My Favorite Things.....

Here's the little fella......

Alicia took these photos this morning after they got back from the Orthopedic Surgeon's office.  John doesn't look like it is bothering him too much. 

 

 

Knitting News:

I'm up to the heel on my "Nanner" socks.  This is really a fun and fast pattern.  I just have been doing so many other things while trying to knit these that it is slowing me down.  For instance, I have been sewing the sleeves in my Drops Jersey V-neck sweater and running back and forth to the barn to take John lights, batteries, and whatever else he has called down here for me to do.

I don't know if I told you this or not, but I'm using Rowan's Cash Cotton for this sweater.  When I started sewing in the sleeves, and as I gently tugged at the yarn I was using to sew with (same as sweater), it tore like cotton candy.  I had to think twice about continuing.  What if it is not strong enough to hold the seams together?  What if it is not strong enough to hold the sweater together?  I'm not kidding you, it tore apart without any effort on my part.  Have any of you had any experience with this yarn?  Oh, also, I have been using my lap as a support for the sweater while I have been working on it.  I'm wearing black pants.  The yarn is white.  I now have white fuzz all over my pants.  Guess it's the contents of the yarn.  At least I know that I can't wear the sweater with dark colors.  Maybe after it is washed it will be better----who knows!!!!

Well, the sweater is complete and I'm not ripping it out.  It will be perfect to use as a "take-in" for all those extra cold resturants we go into.  I don't care how hot it is outside, inside temps seem to fall to the bottom, at times to the very uncomfortable side.  I guess if it were too hot there would be complaints as well.  As long as I have a little something to cover my shoulders, I'm good to go.

Finally a finished pair of socks......

This morning, I finished up my Sprucey Lucy socks.  I started them June 18th and had hoped to finish them for the June Socks from the toe up KAL.  With the grandbabies here and other things going on, I couldn't work on them like I would have liked.  But, they left on Sunday and I was able to get the last sock completed.

 

Here are the details:  Pattern:  Sprucey Lucy by Wendy Johnson; Toe:  Judy's Magic Cast-on (I love this method); Heel:  Slip Stitch; Needles:  US 1 (2.25 mm); Yarn:  Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sock & Baby; Colorway:  Spring Violets  (there is more purple in the yarn than the photo shows). Size:  Medium (these are a little wide and a tad long, so when casting on for my next socks ( Nanner Socks by Wendy Johnson) I cast on for the small.  Here's my progress---not very far along:

Details:  Pattern:  Nanner Socks by Wendy Johnson; Toe:  Judy's Magic Cast-on; Heel:  Slip Stitch; Needles:  US 1 (2.25 mm) circulars; Yarn:  Claudia Hand Painted Yarns; Colorway:  Pistachio 013; Start Date:  July 8, 2009; Notes:  I wish the colors had shown up better in the photo.  They look like orange and lime sherbet --very soft colors.

 IN OTHER NEWS:  Like Mother like Son-----------------------

 

Will insert photo of John later.  Seems as though Alicia's battery died on her camera.  She said not to worry because there will be plenty of photo opps in the next few weeks.

Alicia, John and Maggie went to the play ground today.  John was playing on the equipment and fell off.  He cried for what seemed forever and kept holding his wrist.  Alicia took him to the doctor only to find out he had broken his  right arm.  Poor baby.  They put a splint on his arm and put him in a sling.  Friday (which I think is too long to wait) they are going to put it in a cast---something about the swelling---any nurses out there that can shed some light on this? 

UPDATE:  Evidently John was climbing up a ladder and there was a space between the ladder and the platform (about 5' off the ground).  There were some older kids climbing up at the time.  John was distracted by the kids and wasn't paying attention and stepped through the space and fell to the ground.  The novelty of the splint and sling is wearing off now and he doesn't want to keep his arm confined.  Alicia is in for a grand time!!!!!! 

Alicia broke her arm when she was two years old.  She was standing up in a ladder-back chair at her grandmothers.  The chair tipped backwards and she caught her arm under the chair.  She was on her way to being left handed until this mishap and after that she was right handed.  John, on the other hand, was on his way to being right handed----actually he switches back and forth.  It will be interesting to see what happens with him.

Then and now.......

