I may not be original, but I am knitting.
[SUMMARY: Still a knitblog!†]
I am knitting convertible fingerless gloves for a Christmas present. As I think the recipient doesn't read the blog, but may be inclined to Google themselves on a regular basis, I'm not mentioning names.
This is the Brooks Farm Duet I got a Rhinebeck. But, y'know... as gloves.
Note the two-at-once action. I am such a rock star.‡
Sylvia, far more the rock star, has been whipping up project bags in her vast spare time. I got one of the first. To prototype. And let her know how it all works out.
She's so kind to let me think I'm product testing when we all know I just got a bonus prize.
And note how nicely it matches the Brooks Farm gloves.
Actually, now that I think about it, I was going to title this post, "On Beyond Dick Warmers,"% but I forgot. In any case, here are the ongoing Father's Day socks, ready to start the Arrrgyle pattern that will keep them from being just another pair of fingering-weight, men's size 12 teal socks with purple toes.
[SUMMARY: Niche knitting.]
I also have some fibre acquisitions I thought I'd share.
First, this Chameleon Colorworks, which I don't really like. It was part of their sock club, then the were offering limited quantities for sale along with a pattern. I *really* like the pattern, but couldn't buy it by itself, so I had to get the gross yarn.
It's very soft, as Chameleon Colorworks yarn is wont to be, but these colours? I can't imagine a grey and yellow combo that will ever trip my trigger.
And here is another sock club bust, this one a sock club to which I actually belonged: the Fearless Fibers Seven Deadly Sins sock club.
Out of seven, I'd say there were two colourways I simply didn't like. One, Gluttony, was the weird faded Milky Way colour that was supposed to evoke rich caramel and tempting chocolate. I think a little judicious overdyeing can make it palatable.§
Actually, this one is remarkably like the Gluttony, but with more yellow. More yellow is rarely going to trip my trigger.¶
Besides, this is Greed. What about this says "greed" to you?
As the final shipment in the club, it came with a pattern... an acorn lace sock. The explanation was that squirrels are greedy for acorns and this sock has acorns and the yarn is reminiscent of squirrels and acorns, therefore the yarn is Greed.
Yeah, I thought that was stretching it too.
[SUMMARY: Maybe AntiM should dye her own damned yarn.]
There is some nice yarn I've purchased recently, though.
After fondling the Hacho# at A Knitted Peace for weeks, I finally broke down and got a couple. The colour is called Coral Reef. The yarn feels nice -- a lot like Louets Opal -- but the put-up is only 137 yards, which means it's a short pair of socks.
I think this is an error in marketing on Mirasol's part. Put-ups this small require, at minimum, a lot of joining and end-weaving and most knitters I know are notoriously averse to joining and/or end-weaving.
But the yarn is pretty. I can wear short socks for pretty yarn.
This just in! Last night at Sylvia's House of Fuzzy Crack, I discovered this new yarn:††
It's Plymouth Happy Feet. It, too, feels a lot like Louets Opal.
My reason for buying it? "I don't have this colour yet."
Yeah, I'm a sock yarn whore. It's true. Not as much as some people, but I definitely whore to the side of sock yarn.
Besides, this is very reasonably priced vis-a-vis what I normally pay for sock yarn, so it's actually saving me money. Heck, if I buy another ten or twelve skeins, I'll have saved enough for that pony I've been wanting.‡‡
And, finally, a lonely little FO that's been F'd for weeks:
It's my Lovable, Furry Ol' Pal scarf knit of three skeins of Schulana Feeling, knit on size 11 needles in garter stitch.
This would be one of those purchases (like the Hacho) that was doomed to be. I fondled it, I nuzzled it. I asked Sylvia, "Syl, what would you make with this?"
"Syl, how do you think this knits up?"
"Syl, how many balls would you use for a scarf?"
"Syl, what would you make with this?"
After several repetitions, Sylvia said, "You know you're going to buy the yarn, Marin. Why don't you just get it?"
[SUMMARY: Home is where they know your foibles.]
It does knit up pretty cool, doesn't it?
†FOOTNOTE (crossed): At The Family Christmas Party, my cousin Mike was shocked to find I actually knit. He thought all that "still a knitblog" stuff was just part of the schtick. It was then I realised how long it had been since I'd focused on knitting for a post.
‡FOOTNOTE (double-crossed): Lest you think I've lost my humble little self, please note I am self-snarking because I've seen me trying to figure out which end is the pinkie and which is the thumb. And I've seen me trying to untangle the pile of circs and fingers and yarn tails with my brow furrowed, my tongue sticking out and the damned cat chasing the two circs around my lap. Oh, yeah... so very rock star.
%FOOTNOTE (percented): Based on a true story: the quote from my brother that he loves heels... not for the same reason I love heels (magic!), but because once you have a heel, the piece ceases to be just a dick warmer.
§FOOTNOTE (swerved): Ha! Pun!
¶FOOTNOTE (paragraphed): And heaven knows I need my trigger tripped right about now.
#FOOTNOTE (pounded): Which sounds kinda dirty, but that's not why I brought you down here. See, I have a very specific method for yarn-buying. Either I know exactly what I'm going to knit and I go in search of the yarn that will fill that bill or I fondle the yarn, sniff the yarn, talk about the yarn, ask questions about the yarn, frequently carry the yarn around the store for an hour and put it back, but eventually buy the yarn. Weeks later. After several visits to the yarn. Once I've invested myself in several of those steps, it's well nigh inevitable that the yarn will be coming home with me. Just maybe not for a couple of weeks. It's not efficient, but it works for me.
††FOOTNOTE (ddouble-ccrossed): Well, new to Sylvia's shop... maybe not new to the world in general.
‡‡FOOTNOTE (doubble-crossssed): Have you seen the pony commercial? Where some of the girls get cool cell phones and The Network and the other girl gets the rabid pony? I love that commercial.
The management of the Rickety Blog would like to assure you there is other knitting going on that can't be revealed in the interest of preserving the Christmas surprise. Thank you for your patience.
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