What’s been happening at joey’s house?

Well, let’s see.

There were berries.

Now, there is jam.

There was a request.  Now there is a halter top – that fits.

There were scraps of yarn.

Now there is sock.  Yes, only one, the other is coming.  It’s a cuff.  We’ll get there.

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March Break Monster update – Thursday

Monster got his eyes, mouth and arm stitches yesterday. Today he really wanted to go outside and explore, but it is raining.

Small monster doesn’t like rain. So, he did lots of indoor things instead.

He played Xbox.

He found a good thinking spot.

He had a snack.

He did some reading.

He had a little nap.

He met some of the other denizens of Joey’s House.

And he knit a bit.

Tomorrow his pattern will be ready and he will be released out into the wide world.  He’s not sure that’s such a good idea.

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Who knew?

During my beginning of January make-all-the-things frenzy I decided I needed a new pair of mittens.  I wanted to knit something really basic, no pattern required, no pattern writing required and my old Noro mitts were developing a hole.  I wanted something soft and funky coloured.  Some crazy hand dyed variegated thing. Over at Shall We Knit I found this, Opus 1 by Zitron.

Really soft, barely spun, nice and thick, good colours, yup this should do.  I wound it up right away.  Notice anything?

Yeah, hi stripes!  I don’t remember seeing “self striping” on the label.  Good thing it’s such nice yarn or I might have to be disappointed.

On the new sock design front: the first test sock is finished, yay!  I’m loving how wiggly it looks when it’s unstretched.

I’m trying something different on the second sock, not sure yet if it’s really working.  Stay tuned!

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First FO of 2012

Hello! Happy New Year! Did you survive the holidays? Or, like me are you still surviving them, since Punky doesn’t go back to school for another 4 days?
Despite all the other things going on right now I did manage to get some knitting done – my first thing started and finished in 2012. Socks! Well, I didn’t say it was a really original thing. They are a bit different than my regular socks though, in that they are knit from sport weight yarn (that’s how I got them done so quickly!). I got the kit from Solitude Wools after seeing this blog post.  Loved her socks.  yeah, I got sucked in, what of it?  Socks in 4 days, I’m happy.  Actually, happy enough that I am considering doing more of these for Christmas gifts next year.  I think I will pick out my own colours rather than buying a kit though.  The wall of Cascade at my LYS should provide enough colours to have fun with.  Yeah, I like to plan ahead.

But for now, pictures!  Do you know how annoying it is to get a good shot of your own feet?

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A dreary weekend, a new friend

It is Labour Day – the official “end of summer” for many, at least around here.   The kids go back to school tomorrow, and the weather is always unpredictable from here on out.  This weekend has been typical of many Labour Day weekends – rainy and on the chilly side.  A good weekend to stay inside and snuggle up with your knitting under a nice blanket.  Or maybe cuddle up with your knitting that IS a nice blanket.  It would be pleasant to have someone to keep you company in this snuggly venture, wouldn’t it?  Well, let me introduce you to Draggo, the newest creature chez Joey.

Draggo is all the things we’ve just been thinking of – a bit blanket, some knitting to do and some company while you do it.  Draggo isn’t very chatty, more the grumpy, silent type, but that just means he won’t comment if you make a mistake.

Now don’t get too concerned that you have SO much to do – kids to get ready for school, lunches to pack, laundry, etc etc.  Draggo is flat and cuddly, but he is not as big as a blanket – he’s only about 40cm/16″ tall.  He is knit mostly in the round, so there is not a lot of seaming to be done at the end.  And he has only minimal stuffing, so even that won’t take long.  His pocket and the little baby that rides in it (his name is Blob) are optional, but really, you want a Blob don’t you?

Of course you do!  Draggo is now available for sale, either through my Ravelry shop, or at Shall We Knit , should you happen to be out New Hamburg way.  Karen will also have Draggo kits available at the K-W Knitter’s Fair, next Saturday September 11.  I’ll also be at the Fair, so if you see good ol’ Sock Monster hanging from my bag come on over and say hi!  I may even have some swag on me!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have laundry to ignore, lunches to not think about, and a kid who is happily playing, not thinking about school tomorrow.  I think I hear my blankie calling.

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Resistance is futile.

So very, very futile.

Why are you even bothering?

Just give in now.

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Loving the stockinette

Well, I was loving the stockinette when I started this project.  A cute little summer Twirly Skirt for Punky.  A very simple pattern.  Nice soft yarn.  Fun colours, picked by the girl herself. 

 Yeah, it’s pretty much all stockinette, but she’s not that big, it won’t take that long.  And in all fairness it hasn’t.  I have completed 3 of the 4 tiers.  But since this skirt is worked top down, and there are increases at the end of every tier, the last one just fits on my longest circ.  It seems to be going much, much s-l-o-w-e-r- than the first three. 

And I have at least 2 396 730 000 rounds left to do.  Or 26, whichever comes first.  But it’s not just the plain old stockinette that is bothering me.  That can be overcome with a decent movie.  It’s this.

171 yards of sqooshy yumminess; handspun by my lovely Sarah, just for me, despite the fact that I send her a billion stupid emails everyday, pester her to pick up my kid, drag her along on fibre quests and make her test my patterns.  The yarn is calling to me to be made into something, and yarn that good can’t just be stuffed in a box. 

But if I start something new, soon it will actually be warm, Punky will be squeaking for her new skirt and it won’t be done, despite my having knit about a mile of stockinette.

I must be strong, must resist the call of the yarn!  26 rows, suck it up, you can do it!  So I go into the kitchen to knit, where I spy on the counter, this!

Dagnabbit, who put that Noro there?

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Bright colours for a dull day

February is usually a pretty dull month around here.  Grey and cold and dreary.  A good time to stay inside and make something bright.

Like socks!  Really super bright ones.  This is just my standard stockinette sock recipe with stripes.  I alternated two different colours of Noro Kureyon Sock yarn every 4 rows.

The result is loud, unmatching and slightly obnoxious.  Just the way a good sock should be.

Next up? More clown barf yarn!  Wheeeee!

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