my camera is dead

...but something tells me I have batteries in this apartment somewhere. Or, at least, I have electronic devices that I don't use with batteries in them (watch out, CD walkman, I'm coming for you). Pictures...later!

My apologies for the ten-day absence, this week is reading week (or, more appropriately, slack week; or, more Americanly, spring break), so of course last week was a bit hectic with assignments due. Anyway, I was just pouting because Eunny Jang has been absent from blogland for so long, and I quite miss all her cleverness. Then I felt like a bit of a hypocrite since I've been slacking over here, so I thought I'd stop in and say hi...

There has been a lot of knitting going on since last Thursday. I started another Harry Potter scarf, in Gryffindor colors this time, and it's about four and a half feet long already (I spent a lot of time riding in the car over the weekend). I'm aiming for somewhere around eight feet, plus fringe, and then matching mittens and this hat. Then, I can be really smart and date a tall, red-haired guy. I can't wait.

I also made a lot of progress on the second Bayerische sock, and I'm hoping to get it finished by the end of the week. I'd like to finish something else too, and it will probably end up being the Gryffindor scarf, because right now I am sadly addicted to the knit one, purl one ribbing. Mmm...monotony....

startitis

Here I was, thinking I would diligently finish at least most of my started projects before I began new ones. In hindsight, that sort of planning seems laughably optimistic.

Lately, I've been daydreaming about long scarves in crazy patterns, and thought Wavy would fit the bill nicely. I have an idea for another scarf that involves lots of cable patterns, but obviously I won't start that until I've finished this one. *ahem*



Besides scarves, I've really wanted to start another pair of socks (that don't have crazy cables all over them (and yes, I did start the second Bayerische sock)), but I don't have any more "sock yarn." Then I kicked myself and decided I can knit socks out of whatever yarn I want, hmph.



I'm using Wendy's generic toe-up sock pattern and some wool I happened to have around.

Tra la la la la...

"I sold my soul to Voldemort and all I got was this lousy scarf." - roommate

And by "lousy" she obviously means "so fantastic my heart might burst with happiness."

Ok, at any rate, I've seen her wear it. Voluntarily.



Pattern: no real pattern, just alternating colors in 1x1 rib. I know that the Slytherin colours are actually green and silver, but she wanted something that didn't really scream "Harry Potter," so we went with the green and white. So, you know, people might think she just likes Michigan State.
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft or Super Soft or Squeaky Soft or something, I don't remember
Started (well, this version anyway...) January 12, 2007, and finished February 10, 2007.

full disclosure

I thought you might be interested in knowing about this:



And this:



The first being, obviously, Argosy (I say obviously because I think every other person in knitting blogland and elsewhere is knitting or has knit this pattern.), and the second being the Simply Marilyn sweater from Interweave Knits.

I'm really just knitting Argosy because I like the pattern, and I needed something to do with the yarn. I won't be keeping it. I look terrible in orange, which is sad, because I do like orange quite a bit. And, because I know you're asking, I bought the yarn because it was $2 at Value Village, and it looked happy. It wanted me to take it home. What was I supposed to do?

As for Simply Marilyn, I've finished the back and one sleeve, but remember how I mentioned that I'd figured out how to hold my yarn differently? Well, it does make knitting go faster, and I stop paying attention to my tension, a situation which is only made worse when I really, really just want to get something done. So that sleeve that I mentioned? It's about an inch and a half longer that it should be to match up with the body. Argh. Haste makes waste, dearie, haste makes waste.

save point

And lo! Out of the chaos and clutter, there rose one...completed...Bayerische sock.

two-day project

Pattern: Fetching from Knitty Summer '06
Yarn: The rest of the Icelandic wool from Laurie at The Lavender Fleece
Modifications: The picot bind off, while pretty, curled a bit too much for my liking. I wanted something that fit a bit closer and snugger to my knuckles. So, while binding off, I knit the two middle stitches of each four-stitch knit section together, and didn't do any picot-ing at all.
Started February 6, 2007 and finished February 8, 2007

random sunday

1. I have finally figured out that whole "holding the yarn by weaving it through your fingers to create tension" thing. I'll have to tell my grandmother. She only tried to teach it to me twelve years ago.

2. I've been weaving in the ends of the Slytherin scarf, but it's taking twice as long as I thought it would because I have to split the ends to avoid creating big lumpy spots where I weave them in.

3. What to wear with ice skates:



4. There really is no need to carry your purse if you're carrying your camera bag. There's plenty of room in the camera bag for the camera, your wallet, your cell phone, and an in-progress sock. However, if the camera starts acting up and you have to take it to the camera shop in the middle of your excursion, you might feel a bit silly pulling the sock out to get to the camera, especially if one of your DPNs goes flying out of the camera bag, and you have to chase it halfway across the shop.

5. The camera:



6. This cat is so plotting evil things.



7. More proof of evilness:



8. I love gumbo.

silent poetry reading

for the Bloggers' Silent Poetry Reading

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments; love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no, it is an ever-fixèd mark,
That looks on tempest and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his highth be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Sonnet 116
William Shakespeare

too much excitement

1. The Slytherin scarf is off the needles as of...as much time ago as it took to toss it triumphantly onto the bed and log into blogger.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out on July 21.

...

WHEEEEEE!!!!!