Armed with Pointy Sticks

FO Friday

Gina has created a lovely post in celebration of what she is calling "FO Friday".  I quote "Hello wonderful blog readers! Today, is the first EVER FO Friday!!! (No, it's not f*uck off, Friday...though, if you have a situation that calls for such a title, then I urge you to use it! LOL!)"

Go look at her list.  She's finished quite a lot.  It's really quite amazing what this girl can get done. Then, go take a peek at Jackie's. Not the huge list that Gina has, but still formidable.  And she's sure that there's more.  These women are impressive, no?

Then come back, I'll crack the top off of your beer, so you can lean back with me and proclaim proudly, "Fuck off, Friday."

I've got a lace sweater that's sitting in exile, until I get drunk enough to finish it, forget why I left it, or get bored enough to frog it proper.

I've got a double knitting technique that I'll get under my belt.  Sooner or later.

I've got yarn for two Rouges.

I've got a Cable wise cashmere, which doesn't really count, because it is a real, live, work in progress.

I've got a sock that I cast on, knit past the heel, and then decided that I liked the yarn too much for the pattern I was using, so I frogged it.  That was the sock I knit at the Orpheum and to see the Harlot.

I've got the ribbing for an aran for Kadin.  This has hope, Chris said he'd knit it, and I'm fairly excited, because my two favorite men will be connected by a lovely aran.

I've got 20 balls of lettuce eyelash yarn.

I've got yarn and dye for Liam.

I've got yarn coming for the sweater I plan on knitting as trade for my wedding pictures.

I've got three skeins of red Manos that doesn't have a vision yet, but it whispers to me from across the room every time I lay eyes on it.

I've got 8 skeins of green Manos cotton that does about the same.

I've got a skein of Cherry Tree Hill silk in blues and pinks and purples that is learning bad habits from the Manos.

I've got  several baskets hiding yarn, and a ceder chest that holds treasures untold.

I've got (let me go count) yarn for at least 30 pairs of socks.  This is not an educated guess, I just went and counted, and I'm certain that some skeins are hiding.  I have another skein of Opal on the dresser.  At least 31.  And two skeins of Regia silk on the dining room table.  32.  I'm going to Ewe'll Love It for Patrick's birthday Sunday.  Don't judge me.

Fuck off, Friday.

UPS, Canners, and Hello Kitty

I'm not into making a big post tonight.  My personal blog is suffering a bit, and I've got stuff to handle, but I did have a little bit of news.

I got my canner finally today.  I went to UPS on Tuesday for what I thought was my canner.  I waited for two hours while they pulled the truck apart.  They couldn't find it, and to make everything as insulting as possible, the package turned out to be something for my sister.  Today I went in to pick up the canner.  I walked in and the woman saw me and said "I have your package! I'm not even going to ask for your ID, because I feel like I know you!"

So, I have a canner, and all the little toys that you would need to can, and a lid rack, which is something that they threw in extra. Good thing.  I would have never known that I needed one!  So this weekend, I can.

But, the real reason I came over here to blog was this.  This is really for Gina and Jackie, but I think I'll be using these charts as well.  Can you stand the cuteness?

I'm going to edit to add this, which is a crap ton of Kitty charts.

Barter, Why it's Better than Payday

So, we've been playing with plans for the wedding.  My dad finally came through and got us a cabin right on the coast of Maine for our wedding and reception.  I haven't seen it yet, but I'm very excited.  Just about perfectly midpoint between the Cape and Potato Country.  Do you hear angels?

With that in mind, I'm starting to plan again.  I was hopeless, and then I was Vegas.  Vegas was easy, but this is easy, and fun again. 

My cubie, Dave, asked me the other day if I ever knit on commission.  I told him I don't knit for money, but I'd trade for it.  He asked me if I had anything going right now, and I told him that I was working on two sweaters for Christmas.  He nodded, understood, and asked if I could make him a sweater for a late Christmas present then.  He'd buy the yarn, and I could think about what would make a suitable trade.

A little while later it dawned on me that Dave is a professional photographer.  I told him that I'd buy the yarn, I'd even have the sweater done for Christmas, if he'd photograph my wedding.  He told me he'd think about it.

