My Old Kentucky Home....

I'm going on vacation! DH and I are finally going back to Kentucky and Tennessee to see family and friends. I'll try to post from the road, but we'll see how that goes.... I'll be taking some travel knitting. I think I'll be making more snowflakes on this trip. Probably take some socks, as well. KittySperk will be staying here with kittysitters, Jennifer and Natalie! Here they are on one of our "fiber nights".


We were playing with my drumcarder. Just so they don't kill me for posting a picture of them without having them check it out first...

Humiliating picture of me! Yay! Drum carded Marge Simpson hair! Here, let me show you what Punkinhead is in for while we're gone....

Doesn't look like he likes them one bit, does it? Something tells me he's not going to miss us too much. He's sporting a ball-band dishcloth, by the way.

Bye!

Variegated Hell

So, have you ever started a project, knowing full well that it was too intricate a pattern to show up in a variegated yarn, and yet you said to yourself, "Nah! It'll be alright?" Did you then work on said project for way too long, until there was no turning back, only to find that you were indeed right the first time, it looks like hell in the despicable variegated yarn you chose? Weeeelllll, then, you are not alone, for, I, despite the pricking in the back of my mind, did choose to knit the splendiforous, Peacock Shawl, in Turquoise Splendor Shimmer, from KnitPicks. Now, granted, in and of itself, this yarn is soft, lovely and truly shimmering with rich color. Oh, but paired with the complexity of the lace pattern which is the Peacock, it is as awkward as teats on a boar hog. Have a look yourself....

See what I mean? I am thinking that my only recourse is to overdye it. What do you think? Any suggestions? I believe that it is only the light bits that vex me so. Arrgh! I am almost to the last chart, too.

This brings me to one of the reasons why I started this blog. Confession time. I have the unfortunate habit of knitting full speed ahead on a project, until I see the finish line hovering close, then, suddenly, I lose interest and start another project that I think is more exciting at the moment. Hence, I have way too many UFO's, or more kindly, WIP's, in various stages of completion, some, so close to finished, it ain't funny! I have one sweater that is close to 10 years in the making!!! The shame!!!

Here's what I thought: If I started a blog, and posted photos of all of these projects, that maybe you all out there, would inspire/ridicule me into finishing them before all is lost. Then again, I may find out that there are many more like me out there, heh heh, like, I'm ok, you're ok....come to think of it, I have been looking around on Ravelry... heh heh heh....

So, anyway, if you have ever started a variegated project against your better judgement, like I was sayin' before. Have you, then, ever gone and done it again? Take a look.

This unrecognizable mess is supposed to be the Gothic Spires Socks by Cookie A.! I am frogging these back immediately! I started these with Lornas Laces (Embers colorway?). Beautiful yarn, but not for this project. If I'm going to put in all the extra effort with the wrapped stitches and all, I need to do it in a solid color yarn, so it will show. Let's hope I learn from my mistakes.

The sleep of someone who always finishes what he sets out to accomplish. Sigh.

New stuff!

I picked this up at the Borders, yesterday, and DH got a couple more western dvd's for his collection. We watched the westerns, but I still haven't had the chance to delve into Laurie Perry's, aka Crazy Aunt Purl's, book, past the first few pages. I tell ya, I love her wit and Southern wisdom. She's also got some great little patterns in the back half of the book. I'll tell you more about them after I read the rest, but there are several I'd like to make.

I discovered Laurie's blog some time ago. It must have been almost a year after she started writing. I remember that I stayed up late, started from the beginning of her blog and read straight through it, devouring every entry. Her situation and witty/conversational writing style just captivated me. I can't wait to let y'all know what I think of her book.

We're going on vacation, soon, DH and I. We're going to go visit family and friends back in Kentucky and Tennessee, where we used to live. We've been out here in Southeastern VA for almost three years now, and it still doesn't feel like home. We haven't been back, since. I can't wait to go, but I'm afraid I won't want to return! Anyway, If I don't finish the book beforehand, I'll take it with me, and I will let you know what I think.

Stop the presses for a new taste sensation!!!!

Just got creative with the midnight snackin'. Ak-mak crackers, which are delicious, by the way, boursin cheese spread and grape tomatoes! I highly recommend this combination after a night of colonial dancing. Yep, that's what I've been up to.

And what else? More recyclable sweaters! Two 100% wool and one wool/cashmere blend (the red). I'll be burning up the niddy noddy soon.

Next post will have knitting content, I promise! I will let you in on all my knitting dilemma's. Stay tuned.... Oh, and look! My recycled angora yarn has been put to good use. Purrfect little Kitty pillows. He's so content, he's snoring! Good night all!

Sock Wars Casualty!

I have finally met my demise. Look what I found in the mail, yesterday! Check out the awesome card.

Scar socks in the awesome colorway, Tidepool, dyed and knitted by none other than my assassin, Laura, from Drooling Over Yarn! After wrestling them away from Punkinhead...

... I put them on! Rich, gorgeous color! Buttery soft merino and shimmery bamboo! Comfy and squishy! I love the pooling on the left sock, especially. Aren't they lovely?

