#ladderback

[chaoticsymphony]

This knit has finally reached its intended recipient (@mushroomlasagna) so I thought I'd show it off for the Bug Enjoyers around here. Pattern is the Collections Cowl, which I can't possibly recommend enough- there are multiple insect options for almost every "box" here, from moths to wasps to weevils.

(Pictured here: Sweat Bee, Katydid, Rhinoceros Beetle, Earwig, Ants, Praying Mantis, Monarch Caterpillar, and Chalcid Wasp.)

[sebring5]

DSCF6157 by Henry Via Flickr: Ladderback woodpecker

[roguewavemusic]

Dining Room Kitchen Dining Inspiration for a large cottage kitchen/dining room remodel with dark wood floors and beige walls

[perpetualpigeons]

[ID: 4 photos of a green v-neck sweater vest, with designs from 1760 in light beige yarn. The first two photos show the front and back of the vest. There is a design with birds and flowers circling the bottom. The front has a lying down dog, facing left but with its head turned back to the right. The back has a man on a horse, holding a bird in his hand. The v-neck and armholes are 1x1 ribbed, and the hem is ribbed in a “baby cable” pattern. The third photo shows a close up of the colourwork from the inside. The birds along the bottom are stranded, whereas the larger designs on the front and back use ladderback jacquard. The fourth photo shows a closeup of the design along the bottom. Two birds face eachother, with a pole inbetween them and candlesticks to the side of them. End ID]

A sweater vest for my friend, using designs from a 1760 german pattern book that i meticulously copied into stitchfiddle and then arranged onto a pattern.

I'm really proud of this, I knit the same vest pattern (but with different, simpler colourwork) almost exactly 2 years ago, and seeing my progress since then is really cool!

[savingpaper]

Enclosed Dining Room Mid-sized classic enclosed dining room design example with blue walls and no fireplace.

[gweu]

made some runescape godsword socks! tried a new colourwork method - ladderback jacquard - which i was always super intimidated by, but honestly it was a great time knitting it up and i love the result! so surprised the dark yarn floats are completely hidden behind the work (you can see where i ended a couple ladders but overall i'm very happy)

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Funky, artsy, gated house for rent in Granite Bay, CA. Rent it furnished or unfurnished. Oh, I would definitely want this place furnished. Only $8,950mo., but this house is special. You have to see it.

What is that? Art? A car port?

The tastefully decorated garage has a mirrored backwall and a tile floor.

Double doors open to the grand entrance. Need a hand going up the stairs? And, this is why you have to rent it furnished- all the decor ties in with this funky hand rail.

Look at these art pieces.

Here we have a more traditional fireplace and some lively patterns. Attractive built-ins, too.

Check out the chairs in the dining room. They give a whole new meaning to ladderback chairs.

Unusual kitchen cabinets. I like the black brick enclosure for the cooktop. The laundry is in the pantry back there.

Interesting bath. Look at the sink.

These stairs!

Wow, look at the 2nd fl. coming up the stairs.

There's a catwalk.

It leads to this family room. Interesting wall.

How could anyone take this unfurnished? The art.

Nice bedroom suite.

Love this room, it looks like PeeWee's Playhouse.

The primary bedroom is gigantic.

The ensuite is huge.

Down a few stairs they have a home gym.

Outside under a terrace, there's an outdoor kitchen.

Art in the garden, including a pyramid. More art is on the grounds.

Free-form natural looking pool.

We've now entered the underground meditation cave. This upper part has exercise equipment.

And, a sauna.

The cave is back here.

Here we are. So, it looks like it has a sand floor, and there's a sofa with an ottoman/cocktail table.

And, there's a rocky shower. Is this the foundation of the house, or did they bring this rock in?

I guess that this is also part of the meditation cave, b/c of the Buddhas on the wall, but it looks like the house's foundation.