I brought in patterns.  I showed him sweaters.  He took one design that he liked and slyly asked the intended recipient of the sweater what she thought of it.  She really liked it.

Not only will he photograph the wedding, he'll give me the RAW images right off the memory card.  No licensing, no copy write. 

I'm shopping for yarn, yarn that will make the angels weeps.  The chosen sweater is this one. And he seems to like that color.  I'll start scouring yarndex, and then my Patternworks and Webs catalog.  It calls for cotton, but I want the memory of wool.

But first, I have to go get my canner, UPS called me, it's in!

A Pack of Knitter's Converged Upon Boston Today...

Do you know what the best thing is about a large, public gathering of knitters is?  I don't mean public like up in some fair grounds, or tucked away in a yarn store.  I mean public like right in the middle of everyday, like the Boston Common.  You'd think it'd be the new faces, the old faces, the exchanging of ideas.  But no.  I think, for me, the best thing about today's Knit Out was watching the faces of the non-knitters walking through the Common and wondering what the hell we were doing.  It was just another day for them, and we were in their common, making it crowded, having our speed-knitting contests and our knitted-item fashion shows.  They just didn't know what to think of us.

So yes, as a more orthodox intro, Chris and I went to the Boston Knit Out (and Crochet too!) today.  It was pretty nice day, truth be told.  A little sunshine, a little rain, representing yarn shops (not allowed to sell, because the event is non-profit, so they were giving stuff away!)

When we first showed up, we went to the Bloggers' table.  We signed in, got a little sticker that I put my name on, with my web address... it is so time for me to register the domain.  It's just not Armed with Pointy Sticks when you have to explain that the address is really erickajo.typepad.com/knit.  Anyway.  Since I was one of the first 25 knitters to register, I got a door prize.  Check this out.  I put it up against Moose because it blends in with the carpet.

It really blends in with Moose too.  It's lettuce color bordering on translucent.  The upside is it's really soft.  I like the way it feels.  Good thing.

Because I got a whole pack.  That's 920 yards of this stuff.

So then Chris and I went over to the door prize tent (there was already a line, and we didn't have anything else to do.)  He got a pattern and a booklet, and I got... wait for this...

Ten more skeins of that same yarn.  1840 yards of a very slinky feeling, lettuce colored, eyelash yarn.  I find this amazingly hilarious.  I should make a coat.  Or a car cozy.  Or fringe everything that I ever make, for the rest of my life, in this yarn.  Or give it all to Hana, my cousin who is a new knitter, just to see what she'd do with it.  Maybe my dad's wife will get a scarf out of it for Christmas.  No doubt she'd love it.  Maybe a blog contest: figure out what to do with it and win... all of it.  I'm typing this amidst fits of giggles.  A big Cruella DeVille jacket might be the ticket.  We don't look gift yarn in the mouth, right?

There was other free yarn.  Manos, in my very favorite color.  The booklet is fairly useful.  Needle conversions, shoe size to foot lengths, a place to write what you own for needles, all kinds of useful junk, and the right size to go in the knitting sack.  Don't mind the cats, when somethings is put on the floor they have to investigate.

We met up with Jackie, Lora, and Gigi from our group at some point, because there's strength in numbers. ;)

We made our way through the tents.  Lots of great shops there, and I'm sure I'm on about 8 more mailing lists.  My heart is not broken.  No junk mail like yarn junk mail.

We made our way over to the gazebo for the Fastest needles contest.  Got there too late to join, but cheered Lucille on.

And then we hooted for Gigi, winner of the Fastest Hook contest!!  Woot! 

The nicest thing about these events is the new people to be met.  I think today's winner is Alastair.  Alastair is a double knitter.  Well, he's more than that, he works for Apple, he's witty, but he's also a double knitter.  Really, how much do you expect me to learn about someone in a few minutes?  Check out some of his work.  The one on the right is actually triple knit.  And bullet proof. But supple.  Knitted Kevlar.  No, really.  Would I kid?

