The BoyToy wants more socks

I'm sure he has no conception of the cost or time involved in manufacturing socks - all he knows is that they're more comfortable & his feet are happier. I've had this pair in splotch dyed blue Confetti languishing on my favorite bamboo skewer needles for weeks now . . . . knitting his socks has become soooooo boring. I mean, how many pairs can you knit in the same color??? I do vary them somewhat with solid colored toes - he has red, black and many shades of blue & grey. They're extra long in the leg. So, out of boredom, the last pair just laid there. Partially knit. And then I had a brain storm. It's amazing how fast these things knit up when you're excited. I decided to knit a narrow stripe, just a couple rows of red before adding a solid blue toe. They're very nice. He came over last nite, spotted the socks - I still have to close the toes - & said they had better be his because he's gonna kill anyone else who gets them!!! He likes them!!!

And now my favorite bamboo needles are free . . . . . I love these needles. They're a little long - 10" - but I made them from the bamboo meat skewers you find in most grocery stores. I got smooth ones, you have to watch out, some are ridged. I sanded them lightly, cut off the sharp end & sanded both ends to a dull point. I rubbed them with greasy fleece & used them. I did carry a small piece of sandpaper for the first week or so to catch the little burrs but haven't had a problem since then. They've developed a nice patina from use & I love their flexibility. And, best of all, they're almost all a perfect 2.5mm before sanding!! I'm still working on sanding down a set to 2mm for knitting MY socks.

Oh For a Little Adventure . . . .


I've been cruising other people's blogs this morning while I wait for the last lazy people to fax their time-sheets to me, Yes, its payroll day! I've offered to do it one day early in the summer if all the employees get their stuff in by Wednesday nite but there's always someone who can't co-operate!!! This means everyone who wants to leave early for the weekend will not get paid again this pay period. Tsk, tsk - I keep reminding them that their Mothers DO NOT WORK HERE! One late apple ruins it for all - I will only do payroll once . . . .

So, I'm cruising Other People's Blogs. Louisa - I just LOVE those Africa Socks!! To see them, go to Damselfly's.blogspot.com !! I'm looking for something "manly" for the BoyToy's dad - he will wear wild socks if they're in "manly" colors like blues, greys & browns. The BoyToy will not - wonder who's genes he got???? His mom will wear anything I make!

The Ladybug socks are almost finished. It was decided at my Wednesday Nite Nitting session that grey toes are the way to go - the Ladybugs are NOT cherry with black, they are actually cherry with dark grey. Hence, the grey toes. Will post a pic when they're done!! And then on to Parent's Socks. Got two birthdays & one anniversary August 22-24 for them & socks are the present of choice for the Parents who have Everything. So, socks it shall be!!

And what have you been doing on YOUR summer holidays???


I've been watering the garden - in this weather it grows itself! The zucchinis double in size over night & are crawling out of the garden & wandering across the lawn to the landlord's delight. It means he doesn't have to mow the grass!

I didn't plant anything in the garden this year because he said he was getting a big load of topsoil & mushroom manure. DIDN'T. One day I came out & he had planted some tomato plants & some zucchinis - he said his brother put in two new greenhouses for produce & he can get it for free so why dig in the garden . . . . . OOOOOOKAY. I can't pull weeds anymore - my fingers swell up like sausages!! So, I guess I'll be doing more container gardening & he'll be mowing more lawn . . . . .

Got three clamatis plants donated to me last week. I intend to put them into one big container to provide me with shade on the west side of my patio. Bought the plastic lattice to put up - check, bought container dirt - check, now to find a container BIG enough!

And now to socks. I love my FISH socks & have cast-on the LADYBUG yarn. Actually, I've already begun turning the heels on the LADYBUG socks! I think I love the LADYBUG colorway even more than FISH. I cast them on Saturday nite in the middle of a movie & got up to the heel turning last nite. I couldn't put them down!!!!!
And I think I'll have enough yarn left over to make a pair of short summer socks with a contrasting toe out of each ball!! I decided to make longer winter socks first since I'll get more use out of them but the leftovers are too expensive not to use. I'm actually thinking of knitting the LADYBUG leftovers with black, maybe in stripes instead of just finishing the foot where the LADYBUG runs out - I think it would be sooooooo interesting . . . . . And I still have PARROT to knit!!! God I love yarn!

