I FEEL the NEED for SPEED!*

May 25, 2006 By

Last night G picked me up at the train station and I hopped into the driver’s seat. Man I love our new car. It is SO MUCH FUN to drive. We took the long way pretty much everywhere, having fun getting lost, and ended up at Houston’s for our favorite ribs. I don’t care if they’re not authentic or whatever the rib experts might say, they are the best ribs I’ve ever had. The meat melts right off the bone. The bbq sauce is tangy and sweet with just a little kick. They give you a shitload of ribs. Everything about the meal is perfect from the salad to the fries and coleslaw and lemonade. Ribs at Houston’s never fail to disappoint. (Thanks M!)

Then I was back in the driver’s seat and we were heading to the brand new Tpike exit right near our house that has a sick ass hairpin turn preceded and followed by two great straight aways. Except for early in the morning, barely anyone uses the exit so I was able to swing a uie so we didn’t have to pay the toll (and also ride it twice.) On the second straight away I got the car to 95. G was encouraging me to hit 100, but I was nervous. Once the car gets it’s first ding and I’ve settled into it, 100 mph will be a thing of the past. The car is only slightly less practical than the Acura Legend we used to own; I’m pretty sure we can’t fit a baby seat in the back. (No. I’m not pregnant.) But luckily for me the same car comes in a station wagon. 😉

Have no fear. All will be revealed soon. Suffice it to say I know what my “J” will be.

Fun, crazy times at my sister’s. She getting ready to put her house on the market so things are in upheaval – but I got to spend some quality time with all the kids – alone and together. My sister’s new house is GORGEOUS and I’m equals parts jealous and ohmygod moving is the most stressful thing ever. I was glad to help a little bit at least.

I did manage to get in some knitting time. Voila! A finished sock!

Well, actually, almost finished. I don’t like the toe and am about to rip it for the third time. I’ve grown used to at least 12 stitches at the toe to kitchener – blame the jaywalker – and the toe right now is too tight and pointy for me. So I’ve got to go back and add a few rows before I start decreasing.

I LOVE the sock though! These are going to be super toasty in the winter. I knit the ribbing on Addi 2s and the rest on Addi 1s and the fabric is nice and dense and soft and they’re just beautiful. I can’t imagine knitting anything other than stockinette with this yarn, as I hate ribbing in general and especially in socks and I wouldn’t want a pattern to take away from the beauty of the yarn and the stitches. I did engage a teensy design element though:

I don’t like when stockinette socks just go right into the toe from the foot without stopping. Let’s call it Gold Toe Syndrome. I love when you stop a pattern then do the toe in stockinette. It just looks like the way it’s supposed to be. So I added a garter stitch ridge to my toe on the row before the decreases. I kind of like it. Nice delineation without interfering with anything really. It’s like only I know it’s there. 😉 I never claimed to be sane.

And look at what was waiting for me when I got home!!!

More Sock Hop Yarn from Crown Mountain Farms and Teyani! LOOK AT ALL THAT BARBERPOLEY GOODNESS!!! From left to right we’ve got Pink Cadillac (um hello? Bruce?), American Pie and Say A Little Prayer. I beg you to click on the picture so you can see it bigger. This yarn is just amazing. I’m thinking I need one in every color for sure. I’ll be casting on for my second Heat Wave sock today. Or maybe one of the new colors and I’ll do my patented alternating color second sock thing. (Teyani mentions on the blog that they’re currently out of stock, but you can send her an email to inquire when it will be back in. Patience! This stuff is awesome and completely hand made. Can’t rush genius!)

Today should be a great day. I’m expecting my yarn for my squares and my Amazing Lace project. Oh and check back later for a HUGE annoucement. I also hope to have the Ombre winners sometime soon. Got to get an email out to Ann and Kay. Thanks everyone! Have a great day!

*My use of this movie quote in NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM endorses the movie, or said star of the movie, because in reality I think he’s a wacko that’s been brainwashed by the aliens he professes to know and really an anal probe is being too kind.

Filed Under: Sock Hop Socks

Sock Hop!

