AnotherPurl :: a knitter's life

I scream, you scream!

I had my ice cream party this past weekend (I have been threatening to make it an annual event), which while lightly attended was a lot of fun. 

I made 10 different ice creams, sorbets, and granitas as well as home made pitas (for pita bread pizza), a pasta salad, hot fudge sauce, ice cream sandwiches, cookies, brownie crumbles, and marshmallow sauce.  It was sugary fun time extravaganza.  Almost everything I made came from Perfect Scoop, which I can wholeheartedly recommend.  I bought the book, because I was looking for frozen yogurt and sorbet recipes (I made the Blueberry Frozen Yogurt shortly after getting the book).  Everything I've made has been pretty good with extra props to the sauces and extras - I made homemade marshmallow sauce.  It was great fun!

Of course, with just under one batch of ice cream per person, I have a lot of ice cream left.  We didn't even get to three of them.  A terrible hardship, but I think I can prevail agains the contents of my freezer.

Acute onset startitis caused by Ravelry virus

Braintree, MA -- Associated Press.  July 30, 2007.  Thursday morning (July 26), JJ (names changed to protect the innocent) pulled a bag of yarn from the top of the closet where she stored most of her stash.  "I was thinking that I might want to finally do something with it, but I wasn't intending to start anything.  I mean, I have the Bolero waiting for me to pick up stitches and finish it and Argosy which is more than halfway done.  Shouldn't I finish one of those first?  Heck, I even have a few pairs of socks to work on."

Within 5 minutes of pulling down the bag of yarn, JJ had started Lorelei from Yarnplay.  "I haven't finished EBTKS, but I honestly don't expect to touch it again until the early fall.  Something about a mostly wool sweater draped across the lap when it is 90 degrees.  Whew.  Too warm for me."

Lorelei is a tank top pattern, a quick knit certainly, but why start it now?  "I was looking at my queue in Ravelry, and I thought I might have enough yarn for that.  And if I don't, I'll use some of my store credit for another skein when I go near Spark this weekend.  I mean, I originally bought the Cotton Stria for scarves for a holiday bazaar, but I'm probably not doing it this year.  Why not make a top?"

But did Ravelry cause this knitter to break?  "It's like this urge.  You see all of these patterns that you've wanted to make but have forgotten about, and then you see the different versions other people have made.  You know how sometimes you see it in a magazine or a book and for some reason the color or yarn is something you dislike so much that you can't look beyond it?  Well, this is great.  You see what other people have done and realize, I could make something like that.  And well, then you do."

No leading medical authorities were able to offer judgment about this illness at this time. 

Crossed eye bear?

Socks!  I finished my Sockapaloooza socks yesterday morning, and my hubby helped me take pictures last night.  I love them.  The bright blues, the soft squooshiness of the yarn, the easiness of the pattern.  It was just a wonderful pattern to knit up. 

Sockapaloooza specs

Pattern: Diagonal Cross-Rib Socks
Book:  Favorite Socks
Yarn:  Claudia Handpainted Fingering in Turquoise
Mods:  Knit with US size 2 throughout (too lazy to switch)

These were quick.  I started them about 2.5 weeks ago, having finally decided that my Bakerloos (or knee high socks for that matter) were not going to work.  I had recently gotten this book and saw that this pattern was very nearly the right size for my pal.  I dove right in (no swatching for me!), and made good progress.

I learned a little bit about twisted stitches (it took me a couple of tries to get the hang of the left leaning ones) and a new cast on, which I have used since then.  I have started a pair of ankle socks for my pal as well, which I am hoping will be pretty darn fast given that they are almost all feet.  If they work out well, then I will reclaim my Bakerloos for a similar endeavor for myself. 

Finished!

I finished the Sockapaloooza socks at some dark hour this morning, and have started casting on for a possible little something to go in the package if I can finish before next week. 

No pictures yet, but I feel like I've been scarily productive.  I prepped things for two ice creams this morning, finished the second sock (including weaving in all the ends), and started another project.

I didn't Kingdom of Loathing, but that's OK.  My adventures will wait. 

Runagogo meets Swimagogo

I just signed up for the BAA Half Marathon in October and a 1 mile swim in August.  It's been years since I've swum competitively, but I am completely thrilled.  I'm in better shape than I was in high school, though I think I technically ran faster then I had much less stamina. 

I will probably need to buy another bathing suit (I have ones that are OK for swimming in the lake for fun but not for anything fast), but I'll put that off for a week or so.

Fading of the non denim kind

I woke up at 2:30 a.m.  I'm still up now even though I probably should have asked to go home.  I'm thinking of taking my 2 dollars and getting a soda. 

While it is hard to think right now, it isn't too hard to knit.  I got another couple of repeats done this morning before work (and before my speed workout).  I finished a book (Lady Knight - one of my favorites from the Protector of the Small quartet!) and played a bit of a game.  I didn't get sleepy again until just before 10, but now I'm exhausted and my brain just wants a do over.

I am ninja!

I've been making rapid progress on my Sockapaloooza socks.  Started a little over a week ago, I finished sock one last night and immediately balled the next skein of yarn and started sock 2.  I'm only into the first repeat of the leg, but another episode or two of Buffy will get my quickly through the leg. 

Happily, the socks are taking just under a skein a piece (I bought 3 skeins to be on the safe side), so I will be able to gift my pal the last skein in case there are repairs to be made or if I have made them too short (last year I made them a tad too long, so I am paranoid about length).

Of course, because I took pictures of booboo bunnies yesterday and have not put the memory card back in the camera there are no pictures yet of sock 1.  I'd say maybe tonight, but it is more important to knit socks than it is to take pictures of socks, true?

Booboo bunny?

As part of a public speaking initiative, one of my friends taught us how to make booboo bunnies yesterday.  It was a cute little craft which really brought some humor to the day.  The site above has some instructions for the little bunnies (much easier than writing my own instructions).

I made a cute one during the hands on portion of her booboo bunny talk, and then took the supplies home to make a second one last night.  I have instructions below with pictures at each step (Tons of pictures - you are warned!).  Hopefully I'll have knitting content tomorrow!

OMG Movie!

Friday I went to see Order of the Phoenix with friends.  My hubby and I had wands and scarves at the ready.  The energy in the air was infectious, huge in the packed space of the theater.

No spoilers, I promise.  Double bonus goes to Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood.  She was perfect!  Extra kudos to David Yates for directing a movie that shows the book rather than tells the book.  There were little touches that really supported the feel of the Harry Potter universe.

I'll probably see it again this weekend around a wedding shower and knitting socks.  Truly worth the time and money.

Meow!

It took nearly two full days for the wand cozy to dry, blocking... tightly pinned to my floor.  The first night, Saru-chan (ze cat) was antsy, and in the predawn became insistent and garrulous.  The second night, she kept both myself and hubby up.  Meow!  Are you there?  Meow!  I thought I had people!  Meow!  Where have all the humans gone?

The cozy was still slightly damp when I put in the drawer, determined to not need another night of this.  If it hadn't been so humid for the past couple of days it probably would only have needed one night. 

After work I went to Windsor Button and got some rattail cord, which I threaded through the casing.  The cozy is still unlined (I can't find my sewing needles, just tapestry ones).  I ended the rattail cord with a knot and some large pony beads.  I figure between the scarf and the cozy, I'll be all set for the movie tonight after work.

See!  I can get things done!