Home, where my socks are waiting....

Silently for me......Yes, I did get some knitting done on the road. My scarf was really slow going; I'm really grateful to larjmarj for help in finding an enhanced description of the pattern stitch I was using....but it will take a lot of blocking! I got a good start on one of my Sockapaloooza socks in the Lorna's Laces, and when I got home, I sat down and finished the second of the fingering weight Thuja's--and I love the way they came out. I was travelling in Florida, where it was just hot enough to make it feel like early summer, and I love the beach, butI got all of a half hour of outside time, but hey, it was a business trip. I brought home some very pretty shells I picked up on the beach, as well as the usual chotkes, as my husband called them. And it was a real treat to come home to comments on my blog from larjmarj and jaymeknits! I realized when I was repacking to come back home that I bring all this knitting with me even though I probably won't have much time allowed to knit because the idea of running out of knitting just sends me into a PANIC! This must be one of the distinctions between a traveller who knits and a knitter who travels. So I will always carry more luggage than I need to just so I can have plenty of yarn!!!

Leaving Home

I have packed a roll a board and a small duffel. I have a few changes of clothes, a few bags of travel size toiletries, one good book, one distracting magazine, and three knitting projects (did I mention I will be gone for 3 whole days?) : A herringbone scarf in some Gelato (cotton, stranded acrylic mix) which I have just started for some airport knitting, my re-started Sockapalooza project, and a couple balls of a beautiful red wool/microfiber for an one the way home project. I think my Sockapaloooza socks are too complicated for airplane travel, at least for me, hence all the extra projects! I hope I'll have SOME downtime at the hotel between meetings to sit and knit. I will be at the beach, actually, in Ft. Lauderdale, and I hope to at least glimpse the sun! Business travel, blech. Knitting has helped so much with this new need to travel for work; it gives me something to look forward to in what is otherwise just grueling for me. I hate leaving my family, worry about my girls while I'm gone, get crazy trying to get everything in my household settled before I go. Everytime, I think it will be easier. Everytime, it is still just as hard. But it is, for right now, the way life is. I hope to bring home shells for my youngest, (even if store bought; she loves them) and the required "snow" globe, and hopefully, a completed sock, too. We keep on keepin' on, like we've learned to do. See you later this week!

The Long & Winding Yarn

Here's the lorna's laces I just got for my much delayed sockapaloooza socks. I decided that it will be Spring by the time these socks are sent (well, pretty much summer down here), so I might as well go for cheery spring colors. The colors are "daffodil", a variegated, and "Gentle lime" (click here for color card pics; tghis picture doesn't do the colors justice! I'll post a progress sample soon) a surprisingly subtle, almost solid. I think they'll be beautiful in the Old Shale pattern. I'll be traveling next week to sunny Ft. Lauderdale and will no doubt have plenty of airport wait time to work on them, and hopefully, a good knitting seat!

6 year old knitting & a "pair" of socks

No, the knitting is not six years old, the knitter is! I had to post this! This lovely doll cape is my six year old daughter's second project (the first being a wristwarmer for her grandmother). I bound it off and sewed the button on, but otherwise it is her project--in all its glory. She learned to knit pretty easily, and is encouraged that I still make mistakes--and told her that if we can't fix them, we turn them into features! I am soooo proud, and so is she. Now I have to let her back into my GOOD stash (she picked out this Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran!) for some Spring knitting! And I have to say it's obvious she DOESN'T take after me in one knitting habit:
When I told her she could start another project even though she hadn't finished that one and come back to it later, she said, "No, that's okay, it's better if I have one knitting project at a time." Well, cast your eyes on my one modified Thuja sock and my one Simply Lovely Lace Sock (in some beautiful Lorna's Laces, in Embers...), both of which were finished this weekend but also need a mate to make a true pair! But I went to a party today at a friend's house and got to talk about knitting--woo hoo! And tomorrow is a dentist day--no doubt some tiem to knit in that waiting room!

Welcome to my new knitting blog!

Thanks for taking the time to come on over from episcopalallie. Please keep coming back, and let me know you visited so I can visit you too!

Soccer socks aka sockapaloooza procrastination

Aren't these pretty? It's that Thuja pattern (from Knitty), yet again, this time in fingering weight--in this cool cotton wool regia that I found on ebay. Those are 00 us needles, and they're knitting at 10 stitches to the inch, and the socks feel great--sturdy but soft, all at the same time. I have been telling myself that I started these after just finishing the red sockettes because I need a pattern and yarn that are easy enough to do sitting in a "lawn chair" at soccer practice, and sitting in car pool drop off, and sitting at red lights (well, only really long red lights....and I am STILL paying attention to the traffic!). Anyway, that's why I am saying I started these. Truth be told, I have been avoiding restarting my Sock pal socks after the problem with the yarn (see the sad post below), and after a great and VERY helpful email exchange with Marguerite, writer of the beautiful old shale two color sock pattern (and one of the most helpful and patient pattern writers and email answerers I've run into!) I am making for my sock pal, I am convinced of the need for stash enhancement in order to make this beautiful pattern in all its glory, AND so it fits over the ankle of my sock pal! So watch for more on my trolling amongst the Lorna's Laces listings on the internet. In the meantime, Thuja rocks, and so does having some time to knit! And I promise I will not let my sock pal down (neither rain, nor snow, nor shortened time at airports, nor non-cooperative kid merino will keep this humble knitter from several thousand more appointed rounds!)

Angels wanna wear my red socks?

These were sooooo quick! Another pair of sockettes, ready for dancing, this time in Cascade Fixation bulky. I used just 40 stitches on 3.75 mm/us 5 needles, and the stitch pattern from the Thuja socks in the latest Knitty (so easy!). I can't wait to wear these to the soccer game tomorrow (bright red is my daughter's team color). They are very thick and very cushiony, and may turn out to be hot for the summer, but will still be good for sliding around the house in! 

Well, Harry Potter would say I'm a P.....

Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

Though every time I have taken the Myers-Briggs before, I have come up ENFJ.....but the P part definitely fits my knitting style more--always looking for a new project, always excited to start.....always starting another before I finish one! Which fits, I think, both with "fun to be around" and "short attention span...."

Carolina on my mind

Well, it's spring break, and that's supposed to mean at trip to see beautiful Carolina blue....but life (soccer games, swim lessons, plumbing problems, lack of sleep.....) is interfering with travel plans....so we've settled for park outings and I've been up knitting alot, and am making these little sockettes (you can see I've JUST started the second one) and this ribbon scarf. I made up the pattern for the sockettes, in Knit Picks Dancing, using a band heel and the simplest of 3/1 rib cuffs and stockinette on 2.0 mm needles. The scarf is a one row pattern I found on this site and adapted it to use just 10 stitches and ribbon yarn on (huge for me) 10.0 mm needles. I like the way it's come out and will love it for Spring--which is pretty much here, down here! There's something incredibly peaceful about a sunny day and happy children and an easy knitting project in colors that match the day--I'm lucky, this time, to be able to stay put! But now to plan for Easter Break.....