Adventures in Sock Knitting

Sock knitting has been one of the things that I’ve always been most intrigued as well as most intimidated by since I learned to knit.  I’ve tried to knit a simple sock on a few occasions and have failed rather spectacularly.  I’ve always been terrified at the thought of a toe up sock – the top down was more than difficult enough for me.  So I got this New Pathways for Sock Knitters book out of the library a few months ago (I’ve renewed it twice now; I really need to buy my own copy) to check it out.  I was so impressed with the Coriolis sock that I was emboldened to try it even though I was sure I was going to fail just as horribly as I have in the past.  I did the practice sock since I hadn’t knit on 2 circs before and even though I’ve done several things with Magic Loop, I didn’t want to deviate from the instructions at all since I knew I was going to be intimidated enough to begin with.

I used Socks that Rock Medium Weight in the color Hot Flash which I bought as a gift for a friend (I was going to knit her something with it) that I never got around to doing.  I thought the color was WAY too pink and bright and I really didn’t like it much – until I wound it and realized that it was actually a gorgeous color.  I started a pair of Monkey socks with the yarn, but frogged it when I decided to try the Coriolis socks.  I decided to use the Spiraling Coriolis master pattern and got started.

What I’ve discovered is that toe-up socks are much easier for me than their top-down counterparts and that sock knitting is not the frightening concept that I thought it was.  It took me about two weeks of working a few hours a night to finish sock #1.  The biggest problem I had was binding off in a way that made the sock go over my foot.  After tearing out several different B.O. methods, I settled on Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Sewn Bind-off, and that worked for me.  I just finished the heel turn on the second sock (no “second sock syndrome” here) and I’m hoping to have the pair done before I leave in a few weeks for three weeks in CA with Jake, visiting my mother and going to the David Cook concert (which I’m so excited about I’m like a 14 year old teeny-bopper….mmmm….David Cook).

The thing that I found most intimidating was the short rows with the wrap and turn and then concealling the wraps as well.  I think I’ve finally mastered it, though, or at least it’s not so scary for me.  I think the heel turn is my favorite part of sock knitting; there’s something magical about it to me.  I simply love sock knitting and now I completely understand why there are people who are so obsessed with it.  I love having a project that is small enough to take anywhere, yet interesting enough to keep my mind occupied.

What I really need to do is to get back to spinning.  I look at my wheel every day and I never seem to find the time or energy to pull out fiber and spin.  I think I’ll take the wheel with me to CA.  I’m sure I’ll find time at Mom’s house to get some spinning done.  I have some great bamboo batts from Loop that are deep brown, scarlet red and amber colored bamboo in layers.  I have 15 oz. of it and I think I’d like to spin it to fingering weight in a 2 ply and then make a shawl for myself out of it.  We’ll see how that goes since I’ve never spun bamboo before.  Maybe I should grab some bamboo in a single color that I don’t love as much as these batts and give it a go first.  Any hints/tips on spinning bamboo would be appreciated.

Reverse needle snobbery

This seems like a fairly simple statement, and I guess it is. I’ve had a kind of reverse needle snob thing happen to me tonight. When I first started teaching myself to knit, I bought the most inexpensive aluminum needles that Michael’s had to offer. When I realized that I was going to like knitting and want to continue at it, I went back and bought needles in every size in the assorted color metal (aluminum, I believe) kind. This was before I knew anything at all about the world of knitting; I was such a “babe in the woods” that I had spent the whole 15 years of my crocheting career thus far using the acrylic yarns that I could buy from Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Meijer’s, Wal-Mart etc. I thought, when I discovered TLC Brand Amore (the boucle yarn in gorgeous colors that they have), that I had discovered the pinnacle of yarn. It was fuzzy, but not like those eyelash yarns that I saw there that scared me so much, and it was so soft and the skeins were 6 oz. (didn’t yet think in terms of yards). I had hit the fiber jackpot here. Okay, that was a bit of a tangent, and I still do really like that yarn for a quickly knitted or more likely crocheted (I still much prefer to get out the hooks than then needles when it’s a blanket that I’m going to be working on) blanket where you just work mindlessly back and forth until it’s as long as you want it. Back to my point, though…

