I had a relaxing weekend, for two reasons: my back problem had flared up and it rained a lot. The latter kept me indoors, while the former prevented knitting. Or it ought to have. I kept finding myself holding needles. Fortunately, there was also a lot of Yarn Harlot and Wendy Knits reading going on, too.

The beau got out the welder, an old g-clamp and some scrap metal and whipped this up for me:

A clamp for my wool winder. (Obviously not the wool winder itself.) He even mixed some blue and white paint together to make a shade close to the blue on the wool winder. He got it pretty close.

He’s a sweetie.

I kept finding myself listening to knitcasts while working on the Liquorish Allsorts jumper. In one of the CastOff podcasts a guest knitter recalled how he tried knitting the very pattern I’m using – Elizabeth Zimmerman’s raglan sleeve jumper – and quotes her saying that once you begin the raglan decreases it zooms along. He didn’t find himself zooming along at all.

This had me laughing heartily, as I had reached exactly the same place in the pattern and was thinking exactly the same thing.

However, last night I did find myself noticing how the rows were taking less and less time to knit. Suddenly I can see the end nearing. It’s exciting.

I’m still a bit worried that I have enough black wool, but it’s clear I have more than enough orange, pink and white. I was hoping to make a matching beanie, too. Trouble is, I don’t want to mail order just one ball of black in order to do it, but I guess if I run out of wool for the jumper I’ll make sure I order enough to make a beanie as well.

I frogged the Jaywalker socks back to the toe on the weekend too. The yarn is a little thinner than the usual sock yarn, and the foot of the sock was knitting up a bit too tight. And I had suspected that the reason the original pattern says to cast on so many stitches is because the zig zags make a narrower tube than straight knitting.

I made eight more stitches to the 60 I started with – one for each panel of the zig zag – and it’s coming up a better fit. The original number is another eight stitches more – 76 – so I’m reassured that I’m still knitting a skinnier sock than the original.

Finally, I finished Wendy Knits on Saturday morning. It was a very enjoyable read, with moments of humour, some history about the knitter from before I started reading her blog, and references to things that have happened since. Yet it’s not all anecdotes. There are patterns and lots of knitting advice. It’s an enjoyable read and a good resource, too.

It’s a new phenomenom, reading a book by a blogger. I liked it.

Oh, and I should add that Amazon are sending me a copy to replace this one. Hopefully it won’t also have an upside down section!

My Amazon order arrived this morning! Yaaaaay!

I had to sneak out in my pjs and dressing gown to get it, but that’s okay because the postie always leaves parcels by the door, so the risk of being seen by the neighbours was minimal. The beau has a cold, so we were both sleeping in. (I’m making up for a very busy start of the week.) I started reading one of the Yarn Harlot books, but changed to the Wendy Knits one because I kept giggling, and I was worried I’d keep the beau awake.

That’s when I discovered this:

One section of the book is printed upside down! Well, having worked in publishing, I know this is one of those printer errors that easily slips through. I’ve emailed Amazon to get a replacement. From what I’ve heard, they’re pretty good about these things.

I’m hoping they won’t ask me to mail it straight back, because I’ve waited weeks for this parcel and I wanna read ALL these books NOW!

But this isn’t all the yarn-related news of the day. Yesterday I received my Secret Pal recipient details. I chuckled to myself while reading her site, because we are two peas of the same pod. She lives in a country from which some of my ancestors came from, and the bloodlines on that side are pretty dominant. We look remarkably alike. Our tastes in food and yarn are quite similar too. I started a list of ideas for gifts to send.

Last night was craft night, and much fun was had, particularly with some on-demand humourous drawings (which I didn’t get a close enough look at – they were a bit naughty and there was some concern at offending the newbie). I got to fondle Peeve‘s new sock yarn, and Lynne‘s delectable dyeing. Purplexity was turning out more impressive crochet garments and there was some tapestry work going on that I was afraid to look at, because it looked so complex my brain might implode.

This is my second attempt at this post. My computer reset itself just as I was winding up the first time.

One of the things I love about winter (along with the sound of rain and being able to wear more knitwear) is that dawn comes late enough for me to catch it.

After a very busy morning yesterday, I decided to do some podcast ‘research’. I tried CastOn this time, and really enjoyed it. I learned that music really adds to a podcast.

