It's Art.

Yeah, that's what they all say.

Thanks to a visit from one of the nicest, most hilariously funny people on earth (except, you know, she knits kinda loud...), there has been some evidence of my competence with bodily yarn winding and a curling iron on the internet lately (not together, obviously. Please. If you decide your curling iron would make a good nostepinne, you have only yourself to blame for the resulting ashpile). Unfortunately, it hasn't been posted here because I've had a headache. Also, a very expensive and suddenly thoroughly useless Sony digital camera that no longer focuses properly. They may, in fact, be related, as every time I look at a photo I've taken with this camera lately, I try to convince myself the blurriness could be construed as arty, but really, it makes me feel like I've just gotten off one of those rides that rattles your peripheral vision and forces you to focus on one point just to prevent yourself from using your child as a walking stick.

Don't tell Spiff, but next paycheck, dude, I am so getting a cheaper camera that actually works. In fact, I might get a red one just for kicks, and also to see the look on Spiff's face....

I have been knitting, and I actually finished something in time to say nyah nyah, you thought I wasn't wearing a handknit to the lovely book rep at Stephanie's signing. I've taken photos to prove I actually did it, and all I can say is this:

I am really this pale. I am not, however, really this blurry.
(My husband and father are now cordially invited to shut up.)
And I've managed two clichéd excuses in one post:
"It's art" and "I have a headache."
Yep, that's me, a multitasker all the way.

So if you ignore the fact that I look like I could use a better slow-release iron pill and perhaps should stop hanging around all those vampires, voilà, the scarf, she is done. She is also itchy, thanks to a wee bit of mohair in one of the yarns. But I'm in itch training with this. I'm determined to wear it next to the skin and not do the eight-year-old I'm-dying-in-this-thing-you-evil-knitter itch dance. (Next stop, shetland, baby.)

Here's a closer view of the colours. The handdyed yarn,
which is already subtle, gets even moreso blended with a fuzzier yarn.

So, to the ingredients: I blended a fabulously soft sock weight merino handdyed by this lovely broad, with Kidsilk Haze in the (Oh Good) Lord colourway. (You can be sure Rowan will never hire me to come up with their colour names.) The pattern idea came from my friend Kim Kaslow, and I'm using it again to make another, wider scarf, again with the ruffle, but sewn up near the middle to make a hood.

Take a wild guess at who this is for.
Try to control your dizziness. Sunglasses help enormously.
The Cherry Hill sock yarn was muted until it met
hyperpink Fleece Artist silk selected by you-know-who.

Twinkletoes is ecstatic about the prospect of something pink and ruffly, and is this close to asking me to make kitty ears to go on the hood part. I. Must. Be. Nuts. Strong.

As if kitty ears were not enough, the man who will NOT wear the Fuzzy Feet I made him (too itchy) has asked for "very soft house socks." Bunch of sensitive little people we have around here, I swear...so if anyone's got a great (and soft) boot sock idea (patterns and/or yarn suggestions), let me know.

Next post: a couple of book reviews and some spinning of camel and silk. Blended, please. (Just you try getting a charmeuse blouse to fit a dizzy camel. Thankless task, I'm telling you. Worse than camera repair, which I've just been informed is my first line of defense before purchasing cutesy red camera. Damn.) Peace out.

November 21, 2006 1:01 PM  | Permalink  | Comments (32)  | Print