Today is such a beautiful day

Today is such a great day, I decided to double post. Now that it is daylight (kinda), I thought I would get another picture of the orchid. This brings me immense satisfation to have been able to keep this humidity-loving tropical plant alive in our dry, harsh, arctic environment. It is such a contrast to the world on the other side of the glass.

Boss is out of town today, all my work is done for the week, and I am getting my "knit-on" like a bad, bad girl.

I just HAVE to share the great day. I even got an email back from Sheri from the Loopy Ewe, she does such a great job with her customer service/blog/ business practices, that I had to let her know. Here is a glimpse at her email...

Aww - you're so sweet! Thank you so much for your email and I'm sorry for troubles with other sites. Maybe they're having a bad day. :-( At any rate, we love having you here and promise to always take good care of you! Hugs, Sheri

On Nov 30, 2007, at 4:23 PM, Krista Wilkinson wrote:
thanks...
i think i love u!

I have been having such problems with "the other" online retail shop: horrible service, shipping delays, rude/accusing emails. I just wanted you to know how much your hand-written comments on the invoices are appreciated. Your attention to detail is flawless and you come so highly recommended. thank you!

It is so nice to have online websites/stores that actually bring a personal touch to their practices. Thank you Sheri and your Loopy Ewe co-workers (if there are any).

NKR: Sunrise was gorgeous this morning

It was such a beautiful sunrise that I just could not resist. Not many mornings are this gorgeous. We keep loosing sunlight until Dec22, with today down to 4 hours and 48 minutes of daylight. Sunrise at 10:15am and sunset at 3:03pm. It is right now 0F/-18C. We don't have windchill, so this is the actual temperature.

On the knitting note, not doing much today, just trying to finish the foot on my second Uptown Boot sock. I will have a couple pictures to post soon.

Mini-sock weekend

Well, the mini-sock trial took off. First there was three. Then I received my order of Duet Socks (love them) and Sheri included her version of the mini-sock with some awesome sock yarn and I made another one

Then the three turned to five socks....
from left to right: Koigu from Layla's blanket, Yarn Pirate from my Tahitian Monkey socks, CTH in Cabin Fever from Roza's Socks, Lorna's Laces in Lakeview from my Waving Lace socks and then The Loopy Ewe Red Socks kit (dont know the yarn, but it was fabulous)
Last night, while sitting at the bar downstairs (yes, I have a full bar in my house, I ROCK!) I knit up some of my J.Knits in San Jose from my Campanulas for a Cure. I dont think I will be making up any from my very first sock, cause it is a sport-weight ski-sock, and I only have yet to make my CTH in Slate from my Uptown Boot Sock, that I only have one knit up. I was waiting for the second sock until after my Grinchy Grouchy Socks arrived & knit. Shipping confirmation says they arrived on 21Nov, but my mailman sucks! I am giving up and casting on the second sock after this post. That will guarantee the kit comes tomorrow, right when I need the needles. I did get my addi Turbo 40" in for Magic Loop, maybe I will try the Grinchy Grouchy on that. Socks for December!

Mini Sock trials

Okay, so I am not great at photo staging. But trying to learn, I got out the furniture polish, cleared off all the clutter from the winter office's desk, busted out the rags and got to work. I haven't seen some of the footage of this desk in months. It wasn't until after I transfered the pictures over to my laptop did I realize that there isn't enough detail in the socks. Now that there is detail in the socks, the clean desk is not showing. At least I have a clean desk.
I guess I should get back to work. Oh, and the stage props? Too sweet. I was over at CaptThor's house and being from NewZealand, she had a bunch of local Merino just sitting in her house not being knit up. And best of all, she donated it to me! Whoo hoo!!! Now I just need to figure out what to do with it.

I am waiting for my Socks that Rock "Grinchy Grouchy Kit" so I will not be starting any new projects (I am not a multi-tasker). I fight my family heritage: I throw things away that I no longer use, I drop off my clothes to Goodwill or the un-reuseable ones to the AK Rag Co., I do not save knick-knacks, and I DO NOT {intentionally} START MULTIPLE projects. All this runs in my family, nature vs. nurture, and I will NOT start now. I will purchase yarn for future projects, I have a long queue. So, in waiting for my kit, I am creating one mini-sock in each of the sock yarns I knit. That way I will have permenant reminders at Christmas of the socks that I knit thoughout the year. Here is just a beginning:

The littlest sock is Jennifer's Mini-Sock Recipe with a cast on of 16 sts. The larger sock is from Lime & Violet: The Daily Chum's August 30th entry titled Tiny Toes. You can see the full entry on Smoking Hot Needles: Avoiding SSS or 14 socks in 2 days!. Both socks are Cherry Tree Hill in "Cabin Fever". I combined the two pattern, since SHN's recipe stated heel of choice & toe of choice, which was frustrating to me. I am a knitting follower, I like to follow patterns.

My version as follows:

Using sock yarn, cast on 24 sts on needle size 0-2. Divide evenly over 3 dpns join for knitting on the round. Knit 6 rounds (K1, P1). Knit 18 rounds st st.

Heel: Place half your sts on needle#1, with 1st stitch in the center. Place 6 stitches on needle#2 and #3. Row1: knit to end, Row2: purl to end, repeat 3 times for 6 rows total.

