Tag Archive for ‘socks’ at adam knits!

Tag Archive for 'socks'

Sock 911 28May08

I think lately I’ve come to the conclusion that the process of buying a house is really just a large obstacle course, designed to weed out all but the most resolute of people. Between house searches, offers, contracts, inspections, repairs, mortgage applications and moving, it really is a tiring process. And just when I thought that the end was near, another obstacle appears.

The mortgage program I applied for is swamped with refinances these days, and as a result, the standard processing time has gone way way up. It took so long, in fact, that I didn’t actually find out about final approval until just a few days ago, almost 6 weeks after my initial application! Suffice to say, that delay wasn’t anticipated, which means that we had to push back the closing to give the bank extra time to actually finish the paperwork.

I’m supposed to find out soon when the new closing date will be, and I’ve been told it won’t be more than a week away. Unfortunately for me, I was expecting to move this weekend, which means my entire house is pretty much packed up. I’m a bit OCD when it comes to organization (ok, a lot.), and let’s just say it’s a stretch for me to have my house in such chaos. So here’s hoping that I can move soon, because I might go postal and attack someone with a moving box if this lasts too long.

In an amusing note, I had a bit of awakening regarding my fiber stash when it came time to pack up the yarn hutch. I’ve always thought I’ve had a very small stash, but I think it might have become a bit bigger than I realized. See those boxes? The small one on the right is the box I thought could house the stash, and the large one on the left is the one that the stash actually fits in. I bet next time I move I’ll need more than one box. Sigh.

Due to packing, I haven’t had much quality time with my needles, but I have managed to finish one Fiddlehead Mitten. I’m pushing to finish the pair before the EARTH round of Project Spectrum is over, but my moving to-do list might dictate otherwise. I don’t think I’ll mind too much though, since the more time I have with this buttery soft alpaca the better.

In the department of having plenty to knit, Dallas decided to ensure that I have no shortage of projects on the needles. In what I’m sure he thought was a considerate gesture, he decided that he would chew out the heel on a handknit sock, so that I could have the joy of fixing it. He’s tried to work his goodwill on many handknit socks before, but I’m always one step ahead of him when it comes to putting them away. He won this time though.

Thankfully, it was only the heel that he was interested in, and since it’s a short row heel, I think I can fix it by knitting a new one and grafting it to the foot. How fortuitous that I got bored with the ribbing and quit before running out of yarn! Anyone have experience with this type of sock surgery?

I just suppose I’ll have to forgive him, because I’m sure he had the best intentions. And how can you stay mad at such a face? I certainly can’t.

I also can’t stay mad at this face for long, even after she brings a dead bird into the living room. (Note that she was not allowed to lick me for quite some time. I might be a pushover, but I do still have common sense.)

Ah, now we come to the part of the post where you realize that I have no new material, and that I’m just baiting you with cute dog pictures. Is it working?

I should mention that the Caterpillar Sock Kits are up, and there’s just a few left. Anne is nearly finished with the pattern, and the yarn is ready to go, so they’ll be shipping out soon. The yarn is a new base, called 950 MHz Merino. It’s a nice heavy fingering weight yarn, with a gauge of 7.25 - 8.5 sts / in on US #1 - #2 needles. The yarn has a nice tight twist and will knit up into a very firm fabric, meaning that your socks will last for quite a while. Each skein is 430 yards too, so you’ll have plenty for a pair of socks.

Hopefully next time I’ll have a new house to show off!

Tags: dallas, house, knitting, mittens, moving, shop, socks, stranded, works-in-progress, yarn nerd.

Equal Opportunity Fiber Lover 03May08

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Once again it’s time for your sporadically scheduled blog update! Since we’re going on 3 weeks, this update won’t really have very much in the way of excitement. Its true purpose is to halt the incessant “OMG, why haven’t you updated your blog?” e-mails from my family. I suppose they can’t just get enough of my special blend of dry and sardonic humor. However, I’m fairly certain that all my other readers click over in hopes of getting a glimpse at my excruciatingly rugged and chiseled countenance. (Oh, I have to write that one down!)

Good looks aside, this is a knitting/spinning/dyeing blog (gotta love that demographic creep), so I suppose I should show you some of the fibery things I’ve been working on.

