MG: pooling woes

i'm learning variegated sock yarn may not be for me. on hubby's first sock, the pooling started off at a nifty spiral; then there was a bump in the yarn right after the heel, whereupon all the blue and yellow gathered on the back of the leg. i was slightly irritated at first by the irregularity, but the resulting sock made me happy.

on this mate-to-be sock, no bump, so the spiral continues up the leg in a contrived manner i never devised. i'm unhappy, but it's hard to bend pooling yarn to your will. below is my third attempt to adjust the pooling (efforts toward the top).


i've ripped since. after trying wrap and turn, knitting from the other end of the ball, and continuing the strand at a different point, i'm now turning AND starting at a different point on the strand. ok, this much angst isn't warranted; i'm just easily frustrated by not being able to control my knitting.

meanwhile, i've been dreaming of new projects as a break from pooling woes. this means lots of swatching. i like to swatch b/c you learn about the yarn and nothing is a mistake. these are Lanaknits Hempton (50% hemp/50% cotton, medium) and some of the beloved Manos using needles of various sizes. i'm thinking shrugs or short cardigans for either or both.


eat local challenge: last saturday i made my regular trip to the Berkeley Farmers' Market. first time since i got back; sigh... i'm home.



let's see... pluots & plums (like eating candy), onions, garlic, collards (it's delicious if not overcooked, i promise. quickly stirfried w/ garlic and mushrooms; take it out while still bright green; yum!), eggplants, avocado, early girl tomatoes, green zebra tomatoes (happy taste buds AND bio-diversity!), carrots, and a most perfect head of romaine lettuce (dense and crisp. it should squeak if you squeeze the base. hubby accused me of snuggling this head of lettuce while carrying it home. i can neither confirm nor deny that fact). and... something that begged for its own photo...


small jewels of sweet summer. they are small; what you see is only a pint. they are ripe and shiny and deep red and intoxicatingly fragrant. mmm... i'm thankful to have my market. eating local is delicious.