This has been primarily a sock-knitting week, and I’ve enjoyed it so much!  Here’s a list of my four completed pairs of socks, plus one pair that’s 3/4 completed, and also what’s next out of the yarn basket:

1. Previously (like a year ago!) I finished my first pair in Lion Brand self-striping yarn, colorway Lumberjack.  Heavier sock; love them even though the first time I wore them, I fell and broke my wrist. 
2. Lion Brand Sock-Ease in the color Sourball.  This yarn is a little lighter weight, and made up nicely.  I don’t known if this color is widely available any more.
3. I finished the tan and turquoise   pair last week.  The are an OnLine Wellness yarn, color 1076.  The yarn is infused with aloe, and the yarn feels fabulous.  I’m curious to see how they are after they’ve been washed. 
4. Last night I finished the yellow/gray/red pair (no new picture).  I’ve had this yarn for a while, and in a couple of days I can check and see exactly what the yarn is.  I suspect it is some kind of Lion Brand self-striping, and probably no longer available.  It’s a very nice feeling yarn, and just a little bit beefier.
5. My next pair to finish up in the next couple of days is a green/rose/purple self-striping yarn.  It’s OnLine SuperSocke 100.  I don’t love this yarn; it’s just a little stiffer/scratchier feeling once it’s knitted up.  I have one sock done, and I’m ready to do the gusset on the 2nd sock.  They will probably be just fine to wear.  It appears this color is no longer available.
6. Then I get to start a new pair, because all my singles will be pairs!  I’m going to use a Zauberball Crazy yarn next.  I tried to get the two balls to match as far as where I will start casting on, in the hope of having two matching socks.  I unraveled about half of a ball, and couldn’t find any spot that matched on the two balls of yarn.  I did some searching on line, and apparently that’s the “crazy” part — these two socks WILL NOT match!  Okay, then, I’m cool with that!  They will widely stripe, ombre style, with one color kind of melting in the next color.  Sounds like fun to me!

So there you have it — more than you ever wanted to know about my sock drawer.

By the way, if you decide to pick up some sock yarn and start knitting socks, you need about 100 grams for a pair.  Some yarns are sold in 100-gram balls,  some in 50-gram balls. 

–Sue

There are so many, many beautiful sock yarns available now and most of them are absolutely irresistable to me.  I am so glad I’m not participating in a stash report on sock yarn! 

I rolled and weighed six skeins of sock yarn into 50 gm balls so I’m ready to make six pairs of pretty-close-to-matching socks.  Then I settled them into a basket; it reminds me of gathering eggs, not that this city girl knows too much about that!

So there you have it — enough yarn for six pairs of socks.  Nothing excessive so far, right?  Okay, that’s not quite all my sock yarn.  In  fact, I probably have enough skeins for 15 new pairs of socks.  

So, let me see . . . I started knitting socks about one year ago . . . I have completed 3 pairs . . . I have two partially completed pairs, which I hope to complete in the next week, with a really focused effort.  If I only get five pairs done a year, why do I need 15 skeins waiting in reserve? 

Well, of course you know I DO need those skeins, because I love each and every one of them, and they tend to disappear from the shelves in favor of new patterns and colors.

So, friends, if you’re shopping with me and you see me starting to loiter in the sock yarn area, gently fondling the soft plies and admiring the sensual  color changes, the ombre effects, the self-striping, the dazzling solid colors…

please step up to me and say in your firmest voice…

SUSAN, PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE SOCK YARN!!!

It probably won’t work.  I may need to seek out a 12-ply step program.

–Sue

UFOs — Because this is UFO Thursday, I do want to do a quick post about How Are You Doing on Your UFOs???  I’m taking small steps that are adding up to some bigger steps, and I’m happy with that.  As long as I don’t totally lose momentum and pack all my projects back into the closet again – then I might as well dig a hole in the back yard and throw them in!  That’s been my strategy so far:  keep two projects out where I can see them, and do something on both of them each week.  Let me know how you’re doing and what is working for you.

Socks — Judy Laquidara is giving away a skein of sock yarn (I hope I’m not too late, as I meant to post a picture for my entry last night and then I forgot about it).  So here is my picture of my socks knitted so far (with the exception of my apple-green-and-orange socks that are at a county fair).

Clockwise from the top:  lime-green & raspberry socks, 3/4 done; caramel stripes, one sock almost done; lumberjack socks, done.  I love my lumberjack socks, even though the first time I wore them, I fell and broke my wrist!  I was wearing shoes at the time, and I want to make it clear that these socks were in no way responsible for my injury!

