First pair of socks are done!

My first pair of socks are off the needles, and while I am proud of myself for completing them in about 2-1/2 weeks, the bad news is....as suspected....they are way too big. But I am not fretting, I'm using this as a learning experience, and have already started on my second pair.

I took a picture of my foot in a shoe to show off my great find from the new thrift store in town. I have an awful time finding any shoe that will fit my foot, and then feel good, so I spend about 95% of my time (when I am wearing shoes, which is as little as possible) in my Etonic Trans Am Walkers, because they come in wide width. I usually don't even bother looking at the shoes at the thrift stores, but something told me to check them out.

I was hoping to find a clog that I could wear when I get my next pair of socks done, and I could only see the front of these on the shelf, and they looked like a clog. I picked them up, and even though they had backs on them, I liked the look of them, and they were big enough that they might fit me. And fit me they did! Perfectly! Amazing! I looked to see what brand they were, and saw they were made in Denmark. I thought to myself that this pair of shoes was probably an expensive pair. I grabbed them up at $4.99 and came home to investigate them online. I found out they are Dankso brand, and the style looks to be "Professional" and they sell for more than $100! Wow, I was thrilled! I emailed my sister and she emailed me back saying "YOU GOT DANSKO'S for $5.00?????I'm SO JEALOUS!" Well, I had never heard of them before, but I guess they are good shoes, no?I have been wearing them all day and just love them. They are in great condition...they look like they couldn't have been worn more than a couple of times, from the condition of the soles. Now tell me, why would anyone give up a pair of practically new, $100+ leather, imported shoes???? Their loss, my gain. YIPPPEEEE!

Here is a picture of my honkin' huge pair of socks off my feet.

Halloweekend

What a busy, fun weekend it was!

Friday night I got together with my SILs to play some poker. Unfortunately, I didn't win any money for stash enhancement but managed to have a good time and eat too much anyway. We broke up the evening fairly early because everyone seemed to be kind of tired and there was much weekend fun ahead.

Saturday I had a mother/daughter (or any adult/child combo) class to teach at the store. It was the second session of a beginning knitting class. The first class we taught them several cast on methods, and the knit stitch, and had them start a garter stitch scarf. When they came in this week almost all of them had gotten their scarves knit and so I taught them how to bind off, attach fringe, and then they learned how to purl, what stockinette looks like, how ribbing is formed, etc.

The 2 hours flew by and as soon as I was done there, I headed over to the Breeder's Cup party that we go to every year. I missed the first race, but didn't miss out on any fun. This is a huge party that some friends throw and they really go all out. Every year there is a pig roast, which in itself is reason to go :-) They always have something fun for the kids to do, like a pony ride, a moon walk bouncy thing, a hayride, etc. The kids paint pumpkins, or just have a blast running around and playing in the playhouse, or swingset, etc.

When you get to the party, you are given $80 in fake money to use to bet on the 8 races. The bookie takes your bets and after the race, the payouts are made to the winning bettors. The person who has the most money after the end of the last race is the winner of the day. There is a trophy presented to the winner, along with a bottle of wine, a Breeder's cup drinking glass, and lottery tickets. Prizes are also awared to 2nd and 3rd place. In addition to your personal trophy, there is a much bigger trophy which has the name/year of each winner engraved onto it and it is available for viewing and reminiscing each year.

There are usually about 50 or so adults at this party, and TVs are set up outside by the pig roaster, in the garage, and several locations throughout the house. Everyone is asked to bring either a side dish, appetizer or dessert, and OH MY GOSH there is always SOOOOOO much (TOOOOOO much!) food! I swear I ate about 15,000 calories that day. But it was worth it. There were so many yummy things to try!

This was the year of the Blooms when it came to the winners. My SIL Debbie won 3rd place, my newlymarried niece, Kelly, came in 2nd, and hubby Mike won first place. This is the first time either of us has won, so it was pretty exciting!

The weather was unbelieveable. 75 degrees the last weekend in October is a treat. Usually at this party we are bundled up in our winter duds and freezing anyway, not walking around in shorts and tank tops! There was a horrible wind though, and it managed to blow over the porta-potty they had gotten for the guys to use (to save on the septic system). Luckily no one was inside ;-)


Yesterday was spent getting my new washer/dryer combo installed in our closet. They were delivered on Friday, at which time my old ones were removed. Laundry started piling up and it was catch up time last night once Drew came over and helped Mike lift the dryer up on top of the washer and got it mounted up there. It looks like a freakin' laundromat in my closet now, and when I turned out the light while both were running, there were so many red lights glowing in there I thought a space ship had landed!

