Two wrong ways and a dance

It was another busy weekend of knitting. I finished sewing up the wrong way chocolate cherry socks (ie: toe up socks). Hope they don't fall apart when I wear them because they are constructed incorrectly. ha ha...
Then the Sock madness pattern came out.... it may have been spotty in instructions, but it is a fun knit. The pattern is pretty cool! Better photos will come soon. (I hope.... and there will be two socks instead of one.)

While I was waiting for the Madness pattern I was able to motivate myself and get back to my soccer socks. I now have about 4 inches on the knee HIGHs. So it could be a few weeks before they get completed. I wish I could realize my old socks are in a state of emergency, they do not have heels anymore.... I must complete these soccer sock before the season is over!!!

Friday yet?

What a week, I can't believe Friday is tomorrow. The Sock madness pattern is to be sent out while I am at work, so I won't see the socks until hours after the gang has started off. I will be jealous of those free knitters while I sit at my office desk slaving away. :( how sad...... Since I am playing from the sidelines I will have plenty of time to choose a yarn for the pattern. This brings me to my next point.... I bumped into a few yarn shops this week and here are the results:

I am liking the Opal barn red/brown (3rd from left) OR the Trekking #84 (next to it) OR the STR Footsie-Foo, light greenish, OR the Cherry Treehill Loden on the bottom. Hmmmm, what choices. The organizers sampled teh pattern with loden, so I am kind of leaning toward that color. Problem.... I still need to wind it as you can see. Well, let's call this information session good for now. I must check on the toilet leak... (this is what was consuming my time this week. The joys of having to deal with no knitting projects!)

Mad Daffodil Weave

I did it!!! I posted my sock of madness before the last competitive pair did. hee hee.... This pattern was a challenge and it took focus, but the out come was awesome. I mean check out these socks! Love them..... don't you? These socks are making my non-knitter friends say, "wow, you are really getting good at knitting." uhm.... was that a compliment? I think the reality is.... this kid (me) had never put a pattern on a sock before this contest, this kid had never put more than 56 stitches on a needle to produce a sock, this kid had never used a needle smaller than a size #3. I did not realize I was afraid of change. I did not realize I "lived in a box." The next question is... am I liking this change? hmmm.... I love the cool socks, but I hate the snail pace. I miss the mindless knitting. I finally bought knitting books, now I just need to lose the excitement of cool sock and actually learn to read the pattern slowly. So I guess I miss my box.

Busy weekend

makes me want chocolate. Good excuse, right? I was dying to start the second toe up sock, but there was a sock madness pattern looming on the horizon. So in preparation I wound up my Lorna's lace daffodil yarn to make a fabulous pair of socks by Monday. Yes, I see where that was a joke. The pattern whipped me. I get so excited with the crazy pattern, I can't read it and skip important side note asterisks, repeat, and size notes. (Even though I am not competing, I still want to pound out a pair of socks with theI had planned to post Friday.... but then I was intensely knitting up the bib for a baby shower. (It really is difficult to knit on cotton after all the fun sock wools that I artistically shape. hee hee) After the bib was put together I grab a picture of the wrong way sock (toe up) in Claudia's choco cherry as promised. It is a happy color that pros.) Then I rush to get started on the sock.... then sit perplexed as I manipulate the loops to look like the posted picture. The great things about being a loser is that I can feel ok putting the socks down to run out to meet a friend, attend a baby shower or get groceries. While I wish I had a new pair of socks, I am happy having one down. I hope to have sock two by mid week.

Almost the wrong way

Here is an update on the wrong way sock. I was able to read the instructions carefully on how to turn the heel, it seems I succeeded. The sock looks like it has a heel. I'll let you decide tomorrow when I upload a picture. After the heel stress, then I just knit and knit and knit up the leg and to the rib. But how do you bind off?? I will look into this, rumor is the sewing bind off is best for stretch. I have to say Claudia's cherry chocolate is turning out great.

World's longest foot

Yeh, I completed the Sock Madness round 3 option B sock, "undulating Rib socks" from Interweave's Favorite Socks book. Sorry about the sock pictures, the socks look best when on my albino legs, you may need to put your sunglasses on. Fun pattern and super cozy. I am dying to wear them now and for the next week. BUT I will hold off until tomorrow when I will see more knitters. My complaint should actually go to my mom and dad, The big foot problem made these socks go on and on and on. Seemed like I should have been decrease for the toe, nope one more pattern, and then one more pattern. but I made it and completed the socks in under a week with a break to observe Easter, hide the eggs for the family, and eat the dinner. hmm, now what am I suppose to be knitting .... ? too many choices.

Uh, Oh...

