Happy New Year!

Well, 2010 is well underway. This is the year that everyone is calling a 'Fresh Start". Let's not miss 2009 at all. The economy is so bad but I'm thankful for what I have, my health, my family and we're both working.

I've really been neglecting my blog, my photography, even my knitting to some degree. I have spun a bunch though! Over the past few months, I have actually some FOs...

Two pairs of socks are done. (I actually made three but .. more on that later.)

This is Charlene's Bluebell Rib. An easy pattern, good TV Knitting. Very nice in STR Goody Goody Lightweight. I made them during some of the world series.

Next up, we have Cauchy, a beautiful unisex pattern by none other than Cookie A., available in Sock Innovation. I love these and they fit me but I made them for hubby who loves them, too....sadly. I also knit a pair of socks for my son in a powder blue STR but I can't seem to find them! AND, they've never been documented in Ravelry. I've been neglecting that as well; however, I'm going to try and get back into shape and update things that need updating.


Speaking of getting back into shape, I'm weight watching and doing quite well. I even joined the Weight Watcher group on Ravelry. It's been nearly three months and I have lost 14 lbs. I'm thrilled! More knitting and spinning, less eating. This is part of the reason that I've been neglecting things. I have been spending the mornings on the treadmill and not on the computer or at the wheel...Also, I was getting up before 6 but since around Thanksgiving time, I've been utterly exhausted. This year has been a rough year at work, I've been working my tail off and put in a lot of time during the last 6 weeks of the year. Only now do I actually feel recovered from the end of the year work. So, I'm trying to go back to getting out of bed at 5:45 and getting on the treadmill and getting knitting and spinning in before work!

I've decided that my knitting olympics project is going to be Kiri, a shawl. I just haven't chosen what to knit it out of. I have 486 yds of Reynolds Soft Sea Wool in a nice Cherry Red color in my stash and I am wondering if that is enough. I would like to have hand spun something suitable; however, I haven't spun anything or enough of anything that would be lace or fingering weight other than the beautiful camel that I have been working with. I also have some Yak/Merino on the bobbin but I don't know if this is Yak worthy. That fiber is just special to me for some reason and I am not sure that I want it to be a shawl. Mostly because of the color. It doesn't look like it would make an interesting shawl. I want an ecru, cherry blossom or maybe a Dream in Color Smooshy color. I am afraid to use DIC Smooshy because it grows and I could wind up with a gown. Also, it's nearly torch time, I MUST decide!!!! I think that the Reynolds isn't enough. Other users of fingering yarn for this used about 600 yards. What to do other than buy yarn?

More later...off to the Blue Moon website...sigh...

What a Week!

As some of you know, I have been knitting in the Solid Sock KAL on Ravelry. I started my peach pair of Milanese Lace on February 2nd all set with the intention of finishing within a week.

It's been a rough month. I did work on them and they're finished today, 26 days later; however, not without a war wound. These socks just weren't meant to be.

First, a broken needle.

Then, I couldn't find the matching wooly nylon which I had to use on sock 2 being I used it on sock 1.

Then, the directions being wrong for the lovely eye of partridge heel I wanted to do.

Then, I accidentally put a twistie in the microwave. Did you ever read that metal in the microwave causes a fire? Well, it's true. I burned a nice hole in my left thumb the size of a pencil eraser. Major delay of game.

Then, we were fooling with the furn-a-kit hutch; changing it into a coffee table. Great idea until we had a small mishap and DH put his end in first and it gouged a piece of my left index finger out. Yep...1" long and 1/4" wide. That'll probably leave a nice scar.

Thing I learned this month: NuSkin really works!

Then..finally, I was on the foot of sock 2....then the toe this morning...and voila!

That's my lovely sock and a nice close-up of the pattern. I love them. Let's see if they grow when I wash them.

Hoping for better things in March. Color is GREEN!

Can I knit Green Socks or what??

Milanese Lace Sock

Happy President's Day!

Without further ado, Milanese Lace Sock #1 is done.

Here's a close up of the heel. I've used Wooly Nylon as a reinforcing thread and it was a perfect match. Good Stuff!

The pictures are a little dark, sorry about that. I'll take some good ones when both socks are complete. Busy today trying to clear out my office and balance my check book from 1997 to the present on Quicken so I can work on my taxes.

Back to the shredder.....

Hello February!

