Tuesday Business: Winner Before Turkey Dinner!

The random number generator gave us #11, which makes Craftyone our November sock yarn winner. I'll pm you on ravelry for a mailing address and get this to you as soon as I can. Congratulations!

I loved reading the comments on what you guys are up to in the knitting world and what you'd stick in your virtual shopping basket. One can never have enough needles or yarn, but it seems a smooth functioning swift brings us all joy. I found it interesting too, how Evelyn from Project Stash and Kepanie from Knitspiring Odyssey, liked books, ever feeding their creative inspiration.

I have been slowly knitting in between the work and the domestic (also known as obligatory non knitting time). I'm taking an extra day off before Thanksgivingto hang out with The Kid this week (they get an extra day off from school). Hopefully I'll have some knitting and fun times updates soon.

Wishing you all the best.

 

Knitting Care Package

Ooooo. Look what arrived for me in the mail!

It's a knitting care package from someone who knows I care about knitting ...

ME!

ha! got ya didn't I? I have things delivered to The Manfriend since I am not allowed package / mail delivery at work. He saw the KnitPicks tape on the box and just sort of sighed when he handed it to me.

So what did I get? Well a lot of sale items. I want to say they are all practical necessary purchases, but it's a bit indulgent as well.  The rectangular card board box in the back is a Christmas present for me to put under the tree. (He doesn't know it yet, but I'm thankful for "his" kindness). And since it's not Christmas, I'm not taking it out of the box just yet, but it's something novel and yet practical at least for me. I'll post a follow-up picture at the end of the year.

I got one "fait avec amour" tag for a project for someone I have some amour for, wink wink, nudge, nudge.

There are some rainbow cable needles, because like stitch markers, they often go missing. I have been known to use a lot of things as cable needles, and I've knit a few things without. Still, I prefer to have a set in my knit tool kit.

One skein of Hawthorne fingering, because it was too hard to not buy yarn while on their website.

And a set of double point needles in some small sizes that seem to constantly disappear.

What you can't see in the front of the box is dpn tubes. I'm really disorganized in the remaining unsnapped dpns I have, and need a way of easily storing the correct sizes together, especially when they are unmarked. Though I'm going to have to trust my needle gauges to suss out the difference between US 1.5 and US2 for a few older knitpicks and other dpns that have their sizes scratched off ...

Then I can really justify having 5 pairs of socks in progress, right?

So tell me, what would you put in your knitting care package to yourself? What's irresistible for you? What is something you actually need?

November Giveaway: Yes, it's another ball of sock yarn!

Lang Jawoll Magic Degrade:

Tell me, is this relationship getting a little old and tired for you?

Are you tired of me offering up sock yarn, assuming you are a sock knitter and want my tokens of knitterly affection?

Is this stale?

Well if it isn't and you don't mind this creature of habit, leave me a ravelry handle and if you're in the mood, tell me what your favorite thing is you are knitting now and if you could cast on something new, what it would be. You have a week!

Me? I want to make some Christmassy socks, but I am making tracks on yet another kid cardigan. I'm always 2 projects behind!

Weekend Recap: Feeding Frenzy

Friday: Dinner out and about celebrating another year together or as the joke in our house goes... For-EH-vahhhhh and Eh-vaaahh.

Trio of creme brulee L to R: Pumpkin, Classic Vanilla, Butterscotch

Saturday Soccer Mom Snickerdoodle Morning. Alas it was another loss, but another wonderful season with a great team of kids and families. It's been really wonderful watching these kids grow as they play season after season together.

a little heavy handed with the cinnamon, I was in a hurry ...

Saturday Evening Eats. The nephew came over to spend the night while his parents went out to celebrate my sis's birthday. So I roasted a chicken, The Manfriend made gravy and we watched "The Ewok Movie". Also known as Return of the Ewok ;)

I admit to preferring a 4 side sear in a cast-iron skillet before roasting

Sunday night comfort food. Thai rice porridge (jok). Toppings: chili bamboo shoots, savory thai omelet, cilantro, fried garlic, sauteed cabbbage and spinach, pork belly bits.

When food feels like hugs

There should be some ebelskeivers with jam and chocolate chips in here too, and a slider and tattertot lunch etc., It was a lot of cooking and dishes -- made it easier to motivate for exercise. Everyone seemed happy with their eats and that makes it well worth it.

