Second sock well on the way!
The second STR Inside Out sock is approaching the "last" leg. Although they don't go over my high instep, my daughter is delighted that she will receive them. We joined the sock club to do something "together" but apart - 200+ miles. She is using her monsoon colorway to knit RPM socks for me. She has to go to a medical conference in Boston next week ,so hope to have the socks finished when she gets back late Thursday evening. The only frogging I had to do on the second sock was the heel.....I hadn't started knitting them on size 0's like the first sock ... so the frog prince appeared albeit just a short time!
TLGB

Not My Socks
I finally finished my first Inside Out sock at my daughter's home Sat. night ... couldn't get it over my instep ... SCREAM! Well ... I tossed it to my daughter and she tried it on ... she had to work it a little, but could get it on ... so guess my monsoon Inside Out socks will be her possession ... after all the problems I had as well as a lot of others, she didn't even want to try Inside Out. When she tried it on, she did like the inside out better ... the cable showed a lot more. Now I just have to make a second one to match. Wish me luck! Will add a picture tomorrow ... it won't be on a foot, but at least I can show a completed sock.
I also had the Dublin Bay sock out of LS gendarme colorway along ... knitted on the second sock part way into the gusset ... this one is sooooo easy. I really did enjoy the challenge of the STR sock, learned some new things, but don't want to experience that much stress ... or frogging soon.
I hope to finish the straps to the Lucy bag I knitted last month and get it felted this week.
TLGB

A Rockin' Sock

Finally, my Inside Out sock from STR is beginning to work .... did the toe and 1 inch of the foot with SB 0's, changing to Brittany size 1's for the next six inches, and then to the KP 2.5 mm for the remainder of the foot and up through at least first repeat of cable ... may do the second cable on Clover 2's and the final one on KP 3.0 mm. I may put about six more rows of the 2 x 1 rib if the yarn holds out. I decided to go on-line to see how to do gussets/heel flaps on toe-up socks .... I've never had to use them on the toe-up socks that I've done previously. Found some excellent directions at http://www.socknitters.com/toe-up/lessonfive.htmnitters.com/toe-up/lessonfive.htm ... it is actually a series of six lessons with the gusset instructions in lesson three and two heel options available in lessons four and five. The pics show the heel gusset about half finished where the needles are crossing close to my ankle ... the other one is a close-up. I really think that this will solve my problem with my high instep.

Inside Out Again!
Yes.....the frog prince came again..... rippit! After finishing most of the leg of the Crooked Cable Sock from Sock Bug, I decided I'd better try it on ... couldn't even get it to my instep ... so, I decided that with everybody's comments about the STR Inside Out sock and making it fit the foot, I'd try again ... just got the toe done and started on the foot with size 0's. We'll see ... hopefully, the frog has gone on vacation for a while.
TLGB

Possessed Yarn???
Is the STR yarn possessed???? I'm beginning to think so .... I sure have frogged it enough .... even after switching from the Inside Out to the Crooked Cable Sock from Sock Bug. The cables on the latter are all back cables ... I must have front cables in my mind because I have frogged a total of four times just because of that. Instead of a nice cable, you have a "wiggly worm" cable ... not very attractive. Now I'm really concentrating so that I can get a sock done that is wearable on my foot (size 10 with high instep). The yarn shows no sign, however, of the repeated frogging.
As for north Iowa weather ... it is beautiful ... a lot better than a couple of weeks ago ... the ice, snow storm to beat all. Today is only in the upper 30's, lower 40's ... but the sun is shining and there is very little wind. The two dogs even enjoy being outside.
Suppose I'd better head back to the knitting ...
TLGB

Rippit......rippit!
Well ..... the Inside Out sock from STR is a thing of the past. I really was planning on completing the first sock entirely before frogging since this was my first sock club mailing ....... then I read all the problems others had encountered with the cabled leg ... I thought I had made enough changes to accomodate my high instep ...... NOT ......... so last night I frogged the entire thing .... I was almost finished with the second pattern repeat on the leg ....... and could barely get it on ..... the instep was so tight that it was uncomfortable. It didn't take too long to knit ... I'd received the mailing last Friday. I did want to complete the pattern since it was only the second toe up sock I've knitted. It was a good learning experience for an "old" knitter and took a lot less time to frog the sock with my ball winder. Alcariel has decided to not knit the pattern either since her instep is higher than mine.
Now I've started Crooked Cable Socks from Sock Bug with the yarn and am enjoying it ... I did six rows of 1x1 rib instead of the knitted rolled top and am about halfway through the first repeat ... hopefully these will fit better. I usually add 6-10 additional rows on the heel flap to work with the high instep, so will do the same. Better get back to the knitting.
TLGB

