October Socks

Finally! Finished the October Socks [formerly known as the August Socks] last evening - before the end of the World Series!

Ignore the date stamp. Don't know what happened there [other than...maybe I shouldn't let the grandsons use my camera.] {But they sure had fun taking pictures}

The date stamp now will display correctly.

SOCK SPECS:
Pattern: Move Your F@nny (from Socktopia)
Yarn: TOFUtsies #790
Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo size 2.5 mm [1.5 US]
Knit for: Me!
Modifications: To accommodate my wide feet -- CO 66 st, instead of 62. Worked heel on 33 st, thus a couple more rows needed to get to the turn.

OTN and Off the Hook

Making Progress! I cannot believe that I've been working on these easy, short-legged socks since early August. Now my goal is to finish them by the end of the World Series. Do~able.

The colors are pretty wild for me! But, I like them in person - the photo is a bit off. See those short row heels? I'm SO pleased with myself. Each heel only took about a half dozen froggings, but -- finally got them right! :-)

FINISHED OBJECT:

Crocheted blankie for Buster (sshhh - for Christmas.)

It's 32" x 39"

Acrylic yarn. Worsted. Mostly Bernat Camouflage - "Outback." The solid colors are probably Red Heart.

Size F hook. (Though I should have used a "J")

OTN Update; Ravelry; and, of course, Grandsons

OTN: True confession time. I have not knit one stitch on the 2nd F@nny sock. Hope to today, tho. Stay tuned! However, I'm on the last round of the blankie for Buster. WooHoo! I'm going to work on the one for Sport yet today, too. I thought I'd do that one in granny squares, but I decided I really don't like sewing all those squares together nor do I care for fiddling with all the loose ends. So, I'm thinking about either: Sewing the current 24 squares into a rectangle and then go round & round that rectangle. Or, a bit of a compromise -- do more rows on the current 4" squares, so I'd end up with 24 bigger squares. [How much bigger? I haven't worked that out yet. I'm on meds for a nasty sinus infection.]

Ravelry: Good grief. They're moving about 500 per day. There are only 1600, plus a few, ahead of me now. Sure, I'll get the invite this week. I'm going to be out of town on TH-FRI and I have to WORK next Sunday. Drats. Unfortunately, I will not be able to develop my Ravelry site whilst at work.

Grandsons: The boys were over for a few hours yesterday. Sport [4 yrs] is getting taller, smarter, and he's SO curious about everything! He's a tech geek, too. :-) Buster [2 yrs] is certainly not a baby anymore. He's got a wicked fast ball. Mind boggling to see him in action. He's a leftie, brings his right knee up, leans his left shoulder back, and hurles the [air-filled, plastic] "baseball." I've caught it between my eyes more than once. And, I'm sure that's where he was aiming! He's just as good with a football, too. His auntie [DD1] and I are going to push for the baseball vocation, though. Oh, and did I say he's a hitter, too? Pitch it to him anywhere close to the strike zone and it's outa there! [That's especially mind boggling for me - who has NO hand-eye coordination and was always the LAST person picked for a side in gym class!]

Here are a few photos from yesterday. Buster on the left & Sport on the right:

Moving up, Move Your F@nny, and More

Now there are only 6023 people ahead of me in the Ravelry queue. When I signed up about 5 weeks ago there were 16850. They seem to be processing about 2000 or so a week - it's going faster than I expected! I might have to take a couple vacation days from work when I get in :-)

In the meanwhile, my OTN projects are:
1) the Move Your F@nny pair of socks for myself. I have the second sock just started [finished row 2 of the cuff a LONG time ago! Oh...it's a good thing I'm blogging all of this. I thought it was Months Ago, but according to that post it was only about 5.5 weeks ago!]

2) the crocheted "blankie" for Buster

So the Goal is to finish BOTH projects before I start another. I admit that might be a bit difficult. I'm not a very disciplined person, as evidenced by my lack of commitment and interest in dieting, exercise, housekeeping, etc. I'm movitated by what interests me - and at the moment I'm interested in knitting. That can't be ALL bad, can it?

I've put all my other yarn way. Out of sight, out of mind, they say. But, before I packed it way, I took a quick inventory -

1) I've got enough "sock" yarn for 5 adult pair.

2) There's also some sport weight yarn [or worsted? I'll have to figure that out] in Christmas colors that I'm planning to use for house socks for someone who will remain nameless for now.

3) Enough [polyester] yarn in a tweedy color combination that features the predominate colors in my work wardrobe [tans, browns, dark foresty greens, cranberry, dark blue, etc.] Maybe, I'll go ahead and knit that sweater this autumn/winter. Maybe.

4) Oh, yeah, more "sock" yarn. Some undyed wool to try KoolAid dyeing!

5) Enough Wool of the Andes Bulky for a child's sweater or a couple vests for CIC.

