Fearlessness

The email from Knitting Daily today is about fearless knitting, so I'm thinking about my abilities and plans. Am I fearless? Well, yes, actually. When I look at all of the gorgeous work out there, I don't think "I'll never do that" or "I can't do that", but "I'll try that technique out after I finish this upcoming project." For example, this year I will master socks, both cuff down and toe up, make some sweaters, learn cables, and knit a couple of lace projects. Oh, yeah, I'll be crocheting some stuff, too, like another sweater and a pair or two of socks. (have I mentioned that I love socks?) I don't believe in "I can't". My kids are being taught that, too. (I'm not blinded by optimism, though - I will never be a ballerina or a public speaker. I know my limits.)
I spent my day obsessed with an idea for a sock honoring Miss Luna Lovegood. The idea won't leave my head. Where's my notebook when I need it? Maybe if I ever cleaned the house I could find my things faster.

made a sock!

Check it out! It's my first sock. Jenny told me how to get started and gave me links to all the info I'd need. It's just a basic, 64 stitch stockinette sock, but I'm so happy. I love socks. I wear them all year - doubled when it's cold out. The colors are brighter in person, but it's hard to get a good picture of your own leg. The yarn is Regia Jacquard. I don't know the color name.

Speaking of jacquard, I ordered a jacquard acid dye set from Knit Picks and some yarn and Jenny and I had a little dying party. It's alot of fun. She made some Gryffindor red and yellow. I used black, blue, and dark red. It turned out great. I think I'll make a pair of Bellatrix socks with it.

My sweater is coming along well. I'm working on the ribbing along the bottom right now. I wanted to try it on this morning, so I took off one needle to attach more lengths of cable and the needle end fell down the crack in the couch. I think my heart stopped for a second or two. Then came the fun of crawling around on the floor with a flashlight trying to find it. There's alot of crap under the couch. I found my needle, though - happy ending.

It's so cold out again. This weather is too much - warm cold warm cold. It's so hard to get the kids ready in the morning. I'm easy - always cold anyway, hence the love of socks!

Thunderstorms and sick kids

Last week it was single-digit temps, ice and snow everywhere, extra layers of clothes and a heater under my desk at work. Last night I drove home in an awful lightning storm, there was thunder all night, and it rained almost all day. It's crazy! Now supposedly it's going to get cold and snow tonite. Crazy.

Yesterday both kids had fevers when we got home but didn't act like they felt icky. This morning they're icky - still feverish, tummyaches, general feel-like-crap type symptoms. It's probably related to the spastic weather.

On the yarn front, I'm almost done with the you snag glovettes. They're really neat. I had to frog the sweater. It was way too small when I tried it on. I'm making $5 in Paris instead. It's coming along great. I got almost the whole yoke done while watching Order of the Phoenix again. (It's Luna in the cardi I desire. The scene where she's looking for her stuff at the end.) I've made a couple of new dishcloths, too.

I really like the alien. I messed up a few stitches on Snoopy but he looks okay. They're both fast patterns. I have a bunch of cloths in my ravelry queue. I should really get to work on them. Unfortunately I spend too much time on ravelry to get as much knitting done as I'd like. I've found tons of things to make.

Since I was home today I watched the first three Harry Potter movies and really checked out the knitwear. I love the sweater Oliver Wood is wearing in the scene where he's teaching Harry about quiddich. It looks like a wide rib or something. I also noticed that Molly wears alot of fun crochet pieces. She has on a pinwheel-type poncho in Chamber - the flue powder scene. In Prisoner she has some great purple crochet cuffs when she's running to the train to give Ron his rat. I really hope there will be more Charmed Knits books. Maybe someday I'll be good enough to contribute! That would be great.