Duty or Devotion

My friend, Melanie, always says that we do things out of duty or devotion and that it really doesn't matter as long as we get the job done.

This is a sock of duty and not devotion. I made my middle son a pair of socks last fall and when they were finished he proclaimed them "too tight". I decided that rather than frog them I'd donate them to Dulaan. He's been nicely reminding me since then that he still needs a pair of socks.

I had this gray and blue Silja in my stash for years and he liked it so I decided to make him blue socks with gray cuffs, heels and toes. He's thrilled with how they look and feel. The problem is that I HATE the Silja - really, really hate it. It feels fake and plastic and nasty. My hands are spoiled by "luxury" yarns and I just don't like the way this feels. It's not a bit fun to knit with.

Still, I'll cast on for the second sock cast on tonight so my son has a pair. Duty not devotion is what keeps me going.

Chocolate cinnamon chip muffins

When this is what your thermometer looks like in the morning, it's a good day to bake. Actually, by the time this photo was taken the temperature had risen 5 degrees. The top number is the temp outside and the bottom number is the temp inside. The amazing thing is that it's already much warmer than it was yesterday.

Based on a basic recipe in the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook, I made Chocolate Cinnamon Chip Muffins. I've been waiting for just the right time to use the cinnamon chips I picked up last time I went to the King Arthur Flour stour.


1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached Flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1 Tbl baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cinnamon chips (you could use chocolate chips here instead)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Blend together the first six ingredients and mix in the cinnamon chips. In another bowl, beat the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, all at once, and mix together until just blended, about 20 seconds. Don't overmix.

Spoon the mixture into greased muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes.

Retail therapy

I found some inspiration in a little retail therapy.

When I heard that the Interweave Press book, Favorite Socks, was released early I wanted it right away. While I was in the city yesterday for my father's funeral, I went to one of my favorite local yarn stores in search of this book. There it was, just one book, on the sock shelf in the store. I picked it up and carried it around for awhile. I perused some yarn but didn't purchase any. Not one skein. All I left the store with was this book. And that was enough.

Now I have access to some wonderful patterns and plenty of inspiration. I know that many people have knit most of the patterns in this book before (waving lace and go with the flow) but there have got to be many of us who haven't had access to the patterns before. I can see a wonderful Favorite Socks KAL starting up as soon as more people own the book.

Tell me what to do

I'm bored. I need some inspiration.

I started January off with a bang. I was excited about the Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn I got for Christmas and couldn't wait to finish the socks I started on Christmas Day. Then I discovered the Knitting Vintage Socks KAL and became very excited about the Fancy Silk Socks. Now both those pairs of socks are finished. I love them both but they're done.

Project Spectrum is right around the corner. The boys and I are gearing up. In fact, there is now a nice Flickr group for Project Spectrum Kids. If you're participating in Project Spectrum with your children please come join us. We'll still post the kids' creations to the adult group but this group should have smaller numbers of postings and the pictures will stay around longer.

I've got some great yarn to knit with for this triad. There's the J. Knits Boston yarn I bought right before Christmas. This yarn is yummy and I can't wait to try it. Then there's the amazing Yarn Pirate Malamute yarn I bought from Sheri at The Loopy Ewe. Oh my. It's perfect for this triad of colors - it's white, grays, and blues in a merino/tencel blend. I'm very anxious to try it out.



I even ordered a yarn swift today. I had a great weekend on ebay and my lovely husband agreed that a swift was a great idea if it means he won't have to hold yarn on his arms anymore.

I've got the stealth scarf to knit but it's been hard to find the time or motivation during the day. I also decided to start a pair of simple socks for my middle son who has been begging for wool socks. I'm using some Silja yarn that has been in my stash for years and I'm not enjoying even one minute of knitting with it. Thankfully, they're knitting up quickly. They're perfect for Project Spectrum also with gray cuffs, heels and toes and blue legs and feet. He'll love them when they're done.

I'm really looking for some inspiration. Something to be excited about. The new sock for the Knitting Vintage Socks KAL hasn't been decided yet. I haven't picked out patterns for either of the socks above. I want something that moves me. If you have any ideas for sock patterns for the yarns picture above please leave me a comment. I've got all the usual sock books - all the Nancy Bush books, Sensational Knitted Socks and many more. I just want someone to tell me what do do.

Fancy Silk Socks

I completed the Fancy Silk Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush for the January Challenge of the Knitting Vintage Socks KAL. This is my first sock from Knitting Vintage Socks and I enjoyed it tremendously. I followed the pattern almost exactly. The only modifications I made were to knit the fancy cuffs on a size larger needle. The smaller needle made a cuff that was just too snug. I also added 10 plain rows of stockinette after the last pattern on the foot. I didn't want the lacey part on my toes.

The pattern was well written and easy to follow. I never memorized the 12 row pattern repeat but I got the hang of it quickly. I like patterns that have row repeats because it makes it easy to make both socks the same and it keeps you motivated. Every time I sat down to knit these socks I attempted to complete a full 12 rows rather than put the sock down mid pattern.

I'm still working on my stealth scarf. It's hard to complete a project that can't be knitted a night. I don't really care for knitting scarves because I always get bored before they're finished. The cashmere, however, is wonderful to work with and my husband is sure to love the scarf. That keeps me going.