Last weekend was my final spinning class, but luckily, I have a wheel for a bit longer. This week I drew the Kromski Minstrel, and I am definitely smitten. It spins like a dream, and I love its old fashioned looks. I’ll sample a few more, but I’m pretty sure this is the wheel I’ll buy eventually.

My drafting skills are steadily improving, and at this point I’m able to spin a single that is fairly consistent. So far I’ve spun BFL, Corriedale, Shetland, Merino and Rambouillet. I haven’t branched out from wooly fiber yet, but I have a lovely bump of Alpaca that I’m anxious to spin up.

Right now I’m working on a 2 ply of white Rambouillet and gray Shetland (shown on the bobbin above), that will be part of a hand-knit project for the new house. Both of the rovings I’m using for this project were grown here in NM, and are minimally processed, meaning the fiber still has a decent amount of lanolin and vegetable matter. It’s really interesting to spin up roving that has been totally processed, and then switch to roving that’s a bit more raw. One thing that was cool about my spinning class was that we learned the basics of skirting and washing a fleece, which means someday I hope to make a sweater from a raw fleece. Talk about the ultimate in make your own clothing!

In addition to the NM rovings I’ve been working on, I spun up a bump of Superwash Merino roving that I dyed a while back, in my Caramel Stout colorway. It’s about 100 yards of worsted weight yarn, which I think will look smashing as a second hand-spun Zeebee to add to my collection. Don’t you just want to reach out and smoosh it?

One accessory that I’ve discovered is essential to spinning is a cozy pair of hand-knit socks. I don’t like treadling with my shoes on, and there’s been a bit of a chill lately, so I’ve been getting good use out of my sock drawer. I finished up this cozy pair just a few weeks ago.

pattern: boyfriend socks (although I refer to them as my “cables and brimstone” socks)
yarn: araucania ranco in brick (75/25 wool/nylon)
needles/gauge: 8 spi on US #1.5 needles
construction: knitted toe up, magic cast on, short row heel, regular bind off

Thanks to everyone for the warm wishes on the house! I’m super excited, and can’t wait to move in. The one thing I could without however, is packing. I’ve been putting it off for as long as possible, but I couldn’t delay any longer today. My closing date is rapidly approaching, and I certainly don’t want to be packing everything at the last minute. I packed up the garage today, no thanks to help from Emma. The minute I mentioned the word “packing”, she high tailed it to her favorite spot on the couch and pretended to sleep. What a diva.

After a hard day of dusty labor (the garage was like dust bunny headquarters), I decided to reward myself with an evening off. There’s nothing better than spending the evening with your Fiddlehead Mittens and a nice glass of beer. I’m just about done with knitting the outer mittens, and after a nice bath, they’ll be ready for their linings. For once it looks like I might actually finish a Project Spectrum knit during the featured months!

Oh, and lest I forget, there is one last thing. To lessen the amount of stuff I have to move, I’m having a 10% off Moving Sale over at Yarn Nerd! The store is stocked with a number of great base yarns (try the 1200 MHz Merino, it’s super nice stuff), and I’m expecting a shipment of 900 MHz Bambylon and 950 MHz Merino (a new sock yarn!) this week. Also, stay tuned for details on a sock kit featuring a special colorway and a new pattern from Anne herself!

Well, look at that. This post actually had some decent content after all. Maybe next time I’ll give you all a peek at my hot new summer buzzcut. Rawr!

Tags: emma, finished objects, hand dyed, hand spun, knitting, mittens, project spectrum, socks, spinning, wool, yarn nerd.

An Earnest Plea 19Mar08

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Dear Mr. Postman,

I just want you to know how much I appreciate your tireless effort to deliver the mail, be it rain, shine, snow or sun. Everyday, despite the risk of losing your fingers, you gladly insert letters into the mail slot, no matter how ferocious the growling Schnauzers may sound. You work hard to make sure that I receive every single “no strings attached” credit card offer thrown at me by the crumbling loan industry. You don’t bat an eye when I hand you a big box filled to the brim with yarn, no matter how strange it may seem to you. And I can always count on you when I need a bit of ~~crack~~ yarn to brighten a dreary day.