Sue

Here is the Irish Chain I was working on before I broke my wrist in November.  This is a wedding first-anniversary gift for good friends Pat and Patrick.  (This is from Eleanor Burns’ Irish Chain book.)  The fabrics don’t photograph as well as they look in person. 

Last night I went to our guild’s Quilt In they have once a month on a Friday night.  I don’t usually go, but was in the mood to go and sew last night, and we had a terrific turnout of 11 or 12 quilters, most with sewing machines.  We were quite productive, and I got a lot done on these borders.  Because they are pieced, they are turning out to be quite time consuming, but I think they add a lot to the quilt.  A bit of work left to do, but it is encouraging to see progress, and I’m closing in on a finished top. 

Today I’m off to the Mall of America with Quilting Pals Joan and Cathy (& Jane & Kate).  We are going to the Knitting Expo at the mall.  I’m wearing sensible shoes.

Sue

Broken Wrist Update:  I can hardly believe it’s been so long since I posted.  But you will notice I am using capital letters again!  Very exciting to me, because I can type with two hands again.  Last week the doc put a removable brace on my broken wrist/forearm.  What a treat!  I can shower without being “bagged up” like yesterday’s turkey carcass.  The pain is very minor for the most part, although sleeping all night is still a challenge.  Forgive me if you are stopping by to see quilty stuff.  I’m going to show a couple of photos of my arm for my family members that are being referred to my blog from our family web page.  (There are quilty items coming up though, so just skip past…)

And on a related note, my best buds Carol, Pat & Marcia sent me a nice cheerful flower arrangement two weeks ago after the surgery, and it still looks good!  It just shows that it pays to go with daisies and mums.  There are a couple of huge roses in it too, which are somehow drying in place.  I don’t think I’ve ever had fresh flowers last this long.  Actually, I rarely get a potted plant to last this long!  (ps:  the smiling mug is HUGE…)

Gift In The Mail Update:  I received the most wonderful Pay-It-Forward gift from Julie at JulieKQuilts.blogspot.com. 

She sent me one of these cute baskets, hand-made, of course.  And what a doll!  She also tucked in Dove chocolates (see empty bag above) and the sweetest card.  Thank you, Julie!  And I will be contacting my PIF’s soon, getting their gifts on their way to them.  (Be sure to check out the Pink Penguin site.  There you will find the tutorial for this bag as well as a lot of other neat-o stuff.  THANK YOU to “Ayumills” for a great pattern!!!) 

I have to tell you something interesting about this little basket.  Monday the 10th, Barb B. in our Weds. quilting group shared with us the info on making these same baskets.  I made one, and it turned out to be very cute also!  Monday the 10th at 6:30 pm I broke my wrist, so that appeared to be the last real sewing I would be doing for a while.  Last week I was visiting my mom, and although I planned to keep the basket for myself, I decided to give it to my mom.  I knew she would appreciate something hand-made from me.  (And how often have we all done that???  Given away something we really intended for ourselves.)  And then Julie sends me one in the mail!!!  I will treasure it, Julie.  Thank you so much.  And it shows you how popular this little project has become!

Limited-Mobility Sewing Project Update:  So, what can I make with this wrist that is oh-so-much better, but still a broken wrist with a plate holding things together?  How about … pincushions!  I printed the pattern for these pincushions ages ago from the allpeoplequilt.com site.

I thought they turned out really nice.  They are about 3 1/2″ square, and I weighted the bottom with a little bag of rice inside.  A fun way to use up some interesting or vintage buttons, but I purchased these.

Weather Update:  It’s hard to believe we’re at the end of November.  Over 40 degrees today, and no snow on the ground.  Our little pond has a thin layer of ice on it.  This is very unMinnesota-like weather, but it’s really nice while it lasts.

Knitting Update:  I had so much fun knitting my first pair of socks earlier this month, I promptly ordered a bunch of sock yarn from three different places.  It started arriving right after I broke my wrist.  Of course.  But I love all the yarn, so I decided to keep all of it, certain that I would be able to knit again.  I had started a sock in this lovely green/orange/purple yarn before I fell (doesn’t it look like spring?).  I have been testing my ability to knit, just one or two rounds at a time.  Fortunately I knit the old-fashioned way, and my right hand does most of the work.  I am relieved that I will be able to knit again, although casting on is a problem right now. 