Finally, thank you to everyone who offered such kind thoughts on my father's passing. His funeral is this Thursday. It should be interesting as the only family my father has is his four children from two marriages. The children don't know each other very well. My father was a long time AA member and an AIDS educator for the state - some interesting people should turn out from his associations. My oldest son has decided to attend the funeral with me. He was the only grandchild who knew my father at all.

We're gearing up

We're getting reading for Project Spectrum. I went through my stash and flashed a picture a little while ago. I've been doing some thinking and planning and while I haven't made any final decisions I'm enjoying the planning.

Yesterday the younger boys and I were in the big city (you'd understand how funny that is if you lived here) for dentist appointments. I was explaining Project Spectrum to them and telling them that we'd be doing it together as part of our homeschooling. My middle son was pretty excited as he loves crafts. He has some fine motor problems that make many crafts difficult for him but he's always willing to try new things. My youngest son is going to be a little more difficult to include because he never likes to try new things. We brainstormed things they could do for the first triad of colors - blue, white and gray. We realized that we had pattern blocks and legos in those colors and the boys thought they could make some cool designs with those.

We stopped into A.C. Moore to have a look around and to see if we could come up with some affordable crafts for the boys to work on. I was shocked at how many things we found.

I had the Peg Loom sitting in a closet. I bought it ages ago at Goodwill - there's still a $1.95 price tag on the back - and we've never used it. I need to get out some white, gray and blue yarn from my stash and the boys and I will learn how to use it together. We picked up some cute little wooden birdhouses and a little wooden chest that the boys plan to paint. We also got a dolphin sun catcher and dolphin Perler bead set, a wooden cat shape that will be a picture frame, and some engraving art. Finally, we bought two big spools of gimp.

I haven't used gimp since I was a preteen but I'm pretty sure I can figure it out. I'm hoping I can teach the boys. I used to love this stuff when I was a kid. It brings back all kinds of warm, summery memories.

I think we have enough to keep the boys busy for a little while. I hope they enjoy themselves.

I could just spit!

I've been knitting for a long time now so I'm always happy when I discover something new - especially when that something is simple. I didn't actually discover anything - it's just that I finally decided to give something a try.

I don't know why I've never done it before. I guess I didn't think it would work or that the way I was doing it was working fine. Whatever the reason, this morning I woke up determined to give it a go.

I took my stealth scarf in one hand, and the newly wound ball of cashmere in the other and I ... well, I unplied them and spit on them. Yup. I finally tried spit splicing and was shocked at how great it works. Within seconds I had a great join in the yarn and I could continue on with my stealth knitting. I am just so happy with how well the splicing worked. It's wonderful not to have to weave in ends on the scarf and to know that it will be truly reversible without any little ends poking out where the yarn was woven in.

It's good to try new things.

Word Cloud

Flathead Cherry socks

First finished objects of 2007. Sheri at The Loopy Ewe is collecting pictures of socks in trees or bushes. I took this picture this morning on my ice covered rhododendron. Ooohhh ... it was COLD out there.

The Bearfoot Mountain Colors socks in Flathead Cherry. My 7 year old son gave me this yarn for Christmas. It's the first time I've knit with Bearfoot. I used a simple Garter Stitch Rib and only 56 stitches on size 3 needles. I'm not sure I'm too fond of the fabric - I don't know if it's the yarn with the mohair content, or the sport weight yarn, or only getting 7 stitches to the inch. We'll see how I feel about them once they're washed. Right now they just feel kind of squishy.

The stealth scarf is growing. It's at 24 inches now. I'm hoping to get 30 inches out of the first skein as I think a 60 inch scarf would be perfect. It's moving along and I'm enjoying the pattern. The cashmere yarn is a dream to knit with.

Now that the Bearfoot socks are done I'll make faster progress on my second Fancy Silk Sock. I shouldn't have any trouble getting them done by the deadline of January 31 for the January Sock challenge.

Foggy brain

Foggy brain today. I didn't sleep well last night.

My father died quite unexpectedly yesterday. We weren't particularly close. In fact, we had barely spoken in the past few years. My parents were divorced when I was very young and my father was an alcoholic for most of his life (although the last 18 or so years he has been sober). My relationship with my father was complicated. He was never a very good father but he never mistreated me. I always knew he loved me in his own way - he just loved himself more. I had made my peace with my father years ago. I didn't expect him to change; I accepted him for who he was. We just didn't have any need for a lot of contact.

Now he's gone. I don't have any regrets. It's just weird that he's gone. In his passing is a house FULL of stuff and no paperwork (insurance, deed to house, will) to be found. My younger brother is the one trying to sort everything out as he was the only child close to my Dad. It's a complicated and trying time.

I switched my blog over to the new blogger system and now my foggy brain won't let me figure out how to add photos to my links (like for KALs). I'm too tired and drained to figure it out properly. If you can help, that'd be great. For today, I'm going to try to do some uncomplicated, non-thinking kind of knitting. Then I'll try to take a nap.

Yarn Pr0n

Isn't that lovely?
Louet Gems in Robin. This is the first time I've ever seen Gems. It feels wonderful and the colors I saw were beautiful. I had a hard time deciding between this color and a more solid orangey color the same hue. I let my 7 year old decide. I'm thinking that it might become a pair of Whitbys.

