Does Anybody Else Do This?

Last week, I ordered some new yarn from the good folks at Knit Picks. The estimated time of arrival of the package was scheduled for today. I have anxiously been awaiting the arrival of my new yarns. They are pretty and wooly, and will make delightful Christmas socks for my loved ones. I have all of my packages sent to my parent's home as it is a safer location to leave one out if need be, than in my own neighborhood.

I waited (impatiently and with another knitting project) in a location of the house that would allow me a good view of the mailman's route. Finally, I saw it. The mail truck was across the cul-de-sac and not moving. I thought to myself that perhaps he would walk the parcel over to the house. He did not. I waited a few minutes and then went to investigate. He was chatting with the neighbors; a lovely couple, and the wife a fellow knitter.

When the truck drove up to the mailbox I poked my head around the corner and asked the postie "is one of those for me?". he looked at me a moment and said yes. I bounded up to the truck and held out my anxious hands. My father was standing there watching and commented just how anxiously I had been waiting all afternoon for this very box to come.

Alas, I have new yarn and the first pair of Christmas socks has been started.

I saw this yarn on the Knit Picks website and decided that my knitting basket needed some more color. Then, the Yarn Harlot posted this and it was decided that I absolutely needed to knit my own pair.

I finished another pair of socks too. They are delightful!

And Counting...

In six days, Alex and I will be leaving to go on a mystery vacation. Actually, it is really only a mystery to me. He has been planning something for several months now for our anniversary and the time has come for whatever he has planed to come to fruition. All I need to do is pack and gather supplies. Everything is mostly done. The house work is getting caught up, the freezer has food for our return home and the only thing left to do, really, is to load the car. Oh, and decide on the knitting.

Any day now (tomorrow actually) a package from the good folks at Knit Picks will be arriving with all sorts of wooly delights. There is an entire tote devoted to my current stash, but that just simply will not do. No. I need something interesting. I'm already taking the WB to work on, but after a few (hundred) miles of garter stitch, I'm going to need something less mind-numbing to look at...

I've pretty well decided on going with socks, but the color and pattern have yet to be determined. Christmas is coming and I have exactly one gift on the needles. There is a list of loved ones that need woolies in their stockings and under the tree so I really should get on that...

Until later, have a lovely day. Have an iced tea and knit a bit. It will do you good.

Something Simple

I am a Knitting Addict. There. I said it. I am constantly knitting or thinking about knitting. When not doing either of those two things, I am online looking for new and wonderful yarns and patterns. There is a sizeable amount of money that goes into my habit problem favorite pastime. Don't tell Alex. I would like to keep the numbers a secret for as long as possible...

More often than not, there are no less than five projects on the needles at any given time. This does not include socks. Those are my favorite wooly item to stitch up. They are quick, portable, and make great conversation starters; assuming that the person who stares at your handknit sock does not make some smart-ass comment about how you can buy the same thing at the store for less time, money and effort.

I have decided to share my simple, plain vanilla sock pattern with you all. It is a quick knit with no special stitches involved. The pattern here is written sort of roughly and for those that already have a basic understanding of knitting/knitting socks. If you are a new sock knitter, I recommend this book to you. It's how I learned, and it was very helpful. Enjoy!

Ten-Forty Socks:

Needles: size 2

Yarn: Any sock or fingering weight

Other: I recommend an easy care fiber if you plan to wear them often, but it is entirely up to you.

Cuff: Cast on 64 stitches using your favorite cast-on method and needles (i always use the long-tail cast-on and double pointed.) K2 P2 for 10 rows.

Leg: Knit around and around for 40 rows

Heel Flap: Knit 16 stitches. Turn your sock and purl 32 stitches. Place the remaining 32 stitches on a holder or spare needles. 

Set-Up Rows: Turn your sock so the right side is now facing you. Slip the first stitch, K1 (SL1, K1, SL1 K1). Repeat the (_) until you have reached the end of the row. You should end on a K1. Turn work and Slip the first stitch. Purl all the way across.

1) S1, K1 all the way across (end on a knit stitch)

2) S1, Purl all the way across

Repeat above two rows until there are 16 selvedge stitches. End on a purl Row.

