Workin

Look at what I got for Christmas!:



I have entered the world of spinning. And it is good.

Flicca is going well too. I'm on the last stretch of the back piece. Soon my chunky yarn monstrosity will be complete (insert sinister laugh).



Here are my notes from my Ravelry entry:

1/5- Finished the first section of the back piece and decreased down to the k2,p1 rib. Work measures about 15 inches. Didn't quite hit the gauge so the work is coming out a bit smaller, but that's not taking into account the stretch of the rib and its pre-blocked state. Confident it will fit with some room to spare.

1/6- I'm about 2-3 inches away from the armhole shaping on the back piece. It's growing large and rather quickly. It's also quite heavy already. I've used almost three skeins so far just on the back piece. Will 10 skeins be enough for the whole thing? Iunno. I still have to finish the back piece, work the front pieces, the sleeves, AND the collar.

Yesterday I went to the new LYS Sheep Thrills in North Syracuse. It was their Grand Opening so I went to check it out. It's a cute little shop with the usual "luxury" yarns but also some more affordable options. It was there that I committed an act of hypocrisy: I bought a skein of Noro Silk Garden. Yes, me, the queen of economy. I have said in the past that although Noro yarn is very pretty, I found it a bit too pricey considering the complaint about its lack of softness. Then the winter Knitty came out with Three Tams and I am now eating my words. I could have went with the Kureyon instead of the Silk Garden since it was cheaper, but one feel of the Kureyon and I said "eeww, I'm not paying $8 for a skein of scratchiness. I don't care how pretty the colorway is". Silk Garden feels MUCH better but at a cost of $11 and some change. Mr.V laughed as I continued to pet it on our way to Walmart.

PS-I miss the sun. I can't get any good indoor pictures. Of anything. At least without photoshopping the crap out of them, which is really tiresome after a while. Is anyone else having this problem?

Election Year

It's now 2008: Election Year. This is a very important year for Americans. We once again get to pick our new President. Want to vote but don't know how? I've been using Rock the Vote's website to register for the past couple years now. It's very easy. Click on the banner below. Fill out the information it asks, print out the nice and neat pdf it gives you, and then mail it in! You can also find all kinds of information about voting there as well.

Do. it. now. If you're reading this and you're an American, it is your responsibility to vote. Don't give me excuses like: "I'm busy" or "Why bother?" or "I'm just chosing the lesser of two evils"... Why not pick your candidates now during the primaries?

If you live in NY state and want to vote in the Primaries (which are in February) you must register by January 11, 2oo8. If you need to re-register due change in address or change in name but want to change you're party it is unfortunately too late. But don't let that stop you, re-register and vote in the primaries anyway. Who would you like to see on the opposing ballot?

I'll be keeping the "Rock the Vote" banner on my site until November. Get registered! Get informed!

Winter Holidays 2007

Happy New Year everyone! Hope your holidays were enjoyable. Do you do the New Year's resolution thing? I admit I do the New Years Resolution thing and I have about as much success with them as everyone else.

Last year's resolution was to start and consistently play the piano again. I got some new music books and fished out my old ones, so with the exception of a piano teacher, I had all the resources. I kept it up for about a month. I blame this failure solely on the class I was taking and the constant distraction of knitting. Piano playing has now been relegated to the list of "things to do when I win the lottery and quit my job" OR, more realistically "things to do when I retire".

What's my resolution this year? Well, I have one, but I'm a little shy about it. It'll be a difficult one, but I'm telling myself all I have to do is make real effort at it, not necessarily be successful at it.

So anyway. The Poseidon socks and Floral Lace Anklets have been officially gifted. My MIL and SIL seemed to like them a lot. My MIL put her's over her tights and wore them the rest of the day. I guess that's a good sign.








The Poseidon Socks pattern can be found here for free. The Floral Lace Anklets are from the Lace Style book from Interweave Press.

My Vinnland Socks are finished finally. After I opened up all my yarn for Christmas the socks didn't seem very interesting anymore. So as my last knitting act of 2007 I knit the last few pattern repeats of the Vinnland socks like my life depended on it. Now it's time for Flicca.

And I have a running list of pictures I want to take and post, but I'm not making any promises. I haven't been very passionate about blogging. But I will at least keep Ravelry updated (my Ravelry name = Tookish). Perhaps being more committed to blogging should have been my New Year's Resolution.

Poseidon Socks Finished, Vinnland Socks Begun

The Poseidon Socks from Exercise Before Knitting are complete! Yes, both of them.





