Two Black Sheep

Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame)

Tons of tags on this one, but really it boils down to this: with knitting, I seem to pick projects that are either a) sweaters knit in one piece or b) really, really big rectangles or c) afghans that will never be finished. Look closely at the photos, and you might see why that is.

Take for example the Spirit Sweater. Granted, it's really the February Lady Sweater but I just can't bring myself to call it that . . . probably because I'm no lady. I knit a row and feel exhausted. Over and over again, I remind myself that I am knitting the whole thing at one time (except for those sleeves), but it doesn't do any good. You've got to love EZ and her simplicity but maybe this is why she had the pattern for a baby. Even Liz might have found knitting for a 52 inch chest in the gull lace pattern a bit daunting (probably not, but it gets me through the day). The Big Fat Girl Crush? Long rectangle. Check back with me in a year and we'll see if I've made any progress. It's not a matter of purchasing all that Noro Silk Garden since I have had all the yarn for two years. The afghans? Good lord . . . three and none of them will keep me warm this year unless I pile the pieces strategically around me.

Maybe that's why I like socks . . . they're quicker, more portable, and seem to be a smaller project. In reality, the only thing they have going for them is the portability aspect. Even that will most likely change in the coming months as I teach myself knitting two at a time so that I can teach a class at the shop.

Enter Interweave's Holiday Knits issue. I was looking for something fast like last year's home run Koolhaas. No such luck this time around. Granted, it was replete with gorgeous (and I would have put periods between all the letters but am too lazy) hand knits, but there was nothing that seemed like it would go quickly that truly interested me. The one that piqued my interest was the Frost Flowers Stole (long rectangle? I'm your bitch). I bought the last copy at the knit shop - there were more coming, lest you think I got greedy - specifically for that pattern until the reality of casting on 992 stitches sunk in. Let me repeat that 992 stitches. The next sentence in the directions is: Casting on a large number of stitches can be a challenge (really? Thanks for the heads up IK) so you might want to put stitch markers every 20 stitches and make the tail of the 100s longer. Again, you are so insightful IK editors. I never - NEVER - would have thought to put stitch markers every 20 stitches. Then again, I never will need to since I would be knitting this. If anyone knits this, let me know . . . I would like to tip my hat!

The girls received their SAT results and we were all very thrilled with the results. Now? We wait to see which colleges say, "Come on down" and which ones say, "Thanks." I don't really remember it being this nerve wracking when I was the senior, but it probably was. I have a meeting to attend today about the girls, and I'm dreading it. Suffice it to say, the mama bear in me is coming out and it usually isn't a pretty sight even when I am trying to control the tone of my voice. Veronica says that tone is worse than being yelled at. I'll post about it later.

Have a lovely weekend . . . and stay warm! It's freezing on the East coast and the wool clogs are coming in very handy.

Ava

PS - the Winter Knotions Preview is up . . . some very tempting items in that one, especially the knee socks. See what I mean? Even the socks are getting longer - UGH!

Turn, Turn, Turn

For the past 2 years, we've taken the kid/kids to the apple orchard/pumpkin patch.  We always go with SK's brother & his 2 kids.  I love this trip so much.  I like how excited Gus gets when he finds an apple.  I like how he points out the "dead" apples on the ground.  This year, his class took a trip a week earlier to the same orchard.  During that trip, he learned the proper way to pick an apple.  This year he took great care to twist the apple off its branch.  We picked a bunch of Suncrisp & Melrose apples.  SK enjoys a tart apple & I'm happy with any kind that makes a good sauce.  I also love the trip because we get the best pictures.  We're really trying to display more pictures around our house.  I need to learn how to adjust my Color Balance so the orange doesn't blow up my camera, but overall I'm happy with our pictures.   This year the trip also helped with my sanity.

