Bugger this for a lark...

Well, this blogger has HAD it. I've done a bit of fiddling, and we're up and moving! Please direct all links over to: http://duckknits.wordpress.com/

I'm still fiddling with the user interface, but all in all I think it looks a good sight better. Feel free to drop by and let me know what you think! :)

There's supposed to be an Arietta post today...

But Blogger is not bloody cooperating. We'll return later (probably Friday) , hopefully with pictures. Have a Happy 4th everybody!

A Monday Meme

Wow, it's my first official Meme, courtesy of CCR in MA.

The Meme rules: Enter your birthdate into Wikipedia, and list three events, two births, and one holiday that take place on your birthday. I'm rather fond of this, as I think it's more interesting than the prototypical "Tell me allllllll about you" memes. :)

So here goes:

I was born February 12th 19*coughcoughcough*

According to wikipedia, the following happened on that date:

In 1870, women gained the right to vote in the Utah territory. This is 50 freaking YEARS before the rest of the nation caught on, and we got the 19th amendment. Who'd have thought that area would be so progressive? 1870 is also the same year we got the 15th amendment, banning voting restrictions based on race.

In 1990, Super Mario Brothers 3 is released, and I become an official video game addict. I remember that game being the Biggest. Deal. EVER.

In 2004, San Francisco starts issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. It was a proud moment - though it didn't last. I wonder if a century from now, some blogger will be doing the same type of meme and talking about how progressive we were...

The Birthdays:

Duhh, Abraham Lincoln. Sadly, while this was once a holiday, it's been smushed into the all-purpose "President's Day," which is usually two weeks later. Too bad, because I'd love to have my birthday off!

Also born on my birthday - a ton of actors and people I couldn't care less about. Suffice to say that it looks like us Aquarians tend to go for chatty professions.

The Holiday:

Well... there's a couple interesting ones to choose from. Let's talk about Red Hand Day, a holiday that tries to draw attention to the plight of of children who are forced into being soldiers. We've seen a lot about this in the news lately, and it breaks my heart every time. Sadly, I'd never heard of this holiday before - so I'm glad this meme brought it to my attention.


All right, in happier topics: I've finished the other front of Arietta. However, I'm going to save those pictures and updates for Wednesday. I know, I'm such a tease. See you all then!

Y'all know what time it is...

It's Friday, and it's a return to form with some very special sock yarn.

Every time Socks that Rock starts to ship out, I turn into a little kid about the mail. I race home from work wondering, "Is it here yet?" Well, last Saturday, this turned up in the mailbox...

Yeah, probably it's Socks that Rock, but until you open it you never know...

Yup, definitely Socks that Rock! And ooooooh, the pretty colours...

A lot of people have asked "What do we do with the mini-skein?" I have no idea, but it does make a great way to embarrass the hell out of your boyfriend:

I still can't believe I got him to sit still for that.

Here's the goodies that came with:

On the left is a card with different pictures of this month's yarn in the dye process. The Dyer's Notes this month were really sweet, and I like that there was no "Let me tell you, the buyer, why you're WRONG WRONG WRONG" attitude unlike the Grasshopper shipment. The pattern is brilliant - it comes with instructions for toe up AND cuff down. I'm still not convinced that I like short-row heels, but it fits in really well with the design of the pattern - which is just stunning!

Finally, just the yarn...


I don't even want to use it up, it's so pretty. But this month's socks are a definite MUST knit for me.

In other news, I got another thing I'd been lusting after: My invite to Ravelry! The set-up is amazing, and I'm constantly fascinated by just how clever it is. It's amazing to enter a project and then instantly be able to see who else is working on something and what yarn they've chosen. I still have a ton of work to do on my profile - I plan to spend a part of this weekend updating my stash photos (I'm going to at least try to admit to my total stash) and needle collection. If you're on Ravelry, look me up! My screenname there is LaCane.

If you haven't signed up yet, do it! The wait list is still fairly long, but the two designers are going to work on it full time, so they've said they expect to start plowing through the list very soon.

Coming Soon: Um... More Arietta

When Knitting Disaster Strikes

No no, don't worry, it's not Arietta.

Arietta is moving along slowly but surely, as I experience a wee bit of knitting project burn-out: That's the second front piece. I'm usually all right about motivation for finishing off second pieces (except for that One Sock that keeps lingering. I really do plan to finish that someday). I think part of the problem with this is that it's the same 40 rows, constantly. Excepting the bottom pieces of course. I'm determined to finish this before I start any other projects, but I have to admit that the sock yarn stash is calling to me.

