Scary Jack

To be followed by Happy Jack, to be followed by felting . . .

After careful consideration, and just a bit of deliberation, Karen and I have decided to knit Sundara's Cala Lilly Pattern using our fabulous yarn from Scout. The pattern is presented in such a beautiful and unique manner, and the photo depicts the sock as all stockinette with a lace panel knitted up the back. I can't wait to start!

Au Revoir, Clapotis

I loved the colors (Even though I ordered tourmeline, and it ended up being pretty in pink), I loved the pattern (who would have known that dropping stitches could be so lovely?), I was completely confident that I had plenty of yarn (I ordered 30 additional yards, just in case!) and yet, it isn’t going to be . . . at least not with this yarn, and this colourway . . . probably too difficult to match it with another skein. I’ll reknit clapotis (it was fun and looks terrific!) when Mama-E sends me a different colourway (1,400 yards!) and as soon as I stop sobbing. Next time you see this, it will be re-wound back into a ball . . . destiny unknown.

LONG Socks

With little over a week left of Socktoberfest, I decided that there should be one new, spiffy project in celebration of socks! My month was supposed to be all about finishing up socks--and I have (but I still have 2 single socks to go!), and then I couldn't resist . . .


I bought Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, because I decided that my daughter needed navy knee highs to wear with her uniform. This was after my son found Karen's Sugar Free Socks (knit in cashmerino) plopped them on his feet (were they for him?!) and has been wearing them to school with his uniform (he asked for me to knit a second pair!!!). So here's the start of Over the Knee Socks from Handknit Holiday Knits--


I loved these socks the first time I saw them in the book, and I love the pattern so far. My photo just doesn't do it justice!

Still on the needles--harvest sock pal sock + bamboo sock . . . by the end of the month!

Boo (hoo)!

Last October, I made Yorick (twice) . . .

After having so much fun “theme” knitting for Halloween, I had all kinds of plans for this October. I wanted to knit Skully from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation (I even know which yarn I want to use), make a felted skull tote, and somewhere, just recently, I saw a pattern for these cute spider anklets (the spiders were done in beads!!!). None of this has happened! The only Halloween knitting on the needles is Jack, and he’s been in the basket due to my sock-knitting frenzy. And if I don’t get back to him, Jack will need to be packed-up until next October, and that would be so sad.

Halloween Joke: What is a ghost’s favorite food? Spook-getti!

Jaywalker Impaired

Not only am I one of the last living knitters who hasn’t whipped up a pair of Jaywalkers, but I just might happen to be the only person who can’t! After finishing up the lobster socks, and casting-off the first fingerless-glove, I was feeling mighty sock-empowered: two great finished objects and it was only Saturday night!


So, let’s cast-on for a Jaywalker. Well let’s just say (and it kills me to admit this), but I spent Sunday like this: cast-on, *knit, come up one stitch short on the pattern (at some point), frog, re-knit, see a dropped-stitch, tink back, realize the pattern is off, frog . . . . re-cast-on, because, you know, just staring the whole thing over will make it better, and repeat from *.

So, yesterday morning (yep, I was still repeating the process at 11:15 on Sunday night), I decided that it was time to call it quits on this pattern. (funny, but I tried this pattern last spring, with a beautiful skein of chocolate covered cherries, and I couldn’t do it then either!). So I have chosen a different pattern (Megan, if you’re reading this, don’t click the link!!), re-cast on and am praying for moderate, if not fabulous success. . .

Scout's Swag Arrives!

I thought I knew what knitting I would blab about today, until I came home and found the mailman had delivered an envelope with this inside---


October's Swag Club Stuff: a fabulous skein of "b-Marie"--named after Bonnie Marie of Chic Knits (you know my Sitcom Chic sweater: almost, not quite finished?!) which is black, grey, white and charcoal and this nifty project bag . . . by Kailo Chic which cleverly matches the yarn!

