Tangled Threads and Seaweed

New Socks!

Woohoo! Got some finished socks!

I finished these last night, and then grafted the toes this evening. I used the tutorial on www.knittinghelp.com to do the Kitchener stitch. I think I've finally got it!

There are several mistakes in these socks, but I like them and I'm so proud that I knitted them myself. I only mention it because they were an educational experience, and I know several things I want to do differently on my next pair of socks.

For instance, I'd like them to be a little larger, as in more stretchy. You can see that they're a bit snug. They fit fine, but I would prefer they not look so stretched out. I think using a size larger needles would have done the trick. I would also have continued the stitch pattern down the top of the foot if I had thought of it. These are knit exactly following the pattern. I'm also going to work the toe decreases differently next time - these socks are more tapered than my foot's true anatomical shape, so they are kind-of pointy. But, they are great socks and I think I did a pretty nice job with them!   

Cascading Leaves Socks

Here's my latest sock project:

The pattern is called "Cascading Leaves" and is by Jeannie Townsend. (link is to her Yahoo Group, which you must belong to if you want her patterns)

I love this pattern! It is SO easy to knit. I wish I'd carried the leaf pattern down the top of the foot though - it would not have been such a tight fit. I'm getting an incredible 9-10 stitches per inch for gauge - I could have used size 2 needles instead of size 1.5 needles. I'm loosening up my tension a bit for the rest of the sock foot, and will relax a little on the 2nd sock! I will definitely knit this pattern again - its a fun one to knit!

Here's a glimpse of what's going on in my garden this spring -

Isn't the clematis beautiful? It was just planted last year and I'm glad to see it bursting forth!

Not a great shot of this - one of my favorite tangerine orange irises. These iris are huge - almost as big as a grapefruit. And they are really an electric orange color.

This is Arizona - the open blooms are huge and bright orangy-pink. All of my roses are going crazy with blooms this year.

I don't have to see my oncologist until the end of September, which will be the 1 year checkup. At that time, I'll go off the thyroid medicine and have a body scan in November. YAY!

Socko Finito!

Yo, peeps! Lookie here!

They are done! Look how much yarn was left - seriously, I can still knit some socks for me with the leftovers if I use another yarn for heels, toes, and a stripe on the top of the cuff.

Yes, the keen observer will see that the sock on the left is oh-so-slightly larger... maybe it will block out. Surely one of Joe's feet is bigger than the other. And I don't care.

Recap: cast on 64 stitches, size 3 needles, K2P2 ribbing; started 3/31/08, finished 4/28/08.

I can't wait to begin my next sock project!

Starting the Second Sock!

There aren't words to describe how I feel about this! I am so excited!

And it fits Joe pretty good! He didn't have it pulled up on his heel all the way in this picture. But he does love it!

This yarn just knits up so pretty. The kitchener - not so pretty, but it will do.

Here's the sole - 7 stitches per inch on size 3 needles. I've noticed my gauge is relaxing just a bit as I continue to knit - kind of like getting warmed up and flexible - at least I'm not having to pry the stitches off the needles now!  *grin*

Non-knitting related news: I had a sonogram of my neck last Wednesday, and then had an appointment with the surgeon later that afternoon. He said there was no sign of thyroid tissue on the sonogram, and I don't have to see him until April of next year! This means its likely that the residual tissue was killed by the radioactive iodine treatment last fall.  I'll see the oncologist on the 29th and will have bloodwork done to check my medication level. But I'm feeling pretty encouraged by the latest test.

Between the hospital and the doctor's office, I did a little yarn stash enhancing. I was able to find some more of the multi-colored yarn I'm using in my crocheted baby afghan. I also picked up another sock-knitting book - More Sensational Socks by Charlene Schurch. I used her first book to learn to knit socks. The patterns in the new book are a bit more detailed, and I'm looking forward to trying some of them....not that I'm quite ready for that yet!   

