help!

Everything was going so well ...



I was a little worried about the ending. I mean, the decreases meant my top-of-the-foot needle had a lot fewer stitches than the two bottom-of-the-feet needles, so I figured the toe would not look perfect. I figured it was time to end the sock when I literally couldn't proceed with the top needle anymore - I had four stitches on it, so I couldn't K1, K2tog, ssk, K1 on it. I guess I could have transferred stitches to that needle to help, but I wasn't sure if that was the right way to proceed.

So I reviewed the grafting segment of the Harlot's episode of "Knitty Gritty" and watched the knittinghelp.com video before proceeding ... felt like I knew what I was doing ... and then I did it and got this:



It's an ugly, ugly toe. I just don't know what I did wrong. Did I try to kitchener too many stitches? Did I not tighten as I went? Honestly it kind of deflated me after the past two weeks of rocking this sock ... I really felt good about the whole thing. I guess that's how knitting is. You get all cocky, and boom, the gods laugh at you and give you a wonky toe. (My roommate said "it's just custom for your big toe!" She's the best.)

In new project news ... I cast on (but frogged after two rounds because I created yarnovers) for my mom's sock in this beauteous colorway. I've been feeling a little lonely lately so maybe working on some Pittsburgh themed socks will put me in the right state of mind. =) Back to cast on again.

just another Thursday.

I just rented Disturbia, the second season of Extras (I looooove Ricky Gervais) and the first season of a saucily named British sketch comedy, Manstrokewoman. What was I thinking? That's a lot of TV for two nights. Well, I don't have any plans tomorrow so I'm sure I can knock a lot of the TV shows out.

In other news ...

I am weighing signing up for the Yarn Pirate Booty Club on Saturday. I lovelovelove her yarns and last time around, I sat there with the subscription in my cart and then Xed out at the last minute, feeling guilty because I hadn't learned to knit socks yet, money stuff, etc. This time around I am a sock knitter! I'm going to think it over. I have to keep in mind that I'm going to the D.C. area next week and plan to hit two yarn stores and a few days later, I plan to visit Knit in Charleston. (I must weigh the factor that I can't get Yarn Pirate yarns at these stores in my decision making process.) I think I would prefer the delayed gratification of the Booty Club, because ...

After my return from Charleston, I will be on a yarn diet. (Again.) It went very well the first time around, and that was only a month. I'm sure I can do it until Christmas. I just have to avoid my LYSs. After all, I will be too busy knitting Christmas gift socks to be thinking about buying yarn.

The new Knitty came out today ... I totally want to make Mr Greenjeans. It's a one-button cardigan with a stockinette body, a pretty part ribbed, part cable bit under the bust and three-quarters-length sleeves (looove). I think it could be the rare cardigan that could flatter my shape. I already added it to my Ravelry queue.

All right, it's time to get my exciting night of DVDs started. I'm going to cast on for a Christmas sock. No, I haven't finished my first sock, but I like to learn a new technique in silence. I will finish the toe tomorrow!

hi, Mom!

My mom is on Ravelry! And, uh, welcome to my blog. =) I write lots of sordid stuff on here, you know, that's why I never told you about it. (In all honesty I just forgot.)

Hope you find Ravelry as addictive as I do!

creeped out

So my doorbell just rang ... and some guy standing there with a pest-sprayer container is standing there. He says my landlord asked for spraying. Now, first alarm, my landlord wouldn't call for pest spray without letting me know so we could arrange a time. I live in a building of condo units, so the only person I deal with is the woman who owns this unit, not the whole building.

I know that the condo management sends someone 4x a year to spray ... but I haven't seen the standard letter posted next to the common area, and it seems like the last spraying was pretty recent. And I was home alone, so I was especially creeped out. At least he was nice when I told him no thanks, I didn't know about it.

I finished the gusset!

Woo hoo! I am so pleased. I've had to pick up a couple stitches here and there with a crochet hook, but never more than a couple rows. I don't even freak out any more when it happens! (If it unraveled more than two or three rows, maybe that'd be a different story.)

Also, yesterday morning I started a Penn State group on Ravelry - it's called Knittany Lions. I had been seeing university groups pop up on there and finally took it upon myself to start one. A little more than a day later, there are already 12 members! I have no idea what is involved with being a moderator but eh. Not too worried about it.

Back to reality today ... today markst he start of a full workweek (a six-day one at that). I will have to work my knitting in around work now! And my road trip to see the Yarn Harlot is 13 days away ... and Charleston is 16 days away!

a confession

I'm off my yarn diet. This is what broke it:



It's intended for socks for Alli, my sister-in-law-to-be. It made me think of the Cincinnati Bengals and, consequently, her. The fact that it was on sale was even better. I got it here.

