until the first day of school. I don't think I've ever been this tired, and I'm a woman who regularly stays up for 24-48 hours straight without even thinking about it. Why if it wasn't for these
I'd be delirious. I can't tell you how much I love these socks. (Two notes about the photo: I need a new porch, and yes, I've been working out, thanks for noticing) These hand-dyed, hand-spun and hand knit beauties are bringing much joy into my beleaguered existence where days are marked out only by the ongoing parade of children's activities, impending work deadlines and impossible amounts of food and laundry. The children have had so much fun in the last few days that I feel like I'm clinging to life with my happy socks clutched in my hands as a talisman for better days. I'm so tired that twice during phone calls in the last 24 hours (and with two different people) they've stopped talking, and asked me if I was still there. Both times I said "Oh yes..." but I was lying. (Sorry Kelly) I just sit there glazed over, staring into space, I can hear the other person talking but I can't seem to remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All am sure I am supposed to be doing is whatever I'm not doing at that moment. For example, I am working at the computer, but sure I should be doing something with the children, so I go do something with the children but feel worried while I'm doing that because I'm not working. To get around this, since I'm a sensible woman who doesn't like feeling bad, I've decided to spend my days caring for the home and family (except for client visits and phone calls), then get up several hours before them in the morning and work then. I think this relieves the conflict, which is good, but it may kill me. I've not decided if that's good or bad. Somehow in the blur of work/kids/summer/laundry I still found the time to nurture my relationship with The Dublin Bay socks, here seen enjoying the view from a paddle boat atop Ken's shoulder.
They enjoyed the paddle boats as much as Ken. (Can we have a little vote here? Are these "Paddle Boats" or "Pedal Boats"?)
In addition, I've made up my mind about something. This is the back of a little Aran Cardie I'm starting. (It's the "baby bobble jacket" from this book, if ya' care, and you should, it's a good book)
I'm going to frog it. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, she can be taught. This jacket is for a baby boy, and I'm not going to wait until I'm half done to have somebody explain yet another neurotic and weird rule of male dressing to me. I thought I had it licked with the colour, not girlie, and what could be more masculine than cables? If you are attentive, you can catch a whiff of testosterone off them.
Yet, despite all this it is doomed. Why?
Bobbles are girlie. Betcha.
Well, I'd have to ask who are you thinking about as it relates to the boat? If you are thinking about yourself, then it would certainly be a pedal boat, as that is the part of the boat that you have to deal with, and it takes a lot of work. If you are thinking about the boat, then it would certainly be a paddle boat, because the paddles are what actually propel the boat through the water. I'd say call it whatever you want. Everyone will know what you are talking about, and nothing is wrong with indulging selfish feelings when it is between you and a boat.
Posted by: LauraA at July 13, 2004 1:01 PMThe socks look great! Who cares about the porch! Fixing that will take away time from knitting and spinning. It's too bad that you have to frog the jacket. Are you planning on starting a new one sans bobbles?
Posted by: Stacie at July 13, 2004 1:04 PMpaddle boats. definitely paddle boats. ;)
Posted by: maeve at July 13, 2004 1:15 PMPaddle. The socks are beautiful. They glow. And your calf muscles are lovely. Get some sleep woman!
Posted by: Melissa at July 13, 2004 1:27 PMYou mean it doesn't get better as the children get older? Shoot me now! I feel for you-- cling to the knitting. I know that helps!
Posted by: Kate at July 13, 2004 1:28 PMThose are some fine leg-al muscles there missy. If you've got some good arm boosting tips (triceps especially), share them please.
Posted by: claudia at July 13, 2004 1:37 PMI am also impressed with those calves! Good for you! The socks are so fun - great job! The colors are so happy-looking and summery. (Oh, and I, too, cast a vote in favor of "paddle boats.") :)
Posted by: Sarah C. at July 13, 2004 1:39 PMCorrect me if I am wrong, but don't all males, including babies, have 'bobbles'?? You would think they would feel some symbolic one-ness with them
The baby will love the sweater, and be grateful that someone made something for them rather than bought some mass-produced polyester item from Taiwan
Posted by: Knittykim at July 13, 2004 1:43 PMDa-amn! Those are some ripped calves, girl! Nice gams.
