Missing Post, Finished Socks and Beads

Yesterday, I typed up a post on Ten Teeny Rants.  It was taking off on the Knitting Curmudgeons Ten Things Tuesday post of the week.

I was SURE I'd published it.  I even thought it was pretty good.

Today, it appears to be gone. (likely just as well, but still).

That would go a the top of my list, for sure.  But which rant would it replace?  One of the big ones? or one of the little silly ones?

Folks who don't recycle when it's easy, and worse the ones who litter (resulting in trash blowing into my yard)? Religious intolerance? People who think that my duties as laundress of the house include unwadding jeans and socks from the balls into which people managed to torture them (or the same folks who think those duties include foraging in pockets for wrappers, candy, lip balm, notes, money, stones etc. etc.)? The little things that you have to use to prove that you're a human in order to post comments on blogs?  Automated phone systems? The media -- that has to wallow in the slightest bad thing, but can't share the good?  The TV stations who run R rated ads for R rated shows during prime time and shows that are kid friendly?   

Yeah, I know, that's not ten.  And the gripes aren't explained either... I'd rewrite the whole thing (with links and all), but today I'm distracted by finished socks and unexpected beads.

Yes... it's true. I finished something:

First, before I could truly finish, there was a bit of frogging of the prior edging.  Then there was working the double-knitting phase of a tubular bind off (let's not forget the rib element), and finally, the grafting phase:

I finished one sock during piano lessons (where there was lovely light to take pictures), and the other during trombone lessons.  Let's hear it for music!

Of course, by the time I got home to take pictures of the socks installed, we'd lost all decent light.

Now then. Can anyone explain how they look like they're two different colors when they came from the same hank of yarn?

Me either.  But I'll try to get better pictures soon.

High on that sense of accomplishment, I gleefully welcomed DTB Elizabeth in for knitting.  We didn't get nearly as far as we usually do.  First we had to play with beads.  There was a bead attack, during which I seem to have ordered four different choices for my shawl, and two for hers from the Bead Wrangler (who, btw, gave lightening fast service) ...  We threaded our options onto our yarn, and laid the yarn across the shawls and pondered. 

Actually, I think I did a pretty good job, what with not being a bead expert, and not knowing the difference between clear and silver lined and color lined and rainbow and metallic etc, and ordering late at night in a bit of a frenzy.  Out of six vials of beads, only one was clearly wrong, and another, that looked practically identical in the tube -- looked great on the yarn.

Then, having confirmed that the beads were right, we approached the charts, consulted with Mary (the Beading Genius), and planned bead placement.  Only then did we settle in to knit with Raven Clan Laci for the evening.  All the bead fuss cut our knitting progress in half:

It's hard to tell, but two of the rows we knit had beads in them

If you look really closely, you can see the beads there. Look near the yos. They're subtle, but that's what I wanted.  Perhaps with actual daylight I can get better pictures....

Comments

[Maria]

I was thinking of you today as I pulled out Irtfa'a. Don't you feel like you have to re-educate yourself when you've not worked on it for a while? I worked at it while one of the kids was at piano. I started the second chart and now I have to find a mistake.

[Nora]

Thanks for the link! What lovely work - your socks and shawl are wonderful!!

[Bev]

Sorry about focusing on the rants...but...I HAVE THE SAME ONES! Specially the wadded up socks and distorted pants legs. Add a bit of wrongside out shirt to that and you have all the ingredients to really push me over the edge! And, what about waitresses and service people that apologize to you after every sentence! What? Why? Is there something that you are planning to do wrong and you are getting the "I'm sorry" out of the way beforehand? Stop! Now! Please!
Okay, rant time complete. Great shawls btw!

[janna]

The beads look great -- subtle is what you want. And I love the socks!

[polly]

the socks are lovely even if the colours aren't identical. I'm working on a stole in malabrigo lace and although the same dyelot, there's variations in the skeins. Not ugly but noticeable. It's one of the little surprises in the variegated yarns.