Another month. It's the dead of winter here on Long Island. It snows a bit nearly every day, 2 inches here, 2 inches there. There have not been many warm days and I think we have snow on the ground from around Christmastime, believe it or not. Ugly bits of dirty icy old snow were covered today with a blanket of new snow. It was springlike yesterday and yet today we got another winter storm today and about 4" of snow. I would much rather have 30" of snow than all these itty bitty 'storms' because I only want to shovel once. Hello February.

Yesterday was Groundhog Day. Puxatawney Phil said six more weeks of winter but what's-his-face in Staten Island said spring is just around the corner. What kind of drugs was he on? Once the weather pattern is in place, it stays that way for the entire season pretty much. I predict spring will be late and I'm nearly regretting not digging up my Dahlias. Best to start shopping for bulbs now.

Anyway, I was able to knock out a third pair of socks for January. (well, technically, I finished them on February 1st.) Ok, I knocked out the first pair of socks for February. I finished a pair of Ridged Squares for my Dear Son. He wanted green socks and he got them.

Here's a close-up of the Eye of Partridge heel and the nice gussets. Much nicer than some of my earlier pairs. I used exactly 49 grams of yarn so I can easily make him another pair. The leg on this is on the longish side and they're a bit big for him so I'll be fine as long as it isn't a yarn eating pattern.

For the February KAL for Solid Socks, I'm working on Milanese Lace in a none green color. See if you can guess what it is. Hint: They're not red either! Pictures next time!

Until next time, happy knitting!

Catching Up...

It's been a rough week. Kids are getting ready to go back to school, parents are ready to rejoice. Only a few more days, hang in there. It seems that at the end of the summer, they go a little crazy. Summer vacations are usually done, camp is done, days are getting shorter, fall is in the air. They're itching for something new. It's an ugly, rainy Saturday morning today. Husband went all the way out to Montauk to play a Wedding Ceremony at 1PM. In order to make it there on time, he left the house at 6:30AM. Holiday weekend, gotta pass the Hamptons, one road...could take a few extra hours. I miss him already. I need him to help me with my kiddies who have the End of Summer Crazies. Don't believe me, do you? Read on.......

This week, I telecommuted on Thursday. I got up extra early so that I could do mommy things before work. I planned on making meatballs and sauce at 5AM. So, at 5AM, I got up and went downstairs. I heard the pitter patter of little sneakers....I went into my sunroom to see my son.

"Hello, Mommy. I got up at 4:48 o'clock today. I made this".

He is very proud of his art. So, I let him play with it and proceeded to make sauce and do laundry before I had to start working. See those meatballs floating around in there? I dumped them in the pot, raw. It adds fat to the sauce and makes it extra delicious, of course. It also saves time, no frying or baking. The disadvantage is they tend to fall apart which is ok because then we just have meat sauce. I think next time I will lightly brown them in a hot oven on my Pampered Chef bar pan. Sauce was perfect. Kids and husband gobbled up almost all the meat. I stole two meatballs when no one was looking.

After making the pot of sauce, two loads of wash, running the dishwasher, I worked. At lunchtime, I stopped. I had to make him one of his favorite sandwiches. It had to be cottage cheese on white bread, not toasted and cut exactly the way he likes it. Surrounded by cherries to make it visually appealing. Surrounded by cherries so he could save the pits and plant them in the backyard so we can have a Cherry Orchard.

Can you cut a sandwich like that? Who said girls are harder than boys? She eats whatever is put in front of her. This applies even if it happens to be in someone else's bowl.

DS & DD,Sharing a bowl of Rice Crispies. Noticed they used a divided bowl, don't want to get each others "COOTIES".

By nightfall, they were tired. Work was done and it was time to knit the socks. I got up to the heel flap and I crashed. (Remember, I always tell you, never knit when you're too tired! I do not take my own advice often enough and this is what happens.)


These are for my DS, who has little boy feet, size 12 shoes. I will make them a little longish and hopefully he can wear them 2-3 years, we'll see. I guess that depends on how he grows. I wanted to use the regular slip stitch heel flap but I didn't. I put in stockinette stitch, forgetting to slip. Dopey. Also, pattern has an odd number of sts in the heel, which I DETEST because I can't think that way. 48 sts around, 24 each sole and instep. Bada-bing (I'm keeping with the Italian flair to this post, have you noticed?) and you're done. No dice. I ripped it out. I also had to be a smart ass and knit them both at the same time and I turned in the wrong place. I ripped it out. Then, I noticed that a stitch that was supposed to be a purl was a knit. It was about half way down the sock. In fact, there were two of them that were wrong. Very, noticeable. You probably can't see it here but I can. I put the sock to bed Thursday night and scheduled its surgery for 5AM Friday morning.



