I'm the one

...still impulse buying.

I have been much better. But, I was in one of my local yarn stores today for needles I need for a special gift. And this beauty was to be had for 20% off. So I went for it. I've long admired the colors of Colinette Jitterbug. Made in Wales, 100% merino wool.

Angora

Look what's peeking out of one of my knitting bags (bag by Julie)...

My first angora project. Interesting how the yarn changes color as it catches light differently.

This work in progress is another coy one. The angora is so soft. Lovely and smooth to work with. Only tickling my nose a little bit with its fluffs.

Birthday loot

Photo giveaway

A gorgeous picture, n'est-ce pas? I like it.

A blogger I read, Sally Parrott Ashbrook, is having a photo giveaway as a way to raise awareness of her new photography venture. Go check out her blog here. The giveaway involves her and her husband, who is the photographer of the photo above.

Seven scarf

He was absorbed in putting the finishing touches on his new Naboo Star Fighter (thanks Sandy and Mike :-) I was absorbed in getting my pictures. These are the results.

Yarn: Berroco Comfort in Sanibel Island, worsted, 50% nylon 50% acrylic (100% washable :-)
Needles: US size 8
Pattern: Moss Rib Stitch

Kazoku

kazoku=family (in Japanese)

We feasted on take-out from Mr. Dino's (Sag's favorite pizza place), a homemade salad (mixed herbs and greens, English cuke, tomato, toasted pecans, raisins and one of Sandy's tossed off, delicious vinaigrettes), and a cheesecake from a local diner.

Ellie and Baxter roamed about, Cap and I scurried back and forth serving, savoring and stacking, we all hung out and basked as the skies darkened and Sag's birthday weekend came to an end.

Sag is 7

The day started with Star Wars (The Complete Visual Dictionary---kiitos Mummu! The Voice Changer Clone Trooper Helmet---thank you Raymonds!)

Pin-the-head-on-C3PO.

Hot potato.

Cake.

Me being my parents and corralling the kids for a group shot.

The day ended with Star Wars (Episode 2: Attack of the Clones---thank you Martells!)

The boy is 7 and had a very fun and gift-filled day. Thank you for your well wishes and love from near and far (on this day and every day). Your support means so much to Cap and me and we never could have brought these kids as far as we have without you.

Table art

...because sometimes you just go with the flow. (Did you flow today?)

(Click on photo to embiggen as the Harlot says...)

Backroom books

Julie has a children's book which will be published next year. Very exciting. Here's a link to a blog post which gave me a fascinating glimpse into the world of publishing and mentions her book quite prominently :-)

Wink is available for pre-order on Amazon!

Yesterday

Found the whoopy cushion during my search for not-too-junky junk for the hot potato game. Pin-the-head-on-C3PO is ready to be hung and played. We had a blast creating Sag's birthday playlist and he made his cd cover. (Accepting orders now for anyone interested in a copy :-)

I found a GFCF snickerdoodle recipe which I will test bake today (didn't get to it yesterday after picking up some cream of tartar). Cap is taking Sag out for breakfast this morning so that Gem and I can work on the birthday banner (another new tradition :-)

Time to share the computer. Off I go.

Casualty of fun

My right hand hurts. I massaged it and my arm vigorously as I was falling asleep last night and massaged it some more this morning as my eyes were opening. I blame...ack, blame...what a word. I have been knitting a lot and I've been pretty obsessed with the game Vampire Wars on Facebook.

I finished Sag's scarf last night save for weaving in the ends. So, today, I am going to attempt to stay off the computer and away from my knitting, as much as possible.

I have a To Do list to keep me otherwise occupied. A Pin The Head On C3PO game to make, a hot potato "potato" to build with treats inside (a new tradition is born!), looking for a GFCF vanilla/snicker doodle cookie recipe, etc., etc.

This year (in the personal spirit of fiscal awareness), I presented Sag with the choice of big party/small gift vs. small party/big gift. He went for the latter. So he's invited a small clutch of friends over for play and cake on Saturday. My side of the family will come over for dinner on Sunday.

And we're hosting Fiber Arts on Monday after a long dry spell. Thanksgiving follows soon after and we leave for 10 days in Florida (to visit Sophia, Wendy and Stefan while Cap also attends a conference) the day after Thanksgiving.

Is that a growing swell I sense out in the water?

Happy feet

In praise of where we live: I had an hour to myself this morning (thanks Cap) and was able to have a Taylor ham and fried egg sandwich with a huge mug of decaf latte for breakfast while I waited for the two yarn shops to open. I was in search of a special yarn. The first shop didn't have said yarn in stock yet. So I walked over to the second shop. Yes. Walked. I need to remember this when I complain about where I live. I have two great, local, independent yarn shops a stone's throw from each other, right in town.

