Sock yarn and stuff

Pardon the terrible pictures, (Click on it to look closer) but I took the stripey ones late last night, right before I ripped the sock out, and rolled the yarn back into a ball.

The pattern is really neat, it's called the Treillage Socks, and I found it on Ravelry. I love the way the twisted knit stitches poke out in such a pretty pattern.

The first yarn I was using is Austermann Step with aloe and jojoba oil in it, and although I love the way it feels and looks, the yarn was just too slippery to do the twisted stitches. Especially on my metal needles.

So I ripped it out and started again today with some loverly yarn Rhoda sent me. It's hand dyed from See Jayne Knit. I think it might be an etsy shop. I love the colors, and the pattern is easier to do without the aloe and jojoba making it too slippery.

Well, SP starts his college classes tomorrow. I keep finding reasons to call him. I knew I'd miss him, but it's almost like I forget he's gone to school, and I keep thinking that kid should be home by now! lol I do think I'll have to dye some yarn maroon and gold. I got a bag, that I use for knitting (of course) and a tshirt with the college name on them. I am so going to be one of those parents that gets all of the stuff in her kid's school colors. At least he's only a couple of hours away, and will be visiting during the school year, and he'll be back for summer.

It's late, Lil AR should be in bed, but I told her she could play some mahJongg before bed, so I'd better get going!

Knit On All!!

I hate thinking of titles

Remember this blanket? The green and yellow one? Well it's gone. I frogged it. I could not make myself want to weave in so many ends, even though the colors looked awesome together. I restarted it, though, and now it is the blues blanket in the pictures to the left. I like it a lot more, and there won't be half as many ends to weave. Maybe that's why I like it so much more.



I'm also showing off LD's killer zap socks that I talked about in that same post. I finished them quite a while ago, but that was when I was being a lazy blogger, and I never posted the fo. MM dyed the wool for those, and I dyed the sock yarn for the other two pair that I am finally posting about.



The pink and yellow ones are for Hubby's Aunt. She asked for bright, stripy socks. They are bright alright! I want to keep them. It's just a plain stockinette sock, but oh, they are nice! If I do say so myself.



The green, purple, blackish, orange striped ones are for me, me, me! I love my handknit socks. I dyed that yarn, too. Actually, I made two skeins the same, so I could put one on my etsy shop, but my friend Melanie bought one before I could list it! I'm using the Monkey pattern. Love it! I know what people say about lace patterns and stripes, but I like how they turn out.

So, here are some super cute pictures from LD's field trip to a one-room school house. My friend Carrie sewed this awesome dress. She has a pic of her daughter wearing it for her field trip, and lucky us, LD's trip was just a bit later. There is a pic of her and her teacher (the one that knits) and her with her best friend.



I also won a bet against Hubby and got some sock yarn money the night before WWKIP day. I bought this Austermann Step that has Aloe and Jojoba Oil in it. Yes, I am a selfish knitter and will make socks for myself with it. The color is 0027 Afrika. It has orange. Orange is important when choosing sock yarn for myself. hehe



The baby blanket is for my nephew's baby that is due in August. I keep picking up the socks, though. I guess I should go work on the blanket. Deadlines and all that stuff.



I am in love with ravelry. It rocks. I keep looking for people I 'know'. If you read my blog, or if I comment on yours and I haven't found you yet, come be my friend. :D

Well, gotta go knit!

"Holy Crow!!!!"

"Holy Crow!" To quote a good friend. I haven't posted in almost a month! I have been seriously overwhelmed with life, and when I get like this, I avoid everything, and just do what I have to do to get through the day. I seem to avoid the things I like to do the most, too, which is just weird. I haven't even responded to the nice comments everyone left on my last (long ago) post.

I haven't been avoiding knitting, though. I finished the scarf that I knit for a thank you gift, and then sent it away without taking a picture of it. I reminded myself plenty of times to get a pic first, but I did it anyway. It turned out really nice, too. I folded it in half, and seamed it. It made a really long reversible scarf that will be warm, warm, warm. That is a good thing for Michigan because I swear it never gets warm enough here.

Then, that sweet little baby that got these handknits here, is so cute I just had to knit her one more thing, so she got some bright orange booties knit from handdyed wool. Her mommy didn't care that they'd have to be hand washed, and they are awesome. Thank goodness I remembered to take a picture this time.

