Command Central

Where the action happens......you have computer, headphones (kids are yelling and playing loud and I have to listen to lectures) remote (the tv is beside the computer, so often Dora and Power Rangers are blaring as I study Library 2.0. And when it is too much I can TURN IT OFF!) phone, stapler, lamps, notes and SOCK.

I am sure that this is not the learning environment that my professors expect, but this is the best I can do. The computer is in the middle of the main action room, which makes it easy to monitor little people from this spot. Problem is, they are also a constant interruption.

This is a sock for my 8 year old niece, the one who hates the seam in her socks and has worn the one pair I made her nearly DAILY since her birthday in September. I should be
finished with the mate to this by the end of the weekend. Footies for kids are FAST. Knitting while I listen and take notes seems to help my concentration....I am not an auditory learner, so having the knitting helps me to stay in the moment and listen. Otherwise I do tend to drift mentally.......

I had a lovely pep talk from a professor at John Tyler this week; I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with school and work and kids...she said that she felt like that in school too, but that it was totally worth it. I certainly hope so. At the preschool I am sure that I am the only one that works AND goes to school, and I may be one of two that even works. I do not see many people in my shoes and it can be pretty isolating--especially when I get down and tired and have too much schoolwork to do, and no time or energy to complete it!!!!!

Anyone else want to give me a pep talk? I could really use another!

(To be fair, the last two days I have really knocked out some assignments and I feel much more positive about completing the semester. I had even briefly considered dropping a class I was so overwhelmed! But I came to my senses. I would lose the money--and the financial aid!)

On the knitting front, I have joined the sleeves to AVAST and am knitting up the raglan yoke. The new IK looks GREAT and I may already have the yarn for some of the projects! After Josie's other sock is finished I'll start on more socks for myself; I have both Tofutti and some YarnAhoy to dig into. Good times!

Kids Know Good Stuff

The Tofutsies has been calling my name.....I am nearly done with the BoyWonder's socks (on the toe decreases)
and the ball is talking to me from the yarn bowl (Suzanne.......knit me next.....listen to your knitzanity....)

We are going outta town for the day though, so I will start the footies I owe one of my nieces. Straight
stockinette I can work on in the car and while I talk. A fun lace pattern? Not so much.

Heartwarming sock story:

I had some sparkly pink yarn left over from my own socks, so I made a simple pair of footies for my
nieces birthday. She seemed to like them and i saw her wear them a lot. Turns out, she wears them nearly
every day and has great stress when they are in the wash. Commercial socks have a seam at the toe that
irritates her, and she wears my socks almost exclusively. I told her that she could wash them with
shampoo herself, even wear them into the bath. Though she is only 8, she is completely responsible for them.
She washes and dries them herself, and I rarely see her wearing anything else.

So many of our knitted gift are not appreciated--but these certainly are! She is very knitworthy and needs
another pair. One to wear and one to wash....

I have a theory about kids...they know good stuff. "I may be small but I am not stupid" has been my kid
motto for years. Girlpants was a baby, eating toast with butter. I ran out of butter so I had to put
margarine on the next piece---she threw it at me and yelled! Small, not stupid.

Handknit socks are good stuff! Lingerie for your feet!

Sock and more

One sock down! one to go.

Yesterday Mary and I took the afternoon off and hiked out to Holly Spring Homespun--I had a 15% off coupon that I had been planning to use since December, and I had sights set on some gorgeous wool/bamboo that I had seen on my last trip. This time Kathy had a swatch knitted up with a lovely cable pattern--the stitch definition is stunning and the shine is fantastic. I bought enough for a cardigan; I want to copy the fit of one that I have worn out (you know, the way Bonne Marie does, uses fave garments as a template for garments she is currently knitting.) Fit is very important to me and yet seems to be the most elusive.

I have been thinking a top down raglan (easy to check for fit). And after seeing the way the yarn held pattern.......I may have to add a cable or a bit of allover lace. By the time I am ready to start on it (about a week, once I get the sleeves joined on Avast) I will know what I want.

