Anybody Want This?

It's a 10 x 12 x 4 mailing box filled with my leftover sock yarn balls.

It's mostly Opal and Slackford Studio, but there are some others as well. All are machine washable. Most have a nylon content.

There is not enough of one yarn to knit footies. There may be enough of most of the colors to knit a pair of baby booties or a chemo cap.


I do not like to hang onto my left over balls. They are a tiny, niggling stressor every time I see them and think I SHOULD be using them for something.

There is nothing I want to knit that requires dozens of little left over balls.

How about you?

If you'd like to be in a drawing for this box of little balls, leave a comment telling me what you're going to do with them. Be sure and supply your email with the comment.

Deadline: Next Tuesday, August 5 at 8 am EST.

If more than one reader wants them, I'll do the random number thing. If no one wants them, I don't have a Plan B.

Careful now. Don't put your name in the draw unless you have a plan for these balls that you're excited about knitting or they will just add to your clutter collection and your knitting stress.

Fallen Embossed Leaves Finished

While waiting for the August Sock Innovation KAL, (a Ravelry link) sock patterns to be announced, I worked in a pair of Mona Schmidt Embossed Leaves.

Several readers mentioned in the comments that this is one of their favorite sock patterns and I can see why. Not only is it beautiful and fun to knit, but it's also easy to size.

The pattern has a three column purl ridge between the four sock motifs that can easily be reduced to two purls/56 stitches like I did or increased to fit a larger foot.


I thoroughly enjoyed every stitch of these socks watching the subtle color changes of the gorgeous colors.


Pattern: Embossed Leaves Socks by Mona Schmidt in Winter 2005 Interweave Knits.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: Fallen Leaves

Needles: Options 2.5mm circulars.

Modifications:

• Removed one of three purl columns separating the leaf motifs to make sock 60 stitches around.
  
• Used a k1p2 ribbing so that the p2 continues into the p2 between the leaf motifs.
  
• Knit my usual rounded toe instead of the star shaped decreases of the pattern.

Family Updates

Thanks to everyone who has prayed and/or sent good thoughts for my family, both human and canine. Here is a brief update for all who have asked.

DH Bob
The first step in his treatment was successful. We're in waiting mode to regain some strength and regulate drugs.

Our next appointment to see a doctor is August 11, but meanwhile we are making numerous trips to the lab for blood draws.

Mom had a heart attack shortly before her 87th birthday. On her birthday she had four stents inserted, and now feels like herself again, young and peppy and dancing twice a week.

Yesterday we had the followup meeting with the cardiologist. He discontinued most of her heart drugs and said he'd see her in a year.

We celebrated with a caramel sundae.


Glory, our 13 year old lab mix, loves to roll around in things, the stinkier the better.

At her last grooming appointment, the groomer claimed she couldn't bath the smell off Glory. We thought Glory smelled much better, although not perfect. The groomer suspects Glory has a skin infection causing the smell, although she couldn't find a rash or any other physical evidence to support that theory. Glory's ears are OK.

If any of my dog loving readers have ever heard of such a thing, could you leave me a comment? I've spent a fortune at the vet office lately and hesitate to take a dog who has nothing wrong except a smell, especially when I know she rolls in gross things.

I have visions of the vet staff laughing in the back room, "Doesn't that woman know what horse sh*t smells like?"


Sunny, our 8 year old, 14 pound, third generation (or more) designer dog, has advanced osteoarthritis of the spine. She recently had a painfull, crippling spell that required almost two months of steroid treatment.

The vet wasn't sure she would ever be without steroids again, but she has been without for two weeks now.

Final words from the vet were something like this: "Everything she does is a risk, but you need to let her be a dog."

How helpful is that?

Then he said, "You can let her run, but don't let her bump into anything or turn sharp corners."

Even more unhelpful and impossible. Sunny herds.

Least I give the wrong impression of the vet, he was totally helpful and supportive during her treatment. He kept in touch by phone and carefully monitored the tapering off of her meds at the end. He just doesn't know what to say now.

There are no easy answers and no cures. Everything she does is a risk and we worry about her daily while we're trying to let her be a dog.


Pappy, our 11 year old (or older) rescue Papillon, had ten loose teeth removed July 15th.

I've heard this is a common thing for older little dogs, but it's the first time one of our dogs has needed it done.

Once his mouth healed, he had no problem learning where he could still chew. He's actually able to eat better with the loose teeth gone.

Embossed Leaves Started

The mail lady brought this yarn last Thursday and I immediately started thinking about what pattern to use.

By the time the Rick socks were finished on Saturday, I knew that a colorway named Fallen Leaves had to be knit with a leaf motif.

This yarn is so much prettier than my picture. I'll try to capture the colors better once the socks are done.


Pattern: Embossed Leaves Socks by Mona Schmidt in Winter 2005 Interweave Knits.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: Fallen Leaves

Needles: Options 2.5mm circulars.

