Mystery Stole 3 ~ Clue #1...the lace is on!!!

So.....
I downloaded the first clue (part of the pattern) and knit it up to Row 57. I do have beads on it....honest. You can click on the picture to enlarge it and see. :)
I was doubting the way this was looking and feeling and was going to start over on smaller needles. I stretched it out to see it better. I like it now. I can't get over how 'light' it is. It hardly weighs anything!
I have more rows to go before I complete clue #1.
If you want to see how the beading is done for this, check out Knitty or Debi's blog.
So! If you like what you see so far, it isn't too late to join the madness! The doors to welcome new members closes July 6th!

What needles do YOU use to knit socks?

These are the needles "I" use to knit.

They may look small but they sure can crank out a pair in no time at all!!!!

I use them on my antique sock knitting machine or CSM. The shorter one makes the purl stitch and so that leaves the taller one to make the knit stitch.

In the knitting process, the shorter one lays horizontal while the taller one sits vertical.

So, once again, what needles do YOU use to knit socks?  Hmmm? ;)

Mystery Stole 3 swatch....decisions, decisions!

I have my yarn, beads and tiny crochet hook. I don't need any help in getting this started.
Okay...........I DO need some help. I usually know what I want but not in this case. I can't believe I'm so undecided!
The question is:
Do you like the top portion (above the white cord)? Or,
Do you like the bottom portion?
What do you think?
I realize I should pick what I like but I need YOUR help. I know there are expert lace knitters lurking out there and I would love to hear your opinions. I would be honored.

Yarn for my Mystery Stole 3!!

Just look at what I received from Cloverhill Yarn Shop. It seemed like before I hung up the phone, my order was here!

There is enough (and then some) Jaggerspun Zephyr to knit my Mystery Stole 3. I opened the carefully packaged yarn and couldn't believe how luscious it felt. I had never touched a yarn that felt so delicious.

Maybe you've done this, too. You start with your e-mail, you click on a blog address just to look, that then takes you somewhere else, and so on. Well, I just happened to be e-mailing back and forth with Soapturtle Knits who told me about the yarn shop. Thank you Soapturtle!!!!!

If you are interested in joining ~ the 'mystery' begins on June 29th. The group will be closed to new members on July 6, so be sure to sign up soon!

Geese In Flight - FO

It's 8:15 p.m. and I'm finished! I didn't post a picture of both socks since I only had one cardboard sock blocker. Guess I better make another one. Here's where you can read more about where the pattern is, my yarn choice and needle choice.
Only thing I did different -- I knit the heel flap longer for my foot. I love the pattern and it fits good!
By the way, this was the May pattern! I better get going and cast on for June! I also want to cast on for the Six-Sox-KAL!!!!!!!

I was tagged in May and now I write......

Tabitha tagged me!!!

Here's the deal: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Here are my 7 random facts:
1.) I like meeting people and keeping them as friends.....forever!
2.) I am so honest, I squeak.
3.) I would rather not have ice cream with my pie or cake.
4.) I love baby ducks.......I guess I love all baby animals.
5.) I sound just like Loretta Lynn or Reba McIntyre (or any female vocalist)............when I'm in the shower. Sometimes I sound like George Jones or Conway Twitty if I try real hard!
6.) I like to cook from scratch.
7.) I try to make things for me and my family rather than buy them. Examples: Cards, clothes, sweaters, socks and gifts.

{I also secretly wish I could write as funny as most of my favorite bloggers do!}

Everyone I know has been tagged so I guess I'm at the end of the line.

Orenburg 'Diamond Triangular Shawl'...blocked

Okay, now!! It's blocked!!
It took some doing since I've never, ever blocked a shawl. Matter-of-fact, I never even knit a shawl before this one.
I finished it up in time to wear to my son's prep-high school graduation. It was warm outside, in Arizona, but it was on the cool side in the gym.
I think he was as proud of my shawl as I was of him.

MEMORIAL DAY........with my sister

This is my sister, Doris Vega. Here she is proudly wearing her Army uniform in the early 1980's.

