Big Green Socks

Finally, here are the guy socks. The turn out to be a perfect fit. He love them. They were for my friend Daron.

We played poker last night at a fun raiser for Pee Wee football. I was hoping that these would be lucky socks for him but unfortunately this was not to be. Even so the poker was a lot of fun. I lasted about an hour longer than he did but alas I was downed by 3 aces and 2 8's over my 3 aces and 2 3's. Of course I went all in...with 3 aces how could I not.

Oh well, it was for the kids and it was much better than having them come to my door with candy bars and making me feel bad for not buying them. I have adopted a strict policy now that I do not buy from kids at the door anymore. I used to buy from them all but the last couple of times I did and had to pay up front the merchandise never showed up at my door. The other reason is that I feel if you want your kid to play ball, cheer lead, whatever, I do not want to pay for it. You need to pony up the extra money for them to participate in that activity.


As you can see I have changed my template. Not sure I like not having more color but have not finished tweaking it yet. I like the stretched format I am think of other things I can do to spruce it up and will do so as time permits. Let me know what you think and if you have suggestions.

Finally Blogger let me upload these pictures. I have had them ready to show you for a while. Thanks Blogger for cooperating this time....please remember how you did this so we can do it again this easily next time.

Here is the Criss Cross scarf I am working on. It is simple yet looks complicated. The first 66 rows are a combination of garter stitch and seed stitch that are then divided into strips of 5 stitches each that follow the same stitch patterns. When done with it is back to putting everything together to create the part that goes around the next. Once again you do the split for the strips and repeat as the others then when they are completed you weave then. To finish up you put them stitches back together again and mirror the 66 rows from the beginning. I am about 50% done with it.

Ah...the big bag. Here it is in all its glory. I have not felted it because, can you believe I am not sure it is deep enough. I think I may finish it off with a darker trip so the BO's may be coming out. I want to do some more pockets too before the grand felting. I think it is going to turn out great.

And now for my newest favorite. This is the scarf I am doing in the Lion Brand Incredible. The colors really to not show well her but the are beautiful. I really like the gold, teal, and cranberry. The Incredible is not my favorite to work with but I like the affect so it is worth it. The only thing I really do not like is the way it twists.

The guy socks are done washed and ready to give to the recipient. I am playing in a Texas Hold'm fund raiser tonight to raise only for little league football. The guy who is receiving the socks will be there and I am betting (pun intended) that these will be his lucky socks. I am anxious to see how they fit and how much he likes then. I think he is expecting something very wild but I think he will be surprised at how tame they are.

Once again, I have started another pair of socks. I am using the Tofutsie that I got in Columbia at Hill Creek. I am finding it interesting to knit with. I for the most part like the feel of it but it does split easily. More on this next time.

A Little Bit of Progress

So here is the back of the yellow sweater. Yes, I finally got it going. I did this last night so it is going pretty fast. I love how the Mirco Spun feels but I still and not thrilled with how it knits. You really have to watch it for splitting. The good thing is that if you need to fix a stitch it works really well to drop down many row to fix it. The fabric heals very well. All you have to do is smooth the stitches out and you can't even tell that you dropped the stitch.

I wanted to post a cople more pictures but blogger would not cooperate. I have the big tote bag read to felt. It is going to be pretty big. I am anxious to see now it felts. Will probably do the felting this week some time.

and I have started a scarf from Lion Brand Incredible Copper Penny. Very pretty but I am not sure I like knitting with it. I have not done a ribbon before. It tends to twist pretty badly. This make it a much slower knit for me.

These are all my things for Stitches. Hope to have several more things done by then.

Inventory Time

I have decided that I am going to make a list of the projects I want to compelte for Stitches. I want to think about the level of effort to complete each then I can prioritize them. Maybe that will help me get them done.

Here is what I have decided so far.

