More Derby

I got to go see another bout last night. The Sacred City Roller Girls vs. the Sonoma County Homewreckers. It was an interesting bout, and I still think the Sacred City girls are more rough than the Chico girls, but it is still undecided.

Also, my skates are on their way! I am so excited.

I also finished a pair of near-knee socks on the way to the bout. I'll get pictures later today.

A new adventure

Wow, I'm a really bad blogger. While I can't promise to actually be better, we'll ( I'll) see.

Today I am starting a new adventure. Kind of. I am at the last sign post to get to the entrance to becoming a roller derby girl. I have really liked the sport for about a year now, and have seen two real bouts, and few on-line. I have been skating on rollerblades for years, but now am going to make the switch to quads. After one DISASTROUS attempt before Christmas, I had all but given up. See, as a roller blader, I came to understand that all my control came from pivoting. Ankle support is key to blading, Well, I got a pair of rental quads (more on those pieces of.... well bad stuff, later) laced 'um up high and tight. I stood up, went three steps and promptly ran into the bench. I couldn't turn. As hard as I tilted my foot, no turning. Apparently, leaning doesn't really affect skates that have points of contact in perpendicular lines. Huh, go figure that I don't defy physics. I gave up after one turn around the rink, and returned to my lovely blades. I have gained some resemblance of confidence on blades and that was ruined on quads.

A few months later, I tried again. I did some research on line and discovered that ankles need to be free in order to turn on quads. I again rented a pair and got on the rink. 30 minutes in I was in tears. My arches were spasming. Now I wear high heels to work. I even have occasion to run in them. But skating? Absolutely killed me.

Now you may not understand what I am saying. I have found out that the common person (read: the majority of people, who haven't skated since they were 12, or in my family's case, the '80's) doesn't understand what the boot of a skate looks like. A woman's quad boot can come in two kinds, artistic and speed. Artistic is reminiscent of an ice skaters boot. It has a heel. Most women's quads have an artistic boot. Who, may I ask, wants to skate in heels? Apparently no one. Every person I saw on the rink who owned their own quads had a speed skate, which is more reminiscent of a sneaker. With my family, this is what they remembered, and is what I remembered, as kids' skates do not have heels. So every time I told them I was looking for skates without a heel, they gave me the funniest looks as they tried to imagine some sort of Frankenstein dragster skate.

Now, after my freeing my feet from their stiletto prison, I had all but signed the death certificate on my derby girl dreams. The husband insisted that I get a pair of men's skates, as they did not have a 1 1/2 heel. I had to try on about 3 pairs before I found one that fit. Wouldn't you know, it really helped. I was able to do my cross overs before an hour was up. The skates were still a bit big, and I earned myself a blister. I wasn't able to cross over after the blister formed, but I was fairly happy. I would have been happier if the husband, a dyed-in-the-wool-hate-quads-with-every-fibre-of-my-being rollerblader, hadn't ended the evening with backwards skating, turns, and a few jumps.

Well today, at approximately 8:30 a.m, I ordered my very own pair of quad skates. GT-50's fitted with clear red outdoor wheels. The GT-50's are supposed to be a bit wider, so hopefully they will fit my 6 1/2 wide feet. I am nervous about the fit. I wore men's 6 at the rink, and when I measured, I got the size 6 measurements, but when converting to a normal woman's shoes, it's a size 8! I am a consistent 6 1/2 wide. I wear a 6 tennis shoe, and can wear a 7 if they're shorter. I'm hoping that a thick sock will help, if need be.

I got the outdoor wheels because here in my little podunk city, we don't have a roller rink. The closest one is 45 minutes a way, in any direction. However. we do have a skate park. So outdoor wheels it is. I'll get some indoor wheels in June, when I have more money, and no sock club order.

In 1 to 7 days, I'll have my very own skates.

Month of stuff

I am still knitting. The last month was busy. Hopefully this one will be better.

I finished a pair of socks!

