The Comfort Zone

Twenty more rows before I start the lacey edge of Cuddle My Shoulders shawlette.  It seems slow but I have spent a lot of time finishing the first mystery sock for March preview–I’m giving you a glimpse of the pretty design.  The second sock is started and is now through the first pattern repeat. 

I have been complaining to DH that I don’t get enough knitting done this time of the year even through the office knitting goes on (in ten minute segments).  There are just too many interruptions!  Don’t these people know that I have shawls and socks to finish? 

Without my notes I would never be able to remember where I left off.  Do you keep a knitting notebook?  This has been the topic of several blog posts I’ve read lately.  Knitting Daily had an article a week ago about graphing and sketching, both things I do in my notebooks.  I only started keeping notes about three years ago and it has been especially helpful when I knit a project for the second or third time (like Lavalette) and have information about modifications I’ve made to make the finished product work for me. 

I can’t say enough good things about note-sketch-graph books.  I even include a finished photo of the project.  It’s fun to go back later and look at them.  Forgive me for speechifying.  I’m taking off my lecture hat now.  (Oops, I didn’t look at that before I put it on–it was my dunce cap). 

Macy and Max are cold and have decided to hibernate:

You will notice that the door to Max’s crate is open and his bedding is “prepared” to suit him.  All Macy needs is a nose warmer.

Have too many socks?  I always say you can’t have too many, in order to justify the 24 pairs you see here and the four others in the wash.  I knit lots of other things like scarves, hats, shawls, hats, even sweaters and hats, but I always have a pair of socks on the needles!

There are also the two new socks on the needles–Rib Wrap covering mystery sock which is in the design stage.  There are long, short, lace, ribbed, picot topped, heavy, light, beaded, and even the requisite pair of Lucy socks.  All much loved and all worn year-round.  (I have cold feet all year).

I don’t think there is a time or a reason to stop knitting socks because sock knitting is the ultimate knitting experience.  There was a Zen experience with the first pair I knit, even though they were so misshapen that I couldn’t wear them.  That first pair is how the car-mirror socks thing started.

One of the main reasons that I have so many pairs of socks is the fact that they don’t wear out very fast.  I reinforce every heel and toe and depending on the strength of the yarn I sometimes reinforce the entire sole of the sock.  My favorite reinforcement is nylon thread and trust me it works!  Another reason my socks don’t wear is that I baby them–hand wash, block to dry and never, NEVER walk around in them without shoes or slippers. 

Eucalan is great for socks.  I soak them and squeeze the water out without rinsing and block on a big fluffy, thirsty towel.  Eucalan leaves wool conditioners behind.  That may be too much trouble for some people but that’s okay because the more socks you wear out the more you get to knit.  As if we need an excuse!

Good morning Mr. Chickadee 

Life is good!

The Thesaurus defines wishy-washy as weak in willpower.  That’s me!  In the last post I said I wanted the wonderful wool-silk-bamboo combination to be another Cabled Button Shawl–then I slept.  While I slept I dreamed a shawl that needs to be knitted and the result is “Cuddle My Shoulders.”  As I started the morning yesterday I sketched a band fitted around the shoulders much the same as the scoop neck of a top down sweater with a button in the center.  From there the shawl will be comfy garter stitch, increasing to a slight swing and finished in a loopy, lacey edging.

I started knitting and think it is going well.  You can see the circular shape taking place and so far it is draping just the way it should.  I have placed a button over the button hole to show how it will fasten.  I don’t think it’s the right button but I will start the search for the right one soon.

On another note, I had a discussion with an extended family member who was knitting socks on two circular needles.  She described how much easier it was without “wrasslin” those dang double pointed needles.  I was sitting there with my dpns thinking “I wouldn’t touch those things except to knit a sweater or shawl” and it occurred to me how different knitters are.  I simply nodded to her circ comment as I considered how tolerant we have to be of each other’s differences.  My dear Mother, who had a “saying” for any occasion had one that came to mind.  Mom would say, “To each his own said the old woman as she kissed the cow.”  I guess the message is, don’t knock cow kissing if you haven’t tried it!

Sock Longevity Tip!

 BTW the February Comfort Zone Newsletter is out with info about making your socks last longer.  Hope you enjoy it!

I have some new Elann Incense, a mixture of wool, silk and bamboo in Rich Coffee, and while I am working on the Butterfly Shawl by Danielle Wilson on Ravelry in a pale blue Marl, Incense is chewing a hole in my knitting bag trying to get out.  It tells me it wants to be another Cabled Button Shawl.  I agree since I believe that a good pattern deserves to be revisited often. 

This time around I will write up the pattern and post it with the caveat that there are at least a dozen other similar shawls, just none I could find with two cables and garter stitch edging.   Since I am currently having a love affair with the color brown I decided this one will be mine.

I am also working on a new sock pattern and making progress.  This is all you get to see until the March newsletter unveiling.  I’ve added Rib Wrap to my free patterns and hope you try it and enjoy it!  

I received an email question asking if the two stitch wrap in Rib Wrap socks isn’t the same as “yo, k2, pass yo over the two stitches.”   Close but not quite the same.   For me the yarn forward stitch as done in the pattern is easier than trying to pick up the yarn over, and the yarn over does not leave you with a neat little rib. 

Now that it’s as clear as mud I give you “The Lion and the Lamb.”  I will leave it to you to decide which one is which.

 
   Life is good.

Here is the Half Circle Shawl with a slight modification–a ruffle.  After a lot of playing around with the suggested lace edging I decided that I did not like it (Thanks Darcy for helping me decide).  The shawl was almost entirely knitted during work hours in the office.  Now I have to find another office project. 

One of the good things about the accounting business is the intermittent lulls in office traffic, the long periods of data entry and the endless hours of hold time on the phone waiting for various state and federal agencies to answer–all good knitting time.  I have mastered the “10 minutes of data entry and 10 minutes of knitting” strategy to the point that the “10 and 10″ technique has become the accepted method for achieving goals in our office. 

I have always believed that I can get through 10 minutes of anything if I can knit for 10 minutes!  You may not think that 10 minutes is enough time to accomplish a task or do enough knitting to reach project completion.  Why not?  There are 10 minute workouts,  10 minute reviews, 10 minute oil changes, 10 minute recipes, 10 minutes  in the fast food drive thru.  Why not 10 minute knitting intermissions?

What I am getting to in my usual convoluted way is the fact that we, as knitters, can do anything and get through any experience–we can conquer the world–if we can just knit for 10 minutes.  That says it all!

Seen at the feeder this morning–Gold Finch, Chickadee, Slate Junco: