It's Not My Fault 101

Wow, I don't know quite what has come over me. I have like unto my own personal yarn store of stash, and I have been on a buying binge for two freaking days now.

It's all Katey's fault. It was she who dyed the yarn that started the whole thing. She made me kidnap Jane to ride with me up to Only Ewe and Cotton Too in Alpharetta, where she then made me look at all the cool stuff they had there, resulting in my buying not only the yarn I went for, but some Shibui Knits in the bluest blues you have ever seen, and some Suri Alpaca laceweight in silver. And some undyed superwash merino top roving. She made Jane buy stuff too. It was so unfair.

After I dropped off Jane I went to my husbands' work Spring Fling, where they had this cool inflated slide thing with two aisles and bungee cords. What, pray tell, do you do with that, you may ask. Well, the answer is you made a fool of yourself in it, by twos, and you injure yourself slightly. Actually, you put on harnesses that have the bungees, which are attached to the back wall of the thing, then you take velcroed bean bags, then you run down the aisle as far as you can and plant the bean bag on the velcroed strip as far down the thing as you can before the bungee snaps you backwards, hopefully bettering your opponents' distance.


And if your forty something and unathletic, expect to injure yourself. I'm just sayin is all.

However, if you are in fine physical shape, at any age, you can win, which looks something like this:

Please note that this is a picture of my husband, winning. Not a picture of me. Losing. Knitting is much safer. Trust me. Ow.

OK, so maybe part of it is Janes' fault as well. If she hadn't left her GoKnit pouch in my car, I would not have had to return it to her this morning, causing me to drive near Knitch, which reminded me that I really wanted to pick up a copy of the Lucy Neatby sock book. And while I was there, I was shown the Handmaiden yarns that they just got in. The stuff is too beautiful, and I had to get a couple of skeins of the Casbah. Against my will.

So I figured that after that I'd better be virtuous and like, knit, or something. But on the way back home I noticed a big sign in front of the Melkite church advertising that today was a Middle Eastern Food Fair, so I did the only thing my conscience allowed me to do. I called my husband and told him about it. I went home to pick him up, and decided to check a few blogs and noticed Farm Witch updated her etsy store with yarn and roving in colorways that nearly made me cry. Realizing that it just wouldn't do to go to a Food Fest with my husband and be crying all the time, I bought some. I still hold that if you follow my logical path, the pistachio and rosewater ice cream I shouldn't have eaten was also Janes' fault, and therefore Kateys' as well.

Oh, and I joined Lime and Violet's Yarn Raiders on Chore Wars. So when I came home and finished my Neck Down Wrap Cardigan, I levelled up!

Pictures to follow, possibly next winter. OMG, this thing is warm!

Dude, I haven't even had coffee yet.

Created by OnePlusYou

Well, that was unintentional.

Wow, I sure didn't set out to ignore the blog for a month and a half, but life is wonderful and strange like that. Hell, I haven't even kept up with my Ravelry page, so don't feel too neglected. Anyway, I have been up to a few things, none of which is finishing any of my projects, but all of which are really positive steps in acheiving my new years resolution of making my life work for me.

First, I changed jobs. Back in whenever the hell that was (probably January), when I was griping about my job, I said I was going to do one of two things. Either I was going to make the job I was in work better for me and my life or I was going to get a better job that would work better for me and for my life. By March I had done about all I could at my old job to better my situation and there was no sign that the changes I had made were going to make a damned bit of difference. When a much better offer came along, I completed my commitments at the old job and took a few weeks off in between jobs for some decompression. My "vacation" I had taken earlier in the year was used to get a bunch of dental work done and I ended up in pain or sick the whole time, so I could hardly count that as a vacation.

For a few weeks I knit, caught up on some podcasts, caught up on some husband time, petted the much neglected cats, played with the hammies and bought a bicycle. I love my bike. Now I just have to move somewhere flat so I can ride it. I really didn't think about that, no, I did not. I took it out for a spin near Zoo Atlanta. It was a beautiful spring day, the cherry trees were in bloom, and I nearly burned out the brakes trying to control the extreme downhill death ride that took me, screaming, to my destination. Then, just as the Yarn Harlot wrote, you realize that you aren't at your destination, you're only halfway there. The uphill ride back to the car took what felt like hours, me pedaling until I was just short of having my legs burst into flame, then resting until I could ride a few more feet. Needless to say, I am now scouting out long stretches of flat road, preferably in out of the way areas without traffic.

