How To Eat A Whole Day

Or several. Gazillions of bytes at a time!

I have a new BFF and we’re just getting to know each other. Meet Ruby:

Her name is short for Rubyspot (a variety of damselfly, of course) and she’s my new iPod touch. Do you like her new purple dress? (I’m not sure that colour is accurate but I can’t adjust the photo correctly. Hint: it’s not pink.) She’s also wearing her new glasses (screen protector) and has a cute little black shoe so she can stand up. Even if she was free I couldn’t help buying her a few accessories! Now I’m hunting down some of the must-have apps for her. And learning how to use all the features: cameras (two: fore & aft), audio, video, mail, web etc. etc. Quite a huge upgrade from my old Palm T/X (poor limping thing!) and a little bit of a learning curve. After a lot of manual reading I finally have functional wi-fi and e-mail and a brand-new iTunes account. Whew. And the requisite Mah-Jong game. No Mah-Jong; no giving up Palmie.

I also have not one, but two FO’s. Here’s the first one:

Happy Legs

For: me

Began: April 13, 2010
Completed: November 24, 2010

Yarn: Newton’s Yarn Country Happy Feet, 100% superwash merino sock yarn, 1800 yds per pound, burgundy multi, .67 lb (just over 300g). Also, overdyed 70g of red/blue multi leftovers with black, used about 20g.

Needles: Clover Takumi bamboo dpns, 2.75mm, Aero aluminum 16” circular, 2.75mm, Addi Lace 24” circular, 2.75mm. Began legs with dpns and switched to circulars when piece got wide enough.

Notions: ¾” wide non-roll waistband elastic.

Pattern: Zarina Leggings by Phoenix Bess (Ravelry link) (US$6 purchase link)

Mods: Began with smallest size at ankle and speeded up the rate of increases to equal the XL by the upper leg. Made the legs 27” (5” shorter than pattern calls for).

Comments: These are quite warm and fit well but sag a little at the ankle. I probably could have gotten away with 25” legs. Then I might not have run out of yarn 1.5” before the turn for the elastic casing! The fabric is somewhat looser than I usually make my socks or it really would have taken me forever – and a lot more yarn. This turned out to be a well-written pattern and worth paying for. I certainly got my money’s worth of knitting out of it.

I’m going to save the second FO for the next post.

Currently there is still no grandbaby yet, though this state could change at any time. I knew you’d want to know if you missed anything. Nope. We did have some snow and cold but it’s warmed up somewhat now and melting. We’re back to the usual November drizzle. Bleh. Meanwhile my garden popsicles are thawing into limp mush. It remains to be seen what might have survived those several nights of –10C. That’s extremely cold for us and I’m sure there will be some damage to show for it. First we have to lose the rest of the ice and snow and then dry out enough to go look.