Annie Knits

I Have My House Back Again

So this morning, I cleaned up and put away all the summer build-up on my kitchen counters and in the kid's cubbies.

Then I baked these for the Fish Fry tomorrow and the Labor Day party Sunday (we get to eat those darker brown ones this afternoon). 

While I baked, I worked on this.  Played around with tassels and a crochet edging.  Almost done. 
Then, in the mail came this (many thanks to Pocket Farm links -- 2 lbs of Chevre and Herbes de Provence coming right up).
And these.

Which hold these.

Like this. 

This has been a very good day.

Funky?

I think I'm too old to be funky.  I just can't get the hang of it. 

I joined the Funky Scarf Swap (another fun swap cooked up by Bev and Scout).  I've exchanged emails with my swap pal.  She likes purple.  Ok.  But what's "funky"? 

I've been working on this:  a version of the entrelac shawl in Scarf Style.  It's way cool, but is it funky?  The yarn is Noro's Iro, which I love.  Size 10 needles.  The scarf is thick and the squares have a kind of plumpish quality to them.  It's not exactly reversible, but the back is not unfinished looking -- I'm being careful about where I pick up stitches.  I'm planning to add three large tassels to each end, but it still lacks a little something.  Maybe beads or buttons in the corners where 4 squares meet?  Maybe duplicate stitch something onto several of the squares?  Maybe rip back and add some other yarns (maybe solids) to the mix?  The scarf looks wonky in this picture -- that bottom right triangle is done correctly, it just looks funny now.  Blocking will beat it into submission.  I hope....

Sheesh.  Help.

Today I Hear Something Else

It's the siren song of ... knee socks.  Margene hears it.  Cara's singing it.  I've been looking around and I've found several patterns for everthing from kilt hose to tights.  Can you hear it?

Hear That?

** crickets **   ** the refrigerator running ** 

That's the sound of the first day of school.  Not at school, no.  Chez Annie.  Whew. 

We had a great summer.  Two great trips, lots of fun camps, time at the pool and with friends, even boring jammie days.  We did it all.  And I'm not really the kind to do the back-to-school dance, well, not this year anyway.  School is hard work -- what with homework, clubs, teams, homework, .... oh, did I say HOMEWORK!  Summer's lack of structure makes me happy.  It makes my kids crabby.  So, back to school we go. 

The traditional back-to-school photo shoot happened this morning, up and down the street, kids in plaid and navy blue, wearing character backpacks, standing on steps or in front yards, getting their pictures taken.  The Serious picture isn't that great -- a pic of my kids.  But to get them to be serious, I have to promise them a silly picture afterward (so much more appealing with a digital camera -- no more paying to develop silly pictures).  Um, right. I'm so proud. 

Now onto quasi knitting subject matter and back to Yahoo groups.  I mentioned the Townsend Sock group when I blogged about Yahoo groups.  Such a cute group, normally, and great sock patterns for free.  All the help you can stomach as well -- really nice ladies and gentleman over there.  But this last week, whooeee.  Such a kerfuffel. (Yeah, it's a real word, look it up.)  Apparently someone in the group sent out an email (or several, I wasn't included or I just deleted it -- more on that later) asking for donations to give to the list mom, Jeanne.  This woman, the gifter, a variation of whose name I've seen on lots of groups,  supposedly then used all or some of the money to buy stuff for the list mom from the woman's own ebay shop -- stuff that maybe wasn't selling?  Stuff apparently the list mom couldn't use or didn't want -- whatever.  The group's all of a dither.  Kind of like a car accident -- unsavory or downright distasteful to watch, but hard to look away at the same time. 

Which brings me to my point -- I've gotten no fewer than five emails (if this woman sent me one, which I bet she did) asking me to donate yarn and needles or to just plain paypal someone money for a giftie thing for some member or list mom of a yahoo group.  In the last, oh, say, 3 weeks!  I delete them as I usually don't know the requester -- but, whew. 

My email information was given to the group in order that I might receive updates.  What would Miss Manners say about these members using information given in confidence in order to issue gift summonses?  I think I know, but I'm willing to concede I might be a tad crotchety -- just a tad.  Have you gotten these requests?  More of them lately?  Do they ... um ... bother you?  I feel like I'm working in an office or English department again, where everyone is pressured to give some money so some enterprising/pushy soul can buy a gift certificate to the Country Buffet for the birthday girl.  Sheesh.