Realizing this was yet another reality check regarding my fitness level (because the scale readings weren't enough, I guess) I joined a really great gym and got a Personal Trainer that I really like. Yup, just like Oprah. And everyone in Dunwoody. And although working out cuts into precious knitting time, I think the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks. After all, the lighter 50lb boxes seem to me, the more of them I can fill with yarn and stuff in the car, right? So this is my plan. Lift weights, knit, cook. OMG, I am actually cooking again. I have the time.

Another thing I had to do was break up the hammies. The Khans, it seems are loners. We went through I don't know how many rounds of antibiotics to get them straight, but neither Genghis nor Kublai will ever come into direct contact with another hamster again. The other guys do fine together, so they stay that way. And yes, for those of you who will want to know, they have names, too. Ogadai, Chinua and Hai-Shan who we call Arrowhead. My clone Doug knit them a yurt. No lie. Here it is.




And here are the hammies with it. Sorry Doug, they only see it as a chew toy.




Now if you don't think that's cute, you don't know from cute. Doug, you rock!

So there has been no finishing of projects, but there has been much knitting. And you all know that that means that at some point there was a festival of casting on. I am totally reconciled to it, and feel no guilt whatsoever. In fact, I am casting off a shawl I started recently as we speak, and I may cast on again before I am finished. I am just that crazy. This thing hasn't even been put on Ravelry! Taunting the gods, I am. Ya ha!

I am completely ignoring Mission Possible 2008 in favor of cultivating skills as a dilettante. I have cast on, knitted and am casting off the Lotus Blossom Shawl, which was a pattern I had ignored for years. My own lack of imagination was the culprit, as I was unable to see past the ugly pictures used in the pattern packaging to the beauty possible if the right yarn was used. And I am using the right yarn.

Jojoland Melody Superwash color 20, which is actually slightly less pinky/blue and more red/blue than shown. Still, supremely awesome. I am also using a picot cast off instead of the sucky bobble cast off. Bobbles just shouldn't exist.

Went to see the Yarn Harlot with HappyGoth. And Claudia, Jane, Knitwitch, the Warlock, Hockeymom, and everyone else. But me and HG were hanging out in the first row, not drinking beer, but still having a great time.



She and I are knitting matching socks, because the yarn is cool and because we are giant dorks. Stephanie revelled in our dorkness. Which is immense.



She even took a picture of me in my Irtfa'a shawl to send to Tina of BMFA. I was really flattered. After she took my picture I realized I was wearing it inside out. Immense. Dork.

At some point in the mix I knitted that Felted Clog pattern from Fiber Trends. I must say that at the point just before they were felted I had little confidence in the pattern. Here they are in their Seussian glory, modelled for us by the lovely Nell and her daughter Haley.



And the amazing after shot.




The pattern works in a miraculous sort of way. Well, I guess I did finish a project after all.



And, somewhere in there, I won Claudia's sock naming contest along with Snarky Katie! I won Koigu. Gorgeous, wonderful, Koigu.



The break I took was really good for me, although not intended to be as long as it was. Had I tried to write before now, I'm sure I would have written total crap, so I have saved us all from that. And I'm ready to work a bit of blogging into my new schedule. Thanks for being patient!

Beware the Ides of March

Excuse the lateness of this post, but I got rather caught up in the weather today. Atlanta got it repeatedly, as many of you may have heard on the news. Me and mine are just fine here, but I live less than a mile from the damage path of the tornado, and the whole area is just a mess. There is no hopping in the car to go down the street right now as many of them are barricaded because of fallen trees or debris. I was not totally unprepared for this level of French Toast Emergency, however. Eggs are always plentiful here, and we had milk and bread, so I didn't have to rush to the store. I went to visit HappyGoth, who lives a few blocks from some of the worst damage, and I had to take a roundabout route to get there and back. While I was there we had a lovely midafternoon hail storm.
Thankfully this was noisier than it was dangerous, but it was unnerving all the same.

And although not much knitting got done today, I have been knitting. I am somewhere near row 55 of Lyra (here's the Ravelry pattern link), but I am not feeling the love.