Then after I bought that I bought a bunch of stuff at the Hook and I's Labor Day sale, though:









From top: Plymouth Sockotta, Regia 4-ply Tweed, Silja sock yarn, and Country Classic Yarn for Sox. I'm all stocked up for Christmas presents!

OK, back to listening to Lily Allen and working on this puppy (if I don't fall asleep first. Josh and I just had a big old dinner at PF Chang's and ice cream afterward (it's our anniversary!) and I am soooo sleepy.) I'm about five rows into the gusset. As fun as it is (I've never decreased before, this is a novel thing for me), I'm ready to be done with this sock. I want to ship it off to the second-sock orphanage and get to work with some new yarn! (My, this paragraph had a bunch of parentheses.)

oh gusset, I dislike you so

I think I could be content to knit the Yarn Harlot's basic sock recipe for every pair of socks in my future and be satisfied. I feel like a knitting goddess - the heel flap is so lovely and the heel turn made me feel like a real smartie pants. Well, I knew what was looming ahead ... the gusset.

Picking up stitches there was really scary - mine were a bit twisted and definitely hard to knit, and I haven't gone far enough to know whether it will be gappy in any way. Potential wonkiness aside, I'm hoping it will be finished in time for her book signing, which is two weeks from now in northern Virginia.

Obligatory progress picture (from last night, pre picking-up stitches for the gusset):



Look at that beautiful heel turn! Sheer magic!

I already know that I won't be making this a pair right off. I'm going to hop into Christmas sock knitting, yessireebob. I've got five pairs to make. By that 10th sock I should be a pro at picking up in the gusset!

two reasons I am dumb.

1. Forty-eight hours after the fact, I realized that I missed my boss' Labor Day barbecue. I RSVPed and everything. D'oh. Cuz, you know, I was doing oh-so many pressing things over this vacation.

2. I am even dumber because I just spent two to three hours watching a "Rock of Love" marathon - that's right folks, the reality dating show starring Bret Michaels of Poison. I don't know whether I'll have enough brain cells left to carry on a conversation at SnB tonight. But oh I am excited to go just the same. =)

Steve Carell is a genius.

"She was a ho ... fo sho."

MAN I had forgotten how funny "40-Year-Old Virgin" was ... I DVRed it last night and watched a little this morning ... Steve Carell's "ho fo sho" line and "AGHHH KELLY CLARKSON" when he's getting his chest waxed made me laugh out loud.

Today I did a little shopping ... went to AC Moore and did not buy any yarn, thankyouverymuch!! It was a good run-through for tomorrow - I'm planning on checking out the Hook and I's Labor Day sale. Anyhoo, I got several new sets of DPNs (US 4 through 7 - two sets were on clearance!), a tapestry needle and two stitch holders, all for $20. I had a 50% off coupon so a set of Clovers were about $4!

Then I went to Best Buy, where I got a 2GB memory card for my camera - a major upgrade from my 256MB card. Now I can take 1400 pictures at once!!

Speaking of pictures ... I'm trucking along with the sock:



My goal is to get past the heel flap and to the gusset before SnB tomorrow night.
EDIT a few hours later: There's no way I will get that far before tomorrow night! I just tried it on and it needs to be at least twice as long as it is for me to get to the heel. Sigh.

In 48 hours ...

I'm well on my way to a sock! This photo is a day old; I'm about nine rows into the body of the sock (plain old stockinette ... which is boring but fine, I like feeling as if I've got at least something on this project mastered). The yarn is Patons Kroy, which splits and fuzzes a little bit (I think maybe I'm tough on yarns, too) but overall looks quite lovely. It did a little bit of pooling in the cuff but is looking better the more I knit in the round.

I can't get enough of this project. Don't get me wrong, I've worked on it *a lot* over the past 48 hours. Several hours a day, I'd guess. But it's not enough. I went out with friends Thursday night ... and really wanted to bring it with me. Would have been pretty messy, though - after a couple drinks, I definitely didn't need to be knitting. This afternoon, I went to a sports bar for delicious bad-for-you food during Penn State's football game. I kept it in my bag the whole time ... but contemplating knitting. Brought it to the beach, kept it in the car.

Anyhoo ... it's been a lovely, lovely vacation (all three days thus far). I'm secretly hoping I can knit all the way to the heel flap by SnB on Monday so I can work on it with some real pros around. Then again it's been very satisfying figuring out all this stuff on my own, too!

This nice weather has been wonderful, too. I turned off the A/C tonight and threw open the back door, which means Gracie has lots of exciting sights and sounds: