smallvoice

OMG. I went to Magknits, and I want the socks. The Lemony Snicket inspired ones and the snowflake socks, both. I wantses them! Your explanation is clear, and a relief. Next comes the puzzling out patterns. I want to make pretty things!

I'm collecting all things BPAL at the moment- as far as inserts and cards and whatnot. I want alllllllll of the BPTP updated stuff, except not one of the silver lids. They're lovely, but they don't do it for me. Though, given unlimited funds, I would surely get one. Hopefully school will distract me somewhat from the addiction! A week from this monday! (Not that I'm counting, or anything.)

Anyway, take care Ms. Snarky.

First off... awwww. Newlyweds! Y'all make me smile.

 

Garter stitch (in the context of a flat knitted piece)=nothing but knitting OR nothing but purling. If you alternate knitting a row, then purling a row, and so on, you get "stockinette stitch", which looks like v's on one side and purl bumps on the other side.

 

Garter stitch looks like ridges of purl bumps to me. This is looser than the "reverse stockinette" since the purl bumps are separated by a row of v's, you just can't see them too well since they don't bump out like the purl bumps do.

 

HOWEVER, in the context of a piece knitted in the round, you have to alternate knitting and purling rounds in order to get the same effect. Kind of confusing, I know. In fact, just ignore this paragraph for now. Until you start knitting socks. Then come back here again.

 

Clear as mud? I'm a much better shower than a teller with my knitting.

 

If I jump on the Carnavale, you totally have dibs on my trading cards.

 

PS Glad you are enjoying the socks! I loved making yours so much I've been trying to figure out how to get The Mister into some homemade socks, and he's got ginormous feet!

A girl I knew from a knitting club who was left handed said she had started out by finding a book with detailed pictures, then scanning them in, and mirror imaging the pictures from right to left.

I've sort of been taking the video instructions and reversing them onto my left hand. That might work out a little better, though.

Very, very left-handed.

Ok... imagine you have a length of yarn aranged into a zig-zag of alternating mountains and valleys. The cast on edge anchors each valley, or the bottom of each zig.

 

Now, imagine you lay a length of yarn behind the zig zag. Reach under the first mountain, and pluck a loop through. Then reach under the second, and pluck a loop through. Once you've reached the end of the row, the second piece of yarn is just a second zig-zag interlocking with the first. Then you would flip the whole thing over and go back the other way.

 

When you are knitting, the loops on the needle are the mountains, and they have their backs turned to you. That's why you enter the stitch from the left side (that's if you knit western style, if you knit eastern or combination, it will vary - however 99% of books teach western style, so I'm assuming that's what you're learning). If you look carefully at the base of the stitch, you can see how you are opening it up to "face front". Then you use the tip of the right needle to pull the working yarn through to make a new loop on the right hand needle. To be sure you are pulling the yarn through the correct way, look at the new loop on the right needle, does it angle the same direction laying on top of the needle as the stitches on your left needle? then you have made the stitch correctly.

 

I hope this explanation didn't make it worse!

 

No, not worse. I'm attempting continental style knitting, and I think I can finally cast on using her style. But then I get to the end of the row, and go for the first stitch, and it looks like it all falls apart. I guess I'll try a couple of rows. Oh, and I'm doing it where I'm transferring new stitches onto the needle in my left hand, and holding the rest in my right hand.

Thanks! Yeah, that's mostly where I was heading- except I'm not pondering sending something to a non-knitter, which may alter your answers a little bit. I won't send socks with no heels. Socks are all mine! And I think it'll be quite some time before I can knit a sweater, thank you very much. I'd love to be able to just do a scarf, at this point, but I don't want it to be all lame. Anyway, thank you guys.

I just wish I had a good idea of what it's supposed to look like with just one kind of knitting stitch. Dude, you need to win the lottery like, now. I sort of suck at teaching myself from books, so the site with the videos was pretty helpful, I just wish she'd show more what it's supposed to turn out looking like.

I... want.... socks! Someday, I will make 20 pairs of those socks. Just you wait!

I think I really have been half crocheting, which is sort of disheartening, since it's a hell of a lot easier with a crochet hook, and doesn't help me with the knitting thing. I'm just frustrated. Have I said that quite enough?

I'm worried that my switchee this round won't like me. I'd say more about her, but I don't want to drop any hints. I'm really excited, I just hope she doesn't think my packages are lame.