Early last week, our company had to cut more positions.  Within my department, we lost about 8 people.  A year ago, my company did the same thing.  Right now, I feel like a sitting duck.  Well, this duck needs to get up & do something.  This news & all of the current economy woes is starting to get to me.  I don't watch the news any longer.  I try really hard not to click on CNN.com, but I seem to click a couple times a day just to punish myself.  Not to sound really Crunchy, but I can no longer live in what my Future might be.  It ruins my Present.  This is really easy for me to type, but much harder to actually do.  When you grow up, people are always telling you to think about your future.  Join clubs in high school & it will be easier to get into college.  Get a good internship so you can land a great job out of college.  Work hard now so your boss will recognize it & promote you.  But in the end, did any of that work for me?  I'm pretty sure I would have gotten into college without being part of the Yearbook club.  My internship had nothing to do with my current job.  There's no room for growth with my job & they still cut people. 

I'm not saying to live fully in the moment.  The kids' Well Checks would never happen because I'd forget to schedule them.  I wouldn't finish one project because I'd start the next one that inspired me.  Forget saving!  But I really need to stop worrying about something that may never happen.  And if it does, worrying about it now will have no effect on the outcome.  I've had to change my reading habits because they help my Worry grow at a rate that I can't control or sustain.  I've picked up a few books that I'm hoping will keep me sane & productive.  (side note:  Why doesn't everyone buy used books on Amazon?  I got a hard copy of Everyday Blessings for $0.46!)

I'm going to stop watching as much tv (Beside the Mentalist, there isn't a new show that I love.  How hot is  Simon Baker?) & get back to reading, sewing, & knitting.  I've got an apron & quilt to finish.  Why did I but material for B's quilt?  Another reason to live in the moment, there's always better fabric around the corner!  I finished Tuck's Runaround & have the yoke finished on Gus'.  I may have to rip out some of the length on Tuck's.  It's a little more tunic than pullover.

Sorry for the doom-and-gloom post, but I don't think I'm alone in this. Even just typing the post out has helped, but don't worry.  I won't use the blog as my therapy. 

A Day in the Woods

This past weekend, I put the camera in SK's hands & begged him to take some pictures.  I'm not sure how bloggers take sweater FO pictures in the summer.  It was a little over 70 & I was itchy to rip it off.  It didn't help that I had one child that had to be held & another one that buried himself in any open space I had available.

I really enjoyed this pattern.  Lisa Llyod describes it as a "pert cardigan".  That description & the shawl collar made me rip a project I had already started with some Cascade 220.  Amanda was knit from the bottom in one piece to the sleeves.  The sleeves were knit in the round & then attached later.  It was really a very simple cardigan.  I did run into some issues because the pattern was written almost too simply.  By "simply" I mean with a lot of words to avoid confusion.  For me, more words always lead to confusion.  I think that Ava even said, "You're thinking about it too much."  I wish Pattern Writers would be forced to attend a conference & agree on the proper wording for increase & decrease sections.  Ah, you can't make everyone happy.  I also got too confident when working the pattern.  "I can knit this with my eyes shut!"  When you do that the sleeves are attached to the inside of the sweater.  I sat there for at least 15 minutes wondering why the stitch pattern wasn't lining up.  Duh?

I've said it a number of times, I'm a cardigan whore.  I like them to fit just right.  A sweater can afford to be larger than necessary, but a cardigan should fit.  When my cardigans are big, I feel sloppy.  I've learned that I should knit them with a smaller amount of ease.  While knitting this one I was so afraid that it was going to be too small.  I had to trust my swatch and Cascade.  I blocked it to fit 39/40 inch bust & it fits really well.  I may have to switch out the buttons to a flat button.  These tend to hang, but I love the English county side feel they give the sweater.

One sweater down.  A ton of projects to go!  I'm almost done with Tuck's Runaround & will start Gus' cardigan Runaround immediately.  I must treat these sweaters like a pair of socks.  I'd love to knit SK another pair of clogs for Christmas.  Tuck needs a stocking & a hat.  I've got baby gifts to knit.  Cleite is still plugging along.  And there's an adorable hat in the new VK Holiday edition.  Goodness, my head is spinning.  I need to knit.

On non-knitting news, we have a potty-trained kid!  I haven't changed a size 6 diaper for almost a week.  I love hearing, "Mom.  I have to go potty."  It just blissful.  Now if I could just get Tuck to stop flipping on the changing table, I'd be a happy Momma.  And Ava don't you dare tell me to let him fall off the table!  Look how that helped Brother.