What bliss!
After the arrival of the STR package from BMFA, I was anxious to start.....until I discovered that I had to do a provisional cast-on.....crochet a chain. Now, I do know how to crochet, but I crochet left-handed and knit right-handed.....a little weird, I know. Did a Google search and found http://www.knittingatknoon.com/provisional.html
which offers a fantastic tutorial video where you don't need to do the entire chain and then pick-up the stitches. I've never made a toe-up sock like this one, so did end up frogging the second half of the toe when it ended up about three rows short....frogged back to the 8 sts between the WT stitches....then it came out okay......at least for the OCD I have ...really want my knitting to look nice. Here's what it looked like about midnight last night. Oh, I love the dps from KnitPicks..I'm using the size 1's for the toe and foot....will probably use Clover 2's for the leg portion.

Because of all the snow received the last two weeks, the car needed a major washing....well, we have this fantastic laser-wash here that I enjoy.....you only have the drive the car in the stall and let the machine do the rest.....even dries the car as you drive out. The line was rather long--I was the 8th car in line to begin.....but I had my sock along, so did get about 1 inch into the foot while waiting...just need to remember the pattern is different for the instep than for the sole....occasionally I did "blind" (don't need to look after all these years) knitting, but did have to tink since I goofed. Here's what the sock looks like now... I do have to let it "hang" to unwind every so often....but am really enjoying both the yarn and the pattern. Guess you are never too old to learn something new. Hat off to the staff at Blue Moon Fiber Arts for the fantastic start to STR. Looking forward with extreme anticipation to the later offerings this year.
TLGB

It's Here!!!
About noon today, my husband called while I was at Menard's about 50 miles from home with the news that "the box" had arrived. I squealed. Finally, the sock club yarn from BMFA had arrived. I really wanted to head home right away, but I wasn't driving. About three hours later, the first thing I did was ask my friend if she wanted to see "the box's contents"........she isn't even a knitter, but was excited as I opened it....she even felt it just like a seasoned knitter feels yarn/fiber. I love it......not a color that I would have chosen, but am looking forward to beginning the socks. Today, I had even purchased the size 0 dps that most knitters were talking about using.....ugh!!!!.....in the 45+ years that I've been knitting, I have never used size 0....always thought size 1 was small enough......it may be interesting. If you don't want a spoiler.......stop.

The swift is holding the absolutely .......marvelous......yarn.





Now one gorgeous "cake" of yarn is done......the colors are ...... breathtaking ..... for lack of a better word. With the aid of a food scale (wished I had a digital one...would make things easier.....or maybe the yarn meter that I gave my daughter for Christmas), I divided the large "cake" into two almost equal-size balls of yarn, so I won'trun short on the second sock.

After a supper of chili and cornbread, the socks will be started......can't wait to start "rockin".
TLGB

I'm Waiting!!!!!!
Well........I'm usually very patient, but I can't wait much longer for the STR club mailing. They were sent out starting Feb. 26th, but a thing called "the blizzard of the century" left about 15 inches of snow on top of ice (my husband is pictured about 1 of the 4 times he was blowing snow). Talked with our mailperson at the store last night and she said that the post office here didn't get any mail in last Thursday through Saturday.....they were anticipating a large "dump" of mail yesterday, but it didn't come. So.......I guess my STR is probably stranded somewhere and will be coming.........sometime........SOON, I hope!
My blizzard project (we only had 1 1/2 days of school last week) was another Lucy bag with some outback wool from Plymouth in navy, light and dark teal, and a rose colorway.....it has a number, but the label is upstairs. The dye is not totally set, however, so whenever I knit my hands turn a grayish navy......it does wash off with some scrubbing......I even used the Soft Scrub jel with bleach, but then I reeked of bleach even after washing with other soap. Well.....I'm on the straps, so shouldn't take too much longer. Also worked on the second sock from last month, the Dublin Bay......for some reason I kept messing up the pattern down the sides, but have finally arrive at the heel flap, so it should go smoothly once I get there.
This week is parent conferences at school on Monday and Thursday evenings, so don't have much time to knit......but we are off Friday because of conferences, so that will be a knitting day for me. Usually I either go to Alcariel's for the week-end (she's working all week-end) or I get together with my sister-in-law Caroline at her daughter/son-in-law's coffee shops in Clear Lake/Mason City.....Cabin Coffee Company.......great coffee and excellent cinnamon rolls......but she and my brother are leaving for Reno today for some bowling tournament that my brother participates in each year......won't be back until the week-end, so guess I'll just stay in town and knit....knit....and knit.!!!!
TLGB

