2nd Sock Update

Thursday, after Knit Night Out, I came home and finished the heel and picked up gusset stitches. As you can see, I didn't knit very much on the way to Houston Friday. I needed to relax and clear the clutter from my head. I hope to fnish this sock by tomorrow as I have a project that I am eager to start!

I did knit a bit last night...
Joe and I got up early this morning; had coffee on the patio watching the hummingbirds. By 8:30am, we were pedaling into Graywood! We biked almost 5 miles this morning. (Our goal is to bike at least 5 days a week - I AM being realistic - I can hear Kim giggling now) We went to the grocery and Joe is currently grilling steaks. After lunch, I will be knitting. Baseball comes on this afternnoon! Sometimes, well, a lot, Tugley and I sack out on the sofa for an afternnoon nap. That is such a luxury and truly a sight to see!

Joe and I have been trying to getting our body clocks in sync since he retired. He is a morning person and I am an afternoon person. Maybe we are almost there.

Our back yard -

I did take lots of pictures Friday - as you can see, they had not poured concrete. Joe was actually glad he got to see the footings. They install a cable lock system under the slab. He liked that A LOT! This view is from the front porch thru to the back porch on into the back yard - right through the house. In the front, they were working on the driveway. Using a neat little tractor, they were digging it out and bringing in clay by dump truck loads. All I can say is it's good to see some progress after nearly 4 months of weather delay. We will probably be moving in August - the hottest month of the year.

Sock 2 Report

I am knitting Sock 2 in Crystal Palace's new Panda Wool color strawberry with needles #1.5. The ribbing is complete and I have started the heel flap. I am so happy to be finished with the ribbing! Panda Wool is a wonderful yarn, but I am spoiled to the silky feel of Panda Cotton now. (There are two more Crystal Palace sock yarns not yet available that have a wonderful feel to them also!)

I am trying to decide if I should take this sock to Knit Night Out tonight...... or do I want to be tinking on this sock on the way to Houston in the morning? Wish I could talk and knit at the same time.

Sock Update 4

Ready to kitchener the toe -

This sock knit up very quickly. I think the pebble rib has enough variation in it to keep it interesting. The wide wale rib of k3 p1 was so boring, I thought I would never finish the other socks. This rib is a variation of that rib. Knitting never ceases to surprise me. I also have to say that Panda Cotton really show great stitch definition. This photo doesn't show it well; but this sock looks really great. I will try and take a better picture after finishing the toe.

I have started the second sock this evening. We are watching the Yankees vs Devil Rays and knitting. Joe has decided it's time to learn to knit socks - he wants some sock yarn.......

Sock Update 3

I am really enjoying knitting this sock for two reasons: 1) I love CPY's Panda Cotton - it has such a silkiness in hand; 2) I am enjoying this rib. I haven't knitted the pebble rib before. It has just enough change in it that you have to pay attention.

I have 6" of ribbing completed along with the heel flap, heel turn and am now decreasing in the gusset area. I have folded it down for ease of photographing and found that I really like the texture on the backside/inside of the ribbing.

Today is the Saturday Knit Together at Books A Million. I am picking up granddaughter Alexis and we are going to go knit for a few hours. She hasn't seen her "knitting friends" in quite some time now! Having Alexis in the shop last Summer was so much fun. People would come in and see her sitting on the sofa knitting. They would ask "Is she knitting" and at second glance, ask incredulously "Is she knitting a sock?"

First, we will probably have a lite lunch at Que Pasa as she like the cheese dip there! I will snap a few pics for the blog.

Sock Report

I started this sock on Tuesday getting about a good inch of ribbing done.

Yesterday, I went to tend to/rock Jayden (still on a 2 hr feeding schedule) so Pam could take a much needed nap. That 2 hr schedule is rough on parents. By the time you feed and diaper the baby and he is back to sleep, you have about 45 minutes until it's time to get another bottle ready. Joe and I had a business mtg last night and didn't get home until after 9PM. So, no knitting yesterday.

This evening I was able to work on the sock some. I am abiding by the "Gina Rule" especially since I am feeling tired. (the rule states no knitting after 9PM; otherwise there is major tinking the next morning) So, I am finished for the evening.

Tomorrow, after the gym, I have promised Joe to work in the yard with him. I have gardenias to replace the ones that Rita blew away and I want to get the patio back to where we will enjoy sitting out there in the afternoon.

