Busy Knitter

You know, I think I have a terribly cushy little job. I go in, I set up my medications for 4:30 and 8:30, print off the med change report sheets, set the juice and blood glucose stuff up and I'm pretty much set for the other 6 hours of my shift. No one's ill, no one's too terribly volatile, no one has a catheter/IV/vitals, etc.

It can make my job a tad boring. So what do knitters do when bored at work (and has gotten full permission from the RN)? Hahaha, what a silly question! They work on Sandy's Warm Hands, of course!



Now, granted, the one on the right took me from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon while the one on the left was started on Monday and just barely finished, but dang, that's a quick knit. And they're good and masculine and boring. I had some fun with them at work.

I had brought the finished one with me to work to see if it fit REAL MEN and their massive hands. Well, I handed it off to one of the psych techs (who was about 45 or so) and it fit perfect. And then it disappeared. I couldn't say where it went and I had to count narcotics with the RN anyways, so I just left it to its fate.

Moments later, there was a knock on the window to the med room and I looked up. I don't know WHERE they got the googly rolly jawbreaker-sized eyes, but the psych tech had them propped between his knuckles and the mitten had become a Halloween Monster. A rather goofy one too. It was wicked funny. Men just never grow up...thank goodness.

Anyways, the mittens were great for work (though what do I knit tonight???) but I thought it would be nice to work on something a bit more...challenging. Enter Faina's Scarf. I'm being terribly naughty by going madly off gauge (sport weight? I laugh in your face, ha!) and using some stash-lurking Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Wild Raspberry. Ha, take that!



I apologize for the rather sad quality of the photo, but this way you can see the colors better. You already know what the finished product may look like.

I'm using a pair of size 4 Addis (not the Turbos, but just as good and half the price on eBay) and I feel...luxuriant. I've knit with some lovely stuff, but this is gorgeous. The colors are divine, the needles are like buttah, my neck even approves. Only problem is, it's coming out a bit wide. But oh well, that's just more of my neck that gets covering, right? And it's acting so nicely, I've only had to tink back once (though that took about an hour, I really should know better than to try to catch up on anime with subtitles while knitting something that requires just as much attention, if not more).

Anyways, that's my very late WIP Wednesday.

Oh, and the corset? The corset can wait until later, when the Ren Fest isn't another year away. I like working under a bit of pressure. ;)

Mitt Knit Monday

If only my hands were not stumpy, a production of 16 years of prednisone. If only I had man hands. If only I had chopped off my Dad's hand (I only need one, he can live with a left hand...oh all right, I'll take the left if I must).

But if only any of that were possible, this would not look so absurd:


I seem to have a serious problem when it comes to sizing things and the only men around to help model things for me is my uncle who claims to have "small hands" and as such, I am not sure I can trust him for proper sizing.

You can quit laughing now.

Whole lotta bloggin' goin' on: Part 4

This is the last one. Promise.

Stitch N B...otch, SLC-style
I brought the recently frogged (nearly spelled 'flogged'. I suppose it would be appropriate) and reknit corset with me. An hour of heavy traffic is not my friend, but listening to Conference while watching the sunset during stop-and-go traffic made it a lot easier. I get so tired of radio stations sometimes.

I think people kind of recognized me this time around. Impressive! And there were a lot more people this time around. It was good to get together to chat and knit and see all the gorgeous projects. And when it came time to get home (I had pills to take so I had to leave a bit before anyone else), it was hard to go.

I can't come next Tuesday, but I'll have a bit more foresight next time I schedule some work hours (part time is so lovely) and leave Tuesday free.

The Yarn Stores
Y'know, getting lost or missing your turn doesn't always have negative connotations. Why, when I missed my 600 S. exit on the way to the hospital around 8am yesterday, I took the next possible exit, turned, and found myself confronted with the most glorious sunrise. Clouds, sun, and mountains making an incredible display. The clouds were on fire, the sun was a shining gold pool, and the mountains were stalwart silhouettes. And then, on 600 S. and having to turn left, I managed to get onto S. Temple instead of 100 S. And as I drove down it thinking that nothing looked familiar at all (I'm a SLC n00b, bebes), I found the Black Sheep Company!

Well, you know that after two blood draws and a flu shot, I just HAD to make up for it. So I went in for a visit. Charming store. But it just didn't suit me. And as I was driving back home, I waffled between taking the 9000 S. exit or not. Ooohhh, it was way past pill time, I argued. But how often do I manage to be in SLC/Sandy? And especially during yarn store hours? I finally went and made my way to my favorite yarn store, A Unravelled Sheep. I don't know if the 'A' belongs or not, but it's a silly typographical error.

