randoms: warmth (on knitting and books)

Seriously, what else do I really ever talk about any more? Don’t expect decent writing either. I seem to have lost all ability to string letters to words and sentences and then paragraphs in a coherent manner. You’ve been warned.

So I finished something for me that is not socks, but it will help me keep warm as I’m always cold [why I should ever not have wool socks on is anyone’s guess my hands and feet are always cold]. And, it’s from stash no less. which is really good because it’s supposedly “Knit from your Stash” … and while I’ve failed pretty spectacularly, I also think I’ve done pretty good in limiting my stash building. That there really is no place to put anything has helped. I think that the yarn shop owners are pretty mad at me though because I’ll go in and just pet the yarn. There have been a few stash enhancing but if I didn’t make a verbal allowance for sock yarn, I should have. ;)

Oh, right, so what did I finish?

My [photopress:softwistshrug1.jpg,thumb,alignright]Berroco Softwist shrug (navy? I lost the bands eons ago) half knit flat half circular (when I got the 12" circ). There are seedstitch (3 row) edges on the sleeves and 9 rows of double enlongated stitch (open) from [photopress:softwistshrug2.jpg,thumb,alignleft]Mary Thomas’s Knitting Book (p 108) across the back as I was soo sick of knitting this dang thing and was quite worried I’d run out of yarn [no, that didn’t happen]. This is my "I’m chilly but I don’t want to put on a bulky sweater shrug". I’m just excited to get it out of the WIP basket … sadly I have a bunch of this yarn left over. (about 1 skein in various bits) .. need to figure out what to do with it. It’s splitty and catches easily. I have some in turquoise, some more navy, and a beautiful silver. This helped perpetuate my Berroco curse (it started with some ill advised, but quite soft and squishy Plus) which has since been reversed with Love-It.

I also finished another anklet, this time in Regia Cotton Tip & Top Color (#4075).. this is my first experience with self-patterning yarn. [photopress:regiasock1.jpg,thumb,alignright]Wow.. what fun! I’ll cast on later tonight if I have time (I’m thinking of trying a short row toe for giggles, since my short rows sometimes work and sometimes don’t). The heel in this sock has tons of holes but i’m ok with it for now as it’s for summer. ;) I will probably wear it tomorrow with the blue anklet as i have now finished two socks but they aren’t a pair. The biggest excitment for these socks is I figured out the sewn bindoff! I love Elizabeth Zimmermann and this this is really great. I also broke down and finally bought a pair of chuck’s, grey low oxford. I’m really a 2&12frac; but since i want to wear my socks with it and my feet have been complaining of being squished lately I went with the 3. I’m surprised at how expensive they were ($42) but since I’d been eying them online, with shipping it probably was even. I’m excited because they are GREY! I have a grey backpack and charcoal grey sneakers. YAY!

Does the now reading side bar look more normal? I’ve found some great gems at my local library branch, such as the Walker Treasury vol 4 and Mary Thomas’s Knitting book. There’s also a nice Ribbon book by Cheryl Potter which will help me figure out what to do with some nice lavendersheep ribbon. [Hint: it will be a bag and involve some suede or leather lacing.]

What else? I don’t know. I’m tired. This weather is welcome but weird. I’ve not slept well recently. :(

• Category: books, handmade
• Tag: knit