Knitting Socks...Again.

Well, I am knitting socks for my sister in law.  She has been waiting patiently for them.  I had to let my hands heal.  I finished the crocheted blanket for my friend, she just needs to come by and pick it up. No idea when that is going to happen since we are both pretty busy right now. 

I am knitting lipstick socks for my SIL. 

I chose to dye her sock yarn deep red.  She wanted a sock that she can wear with both black and brown and I thought, hey why not a deep red to really show off the stitch.  They will look loads better when I block them but, I am moving along nicely on the foot right now. 

I am knitting this sock with my own yarn, this one is a merino/nylon blend that should hold up really well to wear and tear.  I am knitting this pattern with my addi turbo rockets, and my addi turbos.  I have one of each.  The rockets are so nice!  I have the rockets in the click set with the long barrels and I love them. 

Well worth every single penny I spent on them. 

I painted yarn today since I had a custom order for one of my yarns.  I took them along and went to pick up my niece, Maribeth, her teacher wanted to see my yarns.  I took a tub of them along.  She purchased some skeins and requested paper dolls.  I went ahead and painted two skeins of it today in merino/silk sock.  One skein when it dries, will go into the shop. 

I also decided to paint more yarns.  I have listed several into the shop.  ETSY seems to be really crowded these days.  I find myself drifting away from it.  No idea what I am going to do about drumming up more business.  I have thought about a website of my own but, not sure if I will get the traffic I need to support my business.  I am thinking of doing the craft fair circuit again but, not sure if my health will allow it. 

I was called the sock master yesterday and I was thinking...really, am I a sock master?  I can knit a pair without a pattern but, that is only because I have been knitting them for so long.  I have had more requests for Lipstick than anything.  Not sure if I even have it written down anywhere.  I might have to do that since it is so popular. 

I keep it in my knitting journal and I make notes about it as I knit each pair.  I am trying to figure out how many pattern repeats right now for the 8.5 women's pair I a knitting.  It was 2 repeats on the foot for the 6.5 women's pair.  So, I am calculating right now trying to figure it out.  It has enough action in it, to keep me interested. 

Another pair was requested but, in turquoise of all colors...uh, really?  You want a pair of Lipstick socks in turquoise?  My niece, Meagan requested those.  When will I find the time to do my charity knitting?  I need to start that as soon as I finish this pair of Lipstick socks.

Maybe what I really need to do is to teach these nieces how to knit and then they can knit their own socks.  I gave several of them sock looms with computer software and do you think they even tried it out?  Can you say...NO!  Oh my!  I am about to tell them to bring themselves and a pair of straight US 7's over here and their lessons in knitting will commence.  If nothing else, they will find out that I am tired, my hands are tired, and they need to learn to make their own socks.  I have plenty of yarn and they can also buy some yarn from me should they really get into knitting socks. 

I love knitting with merino wool and silk...it is so nice.  I can't stand the merino and cashmere sock yarns, biggest pain in the butt, the crap tangles like mad and it just pisses me off!  No amount of wine can help, either. I know, I tried back in the day.  Drinking days are now over with per doctor's orders, it seems that alcohol and my meds don't mix.  I got a lecture about the evils of wine and my meds.  Grrrr!  I kept trying to explain the fabulous bottle of wine in my fridge that tastes like drink mix with a kick.  It is really good stuff!  I did get the evil eye for my troubles.  Okay, I get it.  I am not a recalcitrant child, I understand that wine and meds don't mix.  I will be good.  What about tequila and sock knitting?  I don't think he would understand that one at all.  hee hee!  I love tequila.  It has made me sick on several occasions and I still come back to it.  I haven't had any in about 2 years.  I have to have the anejo if I am drinking it...not the cheap stuff.  I have been spoiled for the good stuff. 

Anyway, I am knitting this sock and hoping that I get to the end...soon.  I have my tape measure out and my plastic foot for display purposes and I am moving along on it.  Hopefully, soon I will be able to show off a finished pair of socks.