The Needle's Point

Hugs & Chocolate Kisses Socks

2008-07-24T08:25:00.001-07:00

The Loopy Ewe's July Sock Club shipment included Dream in Color Smooshy in Spicy Smoochies. Isn't it a great color? The first picture is the most color accurate. The others are a bit washed out.

Here are my completed socks. The pattern makes the Xs and Os for kisses and hugs. Pretty clever.

It has a twisted 3x2 rib. It was a little fiddly but I like the result. I'm not sure it was worth the extra effort though so I probably won't do it again.

My favorite heel is a slip stitch heel flap. It is magic to watch the colors come out. I normally continue the pattern under the heel.

I'm still working on my Slow Bee Mystery Shawl & Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawls. They are increasing slowly and are hard to photograph so no progress pictures. The Slow Bee shawl takes nearly an hour for each right side row! I can only work on them when no one else is around so I don't get much of a chance to work on it. My goal is to complete 2 rows a day. I've got 60 more rows until the border so I'l be working on it for a while.

TTYL

A Lazy Saturday

2008-07-12T16:16:00.001-07:00

This is my cat, Trouble. Her name really describes her behavior & attitude. Today, all she could do was lay around. My entire family had a lazy day. I knit while the kids watched videos & played guitar hero.

I worked on my 2 lace projects, Slow Bee Mystery Shawl and the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl. Here is a photo of my lace knitting set-up. Some people paint by numbers, I knit by colors. I have a set of highlighters that I always use to color code my stitches. For example, I learned to keep my left-leaning decreases & my right ones apart by using lime highlighter for left and red for right. Now, I never confuse which is which. I've written in pencil the number of plain knit stitches go in between other stitches. I keep the chart on my kids' music stand so I don't have to sit at a table. You can see my pattern tamer. It's a magnet that helps me keep my place. I put it above the line I'm working on so I can read my knitting & catch my mistakes as I go.

I'll show you how I keep track of my sock charts in my next post.

TTYL

Froggin' But It's All Good

2008-07-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Normally frogging & knitting aren't two words that you want to hear in the same sentence. Woolgirl Sock Club's June shipment played with the knitting term frog - it was tree frog themed. I liked the theme & the extras but wasn't too thrilled about the yarn. It was too colorful & I couldn't imagine what it would look like knitted up. The yarn is by Dashing Dachs in the Froggin colorway. The pattern is also called Froggin.

One of my favorite extras is a gauge ruler by KaratStix. I love how easy it is to measure gauge. Yes, I always make gauge swatches when I am following a pattern.

I cast on Sunday and finished Wednesday. I absolutely love these socks. First, the colors look awesome together. It matches my Ravelry tee that I wear with black pants. Also, the fabric the pattern created is wonderfully stretchy so it fits my foot perfectly. I plan to use this pattern again with very colorful varigated yarn.

I cast-on a new sock yesterday. Here's the progress so far. . .

. . . details later.

TTFN

Finished Objects

2008-07-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Toe-Up Spiral
I was a bad friend & forgot to mention my Toe-Up No Heel Spiral Socks designed by my friend, Jo Febo. These are the perfect sock for growing feet or first time sock knitters.
Yarn: Bellamoden Sport in The Color Purple. I love her dying methods. I plan to acquire more. Visit her shop here or at The Loopy Ewe

Berlin Muster
These are for the Sock Knitters Pentathlon. It is a 5 sock challenge over 10 months. I entered the race not being a very fast knitter. I'm doing better than I thought I would but I'm not even in the top 25.
Pattern: Berlin Muster-several mistakes were found in the English translation but the charts are correct.
Yarn: Seacoast Panda in Glacier

Oversized Tote
I love to felt Noro Kureyon so this is a modified French Market Bag out of Noro. I modified it just in the size. After all increases, I just kept knitting until I ran out of yarn but I saved 1 skein for my handles. I bought 1 or 2 extra skeins.
Pattern: French Market Bag
Yarn: Noro Kureyon

Rattlesnake Creek Socks
This is another pair of Pentathlon Socks. I just finished them yesterday & came in 24th place. Not bad when there are hundreds of knitters. The yarn in Fleece Artist Basic Merino Sock in the Rose colorway. I'm not a pink person but I love the subtle color variations in this yarn. It really brings out the cables.
Pattern:Rattlesnake Creek Socks
Yarn:Fleece Artist Basic Merino Sock

Here's a sneak peak at my current sock . . . .

pretty wild isn't it. I'm liking this more than I thought I would. Hopefully, my next post will have the finished sock details.

Well, TTFN

Now, I Really Am Back From the Dead

2008-06-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

I left off at the beginning of June when life got really crazy. Tuesday, June 3, was the band Spring Concert & award ceremony. It also was my eldest children's conductor debut. She was 1 of 3 eighth graders chosen to conduct a song each. She received the Jr. Conductor award. She plays the flute & was a concert mistress. My son normally plays the alto saxophone but received the chameleon award because he played so many wind instruments throughout the year to help fill in gaps. Sorry, no pictures - we have video but the pictures sucked. :(

I had migraines every night that week. My 8th graders started getting senioritis so they were hard to keep motivated with their assignments.

Friday, June 6th, was the 8th grade dance. The kids' energy level is always so high any time there is a dance. After the dance I went straight to bed & was asleep by 7 pm. I was very rudely waken about 11 when my husband & kids returned home from his softball game. I stumble out of the bedroom to fuss at them & see them helping my hubby to his chair. He got an ice pack strapped to his knee & he is hopping on one leg. Of course, I feel guilty for starting to fuss. He wouldn't dream of going to urgent care.

Saturday was a baseball day. I watched my son play. Hubby finally admitted that he wouldn't be able to umpire that afternoon, found someone to cover his game, & actually allowed me to take him into urgent care. They immobilized his knee, gave him crutches, pain killers & told him to come back in a couple of weeks. It turns out that he won't need surgery - yipee!

Sunday was spent grocery shopping, laundry & grading papers. Monday started the last week of school, the roughest week of the year. My youngest daughter is a bit of a hypochondriac & a drama queen so I take what she says with a grain of salt. She got off the bus looking like she was getting ready to puke or cry. She handed me a note that looked like our discipline forms so I assumed she had gotten in trouble. No, it was a nurse office note saying she was sent to the nurse. I looked at her foot, it wasn't swollen or anything. At times she even danced & ran on it but I took her in to the doctor just in case. The doctor didn't think it was broken either. In fact, youngest daughter even jumped off the exam table & acted like nothing was wrong. The doctor had it x-rayed just to be sure. It turns out her foot was broken in two places. We convinced the technician that she could live by the rules of having a boot instead of a regular cast. This way she'll still be able to go on our Scout trip & her Sea World camp.

Tuesday was my son's 13th birthday. Wednesday was the 8th grade trip to Magic Mountain. Thursday was graduation. Eldest daughter graduated Suma Cum Laude & received band & perfect attendance awards. Friday was the last day of school & music lessons. Saturday my in-laws came up from San Diego to visit & rehearsal with the pianist. Sunday was father's day and the kids' music recital. All of this was going on with 2 invalid family members so everything fell on my shoulders. It also is a time of added responsibilities at school - report cards, office paper work, preparing for graduation, tearing down & packing up my classroom. It is also the time when my BFF was having major troubles of her own. I wasn't able to help her as much as I wanted to.

Luckily, all of that stuff is behind me. I spend my first week off helping pack classrooms & taking many naps. So, I feel ready to return back to life. Now that you are caught up on my life my next post will return to knitting content. But before I go, I leave you with this. . .

she may be out of junior high but that doesn't mean she's all grown up!