Right after I managed to put together a few decent rows of knits and purls; my first scarf was barely off the needles, I decided that what I really wanted to do with my knitting was to knit socks. That seemed like the pinnacle of knitting to me. Who doesn’t want hand knitted socks? So I did sock knitting research and my next purchase were double pointed needles in the same multi-colored metal as the straights. I wasn’t even going to touch those crazy circular needles at this point. That happened when I bought the Denise set on Ebay (A descent into the madness that is an obsession with having the best working interchangeable set out there…I’m still waiting for the Addi set…again I digress). So now I have these needles and yet I somehow never try the sock knitting. The DPN’s, I find, are quite long and pointy and seem really frightening somehow. Nope, I think to myself, I don’t want to mess with those. Then I got the Denise set and I swore that I wasn’t going to mess with those DPN’s. I could learn 2 circs. or Magic Loop and I wouldn’t have to worry at all. Next I discovered the wonder that is bamboo needles instead of the metal ones. Hallelujah!! So much easier to work with – things stopped always sliding off. So I bought a huge mixed lot of bamboo needles on Ebay not long after I tried my first one. In the lot were a few pairs of bamboo DPNs. I put them aside until a project came up that I, for some reason, didn’t have the circs. to use; maybe it was something knitted on needles smaller than a U.S. size 4. I don’t know why I can’t remember what the project was. It’s driving me nuts…I’m sure I’ll wake up in the middle of the night (it is the middle of the night) and remember it…I’ll write it down. Anyway, I dug out the DPNs, screwed up my courage, did a bunch of reading of websites and went to Knitting Help a half a dozen times to watch it done, and then I finally cast on for that mystery project. Long story short, after some initial wrangling, swearing, throwing balls of yarn etc., I discovered that I really liked knitting on DPNs. For awhile I found small little things I could make using the DPNs, I knit a lot of hats and put the stitches on DPNs before they really needed to be b/c I’m a dork like that. J

Time moved on and I got better at different techniques, but I never did knit those socks. I tried on the DPNs once, but it was an unmitigated disaster. The pattern was Jaywalkers by Grumperina and I don’t remember exactly what happened, but it was bad. I moved on and used mostly Magic Loop if I had to do anything with a small circumference. I don’t think I ever really got over my fear of DPNs. I loved using them to end projects or even work in the middle, but I stayed away from small things that needed to start with a small number of stitches, or I used the long circular for them. I ordered the Knit Picks Harmony sock knitting DPN kit and I’m working on the Monkey socks, which has lessened my fear of both small DPNs and sock knitting, which is good. So I’m working on the second A Little Twist wrist warmer for my mother and I don’t have a cable with my Options sets that is long enough to Magic Loop that hasn’t had the cable come unattached from the little silver housing. No Magic Loop this time. So I dug out the old box I had put all my DPNs in during an organization kick; I wasn’t going to be using them, after all, so why not put them up? I grabbed the bamboo needles in the right size and got out the yarn. The biggest annoyance I had with the DPNs came rushing back to me: The yarn always “stuck” to the needles and I had to take the time to push everything along constantly. I worked through the first pattern repeat this way, knitting looser and looser until my gauge in just those 6 or 7 rows was crazy. I frogged the pathetic mess and went back to the box to look for a smoother set of needles but the only other thing I had in size 8 were those old, long, scary metal DPNs from ages ago. I don’ t think I’d even used them other than to practice learning circular knitting when I was still learning to knit. It was not a good experience, IIRC, and I wasn’t anxious to use them. The thought of going on with the bamboo needles, though, was too annoying, and I would never do something as normal as say, maybe I should work on the socks if this project is becoming such a nightmare. Work on the socks now and the wrist warmers when we get home where the rest of my knitting needles and notions are (we’re at the old house this week getting things packed up and cleaned before the foreclosure finishes going through and we’re locked out. It would suck to not have the rest of my clothes, books and most importantly yarn and fiber.) So I grabbed the needles and the yarn and cast on while watching TV. Guess what?! I LOVE THESE DPNs!!! The Malabrigo moves like butter over these needles and they are just long enough that the looser stitches from the beginning don’t constantly slide off. I do have to admit that I tried a little “cheat” for joining in a circle here: I knit the first three rows of the pattern flat and then joined in the round in the fourth row. We’ll see how that comes out before deciding if I’m going to do it again. It didn’t really alleviate the stress of joining, just b/c there’s already a little knitting there doesn’t stop it from trying to pull apart, leaving a ladder, at the joining point etc. Again, we’ll see how it comes out.

