The Island at the End of the Road

We have found a place with better net access and so I figured that I should write a little more about our journey thus far.

We are still in Siwa Oasis and will be here for a couple more days. We are planning on going out into the desert -- the dunes of the Great Sand Sea -- tomorrow night and camping. On Friday we head back towards Alexandria for the weekend, then Cairo at the beginning of next week and then homewards.

This places is truly unlike anywhere else I have been before. I would love to return here. This journey has convinced me of two things: 1) I think I'm part desert rat and mountain goat, 2) I think that I take after my ancestor Sir Francis Drake. I love wandering and think that I have a natural talent for it. I am seriously thinking about how to do a round-the-world voyage!

Yesterday we explored the area surrounding Siwa. There is a small mountain north of town named Jebel Mawta -- the Mountain of the Dead. When the Romans had an outpost here, they buried their dead in niches cut into the rock. The topography of the land here makes catacombs unfeasible. During the battles fought between the Libyans and the Egyptians for control of the oasis, the Siwans would also hide in these niches.

We also went to see two ruined temples nearby: Alexander's temple and the Temple of the Oracle. Frankly these were kind of disappointing, although the story connected with them is interesting. Alexander the Great came here when he was in Egypt and sought the advice of the oracle of Zeus Ammon. Exactly what the oracle said is lost to time, but Alexander took it as comfirmation that he was a demigod and meant to establish an empire.

After the temples, we took a break at the pool known as Cleopatra's Spring (although there is no evidence she ever visited it). This is one of the most popular places that locals come to cool off. A lot of them wanted me to take pictures of them diving and so on. I didn't jump in, because I'm not a good diver, but Dave did and had a great time.

After that, we took the caretta back to town via a scenic route that goes by another mountain -- Jebel Dakhrour. Then we needed a siesta! I wasn't actually very sleepy, but I rested and finished the basketwork socks and cast on for the green King Charles socks that I had mentioned before.

In the evening, we hung out in the market square for a bit, had coffee and smoked the sheesha. Then we ate in a restaurant Albabenshal atop the ruined fortress Shali that overlooks the town. I had camel stew, which was very tasty!

In the next few days, I will try to fill in the gaps about our time in Alexandria, as well as updating on our current activity.

KnitML

So, I've been starting to play around with KnitML a little bit. For those who are not familiar with it, KnitML is an in-progress attempt to create an XML schema for knitting patterns. What?, I hear you ask. In other words, KnitML is a mark-up language for knitting, along with software to ensure that a pattern is actually knittable and to output the pattern in various human-readable forms. An example would probably be a good thing here, so...

The current version (0.3) of the software can take a pattern like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<pattern xmlns="http://www.knitml.com/schema/pattern"
 xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.knitml.com/schema/pattern http://www.knitml.com/schema/pattern-0.3.xsd">
 <directives>
  <message-source>pattern-messages</message-source>
 </directives>
 <general-information xml:lang="en">
  <name>Basic socks</name>
  <description>A basic sock pattern with 2x2 ribbing</description>
  <dimensions/>
  <gauge type="stockinette">
   <stitch-gauge unit="st/in">8</stitch-gauge>
   <row-gauge unit="row/in">12</row-gauge>
  </gauge>
  <techniques>
   <technique>knitting-in-the-round</technique>
  </techniques>
  <author>
   <first-name>Jonathan</first-name>
   <last-name>Whitall</last-name>
  </author>
  <copyright-info/>
 </general-information>
 <supplies>
  <yarns>
   <yarn-type id="lornas-1" brand="Lorna's Laces" category="Shepherd Sock" weight="fingering" catalog-id="33032">
    <ball-weight unit="g">50</ball-weight>
    <thickness unit="wrap/in">12</thickness>
   </yarn-type>
   <yarn id="main-color" typeref="lornas-1" message-key="yarn.main-color">
    <total-length unit="m">300</total-length>
    <total-weight unit="g">100</total-weight>
    <color name="watercolor" description="" number="233"/>
   </yarn>
  </yarns>
  <needles>
   <needle-type id="size1circ" type="circular" brand="Addi Turbo">
    <length unit="in">24</length>
    <size unit="US">1</size>
   </needle-type>
   <needle id="needle1" typeref="size1circ" message-key="needle.needle1"/>
   <needle id="needle2" typeref="size1circ" message-key="needle.needle2"/>
  </needles>
  <accessories/>
 </supplies>
 <directions>
  <instruction-group id="start">
   <use-needles>
    <needle idref="needle1"/>
   </use-needles>
   <cast-on style="long-tail">72</cast-on>
   <use-needles silent="true">
    <needle idref="needle1"/>
    <needle idref="needle2"/>
   </use-needles>
   <arrange-stitches-on-needles>
    <needle idref="needle1">36</needle>
    <needle idref="needle2">36</needle>
   </arrange-stitches-on-needles>
   <join-in-round/>
   .
   .
   .
  </instruction-group>
 </directions>
</pattern>

