Author: Kris

  • Ask a Korean

    Ask a Korean. He’s Korean. He lives in America. He answers questions!

  • Oscar Contest 2008

    web-goddess Oscar Contest 2008It’s time to start the Sixth Annual web-goddess Oscar Contest, folks! Here’s how it works: Just go the entry form and make your picks for the dozen award categories (and tie-breaker!). Whoever gets the most right wins a fabulous, one-of-a-kind sock monkey creation. After much deliberation, there really was only one choice this year: a Striking Writer Monkey. He’s union and proud, dammit! (And he’ll probably get the Oscar ceremony cancelled anyway.) He’s also kind of a hipster, for some reason. He features hand-knitted Converse All-Stars (which also function as baby booties, if you have a baby) and chunky black glasses (made out of Fimo). He’ll also come with his very own picket sign, as soon as I get some more ink for my printer. (If you want an idea of how big he is, check out this Flickr photo.)

    Striking Writer Monkey

    Knitted All-Stars

    Striking Writer Monkey

  • Toe Up Jaywalkers

    Toe-Up JaywalkersToe-Up Jaywalkers
    These are my fourth completed pair for the Southern Summer of Socks (previously: Whitby, Retro Rib, Widdershins). The original Jaywalker pattern took the knitting world by storm a few years back, so I’m a little late to the party. I’d previously made a start on these a few months back but frogged them when I realized they were never going to fit over my ankle. (The pattern is notorious for its lack of stretch.) I later decided to use the toe-up mod instead, so I could better judge the fit and length as I went along. The yarn is Vesper Sock Yarn in the “Tartan” colourway, which I thought would suit the zig-zagginess of the pattern nicely. I knitted them two-at-a-time on two 2.75mm circs, and I used Judy’s Magic Cast-On to start the toe. (Note to self: Next time either use more than twenty stitches or space out your increases better to avoid toe pointiness.) The zig-zag pattern is actually really easy to do and takes two seconds to memorize, but it does make for some odd pooching where you switch from zig-zag to straight stockinette. The worst part of the construction was trying to figure out where to start the gusset increases; the pattern doesn’t really tell you so I had to guess and I ended up reknitting it three times. The reverse turned heel is very nice though, and it seems to be a good fit. I’ll give these an 8 out of 10! (Cross-posted to Ravelry and Southern Summer of Socks.)

  • New Yankee Workshop drinking game

    The New Yankee Workshop drinking game. I haven’t seen that show in over ten years but this list is still funny to me. Man, I wish it was on here! The Snook has never had the exquisite joy of watching Norm Abrams make a Quaker rocking chair using $100,000 of laser-guided woodworking equipment… (Full credit to Patrick for the idea!)

  • Angry Demonstration

    An Angry Demonstration over this very website. (The little guy carrying the “Meat House” sign made me laugh.)

  • Last Man on Earth

    I read this “Last Man on Earth” Metafilter thread before bed last night, and then had post-apocalyptic dreams for eight hours. Let that be a warning.

  • Knitting Comics

    I started a thread on Ravelry the other day about knitting-related comics, and people posted a few gems. I think this one is my favorite.

  • Meat Ship

    Remember the Meat House? I just got an email from one of the creators alerting me to their latest project: the Meat Ship. My favorite part are the little meat pirates firing little meat cannons.

  • True Aussies

    How do you tell if you’re a true Aussie? I totally agree with/understand all of those, with the notable exceptions of pronouncing Penrith as “Pen-riff” (Quoth the Snook: “Only bogans do that.”) and the secret words shouted during Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again. And rest assured, the Snook has just enlightened me as to the latter.