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.