Alicia, John and Maggie have been visiting here for almost two weeks now while Ryan is in San Diego on business.  The other night I was sitting in the den on the computer while Maggie was watching TV.  I just had to take this picture because I remember one just like it that I took of Alicia when she was the same age.  I just have to share it with you to show you the similiarity in my two girls.  The first two are of Alicia in 1978 (age 2)--look at that TV!!!!!!!

 

 

Now, here is Maggie sitting in front of the TV in the den in just about the same position as Alicia:

 

Isn't that something!!!

Alicia had to go down to Charleston to do a walk-through on her house that she was leasing while she was in Washington.  She left John and Maggie with us.  Yesterday we pulled out their little sprinkler.  What fun they had:

 

John had the most fun squirting Maggie everytime she came around him.  Isn't that just like a little boy.

They have been riding their bikes, coloring, playing with their bubble machines and just having a good 'ole time.

In knitting news:  I won one of the prices in the June Socks from the Toe Up KAL for my Lacy Ribs.  I was in shock when I found out----I never win anything.  Guess it was luck of the draw.  They assign a number to all the participant's names and then run the random number generator.  Nevertheless, I was so happy and am anxiously awaiting my prize----one skein of Mountain Colors sock yarn.

I haven't started my July socks as I still have Sprucey Lucy still on the needles.  I'm almost up to the gusset on the second sock.  I'm determined to finish them.  They are working up great in the yarn that I am using

Hazy, Lazy Days of Summer.....

This is how it has been around here all day:

 

Well, I was trying to show you the clouds, but they didn't show up in this photo.  Take my word for it, it has been cloudy and raining off and on all day long.  The wind has been blowing really hard---almost like hurricane weather.  The trees are spinning in circles one way and then switch and spin the other.  We do get a lot of wind up here on top of the mountain.

This weather makes me feel lazy and I don't want to do anything.  However, I re-knit my Sprucey Lucy sock because when I got up to the heel flap and tried it on, it was just a little too small.  I could wear it ok, but I just like a little more room.  So I ripped back down to the increases in the toe and increased up to the medium size.  I think, with my tight knitting (the yarn wrap technique that I tried yesterday didn't make that much difference in the end) and the fact that this pattern is not as stretchy as the Lacy Ribs socks, it will be much better.

I did do one thing constructive----I folded one load of clothes and threw in another load into the washer---I'm so exhausted from the extra effort it took to walk down the steps and back up again---hee, hee.

John was in the same mood---he sat at his little work table in the kitchen all day and carved.  Now aren't we the perfect picture of lazy!!!!  ---well, at least we are knitting and carving---guess that's something. ;)

Both of the girls called to wish their Daddy Happy Father's Day.  Angela had just gotten home from church and dinner with Seth's parents.  They drove into Lousiville for a convention and will be there for the rest of this week.  Alicia, John, and Maggie are driving down to Columbia, SC to spend the night with a friend.  They have doctors appointments tomorrow in Charleston and her friend asked her to break the drive up a little and stay with her.  After the appointments, they are coming up here for two weeks.  Ryan flew out to San Diego for a meeting and will be gone for two weeks.  They are getting ready to move back to Charleston the end of July.  Alicia is ready!!!!--so am I---that's a horrible drive up to Washington--especially when you're not use to all that traffic.

I'm going to jump off of here (no, that would take too much energy) and do a little more knitting.  I did manage to cook dinner and clean up the dishes, so the day hasn't been a complete wash out. ;)

My knitting discovery.....

I know this technique has been around since the beginning of knitting, but I have just discovered it for myself.

First of all, I taught myself how to knit by using a book and following the pictures.  I am left handed but taught myself to knit right handed.  I am a tight knitter.  When knitting Wendy's socks for the KAL, it did not matter if I used a size US 0 or a size US 1 or even a size US 2, I always got 9 stitches to the inch.  I was in a dilemma in that I didn't know what size sock to knit.  I knew the large would be too big, but when I knit the small, they were too small.  I can't tell you how many times I started over on the Lacy Rib Socks.

I got to thinking that perhaps if I changed my way of holding the yarn it may make a difference.  This is how I normally hold my yarn when knitting.  Oh, by the way, I throw my yarn.  I've tried continental, but I prefer throwing.