I'm Back From the Living Dead - Maybe

2008-06-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of my knitting buddies fussed at me yesterday (you know who you are, KnottyKnitter40 & KnittinWolf) for not updating my blog more often. To be honest, life has been really busy & blog updates are always the first thing to go. It has been so crazy & I've been so tired, I feel like I was sleep walking the entire time. Let me update you on my life for the past month.

The weekend of May 16th, RKSMom & I took our scouts camping. Of course, it was the warmest weekend of the year (so far) & we were in tents. It was almost miserable. But, we brought back the big award for having such a great troop so it wasn't all bad. You might be able to tell that there isn't much shade at Castaic Lake.

My fingers felt too fat & swollen to do much sock knitting but Lil' Loopy decided to help with the knot tying. Once we got back, I had to prepare for Open House. While I enjoy open house, it makes for a very long week & I hadn't recovered from the weekend.

The next weekend was Memorial Weekend & time for a band Music Festival. I went with them to the festival on the school bus. Did I ever mention that I get car sick & I'm completely worthless on a school bus? Not a good thing for a teacher. They were disappointed to bring back a bronze award. We learned later that they were misjudged. They were ajudicated as a high school band & not the junior high band that they are. That means their score could have qualified them for a silver or gold rating.

I was "fortunate" to be the adult for 6 male junior high kids. I never heard, "pull my finger" so many times in my life as I did that day. I did win cool points because I love the coasters. Silver Bullet is "tight". I love that ride. It is full of loops & corkscrews. It flips you upside down seven times! I think corkscrews & barrel rolls are the best. For some reason, I can't ride in a car or school bus but I don't get sick on the coasters. Yipee. My drop stitch scarf helped to pass the time in lines. We got back late & spent Sunday recovering. We finished out the weekend with family and friends watching Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

June 1st was the big secret swap partner reveal. Of course, I was spoiled by my pal. Thank you Mish. I was a bad blogger & didn't get any pictures. :( I spent the week before the swap trying to finish a bath set for my downline, Stashymama. It is the softest cotton I have ever felt. It is Pima Petite by Unique Sheep. I can't wait to get my hands on more of it. A tank top knit with it would be divine.

After that is when my life started getting crazy. I do have some other knitting to show you as well. More in my next post which hopefully will be tomorrow but I plan on taking several naps during this next week.

TTFN

Loopy's May Shipment

2008-05-08T18:14:00.000-07:00

Spoiler Alert - If you haven't received The Loopy Ewe's May sockclub shipment, don't read below.

Here is my sock club package. It included an accessory pouch, loopy peppermints, a poem, & pattern. Most of Loopy's kits include that. They are nice but it also included some bling, a stitch saver (a crochet hook on a key ring for fixing dropped stitches). The yarn is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wollmeise . . . yes, I know - envious? It is a custom colorway named Pillars of Fire. It ranges from a deep cardinal red to scarlet & ends with a burnt orange color. Gorgeous!!! I want to cast-on right now but a new sock madness pattern is released Friday morning. I already have 9 WIPS. Must . . resist . . .Wollmeise . . . must . . . resist. . . . . stay . . . strong . . .

TTFN

Secret Pal

2008-05-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

I have a wonderful secret pal. This package was left for me & it includes many wonderful things. I appreciate the thought & effort my pal took to create this package. The candle is very interesting. It is bamboo & tiger lily scented. We enjoyed the aroma around the house. I look forward to reading my books when I have some interrupted time this weekend. It also included sticky notes & a memo holder. Cool beans.

I think my favorite part of my gift was the photos of my own work. I'm not sure how she (or he) got them - maybe through flickr. At first, I though wow, they gave me knitting postcards. Then, a moment or later I realized that it was not just anyone's knitting, it's my knitting. The pictures were put in between the pages of one of the books. Thank you secret pal.

I finished up another pair of Sock Madness socks. I'll post about them & my other WIPs this weekend.

TTFN

What? Needles has a Non-Sock FO!

2008-04-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have finished a non-sock project. It has been awhile since I've finished a project that wasn't a sock. In between sock madness rounds, I couldn't stand the feel of sock yarn & small needles so I cast on a shawl using worsted weight yarn.

Pattern: Forest Canopy by Susan Lawerence. This pattern is also available through the Ravelry Store.
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Pansy Golightly (2 skeins)
Needles: Knit Picks Interchangeable, US Size 9 (5.5 mm)
Cast-on: March 29 Bind-Off: April 10 Blocked: April 19
Modifications: I used worsted weight instead of DK, 16 pattern repeats instead of 12

Here is a better picture of the texture. It is before blocking.

In other news, I finished my round 3 socks last week, cast-on round 4 tonight, & cast-on French Market Bag last night. More details later.

TTFN

AARGH!

2008-04-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Imagine Charlie Brown's cry of frustration after he believes Lucy won't move that football again . . . AARGH! That's the sound I made today.

I never knew I could be so competitive until I joined Sock Madness 2. I told myself that I wasn't going to worry about the 3rd round. Then, I received the 3rd round pattern, Slippin' Stripin' Socks. It came on a Thursday evening. I had lesson planning to do, my house was a mess, my children needed help for their school projects. . .I was behind in all areas of my life. But, there was this pattern, calling my name. ". .. Carol, cast me on . . . come on, you know you wanna . . . Carol . . ." Normally, I'm strong but I bowed to the pressure that was the pattern.

The sock had a totally new to me construction, knit with 2 strands of lace weight yarn. I cast on using JaggerSpun Zephyr in Emerald and Black. I knit until bed Thursday night.

I got up early Friday morning & finished the lesson planning that I needed for that day & wrote an algebra quiz. As soon as I finished, I knit until it was time to leave. After school, I went to my daughter's softball game. Of course, I knit while I was there. I ended up leaving early because I got a migraine. I was unable to knit the rest of the day & went to bed at 6 pm.

Saturday, I was still having problems with light sensitivity & recovering from the migraine so I didn't get to any of the softball or baseball games. I did use the time to knit & took several naps. Here's my sock Saturday morning. . .

I knit as much as I could Saturday & Sunday. I had to help the kids with their Science Fair projects & go get my taxes done. I decided that my grading & lesson planning could wait until Monday morning. The Sock Madness divisions were filling up quickly. About 9 o'clock Sunday night, I started to grow weary. My hands hurt, I was tired, & I wasn't sure I could continue. For a minute or two, I debated about staying up all night to finish the socks & still go to work. Then I toyed with the idea of staying up all night & calling in sick. Finally, I did the right thing & put my socks down so I could go to bed. When I got up at 4:30 Monday morning, all divisions were full.

As you can see, I was so close.

I'm full of "if only"s . .if only I didn't get a migraine Friday. . .if only I stayed up later Saturday night. . .if only I didn't help my kids & ignored my husband . . .I might have advanced to round 4.

I'm sure my family is happier now that I'm out. My husband supported me the first & second rounds. I don't think he was too pleased about this last round.

I plan to continue & will knit all the other rounds as the patterns are released. Maybe I can increase my speed so I'll get even further next year.

A Big Whine

2008-04-06T05:44:00.000-07:00

I don't normally talk about my health but this post will be about that.