I knit at the same time (don’t you love it when you can mix work and pleasure?). Over two hours of ‘research’ I managed to knit almost an entire orange stripe on my Liquorish Allsorts jumper.

I’d checked the math and it was fine. However, that wasn’t the problem. After two hours it finally clicked what was wrong. I’d started the raglan decreases at the beginning of the orange stripe, when I was supposed to start them on the next black stripe.

It’s all very well getting the math right, but it won’t matter if you don’t follow your own pattern!

So I ripped out the stripe and last night, while watching tv, reknitted most of it.

Look what I started last night:

Jaywalker socks using the yarn I space-dyed. I found the pattern via google so I thought there was only the one, top-down version available. I saw straight away that if I’d cast on the number of stitches specified, I could probably but both of my iceskates in the one sock. But that was okay, because all I had to do was adapt the zig-zag pattern to my own toe-up sock pattern.

I did this while watching Swordfish on dvd last night. Unfortunately, when the film reached the most gripping part I started finding mistakes in the sock, and then I kept missing bits of the film as I tried to fix them.

The Liquorish Allsorts report: progress is slow now that I’m knitting sleeves and body together, but I’ve started the raglan decreases and every row should be a little quicker from here on up.

I’m a bit worried I don’t have enough room left for the orange stripes. Must redo the math.

A FO!!! The Ribble Socks are done!

I intended to finish them on Friday, but I got a little distracted by this:

A scarf woven using the varigated purple I bought the other day mixed with the slubby purple I won from Peeve. There’s enough left to make another scarf.

This and the two red scarves that were the first I made using the Knitter’s Loom were given away on Sunday.

I still haven’t decided which socks to make now. After all that ribbling, I’d like to relax with a plain stocking stitch sock next.

Finally, I HAD to take a snapshot of this:

Why I don’t watch commercial tv any more. This was supposed to be the film Swordfish. Channel 9 put these huge picture boxes up, covering Hugh Jackman’s face, or Halle Berry’s lingerie, with a countdown to the next ad break (in which there was a short news update). These covered up the movie for more than half the time it was showing between ad breaks. After the third time, we gave up and put a dvd on.

It was bad enough sitting through 10 minute news updates during Whale Rider on Channel 7 last week. I gave up and recorded that one, but found the breaks had lengthened the film so much the video cut out before the end.

If I were an advertiser, I’d be seriously questioning whether it was worthwhile giving my custom to these stations. But then, maybe Channel 7 and 9 have shares in dvd hire or pay tv companies or something, and they’re actually trying to persuade us not to watch them.

It’s working. I realised how well the other day when someone started talking about a funny ad that was on recently, and I’d never seen it.

Yesterday I had to drive to St Kilda Road in the city to pick up the serum for my allergy treatment. The most direct way there involves going down Malvern Road, so on the way back I popped into Wondoflex and Seniors Art.

I think it’s very nice indeed that someone put a big wool store right next to a big art store.

All I bought at Wondo was a ball of black Patonyle to go with the Blacksmith sock yarn. Interestingly, I spotted the carry case for an Ashford Knitters Loom next to the door to the back room. Hmmm.

There were more items on my shopping list, so I headed a few blocks south to Marta’s Yarns. Last time I visited Marta’s, over a year and a half ago, the assistant was so rude to me I’ve avoided the shop ever since. But other knitters assure me that this was very unusual and the assistant I encountered this time was friendly and helpful. Though I sighed and drooled over Marta’s hand-dyed yarns, all I bought was some silk thread.

It’s to go with a hank of beautiful slubby silk yarn I bought from Teo’s Handspun on the Isle of Skye last year. I’ve been wanting to knit up a scribble knit shawl. (For examples go here and here.) However I couldn’t find a thread that seemed strong enough and I had a possibly insane idea that the thread ought to be silk too. Well, at Marta’s I found the idea wasn’t so insane after all. This thread is strong and silk, and just right.

From here I headed north to The Wool Shop in Surrey Hills, where I bought some Jo Sharp dk. I’d picked up three balls of this yarn in a discontinued colour from a friend a few years ago, then two balls of purple from a bargain bin at The Knitter’s Workshop. Some time later I’d grabbed two of aqua. Then a few weeks back I found the pattern. Yesterday I bought the rest of the wool I needed to complete the garment… well, so long as the meterage matches the yarn specified for the pattern.

The good thing is, because it’s all squares dye lot differences shouldn’t matter if I have to run out and get some more.