Manhattan

If you've been reading for a while, you might remember that a while ago, I traveled into New York City with our school's television production class to see a taping of The Martha Stewart Show. It was okay but nothing spectacular. Fast forward to today . . . another trip to see the same show with very different results. I'll go into it in bigger detail later this week, but here's what it involved:

• tons of screaming because the main guests were the stars of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody from the Disney Chanel (never heard of them . . . my students thought I was crazy)
• a visit from Mark the animal dude (tons of cute animals)
• and a visit from the author of one of my favorite alphabet books

Last time, no swag. This time, nice swag in the form of the aforementioned alphabet book (coming to a family in Columbus very soon) and a Furminator. The kids in the audience, and judging by my throbbing temple there were plenty, also received a DVD of The Suite Life. The show will air on October 24; keep your eyes peeled for the red-head with glasses and a green sweater.

1. Daily Bugle aka Flatiron, 2. 11 spring, 3. the bb, 4. Marky Mark, 5. Empire State Building at dusk, 6. The Martha Stewart Show, 7. supporting actors of the Today Show, 8. Twirling down, 9. St. Patrick's Cathedral

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. No Star Wars this year, but plenty of cheese (eight varieties including Humboldt Fog with edible ash) and chocolate cake. I'll get some FO shots of the Flyer in his sweater this weekend.

Ava

PS - I also saw Mark Wahlberg while he was working the line at Today. He might be in the same category as Bobby Flay, a wee, spritely, little man.

Sister Golden Hair

Can you believe it?  A whole year has past & here we are again, Ava's BIRTHDAY!  Oh if I could sing you "Happy Birthday", I would.  Right now, Ava is thrilled that I don't have a microphone.  I'm a tone deaf cow.  So pretend like an angel is singing to you "Happy Birthday."

Here are two of my favorite pictures of Ava from this past year. 

Gus told me that Ava was going to have a Star Wars birthday party.  Maybe for the big one, kiddo.

Tuck's gift to Ava is one more tooth.  Well, almost one more tooth, but enough of one to give us a weekend-long headache.

Happy birthday.  You are the greatest big sister a girl could have.  Thanks for passing along all of you wisdom.  My life is better for it.

Lola

Womanizer

*I can't stop singing this song*

Dear B & V-

Soon you'll be on your way to college.  I feel like over the past couple of years, your Mom & I have shared our own college horror stories hoping that you'll learn from our mistakes.  Guess what?  I still haven't learned.  Sure, the players have changed, but the game is still the same.  Examples?  Of course, my sweet little nieces.

In college, the Screw-up usually began as a rebound.  Some cute boy flirts & your Gut is screaming "No.  He's got the Crazy Eyes!"  But your head says, "He's funny & he's going to be a doctor.  Why not?"  Half way through dinner you realize that you're nodding & smiling a lot, but you really don't care what's coming out of his mouth.  He's asks for Date #2, & your Gut is really yelling "No!"  But your fucked up head says, "You don't believe in love at first sight.  And that box of instant mashed potatoes that you've been eating as a meal is almost empty."  This time, you're surprised he doesn't notice you nodding off during appetizers.  Now you're pissed that you didn't listen to your Gut.  A week later, your neighbors are angry because some crazy pre-med guy is screaming at your window "But I've got Chili's gift certificates!  Please!"  Girls, always listen to your gut.