1. Yellow Sweater-WIP The front is yet to be completed.
2. Criss Cross Scarf-WIP 50% done
3. Felted Tote-WIP (almost ready to felt) 95% don
4. Clapotis-I have been wanting to do one for a while
5. Another Short Sleeve Sweater
6. Felted Evening bag-In the One Skein Wonders
7. Socks-Maybe using the Tofootie I got at Hill Creek

I think this completely doable. The first three should be done very soon. The socks and evening bag should be quick knits. The Clapotis and other sweater could be project for my trip to Cape Hatteras. I think I am going to have a lot of knitting time there.

At the office I do not have a cubicle. Where the contractors sit is a bull pin so we have 6 of us in the same area. As you might guess there is no privacy. It is like being in a fish bowl. Now that the weather has turned nice I have been going to Dean and Deluca's at lunch to get a salad then sitting in the park. It is nice to get away from the office for a while where it is quiet. I sit and knit for a bit then back to work. It makes a nice break in the day.

What have I been working on?

Here is my lates new thing I am working. The number of my WIPs is growing. This one will be a quicky. I have decided to do a felted tote to take to Stitches. I think it is going to be very interesting. I am using Lion Brands Landscape which is wool and acrylic. The neat things is when it felts the acrylic of course does not. The result creates a nubby texture to the fabric. I did a booga bag in this yarn that I really liked. I have two different shades of the same color family so it will be striped. I am anxious to get it completed and felted. That is the thing I love about felting, the end product has so many possiblities.




Also on my WIP list is the yellow sweater. I have the back and sleeves completed and will start on the front probably tomorrow. Should have it completed very soon so I can put it together. I hope to get another sweater done to before Stitches. I have some yarn that was originally purchased for another sweater but once I got it started I did not like the pattern. I think this is a frog situation to be used for something I will like better.



My focus right now is to get some things made to have for Stitches. I would like to have something for each day to wear. I know there are going to be many interesting things to see there.

In my wandering through bloggs I ran across this collar. I immediately thought of my friend Chelle. She loves to do freeform and I think this is the ultimate freemform project. Any number of varieties of leaves could be included. The novelty yarns add such a flair. It is called the Indian Summer Color http://www.magknits.com/Jan07/patterns/indiansummer.htm . I think it would be fun to make but not sure I would wear it.

What's new? Not Much

Yesterday was a very exciting day. I wrote the big check to pay off my house. It is all mine now (as soon as I get the deed and cancled mortgage). I was so moved with I dropped the check in the mail. It was such an accomplishment. Something I did by myself. I have now been in this house for 20 years. I never dreamt that this time would come.

When I bought my house I looked at it as an investment and that I would be here only a couple of years then move on to somewhere else. You know how it is you start out and go day-to-day. All of a sudden you turn around and it is 20 years later.

My plan is to be totally debt free by the end of the year. I think this is doable. All this is to position myself to semi-retire by the time I am 60. That is 5 mor years. Hope I can make it. Wish me luck.

I really have not have much going on lately. I am almost totally recovered from my recent illnes. The problem is that I have been going to work then coming home and going to sleep. Now that I am much better I am trying get myself out and doing something after I get home.

I and my friends Chelle and Mary have started a Woman In Training program throught St. Lukes East Hospital. It is a training program to ready us to do a 5K walk. Last night is was rainy and cool but we walked anyway. My goal was a mile but I did not make it the full mile. I did do 1/2 though. This is good for me since I have been sick and also have not been doing a lot of walking this winter. I am going to make more of an effort to get out after work for longer walks so that I can work up to the 3 mile total goal. I know that this will happen one step at a time. I have complete confidence. This is a good thing.

Since I have been sleeping so much I have not been knitting very much in the last few weeks. I am still working on the guy socks for my friend. I am waiting for foot measurements to complete them. I now have two socks with no toes. When I do get the measurements I can finish them up.

I have the back and one sleeve done for my yellow sweater. I will start working this week on the rest of the sweater to get it completed. I like this pattern and will probably make another out of a different yarn. Maybe KnitPicks Shine Sport. I like the feel of he Lion Brand Microspun but it is difficult to knit with.

