Blog Binder

I printed my entire blog from September 2006 to June 26, 2007. I now know when projects were started and finished. Where the pictures of yarn purchases and usage are stored. WIP pictures of projects that are on hiatus; which I was so enthusiastic about when I cast on :} It is kind of funny to read what I have said since I started this blogging thing. Glad I ran back across that Shopping and Reviews post (or $$ not $$) and the Secret and Sockret Pal Swap swag. I have some yarn gifts stashed that I need to pull out, I have the perfect patterns for them. The best thing I got out of printing this blovel is that I will be able to get my info into Ravelry so much faster. I can copy all of the pictures to flicker and paste my comments and know exactly which posts to link to each project. I think I will also devise a set of Labels now and add them to the posts for future grouping. To the well organized mind, Ravelry is just another adventure. I do like knitting patterns too, Dumbledore ;)

A Little Sex A Little Stripes

All done with my Knit Picks Simple Stripe socks. That puts me over 5 miles for the marathon and up to 14 out of 52 for the plunge. Yay! I received a little box from the Loopy Ewe too, a stash enhancement exercise. Now I am off to Ravelry to enter my project and yarns.

One Long Sleepless Night

Did you hear that? That was me screaming and doing the happy dance like an idiot. I got my Ravelry Invite. My username is paletpc (Please note: different spelling than my Lime & Violet messageboard username Palette Pc). I may never knit again. You see, Ravelry is not just knitter's utopia, they are also linked to Flickr and Library Thing. I will never logout, I will never sleep, I will never eat anything that requires traveling downstairs to the kitchen, the dog will not get any belly rubs and my Mother will have to talk to herself. I AM ON RAVELRY. My first, maybe third thing, will be to figure out how to link/upload my Library Thing (and Half.com if possible) knitting and crochet booklists so I don't have to reenter those. Then I will see if I can use copy and paste from my eKnits software and/or excel to put my needle, yarn and hook inventory in. And the pictures, that's going to take awhile. So I guess last night was the last good night's sleep I will be getting for awhile. I may even be forced to carry my lap top around for a few weeks, just to get the yarn collection entered. Sounds like a lot of work, no?!? To a technogeek like me it sounds like heaven. SQUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE . . .Thank you Jess and Casey

where life meets knitting
Interweave Press

Garter Stitch, not so much

Okay, I have been determined to get my Elizabeth Zimmermann groove on since January. I was supposed to make the February Baby Sweater, but no, I plunged into three sock Knit Alongs instead. The structure, concept and result of the EZ BSJ is amazing - really ingenious. But the GARTER stitch, not so much.

I am dying to get back to my Monkey Sock. Not only that, I now have cast on fever for several textured and lace socks my co-knitters in Ebony Elite and the 52 Pair Plunge are knitting. I even located and printed the Jigsaw Sock pattern for Dharmafey's knit along; pretty nice eh?! I have every blue yarn I could find in the Loopy Ewe and Knit Picks. I even got the Lorna's Laces Devon that (Virtuousoops) Shawn got me sprung on. I may start the Jigsaws without Dharmafey; cast those bad boys on tonight.

I will finish my second Regia Self Striping sock tonight. I have to cast on my second Lemongrass Moc Croc - having a bit of a needle cable issue there, not to worry I ordered more needles :) Irie mentioned that she likes to knit her socks on 1's and I was thinking, chea yeah okay. Then when I was about to finish my first Moc Croc and wanted to cast on the second sock I discovered that I was working on 2's. The problem with my 2's was that they had different length cables. I bought 24" and it was too short for magic loop so I bought 32" size 2. The magic loop was not flowing for the Moc Croc sock however, so I ended up finishing them on mismatched cable lengths which is just weird.

When I finally got around to casting on my second Lace Anklet, and got those needles back out I discovered they were 1's. So there, I can handle those teensy little needles better than I gave myself credit for. Granted my 0's are still safely stored in plastic :P I am not even looking for a pattern that calls for 0's.

