So This is on the Needles and THIS is Finished!

So after doing enough overtime to garner FORTY HOURS of comp time in the past 3 weeks (!), I did a "work at home" day Monday. First off, it was our anniversary, and thanks to everyone who wished us well. Hubby announced it on FaceBook. Sorry, but I can't do that; not that I don't want to acknowledge it, but it's just me being paranoid/private. Anyway, there it is.

We went to lunch on Sunday at a winery and I had some really good crab cakes. Really good for Illinois, that is. Obviously not up to snuff for someone who lived in seafood country on the East Coast for over a decade...but these were good. What can I say? I'm a seafood purist. 

Hiking socks

Monday, I had a dentist appointment. At noon. Yeah, so who WOULDN'T go to the dentist at noon on a Monday, right?? And I had a filling replaced. Who doesn't want to be all numb and drooly on their anniversary, right?? And then I taught a Basic Yoga class that night. Luckily, I was done drooling about 4 p.m. 

So here's a few pics of the hiking socks. Notice the awesome heel, courtesy of my friend Doris. I call it the Doris Heel, but she said she got it ages ago when she was a kid - it was the way her mom or granny did the heels, and she's sure it's in a knitting library somewhere.

Doris Heel

These were done in Cascade 100% wool, which is a worsted weight, on size 3 DPNs. They're so thick they practically DO stand up on their own. And yes, there is a different top on each sock. I was experimenting. They'll be worn with hiking boots, so it really won't matter. I'd rather experiment on something like this anyway. The yarn normally knits up on size 7, but by dropping this many needle sizes, you do create a hugely sturdy fabric. 

The Doris Heel goes something like this: at each end, you K3, and on the RS you alternate a K1, sl1 with a WS row of straight knit, then the next RS is P1, sl1... I think. The actual pattern is at home. Either way, you see the thickness of the heel and the sturdiness. And how pretty it is! It'll look lovely in a "real" sock where the yarn gauge actually matches the needles. 

Two different beginnings

For the different tops, on Sock #2, I knitted 1 row all the way around before I started the ribbing; and since I have Biker Calves, I figure this'll give me some extra stretch. And also, Sock #2 hasn't been washed yet. It may not pucker as much at the top. Since I'm not meeting with my knitster friends this weekend, I'll probably douse Sock #2 in the Eucalan and let it air dry. I wonder if I need to get some of those sock forms?? I've done ok just shaping them and putting them out flat. 

I have enough of the purple yarn so that I'm probably going to whip over to the LYS and buy another hank of Cascade, in a complementary color. I can do the ribbing, heel and toe in this purple, or vice versa. Either way, there's enough left so that I have about 1 skein total; I have to weigh it to be sure, but I think it's totally worth doing another pair. And like I said: they're HIKING SOCKS... It really won't matter to me if the complimentary color is a light blue, pink or bright green. I really don't want to knit these in anything darker than this purple in the first place, so no navy, no black. We'll see what the LYS has. 

Robin's Nest socks

Here are some picks of the NEW SOCKS.... I am officially in "drooly-love" with this yarn. It's madelainetosh sock in a "onesie" bought at Jimmy Bean's - Robin's Nest. I was going to try Magic Loop with these, but instead, I'm using Kollage DPNs again, with VERY sharp points. I got the pattern from the madtosh site, but I was looking in one of the dozen sock books I have and I saw this swirl rib...and I'm doing the entire leg in this. 

The reason I mention the tips is because (a) they'd be great if I was doing a lace leg on my sock; and (b) we've had some wonky weather...I was sitting in my chair knitting and Quinn decided that RIGHT NOW I NEED TO BE ON MOM'S LAP. So whoppppppppp, I flung my right hand up in the air as 45 lbs. of Elkhound landed on my lap. I was afraid she'd land right on the needles and I'd have to explain 5 puncture wounds in close proximity to our vet...

The little pink case is something I picked up in a new LYS - Le Mouton Rouge in Morris. It's a sock yarn case from knit happy and it's just adorable. Open, it's got a spot to hold yarn, needles and a pattern. Closed, it's just cute and fits into my Jordana Paige bag, since those Kollage needles are nasty to grab the wrong way. 

Case opened

The pattern of the color spirals around and the swirl rib is echoing that nicely. I was thinking about doing just a 2" rib and a plain leg, but the more I looked at it, the more the ribbing was hollering to go down the whole leg. It's only crew length, but that's fine for me. 

I debated and debated what to do with this yarn; of course, sock yarn shawls are all the rage, but I normally don't wear brown with blue, and I didn't want to overdo that fad; I already have 2 in the queue so I don't need to have more. 

And I want to knit more socks. So I figured that this was a good yarn to do socks with. And I apologize for the crummy pics...they're taken with my phone camera. Love my phone. Hate the camera. 

Swirly colors

As you can see from this one, even though it's not a great shot, the sock top (again, 1 row of K before starting the pattern) starts with the brown swirl and the blues and whites just pick up. The swirl in the colors is going in the same direction as the swirl in the knitting. I'm not sure why this tickles me so much; probably, it's meant to go that way... but heck, lately I'll take the least little thing that tickles me. I can't wait to show these off to my knitster friends, but it won't be this weekend.

Case closed

Tra-Laaaaaaaaaaa - I have a Saturday off, and it falls on the Memorial Day weekend, so that's Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday AND Tuesday.... Oh jeeze... What to do with myself???  Anyway, the knitsters are busy. I did e-mail my niece and told her that if she needed help with the twins and Kid #1, to let me know. Haven't heard yet, but there's still time. 

So I'm also back on my detox. The trip and subsequent falling off the rails of my eating plan kind of did me in, and I'm back to the "get rid of sugar" thing. I'm telling you, it sounds harsh, but it's really easy after you get past the first few days. 

Hubby and I have a bike ride planned if Mother Nature cooperates - at least one ride sometime over this long weekend. And a cook-out where the kids want to make fish tacos. Hubby will have bratwurst...He's not all that adventurous with food. 

Oh, and we'll be delivering wedding pictures to my sis. It'll be nice to get that off my dining room table! 

And I have to weave in the ends of the Fluffy Scarf. Then it'll be done. Yes, it only took about 3 days. And yes, I do have another ball of it. And yes, I might actually just make a scarf for Tippi to wear...