Lookie Lookie Lookie!!

Look what the mailman brought in today! The first installment of the Petal Collection from Sundara Yarns has arrived today. Calla Lily Socks. It arrived packaged so beautifully and as you can see- yummy stuff in the package. The yarn feels very soft. I am thinking this will be a gift, if I can knit it well. The instructions look like they are very clearly spelled out! I like that very much.
What does the sock look like? Aha! Tune in as I cast on to find out…

And these are some project bags I picked up here and there. This way, you know which project is where. You can never have too many of those!

Proud knitter of 3 WIP!

It feels like months have gone by since my last post, but its only been 10 days. Lots of stuff at work and prep for summer kept me away from blogging (I needed a break, and sleep!) and I have been away at the beach for 3 days, where they had no internet, and it rained almost the entire time. The beach is gorgeous in any weather, as a matter of fact it is great to catch up on sleep and reading and KNIT, but with a 4 year old-its tough!
So, the pillow cover is knit with Noro Blossom. A pattern idea from one the Noro books.
With some South Americans in the house the Argentina vs. Mexico soccer game was wild and the mood was fun. We made the most of it and I am the proud knitter of 3 WIP. Yes folks, I am doing it! 2 pairs of socks and a pillow cover. I am knitting with Austermann, ("mit Aloe Vera und Jojoba Ol" =Each ball has Aloe Vera and Jojoba Oil making this a fabulously soft sock yarn.) it is so soft to knit with and it is very smooth on the hands. And- its from stash. Absolutely delicious to knit with. This is a simple sock pattern on 2 US1 circ at once. I actually started another pair before this one, Simple Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. The rib pattern should be simple enough, K6,P1,K2,P1 but for some reason it took me a few rows to stop myself at the K2 part. I just kept wanting to go for K6. These are knit with Meilenweit 45% cotton, 42% wool, 13% poly, which makes for a very soft and pleasant fabric. Just enough cotton for the summer, but the other fibers give it the necessary “memory”, which cotton lacks. But somehow the Austermann happened. I got that same case of knitting blackout Annie got recently.

They just happened. I know they are not Trekking, but I kind of like showing the knitting in the “wild”… Truth is, it is hard not to be monogamous to a project, but I am doing it! a little bit here, a few rows there...

We also found this really amazing "lace". who can duplicate this delicate fiber?
And these very amazing "cabels".
Now I just want to clarify about running around in sprinklers- in NYC we don’t talk about garden sprinklers, but rather most playgrounds have a play area with sprinklers, and you got to be ready to run in after your kid. I’d wear the crocs, but not the socks… to the sprinklers.

Just thought I’d share some curious stuff-
Here is someone REALLY committed to knitting.

Some very cute knitting buddy.

And- ever wonder you why feel really awful one day, when nothing seems to work? Well you may be at your lowest of 3 cycles of your Biorhythm check out this site. Plug in your birth date and see where you are. This thing is very accurate. Now, not that this gauge excuses you from personal responsibility- it only tells ya’ when you have to try harder!

Trekking XXL #36 are done!

Ya’! These are fast socks. Now you see them now they are done! This morning, before they were finished, they slithered out of the bag, so fast, I could barley catch them, trying to run up a path and then they ran to climb some rocks.
Here the first one is finished. Can you tell me whom does the sculpture depict? (NYC knitters disqualified…)And here both are done and they are chillin’ in Central Park’s Ramble. Ya' baby, this is NYC!Trekking XXL #36
This is a more accurate color. this sock photographs differently in different lights.
Started June 1 finished June 16
US1 2 at once on 2 circs
Pattern: K6, P2
Square heel, regular toe (dec every other row on both ends of both needles).
Note my two different heels. One stagers the slipped stitches, the other stacks them. Both are good. One is more whimsical, (the staggered).
I love the different ways this yarn knit up, in the pattern, the heels, and the stockinet.

Over all, a great trek!

Crocs that Rock!

First of all, thanks for cheering me on my global knitting friends! It was really great to receive greetings and encouragements and helped me get over mid week blues. I feel much better now, but please feel free to keep commenting!!
Crocs- they arrived in a flash. Comfy, flexible, light (Wow, they are light!) washable and they leave no scuffmarks. I am really happy with them. Wore them 2 days straight, and no problems. Do they show off socks or what? Annelie is right, why not get a few more, and I will. The navy pair will stay at work, but what colors to get? Too tough to call. I was also thinking of the open toe one, like the one Mary has, to run around the neighborhood in the summer, and in and out of sprinklers.But, I am not the only one with dorky (nerdy, geeky) sandals; Sara had a good idea also-
I almost went the Birkinstock route, but… I mean, we are so dorky, (nerdy, geeky) - we are cool!

Mid-Week Blues

Some progress for Trekking #36 but not much else. I have not been in a thinking mood due to some annoying issues at work. In other words, to start some of the projects I want to pursue requires planning and thinking, and probably some modifying, and I have too much to think about at this time, so there, easy mindless socks. Its just one of those mid week humps I got to get over…

The World Wide Knit in Public Day knit-out on Sat June 10, in Central Park was great. It was terrific to meet new and old knitting friends and to knit in public. The heels got turned. Note my silly outfit to show my other Trekking pair of socks... How far will you go to show off your socks... Oh, I ordered Crocs, (in navy) the clogs. They will be good for work, (some of my co-workers swear by them) but more importantly- they are perfect to show off hand knit socks. (Who said they are uuuuuuugly? Come on out and say you sorry)

There is a lot of talk from many knitters about spinning and I feel like I’m getting this close to trying it…what’s stopping me? Space and budget. In NYC we have limited space. There will be a Spin-Out in Central Park on Sat 6/24. This link has much fundraising talk, but scroll all the way down for the details.
And finally, this button has popped up on a bunch of blogs. Crancky but cute...

