Post for the sake of a post.....

I realized the other day that I hadn't posted in a while and I began to wonder why. Yeah, that's because not much has happened, especially in my knitterly world.

The Flaming Monkeys now fit and are through their second repeat. If you ever need to adjust the stitch count a bit, I recommend adding a stitch on either end of the repeat and add another pattern row.

Ah...the Coachella....Coachella, Coachella, Coachella......Well, I got the the try on point in the pattern (which is AWESOME, btw) and, well, let's just say it was a "wardrobe malfunction" waiting to happen. If I bent over slightly, anyone could see down my shirt and a slight breeze would have sent the neckline, um, off-center. Now, don't misunderstand, I am not flaming the pattern. The pattern, especially the concept, is great. But how many knitters out there have actually picked up a pattern, knit it to "their size" and it actually fit? Yeah, I didn't think so.

So being the knitter I am, I frogged a ways, did some investigatory knitting, and did a little rewrite to make it fit ME! That is the ability of our kind - to take a pattern and adjust it to our needs. That's what I love about making you own stuff - you get to make it so it actually fits your body....this is of course assuming no intervention by the Knitting Goddesses, causing utter disorientation of a project. Their associates include Gauge Gnomes and Stash Pixies.

I am hoping to hit the try-on point again tomorrow, so I will know if my crazy plan has worked, or if there will be serious vexing going on. If it does work, I am taking good notes and will share my mods. If all goes well, I will probably be making more of these.

In non-knitting news, MovieBoy turned 24 yesterday and we had our traditional family outing today. For pretty much as long as I can remember (which actually isn't very long) we get together for dinner and a movie. Since my parents are up in OK this year, my bro and I got together with each other. For anyone interested, mine was last month and we saw Spiderman 3 and Shrek 3. Today we went and saw Live Free or Die Hard.

As with all sequels, and especially for one sooooo long after the others, I was afraid it would disappoint and ruin the whole thing. Such was not the case here. I was very pleasantly surprised. They could have done a really bad job, but in my opinion, I thought they did a great job. Action-packed and hilarious. I give it two needles up.

Deja Vu


**Official Spoiler Warning: This post discusses the June RSC package. If you haven't gotten yours yet and don't want to be spoiled, come back later.**
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The Flaming Monkeys have hit a rough patch. After my two repeats, they got thrown on waste yarn and tried on. The lovely picot cuff (which I will SO be doing from now on) fit lovely, but the lace sections were holding on for dear life. Bummer....

After knittyboard consultation, I think what I am going to do is frog back the lace sections (obvious much?), throw in another repeat and go down a needle size. Yes, the added repeat adds on another 16 stitches (25% increase), but I hope that going down a needle size and my wonky gauge will even it all out.

Edit: Yeah, that's not gonna work 'cause then it would be all wonky at the instep. I don't think that far ahead. So, I think I am going to increase the number of sts in the repeat and adjust accordingly in the pattern.

I got my June RSC shipment the other day. First of all, LOVE the pattern, will definately be doing that. But during this time, I had the worst case of deja vu. It was insane...why, do you ask? Check it out:
On the left is my Lorna's Laces in Flames (aka the Flaming Monkeys) and on the right is the STR Lightweight in Firebird.


No, they are not the same (the STR has more pink), but it still threw me for a loop that they socks I just cast on were in the same colorway. Good part is that now I have double the colorway!!


Something else I cast on was Coachella from the new knitty.I am doing in in Lion Brand CottonEase in Lime on US6 and US8. I am super intrigued by the contruction of this top and had to make it. Plus, this is super quick. The above is about 2 nights worth of knitting and it's probably about 1/3 done. I am hoping to get it done and blocked before knit night on Tuesday.


BTW, if you aren't on Ravelry yet, be warned. It is the new knitting crack. No lie. If you are, come find me under yarnknita and maybe we can be cracked out together.

WiP it Out!

...but they aren't coming out. :-P

I thought about photographing my current WiPs, but they haven't changed much since you last saw them, and that would just be boring. But, if you really want to know:

- The Flaming Monkeys have 2 repeats done. This is my purse knitting so it gets done, well, when it gets done.

- Lizzie's dress has gained about 3/4"...and that was alot of knitting. I am hoping that I will finish it before she grows out of it. No big worry...she is tall and skinny, traits that some of us/I weren't born with.

- The Larger that Life bag is hibernating for a bit because I am going to start a new crochet project, the Molly Weasley Sleeves.

I actually don't think that I have mentioned this, but I got a job at Barnes and Noble. It's hard, but fun in that lovely nerdy sort of way that is me. And at all bookstores everywhere, a nice little event is coming up: the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (BTW, if you have never seen the likes of a Harry Potter party, esp. at a B&N, and aren't doing anything late on July 20th, just drive by. It's insane.)

