2 1/2 Weeks

I was looking for a blog-worthy photograph to accompany The Big News, but after two days of searching I find I have nothing (in digital format anyway). So I will spill the beans without visuals:

I got a new job!!!

Those of you who know me personally know that I rather despise my current job and have been meaning almost since Day 1 to find a different one. Without going into specifics, I'll just say that the workplace environment is undesirable; coworkers are lazy, my boss is apathetic, and there is no opportunity to advance in the position I am in. In addition, I am really tired of this city, and this city life. There are many things about it that are really great, but it just isn't for me. (Ask me again next year when I don't have the Met to go to...)

Anyway, I found an opening online for a company that does very similar work to the company that I used to work for back in California, before I moved to New York. It was a job I loved. And this job was perfect. Even better, it was in northern California (I didn't much like southern California either, at least not to live in - though it is lovely to visit!) And I got it! They liked me so much on my phone interview that they flew me out for the weekend to meet me in person. I must have done something right, because the offered me a great deal, the pay is better than what I am making now (cost of living is about the same, if not somewhat cheaper), the position has lots of room for growth, and they are paying for my move! Yipee! I can't wait!

I start in 2 1/2 weeks.

Needless to say, things are going to be a little hectic around here the next couple of weeks, so posts (and comments) may be sporadic at best. I am going to try to get the packages out before I go though, otherwise who knows how long it will take. Knitting will continue, as much as possible, or I may go mad.

To take my mind off the amount of package and organizing and decluttering that is going to have to happen over the next week or so (ack!) I took some pictures. Ok, a lot of pictures. Shetland Triangle was being very uncooperative:


Project Specs:
Pattern: Shetland Triangle by Evelyn Clark from Wrap Style
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Laceweight Possum (40% merino, 40% possum, 20% silk) in Java, 1 hank (480 yds/ 50g)
Needles: size 3 Clover wooden circulars (24")
Finished Dimensions: 56" across the top, 28" top to point
Started: 05 March 2007
Finished: 12 May 2007
Pattern Mods: I knit 5 extra pattern repeats to make sure the finished shawl was big enough, since I was using finer yarn. It ended up being just 2" wider at the top and 4" longer at the point.

This pattern was very easy to memorize once a few rows were established, and I only needed to refer to the charts at the ends of the rows and the stitches right around the center column. Great for bus-knitting! I like the end result too. I might try it again in the future in a heavier-weight yarn.

I almost did end up in the corner crying though, when, as I spread the wet shawl out on the floor to block, that hole opened up right before my eyes, like a black hole that began to devour the yarn closest to it with the intent to devour everything. Thank goodness this was a sticky yarn or I would have ended up in the corner gnawing on my fingers. I managed to fix the hole by knitting the stitches back up and then doing a duplicate stitch with a sharp sewing needle (piercing the base strand in multiple places) and then sort of tie the free stitch in a busier section of the pattern. It's really obvious right now (to me anyway, though probably not anyone else I suspect) but I think the next time it is blocked it should smooth out.

Knitting with the possum yarn was interesting! The possum is gleaned from the skins of dead possum in Australia, where there are very destructive (from what I understand). Now, I am an environmentalist, there's no doubt about that, but I don't see any harm (and in fact think some good could come from it) to use a product from an animal that is going to die anyway. Pest management is Big Business, and there's little chance it will go away soon. The situation may be changing in Australia, though, as the possum yarns no longer seem to be available. What do you think?

As I mentioned last post, as soon as I cast off the shawl I cast on for a sock:


This sock is cruising along - that much done just in just 3 1/2 days, and truthfully I think I might finish the first one tonight. It is the Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. I did much of the work on the trip up and back to Connecticut to see my parents for Mother's Day. I had been eyeing this pattern for a while - I love the lozenge pattern, which is like a sort of faux argyle made with purl stitches instead of a different color yarn. Very textural, very earthy, very me. What's that, you can't see the lozenge pattern very well? Here you go:


That last shot shows off the colors, and the pattern, really well. It is Cherry Tree Hill (again) Supersock in Java. I do love the Cherry Tree Hill, and apparently I love coffee! This is the same colorway that I used for the Shetland Triangle! It looks quite a bit different in the merino, more vibrant colors with more hues present (greens, blues, purples - it is just gorgeous). The laceweight is much more muted, with more red tones, but also very beautiful. It reminds me of the woods in autumn. I didn't even realize they were the same colorway until I looked at the lables for this post!


Since the pattern is written for a large man's foot, I wasn't sure how these would turn out. But, I saw that the number of stitches to cast on was 78 (increased up to 80 after the cuff), and that the gauge was 8 1/2 stitches per inch. I normally get around 8 - 8 1/2 stitches per inch with my trusty size 0 needles, and socks that have an initial cast on of around 56 - 60 stitches seem to work well for me. So, since 60 is 3/4 of 80 I merely used 25% fewer stitches! I cast on 54 stitches (had to be divisible by 3 for the cuff) and increased up to 60 for the lozenge pattern (had to be divisible by 10). I work just slightly over 3/4 of the specified rows for the heel and picked up approximately 3/4 of the specified number of stitches for the gusset. Then you simply decrease back down to your original number od stitches cast on. So far it has worked like a dream! The cuff is nice and firm when I try it on but the leg doesn't seem too baggy. I'll let you know how it goes!

Finally greenery has gotten a wee bit bigger. Too bad I won't be around to eat it!


The basil seems to be the slowest starter and also had the lowest germination rates. I don't know if it is typical of the species, or if I got a "bad" batch. Still, at least some grew! I also have parsley in a pot with an orange tree and it is a bit bigger than this parsley. It has started growing parsley-like leaves! The small pot of parsley is only hinting at its final form, as is the catmint. Victoria is doing quite well in her new pot home! But the mango still looks like a pot of dirt.

posted by Carrie @ 3:45 PM