Hindrances

Meet my best friends these days...

Even though it might by now look like this blog is turning into a "fishing for sympathy blog" - this is not my intention. Today, I stumbled across some rants concerning the right and meaning of blogs without comments. Fortunately, I get comments and I appreciate every single one of them (even though I do not answer them all, partly because of blogger's flaws, partly because of my laziness - sorry! - but I do try to track people down and comment on there blog in return - honestly). But I also write my posts just to keep track of things, mainly my knitting projects, or just because it feels good sometimes, to "talk" about things that happen, affect and move me which, unfortunately, is not always possible in real life. As a result, my blog is a selfish hobby that turns into a wonderful, lively, encouraging, sometimes nagging or enlightening little communication tool when others participate. Thank you, every single one of you!

But what about the pain and ache this time? I have been home on so called sick leave (well, they stop paying you after two weeks, don't they?) for quite some while now. First, my doctor suspected a lumbago but I didn't agree because it just did not feel like it should (it's all out there on the internet, you know!). Unfortunately, I was right and a CT revealed that I have been suffering from a considerable herniated disc. Ouch!
What really causes me some pain in the arse (pun, pun!) is the fact that I can neither lie nor sit without pain and should in fact walk a lot. However, the weather beggars all description, and surely, slithering on icy pavements with sleet blowing down your collar isn't really fun, either. Walking around in my not so roomy apartment, however, I always find something to do that I rather shouldn't (you don't want to take a look under my bed after three weeks without vacuum-cleaning!)
Well, I thought it was at least time to knit up a Hot Water Bottle Cozy (links to a word.doc), designed by Canadian knitter Maggie who visited Iceland (and sort of me) back in May (so much for the community aspect of blogging). Go over, visit her blog and say hello. She knits adorably little toys and also sweaters, apparently in the blink of an eye.

Yeah, knitting... I'm kind of in a knitting blues. Not to be able to sit all that comfy takes the fun out of it. Plus, I am not easy to please with my projects these days. There are plenty new things I would like to start (see: bottle cosy) but my stash is savely stashed away in no-go areas, such as the attic or cellar, both only accessible by ladder.

There is of course Bloomin' Feet '07! While I am following the progress of the other participants, there's not much I can do. Reading my pal's preferences, together with my intention to make a theme sock, I could not resist ordering some STR in Rose Quartz. So cute! Never for myself, but nonetheless.
I placed my order looooong time ago and it arrived very soon afterwards at my sister's in Germany, who was due to send me a parcel anyway. You know, all the tricky sideways I go to avoid the impertinent custom fees here. Apparently, in Germany, they are back to delivery by stagecoach or maybe even attempt to walk the parcel here. I think, the parcel is travelling now for four weeks. And so is the new Interweave's Favourite Socks which I ordered on amazon.de because a friend wanted to have a look at it before she would send it here "second hand". Apparently, the book left Amazon on 20th March but the post's tracking service informs me that estimated delivery date is 28th April. Beg your pardon? We are talking about 300 km distance!

So, what does this mean to my Bloomin' Feet socks? I swatched, I browsed the internet for patterns, I contemplated designing my own pattern, I swatched, I swatched..
I am thinking cables. I am thinking little leaves. Why not design leaves and mini-cables entwined around the leg?
Nothing so far made me really happy but I still believe that the exactly right yarn (and not some STR substitute in another colour!) will do the magic trick.
Meanwhile, I found out that I did not in fact re-invented mini-cables but merely remembered the Cablenet socks from knitty plus all the enlightening articles on designing them by Ariel Barton. However, this pattern is evidently is not the best choice for variegated yarn and STR might also be just a wee bit too heavy.

And that is why I am stuck with Elfine's socks once again. Since I managed to knit past the heel now I can only laugh about it: The fact that I tried four different types of toes! First, according to the pattern, than the m1tfb method and finally two different wrapping sort attempts of short-row toes. All of them easy as pie. Just not now. When I was finally satisfied with the look of my short rows, I realised that my eye-of-partridge-ball cushion was way off the position it should be. Of course - I couldn't even try them on because I am just not able to dress myself in these parts, these days. Ah! Rip again...

Last but not least:

1. Have you noticed the little sheep stitch marker? Aren't they cute!? Katie from Straying Power designed them for this year's Project Spectrum Sheep Club 2.0. Go and visit her etsy shop and get yourself some! They are just as cute as the bigger sheep but more practicable for smaller projects like socks. However, if I would have to decide for one or the other, I couldn't. Luckily, I own both variants because - can you believe it - Katie sent them to me on a quest for checking out the international shipping service. What a nice surprise, thank you again, Katie! Potential customers, be assured, Katie does a wonderful job, packing and shipping them. They are very happy here now, maybe a bit lone, I should get some more ;-)
   
   
2. To my Bloomin' Feet pal: not to worry! There's a plan B pair of socks in the pipe. They might actually turn out better than the plan A ones!