After meditating, you could go into the hot tub. There's even art behind it. Well, I think that if money was no object, this would be a fun place to rent.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8985-Vista-De-Lago-Ct-Granite-Bay-CA-95746/188086108_zpid/

[elodieunderglass]

Hey! I just saw your reply to the post about knitting the national parks. If you haven't tried it yet, ladderback jacquard would probably be a really great option for managing those huge floats. Hope you haven't gotten a million of these, and good luck with your project!

(In reference to this post where I moan about liking the knitting pattern I’m doing, apart from the COLOUR FLOATS)

Oh my GOODNESS look at this:

That is QUIRKY AS HELL. Thank you so much!

However, while I wail and weep and moan, I don’t want to put people off this pattern entirely. “Great Basin” is not actually the WORST pattern in the world, and can be managed by wrapping colour floats every 4 stitches or so, in the Fair Isle method; we won’t die of doing this, nobody has ever died of doing this, and plenty of people with better brains can pull it off more gracefully than I have. Even I can do this, and I’m a hater.

Hang on lemme just curate my life pretentiously real quick, like a proper knitter, so that the parts of my life I reveal on the internet look desirable enough to make you think I’m a good knitter. OK. I’ve - I’ve got some wood grain visible, and a twee swan - I feel comfortable. I could almost do Instagram.

Here’s my messy backside 😌 you can see it’s irregular, and you wouldn’t say I was managing it gracefully, but it won’t kill anybody. I am a massive hater but the pattern IS technically workable and feasible. try Great Basin today!

I LOVE this new technique! thank you so much!

[flippantsmeagol]

4/2/2025. Morning in the garden. Pear blooms, house finches, ladderback woodpecker.

[isan0rt]

The Dedue scarf (or more of a wrap really) I've been screaming all the way through knitting is done!!!

Final dimensions are about 8 ft long by 22 inches wide, and about 14.6 oz dry. I used 7.25 balls of Knit Picks Palette fingering yarn (50g, 100% Peruvian highland wool) in Marine Heather, one ball in Almond, and about half a ball of the same yarn in Garnet Heather. The smaller motifs are your standard 3 yarn Fair Isle knitting and the larger is 3 color ladderback jacquard at the suggestion of @themikecollective .

(Credits: shout-out to @eaglehorn for floating me their chart for the pattern as a starting point (I did my own chart for the smaller scale motifs but used their chart as the starting point and for the larger scale motif) and also shout-out to @themikecollective and @ehyde for suggestions on how to manage the floats on the larger motif. The medal (for display purposes) was purchased from @gizmoforge .)

I'm now going to snuggle in and be toasty warm for the rest of the winter.

[vintagehomecollection]

Southern Interiors, 1988

[annaplexis]

Double knitting

…and since I mentioned double knitting yesterday, here’s a video showing how to do it 🎥🧶

Knit a stitch on the front layer with one colour and purl a stitch on the back layer with the other. For colourwork, switch colours. Make sure the strands stay between the two layers.

You can see how this technique is similar to ladderback jacquard, right?

[hotcinnamonsunset]

that SWEATER!!! obsessed, infatuated, utterly deranged over it. will you pretty please show the innards? or at least elaborate! did you use ladderback jacquard, duplicate stitch, catch the floats extensively across multiple contrast colors &c.? I think I'm seeing some embroidery too and I must KNOW

I wish I was cool enough to implement well known funky useful colorwork things!! but alas. here’s the innard:

which shows that I mostly utilized some sort of hybrid flat stranded colorwork mixed with a touch of intarsia? my thought process was along the lines of if I wear this unbuttoned I would really like there not to be long floats for my cats to deviously catch their nails on. so for each chunk of colorwork I carried the colors as far as it made sense and kept it all contained as best as i could with intarsia on the white.

[pentecostwaite]

My year in thrifting antique ladderback chairs

[jinxyvvrites]

-- summer of 85 [ act iii ]

Warnings:

Writer's own interpretation of canon characters. Absence of sci-fi / Upside Down + integral canon events -this is more a slice of life type thing, I do not fear. Teen dramatics, swearing, angst here and there, topics like teen pregnancy / affairs, etc mentioned. Kissing, eventually. Eventual filth -assuming I don't get bored of this and just stop working on it entirely, boys (billy and tommy, ofc) being kind of douchebags, tommy being a little jealous / v. possessive, steve's kiddos playing matchmaker with awkward and/or hilarious results, etc.. Nicknames and petnames galore. If I'm leaving her unnamed for ya'll -because trust, I almost made reader an oc.. - at least let me have nicknames/petnames.