Almost 10 years later, new players.  Same game.  Sure the new players won't stalk you or give you a VD, but they still suck your time & confidence.  This rebound was because of a bad Trellis experience.  My gauge was really off & I wouldn't start it again.  Since we had no power, I thought knitting a Seamless Hybrid would be perfect.  Gut starts questioning my choice.  "Is that what you really want?  Not sure about the yarn, Dum-Dum."  But I shot back, "Yes.  I want simple.  And yes.  Wool Ease hasn't let me down."  So I start knitting.  Once I got past the garter, I paused.  Hmm.  The yarn is quite plastic-y, but maybe that will change.  Right!  I kept going until it was time to join & begin the Hybrid magic.  I ripped & ripped more times that I care to report.  I usually enjoy EZ's pithy style, but this time she was really pithy.  Like Not-Giving-the-Percentage-for-Certain-Parts Pithy.  My Gut says, "Chuck it, please!  The pattern is crappy & the yarn is even worse."    But I told my Gut "Hell No!  I'm no Quitter."  When I finally figured out what to do, I was moving fast.  I bound off but was pretty sure that it wasn't going to fit Tuck for the holidays.  I tried it on & it fits him now.  Great.  I realized my mistake with the size but was still completely unhappy with the final product.  I hate the neck/yoke.  I should have done the Yoke Shirt version, but I'm not sure if it would've changed my opinion.  I don't like the decreases on the sides & the holes in the middle of the neck.  Wool Ease is ok for blankets, garter stitch, & I didn't mind the result of the "heathered" yarns.  But this color was icky.  What's a girl to do?  Rebound from the rebound of course!

I've been wanting to knit something top-down for a long time now.  Like my idea with the Hybrid, a kid knit would be the perfect test.  It wasn't long into my doomed relationship with Hybrid that I saw the Runaround Raglan pop up in my bloglines.  We love Sarah & her patterns, so I jumped.  And I'm falling hard!  I had some Summit Hill Superwash in my stash & began that night.  I love this Superwash.  It almost reminds me of cotton rope which I'm assuming will stand up against the crawling of a active baby.  My master plan is to finish the pullover version for Tuck & then knit the cardigan version in the same color for Gus.  In an email, Sarah said the cardigan had a Mr. Rodgers appeal.  I was thinking the exact same thing, but will stick with the buttons instead of a Fred-like zipper.  Currently, I'm on the body part.  I enjoy seeing the neck in my lap for the first time with a sweater knit in the round.  It almost feels like I'm fighting the man.  So opposite and crazy from my normal knits (Girls, when you get out of college, your version of 'crazy' will change).  We have a couple babies popping up this year, so I'm dreaming of a rainbow of Runarounds.

B & V, this revelation of mine won't stop my cautionary tales.  Some things you should learn from my mistakes.  If a boy asks you to look at Christmas lights & it's June, tell him no.  If the professor has more than 5 books on their required reading list, don't buy them all the first day.  No matter how good you think the communal bathroom floor feels, please pass out in your bed & not on the floor.  And if a keg ever says "Icehouse" or "Bud Ice", don't drink it!  You've been warned.

Your Lovingly & sometimes Wise Aunt,

Lola

Barely Breathing

Cobblestone? Baby, it's done. Cast-off. An official FO. Past knit. So why no photos? Umm, that last stitch was a bitch. A friend from knit night made one for her fiance and cast off four times because it wouldn't fit over her honey's head. After the second attempt, everyone came up with ways to make it work: a stretchier bind-off, maybe keeping the final rows in garter, get a new recipient (that was mine), but the inimitable Tricia came to the rescue for bind-off four. I decided to put a split ring marker through the final stitch and try it on the Flyer when I made his. The ceremonial "trying-on-of-the-sweater" went a little something like this.

The Flyer pulls into the drive-way. I eagerly greet him at the door. "Are you wearing a t-shirt?" I query. "Umm, no," he replies. "Oh well, take off your shirt," says the knitter. "Ooh, are the girls home?" he ponders. "Yes, but I want you to try on the sweater," I say kind of confused. "Oh," he says rather dejectedly.

Only later, after carefully helping him on and off with the sweater, do I put two-and-two together. I guess I should be slightly more careful about asking my husband to strip when he walks through the door.

Yet another conversation, this one between Lola and me last Thursday during the vice-presidential debate. Completely as an aside, when did the threshold for "winning" become so low as "not making an ass out of oneself by singing show tunes" because i must have missed that memo. Sorry . . . here's the conversation begun by moi.

Lola: (does not say hello) Okay, do you kind of sort of find Joe Biden sexy?

Me: Umm, yeah . . . always have, always will. He's married to an English teacher with a great name. But, Palin is starting (said with a "g") to remind me of someone.

Lola: Well, Tina Fey, but you were going to say someone else. Please don't say Mom.

Me: Fine, but she does and you know it. Click

See, our conversations are super, long drawn out all the time. Sometimes, yes, but every once and a while, they are brief and to the point.