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This is what she is wearing now. She died after a diagnosis of Adrenal Cancer in May 1997. They said she had 6 months. They were right.

In that short time span, my sister wrote letters and made a special gift for each of her two daughters, as well as, a video of herself.

Before this serious diagnosis, she had a Multiple Sclerosis attack.

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Doris' new home is the 5th one from the bottom of this picture. Everyone had a flag.

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May she rest in peace.

The Orenburg Diamond Triangular Shawl is completed!

This beautiful shawl is in the process of drying so this picture is of it stretched out on the carpet (pre-blocked). The points still show up pretty good.
The knitting flowed pretty smoothly. I knit on it when I could be alone without interruption.
I still came across a few more errors such as a symbol omission and misplacement of yo's and k2tog's. (those errors are not listed in the errata for the booklet.) If my dear friend, Courtney, hadn't had the keen eye to notice the first misplacement (that affected the border all the way around) I would have had to rip more.
I love the way it looks. To keep from repeating myself on the yarn, needles and pattern I used, please click on the label for Orenburg.
When I started this project, I decided to keep track of my knitting time, too. Even with the few times I had to 'knit backwards', I was able to complete it in just under 85 hours.
I'd like to start the next Galina project in her booklet.

Geese In Flight - progress

This pattern is just lovely!
As I was knitting the heel, I noticed the diamond pattern appearing. Never made one like that. Loved it, too!
I'm using Knitpicks Palette in white (cuz snow geese are mostly white) and reinforcing the heel and toe with white serger woolly nylon. This loose knitter is knitting with Inox US sz 0 dpn's.
The yahoo group finds a free pattern each month to knit together. If there are any questions, you have others knitting the same pattern at the same time.
If you like lace, this knits up nice.

Horcrux Socks finished

Okay, I'm finally posting a picture of the finished socks I made for my son!
Yes, I noticed how LONG they look....and....
I'm happy to report - they fit him!! He has been wearing them and getting all kinds of compliments from his friends.
The progress report, I posted about earlier, has all the particulars on where to get the pattern.
They were fun to knit and I would make them again using the house colors.

What is a CSM?

I went to the Lacey Retreat, this past weekend, with my antique circular sock knitting machine. It's a Legare 47 and was built to knit socks for the troops during WWI.

When you click on the picture, look for the two black cones of wool and scroll up.
I mainly knit socks by hand since I love to do a lot of fancy stitches. The CSM is a great one for ribbing and stockinette stitch. Lace patterns and flat work can also be accomplished. Every time I work with my Legare, I learn something new!

Feta and Papaya - together again

Feta - Another Creature, Great and Small

Here's a bit about Feta [named from the Cheesiest Litter]:

6 week old Feta Hart (a female Agouti Berk was born January 29, 2005, and died June 7, 2006) came home with us from Portland, OR.
Feta was very trusting and an avid explorer. My husband, Ed, would put his hand out to her and she would climb into it without hesitation. He soon learned that Miss Feta would rather use his hand as an elevator than walk down the ramp for breakfast, lunch or dinner! She loved to eat and Ed nicknamed her his little Buddha.
She wanted to see and smell everything. She was fearless! Ed, used to say if she was out in the wild, she would be the first one in a trap!
Miss Feta struggled with the silent respiratory killer. On June 7, 2006, an x-ray showed air in only one lung. Feta was miserable and very scared. With much agony, we let her go to rat heaven that day. She was a little over 17 months old. The joy she brought to us, as all rat owners know, was priceless. We miss her dearly.

Papaya - A Creature, Great and Small {Final Chapter}

Sweet Papaya was laid to rest on April 2nd, 2007.

I didn't think I was going to make it back home.

She is missed deeply.

Papaya left deep rattie prints on our hearts.