Friday morning, I prepped the socks. (one stitch each sock was wrong...) I put one sock on a holder and worked on the other. "Crochet Hook", I said to the nurse, my trusty dog, Zoey, and I proceeded. I dropped the stitch back eight million rows and fixed it. Second sock, at 5:25, alot faster. Probably because I had my coffee. DS stayed in his bed a little later, thankfully. DH got up early to help me handle the kiddies, thankfully. Sock was fixed.

The crazies continued during the day when the little Punkins called 800 numbers to buy stuff off the television. You know, stuff they need, Rainbow brushes, Oreck Vacuum cleaners, that chamois wipey thing that the "Germans make", Hank Williams classic CD Collection and Sledge-o-Matic. Thankfully, DH was able to nip this in the bud.

Friday night, socks were together at last on one needle. I clipped them together with a holder, a guaranteed prevention of turning in the wrong place. I knit the heel flaps, turned heel on sock one and turned heel on sock two. I actually knit them together on a single needle all through the gusset decreases and no errors. YAY. Don't ask me how I did this. I know how to do it but I haven't figured out how to explain it. You need to have a spare DPN or two and it's not really hard once you think about it. Just remember, you have to knit all of the soles and then all of the insteps. If the sts are in the wrong place, slip them to the DPN. Keep slipping them and knitting them on and off in order and voila, at the end of a row (or two, if you miss the first time) everything will be lined up. This took me three attempts when I first did it and now it's cake. I will attempt to document it and photograph it someday.


Finally, this morning's knitting session, which began at 6AM (I let myself sleep in a bit because it's Saturday) went swimingly. I know this is a really cruddy picture but I'm well on the way to completion now. I'm past the halfway point of the foot and should have nice FO pix within a day.

Ah, Saturday. We didn't have eye candy yesterday but I have a feeling we will have a nice sky picture for tonight....hopefully a good one. The end of a rough week.

We'll be saying goodbye to summer tomorrow and I hope to have some nice pictures to help us all remember it. This way, we can look back in January and say, "look at that nice rainy weather".

Stay tuned, I can't wait to tell you and show you my new trinkets. I am going to work on a special project next and guess what? It's not a sock!

Seeded Rib Socks..

Yes, another pair of socks is on the needles. I can't have my son feeling left out so I started these during the closing ceremonies of the Olympics on Sunday night. Start date is 8/24/08. I worked on them after I took this picture and I am nearly up to the heel flap. Maybe tonight I'll do that and take another shot!

My fall project is going to be a nice bulky tweed pullover from Knitting for Him. He has picked out "Shawl Collar Sweater" - ravel it here. Only a few projects in Ravelry so far so we'll see. It seems that it knits up with alot of ease and I'm considering making it out of Cascade 128 Chunky Tweed, the same yarn that I used for my Hooded Danbury Coat. My coat is also quite large (and STILL not blocked) so I'm going to carefully swatch out of the leftovers from that and calculate what we'll need. The yarn calls for even bulkier yarn but I can't afford the Rowan and I was thrilled with the Cascade so I'll use that.

Gotta walk just 1 mile this morning while reading Farmer Boy. I am re-reading the Laura Ingalls books as I walk across the country in my quest to be fit and literate. I read these back in grade school and they're great for treadmill walking, large print and easy words. One chapter is usually 20 minutes and it's perfect. I am not enjoying this one as much as the others, very descriptive. I don't remember reading this back in the day, it's the one about her husband's boyhood. It wasn't available on the bookmobile so I skipped over it when I went through the series.

Treadmill time!

Happy Leap Day and the Forethought Heel

Yippee! It's Leap Day! It always looks so funny to look at "2/29".

First off, I did it! I did it! The forethought heel. It's not too bad at all, a snap. The pros are numerous: doesn't mess up the stripes, by the time it's done you've done the equivalent of a heel flap, gusset, gusset decreases and you're on the foot. It's neat, like you're knitting out into space and then .. it's just...there! A heel! The cons are numerous, too. It's not really pretty and it can be hard to match the colors from one sock to the next. It's hard to set up; not difficult to do, but I felt like I was all thumbs for the first row. There's no heel stitch, it's really just stockinette stitch. You have to use kitchener stitch and you can't try it on easily to see how it's going until it's done.

Here's the set-up shot. Pretty cool, isn't it? Scroll down for completion of the heel.