Elf hat and Gauntlets--Done and Done

The Elf hat is finished along with the gauntlets to match, the second one went quite well, down to only a couple of the sailor words, no tinking, and no help from the DW, ta da!!! Actually, Gabby will get something else to go with the gauntlets, after seeing the finished product, the Elf hat is something I feel she may not wear. Being an 11 year old in June, the hat may be too “cutsie” for that age, she will probably feel like it makes her look too young.

You guys remember not wanting to look too young don’t you? Now I for one would love to look “too young” for my age, that ain’t happen'! Funny isn’t it how we view age. As a teenager, we try to look 20ish, all grown up, got all the mature “equipment” we have no idea how to use but are aching to try out, just as soon as we figure "it" out. Then the 30’s come along, we have it all figured out, plus the consequences that come along with it, namely our dear, loving, sweet, adorable children (said as a loving dad)……yeah right, and we don’t have time to worry about age. Then somehow the 50’s- 60’s creep up and all of a sudden we are trying to look 20ish again, or at least do the best we can, which is usually a total failure, you can’t make a 57 Chevy look like a 2007 Corvette no how matter how hard you try, (actually the 57 Chevy is a much hotter looking a car, but that is only my opinion). And sadly a lot of folks spend what it takes to buy the Corvette trying to look younger, you can only stretch a piece of leather so far………..

Anyway, back to the Gabby issue, I will be making her a belt to go along with the gauntlets, this will be much cooler and hopefully something she will wear. It will be like the one I just finished, the DIY Fringed Hippy Belt in Crystal Palace Yarns Trio, it has a lot of shiny stuff a young lady should really like. I modified it some, added a double YO instead of the single in the pattern, it gives it more openness, as Debbie says, Cute!

I am not knitting as much now, as Debbie said the house in Texas has started and now I have to get our yard here in better shape. I will be spending more time in the yard with the ax, shovel, rake and hoe ( hoe as in yard tool, not as in ho that can get you fired…oh wait I can’t get fired, I don’t have a job). But fear not, will be doing some knitting, and will keep you up on my adventures.

Till next time, Knit On…..Joe

Turbo Knitting a Sock

Here we are.... This is Ann Norling's Adult Socks II Pattern. I need to knit 2 socks, from different yarns, by this pattern and get it back to Crystal Palace by June 1st. (not mentioning the other sock from a yet to be debuted yarn) I believe that I am up for the challenge.

Close up of the pebble rib; one of the ribs used in the pattern. I cast on this afternoon late (7pm) and this is all I have gotten done between talking to Joe and watching the Astros - about 1 inch of ribbing. (9pm) I hope to do better tomorrow. My plan is to get up a bit earlier than usual and knit for a couple of hours before my day actually begins. Lately, my days seem to be busier than I would like. We made a pitcher of margaritas; so I am putting the knitting down for the night.

Yarn Arrived in Today's Mail

A box of sock yarn from Crystal Palace came in Today's Mail! I have never been crazy about getting mail unless there's cool stuff in the mailbox. Magazines, Christmas cards, plant/seed/orchid catalogs, money or knitting accouterment. Sock yarn does qualify!

Skeins on the left are Panda Wool and the skeins on the right are Panda Cotton both are from Crystal Palace Yarns. Solid colors of sock yarn! Wahoo!

These skeins are out front because they have to be knit first! They are the yarns that were chosen to knit socks for the new photo on the Ann Norling 12A basic sock pattern pattern. They need these yesterday; so knitting begins in the morning. I will photo and post every day so you can see how I am progressing. There were a couple other balls of yarn that I am holding back for later. They are pretty special......no hints! I will be working on these projects at Knit Night Out on Thursdays.

Construction Has Finally Started

Joe and I were in Houston this weekend to go to the Bluebonnet Festival in Chappell Hill, Texas with friends. It was truly a great Festival! Chappell Hill is a beautiful, historic, small town. (there is a beautiful white chapel on a hill) We had thought it would be nice but it was much more than we had expected! There were quaint shops with all kinds of antiques and handmade items. There were booths set up for blocks and blocks with crafts, foods, music and just about everything you could imagine. It was so neat that many people brought their dogs! Dogs of all sizes and shapes, leashed and very well-behaved, were participating in the fun.

On the way home, we detoured to Brenham, Texas, home of BlueBell Ice Cream. Our intentions were to go by the Creamery for ice cream but they were closed. Instead, we went to Must Be Heaven for Homemade Pie and Ice Cream. Unbelievably Delicious. (Joe and I had vanilla shakes and coconut pie) The bluebonnets were gorgeous!