When I win the lottery, inkdarkmoon and I are gonna pick you up in my private jet and sweep you off to the Amalfi coast to my knitting retreat and we'll sort this all out.

 

You don't need to learn how to purl right away. I know folks who have made it their mission to avoid purling as much as possible...

 

Are you a better "learn from seeing in person" type crafter, or can you teach yourself from books? I started off with books ("Knitting for Dummies" because I lurve my "For Dummies" library) and graduated to bugging more experienced knitters at my local Stitch 'n Bitch for tips/techniques when things got more complicated.

 

Take a deep breath. Once you get over this first hurdle (and it took me three tries to get over the first hurdle) you'll be a knitting fiend!

I almost can't bear to read it- like it's wriggling around in my soul now.

I've been contemplating a foreign language to take next year, and I'd decided on Japanese, but now I'm waffling over Russian, again. I'd take German, but my school doesn't offer it. Isn't that strange? Russian, Mandarin, Japanese... but no German. Sad! My mother, who took 6 years of German, thinks it'd be a mistake for me to take it: "You'll never use it! It's useless!" But I think it's gorgeous, and I think it has to do with my link to my mom. I grew up knowing German phrases thanks to her. Anyway! That's enough of a hijack. And it's more positive than my angsting over this beautiful poem.

You've caught the knitting bug! Yay! I think your needles are just plain old size 10s. The gauge refers to the stitches and rows per inch. ( I think) Like when knitting up a pattern it usually always mentions that you should get so many stitches per inch and if you do your test swatch and it comes out that same amount of stitches per inch as recommended, then it's a good chance that it will fit the way it's supposed to! Of course, I never swatch so nothing ever fits With scarves and wraps and things like that gauge doesn't matter so much.

 

As for your nephew, maybe a tiny pair of booties?

 

PS

If you need more instruction than your little tutor can provide, go to knittinghelp.com . I didn't have anyone to help me when I was learning and pictures in books just didn't cut it - this site has actual videos that you can watch over and over til you get it!

Dude! Thanks so much for the link to the site! And hopefully I'll be able to get some booties all done up for him. If I can figure out how! Heh!

I got some size 15 needles today, and I have a set that are 8, and a shorter set that I can't find at the moment, but I think they're 10s, too.

I was thinking I could maybe try to knit him some sort of toy, but then I think that might be too complex. I guess I'll poke around for patterns once I learn a few more things about, y'know, knitting.

I didn't mean to sound like I wish I had ended up with him- It wasn't a good relationship, and he wasn't good for me. I love my husband dearly and I know we are perfect together, but my first real encounter with love had a huge impact on my current experience of love. When I say he polished the moon for me, it's to sort of get across the feeling that I may as well have been 14 years old, for all the safeguards I had around my heart.

I know I was just a part of the catalyst, but I would prefer it if somebody else had been there instead, and I'd had the strength to just walk away. But I was of the opinion at the time that love was worth gambling everything for. I just didn't know.

I'm deciding while I'm writing up my questionnaire, but I'm thinking that it might not be fair. I'll be starting school again, and money's all tight-- then again, I've got tools of craftiness and a 9-year-old knitting tutor. I still don't think I'd be able to knit anything really fabulous before the end of the round. I don't know. I do know that I've met some really great people from this, so I'm not quite ready to quit. I might take a hiatus. I don't know! I think I'm sort of driving myself nuts. More nuts.

Hee. Now I have "Paint it Black" stuck in my head.

Dude! I totally forgot to comment on the opening to your post! I love the Visualize Whirled Peas shirt-- A friend of mine in high school used to wear it all the time. Just hadda share!

Thanks, Snarky! You've been a big help in that aspect, to be quite honest.

I absolutely LOVE the last picture. There's something about pictures of reflections that just work for me. I don't know how else to explain it. But, yeah. Especially with the ocean in the background. . . I need to get back to the coast.

I'm also having hardwood floor envy! That is just brilliant.

Hee. Dawndie's comment reminds me of my father in law. He'll do things like that to screw with people. Case in point: When my sister in law was about 9, she asked him what "que" meant in spanish. He deadpanned "What." So she asked him again. Same response. I giggle when I think about how long this must've gone on before my mother in law pulled her daughter away and in an exasperated voice, explained: "JB, "que" means "what" in spanish."

