Cheeky Monkeys!

Yes, it is very silly that I wanted to make this pattern with this colorway just so that I could call them that, but I couldn't help it. I really liked the yarn a lot. I wasn't sure how it would pattern out, but I do like that it was not only diagonally striping along the foot and leg, but it also did different things on each leg.

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.

Yarn: Chewy Spaghetti "Spaghetti" in "Cheeky" colorway

Needles: five bamboo US2 dpns.

Mods: Toe up with provisional crochet cast-on, no-purl version, short-row heels, regular 1x1 rib for cuff (for 1 1/2 inches), and Wendy's version of the Russian bind-off.

Fall Charade

Yeay! I've finally finished my Charades.

Pattern: Charade by Sandra Park

Needles: One 47" circular Addi Turbo US 1 1/2 (it says 2, but it's really 1 1/2)

Yarn: Emily Parson's Sophie's Toes in "Fall Mums" colorway. Yum-o-licious!!!

Mods: Toe-up, provisional cast-on, short-row heels and... that's about it.

I really loved this pattern. I know that everyone and their mother has already made it, but that doesn't make it any less fun, does it? It looks fabulous with this yarn. This yarn is so rich in color that the stitches just stand out even more. Though Emily's yarns are variegated, these somehow ended up striping a little. The bright blue striped and the golden brown, pale lavender, fuschia, violet and light blue all blended between the stripes. It really is a beautiful effect. They also fit like a glove - so much so that it is a little hard to get them off and on. But once they're on... fuhgettaboutit! I lurv 'em. :)

Happy Super Tuesday!

Okay, so we may not all agree on the direction that we want to see our country head. However, I think that all of us understand how important it is to have their voice heard. Make sure that yours is heard today!

Oh, and it's alright to remind ourselves every once in a while that our craft unites us in more way than one. :)

Image is, of course, courtesy of The Great Franklin Habit. Thanks for the light spin on a very exciting campaign year, Franklin!

Good Friends, Great Reasons to Knit

I recently re-discovered a good friend of mine from a while ago. She is a fabulous person and why we let our friendship slowly lose speed, I have no idea. I think that we were both going through different phases and had our priorities listed a little differently. However, she and I occasionally do find each other on IM and send a "hello." Recently, she found me on IM and told me that she is pregnant! I'm so thrilled for her, I just can't tell you. She and her honey "eloped" this past Wednesday and had a wonderful co-ed baby shower today. Some good friends of the newly-expectant (and newlywed!) couple threw a fabulous shindig and a good time was definitely had by all. I left feeling a bit sad and a lot happy. I am sad for the time that we lost between us and that we might have to start a little bit over again, but I am so overwhelmingly happy for Mary and her wonderful new life. She is an amazing person and I couldn't be happier for her. I'm sending her hearts right now. :)

Here is Baby Sierra's new non-Hoodie Baby Blanket. Well, the reality is that I hardly followed anything at all in the pattern. In fact, I think that the only thing that I did do was the edging.

Pattern: Hoodie Baby Blanket by Nikol Lohr

Yarn: Cascade Luna, 2 skeins ea. of colors #709, 722, 725 and one skein of color #710 (for edging)

Needles: 47" US 7, several of them for edging (that's probably what cost the most!)

Mods: Decided against hood when it was finished and I placed it on the blanket - it looked too busy; used Cascade Luna instead of Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Dyed Cotton; used US7 instead of US8, which was obviously not that big a deal; CO 120 sts instead of 100 (to accomodate for changes in gauge); used alternating stripes and used the seed-stitch pattern during rows of color-change (the pattern used in the Tulip/Rocketry cardigans).

Aren't the colors just sweet?! :) I can't wait to meet Sierra!

Anastasia's Non-Christmas Cacti

Well, these were supposed to be socks that I could wear for Christmas, but I didn't put the pressure on myself. So now they are just simply socks to wear anytime. Who needs an occasion to wear these ones, though?

Pattern: Anastasia by Pepperknits

Yarn: Emily Parson's Sophie's Toes in Christmas Cactus colorway

Needles: One 47" Addi Turbo circular (I'm really loving doing socks on these!)

Mods: The only mod that I made was to knit the cuff in 2x2 ribbing for 1 1/2". There was no need to make any other mods since the pattern is perfect as is. :)

Phew! Made It Out Alive!

Christmas was a little bit scary, as it often is in our family. Mom II (Wendy Mom, Mother-in-law, etc.) has a HUUUUUUGE pile of gifts waiting for us every Christmas. For me, it all started our first Christmas together - which also happened to be our first MONTH together! I figured that I so would not be involved in stuff, just observing everyone else's gift hoarding. Well, I was wrong. Wendy had bought me a ton of stuff to open on Christmas, no matter that she hardly knew me at that point (I had only met her a week or two prior).

