Two Black Sheep

Mr. Postman

My Dear Sockpal-
Oh how I wanted to write this letter about 3 days ago.  Life can't be planned with a 2 year-old & one on the way.  I'm still learning this.  I'm pretty sure it's something that you never quite get until everyone is out of the house.  I swear I feel like I'm in the midst of the first trimester exhaustion.  The past 3 days, I've been burnt out with an aching head (Mental note: ask midwife about migraine medicine).  Anyway here's the letter that you would have been greeted with after you opened your package.  No pictures either.  Sorry, just reread the first 2 sentences.

This is my first swap of any kind.  I'm not good at knitting for others.  I'm afraid of the fit.  I'm afraid that I've chosen to knit what I like & not what the recipient will like.  I'm afraid of the fake enthusiasm that will come once they've opened the package.  I'm afraid of missing a deadline.  All of these things have happened to me in the past which is why I knit for myself or little ones that can't fake their emotions.  I guess I decided to enter Sockapalooza because the idea of knitting for a complete stranger erases all of those fears.  All I hope for is a nice fit.  Plain & simple.

I really do wish that I could say your socks breezed by Ms. Jolie or were fondled by Suri's chubby little fingers.  What a beautiful story could have been told about the time your socks were with me in the South of France.  But no, your socks stayed with me in Ohio.  Your socks were with me when I was afraid that getting pregnant with TBA wasn't going to happen for much later than we expected.  Your socks were with me outside of every single mall in the state of Ohio and one in Kentucky.  For work, I visited every Pseudo-Punk retailer and knitting on the socks saved my sanity.  Your socks were with me when the test proved that yes you can get pregnant without a period (I wish I could see that Dr. again.  Who even believes that tale?).  Your socks were there when my mother repeatedly told me, "You've got to be having twins.  You're so big already."  She almost got a needle to the eye.  I would have made you another pair.  Who wants a pair of socks with eye goo?  Your socks were there the first time Gus said, "Mama, that's a bad word.  Don't say that."  I knew that day was coming.  Your socks were with Ava & I when we tried to understand President Clinton's commencement speech (how I wish I could have been drunk that day).  So mingling in with the purls & knits are my day-to-day stresses & joys.  I hope they make you smile when you pull them on your toes.

-Lola

I've Lost You

Oh how quiet our little house is...  Pup is sleeping in her chair; something she hasn't done in about a week.  She'll wake up just to pout because her buddy isn't here.  This will go on for about 3 days.  All night, Gus will ask about B, V & Ava.  And I'll be bored. 

Maybe I'll get out of my funk with a little Show & Tell.

Yep, that's TBA's BSJ!  I have about 7 more rows until I have to wrangle it into an actual sweater.  I ran out of yarn the first night that Ava came to visit, so it's been crumpled in a corner.  The BSJ is one of those knits that I'm unsure if I really love it, but I felt guilted into making one.   I felt like it was a knit that every knitter had to pull off their needles at least once.  I started knitting before Gus & I started getting into blogs during the pregnancy.  This is where I discovered EZ's methods.  After making the Totem for Gus, garter stitch got into my veins.  The BSJ was an obvious first sweater for TBA.  I bought the yarn prior to the big Sex Reveal (I'll post that later), & I love it!  After a rocky start, this project has been a home-run.  I'm hoping to finish up this weekend.

So let's talk about the contest.  Thank you for everyone's favorite childhood books.  They brought back so many memories.  Who doesn't love Beverly Clearly?  All the Frances' books, come on!?  Oh & Good Night Moon, I cry at the end of that book each time I read it to Gu!.   Drum-roll, please.

Mandy, email us your address & Ava will ship you a TwoBlackSheep gift!

I have a bunch of info & new projects to share in the next couple of days, but I've got to clean this house & do some actual work.
-Lola

Gonna Make you Sweat

There's been some progress on the WIP basket.  My Sock Pal sock's are done!  I've got to admit that I finished them just to start some new socks.  Over the past four months, I've added some gorgeous colors to my stash that I've need to get on my needles.  Also, all the Monkey love has been getting to me.  So I knocked out the Pal's socks last weekend.  I'll devote a proper letter to my Pal soon, but here's a shot of the finished duo (my first finished duo in 6 months). 

I used Cider Moon's Icicle in Pistachio for her pair.  It has a tiny halo and is said to be a looser ply for lighter socks.  I think that they should keep her toes cozy through the fall.  As soon as the last stitch was bound off, I wound my next Cider Moon hank & printed the copy of Monkey.  Seriously, I'm in love with this entire sock.  Monkey is the fastest sock I've ever knit.  I honor the pattern for this accomplishment.  There's something about the chart that lends itself to speed knitting. 