V, I just wanted you to know that I tend to lurk on your blog, rather than comment all the time, and I'm not sure why that is. But I do love reading your entries.

-G

Not to make my friend sound cold, because she's not at all like that, but her father's death was a complete relief. Some people shouldn't be parents, and her father was one of them. As she likes to say, we all need family, but they need not be our relatives!

I couldn't agree more with that sentiment... and that's sort of how I imagine it'll be when he does die. Just a relief.

I have a good friend who felt the same way about her dad. I say "felt," because her dad died a couple of years ago. What I used to say to her, and it's applicable to you, is that it's terrible that a when a father causes such anguish in a child's life. And that they (the fathers) are too stupid or blind to realize that they have a really great daughter and they're missing out on a lot.

 

But even with all the words in the world, it still stinks to have a parent like that. to you.

Thank you.

He actually has the most amazing daughter in the world, and two amazing sons. He is just too selfish to notice. (I my sister. She's 13 years older than me and just all around amazing.)

I have to admit that when you said "I say "felt," because her dad died a couple of years ago." I thought you might be heading towards a story about how he's still her father and it still hurts to lose him and not taking life for granted- so thank you, also, for not going in that direction.

This is an awesome post. I've had similar moments, and been the object of similar moments. Y'know, up until I turned about 23, I would've said unquestionably that I have an old soul. Now, I sort of think my soul is lagging. I get the feeling that it's in the obnoxious pre-teen area. ...I'm serious. Heh.

I'm glad for your friend, and I'm really glad for you. It is really difficult to be that involved in a friend's experiences.

A picture! You look wonderful, adorable, happy! Your dress looks beautiful, especially with the Mister's vest. You matched beautifully. Well, obviously, because that's why you got married! Thanks for sharing it, you can always supply more whenever you're in the mood...

Thank you- I may do that.

George Burns wrote a book about his wife, called "Gracie" and it is AMAZING. I remember being enthralled by it even in grade-school. And my husband has to do the "Say Goodnight, Gracie" Me: "G'night, Gracie." all the time.

I need to find that book again; it's been years since I read it last.

I'll work on getting a picture up today! Plus my haircut photos, whenever that happens.

The name "Gracie" is very charming, for it reminds me of the old comedy team of George Allen and Gracie Burns, and it simply has a very sweet, lilting quality to it.

 

P.S. One wedding photo, just one...please?

 

 

Edited to correct early morning inability to write complete sentences.

Hope you're feeling better soon! If you need to talk, drop me a line.

Somehow, this one strikes me as most appropriate.

I know it's not this hot all over the world, but I totally blame the Pacific Northwest heat wave. I didn't do jack all weekend and most certainly didn't feel like doing any forum browsing (let alone speculative bidding/shopping). Just... laying there, in a little puddle of me on the basement floor.

 

Glad you got some bites! Gonna run over and take a look-see m'self. And who knows, maybe some more folks will snap out of It and get over there before the cut off too. :crosses fingers:

Hee! Yeah, it's been freaking hot. I think that added to my anxiety, anyway. I've pm'ed everyone the option of rock, paper, scissors, or they can just go with the surprise. The winners were all ones that I was sort of hoping I'd get to keep- this'll just make my search for bottles that much more intense. I think I'll take apart one pack that didn't win and frimp it out.

I'm going to have to have people run errands for me again today, because everytime I leave the house, the infection seems to flare back up again. Oh well!

Anyway, thanks again Ms. Snarky.

I agree with Valentina about how we tend to be supressed by various areas of life. I was a stealth Leo, but I learned to identify with the sign in other ways. Much like you, I wanted attention, but I was never brave enough to sieze it. In a recent post on my blog, I referenced the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz as being a portrait of myself as a leo. Heh. But I've always been stubborn, and my temperament is very much like a leo. So, yeah. I'm tired. I just wanted to add my voice to it all.

I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and sign up for the art class. Taking the easy route isn't good for me. The hard route isn't either, yet. But I think the art class might fall into the middle. I hope.

Going back to school has been one of the best things I've ever done. I've become MUCH more outspoken. I've hated it, but I love it, and I am really hoping I get to go back in the fall. Still no news with financial aid!

Hey! When did I turn into Crone material?? (Wierd. I wrote "Clone" first! I can't figure out if that's a freudian slip or what!)

Seriously, guys, thanks so much for the support.