I succumbed… this is my project-that-dare-not-speak-its-name. Finished this morning, final dimensions: 6′ x 1′. I thought the drape of the SWTC Bamboo would make a nice gay Euro scarf and it would be a great chance to play with dropped stitches. Why not try the most contagious pattern on the Interwebs?

I blame the podcasts (specifically Brenda‘s first episode) for piquing my interest in this oft-knit pattern. Now, I’m not a shawl guy (per new ex-pats in Germany podcast Knitters Uncensored)… I call it a scarf. Besides, the c(l/r)apotis is not in the same league as these shawls#151;have you seen what Elemmaciltur and Mel have made?

I started this black/white/red/silver guy last December and it’s been hibernating for a few months as socks have taken over my world. Cataloguing it into my Ravelry account brought it back to my attention. Just about a foot left, it was a nice break from the round-and-round of my current cable-y sock fetish to work simple and flat. I started this to satisfy my long-running “gay Euro scarf” crush. Obviously multi-stranded knitted yarn is nothing like woven cotton/linen, as proven by the one item of clothing I bought in France (a striped green and blue gay Euro scarf).

Speaking of which, I’m well-aware that I owe you many a post (or two) about Paris. My best intentions have been sidetracked by the joy that is RAVELRY. (Thanks, Jenny!) Ravelry-ing/Ravel-rizing/Ravellring gives me a sense of control over my stash and future knitting projects. I feel like my knitting is now my friend, not an obligation or a list of to-do’s and to-design’s. Trust me, it’s worth it; so sign up on the waiting list NOW!

Please pardon the interruption to my regularly scheduled sock knitting. In the meantime, enjoy some of C’s Paris photos.

Still in Paris, not writing much (obviously!).

However, Threadless.com, the T-shirt company I’ve posted about before, is having a summer sale until June 3. All shirts are $10, including this cute knitting one.

In lieu of composing my own travelogue, I bring you something from my favorite t-shirt site:

I’m trying to distract you with sheep graphics so you don’t notice my lack ‘o writing.

This is what happens to naughty knitting. After finishing the second sock, I noticed the first toe was knit obviously while unconscious or oblivious to the pattern as written. It was a crazy pyramid from decreasing every other round. Fine for fine-toed, pointy-shoe-wearing peeps, but not for me. Now it’s re-knit and looks handsome on the fabulous sock blockers from Scout.

Other highlights on the fine Sunday:

• finished my 100 miles for Runagogo
• resisted buying a pair of $380 jeans
• dined with SG (who took photos of my ass, my nose, and my love of chips and salsa

I was also discovered online by my upstairs neighbor. She, too, is a knitter and has a lovely blog. Her chunky tunics and dresses are further proof that guys get the short end of the stick when it comes to design. They look gorgeous on her! Here’s hoping we get to knit together before she moves to NYC in the summer.

In her honor, I leave you with a photo (by the Man) that made me think of her. Happy Q2, all.

I’m so embarassed. There’s no need for an Amber (and cherrywood, black, and rust) alert any more. I found the sock. Right under my nose.

No, Tricky, it wasn’t on my foot. (But that was a great suggestion!) It was on the spare chair at the kitchen table, safely tucked against the wall. In a fit of cleaning off the table for guests, I must have stored it on the seat, out of sight, out of mind and out of harm’s way.

All of my fears about having left it in Austin, or work, or in my car, never to be seen again were unfounded. My entire day was out of whack, wracking my brain as to where I left this little bugger. I want to thank the kindness of y’all: Trish, Adrienne, Scout, Michelle, and Elemmaciltur. Your compassion knows no bounds.

I think I’ve learned a lesson from all of this… I gotta finish what I’ve started. In addition to socks, there’s a scarf, a Knuck, a pair of felted clogs, and two sweater (and a third that’s been zipperless for years!) that are begging for attention, and a handful of promised designs. Add to that a stash that needs to be cataloged, my knitting is stressing me out.

Feel free to call me out if you see me start anything new. And I’ll do my best to tend to my socks.