Back to my stealth knitting. The scarf is now over a foot long. I've also been knitting my second Bearfoot sock - working on the gusset now. This weekend when dh is around I won't be able to knit much on the scarf so I'll finally get the second Fancy Silk Sock on the needles. I am very happy with all three projects I have going right now. They're all a pleasure to knit and I should have a nice little pile of completed projects by the end of January.

Bargain hunting

Oh. My. Goodness.

Not much stealth knitting was accomplished today as youngest son and I went bargain shopping. I love bargain shopping and the time after Christmas is the best time for it. I won't bore you all with the details of how I bought ten bags of chips, 3 Giggle Gear Masks, and a skateboard for $6.37 at Target but I will tell you that that's the kind of thing that gets me excited.

I decided it was a good day to return the defective Cherry Tree Hill yarn to the store from which I bought it. Beverly, the owner of Ewe'll Love It had already replaced the hank not once but twice but I needed to return the original hank so she could send it on to Cherry Tree Hill. While I was there I did a little shopping. I saw Louet Gems for the first time and I had to buy some (picture coming another day). I thought it might be nice to check out the books to see if they had Hats On! because I'm having problems with the amazon seller that I supposedly bought the book from. She was all out of Hats On! but she did have a copy of Knitting Marvelous Mittens!

I'm not sure how I first became interested in this book but I was shocked when I tried to buy it only to find that it was selling for $99 at amazon marketplace and is out of print. So you can imagine this bargain hunter's delight today when what to my wondering eyes should appear but 1 copy of this very book at the yarn store. It had to come home with me. It just had to.

There were other purchases today and I'm happy about all of them but for now I'm just enjoying this one.

Some progress

My first Fancy Silk Sock is done. After a little tweaking and soul searching I have knit a sock that I'm very happy with. Both my husband and oldest son have asked me why I'm knitting a sock with so many holes in it. "Doesn't that defeat the purpose of socks?" asked my oldest son. I knit the Fancy Cuff on size 2 needles so I could get the sock on comfortable but knit the rest of the sock according to the pattern in Knitting Vintage Socks.

Last night I got the first sock I started off the needles and rewound the yarn into a brand new center pull ball. I'll get the second sock started later today.





The second sock will be slower to the finish line because I'm now doing some stealth knitting. Shhh ... I'm knitting a scarf for my husband for his birthday on February 6. Most of my knitting is generally done at night watching tv with dh. This knitting must be done during the time he is away (or asleep). The yarn is a gorgeous dk weight 100% cashmere from Sarah's Yarns. I'm knitting a pattern called Little Pyramids and I think it looks great with the yarn. I've got about 6 inches done so far. I plan to keep knitting until I run out of yarn. We'll see how far that takes me.

Planning time

I don't have much knitting progress to show. I'm still working on the Fancy Silk Socks for the Vintage Socks January Challenge. I should be done the first sock tomorrow. I have decided to frog the first sock and start over. The second sock with the larger fancy cuff fits much better. These socks are different from any other socks I've ever knit - rather girlie for me really - but I really like them.

This weekend while the weather was warm and bright I decided to go through my stash to pick out my yarns for Project Spectrum. February and March call for blue, white and gray. I had a surprising amount of yarn that fit these colors.





The Irish Hiking Scarf was started in September and really needs to be finished. I made great progress on the scarf during fall baseball season but once baseball season ended I put the scarf aside and haven't picked it up since. It only needs about 5 more inches to be finished. The gray center pull ball and the hank next to it are 100% cashmere. I bought it from Sarah's Yarns with the intention of making a scarf for my husband's birthday on February 6. I still haven't decided on a pattern and I plan to knit it when he's not home so I really need to get started. The blue and gray skeins of Silja have lived in my stash for many years. I intend to make a pair of socks for my middle son with one or both colors. If you click on the photo it will take you to my Flickr page where you can learn more about the other yarns.

Project Spectrum

I've been waiting for Lolly to post the color selections for Project Spectrum. I've been thinking that it would be fun to align my other KALs and knitting plans to coincide with the Project Spectrum colors. This could be a fun way to help organize my knitting for the year and help me to make plans and set goals.

I still have some of that Christmas money my mother in law gave me burning a hole in my Paypal pocket. Sheri at The Loopy Ewe has promised some wonderful new yarns will be arriving in her shop this month. I've been waiting to make a purchase from Sheri and now I can't wait.

I already have that wonderful J. Knits yarn in Boston to make some blue socks in February. I think I've got the pattern picked out also. Wait until you see the gray cashmere that I ordered to make my wonderful husband a scarf with. It might also be a great time to try some of those paper snowflakes that Lolly and Julie made last month and try my hand at more origami. Baking and photography are sure to be part of my plans, too. I can't wait for Project Spectrum to begin. That gives me one month to finish my Fancy Silk Socks and my Bearfoot Flathead Cherry socks.

February / March
Blue, White, Gray

April / May
Green, Yellow, Pink

June / July
Red, Black, Metallics

August / September
Brown, Orange, Purple

Fancy Silk Socks

Wow, it's really hard to get outside shots in New England in the winter. The sun never seems to get high enough in the sky to let me take photos without shadows. It was clear and bright today so I did my best.

These are the beginnings of the Fancy Silk Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks. On the left is the sock I started on New Year's Day. I finished the Fancy Cuff and 4 (out of 5 or 6) repeats of the leg when I realized that I'm not going to be happy with this sock. The Fancy Cuff part is just too tight going over the ankle. I've made socks like this before and I've never been happy with them. While pondering what to do about that sock, I cast on for the second sock and used a larger size needle for the Fancy Cuff then returned to the smaller needles for the legs. Although I've only completed one repeat of the leg pattern they seem to fit much better and slide over the ankle more easily.

