Invasion of the Crafter-Snatchers

... otherwise know as my parents.

There have been a few behind the scenes, furtively snatched moments of craft this week (tinking out a premature toe, making a parachute...) but nothing really to report. The multi-coloured ginger-like contraption has been unraveled to great success into a tie-died almost-skydiving sock monkey, but more on that when I eventually get some peace and quiet to myself!

Despite my insistence that my parents have somewhat of a clue about places they want to visit and things they want to do on this their second visit to the Big Apple, I have yet again been completely ignored and left with all the entertaining duties. I swear if someone says "I'm easy" one more time in response to a direct question as to what the hell they want to do, I may just have to put to use my newly acquired sewing scissors in a way far different from my original intentions! GAH!!!

Wow, there was an outburst of parent-rage for you. Good job I'm "taking the day off" and've snuck back to work for a respite...

Purdy Purse

With a UFO list a mile long and commissions for a parachuting sock monkey and a Darth Vader doll piling up around my ears, I decided to make something that's not due until early-July. Totally makes sense right? This purse was supposed to be for the two-year-old big sister of a little boy debuting around the 4th July. Was is the operative word since I'm not sure I'm going to be able to part with it, I'm such a bad giver. It's just the perfect size for carrying knitted socks around, how serendipitous, I really didn't plan it that way, honest :) Luckily I have about two thirds of the yarn left so a replica can be made in plenty of time...

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Merino DK (on sale at The Point for $4 a ball!)

Needles: 4mm aero vintage

Pattern: Loosely based around The Girly Bag from MagKnits. Cast on 54, change colour every 11 rows with a five row turnover (one purl row introduced into plain stockinette stitch) for hemming and two purl row turnover for the base (since I knitted it all in one piece). If this makes no sense take a look at the magknits pattern.

Bits and Bobs: Lining fabric, wooden handles and buttons all thrifted, recycled and hand stitched to knitted shell.

In the immortal words of Rolf Harris

Can you tell what it is yet?

Musings in a Thunderstorm

This*, I believe, is the problem with the dreaded second sock...

The first sock has the novelty value, the fun of creation as you carefully note down just how many infinite rounds it took to cover your precious little pinkies. There's happiness in that there sock. But for the second one, it's a whole different ball game (take soccer vs football for example). This time you are not faced with a blank page but rather the task of duplicating the endless crosshatches of the first. Whereas 40 rounds seemed a doddle the first time, it is a mindless spiral into oblivion the second. The twirling purples and yellows that once delighted now taunt you mercilessly as they refuse to spin and instead puddle rather distastefully around the ankle.

So you cast on a new pair of socks as a welcome distraction. As it prettily laces down the rapidly elongating sides, the feelings of guilt and remorse for the discarded first born increase until you can bear it no more. Ah but sweet relief! Subways! That thirty minute ride down from Astoria the East Village flies by when fifteen or so rounds are accomplished. Fellow riders talk to you with smiles on their faces since public knitting makes you an easy target for whackos a focus of public scrutiny.

Ah yes, the second sock, a conduit to insanity and fleeting friendship...

*Crappy photo disclaimer: Cell phone 1mp cameras are not the best during thunderstorms but for some unexplained reason my camera remained at home today. Oh wait, that's it, it was displaced by a mulligan...

Fundraiser

The fundraiser went much better than I had anticipated. Although the crowd was smaller than we had reckoned on, many monkeys were sold (including Miss PhB) and much free drink was imbibed. Yum. We definitely made enough to cover costs, but I really think we have to push for more internet and craft show sales. But how to get the word out there? I have a few ideas, but I really need permission from the organiser before I persue them...

Monkeys cubed

If you've ever had the chance to look at Arne Svenson's Sock Monkey's (200 out of 1863), you'd already know how unique and individual sock monkeys can be. Throw into the mix eleven volunteers with different backgrounds and a year and a half's worth of work, and you might just end up with something similar to this.

That little lot is just a quarter (!!!) of the monkeys we have available for purchase ($30 in NY, $28 + shipping elsewhere) during the FreshArt NYC fundraiser. For anyone in New York, The Sock Monkey Carnival is on Wednesday 17th May at 7-9 p.m. in the Gallery at HAI, 548 Broadway 3rd floor, $50 per ticket or $75 (including a sock monkey, that can be picked up at the benefit). If you're not in the city, I have several monkeys available on my Etsy store. Having volunteered at the business end of the not-for-profit, I can tell you first hand how much the workshops we run affect those people we are trying to help.