And turn it into something like this:

Basic socks
A basic sock pattern with 2x2 ribbing
By Jonathan Whitall

Stitch Gauge: 8 st/in
Row Gauge: 12 row/in

Yarn:
    100 g (300 m) of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (fingering weight) in watercolor (233)

Needles:
    2 circular needles size 1 US (2.25 mm): Addi Turbo, 24 in

Directions
----------
Use Needle 1. Using the long-tail method, cast on 72 stitches.
Arrange stitches as follows:
    Needle 1: 36 sts
    Needle 2: 36 sts
Join in round, being careful not to twist stitches.

Make the Cuff
-------------
Round 1: Purl
Round 2: *k1, p1, repeat from * to end
Repeat round 2 for 1.5 in.

Knit the Leg
------------
Round 1: *p1, k2, p1, repeat from * to end
Round 2: Knit
Repeat rounds 1-2 until desired length.

Make Heel Flap
--------------
Use Needle 1. Begin knitting flat.
Row 1: *k1, sl 1, repeat from * to 2 sts before end, k2
Row 2: sl 1, p to end
Repeat rows 1-2 17 additional times.

Turn the Heel
-------------
Row 1: sl 1, k19, ssk, k1, turn. 13 unworked stitches.
Row 2: sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn. 13 unworked stitches.

For the next set of rows, you will be decreasing across a small gap. For each row, you will work one additional stitch from the previous row until you are one stitch before the gap. Then you will decrease across the gap and work one more stitch for that row.
Row 3: sl 1, k to 1 st before gap, ssk, k1, turn. 11 unworked stitches.
Row 4: sl 1, p to 1 st before gap, p2tog, p1, turn. 11 unworked stitches.
Repeat rows 3-4 5 additional times.

Row 15: sl 1, k18, ssk
Row 16: sl 1, p18, p2tog
Row 17: sl 1, k9. End of round.

Work Gusset
-----------
Use Needle 1 and Needle 2. Begin knitting-in-the-round.
Arrange stitches as follows:
    Needle 1: 28 sts
    Needle 2: 28 sts
Round 1: 
    Needle 1: k10, pick up 18 stitches knitwise, place marker, *p1, k2, p1, repeat from * 4 times, p1, k1
    Needle 2: k1, p1, *p1, k2, p1, repeat from * 4 times, place marker, pick up 18 stitches knitwise, k10
Round 2: 
    Needle 1: k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1
    Needle 2: k1, ssk, k to end
Round 3: 
    Needle 1: k to marker
    Needle 2: k to end
Next round: 
    Needle 1: k to marker, remove marker. End of round.
Arrange stitches as follows:
    Needle 2: 36 sts
    Needle 1: 36 sts

Make the Foot
-------------
Round 1: 
    Instep Needle: p1, *k2, p2, repeat from * 8 times, k2, p1
    Sole Needle: k to end
Repeat round 1 until desired length.

Make the Toe
------------

Round 1: 
    Instep Needle: k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end, k2tog, k1
    Sole Needle: k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end, k2tog, k1
Round 2: Knit

Graft stitches together from Sole Needle and Instep Needle.

However, the same XML could be used to generate patterns in other languages, or even a graphical representation of the pattern. It could also be processed to account for changes in size or gauge. It's all pretty cool IMHO and has a lot of potential. Check out the site linked above if you're interested in learning more!

Sumer Is Icumen In

I have been feeling slightly guilty about not updating the blog more frequently, so here goes... it's not for lack of things to write about for sure! It's more a case of having lots going on at once.