March 25th I woke up with the funny sensation that I always have before I get a migraine. About 10 am, the right side of my face really started hurting. So, I took my Imitrex and went to bed. About 2 o'clock I realized this was not a migraine & figured I had a cold. I pretty much stayed bed the entire last week of my vacation. I had planned to get my lesson planning for April finished so I would be ready for the next couple rounds of Sock Madness. For the next few days I was weak, achey, & congested. I only had the energy to be up & about for an hour or so. Then, I'd be exhausted for the rest of the day. When I'm sick, I go to bed for a day or two and my immune system kicks in. Being sick for this long was new to me. I have to admit, I was getting very whiney & feeling really blue.

I went back to work on Monday. I didn't feel well but was hoping that getting back into the swing of things would help. Little did I I know. . by the afternoon I was having a hard time concentrating & no voice. I came home to find that the 2nd Sock Madness pattern was released when I was at school. By the time I saw the pattern many people were already 1/2 finished with the first sock. I knit for a couple of hours and went to bed.

I got up Tuesday and felt fine but I had no voice at all. I went into school & only made it until 9:30 & then I quickly wrote subplans and made arrangements for other teachers to take my students. I came home, slept & didn't knit on my socks at all. A few people finished their socks already.

Wednesday I arranged for a sub. I called to get a same day doctor appointment. None were available, I'd have to go to urgent care. I hate going into urgent care. If I felt good enough to get dressed, drive for a total of an hour, & sit in a waiting room for 3 hours, I wouldn't need a doctor. I finally decided to go anyway. At least I was able to knit for about an hour of the time I was waiting. Then I was too tired to do any more. I was told that I had a sinus infection but it was really irritating my throat. I was told to stay home through the weekend. Oh darn, more knitting time. I was given antibiotics & a stronger decongestant. It was a good thing that she told me to stay home. I was feeling much better Thursday but still had no voice. I tried to watch my daughter's softball game but only made it 30 minutes before I had to come back to bed.

I spent Thursday & Friday mostly on the couch knitting & not talking. My throat killed me. Here's what my Sock Madness Round 2 socks looked like Thursday morning . . .

I finished about noon on Friday . . .

The name of the pattern is Reversai because the sock looks exactly the same on the inside and out. It has a garter stitch heel, foot, & toe. I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Devon. I am disappointed that the pattern doesn't show very well. By the time I realized that it wasn't showing, I didn't have time to switch yarns & hope to finish in time. I need to stock up on my solid yarns for sock madness & the sock pentathalon. Most of the patterns are complex & need a simple yarn. I was hoping to knit from my stash instead, my stash is growing. Ugg

I am pleased to announce that I came in 16th out of 35. Only the first 20 participants in each division get to advance (80 out of 140 move on to round 3). I am feeling better but my throat still hurts & I don't have much of a voice. It will be interesting to see how tomorrow goes. I'm looking forward to going back to school but I don't look forward to all the talking I will have to do!

end of whine . . .

TTFN

Dr. Pepper Zombies

2008-03-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

I've entered myself into Sock Madness 2, a knitting tournament based on college basketball's March Madness. Knitters were divided into 4 divisions of about 58 people each. The first 40 people finished with their socks advance to the next round.

We were given teasers about the pattern a couple of days before it was released. It was described as a "scary pattern & to think of Michael Jackson's Thriller video. I didn't really have any scary yarn but I found yarn in my stash from The Knittery in a wool/cashmere blend. I thought it looked a little bit like dried blood.

I got my copy of the pattern about noon on the 13th. I knit as much as I could and finished at 2:30 am on the 16th. I was really afraid that I wouldn't finish in time to advance. It took me 40 hours to get these socks done. I knitted my fingers to the bone. See?

Actually, the yarn had excess dye & bled on me. Here are the finished Zombies taken at 2:29 a.m. I was the 14th to finish in my division.

. . . and a better picture . . .

This was my first eye of the partridge heel . .

The cuff pattern reminds me of a muscle. . .

.

. . . and the drop stitch was fun too.

These are the most comfortable socks that I own. The fiber is warm (my feet are always cold) & the pattern hugs my feet. Not too tight or too loose.

I've named the socks Dr. Pepper Zombies after the only soda that I'll drink - Dr. Pepper. They match my Dr. Pepper t-shirt perfectly.

The next round won't start until April 1st so I have time to get caught up on stuff before I drop everything to knit nonstop again.

TTFN

Things about Me

2008-03-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

I know that I've been pretty silent lately. First, life got in the way & then competition knitting came along. Since my last entry, I've finished 4 or 5 pairs of socks. More about them later. Today, I'm answering the tag I got last month when I was really sick:

4 jobs I held
Pizza Joint Asst. Manager
Hotel Desk Clerk
Newpaper Carrier
Teacher

4 movies I like
Harry Potter (all)
The Lord of the Rings (all)
Star Wars (all)
Field of Dreams

4 places I've been
Italy
Holland
Scotland
Washington, DC

4 places I lived
England
Germany
Arizona
New Mexico

4 TV shows/programs I watch
Heroes
Sarah Connor Chronicles
The Tudors
24

4 Radio-shows I listen to
No radio - just podcasts
Cast-on
Lime & Violet
Daily Breakfast
Pottercast

4 favorite foods
Ice cream
Chinese
pastries
Cadburry Creme Eggs

4 places I'd rather be
Walking in the snowy mountains
the beach
Scotland
stranded alone on an island for 48 hours

Organized Knitting Club 30 Day Challenge

2008-02-09T17:35:00.001-08:00

I've been feeling overwhelmed with all of my responsibilities, Most of it comes from not using a planing system. My school gives us lesson plan books that also has space for personal planning. I tried to use it for school & personal but it just wasn't enough. I just received my Julie Morgenstern Franklin Covey Planning System. I'm starting to feel the effects already. I've transferred my school calendar & family calendar into my planner. I've started to make lists. I'm a big list person. My brain was cluttered & now I feel I can relax.

I'm also taking care of the clutter in my house. I'm taking the Organized Knitting Club 30 Day Challenge of organizing my knitting space or room. Since I don't have a knitting room, I'm organizing my bedroom which is where I store my knitting stuff.

Here is where I keep my knitting stuff. There was quite a bit of non-knitting stuff in there too. You can't even begin to see how crammed & messy the drawers are but they are packed very full.

I completely emptied all of my stuff on my bed. It covers half of the king sized bed.

Here's how it looks now:

I have my needles and stitch markers on the top shelf. I use the highlighters to color code charts. The second row has WIP and sock blockers. My books are on the bottom shelf. In the back you can see my Tom Clancy collection & my colored pencils that I'm keeping out of my kids' hands. These are the only two non-knitting things in the top part of the cabinet. I still keep pants in the larger bottom two drawers.

The side drawers have more supplies. The top one has lace yarn & beads. The next one has other knitting notions.

The bottom three drawers have most of my sock yarn.

I haven't tackled the top of the cabinet yet.

I also dejunked another side of the room. All in all I threw out 5 grocery bags of trash & have 3 kitchen trash bags of stuff to donate. Armed with my lists, I'll tackle other parts of my room over time.

Knitting Update

2008-02-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

It has been forever since I posted. I just haven't felt like writing. I've had the blahs.

I have two socks that I'm currently working on. One is The Master Coriolis sock by Cat Bordhi. I've had her book for months now but didn't take the time to sit down & start on any of the socks. But the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry challenge this month was to knit a sock using a new to you heel. So, I took the challenge & cast-on Feb. 1. I finished the first sock yesterday.

I learned several new construction techniques with this sock. She begins with a garter stitch toe . . .

. . . and continues with the gusset increases going around the leg.

The sock has a traditional heel turn & toe-up heel flap. The sock ends with a seed stitch and 4-strand bind-off.

