Look Ma! 2 Socks!

So here they are, the first pair of socks I knit. I see why people love knitting socks. These knit up pretty quick when I put my mind to it and I can take my sock knitting anywhere.

This was the first super wash yarn I dyed and I got some white spots. They bug me, I love the colors. I plan to try this dye again and see if I can correct the problem.

GAL (my aunt MG's great aunt) asked me to show her how to knit socks. This should be fun! She is due to visit this summer.

In other knitting news:

I am going to dye some more sock yarn later for a new pair of socks. I am also working on a gift knit for my SP10 spoliee I should be able to get this done before I go to NYC Sunday. I hope to have a new sock started to take with me. I also have a baby hat to get done soon. the baby is due in 3 weeks...

In basement news: the sub floor is done! It was not as hard as we thought it might be. Hubby is pleased. Now he just has to build everything else!

The Basement

Hubby and I are about to start the basement remodel. We are building a home theatre and it all starts with a new floor. This is Dri Core. Should keep the floor dry and warm. With luck soon you will see a done floor. Next big thing? what to put over the sub floor?

How smart is this?

I did this yarn up a week ago and did not want to wind it back up. It is 440 yards of super wash sock yarn. So when Hubby and I were at Home Depot I bought a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe and 2 t fittings (total cost about $3.25). I had to buy the whole 10' piece of pipe so I cut it up and stuck the pieces together. The whole thing sort of reminds me of tinker toys. I did not glue it together so when the yarn is wound around it I just pull off one of the arm to release the skein. If I want a longer skein I just use a longer piece in the middle. The yarn by the way is not as ugly as this picture makes it look. It is raining again. I can't get any good color shots.

In other news. I have the place to myself until hubby gets home from work. The MIL took the MK's yesterday to SD and we will go later tonight. Mil spent all day Thursday cleaning my house. it sparkles, don't ask me why but she loves doing it. She even asked me if she could, who am I to say no. I have tried fighting her on this before and I never win so I told her not to wash any of the hand knitting and have at it!

I gifted the baby bibs as well as a wee little wool beanie to my friend from work. her baby is due in November, but she is moving 100 miles away so I wanted to give it before she left. I did not get pics of them first, sorry.... I also gave her a Mom bag with bubble bath and a knit wash cloth. I added a tab and a button to hang it with. I stole this idea from the bib pattern, I just knit one strap and put the button at the bottom of the strap, I really should have taken a picture...

Sock,life,and oh yeah a little smoke...

here is sock #1. I started #2 yesterday. I hope to have these done before I go to NYC so I can Start new ones. I think I will take my bamboo needles from SP10 on the plane. The Knit Picks ones I have are metal and very pointy. Don't know if they will get on the plane. I think I could do some damage with those babies! I have not tried the bamboo ones yet but have read many good reviews and I don't think my pal would steer me wrong.

In other yarn news. I dyed some yarn for my SP10 spoliee. So far she seem to really like the hand dyes. I finished up a skein of super wash sock yarn for her that I am really proud of. I had some trial and error but this one came out beautifully. I won't be sending it out for a while yet so you will have to wait and see it later.

I also did some pink yarn for a hat for MG. I rinsed the thing 12 times and it still turned hands and needle pink. Ahhhhh!!!. Not sure what to do about that... it is in the mistake bin for now... maybe a blue over dye?

In life news our furry middle child turned the stove on while we were out today. he wanted to lick the bowl on the counter so he climbed over the table and moved things around turning the knob. We came home to the smell of melting plastic bowl. All is well, we just have to keep the chairs pushed in when we leave. He got quite the talking to. MG did just what she was told...she and MB went into the back yard and stayed put while Hubby and I opened up the house. Never fear all is well. The only casualty was a plastic bowl...

We will all go to SD next Sunday and Hubby and I will return Monday afternoon. The kids will stay with MIL and the SD clan. Then the next week I go to NYC for a dealer training at NYU.

I hope to buy some yarn when I an in NYC. Anyone know any good yarn shops in the Chelsea Greenwich village area? I will have all of Sunday afternoon free as well as the evenings. Yeah I love NYC. I will have to take the knitting out on the town.

