I’m here. Honest I am. But here is a relative thing… The here where I currently am is not exactly experiencing reliable Internet connection time. We were down almost all day yesterday, and up and down a lot the day before that, so I hesitate to type much, in fear of losing it. I’ll post more later, when I’m more certain of the connection.
Bet you didn’t think I’d actually get this done today, did you. That makes two of us. I think you’ve already seen the pictures I have of this sweater, but if you want to see them in one place, or if by any chance you’d like to get your hands on a copy of this pattern, please visit my pattern shop.
I still don’t have any current knitting pictures for you. I think I knit a whole two or three rounds on my sleeve yesterday. I was just too tired to knit. Don’t you hate it when that happens?
Without any effort (yesterday, anyway) on my part, I did make progress on Syncopation: I got the edits back from my tech editor. Hooray! I was awake enough to realize that I’d probably completely mess up the pattern, if I tried to incorporate those edits yesterday, so after printing them out I put them aside. After finishing up this blog post, those edits are the very next thing on my to-do list. Once those are done, and my test knitter finishes up (she’s almost done), then I’ll be able to release the pattern. I’m hoping to get it out either today or tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.
The four lace patterns that I sold to Elann recently showed up on their web site. They are to be found under Fiber Dreams when searching the pattern database for a specific designer, under shawls, and on the What’s New page. You may have to scroll down a little to see them.
Have you seen it yet? Twist Collective published their winter issue yesterday. There’s some great stuff in it this time.
Dee over at Posh Yarn announced this morning that their mitten kits are ready. They’ll be taking orders for them on Sunday. The colors are glorious. My favorites are Pansies and Fairground.
Shock of the century, I actually slept last night. I was rudely awoken, though, at about 5 am by a sudden gust from the Santa Ana winds. Drat. I jumped out of bed and ran around the house closing windows. You should have seen the family room. Newspapers everywhere. Got back in bed, but gave it up less than half an hour later. Stupid winds. I’m feeling a bit better today than yesterday, but am still lacking in sleep. Hope to catch up a bit more tonight. I sure hope I’m awake enough this afternoon to knit. I have a lot to do.
Edited to add: Check out these moon shots that Dave found. Someone took these photos with his camera.
Yup. Again. Yes, I removed the green background from both sidebars. There’s a light green line now between the left-most sidebar and the posts. I might make it a little darker. I tried having it the same color as the green text, but that was too much. Much too much.
I found new gallery software, so I finally have a gallery again. It’s been what? eleven months? Gads. So far the only images in the gallery are the ones that were there in January. I obviously have a lot of updating to do, but it’s a start. Speaking of the gallery software, it came with this fun little sidebar widget that cycles through all the photos in whatever folder I want. Do you like it? I’m not sure if I do or not. Is it too distracting? Oh, you need to have Flash Player installed for it to run. I don’t really know what it does, if you don’t have Flash. I think it displays a message, but since I have Flash I can’t tell for sure. The mini slide show will get better when I put more photos in that folder.
I promise to have more knitting content for you soon. I’ve been working on a secret project since Saturday, but except for blocking the knitting is done. Unless I decide to knit another size in another yarn. We’ll see. I’m finally back on the first sleeve for the West Coast Swing cardigan. I’m about half way back to where I was when I ripped it out the first time. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
So that you have something to look at, here’s an old picture of Ricki sleeping in my favorite position: face plant.
There are plenty of other things I should be doing, but my brain doesn’t seem to be functioning this morning. Probably has something to do with the split-shifts I’ve been pulling on the sleeping thing the last couple of days. You know, where you go to bed, fall asleep, then wake up a few hours later, wide awake, can’t go back to sleep, give up, get up, work a bit, then head back to bed about the time the sun is coming up.
I’m here at my desk with no clear reason why, just knowing I should be, that I have things to do, but instead of doing those things, since I can’t think of what they are, I’m tinkering. I put a little color behind my sidebar. I’m not sure if I like it or not. What do you think? Should I lighten the green? Go back to a pure white sidebar? I’m undecided. I’ll let it go for a little bit, see how I feel about it later.
While I was up in the middle of the night I created a knitting needle size chart, and put it on in my pattern shop. It’s there under the Information menu. I’ve discovered that I frequently need to know the metric size of a needle, or I have a metric size in hand, and want to know what that really means. Having grown up on the U.S. needle size system, I find that I’m stuck with it. Now I won’t have to search the Internet, looking for sizes. I know where to find them. I hope that you’ll find that list helpful, too.
My shawl stick arrived on Monday. You know, the one I ordered on November 6. It’s been less than a week, and it’s in my hand. It arrived in a nice box, too, suitable for gift giving. I’m not sure how they’re producing these things so inexpensively, but the stick is very nice. I’ll take a picture of it for you later. I’d do it now, but it seems like so much trouble, and I’m tired. Maybe what I really need to do for the rest of the day is knit. And consume more caffeine.
You’ve already seen all the pictures I have of these socks, but if you want to see them in one place, or if by any chance you’d like to get your hands on a copy of this pattern, please visit my pattern shop.
Anne had a wine and dye party at her house on Saturday. I didn’t think I was going to be able to go at first, but then at the last minute my schedule miraculously cleared itself, so I went. I was late, so though there was still plenty of food, it was a bit ravaged.
Here are Anne and Sandy (sadly blogless) looking into their pots of yarn and color. A lot of us had never done this before. Anne was great at leading everyone through it. So far I’ve only seen Sandy’s and Amanda’s (also blogless!) finished, dry yarn. Both turned out beautifully! You’d never know it was their first attempt at this.
What about my yarn, you ask? I didn’t dye any. I don’t own any white wool! Clearly I’m going to have to get my hands on some before Anne’s next party. Instead, I talked, knit a little, and had some lovely red wine.
In honor of today’s holiday, check out Google’s logo. I thought I’d also share this classic.
In Flanders’ Fields
by Lt.-Col. John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
My little sock-naming poll got a lot of attention last week: 53 votes! Thank you one and all for helping me to decide the name of my new sock pattern. The clear winner with 33 votes is Kicking Leaves. The runner up was Autumn Trails with a mere ten votes. What’s more, I like the name Kicking Leaves, so that’s what the sock will be called. My test knitter is done with me. I’m having one more person read over the pattern, just because, then I’ve to add some real photos to it instead of the place holders that are there now—hopefully the pattern will be released within the next couple of days. I’ll post here when it’s ready for you.
  