On the wheel - my spinning has been somewhat neglected lately but I have been spinning up the acid pink & chocolate brown superwash roving that Gail gave me, off & on. I found another piece of roving so I think I'll have more than enough to make a shrug on large needles. The yarn is a yummy combo that I've spun in a soft singles, a la Lopi - But, I'll wait until the third skein is done before deciding exactly what it will be . . . I think the shrug will be the handiest item. It gets cold when the sun goes down when we're spinning outside the Esquires & I haven't come close to finishing a sweater yet . . . . especially one light enough to wear in summer!! Sometime this summer, I must finish one of the three I have on the needles so I have something to wear to work this winter!!

Ahhhhhh . . . . if only . . . . I pray to the Lotto gods every time I buy a ticket - puleeeeezzze let it be me so I can spend the rest of my life with fibre!!

Ahhhhhhh, the joys of Summer

The corner veggie stand has "melon madness" going on! Casabas, watermelons, cantelope, crenshaws & honey dews . . . with strawberries, cherries & papayas. Hmmmmm, sounds like a song or a new sock color, doesn't it??? I keep taking myself over there to spend another $20 on something cool & tastey. Just give me fruit salad - to hell with cooking steak!

I love my new FISH socks. I'm sure I'm going to love my soon-to-be LADYBUG socks as well. I must, I must, I must cast them on NOW. I'm supposed to be finishing off a year-end & tax return but I'm heading off to knit in front of an old episode of Star Trek. Isn't that a hoot???

I can tell the kids are OUT for the summer. I'm sure the decibel level around here is in the industrial range somedays. I must be getting old . . . . but this is the time of year I dislike my home office the most - the kids are out. You have to understand that I live in a basement suite under a family with 5 kids & no interior insulation. There are two teenaged girls, one tween girl, one 10 year old boy & a little boy of 5 up there. One whines & shrieks loudly; one screams, cries & stomps when she can't get her way & all of them swear like Longshoremen. The girls pick on the oldest boy until he lashes out & breaks things. Mama can't cope & I've offered to go up & clean house a time or two. I count the days till they go back to school & count my blessings when the whole tribe are out for the day!!! What's going on with kids today??? We used to be gone on our bikes from morning till nite when school was out, we used to play outside & DO THINGS. Am I old fashioned or just old?? Maybe I'm just a whiner . . . . .

WAVING THE FLAG . . .


RAH RAH RAH I'M SO GLAD TO LIVE IN THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!! Any immigrant I know tells me Canadians have the best scenery, the best government, the safest streets & the friendliest people. We, in BC, apparently have the best of EVERYTHING! And thats a lot to be grateful for.

I know a lot of folks are travelling this weekend, in fact, Friday traffic on local streets was positively sparse. Guess they were all sweltering on the freeway . . . its been a very HOT & Dry couple of weeks. My arthritic hands thank the weather gods for that! Since my hands aren't hurting, I intend to spend this long weekend spinning & knitting when I can escape my home office.

My Opal FISH socks are well under way. I couldn't help myself, I had to cast-on one of the three balls I got & I thought FISH looked the most intriguing. Purple, yellow, blue & white - it does indeed look like a tropical fish. The wool is a little coarser than Confetti or Regia but the colors are much nicer, especially the soft, muted colors. I used Jan's heel - I never want to pick up stitches on a flap again!!!

The purple is actually lighter, more of a lavender shade & the narrow stripes are dark blue - but this is the best I can do with my camera phone. Someday, I'll get the cable for my digital camera from the Boytoy & all the real colors will come thru.

Gail gave me some superwash roving in hot acid pink, chocolate brown & brownish pink for my last birthday. I spent last weekend dogsitting & spinning it up in a soft singles yarn a little lighter than a sport weight. I separated the roving into short, thin sections so I could keep long runs of bright color between the shorter sections of blended colors. Not sure what it will become yet but the acidness of the pink really softens nicely when spun up with the chocolate - toooooo yummy!! I may knit it up into a wide lacy wrap or shrug on large needles to snuggle into when I read on the couch this fall. I decided it was a shame to make socks out of it - I'd rather show it off!!

Happy CANADA DAY everyone.