The school year swing is so hard for me. I will sit down at night and realize that this is a two-person blog while I try desperately to remember when I last posted. Hell, I don't even know what letter we are on in ABC Along and Project Spectrum has been all but forgotten. However, a few days (probably weeks) ago, we received comments about passing on the "Six Random Facts."
So, even though it's late, here you are, Cici . . . and they are all about food because I am hungry:

1. My favorite sandwich is peanut butter and mayo. If I am feeling particularly adventurous, I might add a thin slice of cheddar cheese.

2. I once made Lola mac-n-cheese when we were kids but added tons of bar-b-q sauce calling it Texas Mac-n-Cheese and insisted she (and the Other Sister and the Bro) eat it since Mom left me in charge.

3. While making fish sticks, I forgot to put them on a pan with sides. Consequently, the grease spilled over and caused a slight oven fire. I, being scared, ran out of the house without my siblings . . . but grabbed the cat. Thank goodness for Lois "saving" them.

4. Once, while making cookies, I stupidly preheated the oven but didn't check to see if my mother was hiding the pretzels in a Tupperware container from the Bro. She was . . . and I had tons of cleanup to do before I could bake the cookies. Honestly, she never hid anything in there before so why think she had started.

5. When making a cake, I need two boxes as I eat too much of the batter to make one cake. My mother once sat and watched to see what was wrong with my cake.

6. I'm no better at cakes from scratch as witnessed by my angel food. I misread the directions and beat the flour into the most perfect egg whites instead of folding. Mom measured it at 5/8s of an inch (but still tasty).

Thanks for the shout out, Jeanne . . . we think you're pretty damn swell, too! From a time crunched teacher, I'm taking the easy way out. Consider yourselves ALL tagged! Share the love and nominate some folks or simply take a trip down memory lane and list your most random facts. Just tell us where to look!

Ava

The Price you Pay

Ah Socktober...  How I love thee.  Like most sock knitters, socks are my time killer.  Stuck waiting for an customer to show up, knit a round.  Stuck in traffic, knit a couple of rounds.  Stuck waiting for the doctor, knit a couple of rounds.  Waiting for a toddler to pee on the toilet, knit a couple rounds.  It's a very rare moment to see me knitting a sock while I'm watching tv.  Usually I'm working on a large project while my ass is firmly planted & I'm crushing on Joe Biden/House/Jim.  Socktober gives me the opportunity to work on socks every minute.

Sure, Socktober should be used to finish up the current sock on the needles but that's not happening this round.   I had a Coriolis sock on the needles & I decide to do a simple heel.  The past couple of socks have had a tight reinforced heel.  Not good, friends.  The sock was really baggy in the heel & was just irritating every time I tried it on.  I've got fat ankles, but they aren't that fat!  Instead of powering through, I tossed it in the basket & looked for a new pattern.  The thought of starting an adult pair of socks didn't appeal to me this Socktober, but the thought of Matching Little Boy socks made me smile.  I also thought that maybe they would alleviate some of the guilt when I don't finish two Christmas sweaters. 

A couple of days ago, I was digging through the stash to find some boy color sock yarn.  Gus is very into saying "This is a girl song/toy/show/shirt/time-out spot".  I'm pretty certain that if I chose some purple yarn, I'd get a very strong "This is a girl sock."   I'll focus on gender issues later, we're trying to potty train & that takes all my Momma Powers.  Instead of begging him to sit still, I'm using the Master Numbers from the book.  I started the sock & left it on the couch.  Gus woke up in the morning & asked if it was for him.  Yep.  "Oh Sank you, Mommy." he said. Here's the rub, that was the very day that Kristen announced her Socktoberfest Mystery Knit-along!  Maybe next year, I had a little boy say "Sank You" all on his own.

If you look at the top of the picture, you'll notice Amanda getting some action.  Buttons are sewn on & she's been used all of Ohio & Kentucky.  I'll get SK to take some action photos this weekend.  I've got a sweater dilemma that I'm hoping for some Knit-Blogger help.  But it's Socktober, so I'm giving all my attention to the toes.

L