SO... the gals and I did a little damage. The plan was get up early am and drive to the Yarn sale pick up some ol' Lorna's and split. Did that happen? OH YEAH... and some. .. and a little more... then we had to come home and get the SUV. (no wait, we ditched the SUV since it was so full and took the sudan) This isn't sounding good is it? I am not sure how to explain the damage. I should have been good and said I had to stay home and knit a sock or something...play video games, karaoke... something!!! But no...
At planned yarn store one: bought Lorna's in Daffodil color. How can you resist a cheery yellow, grass green with Blue? Then in my preparation for a trip to Japan I thought I better buy some #2 Addi turbo needles. :) I did good at this yarn shop.
Then it was Carmel roll and coffee time. This is Seattle, ya know. As we are digesting the rolls.... and thinking how close we are to the next Yarn store.... Uh huh...we dashed to the car and rolled on over to the next store. It appeared they had RARE never seen before yarn. so out popped the credit card and two skeins later, we were rolling down to the local store that is going out of business. Almost left empty handed. Actually we did leave with out purchases.... to come home and see which solid colors I had and which I NEEDED for this cute baby sweater for, that spoiled little girl in Japan, Mio. Pattern in hand I picked up the 14 colors needed and the size .... oh I hate to say it.... size #1 needles for a sweater!!!
My knitting rules are starting to brake. 1. I don't rip out 2. I don't swatch and 3. I don't knit sweaters in needle size smaller than an 8. Time for new rules? well, technically this is just a baby sweater not an adult sweater. I think I am fine.
Thank goodness I am safe in my home and all the yarn shops are closed! oh, but then there is the internet....
Last night was Ya-Yo night with the knit group. All was fine, a few skipper due to the holiday weekend or other cheesy excuses. I only got in trouble for talking once. But I don't do well when the ring leader asks to take a poll and is actually making a $15-20 canvas bag sales pitch. (Sorry, I have my super cool and trendy FREE knitting bags from collecting my doughnut coupons and attending work related conferences. oh, yeah Santa got me the bag I use most days to cart the LYS phone book page, random patterns and extra sock yarn around.)
Man, I had no idea how hard it is to get the perfect picture of a completed sock on one foot. How does everyone do it? After all the YA-yo drama I was able to complete the first of the "Sock Madness option sock for losers." Boy is it cozy!! I want to beat my fellow loser-/-competitor and get the pair completed this week. But first must observe Easter. Hope the bunny brings everyone that dream easter basket full of goodies. (ie: knitting items)

Good weather = Some knitting

So it was a beautiful day out so it was rather hard to sit and knit indoors. Although I did manage a little, I am currently in the mid foot area of my version Sock Madness. :) but now I must get some ZZzzzzs. I am glad I did not do the cheesy anklet for the madness competition. I feel better not having knit the goofy looking socks, sorry stichinwinch. Good lick on the completion, but I just ask that you not wear them to the mall with me.

Sock Madness round 3.5

So while I was at work I was able to get a hold of the Sock Madness pattern, without any blog support. I looked it over and was not sure what was going on since it looked like a short sock. Since I have not worn anklets since I was in elementary school and I have no use for them at my older-young age, I opted for pattern 3.5 to knit. I hope you like the colors and pattern so far. It seems to be going slow, but I am alright with the more enjoyable speed. I hope to have one sock complete by tomorrow. The second one Friday? hmm, not sure since I have a soccer game that night.

Tomorrow's preparations

Sometime between the hours of 4am and 9am PST, the Sock madness pattern will come flying into my e-mail box. But Will I be here to receive it? Will the pattern find me to maximize the knitting time? I am trying to be optimistic, but I have an obstacle called "Work" that may keep me from completing my mission to knit 20 hours straight. I am "ok" with this, and instead am looking forward to having a cool pair of socks to wear by weekend. Depending on the pattern, I will most likely use the Trekking #80. I think I can come up with 20 hours of knit time before Saturday? Hmm.. If I complete the pair of socks by Saturday, do I get to reward myself with some Lorna's laces at the yarn Sale?
(Check out the hot socker girl, she is wearing the Team Japan Uniform. I bet she rocks on the soccer field. Too bad she does not have hand knit socks on :( )

A little Toe

I am pushing on with the toe up sock. Claudia's is making a nice fabric. I just have to figure out where this toe heel connection is really going to work out. But there is no hurry since I should be resting up for the BIG Madness competition Wednesday. Unfortunately, I don't stand much of a chance since my opponent has cleared her day to knit straight through. My only chance to win is if she gets the flu... nah... that won't happen.

NO fooling

Well, today I was hanging with my knittin' gals and I completed the Regia Silk socks. I can't wait to wear them to work tomorrow. Did I say SILK? Since I finished them a little earlier than planned, I had to have something to do while I watched TV, right? So I started my next pair of socks. Yes, Denise, they are toe-ups using my new Claudia's hand painted yarn. The color name is red chocolate. Yum!
Oh, I believe this is the 12th pair of socks this year.