KNITTING CONTENT:

While Mike was working on the installation, I was knitting away on the mittens for the felted mittens class I am teaching in a couple weeks. I wanted to felt one and leave the other one unfelted to put on display in the store. They knit up pretty fast and I used Lamb's Pride in turquoise and purple held together. I love the color combo.

While I am excited to have my Duet Washer and Senseon Dryer, let me tell you I am VERY disappointed to tell you that the clog and mitten I put through 2 entire cycles for felting for my upcoming classes DID NOT FELT! Guess we'll be keeping the old washer for felting purposes. I refuse to even consider having to go to the laundromat or someone else's house to do my felting, since I plan on doing a good bit of it in the future. Dagnabbit....no agitator in the washer = no felting.

I have noticed though that there is VERY LITTLE lint in the dryer lint trap after a load is done, so I am thinking that means that the appliances are very gentle to the fabrics and the fibers are staying where they belong, in the fabric, and not being broken up, removed and deposited in the lint trap.

I have Kaitlyn's comforter going around and around (bulky items cycle) in the dryer right now. It was nice to not have to take that to the laundromat to do. The large capacity is going to be a nice thing, for sure.

Trick or Treating last night was much fun. Jake was dressed up as Ben Wallace, one of the Detroit Pistons 2004 Champions. After not cutting his hair for about 4 years, Ben wore his hair in a huge Afro style during the playoffs and one of the popular phrases was "FEAR THE 'FRO!"
Jake wore his Pistons jersey, some flannel pj pants that had basketballs on them, and a huge Afro wig. I printed up a little sign that I clipped into the hair that said

Detroit Pistons
2004 Champions
Fear The 'Fro!

What was great was that most of the moms were trick or treating with their kids, and the dads were passing out candy, and they, of course, just LOVED the costume. Some of them saw the hair coming from a long way away and would yell down the sidewalk "Is that Ben Wallace coming?". We got a big kick out of it. He was really a hit with the men LOL

Every year we have the dilemma of where to go trick or treating since we don't live in a neighborhood. This year we went to a fairly new subdivision where about 1/2 of Jake's class lives, so he got to see some of his friends while we were making the rounds. He came home with quite a bag of loot.

All said, a very fun weekend chalk full of good times, good friends, good food, etc.

BOO!

I was quietly knitting away on my socks for a couple hours this morning, and when I looked up, I noticed THE SUN WAS SHINING! Oh my gosh, it's been well over a week of non-stop gloom mixed with pouring rain, and I was so excited to see SUN! I threw open my front door to enjoy the rays, and laughed when I saw this little guy on my neighbor's porch. Isn't he cute?

Speaking of socks...last night I turned the heel on both socks, one at a time, but both of them still on the same needle. Then, believe me when I tell you I have NO IDEA what I did next to get the gussets going and the socks back on the needle the way they were supposed to be. My plan was to take notes on how I did it, but I got so screwed up (and frustrated!) that I just did whatever it took to get myself untangled. I ended up having to enlist the help of 3 double point needles to rearrange the stitches back in the right order, but finally I did it, and around and around I started going again. I have just finished the gusset decreases and am back to my original number of stitches, so on to the toes I go.

Of course, after I went through all that, THEN I decided to go online and do a search in the magic loop yahoo group messages and found something that probably would have been very helpful to me if I had looked at it FIRST! I am going to print it out and hopefully my next pair will go a little easier. I gave serious thought to just finishing them up separately, but I like the idea of them both being done at the same time. I was hoping I could do these socks in a week, and I started them last Monday evening. It doesn't look like it's going to happen, but it's going to be close. MAYBE if I knit all day........

Sadly, I am having flashbacks to my first sock (my "unfinished throw it in a basket in frustration don't want to knit socks I hate socks socks are stupid give it to my sister maybe she'll knit me some socks" sock)....it seems like I am knitting and knitting and knitting and making so little progress. I need to get used to these tiny little stitches, especially after working on Kim's scarf yesterday on size 35 needles :-)
I also feel like, once again, these socks are going to be too big. I did a gauge swatch, I measured my foot carefully, I went down to size 2 after using size 3 the last time (using the same amount of stitches) but still they seem to be huge.
Jane told me that I can actually try to shrink them a bit even though they are superwash wool. I'm hoping that's true, because if they don't fit after all this knittin' I'm going to cry :-(

Sock Progress, Fall leaves

I just love how my socks are turning out. They really remind me of fall colors. I couldn't resist taking a picture of them hanging on the Burning Bush by our deck. Heel flaps are coming along. I took a break from socks to knit up a scarf that will be for Kim for Christmas or her birthday. I used yummy Classic Elite Bravo yarn, which is a silk/mohair/wool/rayon/nylon blend. It's a double strand. One is mohair-y looking and the other has a cotton-y look to it that is multi colored. I added a strand of satiny ribbon yarn and it turned out to be quite pretty. Picture to follow when I get the fringe added. (if you click the link, the one I got is #3736, the 4th one) I used a pink ribbon yarn to go with it and I love the combination of the textures.

