Finished for my son

These socks started here.

Yikes! That was a while ago! Sorry, son, for taking so long.
They are a sz 13.

Next........fingerless mitts in the same yarn to match his socks. :)
I've traced his hand and then traced his fingers. They will fit like a glove.....ahem....no pun intended. ;)

Madrona Fiber Arts in Tacoma, WA

This is Pat Fly's booth with her luxurious hand dyed and hand-painted yarns.

You can find them at Little Knits.

Fly Designs is the name. Check her delicious yarns out......you will not be disappointed.

Socks for a dear friends SIL

The process first started with the invitation to do something special for my dear friend, Alberta. First, of all, we are friends for life with a common tragedy - my husband was a deputy killed in-the-line-of-duty in Arizona and Alberta's husband, of over 20 years, was State Trooper who was killed in-the-line-of-duty in Washington.

Alberta wanted to giver her dear SIL something unique and special to her so she asked if I would knit her a pair of warm socks. Of course I would. :)

The next step was to find out what her favorite colors are; some important measurements for a personal fit; how she would be wearing them; and any allergies to certain fiber animals.

I love searching for the right yarn and found Schaefer Anne at Little Knits, called "Puget Sound". As a note of caution: You should always purchase 2 hanks when they are a Limited Edition, because when they are gone - They Are Gone.

So now comes gauge and the perfect pattern from 'Sensational Knitted Socks' by Charlene Schurch called Baby Cable Rib - and I can't believe I got gauge with US sz 1's! Usually, it's 0's.......so with that information and the circumference of her foot, I figured 10% less for ease and cast on 68 stitches (making an adjustment as her pattern is for 64 or 72 stitches) with US sz 3; knit 3 rounds of k1, p1; and then switched to my gauge needles and knit away. I use one needle size smaller for the heels and toes for durability.

So, this great hank of wool and mohair with some nylon went from this........

.....to a great pair of socks.

It's magic, you know, how a long piece of string and be manipulated into something so practical.

Gosh, I love to knit.

SFS members....and prospective members?

Here is Carol, me and Karen.
When you buy sock yarn from Karen, knit them into Socks For Soldiers, and bring them in to show her (along with other stipulations), she will give you back 50% of the cost of yarn. Wow!


A picture of Bonnie (left) and her daughter. Bonnie helps Karen run the store. Doesn't this picture make you want to sit down and knit?





Here is Tami and Kaye (daughter and mother). They are the perspective SFS members. :)

More in the post below.

Karen's Bakersfield Yarn Store

This is the first thing you see when you enter Karen's yarn store, ABC's of Creative Pursuits. Then you are greeted with friendly customers and staff. The customers are happily knitting and talking yarn.
I called Karen when I got into Bakersfield, around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. She talked like she had a small shop but I was stunned to see the most beautiful shop I'd seen in a very long time. When a yarn store has great customer service, the place is even more wonderful and worth a visit.
Even though I wanted an early start to Yreka, I wanted more to visit with Karen and her store. She emailed several patrons and told them I was going to stop by the shop the next morning. I felt like royalty when Carol, Kaye and Tami came in and greeted me with the biggest smiles and hugs! I told them, as one of the moderators, I was the next best thing to Kim [SFS president]! We had a wonderful visit.
Next came a phone call for me! It was Katherine. She wouldn't be able to stop by before I had to leave so we talked on the phone. Such a treat! I told you! - I felt so important! - Thank you, Kim! Karen took me to lunch to a place, just outside of her shop in an enclosed mall setting, called "Bite Me!" The food was great and the owners were pleasant!
I hope you all take a moment to visit Karen's website and sign up for her FREE newsletter.

Before I left, I bought 2 hanks of Kraemer Sterling Silk & Silver yarn. Yup, socks for ME.
Karen loves her shop, as well as the joy it brings to her patrons, that she works another job to keep it open.
Below are more pictures of her beautiful yarn shop.

Carol and BBS

Carol showing her BBS (Big Black Socks). She has been a member of SFS since August 2006 and sure knows how to knit.

Meeting a SFS member in Yreka, CA

I got in around 9 p.m. and stayed at the Best Western Miner's Inn. It was a very nice place to stay.
I woke to lots and lots of snow and decided to give Pat a call so I could meet her. She is so generous with her time and knowledge. Pat has been a member of Socks For Soldiers (SFS) since November 2006.
Pat came over and we went to get a bite to eat at Grandma's Restaurant. I wanted to make sure I ate there again. It's a great place to eat!
Pat then drove me to an auto parts store so I could purchase some chains for my truck. The news was that you were required to have chains and/or snow tires with you in order to drive through the pass. From there, she gave me the grand tour of Yreka. We 'Oohed and Ahhd' at the beautiful old homes.
Then Pat gave a call to a friend of hers [Norma], giving her only a few minutes to get ready, asking if she would like to knit with us.
It was so nice to go to my motel room and knit! We knit for an hour or so.........and I feel so bad that I didn't get a picture of them! I have come to realize, Pat would give you the shirt off her back.
This is a picture of Norma's house.








I-5 was closed from noon until 5 p.m. I didn't want to drive in the dark so I stayed another night.
This is what it looked like, from my motel door, the next day.
My door faced East and I needed to drive North, or left of this picture.

Leaving Yreka, CA

Almost home! I decided to take a chance after looking at the cam pictures of the passes at http://www.tripcheck.com/. I will be using that from now on! It's a great place to "see" what you might be in for as you travel the highways.

These scenes, from Siskiyou Pass, are zoomed in.

I only wish the trucks wouldn't follow so close.