Meme

Everybody has a favorite part of the knitting process. Some people like to cast on for new projects, some like blocking, some like the tricky parts and some like the mindless parts. My absolute favorite part of the knitting process is washing my project for the first time. It's at this point where the yarn you've been playing with for an eternity becomes a real life garment. I love how yarn gets softer when you wash off the milling oil and the wool relaxes into the stitches you've set up for it. Oh, full immersion! How I love thee.



I have been tagged by the intriguing sacha for a meme. Yes, that's right. I am a grown man and now the term "meme" has been added to my vocabulary. Maybe I should balance this out with a trip to the hardware store so I can look at power tools (I heart my random orbital sander). Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they
have been tagged and need to read your blog.
Here goes.

1. I am enamored with Afro-Caribbean religions such as Santeria, Vodou and Candomble. I see them as beautiful expressions of the human spirit as it relates to the life force and the world around it. I do not actively practice these religions but I have an intense respect for the men, women and children who do.

2. I put myself through undergrad as a professional body piercer. It was a very important part of my life where I got to meet many wonderful people and develop a respect for the individual, whether they were heavily modified or just getting their ears pierced. I was very fortunate to be able to interact with people by calming them in a potentially frightening or vulnerable situation and help them celebrate when they were excited about making themselves more beautiful in their own eyes.

3. I am heavily tattooed. It's hard to determine an overall surface coverage but I'll venture to guess that about 35% of my body has been tattooed over a total of 60 hours. I never thought I would have more than a few tattoos because I was much more interested in piercing, but over the years I have developed a respect for the art of tattoo. I get my work done here by wonderful people who are extremely talented. I love all of my tattoos and have none that I regret.

4. I am a performance artist. My undergraduate degree is in digital media and I will be starting my MFA in performance this fall. You can see pictures of my work here
Many people don't know what performance art is. Most people ask me if I'm studying to be an actor. I have resorted to telling those folks I'm a sculptor.

5. I love Swedish Fish

6. I am obsessed with Sweden. Many have asked me why and the only thing I can come up with (besides the freaking awesome knitting, weaving and nalbinding) is that any country that has a huge death metal scene and yet maintains its place as the world's largest consumer of milk per capita, not to mention this, is fascinating.

7. I am an avid pacer. I pace for hours a day. I have ever since I could walk. My parents soon discovered that toys were wasted on me because I preferred to pace back in forth during my conscious hours. As I have matured, jumping, skipping and my preferred loping have been added to the mix.

Alright, that's seven. I have to demure from tagging because I really don't know anyone who hasn't done this meme yet and I really don't think I can bring myself to send someone a comment with the word "meme" in it. Alright, off to the manly world of drill bits and spackle.

The Black Stripe of Mystery

So I was working on my sock, hoping to make decent progress to show ya'll like any good blogger would, when I came across something unusual.

You can see it in the stitches on the right needle. My multi-hued yarn has a black ply. Now this may not seem unusual except that this, my friends, is the first time black has shown up in the yarn. I've already knit one whole sock, as well as the leg heel and gussets of the second sock. Was it intentional? I don't know, but there be a good length of black yarn in the middle of my second sock.

This is what the stripe looks like so far. Keep in mind there's still a whole lot of black left.


At least there is the unparalleled joy that reverse stockinette brings me.

Le sigh...

The Line Up

Alright. we're going to start this blog just as our ancestors did before us. That's right, it's roll call.

First up we have socks


This is a pair of trekking men's size 12 socks in a 5x1 rib pattern. I started these, oh, last August. I think I only knit a round or two every few days. I'm knitting the heel flap on the second sock now. Likely hood of finishing? Strong.

Next we have a scarf:

This is Elsebeth Lavold Angora in a 2x2 rib. If manlier colors ever existed, I want to know about them. In a subtle army green, subdued brown and grey blue stripe, it will work with everything I own. I started this February and I've got about three feet done and four to go. Finishing? In the bag, yo.

Okay, moving along. There is a vest. Yes, I did say vest.

This is the back of the Bob Dobbs vest from Domiknitrix. I'm going the intarsia route because I really didn't want to spend the next seven years of my life doing duplicate stitch. Her instructions on the website for converting the pattern are really helpful. I just happened to find them after I figured it out with a calculator and finished the back. All that's left is the intarsia front and the facings. Odds of finishing this year? It could happen, right?

Last but not least, we have the stole.

What we have here is a lace stole knit in Euroflax sport weight. The pattern is Drooping Elm Leaf from Barbara Walker's Treasury 1. I really love this pattern and the yarn, but there are some downsides to this particular project, or at least my ability to finish this project. I started the stole as a wedding present for a friend who is getting married in about 4 days. I'm 30 hours into the pattern and about a third of the way done. Also, I was sure that 520 yards of yarn would be enough. I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Maybe it'll be done for a one year anniversary gift.

Finally, in other news we have the yarn I can't wait to use.

This is Unikat. It's distributed by skacel and I'm pretty sure it is the best thing that has ever happened to a sheep product. It's a felted single ply and I want to make love to it. Eh, maybe not, but it is super dope.

All in all I think I have a good assortment of stuff to keep me occupied until I cast on for the winter knitting. I'm thinking that having the entire world know what a lazy knitter I am will force me to finish them all a hell of a lot quicker. Otherwise I'm going to have to get a lot better at the art of distraction.
Look! Buddhist kittens!