 

So I wondered how my guage would be if I changed the way I hold my yarn now to they way I've seen other people hold theirs.  So I changed to this:

 

and, you know, it did change my guage from 9 spi down to 8 spi which is what Wendy's pattern called for.  Here is the back of sock.  About half way up, you can see the slight change in the size of the stitches----well, I can tell a difference at any rate:

 

Here is the front of the sock:

 

This is another of Wendy's socks and the alternate choice for this month's KAL.  The pattern is called "Sprucey Lucy Socks" and it is one of Wendy's free patterns.  I wasn't going to knit the second pair this month, but I held out as long as I could.  I may not finish the socks by the end of this months KAL, but that doesn't matter. 

The yarn I'm using for these is Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sock and Baby Yarn in the colorway "Spring Violets".  The yarn is truly "yummy" to knit with.

OK, I'm going to close for now and work a little more on my socks before I go downstairs and crank up the sewing machine to make this for Maggie---it's a little cover-up:

 

Let me tell you a little about this.  Alicia found this on one of the children's boutiques on-line stores.  She wrote and asked me if I thought I could make something like it.  She said I could just use an old towel to make it.  I got to looking around and decided the towels I have would be too thick for the ribbon and I wanted to find some of the terry cloth that you find in baby clothes.  I looked all over town for it and no one had it and could not tell me where to find it.  The fabric I was looking for was "French Terry".  I started looking on the internet.  I found some at one store that was $14 a yard but they only had pink and blue.  I kept looking and found another place where I could get the white at $5 a yard for the exact same thing. (I don't have the address in front of me right now, but when I write up the blog entry for the finished cover-up, I'll tell you---they have wonderful fabrics at wonderful prices!!!!)

It looks like in the photo that the trim is fabric, but I'm going to use 1 3/4" grosgrain ribbon.  I'm also going to do a different monogram.  Alicia and I decided to put Maggie's "M" initial with green and pink polkadots around it.  She really doesn't like her name written out on her clothes---safety reasons, I guess.

OK, enough of that.  I'm off to do something creative---or not. ;)

Here's the story......

about the Lacy Ribs Socks.

Pattern:  Lacy Ribs Socks,  from Wendy Johnson's new book "Socks from the Toe Up"; Toes:  Judy's Magic Cast On; Heel:  Slip Stitch; Needles:  US 0 double points and circulars; Yarn:  Fortissima Cotton Color Socka; Colorway:  6510;  Start Date:  June 1, 2009; Completed:  June 14, 2009.

Notes:  The socks are very stretchy.  I usually knit my socks on size US 1 (2.25 mm), but after reading notes from other members of the "Socks from the Toe up KAL", I decided to knit the medium size on the 0 needles.  The guage is suppose to be 8 stitches per inch.  It didn't matter if I used 0 or 1 because I got 9 stitches per inch on each size.  In hind sight, I probably should have made the size small and used the size 2.25 mm or even the 2.50mm needles.  The wonderful thing about the toe-up method is that you can try on as you go and change things before you are too far along.  This is good since I usually do not do a swatch for my socks---I know, that's not a good thing and I suffer the consequences at times.  The socks are very comfortable!!!

I started my socks using the circular needles and Judy's Magic Cast On (which is wonderful, by the way).  My fingers were beginning to cramp, so I switched over to my double points which have a little more support as they are longer.  This helped tremendously.   I went back to the circulars when doing the heel as it was easier to hold all the stitches on one needle as opposed to two.  After the heel, I switched back to the double points.

Most of the socks were knit using the hand-painted yarns or solid colors.  I'm trying to de-stash my sock yarn, so I decided to try the Fortissima.  Personally, I like solid colors for patterned socks as there is just too much going on with the pattern and the multi colors.  However, some of the socks that were made were beautiful in the stripe colorways.

The July socks will be "On-hold Socks" from Wendy's book with what looks like will be her "Nanner" socks as an alternate or in-addition-to---The second sock has yet to be determined, but it looks like the voting by the KALers is leaning to the Nanners (which was my choice)

Meanwhile, while waiting for the first of July to arrive, I have been finishing up on my Drops Design lace cardigan and Maggie's patchwork jacket.  I finished the knitting on my cardigan last night and will try to get it put together today.

