The Slog

There comes a time in all knitting careers where the knitter stops and thinks to themselves, "I will never finish this damn project". Since I'm the kind of knitter who needs to see the end of their project before they can cast on anew, this is particularly hard for me. I call this time of doubt and agony "the SLOG".

The slog is when you're muddling through something, just grinding out to get it finished. You hate the yarn, hate the pattern and hate yourself for ever thinking you could knit this in the first place. You're somewher between the start line and finish. Usually the finish line is just becoming visable- but you just feel as though you can't go on, as if you cannot possibly wake up tomorrow and knit anything else. You desire for new! and! exciting! projects/yarn! is at your highest. You want to do something else, knit with something else, ANYTHING ELSE, instead of carrying on. The slog is when I'm most tempted to buy more yarn- because anything shiny and new is more exciting than what I'm working with.

Ladies and Gentlemen, (yes there's one of you- HI DAD!), we're in full SLOG zone.

Slog #1: The Pink Powder Sweater of NEVER.ENDING.STOCKING.STITCH.


I want to finish this so bad. I'm going to Cuba in two weeks and I think it would be the perfect light sweater to wear over my bathing suit or in the cool of the evening. (Does the "cool" part even happen? I'm highly doubtful.) The thing is, I'm sick to death of this project. I hate the yarn (HELLLO splitty!) and I'm pretty convinced that no amount of blocking is going to even out the stitches in some parts. I know I just need to keep going but I seem to only be able to knit a few rows and then my brain threatens to completely shut down in boredom.

What I'd rather be knitting instead: The Holiday Sweater. (Ravelry link- sorry non Rave members) The pattern isn't even out for this yet- the designer is still "tweaking it" but I want to make this so bad. The only thing getting me through the boredome of the pink sweater is the idea of the Holiday sweater.

Slog #2: The Rise and Shine Socks of I JUST WANT TO KEEP SLEEPING I'M SO BORED!

Yes. I'm still working on them. Yes. This is all the progress I've made. Yes. The color did pool rather nicely didn't it?

To be fair- these are my "travel" socks. They get worked on random flights and lunch hours at work and I'm not expected to knit them up in 20 minutes. But I'm just done with them already! What kills me is this is only sock 1- I still have another sock to go! Oh the evil slogginess!

What would I rather be knitting? The Endpaper Mitts. I feel like I'm ready for the fair isle challenge. My office temperature varies between "North Pole" and "Meat Locker" and I can't help but daydreaming how toasty my hands would be all wrapped up in these fancy little delights. Hell, I even have STASH YARN to use! But no. I slog on with the socks of boringness.

Slog #3: Baby Hats Total or WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING PLANNING TO KNIT SO MANY?!?

Bringing the process of slog to a complete snail's pace are the baby hats. I'm behind the tally. My goal was to be at 39 hats by the end of September. I had to put down my needles and grind some of these out or I was never going to be able to meet the year end goal of 1 hat per week. What kills me further is that there are so many hats to go... whenever I think I can just grind the pink sweater out I remember that I need to devote some of my time to the hats and catching up. The hats are my goal for the year. I want to get to 52. I need to say I did that!

I will give the hats a little kudos... they're depleting the acrylic stash slowly but surely. I've long wanted to get the stash down to yarn I'm not ashamed to show off to people. The more hats I grind out- the more acrylic stash space I acquire.

What I would rather be knitting? These mittens. Again- I've got stash yarn to knit them in red and I want to make a matching scarf. I know someone who would love this for Christmas- and they'd be quick too! But no... hats first. I have to catch up to the hats. Maybe I'll make mittens next year?

Slowing the slog even more: In a moment of pure insanity, I promised to knit my entire Breast Cancer Team pink ribbon cuffs for our walk this coming Sunday. All projects have been put on hold until I churn out 9 of these puppies! (Thankfully they go quick, I knit 3 today!) There will be pictures when they're all done- but YEESH how do I get myself into these slog situations!?

So that's where I'm at- in full slog zone- praying to the knitting gods to grant me speed and clarity (because the last thing I need to do is get to the end of a project and realize I need to rip back the whole thing for an error), so that I can just hurry up and finish already.

And so- without much to show for myself in this post- I return to the slog.... where I live on the faint hope that someday I'll be posting finished photos of these objects and we can all rejoice together about something new for me to talk about!

Wollmeise Frenzy - WARNING SOCK CLUB SPOILERS!

**This post contains Wollmeise sock club spoilers- if you wish to not see what will arrive in your truely wonderful Wollmeise package- stop reading this post now.**

It's here! The knitting version of the holy grail- the first shipment in the Wollmeise sock club.