Pattern: Pomatomus
Yarn: Collette Jitterbug in Velvet Damson
And a second!
Pattern: Snowflake Lace Socks
Yarn: Wildefoote Luxury Sock

The husband's sister is having a baby. Unfortunately for me they aren't going to find out what the sex is, so GENDER NEUTRAL KNITTING! (This may change. We have another friend with child, and while we also don't know that one either, my odds are good that ONE will be a girl and I can use my girly scraps.)
Pattern: Mitered baby blanket
Yarn: James C. Brett MarblePattern: Two Round Baby Hat
Yarn: Debbie Mumm's Transitions

I also started a project to eat up my bigger stashes.Pattern: Apres Surf Hoodie
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss

A day of tears and knitting

Tuesday started out normally. I ate my breakfast of oatmeal, and sat down with my computer for the half hour before I had to get going. I had a cold a few days ago, and am still dealing with the "left-overs", so to speak. When I blew my nose, I noticed my lower abdomin hurt. I assumed it was my intestines digesting and left it at that.

I got ready, and walked a mile to work, knitting as I went. Once I arrived at work, I needed to blow my nose again. The pain, very faint, was still present. So, being the obsesser I am, I pushed on my groin, right where my leg attaches to my hip, to see why it hurt. I screamed.

I assumed it was a lymph node. The husband was already coming by work to drop off some Splenda for my tea, so I used the time to look up lymph node pain. Websites said that they swelled when they were fighting an infection nearby. Not anything I would normally worry about, even thought the pain was immense. Except, I had an abnormally large node under my chin over the weekend, and two swollen nodes in two different parts of my body were not a good sign.

The husband concured, especially after I screamed in his ear when he poked it. He called the hospital, who had no appointments that day. Urgent care it was.

Bottom line, I spent the day getting tests taken. Some rather innoculus, like a urine anallysis. Others, scary as hell. At then end of the day I had two Ultrasounds, and a CAT scan, and had been told I would more than likely need surgery that day, or the next. I spent the day bouncing from doctor to doctor, knitting and appologizing to the husband for making him miss a day of school.

When we finally got to the surgery consultation, he said that the previous diagnosis was ridiculus, and it was a swollen lymph node, possibly made worse by the fact I had been stressed about losing my job the past three weeks. He also said that next time I shouldn't go to Urgent Care. Oh yea, that's a great thing to say. I was literally screaming in pain and I should have waited until I could get an appointment the next day.

Now, I am just dreading the medical bill. I wish medicine was like other services. If they make a mistake, they have to fit the bill. I had three major tests done, all for nothing. I have decent insureance, but I know they won't cover everything. The kicker? I got a percription for Vicadin for less than $4. Now I am a VERY law-abiding citizen, but I find it hilarious that I could sell those extra pills and earn more than enough to cover the bill.

At the end of all this, I find three things very amusing. 1: I joked that I wanted to meet Dr. House, and with the incorrect diagnosis, I was the talk of the hospital and just might have. 2: I really was afraid at first they would make me get a Tetnus shot. TWO IV's were instead my fate. 3: There was a pie-shaped candle in the CAT scan room. I liked looking at it as the machine scanned the radioactive liquid running through my allegedly leaking veins.

What was accomplished on my 2nd day off.

I spent most of the weekend at a cabin on the Russian River, where I finished the first Pomatomus sock. (I cheated with the picture in a few posts back.) The rest of the weekend was spent casting on and frogging a Kiri shawl, knitting a swatch or the Apres Hoodie, and knitting most of a Dumpling Bag. As for the Kiri, turns out the yarn I had was cobweb weight and looks awful on size 3. But of course, I'm using my 2's for a million other projects, and I don't own a circular 1. The swatch is complete, and drying on my table. Since I don't turn on my heater, it should be dry by next weekend. I really ought to knit that Hoodie; it will eat up a lot of my stash. Not to mention, I could have it in time for the cool spring in a couple weeks. The Dumpling bag. Ahhh, it is everything they say it is. Quick. (I knit it in a day) Cute. (It is totally perfect for more weekends.) And a beautiful canvas for creativity. (I spent an entire day just embellishing it.)FO: Dumpling Bag
Yarn: 1 entire skein of Berroco Peruvia in black
Needle: size 13
Other: Two glass rings, one clear, one black, from Micheals
Mods: I only made one mod to the main pattern, and that was to skip the last plain knit row and just decrease straight to the last 24 stitches. I had enough yarn or one more row, so that was it. As to the embroidery, I didn't have any colors in the way of flowers and tree branches, well, most no tree branch colors, so I took a look at what I had and went with it. I had half a ball of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Cloud from a tam, and Patons Classic Wool in Grey from the Turn-a-square for my brother. There were other scraps I considered using, but I'm going to try to make another tam out of the rest of my Karaoke. Now, I bought two skeins in black and red, thinking I would need 2 for one bag. I definitely will make another in red, but I'm not sure about making 3 more. I am tossing around the idea of a checkered bag, but I think it would get too complicated trying to math out the size of each square between decreases and a major change with felting.

