Thank you again for all the supportive comments and emails! I’m a bit hormonal these days so they all just about sent me over the top. Stop already! You’re embarrassing me! Have no fear, nothing’s changing on this here blog. It’s very hard for me to be anything other than I am. I think I can safely say that I have one of those blogs that is pretty much like the real life person (although in person I swear WAY THE FUCK MORE.) Ask anyone who’s met me. No different. Fortunately or unfortunately, what you see is what you get. And that last post, about the rainbows – kind of a joke. I really did see a rainbow that day. And I really did have that exasperated oh my god is it really worth the aggravation moment about the blog. But I didn’t ask for a sign – not that I don’t believe in them, mind you. I did relax a lot when I saw the rainbow and I pointed it out to another woman and got just the reaction I hoped for (Wow! Thanks for pointing it out!) So maybe it was a sign. I do call myself Chica though.
Let’s get back to the knitting, shall we? That’s what it’s really all about.
I’m in one of those moods again. Which mood is that? Well, take your pick. Moods are flying all over the place like gnats at a bbq. The mood I want to talk about today is the one where you have 80 million projects you want to work on RIGHT NOW and you only have two hands and arms and wouldn’t it be great if you really COULD knit with your feet? Here’s what’s obsessing me at the moment:
— Babette. You readers are SO SMAHT! (You must be first borns, no? I keep meaning to send this link to my younger sisters and brothers. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!) Anyway, Babette. Yes, I bought all that beautiful yarn for Babette. Actually, Ann and I did. It was her idea. And then I was over and there was some crochet going on and it actually felt good (I know – what can I say?) and the idea was born. We bought a ton of yarn and split it. Details to come as soon as I actually start the thing. At this point I might just wait for Ann to finish those miles and miles of moss stitch. Don’t expect anything anytime soon. There’s still a bit of color organization I want to do.
— Larger Than Life Bag. Out of sight does NOT mean out of mind. This will be finished. I have a deadline of Rhinebeck, for anyone who cares. That means lined and everything. Cross your fingers on this one.
Now that we got the crochet out of the way, let’s talk knitting.
— Socks. I’ve got one pair of monkey socks still to finish (for some reason I keep screwing up the last couple rows before I split for the heel. It’s SO annoying) and I could probably knit a few more pairs for sure. But I also got a chance to see the Charade sock up close and personal the other day and I’m very very tantalized. Would be extremely nice for some of the solids in my sock collection. Sometimes when I’m on a jag (monkey socks) and the jag wavers (other stuff) I miss the jag. It’s sometimes very nice to be so single minded.
— Miters. Miters. Miters. If you think I don’t think about this project every single day you’re wrong. I do. Every single day. I want the blanket. And by that I mean I want it seamed and bordered and all that. But the time is not right. Soon. I’m anticipating some craziness coming up and I’m waiting because when I start seaming I’m hoping I won’t be able to stop until it’s finished. I’m gonna use that to my advantage. Trade one crazy life obsession with one crazy knit obsession. Let’s hope it works.
— Lace! I want to knit lace all over the place! Sometimes I wish I had the skills and ambition to be a knitwear designer, but, alas, I don’t. And when I’m really indulging that fantasy, man how I wish I was a lace designer. Really and truly. It’s like my fantasy to be a ballerina. Sadly, I don’t think I have the patience at all. So I make due with the genius of others. Anne Hanson of Knitspot is fast becoming my new Evelyn Clark. I trust her explicitly. Wing O’ The Moth is fantastic – more on that in a minute – and now she’s completely bowled me over with the bee shawl. Have you seen this amazingness? (Scroll down to the bottom of the entry!) Dear god, she’s killing me! It’s not available quite yet and I think it’s only going to be available as a kit but when it is available you will see it RIGHT HERE because there’s no way I’m NOT knitting this. I joked with Anne it’s going to be my summer of flying bug lace. Speaking of which:
I’ve only got eyes for MOTH! I’m on row 26 of the second chart which means I’ve only got 14 rows left to go before I start the edging chart. I am so LOVING this pattern and LOVING the yarn and if I wasn’t completely overwhelmed with work you can bet I’d be knitting this until my fingers bleed. At the same time, though, I’m grateful that I do have a shitload of work because just like a fabulous novel, I don’t want this knit to end. Thank you Anne! You’ve just about made my knitting summer.
To be continued. Because there’s always more stuff I’m on the verge of becoming obsessed over. That’s enough for now.
What yarn are you using for Babette? Can’t wait to see how yours turns out! I just learned how to crochet this past weekend. I too want to make babette and a ripple afghan.
I am LMAO @ flying bug lace. That’s hilarious. Thanks for the Monday chuckle.
start without me – I fear my Hex may never be lifted!
Your Moth is beautiful. And for what it’s worth, I’ll be right there with you on Bee! Can’t. Wait!
I did just knit until my fingers… well, they didn’t bleed, but I did just finish my moth, and it’s now drying… It was kindof fun to knit it obsessively, especially while watching yours grow (in a solid color)
DD1 found a beautiful huge moth just that colour this past week. wow.
Nice moth! And I am really sad to say that apparently you and your – ahem – recommendations for Monkey business have resulted in my attempting to start another sock pattern, but thinking endlessly about Monkeys. Bad.
Anne told me last week that the bee shawl will be available both as a kit from Willy Wonka and as a pattern only from Anne. I’m thinking I’ll go with the kit for myself.