Phew, now the hard sell is over, a little light relief in the form of sock infidelity....

You didn't think I could knit up a third mulligan-multicoloured sock with out a little purpley distraction, did you? Details to follow....

Ta-Da!!

With much fan-fare and general waving of jazz-hands may I present to you a finished sock, complete with functional cast-on and weird pooling of colours!

Yes, yes it's a terrible picture but New York is suffering from a distinct lack of natural light and far, far too much pollen and as such, museum worthy photography is hindered. The second sock has already been cast on and I'm an inch down the stubby little cuff (what?! It matches my stubby little ankles...)

After seeing the name absolutely everywhere, I was utterly convinced into buying this book. Once upon a time all my Amazon purchases revolved around Biology text books and novels, now it would seem all I purchase is knitting how to's and the occasional cook book.... how things change.

Mere Mortal?

No crafting to report this weekend due to ABSOLUTELY MIND-BLOWINGLY AWESOME events. Click here to find out more.

SQUEEEE!!!!!

Yummy yarn

Oooooooooooooooohhh. So purdy :)

My new sock yarn from Kindred Spirits Yarn at Etsy. I've been playing with it at work all day and can hardly wait to get it knitted up. I know I'm going to burn out on socks at some point, but until then let the stashing commence!

The Mulligan Sock (as I've named it since I'm claiming a do-over due to my poor skill or general incompetence, you gotta love the choices from wikipedia...) is moving along nicely now I've accepted that I have both cankles and huge-mongous feet. I added over an inch to the cast on using the long-tail, learnt in front of the computer at work yesterday, plus half an inch to the general width and I made the heel flap 4 stitched wider. Do not ask me how long it took me to come up with this final scheme because I'm embarrassed to tell you. Let's just say I'll never, ever, be a prolific pattern writer ;)

Problem child

So I am probably way too proud of this little bugger, but gosh darn it I made a sock. Only problem is, now I fixed a loose stitch in the cast on row, the sock no longer goes over my heel. I think I can foresee yet another mother gifting experience in the near future....

I need to learn some stretchy cast on techniques. Any advice gladly accepted.

Update: On closer inspection I found about a gazillion mistakes in the sock, dropped stitches that became twisted when picked up, a couple of holey stitches on the picked up heel and wanderings in the ribbing. And I thought I was being so clever. It's put a little bit of a dampener on my excitement. Gah.

After careful scientific evaluation (really, I weighed them in lab), I figure I can make two more socks out of the yarn I have left. One sock=29.5g, therefore I should be able to make two with the 69.5g I have left, especially since I'm going to make them an inch shorter in the cuff to compensate for an extra inch in the cast on.

But then what do I do with the lonely lil' sock up top? I'm sorry little socky :(

TEE HEE!!!

The sock, she grows!!

Check out how bendy those dpns are! Yet again I'm using vintage needles, this time a set from the thrift store goldmine I purchased a couple of months ago, so I have no idea if they're supposed to be this bendy or not. Having discovered during this knitting process that I have monster feet I'm glad that the crazy yarn has a lot of stretch to it, but even so these may have to be gifted to someone which less sasquatch-like tendencies...

Dental Floss and Toothpicks

I do not have fat fingers. My mother, during one of her "inappropriate things to say to a small child" phases, once told me I should have been a gynecologist. But my new little project has left me feeling like I'm knitting with a bunch of bananas and oral hygiene products:

SOCKS!! I've long thought knitting socks was a frivolous and a little self indulgent, but now I get it! I really do! Despite my initial wrangling with the four pointy sticks I think I've got the hang of dpns and knitting in the round, in fact I've already turned the heel. All in one day! Like any new sock knitter, I've already made a couple of mistakes. The cast on is a wee bit tight going over the heel, a knit 3 purl 1 mysteriously turned into a knit 4 purl 1 somewhere along the line, and then there's the strange rotation of the ribs that I'm claiming is a design feature, but oh my! I'm knitting socks!!

I'll kindly ask you to ignore the crazy colour scheme. I ordered the yarn from Knitpicks (swing) based solely on the fact that it seemed somewhat self striping, yet on my needles it seems to have evolved into a molten crayola puddle. Oh well, you live and learn :)