Snow.....snow....still snowing!
With school dismissed at 12:30 on Wed. and not in session today and tomorrow, it is the first time since 1971 when I started teaching here that we've had this many consecutive snowdays...this week we will have had only 1 1/2 days in session. Yesterday had slippery roadways for us in northern Iowa, a relatively quiet night, but then.......this morning started with a freezing mist, pelletized ice, and then snow.......well over a foot so far and it's still coming down. Took some pics of hubby out snowblowing, but need to download them....maybe tomorrow. The winds are horrendous, but it sure is warm inside the house.....good for knitting on my last Dublin Bay sock....and tinking a bit when I mess up the lacy insert down each side....only about 2 more inches and then it's just straight knit.
Just want to get it finished before the STR sock comes.....my daughter has already received notice that her box has shipped (they dyed 2000 skeins of the yarn).....don't really know how many actual members they have yet.....it should be fun to do some more difficult patterns. Those usually don't trip me up.....it's the simple things that do it.
I'm still nursing the cold that most of the students at school have been suffering from since before Christmas. Today is the first day for a week that I have felt halfway decent. Hope the improvement continues.

Week-end Activities

With the storm forecasted for the week-end, I thought.......WOW! A knit-a-thon! Well......a tickle in my throat at school on Friday turned into a "blizzard" of a cold on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was spent mostly on the loveseat under a double fleece, trying to keep warm. We had a double whammy......my husband was on the couch in the same condition. We can't remember in almost 35 years of marriage that we have both been that sick at the same time! We finally went out to KMart late in the afternoon on Saturday to replenish the cough medicine and flu relief meds. Everything was cancelled here on Sunday. Thankfully, we didn't lose power, but channel 8 said that we had received a foot of snow. Now, they're forecasting another storm mid-week that will be just as bad.

Sunday afternoon/evening, I was able to knit back the "frogging" I had done earlier in the week. Today.......since school was cancelled........I always use snow days to knit.......I finished the first Dublin Bay sock....even took pics of both sides......a little bit pooling, but not bad.

Tonight will be spent watching a movie since my husband will be teaching a class.....hopefully a bit of knitting will be done, too.

TLGB

Another Frog tale!
Well......the Dublin Bay sock in the LS gendarme colorway met a frog and it wasn't a prince! I tried the sock on one last time when I was about halfway out to the toe and decided that the gusset was too big......my heel and high instep were "swimming" in it..........so the "rippit" started......back to the end of the heel flap minus 4 rows, the last repeat of the eye of partridge pattern. Of course, the pattern does say to use size 1 dps but since I tend to knit tighter than Alcariel, who has also made the same socks, I decided to use size 2 dps. Well.......my pair of socks for this month won't get finished since this is the first sock. Of course next week the RSC sock will be coming, so everything will probably be put on a back burner. Even though we aren't together knitting, Alcariel and I will be knitting on the same thing.
At least I have completed the Lucy bag for a friend and a YH scarf from Malabrigo for a coffee friend.......she loved it! I still have to finish the YH scarf out of the DB cashmerino chunky left over from another gift project.
From the sound of the forecast for northern Iowa, this will be a sensational week-end to stay inside and knit.........knit.........and knit some more! We are to receive about 1/2 inch of rain followed by 6-12 inches of snow Fri-Sat and then wind on Sunday. Hopefully, the forecaster may be wrong this time. Hopefully it will hold off started Friday 'til later afternoon/evening until the Kiwanis club (both my husband and I are members) have their fish fry that usually serves about 800...quite a few older folks who won't come out if it is slippery.......we'll just have to wait and see.
TLGB

