02.05.08
I Finally Posted but Can’t Think of a Title
Oh boy, after such a long hiatus since my last post, I really ought to have something really great for you, loyal readers, oughtn’t I? Sadly, aside from my use of the underappreciated contraction “oughtn’t,” I must suggest that you prepare yourselves to be profoundly disappointed several times over. Let’s just say this post is not going to be voted Post of the Year. I predict disorganization, non-sequitors, self-aggrandizement, irrelevance, and dullness. At least it will be overly long. Ready? Let’s go.
DAYS HAVE BEEN MADE
First off, a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who bestowed a “You Make My Day” blog award upon me. I had a couple of crappy days last week, but receiving the news that I make a few people’s days simply by posting some nonsense to my blog once per presidential administration or so actually made me feel pretty good. Thank you so much, Brooke (Drunken Monkey Knits), Emily (Yarn Miracle), Claire (New York Minknit), Minty (Pepperknit; more on her later), Hanna (Ever Green Knits), Allison (The Whole Ball of Yarn), Specs (Specs Knits), and Adriana (Friends Knit Together). I’m going to go ahead and be unoriginal — but sincere! — here and tell you that you all genuinely made my day.
As a rule, I don’t generally do memes on my blog. However, there are definitely a goodly number of bloggers out there whose hilarious posts have the power to make my day, and so I throw the names of just a very few of those out there in case you’re looking for some new blogs to read.
Earthchick – This is the most under-read blog in the knitblogosphere, in my hyperbolic opinion. Earthchick is talented, thoughtful, and a freakin’ laugh riot. She also consistently cracks me up in her comments on my blog. If you do nothing else today, add her to your Bloglines.
Nova – Go for the knitting, stay for the pie. Go for the lovely photography, stay for the adorable kiddo. Go for the creativity, stay for the seething jealousy that everything she makes is cuter than everything you make.
The A.D.D. Knitter – Her awesome sense of humor would make my day even if I didn’t have an automatic fondness for her because we share an alma mater.
Minty Fresh - I’m guessing the overlap in our readership is already pretty high, but I have to mention her because last week she made it her personal mission to make my day (it’s possible that I suggested that if she wanted to make this list she was really going to have to earn it). I was in New York for work, and during our evening together Minty bought me a cream puff (that’s not a euphemism for anything, I swear), found me the perfect fabric for a little craft project I may do one of these days, and insightfully bossed me into buying three skeins of gorgeous Koigu at Purl Soho. Oh, also she has a great blog that she has been posting to at an alarming rate recently (she has achieved quality and quantity, damn her), so the two of you who don’t already read it should start.
TWO MINOR FINISHED OBJECTS
Shifting gears, I might as well tie up loose ends by posting a couple of finished objects from back in December. I sat down and made this hat in one evening using stash yarn (Wool of the Andes). I didn’t really have a particular pattern or vision in mind, so I just started knitting.
I have to tell you that I originally intended this hat to be for a homeless guy who took up residence just outside a parking garage near my office for several weeks this fall. He was there every morning when I got off the bus, and as the weather got colder, I thought about how easy it would be to make him a hand-knit hat. Feeling mighty pleased with myself for having this charitable impulse, I cast on that night. Unfortunately, I had less yarn than I thought I did, so I was either going to have to use some random supplemental yarn that wouldn’t fit with my color scheme, or have it come out smaller than planned. Because I am a terrible person, I chose aesthetics over charity and, as expected, it came out too small — definitely too small for the homeless guy. Also too small, it turned out, for Matt, my backup plan for the hat. Nothing to do but keep it for myself, then! So much for charitable impulses. The guy hasn’t been there in a while now, which is kind of good for me because I would probably feel guilty walking past him wearing his hat.
These are the Merino Lace Socks (Ravelry link; login required) from Favorite Socks. The yarn is Claudia Handpainted, colorway Antique Jeans. As seems to be the case for me with most all-over lace patterns, I find that I don’t like these finished socks as much as I thought I would. I’m not sure what it is, but somehow they don’t look elegant on my feet; they just make my ankles look kind of chunky (although I think Matt did a good job minimizing that in most of these photos). Also, it doesn’t help that in spite of very careful, repeated counting, I managed to knit one fewer pattern repeats on one leg than on the other. Oh well, I won’t be wearing them with shorts for at least a few months yet.
