Next--Dreamy Socks

Finished the blue variegated Baby Soft socks, and have started Opal Dreamcatcher socks. I’m so taken with this yarn. To begin with, it’s OPAL. Then there is the fact that the color is so deceptive. On the surface it looks gray and gray with a little off-white thrown in. But in a good light you see a subtle lavender emerge. I’m using the Cozy Socks pattern from Knit It! Fall 2005 magazine. The pattern is a four row repeat that creates triangles.
Row 1: K4, P1
Row 2: K3, P2
Row 3: K2, P3
Row 4: K1, P4
You can see that the purl stitches correspond to the row number, so you can knit this without looking at a pattern or even memorizing a stitch sequence. So easy, and so interesting.

I’m excited about Sockapaloooza starting tomorrow! I haven’t joined a KAL before—formally that is. I have knit-along with a couple groups—watched others progress and grabbed the free help to complete the project. Yes, I guess that makes me one of those lurkers everyone talks about. So I decided to “just do it.” I donated myself as a sock savior in Sockapaltwoza, to knit socks for someone whose sock pal dropped out. That was such fun that I wanted to do the full KAL this time.

I am free to join a KAL because I have finished end-of-year reports and W-2's, and have not yet officially entered tax season. I have about, um-m-m, two days to breathe and knit. It's these moments in between trouble and catastrophe that make it all worthwhile. Life is good!

One Sock, Blue Sock

One blue variegated sock finished, and one at the heel. Ten-year old granddaughter Samantha picked it up a few days ago and tried it on. We were amazed to see that it fit her. The conversation went like this:
“Grandma, this sock fits! Are they for me?”
“No, these are mine.”
“But you never knit socks for me. You’ve knit a lot for my mom. When are you going to make me some?”
“Well…I guess I could make you some next. Okay?”
“But these fit really well….”
And on, and on, until we went to my stash and picked out some yarn that she likes, put her name on the wrapper, and I promised to make them next. I talked her into some yellow WoolEase, because I think that will hold up under kid damage better than wool.

I’m a lucky Grandma because all my kiddos love my knitted objects. But it does put pressure on me to knit faster, since we have six grandchildren, and if one gets socks, they all want socks!

After this encounter, I dreamed that night that I own a yarn shop, and in a back room I have several people knitting all those things I can’t find the time to knit. I wasn’t standing over them cracking a whip, but I was demanding, “Hurry! You have to knit faster!” They were complaining and saying, “Yeah, yeah, we hear you.” (Good help is so hard to find). My dreams are obviously telling me that I should quit working and knit all the time. Whenever I bring it up to DH he plays the “how would you pay for yarn” card. Not fair! I guess Sam is going to have to wait for her socks like everyone else…I’m knitting as fast as I can.

Sock Duo

It’s not often that I knit two pairs of socks for myself at one time. I feel like royalty. Especially coming on the heels (pun intended) of the Kiwi Waffle socks I feel so pampered--and just a little bit selfish. I knit so much for other people, mostly family members, that I forget how nice it is to say, “These are for me.”

The pink socks are anklets in Knit Picks Dancing. The yarn is a cotton / wool / nylon and elastic blend that manages to be both stretchy and soft. You can’t see it well, but there is one row of lace stitches after the ribbing and before the ankle. They will be perfect for spring and summer…light and airy. The blue, white, mint green socks will have a longer leg—maybe as long as 10 inches. These are plain old acrylic (Baby Soft). I never use acrylic yarn as gifts, except for my daughter, who happens to like acrylic socks as I do. They wash and wear well. (I think so anyway).

I’m also continuing to work on the sweater vest, and making my peace with the fact that I probably won’t be able to wear it this year. The weather people say it will be 80 degrees here again today. (Toto, we're not in Chicago anymore). They promise colder weather for the weekend, along with rain. Ha! If you believe THAT I have some land in Arizona I want to sell to you. I think winter has deserted us, and we are going to roll right into spring and summer without ever having to put on a coat. I guess the weather is Fort Worth’s love-it-or-leave-it thing. Most cities have something you would change if you could, but you can’t so you learn to love it.

So, I L-O-V-E Fort Worth weather! Really, I do—I really do—really. I am not convinced yet, but I’ll keep trying.

