sock wips and a confession

Happy Sunday! Though it's only about 36 degrees F, it is incredibly sunny! I tried knitting outdoors but the wind was just a little too spring-filled yet. So I'm typing this while sitting on the floor, my feet in a bright sun beam. It's an okay compromise :)

Today I invested in a retirement plan. It feels good even though I really don't like to think about money. So I am looking forward to the day I can retire, though it seems so far away, but I am more than enjoying my days right now. Anyway, enough about that.

I've been knitting nothing but socks lately!

This is the pair for my dad. They are meant for his birthday (in May) but my brother wants us all to go in on a big present for him. That means, I have until June (!!!) to finish these instead for Father's Day :) I am overjoyed by that news!

I knit more on my swap socks. I think I will start the heel soon. This really is one of my favorite sock knitting methods!!

And I cast on a new pair. The super sweet Vanessa of Lynai Yarns sent me a special anniversary skein. This colorway is based off of a photo I submitted for her one year anniversary colorway contest, and is called Star Trails. As soon as I had a pair of socks off the needles, these went on.

That pattern is Honey Badger by Irishgirlieknits, and I will use a Fish Lips Kiss heel. This pattern is obscured a bit by the colors, but I think once it's on the foot and stretched a little it will show better. It is a great pattern and I am obsessed with knitting on these!!


I mentioned a finished pair:

Yay! The yarn is Knit Picks Felici in High Tide. This is my ninth pair this year... however, they are too big for me! I had a feeling they might be, but kept knitting anyway. Instead of frogging the toes and part of the foot, I am going to gift them to my sister-in-law. She's not going to read this but someone else who knows her might ... (Abbey, shhhhh!!!)


I've been happily and feverishly knitting on socks because in just a little bit a box of yarn is going to arrive, and then I will have to change gears and knit baby things. On this blog, I try very hard to be neutral on topics that I know are controversial, or I don't even voice my opinion. That said, I know I am going to receive backlash by the following statement, but I don't care. Here it is:

I don't like knitting baby things!!!!!!!

hehe. I think baby things are cute; teeny tiny cardis and lacy little dresses make me squee. And I know knitters who primarily knit baby things and that is wonderful. But it's so difficult for me to justify time it takes to knit the item versus time worn. The practical woman in me almost always wins. With that, I have about four expecting women in my life, and I can't not knit them something. The usual bypass to my baby knitting problem is to make blankets. Those I am on board with. However, there is no way I can knit four baby blankets in the following months. I have a few other ideas instead. As soon as the yarn arrives I will start and then share my projects :)


I hope everyone has a fabulous week ahead xx

Sock roundup

I finished two pairs of socks this weekend. If only all weekends were like this, right?

These are the worsted weight socks:

I substituted Judy's Magic Cast On instead of the Star Toe, mainly because I think JMCO is perfect. This is the first pattern I've used from this book, and I have to say I wasn't very impressed with it. I did not like the short row heel pattern, it gave me holes. I'll try another pattern from this book and see if I change my mind. I LOVE the photography and variety in socks pictured, so I don't want to completely give up :)

...and these are I am Happy, I am Elate socks! They really do make me very happy!

Though, the time spent wearing them to take the photos was painfully hot!

Today I made some progress on these socks:

I think I'll call them, Mrs. Grinch socks

That's Red Heart's Heart and Sole yarn! I found it on clearance at JoAnns and really wanted to try it. I am very pleased with the colors and the yarn quality. For $3 a skein, you really can't complain :) Though, my stripes are about half an inch off...which sort of bothers me. But I had no idea what the pattern repeats would be like, and I think I would have had a mess had I tried to make them match! How do you make stripes match? Is there a secret? (I just got lucky with the Felici ones!)

Berny has been too cute the past week:

staring at her lover (a ball chain attached to a string)

If we don't put her lover to bed at night (i.e. on top of the coat rack) she will drag it around while we're sleeping. Sometimes she even drags it up on the bed! She is so silly.

And this expression cracks me up:

"Don't mess with me mama, I'm hot!"

I feel like this sometimes at work when a client has a ridiculous question or need, just dead pan.

In other news, I think I'm going to hop in on Stephen West's summer mystery shawl KAL! So many gals on Instagram are making me envious of their lovely shawl pictures...I think I just have to! I purchased the pattern, I just need to find the right yarn.

Check out Andi's fabulous striped socks! I love the colors and the narrow stripes! Also, her heel looks perfect... no weird one-row-of-one-color stripes along the instep that I always get...I think she's magical.

Also, Susan B. Anderson is having a giveaway for a beautiful hank of Dyeabolical Super Ego Yarn! It looks like it's still open, but I'm not sure for how long.

One last thing, an Instagram friend sent me some wonderful yarn, just because she is so nice and generous.

How beautiful are these?!

Her name is Lorri and we met through Instagram. She lives in the UK and the fiber for this yarn was collected over the course of several years, from specific sheep! Pretty neat. I think the colors are just beautiful too. Very subtle and simple, but lush. Thank you again, Lorri! I'll be sure to keep you all posted with what this yarn turns into.

I am reluctant to let go of this weekend, but I have to :) Hope everyone's week is awesome!
Jesse

ssksk12in12: 7 finished!

Two pairs are finished! These are the Brown Socks and the Scrappy Socks, and I realize they have very creative names :)

And, more for my own record than anything, the information:

Brown Socks
Yarn: Regia Silk (from Christmas)
Needles: 2.0 mm
Stitches: 64, I think
Toe up

Scrappy Socks
Yarn: Regia Silk, Berroco Sox, Alpaca Sox, and a little Cascade in Sweet Stripes
Needles: 2.25 mm
Stitches: 60 sts
Toe up 

And here's the pair on the needles now:

It's Knit Picks Felici in Rainbow. So happy!! I'm calling them the I am Happy I am Elate Socks because they make me so happy, and the crazy, laughing yoga guy makes me so happy too.

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I'm in the middle of washing/drying my fabric for the quilt!