I is learnded a new things.

*Note, somewhere out there, Ducky is weeping over that title...*

I just joined a little sub-group on Ravelry called the Amazing Flying Squirrel Karma Team. They're a group of obviously nutty (pun!) knitters who knit things for charitable causes. That means they knit things not just for specific charities, but also for people who need a lift, or something to snuggle. I've got 2 squares in the works: 1 a simple green 12 inch square for a grieving family, and another a rather interesting square of my own devising. Here's the thing: I worked out the idea in my head before 50% learning the skills needed to make the square (and I'd say I'm probably still doing about 10% of it wrong...). So, I taught myself Intarsia.

Intarsia is basically a way of working blocks of colour into a knitted piece without having to "carry" the yarn across the blocks of colour. Rememeber when you were a kid, and your grandmother knitted you the sweater with the picture of a snowman on it? If you flipped it inside-out, and it looked like the white parts were somehow almost stitched into the fabric, she was probably using Intarsia. If the background colour lay in strands across the backside of the snowman, she was probably stranding, which is just carrying the yarn across the back. Both ways are ok, Intarsia's just nicer, especially with big blocks of colour.

If the snowman was made of felt, and when you flipped it inside out there was no snowman, she probably just sewed it on.

If your grandmother didn't knit... well, you probably never had that sweater. I kind of feel bad for you then. *hugs!* Everyone should have someone who knits for them... And everyone should have something knitted involving a snowman... it's Tradition!

...Anyways.

So, yes, I taught myself another knitting skill using patience and some very... interesting YouTube videos. It took 2-3 tries to figure it out, but I got it in the end.

I've been on a knit-binge recently, because really, what the hell else do I do with my day? I still kind of daydream about opening a Yarn Shop, but I think the market in Toronto is kind of... Saturated. I'd have to find somewhere lacking in yarney goodness first.

Anyways, knitting. Yes. I've got a massive amount of work to do. Enough, actually, that I've had to start up a spread sheet! That says a lot for me... anyone whose worked with me knows that I kind of hate Excel. I find it cold, clinical and a little confusing at times. Usually, I'd make a chart using MS word, but this... it was definatly a job for Excel, and it's working nicely.

On the needles right now are the following:

1) Intarsia sqare. It's actually almost done... I have to finish the knitting, do some seaming and then throw on some creative embroidery. Should be done early tomorrow.

2) Jan's birthday mitt (they don't have internet, so I can post it here). I'm making her Thrummed Mittens for her Birthday, which is being celebrated in 10 days. I have to close the top of the first Mitt, add the afterthought thumb, and then knit the entierty of the second mitt. Hmm... this will be a project for Knitting group tomorrow night...

3) Black Mitts for Cameron. Kristy asked me to make some for him, and I'm happy to do so, but I lost one of the needed DPNs... I might not be able to substitute it, which will mean another do-over (the last one was because I dropped a stitch or 8 on the subway...).

Things yet to go on needles:

1) Black Hat for Cameron, to go with the Mitts, of course.

2) The Green comfort square. I might just do another grandmother's dishcloth style square. I'm sure I have some nice soft green laying around somewhere, and if not, I have some too-small squares I can rip back.

3) Adam's scarf. He picked the BEST YARN EVER for it, and I'm excited to get it on needles.

4) Mitts for Kathy, because she deserves them!

5) Another pair of thrummed mitts (gift!)

6) John's Fornicating Deer Socks (gift... though he might have to get them after Christmas at this rate...)

7) A few dozen Socks! (Gifts!)

8) About a BILLION baby/toddler gifties...

9) A nice floor matt for Sorrelle, because Kathy said so...

10) Christmas tree ornaments. I've got planz for those, involving christmas cotton and itty-bitty sheepies. Maybe even a Llama. A little Llama fuzzy llama funny llama llama llama duck...

Yeah, it's still stuck in my head.

Alright, bed time now, all good knitters need their rest.

More tomorrow. Pics even!