I have several things brewing in my head for a post, but I'm just too angry right now.

Today there's no knitting, but there is a rant.

So this morning, Kevin and I are doing our usual wake up routine of flipping between ESPN, CNN, and MSNBC. When SportsCenter starts talking about basketball too much, we flip over to CNN and groan at whatever crap is spewing from Daran Kagan's mouth, then we try MSNBC before going back to ESPN. Well, we happened to catch MSNBC this morning right as the female anchorperson was interviewing the new spelling bee champion. The typical questions were asked... "Were you nervous?" "Did you recognize the word right away?" And then, the evil anchor asked "Weren't you excited to be wearing makeup and have your hair done on national TV?" ARGH!!! Yes, world, just because the winner was a girl, we need to reinforce her enjoyment of being "made-up" and reinforce the fact that ONLY LOOKS MATTER AND NOT THE FACT THAT SHE HAS A BRAIN! I was absolutely shocked that the anchor would ask such a sexist horrible question. Well, I guess I shouldn't have been so shocked, but come on, if a boy had won, would she have asked "Were you excited to look all spiffy in your nice polo shirt?" Yet again, we are taught that girls SHOULDN'T be smart, but they should be pretty, and we must redeem this poor lost little spelling bee winner by reinforcing that she is pretty and that's what counts.

Ok, before you get ahead of yourself and think "holy crap, kim, how did you just bang out another pair of socks in 5 days," I want to remind you that you first saw this sock back on Feb. 22nd. And from what I can tell, scrolling back through my blog entries, that was also the last time I posted about them. The first sock has been sitting around for a couple of months. It was supposed to be for my sockapalooza pal, but I decided I didn't like them and instead made the tri-pink socks. A couple of weekends ago, I showed the sock to my mom and it fit her and she liked it, so I told her I would finish these for her. As soon as I got the sunny yellow-orange socks off the needles, the second crazy sock was started. What is interesting is that the second sock is a bit tighter than the first. I don't know if my gauge just changed slightly in a couple of months, or if because one was top down and the other toe up that that made a difference. Who knows?

So what do I have to work on now... I'm a little beyond halfway finished with the linen dish towel from Mason-Dixon Knitting. That picture is about a week old. And I'm working on a secret little project to submit to the next Stitch n Bitch book. If it doesn't make it in there, I'll put the pattern up here for y'all. Other than those, I have a pile of sock yarn calling my name, I think I might need to close my eyes, reach in and pick one randomly!

After seeing Carrieoke's cute Green Gables, I went over to the Zephyr Style website to check out their patterns. And I ended up sending them $5 through paypal for Ms. Marigold. (Ordering patterns online and through paypal is so simple and easy... of course when the download actually works it is simple and easy. But the Zephyr girls are super nice and quick and emailed me an attachment.). The yarn (in the pattern) is KnitPicks Elegance, which I thought about buying, but then it seems for a summery top that 70% alpaca might be a bit warm. Plus, I didn't want to wait for an order to come in to start knitting, so into the stash I went. And out came the leftover cone of Berroco's Glace from Sexie. Of course I didn't get gauge, but meh! I'm just knitting a bigger size because I've probably got enough Glace for 3 of these. I started it Saturday night and have been making quick progress. Unfortunately as you can see from the pic, I only have short circulars to work with, so it is a bit squished up.

Terby asked what it was like knitting with the linen for the towel. I haven't had much problem with it. It feels a little weird and stiff, but it transforms into something soft as the fabric grows. I'm really looking forward to washing it to see how it turns out. Maybe different brands are more problematic? I'm using Euroflax on metal needles and not having problems. Anyone else have experience with linen yarns?

And finally for today... we should all be thankful for the little info button on the TV that can tell us exactly what horrible thing we are skipping past. This was a movie from 2003 called "Leeches". The summary states "Mutated leeches terrorize a college campus after feeding on blood tainted by steriods." Oh, SciFi channel, thank you for making us laugh!