Anyway, what I'd rather do in this case is pay this lovely woman for her patterns -- that just makes more sense to me.  Then she can buy the yarn and needles she wants.  Just sayin'.

Short 'N Sweet

With lots of pictures.  These came home early with hubby on Thursday -- our 21st anniversary.  20 red roses, one white.   Love you, Honey.  Happy Anniversary.

I think I'll keep him.  He came home early so we could go to the Cardinals ball game with Brad and Mo,  long time friends from the old neighborhood.  Early in our acquaintance, we figured out that they had the same anniversary as we do -- more to the point, the same year even.  We were married at 11:00 a.m. and they were married at noon.  Each year we're listed in the church bulletin together and we've even met at a restaurant once, by accident, both couples choosing to anniversary at Trattoria Marcella sometime back in the mid '90s.  They're dear son's God Parents as well -- our connections run deep.

This year, Brad had tickets to a Cardinals day game.  Which we won, by the way, over Cincinnati.  So much fun.  From now on though, the 21st anniversary shall be known as the "Sweaty Naughahide Anniversary" as the temps reached the mid '90s -- these tickets were in the shade though, and all around a lovely afternoon. Happy 21st Brad and Mo!  This is a really cute telephone picture isn't it?  Most of my phone pictures are abysmal -- the one of hubby and me is which is why it's not here -- but this one is lovely.   Wish them a Happy Anniversary in the comments and I'll make sure they see them. 

A Finished Object

One Regia Chevron sock.  See?  Fits a size 7 1/2 foot, just like it's supposed to.  I really like the way these socks are knitting up, and the foot model says they're very comfortable.   Smile. 

Speaking of the foot model... dear daughter is knitting her own first pair of socks.  Remember your first, when you measured every row or so to see if it was time to turn the heel?  We're there.  A few more inches, Dolly!  She's using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (don't remember the name or number of the color) and number 2.5 needles.  These are some cute, crazy colored socks.  I'm so proud!

An Aside

There is a commercial, or was one -- for what product I don't know -- but with the news lately, it struck me as illustrative of a point.  In the commercial, there are these two guys.  One is on a ladder placed injudiciously atop several other things -- trash cans, trikes, other kinds of garage detritus -- to get the ladder tall enough.  He's on top of the ladder, you know, on the step with a warning label that tells you not to stand on it?  He's up there with a set of hedge clippers -- giant, lethal-looking, scissors-shaped things --  balanced precariously next to a humming wasp's nest hanging from a tree.  He waggles his eye-brows and nods his head.  We follow his gaze downward.  Below him is, presumably, a friend of his -- sporting a doofy smile, holding a metal trash can and it's lid at the ready.  The friend nods. 

The camera angle widens and we see the whole crazy -this -might -work -scheme.  Time slows enough for the viewer to contemplate the entire scenario, should the scheme succeed:  trash-can guy lines up below the nest, ladder guy clips the anchoring twig, quick, and before the swarm of hostiles knows what's happened they're contained harmlessly in the metal trash can and all's well.  Whew, saved himself several hundred bucks, the clever ladder guy thinks.

Back to reality, or this commercial's version of it.  The ladder guy overbalances, tips right into the nest, ill-advisedly grabs hold of it, falls I think on top of trash can guy and they both become instant candidates for anaphylactic shock due to bee or wasp stings in addition to getting clonked on the head with the garage stuff and the ladder.  The moral of this commercial has something to do with the product it's advertising -- which I can't remember as I said, and really doesn't matter.

It's illustrative of a general idea in terms of the current Middle East debacle for me.  Simplistic too, I know, but it helps me wrap my head around the whole thing.  Lebanon, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan -- have always been, well at least in modern times, a humming wasp's nest.  Poke it anywhere and you get a swarm.  The nature of the being, I think.  At least it's political will.  And what have we done, stupid Texas grin on our country's collective face? Had our friends stand beneath it with a trash can while we over balance atop a precarious pile of crap.  Great.

Oh, you came for Knitting?

I am.  What do you think, Marlea?  I did a one by one rib on the top of these socks hoping they'd be more comfortable for you.  In case you all can't tell, they're Chevron socks from Sensational Knitted Socks -- surprise.  Regia Crazy Color number 5439.  Magic Loop, Addi Turbos, size 1 US.