Pomatomus Progress or Alliteration Attempts

My last pair of socks came out to big for a number of reasons, so I am determined to have one pair of socks I can wear. I knit these on size 0 needles, since all the others gave me too big of a gauge. As this pattern is very stretchy, I figured less stretch the better. I mean, really, I buy 9 packs of generic socks that fit size 6 to 12. My sock should be more snug.

Wow, is it ever snug. The leg and foot are tight, but I think it is a good tight. Now I just have to make sure I only knit the foot small enough to fit when stretch rather than make the mistake I did last time and start the foot when it reaches my toes relaxed.

I finished the toe, but it was too short, so I ripped back and added about an inch. After blocking (though it is not completely dry), it fits pretty well.

What was accomplished on my 1st day off.

The hemlock ring was what I worked on the most, but I pulled out a UFO and added some to it.
Also known as the I-wish-it-was-Noro scarf. I had stopped during my trip to the snow last month, as I had to join new skeins, and I was getting tired of it. I am determined to finish it, so it is back in the rotation. I want a long scarf, so I probably will knit another 6 inches or so.

The thing that kept this going at first was I liked to see the color changes together. Then, on a particularly long wait for the Matterhorn, my affections began to turn. The pink strand wasn't changing. I knit and knit and waited and waited. No change. The brown changed, but not the pink. I became angry and wanted to throw the scarf down for it's betrayal. However my logic prevailed. I saw there were more colors in the ball; it would have to change eventually. A foot, I had to knit a foot before the pink changed. And while logic did a happy dance at knowing I was right, the relationship had changed. My trust had been lost. Oh, I stayed, but only because it was the status quo. New beginnings can be frightening and can bruise your ego. "Can I do this? Am I worthy? This is more complicated than my last one, can I manage?" I just couldn't let go. However, as soon as the status was no longer quo, I dropped that scarf like a bad habit.* I was no longer in love with the scarf, heck, I barely liked it. It was only a poor man's imitation anyway. Joining a new skein was like admitting I cared about it, and liked it.

My dislike for UFO's won out. And I might like it more when it is done.

But I still wish I could afford Noro Silk Garden.

My sil is having a baby, the first in our family, so I'm thinking some of the brown left-overs may go into a hat. I'm not fond of the yarn, but it is machine washable, and brown is gender-neutral. I'll probably have enough yarn for a few, so I'll whip one up and see how it does in a cycle of washing and drying machines before actually giving it away.

January Socks (WIP)

My goal for 2009 is to buy NO* new yarn, knit up my stash to only 50, and knit at least one pair of socks a month.

So far? 100% success! I CO a pair of Pomatomus for the Sockaholics Anonymous, thought I didn't post until February so it doesn't count for the contest.

This year could be a very trying one. The husband is over a year away from graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering and Structural Engineering, and I may be laid off. I don't talk about my career, as this is a knitting blog. However they are connected, as the job allows me the funds for knitting. Hopefully my job will be safe, and the yarn buying will commence! (OK, not really, but I can pretend.)

*There are three exceptions. 1) I got into the Loopy Ewe's sock club for 2009, and this was stipulated before I made the promise. 2) Any gifts that require a purchase is allowed. 3) I earned one exception from the husband on a bet. I don't plan on using it.

Hemlock Ring Blanket blues

91 stitches. That is how many stitches I had left too bind off before I ran out of yarn. I have a couple lines on the same dye lot on Ravelry, so I just have to be patient.

I am NOT buying yarn this year, so this will have to be the exception. Actually, I won a bet with the husband that allows me for one exception up the $50. Hopefully he won't consider buying someone's partial skein to be that exception.

