FO Friday

Is there such a thing?  I keep seeing people do WIP Wednesday and Eye Candy Friday.  I don’t know if they are an organized event or not.  But today is FO Friday for me.  Don’t expect it to happen often….

I finished my Tofutsie Socks (details). I wore them to my husband’s 39th birthday dinner (just the 2 of us) and I love them. They are light and silky–more like trouser socks.

I added, as I said in the previous post, ribbing along the bottom, which I really think helped the sock fit my higher arches better.  I think this is a good addition to any sock that you are making for gift because it seems it would give a better fit to any foot.  I guess the only thing you have to be careful of is the person with sensitive feet that might not like the feel of the ribbing.  I can’t tell its there.

You can see that Bonita was very impressed with her momma’s handywork!

In other knitting news, I got my Socks that Rock Lightweight in Lemongrass and it is even more beautiful in the flesh.  I haven’t completely decided what I want to do with it.  I really like Wyvern and have seen it done in Lemongrass. I really want to do the ribbing on the foot (yes, I’m obssessed) that carries through the short row heel. But I also want to do something out of Interweave’s Favorite Socks book. I have all these books and yet I still get tempted with the sock p0rn out there on the internet!

Instead of casting on the second Mermaid sock I cast on RPM. Bethany and I have the same sock yarn (Lana Grossa Colortweed #1004) and decided to do a little KAL of our own. Should be fun! I’m lovin the pattern so far and I plan on doing the swirl all the way down the foot(surprise!).

I will cast on Mermaid #2 very soon! I love that sock and can’t wait to wear the pair.

Off to pick up my newly bought clogs from the shoe repair shop. I had them stretched so I could wear my socks with them! DUH!

Oh, I forgot to mention that we had successful sailboat splashdown yesterday!  Mr. J couldn’t be more excited.  He even walked around on his 39th birthday with perma-grin.  Let the sailing season begin!!!

OK, here’s something

I never wanted to be one that didn’t finish a pair before moving on to the next…but I’m afraid it has come to that.  However, I have cast on for the partner of the bottom sock already and plan to finish it in the next day or two (its a very simple sock).

A little about them:

Top sock:

pattern: Mermaid Sock in Cool Socks ~ Warm Feet by Lucy Neatby

yarn: Cascade’s Sassy Stipes color #715

needles: 40″ Inox Express 2.5mm on leg and foot.  29″ Inox Greys 2.25mm on heel and toe (Magic Loop method).

thoughts: LOVE EM!!!  I just can’t get over how cool they look and the pattern isn’t difficult at all.  The only thing that gave me pause was the pattern is written for dpns (of course) and she has an unusual way to describe how to do the garter stitch short row heel.  Luckily I had just done one of those on my Inside Out socks so I was able to figure out what she meant and translate it to Magic Loop.

Bottom sock:

pattern: Pebble Rib from Adult Socks II: Play on Ribs by Celina Garrels (an Ann Norling pattern)

yarn:  SWTC Tofutsies color Footsteps (#737)

needles: 29″ Inox Greys 2.75mm on leg, 29″ Inox Greys 2.25mm on rest of sock. (Magic Loop method)

thoughts:  This is the second time I’ve done this pattern and the first time I’ve used this yarn.  Love the pattern.  I questioned how I felt about the yarn until I was nearly done.  I couldn’t put my finger on it but I just didn’t immediately love it.  However, NOW I do!  I love the silkiness and drape and I can’t wait to get the second one off the needles.  These will be great summer socks.

modifications:  I was knitting this sock after I finished the first Inside Out sock and loved how the all around rib fit and felt.  I decided to add a version of it to this sock by taking the 18 sts left after the heel turn and doing a 2×2 rib along the bottom of the foot until the toe started.  I really do think it makes a difference in how it fits my high arch. 

Nothing much to report on…

At least, not much that I can report on at this point.  But more on that later….

But I am excited about ordering this beautiful yarn last night in a moment of weakness.  I have no idea what I will do with it except make socks.  Maybe Zokni? These are the socks currently being knitted on the Yahoo Socknitters SAM site. Or maybe something for one of the many other KALs I have joined in the last few weeks–many of which I will never be able to satisfy. Ah, well. All to keep me on my goal of a sock (or 2) a month.

Ok, bored you all long enough. Sorry there are no pictures but I didn’t want to take the time to download them to my picture host first.

Yes, I do things other than knit!

This is what I did last weekend…

This is a Wool Drying Basket done in a twill pattern.  I took the class at my local yarn shop which is actually many, many other things than a yarn shop: spinning, weaving, basketry, knitting, crochet, gourds. 