So even though I am deeply appreciative of your years of dedicated service, I can’t help but be a little disappointed today. See, I’m awaiting a very important package right now, and I’m not sure you fully understand the weight you bear with this particular parcel. It all started last week, when I was innocently checking up on my Flickr friends, when I came across this photo. My heart lept. Could it be? No way. Surely they’re sold out, I told myself. But something from deep within told me to try anyway. It was with trembling hands that I hastily clicked “Add To Cart” and then “Checkout”, hoping to claim my bounty before someone else. 30 seconds later it happened.

I had acquired a Fiddlehead Mittens Kit. The most coveted pattern and yarn combination ever unleashed upon the Internet would soon be mine. I was as elated as Ralphie, when his father pulled out one last box to reveal a Red Rider BB Gun.

So you can imagine how my level of excitement and anticipation has been building all week, since the kit shipped on Monday. I was sure it’d be here today, waiting for me to come home, but I can’t seem to find it.

I checked the outside mail box.

I checked the indoor mail slot.

I checked the front porch, the space in between the front and screen door, and the side of the house. All I was able to find was this lousy credit card offer.

Don’t think me a fool either. I ship a whole lot of stuff with the Postal Service, and I am very attuned to how long a Priority Mail package should take to arrive. I’m very good at reading in between the lines of your cryptic delivery status messages, and I’m almost certain that my mitten kit is in New Mexico. You may say that it arrived too late to get placed on your truck today, but I say that’s not good enough. This is not an offer for Propecia we’re talking about here. This is a very sacred package, which definitely warranted a trip back to the station for a pickup.

Because I’m a nice guy, I’m willing to give you one more day. And maybe, if you’re really diligent about bringing my impulse yarn purchases this year, I’ll knit you a pair of socks to keep your feet warm this winter. Does something like this suit your fancy? It certainly does mine.

So get some rest tonight, because you have a very important job to do tomorrow. Oh, and if you could tell a colleague up in the WA area to make sure that my mystery gift gets delivered tomorrow, that’d be g r e a t.

PS: If you do not deliver the goods tomorrow, I will be forced to let my attack Schnauzers follow you back to the station to retrieve it. Dallas would love nothing more than to give you a huge wet willy.

Sincerely,

Adam

Tags: knitting, mail, mittens, schnauzers, shopping, single sock, socks, works-in-progress, yarn.

Gimping It In Style 16Mar08

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Thanks for all the well wishes about my knee everyone! Unfortunately, I’m not quite back on the wagon yet. I was starting to do better after a week of resting, so I decided to ride my trusty geared steed to work this past Monday. That turned out to be not such a great idea. Gentle spinning isn’t bad, but any extra effort required (i.e. speeding up to change lanes, etc.) caused a little wincing.

So a doctor’s visit and another week of rest later, and it looks like I might be off the bike for possibly 2-3 weeks. The diagnosis was not a pulled ligament, but a bad pull or slight tear in my hamstring where it connects to bone below the knee. So here’s hoping for a quickish recovery, because the weather is quite lovely outside, and I’d love to be riding my bike!

On the bright side, I have been taking the bus to work and school rather than riding, so I’ve gotten in some good knitting time. See, I finished some socks!

Alright, well maybe not socks plural, but it’s a start. This is actually the mate to a single sock that the talented Megan knit for me back in aught seven. I finally got around to finishing the pair, and it was quite worth the effort. The pattern initially had hearts instead of diamonds, but Megan was wise enough to know that I might not be head over heels for the hearts. But I’ve definitely got a twinkle in my eye for those diamonds. (Alright, I’ll stop torturing you now.)

pattern: I ~~Love~~ Diamond Gansey Socks
yarn: Rowan 4 Ply Soft in Espresso → 1 ball per sock
needles/gauge: US #1 (2.25mm) / 8 spi
mods: Save the diamonds, the only other modification was that I changed the standard toe on Megan’s sock to a round toe, and duplicated that on my sock. My toes end quite abruptly, and the round toe seems to accommodate my hobbit toes best.

At least if I have to hobble around, I can do it in style eh?

