So, if I’d been up-to-date in my blogging, instead of burying myself in running The Loopy Ewe Swap and trying to get the last of the reviews up for Classic-Horror.com’s Shocktober Classics event (including this fabulous, pun-tastic review of Black Sheep), I’d have mentioned that I received my Yarn Pirate Booty Club package.

Since we’re still trying to introduce the entire cast, I’ve asked Snuggles to model for me. There’s not much to say about Snuggles, except that he’s a Cthulhu and that he’s blue. Everyone should have a blue Cthulhu. Now, before we get to the really good stuff, Snuggles would like to show you the needles that came with the package:

Yup, those are bright, pink needles. I’m not too sure what I’m going to do with them, actually, since I don’t knit magic loop if I can help it, or if I have the option of stabbing my eye out with a fork. However, my Options set doesn’t go that low, so I’m going to hold onto it in case of lace emergencies. For those interested, I think she’s planning on selling them at her Etsy shop in the future.

The needles were awesome, but the highlight of the shipment was, of course, the yarn. This is my first Booty Club package, so I had no idea what to expect. Neither Snuggles or myself could contain our excitement!

Yup…. that’s it. The color is called Killer Bees and grey, black, yellow and, if you’re seeing what I’m seeing, lime green. Truthfully, I’m not sure what I think of this. I keep oscillating between incredulous and hopeful. However, there’s some interesting photographs at the Flickr group over here, so I’m going to wait until I actually knit something before I make a final judgment. I think these may be destined to be mitts, however, rather than socks. Here’s a closer look at the colors:

In other exciting news, I have killed my first person… with socks!

The Sock Wars socks are finally finished and, since I didn’t make it to the post office on Friday, will be making it towards their New York target via First Class mail tomorrow. I know most people are sending them Priority, but I am poor and $3.00 buys a lot of ramen noodles. I also apologize for the picture quality, and the random appearance of Sassy’s right side. I can’t put them on to really show off the pattern, because, sadly, my target has freakishly small feet.

Wilbur isn’t too keen on socks, but that’s what he gets for thwarting my ingenious naming attempts and insisting he be called after some pig.

Grrrrrrrrraaargh! How do these things work? Brrrgh!

I continue to be a bit behind in my updating of this thing, but I have my excuses. In addition to the evils of O-Chem and Biochemistry, it is also October. Have I mentioned that I help run a horror film website? That makes October about 8 1/2 times more busy than any other month, especially when you consider that Classic-Horror.com is running a full month of reviews. It’s very impressive. You should go look. </shameless plug>

However, despite burying myself in Italian horror films, a few other things have happened. First, I started knitting the Eyeball Yarn (which the Moon Beast so lovingly modeled earlier this month), by Insubordiknit. This week we have Rainbow, Bringer of Evil, one of the many Cthulhu in the plushy army. here to model it for you.

See how industriously he is working. As you can tell from the picture below, Rainbow, Bringer of Evil has gotten quite a bit done.

Take a closer look at those eyeballs. Aren’t they cool?

Unfortunately, for Rainbow, Bringer of Evil, he ran out of yarn. It seems, one skein of this stuff is not enough for a whole person-sized scarf. (It is, incidently, Rainbow, Bringer of Evil’s exact size.) I’ve got another skein on order, but the waiting list for this stuff keeps getting longer. I should have it in by Thanksgiving, but in the meantime, it goes in the Basket of Doom with all the other UFOs.

Rainbow, Bringer of Evil, has also offered to show you his favorite yarn in the stash, and the newest addition to the fiber collection. That is a skein of Spaghetti by, you guessed it, Chewy Spaghetti. It’s a sport weight yarn, and that lovely color is Boyish. I’m actually on a yarn diet, so I wasn’t going to buy any at the latest Sneak-Up over at The Loopy Ewe, but the Lovely Roommate took pity on me, and bought me some to ease the withdrawl pains. The Lovely Roommate is lovely indeed.

On the WIP front, all other projects have been set aside for Sock Wars. I have my target, I have my weapons, and I am on a path of destruction. I am, however, a bit behind the other soldiers. Many of them already have half a sock - I have this.

Yup. That’s a ball of yarn (Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport, for those interested). I have a feeling I may be dead by this time next week. But at least I will have some warm socks.

I’ve been gone for about a week, thanks to the wonderful organic chemistry that has been eating my brain. Molecular Orbital Theory can bite me and then jump of a bridge. In that order. However, now that I’m back with a shiny A- on my exam, I’ve decided that I should introduce the Lovecraftian Plushie Army, who has been kind enough to star occassionally in the blog and model my knitting from time to time.