Is the Dublin Bay over her snit about meeting the other socks? Luanne's still pouting.
Posted by: Nathania at July 13, 2004 1:54 PMHarlot - I love your new socks. I can't help but wonder about those dublin bay ones tho- they don't look any longer since any of the other photos. Could it be you're just taking the socks with you and _not_ actually working on them? If that's the case, I think they know...
Definitely frog. That jacket is too complex for a boy. Bobbles are nice, but when I see a kid wrapped in a sweater that has 10,000 bobbles, I just want to hug and nearly squeeze the life from it.... I don't think they like that.
Posted by: Aubergine at July 13, 2004 1:54 PMI am afraid that the last chance you get to put a boy in bobbles and/or lace in our day and age is for the christening, so you are doing the right thing here. Too bad, it is a cute pattern.
By the way, I once got to know a (nice but very shy) neighbor through a christening gown. As I was sitting on my balcony one day, a ball of crochet cotton came sailing by, followed soon after by a plastic bag. The yarn caught on a bush in the planter on my balcony, so she had to ask me to get it loose. I think the cat had something to do with the ball of cotton, but the neighbor threw the christening gown after it herself because she didn't want to cut the thread.
Posted by: Elizabeth in Norway at July 13, 2004 2:23 PM
The Harlot can kick serious butt with those calves!
Vote: Paddle in my neck of the woods.
Kids: They'll sort themselves out. I think. I'm sure they will... I don't know for sure since I stopped while I was behind, yes, at one child. But hey, remember, you can kick serious butt with those hot calves!
Posted by: roggey at July 13, 2004 2:36 PMHmmm...I've always been partial to calling it a pedal boat myself, but according to Merriam-Webster online, it is definitely paddleboat. Although it isn't defined as a boat propelled by people pushing pedals. Maybe Merriam-Webster is not aware of this kind of boat.
By the way, those are definitely ballet legs (though you'd need to push up a little higher on the balls of your feet for a good releve). Fabulous socks (as if you didn't already know).
Posted by: Amanda* at July 13, 2004 2:39 PMI notice Ken is wearing the Utilikilt. Is he working on the "Below the Knee Tan'?
Posted by: carlarey at July 13, 2004 3:22 PMI missed the utili-kilt thing. Pretty brave, now that I think about it, to hold your hands up on a roller coaster when in a kilt!
I love the roller-coaster picture, Stephanie...particularly the fact that you do appear to be crying....
:-)
Posted by: MaryB at July 13, 2004 4:13 PMSometimes I feel like saving the picture of those socks to my computer, just so I can enjoy them as best as I ever can. *sigh* Beautiful!
Posted by: Julie at July 13, 2004 4:17 PMNothing witty today -- just sighs of admiration for socks and calves.
Paddle here.
And I find rollercoasters upsetting too. And that's while clinging with a death grip to the sides!
Posted by: Rana at July 13, 2004 4:49 PMI can't stop looking at those socks. I want to knit some so bad I can't stand it. But I don't spin and I don't dye. But boy, they really are just stellar! Did you see these boots?
http://www.geocities.com/theyarnbarnonline/regia.html
I think we need to buy some.
I'm sure the technical name is 'pedal', but 'paddle' is way more charming.
And had you called me before casting on, I could've told you bobbles are emasculating. Of course, you probably wouldn't heard what I said, what with your current state of sleep deprivation...
Posted by: Lene at July 13, 2004 6:29 PMMy tired eyes read "baby bobble jacket" as "baby boobie jacket" and I immediately thought you were making a jacket for a nursing mother and wondered if the baby would mistake a bobble for a boobie. . . oy vey! I'm tired too!