This is my first forethought heel. I will publish more details when I do the other sock. It did mess up the stripes a bit, details on that when I'm not so tired.

Yes, I know, it can be scary to try a new thing. Think of this as an old thing though. Basically, you're just knitting a toe. You've all done that before, I bet!

On the last picture, you can see it. That's the leg and the heel from another angle. It's a toe.

More importantly, my little girl has kicked the habit of thumb sucking. It was a long, hard thing for her to do. She kept track of her success by accumulating an entire sheet of stickers. She chose the reward herself, an American Girl Doll that looks like her. I promised her a trip to the store but we haven't gotten a chance to go. When we do go, we'll get the necessary pajamas. For now, just the doll.

YAY!!

P.S. This isn't extravagant. It's cheaper than braces and her pearly whites look better already!

Mudslide Baby Cable Ribbed Socks and a Game for You!

Gee, isn't this what this yarn was supposed to do in the first place? Gee, wasn't the RPM pattern written for this yarn? Gee, did it matter that I used lightweight instead of medium weight or whatever it called for?

How do you like my Mudslides? The stripes are so definitive, this is just crying for a forethought heel, isn't it? I guess I'm going to have to learn how to do that. Soon, too. It's nearly time for the heel already.

Pattern: Baby Cable Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks

Yarn: Socks that Rock, Lightweight, Mudslide

Magic Loop, two at once.

Needle: Knitpicks 2.25mm, Size 1.

Cast on: 56 sts.

Start date: 2/24/08

Note: This is more a small/medium sized sock. The recipient is smaller framed and much thinner than I.

Oh, and BTW, you know how I live in a gameshow, right? I bought a new thing. Not really something that one would win on a gameshow.

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GAME SHOW TIME, can you guess what I bought?

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I'll give you some hints:

1. It has nothing to do with knitting or crafts that I would do; however, it was made by someone who has to be very much of a master craftsman. (or craftswoman...or craftsperson?)

2. It is energy efficient.

3. It is something that was invented many, many years ago. In fact, something that nearly everyone has had and it's been in existence for probably more than 1000 years.

4. They are available in various materials, plant, synthetic, mineral but the item seldom would be made of more than one of these as its main component.

5. It is silent. If it makes a sound, it would be annoying and you would probably fix it as quickly as you could.

I know you're out there and you lurk and you never leave a comment...comon, take a guess. Answer to be announced in a few short weeks when I will publish pictures of it.

Hmmnn..put on your thinking caps!

Almost Like Being in Love?

I'm working on the new sock and I'm not sure that I like it. It's STR, Scottish Highlands and the pattern has been changed from Faggot and Cable Stripe to Double Lace Rib from More Sensational Knitted Socks. Why, you ask? Remember what I told you about knitting while tired? Well, I did the wrong ribbing and didn't realize it until I had done 18 rnds so I changed the patter to accommodate the ribbing. I like the pattern, very simplistic but very pretty. I am not in love with this barber shop poll thing going on:

As you can see, it stops at the end where I'm nearly done with the heel flap. I was anticipating the whole sock to come out looking like the heel flap instead of a candy cane but you can't always get what you want. I live in fear that the second sock will in no way match the first. I'm also not sure if this is the same pattern upside down and right up otherwise I would've started from both ends and knitted two at the same time which I believe is the way to go from now on. It looks like it's the same, ... doesn't it? That may've worked. Of course, I am not smart enough to have done a forethought heel to match the stripes...I'm not sure exactly how to do that but will try that very soon. I have that nice trekking and Austermann to work with and they both will stripe so I have to learn that very soon. Maybe even for the very next sock! We'll wait and see what the gusset decreases do to this pattern. Stay tuned for an update.

So, I'm not sure if I love it or not. I do love the colors so, in the spirit of Scottish Highlands, it's Almost Like Being in Love!

In other news, I went to a birthday party yesterday for a friend of mine who is turning 40 tomorrow. I met her when she was in second grade. It was a surprise and she was genuinely surprised. I had alot of fun looking at old pictures, eating too much, you know how it goes. The kids loved it because they got to climb a tree.
In other news, my Lorna's Laces arrived and Elizzabetty will be coming over later for a BBQ and a winding party. I will take pictures to show you the yarn and the food later.

As for now, off to do a few errands. My vacation is over and it's back to making license plates in the morning. The kids will be home with daddy for part of the day and a nanny for the remainder of the day so he can work a bit to support my blossoming addiction.