I added an extra repeat & used my Addi's 1.  In hindsight, I should have gone down to the 0, but that's what the second pair is for!  And let's talk about the yarn!  This is Cider Moon's Flurry in Avocado.  When I first saw June Carter, Avocado was sitting next to her just begging to come home with me.  So I pet him & said, "Someday, my love."  The night before Knitter's Connection, my mantra was "Buy Avocado.  Buy Avocado."  Ava & I hit the Cider Moon booth & Avocado made it into my basket.  There's a slight difference between Flurry & Icicle; no halo with the Flurry & it's has a bit tighter ply.  I love the colors & (so far) no pooling.  I can't beg you enough to go to the store & pickup a skein.  Hey ladies, how about a Dirty Martini colorway?  Huh? Huh?   As soon as this Monkey is off my back, I'm starting a BSJ with their DK weight yarn in Thin Mint.

Baby stuff.  Thank you all for the baby wishes!  It was odd to not blog about being pregnant, but the mysterious due date freaked me out.  The last post left us at a 12-16 week pregnancy.  It is my pleasure to say after an official ultrasound, we are 9 weeks pregnant.  Little bitter sweet because now we still have 4 weeks left of the first trimester.  Not that I'm sick or even tired, but the uncertainty of the first trimester is frightening.  But yesterday's appointment was not quite smooth sailing.  I told the doctor I wanted 2 things out of the ultrasound, a due date & proof of one child.  She was certain she could give me both answers, but confused that I'd ask for proof of a single child.  "Why do you need proof?" she asked while applying the jelly.  "My mother is convinced that I'm carrying twins since I look nice & pregnant."  As she starts the ultrasound, we both stop & look at 2 blobs on screen.  "Well..." she says with a hint of happiness, "let me take a look at another angle, but there are 2 sacks."  Thank god I was laying down.  After lots of moving & repositioning, we found 2 sacks, but only one with a nice strong heart-beat.   It's safe to say that my mother dodged a life watching 3 kids while I'm at work.   Apparently, my body decided to drop 2 eggs, but one was a dud & I couldn't be happier.  Yes, twins are a miracle (4 of my favorite people are twins), but not my miracle.    The doctor said that the empty sack would just "go away" & not interfere with the baby.  This was all a little eerie since Ava & I just had a conversation about what I could be carrying.  I'm neurotic about the most far-fetched possibilities of a pregnancy.  We discussed that it's possible that I could be carrying a Wolf boy or a baby that consumed their twin during pregnancy & is now left with a lump of hair and a gaggle of teeth positioned on my baby's side.  The doctor reassured me that we have one little baby waiting to join the family, but on my way out she said, "At the next appointment, have them do an ultrasound to make sure the the sack is disappearing or that nothing starts growing in the sack."  What?!

-Lola

Talk to the Animals

Dear Sock Pal,
It's been a while since you've received a letter, but it doesn't mean that I've forgotten you.  I wish I could report that your little sock has spent time on the beaches of France or hung out with the likes of Clooney & Pitt.  But no, your sock has spent many hours in Trader Joe's, the Civic, & more Hot Topics than I care to list.  I think that my schedule is finally becoming manageable.  Then you'll see the sights!  Long overdue haircuts, doctor's appointments & auto repair shops.  Calm down, let's stick with this week's events.

I volunteered to go with Gus's class to the zoo.  It didn't dawn on me until the trip was over how hellish it all could have gone.  10 toddlers plus 90 degree weather could have forced me to have an emergency tubal right next to the Manatee exhibit.  But it didn't.  We had a great time exploring the inside exhibits and running through misting stations.  Sorry Sock, no rows were knit inside the zoo's gates.  I was afraid of chubby little Cheeto digits ripping you off the needle.

But I finished the first sock on Saturday.  I went with a Tubular Bind-off instead of the EZ sewn bind-off I usually use.  I think that the Tubular bind-off looks nicer in the end.  But here's my questions: Do all Tubular bind-offs have a fluted look?  When it's on the foot, it fits perfectly.  I believe that I did it correctly as it looks like the pictures I've seen online.

Look closely, Ava.  Yep, those are my lists for this weekend.  One for the things I have to still buy.  One for what has to be made.  One for the things that must be done.  By week's end, there will be a list for when to start cooking.  I'm very excited for this week to end & the festivities to begin!  Drunken family discussions, yarn shopping, sisterly love, Bill Clinton, house full of kids, & bad food.  Should be exciting, but I guess it could take a nasty slide for the worse.

-Lola

p.s. Bring some Splenda.  I'm trying to take packets every time I get coffee, but I'm not on the road that much this week & I'm not buying you a box of it for a 2 day stay.  Sorry.