I almost always knit two unmatched socks at once on circulars, size 3 circulars, and I always try to cast on the second sock(s) of a pair when I turn the heel of the first sock(s). The leg and foot take no time to knit. But I just did not have enough size 1 and 2 needles to get it done with the Croc and Lace socks. * * Bordering on second sock syndrome * * So I ordered more needles so I won't have to go through this again. I will be able to cast on the second sock(s), which is so important for me to be able keep up my momentum.

Wonderful Weekend

I had a wonderful knitting weekend, I hope you did too!!

I'm a Loopy Groupie, I have arrived. I have made it into the Loopy Groupie club with a little Lorna’s Laces and Cherry Tree Hill purchase. Woohoo!! I was welcomed with chocolate, a skein of Jigsaw yarn and a medium sized Loopy Ewe project bag. Thanks Sheri. Perfect timing too, Dharmafey is starting a Jigsaw KAL, nothing is formalized yet but she mentioned starting a Jigsaw Sock Yarn KAL on the her last Podcast. I have the yarn, now I need to get a copy of the pattern she mentioned and I will be set.

My BMFA STR Rockin Sock Club shipment came Friday. They finally hit me, I love this colorway it is so HOT. They are perfect hot summertime colors!!! Not sure what pattern I will knit, but this skein is going to be wound tomorrow and on the needles real soon!!

I am finally getting to my Elizabeth Zimmermann Baby Surprise Jacket, or BSJ as she is known as in the blogosphere. I found some really luscious Aran yarn in my collection. Patons 100% Merino Pure New Wool in Aran and Natural. I am doing a striped BSJ. I even have a recipient, my cousin is fostering a newborn baby girl who we have nicknamed Janie 3. I cannot wait to surprise her with it. I am going to run it through a nice bath of Lavender Eucalan and put it on the blocking board when I finish. Very easy knit, although it kept me away from my socks this weekend.

I planned ahead though, Friday I did a Harry Potter DVD marathon. One movie per sock pattern. I managed to get my heel turned and gusset picked up on my second KP Self Striping sock during The Sorcerer’s Stone. I completed five and half pattern repeats on my Regia Silk Denim Monkey sock before I started nodding off and had to give up during The Chamber of Secrets, Hermione had just been found petrified. It was a good plan, foiled by sleep.

We are having our June Birthday Celebration today. Mom (6/25), Julie (6/4) and I (6/18). Guess what they are getting, yep socks. Mom is getting the Monkey socks in White Regia Silk and Julie is getting the Knit Picks Memories Socks in Redwood and Spring Prairie.

Complete with Hand Made by me and Care Instruction tags. And from Knitz & Glitz the beautiful handmade with love heart charms.

Shocking

I have come to the conclusion that I cannot knit in the Vanpool. The shocks are shot and the bumps and rocking are impossible to knit through. It was bad enough my pointy little Knit Picks needles would poke me in the fingers when we hit a rocky bit of road, but last night was the limit. We hit a spot that made me pull the left needle completely out of the row of stitches. Luckily I was on a knit row, not that Moc Croc Sock P1 Sl1 K2TOG PSSO YO P1 row, really!!! But I had to place all the stitches back on the needle and tuck my sock away. Speaking of the Moc Croc Sock, I finished the first one last night and the little monster is really beautiful. Pics tonight.




A little yarn p0rn popped up - we have our colorway for the 52 Pair Plunge. I am ordering some. Custom dyed by Dye*Namic Yarns.









Should make an interesting sock.