I went in and the store owner was there, merrily knitting. So, I grabbed her books of lace shawls and scarves (heh) and we sat and chatted and knit (because that's always inevitably in my big messenger bag). I soon found myself comfortably talking about my family, Kansas, observations that I'd been keeping to myself and things I normally don't just talk about with a stranger (actually, I don't just talk about *anything* with a person I'm only barely acquainted with). But she made me comfortable, she had a wonderful no-nonsense attitude about life and she was knitting a beautiful jacket for herself, one of the first things she's made for herself in a good long time. Anyone in the area should definitely go by and sit and chat. I lost a good hour just being there with her. And I bought two patterns that I found through the pattern books and just enjoyed myself.

I didn't get home until 1pm, which was a long day considering that I left at 7am. But it was worth it.

Knitters are awesome people, are they not?

Whole lotta bloggin' goin' on: Part 3

Phew, you tired of reading this stuff yet? But it is my duty as Kitting Goddess to keep this blog updated! Who else would do it if I didn't? Really, a goddess's work is never done!

This one is for Jessimuka's benefit. And it was supposed to be done Wednesday (WIP Wednesdays!) but, uh, right. We don't need to keep gnawing on the same ol' Lazy Kitter bone, do we? I feel terrible as it is!

Here we have Annie Modesitt's Lovely Corset Tank in progress. I started it Sunday, got a good chunk done, and then realized I had buggered everything all to pieces and into the frog pond it went! But not for long, I started it right over. I think I deserve a knitting cookie for that. Also, a tip for those of you who lose stitch markers...rings work perfectly well (see right). The only downside is that your finger gets terribly lonely for that ring-made-stitch-marker. I'd better hurry up and finish that row.

And, for Sandy's Warm Hands KAL, here is what I finally decided for my Dad's Mittens:

Made from the same KnitPicks Andean Wool in Lettuce that my corsett is made from. It's a good "thickness" and will most likely work just fine for him. I hope it'll be warm, but at least it'll be soft and if he finds it too "gurly", he can just wear them under his Big Mittens. Pattern is just something I'm taking from a book I got at HalfPriced Books: The Joy of Knitting Companion. I really like this book, it's so good for basic patterns and includes hats, socks, mittens, scarves? (like it's so complicated to knit a big rectangle? I dunnow). It also has knitting graphs (wonderful!), needle and knitting gauge rulers and just everything you'd want for starting out. I think it wants to be a gift, though.

After the mittens. ;)

Whole lotta bloggin' goin' on: Part 2

Second of all was my darling SP6. My first package came in...um...a few days ago. *blush* Kind of like almost a week ago and though I love it all, I've been madly lazy. But here, this is what came in for me the day after I got home from Kansas (I won the race, SP!).

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I love the Native American card on the left. And tea! She (he?) reads my blog, how wonderful! I love tea. The point protectors are so cute, I love that. And the notecards are not going to last, I'm afraid. They're too awesome to hoard, despite my rabid desire to do that. The little halloween notepads are SO CUTE ARGH! I use the ghostie one for shopping lists and as I was depositing my check at the bank in Walmart, the rather attractive man at the counter grinned and asked what my little ghostie was for. Heh, shopping list, what else? ;D The lotion is nice, I look forward to trying it out. And the sketchbook with charcoal pencils? That was an EXCELLENT idea. Really! And the patterns are way sweet. Thanks, SP! *big hug*

Whole lotta bloggin' goin' on: Part 1

We come now to the part where Kit goes "OH NOES!!! Lookit all the stuff I have to freakin' BLOG already!!!" I mean, there are FO's, SP6 love, WIP's, SLC S'n'B experiences, and stories of wonderful yarn stores!

Okay, calm down, Kit. Let's take this a step at a time. *big breath, deep breath, lets it out before she pops*

Finished Objects First

I'm going to shamelessly cut and paste from my LiveJournal. If you read this already, hush your noise and let me get on with it already!

Rogue


This is quite form fitting. Yus, I'm a goddess of bounty, thank you for noticing. And I only have one arm. Terrible accident involving derring do, pirates AND ninjas, passionate love making, and a badger named Earl. The sweater took me since May and the crazy thing is, I practically have two full skeins of the Cascade 220 left over. Talk about miscalculating, but maybe it's the reason why the sleeves are a tad bit tight. Ah well.


Speaking of sleeves, check out that celtic knot action! That's my hip in the background, the knotwork goes all the way up to where the sleeve connects. Awesome, no?


Oooooh...it's the hood! I'm a clumsy seamer, I know. Next time I make the Rogue, it will have pockets, no cardiganizing, and a better looking hood. Still, yeah, I had fun with this one.

Cut Your Teeth


These are those infamous socks. The ones that have guided me to lovely men. Socks that have been admired by the infamous and semi-famous and just ordinary citizens. Socks that were knitted with love. Socks...that are apparently two different lengths. *sigh* Sorry, mum.