The second sock spirals in the opposite direction. It was a quick knit - I think the first sock took less than 9 hours which is really fast for me. Of course, using 2 strands of fingering weight yarn speeds it up too. Here's the completed sock.

Pattern: Master Coriolis by Cat Bordhi
Yarn: Regia Design Line Kaffe Fassett in the Mirage Storm Colorway
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony, US Size 5, magic loop

I'm working on a pair of intarsia socks - my first color work. This pair of socks is for my BFF, T.

The main color is Knit Picks Bare (75% superwash, 25% nylon) with a strand of Zephyr (50% wool, 50% silk). The contrasting color is Fleece Artist Somoko in Blue Lagoon. The blue semi-circles are two halves of a heart 'cause I want her to know that I love her. There are lace hearts on the instep as well.

I do have some other stuff to blog about but will close for now.

TTFN

2008 Resolutions

2007-12-31T23:14:00.001-08:00

I had helpers when I was wrapping presents last week. All three of our cats "helped." How could I get frustrated with them? They did slow me down a bit though. This cat's name is Trouble. She lives up to her name.

I have some knitting resolutions for 2008. Here they are in no particular order:

- Knit at least 1 pair of socks a month

- Complete the Sweater Sampler by Jacqueline Fee in The Sweater Workshop

- Make my DH a red v-neck sweater (plain?? or cabled?? Aran??)

-Have less sock yarn in my stash at the end of the year (Right now, I have enough for 46 pairs.)

-Have 3 or less WIP at a time - a travel sock, a more complicated sock, & a non-sock project

-Enter 2 or more projects into the Antelope Valley Fair.

-Keep up with the fiber club mailings so that yarn doesn't enter stash status (The Loopy Ewe Sock Club, The Woolgirl Sock club & the 7 Deadly S(p)ins). The sock clubs mail once every 3 months; the S(p)ins club mails every other month.

I have non-knitting resolutions also:
-Clean my bathroom at least once a week
-Keep my bedroom clean
-Wash, dry, & put away one load of laundry a day
-Keep up with the daily Pray as you go podcasts.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Barcelonas are Finished

2007-12-22T16:58:00.001-08:00

20071222_3065.JPG, originally uploaded by Needles2007.

I have a FO to show off. It is a present for my mom but she doesn't know about this blog so it's okay.

The pattern is by Mona Schmidt called Barcelona. It was the November SKA Mystery sock. I used Knit Picks' Essential in Grass and Harmony size 1.5 DPNs.

The pattern drove me crazy because I couldn't memorize it so I was reading the chart for each row. I'm also not happy with my YOs. I really am glad I did this pattern & love the result.

I have more FOs to blog about after Christmas.

TTFN

Wonderful Surprise

2007-12-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

Friday was an awful day. I was so mad that I couldn't see straight to drive home. It still gets me really angry but this post is not a rant. I was so wonderfully surprised when I got home & there were two packages waiting for me. One was from Knitpicks - yarn for a Christmas present. The other package was unexpected. It was a sock club package from Woolgirl. I had forgotten all about it. The yarn is from The Unique Sheep Leili yarn (wool & mohair) in Spruce Spring colorway. It came with wonderful surprises too! Included were 2 Cider House packages, mint candies, a glass ornament stitch marker, and a Christmas tree tape measure. This package turned around my entire day. This is my favorite yarn club.

I have finished most of my Christmas knitting. You can see progress on my projects on my new sidebar thanks to Casey at Ravelry. If you are reading this in a blog reader, go to my blog page & check out the new progress bars.

Multimedia message

2007-12-11T21:13:00.001-08:00

Multimedia message, originally uploaded by Needles2007.

I'm sorry about the pixelated photo but I fell in love with this tree & only had my cell camera with me.

See, California does get fall colors but they only last for a day or two where I live because the nasty wind will come & blow all the leaves away.

The tree was a beautiful golden color (like a golden apple) & the sky was a dark grey. There is snow on our mountains in the background.

I've been knitting but I can't blog about them yet - they are Christmas surprises. Most of my gifts are completed or they are pretty close. The problem is that everything I have left is for people that live with me so it limits the time I can work on them. It's all good though because it makes it that much faster to get back to socks for me.

Swatch

2007-11-21T06:19:00.001-08:00

100_2935.JPG, originally uploaded by Needles2007.

I'm test blogging this photo. It is a swatch for my men's felted clog. I'm using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Daffodil & Iron Core to make a sunset color. Whatcha think?

Stash Enhancement & Startitis

2007-11-17T17:03:00.001-08:00

This week the mailman brought many packages to my house. Both sock club packages from Woolgirl The Loopy Ewe & arrived this week. The Woolgirl kit had Spunky Eclectic Super Nova which is a DK weight sock yarn. It has a wonderful shade of purple. This will be a fast knit & I'm looking forward to kitting it up. The entire kit had an Irish theme.

The Loopy Ewe package included Yarn Pirate BFL in Cranberry Ice. Something about this yarn really spoke to me. I don't know what about these colors I find so irresistable. I couldn't leave it alone in the skein & had to wind it into a cake.

Could you resist this? It reminds me of a dessert but I'm not sure what kind. Some of my Christmas knitting will need to be put on hold so I can swatch this. Hopefully the swatch will be enough to satisfy me until the Christmas knitting is done.

The mailman also dropped off my Ravelry tee, row counters, Under Cover shipment for 2 months, and a box with enough Knit Picks yarn for 2 pairs of man sized felted clogs. Have I mentioned how much I love the new Harmony needles? I now have several sets of needle points, fixed circulars & dpns. Anyone want to buy my set of Knit Picks Options? Some of the points are slightly used & some have never been used but are out of the wrapper & in the binder.

Nothing has come off of the needles but I have started many new projects in the last 2 weeks:

Invisibility Shawl from Charmed Knits. I'm using Knit Picks Shadow in Oregon Coast. It is for DD #2

SKA November Mystery Sock by Mona Schmidt. I'm using Knit Picks Essential in Grass. They will be a gift.

Serpentine Mitts by Miriam L. Felton. I'm using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Aslan. This is just the gauge swatch. These will be a gift.

I swatched for the men's felted clogs. I've had the pattern for a year, I've just felt nervous about knitting it.

I also cast-on another project for a gift that I can't talk about until after Christmas. Unfortunately, one of the needles broke at the join so I am on hold until the replacement arrives. So, I'm off to continue working on the Serpentine Mitts so I won't cast-on another 1 or 2 projects.

The Fugliest Sock in the World

2007-11-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

Until lately I hadn't seen a hand knitted sock that I didn't like. I thought all handknit socks were beautiful. This last month I was proven wrong.

My BFF picked out a yarn for her Christmas socks. She picked a beautiful yarn, Fleece Artist Somoko in Blue Lagoon. See how pretty it is in the hank?

It's almost as pretty in a cake. I found the perfect pattern, Wendy Knits' Pagoda. It had a lace pattern in the front and was plain the rest of the way around the sock. Not too girlie for my friend but not too boring for me.

I was concerned early on because one sock seemed to have all of the dark blue & one had all of the light blue. I kept knitting thinking that the yarn had long color repeats & eventually the colors would even out.

I finally dug in the ball & saw that none of the dark blue was in the second half of the ball. My colors would never even out but I stubbornly kept knitting. I turned the heels and tried them on. That's when I really got nervous. They were hard for me to get over my heel & BFF has a larger instep & ankle. I couldn't get them on her feet.

