oh, right.

Knitting content. Yeah. Okay, well, first I just finished my zum Dirndl test-knit (photos here), which I was supposed to be all public about to get people excited about it. It is a joyful pattern, and a blast to knit, and results in a really, really great sock, but I was too busy actually knitting it to write about it while I was still in the process. Still, it should be available August 1st, says Yarnissima, so everybody go buy it, okay? Okay!

What else? Oh! Here's a photo of my WIP-shelf:

Yes, you see five bags and one bagless project (not that I'm out of bags, oh no. I gotta lotta bags). Left to right, a swatch for a LYS, the Muppet Socks, Ysabel (being designed), Giselle, Juana La Loca (also being designed), and Kelly's Namarie, on hold because it's too hot for a lapful of wool. Also being designed, sort of - I haven't charted the sleeves yet, or decided what to put on them: The Riddle of Strider, perhaps. And all of it, every single project, on hold for a top-secret test-knit, about which I can't give you a single hint, no not one. Once the pattern's published I'll tell you that I was one of the test knitters, but that's the best I can do. It's an awesome pattern, though.

And that's the knitty gritty (groan). There will be more pictures when I'm not knitting secrets.

jump-start

Thanks for the tag, Projektleiterin, and for reminding me that I still have this here blog thing. I've been doing, not documenting, which is just so wrong. After all, what is the point of action without publicity? (A lesson from Princess Diana, there). Sorry, I'm in a weird mood.

Right, so here's the meme, and then this weekend will be the zum Dirndl photos and a roundup of all the knittage, because actually, there has been quite a bit.

The Rules: each player answers the questions. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 or 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1. What I was doing 10 years ago:
I had to count back for this one. I'm pretty sure it was ten years ago that I was living alone in Port Townsend with Ignatz, working at the best ice-cream store in the world, taking community college classes and calling DrBob in Madison three times a week so he could at least maintain phone contact with our son. Single motherhood may have been hard, I don't know - I was too busy to notice.

2. What 5 things are on on my to-do list for today (in no particular order):

1. Buy a bunch of yarn
2. Mail some of that yarn to someone who shall not be named, because it's a surprise.
3. Bill my employers for the work I did in June
4. I knit some swatches for a yarn shop this week. I have to hand them in, along with the unused yarn.
5. Tidy the house before the cleaner comes
   

3. Snacks I enjoy:
Pistachios. Chocolate with mint. Toast with honey.

4. Things I would do if I was a billionaire:
(I loved Projektleiterin's answer to this.)

Pay off the houses of everyone in my family. Start college funds for my sons and my niblings. Buy the next U.S. election. Okay, maybe not. But philanthropize - I may not care for Bill Gates's business model, but I really admire him and Melinda for trying to use their billions to eradicate malaria.

5. Places I have lived:
Columbus, Ohio
Boston, Massachusetts
Brighton, England
Seattle, Washington
Östersund, Sweden

Tagging, ack. Is there anyone I know well enough to tag who hasn't already done this? Okay, I'm gonna nab Elemmaciltur, Leil, Tini, and, um... nope, I think everyone else has already done it.

ETA: Oh of course, how could I forget!? Vicki, you're tagged too, now. Ha!