I finished a pair of socks! They turned out too big, but I should have expected that. The pattern in lacy and the yarn has a good deal of elastic in it. They fit my mom's size 9s! FO info
Pattern: Ribbed Lace by Charlene Schurch
Yarn: Patons Stretch Sock in Plum
Started: January 15th
Finished: January 27th
Modifications: I made one on the first sock. The pattern says to have an extra purl stitch at th beginning on the foot, but I accidentally made it at the end.

Notes: I had to get used to not pulling the yarn completely. The colors really hide the pattern, but I knew it would happen on anything but a plain vanilla sock, and I really wanted a pattern. These socks actually stay up, and you can see the pattern when I wear them over trouser socks. Because of my calves (I consider them heifers), these socks won't stay up by themselves. They slip to just below the swell of my muscle. I have large calves, 14 inches, compared to my ankles, 8 3/4 inches, so I will have to add increases (decreases) to make over the calf socks.

My vacation knitting

So, it's been about three years since my last vacation and we went to Disneyland and spent some time in a cabin in South Lake Tahoe. Unfortunately, over one day was spent driving. I knew I would be spending a lot of time myself in the cabin so I brought some yarn. And by "some" I mean enough for 7 projects. I had an easy project for Disneyland.

I'm currently debating adding the other two skeins. The scarf is fairly long, but not quite as long as I'd like. However, there are only so many Turn-a-square hats I can stand, and I currently have enough scraps for at least 3. The yarn is atrocious. It is a thin layer of color repeating nylon strands wrapped about a black core. The nylon is only on in one layer, and it bunches easily, so the core shows though. There is a lot of comments on Ravelry, but I don't have access to the net when I'm in store debating a purchase. Well, it is half the cost it would be for a scarf in Silk Garden. (Which is what I really want.) So I actually have enough for two scarves. I will be gifting one. I was going to gift both, but I don't think I can after knitting it in Disneyland.

Right before I left I had finished a tam, but took it off the pate before it was dry and it unblocked.
The main thing I wanted to work on was a Hemlock ring blanket that I bought yarn for about 6 months ago. Of course, I went to cast on and found that I had only brought half the pattern. With a bit of cajoling I got the husband to take me to a close enough wifi connection and I worked it off the computer.

The rest of the Christmas gifts

As Christmas is over, I can post the rest of the gifts I had been knitting.

All of these were for my mother:
Pattern: Entrlac Scarf
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Boku
Needles: 7

This took a while as I stopped knitting it for the commission knitting. I didn't block it, since I wasn't sure if mom would like it one way or the other.


Pattern: Aran Isle Slippers
Yarn: Malabrigo in Buscanda Azul
Needles: 6
I knit the largest size on smaller needles, as I wasn't getting gauge. Unfortunately they turned out too big after blocking. Mom is going to unblock them, and if that doesn't work, we'll felt them a bit. I don't think mom was too pleased with them. Pattern: Calorimetry
Yarn: Malabrigo in Buscanda Azul
Needles: 6
Made this with the left overs from the slippers. I made a mistake by not knitting both sides evenly, so when I was doing the short rows back, I had too many stitches on one side. I fixed it, but then knit too many rows. I had to cast off two rows early so I would have enough yarn. I think this will be used the most. Mom puts a handkerchief over her hair when she cooks or cleans, and this will be a more stylish alternative.

Completing the first round

Half of my immediate family lives far away, and so all presents must be sent in advance. I was hoping that my package would have been sent out yesterday.... but I'm still one hat shy. And this one will have to be blocked within an inch of it's life. And since that part of the family rarely goes on the internet (at least last I checked that sort of thing) I can post their soon to be wrapped and shipped presents. For my step-mother
Project: Multidirectional scarf
Yarn: Patons SWS in Natural Earth
Needles: 6
No modifications on this. Simple, just let the yarn do the work for you. I received quite a few compliments as I knit this, and I think mom wants one too. For my "little" brother
Project: Turn a Square
Yarn: Patons SWS in Natural Denim and Classic Wool in Dark Grey Multi
Needles: 6 and 7
Really love this. I was afraid the top might be too girly. I also cut out a yard or so of particularly purple/blue. With a 15/16 year old boy, you never can be too sure what will make something unwearable. The husband will also be getting one of these, and probable one for myself as well, and with as much self striping yarn as I have left over from things, one of our friends might get one too. And for my father: Pattern: Fake Isle Hat
Yarn: Patons SWS in Natural Denim and Classic wool in black
Needles: 7

I had knit one of these for myself, and I knit it too short, so with this one I knit it exactly as the pattern stated. It was tight and long, but after blocking, it should fit my father.