I frogged the mismatched socks this morning. A month's work gone - I hope I'll be able to get my Christmas gifts done. I think I'll let this yarn sit in the time-out corner for a while. Maybe it wants to be a scarf or a couple of pairs of fingerless gloves.

I'm Miss Piggy

2007-11-07T17:50:00.001-08:00

I just took the Muppet Personality test. I never thought myself as Miss Piggy. I wonder how accurate this is.

You Are Miss Piggy

A total princess and diva, you're totally in charge - even if people don't know it.
You want to be loved, adored, and worshiped. And you won't settle for anything less.
You're going to be a total star, and you won't let any of the "little people" get in your way.
Just remember, piggy, never eat more than you can lift!

The Muppet Personality Test

As Tigger always says,
TTFN

It Must Be Fall

2007-10-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

. . . because went to Disneyland. I love Disneyland when it's all decorated for holidays. This year, Disney had the entire park decorated for fall/Halloween. I cast on my second Halloween sock Oct 7th on the drive to Anaheim. I worked on it while standing in lines. With only a few exceptions, the sock was completed during my 90 minutes of playground duty a week. It is amazing how much knitting I can get done during this "found" time. I finished the sock Friday, Oct 26, just in time for Halloween.

Yarn: Opal Rainforest in Schmellerling (Butterfly)
Pattern: My own toe-up

Saturday, my two older kids had a fall recital. DD #1 has been playing the flute for 4 years. DS has been playing the sax for a little over a year. It was his first solo performance. They both played beautifully.

DS wouldn't admit that he was nervous but you can see his relief when the concert was over.

DD had a rough time getting started but then sounded even better than in her practices. She was nervous as well & had to be silly during the pictures.

I have a couple more FOs to show:

Computer Sleeve

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Devon (it took about a about 1.5 skeins)
Pattern: My own - I might write this up if there is interest

Pink Panther Delicatos

Yarn: Louet in Pink Panther
Pattern: Delicato by KnitSpot. I added one extra repeat on the ribbing at the wrist.

I cast on another pair of socks:

Yarn: Fleece Artist Somoko in Blue Lagoon
Pattern: Pagoda Lace by Wendy Knits available at The Loopy Ewe
Notes: I modified this to be knit 2 at a time on 2 circs. I'm not happy with how this yarn is dyed. Half of the skein has the dark blue & green. The other half of the skein has lighter shades. The socks look like they came from different skeins. The contrast between the 2 socks is much greater than the pictures show.

Back to Daily Life

2007-10-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we were treated to an awesome sight. We often see owls & hawks flying around or perched on a nearby Joshua tree. But, this time we had a hawk eating its dinner on our front lawn.

I finished up a couple of projects but I'll update on that later.

TTFN

R.I.P. Kathy

2007-10-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

I was working on a light hearted post last week but never got it finished. I'm in a much darker place now. A week ago, I lost a friend and co-worker. It came suddenly. And, if the story we've been told is true, it was preventable but the hospital didn't take her seriously & thought it was a panic attack. I do not know the result of the autopsy.

Kathy was a very giving person even though her life couldn't have been easy. Her husband died while she was pregnant with her daughter. She was taking care of her adult son who has Downs syndrome, her mother who was recently released from the hospital after a stroke, and a teenaged daughter.

The last time I saw Kathy was on a Friday. She volunteered to get some of my grading done because I was so far behind. As a thank you, I offered her one of the treats I was giving my class. She turned me down & offered me her taco soup. She watched my class so I could go & get a bowl of it. It was some of the best soup I've ever had. She gave me the receipe. I will think of her every time I have it.

Kathy, I hope you have peace.

Sky Show 32

2007-09-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we went to San Diego for Sky Show #32. Sky Show is a yearly fireworks "thing." They used to be after a Padres game but now they are after San Diego State University's football games. It normally is a sell out but this year the crowd was much lighter. But, what is a football game without a little pregame tailgate?

The boys had to toss the football around. Of course, if SDPD catches you, you'll get a ticket. But, playing catch after a game seems to be okay.

My eldest daughter made sandwiches.

Youngest child was feeling a little carsick & had a bit of a cold. She spent alot of the game lying down on the concrete trying to go to sleep.

I worked on my Entrelac Tote. I almost finished it but it was a little bulky to take into the stadium. I worked on a more portable project in the stadium.

As an ex-blonde cheerleader, I feel the need to point out that the cheerleaders couldn't spell the name of their school - the flags say SSDU instead of SDSU. Someone talked to them about it & they were much more careful the rest of the time.

ROTC did push ups for each SDSU score. They did many of them because the final score was 52 to 17. Thankfully, SDSU won.

They blocked off about 1/4 of the parking lot for the fireworks. They also use these cranes to shoot off the fireworks.

Here's me & my goofy guy.

They brought in searchlights & additional firework & gas plume platforms into the stadium.

The fireworks lasted for about 25 mintues. Sky Show is listed as the largest firework show west of the Mississippi. 101.5 KGB fm (a hard rock station that now places classic rock) started it 32 years ago. It seems to get bigger & bigger every year. The music started with Money for Nothing but instead of "I want my MTV" the words were changed to "I want my KGB." That's when they sent up fireworks that exploded into the letters KGB. It was perfectly timed to the song. I've never seen fireworks like it. Can you believe it, fireworks that exploded into letters! I couldn't get a picture because it happened to fast.

Here's a few of the best shots:

It really is hard to describe the scope of the event. Like all good concerts, we couldn't hear very well after on the drive home. All of us are looking forward to Sky Show #33.

First Waterfall Sock Finished

2007-09-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

I had a really awful migraine last night. I was still feeling it this morning so I stayed home from work. I got to finish a sock. I'm lovin' knitting with sport weight. It only took 12 hours from start to finish.

Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sport in Waterfall
Pattern: Waterfall by Babs Ausherman modified to knit using Magic Loop instead of DPNs
Needles: Size 4 Knitpicks Harmony tips on a 32 inch cord

I saw the Harlot in person!

2007-09-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know that this is an awful photo. I picked it because if you go to the Yarn Harlot's blog, you'll see the other side of this picture. Yes, my knitting group was a background for the traveling sock! If you visit her blog, our group was in the front row straight behind the sock. I am sitting in the middle of that row in my odd colored Dr. Pepper shirt. I didn't think about getting a picture of the Knotty Knitters but Darcy got one of us. I had a great time. Hopefully, I too will be able to combat C.H.O.K.E. I don't know why Stephanie hates her hair so much. I would love to have wavy/curly hair like that. I think that everyone wants what someone else has. I can keep my hair in rollers for hours & it will be beautiful for the 30 minutes the curl stays. Within 2 hours, you can't tell I ever fixed my hair.

I spent Sunday working on my progress report grades and only spent 30 minutes out of the day knitting. When I got home from work today I was greeted with two packages of yarn. The top package was from my favorite yarn pusher - The Loopy Ewe. On the last sneak-up, I scored Yarn Nerd (Peat Bog), Cider Moon (Blue Ridge Parkway), & a Wendy Knits (Making Tracks Toe-Up) Pattern.

I also got my first Woolgirl Sock Club package.

The extras that came this month are awesome! Included with the yarn (more about that later) came a color coordinated stitchmarker, chocolate mint lip balm, a sock journal with attached pen, a a pretty pattern. The theme of the mailing was waterfall. The yarn itself is purples, teals, & blues by Miss Babs. I'm going to cast this on tonight. It's sportweight & my other socks are fingering weight.

Well, I'm off to ball my yarn & swatch. Now that you see it, I hope you understand.