First, we have finally changed over to the summer schedule at work and so I have been adjusting to that. It has actually been good to have morning sessions, even though I am not by nature a morning person. I have been using the impetus provided by getting up earlier to begin exercising a little bit every day. I have never succeeded with this when I have made it a formal resolution, but doing it this way seems to be working.

Second, I have been knitting along on my second sweater, which is going to be for Dave. It's a seamless bottom-up raglan in Lamb's Pride Bulky in blue. I have done the body up to the underarms and am now working on the sleeves.

Third, I have recently been taken by a fascination for weaving... I really want to learn how to do it but I'm not sure what's the best way to get started.

I've also been playing around with KnitML a little bit lately too. I'll talk more about that in another post.

Finally, here's a video from Circulus, a band that is entirely otherwise from anything you're familiar with, which explains the title of this post:

New Determination

Time for an update on things... I must admit that I have been slacking on my ScriptFrenzy project. However, in the last 24 hours, I have experienced a surge of renewed determination to not just participate, but to win! There is just under a week remaining until the end of the month. So by my calculations, I need to write at least 10 pages a day for the coming week. In fact, as few as 11 pages a day would put me over the goal in style. Right before I wrote this blog post, I had a burst of activity and am happy to say that my page count is now up to 37!

In other news, the sweater is proceeding apace. I am about a third of the way thru the yoke, and deep in the middle of the colorwork. I do like how the various shades of blue and green play with each other, although the shading from one to the next is more subtle than I thought it was going to be. I think it is due to the fact that most of the colors of Lopi have about the same level of saturation, and therefore the contrast is low. I have also discovered that when the sweater is illuminated by any kind of light that is towards the yellow/ red end of the spectrum (like incandescent lightbulbs), the main blue for the body and the darker green blend right together. In daylight or full-spectrum artificial (or even under fluorescents), the colors stand out more.

In other knitting news, I have been working a bit on the third pair of socks for the year. I am on the heel flap and will soon turn the heel. This is really turning into my favorite part of sock knitting. It looks as impressive as hell to non-knitters, yet it goes fairly quickly. It also makes it clear exactly what is that you're working on.

One last bit of news and then I'll wrap this up. I am so happy that the guys at Threadbear came thru with more tickets for Stitch'n'Pitch with the Lugnuts! I am really looking forward to hanging out at Oldsmobile Park with Dave and my fellow crafters, eating lots of good food, catching a game, and of course the goodie bags! It all makes for a happy pup!

Steam Powered Aereo Plane

When it comes to music, I often tend to stick with my favorite familiar artists (which encompass a wide range of genres and styles). Sometimes, though, an out-of-the-ordinary mood will possess me and I will take a by-way off the usual road.

I appreciate bluegrass and old-timey music, but don't listen to them on a regular basis. Today, however, I felt like it and wound up listening to a lot of John Hartford tunes (mostly from Aereo-Plain). While searching for lyrics, I somehow stumbled across the Old Crow Medicine Show. I had heard of them before, but had never listened to any of their songs. Anyway, I got hooked and spent a large portion of the evening listening to their stuff on YouTube. Here's the video for their song "I Hear Them All".



Lovely stuff, and I really want to see them live now!

In other updates, Script Frenzy is going along alright, I guess. I am up to 20 pages and am figuring out how to patch plot holes as I go. I am also learning more about my characters, who are going in some surprising directions.

As far as knitting is concerned, I finished the stranded tam'o'shanter that was to be a birthday gift and delivered it to its recipient. I am still working on the intarsia-in-the-round hat. I'm about halfway thru the chart and then I'll do the crown shaping. After that I need to figure out how I want to use short rows to shape the brim and do the duplicate stitch for the smiley-face details. I am pleased that I've learned about this method of intarsia, but doubt that I'll use it again soon.

Getting started on another one of my goals for '08

Today I have started on my first sweater. It's going to be a seamless Icelandic yoke style done in blue and green heathered Lopi yarn. I am going to use the Zimmerman Percentage System to get the sizing right and pretty much make it up as I go for the color patterning. The nice thing about Lopi yarn is that the knitting goes quickly, since the yarn is so bulky! I pretty much have the ribbing for the body done already.

