This post was originally posted on November 19, 2007. It features some socks from when I was really in the height of my sock obsession. I also mention my knitting group for the first time. I never would have guessed what a world that knitting group would open for me!
Well, quite a lot has happened in the last few days. Last Tuesday I went to a new knit night at the Panera in Elk Grove Village. I had such a wonderful time. It was my first time meeting these ladies, and they were all so nice. All of them are so funny and good knitters. A good time was had by all. I am definitely going to be frequenting their knitting events a lot more in the future. Perhaps even tomorrow. Hooray! Also on Tuesday, I made a trip to the post office to try to track down a yarn package that was MIA. What, oh what could it be?
Raven Series Yarn!!
I thought I was going to be good when this new yarn came up on the website. I thought I would just take a look, hope I got a BFMA gift certificate for Christmas and buy some then. Oops. Next thing I know I was hitting the order button. I just got this one skein of lightweight in the Grock colorway. I am not sure yet if it will become socks, or perhaps another Forest Canopy Shoulder Shawl. It's going to marinate in the stash while I think about it.
Then, on Wednesday, I got to meet Sheila and her son Kieran. We met at Harry's in Arlington Heights, had some dinner and chatted about knitting. We had a great time and I think that there may be some beer drinking/knitting in our future soon. Sheila and I live, like, a mile or two away from each other and we have been blog stalking each other for awhile. It was really great to finally meet!
Thursday night I had to skip my ballroom dancing class (we are learning to Hustle, it's awesome), to go spend the weekend in Western Springs babysitting three little kids. I, of course, brought all this knitting, but didn't get much done. How SAHMs can get any knitting done, I do not understand. I did get a whole pair of socks knit, but it was with some thick yarn, so it's not that impressive:
The Specs:
The Pattern: Twinkle Toes by Cookie A. as seen on Knitty Gritty (it's free!)
The Yarn: STR Heavyweight in Rose Quartz colorway
The Needles: Size 3 DPNs
The Modifications: The pattern call for size 4, but my socks were going to be way to big, so I used size 3s. Also, I didn't quite understand the directions for the heel part, so I did my own thing, and all worked out in the end.
The Results: I think that these are the best fitting socks I have ever knit. Cookie A. does know how to write some good patterns! And, with only 48 stitches they are very fast to knit!
When I got home last night, there was an envelope waiting for me that had this in it:
Sock yarn from Perfect Day Yarns! The colorway is called Nevermore. Sarah and I became Ravelry pals, and she just opened her own online yarn shop with her hand-dyed yarn and I just had to get some on her opening day. It's so beautiful and I can't wait to see how it looks knitted up!And, finally, this morning while dyeing some yarn I finished weaving in the ends on these:
My Candy Cane socks! Here are some specs:
The Pattern: My own. Well, kind of. I used a mock-cable rib like the one for the scarf in Stitch N Bitch Nation. They are knit toe-up and I kept the mock cable going when I started the all around ribbing on the top. I think it was a nice touch.
The Yarn: Claudia Handpainted Fingering Weight in Peppermint Mocha colorway. I think this colorway might be a Loopy Ewe exclusive.
The Needles: Size 2 DPNs
The Results: Great. I think I might start knitting my socks exclusively toe up. I am liking it so much better. These socks are going to look great when I wear them for my Christmas Eve events, which includes hanging out at Alex's parents house drinking and being merry.
Well, that's all I have for now. This week is going to be a CRAZY one. A giant box o' yarn just arrived to dye for Strands, there is Thanksgiving Eve at the Last Chance Saloon in Grayslake, and I have to work three out of the four days of Thanksgiving weekend (I have Thursday off though...hooray!) Friday I am teaching my friend Mel to knit, so I am super excited about that! I can't wait for her blog to turn into a knitting blog. :)