Look at those colors! How does Claudia do that? The Wollmeise is gorgeous to behold. That is hand dying people! It's REALLY REALLY hard to get color like that in hand dyes!!! This is stuff I've been trying to get my hands on for months... MONTHS- hoping that I could catch a sneak up at the Loopy Ewe.

A friend of mine from work and I are sharing the sock club- because the price tag was hefty and with two skeins of yarn in each shipment, I knew the husband would not be happy with the excessive stash building. The package arrive containing the lovely skeins of yarn and you would have thought that it was Christmas the way we were squealing and sighing as we revealed the colorways. (This from people who spoiled themselves for the surprise LAST Thursday when other people got their deliveries in the mail.) I'm sure the office receptionist was just as happy to receive it as we were, even though she doesn't knit, we were harrassing her hourly for the last few days about "when's the mail get here".

But it's here now- and stunning doesn't even begin to describe it. And the pattern- I LOVE the pattern and I think I'll knit it. It's always a little scary to be in a sock club, what if you don't like the yarn or the patterns- but with this first shipment I am one happy camper! Since Viv paid for the yarn and it arrives in her name, I felt it was only fair that she get to choose the first colorway (I love both, there was no way I was going to end up disappointed) She's selected the green and I get the purple.

The colors in this stuff is simply amazing! So many colors all in rich jewel tones. And the yarn, it feels wonderful. It's very, very fine - I can tell it's going to knit up wonderfully, and they're going to be amazing pairs of socks! And no need to worry about running out- there's 574 yards in this. I could almost make two pairs of socks with that! (Note I said almost!)

I could continue to gush- but I should stop- because I want to knit with this stuff RIGHT NOW and I can't because I want to finish other things. I'm going on a vacation in October and I've promised myself and the Wollmeise that we're going to spend some quality time together at vacation time. Now I'm REALLY counting down the days!!

Feeling very lucky to have the Wollmeise. I'm so glad I'm in this club!!

Return of a Classic

The baby hats are back! This Sunday was very productive as I knit 3. (The other two I've knit on other days but I thought I'd finally get around to adding them to the count.) I'm really behind in the 1 hat a week plan so I thought I'd get back on the wagon and knit a few more.

Speaking about getting back on the wagon- I also picked up the pink sweater that had spent a lot of time in oblivion and while I'm still not feeling inspired by it, I'm at least working at getting it finished.

It's a good thing I'm working on finishing up a project- because there's a new yarn in the stash! I didn't buy this so it doesn't get put against me in how many days I've gone without buying something new. Below is the yarn I won, randomly for competing for Team Canada in the Ravelympics! There really isn't anything better than free yarn - is there?

That's the card it came with- it said "sorry it's not a gold medal, but hope you enjoy it anyways". Many thanks to the lovely Tammy who donated such a lovely prize! It's Zen Yarn Garden with heels and toes- so I can knit pink heels and toes to match the the pretty socks. She doesn't know it- but those colors are right up my alley. Thanks Tammy-- I love my "better than a gold medal" prize!

Gold Medalist

You're sitting at your computer, finger nails completely chewed, mid bite on your potato chip, waiting with bated breath for me to cross the finish line when.... when... anytime now.... um... HELLO?? Is this thing on? Nennie? Are you there?

Whoops. Life got a little hectic there and then I went on vacation, sorry you didn't get a full update at the time of the gold medal finish! Yes. I finished. August 20th was the magical date! They are to date the most lovely socks I've ever made.


Pattern: Cookie A's Maralinda socks
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in "Midnight Derby"
Needles: US size 1 Addi Turbo Double Points
Thoughts: Interesting, challenging and gorgeous! I want to knit Cookie patterns FOREVER now! What an excellent pattern, what dreamy yarn... all in all- very happy with this little successful FO.


Seriously, I could not be more pleased with myself! They just look so GOOD! What a perfect sock for the "Sock Put" challenge.

And now, Mom, go get the camera- the moment you've been waiting for my entire lifetime: my time to stand on the podium with gold medal around my neck representing Team Canada. All rise as Bobicus Maximus gives me my gold medal. (Pictured at right under the progress bars) (Please be patient with my mother as she takes 98 zillion photos...)


Do ya see it? Do ya? Well- probably not actually, but there it says "Sock Put Finish Line" and my little user name all linked up. (It says "jennipoo" for those of you without Superman style eyesight.)

To celebrate my little accomplishment- the husband agreed I needed to have the Ravelympic pin- so without further ado... my Golden Bob..... (that conviently arrived in the mail today!)


