Friday, June 23, 2006

Tomorrow morning I'm leaving, bright and early, and won't be back for 5 weeks. I'm going to this cool summer program where I get to study cultural anthropology, make friends, and do lots of other crazy things, but part of it is that we can't leave the college campus for the whole time except for field trips. That means no updates or progress pics until August (unless, that is, I magically acquire access to a digital camera). I shall miss ye faithful bloggers, and the not-so-faithful ones as well. Of course I'll bring lots of knitting!

P.S. I got my driver's license. I look like such a dork in the picture.

P.P.S. Everyone who reads this should buy a copy of Anushka's Shock Paper Scissors. Seriously. I don't have one (yet), but it just came out and it looks freakin' awesome.

posted by Sally Sue @ 9:30 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

I'm a good girl. Here's why:
1. I totally made that deadline on submitting patterns to SnB.
2. I sent my swap package early! I really hope my partner likes everything.
3. This:
















Yeah, I cast on for the second sock right away! Go me!! Hmm... I guess I never blogged about the first sock. I think overall I'm getting better at making socks, even though this one has a hell of a lot of imperfections. It was my first time doing short rows instead of a heel flap, and I like the shape a lot better than the squareness of those silly little flaps. Still not perfectly devoid of holes, though. How do you get those dumb holes on the corners between the heel and the rest of the sock to go away?
Anyway, I'm proud of this one despite its flaws, especially the toe--I successfully did short rows in a movie theatre, and grafted the toe in the car ride home to boot. (Granted I had to frog a few times along the way, but hey, it was dark and I was making it up as I went along.)
I like this sock. It reminds me of mint, and the worsted weight wool makes it very warm. (Can't wait until the temperature dips below 80 so I can finally wear them!)

My other WIP right now (God, it's weird to say "other" like that... I have been so dedicated to only two projects at a time this summer!) is that rainbow tote I've been talking about making.






















So far I'm really digging this project. I was anxious to see what the yarn would do when knit up; I think I like what's going on now. I wish there was more pooling on the bottom though. That's right--I love pooling! To be totally honest, I hate those variegated yarns that do nothing when they knit up besides make a mixed, random mess of too many colors at once. I hate them. I like to see each and every color matched up with itself and organized, but stripes can get boring. I love how this is looking more and more like tie-dye, and I hope it stays this cool throughout the bag!! ::nervous squeal::

I love the suspense knitting gives me, which is probably the major reason why I don't use patterns, measure yardage, check gauge, or get too visionary early in a project.

Story time...
Today I went to my LYS in search of Cascade Fixation (cotton/elastic blend I plan to use for socks or a summer top, or both). Unfortunately they don't carry it at the Knit Nook, so I'm going to call Close Knit Cafe tomorrow and ask them if they do. Anyway, while we were there, ogling the miniscule $11 balls of Rowan fancypants soft stuff, my mom (who is thankfully more extroverted than I) told the woman there about how I make up patterns and asked her if they'd ever need any help in the shop. The woman there said that, come fall, they would be delighted to have me knit stuff for them to put on display, sell patterns, or just come in and help them run the store. Imagine getting paid to knit and stare at shelves full of yarn! I practically had a joygasm as I left my name and phone number. I hope it works out.

posted by Sally Sue @ 9:05 PM 5 comments

Monday, June 12, 2006

My early birthday present from my wonderful grandma was a trip to Joann's. Oh, how well she knows me... (My aunts do too; one got me a beautiful bag for my stash while the other got me a festive monkey tape measure!)
I got new needles and some soft yarn for a nice summer top. You can't go wrong with primary colors...























Later, feeling bad for not getting me any fancy expensive stuff (?!?), my grandma actually let me get into her stash! I took away some odds and ends she won't use anytime soon, since she is currently stuck crocheting millions of identical angels for the hospital out of tatting thread. ::shudder::



















They're mostly just scraps, but that blue-green will be great for socks; it's so light and incredibly stretchy. And that orange is fabulously tasty. She said she has no idea where it came from, but the weight varies so much I swear it had to be spun by hand. At any rate, it's all lovely, lovely yarn.

Guess what else we found in the basement...

My great-great grandmother made this little bag. Unfortunately, it's all torn up at the bottom and all the stitches need to be picked up. :( I have no idea how I'd even begin to do that, but if my grandma comes across any more of that yarn we're going to try. It's so beautiful.

My grandma told me that the next time she sees me I "better be wearing a new creation!" She showed off pictures of my prom dress and everything to her friends and she got mad that I didn't bring any new FOs on this visit. :D

Latley all I've been working on is swap stuff, and learning how to drive. Oh, except, except--!--you know Knitta Please? Well, I'm totally ripping their idea off and tagging my city with cool knitted graffiti!! I've left multicolored garters on two metal poles so far (not enough time for a whole stop sign sweater just yet), but I'm looking to add plenty more. I wish I had pictures, but I just don't think to bring my camera places like I think to bring my needles.

This has gotten long and haphazard enough for one post, so I suppose I'll leave you with the wonders of Easter egg dye.



































posted by Sally Sue @ 8:52 PM 5 comments

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

I've encountered a dilemma.
Y'know how I was working on a certain pattern? And how it was, once written out completely and flawlessly, going to be submitted to Knitty.com?
Well, I've discovered something better for which this pattern shall be equally appropriate:
DEBBIE STOLLER'S NEW BOOK.

Yeah, she's writing another one; isn't that crazy? And freaking exciting?
Here's the problematic part of it--pattern submissions are due June 19th, twelve days before I was originally expecting to have this work complete. So here's the plan:
I take my three (yes, now three) samples and analyze them with such focus and involvement that I discover that none of them is salvagable any longer, cast on for a final one and cram like a big fat Christmas has unexpectedly strolled into the middle of summer and sat on my future.

Because here's my logic--although the most popular free online knitting magazine probably reaches a wider audience than that-lady's-fourth-book-now-and-when-is-she-going-to-stop, (not that I ever want her to) a book is concrete, and a much more serious goal. I've never had my name printed in a book before. The mere (irrational) daydream of all the hundreds of knitters flipping through a book and seeing something I created makes my ego's mouth water.
It's like applying to Cornell when I know I'm probably just going to go to Eastern Kentucky University. There's always that glimmering, wishful vision.
And, of course, when the magnanimous Debbie Stoller inevitably ignores my work, there will always be the winter issue of Knitty. (And when it's turned down by them, well, there's always... wait, what does come after that? Janky, halfass-d.i.y'ed self-publishing and no purchasers? Oh, God, let me get into that book.)

posted by Sally Sue @ 12:23 AM 5 comments