Sock Lessons

Socks are so perfect for learning new skills and techniques. I have completed a couple of lace patterned socks and I have learned so much from them. I can now read the stitches and determine which is a SL1 KTOG PSSO, or an SSK, or a YO. This is so important if you have to rip back and place stitches back onto the needles in the proper order. Socks allow you to practice skills over a small number of stitches then move on to something larger like a shawl or capelet with confidence. Cuff Ribbing, whether it be K2 P2, or KTBL P1 will have you ready for the cuff of sleeves, collars or hems of a sweater in no time. Picking up gusset stitches is the same skill you will need for picking up collar stitches or button bands on a cardigan. All of that knowledge packed into one tiny project. Pretty cool. The best thing of all may be the sense of accomplishment. Sweaters, shawls, blankets and accessories can take a long time to knit. But a portable sock project can take less time and you feel like you have really done something grand when you finish.

The perfect gift - a sock is. After months and months of knitting the sweater you lovingly gift to someone may be out of style, not a color they like, have a terrible fit, be to scratchy for their sensitive skin, be too bulky, too light weight, or WHATEVER :{. But a sock, hey if they have a foot they can wear it. The color, size and fit are not going to be a huge dilemma. If they don't like them they wear them with sneakers or shoes that completely cover them. If they love them they can find just the right shoe to show them off. The point is they will probably wear them whether they like them or not and your time has not been wasted. Not to mention the cost of the yarn required for a sweater or large garment.

That is another thing about socks, they can cost so much less. Those of us who collect hand painted super fine merino silk blends - well hey that's on us. But your basic wool and nylon sock yarn is pretty darned inexpensive and you can buy tons and make loads of socks. If you want to learn new pattern stitches or see what a color combination looks like, you can seam your swatch up the side and have a tube sock. Or you can go ahead and intentionally knit a sock, in the pattern stitch or color combinations of a larger project, just to see what it looks like or if your hands can stand P3TOG. Socks can save you money, time and sanity.

Most importantly any experienced knitter will tell you, sock yarn does not count as stash - SO if all you have is sock yarn - - - you don't have a stash!!!!

Happy Birthday to ME

9:30 am
So far I have received birthday wishes from my Mom, Sister, Dog, and Auntie. My Brother (in-law) sang to me. My Mila brought me Kahlua cake, my Michael bought me Louis Vuitton earrings and I have an office filled with balloons. I love getting older.

7:57 pm
First the bling now the bing. Bing Cherries are my all time favorite fruit on the planet. My Mom made me an excellent birthday dinner. Lobster Thermidore, new potatoes, fresh string beans and huge bing cherries. Yummy. She also bought me little snacking goodies for the rest of the week including Ben & Jerry's Karmel Sutra caramel ice cream. Heavenly.

Got a little SEX too, yes knitters, stash enhancement - Louet Gems Sport in French Blue, Louet Gems Fingering Weight in Neptune, MMF Ocean Wave, Regia Bamboo, and Interlacements Submarine. All kinds of blues going on. From my baby boy, he knows how to earn those belly rubs. You'll be seeing them all in WIPS soon, as I work through this stack of patterns I have printed. On the way to 52 of 52 pairs!!

I have birthday cards all over my room and I had a wonderful day. Thanks all, love you back.

Bev

Nearly There

You do know . . . it was all about the SOCKS ! :D

Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing - if they can. But what will Harry do then?
How can he fulfill the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him?

*****************************
Charmed Knits is superb. The chapter headings and the project levels are so clever. Will I be able to achieve a knitting Newt? This remains to be seen. I will be picking a project soon.

Another Pair Done

I finished the Socks That Rock 24 Karat socks in lightweight. I definitely prefer the heavy weight Socks That Rock yarn. Not thrilled with these socks at all. On the other hand I absolutely love the Lemongrass lightweight colorway in the Moc Croc pattern. I think I am going to rip out the Bavarian Twisted socks and Monsoons and knit them in the Monkey and Moc Croc patterns which I love knitting. We'll see.

This will put me over my goal of 5 miles of sock yarn knitted for the Lime and Violet Sock Yarn Marathon. I am still a couple of pairs ahead in the 52 Pair Plunge. I am turning the heel on my first sock for the Ebony Elite sock KAL. I will probably get started on one of my afghans this week.

