Sock Madness 2 - round 4

Finished.

But not in time...out for round 5.
(thank goodness!)

Round 4 Sock Madness designer is from Maine! I teased her by renaming her Something's Shady to The Kitchen Sink Socks because every technique she could think up was thrown in there. I used up a new skein of Opal - no color name - just the the number 1430. Must mean Big ass random ugly stripes in German.

NOT a fan of after thought heels. Are you kidding me? Pick up 64 stitches off waste yarn at 4 in the morning? Took me an hour just to get stitches picked up and turned around facing the right way. At least 3 got away and had to be rescued with a crochet hook. Feels too much like leaving the hard part until last and I would rather get the hard part out of the way first!!

I looked at the Sock Madness website when I got up at 2am - there was only 2 spots filled. So I knit on. I didn't look at Flicker entries or I would have known the last spot was being filled just as I was getting back at it. I still had a repeat of the foot pattern, 2 toe pattern sections & 2 heels left to do. I knew it was pretty hopeless that I would go on.

I was good with that this year. Last years Sock Madness sent me into a funk and I put knitting them away for a while. I had made just 4 pair in the year since.

The time was right. So in between each round, starting a few days before Sock Madness was to begin, I started knitting socks again.
I finished my 8th pair since March 10th. I have my next pattern all picked out and ready to cast on another pair.

Remaining Sock Madness designs will have to fabulous if I'm to be coaxed into another crazy knit along. Next pattern comes out Sunday.

We'll see if I can resist!

Sock Madness Round 3 Complete

Finished in time... Moving on to Round 4!

So I've equaled last years effort at Sock Madness if I finish this pair even if I miss out on going on. Only 6 of 12 in each group go on, but at least it's a Monday MORNING pattern delivery. Last pattern came after 8 pm and I was just too tired to work on it before taking a nap.

Round 3 pattern: Slippin' Stripin Socks, designed by Tina Lorin.

Yarn was a combination 2 strands of lace weight held together.
I used Brown Sheep Co. Alpine Violet Nature Spun wool (slightly thicker than the second strand) and Done Roving Farm Periwinkle Angora/lamb.

I would knit myself some 100 % angora socks if I could be carried around and not let them touch the floor! So soft. I would knit the leg portion again so long as I didn't have to cut a strand off every 10 rows again. Too many stripes.

And too many ends to weave in!

Took the picture of 4 balls of yarn and the 2 sock progress report in the cake pan I was using to keep the balls from rolling all over the place.
Creative photo submission caption:
Place Sock Madness ingredients in cake pan and knit until done!

(So I made Steph stand in the cake pan for the final shot when they were done :)

My Sock Pattern

Pretty in Pink socks

Materials Used:

Yarn: Bernat Sox - Pink Hot

Patons Kroy - Winter Eclipse

Needles: 4-5 DPN’s - 1.25

Cast on 64 stitches using pink. (20-24-20)

k2, p2 rib for 15 rows (or length desired)

Rearrange stitches (16-32-16)

Knit 3 rows

Begin 2-color design using chart.

(at row 9 of chart I rearranged stitches to 16-16-16-16; returned to 16-32-16 on row 22)

(Optional 1 or 2 stitches could be added between each repeat for more give around the ankle. This pair done without yellow or orange squares shown on the chart.)

Cut design yarn after row 29, leaving a tail to weave in later.

With Pink -

Knit 5 rows and then begin heel Flap:

Knit 16 sts on needle 1.

Rearrange stitches from needle 1 & 3 together for heel flap - joins between rounds will be in center of heel. Divide stitches on needle 2 in half for now.

Turn for heel flap starting on purl side:

1. Knit 3, purl across row.

2. Purl 3 * sl 1, k1 * to last 3 stitches, k3.

3. Knit 3, purl across row.

4. Purl 3 * k1,sl 1 * to last 3 stitches, k3.

Repeat these 4 rows for 30 rows (or desired length.) Ending with a row 2 or knit side - begin heel turn:

Purl half plus 2 (18 sts). P2tog, p1, turn.

(11 stitches were left undone.)

Knit to 1 before gap (14 left) ssk, k1. Turn. Continue back and forth on heel flap to 1 before the gap - P2tog, p1 on purl side. SSK, k1 on knit side until 18 sts remain. You’ll end on a knit side so there’ll be no need to knit back across to begin gusset!