May 20, 2006 By

Yesterday I spent a very lovely afternoon in the company of my Ann and Kay. As you can imagine, there was much laughing. Apparently laughing is essential on the Core Program. It’s got like negative points. We got lost in the rain in Soho, did some fabric shopping (I’m not naming names but someone might be turning on us knitters) and had an osh. I want you all to know that one of my companions called my squares crap, while the other gave me a heady thumbs up on my progress. Again. I’ll let you decide who’s who.

Kay had to leave us so Ann and I killed some time walking the space of one block in 45 minutes (that girl is S L O W!) We found some cool stuff at Girl Props. I tried on a WAY cool tiki girl necklace and Ann found some piggy barettes. Ask her to model them for you. Then we hit Kid Robot where I bought Ann this super awesome piggy car. Ask her to show it to you.

After all this hobbling about, it was time for the main event! Wendy Knits was reading at The Point! It was great to see Wendy again – I think she’d agree that I was in a MUCH better mood last night than I was in Maryland and it was super fun to sit and knit and meet people! Wendy was wearing her Grape Arbor Shawl which might just become a must knit. Beautiful! I might have talked her into Rhinebeck too. Blogless Margaret greeted me like a dear old friend and I’m embarassed to say I didn’t recognize her name from the comments. I read every comment I get and appreciate them all, but sometimes it’s hard to remember everyone! I’m sorry Margaret! Thank you for laughing at my blank stare! I got to meet the famous Bakerina Ann’s always talking about! Fabulous girl. I got to talk to Snow! On the phone! (Gotta love the Internet!) There were lots of others and again, I’m sorry if I can’t remember everyone’s name, but it was great knitting with all you girls. We’ll have to do it again soon!

One of the best parts of the night though was watching my socks grow! I’m in LOVE!

I had ripped them out early in the morning because I’m an ass and I never remember that while I like the leg of the sock on 1s, I like the ribbing on 2s. But I was quickly on my way and I can’t stop knitting these socks! It’s the only thing keeping me sane(ish) while I wait for my squares yarn! Look at the stripey rusticy goodness! Can you stand it?

The yarn reminds me of the Trekking that everyone loves so much only a million times better. First off, it’s tons softer. These socks are super cozy. I was so surprised when I tried it on last night. The fabric is nice and dense and I love the natural irregularities of homespun. I’m hoping when I get back from my sister’s I’ll have a finished sock. That’s the goal at least.

I love it so much I went home last night and bought three more colorways. Thanks Teyani! You’ve got a wonderful product here!

Oh yeah. And we got the new car. 😉 Ask Ann. She’ll tell you all about it. I’m off to the train station! Have a good weekend!

Filed Under: Sock Hop Socks

0.592592592592592592592

May 19, 2006 By

Yes. I really did put the squares in the sand. G was a bit freaked out about this and wanted to know which was the most important when he had to grab them up lest they drift into the sea to be lost forever. I said don’t worry. If they get wet they get wet. The yarn will dry. And the likelihood of them being lost in that crystal clear water was pretty slim and you know what? It’s yarn. That I knit. It’s not so precious. They’re squares for a blanket that should be used and loved and abused and it will last and if it doesn’t I’ll knit another one. At the heart of it, isn’t knitting a functional USEful craft? You need to use the stuff, not put it under glass. (Okay – maybe when it’s 100 years old and I’m dead and famous my family can leave it to a museum and put it under glass with the picture on the beach beside it, but not now.)

Before I left I couldn’t stop knitting squares, as you know, and I continued to knit pretty much through the entire vacation. After the first day on the beach I came up with a goal: six squares finished. Half the blanket. So I knit and I knit and I ran out of the dark green and moved onto the solid color squares and then I ran out of almost all the medium green so I knit my last square and had just enough left over for the middle of the 8th square. Hence the number in the title. That’s how much I’ve finished.

Borrowing from Lauren, I have the light sections to do. I’ve used all the green yarn I have and Tina’s going to make me some more and I love this project. The light green (limestone) seems to be knitting at a bigger gauge than the rest of it, so the squares where the light green is on the outside are a bit wonkier, but overall I think it’s FABULOUS. I originally thought it would be a test and then a gift and now I don’t know if I can part with it. Especially since I might find bits of sand in some of the squares every now and then and it will remind me of Anguilla. That would be really nice all cuddled up on a snowy winter night. Wouldn’t it? Could you give it away with memories like that knit into it? We’ll see.