I have never felt not a part of the family's crazy and silly traditions. We have had years where there were treasure hunts (at the end of which lay each of our "big" presents), years of "only" little gifts and a Visa gift-card, years of tons of huge things, years of tons of "little" things. This year was a wonderful year of quiet appreciation for the family that we are. We all shared many things that were off of lists, but we each also spent the time to find something more individual and special to the recipient. It was really wonderful time together.

It's also a sad time knowing that our family structure will be changing a bit over this next year (and not in the best of ways). My sister-in-law will be leaving the family on mutual terms with my brother-in-law. I'm sure that they will remain friends for a little while (at least while they're going through the finality of their process), but I think that ultimately, this is the best step forward for each of them. They will eventually be able to move on with their lives in the ways that are most healthy for each of them individually. I'm proud of them for acknowledging something that is so difficult and painful. I look forward to seeing them both heal and find more comfortable places in their lives once again. Until then, I am sending them my most heartfelt hugs and support.

On a less serious note, I have finished a pair of socks. :) I have a pair of Christmas socks to post and I'm glad to show these pictures since they were taken in Hawaii. Yes, it is so difficult to have to take pictures of socks when you're in a place where you just don't want to wear them. Sigh. I have a tough life, don't I? ;) Aron modeled these for me since they are much closer to his size than mine. These are for my brother-in-law. I also made a pair for my sister-in-law (see post below titled "Monique's New Days") because I felt that they would both need comforting little hugs often over this next chapter in their lives.

I really liked these, but I'm not so sure that my brother-in-law did. I think that the two recipients of socks this year are a little subdued in their responses to gifts, though, so that may be why I wasn't sure if they liked them or not. :) Aron liked them and wanted to call them the Matrix socks (good name since they totally look like the green computerized font falling down the screen).

Pattern: Harris Tweed Socks by Ali Green
Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted Yarn in DF Green, 2 skeins
Needles: 1 47" Addi Turbo circular needle (I'm loving this technique!)
Mods: Toe-up, crochet cast-on and short-row heel, increased to 64 sts? (can't remember exactly)

I highly recommend making a pair for someone. In fact, now is the best time so that you can be caught up when next Christmas rolls around!

Maggie's Spiced Days

So this is not only the second pair of lace socks but this is also the second orange-y pair. I am almost positive that Maggie won't like all of this orange much, but we'll see. I do think that this pair is technically more rust-colored. It has a lot of other beautiful fall colors, as well. If you've never tried Emily Parson's Sophie's Toes, it has to be one of my favorite sock yarns. It feels a-maz-ing!

Pattern: New Year's Day by Dipsey Doodle (yes, back to back)

Yarn: Sophie's Toes by Emily Parson in Pumpkin Spice colorway (yummy!)

Needles: One Addi Turbo US2 42" circular (my first time using a circular for socks)

Mods: Toe-up (my first pair of finished toe-up socks!); short-row toe and heel; I alternated the directions of the cables for each sock

Monique's New Days

Monique, my sister-in-law, will love these socks. She loves these colors and I think that the pattern will be perfect for her.

Pattern: New Year's Day by Dipsey Doodle

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM colorway #453

Needles: 5 US2 bamboo dpns

Mods: eye of partridge heel, short-row toe, cable directions alternate for each leg.

I love this pattern and look forward to using it again. In fact, I'm currently attempting it in a toe-up version on a circular needle. Pretty so far!

Maggie's Monkeys Are Done!

Maggie will be getting socks from me soon. Yeay!

Even though she has many other people making her some beautiful socks, I'm thrilled to be able to put some more warm socks on her feet! :)

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A. (doncha just love it?!)

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM color #145, 2 skeins (African Sunrise? Well...)

Needles: 5 bamboo US2 dpns

Mods: My usual eye of partridge heel, short-row toes, and I skipped the "ktbl" that's mentioned during the gusset (by accident)

Please feel free to stop by Sockin' it to Maggie to check out the other great works going on. And make sure to leave some great comments for that talented group of people! ;)

Words Can't Do 'Em Justice

These are going to be quite a pair of socks!

I'm knitting these for Maggie, who supposedly loves bright and fun colors. While these were in my hands, they looked like a great idea. I thought that the Monkey pattern would do the yarn great justice. Unfortunately, however, the African sunrise that the yarn was supposed to remind me of soon became forgotten when I started to feel a little woozy. The bright colors are quite a bit when you're spending a lot of time looking at them (i.e. knitting them). Nonetheless, they should at least draw a giggle or two out of Maggie when she first sees them... I hope!