Kiwi Waffle Heaven

Who said it's not easy being green? Kermit aside, I love having green feet! The Kiwi Waffle socks are finished and (now) on the feet. BTW, the pink, blue (yes it’s really blue not green) and purple variegated seen on the lower right is for another LeBeret. I started another pair of socks in pink and purple Knit Picks Dancing sent to me by Kris for Christmas. I have never knit with Dancing before, and I think the socks will be a dream to wear. The yarn has some stretch to it.

But, before more socks, or I should say in addition to more socks, I am taking a side trip into cables and twists with an Irish Seaman’s scarf. I started this one twice. On the first try something went wrong, or I just wasn’t understanding the pattern as written. I ripped it out after five or six rows and started over, and this time it seems to be going fine. Don’t know why I wanted to do this, especially since I am knee deep in the variegated sweater vest (the back is almost done), but the pattern was calling out to me. I may be calling out for help before it’s over.

On the work front, I wish I had kept my mouth shut when I mentioned
W-2 printing always being a dramatic event. I have angered the form-printing gods, and they are causing end-of-year form printing to be more than dramatic…they are going to be the end of my career. Oh well, I wanted to retire anyway! I know, I know, I’m whining. According to DH it’s what I do best. But I happen to believe that I knit better than I whine. Maybe....

I've Bottomed Out

There were some surprises waiting for me on the bottom of my “current project” knitting basket. I have about ten baskets, bags, mesh barrels and plastic containers around the house with yarn and projects in various states of completion. But the one I keep with me all the time, and carry from room to room with me was empty for a brief time yesterday. What an awakening! I realized how much I “live” out of my knitting basket. I shove stuff into it and forget it for, ummmm, years it seems.

Seen in the photo:
1. Scissors that have been missing for at least a year.
2. Yarn bobbins I bought during the summer when I was going to knit mosaic socks, and didn’t because I couldn’t find the bobbins.
3. A large marble. Go figure.
4. A stuffed penguin. Think about that while you are contemplating the marble.
5. A pretty chain with a yarn cutter attached.
6. Lots of Comfort Zone dpn's.
7. A miniature sock. I can only assume that a Barbie somewhere is running around with only one sock on.
8. And the big shocker, a Coach bag with bunches of knitting tools inside: needle checker, Chibi full of needles, tons of stitch markers, two stitch holders, two cable needles, and on and on.

I’m taking a poll. Does anyone else have their knitting accoutrements in a Coach bag, or a Louis Vuitton, or any designer bag or pouch? Is that the height of arrogance? Is that just too, too posh? I considered getting a brown paper bag to put the things in and finding another use for the Coach pouch—like cosmetics, or my mp3 player. But I had to ask myself, “Is anything more important than knitting?”

The stuff is still in the Coach bag, under the knitting project I have now put in the basket. So, I guess the answer is pretty clear! Nothing!

Block Party

Le Beret is blocking and hanging out with Whirly-Curly, which was started in November and put on hold for Christmas knitting. With this (and Kiwi Waffle sock almost finished) I have officially made contact with the bottom of my knitting basket. What a strange feeling--having an empty basket. I dropped the first six inches of the Plymouth Encore, purple/blue/green varigated vest on the US#8 Addi's into the basket, along with the two skeins of Encore I had already wound, and I felt much better. But first I took pictures of the empty basket, which I will post tomorrow, because I am sure there are more knitters like myself who have not seen the bottom of their "current project" basket for years. I had forgotten what it looked like, and there were several things hiding there to surprise me. I won't ruin the surprise for you. Tomorrow!

I like the hat even better now that it is blocked and shaped. It really looks like a beret. I've decided to keep it, but the Whirly-Curly scarf is already gone. DD claimed it last night when she stopped by, saying, "I know just what I'll wear this with tomorrow." I complain a lot because the things I knit disappear as fast as I knit them. But the truth of it is that I love to have family and friends claim them as their own, and love them as much as I do. At Grandparents Day at school recently I overheard a woman say to DD, "I love your bag. Where did you get it?" She replied, "Isn't it great? My Mom made it for me." Wow!! Give me more yarn, and more knitting time. I have to make more stuff. Life is good!

And, I Don't Even Like Hats!

Here is Le Beret hanging out in the bathroom where it is about to be hand washed, blocked and shaped. It is so cute I want to keep it, but I don't like hats. I don't wear hats except for our one ski trip to New Mexico every year. Then they are on and off ASAP. So, I can keep it and wear it once this year, or I can send it to a cold-country-family-member. It's in the 80's here in Fort Worth today, which gives you some idea of why I don't wear hats or mittens or coats or.... I do wear scarves on occasion--and strictly as a fashion statement. I guess I'll keep the cute little hat and wear it when it's 40 degrees for 10 minutes in February.