While I wait for my new yarn to come, I’ve started a new sock. I’m taking a page from the genius that is Eunny and I’m not sure if I’m going to continue the socks I have on my needles right now so I started a new one. Shut up. I am SO allowed. Anyway, they’re going to be plain old sockinette socks because it seems all I can do these days is knit. But when I say plain old I’m totally lying.

What you’re seeing there in the crappy dark picture above (Sorry! No Anguilla light today. Only gray rain.) is HAND DYED, HANDSPUN SOCK YARN! Can you BELIEVE it! It’s all freaking BARBERPOLE! My heart can barely take it. Where did I find such gorgeous yarn? Well, the other day I was reading over at Amanda’s and she posted a picture of this new sock yarn she bought and my heart actually DID stop so I rushed over to Teyani’s to see if she had any left and thank god she did. The yarn is from Crown Mountain Farms and Teyani calls it Sock Hop yarn. All of the colorways are named after 50s Tunes. I bought Heard it Through the Grapevine (on the left in the picture above) and Heat Wave. I’ve started a sock in that. Can I tell you? THIS is what I want my spinning to be. I want to spin my own barberpole sock yarn. I fear I’m a long way off from this endeavor, but in the meantime, I’ll take one in each Sock Hop color! Thank you Teyani!

Thanks for all the entries in the MDK Peaches & Creme contest! It’s closed now and the entries are all really great (read them – seriously – they are so funny!) I’m going to have a hard time narrowing it down to ten. I’ll announce a winner when I get back. Yes. I’m off again tomorrow. I know. Just when I’m back I’m off – but absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? My grandmother’s 85th birthday party is on Sunday and it’s been planned for a while now so I’m going down to help my sister and visit with the family. I’ll be back sometime on Wednesday and I’ll try to check in before then. It gets kind of crazy down there so no promises. Orignally our vacation was planned for the first week of May so I didn’t think I’d be gone back to back, but there it is. See you on the flip side! Have a great weekend!

Filed Under: Log Cabin, Sock Hop Socks, Socks

I is for

May 18, 2006 By

Island

Anguilla, to be specific. Georgie and I got home last night (late last night) from our wonderful Island vacation. I’ve never been to the Caribbean and let’s just say I’m converted. The weather was wonderful – hot and humid for sure, but the nice steady breeze kept us cool. Our hotel room was beautiful, with wood shuttered doors that opened up the living room onto the balcony, which looked straight out into the water. There’s nothing like lying in bed looking out at the ocean. The bathroom was all glass and mirrors – literally. The back wall, where the bathtub and shower were located, was glass and the shower had two doors – one into the bathroom and one out to the balcony off the shower. Here’s a picture. The people of Anguilla were incredibly friendly. Always with a handshake, everyone you met asked how your day was going and if there was anything they could do for you. And pretty much everyone I spoke to was born there. If I lived in such a paradise, I probably wouldn’t leave either.

The one thing, though, that really got me was the water. I love water and I love to swim – but I’m very particular about it. I generally don’t like the ocean – I hate salt water and I hate stepping on things and I don’t want other stuff swimming out there with me. And while I love to swim in pools – I hate hate hate cold water. We have a pool at our apartment and I’d swim in it every day if I could but it’s not heated. The water in Anguilla was not only the perfect temperature, the sand underneath your feet was like baby powder. Clean and clear, the water was so incredibly soft on your skin. I just felt so good to be in it, it was everything G could do to pull me out. I hope you enjoy my photographs. I wish I was there right now.

A proper post tomorrow about how all I did was knit squares from the minute we left for the airport to go to Anguilla until the minute I feel asleep on the cab ride home from the airport. That is, of course, when I wasn’t in the water. Thanks for stopping by.

Filed Under: ABC-a-long

Squared

May 13, 2006 By

It’s like a disease really. I can’t stop thinking about squares. Which is kind of funny because Ann and I are always having the discussion about how we’re not really square people. (Knitting wise – not personality wise. If it’s a personality thing well I’m so square I’m a freaking circle.) Whenever there’s a call out for blanket squares or what not – we’d rather send money. It’s a selfish thing admittedly and if that makes you shake your head and run the other way that’s okay, but that’s who I am. Even if it wasn’t on the quiz. Anyway – here I am OBSESSED with squares. I finished another one last night:

And here are my two squares together:

Oh my GOD I can’t stand how excited I am about this!!! I’ve already added another series of squares because I can’t believe I forgot the TRADITIONAL log cabin layout. I was going through The Bible again last night and realized it was absolutely NECESSARY to the blanket.