I think my next endeavor will be a shawl. I think I might need one to take to Sticthes. You never know, even in the summer, what the temp will be in hotels.

Back from the Near Dead

This has been a miserable week for me. I started out last Friday with really bad allergies then ended up getting much worse as the weekend went on. By Monday, I finally made it to the doctor only to find that I had a pretty bad lung infection. No pneumonia though nearly as bad. Evidently, I inhaled some pollen which got into my lungs to cause the infection. I am on my second round or Zpak with steriod inhaler, my regular albuteral inhaler, steriod nasal spray and antihistamine. Also, strict instructions that I could go to work but then home to rest. No major activities like cleaning, lifting, pushing or pulling anything. Mostly, I just came home and went to sleep. I think I am finally caught up on sleep now.

Yes, I am feeling much better. I have most of the congestion out of my head and am breathing much better now. The cough is pretty bad so I still have a ways to go to get back to nornal. Should be in good shape by next weekend.

Since I have been doing all of this sleeping needless to say I have not been knitting. Although I can knit without looking at it I have not learned to knit in my sleep yet so I am behind. I started the Fiber Trends clogs last weekend but felt so bad that I have not worked on them so I am behind. Will make another attempt today to get the first one done. I hope to have pictures of the finished product soon so stay tuned.

I was able to upload the rest of the images I had. Not sure if it was a Blogger problem or a problem on my end but anyway here they are.

I found this wonderfun Soup cookbook. It has some great recipes for some very interesting soups. The best things is that the recipes make 4-6 servings rather than a big soup pot. Can't wait to try one of the recipes.



This is the lovely rovings that I found at Hill Creek Fibers in Columbia. It is very lusious and spins like a dream. I bought a pound which should spin up in to quite a bit. I think I will probably Kool Ade die it and make something fun with it.


Ah....the yellow sweater. The Lion Brand Microspun is a little different to work with since it does not twist very much which allows it to split easily. Once knitted it is wonderfully soft and I think I will love to wear it once complete.

The wool soaker is interesting. I think there is a solution that it is put into to somewhat waterproof it. It is used with cloth diapers. Any mother who uses cloth is a trooper. It is so much easier to use disposables. I looking for a pattern for this I am surprised at how popular they are. I need to sit down today and finish this one up to see how it goes over with its little user.

As I mentioned in the previous post, many in the SS&K group have started working on clogs. I am doing the Fiber Trends but there are a variety of patterns being used. It will be fun to see how they all turn out. Will post progress soon

Upload problems

Well finally I was able to upload a picture. For some reason I have had difficulty uploading pictures the last couple of days. I am thrilled that I finally was able to get this one of the Trekking socks at least. The color shading is much prettier in person but it show pretty well in the image.

If blogger would permit I would have others to share. That not being the case at this time, you will have to imagine ther the back of the yellow sweater is done and I am going to do the sleeves next just for variety. I have also started a wool baby diaper soaker that is cute, done in a multi color yarn. This is form my friend who had her baby recently. Lastly, I would be able to show you the mernino roving that I bought in Columbia at Hill Creek Fibers.

I have not been doing a lot the last day or so due to allergies kicking in. I did go to SSK today and enjoyed being with everyone but I was exhausted when I got home and had to take a nap. When I have one of these bouts I have difficulty sleeping as well as being miserable. As soon as they trees get completely leafed out I will be in pretty good shape.

Today I did begin my Fiber Trends clogs. There is not a lot to them but you really need to watch the pattern carefully because are a lot of wraps, m1,k2togs and if you don't keep an eye on them they get away from you. I think this is one of those patterns that don't make since so you just have to do it and not try to make since of it. I equate it with the first sock knitted. Once you do it it make since, I hope. Looking forward to getting them done.

Well, stay tuned for more images with I can get them uploaded. Maybe I will have new ones to include.

Bad Blogger....Bad Bad Blogger

OK...I have been a really bad blogger. I have not been in the mood to blog lately. I think it is the season change along with the anticipation of daylight savings time. I really really hate the day when the time changes. I don't know about you but I miss that hour the whole time until I get it back. I think it messes with my internal clock.

