sprite writes
broodings from the burrow

April 14, 2007


weekend agenda
posted by soe 12:43 am

What’s on tap for your weekend? I’d like mine to include a combination of fun and necessary activities:

  • Clear the garden. It’s time to tackle it so that if it ever warms up, I can plant things.
  • Do my taxes. Will I owe? Will I not? The weekend’s cliffhanger ending…
  • Hit the farmers’ market. Rumor has it that there will be ramps. Don’t tell Rudi I told you.
  • Watch some videos. We have Because of Winn Dixie and Kinky Boots to view. It’s supposed to pour on Sunday, so I’m thinking that will be a good time for it.
  • Get through the heel of my Bloomin Feet sock. Once I know what to expect for sock #2, I’ll feel better about actually finishing in time for our May Day deadline.
  • Visit the post office. I have some things to send out. Maybe once I’ve got the taxes finished…
  • Borrow some new books from the library. The last batch was unexciting. Maybe I’ll cross-reference my list of your suggestions ahead of time to streamline the process.
  • Bake. Either cupcakes or cookies sound awfully appealing.
  • Embark upon belated top-secret art project.
  • Check out Asian-themed Cherry Blossom Street Festival.

Suddenly I feel very tired. I’m thinking I’d best get to bed so I have enough energy to attempt everything on this list!

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April 12, 2007


before midnight, can you imagine us years from today, and twittering
posted by soe 11:56 pm

Three beautiful things from the past week:

1. Thursday, we got an early jump on our departure for Connecticut. It was lovely to walk into my parents’ house before midnight. An early bedtime meant that I had plenty of time on Friday morning to spend with Gramma and Mum and Dad before the day got too busy.

2. Last weekend was a chance to reconnect with many of our friends from the Northeast. I chatted with BW on the drive north. The next evening, John (and his wife Kim), Di, and Shelley and Mike joined us for our annual Good Friday pizza dinner at Modern. Then we caught up with ECN, who was feeling too under-the-weather to join us for dinner but who graciously allowed us to stop by afterwards. And on Saturday, Karen and I got to spend the afternoon together eating Vietnamese food, drinking scary bubble tea, and talking for hours. I love how flexible friendship is — that it can stretch through time and space and still resume its comfortable and reassuring shape.

3. Usually my headphones go on pretty early in my commute to work. I find listening to music or a podcast lessens how jarring the transition from home life to work life is to this night owl. But this morning, I was a bit slow with the ear buds and instead got to hear an avian symphony of calls and songs as the neighborhood birds reminded me that, despite the cold, they knew it to be spring.

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April 11, 2007


what a difference two days make
posted by soe 11:26 pm

I want to thank you all for the comments on the previous post. It made me feel so much less frustrated as I confronted the rewound ball once again to know that I wasn’t alone with this.

Happily, I think the third time really is the charm. Behold!

Zokni sock leg detail

It looks like my Bloomin Feet pal will get a sock after all!

I think part of what the problem was is that this yarn is 50% tencel which obviously isn’t going to be as stretchy as a full wool yarn. Add to that a pattern that has no ribbing (other than the cuff) and that I tend to knit lace a bit tight (as Cynthia suggested), and I think I can see why I ran into trouble.

In this most recent version, I’ve made a couple of modifications. First, I bumped the needle size up to 3mm (US2.5s). Then, because my cuff was particularly tight, I cast-on onto a US5 (4mm) and then switched down to the other needles for the subsequent rows. Also, I followed Jennie‘s advice when dealing with a 1×1 rib and knit into the back loop to create a more dramatic look.

I’m two more repeats away from the heel and will soon have to make another decision. I’ve never done a short-row heel and have heard mixed-things about how well they fit. Since I’m making this for someone whose foot is not here, I may alter the pattern to a heel flap instead. Anyone have any thoughts about that?

I may also follow Paula‘s suggestion to go down a needle size for the heel (or maybe the whole sole) to make the fabric a bit denser. I think I’ll stick in a lifeline at the start of the heel in order to try it out without fear of losing any of the leg.

I’m really excited with how it’s turning out now that I’m on the right track.

Thanks again for all the useful suggestions. I’m always blown a way by what a generous, wise community knit bloggers are.

(And for those of my readers who aren’t knitters, I promise that tomorrow’s post will not focus on this pair of socks.)

Category: knitting. There is/are 7 Comments.

April 9, 2007


back to stitch one
posted by soe 11:52 pm

Unsuccessful Sock

This would be attempt number two at my Bloomin Feet socks, a swap being sponsored by Amanda. Unfortunately, the sock doesn’t stretch any further than this, so we’re ripping again.

Attempt number one was done on US1s (2.25mm). It was too small and I had cast on the wrong number of stitches, anyway, so it didn’t hurt too much to pull it out.

For this time, I went out and bought US2s (2.75mm). I’m inclined to give it one more shot on either US2.5s (3mm) or US3s (3.25mm). (Anyone have any thoughts on which to switch to? I’m having a tough time measuring gauge in the lace pattern — in some spots I’m under and in some spots I’m over.) If that doesn’t work, maybe I should try a different pattern — one that calls for more than 60 stitches to be cast on.

The good news? I like the yarn (Woolarina), the pattern (Minty’s Zokni Socks), and the German cast-on that Amanda pointed me to and that I’ve become a pro at over the last few weeks.

The bad news? I have less than 20 days to make a pair of socks work for my secret pal.

Ack!

Category: knitting. There is/are 9 Comments.


the third of a dozen
posted by soe 1:37 am

Somehow between the excitement of having company in town last week and heading to Connecticut this past week, I missed the monthly photo feature, 007: Snap a Dozen Days.

This particular photo captures the spirit of my March because it shows the hope and beauty of spring starting to take effect. It also epitomizes D.C. in spring because it signifies the beginning of tourist season.

Cherry Blossoms

This is the third in my monthly 007: Snap a Dozen Days series. You can find the February post here.

Category: arts,dc life. There is/are 2 Comments.

April 5, 2007


mush, squall, and vegan goodie
posted by soe 9:55 am

It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a look back at three beautiful things from the past week. If you enjoy this feature, consider checking out the original, where Clare records moments of beauty every day.

1. Walking back to my office from the bank on Monday, I pass a woman walking two standard poodles. The dogs, who were remarkably well trained, had their leashes harnessed together so they reminded me of an offbeat sled-dog team.

2. Rudi and I rode our bikes to RFK for the ball game Tuesday night. As we rode through Lincoln Park, the winds whipped the cherry trees, causing petals to fly through the night air like a snow squall.

3. Ejbro, who came to visit this weekend, is vegan and is, therefore, understandably delighted by our local vegan bakery. I’ve not been enamored, finding that the things I’ve tried on previous visits were too sweet and just didn’t taste right. This time, he steered me toward the sticky bun, which was delicious and could have passed for a legitimate baked good complete with butter and eggs. Yum!

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