Sock it to me!

I have a secret new addiction. Knitted socks. I'm taking a class now, and this is my progress so far:

(Lorna's Laces Shepherds Sock, in Amethyst Stripe)

This is the first sock just past the heel. Thank God I have small feet (like, I can wear children's shoes sometimes small) so I can start on the second one soon.

I'm loving this. I had no idea socks would be this easy, or this addicting. I stocked up on some more Shepherds Sock and Cherry Tree Hill at Knit Happens anniversary sale this weekend, along with a lot of other booty.

I've been searching the web for some funky sock yarns to feed my addiction, and it's amazing to see what's out there. I'm in awe of all the cool self striping yarns and yarns that create their own fair isle patterns. How do they know to create things like this?

Yarn, Yarn, and More Yarn!

Wow, just when I thought nothing could top how perfect last weekend was, this weekend is shaping up even better. It started yesterday when Spring started spring in the DC area. Then last night DH bought me this (since last post was very wordy, this one is going to be very picture-y):

Uh huh... A Palm T/X. This baby is sweet. I can't even articulate myself in it's presence.

Today I had a class at Knit Happens on short rows. Here is the dolly cape that was my FO

While I was at the store I treated myself to some of this

Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace in Georgetown. I've decided that this will be for my first foray into lace, using the pattern that comes inside. I admit I had sticker shock when I first saw it, but it's 1250 yards a skein (the shawl requires one skein)! And in further LL news, my first eBay win arrived on Tuesday

Yup, Lorna's Laces Lion and the Lamb in Gold Hill to make a Clapotis for me! I swear photos cannot do this yarn justice. It is the perfect colorway for me. I am soooooo excited to use this, but at the same time I feel yarn like this should be in a display. I keep on fondling it when I pass it (hey, don't judge, this stuff is super soft).

I really think I have a problem here, I must stop buying more yarn. We're running out of storage space!

Look at the stars

Saturday night I decided to pick up needles for the first time since the Olympics. Something about all that knitting in 16 days really took a lot out of me. I had toyed with picking up the scarf for DH that I had been working on, but working with a pattern just seemed too daunting. I needed simple, pure garter stitch baby. I cast on this for DH:



It's the Mostly Knit Round hat from here, made in Plymouth Encore Colorspun in the Blue/Orange colorway. I finished one for myself a while back, and it's so simple that when I finished I decided I was making a hat, scarf, and mitten set for each of us (mine is in the Ocean colorway and I have yarn in Pink/Black print for another set for me).

Thursday night, DH and I saw Coldplay in concert. They were great, don't get me wrong (although, Fionna Apple who opened, sucked royally. I am astonished how anyone can be that angry). The guys really know how to rock and put on a great show for 90 minutes. That said, it just wasn't the experience I was hoping for. Despite what people are saying on their message boards, I don't feel like they really connected with the audience (fyi: asking a crowd of 20,000 fans if they are "ok" does not mean someone is caring. In fact, given Chris' comments about having difficulty talking because he was drinking lots of tequila the night before shows a huge lack of consideration for his fans).

The highlights for me were:

- the quartet singing "Kingdom Come"/"Ring of Fire" a capella. Who woulda thunk 4 guys from the UK could teach us something about country music?

- for some reason, maybe because the song has always resonated with me, I got teary during the first verse of Clocks.

- I completely flipped when Chris (the birthday boy, btw) ran into the crowd during "In My Place" and was a couple of hundred yards from me! Although, the first thought to DH was, "Why is it Chris, why can't it be Guy?"

- I thought they ended the concert very nicely with "Fix You." It's such an beautiful song, and the guys and the audience really gave it their all. A note to the band, lose the lightbulb. The effect was much better in the video.

Don't hate - I still love the guys and they've been the only thing on my iPod since last week, but I think they still have a long way to go. My only other comment before I bring you back to your regularly scheduled knitting blog is that Coldplay are sizeist bastards. Nowwhere in the MCI (Verizon) Center could you find a shirt larger than an XL. And I know I wasn't the only one hurting about that.

BTW, where does a band get off practically forcing you to sign a Make Trade Fair petition and then charging $40 for a t-shirt?!?

Finished!

I did it! I finished while watching the closing ceremonies Sunday night. I lost way to much time this weekend since my folks were in. We had a great time seeing the sites around town, and I did get more knitting in then I expected, but once they left Sunday I put in a huge final push. I started to worry Sunday evening when DH was too sick to go grocery shopping, leaving me to do it myself, but I still managed. Once it was all over I understood why athletes always collapse once they cross the finish line. One wrist ached, the other elbow hurt, and my lower back was killing me.

The experience was worth all the pain. The feeling I had as I bound off the last stitches was unbelievable. Despite having a goal, I really didn't think I'd make it, especially as the end neared.

The pattern is wonderful. The straight sections do get to be a bit much after a while, but it (obviously) does knit up pretty quickly. The yarn was awful. I must have had a lapse of sanity when I ordered, because the cotton was such a pain (literally and figuratively). It had no give to it, making all those increases really difficult. That said, I've already lined up yarn (Lorna's Laces Lion and the Lamb) to make one for myself, since this one is going to my mother.

A few more pictures

detail of the drop stitches

and more dropped stitches.

hehe! I'm an Olympian!

Checking in on our athlete...

I'm really starting to think I'm not going to a gold, but that's ok. I've still challenged myself beyond my wildest knitting dreams, and DH has promised he will make me a special button should I not finish by Sunday. Here are the two latest pictures



Thats ten stitches dropped. This thing is driving me crazy. Can you believe I'm thinking about making another one?

An Olympic Update

I am almost 1/2 with the Clap, at about the 1/2 point of the Olympics. Not bad, eh? Here's the latest pic. That's 4 dropped stitches, and just over 220 yards of yarn.

I really better get cracking tomorrow and Monday, since there is more than the gold at stake. My folks are coming to visit next weekend, and since this is for Mom, I'd like to be able to give it to her (fully blocked) when they are here.

I have also officially joined Team Clapotis for the KO. I was feeling rather alone in my project until I found them. I can't believe how many of the knitters have already finished - I really must get working!

Off the deep end

It was a moment we'll tell the grandkids about.

"Remember back in 06 when Granny Princess' knitting got the best of her?"

According to MapQuest it's just under 30 miles from home to work. This evening, DH and I got about 15 miles in when I realized I left Clapotis at the office. Discussion ensued; do we return or do we go home. We tore apart the car looking for it to no avail. I did the math today at work and calculated that I need to knit at least 18 rows each day in order to get the gold. I've knit five yesterday and today (work takes too much time away...). What's a knitter to do?

I tossed common sense to the wind, and turned the car around. If it was ordinary knitting I could have managed for a night. There's plenty of yarn at home, and I could probably use a night off. Working under a time constraint is another issue all together.

Tonight, my DH got the best Valentine's gift ever... his first acceptance letter to law school! I am so proud I could burst.