TTFN

Kniitting Lack of Focus

2007-09-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

I guess it's not that I'm unfocused - I'm very focused on knitting & not on school. But, I can't seem to focus on one project. I want to be the sort of person who can concentrate on one or two projects & stay with them until they are complete. Right now, I want to knit everything right now, all at once. So, I am bouncing around from project to project. This week I cast-on three more projects bringing my WIP to 8. This doesn't include one that I frogged, or the one I'll probably frog & another I don't think I'll finish.

Update pictures of what's on my needles:

Mystery Stole 3 - this is the one 1 think I'll frog. I enjoyed knitting it but I don't think I'll wear it & I don't know anyone else who will. I've not been able to get a good picture because it is black lace. I'll keep trying.

Pomatomus - I've swatched 4 times before I found a combination I like. I'm knitting two at a time on Brittney Birch DPNs (#1.5 - 2.50mm, 5 inches long) with J. Knits in the Cincinnati colorway. I'm still on the cuff but I think this will be great. I love these DPNs because they are smaller & I haven't bent them yet. I always bend the smaller size bamboo needles.

Sax Sox Appeal - This is my generic toe-up, 2 at a time pattern. They are out of a new sock yarn by Knit One Crochet Too called Soxx Appeal. It has 96% Superwash Merino wool, 3% Nylon, 1% Elastic fibers. I like working with it because it has just enough elastic to make it feel different. I've had to learn to knit a little looser so I don't stretch the yarn too far. They aren't done yet because I'm bored with the sockinette stitch. My son loves them so much - they might get gifted to him. He plays the sax, thus the name. It's odd wearing the same size socks & shoes with my 12 year old son.

Entrelac Felted Tote - I've wanted to try Entralac & this looked like an easy way to begin.

One of my first felted projects was a music bag for my DD#1. The designer named it Two Measures of Joy but I call it Ode to Kitty for DD's nickname. Instead of embellishing it with Ode to Joy, I was going to embellish it with her recital piece. This is a project I don't think I'll finish.

Blocking on a HOT day

2007-09-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

Warning - this is a picture heavy post

Earlier this week I finished my Monkey Socks. These are the first socks that I've made with DPNs and sock weight yarn. I really like how they turned out. The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill in Martha's Vineyard. I don't normally block my socks but the lace pattern in Monkey needs to be blocked. I washed the socks & put them on blockers in the backyard to dry.

Then, I went to The Yarn Palette's Grand Opening with Youngest Daughter. The Antelope Valley finally has a LYS! They seemed to have a little of everything and are using suggestions from customers for other yarns to stock as well. We saw other members of the Knotty Knitters (hello Ann, Diane, and Darcy). Youngest Daughter & I made a couple other stops on our way home. By the time we got home it was 104 degrees.

The sky was starting to get dark & I remembered to get my socks before they got wet. One of my blockers were undamaged but the other one

warped in the heat. I thought that I might be able to flatten it with one of my teacher's editions. But then, I noticed that part of the blocker was over the wall.

I got some more books & put them on the patio. I was hoping that the combination of heat & weight might flatten it back out.

The sky continued to darken and the temperature dropped so I brought the blocker & books back in the house after 30 minutes. The blocker still looks as warped as it was.

Shortly after I brought the stuff in, the sky opened up to give us needed rain. It poured for about 30 minutes & was raining harder after these pictures were taken. We got really gusty winds that swirled around - not strong enough to be a tornado but it was still interesting.

Our power went out 4 or 5 times but never for more than 15 seconds.

OTN: Little Sky Sock from New Pathways for Sock Knitters (by Cat Bordhi) & Forest Canopy Stole. My other projects are on the backburner for now.

Migraines Again

2007-08-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

I hate having migraines. I feel that days of my life are being stolen from me. This week was one of those weeks. I got a migraine Monday afternoon & it never really left until Friday afternoon. I take a preventative medicine which has decreased the number & strength of migraines. I also take Imitrex when I get a migraine. My doctor advised me to limit the Imitrex to 200 mg per month. This month, I took 350 mg. That damn migraine just wouldn't leave. Only for a couple of hours it was severe enough that I was completely unable to function. Most of the week I was unable to concentrate for more than a couple of minutes at a time. Now, I get to spend my weekend catching up on all the work I didn't do this week.

I got a substitute & took Friday off of school. I can't really teach while taking Imitrex - I start saying everything the opposite of what I want to say. It would be funny if it didn't confuse the students so much. On Thursday we were watching a video on the 13 colonies. I kept saying that Connecticut was in the Southern Colonies & Virginia was in New England. I really know better than that. The wrong words were coming out.

I was able to finish one of my Under Cover Squares for August. O-wool is really soft & it's nice to switch to size 10 needles from my size 1.5s. Just 4 more repeats & a toe left on my second Monkey sock. Two Christmas gifts down - a few to go. Yes, I have started my Christmas knitting but I'm not pressuring myself this year. What gets done, gets done. Others will wait 'til next year.

For all of you Harry Potter fans. Dharma Fey (from Socks in the City) has a sock club started called Potter's Covers. It's 7 shipments of sock yarn. The colors are inspired from the 7 American book covers. She has 2 payment plans - including a monthly plan. For more information go to her Etsy site.

Also, have you heard about the Chore Wars Group started by Lime & Violet? Chore Wars started as a way to motivate families to do their chores. Well, L & V created the Lime & Violet Yarn Raiders. It has motivated me to keep my blog up to date ('cause I get experience points), try new things & finish that object. If you aren't a Yarn Raider yet there's more info at the L & V website. My yarn raider name is Needles, a studly, Level 8 shaman. I wanted to look different than everyone else. If you join, let me know your Raider name.

Booga Bag

2007-08-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

At first I had mixed feelings about Noro Kureyon yarn. The colors were very intense. This is colorway 170. Isn't it beautiful?

As I wound the skeins into balls, I was disappointed with how the yarn felt. It was itchy & scratchy. Only 1 of the 3 balls didn't have any breaks in the yarn. One ball had 3 breaks in the 90 yards. Very frustrating. . . .

When I was knitting, I was surprised that the Kureyon is listed as a worsted weight. Parts of the yarn was nearly as thin as sock weight & other parts were super bulky. Those parts reminded me of unspun roving. Did I get a bad batch or is it a "design feature" of this yarn?

The last picture is my finished bag. It is supposed to be a Christmas present but I want to keep it. It took 2 complete heavy duty wash cycles to get it felted. All of that washing made the bag nice & soft. I think it would still be itchy directly against my skin.

Loopy Sock Club - Fall

2007-08-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I received the fall shipment for The Loopy Ewe Sock Club. I love the colors of this sock yarn. It is a custom colorway by Claudia Handpainted in the Loopy Ewe colorway. Sheri always makes her packages fun. You don't know what will be included in the shipment. This time it is cider, an accessory bag, stitch markers and a fun poem. She had to change the loopy kisses to peppermints during the summer. If you haven't ordered from The Loopy Ewe & you like to knit socks or lace, you really should check it out. TLE has the best customer service - period. Search the net. I've never seen anything bad posted about TLE. Many of the products she carries have been recommended by her customers. Plus, I really like the fact that she includes a personalized note in every order. You can earn store credit (every $250 in purchases earn a $25 credit) and on your 6th order you become a Loopy Groupie. If you go to her store from my blog & place an order, I can get earn credit. So, go check her out.

Last weekend I started a Booga bag. I think I was the only knitter who hadn't made one. It has been felted and is blocking. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish it tomorrow. It was a fun & quick knit. I can tell why it has been so popular.