So, my holiday knitting has begun! About time, I think!

More birthday knitting goodies!

Here are some more exciting things to take up my time! 3 knitting books and the Art of Knitting DVD. I can't wait to explore all of them. I briefly flipped through the books (they just arrived in the mail 20 minutes ago) and they are all excellent. The Scarf Style book has some REALLY COOL scarves in it! I see some Christmas projects coming from that book! I'm hoping to take Knit Wit to Threadbear in a few weeks when Amy Singer (creator of Knitty online magazine) will be there to sign copies. I've been itching to get to Threadbear since they arrived in Michigan a few months ago, but so far I haven't had the time. It's going to end up being a day trip, I'm afraid. It's at least an hour from my house, probably more, and I think it will take all day to browse the huge array of fibrous delights in the store.

The Domino Knitting book is one I've had my eye on for quite a while. It's a technique I want to learn and have several projects in mind putting the mitered squares to use. One will be a felted purse that I think will be quite cute.

I haven't had a chance to look at the DVD yet, but from what I understand, it has an incredible amount of high quality informational video. Not only knitting techniques demos, but includes sections on fiber animals, shearing, spinning and dyeing. That will be fun to watch, I'm sure. The DVD runs over 3-1/2 hours and I think it is something I will turn to often.

Sock Update: I have gotten to the point where I am going to start my heel flaps. I am hoping that I will be able to figure out how to do the heel shaping on both socks at once on the Magic Loop (without losing my mind LOL) I think I'm going to have to write notes to myself as I try it, and as I figure out what works, so I have the confidence to do it again, and again and again.
Yes, I'm thinking I DO like knitting socks.

You can knit them here or there.
You can knit them anywhere.
You can knit them on a plane,
at a football or basketball game.
You can knit them at the beach.
You can knit them if they're in reach.
You can knit them in the car.
You can knit them wherever you are.
I do so like being a sock knitter.
I feel bad for being a sock quitter.
Thank you Bev for the Magic Loop tip.
Having hand-knit socks will make me hip

2 on 1 Socks!

What's better than learning the Magic Loop technique for knitting socks? I'll tell you what....figuring out how to use the Magic Loop technique, AND how to do both socks at the same time! Thanks to some instructions and photos at the yahoo group for Magic Loop, I got it! Now I feel I can really get excited about socks. No more pokey double points in my hands. No Second Sock Syndrome....I'm on my way to being a sockknitter!

Having some wonderful yarn to knit with doesn't hurt either. These socks are going to be so pretty! Here's hoping they actually fit when I get them done.

:-)

I have to give some huge kudos to Brown Sheep Company for having both ends of the skein wrapped around the outside under the label. With their yarn you don't have to fish around inside the skein to attempt to find the end, only to end up pulling out a huge wad. Little things mean a lot, ya know?

Update

I had several people come to my blog and say they would participate in Mother Bear Project. I have decided to send all of them stitch markers in appreciation. Thanks to Chey, Jenny and Jane. You're all winners!

Birthday Goodies!

Look at the goodies I've received for my birthday! Yesterday Kim presented me with the Magic Loop instruction booklet, and my very first 2 sets of Addi Turbos in sizes 2 and 3 (40" long so I can "Loop" with ease) My sister Diane sent me the Needle Trax program which I have had my eye on for a while, and can't wait to check out. If anyone uses Needle Trax, let me know what you think of it, any helpful hints, tips, etc.

I decided last night to try the sock pattern that is in the Magic Loop booklet, even though it calls for worsted weight yarn. This is just going to be an experiment, so I can see how the ML loop works, and the method for the heel on the ML before I do a "real" pair of socks. I don't know how comfy socks will be made from worsted...maybe inside boots on the coldest day of the year, or maybe to slip on and wear around the house on my hardwood floors. I'm using the same Lamb's Pride that I used for my Hallowig. I may just make one sock for now to try out the ML, but I'm REALLY anxious to start knitting with the Wildfoote handpainted sock yarn (Brown Sugar color). It's so gorgeous, and reminds me of fall leaves.

