Knitting the Blues

All Socks, All the Time

***The best part of this post is at the end, so make sure you keep reading.

Sometimes I go a long time without posting on this here blog of mine. But when I am in the posting groove, I sometimes have nothing to really post about. Today is one of those days. I have no socks on the needles, my swingy tank is (despite any realistic thoughts of success-no real swatching, no real math, no real common sense) on the blocking board and my Peacock Shawl is still in progress, but not much to show for it. Now, I am not saying that we have success with the Swingy Tank. I'm saying it is blocked. After knitting both the front and back and then holding them up to my body I decided that it was a little snug to be swingy and a little shorter than I hoped for. So, I stayed up late, finally doing the math and rewrote the pattern for my yarn. The next morning, on a whim, I pinned it together and tried it on. Hmmm, not as bad as I thought. So I pinned it out and am hoping that when all is said and done, I have a tank that fits. If not it will go to Erin and I will make another. It is such a quick knit, I won't mind a bit.

Anyway, back to the not posting days. During those times I am usually actually knitting. So while today I have no progress to show you of recent times, I have a pair of socks knit last March.

Rococo Socks

• Pattern: Rococo Socks by Anne Hanson, Knitspot
• Yarn: Schaeffer Anne
• Needles: size 0
• Cast on and Bound off: March, 2007

What do I think? That Anne Hanson (who I could not link to as her site is not coming up at this time) does some lovely things and this pattern is one of them. I love the pattern and plan on making it again. The people at Schaeffer do great things with yarn and Anne is one of my favorite sock yarns made and I plan on using it again. This sock and this yarn are wonderful together, and don't be surprised if I knit them almost exactly the same one more time. The only problem with these socks is the color of the yarn. While I like the color, it is not right for these socks. All that lovely lace? Camoflaged. Totally. It really is a bummer, I love the socks and wear them, but when I wear them nobody can see the lace pattern. You might  say it has something to do with my jeans, but whatever. I had a ton of this yarn left, and made something else by Anne out of it. You'll get that on another day that I need a pic and a post.

Now, for the best news of all, and I hope that you made it this far into this boring post for the most exciting part of it. Look here (read it, makes me happy). Then look here (keep scrolling!). My Sockapalooza Pals love their socks! For everyone out there that ever knits for someone else, you know how happy this makes me. And even happier is that I got to knit for two people that I was previously unacquainted with, but now read and love their blogs. Same with the knitter that knit for me. Three new blog friends. It's a good thing.  And in Helene's defense, she never actually asked for cabled knee socks, she just said they were her dream socks, and too much to ask for.  I could not be happier that I went ahead and knit them for her.  And she is right, boy is she lucky!  ;)

No More Monkeys Jumpin' Off the Needles!

We, who are living in the Northeast, are having an incredible run of rocking weather. Although I have had to work this week, I've planned my days to work early and spend my afternoons in the sun. I am sucking every bit of life out of the end of this summer, hoping the memories will get me through the cold, dark days of winter. Don't get me wrong, I find things to love about three seasons (the only redeeming quality Spring in New England has is that it ends in summer, oh, and a few New England Sheep and Wool Fests), and I'll come up with a list of some of the soon. At least for fall. I may need some convincing, and my list will help.

• Pattern: Monkey Socks by Cookie A.
• Yarn: Socks That Rock in Lucy in the Sky
• Needles: sizes 1 and 0
• Cast On: August 17, 2007
• Bound Off: August 26, 2007

Yay! Monkeys! Woo Hoo! Hurrah!

