Chat Back for April 23

Responding to comments left since the last time I did Chat Back.

Kathy B. asked . . .

What was your main tip to me about losing weight??? Do you have one?

Losing weight is all about the calories. I write down what I eat and add up the calories as I go along making sure I leave enough for a 300 to 400 calorie dinner and a 100 calorie bedtime minibagel so I don’t have to go to bed hungry.

My magic number is 1200 calories a day. I lose about a little less than a pound a week at 1200 calories and I can still eat enough so I don’t feel like I’m starving, although I do have moments when I get hungry.

After eating my calorie limit at a meal I rarely feel full and am always ready to eat more, so instead I fiddle around making and drinking a cup of tea. By the time that’s all done, I’m over the urge to keep eating.

Think I’ll go fix some tea right now. Do I especially like tea? No. But it’s the fiddling around with it that works for distraction.

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NMjewel asked . . .

I'm betting you could get another 'matching' pair from that yarn. Will there be enough?

Even with Mom's short, five inch cuffs, there was not enough yarn left from the Zauberball Socks for a second pair.

There were two very long sections of black that I cut out and didn't use.

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MomSue84 asked . . .

Just wondering how you like knitting with KP Stroll as opposed to Slackford Studio sock yarn?

I've enjoyed knitting with Stroll, but enough time hasn't passed yet for a wash and wear verdict.

Stroll seems to be a good workhorse sock yarn, but for beautiful soft socks with no fuzz after many washings, good wear, and super excellent stitch definition there is no comparison to my favorite sock yarn, Stalwart from Slackford Studio.

Your question prompted me to search the stash, and I found some Stalwart in a bluish gray color to use for Heather's birthday socks instead of the untested Stroll.


Yes, I'm knitting another pair of BFF socks. The pattern is so perfect for gift socks that I couldn't resist. Makes for uninteresting blogging, though.

The color is Steelyard Blues.

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Laurie asked . . .

I enjoy your blog very much, and I wanted to let you know that you inspired me to knit my very first pair that I just finished. I was not really sure what was the best brand of yarn to use, so I used Happy Feet by Plymouth. I haven’t washed them or worn them and the socks seem very fuzzy to me. Do you think that this is because of the yarn (should I have spent more money) or is that just the way all sock yarn is? I loved making the socks, and only like to knit with wool, but don’t like the fuzzy look that I got.

Any advise that you could give me would be much appreciated.

I had trouble with this question because wool does have a natural tendency to be fuzzy. Still, some sock yarns are fuzzier than others.

Opal, Regia, and Stalwart (from Slackford Studio) are tightly spun and three of the less fuzzy yarns. They are a bit expensive, but my socks from these yarns last for many years. Some of my old Opal socks are over ten years old now and still going strong without being fuzzy.

The worst yarn I ever bought and used was Austermann Step with Aloe Vera and Jojoba. Over several washings (I do machine, not gentle by hand) it fuzzed and pilled to the point I couldn't see the stitch pattern. Just yesterday I asked myself why I was saving those socks and pitched them in the wastebasket.

Congratulations on your first pair of socks! I've found sock knitting to be an addictive hobby and there are so many patterns it never has to get boring.