Raspberry Beret

Ok, so my hat is actually black. Not Raspberry.
I just finished it 5 minutes ago. It is literally the first thing I have knit for myself in a year.

I used the pattern over at knitty Fern Glade and I learned several things while knitting it. Things I should record for my own sake, when I knit in the future.

1) Look, Prag. When you knit lace, I know you feel like a badass. I'm aware that you're convinced you can knit anything. But for the love of all things sacred. USE EFFING STITCH MARKERS.

I literally knit the first four inches of this hat not once, not twice, not thrice, but FOUR times before I found my brain and used it to think the following thought:
"Gee, this is a really simple 18 stitch repeat. If I mark off each set of 18, I will know when I'm screwing up before it is three inches later, so then I won't have to rip it all out."

Once I used some stitch markers to demarcate the repeats, I knit the hell out of this hat. I feel dumb, because I wasted two snow days knitting a) poorly, and b) stupidly.

2) Stop with the fuzz, Prag.
I don't know why I do this. I don't. I always choose super fuzzy yarn and decide that lace would be a great idea. This is possibly the Dumbest Idea Ever for a novice lace knitter. It makes it hard to see mistakes, it's ridiculous to rip out and frog back, and, as I learned, when you try to K3tog, sometimes you will miss catching all three stitches, and because the yarn is grabby, you won't notice until there's a weird little loop sticking out of the middle of your hat, chilling there asking why it has been left out.


This particular adventure in lace knitting was done in Sublime angora merino (given to me by the Gardener and the Gardeness for Yule). It is amazing. It is lovely, soft, and fuzzy and I want to pet it all the time. It took a ball and a half to knit the hat, and I sacrificed probably a quarter of one ball to failed attempts that was frogged and ripped past its ability to do anything but felt together into a lump that makes me weep.

I haven't figured out what to do about the loose loop from my missed stitch in a K3tog. In fact, I just remembered its existence while writing this just now, and this is after I put that sucker around a dinner plate to block. Hm. Should probably fix that, don't you think?

In any event, it is soft, it is wearable, and it was an excellent learning experience.

This is what it looks like, blocking.

One day, I will learn to take proper photographs of my finished objects and works in progress. I will. Today is not that day.

Cue That Philosophical Interlude, Betches.

R. and I have spent some time talking about some rather technical issues regarding the Sorites Paradox and the 'problem' of vague predicates. It is the first time in quite a while --- we're talking at least 5 years --- that I have spoken at length with anyone about such a technical and cutting-edge-sexy philosophical issue in the Analytic tradition.

My life as a philosopheress has become so rich since leaving graduate school. Regaining the helm of my own intellectual and artistic life is deeply rewarding and empowering. I struggle, occasionally, to define my place in the philosophical community. There are only certain moments in which that definition matters to me. The vast majority of the time, I am comfortable in my own skin. I'm more than happy to be my scholastic friends' authority on Kant; an overflowing fountain of detailed information on the English Enlightenment; a skeptical voice in ethical dialogue. The truth of the matter is that I have been blessed with some truly wonderful educators who have required of me more reading, work, and writing than is actually reasonable for a single human being in a given semester. I have read (and recall) most of Coplestone's History of Philosophy series. I am in love with a philosopher of Mathematics who dabbles in philosophy of language and has developed a recent interest in applied ethics. I am dear friends with an up-and-coming novelist and philosopher in the existentialist tradition. My life is so full of such wide and varied members of my discipline, and have been the benefactor of their intellectual and personal lives.

And then, there is my family. My family who has always been supportive of my choice to spend the last ten years studying philosophy, yet wants me to provide a definitive account of what my place in that tradition. I never know what to do with that question. My only account for myself is that I am the culmination of the last twenty-seven years of experience, the most dominant feature of which is a burning and passionate desire to think, to be, and to engage a very particular body of literature. How might I answer their questions about my position in the philosophical tradition apart from saying, I am Donovan's friend? I am Gaby's co-conspirator, I am Ashley's favorite resource, I am Ross's sounding board?

The truth of the matter is that I have always had a sense of myself -- a strong sense -- that what is most crucial to any "definition" of my "philosophy" is my relationships within the context of that very tradition.

Just as it is with my art, the content is secondary to the urge that motivates it. And ultimately, that urge seems tied up in the social aspect of philosophical dialogue. It is where I am happiest, and most myself.

