PSA for a Good Cause

My Secret Pal recipient from the Secret Pal 9 event was Laura of Laura's Knitting Blog. As I got to know my pal, I learned she attended Oklahoma University and she has Rheumatoid Arthritis. She will be participating in the 2007 Arthritis Walk.

From her Arthritis Walk page:

I'm Walking to Fight Arthritis

Arthritis affects people of all ages; I was 21 when I was diagnosed with RA. Funds raised for the Arthritis Foundation are used for educational programs and research grants, among other things.

Help, if you can, by clicking in the link on my sidebar and donating a bit to the cause! Thank you.

A Sock - Done!

First Full Sock - view 3
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

Austermann Step - Color 04; Size US2 DPNs

Basic pattern from Knitting Rules!

What I need to try with Sock 2: cast on fewer stitches, do the correct heel increases (forgot the plain knit every even row on this one), try another "pick and knit" on the heel to try to eliminate holes.

I'm pretty pleased with this result. I kitchenered GREAT! The stitches are fairly even and my needle join ladders are minimal. It's just a little bigger than I needed to make it, regardless of my fat calves! :)

Now, on to sock 2, with a shorter cast on...

Steppin' Out

The Shoes
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

My baby boy (all 16 yo, 6'4" of him!) will be attending his first prom, wearing his first tuxedo, riding in his first limousine... what a bunch of firsts!

But first - we went shopping to rent the proper raiment. All the way to the store, he and his buddy were planning extravagant, lavish, totally inappropriate mixes of color and substance! :)

One theme kept repeating:

Son: "I want to wear bowling shoes"

Me (and buddy's mom): "Um.... no!"

Upon entering the store, son sees the shoe display and points - "That's what I want to wear!"

The shoes on the left are the 'bowling' shoes he meant... and he'll be wearing them.

Totally a better choice than the bright green sport shoes with pink Power Puff Girls shoe laces he wore to homecoming one year.

It's a scarf (TBF)*

YOK2tog scarf 2
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

I am participating in the International Scarf Exchange 4. This is the beginning of the scarf I am knitting to send off into the great wide world to land on some lucky knitter's neck!

Beautiful yarn (Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran; colors 300101 & 17005). Basic, yet elegant stitch pattern (Cast on an even number of stitches, knit one row, then K1 (yo, knit 2tog) to the end, K1 - on each row until it is as long as you'd like, knit all on the last row, bind off. fringe optional!). US Size 15 Lantern Moon straights.

Should be simply. However, on my first attempt, I had knit the scarf to about six inches in length and dropped a stitch. I couldn't figure out how to pick up or knit back and have the proper orientation and proper number of stitches. I thought I had done it - but three rows later... the flaw was too obvious. So, I frogged it.

This is the second time... off the frame in the upper right corner is the offending area - you can't see it. You don't want to see it! So this attempt will be frogged too.

I should set a schedule - no more than five inches each time I sit down to knit because I can't seem to recover from a dropped stitch using this YOK2tog pattern and I apparently lose all ability to concentrate on this simple pattern at some short point after five inches of knitting!

Good thing I have time! I shall soldier on and have this on it's way - in the Mary Poppins-like tradition of practically perfect - in plenty of time to meet the deadline.

* to be frogged.

Some progress pictures...

SOCKS! Austermann Step yarn; 75% Wool, 25% Nylon; Color 04 (blues/greys/white - though that is hard to see in these pictures taken indoors without a flash!)

DST morning

Daylight Savings Time... wonder who's time they're saving?

When I left for work this morning, instead of the sunrise, I see the moon set. I'd really rather see the sun!

Oh, I see they are saving the daylight, not the time. Borrowing from the morning - and leaving us in the dark as we leave the house - and lending to the evening, so there is light when we return home. You know, if they had waited the three weeks, we'd have light at both ends of the day!

My baby is driving...

Today, he passed his Driver's Test.

Provisional License in hand, he's ready to take the wheel of my very first brand new car - a 1996 Chevy Cavalier. I've had new cars since then, but never before...this was my first. Hard to tell from the picture - hehehehe - but he may be too tall (6'3" and growing) for my very first new car. Since it is the only option at this point, he'll adjust. I'm sure!

Never has a 16+ yo boy been so excited to go to school! Hahahahahah.

Hmmm....

I couldn't remember if I was born at 7 Am or 7 PM. This is the AM version and it is pretty much right on the money! Whereas the PM version was nothing like me.... so I guess I was born in the morning! Hahahahahahahaha

Your Rising Sign is Gemini

You often feel torn between two dominant personalities. Sometimes you're adaptable and friendly; other times indecisive and unsure. No matter what, you're the life of the party or conversation. Witty and talkative, you entertain with your stories and gossip. It's a bit difficult for you to finish what you start - jobs, friendships, relationships... There's so much you want to try. You often bite off more than you can chew.

What's Your Rising Sign?

Handmade Afghans Project

I am part of this project. Crocheters and knitters make 6" x 9" rectangles in (preferrably Red Heart) acrylic yarn. The rectangles are gathered and periodically a Put Together event is called and the participants gather and lay out the rectangles -Forty-nine 6"x9" per afghan - to be assembled into beautiful afghans for our wounded veterans. Most of the afghans are delivered to Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital, while others are taken to Andrews Air Force Base.

Over 400 have been delivered and over 500 have been designed following this weekend's 12th Put Together event (which had been postponed from the previous weekend due to snow). I was unable to attend, but our local Fox 5 News affiliate was there! (I'm not sure how long the link will valid, but it's a nice little piece that aired Sun, Mar 4, 2007.)

If you are looking for the Handmade Afghan Project (HAP), just click here and find the newly-launched HAP website. All you need to know about the project is there - you can sign up for the listserv to get information, become part of the group, find out where to send things and how to show up and help!