During Spring Break the kids and I dyed some yarn, and I started a pair of Killer Zap socks for LD. They are bright! MM chose the colors for that yarn, and for being red/green color blind the kid did good. lol. LD didn't like the way her yarn turned out, but I showed it off at knit group, and the earthy tones were complimented by other people there. I did some sock yarn, and the acid green and hot pink look really cool with the black. I will be having some cool looking socks from that skein when I find the right pattern.

Here are some new pics of my sweater, which is coming along. Too bad I didn't finish it before this week. Michigan is cold again! Surprise! I could be wearing it now.

The green and yellow thing in the pic set is a mistake rib entrelac baby blanket called Bliss, it was on MagKnits, but luckily I found the pattern somewhere else online. I can't seem to find it to link right now, but it's out there somewhere.

Lastly, we have some felted needle holders. I made up some samples for my knitting class that starts tomorrow. The kids will get to choose the wool colors they want, knit them up, felt them, and keep the needles they made the holders with. Unfortunately the class is only for four weeks. I really think that is way too short, but this is a quick project, that uses almost no yarn. The little black and blue bits of yarn next to the orange holder are all you need. I thought I was very clever to have a sample of each stage: knit, seamed, and shrunk. Then they were so quick I just had to make an orange one for myself. ;)

Well, I have rambled enough, I guess. I have dishes (yuck!) and a Killer Zap toe to kitchener. Then, you know I have to start the second sock right away. We don't want any SSS here!

Hope every one's doing well. I need to get around to the blogs and see what every one's knitting!

Wool Socks, Warm Feet!

I love handknit socks. So does LD. The red/black ones on the bottom of the pic are hers. I finished them last night, and she's wearing them to school today.
I've been able to wear a brand new pair of socks to knitting every week for three weeks in a row! The stripey ones are jaywalkers, the yarn is some Opal sock yarn that I got from LarjMarj. Pretty springy colors! The greenish/blue ones are Killer Zap socks, and I used Lion Brand Fisherman's wool dyed with kool ade. These are so warm! (Amy's patterns are awesome!) The blue ones are a worsted pattern I found somewhere online. Just a little cable, but I can't remember where it came from I do know that they are Paton's worsted weight wool.
LD's socks are the Killer Zap pattern with black Paton's wool and red/purple kool ade dyed LB Fisherman's wool.
You can also see my tidal wave socks that I knit from the ToFutsies that Rhoda sent me.
I want to knit more socks, but I have to make another pair of slippers. My SIL sent me some wool, and she will get a pair of slippers soon, but first I have to go mop and vacuum again. Last time I wrote that I was going to clean the floors, it worked, I did it, so before I touch those needles and cast on I am going to clean the floors and start some laundry. Man, my life is soooooo exciting!

Knit on!!

And the winner is ....

mzpookie. Since I don't have an email address for you, you're going to have to get in touch with me! :) Thank you all for your guesses, everyone got one entry, except for amy and punkin. They guessed correctly, and each of them got two entries. I guess it was mzpookie's lucky day, though. She gets a sock knitting prize. Lil AR helped me choose the prize, and picked the yarn. I made the stitch markers, though. Oh, yeah, the year was 1989. Hubby was only 16 when that picture was taken. Whatta cutie. It was those dimples that got me!

Speaking of sock knitting. That's pretty much what I did yesterday. We had a snowday (again). The kids were sapping my computer time, so I got down to the toe of my new Jaywalker sock, courtesy of Marj. It is so cute and stripy. I do love the jaywalkers! Lookit that adorable stitch marker on the back of the sock! Love it!

Well, I'd better get busy doing some housework, or knitting on that sock. Guess which one is most likely to happen. hehe

Knit on!!

You love me; You really love me!

Lookie what I got! Rhoda, Carrie, and Marce all gave me a 'You make my day award'! Thank you, Guys!! I was hoping somebody would ~ hehe

So, I am giving it back to all of them, and these people. I made a list, and I had way more than 10, so if you're not on here, and you're a knitblogger, you're still on the list in my heart, but man...that's a lot of linking!! (Lazy Girl!)

So in no particular order:

• Del





• Boogie





• Noolie





• Marj





• Deborah





• Wool Winder





• Jane





• Kelli





• Kristi





• Linz

Go check out their blogs. Some are funny, some are moms, all are knitters, and when I read them, I feel like I'm catching up with a good friend. Check out the three that named me, too. They also make my day!

