Oh the magic of the magic loop!

I've had so much to talk about and so little time to write it down...hopefully it will all come spiraling out eventually...

But here's what's currently filling up my mind:

Yep, I've decided that it's time to try some socks. This all was spurred on by the Knit Out and Crochet Too event at the Mall of America last weekend. (though I missed the Tunisian demo I was targeting...some day!) Very fun to see and hear so many "big" names in fiber, and talk to reps from the "scene". Also ran into the owner of a local LYS that is literally 5 minutes from my house that I had no idea was there. It's really not my fault though...see, it's "over the river". Yep, deep in the heart of Minneapolis. GASP!

Anyway, chat, chat, chat reveals that they have an active crochet community, whoo hoo, and also a sock club. Sign up and the first Monday of the month you go in early morning before opening, get a free pattern and 1 hour technical class and 20% off materials...all for $25 for the ENTIRE YEAR! Is that not the perfect way to learn socks? Motivation to keep working on them, all the help you could need, and discounts on the yarn you drool over. Had to have it.

So, I signed up and they set me up with all I needed to practice with until the next meeting.

Little did I know I would be cursing them backward and forward for the next3 days. See those long pointy sticks? Lovely aren't they? Yes they're Addi's. Size 1. And I hate them, hate them, hate them. Want to throw them in the Mississippi River so I never see them again hate them.

Turns out they are far from the optimal first sock-knitting DPN. Am guessing they "forgot" that when it was the only one they had left...sell her the looooooong slick sticks or sell her nothing...hmmmmm, what to do?

Trying to get cast on was like trying to tame live eels. Seriously. Horrible. Gritting my teeth, tension headache horrible. And the sad part is it took me 3 whole days to give up...though before I did, I went googling online to see what I could see. And I found out about the Addi's. And then I found out about the 2 circular thing...and THEN I found out about the magic loop.

Cha Ching! The loverly folk at Clover that very weekend has put some size 4 long circs in my hot little hands...and I had some thicker sock yarn in the stash...and KnittingHelp has a great tutorial...and about 5 minutes later I was cast on and cruising. Seriously. Magic. Epiphany. Orchestra playing in the background. Sun breaking from behind the clouds. Miracle.

Now, the Clover bamboo cirs, while loverly and free...not so great for this...lots of pulling and futsing. HOWEVER, some other loverly folk had handed me at 50% coupon for another LYS...and today, here I be:

I HAVE SOCK! ALMOST 1 1/2 INCH OF SOCK! THAT I MADE! MYSELF! ALL ALONE!

And yep, those are NEW Addis. 40" size 3s since I have a bunch of sportish sockish stuff in my stash, like the Crazy in the pic. And I got them for $8. And the book was the result of possibly the best Valentine's gift this mom could ask for ...$25 and 2 hours ALONE at Barnes and Noble. SIGH, he's so sweet!

Socks aside, there's been much cleaning, disinfecting and general mojo-working in hopes we can finally slip out of plague season soon. It really needs to stop. NOW. Can't go there again, just can't.

Your crochet link of the day...the ripple afghan that ate the world. (thanks again to Kim at CrochetMe)

Off to plot how to acquire enough odd balls to make a go of the same...if you've got some send some...oh, oh, oh, we could do it progressive...oh, oh, oh, or we could "ripple-along"...oh, oh, oh this could be so FUN! Oh, oh, oh, must plan!