All Done

Finally, the Lacy Ribs are complete.  Here's a picture of them from yesterday.  I'll write more about them this afternoon.  Have to run errands with John.

See you this afternoon.

Capris Are In....

Anyone out there buying new clothes for toddlers will have to admit that there are a lot of little capri sets floating around.  Maggie has several and I just added to her "stash".  The capris and the trim around the top are made of a black and white polka dot cotton and the body of the top is made using a white cotton pique. I inserted some red ricrac for accent.

The trim around the bottom of the little top was a "happy little accident", but I think it turned out cute.  It buttons down the back and there is what I call a "self-made" facing that is made by turning the fabric to the inside about 1" twice.  When it's time to do the hem, I was instructed to turn the facing to the right side and make a stitched line along where the hem would turn up.  Then I was to cut out a section of the right side of the fabric so that it would not be so bulky when turning up the hem.  Well, I turned out the facing as I had pressed it, sewed it up,  cut out the little section, opened it up to press up the little seam and to my surprise---I had cut about 2" into the body of the top.  Luckily, I had enough material left over that I could make the little band around the bottom----worked like a dream---and I think I like it better that way.  Now to see if it fits......;)

I have some more little outfits for Maggie that I have waiting for me to make.    I'm not sure if I will sew them up for her for this summer or make them a size 3 so she can wear them next summer.  Will have to check with Alicia on this.

Meanwhile, now that I have this completed, I'm back to my Lacy Ribs socks.  I'm almost to the ribbing of the second sock and should have them finished up this afternoon.

Flip Flops and Lacy Ribs............

I spent the weekend sewing for Maggie and this is what I came up with:

 

Alicia bought the little shirt at Old Navy and I appliqued the flip flops on the front to match the shorts.

Here is a close up of the flip flops:

 

Aren't they cute!  I also started a little capri set in white pique, black and white polka dot, and red rick rack.  I think that will be a cute combination.  I almost have the top finished---maybe tomorrow.

What time I was not sewing, I was knitting on my Lacy Ribs Socks.  I did manage to finish up one sock tonight.  The yarn is much too busy for the pattern as you can tell---where is the pattern?  Oh well, at least I'm destashing some of my old sock yarn.

 

Actually, here is a close up of the pattern:

 

This is what I found in the middle of my yarn.  I was so mad because I had to stop and cut out the knot and then weave in the ends.

 

Don't you just hate it when that happens!!!!!!!

I'm off to start my second sock---maybe.  I'm very tired for some reason so I may just turn in early tonight.

1,2,3, GOOOOOOOO!

According to the rules, we were suppose to cast on for our choice of either (or both) the Lacy Ribs Socks and/or Sprucey Lucy Socks at 12:00 AM CT this morning for the Ravelry Socks from the Toe Up KAL.  I'm on my way.  This is as far as I have gotten (actually I'm into my second pattern repeat now) on my Lacy Ribs. It is a very simple 4 x 4  (4 rows x 4 stitches) pattern and is working up fairly quickly.  I think it will be a stretchy pattern, so I opted for casting on for the medium size in size US 0 cable needles.  Fun pattern.  The only thing I don't like about it is that the beginning stitch is a purl----a little awkward at first, but it's growing on me.

  

I'm using Fortissima Cotton Color Socka yarn, which has a very nice feel.  I'm not too sure about the pooling issue, but we'll fight that fight later.  For now, I'm loving everything about the sock.  I'm going to try to use up some of my stash sock yarn---I think I have enough for about 90 some pairs of socks.  I can't resist buying new  and beautiful yarn when I see it ;)

Just in case you are not familiar with the KAL, we are to knit one of the patterns from Wendy's new book each month plus we can choose to knit one of her free patterns in addition to or in place of the book pattern.  All of Wendy's patterns are toe-up, and this will be a learning experience for me.  I have in the past had trouble getting started toe-up.  However, now that I have been introduced to Judy's Magic Cast ON-- I'm in love!!!!

So, on with the KAL---------First I have to go outside and water the trees, rhododendron, and azaleas that we planted over the weekend.