Warning about reader/you: The reader for this is very, very specific and detailed. If this puts you off, please do yourself a favor and don't read this. The characteristics I've given reader/you are non-negotiable and as follows:

Reader is female. Reader is shorter than Steve/Tommy, think like.. 5'2 ish. Reader has long and curly hair -think 90's Mariah. Reader is a cheerleader but Reader is very much anti-popularity. Reader recently went through what others see as a 'glow-up' but Reader doesn't really acknowledge in anything beyond sarcasm / insecurities that have now stemmed from that. Reader has an older sister -the teen pregnancy mentioned vaguely in previous chapter, and an adorable lil niece named Ruby. Reader is a child of divorce / cheating - her father had an affair and is noted to be not such a good and hands on father -spoiler alert, he wanted boys, lol- Reader loves shopping and fashion and makeup but she's too lazy to make an effort most of the time. Reader wants to be a dancer / plans to make this a career. Reader is maternal af. Reader goes by 3 nicknames -eventually 4, but that last one is a good way off.. Those nicknames are teeny, tiny and pixie. Pixie is specific to Tommy only.

If any of the warnings here bother you, this is not the fic for you.

Word Count:

4.2k+

Pairings:

Mike x Will, endgame

Eleven x Max, endgame

reader x tommy, past - hints of present.

reader x steve, eventual endgame

robin x vicky, crushes, one sided

robin x nancy, eventual, endgame

Previous Parts:

act ii

Snippet:

“I thought Steve liked Robin.” “He does.” Eleven answers, glancing over at where the three of you are sitting, further up the row. She happens to catch him looking from you to Robin and then at the screen as he shakes his head and laughs at the way the two of you are tossing popcorn into each other’s mouths. “Wait..”

“Yeah? You saw the way he looks at _ too?” Max asks, grinning. Eleven nods. “I think he likes them both.”

You know your mom’s talked to your father when you step into your house after a long day at cheer practice to hear Silver Springs blaring from the stereo in the kitchen.

She’s angry baking again, you sniff the air, stomach growling at the scent of her homemade brownies.

“Ma?” you call out, hoping she hears you over the music playing full blast.

Your mom lowers the radio and calls out to you. “Teeny? Are you home?”

You saunter into the kitchen and grab a cup, running cold water into the tap. “Yeah.” you flop down into one of the brightly painted ladderback chairs.

“Your father wanted t’ know if you want to come for Christmas this year. We were figuring out the visits..” she looks so sad. She always looks sad after she’s had to deal with him.  “He’d really like it if you did.”

You roll your eyes. “Riiight. Sure he would. So he can trot me around with his new family, pretend to be the perfect father.”

“Sweetie, he is trying harder.”

“He should’ve tried before he fucked his secretary, ma.” you don’t mean for it to slip out quite so blunt, but you still can’t just get past it. You don’t intend to, either. You are firmly on your mother’s side.. Because it wasn’t like he was actually involved as a parent before he walked out anyway, you think, why’s he wanna start now?” 

“Will you at least think about it?”

“Nope. Not interested.” you answer after not even half a second. You take a few sips of water and after the silence gets too much, you clear your throat. “I’m sorry, I just can’t, ma.”

“I wish you’d try. He is your father.”

You shrug. “Maybe if he’d bothered acting like it with me and Dawn before, I’d be bothered t’ spend time with him now.” you mumble. Your mom nods. “He was taking care of us.”

You snort in laughter. “He was using work as an excuse to not be around, ma. I really wish you’d see that. I wish you wouldn’t defend him. He doesn’t deserve it.” 

“Sweetie, you don’t understand the whole situation.”

