Re: Socks

Oh, and Happy New Year to all reading this.
I seem to be having a difficult time doing a toe up sock. The problem is keeping track of what round I'm on. I've had to back knit a total of five rounds (two different times with different rounds) because I couldn't tell whether I had just finished an increase round or not.
I'm formulating a marker design that would hang from the toe at the beginning of the round and it would get flipped every time you completed a round. This is also helpful for doing the increases for different 'sockitecture' designs by Cat Bordhi.
I get interrupted so many times it seems that I can't get more than a round or two done in one sitting. I'll be glad when the holidays are over and spring is here when my daughter and granddaughter can go back to Truckee. That's still up in the air of course, but no matter the decision, they are going to have to be out of here by March or April.

As for the marker design, it's going to have a coil type arrangement like some of the plastic ring markers so it can be slipped off easily. It will likely have a bead or two involved, possibly something with a letter or number.
Oh, I ended up sending off my knitpicks order. Three different sock yarns and the needles was the final decision. I'm now regretting not getting some of the kettle dyed in a worsted, or maybe a lace shawl pattern. I have enough of those free that I can choose from those and existing yarn.
It is now 11 pm and I'm pooped. I'll be asleep possibly by the time midnight rolls around, whoopdeedo. I never was big on celebrating the change in the year, even when I had friends that threw parties. I'm up for going to a party but it doesn't have to be a special occasion. With my new place, it's kind of small but could hold up to ten people. I'll think about doing that during the summer. The only issue is parking...
Enough sidetracking, have to get back to that sock.

I'm back on!

After a long unwelcome absence.
Well, I have completed two pairs of kids socks, am working on a third pair because the original orange pair are too small for the intended wearer. I bought some wonderful Alpaca yarn from Lonesome Stone in almost matching colors and that's turning into a beanie for the same grandson. Granddaughter Ava loves her new pink ankle socks and they do fit her well with a tiny bit of room to grow.
I got a $50 gift certificate to Knit Picks (Thank you Ceejay!) I just ordered another set of size 2 circs and some sock yarn. Sigh..never thought I'd be a sock knitter but it looks like my New Years Resolution for 2008 at least came through with that. I have yet to knit a real lace shawl, but that's coming next year.
I have to say that I make pretty decent socks. For kids at least. I'll have to start a pair for someone bigger soon. Son in law asked (totally unknowing about these things) if they made yarn out of wool. I didn't laugh... honest. All I heard from behind me was some comment about socks and wool.
He snowboards and needs some thick socks for fitting into his boots but the standard double rib type sock digs into his leg too much. He also said he wanted knee highs... that's a helluva lot of knitting to do unrelieved by anything. I bought some charcoal gray Telemark(I think, it's the nubby sock yarn) from KP, I hope he likes the color because I didn't ask him.
Oh, another yarn that I bought from Lonesome Stone is a bright pink and purple two ply sock yarn. Alpaca of course, and at first I tried casting on with size 2's but it felt like they were too big. Another knitter in the group showed up Monday with a pair made from the same yarn and they were soooo sofft!!! They striped on the leg and pooled a little around the ankle. I'm anxious to get going on that but that will have to wait until I finish the second pair of orange socks, a beanie, another pair of socks and possibly the start of a shawl.
He also asked me about how long it would take to knit an adult beanie... apparently son in law and daughter want to give a friend a lime green beanie. I'm considering asking for money for it since it is a form of a consignment.
Pictures of everything coming soon.

I succumbed due to the season

I went to Needlecraft Cottage and she has both Karabella yarn and some odds and ends in a basket for 1/3 off. First..my math isn't the greatest and I interpreted that as 2/3 off for whatever reason so the cost was more than what my brain had figured... but oh well.
I got five balls of Grignasco Top Print. Three are in a blue/brown colorway and two are in greens. I have no flipping clue what I'm going to do with them... something suitably soft considering it's ALPACA! This is a first for me. I have never bought Alpaca before, it's soft, but not like mohair that makes my fingers itchy. I love the colors and she had a scarf worked up in the green so I tested it against my neck and it's not too scratchy/soft.
The two colors worked alternating would be awesome and I think... I just might do a triangle shawl or long scarf wrap in it.
I don't know!. I hate impulse buys like that and am not prone to them as you can tell. I usually (and did) have a plan when I went in there. I was looking for a suitable yarn to make a rasta type hat for a coworker. Don't know why, he asked if I could and I jokingly said, 'what color? Redblackgreenyellow?' he said sure.
Dang. I am NOT using alpaca on him nor my son in law.. coworker may well get acrylic and son in law may get wool/acrylic. Not going overboard on either of them.
Okay, have to hop in the shower and do some thinking on this then off to work.
I'll bring the yarn to Brandi's on Monday.