I have tons of things to do tonight, and a few projects already on the needles, but I realized two things since I opened this package: I need a few more sets of doublepoints for socks (!!!!) and I have a fickle streak . . . something nice comes along, and I am ready to dump all my other projects and cast-on with it! Thanks, Scout!

Lobbers are Red

When my daughter (who just turned 12) was a toddler, she would call lobsters, "lobbers." Well, my summer-sock-swap-sock is finished! Chrissy designed these for me via the swap, and then I, as well as some other people have test knitted it for her. The Opal yarn was perfect for this sock, and the pattern makes for a fabulous pair of socks! Thanks, Chrissy!

Friday the 13th

Tonight the book is not on the shelf, but The End is near . . . I can't wait!

I may have to start a pair of Baudelaire socks to celebrate!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

I couldn’t really decide what I wanted to work on this weekend, so I worked on everything. I started the Jack bag, and got to the nose. Then I worked the lobster sock and got to the point of turning the heel . . . but didn’t. The fingerless gloves now has one finger, and the bamboo sock has an additional inch and a half.

Not photographed:

Corelli's Mandolin, my current read

Perhaps if I would have concentrated my efforts, I would have finished a sock (or two!), a glove or the front of Jack! Sometimes it feels good to just work on whatever, for however long you feel like it--it is the process of knitting I love. Okay, I need to go finish something!!!!

No Sugar Added + Trick or Treat Bag

My Harvest Sock Swap Friend, Megan, is cycling in an upcoming event to support diabetes research. Go to her website, and you can pick up a magKNITficent 'No Sugar Added' Sock pattern--your purchase will support the American Daibetes Foundation. You’ll feel good when you knit it up, I promise.

And I couldn’t resist purchasing this pattern, from the infamous Kate Gilbert . . .

I know--”This is a bag, not SOCKS!!!!”--but I loved it, and figured I could squeeze it in between sock rounds!! She’s selling it on her blog . . .

I finished Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein . . . that makes me 4/5, and the last book on my RIP Challenge List is the 13th Lemony Snicket’s Book, not available until Friday the 13th!! Hmmmmmmmmm now what?

It's all about socks

These fingerless gloves, knitted with sock yarn, are knitting-up so darn cute--the yarn colors are so fun! I frogged and re-started on smaller needles (now on a size 1); I am a little concerned about the wrist size being a bit too big. But on I knit!

And here’s how far I am on the Lobster Pot Sock. It is knitting up really nicely! These were frogged Sunday, because somehow I had too many stitches, which goofed up the cuff pattern (under normal, ribbed cuff circumstances, I would have just knit2tog and that would have taken care of everything!). Now it is just right!

Over the weekend, I finished Alias Grace (loved it!!!), a selection from Reading Matters. I feel so fortunate to have stumbled upon this blog. I decided to swap the KTC’s October selection, Gulliver’s Travels, for November’s selction, Frankenstein. A bit more appropriate for the holiday season, I think.

RIP Challenge: 3/5

Party Hopping!

The Summer Sock Party was a cute swap, which I was lucky enough to be pal-ed up with Chrissy, who sent me this secret sock and goodies. The sock is a pattern she has for test knitting, called Missy's Lobster Sock. I’ll be sending her my notes, as will some others, and then it will be ready for publication. The sock is so lovely: I hope my matching sock will be just as fine! I cast on last night (yes, right after finishing the socks below!) and I love the Opal Gems. Thanks, Chrissy!

It seems the infamous tiger lily secret sock in Opal yarn and the accompanying pattern hasn't made it to my pal--along with the other summer stuff I mailed along!!!! Soooo, I'll be whipping up another sock to send off. I am going to knit the same sock as I did before, so if by chance she somehow receives both packages she'll have matching socks!!! It is a good thing the Socktoberfest party has started! Add this sock to the festivities, and that makes:

1 pair finished/4 socks to go + undetermined socks which will find their way on the needles.