Friday, July 20, 2007

A small request - Harry Potter


I really have no right to ask the following favor of my blog friends. I know I've been a horrible blogger the past two months. I've been keeping up with all of your blogs, even if I haven't been commenting as much as usual. There's no reason for it, really. I think I can blame some of it on the Florida heat in summer, and how it turns my brain to mush. It could also be that the longer I go without posting anything, the more finished projects I have and the more I realize how much I have to catch up. Since the time of my last post I've finished three pairs of socks and a lace scarf. So when I finally write a real knitting post next week, I am going to look like a knitting machine!

Out of all those socks I've made since June, not one of them is for my Sockapalooza pal. In my defense, my sock pal likes short row heels and, since I've never done short row heels before, I have been practicing not knitting short row heels with giant holes at the ankles (I still have giant holes, any suggestions?). After months of indecision of which pattern and yarn to use, I think I've finally got it. So, this weekend I begin my Sockapalooza marathon. I'm not coming up for air until they're done.

So here is my dilemma: because I didn't plan ahead very well, I didn't realize I'd be starting my Sockapalooza marathon on July 21st, the date I've been waiting for for TWO YEARS. I'm not letting myself read The Deathly Hallows until after I get the socks done. I feel like a little kid who can't come out to play because she hasn't finished her homework. Not that knitting socks is homework, but you get the picture. When the socks are done I'm going to make myself some delicious rock buns, brew some lemon ginger and savor every last word.

So here is my favor I need to ask all of you. Please, oh please! please! please! don't blog about the ending of the book or post any spoilers. Can you give me a week? I'll probably go into semi-seclusion next week anyway; no news on television, no newspaper, limited blog reading. Maybe no blog reading. Just Sockapalooza knitting. But still, I could accidently see or hear something if I'm not careful.

In other news:

1. I have the best Virtual Vacation and Sockapalooza pals! I've been having great fun getting email updates and even a real postcard! Thank you!

2. If you're in the Tampa Bay area, come on by the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club tonight for St. Pete Shuffle. We're having a Hogwarts tournament from 8-10pm. We're also having a raffle to win Barnes & Noble and Muvico gift certificates. You could win a gift certificate to buy The Deathly Hallows, then head out to the bookstore to get your copy.

3. Does anyone know if Koigu is superwash? It doesn't say so on the label, but I've heard it is. I washed a test swatch last night and everything looks okay. But what about multiple washings? Does it hold up? If anyone has any experience machine washing Koigu, I'd appreciate some advise.

I'll have knitting updates next week. Have a great weekend everybody. But please... I beg you, shhhhh!!

3 comments:

Todd Gardner said...

Improbable spoiler alert...

In an ironic twist,

Koigu is the name of a new character in the Potter Series who is larger than Grawp. The first 600 pages are about him learning to walk and talk, and the dramatic conclusion is mostly Godzilla mixed with a dash of Hamlet. Koigu the sad, misunderstood creature is thirsty and mistakenly drinks Butterbeer instead of water. He staggers around for a bit and then comes crashing down. What may have been comical becomes tragic as Koigu smashes Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco, Snape, Dobby, a reborn Dumbledore and Sirius, and everyone else while totally razing Hogwarts in the process.

Maybe I just dreamed that,

Todd Gardner

KBlicious said...

hi! i'm so sorry the hole-less heel trick didn't work for you!!! i can't remember which one i showed you, so here are two tutorials i used, i hope they help: here and here good luck!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sock Pal!

My trick for short row heels is only to wrap the stitch when making the short rows - not when picking them up - and to give the yarn a bit of a tug after you've picked up the wrapped stitch. works a treat as you'll see when you get your socks on August 7th!

Best

Your mystery sock pal!

PS the big twist in HP7 is that Hermione knits continental (gasp!)