Flu Knitting

I have some variety of the flu. This is infuriating for several reasons. First, I have not been sick with anything contagious in something like 3 years. Second, my symptoms? Totally lame! Headache, fever, and my back feels achy. I'm also filled with grumpiness and fatigue. Third, I am missing work, and while normally I would welcome a vacation, I am impoverished and the holidays are coming.

Which brings me to my mounting to-knit list.

1) Gaby-related knitting. Something brightly colored and warm. I would like if it was technically interesting, but I'm not going to push it.

2) Steve's Skiing Hat. I have knit and re-knit the brim on this stupid thing some ridiculous number of times. Steve is an imposing dude, size wise. It looks too small, and I'm not speaking to it at the moment. It sits in my knitting bag and I glare at it. It is made of Malabrigo, and should really behave.

3) Secret Project commissioned by Philosophy Kat.

4) Beanie for Max. A recent request. I'm allowing it. I need to procure royal blue yarn. DK or Worsted would be best. He lives in FL and AZ so a cotton, linen, or silk blend would probably be best.

5) AFP Cowl. This is going to be rushed, but I'm working on an alpaca lace cowl for Amanda Palmer to give her at her show because I am holy crap inspired by her life and her music. No, I don't care if that's creepy. She *Likes* creepy fans. Sod off, haters.

6) Galloway-related knitting. I have a distinct feeling that the socks I'm working on right this moment are going to end up belonging to The Gardeness. I *may* even have enough yarn to do something for The Gardener, also. The colorway of this Light Brown Hare yarn (Crispin's Day) is much more suited to their wardrobes than mine. And the cabling on these socks would look lovely on Mrs. G's feet. I reserve the right to get greedy and keep them for myself. Not sure yet.

7) Donovan gloves. Crap. Really Prag? You really wanted to try knitting herringbone for the first time on frigging gloves? Scrap that project, and start over. Don't be dumb.

8) S Justus. I want to do socks, but I'll need a recon mission from Gabs.

9) Crystal's Coraline outfit. Oh my goodness. I cannot even talk about this right now. I'm sorry this is taking so long. Stumbling block after stumbling block.

10) Carl wants a Flyers Hat. And socks. He may have to pick one for Yuletide, and get the other after new years... I'd like to manage both by boxing day.

11) FINISH RACHAEL'S EFFING GLOVES! GODDAMN.

12) Ross? Oh, dear.


OK. I usually set a limit of 12 for holiday knitting. It's like the Twelve Days of Christmas, only it's a) 12 Projects, b) Knitting instead of Days, and c) has nothing to do with Jesus. Oh, and d) Madness. Don't forget the madness.


I have spent my flu-ridden state sleeping and drinking a lot of hot apple cider, taking advil, watching crime drama, and knitting on these socks. They're cabled. I haven't done cable work in a really long time. It is very rewarding and I miss it a lot. However, after about 6 straight hours of it today, I started getting delirious and making mistakes. I will come back to it tomorrow, since it currently feels like I will also be missing work tomorrow as well.

I will say this: I am a pretty productive knitter when I'm not feeling well and don't have a choice but to sit around and put my mind to it.

Holy Flyin Almost Autumn Batman

I have been super busy. Work is insane.

But I am running a sock clinic on October 4th for the Victory Gardener & Gardeness, our friend Christina, and my Hetero Life Partner, ScarletGashes. I am also joining a real life guild with Snapper and becoming more active on Ravelry, AND I am now signed up to teach at Chester County Night School!

I have a lot of ideas, and I'm developing some more stuff for my Twin Peaks series. I have done a considerable amount of work on a Coraline costume for a dear friend (though the last two weeks have prohibited much work) I'm at a stall with my Alchemy Yarns Print o' The Wave stole, and the Baby Blanket for my step-sister is also at a standstill. Even though the child has been born. Good Job, Me!

Fall always gives me a case of Fiber-Related Madness. I've been looking at Etsy a lot, especially for a) Halloween Costume Elements!! and b) sock yarn.

I'm really interested in learning to dye. I have some great ideas and some marketing bonuses once I get that under control. Snapper assures me that Yarn School, while it looks fun and extravagant, is unnecessary to develop my skills, especially given how adventurous and quick of a study I am. *Flattered!*

I'm excited for this weekend, because it is Delaware Oktoberfest, and the Weakerthans show. Also, Psst! Phat Fiber Boxes release this weekend!!!!! It will be my first Phat Fiber Box, if I manage to get one.

