Pictures

Here's the picture of the Table Of Awesomness I blogged about last time. The only bad thing about it, is that it spins. And I have a 2 yo. 'Nuff said....

It works great for sitting in my recliner and knitting.

I was floored when I read the Yarn Harlot's blog today. She started a Log Cabin afghan and I've been working on mine for a month or so. She also Started The Niagra socks after I did. Of course she already finished her's...... I haven't...... I'm not sure if it's a case of great minds think alike or if she's stalking me......(snicker) Like she has nothing better to do that stalk me......

Here are my Niagra Socks from the Electic Sole. That is such and awesome book. I recommend it to anybody who loves to knit socks. I knit them in the Black Purl coloway of Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock yarn.
I'm also putting in an afterthought heel instead of the one written, I think I'm a glutton for punishment.........

AWESOME!!!!!!!!

I was at an auction a couple weeks ago and got a really cool table to hold my patterns while I'm knitting. It was called a plant stand but it has an extra hole to adjust it to a 45 degree angle. It's AWESOME!!!!! I just need to use a clip to hold the pages on it. The crapper is it broke last night and I need to get another clip. I'll post a picture when I get the new clip because right now it just looks like a wonky table.

I started an afghan pattern and am about 1/5th of the way done with it. It's for my grandfather. My step-grandma has a seperate TV room for him in the basement. I'm still not sure if I should be offended on his behalf or think she's a friggen genius. I'll have to think on that for a while.

I haven't been blogging much lately (no really?) because I had some slow assed dail up but as of 3 pm yestarday afternoon I now have wisper wireless and it rocks! I've been up late (after a nap in the evening ) going through You Tube videos and Pod casts that I've been kept away from because of dail up. I love the highspeed!

We have a new addition to talk about. We got the lil turd a goat a month or so ago. He's like a little puppy dog with her. They are absolutly hilarious to watch. If you see one the other is bound to be close buy. The dog is pretty fasinated with him as well. The FIL named him Frank.

We have (ok the husbeast has) a corral just about built for the horses and just have to finish redoing the pasture in poly tape. That should only take a day or two (or 7) to get up.

Not much else going on in my world. Pretty sad huh?

Swatch People!!!!!!!!!

I bought a new book a couple weeks ago. It is awesome.

The thing is (there's always a thing...) I cast on with the recommended needle size but not the yarn used...... Good thing I have a toddler that likes to wear hand knit socks...

I used Beracco ultra fine alpaca and it's turning out great.... just a few sizes to small....I will swatch for the next pattern, I promise.

I also started a Log Cabin afghan and it's going great. I used 5 colors and cast on 40 stitches and just kept knitting. I cast off after the second color and picked up the edges and knit 18 rows. Cast of all but last stitch and kept picking up knit 18 rows cast off, etc. etc. I lost my card for my camera but will post pics next time.
I bought a crap load of cotton yarn and 2 patterns for t-shirts at a sale at Uniquely Knits last weekend. The hubby was not impressed that I got it for 40% off....But he didn't take me out for Valentines day or out 5 year anniversary, so that'll teach him.... Probably not but I keep hoping.

Actually I have no reason to complain. I am working on my stash and he doesn't usually say anything. He just shakes his head and wanders away.


I blew out my first socks. I got those during Sock Wars III Last summer. I darned them the easy way. I yelled "Darn it!!!" as I tossed them in the garbage..... I really don't think they were salvageable any way. I put them in the wash and put them on. I walked around for an hour before I noticed it. I kept saying to myself "Gee, the floor feels aweful cold for some reason..." Then I looked at the bottom of my sock and found out why...( I never claimed to be the brightest bulb on the tree mind you)
I need to get knitting on the socks I have on the needles. I have six pairs or so..... Yeah I have knitting ADD.

Paying Attention

Or lack there of......

Looking good right?

Maybe not. That's what it's supposed to look like.

Here they are together.