6) Enough Wool of the Andes Worsted for about a dozen pair of little kids socks -- or a respectable number of pairs for bigger kids.

7) Camo yarn for a "blankie" for Sport.

Whew. Considering that a year ago I only had the yarn listed in item #3 above, my stash has grown!

My month [and September Socks]

Well, it's been a busy one. The two weeks after my vacation were very busy at work. Probably not more so than a normal September, but having to condense the projects, meetings, etc. into 3 weeks was rather stressful. This week will be busy, but not as much.

My knitting since finishing the BSJ has been limited to a couple kids' socks for CIC. One pair is finished & I'm going to use it as my official September pair for SAM4, and I'm nearly done with the first sock of the second pair for this month. I'm using Norma's Magic 28 pattern. These little socks on worsted yarn are SO addictive! And, I'm having fun using up leftover bits in creative combinations

Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes [worsted] in
Evergreen and Cranberry, and Patons [worsted]Natural

I've also been crocheting on Buster's Christmas "blankie." I'm doing it in one big rectangle...photo later. I've started one for Sport as well.

That leaves the Move Your F@nny pair and the second sock has been OTN for ever-so-long [At least since the beginning of August.] Maybe I'll dig it out tonight.

Brrr...I'm Going to Need a Sweater Today!

Yippee! I'll need socks, too! We had a freeze overnight, though it's now up to 39 deg F.

I had lofty aspirations to get up early & go shopping. I hate shopping. [If I'd buy a lottery ticket - I keep forgetting to do that - and WIN, I'd hired a personal shopper who would shop for everything except my clothes and my yarn.] Until then, I have to do my own shopping. I hate shopping even worse on weekends. So...the plan was to go early. But, I couldn't get out of bed. After this week back at work [Sept. is our busiest time of the year], I was absolutely shattered by last evening.

Missed my departure for early shopping before the crowds arrive, so I made a pot of coffee [1/2 decaf, 1/2 caf] and started catching up on other bloggers. I could do this all day.

But, it's Mother Hubbard's Cupboard out in my kitchen AND I'm out of laundry detergent. So, I've gotta go shopping. Feel the dread? I'm not agoraphobic, I just don't like crowds...not even small city, Midwestern crowds! When I have to queue up with my shopping cart [trolley, buggy] to get to the oatmeal, I could scream.

OTN: The beginning of sock 2 of the Move Your F@nny pair. Ooh, that could be what I knit during The Game today. Uh-Oh - gotta get going so I can get back before kickoff.

ALSO: the 2nd slipper of a pair for CIC. Using double stranded worsted Wool of the Andes - left over from the BSJ.

Move Your F@nny update

One almost done - just need to kitchener. The second sock is OTN, but I started another project. Couldn't help it. Here's a photo of the first MYF sock.

Note to Self

I knit the "Move Your F@nny" socks for Mother. Before beginning the toe section, I tried one of the socks on to see how they fit. A bit too snug for my wider feet. So, when I started the pair I'm currently working on for myself, I decided to cast on four extra stitches. That sounded reasonable. I just needed a little more width to the sock.

The original pattern says to CO 62 - an even number.

I added four stitches to make 66 - also an even number.

I didn't find it odd to be knitting 33 instep and 33 sole stitches until I started working on the short row toes. Major DUH moment. I'm doing short row toes - I really should have an even number of stitches. No wonder I had such a #%@* time with the heel...my stitch count was always [what I thought] off. Very odd that I didn't realized WHY I was having a problem. [Can't blame drugs or alcohol. Maybe listening to Harry Potter on cd? Yeah, that's my excuse.]

So last night [while listening to HP6 on cd -- and occassionally nodding off] I got to the end of the toe & turned the corner. Might be able to finish the first sock today. Maybe not. I've got to go shopping - It's Sport's 4th bd today and I haven't bought anything for him yet. I know what I'm going to get - just have to go.... His party isn't till supper time - so I've got plenty of time. I'm trying to wait out the monsoon rains we're getting this morning!

The note to myself: do 2nd sock the same as the first, this time. BUT...make a big notation on the pattern to, if I ever do this one again for myself, CO68 stitches -- or use size 2 needles instead of 1.5???

Pre-K

As mentioned previously - I've been sidetracked. When I've been knitting, it's been on little kid's socks. Here's proof. I'll kitchener the toes on the weekend and post a new photo & specs.

Now I'm back to MY Move Your F@nny socks (still on first sock...but nearing the toe part.) Also trying to finish up the last six audio-cds of Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince.

F@nny's not Moving & Knitting with Black

I laid my "Move Your F@nny" [in TOFUtsies] down over the weekend to work on CIC socks for little kids. I'm only in the middle of the instep/arch ribbing on the first one - and this is my August sock -- so I need to get back to it. The pattern is a quick knit, tho. , so I should be OK. My sudden panic came from looking at the calendar and realizing that I want to finish them BEFORE I head West on vacation in a couple weeks.