He was also working on a scarf that was a raven with raven tracks.  The raven was black on an army green background on one side, green with a black background on the other.  I am incredible impressed.  It hits the geek button.  He teaches classes, and I think it might be worth a trip down in to Mass someday.  Never mind that I'm currently trying to double knit two separate objects and failing (due to Amanda's proddings, I will cast on with two different colors, until I own the technique, but that will wait until after I kill my target in Sock Wars.  I've got about another solid hour of knitting before the pair is done.)  Ok, really though, go check out his site.

And then... keynote address, one last pass at the tents, and off to the Windsor Button Shop.

One might wonder what would draw a knitter to a button shop.  How many cardigans can we all make, collectively?  Ignore the misnomer.  The inside of this shop was a delightful mix of everything.  And we bought stuff.  That's some Regia Silk (which is all the more sexy now that I know it's machine washable. Sexy, sexy, sexy).  Some Art Yarn's Super Merino (the blue Koigu looking gems) for Chris, and two skeins of Cherry Tree Hill.  The red was a selfish gift for myself, and the blue/green is a gift for a friend who told me that she wanted to start socks this winter.  I love this friend, and I think new sock knitters should be fostered anyway, so I bought her a present.  The skein asked me to send it to her.  And... Cascade Fixation!  Hooray! And some Addis.  My normal sock-making size.

And then we went to the Beantown Pub for an early supper.  I suggested it, so I was praying all the way  up the hill that it didn't suck or cost a whole lot.  It was a winner for both. Very great meal, and I would suggest it for anyone spending the day on the Common.  Except on a Red Sox game night.  I've driven past this place on those nights.  Yowch.

Walking back to the cars we bought fried dough, and I'd say that pretty much did it for me.  God, now I have to go back and stick all the pictures in where I talked about them.  Have mercy!

Everyone enjoy your week!  And if you were at the Knit Out, and are blog surfing, and trying to put a name with a face, I was hanging out with this guy:

Hmmm...

They Yarn Monkey posted her Sock of Doom pattern.  I haven't recieved my target yet, but she'd better recognize and quake a little, her first sock is half done.

I like the rib pattern, and doing it in a heavy yarn makes it a quick knit.  So what does one do when your hands are busy but your mind is bored?

Well, you start listening to episodes of Cast On, Starting from the beginning.

I post now to give the link of teh funny.  Yes, teh funny.  Download it, listen to it, ignore the Christmas Music, and catch Franklin Habit's monologue on everything that we knitters pour into our finished objects, and how that product might be better directed. 

If you've yet to listen to Brenda Dayne, you owe yourself the Knitter's Manifesto, to be found in episode 2.  Then follow suit, fire up Itunes, and download the whole damn group.  Great stuff to listen to while knitting.

Now leave me alone.  I've got a death sock to finish.

Ok, hyper kittens, the buttons were fixed.  It seems the default is set to display only 10 links, and as new ones got added, old ones slid off the list.  Jeez, Wendy didn't say anything!  She sucked it up and bravely soldiered on!  Oh well, all fixed.  I'll change the number again when I reach 20.

Last night's knitting was fantastic.  There was so much creativity and beauty, plus we got to meet Lora's little ones! 

But do you want to know what the real highlight of last night was?  Let me tell you.  Have you ever been sitting, knitting with a group of friends?  We are quite a large, loud group. I don't have to tell  a lot of you, as you make up that large, loud group.  Well, anyway, from time to time, people come up to your group to see what you're doing.  One person in the group catches their eye, asks if they knit, and wait for the answer.  If the answer is yes, then an invite is made, and the person usually promises to come back at a future date.  If the answer is no, the invite is made to learn.  This one is usually laughed off by both sides (although we are serious.  Conversion, under the surface, is no laughing matter.)

Last night the outlier was a young man in a Nine Inch Nails T shirt and a leather jacket.  And he said yes.  Yes, he'd like to learn how to knit.  Chairs were moved, a garter stitch scarf was produced (I think my sister is still pissed about us usurping her scarf, I haven't been able to get ahold of her yet) and Mike learned how to knit.  And then he came with us next door for a late supper.  We have made a friend.  Unfortunately he works Wednesday nights, but things change.  And he's going to be keeping in touch.  I really like this kid.  He's obviously hard to scare, which is an important feature in any friend of mine.

