My Coriolis socks are finished! The second one knit up even more quickly than the first since I already had my head wrapped around the crazy construction of this sock. The "sockitechture" as Cat Bordhi calls it.
I'm definitely buying her new book.
(Yes, I realize that I messed up and they don't quite match. I've decided that I don't care.)
Emy pointed me to the new Knitty patterns today. Particularly Vanilla Sky, which we both like, although we both said we'd add waist shaping. I'd probably leave off the pockets too. I'm actually considering doing it in All Seasons Cotton (SURPRISE!) since I have enough in several colors. I have a forest green, chocolate brown, cream and grape. I'm leaning towards one of the last two.
I also like Arietta but it is not nearly as tempting as the pattern for which I already have yarn!
Now, I just need to finish the cover sweater from the latest IK before I can consider starting a new project.
I was very excited to read on Vickie Howell's blog that HGTV will be showing the current season of Knitty Gritty. I might have to lock up my credit card while they do because I've already started being too inspired by the show. This Monday the showed an episode with Cat Bordhi during which she demonstrated a Coriolis sock. This is a toe up sock, which starts with a garter square and has no gussets. Needless to say, I was intrigued. On Wednesday I went to Purlescence and bought four skeins of Panda Cotton in two different colors and a size 6 47" Addi Lace turbo circular needle.
Cookie was there but I can't place any of the blame for this purchase on her shoulders. She was trying to talk me into some Blue Moon Fiber Arts Bambu. I resisted that. Well, this time. I have a hank of it from a previous trip to Purlescence with Cookie. I still don't know what to do with it. That's another post though.
Anyway, I started the sock on the size 6 needle but it was too big. I went down to size 4s and I think I'm still a bit off gauge but it fits pretty well and I think this yarn shrinks so I'm fine with them being a touch big to start off.
In theory, I should be tasting the Kombucha today. I haven't yet though. It doesn't look right to me. Isn't the culture supposed to be a big flat disc on the top? I feel so clueless!
Here's a peek, sort of.
I started a culture of Kombucha two days ago. I brewed up about a gallon of white tea, added 1 cup of Rapadura (raw sugar) and let it cool to room temperature. Then I added a half a bottle of store-bought Kombucha from the fridge. When I was done with all that, it looked like a big jar of brown.
Today Anabel gave me a baby Kombucha culture that she had been saving for me. I told her that I didn't think my brew was doing anything yet but when I came home from knitting and lifted the paper towel to add the baby I saw a little spot of white growing on the top of the liquid and there was the distinct smell of Kombucha already. I dumped in her baby and a couple of hours later I wanted to take another picture and noticed many more spots!
I made an awesome Passover dinner tonight, if I must say so myself. (We don't really do a seder in my family, but we do get together and eat the tradtional foods of the holiday.) We started with gefilte fish from a jar, because who makes that from scratch? Then I made matzoh ball soup, Spring Lamb with Fresh Mint Vinaigrette, traditional haroset (apple, walnut, wine, honey and cinnamon) and some steamed broccoli. My aunt made a potato kugel that was really yummy and my mother brought a green salad which was also quite good. For dessert my dad made a fruist salad and I made macaroons, some of which I dipped in chocolate. Those were really good too. I found some dark chocolate covered matzoh at Whole Foods so we had those too. They were surprisingly tasty, kind of like chocolate covered pretzel with the sweet/salty thing going on. I didn't get a picture of all of it, but here's a sampling:
The funny thing was, both the dark chocolate covered matzoh and the Whole Wheat Manischwitz matzoh were not kosher for Passover. HUH? I noticed that on the chocolate matzoh package when I got them home but I hadn't noticed it about the plain matzoh. Why would they make such a thing? Even more oddly, on the Manischewitz list of matzohs only the Spelt matzoh is kosher for Passover.
I feel like I'm missing something. Can someone enlighten me?
I realized today (beecause my mother asked) that I never explained why I am knitting a breast. A friend of mine requested it as a visual aid for the breastfeeding class she is teaching. I also might be knitting some to see as a fundraiser for a breastfeeding support group. I ended up using someone else's pattern, though, so I'd have to ask for permission. I have a feeling they'd give it willingly, since it comes from the Laction Consultants of Great Britain website.
I started off with a smaller base for this one, using the number of stitches suggested by the above pattern. I knit mine in the round though. At Anabel's suggestion I added some purl stitches to the areola to simulate Montgomery's Glands. I don't think that worked very well though, they seem to have gotten hidden by the decreases.
Finally, I crocheted a circle for the bottom and then crocheted that on to the base with some fiberfill inside. I feel like it needs more stuffing but I'm not sure, that's why I haven't cut the tail yet. I want to show it to Anabel tomorrow and see what she thinks.
All I have to say is: thank goodness for Hannah! Who else would have let us all take a photo of her modelling the knitted breast and not complained one bit when we posted said photos on the internet for the world to see? That Hannah, she's special.
Linda got Hannah from the side, making it a touch more, um, pornographic. And Cindy not only got the best side reaction in her photo (Cookie is clearly in hysterics) but also Hannah's reaction to Anabel's knitted feminine hygeine products.
Priceless.
the sheep free knitter 