Mittens...

My dad wants a pair of mittens to wear under his other Big Mittens. I was thinking "Huh, well, that'll take sock yarn! Nothing else would really be comfortable in them!". But when I went home to visit and showed him the KnitPicks yarn in Zinnia, he said it was too fine. He wants something thick.

Thick? He won't be able to move his hands if they're "thick"! But then I got to thinking, perhaps he wants something more that he could wear outside of just his Big Mittens.

So, should I just stick to using sock yarn for mittens? Or should I make two pair?

If I don't have time, though, I do think I'll just make him one pair and give him the other later (if I even make two pairs). Which should I go for, thicker mittens (which I don't have yarn for, but certainly don't mind going out to get) or sock yarn ones?

FO's and SP6 lovelies to come!

Love and peace!

P.S. Dear Yarn Harlot,

After reading the chapter in your book about how your husband refused to wear sage green because it wasn't 'masculine' enough, I can only say this: When my parents took me to airport, my dad was wearing a sage green shirt with a black/red motif and lots of textural designs using a series of knits and purls. I was constantly poking and staring at it, it was a beautiful sweater. And my dad is as masculine as John Wayne when it comes down to it. In conclusion, your husband and my dad need a talk.

Love,
Kit

P.P.S. To my commenters: Abbie, I am so glad I'm helping to be an inspiration. There's nothing you can't do and your baby booties are awesome! Thanks for your comment, it is always nice to hear such things. :)
Teri, if you're ever up for it, I do think I'll hit the Shakespeare Festival next year (Margene went to this last one and it looked marvelous) and maybe we can carpool over and I'll try to have a costume this time around (all I actually need is a bodice, I have the rest). It's not the KC Ren Fest, but it should still be mad fun. :D I hope to see you Tuesday, I'm going to try to make it to the SLCSnB this week.

To The Renaissance Faire!

So I made a little trip to the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. I've been there I don't know how many times and it never fails to enchant me...and my pocket book. But I deserved all I got for myself and others. It was just a good time.

Check it out, I got to meet Jack!

who was quite charming and very, well, YOU know. Be-rum'd.

Also, I really did check my programme, never did see anything about Scheduled Executions, which was most disappointing.


But what made up for the disappointment was...yarn. Oh heck yes, there was yarn. I can't remember the FIRST store, but there was lovely bits of little dolls made out of the yarn, not to mention the bin. Aye, the bin of merino wool. I wisely made the decision to take one skein of apple green to match my shirt and would be enough for a nice hat. Most of the handspun stuff was very coarse, though. But the eyecandy, well, it was lovely.


Then, later in the day, footweary and rather tired of the scads of people asking my friends who had come with me for the umpteenth time what kind of dog Antrig was ( for the love of wool, a standard poodle with a very short haircut. Next time, I think he should wear a sign.) I saw a sign for A Wolf in Sheep Clothing. Dare I dream? The store hit me in the face with tawdry things made of Fun Fur (oy...) like scarves, hats, vests. But in a lovely little corner, I saw it. My heart raced, my face flushed, and I was drawn to it like a moth to flame.

I fondly caressed the merino, held the alpaca to my neck in awe of the lack of scratchy itch, smiled at the laceweight mohair, glared at the FunFur and then I saw it. There on the hangers, sockweight merino. The little tags exclaim "Enough for two socks!" and it was only $10. Well, that called for a heartfelt "HUZZAH!" (internally, I didn't want to shock the customers). And then my hand brushed by some merino fleece. ...oh dear... Someone local-ish want to show me how to spin? The two ounces I bought are asking quite politely for some skill.

Though, I do think when I return tomorrow, I'll ask the lady for a quick lesson. She has a wheel and maybe she'd like to show a newbie a few tricks.

Anyways, I return tomorrow, tickets are 2 for 1 and I'm only going with my dad this time, who is more than happy to just do whatever, show up at various meeting places every two hours and let me run madly around until I run out of people to buy things for and join him.

Goin' out of town.

To my KSSP, SP, Knitpicks, and Handpaintedyarn.com (though I don't expect the latter two to actually read this blog or *care*), I will be out of town and won't be receiving mail until Thursday the 13th.

However, I will not be netless. I just have to remember to bring the camera.

Previous Post's comment responses (I hate how I can't respond to people's comments):
Lolly - Thank you for the encouragement!

Feeling rogueish...

This was Saturday night. She's waiting for me to hem her and put the sleeves on. Mum will help me with the zipper since 1. I've never put a zipper in before and 2. she has a sewing machine and I don't. But that won't be until maybe Wednesday or Thursday. Still, so very close! I'm so excited!