Socken

I knit a sock. Knit from Regia, a good reliable yarn. Knit on transit, mostly. Knit from yarn that was on sale and then sat and sat.

The black portion was so much longer than I had imagined it would be. And it was right at the top of the leg. All anyone would see, as if many might be looking, was black above a boot. How dull.

So I added lazy daisies. Arts and crafts and poorly rendered - they break up all that objectionable black. They were also a delight to embroider. Process

The photo was an accident. I pointed the camera at my legs and captured the legs of another. Aren't they beautifully framed in the curve of my socks?

So Many Socks

It seems that all my recent FO's have been socks.Yes, I am using stash and experimenting with new techniques. Yes, of course i love socks! However, there may be too much of a good thing - especially as it's summer and wool socks are not needed. After the current pair, my Business Casual in Orange Octopus, I shall make something other than footwear. 

So many patterns. So little time.

I worried at first that the criss-cross cable pattern would not be highlighted sufficiently with this variegated yarn. Now I think it's just fine. The effect is subtle, but definitely there.

I had fun shooting the Scrappy Socks about town. The bright colour photographed so well!
Here they are at the garden centre the day I was shopping for herbs.

The photo shoot that ended up on my Ravelry page was impromptu. I passed a gorgeous brick nook while out on my bike on a sunny day. I kicked off my sneakers, set the 10 second delay, and got several good shots of my own feet.

In the Shadow of a Dream

Imagine being found

on a morning like this

in the fragrance of spring rain

every sense a painful

happiness breathing

on a morning like this

a little lonely a little dazed

eyes still filled

with longing and dreams

To see you walk through

a veil of fog and gates of rain

to meet me this morning

with a glance that says

that I am seen and found

for as long as forever

Ulrikka S. Gernes

A Sudden Sky

Brick Books 2001

New Socks in the City

Trying to take a project shot of just my feet, I failed miserably and got this instead. I suppose the camera was too far away and on the wrong setting. This slightly blurred shot of a windblown me is the result. Interesting. It's fascinating what you look like when you think you're not being photographed. I'm actually quite fond of this "mistake" picture.

This is my version of Cookie A.'s Kelp. The pattern as written has a stitch count that varies from 60 to 90 stitches. I eliminated the final increase row of the repeat (and consequently one of the decrease rows). So my wave pattern is shorter, has less width and stretch, and is, dare I say, tidier looking than the original?. I am very happy with this knit. It's one of those patterns that looks complicated but actually knits up super fast. 

It's nice to have another pair of solid colour socks in the wardrobe. As much as I love beautiful variegated yarn, I find the solids to be much more versatile and easier to wear with my clothes which tend to have a lot of pattern already.

Oh, For A Well Lit Monkey

Another challenge of the new home is "Where in the heck do I take my knit FO photos?". There are large windows on only one side so we get either full morning sun or no light at all. I can't get the depth and softness I used to easily achieve with the diffuse side light of the windows in my last place. I'm having to take over exposed morning shots and soften them with photo software (as with the sock shots below). The effect is not ideal. I guess I may need to find somewhere outdoors to shoot.

Other than that, the knitting goes very well. I finished my Olympic gloves and have swatched and cast on for a pullover. It's been far too long since I knit a garment.

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Yarn:  Manos del Uruguay Alegria

Driving Along

Driving along the highway last weekend, I faced a dilemma. I had been working on this sock using yarn a well meaning relative gave me for Christmas. It's obviously a cheap yarn, poorly spun and with a high acrylic content. The sock is less than half done and already looks distressed. It also feels like plastic.
So, what's a knitter to do?

Despite the time and knitting already spent, I ripped the needles out and stuffed the half sock into my bag. When we arrived at our destination, I tossed the sock and remaining yarn into the nearest trash bin. Life is just too short to knit with crappy yarn.

On the way home, I cast on some wristers with some beautiful scraps i had in my bag. It was a much more satisfying drive.

And now here is a nice photo of giant yams at market.

It Turns Out That...

...casting off in twisted rib produces a delightfully angular edge.

They are done!
The Flemish Lace Socks by Naomi Herzfeld from Lace One Skein Wonders.

...and getting your bike tuned up can be an aesthetically pleasing experience.

The bike shop in my new hood.
Nice staff and a beautiful brick wall next to a large window.
Mark one on the positive side for this place.