In the beginning

I have taken on the January Challenge for the Vintage Socks KAL and decided to knit the Fancy Silk Socks. In accordance with the rules I waited until January 1st to start them. I got ready last night by winding my skein of yarn but I didn't cast on single stitch until this morning.

I'm using Lorna's Laces in the Grapevine colorway. As always, I love the softness of Lorna's and the stitch definition is great also. I had to start the cuff of double pointed needles because one stitch needed to be moved every other round and that's so much easier to do with dps. After the cuff was finished, however, I was only too happy to get the sock onto my usual circulars (Knit Picks this time).



I told Penny that I'd post a picture of what I bought at my LYS store yesterday. This store doesn't carry much in the way of sock yarn that interests me but I did pick up a skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot in a beautiful, fallish colorway called Gold Rush. I think it will sit in the stash for a bit but I'm anxious to knit it up. I want to find the perfect pattern for it. As you can see, I also bought myself a ball winder. Woohoo!! Only problem is that my dear husband makes a lousy swift and I do believe I will have to buy myself a swift also. I thought I could make do with just the ball winder but last night's winding session left a lot to be desired.



It's a rainy, icy day here in New Hampshire. Perfect knitting weather.

Happy New Year!!

Final pair for 2006

I really thought I was done with completed 2006 objects until I had some unexpected knitting time. On Friday night, we watched Pirates of the Caribbean with the boys and I was able to knit through the whole movie. Then, yesterday, we had an unexpected snow storm which kept me home for the entire day. It didn't make sense to go out in the snow so I sat at home, near the fire, and knit away. I got all but the last 4 rows and the toes kitchenered last night. Finally, today, after a long day spent scouring bargains at Target and attending the sale at my LYS, I came home to finish the second sock.



I love these socks and can not wait to wear them. The Dublin Bay pattern is perfect for dark colored yarn which really wouldn't show any other pattern. The lace panels down the sides of the legs are just enough and hold your interest while you're knitting mostly stockinette. The Cherry Tree Hill yarn amazes me. It is very, very soft and yet so sproingy. It feels like is has elastic in it (which it doesn't) and the socks hug your legs. I only wish that I hadn't had so many problems with it. The first hank I used had 5 knots in the second half. The second hank that the wonderful owner of the LYS sent me had 2 knots in my knitting of this sock. That's a lot of knots!

I'm anxious to try Cherry Tree Hill supersock again. I'm going to tell myself that the knot problem was specific to this particular colorway. The LYS owner sent me a different colorway to try and though I can't wait to knit with CTH again, it will have to wait it's turn. Tonight I'll cast on for my second Bearfoot Flathead Cherry sock. Tomorrow, I plan to cast on for the Fancy Silk Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. I'm taking on the January Challenge for the Knitting Vintage Socks KAL. I plan to use the Lorna's Laces seen below in Grapevine which is awfully close to the yarn used in the book (though it wasn't planned that way).

I believe this will be my final post for 2006. Happy New Year everyone!!! I hope the new year brings us all prosperity and health.

It's a good thing she's cute

Last night I sat down to finish my Bearfoot sock. I always get antsy as I get near the toe decreases and have to be careful not to get too anxious and make the toe too short. It's just that I can see the finish line and I can't wait to get there so I can try the sock on without those pesky needles. I put the yarn down for a couple of minutes to check on something in another room. I returned and anxiously picked up the needles. When I gave the yarn a tug the string came loose in my hands - that is it wasn't attached to the skein anymore. The yarn felt suspiciously wet on both ends and sweet, little Lucy was sitting right next to my knitting cleaning herself. She won't admit it but I know she ate through my yarn.

It's a good thing she's cute.

I couldn't even get mad at her. I just picked up where I left off and finished the first sock last night. I immediately put it on my foot and put the one Dublin Bay sock on the other. I love the way the Dublin Bay sock hugs the foot while I'm not too sure about the Bearfoot. When I walked with the socks on (in my slippers), the Dublin Bay sock was fine while the Bearfoot felt slippery and perhaps biggish or something. Time will tell. I decided to finish the heel of the Dublin Bay sock so I could get to the mindless foot portion that can be knitted anytime, anywhere. Later, I'll cast on for the second Bearfoot. Neither look as though they'll be finished in 2006 but I should have two great pairs of socks to start 2007

Waiting in the wings

Wow, that's fast service! When I saw that yarn4socks was having a sale I couldn't wait to place my order. They carry the J. Knits sock yarn that I was raving about last week. I placed my order Christmas Eve day and it was mailed that same day. I was very pleasantly surprised to see my order in my mailbox today.

On the left are two skeins of Lorna's Laces in the Grapevine colorway - it's the perfect shade of purple. Next to that is J. Knits Light Sock in the Massachusetts colorway - beautiful shades of roses and pinks (I love it even if I'm not a pink kind of girl). Finally, on the right is J. Knits sock yarn in Tamap - shades of pink and gray. Mmmmm ... I'm not sure what drew me to the pinks as I have never, ever knit with pink before but this yarn is luscious..