* I know a few of you silent passer-throughers will see the duplication from Instagram, sorry it's not 100% fresh today ;)

The Friday What: Happy Birthday Little Sister

Notice the love of the cardigan started early for me. At 8, I was already dedicated to the flexibility of a good cardi.

I'm still just as happy to be around my sister. She's still the quiet one.

Happy Birthday, Lukie - love, Sister

Luke in Thai is baby so we "Americanized" it as her nickname when she was little. But by grade school we were not allowed to call her this "in public." I think some of the kids overheard and called her, "loogie" like the spit thing. She didn't call me by my first name until she was like 19 so I am forever, Sister.

I love you all the sand in the world and stars in the sky.

Back and Forth Knitting: Sock Progress

Finding time to knit has continued to be challenging. So there is not as much progress as I'd like to show you.

I continue my back and forth knitting with socks.

I ripped out the dk socks on US1s and swapped them for US2s. I kept a 56 Cast on. It's not perfect, it's not gauge, but it'll do, and it knits up much faster. In this picture I've knit approximately 50 rows including the ribbing and I might just turn the heel here.

Thehe first Little Pumpkin sock is done. I cut the foot length a little shorter to fit me but I worry it may be too short, but perhaps with a little blocking things will work out ... otherwise HM gets another pair of socks :) (yes I cut the yarn and have ripped back on this stupid sock at least 3x!)

I love the instructions at the end of this pattern.

I will need to cast on for the second sock by this weekend, or I worry it will be some bizarre standalone October decoration.

I have been seriously struggling with sock knitting this fall. I thought for sure they would bring me great joy this season, alas, I just feel kinda pouty about it.

Don't worry, I'm sure it will all work out eventually. Besides there are many other things to knit up until the sock mojo returns properly :)

What are you knitting?

WIP Wednesday: Hand Jive

I'll start this off with a pair of finished hand/wrist warmers from last week.

These are the pair I knit up in a Medium, and Ms. J at work really liked them so they are now hers. She's modeling them for me, pleased. :)

Well, I thought I'd have a go at a size small for me. (It's nice to know there is some / one area of me that remains generally small, hehe)

I started with one pink. But then got distracted with some blue I had in a knitting box. So the result is now 2 pairs in progress. I'm okay with it.

The socks are slow going. Maybe some progress for next week Wednesday. I was just wrapping up the toe on Pumpkin sock #1 last night, according to the pattern and realized I'd been doing it wrong. Where I would normally do a knit 1 ssk, knit to end of needle, their style is knit one, slip one, knit one pass slip stitch over. However I read it wrong and was knit one slip one pass slip stitch so now the edges look, loopier? I don't know, but it means frogging back the toe and hoping the knitting gods keep me from dropping stitches. I'm running out of patience with this sock, it's a good thing I am so far along with sock #1 or I'd abandon this thing, for sure.

I have big plans for some other knits -- must return to a hibernating cardigan soon. ALWAYS distracted. Which reminds me, I want to thank everyone for their vacation yarn buying validation. I knew there was a reason we were friends ;) I'm not in a rush to get to that yarn (maybe a shawl, maybe a long roping textured cowl), but it is so pretty and soft. I admit I have not put it away and have been petting it in the living room the past few evenings.

Oh! the store also had this sample for a  Gatsby necklace in teal. My non knitting friend, Lady A really liked it and ... D I S T R A C T E D me.

Have any of you made this before? I know many of you are knitting with beads friendly, and as in awe as I am of you, it scares the jimminy crickets out of my hotpants. But the knit force is strong in this project, I may have to give it a go ...

In the meantime, it's all about the hands.

Broken promises: New yarn

I hope you all had a Happy Halloween and a good weekend.

I did, I spent it with friends up the coast.  It was just lovely. The boys stayed home and hung out with their pals and had a good time of their own. A win was even a win at the soccer match on Saturday (Yay!)

I managed to knit a bit here and there. These are all friends that are used to me carrying about bags of yarn and knitting everywhere with them. A few even knit a bit, quite well. They are just not insane about it like me. heh.

We went into town on the last day and we split up walking and I started getting a flurry of texts:

"yarn shop!!"

When I made my way over, they were all pointing and waving me in. It was a pleasant find.

There was a 20% off sale, so despite my commitment to not buy anymore yarn this year ...

I bought 3 skeins of Madelinetosh Merino in Earl Grey.

Trick or treat ;)