October 2006 Archives

While browsing the web, I came across 50 interview questions; some of them are guaranteed to show up in just about every interview you'll ever have. I know - I've gotten the "why did you leave your last job" way too often. Short story - contract flew away meaning staff reduction. Not fun when that happens. :-((( Anyway, I hope those of you who are looking for a job will find this very useful.

Looks like Soctober is almost over, but then there's 11 more months to knit more socks. I only managed to complete 1/2 of the pair that I'm working on. But, that's no big deal. To celebrate the end, I'm flashing some of my sock yarn stash:

As you can see, I've got Silja (which I bought at MDSWF from that vendor which always brings overstocked yarn to sell off), Brown Sheep Wildefoote, Mountain Color, Opal, Brown Sheep NatureSpun, Lana Borgosesia Hilton and Hilton Tweed (whatever happened to them?), Kroy, 3-ply (why did they have to discontinue this?), Nylamb (another good yarn company gone bust), Blauband (are they still around?), Regia, Fortissima, Jawoll Cotton, GGH Marathon-Color.

I've got more in the closets, but I guess this is enough for now . . .

So. I've finished my cardigan, blocked it out and now am wearing it. I got 4 black buttons to sew on when I get a chance. And just in time as it is now quite nippy outside.

So, what am I going to do next? Need to finish my socks, and I need to go through my UFOs. I found one which I had stared using this very same pattern which I adapted for the cardigan. This one is a pullover, and the body part is already quite lengthy. There's a sleeve that has been completed, and another one just begun. I'm going to work on that sleeve, then make another one since I think I increased the completed sleeve unevenly. There's plenty of yarn, so no worries.

I've been slowly working up my nerves to get started with my first sewing project. I already have all the pieces cut out for the bag, applied FrayCheck to keep these from unraveling. Now I'm reviewing the sewing machine manual, and the directions for the bag. My plan is to practice using scrap fabrics before actually assembling the bag.

Now, I've got a question for y'all . . . am I boring? Too political? Or what? I've noticed that my posts haven't been commented on for the past 3 or 4 weeks ago. I know I'm not one of the big bloggers, but I hate to think that I'm boring y'all to tears. I don't know if I'm doing things right or wrong unless I have some sort of feedback. I've put up my email address to the right if you'd prefer to reply to me privately.

Knitting is all done except for the buttonholes and the grafting of the underarm. If this looks a tad short, yes, you're right. I didn't intend it to end up that way; I thought I had the right length in the lower part. Fortunately, it hits me right at my waist. I think I can get an extra inch or so out of it after I wash and block it. The blue line you see is fingering weight yarn that I used to crochet the middle stitches. I will then cut it open (and in fact, have already done so). I fully expect to finish it tonite, just in time for the cold air that is supposed to sweep in this weekend . . .

I've been working hard on the cardigan and it's now decreasing at a steady pace. It's nothing much to look at yet - just plain, straight stockinette except for the cuffs and hem, so that's why I haven't taken any pictures up to now. With luck I should have it completed by end of the week, when I'll be attending Rhinebeck in spirit (no, I'm not going - we don't have the money. Maybe next year if we win the lottery).

I had the chance to check out the Vogue Knitting Holiday Preview and Interweave Knits Holiday preview (which I took a look at when I saw it in the magazine section at the grocery store. I was underwhelmed with the IK preview, especially because they seem to have reprinted patterns from previous issues. Lame, especially when there are lots of designs from talented designers that have yet to see the light of the day.

But VK . . . wow . . . they seem to be returning to the classics. I guess people are starting to get tired of big knits and are hungry for color and texture.

This is a really lovely hat knit in the Fair Isle technique. I'm really curious to see who the designer is. I'm willing to bet that it is not She Who Is Not Named. Also included in the preview is a Fair Isle felted bag. I'm not sure that I would want to do fine knitting and then felt it. It looks like it is more likely that worsted yarn is used. I guess I'll have to wait till mid-November to find out.

This is another lovely sweater that I'd love to knit. It looks so elegant and the color is attractive. And it looks to be cable, I think. This is definitely one issue that I'll be picking up.

Meanwhile, does anyone know what happened to INKnitters? I haven't seen the fall issue at the bookstore. I just went to the website and it says "Spring issue is now available". I don't remember if I got the Spring issue or not - the latest issue I have is Vol. 5, No. 19.

Saturday we went to my church to check out the bazaar and was impressed with how well-organized everything was. There's been issues with how the bazaar was run in the past. But this year was particularly well-done and word has it that it was very successful. There was a historical reenactment group showing off military items and costumes from the 1640s-1650s in Eastern Europe. I talked Bruce into dressing up so I could take a picture of him. I'd love to make a Cossack outfit for him someday - I think he would be quite dashing in the setup. Don't you?

Nephew Kai got this for his birthday present, and I think right now he's having a lot of fun flinging it around. I figure he might as well start off his love affair with the dinosaurs with a soft, smiling Bronty.