Faster Than a Speeding Dropped Stitch

Was it two blinks ago that I told you I was going to get the Deep Red Jordana Paige Knitting Satchel, maybe it was three blinks. Cause Baby it's here. Yes, that's right - TWO DAY DELIVERY with - lets all say it together - FREE SHIPPING!!!!!!!




Jimmy Beans Wool ROCKS!!!!


This bag is so special that I am not going to post my WIP with it. The Hot Red Satchel deserves a post all to herself. Feel free to go next door to see the WIP shots.
newbhs.blogspot.com

XTreme Knitting

I pledge right this very moment to never whine again about the difficulty of a pattern or the way a yarn works up. I have just experienced the most humbling slideshow I have ever seen on Flickr.
Mini Knits by KnitPurr
Please please please go to the Flickr site and watch her slide show. We are talking knitting using STRAIGHT PINS. I kid you not. The paint brush with the paint drop, OMG, and the clown doll for the Doll? Unbelievable. This lady must be in the Guiness Book of World Records or Ripley's Believe or Not. She is amazing. Check out the little dress above - it has a LACE skirt with BEADS. There is RIBBING on the panties - and they are slightly bigger than her fingernail!!! Come on, this is too much. Thanks to Carrie Anne Dennison at BritKnit Cast for her link to Miniature Knitting which linked to this KnitPurr Flickr album.

It's In The Bag

Robin and Adrienne, thanks for the validation. I placed the order yesterday and I cannot wait to get my Hot Red Satchel. Kudos to Jordana Paige by the way, she is moving into her new business premises. She has reached that professional level where working at home is not keeping up with the pace of her success. I am looking forward to more luxury knitting products from her.

I cast on for the Ebony Elite Sock Knit Along last night. I am trying a new (to me) Knit Picks Sock yarn, the Simple Stripes superwash yarn. I believe this line of yarns have been discontinued. I really like the colors and the striping effect, but the feel is coarser than the Memories sock yarn. I guess I could have counted a pair of socks I already have on my needles for the KAL but that kind of felt like cheating. We started June 11th and I kind of wanted to kick it off with the other knitters. But then I did not get the sock cast on until last night. I had just cast on my Monkey socks on Sunday and could not put them down. Oh dear, it's an illness :} Hopefully I will be able to pick up the camera this weekend and take some WIP shots. I have almost completed the second STR 24 Karat sock.

It was 113 degrees in the car in the shade here yesterday so needless to say I won't be knitting anything bigger than a sock any time soon. I can work on my afghans at home and let the fabric lay on the chair or bed as I crochet, but my traveling projects are going to have to be small and light!!! Whew 113 y'all, what's up with that??

Shopping Dilemma

What should I buy myself for my birthday? I don't need, dare I say it - GASP - any more yarn. I already ordered some Knit Picks Memories, it is on clearance and it looks like they are phasing it out. I ordered my favorites Fly Fishing, Morning Glory, Yukon and Smores. I gave my Sister my pair of smores socks so I will need to make another pair for myself. The other colorways I will keep in my collection for future inspiration. Speaking of inspiration, it is Wednesday I have to check out Toya and Adrienne's podcast. Adrienne did inspire me to go to L'Occitane and buy the Almond body wash. A gift from Mom for my birthday, I was not sure Mom would be able to get out and shop so I picked something up for her :D

I bought myself a new ring, but that does not count because it is a replacement for the one my sister ran over with the car. Not as interesting as it sounds!! Lets just say HSN is good for a jewelry fix (so to speak).

So what should I get for me? What I need is time, but I have only been back to work for 7 days so that's not going to happen. It is too hot for chocolate, I hate melted Sees Candies - ruins the deliciousness. I was looking at the Jordana Page Knitting Satchel on Jimmy Beans Wools last night, maybe the deep red one ?!? I think yes. I will be 48, not a milestone but a goodish number to achieve.

