Darn!

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I finally insisted Youngest Song take off the Skully Socks I'd made for him. He loves them and wears them constantly. But they really needed to be washed....

So I did. And look what I found once they were clean! HOLES! So now were know where he wears them out...the balls of his feet and the heel flap. Guess who learns to darn this weekend! Glad I found that video last week. I have a vague idea on how to do this now!

BTW, these socks were made with Patons Shetland Chunky...which is like 75% acrylic.




Here's my progress pic on the Mickey Mouse Waterloose Sock 2. I have three more repeats on the pattern (5 rounds) and then start the st st for about 3 inches, then toe decreases. Really on the home stretch!


Well, after using my new MP3 player for a day, I've discerned that it doesn't hold a charge the way it's supposed to. I can get about 5 hours of continuous play and I should be getting around 9 hours. The 9 hours will pretty much cover my entire plane trip and 5 hours definitely won't. So, I'll return it today. Now that I think on it, this one was a return already. The container had been opened and taped up. I assumed it'd been opened and returned cuz it wasn't what the original purchaser wanted. I thought they (Target) had enough integrity not to put defective merchandise back on the shelf! Oh well, I'll get mine and maybe the Returns Clerk will put it in the defective bin instead of the restock bin.

Oldest and Youngest Son and I are going to see Jumper today. It's a good day for a movie: cold, raining and miserable! Nothing like a place to escape to!

Finished Awhile Ago

Remember that orange/yellow/black recycled yarn from last month. Well, I really wanted to see how it would full. So quite awhile ago I made a bag for my Eldest Daughter's birthday. I've been meaning to take a pic and just never did. Yesterday I gave it a hair cut and add a magnetic clasp. Now it's ready to be packed and gifted.

Worked on my 2nd Mickey Mouse Waterloose sock for a good portion of the day yesterday. Seems like I didn't get much done, but I'm just about ten rounds until starting the heel flap. I guess that's good progress.

Today is dog brushing day. Youngest Son and I are trying to make it a weekly thing so she quits loosing her stuffing all over the floor. Half my vacuum cleaner bag is dog fluff!

F and his hubby invited me join them at the Ren Faire on Monday. It's the only week day it's open as it's a holiday. I think the thought was that more families would come up. It's pretty much empty, or at least it was last year. It makes it much nicer to walk around and not fight the crowds. Huzzah! It's a couple hour drive so I'll be able to get some knitting done, too!

I just remembered, last year at the Ren Faire was the first time I wore my hand knit socks out in public! They were my Walking on Sunshine socks!

Bragging Rights!

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Okay, so about, oh, a long time ago, I taught Youngest Daughter to knit. She wasn't enthused, although she's been crocheting for years. She works as a companion to an elderly lady in a home, so has lots of down time. And she's been knitting. Obviously. Now, understand I only taught her the knit stitch. She asked one time about the purl and I can't remember what I told her. The other day she said I needed to show her how to bind off. I gave her verbal instructions and she said she needed to be shown. HA! Yesterday she came home with this scarf.

She made the pattern up, didn't follow a chart or written instructions.... It's 6 ft 9 in long. I'd never have the patience for something that long.

I'm proud!

Let's see, my dog scarf is now 19 inches long. I switched from Rabbit Tracks to three rows of knitting with one row of dropped stitch. It's really looking nice... Pics soon.

And I cast on the second Mickey Mouse Waterloose Sock. Got through the first pattern repeat. Six more repeats till I start the heel flap.

Not sure what today has in store. I have errands to run, and I want to spin some more of the mohair to fill up the bobbin. I think that's destined to be another scarf...although lots of people don't like the fuzziness of mohair against their skin....

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Knitting Iris has some absolutely stunning photos from behind a frozen waterfall.

More Easter toys...crochet this time!

Aren't these socks gorgeous. Note she said it was a difficult pattern!

One Sock Syndrome

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I finished up the first Mickey Mouse Waterloose Sock yesterday! Yeah Me! Will cast on second

one today to avoid Second Sock Syndrome (SSS). I'm happy with how they turned out and think they may be the socks I wear on the flight to Tennessee.


I got some more rows done on the doggy scarf. No not the scarf for my dog, the scarf I'm making with her fluff! It's nine inches long and I really am seriously thinking of doing some garter and drop stitches as the center of the scarf. Then break yarn, knit up another section of Rabbit Tracks and Kitchener it on the end..... That's the idea right now at 7:13 AM on Sunday, February 10, 2008. The plan may change, without warning, at any minute.

Not much else done yesterday. Oh, the normal, cooking, washing dishes, changing diapers, but nothing else on the fiber front.

One of the "bad" things about reading other blogs is the book reviews. People mentioning a good book, or suggesting a good book.... My list of "To Read" grows daily. Speaking of reading, I didn't use my make shift book holder to read my Nora Roberts novel. I listened to my current audio book instead. Taking the time to adjust after each page was too much. I read so fast that it became a choice of either reading or knitting. Knitting and listening won. This time.

