Sunday, August 13, 2006

What I did on my blog, err... Summer vacation

I'm finally back, did y'all miss me?

I don't want to jinx anything but I'm hoping the computer issues are ironed out and trust me, I have the gray hairs to prove it! I've already had 2 hard drives (in a brand new computer) die and I've had to reinstall Windows twice on hard drive #3...I wonder if the domain is still available for
www.ihategatewaywiththefireof1000suns.com
? Serenity now!! :)
**ETA - luckily, I typed up this post and uploaded the pics yesterday BEFORE my computer crashed AGAIN!!! Rather than installing yet another hard drive it's going in for a complete diagnostic eval and servicing so needless to say I'll be out of blog comission again! I do have my well loved and trusty but geriatric laptop but I can't upload pics or visit/comment as I'd like so please bear with yet another absence and I promise TONS of P-Man beefcake when we return, heheh...Enjoy the pics, feel free to comment or email me and again, I'll be back when I can......can I change that domain to www.IREALLYhateGATEWAYwiththefireof1000suns.com ? .......sigh.....

So what did I do during my Evil Gateway imposed hiatus? Well, I knit of course.....Socks, socks and more socks!

First up we have the
Lozenge Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks


This was my first time knitting with the exact yarn, color and all, that the pattern called for thanks to a cool trade with my buddy, Dorothy. Thanks again, D!

The yarn is St. Ives in the Grouse colorway. Not the softest yarn but a solid, sturdy "man" yarn and very well suited for this "manly" pattern.


Next I present Fascine Braid in Mountain Colors Weavers Wool. I LOVE this sportweight yarn and I LOVE this pattern!

The adult sized pair is for a very generous blog friend, Karen. She's always sending me beautiful yarn as she lives in the land of 1000 LYS, Chicago!

Since I have no local LYS I coerced her into letting me knit her a pair of socks....can you believe yet another knitting friend who's NEVER had someone handknit something for her? I'm glad to be her first cause she loves the socks so much she even wore them already despite this heatwave!

The teenie socks will eventually go to CIC to warm the toes of a child in need!

Both socks are knit in the Huckleberry and Deep Blue colorways and the adult pattern is a Mountain Colors design called Fascine Braid knit top down. The teenie sock was knit toe up so I could use my favorite Turkish Cast On and use every inch of the yarn!



I love how they both turned out and I hope they bring warmth and joy to the feet they adorn!


My brother and his family were in from California in July so I let my 17 year old niece shop my stash for some new socks....

From the hundreds many skeins of sock yarn I possess she honed right in on this -- lightweight Socks That Rock in the Hot Flash colorway.


The pic is pretty close but in person they are even more retina-searingly pink! I used a simple stockinette sock and let the vibrant colorway give it all the glam any 17 year old needs. As an aside, I showed her another pair of socks made with STR in another colorway that flashed and pooled a lot - she LOVED the flashing and thought it looked like bolts of lightening! She really wanted her socks to have that look too....and of course when ya want flashing, ya get perfect stripes, hehe....Oh well, I'll just have to knit more socks til I get it right!


Last but not least, I give you Pomatomus!

These were quite fun to knit and the pattern is intuitive but keeps you on your toes! I've pretty much become a tried and true YO short row heel with mini flap and gusset convert because I love the fit and the look of this heel vs. the flap heel. For my Pomatomus I decided to follow the pattern to the letter and I'm glad I did because the heel is SO PRETTY on this sock! Yes, it's a flap heel but the ktbl makes it quite unique and kept the "flavor" of the sock consistent.


I used Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in the Dusk colorway. I love CTH and I think this colorway is perfect for these socks! These will be a holiday gift for someone special so ssssshhhh, it's a secret but I will definitely make these again someday!

During my blog vacation I've also-

*crocheted a few more medallions for the Carnival Afghan

*started a very pretty new sock (actually I've finished sock one and am just past the heel on sock two)

*finished the back of the Vittadini Cabled Top and am about 5 inches into the front

But I'll save those for another day!

I know that my absence has been very difficult on my readers but I know the real reason why.....so I give you..........

THE RETURN OF P-MAN!


He knows he's the real reason y'all come around but he missed you too! See? he's so happy to be back, he's smiling!

Thanks for hanging in there, I pray wish hope to be back soon!