Imagine When Spring

Inspired by Glenna's post about showing up for your knitting, I sat down and committed to getting something done. You know what? Glenna is right. If you just show up and knit the darn thing, it actually gets done. In fact, the shawl came off the block several days ago but the weather has been conspiring against photography. Finally the sun came gloriously out for the first day of spring and I got many lovely shots; happily so, as this Imagine When shawl is off to its gifting recipient soon.

I am delighted with my work. The decisions about where to place the solid areas among the short rows seem to have been the right ones. I love the asymmetry of this pattern and the open work rows are delightful. 

In the spirit of showing up, I have also been progressing well on the sparkly socks and they should be ready for their own photo shoot by tomorrow.

Yarn: Sweet Georgia Sock and Koigu KPPPM
Pattern: Imagine When

City Street, Night Walking

The urban landscape is my landscape. I am at home here.

The book store is closed...

...but the variety store is open late.

The jazz bar is open later.

Page 57

If I photograph half empty bars, I may become a poet.

   "But where, woman wailing above your station, is it you want to go to, get to, accomplish, communicate? Can't you be amply satisfied with such pain, such babies, such balancing? 
   No. No. There's a blood-flecked urge to go even a step further.
   Above the laughter, above the miseries, above the clatter of glasses and the cries of children, I hear a voice saying: Isn't there some statement you'd like to make? Anything noted while alive? Anything felt, seen, heard, done? You are here. You're having your turn. Isn't there something you know and nobody else does? What if nobody listens? Is it all to be wasted? All blasted? What about the pricey pain?  What about those people. They sit outside this story, but give it its shape. If it has a shape. What about all the words that were said and all the words that were never said?"

Elizabeth Smart
The Assumption of the Rogues & Rascals
Paladin Grafton Books, 1991
original publisher, Jonathan Cape Ltd, Great Britain 1978

Picture Place

My current window

It's funny what you think of in times of stress isn't it?
Yesterday, while editing my most recent sock photos, it struck me that this is possibly the last pair of socks to be photographed by this window. You see, I am moving in 2 months. My fella and I are combining households. This of course is a joyous life event. Still, I am finding it hard to say goodbye to certain unexpected things about the apartment that has been my home for so long. When the fact dawned, that for seven years, all my Rav sock photos have been taken in the perfect light of this window, I actually got a little misty. Silly me.

My new window in the sky.

Summer Album

Moan, moan. Complain, complain. It's all very well to fret on about being unemployed. Under-employed. Precariously employed. Whatever you want to call it. Yes, it is a serious problem, one with which I live daily and take constant action to try to change. However, it is time to step back for a moment and view some goodness. After the day's resumes have been sent and the emails answered, I often get the chance to get out and see the beautiful world around me. Not everyone gets to do that or is lucky enough to live in such a lovely part of the world. 

Today I just want to appreciate my good fortune on that count.

Early in the spring, I went for a walk in High Park and caught the tail end of cherry blossom season. This park is right next door to me. How lucky am I?

This glorious foxglove is at the High Park greenhouse.

I try to ride out to the Humber River a few times each season. This was 2 weeks ago.

Not sure which street this overpass is. 
This as far as I go. I rest here, then turn back

Knitting by the river. A bench. An apple. A bottle of water.

Last week my boyfriend took me for a drive through the Beamsville Bench wine country. 
I'd never done a wine tour before. It was a lovely drive on a hot day. Beautiful scenery. Friendly people. Some very tasty wines.

Our favourite stop was Hidden Bench.
We came upon it unexpectedly which made it that much more special.

Then on July 5, I marched in the Jobs, Justice, Climate march. Because life is not all wine and knitting. Sometimes you have to stick it to The Man.

The Tao Of Physics

In the vast spaces of the subatomic world where
Matter has a     tendency     to exist
The lord of Life is breathing in and out,
Creating and destroying the universe
With each wave of his breath.

And my lord Siva dances in the city streets,
His body a fierce illusion of flesh, of energy,
The particles of light cast off from his hair
Invade the mighty night, the relative night, this dream.

Here where events have a    tendency    to occur
My chair and all its myriad inner worlds
Whirl around in the carousel of space; I hurl
Breathless poems against my lord Death, send these
Words, these words
Careening into the beautiful darkness.


