One of my favorite tricks is double-knitting socks (sleeves, anything else that comes in identical pairs) - no second-sock syndrome!  It does require that I pay more attention and it slows me down a bit, since I have to be careful not to cross the yarns, but it still beats SSS, and it never fails to impress people.  Knitty has a pretty good tutorial here:  http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/FEATextreme2in1.html

Wow.  Lovely job.  I'm willing to bet that will garner more than one double-take.

The Alice in Wonderland is awesome.

As soon as I figure out exactly what 'geary' means, I'm going to start using it in everyday conversation until everyone I know does, too. 

In other news, I need to learn how to crochet so I can make that hat.  It's pretty... also adorable.

Very pretty and punk!  I need to find some old cassette tapes and try that now.

[spring_girl's]

The colors are nice, but I see what you mean about the sleeves.  I have a disaster sweater kicking around somewhere.  I always get compliments on it because it's bright pink and I embroidered Beatles lyrics on it, but it's hideously bulky, too short, unflattering, too itchy to wear on its own and too heavy to layer unless it's really, really cold out (the only time I wear it).  Someday I'd like to redo it in a nicer yarn. 

spring_girl's idea of frogging it and using the yarn for something else might be a feasible plan.  There's a great deal of satisfaction in ripping out an unsatisfactory project.

I knit in public everywhere.  In class, on the bus, while waiting for the bus, in the break room at work, in waiting rooms, at the library . . .

I haven't gotten any really stupid comments yet.  What bothers me is when I'm knitting, reading, AND have headphones on (I am a master multi-tasker), and people still try to talk to me about what I'm doing (or anything else). 

One time I was at the library, had two books open in my lap, several more books stacked in front of me, and I was knitting, and a young man came and sat down next to me and said, "That's an awful lot of books."

"Yup."

"Are you majoring in knitting?"

"Nope."

"Are you going to college?"

"Yup."

"What are you majoring in?  Knitting?"

"No.  Law."

"Oh.  My sister is going to college.  She's majoring in cooking.  How old are you?"

"19."

"Really?  I thought you were like, 25.  I was thinking you were married.  Are you married?"

"No."

"Why not?"

" . . ."

That's awesome - buttons make anything better. 

Nice job!  I'm working on that pattern right now with the same brand of yarn as you used, only in brown.  Good to know it works   I'm actually using three strands instead of two with the size 13 needles, because my gauge is ridiculously tight. 

My brother gave me a couple pairs of his old jeans when they started getting holey - I was planning on using them anyway, but now I might have to steal your pocket idea; it's brilliant.

Where did you get the strap?  One of our local hardware store sells nylon webbing and sliders, but only in 1 1/2", and yours looks like 2". 

The one random person who's asked me to knit him something wanted a hat, and he paid me $20 for it.  Small, simple hat in black, made it with less than one skein of wool-ease.  I don't think he ever wore it, and honestly I don't care - I got the money. 

Two friends asked me to make them hats, which took care of Christmas presents, and I don't mind doing hats(even if one was all, "I want this pattern, and I want it to be white, not pink, with black inner ears, and a string to tie it on, with puff balls . . .). 

What really bugs me is my mom.  She thinks I'm being selfish by only knitting for myself, and a few friends(and my brother, once, though he didn't ask), and gets really mad when I put off making anything for her.  I FINALLY found something I'd be willing to make for her without a lot of fuss, but it irks me that she thinks I'm being a bad daughter by not making her anything.  The problem is that I know if I make her something, she won't be satisfied with it for one reason or another, and probably won't ever wear it.  Sigh.

I actually get more requests from people to teach them how to knit, which is slightly more annoying because they're usually complete strangers that I will likely never see again, but I still worry that they're serious, and they're going to hold a grudge at me for not seeking them out with yarn and needles.  *shakes head*