Light at the End of the Tunnel

The second sock is almost done. I have one more pattern repeat to go and then I'll start the toe. I worked on the sock on our road trip to Chicago via Central Wisconsin this weekend. I didn't get much done on our 4 hour drive to Central WI, since I was busy digging in the snack box for the perpetually hungry Addie.


I picked up a flier for the Cranberry Blossom Festival in Wisconsin Rapids to include in my package to my sock pal. I feel it's important to document where the sock has been.

Once the kids were on the way with Grandma and Grandpa and we were on the road to Chicago my fingers were flying. The sock saw downtown Chicago,

Navy Pier (I know, technically it's downtown but I think it should count as two places) *Edited - I feel I should in full disclosure say that this is a picture of my very trendy brother in law and his girlfriend.*

Des Plaines (no good photos there, sorry)


Antioch

The sock (and it's knitter) missed the girls so we hurried home on Monday. It was a long but wonderful weekend full of family and friends. The sock is tired and needs to sleep now.

Baby Booties

It's the new crack - baby booties!

Almost everyone I know is pregnant and due within the next few weeks. I hadn't started knitting anything before last night and was all worked up because I don't have any real plans. Then I found this.... The Cutest Baby Booties Ever. The pattern is located at Saarti Knits - it's over in the sidebar, you have to click on the English version (unless you speak Danish).

I made the bootie with leftover sock yarn. I am amazed at how fast this little puppy went. I knit the majority of it last night (while watching a subtitled movie!) and just finished up the straps this morning while the girls had breakfast. I need to sew the seams tonight when I get home and sew on the buttons, but I know just what buttons I'll use. The pattern calls for 2 colors, but I've used self striping sock yarn and I really like the effect. I think it makes for a more unique looking bootie. The challenge of course will be to see if I can get the 2nd bootie to match colorwise.

At this rate, I can use up a lot of leftover sock yarn and make a ton of booties for my friends. This pattern truely is the new crack!

Sock Details

Awww... you guys are too kind! My husband is going to be blushing when he reads the comments!

Here are the details I left out of my previous post:

Yarn: Yarni - no colorway, it's made by a woman in North St. Paul, MN. I found the yarn at the Yarnery (840 Grand Ave, St. Paul MN). The yarn is dyed by someone who works there. If you call them they will describe the Yarni they have in stock and take your CC info and ship it out. They are insanely helpful! I've bought a few things over the phone from them after being in their store and I would definitely do it again. It's kind of fun to have a colorway described to you and then get it in the mail without ever having seen it. If anyone happens to know the woman who dyes Yarni, let me know because I would love to get in connect her with my LYS. The yarn is incredibly soft - 75% superwash wool, 25% nylon - and amazing to work with.

Pattern: River Rapids Sock by Sockbug. I really stuck to the pattern (amazing for me!) because I wanted to be sure to have 2 consistent socks. :) Plus, the pattern is very well written and easy to follow. The only thing I changed was the toe because it was getting too long and pointy. The pattern is written top down with 2 circulars, but I used dp because that's what I happened to have free. (I prefer dp, but what can you do?)

The Husband: Yep, he's pretty cute. Very willing to ham it up for the camera! We've been married for 7 1/2 years, we got married just out of college (well, I was anyway. He had been working for a couple years) He's one of the smartest people I know, which makes it very difficult to argue with him since he always has something to back up his arguments! The facial hair is relatively new since he doesn't have to wear a uniform anymore. One of the benefits of his new position.

Ding Dong the Sock is Done!

YIPPIE! YAHOO! HOORAY! The first sock is done!

I'm really happy with the way it looks. It's large on me, but my sock pal's foot is slightly larger than mine so I think it will be ok. The toe was getting super long, so I took a page from the Yarn Harlot's book and did a decrease every other row until the last few rows when I decreased every row. It gives it a slightly less pointy toe I think. It's hard to tell in this photo because the sock really doesn't fit me well. I've been accused of having small feet.


I want you to take a moment to admire that I weaved in the ends. No really, take a moment and soak that in. I didn't wait a day; I didn't wait until moments before I mailed the socks; I didn't procrastinate at all; I weaved in the ends immediately.

Hubby had to pose with the sock - he's so silly!

Go ahead, pat me on the back... I started the 2nd sock immediately!

Avoidance

I am avoiding doing all sorts of things lately. I've been avoiding writing this blog because I don't really have anything terribly witty to say. I don't have any new pictures to put in and I don't have much progress to show on anything. Truth to tell, my eyes have really been bothering me at night. I know I need to call the eye doctor, but the idea of getting bifocals before I'm 30 just freaks the heck out of me. If I see the eye doctor he might say "it's time..."

So, I'll use the readers on top of my contact lenses. And I'll avoid knitting with dark fingering weight yarn.

One other thing has been really bothering me lately as I work on my Sockapalooza sock. The pattern called for 3 repeats before starting the heel. Although I love this length and I would definitely wear it, will it be too long for a gal from the South? I think it will come mid-calf. My pal's from Georgia - is this too deep-South-the-air-is-so-thick-we-can-bearly-breathe-why-would-we-wear-high socks? Should I have done anklets? Or is it something that this woman will break out these socks during their "cold season" (which would be equivelent to our spring and fall!) After all, she wouldn't sign up for a sock exchange if she didn't wear socks at least part of the year. Right?