Welcome to the Machine

What do you do when that madman Kaffe Fassett finally designs the most beautiful piece of knitting in the world? In 40bagillion colors, with color changes nearly every row and a 186 row color repeat? And, to cap it off, a mile wide, in boring, boringer, boringest stockinette?


It's a freaking scarf for petes sake. I am up to my ears in scarves and I do not need any more. But this is not merely about need. This is about desire. I do not, however, plan on spending the rest of my life knitting a boringest damned stockinette scarf no matter how much I love it. Anyway, as process a knitter as I am, I want this product, dammit, and I want it now!



Enter the Studio 360. My dirty little secret.




A match made in heaven, too I might add. I had no idea how the machine would like the doubled KSH, and half expected it to chew it up and spend the afternoon removing mohair from machine innards, but she works like a charm. And a few hours out of the afternoon got me nearly through one color repeat (not shabby, remember that's 186 rows with all the color changes). Instant gratification.

The unplanned road trip

Well, turns out we are going to go down to visit the parental units. I really don't look forward to the 71/2 hour drive each way, after work, over 3 days. But, I am really not whining about it. My Dad is having surgery Tuesday and I'd like to see him before. Just because, you know?

Nowadays, if you can manage to get a laser or laparoscopic version of whatever surgery you need, even pretty major procedures are far less trouble and risk than they used to be and recovery is way better. I remember as a kid when my Memere had cataract surgery she would have to live with us for at least 2 weeks to recover and wore huge glasses for the rest of her life. My mom had laser surgery and corneal implant and she healed over days and doesn't have to wear any glasses for it. My husband had laparoscopic gall bladder surgery and it took maybe 2 weeks for him to recover and the only scars he has make him look like he's been shot with arrows (which he thinks is cool - what is it about guys?) So when my Dad got the green light on the laser version of his surgery I was really relieved. But I still worry. It's only natural.

Alright, enough of the family medical history, I get to knit like a maniac on road trips. I will be bringing MS3, my Dark Mark scarf (thankyouverymuch Janice Ireallyneededanotherproject!) and my KPS Top Down Wrap Cardi which I am doing in the Fiber Company's worsted weight Khroma, in Cypress, which is the wonderful deep green of late summer. I will get some pics when I get back (or maybe in the car on the road, who knows).

And since my Dad is the theme for today, I present a FO from June. Fathers Day Socks!



Garter Rib Socks from "Sensational Knitted Socks" by Charlene Schurch
Yarn is Chomp (merino superwash) in Arial (fingering weight) from Meg of Twisted (also available at The Urban Knit which is where I bought this) Knitted on size 0 dpns

My Dad loves Andes mints and I thought these looked just like them. I love Megs' yarns and I have collected many of her colorways. The yarn itself is light and lofty and makes a very nice fabric.

Anyway, everyone have a good weekend and if you could send some good vibes my Dad's way, we would all appreciate it very much.

Mistake Rib Scarf and Yet Another Cat!

So for mental health reasons I skipped out on Forbes Forest and leapt into cloning the awesome scarf I saw at atypicalmom.com. And my strategy worked beautifully. I finished the scarf today (it's a real quick and fun knit, even for a slow-bee like me) and I am ready to tackle cables afresh. I have been working so much I don't have any brain left to be wordy or to attempt cleverness, so in lieu of all that, let me simply present Sophie, another of the Magnificent Eight, modeling the new FO.



Pattern: Mistake Rib Scarf - CO multiple of 4 plus 3, K2P2 to end, K2P1 turn, repeat.
Yarn: Noro Kureyon Color 88
Needles: Bamboo size 8

Lost in the "Forest"

OK, did I mention that I'm new to knitting? I don't know what came over me, but some deranged part of my brain said I ought to be able to handle cables. Hey, I'm a college graduate, I can knit and purl, no problem!

The most positive thing I can think of at the present moment is that I am learning just how much frogging this yarn can stand before it totally craps out and I have to cut it off and start fresh. I believe I may have identified a special talent I did not know I had. I can poke myself in the glasses with a tiny cable needle from about a foot away, and I wasn't even drunk at the time.

Undoubtedly I'll post a picture of the first proud inch I can manage. But for now I am having much less of the relaxing stroll through Forbes Forest I had imagined and going at it more like having to machete my way through a jungle. Ah, well, one day I'll look back at all this and smile serenely.

Right.