shorty socks

And more socks.

They look more or less like the other socks that I’ve already finished. I did the longer cuffed socks first, now I’m just trying to squeeze out a few pairs of the shorties out of the skein ends.

There is something innately satisfying about looking over and seeing a flock of socks form on the corner of my desk.

I haven’t exactly been very definite lately.

Me? A sock knitter?

I seem to work best in bursts. After a stint of yarnlessness (it was really not pretty) I went through a bit of a knitting related dry spell.

Actually, if I hadn’t been for the knitting this week I would have probably gone off the deep end.

It’s been a rough week for me. Not to sound cynical, but I learned (for the umpteen-thousandth time) that people who have a track record of flaking off will not randomly metamorphose into reliable and trustworthy butterflies. It’s one of those lessons that I think I’ve fully integrated, then I relapse and start with the whole irrational belief that people are generally benevolent.

So, with this kind of frustration I figure it’s best to put yarn on my knitting needles before I succumb to the temptation to violently stab them into human flesh. Because that sort of thing is generally frowned upon in polite company.

naked 6 cup amsterdam teapot

Matt is moving his studio back to the house, which means that the space I appropriated for sewing had to be returned to it’s owner. I know, poor me. Fortunately, once we got around to moving my stuff back inside the house I was able to set up my cutting table and one of my machines to my satisfaction.

I may break down a little, having access to only one of my four machines. I mean, I think I can make due. If I have to.

fully clothed teapot

At least I was able to get to most of my stuff last night so my teapot need not suffer the embarrassment of not having a new summer ensemble. I used cotton red ticking as the liner, and some printed cotton green plaid for the exterior.

I love plaid.

This is just the prototype, I’m going to re-cut it with a bit of a curve to the bottom so the base of the teapot don’t keep peaking out, but I’m actually very proud of the fit on the top. And the real tea cozy will have cotton batting between the layers.

We’re still waiting for the roof to dry out enough so that we can repair the leak above the bathroom, and get to work remodeling the bathroom. This weather needs to start cooperating with my plans– I find it totally unacceptable that it insists on drizzling right over our house.

One bright side is that this gives Matt and I more time to argue over materials, colors and fixtures. I am trying to convince him to let me clean up the old tub (which is quite good and usable) and shower doors and sell them, so that I can put the money towards a nice old clawfoot tub and hardware.

He doesn’t think that cleaning it up would be worth the effort because it’s so old and ordinary, and that in order to sell it we’d have to refinish it. I looked it over (yesterday, when I was taking a bath) and I can’t see any wear or scratches so I’m not quite sure what he means. I think he thinks that I am not going to have the patience to sell it.

Admittedly we have wildly different tastes when it comes to materials and colors.

We’re like that song; he’s a little bit country and I’m a little bit rock n’ roll punk rock.

This is one of my purchases (and my absolute favorite!)

Visit RemiRings and check out the beauty!

It was a pleasure to meet Dana, her rings are not only beautiful, but absolute originals and very affordable, she also has pendants and other jewelry.

And I said “Are you sure?”

And she said “I’m just not into it this year.”

And then a month later she calls and informs me that she’s already made arrangements for us to be there and forgot and we’ll be going.

The above pretty much summarizes my childhood experience from age 7 to age 18.

This is not me having woken up bright and early to write and sew. This is me getting ready to go off to bed, knowing that I won’t be able to sleep for more than a couple of hours before waking up and making the kids’ breakfast.

I can’t be grumpy though– look at those fabrics. Could anyone possibly be grumpy handling snowmen and Christmas candy? Okay, some people– but not me.

I’ve been working on refining this pattern since July 2008 (not full time, but when the mood to make small Christmas trees hits.)

These are my Cora Trees (inspired by my Great Grandmother that made much larger and fancier centerpiece versions of this tree.)

Feel free to use this pattern for personal use, and please ask permission if you’d like to use it for commercial purposes. Copyright Wendy Meyer 2009 blah-blah-stealing-is-wrong-blah. (Helpful hint, right click small picture and then choose to open the file in new page– then print, 100% will give you a 5 inch tree when all is said and done.)

1) Cut six triangles of fabric. Make three pairs with fronts inside. Stitch around using only 1/8th inch allowance (if you’re going to sew with a machine give yourself 1/4 inch allowance) leave bottom open for stuffing.

2)Trim corners and iron seams open, turn.

3)Line up triangles and stitch with a running stitch straight down the middle, turning in allowances over the bottom.

4)Stuff with filling (I used poly-fil) Stitch the bottoms closed (I used a hidden stitch, but a whip stitch will work.)

5) Add a trunk or embellish as you wish.

The design is a chinese woodcut of a dragon (I love wikipedia image searches) that I traced to some linen using a Sulky Iron-on transfer pen.

Pattern stitch: k 3, (p2, yo, p2tog, p2, k2, yo, p2tog) p last 3 stitches.

Repeat until scarf is long enough.

Last 3 rows: k3, (p6, k6), p last 3 stitches.

For tidy edges always slip the first stitch of each row.

Easy peasy pie.

Yet the best laid plans sometimes go by the wayside to satisfy the compulsion to knit a scarf. Scarves are good.

I could have worse problems you know.