I broke down and used my lightbox to take the pictures. It's becoming obvious that winter is here and, therefore, adequate sunlight is gone. For good. Or at least until about April of next year. (ah, Upstate NY winters). Wouldn't I just love to take interesting action shots of my FOs! But being a the model and photographer of my finished items means that my options are rather limited. But I digress....

Pattern: Poseidon socks
Source: Exercise Before Knitting
Cost: FREE
Yarn: Knitpicks Essential "Gulfstream"
Quantity: <2 skeins
Needles: Addi Turbo US 1 (2.5 mm) 32 in circs (magic loop baby)
Recipient: MIL

Great name, great color, great pattern. The lace pattern is quite simple but gives deceivingly fancy-shmancy results. I like how reversing the right and left slanting decreases gives a nice wavy look. My MIL likes coral blue colors (it matches her tan, she says, which is probably true, I just wish her tan was acquired from less-carcinogenic methods). Let's see, they're knit from the toe up with a short row heel, which is cool cuz I don't normally do toe-ups so it was nice getting acquainted again. I would like to know how one does leg increases so I can make knee-highs from toe-up socks. That way, I won't have those pesky partial skeins leftover. If anyone knows of a tutorial on this topic, please point me in the right direction. It would be much appreciated :)

And thus completes my x-mas knitting.

Now back to me ME ME!

The Vinnland Socks are now in progress:

Cardigans vs. Pullovers

Here are the projects that I’m breaking my yarn diet for:

Provincial Waistcoat by Mari Lynn Patrick (Interweave Knits, Winter 2006)

Nantucket Jacket by Norah Gaughan (Interweave Knits, Winter 2006)

Flicca by Anna Bell (My Fashionable Life)

Tilted Duster by Norah Gaughan (Interweave Knits, Fall 2007)

Phyllo Yoked Pullover by Norah Gaughan (Knitting Nature)

I noticed something: only one pullover in the bunch. Hmm… why this obvious preference for cardigans? Can’t say for sure. My guess would be that I like to layer. By acquiring layering items for my wardrobe means I have more options. More options = more bang for my buck.

Or maybe I just like sewing buttons.

Oh man, I am having so much fun picking out yarns and colors these projects!! I’ve only ordered yarn for two projects so far. I think I’m dragging out the other purchases on purpose. Must make the fun. Last. Longer…

Mom's Christmas Socks

I like socks. They're fun to knit. They don't normally take very long to complete. They're functional.

And, if you don't mind my bragging, I'm pretty good a knitting socks. I have much better luck with socks than with sweaters.

I also think they're a good starting point for making your own design. Once you know the basic sock template, you can add whatever stitch(es) you like. Besides fitting your stitch pattern in your ankle circumference, there's not much to it.

I had two requests from my mom when it came to her Christmas socks: 1. She wants them nice and thick 2. No crazy colors.

That's do-able.

So I wip'd (he he) these up. All by myself.




They're made out of one skein of LB Wool Ease worsted, which is a good, cheap sock yarn despite the high acrylic content. I knit them on US 4 circs (magic loop) so the fabric is really thick, and a little stiff, but nothing a trip in the washer and dryer won't fix (another LB Wool Ease advantage). I grabbed the bias rib from one of my stitch books and the lace border from the Floral Lace Anklets (Lace Style, Interweave Press) I just finished. Overall, I took inspiration from the Spiral Boot Socks from Interweave Knits Summer 2007 by Veronik Avery.

Sorry, but this is the only picture and I know it's not a very good one. (It's kind of like looking at the sock's butt). I haven't been in a blogging mood these past couple weeks. But since I have an extra skein of this yarn, maybe I'll make a pair for myself... eventually.

Good News! I'm breaking my yarn diet this Christmas. I've already ordered some yarn and me thinks I'll be ordering more... YAAARNN!

I'm on Ravelry!

I received my Ravelry invite a few days ago. My name is Tookish there, so say hello if you're on there too. I'm just getting acquainted right now, but overall I think the site is brilliant!

I managed to cast on and finish a pair of socks for my mom since my last post. I'll try and post what pics I have of it. They're already wrapped and in the possession of the recipient.

Right now I'm knitting the Poseidon Socks from Exercise Before Knitting. They're going good. I'll post when the first sock is done.

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!

Floral Lace Anklets from Lace Style

I finally managed some half-way decent photos of the Floral Lace Anklets. I decided to post on Craftster first since these are a gift. I'll make sure to post the pics here after she receives them. Maybe I'll sneak a few pics of her modeling them, heh heh!

