Monday, October 31, 2005

Fall Fun

We are celebrating fall fun times at our house. The boys have been enjoying wearing their pumpkin hats:

The question this weekend in our house was: would the boys be wearing a lonely orange sock each?

Or would Mommy accomplish 3 1/2 socks in 3 days? Take note that I started the first orange sock earlier in the month. Also perhaps we should ignore that one of my knitting buddies gave me the orange sock yarn in like, ummm July. Would it be fun to have the socks done with plenty of time left over? Isn't the pressure to have them done part of the challenge?
So, I knit and knit and knit and to my amazement here's what the boys wore this morning:

2 pairs of orange socks. Happy boys, tired Mom. And even though it looks like the little feet don't have orange socks that quite fit, this is how M likes his socks.
Little feet: Jawoll yarn (#8362); size 0 needles; knit toe-up in the 2x1 ribbing
Big feet:Unger utopia sport (#2155); size 2 needles; knit toe-up in the 2x1 ribbing
And the other pair of socks I finished this week? Here is a pic of the first sock:

Apparently I forgot to take a picture of both together. They are in the wash right now, so they will make their appearance later this week.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Pictures of finished pair #1

Finally everything is working again! Here are the pics of the multi-color socks that I finished last weekend:

The picture was taken last Saturday. Apparently a very tiring day for Q, as he just laid on our kitchen floor while I took pictures...hehe.
Here is the funnest heel I have ever seen:

It turned out perfectly. The colors separated right down the middle. I am still way too excited about this heel.
And here is a last picture of the back of the socks:

The socks don't match, making them as unique as we are. The yarn is Fortissima Colori (#9074), knit with size 1 needles toe-up.

Friday, October 28, 2005

Finished socks, perfect heel, and magic needles

For some reason I can't upload pics right now. Arrgh. They will come later. So, let's talk about the needle saga that's been going on over here: I discovered socks on 2 circs last month; then 2 socks on 2 circs; then the lack of affordable circular needles in my area; waited (impatiently) for Susan Bates to send replacement needles; and then made a sensational discovery: Addi's on e-bay. Oh my! I bought a pair for super cheap and then taught myself socks on 1 circ.
Wow. It's been like walking into a secret world. Oh, I've heard others talking about Addi's, but I'm stubborn. I've read about the magic loop method, but again, I'm stubborn. Finally brought into this new way of doing things, I discovered that the Addi's are a dream and the magic loop way of doing socks was so easy to figure out. (Although I did not buy the book, so for all I know I'm doing it completely wrong). But the best part? Socks are being made at such an amazing speed! They just seem to appear from nowhere. I like this secret world....hehe.
2 pairs of socks are done. (1 sock has the perfect heel). 2 pairs of orange socks are frantically trying to arrive by Monday. Upon finishing the first orange sock for my youngest son last night, he looks at me and tells me he's can't wait to wear them to school today. My response? Darling, let's not push this magically new method into disrepair.
Oh and by the way: the new Susan Bates needles did arrive. The joint is just as bad as the ones I bought.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Brother Bear Birthday

Today is my little brother's birthday. Hard to believe he is a quarter of a century! M is the most kind-hearted and generous person I know. He is my sibling I'm closest to, even though he was not the girl I prayed he would be....hehe. He is a talented artist, a great friend, and very, very patient with his crazy sister. I am truly blessed to have him in my life.

Happy Birthday M!! (Come back later this week to see what I knit for him).

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Socks for me!!

Not that long ago, my sock pal e-mailed me to let me know she had finished my socks. I tried remaining calm while I waited patiently (ok, we all know that's not true. I stalked my mailbox). After returning from work on Friday, I found a notice that a package was waiting for me at the post office. I begged my mother to pick it up on Saturday (since I was working again). I may have even used a look my kids use on me when they want something.
I came home from work, barely able to breath from excitement, and there was my package. I ripped it open, and found the most perfect socks. I tried them on and I was deeply in love:

Look at the lovely colors. The perfect fit. The beautiful pattern.

These were sooo worth the wait!! Traci from Virginia did a superb job. She finished them while taking 6 classes (!!), and included some extra treats:

A special magic towel and koolaid for each of my boys, plus stitchmarkers she made for me. I just realized they are hard to see, so I'll post a close-up picture next time. The stone is a pink-tiger eye and I love the little hearts. And they are the perfect size to use with my sockknitting.
Thank you so much Traci. I love the socks!! This was my first experience with someone else knitting me socks and I will admit that I teared up upon seeing them. I will wear them alot! And thank you to Alison for all the time you put into sockspaltwoza!

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Baring our socks

It's so exciting to see how Socktoberfest is growing! With so many socks being knit, the fever is easy to catch.
Over here in our little corner there are socks being knit for all of us:

From left to right: that little orange foot is M's halloween sock(Lang-Jawoll yarn); then you can see my Lorna's Laces Tuscany (bought after watching Under the Tuscan Sun..hehe) that is being knit up in the Broadripple pattern; after that is the finished Conwy sock in LL Jeans; then Q modeling his sock knit in Fortissima Colori yarn.

