Back to Knitting

I am currently working on a shawl.  I started it last week.  I am using one of my own hand painted lace weight yarns, this one is a bfl/silk blend in cherry.  It is various shades of pink and some red.  It is really pretty. 

I have a new book of shawl patterns and found one that struck me as gorgeous.  It involves beads and a crochet hook.  I have found my comfort zone with beads.  The crochet hook is the way to go since it does not weigh down the yarn as you are knitting along.  It is a simple method as well. 

I take my bead out of my seed bead container, take the crochet hook and place the bead onto the hook, then I grab the stitch and hook it with the crochet hook, slip the bead onto the stitch and then put it back onto my working needle.  Simple and quick if everything aligns, if not, start cursing, put the bead back onto the hook, and try again. 

My new book

My bead box, my sticky notes for my chart

My yarn, Cherry

Rose colored seed beads, rainbow finish, found these at Fire Mountain Gemstones

Chart A of Kodama

A close up of the bead work on the shawl

I love the bead box.  It means no fighting with the crap little bag that some bead stores use and I have to use one of my bead boxes to store the things. 

Anyway, the shawl is Kodama and it is from this book, see top photo.  I pre-ordered it when I received my birthday money.  People know what I like, cash, gift cards, yarn, and beads...those items can never go wrong in my book.  Fiber is also another thing I like...I have some fiber that I am spinning on my wheel and on one of my spindles. 

I work on my shawl at night when I am sitting in front of the television.  It keeps me occupied. 


I made a new necklace yesterday but, I forgot one bead and so, I have to rip it apart and add the bead and then go from there. 

I also made another necklace last week...my supply of necklaces is small right now, my basket of love was blown apart after Mother's Day.  I let all the mom's in the family take their pick of the basket of love and needless to say, there were hardly any items left in it. 

The pendant is a Lillypilly etched shell

The full necklace in pinks, roses, and turquoise

I used Czech druks, Swarovski, and other beads, that I bought recently.  I found a new bead store on line that has the most amazing beads.  They also sell Czech buttons, the glass ones that are really  nice.  I bought one of them and thought to go back and get more...uh, no more to be had.  Things go quickly at this bead store. 

I went to the water park last week with my hubby.  I spent my day in the lazy river.  It was nice.  I did swim some in the lazy river and even took a turn in the wave pool.  Love the wave pool.  I didn't ride any slides.  My left ankle was swollen and I have no idea what I did.  I wrapped it for 4 days and now it is back to normal.  No clue what happened with the thing.  No telling with me, either. 

Today I checked my pool chemicals and the water is still a bit cloudy but, not like what is was so, I went swimming for 30 minutes.  I skimmed the pool for some bits of grass and some bugs and did my laps.  I even used my new outdoor shower.  Hubby made it for me.  Love that shower.  Love that man.  It hooks up to the water hose but, after dealing with three previous outdoor showers....crappers all of them, I decided that it was time for something new.  He took pvc pipe and fittings, a primo shower head with the hand held line on it and voila!  I have a new shower.  He installed a new post for the shade sail over the pool and the shower is attached to this post.  He has to install the hook that will hold the shower caddy for my shampoo and my soap. 

I have another pair of socks on another set of needles but, I don't want to knit socks.  I want to knit lace.  I also have a hat on another set of needles.  Okay, two ufo's and the shawl, not bad for this knitter.  It could be worse. 

The Meagan Sock

I am naming my sock patterns after my sisters and nieces these days.  I have loads of both.  So, I started a new pattern for my niece, Meagan.  The first yarn I am using is my merino/silk sock.  It is the test knit of the pattern.  I love the pattern so far.  Meagan was over to pick up some things and she loves her pattern. 

She specifically asked for turquoise yarn.  I had to hand dye it.  So, I am going to knit her socks out of merino/nylon for better wear. 

I am using US 3 Addi Turbo Rockets.  The pattern is lace and the needles are so amazing!  My cables are 24 inches.  I have two of these needles and they are worth every penny I paid for them.  If you knit as much as I do, invest in quality needles, it saves your hands. 

The Meagan sock is very pretty and the pattern is easy to knit, it isn't a challenging one but, it makes such a pretty sock.  I love the way it looks on the foot as well as on the sock dummy.  I have given up on fancy heel flaps and use my plain old stockinette flap and I have found that more recipients of this heel flap love it more than the fancy stitches.  They frankly don't notice if I have used a fancy stitch or not.  As much as I like the look of the eye of the partridge, I don't even take the time to use it.  I have a basic Dutch heel I use and it is getting rave reviews.  It fits better is what I am hearing. 
It hugs the heel. 