Do you think it’s bad if the blanket itself is not square-ish but rectangular? Ann wanted to know how I live with myself with these obsessions rolling around in my head and I told her it’s not easy being green me. (Sorry, couldn’t help myself!) But seriously, what do you think? Part of me thinks there NEEDS to be three of each square and that I can’t leave out any of the pattern combinations – but another part of me is like it should be SQUARE! Blankets can be rectangular right? And a square IS a rectangle right?

I ordered more yarn from Tina but I have to say I’m EXTREMELY pleased with how the yarn is knitting up and how far it’s going.

There you see the Beryl ball (dark green) compared to the Jade ball. Having completed the square that is pretty much all Beryl I still have a decent amount left. The heavyweight skeins are 350 yds. and I’m definitely satisfied. I think I can get at least a couple more squares out of the Beryl – especially if I do the ones that don’t have as much Beryl in them. Maybe even four then. I’m taking these squares with me on vacation tomorrow (and a sock or two) and I can’t wait to see what I come back with! Two down – ten more to go!!! WHO KNEW garter stitch could be so much fun!?

On to more serious stuff: CONGRATULATIONS!

CECE and STEPH

They won the Mnemonic contest. Cece was the random winner. Her entry was: Xylophonists aways carry various mallets. Which is actually quite true. And Steph’s entry was: Can Victor Xerox my ass? I don’t know why but this just totally cracks me up! There were other a bunch of other xerox my ass jokes, but for some reason this was it for me. Georgie laughed too, so that’s a two thumbs up! Thanks everyone for playing! You were great!

And in case you didn’t win that one – here’s ANOTHER CONTEST for you!
When I was over at Kay’s the other day and I was telling her about the contest I had for the book and how the winners were so happy she said HEY! GIVE AWAY ANOTHER ONE! So I am.

Check this out! It’s the MDK PEACHES & CREME 12 PACK!

Fiesta Ombre/Peacock
Sunburst/Teal Ombre		 Lemon-Lime/ Apple Green
Light Green /Pink Lemonade		 Daisy Ombre/ Faded Denim
White/Shaded Denim

Apparently, Peaches & Creme comes in 4 Packs – but they’re all the same – they don’t mix up colors in the packs. So Ann and Kay suggested to them that they might want to put together a package of various colors that appear in the book – and there you have the MDK 12 Pack. (To get your own t12 pack, assuming you don’t win here, you can call the good people at Peaches & Creme and ASK FOR IT! YAY!)

Okay. How do you win the MDK book and 12 Pack? (By the way – the book is NOT SIGNED!) It’s easy! Here is a link to the Peaches & Creme colorways. Now I want you to make up your own! THE NAME HAS TO HAVE OMBRE in it because I think that is just so silly. What’s an ombre? So come up with your own colorway – end it in ombre and DESCRIBE THE COLORS! Leave the answers in the comments and I’ll pick my favorite ten – then I’ll consult with Ann and Kay, Peaches & Creme connoisseurs, to pick a winner. I’m off on vacation until Wednesday, so I’ll keep the comments open until 11:59 PM EST on 5/17/06. BE CREATIVE AND HAVE FUN! (One entry per person please.)

I’m not sure how much I’ll be blogging while I’m away, but I’m hoping to come back with an I and a J! AND I will have SUPER HUGE NEWS ABOUT THE SPIN OUT! Have a great weekend!

Filed Under: Log Cabin

Call me Abe

May 12, 2006 By

Cause I’m living in a log cabin. DAYUM! When you guys like something you really like something. I’d hate to see what you’re like if you DIDN’T like something! 😉 I’m here today to disappoint (almost) all of you! YAY! No really. That square I showed you was a swatch, so to speak. I have some really grand ideas involving log cabins, but I wasn’t certain (still not totally) that it would work out. So yesterday I went to sit at the feet of the master and I wanted to make sure I had done my homework. I wanted to prove that I could log cabin. It’s going to come in really handy later on. What I didn’t count on was that I would fall down a deep deep deep dark hole and never want to come out. Seriously. This shit’s CRAZZZEEE!