My camera is not capable of reproducing this shade of indigo. Remotely. So we give you electric blue Lyra instead. The biggest problem with this (and I'm afraid with a great many Nieblings) is that I found out I hate knitting that hex mesh background. I'm just not a double yarnover every two seconds kind of girl.

I am, however, a vintage lace gloves kind of girl in a big way (link to Ravelry). I had scads of Laci left over from Irtfa'a, and I came across this free pattern and it all clicked. I had seen this pattern a long time ago and never really gave it a second thought at the time, but thanks to Ravelry I ran across it again, and seeing everyone elses' gloves in all different colors gave me the idea to make a pair to match my shawl. Me all matchy, that's a first - you can ask anyone who knows me. Here is the first one in progress in all its splendiferousness.


Spiffy, no? I will be one bad ass matching mofo.

Last but not least, let me thank everyone who read my last post to the end (bless you all) and left a comment. Although I didn't mention it at the time, the occasion of the contest was that that was my hundredth post. And because I felt like it.

I am very grateful for all your comments. From where I sit here atop the Mount Olympus of Chickendom, it was tough to pick a favorite. But I think the following snippet sums up what I feel is at the heart of the knitblogging experience:

"I think it's the thought that there might just be someone out there who understands about any achievements in knitting, and won't just dismiss them with a kindly-meant (but disheartening!) "very nice dear (now run along & play)" kind of comment ..."

Mary Lou, of Odd Ball Knitting, you are the winner! Email me at chickengoddessATmindspringDOTcom with your address and the book will be winging its way to you first thing.

And to Dave, Rabbitch (I do read you, you know, you have made me truly scared to check my referral stats), ESC, HappyGoth, Amy, Turtlegirl, JP, Turbochic, Deb, kmkat, PurlyKay, Megan, Toni, Lyle and even Artemis (dude, you don't even knit. What would you have done with the book? ;) I thank you, thank you for reading my blog and making my 100th post special. I have a little something for you all, and if you'll email me with your addresses I'd like to send you each a thank you. Even Artemis.

Really, I'm just collecting them so I can stalk you. Or maybe send you chickens. You won't know, will you, until it's too late...;)

Me, I Just Ramble On

As I perused my enormous list of blogs today, I kept thinking about how different people organize and run their blogs, and how they compare to mine.

I know.

But it is interesting to see how many different styles of blogging there are out there. There are those folks who post to-do lists on a regular basis and the remaining posting is just the follow up of their goals. And there are those who catalogue (I like that spelling) each project, one at a time, almost like a journal or in some cases a tutorial. Then there are those who are apologetic versus those that are confident (probably past the point of good taste), and those who are trying to make something out of, well, not a damned thing.

I read bloggers who are obviously prepared before they address the keyboard and those who just as obviously have divine intervention on their side because you know they are sitting there trying to talk into the mouse, but somehow the blog gets published. And I have seen those I consider to be widely read and popular bloggers disappear into thin air at a moments notice. Like they married a cop or something. Have you noticed that? I have. One minute some nice young thing is talking about her knitting and her boyfriend in law enforcement, then the engagement pic goes up, then the requisite post about knitting for the wedding and then *POOF* they utterly disappear from the blogosphere.

Anyway, I love them all, even the less than stellar attempts (which usually resort to lots of lolcat pics and internet quiz results, so you should not look too closely at this blog, okay? Thanks!) but I do wonder sometimes why we do this.

I know I'm not the first to ask this question, but I wasn't paying attention when it came up last time, so I'm going to ask again:

Why do you blog about your knitting?

Leave an answer in the comments before midnight EDT, March 13 and I'll pick my favorite to win a copy of this out of print book:


And remember, since Blogger isn't consistent with sending me email addresses, check back on the Ides of March (the 15th for you non -Roman types) to see if you've won. Good luck!

This Post Has No Title Just Words and a Tune

Well, I finally have a minute off work to knit and relax, and I choose the kind of knitting that won't let you relax. Yes, my friends, I have cast on another lace project. I know, I know, I haven't yet posted decent pictures of Irtfa'a, but that is how it is. Anyway, I still am pretending to work on my Mission Possible 2008 list, so I cast on.

Now, let's not start out assuming that casting on 8 stitches is an easy or simple thing. Because that was the first thing I did today, and that assumption cost me 3 hours. You read it right, 8 stitches, 3 freaking hours. Of my life. That I cannot get back. Yep. And truthfully, I am still not completely happy with it, not by a long shot, but me and this project have reached an agreement. I will be happy with what I have for now, and it will not look like total shite. That's the deal.