 

Show me a Little Shame

Dear Knitting Philistine,

Please accept this letter as my membership application for the Multiple-Women Single-Sock Liberation-Movement.  I'm usually very good at avoiding the Movement.  Sneaking into the dark as they move by, digging into that 1/2 ball of yarn as soon as the first sock is of the needle.  No matter the time of day, that second sock was started!  But lately, I've given up.  I'm waving the flag.  You ladies and your flashy sashes, please let me join.  I pledge to start a Monkey or two.  I vow to be loyal to NO ONE sock!

Yours truly,
Lola

p.s. Sorry Sock pal!  But wouldn't you love a Ribbed sock & a Monkey?  Be bold, start a trend.

p.p.s I was already to get back to the needles.  Start chipping away at the NYC shawl.  Start the Peace Fleece Wallaby. BO the Sock Pal's first sock.  Oh we had high hopes for the weekend!  Then, we got our invitation.  I feel like Laney Boggs (minus the big boobs).  How will this house ever get cleaned for the big graduation party when there's exploring to do?

Icky Thump

The next sentence is one that rarely ever comes out of my mouth, but here goes.  I really wish I worked in an office.  I wish someone would lean over & into my cubicle to tell me about their husband's warts.  I wish that I could fake my surprise when Sally tells me about Frank From Accounting's affair with the supervisor.  I wish that I could sign my name to the office birthday card.  Oh god, I wish.  I have been driving about 18 hours this week & have no fun souvenirs to show.  Nope, not even a little Kentucky borboun.  Just a soar ass.  My weeks aren't usually this full of car time, but shit people!  Let me tell you some things about the road that have irritated/enraged/piqued my interest the past week:

• A very young women had a Pope John Paul card wedged on her dashboard.  Just made me wonder.
• For the amount that I drive, I don't have a lot of road rage issues.  However, I broke down yesterday and screamed at a passing car.  I had my signal on for about a mile & this woman wouldn't let me over.  Then at another point on the highway, she wouldn't let me over & forced me onto another highway.  I made sure that she saw my level of insanity by waving my arms and calling her the C-Word.  I did it very slow just so she knew what I was saying.
• If I hear Home one more time, I'm throwing my Sirius receiver at the next passing C-Word.
• If I don't get at least 2 beeps from truckers, I'm throwing on a skirt for tomorrow's drive.  Yep. I'm that bored and any amount of praise is accepted.
• Recently, we've had a tragedy in our extended family.  When you spend a lot of time alone & you've passed the same shit all week, personal issues can consume you if you aren't careful.   So today as I drove, I had to fight off the throat lump that only grief & anger can create. 

Here's a shot of my filthy car once again to prove it is my home.

I take a project hoping that I'll get a row in, but then it taunts me "Pull over.  Come on knit a row.  Take a nap while you're at it"  I'm knitting the Ribby Cardi's sleeves all at once.  Next time, please remind me that this sucks!  Yes, I get them both done at once, but it isn't worth wrestling 2 balls of yarn. 

Thank you so much for all of the Sock comments!  I decided on the Cops stitch pattern.  I tried the Pregnant pattern, but after a couple rows it proved that I'd have to concentrate more than I want to at this time.  The Cops pattern is also fitting at this time.  While I'm driving I think, "I've seen Cops enough.  I could probably work in a Pit Maneuver on that Accord."  With that, I'll leave you.  Who needs all this bitterness anyway?
-Lola

p.s. Look at the picture below & tell me what's wrong!  Gus & SK visited the grandparents this weekend.  Here's what I saw when they got into the house.  See anything a little off?

Since U Been Gone

What kind of Fuckery is this?
-Amy Winehouse

Ok, I know that you were planning on posting, but I got reasons.  I rolled over, looked at the clock & that lyric blared through my head. The clock says 6:32 a.m. Of course, I try to go back to sleep before my pissy walk to the coffee machine. Defeated, I'm up! 

This is my all-time favorite On-the-Road bathroom.  Smack of the corner of Rt. 250 & 71!  When you spend a sizable amount of time on the road, you learn to find these gems.  When I started this job, I'd take a tinkle any ole place.  I've got standards now, & I'll hold out for this gas station.  Probably bigger than the fact that each toilet has it's own sink and a nice tile motif,  there's are excellent breakfast & lunch options.  If this picture were taken at lunch time, there'd be a bag containing a spicy chicken sandwich.  Alright enough potty talk.  Sock Pal, I warned you that I was taking your sock along for all my adventures.  I never said that they were going to be Paris Hilton sized adventures.  Come June, your sock will listen to President Clinton address some graduates.  It will also save me from jumping off the balcony onto those graduates.

