Smells Like An Orc In Here

I spent the last week watching the extended versions of Lord of the Rings. Every once in a while I get the urge. And I can't just watch one, I have to watch all of them. Anyways, during one of the riders of Rohan bits in the Return of the King, I started to notice that it smelled a bit like the riders were in my room. Possibly napping right next to me.

He even looks like an orc sometimes. A cute orc.

So Scooter got a bath. He was starting to smell less like a rider of Rohan and more like an Orc. Now he smells a bit more like Arwen.

In other news, watching all of the Lord of the Rings makes me want to knit up Lord of the Rings themed socks. I'm stuck between making Aragorn by Janneke Maat or Rivendell by Janel Laidman. (I'll probably make both if I'm going to be honest about this) There are only two things keeping me from making either. The first is that my sock needles are currently occupied by a sock design. But it's knitting up pretty quick. (To be honest again, I'll probably buy myself another set of sock needles on Sunday, when I'm working at the yarn shop)

Images belong to Janneke Maat and Janel Laidman respectively

The second problem is a bit bigger. No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to get gauge. I never thought I was a loose knitter, but I've never been able to get 8sts/in, and I'm knitting on size 0 needles. The closest I've gotten is 7.5sts/in. I've tried different yarn. I've tried knitting tighter. I'm ok with altering a design a bit, but it's still a bummer. Especially because I want to make a pair of Druid mittens. I bought the yarn in New Zealand last year. I tracked down the magazine. Turns out the pattern is now available on ravelry, but it wasn't when I started this whole thing. The gauge is, you guessed it, 8sts/in. (On size 3 needles no less. Jared Flood must be a crazy tight knitter) Luckily there is some room to subtract some stitches. But still.

Exhibit A. I know that it is important to knit out a large swatch. But lets face it. This will never be the 1 inch it should be. The minute I block it, it will probably grow to be 2 inches.