Heel turn:

Row1: K6, ssk, K1 turn ; Row2: s1 purl-wise, p2, p2tog, p1, turn ; Row3: s1 p-wise, k3, ssk, K1, turn ; Row4: s1 p-wise, p4, p2tog, p1, turn ; Row5: s1 p-wise, k5, ssk, turn ; Row6: s1 p-wise, p4, p2tog. 6 sts remain

Gusset: Knit across the 6 heel stitches, then pick up 6 sts along left side of heel flap, knit all 12 sts of instep onto needle#2, with needle#3 pick up 6 sts on right side of heel flap. Rearrange sts so you have 9 sts on sides and 12 sts for instep. Knit one round.

Decrease: Round1: needle#1: k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 ; n#2: knit ; n#3: k1, ssk, knit to end. Round2: knit. Repeat until you have original stitch count (24).

Foot: Knit 12 rounds

Toe: Round1: needle#1: K3, k2tog, k1 ; n#2: k1, ssk, knit to 3sts of end, k2tog, k1 ; n#3: k1, ssk, k3. Round 2: knit. Round 3: K2, k2tog, k1 ; n#2: k1, ssk, knit to 3sts of end, k2tog, k1 ; n#3: k1, ssk, k2. Round 4: knit. Round 5: n#1: k1, k2tog, k1 ; n#2: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1 ; n#3: k1, ssk, k1. Round 6: knit. Kitchener stitch close.

Weave in yarn at toe, i-cord yarn at cuff to create hanger.

To all knit-bloggers: STOP referencing to Ravelry!

right this instant! S.T.O.P. halt, desist, cease, finish, let up, standstill, terminate... I haven't received my invite yet: patiently awaiting your invite? {no, do I look patient?} Found you! You signed up on November 13, 2007 You are #57073 on the list. 9033 people are ahead of you in line. 2011 people are behind you in line. 80% of the list has been invited. {except I am not in the 80% yet} :(

Monkey Socks finished

Pattern: Monkey socks by CookieA

Yarn: Yarn Pirate in Brown Sugar

needles: size2 dpns

cast on: Oct 19 cast off: Nov 8

So much fun to knit. These are my first monkey socks, but definately not my last. Great socks to knit on the airplane because of the easy, easy pattern to memorize.

Hat for Bb

Bb had requested a black hat with a green alien and I have never done stranded color, so sounds like a challenge. It went really well, I should have measured his head and creating a pattern instead of just increasing the dimensions of a baby cap. The top of the alien does not stretch enough, I should have {what? don't know enough about hats and stretch and two colors} The hat fits over his head, it is just a little tight 4/5th the way up. Couldn't find a chart on the alien face, so I just drew one up with graph paper.

On a side note: {NKR-not knitting related} I was on the Interweave Knits KAL site and saw some more of the awesome Snowflake Socks form Fall'07 and got inspired to immediately go Xcountry skiing. Heading out on my summer running path, I got the groove of packing the snow-trail and BAM there is a new warehouse right in the path that connects the empty field and the pipeline. Huge signs demanding "NO TRESPASSING" all over the place. Lovely, just lovely. Partially ignoring the signs, I decided to ski to the edge of property (which is actually owned by a friend, leased to these yahoos) and this nasty, burly Alaska-man in filthy carhartts steps out of the shop and stands in his driveway. I wave, MrK (brown lab) is along for the ski because within the next couple trips will be beginning skijor training, MrK starts to bark, the AKman stands portly in his driveway and we have to climb a gravel burm just to get to the remainder of the path. Lets see: "a word of advice, jacka$s, if you want privacy for your meth lab, try not placing it in the middle of an existing recreation path. There are 49 other acres on the parcel, just 'cause you need a backdoor excape path when the troopers come a knockin', doesn't mean you should block off everyone else's enjoyment." Oh, makes me sooooo friggin' mad! I had to take off my skiis to traverse this 12 foot incline burm just to stay away from this joker's rented property. I wouldn't be so mad, but this is a really great ski path cause snowmachiners can't drive over most of it, ruining the glide. Ahhhh.

I still need to buy yarn and cast on these awesome Snowflake sock. Who can ski without? And I did just order a 40" size2 addi turbo for magic loop. Just have to watch the video and scope out the links that the ever lovely Pat emailed. Thanks, Pat!!!

Sign up for new members!

Hey, look what's up! My check has been sent! Whoo hoo!

and look into my queue for December socks for Sock A Month KAL, courtesy of Blue Moon Fiber Arts: The Grinchy Grouchy Kit

Monkeys in Bora Bora

First sock completed. Kitchener stitched with knitting needles in Huahine and started the cuff on the plane to Bora Bora. In the late afternoons, I would sit on the deck overlooking the water, relax and catch a couple stitches between dips in the lagoon. Being so fair skinned, I tried to stay out of the sun in the afternoons. The leg was got halfway here on the upper deck, the heel was turned and the foot was started on the long, long flights back to Alaska.

Spoiled Monkey in Huahine

Hinano and knitting: a great combination for a relaxing vacation.
I had finished the foot and toe and now need to figure out how to kitchner without a tapestry needle. First sock completed!

I'm back! with spoiled Monkey Socks

This little monkey went to Tahiti

Cuff was started on the tarmac at Fairbanks International Airport here in Fairbanks. The leg was completed on the way to Seattle. Heel flap was started in Maui and finished on the plane to Tahiti. Heel was turned as I was waiting to leave Tahiti and as you can see, I was starting on the gusset and instep. Spoiled little Monkey socks.

Pattern: Monkey socks from Cookie A on knitty.com

Yarn: Yarn Pirate in their version of Brown Sugar

Needles: my trusty size 2 S.B. dpns

Cast on: October 18