Why bother going to the trouble of slapping up these fairly non-exciting finished objects? Maybe to get some closure before posting my
2007 KNITTING RETROSPECTIVE
Stop giving me that exaggerated look of incredulity. I know it’s February. I won’t dwell on it, but I did want to put up a quick accounting of my knitting accomplishments in 2007, almost entirely for my own benefit. Mixed in with the finished objects are some of the knitting highlights of last year: knitting on the beach in Grand Cayman, doing a crappy job of dyeing yarn for the first (and so far only) time, and spending time with bloggers Ashley, Minty, Laura, and Erika.
In 2007 I made 2.5 adult sweaters (one was begun in 2006), 2 short-sleeved tops, 4 baby sweaters, 5 hats, 9 pairs of socks, and 1 stuffed turtle. Not actually too bad, given that the goal I set for myself last year was to knit mostly sweaters and socks (the latter because I get bored on the bus otherwise, the former because I have a deluded opinion of my own knitting prowess).
The logical thing to do after a retrospective is a look ahead, I bring you my
2008 PLANS AND GOALS
The theme of 2008 is going to be: knitting. I know, it’s bold. But I really do want to knit more this year. Doing this means that I am going to try to be disciplined about making myself set aside my laptop sooner and more often, so you might see me around the internet a little less this year. I am still committed to posting at least once a month — in fact, I have a fair number of posts in the queue at the moment — but I want to cut down on my internetting time in general to make room for more knitting. Because it turns out I love knitting. Did you know that about me?
My knitting plans aren’t going to be nearly as structured as last year. I have already added quite a bit to my stash, so the theme can’t be “knit from my stash.” I have knit 2.5 hats, 2.5 stuffed animals, a sock, and a miniature sweater, so if anyone can discern a theme there, please do let me know. I am thinking that I will not hold back from indulging my secret pleasure: knitting baby sweaters (Laura recently suggested that this might be my calling) — they’re so cute and quick and since people are always procreating, they’ll all find homes eventually. But I am not making any sort of official commitment to that. So the theme isn’t to knit particular types of things; the theme is just to knit a lot of them. Want a concrete goal? I would like to increase my knitting output by roughly 50 percent this year over last year, as measured by a convoluted formula that takes into account pattern complexity, size of project, amount of frogging, number of needles sat upon, and swear words uttered. So if you notice less of me on the blogs/Ravelry/knitting message boards, it’s not that my anti-social tendencies are taking over; it’s because I’m knitting furiously away.
AWKWARD WRAP UP
And so we’re off and running in 2008 (as of five weeks ago)! One highlight so far was the Super Bowl sale at Yarns at Lace Wings (everything 40 percent off in the first hour). By using a $50 gift I’d forgotten I had, for almost nothing I managed to pick up 10 balls of Berroco Pure Merino, 4 balls of Mission Falls 1824 cotton, and these five balls of 100 percent silk (Laines du Nord Mulberry Silk). I have never knit with 100 percent silk before, and while I adore the way this yarn looks and feels, I’m not sure what to make. I have 680 yards. I don’t think I really want to make a shawl/stole/scarf, which seems the obvious choice, but I’m not sure what else might be appropriate. Any ideas?
This was definitely one of my lamest posts ever. (And I forbid any of you from very kindly trying to claim otherwise in the comments or I will ban you for life.) Just think how much better all my future posts will look by comparison, though!
Mintyfresh said,
February 5, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Hands-down worst post ever. I hardly cracked a smile, and barely made it to the end, despite the frequent and fawning mentions of me. hate!
Heather said,
February 5, 2008 at 11:38 pm
I feel that your use of the contraction ‘oughtn’t’ does manage to pull your post from the brink of Shitsville…
And thanks for the lil shoutout! You are a doll.
Kris said,
February 5, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Welcome back. I was thinking it was about time for your monthly update.
I noticed that your hair is getting long again.
The socks are beautiful, I find that no matter what I knit, handknit socks only emphasize my cankles. Sad but true.