Right now I am hooked on a 9 stitch pattern for my socks.  Hey, it is working out nicely.  I have a basic cast on of an even number of stitches, I have my heel formula written down and it works out nicely.  I just plug in the formula for my patterns and it works out great. 

I am whipping out nice socks with the help of Barbara Walker's Knitting Treasury books.  Well worth the time and effort it took me to find them all.  If you plan to design, invest in them.  They are a great read and a great reference when you need something out of the ordinary. 

I also peruse as many lace books as I can find to make beautiful sock patterns.  Sometimes they work out and other times, you live and you learn.  That is just the way it goes. 

The Meagan sock started out with one pattern but, then I had to rip it out because it didn't work.  I had to move two lace patterns around to make it work.  Now, it is really cool looking and I have plans to make more patterns from my current lace charts.  I plan on intertwining them.  I want to get the best look possible.  Maybe it will work or maybe it won't.  I am still thinking about them.  I know this current pattern, the middle chart is what I will be moving to other socks in my quest for the perfect lace pattern.  It is a beautiful simple lace.  Then again it might not work with Sabrina socks.  It is all trial and error. 

The Meagan sock top picture, in natural sunlight, middle picture, the pattern on the side of the sock and the top of the foot.  It also shows off the sock heel stitches. 
The last picture shows off the chevron pattern on the top of the foot. 

This is a fun knit.  I am working on the leg of the second sock.  Yes, I knit one sock at a time, I am not a two socks at one time knitter.  I love sock knitting, it is my relaxation method.  I also bead when I need more relaxation and sock knitting isn't doing it. 

Charity Knitting Has Started

This morning a realization set in...don't you just hate it when they set in and you completely feel like an utter idiot?  Well, my realization of charity knitting is going to have to be done in between my current projects. 

I am currently doing a test knit of one of my sock patterns.  I have my yarn, my pattern, my knitting work book full of notes, and it is looking pretty cool.  I am using a beautiful blue yarn, it is one of mine, I generally do not use someone else's yarn unless it is one hell of an awesome colorway.  I am picky. 

Anyway, I have enough yarn and dyes around here that I can paint my own skein or hand dye my own skein of yarn, why buy it when I can do it? 

So, I am sitting here working on one of my charity hats, since I have two schools that I will be knitting for this year, I have a change of venue in one of them because they sent out this really nice book and our chapter was not even mentioned.  Excuse me, I spent all that time and effort and you don't even mention us?  Hello!  So, since they are so unappreciative and obviously do not want us to donate to them anymore, I am not going to.  I mentioned it to the ladies and they agreed with me. 

Apparently, they have two ladies who have been knitting for them for well over 10 years and did not think to mention our box of goodies.  So, I am going to move on to another school who hopefully, will be more appreciative of our efforts. 

I have loads of fiber that I need to spin but, apparently, sock knitting is what I really want to do.  Yep, you heard right, sock knitting.  I had taken a break from it for a while and now I am back to it.  I am a sock knitter at heart.  Something about a well knit pair of wool socks to make me so happy.  Yeah, I am the knitter but, that is okay because I love wool socks.  They are soft and keep my cold feet warm in the winter.  Nothing better than moving my toes around the inside of a pair of wool socks. 

For those of you who tell me, "you can't wear wool in Texas!", my reply, excuse me, yes we can wear wool down here because if you have never ever experienced a Gulf Coast winter then you have no idea what kind of fun you are missing.  The humidity plus the cold, killer!  Absolutely awful.  It goes right through a person. 

I am working on these new socks and I have one skein waiting for me to start my own Lipstick socks and another skein drying for a new pair of socks for one of the nieces.  I have loads of nieces.  I also have great nieces and nephews.  They travel in a pack like we did back in the day.  I have noticed though it is mostly nephews and the girls are losing ground in the family.  That younger generation is hell on wheels. 

I am not knitting for the younger generation right now...too many of the little darlings for me to keep up with.  They will get socks when their feet stop growing.  Then I will probably be in my dotage and knitting socks for them, anyway. 

Hopefully, by then my yarn stash will have dwindled into something manageable versus what it is now.  That is why I am trying to charity knit, to get rid of the yarn stash.  I also have mittens in the works some where along the path.  Scarves will be coming along as well.  I have plans for some lace knitting this summer and hopefully, I can whip out some shawls and stoles.  I have several patterns around here that I have been positively aching to do.  Just finding the time and the energy, that is the whole problem. 