Until, then please click here to see my post on Craftster.

Thanks!

Stalling

I finished the Floral Lace Anklets a couple days ago (katiedid- the yarn color is actually Burgundy), but I haven’t been able to take pictures, because the weather (thus, light) has been kind of crappy for the past few days.

What about that light box thingie you were going make, you say? That’s done, BUT I’d like to use some sock blockers if I’m going to photograph them using the light box. Sock blockers are just a nicer way to show off socks than just laying the sock flat as it is. Ooo! You know what I should get? One of those mannequin foots!! (note to self: ebay mannequin foot)

I’ve started on the next pair of x-mas socks. These will be for my mom made out of worsted weight Wool-Ease. They’ll be nice and thick. I finally casted on last night after a couple evenings of planning. I’m knitting them on size 4 circs because I hate my Denise Interchangeable size 5’s (don't you). The fabric is definitely stiff, but they should soften up once they’re washed (cue: washer/dryer of death).

Besides that, I’ve been discovering some new blogs, which I’ve added to my sidebar: Domesticrafts, Slipped Stitch, and Exercise Before Knitting. And here are some links to sock patterns I found recently. Socktoberfest for me has been extended to Christmas. Surprisingly, I’m not getting tired of making them, but when I’m finally to the point where I can actually make a sock for myself, I probably will be. That’s the way these things work.

Sock pattern links (all free):
Poseidon Socks (Exercise Before Knitting)

Drunken Bees Socks (Domesticraft)

Zephyre socks (Domesticraft)

Vinnland socks (The Anticraft)

Ridges and Ribs Socks (Criminy Jickets)

Enjoy! There's just so much great stuff out there in the blogosphere. We gotta help each other out, right? :-)

Alpacas Galore: 2007 Empire Alpaca Extravaganza

While many knitters were enjoying the weekend at the infamous Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY, my DH and I stopped by the 2007 Empire Alpaca Extravaganza hosted by the Empire Alpaca Association. Not quite Rhinebeck, but it was free and only about 15 minutes from home. Now I like alpaca's. I wish I had one... or two, but since I can't even have a cat in my apartmen I doubt I could get away with a medium-sized domesticated camelid.

The event took place at one of the buildings at the NY State Fairgrounds. How many Alpacas can a NYS Fairgounds building hold? Lots! (EAA says 750+)

Here are some pics for your enjoyment, all taken by the husbeast.









There was one display that was selling some ready made alpaca gear, some yarn, and some roving at pretty decent prices. But as a whole this event seemed to be geared toward alpaca owners and people looking to buy alpacas. However, looking at all the alpacas and trying to pet them (many didn't seem like they wanted to be bothered) while trying figure out if I could squeeze one of the yearlings in the back of my Forester was well worth it. Maybe I'll drop a comment to the organizers about having a little more to offer for fiber enthusiasts. ;)

Tech Yarn

Check out this article on some new-fangled yarn that can glow-in-the-dark! I think we'll definately see some interesting patterns when/if this stuff hits the market.

Go to article

Sneak a Peek at an FO While I Ramble On Incessantly

WK DO NOT READ!!! X-MAS SPOILER!


I finished part 1 of the Floral Lace Anklets on Saturday, as predicted, but I never got around to taking a picture before it got dark out. I'm a true believer that natural light is ideal for taking photographs. But it's been pretty overcast these passed two days and combined with the fact that our apartment doesn't get very good light, I postponed pictures again. BUT, today seems to be pretty nice outside. So alas, a picture! I'd like to put off a full-blown show-and-tell until I'm finished with the pair. But here's a sneak peek for now:

As these are intended to be a x-mas gift I don't want to post a pic directly on the blog. So here's a link to view the picture. WK DO NOT CLICK!!!

I friggin love this color. I was so excited to CO because I knew that these would be one of my first successful FO in a while. Trying to design my own sweaters has proven to be frustrating. I'm thinking I need a little more practice with actually completing sweaters from patterns before I can start having success designing my own.

Anyways, the yarn is Knitpicks Essentials. This Essentials yarn seems softer than other balls of Essentials I bought over a year ago. Has anyone noticed this? I'm not sure when or if there was a change in their manufacturing, but hey, I'm not complaining.

Going back to the sunlight issues I have: I'm thinking of following this tutorial from Lolly and make myself a photo-box. I'll pretty much only have to purchase some poster board. Most other materials already have in my possession. I'm hoping that having a photo-box will allow me take pictures no matter the time or day or level of sunshine. It's BRILLIANT!

