It's dangerous to go diving...

...in the stash, that is.

My plan was simple. Find yarn and start project for tomorrow's baseball knitting. (This time it's DS#1. Check out today's article in the local paper.)

I'm thinking....how about a nice little pair of CIC socks. I can do the new-to-me method of cast-on for toe ups, then they'll be ready to go.

Just one little skein, that's all I need.

Here's my results:


Yep. Several skeins to make several pairs. (Yes, the zipper bags are separating my mystery yarn in grouping--making sense only to me.)

But wait! I have all this other misc. yarn. It would be great for a vest! And they're easier to pay attention to (or lack thereof) at the game.

(Nevermind the fact that they don't seem to match. Or coordinate. At all.)

Let me see, if I cast on a sock AND a vest, that's the best choice, right?

The finishment of little things, and the start of something big.

It's been a week of working on the little things. Little socks, little hat, and more little socks. Tonight was the night of hiding the ends. Soon it will be the night of washing them all.

The second baby gift is done. Check out the Ugg booties and hat. They'll fit next winter...if the baby has monstrously fat feet. Or if they're tied on real tight.

Maybe it's all in perspective, and would look normal if the doll socks weren't in the same picture. I don't know. But the blue/green variegated socks, next to the hat, are hers also, so maybe they will fit, at least.

The teal/red socks are more CIC socks from this pattern. They're my second attempt ever at toe up socks. The cast on I used left a ridge, so I think I'll try Knitty's magic cast-on next.

In making the stripes I attempted holding one color of yarn in each hand while I knit. I've heard about this method a lot, and skimmed through an article once, but to do it I just winged it. Seems about right--nothing twisted or mis-shapen. The ribbing (if you can call it that), is not very stretchy, though, so I might need to try out something else next time.

(For those keeping up with my baseball knitting, there was a tournament for my youngest, so I finished the 2 CIC socks and 1 doll sock.)

I've finished 2 more pairs of doll socks, on the way to finishing my pattern. I'm also writing the doll soaker pattern for hand knitting. Both these should be done soon.

Posting about the patterns should make me finish them soon, right?

After knitting all these small projects, I needed something big, so I cast on for a new Clapotis. This one is made with lace weight Morehouse Merino. This is the first time that I've knit with lace weight, so we'll see how it goes.


Here's a picture of our gladiolus that DD#2 has planted in the front yard. The recent spell of hard rains haven't been kind to the row of flowers, but they're mostly still standing.

Hammock knitting

I'm sparing you a "knitting at the baseball game" picture, and instead am providing the "knitting while in a hammock" picture. (Although I did both in the same day. Knitting in a hammock. Such hard work.)


These are my really ugly hammocks (but no, they don't match my really ugly afghan. Ugly doesn't seem to match with anything.)

I got a bolt of this material free from somewhere. We used up bits and pieces over several years, and finally I finished the bolt with two hammocks.

If you take a good look at the above picture, you'll notice that they are tied to the same, not very big, tree. Smart idea? Not so much. The tree bents slightly inward and the swaying of one hammock makes the other move and jiggle a bit.

So far nothing has collapsed, not even with 2 kids swinging together.


Cake decorating for the week:

We made shell borders. And clowns. Mine are taking a nap.


It was DS#2's turn to decorate a cake when I got home.


Don't worry, next week is a baseball tournament for DS#2, so I'll be doing plenty of knitting then.

Laundry mishap?

DS#2 is very happy with his socks. I made them for him 1 1/2 years ago and they still fit, but barely. They had a brief period of being lost inside a suitcase (packed and ready...for a fast get away?), but are now found and are being worn again.

I've been making baby socks for co-workers, and just completed pair #2, using up some of the same blue/green/yellow Patons Kroy sock yarn.

They were laying on the kitchen counter today (isn't that where socks belong?) when I saw DS pick up the socks, look at them quizzically, then ask,

"Mom, did you shrink my socks?"

I reassured him that his socks were safe (and washed).


But what does this say about my laundry skills, that my son actually thought I could shrink an item (or two) THIS MUCH?

Ittier Bittier

I suppose "Ittier Bittier" are made-up words. What I mean is...more itty bitty.

And that's what these socks are. Ittier Bittier.

Doesn't every doll need it's own pair of wool socks?

Then and Now

Just showing off a couple more pics of my kids.

This is one of my favorite pics of the kids--around 9 years ago.


And here they are today!

Itty Bitty

My co-worker's last day was today before she went out on maternity leave.

At about 9:00 am I was pulling the sweater out of the dryer and stuffing into a bag (I started work at 10:00am.) Think I cut it close?

It's made out of Bernat Cottontots. It turned out a bit wide. Not really for a newborn, and it's cotton so it won't be the best for fall.

So...I also made this itty bitty pair of tiger socks from this pattern. They turned out super cute. But...the baby better have mighty small feet or they'll never get worn.

Yep, one was too wide, and and one was too small. That's my accomplishments for the week.

Plus, I started taking a cake decorating class. Today we did stars. (Too complicated to mix the proper rainbow colors, so I stuck with lots of pink.)


The class had us make one circle for the class, which left one circle for home--for playing.

Here's DD#2's finished cake product.

Not too bad for not even taking the class.

Two down, two to go

Here's our second HS graduate!

We ended up being in the gym (turned out to be a good decision since it poured right as the ceremony started.)

I switched purses specifically to take some knitting. But it was too big, so at the last minute I left it at home. Turned out to be a good thing. We were packed in like sardines and it was so hot that I would've sweated all over my knitting.

We're so thrilled that we have a second graduate in our house. Although she's not technically in the house, but away on senior week. I'm trying to block that out and think pleasant thoughts (and pray quite a bit).

We've been gloating a bit. Now we have a break before the next kids have a graduation. Suddenly it dawned on us: We will (should!) have 2 college graduations before the next two HS graduations.

Pass me the Excedrin.

Catching up

(I'm going to catch up a bit and pretend that it's still last week....)

It was only fitting that since I started this shawl on the way to DS#1's Super Regional Tournament, that I finished it during his JUCO World Series game. This time we just listened to it, since it was out in Colorado. He pitched a great game, they won 4-2, he got 11 strikeouts. (the team won two, then lost two before finially coming home. 5th place in the nation is not too shabby!)

And the shawl got finished.

It was slightly small, so I washed it and hung it up to stretch it out a bit, which it did. Now it's good to go.

I've had a good thought lately, which is to knit a tiny something for two coworkers who are due soon. Actually, one's last day is Friday, and this is her sweater:

I don't know. It may not get done. And the other keeps having contractions, so I may not get anything done for her either. I'm going to keep trying, though.

This is still my first Sixth Sense sock. This should be the easy part.
But it's not. I'm going to have to break out my reading glasses so that I can see what I'm doing.