So I’m sitting on the PATH train yesterday knitting along and my mind is going nuts. Well, more nuts than usual. And no, not about the fact that the guy next to me on the death trap they call a subway smells or the fact that at the other end of the car someone is singing so loudly my ears are ringing or that the driver can’t take a corner and I’m being knocked into the pole every five seconds while I’m trying to knit. NO!! NONE OF THAT! I was going nuts planning out my newest obsession project!

Let’s backtrack a minute. One of my favorite, favorite parts of MDK is the part where Kay talks about being confronted with SO MANY POSSIBILITIES – possibilities of color, of shape, of texture that your brain kind of freezes on the spot because so much choice can be paralyzing. So she makes rules for herself and then lets herself go nuts WITHIN the parameters set by those rules. This being my first log cabin and all and my being extraordinarily fortunate to have lots and lots of amazing choices, I’ve decided to stick with the first three colors I chose.

I’m not really a green person, but this is May. (Remember that – it might be on another quiz. You guys are pathetic!) And I really like the way these three colors play together and I think it will be a good test for logcabinning (which, by the way Ann, is so too a word!) Here’s the plan so far:

I’ve got three different types of squares – log cabin, near solid and a courthouse step. My plan is to alternate where the darks and lights go for a total of three square in three series for nine squares. My first square measures about 10″x10.5″ unblocked, so I’m thinking like a crib blanket type size. I have no idea how I’m going to put the squares together but I can guarantee that Kay will be involved. ETA: This picture does not show the actual layout of the squares. That will take some hard thought and a kind of Sudoku like puzzle mentality – each row will have to have one of each series and no square will have the same color border touching. Can I do it?

I’ve started on one of the semi-solid squares. Kim (of the FANTASTIC sockapaloooza socks) asked what my gauge was with size 5s and Heavyweight STR and I’d tell you Kim if I could find one of the fourteen tape measures I have in the house, but I can’t so I won’t. (Fucking house. Fucking ME! GET ORGANIZED!!!) But Kathy in Juneau (Feel good MAX!) asked what the back of the square looks like and with that I’m happy to oblige (I CAN find the camera!)

Not so bad. I’m just loving the variations in color. The pictures DO NOT do the yarn justice.

Thanks so much for all your support of my projects. Sometimes I get carried away (no really?) and it’s nice to know I’m not alone. All though I fear this might be the end of socks. Squares are very portable.

Filed Under: Log Cabin

Palette

May 11, 2006 By

Click on the extended entry for yarn information.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Log Cabin

THIS JUST IN!

May 10, 2006 By

You can do your part to help the police! How well do you know the alleged perpetrator? Take this quiz* to find out!! CATCH THAT THIEF!

*The quiz is a NEW MEME found over at Marnie’s. Tag you’re it! And the newspaper thing – well if you haven’t seen that one yet then get out from under your rock.
THANKS FOR READING!

Filed Under: blogging stuff

Vociferous Mammals Are Xenophobic Carnivores

May 9, 2006 By

Let’s get the business out of the way first. I honestly doubt I’ll be returning to Maryland Sheep & Wool. I’ll tell you why. Last year was the first year I went, and it was the first fiber festival I’d ever attended and it was the biggest gathering of bloggers I’d ever seen. To say it was overwhelming would be putting it mildly, of course, and I managed to spend an exorbitant amount of money on yarn I’ve yet to use. NONE OF IT. I had a great time. A GREAT time. Such a great time I couldn’t wait for Rhinebeck in the Fall. By October I had met and made some pretty significant relationships with other bloggers and Rhinebeck was going to be ALL about the people. And it was. That and sock yarn. 😉 It was one of the best weekends I’ve ever had. Then I bought a wheel and Maryland was coming and I thought how can I miss the most significant fiber festival around right after I bought my wheel? I couldn’t get anybody to go with me, so G stepped up to the plate to take me and honestly? I was disappointed. NOT IN THE PEOPLE! THE PEOPLE WERE AMAZING as usual. (And not with my husband. He’s always the best.) But everything else? Fell sort of flat for me. I really didn’t buy any yarn – one skein of sock yarn and two skeins for a blog contest (it’s coming, it’s coming!) and the rest fiber. The two things I really wanted – a stool for my wheel and a niddy noddy – I couldn’t really find. The hordes of people were overwhelming to say the least. You could barely make it through the barns during the thick of it and I don’t know – it just wasn’t all that fun. By around 12:30 I was hot and tired and hungry and had bought all I was going to buy. Maybe if I had stayed the weekend I would’ve paced myself better, but I had to leave Saturday at close, so I got it all done in a hurry. Once I ate I felt better (two words: PIT LAMB), but there’s too much to do and too many people to see and you get all discomboobulated. If I was cranky or called you by the wrong name or seemed completely out of it, I’m sorry!