So, since I am employed again and have a nice, nerdy venue, I am hoping to have these done for the party. Yes, I will be working, but it will be fun, none the less.

Remind me of that July 21 when I am seriously cranky at 4am.

Socks, socks, socks....


...'cause I couldn't come up with a better title. Granted, that's the majority of my post! Check 'em out!These were my Socktopia Socks from January. Yes, January. Leave me alone! There came a time when they were being very naughty sockies and got put in time-out for a while. I got into that rare "finishing phase" and decided to knock them out.


And when you cast something off.....
....you must cast on again. It's the law....look it up. And so I bring you, the Flaming Monkeys!! I decided to do a pair of Monkey socks in the Flames colorway. Did I choose that just so I can say I have flaming monkeys? I leave that for you to figure out on your own.

WiP-It Wednesday

God, has it been a week? It's been a long week. All good, I assure you, just long. Here are my birdies!They are all grown up now and fly away when I try to take their picture, so this is the best I can get. I made several attempts, but it ended up with me running around my patio in my PJs, chasing a bird. God, I need a job....

Oh, wait, I HAVE ONE!!!! Yes, I finally have an income. I am now working at Barnes and Noble, which is just a little less dangerous than working in a yarn shop. It's a fun icome and I am glad that I can finally have one of those....not that being a dancing monkey-slave (chemistry grad student) wasn't a blast. My only slight frustration is that now I actually have to dress the part. For those not in the know, as a grad student I was lucky to go to school in pants that didn't have chemical holes in them.

Speaking of reading....and it being Wednesday....I've been

Reading this, this, and this.....

Watching....wait for the rental........

And here is what I have been WiP-ing:These are Squares 6-9 of my Larger than Life Bag. Yes, I did the first 5 in a day and these 4 in a week. I have a reason, but that's for later.

I got into a slight finishing kick, so I WiP-ed these out, which are now my travelling sock:These would be my January socks from Socktopia. I got a little distgruntled with them and they got put in time-out for a while. They are now in my purse and have become my travelling knitting. I have about 1.5" left before I start decreasing for the toe and they will be done.

And then I get to cast-on...and here I need some help. I have caught the knitting disease known as Ravelry. This has caused me to come down with a HUGE influx of ideas of projects that I must complete. I have narrowed my next sock project down to 2: Hedera and Monkey. Of course, these have been on my list, but they drastically moved to the head of the line when I saw all of the Monkeys done in Lorna's Laces and Tasha's Hederas in Claudia Handpaint.

Not to worry, these WILL EVENTUALLY get done, but I am having trouble deciding which one first. Here are some choices:

For Monkey:Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock in (L-R) Argyle, Flames, Daffodil, Watercolor, and Amish.

For Hedera,Claudia Handpaint in (T-B) Purple Earth, Chocolate Cherry, and Ocean Depth.

Please leave a comment with a suggestion. You know I can't make a decision by myself! :-P

OOOOOOOOOOOO-klahoma

First, I give you an obligatory birdie shot:I have come to adopt these little birdies, seeing as I don't really have to take care of them! It still amazes me that a bird made a nest and laid eggs in one of my hanging plants. My bonus: free fertilizer for my plant. So far, it is still contained in the pot, but we will see how long that lasts.

Okay, back on topic. I spent the last several days at my parents house in Oklahoma, hence the title, but I must give some background. Growing up, we moved up and down the Midwest and at one point, spent 6 months living in Oklahoma. For me, that was 7 months too long. Oklahoma and I severely dislike eachother. Many things happened between us and at this point it's just a given.....until recently.

My parents go to Tulsa quite often and what does a knitter do in a new city? Find a yarn shop. Enter Oklahoma's peace offering to me: Loops, a yarn store. It is a wonderful shop on Utica square, which is a wonderful setup of shopping and dining...I recommend The Wild Fork, but I digress.

Back to Loops...I walked in and immediately knew I would like this place. They have beautiful yarn displays and a great amount of seating. Upon closer inspection, I saw all kinds of lovely yarns like Alchemy, Debbie Bliss, Rowan, Blue Sky Alpaca....and Koigu. Okay, you must understand something. I have never seen Koigu in a shop, only online and I have a lone skein that Momma Monkey lovingly gifted me. I seriously thought I was going to hyperventlate. So...much....pretty....yarn!!!

As my Mommy and I walked around and I began to check things out, she kept seeing things, and petty things and saying "Oohh, that's soft" and "Ah that's pretty!" Folks, this place will even effect the non-knitters. We almost left with some Panda Cotton that she picked out, but decided against it since she thought that I already had too much on my list, including her Clessedria socks. Practicality won out.

Unfortunately, I did not buy anything, but that is only because of my employment status. I guarentee you that had I a job, I would have done some SERIOUS damage. But don't worry, Loops folks, I will return.