This morning the wool winder I bought on Ebay arrived. It’s soooo cute!

It’s missing a clamp for attaching it to a table, but the beau and I shouldn’t have any trouble knocking together a replacement.

I’ve had a really tiring week so today I’m going to take it easy. I’m going to spread work out between lots of breaks, and in those breaks I’ll finish the Ribble Socks.

Then I just have to decided which sock yarn to knit next.

Is there a word for that particular kind of disappointment you get when you think an email you’ve been waiting for has arrived, and it turns out to be spam?

If there isn’t, there should be one. An email appeared in the account I nominated for my Secret Pal today. Since I haven’t had an email arrive in that account for probably over a year – not even spam – I was sure it would be SP related. But no, it was spam.

Pout.

I’ve answered some of these questions in my 100 Things list, but I’ll copy them in here for convenience…

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I dislike nearly all novelty yarns. I’ve learned to dislike all but the occasional, exceptionally soft acrylic yarn, too. I’m not overly keen on varigated yarn, to be honest. The thought of knitting an entire garment (apart from socks or gloves) from 4ply (fingering) horrifies me. It takes me long enough to knit a jumper out of 8ply (dk)!

I don’t mind yarn that changes slowly from one colour to the next, like Noro, and I love self-striping sock yarn (I looove stripey socks). I feel most comfortable with good old’ tweedy and plain yarns. But I do love slubby yarn too. I just don’t always know what to do with it!

I’m slightly sensitive to natural fibres, but it’s rarely been a problem because I can wear it on my feet and hands (so socks and gloves are fine) and I just wear something underneath jumpers and scarves. Recently I’ve come to accept that I really do need to avoid mohair completely because it sheds and hairs get under protective underclothing. Itchy, itchy.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Antique chocolate tins! I could really do with a clever and neat way to store circulars, to tell the truth.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I learned to knit in primary school, but stopped as a teenager. Then I restarted a few years ago. Familiar story, isn’t it?

I think I’m probably an intermediate knitter who would be an advanced knitter if she could be bothered. I’ve tried out some tricky techniques and know I can handle them, but I don’t want to! Knitting in relaxation for me, so I prefer to keep to projects that don’t test the brain and can be picked up and put down without much fuss.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

No. Hmm. Maybe I should make a wish list for this site…

5. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Best to avoid scented products – particularly those used on the skin! I’m allergic to perfume! I’m okay with some essential oils, though. Candles, drawer sachets, etc. are usually fine. Scents I like include lavender, rose, vanilla, cinnamon, sandalwood, amber, lemon, apple, and herby scents like rosemary and thyme. Generally it’s the floral scents that cause allergic reactions.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I loooove chocolate. But it’s got to be good quality – I find Cadbury chocolate revolting! I prefer dark chocolate to milk. I don’t like coffee flavoured anything.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I’ve tried a huge range of crafts over the years, but at the moment I mostly knit, occasionally crochet, and I bought an Ashford Knitters Loom recently so I’m having fun trying out weaving. I like dyeing yarn. But I don’t spin. I’m in awe of people who can spin.

I also like to paint and draw. I take little sketch books on holidays with me, though they often end up filled with with as many knitting ideas and calculations as drawings.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

Both my beau and I have ecclectic tastes in music. His tastes tend more toward 80s alternative, 70s metal and 90s electronic while mine include more singer-songwriters, soundtracks, pop and a bit of world music. We have a lot of crossover. Oh, and we both like classical music, too. I can play MP3s on my computer, but I’m not sure about the stereo. I’ve made compilation cds before, but I’m not sure if they were in the MP3 format or not.

9. What’s your favorite color? Or–do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can’t stand?

All colours are my favourites! When it comes to clothes, however, blueish colours suit me better. I love red, but it’s got to be a good scarlet red, not an orangey one. I love blues, from vivid ultramarine to cerulean. I’m rather fond of purple and green, too, but the rule with green is the same for red – it must be bluish rather than yellowish. I don’t like pastels, but I love chocolate brown, black, navy and bluish grey. Creams, being yellowy, don’t suit me but bright white does. Gold make me look deceased; silver is my favourite precious metal.