I'm trying to figure out why I'm so much better at spinning on my drop spindle than I am on the Sgt. Hannah Wheel. The principles are all the same, but my execution on the wheel is spotty at best. I must be doing something wrong? Anyway, I'm sure that between Snapper and the rest of The Guild, I will be straightened out in no time!

In the meantime, I should get back to work. I have a big meeting tomorrow!
xo!

We Came, We Saw, We KICKED ITS ASS!

Man, I love the Ghostbusters.

Also, I have conquered the invisible cast on (no small feat, and probably the most frustrating thing I've done in a while) and had the Most Intense Knitting Session of My Life Ever last night after a hellish day at work.

I have finished rows 1 through 21 of Eunny Jang's Print O'the Wave stole, and I have been pleasantly surprised at my facility with it, and with the Haiku.
The on the yarn, from the mohair fiber content can be a bit unruly. It likes to stick to itself, and I have had to knit much slower, and exaggerate my movements to avoid tangles. I also had to alter my gauge on the wrong side rows. I forgot how loosely I need to remind myself to purl so that I can get an inelastic yarn to do things like, K2tog.

All in all, I'm happy with my progress, and much less intimidated by the project. The yarn is beautiful, and the project is truly engaging and challenging. It absorbed 100% of my attention, and I forgot all about my troubles yesterday at work. Precisely the sort of project I need.

Lace is still a bit unnerving, especially with Mohair. I feel like I won't really have any idea how the project is going to turn out until it is finished and blocked. My last mohair project involved lots of frogging (i.e. RIPPING!) and starting over for that reason. Since then, I have learned to trust my judgment and skill a bit more, so if it looks a bit wonky, but I am confident I'm doing as the pattern instructs, I don't just rip it out for the hell of it anymore.

All the same, I will be excited to see how the project progresses after a few repeats of the pattern in the center panel. I'm also curious about picking up the live stitches from the invisible cast on. I have a feeling a smoother yarn would make this easier, but it wouldn't have the glowing halo of the Haiku.

I have taken pictures at a few stages of the process, but haven't figured out the best setting on my camera to show the details. If anyone has suggestions on this, I'm all ears.

I'll post what I have sometime Friday, most likely.

The Murray-Green wedding is Saturday, and I'm pretty psyched!
Also, the Murray-Green baby gift is coming along nicely. It is sort of Zombie knitting, as I told The Gardeness. So it will be a nice contrast to the stole I'm working on.

Also, if people at work are allowed to take smoking breaks, I'm permitting myself knitting breaks.

I need a little more order and sanity in the workplace. Hopefully this will help.

Ok, so this is terrifying!

My needles for the Eunny Jang stole should arrive this afternoon.
I practically have the jitters about starting this project.
I am fairly certain that I am in no way prepared for this undertaking. How hot is that?

Also, I am going to roll an alt in World of Warcraft tonight, with friend from work.

I bring Nrrd to another level. Knitting and Gaming? Yeah, I got that.

Also, the phones are about to explode, here at Action Cargo. So I'm going to go handle that like the good dispatcher I am.

NEGOTIATION ACTIVATE!

People should twitter me their quotes for this job. It would make life easier.
"@pragmatiste I'll do that for freeeee!" DONE!

Oh, Snap, I done Lost My Mind!

No really! I might have.
Sgt. Carl procured two skeins of Alchemy Yarns of Transformation (yes, that really is their company name, and I daresay, it is warranted) --- Haiku is the name of this stuff, and I have to say it is amazing. I also got the perfume I love, because Sgt Carl "takes care of his womens".

I will post a picture later tonight.

So what, pray, shall I do with this glorious yarn?
I will do THIS, because I am, oh my goodness, Crazy.

I'm fairly inexperienced with lacework. Eunny Jang's patterns are all so, so very, beautiful, and I'm both excited (because it will be so pretty!) and terrified (what if I ruin this lovely gifted yarn with my ineptitude and lack of yarn experience?! Oh god, get me a paper bag to breathe into...)

So this will be a heavily documented process. Just ignore me when I threaten self-injury. I probably don't even really mean it.

I just looked at the level of involvement of an Invisible Lace Cast-On and I already sort of want to die. So I'm pretty stoked! Challenges are exciting, right?

Of course they are!

The only thing holding me back is that I need to wait to begin the project until I can order the friggin needles from KnitPicks, since I am, obviously, addicted.