Ashley said,
February 6, 2008 at 12:09 am
Wait, those socks are in Favorite Socks? I need to reread Favorite Socks, obviously. I want those socks. But other than those socks, yeah, worst post ever. Eleventy!
Kelly said,
February 6, 2008 at 6:37 am
gosh first thing that pops out at me is… Your hair is almost back to the length it was before you cut it!!!!
Love the socks!!
Carole said,
February 6, 2008 at 7:40 am
Time for a haircut? Lousy post. mwah
stacey said,
February 6, 2008 at 8:31 am
another monthly update! I always look forward to them. Love your goal for 2008. Quite original… ;)
carolyn said,
February 6, 2008 at 9:36 am
totally horrible post. not sure how i lived through it!!! (JUST KIDDING OF COURSE)
i love the formula that will determine the 50% increase in knitting output. genius!!
Emily said,
February 6, 2008 at 9:37 am
What about a 2008 theme of “smaller than a bread box?” You’d also have to acquire a bread box to better determine if your knitting fits inside it (wadded up knitting would count – it’s really an issue of volume). Williams Sonoma has some nice ones.
Janet said,
February 6, 2008 at 10:21 am
I just knit my first sock, and when I tried it on and excitedly took pictures, upon review my first thought was, “good lord, do my ankles *really* look like that?” If Matt has some tricks to hiding said fat-ankle tendencies in photography, I’d love to hear them… your socks (and ankles) look lovely to me!
Also, I agree with above sentiments. Lousy post. Hardly made it through. Worst ever. I mean, really. (disorganized? are you KIDDING ME? YOU HAVE SUB-HEADINGS!!! sheesh. I think you need to consider the possibility that you’re being a teensie bit hard on yourself. Please stop it… because if you are disorganized, dull, etc, I really hate to think what my 3 readers think of my blog)
Bertha said,
February 6, 2008 at 10:23 am
You and your worthless posts disgust me. I will unsubscribing from this so-called ‘blog’ immediately.
(also I think those socks are way pretty and don’t appear to be ankle chunkifying at all!)
sari said,
February 6, 2008 at 10:43 am
perhaps your 2008 theme could be “Things Made Out of Yarn That Doesn’t Suck”, and then you would only have to make things out of pretty, soft yarn.
if you are looking for ideas for the silk yarn, perhaps the tank top with the lacy part at the bottom from “last minute knitted gifts”?
Karin said,
February 6, 2008 at 10:55 am
Pleading the fifth, as I don’t want to be banned :P
Anyway! I love those socks! Go see for yourself on Ravelry :P.
More knitting is good, though I will miss you in blogland! I plan to do much the same. Been working on it, too! Here’s to both of us reaching our goals ^_~
AC said,
February 6, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Oughtn’t you post more often about more stuff? Also, this isn’t your lamest post ever!
Laura said,
February 6, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I can’t comment on the quality of the post because I didn’t read most of it. There were just too many words for my eyes to endure.
But what I did read surprised me. Have you changed your mind about your blogging future?
nova said,
February 6, 2008 at 2:24 pm
This post was terrible (you know, with the exception of your mentioning me, thanks!). For one thing, it’s like 5 posts in one; but, there is something to be said for bang for one’s buck. I do like the socks and the hat that you (conveniently) knit smaller than intended (charity, what?). And seriously, you know how to clean up at a sale. I have decided that 2008 is the year of the sweater for me, knitting-wise. But my expectations are low. I mean really, I would call 3 sweaters a success.
Laura said,
February 6, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I just noticed that you had Anastasia in you side bar.
I think it’s time to play the Twilight Zone music again. Underneath this pathetic hand is the beginnings of my left Anastasia sock.
matt said,
February 6, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Time for a haircut?
Do not encourage her, people.
Kristen said,
February 6, 2008 at 4:22 pm
I forgot to nag you that it was high time for a post when I saw you at Lace Wings. Now I am glad that I’m not responsible for egging you on to this lousy entry. ;-)
Sue said,
February 6, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Great to see your monthly post again. I noticed too that your hair is long once again. Are you planning another haircut soon, or are you planning on keeping it long now after the last haircut. Love the socks, and congrats on the nominations too.
Sonya said,
February 6, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I’m certainly glad that homeless guy moved on. To think that you’d have to endure that guilt, chunky ankles, and a crappy post all at once. Too much. Will you have to hire an MIT grad student to compute your 2008 knitting formula?