Some side notes, no progress really

I tried the orange sock on Ava who is 4 and where I had planned to start the toe was about the right place for her. The problem is, this sock is supposed to be for a 6 year old. Double checked the directions and realized it should be 5 1/2 inches so got to about five and a quarter and decided to start the toe there. Now just have to get clear on how to do the toe. I worked about a half inch and it just didn't look right, so I ripped it back and figured out that it needed to be longer and have gotten back to where I needed to be.
I almost bought another ball of yarn in mostly pink with a few other striped thrown in. I've got to come up with a gift for a company dinner/gift exchange by Saturday. I was going to do photo cards but I ran out of yellow ink.
I want to knit a hat for son in law and son, but haven't found the right yarn to work fast enough. Might have to compromise, but I get paid on Friday so I might be able to make a trip down to the yarn shop and get some bulky yarn. Of course that money also has to pay some bills and buy our Christmas tree and other gifts.
Someday I want to have enough money that I'm not compromising or scraping by for gifts. Or bills.
Oh well, back to writing, maybe that will turn into something before I turn 55.

Tinking the day away

I realized on the orange sock that my decreases weren't working evenly. I had forgotten one on one side and so at one point I had 32 stitches on one needle and 35 on the other. ::Sigh:: Having to knit back about six rounds in order to get back to where I switched the beginning of the round from the heel to the instep. Almost to that point now but have to do a stitch count to be sure. Decided on a blue sock for an infant that it will have a short cuff and a short row heel almost immediately. Babies don't need a lot of cuff, nor a long leg part, especially when it's a spring baby.
I also found out that a friend of my daughters is expecting her baby in June, no gender yet but given a June baby, if I make socks or a sweater it should be 6 month size. Hoping she finds out it's a girl, I also hope that she keeps contact with her long enough to find out. It was a chance meeting at a local Rite Aid so we'll see what happens.
Have to finish the blue set first, that recipients mom showed up at work today and there's a possibility that she and her boyfriend/coworker might be breaking up. Buut that was a chance comment from the owner. Not going to trust that information. Not that I don't trust him, just don't trust information that is just offhand from him. Don't know where he got it from or how old it is.
Oh, had one student tonight, total beginner but she had at least tried to teach herself from a book, and she's about four inches into a triangle shawl with Homespun. She plans on coming back again until it's done so that's good. Oh, she asked how long it would take her to knit a shawl since it's something that's technically 'commissioned'. Using Homespun and size 13 needles... maybe two weeks if she had absolutely nothing else to do. She marveled at it being a long time, and I told her that was a short time to finish a 32" triangle shawl. Apparently she thinks I'm a 'professional' knitter and amazing because she asked if I ever get asked to knit on 'commission'. I made a scoffing noise and told her that only people who live in La Jolla or Coronado might be able to afford it. Told her the story about the naive woman who posted on Ravelry about having a custom cable knit sweater done for about $20. The yarn alone would be more than that. I think that opened her eyes a bit to the process of knitting and how much it costs.
Another lady stopped and asked if I was knitting a sock (the orange one that is obvious it's a sock) and we chatted for a bit. She had done socks before but on dpns, told her the two circs simplified the process incredibly. She seemed skeptical, but I hope I convinced her, she bought a ball of the Lion Sock Ease...so something good came of it..

Oh, watching Star Wars right now on some station... always good for a trip down memory lane. Think I'll go pick up my knitting and watch the rest of it.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone who reads this!

All two or three of you.
Like I said, until people start commenting and letting me know that someone out there is reading this, I'm just talking to myself.
Working on the orange sock still, have turned the heel and am working the gusset now. Well, not NOW... waiting for a pie to cook that should have been done last night. Forgot to do the pies.
I was reminiscing to my two kids about the kitchen my mom had.
We had a four bedroom house with a 1/4 lot. The kitchen was massive (to a 5 year old) but she had a double oven with a full electric stove, a built into the counter blender/grinder/mixer station. (the base is inset into the counter with a cover when you're not using it. When you needed it, you filled the container, put it on the appropriate peg and turned the dial. Very 60's and handy!) Anyway, she had a double oven. Amazing. Counter space, double sink, corner cupboard and a full pantry with drawers for all her spices and supplies. Amazing kitchen.
Well, the turkey is in the oven, and nothing to do but either watch tv, snack or take a hike in the canyon. Oh yeah..and let the kids clean up the cooking mess.

Have fun!

Ripped again...