I’ve gone on WAY too long to just have told one little story re: DPN’s. I’m very chatty tonight, it seems. I think it’s the combination of pain meds. and penicillin for this tooth that needs to be pulled. Ah well, thanks for listening to me ramble. The move is coming along nicely. Not with much help from me, though, I’m afraid. I’ve been in mind altering, brain numbing pain on and off with this tooth ache. It’s the worst pain I’ve ever endured, childbirth excluded b/c that’s a class all to itself. We were planning to be done yesterday morning, but this has slowed things way down. I’m hoping to be able to accomplish a lot more tomorrow. I plan to work on the Twists (as I call them for short) for a little longer and watch and episode of Doctor Who before going to bed and will get back to the Monkey socks when I get home. The Twists will become my travelling pattern and stay with me at all times. I hope to have it cranked out before going back to CA in late March. If it’s not, I have a serious slow knitting problem. I just have to remember that I can’t start new projects until old ones are finished. The only knitting I’ve done in the last few days is related to the Twists. I swatched and then played with needles for two days and now I’m finally getting into really knitting them. So I’m off to warm up a Sloppy Joe from dinner for a snack and then get back to the good Doctor and Miss Martha Jones.

Spooky Little Pirates and First Yarns

Last night was so much fun!  I was worried that Jake wouldn’t get into the spirit of Halloween, but boy was I wrong.  We went costume shopping and he chose an adorable pirate costume.  We went out to lunch (which he ate all of, for a change) and came home and carved pumpkins.  That was an adventure, too.  Jake kept grabbing the carving tools and stabbing the back of the pumpkin with them.  LOL  After we finished carving, we got Jake into his costume and took off early to trick or treat.  It was supposed to rain later in the evening, but the sky was looking darker and darker, so we chose to take him early.  We left about 5 pm and it was still light out, but there were already a few of the littler kids out.  We didn’t go out for long, only about 45 minutes, but it was great fun.  Jake rang all the doorbells (that he could reach) by himself and he remembered to say Trick or Treat at almost every house.  He was also very polite, saying thank you and Happy Halloween to everyone.   After we came home was when the real fun started for him, though.  His favorite part of Halloween wasn’t the dressing up, or even the candy, it was helping answer the door and give out candy when other kids came.  He got such a big kick out of the costumes and seeing all the kids. Once he even tried to leave with a group of kids; it was adorable.  He was really upset when it was time to call it a night and go to bed.

After Jake went to bed I had my own little Halloween treat.  Not a candy treat, but a fibery one.  First I got three packages in the mail:  my hand dyed silk hankies (gorgeous), some Wesleyndale (I think I spelled that right) fiber that’s undyed for a fun Kool-aide project and a gorgeous package of merino top in shades of spring green.  YUMMY.  The best part was that the “aha” moment of spinning hit me.  I realized that my drafting had improved tremendously and that my singles were more consistent than they have ever been.  I took the singles I’d been spinning off my spindle and I grabbed some singles that I spun a few weeks ago.  It was time for a plying experiment.  I tried the “handy plying” method and it worked fairly well.  It’s not the prettiest yarn in the world, but the singles weren’t very pretty to begin with.  It’s still drying with weight on it as it’s a bit overspun even in its plied state, but I’m still proud of it.  Pictures to follow when we finally find the digital camera.  It can only get better from here.

First Knit Night

Hello all my little pretties…LOL  I attended my first knit night tonight at Barnes and Noble in Battle Creek.  What a blast it was!!!  I’d been planning to go for a few months now and for one reason or another I’ve always missed the night.  Tonight, TJ watched Jake so Nan and I could go together.  It was enlightening; I learned things, I met people and I had a really good time.  It’s been so long since I’ve gone out and done something social and I’m proud of myself!!

The best part of the night, other than the camaraderie, was actually learning to spin.  YAY!!!   Shannon, how odd is it that my spinning mentor/new friend also has my name (I guess I have hers since she’s older…LOL), taught me to spin with a spindle that she made (check out her selection in her etsy shop, she does amazing work.) after telling me that a part of the problem I’ve been having is that the spindle that I’ve been using is made with a toy wheel for the whorl which is generally not a good choice for a useful spindle.  This spindle is not only gorgeous (picture to come once we find the digital camera.  Who loses their digital camera in their house?!?!) but it spins like a dream.  Huge difference between it and my old one.  The old ones are pretty, though, so they will become display pieces; I don’t like to waste pretty things.  I immediately fell in love with the spindle and asked her how much for it.  What did she say?  “Keep it.”  Can I tell you I love this chick?!  It was such a sweet gesture to someone she just met and it’s a most useful gift.  Her spindles are so light that they spin beautifully.  Tonight I spun both the wool that I brought as well as some very soft, very light merino/silk that she was working on and I was amazed with the ease that I picked the skills up with after struggling so long.  Don’t get me wrong, I still have a LONG way to go:  I tend to spin in different directions and I have a problem with letting the twist go up into the roving as well as matting it as I draft, but I’ll get the hang of it.  Really, you should check out her store if you’re in the market for a spindle, they rock.

