Anyway, I’ve been busy aside from the job hunt, with knitting and reading. Also my family’s third craft retreat was last weekend, so that was lovely.

First, here’s the full finished pair of Violin Socks.

The picture of the violin cables down the front is in the previous entry, below. These were knit on size US 1.5 needles with Malabrigo Sock.

Second, here’s my niece’s birthday present (if you know my niece and see this, please take care she doesn’t see! I do want it to be a surprise for her birthday). It’s Sprite in size 3-4T, knit on size 3 and 6 needles, in Knitpicks Cotlin and Comfy (in Lantana and Honeydew, respectively).

My last recent FO is my favorite by far. Celaeno, in Yarn Pig (colorway Midnight Sky, and this isn’t a commercially available yarn- I got it in a swap with the dyer) on size US 5 needles.

I NEED to get better photos. The yarn isn’t straight black, it has a lot of dark blue in it, and the beads are a gorgeous silver-lined turquoise. I adore this thing.

In reading news, I’m back into fiction! I don’t know what sparked it, but the day I finished a pretty awful true-crime thing called Needle Work, I got the urge to start reading The Book of Lost Things. A few hours later, I’d finished it and had a new favorite book. It’s amazing. The next day, I read The Graveyard Book (also really really good) and started World War Z. Today I read Thunderstruck, which I didn’t really care for, and tomorrow I’m going back to the library to get more! I’m so happy that I’m finally back into reading fiction that I’ve been neglecting my poor knitting, a bit. Ah well, I’m sure I’ll balance the two eventually.

This week? Two interviews in three days. Both are jobs I’d probably quite like. One is at Michael’s (the craft store) and the other is at REI (outdoor sporting/camping goods store). I’m a little nervous, because while the Michael’s job would be ok, I REALLY want the REI job, but the Michael’s interview is first.

Anyway, knitting stuff. You came here for that, right? Well here’s half an FO:

This is a test knit I signed up to do on Ravelry. The pattern is called Violin Socks, and the yarn is Malabrigo sock. I’m about 2/3 done with the leg on the 2nd sock, but I don’t have a photo of that yet.

That’s really all I’m working on that’s worth showing yet. I have two or three more projects but such little progress that there’s no point taking a photo. However, I got some mail today! A while ago, I signed up for the Knitgirllls spin-a-long. I didn’t end up liking the fiber we got very much, so I asked a friend to drum card it and I got the finished batts back today. They’re gorgeous!

Here’s before:

And after!

Nom nom nom.

The Sunset Loop socks

Froot Loops by Kristi Geraci, Mountain Colors Crazyfoot in an unknown colorway, size US 2 needles

The Boring Mansocks for Cory

My own generic sock pattern, Arucania Ranco in Olive, size US 1.5 needles

AND a teeny little microfoppy.

Monster Chunks by Rebecca Danger, Knitpicks Gloss Lace in Fiesta, size US 0 needles

I’ve still got a lot to do by the end of the month, but I feel pretty good about what I’ve finished so far. I’m working on my old Woodland Shawl as one of my WIPs for Nerd Wars, and I need to make Celaeno still as well. Then I signed up to test knit some socks that were turning out way too big, so I need to start over on smaller needles, AND I have to make the shawl for the auction winner. Whew!

Giving Geeks(Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Relief): Already done- I won one of the auctions in the CPAAG Action Auction for Japan and donated the amount that I bid to the Search Dog Foundation to help train dogs to find missing people.
Intellectual (Pi): Froot Loop socks! Yep, one is already done and the other is nearing the heel flap.

Froot Loop socks in Mountain Colors Crazyfoot, unknown colorway, size US 2 needles.

Nerd Culture (Reading): This one is done, too. I made Arden mitts for Cory and embroidered some symbols from Unitology (Dead Space game and novels) on the palms.  Cory asked for “magic symbols” on the palms, so this worked for that and also made the project fit into the reading challenge.  The symbols are his initials.

Arden in Malabrigo Worsted Merino, color Buscando Azul, size US 7 needles.

Scientific (Deep Sea): I’m knitting Celaeno in some Yarn Pig I have in Midnight Sky, with silver-lined turquoise beads to represent bioluminescent creatures in the deep areas of the ocean.
Technical (Size): For this you’re supposed to scale something you’ve already made. I’m probably just going to make a minifoppy, but if I have time I might make a small version of the clapotis I made for my wedding.
Team Spirit (WIPs): My husband will be so happy- an excuse to finish his socks! I might also try to finish this lovely scarf I started ages and ages ago.

Things of note this week:

• I went out to 3 Kittens Needle Arts with my sister to use the gift card she and her husband gave me for my birthday. I got these:

Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Magenta (apparently because that’s what color the water turns when you dye yarn purple) and

two skeins of Lush angora/merino in a gorgeous dark forest green.  (before anyone says it, yes, I know it sheds. It’s angora. DUH, it sheds.)

• My video podcast was mentioned on several other video podcasts, and has gotten over 100 views on all three episodes now.
• The CPAAG Action Auction for Japan started today (well, besides the flash auctions that went on over the week- this was the real, all day long start of the auction, which goes until Sunday at 10:30 EDT) and my offering, a custom shawl in any color and pattern, sold for $175! I had the winner donate the money to Doctors Without Borders, and she’s going to get back to me later this weekend or next week about her choice of pattern and yarn.
• The Nerd Wars challenges were indeed posted and are FRIGGIN’ HARD. I’m not sure what I’ll do for most of them, but at least a couple will be pretty easy- one is to do something to help Japan (yeah, got that in the bag, see above) and one is to make something relating to pi, which is convenient because I just started a pair of Froot Loop socks. No photos yet- I’m tired and need to go to bed- but I’ll post some later this week. At the rate these socks are going, I’ll probably even show a finished sock later this week!