The internet is truly a wonderful thing. But, as many of you know, it can be really dangerous as well. I now have a computer in the knitting room, which is like unto the blasting cap being united with the dynamite insofar as the internet danger thing is concerned. So I began my foray into the wild world of casting on 8 stitches in the round by consulting the internet.

Do you have any idea what a powder keg of an issue a single stinking cast on can be? Maybe you do, and you are all at home smugly shaking your heads at me already, but I have to admit I was shocked at the information I found. No less than three tutorials, with pictures, countless blog posts and list discussions. Entire discussions. 8 freaking stitches. Frikkin frakkin frik!

So I decided to take what at the time really did seem to be the sanest route and tried the most logical looking cast on. Obviously, it works, because someone I know has used it. And I believe them when they say they have. They have no reason to lie to me. At this point, however, I think the best way they can assure me beyond any doubt that they can execute this particular cast on is to come on over and do it for me, because I couldn't manage the frelling thing. So I took a short break and petted hamsters, put some more music on my ipod and went to plan B.

Naturally, for me at least, I choose the most sensible and logical thing to try as my personal plan A. It follows, then (at least in my universe) that plan B jumps to the least logical, most ridiculous thing. I know that this usually sets me up for more frustration and hamster petting, I know. I know the better option would be to try the next level down the list, not jump to the bottom, but that's just how I roll. I think it is a genetic selection thing for beer. Because after the crazy stuff blows up in my face, the hamster petting only keeps working to calm me if it is accompanied by beer.

Anyway, now I am doing this weird knit a square to make it round to use it as a provisional cast on thingie and failing miserably, but I am getting totally stoked about making it work. This is probably when I should have stopped for a beer, but I didn't. Five times I failed to do this right, but me and this cast on got this relationship thing building. You know, like Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, and I knew I would be able to make these 8 stitches happen. And time, she went poof.

To make a 3 hour long story short, I finally did it, the most convoluted and bizarre way, a strange amalgamation of the ridiculously complex instructions and my own brain (which I have put back in the jar now so no one gets hurt). And you know what? It's kinda, well, meh. But it doesn't totally suck, so the deal holds. As long as it continues to not totally suck I have agreed not to do such things to it and the yarn that would render them eternally unuseable and possibly bring the authorities down on me. So there. And on to knitting!

Did I mention this is a German chart? In German symbols? With blank mystery spaces in the chart to fool you into thinking you should knit where (unless you were a German chart knitter type person and know better) physics will not allow? Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

So after a total of 5 (five) hours, I would like to present, at row 18 with 112 stitches, um,

My sea urchin. I love knitting!

Darth Hamster

Thank you for all your lovely comments! I really hate when Blogger doesn't give a real email address so I can respond, but that's an old beef with Blogger. Meanwhile I am going crazy trying to make good on my resolution to make this year work out for me. And I'm doing it, it is just taking my every waking moment. All I am able to knit right now is socks, but the pattern (Jaywalker, a favorite) and the yarn (Trekking 100, an amazing colorway) keep it simple but fascinating, so for now it is the perfect knitting. I have great aspirations for the future, but socks make me happy until I can get some of my plans implemented. Meanwhile there really isn't much fascinating to blog about, so for now I will leave you with one of my favorite pictures.

Welcome 2008 graduates of Sith University and families.

As I ready to don my ceremonial cloak and hood, I look back on the past months with fond memory. All the happy hours of knitting as miles of dark yarn passed through my fingers. The promise of each pucker and ruffle, like the darkness of space itself, the darkness of the force, and always waiting for fate to unfold; waiting to spread my dark wings and fly. Waiting for today. All that is left is to cross the stage, receive my diploma, and (lest I seem ungrateful for all my training) assasinate the emperor as I exit, leaving a vacancy I am ready to fill. Yes, it was tough at the end, but it always is, and you learn that is has to be that way. Now all adversity has been overcome, and I wait, triumphant, for the final strains of pomp and circumstance (still a classic) to die away, and for my future to begin.

First you must grasp your hamster firmly...

Yes, hamster adventures continue. Knitting does not, at least for now while work is crazy and the Khan requires special treatment.

