and knitting

sockumentary

Things are going swimmingly with my first sock. Even the previously daunting and mysterious act of turning the heel went just fine. My biggest worry now is the dreaded second sock syndrome.

Various and Sundry Links - August 15 2006

- Silver Lake and Wedding Cake - Laura and Almanzo were married 121 years ago this month. The first four years of their marriage were brutal, so I'm especially glad they had another 60 years together.

- Who's up for a Frank Lloyd Wright Road Trip [via metafilter]? A short stay at the Penfield House seems awfully appealing, though a return visit to the Wright-inspired Snowflake Motel also appeals.

- Pourquoi pas moi? [via La Coquette] - It's good to listen to aggressively perky music, especially when you think you are more in the mood for the alternative.

- I'm a big fan of Eliel Saarinen's Christ Lutheran Church, but his son Eero's, Kresge Chapel seems to be equally incredible.

- Yum. I do believe this would more than satisfy my eternal hankering for jammie dodgers [via glittyknittykitty].

- I scratched Slovenia off of my places to visit list after Rasho betrayed us. I think the K67 Kiosk may force me to reverse this decision.

- Mixed Messages: Tracking Political Advertising - I'm dreaded the coming avalanche of political television commercials, but this is an interesting resource.

- Who can blame you for closing your eyes and clicking your Manolos and hoping that the whole thing blows over and you with nary a hair out of place?

- After watching her mediocre performance in the mediocre movie, Scoop, I'm even more appalled that Scarlett Johansson has been hired on to play Mary Boleyn. Don't even get me started about Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn.

- Beans Don't Burn on the Grill (yes, I am 12)

- This fun, Chicago landmarks toile reminds me of those vintage souvenir scarves. I think I'll hold out for the DC version.

- Hmm... Which Project Runwayer could this blind item be about (scroll to bottom of page)?

project #37: blame it on the bossa nova socks

I have now learned that it is best not to make vows about my knitting. At one point I made a solemn promise that I would never, ever, be one of those people that knit socks. Somehow I've gone back on my word. Yahaira's persistent ways began to weaken my resolve, but it was the special World Cup-themed sock yarn that finally did it.

Yes, I'm now a sock knitter.

It's going fine, but of course, I haven't got to the complicated part. A bit of handholding may be required when I need to start the heel.

They were not my favorite team, but I'm using some crazy, obnoxious Team Brazil yarn for this first pair. The colors are truly wacky, so I'm quite sure they won't be worn out of the house. Lest my Brazilian-themed photo shoot ideas get out of control, I decided to take an in-progress shot of my new socks in their native habitat, a soccer pitch.

The Project: Blame it on the Bossa Nova Socks - Lichen Ribbed Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks
The Yarn: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Teamcolor purchased from Janette's Rare Yarns
The Needles: ChiaoGoo 2.25mm DPNs purchased from pureknits
Started: August 5 2006

Various and Sundry Links - August 10 2006 - Special, abbreviated, I lost track of time and am now totally late for work edition!

- Knitting and public politics

- Inside a Nuclear Bunker - I love the president's living room. [via I like]

- Some people are trying to make a giant robotic squid [via Bruce Schneier]. I hope they take Hoboken's giant robot mishap to heart.

taste level

The fact that Angela was still on Project Runway after last week's Jubilee Jumbles left me a bit concerned about the taste level of the Project Runway producers. Surely she and her 80's in a bad way, Stacey Q stage costume reject designs were still on the show because they are trying to set her up as this season's Wendy Pepper. Last night's win(!), a la Wendy Pepper's BR bridesmaid dress, cemented that opinion in my mind. At least we got to see the departure of smug Keith. Good riddance. I was a bit worried about Robert Best there at the end, because his outfit was pretty Newport News, but was glad they kept him and dear, wacky Bradley around to entertain us next week.

In knitting, or actually, not knitting news... I haven't been knitting much so am afraid I don't have anything to post about or show here that would pertain to what is purported to be the original purpose of this blog. Soon, I hope! I just ordered a few pairs of sock knitting needles, and have joined Sandra's new Handknit socks + Shoes = Happiness Forever Flickr group, which should prove inspirational.

Also on Flickr... Evidence that though I haven't been knitting, I have been enjoying a fun summer. I recently went on a daytrip to Walnut Grove, onetime home to Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family, as well as the setting of TV's Little House on the Prairie. Of course I had to buy a bonnet (you won't find any photographic evidence of this). I reread the Little House books each summer, so it was a lot of fun to wear the bonnet while walking along the banks of Plum Creek where Laura once played and see the spot where their dugout home once stood.

Various and Sundry Links - August 3 2006

- I'm still disappointed that Katherine Gerdes got booted from Project Runway. At least it will be fun to see her deseign-a-long with the rest of the series in Auf'd from the Runway.

- The Island of Misfit Patterns

- knit lit Kate posted about MadeByRachel's lovely knitting bags, but I'm coveting the micro-suede needle cases.

- There's not much to say about this video. Just watch. [via my fabulous, yet blogless, brother]

- Performing The Ultimate Burpee

- What You Make It - An Online Art Zine of Sorts [via bits and bobbins]

- The Great War - An extra posts photos from the trenches of a WWI film

- Here's Proof That New Yorkers Like to Complain [Old news I know, but I meant to link to it ages ago and had lost track of the handy dandy archived link.]

- Now I'm going to post a mild complaint about Knit.1. They posted a rather lengthy disclaimer on their blog about how it isn't to be used for communicating with them about errata, subscriptions, or anything of the sort. Firstly, it's not a personal blog, it's a blog for a business. Customers will want to use it to communicate with you. Don't they realize what good PR it would be if they were more open with their readers? I'd love to see a knitting publication use a blog to communicate more transparently about patterns and the problems that other readers have found.

- OsvoMode Handknits by Jeanette Osterreid - I love the almost sinister photographs of the collection. [via horoscope mura]

- "That seems to be what surprises students most. They think of it as part of their own little world, not a bigger electronic world."

- Crochet Cachet