Picture update.

Here are those pictures as promised. The Irish Hiking scarf. Nice isn't it? I almost want to start counting the days until winter. But then again I should enjoy the final 80 degree days, even though I tucked all my shorts away last week when it seemed fall had kicked in.


I have been working on these little arrow socks... uhm very slowly and there seems to be many disagreements. :( Will I ever finish this sock?

Good news is that my sock stash has been conveniently relocated next to my desk. It seems I will be working late because I seem to have a lot to learn. My peers are quite amazing and I feel like a little frog learning to swim. (Do they learn to swim.... I just like green things ... maybe a bad comparison.) Even though I am just a tadpole, everyone is very very nice and it seems like we are working very well together.

I may go start a new pair of socks that will go fast... I really need another unfinished project.

Lack of concentration

It seems I am becoming attention deficit. When I went to log in today I forgot my password. You know I thought I would change it up and make it difficult to log in. It also seems that spell check has run away from me. Sorry, please read at your own risk.

Today`s random thought - On the way to work it was lightly raining with 80 degree temperature. How does that work anyway?

As some of you know I just wrapped up one big project at work and I have now shifted to a different division. So I have been a little on sensory over load. The new group is working out well. I am looking forward to this change and perhaps there will be room for lots of creativity. but who wants to talk about work here?

Yesterday was a slow day and my fingers were able to work fast. I started an Irish Hiking scarf in a beautiful chocolate brown. I was able to do 32 inches, 2 skeins of knit Picks wool of Andes :) then I worked a little on the cool-aid socks, even though the pattern and I keep arguing with each other. :( Then I just could not resist starting a pair of daffodil gloves. I have being talking about making gloves, well this year it will happen. NO pictures yet... but they will come soon.

I must go to the store and see if I can find khaki tights, I am not ready for winter black tights yet. (yes, with the changes I have to dress up from time to time. That does mean a skirt, button up blouse etc. don:t worry I am not posting any picture here for this rare siting.)

93 degrees and knitting?

As I ran errands this afternoon in the Pacific NW September heat wave, I tried to motivate myself for the next wool project. I just know that soon it will be back to fleece weather. I am trying to decided which pile of wool will get all the attention. It is either ... Irish HIking scarf, the lacy leaf pattern mohair scarf, the Tototro hat, or another pair of socks. the cool-aid yarn is all wound and ready to go... but which will get posted next time??? I better go sip some lemonade first!

Flames put out

One more pair of socks done! This pair was a tough one, not technically but I never caught the rhythm. Not to mention I hate fixation. This is the same color of yarn I used for my knee high soccer sock project, which I thought would take 4 balls and only took three. Meaning I had a ball of the green stuff around the house left over without a mate. I had to buy another ball to get make a pair. I like the color and subtle color changes, BUT this yarn does not match the pattern, Flame Wave from Fav Socks book. I thought this would be a quick knit on the size 5 needles.... not so much. I am not really going to talk about the extreme snugness this sock has... this pair might go to my little sister with rinky dink feet. Now I can start the cool aid socks!!!

Oh I have a small correction. I have 62 pairs to choose from everyday. There was a completed pair hiding in a bag and this pair.

Definitely not tranquilizers

I had a pleasant surprise this afternoon when I got home from work. I found this box sitting on my door step. At first I assumed it was the large box of pain killers I ordered so that I can deal with my supervisor. I tossed the box into the living room and made a few phone calls.
While I was talking to a friend, I noticed the bubbly hand written address label. (That was a hint that there might not be drugs inside the box.) It was box from an enabling guardian angel in California. Look what she sent me!!!

This box was full of fun. There is a handful of sock patterns and dish towel patterns. One is a Washington State dish clothes pattern. Then there was some Knit Picks sock yarn, Sockotta sock yarn, 800 yards of merino wool (possible sweater?), and some blue-green sock yarn WITH Brittany knitting needles!!! Then a friend tried to spoil the reality of the packages' origin. "She was just cleaning out her old patterns and unwanted yarns." But the cool thing is that in the end, I am the spoiled one! I always accept boxes of unloved yarn, I could probably open up a house to care of foster yarns or find space for unwanted yarn.

