Well . . . . there's nothing like shouting to the world


Yup, I hate those black socks. I guess the font in the previous posting says it all. But, the black socks will be saved by the red toes. Beautiful, blood red toes. On the black dress socks. Ha ha ha hah! My revenge.

I received my Rainforest Opal last nite. The balls look perfectly ordinary although FISH is a little paler that I expected. I can't wait to knit each of them up. I think I'll start with FISH. I have some nice slatey blue Kroy with almost perfectly matches the little bit of blue in the yarn & LADYBUG will get black toes.

I'm dogsitting this weekend so I intend on spending my time knitting socks & spinning. Yeah, Baby!!

I HATE BLACK


I finally picked up enuf stitches around that flap to finish the heels from hell.
Even standing under the bright lamp on its highest setting at NOON, I couldn't see the damed stitches. I eventually picked up the flap stitches by guess & by golly. I'd forgotton how ugly that is . . . . . . Man, these socks are not knit with love. Is there a rule somewhere that says "thou shalt wear dark socks with a dark suit!" Yeah, I know, I could buy them but what do you do when bought socks hurt & burn??


I guess I have to sit down & figure out why my sock grows wider with more increases . . . they should all disappear when I short row that heel. Obviously, I'm doing something wrong!!
But, I've successfully finished the gusset in one sock though & am plowing thru the second. This
Lanett is definitely thicker than Confetti!! And it has much less yardage. Mind you, Lanett's also 100% merino superwash - no nylon to make the feet burn - I wonder how they'll wear???? Thinking about going to Knitopia & checking out her darker yarns - I think a dark patterned sock would work under that suit - and black is going back to the toe bin - I can't knit too many like this!


I haven't even had the time to card my doggie hair & wool for spinning but I should have a day off by Thursday & hopefully the weatherman will cooperate. Ain't no way I'm carding that fluff indoors!! I intend to set up my operation outside where the excess can 'blow in the wind' instead of in my house - the cat is not too happy about that bag as it is . . . . . Is it my imagination or are we getting LESS sunshine so far this year????

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And I worked all weekend again . . . .


I always said it was too bad that tax season only lasted two months more or less. For about 2 months we work nite & day to get all that work done in TIME. So, the tax department made life 'easier' for us by extending it a little to June 15. I've finally figured out that all this extension does is make the late people be later! So I'm still doing late returns as well as my regular stuff. And now I've acquired two new REALLY REALLY late people with several year's worth of paper . . . .


Thank Gawd for Socks. And new yarn. And Cuddling. My knitting pal Gail brought her grandbaby Freya to our last sock gathering. I got Cuddle Time! Its amazing how cuddling lowers your blood pressure, relaxes your muscles & makes your brain turn into mush. Language flees & the words you actually make are an octave higher & sound amazingly like gibberish. I wonder what the baby actually thinks . . . .

I took advantage of the situation to show off Freya at 2 months & the last two pairs of socks I've been talking about while Gail actually had a camera which would show off their true colors. Too bad I couldn't keep my eyes open!!!

The Opal socks are on the right & the Regia on the left. The Regia is actually softer & I love the patterning - its the one I hope Knitopia has in other colors. I've used Jan Pinard's easy heel in both pairs so I don't have to pick up stitches in poor light. I can't wait to wear these!!

Meanwhile - the black socks progress. I'm down to the heel flap - Ronn has skinny heels with a high arch & needs a much longer flap than I normally use as well as a snugger heel, especially in a shorter, dress sock so they don't crawl into his shoes when he walks. Normally I make 10" tops with a 3" heel but these will be 7" with a 3.5" heel. I found Jan's heel got too wide & I haven't figured out how to make it narrower & still get the same depth in the heel. I don't have time to play with it unfortunately - I'm sure Jan knows whats wrong - but I have to get these ready for next week. And knit another pair.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE PAPERLESS OFFICE?