The weather is not exactly sunny today but is clear and I thought it might be nice to try to get some outside shots. Below is a skein of Cherry Tree Hill in one of their potluck colorways. This one is shades of clue and green (mostly green). The wonderful owner of Ewe'll Love It sent this to me after my Cherry Tree Hill disaster. She picked it out for me herself and I think it's beautiful. I don't normally knit with green because the color makes me look ill but in socks it will be perfect.



Finally, I took another picture of that Bearfoot sock yarn I posted about yesterday. I think this picture shows the colors much more accurately though still not perfectly. I like how quickly this yarn knits up - I'm just about through the gusset without a lot of time or effort.

Fibery Treats

Today's a good day for posting about fibery treats.

My youngest son was determined to buy me yarn for Christmas. Whenever he shopped with me he picked out hideous fun fur in bright colors like turquoise and asked me how I liked them. I tried to steer him toward yarns I really do like but, well, he's 7 and he was attracted to "pretty" yarn for his pretty mom. I suggested that my husband bring him shopping at a LYS and called the owner ahead of time so she could steer them toward appropriate yarn.

After guidance from my husband my son picked out the following yarn because he knows my favorite colors are red and purple. This is Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Flathead Cherry. The colors don't show up great in this photo but the yarn is beautiful. This is my first time knitting with Bearfoot. It is definitely heavier than my usual yarns but is listed as fingering weight.

I wanted to get something cast on right away to show my son how much I loved the yarn. After some fiddling I settled on a 56 stitch cast on with size 2 US Addis (oh, how I wish there were decent circulars in size 2.75). I'm using a simple ribbed pattern and the sock is moving along quickly. The yarn is very soft and cushiony. I'm a little worried about the yardage and my big feet but we'll see what happens. My LYS owner assures me that I'll have enough as she uses the yarn often and has the same size feet.



Today I did my usual day after Christmas shopping. I was shocked at how few people were out and was very pleased not to have to wait in lines. I picked up my wrapping paper for next year at Hallmark and then went to Borders. I decided to return a cd given to me by my husband because I knew I'd never listen to it. With that cd return money and a 30% off coupon I was able to get Knitting Vintage Socks - this is a much better gift for me. While I was there I also picked up some Jelly Belly jelly beans at 75% off (isn't that little container cute?). I also got a knit a day type calendar at 50% off because I thought it might be fun and I might even find a pattern or two. I got all this for under $25 (and only $12 came out of my own pocket).

Finally, I made a deal with myself (everyone does that, right?) that I could knit on my new sock only after I finished the Trekking socks by weaving in the ends. I had a load of delicates ready to wash and wanted to throw these in too. I'm really hoping I like these socks more after they're washed. Right now I could not care less about them. My 12 year old told me that he'd be happy to take them off my hands if they fit him. I think his feet are too big (size 11.5 mens) but we'll see after they're washed.

Now on to the other deal I made with myself. I have to fold the laundry before I can sit down to knit and I just heard the dryer beep.

It's practically here

There is no really good reason why I have a picture of Lucy today except that I dislike pictureless posts. Doesn't she look filled with Christmas wonder?

After a morning spent baking, I ventured out shopping with my oldest son. I had a few odds and ends that I wanted to pick up. We went out with a good attitude knowing that the stores would be crowded. We were pleased to find the stores had ample employees working and that parking was easy to find if you didn't insist on parking right near the stores. I picked up every last thing I needed or wanted and can now rest easy that shopping is complete. We've done lots of wrapping over the last week and though I know there's more to be done, it's not overwhelming.

I started my second 2nd Dublin Bay sock. I do love the Cherry Tree Hill yarn but ... would you believe that right as I got to the end of my 2 inch 1x1 ribbing I found a knot! I can not even believe that I found yet another knot in a different skein of Cherry Tree Hill yarn. I'm continuing on but this will be the end of Cherry Tree Hill for me if I find another knot.

I received one of my Christmas presents early. My mil is not up to shopping this year and asked us for ideas for places we'd like gift certificates to. I told my dh that I could suggest a couple of online and local yarn places for my gift certificate. Instead, with the stipulation that ALL the money be spent on me and that none is put toward bills or the boys, my mil sent me $300 to spend on yarn!! I'm looking to make a couple of biggish purchases soon so that the money is spent as intended. As I don't knit big items, I don't spend oodles of money on my projects. I'm thinking this money could go pretty far. I'm also thinking that I need to buy something practical like a new pair of boots so I can continue my walking this winter. I'm feeling pretty blessed and lucky.

I'd love some suggestions for yarn or books or other knitty things that I just need to have or try. I know that The Loopy Ewe will be getting some of my business. Sheri is just wonderful - every store owner should be just like her - and I want to reward her amazing customer service with repeat business. I'm thinking I should try some Sweet Georgia or Yarn Pirate (or both). I also know that I can't resist the yarn sale at yarn4socks because they have the J. Knits yarn I was raving about the other day as well as a great selection of Lorna's Laces and all the yarn will be at least 20% off starting tomorrow.

It feels weird to be doing this much shopping for myself but I made a promise.

Two wonderful discoveries

I made two amazing discoveries today.

The first is a new yarn.

While shopping at a LYS today I stumbled across a new yarn. The yarn is made by a localish company J. Knits. The yarn I bought is superwash sock yarn in the color Boston. The yardage is great at 420 yards to the hank but the price is a little steep at $26. With my big feet I'm always happy for big yardage. The yarn is very soft and I like the 25% nylon. The dye is great with lots of variation in color while still being almost solid. I love all the hand dyed sock yarns available but I'm hankering for some solidish yarn for cable patterns.