Also, the black man-socks are finished and on the feet of DH. He really likes them and wants more. I said okay, because I really love to knit things for him. But I warned him that the next pair WILL NOT be black! Maybe a nice dark wedgewood blue, or even a silvery gray, but NOT black! I almost lost my eyesight over them. I couldn't find a light in the house that was bright enough. I think I need one of those horribly expensive natural lights you see in yarn shops and catalogs. Better start saving my pennies.

I am two inches into the waffle pattern on the Koolaid dyed lime green socks--the kiwi waffle socks as I am calling them. The finished sock is so soft and fits so well that I was tempted to wear just the one until the second is finished. Can't wait. So, you see, the knitting goes on. Here we are on January 8th, and two projects are finished and one almost done. Good progress for a new year. Now if things just go as well when I start printing w-2's for payroll clients tomorrow. But, it has been my experience that w-2 printing is never without drama! Wish me luck....

Yea--Le Beret!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, is a blurry picture worth five-hundred? Just a thought. This is a pic of the first 20 rows of Le Beret from Morehouse Farm. It didn't photo well for some strange reason--maybe the stars are in the wrong position for hat photos. Anyway, the pattern called for a 16 inch circular. I wish I had chosen a little longer circ (like a Denise with one extra section), but now that I have started on the 16" I'll keep it on this needle a little longer, since I only have 20 more rows before I put it on dpn's and start decreases for the top. I like the shape and the color, and I'm making it more softly rounded than floppy. Nice soft wool, nice soft shape--it should be a great hat to wear!

I was reading a blog yesterday which compared toe-up to top-down sock knitting. Wow, it's amazing what we get used to and cling to in knitting. This knitter is a toe-up person, and I am a devoted top-down person. She found it grueling and boring to knit through a heel flap and gusset, although her stated three hours is unbelievable. I tried a toe-up once, however, and it took a long time to get three inches up from the toe, and then it didn't fit properly. So, it may have even seemed like three days to her. Then, there is friend Kris who knits both toe-up and top-down socks, and loves them both. Go figure! I could make a new year's resolution to knit a complete pair of toe-up socks. But n-a-a-a-h, why would I do that when I can knit a top-down pair in two days to a week, depending on the amount of knitting time I put in. I guess it's all in what you get used to, and I say...if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Happy New Year

I tried to tell Macy that it's 79 degrees outside, but I think she has decided to hibernate for the winter--cold or not. This has been such a quiet, slow, do-nothing-but-watch-TV-and-knit weekend that I was tempted to join her a couple of times as I started to nod off. THEN, things became busy as DH found several projects that I didn't really think were critical, but joined with him, in the spirit of the new year. Rah, rah, go me!

And then there's football--which is only good for knitting:
"Did you see that play?"
"Yes dear."
"Are you sure? Do you want me to run it back?"
"No need dear, I saw it, (over the tops of my glasses during a s1, k2tog, psso stitch sequence)."
"It's so much fun watching football together!"
"Yes sweetheart is surely is."
Well at least knitting through the game was more fun than all those projects.

I've made a good start with the beginning-of-the-year knitting projects. I have finished one black man sock for DH, and cast on the second sock. Finished one lime koolaid dyed sock and cast on for the second. And, I started the Le Beret in hot pink wool from Morehouse Farms. The Clapotis has hit the back burner, as have all other projects until these are done. I went to a wonderful shop in North Richland Hills called The Knitting Nook. Beautiful yarn, good prices, and great customer service. I'm definitely going back there! It inspired at least ten ideas. One is a long vest in Plymouth Encore that I bought the yarn for.

Just want to say Happy New Year to all my friends and family. I love you all! Thanks for all your support and patience with my knitting and needle-sales projects last year. We're going to do great things together this year--I can feel it coming.

I Can't Stop!

I'm still at it--sock knitting that is. All that Christmas sock knitting wasn't enough. Now I'm down to the toe on the first lime waffle sock (Koolaid dyed by friend Kris). Also, another pair of black man-socks. Click on the photo and look at the cool teal I knit into the ribbing. I had to do that to keep it from being so boring, and it is little enough. I used a teal/black varigated yarn to perk up the top of the socks. I mentioned to DH that I could also do the heel and toe in the varigated. He nixed the idea as being not masculine enough. Phooey! Men are so touchy about their socks--as if the top, heel or toe shows at all. He said, "What if I'm wearing them when I change from my golf shoes into my regular shoes in the locker room?" I told him that all the other men would probably stand up and applaud.