The two best lace designers anywhere are Anne and Mim. I just finished my Monkeys…they’ll be the last as I’m so excited by Anne’s new socks and CookieA’s socks and, well, socks and lace don’t seem like a bad duo, really.
I’m with you, Ann is amazing. And pardon me, but you must share.. shes MY Evelyn Clark too 🙂 Your WOTM is coming along beautifully (I can’t believe how quickly your getting it done!) And I wait with baited breath to see your corona edging, since I never got to do mine. I really want to start another, but I already have a shawl on the needles, my own lace shawl pattern in the works, and a million other “must knits” in progress. If you figure out how to knit with your feet, share the secret 😉
That green colour is amazing. I so understand your need to get back to the mitres. There’s the same kind of obsession (maybe madness) going on at my house.
I agree – the Bee shawl looks like it will be a lot of fun to knit. I love the color of yarn that she used.
That Moth is so pretty. I stalk Anne’s site too and have been following her Bee shawl. She is amazing with lace.
I can’t believe that you are going to do Babette. Ok, yeah I can. 😉
I was so thinking Babette. I’m also inspired by the mods you’ve done to your monkey socks, thank you for the how-to on that. I just want to say I enjoy reading this blog. Oh, and Moth is looking delicious!
If I had the time and the energy I would knit lace all the time, except for when I was knitting socks and sweaters. Right now I am knitting Anne’s Starlight Evening Wrap — a fabulous design — and I am panting with eagerness over the Bee shawl. In the meantime there is the Mystery Stole 3 and….
I felt faint when I saw that finished bee shawl. Anne told me the pattern should be available at the beginning of August. I am looking for yarn for it already….
I love the look of your shawl, so fresh and dare I say — yummy! Cannot wait to see the Babette thing…
As I live and breathe, I never thought I’d hear you say you’re liking crochet! Suits you just fine, you’re very good at it! Moth is looking lovely. Your mind racing all over wanting to make everything is a shared passion for sure.
Glad to hear the blog is staying! Your shawl is truly amazing, I can see why you wish you could knit with your feet – its going to be abfab when its finished.
Thought of you Sunday night (is it weird to think of people whom you’ve never met?) while I listened to Into the Music: Springsteen Edition on local college radio.
Have a great week!
Can’t wait to see your finished Larger than Life bag! I’m working on one, too (you’re to blame for that, heh heh) but had to pause when I ran out of a discontinued yarn color and had to eBay for more.
In the meantime I started a second crocheted (but not Larger than Life) bag with the other, more plentiful leftover colors — and just now ran out of a crucial one.
So I’m back to the Larger than Life while I wait for the second color I ran out of to arrive . . .
You know, if I keep this up, I’ll soon have a third project and have to order even more yarn. I could keep this up indefinitely.
(Thanks for continuing to write!)
I’ve been internetless and missed the whole crisis, but I’m very glad to hear that you’re not going anywhere. It would have been heartbreaking to come back after a few days away to find you’d closed up shop. And, I don’t think there was anything wrong with your yarn store review, either.
Now. Shall we begin laying bets on how many of these moth shawls you’ll make in different colours before you move on to something new? 😉
Everytime I see a new thing from you on the shawl I really, really want to knit something in lace. Nevermind that I have to finish a blanket (which is sort of lacy) and some pillows for my new house and a sweater for my SIL’s birthday in September.
Obviously first borns aren’t terribly close or careful readers, ahem. As usual for NYTimes science reporting, the body of the article belies the claim made by the attention grabbing (first born=attention grabbing) headline. Power to the baby sistahs!!! Love you, but na na na boo boo.
OMG – I saw the “f” word and it grabbed me – something about seeing it in black and white – love it:) Anyways, I love so many things you have going on right now. I have to try the Charade socks myself and I have some of that Yarntini Vintage as the author used on one of hers – yay! Monkeys are so darned addictive!
aren’t anne’s patterns wonderful? and that is a lovely wing-‘o-the-moth.
Hormonal schmormonal says I (who is in the same boat!). You seem to have the crochet bug! I can see why those projects appeal to you, so much color-they look like great projects! I want to knit so much too…where are my clones to help me out??
The Moth is looking fantabulous, Cara! Nice work and I love that green – can’t wait to see the finished product. Nice to knit with lightweight yarn when it’s so ridiculously fucking humid, no? (I swear a lot more in person, too, haha…) ~gabriella 🙂
Your moth looks lovely… I just finished one, but I gave it away the very day I blocked it. Your moth pictures are making me lonely for it. I really like it in the merino. I might have to do another one.
I can see why you’re loving it. It’s absolutely beautiful!
Moth is breathtaking – which yarn are you using?
wow! you know how to make a girl feel good! thank yu for the lovely compliments. and i want to say too, that the bee shawl pattern WILL be available as a standalone item on my site, as well as a kit from woolywonkafibers.com.
and your moth is SO pretty! i love the way it knits up in a plain fingering yarn . . the original one was made with a yarn like that. and that green color is amazing!
Wow, you’re moving right along on the Moth shawl, aren’t you? Mine took me months to finish, but mostly because I enjoyed knitting it so much that I really didn’t want it to end, which sounds like the same way you feel. It looks gorgeous!
Why? Why do you insist on pointing out the twelve thousand awesome things there are to be made right this second? To make my heart hurt, obviously.
I can’t wait to see how you organize your Babette colors. And your moth looks gorgeous!!