Here’s me before…

And… are you ready? After.

I love it. I think I look younger AND thinner, and suddenly I have a neck again! It’s a wonderful thing. I went to a new stylist, and I really liked her. Plus, the place she works isn’t a “salon” in the usual meaning of the word. Basically, a company called Sola Salon owns the space, which is chopped up into a couple of dozen little one-chair-and-one-sink rooms with glass doors. Each room has space for signage out front. The idea is, an independent stylist can rent a space and have their own business without having to shell out for an entire building or hire more employees. I think it’s brilliant and I was very happy to support a small business! If anyone in the Minneapolis/Edina area is interested, my stylist is Roni of All The Rave LLC.  (I did the dye myself- it’s the 10 minute Clairol stuff in Light Auburn.)

In knitting news, I finished both of the shawls I’ve been working on. First, here’s my mom’s shawl:

Little Arrowhead Shawl by Pam Allen, my handspun Gale’s Art black BFL wool in Cherry Blossom, size US 7 needles

And here is the Ginkgo Shawl (which is MINE! I adore it).

Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl by Maggie Magali, Knitpicks Gloss Sock in Jade, size US 6, 8, and 10 needles

Next up? Good question. I know I want to make socks out of some Mountain Colors I have, but can’t decide on a pattern. I also know I want to make something out of the Knitpicks Aloft I have, but same problem- too many pattern options. Hopefully I’ll figure it out soon.

Corriedale/Romney cross lamb fleece, hand cleaned, combed, dyed, and spun. 686 yards from 2.2 oz,  fine laceweight.

I’m really pleased with how this came out. It’s slightly underspun (on purpose) so it’s light and lofty and I can’t believe how much yardage I got.

I’m not sure what this will end up being, or if it will even be for me (see above- I’m not really that into pink, not sure I could wear it) but it’s sure soft and lovely.

Here’s the link to the podcast blog, and I’ll post here with a link every time I upload a new episode. It’s a geek podcast with a section on video games, but also just has a section on what I’m making, so it should be pretty accessible despite the geek content, heh! (Even if you don’t want to watch, click over to look at the header- I had a lot of fun with it.)

Beecozy pattern (my own), handspun wool and handspun wool/possum blend, size US 7 needles and an H crochet hook

The hole for the spout is a large buttonhole, and it is held on by three button/loop closures.

I was pleased with how it came out. It just so happened that yesterday morning, my mom was looking for a pattern for a tea cozy for this same style of pot, and asked me to write up the pattern. So I did. Here it is. I’m also adding it to Ravelry. Let me know if anything looks strange- as I’m offering it free, I didn’t get it test knit.

I finished them yesterday afternoon, but they needed blocking and the buttons sewn on, so officially they got finished this morning.

Alice in Wonderland Mittens by Jennifer Lang, size US 2 needles, Artyarns Ultramerino in black, Regia Silk 4-ply in silver, linings in Knitpicks Gloss Lace in fiesta (red)

To be honest, for a while after finishing them I didn’t want to look at them. I was so sick of this project that all I could feel was immense relief that I was DONE.

But the more I look at them, the more I love them.

After finishing those, I realized that it was March 9th and I hadn’t finished a single thing that I could turn in for Nerd Wars (well, I made pieces for something, but I haven’t actually done the… event… yet, so I can’t turn that in) so I whipped up a quick little toy. One of the challenges was “In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb” and the parameters were to either make, from your team’s fandom, an animal or something with lion and lamb like qualities. I chose the latter and made a creature from Earthbound (Mother 2 in Japan) known as a Foppy.

Monster Chunks by Rebecca Danger, size US 5 needles, Järbo Garn Raggi Solids in red

I think he’s very cute. He’s only about two inches tall and maybe two and a half inches wide, and took maybe 45 minutes tops.

In non-knitting news, my birthday party was last Saturday, and my birthday itself on Monday! I had a wonderful party and an even better birthday. The big exciting news is that on my birthday, I finally went and took (and aced) my driver’s permit exam. I never learned to drive as a teen and since I became an adult haven’t needed to learn, but I decided that at 25 years old it was finally time. I’ve done the “slow-circles-in-a-parking-lot” thing twice now, and this weekend we’re going to go find a long stretch of empty country road to tool around on. It’s harder than it should be because our car is a manual transmission, but I think I’ll get it eventually.

Here are some photos from the party!

The chocolate layer cake and pecan pie I baked for the party

The guests, minus myself (behind the camera), my husband, and my brother (both off buying pizzas). From left to right that’s Kiah, my sister Kristen and my nephew Elliot, Nicole, Nick and Marie, Kate’s face, and Janelle’s legs and torso

The best photo of my husband ever taken

Nicole and I tentatively trying pieces of a bacon/maple cupcake my sister brought- it was actually pretty ok

And I’d share our bananagrams silliness with you, but I didn’t get any clear photos of word selections that DIDN’T involve parts of the anatomy or swears. My friends are an interesting bunch! In any case, it was the best party I’ve had in a long, long time.

Here’s to 25!