Christmas was wonderful, and the week between this year and that year is so far quiet and calm. Only one client meeting planned, and the rest is knitting/play time. I need all the rest I can get during this one week sandwiched between Christmas preparations, and the year-end reports due in the first month of the new year. But we come to the new year with a load of good vibes from a Christmas that was truly memorable. The grandchildren were all happy; we spent time with old friends; we ate the best of foods and didn't care about calories, and we finished everything off with a nice long nap. That's the best of the best. Hope yours was the same!

Partridge On The Needles

You know how the Partridge In The Peartree is the last thing in the song? Well, I've got a partridge on my needles--one of those oops, last-minute gifts I didn't expect to have to knit. My firefighter son asked me on Sunday (three days ago!) if I could knit him a thick, wooly pair of black socks to wear with his boots. Of course, they had to be black so I had to go buy the yarn on Sunday afternoon. But I decided to knit a little grey into the ribbing where no one would see it, but it would give them some character. I finished one sock last night, and now here it is Wednesday before Christmas and I have finished the ribbing and am starting on the leg of the second sock. I just might finish it if my accounting clients stop wanting end-of-year stuff. I say let's stop everything but knitting right now and catch up the rest of it after the first of the year!

I really didn't expect to be knitting anything else until after Christmas. I have gift wrapping to do, and baking to do, and Christmas plays to see, and visions of sugarplums to contemplate. Here's the thing...when a son asks for a special knitted gift, you stay up nights to finish it . It's so special and wonderful that one of my guys actually would cherish, and take pleasure in something that I made for him--you just don't say no to that. My greatest concern is that I will have to give him the second sock with needles in the toe. I swear I'll sit there Christmas morning and finish it while I watch everyone open gifts! It makes me realize that the reason we knit is to make ourselves happy by making others happy. Isn't that the essence of Christmas giving? Life is truly good!

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you, and as always, happy knitting.

Hoorah! It's Finished....

Lest there be any doubt that I really knitted 12 bags, here are seven of them. Number 8 is blocking, and 9, 10, 11 and 12 have been mailed to Chicago. Yes, I did cheat by making the bodies of the bags on my Bond knitting machine, but seaming, handles, and felting were all done by hand. The Bond really helps with straight knitting. I've never played much with intarsia or lots of hand minipulation on the machine. I like hand knitting too much to jump into nothing but machine knitting. It is a means to an end--large quanties done fast!

I am so pleased with the things I have finished for Christmas.
* all the bags (12)
* son's heavy "snow trudging" socks
* itty-bitty sock earrings
* Gryffindor scarf/tie
* Snow Angel socks
* black fingerless man-mitts.
It makes me happy to share a bit of myself with my family and friends. If I had it all to do over, and had the time, I would do only one thing differently. I would knit the Griffindor scarf ( shown above) in the round, if that's possible. I'm going to have to investigate that possibility with Alison Hansel, whose pattern I used. The back of the flat scarf isn't as neat as I would like it, but it's still pretty and soooo fashionable!

It's not over yet. I still have shopping to do for stocking stuffers and special requests. But, I am closer than I have been since October, to being finished. Now I can sit back, eat too much chocolate and too many cookies, and wait for the big day. Wonder what Santa is bringing me?

And On, And On, And....

Son's socks are done, and the last gift scarf is about 12" from being finished. The itty-bitty earrings for DD are done--just have to put them on earring wires, and the last bag is being felted. What am I going to knit now? That's what a friend asked me today. I suddenly became tongue-tied. For a few seconds I really couldn't think of what I would knit now that Christmas knitting is almost done. I thought, "maybe that's it for me...the last hurrah, the final knit bit, the exit FO." Then it hit me, I have one lime green sock done and another cast-on, there is the sweater that will be a shawl if I listen to its pleadings, and there is the whirly-curly scarf that has been on the needles for what seems like forever. Yes indeed, there is plenty to knit after this! Boy am I relieved! My whole life passed before my eyes.

Have you ever thought about what you would do it you didn't knit? I really don't know what I would do. No, not crochet! Needlepoint maybe. Read definitely. But life certainly wouldn't be the same! How could I ever watch TV again? What would I do for socks? Buy them? Surely not! And most of all, what would I do with all that yarn. Yeah, that's it--it's the yarn that keeps me knitting, and if I'm going to keep knitting until I run out of yarn, I'm going to live a v-e-r-y long time! And that's okay with me.