Modifications:

• Removed one of three purl columns separating the leaf motifs to make sock 60 stitches around.
  
• Used a k1p2 ribbing so that the p2 continues into the p2 between the leaf motifs.
  
• Knit my usual rounded toe instead of the star shaped decreases of the pattern.

Rick Finished

Saturday night I settled down with an audio book and finished the left Rick sock.

We're having a comfortable, cool July. Sunday morning the temperature was in the mid 50s (F) when I dressed for church, so I picked out a red sweater and wore my new Rick socks.


I've been surprised that the socks I've been knitting lately are fitting my narrow feet without modifications. I think it's the yarn.

The Slackford Studio Stalwart sock yarn is very smooth, not as fuzzy as Opal and other sock yarns I've used. Maybe it's a little thinner, but I think it's just the smoothness that's resulting in the tighter stitches. I couldn't be happier about being able to knit socks that fit without trying to figure out how to eliminate stitches.

I'm collecting a nice little stash of Stalwart sock yarn as colors appear that I can't resist. This evening I plan to pick out my next Cookie sock project and cast on.


Pattern: Rick from Sock Innovation by Cookie A.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: True Blood

Needles: Options 2.5mm circulars.

Flashback Friday - Black-eyed Susans

On the second (or third) Friday of each month I go back five years to pick out one of my favorite blog posts for that month and repost it here on Flashback Friday.

This post was originally written in July, 2004.

For the record, I really did stop "saving" teeshirts after writing this. Although, I do make a distinction between a work-in-the-yard tee shirt and a run-to-the-grocery-store teeshirt.

---

Black-eyed Susan

Teeshirt Hoarder
Some people save their good linens for "someday". Other people save their good china, crystal, silver. Then there's the people who get diaries or notebooks and don't write in them because they might mess them up.

I've met all those challenges and conquered them. Instead, I hoard teeshirts.

Since I'm usually doing something casual and/or dirty when wearing a teeshirt, I never wear my favorites because I don't want them to get faded or stained.

This enlightenment occurred to me as I was cleaning out my teeshirt drawer yesterday. I had a serious talk with myself about teeshirt hoarding. Then I pulled the waste basket over close.

First, I got rid of all the nasty ones. Teeshirts are cheap and plentiful. What's the point of wearing a worn and/or strained teeshirt and feeling scruffy? Then I got rid of the large ones that hang like a garbage bag on me. (Do I get to brag about losing 40 pounds again?)

I've had this black-eyed susan tee for ten years and hardly ever worn it. Black-eyed susan is one of my favorite wildflowers so I was saving the shirt for a special occasion.

No more! I'm all done saving teeshirts for special occasions. Especially since I don't wear teeshirts to special occasions.

So I wore the black-eyed susan shirt yesterday, enjoyed it, and threw it in the laundry. I'll be wearing it again soon.

Sometimes cleaning out a drawer is more than just housework - sometimes it helps clean out my brain as well.

The Real Thing
Black-eyed susan blooms in late summer which is quickly approaching. We are fortunate enough to have many little clusters of it - like this one - in the back field where I walk the dogs.

The real thing is prettier than a teeshirt.

Are you saving something you should be enjoying?

Wednesday Wings - End of Nesting Season

By July most bluebirds are done nesting. Those who are working on a mid-summer family keep the number small.

There were three eggs in this nestbox. Two hatchlings are getting ready to fledge, a male in the front and a female in the rear.

This nestbox is closer to the house than the boxes the bluebirds usually select. I've enjoyed watching frequent streaks of blue as the parents fly into the yard to gather food. No shortage of insects here this time of year, especially mosquitoes.

Right Rick Done

It was a beautiful weekend with cool nights and warm but not too hot days with a nice breeze.

I ate ice cream without counting the calories, made a large crockpot of Cajun Crockpot Stew, and enjoyed knitting the right Rick.


Pattern: Rick from Sock Innovation by Cookie A.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: True Blood

Needles: Options 2.5mm circulars.

Rick, True Blood, and Red Oak

My most recent yarn order from Slackford Studio arrived Thursday. As expected, the 'True Blood" color is perfect for the Rick pattern and I cast on Thursday evening.

After only two pattern repeats, it was time for bed and the future of the Rick socks was doubtful. I felt my yarn overs were uneven (because they are), and I didn't like the way the stitch pattern was developing.

Frogging the sock would ruin my plan to knit every pattern in Cookie's book, so in the light of Friday morning I decided to knit a little more.


The cuff is done, the heel is turned, and the gusset stitches picked up. My attitude has also turned. I like the way this sock is turning out, even if my stitches could be a tad more even.

Those vertical lines between the diagonal traveling stitches are k2tbl p2 ribbing, making the sock nice and snug on my smallish ankles and feet.

