turn of events has brought with it the knowledge that I've been burrowing in my apartment over the past half-year like a recluse. OK, maybe not a real recluse, but a semi-recluse. I'm sorry for not keeping up with the knitting blogs I love to follow. I'm going through my comments and bloglines slowly but surely!

Along with this knowledge, my knitting fever has dampened somewhat. I still enjoy it, but it's not quite as pressing as it once was. I was spending way too much time on Ravelry when I should have been working. No one should be alarmed, though. I'm still knitting. I just won't be knitting with the same dogged determination of "Imustfinishthisrightnow." Turning 29 in the new year is turning out to be a swift kick in my rear end. That and the spinning class last night.

But here's some knitting cheer for the holidays:

Hollyhock Harvest Mittens
Pattern: Yellow Harvest Mittens, Vogue Knitting Fall '08
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Hollyhock, 1 skein
Needles: US 9 DPNs

These were super quick to knit up. My hands were in sore need of some Malabrigo warmth and these mittens were so fun to make that I'm tempted to make more pairs just to have around.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through my brother's Christmas socks...

And I've made some headway into a new cardi...which should be recognizable to anyone paying attention to really, really popular knitting patterns.

Lastly, I bought some shoes over Thanksgiving weekend. They are yellow. They make me very happy.

FO: Leaves o' Gold Socks

Since leaving Korea when I was but a wee toddler, I've only been back once. After my freshman year in college, my a cappella group traveled through Asia for a month and we spent five days in Seoul.

The local chapter of our school's alumni treated us to a lunch and one of the men, the CEO of some large company I can't remember, was reminiscing about his drinking days back in college. Jokingly, he informed us that the Koreans are known as "the Irish of Asia." Apparently, my people like the likker.

Later that night, wouldn't you know it? We came across an Irish bar right in our own hotel. You know what it was called?

O'Kim's.

I kid you not. And ever since then, I am a little obsessed with using the o' in random and inappropriate places.

I like to think these socks are an homage to the little bit o' Irish in every Korean.

Leaves o' Gold Socks
Pattern: Embossed Leaves by Mona Schmidt
Yarn: Fleece Artist Sea Wool in Gold, 1 skein
Needles: US 1 circs
Absolutely no modifications except for making it shorter to fit my feet.

I cast on for these because I was taking a few days to visit the 'rents and I didn't want to lug by large lace shawls or sweaters on the bus. I flipped through this pattern and thought it looked simple enough and I headed out. Whew. Two days later, I had eaten my fill of a large home-grilled steak, plenty of grilled veggies, watched two rather bad thriller movies, slept like the dead, and bound off these socks.

I really love how easy this pattern was and how it flows so smoothly. The toes are perfect. The leaves are perfect. The yarn! Sea Wool is a teensy bit crunchy while knitting, but softens after blocking to a beautiful fabric.

Also, these socks make me think of Eva Cassidy's beautiful, beautiful cover of Sting's "Fields of Gold." If you haven't heard it, go here to listen. It makes me all kinds of sad and happy.

Now on to a tale of two batteries:

You notice how the one on the right reads, "CR2," while the one on the left clearly reads, "123"? Apparently, I cannot read. I spent $14 buying two of the 123 batteries when what I really needed were two CR2 batteries. $14 is not a huge loss, but it is if I basically just threw it into the trash. It's not even like buying two AA batteries you don't need. You can always find uses for AA batteries. But 123? ARGHHHH.

Anyway, I need the batteries for this:

It's my old Pentax camera. I bought it several years ago from a friend who had no more use for it and then I promptly abandoned it when I realized I really needed a digital camera. This one ain't digital. It's old school and uses film. I don't even know if I remember how to handle film.

I never even learned how to use this thing properly, but my roommate Don is a photographer and he promised to teach me how to work it. That is, if I can ever get my brain straight in the drugstore and buy the proper batteries.

FO: Flowers in the Window Socks

Flowers in the Window Socks
Pattern: Show-Off Stranded Socks by Anne Campbell

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM, Color P530121, 2 skeins
Needles: 1.5 US circs

Have you ever heard the Travis song, "Flowers in the Window"? It's such a great song. I love Travis. I went to see them once in Boston and I have very good memories of that concert.

