My little sister is 18!

While I've not been blogging, my little sister went and turned 18 in October. I can hardly believe it. She's the first person I've known from baby to adult, and it's making me feel really old.

I'm not really sure what the kids are into these days, but I'm pretty sure my sister likes crazy socks. Us? Related? Apparently she never matches them, which is where the resemblance ends. Well, she'll probably have to wear these as a pair, since knitted socks are so much thicker. Oh but then maybe she'd wear different thickness socks as well as different patterns and lengths...shudder....I need to stop thinking about that. I would probably gnaw my own ankle off if I tried that.

Anyway, socks.



This is yarn I got in Switzerland, at the department store. One of the many wonderful things about Europe is that you can buy yarn at the department store. And the really amazing thing is that it is good quality yarn. Most of it is wool, there is superwash or not, it is available in solid colors, and most of the sock yarn comes with reinforcing. Amazing. This is some Opal sock yarn from Co-op City (apparently the "City" makes a difference - regular Co-op sadly does not have yarn.)

In Summary:

Yarn: Opal Sock Yarn, I lost the ball band, but typical wool/nylon sock blend with bonus! reinforcing
Needles: Size US 1 dpn
Pattern: K2 p2 ribbed cuff, k6 p2 ribbed leg, typical heel flap, typical toe
Time: A few weeks, lazily, in Europe
Cost: Not telling as it's a gift, but less than one would expect

I can't show you

I finished a Christmas gift. But I can't show you, because you know, it's a Christmas gift. I'm trying really, really hard not to give it to the recipient already, but I think I'm going to make it.

But be proud. It's not even November.

Of course, that's not counting the partially done sweater for my mom that she already knows about. I've got a ways to go on that. It's something though.

Something to show you

Oh, I do have something to show you after all, and this post is long overdue. A couple of months ago, my Aunt Betty, who taught me to crochet when I was about 7, made me a giant crochet blanket. Here it is on my queen-size bed.


She describes it as a "history blanket," using yarns from many other afghans she has made over the years. And there were many.
When I was a kid, my family would all travel to Michigan together in the fall. My parents, my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle would all go to the same hotel and explore southwestern Michigan. We would do all those fall-like things, picking apples, getting pumpkins, shopping hobby stores (okay, maybe that's just my family), and generally spending a weekend together in a mini family reunion. Sometimes we would even get adjoining rooms, and we could go into their rooms without even going out in the to the hall! When you're 6, this is amazing.
In the evening, after making great use of the hotel's indoor pool, we would all gather in one room and drink sparkling cider, eat apple donuts, and watch old movies on TV. I would crawl up on the bed next to Aunt Betty, who would always be crocheting some interesting new afghan, and pepper her with questions about it. Eventually she taught me (maybe to shut me up?), and I made a few little purses. I'm afraid I let it go for many years after that, but I picked it back up in college and haven't been able to stop since. Even though I knit more, I always have at least one of two crochet projects going.
And I can even make blankets just like Aunt Betty. The stitch is the afghan stitch, which is very fun to do, but I admit I haven't practiced much, and it's bordered by shells.


It's an incredibly warm blanket, and I love it, of course. The cats, on the other hand, simply adore it, and I can barely pry it away from them. If I leave it on the couch, there's always a cat on it. When I try to hang it up on the quilt rack (which I got for $5 at a garage sale) in the living room, Worfy will actually pull it down so he can sleep on it.


You can also see my crocheting in this picture as well. I'll show you that soon.

Bad Blogger

Oh man, I haven't blogged in forever. But if I really think about it, I haven't finished anything since I blogged last. Pretty sad. I have to admit, I'm getting closer on quite a few things.
I have a giant crochet blanket I've been working on, that I might just call done soon. I meant to make it for my queen-sized bed, so it turned out quite big. But then it turns out I nap with it on the couch an awful lot, and it's probably likely to stay there.
I started some dress socks in May, with the hopes of finishing them in time for my lobbying trip to DC, but that didn't happen. I was most of the way through the foot, cuff down, but my heart really wasn't it in. But I've picked them back up again, and the nice thing about waiting so long to make the second sock, you don't really have second sock syndrome. I'm nearing the heel, so hopefully that will be done soon.
The other thing that I picked back up was the Icarus shawl I was working on in white mohair. It's really incredibly beautiful. I had finished the body and had about 4 charts of edging to do, when I thought I made a major mistake and would have to rip back. I had gotten too cocky to put in a lifeline at this point, of course. But it turned out to be a very small mistake that I fudged, and I'm nearing the last chart. The trouble with this kind of shawl is that it starts out all small and gratifying, you just fly through the rows. Now, I'm getting to something that has nearly my wingspan in a triangular shape, meaning each row is about 5 feet long. In lace weight. Think about that. I don't even want to count the stitches, because I think that would make me cry.
Sadly, the reason I picked the lace back up was because I knew a man on ravelry that was an amazing lace knitter, and he recently passed away. I hope he would appreciate that he inspired me to take my lace back up.
I've also spun a little bit lately, and it had been a while. I spun up about 4 oz of an 80/20 wool/silk blend. I'm very nearly done plying. I seriously need more bobbins though. I have three. I spun the yarn about half and half on each bobbin, which got quite full. This will not fit on a third bobbin on the same size. I know this. This is obvious. This did not stop me from plying and hoping anyway. So I just need to wind some yarn off the bobbin, and finish already.
Anyway, sorry about the no blogging.
As usual, I'll try to distract you with cats.