In addition to that, my allergies have already started. I have been taking a lot of antihistamine which dries me out a lot and makes me very tired. It starts when the trees start to open their buds and grass starts to grow and they both release pollen. Once the trees leaf out and the grass gets cut for the first time it is not so bad but does carry through the summer. When stuff starts dying in the fall, then I get the fall allergies that go along with the dust and mold.

I have been knitting but have nothing really that I am ready to show. I have a pair of socks on the needles and a sweater that are both progressing right along. Will probably have ths socks don this weekend. It will be a while on the sweater but that is ok.

I am working on something new for a friend who just had a baby. She is using cloth diapers and wanted a wool soaker. Not being up on the latest baby stuff I did not know what these were but now I do. It is a diaper cover that is treated with lanoline to help waterproof it. So I am working on a test knit of one for her to try. I guess this has gotten to be quit a bit item with the mommies. After doing some research, there are many site selling these form bit prices. They are even selling them on ebay so you know that has to be big. Will see how this first one goes. There may be a market there.

Will have some good stuff to show next time.

Here is the wonderful yarn storage complete with yarn. As you can see it is already full so I obviously need to get more. I really like this because although it has fifteen spaces I can leave out a couple of dividers to make the spaces bigger. Not bad for $33.



Here is the sock update for the sock that I was not going to do. I know I said I was bored with socks but I need some knittng to have in the car and socks are easy to take along anywhere.

A friend has requested to be included on the sock list so I will probably find some really fun yarn for those. I think he will wear anything I make and be happy with them. He is fun that way. We had great fun Saturday night playing Texas Hold'em. Unfortunately, I only had maybe three good hands so I did not win.

Ah....as promised (to myself) I have started a sweater for myself. I think I am going to love it. I am using Lion Brand MicroSpun which is a little difficult to work with because it does not twist together very well but the feel is worth it. It is very soft and has a nice drape. This is not normally the color I would buy but I like it for Spring.

Here is what the finished sweater will look like. I am looking forward to finishing this one soon and making another. These sweaters are so versitile.

Here is the latest hat. The purple one was such a success, that I had a request for a red one. This one was made from the Lions Brand felting yarn. It is ok but I do not like the result as well at the purple one that was made from Brown Sheep Bulky. I think the feeling of the purple one was much richer. I am glad that I tried the Lions Brand but do not think I would use it for this particular project again.



Here is the answer to my yarn storage situation. It is actually a shoe storage module with 15 bins. I have not yet put the yarn in it but I am please with it. I am going to get one more and I think that should hold me for a bit. It fits perfect in the space that I have for it. I can hardly wait to get it filled.
I found it at Lowes, my very favorite place to go when I have nothing else to do. I will not go into my rant about how much I dislike Home Depot. Just suffice it to say I was not able to find it there and could find no one to help me find it.

Could Spring be far behind?

The Paper Whites are in bloom. My dear friend Nancy gave me these for Christmas. Aren't tye beautiful. I have been waiting with great anticipation to see them bloom. I always think it is so exciting to have these or amarillys bloom in the winter. I guess I am just really tired of the snow and cold weather. ENOUGH already! ! ! ! I am looking foward to the temperature warming this next week. Spring will soon be here and I will be able to get out in the yard and dig in the dirt. There is must something about the Spring time dirt after being in the house all winter.

It always makes me happy when I am working in my hard. This year it needs a lot of work. Because of a back injury last year I was not able to do much. I usually have a yard full of flowers and pots on the porch but just was not able to do it.

I have a nice young man in my neighborhood who mows for me. That helped a lot. He really does a good job so I will probably have him continue this year. He is 16 this year and is a hard worker. Interested in making extra money for his car, of course.

I am sitting here this morning trying to decide what my next knitting project will be. The SSKers are getting ready to do a Clog-a-long so I am looking forward to that. Many of us are using the Fiber Trends Felted Clog pattern while several are using other patterns. I love clogs and have been intending to this a pair for some time. I have done a couple pair of the Fuzzy Feet from the knitty pattern and I love them too.