I finished the first of my traditional Monkey socks last weekend. It took me a while stop the first round from slipping off the needles. Once I got past the first round, I enjoyed using DPNs. This sock is a Christmas gift. My water bottle agreed to model the one sock.

I didn't have any problems kirchenering the toe. I stitched very loosely. Then I put the sock on my fist & tightened it until it was the correct tension. It is Cherry Tree Hill in Martha's Vineyard. I used size Knit Picks size 1.5 DPNs. Martha's Vineyard was one of the first sock yarns I purchased. I swatched a couple of socks with it but the pattern just made the yarn look muddy. I also tried a plain knit stitch sock & didn't like it. Monkey socks seem to bring out the best in varigated yarns. I don't think it is possible to make an ugly Monkey sock.

My 10th grade English teacher would be upset if she saw all the times I use the word I. Too many sentences start with it as well. Using different words to start my sentences will be my goal for the next post - too tired to worry about it now.

The Crazies

2007-08-15T06:40:00.000-07:00

My month of crazyness is almost over. The beginning of a school year is always hard for me. I spend the week before I go back working in my room - most of it is nervous energy. Students are always surprised that teachers have the same worries & fears that they do before school starts. Will my students like me? Are they nice? etc. Of course, 8th grade students won't admit that are nervous too.

We had a week of training before school started. Teachers are the worst students. I'm amazed at the number of teachers that will sit & talk & play around when someone else is presenting. They would never allow that kind of behavior from their students. I tried very hard to be a model student but this last training was really boring. There's nothing worse than sitting through someone telling us what makes good teaching while they are doing the exact opposite! At least we learned what not to do!

I love to plan for the school year. But, I never seem to do the same things twice so it's a lot of work especially since I change things a couple of times. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. For the last 5 years, I've been the math department chairperson. This year I'm the department head for social studies. So, I not only need to plan my school year, I have to plan out stuff for the entire department. I enjoy doing it but this year was more challenging because I found out a couple of days before school started that I'd be chairing social studies. I had to race to become famliar with the texts and supplemental materials. New teachers were wanting help & I felt so unprepared. The first week of school was spent planning my lessons & making sure everyone in my department had the stuff they needed.

By the second week things are starting to settle down. I always spend several hours preparing for Back to School NIght. I am more nervous talking to parents than I am talking to kids. My planning helps me feel better. So, tonight's the night. After 8 tonight, things will settle down for me.

With all of stress starting the beginning of the school year, I've had several yarn & knitting related purchases. I'm dreading what hubby's going to say as the packages & then the credit card statements start to arrive.

Enough of the whining. On to the knitting content.

I received this month's package from the Under Cover Club. What a beautiful shade of blue. Two sets of point protectors were included with this mailing.

More stuff later.

I got to meet Cookie A.!

2007-08-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Last month my husband treated me to a special day with Cookie A. Cookie's class was held at Unwind, a yarn store in Burbank. I enjoyed the class - it was on designing socks. She seemed a little shocked that we all wanted our pictures taken with her & that some of us wanted her to autograph her patterns. She really knows her socks!

Unwind is a comfortable store with a back table to work at or it has several oversized chairs to fall into. They had a variety of types of yarn but a limited supply of sock yarn. Of course, I had to walk away with

Trekking Pro Natura Sock. Sorry about the bad picture. I'll retake them when I have better light.
I was disappointed that they didn't have any Cascade 220 because I wanted to whip up some stuff from Charmed Knits.

Working Hard - Almost No Knitting

2007-08-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I missed yesterday's WIP Wednesday. I've been working 12-16 hour days to get ready for the new school year which starts Monday. I've completely rearranged my classroom. I've also cleaned out my 8 closets, 3 bookcases, & 8 file cabinet drawers. In the process, I threw out over 30 bags of trash. It's nice being able to open a closet without having things fall on my feet! I'm a packrat & that's what can happen when I stay in the same room for 9 years. I should have taken a before & after shot of the closets. I'll post a picture of the classroom once everything is ready.

I've made some progress on my Halloween sock while knitting under the table during teacher trainings. I also had a disaster while working on the 6th repeat of my Monkey sock. I accidentally pulled out one of the DPNs holding stitches instead of grabbing the empty needle. Oh course, I had to do it on one of the yarn-over/decrease rows - not the plain knit rows too! I managed to get the stitches back on the needle but now have 17 stitches instead of 16. So I've got to figure out which side of the decreases came undone. I've only been able to do about 20 rows of Clue 4 on Mystery Stole 3 in the past 2 weeks. I really like knitting lace but I can only work on this pattern when the house is quiet & I can't have interruptions.

Since I didn't post last Friday, here's my DD modelling her Adara Shawl that I blocked last week. I love how it looks but it is a little too narrow for me. It fits my daughter perfectly. She's been wearing it in the house even with the 100 degree weather.

Work in Progress Wednesday

2007-07-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hello again, I had fallen into what I call my vacation "nesting." I get into a mood which might seem like depression to other people but I'm happy. I don't want to leave the house for any reason & don't answer the phone. In short, I avoid being around other people. I think I do it for my sanity. Things are so crazy during the school year. I'm pulled in 20 different directions at the same time. All I want to do during vacations is just enjoy being with my family and ignore the world around me. I have come out of my hiding hole & and ready to be a member of society again.

On Wednesdays, I will be updating my works in progress. Right now I have 3 different pairs of socks on the needles.

The first pair is a pair knit with Knit One, Crochet Two's Soxx Appeal. Some people have said that this yarn is a substitute for Cascade's Fixation. I like Soxx Appeal better. It is a cotton, nylon, elastic blend. I'm using a plain knit pattern to highlight the varigation. The toes, heels, & ribbing will be solid light olive. I work on this sock at home while watching TV because it is a mindless knit.

I've knit a pair of Monkeys before and really enjoyed the pattern but I knit them toe up using 2 circulars so my pattern was upside down. I've wanted to do another pair using DPNs but have had problems using the smaller needles. I love using wooden needles in the larger sizes but I bend the smaller ones. The metal Knit Picks were so slick, stitches kept falling off before I could get the 1st round joined. This time, I cast-on over 2 2.25 (US size 1) circular needles. I knit the first round onto the 2.50 (US size 1.5) needles then I joined the round. It worked wonderfully and now I am able to knit using the needles. This pair is with Cherry Tree Hill in the Martha Vineyard colorway. It has a lot of royal blue & purples but includes hightlights of a bright green, brown & grey. It is absolutely beautiful. I work on this sock when I am able to focus on the knitting, usually when listening to podcasts.

I cast-on another sock to knit while walking, riding in the car, or during next week's training & meetings. It is another mindless knit that I've named Halloween. It is out of Opal Rainforest in Schmetterling (Butterfly). It has shades of orange, black & white. It is being knit using magic loop (Knit Picks size 1.5, 32 inches long). I cast-on 11 stiches per needles using Judy's Magic Cast-on. Then increased to 36 stitches per needle following Queen Kahuna's method for toe-increases. Once the toe was 2 inches long, I started a 4x2 ribbing on the insole of the sock. I haven't decided with heel I'll use.

Stay tuned for Finished Object Friday.

A Knitting Update

2007-07-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

I love having a summer vacation because I can knit and knit and knit 'til my hands are sore. I get to finish projects that have been waiting.