Computer Issues, still

Well, it looks like I'm going to have to send the laptop back again, since it keeps crashing every time I try to play a video game. And really, what's the point of a computer you can't play games on?
But I am going to wait until I get my desktop built to send it back, which hopefully I will do the bulk of this weekend. I've got an awesome case now - clear with light up LED's! I can't wait to see how all this nonsense looks. It sounds silly, but it was the same price as most other cases that fit my motherboard. Why not light up?
Before I do, I will upload lots of pics. I've made some lovely socks (me? socks? no...) to show, especially the awesome Space Invader socks that were a long time coming.
I'm also working on a really gorgeous commission piece. It's a white lace shrug a lady want's me to make for her daughter's wedding. I like the knitting for hire, I really do, but sometimes I get stuck with questionable materials. This is Kid Silk Haze, which is an absolute dream, and the pattern is turning out to be pretty fun too.

Who's the Boss?

It's Tony Danza, La Petite Tricoteuse's ferret! He came to visit while she was out of town for the weekend. Ferrets are a lot cuter and smarter than I thought. (They still smell, but it's not that bad, especially if you keep the cage clean.)

My cats weren't too sure what to think of him. Worfy thought it was like a new TV, brining the wildlife channel indoors. He was content to sit and watch, and I think he found him amusing.

Duncan, who is not quite as smart, was a little afraid of him. I let them all loose in the bathroom to play, and Worfy hopped up on the sink right away, since the ferret can't climb. Duncan didn't figure that out, and Tony chased him back and forth. I think it was good for Duncan, as he can be a bit of a terror sometimes.

Overall, we had fun this weekend, even if Tony did try to eat his cage a lot. I think he looks like a little ermine.

Knitting Slump

Every relationship is bound to have its down times. This, I'm afraid, is a temporary lull with my love of knitting. Seriously, I'm just not too inspired by any projects I have right now. I'm not even all that inspired to cast on. Sure, I'm still picking it up about once a day, but my heart isn't in it. Must be spring fever or something.
I'm sure it will come back. In the meantime, the only updates are likely to be about my cats. Also, I want a fennec fox.

Questionable Stew

So, I actually cooked tonight. It's terrible that I've been reduced to this, because it means I haven't been to the grocery store in forever, and when I do go, it's going to be a perilous expedition. But tonight, tonight I made an ill-advised stew that actually came out okay. Would you like the recipe?

1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup with Roasted Garlic
1 can of water to mix soup (or milk, if you have been shopping recently)
2 packages Veggie crumbles
2 single serve packages of frozen microwave peas, thawed in microwave
2 single serve packages of frozen broccoli and carrots in Italian seasoning, thawed in microwave
1 can of garbonzo beans, not drained, especially if stew looks thick and you've added too much salt
salt, paprika, and assorted Italian seasonings to taste

Mix in large soup pan and heat until edible.

Makes a large vat that you can eat for several days, further delaying grocery trip.

Surprisingly, my kitchen adventures actually turned out pretty well. This is the sort of hearty stew that needs some nice thick bread and a beer with it. But let's face it, if I had beer and bread, I wouldn't need to cook.

Sarah's Continuing Comical Medical Adventures.

In case you're the sort of person that likes to skip to the end of a mystery book, this story ends with 8 EMT's, an ambulance, and a firetruck. Ready?