Kathy said that this sock yarn was flying off the shelves--Tofutsies its called. Its superwash wool, soysilk, cotton and chitin (fiber from shrimp and crab shells!) The label says that the Chitin makes the fiber naturally antibacterial. I wonder if that cuts down on smell???

(If feet make you squeamish, you had better skip this next part. Jump down to the ***)

I have really nasty, smelly feet. I once took off my shoes on the airplane and the man beside me stood up and yelled throughout the plane "Whoever took their goD#@mn shoes off had better put them back on right now!" He was super rude, I know, but it was true. The scent was overwhelming. I do think that loose shoes (I wear clogs now because of my foot neuromas) and wool socks do cut down on the scent of this woman. I rarely knock myself over when I take off my shoes now that I wear wool socks. Its my way of saving the environment.

(***ok, foot talk over.)

Onward!

The sock, it grows

Sock for BoyWonder.

He tried it on and pronounced it SOFT. He likes soft things so that must be good.

Played hooky last night and went to SNB--got to knit with the crew and see Mira and Baby Drake. They are back to the homeland (Texas) in a few short weeks. Drake was so calm and happy! My kids were calm and happy.....for about 3 minutes. Then they were ready to MOVE! But Drake just grinned at everyone and then fell asleep. No wonder Mira seems so relaxed!

I had not seen Melanie with her bump--she makes pregnancy look easy and beautiful. Often it is neither!

Socks with Rock!

Here we have a gorgeous picture (ha!) of socks with a pet rock. No problem with this sock club!

Specs: Pink sock
Small size for Girlpants (age 4)
Raspberry and Kiwi Scarlet Fleece from Holly Spring Homespun
Size 3 clover bamboos
Begun/finished December 2006
Basic 2x2 rib from Sensational Knitted Socks (this is a WONDERFUL book!)

This was a Cinderella Glass Slipper knitting experience. I had started these for myself and the first sock was too big! I frogged it and started again. Next, too small! One more time.....even smaller. I gave up and started trying them on the kids--and whoever it fit, got it. I absolutely love this colorway; the yarn felt electric in my hands. I will buy another skein and make another pair....for myself.

Specs: Green Sock--I call it the Dragon Colorway
My size, for me
Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch (wool, polymide and elastic) from Holly Spring Homespun
Size 0 clover bamboos
Began December 27, 2006
Finished January 15, 2007
Basic sock pattern from Sensational Knitting Socks

Love these socks! Love the gentle color changes and the warm stretchiness of them.

But mostly, I am glad they are finished and I can wear them. I love all of my knit socks and wear them almost daily. BUT they do wear out--I have been darning, but I calculate I need to knit about 4 pairs a year to keep up with my foot demand. More if posssible. Unlike a sweater, socks never make my feel look ugly or fat--they just feel beautiful. So for gratification, socks win.

I am deep in finishing/sleeve island/fear of general wrongness with the three sweaters I have going. Finishing socks gave me a real shot in the knitting arm. Onward!"Mom, this yarn is good for my socks."

No problem.

Welcome to my Knitzanity!

Glad you could make the jump!

New year, new name, new blogspace. I had reserved the space Knitzanity about 8 months ago, but never built a site for it. I had been using the name KNITZANITY on my garment tags, and it really describes the INTENSITY of my fixation with knits and yarn. Plus, Suzanne is my name (suzanne's knitzanity? knitZANity?) Whatever. It suits.

I am back to posting and should be much, much better. As both of my readers know, I have had a tough 2006, with car crashes, moths, and foot problems.

Between work, school, kids and YARN I am crazy busy. Like millions of other people, sometimes I have too much of a good thing. This year I will choose wisely the projects I take on--both knitting, work and school ones. More joy!

(Knitted flower pin given as Xmas gift to one of my coworkers. Fairy Hare leftovers. Pattern from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Flowers)

Old projects recycled (Rowan Big Wool Capelet; never going to wear it. Lovely alpaca mix yarn! The kids loved helping me unravel it.)

I'll be tweaking and beautifying--adding link lists and other excitement. I have 2 sweaters on the needles, one in the sewing-up shop, one pair of socks and now a lace project going. Joy!!!!!