Sock 1 (S1) now has a companion Sock 2 (S2) to keep my feet warm on my long lonely travels later this year. That made it sound like an age away. It's actually only 19 days away. Not that I'm counting. Back to the FO. I love Fleece Artist. I love this colour - Ruby. I want to knit in this wool, and this colour forever. Not really. But close. The pattern was the cable thing socks from Interweave Knits (IK) Fall 2005. I beat the 5cm ripping out curse.
But not for long.
In the whole sock excitement thing, I had been tossing up what got knit up next. The Lornas Gold Hill, the Mountain Color Obsidian, or the Fleece Artist autumny skein. They all look so lovely on the skeins. So I wound them all into nice neat balls.
And that's where the problems started. I fell in love with young deep Obsidian (top right), it's softness and deep blues and slashes of red. And I wanted to cast on with that for another pair of socks. But the inner head said - No, use it for a lovely little project while you are travelling. Put it away, do not think about it. Young Lornas, sitting at the bottom of the photo, and not looking at all like the colour it actually is, kind of said cast me on, so I did, to an Anne Budd Broken Cable sock pattern. 4cm in, and (have you been paying attention recently) I frogged. It looked kind of, well, blueuuuugh. The Lornas was doing what I have been led to believe Lornas does very well, and that was to pool colour and started flaming colour sections, which is something I really don't like in variegated yarns. The Obsidian looked at me again. But I turned away. And then there's that autumny colour which I can't remember the exact name or code of. Looked brilliant on the skein, and looks kind of harsh and very brown and yellow wound up, and now I'm actually afraid to use it. So tonights dilemna - hey, if that's my only dilemna in life right now I consider myself to be doing OK - is which desecrated (thank Max for that) ball of wool will I knit what project with. In some bizarre life that I lead, I started making a mathematical formulae for this earlier through the day. Then gave up, took the child to the playground, and got a very large coffee. And a chocolate biscuit. And felt much better.
And apparently Bananas In Pyjamas are taking over the world. If you wear blue, or yellow, in any degree of combination, you are officially a Banana In Pyjama. This follows Max's first childhood 'concert' performance extravaganza to see B1 and B2 live along with about 60 other rampaging toddlers. He thought it was too loud. He covered his ears. He looked slightly stunned the entire way through. He didn't get the songs (as far as I'm aware, he's never been exposed). He got upset when B1 and B2 left the stage. And happy again when they returned. But thought the green balloon mummy bought him at the end was fabulous. Mummy thought she was quite good at motherhood until she had to sing silly songs and clap and dance and then she realised there was a whole other side to motherhood she had yet to part take in, and that one cannot look cool doing this even if you are wearing Scanlan and Theodore. She would have preferred the side of motherhood in which the child participates as well and doesn't look at mother like she's an idiot. But he must have taken something in, because bananas are everywhere now and he can spot them a mile away in the smallest of teensiest of lapel badges.....
BANANAS - IN PAJAMAS - are running up the stairs.....!! heheh
How is it that I have a toddler but until I read this post I have completely forgotten about Bananas in Pajamas from my older children's younger years? How COULD I?? They have such a catchy theme song. :)
Posted by: Laura | October 17, 2005 at 01:26 AM
Skeins to balls - I know what you mean. It can really wreck the love affair to see the yarn colours wound in a different way. I saw Lorna's Laces for the first time in the fibre this weekend, but was oddly dissapointed by the colours... and resisted. Glad I did if they pool and flame too much.
Posted by: jess | October 17, 2005 at 02:20 AM
I successfully avoided Bananas in Pyjamas. However, I have been inundated with Barney, Dora the Explorer, the Wiggles (oh god, someone save me from the Wiggles), and the Teletubbies periodically make an appearance too...
I can almost tolerate Raffi. Almost. I'd take him over the Wiggles any day. Although if I had to sing Willaby Wallaby Woo one more time, I might open a vein.
There is simply no way to look cool being a mother in these situations. I swear kid's bands are invented solely so that the kids can get a head start on thinking their mothers are complete dorks.
Posted by: Lee Ann | October 17, 2005 at 03:08 AM
The transformation from skein to ball to sock is what prevents me splurging on Interlacements Toasty Toes which looks incredible as a hank, but I do wonder what happens when it's knitted. I have a pair of Lorna's Laces socks which I rarely wear - the skein looked lovely in Purl but wasn't the same knitted up at home. Like bringing back the local wine from a holiday, maybe.
There is a strong argument for self-striping yarns - no surprises.
Bananas in Pyjamas - have to be grateful we missed this. I still know the plots to many Fireman Sam & Pingu episodes (brilliant) but can't stand to hear Ringo Starr doing Thomas the Tank Engine.
Posted by: Jane | October 17, 2005 at 06:31 AM
I thought these were particularly nice socks: http://knittingiris.typepad.com/knitting_iris/2005/09/super_sock_pal.html#comments. When I e-mailed Felicia, she told me that one of the advatages of the pattern is that it prevents pooling.
Love that rich, dark red. Lang Jawoll 830061 is a really nice solid rich red.
Posted by: carolyn | October 17, 2005 at 08:08 AM
Great socks, babe.
Posted by: john | October 17, 2005 at 11:07 AM
Hey - GREAT red socks. Lovely. I'm about to start that pattern too. Banana's hey...wish I was there. I would have rocked out with you ;)
Posted by: Nicole | October 17, 2005 at 11:34 AM
Guess what? I ripped my socks and started again with larger needles (much better), and now the colour is pooling!!!!! Argh!
Posted by: Bel | October 17, 2005 at 03:53 PM
thanks al, i feel so much better about my "mummy singing songs with silly actions" moments now...
Posted by: sarah | October 19, 2005 at 03:41 PM
I love your socks! They look great. And the color is so gorgeous.
As for the yarns for your upcoming projects, I love Lorna's Laces but the pooling is horrible, as you've seen for yourself. What I find works sometimes is if you work from two balls/skeins) of the same colorway. It breaks it up a bit.
Great blog! Cheers!
Posted by: maritza | October 20, 2005 at 04:35 AM
i hate the part of motherhood that requires me to clap and sing stupid songs. i don't mind silly, yet catchy, songs -- but some of the others. some mothers do it so well. i am not one of those.
lovely socks.
Posted by: mandy | October 21, 2005 at 11:25 AM
Ugh, wait until he becomes a Wiggles fan and you get to know every single bloomin' line to Wake Up Jeff, and Big Red Car. Bs 1 & 2 are positively wonderful in comparison. Well, at least you can kid yourself they're being ironic under those costumes.
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