Another Quick Sock Update

I spent the whole day knitting my socks. Joe's out of town so I've been on my own this weekend. I went out for a fast-food breakfast and after some biscuits with butter and jelly, I settled into the brightly lit booth and started working on the heel flap. (this is the 3rd time I've knit it....) I completed the heel flap in about 1 hour (I was knitting slowly so I wouldn't screw it up again) and since I was at a good stopping point, I packed up my things and went home. The dogs and I went out to the sewing barn and I continued working on the sock while they played in the yard.

  After working off and on over the next five or six hours, I've gotten past the heel flap, knit the gusset and decreases, and am on the foot, heading for the homestretch at the toe. I'm getting 7 stitches per inch on size 3 needles. They're kinda big, but this sock looks like its going to fit Joe just fine. I'm getting excited about finishing this one and getting the 2nd sock started!

Sock Progress

Another blogger, Judy, left a great comment about the Autumn Sock. I re-counted my stitches and (duh!) I didn't cast-on 72 stitches. I cast-on 64 stitches (16 per needle). Yeah, the socks will probably still be big, but not so big as I first thought. Hopefully.

This photo was taken in the shade, and the colors are washed out. I've got 4" of leg knitted, and will start the heel turn at about 7" (tomorrow!?!) This knit is so squishy and soft. Sock knitting is addictive!

More Sock Love

Yeah...... I'm digging the socky love.

 

Its a big experiment. Fingering weight knit on size 3 dpns - maybe too big - cast on 72 stitches. I'm knitting a 2x2 rib because it is very forgiving of size. Hoping they will fit Joe, who has flintstone feet. Heck, if they're too big, I'll frog them and try again!

I bought this yarn on ebay a couple of years ago, back when I first learned to knit and was wanting to learn to knit socks but was too scared to try. I'm so glad I stashed this yarn. Its delicious - brown, forest green, orange, and gold. I am loving knitting these - the 2x2 rib is so easy - and I'm getting more comfortable holding these sticks by the day!

Sock!

Yesterday, I conquered evil! I climbed a mountain! I reached a goal!

I KNIT A SOCK!

I finally get it! I used Charlene Schurch's book "Sensational Knitted Socks" and bit off a small piece - the classroom sample sock. I used some ack-rylic red heart super saver to assuage my heart from "wasting" good sock yarn (of which I have an ample supply). 

Here we are, turning the heel:

Those are size 6 Lion-brand plastic DPNS. Scary huh. Only one was injured in the process of knitting this sock. Maybe my tension was a bit tight? I broke the tip off on a ssk decrease. The only problem I encountered was what to do with the needle-1 picked-up stitches on the gusset. A quick check on the internets revealed that Grumperina had wondered the same thing, and she provided the answer on how to handle this dilemma.  **note to Charlene Schurch - you need to tell us to KNIT those stitches! We are not psychic.**

Here we are, ready to kitchener the toe:

 

Check out the toe:

Another shot of the finished sock:

 

Sometimes, I amaze even myself.

Another Day

I'm still working on the quilt. Dorothy asked what I was planning to do with it, once its finished. I seriously haven't thought that far ahead!  :)  I'm pretty sure the kids don't want it - the colors are wrong - Tara isn't into "bright" colors. Its a large throw size; it won't fit a bed so it will probably end up on a couch.

Here's the finished scarf - about 60" of mottled blue yumminess. The ribbing is scrunchy and soft and I'm glad to be through with it. I'm thinking of sending it to Alaska if one of the kids will wear it.

I went to Amarillo the other day to do some shopping and errands (pick up wedding photos, buy Bunko prizes, knitting stuff etc. but that's a different story). I've needed to make some fabric postcards with the theme "Where I Live", and I've been stumped about how to do it. I could do an easy cheat and use some Texas print, but that isn't interesting. I'm toying with the idea of a prairie and windmill - here's a couple shots of the landscape between Borger and Amarillo.
These pictures show the cuts in the land which are part of the "breaks" of the Canadian River. There are rolling hills and little creekbeds that look like small canyons. About 5 miles south of this area, the ground flattens out and you can see for miles across the plains. 
I don't know if I'll use these to make my postcards - I had considered printing a picture on fabric, or perhaps trying to do this in applique. Anyway I thought you might be interested in seeing where I live. (yes, its rather dreary this time of year!)