Yes, I took some pictures, but I'm really too lazy to hook my camera up and download them.  I'll post again soon.  Chris is designing this amazing pair of gloves.  I'm so proud of him. 

Sock Woes

Today I cast on my exreme socks.  I was ready.  It was reccomended by our monk, who carried the technique from the mountain tops to Knitty, that I cast on each sock and then put the stitches on my addis, alternating stitches.  I did so with glee.  This really does have the satisfaction of a mantra, without the drymouth.

I knit for a bit, and realized I'd picked up the tail instead of the yarn for one of the socks.  Went back, everyone does that from time to time.

Knit for a bit, realized that I was not knitting two socks, I had somehow managed to make the start of one very dense, very warm sock.

No big deal.  This yarn makes me happy.

I studied the pictures extra hard this time.  Tried again. 

Happened again.

I'm trying like hell to work this out.  I do not want to hate these socks.  They have much to teach me.  Did Daniel San hate Miyagi?  Yes, at times I'm sure he did.  But he became the Karate Kid.  And all was well.

I want to figure this out before I drive down the the author's home state so I can hang out at one of her knitting groups.  You know, in public, where one would agree to meet potential creepy types like me.

Kory?  I'll bring Krispy Kreme.  I mean, you know, if it comes to that.

I'm really not worth the effort it takes to get a restraining order.  But every state is different.  Maybe your state has a restraining order drive through.  *sigh*

YAAAAARRRRRRRRRR(n)!

Avast ye maties!  Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day, ya hear?  We be celebrating this day, smartly.  Aye?

Let there be a Pirate Linkfest!  It be time to quit your swashbuckling and use them thar needles like they was intended.  It be time to knit like a pirate!

First, you'll be wanting a hat that makes the beauties swoon.  I be talking about this tricorn hat.  Mayhaps the deck hands would fancy a warm head.  Or perhaps you'd be liking to set sail to Fair Isle?  With matching mitts?   Doncha be forgettin' about the wee one's either!  Who else are you raisin' up to sail this rig once you've gone down ta see Davy Jones?

And you'll be needin' warmth!  We can't sail the tropics all the time!  To the Isle of Shoals we go, dressed in a warm Pirate Gansey!

And finally, where do ya plan on keeping all of that booty?  We pirates are a stylish bunch, so here be a bag to coordinate with all your loot.  Only got a little loot?  Well then, if you're of no mind ta catch up with the rest of us, here be a bag to match.

Ahoy thar, ya scurvey dogs.  Get ye to yer yaaaaarrrrrrrrn!

Bonus points to anyone who read parts of this post out loud.  I love you.

A Week to File Away with the Others

I've actually got quite a bit to post here.  Oddly enough, I'm having a hard time recalling all of it.  When you blog in your head all week long, you'd think that you could call some of it up.  No, of course not.

Well, for knitting, actual picking up sticks and string and making something solid, I finished my first pair of toe up socks.  I used Knitty's Toe Up pattern, and STR Watermelon Tourmaline.  I have thoughts on both.

The yarn is gorgeous, like all STR, however, I was hoping for pooling that went just a bit deeper.  The yarn is made up of several very gorgeous colors, and I just think that the finished product was a bit muddy in comparison.  I love them, and they're mine.  Mine.  Measured to my foot, they fit like a dream, with a 3x1 rib (that's nature's invisible rib, honey.  Almost looks like stockinette with the hug of a rib).  Mine.  I don't knit for myself as often as I should, and a lot of things that I start to knit for myself actually end up going to someone else.  What can I say, I'm selfless.

Now, on the pattern... I am going to use it again.  In fact, the next sock is already on the needles (and is getting off the needles as quick as I can manage it, but more on that later) but I'd ponder on a reinforced heel, and I wouldn't ever use a normal bind off.  The pattern neglects to mention that.  This is where Elizabeth Zimmerman steps in.

