Show-Off Strandeds SOS #4

I went to do some knitting the other day, and this is what I found. One of the big-footed chitlins walked on my knitting bag. I straightened it out as good as I could. Most of my sock needles are bent either from them walking on them, sitting on them (or me, too), or just from me using them. Good thing I don't have dpn bamboo -- they'd never last.

I pulled some carrots from my garden just to see if they're growing. They're getting there! I like them a little smaller rather than too big. They taste better that way. (And these were really good.) The green and yellow beans are growing, small yet, but getting there, and the cucumbers and zucchini are all in flower.

I also finished the first pair of socks for my best friend for her birthday next month. They are Show-Off Stranded Socks. I used Cherry Tree Hill in monet. I did an eye of partridge heel instead of one of the heels in the pattern. I also did the toe as I usually do, down to 20sts and graft. The fit ladies size eight. Started July 22, finished the 29th.

I also finished the back of the baby dress.


That's about it for now. I hope to cast on the other pair of socks I want to make for BF within the next day or two. I'll probably go to the camper this weekend, so I'll take those, maybe this dress, and probably the yarn to start some afghan squares.

Happy knitting!

Pillars of Atlantis

I finally finished the first pair of socks cast on for Summer of Socks 2008. Pillars of Atlantis, started June 21, finished July 22. I used a hand-dyed yarn bought on eBay probably two years or close to it ago. I followed the pattern to a T except for maybe the toe. I think she worked it down to fewer stitces, but I like going to 20sts then graft it.




Up next is Show-Off Stranded Socks in Cherry Tree Hill in monet for my best friend for her birthday next month. I took a progress picture, but the camera batteries are dying, so it was blurry. The pattern isn't quite showing as well as I had hoped, but I'm carrying on anyways. I doubt she'll care.

We've had one fish casualty so far -- can't remember what it's called other than its name was Fred. The lady at the pet store warned me that since the tank is new and hasn't "cycled" yet there may be casualties. When I was a kid the only fish I could ever keep alive was black moors. They looked like my pug, Blackie. I had four, Blackie (named after the dog), Radar (my brother's nickname), Bonnie, and Clyde (yes, named after those ones, but don't ask me why). I had them for a loonnnggg time, then one died. I was down to three, and the pump broke. Back then the closest place to get anything like that was 1/2 hour away. Ma doesn't drive, and Pa was working, so two days later before we could get a new pump they all died. :(

New sock yarn has arrived at the store. The Bernat Sox is going very well, only one skein of each color left. We also got three new Austermans, two are nice and bright, and two of the Fortissimas came in. The bluish one is backordered but said on the invoice "to follow".

Knit Nite tonight. First time in awhile that I've been there.

Happy knitting!

Non-Knitting Interlude

We interrupt this knitting blog to throw in some pictures from one of the weekend activities. Saturday morning I went to a funeral, and in the afternoon we went to hub's cousin's wedding.

The flower girl is the daughter of another of hub's cousins. She's a cutie! She giggled the whole time she was throwing the flower petals.

Hubs cousin and new bride. The ring bearer is the groom's son from a previous relationship.

Now presenting Mr. and Mrs. N. (I call him Dale Jr, cuz that's who he looks like, especially when he is wearing a hat, which is 99% of the time.)

*Hub's 1973 Cadillac Fleetwood, when cars were cars and not tin cans. I'll tell you there's plenty of leg room in this baby! It was his father's car, and when he died it was passed on to hubs. It wasn't driven last summer. Had to get a new battery for it, and I think there may be a leak in one of the gas lines, not where it actually loses any gas, but up above the tank (that's where Dad said to check) as you can smell it. Of course, it has old gas in it, so that will be stinkier til it gets burned out.

Hub's sister and her boyfriend. Very rare public appearance, and I had to sneak this picture. I'd say 90% of the pictures I have of her I had to sneak them. She did give me the finger after she saw the flash.

My gorgeous SIL. She's with hub's baby brother.

Hubs and his little brother. Hubs will be 36 this Sunday, his sister will be 35 on August 7, then there was a big gap. Brother will be 27 on September 6. (I think that's the right date.)

This guy goes with one of hub's cousins. He is a riot! The song was Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy, and I gave him hub's cowboy hat to wear. Lets just say that there were some comical actions that ensued.

So that was it for the weekend adventures. Another of hub's cousins got married the same day, but we didn't get invited to that one. He was kinda ticked off about it, but that was enough for me in one day. And we didn't have to pick a reception to go to.

I should have my Pillars of Atlantis socks finished tomorrow. I am at the heel now, and there is a storm coming towards us. It finally rained last night through the night, really hard at times by the sounds of it. The worst of the storm is to happen tomorrow night. I haven't had a day in a long time where I can just sit and knit, and it's nice for a change. And it also looks like I may get to Knit Nite this week!

Happy knitting!

*Hub's father always said if anything happened to him, "Don't let T have my car cuz S will make him sell it!" So his mother was iffy about giving him the car when his father died. Of course, I'd never make him sell it. That all stems from a red and white 1970 Camaro that hubs had and sold on his own accord, but I always get the blame for it. I state here and now that I did not make him sell his car. And to quote Mrs. Slocombe, "I am unanimous in that!"

July Socks, SOS #2

We went camping on Thursday but came home late last night. I had a funeral to go to this morning and a wedding at 2pm. Now I'm just lazing around in the heat, waiting for the wedding dance to start. I finally finished Ma's Stretch Socks. Started July 9, finished July 19, Patons Stretch Sock in sugar, 60sts, 2.25mm needles, heel over 30sts, toe to 20sts. Ladies size six.