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Amazing gifts

Last week my mother and I had lunch together and then wandered over to her favorite consignment store. While looking around, I saw a pair of shoes and my heart stopped. I called for my mother and tried to calmly show her these:

Real Birkenstocks, not 'pretend' ones. In my size. For $15. Could it really be? I tried them on and realized what shoes should feel like. They are so comfortable. My mother knows how long I have wanted a pair and these became my Christmas present (which I am already wearing....shhh). I may start walking everywhere now.
And just in time for socktoberfest, my knitting buddy surprised me with a truly amazing gift:

Yarn, sock yarn, beautiful yarn. There are some I really have been wanting to try (Meilenweit Cotton, Trekking, Socka), as well as some I already love (Lorna's Laces, Sockotta). I have been carrying the yarn with me everywhere to, you know, just look at it. Dream about the socks that will be. Pet it. My heart still skips a beat when I see the yarn.
Thank you to my Mom and Maureen for these wonderful gifts. I'm most grateful for the friendship and fun times you have both brought into my life.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Apples are the best

It's been awhile since my last post due to my camera batteries dying. I've been trying to get over to Target and buy some of their new, limited edition pink batteries. That has still not happened, so I invaded my children's CD player....shhh.
While Mama has been working, it seems the boys have been having quite alot of fun:

They were busy picking apples (saving them from the woodpecker) and bringing them to Oma to bake apple pies. Yummy.
At our own house we have started settling into our favorite winter routine:

evenings spend in front of the fireplace. What could be better?
This week my oldest son started his new 'position': making sure everyone is following the rules before school. (I'm sooo proud of him!!!). This means that I drive him to school early. Not a big deal, but do I really want to show others in the school parking lot my morning hair? I obviously needed to solve this quickly, right? So to the rescue came a new Hayden hat:

Yummy pinks and green, kinda like a rose. (note to self: must someday own a jacket to match!!). And in the background you can see 2 of my favorite knits (for Carrie's 1 year blogiversary contest). I love both these knits for many reasons. The yarn was given to me by my knitting buddy, picked out just for me. That alone makes them very special. And with both I took awhile before finding the perfect pattern for them. The shawl is Charlotte's Easy Lace Shawl by Lily Chin. Great, easy pattern. I got the idea for the socks from the new Fall Interweave Knits. I liked the concept of their pattern but not the cables they used, so I created my own pattern with a cable I liked better. Very easy, very fun, and easily adapted to fit whatever size/stitches you want.
I'm still waiting for my replacement Susan Bates needles. Sigh, don't they know I've got socks to knit for Socktoberfest? Lolly mentioned she likes the Clover needles from Joanns, so I checked out their website (the local store does not carry the small needle sizes) and discovered they had them on-line at a great sale price. Perhaps I'll order these and have the boys wrap them up for me for Christmas....hehe.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

In love

What is that peeking out of my pretend (but pink!) birkenstocks?

Met my new love (or is it loves?). My newly finished pair of socks.

They are made with Mountain Color bearfoot sock yarn. The yarn was gifted to me by my wonderful knitting buddy.

I love the cables and love the yarn. The colors are perfect. I think the fact that it was picked out just for me by a friend makes me love them even more. I loved knitting these (and the last 3 or 4 attempts until I decided on this pattern). And I love the fact that I wore them to my new job. Yup, I am now a working girl. Make that a working girl with yummy new socks.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

The need for now

Thanks to everyone who responded to my frustrated post last week. I think the combination of my still looking for a job (and wondering if I wasted the last 3 years in school), a sick child, my own on-going health issues, and the desperate desire to start these now,

got to me. I love e-bay, but after my experience with the bad Susan Bates, I'm a little hesitant to buy needles from there. Some of the needles in the LYS didn't feel that smooth either. I'm just going to hope that Susan Bates really does send out replacement needles and that these work.
In the mean time I am working on a few things:

My Mountain Color cable socks, I love this yarn and will try to get a better picture when they are done where you can see the cables.
Test socks that are just peaking out upside down, since I can't show them to you.
And my friend's scarf, knit with Sockotta yarn and the feather and fan pattern. Very easy knitting, great for when you don't need to think.
And underneath it all is my new huge red purse. I found it at the thrift store last week after a very discouraging meeting with a possible job. I've wanted one of these big purses for quite awhile. One where I can fit 1 or 2 things I'm knitting, a book, some of my boys stuff, along with other important purse essentials, and still have room. Some might call it a small suitcase..hehe. My boys told me that God had put it there because He knew I would need a smile. It did make me smile, and if God cared enough to put a little (ok, huge) purse in my way to make my day, He will surely guide me in the bigger things in life. (and perhaps allow my Susan Bates needles to arrive soon and be perfect?)