Well, a little fanfare for a finished pair of socks, right? I mean, I know I am not the first (by a minimum of 829 according to Ravelry). Certainly I am not the first to put a picot edge on them, or a short row heel and toe. There were a few moments of drama (well, knitting drama-I mean, is that really drama? well, for some of us....). I grabbed the yarn, needles and pattern on the way to the eye doctor with Erin (YES! We remembered that one!), but mistakenly thought that I had the scrap yarn and crochet hook for my provisional cast on in my bag. Nope. Not there. So I cast on and worked my picot rows, then turned the edge down and knit it with the cast on. That was just as much a pain my *ss fun as I knew it would be, I'll not be forgetting my crochet hook soon. I was worried that I would run out of yarn (STR in the early put up-I've been burned before). In my concern I made the first sock a little short and I didn't really love the toe, so I left the live stitches in case I needed to rework the toe. Good Plan, but not because I ran out of yarn. I cast on the second sock with a contrast yarn for the inside of the picot just in case I needed those extra yards, but thanks to my dainty little footsies, the yarn issue was not an issue. I did knit the second sock a few rows longer and decreased some stitches before working the toe. I liked it better, reknit the toe of the first sock and: Hooray! Huzzah! Whoot! New socks.

While I am really unable to capture the color of these socks adequately, you have to know this.  I mean, everbody knows that I love blue, but I loved knitting these socks just for the yarn.  These blues are the blues I love the best and I got warm fuzzies just having them run through my fingers to make stitches.  So yummy, I'll have to try and get more.

A Swingin' Swingy Tank Tale

Thank goodness for the return of summer. I know there are those who do not agree with me, but sitting on the beach this past Saturday and feeling sudden rises in the temperature, truly as if someone had turned up the dial on the furnace...... Ahhhh. Such happiness.

So, did I knit at the beach? You betcha! My Monkey socks were too close to the finish to last through the entire beach drive and stay, so I quickly grabbed another project, the yarn a linen blend and the pattern a Ravelry find. This was probably not the best last second "grab and knit" project, but as I frogged for the second time I reminded myself aloud that "it is only knitting." Erin, who is not accustomed to me referring to my knitting as only knitting was a bit surprised and I explained to her that if ripping out my knitting was the worst thing I had to do all day, that I was having a great day. That was probably the sun and heat making me a bit summer drunk, because last night when I was frogging for the fourth time, the sentiment was a little less laid back. I have to say though, I still was not angry or even that upset. More like, resigned. It's all good, and with the exception of three trips to Blockbuster because my kids had movies hidden all over the house and the darned store would not rent to me until I returned them all, frogging was the worst thing that happened all day. Now, that is a pretty good day.

The beginning (x4) of a Swingy Tank

I'll document the birth of this sweater, from the time it was barely a twinkle in my eye, but it is a kind of boring story of yarn and knitting. I'll be brief. I liked a yarn. Well the color of a yarn. I liked a pattern. I was thinking about it for a while when the yarn went on sale, so I bought some. I decided that I didn't like the pattern enough to buy the magazine it came in. I mean, that is a lot of money to knit one design out of, so, I decided to make something up. I can do that you know. Sometimes I'm pretty smart. Then I saw FluffyKnitterDeb's. I liked it. I dragged out my stitch libraries and did some initial planning. In the meantime I went to Ravelry and looked at designs under tanks. WOW. I found a lot. I really liked this one and this one.  The pattern is in knitsimple, spring/summer 2007.  Now, I rarely look at that magazine and to be honest, if I had, I would have gone right by the design.  The version in the magazine does not do much for me.  That is the great thing about all these other knitters and the internet, you get to see things in a different light.  So, I decide to marry my sale Damask to this pattern.  What?  The pattern is written to a different gauge?  Psht!  No worries.  Heh.

So, as I head out the door to the beach I grab the yarn, needles appropriate for the yarn, the magazine, a needle gauge with a two inch measure and my stupid determination.  WARNING! This is not the way the real knitters do things!  Do.Not.Try.This.At.Home.  (There I go with the *.*s again.)  This is what I did.  I knit a small swatch in the car.  Based on that gauge I decide to knit the pattern according to the large directions.  After a few inches I decide it "looks"  (where is my tape measure?) too big.  Frog.  I decide to knit according to the medium.  I knit for a couple of hours and about four inches in hold it up to my body and decide it is too small.  Frog.  I decide to knit according to the extra large pattern.  Because my row gauge is way off and the pattern is written by rows, I respace the decreases in a way that I think will accomodate my size and the length I want.  I knit about five inches and after measuring and figuring and calculating (and swearing a little), I decide that actually, the original spacing of decreases as written will probably work with my gauge and size and.......you guessed it!  Frog.  Again.  I'm back on track, but it still remains to be seen if this will work.