Remember the old days folks, I'm talking about the days before computers. Remember how we processed paper, catagorized it, stapled it, mailed it, saved it & filed it?? Neatly. In a LOT of file cabinets & boxes??
Well, I belong to the 'paperless' generation. I'm one of the folks who email, fax, enter onto the computer, efile, telefile & generally do things electronically - I should, I've got all the gadgets in my office. How come I still have boxes & file cabinets full of the same paper I had before the electronic revolution?? It makes me want to go & knit somewhere . . . . .

Tax season is officially over & I'm still tripping over boxes, bags, stacks & bins. I do my work in 8 square inches of desk space. I gotta find a better way . . . . . .


Back to yarn - the Opal is on the way - YESSSSSSSS!! The bras are on the way - in about a month - YESSSSSSSS! Now to wash the doggie hair & start carding & spinning this weekend!!! I'm looking forward to spinning this up & knitting the first sample. I have great hopes for this yarn.
Speaking of carding & spinning - I found a box of Romney roving hidden away in the closet - guess I bought it some time back & forgot it. I have some silk waste that I bought at FibreFest & I'm thinking about spreading a little of it on the dark Romney & spinning it up. Just a flash of color in a lovely dark grey yarn . . . . doesn't that sound lovely??

My Opal socks are finished! I can't seem to take a good pic of the Regia striped socks with my camera phone darnit. But Gail likes to flash her digital one around sooooooooo - that one will officially appear next! The Boytoy's new BLACK socks are on the needles but are not progressing quickly. But, as usual, I'll want to knit some Rainforest socks the minute the yarn arrives - next Wednesday - so I have to get these black things knit up quickly. With Red toes. I just have to . . . . its a sickness!

IN SEARCH OF TREASURE . . . .


I'm feeling very frustrated at the moment. I checked & rechecked the undies drawer & I'm down to my last two tatty bras. I was sure there was another one hidden in the back so I wasn't really in a panic but now, the search is on. In the past, I've always relied on the Sears Discount Store to supply my needs - they have a HUGE selection of catalogue returns, end of the line or just grungy store models to choose from & they don't cost an arm & a leg. They don't carry most of them anymore!!! What is with this?????
Let me explain - I cannot buy off the rack. I almost never could. And when you need a G-cup, it ain't easy. I spent 3 hours trying on bras at Penningtons. I ordered several models from the Sears catalogue & sent them back. I checked out Suzanne Bell's. I phoned the Mastectomy shops. I could not find my size unless I have it 'CUSTOM MADE' at a huge cost.
I was finally reduced to going On-Line to look at bras. I'm giving Decent Exposures in Seattle a try - they make em in ANY SIZE CUP, ANY BAND SIZE!! in WILD COLORS!! With WIDE straps! In breathable fabric!! And they don't cost a fortune!!! I ordered one in Hot Pink & one in Turquoise . . . Oh, puleeeeezzze let them fit!!!


And back to knitting - I've caught the Opal bug. I've been in love with the Rainforest Collection for some time - Hey, did you know there's more Rainforest colorways coming??? - I keep drooling on my keyboard whenever I check em out. And I found a place locally that sells Opal . . . . & I bought some. I bought Parrot, Fish & Ladybug!!! For ME!! My reward for working hard & having no money all spring.

I've cast on the black superwash Merino for the BoyToy's new dress socks - boy, is black ever boring!! I'm thinking of knitting a little red design at the ankle - do they call it a clocke or cloche???? - just to add some excitement - of course I intend to put a red toe on them . . . . . I can't help it. They're just too boring otherwise . . . . And no one will see the toe in his good shoes . . . . . hahahahaha

As Ye Knit, so shall Ye Rip . . . .


The Opal socks were finished last nite without contrasting toes. I decided they were already so colorful that a contrasting toe would ruin the look - I finished them as is . . . . . well, sort of.