Jazz Hips

Big Jazz Hands for Mom. She had her second follow up appointment and she is cured. YAHOOO!!!! She can drive again and it looks like she will be able to go to the family reunion in August FOR SURE!!! YAY! It was worth all the sacrifices and furniture moves :} Now she is worried about the dog, she says he sleeps too much. Aw, my children.

It's In The Bag

Anyone who knows me knows I am a bag lady. I love every kind of bag there is and I have made several bags for my electronics and projects and what not. Remember this one? Crocheted Ferragamo Handbag - hot!!!



Knitters and Crocheters can make some really awesome bags. Marly from Yarn Thing Podcast has put together a really great Summer Knit Along for bags. There are some amazing gifts available to participants. Take a look http://summerkalcal.blogspot.com

Fool's Gold

Well I finished the first Socks That Rock 24 Karat sock. I have mixed reviews, I don't hate it but I don't love it either. Considering it is $ock$ that rock yarn, I should like them A LOT at least, ya know?!?! Anyway I cast on some self striping Trekking XXL socks in plain stockinette to keep up my pace. I am still loving the Lemongrass Moc Croc socks. I will definitely knit a couple of pairs of them, great pattern. I will probably go ahead and cast on my Monkey socks too. I have some beautiful blue Regia Silk that my Secret Pal 9 sent me. My Sockret Pal also sent me some green Regia Silk, that would also make some pretty Monkey socks. I still don't have any specific plans for my Tofutsies. I love the blues, so I want to use it for a really good pattern, not plain stockinette. There are so many yards of Tofutsies that I want make knee highs if I can find the right pattern.

I finally got caught up on my podcasts. Really good episodes out there so far in June. I just downloaded Knit Picks Episode 7, and will listen to it after I post this. I have been having a hard time keeping up with all of my KAL posts and Ebony Elite e-mails and posts though. Everyone is really active right now and there is lots to read. I like to leave comments, so folks know someone is out there reading their thoughts and ideas, but that takes time. I no longer have very much of that. I have not even been able to blog for almost a week. It's a wierd feeling, to log in to blogger and see something I wrote way back at the beginning of the week. It's like no life for days. I know stuff happened and I am sure I blogged in my mind, but none of it ever made it to the computer.

Back at Work

What can I say? 4:30 is still as early as I remember. YAWN!!!!

Even Dozen for the Plunge

Knit Picks Memories
Cape Cod
440 yards

Last skein of Memories yarn. My least favorite colorway as well. Really dark and kind of drab. It is also thicker than the other skeins. For some reason the Knit Picks yarns dyed in dark colors are denser than their yarns in bright or light colors.

A little problem with my Socks that Rock 24 Karat sock. My BIL came to shampoo the carpets, I was doing laundry, watching golf and tennis and somehow I dropped a stitch about 5 rows from where I am now. Imagine ?!? :D So I need to get that back on the needles before I turn this heel. I was going to start my Crochet Projects June 1st, but decided to go ahead and finish up these two STR socks since I probably won't get back to them for awhile.

Back to work on Monday and there is already some drama going on. I just checked e-mail and there are some issues that will be waiting at the door Monday. Lovely. I don't feel like doing the analysis reports I had my 2nd in command e-mail me, but now that I know what's waiting it is imperative to get these handled in the comfort of my home office listening to some audiobooks and watching golf. Much better work environment.

Small Rant: I allowed someone to use my office while I was out so I could hire a temp to help out. This way there was no scrambling to find a place for the temp to sit. Okay I am sure I have a bit of the "Monk" cooties phobia or OCD, but when I first return from vacations, it takes me a bit of time to feel comfortable in my office again. It's like I have to reacclimate myself to my space. I dust, wipe down the phone and keyboard, stuff like that. Weird ?!? Maybe a little.

STR WIP and 11 of 52

Knit Picks Memories
Pansy
440 yard 100% Merino
Size 3 KP Classic Circulars
Cuff Down Women's Size Medium