Monday, August 06, 2007

Slothful, Slovenly Girl!

Monkey Socks
I am now what my deceased grandmother would refer to as a slothful, slovenly girl. Soon the Darling Resident Marxist Curmudgeon will return home from 5 long weeks away of toiling in an underground nuclear lab only to find that our house has fallen into utter disrepair, with tall weeds coming up through the cracks in the sidewalk and the front garden lousy with Dandelions and Creeping Charlie. He will note with dismay that the recycling bin is full of empty tonic bottles and microwave dinner boxes. Luckily we don't have Tivo™ (we're the type of pathetic pseudo intellectuals that don't actually admit to watching tv), because he'd be treated to a cavalcade of dreck such as Beauty and the Geek, My Super Sweet-16, and several season-long marathons of America's Next Top Model. He'd immediately accuse the kids, but we'd know better. Hopefully he'll appreciate the pile of hand knit socks that will be buried underneath the stacks of unopened mail!

In that pile will be these little wonders, celebrity socks that truly need no introduction:
Monkey socks
The Specs:
Pattern: Cookie A's Monkey socks
Yarn: Brooklyn Handspun in Jungle Canopy
Needles: HiyaHiya circs size 2, Magic Loop
June-August, 2007
These were an enormous pleasure to do as the yarn and pattern were well matched, I just love these HiyaHiya Needles. If you have never knit with Brooklyn Handspun, it is so soft and is pool-proof. I have gotten many compliments on this color way from non-knitters, as this has been a very transportable project and has galavanted quite a bit around town with me.

Completing this project also fulfills another goal: the August UFO challenge. Kirsten (inspired by Beverly) of Through the Loops fame has started a Flickr group for those of that have many unfinished object loose ends to wrap up before hard core fall knitting begins. So if you are in a situation where you need a little motivation to finish up several wips, join us via the Flickr group! My goal is to
complete the random socks that have been started and have at some point been inexplicably set down : Retro Rib, Canal du Midi, and Embossed Leaves all come to mind, just off the top of my head. I'm also determined to finish my Shetland Triangle as well, dammit! I feel like if I could just finish the above-mentioned projects, I would somehow be free and clear and a brand-new-shiny- good person, and not a slothful, slovenly girl. Are there any projects that you'll be damned if you don't finish by the end of the summer?



35 comments:

Yarnhog said...

Your grandmother must have been a treat!

Those socks are beautiful. As for the mess, I infer that you were alone with kids while the dear hubby was away. In my book, that not only excuses the mess, but makes it his job to clean it up. And you can tell him I said so. Just don't use my real name.

Twisted Knitter said...

I can't even SAY "slothful, slovenly" without spitting -- it's a mouthful. :-)

Love your finishing frenzy but honestly, I have no goals of finishing anything substantial before the end of the summer. I'm the slothful, slovenly one.

The Monkeys are beautiful -- such vibrant colors!

Romi said...

Oooooooooooooh. The socks are yummy.

Sometimes sloth is good. :)

Dove Knits said...

Yes, but My Super Sweet 16 is so addictive. It's like watching trainwreck after trainwreck.

Them socks are lovely! I love the fun colors...

I'll be damned if I don't finish Lucky. Or it finishes me. I also need to at least START my mom's lacy jacket. I hope she didn't want it by THIS summer...

Tammy said...

Love. Your. Monkeys!!! Really, they are just gorgeous. How could any husband return from weeks of hard work and be anything less than delighted to find a bevy of handknit socks?!

As for goals, I can't set anything more than short term goals as I am prone to rebel even against my own plans. "Goal" is just too much of a commitment word for me.

Octopus Knits said...

Your grandmother sounds like she was a real charmer ; )

The Monkeys are gorgeous -- the yarn is stunning (and your knitting ain't bad, either)!

Anonymous said...

Great Monkey Socks! Loooove the colorway.

I feel pretty slothful lately too, and what's strange is that all I think about is how badly I need a vacation... heh

Anonymous said...

I'm sure he'll appreciate the pile of hand knit socks buried under the stacks of unopened letters. I'll even put $$ on it... :)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful socks! I need to join the August UFO challenge and finish the three pairs os socks that have been just sitting there for months!

Laura said...

Lovely socks!

Robin said...

Love the socks - the colorway is gorgeous! And yeah, Beauty & the Geek and America's Next Top Model (not to mention Project Runway) are my reality TV faves too.

sophanne said...