Somethings started......something ended!
Started the Bundle of Joy baby afghan for fellow-teachers who are expecting their second child.....but the first girl! I had some Lion Brand Pound of Love lavender acrylic on-hand, so decided to use that. Well......it is the softest acrylic that I have ever used.....the price tag on it was $7.95, so the price was good too.....well over 1000 yards. The afghan calls for a 3 inch garter st border and then adding the sides after by picking up the sts along each side.....well, I decided to just do the first and last nine sts in garter st also.....seems to be working out pretty well. I've knitted about six inches so far.
Started the eye of partridge heel on the Dublin Bay sock in the LS gendarme colorway.....only have one repeat of the 4 row pattern, so still haven't decided if I like it or not. If not, I'll just rip it out and do my usual heel.
Also have about 10 inches done on the LH scarf with the leftover DB Cashmerino bulky in a med. blue colorway......what remained of the shawl I knitted for Alcariel at Christmastime. I had a little over two balls left, so should be able to make a narrow scarf.
Those are the "started" things.......now for the end....... This morning after getting up before six feeling fine.....a terrible case of diarrhea hit me for about three hours......hubbie went to church alone while I spent time in the bathroom.....I slept for three hours late morning/early afternoon and haven't made any return trips to the bathroom. YEA! hope it stays that way.
TLGB

Some completions...

Since our daughter came for my birthday last week-end, a lot of productive knitting was done....a couple of sessions until midnight. What else can you do when the weather is soooooo cold but knit.....knit......and knit some more.The week-end I was at Alcariel's for her birthday, I purchased some Malabrigo in the China colorway to knit TYH scarf with a single hank. She likes earthtones,.......the color is brighter ......actually a shaded dark rusts, brown, and coral/orange. I may try again with a darker background.

I finished socks from Classic Elite Inca Alpaca yarn I purchased last summer while on vacation......the most expensive socks I'll ever make.......didn't check the yardage and had to buy more yarn before we came home......total cost......$37!!!!! It was a 4-ply with different natural alpaca colors ranging from black-brown to medium taupe. He's definitely worth it.......I sure hope that they wear well. I used the Big Foot pattern by Jen Showalter/Mean Girl Design.......think I got it from KPC. Works well for high insteps and at least to size 13.

How's this for utter cuteness.......is that good English??? Alcariel and her pal Phoebe in the matching dog sweater and fingerless mittens that I've shown before......

only now together.

Also finished knitting the Lucy bag from a friend's handspun llama yarn.......just need to kitchener the handles and felt it....maybe tomorrow. The commission was fiber for Alcariel to spin....she went back with three colors to three-ply. Also took samples of the others colors.

Our bell choir from church is hosting a handbell workshop this Saturday, so will only be able to knit between the 45 minutes practice sessions for the songs we will be playing. A friend who's also a member is a beginning sock knitter, so we should have some time to knit together.

Hope to finish the Dublin Bay socks in LS colorway gendarme this month also.....here's the one sock I've started......really like the way it is turning out.

Hope everyone had a "lovely" Valentine's Day.

TLGB

Some completed......
Another completion.....After a trip last week-end to help my daughter celebrate her 26th birthday, I purchased some Malabrigo in the China colorway to make a quick gift. I started the Lisa Souza gendarme colorway socks for myself in the Dublin Bay pattern....am about 1 inch from the first heel flap. I'm almost ready to do the toe on the second alpaca sock for my husband......ummmm......Valentine's Day is coming.......great idea!I was commissioned by a friend to knit a Lucy bag in her llama yarn that she spins.....well, tonight for just something crazy, I decided to figure out (in my head.....don't need a calculator) how many stitches I had already knit.....well over 12,000! I'm about 7 rows from the bind off for the straps round.....no wonder I've been spending so much time knitting. Hopefully that item will be finished next week and then I can felt it.......Alcariel is going to reap the benefits of this bag since I traded my knitting for some llama roving for her to spin.I was able to pick up some yarn that Alcariel had purchased for me when PT had their 20% off in December......some yarn to make a friend a comfort shawl.....her 82 year old husband has decided to not take cancer treatment.......he's at peace with his decision and is still able to be at home.......have even said he'll gladly go to a care center when the care becomes too much for his wife. What a lovely, Christian couple......what an example!
I also needed 3 skeins of Koigu for a Faina scarf for a friend for Christmas......this coming......not last!!! What planning......haven't started it yet, but it will be done before to long if the cold........frigid........well, below zero.....weather continues for much longer. There really isn't anything to do but knit.....right? TLGB