I’m thinking very strongly about joining the South Central Knitting Guild now as well.  Most of the people there tonight were from the guild, so it was an easy choice.  I liked everyone and had a great time, why not get together with them twice a month instead of just once?  I also think that Nan might have been talked into trying to learn to knit, maybe.  She also seems to be interested in learning to spin.  I knew I’d “get” her sooner or later.  Crochet was just the gateway drug; knitting is the hard stuff.

Night y’all, I’m off to spin me some purple and green yarn!!!

The Fall of the House of Dwire

Jacob is sick. My poor little guy hasn’t really been sick much at all in his life, so he has no clue what’s going on. The few times he’s been sick it’s been mostly stomach related, so he knows about throwing up. This is the first time he’s really had a stuffed up nose and cough; he did have a stuffed up nose/cough once when he was about 5 months old, but he clearly doesn’t remember that. He doesn’t get that he can’t use his foo-foo (pacifier) when he can’t breathe through his nose; it just doesn’t work.

TJ is finally starting to feel a little better after his week on antibiotics.  I feel like I might be starting to get sick, too.  We’re falling apart here in Kalamazoo…LOL

Last night he woke up over and over again, crying and moaning b/c he thought he had something in his nose.  Of course there wasn’t much I could do about it.  We got him some PediaCare today and that seems to be helping him to some extent.  He’s sleeping now, if somewhat restlessly.  I hope he’s feeling better soon; it just breaks my heart to see him desperately trying to pick whatever it is that’s keeping his nose plugged, when there is nothing there for him to pick.

On the knitting front, I’m making good progress with the scarf for my swap partner.  I had to rip it back to fix stitches that were wrong.  It was scary to purposely rip back those stitches being that it’s lace I’m working with.  I managed to pull those stitches back (it turned out to be four stitches; two on each side; in total) and turn them around and then work the stitches back up to the top.  Kind of a new skill for me.  I contemplated just frogging the whole thing and starting over, but I’m into the second repeat (not far for most, but this is my first lace project) and I don’t want to start over.  I’ve discovered something interesting about my taste in needles from this.  I’ve always thought I hated the “old fashioned” aluminum needles.  I mostly use bamboo or my Denise Interchangeable set.  In this case, though, the bamboo needles were annoying so I ripped it out and I started over with the old needles.  I love them!!  I love the noise they make when I knit, I love the feel of them in my hands – much more substantial, I also love the way the yarn slides on the needles.  I think I need to get me a set of Knit Picks Options to replace or at least to go with my Denise set.  Unfortunately, I have a very small store of aluminum needles; I gave them away when I got my first bamboo set. I’m going to have to replace them now…:)

New skills and a bag of “sticks”

I love the feeling of learning something new and actually “getting it”.  I’ve played with the idea of  2 circs for doing small circular pieces rather than using dpn’s in the past, and I’ve even managed, while reading directions step by step to actually eek out a small tube.  This time, though, something just clicked for me.  I used this site, both times actually, and I don’t know what was different now, maybe I just have a lot more experience now or something, but  it just made sense to me.  I knit a small (6 rounds or so) tube to make sure I had it down, bound off and voila! a tube.  There was a little bit of laddering at one of the seams (the beginning edge) but not too bad and the other seam was invisible.  I don’t hate dpn’s, I actually kind of like them, but not for socks.  I’m still so unsure about socks.

I was planning to take a sock knitting class at my LYS, so I haven’t been playing with socks at all.  I decided that I wanted to learn with no preconceived ideas so that I would learn correctly.  Plans change though.  I got a call from Threadbare, LYS in Lansing, that the classes with Annie Modesitt I wanted to take had spaces opened up.  Can we all say SQUEE?!?!?  So I’m dropping the sock class to take the combination knitting and color work classes with Annie.  She is so my knitting hero (one of them anyway); the only thing I can think of that would compare would be a class with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee or Vickie Howell.  I’m still hopeful about those possibilities one day as well.    The classes are next weekend and I just can’t wait to meet her.