Anyway, these socks remind me of flowers in a meadow. And all these photos were taken in the window. So it's kind of like having flowers in the window. It's raining a lot here right now and my allergies are acting up, but it's nice to be wearing cushy socks that remind me of flowers.

Koigu is, of course, wonderful. Also, these gussets are charming. Instead of knitting the heel back and forth and then picking up stitches, you're supposed to increase stitches between the heel and instep. When you have enough, you short-row the heel and gusset together and then continue on with the foot. Ingenious! It fits perfectly!

The coolest part is I can add this to Project Spectrum. Yay!

FO: Fuchsia Veroniks

Fuchsia Veronik Socks

Pattern: Socks for Veronik by Mona Schmidt - IK Holiday 2007
Yarn: Artyarns Ultramerino 4
Needles: US 1 circs

I only made one mod: Using a standard go-to toe with matching ssk/k2tog on each side. I got impatient with the idea of the pattern-mimicking toe. If I made these again, I'd go with the patterned toe because I did something weird and the toes are kinda pointy. I'm pretty sure I should have stopped decreasing sooner.

The lovely lace pattern is gorgeous when the sock gets blocked.

These are my first pair of socks in Artyarns Ultramerino 4 and I must say that this is beautiful yarn. It's kind of springy and very soft. We'll see how it holds up. The bottoms of my STR socks have felted a fair bit and I'm a bit worried.

I also purchased this:
Let me start by confessing that I don't particularly enjoy watching Keira Knightley. She is beautiful, to be sure, but there is something very mannered and self-conscious about her performances. Also, I think many people cast her in inappropriate roles because a) she is a movie star and b) she is beautiful and c) she is actually British. There are so few beautiful British movie stars her age (at least ones that are well-known on this side of the Atlantic) that she seems to have cornered the market.

With that said, I went to see this movie in the theater in February. The first third of it completely got to me and all I was thinking was that the pacing was just s'wonderful...

...until the war scenes. Some of my friends have waxed rhapsodic about the war scenes, saying they were truly moved and were brought to tears. I personally am not convinced. The war scenes seemed so abrupt and so out of place. Yes, war is horrible. But the strong points of this story aren't so much about war but about three people who are locked in this miserable struggle for things that they will never obtain. There's one tracking shot in the middle of the movie that really annoyed me when Robbie is on the beach and the camera begins to show us his point of view but then abandons it to whirl around a chorus of soldiers singing. Grar.

But there's a reason I purchased this movie and it's because of its overall effect on me. love Romola Garai and I love the basic ideas of the story. The music is marvelous. I find Keira Knightley perfectly palatable here. And in the end, the film does move me. Now I'm going to have to go ahead and read the book.

Speaking of books, I started a bit of a project.

I can speak Korean thanks to my mother's best efforts, but my reading comprehension and ability are somewhat...slooooooow. Not to mention the blatant atrocity of my spelling. Instead of slogging through workbooks, I decided to read Harry Potter in Korean. I estimate that I read Korean like a first-grader. I'm trying to up it to at least a fifth-grade level. I estimate it will take me at least two months to finish this book, which is only the first half of The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Scattergories & Stashbusting

There are periods in my life when my brain just cannot stay focused. This is one of those times. I've been sweeping out my room and trying to sweep out the dusty corners of my head, but I seem to be making little progress.

I think I've figured out why I have such bad luck with dates. I'm always looking for things that sweep me off my feet in a wave of emotion. I like rushes. I'm a seeker of immediate immersion. Unfortunately, this means that I don't have the patience to stick with something through the slow opening stages. I often read ten pages of a book and put it down for months or knit up half a front of a sweater and put it down for months. Also why I will go on a date and decide within fifteen minutes that I do not want to be there and there is no way on earth that I could ever end up in a meaningful relationship with this person.