Knit picture time! I finished the bunny. It is so darn cute! I probably had enough of the bunny wool to do the inside of the ears, but I was chicken, and plied it with some sock yarn, just to make sure.

The other pic is of some goodies that came in the mail for me recently. I won a contest at Marj's blog! She sent me the cutest stitch markers, and some of my favorite candies. I don't know how she knew, but really my faves! Sock yarn! You know I love me some sock yarn. Thank you so much, Marj!! I love it all!

I also sold some sock yarn on my shop, so I ordered rovings. I got the Sunset Fire Sparkle (orange), and Desert Flower Sparkle (blueish) Superwash Merino from The Ranch. It is so soft, and sparkly, I love it! I'm going to spin them seperately then ply them together. The awesome Alien Autopsy (black, purple, green, and white) Superwash Merino came from Amy's Babies. It's really soft, too, and the colors are great!

OK, time to go get ready for tomorrow. Have a great weekend! Don't forget to enter my contest, if you haven't. It's a sock knitting surprise if you win!!

What you been up to?

Well, tomorrow is the day. The kids go back to school, and I am not ready. We've been staying up way too late, and sleeping in, and doing pretty much nothing for two weeks!

I've been doing a lot of kakuro, and sudoku puzzles. When I was a kid, my mom would get tired of my noise, and sit me down with a puzzle book. Kakuro and sudoku were called cross sums, and to the nines in those books, but they are the same puzzles, and I still love 'em! I was going to put some links, but if you search those names, there are a billion to choose from. I guess if I run out of books, I can do them online. Then, my Brain Age game for the DS has sudoku built in, so I guess I'm all set.

I've been knitting, too. My mom's Christmas slippers, the second pair (the ones that'll fit - oops) are almost done. I just have to do the second sole, and felt them. I'm finally binding off on the baby blanket. I think I'll redo the pink hat and booties with the border yarn. It's white with little bits of blue, green, purple, pink, green, and yellow. Then, I can gift the matching set. I also got yarn for Hubby's Aunt's birthday socks. I have to start them soon. Her birthday was December 30th. Oops. There are the nephew's clogs. Huge footed boys! I forgot to take an after-felted picture, though! Oops again! hehe

The Christmas decorations are packed away, and just need to be stuck back up into the rafters in the garage. That's Hubby's job. I just stand in the way saying "Don't fall!" and "Do you need help?".

Today is the SP's girlfriend's birthday. I just realized a bit ago, that she is older than I was when I got married. Wow! I feel old! She knitted SP the cutest blanket for Christmas. I should see if they'll mind if I post a pic.

I haven't been reading blogs. Oh man, I haven't even wanted to be on the computer, after the really smart (sarcasm) thing I did. I wanted to get all the songs on my mp3 player in the order I wanted them, so I moved them to the computer, changed names, and numbered them, and a bunch of stuff. Then, I put them back on my player, and they were still playing alphabetically, but not the way I wanted them to. So, Hubby says did you hit apply after changing the info? Ugh! 168 songs. Yep, I did it again! I made it work. Pretty much. It's good enough, anyway!!

So, that's what I've been up to. How about all of you? I'll be around to the blogs soon to see!

Knit on!!

p.s. I almost forgot it 48 degrees. In Michigan. In January!

It's almost Christmas!

Happy Holidays! I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve! I hope I'm ready, and I haven't forgotten anything. Hubby is getting one IOU for a gift, since the thing I ordered him didn't come in. I think everyone else's gifts are here and wrapped. We'll just have to see if Santa shows up, and fills the stockings and leaves a gift for each kid.

I really want to wear my new socks tomorrow. I'm knitting them with some Tofutsies that Rhoda sent to me. Right now the gusset is cruising along on the second sock. I (of course) changed the pattern a bit. It's the Tidal Wave sock pattern, but I continued the patterning down the foot, instead of just on the leg. I always make such a short leg (3 pattern repeats instead of 5) that I wanted the pretty to go on longer. The bottom of the foot is stockinette, of course, but the top keeps going lacy until I get to the toe.

I love this yarn. It is a little splitty, but not enough to bug me. It's soft, and since it has some fiber from shrimp and crab shells, I can't resist! hehe

The wind is wild and crazy right now, and the lights flickered once, so I'm afraid the power will go out. I don't want to stop posting, though, now that I finally have my hands on the computer.