I am working for FOUR DAYS and then I'm off for another 13 consecutive days. It is more than time to get back to finishing up the Wallaby, setting some goals and finishing up the Brigadoon Socks! Gotta start that poncho, too. All that's been done with that is the swatch and I will have to go up a needle size. We'll be using size 8's and that's what it currently on the Wallaby. Remember the rule, one sock and one sweater at a time or things will never get done.

Updates during the week. Have a wonderful weekend all!

Wire, Wire!!

I remember a number of years back, I was at Saratoga. The horses were at the 1/16 pole and a 'man' in front of me had placed a large bet on the horse that was out in front by over a length. A closer was rapidly closing the gap on the outside, gaining quickly and steadily and this man yelled, "Wire, wire!!!" That all came back to me as I was finishing up my socks. 420 yards of yarn, plenty, you say? I had very little leftover. Here's a peak! See that tiny ball!? That's the leftover! Oh my! I was yelling, "Wire, wire" myself there at the end of the toe decreases. But all in all, it worked out well, see the finished product and there is an additional shot in the brag book.

I love them. They're to be a gift to my aunt. I'm sure my uncle will want a pair, too.
I loved the pattern. The STR is calling me but I am really scared about running out. I am nearly ready to attempt toe up, two at once..It must be that I have huge feet. Not long, but very wide. Originally, I had knit an entire sock of these but it didn't match the first one because I casted on less stitches. Just increasing that pattern one repeat was a big difference. Making a sock that is 9" or more in circumference really eats up the yarn. I frogged it all and started again and ran out of yarn about an inch from the toe decreases. I will weigh the remainder of the ball just to see how much I have left over.

I could do the STR and make them a little smaller and give them to my sister in law for Christmas. She LOVES pink and the lace pattern would be lover-ly in pink. Her foot is narrower than mine (as is 99% of the population's because I have flippers).

I am so happy that I have another FO. Now, what's next? Pink lace socks will probably get started. All that's on the needles now is the Wallaby and that's not portable. I want to finish that up, get the pink socks going, too. I may cast on tonight for the pink socks during the Sopranos. Two at once, top down, methinks...

After the Wallaby, the poncho and then a probably a baby project being they're coming in droves around me lately.

More later, time for breakfast. Little bear is saying, "Here's looking at you, kid" so the ravioli and fried rice are a definite no-no. I think we'll do a beach walk tonight, go check out the high surf from Tropical Storm Barry that should be battering us later today. It's a bit chilly at 69 today and the kids want to swim but that's not looking very good right now.
"Here's lookin' at you, kid. Keep up the good work, eat the bran flakes and skim and you'll look like Angelina Jolie in no time" - NS Bear.

One of These Things Doesn't Belong Here

Sing everyone!

One of these things, isn't the same /One of these things, doesn't belong here/

And now it's time to play our game!

Thank you Sesame Street. Here's the pictures!

(Pattern: Broad Spiral Ribbing,More Sensational Knitted Socks, size 0 knitpicks needles, Cherry Tree Hill)

Amazing how I could knit two socks, two completely different sizes and not notice, isn't it? Well, I had to take out the skinny (complete done one). 12 hrs worth of knitting time, down the tubes. And things were going so well. See the number of ribs in the closeup? I was off by 12 stitches in the round and didn't notice. DOPE!! CRAP!! DARN IT! DAGNAMIT!! *#)*(*%)(!!!

So, I took out the skinny one and left the fat one on the holders. When I get up to the end of the gusset decreases, they're going to go back onto the needles and I'm going to knit the feet at the same time. Then, put this puppy to bed.

Speaking of puppies, this is Zoey. Zoey is now 10 months old (we only have her 2 months though) and she poops in the house. She poops outside, too. She is in a pen during the day and night but starting tonight, in a crate. I've had enough of mopping and scrubbing the tile. Cute, hah? She's 1/2 Beagle and half Boston Terrier which makes her a "DESIGNER DOG", a Boglen Terrier. We took her over from my son's teacher who couldn't keep her any longer.

Being I'm on a roll, let's look at some older pictures of knitting stuff!

Here's Hooded Raglan which I made out of WoolEase for my daughter. I have a Navy Blue one in the works for awhile for my son......It's in the UFO pile but I'll pick it up really soon again. I have one sleeve and a hood to make on that and it's done. I want to finish these socks and the baby blanket which will be photographed soon enough.

Here's the completed, except for grafting, Dark Pink socks!

Pattern: Broad Spiral Ribbing, More Sensational Knitted Socks, size 1 knitpicks needles, Fortissima Socka, 60 sts around)