I know that I could do all of the maths now, that I am home with a calculator and a tape measure and all of that, but I'm well into the winging it mode now and am staying the course.  Why can I hear Claudia laughing?  I can just about predict her comment being something like, "This should be entertaining to watch!"

If you need a chuckle (as if the story of my kniiting daring isn't enough), this is one of the best ads I've seen. 

Of All The Things I've Lost, I Miss My Mind The Most.

If the cooler than normal weather doesn't make you think fall, the moving out of the children plants it firmly in your soul. And not in a good way. Gillian left this morning, headed to join Meagan and my mom, sister, and neices at the Jersey Shore. From there she will head straight to school and I won't be seeing her for a while. I surprise myself that I am sad. Out of sorts the whole day. Truth be told, having them home really turned things upside down here. Their schedules are crazy, they are going through a lot of things and I so.don't.dig.the.drama! But things had started to settle in and we have been enjoying each other lately. Especially (and I am trying not to get too excited about this, I have been led down this path of hope before) since Gillian took up knitting a few weeks ago. She seems excited about her progress and decided to knit a scarf so my going away present to her was this:

K2, P2, K2, P2

And then there is the reminder that age (combined with an unfortunate stint on a prescription drug that I am sure sizzled brain cells some years ago) are taking their toll. Keep in mind, that this story represents many similar stories in a week in this life, and it is not encouraging. About six months ago I took Erin to the dentist for a cleaning. At that time I scheduled her for another cleaning, August 22 at 9:15.

I wrote it on the calendar.

When I got the reminder call, I wrote myself a note.

I sent her off to band camp yesterday with a note to explain her absence from the morning drill.

I reminded her last night to remind me in the morning that she had to go to the dentist.

I woke up this morning, helped Gillian pack up her car and bustled Erin off TO BAND CAMP!!!

PEOPLE!!!!! I WROTE IT ON THE CALENDAR!

I WROTE MYSELF A NOTE!

I SENT A NOTE TO BAND CAMP A.DAY.EARLY!

AND.I.STILL.FORGOT!!!

Yep, the dentist's office called at 9:25, and they are sort of used to it.  This happens all of the time. I'll remember something that is happening at 2ish while I am eating my lunch and still forget it. Now, I may have my excuses, but really. What the hell is Erin's?

*******I apologize for the overuse of the *.* in this post.  But I am really in just.that.mood!  Heh.

Edited to add:  I just thought of something!  What if I forget to go to Rhinebeck?  You all had better remind me!

What Kind of Wheels Does a Biker Babe REALLY Want?

The Setting: A roadside farm stand where the Knitting Biker Babe and Hubba Husband are taking a break and loading up on fresh corn.
The Characters: Well, obviously, Knitting Biker Babe and Hubba Husband.
The Scene: Another Biker couple has just ridden by, but on separate bikes.

KBB: Wow, there goes your dream wife on her own bike.

HH: You guessed it, I may have to trade up.

KBB: Hmmm. I could ride my own bike. If I wanted to, would you buy me a bike of my own?

HH: Sure!

KBB: Really? Like a blue Harley with silver trimming and a really cool logo?

HH: Whatever you want, babe.

KBB: Just like that? You'd drop a few thousand for me, just because I wanted it? (*lightbulb moment* An idea takes shape)

HH: (unaware that he is being set up) Of course!

KBB: Well, if you are willing to be so generous, and I don't really want a bike, but maybe something else with a wheel that spins and is pretty expensive, but handcarved and beautiful, would you get me that instead? I mean, you are willing to spend it and all.

HH: (squirming uncomfortably in the corner he has been backed into) Well, I thought you were saving up for that, but well, um, I guess I could help.........

The Conclusion: While no firm commitment has been made by Hubba Husband, Knitting Biker Babe feels that she may just have more than a leather booted foot in the door. To be continued......