Another aside, since you asked, Carole.  Yes, the Chevron Socks stretch.  My three attempts at the Jaywalker (love the pattern to this day, just can't get it to fit) were frogged for lack of stretchiness.  Couldn't get those beautifully patterned socks over my heel!  You'll remember my grief.  This yarn is the same yarn I used (different color patterning, hence different name, but same yarn).  Knit in this type of chevron it stretches to fit everything -- I mean it.  From the teeny tiny well turned ankle that is my wrist (smile) to the larger actual part of my anatomy.  Really fits.  And the shaping's got memory as well.  A chevron I can love -- even if it hasn't got that tiny stitch marching up the center of the points.  Perfect for stripey yarns. 

And I can't get these out of my head -- done in crazy stripey sock yarn?  IK this month -- Target Wave Mittens.  So cute.  Have to get the gauge, but maybe just the construction will be enough and I can fudge.  Doncha think?  They're from the book Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan.  We had the book in the store, might still.  I liked an interestingly cabled sweater in it as I recall, but I didn't buy the book as ... well, let's just say I have plenty of interestingly cabled sweaters on my wish list!  Missed these mittens though, or I'd have the book in my living room. 

Just when I think I can let my subscription lapse, they come up with an issue that calls me.  Have to re-up I guess.  Rest easy, IK.  You've got me for two more years.

You Should Be Jealous

That's right.  I've thrown you over....temporarily.... for this lovely little bit of technology.   Or what's loaded on it, more like.  Don't feel too bad, as I've thrown over my family, my television shows, my talking relationships in general -- you can still cook, clean, and do laundry while listening to an ipod.  Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon and narrated by Davida somebody or other is ... well ... a bodice-ripper.  And a splendid romp in the Scottish Highlands.  I have to say, I'm not generally given over to bodice-rippers, preferring a little more substance than fantastical sex.  But this book's got both -- interesting historical fiction, inadvertent time travel (one of my favorite dilemmas, I must say), and romping sex with a huge Highland hottie.  Now that's gonna get me some weird Google searches.  Beware though -- it's long, like 4 8-hour sections long.  Ah, well, it's getting me though the dog days, ya ken?  The other thing you can still do while listening to an ipod?  Knit -- but you knew that. 

What you can't do?  Blog.  Talk.  The thing about listening to a book?  Well, if you're reading a book, folks can see what you're doing -- reading requires a certain physical attitude.  They walk up to you or poke their heads in the door and either clear their throats or say something like "excuse me".  But when you're listening, or maybe when you're listening too much, your family tends to stand in front of you and gesticulate wildly or try to get you to read their lips as they mouth their question in broad, exaggerated fashion -- they may even yell, depending on the degree to which they feel they've been ignored for the day.  Very disconcerting indeed.  But, as I say, you can knit.  And contemplate knitting.  But, and this is the other downfall of listening to a novel, especially one narrated by as good a narrator as Davida Whatshername -- I'm bound now and until I can get another voice in my head to hear everything I read in a deep, fabulous, rich, Scottish brogue.  Dear God in heav'n.  (They all say that a lot in Scottish bodice rippers)
Finished?  The Sockotta socks.  Color number 5618 to answer a question Cindy asked (I think it was Cindy) awhile back.  Chevron pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks with a heel flap rather than a short row or bull's eye heel.  Knitted by Magic Loop method on Addi Turbo US number 1s.  I do have to say as well that this seems to be the only chevron pattern I can accomplish -- Jaywalkers are right out as far as I'm concerned.  This pattern?  Easy peasy.  Hmm.  The feet look freakishly long -- in the picture and in person -- but they fit fine.   I think the fabric draws in a bit in the leg and makes the rest of the sock's proportions look wonky.  The cotton/ wool/ polyester blend?  Harder to knit with than wool, I'll give ya that, but such a fine, soft sock when ya're done, lassie.

Contemplating?  The sweater on the cover of IK this season.  We stock the yarn at the shop and I've picked out my nine or whatever the sweater takes.  Luckily we have enough of the main body color I'd like to do in stock.  While I like the dusky purple of the model, I'm not a fan of that particular color on me -- I'll do mine, if I decide to do it at all, in a blue heather shot with green as the body color.  Which the Classic Elite website just happens to use as their picture of the yarn alongside the color card.  Serendipitous.   My hesitation?  The "updated neckline silhouette".  Do you think it'll stay spread out like it is on the model and not squinch up and throttle me?  I love this yarn.  I love the colors it comes in.  The pattern seems straightforward and comes in my size.  I've been eying fair isle sweaters in stores -- hearkens back to college in the '80's doesn't it?  Now all I need are some Levi's cords in colors to match.  What's not to like?  What do you think?