I have another sock on the needles (almost completed actually), in a nice brick red/orange, in honor of Project Spectrum. I’m also looking forward to April and May, as I have a surplus of brown and green yarn, and plenty of project ideas. Cause you know, it’s important to have plenty of wooly hats, mittens and socks in April and May in the New Mexico desert. ;)

Finally, the mystery knit is all wrapped up and on its way. I think it’s gonna be a hit, and I can’t wait to see it modeled by the tiny little recipient! Tune in next time for the full reveal. :)

Tags: biking, finished objects, gifts, injury, knitting, project spectrum, socks, swaps.

The Secret Lives of Dog Models 04Nov07

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Dallas and Emma? It has come to my attention that you’re not quite the svelte dogs that you used to be. I know that shaggy is the look for dog models these days, but that’s a bit more than a winter coat you’re both growing. Dog modeling is a human eat human business, and you can’t keep up if you’re rolling around like little lard balls. It’s either lose the weight, or get replaced by some newer, hotter dog models, like that vixen of a Chihuahua down the street. It might seem rough, but it’s business baby. There are plenty of dogs who would kill for a spot on this blog, and just because you were on Cute Overload doesn’t mean you can sit around all day stuffing your faces. I can’t have my lovely knits being shown off by anything but the hottest dogs.

And hey, don’t you stick that tongue out at me! I will break you, you hear? You’ll never work on this blog again! Sheesh.

Yeah, so the dogs are a bit chunky these days. And stupid me, I didn’t even notice; it took my Mom (who hadn’t seem them in a few weeks) to point out that they had grown a bit in the lateral direction. So I guess it’s more walks and no more wet food. I’ll have to be strong, especially when Emma gives me that pitiful look when I serve her dry food only. Sorry sweet cheeks, it’s dog model fat camp for you.

In less superficial news, I recently gave my shelf in my home office a yarn upgrade, and it makes me quite happy. Up to this point, all my yarn was stored in bins on the ground, and well it was about high time the stash had a more central place in the office. So I reorganized my shelf and banished a bunch of engineering books to the bottom, since yarn is way more fun than reading engineering books.

Two shelves of yarn might seem a bit pitiful, but it’s a beta lambda* for me, the man who used to only buy exact yardages for a project, without ever buying “unnecessary yarn”.

*(a beta lambda is the official nerd unit of measure for a “butt load” of anything. it’s metric, so you can have a kilo beta lambda, which would be an obscene amount of yarn)

You may also have noticed that there are 2 big cones of the much coveted Valley Yarns English Tweed on the bottom shelf. I sat on that page for days, watching the available pounds go down, until it was too dangerous to not buy, so I picked up a cone of Light Sage and a cone of Lichen. At least one will be a Cobblestone, and I’m not sure about the other one.

In addition to giving my stash a central location for fondling, I also finished a sock this week, right after the Socktoberfest cutoff. I’m still counting it though, since technically it was done on the 31st, I just didn’t like the toe, so I replaced it with a different one a day later. That brings my grand total of Socktoberfest socks to 2, and non-matching even. Not the most prolific sock knitting month, but then again, it was a prolific yarn dyeing month.

This one is a single sock for a swap, wherein I’ll send the sock and remaining yarn to my pal, who will knit the second sock for herself. It’s a fun idea, and a great way to knit a complicated sock and ensure that you will end up with a pair.

The yarn is Yarn Nerd 900 MHz Merino, in the lovely Pumpkin shade I’ve been posting all over the blog these days. (I love me some Pumpkin), and the pattern is Cookie A’s Thelonious. It’s a nice combination of lace and ribbing that isn’t too hard to knit and looks really nice with a semi-solid yarn.

Oh, and I almost forgot, it was my 2 year knitting anniversary a few days ago! It seems like it’s been way longer, but the calendar doesn’t lie. Maybe someday I’ll be celebrating my 60 year knitting anniversary :)

So, leave some encouraging comments for my fattycake models, and I’ll pick 3 winners to be the recipient of some hand-dyed Yarn Nerd goodness. I have some tasty BFL coming in soon, and I’ll be happy to dye it up any color you like.

That’s it for me peeps, have a great Sunday!

Tags: contests, dallas, emma, finished objects, gifts, nerdy, schnauzers, socks, sweaters, the-stash, yarn nerd.

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