In case you were worried I might not have a sock on the needles.

And just to add a little drama to the Monkey scene, I am knitting this with a ball of STR that was purchased back in the day of the smaller skein. I do not have a reliable scale, so it'll be a nail-biter right to the last inch of yarn. Yes, I am already searching the leftover sock yarn stash for suitable toe yarn.

A Fan Letter and James' Traveling Star Socks

Dear James Taylor,

I'm not a big writer of fan letters. Sitting here thinking about it, I am sure that in nearly forty-five years of making an imprint on this earth, this is the first one. (Ooops, maybe the second, if you count that one to Ben & Jerry singing the praises of the no longer produced Dastardly Mash Ice Cream. Seriously! Almonds, chocolate chunks, pecans and raisins all crammed into a container with chocolate ice cream? How much better can it get? I still mourn that ice cream.) Anyway, I was fully present at your performance last night in the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH. I have to be honest here. I have been fortunate enough to see you perform live many times and seeing that it was a one man show (well, two, since you had that awesome pianist with you. He rocked. *Focus.* Ahem). Knowing this was to be a show with out the percussion, bass guitar, full brass and back-up singers had me worried that I would miss the driving beats and the wonderful harmonies that I love to sing along with. Those worries dissappeared before you even played a chord on your guitar. From the second you took the stage I saw the twinkle in your eye (those big screens are genious!) and felt that you were going to make it right for me. That large arena shrank to an intimate lounge or living room where you had invited some guests to hang out and listen to stories and song, and among the guests was a girl you really wanted to impress and that girl was me. I felt the connection James. I am more in love with you now than I have ever been. It was partly the song, music that has followed me through my life, heavily weighting the soundtrack of my days, getting me through hard times, bringing me joy and wonderful memories of my youth. It was partly the tales told between the singing, giving insight to your early days and the stories behind some of the songs. It was partly the multi-media presentation, bringing tunes like Mexico (which you are right, cannot be done acoustically without losing something-well, everything really) to full life. It was partly the attention to detail, bringing the members of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus back for their bows, and the humor (the photo of your parents together, ha!). But the rest of it was all you. A performer can do nothing better than connect with an audience, and I don't mean the audience in total, but each individual member.  On top of making that connection, you had us all convinced that you considered yourself the lucky one, that leaving your comfy home, your wife and kids and having a few friends or an auditorium filled with people to kick back and hang out with is a dream come true for you, not work. 

I am wondering though, weren't your handlers and stage crew a little ticked off at the interlude?  I mean, shaking a few hands is one thing.  When you squatted down to sign a few autographs I'm sure that everyone expected you to get up and head off stage to, you know, take care of things.  But when you gave it all up, sat right back on your ass and kept signing anything that was handed to you, I could scarcely believe it.  I have the feeling that your handlers, who kept coming over and whispering in your ear what I am sure were little reminders that time was passing and they had lives, families, beers and what all to get home to were in the disbelief zone as well.  Could they see up close what I could see from the audience?  You wanted to sign everything that was passed up to you, you did not want to let anyone down.  Who does that these days?  I am quite sure that had the lights not finally been turned out, blacking you out of anymore signature writing, that we would still be there now, every t-shirt would have been sold, people running up and buying more to have them signed so they could peddle them on ebay today.  It felt so much like another gesture of gratitude for being there, loving you, spending hard earned money on albums and concert tickets, one that you truly felt.

As is my usual, I had one song that I hoped you would sing to me last night.  I always do, it isn't always the same song and you don't always sing the song of the night for me, but from the first chord you played, I was hoping.  Oh, you kept playing my favorites, and at each encore I held my breath, waiting.  At the third or fourth, when you sang Copperline, my hopes did sink a bit, and when your accompianist took what was certainly his final bow and you got up to follow him, I was still really thrilled to have been a member of that audience on that night, it felt magical.  But when I saw you turn to the stage hand and gesture "one more," then pick up your guitar again, tears came to my eyes.  The lullaby that I have sung to my children and listened to to soothe my own heart so many times was the perfect icing on a day and evening of really great cake.