What Was I Thinking?

At least I can post a picture of the Snow Angel socks, because they are for a long-time friend who does not read my blog. In fact, she claims to be blogging illiterate. Once again, if you click on the pic you will see the snow sparkle. Now, isn’t that pretty?

So, that makes ten bags, three pairs of socks, two scarves, and a pair of itty-bitty sock earrings. I started in October and still it’s going to be close. I still have to finish one scarf, one pair of men’s fingerless mitts, and one more bag—an add-on for the same old friend getting the above socks. Then there is all the in-store/mall shopping for grandchildren to do, and a whole bunch of cooking. I said Santa was tired. Well now he has gone out for a drink and I don’t know if he’s coming back!

I know why we do this to ourselves! We love it! It’s fun and it produces memories that last all year. I still remember things from last Christmas. I won’t try, however, to duplicate them because this year will have its own outstanding memories that will stand alone—without parallel and without need to duplicate.

Well, I have to go. The phone is ringing. It’s probably Santa, and he wants more money. If I find out where he is—I’m there!

Feeling Photo Deprived?

Pictures are sadly lacking on this blog right now. If I post pics of all the things I'm knitting, my family readers will know what I'm knitting for Christmas. They have already started talking among themselves, "I know she is knitting that for me," "No, no, she is knitting that for me. The----is for you." Note to family: you better be good or Santa will sleep through Christmas. Santa is feeling really tired right now!

Why is it that life goes into fast forward during the last month of the year. I know it is a busy time by nature of the short time between Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. But sometimes it seems like work, preparations, shopping, parties, and closing EOY as we say in accounting jargon, all goes into overdrive. Well, my overdrive is kaput and my "get up and go" has "got up and went." A few days ago I said to DD, who was sprawled on my couch at the time, that I was feeling my age. She stared at me for a moment and said, "then I'm older than you." I think she meant that she is also feeling tired right now, but I decided to take it as a declaration of my youthful appearance.

Well, responsibilities, obligations and priorities aside, I have decided to not let it all make me enjoy the season less! This is a time to remember all the wonderful blessings that have been given to me--a time to thank God for a year, like many others, of beauty and light, of family love and support in all my endeavors. Busy or not, life is good.

The Bird Is Dead

Yes, the turkey is well and truly done--stick-a-fork-in-it done. Also its bones chewed on a bit! We had a marvelous dinner (it's always better when you don't have to cook it). DS did an outstanding job of cooking as usual, and topped it off by having an elegant "sit-down" for all eleven of us--a real accomplishment! Now, as I write I am reminded that I STILL have not had the nap required by all turkey eaters. Yawn....

If you are wondering about the picture above, it is Tah-Dah! the size #0, #1, and #2 Comfort Zone double pointed needles. This is what they look like without the color added, and I just got my hands on them yesterday for testing. I have been promised some of these little babies with color on Monday. I will be adding them to the Knitting-On-The-Go website tomorrow, along with the size #7, #8, #9, #10, and #10 1/2, also new to the CZ line-up. In all my years of knitting I have not been as happy with knitting needles as I am with the Comfort Zone needles. They have kept my hands from cramping during hours of knitting, and the residual hand aches and pains, that once were a constant annoyance, are gone! Don't know what I would do without them--especially since I am addicted to sock knitting. If you are interested in adding to your dpn collection, or just trying the best of the best in double pointed needles, you can reply here, email me at knittykat@sbcglobal.net, or go the the website link on the left to order. I am told that Comfort Zone Circulars are next!

It's A Done Deal

We finally bought a car--a Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS. It's a fun car to drive with good pick-up, great breaking, all around airbags and curtains, and lots of goodies we hadn't even thought about. Best of all, the ride is so smooth that I can knit without being jostled about.

So glad that's over and I can get on to more important things like knitting, and Thanksgiving! I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving. Ours is not going to be on Thursday. We have a family of nurses and firefighters who all have to work on Thursday. The rest of the family is in Chicago, and while I wish we could be with them or they with us, I guess it's not going to happen this year. So here is the meeting and eating line-up: Friday we have dinner with SIL's father and his wife, and Saturday our Dallas son is making a gourmet dinner, which he does every few years. What a treat!!!! I don't have to cook at all!!!! (Yes, that deserves three blog's worth of exclamation points!). I plan to sit in front of a roaring fire with feet up and knit--in between helping in the kitchen, and helping to serve and clean up. Some things never change.