Going home to have dinner with the big family this weekend and I think the blue yarn and needles is joining me. BUT whenever I have a quick trip away, here is the trauma I have to deal with:
From the 60 pairs of socks I have to pick just a few pairs to take with me. How does a person decide which pair gets packed to travel and which one gets to stay home? Choosing my socks is often the most stressful part of the weekend get-away! Then while I try to choose, the socks come alive and attack things in the house. This next picture maybe a little graphic, look at own risk:
Can you see Kermit getting attacked by these crazy socks? Fortunately, I saved him in time so he can continue to be involved in future photo shoots!

Now do you want to see my finished pair of socks from the weekend?
These are the Broadripple. I really love how the pattern turned out. Yes, it is fixation yarn, which I hate, but the stretchiness and pattern make this yarn tolerable. This is color #9385, I bought it about a year ago.

Well, Happy knitting. I hope to have another pair for socks for you to see soon!

Welcome to the NW

Today is a holiday and apparently I committed to an annual event last year. It is an official hiking day with my friend, Super trail woman. Off of the sofa I went to hike Tiger Mountain, just a few miles east of Seattle. (30 minute drive) We get there about 8:30 am, first car at the trail head and up the mountain we go. Sadly there were no signs of any massive wild life like bears or cougars this time so we wondered through the woods listening to the birds and watching for "organic" huckleberries to nibble on, as well as counting the varieties of mushrooms on the soft forest floor. Ah nice isn't it?

At the top of the mountain this is the view I was able to take in as I chewed on my cliff bar. (Kind of jealous I did not think to make a delicious sandwich like Super trail woman.)

This is Mt. Rainier at 14,000 ft tall. Typically a 3 day climb to summit in good weather. It is a nice site, isn't it?
In the next picture I will introduce you to the city, Seattle. Can you spot the Space Needle?

After our little lunch break taking in the scenes it was time to hike back out the 4 miles. No big deal it's mostly down hill and through the beautiful cedar trees.... and then... Zappity- Zang... OUCH! Mr. yellow Jacket/Wasp guy decided to sting me on the leg. :( OWE... Fortunately I am not allergic to bees like Super Trail Woman and the good news is at this point there has been no need to amputate my leg yet and I will live to see another day of work.

But yet again boys and girl there is a moral to the story, The world just is not safe and I should have stayed home to knit!

KIlled by knitting neglect?

Well, to my surprise not yet. I just can't keep a plant alive, and yet people (friends and family) try to make me a better plant mother by giving me "easy to care for" plants. The cactus, it was fatal. The poor thing was instantly killed as I tried too hard to love it. Yes, perhaps I tried to give it too much water. oh, the poor thing...

Then my dear friend Fionna moved east and gave me her Christmas tree, ok it was a Christmas Palm tree. It was ok until the first Christmas, still hanging in there for the second one, then the third Christmas... it appears to have no more leaves. I did not give up on him. I kept watering and pretending it was alive. Then one day little sprout Palm-y came up out of the planter. oh My!! how exciting was that? So I tried a new approach with the little guy. Neglect. It seems to be working ok. see here is a picture of dead man palm and little palm-y. But will he make it through winter?

The next victim is a really cool plant. Well, it was really cool until it was terrorized by sockergirl. I may have loved it too much, again. drowning and lack of sunshine. Typical NW problem, even inside sockergirl's cave. I keep picking otu the dead parts and pieces hoping something living will pop up. Today I found flowers in the pot!! how exciting is that???? WOW amazing. it has lived 9 months with me, take a look at its potential.

Now the last prisoner, he has done well for me. I think it is a rubber plant. NO it is not FAKE! It might be a rubber tree thing, I'm sure it has a name. It keeps turning different colors on me. Reds to browns after water sometimes back to green... very puzzling. This color change thing scares me and then I throw water on it and worry that it has drown. He seems to be doing ok, today.

Ok. Do you see the moral of the story here? There are reasons why I collect yarn NOT plants and kids. Please don't torture me with either kids or plants.