Papaya - A Creature, Great and Small

It doesn't seem to matter what animal you fall in love with....they become a part of your family. [Picture is of Papaya - so named from the Fruity Litter.]
It all began when I wanted to get a little pet for my son. We're in the pet store going our separate ways checking out all the possibilities. I hear the pet store owner, standing next to my son, calling out my name. As I approached them, the owner places a small animal in my hands. I cup it so it can't fall. He, later named Skittles (like the candy), licked my hand. Oh, my gosh!, it's tasting me!!! I reluctantly agreed to get my son this cute little male ratling. Skittles and my son grew to be best friends. They even took naps together.
Now after several ratties have come and gone, I talked my hubby into two wee ones I found on the web. I was making sure to find ones that were bred for health and disposition.

Mod Coasters

Well, here's my coaster. {Warning: This is not for the person who easily loses ones place when interrupted or when looking at your knitting and then back at your pattern. Have some good markers AND a quiet room so you can concentrate.}

After the first garter-stitch triangle (right bottom corner), I got better. I think I was slipping or SSKing the wrong way. Needless to say, I got the hang of it -- finally.

I pattern is from a Knitty Gritty episode. I used 'Butterfly Mercerized Cotton' that knits 22 sts to 4", rather than the merino suggested in the pattern. It makes a wonderful sized coaster. I was wondering if I knit five more and sewed them all around this one, if it would make a good place mat. Hmmm, you could do more with this than I originally thought and make it oblong as well! Just imagine matching coasters with your place mats!

Here is a picture of more colors this cotton comes in.

Something about....me

As you might have guessed...I am wearing a police uniform in that picture.

I used to be in law enforcement and did that on and off for 10 years.

How or why did I do that? Here is the story:

I dated and married a Yavapai County Deputy Sheriff when I was 21. We later moved to Coconino County where he, at the age of 39, made me a widow just after I turned 26 and 2 days before our 5th wedding anniversary. (His children were from a previous marriage -- we had none together)

I learned a great deal about law enforcement from him and how to ride a motorcycle. An Arizona Highway Patrol Motor Officer once rode next to me as I was on my way to work. He was in the same lane I was in!! Not a whole lot of room with his big ole bike and me on my 650 Kawasaki. He turned to me after the ride and said I was a very good motorcycle rider! I came to realize that it was a great compliment coming from a person who graduated from the Motorcycle academy.

So, back to why I decided to become one of those people with the ticket book.

I like to give back to the community where I live. I wanted to do something not everyone could do. I found that since I had good credit (yes, that counts), respect for the law and physically fit, I would try out for the sheriff's office AND the city police department in Washington state. I went through the testing (background, psychological, polygraph, physical agility and THE INTERVIEW) and passed for both departments. Now I had to choose which one I was going to join. Mind you, I would have to KNOW the entire area I would work in so I decided to join the city police department as it didn't seem as big as the county.

I went through the 6 month academy while I still worked 40 hours a week. Did I mention, I was not going to get paid for the police position? It is called being a Reserve Police Officer. Your duties and training were the same as a paid officer. Like I said, (I knew) not anyone could or would want to do this and it was my way of giving back to the community.

I made a good name for myself there. I didn't have a chip on my shoulder as many of the female officers I've met did. The Chief and other officers respected me and could count on me.

I loved the white collar crime part of the job with traffic stops second. I very rarely cited anyone for speeding but did cite for no proof of insurance.

I'll never forget one of my first traffic stops. My training officer and I were walking back to the patrol car when he asked me if I believed everything the guy said. When I said I did, he just slowly shook his head and said I had a looooong way to go. My response was, "He lied to me?!!!" That was a hoot! I grew up in the country where a handshake meant something and never thought about people lying. I have come to realize that people who lie are very busy. They have to remember who they lied to and then what they lied to them about. That's a lot of work!

I haven't been in law enforcement now for over 6 years. It was an interesting part of my life to be a part of the "Thin Blue Line" as a widow and an officer.

Horcrux Socks

If you knit and you (or someone you know) loves Harry Potter, you will love these socks!!

I am using On-line yarn (color unknown since it's being held hostage by my yarn stash!) and 6" Inox US sz 0 dpn's. The yarn is a superwash and is knitting up very nice.