Meanwhile, I've been looking all over the place for this Knitting Calendar. I've checked out the local Barnes & Nobles, and Borders - not there. Looked at Annapolis Borders when I went to the knitting group meeting - not there. Sigh. I want to be sure to grab this before it gets all sold out.

And, I've been working hard on the cardigan. Got both sleeves worked up and almost finished with the 2nd sleeve - this is record time for me. Would it be too much to hope that I'll get it all completed by end of today? Just as weather is turning cold . . .

Last week Washington Post featured my church in one of their columns in the Religion section, and online there is a photo essay titled "God Through the Eyes of a Child". The photographer did a good job - the pictures came out really good and I was able to recognize many of the faces there. In fact, all of the faces, even though some of the names I only know slightly. This weekend there will be a bazaar. It's a great opportunity to try out the food, get some of the nesting dolls and other items that are good for Christmas presents, hear Russian poetry recited, and hear folk and sacred music (by Carmina at 8pm, Saturday. Details at St. Nicholas website . . .

The reason why it doesn't appear in the picture is because I unraveled the yarn for reuse. Since I was never going to wear it, i might as well recycle the yarn, right? Such is life.

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

I taught myself, following the pattern from the VK issue. It wasn't too hard to do since the directions was straightforward. I may have asked someone how to turn the heel, though. I do remember being awed at the magic that happens when you turn the heel. That's the fun part of knitting socks . . .

What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?

I think it was a burgundy and golden sock (yes, Redskins colors) using a pattern that I found in Vogue Knitting, Fall '92. The yarn I used was fingering weight, and it came from Brazil, I think. Really good yarn, and no longer available, I think. Wish I had kept a label so I could look for it in other folks' stashes. How did it hold up? Well, I never really wore it - see the answer to the next question for reasons why.

What would you have done differently?

Not made it knee high, but more to crew sock height. I should have realized that I never wear knee-high commercial socks, hence, why should I be wearing hand-knit knee-highs? As you can see from the picture above, the socks come up about 3 inches or so above my ankles. I just like it that way and it feels comfortable, even during winter.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

Good question. I haven't really settled on favorites because I haven't had the chance to buy different brands. I did knit with Trekking XXL, and I really like how it works up.

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

Crochet? Nope - I don't do crochet. When I first got started with socks, I used DPNs. However, I was not happy with how laddering would occur sometimes, especially when I was knitting straight stockinette. I tried the magic Loop method, but I didn't like the way felt. Now, I use 2 circulars and I'm very happy with how it works out.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

Usually, I do a flap, using the s1, k1 technique for 2 1/2 inches, and then picking up the gussets after turning the heel. However, I may make the short-row heel my favorite, since it is so easy to do and it looks more attractive.

How many pairs have you made?

Umm, it all has to be finished, right? Okay, as you can see from the photo, I have 8 pairs, 4 of which I wear most often. The lovely blue sock is now officially retired because the sole is so worn thin, there's a hole in one of the sock and I no longer have the yarn as I stupidly gave it away. I do, however, have quite a few in varying states of completion. Unfinished, mostly due to the second sock syndrome.

So it's the hump that I've got to get over . . . Wednesday and it's almost over, thank goodness. Now there's just two more days to go till Saturday, when Hubby and I go down over to the other grandparents' home to celebrate Kai's first birthday. If you've been keeping tabs on him at his photoblog to the right, you'll see how he's grown up during the past year. And the next coming year promises to be more of the same. I'm working on a little gift for him, but it's top-secret at the moment.

In other news, , this year will be the last year that Daylight Savings Time ends at the end of october. Yes, that's right. Beginning in 2007, instead of DST kicking in on april 2nd, it will start march 11th and end november 4th (instead of october 29th). Those are the actual dates, the "Energy Policy Act of 2005" has the DST starting on the "second Sunday in March" and ending on "the first Sunday in November". Wonderful. I'm sure that Apple and Microsoft will be so kind as to issue software updates to take this into account. Wish that our body timers could adjust just as easily.

Meanwhile, I've finally called it quits on the Ridgeway Lite sweater. I tried three different needle sizes and still got that stupid upward curve, plus the stitches looked very distinct. Feh. So, I dragged out my skein winder, picked apart the bindoffs, and unraveled the sweater to produce this lovely view:

I really hated having to do this, but it had to be done. Sniff. Tomorrow I'll give these skeins a nice soak and hang these out to dry. Good thing it's supposed to be quite warm tomorrow, so these skeins should dry quickly.

I haven't been staying away from knitting, either. I finally settled on a pattern by Meg Swansen that should be pretty quick to knit up. I'm taking her raglan pullover pattern and adapting it into a cardigan. The bottom has a nice diamond pattern , and I'm now about 8 inches into it. I think I'll put in at least 2 inches and then get started on the sleeves. Pics at the end of the week, hopefully. I started it on September 28. I'm fixing to have this completed by end of next week, when the weather should have settled into the increasingly cold pattern.

Yes, still job hunting. Had a nice chat with a recruiter; even though it may turn out that I'm not quite what the client wants, she may have other job possibilities for me. Keep fingers crossed . . .