Now, those of you who were present for my Pi Shawl debacle will know that I haven't talked to her in some time.  She had hurt me badly, and I wasn't ready to let her in again any time soon.  When I finished the first sock and bound it off, and wound the end in, I found that, as well as it fit when it was still live, the bind off would not fit over my heel.  This was a ridiculously loose bind off, but not loose enough.  I bravely started the second sock, swearing that I would find a better cast off and rescue the sock that sat and waited in a sock coma. 

I am a fan of the Knitty articles.  I am always a bit amazed at the number of people who just look at the patterns.  Me, I read it for the articles.  That and Playboy.  Just for the articles.  Anyway.  Tricks with Theresa is a wonderful feature that you'll find in there, and in the Summer issue she extolled the virtues of bind offs.  I tried the K2togTBL, pass resulting stitch back over, repeat... not stretchy enough.  I tried something else I couldn't remember, and then, I tried EZ's sewn bind off.  It seems a bit drastic at first, as it involves cutting the yarn as you still have live stitches, but trust me, it's for the best.  The bind off is just as flexible as the ribbing that it secured.  I finished the second sock, then I went back to the first, fished out the ends (so glad I didn't unply the yarn and weave in four ends) and did it with the first sock.  It actually uses less yarn than your conventional bind off.  Elizabeth Zimmerman can now be a topic of discussion over dinner at my house once again.

With Liz back in my good graces, and work coming the next day, as it is wont to do, I needed to start another pair of socks.  I wanted to knit with a sock yarn that I hadn't used yet.  I've collected a lot of sock yarn, but there are a few different kinds in my ownership that hadn't been used, just sniffed a lot.  I decided on some Opal.
                                                                   

This yarn looked incredibley fun on the skein, but I've got to be honest, I wasn't nuts about how it was knitting up.  Yes, both of the pictures were taken at work, no, not everyone has as fun a cube as I do.
                                                                   

The yarn's grown on me, I'm past the heel, and knitting like hell.  Not because I want the socks.  No, this lone sock will go in a ziplock bag with the leftover yarn and pattern notes.  No, as soon as this sock is done I will be starting the 2 on 1 technique.  Double knitting, that is.  I was going to start them on my 40" 2's, but Chris is using those, and that sock is on my 1's.  I could put the sock on waste yarn, but it would die there.  I could logically buy another set of needles, as I live in a 2 knitter household, but no, I will plug on.  Watch me, brave little knitter, forging ahead.

In the meantime, my yarn for my first set of DK socks has already been selected.  I got this yarn in my first SP swap from AliassaK.  I hadn't made socks yet at that point, so I tucked it away and vowed that it would be used for something special.  Well, what is more special than discovery?  I'm going to do a plainish sock, and focus on the color.  So yes, you understand why I must finish this Opal sock.

If the geekery of the article on Knitty didn't get you in the geek button hard enough, go check out the author's blog entry clearing up some of the questions we've had for her.  Yep, that's me on the top.  Issues of note are magic loop and toe-up.  And promises of later installments involving cables and lace.  *gush* isn't she great?  She's amazed at the high level of geek knitters out there.  I always knew we were out there lurking.  Some of the blogs I read make me feel damn normal.

Ok, so that's enough on socks, maybe, for now?

There have been several knitting outings.  A bunch from the group met up last Sunday at Ewe'll Love It, where we poked around the yarn and talked with Beverly, the shop's owner.  I picked up (you'll be shocked, I know) sock yarn!  I've been through this before, but sock yarn is great, and the shelf life on it is phenomonal.  I grabbed some lime-aidy Fixation, some Heirloom Easycare (which technically isn't sock yarn, but I'll be using it for my Sock Wars project) and some Regia Silk.  Let me take a moment, breathe deeply, and give a little whine of appreciation for the latter.  Really, this stuff is fantastic.  I'd like to make a pair of socks for my dad, but I'm not sure how he'd feel about hand washing socks.  Some men.

It was a good few hours spent with friends, and before we left, Gina entered her socks in the store contest.  (I saved that picture a bit bigger than the rest, incase you wanted to swipe it for your own blog, G.) Everyone please note the number.