This pair is for my son who wears a 13 shoe!! I have a ways to go before I can start the toe. The heel was knit with the other end of the "cake" (yarn from yarn winder). I then picked up one side of the gusset with that same yarn but dropped it and started with the leg yarn to go around the rest of the sock. That way the heel can be replaced when, and if, the time comes.

You can join the sock group and knit up a pair, too!

NOTE:

{This pattern is for the personal, non-commercial use of the members of the Six Sox Knitalong only. You may not reproduce the pattern for free distribution, sale, or any other purpose without the designer's prior consent. Items made from these instructions may not be sold under any circumstances.}

The woman who taught me to knit...

This is a picture of the woman who taught me to knit. I bet she wore knee high socks for the same reason I did...to 'hide?' the skinny legs'.

It all began in Texas. Killeen, to be more exact. This woman was very patient and my knitting was very tight. I could hardly get the needle through to knit the stitch off. I started off with 30 stitches and dark-colored worsted weight yarn. I don't recall the needle size or what I was trying to make. Maybe a scarf. Okay, so my 30 stitches measured about 4 1/2 inches across. Just a little tight, right?

Eventually, I began to relax and my knitting now stretched out to measure 6 inches across. I wish I had that piece of knitting so I could frame it. I imagine it's out there somewhere....still on those needles as I didn't bind off.

I will tell you a little more about this woman pictured in her best for the first day of school. She's 6 years old and almost dresses like the children do today (with a backpack, too!).

This is the same woman that taught me how to appreciate all the nice things in life, like digging for worms to go fishing, riding a horse, dancing around the house, singing little songs together, and more.

It was easy to cook great-tasting German food as she was a gourmet cook. My favorite is pork roast with sauerkraut and potatoes! When it comes to sweets, I am always grateful when she makes her orange-slice cake. While it's still hot, she soaks it in orange juice (the grown ups got the rum soaked version). Um, um, good!

This picture is of me at age 7. Ya just can't escape the passing down of 'skinny legs'!!

The woman who taught me to knit is my mother. She's an amazing woman with many talents and stories of survival in eastern Germany.

I would love to hear about your story.

Chain Link Socks

Do these look like they'd take up a bunch of precious brain cells to knit? I sure thought so when I first saw them!! Even after reading the pattern that was presented in December 2006 at the Six Soxs KAL, I thought it was beyond me.
I have been knitting socks for about 20 years and if it's more than two colors I get cold hands and feet! So strange since I can adjust the number cast on to the type of heel and toe I want, etc, without blinking an eye!
Okay, I thought...I'm going to just knit it and not think about fainting or panicking. At least, it was cuff down.
I cast on long-tail using 2 needles, US size 0 in bamboo, held together (so the cuff would get around my heel). I had some lovely Lorna's Laces yarn in Brick and Natural. When the k2, p2 ribbing was finished, I took a deep breath, looked at the pattern and sighed with relief. The pattern, itself, was a slip stitch pattern to make those beautiful chains! Okay, I can do this!
As you can see, they turned out pretty good, even if I DO say so myself. I sure could have saved myself a lot of grief, if I had done more than skimmed over the pattern.
Don't cheat yourself out of a fantastic pattern that you, and/or, your whole family will enjoy. You can even adjust the number of chains you wish to use. The finished socks, from all the other participants, are so much fun to see. It's great to see the choice of colors and yarns used, too.
Once again, it's never too late to join the group (click on link above) for an abundance of excellent patterns.

Thank You

I wish to take this opportunity to thank all the people who ordered my crocheted 4-Leaf Clover with pattern: THANK YOU!!
I hope you can use it for years to come!

On another note: Who is this picture of? Why...it's me about 10 years old on Sweet William (or Old Bill)!
My mother got him for me after she showed me the correct way to ride a horse without hurting his mouth. He was the type where if you dropped the reins, he would stop and stand there all day! He didn't inch away from you as you tried to get on him, either! He taught me well. I will never forget him.

Springtime in Paris

Here is my sock..."inside out". I know, I know. It looks "right side out."

You could actually leave it this way and call the design "Rain drops". I prefer it to look like the Eiffel Towers as was originally designed at Six-Soxs KAL. (the next picture)

I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in the colorway Green Valley and 5 bamboo size US 0 dpn's.

