Stitches South

I'd heard of Stitches East and Stitches West. I hadn't read up any more on them because I knew I was in no financial shape to attend. I was wandering around on Ravelry a little while ago, and happened on a forum for Stitches South. There's going to be a brand new Stitches event in April 2009 and it's going to be in Atlanta! Woohoo!! I signed up to be sent the brochure when it is available.

Vote Fibertarian!

Boo!

boosdone
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

Look carefully and you can see lots of little ghosties on these socks.

In between stuff

I gave up on Hat Attack. Knitting to the required size makes a hat that's much too small IMHO. It would appear that the hat designer figured bigger=longer rather than bigger=more stitches around. I know I'm not the only person with the problem, but it is obvious the powers that be don't see it. As that song I once heard on Cast-On goes, c'est la @#$%ing vie.

My next project is whatever's conjured up for Super Sock Scarefest on Sunday. In between, I get to work on my Bead Journal Project for September. I'm on the second try there. I was advised early on to be flexible in what I chose to do. I can see why. I'm considering a third option right now.

Since I have to have something to work on, I'm knitting Godzilla from Knitted Icons. Maybe he can chase away all the dinky hat patterns and pick up the beads that the cats keep spilling.

Hat Attack II: Twice the whining

I struggled like crazy to get widthwise gauge for this. Now they're saying that it'll be a 'misfire' if we don't get the correct freaking lengthwise gauge.

In any case the hat so far looks child-sized. It definitely wouldn't fit over my head. I'm going to frog my work so far and go up a needle size. I hope my target has a small head. I think she has children, maybe it'll fit one of them.

I'm tempted to commit hat suicide and send my yarn to my assassin.

Note to self: don't sign up for any more of these things.

Hat Attack II: Electric Instant Replay

The pattern's yet to be released, and I'm already dying. I have the same assassin as I did last time. She knits as fast as I do, which is pretty fast. Her package has to travel about the same distance as mine does to my target. At least I know I'll get a good hat. I'll be able to help my assassin get a little farther on in the game.

It is taking all of the fun out of it, though.

nevermoredone

nevermoredone
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

Gargoyle Kat can see the feathers, but you might need to go here to see them.

Dragons!

The Ravelry Knitter's Holiday swaps amaze me every time. When I got this one today from LeiLani, I was stopped dead in my tracks. It's amazing. Even the shipping box carried out the dragon theme she used.

Here's what was inside:

1. He's hard to see, but he's a tiny, rainbow-colored "Mighty and Ferocious Dragon". He's even breathing fire. So cute.
   
2. A book of excellent patterns, including: a dragon, Here There Be Dragons socks, Dragon Scale Gauntlets, Stricken Sock Pattern (Cookie A! Yum!!), and Rivendell Sock (so pretty).
   
3. Mythical Creature origami set, with a book and origami paper to make dragons and more.
   
4. Dragon Eye oolong tea.
   
5. A set of dps in a special dpn pocket.
   
6. A dragon-patterned project bag that LeiLani made.
   
7. Candy to represent the dragon's treasure. The Jelly Bellys look like dragon eggs to me. The gold-wrapped Werther's look like big golden rocks. The bag for the gold has pretty ribbon roses and beads on it.
   
8. 60 second fix for hands (smells GREAT) from Crabtree & Evelyn. It's been labeled: For Dragon Skin.
   
9. A very cool dragon teacup, with an insert for holding tea leaves.
   
10. Handspun/dyed yarn from Spider Goddess in the colorway: Dragon Scales!
    
11. Koigu, in purple and green which sound quite dragony to me. Love it.
    
12. Dragon bookmark. I just got the new Neal Stephenson book yesterday, so you know I'll be using this right away.
    
13. A piece of yarn. The holiday this swap was celebrating was Hat Month. I rarely wear wooly hats. LeiLani made a hat using that yarn and donated it to the Warm Woolies project in my name.
    

This was such a nice swap. Thanks again, LeiLani.

Slow Bee is done

The picture is about 1/6 of the whole piece. It took me over and hour to bind off 800+ stitches. I cringed a little bit when I started studying the picture. Did I screw up or is it just how the unblocked piece lay on the floor? Either way, I'm not changing anything. I'm also unlikely to do anything like this anytime soon. I like knitting lacy patterns, but not on a big scale. Right now, I'm just glad it is done.

What Insomnia Girl has been doing

mummydone
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

::later that same day:: I am having big fun and also getting unexpected Stuff. When I whined about having to frog the first Wasp Woman's heel, YarnYenta sent me some groovy stitch markers (skeleton pirate heads). It wasn't her fault that the instructions cut off the line that said "Knit chart twice". It was some evil Microsoft software that did it. She sent the markers anyway. Can I have an "Awwww, thanks, YarnYenta!"?

Then Sobeknofret had a little contest for us to guess what she'd named her Mummy socks. I won some cookies for my correct guess of "Are You My Mummy?". Doctor Who fans should of course catch the reference. I am now a True Geek Goddess. I'm even more proud of that than I am for having the first completed pair of SSS socks.

2008 Bead Journal Project

I'm no longer participating the 2008 BJP. I got really frustrated after multiple false starts, and have chosen to work on different things instead. Sorry if you wandered in to see what I'd been up to.

I hope you're having fun beading.

The Wasp Woman

waspshow
Originally uploaded by Paula knits

A Ravelry person called sbknitter showed off her finished socks with a little display something like this. I liked the idea so much I decided to give it a try. My next one will be up in a day or so and then every ten days until right after Halloween. Trick -or- treat?