Done, new and still going ...

Today there is something done, I've updated my podcast list and in doing so I've learned a new increase (geek), and the green sweater grows.

Poppy's Turkish slippers are all done(Rav link has details), finished and being worn. In truth she donned them the moment I finished them and has worn them the moment I finished them, and every moment she has been at home since. She even wore them to bed one night - but we put a stop to that! There were small trials as I finished them, little annoying things like I completely forgot to reverse the side I worked the tassel on ... so it looked like she had two left feet. It was an easy fix. The next ones I will work a half round at the top of the second sock before working the cast off braid, the ends of the yarn become the cord for the braid - a nice neat decorative solution to the twin ends of yarn problem. Pops loves the tassels, she fondles them as she is curled up on the couch reading ....

Our house has a mixture of polished wood floors (and some not polished but sanded and old worn smooth), and a few carpeted rooms, and some vinyl. Over the years I have had to pick up and dust off and comfort both cubs as they crashed across the slippery vinyl of the dining room, usually as they ran in socks from the hallway into the living room. I worried that these would end in tears as she would forget to 'walk calmly' and run and crash ... so I added Regia bears paws to the soles. I've had these for ages, they are so cute, but I had not fully investigated them, one packet is enough to sole 2 pairs of socks, which makes them much more affordable than I had first thought. So far so good ... no crashes.

And the new increase, I've been playing with the podcasts I listen to, right now the list is in flux, but there is Cast-on (of course but in hiatus due to heath reasons right now, still back issues are worth a revisit), and BBC history of the world in 100 objects (short and sweet at 15 minutes each), download those while they are here as the Beeb is not good at long term archiving. I do like Crafternoon Tea with GrannyG, the hour long interviews with fibre crafters are a treasure of information, but the baking section is not good for my health. Just listening I can feel the urge to whip butter into sugar and add yummy topping and icing stuff. I also like Hoxton Handmade, I'm not sure if it is her attitude or her accent or both but its a good fun informative listen. I'm trying Fibre Beat on for size ... its also fun, I like his sense of humor, and its kind of retro cool sound, plus in one of the first episodes I tuned into there was an interview with Meg Swanson where she got all geeky and excited about a new increase she had learned .. so geeky me had to go off and find and try the increase. There is a video of it on the Fibre Beat podcast - but because Apple has its own video format - well it had to be converted to watch on the ipod - and all that takes time to learn about and then to do, sometimes google is the best and easiest solution. At first I was confused ... thinking I had to knit both loops, but then a revisit of the photos on Meg's newsletter showed clearly that only the first loop is knit, the second (original loop) stays as the increase - magic. This is the increase I am working in the Green sweater, and so far so good. If you know of any other knit centered podcasts that are good ... leave a note, although with the knitting, spinning, working, family stuff and only a limited time to listen each week .. I am in danger of falling way behind on all episodes if I add to many to my ipod. This semester I have a 15 minute walk from my office to where I teach the Y1 and Y2 classes Wednesday and Thursday, so I am enjoying the listening time, plus my usual 30 minute bus ride home each day, I'm good for a few hours of podcast time a week right now.



Which brings me to the green sweater, the first sleeve is at the elbow, and going well, now comes the stage where I work paired increases and deceases to keep the line of the decreases on the top side of the sleeve. That new increase is working in nicely ... and I realize that I have worked the sweater to the original instructions, where the gusset is decreased to nothing, but the errata has the gusset decreased to 11 stitches. I like my gusset the way it is, and think that to leave 11 stitches in play would make for a bulkier fit. I am still wondering what I will do about the clasps or buttons for this, and if I will work an i-cord up the front or not. I did work a slip stitched edge for the center front, so it would fold neatly .. and it does. The sleeve hem is the only bit that feels unresolved, the original has just a narrow folded 5 row hem created by stitching the live stitches down. The pattern suggests a purl turn row, as is worked on the other hems .. but I'm wondering about an icord?

Oddly this is the only item on the needles right now, and I'm having so much fun with it that I am in no hurry to add another project .. but I am enjoying planning the next Turkish socks, for Toby, and thinking of what I will start after this.

take care,
na stella