“I understand that he said for better or for worse and then he bailed.” you shrug, going quiet. “Can we just not talk about this, ma? It’s kinda been a long day.”

Your mom nods. “It has. I’ll tell him you’re not coming next time he calls.”

“Better yet, let me.” you smile at her. “I’ll be th’ bad guy, ma.”

“Sweetie..”

“I know what you’re about to say. This is a bridge I think I wanna burn.” you insist. “I don’t care how much money he sends. I don’t care how many vacations or holidays he invites me to, it’s not gonna change the fact that you’re my ma. He’s just.. Half of my genes. He never bothered gettin’ t’ know me or Dawn. I really don’t think he even liked us, ma.”

“Sweetie..”

“But it’s fine. I’m dealing with it.” you insist. Your mom studies you quietly.

After a second or two, she scowls at the ringing landline. “That’ll be your father or that little jerk Joey.”

“Got it.” you smirk and she laughs softly, shaking her head. “One of us has gotta be rude, ma.” you shrug as you slink over, picking up the phone.

It’s Joey.

You wander out into the hallway, leaning against the wall. Waiting until he reaches a stop in his speech.

“I’m still done with you.” you speak up, calm and firm. “I told you I wasn’t ready, asshole. You kept pushing me. I told you t’ knock it off, you didn’t. This is where we are now.”

“Aw, c’mon, babe.. I can’t help you went an’ got all hot on me an’ I couldn’t keep my hands off ya.”

You roll your eyes. “Yeah, well.. No is a full sentence, asshole. Just for the future, idiot.”

“Ice queen.” he grumbles. “Y’know, teasing a guy isn’t right. It’s not fair.”

“The fact that you think I was teasing you to begin with just shows me how stupid you are. If I wanted you, asshole, you’d have known it. Don’t call here again. We’re done.” 

You laugh bitterly and slam the phone back down onto the hook just as he’s getting all worked up all over again, pleading for you to at least think about giving him a chance. Your mom is watching you when you wander back into the kitchen and flop down into your chair, you can tell she’s been listening at the doorway.

“Do you wanna talk about it, teeny?”

You shrug. “I had one boundary, ma.. The jerk couldn’t be bothered to stick by it. It’s over.”

“But you’re hurting.”

“And I’ll survive.” you mumble, sighing as you shake your head. “Just once..” you trail off.

“Yeah?” your mom sits down, taking a sip of her long-forgotten glass of tea.

“I’d like t’ meet a truly decent guy.. Y’know, one who listens.. Who respects my boundaries and stuff. Who actually wants me for me, not because I’m supposedly hot now.” you roll your eyes and laugh. “Can’t trust any of ‘em, huh?”

“One day you will, sweetie.” your mom coaxes. You laugh, the laughter dying away when you realize that yes, she does still somehow have a shred of hope left. 

“I mean.. Even the boy I used t’ love so much in middle school and thought would never turn into an actual shithead turned into one, so I’m kinda having a hard time believing that.” you admit quietly as you finish off your glass of water. 

“I promise.” your mom gives you a little smile. “I might have.”

As her eyes light up, you giggle. “Okay, I’ll bite..”

“Bob… That sweet man who owns Radio Shack?” your mom goes quiet, grinning like an idiot. And it’s the first time you’ve seen her this happy - at least not romantically, in a long time.

You’re trying to remember who she’s talking about. You grin.

“No way! I thought I picked up on a lil flirtation between you two when you went to take the toaster in to be fixed.” your hand goes to your mouth and you laugh softly. “Okay, I need to hear everything, ma. Now.”

Your mom smiles and shrugs. “We’ll see how it goes.”

“Moooooom.” you whine. “No fair!”

“A lady never kisses and tells.” your mom answers, making you pout at her.

“Not even to her daughter?”

“Especially not to her daughter.” your mom laughs and shakes her head. “Were you still going to meet Robin at the mall later?”

“Mhm.”

“Maybe you could invite Tommy..” your mom ventures and you shake your head. “I really don’t think that’s such a good idea, ma..” you go quiet. She frowns. “But you two were starting to get close again at Ruby’s party this weekend.”