JT Traveling Star Socks

So that you know who you made that connection with last night, as I'm sure you felt it as much as I did, I was the one in the white fitted shirt and jeans (I was going to wear a cute little sundress for you James, but New England weather being what it is, I wore what I am sure is one of the next sexiest things, a white top and blue jeans) and my newest socks.  Today, as you sip your coffee, making the rounds of your favorite knitting blogs, know that these will forever be my Traveling Star Socks.  With each wear they will remind me of the wonderful evening of song, story and the reciprocal fest of love and gratitude.  Thanks for being so much a part of my days.   

Almost Perfectly Matchy-Matchy

• Pattern: JT Travelling Star Socks or Priscilla Gibson-Roberts inspired socks
• Yarn: Regia Cotton Surf Color #5415
• Needles: size 0
• Cast On: August 7, 2007 (for the second time)
• Bound Off: August 16, 2007

So James, in closing what is my first and possibly only fan letter (although, who knows? this could be a new trend), I want to thank you again. I love you more than ever.

Your huge fan,
Terry

P.S.  Dude!  Has anyone ever told you that you have freakishly long thumbs?

Infidelity

I usually need time to adjust to changes. It isn't that I can't roll with the punches, as they say, but more like......changes in life, seasons, living circumstances, any of these take me some time to re-adjust my habits and routines. Sometimes that change happens a little quicker, sometimes longer. This summer, it has definitely been longer. During this time, I can be very cranky and you wouldn't have to go too far in this house to get confirmation of that. And now that I feel the nights getting cooler, and the girls packing to move back to school (possibly to not come home to live for a good long while), and seeing the sun at the nearly fall angle in the afternoons, I have gotten used to summer. Usually summer doesn't take so long for me to adjust to, but this year having two of my kids move back in (turning our quiet household upside down) and trying to work for the first summer in a while and deal with the 15 (oops, now 16 plus one week) year old and her social life, fitting in workouts, beach time, backyard time, knitting time, spinning time, Pete time, well, I never really got the summer mojo. After spending a beautiful day at work, it is a difficult decision: home? beach? gym? And these decisions stump me when I am not in the groove and I waste a lot of time. But now that it is the middle of August, I am feeling the summer groove. Makes it that much sadder that I have to wait until next year to try it all over again.

Summer Knitting and Sipping

Aren't those socks purty? I have been knitting away on them like crazy for the last few days and the end is near. Today, though. Today I felt like I just HAD TO HAVE SOME LACE ON THE NEEDLES! Truly, it felt just like that. It was pounding in my brain: Knit LACE! Right NOW! Every stitch knitted on the sock seemed to whisper it, "knit lace, knit lace." And what does every good knitter do when confronted with the itch to cast on something new? Well, I searched the internet and Ravelry for lace yarns (of which I have a few) and patterns (also, own some). See, I really had the urge to visit a local yarn store as well, but the more I thought of the time it would take in travel (and my stash) and the need to work out (and my stash) and the beauty of the day (and the stash!) the more I thought I could get more done if I shopped in my own cute, little stash. Luckily, the lace yarns are kept right up in the living quarters of my house, not relegated to the multiple containers of sweater yarns in the basement. Made shopping the stash so much easier. I really wanted something a little different and blue Zephyr wasn't fitting the bill for today. Nor the other skeins and skeins of blue lace weight. But in my search I found some silk that was hand-dyed by Blue Moon Fiber Arts and gifted to my by a previous Secret Pal. Now, that feels special, doesn't it? What design to knit? There are plenty of shawls I have on my to-knit list, but none of them seemed just right. Pulling out the scads of patterns from the shelves a long forgotten purchase popped up and there was no question it was the right one. So I have cast on for a Peacock Feathers Shawl.

Color: Way off.

Now, I am usually a two project woman. A pair of socks to travel with, and a main project. If I try to focus on too much more than that I get paralyzed with indecision and confusion. Some people can manage a bunch of things, alotting certain days or hours of the day for each project and I just can't do that. So how do I explain the second frogging and third re-starting of this:

Swatches? I'm all about them, and they usually work for me.
Rowan Denim swatches? They are dirty, low down, cheating, lying pigs of swatches, and that is all I have to say about it for right now.
Oh, the prrrrrring of stitches being unraveled! A sound to soothe the savage beast. Sort of.

