Knitted Soccer Cleats

Cleats are known as boots by my British friends. (They also seem to call dinner, supper ... don't get me started on "tea"...)

Anyhow, my love for knitting and the soccer have united.

I give you knitted boots. Holy hot pants! Can I wear them to work? Look! The front studs look like jelly beans!

Photo from DailyMail.co.uk which they got from Addidas.

*Yes, I'm still reading the Daily Mail. I try to balance it out with regular doses of The Guardian and BBC News.

We Have a Winner!! February Giveaway

The random number generator has selected Katherine! I hope you enjoy this new addition to your stash & supplies.

Thank you to everyone for coming by for a visit and entering. There will be more fun times and giveaways.

Meanwhile, wishing you happy days and happy knitting.

Friday Round-up

Jury Duty has come to an end. It was harder than I thought, but I did learn something about criminal justice. Though without going into it, the case was challenging, my fellow jurors reminded me of knitters and reminded me about the good in our community and society. In fact contact info was exchanged and look I had this tasty lunch with Juror #10!

Juror #4 had excellent socks. Every day he had on a different snazzy pair. I was too shy to ask for a photo op, but he had stripes, argyle, Star Trek! themed ones. Everyday he would give me a sock fashion show hehe. He knew I was a knitter and I may knit him a pair of socks ... this year (it helps to stretch out your target date, takes the pressure off.) I warned him I was going to ask for measurements, but that it was all completely appropriate!

On another note, I celebrated what you've probably heard me call, "The Official Mother's Day" yesterday. The Kid turned 11. My husband told him "As of today, your socks will become stinkier." I did not argue, but then again, some of the funniest jokes have more than a sliver of truth, non?

We celebrated with my in-laws up in their neck of the woods last Sunday. My MIL is still recovering from some foot surgery so we went to her, but it's so pretty up there, it's not a difficult trip to make. It's about an hour and a half north west. My MIL, she's tough stuff. I try not to complain around her too much about anything.

Last night we went to dinner at Kid favorite Benihana  with some family friends after swimming lessons. Naturally, I overate. Then we came home and he opened presents from family. He's a lucky fortunate boy. We'll have to do thank you cards ... in cursive. OOoooo. (Why is cursive now considered so evil? Somebody explain this to me? Nancy, Kepanie any teacher insight? I just thought because it's hard to allocate resources/time to something that competes with "more important" stuff like, reading, science, math, etc.)

This weekend is the big birthday party extravaganza. Honestly everyone else is more excited about this than me. It gives me anxiety, but I will be happy if everyone has a good time.

What about my knitting? I'm sure my daily domestic isn't necessarily that interesting, but it's what I do.

1) Knitting and learning with Mr. Dress-Up. I just turned the heel. This is my happy knit right now. I hope I'm doing it right!

2) The Great Divide is at a stand-still. I'm going to pull-out that yellow. It offends me every time I TRY to like it. Yes, it could be because it looks like Barcelona's football colors, it could be, because circus music starts running through my mind when I look at it. I do like yellow, Kathy, sorry, but not with this.

3) Common Ground, still needs to the double-knot join.

4) Trying really hard not to cast on anything new until I can make a little progress with one of these other projects.

Look who is coming to town next week?!?

I'm totally going, and I promise not to fan-girl out too much and bring shame to the family  ... but if I can get a picture taken with her and my sock in progress ...

Questionable taste

This yellow garter stitch is the 2" edging to my Great Divide. I really wanted a bright contrast but question my combination choice.

What do you think? Your comments have been great and informative. I'm frequently  incorporating your wisdom.

For example, definitely making my Men's sock leg longer, now!

Jury Duty continues. This leaves my week very unorganized. Hoping for some finished knit (this one) and a clean living room. 

*just realized the shawl is in Barcelona's football colors. (I have ceased knitting it while they play Manchester City out of respect for my girl CKay) Go Citizens!

February Giveaway!

Well, in keeping with the Valentine and Dia del Amor y la Amistad spirit, I have some vintage red silk yarn for this month's giveaway.

This yarn was given to me by someone who knew I loved to knit and found it in their way back closet. I love the vibrant color, but I still have not come up with something besides a chunky scarf or cowl that I could knit with it, and I have soo much.

Each little hank is 55 yards. There are 10 hanks. Admittedly it's a little dusty, because I never stored it outside of the box in plastic. It might need a little shake or soak if you're more particular, but it's in good condition.

So, if you're interested in this old stuff, Please leave a comment by end of day Feb. 24th and some way of contacting you and I'll find this yarn a new home.

I'm sorry, but it won't be coming in the box.

If there are no takers it will go to the local goodwill.

Happy knitting!

Woe is me it's WIP Wednesday

There are so many times in life we anticipate completion to only discover error close to the finish line.