“We are, I just… I love Robin, okay? She’s not comfortable around new people.”

Your mom smiles and nods, opening her arms for a hug. “Such a sweet girl I have.”

You laugh. “Y’know some people might disagree with that.”

“I don’t care.” your mom smiles at you as the hug breaks. “I’m proud of you and your sister. I think I did a damn good job.”

“Love you, mama.”

“Love you too, teeny.”

You wander into Scoops and get in the line behind a group of girls decked out in leotards and legwarmers. As they whisper back and forth amongst each other about how low King Steve has to have fallen, working at an ice cream parlor, you roll your eyes. You instantly recognize Nicole, one of Carol’s airheaded friends.

“It’s your turn, bimbo.” you cut into their conversation, rolling your eyes as you nod to the counter. “Can you order and get the hell out?”

Nicole’s hand settles on her hip as she looks you up and down. “Did you seriously just..?” she pops a bubble with her gum.

“Yeah.” you laugh. “I did.”

“Nic..” Tina goes quiet under her warning glare. Nicole rolls her eyes. “Screw whatever Tommy said, I still don’t like this little bitch. I’m not gonna be nice to her, either.”

You yawn. “The fact that you think I give a flying fuck is amusing.” you shrug as you say it. “I don’t care. I’d rather you stick to what I’m used to.”

“Good.”

“Great.” you fold your arms over your chest, scowling at her as you shoo her, hoping she’ll turn around and order the ice cream she came for, get out of the way so you can get your ice cream fix for the afternoon.

Up at the counter, Steve’s overheard most of the little confrontation. And he can’t help but chuckle to himself as he listens to you putting Nicole in her place.

Oh, it’s not the first time, not by a long shot. You’ve never had a problem speaking your mind. Not even a little. There’s never really been a shy bone in your body.

,, it’s actually kind of hot.” he thinks, pausing as he turns, sits down the scoop in his hand and holds out Erica’s daily free ice cream. “Your orange dreamsicle, kid.”

Erica smirks. “Thank you.”

As she makes her way past, you laugh softly.

Nicole, Tina and the rest of their little group takes their turn, catty muttered comments about how pathetic Steve Harrington has truly become under their breath the entire time.

“At least he’s doing something productive. Unlike you airheads.” you mutter, hoping to hell it’s loud enough that at least one of them hears you because honestly, you’re just over the little group being in your presence.

Your turn finally comes.

Steve is chuckling as you stop in front of him. “You’re a little hothead, y’know that?”

“They bring it outta me, Steve.” you bite your bottom lip as your eyes fix on his mouth for just a second or two too long for your personal liking. You shake your head and laugh softly. “Is Robbie around?” you ask, bursting at the seams to tell her who your mom has apparently been on a few dates with while you were at your grandparents.

“She’s in back.” Steve nods towards the back of the parlor. “I can go get her?”

“Nah, it’s fine. I’ll catch her in like an hour.” you smile at him but he shakes his head at you. “No, I’ll go get her. It’s my turn t’ take a break anyway.”

As he takes off his apron and the stupid sailor hat, you lick your ice cream cone, reading off the three new flavors they’ve added to the menu. 

Robin wanders out, putting back on her apron. As you flop down into a chair nearby, she nods to your damp hair. “You must’ve gone to the pool.”

“Mhm. I left because that idiot Hargrove wouldn’t take a hint and leave me alone.”

Robin laughs. “Most girls would kill for that.”

“I’m weird though, remember? I like my space. He had the actual nerve to grab my sunblock, Robbie.. Then he starts trying t’ put it on me? Like..” you take a few licks of your melting cone, “Excuse me, man? Did I ask you t’ touch me?”

Robin snickers quietly.

“ I heard the new cheer coach is a real battle axe.” Robin sits down across from you, resting while there’s nobody in the little shop.

“Ugh, I swear to God.. If I weren’t so locked in on being a dancer, I’d walk. Zero hesitation.” you take a few more licks. “That woman had the audacity to tell me I need to drop five pounds.”

