Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater

I am weak. I am a ---

Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater



Yes, I should have been a monogamous knitter to get this baby gift done. I tried to be a good little knitter, but I am a CHEATER.
It is one cast on for the CONCERTO SCARF. That doesn't count, does it?

Here is my cheating paramour:

I cast on for the Concerto scarf -- pattern available free from Ravely, but you have to join a Yahoo group. De De from Ohio is hosting a Knit Along (KAL) for this free lace scarf or shawl pattern. She is also offering free tutorials.

I need all the help I can get knitting lace (actually, with everything) so I happily signed up.


I am knitting it on size 8 with Miss Babs Yummy in Light Turquoise. You can see that I wound it up the traditional way (not center pull). So shoot me. Or please post and tell me why I need to do center pull and why it is better. Here it is:





You can also see that this was not a MEANINGFUL CHEAT, as all I did was wind the yarn and cast on. I may have a tryst tonight though.

Also daydreaming about that sock. Does that count?


Knitlark Lane Podcast
Starting with Episodes #20
A = Old-fashioned Fairy Tales
B = The Hunchback of Notre Dame
C = Moonlight Madness (medley of knitting, travel, books and Life Flavor -- What is Life Flavor?
You have to listen to find out. This month it is BUTTERSCOTCH.)

I Need to Knit Like the Wind

What am I Needling?

I love that term. My niece used to ask me that instead of asking What are you knitting?

I am working on a Baby Afghan -- Basketweave Pattern from Our Best Knit Baby Afghans by Leisure Arts. This is for a dear couple who are over the moon expecting their first grandchild. I am doing it in acrylic (so it is easy to wash) Loops and Threads Seaside Ombre colorway worsted on size 11 needles.

First I was going to knit a cupcake hat from the Itty Bitty Nursery book ... Pink cupcake, white frosting, cherry on top. Found out it is a boy. Ok. Next idea: Yellow cupcake, brown frosting, cherry.
Then I remembered kid-to-be lives in Florida. Probably not too many hats -- cupcake or otherwise -- in his future.

Have lots of fabric from quilting days. Why not a baby quilt? Cut out some squares, but I was not NOT FEELING IT. I wanted to knit. I found this book and pattern at Michael's (used my coupons) and off I went. I have to KNIT LIKE THE WIND, as Baby Conner is due next week.

Here is a picture of it about 3/4 of the way through.






I have to CONCENTRATE only on this project. No more sidetracks to other things. Sure.


Knitlark Lane Podcast
Starting with Episodes #20
A = Old-fashioned Fairy Tales
B = The Hunchback of Notre Dame
C = Moonlight Madness (medley of knitting, travel, books and Life Flavor -- What is Life Flavor?
You have to listen to find out. This month it is BUTTERSCOTCH.)

Secrets of a Sock Jock Wannabe - Part 1

This episode adds to Knitlark Lane Podcast Number 20C, but you don't need to listen to the podcast to read the blog. See the link on the right of this page if you decide you cannot go any longer without hearing my voice.


And NOW... what you have all been waiting for ...


SECRETS OF A SOCK JOCK WANNABE

For all the time I have been knitting (not sure what that adds up to, but it is a better beginnining than Once Upon a Time --- see my fairy tale podcast reading for that) I have not been interested in knitting socks.

Why, you ask? Because I am a philistine. Yes, I admit it. I did not see the point of knitting socks that I could buy for 2 bucks.

Plus it looked really hard --
Four or even five (!) needles at once?
Gussets?
Turning a heel?
Eyes of partridges?
Yikes.

But, holy mackerel! The knitting world is in SOCK FRENZY! Sock podcasts, sock blogs, sock patterns, sock books and then Sock Summit, the ultimate sock dreamland con(ference). (I learned that word con from the Brass Needles Podcast -- check her out)

Other knitters say you will start and get addicted. Did I need an(other) addiction? Hardly.
But was I missing out on the best thing since circular needles?

My downfall was when I started looking at the sock yarn. It wouldn't hurt, right? I could always make a scarf or mitt with it. And it is SO GORGEOUS, espeicially the indie (independent) dyers.
So I started collecting. Every trip I went on, I stopped at a shop and picked up some cool sock yarn. I have a luscious stash now. (more on that in a later podcast)

The yarn was the gateway. I was falling fast. I started printing and reading patterns. I loved the names ... Monkey Socks by Cookie A; Cabletini by Wendy Johnson.

Then -- I hate to admit this -- I started knitting socks virtually. That is, when I had to attend a boring meeting, I would knit a sock in my head. (Does anyone else do this? Please post and make me feel better). The advantage to this is that they all come out great. And it is cheap.

You should also understand that knitting in my head was all I can do at these things. Really. If I EVER decided to knit in public there, I would probably be BURNED AS A WITCH.

Time to do it for real. I took a class. Not the Basic Sock Class that I should have taken. No, not for me. I took a Toe-up-MagicLoop- Weird Heel-No Pattern class. We were supposed to increase at the toe until "it fit." I had nice yarn -- Claudia Hand Painted in the Sharks colorway. I cast on ok using Judy's Magic Cast-on (easy to find if you Google it). But the socks were icky. my toes looked like I had bunions the size of golf (or tennis) balls on both sides. And I had a hole at the gusset that my cat could poke a paw through.

See?



I frogged it.

By I was bowed, but not beaten. I bought Ann Budd's book Getting Started Knitting Socks.
Good pictures and explanations. I started again from the cuff down. I found a youtube video by Charlene Schurch on how not to have a hole at gusset. (google Charlene Schurch gusset hole to find this or email me at Knitlark@gmail.com and I will send you the link).

I am now at Gusset Decreases on Sock #1 Redo.






I am not yet a Sock Jock. I am only a poser wannabe. But I am strong. I am invincible. I will prevail.

Please post or email me if you are a sock jock already or if you are a wannabe like me. I would love to hear your stories. I will put them on the podcast, too, if you give permission.

More to come. Stay tuned.

Knitlark Lane Podcast
Starting with Episodes #20
A = Old-fashioned Fairy Tales
B = The Hunchback of Notre Dame
C = Moonlight Madness (medley of knitting, travel, books and Life Flavor -- What is Life Flavor?
You have to listen to find out. This month it is BUTTERSCOTCH.)

Some Pictures to Accompany Podcast 20B

In the reading from The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Podcast 20B (see link on this page) author Victor Hugo talks about some scenes of Paris.

This is a view from the top of the Notre Dame Cathedral:





This is the Bourse (the stock exchange) that Hugo discusses sarcastically in the chapter.




Knitlark Lane Podcast:
After Number 20:
A Episodes = Old-fashioned Fairy Tales
B Episodes = The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
C Episodes = Moonlight Medley (books, travel, knitting, and other stuff)