If that wasn't enough- I also randomly won sock yarn from a generous member of team Canada who donated prizes! (I believe they had entirely random draw, although I keep telling myself it's because my socks were the most beautiful... I"m totally delusional!) I can't wait to get my little Olympic treat and see what she sent!

And lastly- here I am, proudly wearing my Golden Bob for all to see. (This is only a semi-hideous shot of me compared to the WHOLLY hideous shots I had to choose from... clearly these photos should have been taken BEFORE work and not after!)

Yes. I am a gold medalist. I'm so proud of me!! What's next on the knitting horizon? I need to make a big catch up in the hat race... I'm so behind!!! I also need to finish my pink sweater, although sadly I don't think it will be in time for the Red/Pink KAL (knit-a-long) deadline I had hoped to make. Plus it's fall almost- but the weather here is already sucky which means LOTS OF TIME TO KNIT! Also getting closer and closer- the knitting retreat.... which I can barely wait for any longer I'm so excited!!

Lastly? A little teaser? Coming soon... The knitting equivalent to diamonds.... Wollmeise!

Gold Medal Progress

Yup! Sock #1 of the Olympic socks done, cast off and sewn up. I just cast it off! I purposely took a crappy pic for you because I can't wait to show you the finished project. They are lovely. Simply, perfectly, amazingly lovely and I'm so excited to get #2 off the needles and stretch these babies out and show you the pattern. To date my most favorite pair of socks I've ever made. I'm completely a Cookie A convert! Her patterns are straight forward and easy to read, not to mention stunning. I'll definately have the guts to try more of her stuff!!

I think I'm definately going to sign myself up for more projects next Olympics because while these socks have been fun, I know I could have knit more. Next year, more challenges! So far it's been pretty fun!

I've hit a baby snag in the sock progress this evening... I've been distracted by this:

I finally got my grubby little paws on the New Vogue Knitting. It's a good thing too, especially if my paws are grubby because the mitten pattens in this magazine are so nice- they'll make a lovely cover to said grubby paws! Just look at these...

I. WANT. TO. MAKE. THEM. RIGHT. NOW! Oh tempting and lovely projects... why do you taunt me?

Okay, must dash- I've got an Olympic sock to finish and baby hats to make so I can move onto bigger and more exciting projects. Can I finish sock #2 before the weekend? Only time will tell!

My First Olympic Start!

(This is obviously not my photograph- but it belongs to these lovely people)

Nothing kicks off an olympic start quite like fireworks! Day 1 of my official Olympic quest saw some good knitting action! (You'll note I'm using new Addi Turbo double pointed needles and OH MY do I love them!)

My goal is to have sock one done around Wed- I better hear some cheering to motivate!! The pattern is challenging, (whoo boy challenging!) it's definately a "knit alone" type of project, because any distraction, including conversation would probably result in a pretty grevious error!

I thought I'd also update you on the sock project of my "travel" sock. My travel sock is a sock I keep in my purse that usually gets dragged to work and various other locales... progress tends to be slower since I really only knit on them when time permits or over lunch hours, but they're starting to come along nicely.

I appreciate that it's kind of funny I'm knitting two projects with blue yarn right now - but not to worry, both are a pleasure to knit with. I'm using the Dream in Color Smooshy for my Olympic sock and the ShiBuiKnits and both yarns have a lovely "sproigy-ness" that makes knitting them a very pleasant process.

I've also had a bit of a falling down (HARD) on the old yarn diet.

This red Bernat acrylic (ack!) is destined for baby blanket stardom. I'm currently designing a top secret project for some friends and that's going to be the color. Curious? I can justify this addition to the stash because I know I'm going to use it fairly soon.

This stash acquisition, (the softest bamboo ever!) This is Kertzer's "On Your Toes" and I can't really explain how I ended up buying it. I blame mob mentality.

You see I went to the Make 1 Friday afternoon knitting, and this was being stacked on the shelves while I was there- the minute it hit the floor the ladies were on this like white on rice! Caught with the concern that I would be left out of a really great yarn deal, ($11.97 skein!) both the MiL took our pick of the colors before everything got scooped up. I couldn't help my self! It was SO soft. I had to have it. HAD TO. Okay!? Stop looking at me like that!

Okay- well I need to get back to work on the Olympic sock- much to do before the time is up! Socks don't knit themselves!

Going for Gold

When I was a little girl I had one dream: to win a gold medal for Canada. Now, my preferred way to do this was through figure skating, except that I lacked grace, skills, poise and the ability to be coordinated for longer than 2 minutes. With my Olympic dreams dashed and the truth painfully obvious that athletic and myself do not belong in the same sentence, I conceded my dream to win any medals for Canada at the Olympics.