Robin gapes. “Ew!”

“Yeah. I told her not a fucking chance. If I stay on the squad past camp I’ll be surprised.”

“You could just take dance lessons.. They opened that studio the next town over.” Robin muses. You shrug. “I’m thinking hard about going that route.”

“So do it.” Robin encourages. “Don’t spend another second miserable.”

“I’m trying not to be a quitter. But I swear to God if she doesn’t breathe down someone else’s throat, I’m done. Because it’s like you said.. Why be miserable? That’ll just make me hate dancing.”

Robin nods. “Exactly.”

“Speaking of camps… Did you talk to you know who yet?” you lean in, giggling softly as you ask the question. Robin cringes. “An attempt was made.. A bad one, but an attempt all the same.”

“Robbie, that’s so badass! I told you it wasn’t that hard!” you’re loud and enthusiastic, grinning brightly at your best friend. Robin is beet red, sticking her tongue at you. “I didn’t say it was a good attempt.”

“Oh no.” your face falls. “What happened?”

“I opened my mouth and instead of words, I squeaked.” Robin hides her face and shakes her head. You laugh softly. “Aww, this is so damn cute.”

“Okay, what about you, hm? I heard a certain freckled prick was over at your house on Saturday?” 

You shrug. “We talked. We kinda had to.. Was Ruby’s party, remember?”

She nods. “Just like.. Don’t trust him, okay? Steve says he’s full jerk, no hint of this so-called sweet side you keep insisting he has.”

“You and Steve talk a lot.” you’re teasing her gently. She shrugs, glancing back at Steve as he peeks around the corner. “Maybe he’s not as bad as the rest of ‘em..”

“Girl.”

“What? I just said maybe he’s not that bad.”

“That’s a doorway though.” you mutter, making her laugh at you as she shrugs. “He asked me to come with him, he’s taking these kids he babysits to see a movie later. I feel soooo bad.. Like.. If I were as bold as you I’d think he was into me and he’s so barking up the wrong tree.. But he’s been through it and I don’t wanna add to that.”

“He’s strong. You can let him down easy sooner or later. I think he is into you. I know he is, actually.”

Robin gapes.

You shrug. “You’re hot.” you smirk, staring her down. “If I were into girls I’d have locked it down when we were in like… 9th grade. We’d totally be married by now.” you make her blush and she’s laughing, it’s the cutest thing. You smile at her. “I’m not lying, either.”

“You’re full of it.”

“Am not!” you insist, staring her down. As melted ice cream rolls down your arm, you raise it and lick it off. “Anyway, yeah.. When you do have to let the big idiot down, just be easy. I agree with you. He kinda went through it, what with Billy knocking him off his throne and Nancy Wheeler ditching him.”

Robin nods and sighs. “I’m dreading it.. I mean, if he actually is into me.”

You smile, nod at her. “I know. It’s not fun. Like, not at all.”

“Hey… he did say you were cute.”

“Uh uh.. Nope.” you shake your head. “I’m committed to myself right now. Until I figure out who I can actually trust and who is only into me because I suddenly and supposedly got cute. Which I still don’t see, by the way.” you shake your head. 

“Oh come off it. You’re hot, okay? Like.. Super hot. If I knew you were into girls..” Robin laughs softly.

“We’d be married.” you answer, giving her a wink.

“I better go, let you get back to work.” you stand, stretching. Grimacing at the way your arms ache from working them all day. Robin notices and gazes up at you in concern. “You okay, tiny?”

“Yeah, just sore as hell. The coach decided she was going to work our asses off. Apparently, we’re all lazy or something.” you shrug.

Robin laughs softly. “Hey.” she stops you as you turn and start to head out of Scoops, “You should come with me? If I go with the dingus and his children..”

You raise a brow. “I dunno, Robbie..”

“Aw, c’mon.” Robin pleads. You rub your forehead. “What time?”

“9.”

“What if Steve doesn’t want me around though? I feel like I’d be third-wheeling you guys..”

