FO - Mom's Christmas Socks

But I don't have proof. In my rush to get Christmas presents wrapped, I forgot to get a photo of the "Christmas Socks" for my mother. They are completed and have been worn, she says.

Sport's Blankie

Finished the crocheted blankie in plenty of time for Christmas:
Buster needs equal time:

Christmas Decorating

Sport helped me with the tree a few weekends ago. I was a bit apprehensive about that, but he's nearly 4.5 yrs, and he does well when tasks are explained to him. He really was a good help. We got it all finished in one evening!

The first time Buster was here after the tree was up, DD1 found a few small white balls and helped him hang them. He was so proud. They visited a few days ago and Buster worked hard at rearranging the ornaments. He stood back and admired his handiwork with a big smile on his face. So, I've decided to leave them.

Christmas socks

Hope to finish the Christmas socks this evening. DD3 emailed that she'd come for a visit later today - with her laundry and her knitting. WooHoo! A knitterly offspring!Yarn: Worsted weight Acrylic, but what the heck. Found these two skeins in a craft box in my closet. Don't know where or when I bought them. Or why. But, they were just what I wanted for some festive gift socks. I think the giftee will be pleased.

Needles: Size 5 dpns

Pattern: Just a generic type. CO 44 sts. Cuff: K2, P2 for 2." Used a st st heel flap (with 3 garter st on ends of rows.)

Knit for: a Christmas gift.

Christmas Cookies

Recently DD1 bravely made Christmas Cookies with her nephews. Sport [4 yrs old] did a very good job. Buster [2 1/2 yrs] tested the frosting.

Just Checking In

I'm still around - and still knitting. But, Nov-Dec. is a very busy time for me - probably for everyone. I finished Sports socks - he tried them on last evening. They fit! But, I didn't get a photo -- too busy trying to keep Buster out of the Christmas tree. Also forgot to tell the mama to Air Dry them.

I'll try to get a photo added soon.

And I'll try to add more content over the weekend. Sounds like we're going to have nasty weather - so I'll be staying home.

Take care all ya'all ~ !!

I'm Flattered!

I'm still very much a Ravelry newbie. I have to add more photos to Flickr - so I can make more entries on Ravelry. Too bad I can't do it at work :-]

But...I had a very pleasant surprise a few days ago. I had a message from someone wanting to know if they could use one of my photos for a pattern entry. I agreed. I checked the entry this morning and sure enough, the photo of my very first pair of CIC socks is what you see when you look up the "Swirling Confetti Kids' Socks" by Jean Gifford.

Well, I think that is really cool. I liked the pattern a lot and would/will use it again.

Health benefits of fiber/fibre

I mean crafty fiber, of course.

And the primary health benefit I've been reaping is : stress reliever! It's wonderful to be able to work on a project to unwind after work, or while waiting in Drs offices, or while [sick] grandkid sitting.

No photos today, but my OTN includes:

1) Sport's socks. I'll do the toe dec on the first sock & immediately CO for the 2nd.

2) Sport's camouflage [crocheted] blankie. I'm probably more than half finished.

3) A pr of adult sized socks for someone for Christmas. Done with worsted wt acrylic, in certain colors. No photo for about six weeks. YIKES!

YIKES! I've only got 6 weeks. Gotta go -- these projects have to get done. [If I could only knit or at least crochet at work :-]

SAMKAL4

Well -- don't know what the problem is - but I'm giving up on ever getting my October Socks entry posted on the SAMKAL 4 blog. I tried four times on Monday evening - finally left it with one draft sitting there. On Tuesday when I checked, the draft had not been posted and the draft had been deleted. So I tried twice last evening. Same thing.

I know other people have experienced problems. But, it's too exasperating and I don't have time to keep fiddling with it.

I'm giving up [on posting to SAMKAL4.]

Sport's Socks

One day last week when I was knitting on my [finally finished] October Socks, Sport asked when was I going to knit socks for him.

:-)

He wasn't especially impressed with the yarn choices I offered him, but he finally settled on the green Reynolds Swizzle. [Ignore the date stamp :-\

These might end up being my "November" socks for the SAMKAL4.

Speaking of SAMKAL4 - I've been having the darnest time posting to it the past few times. I left my October Socks post sitting there as a draft. Hopefully it will get posted eventually. Argh.

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.

In which I wonder

...Why do I have FIVE size "J" crochet hooks? I just figured that out this weekend after entering all of my hooks and needles into my Ravelry notebook. Love that feature! I've printed out the chart & stuck it in my wallet for future reference.

I started entering completed projects. Not finished with this section.

Have yet to start adding my Stash. I don't have all that much - compared to some/most knitters, so it won't be an overwhelming task - just not one I want to do in the evening after work.

See my entries on Ravelry at jakkmitch

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")

Priorities

My DD2 had emergency surgery a week ago. Don't want to seem overly dramatic, but it was an extremely serious situation. She's going to be OK, but while she's recovering, I'm helping with the boys. That leaves little time for knitting or blogging.

Earlier in the week I had both boys overnight a couple times. Then they went to their daddy's for a few days [he's been an Ex for a couple months now.] The daddy dropped them off at DD2's yesterday a.m. and then I picked up Buster after work. He spent the night with me and Sport stayed with his mama. I think we'll switch today and I'll have Sport tonight. I'll be able to do some knitting while Sport is here and we're watching baseball. Might be able to do some blogging in the a.m. as he sleeps in. [Unlike his brother who is always awake by 6 a.m. :-\

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: