AWOL

Well, we all know life gets in the way of fun sometimes.  Work is doing it's level best to turn me into a raving lunatic and other bits and pieces are adding to the stress.  Haven't been doing much stitching, but I did manage to finally finish page 15 (or is it 16 now?  I've lost count again) on Nature's Little Helper. 

I finished the Nine to Five socks.

And I've started the infamous Pomatomus socks which I have been coveting since before I started knitting socks.  (I'm substituting M1's for the YO's). 

Good news is, spring is springing around these parts.  We're supposed to see the sun again soon, which there has been precious little of this year it seems.  I still have a bajillion things to get done, so I guess I'd better get cracking. 

Happy Stitching!
Tamara

As The Sock Turns...Part 2

Ah, sweet success. 

Nine to Five Socks

One sock down, one to go.  Once I got the sizing issue figured out, it went pretty quickly. 

Now the rest of the afternoon will be spent starting it's mate and stalking the mailman for some goodies I ordered last week. 

Maybe one of these days I will get back to the cross stitching.  I should have had the page I'm working on done long ago!  Maybe by the end of the month, I will finally have progress to show you.  I'm so blah about NLH, it's hard to get motivated to work on it, but I am really, really trying to be good and not start Curl Up With A Good Book until it is done.  My willpower is waning, though.  I think I'm in need of a good long stitching weekend! 

Happy Stitching!
Tamara

As The Sock Turns...

It's been a month of little stitching, lots of knitting socks, but with no socks to show for it.  I'm getting a little peeved at these socks!  Let's see if I can remember the sequence of events (I'm kind of fuzzy on the dates, though)...

Attempt 1:  Mid-January.  Cast on for the Take Five socks with Cascade Heritage 150 sock yarn.  Had no idea this was actually a sport weight yarn when I bought it.  Got a couple of pattern repeats done and wasn't getting the instant gratification I was looking for, so frogged project and went looking for new pattern.

Attempt 2:  About a week later.  Found new pattern and begin with the Cascade Heritage again.  Stitch is more difficult than I want to deal with at the time and frogged again.  Went looking for new pattern.

Attempt 3:  About another week later.  Found new pattern.  This one definitely looks like a winner!  Cast on the requested 72 stitches with the Cascade Heritage 150 (by the way, this stuff apparently takes frogging and reknitting multiple times like a dream!).  Get most of the leg done and decide it's too big.  Go look for modifications to pattern for smaller size and get distracted by Ravelry.  Re-cast on for 60 stitches.  Get most of the leg done, am happy with the pattern, but decide the yarn is making a thicker sock than I want right now.  Frog.  Go stash diving and find some Trekking XXL that looks like a funfetti cake.

Attempt 4:  Cast on 60 stitches since the 72 was too big last time.  Get partway through the leg and decide it is too small (this yarn is much thinner).  Re-cast on with 72 stitches.

Attempt 5:  Day before yesterday.  Get three-quarters done with the sock and decide the heel is too gapey and saggy with the 72 stitches.  Sigh.  What to do?  What to do??  Go look on Ravelry again to see if others had sizing issues.  Decide to start second sock with 60 stitches and re-evaluate size.

Attempt 6:  Big fail with 60 stitches;  definitely too small.  Hmmmmm......Frog and re-start with 72 stitches on smaller needle.  I've only gotten a couple of one pattern repeat done, so the jury is still out.  Wish me luck!  If this one doesn't work out it's going to the frog pond permanently!  Such a shame, too because I really like this pattern.

I did end up buying Mini Sunflower Cottage in the HAED sale to boost my spirits.  And I'm coveting more yarn.  I don't know if I will last the day on that score...

Happy Stitching!
Tamara