As cool as it is to have HBO now (watching Big Love), we also end up watching the same movie over and over since HBO likes to play the same set of movies over and over and only rotate in new things at the beginning of each month. So Kevin and I have watched Clue at least 3 times in the past 2 weeks. I like Clue. I could watch it frequently (as I obviously have been). But it does mean that our vocabulary involves too many Clue quotations. "Communism was just a red herring." We've also seen Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith nearly 3 full times. Although it is kind of hard to quote Lucas' stilted dialogue. It is interesting though how funny the Star Wars movies become the more you watch them. Anywho, back to the knitting. I've been working exclusively on Ms. Marigold. I still have about 2 more inches before joinging the front. As you can see from the picture it seems to fit pretty well. I should probably not have been lazy and actually put it on waste yarn instead of 2 short needles.

Here is the front as modeled by the desk chair. The 2 short needles just wouldn't allow a decent (and I mean that both ways!) shot of the front, so you'll just have to make do with this. So far I am enjoying the pattern as it is rather easy and mindless knitting. I'm undecided about the ruffles on the sleeves. They seem cute, but I think the top might work better without them.

I decided to join in the Knit Sock Kit Swap. This sounds like a lot of fun: make a bag and fill it with all the goodies to make a pair of socks! I've already got some interesting ideas brewing. If you want to join up too, hurry up because sign-ups close in less than 24 hours!

I've been slowly knitting along on Ms. Marigold. I've joined the body and come to the point of knitting knitting knitting and no progress. So because I got mad at that I started some new socks for Kevin, but not with that evil Regia yarn that produced a too small sock, that's still on time out. The yarn I'm using is some hand dyed that I picked up at MDS&W. I'm doing the 2 socks on 2 circs again. I'm a bit worried that there isn't going to be enough yarn, but I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

The linen towel remains untouched still somewhere around halfway finished.

I didn't knit much over the weekend because Kevin and I were busy cooking (well, not really cooking... oh I explain in a minute) and cleaning. On Saturday we started the 2 day process of making our own beef jerky! We used Alton Brown's recipe from Good Eats. Simply, cut up some flank steak, marinade, and dry in furnance filters strapped to a fan. Want to see it in progress?

13 hours later, you have jerky!

We also made sangria on Saturday. And then on Sunday we cleaned out our storage room and now I can easily get my bike in and out (which hopefully means I'll start riding it more!).

So while not a knitterly weekend, it was productive! Now if only I can be productive about school work this week...

Starting in the bottom left corner and going around clockwise: Laundry bin turned into a seat (filled with polyfil stuffing because I have a ton of it) with a backrest, corner shelf with sewing goodies and plants, stuffed animals making stored stuff look pretty, file cabinet with a typewriter on top with a humidifer on top, shelf with more polyfil stuffing, table with sewing machine and ball winder, a little bit of yarn swift in the right foreground

Ok, so you want proof that's a sewing machine under the gray cloth, there you go.

This is the other side of the room. The door to get into the room. Under the door is the air conditioner which will likely be installed next week in the bedroom. Across from the door is the yarn stash!

Here's a better picture of the stash. 2 big plastic containers. The bottom one is odds and ends and random yarns. The top container is left over sock yarn and nicer yarns. The small basket has 3 UFOs (Flirty, Tubey, and another Tube Toporini). The big basket shouldn't have a skein of Lopi on it, but inside has lots of Wool of the Andes (Knit Picks) and Peruvian Wool (Elann). The pink Candies box has random notions (buttons, zippers, cable needles, safety pins, etc).

I wish I had taken a before picture so you could see how great this room looks now. Previously you could sort of open the door and step inside, but that was about as far as you could go. Now you can walk around. Hopefully this will inspire me to do some more sewing, and maybe hang out in there knitting in the sunshine. The windows on either end are well positioned to get a breeze. Unfortunately, the room isn't heated so not as usable during the winter.

But overall, I'm really happy with the results of the massive clean and purge.