No projects of note nagging at me. I've come to grow comfortable with my WIP's. Does a completely frogged sweater count as a WIP? I didn't think so. I'm glad to read from both you and commenters that August is the month of sloth. I thought it was just me.

YawnOver said...

Nice Monkeys! Such a great pattern. I'm in a UFO mode too, so let's see...by the end of the summer I'm determined to finish an ancient felted bag project (damn i-cord) and would love to get the Einstein off the needles and ready to wear for fall. Fall semester is looming, though...we shall see!

Angela said...

I hope he doesn't blame the kids for the tonic bottles. The rest of the stuff you can easily put off on them!

Anonymous said...

I so enjoy your style of writing - even if you are a "pseudo intellectual." ;)

Those are some gorgeous monkeys!

Karen said...

I don't see it as Slothful and Slovenly - I see it as taking a much needed break from "real life". :) Your Monkey socks are beautiful. And hey, you can count them for August SAM4 too. See, one projects gets you two KAL credits . . . not slothful at all!!

Veronique said...

Isn't Marie's yarn wonderful?... I completely forgot about your Retro Ribs! I remember seeing you knitting them when you came to NY and drooling quite a bit.

Olga said...

Yes, my name is SlothfulAnn S. Lovenly. And dern proud of it!
No way would I join yet another group to make me feel more like a hopeless wannabe knitter cause I can't finish ANYTHING!!! I think sockmania has been a stern taskmaster enough.And I like the idea of blaming the kids for the booze bottles- ha ha ha.

Vicki said...

I must be in a Monkey mood today, that's the second pair today that has got me thinking of adding this to my queue. I wasn't that impressed with the pattern before.

Ahh, UFO's. I'd be just thrilled if I could finish up Trellis by the end of the month. It is so close, I just keep putting off the finishing. Good luck with your list!

Elizabeth said...

Heh - this is a funny entry. Cool socks, too. I think we've all got to be slothful and slovenly every now and then - it feels bad, but oh so good.

Kyle William said...

I am in love with these socks....beautiful pattern beautiful yarn - I want to get to the point that I can knit these socks.... but having not quite finished the first sock I have ever knit, I will pace myself and do some other socks before attempting these - :)

Gingersnaps with Tea... said...

I am slothful and slovenly (why does that make me think of a song by Warren Zevon?) no doubt about it. At least there's no one to complain (well there's my 13-y-o son but he's worse than I am)…and I have an unusually large # of vodka bottles in my recycling to boot but heck… I've had a rough Summer. I blame work, I clean endlessly there (a furniture store) so why on earth would I do it at home? My project that MUST be finished by the end of August is my mini wrap sweater. Your Monkey's are beautious by the way!!

Anonymous said...

Love the colors of these monkeys! Knit Heather Knit!

...Sarah said...

Happier than a pig in s#$t. Is a popular expression that my grandmother used to say. Looks like you were very happy while hubby was gone. Tell him you lost the will to trudge on while he was away. He probably won't buy it, but what the hell.

Love the socks!

Heather said...

Your posts are always so funny! The socks are beauty-ous. :) I have a UFO that became a frogged project that needs to become a FO before I start madly knitting sweaters. Maybe I'll join.

Senora Fuerte said...

Oh man! ANTM is the world's best knit'n'watch programming! Love those 10 hour marathons!!!

Anonymous said...

I can so relate. I have two shawls and a camisole that is problematic, but I have to finish one of these before it's time for the fall knits. Argh!

I envy your slothfulness!! I need a vacation so badly, but moving was the vacation.

Theresa said...

Love love the Monkeys!

Sonya said...

Sometimes a period of slothful, slovenliness feels so good! None of my 3 grandma's ever experienced it though, I'm sure. Those women worked hard.

Love your monkeys! The colors are great together and who doesn't love pool-proof-ness.

carrie said...

totally delovely colorway!! beautiful.

schrodinger said...

The socks are great. Brooklyn handspun really is a joy to knit with isn't it?

Woman who knits said...

Gorgeous!!!!

peaknits said...

This yarn is gorgeous and no kidding, no pooling - how awesome. The Monkey is so addicting! I need to try these needles - I am always in search of something pointy enough that I can't break:)

Anonymous said...

I'm in love with your monkey's! The colors are fantastic, very tropical.

*snicker* right before Mike comes home on break is when I clean off the kitchen counter from all the crap that gets pilled on there. He seems to think its clean all month long.. heehee!

a friend to knit with said...

totally giggling!
has it been 5 weeks already????
love the monkeys!