Family Update:  We had a wonderful time last week with our #1 son home from Virginia, and #2 son and DIL, plus #3 son spending more time around the house.  It’s truly like old times when the three boys get together.  I couldn’t do as much baking and cooking as I would have liked, but on the other hand, there were extra people to adjust my blanket for naps and help me put my socks on!  Things are pretty much back to normal, just at a slower pace.

Holiday Update:  Since last week was the only time this year our little family will all be together, we celebrated both Thanksgiving and Christmas last Saturday.  To keep things simple, we drew names for gifts.  I didn’t put the tree up, but I did plan to add in some of the holiday decorations.  Then this wrist thing happened, and I really didn’t care if we were decorated or not.  So we went with “not”.  It was really nice to be together, but it seems very strange to think:  We’re Done!  All the hustle and bustle today of the Black Friday sales was irrelevant. 

Thanks for stopping by, and an especially BIG thank you if you hung in there and read this whole thing!

 Sue

And just in time!  (Sorry, but I love puns and stupid word things.  I could get so much more done in a day if I gave up the daily crossword.)  It was 24 degrees when I got up this morning, and it’s only about 28 degrees right now at 1:30 pm.  Brrr.  So I have completed my very first pair of socks!  They feel wonderful.  I wasn’t sure I would like wool on my feet, as I always have to wear something between me and a wool sweater, but we’ll see how it goes with socks.  Right now I’m loving them!

I’ve been mulling over stash yardages in my mind, as I want to Join Judy Laquidara’s Stash Busting for 2009.  I like how she’s set up.  You don’t have to try to do an inventory ahead of time; just keep track of what comes in and what goes out and report the difference on a weekly basis, keeping a running total.  Then you post a Stash Busting Report on your blog each Sunday, and provide a link to that post to Judy’s blog. 

My sticking point is — how much should I set for a goal (# of yards to reduce by the end of 2009)?  I want it to be a realistic number that I can likely achieve, with some discipline.  But I don’t want it to be too easy.  It should take some effort.  I’m not going to say, no new fabric, cuz that ain’t gonna happen.  But I need to be proactive on reducing stash.  I have three sons that would probably send all my stuff to the Good Will and use the unquilted tops for oil rags, should I be sent prematurely to the Big Quilting Bee in the Sky. 

I also have to consider the fact that I don’t have a HUGE stash, but I have some yardage I’ve bought for backing pieces that just aren’t going anywhere, and I would like to make a point to get some of those moved out.  I also have some kits that aren’t getting any *fresher* and should also get made up and moved out.  Then there’s my batiks that I never seem to use; I just pull them out from time to time and admire.  Sooooo, after much deliberation, my Stash Reduction Goal for 2009 is…

75 Yards

That sounds like so much fabric, and it is, but I think I can do it (and it’s a drop in the bucket compared to some quiters’ stash-busting goals).  I’ll need to:  Shop my stash first.  Keep doing Judy L’s BOM and Quilt for an Hour Projects, as I’ve been making them (for the most part) out of stash.  I might have to do a quilt or two STARTING with one of these oddball fabrics that don’t seem to go with anything, or else I should give them away. 

I’m ready, 2009!  Bring it on!

Sue

One Sock!  Okay, I promise I won’t keep posting pictures of sock progress, but this is just so exciting to me to have completed one whole sock.  And it looks like a sock.  It fits like a sock.  It IS a sock!!!

I never thought I’d be posting a picture of my pasty-white leg on the Internet, but there it is.  Twice!  Sorry about that.  (Just be glad I’m knitting for my feet and not for any other part of my body.)  Now I just need to do cast on and do it all over again.  Our weather is supposed to turn on us by the end of the week.  They are even using the four-lettered word that starts with “s” and rhymes with “NO!!!”

Voting went so well this morning.  It only took us 15 minutes at the polling place, but we went about 10:15, so I think the morning rush was over and the noon rush hadn’t started yet.  So we celebrated by having a late breakfast at IHOP. 

Well, I probably will have to post one more sock picture: when I have a whole pair completed!  I wish I could give Grandma Ida a big hug for all the knitting she did for us kids.  We would always get either mittens, gloves, or skating socks for Christmas, and tucked inside would be a shiny silver dollar.  And she had such a good eye for color.  She didn’t just knit — she knitted beautifully, and she made beautiful things.  Thinking of you today, Grandma.