All right, the disaster. Yesterday, as I was going to put on a shoe, I caught the heel on the Icarus I had so lovingly draped over one side of my dining room table:


Yargh. I'm still in too much of a state of shock to even THINK about fixing this. Well, I guess that's not entirely true. I've at least pondered that a graft might just be possible. But then, I've never been good at getting my grafts to look nice. I have an extra ball of the alpaca I used to knit this, so I suppose ripping back to the beginning of the edging is possible... I don't know, but it doesn't bear thinking about for long periods of time. Part of me wants to throw it in a closet and deny all knowledge.

Okay, enough of the mopey stuff! Today is Miss Violet's (of Lime and Violet) birthday!

Happy Birthday Miss Violet!

It is, of course, her 21st birthday, right Miss V? ;) I hope your day is full of soft and yummy yarn-y goodness!

Coming soon: Mmm, sock yarn

Obsessed? Me?

Occasionally I get hold of a project that overcomes my tendencies to work wantonly on several projects at a time. Arietta seems to be that project. Despite an overwhelming urge to join the current slew of Jaywalker knitters, I've been nothing but faithful to my sweater.

So, to recap, last time we met I had a left (not right, sorry) front that was this big:

Late Saturday afternoon I picked up the needles, and put on a Mythbusters marathon. By Sunday evening (don't worry, I didn't knit all Sunday - cleaning and eating happened too :)) I had this:

That's a full left front, nice and attached to the back. This sweater uses something I've never tried before - a three needle bind-off on two needles. I find it dreadfully clever, and if I must knit in pieces, this is how I'd like to do shoulder attachments.

Here's the bind-off up close:

The only thing I don't especially care for is that the brown peeks through a little, but I suspect it's only noticeable up close. Otherwise, the fact that the pattern lines up so nicely fills me with knitterly glee.

Here's everything I've got so far:
I'm already a wee bit into the right front, but only as much as the picture of the left front, so I shan't bore you with it. I'm hoping that I can get this thing finished in the next two weeks, job and life permitting. The fronts go VERY fast, but I suspect the sleeves will be a bit of a slog. Then there's the button band, so I'm going to have to do some buttonhole research - it seems like there are millions of ways to make a buttonhole, and everyone has their favourite.

Of course, I also have to buy buttons.... sounds like a whole new thing to get obsessed over.

Coming soon: Oh, just guess.

The Audience is now... Deaf!

No knitting news today. The Grad-Student Boyfriend and I went to see Skinny Puppy last night along with Jessica and her man, and needless to say - no knitting got done. Mind you, it would've been nice to have a few sock needles for protective purposes (note to self: next time, stand further away from the mosh pit). Still, it was a great concert, even if the opening acts sucked harder than my Dyson. Only problem is, today I'm about at half hearing, and my voice is shot.

Jo, thanks for the advice on the set-in sleeves! :) One of my biggest "issues" with knitting is I hate hate HAAAATE to pin, but I'll make myself do it right. I'm one of those types that tends to try and speed through finishing once the knitted pieces are complete, and it bites me in the arse every time.

All right, stealing a page from Crazy Aunt Purl's book here. I have nothing else, so here's a cat making a silly face:

That is all. See y'all again Monday.

Nothing New to See Here

But for those of you who are enjoying the progress on Arietta, you're going to love this post.

So yesterday, we were here:
Today we are here, and then some:


That's a finished back, mind you, and the beginning of a left front piece. It's sort of disheartening to realize that even though the back is a ginormous piece, I've still barely made a dent in the actual knitting. Thank goodness the fronts get small fairly fast.

My biggest worry right now?


The seaming up when I'm done. Per the pattern (and forgive my big fat fingers in the picture, you all know how stockinette curls if not held down), I carried my colours not in use up along one side. This has made for one side with a very thick edge. I'm hoping I don't end up with gigantic uncomfortable seams.

I also realized that this will be my first set-in sleeve sweater. I was thinking to myself that surely, having made two cardigans and five pullovers I must have set in sleeves at some point in there. But I haven't! The Eris sweaters are raglan top-down in the round, as is the Simple Knitted Bodice. My favourite off the shoulder sweater was raglan knit flat. The Tulip cardigan is just sort of cap sleeves. And the Noro sweater of Doom was just... bizarre. But no sleeve setting.

I wonder if I'll ever be at a point in knitting where I won't regularly run into things that make me feel like an utter novice. Now, if that sounds like a complaint, it's not. I'm the type that gets bored easily once I know something more or less inside and out. I'm just consistently amazed that a hobby that involves making loops with thread can be so incredibly complex and endlessly entertaining.

Coming soon: Well, probably even more Arietta. I'm in the "obsessive knitting" stage right now. We'll see if it lasts.