Talked with 3rd Son and his wife last night. Plans are to go to the Ripley's Believe It or Not Aquarium in Gatlinburg, TN while I'm there. Too cool. I love zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens.... And talk of going to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. I hope my grandson likes fish! I just remembered I have a few "loose" fish left over from when I was knitting the tessellating fishes. Maybe I'll make him a couple stuffed fish!

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Wanna knit some Easter Eggs? And there are more patterns for other little toys (Christmas Stockings, Little Cakes for Tea and some cute little kids).

Karen shared some very neat pictures of gargoyles. Go look, they aren't ugly and they tell a story!

Knitting, Technology and all that stuff

I got a lot of work done on my sock yesterday. Heel flap, turned the heel and am starting down the foot. Amy and I had a discussion about the time it takes to continue knitting the pattern down the foot. I don't wear shoes, but wear Crocks and Birks. So the pattern is covered up after a couple inches. So, no need to continue knitting in pattern. Amy's shoes are a little lower cut than mine, so she likes to look at the pattern all the way down.

I do think that when blocked, socks without the continued pattern look a little "unfinished." But, on the foot..... Because I can't make up my mind, I've continued the pattern on down the instep for at least awhile!

Wow, it's amazing how easily we get addicted to the ease of technology. When I was growing up the decadence of owning more than one TV, stereo, etc., was just unheard of. We learned to share. Now we all have our own TVs, VCRs, DVD players. That's five TVs, three DVD players, two VCRs plus Youngest Son's game systems that also fill in as DVD players. We have two computers in our house. Instead of sitting down after dinner to watch whatever the dominant person in the house wants to watch, we all head to our bedrooms to watch what we want. Now lest you lament the end of the American Family, remember that every person that lives in this house is on the Autistic Spectrum. We all need "down time" to just regroup from having to interact with each other and whatever stray individual we may come in contact with out there in the "real" world. It works for us. Honestly.

Remember when we were amazed by VCRs. That we could watch Gone With the Wind whenever we wanted to? Now they are way too slow and we want DVDs of everything.

I was tickled when I discovered books on cassette tapes. WOW! I could _____________ and "read" a book at the same time. Then books on CDs were so much easier. Now I have been introduced to an MP3 player. I can walk over to get the mail, do the dishes, fix dinner, clean the back yard, change the baby's diaper, feed the dog, all without having to interrupt my book. And for the last two days that's what I've been doing. As nice as the one I've borrowed is, it's too small to hold a whole book. So now I want a bigger (more memory) unit so I can have a whole book on it. Lest you completely throw your hands up in despair....I still do read the "old fashioned way." In fact, I'm reading two books right now and will be looking for another audio book as soon as I finish this post. BTW, I just finished listening to Watchers by Dean Koontz. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes dogs, likes a story that grabs you and won't put you down. It's really good. I'm reading Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts (downstairs book)and although I'm only in about 15 pages, I'm hooked. (Nothing new, I'm always hooked on Nora Roberts books.) I'm also reading Wicked Fix by Sarah Graves (upstairs book). Cozy mystery set in Maine. Great characters.

Oldest Granddaughter is back in school today. She's still coughing a little but her temperature is normal. I hope she really is better cuz it must have been one tough bug she was battling. First two days of higher than normal temp and then a day of lower than normal temp.

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Knitting Iris had some great pics of Thrummed Mittens that she made. Which made me think, is there a pattern for Thrummed Slippers? Of course there is.... I have lots of unspun fiber, some of which is really ugly (I got it in dyeing swaps). Maybe something new to knit for winter birthdays and Christmas! And I get to learn a new technique.

If you have a job and you blog, beware! I suppose the same caveat is useful for those whose family members read their blog. Not that I think you may loose your family members, but I suspect it could make family reunions a bit uncomfortable. I'm lucky. I've given my blog URL to family members and if they do read it, they certainly don't comment. So my assumption is my family could give a good gosh darn.

I got quite a bit done yesterday. The heel flap is just about done...maybe one or two more rows. I have just about used up the yarn I had frogged, so am catching up at a good rate.

It was really a nice day off for me. Youngest Son and I did some grocery shopping and other wise I knitted and listened to a book up in my room. Right now it's Watchers by Dean Koontz. Really good and has captured my interest right from the start! I spent the entire day with my earphones on testing out the little mp3 player F lent me. The only drawback at this time is it doesn't hold a whole book, but I think it'll hold enough for my flight to TN next month. I heard rumors yesterday that my son in TN has his internet service back, so I can download another book for the journey home. And F has some books that actually fit on the player so I can also peruse his library for something to listen to.

