who's the fool?

Anyone who knows me in real life will tell you I am blunt and intolerant. I always think of myself as being someone who doesn't suffer fools. In fact, I've been secretly proud of it. But now I am not so sure. I've recently been taken aback by several folks who have announced that they don't suffer fools gladly. Hey, that's my line, I thought. And wait a minute, that's not the persona you present. One person just seems too nice to say such a thing. And in another case, I'm thinking: but you are such a fool, don't you see? At least this person comes across as someone I consider a fool. Someone I would have trouble working with or being closely related to. So how can this person say they don't suffer fools?

Oh dear, time for some introspection. I hope honest introspection, the only kind I want to think that I'm capable of.

• does everyone consider themself someone who doesn't suffer fools?
• what does it mean to not suffer fools?
• is it just that different folks have different lenses, different definitions of fools?
• or are we all fools, foolishly thinking we are intolerant of fools?
  

Wanna buy a horn?

Gulp. We just acquired a new used french horn and discovered that our old horn is not able to be fixed after we spent an arm and a leg on it. Sigh. So you don't want to buy my horn. How about buying some yarn? My biggest challenge this past week has been photographing it adequately. Everyone knows that monitors vary and cameras are imperfect with regard to color, but still, I wanted better. I've got about 8 skeins with photos that aren't too bad, so here goes.

Photos on flickr. They are a 100% Merino DK weight yarn. Spun like Aurora 8, very soft. Supposedly washable, but I'd caution care. Each skein is 4 ounces (except for a couple which are two 2 ounce skeins) approximately 290 yards. My green socks weigh 3.8 ounces.


I'm asking $18 per skein, plus $2 for shipping. Interested? Send me an email, address in my sidebar.

Cambridge woes

Franz's Cambridge Jacket, (Anne Budd, Interweave Knits Summer 2006). An update.

I am very happy with the body, happy with the crochet edging on the steek. And no, I haven't acquired a zipper nor have I cut the steek. I am stuck contemplating the sleeves. I hate the sleeves. I am having a hell of a time seaming the sleeves so that it looks nice. Side seams and the sleeve caps look fine. But the sleeves pucker and get all bunchy under the armpit. Sigh. I've unseamed and reseamed several times. Erika suggested something I hadn't thought of myself. Cut the sleeves at the cap and reknit downwards to the cuff in the round. Hmm. My first reaction was horror, but it might be a good idea. I should also point out that the sleeves are a tad too long to please Franz. So... I'm mulling it over. Perhaps I will get up the nerve to cut. There ought to be a way to cut just one stitch and unravel methodically and sanely from there.

Someday when I have lots of time and lots of patience and lots of sun.

There is no R in Warshington

And there's only one R in Kitchener! I was taken aback at Madrona how many people called it "kerchner." Susan, I am ready for tomorrow's fool-proof lesson in grafting.


See how well the stripes line up? Quite a lovely pair of matching socks, I must say.

Ready for a toe

I am caught up knitting the Seriatim sock, in fact, I have two socks waiting for tomorrow's Toe instructions. A pair of socks in less than a week. Before I show the pair, I need to explain.


See this? Genuine Bawneen Knitting wool. Genuine Fisherman's wool that is at least 40 years old. The label says it was spun for Merino Wool Co, 1140 Broadway, New York. No Zip Code. I have over two pounds of this wool, a craigslist purchase. While the photo shows some of the yarn still in its original package, much of it had been knit and unknit. Oh the stories it could tell. How many knitters have owned this lot? The woman I purchased it from had gotten it from Craigslist herself, so the provenance is unknown.

What to do with it? I haven't decided yet. The other day when Nancy suggested we resurrect our dyeing adventures, I grabbed a couple 2 ounce skeins of the Bawneen just to see how it would dye. I painted them boldly and separately. It was only afterwards that I thought about Susan's sock pattern. 4 ounces, just enough for a pair of socks. A Fraternal pair.

Seriatim

A little late, I started Susan's knit-along in honor of her remodeled blog: a serial pattern. Pattern calls for worsted weight yarn that knits to 5 stitches per inch. I am using a bit heftier yarn, some vintage báinín --- authentic Irish fisherman's wool--- I found on craiglist and dyed. It knits up nicely to 4 stitches per inch on US9s. Without a swatch or a care, I started these on US4s. This will be a thick, scratchy, stiff sock, just what I want to keep my feet warm while puttering around at home. Perhaps the tropical colors will add to the warmth factor.

I started the sock last night and expected to get caught up this afternoon. Alas, the problem with reading a pattern on-line: what to do when the power goes out? We lost power for just an hour or so, but it was that 'free' hour between running errands and starting dinner. So I'll have to knit the heel flap and pick up the gusset tonight.

Milestones

A year ago yesterday the solar panels were installed. As of noon today we've produced 2432 Kilowatthours, about half our annual electricity usage.










Our last backyard egg of 2006 was from Lucy on the Winter Solstice. This morning I noticed that Orpington's crest was looking a little more perky and red. Could this be a sign that she was getting ready to lay again? Yes. Let's hope the other girls follow the leader.

Sitemeter told me someone found my blog googling on Orpington lavender eggs. Our Buff Orpington lays brown eggs.











I just finished my first triangular shawl. A shawlette; I knit fewer repeats than called for and it's blocking to about 48 inches across, 25 inches deep. The Spinner's Shawl by Evelyn Clark, in hand-spun, kettle dyed Corriedale I purchased at Madrona from one of the small local vendors. The pattern is a garter stitch shawl. As you can see, I made it stockinette. Will explain more once I get a post-blocking shot.

Someone else found my blog searching for house of flying daggers shawl pattern. What an interesting idea for a shawl. I can just see it now, an interlocking dagger motif with a feather edging. As far as I can tell (by googling on the same phrase with quotes around it) no such pattern exists. yet.

Saturday Sky

7:00 AM sky with two bad pixels

Got up early for a Saturday to get The Nerd to a local high school for the A.C.T. In spite of near brushes this week with the Flu and the Norovirus, he remained healthy for the big day. A relief.

conversation to make my weekend

Me: Zach, can you pick up your clean laundry and put it away, please?
Zach: I already did.