Socking along

This sock is taking me way longer than I expected. I don't know if it's the size 2 needles or just a serious lack of focus, but I at the very least expected to be starting the heel by now. Maybe I am being too optimistic.

I'm sure it didn't help that I started rereading the Harry Potter series. Or that I surfed the Internet. Or that I had my hair done. Or that I wigged out and watched Guy's Big Bite part of yesterday. Me--distracted? Nahhh.

I think I'm going to try to make at least two posts on my web site a week in an effort to keep it fresh.

--

Since I don't have much to show in this post, here's some of my favorite posts of all time to share (and for me to be able to find later without a whole lot of searching):

How to weave in ends while knitting:
I learned this technique before Christmas, I think, just in time for a poncho that included a lot of color switching.

How to weave in ends while knitting


What I learned during the YarnHarlot's Knitting Olympics post:
This Yarn Harlot post is what inspires me to finish things when I'm really stuck/bored with the project I'm working on.

Side Effects

Redo on the sock

I love the Twinkleberry pattern...it's working out great, too. This is what I have done so far:



I had to frog it, but I don't mind doing it over again.

Next payday, I'm going to get 2 circulars so I can do two socks at one time...I don't like having to finish a whole sock and then do another one separately.

Dudes, our Knit Night is awesome!

Even though Melissa's business was shut down (my bad, not shut down, just moving due to zoning issues --see blog comment below), I have to say meeting at Starbucks was cool. My biggest problem there will be staying away from the food counter.

I had a marshmallow treat and a mocha frappuccino...I'm not even going to wonder how many calories that is. Let's just go with a lot!

I have four rows left to go on the base of the crochet rug before I can start the tufting part. So far so good. Now if only I could crochet, count stitches and talk at the same time, it would be going gangbusters!

More on the Yarntini

I got a swatch done on the yarntini, but no washing or blocking of the swatch because I had swift loop-to-ball issues.

Unfortunately for me, I dropped the loop of chocolate cream yarn on the floor and it turned into a huge mess. And it took what seemed like 12 hours to sort out.

You think I learned anything with the first ball? Well, I didn't. It happened again on the gimlet. So right now, the gimlet is a pretty blue yellow and green nest on my desk.











On the plus side, it seems like there's a whole lotta yarn in those bundles. The next time I place an order, I am going to beg Kris at S&S to center pull ball it before she ships it to me. I can't believe she still has 3 skeins of lime yarntini left. If I had $80 bucks, I'd be petting it 3 days from RIGHT now.

I still have to wind up the Cherry Hill, so there goes another winding nightmare. I saw some laceweight silver yarn on their website that I am dying to own, too. I can't remember the name of it, but the colors blend from silver, to pale rose, to a sort of sand color. I LOVE IT!!! I almost spent my last $20 bucks on it yesterday.

How did I live before I started buying yarn? If only I could substitute yarn love for chocolate love. My wallet would be lighter, but so would I!

In other crafting news, I started the contour rug from the crochet booklet this past Sunday, and it actually made sense this time. I've got to finish about 10 more rows before I can start the chain stitches for the rug loops. My mom likes it, even if it is taking me forever.

Here's a picture:

Yarntini added to stash; shawl circles

I got my yarntini in from Sonny and Shear...it is beautiful stuff.

The gimlet's so bright, and the chocolate cream is light brown without being boring. It's so nice that it all meets or surpasses my expectations. I don't even think I'm going to knit with the gimlet. It's inspiration stash right now. It's so pretty I want to write the lady who made it and offer my services, even though I've never dyed yarn in my life.












I have also finally gotten a pretty good version of the row of circles in the mystery shawl. I really am glad to have gotten to this point. I am now a few rows away from the next section, not birdseye, but something else.

How I sew buttons onto knits

After I double the sewing thread and knot it, I go through the button 3 or four times.

The pictures below show how I finish it off.
In the first picture, I take one short stitch.
In the third picture, I wrap the thread around the needle 3 or 4 times.
Then I do the short stitch again 2 times to finish it off.

If I still don't feel secure about it, I wrap thread around the needle again and do the short stitch.

:-)

I am 98% done

with the desert poncho. Yay for me. It's soooo pretty.

Almost as pretty as this:














I have this much binding off left to do:















Then I can add the fringe and add a few strips around the neckline.