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Nicole posed for a few shots with the Flower Faire scarf. The scarf looks so much better when worn than when spread out on the dining room table or on a chair. I’ll get these new photos uploaded to my pattern shop and to Ravelry as soon as I’m done with this post.
   
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I pulled Nicole out of her corner the other day, draped a cream-colored sheet over her, and had her pose for some shots with a couple of my shawls. In the Woods looks better than ever when on a proper model, instead of in front of the glass bricks, or on the table. Don’t you think?
   
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Be sure to vote for your favorite sock name before midnight (Pacific time) tonight. As of this moment, 50 people have voted. Awesome.
I took a moment to read Wendy’s most recent post this morning, and saw that there’s going to be a knitting exhibit up in Minneapolis starting in January. Sure wish I could go. The exhibit features the Swedish sweater style known as Bohus Stickning. Knitting one of those sweaters is on my “some day” list. They’re gorgeous.
Sorry this post is so short. Must get back to work. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
Edited to add a picture of my furry helper, who’s getting her winter coat.
It seems like it’s been forever since I posted—only the one post on Monday this week. Pathetic. It’s been a busy week. I’ve been getting patterns and revisions into the hands of my test knitters, knitting, running errands, voting, trying to make hotel and airline reservations for stuff in January (some of these attempts have been more successful than others, and this process still isn’t done), and all sorts of things.
Yesterday I ripped out the sleeve for my cardigan. Gone. I’ll be starting over with more stitches than I had the first go-round, and knitting an additional row between increase rows to lengthen the arm a bit.
I’ve been going to town on the latest pair of socks, the ones that still don’t have a name. After asking here and elsewhere, I came up with a list of possible names for this sock, which are all listed below in alphabetic order. If you select Other, kindly let me know in the comments what name you think works well for this sock. The poll closes at midnight Friday, Pacific time, so be sure to get your vote in by then.
Panda Silk sock name
Total Voters: 53
Loading …These are the most recent pictures of the sock pattern. As you can see, I have completed the first sock. Actually, the second sock is more than half way done, and my test knitter is up to the heel on hers already.
   
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Cindi (sadly blogless, but on Ravelry), a dear friend from Monday night knitting, has decided that lace knitting just isn’t for her. Sad, but it’s not for everyone. She brought along these two hanks of Malabrigo Lace in Burgundy on Monday, and I bought them from her. Isn’t it gorgeous? Fabulous color. Thanks, Cindi!
Jocelyn and I were talking recently about knitting needles. Her favorite DPNs are from Celtic Swan. They forge their knitting needles (crochet hooks, shawl pins, etc.) out of sterling silver and bronze, and where appropriate, like at the end of straight needles, they add gemstones. These beauties are not cheap, but Jocelyn definitely thinks they’re worth saving up for.
On the other end of the spectrum, I discovered wood shawl pins from Knitcellaneous. I had to order one, a Wiggle in the darkest color. It was only $5.00, plus a minimal amount for shipping. I’m hoping it will be here soon. Fingers crossed.
Me: 