I've got to dash -- work at the LYS and Dear Son wants to play Club Penguin.  Yeesh.

On Yahoo Groups

More to the point, on the Yahoo Groups to which I am a member. 

If you haven't yet found the joy that is a well-run Yahoo Group, then you are missing something.  They  can be full of information and insight.  They can lead you to new internet friends and experiences.  They certainly bring us all together under a cost free, relatively well-organized umbrella that is pretty regulation free (unless you want to call your group a Stitch 'n Bitch, but that's another story).  I'm on Digest (which means I only get email from the group after a certain period of time elapses or 25 people post to the group -- whichever comes first I think) for most of my groups and I must say the one group I get each post as an email annoys me the most... rant later about that.

I'm a member of the following Yahoo Groups (can't seem to link these up without you being a member -- you'll have to search 'em yourself):

• Aranknit: a yahoo group organized around Big Sky knitting magazines and one that has pretty regular updates concerning Aran Sweaters and one knitalong, which, in a fit of orgiastic optimism, I joined because I thought I could knit along with this group and come up with a lovely cabled sweater.  Um, yeah.
• BigSkyKnittingNews: is just a 'notice group' concerning new magazines, etc. from this group.  I do have to say that their magazines are chock full of lovely patterns, well written and more pamphlet than slick publication.  Everytime I get one out, I get that can-do spirit going again and the desire to pick up and knit seed stitch and cables overcomes me. 
• Compton Heights:  this yahoo group will become the focus of the rant later in this post, and is in fact the reason for this post.  It is also the one group from which I receive each post as an email for reasons to come.
• EZasPi: Elizabeth Zimmerman's group is lovely, if often off the topic of lace knitting.  If that bugs you, don't join.  But she comments on most of the FO's posted to the group and gives great lace-knitting nuggets to the group at large.
• FlyLadyMentors:  if you're not a type A personality and are not particularly inclined toward keeping a super clean house, and if you're not married to such a person, this is the site for you.  Do not, however, sign up as anything but a digest member -- those FlyLadies are a prolific bunch and write a ton of posts a day.  The great thing about them is you can click delete any time you're not interested in shining your sink or putting on your shoes.  Go check them out.  My favorite is the 27 Fling Boogie -- I make my kids do one on their closets once a season...or in the case of Dear Son I try.
• frostflowersandleaves:  This was  a knitalong that took place starting November 1 of 2005.  Dude, 16  words:  It's holiday knitting season and I don't have time to knit this huge honking piece of lace.  Truly, the shawl Frost, Flowers and Leaves in Knitters Shawls book is, I think, my favorite shawl of all time.  To look at.  I have the yarn.  Does that count? There are still stragglers finishing and there's a ton of great info in the posts that flew fast and furious while the participants were knitting the thing, so I'm keeping my membership.  With God as my witness, I'll knit that shawl someday. (Um, for proper effect, you need to hear that spoken by Vivien Leigh in her best British/Southern accent, 'k?)
• IITCSIRALOBAM:  my book club's little perfect Yahoo Group.  Updates about meetings and offers to lend the book at hand.  That's all.   
• knittyreader:  same as above, but for Knitty.  Short and sweet.  Forget I'm in it most times.
• maryknittingandcrochetcorner:  saw this one on either Cara's blog or somewhere else.  There was quite a donnybrook here a few weeks ago about posting proprietary patterns from other blogland and internet authors.  Should have just posted links, eh?  I get the digests and I'm still deciding if the patterns and the fellowship is something I need to be a part of.  Meh.  We'll see.
• The mysteryalongs - shawl, shawl2, and stole:  Fun while they lasted and the patterns are still posted in the files of the groups.  I should print them out and get them off of their lists but I'm too lazy.
• sivia-announce:  only for new patterns, and I need to know when Sivia Harding has a new pattern out there!
• SOCKSFORSOLDIERS:  this one makes me feel good.   I'm knitting ginormous black socks and the list-mom sends them overseas.  You can also make leisure socks if you wish.  I like this because, as a mom, I do in point of fact support the soldiers.  Just not the military action.  If you have sock-knitting time, check this one out... some off topic posts, but I just delete them.
• TownsendSocksKnitALong:  another good sock group with tons of Jeanie Townsend sock patterns available as well as knitalongs. 
• yarncoop:  just about to jettison this one over a fraud debacle that took place this summer.  Lots of negativity and anger -- much of it justified.  It's a yarn cooperative where you get yarn and notions for anywhere from 20 to maybe 50 percent off.  I did order once -- some Henry's Attic, but right now I'm deciding whether it's worth the trouble as I usually just delete the digests and I don't really know what's going on anymore.  Like a car wreck, I do keep looking now and again.  And really, isn't it interesting that when folks are paying full price, they're charming and accommodating.  But offer them a deal?  Wheeooo.  Nasty and demanding. 