The second discovery is related to photography.

Taking photos in my Colonial during the winter months is tricky. In fact, even getting good outside photos is difficult because capturing the sun seems to be impossible. Tonight I realized that the best lighting in my house is in my bathroom on my counter. The photo I took of my new yarn is awfully close to the real thing. I'm just thrilled to have discovered a place I can take photos this winter. Of course, I'll still try to get the wonderful natural light of the outdoors but this is going to work for me.

In knitting news ...
Today I finished knitting my second First Toe Up Trekking sock. I just need to bind off and the pair will be finished. I'm anxious to wash them and hope the yarn softens up quite a bit.

While at the LYS, I used their swift and winder to wind my new yarn as well as my new hank of Cherry Tree Hill for the second Dublin Bay sock. I need to get the original second sock off the needles and mail it to the store so they can send it on to Cherry Tree Hill to examine all the knots and then I just need to take a deep breath and cast on again for the new second Dublin Bay sock. I really do love the yarn and the pattern and can't wait to wear these socks.

Closing in on Christmas

Not much knitting going on so I figured I'd update with a picture of Lucy.

I had a busy weekend trying to get all the last things ready for Christmas. There was shopping to do and goodies to make. Unfortunately, there was also an oldest child who needed to be driven to social events. My entire day on Sunday was lost as I drove my oldest where he needed to be. I was happy to do this for him and was glad that he was having such a nice day but it was exhausting and took up valuable time that I really didn't have. We saw Eragon together. I liked the movie (because I don't remember books after I've read them). He didn't like it too much because it deviated so much from the book.

I still have a couple of Christmas presents left to buy and was very sad last night when I found out that none of the bookstores in the state have a book I wanted to buy for my youngest. I still have a couple of independent bookstores to try but a nice lady at Borders last night called all the Borders and Barnes and Nobles for me. Today I need to finish the Sugared Almonds and Chocolate Walnut Fudge because my husband's brother will be stopping by briefly tomorrow and will take our gifts back with him to Connecticut to family there.

I feel this way every year without fail. I get the vast majority of my shopping done and the last few details drive me crazy. I struggle with finding the last few gifts, cooking the last minute things, and making sure that everything seems "even" for the boys. I just want everyone to be happy and for Christmas to seem magical. I still can not believe that Christmas is less than a week away.

Houston, we have a problem

You all know how much I've loved working on the Dublin Bay socks. I think the pattern is perfect for hand dyed yarns that would get lost in most patterns and I love the sproingy Cherry Tree Hill yarn. Sadly, the second sock has not been going as well as the first. I ran into two knots in the yarn while knitting the ribbing and then ran into a third knot right before the heel. I decided to contact the folks at Cherry Tree Hill to see if this is normal for their yarn to have this many knots or if this was simply a case of poor quality control.

I spoke to Cheryl at Cherry Tree Hill and she assured me that this is not normal for her yarn and suggested I contact the store where I bought the yarn for a credit. I bought this yarn back in September from Ewe'll Love It and raved about the store. The owner, Beverly, is very nice and has proved to be very accomodating as well. I explained to Beverly that I really wanted to finish the sock with the yarn I had but that I was frustrated and wasn't sure that I'd buy Cherry Tree Hill yarn again. Beverly also assured me that this was not typical for Cherry Tree Hill and said she'd send me a new hank in a different colorway.

Last night I returned to the sock only to find knot number 4 as I started the gusset! Sheesh! Enough's enough. I finally decided to rewind the yarn to see if there were any more knots and found a 5th knot a few yards from the end. I spoke to Beverly again and this time we agreed that I'd give her my second "damaged" sock and, in addition to the yarn she had already sent, she'd give me another hank of Tropical Storm so I can make my second Dublin Bay sock.

My first hank arrived today - about 24 hours since I first spoke with Beverly. Beverly had picked it out for me. It is one of the potluck colors and is mostly green with some blue hints. I never, ever buy green yarn but this is beautiful and I just need to find a pattern for it. The color is almost solid so it would work well with any sock pattern.

I feel like I've lost my knitting mojo a little. I was SO looking forward to wearing those Dublin Bays and I felt like I was SO close to a pair. I'm very grateful for people like Beverly and Cheryl (from Cherry Tree Hill) who care about their products and customers. I will definitely do more business with Beverly and if you're ever in the area you MUST stop by her shop. It is the nicest yarn shop I've ever been in. As for Cherry Tree Hill ... I'm anxious to give it another shot. I really hope that I have better luck because I really, really like this yarn.

For now, I'm forcing myself to work on my second First Toe Up Trekking sock. I should also force myself to finish my Irish Hiking Scarf before casting on for any new projects. I only have about 5 inches left on the scarf and could finish that very quickly.

This weekend I need to make a large batch of Sugared Almonds and Chocolate Walnut Fudge to send to my inlaws for Christmas. They are not going to be able to make it for Christmas this year and I want to get their package finished by Monday.

I can not believe that Christmas is 10 days away.

