Home Sweet Home

We're back. Sorry to anyone we didn't see. We underestimated how hard it would be to travel without adequate pain control.

This trip was rough. Mom was in the hospital. I had to step in as mother of the bride. Things were a bit disorganized. But in three days we made this happen:















I've been informed that you 'can't fire family', even if they do forget the flowers.

We also got to play with this little boy, for hours on end. Joy!!!!!!
















No knitting accomplished, but who cares?

Where I finally catch the Clap...

I mean Clapotis, of course. Where did your brain go?

So this is what Clapotis looks like in Malabrigo sock, Violeta Africana.

I like the way this yarn knit up. It used a mere 153 grams (about 1.5 skeins) and yeilded a wrap that is 22 in wide and 84 inches long on a side of the parallelogram. While I do not appreciate MalSock for socks (no body), I love it for shawls.

Blocking is a dream with this stuff. It's like a 2-dollar whore, you get it wet and it just lays down. (apologies to anyone that is offended). It is just so easy to block and has a wonderful drape. I wonder if this is because this yarn is spun woolen, whereas most sock yarns are spun worsted. Hmmmm.....

Now on the needles: Desert Sun in MS Botticelli Red, Jeanie in Smooshy Dusty Aura, various socks and Juno Regina out of the rest of the MS in the Violeta colorway.

My new fashion statement, in case you haven't figured it out, involved lace shawls and wraps. I just can't get enough right now.

Would you like cheese with that Whine?

Okay, I just got the email from Sock Summit. If you haven't, please check you in box. The registration date has been set. Tuesday, May 26 starting at 10 am PDT. Now, let's forget for a moment that I usually sleep days. This is a day I won't be sleeping. Why? Simple, I'm leaving for Tucson that day.

Here is the basic itinerary:
- work until 0630 - telemetry, no less - makes you hear beeping for days - I'll be getting up at 4:30 pm Monday night
- head home, shower, finish packing
- back to hospital for 0900 doctor's appointment - they don't really want to see me, but as long as I am on restricted duty I am required by the hospital to see the doc every 30 days. I'll be in Tucson that day, so we're doing it early
- home to register for Sock Summit, unless the appointment runs over, in which case, my computer goes to the doc with me, I can log on to the hospital's wireless there
- take cats to boarding - yes, boarding. Most people leave their cats at home, unfortunately, ours are not that well behaved. We have a 17 year old crotchety old lady and a 9 month old, fifteen pound kitten. They play, then they fight, then the go in time out. If someone isn't there with them they may kill each other. The answer: boarding
- leave the house by 1400 (2pm) to catch the MAX to the airport to be there 2 hours before our 1700 (5pm) flight - at least we don't have to get off the plane until Tucson
- land in Tucson at 2200 (10 pm) - pick up car and drive to airport

Did you see sleep in there? Yeah, me either. Cat naps (pun intended) I guess.

See you at the Summit!!!

Procrastination..... It's making me wait....

Bad song reference, huh? Anyone else see a bottle of ketchup in their head? I thought so. I loved that song until the commercial....

So, I'm supposed to be doing several things:
- finishing sock monkeys
- cleaning house
- gift sock knitting

What I'm doing instead:
- knit Clapotis out of Malabrigo sock - fantastic - must get more of this stuff - it's got a wonderful drape and its perfect for wraps and shawls, not so great for socks, IMHO, not enough body - will post pics when I finish blocking
- bought yarn for Jeannie - wanted Malabrigo again, but had trouble finding the right color - settled for (gasp!) Smooshie - I know, what was I thinking, aren't I the poster child for BMFA? and what on earth am I doing buying the yarn called for in the pattern? I'll let you know when I come to my senses
- watching trash movies - it helps the knitting

As far and the Sockarama promise, it'll have to wait for another day. I'm in a shawl mood right now.

And if anyone knows where to get three skeins of Malabrigo Sock in Velvet Grapes, please let me know. Thanks.

Flying Monkeys

Be Warned:






It finally happened. I got some flying monkeys!!











First, you take the Funkey Sock Monkey pattern from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. (This is the small version - Muddy Bottom Breakdown and an unknown leftover colorway).








Then you add wings. I used the pattern for the ears from Ysolda's Elijah.






Aren't monkey butts great?


Emma and Sarah, you get to stop reading here. I mean it.

Finally, the shawls are done and wrapped, ready to go into the mail.




First we have S's shawl, Aeolian from Knitty, in a lovely blueberry La Barufa merino lace weight with aquamarine beads. This shawl took about 3 weeks to knit. I did not finish it in time for the wedding. I hope she likes it.










Finally, after several months of work, we have E's shawl. It is the Veil of Isis from BadCat Designs, knit out of Zephyr with clear beads. It was originally ivory in color, but I dyed it very light sage green, at E's request.














Next post: Sockarama, baby

PS: Never underestimate the importance of estrogen. Just let me say WOW! I feel human for the first time in months.