Specs said,
February 7, 2008 at 11:01 am
Lame. Laaaaa-aaaaaaame.
Although I do like that hat. And those socks are really pretty. (Ohnopleasedon’tbanme.)
Claire said,
February 7, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Re: the silk. What about a night gown? Have you seen the beautiful one on the Purl Bee? There’s also one in Mason-Dixon Knitting.
Then maybe you can have another x-rated post. Not like this boring-ass PG one.
Claire said,
February 7, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Oh, and I forgot, I think there’s some kind of boudoir-ish short nightgown on a free interweave pattern somewhere.
Claire said,
February 7, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Oh, and as an overly-comment-y commenter, I’m not trying to make creepy overtures toward you via your comments (*why don’t you make a nightgown…and then show us…heheheheheh*)–I was just thinking about it myself, so it popped up in my mind.
earthchick said,
February 7, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Wow, I am so honored by your very kind words about my blog. Made my day, honestly. :) Now I’m thinking of having business cards made up with my blog address and the quote “most under-read blog in the knitblogosphere.” Of course these days it feels like I’m also the most under-posting blogger in the knitblogosphere (except for you, of course). I really don’t know how minty and Nova both manage to crank out such quality posts with such frequency and consistency.
Other random things:
- I love those socks and your ankles don’t look chunky at all
- I am very sad to read that you’ll be spending less time online, though I applaud the reason. As long as I can still get my monthly issue of Lickety Knit, I won’t complain.
- Can’t the two short-sleeve tops really be considered sweaters for the Year of Sweaters?
- wow, you were a prolific knitter in 2007. I’m impressed by your goal to increase your output by 50%
- what about some sort of little cami out of the silk? I think you would have enough yardage for that, and it would look super. Possibilitie: Honeymoon Cami, Dayflower Camisole (which I think would look fantastic on you), Scarlet Woman Sleeveless Tank, Soleil….
Marie said,
February 11, 2008 at 1:27 am
Yup, definitely drops the bar for future posting expectations. :)
I’d call any year in which I completed even one adult sweater a success. I currently have multiple 0.25 adult sweaters languishing in my apartment. I like your idea of going with the baby sweaters. Can’t go wrong with wee things. Always cute and always bound to fit some child some where.
For the silk, perhaps a drapy bolero/shrug thing? There’s a blue sky alpaca pattern that calls for the alpaca silk blend…
SarahJanet said,
February 11, 2008 at 3:50 am
I bought a pile of silk at a silk store in Vancouver last year (I was somewhat overcome by silk fumes) and had no idea what I was going to make with it, and then randomly stumbled over the Sizzle pattern on Ravelry. It’s a really nice tank top and it’s working really well with the silk, so I definitely endorse the tank top idea!
JayJay said,
February 11, 2008 at 11:24 am
I will not expound on the quality of this post, as so much has been said already. However, I will comment that I don’t think the socks make your ankles look chunky at all (I can’t imagine that this really is a trick of clever photography, but if it is please have Matt send me some guidance on how he does it; I would love to disguise my double chin). Also, I think that having goals that are too specific is too constricting on the creative process. At least that’s the crap story I’m going to give on my blog.
Nonnahs said,
February 12, 2008 at 6:41 pm
That’s quite an impressive retrospective of knits you have there! ps: I just noticed how long your hair has grown! I remember when you cut it! My how time flies…here’s to more great FOs in ’08!
Allison said,
February 21, 2008 at 9:16 am
LAME! (I really don’t want to get banned.) I can’t believe how late I am to the comments party. I love your hat, and the hat’s history makes for a really funny story. That’s totally the kind of thing that would happen to me. Good intentions and all that. To be honest, I hadn’t noticed your chunky ankles. I’ll have to go back to previous sock posts to take a look. It was nice of Matt to take flattering photos of your feet :)
Nice wrap-up. You did quite a bit in ’07 (whenever I write one of our single-digit years we have these days, I think in a little-old-man voice, “I remember back in ought-seven…”)! I wish I could help with the silk, but I can barely figure out what to do with my own yarn and nothing’s leaping to mind besides a shawl/stole.