You all know that it's not about the food. It's all about family. Although the food becomes about family very quickly. I was telling a friend today that my Mother always made fruitcakes for Christmas. She would make them in early November, wrap them and pour whiskey all over them, and let them "steep" until the week before Christmas. We would all joke about the fact that we hated the cake, so we would wring out the whiskey soaked wrappings, drink it and throw away the fruitcake. But the truth of it is that right around this time of year I start craving fruitcake--and I hate the stuff. I guess what I really crave is time with Mother, baking and joking, and waiting with anticipation for Christmas with the family. This time of year life is better than good--life is spectacular!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families.

And Another Thing

This is something I didn't plan to add to my Christmas gifties, but I will now. I found it stuffed away, 2/3rds done and just begging to be finished and given to someone. I don't even know what the yarn is--maybe Lion Brand Imagine, which I think is a mohair blend. It's really pretty and so warm I would be tempted to keep it if I still lived in Chicago. It makes me feel good to pick up and finish something I started umpteen years ago. I can't even remember why I didn't finish it then. It was probably too warm for Texas and I had socks to knit instead. I think (hope) it will be liked by the person who receives it. Christmas knitting is coming along!

We spent the day driving new cars. We really liked the Ford Five Hundred. That's how it's written on the car, not Ford 500, but FIVE HUNDRED, and for that they charge you a whole bunch more money. It's an SUV pretending to be a sedan--unique and totally plush. Still, it is a lot more than we expected to spend. Then we drove the Ford Escape, sort of a mini-SUV and again, a totally pleasant driving experience. Our son insisted that we try the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, another mini-SUV with good performance and a five star safety rating. The safety rating is more important to me than to the guys (DH and our two good cop, bad cop negotiating sons). I have a real need to be in an M-1 A-1 Abrams the next time someone comes out of nowhere and involves me in their accident. The bottom line is that it only takes money. Add to that the fact that car salesmen just don't understand "We can't afford that," and it makes car shopping the pits! This too shall pass....

Woe Is Me

It happens to a lot of people...you're driving along, finishing your errands for the weekend, looking forward to curling up on the couch with your knitting. Suddenly, BAM--CRASH!!! That lady in the other Toyota crosses three lanes of fast moving traffic and appears right in front of you. You lock up the brakes, brace for the impact and wait for the slap of the airbag. That was my Saturday morning. How was yours?

My DH did a masterful job of driving, but our poor little Toyota is toast. So, it's off to car shopping we go. I really don't need this right now with all the Christmas knitting I have to do, but at least I can sit in showrooms and the back seat of test cars and knit. Can't you see it now, "How do you like this one dear," he says. "Oh it's nice. The ride is smooth enough for me to knit in the back seat. I'll have to try it in the front." "Do you like the color?" he asks. "Hmmm? Color? Oh, it's okay too." Do you get the picture--that I don't care as long as it will get me to the yarn shop and back? The most important thing that happened this weekend was that we all (the two of us and the people in the other car) walked away from what could have been a really bad accident. New cars can be bought, but not new lives! Life is good!

Speaking of knitting (yes I was!). I'm finishing the "sock savior" socks for a sockless pal, and they are beooootiful. The sixth bag to be felted is coming off the machine tonight (only three more to go), and #2 sock for DS is well underway.

H-M-M-M-M ! ! !

Something on my mind--knitting groups. I have my pet groups, the ones on which I contribute and learn equally. I also enjoy the ones I lurk on, mostly because there is good information and the knitters are generally on target and sometimes even brilliant. Some of them are so good and so real, that to add anything would be only to concur and say "yea, you're great!" The information is good and the ideas stimulating.

THEN, there are the ones that seem to constantly put people down because they don't "stay on subject." The contributors can't seem to say, "it's a nice day" without the moderator saying "stop it, you're not talking about knitting." I've read two today in which the contributor made a statement about her wrists hurting from knitting so much, and another on a sock knitting list group about something other than socks. In both cases, the moderator slapped--so to speak--the writer down for not staying on subject.

I don't know about the rest of you, but knitting is part of my life. It's impossible to talk about knitting without talking about life in general--my family, my dog, the weather (bulky or lace weight?). I would like to see every knitting group share life, which includes knitting, whether it's socks, lace, machine or...just life! Idealistic? I guess so. Impossible to manage? I don't think so. Would I have to start my own group to prove it could work? Can't! Life would get in the way!