And today (this entry is not even going to pretend to be chronological.  I'm skipping around, I can do that.  My blog.) we went to Joanne's shop, A Knitter's Garden, for her sale.  It's been a few months since I had been there, and I'm very impressed.  Her stock has grown immensely.  She's grown into a second room, across the hall.  Shopping at a friend's yarn store is probably the perfect way to welcome back fall.

I picked up yarn for Christmas presents and acknowledged that fact that I'm probably done knitting for myself until January.  The closest I'm going to get is Sockwars, which starts this coming Friday.  Although I am toying around with joining up with Lolly's Socktoberfest.  Heather, that link is for you.  In fact, look at me, I just joined.  Utter tool.  I will celebrate with my DK socks.  In between fighting evil with Sockwars.  I said I was going to talk about things other than socks, but it all comes back to socks, doens't it?

Well, anyway, fall is here and the hibernating knitters (you know, the ones that take the summer off) are coming back to us.  And I've got two sweaters, 3 pairs of socks, and a hat and scarf set to get on top of.  Obsessed?  I think I'm just crazy.  Knitting is what I do when I'm sitting still.  I don't sit still well.

OK, I'm off to beat another few inches into that sock.  Cheers!

Is it so Wrong

To mark the change of the seasons by Knitties?  I mean, each season has it's own special things, but each season brings a Knitty.

I'm very fond of this season's Knitty.  It has a high percentage of likability.  In fact, I don't think there's anything in it that I don't like.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't invest time in everything, but there's usually a project or two that turns me off.  Nope.  I like it all.

Let's page through it, shall we?

Heading up the issue we have Viveka. Now, it's a known fact that if you knit the same pattern twice, exactly the same, but one red and one... let's say... blue, or purple, or anything!  I'd like the red one better.  But I like this.  It's romantic, elegant, it's got a v neck.  I think you could rock this with a bust, but I'm still out to lunch on that one.  Heh, belled sleeves.  Who else is thrilled to death that belled sleeves are coming back in this season's knit wear? They're everywhere! 

Next, there is something just as cute, just a sexy, perhaps Viveka's little sister.  The one that has a room over the garage, so she can get in and out of her window easily every night.  Yep, Lucie is a little punk rock party girl.  I love the neck, and the ruffles.  And Axelle make it in sizes up to 3x!  Can I get a big girl cheer?  Yeah, that's right, we cheer the loudest.

Moving on, Cactus Flower is cute, but would never knit it, Cowl necks, no good for round face and short neck.  Yes, next for me is Ivy.  (also up to 3x.  Did Knitty start doing this when I wasn't looking?  If so, Amy Singer has achieved a level of greatness that should make her a goddess to all knitting publications.) Ok, Ivy.  Cute little wrap, cute cable work.  I'd lengthen the sleeves because this season, I can get away with it!

Now, this next number (and yes, it is a number.  In an item's life, if it is lucky, it may go to a level of such extreme sexiness that it can be referred to as nothing less than a number.  Like "that sexy little number".), Serrano is something that you'd take out of the closet and lay against yourself, even if you weren't planning on wearing it, because it'd make you feel like a vixen.  Yes, the color, that saucy little lace pattern, the corset style buttoning.  This thing makes me pant.  And sizing?  4x.  That's right big girls, you be sexy.  We'll all be sexy.  I'll be wearing red.

Avast!  Yes, the name I love to say for this issue!  Jesse wins!  You guys remember Jesse, right?  Remember now?  I'll be honest, the first thing I notice on Jesse's Knitty patterns is Jesse.  The boy is good looking.  I'm sorry!  He's married, and I'm nearly married (to a wonderful knitter of my own).  But aside from my As the Yarn Turns, look at the pattern construction.  We have a great zip up, with great cable work.  The one thing that I would design in is pockets, but you'd lose the form.  That's probably the jacket's great weapon: the form.  Moving on...

Sherwood. Cute little bugger, isn't he?  I've already got two arans on the make for Kadin, so I don't think this will be joining them, but it is well made, with a great cable that repeats across the whole sweater.  The next set of pictures were covered in pine needles, I bet.  Aren't little boys great?