Also, spring is awesome. For the record.

Its Coraline, Not Caroline.

Conspiring with T about a knitted Coraline costume for his Lovely Lady, C.
It will involve a sweater pattern that works from Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Knitting without Tears," because, let's face it, her patterns are fully custom fit and awesome; knitted sparkly blue spats, and a knitted Hallowig, all in blue, with velour stars on the sweater.

Oh, this is going to be awesome, folks.

But! BABY PROJECT FIRST, dammit.

Finish things you start, Prag.

I'm counting back / the number of the steps

Progress has been made on the super-secret Murray-Green Baby-on-the-way gift.

I am loving it so much, that I'm actually going to be running a Weekend Long (!) SNB in May to get some of my fellow Lovelies (The Gardeness, @scarletgashes, Rach, and a few others, knitting in the round, joining in new colors with confidence, and learning a thing or three about The Importance of Blocking.

I managed to unload probably an eighth of my stash on Corinne (she's a sucker for the greens, I tell you!) which has freed up some space in my father's old seachest. This is notable, because we are moving again. Or, at least, it is certainly looking that way. Oh man, the plans I have for the garden. And the Stash.

Gary has promised that my spinning wheel (Sgt. Hannah, for those acquainted) can live in public space so that I may use it in the company of Folk, and not be relegated to a tower, like the girl in Rumplestiltzkin.
Excitement!

The Slackers and Ruder Than You are playing at The Note tonight, which is pretty awesome.


In other news, tomorrow is both the Vernal Equinox and the day of my birth. I will be all of twenty-seven years old. That's really something.

In The Springtime of His Voodoo

Springtime Knitting.

My eldest step-sister, K., is getting married. And having a baby! While knitting cannot happen for the wedding (next month --- holy shit WHAT am I going to WEAR?!), it is happening for l'infant, gender to be determined.

I am working on a challenging project for the little one, and have come to question my choice in colors. I balk at pastels for babies. They need sensory input: bright colors, interesting smells, things that feel neat, music, and so on. Muted, powdery baby colors fly in the face of my pedagogic sensibilities. In addition, they don't strike me as K's style, either.

All the same, I hope I made the right choices.

While I doubt she reads this, I cannot post much more about this project, though I am documenting it on paper to upload at a later date.

In the meantime, I did order two sets of the Options circular needles from KnitPicks, and have fallen completely in love with them. They have the advantages of the AddiTurbos, with flexible cables, strung between well-made, sharp-pointed aluminum needles; and I can order exactly the sets of cables and needles I need (which gives them a leg up on the Denise's Interchangeable Needle sets); plus, they are way, way, WAY more affordable than Addi's.

Love them.

I also picked up some of KnitPick's yarn (which I have yet to try until recently) and I have to say, I'm impressed. I checked it out at The Knitter's Review first, and liked what I read there. So I ordered some Swoosh DK and I like what I'm seeing so far.

It does have a tendency to snag, but honestly, I snag most yarn, since I knit left-handed.

So. More on that project later, when the gift is made, blocked, and given.

I have put the Malabrigo sweater on hiatus until I can finish K's baby gift. Also, I'm thinking about chalking the checkerboard pattern I have completed up as a loss, and beginning again in stripes. As anticipated, I came completely unglued after 4 rows of squares, with the number of ends that will need weaving in during finishing.
Kill. Me. Now.

The new issue of Knitty is out, and I'm dying to try a few of the Spring projects, but as I told The Gardeness, that will have to wait until after the baby gift is complete.

In other exciting news, I am actually going on a week long vacation this summer with friends! We're staying in OBX for an entire week, in a huge, beach-front house. So far, the count is Rach & Bryan, Matt, Steph, and the Bupp Parents, Bonnie and Jeff, (who were kind enough to invite me) and Ross. A whole week at a beach I've never visited.

I'm planning to work on a few things to wear while I'm down there (Knitting for myself? Who ever heard of such a thing?), so I'm open to suggestions on that.

So! July, July! Cannot wait.

I've also started a pair of fingerless mits for Rach in a bright yellow that are knit flat in garter stitch to produce a lovely, squooshy fabric. Finger holes, and no fuss short rows for the hand. They match a lovely spring coat she has, and I'm planning to embellish them with spring green buttons , ribbons, and maybe even a touch of lace for my girliest girl.

More later! Must Work!