I was at the Surgery Center and was in the waiting room with the SIL and cast on the second sock. I had the pattern with and looked at it a few times. I have no excuse. I just wasn't paying proper attention. It might have helped if I hadn't waited eight months before starting the second one either. It's a k2 p2 rib and I worked for a long while on a k1p1 rib. It also didn't help that we had gone without eating until 2:00 pm. Heh. I frogged it and stuffed it in my WIP bin for a time out...... Although I do like the k1 p1 rib and might have to put it to use in a new design.

I have the Grandpa Milt's Hunting sock on Ravelry now and am going to add a couple mitten patterns, hopefully this weekend. I designed one with a pattern but it needs tweaking yet, and have a plain vanilla one that will be a free patten.

We have a new addition to the family. His name is Dopey. He kinda looks it. He was rescued by my BIL from his work. Dopey was wandering around and wasn't being treated very nicely by BIL's co-workers so he brought him home and ended up here. He was going to be an "outside" cat but never made it. He's way friendly and loves people. He's getting along fine with the dogs bu still runs fron the lil turd. She hasn't figured out "Be nice to the kitty" means "Quit yankin his ever lovin' tail would ya?" Heh.

Startitis

I have to blame the Yarn Harlot for my problem the last month or so. I can't seem to quit casting on. I started a few new projects and I still want to cason more. AAACCCKKKKK!!!!!!! I didn't even know what Startitis was until I started reading her books and Blog. I was a good little knitter and hadn't even been to "real" yarn shop. That was almost a year ago (in Dec it will be a year since I was corrupted enlightened). I have a stash that fits into 2 totes (Yeah I'm still a rookie) and teach a sock a month class at UniquelyKnit in New London MN. I am actually even making my own DPNs. How cool is that?

I made these because I couldn't find small enough for the fingers on gloves. All I had on hand was 5" in size two and the closest yarn shop that has 4" DPNs on hand is an hour and a half away and I refuse to drive that far for a set of needles. The oil companies must really hate that. They are too short though. So I am making a set of three inch DPNs.

Future Knitter in the making? Yeah she is a bit young but the enthusiasm is there. A couple more years and she'll be good to go. She loves to watch me and the SIL knit but she is a bit "grabby" yet and needs to learn not to touch. I am looking forward to teaching her.

The lil turd is quite active and is the reason I don't have a lot of time to knit anymore. That will change when she gets a bit older. (I hope) She's really well behaved compared to some kids her age. She's a dream in stores. She's kinda funny. She'll wave at total strangers across the store but when they come up to say "HI" she'll put her head down and not even look at them. It's funny.

Here is the back of a sweater I started for my cousin's baby. I have one front about halfway done. I better get a move on before she out grows it before she can wear it. (like that's never happened to a knitter before) I started a hat forthe lil turd, but I'm afraid it's too small for her, so I'll haveto find somebody that it will fit.
I call it the water melon hat due to the color. The real name is "Toddler Hat". The pattern is available on Ravelry.
This is going to be a felted boot for the lil turd. I have the other one almost as far as this one. I'm at the ankle of the second liner. I just need to do the foot pads and stitch it up and felt. Go me

Here is the progress on my sock. Not very far though. Too many other projects going. But they are great as a "take along" project. Not pattern to lose. I just cast on 72 stitches and went from there. I'm using the Yarn Harlot's formula in "Knitting Rules" This is the first "Patternless Sock" I have done. So far it's working out.

Happy Knitting

Two Months...........

How lame am I? It's been two months since my last blog post. Ack. I've been a bit busy and I need a kick in the ass once in a while. LOL Well I got one today. I went to Uniquely Knits today to teach my Sock a Month class and Deb got on my case told me I should update. Nobody showed up so I spent the day helping with inventory. I got to play with lots of yummy yarn. I have a couple new projects to yap about show you. I started this one last night. I just cast on and am going by what ever comes up. It's a sock knit with Trekking XXL.

I really like this yarn for some reason. It comes in a lot of different colors and is fairly in expensive. $14.95 per skein at Uniquely Knits.

Here is another sock. (Do you see a pattern here?) This one is for my baby sitter. She has really tiny feet and she baby sits once in a while so I can go to knit night on thursdays. (Yea me) I used Regia Tweed for the main color and Regia Avenue Color (it's a self striping yarn) for the fair isle pattern I charted myself. (Another yea me) I'll probably have this available on Ravelry when it's complete providing it works out knitting it up.

