Socks and School

This month's Sox:

Pattern: "Gentleman's Fancy Socks," from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Emily Parson's "Sophie's Toes" in "Man in Uniform" colorway, one skein
Needles: One 40" Addi Turbo circular, size US 2 1/2
Mods: Toe-up, provisional cast-on short-row toe, short-row heel, no increases done for calf-shaping.

(ETA: Since my pics never seem to be able to enlarge, click here to see close-ups)

I made these lovely socks for my husband. Lucky guy. ;) Well, I'm sure that he'll love them now that it's a million degrees outside. Sheesh!

So I'm closing in on my final quarter at my current school. My final exam is this upcoming Friday and I'm freaking out right now. I have only one class that is remaining to fulfill the requirements to transfer to my next school (I have been accepted with a contingency that I meet this requirement). I am taking that class this quarter and I'm not so sure that I'll be passing it. Seriously. I happen to be a pretty good student, but this class just wants me to work harder than my brain seemed up for this quarter. Hmmm... sound like setup for failure? Nah - I would never do that to myself! Yeah. Uh-huh.

Well, if for some reason I don't pass, I will need to figure out a way to get through the class in the summer, even though the summer session starts three days after my final. Because of the close dates, I can not technically register for the same class in the summer since I am still officially registered in it now - that would be repeating the same class. I would have to petition to re-take it for a better grade and then quickly hope that the instructor will agree to add me to the class. And that is just way too much to think about right now. So, after all that ramble, I just want to ask y'all to send some good thoughts my way. Thank you! I'll give an update on the results - as soon as I can get the guts to face up to it if I fail, or on Monday/Tuesday if I pass. ;)

Fire Breathing Monkeys

Yup. Another pair of socks. Snore... ;)


Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Yarn: Sophie's Toes by Emily Parson in "Fire Breathing Dragon" colorway
Needles: US 1 1/2 Addi Turbo 40" circulars
Mods: Toe-up with provisional crochet cast-on, short-row heels, and all purls were knit instead.

This was a fun pair. I hope that you can see some of the detail of the pattern. Happy Spring, everyone!

Elfine's Froggies

I loved this sock pattern. Really. Loved it. And the colorway? Well, some of you who saw the socks in progress made some comments about how bright they were, but that's alright. I still love this colorway for this sock, and I think that that is what matters the most (especially since I'm the one who will be wearing them).

Pattern: Elfine's Socks by Anna Bell at My Fashionable Life

Yarn: Sophie's Toes by Emily Parson in "Froggy" colorway, one skein

Needles: One 40" US 1 1/2 Addi Turbo Lace needle

Mods: Provisional crochet cast-on with short-row toes

This pattern is so lovely - especially for Spring. The yarn color feels like it was made to go with the pattern. This is what real spring colors look like, people! ;)

In case anyone (else) is getting bored with socks, I do have something non-pedial on the needles. Though it's not that exciting to most of you, this is my first lace shawl. Of course, I have started one before, but I have a strong feeling that this one will actually become something larger than a doll-sized lace thingy.

Well, I think that I've tortured enough of you for now. I won't come back until I have something interesting to say. Or at least until I've gotten desperately sad and lonely missing your company. Let's see how long that lasts!

Another Pair...

Getting tired of me just posting my pairs of socks yet? Well, too bad. ;) At some point, I'll start including some real content. You know, since I'm sure everyone is dying to hear about ME. Ha.

Okay, this month's (first?) pair:

Pattern: Shock Wave by Abigail at 1870 Pearl

Yarn: Beat Sock in colorway "Nevermore," by Perfect Day Yarns

Needles: One US 1 1/2 Addi Turbo 40" circular

Mods: Toe-up using provisional crochet cast-on creating a short-row toe, short-row heel, and I think that's it. I believe that everything else was the same.

The pattern is really really easy to do and you can memorize it after you've complete the first round. It's especially great for self-striping yarns so that you can add some interest to the pattern but still maintain the striping. I thought that these turned out quite lovely - the yarn is really fun to work with. And who doesn't love some purple (and dark brown)? In this picture, the brown looks more like charcoal grey, but it is indeed a dark brown.

I hope everyone is doing well. I've been destashing a lot because it's gotten insanely crazy. Who really needs that much sock yarn? Well, nevermind that question - who needs that much yarn? Don't mess with the sock yarn. Everything else can go. ;)

Have a great weekend, everyone. Go get yourself some sun - yeay for Vitamin D!

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!