Squeeeee!

Translation: It's STR Rockin' Sock Club kit time!

I know not everyone got their kit yet so I've put up a couple non-sock club pics first (still STR though) so don't scroll down too far!

First up - my Monkey Kaw Kaw sock! I used the Channel Island cast on we learned in JC Briar's class at Sock Camp, 'cept I accidently used size 3 (3.25 mm) needles instead of size "1.5" (2.50 mm) needles. I figured it would be okay to just switch to the smaller needles and knit on. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying attention and didn't switch both circular needles so the first 3 rounds of the cuff are done half on size 1.5's and the other half on size 3's. The difference in gauge was so obviously (tapmouse noted it right away!) but it took me awhile to figure it out 'cause when first compared the diameters of the needles I, of course, grabbed the ones on the same circular. Doh!


And no, all this gorgeous heavyweight STR isn't mine! I volunteered to coordinate one of the charity blankets when Tina asked on the sock club blog. And actually, Tina sent enough yarn for 2 blankets, so I'm plotting to figure out how to get as many SF Bay Area STR knitters (not necessarily just the sock club members) to join in the fun.

Tapmouse and I had fun configuring the 2 blanket combinations and I thought I had them memorized, but maybe not. The fun in it is that it doesn't matter as these 8 colors will be great in any combination of four.

Top row: Little Boy Blue, Sapphire, Love-In-Idleness, and Eggplanted
Bottom row: Mr Green Jeans, Jade, Thistle, and Count Cluckula


So...our May Socks that Rock Rockin' Sock Club kit:


A fabulous colorway and a fabulous design by one of my favorite sock designers! Woohoo!


"Purple Math" anyone?

finished Marilinda pair

Since our Memorial Day weekend was spent indoors up in the Sierras due to the rain, I finally finished my Marilinda pair:


Scout's June 2007 Indie Swag Club kit
pattern: Marilinda by Cookie A
yarn: Scout's Swag BFL in Kizkalesi
pattern size: large because I had a smaller gauge than called for (9 spi)
needles: KP Harmony dpns 2.25 mm

I enjoyed the challenge of the pattern, but I didn't enjoy knitting the yarn so much. The virtues of BFL sock yarn are probably posted & written about elsewhere, so I'm sure it'll wear well. I guess I'm too used to squishy sproingy sock yarns lately.


And Monkey1 can finally stop saying she's embarassed that her Edward Monkey is nekkid. I finally knit him a sweater from some of the STR heavyweight we used in Sock Camp. But just as soon as I finished the sweater, my little task manager asked for a scarf, so I used the STR Sock Candy in navy that came with my Sock Camp homework assignment. Monkey1 is happy for now, but I still have to knit Edward his socks at some point.

A pair of Leaflings

These were totally quick to knit. My typical sock pose:

I don't know why I do that sock pose 'cause it just makes my large calves look even larger. But if I really cared, I'd pose my feet differently. But I did want to show the shaped toe option:


Shaped toes are fun, especially when someone (like the designer) does the math for me. At one time I was going to do Suzanne's neat toe option, but in my focus to finish the pair before our next Rockin' Sock Club kit came in the mail, I forgot about it. It's too bad 'cause Suzanne's modification is really cool-looking.


And hopefully there isn't anyone else in the Woolgirl Hello Kitty sock club or if they are, they've go their kit already or don't read my blog since I totally blew off the spoiler alert warning. But since I won't put the pic up in my Ravelry stash 'til later this week, I should be okay. If not, my bad.

And the total non-sequitur shot of one of my Handmaiden Casbah skeins I bought at Purlescence Yarns. I had intended to post this as a YPF last Friday, but I accidently deleted it and was too lazy to add it back in. Anyway, so, so yummylicious! The other skein is green and would've been too-too Christmasy if I took a pic of both skeins together. The green skein will become socks, but this lovely skein will become a cowl. Since I chopped a good chunk of my hair and my neck is now exposed, it'll need some protection on those foggy mornings and cool winter days.

I've been good about not winding it up and casting on right away, but I don't think I will be able to resist the urge too much longer.

Green & teal

I don't have second sock syndrome with my Marilinda as I have cast on for the second sock, but I simply needed a break from the very thin strong BFL yarn. So back to my STR comfort knitting. The May STR sock club kit is being mailed out this week so I figure I should at least get one of my March kit socks done.

yarn: Socks that Rock medium weight in Lucky
pattern: Leafling by JC Briar based on Cat Bordhi's sock architechture (cuff down though)
pattern size: small
needle size: 2.50 mm KP circs

I have a gauge of 8 spi on the size 1.5's which is why the sizing confounded me. I should've been able to knit the "medium" since I thought my tighter gauge would compensate for the larger socks Cat's sock-itechture seems to produce, but I was wrong. The medium was still a bit too loose, especially the cuff, so I went down to the small size.

You can't tell since I'm not modelling the sock (still a wee bit too warm), but I also went for the shaped toe option in the pattern and so this the right sock.


