Gallimaufry

[neadods]

Tried a new podcast today: Word Nerds, as mentioned on the RSC podcast. The one I picked was rhetoric in famous speeches. Now, I could read a book on that subject, preferably one that went through the speeches with a fine-tooth comb for every obfuscation, logic flaw, appeal, etc. I could read a very thick book on that.

So that each speech got about two comments is why I won't be listening again.

However, yesterday, I liked Staggering Stories. Today, having listened to the uber-cracky Fight Club: Lois Lane vs Sarah Jane, I adore it. I loved it from Team SJ asking "would you like to just surrender?" at the beginning through Fake Keith (a woman) saying "Sarah sets the sonic lipstick to Setting 12. You know the one, ladies."

And then there was the recap of Stolen Earth:
"Boom, Rose appears! Packing heat!"
"Packing big heat."
"Packing SERIOUSLY big heat."
"Rose is in heat?"
"Bad Crumbly!"

This isn't so much a newscast as a drunken interlude with some seriously silly fans.


Speaking of Sarah Jane: I endorse this fabulous Clyde and Luke vid to "Popular".


On the knitting side of things, I'm kicking around designing a lap afghan. But just designing it isn't exciting enough, oh no. Knitting it isn't enough. The question isn't even will I share it with the blogosphere. No, the question is *how* I share it. Just put it up on Ravelry and here? Put it up, but release the directions at a piece at a time, knitalong-style? Or make everyone take a leap of faith and simply collect the instructions a piece at a time, to be told at the end how to put it together? (This despite never having been part of a mystery anything... although there is a mystery shawl project about to start.)

[Poll #1249337]

Comments

[iko.livejournal.com]

This is going to be my second year doing the Mystery shawl. Whee!

[neadods.livejournal.com]

So, what's it like? Do they give you stitches and you just hope it all comes together? Is it difficult? /stupid question

[iko.livejournal.com]

If this mystery shawl is run just like last year's mystery shawl, it'll be a chart that you get only like... 20-30 or so rows at a time. Usually, in the group someone will transcribe it quickly to written out stitches for the people that dislike charts.

I like it just because the mystery shawl provides a break from my other knitting projects. I have a tendency to concentrate all my energy on one project and get burned out before I finish it because I get sick of it. (I am the queen of almost-but-not-quite-finished-objects.) The Mystery Shawl helps pace me out for a project. I find that the amount of knitting per section I can do in two or three nights; this keeps it fresh and interesting for me. This time, I'm intrigued that the beads are required to have significant contrast to the yarn because they are integral to the pattern.

I know some people who sign up but don't do it at all, just so that they can get what is usually a very pretty lace pattern for free.

I think it's as difficult as a typical beginner's lace shawl. It's usually easier rather than harder because difficulty needs to be generally toned down a bit because people don't know what they are knitting beforehand... but it does require knowing how to increase, decrease, etc. Last year's shawl was pretty easy and quite mindless for large sections of it. I know a lot of people went into it as their first large lace project and enjoyed it, just because of the large support group that is created around the Mystery shawl KAL.

[melusinehr.livejournal.com]

Sorry to horn in, but may I ask which mystery shawl you're doing? I keep thinking about participating in one of those, but the most interesting-looking ones have always just closed. (Of course, I have no time to do one at the moment anyway, but hey, doesn't hurt to ask.)

[iko.livejournal.com]

I'm doing Mystery Stole 4 (http://pinklemontwist.blogspot.com/2008/08/mystery-stole-4-sign-ups-are-open-until.html).

Last year, I made Swan Lake (http://pinklemontwist.blogspot.com/2007/09/swan-lake.html) but with an extra repeat in the middle to make it a touch longer.

[melusinehr.livejournal.com]

Oh, those are stunning! I may have to sign up.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Mystery 4 is open for new membership until Sep 12, I think, so there's time. I keep dithering.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I am learning to like charts. This surprises me a bit, frankly.

I'm finding that I do best with a dumb (garter-only or close) project on needles and a more involved project on needles at the same time, allowing me to have some quiet time working something out, but also something to keep my hands busy while I'm watching Bollywood movies.

[iko.livejournal.com]

I've learned to absolutely love charts because I've learned to really "read" them effectively. I can see most charts and understand what the finished object would look like and I can use it to quickly check my knitting or spot where I am. At least, a LOT easier than written out instructions.

I used to be all about the written out instructions. Then I started getting into projects that had both written instructions and charts and I started to use the chart to check my work. I slowly leaned more and more on charts and now I use them nearly exclusively, mainly because what I like to knit tends to come only in chart form (lots of lace/cables and other busy things).

I'm the same way: I usually have one pretty easy project (usually a sock with a highly repetitive pattern that is easy to memorize) and one quite involved project (currently, it's a shawl with funky increases and decreases on BOTH sides; it's driving me a bit mental).

[neadods.livejournal.com]

KAL?

I wish I'd been there for Schehara... oh, you know the one. Doing that in about 10-row chunks is going to be necessary!

[iko.livejournal.com]

KAL - Knitalong

Technically, the nature of mystery shawls is a forced knitalong. Everyone is receiving the charts at the same time. There will be some people who knit it up really fast when the charts are released and some people who are "the slow bees" who usually aren't finished with one chart when the next one comes out. But, for the most part, we're all knitting along the same project together.

I know, that one (Mystery Shawl 2) is absolutely gorgeous! It's the reason why I signed up for MS3 and why I'm signed up for MS4. It's not for everyone (I've had a few friends who didn't like the pattern or the knitting and dropped out), but there's no harm in signing up.

[fyrdrakken]

I'm one of those people who won't do mystery projects because, before I decide to do a project which represents a significant investment in my knitting time, I need to see what it'll wind up looking like. My lace queue is too long and I knit lace too infrequently to waste three or four months on a stole I don't like when there are so many gorgeous shawls on my list waiting... (The same goes for afghans, since they take as long or longer, and require a bigger yarn investment, too.)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

That's a good point.

(I myself intend to make said afghan out of more pima tencel when all the cotton-based yarns go on sale my LYS next week.)