Grump for the day

I'm not sure what the ultimate point of this article at the Huffington Post is exactly. But it made me want to say "Big deal lady. I lit on oven on fire once, too, and I knit." It's as if she's first establishing her modern woman cred by reciting how un-domestic she is and then concluding "but it's kind of cute how the young kids are taking up these grandma things again." Didn't make me feel any more well disposed to see her treat knitting, crochet and macrame as if they were pretty much interchangeable. The are all fine. They are just not the same.

So here's the scoop: I lit that oven on fire (and I'll match my dust bunnies against anyone's). I read the HuffPost and Wonkette. I've had a "real job" or two. I have an advanced degree. And I knit quite nicely, thank you. Don't fence me in.

Rosie sez: "And check out my handknit socks."

Well Look at What I Found

Way down at the bottom of the back of the stash. It's a ball of speckled Opal sock yarn I bought at least eight years ago.

I think I was saving it for good. "Saving it for good" is a principal I absorbed from the air around me when I was growing up. Especially good quality items were saved for special occasions so they didn't wear out too fast: the nice china used only on holidays, the dress coat for Sundays (purchased with room to grow into). There is actually an admirable anti-consumerism element here, the opposite of "buy the latest number-use it up-throw it out." But I've found that, at least in the case of yarn, it can lead to a certain element of hoarding....

So I'm using this nice yarn to make a pair of socks that I may or may not "save for good". Nah, I'm going to wear them.

You can see the toe. It's a round toe. Some people like these because they don't involve any grafting. Me, I don't mind grafting at all, but on this particular pair I wanted a smoother look than I get from my usual wedge toe with it's lines of decreases marching up both sides. The pattern on the leg is fairly subtle and I thought this was a nicer option. Not that anyone is likely to notice when the sock is worn. The leg will be covered by my jeans; and any time I am outside the house, the toe will be covered by my shoes. But to me, a sock is a little object (as in d'art) and sometimes I like to pay attention to the niceties.

What is the subtle leg pattern? I'll put that picture up when both socks are done.

Kid Socks 32

Hmmm, sort of sounds like the name of a band, or rapper of a particularly yarnly sort. But nope, it's just the socks for Afghanistan finished, washed and drying. They ended up with a foot 8 inches long. According to the handy "Sock It To Me" comparison card, this puts them right between a size 1 and 2 shoe. I have no idea what age this corresponds to (and of course age and shoe size don't correspond exactly anyway). But they do look as though they will fit someone in the 7 - 14 range specified. I've put up my more detailed directions here.


edited to add: These are just basic little tip down socks. Anyone experienced won't need the pattern, but because they are small they might make a good first sock project.
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Over at CatbookMom'sYarns, I picked up the link to this little evaluator thing. Looks like the kids can read Baxterknits unsupervised.





Still Minnesota nice, I guess.

temping at the High School

Out of the blue, the secretary at the high school called me and asked me if I would be interested in subbing one day next week, not for a teacher, for her. Somewhat to my own surprise, I said "yes." So this morning I went in for about an hour and a half of observation. I'll go in Wednesday for some "hands on", and then Friday I'll be on my own with the phone-with-forty-buttons, and the PA system, and the lunch lists and attendance lists and daily announcement list and the dispensing of meds (!), and the keeping track of what meetings are happening where, and the little radio for getting in touch with maintenance... Could be interesting. Hope the school district survives.

(Actually, there is also a District secretary just down the hall, so I won't really be completely sink or swim on my own. But the thought of that phone system has me envisioning situations out of I Love Lucy. )

I don't know how much Carol, the regular secretary, makes; but I can vouch that she earns every penny, and does it with a smile and grace.

afghans for Afghans SIP

"Sock in Progress", that is.

The stripes kind of jazz it up, plus they make counting rows so much easier, so it's worth the slight extra fiddling.

I realized that the Magic 28 socks would be too small, so this is my Magic 32 version. Same recipe, just substitute 32, 16 and 8 for 28, 14 and 7 wherever those numbers appear. To start the heel turn: sl1, k10, etc. (instead of sl1, k9...). It will take 2 extra rows to finish the turn. Pick up 8 or 9 along the sides of the heel (instead of 7 or 8), decrease back to total of 32 (instead of 28). Clear as mud?

These look likely to fit someone on the lower end of the 7 - 14 year old range. If time permits, when I finish these I just may try a Magic 36.

Little Socks for Afghanistan, Anyone?

I just received an urgent appeal from afghans for Afghans. The are falling short of their goal of 80 cartons of wool items for children ages 7 - 14, and the October 12 deadline is approaching fast. They have a lot of hats (though they wouldn't turn those down). They particularly requested mittens and socks, would love vests/sweaters, too. All the details are at their website.

I've had the Magic 28 Sock (courtesy of Now Norma Knits) on my to do list for awhile. I'm going to cast on now.