Feeling Blue

I'm feeling a bit blue today. No, no, no, everything is fine! Health, husband and cats are all OK.

I'm feeling blue because of this



gorgeous skein of blueness from Sundara's Petal Collection--the Blue Grape Hyacinth yarn and sock pattern.

I'm blue that I can't start knitting with this yarn till I finish a project or two!

Knit in Faith

We interrupt all regularly scheduled knitting to bring you something new about to be cast on.



From Last Minute Knitted Gifts, the oh so twee Angora Baby Booties.

The booties are the first pattern in the book and they are supposed to take less than two hours to make. For knitting slowpoke me, maybe I'll finish them in two weeks.

This evening, I was all set to knit these sweet bits of fluff.

Then I read the pattern.

UH OH! What is this?!

Redistribute stitches? Keep two needles parallel?

What the. . . . ?!

Fabric is on the inside of the toe? Rotate the work? Put on point protectors?

Heaven help me!

Fold the heel needles together? Three needle bind off?

What have I gotten myself into?

The first time I knit a sock, an experienced knitter told me that when I turn the heel, the instructions might seem wacky--but just follow them. No thinking. Just follow and knit.

I did. And it worked.

Same thing seems to be true of this pattern.

I went whining to Sonja, a friend who has made these booties. She graciously agreed that the pattern might not make sense at first or second or eleventh read. But to "knit in faith."

OK, OK--I'll trust the pattern. I just don't trust me.

A faith bootie--a practice bootie--will be worked first.

Project Dreaming

(Sing to California Dreaming by the Mamas and Papas)

All the heels are turned
And the gusset is fine
I've been for a stroll
Thru patterns of mine

There comes a time in a knitter’s life when decisions must be made.

The end is (almost) in sight for a project


and the dreams begin. Should the knitter cast on for another sock?

Crosshatch Lace sock from More Sensational Knitted Socks – a book that is indeed more and sensational.

Or should the knitter use that Habu cashmere for

fingerless gloves using the stitch pattern for the Fish Trap wrist warmers from Arctic Lace?

Then there’s the second Calla Lily Sock from Sundara's Petal Collection.


And since Christmas is six months away; maybe it’s time to start the little knitted ornaments from leftover yarn

(Holiday 2006 Interweave Knits)

Or maybe none of the above.

There are a couple of unhatched babies that should be wrapped in something soft and handknit. Plus I have a stash-busting (crocheted) afghan in mind. And what about that gift cable scarf that didn't make the queue last Christmas?

Meanwhile, Forest Canopy Shawl is waiting impatiently.


Decisions, decisions.

Strawberry Trick

There is some knitting news, but I don't want to talk about it. Because if I actually put in writing what I did with the gusset decreases, somebody will come over and take my knitting needles away. And I really need those needles to make some more knitting mistakes.

However, I will share my strawberry obsession and the trick I just learned. (Thanks, Lauren!)

First, you need strawberries--luscious, tasty, juicy, delicious strawberries



Then, take a straw--yes, a straw--insert it into the small end of the berry



and push it through. Off pops the leafy tip!



Repeat for all the strawberries. The larger ones may need an extra poke.

And soon you're left with strawberries with holes thru them, leafy tops and berry cores



Slice 'em up



and eat 'em.



I indulged in my once every strawberry season decadent treat--strawberries over chocolate ice cream!

No-Knit Weekend

Somehow I hurt my right wrist


and so the knitting projects needed to wait patiently.


Instead of knitting. . .

I caught up on magazine reading.


and invited Derek Jeter into my living room.


DH and I took a walk


and wondered why a hot water heater was on the curb.


We bought some fruit


and smelled some flowers.


And then we came home


and played with Barney.


Weekend snit:
Nothing to snit about. It was a terrific weekend--even if I couldn't knit.

Double Heeling

This may or may not be the Dutch (aka Horseshoe) Heel on the Tabloid Socks



I read patterns. I did some Math. Nothing made sense.

My head hurt. The cat barfed. A-Rod hit a grandslam.

I shut my eyes and plunged in.

One heel has more stitches than the other. And it's really not a pretty heel.

But, it's my heel and I'll keep it.

Books and Knitting Divas

BREAKING NEWS BULLETIN:

The last happy moments of the Purloined Sock:



Every year, the book biz holds a huge trade show. Book Expo America—BEA. Booksellers, publishers, librarians, distributors and other business-types meet, greet, buy, sell.

This year, BEA was held in NYC and, thanks to stuff in my off-line life, (Yes, I do have an off-line life!) I was able to be there.

Overwhelming. Picture two floors—each floor probably as large as two football fields—full of exhibitor booths. But, this is a knitting blog—so, let’s cut to the knitting.

Since BEA is a trade show where the publishers are pitching their wares, there are also authors present. And, I’m happy to report that the knitting world was represented:



No, Stephanie hasn’t written a gardening book. Nor is the caption above her head a comment on her books, her knitting, or her hair.

Another knitter showing her stuff was Crazy Aunt Purl--Laurie Perry. Her book, Drunk Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair is being marketed as a self-help book since it chronicles Laurie’s growth as a dumped wife to the self-assured and talented woman that she is. (She's also very cute and as sweet as pecan pie!)

The knitting angle--Laurie had gotten dragged off to a knitting class, discovered she liked it, found new knitting friends and learned that she couldn’t drunk-dial the ex when her fingers were busy knitting a hat. The book, coming out in October, will have some knitting "recipes."

Look what the publisher's PR people spun up--



It’s such a joy to see Laurie’s book getting published. It's the ultimate revenge. Her loser husband left because he wanted to “get his creativity back.” So, nyah nyah--take that, Mr. X!



It was about 189 degrees inside the Javits Center and we were all just piles of sweat—but Laurie was just glistening and glowing. However, before she met her public, she pulled out some blotting papers. Blotting papers? I’d never seen anyone actually use blotting papers before—ends of tee shirts and odd bits of paper napkins are good enough for me. I guess using blotting papers is a Southern thing.



And speaking of which, I was told I have a “cute accent.” HUH? Excuse me, Ms. Daisy Mae—who exactly has an accent around here?

For her blog-readers—how Laurie solved the shoe dilemma. I don’t understand boots in warm weather—but supposedly they were comfy.



Laurie also met her public at a reading. Despite her jitters and the sound reverb, she was great. Another shoe shot—different day-different boots:



As if the above wasn’t enough, there's more.



Look at those knitting divas all in one place!
Debbie Stoller AND Mason-Dixon Kay and Ann AND the Yarn Harlot.

They participated in a workshop for booksellers about what a terrific market knitters are and how to make the bookstores more knitter-friendly.

And the coolest part of this workshop is that not only were Stephanie, Kay and Ann knitting—but people in the audience were knitting also!

And that about wraps it up. I’ve got books to read and socks to knit.