This is the play-by-play in my head on a typical date:

Hmmm. I suppose you're empirically attractive, but why have you not shaved? I know you're all artsy and angsty, but that doesn't mean you have to sport perpetual five o'clock shadow, does it? You seem reasonably intelligent. Wait, why are you bringing up your fight with your sister on a first date? Doesn't bode well for my confidence in your ability to keep confidences. At least you're not a picky eater. I hate picky eaters...and now you're pushing all the carrots on your plate into a little bunch and not eating them. Yes, let's move on to movies. You don't like Back to the Future? What?? I'm just beginning to think that men with chest hair should really button that top button. Yes, that unbuttoned button is really starting to distract me. I need another glass of wine. Wiiiine, where are youuuuuu???? Maybe you're funnier when I'm tipsy. Let's try that. Nope. Why has my best friend not texted me about later plans? I may have to enter a convent. My cheeks hurt from forcing myself to smile. God, I am going to grow old and alone and live in a rickety Victorian mansion with only cats for company. I will be surrounded by mountains of stash and pull a Miss Havisham and wear a moldy vintage wedding gown and really mess up a little girl's life by poisoning her mind against evil, evil men.

Whew. Basically at this point in the night, I've decided this will never work. I'd rather read a book. Or knit a sock. Sad little single socks, that is.

Look at them, all alone in the world without a partner. But they are amongst friends, no?

I've also been distracted by more projects. I am a project ho. Fo sho.

It's Ysolda's Rose Red Beret pattern, but I'm making it in an electric purple for a friend. She says it's her favorite color. It's quite electric.

And I was looking through my stash and decided this wonderful Louet MerLin Tristan needed to be knit. It was crying because I'd ignored it for so long.

It's the very humble beginnings of a Gathered Pullover. I never really thought about this pattern until I saw Eunny's (Ravelry link). She used this same yarn and I suddenly knew that I must knit this sweater. It's so beautiful but in a streamlined, subdued kind of way.

The yarn is simply elegant in terms of structure and drape. This pattern calls for a sportweight yarn on a slightly larger-than-normal needle. I got gauge on a US 8. It's perfect for my wandering mind right now.

Look at the little purl bumps. The plies are so pretty. I am trying to think of dating like I think of this project. I thought I knew what I would do with the yarn (Linen Kilt from Knit 2 Together) but ignored its potential and simply let it sit in the stash for almost a year. All at once, an external trigger launched a closer look at the simple beauty of the yarn and I felt that immediate rush. So one day, maybe I will realize that both Mr. Wrong and I deserve a second chance. Here's to wishing.

Lace is All Around Us

I once sat next to a girl in grade school and saw her write down in the margin of her notebook, "I want a dimen necklace." I couldn't find that word in the dictionary and it took me two weeks to realize that it was just the most unusual spelling error I'd ever seen (up until that point). I seriously thought for those two weeks that maybe a "dimen" was some kind of obscure gem that I hadn't heard of.

Speaking of dimens, my Irish Cream diamonds are expanding...


I'm pretty sure this lusciously soft shawl will go to my mother. If she chooses to be unselfish, she can give it to one of her sisters since they all complain that my mom is the only one who got a daughter who knits.

I was unsure of the match between variegated yarn and lace, but I like this project a whole heaping bunch.

Besides a lot of swatches and lonely single socks, I've also got a non-variegated lace project on the needles.

It's the North Sea Shawl from Folk Shawls. It's going pretty quickly and it's for a friend's mom who has been kind to me. The yarn is Jaggerspun Zephyr and it's also my first time working with this stuff. It's a great weight and feels just beautiful. I think I'll skip the middle panel and just use this stitch pattern for the whole bit. The color is actually a maroon and I am not good enough with Photoshop to alter colors yet. Durn. But at least I'm reacquainting myself with lace, which bodes well for the hot summer days ahead.

And some belated thick house socks for Mum:

The main yarn is Artyarns Ultramerino 8 with Karabella Merino Superwash for the toes, heels, and cuffs. I was supposed to make my dad a pair as well, but I need more yarn. But the Artyarns Ultramerino is so squishy that now I'm lusting after a sweater in it.

In Which I Am Bad

I have not finished the pair for the Veronik socks. And yet I cast on for another pair. I am bad.

But it fits so well with Project Spectrum! It's Koigu! OK, I am still bad. But in a good way.