Tomorrow (Thursday the 10th) I'm going back to work. I'm a little nervous about it - mostly afraid of being really tired when I get home in the evening. Joe thinks I've got more energy than I've had in a long time. I've gotten a bunch of stuff done around the house this past week, and could use another couple of weeks like this to get this house really straightened out!

First Flimsy of 2008

I spent a good part of the day working in the studio today... I had read somewhere that what you do on the first day of the year, you'll do all year long... so I wanted to be sure I got some quilting accomplished! I need all the good mojo I can get! We had worked on Christmas Bullseye Quilts in my stitch group at our December meeting, but I didn't finish setting my blocks into a top. Today I got the top put together and the borders added.
Here's my first "flimsy" (quilt top) for the year - its draped on the longarm rails and I've got the batting laid out to relax so I can quilt it.
This isn't the usual bullseye setting - one of the girls in our group thought this layout looked like ribbon candy, and I knew this was how I would set this quilt. My border fabric is an OLD, OLD candy print from V.I.P. and has some glitter on it. I may not have made the best choice in fabric for the narrow border - the quilt blocks do have some pink in them, and the pink really pops next to the border fabric, but yeah, its kind of loud. Oh well. The quilt top was so busy that I didn't want to put the candy border right next to it. I tried some green fabrics (instead of the pink) and didn't like any of them. So, pink it is...
I truly intended to fold the top up and put it on a shelf (with other "finished" tops) to be quilted someday. I've been on a mission to use up my Christmas fabrics for some time now, so I checked the shelf to see what I had that could be used for backing. I found 4 yards of this fabric - is it Christmas cookies, or buttons, or what?? Anyway, I did some quick measuring and this is the perfect amount to back this quilt top. I cut it in half, tore the selvedges off, and seamed it on the selvedge edges... so now I had a backing ready for the Christmas Bullseye... what would you do in this situation? I figure that it must be the fates working in my favor, and I better go ahead and quilt this one. I'll load this one tomorrow and start quilting it - it'll be nice to have a quilt finished up so quickly! (I still need to make some binding - it will probably be black)

I'm thinking of using a green thread in the bobbin - it will vanish against that busy print - and either green or red thread in the top for part of the quilting. I'll do some simple meandering in the border and in the "ribbons" made by the bullseye wedges. I'll do all the quilting with the colored thread first, then re-roll the quilt and use a tan/beige thread to quilt the block backgrounds. It looks like my first "flimsy" of 2008 might quickly become my first finished quilt of 2008!

Back to the knitting - here's how the Mistake Rib scarf is looking.
yeah, its a scarf! *grin* but this pattern has more dimension than the Seed Stitch, and I like how its turning out much better.

I'm not much of a "New Year's Resolutions" type of person... I've noticed quite a few bloggers have traded in the New Year's Resolutions for a list of things to accomplish in the coming year. Its a more positive outlook, isn't it, to focus on a "to-do" list rather than a list of things to quit doing. I admire those of you who are organized with spreadsheets and itemized inventories of what's in your stash, and I'm looking forward to cheering for you as you use up old fabrics and yarn, and your lists of finished objects begin to grow. I'd like to be that organized and committed... but I know myself better than that! I'm really bad at sticking with long-term plans. I did give it some thought, though. I realize that I could make a LOT of headway if I completed a UFO every week or two... and if I quilted a completed top every week or two, I'd have a BIG stack of quilts at the end of the year! But I'm not going to set goals like that, because I can't be sure that's how I'll spend my time this year. How about logging my finished projects in a photo album on this blog - I can do that - but no lists of UFOs to send me on a guilt trip. And maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised when the end of 2008 rolls around!