This picture is the most accurate for color -- the others have a yellowish tinge, but I'm too hot and lazy right now to edit them.
Got two skeins of the new Bernat Sox the other day. Hot tamale on the right, crazy hot on the left.

This is going to be SOS #4. It's Cherry Tree Hill in monet, and I'm going to make Show-Off Stranded Socks for my best friend, the one who was just home for vacation. The goal is to finish them by August 12 cuz her birthday is the 22nd, and it has to get sent to Alberta.

This is also going to be a pair for her, I hope. I want to make Quill Lace. It's On Your Toes Bamboo in ivory.

Lastly I'll leave you with a picture of the Oldest One's fishtank and his four fish. Can you find them?

I also ended up leaving the pet store with a betta set and fish, of course.

Happy knitting!

Big, Bigger, Biggest

Got camping on the weekend for the first time in over two weeks. My poor flowers I planted actually bloomed, but they didn't look so hot. There was no rain and no one to water them. They got some TLC, and it rained today, so hopefully they'll perk up. Some of what I planted seemed to die, so I'll take some more when I go back later this week.


The Littlest One got a new bike from Grampy (my dad). He's out riding it now, of course.


Working on a ruffle hat at the campground.


The three ruffled hats that were supposed to be, from left to right, 12 months, 24 months, and 6 months. My gauge was one stitch less per 4 inches than what the label says, I followed the pattern to the letter (except for seed stitch ruffle instead of garter stitch), and they are waaaayyyy big. It's a cute pattern, though, fast and fun to knit. It's Bernat Jr. Jacquard in Big Deal Teal. I got all three out of one skein. I used the same needles, same yarn, same stitches, everything, and they are huge. The size “24 months” fits me! I’d say the 12 month is more like 6-8 years old, and the 6 months old is more like the 24 month old. Anyone knitting this pattern be very, very careful. I kinda wondered as I knit it, cuz there are a lot of stitches. I didn’t get them seamed til late on the 13th. The tension is 23sts per 4”, and upon measuring I found that my tension worked out to be 22 sts per 4”. (I’ve always been a pretty bang-on knitter, not loose, not tight.)

The smallest ruffle hat, supposed to be six months, but it would fit a two-year-old probably.

One of the ruffle hats.


Top view of ruffle hat.

Happy knitting!

Back to the Usual

It's a sad day today for me. My BF left this morning for the airport to go back to Alberta. Her brother and his family are leaving later today. So it's back to the same old, same old. We'll be heading to the camper tomorrow afternoon. That'll be interesting -- no campfires. As of yesterday noontime there is a ban on open fires within 305m of wooded areas across all of Nova Scotia. We haven't had rain in ages, and there's none in the forecast for any time soon. The news said that unless we get "significant rainfall" the ban could last til mid-September. No roasted hot dogs and marshmallows this weekend. :( Right now it's cloudy, and we're getting a few showers. Actually, it's raining kinda hard. That's a good thing. Oh, it stopped. Gotta love Nova Scotia!

Ma's vanilla sock made with Patons Stretch Sock in sugar. Standard 2.25mm needles, 60sts.

The baby dress I'm making. Hope to have enough for the bonnet as well. Booties would be nice, too, but if there isn't enough I won't be heartbroken or anything.

My progress so far on the baby dress. Definitely not a quick knit! Six repeats done so far. And this is just the front!

Pillars of Atlantis, sock one.

Fortissima Socka has gone down in price. Now instead of $17.95 it's $14.95. I have ordered three new colors as well as three new colors of Austerman. (All with the Knit Niters in mind -- they'll just love me! I know their soft spots and colorways.) The company we used to get the Austerman from no longer carries it. One of the other companies, one we don't get a whole bunch from, carries it now, and they don't do variety bags. Our order with the new Bernat Sox should be here any time now, too.

Happy knitting!

Fun in the Sun

No knitting content this post. I have three repeats done on the lace pattern of the baby dress I'm working on. That isn't a lot since it's only a six-row repeat. I turned the heel of the first Pillars of Atlantis sock last night and picked up the gusset stitches. That's as far as I got. Camera batteries are on charge, so pictures to follow next post.

We went to my BIL's yesterday. They have a pool, so there was lots of swimming involved, and a nice big bbq and salads. We took Jewel. Two of BIL's dogs were in their kennels (the boxer is nasty to other dogs, and better to be safe than sorry with the Pit, especially since Jewel is extremely hyper). The little roley-poley Valley Bulldog is fine. Anyways, my nut was tied to a tree, and when we went out front to have the bbq she decided to chew through the leash that her leash was attached to so she could join us. Nothing is safe around that thing unless it's chain.

Sea creature! No, wait -- it's the Littlest One.


My cutie patootie nephew in his new turtle boat.

Nephew and the Oldest One.

Nephew's Momma giving him a bath on the doorstep in a drawer! LOL! My other SIL insisted this made us look like a bunch of hillbillies! He had a great time splashing and trying to eat the rubber duckies.

This weekend was the town's annual Privateer Days celebration. Last night was the final day and closed with fireworks.

So that's it for now. On my way to town then BF's parent's place for more swimming. We've decided that next year or the end of this year when pools are on sale that we're getting a nice big one. Then the next year build a nice big deck around it. My dream was to have a deck that goes the whole length of the back of the house. Then there would be a pool at one end, decked in, too. We have patio doors in the basement that we bought five or six years ago to have installed in our bedroom at some point that would lead right onto the deck. It's nice to have dreams...

Happy knitting!