These are green movies. I only own movies that I love, so there are no negative DVD reviews to be had from me. Amelie was one of those movies that I went to see three times in the theater because I loved it so much. I wept a lot. Not just cried; wept. Mostly because I was going through a tough time and it just renewed my faith in beauty. Little Women is still surprisingly good. I thought I'd outgrow it, but that was a foolish thought. How could I outgrow a movie in which a tomboy singes her sister's hair off? Ghost World is just delightful. I especially love the whole "found art" scene. If you have a chance to read the comics, do it. I wouldn't have except my brother is a huge fan of Daniel Clowes and had a bunch of them. Last but not least, I Capture the Castle is one of those rare incidences when I love the movie as much as I love the book. Both are stupendous. Read/watch!

I just realized that chocolate fits in with this round of PS.

At least, that's my excuse. Muahahahahaha.

And I took a photo of the sky behind my parents' house last weekend.

Isn't it marvelous?

Ice, Ice, Baby

This week, winter weather finally decided it would show its face. Unfortunately, the snow hasn't been sticking and I am sad. I'm always sad when it's a snow-less winter. I'm one of those weird people who like blizzards. Maybe I should move to Minnesota, where apparently the temperature hit 40 below zero this week.

I've also been "under the weather." Muahaha. I caught bronchitis two weeks ago and shuffled miserably through a week of fever, chills, dizziness, and the coughing up of lungs. Haven't been that sick in ages. All I could do was fall asleep in front of the TV and pray desperately for the fever to break. I've decided Mucinex is maybe the most useless OTC medication I've ever ingested.

But now that I'm feeling better, thanks to much orange juice and sleep, here's a fine sprinkling of snow from my bedroom window. It ain't much of a view, but us NYC'ers make certain sacrifices.

My poor little camera just couldn't capture the snow as well as I wanted. It's okay. The camera can't help that it's poor and little.

It did, however, capture the ice that's forming on my window ledge.

I heart snow.

Unfortunately, that whole bronchitis issue also left me completely incapable of putting together sentences, walking without holding on to the wall, and picking up my needles. I did not knit for a week and a half straight.

When I picked up the needles again a few days ago, I realized my brain is still not 100% present and I cannot concentrate on anything other than stockinette. Can't do it. So it's the perfect time to make a little striped pullover for my toddler niece. (My family refers to all younger cousins and such as nieces and nephews. She's actually my cousin's daughter.)

It's cotton, since she lives in DC and it will not be very cold for long there. I'm not a huge fan of cotton, but I do see its strong points when it comes to knitting for small children.

I think Caroline needs a reward for drawing this masterpiece last week:

It's her interpretation of VeggieTales when Viking veggies fall into the water and call fo r help. I had no idea it was vegetables at first and was worried that she was drawing people drowning.

Pre-virus, I finished up the first Veronik sock:

Again, second sock syndrome is upon me.

When Knitting Is Painful :-(

Argh. Not too much knitting this week. Had some finishing to do for customers and it cut into my precious hours of knitting time. I did finish one Pomatomus, and I'm experiencing this sad feeling of...well, for lack of more eloquent words, "bleh."

Don't get me wrong. The sock itself is quite pretty. The lace is pretty. All is pretty. But for the first time in my short sock knitting experience, I have no immediate desire to cast on for the second sock. None whatsoever. In general, I'm a little underwhelmed with no understanding as to why I am underwhelmed. I'll try this pattern again in a bit and hope for better rapport with the project.

And then, of course, there's my old nemesis, Mr. Smoke. I tried a few repeats with the Prism lace held alongside Suri Elegance. Again, like the feel of it but underwhelmed by the visual results.

I think the navy alpaca does too good a job muting the handpainted colors of the Prism lace. What to do? Must I rip again? Boo. More tears.

In addition, I started a sock. Veronik's Sock from Interweave Knits' Holiday issue.

It's Artyarns 4 in a brilliant fuchsia color that I love, but...those damn p3togs. Not only are my fingers cramping, but this happened:

My needle is all bent out of shape. Even she objects to p3togs and she doesn't even have nerves.

Aside from knitting, I'm also kind of blown away by the fact that Heath Ledger died this week. I was a huge fan of his work and had spent more time than necessary over the last week watching trailers for The Dark Knight and marveling at his talent. And every time I think of his daughter, I just want to cry.

In Brokeback Mountain, there's a moment when Jack and Ennis have to separate again and Jack says: "There ain't never enough time, never enough..."

For Heath and the brilliance he was starting to exhibit, there certainly wasn't.