Oh! The Spoils! The Riches!

My Sockapalooza 4 Pal is the BEST!

Look at that haul! I have the best Sockapalooza 4 Pal ever! (That link takes you to her blog.) Can you see it all? Tea, then more tea, stitch markers, home fragrance, sock yarn, a little project bag-a commemorative Sockapalooza 4 bag, a handy canvas bag from Stitch and just look at those socks! And the bags and socks are color coordinated, all beiges and soft minty greens, tans, browns. Ah, so lovely. And not blue! I said I was up for anything and I got not blue! That actually makes me happier than you can know. I have been attempting to stretch a little color-wise and usually people don't go out on that limb, they stick with blue. I love the colors in these socks.

A closer look, you say?

The first thing out of my daughter's mouth (well, actually the second, the first was, "Do you like the bag?" because she obviously does) was, "Will you wear socks with unmatched stripes?" Heh, they know me well, don't they? I'll wear these! I have actually knit socks with unmatched stripes (Trekking XXL is NOT going to match!) and I wear them all the time. I actually think she likes the socks too, they are her colors. She was hoping I'd pass them along. Not a chance.

Thank You Sock Pal!

Just look at that perfect fit! Want details about the yarn? I can only hope that my pals are as lucky with my knitting. This swap was absolutely great for me so far. (My fingers are crossed). I have been adding some projects to my notebook in Ravelry this week, a few each day. I have knitted many socks. Sitting here in the summer, looking at all of those socks, I wonder that I'll ever be able to wear socks again, what with only wearing sandals for so many weeks now. It won't be much longer that I'll be wondering if I'll ever be able to take my socks off.

Sockapalooza 4! It's all over!

Well, I did it again. I signed up for a swap. Every few years I forget why I don't do these things (self-expectations, forgetting what the pressure does to me, stressing out over what to send and make, will they like it? hate it? even acknowledge it?-that happened once, barely a mention on their blog and no thank you to me. Honestly!), anyway, I forget and sign up to do another. I mean! It sounds so easy, you have a few months to knit a measley pair of socks. I can knit socks in a few days, well, for myself anyway. I was so confident that I even decided to become a Sock Angel for someone who obviously got a person that is like me (except worse), who underestimated what it takes to follow through. Two pairs of socks in a few months. Easy-peasy. And this time, it really was! My socks were all finished and blocked and everything with a week to spare. Now I'm just waiting for one little thing to come in the mail to add to the packages and send them off. What I'll show you is the real "booty."

So, my Sockapalooza Pal sent me her preferences and there was something in there that read like this: "I love cables. I don't like ankle length - I think... Knee highs with cables would be a dream - but a lot of work, so I don't expect anyone to put in that much sweat and toil." And I thought to myself that she was right. She'd get a pair of regular socks. But the days and weeks worked on my mind and the memory of Cookie A.'s German Stockings sort of melded in with the note and before I knew it I had cast on for those. I had really wanted to make them and since I didn't think I wanted to wear knee socks (I have since re-thought that decision) it was a great chance to make them. The other thing about these swaps is that I always get a person with a much larger foot than mine. Not like that is a stretch. (Side story: When Gillian was about a month old or so I was up at the beach walking around with her in a Snugli. Standing in line waiting to order something really greasy I heard a group of girls chatting it up behind me, gooing over "how tiny her feet are! They are so small!" Thinking they were talking about Gillian's feet I turned around to see them staring at my feet! I mean! They are small, and I have trouble finding shoes and all, but it isn't like I'm walking around on stubs or something.) All I can say is the people that get to knit socks for me have it made! So, there I was, making really long knee socks for somebody with bigger feet than mine.

