Tapping the Collective Wisdom

First and Foremost: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the super fabulous RC, who emailed me a couple of weeks ago saying she was headed to MDSW and did I want anything. After she explained to me that MDSW is the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, I responded with a resounding YES!! and here is what she sent me...Superwash Lace, 100% merino from Tess' Designer Yarns in the palest of pale greens (celadon, perhaps?). She remembered that I mentioned wanting to try lace knitting. She also sent along a lace shawl pattern (that I forgot to photograph). Thanks again, RC, so much. I keep fondling it and touching it to my face. I love it! Though it isn't very flattering to the yarn, I like this picture.

Going to the Birds

Our neighborhood, particularly our little street, is basically a peacefully little corner of the universe. Lately, though, there must be something in the air. The weather has been heating up but the late evenings/nights have still been pretty cool so we have been sleeping with the windows open and apparently we have some birds in our neighborhood who missed out on that day at Bird College where they taught the rule "Thou shalt not chirp and squawk at 2:00 a.m." I first heard them last Friday morning, when I was trying to go to sleep. Friday night they were quiet but then Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights, they chirped and chirped and chirped. They chirped so loudly that the chirping showed up in my dreams. I'm not even sure where these birds are living, as I know they aren't in the one tree in our front yard. Maybe in the bushes...I need to find out which of the neighbors spiked their bird feeder.

Also, while I am an enthusiastic supporter of young people embracing instrumental music, I am somewhat less than keen on the boy across the street practicing his trumpet in the front yard at 6:30 on Sunday morning.

On the other hand, I think I may have frightened the neighbors two doors down yesterday afternoon. I was out in the front yard, laying in the grass (I had to get just the right angle), posing my yarn and socks (for ya'll) and the neighbor man, who is probably in his early sixties, was out front working on his truck. When his wife came out, she was across the driveway from him and he said, in a loudish voice, "Dear? What is that girl doing?" They were staring at me so I waved and said, "I'm taking pictures of my new yarn." The awkward smiles and half waves suggest to me that they are not knitters.

Let's Talk Socks

I am making actual progress on the Dr. Doctor socks. As I'm sure you are aware, the progress on this sock has been slow going but I think we (me and the sock) have hit our stride now. Recently we entered the knitting vortex, in which I started knitting on a sock that was 5.25" from the cuff and after nearly 2 hours of knitting, it was . . . yes, 5.25" from the cuff.

(I call this picture Six Glorious Inches Frolicking in the Grass)


At long last, I'm ready for the heel now. All the socks I've ever knit (total: 2) used the basic heel flap method of turning a heel. I was quite happy with those socks and will absolutely do that vanilla sock again. I am, however, feeling that twitchy, restless desire of wanting to try something new. The other day, I saw this short-row heel over at FiberJinx, which I found via Cara. I love that heel, love the way it looks. I think I want to use that heel method for these socks. But I am afraid.

I know that several (well most) of you are more experienced sock knitters than I, so I am asking for your help/advice/guidance. She references these three links with short-row heel tutorials. Can anyone tell me which one is best? Do you know of a better way? I am eager to get going on this heel.

Today's Quote:

“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you do not try.” -Beverly Sill