April socks and showers

Here in the heart of it all we have been getting record rain falls. I only say it like that because that’s how our banks’ appraiser put it when he observed “minor dampness” in our future basement. In fact, he only had really awesome things to say about our future house. Everyone who goes through it says the same thing: “Wow, this house is actually kind of amazing. Not what I was expecting at all.” Which doesn’t offend me any- it’s a grower not a shower.

This record rain fall has made it pretty damn hard for me to take a picture of April’s socks. But I want you to witness- they happened. They exist and are a real thing. Maybe they look familiar to you? That’s because I gave up on them in a frustrated rage a year (or so) ago. Why? Because I fucked up. I mean, there’s no other way of putting this one. I made a big mistake and it wasn’t one I could just ‘walk off’ if you will. (Get it, because they’re socks and you walk in them? Save me from myself, someone, please!)

I did the exact wrong stitch down at the bottom there. Well here it was, a week before April was going to end and I was like, oh crap, socks! I need a sock. So I decided to make a mate to one of my orphan socks and was like, screw it, I’ll just leave it all messed up looking and just make a second sock.

When it came time to making the sock though, I couldn’t purposely mess it up to match the other one. It looked too good the right way. So, against my normal will and philosophy of ‘fuck it, whatever’ I actually went back and fixed the first broke ass sock. Are you proud of me society? You better be.

I love sitting on stairs. Is there anyone else out there who understands this weird love of mine? I’ll just sit at the top of the stairs and hang out a few minutes sometimes. Think about random things. Sometimes I ask John to sit next to me and have a conversation for a few minutes. He’s such a sweet guy, John. He obliges most, if not all, of my weird requests/whims/fancies.

One summer when I was growing up my cousins were visiting from Minnesota. Which was pretty odd- they never came here, I usually went there. But I remember they were babysitting me at one point and we seemed to get bored really easily that summer. So they devised a ‘roller coaster’ for me that basically involved me sitting in a milk crate on a blanket that they pushed down the stairs. I think they put a bike helmet of me for good measure. But that roller coaster never came to its full potential for whatever reason.

Actually I was a a fan of that summer because one of my cousins taught me how to pick the locks in the house using bobby pins. Another one of them blew out my dad’s stereo.

Say hi to your mother for me.

My super red hat

So I’ve actually got some knitting content! I know, right? I mean, you’d think, hey it’s freaktastically cold outside, why aren’t you knitting up a storm? Well, since I always have an excuse on hand, this time is that it’s cold so I don’t want to move. Moving sucks. It takes all this energy that I just don’t have. I guess it would only make sense to make a hat then.

Shazam! It’s the Snowboard Hat That Rocks and I made it in an amazingly red (and soft!) Cascade Alpaca. I do like it, although it’s a little goofy. I made it with just one ball of the eco-alpaca and I shortened up the hat a little bit. It called for four repeats of the cable pattern but I only did three because otherwise it would have been ridiculously tall and then we would have had another pope-hat occurrence.

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This was my first time doing ‘real’ cables. I’ve done cables before but they were all pretty self contained. These cables mixed with each other and it was cool. It took me a while to get used to it and I had to undo a good deal of it because I did it right but my tension was a little too, er, strained… however, I really like how nice they look! So much so that my next project has even ‘realer’ cables. Which I’m confident about now but I haven’t gotten to the part with the cables yet so I’ll start crying later.

In the original you’re supposed to do a braid and I’ve seen people add like an i-Cord edging or crocheted border. However I’d have to crack into my other ball to do that and I’d really rather turn that other ball into another hat. So while this could use some finishing and probably needs it… I’m not so sure. Still, I really like this hat. If only for the fact that it’s so brazenly red.

Make one today! I strongly endorse it

Two Cookies, no fat

You really can’t listen to anything I say. When I say I won’t post in November because I’m writing, well that’s a lie. Because once I announce anything to the World that automagically kills it. My life is amazing like that. I can’t post a book I’m reading on Goodreads or I suddenly become illiterate. I can’t tell you all about upcoming projects or I’ll probably accidentally set fire to all my yarn or something. *ohdeargodnoknockonwood*

I have a sweet internet buddy who I’m friends with on Ravelry. She made some super sexy mitts so I messaged her and when she messaged back she asked, still no wips?

Well crap, I guess not. Everything I’ve worked on has been dormant or it’s super quick and not really a work in progress so much as just happening. However I did finally bind off on a new sock and it was a new technique and everything. Elizabeth Zimmerman’s sewn bind off. Which I heard from Michelle, the sock queen, is a good way to bind off your toe up socks. Who knew?

Leaving me with two Cookie A. socks. Both without mates and they’re probably not going to get them any time soon. On the left is Rick, which I started this summer but got bummed out on. On the right is my recently finished Hedera. While I love the pattern and I love the Cherry Tree Hill yarn, I don’t think the two sit well with each other.

Plus the two together make me think of Christmas and the knitting I should do for that which makes me want to barf.

Also thanks a lot Fall for making the sun go away so early so I can’t get any good pictures outside anymore.

I did finish my first gift… but it’s for my mom and since she’s kind of picky about things, I probably won’t give it to her since it’s huge and she’s tiny and she probably won’t like it. FAIL.

Since I’ve never seen my mom wear a hat in the Winter, I decided to make her a head band. Well I restarted this sucker a few times because it was HUUUUGGGGGEEE. Even modified it’s still freaking gigantic. However, the Malabrigo was nice to work with, despite it being wool and the pattern is cool: Calorimetry. That is, if you’re into huge ass head bands. Which I think I kind of am. Huh.