January Socks Completed

Finished the Monkey socks that were my project for January.....I did add 5 more loops to the heel flap to make the instep higher. I didn't get the UFO completed......yet.......oops, it is February. My UFO ended up being the second alpaca sock that I'm knitting for my husband....I have about 20 rows to do before the toe......should be done in a couple of days.

My sock for February is the Dublin Bay sock using Lisa Souza yarn (a Christmas gift from my daughter, Alcariel) in the gendarme colorway.....absolute divine yarn even though I only have the ribbing about half done on the first sock.

Almost done!
The second Monkey sock will be completed tonight.....just have the last repeat and toe left. Yea! Still haven't selected the UFO.....it will have to be something to felt for sure.
I've switched to the new blogger....it appears to be a little easier to log on .
Think that I'll probably start the Cable Net Socks from Knitty for February.
I currently in a "conflict resolution" with Joslyn Fiber Farm sock club........entered the 2007 club but received the Dec. 2006 sock which doesn't appeal to me.....and two charges to my credit card..........no answer on either phone number supplied and no answers to about three emails......I sent a registered letter with return receipt yesterday, so hope to hear something ......SOON! No, I won't be recommending that sock club even though it appears to have been in existence for 4+ years.

Intention may be completed!
The second Monkey sock is well on the way to completion in January ( even though it was started until the 8th)....this week-end I was able to complete the heel and gusset......even though some canine rascal (two live in our house) managed to pull two double points out through the sides of a knitted bag and completely consume them. They were divine ChaioGoo #2 with nice sharp points that can really pick up twisted stitches. Well......add a couple of Clover dps and I should finish by Tuesday, I hope. That will leave me one day to select the UFO to be finished and then to finish it! Wish me luck.

Area yarn shop.......yea!
Fort Dodge once again has a yarn shop........yea! It is in the same place as Wild Abandonment was but is named The Yarn Basket (that's the name I had for my in-home shop back in the 80's). The lady that owns the shop also owns one in Carroll, about 55 miles southwest of Fort Dodge. Her sister-in-law had the previous shop, but relocated to Colorado. I plan a visit in the near future, so will have more on what is available.
Knitting is coming along.....I should be able to start the heel on my second Monkey sock tonight....want to finish it by month's end. Then I'll have to decide on which UFO I'll complete....probably just the purse that I need to kitchener stitch the i-cord handle and then felt it.....that won't take too long.

One sock done.........beautiful fiber!


I've half an "intention" for the month completed. One Monkey sock
is finished from Cherry Tree Hill merino in the Gypsy Rose colorway. I still have to decide which UFO will be done.....but there's still 12 days left in the month. Since I have a high instep, I did increase the pickup loops on the heel flap by six......worked well. I have the second sock started with the top ribbing completed and about half of the first eleven-row pattern repeat. I completed the first sock in about 10 days, so shouldn't have any problem with this one other than just sticking to the job until it's completed.



The fiber story........a friend who happens to raise llamas, as well as many other types of animals over the years, is also selling the fiber. She asked if I would knit her a felted, pleated bag from Two Old Bags with some of the yarn she has spun from her fiber. Decided that when she asked what I would charge that it seemed good to trade.... barter..... whatever you want to call it! Since my daughter, Alcariel, is spinning now in addition to knitting....hmmmmm......she just might like some of the fiber.....she chose the rust-colored in the upper right and the dark grey in the lower left corner. If anyone is interested in the fiber, make a comment with your email and I'll send her email. It is clean, soft, beautiful......
Better get back to the sock.......TLGB!