Trekking right along!

Thanks everybody for your lace encouragements. I will get back on the "horse" and get to the bottom of it, but until that time.... Me and my #36 are moving around the urban trek. Here trek can be spotted trying to stop and smell the---- lilac! And here trying to climb a fence to avoid the detour. Honestly, such behavior from an unfinished pair of socks. I am making the heel flaps in two variations. One the slipped stitches line up. In the second kind, the slipped stitches of the heel flap are staggered. Why, because I want to see the difference in the same yarn AND- you are right, I don’t like to knit the same thing twice. 2 on 2 circs from the same skein from both ends is easier than I thought. As long as you figure the way to untwist from the skein, and when turning your knitting, you must alternate turning directions and you’ll avoid almost all blunders.

And I want to close today with the best quote I heard in a long time:
I am not a Stashaholic - I am a Collector! that is kind of to say- I du' know what I'll do with all that lovely yarn... suggestions are always welcome.

Lace issues.

I was the proud knitter of 3WIP (I am joining the big league now!) for a little minute, but I am down to one again, just can’t keep it going…





I finished my basketcase. I love them. Fit is perfect, the Koigu is soft and after a bath, they fit and feel even better. Koigu on Addi US1. They were knit together on two circs. I highly recommend it! I did not change the pattern, just knit it to fit my foot. Next I might try 2 socks on 2 circs, but 2 different designs. I saw someone suggest it, to keep your brain happy, but still enjoy sock knitting. At the end, you get two pairs!!
The lace shawl- well, that’s another story. I du’ know. At the end of the 8 rows pattern repeat, I should have 70 stitches if that is what we started with, no????
Also, if for every decrease, one makes a YO, there should not be stitch number variations anyway. Right?
Maybe I am just such a lace beginner, I just mess it up? Maybe it has to do with the number of stitches before and after the pattern? Whatever it is, I FROGED. I normally prefer not to frog, but to rather try and improvise an interesting solution, (no, I am not a perfectionist, you guessed it) but here, it was just all wrong. I will take a close look at the math in the pattern, and try again, cause now- its about the challenge baby!!!
I have seen blogs here and there raving about lace. Statements like “its flying of the needles” etc are everywhere. I also read many blogs about patterns with mistakes, so I don’t know what’s the deal here. I’ll keep you posted. If any of you want to try it, here is a link to the chart. It’s a PDF file. The pattern calls to CO 70 stitches, knit one row, and start the pattern. Please send help…

The good news is- I have been very careful not to lose any SLEEP over it! Yes indeed my friends, I am trying hard to keep some balance. I feel better with more sleep, as many of you had predicted. Thanks for the cheering!

Here is my project for our May challenge for Project Knitway:
The yarn I received and my creation- chocolate kiss…

Here is a link to a cool site called That’s Hot. Some of you may know it already, and to a very curious crochet project.

And finally, I got caught in the horrible torrential down pour in NYC last Friday night, and got soaked to my bones (no kidding!) but it was all made better when I found 2 packages in the mail, waiting for me when I got home. I’ll let you judge for yourselves…

Desperately Seeking Balance.

To knit? To blog? To blog hop? How about work and family? Or reading? How about the greatest of leisure- SLEEP…. Too much to do, and clearly not enough time. So how to find that elusive BALANCE? (Balance between the metaphysical Law and Chaos — law by itself being overly controlling, chaos being overly unmanageable, balance being the point that minimizes the negatives of both.)
Part of the answer is better time management, and being very disciplined about sticking to the “plan.” So what is the plan?
I have made my lists (Disclaimer: I reserve the right to modify them at any time…).
My short sock list:
Finish the Basketcase
Trek with my Trekking XXL #36
Diana’s Fetzenmuster in Meilenweit Cotton Fun
Whatever sundara sends next from the Petal Collection.

Socks long list:
Oak Ribbed Socks, from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush in one of my other Trekking XXL (you know I got them…)
Sock Bug’s lacy scallops in on of my LLS
Mata Hari socks
Razor Shell Socks in, hmmmmm, let me think…
Kids BAZAAR SOCKS, from Summer 2006 I INTERWEAVE KNITS
Socks for my son from leftover Trekking. Generic sock pattern.

The Trek has started. My yarn and I have been spotted in Central Park by the Pond. This yarn is very colorful, so I decided not to make an elaborate pattern, but just enjoy the color. I still want some rib for the leg, so I am doing a 6/2 seed stitch rib, like Thuja from Knitty, but I wanted the K stitches to be wider.
Not socks short list:
VK scarf/ shawl
Mermaid
The cami.

Not socks long list:
Lopi like sweater for my son, but in alpaca
Lopi for my dad (clearly, this year's father day is not the target for this cardigan...)

Its a start! now what to do next...To knit? To blog? To blog hop? How about work and family? Or reading? How about the greatest of leisure- SLEEP…. Too much to do, and clearly not enough time.!!!!!!