There was not a lot of exciting knitting over the weekend. Successful (see-saws hand in the air), to an extent, but exciting? Unh-unh :) I completed the mate to the sock in Friday’s post and it took a surprisingly long time. For some reason, I just couldn’t focus properly so I’d do a few rounds and the put it down.
I also tried to start work on a watch cap for dad. Some of the sock-yarn that Barb sent up was Knitpicks Sock Landscapes in the Cape Cod colorway. These deep evergreens, navys and tans are dad’s colors to a T. He didn’t want socks, but he conceded that a nice stretchy wool cap would be a wonderful thing. So I wound the yarn (to use double) and cast on to size 6 needles. After a few rounds, it became clear that this was going to be too small. Grump… See, I don’t always swatch and sometimes it bites me on the bum :) So that got frogged and will wait until I have a bit more patience. Dad’s not going to need it this year anyway. More snow, we may get (though it doesn’t look likely) but we’re past the serious cold.
I did get to work on the shawl a little but the needle I’ve got it on is getting pretty crowded. I really do have to get a longer needle. I’m trying to imagine what the alternatives could be. Could I just get another size 9 circular and put half the stitches on each one? Anyone ever done anything like that before? I can’t see why that wouldn’t work :)
Anyway, that’s what the weekend knitting was like - nothing exciting :)
Has anyone played this?
The little world is just beautiful - bright and pleasing to the eye even on rainy days. The characters you interact with are goofily charming and will alternately demand things from you or give things to you. There are holidays and contests - even a singer who stops by to do a few sets in the coffee shop on Saturday night. He’ll even give you a song if you ask.
We had played this game on the Game Cube and enjoyed it then but this version for the DS is possibly even better. The graphics haven’t suffered at all in the transition and some of the conventions of the game have been modified to streamline them a bit more. For example, when you dig up a fossil you should get it identified as it will then be worth more. In the Game Cube version, that meant sending it off and waiting a day for the results. Here, in the DS version, the curator of the museum has taken a couple of courses in fossil identification and so can do it on the spot for you - no waiting!
This is an open ended game; there’s no bad guy to beat, no puzzles to solve. Your avatar just lives in this cute little town, interacts with the cute little animal people, and leads a cute little life. As a game it’s distinctly different. As an antidote to an overdose of the real world, it’s pretty darned cool :)
I am going to install, well, have Myria help me install a chat room as an adjunct to the blog. This isn’t going to be available 24/7 or anything like that, but I will be there, and it will be open, from 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM EST on Thursday evenings. I envision this as a kind of virtual SnB and thought it might be a fun thing to try :) Come by and say hello!
And happy Monday :)
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Hi Robbyn, The chat thing sounds cool! I’ll try to make it one of these weeks… :-)
Caren - Cool :)
oh, chat- excellent- count me in too! i’ve never had anyone ‘live’ to knit with-
i think the sock yarn will make a great hat- it will be soft and warm- for hats i try to work at a gauge of about 5.5 st/in (ha! doesn’t that sound like i actually swatch?) and i juggle needle sizes accordingly- that way, if i can decide on head size i can use my favorite hat patterns and come out with a reasonable fit-
i’m not a game-player, but i’ve heard of the game you wrote about- it sounds extremely pleasant if that could be a word associated with a game- umm, have you ever done any of the sims?
stay happy-
Hello Robbyn -
I used two 24” circulr needles when working on the Irish Lace Shawl from Folk Shawls after searching in vain for a longer circular. Using the two circulars worked fine and made the knitting go SO much faster once I wasn’t crowded anymore. Good luck! Jo Ellyn 
Barb - Awesome! We’ll have a blast as I don’t have anyone to knit with either :)
I haven’t played any of the sims but Myria has played one or two; she enjoys them.
Jo Ellyn - Excellent!! Thanks so much for commenting on that. It seemed in my head like it should work. I’ll pick up another size 9 circular in the logest size I can and go to work. I can practically hear the stitches sighing with relief :) LOL!
I have used to 32 in circulars for some ponchos last year. I just kept knitting around on them. The chat thing sounds interesting. I look forward to checking it out.
Maureen - Thanks for the confirmation on the two circulars thing! It would be great to see you at the knit-chat if you decided you wanted to give it a try :)
Dylan is an Animal Crossing fanatic - he went through playing it on the ‘Cube, then the DS, and now plays it on the DS Wi-Fi and the on-line Animal Crossing world is...well...a whole ‘nuther world. Remarkably free of predators & weirdos, it seems that most people there actually ARE kids playing the game. As a parent, that’s refreshing! I know I could get hooked easily, but I need another time-stealer like I need a hole in the head!
Bron - I feel a little goofy, at 51, to be traipsing around in this delightful, little world, but I ain’t apologizing :) I’ve got to go catch some fish to help defray the mortgage - Dylan will know what I mean :)
IRC - OMG, how fun is that??? And I think I can even do 4:30 (PST), if I plan dinner just right…
Kathy - Oh boy! What a hoot - we’ll be here from all over :) But - the joint’s open for 3 1/2 hours so don’t rush your dinner!
Utterly hooked on Animal Crossing (only have GameCube). I’m 37 and unapologetic. :)
Tina - Way cool :) It’s a fun little time-waster!
