I'm awake

Really. I am. I keep telling myself this even though there is evidence to the contrary. Just an hour and a half ago I had so much caffeine in my system, my hands were shaking and now I feel like I wanna take a nap. Damn that switch from Daylight Savings Time. Yesterday I needed 20 minutes in front of my light box, a cup of tea, a half an hour nap (yes, a nap when I had only been awake for an hour!), and some ibuprofen so I could feel awake enough to leave the apt. Ahh, the joys of seasonal affective disorder.

But, enough of that. I've been knittin' up a storm.

Presents for Roommie:Made with Karabella Aurora 8. The multicolored yarn is actually a blend of the brown on the cuffs plus cream and green. I think they will go well with his green coat. Or any other coat he is likely to buy in the future. The pattern is just a basic hat and mitten pattern I made up off the top of my head with help from Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. (Confession: the mittens are actually done, but I don't have a picture of the finished set, yet).

Socks!


The finished pair is Grandma's socks which look surprisingly big in this photo. I made them loose because she has poor circulation and socks normally cut into her legs. The one at the top is first of Mom's Jaywalkers in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (btw, I cannot count to seven; this may explain my problem with math). The pair on the left is for my sister for Christmas and they are Baby Cable Rib from Sensational Knitted socks in either Cherry Tree Hill or Bearfoot Mountain Fibers (I lost the ball band).

Also on the needles, a scarf for my brother-in-law using a Berrocco wool/acrylic novelty yarn and a similar baby cable rib. The yarn changes from light grey to black with a stop at charcoal grey in between. I like it, but I confess I'm a little concerned about sending it to him. The yarn also changes from thin to bulky weight and back again and is spun quite loose (wait, why did I buy the yarn? that's exactly what my homespun looks like!) and this makes the stitches look uneven. On the one hand, I think that's part of its charm. On the other hand, I'm afraid John's grandmother will see it and think I'm not very good at knitting (she's a retired knitter--retired because her arthritis is too bad for her to be able to knit anymore). We have this knitting bonding thing going and I don't want her to think I'm inept. Yes, I know I have Issues.

Moving on. I have completed two beaded knitted wire votive sleeves ala Handknit Holidays for Wife of Brother-in-Law (Christmas is coming you know). They knit up very fast and look great so I think I'm going to make more for other people. Pictures will be up sometime soon(-ish).

In other news, John was here over the weekend and it was wonderful right up to the moment he left when it TOTALLY SUCKED. I was so happy, then it all came crashing down at once and suddenly, I felt worse than I did a week ago before I had seen him. You know, it's like the wound had scabbed over and then the scab got ripped off and I was bleeding all over again. (Lovely visual, I know.) I just keep telling myself, "This is only temporary." It helps that A is living with me right now and she is in the same boat. We commiserate and eat chocolate and watch Law and Order and knit and that helps a lot.