Busy Baking

Yesterday turned out to be even more full of baking than I had anticipated. I decided to make the Holiday Poppy Seed Cookies from Old Fashioned Country Cookies by Gooseberry Patch. I've been making these cookies for years and they always look nice and a little different for a cookie swap. While they were cooling I thought I should make some cookies for the boys because there were no extra poppy seed cookies. I decided to try a new recipe and made the Tender Toffee-Chocolate Rounds from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion (which is slowly but surely becoming my cookie bible). The cookies are amazing - filled with bittersweet chocolate, toffee bits and only 1/4 cup of flour. Yummo!! Unfortunately, the chocolate was too dark for the boys and one by one they said they didn't really like them. They made a nice treat for the oldest son's piano teacher. I know from experience that she loves chocolate.

This seemed like a good time to switch gears so I whipped up a batch of banana bread because I had bananas just sitting there begging to be used. I have a trusty recipe that I've been using for years by Mollie Katzen. Originally I cut it out of a Family Fun magazine many years ago. It is also reprinted in my copy of Disney's Family Cookbook published by Family Fun magazine. While I was making the banana bread my middle son decided he really needed to bake something too. I didn't know he was in the other room pouring through our children's cookbook. By this time I was really done baking but he was very persuasive and convinced me we needed to make just one more thing. So right before I had to leave for my cookie swap party we made the Chocolate Pudding Cake from New Junior Cookbook by Better Homes and Gardens. We'd never made this recipe before but it was super easy and very delicious (I had a bite or two before I scooted out the door). Best of all it is made with ingredients that are always on hand.

I'm now baked out for a couple of days. Or at least until tomorrow.

Bright sunny morning

We don't get a lot of natural sunlight in my house so it's difficult to take photos inside. This morning as I sat on the living room sofa knitting my Dublin Bay sock and drinking my Tazo Awake tea a beam of sunlight came through the bay window behind me and illuminated the Christmas tree. I was able to take this photo of three of my favorite ornaments. On the left is one of my glass candy ornaments which I love because they were the first glass ornaments I dared to buy after I had children. In the middle is a crocheted snowflake that my Nana made for me. I have a few of these crocheted snowflakes ranging in size and pattern and I love the way the look on the tree. To the right is a snowman made by my friend, Kristen, that she sold a craft fair that we had at my house a few years ago. She drove over 45 minutes in a blizzard and then had to help my husband shovel the driveway to get into my house. We had very few customers because of the storm but we had a great day and I have this ornament to remember it by.



Here you'll see the progress I've made on my second Dublin Bay sock. Do you notice all the yarn ends coming out of the sock? That's because I found TWO knots in the yarn since I started the second sock. I'm not happy. I hope this isn't typical for Cherry Tree Hill yarn because I do love the yarn but I'm very unhappy with the knot situation. I had the hank wound for me when I bought the yarn so I had no idea they were there.

Today needs to be a day of baking. I have a cookie swap tonight and still have not completely decided what cookie I plan to bake. I'm probably going to bring my Poppyseed Holiday Cookies but I can't commit. I'll post a recipe later.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

The Christmas stockings are now officially hung. My middle son is a stickler for tradition and he just could not wait to hang our stockings. You may notice that there are only 4 stockings instead of 5. Look more carefully. Behind the stocking on the left there is a second stocking. That is because I found our stocking hangers at Goodwill for 89 cents a piece and I've always been too cheap to find another hanger that would match. So my husband and I share a hanger. Someday I really should break down and buy a fifth hanger.

Some of you may recall that these stockings were the very first items I ever learned how to knit. I talked about it back in October. I'm always amazed when I take them out every year and remember my friend who taught me to knit and kept telling me I had "potential". I didn't know anything about knitting so when she told me I could knit a Christmas stocking for my first sock, I believed her.

First Dublin Bay sock finished

It's 27 degrees outside and the ground is covered with snow so no outside photography for me today. Sadly, my house gets very little natural light which is what is really needed to show off this wonderful yarn. Nevertheless, I present my first Dublin Bay sock in Cherry Tree Hill yarn in the colorway Tropical Storm. In the background you can see the feet of Odysseus who is trying to decide if he really wants to go out in the snow.

I love every single thing about this sock. The yarn is wonderful - very sproingy with an almost elastic feel to it which makes it fit around the leg and foot wonderful. The pattern was very nice also. I did make a few modifications - I used 64 stitches instead of 72. 72 stitches would have been much too big for me. I then adjusted the pattern accordingly. I also added 4 rows of plain stockinette after before the heel. This made it better when it came time to pick up the gusset stitches and allowed me to pick up in the corner as I usually do without running into a lace pattern. I also did not make an Eye of Partridge Heel because I didn't think it would show up in this very dark yarn.

Finally, here's a picture of middle son and Lucy.

More baking

Progress on the Dublin Bay sock has slowed to a crawl. I'm still loving everything about it but it's taken a back seat to life. I've had some unexpected appointments this week which have taken me out of the house on days that I'm usually able to stay home. Although I don't believe in chiropractors (I mean I know they exist but I don't want to see one myself), I was forced to call one this week after a 10 day headache refused to go away. The CAT scan confirmed I don't have a brain tumor (not that I was worried about it) and the medication the doctor gave me didn't do a thing. My first visit to the chiropractor was very painful and made me feel miserable all day yesterday but my headache is gone! I went back today and will go a couple more times next week. I feel almost human again.