Ran to the library to pick up a book I had on reserve: Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts. It's the first in a new trilogy: Sign of Seven. I like her trilogies. I'm partial to series books as I like to really get to know the characters. Then again, I like good writers, too, so do often read all the author's works. I did a paper in high school on James Michener's books to see if he had similar characters in his books. I read almost everything he wrote up to Caravans. My favorite was The Source which I read while I was in Israel in 1969. He also wrote Hawaii and Tales of the South Pacific which the musical South Pacific was based on.

Oldest Granddaughter's temperature seems to have moved back to normal, but it's hard to tell. Youngest Daughter gave her meds last night, so I don't know if it's a "real" normal or a drug induced normal. She has to be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school, so we'll see what it is around noon today.

I did the spinning thing again yesterday. Another skein of the Rambouillet. Finished up that ball of roving which means there are four more to spin. Then the white for contrast or something. I'm still leaning towards the EZ Rib Warmer.

Although if I spin today, it'll be something other than the Rambouillet. I'm tired of spinning it and want a change. I requires a lot of pre-drafting, sticks to itself and doesn't like to be drafted in general. (Drafting is the pulling the roving to make it loose so that the fibers slip easily into a straight line and twist nicely into a yarn. When fiber drafts easily, it's much easier to get into a rhythm and make nice uniform yarn. The Ramouillet I have just doesn't want to draft easily at all, and therefore creates what I call a rustic yarn.) What I'll spin, I have no idea. hmmmm maybe the alpaca or llama I got almost a year ago at the Renaissance Festival....

Knitting...let's see. Oh, worked on the Mickey Mouse Waterloose socks. I've got about 3.5 inches of the first leg done. And I worked on the F & F Comfort Shawl. I put several of my Denise cords together and found that it's about 4 feet across the top of the shawl and about 24 inches to the point. I'm aiming for 36 inches to the point. I had quit adding width to it for about 2.5 to 3 inches, but I think I'll start those increases again to add a bit more width. Yes, it kinda puts a jag in the edge, but...when I'm wearing it, it won't be noticeable, and I was thinking about adding an edging to it anyway. Time will tell.

There is been a discussion on one of the knitting lists that started over the never ending discussions about copyright. Story is told of one designer that went over the deep end and sues/ed people for using other than the yarn called for, for changing colors, etc. No pictures of finished items could be published anywhere including the knitter's blog, etc. Then ensued lots of discussion, gossip, etc.

In the midst of all this someone stated that most of the knitters in the US wanted to only follow patterns exactly as written using the same yarns, yadda yadda yadda. Bottom line s/he felt that most American knitters show no creativity and can't even figure out how to substitute yarn or even yarn color when doing a pattern.

I'd poo poo this except when I was deep in the cross stitch world, there was a designer that did the same thing. To the extent that she couldn't find a judge that would allow her in his/her courtroom. She sued someone who had one of her designs hanging in the back ground of a professional done family portrait. And there were stitchers that said, "Oh I love that design, but I don't like pink so I can't stitch it." "Is it legal to change colors on a published design??"

Anyway, do you always follow the pattern exactly as written? Do you substitute yarns, colors, stitch patterns? Do you use patterns as a suggestion or as law? See Poll on upper right corner of blog!

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Did you hear the one about the dyslexic devil worshiper who sold his soul to Santa?

Do you know how to darn a sock? I do.....now! Thanks to Turtlegirl finding and posting this!

Yes We Can!

Yes We Can! Believe.

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Well, let's see....have you ever had to knit your words? Or would it be frog them? Anyway, remember I said it wouldn't be any time soon that I'd knit the Waterloose socks again. I lied. But it wasn't an intentional lie.
I frogged the Mickey Mouse Bamboo Walking Socks I'd been working on. I'm not exactly sure why, but, I did. And I CO the Waterloose Socks with the yarn. So far, no frogging!

And I spent several hours graphing out the BMP Socks into a hat pattern. Boy! It wasn't hard, just time consuming getting all the spacing correct, etc. So, now when I can go get the yarn I want to use (Paton's Shetland Chunky) I can start them. I don't want to do the Fair Isle in the round as there are lots of isolated areas of color. So I'll CO using a provisional cast on, knit the Fair Isle flat, join do the decreases in the round. Then go back and add the ribbing in the round, with only the body of the hat to be seamed. At least that's my plan today.

Feels like a spinning day today. The rain storm they've been promising/warning about for the last couple days just hit. It's a hard rain, too, which is rare. The higher elevations are supposed to get snow. So, I'm thinking, hot tea, soups and stuff like that there!

Eldest Granddaughter has the flu. 101.+ fever, sore throat, mucus build-up, bright eyes...you know the drill. So far she feels pretty good but vacillates between being under the blanket and throwing it off. Don't plan to use any meds till maybe tonight so she can sleep if necessary. Always like to let the sicknesses run their course instead of covering up the symptoms. Does a body good to fight off the stuff. Onset of the sickness is kind of timely. Glad I don't have to go out in this weather!

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Here's another unique little neck warmer called The Bainbridge Scarf.