Sue

Two weeks ago, with great trepidation, I started my first knit sock.  I am using Cat Bordhi’s book Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles.  I was a little concerned about learning to knit a sock strictly from the printed page, but I am feeling pretty good about my progress.  It LOOKS LIKE A SOCK!!!  Well, maybe like 2/3 of a sock, but I’m feeling a lot more optimistic now that I’ve gotten past the heel.

There are several sock patterns in this book, and they are organized in the book in order of difficulty.  Naturally I am doing the first pattern, which is a nice basic sock.  There is also a pattern for a pair of felted slippers that it would be fun to try.  They are pictured on the cover of the book in the upper right-hand corner.

I am using Lion Brand’s Magic Stripes yarn in Lumberjack – Black.  It’s a wool/nylon blend.  There are so many wonderful sock yarns available, and in so many colorways, I wish socks were faster to knit.  It would be fun to have a whole drawerful of hand-knit socks, but right now I’m just shooting for a whole pair that look somewhat like each other.

While working on this sock, I had kind of a weird thought:  I wonder how many single socks are floating around out there in blogland because either the knitter lost interest, didn’t have enough yarn, didn’t like how the first one came out, etc?  I have a family member (female) who has just one leg who could make use of just such an orphan sock. 

Sue

We’re in Port Aransas, Texas, for our fix-up/clean-up week.  We have a small 1-bedroom condo, plus an efficiency next door to serve as a second bedroom when needed.   The 1 BR is our retreat in the coldest of winter months, and we put both units into a rental pool for the time we’re not here.  Summer is “high season” here at Port Aransas, and so it is rented virtually all summer.  Helps with taxes and insurance, but it’s always a surprise as to what we’ll find when summer’s over.  So we come down here for a week in the fall to assess the wear and tear, and freshen things up.  That way, when we come later, it still looks nice.  We look out to the southeast, so we don’t actually see the sunrise, but I love the look of the sun and shadows in the dunes.  It’s 63 degrees this morning, with only some thin clouds that will quickly burn off.

Nothing major this year.  The TV remotes were still here (a first), and the usual scrapes and dings from luggage coming in and going back out.  And Housekeeping did a better job this year (hurrah!).  Last year I scrubbed for two days to get a layer of dirt off all the hard floors.  This year was so much better — a pleasant surprise.  Yesterday I did the necessary touch-up painting in the 1 BR while DH did other Mr. Fix-It jobs.  Today is a trip to Corpus Christi to get some needed supplies and maybe a stop at Krispy Kreme?  They sell T-shirts that say Korpus Krispy.  We don’t buy the little air- and fat-filled pastries at home, but here it seems almost necessary.  They freeze very well, so we buy a dozen and bag them up, two by two, and into the freezer.  Probably something you didn’t need to know.

Friday we switch over to staying in the little efficiency.  It’s really just like a hotel room.  It needs a total paint job, new microwave (part of the Corpus trip today), and some other touches that we won’t worry about this trip.  If we can get the painting done, that will be huge.  Okay, that’s the beach part.  Now on to the socks…

I am a pretty fair knitter, but haven’t tackled anything harder than a dishcloth or a baby bonnet for ages.  I have been wanting to knit socks.  Where do these urges come from?  You can buy socks, just like you can buy dishcloths.  But no, I want to knit socks for my own Size 8W clodhoppers.  I have many friends at home who know how to knit socks.  So what do I do?  I start knitting socks on the plane traveling away from those friends.  I have two books to assist me, and have 3″ done, starting from the top, using two circular needles.  I’m already sweating coming to the heel flap.  I think this self-striping yarn is just amazing. It’s so much fun to knit up.  So, Friends in Blogland, please check back from day to day to see if I’m stuck — especially if you know how to knit socks!  I try to understand everything on paper before trying it with needles, and the heel flap isn’t clear to me.  Usually, though, when that happens, I can work it through when I get that far.  I tend to over-think sometimes.

For fun, I’m going to try and get a trip to Paradise Pond in today.  It’s my favorite bird-watching spot, and it’s only about 1 1/2 miles or so across the island. 

I will find a couple of links to insert into this post in case you’re ever interested in visiting Port Aransas, you can check things out.  We love Port A.  It has a rustic charm, things aren’t very fancy, some very good Mexican and seafood restaurants, plus a good barbecue place, burgers, etc.  Then there’s the Island Cafe.  I will have to post after we’ve eaten there, because I don’t know how they can function with the low prices they charge.  And the food is very good.

Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce

Interesting Port Aransas Info

Wikipedia on Port Aransas

So there you have it — Socks on the Beach.  G-Rated.

Sue