Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Warm tootsies, confusion, and... well, more confusion...

So what have I been doing while I should be doing housework, and other important 'stuff'?  Knitting socks.  And not just one pair...  I've been "power knitting"!  (Read:  when I am sitting, I am knitting.  Anywhere, anytime.  Ok, not when I am driving, but the rest of the time.  I say this, because I read an Internet thread about a person who did.  Wrong on SO many levels...)
I love the colorway on these, it came out just a smidge brighter in the picture...  Only thing is, almost everyone that's seen it wants the yarn.  Looked it up online...

Discontinued. 

PBBBBT...
These are my "Superbowl Socks".  I started them during the Superbowl.  This wouldn't normally happen, (if I get excited, I really don't want to impale myself with a dpn...), but sadly, I wasn't 'into' either of the teams, Mom and I commented this year's bowl was more about the commercials (of which I also wasn't wowed, but I guess I am getting picky in my dotage). ; )   I would have finished them faster, but got into a J.A. Jance book, and lost a couple good knitting days, haven't been able to read and knit effectively.  (And I didn't have that particular book on audio.)
This is a new(ish) pattern with some yarn I spun.  I will probably find another pattern, finish the other little sock as shown, then find one that I like better, this pattern was one of those, knit about yay much, then guesstimate the heel number, then when it looks good knit for a while even... 

YARK! 

I have knitted enough adult socks that I could do this alright, but I much prefer a more... specific pattern.  Playing with a pattern where I can write my own notes is fine, but guessing what the end result is supposed to be on a thing I've not knit before... No.  Little too much guess work. 

Oh, and you ask, why small socks?  I found a charity group that takes children's socks, that need to be wool, which is mostly what I spin, for orphanages in Russia.  Since Husband teases me about having enough stash of hand spun to raise the insulation value of the craft room at least 3 or 4 points, I figured it was a good use.  I have some other "me" projects planned for my hand spun, but this is for the 'oh, pretty, now what do I do with it?" stuff.  Especially when the stuff is plied, and I don't have a great lot of it.  I could make a hat, but this strikes me as more useful.  (Not that I haven't been asked to make hats, but the hats wanted need to be washable.  Unless they want a Barbie Doll Hat, my can only be washed once. In that case, acrylics rule...  And I haven't tried spinning acrylics, yet.)

I helped Dad fix the problem with his computer.  That was a strange thing.  The program had a major problem.  It was one of those, the more you try to fix x, then y, z, k, b, and r decide to not work, type problems.  He called a friend of his, who works on computers, and handed the phone to me.  After some serious talk on what was wrong, we came upon a brilliant solution. Blow up the computer. Get rid of the program entirely, and use a similar one that, wait for it...

Actually works! 

So, after ringing off, I uninstalled the program, showed Dad how to use the new program, which fortune would have it, worked almost like the other, and we had it solved.  He's happy, I am happy, and perhaps the other program will hold.  Dad doesn't 'tinker' with settings and things, so I think it should work fine...  But man, getting to that point, wow.  You would think a download FROM THE SITE would get the problem fixed, (and as fun as it is to rag on them, it wasn't a Windows product, in this case), but after loading and getting the "fixes" at least twice, wow, whatta buncha junk!  YEESH, even.  I don't consider myself to be a techie in the least, but gee holy horse crap, couldn't there be some sort of "tech inspection" before you can download something, do people not check these things? 

Sorry, grumbling... But still...

And scales.  I was truly figuring I'd blown it this week.  I didn't exercise two or three days in a row.  Didn't eat well.  My only attempt at negating that was trading.  For example, if I have a soda, I don't get a cocoa in the evening, stuff like that. Lots of salty foods.  Just wasn't good this week.

And I lost 1.8 pounds.  

Did someone really, really screw with the laws of physics or something?  This so does not compute...   I mean, heck, I am happy, will always take a loss, obviously, but...

HUH???

Life's little non-sequiturs.

(I was going to write about the Supreme Court decision today, about that "church" protesting at soldier's funerals.  I want to make a bit more thoughtful blog than my first snotty rage that I was going to put down.  So.  Less immediate, but hopefully more wise.  Or at least less vitriol.)




10 comments:

Dreaming said...

I love that your husband figures you have increased the R value of your craft room - clever!
I love the socks. I have only tried knitting a pair one time - that was a long time ago and I have no clue what I did with them. Mine were just plain blue, not colorful like yours! Those Russian kids are gonna be so lucky!
Congrats on the weight loss! That's great! All that knitting must have kept you from snacking!
OMG...my word verification was 'mitten'!! How freaky. Should you consider knitting some mittens?!

Cat said...

I think Husband has a cool sense of humor! As far as the socks, I certainly hope the kids enjoy them, but I have knit blue, too:

http://egginmypocket.blogspot.com/2007/10/bluestocking-doesnt-mean-good-memory.html

Mitten, yes, I have knitted those, but my feet get cold much more often! ;)

Cat

Chai Chai said...

Bah, If Cat knitted some mittens she would probably misplace them and not know where to find them.......

Those socks look great!

Cat said...

And then I would get no pie! Boo hoo!

:D

Thanks!

Cat

Sharon said...

Why do they want wool socks for the orphans? Isn't there a bit of a problem washing and drying them and keeping them the same size????????????

Of course, I only knit acrylic - being allergic to wool.

Good for you! 1.8#! I lost 6#, of course it was fluid build up that I had recently gained........ some of it is still hanging on :(

Cat said...

Sharon:
They want wool socks because the orphanages aren't heated, and wool retains heat better than other materials. And no, surprisingly, wool isn't hard to wash. Cold wash, cold rinse, and air dry. I have several pairs of wool socks and they've only felted from wearing, not from washing. (Actually, I believe you can even use warm, but you have to have wash and rinse the same temp is the biggie...)

You lost 6, I bet that feels a lot better! I don't care if it WAS fluid, poofy is poofy! You'll get there, just stay away from salt, if you are anything like me... sigh...

Cat

messymimi said...

It has happened to me, too, in the past. You do everything right, you don't lose or even gain. you give up for a day or two, and you lose.

In light of the fact that our bodies want to hold onto fat in case of a famine in the future, i think when we ease up for a day or two, our bodies become convinced that famine is not happening "now", and so become willing to burn a bit off.

Lovely socks, and generous of you to make some for the orphans!

Driving and knitting!!! As bad as the person who had a home made book holder taped to the steering wheel. (Shaking head and wondering how to nominate for dummy of the year award.)

John Going Gently said...

do you sell any socks?
would love to buy a pair from you!

Cat said...

John:

Can't find your email address, so email me.

rencatus@yahoo.com

And we can give it a talk!

Cat

Cat said...

messymimi:

For some reason, my first reply didn't get on here. (?) Eh. I don't know why my bod does what it does, so I just figure I won't worry about it too much, or I will go crazy(er).

And yes, I have seen people reading newspapers, books, eating bowls of cereal, some crazy one even was shaving, and another was putting on mascara! YOIKS! Lemme outta that lane!

Cat