There has a been a blood drive at the lab the past two days, and I decided I would give today. I'm type O, so I sort of feel obliged to. In the past, this has not gone well. I have been rejected at all stages of the screening process (okay, except for the part where they ask you if you'd had sex for money) including: not weighing enough, not eating enough, not having enough iron, having had a tattoo, low blood pressure, and unconsciousness. However, for some strange reason I remain undaunted. Or maybe a little daunted, but determined anyway. Each time, it seems like I make it one step further.
This time, I passed all the tests and made it into the vampires' lair. Last time they actually got about half a pint out of me before I went down into the aforementioned unconsciousness. I warned them that I get queasy and faint like a Victorian woman, so they took extra precautions. They had me lying full down, with the fan and several cold cloths on me from the very beginning.
There were actually really gentle with me, and I made it through the actual blood giving part without much incident. So, victory for me, I finally made it.
Unfortunately, my reaction to injury is to get queasy. I have absolutely no idea how my ancestors ever survived with this trait. It seems like a bad idea, evolution. So I could handle the mild pain of the needle inside me, but when I had to put pressure on my own arm, the nausea started to hit me. I got dizzy, I got weak, all those fun things. But they reapplied some cloths, gave me some Gatorade, and it seemed like I was okay. I took lots of time afterwards, I really did, but I guess it wasn't enough.
I was doing okay until I went out to the snack session. I had an orange juice and some cookies, and all that food that fast, right after a big lunch and the previous incident, led to a bit of a relapse. I started feeling a little icky again, and put my head down on the table.
Well, this was apparently cause for alarm. They convinced me I needed to lie down on the kindergarten style mat they had dragged out for me. This was in the middle of the foyer of the main building at work, so people were walking past me on the way to the bank, etc. But they came back with the fan and cold cloths, and that was nice, and I was starting to feel much better again. However, apparently when someone goes down on the floor, they have to call the EMT's.
At first, the doctor from the medical office showed up. I could understand that, it was just down the hall from where I was. Then the EMT's started showing up. First it was just one, taking my blood pressure. Then another one came, and decided I needed an oxygen mask. Then suddenly, the room was swarming with them. I wondered where they all came from and glanced outside. There was the ambulance and the fire truck. I don't recall being on fire, but it could have happened.
This was a high quality overreaction as only a government institution can do. When the EMT's asked me how I felt, I answered, "Silly." I was lying on the middle of the main building's floor, surrounded by medical personnel, wearing an oxygen mask and several bandages. They asked me drunk-test questions (name, rank, and ID number), many questions about my medical history, and hauled me off in a wheelchair(!) the 100 feet down the hall to the medical office. There, they tested my blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar, etc, all over again, went though a lot of paper work, and finally let me go. I caught the lab shuttle back to my office, and I've been just fine.
It was all extremely silly, but at least the EMT and doctor were cute.

Yeah, I'll go back to showing you knitting someday.

Attention World

My mom has a blog.

Go see her artwork, pictures of the animals and funny stories about Marigold.

And who knows, she might update more often than I do.

I'm not Irish, but....

I went to Notre Dame.

It's in an Irish drinking song, so it totally counts.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Lobbying Congress

Sorry guys, no knitting right now (though I did finish a pair of socks this week). I've been in DC lobbying in Congress for basic science funding. I am now very pessimistic about the entire way our government works, but at least I'm participating in the process (or contributing to the problem, either way). Here are some fun video clips to show what I've been up to.

What Lobbying Congress Looks Like

What a Lobbyist Looks Like

Capitol Hill, Both Sides Now

Botanical Garden - Orchids

Botanical Garden - the Jungle

Botanical Garden - Flowers in Quilts (which you guys might really appreciate)

Blurry Guys Dancing to the Annoying Song from Night at the Roxbury

Here's my awesome pic of the Capitol Dome with an early cherry blossom.

Here I am waiting for a client at the Mayflower Hotel.

Just kidding. But apparently I would be worth $1,224 an hour.

All other photos are here, but it's mostly me and the guys being silly at the Mayflower Hotel, which was only a few blocks from ours. They got drinks, but I didn't. Apparently everything is overpriced there.

Half a llama, twice the llama, llama, llama, duck

I have the llama song in my head.
Now you do too.
Don't say I never gave you anything.

New Disgusting News

Seriously, kids. This is gross.
So I've been having tons of complications since I got my wisdom teeth out about a month ago. Everyone told me how easy it would be, and they were wrong.
Finally, after all this frustration and swelling, I decided to go to a different oral surgeon. He decided he needed to slice me open to drain the area. But there was an unexpected surprise.
There was a piece of gauze. In me. Presumably since the surgery.
It was about half an inch or so long and probably worsted weight.
So then they had to dig around to make sure there wasn't anything else in there (luckily there was not). I now have open slice wounds in my mouth (so it can continue to drain), and I'm incredibly sore from all the poking and digging. It hurts through the Darvoset, which I am taking like candy.
Yeah. I have two pair of socks to show you (one finished about three weeks ago now), but I'm going back to bed to try to sleep this off.