Sigh . . . I tried on my Opal socks. Alas, they're just a tad too short in the foot. I mean, I CAN wear them but I like my socks to be a little looser in the toe area just so they don't wear as quickly. I haven't darned or reknit a single toe for myself yet - & I don't intent to start now!!! So, this morning, I spent a couple of hours in front of the Home & Garden channel with many cups of tea, ripping & reknitting those socks. I added just a half inch to the length but it makes a huge difference when I put them on!! The secret to good socks - measure twice, knit once!

I was gifted with a grocery bag full of very dark brown Newfie hair from a friend who adopted a 6 year old fella named BOB who'd been abandoned at the vet. Now, I don't even pretend to understand how people can do that to a member of the family but that's another story!! Bob has a glorious home with a couple who hike for pleasure - that hound goes everywhere with them.

Bob generously donated some lovely soft fur which will be carded into some local fleece to be spun up for DIVING SOCKS. Since dog hair is much warmer than wool but has no 'memory', blending the two should produce a nice yarn that will give the diver warmer feet & a sock that'll hold its shape. I just hope he doesn't shrink them up in the first wash!!! I was going to start knitting alpaca/wool socks this weekend but I think I'll just work on the Newfie/wool carding & spinning instead. Hopefully I'll have pics soon . . . .


NEWS FLASH . . . .

I must be losing my mind because I essentially published the same blog on two different days!! Must be due to the blog site doing maintenance & I lost my post & had to do it again a couple of times . . . . thats my story folks, etcetera, etcetera!

ITS ACTUALLY SUMMER AGAIN . . . .

That muggy wetness has finally lifted from my heart & home. I didn't realize just how warm it was till I went outside & saw some of my plants laying down the side of the pot. It was raining for days so I just assumed all was well my little green friends out there . . . . ooooops, sorry little buddies.

The Opal socks are almost done. I'm trying to decide what color to use for the toes or whether I should add a contrasting toe at all. I really DO like to put on contrasting toes but these socks are already so colorful . . . . so they hang up by my stash of sock yarns while I contemplate the color choices.

In the meantime, the Lord & Master's half knit Confetti socks are being worked on again. He loves the dark blue/white speckled yarn the best so I knit each pair with a different colored toe for contrast. So far he hasn't worn a hole in any of them even though I stopped adding fuzzy nylon to the heels & toes. I found the fuzzy nylon made the heels & toes hard after a while. Here's a pic of his favorite socks - the Lanet toe does pill a little but he's been wearing these for at least a year - once a week - & they're still in good shape.

My hands have been too sore to spin lately - guess I'll be fine when the weather stabilizes. I don't care if its Hot or Cold, just make it DRY!! I want to get my Arvik fleece spun up this summer so I can enjoy her fuzzy warmth in the winter!!

I've been swatching a pattern or two - I want to make the Lightening Lace Jacket from Just One More Row but I'm not sure what yarn I want to knit it up with. I fell in love with some lavender - groan, did I actually say that - baby acrylic. Did the swatch up in some leftover blue/pink I had laying about. This yarn has a sheen to it & a slightly nubbly texture . . . . but does show off the pattern quite nicely. The pattern goes up to a 64" bust, I do believe & could even go higher with a slightly larger needle. This acrylic comes in No Dyelot colors & just may be the answer to something light & lacey for the summer & fall evenings that needs to go in the wash regularly . . . . too bad it only comes in baby colors!! But, I can live with lavender!!

The BoyToy wants dress socks to wear with his suit. He had to go to a function the other day with nylon dress socks & hated them. Seems he's been spoiled with the handknit socks that he's been wearing for the past couple of years & really notices the difference when he's stuck in something with lots of cotton or nylon - he says his feet burn & stay wet all the time. He says his handknits don't really go with his pinstripe suit - he's quite correct in that - he needs black or navy socks. Bloody hell - does he understand what knitting black or navy socks actually means????? Boredom! Blindness! Sigh. Well, I have to admit he looks mighty fine in that suit - I did pick it out after all! So, I'm breaking the rules here folks - I should be beaten - I'll knit two pairs of dress socks for the suit. Its only because of the suit! Really!