Speaking of gourds…

These are Birdhouse gourds with pinecone needle “roofs.”  Lots of fun to make!

OK, back to my regularly scheduled knitting!

Feb STR Club Socks Done!!!

I am really excited and pleased to have these socks finished and on my feet.  They really feel so good!  To see a picture (and not spoil it for others) you can click on the following link: Inside Out Socks in colorway “Monsoon”

A little info:

pattern: Inside Out by Kaci Kyler Hays (exclusive to STR Club)

yarn: Socks That Rock mediumweight colorway: Monsoon

needles: Inox greys 2.0mm, 2.25mm, and 2.5mm 29″ circulars (also 40″ 2.5mm Inox Express used on the leg) 

some details: I started with 2.5mm on the toe and then moved to the 2.0mm for the foot.  I changed to the 2.25mm for the heel and used the 2.5mm on the leg. 

comments:

I love the pooling on the foot and the change to smaller stripes on the leg. 

I love the cushy-ness of the toe and heel and definitely think I will use this toe again, if not the heel, too.  This has re-opened my eyes to shortrow heels.  I had pretty much decided that they didn’t work for my foot, but I think that when it is paired with the ribbing in the foot it fits just fine!

I really like the ribbing all the way around the foot and have already incorporated a version of this into another pair of socks on the needles. 

I prefer the “inside” or wrong side to the “outside” of the sock.

All in all, a very good experience.  I joined this club in order to expand my sock horizons trying both new yarns (even ones I wouldn’t pick for myself) and new patterns (especially ones I wouldn’t pick).  I look forward to the April Kit!!

Introducing…

my new clogs!  Seen here with my BVI socks. 

I think we will be spending a lot of time together in the future.  We both need to learn to relax with each other, though.  I would have never considered myself to have wide feet but when I wear these with socks it is a bit of a tight fit.  Thank goodness they are leather uppers.  For those with wider feet keep this in mind should you want to order these (they fit fine without socks).  The other thing is the color.  I was thinking they would be more brown than red.  But that’s ok.  I need to learn to not be so boring with footwear.

Still working away on the Inside Out socks.  I’m about 1/2 way up the foot of #2.

Look what I got!!!

I just couldn’t stand the idea of having all these pretty socks and not have a proper pair of shoes to show them off.  So I ordered these today!

Jazz by Stonefly found on www.Clogworld.com ON SALE!!!

Aren’t they the most adorable?!?  Well, let’s just hope they fit and are comfortable.  I’m always nervous about ordering shoes online.

In knitting news, I have casted on for the second STR “Inside  Out!” sock.  But I don’t think I’ll be finishing it anytime soon.  I need to be working on the sock for the class I’m teaching this Saturday instead. 

And what am I doing tomorrow instead of knitting?  Basketweaving!  If it isn’t one thing, its something else!

WARNING: STR SPOILER!

I finished my first Feb kit sock and I wanted to share it with only those that want to see it.  So, if you don’t want to see it do NOT click on or run your cursor over the following links.  This shows the sock with the right side out and this is the wrong side, or inside, out.  I will share more on my thoughts and specifics when I feel more people have received the kit.

One down and one to go!

Not today, either, I fear

I’m patiently (not) waiting for my STR Sock Club package to arrive.  In fairness, they have been having a hard time on their end–snow, power-outages, etc.   They started sending them out on Monday but the last post on the blog was that they might still be in the process of mailing them out.  Who knows where I would be on the list.  People from the NE and SE have reported getting their packages so….  I just need to be distracted.

Instead of working on the things I should be working on I’ve been playing on the net.  I have a Bloglines account and I’ve been adding blogs to it. It makes me sad to check it and it doesn’t take me anytime to read them all. I need a life.

What have I been working on? Cable net socks (see sidebar for link), Debbie Bliss’ Dress With Eyelets (like this one modeled by my niece, Lorna, but different colors), and a plain “pebble rib” sock (pictures will follow) for a class I’m teaching.

That’s all for now–I’m going to check the mail for ANYTHING knit related.

EDITED TO ADD:

ITS HERE!!!  I checked the mail right after I signed off and the mail hadn’t arrived yet.  I knew there was still a chance.  So I found something mindless to do and waited.  Then I heard the lovely sound of my mail-woman driving up my gravel driveway to leave the oversized package by the garage door. 

I will try to make an effort to get a pic up soon.  Right now I have to get myself to the yarn shop and get needles since my other ones have other things on them.  Plus, I want to show off my club stuff!!!