Slowly But Surely

I'm really a simple kind of gal. I think there's a reason I like simple stockinette stitch socks.

Patterned socks take me awhile....a LOT longer than usual. And they require a certain amount of concentration. Which is in short supply these days with all my other issues. (It's been raining for days now, so my pics are not in full daylight.)

I just like simple shaped patterns. Most patterns are easy, but the patterning itself makes them seem too "bunchy" looking to me. They remind me of wrinkly elephant legs for some reason! I know, but it's in my head and I can't get it out! But that's just my own opinion. No biggy. Just like my much increased appreciation of semi-solid colored sock yarns anymore. I'm getting set in my ways in my old age I guess.

This pattern is my style. Simple, but pretty.

Charade

Yarn: The YoYo String & Fluff

Colorway: Not Called Amethyst- Superwash Merino

Confession time: I over-dyed this skein with Purple Kool Aid awhile back. It's another one of my "monitor" discrepencies. It looked a deeper shade of purple on my screen when I bought it. Someday I have to fix that issue. Whatever base yarn she used though is absolutely scrumptious. These are almost silky to the touch. I adore them.

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I was hurting the other day. Same old issues. I didn't feel up to knitting much so I pulled out the Disco Ball looking beads I'd bought recently and made myself some cool stitch markers.

I love these, I want to hustle to the Bee Gees when I see them.

Since we already have a ga-jillion beads, and I get in the mood every so often when I can't knit, my stitch marker inventory has really blossomed! I love my stitch markers! Making them is really just as much fun as using them. If I wore more jewelry I'd probably be spending as much on beads as I do on yarn.

My knitting meeting is coming up this weekend. I'd better get back to getting things ready to go to the swap. I'm a terrible procrastinator, I pulled stuff out of the closet but have yet to sort through it all. I'll probably end up doing it Saturday morning!

Happy Knitting.

Busy as a Bee

I finally got busy and managed to get a few things done around the house recently. Monday was major "house cleaning" day (boo) and we finally got The Girls "own" rooms set up last weekend. They've been sleeping in the same room since they were babies, but the 7th grader doesn't need to go to bed as early as my 4th grader now. Together they stay up wayyyy to late talking, laughing and giggling so it was time to seperate them. Of course ever since we set them up, they've still been wanting to sleep in the same room, they're calling it their "farewell tour!" Couple of nuts I have. Yep.

Yesterday The Girls and I "attacked" their closet to see what still fits them and what needed to go. Wow! It's a BIG job when you have two "pre-teen" girls begrudgingly helping you. Life is so hard for those poor children. They like getting new clothes but when it comes to cleaning out the closets...the attitude can get slightly unpleasant at times. We were all getting on each others nerves at the end! Oh well. It's DONE. We got a mountain of clothes out of there and we felt so much better when it was finished. That's one thing I DO NOT look forward to when school's going to start.

We also went thru all the school supplies that I've been picking up here and there, we can't beat getting stuff at Walmart so cheap this time of year. I stock up on as much paper, pens, pencils, etc. as I can afford to since the school asks for it all thru the school year. Plus, it gets them a "tiny" bit excited about school starting again. Wooo hooo School's starting soon!!! I know this Mom is excited!

On the knitting front I've been a slacker big time. My "sock-in-progress" is moving along at a snails pace. I'm just working up plain ol' socks in Lorna's Laces Purple Club. I have to say the way they're striping using a larger cast on than I normally use is pleasing me to no end. I think that's why I'm not rushing (besides being so busy doing other things). It's just been a pleasurable, leisurely knit. "Zen" if you will. I'll have to post a pic soon.

I also finally got around to over-dyeing that sock yarn I got off from an Etsy seller. After unraveling the hank and examining it I found it to be a dye job that wasn't up to my expectations at all. You can't see it very well from the pic but it wasn't something that I knew I could be happy with.

I just decided to turn it a darker purple so I overdyed it with GRAPE Koolaid yesterday and I'm very happy with the results. I don't know if she didn't soak her yarn well enough, dyed it dry, or what, but the dye she used didn't penetrate thru to a lot of the inside very well. I think that's why soaking is so important. It DID have a "varigated" look to it (and still does), but it looked "rushed" maybe, and not thoroughly done to me. Easy Peasy Fixable tho, so all is okay in my knitting universe after all. Oh Gosh, and it smells WONDERFUL!!!!!! I wish this was scratch & sniff. It's Absolutely Delicious!! Whatever base yarn she used is really nice and soft though. That's always a good thing.


And I made my first stitch marker ever.

Many more will follow as The Girls and I have a TON of beads. I got some of my supplies at Joann's last weekend (all beading stuff was 40% off) but still need a few more of the different findings. There are so many great tutorials on blogs, it's a fun project when you need some diversity in your crafting.

Enough going on already... I've got a neglected sock that's calling my name...AGAIN!