Pick up and knit 16 stitches

Knit across front (32 stitches are back on needle 2.)

Pick up and knit 16 stitches and then knit 9 of the stitches from the heel turn. Put remaining 9 sts on needle 1. (25-32-25)

1. Knit to last 3 sts on needle 1, ktog, k1

Knit 32 sts on needle 2 (front of foot)

Knit 1, ssk, knit remaining sts. (24-32-24)

2. Knit 1 round.

Repeat 1 & 2, decreasing every other row until 16 stitches remain on needles 1 & 3. (16-32-16)

Knit desired length - 1 ½” from end of toe.

Begin decreases:

Needle 1. knit to last 3, k2tog, k1

Needle 2. k1, ssk, knit to 3 remaining, k2tog, k1.

Needle 3. k1, ssk, knit remaining stitches.

Knit next round.

Continue decreases every other row until 24 sts remain.

(6-12-6). Combine stitches so there are 12 stitches on front, 12 on back and Kitchener the close.

(REPEAT immediately to avoid 2nd sock syndrome!)

Email me if you would like the Word or PDF file.

lwalton521 @ gmail.com (without the spaces)

Socks given away freely

...can be cast-on again.

Deciding what to knit before the next round of Sock Madness took a couple of false starts. I finally settled on a remake of the Pretty in Pink pattern I made up as I went along at the end of 2006. They were given away to Sara's boyfriend's mom for Christmas. I'm making another pair!

Cuffs were knit and ripped out for several different patterns before deciding on this one. I tried a Mystery sock with clues being given out one at a time on Ravelry. None of my yarn choices made me happy and it's a cuff being knit inside side out.

At least 5 attempts were ripped out like they never happened before I gave up.
Lots of backwards knitting. PURLS. All over the place.
I need a break from that after Reversai!

I also tried a couple of Spring lace sock patterns but the YO's kept disappearing in the next row. I kept coming up missing stitches every other needle. This does not bode well if the next Sock Madness pattern is lace.

Just Because I'm MAD

Madness lives here.

So I'm joining in conversation on Ravelry's Sock Madness forum and mention my over cautious weaving of yarn after the Kitchner close of Reversai (Sock Madness pattern 2) is the only give away to which side is which of my reversible socks.

And someone comments "There's no Kitchnering in this pattern - it's a round toe."

GULP. It would seem that if you read pattern directions in the middle of the night and then you look at the picture and see it has a garter toe...no problem. All of the carefully written directions (that must be followed) blur into whatever you want it to say.

When it's the middle of the night....
You've been in a cave knitting for 2 days.
You just want them to be done...both of them.

So after the discovery....
Denial.
Defeated dejectedness.
Confession to host of the discovery of failure to follow directions.

YOU DO THEM OVER.

I cut the toes open, unravelled and reknit them.
Using the actual directions.
All afternoon. And a good portion of the evening.

(SciFi was doing a Battlestar Galactica marathon. It took about 4 episodes of Season 3 to knit both toes. Again.)

AND if you turn a reversible sock inside out to cut the toe open. (And forget)
Don't ask why the yarn is going the wrong way after you pick up 72 itty bitty stitches and put them back on the needles.

Stupid.
Or just MAD....
SHUT UP!

Is there an Ethical Award, maybe...

Steph muttered something about suicide watch as I trotted off to my room with a pair of scissors. Judges said it was an honest mistake and knitting 3 repeats of the chart was more work than needed in the first place. So no short cuts had been taken.

I had already cut open the toes and offered to be eliminated if I couldn't finish before the 20th person.
There's 17 finished in my group now.
I'm in for round 3. Again.

SHUT UP!

Sock Madness Still

Pattern 2 complete.

Ouch!

For 2 and a half days I've purled as many stitches as I knit. The pattern is called Reversai by Le Cras Designs, specially invented to challenge this years Sock Madness participants.

The words "I QUIT" actually flew from my mouth after a couple of hours attempting my 2nd ever short row heel. I swore I would never do a short row heel again.

FREE WILL, that is.

(leaving some wiggle room if one were forced upon us by evil Sock Madness designers!)

I thought I must be the slowest Purler in the history of Sock Madness but this pattern seems to be taking its toll on everyone. Not just my imagination: This one was hard!