All the colours that I can’t wear I use to decorate my house. I had a bright yellow corridor in my previous house, and plan to paint a wall rusty orange in my current one. My previous kitchen was all apple green accents.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I have a beau (boyfriend – you can get away with anything if you say it in french… I think I’d get away with a lot more if I actually spoke french!). Unfortunately he can’t wear knitwear, as he’s a ‘hot’ person. We are owned by one bossy ginger cat, Peri Peri.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

All of the above except ponchos. I have nothing against ponchos, I just never took to them. Maybe I haven’t yet met the right poncho…

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks!

13. What are you knitting right now?

Socks! And a jumper for my Dad.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Depends on the application. For socks and sleeves knit in the round, dpns are the go. For anything larger, circulars are the go. I don’t knit with straights much any more. I don’t like metal needles as I find them cold. The only metal needles I use are sock dpns, and that’s because I couldn’t find any plastic or bamboo ones in 2mm. I have a bad habit of breaking straight plastic needles, but haven’t broken a bamboo one yet. I love my Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles above all others.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I will soon have a yarn winder. I bought one on Ebay on Saturday and I’m waiting for it to arrive! I also have a metal portable swift, which works okay, but I suspect a larger wooden one would be easier to use.

17. How did you learn to knit?

Either at school or from one of my grandmothers. At the time I was learning a lot of different crafts from both, so my memory is a little hazy on the exact source.

18. How old is your oldest UFO?

Golly. Um. I suppose it’s that entrelack mohair pillowcase I started over a year ago. I’d forgotten about that…

19. What is your favorite holiday?

If you mean public/religious holiday, I suppose it’s New Year’s Eve. It’s both a time of reflection, hope and partying. I’m not religious, and my family has never bothered with ‘commercial’ holidays like Mothers/Fathers Day and Valentines Day.

If you mean going on a trip, then I like exploring beautiful places at a restful pace – and hopefully getting some yarn shopping in at the same time.

20. Is there anything that you collect?

I’m not really a collector at heart. I’ve tried a few times, but nothing has ever got my attention long enough. My beau is collector enough for both of us! I do have a growing collection of chocolate boxes and wrappers, both old and modern. But it’s more of an ‘accumulation’ than a collection.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I’ve got my eye on the One Skein book by Leigh Radford and I think there’s a book on space dyeing out there that I should investigate. I’ve been meaning to hunt down a book on dyeing with Australian native plants. I’d also like to try some of the interesting plant yarns out there. Soy silk, bamboo, hemp etc. – and some of the quality cotton yarns out there, too. I suspect they’d feel much nicer than the ‘Spotlight grade’ cottons I’ve used before, and which come in such boring pastel colours.

I don’t subscribe to magazines any more because I have the Subscriber Curse. Every time I subscribe all the issues that follow are duds. Or else the magazine folds. I like Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting. I’ve tried and disliked Simply Knitting and Knitting magazine, and I’ve given up on Creative Knitting (the Aussie mag). Yarn (another Aussie) is okay. I haven’t tried any continental european mags like Rebecca.

22. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?

I’m only just starting to like lace knitting. Lace and I did not get along for a long time. I’d like to try some mosaic and brioche (spelling?) knitting, I just haven’t found a project I like the look of yet.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Definitely! I have really narrow feet with high arches. They’re 21 cm around but 24 cm long. From what recall, those measurements are meant to be the same in well-proportioned feet. My ex used to call my feet ice skates. He said I’d blow over if the wind came from the side.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

23rd October

Okay, I waffled a lot. But I’m waiting for my parents to drop in for morning tea, and it’s a fun way to fill the time. I can’t wait to see what my Secret Pal has written about themselves, then start plotting fun ways to spoil and surprise them!

Actually, that title makes yesterday sound like I had a lot more fun than I really did. Most of the day was spent cleaning. But there were a few hours toward the end in which I managed to weave, crochet and knit.

I wove some more of my red blanket.

I finished crocheting a green headband. Unfortunately, as I blocked it this morning I saw a mistake right near the beginning. So close to the beginning I may as well just shrug, say ‘it’s only a headband’ and pretend it’s not there. Otherwise I’d have to pull the whole thing apart and start again. Photos when it’s dry, and there’s some hint of the existance of the sun. It sure is gloomy weather today.

I finished the second sleeve of Liquorish Allsorts:

Now the fun part begins. The three pieces are attached and the everything from the armholes up is knit in one piece. I’ll wait until I’m alert and fresh before tacking the attachment of the pieces.

No sock knitting for a few days, unfortunately. But I did manage to buy a wool winder on Ebay!