And, if that wasn't enough, beautiful, beaded stitch markers that match!

Thank you sooooo much, Laura! I love everything! I never thought I would be so happy to meet my demise! The rest of you, check out Laura's etsy store, where she has other gorgeous, one-of-a-kind yarn like this for sale. I've been doing some looking, myself. I do have a birthday coming up in exactly three weeks...heh...heh...heh....

You know, Sock Wars 2 is the first knitting exchange I've ever participated in. I've indulged in knit-a-longs, but never anything like this. I really had a great time, and I'm sure this won't be the last time I join in.

Hmmm...seems like the appropriate place to end this post, but I don't want to stop writing! I tell you what, I'll end this one, here, but I just might go right on ahead and start another! There are no rules here at KnitPox!

Mel's Stole

My last, finished, knitted object was the Myrtle Leaf Stole from Victorian Lace Today. I made it especially for my friend Melanie, as a wedding gift. She is a beautiful, intelligent and talented person. Can I tell you how proud I was to see her wear this at her reception in New York. It looked incredible on her, with her gorgeous wedding gown. She has since gone back to France, where she lives with her new DH, who is a physicist, at CERN, in Switzerland. Miss you, Mel!

Win a Battle, Lose a War...

Ahh, the socks, Scar. Innocent looking, aren't they?


They were sent off to their destination today, honing in on the kill. As they are nearing my victim, I am aware of another pair of socks, launched today, as well, approaching me quickly...silently...with grim purpose...to ensure my inevitable demise. I can't wait!

My assassin is Laura from, http://droolingoveryarn.blogspot.com/. She has an etsy shop, as well as her blog, and dyes beautiful yarn colorways. I'll be posting photos of the weapons of my destruction when they arrive. I'm so excited!

Punkinhead says: Rest in peace, Jess. Heh heh heh....

Sock Wars!

I am working on my woolen weapon. Lookout, "J". Heh heh heh. I am not posting a picture of my arsenal, so the amount of my progress remains a secret. I am under a disadvantage, though. I work Friday nights and weekends! I am behind, but I am determined....

The pattern for Sock Wars is a really fun, fast knit. I am going to have to make more of these.

But, now, back to the war. Fix bayonets!

"J", will this be you?


Drat, that Karen! Even in a fiber coma she still looks great!

Virginia Fiber Fest

This was the start of my post written yesterday. (Ha! Now two days ago!)

[It's supposed to be cooler tomorrow. Finally! I am out here on our deck, in the dark, with the stars, hoping to feel the chill air that is supposed to be moving in overnight. It is still not cool enough for me to want more than my short sleeved shirt, but, it's supposed to be coming. I am warm by nature anyway, but, I think it's cooler. It smells wonderful out here. I swear that I smell jasmine. Maybe someone has a night-blooming jasmine out here in the neighborhood somewhere. Do they bloom this late? (Ha! Yes, they do! I googled, and it seems they bloom several times before the first frost.) There is a delicious smell of late summer out here, earth, mixed with the scent of my shampoo, and a noticeable absence of mosquitoes. I hear insects and frogs.

I am in awe of bloggers that manage to post an entry every day. I really want to be one of them, but since I started this blog, I have been less than prolific. I have made excuses for myself. Work, projects, friends, Ravelry.... But, I know that everyone has busy lives. The bloggers that post every day have lives as busy as mine. I think they are just able to manage their time better. My last post intimated that I would explain why I decided to start a blog. It also intimated that I would post the next day. That didn't happen. I admit, I am a procrastinator.]

And, then...I promptly fell asleep...outside, on my deck, in the dark, with my laptop. My dh had gone to bed earlier. I might have been out there all night, if KittySperk hadn't been out there with me. I woke up with the little orange fellow on my lap, staring intently at my face. So, I saved what I had written and groggily stumbled away to bed.

Saturday, I went to the Virginia Fiber Fest at Montpelier. It was a hot and dusty day, very different from the mud fest of last year. I made the journey with three fiber fiends, I mean, friends, (Natalie, Jennifer and Karen), and we had our very own driver, (Jennifer's dh, Jim).

We had a great time. I've gone for the past three years and it seems that I always come home with an amazing bargain or something that I really wanted. The first year it was three Starmore books at an unbelievable price, last year it was a drum carder, and this year...

Look!

I came home with a Spriggs triangle loom! That's Natalie, Karen and I on our first trip to the car with our treasures, on Saturday. (This is where I fell asleep last night. So, I am just going to finish this quickly and post it before I succumb to the zzzz's again.)

By Wednesday, I had two new shawls, woven from my handspun. This one was woven from my first fleece that I spun up, oh, seven, eight years ago. It's lovely grey Romney wool.


The second one was from some pre-carded top and roving, with a little gaudy ladder yarn stuck in for fun. What a great way to use up handspun yarn. I can't really knit it up fast enough. With the tri-loom you get something wearable or giftable so quickly. I've been having a great time.


I am posting this before I fall asleep! I will try to finish what I set out to write, on the morrow. Of course...now Sock Wars have started....