(Picture was after lunch on April 2nd; finished socks after midnight so technically it was April 3. Finished photo shot was picture of socks shoved onto sleeping kid on a couch. She never woke up. Fully. Didn't come out all that well. And the puppy holding the last of my Claudia Handpaint is cuter!)

I can't imagine what's in store for us for Round 3.

It's almost gone

Holy Hot Tamale!

Or what was I thinking?

I spent most of 2006 learning how to make socks. So of course when a local yarn shop was going out of business that summer and had sock yarn for 40-50% off I bought some.

The colors were limited but I may have gotten a bit carried away with the Bernat's Hot Tamale.

IS IT EVER GOING TO BE GONE?

It is 2008. I've just finished a second pair of Mad to Dance! from Sock Madness 1
patterns, cast on a few days before SM2 started as practice.
I finished them March 24th.
(Both SM1 & SM2 practice pair done in Hot Tamale)

Sock Madness 1; Round 3 - Painted Madness. Yup, Hot Tamale.

I cast on Tidal Wave this morning. I thought they were a little like Pomatomus, only easier. Now that I've looked closer, maybe not so much.
...but again with the Hot Tamale. I'll cast on the 2nd Tidal Wave and divide the remaining left overs up. (Hope there's enough for Sara Size 5 :)

This seems to be the last of it. I went through my blog pictures, trying to figure out how many pair have been knit in this (will it ever be gone?) color.
There were a pair of Pomatomus, Little Lacy Lady Socks and at least 3 pair of the Old Shale 2-Yarn Socks cuffs & heels done in same color.

Yeah, I'm ready for it to be gone!

Sock Madness 2 underway

Pattern 1 Complete!

Sock Madness
Zombie Socks

We were told to be a little afraid.
Normal sock knitting requires the use of a crochet hook to recover dropped stitches.
This pattern instructed us to drop strips of them. On Purpose.
Made interesting holes the easy way. Sort of.

After thought Lace?

(My sock model is still in Vermont; taking a picture of my own feet not so fun...)

Little ones remind us

Precious days...

Benjamin Alex :)

Are you still here, February?

Welcome
MARCH 0, 2008!

On February 12th I officially broke up with February.

(No, don't even try to bribe me with a LOVE day on the 14th! I'm over February.)

It was while I was shoveling a foot of soggy snow from the end of the driveway and digging out the mailbox. In the pouring rain. Again. We were headed for a deep freeze and every time the snowplow went by it deposited another foot of crap at the end of the driveway. There would be no moving it if it freezes; no mail deliveries and no getting in or out of the driveway.

Photo is Wednesday's snowfall (covering our sledding course).
More forecast for tonight.

Black Fly Season can't get here soon enough.
I promise NOT to complain.

I say: Let's leap into March early.

Well, THIS ticks me off a little.

NEW Easy Open Box?
(new EMPTY SPACE design)

Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete has a new box design.
This seemed like a good idea . . . at first.

BUT. We go though a lot of pancake mix and by the 2nd box purchased with the new opening, I noticed something not quite right:

Because the easy open pour spout they designed is a good 2 and a 1/4 inches down the side, the box is necessarily 2 and a 1/2 inches EMPTY.

My first comment sent off to them via their website was returned with a snotty "not out product" reply from Pinnacle Foods. I encouraged them to check their own website and they promised to contact the webmaster. I see they have fixed it since and Quaker Oats is actually the package designer.

BRILLIANT.

PUT THE EASY OPENING ON TOP!
And fill the box up, dudes.

Wish you were here!

P.S. to Stephani...

The reality of your mother's aging is undeniable. Taking a running start and throwing myself down onto the old sled so that I might PLAY with the boy has taken it's toll.

It's the walk back up the hill that will get you, though. I FELL! I can't lift my left elbow high enough to throw asprin in my mouth. It's bad.

I need a nap!

Political Diversion: EcoSewing

Recycling (more) jeans into bags

I've been hiding out (away from cable news political coverage until we see who wins...WAY TO GO WISCONSIN!) back in the sewing room, deconstructing more jeans into totes & messenger style bags.

I made another collapsible bucket to store the second denim Circle Jeans Quilt. For ease of carrying it to the perfect picnic spot! I made it taller and the rolled up quilt fits just about right.