Steve speaks up, smiling at you. “It’s fine. I don’t really mind. The more, the merrier.”

You give him a little smile that Robin clocks, files away to tease you about later on. As you tilt your head to look up at him, your stomach does this weird little flip.

“Cool. I’ll meet you guys at 8:30. I’m gonna do some more retail therapy.”

Robin snickers. “Good grief, woman.”

“I haven’t spent the old man’s lousy dad tax yet. I don’t want it sitting around, Robbie. It’s only fair, right?”

As you slink out, Steve chuckles.

“She’s.. Interesting.”

Robin laughs softly, shaking her head while Steve is still kind of staring at the door. “She’s a handful, that’s what she is.”

“Yeah, I kind of picked up on that.” Steve muses, blowing out a breath as he finally takes his eyes off the door, thick digits raking through shaggy hair.

“What the fuck? Why is she so freaking stupid, ugh!” -your little exclamation draws a glare from Nancy Wheeler’s little brother and Lucas snickers to himself. Steve can’t help the snort when it escapes and Robin nudges you, leaning in.

“Bet you twenty dollars that she ends up dead by the end of this scene.”

“Why are we betting, Robbie? We both know it’s inevitable at this point.” you’re scowling at the screen, “I just need her to be smarter. She's truly an idiot..” you go quiet, shoveling popcorn into your mouth as you fix your eyes on the screen.

 As Robin looks up right around the same time the killer bursts through the door with his axe, she jumps, hand flying to her eyes as her popcorn flies off her lap.

Steve looks at her in genuine concern and as you watch the two, you can’t help but feel angsty about it. 

,, He might seem sweet but..” your mind insists. This thought is overshadowed by the next one, ,, Poor guy.” because any idiot can look at him and see just how down bad he is for Robin.

And on a deeper level, yes.. Maybe you’re feeling just a little bit of the old green eyed monster. But you bury it and you bury it quick, reminding yourself that you’re perfectly fine doing your own thing. That you need to have time to yourself, that you made yourself a promise not to jump from the frying pan back into the fire.

Because you’re sick and tired of the disappointment that always seems to come right along with it.

At one point, the girl with red hair nudges you.

“Yeah?”

“Hey.. It was cool when you told my stepbrother to get bent earlier. He’s not a good guy.”

You nod. “Yeah, I kind of picked up on that. He’s not familiar with the word no, I take it?”

Max shakes her head, laughs softly. “He’s never heard it.”

“Yeah, that tracks.”

“Just don’t let him win.. Please?” Max asks, looking at you in concern. You nod and smile. “Oh trust me.” you lean in to whisper, “I don’t think you’re ever gonna have to worry about that one, cherry.”

She laughs. Smiles at you. And as she turns her attention back to the screen, she happens to catch Steve looking away from you. She raises a brow and shakes her head, nudging her girlfriend.

“I thought Steve liked Robin.”

“He does.” Eleven answers, glancing over at where the three of you are sitting, further up the row. She happens to catch him looking from you to Robin and then at the screen as he shakes his head and laughs at the way the two of you are tossing popcorn into each other’s mouths. “Wait..”

“Yeah? You saw the way he looks at ___ too?” Max asks, grinning. Eleven nods. “I think he likes them both.”

“Yeah.” Max agrees, stealing another look. Now the two of you are tossing popcorn into Steve’s mouth, the three of you laughing.

“But which one does he like, like.. Like, y’know, seriously?” Lucas wonders as Mike hisses at all three of them. Lucas flips Mike off, scowling at him. Dustin glares at Mike and leans in, muttering quietly, “He kinda told me earlier that he really likes Robin but he thinks ___ is kinda cute. I’m trying to get the idiot to ask Robin out on an actual date.”

“I dunno.. I kind of feel like maybe ___ is more the one he should ask. I just don’t think he’s Robin’s type…” Max muses, earning her a glare from Dustin which she shrugs off. “Besides that…I like her, alright? And Steve needs a challenge. He needs a little frustration in his life. I’ve seen her around, trust me.. She’ll keep him on his toes.”