Autumn still seems a little reluctant, but it's definately here. The colors here in NY are just beautiful. I really must get my tush out there take some pictures. I hope we don't get anymore heavy rain this week. Mum (and Co.) are coming up for a visit and Mother loves her Fall colors!

One more thing (can I ever stop rambling?), there was no Rhinebeck for me this year (well, not ever actually) but I did do something fiber related last weekend. It involved a hell of a lot of Alpacas. Post and pics coming soon.

PS - (sorry, this will never end, you're trapped here forever) I went to Mission Rose Quiltery and Knittery yesterday on the way home from work in order to brighten up an otherwise dreary day. What a CUTE place! And the yarns! OH, the yarns!! Noro, Rowan, and Debbie Bliss. OH MY! I cannot describe to you the kind of willpower required to NOT buy yarn at a place like that. So I bought needles instead. I have now become an Addi-Ho, if owning one pair of US1's counts. Now I can put my cheap US 1 dpns out their misery. DIE DPNs, DIE! All hail Magic Loop!

Ta.

Crafty Happiness!

Thursday morning, when I was walking out the door for work, I saw a package sitting in the hallway. I knew exactly what it was: MY TEA TIME SWAP PACKAGE!!

WEEE! I scooped it up and took it to work with me. And as soon as I got to my desk I ripped that baby open. Needless to say the contents made my morning. Check it out:

Stitchmarkers!!


Handpainted dishes. I loved the Asian theme for this package.

A tea canister with the "kenji" character. She informed me that Kenji means Tea. And a crap load of tea to go in my tea canister.



And last but not least, chamomile soaps, tea tree and rosemary lotion, scone recipes with some extra Asian themed recipe cards, and a muslin tea bag.

Well, I'm really, REALLY happy with my package. The teas are delicious and I can't wait to try the recipes. I hope she likes the package I sent her. I have to say, I think her package is better than mine.

There's a lot of interesting things being made for this swap. One person actually dyed yarn with tea. I'm not sure how this is done or what the resulting colors are like, but I'm sure Almighty Google can help me (or you) find a tutorial or two. But if you're reading this and have Tea-dyed before feel free to point us in the right direction. ;)

Knitting news: I'm knitting like a bat out of hell on the Lace Floral Anklets from Lace Style. Maybe it's the cooler weather or maybe it's the prospect of finishing something that's actually wearable that has me motivated. FO's have been a little dry around here lately so I'm thinking it's more of the latter. Well, I'll save the details for the next post. There's a good chance I'll be finishing the first sock today. And if I do, I'll post first thing tomorrow.

Have a good Saturday, especially all you Rhinebeckers!

Yarn Shops in the Syracuse Area

For some reason, I was under the impression that there were no (are at least, very few) yarn shops in the Syracuse area. When I think back to when I was a knitting-noob I remember trying to find yarn shops and somehow, not really succeeding. And then I found sites like Knitpicks and Elann and realized I can buy yarn on the internet for pretty cheap when I was ready to expand my horizons to other things besides acrylic. So, my interest in LYSs quickly faded. But now I’m curious about this LYS thing even though I know it might be the pricier option. But have I not proven my commitment to knitting and honed my skills to justify spending more money on yarn? And these LYSs surely have sales, right? And what about helpful, friendly staff? Surely that counts for something. And wouldn’t it be grand to know exactly what color your yarn is when you buy it instead of rolling the dice when you order online?

And shouldn’t I be supporting local businesses in this, the age of WalMart?

For those of you who are local and are interested in yarn shops, here is a list I found using Almighty Google. Some of these places have websites, some don’t. Where possible I fished out their hours of operation. I’m pleased to see there is a place, The Knitting Connection, on the other side of town from me. Perhaps I'll check that out in the near future.

The Knitting Connection
3056 Burnet Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13206-2571
http://www.theknittingconnection.net/
Hours of Operation:
M - T - W - Th - Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri - Noon to 6 p.m.