It is so cool that we all love love love Alton Brown. Unlike some other Food Network stars (and I won't name names), Alton's recipes have never failed to produce excellent results. Have you tried making his chewy chocolate chip cookies? Be warned though, making these cookies might make it impossible for you to ever eat or enjoy non-Alton-chewy-chocolate-chip cookies. I swear no other chocolate chip cookies live up to these. Hmmmm.... I think I have something new on my schedule now for tomorrow. CoOkIeS! (If you make them, I'd suggest baking for only 8-10 minutes, not 14!). But back to the jerky... the jerky is awesome. Of course I have very little basis for comparison because this is my first ever jerky (not just first ever homemade, but first actual jerky of any type). Kevin assures me that it is on par with very good store bought jerky. Yes, your place stinks up like meat during the drying process, so I wouldn't recommend doing this in the winter or other times when you have your house/apartment all closed up. You definitely want the windows open, but the smell disappears quickly after the drying (or maybe we've just become accustomed to it). Other than the smell, the process is so easy. Kevin wants to try again making a more peppery-spicy marinade, and I want to make a more garlicy marinade. But as soon as we find a cheaper supplier of furnace filters (Loew's is much too expensive for frequent jerkying... of course the filters reusable, but with the meat smell, not good for long term storage. In other words, you can keep reusing the same filters for continuous jerkying, but if you aren't going to jerky for a couple of days/weeks... get new filters), we'll be doing more jerkying.

No knitting yesterday, I've been bit by the cleaning bug. Not just the cleaning bug, but the clean-and-purge bug. The cleaning bug alone means some cleaning but not much change. The clean-and-purge bug means lots of trash, recycling, and emptier cleaner rooms. Our storage room was cleaned over the weekend and you can now walk about 3/4 of the way into it without splunking gear. Last night I cleaned out the front/sun room (which had also been primarily storage requiring mountain climbing gear to enter). Now it is totally accessible and with a quick reorganization of the yarn stash (Ha! that's never quick), I'll post some pictures of it because I actually can set up (and use) my sewing machine in there. (I really ought to have taken some before pictures). Unfortunately the clean-and-purge bug needs to be put on hold until Monday when Kevin and I can haul an old dead huge TV (which has been sitting in our bedroom for 2 years) and some useless dead computer monitors and assorted equipment to the monthly consumer electronics drop-off. We've been meaning to do this for a loooooooooong time, but didn't know when or where to drop the stuff off. After asking around and searching on the internet, we found a county program and then missed the monthly day for several months. This month, we'll be there! Hopefully after the electronics are gone (and hopefully the clean-and-purge bug will still be around, because sometimes these motivations are fleeting), I'll still be motivated to attack the closet stuffed full of crap, to weed out and donate clothes I don't wear, and to weed out and donate books that are taking up space in the bookcase (so I can reorganize my knitting books!).

Finally, yesterday I went for a 9.9 mile bike ride around one of the local parks, so be expecting a photo essay of biking in the park in a future post (when I remember to take my camera on my next bike ride).

1. What are your favorite colors?
I'm very open to all colors, especially for socks. I like bright, vibrant colors best.

2. Are you a new sock knitter? How long have you been knitting socks?
I'm nearly up to 20 pairs, so I don't think I'm a newbie.

3. Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn?
I can go either way. I don't like to knit patterns very much in multicolored yarn. If the pattern is elaborate, the colors should be simple.

4. What fibers do you prefer in sock yarn?
Wool, wool, wool (ok, cashmere would be nice) and I'm open to cotton. But no acrylic!

5. Where do you usually knit socks?
Where don't I knit socks?!

6. How do you usually carry/store small projects?
Plastic bags, whatever is available.

7. What are your favorite sock knitting patterns?
Simple ribbed socks.

8. What are your favorite sock knitting techniques?
Short rows, toe up, 2 circulars

9. What new techniques would you like to try?
I'd like to practice 2 socks on 2 circulars more.

10. Do you prefer circulars or dpns for sock knitting?
Circulars by far.

11. What are some of your favorite yarns?
I'm not too picky, I like trying new things.

12. What yarn do you totally covet?
Something cashmere, maybe?

13. Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object?
Not off the top of my head... I'd like to make some more knee socks.

14. Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)?
Addis

15. If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be?
Interlacements Toasty Toes

16. Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack?
Ferrero Rocher

17. What’s your favorite animal?
Alpacas

18. Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages?
Unfortunately, no.

19. If you were a color what color would you be?
Blue

20. Describe your favorite shirt (yours or someone else’s)..
Mets sweatshirt, warm and cozy and comfy

21. What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature?
Nature, inspiring? That place with all the gross bugs?

22. Tell me the best quote you’ve ever heard or read.
"This is war, Peacock!" I'm not good at signficant quotes, I prefer funny ones.

23. Do you have a wishlist?
Not up-to-date

Hi! I'm Julio the Sheep. I was conceived on June 15th and officially born yesterday. You see, sheep like me have an interesting gestational cycle. First, an idea needs to be sparked in the person with the yarn and needles. Then that person knits frantically (because her other projects are stuck in the black hole of knitting with no progress). I am quick in terms of tangible results. Just 6 or so hours of knitting and then I'm ready for my bath. The bath is where I really take my shape. Fortunately since it is the warm season, I dry quickly and am ready to be filled. And then viola! I'm born.

If you'd like your own Julio the Sheep, just keep in mind that we like to steal hamburgers. They are especially tasty raw. Although the silly humans have protected them in this plastic bag. Without thumbs or teeth, I can't penetrate that barrier.

Just to give you an idea of how tall I am, check me out next to this tree! What? What do you mean that's not a tree? Oh fine, it is just some really tall cilantro.

I hope to have some buddies soon as it seems that Ms. Marigold continues to be mired in the black hole of knitting hell.

So if you've been wondering why there has been little blogging and little knitting in these parts, well it is because we bought a new video game this past weekend. Yes, we bought Guitar Hero. And yes, it kicks ass!!!! All of my free time is playing Guitar Hero. The game comes with a guitar controller and you follow the notes on the screen (well, color coded "notes" is probably more accurate). There's about 30 songs and 4 levels (easy, medium, hard, expert). So even though I'm only about 1/3 of the way through medium, I rock like Joan Jett! But, I butcher the work of Jimi Hendrix! I'm a golden god!!** Want to see more?

Good hand-eye coordination.

Star power means raising the guitar up right to kick more musical ass!

I'm a Guitar Hero!!

Now presenting Tico! Julio's new best friend!!

So, silly me thought that everyone stopped reading the blog because my comments said "0". Today I clicked on the link and there were comments. I don't know why it keeps saying "0" and why I waited so long to click. I changed a couple of things so hopefully that will fix it. So a big thank you all for the nice comments!!

I wish I could claim to have thought up the sheeps myself, but they are actually a Fiber Trends pattern. I'd highly recommend ordering the pattern. I used Paton's Classic Wool Merino and it felted fabulously. The sheep are quick to knit and easy to sew up. I plan on making more. I don't know what I'll do with a flock of felted sheep, but I think they'd be good to have around to gift to others (that is if I can bear to part with them).

Oh I just had an idea!

A CONTEST!!

To win your very own kim-made Sheep. Email me with your answer to the following questions (and subject line "Blog Contest"):

1. Who is Julio named after?
2. Who is Tico named after?

Here are a couple of hints: both are named after real people, I've never met either of them, but I've seen them both "perform" in person (although they don't "perform" together!). I don't think I've mentioned their names specifically on the blog (so don't spend hours searching the archives), but if you know a thing or two about some of my favorites, you can likely figure it out.

Send in your guesses by midnight on 6/28. Whoever answers both questions correctly wins! Of course, if more than 1 person answers corrrectly, then I'll make Kevin randomly pick a name out of a hat. If no one answers correctly, well, I'll still randomly pick a winner! So even if you have no clue, still enter a guess (heck, maybe I'll give a prize to the funniest wrong answers!)