Our neighborhood has a Yahoo Group the intentions of which were originally to update neighbors about crime issues, to discuss rehabbing companies and techniques, and to make general neighborhood announcements.  'Originally' I said because this last week it's degenerated into a terribly annoying he-said-she said about a crocodile monitor loose in the neighborhood.  You saw it right.  Some 17-yr-old ordered one of these from Florida, built a cage for it, let it get loose and then didn't tell anyone for a few weeks that it was gone... or even here... oh whatever.  So a 4 foot lizard has been loose in the neighborhood for like 4 weeks... ok.  Scary, I guess, but probably not too interested in me -- I and my kids are definitely too large for prey.  And it's like a hundred degrees outside so my kids aren't doing a whole lot of playing in the yard anyway.   My dog's big too, so I wasn't too worried...Felt more sorry for the monitor with a St. Louis winter coming.   But when the city captured the thing, the furor started:  what came to number 24 email messages on the subject, some cogent and thoughtful, some ... well, not so much. *edited -- luckily, I can do that... Perspective is a good thing.  A Yahoo Group truly out of control.  *added:  The owner of the monitor has him back in the garage behind their lovely, turn-of-the century mansion.  He says in the paper today that he's fortified the cage.  I'm sure there'll be another volley of annoying emails about that flying about today.  But I'm above it.  I'll keep the neighborhood Yahoo Group on "individual email" just in case someone has something relevant to say -- maybe about our air conditioner theives or our copper gutter theives or perhps about a good mulch guy, cause I need one of those.

Happy Birthday Annie Knits!

Guess what we're having for  dinner chez Annie Knits. 

Hey, the kids will celebrate even a blogiversary if it involves cake... especially cookies and cream ice cream cake.  Who wouldn't?  

And thank you all for coming to visit each day... I'm having so much fun with this blog.  Here's to another year!  Cheers!

Super Great Secret Pal Eight

I have the best SP8 pal ever... she's sent me three fun packages and this is the contents of the third:  orange fur, brick wool dk hand-spun and hand dyed wool, measuring tape, candy, olive and gold angora, notes, postcards, two washie things, Healing foods book, button making kit, potpourri, a candle, candy, and three bars of soap -- black plum, hibiscus, and vanilla.  The soap should have been the clue I needed to guess her identity, but I'm bushwhacked from the last few weeks and I still didn't get it, so I opened the envelope that said "Open this if you still don't know who I am".  This is what I found.  The kids put it together and all the clues fell into place.  Sheesh, I'm dense.  But that density didn't stop my pal from being the best.   Thanks again, Soapy!  What you all don't know is that I've left several comments on her blog, admired her wares, and just hadn't gotten around to ordering because, well, you know, life gets in the way.  Now I know that her soaps are divine.  Softly scented and super moist.  See how happy my soap turtle is?  
Knitting

On this front, I've got difficult news.  I'm having a hard time with the stealth/deadline knitting.  It's getting heavy and my right shoulder is killing me.  I'm wondering if it's this project to which my shoulder objects as I wrap with my right hand, rather than knitting continental.  I knew I should've learned that when I had time to practice!

  We had a jammy day today and I listened to Pride and Prejudice on my ipod and I knit this. Not heavy and no shoulder or hand pain.  Looks like I'll have to alternate knitting warshrags or other small squares with knitting the large, heavy, stealth project.  Cheery little guy isn't he?  I wonder if the kimono is light enough.  I'll let you know.