Honestly, though, the 2 circ method won’t be doing me any good anytime soon.  I have have have to get the X-mas knitting done.  Patterns have been chosen (haven’t I said this before?) for sure; TJ sat down with me with the yarn choices I have and the pattern book and helped me pick and write down who was getting what with what yarn.  I still have to buy the yarn for one of the choices though; Threadbare here I come…LOL  I’m not going to name names re: who’s getting what, not that any of the recipients would look up the patterns, they’re not like that, but still… One of the giftees is getting the Trellis and Vine shawl/wide scarf in ?? (this is the one I’m not sure of the yarn yet) and the Falling Water scarf in Peruvian Baby Silk.   The other recipient is getting the Rambling Leaves Shawl, also in Baby Silk and the Branching Out scarf; I don’t have a yarn chosen for this yet either.   There are other gifts that I’ll be making but those are the big ones.  As soon as I’ve got that stuff done, though, I’m going to be all about the socks on circs and the Magic Loop method of knitting.

I’m so far behind on my email (talk about no segue way at all).  I’ve stayed away from anything and everything not completely related to knitting on line since the new Harry Potter book came out.  I’m not taking any chances at all on being spoiled with any aspect of this book.  I really hope nothing hugely important is there.  I’m around 300 pages in and I’m LOVING this book. I’m just so sad that I’m going to be done with the series after this.  SOB!!!  I want to read like 10 pages a day so that it will last longer but it’s much too good for that.  The 300 pages is 2 days of reading.  I have the feeling I’ve got about a day and half left. 

The bag of sticks is all about the dum-dum suckers.  Jacob is in love with them since he was given one at the bank.  He calls them sticks and he’s asking for them all the time.  The look of joy on his face when he gets one and discovers that it’s a flavor he hasn’t had before is worth the sugar rush he gets and the ensuing running about like a mad man.  It’s always so great to see joy spread slowly over that handsome little face.

Home Alone Wednesday

Tj and Jake have left to go up north for the weekend.  My Sleep Apnea is making it too difficult for me to do much up there to be useful and with my mother-in-law up there things are even more crazy than usual.  There is much work to be done and Jacob will be running around like crazy and I just don’t have the energy right now to  chase him which becomes a dangerous situation.  Between my insomnia and my lack of any real sleep when I do finally fall asleep, I just can’t handle being up there.  I’m bummed to be home alone (again), which I used to just love, but I keep telling myself that as soon as they find the right machine to fix this, life will be a whole lot better.  I’ve heard so many stories about people who get on the machines for the apnea and their lives change so dramatically:  so much more energy than before, so much more drive, just a better quality of life.  That’s what I want.  Went to Dr. M yesterday.  somehow, I’ve gained 10 lbs. in the last month…how the f*&k did that happen?!?!  Other than that, I’m doing well.  Blood pressure is good, back is doing well etc.  We’re getting ready to start weaning off the pain meds, which I’ve wanted to do for the last 6 months or so.  If I can get this apnea under control, I could have a “normal” life again.

I’m making progress on Fifi, but I’ve made some small mistakes that I’ve chosen to leave alone.  I added an extra straight knitting round when it should have been a staggered cable row.  I had put a lifeline in the knitted row, though, so I didn’t want to TINK it and i just left it.  I hope it doesn’t cause too much of a problem in the long run.

The patterns for the X-mas shawls have changed and are settled.  One of them will be the Forest Canopy Shawl done in elann.com Peruvian cashmere and the other is the Rambling Leaves Shawl which I’ll be doing in elann.com Peruvian Baby Silk.  I hope that they are loved, b/c I’m putting love into making them.  I think I might have to put Fifi aside for a little while (a few days) and swatch these two shawls  to make sure that the yarn will work, which it should since the patterns were recommended with the yarn.  I’m so excited about working on these shawls.  I’m nervous about it at the same time, though.  I’ve never really knit any lace before and I want to get this right.  I also have my scarf swap buddy to knit for but I’m not sure what to knit for her.  I guess I’ll have to email her again and see if she’ll get more specific with me re: her likes/dislikes.  I’m thinking of doing something with the alpaca/silk or maybe the left over hana silk, but it’s SO pink and I don’t know if she’d like that.  Maybe I’ll do something with the wool that I got from Uruguay (did I spell that right?) or maybe one of my Louisa Harding yarns.  The Impressions and the Kimono Angora are both beautiful.  I’m thinking maybe a simple lace pattern to get some practice, since I’ve been downloading and saving tons of scarf patterns for X-mas presents for the ‘fringe’ people in the family.  For Mom I’m thinking of adding a few decorative felted boxes/baskets/bowls for the house.  That seems like something that she’d like, I hope.  My mother, OTOH, I’m still at a total loss about.

