This was originally started the day after Thanksgiving, but due to time, work, and family getting in my damn way you get moldy leftovers. Also, I’ve had some complaints that my epic posts are too long. Scroll down to the pretty pictures if this post is just too taxing on your brain.
Happy day after Thanksgiving. I’ve been up since 6.45am. (ETA- I started this Friday)
Why? Well…there was sale yarn to be had at Joann’s this morning. Patton’s classic merino 2 for 6 dollars, to be exact. I have felted clogs to knit for people (if I can find the damn pattern somewhere…). And also two Christmas stockings that need to be made (I wanted to make our first Christmas stockings for the house) and felted. So if you’re at the Joann’s in Sherman Oaks and you’re looking for Patton’s Classic Merino and you’re not finding it…that was me. You snooze, you lose Sorry.
I also may have bought an Ott light while I was there. Normally priced at $189.99 on sale for 84.99. Since they were handing out 20% off any one item coupons (including sale items!) as you walked through the door it begged to come home with me. Even in my not remotely awake state I knew that $68 for a standing Ott light was something I had to buy. We will discuss the lighting negotiations that will go on here at a later date. (ETA- I don’t like the OTT light. It’s too bright and too BLUE. “Natural sunlight” my ass. I’m going to ask the electricians for a warmer gel to see if that helps things. But the boy HATES this light, so it may have to go live in the guest house. Or maybe your house if you live near me and want to cough up $68 plus some tax. I’m thinking about it.)
It’s been a busy few weeks here at the Slowknitter house. Let’s work backwards.
How to have a happy Thanksgiving when both your mother and his mother are in the same room. Or, the one thing I am truly thankful for: Xanax.
The cooking and feeding of people went off Thursday without much any bloodshed (Turkey not included). In fact the only yelling that went on was when I looking in the sink and found that my mom had put dish soap in the cast iron skillet. My mother grew up with these pans. I have all of her mother’s (and her grandmothers) cast iron in my kitchen. She gave me her pan when she and my pop moved to Texas. So it’s not like she doesn’t KNOW that you clean those pans with hot water only. She just refuses to believe that they get “clean”. And so she insists that she clean with soap, gleefully removing the “season” from the pan. Commence irrational yelling. Well, not completely irrational.
Anyway, the turkey cooked much faster than we thought, but with the help of my super ninja probe thermometer all was not lost. Plus, with the addition of a lot of butter under the skin, the roast beast was juicy and delicious. We also had Yam souffle, Broccoli Gratin, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and creamed onions (ew factor for those +10, but my pop loves them). We had pumpkin and French apple pie courtesy of Aunt Marie. All in all a good meal and a good day. My parents leave today though. I miss them already.
Montrose Mondays
Before the guests came in, and before the week got crazy I spent Monday in Montrose with Madge, Marie, Barbara, Mary, Ellen, Patty and Kille who brought her gorgeous baby Wyatt. I had camnesia that day, so sadly there are no photos. I like this knitting during the week thing with other knitters (rather than knitting on set and having to tell a grip for umpteenth time that No, I won’t knit him a pair of socks. I do like though, that the grips really do seem to respond the most to handknits, followed closely by props). Madge and Mary knitted Wyatt the most adorable Saartje’s booties and baby devil hat (with a blanket to match!). It was all I could do to not steal the baby and eat him. It was so much fun, and the time just slipped away in a blink. I like these ladies so much. I want to go again.
I wish I could go this Monday, but I have to work. This is our last week of work before we run out of things to shoot. (I have to go and wrap my trailer this week too. Again no knitting on Monday)
The Writers Strike
Monday is the start of week three (now five. Assmonkeys.) Shows are going down right and left. A lot of people are out of work, most of them involuntarily. I will soon be one of them, along with the rest of our crew. And while I do support the writers stance that they be compensated fairly, I also support the producers stance to make a profit on the shows they put the money up for.
What I do not support is the pigheadishness on both sides of the issue. I certainly understand the issue of residuals, as our pension and health programs are funded by residuals. However, in order to qualify for our healthcare we have to work 600 hours in consecutive qualifying periods. And we have to work 300 hours per qualifying period after that in order to maintain it. With no work or no hours banked (you can bank 450 hours total) we’re not just getting screwed out of income, but our health and welfare hours and contributions as well. Writers and Producers are set to go back to the table Monday; to which I say put them in a room without food, water, windows, or a bathroom. Serve them some coffee, lock the doors from the outside, and don’t let them out until they have come to an agreement.
Okay. Enough strike angst. You came here for knitting, right? And yarn? Well…here you go.