At the second shop I mulled and mulled and mulled. So many colors and color combos. Just one skein needed. I finally made my selection. I had a second skein of Gem's sock yarn in my hands because I was worried about running out of yarn. The owner of the shop asked what I was making with that yarn and when she realized why I was buying it, she reassured me that I would have enough with the one skein. Then she said she'd hold the second skein for me and to call her when I finished the socks and she'd put it back on the shelf only then. Loved that.

This shop gives a discount for Ravelry members so I spoke the secret code for November and waltzed out a happy woman. With one precious skein. Which I will remain coy about for now.

My socks kept my feet quite toasty this fluttery morning. I had my pants cuffed (to better show off the socks, my dear) and with the occasional gust of wintry wind, I did feel some chill come through the stitches. But, that is to be expected with worsted weight socks :-) They added a spring to my step and I love them.

Be still my heart

I rolled put of bed and headed straight for the computer (more on that perhaps another time). My default window is a local news-y blog and there it was announced: a blink-and-you-missed-it report of flurries around 7am.

It was 8:30am, but I crowed out in delight anyway because Gem has been waiting and waiting for snow.

He ran over to the window, lifted the shade and said, "it's fluttering right now!"

He still calls it fluttering.

Homework

Oh, but let me get this out of the way. I am, absolutely, besotted.

First sock done!

Look at that fit.

The cuff, a 1x1 rib. (Purported to have the most "grip" and my thin-legged boy will need all the grip he can get :-)

The heel---see, no holes! (I had to tighten up the gaps left in my pair with additional yarn.)

The toe.

Finished with the kitchener stitch. This pic is for you, Wen.

Okay. On to homework. When I saw Vinny on Friday, I confessed to him again that I have yet to conquer, er, I mean make friends with, the qi gong pose: Standing Between Heaven and Earth. The longest I've been able to hold the pose is 5 minutes.

So I gave myself homework with his advice. Starting yesterday, I am adding a minute a day to the pose. He suggested, to get me over the hump, to shorten my duration of the other poses. It's hard for me to get more than about 20 minutes before one or both the kids are clamoring for something or another. He also encouraged me to seize the moment wherever and whenever it comes.

Yesterday five minutes, today six. Done :-)

Next

Socks for Gem. Same yarn as mine in a different colorway. I'm ready to start the toe of the first sock. I'm glad he made the choice. I don't think I ever would have selected these colors for him, but they are awesome and he is excited. Like Christmas lights, he said.

I ordered some needles to make Sag's socks. He chose a sock yarn for his scoks (much thinner than the worsted weight I opted to knit my first pair with). The needles, which I found on sale, are much thinner, too. I'm feeling up for the challenge.

I worked the heel differently on Gem's sock and like it better though I don't fully understand it yet. It's a method which cuts down on the holes that almost naturally form when you start adding the gussets to the heel flaps.

Done!

My first pair of socks are air drying. When you knit garments out of wool, it is recommended that you block them. What I did with the socks was to spray them with water and pat them into "shape". Now they air dry and then they will be ready.

The water helps to loosen the fibers of the wool and then the process of air drying will tighten the fibers back up. The shaping that is done will help to create the final fit of the garment. Stitch definition is also often improved by blocking.

In the case of these socks, the shaping needed was minimal because they are bulky socks, or what I think of as "Birkenstock" socks, so they are not, nor do they need to be, form-fitting/body conscious.

I cannot wait for these babies to dry. Tomorrow, I hope, I will be wearing them.


Which means onto the next thing. I've got some decaf green tea with honey waiting in the wings and my desk, a pillar of piled up...stuff, ready for decluttering. Getting the desk cleared off will set in motion a chain reaction a result of which will be a music area in the living room. That's motivation.

Worlds on paper

Gem has been revisiting the Hundred Acre Wood. A solo journey this time around. Last night he discovered this book which was a Christmas present to Cap from his parents in 1971.

We had a flurry of birthday shopping yesterday. Mummu (Cap's mom) and Sag share a birthday. I took Sag out with me for a trip to the bookstore (while Gem wrapped his presents for Sag at home). We unexpectedly found the Ugly Guide to the Uglyverse. His nose came up out of the book only to eat dinner for the rest of the day.

I finally switched over the seasonal book basket the other day and we have a fall collection going now. I've been enjoying the book Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins.


I have been a knitting fiend. Working on that second sock and Sag's little something. I did some double duty last night when Cap and I watched Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. A very funny movie which I highly recommend!

A tale of two socks

...or, a picture says a thousand words.

I have started re-knitting the first sock (the bigger, looser of the two). I can imagine, maybe a little too easily, the re-knit sock looking quite different from the second sock. But, am determined not to go down the road of questing for the perfectly matched pair.

There is a method of knitting two socks at a time on a pair of circular needles. I wonder if that might help me create a more even pair. My tendency is to start loose and get tighter. You can see it in practically every scarf I have ever made.

I am still thoroughly enjoying the making of socks. So much so that, right now, during a couple of hours alone (Cap tool the kids swimming), I am tempted to knit my sock rather than work on Sag's birthday scarf.