Seeing friends and meeting new people was a blast, as always. The blogger meet-up was a HUGE success – at one point I was standing sort of at the bottom of the hill looking up at all the crazy blogger madness and it was really very amazing. We’ve got a great community here and when we come together we can do amazing things (have you seen Claudia’s new goal? Amaze me!) I was so glad to meet all the new faces and readers and there were many people I missed or didn’t get to spend a lot of time with or was too shy to say hi too. Thanks so much to everyone who commented on the shawl! Especially all of you who went out of your way to say nice things while I was walking around the barns. Way to make a girl and her shawl feel special!

I did not bring my camera. Georgie brought it for me at the end of the day when he came to pick me up but I was tired and a bit headachy by then and a big ass sheep sneezed on us (G said he spit, but I’d like to think it was a sneeze) which was kind of gross so we had some funnel cake and went home. Taking pictures is a very serious endeavor for me and I can’t really do it half assed and I wanted to have fun not work so I didn’t bring a camera. I’m not good at snapshots. But there were cameras a flashing and I’m going to keep the sidebar up at least until the end of the week so I encourage you to visit the blogs on the list – I’m sure you’ll find a picture on one of them!

Do I sound like I’m complaining? I’m not complaining. I’m really glad I went and I really think I would’ve regretted it had I not gone. But I’m nothing if not honest and the whole thing kind of tired me out. Maybe because I shopped a lot? You be the judge….

They don’t call it a fiber fest for nothing!

Laurie sent me over to Stefania to pick up some bug fiber. That’s what she said – it’s dyed with bugs! How could I resist? It’s Handspun by Stefania, corriedale dyed in cochineal and madder, and corriedale dyed in cochineal. I also bought a basket from her:

I wanted a basket for my wheel, you know, to hold stuff. I’m not quite sure what stuff I will be putting in it but I’ve seen a few people with baskets on their wheels and I wanted one. Kind of like when you got a cool white basket with colored plastic flowers for your bike. Just like that.

I bought this stuff because it was just so freaking pretty. It’s fine wool top from Shadeyside Farm in the snapdragon colorway. I’m not quite sure what fine wool top means – I asked and I think they said it’s a combination of stuff similar to merino – it’s very, very soft.

I also bought this because it was so damn colorful! It’s Biffle from Cloverleaf Farms in Bright Autumn. What’s neat about this fiber is that the last time I was at Maryland I bought their hand-dyed yarn. This year I’m going to spin it up myself. This stuff is going to make a FANTASTIC barberpole!

This is for Project Spectrum – I tried to find fibers that worked in the upcoming colors. It’s merino from The Spinners Hill Shop. This is another one I’m anxious to spin up. I bought some of Lisa’s hand spun hand dyed merino yarn at Rhinebeck and now I get to spin it up myself! Again I’m looking forward to barberpoling. Can’t wait for July!

Some more PS fibers! This is for the neutrals/black & white in August. Jacob from Jenny Jump Farm. And some Cormo, which everyone says you HAVE to try!

This is 100% Cormo from Foxhill Farm. The woman I spoke to said it was as soft as merino and much easier to spin. I tried to ask each seller about the fiber when I bought it. I told them I was a new spinner and asked what I could expect when spinning it up. I felt really good saying I was a spinner. I’m a nerd.

This is the only yarn I bought. Someone at the blogger meet-up (I’m sorry I don’t remember who) had this amazing pink sock yarn and I had to have it! I thought it would also make a nice blog contest gift. The yarn is from Three Waters Farm, Superwash Merino, in the following colorways: (top to bottom) Pansy, Sunset and Aunt Maude’s Mauve. Very pretty stuff!

