Dechon's Designs: chiengora

Monday, July 30, 2007

All About Socks

I recently bought and listened to the Yarn Harlot's two books (At Knit's End: Meditations For Women Who Knit Too Much & Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off) from Audible.com. WARNING: If you are without a hobby, and love funny stories, put your credit cards in a bowl full of water and then leave them in your freezer for the entire listening/reading portion of this experience. Knitting is extremely contagious and wool has addictive fumes that will melt your credit cards right out of your pocket. In these two books, Mrs. Pearl-McPhee has awakened my inner knitter and created a monster. I've been knitting for a month straight! I'm a seamstress, not a knitter! What am I doing? I'm now addicted to socks? Sheesh! Like I don't already have enough projects.
Here's how bad it's gotten. My husband and I decided that it's time for me to go back to school and he made a comment that if I go, I'd have to put down the knitting. You know, for a second there I actually considered bailing out on graduate school. Ha ha. One day, I almost stood up a friend for dinner so that I could rush home and check my mailbox for some new yarn I'd ordered. Good grief!
But, I love love love knitting. I love socks especially. I love self striping, happy colored socks. I love plain black dress socks. I love patterned socks. I love knitting, toe-up. I love knitting cuff-down. I even love kitchner stitch (that b*tch of a weaving nightmare that allows you to finish the toe invisibly).
In my head I know that I've got to eventually put the knitting down and get back to my business. I know that I've got to put it aside and study for the GRE so that I can get into grad school too. But I've fallen in love with hand-knit socks. Truly and whole-heartedly.
I've joined en email list or three. I've volunteered to knit socks for soldiers. And I'm planning a knitting party to teach my co-workers how to knit! I'm just in heaven! (sigh)

Update: Nikki the wonderdog has been de-furred. She's traumatized and very miffed at me right now. She wouldn't let me pet her for about 4 days. These days, she's sketchy about her tail too. I feel very guilty but it had to be done. For Pete's sake! It was 120 degrees here! She couldn't go out for a walk without foaming at the mouth. Ok, ok. I didn't have to shave her tail. My bad. I got over-zealous with the clippers.

OK, you can say it. I'm just an evil doggy mommy!

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

The Knitting Bug Has Bitten Me

Today I need to make 5 capes for a dance recital and last month I altered a lime green prom dress. I'm just loving having my own business. I'd like to do more but I have to work sometimes too. (grin) I've recently taught myself how to knit socks and I'm hooked! I bought this beautiful yarn: http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5386586

And then I used the traditional,

multi-needled method to learn to kint this sock!!!

Then I tried a different method with a self striping yarn to begin to knit another pair on two circular needles.

Here's my long term project though. You'll think I'm crazy at first, but keep reading....I'm using my dog's fur to knit a scarf. Yup! A scarf! No. I'm not the crazy cat (dog) lady. It's actually just like angora. Here read this:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=584156

I send this wonderful woman all the brushings from Nikki, my Akita. Akitas are known for blowing their coat twice a year. She washes and spins up the fur into a super soft and very warm yarn for me and I buy it back from her. It usually costs about 12$ for a large ball of yarn that has been made from a trash bag full of hair. Here are the beautiful results!

You may then ask me, "What are you doing for the Shop while you're doing all this knitting and altering?" This: http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5350040

Cheap Threads offers all kinds of fabulous fabric and I just couldn't resist. I'm making a messenger bag out of this one and if it sells, I'll have to get more!