Normally, I knit a little on one sock and switch to the second sock so they'll both be done at the same time. With Rick, the socks are mirror images of each other. The stitch pattern for the second (left) sock is totally different from this sock. Being easily confused, I decided to finish the right sock before starting the left.


Pattern: Rick from Sock Innovation by Cookie A.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: True Blood

Needles: Options 2.5mm circulars.

The other skein of yarn arriving from Slackford Studio Thursday is Red Oak.

I'm loving it because it really does look like red oak wood. It's destined to become a Cookie sock, but hasn't been assigned a pattern yet. Maybe Angee?

Hedera Socks Finished

Hedera is an easy knit with very pretty results.

Using 2.25mm needles, they fit my narrow feet. In the future I'm going to try to avoid knitting Opal sock yarn on 2.25m needles. The yarn is a little too heavy to be comfortable on my hands knitting that tight.


In most of the Cookie patterns I've knit, the knit 2 together and slip, slip, knit for the gusset reduction is done on the first and last two stitches of the heel needle. I've always done them one stitch in from the edge, but I'm finding I like the looks of Cookie's way just as well, if not better.

I think for plain socks, the one stitch in is attractive. For the more complex Cookie stitch patterns, Having the decrease on the edge looks just right.


Pattern: Hedera, a free online pattern.

Yarn: Opal, 75% Superwash wool, 25% Nylon.

Color: UNI-Solid Grape

Needles: Options 2.25mm circulars.

Simple Woman's Daybook for July 6

These writing prompts are available from Simple Woman's Daybook where each Monday we're invited to join in celebrating the beauty of everyday moments around us.

FOR TODAY July 6, 2009...

Outside my window... A large patch of milkweed are starting to bloom. Their heavy, sweet scent is so strong it saturates the entire East side of the house.

Normally considered weeds, the patch gets to grow because milkweed is the sole host for monarch caterpillars. I've been looking for years and have yet to find one.


I am thinking... It's such a pleasure to be able to do something that used to be part of my normal routine, like write a Simple Woman's Daybook post on the first Monday of the month.

I am thankful for... The quality, compassionate medical care we have in Kalamazoo.

From the kitchen... There's a low sodium pot roast dinner in the Crock Pot. Not exactly summer fare, but we're into comfort food right now.

I am wearing... Jeans and a Kelly green V-neck tee.

I am creating... Grape Hedera socks.

I am going... To accept the reality that the yard is not going to look beautiful this year.

I am reading... Just finished True Detectives by Jonathan Kellerman. It was good enough to be readable but not so engrossing I couldn't put it down to do other things. Not a good as previous Jonathan Kellerman books.

When I went to Amazon to swipe the picture, I noticed it only averaged three stars out of five. It doesn't deserve more than that.



I am hoping... That when they call with an appointment time for Bob's Wednesday outpatient procedure it won't be before 10 am.

Note attached later: I got half my wish. The procedure is at 10 am. We have to be there at 8:30. Dogs will have to understand.

I am hearing... The huffing and puffing of the oxygen concentrator. If I wasn't so happy to have it, it would be driving me nuts.

Around the house... The dogs are still trying to figure out the oxygen concentrator. Pappy thought it might be there for him to pee on. Hopefully I have corrected that misimpression.


One of my favorite things... Bright orange tiger lilies.


A few plans for the rest of the week:
Whatever Bob's doctor orders next.
Spending Wednesday at the hospital with Bob.
Haircut on Thursday if I can leave Bob home alone.
Stalking the maillady for my new Slackford Studio order. Comfort mail to go with the comfort food.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Catbird, taken in May.

July Cookie KAL Plans

The two Sock Innovation KAL, (a Ravelry link) patterns chosen for July are Hedera, a free online pattern,

and Rick from the Sock Innovation book.

Although Rick looks like it might be a complicated stitch pattern, it's a twelve stitch, four row repeat. I'm guessing it's one of the easier patterns in the book.

I ordered some deep red yarn from Slackford Studio that may be perfect for Rick. If not, I have an SuiBui red in my stash that will work.


Since I started my Hedera socks on June 29, they won't officially count for the KAL.


I needed something easy to knit on for stress relief and this pattern is perfect with its quickly memorized simple ten stitch, four row stitch pattern. Mistakes are immediately obvious and corrections are not difficult.


Pattern: Hedera, a free online pattern.


Yarn: Opal, 75% Superwash wool, 25% Nylon.

Color: UNI-Solid Grape

Needles: Options 2.25mm circulars.

Second Sunshine Socks Finished

I've lost all track of time, but these socks were finished over a week ago.

They are so bright and cheerful I just love looking at them.

Bob is home now and we have three whole days before there's another medical appointment. We're enjoying the almost normal feel of the weekend and catching up on dog snuggling and sleeping.




Pattern: Sunshine from Sock Innovation by Cookie A.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: Embers

Needles: Options 2.25mm circulars.