“Okay, fine.. You guys play matchmaker your way, we’ll play ours.” Dustin, Mike and Lucas smirk as they say it. Will, Eleven and Max smirk right back at the three. “Fine. Game on. I’m telling you, you dorks are wrong.”

“Maybe none of us are right.” Will muses, shrugging. “If we butt in, we’re kind of taking the choice out of his hands.” he points out, stealing some of Mike’s popcorn. Mike scoffs. “You’re not wrong, but.. If we leave it up to him,” Mike nods, “He’s gonna make the wrong one and then the idiot will get hurt and we’ll have t’ deal with mopey Steve all over again.

“I just don’t know that it’s a good idea, Mikey.” Will argues, pulling the popcorn they’re sharing back into his own lap as he looks over at the three of you, “But I get it.. I mean, kinda.”

“We’re still going to meddle.” Max states, looking at her friends hopefully. “C’mon, me and Eleven are bored, we need some excitement.”

“Okay.. We can meddle a little. At least try to figure out which girl Steve really likes.” Will mumbles after thinking it over. “We can at least nudge him in the right direction if we figure it out.”

Mike snorts and rolls his eyes. “Steve likes anything with tits and an ass, duh. I don’t think the idiot actually has a type.”

Eleven shrugs. “I dunno.. I think he does but he doesn’t even know what that is yet.”

“Yeah, well.. He’d better not even think about it with my sister again.” Mike grumbles. 

Will rolls his eyes. “Nance and Steve are done, stop being a baby.”

“Yeah but how do we know that?” Mike asks, pouting at his boyfriend. Will laughs, reaching out to pat Mike on the head. “Just trust me, Mikey.. They’re done.”

Tommy peeks through his bedroom curtains. 

There’s still no sign of your car in the driveway. He grumbles to himself and makes himself step away from the window just as bright white headlights cut through the darkness.

He can hear Motley Crue playing for just a few seconds, the sound of an engine idling. He’d been tensed up, he relaxes a little. He knows it’s you and you made it home because you’ve been listening to the same Motley Crue cassette since your cassette player ate it at some point just before you left for your little trip to Florida.

Despite the fact, he wanders back over to his window, flopping down on the sill. He reaches out, grabs his pack of cigarettes and the lighter, carefully easing the window open.

You’re just getting out of your car as he looks down and takes a drag. If your outfit is anything to go by, he has to assume you just got back from a date and this thought doesn’t sit right with him, the jealousy starts to rise within before he can stop it from happening and it brings a renewed sense of desperation right along with it.

Dark brown eyes settle on the swimsuit calendar tacked to the wall above his old desk in the corner, the date he has to leave town for college is circled in red permanent marker.

“I gotta do something, this is gonna drive me crazy.” he mutters to himself in the darkness. 

When he looks back down, you’ve gone into your house. A quick glance upward shows that you’re in your room. There’s a hazy glow inside, your frilly sheer curtain and the tapestry you tacked over the top of it are pulled out of the way and you’re wandering around, a pale pink phone cord winding itself around your pretty little body with every step you make as you pace your messy bedroom and talk to someone on the phone.

You stop in your window, hand pressed against the glass. As he stares at you, he gets the feeling that you’re  staring right back. This is confirmed when you give him this little wave. He leans his head back against the wooden frame behind it and exhales, a plume of smoke dissipating into the darkness.

And for the second time in fifteen minutes, he reminds himself that he needs to do something. He can’t leave town with everything so unfinished between the two of you because it’s been eating at him for a while. 

“Tomorrow. I’ll start tomorrow. I can just go over, ask if she wants to hang out with me all day.” he tells himself as he puts out his cigarette and flops across his bed after closing his curtains just a little bit better.

[o-rchidae]

I successfully learned to do a ladderback jacquard stitch to deal with some large floats.

Oak leaf socks

Unfortunately the cats got at them while I was blocking them so they are a little bit chewed.

If I were to do these again I would flip the pattern on one of the socks to make them mirror each other. I would probably use a darker background colour.