February 2011

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K.A.U.S.

Lizz February 17, 2011 2

Today is National Sweater Day as designated by the WWF. The idea is that you turn down your thermostat by 3 degrees and put on a sweater for the day. But they designate that this should be an ugly sweater. My first thought was, “I’m a knitter, I don’t own UGLY sweaters.” My workplace has extended this day into a week and upper-level management were given “ugly” thrift store sweaters to wear. Really some of their ugly sweaters are more outdated than ugly, like 80’s purple sweaters with pink and green fair isle squares or velour tracksuit tops (not really UGLY but not really work appropriate attire). Of course some are well…. think Bill Cosby in the Cosby Show.

My question is, why does the WWF think that ugly sweaters are warmer than nice, pretty, or funky ones? I propose we create a group Knitters Against Ugly Sweaters (K.A.U.S.) to help educate people that non-ugly sweaters have the same insulating qualities as ugly ones! In fact, depending on the fibre, they might even be warmer than ugly sweaters. To start the process I made a couple of buttons, using my fabulous B-Stylin Button Designer, to both educate and inform people that my sweaters were not ugly, in case of any confusion. One of my fellow on-campus knitters is also sporting a button. Will you join us in the K.A.U.S. mission?

Neapolitan Socks (2 Down, 10 To Go)

Lizz February 14, 2011 0

Happy Valentine’s Day!

On February 1st I started a pair of socks for the month. I want to increase the number of hand-knit socks in my drawer, so after my Revenge socks went so quickly in January, I decided to start a pair of socks each month and see how it goes. Most of these projects will be part of the 12 in 2011 challenge, but likely I’ll make a pair or two for my Dad too.

My February socks are the Cranberry Biscotti patten by Elizabeth Sullivan. I used the slip-stitch stripe pattern but knit the socks toe-up using my usual formula (64 sts around, short row toes and heels 10 sts on each side). I bought the yarn for this project, Elann Sock It to Me 4 Ply in Rose Wine, Coffee Bean, and Cream last March shortly after finding the pattern on Ravelry. I’m calling these my Neapolitan Socks because they remind me of ice cream.

Once I started I couldn’t stop knitting these socks. It was total potato chip knitting, to borrow a phrase from theKnitmore Girls. The stripe sequences are fairly quick and the change in colours adds such impact that I just couldn’t wait to add more, even on the second sock. It took me about two full pattern repeats to memorize the stripe sequence. I finished the first sock after about 5 days so I decided to try to complete them to wear for Valentine’s Day. I made it, weaving in the ends yesterday evening.

Because I knit these toe-up I had the stripe sequence shift on the side of each sock, it doesn’t look as nice where the row changes so I made these the inside of the socks by working the heels on the opposite set of stitches. In other words I started one heel half a round before the other.

I used about 3/4 of a ball of the Rose Wine colour and less than half of the Cream and Coffee Bean. I ‘m thinking I will buy another plain coloured sock yarn and make another pair with the rest of the Cream and Coffee Bean.

Charlie the Comedian

Lizz February 10, 2011 0

Will Ferrell
The Comedian

Keeping a straight face around Charlie is a cheek muscle-wrenching nightmare. Try as you may, but giggling is inevitable because Charlie is comedian Will Ferrell!

For a while Charlie was just funny on Saturday nights, but that’s all changed now that he’s taken his act on the road. Whether he’s being silly in real life or on the silver screen, Charlie has a true knack for making people crack up. Charlie has even managed to make the crossover to the cyberwebs, where he delivers raw, fresh, uncooked humor to his countless cyberpet fans. A fast runner, Charlie runs marathons when he’s not dreaming up his next slapstick routine. Widely talented and able to impetsonate any number of two and four-legged critters, Charlie‘s fans will be lapping it up for a long time to come.

It’s true, Charlie does make me laugh. Especially when he has something he’s not supposed to, like Kleenex, and he’s prancing away from me. It’s funny but counter-productive to getting whatever it is away from him. It’s also amusing to watch him play with my parent’s Schnauzers, Fidget and Inca, particularly when all three of them are tug-of-waring with the same toy.

Charlie’s camouflaged in the dog bed (fairly typical at my parent’s house) in this photo taken on Christmas day. I think Fidget (left) had the Stuffing-less Fox first and then Charlie and Inca (middle) wanted in on the action.

Wavy Scarf

Lizz February 7, 2011 0

After I finished my Revenge Socks I started a simple lacy scarf as my second 12 in 2011 project.

I’m using the Violet Green Lace Scarf pattern by Violet Green in the Knit Picks Imagination Wicked Witch colourway. I bought 7 skeins of this yarn in 2009 planning to make a scarf, hat, and some gloves. I’ve made one project so far, the Chapeau Marnier in the Fall of 2009. I think I miscalculated how much yarn I needed to make these projects so it might be more realistic to have a scarf, hat, convertible gloves, another hat, and some mittens made from this yarn.

Charlie’s First Haircut

Lizz February 3, 2011 1

Charlie went for his first haircut this afternoon. He’s really starting to seem like a grown up dog! I was surprised by how small his paws seem now that they’re trimmed down. The report is that he was a good boy but a little nervous about the noise and he didn’t like having a bath. I know that he’s not fond of baths, so I’ll have to work on that more and hope that he gets more comfortable.