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Knit-Blogger Bliss

Meeting knit-bloggers in person is so extraordinary; it's so curious to know and enjoy someone without having ever met them. I think when you have an opportunity to meet a knit-blogger, conversation leaps past the shy bits that happen when you meet a new *ordinary* person. With knit-bloggers, you just dive right into the good stuff.

Thursday night, my local yarn shop was the meeting place for four knit-bloggers I know that I hadn't met. Wot larks, Pip! You can meet them too! Here are the charming traveling Chelsea and the multi-talented knitting-crocheting-programming-chorale singing-Cyndilou.

Here you see Chelsea and Cyndilou and two of the most brilliant, beautiful, and genuine bloggers in Austin, both with the dachshund seal of approval: Susan and her sister Karen.

Am I lucky or what? We even had my favorite macrobiotic dinner! (If you select this link, you can make your own walnut sauce.)

Nourishing food shared with nourishing friends—what a lovely combination, and what a lovely evening. Next time, please join us. A national knit-blogger meet-up would be an amazing event, wouldn't it?

Oh! I almost forgot! I don't go out a lot lately because I have work to do in every waking hour. Meeting knit-blogger pals in public gave me the opportunity to wear my stylin' new hand-tied amber-fly earring. Isn't it fabulous? I love it! I imagine you quite nearly mad with envy!

By the way, amber has her new house photos up! Go look!

Obsessive-Compulsive Short Rows Disorder

I am obsessed with the idea of creating invisibly short-rowed toes in socks. I've ripped and ripped and ripped, and then I ripped some more. So far, this is the best yet, and I still think it looks pretty sloppy. Are the wraps going to show no matter how much I keep knitting and wrapping and ripping?

I get the idea, I like the concept, I tighten up my work on the ends to the point of no fun at all, yet it looks pretty cross-hatched by the wraps. Still, we relentlessly wrap on toward perfection. (If it doesn't really get much better looking than this, someone please tell me so I can stop.) By the way, thank you all for comments and emails on toe-up socks! If you don't mind, I think I'll compile them and provide a link here.

Pups

All pups are better and better!

Little Jack reminds you that Time Flies like an Arrow; Fruit Flies like a Banana.
Carpe contextum! Happy Friday! Wag your Tail! and Have a lovely weekend.

How Very Kind . . .

You all are! Thank you for the virtual pets and pats and ear-scratches and hugs for Mike, and thank you for sharing your own stories. He is definitely on the mend, and stronger every day. Yesterday he even felt like standing around in the yard with Jack, Della, Apple, and Dyna:

But mostly he still likes being comfy on his blanket.

Mike is better and better and we are very grateful.

News Flash!

The new Wool Gathering is out! My issue arrived in Monday afternoon's mail, and I think it is fabulous! It's a pullover that Meg Swansen has dubbed "Stylized Scribble." It's a knitted Rorschach! You can see a color photo on the front page of the Schoolhouse Press website, and read details. WooHOO!

Snookered by Short Rows

When I posted my last entry, I referenced Elizabeth Zimmermann's remark about knitting on through all crises, and typing it seemed to return me to my knitting sensibilities. I Decided I Needed Some Mindless Knitting. Coincidentally, I also need some socks. And as if I needed further encouragement, I've been having a grand time watching Nanette churn out gorgeous socks at an amazing rate. So I decided Monday to conquer the short-row toe-up sock.

:-(

So far I've knit and ripped five toes. Here's a photo of the best one (with apologies to dial-up users):

There are holes!!! And the wraps look like Knitted Death on a Cracker!!! I started with Wendy's excellent Generic Pattern. Great pattern, and her socks turn out beautifully. My sock toe couldn't get past the double-wrap without looking like it had eyelets knitted in. So I turned to Priscilla Gibson-Robert's books, and tried her method of wrapping. Fewer eyelets, but the wraps seem to be very obvious. Flor doesn't knit up the wraps, so I tried that too, with sad results.

Okay! Give. What's the secret to tidy toes in a toe-up sock? Knit the wraps? Don't knit the wraps? Conservative wraps as per PG-R? I like the concept of toe-up socks very much. Is it simply a matter of practice? Looking at my toe above, I wouldn't even give it to myself for a present...it's that sloppy. (But isn't the wool pretty? Lorna's Laces "Black Purl"--yum!) If you are a toe-up knitter, will you please send tips/tricks/the secret handshake? I'll be very appreciative.

All-righty! Time for work! Oh! I think I'm going to get to meet this knit-blogger in person on Thursday! Cool! Cyndilou? Susan? Yentala? Care to join us?

Cheers, y'all, and Happy Tuesday. Thanks again for your many kind and very helpful words.

Mikey Comes Home

We had a puppy-scare last week; Mike was in and out of the doggy-hospital for the better part of the week (although it felt like the worst part of the week here at home). He had a severe internal inflammation that affected his liver and pancreas and stomach. I won't plague sensitive readers with all the details, but will say there was lots of pain and blood involved. He finally turned the corner Saturday morning, and by late Saturday afternoon, I was able to bring him home. Jack and Della were as overjoyed to see him as I was, and my heavens! he was glad to be home. Here's one of the booboos he wants to show you:

Here he is telling Della about his ordeal:

and here is Della after hearing the gory details:

Poor Mikey! I guess everyone likes to talk about their hospital visit, even pets. We are very very glad he is home and will willingly listen to the dramatic tale of dachshund trauma from him over and over again! I never thought I would get to be my age and turn into one of those silly women who treat their dogs/cats/hamsters like children, but I tell ya! You get very attached to them when they are your constant companions.

Unlike Elizabeth Zimmermann, who could "Knit On, with Confidence and Hope, through all Crises," I found that I could barely knit at all. It took me most of the week to add several inches of gauntlet to the Allsorts Mitts by A. Zilboorg.

I'm at the point where I am knitting a fringe around the cuff. I think it's the most difficult and tedious manuever I've ever attempted, knit-wise. Very slow going, as you wrap the yarn around your index finger three times to form the loops, then knit through that wrap-around all around, then on the next round, through the back loops.

The gauntlet is being knitted particularly in honor of Paula, Adriana, Nanette, Geane, and Dot, all of whom hipped me to the purpose and utility of gauntlets. By the way, Dot has finished her Adult Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann, all in homespun yarn. You should take a look! Fabulous!

A quick note regarding the butterfly chart from last Tuesday's entry. I don't know if this book can be obtained in the US. It's from 1947, all in Finnish, and there is no ISBN. Minna would be able to supply more information than I would, simply because she tracked my copy down for me. It's a great book! If you are really stuck on the butterflies, you could chart them from my photos. Intrepid book-seekers can find the information Minna gave me on the book in my blog entry of 2 September.

Ho! Isn't it swell to have your loved ones all together, and your wool wound and ready to go, and your needles all sorted and organized by size? We wish you a week filled with happiness and gratitude and good knitting!