The pattern is toe-up (my second one!) and a delight to knit. I absolutely LOVE to try new ways of knitting socks. Not just patterns but different ways to knit the heel and toe! This one was very, very interesting and I've now added this way of knitting socks as a favorite.

The foot of the sock appears long and lean but it really fits nicely around my 9 inch foot circumference.

If you would like to knit this sock pattern AND be included in the drawing at the end of this month, check out the KAL mentioned above. It would need to be completed by the end of this month! A new sock to knit is introduced the first day of an even-numbered month.

If you would just like to knit it to have in your collection, join the group anyway for a fantastic new way to knit socks! There are other past patterns still available at that site, as well as, others to help who are knitting the SAME sock!!

It's NEVER too late to join!!

Almost three-year-old socks

I absolutely love these socks!!!
Everytime I put them on it feels like butter! Even though I made them almost three years ago, they look brand new. There is NO reinforcement in the heels and toes with this merino from Pat Fly's collection of Monarch and none is needed. Not ever! It is 100% pure merino. There isn't any sign of a hole or thinning, even though my big toe usually sticks up (as a shoe repair doctor once told me). I wear them all year round.
I love the striping, the colors and the feel.
Hubby has a pair, too, and likes the way they keep his feet dry.
No need to be hesitant on adding her merino to your collection. Pat is as honest as they come.

The Illusion Scarf, my way

Someone thought this scarf said dor-v.... :O) It actually reads the name of the motorcycle hubby used to own, by Harley, called the V-Rod. We still have the scarf, though.

Well, I watched Knitty Gritty's show on Illusion Knitting (another word for Shadow Knitting) a long while back and decided to give it a try.

I downloaded some knitter's graph paper with a grid of 70x120. After charting my design, I realized I only needed the grid to be 40 wide. The design seemed simple enough...once I got the understanding down. The smaller letters took up 56 rows each with the letter 'V' taking 109 rows.

What helped was having the book Shadow Knitting by Vivian Hoxbro.

With Cascade 220 in black and one in a dark orange, I started my project. I used size US 6 24" circulars and cast on 40 stitches, in black, over both needle tips held together using the long-tail method (my all-time favorite cast-on). With very little time into it, I found myself ripping back because I lost my concentration. This is soooo much like lace knitting! There should be 'No interruptions!'

Needless to say, I have lots of time into this and had to make very good notes. It turned out great at 8.5" wide by 49" long.

Even with all the 'frogging' throughout the whole process, I enjoyed seeing the letters 'pop!' When you look at the scarf straight on, you only see stripes. Then when you look at it at an angle, like in the picture, you see the magic!!

After I finish the ever increasing project list, I want to make another (designed by me) scarf.

Glint of silver in these socks

A person would wonder if any metallic yarn/thread in a sock yarn would be comfortable. I tried it and found no difference in wear with these socks vs. my non-metallic socks.
I made a pair of socks for my SIL from a 100-gram ball not caring to match anything up...but they did...and perfectly at that!! No matter how hard I tried to match these up (two 50-gram balls to boot!!), it was only accomplished from the cuff to the ankle. Must be because they were for me.
I used Schoeller + Stahl, Fortissima Colori #9051 and size US 00 dpn's to get my gauge of 9 sts to 1" (always a smaller needle with me ~ the loose knitter). They knit up real nice and I absolutely LOVE the hint of silver colored yarn/thread throughout! I need to knit more of these up. I get more compliments with this pair of socks than any of my others.

Dog Hair - what can you do with it?

