Toe-up - Two at a Time Socks

This is such a great project. I am really enjoying learning how to knit socks this way.

I regularly visit the KnitPicks site. They have incredible yarn and awesome projects. I recently bought one of the sock kits because I thought it would be a nice change, as well as a challenge, to learn to knit socks two at a time from the toe up. I am very close to being addicted to knitting socks, but I still do not like having to make the second sock. By that point, I must admit, I am bored. I WILL finish the second sock, but it is not as fun, and I really strive to keep my knitting enjoyable and not a chore. Anyway, this pattern that came with the kit is wonderful. I have to confess that I did have to start and restart the toe about four times before I got the hang of it, but then it was so easy! I truly am amazed at how simply this goes together. In the first picture you can see that both socks are on one needle. It really is not as complicated as it looks. In the second picture, you can see the pretty eyelet pattern along the top of the foot. After I get to the ankle, the pattern becomes a butterfly, front and back. I can't wait to get there!

This is a picture of the heel. A little tricky at first for me. The first time I knit through the heel, I knit it way to loose - I think just because I didn't really know what I was doing. I took out an entire night's work in those heels, but I am happy I did the extra work. The heels went together nicely, and quite a bit tighter, the second time. What amazed me is that I did not have to resort to using my DPNs at any time during this process. However, I did opt to work one heel at a time.

When I get the completed, I will post a picture. One of the nicest things about this way of knitting socks is that I was able to try to foot on as I was knitting. Less guesswork, I think, with the fitting.

The kit came with six sock patterns and enough yarn to complete them all, so I am happy here in sockland! But I have been crocheting a bit lately and will have to post some pictures of those projects soon. Happy Knitting!

Pink Cami Socks

I am almost finished with the socks I started for Mae-Marie. They are such a pretty pink color.....but in camoflage! Well, she wanted knee-socks, so they come pretty much up to her knee. It used to take me forever to knit with sock yarn. But, I kind of like how the fingering yarn feels as it makes up into a sock now.

When I get finished with these, I am starting a new technique for knitting socks. It is a magic loop pattern where both socks are knit at the same time from the toe up. It should be interesting, and a challenge!

Socks for Soldiers

This is an awesome group that I am proud to be a part of. You can find more details about them at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SOCKFORSOLDIERS/. I encourage anyone who reads this post, that is able to knit, to get involved with this cause. What a way to show our troops that regardless of where we stand on the politics of the war, we care about them and look forward to their safe return home. I just started on my first pair of black socks. It seems somewhat of a daunting project right now, but after a few days, I am sure I will relax into it. Anyone else out there in cyberland knitting or sewing or writing letters - just doing something to show support for our soldiers away from home?

Crochet!

I received this shipment from Knitpicks back in July. I was so excited! I LOVE getting packages of yarn in the mail. In this one package are several projects. One I am in the middle of is a crochet project. I rarely crochet anymore - it just seems to take SO LONG -but my dear sweet husband really wanted an afghan. His grandmother made him a ripple afghan when he was young, but he really doesn't want to use it anymore because he doesn't want anything to happen to it. So, like so many other things, it has been put safely away as "memory." My task was to try to recreate an afghan just like it. I thought I had found a pattern that was as close as I could get, he picked out the yarn, it came in and I started right away on it. That's when it happened! He decided that the combination of the yarn with the size hook that the pattern called for was just too airy - interpret - way too full of holes. So after taking out what I had started and trying several different hook sizes, we found one that gave the right density that he wanted. Only problem now was it wasn't going to be wide enough or long enough if I held to the pattern specifications. I added width and we decided on a length only to discover that now I was not going to have enough yarn to do his entire afghan in the one color he picked out. I will be doing a striped pattern. We are going to purchase some more yarn - enough to finish this mammoth project - in the color o the gray twist that is in this yarn.

Figuring out the gauge

After a week

Where I am stopping until I get the contrasting yarn for the stripe

Over the next few days, I will post photos of some of the other things that I have made and ideas for some of the other projects I would like to make with this yarn that came in.

Beautiful Antique Clothing!

We had a great time! There were so many beautiful articles of clothing at this show. I was truly impressed with the quality of the fabric that so many of these antique garments were made of. Such fine, delicate batiste. How I wish I could find fabric like that today! I saw a lot of armistice style blouses there. Some were plain, although still beautiful, but then there were some that I held for a long time, trying to memorize the details and the lace patterning. It was just heavenly getting to not only look at these items, but also to hold them and marvel at their construction. There were many childrens/infant clothing in batiste as well. The details were just incredible. To think that all of the time and attention to detail was done for a garmet that would so quickly be grown out of.

There were also garments like this Edwardian dress. The woman who owns this display was kind enough to let me photograph this dress. It was absolutely beautiful!


I wish that I could have taken pictures of everything there, but that was not an option, unfortunately. Mae-Marie kept touching everything, marvelling over how wonderful everything felt.

There were pieces of antique lace, bolts of fabric, quilts, dolls, etc. The show only lasts one day, and we saw all that we were able in that amount of time. Now that I know what to expect, next time I attend I will be well prepared. The prices on many things were quite reasonable, so I will have to set aside a budget for the next show.

Mae-Marie and Clara (my mother-in-law)

We had a really good day together. Halfway through the day we took a break and had lunch at a cute restaurant in Sturbridge. They have a wonderful salad there that has a wonderful mixture of greens, chicken and cranberries. I have grown extremely fond of cranberries, so it was a special treat. My father-in-law, Al, spent the day with the boys at home, so it was nice to have a "girls day out." The only thing missing from this day was my oldest daughter, Sarah, who had to go back to Maryland at the beginning of August. Perhaps next year, we can plan to attend one during the time she will be with us.

14 Years!

Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our 14 wedding anniversary! Wow, has time flown. We drove to Providence and had dinner at Smoky Bones - Scott LOVES this restaurant! The food was great. I had had to fight back the desire to bring my knitting with me - only to discover later that I probably should have brought it to work on. There were televisions all over the place at this restaurant and on each table there was a speaker that would let you select which tv to listen to. College football is just kicking off and of course, there was the baseball game (Scott is HUGE into sports so it was impossible to keep his eyes off the screens!) So I should have just brought my knitting and all would have been well. After dinner we went over the Barnes and Noble to peruse the shelves of books. I could look for hours! Anyway, the children were very well behaved while we were gone ( the oldest two are "official" babysitters - certificate and all!) which was nice - no major arguements. Although the driving was foggy (I couldn't believe the fog last night!) we had a good night. ***On a side note- I did get on him quite a bit for watching his sports so much, but I guess it is hard-wired so there really wasn't much he could do about it. I love him just the same.***



After 14 years of marriage we are still in as much love as ever, only a lot closer.

Sturbridge Here I Come!

This Monday, Labor Day, I am going with my youngest daughter Mae-Marie and Clara, my mother-in-law, to the Sturbridge Vintage Fashion and Textile Show. I am so excited! I am such a big fan of antique clothing and fabrics. I am hoping to get some pictures of some of the clothing while I am there. Maybe even some upclose of the lace - if I'm lucky. If you are interested in what this show is all about you can visit the site - http://www.vintagefashionandtextileshow.com/indexa.html.