This knitting thing ain't so hard

So here is the Rib Warmer. I am very pleased with the way it came out. It is comfy and fits well. not bad for my first garment. The pattern is so easy to follow and the sewing up bit did not take long. I didn't really block it. the garter stitch takes care of itself. I would make it again. EZ's pattern calls for 4 sts to the inch. mine is 5. I think I would go up a needle size or 2(I used an 8) to knit this for someone else. it is a little short. I plan on wearing it in the Rockies later this summer. should be the perfect thing for june.

In answer to some questions from my SP10:

I do play poker. Mostly at home online for no $$. I go out to play very rarely (I have not been in about 10 months) and only for small stakes. I would say I'm pretty good but it takes a lot of luck!

I don't want to say what I sent Mom cuz I haven't got it in the mail yet and she reads this. I will say I posted it very early in the life of this blog and it is long and wool. hehehe.

Also I have knit 2 baby bibs from MDK. I will post them later. oh and your dish rag is now gracing my desk at the office. It is doing its job rather well under my soda and tea mug. I have had co workers ask me if I knit it and when I tell them my SP10 made it for me they think I am a little crazy. silly muggles. I just wanted you to know that I will use what you sent me everyday. thanks! btw blue and white were my university colors. Go Sycamores!

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day Mom! Thank you so much for always being there for me I am the person I am today because of you. I wish I could be with you today, but know that I am thinking of you. Your Mothers day hand knit will go in the mail tomorrow. Sorry to be late, but better late than never...
We love you!!!!!

The Birthday goes on...

My SP 10 sent me another box today. She knit me the washcloth. I have made some washcloths but not like this. The pattern gives it a nice bumpy texture. I also got Mason Dixon Knitting. I have not had a chance to read it yet but the photos are beautiful and there are many fun patterns to try. there is also a little knitting basket that I hung up on my mirror and a box of candy! yummy! Thank you so much SP 10. You are the best!

Birthday recap

So I got to work on Friday to find that my friend Karen bought me a tiny birthday cake. It was just enough for me and my 2 girlfriends to share after lunch Yummy. She is such a sweetheart.I had knit her a bag when she got her 1 year chip, she uses it for her books and notes for her meetings. one of the gals liked it so much my friend asked me to make one for her. This will be the first time I have knit a commission. Does that make me a professional knitter? Not! I wish!

So back to the b-day recap... Hubby and the MK's took me to a great new pizza place for dinner. the pizza was almost as good as we got in Chicago, nothing compares to Chicago style pizza but it was as close as I have ever had here in the Heartland. Then when we got home...Presents! I got the new J R R Tolkien book from MB, new running shoes from MG and Hubby got me new pots and pans to go with the new dishes I got for Christmas. The new pans are red (of course) much like the ones I got my folks last year. My MIL sent me some $$ So I will be going to the LYS. I have no idea what I am after there I am just going to spend my b-day $$ on guilt free yarn!!!! I know there are a few cards still in the mail. So all in all not a bad day...
We are getting yet more rain. Hubby can barely keep up with the grass. I do hope it stops soon.
My scenery warehouse is so humid all my soft goods are damp, Let me tell ya... that is bad news!
I only knit 2 rows last night, Bill Marr was on and he is just too funny.
gotta go I hear banging...

Me and EZ

So I have not knit on my socks this week at all. Instead I have been working on EZ's Rib warmer. It is knit in all garter stitch and coming along nicely. I am knitting it a bit smaller that EZ calls for but that is what I wanted. I am a pretty small person so it should fit me. If it does not then MG gets a new vest. I am loving the pattern. I had never knit a corner like this before so that counts as a new skill even if it is all knit stitch. I am almost done with the first half, not too bad for 3 hours knitting.

I am hoping to have this done before we go to the Rockies as it is still pretty chilly up there in June.

In other news: I will be 35 tomorrow. Yikes. I was told by a 24 year old guy that I am not old just not young. In his mind if you are over 30 you can not be called young. To this I say Bullshit!! I told him I will be calling him on his 30th to remind him his youth is over! Someone should explain to the young man that you never tell a woman she is not young. no wonder he is single. hehehe I guess I should have pointed out that men reach their prime in their early 20 while us girls don't reach our prime until well into our 30's.

I will celebrate my big day with Hubby and the MK's (after working all day) more than likely just dinner and a DVD at home... I may go out Saturday night to play some poker. Last year on my birthday I won $120.00! wish me luck... If I do well there will be a yarn buying trip in my near future...

So to all who share my birthday I wish you a good one and many more in the future. if you are reading this drop me a line