For those of you who knit in the round on two circular needles, Addi Turbo now has the Rockets...love love love this needle.  Absolutely the best thing to come along for this sock knitter.  I love the sharp points on these babies.  Makes it so much easier to do a psso, ssk, and k2tog.  They remind me of the addi clicks with the long barrels and points.  I love those babies, too.  As much knitting as I do, I prefer to use my Addi turbo clicks.  I had to order in extra cords, since I am constantly knitting away with the things.  They are well worth every penny I spent on them.  They were a nice birthday gift one year to myself.  :) 

For UFO's...I have one UFO sitting around over here...the hat for charity is a work in progress and then I have the sock.  I am doing really well with that.  Today I have plans to organize my Willow Yarn Wash.  I have a huge stack of those babies that are being used to make a blanket.  My crochet stash.  I do not have the patience to sit and knit a blanket.  Uh, I would lose my freaking mind or what is left of it.  I have yarn for another blanket in Homespun.  It might be a nice present for someone who needs something to snuggle.  It might become a nice present for one of the older nieces.  The oldest niece, is always freezing cold in the winter so, I try to make it a point of making her things to keep her warm.  I know she is going to need another pair of wool socks to make winter bearable.  Just when I get one pair done, another pair is needed. 

Off to knit.  Everyone have a safe and wonderful day.  Happy knitting! 

My Roses and Barney

Here are some of the roses in my back yard along with Barney, my barrel cactus.  Barney has been with me since I was 18 years old.  He was a little bit of thing when I first spotted him.  I brought him home and cared for him.  Now, I have a big barrel cactus.  One year he was burned from frost so, I bring him under the porch during the winter to keep him healthy.  Barney is a bitch to repot.  It takes welding gloves to repot him and that even hurts.  He will be needing a bigger pot soon but, the thought of having to repot him...it gives me the heebie jeebies. 

The roses in the back yard include the Variegata di Bologna, the pink one at the top, my Mr. Lincoln and a red floribunda cutting that my sister gave me.  It is gorgeous.  Her parent rose, died.  This rose blooms like crazy once a year and then I get nothing else out of it.  I try to take as many pictures of it as I can when it is bloom mode. 

Lipstick Socks in Sangria!

I finally finished the lipstick socks for my SIL, Kim. I hand dyed my yarn in a sangria colored dye. 

The design is one that I found in a lace book and loved the look so much decided to try it out with socks. 

I used a size US 3 needle for this sock.  The yarn for this pair of Lipstick socks is a superwash merino nylon blend.  It works out great for socks with a lace motif since it stretches quite nicely through the yarn overs. 

The pattern as it looks blocked.  It is really nice and I love how it works out on the socks.  I have plans in the works to knit myself a pair of this sock but, it will be in bfl/nylon and it will be in pansy. 

The pattern is challenging enough to keep me on my toes but, not too hard to knit.  It is fun to see how each yarn develops while knitting this pattern. 

I haven't written it down for sharing.  I have it in my pattern work book. 

My niece, Meagan has requested that I knit her a pair of socks in turquoise yarn.  I have found just the pattern I want to put into sock form.  I have to write it down and then start the socks. 

I will be dyeing her yarn today. 

I started my charity knitting yesterday.  I started a plain old hat.  I figure if I do a couple of hats in between my sock knitting for family, then I can get it all done.  No idea how my hands will cope but, oh well...it needs to be done. 

Car Woes

I received the call this morning that my new rims are in.  Yippee!  I was so excited, my rim worries are over.  So, I called my sister up and asked her to follow me to the place so, I could drop Stewie off. 

I asked them to look at the a/c as well since I hit a bump and the a/c cuts out.  That started a whole new problem that will be finding it at the dealership.  I am also on the GM recall list.  I have a 2008 Saturn Sky Redline and I love my car.  So, when it makes it's way to the dealer, it will be having this issue resolved. 

I am waiting for them to call me so, I can go pick up Stewie and his original rims.  The beading let go on the original, came with the car when we bought it at the dealership, chrome rims.  5 years old and this issue has been going on for it seems like forever.  Little did I know at the time, this is normal for chrome rims.  Never buy chrome rims because you will be replacing the expensive ass things. 

So, I have new rims that I ordered in and they aren't chrome.  I will never go that route again. 

I am waiting for the car place to call and let me know it is time for me to pick him up. 

Meanwhile at around 6 pm, I have to be at a memorial service for one of the ladies in my DAR chapter, she lost her 7 year battle with ovarian cancer.  My sister is picking me up and we are going to attend that. 

It has been the week from hell.  I am worn out and I am dealing with my allergies which are going haywire from all of the oak pollen we are dealing with.  It sucks! 

In other news...I finished one sock for my SIL last night and it is so gorgeous!  I am going to dye myself some yarn and knit myself a pair of lipstick socks.  Now, I know why my niece wants a pair of them.  Absolutely stunning on the foot.  I can't find my plastic foot right now...no idea where I put the thing but, when I find it, I will be taking pictures of the socks.  :) 

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.