I'm side-tracked by CIC socks. They're so much fun -- and really quick done in worsted yarn. But, what-was-I-thinking when I CO with black? I wanted to use up a bit of left-over cranberry colored yarn - and I thought "Stripes! White-cranberry-white - hmmm... guess the main color will be black."

My eyes are too old [and too tired after work] to deal with black yarn. Maybe a black stripe or two sometime, but not the whole sock -- no matter how small it is!

Weekend Update - OTN

After I finished Mom's "Move Your F@nny" socks, I started a pair for me using that ball of TOFUtsies I bought a few months ago. The heel [and toe] drive me nuts. No. Wrong. How do I do that strike through feature?

It's my perfectionism that drives me nuts. I frogged the first sock [heel] I don't know HOW many times before I got it to suit me. First time the slipped stitches were much too loose. Last evening I missed a sl st or two. Can't watch Monk and do knitting that I have to pay attention to!

August Socks

Pattern: Move Your F@nny (from Socktopia)
Yarn: TOFUtsies #790
Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo size 2.5 mm [1.5 US]
Knit for: Me!
Modifications: To accommodate my wide feet -- CO 66 st, instead of 62. Worked heel on 33 st, thus a couple more rows needed to get to the turn. But that should work out fine for my feet. I'll have to see when I get to the toe if I want to do extra rows or have the toe a few stitches wider than the pattern calls for.

Meanwhile, I'm also working on some CIC little kids socks. No photos yet, I'll do another pair or two and then get a group shot.

July Socks done!

I finished the Move Your F@nny pair officially last night. WooHoo! If I do say so myself, the Kitchener closings look great! I also finished [Kitchenered] a pair of CIC socks. I used these to practice the Kitchener technique before working on the F@nnies.

Pattern: Move Your F@nny [pattern at http://www.socktopia.net/]
Yarn: Knit Picks Memories in Redwood Forest [100% Merino]
Needles: 1.5 [US]/2.5mm dpns
Knit for: my Mother
Modifications: just the needles. Pattern calls for 2 circs. I only have a set of dpns in the size I needed.

Pattern: Top down, ribbed leg [k2, P2] 4 1/4" foot

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes [worsted] in Winter Night with a Fog stripe

Needles: Size 6 [US] dpns

Knit for: current CIC challenge for Little Kids

Move Your F@nny update

Really quickly 'cos I've been catching up on blog reading and I'll be late for work....

Except for weaving/closing after the toe turn, I'm finished with the first Move Your F@nny Sock. I'll do the finishing on both socks at the same time. And, since I only have one set of size 1.5 [US] needles, I've moved the stitches to holders so I can cast on this evening for the second sock. No photo, yet.

The heel and toe turns went very smoothly, after encouragement & advice from Kathy. (Thanks again!) In fact the toe went perfectly. After fiddling and frogging a bit on the heel a couple times because I'd set it down and when I picked it up again, didn't get on the right row...was confused about where the slipped stitch was, etc. On the toe, tho, I used stitch markers to set the slipped stitch apart. Saved me much time and irritation!

Back to Socks

After several weeks' break, I've started a pair of socks - another pair for Mother. I'm using the "Move Your F@nny" pattern from the Socktopia blog as first seen [by me] on Kathy's blog. These will count as my July Socks for SAM3.

I like to read the patterns through first and was puzzled by the instructions for the heel that read: "sskWSL...." The explanation that followed probably would have been OK... IF I had read them At the Point of Need. But, I was reading ahead. Trying to get it all figured out before I got there. Probably not such a good idea.

I sent a "need HELP" email to Kathy and continued to knit the stst leg/ankle part. And by the time I was At the Point of Need, she had replied :-) Thank you, Kathy, for the advice! You're a life saver again! Here's a photo - with sock at the ready to work on the instep sts again. I got about an inch through the K1,P1 arch ribbing before calling it a night.

The yarn is KnitPicks Memories, 100% Merino in Redwood Forest. The pattern calls for 2 circs. Your eyes aren't fooling you, I'm not using 2 circs. When I ordered the yarn [which I meant for a different pattern], I also ordered 2 circs [size 2US/3mm] This pattern calls for a 8 sts/inch gauge. Not gonna happen with this yarn on 3mm needles. So I switched to my bamboo 1.5 [US]/2.5mm dpns and I'm getting the prescribed gauge.

No modifications to the pattern [other than the needles.]

Also in my last KnitPicks order, 2 hanks of Memories - Cape Cod [also from the clearance rack]:
Hmmm. Colors are a bit washed out. And now you know that I don't have a yarn winder system. Do it by hand. Fairly respectable little cake. And it pulls out nicely from the center. My Gran [GG] taught me how to do that early on. She was such a pro that her cakes were flat on the bottom. Mine are almost flat - flat enough they don't roll away.