My sock savior socks came! Thank you Linda for knitting me some gorgeous socks! The package included some hand dyed sock yarn and treats (now gone)
Since unemployment in imminent I have been buying yarn like a fool… first up some yarn from little knits’ sale they had a few weeks ago:
This is Handmaiden Silken in colorways Sterling and Peridot
I also got a bag full of Le Perle extra fine merino and cashmere:
Then the Loopy ewe had some yarn that made it’s way to my house. (I love this store. I have to try and stay away from their site if I want to pay rent and eat…)
Dream in Color Smooshy sock in Night Watch, Lipstick Lava, Cool Fire, and Ruby River
And then I ordered some of the Dream in Color Classy in Deep Sea Flower and Beach Fog
I guess I really really love Dream in Color. It is VERY soft and squishy.
Then I found out that Unraveled was having a sale last weekend. And there I went insane.
I got books
And yarn (Cascade 220)
And more yarn (malabrigo laceweight for dyeing)
I also bought a bag (Lantern Moon girly bag)
I might have even bought some more yarn (Malabrigo Lace in Purple Mystery).
I didn’t really NEED this purple Malabrigo, but I was petting it when someone in line pointed out to her friend how pretty it was. I suddenly felt very possessive about a yarn that I didn’t really want or need and I put my hands around it and dropped it into my basket. Don’t judge me.
Lest you think that there has only been yarn buying here, I have been knitting.
I did eventually finish the Monkey socks
Specs: Monkey Socks by Cookie A. Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy sock in Summer Sky (bought from the Loopy Ewe). Technique: Magic Loop on a 47″ Lace Addi Turbo- one at a time. Pattern Mods: Knitted toe up with a Sherman Heel. I thought these were for me, but with Christmas approaching so fast they’re probably going to my mom.
Then I started some new socks for the BOY. I think I may have whined here before about his ginormous sized feet once or maybe a thousand times. But people? SERIOUSLY. See for yourself…
Not impressed? Well then, let me show you another sock for reference…
These are being knitted in STR medium weight in Obsidian on a size 3 47″ lace Addi Turbo. If these were on a size one I think I would have stabbed myself on the eye by now. I realized that I was going to need a second skein to finish these, so I ordered one from the website (the original skein bought at WildFiber in Santa Monica).
I really like the Socks That Rock, though I have the same argument with them that I have with Koigu: over twist.
I haven’t knitted on these for a couple of weeks. I hope I can remember the pattern I was using.
Next in line? Anne’s Twinings Stole from Knitspot. I started this way back in September when I finally found the Malabrigo laceweight. I had very good intentions of making this stole for my mom for Christmas, but I haven’t knitted on it since before I took this photo over a week ago ( now more like two weeks). Since I am already going to hell for so many other things, this “make Mom a stole for Christmas Mother’s Day her birthday Christmas” thing is just making the journey easier. If you want me to save you a seat when I get there just let me know.
It’s a pretty easy knit, and so freaking beautiful. It’s the thing I want to be working on when I’m working on other things.
Remember these?
This is the project that won’t fucking die. I knit one of these, the second one, shorter by an full inch. And then sewed it up. Then I had a brilliant idea to just knit an inch of the fabric and graft it on.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA…ha.
I’ll be picking out the seams and frogging and re-knitting. Hopefully I’ll be done sometime before my boss decides to move to Thailand where he won’t ever be needing 8 ply Cashmere slippers with suede and lambswool bottoms. But, probably not.
Here is one of the Christmas stockings I’ve started. It’s the Pattons Merino whatever, pattern being made up by me as I go. I’m sure THAT is going to go well…
When my Pop was here at Thanksgiving his hands were freezing, so much so that he was shoving his hands in the pocket of his jacket. Which was making him look like he was doing his best 80 year old impression of James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause. So I promised him some gloves.
These are actually not a bad knit. Austerman Step using size one Addi’s until I got to the fingers. Then I switched to Brittany size 1’s dpns. And after getting mad for going so slow, I switched to a Knitpicks size 1 circular. Really not a bad knit, so far. Austerman is pretty splitty though. I like the stripes.
The last thing I’ve been working on is the Palindrome scarf:
This is in time out. It’s a fairly easy knit, but since it’s probably for me it’ll just have to wait.
Monday (tomorrow) is my last day at work. Which sucks for so many reasons, but mainly because I’ll be unemployed right before Christmas. Both the WGA and AMPTP can bite me. On the upside? More knitting time. And blogging time. Though I wouldn’t hold your breath.