Here is my Bayerische sock I've been knitting on for the past couple of months. It's kind of complicated but after you knit a few pattern repeats it gets easier. It just takes me for ever to knit because I'm slow I pay real close attention to detail.

Here is a glove I started a month ago. I need to sit and figure out how to do the fingers because I did another pattern repeat and I have to actually do math. This is for my aunts birthday that was on Sept 28th. Yeah I'm lame I'm just really busy.

I knit up a sweater for my neice's baby and in my lame assed hurryto get it done I forgot to take pictures. I finished it at noon on the day of her baby shower. (More lameness on my part) I'm thinking I had better not queue up too many knitted gifts for Christmas or I'll be going without sleep all of December.

I have2 more baby sweaters to knit up before November. So wish me luck!!!!!

Sock Pattern

Grandpa Milt’s
Hunting Socks

Size: Men’s Large
Yarn: On Your Toes ™ DK boot Sock Yarn with Aloe Vera
Needles: Size 3 DPNS
Gauge: 6 stitches per Inch

Pattern notes: This pattern was written for 5 DPNS but can easily be knit with the magic loop.

CC: Contrasting Color

MC:main Color

Cast on 56 stitches with CC
Row 1-7: K2 p2 across
Row 8: p across
Row 9-15: K2 p2 across
Row 16: p across
Row 17: k across

Switch to MC

Continue to knit in the round until desired length of leg is achieved with MC

Switch to CC
Heel Flap- Needle 1 & 2 Knit across with CC so that 28 stitches are on one needle.

Purl back on needle one
Row 1: Sl1 K1 to end
Row 2: Sl1 Purl to end

Continue rows 1 & 2 until 28 rows are completed.

Heel Turn:
Row 1: Sl1, K 17, K2tog, K1
Row 2: Sl1, P9, P2tog, P1
Row 3: Sl1, K 10, K2tog, K1
Row 4: Sl1, P 11, P2tog, P1
Row 5: Sl1, K 12, K2tog, K1
Row 6: Sl1, P13, P2tog, P1
Row 7: Sl1, K14, K2tog, K1
Row 8: Sl1, P15, P2tog, P1

18 Stitches Left.

Gusset.

K across heel and pick up stitches Stitches on gusset with MC.
K across front of sock.
PU Stitches on gusset.
K half of the stitches on heel.
K Remaining stitches across heel and ktbl the stitches picked up for the gusset
K across front of sock
K tbl Stitches picked up for the gusset
K to end

Gusset Decrease:
Row 1: K to last 2 stitches, K2tog, K across front, ssk, K to end
Row 2: K across

Repeat these 2 rows until 56 stitches remain on needles 1 & 4

Foot:

K Stockinet Stitch until 2” short of desired length of foot is achieved.

Toe:
Start knitting with CC and knit 2 rows

Row 1: Needle 1, SSK, K to end. Needle 2, K to last 2 stitches, K2tog
Needle 3, SSK , K to end. Needle 4, K to last 2 stitches, K2tog

Row 2: K across

Continue these 2 rows 10 times total then knit row 1 until 12 stitches remain.
Graft using kitchener stitch.


Repeat pattern for second sock.

I finally posted my first sock pattern!!!!! Woo Hoo!

I enjoyed making these socks. They were a quick knit. I only knit one for a display at the LYS and printed the patterns up for give away. I am workin on a pattern for a fair isle usin 2 colors with Regia Tweed and Regia Avenue Color. It's working out really well. I'm hoping to have it done in a week or two.

When I called Deb at the yarn shop last week she told me that the Mountain Colors sales rep. was there. So I hauled ass went down to accost chat with him. Oh my hell. I ordered admired a lot of georgeous yarn. I had a blast. I also noticed they have some new colorways. I love that sock yarn. it's really soft and knits up nice. I have only knit up one pair but have a boat load ready to go. I just need to finish up my WIPs and I'll have some needles ready.