Posted by: Mary at July 13, 2004 7:12 PMYou are right to frog Oh Great Sleepless Harlot of the amazing calves. Boys and "girlie" stuff makes no more sense than Cdn. metric and imperial (where and when) but as the mother of two boys now 21 and 24, there is no-way-in-hell they would a. wear it, b. be caught dead in it if the males in their lives had anything to do with it. Even Christining gowns. My sons wore one because I told my husband that if they didn't it was his job to explain to their godmother that it was not good enough for them and her hard work and hours spent making all that hairpin lace were not appreciated. At the last possible moment, he caved. (I knew he would, and hadn't dressed them yet)
Paddle boat peddle boat. Call it your favourite of the two. In my family we call a cradle an "orckit" because for some reason that is what the older kid called it when he was 2, and we liked it better.
Barb
Nice socks. Great calves!! I love that book too.
Posted by: Lynette at July 13, 2004 7:53 PMThe Dublin Bay sock is getting out more than I am! That is a little scary: a sock has a more exciting social life -- and spends more time in the sunshine -- than I do.
The new socks are great, your gams are hot, and I vote for "paddle boats."
Posted by: alison at July 13, 2004 10:14 PMI don't know if it's my computer or your blog but the right-hand column is obscuring part of the written text and I can't read it all. There's also extra white space to the right of the right-hand column.
Posted by: Charlotte at July 14, 2004 12:42 AMGreat legs. Oops, socks! Great raves, oops, blogging too. And here in Oz, they are paddle boats and I love them :-)
Posted by: Lynne at July 14, 2004 4:16 AMgreat socks, even more impressive gams!
just wondering, are you a midwife? doula? or just baby and birth-inspired?
and the debbie bliss boy-baby sweater is grand - do not frog- i have 3 boys and they happily wear cables and bobbles- they have to!
cheers
suzan
Great socks! Love how you worked the colors! And those calves are awesome.
Posted by: froggy at July 14, 2004 9:15 AMPaddle.
The problem isn't the bobbles, it's that the bottombobbles (the beautiful bottombobbles) make the edge look ruffled, and even bobble-tolerant guys draw the line at ruffles. And my text has been being cut off by the right column for a week or two as well. It's fine on the comments page, so I've been reading there, but I wonder if your frames settings got tweaked?
Good golly gal, how much time did you spend pedaling that paddleboat to get calves like that! The socks are divine. I purposely did not knit today while reading your blog, 'cos you know how jealous my socks are getting over the good time you are showing the Dublin socks. Personally I think the more intricate the knitting of any baby sweater, the more spit up it draws. My kids purposely held back until dressed in their Sunday-go-to-meetin' picture-takin' best.
Posted by: Bliss at July 14, 2004 12:37 PMWhen I first saw that little bit of the sweater, I was kind of hoping it was for me! I take no offense against bobbles or cables!
I vote for paddle. Especially when someone else is pedalling!!!!
My socks are jealous of your socks, both pairs! And those calves. If only I had the energy to do something about mine. Anyway, my socks only got to go to the beach yesterday where the kids threw sand all over them, and a couple of women called me obsessed after complimenting me on them! Can you believe it? Obsession, no. Dedication, maybe...
Forgot to mention I was having problems with the right margin being cut off as well. But then i would just read it on the comments page like others. happy knitting
Posted by: Barbara at July 14, 2004 8:03 PMAh, yes---that Debbie Bliss. I've fallen into her traps many times.....It is only with steely resolve that I can now skip over her books when browsing the knit literature. A mantra helps: "too many seams no charts" Repeat until sanity returns....or you decide to take on the challenge of redoing the pattern in the round (or at least one-piece-up-to-the-armholes) and substituting a NOT cotton (tho there are some lovely cotton-a* or cotton-wool blends that are waaaay more pleasant to work with.......).
Disclaimer: these are MY personal biases--your mileage may vary.
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