I have to learn to just follow a pattern and trust the pattern. I was knitting along on the Lion Sock Ease, 2x2 rib got about an inch and thought, 'this is for a six year old, how long do I really have to make this ribbing?' I decided to try and change to a 1x1 rib and after about five or six rows realized it was too loose. sigh. Pulled the needles out and reinserted them back down at the last row of double rib where I had deviated. It's kind of loose but the good thing is, it will eventually fit him.
So I'm back on track with the orange sock and putting the blue one on hold. Son in law has requested (jokingly) that he wanted a beanie (with writing on it saying he was the shizzle...something or other) I told him to go make it himself. Then I got serious and started looking for an appropriate yarn, considering all options like chunky yarn, dk knitting (which is still an option) and plain worsted. What I have decided on is a cabled beanie pattern based on a simple ribbed beanie, and add cables. Just have to decide on a color, which may end up being something that I don't have. Since he's going to be wearing it where it snows (likely when he gets back) he needs it to be warm, but soft and something that he will WANT to wear. He's going to be a 'snow technician' up at one of the resorts up at Lake Tahoe so it's going to be chock full of other 'dudes'. So maybe something black and red, or maybe that Pines mix of Wool Ease. It's dark though and cables won't show on it, so that might be good for just a plain double rib beanie.
So, with all this decision making I might end up doing two. Wool ease gives the warmth of wool and the washability of acrylic. Good choice for one, the other cabled beanie.. can do it in either the Wheat color or the natural...or any other color for that matter.

As soon as my needles get free I can start on that for a Christmas present.

My needles came!

So, started the sock over again from the top instead of the toe because my thumbs are sore. Not at the ends from the needles but down at the joint and tendon from pushing and holding things that are too small. If this keeps up... I may have to stick with more worsted weight and larger projects. Oh well. I want to accomplish at least one more pair of socks with actual sock yarn before I HAVE to give up small stuff.
I was looking around at my finished stuff (or mostly finished) and discovered three hats, two sweaters and a pair of baby socks with another two pairs of socks on the needles. Though one pair is for my grandson and not baby size, though it is small. The other pair is in the Baby TLC blue to match the hat I just finished. (photos are still in the camera)
An inspiration just struck for a pair of earrings and possible markers to match... gotta go! When the muse strikes.. follow it!

Another one down!

I finished the matching hat for the sweater and will be starting a pair of socks to match the set from the blue. I'll be using the 'Naptime' Baby TLC to do a pom pom for the hat, it's going to be sooo cute! Photos coming as soon as I get good light to show off the colors in the sweater. The needles from KnitPicks still haven't come, hoping for tomorrow.
Baby things are so easy to finish quickly, even with ripping back I can finish a top down sweater in about two weeks, maybe three. A pair of socks in about the same time and a hat in two or three days.
I have a four year old granddaughter and a six year old grandson that could use some accessories too, but getting the size right is a bit more complicated. I've got a picture of Ava's 'Neopolitan Sweater' on flikr, going to have to upload more of the other stuff. Said that already didn't I?

Okay, nothing left to say.

A Finished Object!

I finished another baby sweater and am close to finishing the hat to match, then will be doing another pair of socks to match that set. The baby in question isn't going to be entering the world until March so I'm ahead of the game surprisingly enough. The socks are another hopefully successful attempt, the last try ended up with one smaller than the other despite starting the second right after the first. I might try doing two at a time but since I just bought only two 24" size 2, that may not work, we'll see. Those are meant for the Lion sock yarn, I can use the size 3's on the Baby TLC.
I have two 16" size 2 that I can't use anymore, they've given me some horrid tendonitis in my thumbs. I'm willing to sell them for ten dollars if anyone wants them. Of course if you are going to use them you have to have hands the size of a four year olds. Or be of the upper crust and knit with your pinkies in the air because there isn't enough shaft to hold!
For those that want to see and don't know, I have my other photos of FO's on Flickr, just look at my Ravelry profile for the link.

I am still trying to sell my jewelry and markers on etsy, and have an idea in the works that requires a good bit of money to accomplish. Not to mention cooperation and feedback from the knitting community.
Stay tuned for more details when I feel the time is right. If I loose the dogs too soon it will never happen.
(oh and why do I have a walking frog? Because it is one of the most random things I have ever seen on a blog)

Welcome to my new home

Welcome to my new blog for knitting and stuff. If you come by here out of curiosity, don't just go away without saying anything. I hate that. I need to know that someone else is reading what I write otherwise I can just sit in the corner and talk to myself or my knitting, which I do anyway. Sometimes I might break into a story, a rant, ramblings and comments. Hopefully I will be putting up links to pictures of my knitting projects.
I have a regular blog about my normal life, this is here just for my knitting. I trashed my livejournal group journal because I was just using like a blog anyway.
So sit back, relax and be patient, I'm not the most consistent poster but when I do it's usually worth reading.