On Sunday I finished my Summertime Skinny Dippin' Socks. The yarn is really delightful. It has a nice sheen and is very squishy & soft when worn. It is All Things Heather in Superwash Merino/Bamboo sock yarn. The colorway is exclusive to the Loopy Sock Club but I plan to buy more of this yarn in other colorways. These are my first completed pair of socks for the Summer of Socks KAL. At first I wasn't very happy with the blue stripe where I made my gusset increases. But, now that the socks are done, I kinda like it so it is a "design feature."

Today I finished my Patriotic Socks in time for July 4th. I originally wanted to wear them for Flag Day but once that date passed I needed to change to a more realistic goal. I didn't worry about matching the stripes. I like that the stripes are different on each sock.

I've also made progress on Adara. Only 4 more repeats to go. I might add a couple more repeats to make it longer. This is the first time I'm knitting with yarn that doesn't have any give when knitting. Adara is a cotton/linen blend. It has taken some getting use to. I've learned to loosen my guage by knitting with this yarn. I don't know what else you could make with it.

I joined the Mystery Stole 3 KAL. The first clue came out last Friday but I just started on it last night. I've completed the first 45 rows. Only 55 more rows to go before this Friday's clue comes out. I'm using Zephyr in Charcoal, a clear bead with a coopery liner, and size 3 needles. The pattern hasn't had a memorizable (new word?) repeat so I can only work on it when I can focus 100% on it. It's been hard finding time having the 3 kids & my hubby around. I guess I'll need to work on it before anyone else gets up. I'm happy with how it is looking so far. The picture didn't come out very well. It is a solid black - there isn't any other color or shading.

The Sock's First Day at Disneyland

2007-06-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Anaheim. What Anaheim trip would be complete without stopping at Disneyland? We went to Guest Relations & Sock got a 1st timer's pin.

A highlight of the day was when Sock & I got our picture taken with Captain Jack Sparrow.

Spending the day with a newborn sock (she was only 4 days old) is not as easy as you would think. She wouldn't stand nicely in the 75 minute Finding Nemo line. I hate to think what would have happended if we were there during the 2 1/2 hour wait! Here Sock climbed over the railing to get to sit on the rock. Luckily DD#1 fussed at Sock and Sock came back before a cast member saw her.

The ride was worth the 75 minute wait but I won't wait that long next time. It had some really cool special effects including movie clips.

Sock went into a pouting fit when she wasn't tall enough to drive the Autopia cars by herself. I wasn't going to let her drive even with a passenger. She apologized so sweetly after her time out . . .

I decided to let her drive with me in the car anyway. I don't know why she acts so spoiled.

Ouch!

2007-06-23T20:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was making great progress on my Summer Skinny Dippin' Sock until I sliced my finger with a size 1 (2.25mm) knit picks needle. I often use my finger to help push the needle when I knit. This is the first time I hurt myself. Every time I knit I kept poking myself again in that exact same spot. I ended up putting my sock away and knit on the Adara shawl for a while. I don't push as much with larger size needles. I don't really like the pattern for this yarn. The striping on the sock is much prettier without the patterning and I think the design gets lost in the stripe. I will keep knitting because I don't want to frog them.

I cast-on the second sock for my 1776 socks at DD#1's softball game. I was able to knit while I was in the score booth. My finger is still sore so I was making slower than usual progress. I was asked about the yarn for these socks. It is a self-striping yarn, Schoeller & Stahl Fortissima Socka in the 1776 colorway. If you can get the guess the correct guage & number of stitches, the yarn makes perfect stars. You can view the first sock of this pair here.

Unfortunately, Dory's team lost so they are finished for the season. Having 3 kids playing softball/baseball sure gave me quite a bit of prime knitting time.

Start of Summer

2007-06-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

Whew! The girls and I finished school on Tuesday & Worm finished today. Next year all four of us are on the same schedule. It will be the first time in 8 years. I have mixed feelings about it - it will be easier on the family but i enjoyed the days when they were in school but I had the house to myself.

I didn't wear my Icarus to graduation. We used it to cover a dress code violation (a bare back dress). I still hope to get better pictures of my shawl.

I finished one of my 1776 socks. I tried to do a sewn bind-off. I was really happy with it until I ran out of yarn about 8 stitches too early! It took me a couple of hours to undo the bind-off, attach longer yarn, and re-do the bind-off. It leaves a loose edge but the sock is hard to get over my heal. I'll need to do it even looser next time. I made it with a longer than usual cuff so I can fold the cuff over. I like the warmth it gives my always cold ankles.

Today starts the Summer of Socks Knit-a-long. I decided that The Loopy Ewe Sock Club Summer Package would be perfect. I'm using All Things Heather in the Skinny Dippin' colorway. The pattern is knit cuff down on dpn. Of course, I'm knitting it toe-up. I am impressed with how the yarn shines. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Icarus Completed!

2007-06-16T20:44:00.001-07:00

It took me a week to bind-off but I've finished my shawl. I'm pretty happy with my first lace project. Here's a close-up of the edging.

Hopefully I'll have pictures of me wearing the shawl at Monday's graduation.

I love to knit socks & lace. I don't normally wear shawls, ponchos, & lacey stuff but knitting this was fun. I think using lace weight yarn is perfect for the Antelope Valley's warm days. I was able to knit this when the thermometer was close to 95.

I've cast-on the Adara Rainbow Shawl from elann.com. Adara is a linen cotton blend. I just love the colors & the yarn feels cool & smooth to knit with. I don't think I'll ever wear it though - my DD#1 is trying to claim it.

TTFN

A First Concert

2007-06-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

My DS, aka Worm, had his first school concert tonight. We were all very proud because the entire band did an excellent job. It is nice to see all the hard work & practice pay off for all performers.

In knitting news, I have about an inch left on my 1776 sock. It might be finished this week! I am really enjoying magic loop more than I ever expected. Thanks, Darcy, for converting me. I've begun the bind-off on my Icarus Shawl. I'll block it this weekend in time to wear for Monday's graduation. Pictures of both projects to follow.

1776 Patriot Sock

2007-06-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

I've finished 4 pairs of socks, a Kitty Pi, camera cover, & nearly finished an Icarus Shawl. Instead of going to the past I'll blog about my current WIP.

My current sock is in Schoeller & Stahl Fortissima Socka in the 1776 colorway.

It is a toe-up, magic loop sock. I started with 11 stitches per needle, increased to 32 per needle. It has a K3, P1 rib.

Here she is mostly through the gusset.

I have almost finished the heel turn. I really like how the striping & "star" pattern is coming even though no matter how many swatches, I couldn't get my stars to look starry. My DD thinks these stars make the sock look like it is waving.

Happy New Year

2007-01-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

I finished my first pair of Nicholas gloves Christmas Eve. I modified the gloves to suit my DD#2. I used a mint yarn in baby weight and size 1 needles. I followed the pattern (in a different guage) except we left off the fingers and stopped the glove at her knuckles. This made a dense fabric but it exactly what the 8-year-old wanted.

I've finished another Nicholas glove, this time in Red Heart worsted weight in the Cami colorway. I used size 2 needles on the body of the glove but used size 3 needles for the fingers. This also made a very dense fabric but it perfectly fit my 11-year-old DS. It was tough & splity to knit but being a beginning level knitter couldn't figure out another way to scale the gloves down to size for him.

I completed one glove for DD#1 in Opal tiger. These fingerless gloves were based off of Kim's Fingerless gloves but I shorted the arm, continued the K2P2 rib all the way around, left off the fingers and added 5 rows of a K2P2 rib around the top of the thumb.

I'm afraid of getting SSS with the gloves so I'm going to cast-on tonight in the Cami yarn. I'm hoping that alternating the gloves will help me overcome it.