Turn Heel: Knit 18 stitches, SSK, K1. Turn sock. S1 stitch, Purl 5 stitches, P2tog, P1. Turn. S1, knit to gap, SSK, K1. Turn, S1, Purl to gap, P2Tog, P1. Turn. Continue in this manner until there are only 18 stitches left on your needles.

Gusset: K9 sts onto a new needle. Knit next 9 sts and then pick up 18 sts along the heel flap. You should have a total of 27 stitches now. With a new needle, knit across the 32 stitches you held in reserve. Using a new needle, pick up and knit 18 stitches along the heel flap and then the remaining 9 stitches left on the last needle. Mark the end of your round with something (a piece of yarn a paper clip, a stitch marker, etc). Knit 1 full round.

1) Knit to the last 3 sts on needle. K2tog, K1. Knit across 32 stitches, K1, SSK, Knit to end of the row. Row 1 complete.

2) Knit all the way around.

Repeat above 2 rounds until you have 64 stitches remaining.

Foot: Knit around and around for 40 rows.

Toe: 

1) Knit to the last 3 sts of your needle. SSK, 1. K1 (needle 1)
 K1, SSK, Knit to the last 3 stitches. K2tog, K1 (needle 2)
 K1 SSK, Knit to the end of round. (needle 3)
This is your decrease round.

2) Knit around

Repeat above two rounds until you have 32 stitches remaining. Repeat Row 1 only until there are 12 stitches remining. Sew up using Kitchener Stitch or favorite method.

I have a small foot, so these are custom fitted to my size, but are easily adjusted in the leg and foot lengths to fit anyone.

Knitter's Progress

Good morning everyone! Today is supposed to be quite warm so the windows are open and the fans are going. Every effort is being made to keep our little nook nice and cool. In the knitting world, things are sort of the opposite. The items being stitched up are meant to keep people warm.

This is only the first sock of the pair (finished only in 5 days, a record for me. I need to know the secret for finishing a complete pair in that amount of time...)

This little delight (although I'm not crazy about the button bands) will be going to the wee nephew of my dear cousin Jeanne. I hope it fits because I promised it months ago and you know fast babies grow...

 

The WB and Naomi's Christmas sweater haven't grow much but they will be 100% done by their due dates. I hope. Probably. There's a very small chance that I may have a complete meltdown due to the many miles of garter stitch and blue cables...What are you all knitting today?

If Only Knitting Were Like This...

I   finished reading Old Before My Time, followed by The Pregnancy Project (5 stars) and I enjoyed both of them very much. I only wish that I could pound out the Knitting projects as quickly as the books are being read...The next book is To Kill a Mockingbird. I've read it before and it's a good read. As the knitting goes; well, I'm not going to post about that here tonight...

Two Down

Good morning everyone! It's good to be back on after a few days. I was not gone anywhere, it'sjust that life has not been all that interesting the last few days. Last week, a trip to Powell's Books was made and, like the yarn issue, more books were brought home (and I fully intend to read them. Ignore the wool in the stash that was purchased many a month year ago. I will knit it.)

Speaking of books, I finished reading Someday, Someday Maybe and Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl. Both were good reads. I give SSM 3 stars and AFDYG 4 stars. Both worth keeping on the shelf for later. Now I'm reading Old Before My Time. It's almost done, and I'm going to give it 4 stars. It's a great read and hard to put down.

Nothing new in my Knitting Life. There are still many a mile on the WB, but like the books, it will be finished by my deadline. There are exactly 4 months until my brother gets married. That's doable, right?

It's Been Awhile...

Good morning all my knitting (and non-knitting) friends! It's a bit cool here in Portland this morning and quiet too. Yesterday there were all kinds of fireworks and celebration to honor what our forefathers fought so hard for. The day after a holiday seems so quiet and relaxed. It's nice.

This morning there is oatmeal on the stove and fresh berries and coconut to go with it. After breakfast I will get ready for the rest of my day. At some point there needs to be some knitting in between all that is scheduled for the day, and really, it should be something that was started a long time ago and really should be finished before the recipient has a little person of his own...

Speaking of little people, I made these for charity:

There will be more knitted up from odds and ends in the stash (leaving room for new yarn friends...) I am knitting these tiny socks for Pregnancy Resource Center. There is such a need for baby items, and especially socks and booties. They are very easy to make and do not require much time. If you are interested, here is the pattern that I am using. Happy Knitting!