Also made several messenger style bags, including one big enough for my laptop. I put 2 pockets on the front flap, tops sewn together facing each other, to try making a pocket big enough for the charger/cord. It didn't fit very well though.

I worked on more kindergarten Letter People during the day on Tuesday and unfortunately turned on the TV in time to watch way too much of the Clinton attack machine going after both Obamas'. I grow weary of the Clinton "power at any cost" tactics, but am not surprised by it.

I actually watched Michelle's speech live on C-Span and it was clearly being taken out of context, even given the fact that her "adult life" is not such a long span of time. I personally have not found much to be proud of for the last 8 - 12 years of Bush/Clinton regimes. Clinton Impeachment. Bush's War against the wrong enemy. Government sanctioned Torture. Our Constitution shoved through a shredder. Hardly our shining moments.

But clearly I came out of the sewing room way too soon. I'm going to need some more jeans to hack up and take out my frustrations on. Or perhaps a stash busting scrap quilt to keep me busy for the next round of rooting for Obama. I found this Project Linus pattern that seems perfect: HOPES & DREAMS.

Yes, I will!

Come on, People!

YES WE CAN!

Like HOPE. Only different?

Are you kidding me?

Compare and Contrast.
It makes you laugh at the end. Really.



Or cry?

Can I look now?

(who did we vote for?)

Me and my sewing machine.

We've been hiding out in the other room with the TV off.

Listening to Pandora on the laptop.

(So what if I've had it since December and just caught on that the thing is actually meant to be portable. Like a really expensive radio.)

I've been sewing up a storm.

NOT listening to cable news talk.
Too much can drive a person crazy.
I'm tired of screaming pundits, push polls and back stabbing talking points delivered by straight faced political hit people.

And I'm tired of being angry.

Not sure if lifting eyes heavenward to request a presidential candidate get the most votes is proper use of a spiritual aid?

Perhaps there's a forgivable Good Intentions clause.

But, THANK YOU MAINE for voting for Obama most!
You had me worried, I'll admit because I really had no clue which way we would go. Sunday's caucus turnout did us proud.

So while tucked away hiding out in my sound proof Laundry slash Sewing room:
I've finished my 2nd Denim Circle Jeans Quilt!

And a tote bag to match the 1st Circle quilt. Actually called the Collapsible Bucket, found here at a recently discovered website called Instructables. "The World's Biggest Show & Tell". Very cool. Detailed how-to directions for making stuff. I've been on the look out for more things to make from denim. I'm blaming it on Project Runway's 501 Jeans & a T-Shirt episode ;) So that makes it all Stephani's fault since she got me hooked on the show.

I changed my bucket...a bits.
Bigger. Recycled materials including waistband handle. It needs another button though, because the belt loop at the top guiding the strap is not stable enough with just the one button I reused at the bottom.

Also tried this Protect the Tech project, since I've been saving the pockets from all the jeans I've hacked up.

Plus a Denim Quilt Leftovers Tote (I made it up :) I'll probably fill it as a diaper bag for a baby shower gift at the end of the month.

Busy, huh? I missed a whole new technique for destroying a News Reporter's career while sewing. Shustered: “to lose a career for an inappropriate, relatively minor utterance about a powerful person or group.” Okay. Back to the sound proof room.

I'm about out of worn out blue jeans. Perhaps I'll put out the word to family I'm looking for donations. Noble cause. I'm willing to help with your spring cleaning!

Want a picnic quilt?
It's a long time until November's election.

And after 40 years of using a sewing machine and NEVER sewing a finger I've managed to stab a machine needle through a finger tip. TWICE this week.

Denim Circle Quilt

My 5 day impulse project is complete!

In under a week, 7 pair of worn out or too tight blue jeans became a "quilt".
It's FINISHED!

It could be a table quilt or an "It's okay to put on the ground for a picnic" quilt.
Not really a comfort blanket ...because it weighs a ton.

I didn't have a clear plan when I started this project so had to stop back at the store next time by to get another yard of the window fabric. Funny how cutting cloth into 4" squares and sewing it back together again takes more yardage than you would think to make a quilt?