Christmas Knitting

I'm sure everyone is in a frantic knitting fury, and I am no different. All my commission knitting is done with these scarves: Project: Princess Scarf
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential in Princess Multi
Needles: 1 1/2
Pattern: A highly modified Jaywalker

Project: Purple Scarf
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential Kettle Dyed in Eggplant
Needles: 1 1/2
Pattern: A highly modified Jaywalker

The lady who asked for the scarves liked the brown one I made, and preferred the thinner size, so I simply repeated it for the last two. I'm not really happy with either too much: the Princess looks like a strange tiger stripe pattern, and the purple just doesn't have enough variation to be interesting. I finished a much more enjoyable project for my cousin.


Project: American Lobster in Germany
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Firecracker Heather
Needles: size 4
Pattern: Knit Lobster

I loved how this turned out. The tail alone took an hour, but that really was the most fiddly part. I did modify the claws. I didn't like how the I-cord claw looked, so I picked up some stitches from the side of the larger half of the claw, then decreased. My cousins brings a few stuffed animals with them when they come to America to visit, two of which are crabs. There weren't any super cute crab patterns, so I thought a lobster was the next best thing.

A month of knitting

So I've been busy. And lots of things have been started and many things finished.

I'll start with the finished:
Project: Checkered scarf
Started: October 3 2008

Completed: October 23 2008
Yarn: 1 ball of Knit Picks Essential in Carbon Twist
Needles: 3

This is the first scarf I made for my commission work. I made it on the biggest needles I have for the fingering weight to maximize the size. It turned out fairly wide, but only 3" long. I didn't add a boarder, believing the mixture of balanced moss stitch and unbalances stockinette would cause it to lay flat. This made the edges wave a bit, bit not too bad. It curled a bit, but a light wash and flat dry fixed that.

Project: Jaywalker scarf
Started: October 20 2008

Completed: November 5 2008

Yarn: 1 ball of Knit Picks Essential Kettle Dyed in Timber
Needles: 1 1/2

This was the second scarf I knit for my commission job. I REALLY love how this turned out. I actually bought 4 skeins of this, anticipating 2 for the scarf and possibly 2 for a hat for a boy described as similar to Mr. Potato Head. Well, the hat was not to be a good idea, so I have three skeins... Enough to make ME a scarf!!
Project: Windy City Hat
Pattern: Windy City Hat

Started: October 28 2008

Completed: November 1 2008
Yarn: 1/2 ball of Knit Picks Essential Kettle Dyed in Eggplant
Needles: 1

This could be considered "inspired by" Windy City as I changed the yarn weight, number of stitches, length of stockinette portion, and how I did the decreases. Hopefully it will fit a 2/3 year olds head.
Pattern: None

Started: November 7 2008

Completed: November 16 2008
Yarn: 1/2 ball of Knit Picks Essential in Carbon Twist

20 inches is pretty big for a kid's head. With a marl, I have found that only knit/purl stitches show up well. So a nice simple hat to go with the scarf. Matching, but not identical.

Pattern: Noro Spiral Hat

Started: November 16 2008

Completed: November 16 2008
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential in Princess Multi
Needle: 1 1/2

Another inspired by hat. There are very few patterns for fingering weight hats for child.

I will have my new WIPs up soon.

I was wrong.. there is no magic drink

So I went out to the kitchen to make another pot of tea for last night and grabbed the tea my husband had left out. Yep black tea. So the secret to success is what everyone already knows. Caffeine helps you stay awake.

I should mention, I try not to drink caffeine normally, and that is why miracle of tea was new.

Some knitting was done, I plan on finishing a scarf today, but last night was mostly spent trying to find a phone number. I got the new "job" and so I hade to call in for someone to take my place AT my job for the day. Of course I couldn't find the number anywhere. I used to keep it in my old phone, and I had forgotten to transfer the numbers before I gave the phone to my mom. This meant I had to talk my mom through finding the number with a phone I hadn't used in 4 months. I did have an identical model to help, but since I had also given away the power cord, I couldn't turn it on. I was pretty frustrated, but since I got the number, I think I did ok. Technology was NOT meant to be taught over the phone.

