Three Dog Night...

Okay, I give. UNCLE! It's just plain cold. Here's the scenario, which I'm sure I've mentioned numerous times before. We bought a house. The house has an apartment attached. The apartment is finished. The house is not. We live in the apartment. The house is heated by hot water. We have the heat on in the house set at 50 F, just to keep things working. The apartment is heated with electric heat. We have the heat on in the apartment at around 20 C (I can swing both ways in the temp department...it's a talent honed by living near the border). The apartment is frickin' FREEZING! The house, by comparision, is rather comfortable when I am in there, usually stealing food and cookware from the kitchen to bring over here to cook (that's a convoluted situation that only requires explaining at another time). It finally clicked that the vents in the foundation were still open, so the constable went and closed those last night, which admitedly, makes the floor a wee bit warmer, but does nothing for the surrounding atmosphere. My nose is always cold, my fingers get cold...the cold cuts right through me. Any time we're just sitting in our livingroom, we're huddled under at least a couple of blankets.

Last night I was conjuring up all sorts of woolen wonders...double layered socks and impossibly thick sweaters. Thanks heavens for our duvet. That and flannel sheets and you have the only place in this blasted apartment that is truly comfortable to be. I relish going to bed, and wonder why I don't just live there full time.

Early settlers and cave dwellers and the like used to have numerous dogs that they slept with, to conserve body heat. I don't know if one will be enough, but at least he's on his way. Speaking of which, gratuitous cute puppy photo is about to befall you:



I don't know if this is a male or a female, but who cares. Isn't this adorable??? Just a little ball of fuzz.



See? Now these guys know how to keep warm...grow some fur, grab a buddy.

The breeder lady has been awesome about sending photos of the puppy progress. They're four weeks old now! Not too much longer. Only a couple of people have tossed their name in the ring, and it was Otto I believe, which is a good name. I still am welcoming submissions if anyone is interested. There will be prizes. One for a really good name, regarless of whether we use it, another for a really ridiculous name, one that makes me laugh and then a random draw type thingy. Hank is still clearly in the lead among the whopping 8 votes received. And interesting tidbit; whilst watching CSI; The Original Series on Thurs., it was revealed that Grissom has a dog named Hank. I think Grissom is a good name for a dog. (aside: Anyone else absolutely elated that Jorja Fox {Sarah Sidle} looks to be leaving the show? She's always really bugged me.)

And now to knitting. After working with black for so long, I was in desperate need of colour. I saw a pair of socks on Ravelry, and I just had to knit them.



These were knit by semperfiona, the link is to her flickr page and they were knit using the Regia Nation Colour Rainbow colourway, which, after knitting a pair of kids socks with them, I just went nuts over. The pattern came from More Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. I believe the stitch pattern is called Moorish Stripe? Yes, yes it is (had to consult with Ravelry on that one).

So anyway, I thought I would give it a test run before I used up my one remaining skein of Nation Colour. I couldn't wait to get the actual pattern, so using the picture, I charted one out that looked approximate. I've never really knit Fair Isle before, just a mere dabbling with some swatches, but I thought it can't be impossible, cuz so many people do it. It's funny, I think that some knitting territory are just places I will never be able to get to, and then I just go ahead and try it and what do you know, some measure of success.



About halfway through doing my usual common heel, I realized that that wasn't going to work with Fair Isle. So I ripped it back and looked up an afterthought heel tutorial online. The pink yarn stripe there is where I would eventually do the heel. I'd never done an afterthough heel before, so that was uncharted ground as well.



I did the heel in pink, cuz I can and it was more of that colour that I needed, and I can't believe how easy it was! I love the fit. Much nicer than the common heel. I think I'll be doing my socks this way from now on. And two handed Fair Isle isn't so bad either. One colour is knit continental, the other English, and it goes really quickly. I changed up the pattern on the foot and I also got to practice more of my proper grafting and I think I can now say, after lo these many years of sock knitting, that I can properly knit a sock. It was also revealed last night that the constable would wear more of my hand knit socks if I did the afterthought heel. He 'fessed up that he didn't wear the socks I've made him because he didn't like the heel or how short I knit the cuffs. Explaining that 'ribbing is boring' didn't seem to impress him much. So maybe he'll get a pair for Christmas. Maybe.

Anyhow, it's time I got back to being cold, so I'm going to go and do that now. Hope y'all are warm wherever you are. Until later...