Mission Rose Quiltery (And Knittery) Thanks to Carla for adding one more location...
456 S. Main Street
North Syracuse, NY
M,W,F,Sat - 9:30-4:30
T,Th - 9:30-6:30
Sun - 12-4

Village Yarn Shop
3401 Erie Blvd E
Dewitt, NY 13214
(315) 449-2051 ...And for letting us know that Village Yarn Shops are no longer in business

Village Yarn Shop
511 E Genesee St
Fayetteville, NY 13066
(315) 637-0416

A Yarn For All Seasons
8240 Cazenovia Rd # 100
Manlius, NY 13104
(315) 692-4580
http://ayarnforallseasons.net/

Patchwork Plus Yarn
2532 Cherry Valley Tpke
Marcellus, NY 13108
(315) 673-2208
(315) 673-3716
http://patchworkplusquiltshop.com/
Open Sundays noon to 4pm, Monday - Saturday 10am to 5pm, Thursdays 'til 7pm

Elegant Needles
7 Jordan St
Skaneateles, NY 13152
(315) 685-9276
(800) 275-9276 - Toll Free

Yarn Bin
51 Fennell St
Skaneateles, NY 13152
(315) 685-5070

So tell me. Has anyone been to these places? Are any of these shops no longer in business? I would really hate to drive out to say, Skaneateles to find the store unoccupied and yarn-less. Tell me your thoughts.

Another New Look

It's Friday night and I've been updating my blog while streaming Regina Spektor Live at the 9:30 Club.

Bars? Clubs? No thank you. I'd rather blog about knitting.

I decided to upgrade my template to the customizable blogger formats. I wish I did this earlier. This is way easier than trying to learn HTML and editing the template through the code. Really, I'm not a programmer nor do I want to be. I picked one of the "Minima" templates and then customized away. EVERYTHING was easier. You can rearrange elements by just clicking and dragging. I was able to add my banner, no problem. Changing fonts and colors? No problem. If you use blogger and want to customize, I highly suggest going this route. Now before you start thinking that Blogger is paying me, onto some knitting content:

Well there's not much, really. I'm waiting for my Knitpicks order consisting of two skeins of coral blue Essentials sock yarn and two balls of burgundy Essentials. These are not for me, but for xmas gift knits. My inlaws have decided that they want to do a handmade xmas, which is ok by me. As I said before, handknit socks make great gifts. You can't go wrong.

The coral blue yarn will be Cookie A's Pomatomus socks. I'm not sure about the burgundy yarn, I'm thinking perhaps the Floral Lace Anklets from Lace Style.

I just got the book from the library and I really like it so far. Scarf Style and Wrap Style were really good too. I've got some craft swap projects to post, but I want to wait until my partner gets the package before I post. I had my first felting experience recently and of course I've got pictures.

I've got tickets to the Tori Amos concert at the Landmark tomorrow night. She's my all time favorite. I've been a fan for years, but she's never toured close enough for me to see her. I'm glad she decided to swing upstate.

What to Do with All that Leftover Yarn

2007 -the year of the stashbuster- has not been the success I was hoping it would be. I have matured as a knitter, and therefore, my taste in yarns has matured. I'm not saying I'm a yarn snob or anything, but I've finally realized that cheap acrylics are NOT suitable for every project. But my stash you see, it's not cooperating.

Just what in the hell am I going to do with these large skeins of boucle, LB Homespun, and other acrylic remnants?? Will I ever again experience the fun of acquiring new yarn??

Finally, my DH (probably tired of my wining, bitching, and fretting) offered a solution: make a big-ass patchwork blanket.

"Whip out your stitch books and make up a square of some fancy stitch or try a new technique. Have fun with it." He said.

Too which I reply, impishly: "But, but... my yarn is all different weights. How do I make the squares all the same size?"

To which he replies, as cool as ever: "Just make the squares however big or small you want and work it out when you're ready to assemble it."

Ah, epiphany. The clouds separated and beams of light shone into our apartment. (Ok, not really)

My husband is not a knitter. But he is the Master of Perspective and Intuition. How cool is that? What would I do without him? Probably continue to acquire cheap acrylic boucle which get stuffed into plastic containers which I hide under my bed chanting "I'll find something for this yarn. I just know I will."



No more. That's the old me. And now since I've solved my stash problem (or rather my husband solved it for me). I can acquire new yarn!!!

It's already on it's way.

Sock yarn for two Christmas gift-knits. Now I must go stalk my postman...

I got an ALPACA!!

Sort of....


It's the next best thing in my opinion. Perhaps even cuter than the real thing.

Summer is still here

Oh how time flies. It's supposed by 85 ºF today and that means that summer is still here. Why? Iunno. I wish it would go. Mr. V tells me not to rush it because Fall will be but a blink and we'll be hibernating in our apartment while the snow piles up outside (ah, lake effect).



Perhaps the lingering presence of THIS summerish knit is the cosmic reason why I'm sweating my arse off 10 days before October. I apologize for the crappy pictures. It is a WIP after all. I'm hoping it will look better when it's finished. I also apologize for bitching about the weather.