UPDATE: I now have the body over halfway done.

UPDATE 2: I'm now working on the sleeves, using the same 2-on-2-circs technique that I've been using for socks. I'm past the forearm shaping and into the straight stretch up to the underarms.

Unventing Things

I have been on the hunt for copies of Elizabeth Zimmerman's books for a while now (I know, I know, Amazon; but I like to flip thru a book before I decide to buy it). Anyway, I recently found a copy of "Knitting Without Tears" and have read it cover to cover within the last couple of days. I love her writing style and agree with the idea that had EZ lived a few years later, she would have made an excellent blogger.

More than the writing, though, I appreciate her approach to seamless sweater design. I now feel like I can make my own Lopi-style sweater on the fly, without having to slavishly follow someone else's pattern. I am really itching to start, and think that I will begin as soon as the current socks (done in basket-weave pattern) are finished.

Sock Photos

Here are the photos of the new pair of socks, being modeled by Dave.

Moving Right Along

Well, the second pair of socks done using the "2 on 2 circs" technique are complete! I'm happy with how these turned out as well. (They are a gift for Dave and the fit is perfect.) They are done in Jawoll Jacquard yarn and look a lot more complicated than they really were. I'll try to get pics up soon.

This is also the first time I've experimented with "Mail2Blogger", which I can foresee being very handy when we're travelling!

Don't Call It a Conversion...

The socks are done, and now I see the light about why sock knitting is so addictive for some folks! The look and fit is great, and now I simply never want to be without hand-knitted wool stockings swaddling my feet!

Thank goodness for Elann and KnitPicks, so that there is affordable sock yarn out there. Otherwise, this has the potential to turn into a rather expensive habit...

Fawkes v2.0

The second version of the hat pattern that I created is done! I am very happy with the way that the shaping turned out as well as the new colorway and choice of yarn. The only thing that I might try differently next time is to go down a size on the needles to tighten up the gauge a bit.

Here's a photo:

Ravelry Yay!

My invitation for Ravelry arrived a couple of days ago, and let me tell you, it's as cool as the hype has made it out to be. It's really neat to be able to show off your projects and to find inspiration for other stuff to make. The user groups and forums are pretty cool as well. My username on there is also wanderingpup in case you would like to check out my project notebook.

Thanksgiving went fine. We got to see the immediate family in Tennessee as well as a bunch of extended family on my Dad's side in Kentucky on the way back. I am already very much looking forward to the Christmas plans for Carolina.

The photo that I promised of the finished Shedir is here:



Also, I just had to share this pic of the most appropriate post-Thanksgiving church sign that I've ever seen!

Fawkes and Shedir

Well, the first version of the flame chevron hat pattern that I mentioned before is done. I decided to name the pattern Fawkes, continuing along the fiery theme. Here's how it looks:



I generally like how it turned out, but there are a couple of things that I'm planning to change. I want to find a darker red/purple yarn to make it in, for one thing. I'm willing to take suggestions on that! I'd also like to make it slightly larger and maybe adjust the cap shaping. I've already figured out how I'll change the repeats for a larger version. Here's how the hat looks being worn:



I plan to write up the pattern, but I think that I will wait until my Ravelry invite arrives to actually post it. (Only 4003 3713 2908 people ahead of me in line!) In the meantime, I have cast on for Shedir, done in Nashua Handknits Cilantro color 014. This is for a friend who is battling breast cancer right now. As lovely as the pattern is, I wish there were no need for it...

Wavy Gravy!

Here's the finished product for the Wavy Gravy hat that I mentioned in my previous post. Who knew Teddy was such a fashion plate?



Better shot to see how the colors are gorgeous and slowly change from one round to the next.

New Project

I've been away from my knitting for far too long. With the autumn here and winter approaching, I felt the need to make a new hat. I'd had my eye on this pattern for a Peruvian-inspired chullo for a little while. I love geometric colorwork and natural earth tones, so I decided to go for it. After a quick trip to Rae's Yarn Boutique, I was all set to go. I'll keep you updated on how it goes!

UPDATE: Grr! I just discovered that the cast-on row got twisted when I joined it and had to rip it out and start again. Knitting is great for developing patience...