Toe-up Socks Almost Done!

I'm almost finished with my toe up socks that I started after DD and I took the Sock Summit class, Toe Up for the Stubborn with Deb Barnhill. Here's the latest pic taken-
This pic shows the socks with 7 pattern repeats completed above the heel flaps - I actually did 8 and then had to only do the first 5 rows on the last repeat. Now I'm about two rows into the 1x1 rib - I'll probably do a total of 18 rows, so it will take some time. I hope to have these completed this week-end.

Helen's Socks Are Completed!

Just finished the socks for Helen, the elderly lady I taught with when I first started 38 years ago. The pattern is Socks of Kindness: A Recipe, knit with Austermann Step (colorway 09) on Addi #1 ml. Can't wait until next week when dd comes home and we present both she and her husband Art with hand-knitted wool socks. She is always admiring what I'm knitting when we meet at the coffee shop.

Happy knitting! TLGB

Dear Helen's Socks

After dd and I returned from SS09, we had to have morning coffee at "The Grind". A retired 90 yo+ teacher and her dh always come in after 8:30 for their cups of coffee and a shared bagel/scone. DD, Alcariel on Rav, said,"Why don't we knit Helen and Art some socks?" We took quick glimpses of their feet and have just guessed at what sizes to make. She decided to make hers for Art out of some yarn she purchased at SS. She has already finished hers and I'm still working on mine for Helen. Check Art's socks out on her videocast. I'm about 1 inch past the gusset. Helen's feet appear to be about the same size as mine (10 ladies), so I have about 6.5 inches to go before starting the toes. With school starting, my knitting time has been shortened. With the extra day this week-end, maybe I'll get a lot done. It's a bright, sunny afternoon, so decided to take some pics. The small bits of teal/turquoise don't show well in the photos.

I've done all my prep work for teaching next week, so will have plenty of time to knit. Dh is on medic duty all week-end, so I may not see a lot of him.
Have a happy and safe Labor Day! Happy knitting! TLGB

Knitting With Beads

I decided to pull out the Heart to Heart Scarf by Silvia Harding that was part of the Embrace the Lace Club from Woolgirl. When the package arrived in late May, I started with the gorgeous cashmere yarn right away. I was, however, always dropping a bead and searching for it. Well, I've come up with the following help that is really working for me. I'm using a half-size cake/cookie sheet with the rubber shelf liner in the bottom. I've been copying my stitch patterns on index cards that I cover with clear Contact paper for ease in taking with me and not destroying the pattern. I can load my crochet hook with beads and leave it on the matt ..... it doesn't move anywhere. With the tray on my lap, what beads may fall on the matt, stay there! I actually may enjoy beaded knitting now. Here's a couple pics.

I'll try to take a pic of the first repeats of the shawl this afternoon and post those, too.
Happy knitting! TLGB

RSE4 Scarf Is Done!

I've been in all the Ravelry Scarf Exchanges and also was an angel. This scarf, however, had me stumped for a couple of months ....... I knew what yarn I was going to use for Starrypurplehaze, but the patterns I tried, all three, just didn't work. Then, I decided to try a pattern I had received recently .... BINGO! ..... just perfect. On July 28, I started the scarf for the 4th time and just finished it this afternoon ...... it's blocking as I blog. I can hardly wait to get it off the blocking board ..... I have a 4x8 ft. piece of 3/4" styrofoam insulation that I use ..... It stood up amazingly well with all the pins I use when I block. 9-8-09 Scarf has been received, so here's the pics. I'm also trying to get the Gaia Shoulder Hug done for a friend. It only takes one skein of Noro sock yarn. A lady was knitting one at the SS, so I went in the marketplace, found the yarn at Paradise Fibers, and ran the pattern off in the lobby of the hotel. Then I discovered that I had left my notebook with all my circs at home. It was the first thing I started when I returned home.

Then I'll do the socks for an elderly retired teacher ......, she and her husband come every morning for coffee and a bagel/scone/sweet bread at the Daily Grind here. She and her dh, both in their early 90's, still live at home without outside assistance. They are amazing people! DD has already completed Art's socks and I do have Helen's about 3 inches down on the legs. I do both on ml, so once I get started, they will go fast.

I'll then do the socks I started at Sock Summit for my Toe-Up for the Stubborn class. I have the magic cast-on mastered and am halfway up the foot, but now I have to study the "formula" sheets that Deb, knitpharm on Rav, gave at her class. I'm honestly looking forward to getting busy on them.
That's all for now. Happy knitting! TLGB!