That would be the first body piece of my Common Ground cardigan. All I needed to do was bind off. With less than 20 stitches to go, I had to face the sad sad truth that the giant cake of Ecological Wool was gone, and would not be enough yarn for an intact bind-off.

So I backed it out to the beginning and was going to join just before the bind off. I can't bring myself to back out another row. I mean it's not an exorbitant amount of stitches, but still ... I'm a lazy beast. I'm really sad that this section is not done. Also, I'm worried if the join will be secure enough at this point. So I will put the Jane Richmond double knot method of joining yarn to the test.

I'm at about 6.5 inches into the leg part of my Mr. Dress-up Sock. I measured my husband's favorite sock leg and it's about 7.5. This feels ... long to me, but what do I know? I am knitting the Men's version. Do you think I should start the heel or what?

I have not touched my Great Divide in a long time, but my goal is to finish it by end of day Monday.

In the midst of these on going Works in Progress, I want to cast on something new. But what will it be? TBD my friends.

How are your works in progress coming? Do you still have the zeal, or are they feeling stale, and you're casting on the new?

Soup & Socks

The court had some non jury related business to deal with and set us free early.

I treated myself to creamy things at the local Nordstrom Cafe. Above is a lovely crab bisque.

Appetizer shrimp crostini. Couldn't finish it. I did finish my Arnold Palmer. Those are my coca cola substitutes. You feel me Kathy?

I love to make shrimp at home with compound herb butter. ( I love compound butter.) alas it's not exactly cholesterol friendly. The boys like that and scampi style but are not friends of heavy cream.

But look here. 

I had my fall socks finished but not woven in. So I did that during a recess. I really don't understand if there is a special way of weaving in socks. Do you have a special technique to recommend?

Sunday Scraps

New friends I met on my trip last week to Healdsburg.

It's been a while since I've posted ive just been busy with the flotsom and jetsam.

Thankfully my glasses returned to me after almost a month of misplacement.

I was hoping the world would be shiny and new, but it just reconfirms I need to make an appointment with the eye doctor.

I am landed with jury duty I was initially disappointed, however now I am  past my work guilt and am focusing on having a positive perspective. I'm going to learn and provide a great civic service. I'm one of the lucky ones and my job pays me for Jury Duty. I've already met some really nice people that live in my city/county and eaten some tasty lunches on my own, in leisure. I knit outside the courtroom when I'm waiting :)

Today my sister and I left our sons and husbands warm and toasty, tucked in bed while we ran the Chinatown 5k for Lunar New Year, year of the horse in the wettest rain in 6 months. 

The boys were signed up to go, but we didn't have the heart...

We still had a great soggy time!

I'll be posting more this week on knitting, eating, reading. Not necessarily in that order, I'll take topic requests, ha! I'll also have some vintage yarn for February's Giveaway, see if I have any takers.

Wishing you all my Sunday best:)

Mr. Dress-up

So apparently Mr. Dress-up is an allusion to a Children's Canadian television show. It seems educational and kinda fancy (this is no Dora, more Mr. Rogers) in a classic way, much like Wandering Cat's pattern.

Relatively new to sock knitting, I read through the pattern prior to taking the KAL leap and thought, yeah sure I can do this, and I love the texture that really lets the yarn shine. (or is it the other way around?)

Well, now they've done it. I'm gonna have to buy some Alley cat right?

Bayleaf! (what a great colorway and name!

Well, as I peruse, I gotta buy another lovely skein since they are shipping all the way from Canada right?

I don't know what it is about pink right now, but I'll blame Andi and unicorns and other things that make me happy. ha!

So look what showed up 2 weeks ago?

(Along with "37" sarcasm packages according to The Manfriend who asked if I had any money left. hehe ... maybe. But {sputter} but, they are also birthday presents and well, stuff for the household, sheesh!). 

Don't worry, he was just kidding around. He's happy not to be sent out between work and kid pick up for house stuff and to have the yarn come to me. hehe. yay yarn.

how cute is this packaging! Thank you ... oh no, no, Thank YOU for the yarn!

But then...

• The Wrath of Asia and the Colonel (aka Mom and Stepfather) came to town and there were some family fun times happening
• I was already knitting up a bunch of stuff 
• I went out of town, brief, busy and fun
• Had to catch up on some school volunteer work
• And what? 2.5 dpns? Do I have those? I dunno. lemme look. drat this sock knitting is needle intensive!

Me voila! toodlee doo whoo hoo!

So my friends, here is the beginning of my 3rd pair of socks and a new knitting adventure. I'll try not to bore you to tears with my slow asphalt sock knitting but I'll keep you apprised of the situation ;) Do you like to try different sock patterns are do you stick to the same? Have you done a sock knit along before? Tell me, tell me!