Saturday, August 26, 2006

Knitting at the Great Minnesota Get Together

Better known as the Minnesota State Fair; this is the second largest State Fair in the country.

I went by myself this morning so that I could walk through the Creative Activities building without the nagging, "Are we done yet? Can we go now? I'm hungry... I'm bored..." No, I don't have kids, I have a boyfriend. LOL

We went back this afternoon (we usually go 3 or more times each season, are we crazy?!) and I had to drag B into the C.A. building to see this:

OMG! How fun is this dress?! (Click for big pic) To see another picture of the dress behind it, please visit the Rainey Sisters blog, from where I borrowed this photo because I'm just too darned tired to dig my camera out of my purse and dump the pics onto the computer. It makes me tired to even think of it. So. Tired.

Speaking of purses, I bought a purse at the fair today. It's just like this one, only black, but this picture shows the front details better. The tapestry portion is two open pockets and the zipper pocket is the perfect size to carry a 50 gram ball of yarn and sock project. The back of the purse has the same open pockets and zipper pocket, but in plain black fabric and the inside of the purse is large without being TOO large. Also, 2 more open pockets and a zipper pocket on the inside. And, it's machine washable.

I got quite a bit of knitting done today, too. We do the park and ride thing when going to the fair, it's $5 per person round trip, the buses leave about every 15 minutes (both from the mall and from the fair) and SO worth it. We'd have to pay that much or more for parking and the mall is less than a mile from our house. A good 20+ minutes each way of knitting time, almost 2 inches on BBS #6.

Oh, and no ribbons for me this year, I can't even be upset with all the gorgeous entries! There's always next year.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Claudia's Blue Sky

Oh, this yarn is a dream to work with... After trying them on to take pictures, I didn't want to take them off. It's a darned good thing these socks are too big for me, or they might not make it to where they're supposed to go! Thank you, Claudia, for your generous donation of this wonderful yarn to Socks for Soldiers.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Half Moon at Noon

Can you see it? (Click pic for biggy pic.) I was standing in my front yard yesterday, talking to my next door neighbor, when I happened to look up. There, perfectly framed by the branches of the oak tree, was a half moon at noon.

I finished my Winding Trail socks and didn't have to break into the extra skein of yarn I bought, just in case. They're only slightly snug, so we'll see how they fit after hand washing. I think my mom's feet are a bit smaller than mine, so they may not be too small for her, after all.

Here's a close up of the pattern, how pretty! I'm rather pleased with the way these turned out.

In other sock news, I'm thisclose to having my Claudia socks finished for my Socks for Soldiers group. I think I have about 7 rows left on the toe decrease, then kitchener the toe and weave in the loose ends. WooHoo! Then it's back to finishing Big Black Sock #6.

I also went over to the Minnesota State Fair with my friend Cisco to drop off our entries for this year. I entered the Baby Cable socks I just finished and the Paws to Remember shawl as well as a few beaded items. Cisco entered 2 of her gorgeous silver pendants and a polymer clay dragon. Wish us luck!

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Knitting in tandem

I started a pair of socks for my Mom for Christmas. The stitch pattern is adapted from the Winding Trail stitch pattern found in
Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns. I'm using Lana Grossa Meilenweit with Crystal Palace US size 1 (2.25mm) needles. (As always, click for bigger pics.)

I haven't knit socks in tandem for awhile, so I thought I'd go ahead and knit both socks at the same time... So of course, the socks are going to be too small (read tight) and, by the time I figured that out, I was too far along to want to rip out and start over. If it was just one sock, maybe, but two?!? Plus, and I can't believe it, I think each sock is going to go over 1 skein! Zoiks!

How do you like my new necklace? I got the sheep bead at the U.M.B.S. Spring Bead Retreat in March (sorry, I don't recall who the lampworker is) and couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it... Until just recently.

The Clover stitch counter goes well with a simple spiral stitch rope and Padparadscha Swarovski Crystals, I think. Love me some crystals! I made the pendant detachable so I can use it for a big ol' honkin' stitch marker, or I can slip on a different stitch counter for another project.

Reason number 473 (like you really need a number) to keep a project to go in the car with you at all times. Although a relatively short train, it kept going back and forth and back and forth to add new cars to the train, so I got in about 15 minutes of knitting and a good photo op. ;-)

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Of Socks and Blogging

I don't know why I'm such a bad blogger. I think it's because the bloggers I read manage to post long witty entries almost every day and it me weary. LOL I've seen a few bloggers add just a picture or a couple of sentences throughout the day, or every other day, so maybe I'll try that approach.

I finished my "Trek Along With Me" socks in Trekking XXL colour #67 (click pic for biggy pic). I did a Baby Cable pattern on Crystal Palace size 1,5 (2.5mm) needles. I love the socks, but think I'll go down to size 1 (2.25mm) needles next time I use this yarn (LOVE this yarn). I was also pleased to see that I had quite a bit of yarn left over, no clue what I'll do with it, but now I know I can make the leg longer,if I choose.


I have several socks on the needles. Actually, the first sock of this pair is complete. Claudia of Claudia Hand Painted Yarn donated $1,500 of her hand painted yarn to my Socks for Soldiers group to knit up leisure socks to be sent overseas. The stitch pattern is the Double Herringbone Weave adapted from Barbara Walker's ."A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns." This yarn is a dream to work with and it's a good thing this sock is too big for me or it might not get shipped out! I will be purchasing some of her yarn to make something for myself. For anyone in the Twin Cities area, Borealis carries her yarn. Try it, you'll like it. I swear!