Sock Summit Memoirs

Sock Summit is in the past, the memories made there will last forever. DD and I flew into Portland on Wed., Aug. 5. We encountered a fellow sock enthusiast while waiting in the Denver airport ....http://www.ravelry.com/people/jtdalzell. We were even staying at the same hotel, so stayed together on the train ride from the airport. We arrived later at night, so we just met up with fellow Ravelers in the lounge area and finally ate some food ..... we had just snacked since leaving on our flights mid-morning. The beds really felt good that night.

Our hotel was diagonally across the intersection from the Oregon Convention Center . We were up early to get registered. The above pic was taken from the hotel's parking area. Once we were across the busy streets, the SS banner greeted us.

We didn't have trouble finding the registration ..... just follow the sound of lively conversation.Then DD, and I simply had to unhook the rows of 5-6 chairs to form a knitting circle. The next day we were politely informed that the circle had to become an oval due to Fire Marshall's orders. It worked the same ..... make a circle or oval and the knitters will come and join. It was a joy to not have to explain to people what we were doing .....just tell what we were knitting. Even though we had volunteered to help where needed, there were a lot of us, so we didn't have to do anything but knit.

Friday we had our Toe-up for the Stubborn class with Deb Barnhill ..... excellent! DD and I will both definitely be trying Deb's method for toe-up ..... soon! Shortly after our class ended, we took part in the Guiness book record-breaking with over 900 knitters knitting on straight needles (2 only ...... four dpns are not 2). The fifteen minutes of simultaneous knitting without looking at directions went fast with the Yarn Harlot announcing, "Okay, you may stop now." A reply could be heard from the back of the hall, "Just one more row." What a fun time!

Saturday morning, I was greeted by Knittog, my upstream from RSE last year at this time. She took a class in the morning and then treated dd and I to lunch at the center and walked around the marketplace with DD while I was in my last class. She gave a "goody" bag with munchies and coffee for the hotel room and also passes for our ride out and back from the Rav get-together. Thanks, Sharon!

On Saturday evening, Ravelry held a gathering at the World Forestry Center, about a 25 min. train ride from the hotel. I won the last "door prize" -- four patterns that Chrissy Gardiner was debuting at SS.

Sunday, we loaded up our dirty clothes to UPS back home ...... didn't want to trust UPS with our precious yarn purchases, I guess. That also gave us opportunity for one last knitting circle at the OCC, one last walk through the marketplace before the Luminary panel discussion of the history of knitting from truly great contributors to knitting as we know it today.

Then we had to pack ..... but Deb Barnhill called our room and said that we should knit together .... so we had some more quality knit time before we needed to finish packing and get some rest. Deb had to get up at 4am, but we slept in 'til 7am. Took the train to DPX at 9am and left DPX at 11, arrived in Omaha at 5:30pm, gathering luggage, loaded it in the car, and took off for northern Iowa ..... arrived home about 11pm.

Tina and Steph, all your hard work will never be forgotten ..... Sock Summit was GREAT!

Magic Shawl Completed!

The shawl is done...... ready to wear in Portland for the Sock Summit. The thing grew and grew as I was blocking it. The wingspan was 92 inches and the center back length was 36 inches. I ended up stopping on row 142 in the large size before starting the border. I had 66 gr left in the yarn cake but since the last row took a full 5 gr, didn't have enough to complete the six row repeat plus the border. The blocking wires worked well .......placed them around the outside edge of the shawl but also up the center back to add some stabilization as I was blocking it. Here's the pics of blocking and the finished shawl.Also have to complete "homework" for the SS09 ..... need to do about six more rows on my toe-up socks. I've always had a problem with my high instep when buying shoes, but now I also have the problem with knitted socks ..... which I absolutely love to wear! I chose the Absinthe pattern from the current Knitty. Was able to get the toes looking okay ..... just have to be halfway up the foot. Here's a current pic. Just in case the socks don't fit, I decided to choose a colorway I didn't care for too much ..... Lucky was the choice. I can always wear them at Christmas and for St. Patrick's Day ..... if they fit.

I've started the Cable and Garter cardigan from Frog Tree. I'm just starting the cables on the back. That's all for now. Happy knitting, everyone!

TLGB