Finished Sock, WIP Pattern-A-Day Review and Bonus FOs!!

I finished one of ZantiMisterKnit's socks!!! Wooooowheeeee!!!!!

But I goofed. I put the decreases on the top and bottom instead of on the sides, resulting in a stripe down the center of the toes instead of on the outside of the toes.

As long as it is not annoying for him to wear, I am going to call it my own design detail.

I also forgot to reinforce the toe with thread. I was going to buy gold thread (so they would be gold toe socks, natch), but forgot to even buy the thread. So, if the socks start to wear out at the toe, I will have to learn how to mend them.

Yes, of course, I am going to cast on the second sock this weekend. I needed another WIP to switch to once in a while, something on needles as big as drumsticks.

The needles aren't as big as drumsticks (they are a 10.5), but last night I cast on for Fuzzy Feet from the Winter 2002 Knitty. Here's my progress as of 3 hours ago:

I have since finished the gusset decreases.

I'm using yarn from my stash! And it was free! One of ZMrK's co-workers learned I knit and brought in a bag of yarn for me (the price tag on this yarn has a date of 1/87. I was halfway through my senior year of high school then). I tried to do a checkboard pattern on the cuff with the dark grey and the light grey, but it was going to be an uneven count if I did the checks big, so they are small. I'm also hoping like hell this light grey yarn felts. It looks like it may be "natural", and not bleached, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Yes, I realize the time of year. I'm trying to knit by the "Use What You Have" motto, and am thinking of putting myself on a yarn diet, with the exception being Sheep and Wool Festivals (they'll be over soon!!!!). Before last weekend, I hadn't bought yarn since March.

I'm also going to try a test swatch with one strand of pink yarn and one strand of blue yarn and felt it, because that's what I'm thinking of doing for the Kitty Pi bed on WendyKnits' blog. That yarn is also from my stash; last year I bought an air conditioner box full of yarn off someone on Craigslist, and I have not used ANY of it yet.

Here's the Week 20 Review of the Knitting Pattern-a-Day Calendar patterns.

Monday, May 15 - Stuff Diagonal V-Neck Shell. Rainbow Brite! It seems as if lots of young 'uns are obsessed with 80s stuff (if you're not convinced, take a walk through your local H&M and you'll see). I know it is a case of "those who can't remember the past are condemned to repeat it" because, well, I've been obsessed with 60s stuff most of my life, and I certainly can't remember the 10 months I was alive in the 60s. I can't wait to bring this home for ZantiMisterKnit to feast his eyes on, he who hates almost everything 80s.

Tuesday, May 16 - Ribbon Wave Scarf. I'll come clean and admit that I do NOT like the looks of dropped-stitch ribbon yarn stuff. I think it's pretty ugly. Last year I attempted to start a tank top pattern with some ribbon yarn, and really hated to work with it. I'm not sure if I'm going to try again, or just put the stuff on eBay and see if I can make some money off of it. The colors are really cool, but that shit gets all twisted and annoys the hell out of me.

Wednesday, May 17 -- Laurel Baby Set. This is a blanket and sweater using a 100% pima cotton yarn that gives it a tie-dyed look. If you know any hippies having a baby, this would be the perfect gift for them! I'm not a hippie in the stereotypical sense of the word (I just used the stereotype of tie-dye=hippies), but I'm kind of a tree-hugger and think this yarn is cool looking.

Thursday, May 17 and Friday, May 18 -- Rosa d'Amore. Pretty! And I like things that can be made with smaller amounts of yarn. The instructions are really long, and will require lots of attention, but perhaps I will make one or two of these in my lifetime.

Saturday/Sunday, May 20 & 21 -- Glam Poncho. You know what I'm going to say, so I just won't say it.

Are ya still with me?

Last night, ZantiMisterKnit and I took a night out on the town. We went to see our favorite local band, Muck and the Mires (you may recall me mentioning them before). They were playing with the fantabulous Atlanta powerhouse band The Woggles, a band I think really has to be seen to be believed. Seriously, they are awesome and can work a crowd like no other. People in Boston generally don't dance, but the Woggles get them dancing. (I'm not talking about YOU, of course, Lisa, if you come across my blog again looking for gossip about you and Malibu Lou and see this. Oh, and drop me a line if you do come across this.)

Now where was I?

Oh yeah, I was talking about bands I like, and other people, forgetting the whole point of my blog is that it is about me, and it is, in all honesty, rare for me to talk so much about myself. I've known people who constantly talk about themselves and every sentence begins with "I", and it can really get boring. I'm always afraid that I sound terribly self-absorbed, but that's the whole point of blogs, isn't it? To go online and rattle on about oneself and one's opinion and see how many people continue to read it. Because I am not a terribly open person; I can be a bit on the stoic side, or so I am told.

I'm sure you are all sitting here reading this and saying, "Fuckin' Zanti! You said there were bonus FOs! Give 'em up, beeatch!" So, here they are:

The shirt is a recon of a red t-shirt and a leopard-and-cherry-print, slip-like skirt. It's hard to tell in the pic, but the bottom is trimmed in lace (it was already on the hem of the skirt!). The pencil skirt is made with some slightly stretchy cotton with a black-on-black leopard pattern. The leopard spots are velvet-y.

I did not use a pattern for either of these. I did lots of cutting up and pinning onto my dress form for the shirt. I traced a store-bought pencil skirt onto the black fabric to make the skirt. I would zoom in on the individual pieces, but my computer is being a fothermucker right now.

And that, my dears, is my new haircut. It's pretty easy care, but the bedhead is pretty funny.

Speaking of bedhead. . . I think I am going to go and get some (I mean bedhead as in, "going to sleep", not what you dirty-minded little knitters are thinking!

Good night!