Thursday, August 30, 2007

Lucy Neatby, I blame you.


I am preoccupied. Some may consider it an "obsession." I prefer to call it a fondness for books about sock knitting. I like the pictures. I like the fancy stitch patterns, those lovely heels (all gap free!), the nicely worked toes. Who wouldn't love sock books? I blame Lucy Neatby. It's entirely her fault.
It all started when I was attending NSCAD. Every day as I took the bus to school, I passed the Mary E. Black Gallery (since moved. A shame in my opinion). Sitting in traffic one day, I looked through the bus window and saw it. The most amazing thing I had ever laid eyes on. A window display of incredible handknit socks. It did me in. The textures! The colours! The variety! And all for your feet! "I want to make those," I said to myself. I learned to knit because of Lucy Neatby and those lovely socks.
And that brings me to the latest addition to my little knittting library - Cat Bordhi's latest, New Pathways for Sock Knitters. Holy yarnover, this book is great! I couldn't help myself, I had to buy it. Then I had to drool over the pictures for a good long while, trying to decide which sock to knit first. I let the stash decide. I opened up the magic drawer and found the answer. A skein of Celestial Dream Merino in the Blue Vesuvius I colourway. I have been hoarding this one for a long time, waiting to find the "right" sock. The wait is over and the first sock is on my foot as I type away. I chose "Bartholomew's Tantalizing Socks." I have to say, it turned out pretty darn well and I'm going to cast on for the second one right now. Happy knitting everybody.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

My man is a yarn snob.

Yesterday I heard the most amazing thing out of my Beloved's mouth. My Beloved is not a knitter, he couldn't tell a knit stitch from a purl stitch and could care less about the finer points of turning a short row heel.
He was in his dentist's office yesterday and noticed a woman knitting while she waited for her appointment. Of course I had to ask what she was knitting, expecting sock, scarf, sweater piece for the answer. Instead, what I got was "I don't know, but it was crappy yarn with big needles, not like the good stuff you use. It'd probably make your hands itch." I laughed out loud. My man is a yarn snob.
I bet he caught it from me.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Out from the shadows

I did it - I've emerged from the shadowy world of lurkage. I'll admit it without shame, I am a lurker. I read your blogs faithfully, I follow your projects and I never post a comment. Ever. Until today.
While perusing my list of regularly lurked blogs, I decided that there is no time like the present, so why not chime in on occasion? Today was the day. Incidentally, I prefer "lurk," to "stalk," as it sounds somewhat less creepy.
Phew, it sure is bright out here in the land of posting. It was a post on Knitting Pharm that brought me out. Regia sock yarn? I love that stuff! I made a Child's First Sock from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks from Regia Silk. I say I made a sock because I neglected to make it in a size that would fit me and I frogged it out of frustration. That'll teach me not to swatch. I still have the yarn in my stash and will reknit those socks, once I've gotten over the trauma of it all.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

I've gone and done it

I had been hithertofore blogless, but I've decided to take the plunge. I realize that I'll more than likely be writing for my own amusement (as I have no intention of informing my nearest and dearest of my blog), but that's okay. I figured it was time I found a forum to talk about knitting and post pictures of my work where I wouldn't have to watch anyone's eyes glaze over. Here I can pretend that everyone loves knitting as much as I do (you must - you searched out yet another knitting blog didn't you? I swear, it's like knitting porn).
If you've stumbled across this blog while searching for other things, thank you for stopping by. Be patient gentle reader as this space is freshly minted and is a work in progress. Photos and links to come.