We’re talking again, btw.  That makes me so happy!!!  I didn’t think it would matter so much; I thought that I was so angry about the whole thing that I didn’t give a crap, but clearly the mother/daughter bond is a lot stronger than I thought it was.  That makes me happy.  I’ve spent so much time feeling estranged from my parents and Dad is gone so there’s nothing I can do about that, but Mom is still here and I want to make the most of that.   Since having Jacob I realize just how important family is.  I’ve really enjoyed having good talks with my Aunt Marian the last few days.  I feel really close to her now.  I miss being close with the rest of the family.  I have so much fun when I’m in CA visiting.  I think I’d go crazy with it all the time, but two weeks to a month is like being in the heart of something great; something that I can connect to.  I want Jake to have those kinds of connections.  I want him to have the childhood that I didn’t b/c my mother had to work so hard to keep everything going.  She had so much put on her shoulders, so much responsibility, that it wasn’t easy for her to find time to do the “fun mom stuff”.  I’m determined to make that kind of time for Jacob; I want him to have great memories of his childhood.  that’s not to say that I don’t; I was a very much loved child and I never wondered if I was loved…well, with my dad…but that’s a different story and we worked through that before he died.  I think that I’m so obsessed with the concept of “normal” family b/c my upbringing was a bit unconventional.  The problem with this is that I have no idea what “normal family” means and I think I may be striving for a concept rather than something real.

I’m off to waste a few hours on Ravelry (I’m so addicted to it, it’s not even funny) and then I’ll probably swatch the Forest Canopy shawl after printing out the pattern and reading it over like 5 times.  I’m obsessive like that.  I have learned, through Fifi, that lifeline is the key word in any kind of knitting that involves something big with a stitch pattern (lace, cables etc.) that are hard to rip back and get back on the needles decently.  I feel kind of like I’m copping out on Fifi by putting it aside, especially b/c it’s a knit-along, but if I don’t get the shawls done, I’m right and truly screwed.  Kalamazoo Mommy, I hear you saying, it’s not even August, X-mas is still 5 months away.  Good point, but if you know me, I’m not the quickest knitter and this is all new skills, so better safe than late.  Can you just see me coming to X-mas dinner and saying, “sorry I’m going to have to give you your gifts at a later time and date as they aren’t done yet.” Yeah, I don’t think that would go over too well.

Night Y’all!!

Magic Loop, I love you!!

Is that weird?  To love a knitting technique.  I don’t think so.  It’s something that I’ve been thinking about trying for awhile, but I’ve been afraid to.  I haven’t mastered the 2 circs. technique, and I thought that it would make Magic Loop even harder for me to do.  Not so bad, though.  I didn’t do a great job with it, of course, but it didn’t bite me in the ass, either.  there is something magical about it, too.  It’s a little complicated to remember which thing to pull and which to use, but I know I’ll get the hang of it.  I have a felted bowl that’s been on hold forever b/c I didn’t have the right size DPN for the project, but now that I can use the ML technique, I can finally finish and felt it.  I’m especially happy b/c i also have patterns for felted baskets and bowls and I know they all will need small circumference knitting and while I don’t mind the dpn’s, I’d rather avoid them when possible.  I can’t seem to eliminate the ladders no matter how hard I try.  I think, thanks to Ravelry’s groups and the Magic Loop group in particular, I’ve given in and am ready to give up the DPN’s and the straights and use only my circulars.  They are much easier to wrangle and they don’t get lost as easily and as much as I love my bamboo straights, they are all a bit warped at this point.  Besides, there’s a kit out there with bamboo circulars; I already have plastic (Denise Interchangeable)   and metal (Boye Needlemaster) and I’m about to order the Options set which is nickle plated.  I have every set available…LOL

Fifi is back on track.  I’m about to start the increases again.  It’s taken forever and a lot of heartache to get this far, but I’m confident that it will go well now.  We’ll see, I guess.