The secret of my success

Last night my checkerboard scarf became this: My Jaywalker scarf became: All because I drank a pot of this: And before you ask, no it's herbal. I have tried drinking things before to keep myself awake, but ususally milk or juice. I learned in high school that eating helped me stay awake. But last night my throat started to hurt (still does) and I thought a put of tea would hit the spot. Didn't help my throat at all, but sure helped my knitting. This should be a good week. I received and order at work, and while not EXACTLY for me, opening boxes are fun. I should be getting a package from The Loopy Ewe tomorrow or Thursday. (This is my third order. I'm half way to Loopie Groupie status.) This was bought as a gifty from the husband, though I did pester him for a week for it. And after sorting through all my stash, I am more excited about the yarn I already have. Also, I should have heard yesterday about a new job opportunity I applied for. It was the *potential* of become a slightly different career. I am excited, but am trying not to work myself up too much. If I get it, great potential, extra pay, and something exciting to try. If I don't, less stress, no need to worry about transportation, and no days out of work to plan for.

Maybe my stash isn't SO big.

Sunday I planned to knit all day. I got distracted by a new project, but realigned myself. I decided to take pictures of my stash and update Ravelry. That was when I found it. A moth hole! Two to be precise. In a cake of Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud. A more thorough investigation revealed more larva (though not a disgusting looking as the name sounds). So I proceeded to pick them off, and throw all my wool into a garbage bag. I did photograph it, but then I caked them all, and into freezer bags and the freezer they went. I now have a stinky moth ball in my stash box, where my non-wool resides, and all but a few skeins are in the deep freeze for the week. All stash will remain in the bags, which will be properly sealed, so moths and the moth ball smell, shouldn't be too much of a problem. In the end I only lost half a ball of the Alpaca Cloud and about 10 yards of another lace weight. There were a few more breaks, but it was never decided if they were moth, or mechanically caused.

I did discover and interesting tidbit. I had a ball of deep teal yarn, with a little buggy on it. When I squished it, it was green inside! Apparently it can't digest the dyes.

Also in this, I brought out my umbrella swift. It was a wonderful birthday present from my mom. I tightened it to cake some lace weight, (lace weight alone makes a swift worth the money) and the umbrella fell down. I attempted to retighten it, and I wouldn't! The threads on the bolt had broken off. I have since e-mail Knit Picks. I am confident they will replace it, but I don't have the invoice, so I am not sure what I should send in its stead.

Knitting was done, but not much

The saga goes on. I continue to try to knit, but fail miserably most days. I decided that my desire for yarn could be quenched by casting-on for another project. As I am determined to finish the commission knitting before moving on to my own projects (read: Christmas is doomed) I went for another scarf. This is in Knit Picks Essential Kettle Dyed in Timber with the Jaywalker pattern. There is nothing to see however. I have cast-on and frog said scarf at least 4 times. These at the ones I remember, there may have been a few when I was initially casting-on. The first, I only did one repeat and a seed stitch boarder. ( I do LOVE seed stitch). Verdict: Too narrow. I did some research, and find another (though very similar) pattern with two repeats. Verdict: The chevron is in a bad ratio with the boarder and it is a bit too wide. I recast on with a smaller number of stitches to correct this. Verdict: Wrong number of stitches. I cast-on the number I thought, turns out however, that I did the math wrong. (Again) I have since cast-on again, but have not knit past the bottom seed stitch boarder. (If someone can tell be about another well balanced stitch that looks as pretty as the seed stitch, I'd love to hear about it.) I am also determined to knit one square of the checkerboard scarf everyday. That way I get it done and I don't get too tired of it. Or at least not any more tired of it than I am now.

Why I didn't knit in 4 words

I forgot a needle!

Fate is against me.

A day (hopefully) of knitting

I spent yesterday at work, so today I'd be free to have some fun. I'll be in the car for a few hours and hopefully there will be some knitting. Luckily it is mostly freeway driving, I get sick very fast trying to knit in the stop and go traffic of towns. And if I am very lucky there will be a trip to a local yarn store.