I spent a huge part of the day today baking. I'm trying to find the perfect recipe to use my Trader Joe's UFOs in. UFOs are chocolate mint wafers that are YUMMY! Today I baked a basic sugar cookie, placed a UFO on top when they came out of the oven, waited for the chocolate to soften and then spread it over the top of the cookie. The boys loved them but my husband wasn't too impressed. I think the sugar cookies are too crisp and not exactly what I'm looking for with the UFOs. I'll continue to search for the perfect recipe.

While I was baking anyway I made a wonderful batch of Molasses Cookies. They are wonderful little circles of crunchy goodness - perfect to have with tea or cocoa. I have LOTS of flour and butter, plenty of chocolate and oodles of other baking supplies. I have a cookie swap to go to on Tuesday and need to decide what kind of cookie to make. There are just so many wonderful choices.

Tonight I went out Christmas shopping with my 12 year old son. It wasn't pretty. The other boys had a great time when I brought them shopping but the 12 year old is just getting a bit too big for his britches right now and he's difficult to spend time with. He found nice gifts for both brothers and his father. I even managed to buy a couple of gifts for him while he was otherwise occupied. All in all, it was a successful evening.

I spent some time on the Dublin Bay sock and it's almost to the toe decreases. Stay tuned for a picture very soon.

Baby it's cold outside

I'm trying hard to stay motivated but it's really hard to want to go outside to walk in the morning when it's 22 degrees. I am grateful for my neighbor and walking buddy because without her I'd stay in my warm cozy house and just knit away. It's nice to be home again but I'm very glad that I got my 4 mile walk done. Yeah me!!

I'm working my way down the gusset on the Cherry Tree Hill sock. I wish I could just sit down and knit away but I have children who need schooling, housework to do, a family to feed, and places that the same children need to be driven to. I'm very sad that I'll be out of the house all afternoon and far away from my knitting. Tonight, however, all the boys will be gone and I'll have the house to myself. This may be my favorite sock I've ever knit.

And now, kitty pr0n

Risking frostbite

I really wanted to get a good picture of both the pattern and the yarn so I risked below freezing weather this morning to sit outside in the little patch of sun I could find to take this picture. This yarn is SO pretty but the colors are very hard to capture. This picture is very close to the real colors.

I've never knit with any yarn like Cherry Tree Hill before. I don't know anything about how yarn is spun or plied or how this yarn is so sproingy but it's much different than any yarn I've knit with before. It has a lot of elasticity which makes it perfect for socks. When this yarn chose me I didn't have an idea for a pattern. The yarn is very dark and most patterns wouldn't show up in it. I wanted to showcase the yarn and a plain vanilla sock wouldn't have done that. I like how the lace panels in this Dublin Bay pattern show off the yarn. I'm also happy with how quickly this sock is knitting up. The yarn is somewhat thicker than other sock yarns I've used - I'll be at the heel very soon.

Busy weekend

We had one of those busy, productive weekends. On Saturday I made a batch of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies to send with my oldest son on his camping trip. Teenaged boys ALWAYS appreciate homemade cookies. We kept a few out to fill a bag for our neighbors who gave us Lucy. Later in the day the boys and I made our first batch of gingerbread cookies. I love gingerbread cookies but I'm not the best at rolling out dough so I don't make a lot of cut out cookies. Gingerbread cookies, however, are a tradition and my middle son is a stickler for tradition. Jeff and the middle son also went out to cut down the tree that we tagged in November.

On Sunday we needed to pick up the oldest boy from his camping trip, get him home to shower and drive him to Youth Group. We also picked up Lucy from the neighbors so she can live at our house now. While oldest boy was at Youth Group I did grocery shopping - following sales and coupons at two different stores. After Youth Group and grocery shopping we came home for dinner and decorated our tree. I love decorating the tree. As we go through the ornaments the boys pick out their special ones - the Lenox rocking horses they got from their aunt the year they were born, First Christmas ornaments, silly ornaments from Mimi (like the police car with a siren that works), and ornaments they made. I also tell them who gave us particular ornaments or when we got them - though by now they know most of this and may tell me first. Our tree will never make any decorating magazines but I love it and all the memories it holds.

On Saturday I was determined to do the short row heel on my second First Toe Up Trekking sock. It took me three tries. I got the rhythm and really understood it on the second try but I dropped a stitch almost at the end and had no idea how to pick it back up because of the wraps. I couldn't fix it so it looked okay so I frogged. Again. I got the heel done on the third try and then knit a few rows of the leg. I'm not enamored of the short row heel. I can't say I like the way it looks. At some point I need to find a real live person who can sit with me while I knit one to point out a better way to do things (my LYS owner was very, very helpful but she doesn't knit socks and had never done a short row heel before). Until then, I'm sticking with my regular cuff down socks.



To reward myself for all that hard work, I cast on for a pair of Dublin Bay socks. The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill in a colorway called Tropical Storm. This is my first time using Cherry Tree Hill yarn. It's wonderful! The yarn is very sproingy and soft. It's going to make wonderful socks. It was impossible to get good lighting this weekend but I tried anyway. I've got the cuff almost done - even doing the k1p1 ribbing called for in the pattern because I like the way it flows into the lace. I'm going to have to force myself to finish that second Trekking sock.

Meet Lucy

Meet Lucy.
Lucy is the newest member of our family. She joins our two other cats Odysseus and Mason. Lucy is 8 weeks old. She came to live with us today. She's pretty scared and is hiding behind the big, red couch in the living room right now. She belongs to my youngest son and now we have a cat for every boy.



Aren't they adorable?