Male Knitter Spotted

So I was working last night at the LYS, when a man (age 50?) came in unattended. I was surprised, but after hearing complaints from male knitters (Franklin and Meg's hubby), I was careful to treat him like he was there to knit.
And he was!
Well, he didn't stay and knit, but he certainly bought some sock yarn. He bought two skeins of two colorsways each of some Fortissima (I guess he has big feet), and some sport weight CTH once I told him about the sale table. The man knits, and he knits socks (though Meg claims all knitting guys just like to knit socks). Although in a new shop, I'd usually just wind up with sock yarn too, especially if it's on sale.
But male knitters do exist! Now I just need to catch a younger one that is interested in girls.

The Tooth Fairy So Owes Me (Fugly Friday)

I mean, I know I didn't save them and put them under my pillow or anything, but getting those wisdom teeth out yesterday was way worse than losing baby teeth. Tooth Fairy, we need to have a talk.

Despite my being a baby, it didn't go that badly. I had three total, only two needed out, one was impacted. I can't even feel the one that wasn't impacted at this point, but the lower one is a serious pain. Also, my cheeks are still puffy like a chipmunk. Other than the localized pain, I'm feeing just fine.

I thought I would do something tooth - related in honor of my dearly departed, but despite the prevalance of knitted body parts out there, it was surprisingly hard to find.

I found this, but it's actually pretty cute.

The best truly fugly tooth-related thing I could find was the Baby's First Teratoma, which includes teeth, but I enjoy it for the irony that is clearly intended.

So if you have something better, let me know. Otherwise I'm going to go back to being drugged up on the couch.

A Thousand Words

Some of you (Lorna) have been complaining that I haven't been blogging very much lately. This is true, and here's why.
Somewhere along the way, maybe it was after everyone got their really cool pictures up on ravelry, I became very self conscious about my photography. Maybe it's just my perception, but everyone seems to have gotten a lot better at it lately. It's no longer okay just to take a snapshot of what I've made, now I feel like I should live up to the standards of all you semi-pros out there.
On some level, this is crap. I'm a knitter, not a photographer. My crappy 3 year old blue light special digital camera and I just can't keep up with the megazoom slr's out there. But on the other hand, it's kind of one more step of finishing. I've gone through all the trouble to knit something awesome, and now I have to think of an awesome way to show it too. This is not my strong point.
I have socks, a bag, a dishcloth, some cat toys, and even a kitten-to-be to show you. I'm going to have to bite the bullet before I get too far behind. But still, if any of you want to offer photo tips for knits, I'd be more than happy to hear them.

Stop the silence, stop the violence

Kate rocks. She is funny, smart (an MD!), gorgeous, friendly, a whole hell of a lot of fun to be around, and she knows her knitting. Not only is she all that and a bag of chips, she's also one of the most courageous people I've ever known.
Kate is speaking out, as a survivor of sexual assault and abuse. And not only has she not crawled in a hole and hidden from the world for the rest of her life, she's also off residenting (I know that's not a real word, but I like it anyway) in psychiatry.
I am floored. I don't know how a human being can have that much strength. I really don't have the words to express it.
So I'm doing what I do best, and that's knit. Because after all, she deserves a damn scarf. I've yet to come up with the appropriate pattern and symbolism, and I doubt I ever will. But I'm going try, and I'm going to knit just the same.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time. It's time that, as a society, we step up and say this is not at all acceptable.
It's time to stop the violence.
And it's time to stop the silence.
One is not going to happen without the other. Kate is more than doing her part. Let's do what we can.
I know we knit for everything. We knit for breast cancer, we knit for poverty in all parts of the world, we knit for a friend that's having a bad day. Let's knit for this too.
Knit for Kate. Knit for the 1 in 4 women this will happen to at some point in their lifetimes. Email me at theoriesofstring[removethis]@gmail[removethis].com to start the campaign. I'm going to find a charity that supports survivors of abuse, and I'm going to start a drive for all sorts of knitted items.
Survivors of the world, you are not alone. We love you. We care. And we are going to put our needles where our mouths are.
And just to encourage you, everyone who contributes will get a reward, likely from my stash. (Not that you should need it, because this is a damn good cause anyway.)

Surprising Insight

From this weekend's entry in the Stitch 'n Bitch a Day calendar:
"Knit on, with confidence and hope, through all crises."
- Elizabeth Zimmerman
Amen, sister.

How did I not know this existed?

Ladies and gentleman, there is now - Loop-d-Loop crochet.
I must have this book. I must have it now. If just one pattern winds up being as cute and versitale as the celebrated Ballet T, or if the photography is as good as the last book, it will be utterly worth it. I'm so glad there are cute crochet books finally coming out. The lack of wearable crochet patterns was the reason I took up knitting in the first place.

Maybe this will be my reward if I pass my....

MASTER'S EXAM TOMORROW

Panic sequence has been initiated. Which is clearly why I'm trolling the blogs while(by which I mean, instead of) studying.