I’d like to introduce a new concept to the knitting world. We’ve all heard of S.S.S. (second sock syndrome), the ennui that overtakes a knitter upon compling a sock and prevents her/him from starting (and finishing) the second. I’ve also heard of the converse, F.S.S. (first sock syndrome), in which a first sock takes forever to complete and the second one flies off the needles.

I’m currently experience accute symptoms of M.S.S. (multiple sock syndrome). There’s a higher occurance of this nowadays thanks to the sock obsession sweeping the nation, fueled by wonderful indie yarn dyers (Scout, Lisa), podcasts that celebrate said yarn makers and designers (Stash and Burn, Lime & Violet) and elaborate schemes to create an addiction (BMFA’s Rockin’ Sock Club).

I arrived at my own diagnoses seeing the number of works in progress I have… four pairs of socks in various stages of completion. I never thought this was a problem, especially since three of those pairs already have the first sock completed and the heel turned on one (despite the above photo of a ripped out heel flap). Sure, in my last post I presented four delicious cakes of sock yarn waiting in the wing, but it’s not like I couldn’t stop whenever I want to!

I hit rock bottom this morning. I’m experiencing an advanced case of M.S.S. No, I haven’t cast on a fifth pair or socks; and after what I’m about to tell you, you’ll see why I’m coming to terms with my M.S.S.

I lost one. I can’t find the sister sock to the Lisa Souza Mars Quake sock in the photo. I know I knit it. It travelled to Texas with me and was shown off at a knit one one class. I’ve been thinking about ripping back the toe to finish it in a less pointy manner.

But it’s gone.

It’s not in the knitting bag(s); it’s not with other half-finished friends; it’s not in the stash; it’s not even saliva-encrusted laying in Janie Sparkles’ lair. I’ve checked in my suitcase, between couch cushions, behind book shelves. inside drawers, all over the house; all to no avail. And now I’m late to work.

Feel free to print out the image and hang MISSING posters in your neighborhood. I just want my baby to come back home. I know it’s my fault. I only looked way for a few inches on a foot and casting on a toe-up. I should be charged with negligence.

I’m so sorry, handsome little sock. Please come back to Daddy.

Here’s my “to-do” skeins, freshly wound up. The bright multi-color Fire on the Mountain STR will become baby gifts. The Monsoon greens and grays are a sock for me, courtesy of the Rockin’ Sock Club. The blue/white/brown Scout’s Swag “Sea Bunny” is a disco’ed colorway I poached from photo Scout posted on flickr.

I’ve been meaning to post an Austin summary of my SXSW adventures, but it’s not happening. Head over to my flickr photos to see images of Ernie (of little yellow different) rocking the Pat Benatar at very empty gay bar’s karaoke night and a big bowl of cheese, known as queso. There’s nothing better than a big bowl of fat when you’re eating late night by yourself in a strange town. Can I get an amen?

Other socks are progressing, but pretty pictures will come later. My first Yarn-a-go-go sock from knit one one is ready to be bound off. And, despite multiple ripped out pattern repeats or sections, the second Lisa Souza “Mars Quake” sock’s heel has been turned. More sock-related news to come.

Wireless has been spotty at my hotel, but, then again, so has my down time to craft lengthy posts detailing the goings on my first South By. Yeah, that’s what the locals call it. I’m so down. Let’s talk knitting…

I went to Hill Country Weavers Knit ‘n Nosh, local knitting bloggers edition. My travel companions (and the kind people I’ve hung out with most while here): Harold and Jenny (of Stash&Burn). I met a whole lotta fun women from Austin, Houston and beyond… and now I have more blogs and podcasts to follow!