Gwendolym MacEwen
Afterworlds, 1987

Notorious Red In the Park

It's a truly beautiful day here in the city. Sunny but not too hot. Breezy. 

Finding myself full of anxious energy due to boring old life circumstances best not dwelt over, I decided to take advantage of the weather. My knitting. my camera, and I went for one of those long, long, walks in High Park.

Stopping to rest and knit at the picnic tables between Dog Hill and the allotment gardens, I was challenged again by just how hard it is to photograph red. After multiple settings and a dozen shots, these two are the best I could achieve. Perhaps there is a better photographer than I out there who can explain the Notorious Red phenomenon to me.

It's hard to tell, but this single-ply lace weight from Riverside Studio is slowly becoming a cardigan. Ever so slowly. 
I always wanted a lace weight sweater and it seemed like a good idea to try on. However, I am only 80% through the back piece and already it feels like a slog. I am hoping that as more pieces form and I can better envision the end product, I will get excited again. It is, after all, a lovely shade of red.

Pink Lace? Me?

Piperita by Andi Satterlund
Modification: Plain garter stitch substituted for the original scalloped edge.

Oh, I just love fingerless gloves. I find them to be both whimsical and practical; vintage and fashion forward. I've knit many, many pairs and I wear them all. They're great under mittens in cold cold winter or by themselves in spring and fall. I wear them constantly in cold offices while I slave away at a keyboard or with a cash drawer. They make my busy old hands look cheerful. This lace mesh design is particularly lovely and I know I will make it again.

I also love using up yarn scraps. This pair used up a plum sized ball of Opal yarn leftover from socks knit years ago. I think I may never buy glove specific stash again. I've more than enough small bundles stored away to keep my hands warm for years.

About my pictures.
Like many other knitters I use the timer to take blog and Ravelry photos. Usually I just try for a nice project shot and crop out my face in the edit. However, on very rare occasion, a photo of me that I actually like results. The one below was taken with my point and shoot on a 10 second delay and set to the Sunny Day setting. The location is my favourite chair by my dining room window in late afternoon. This is where I drink my coffee every morning. The light was coming in just right and I guess I was relaxed because I think I actually look kind of pretty here. Allowing for a small bit of momentary vanity, I am sharing this photo with you.

Knitters East

Last Friday's monthly Drunken Knitting was - gulp- East of the DVP! 
We usually meet downtown but it was Joyce's birthday and she insisted we drink closer to her home for a change. A reasonable request and besides, it was a lovely spring evening for a stroll in Greek Town. Of course I've been there often for dinner but this time, I brought my camera.

Near as I can tell, this particular section of Toronto consists of three things: restaurants, churches and bridal shops. I guess you wear your bridal gown while marrying in the churches and then celebrate in the restaurants?

The gowns are actually quite pretty.

We drink. We knit. We've been doing this for years and we never run out of things to talk about.

Things That Make Life Easier

Things That Make Life Easier

Sunshine, blue skies and warm temperatures.

Riding a long distance with my loved one on this beautiful Sunday.

This beautiful day cost exactly $6 - the price of two ice creams.

Ya, I'm getting older but I can still do this!

One Step Ahead, Three Steps Back

Another way to stay inspired is to learn something new. "Learn, learn, learn," I always say. Your brain, like your body, needs to be exercised throughout your life or else it will turn to mush.
I had a last minute opportunity this weekend to sit in on a crochet class. Behold! My first ever granny square. I've always wanted to know how to make one of these. It's not perfect but I am delighted with the silly thing.

Unfortunately, my mushy brain took a costly vacation recently. I've been knitting away on Sock #2 in the Noro Natural colourway. As I approached what I thought was the end, the nagging suspicion that something was wrong kept niggling away. Then this morning I finally, and embarrassingly, figured it out. I had forgotten to turn the heel. I picked up directly after knitting the flap and have been chugging away at a confusingly odd-shaped foot ever since. Doh!! Just goes to show that even a so-called "experienced" knitter can make a bone headed mistake. Rip it. Rip it. Frog.

This is a picture I took this morning while waiting for a streetcar. I hope the coolness of the shot redeems me slightly.
Regardless, it's an interesting view of how new Condo-Toronto has blended, or tried to, with beautiful old historic Toronto.