Except my friends the winds have change have blown in my favor, and my Olympic dream is now being realized! I have answered the call from my country, and I will proudly be representing her in the “Ravelympics” in the “Sock Put” event.


(I am terribly proud of myself for creating this graphic with my crappy Photoshop skills!)

For those not in the know- I’ve been challenged to a somewhat daunting task. Knit a project, starting from the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics and see it to conclusion before the end of the closing ceremonies, 17 days later. I signed up for team Canada and chose from the numerous events my task, the “Sock Put”.

With the new yarn nestled in my stash, and the Marilinda socks reminding me that I have a goal to knit something from each retreat designer, choosing my task was simple. Long time readers of the blog may be wondering where the challenge is here, given that I’ve knit a pair of socks in less time and so, for interest’s sake, I shall spell it out here. Time to knit these socks is going to be few and far between, aside from being the most complicated pattern I’ve knit to date I will be away and busy during the Olypmic time, and knitting time will be sparse.

Can I do it? Will I proudly display my medal for all to see? Will Adonis Dionysis Bobicus Maximus


(who bears a striking resemblance to Ravelry mascot “Bob”) present me my gold? Only time will tell.

Behold... my accessory of choice, the newly acquired "Dream in Color Smooshy" in Midnight Derby. They shall be gold winning socks!

Stay tuned to the blog for your Ravelympic updates!

I'm On a Roll!!

Um? Holy crap... I finished another pair of socks!



Sock #3 for the Summer of Socks completed and off the needles. These were supposed to be my break from the mind bending "Marilinda socks" that are on hold until my Loopy order arrives. (The less said about how long the Canadian customs folks take to clear my yarn, the better....) I'm going to need another brain breather when those eventually get on the needles! (Good thing I have three more skeins of self striping yarn!)

Pattern: Yarn Harlot's Basic Sock Pattern
Needles: US 1
Yarn: Online Supersocke Cotton Beach Color 83
Thoughts: There is something inherently satisfying seeing the stripes "magically" appear while you knit them. Self striping sock yarns are fabu simply because they make your project look 20 times harder than it actually is! I'm not loving the yarn so much, very splitty, but it's kind of an ends to a mean thing- sometimes you suffer through less than stellar yarn for it's results. Let's look at them again shall we? Oooooo....



I'm especially proud of the way I was careful to line up the stripes on the sock. Special attention needs to be paid when you knitting if you like matching socks, something I'm rather anal retentive about. Check out how closely the stripes line up on the socks: (the picture below best illustrates the line matching..)


Yeah. I'm good.

I've also been fiddling around with a few mindless project ideas for my Breast Cancer run team this October. I'd like to make something for the people who choose to run, or walk in my case, on my Run for a Cure team- and I'm experimenting with a few ideas. Idea number one... please forgive me, this is the first time I've ever attempted duplicate stitch, so this is a project that can be improved upon.

It took me about an hour and half to knit this little coffee sleeve. I could probably grind these out pretty quickly at the last minute, (when I tend to save things to), but am I going to feel satisfied giving these to everyone? Or, can I do more? (Says the girl who is woefully behind the baby hats she needs to have knitted to be on track for 52... not to mention the socks she plans to knit for the knitting retreat.)

Otherwise I managed to survive two major knitting events this week:

1) The Make 1 Sale, which I decided not to attend, no matter how badly I wanted to go. I've decided that I'm weak to a good deal on yarn, and don't always buy what I necessarily need. In my effort to respect the stash management, I opted to not go, and instead reward myself with a Loopy order if I continue to wittle away at the stash this summer. Oh please knit gods let my "Rainbow Black" yarn still be there when I allow myself to "fall off the wagon" again.

2) I surived the great Ravelry server crash of July 08, furthmore known here as SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY. This may not be a big deal to you, but my favorite yarn, pattern and overall knitting database wasn't working properly and I was practically frantic about it coming back so I could download a pattern. Ravelry has changed the life of most knitters, and I'm a full blown addict. So many knitters are relying on Ravelry to store their new patterns that they aren't posting their patterns to their blogs anymore, only to Ravelry for a free dowload. Imagine my horror when I finished a sock and couldn't download the next pattern I was going to knit. I was frantic, I was pacing, I was updating the husband every 20 minutes on the status as if he cared, (*gasp* I don't think he did... what kind of heartless person did I marry?!) and ultimately was forced to go and knit something I had kind of abandoned on the needles. (Hello pink sweater...)

