Rippin' n' Rollin'

Well, this is the Jaywalker... At least I found out how much my gauge changes when I use Magic Loop now instead of when it was done! I've decided that I do need a break from them, so I've put them aside and will pick them up after my sockpals socks are finished.

I've also (re)started my sockpal socks (after L removed them from the dpns). I LOVE the yarn! The color is gorgeous and it's so soft and squishy. The pattern is fun as well. Waving Lace from Favorite Socks. I did a few rows on dpns, then switched to Magic Loop. Maybe it's the fact it's lace (Jaywalkers don't have much give anyway) I'm already planning my little care package to go with the socks. I'm going to include a few stitchmarkers that I made, maybe some chocolates from a local chocolate store... Just a few little things to go with the socks. I'm going to have to do this again next year! It's so much fun planning a surprise for someone!

Jenn

Little Problem (little sock)

Well, I'm decreasing at the gusset and decided to try the sock on last night just to get an idea of fit... it won't go on my foot. Now, I'm not horribly worried. I have HUGE feet. Size 11 women's, but I have doubts that they'll fit my mom either. I think these may end up going to my SIL (tiny woman) for Christmas -- which is fine since she was getting a pair of socks anyway. Luckily, they're coming into town for the holiday this weekend, so I'll be able to have her try it on and see if it will work for her. If not, I'll spend my holiday frogging. I finally got the needles for my sock pal socks (started on dpns, but L pulled them out when my back was turned.) I've been waiting for size 2 circs (47") to come in at the LYS. I got Addi Lace needles in 2 and 3, both 47". Now, if the Jaywalker has to be ripped, then they'll just wait while I work on sock pal socks. I'm actually quite anxious to get back to them. Maybe I'll just go ahead and start them again after the kids are in bed tonight...

Jenn

Great to Be Home

We had a fabulous time in New Orleans, but it's good to be home! The flights were fine, weather was perfect and we walked until our feet hurt. Doug's co-workers are a lot of fun (much more than us.. we were in before midnight each night.) Judy, who's in charge of arranging everything for the meeting did an amazing job (as usual). The last meeting was on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. It was fun as well, but I was pregnant with Lainey.

One of the highlights (can't say the best, but only because I don't want to hurt Doug's feelings! ) was meeting up with Christina to knit at Cafe du Monde. She emailed me about some yarn that I had for sale on Destash. When she sent me her address I realized that SHE LIVES IN NEW ORLEANS! I emailed her and asked if she'd be interested in meeting up and I could hand deliver the yarn. Luckily, she didn't think I was (too) weird... We met up and had cafe au lait and beignets while we both worked on our STR socks. I'm so jealous... she's in the Rockin' Sock Club. I just didn't get into socks in time to sign up before it was closed for the year. Her socks are beautiful and I love the yarn and pattern... Maybe next year! After we knit for a while we walked over to Quarterstitch, the LYS in the French Quarter. It's a tiny store, but they have some beautiful yarn. I ended up with some Koigu (above) to make socks for me (browns/pinks & solid pink) and Doug (blues/solid blue). The top skein is some Mama E's C*Eye*Ber Fiber Sock yarn in Indian Corn colorway. (It didn't come from New Orleans, but I hadn't shown it yet.) Christina got a skein of recycled sari yarn. It's beautiful stuff! As we were leaving the store we saw Jerry Springer. We stood outside the store debating.. him, not him. We were pretty sure it was him, but our suspicions were confirmed when some guys working next door started yelling "Jerry". He waved just a bit and another woman snapped a picture as she walked by. Unfortunately, neither of us had cameras with us. You should definitely check out Christina's blog! She was planning to go Saturday night to get a tattoo and there are pictures on her blog. It's amazing! I didn't get as much knitting done as I thought I would, but I did make it to the gusset on the first Jaywalker.

We found cute t-shirts for the kids. Hayden's is a pirate shirt (cartoonish skull and two pirate ships - pillage. plunder. pillage. plunder). Lainey's is a cartoon crayfish and says "Who's your crawdaddy?" And, of course, we brought home pralines (for us and the grandparents).

We also stopped for a couple of hours in KC after we got back to visit Greg and Sara. They're due in July and she's just so darn cute! We don't get to see them often, but they are always fun. Sounds like they (or at least Greg - just depends on how she's feeling) will be coming to the CD release party on June 2 for Doug's band, Celandine. I think it's going to be a great time!

Jenn

Lots of Jaywalking

I've been working on the Clapotis and the Jaywalkers as much as possible. It is so hard to photograph the colors in this yarn! You either get this (flash outside - way too bright) or (no flash outside). The Jaywalkers pattern is so easy to remember, but looks more complicated (at least to non-knitters). I'm enjoying the Magic Loop and may try to do it for two socks next time. I can't decide if these are going to be for me or my mother. Guess we'll have to see if she likes them or not. Her feet are a bit smaller than mine, but not too much.

Apparently, she wore her last pair to the Gyn for her annual. As she's on the table with her feet in the stirrups her Gyn asked if she'd knit her socks. A discussion of my knitting hobby followed and my mom could just picture her staring at the socks. (She commented that the "stitches were so even!") She's a knitter as well, but I think mom said she does afghans. Maybe mom needs a new pair for Christmas to wear for her next appointment.

The Clapotis is coming along fine. I'm trying to do one section each night (the reward is getting to drop the stitch!) The Jaywalker is my "grab a few minutes" knitting during the day. I'm trying to decide what to take on the trip this weekend. I'm worried about having trouble taking my needles, so I may take the Jaywalker off the #1 circular and move to bamboo dpns. I'm planning to pack a SASE in case they won't let me take something on. Keep your fingers crossed! I know they're supposed to let you, but I haven't flown out of KCI for a very long time (15 years or so.)