Probably spent too much supplementing fabric for a recycle project since I bought it full price at a real quilt shop. Then again I probably saved a few dollars in gas by not driving across town to use a coupon at a chain store. Plus a childhood Best Friend owns the new shop so stopping in for my first visit was part of the impulse of this project. The fabric I chose was an impulse as well and perhaps not quite what I was thinking when I went in. I'm very pleased with how it turned out.

MORE SOCKS KNIT!

Sock Box

The Sock Box is the tote where finished knit socks go to wait for someone to need them. Either for personal use or as a gift giving purpose.
Sara tends to shop from the Sock Box. (Frugal shopper!)
Stephani is all about her own feet looking good. (Personal comfort & joy, baby!)

The Sock Box was getting a little low with only 5 pair left from last season's knitting binge. I've finished 3 more pair since the last time I blogged. Well not counting the other entry this morning on quilt progress. That would have been some fast knitting!

This is more stash knitting from yarn on hand and the variegated is supposed to be Simply Soft. But they're not. Soft. It was however $1 a skein from Goodwill so when the bottoms wear a hole through (and they will) disposing of them with the "Darn it!" method won't be too painful. (Socks with holes should be dropped straight into the trash can as you yell "Darn it!", per Yarn Harlot advice that I take very seriously.)

The (not) 6" Blocks are for our local newspaper's By Hand charity drive for the Humane Society. She wants 6" knit or crochet squares to be sewn together with all the other 6" squares she gets, for pet blankets at the shelter.

I swear my blocks started out 6 inches but a Seed Stitch border screwed that up pretty good. My plan was to make six so she would have enough same sized blocks to work with for one blanket. Too bad they're all coming out a little different at about 7"... and not very square!

She's getting them anyway. Then they'll be her problem!

Recycled Jeans Quilt

(1/2) of a Circle Blue Jeans Quilt

Internet Exploring a couple of mornings ago for inspiration, I stumbled (back) upon this site for Mock Cathedral Windows - a technique for recycling worn out jeans into a useful thing.
I've made pretty good progress after a few hours of sewing.
Half of a quilt!

I had to figure out a couple of the short cuts on my own as the written directions are not as easy to follow as pictures would have been.
So I'm including a few progress shots. (They are out of order of course because I never upload pictures in the right order first time out. I may or may not rearrange them later!)


Some things I figured out:

1. "Right sides together" does mean right side of blue jean fabric - which is actually the BACK of the quilt. (Which I mistakenly figured was the WRONG side.) So DO start out with 2 circles "good sides together." And sew right off the fabric both top and bottom along 1 seam. (Repeat!)
2. You only need to trace the center square sewing lines on about half of the circles. AT FIRST. Later you can draw the missing lines on rows of circles sewn together in a strip. But there is NO SENSE in trying to play the matching game with pairs of circles. Your lines will undoubtedly be out of line on the back. And things go wonky fast if you try sewing down the side that's out of alignment later. I know!
3. Finger press open the seams and stack 2 pairs together. YES. You can sew a strip of circles together and then add them all at once for the next row! I started out doing one circle at a time -Set in Seam style. SLOW!
4. Lift up the stacked pair of circles, making sure the seams match. Follow the opposite side seam line as you sew a strip of circles together.
5. Sew right down the traced lines at the top of the oval windows, without doing more than just touching them. And DON'T MISS the top of the oval or you'll have a hole!!
6. Press Windows open with an iron well before adding the window fabric, and press again once center fabric is laid in place.

After trying a satin stitch zig zag, I didn't like the effect. So I used a fancy stitch on my machine with a first back, then forward criss crossing motion. It's a little too jerky now that the quilt is getting big! Will experiment some more next time before committing myself.

I intend to experiment with a miniture version to see if I can make a Fabric Postcard Quilt for the next round of Postmark'd Art swaps. I've signed up for "Recycled" already so hope it works. Maybe I should have tried it first or I'll be left thinking up a new idea. I'm thinking of trying a dream catcher in one of the "windows" of a postcard, so stay tuned!

Days like these...

Local Op Ed

I was never really sure why it pissed me off that Pat LaMarche got to replace Molly Ivins in the editorial pages of our local newspaper.

Except I LOVED Molly. She soothed my sometimes sad, often angry political soul after the 2000 elections. With humor. Common sense.
Truth.