Still no word from the medical supply people.  I WANT MY CPAP NOW!!! I’m so fucking tired all the time, it’s killing me.  I sleep far too much and never feel rested at all.  ARGH.  This can’t happen soon enough for me.

On a funny note, today I was sitting on the bed, Raveling (is that the right term?) and Jacob looks at me and says “You stay right here, I be right back,” he goes to the door, opens it, looks back at me and says “Now you behave”.  He had the sternest look on his face when he said that; he was mimicing me telling him that when I leave him alone in the bedroom for a few minutes.  If only only could have seen his face, it was so serious. LOL

Night Y’all

I’m not lazy, just really tired…

I got the results of my sleep study today. Turns out I do have sleep apnea, a fairly serious case at that. During the night of my sleep study, I stopped breathing an average of 23 time per hour. Horrifying. My oxygenation level drops to about 80% which didn’t sound so bad to me, but apparently isn’t good at all. I go in tomorrow night for another sleep study; this one with the CPAP on. The goal is to find the setting and machine that work best to keep me from having these problems. Apparently, the reason I wake up as much as I do during the night is the apnea; it’s my body’s way of keeping me safe from the lack of oxygen. I tend, apparently, to wake up at least briefly 4 or 5 times a night; no wonder I’m tired all the freaking time, I get no real deep sleep at all. Hopefully this CPAP thing will change my life, or at least make me feel slightly more rested.

It’s been fun having Nan here. Jake has really enjoyed having her here; they’ve rebonded in a way that is just so cute to watch. He’s hugging and kissing her and going to her as easily as he used to. I think that makes her very happy, it makes me happy. TJ will be taking her back up north tomorrow night. I’m sad; this visit was much too short!! We’re having a really good time. Tomorrow afternoon we’re going to take Jake to see Shrek 3 (his first theater movie) and then out for ice cream. Yummy fun!

Fifi is coming along nicely. I got through the first 7 1/2 rounds last night. It’s not a lot, but I feel rather accomplished. When I first picked it up, I thought that I had lost stitches somehow and was going to have to frog it and start over, that would not have made my day. I got it figured out and back to work. I had a bit of a “moment” when I got to the first increase row that told me to increase and “work in established pattern” around. I wasn’t sure what that meant in terms of the purls at the beginning of every section. I figured it out, though. I’m on the cabling part, 1st round, and couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to do it without a cable needle no matter how many times I read the pattern, so I decided to just go ahead and use the cable needle. Even that is a new experience for me, though. A rather tedious experience, I must admit. So far I’m really enjoying working on this pattern and I’m going to have a few hours tomorrow night to work on it at the sleep study and then a few nights at home while TJ is gone up north (without me again). I’m hoping to get a lot done b/c I really need to start on the lace shawls and scarves for X-mas before too long. I still plan to do the Red Carpet Convertible pattern as well, but probably not as a KAL – not enough time for that.

Off to bed. Night y’all.

Fifi Day 5 and a visitor

I did it!!  Now don’t get all excited, I didn’t make my goal of 5 rows of Fifi..that would be something, wouldn’t it?!?  I did get it cast on (finally) and got the first 2 rows done.  I love this pattern so far.  I’m going to be up north next week, no internet, no tv etc.  I have the feeling that I’ll get quite a bit of work done then.

Things I’ve learned thus far:  I REALLY am not a fan of the cable cast on; it’s tedious and a bit of a pain in the butt.  It does, however, make a nice edge for the piece.  Also, the 24″ needle was MUCH too big for me to knit on.  I had to go down to the 17″ needle in order for it to be comfortable to move things around the needle.  I can’t help but wonder if there’s something wrong with my knitting style.  LOL

Nan is coming to visit us for a few days.  I’m so excited to have my friend here.  I’ve missed her.  Then we’re going to Lake City to get the trailer finished – major cleaning from the move out to be done.   It’s a lot of work, but necessary and even without AC we’ll get through it.  Until then, though, I’m sure we’ll have a blast with Nan here.  We’re going to go swimming and shopping and just generally have a good time.  Maybe we’ll even take Jake to see Shrek 3 while she’s here.  That would be fun for all of us.  I still question, though, whether or not Jake is old enough for a theater.

Night Y’all.