I'll go back a bit. The other day, while showing off the Horde to a friend, I noticed one of the hamsters' butts looked weird.

OK, I'll go back a bit more. Now, being the responsible new hamster owner, the day after the Horde showed up I went out and bought what seemed to be a pretty good resource on hamster care and started reading up on basic care and what to look out for. So I knew that as long as everyone was chipper and fluffy and were eating, drinking and pooping ok, things would be alright. I also knew that the robo hamsters could be kept together, although they like to pair, and we briefly wondered if a fifth unpaired hamster would be a problem, and, if so, how would we know who was paired and who was not. And I learned that they were pretty darned hardy but could catch colds from humans if exposed. But loose poops can be a problem, and a wet tail can herald a possible fatal infection. Check.

So I've been engaging in a daily health check which is easy to do when I let them run around in their balls, because they're all separate and easy to handle and view without having to try to catch any of them (which I can't - they're just too fast). So I'm checking out the hamster butt a couple of days ago (yeah, that sounds weird) and sure enough, we have one with a dark patch where nice clean fur should be.

Is it wet? Is it time to panic? I mean, I had just seen "I Am Legend" the night before, and I could have a transformed hamster here who will shortly begin killing and possibly eating the cats! I mean, they're nocturnal already, and this one's going hairless, and ... Or maybe we have the first signs of a potentially fatal hamster disease here that I didn't even know existed 2 weeks ago. But it wasn't wet, just hairless and raw. Otherwise the hamster was completely normal. I decided to give it a day. It was late Saturday night, what could I have done anyway?

Sunday, the patch was bigger, and now it was looking rashy, as was the left hind foot. Hamster otherwise still completely normal, perky dining on seeds, no cat carcasses strewn around the cage. The plan: get a vet on Monday.

Did you know hamsters are considered exotic? I sure as hell didn't. Maybe a Hawaiian hamster that does the hula would fit my description of exotic, but hamsters are as American as moms' apple pie, so it was strange to have so much trouble finding someone who would see him. Finally I asked the Banfield people at Petsmart if they would see him. I mean, they sell the little guys (although mine came from elsewhere), so you'd think they would have a special rodent doc there or something, but they don't. However, the vet there did say that although she wasn't an exotics specialist, she'd see him and do what she could. Could we bring him in later in the afternoon and what was his name?

???

I really had no contingency plan for ever getting to be able to tell them apart to the point that would warrant individual names, so I don't know where it came from, but without missing a beat I answered "Genghis". And proceeded to spell it out for them.

Turns out we have identified the odd hamster out here. He, being unpaired, was getting chewed on a bit, and has a secondary bacterial infection from the bites. He got an antiseptic bath at the vets' (who were awesome) and is currently in his own habitat (for everyones' safety) and is living like, well, a Khan. We have to catch and hold him to give him his cherry flavored drop of medicine, then he returns to his posh digs. Now, the odd hamster out theory is mine, and it could be a crowding issue as well, so when he gets a clean bill of health we are going to get him a friend and eventually join the two habitats via tunnels so there's tons of room for everyone, and everyone has a buddy.

Do you have any idea how cute this has all been? OMG!

Thank Bob That's Done!

Well, I have finished the right half of the edge pattern and started on the left side. Pat will be pleased to know that the left side is far easier than the right. Maybe it's just being so thankful not to have to p2togtbl anymore, I don't know. But I got 5 repeats done in the time it would take me to do 2 of the right side repeats and I actually enjoyed it!


Now I've learned my lesson about saying cocky stuff like giving dates as to when I'll have it done, but I'm hoping to be able to wear it soon. It really shouldn't take much longer. Wow, I should paint that window.

In other news, the Horde are ridiculously adorable. We got them the little clear balls to run around in while I cleaned their cage, and I'm going to have to get some video of that and put it up here for you. It's freakin hysterical. And with my new camera, I can actually get short videos. For now, I'm proud that I can get any pictures out of it. It's way more high tech than my old camera. I sat down with the manuals yesterday and learned how to focus. Sad, that I'm actually all excited about that, isn't it? And it has digital macro. For the hamsters. The tiny fast hamsters.

The cats are getting jealous, but they'll have to wait their turn. I don't know what's funnier, 5 tiny critters rolling around in 5 balls or the view when you leave the room of 9 mesmerized cats staring at the door to the knitting room, just listening to the rolling sounds.