Daisy’s Mom Knits

Cast on June 21, 2008. Cast off July 10, 2008

Pattern: Swirl Socks (available for free on Ravelry)

Yarn: Plymouth Happy Feet

Mods: I substituted an Eye of Partridge heel instead of the afterthought heel written in the pattern.

I quite enjoyed knitting these. The pattern was very simple yet yielded great results. More to come.

Three pairs in progress….

In my perfect little sock-knitting world, reality has reared it’s ugly head and I just haven’t had the time I’d like to work on them. I did acquire this:

Which is “SPANKY” in the blue skies colorway. (It’s seen on the right in the above sock picture - I realize the color is a bit off.) I love this yarn! I got it on ETSY from Lizardsmells and it’s just a joy to knit.

Now I have a rare free afternoon so instead of trying to fix colors on my pictures and writing extensive blog entries, I’m going to go knit!

Last Friday at midnight Eastern time was the official kick off for Summer of Socks. Participants from all over gathered in person or on Ravelry to cast on their first pair. I managed about an inch of one sock before calling it a night. Saturday was busy but I found time for another two inches or so. Sunday found me with plenty of knitting time but the sock in progress was turning out to be HUGE so it went to the frog pond and I started fresh. Total progress for the weekend:

The red is Plymouth Happy Feet in a swirl pattern. It’s my first time using this yarn and I’m loving it so far. The other is Panda Wool in the violet colorway. I’m new to that yarn also although I loved the Panda Cotton I used before.

Socks that were on the needles prior to Friday’s kick-off include the Brainless Blues - one is complete, the other will be cast on after SoS. I finished Los Monos Locos.

I enjoyed the pattern and the yarn, not so sure about the color. And I find it amusing that whenever non-knitters see these socks, they immediately point out to me that they don’t match. Um, ya think? I started at different points in the color repeat on purpose. If I’d wanted them to match, I think I could have gotten it a little bit closer.

My goal for Summer of Socks is one pair a week. That’s very ambitious for me but I won’t stress too much over it. My other goal is to have fun. And now I must knit!

Things are a bit chaotic right now. In fact, I’d go so far as to use the word overwhelming. It’s that crazy time of year where activity is at a fever pitch. Track meets, school play, art shows, SAT exams, dance recital - it all falls during a few crazy weeks in late spring. As busy as my kids are, I’m going double time trying to be there at these events for both of them. Oh and being a full-time student myself doesn’t help a lot. At least I don’t have to worry about going to prom. Ha ha!

So my knitting time has been minimal and often composed of stolen moments at the dance school or track or waiting in the car. Times like those, when I know I won’t be able to concentrate on a pattern, I have the blues……..the brainless blues. These are the simplest socks possible but the yarn is making them into something really special. I can’t wait to wear these!

These are being knit with Lana Grossa Gaimersheim, a blend of 80% superwash wool and 20% polyamide. I think I will be doing an “Eye of Partridge” Heel on these as I just did that type of heel on the Los Monos Locos socks and I really liked it. It was quick, easy, and the no pick-up gusset worked like a charm.

I need to finish all my socks in progress by June 21 as that’s the official kick off for Summer of Socks. I have three pairs on the needles so it will be a challenge to finish them in time.

A few more hours in the day sure would be handy!

There have been a few late arrivals……

But now I think I’ve finished with SEX (Stash Enhancement eXercise) for this Summer of Socks. I’ve begun the process of selecting patterns and I’ll share that in a later post. Now all that’s left is to wind the hanks–a new shiny ball winder will be here tomorrow– and to empty my needles of my current projects.

Summer in a Box:

I have a daughter who does track for her high school. Events include pole vaulting(!), hurdles, and the 400 relay. I do love watching her compete but how does one survive the long wait between events? With socks of course. These are toe-up monkeys being knit with Cascade Fixation - love the stretch!

And how does one knit lace socks at a track meet? With a pattern, of course!

I think she looks just like me; what do you think?

The Summer of Socks 2008 is coming. Are you ready? I’m getting there…..

Join us. Come to the dark side. We have cookies.

So there’s a pattern I’ve been dying to try - the Baby Surprise Jacket. It was written in the 1960’s by the Queen of all Knitting - Elizabeth Zimmerman. People love or hate her work and this pattern in particular. I wanted to try it just to wrap my brain in a new direction. It’s brilliant. And for those who hate knitting in the round on DPN’s (me, me me!!), it’s an easy baby sweater with no ickiness. So simple that it’s mind-boggling.

Knitting finished:

And now it’s folded:

I just need to seam the shoulders and add buttons….

Of course, finding five matching buttons in this will be a challenge.

My niece, Hayley,  has the coldest hands of anyone I know….they are seriously glacial.  I’m one of those “cold all the time” people and her hands shocked even me. I don’t know how she functions like that much less plays piano and violin as well as her other tasks.  I set out on a mission to make her a pair of handwarmers like mine, only better.  Her mom specified blue as Hayley’s color of choice and when I found Noro’s Cash Iroha in this deep, rich sapphire, I knew I had a winner.  This yarn is a blend of silk, lambswool, cashmere, and nylon and it has a wonderful earthy texture which is only improved by variations in the yarn’s thickness.  I thoroughly enjoyed knitting this yarn and I hope Hayley enjoys these super-soft, warm handmitts.

I’ve been husband-free this weekend and I’ve tried to make the most out of it. First came a DPN knit-a-long challenge. It’s my first time using DPNs and I found it a bit awkward. This is a roll brim preemie hat…..thank heavens it’s supposed to roll like this.

I finished a chemo cap and a half - no photographs yet. Also came word that our church’s prayer shawl group is now working on baby layettes. These will be donated to an organization that helps single young moms stay in school and finish their education. They provide free child care, baby items, and the like to these girls. I still have two prayer shawls in progress and I will try to finish those asap, but I couldn’t resist starting this hooded cardigan. I finished the hood and have just started the shaping for the neck and shoulders. This is also being done as a knit-a-long so I’m challenged to keep up with the group on this.

I’m ready to turn the heel on my panda cotton sock - colorway name is Bleeberries-Grapes. Doesn’t that sound good? Then of course will be the dreaded second sock. Next time I will be making two at a time socks on two circs - that is IF I can wrap my head around it. And yes, next time is already in the stash. That darn sock yarn just keeps following me home!

With the exception of socks, I have been working exclusively from my stash this week. With the new layette project, I am hoping to make a lot of progress on all that baby yarn I was given.