Okay – I’ve saved the absolute BEST for last. My beyond favorite thing I got at Maryland I didn’t buy. It’s priceless though. I’ve got a super special place in my heart for Rock Chick – I mean that girl is about as obsessed with her band as I am with my boy. So it was only fitting that she gave me this:

Can you believe it?!?!?! I’m still trying to wrap my head around the phenomenol gift RC gave me! SIX ROLLING STONE BRUCE COVERS! Not one, not two…SIX!!!! I put my favorite one on the top for the picture. Brooding Bruce has always been my first love. Rock Chick didn’t know how apropos this gift was going to be. You see, Bruce and I had been a little bit on the outs. I’ve felt like there’s sort of been an unwritten contract. He does a rock/E-Street album and then his folk/pseudo country stuff. Then a rock album. Then the country stuff. I support it all – I buy the albums, I go to the shows. I’m THERE. I’m ALL THERE. But then he came out with the folk/acoustic/country thing – which I enjoyed – and FOLLOWED it up with a folk/country thing. DUDE! That wasn’t part of the deal. So when people kept asking me what I thought of the new album, I told them I was sort of ignoring it. I hadn’t heard any of it – or seen the TV appearances. I knew eventually I’d get around to it, but I wasn’t in a rush. I thought this weekend, with the three hour drive and all, might be a good time to try it. I FREAKING LOVE IT! It’s so good I can’t get the songs out of my head and it is very Bruce and I was coming around and being all forgiving and RC shows up with the magazines! Verklempt is being staid. I may have bawled my eyes out right there in front of the corn dog and fried twinkie stand. If you said hello to me AFTER I received this gift of all gifts I apologize for trapping you in a corner making you look at all the magazine covers and listening to me go on and on about my love for all things Springsteen. You love me anyway, right? Rock Chick. From the bottom of my Bruceloving heart, I thank you!!!

I think it’s only fitting that I give some stuff away, don’t you? Are you ready for the contest? There will be TWO winners and here’s what you’ll get:

Each winner will receive a skein of Three Waters Farm superwash merino sock yarn, Peace Fleece handpainted knitting needles (US #6), a sampler selection of Claudia’s favorite Got Soap soaps, and some Sheepy Cards (taken at last year’s Maryland Sheep & Wool.)

How do you win you ask? It’s easy!

In the picture above are five rings I bought at the festival. They’re made out of antique typewriter keys. I bought one for myself and souvenirs for a few friends that couldn’t make the festival (or wouldn’t go with me – see how nice I am?!) Anyway, your mission if you aren’t too busy dissing TomKat, is to come up with a mnemonic using the five letters on the rings: A C M V X. You can mix the letters up anyway you want: Xanax Makes Cara Very Audacious. Or Ann Craves X-rayed Venison Meat. BE CREATIVE! One winner will be chosen by random – so you have nothing to lose by entering. For the other winner I will chose my favorite entry. One entry per person please. Comments close Friday, 11:59 PM. HAVE FUN!

Filed Under: Contest, Maryland Sheep & Wool

Redemption!

May 8, 2006 By

I gotta tell you, WHAT A RELIEF! We got home pretty late Saturday night – but I immediately pulled on my NEW SOCKS!

Thank you ELIZABETH! Not just for restoring my faith in the sock swap but for Lorna’s Laces, which I’ve never tried before, and a very well done short row heel, which I’ve never knit to my liking before and for an all around awesome pair of socks! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

And Amysue, my sock pal, seems to be pretty happy with her socks as well. Go on over and give her some get well wishes. She’s a bit under the weather these days! FEEL GOOD AMYSUE! Socks for everyone!!!

Alas, I’m pretty sure this is going to be my last sockapalanything. Too much anxiety. 😉
That’s it for me today – I’m on a deadline and then I’m going to relax. And tell you about Maryland. Just a bit of a warning: I didn’t take ANY pictures. So go around and visit everyone’s pictures and then come back tomorrow for a preview of my purchases and a contest. A kind of hard, hopefully fun contest!

Oh and GO HELP TERESA and her family HELP PEOPLE!

Filed Under: Sock Pal Socks
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