What have I been doing if I haven't been acquiring clothes the old fashion way? I've been buying cute cold-weather items like this at my new favorite thrift store chain (Thrifty Shopper):



It's 100% wool and in need of a good cleaning and pressing. I'm thinking I might have to break down and actually get this dry cleaned. Handwashing has always worked for me, but I really want the black and white houndstooth to pop. Don't let my photoshop skills fool you, the white is more like light grey.

This was but one of my finds during Mr. V and I's Thrifty Store bender. We might even drive up to Oswego (about 45-50 mins) to go to their's. (yeah, we might have a problem). It's amazing how such a small thing like organizing the clothes by size and not color (cough-salvation army-cough) makes all the difference. I also think their selection of clothing is better, but that really depends on the location. I've also been hitting up the clearance racks in the regular stores since they're making room for their fall and winter stuff. Needless to say, my wardrobe has increased dramatically, but my wallet has only decreased a little. I like that.

I like thrift stores.

Mmmm... thrifty shopper.

When I'm not thrifty shopping, I've been playing Animal Crossing Wild World on the DS. Who would have thought that paying off mortgages, buying your neighbors medicine, fishing, and watering flowers (because they WILL wither and die) would be so damn interesting? I can design my own clothes, too. Does that count as crafting?

Pile o' Dishclothes and other miscellanea

Yes, I have a camera. You wouldn’t think it since I haven’t been posting pics. So here:



This is the pile o’dishclothes I’ve been talking about. Who would have thought knitting glorified gauge swatches would be so fulfilling? Well, it is.

I made these from the “pile o’ cheap cotton” that’s been lying in my stash for a while. I’ve never actually used handknit dishcloths before, so we shall see how they hold up. I was also partly inspired to knit cloths because my MIL was complaining about the thin, cheap dishcloths at the store and the lightbulb in my head proceeded to flicker…




My favorite ones are the garterlac dishcloth (above – yeah new skillz!) and the linen stitch cloth .



What you see here is what I’m currently knitting. It’s what I’m tentatively calling the “rib lace henley”. See my awesome sketching abilities? This is the back and I’m closely approaching the armholes, which should be a fun adventure. I’m being optimistic here.

1.5 weeks till Montreal!

Links and Excuses

I’m always busier during the summer. My free time is normally spent being social (which isn’t a regular thing for me) or traveling. The husbeast and I normally plan for one “big vacation” and a couple smaller day trips, events, or 3-day weekends. Since there is no evil snow in site, this time of year also brings the family up for visits (we live in central NY, most of our family is in PA). We’ve had a lovely time with my SIL and 3 year old niece last week (they’re actually from NC). My mother is planning a visit in late August. My Dad will probably squeeze some time in before then end of summer, I’m sure. My MIL is coming along on our Montreal adventure (this is the “big” vacation). (btw- anyone have any Montreal tips?)

What’s the point of all this rambling? Well, I just haven’t been knitting a lot. Summertime is just one long distraction. And it’s not that I don’t have visions of purls dancing in my head. The only clear progress I’ve made recently is I finally weaved in the ends for my pile o’ dishcloths. And I took back my vow to not frog the Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties. I gave up, it’s just not flattering. Once again, I have proven my lack of perspective when it comes to clothes and my body type. Will I ever learn? History says no.

I will have some pictures soon, but not in this post so you can stop wondering already.

But I do have some links for things I’ve been perusing (knitting and non-knitting related):

- Previews, previews, and more previews. Fall is around the corner and the knit mag previews are up. Freebie lovers will enjoy Vogue Knitting’s array of free patterns. I’m glad to see they’ve finally jumped on the free web pattern bandwagon. (really VK, there’s no need to be stingy). I like some of the offerings, but VK is just too trendy for my tastes. IK and Knitscene’s are up, too.

- Is anyone else in awe of Norah Gaughan? She makes the loveliest patterns, and once again she has taken the cover of IK. She shall now be referred to as the Gaughanater. Oh why did I let my subscription run out?

- Damn you Wii for stealing (some of) my precious knitting time!

- I’m already planning the Cropped Cardigan's re-incarnation. And I’ll finally be able to use my Sweater Design in Plain English Book that’s been hanging out since last Christmas.

- Environmentally conscious? Worry about toxic shock syndrome? Hate lugging around feminine hygiene products? Here’s something just for you ;) The Diva Cup. Don’t ask, see for yourself.