Twists of Fate

Sadly, sans pictures, because not only am I a lazy ass when taking pictures of my knitting, I can’t even find the damn camera. Oops. I really hope it’s over in the studio. I will check tomorrow for sure. There may even be pictures fairly soon, as I got the little “picture studio in a box” kit a while ago, and it might be a good idea to bust that thing out and get some pictures taken. The idea of wrestling with the light box tent thing with the backgrounds and all that crap put me right off, but maybe. I’m not promising anything.

Thing is, I’m not sure it’s worth busting out all that crap for the few FOs I’ve got. I finished a pair of socks for my sister, who, after having a baby, understands what goes into making something really well. I’m not sure if it’s a result of growing another human being, or if the concept of actual patience and sacrifice has been rammed home by projectile vomiting or buried under a pile of poopy diapers. Whatever the reason, she’s FAR more appreciative of knitting and of items that she receives that are made by my own very two hands (and the occasional toe). Anyway, socks for her. Dream in Color SMOOSHY (I have to say it in caps…I even do this in real life by hollering “and it will be MY SMOOSHY! at random intervals while knitting with the yarn) in some kind of purpley black lavender tweedy goodness. Lovely yarn. A wee smidge splitty occasionally, but that’s probably because I would often knit on it when tired.

See, as much as I love the look of fancy schmancy socks? If I’m going to knit garments on super tiny needles at this point in my life, they’re going to be incredibly fucking simple. They’re my zoning project. They’re rounds and rounds and more rounds with a side of rounds of stockinette with a bit of round of stockinette for a chaser, and maybe for dessert too. And I’m OK with that. It’s rather nice to watch simple socks with a smidge of ribbing come to life under my hands. I can knit and not think, and listen to, oh, a podcast while making something that’ll warm not just the toes but the heart of the recipient.

Anyway. For ME, because as a general rule from here on out, I think I’m going to do a thing where I finish one thing for one person, and make something for myself. Because I’ve given away pretty much everything I’ve ever made but for a pair of socks from Mountain Colors Bearfoot, and maybe a hat or a scarf. And that’s gotta change. I need to learn to knit for myself. So, because it’s ass freezing cold in this lowest-level apartment I have, even if a lot of it is garden level…I thought a pair of mitts would be a good idea. Enter a skein of STR Mediumweight in…Lapis? The ball bands for all this crap is over in the studio. Which requires going out the door, up the stairs, around the house, down the stairs, through two locked doors and wading through a few bags of processed fleece. Which I’m not going to do right now. Not in the least because the landlady hasn’t gotten the damn outdoor light fixed, there’s no handrail on the other stairs, and there’s little heat because apparently the landlady can survive arctic temps in a tanktop. So there.

Where the bloody hell was I? Oh! Mitts. STR. Maybe lapis. Pattern is Jacoby from Berocco, a freebie. Made because I have an unreasonable crush on Jacoby Ellsbury, and he was actually kicking some ass and making some hits when I started them during the wildcard series against the Angels. They mostly fit…one of the thumbs is a bit tight, but it fits better on my left hand than my right. I did a better job of making sure that the thumb was looser on the second mitt, and…boy howdy is the yarn stinky. I wash tomorrow, I think.

One other thing to wash will be a pumpkin hat I just finished for my niece. Done in Blue Sky cotton, it’s mostly a stockinette beanie with a teeny stem on the top. I made the stem brown, mostly because the LYS didn’t have a green cotton that worked, but I have to admit it’s kind of cute. I barely used any of the brown, so I’ll have to maybe do a brown hat with a small orange leaf motif or something for the niece as well. That could work up to Thanksgiving this year. Hmmm!

Must. Find. Complete set of Size 8 US DPNs though. Knitting with a mix of bamboo and Inox was weird. Kind of uncomfortable.

Last but not least – I have a real live interview scheduled for 2pm today. Wish me luck? If I make it past this round, I should be good to meet with the CompanyX boss and it sounds like she’ll take anyone recced by this particular vendor, so…I think today is the key one. *crosses everything*