Jenn

Happy Mother's Day!

What a great day! Doug got up with L and took her downstairs in the morning (I think that's the first time I didn't get up with her.) She was fine with it and when H got up he came in and snuggled, then went downstairs with them. I stayed in bed and knit for a while, then when I was getting hungry we went out to breakfast. We went to see Doug's parents and grandparents for lunch and then came home for a rest. We had dinner at Subway and then ice cream at Baskin Robbins! The only downside was I lost my keys! Searched all day and was so confused... I used them to get in the house Saturday evening! Finally, right before bedtime, I found them on my bed under a sweater! I could have sworn I moved that sweater and I know I didn't sleep with them there. I guess I'm losing my mind at the ripe old age of 37!

I'll post pictures of socks soon! Today we're off to visit friends, drop H at a neighbors to go swimming and pick up our little friend, S, from preschool. Only a few more days until we go to New Orleans, so I'm not sure how much knitting will be happening before. I have to clean, do laundry and get packed.

Happy Mother's Day and hope everyone had a wonderful day!

Jenn

MMMmmmmm, yarn.....

I cast on for my Sockpals socks. I'm using the Waving Lace Socks pattern from Favorite Socks. (They're the ones on the cover.) I hope to show some progress soon. I had a little help removing one from the needles (L loves yarn!) I didn't have the brain power to work on it last night, so I started a Jaywalker with STR in G-Rocks using Magic Loop. I haven't started Doug's socks because I need to go get some dpns in a different size. The colors in the picture are much brighter than they really are. No morning light, just foggy and grey here at the moment.

I started my Clapotis a few days ago (since I couldn't start Doug's socks). I'm using Brooks Farm Four Play in Nantucket. This yarn is so soft and beautifully colored! It's going well. I'm trying to get one dropped row done each day. It's good knitting while we watch TV after the kids are in bed or when I have an odd moment during the day.I'm finally getting over this crazy sinus infection. I've been sick for almost 3 weeks. Hopefully, I'll be completely over it by the time we leave for New Orleans! (Next weekend)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day. Mom's make the world go round! H said he wants to get us and come crawl in bed with me while Doug gets up with L. I haven't been able to lounge in bed since I had H over 4 years ago. I'm all for it! We'll also be seeing my mom and my grandmother! They're both great women (and mothers).

Jenn

Just a quickie...

I found this meme on several blogs lately. I thought it was interesting to actually see what I've done or want to do! (Can't get back to sleep, so what do I do? Read blogs!)

Mark with bold the things you have ever knit, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else's handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Socks, Socks, Socks

Well, here is a picture of the Opal socks (very boring to knit stockinette, but very UN-boring stripes!) When I showed them to Becky the other day and she tried one on they were "her". She's a very natural person and she's a musician. They just said "I am Becky". On a side note, I just want to state that matching socks is not a big deal to me. I like pooling. But these started out perfectly! Until, the toe... see the grey stripe and blue stripe next to each other? The blue stripe starts grey for a round or so, then turns blue... What happened there? There weren't any breaks in the yarn? I actually like it, but I was quite confused as I was knitting!
Now, I'm starting two pairs of socks... One for hubby (to wear when he goes fly fishing - under his waders). I'm using Prairie Silks in red, grey and black and I'm using the resoleable pattern from the Favorite Socks book. The other pair is for my Sock Pal. I'm still vacillating on the pattern (I've got two Cookie A. patterns that I think would work well, but there are several lacy patterns in Favorite Socks that are nice.) I decided to go ahead and start Doug's pair so that when I didn't have the mind for a chart I'd have some plain stockinette to fall back on. I've also got 3 months to finish the SP socks and I don't want to finish them too fast and just look at them until August 2.

I somehow don't see Sahara being finished before our trip to New Orleans. Oh well, it will be started sometime soon.

Oh, I already sold some yarn (Lorna's Laces, some Frog Tree and Elsebeth Lavold). Mom is coming over today and I'm going to run to the P.O. to mail. I'll just wait patiently to see if I hear from anyone else. I've also got a few other things to post. If they don't move in the next week or two I may try placing them on EBay. It's always so hard to get rid of things, but once you start doing it (whether it's a garage sale, salvation army or on the web), it feels good!

It's dreary and rainy here today! Hope someone is enjoying some sunshine today!

Jenn

SSP and Destashing a Bit

I've contacted my Secret Sock Pal and I've picked out the yarn. It's Dream in Color yarn in the Some Summer Sky colorway. I think my SSP will like it! I'm still trying to decide on the pattern. After that the only thing left is to cast on and get started!

I'm also going to try to destash a bit. I've got a lot of Frog Tree alpaca, Noro, Elsebeth Lavold, Brown Sheep and a few other miscellaneous things that I don't envision using anytime soon. I need to make some space for all the things that I really do want to keep. I've posted pictures and prices on Flickr.com. Shipping is included to the continental U.S.

On to socks tonight!

Jenn

Sockapalooza 4

Well, we have been matched with our Secret Sock Pals. I've got two Cookie A. patterns that I'm trying to decide between (my SSP likes lace). She also likes wool in pinks, blues or jewel-tones. So, although I already have a pattern, I need to find yarn. I have sock yarn, but not really any in the colors she prefers. hhhmmm, I'll have to give it some thought!

Now, I wonder who My SSP is?

Jenn