Excuses, excuses, E is for EXCUSES

Hi everyone, remember me? I'm the girl from Florida with the really cute cat who used to post regularly.....does it ring a bell? :)

I really do have a good excuse tho.

As tired as I am of dancing this dance yet again I'm still having those pesky lil computer problems....it's no biggie really, I'm just awaiting the third motherboard replacement in a 15 month old computer!!! Good old Gateway - I guess I was lucky to have a 9 month reprieve from their shenanigans.

So my beloved old Bessie (my 8 year old laptop) and I are limping along but she has this little flaw that makes typing up a post a long and arduous task......her cursor jumps all over without warning and deletes entire sentences paragraphs posts just as fast as I can type them! It's a nightmare!

So that's my Excuse and I'm stickin' to it!

I have been knitting so I'll muddle thru to fill you in on what's doing here at Chez Fluffy...

First up.....Socks - shocking, I know :)

I call these my Remembering Gigi socks

Some of you might know that the knitting community lost one of it's own a few weeks ago. Gigi Silva, aka Momma Monkey sadly lost her battle with Lupus.

Gigi was a generous, talented and prolific sock knitter and shared many beautiful sock patterns thru her Socktopia site. As a tribute to this wonderful women the Sock Knitters Anonymous Group on Ravelry added her patterns for our February Sockdown Challenge.

I chose to honor Gigi's memory by knitting her Fawkes pattern in her favorite color, orange.

Specs:

pattern: Fawkes by Gigi Silva

yarn: 2 skeins Claudia's Handpainted in Blue Terra Cotta

Magic Loop, 32" Harmony Circ, US#1.5 (2.5 mm)

Mods: The February Sockdown Challenge was to knit a heel that was "new to me". This sock had a band heel which was new to me but in addition I carried the pattern down the heel flap so the sock will look extra snazzy with clogs!

These were a fun yet bittersweet knit. I highly recommend any of Gigi's patterns but haven't linked to them because while her family grieves for their enormous loss, they have shut down her website. They are working with some of Gigi's friends to make all her patterns available at no cost to the knitters Gigi loved so look for that in the future...and knit an orange (or purple, the color for Lupus support) sock and raise a needle for Gigi.

And now for something completely different - orange socks!!

Posh Monkeys with Garter Stitch Heel


A few years back, this amazing yarn was a gift all the way from England from my sweet friend Emma. My Mom happened to be visiting when the package arrived and claimed this stunning yarn for her own! Who could blame her? It's a rich, juicy coral, orange and red with a touch of violet and it's cashmere!

Specs:

pattern: Monkeys by Cookie A.

yarn: Posh Lucia in the Enchanting colorway

Magic Loop, 32" US #0 (2.0mm) nickel circ

mods: The cashmere in the yarn made for less stretch and memory than plain merino so I opted for a 2x2 rib rather than the twisted rib suggested in the pattern. I had always wanted to try a garter stitch heel and the time finally arrived. Here's the close-up complete with previously unnoticed giant Pumpkin hair!


I added my standard mini-flap and gusset and the heel was so fun to do. Plus it makes a very cushy fabric. The yarn bloomed wonderfully when washed and is so so soft.

In truth, I gave these to my Mom yesterday cause she's off to visit the bro in chilly San Francisco and she says these are the best fitting socks she's ever had - woot!

I've been working on the Teal Lindissima Vest and it's coming out really pretty but I'll save that for next time, plus I need y'all to help me choose some buttons!

I of course, started some new socks....

The tried and true, old standby Pretty Comfy Socks


My non-knitter cousin went into her LYS and asked for "sock yarn" as a gift for me and the owner handed her 2 balls of Cascade Fixation and told her "this is the most popular sock yarn, everyone is using it!" Um, really?? So I'm knitting my cousin some socks from this most popular sock yarn*snark* They are kinda cute tho :)

Speaking of cute, how's this....


Is that the look of pure bliss or what? :)

Now I'm not making Excuses but I have an appt. for the mother board installation next Wednesday so I'll be back as soon as I can.

Til then, knit on!

Chips, Cast-ons, Completions and Cardigans

The astute among you will guess today's post is all about the letter C

First I give you CHIPS...COLOR CHIPS that is. Guess what we
are planning here at Chez Blog de Fluffy?

Yup, we're painting the cave as soon as we can decide on what color. So many choices! Plus it's truly amazing how different the colors look in different light - what looks green in daylight looks brown under fluorescents! But the P-Man and I are having fun thinking about the possibilities!

I finally tamed the fractious beast that is the Lindissama Lace Vest.

A while back FKMom asked me for a vest "with holes like a shawl but with buttons". So I searched for the perfect lace vest and found the Lindissima. I believe it's just what Mom is looking for!

I CAST ON and then I CAST ON and then I CAST ON some more. Finally after the fifth CAST ON success was mine! You see, it's knit all in one piece so casting on 200 odd stitches and working 6 - 8 rows was no bowl of cherries...I couldn't get the gauge/fabric I preferred to coincide with a wearable size without enough math to make my brain fall out but eventually the stars aligned and the moon was in the seventh house and all is well! Have a gander....

ooo pretty!
It's a fussy pattern in that the lace is on every row for the border so there is a ton of centered double decreases thru the back loops! Oh my aching wrists (x SIX, ack!) Thank goodness for addi lace needles!

I'm using Louet Sport in Teal, a colorway Mom has drooled over admired many times before and a yarn I love knitting with. I'm really loving how it looks, I even picked out stunning silver buttons for it already :)

Now y'all know about me and socks...besides always having a sock on the needles I'm pretty adventurous and varied in what I like to knit and have knit many different patterns, both my own and others' designs.

I've got well over 100 pairs of socks under my belt but this week's COMPLETION has helped me realize MY. FAVORITE. SOCKS. EVER.

I give you the CARDIGAN Socks...

Handsome, yes?

Will ya look at that gorgeous heel? (and ignore the long overdue mani!)

Striking in any pose!

Specs:

Pattern: Cardigan Socks by Anne Hanson

Yarn: 2 skeins Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Harvest

Size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Knitpicks Harmony Wood needles

Mods: NOT A SINGLE ONE, WHY MESS WITH PERFECTION? :)

I loved every single stitch of knitting these socks! The menage a trois of the perfect pattern with the perfect yarn (I ♥ ♥ ♥ LL shepherd sport!!) with those amazing needles made for a heavenly knit!

The sock is so cleverly designed, the charts are immaculate, the pattern is easy yet has lots of visual punch...can you tell I'm having separation anxiety?

If you want great sock, here it is my friends!

I leave you with this pic of my lil guy...

P-Man feigns disinterest but he's really jazzed about Mellow Meadow and Shady Grove :)

Have a great week!