I am all set to do a couple more hats from the same pattern as the purple one. This time they will be red. One of my Red Hat friends sells hats at festivals and would like to see how they sell to the general public. If they do well I may do some in other colors as well.

I am sure with all the books and magazines I have in stock I am sure I can find something to start on soon.

Purple Hat

I finally got thhe purple had felted. It has been finished for some time and was just waiting to be felted. I think it turned out wonderfully. I had made one for myself but only used a single strand of yarn. Will it was nice it was not as substantial as it could be so this one I used double and I like it much better.

The picture makes it look kind of blue but trust me it is really purple. I think I will make a read one next time. I like ths pattern because it if a very quick knit. It can be worn so many different ways. It should also be very warm.

Speaking of warm...I wish we would get back to the warm weather. I am sick of the cold. It was a little warmer this weekend so I did get the car washed but of course with the 4 inches of snow we got over night it is once again dirty. The only difference is that is is not as dirty as it was and this is new dirt.

Ready for something new

I am working on yet another pair of socks but these are for a birthday present. Sock one is done and the second one is started and about half finished.

I think I will do a couple pair of baby socks and some booties for a baby shower gift and the put the sock yarn away for a while. The baby socks are really fast and so cute. I may have time to do a couple of the burp towels from the Mason Dixon book. You can never have to many of them. I hesitate to make a lot of things because these are for a second cousin and I do not know her well enough to gauge whether she would like hand made things. Will probably throw in a couple of teething toys for good measure.

I am bored with socks now for a while so I want to do something new and interesting. Any suggestions? Maybe I will do some intarsia or maybe I will try entralac. I saw it on Kintty Gritty the other day and now I think I understand it better.

It is not like do not have enough books and magazines to look through for exciting projects. I am sure I can come up with something. Maybe a spring sweater. I have some yarn I got last spring and started a sweater but did not like the pattern. I think I will probably frog it and make something I like better.

I got a call from my very dear friend in St. Louis inviting me to spend a week this summer with her family at a condo in North Carolina. Last year they rented a condo at the beach and had a great time. I am really excited about going. It gives me a something to plan for this summer. I have a couple of other placed I would like to go this year also so I guess I will need to save some extra money so I can do lots of funs stuff.

I have not decided as yet where this years road trip will be. I would kind of like to head maybe north this time. I have always wanted to go to Machinaw Island so maybe that will be the one. Much day dreaming will take place before the final decision. Ah! so much to dream about and so little time to do the dreaming. I must rearrange my schedule to fit it in.

Another pair bites the dust

The Crazy Trekking multicolor socks are finished. It was fun to see now the coloring arranged itself. I am almost to the point I could do socks in my sleep. These are going out to Portland to my sister. She has not had a pair of my socks yet. I know she will love them with she receives them. She likes the things I knit her.

Her little daughter is not ready yet to like the things that her Auntie knits her but this is OK. She is only 4 and going through a time when she has definate ideas of what she likes. Some day she will love to have me knit something for her and she will be ready to appreciate it them. I am so glad she will say when she likes or does not like something. This trait is very powerful.

As you may have already guessed....yes there is another sock on the needles. I think these are for my friend for her birthday. Will have to see if she likes the yarn.

I have recovered from my weekend retreat in Excelsior Springs. It was such fun. I really enoyed the freeform class. I am looking forward to doing more with it very soon. I really love this sweater. Maybe something like this will be my first freeform project.


I also really like the pieces that Chelle, Carolyn, and Laura were coming up with in the class. Chelle had started a vest in the first freeform class she took and is continuing with it. I am excited to see how it comes out. She has such a good eye for where things will fit. It will be a gorgeous vest when completed.

I am keeping a eye out for when the midwest schedule is posted for Stitches this year. I would live to be able to attend. Hopefully, we will be able to get a group together and make a fun trip of it. I love going to events like that just to meet people from different places and see new things. It makes it so much fun with you have others you know along on the trip. Can't wait to see what classes are offered.