Not just any kind of dog hair but the undercoat of a black German Shepherd.
Here is the story: Just after I learned to spin, my mother asked if I would spin her shepherd's undercoat. I thought it would be a way to spin something I didn't have to buy! Yipee!
Through the shedding months, mom religiously combed him and saved every bit. Now came the time I received a pretty good sized package in the mail. I was so excited! After getting home, I opened it and immediately took it to the bath tub for a wash. I used Dawn Dish washing Liquid (mind you, I was very new to processing fiber, too) and pushed the soft down into the soapy, warm water as I leaned over the tub. It was at that moment, I got a whiff and wondered how in the world a wet dog got in the house! Oh, boy!! Okay, after I controlled the dry heaves, I rinsed it with Downy. Alright, I can handle the very clean smell now!
I drained the water out of the tub squeezing the water out of the ready-to-dry down. It was a chore to get all the damp dog hair off me but I succeeded and laid it out on a towel.
Days later, with dry fiber in hand, I was ready to card it. Hummm, it didn't card very well, so I skipped that part. Here comes some spinning time! At the time I tried to spin it -- is when I finally paid attention to the length of the fiber -- a little over 1". After several attempts to get a good enough twist, it worked!! Not only did I spin it, I had enough to fill two bobbins and then plied it! I even went ahead and set the twist, rolled it into a huge ball and sent it back to my mother.
She sent me the sample I scanned and told me she was able to knit a scarf, headband, and two wrist warmers. The color turned out to be a rich chocolate and, unbelievably, does NOT shed!! It is also so very soft and warm.
Anytime I show the knitted sample, people try to guess its origin. When they ask me, I tell them it is called "Quanah."
Where did my mother get a name like that for fiber? It was the name of her gorgeous male Shepherd!
I would certainly work with dog undercoating again...as long as 'mom' washes it!

Eagle's Flight sock

I knit this very fun, cuff-to-toe, pattern called Eagle's Flight with sock yarn called Monarch and using US size 1 bamboo dpn's. The picture shows what it looks like in Pat's fabulous hand-painted yarn! Can you tell I am absolutely crazy about Pat's yarn?

The pattern isn't hard to memorize with it's 4 pattern repeat, and knits up quickly. I love the wavy edging on the cuff and it fits like a glove!

I prefer the leg about 6 inches tall but it can easily be knitted taller per your preference.

Here's to another wonderful sock pattern!!

My Three Socks

Yes, you are seeing three different sized socks!!
The pink ones are the Dancing socks (fitting my feet that fit into a size 8 1/2" shoe). I wanted to show the heel off since I didn't do that with the original post. Very fun to do with no feel of ridges.
The next little sock (approx. 4" tall) is actually a Christmas Stocking Ornament by Mary Spanos from the booklet entitled 'Socks - A Spin-Off special publication for knitters and spinners' edited by Rita Buchanan & Deborah Robson. I used US 0 size needles and baby yarn. I really wanted to see if I could knit them up. Well, I could and they ended up being a stocking for our little pet to be put up alongside ours at Christmas time.
The last of the socks is the teensy pair (approx. 1 1/8" short). I knit these using fingering wool and 4" US 0000 needles from a pattern by Carol Breitner of Carol's Sockery. They are going to be earrings for my SIL to match the socks I made her.
The first teensy pair I knit, I used 8" US 0000. Don't attempt to do that or you may poke your eye out trying to see what you are doing!!! I was thinking about cutting back my long needles when I saw that Carol sold a shorter pair! My long needles sighed with relief (well, so did I) as I placed my order.
I hope you will be able to find these patterns either in your library or by purchasing them.
Well, I'm off to knit on another 'work-in-progress'!

NOTE: Before posting this, I called Knitter's Magazine (re: Strong-heelSocks) to ask permission to post the pattern and was declined (very politely, I might add). Their Issue K72 is still available for sale along with a very short correction on their website.

Dancing socks

These socks are one of my favorites! I knit them with KnitPicks Dancing and size US 0 needles (alas...downfall of a loose knitter).

Once again, I 'colored outside the lines' and used a method different than my own by knitting to the directions of Gerdine Crawford-Strong. Her pattern is found in Knitter's Magazine Fall 2003 on pg. 36 and is titled 'Strong-heelSocks'. (check out your local library for a copy of this informative magazine)

To quote her, 'The Strong-heel sock is different. It has no flap....A small triangle of short rows and decreases contours around to the underside of the foot.....'

They knit up real quick and kept my attention. They are very comfortable to boot! Hope you can give them a try!