We had our last little knit-in of the year at the third grade class last Wednesday. The kids are so into knitting, it's great! LD handknit three gifts this year for her teacher, and two friends. I didn't take pictures before she gifted them, though. Ugh! What kind of proud Momma am I? I didn't get any pictures of the dishcloths and soap socks I gifted, either. Jeeshe!

Every Wednesday after lunch, the kids in the third grade can stay inside for recess, and knit. The teacher, her friend, and I are reaping another generation of knit-wits. After recess, the teacher reads out loud, and the kids can keep knitting, if they listen to the story. They just love it. One girl has knit a mitten, and started the second, and one little guy made himself a scarf. We'll continue after the new year, and we're going to have a spinning lesson. They are going to make spindles out of cds, and the wool is already here, ready and waiting. Fun stuff, lucky little kids!

I still have to felt the last pair of slippers I made as a gift, but they aren't going anywhere until New Year's Eve, so I have time. Other than that, I guess I'm ready for Christmas. I'd better be, anyway!!

Well, time to go work on those socks.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas, and knit-tacular New Year!!!!

Quick Post

I have some pictures to show off.

Well, here are some hats. The LD wearing her hat, pre and post shrinking, and I'm wearing my hat, pre and post. I also made my brother one, in bright colors, because that's what he wanted. I also doubled the yarn, and left the braids off. We'll see if he likes it, or if it's too girly for him. If it didn't turn out the way he'd hoped, there are a bunch of people who want it. My eyes looked really dorky so I blackened the lenses of my glasses. Gotta love photoshop. hehe

One more handmade gift. Another pair of Fiber Trend Clogs. Yes, I said I was done, I lied. :) I just have to shrink these ones, then I'm done. Everyone needs warm feet! I also have some pretty dishcloths from my friends, Carrie and Melanie. We did a dishcloth exchange, and I didn't take pictures before giving the ones I made away! There's some sock yarn I got with a gift certificate to the yarn shop. Thanks, Mel!! And a pile of yarn Rhoda sent me. Isn't she sweet? I already started a pair of socks for myself.

Like I said, quick post! Laundry, and sock knitting are calling.

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season! I can't believe Christmas is almost here!

Knit on!!!!

All Done!

Shawlly! My very own first lace shawl, The Sagittaria Shawl, is done!
I know I should hurry and put her on my other blog, but another busy day is coming up. I have some other fo's that need to go there, too. I'm just going to have to make time to post my details there!

I have to make some time to do a proper pic of me modeling this shawl soon! Here we have the Little Diva being a "modeler", showing off Shawlly for me. She went a little wild with the tattoos. I know she applied more than 20! Hehe, at least they wash off. I only have 4!

I am most definitely wearing Shawlly to a wedding this fall, I think I'll be wearing her a whole lot more, though! I am in love with shawls! I was looking for another lace one to knit, as soon as I had her off the needles! I have lots of socks I want to knit, too, though. Time! I need more of it!

Today, we are hopefully going to finish the patio, and next weekend I hear there is a Fiber Fest in Michigan! I really want to go. Look who will be there with her awesome shawl, that she designed! We'll have to talk about it again Carrie, and maybe make some plans!!

I am so sorry for not answering emails, and properly thanking everyone for the wonderful comments. I keep hoping to get to it, but with knitting like a crazy person, reading like another crazy person, and kids ~ Well, you know.... Soon, hopefully, soon!

Oh, yeah, I need a title

Well, here are some more booties made with Christine's Baby Bootie pattern. My friend Carrie started some, too. Hers are tiny, but it would be nice to see them in real life, Carrie! LOL. I have made 4 pairs, now, and I have another cast on. We'll see what pattern catches my fancy next. I made 13 of these dishcloths before casting on for the booties. I guess I do have an obsessive personality.


I posted the stats for these new pairs on my fo blog.


I've been thinking about changing this blog around some. All of the copying and pasting the links is not sounding fun, though. We'll see. (I really need to update the template) No I am not a chicken!


I almost forgot to talk about this new sock yarn I got! Don't ask, I am getting so forgetful!!

It is potluck from Amy. Mmmm. She chose these colors for me, and they are great! (Too bad my pic is so not great) One is greenish-bluish-purpley-yellows. The other is darker with orange-purples-blueish. Yes, I am in love!

Ok, I am in a hurry, but I just had to share. Hope everyone had a great weekend. We sure did.

Knit On, Y'all! I've gotta run!