Here's where I'm at today, what type of leg should I knit for my pal?  All of these stitch patterns can be found in Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 1.  I'm changing the names for a some Two Black Sheep flavor.  Humor me, it's been a crazed family week (just strengthened my belief that I never want to spawn a girl).  Click on the picture if you need a better look.

Left Option: I Haven't Talked with You in 6 Mos., But I'm Pregnant
Right Option: Look Ma, I'm on Cops

Left Option: Stumbling Home after a Bachelorette Party
Right Option: It's noon & I Just now saw the Bar's Hand Stamp is now on My Cheek

I'm leaning towards something off of the top row.  While I love both of the bottom swatches, I'm afraid that it make look a bit skewed.  I think that if I went with one off the bottom row, I should have knit the top foot also in the pattern.  Would it look silly?  So which to I knit?
-Lola

Knowing People

My Dearest Sock Pal,
One day, I hope that you will read these letters and enjoy seeing where your sock has been.  Let's start by saying, I've got a question for the lovely readers of the Sockapalooza.  I'll get to that first, they may not want to read about the sock's adventure and I really need some help.  I'm so used to making toe-up socks for myself.  I usually take measurements from my heel bone to the big toe; this is the length that I knit until I start my heel.  Is it safe for me to knit 2 inches shorter than my Pal's length and then start my heel?  Please, help a fellow Paloozaer out.  Ok, on to your sock's weekend fling.

Unfortunately, Gus was born to people who hate sand more than sand's mortal enemy (Would that be water or wind?).  Gus loves sand as most 2 year-olds do.  Here's the problem, we have a lovely park, but it has the world's largest sand pit.  So we sucked up our hatred, and took the little bugger to the park this weekend.  Gus is a cautious kid.  The toddler-sized slide at daycare looks like Mt. Everest to Gus.  When we got to the park, it took a little nudging to get him to sit on the "truck".  It took SK to climb the 2 steps for the little slide for Gus to look at it.  Did you know that every slide has a bar that prevents kids from falling forward and off the slide?  Huh?  Well, imagine the shock when Gus grabs that bar, hangs off it & says, "Monkey boy <insert monkey sound>".  Then, please imagine me passing out when Gus walks up and slides down the 20 foot twisty slide.  From that point, he ran around the park testing out all the rides.  I decided to whip out the sock because SK didn't want to be more than 6 inches from Gus.  I only got one strange look, but it was from a father that had a baby strapped to his chest while also carrying coffee.  Now if we were Uber-Baby-Safe parents that baby proofed the entire house & the dog, I would have shot back an equally snarky look.  But I've walked around the house nursing a baby while carrying a coffee, so I can't throw stones.  It's safe to say at the park I added an inch and kept the sand away from the Sock & my own toes.

Here's how the Sock & I spent the day yesterday. 

Can you sanitize a sock?  It may have to happen.  Tomorrow the Sock visits Sandusy!  Home of the Demon Drop and the smell of burnt tires.  I'm also going to take the Sock to northern Ohio's cleanest & most fabulous gas station ever.  Tune in people.

-Lola

Baby's Got Sauce

Good morning Sock people!  As I said in my last post, I'm going to document my sockapalooza adventures.  Perhaps it will force me to take more pictures or at least knit the sock.  I would hate to be franticly knitting on July 20.  Shall we start with the birth of my sock?  That's a good beginning.

Let me share how my day began.  I opted not show you the crumb filled shot of my car.  I noticed that most knit bloggers seem to have really clean houses/lives.  I don't want to kill that illusion.  I was on the road so early yesterday that I heard the entire Stern show.

6 a.m.

I have a lot of very early trainings in May.  It's great because I'm home before lunch most of the time.  "Most of the time" was not yesterday.  I had an early training & then about 5 hours to kill before my next appointment.  Guess I'll have to visit a new yarn store.  This yarn store happens to have just had a trunk sale of one of my new favorite companies.  Somehow Pistachio & Asbury Park found their way into my arms.  I decided to use the Pistachio for my Sockapalooza pal.  Wind it up, ma'am!  My sock was born!

11:06 a.m. 

Isn't she cute?  Precious lil' cake.  I swatched it up (remember I had 5 hours to kill) and it made me think of the name choice.  Is anyone else obsessed with names?  The more creative, the more I want to buy it.  I'm still looking for the "Dirty Martini" colorway.  Please point me in the direction.  But back to Pistacho.  Lots of brown, green & red.  It took me a while to remember that sometimes Pistacho are dyed red.  I'm noticing a trend with my yarn choices, Baby Shit Green!  Could someone please slap my hand when I touch this color?  Please inspire me with a shade of purple or orange.

Today I'm going to work on a PGR short-row tutorial.  Ava was working on this method a couple weeks back & had the same issues that I had had working this technique.  It now has become my preferred method of sock knitting, so I want to share the love.