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!

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!

Red Wagon Has Become Shock Waves

Yes, I know - I wanted to follow the advice of some of you who posted recommended patterns for this yarn. Well, I sort of did. Dave was so wonderful about his recommendation that I pick a simple and subtle pattern with not a whole lot going on, like the Dublin Bay pattern (it has a simple lace pattern just on the sides of the legs). He then found the Mad Color Weave pattern and threw it my way. I thought that the finished sock in the Mad Color Weave pattern looked beautiful so I planned on using this one with my Red Wagon. Unfortunately, my laziness kicked in after studying the pattern for a little bit. I decided that it was just too complicated for me at the moment that I decided to cast-on. So, I did still follow Dave's advice - I found a simple pattern that has really easy repeats to follow (I can do it with my eyes closed, now), but that shows enough texture in the fabric to really show off the beautiful and fun colors of this yarn.

Pattern: Shock Wave (using 64 sts)
Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted Yarn in Red Wagon
Needles: 5 - US2 Crystal Palace bamboo dpns (is it just me, or do ALL of their needles split and splinter?!)
Mods: I made the M1's in the pattern more lacey by making one with the right needle, slipping the loop onto the left needle, then knitting that off onto the right needle again. I know that some people just make one and leave it on the right needle like it's the new stitch. Also, I used an eye-of-partridge heel, again. I added a short-row toe, as well. I just can't stop using those dang toes! I just love 'em.


I have really enjoyed using this pattern. It creates a very nice bias fabric so that even though it looks similar to stockinette (in that it doesn't have any purls), it is surprisingly stretchy. I highly recommend it for busy yarns that you might just fall back on stockinette for. It shows off all of the colors so nicely.

I've finished the first sock and I'm almost done with the leg of the second sock. I'm also trying to somehow pull a Birch out of my butt before September 2nd. I'm going to see my mom right before she travels to Italy for the first time. She had told me that she didn't know what all of the fashionable 50-something women wear in Italy. I, of course, thought of knitting her something beautiful that she could easily just throw around her shoulders or into a suitcase. Hmmmm... considering the fact that I've finished one repeat and might just have to rip that back (What?! With Kidsilk Haze?!!!!), I don't know how far I'll get. Sigh. If anyone wants to sell me their finished Birch, just email me. ;)

Well, I should be receiving some Hand Maiden Sea Silk in Mom's favorite color (periwinkle) by the beginning of next week. I have it as a back-up in case I decide that the Montego Bay Scarf is what all of the stylish and fashionable Italian 50-something women are wearing. ;)

Wendy's Birthday Socks

Wendy (MIL) loves pink but she can not wear wool (I know, totally sad, isn't it?!). I found this really cute pink in Crystal Palace's Panda Cotton (it's 55% bamboo, 24% cotton, and 21% elastic nylon). I think that she will look fabulous in the color. I'm using Evelyn A. Clark's Go With The Flow pattern from Ann Budd's "Favorite Socks." The pattern is taking me a while to do, even though I've finally memorized it. I don't know if it's me, the yarn, the needles, or what but I feel like it takes forever to do the leg pattern. Oh well, it's probalby just me. I've decided to make them just a little bit shorter than what the pattern calls for since the yarn that I'm using has just a little less yardage (and it will shave off some time, too :). Anyway, I'm off to do some more rows - I just have a little over a week to do two of them. Yeay!

Update: Dang it! They've been frogged. :( Well, I decided not long after taking this pic and posting this post that I should check them for fit. Unfortunately, after trying to get them on my foot, I realized that they are just going to be too tight. Wendy and I are the same size so I don't think that I should just count on them fitting her. So, on to the next pattern...

Finished Aron's Socks!

Here are a couple of obligatory pics of Aron's new long socks. The colors are more rich than the camera shows, of course. I used Koigu's KPPPM. I like it a lot, but I'm looking forward to finally using some of Claudia's Handpaints. I have a few of her colors but really haven't been moving very quickly in the projects department lately. For Aron's socks I did an alternating rib and cable. It was K2,P2 for four rows, then K2, P2, C2, P2, K2, P2, etc. for one row. This pattern was repeated until the end of the gusset. I did close-ups of the socks, so you'll only be able to see some of the pattern and the colors.