Being the oldest of the plushies, Sparkles Cthulhu is the Commander-in-Chief, General of the Plushie Army. He is also a creature of luxury, which is why, when asked to pick his favorite yarn from the stash, he has chosen this:

That is a skein of The Knittery Merino Cashmere Sock in Kelim, purchased from The Loopy Ewe. Sparkles has a soft-spot for cashmere. The colors are less blue and more purple, but the indoor lighting makes it difficult to photograph - either that or Sparkles’s dark might sucks the color out of the yarn.

He’s also chosen this scarf as his favorite UFO in the Basket of Doom,

It’s Mom’s Sophisticated Scarf from Stitch’N’Bitch, in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk. I think it is the silk and the fact that it keeps his wings warm that is calling the Dark One, but it may also be the fact that this has been sitting in the UFO basket for 6 months, waiting for it’s ends to be woven in. Sparkles is not down with procrastination, which is why he is taking care of the O-Chem,

And finishing my Lovely Roommate’s socks.

Mrrrrrrrrgh. Socks.

So, I finally finished the first Stupid Sock, last night. I’ll be honest - at this point, I am knitting out of spite. This yarn refuses to bend to my will, I refuse to bend to it’s… yarnness. Only one will survive. And, at first glance, it appears to be me.

The sock is knit using Duet Sock Yarn, from a Swell Yarn Shop in the color Deep Blue Sea. It’s sport-weight, knit on size 4 needles at a gauge of 6 stitches to the inch, and, at this gauge, is giving a thick, squishy fabric. It’s a little stiff, but I hope that will soften a bit in the wash. Also, as you can see, it is very busy and in plain stockinette because the stupid yarn refuses to do anything else.

Unfortunately, when I should be working well into the second sock and looking forward to more pleasing projects ahead, I’m being vindictive. This yarn will not just be bent into a sock shape. Oh, no. It is going to be a damn fine sock, that fits correctly and doesn’t have stupid construction problems. In short, it will be perfect. Even if it kills me.

Which means I will likely have to frog half the sock.

There are two glaring problems, and they are annoying the hell out of me. The heel flap only covers about 2/3 of my heel and the toes? The toes are even worse. Normally, I’d just shrug and figure that no one would really notice. But right now? It’s all I can notice. And it will be corrected.

*pants*

Quick! Give me yarn!

That is a skein of Wollmeise, and I can already feel my blood pressure dropping again. For those that don’t know (for shame!), Wollmeise is an independently dyed yarn made in Germany. You can find it, for a few hours every now and again, over at The Loopy Ewe. Otherwise, you need to order it directly from Claudia’s website, in Germany. This particular skein is Wilder Mohn, and yes, it really is that bright. Further, the skein is 150 grams, and in impressive 574 yards. That’s an awful lot of yarn. I think this might be the yarn, the one destined to become Twisted Flower Socks, by Cookie A.

Just as soon as I finish the Stupid Socks. At least they fit the Black Beast of Aaaaarrrrrggghhh.

Sock! Arrrggghhh!

It’s taken me a few false starts to get things up and going. School’s been getting in the way, as school is wont to do. Biochemistry and organic chemistry are evil beasts, that care little for the knitterly ways of others. For shame!

However, not even the two chemical giants can stand in the way of progress. And with that, we get The Sheep Geek on it’s way. Be prepared for a little awkwardness while I’m still getting all of this sorted out.

***Cliche warning***

I knit because it’s magic. Seriously. What else can turn this:

Into this:

Those would be my latest accomplishment - a pair of Monkey Socks by Cookie. They’re made by All Things Heather, and are a lovely Merino/Tencel Blend. The color is called Stella and (shameless plug) you can buy her yarns, and many more, over at The Loopy Ewe.

Overall, I’m rather pleased with results. They’re very pretty, and the Monkey pattern highlights the hand-dyed color variations without getting lost in the business. Also, the yarn is painfully soft, and the tencel gives it a nice shine. That being said, I’m a little worried about this pair of socks. I knit them on 3mm needles, which is a bit larger than my usual needle (either 2.75 or 2.5) for fingering weight. I’m not sure why. I think I recall vaguely thinking that I liked the feel of the fabric better in the bigger gauge, but now that they’re done at 7 stitches to the inch, I’m worried about their durability. Especially since these are for a friend who, while excited to have socks, is slightly dubious about the merit of handknits for your feet. Just what I need - to give someone their first pair of hand knit socks and, because I’m a hard headed wench, have them wear out in a week. Maybe I’ll tell her that they’re designed to be “house socks”. CURSE YOU STUBBORNESS!

Ah well, they are pretty comfy on the feet. Even Cthulhu likes them!

Mrrrgh. Socks.