• Pattern: German Stockings designed by Cookie A.
• Yarn: SandnesGarn Lanett
• Needles: size 1
• Started: June 2007
• Completed: July 2007

Here is a close up of the top cable section, the color here is closer to the color of the socks, sort of an avocado. I cannot add enough to the raves that this designer gets for her sock patterns. This one is just ingenious. There are literally hundreds of size variations based on your calf, ankle and foot circumference and all the math to get a sock that fits your individual leg (even the shapliest of calves) and foot. It is really mind-boggling, the work that went into this pattern.  The pattern shows better being worn,stretched out over a leg and foot, but I didn't have a model for them at my photo shoot. I am looking forward to making this sock again for myself, I love them. I really hope they fit my pal and that she loves them as well.

For my Sock Angel Pal:

You should really click for big

• Pattern: Rib and Cable Sock by Nancy Bush, IK Fall 2005
• Yarn: Woolen Rabbit Sock Yarn, specially dyed for my sock angel pal. It's a one off!
• Needles: Size 1
• Started: July 2007
• Completed: July 2007

To make my sock angel pal feel special I put my friend Kim Kaslow of Woolen Rabbit to work on a custom dye job. While she was hard at work I was searching for the perfect sock pattern, looking at books, cruising the internet, exhausting the Ravelry sock patterns, all of it for naught. The second this yarn arrived I just knew it was to be the Rib and Cable sock. I was right.  I re-centered the cables so that I could add some calf shaping and I knitted short-row heels and toes. The socks are soft and lovely, if it were my size I'd keep them. I think that my angel pal will love them too. Thank you Kim for the perfect yarn! The credit goes to you, for sure.

I finally dug into the package from my sock pal! I'm the luckiest recipient in this swap!!!! There were socks, sock yarn, tea, presents! I'll take pics and share tomorrow! I.Love.All.Of.It!!!!! Thanks so much H!

Okay, total turn of topic. Have any of you seen this?! I mean! I owned that book a while back and I know there is nothing in there worth that much money. And then the seller had the nerve to charge almost $24. for shipping! Really, good for that seller, I wish I would find one at a yard sale-add to my spinning wheel savings for sure. I don't mean to offend anyone, but that is a lot of food, yarn, charitable gifting, shoot, anything. That is just crazy. To me anyway. If any of you get the urge to bid that book up, just email me and I'll call with an intervention. Hee.

New book, new sock, new BLUE toes, finished Sock Angel Sock.

That photo is from last Thursday at the beach. I've been making up for lost time. In the last ten or so days I've been to the beach five of them. Today was a gorgeous beach day, but unfortunately I fried like an egg. Sunnyside up, as I never turn, so the front of me is well done, the back? Not so much. Luckily that gives me a comfortable place to sit and lie down.

Sockapalooza 4 is winding down, and I should have both pairs of socks in the mail tomorrow. I'm waiting for a package to add to the giftees portion of the box. I had two pals this time around, as I volunteered to be an "angel" for someone that didn't get treated well by their pal the last time around. Hopefully I will have photos taken and be able to post the details about all the finished socks tomorrow.

Speaking of Sockapalooza: My package arrived Friday and I am waiting to dig all the way in until I have posted the ones that I have knit. I did take a peak though, and my pal went above and beyond. It looks as though there are presents galore and I can't wait to break it all open and share it with you. Then I'll properly thank you, my super sock pal!

So, with time that would be better spent knitting, I have been working on my Ravelry account. I've added some projects and items to my queue, joined some groups, searched around and checked out some of my friends' pages. Thanks to Ann I got in sort of early and have lately felt that maybe it wasn't fair to ignore my "notebook" or any other aspects of the site when so many are waiting to get in. So I am spending a few minutes each day to get it caught up. I probably won't be posting all of my stash, and might take off what I have on. That job is just too big, but the rest I'll give a go. Some of you guys have really put some effort in. Makes me feel like a slacker.

At the beach I swatched for a new project in Rowan Denim. For those of you that are Denim pros: Should I just throw the swatch in the washer and dryer? Will I actually be drying the finished item? I'm not sure. I'll probably want to block it, so what is the point in drying? Or should I dry it once to let it shrink and then block it after? Any tips would be great!