We were excited to find that forming up for the slab has started! We were really surprised! It was a gorgeous day to be outside! Joe saw tracks where deer had been walking around at the back of our lot!

Joe standing inside our house!

Knitting posts will continue tomorrow..............

A Little Bit of My Sock

We had a nice Easter! We made 8 little Easter Baskets full of chocolate this year. Saturday, we had Joe's children, spouses and grandchildren for a late lunch. Sunday, we all went to Heather's house for Easter. We delivered 5 little Baskets to Gabby, Alec, Crosby, Sophie and Jack for the Easter Bunny. Kim and Todd are coming here for dinner this evening. Two more Easter Baskets will go home with Kayla and Matthew. Tomorrow, we will deliver a Basket to Alexis. Jayden doesn't know about the Easter Bunny and Chocolate yet!

As you all know, a family gathering for us is a BIG event. If everyone shows up; we have 25. Joe and I just about have it down to an art. The key is having everything ready and a buffet area designated. We feed the children first; there were only 5 children on Saturday; usually we have 8 - 10 children. Then, the adults fix their plates and find a place to sit and eat. After that; you are on your own.

OTN - I started a mindless knitting project. I desperately needed one. I can't decide what shrug/cocoon I want to knit with my new Rowan; so I started this shrug from Knit2Together. I am knitting it in SWTC's bamboo. It is completely k2p2 ribbing for the body of the shrug. After that, you knit some really beautiful lace to go around the edges. Until then, this is my knitting for Knit Night Out and late evenings.



This is the beaded sock design (it's kinda hard to see the beads in this shot) that I have been working on. The yarn is Lorna's Laces in Poppy knit on #2 dps. There has been a lot of tinking going on. I frogged it the last time to change 2 stitches. The stitch at the beginning and end of my dps. One or two stitches can make a big difference in the way your sock looks. The second sock of this design will probably be knit on #1.5 to see the difference in size. #1.5 is my personal preference for knitting socks.

One of my knitting girlfriends, Debbie W., likes the pattern "between" the design. So, I have been trying to chart that to see if I can achieve that look as a design on it's own.

Joe's Knittin' Adventures

The Demise of the Clementine Shawlette

The groan of agony heard lately was me doing the unthinkable…….pulling out the shawlette, yep, the whole thing. After much soul searching and a lot of prodding and coaching from the resident knit master, I decided the only right thing to do was pull it out. You see there were a few (actually a bunch) of bugger-ups in the darn thing and as any self respecting knitter knows, you can’t just leave them (one of the draw backs of living with a pro). It was one of the hardest things I have done to date as a knitter, but it is done and I recovered. One of the things that helped was Debbie said it would look much better in a solid color so the pattern would show better, and as usual she is right. Plus I got a big ole kiss on the head for doing the right thing. I was hoping for a little better “reward”, but she said she didn’t reward for something that minor, so I took her to Texas the next day, that always works ……….woo hoo……… Okay, the shawlette is on hold for now; but will be started again at a later date.

Do not despair; I have been knitting (how did this start becoming a habit?). I made two bibs for the new little guy, Jayden. The first one he will have to wait a while to use - at least a year. The pattern called for a 25 cast on, well that just didn’t look like it was going to be anywhere big enough to do any good. Dude here decides to cast on 40 sts. I guess the people that make up patterns know what they are doing cause after a couple of rows it became very obvious that the darn thing was going to be way to big for an infant. Being undaunted; I finished it then did another one with the correct cast on. So little knothead got himself two bibs from Poppy instead of just one. I also made him two knitted foam filled blocks. Each one has a different yarn color and pattern; plus, each one is knitted using different stitch patterns. I used them to practice the patterns, so when I get ready I will have better skills to tackle the more difficult designs. No fear! (My DW forgot to take pictures of my knitted gifts before sending them home with the new little guy! :O( She promised to snap them when she goes to visit next week).

Currently, I am working on the Knit Wits' Pixie Hat for my granddaughter, Gabby for her birthday June 1st. She will get the hat with a pair of gauntlets to match. They are in her favorite color; lime green with some fuzzy fur around the face. The fur will be added to the gauntlets so they will match the hat. So far, it has not been too bad. Knitting with two yarns at the same time was a first, especially since one had all the fuzzy hairs, but I got it on with not too much trouble as in a minimum of the sailor talk. And I have only had to get Debbie to fix some “things” no more than 4 or 5 times, so all in all things are going well.

That’s it for now; the finished project will be posted at some time in the future.
Until next time,

Knit On………Joe