This week's replacement addition is probably intended with truly good intentions. To remind readers of the real dangers of driving under the influence...even a little drunk... can destroy lives. And I will accept that if just one person takes note and changes course, it will have been worthy of the space it filled.
Still not Molly.

I've left a message in the reader comments.
Remembering Nola.

Just for Stephani

The first picture with my new camera!
Sara took this as a movie and then captured a still so it may not show off the best quality I'll get out of this camera.

To be honest, I'm still a little afraid of it's shiny newness! And the last 2 days have been too dark, drippy & dismal to venture outside. But soon!

What's on the fridge?

OBAMA '08!

THANK YOU, IOWA!!

I sent a Dream Catcher fabric postcard to Barack Obama's campaign headquarters in October.

I got a (semi) personalized letter back.


Dated November 14th, it starts out: "Thank you for your kind message and for such a unique postcard."

Cool :)

Okay. The rest was a pretty standard form letter and it was probably a volunteer who took the time to acknowledge a fabric postcard. And probably a rubber stamp signed his name. I'm pretending someone shoved it under his nose along with a pile of other stuff and said "sign these!"

Hey, it's my world...

I sent 2 other Dream Catcher postcards to his Iowa campaign offices, c/o Any Volunteer, encouraging them to keep up the good work. I hope someone who enjoys fabric postcards keeps one.

Snow Daze

We've had some snow.

And it's freakin' cold outside.

I went cross country skiing again today.

Yesterday my outside exercise consisted of raking snow off the roof AGAIN for as far as I could reach.

Another 10 inches fell and filled up all the ski tracks I made on Monday, but it was easier today blazing a trail in the tracks I could almost find from before.

Jasmine is beside herself, unable to follow through the deep snow. She usually runs circles around us, and starts barking as soon as she sees the "funny shoes" come out of the storage bin. She stood on a plowed snow bank and barked at me as I skied away. Maybe I can talk Tyler into running their snowmobile through the field to pack down a path so she can go out again. That she went back to the house when I told her she should was a shock.

I finished socks today. I made the pattern up as I went along, using the same cable design on the ankle as for the wrists of the Fetching fingerless gloves from last year. I made another pair of the fingerless gloves for Steph for Christmas. (Actually I made 3 gloves because the second one was so mismatched. Now there's an orphan left over because there's not enough left in the skein for a fourth.) I changed the bind-off around the fingers because the picot edge as written turned out too wavy.

Happy New Year!

Be a better blogger.

I don't do resolutions.
But here's hoping 2008 is filled with inspiring ideas and FINISHED projects to blog about. I finished a pair of socks! They were on the needles since Sock Madness ended - both done up to the cuff and ready for the heel. I abandoned the Sock Madness pattern and opted for simple eye of partridge heel and some straight knitting to just get them done. I let Sara give them to her advisor as a gift without even taking a picture as proof they're done.
(Bad blogger!)

I ordered a new camera today!! With help of a $200 dell gift card the purchase of my new laptop earned before Christmas. Yes. This blog entry is coming to you from my LAP! I'm not very good at the finger scrolling...touch pad... thing... still confounds me on a very regular basis. (How do you hi-light something again? Stubborn is my middle name. I WILL finish this entry without a mouse!)

I do adore the new technology. (A mouse without cord!) I was afraid Windows Vista still had too many bugs to be worked out from all I read of it's first reviews. But I'm lovin' it! Things open in seconds. Pages of Publisher 2007 turn in an instant! I had resorted to folding a basket of cloths or vacuuming a room while I waited for the old computer to perform a task. So less housework gets done while I'm working on future Patchwork Press editing? That's the price of progress!

The next issue is to be sent to the printer in PDF form so fingers crossed it goes through without a meltdown. Mine if it fails and I have to start over!

A new pair of socks have been started. They're almost done actually! My reward for finishing 3 projects in as many months from the list of things that had gone into UFO mode was "I could start something new!"

I did use stash yarn, though. If resolutions for 2007 count for anything, that is. There's 6 more size 1 knitting needles waiting to be rescued from another pair of socks in the UFO pile. Before Sock Madness 2008 sign-ups start in February. Sara has promised to continue the very popular tradition of Mexican Take-Out delivery on Day One of new patterns. So mom doesn't have to cook...works for me!

And if Sock Madness drives me crazy...it will be Sara's fault!
Works for me.