But before I started (& finished) my first Leafling (gotta love STR medium weight for fast socks), I finished the front piece of my Grace sweater. I love how this pattern has all the shaping & decreases all charted out so there's no note-taking or thinking about balancing & reversing any shaping. So easy, but I haven't been motivated enough to focus on this sweater. I think if I did I would've been able to churn it out much faster than I have.

Meme time

I got tagged by Tan, a fellow STR/Wollmeise-aholic.

"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer."

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

Moving from our starter house in a different county (much hotter in the summer, much cooler & foggier in the winter), to our "new" larger home in his home county where we still live now. After we moved, DH's back gave out as we used our own manual labor (& a few of our friends) to truck our boxes, furniture, and hot tub.

The hot tub probably did it as there was only DH, his under 5' tall buddy, our soon-to-be ex-neighbor (thankfully taller than me, but still shorter than DH), and me to roll it sideways to get it to fit through the side gate to our new backyard. It was quite the comical scene to our neighbors, I'm sure. Not so funny later.

DH vowed we would never ever move again. Well, at the very least, vowed to shell out the money to hire movers to move our stuff. The hot tub - it died, so no more moving that ancient monstrosity. DH had much stronger friends load it on a truck & send it to the proper disposal facility.

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

- Exchange an undereye concealer at my local MAC counter - the MA gave me one that was much too light. Ironic since she typed me w/a foundation that was 1/2-1 shade too dark.
- Take the monkeys to their favorite ice cream place today (initials B&R with the number 31) and our local pool. Not as hot as Thursday, but it'll be warm enough.
- Finish one Leafling sock (more about this a separate post)
- Buy more $0.01 stamps. DH & I were caught off-guard with the rate increase.
- Start the weekly laundry chore.

3. Snacks I enjoy:

- Chocolate...whatever - almost all forms of chocolate
- Wasabi pumpkin seeds - I blame tapmouse for this one. Yum!
- Li hing cranberries - dried cranberries coated with a Chinese sweet spice powder which is normally used over dried plums (li hing mui)
- popcorn mixed with kaki mochi (crackers)

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

On the uber shallow side:
- Buy a tropical island like my makeup artist idol, Francois Nars. Who wouldn't want to languish indolently in a beach lounge chair (or hammock - whatever floats one's boat), on a pristine sandy beach listening to the soothing waves of the Pacific Ocean with the trade winds ruffling one's hair?

More seriously:
- I'd more likely buy a home in Hawaii and move back.
- Set up members of my family so they don't have to worry about the cost of just living.
- Donate a heck of a lot more to my favorite charities than I can give now.
- Invest in a company (or more than one) that can R&D or engineer more solutions to the environmental mess we've placed ourselves in.

5. Places I have lived:

Philippines, Hawaii, California (notice the eastward trend?)

6. Peeps I want to know more about:

Cockeyed - one of our beloved Sockateers!
Adrienne - just cuz
Cupcake Faerie - a fellow STR Sock Camper (keeping to the STR theme)
IrishgirlieKnits - 'cause it'll be fun to have you play

Marilinda

I'm waiting to start a super secret project, so in the meantime I decided to work on my WIP's rather than start my Monkey Kaw Kaws.


Pattern: Marilinda by Cookie A originally for Scout's Indie Swag club
Yarn: Scout's Swag BFL in Kizkalesi - the yarn that came with the club pattern
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony 2.25 mm (size 1)
pattern size: large because my gauge was smaller at 9 spi


I also finished my "gauge scarf" from Camp Crows Feet. It essentially reinforced the fact that I do not like to knit medium weight STR on size 0 (2.00 mm) needles.


And that's it for now. I'm also working on my Grace front and intermittently on Monkey1's Lindy Hop sleeve (the only WIP right now that isn't teal.) We'll see if I get the Grace front done before my super secret project can commence.

Dublin Bay socks again

I was bummed out today that we couldn't make it to the Maker Faire and see the Yarn Harlot again. Monkey2 got sick on our way there so I had to abort the attempt.

On the plus side, I finished Monkey1's second pair of Dublin Bay's in Lornas Laces Shepard Sock in Uptown the other night. She was so thrilled she wore the first one to bed and asked me to put the second one on her other foot she she knew she'd fall asleep while I finished. It's a little loose on her, but she likes it that way and it gives her a little growing room circumference-wise. (I'd have to add more length too later, but since I've got plenty yarn left over, it won't be a big deal.)


But back to the aborted attempt - since we were already halfway across the toll bridge and only a couple exits away, I decided to go to the San Mateo branch of Ichiban Kan (sorta a Japanese dollar store) instead. I figure that they may have some cheap towels that I may need to clean Monkey2 & cover her up on the way back home.

I had previously found out that tapmouse did indeed get my sheepie bag from their SF store, so I wanted to get a few more to give away myself. The sheepie (and hedgehog)-themed bags apparently are so popular that they've got other items as well. Even their plastic packaging's got the sheepie artwork printed on it (upper left-hand corner of the pic). I had too much fun getting all this cute stuff.


The only drawback to the trip to the store (aside from the fear that Monkey2 would get sick again in the store before I could find any cheap hand towels) was that this branch was totally out of the wasabi pumpkin seeds tapmouse got me hooked on.