the Akamai Knitter

Despite the fact the damned Giants won, I had a good weekend. I figured out what I was doing wrong with my camera. Basically I just need to zoom in and out until the little macro flower turns green. I just wish the manual had mentioned this. Now I just need to play with lighting.

There wasn’t as much knitting done this weekend as there normally is. I did work on the Pagoda Lace Twist Socks while I ran some errands yesterday and I’m inching my way towards the toe of the first sock.

I also worked on the second sleeve of Something Tweedy. There’s just something so soothing about stockinette stitch. I’m anxious to finish this one up so I can wear it before the “winter season” is over. (I put winter in quotes since I know full well that our winter got nothing on most of yours.)

One of the errands I had to run was getting to the bead shop for some wire. With that done, I was able to get to work and produce four pairs of earrings.

First there was some silver.

Then there was some gold.

I love how the earring chandelier does all the work. So dangly!

Now that I’ve gotten a heady dose of beading pleasure in, I plan on finishing up those silly gloves this week. I’m pretty confident I can get this done since I won’t have as many distractions like I had over the weekend. I’m determined to get this albatross off my back.

What I’m really yearning to do is some lace. There’s so much out there inspiring me right now. Have you seen Alice’s Princess Shawl and Fleegle’s International Shawl? Just beautiful.

The project I have in mind for me is Pretty As A Peacock. I’m already a member of the KAL and I have the yarn, so there’s nothing stopping me from casting on except sheer willpower.

Let’s see how long that lasts, shall we?

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I find myself in a state of conflicted emotions. One the one hand I’m in a state of bliss over my new sock project. On the other hand, I’m completely frustrated with my new camera.

What’s wrong with the new camera? Well, it does not like the knitting. It likes everything but the yarn and the knitting, so it’s not a bad camera. But it takes forever to get a decent shot of stitch detail. This is on the macro setting and there isn’t a manual focus.

This is what I get nine times out of ten. Which means I spend the majority of my time searching for that perfect shot. Which means I usually end up thinking the camera wants a hard kiss with the wall. Not good.

That’s just not acceptable. So I’m going to Best Buy tomorrow to find another. I just hope I won’t end up like Goldilocks in my pursuit for a camera that best suits my needs.

Enough of the whining. On to the bliss!

As you can see, I chose the Shibui Pagoda. You know I can’t get enough of the Shibui. I’ll probably have to acquire every single semi-solid they have.

Yeah, you heard me right. It’s my new goal in life. ;-)

Oh, yeah. Feel the love. The Shibui love. Even the name is fun to say.

I’m knitting it up in Lisa’s Sedona pattern, which I’m loving. The lace is so pretty and the little twisted stitches? What fun! Like all patterns that provide such joy to the fingers, these socks seem to be knitting themselves.

I think I’m going to call these Pagoda Lace Twist.

(If only I could get my camera to focus like that all the time! I’d be in gadget heaven.)

Just so you know, I’m not neglecting the gloves. I’m knitting a finger a day and I only have three more fingers to do, plus the two thumbs. Since this will be a long weekend, I’ll most likely be able to finish these off before Tuesday. At least, that’s the plan.

The socks are the carrot on the end of the stick, as I get to work on them once the finger knitting is done for the day. So far, it’s provided me with excellent motivation.

Happy Friday! I hope you all enjoy your weekend, be it long or short. Go Packers! :-)

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Mmm. Is there anything like the scent of fresh yarn straight from the store? Or mail as the case may be. :)

Pedicures in Cattail (sadly not available via Internet. Ask for it at your LYS)

Dream In Color - Smooshy Yarn in Cocoa Kiss

Shibui Sock in Mulberry and Pagoda

I’m still fiddling with my new camera. It’s been hard finding the right lighting with it and a lot of the pictures here are over-exposed. It’s also been hard to get the thing to focus on macro shots, but I’m slowly getting adjusted to it’s nuances.

As for the yarn? It’s all been wound and I couldn’t resist throwing some of it on the needles. I’ll leave you wondering which yarn I picked first. ;-)

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I’ve been attacked by a viscous virus known as Second Glove Syndrome. Hetty knows of that which I speak.

I started in enthusiastically as most knitters do when embarking on a new project. Then I got to the fingers. Pesky fingers. Still, I muddled my way through them. That is until I got to the thumb.

Do you see a finished thumb?

No. You don’t.

I let that glove sit and languish for well over a two weeks and Christmas is soon becoming nothing but a distant memory. I let distractions get in the way of the goal line. There were socks, earrings, and there was even a new camera.

In desperation, I joined a group in the hopes it would motivate me. The thing is, if you don’t ask for help then you probably won’t get it and I just couldn’t muster the courage to ask.

So I settled in and had a little talk with myself. It basically went something like this:

“Friend has cold hands. Friend need gloves. Finish gloves.”

“I don’t want to finish gloves. I hate knitting fingers.”

“Friend need gloves.”

“I hate fingers.”

“Friend need gloves.”

“Can I at least cut her fingers off first?”

That went well. Don’t you think?

So I let it go and knit sleeves until I finally got so disgusted with this albatross around my neck that I threw the second glove on the needles, thus bypassing the thumb. I figured I’d deal with fingers and thumbs another day.

Unfortunately for me, the body of the glove went by rather quickly.

Argh. Time to bite the bullet and knit fingers.

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So like I said in my last post, I managed to finish up a pair of socks over the weekend. I’m calling them Sandy Lace Socks.

Pattern: Merino Lace Socks from the book Favorite Socks

Yarn: Shibuiknits Sock in Sand

Needles: size 1US/2.25mm Knitpicks Harmony Wood Circulars

Started: January 2, 2008

Finished: January 13, 2008

I originally got the idea to knit these socks from Grumperina. The picture in the book really isn’t all that flattering, but it actually makes quite a pretty sock. I think it’s a great lesson to look beyond the pictures and more at the pattern potential. There is an errata for the pattern, but other then that it’s very well written.

I’m so glad that I did choose this pattern as it was a joy to knit. From the ribbing to the heels, the details were so well thought out. It was also easily memorized, which made it perfect as a portable project as well as a game day project.

I adore this yarn, but you all know that. The subtle color gradations are pleasing to the eye and complimentary to the pattern. There’s not much more I can say about it that hasn’t already been said.

I really like the needles too. They’re sturdy and smooth. The points are nice and pointy. Perfect for dealing with the multiple decreases in lace patterns. The cable is nice and flexible as well.

Next up on the sock menu is yet even more Shibui. This time I’ll be knitting up Sedona by the wonderful Lisa D. I’ve been wanting to work this pattern up ever since it’s debut!

It’s been on the chilly side here (at least by Hawai’i standards) so I’m going to cuddle up with warm socks on the feet and a furry creature by my side.

(Quincy says “I still can’t believe the Cowboys blew it.”)

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