I must admit I am surprised by my excitement about socks. Almost a year ago I started knitting a sock. On 5 dpns. I got about 3/4 of the way through one sock and threw it in a basket in dismay. I felt like I was fighting a porcupine the whole time I was knitting, and also felt like I would knit and knit and knit and get nowhere at all. But now that I have decided to learn the ML method of socks, I am opening my thoughts to the fact that someday I may say I am a sockknitter, and actually enjoy knitting them.

Well, I am going to go back to my sock. Plans for my birthday include NO laundry, NO cleaning, nothing but sitting and knitting all day long.

If you haven't already signed up for the Mother Bear Project, scroll down a few posts and leave a comment. The drawing for a gift of handmade beaded stitch markers ends tonight!

Hallowig

Here's my green Hallowig. Mike says he wants one too, but not green. I wonder what color he'll pick. Won't we be so cute on Halloween, trick-or-treating in style? I'm not making his out of wool though...I'm going to hit Walmart for some cheap acrylic.

Jake says Hallowig is scary. Be not afraid, Jake. It can't hurt you.

Join the Mother Bear Project!

My sister just sent me the link to the Mother Bear Project website. We are going to order the pattern and do our part. After reading this how can you not be inspired to send a little love to these children so in need of something soft to hug? Check out the website, read all the stories under the "news" link and see if you get the inspiration to join in.

Leave a message in my comments if you plan on joining the project! I will be sending a set of my beaded stitch markers to one person who lets me know that they are joining in on this wonderful cause. I will chose my winner on Monday, Oct. 18 (which just so happens to be my birthday) .
Thanks!

Hump Day

I can't believe it's Wednesday already! I must've slept through the beginning of this week because, really, it was JUST the weekend!

And a nice weekend it was! Saturday was a surprise 40th birthday party for Mike's brother, Pat. He was actually surprised, and thrilled, which are 2 things that surprise party recipients often are NOT. We had a great time. It was a beautiful fall day, so we were outside most of the time. Food was good, and a game of Texas Hold 'Em broke out at the end of the evening and guess who was the winner! Yep, ME! Yeah! $100 in my pocket for stash enhancement!

Sunday morning we woke up early and went in to wake up the kids with the announcement of "Road Trip! Wake up!Surprise! Road Trip!" We drove 3 hours to Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, OH. During October they have Haunted Halloweekends, where the park all decked out in spooky decorations and exhibits, set up some of the buildings or rides as haunted houses, fun houses, etc. We went last year and it was great fun, so we decided to go back again this year. Another beautiful fall day. We were there about 11 hours, so with the 6 hours of road time, it was a LONG day. The kids slept all the way home, so they got their normal amount of sleep before having to get up and go to school Monday morning. Mike and I were dragging though...I still haven't recovered :-)

On the way down to Cedar Point, I was knitting along on my Hallowig and made some progress. When we got into the park, we went and had Jake measured to get his 48" wrist band. When we were at Cedar Point in June, he was about 1/8" too short, and had finally grown enough to be able to get on the rides that require 48" height. We headed right for the Blue Streak, which is a ride I'm not overly fond of. So I decided to sit this one out. As I was looking for somewhere to sit and wait, I was thinking to myself that I should have stuck my knitting in my zipper pouch pocket on my jacket. Just as this thought is going through my mind, I see that I am heading towards a bench next to a lady that is....

Sitting and Knitting, at Cedar Point!

I sat down next to her and told her how funny it was that just before I saw her, I was thinking I wish I had brought my knitting with me. She was working on a sweater for her daughter in green stripes. Out of all the thousands of people that were there, I didn't see anyone else knitting all day long, so I thought it was kind of cool that I found someone else with that thought, first thing in the morning.

Yesterday morning I finished my Hallowig, and took it with me last night to my last class. Students and Vicky (shop owner) all thought it was a hoot. I left it there on "the head" but forgot to take a picture of it before leaving it. So I'll head back up there today and get a shot so I can post it here. Jake thought it was "scary". Kaitlyn thought it was weird. When Mike came home from work, I put it on his head, and he said he wanted one, but "not this green". Who knew he would want a Hallowig? I guess I'll be making another one for him. It's a quick knit...maybe 5 hours total. It calls for 5 oz. of yarn but I got by with using one 4-oz. skein of Lamb's Pride with a little bit left over.

Joining the Hallowig-along

If you're wondering what a Hallowig is.... click the Knit along button on my sidebar for some examples of this fun "wig" for Halloween....or just a whimsical winter hat, if you're brave enough to wear it.

Hallowig so far