After continuous knitting and knitting into the black hole, Ms. Marigold suddenly surprised me by being nearly long enough. I was equally surprised that I was also nearly out of yarn. So I snipped the yarn from the bottom and figured I'd make the neckline (most important) and then crochet the armholes (minorly important) and if there was enough left over, I'd try to squeak out a couple more rows on the bottom. Well, there was squeaking, but it was to have enough to bind off with! So as you can see I made a major modification to the pattern and decided on the ribbed lower section. I did this because I didn't feel like figuring out the math to give it a little waist shaping and decided that the ribbing would know when and where to pull in. I knit the stockinette portion on size 6 needles, but dropped down to size 4 for the ribbing. I also used the size 4 for the ribbing around the neck, which (unfortunately you can't see in the picture) I also modified. After some thinking, I decided that I didn't need an extra inch at the shoulders and around the back of the neck, but did want a full inch down the sides. So I short-rowed it! The neck down the front is an inch and around the shoulders/back of neck is only half an inch. I'm very happy with that. As far as the crocheting around the armhole, I didn't opt for the ruffle (no yarn left), but I did single crochet around to stop the curling. Overall, I like the top. I wore it out to the store today (but then took it off when I got home because it is too HOT! Not the top, but just in general. We have no AC downstairs, just a fan, so whatever it feels like outside, it feels like in our living room). I'll get some more pictures of Ms. Marigold showing off the short-rows and such for next post.

So you might be wondering about that title up there. It isn't necessarily about Ms. Marigold, although with the super-low cut it could apply. Instead it is about my shopping trip today. But first, the back story...

One of Kevin's very good friends is getting married Friday. However, they aren't doing the typical wedding and reception shindig. They are getting married at City Hall (I think) and then hosting a fancy dinner at a fancy restaurant in Manhattan for close friends/family. Then on Saturday they are having a big party at a bar in the city. So what's a girl to wear?! For a normal wedding, I at least have some idea of appropriate attire, although that doesn't mean I have it in my closet, or if I do that I want to wear it, and would probably have needed to go shopping anyway, but what do you wear to an arguably more casual event, that is still taking place at a fancy-schmacy restaurant? Kevin (and all males) have it easy in that they slap on a dress shirt, tie, and nice pants and Viola! ready to go. So I needed to go shopping. I decided to avoid the mall because, well.. I never find anything there anyway and it is too expensive. Instead I decide to head for Kohl's. Once I got to Kohl's I realize that there is a Joyce Leslie in the same strip mall area. I decided to look there first since I remembered them as having hip-trendy and cute clothes that were not expensive. The last time I was in Joyce Leslie and bought something was in 8th grade. My mom and I went shopping there for a dress for the 8th grade graduation dance. So in I go to the store. Cute stuff. I do a couple of sweeps around the store to get an idea of what they have. Then I start picking items up and making mental notes. Switching what I picked up and wandering aimlessly. Finally I gather my 7 items and head to the dressing room. As soon as I step in the dressing room, I remember why I vowed after buying that 8th grade dress to never shop at Joyce Leslie again... NO DOORS ON THE DRESSING ROOMS!!!! Now, I'm not a prude or anything, but I like some privacy when I try on new clothes. I don't want everyone looking and laughing because yes, I tried on one of those little skirts that is no more than a ruffle and my butt stuck out and I ripped it off as quickly as possible. Fortunately the dressing room was mostly empty, and by the time I had tried on several items and twisted and turned in front of the mirror, I wasn't feeling quite so modest as when I first walked in. Double fortunately, it was a successful trip. I found a pretty dress that is nice, but not too formal for Friday. And a cute capri pants and fancy halter combo for Saturday. (Ok, and several other items). Will I go back to Joyce Leslie? I don't know. I liked some of the clothes, but I'm still not totally cool with the no doors thing.

I'm extending the contest until midnight tomorrow because very few people have entered! See below for details, but it isn't that hard. You can even guess anything and still possibly win!!!