Now, this, this I really love.  Sexy for your bottom half.  Hips, and butt, and corset-style ribbon accents.  I want to see my friend Amanda make this.  Everyone agrees with me, Panda.  Come on, do it.  One of us.  One of us.

Ok, getting sleepy.  Must plug on.

Little slip is cute, felted bags are great.  Lizard Ridge is desirable in color and design.  I can't see myself snuggling up to Kureyon, though.  But I still do have my boot camp blanket.  That's pure felted wool.  We'll see.  I love what the colors do in this thing.  21 balls of Kureyon.  You could buy them one at a time, attaching fond memories to each one... *gazes off*

Socks.  Socks socks socks.  Mmmmm.  I really do love me some socks.  Cookie is in here too.  This woman is a sock designing machine!  I want to give a hearty football linebacker grunt out to Cookie!  Hoo Rah!  Cookie attacks color work this season with Red Herring.  Presented so nicely, too.  Maybe the leg got some paid vacation.  Cablenet follows up with a very intricate pattern.  This will probably be my sock of choice for this issue.  Go on, look at it.  Tiny little cables, almost heraldic in their formation.  Sox on 2 Stix is fairly ingenious, but I've got a public service announcement. Get ready, it's biased, but I'm the one Armed with Pointy Sticks.   Yep, not afraid to use them.  Ok, if you're ready to go to these lengths to avoid using more than two needles, I think its time you stepped back and took a look at the big picture.  Or drop one needle and do it Magic Loop! So yes, brilliant design work, becoming a door mat for my technique whoreness.  Sorry.  And finally, last of the brood is Diamante, that's Spanish for diamond.  Yep.  This is my sister's latest crappy screen name.  Go on, find her, use a combination.  Go nuts.  Stalk my sister.  Back to the sock.  This sock is both simple and beautiful.  The cabling is lovely, and it uses the figure 8 cast on.  So if you looking to do a sock with the figure 8, and Baudelaire makes you break out into a sweat (and that's why we love Cookie!) give this one a try.  Ok, that does it for the socks.

Ayla and Twiggy tweed are both adorable little bags.  If I had to make one, it'd be Ayla.  But I'm cheesy like that.

Sugar on the Snow entrances me the way that all convertible patterns do.  Sure, the description is for April, when the promise of summer is near, and here we are at September, where warm feet are slowly becoming a memory, but there's another summer on the other side of winter.  The most endearing this about this pattern is the cord, particularly, the leaf shaped tassel.  I think this will be a between sweater pick-me-up this winter.  And bonus, the designer recommends Knitpicks, so it'll be affordable.  Might be worth knitting up a few of these.  Christmas, you know.

And Tamarah.  I'm glad to see this pattern, because it means I'm almost done, and the blog demons will let me sleep.  No. This charming wrap has me at the construction.  I'm a little too fuzzy to grasp it in it's entirety, but every time I look at the lace pattern, I love it a little more. 

Finally, for the patterns, Back to School. Who doesn't love a face cloth?  Practical, usable,  quick to knit, and a dandy way to work out stitch patterns. 

Now, the last thing that I'd like to comment on and this has got me really excited (and not just the title, but the title screams to my inner primitive tribal leader.  What, you don't have one of those?  I've got three.  Gets things done, but the tribal wars drive me nuts.  I digress)  Ok Extreme Knitting!

Extreme Knitting: Knitting 2 Socks in 1. Yeah, none of that two on one with one circ.  That, compared to this, is kids' play.  No, we're talking two socks at once, stitch for stitch, one inside of the other.  Click the link.  Read it.

This is a trick I've coveted since I started socks.  I'm going to have to do it.  I'm going to try it with the magic loop method, because I'm severely inadequate with DPNs.  Yeah. Ladders.  If there's 12 steps that don't involve yarn burn on my left index finger, I'm all ears.  So yes, this wins as Coolest Fricken Thing in the Fall Knitty.  It's a prestigious award that I coincidentally just made up.

And with that (and a little editing, because I love you) I go to bed.