I am back! ! !

Sadly, the Studio Retreat is over. Happily, it was so much fun. Laura, Carolyn, Chelle, and I had a blast.

As you can see, Laura wasted no time meeting new people. She is so friendly and helpful people are drawn to her.

Here Chelle, Carolyn, and I has some free time in Saturday afternoon so we took this time to do our freeform homework for the next days class. I think we all enjoyed learning more about freeform and we were very lucky to have Alie from The Studio as our instructor. I am looking forward to making a project using these techinques.

These next pictures are from the fashion shop after dinner Saturday night. Cindy's sweater was beautiful as is Alie's freeform the shawl.

I also love Staci's vest.

Thanks to all of The Studio staff for such a good time.

Hi Ho Hi Ho it is off to the retreat I go

Wow! ! I am finally ready to go to The Studio Retreat. The Elms Hotel here I come.

Still have not decided which yarns I am going to use for the freeform class. Have done no swatches or scrumbles but do I care....not at all. Will fit them in to the fun as I can. I know that I will become inspired just at the right time and all will go well. As you can see I am taking just about one skein of everything in my stash so I will have plenty to choose from. I initially tought I could do a pillow but have decided to do something on a sweatshirt. I have a gray one that I just got and accidently got some bleach on the sleeve so I think it will be a good candidate for freeform. Guess what? That is going to be the creative part and will probably be the most fun.

Sure am glad I took today off so I would get some things done before I go. Had to be at the chiropractor early this morning so I could get a frame alignment. Should have gone after the fall down the stairs but was just to busy. I feel two inches taller now.

I also went by the post office to send off my passport application. I had indended to get it when I was going on the ill fated cruise that never happened, thanks to hurricane Katrina. Just for review, my friend Susan and I had pland for 6 months to go on a cruise, out of New Orleans, which was schedule to depart the week Katrina hit. the cruise was cancelled and we did get full refund but it was still a huge disappointment. We are almost over it. So anyway, I decided to go ahead and get the passport just in case I had a wild hair someday an booked a trip to Europe or or somewhere exotic on the spur of the moment. You just never know when the opportunit will present itself.

The last errand I had this morning was to the Watkins store over on Linwood. It has been there forever and I always go there to get my spices and good Watkins vanilla. To my dismay, it is no longer there. The store was fun by a sweet little elderly man and his daughter. He must have passed away because the building is for sale. Fortunately, I can order online which is not as nice as visiting the store. They have this seasoning that I love for soups and vegetable. Interesting enough it is called Soup and Vegetable Seasoning.

Well....off to the retreat. I will be excited to share the experience with you all.

As you can see things have been pretty relaxed at my house lately. Gracie is not too enthusiastic about contributing to the cleaning efforts. I keep trying to bribe her but she is not buying it

I am counting the days until the Knitting Retreat in Excelsior Springs, MO. Just thinking getting together with good friends to knit for the weekend and making new friends is exciting. I am taking Friday off so I can prepare. I have decided not to do any spa stuff but will take advantage of the indoor pool and hot tub. I am doing the freeform class and still have not selected my yarns as yet. This is something that I must work on tonight. I have so much to choose from but cannot decide if I want to do worsted or sock weight. I have a lot of left over sock yarn so that might be fun but I just have settled on anything. I am confident that I will figure it out by Friday.

Here is one of my latest projects using the Rowan Biggy that I bought at Knit Wits. It is really yummy to knit. It is very heavy so it will be extremely warm. This is good since I am not really into wearing coast. This should be nice to just throw on.

Also a work in progress is the second sock for this Trekking multi-color. I just love these. I enjoy the stripes but thought these would be a nice change. You never can have to many pairs of socks. I am almost to the point where I hate putting on my cotton store bought socks to ware to work. I think I am going to make some black ones next to add to my collection of work socks.

Both yarns are from my stash. So far I have been really good about staying on the Knit What You Got Diet. I did do the birthday buy but nothing since. Will see how long I can hold out.