While the crash had my fingers itching to get back on to the site to see if I missed anything, it was good to get re-focused on the sweater... enough so that I'm actually interested in knitting it again. So there you go- despite the SEVERE withdrawl symptoms I had from the website it actually forced me to go back and work on something and regain interest in it. So, at least some good came out of the devasting 10 hours Ravelry wasn't working properly. (Seriously though folks- don't let that happen again, I was breathing into a paper bag and overall trying to not hypervenilate over the whole thing. An addict of this degree should never be forced to quit for that long at a time!)

So- as you can tell, it's been a busy week over here... and I need to get back to my knitting.

I Couldn't Resist...

I bought yarn.... and I don't even feel bad about it! This is Linea Baby, Baby Star yarn. It's 100% Merino and a lovely sport weight.

It is evident that I cannot resist a "good deal" on yarn. Some good deals are so good you simply cannot pass them up! That's what happened here. While on a routine "walk by", I walked into Pudding Yarns and stumbled on their Stampede sale. A quick peak into the 75% off bin and I discovered this perfectly cute merino yarn and the store practically paid me to buy it. This entire collection of stash cost me $9. An AMAZING deal given that regularly priced this stuff was $8.95 a ball! I practically stole it at that price! I bought enough to make a baby sweater I have in mind. That price is so good I'm tempted to go back and buy the remaining 3 skeins of it and make ME something. But, well, I don't want to be ridiculous!

This brings me to my next dilema, the big ole Make 1 Summer sale that coming up next Saturday. If you recall, at Christmas the MiL and I went on a yarn binge, if you will, at their sale and well, I know the prices are good enough to make me consider a good old binge session again. It seems I'm pretty good at yarn binging, but the purging takes a little longer. (It DOES happen though... just at a slightly slower rate...)

And this is just proof that I DO eventually purge the yarn. The Plain Jane socks are moving slower than expected, but I suspect that all the Stampeding we've been doing has been effecting the progress. This is yarn that I bought at the Make 1 Christmas sale, so there you go- I DO eventually get to it!

More Socks for Summer

You know, it feels a little weird knitting warm woolen socks in the summer- but I can't help it! They're such an addicting project!! In record time, Sock #2 of the summer of socks are off the needles and completely done. (From June 27 - July 4!)


Pattern: Spring Forward by Linda Welch
Yarn: Koigu KPPM (*slobber*)
Needles: US size 1
Thoughts: Quick and addicting little knit. I would definately knit this pattern again. I love how all the wiggles look like waves on the socks!


With those off the needles I decided to move on to a major challenge, sock #2 in my quest to knit a pattern by all the designers at the retreat, Cookie A's Marilinda socks. Holy! Intimidating! Batman! I bought the pattern, pulled the yarn out of the stash and cast them on and got ready to go.


Once I got into the pattern though- it was obvious that I was going to hit a snag in my plans. The yarn pools. (I doubt you can see it well enough in the picture above.) The varigation in the yarn doesn't spread evenly and instead I somehow managed to have a "dark" side and a "light" side. This pattern is complicated and impressive enough that I don't want it to be lost in bad pooling in the color of the yarn. After much discussion with the husband, he gave me the go ahead to break the yarn diet and order up something that will be similar and serve the right purpose for the pattern. I remembered seeing a yarn on the much loved Loopy Ewe that mentioned that it was subtly varigated to avoid the color pooling that sometimes occurs with hand painted yarn. And so, in what can only be referred to as enormous restraint, (afterall I only ordered what I needed and not what I wanted {because let's face it what I wanted was about 12 other skeins also} ), I put my order for Dream in Color Smooshy's Midnight Derby.** (PS- if you ever feel so inclined to, I've attached a link to my Loopy Ewe wishlist on the sidebar there so you can see what I've been lusting so heavily after.)

Before the yarn pooling incident occured, a few rows into knitting Cookie's pattern my brain started to hurt. This woman designs the most stunning socks- but they're also not for the faint hearted knitter. (Although her patterns are incredibly thorough, organized and well written.) The chart is complicated and I was using techniques that I never had before. So, to have a little break from all that focused knitting I cast on the simplest, plainest of socks-


Ah brain break socks! They're even self striping yarn! I imagine there will be pictures of these up shortly too. Feels good to be stash busting!

** I kind of love Sheri over at the Loopy Ewe- she runs such a great company. I'd say about 28 minutes elapsed between the time of my order and the email I got to say it was shipped! That's the kind of "wow" service you rarely get these days!