• Amy (also of Fat Caddy Records)
• Split Yarn (of the fabulous Scrabble stitch markers)
• Yarn Maven (aka Julia)
• Yarn and Order
• Yarn Bar (who’s adorably pregnant and due soon!)
• verypink (who brought an insane baby wardrobe)
• Meg (who invited me)
• Christine (of b.p.c. and Pointy Sticks)
• Rhonda (of the Knitting News Cast podcast)
• Michelle (a fellow swimmer who I don’t know if she’s got a blog)
• and others I didn’t meet…

Sadly, I didn’t get to talk to everyone (next time, Rhonda and Staci?). I was kind of overwhelmed and uncharacteristically shy. I’m really much more fun, loud and spazzy. Trying to keep track of who was who and ripping out 6 stitch/8 row panels to fix, kept me pretty quiet. Trust me, I can be more of a party… just ask Jenny. I did my best to charm and woo her (in French, even) at Hotel San Jose the previous night (with our friend Alan Cummings—who was pretending he didn’t know us.)

So much more to report… music this morning, a gay bloggerati’s karaoke triumph, more Alan Cummings sightings, and a crazy coincidence of friends of friends of friends that prove that the Checks are meant to be my new BFF’s.

edited to crorrect an error: Yarn and Order is not adorably pregnant to my knowledge. She is adorable—I confused her with Yarn Bar.

Here are the socks mentioned in the previous post…

So, you’d think finding out one knitter-rati at SXSW would be enough, right? After the Vickie’s panel, I stood chatting with her man Dave. A woman came up and asked if I was going to the SXSW knit-in at HCW. I hadn’t heard of such a thing, Dave mentioned that they were going, so why not?

I asked this lovely lady and her gentleman escort where they were from and if they were knitters. I assume they knew I was because I sat there working on the mysterious blue sock that I’m not showing in pictures just yet (buried in the photo over there). It turns out they are from San Francisco. Small world! Her voice sounded slightly familiar, then she mentioned she and a friend have a podcast.

“You’re Stash and Burn!” It’s only my latest podcast obsession, found via Lisa Souza’s blog. I got to spend the night chatting with Jenny and her beau Harold. Hooray for new knitting friends!

We’re all off to the Knit and Nosh at Hill Country Weavers. Thanks, Meg for letting me know about that!

I’m here in Austin, wandering from panel to panel at SXSW, right now typing this in a session about Web Hacks and current usage trends. Some of this stuff is way over my head, but it’s fun to see what’s out there and where things may go in the future. Pretty much a dorkfest (in a positive way)… I feel at home, though somewhat under-geeky. I only wish I was as smart as many of the men and women here.

So, there I was, lying naked (I forgot my ‘jammies) in my bed last night, reading about today’s panels, so I could plan what to see. There, among the Internet-erati that I read about was a name I recognized, someone I knew. She’s a knit-erati (or is it knit-erata?)—Ms. Vickie Howell! Her panel is the one I’m off to next. Courtesy of MySpace, I let her know I was in town and I’ve already run into her (and her dreamy man). However, I couldn’t chat much because I was running late. I didn’t get a chance to congratulate her or see the ring!

I didn’t know how much time I’d have on my hands while here, so I brought a bunch of socks in progress to keep me busy. And I have three on the needles right now. On the flight here, I finished the toe of the Gentleman’s Fancy Sock from Nancy Bush. Last week, I realized that I was closing in on the halfway point of my yarn, but still inches away from the toe decreases. Thank you, postal scale at work!

The next sock is number two of a Lisa Souza. It’s a joy to knit, compared to the Opal stuff on the other guys. Instead of just black and orange, it’s a wide range of richer blacks, warm maroons and flickers of fire and gold. Straight up merino is one of the yummiest things for my digits. I could finish this over the next few days.

Last, and certainly not least, my favorite of the three is a blue toe-up baby of my own design… well, my design input on Rachael‘s sock-a-go-go. I guess I’m man enough to take on a lace-based sock and sub in some cables. I’m missing Rachael’s knit-one-one class (chez Sile’s) because I’m deep in the heart of Texas. The furtherest I can get on them is to the heel on the second sock, ’cause I don’t know what’s next!

Mr. Man told me that a package arrived today from Scout, so there’s more socks in my future. It’ll be waiting alongside the Rockin’ Sock Club shipment that came earlier in the week from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. So expect prettier colored socks in progress in the near future.

written this afternoon, posted after midnight, pictures to come