Campanula Update - Finished!

I just finished both Campanula socks! Here are the baby pictures:
On the feet:

They are a bit loose, but they haven't been washed yet and I expect they'll even out nicely. I did try the bind off suggested in the pattern and I like it! Stretchy but not too. The only trouble I had (aside from finding time to knit!) was coming out of the first heel and getting the stitch count right. This is the first pattern I've worked where the stitch count changed and it did confuse me at first. It finally clicked and I got it on the third try and the second heel was a piece of cake! I do love the Smooshy yarn and am glad I have more!

Busy, busy, busy....

If only I had time to stay home - I could knit! Lots going on. I'm concentrating on my Campanula socks when I am home - one is done, 2 repeats up the leg of #2 (pics later).

My mother had a wee accident and has to have surgery on her right shoulder. Torn tendons on the rotator cuff. So - I am a busy chauffer for the next several weeks. She who doesn't like to drive - yep. Mindless knitting goes, too.

I am cleaning my studio when I have some time and the back of my truck is filling up with stuff. Now I have work space on the big table to lay out my yarn and pick for projects to do while waiting at the hospital and at Mom's house while she recovers. My collage work can be seen now, too and I have projects in various stages of prep. I just have to weed out things I no longer want to do and those things I know I'll never get around to (as in lost momentum). I've been working on de-cluttering for a while now. It just takes a long time to go through things and make a decision! I go back through several times and each time I do, I get rid of more links in the ol' chain that tends to drag me down when I have too much "commitment" hanging over my head.

Today worked on the laundry mountain. My washer is going out. Bit by bit the spin cycles are dying - re-spin, re-spin. Looks like a new front loader is on the horizon (with matching dryer - it's been bad for a while). Takes forEVER to do the laundry. Set the timer, run back to the machines, set the timer again... you get the picture. I just love the RED ones they have sitting in Lowe's! Don't know how the DH feels about that tho....

Continued

This is the batch of stash contributed to by my friends (Thanks, Gals!). I also got more Addi Turbo needles - for those times when I have Start-itis. In the back row: Lana Grossa Meilinweit cotton stretch. I love this stuff! It works up nice and feels good on the feet. In the front row - more "Smooshy" yarn. All purchased at my LYS, Hill Country Weavers.
Smooshy yarn in In Vino Veritas colorway - to the heel of the first Lace Wing sock.
This bag I found at my local Hobby Lobby for $6.99 - very kewl tewl! It's amazing what I can get in there! Pockets everywhere! I was tempted to get another, but one has got to be enough or else I'd never find my tools. They need to be together.
There are six outer pockets on each side and two large pockets on each side. Plus, two more pockets on the inside - with velcro closures. I am, at the moment, considering covering the velcro - I want to put a sock-in-progress in each pocket, but mr. velcro snags. I have paper behind the socks for now.
Other than the velcro snag - this is a great bag!

So, now that I have the day to myself, and I've caught up on blogging, I am going to KNIT!

Today is...

My BIRTHDAY! As promised, I am going to share pics of my presents. My Yarn Stash (yes, I can now use capital letters – it’s grown that much) is falling out of the basket.
My DH bought these for me: Favorite Socks book (eyed that for a while now)
Socks That Rock and some of Ray's lovely yarn - Wine and Cheese and some to dye myself later.
STR - Undertoe and Tide Pool:
STR - Lunasea and Love in Idleness:
This is Undertoe in winding stage: I put the skein on the reel and wound one large cake first. Then took that, put it on the scale to make the 2 even cakes. During this process, the large cake began to do a dance. It rose up and "bloomed" and while I watched it, it made flowers in the center. There is no way to describe how cool watching this is. You have to try it for yourself.

Toward the end of the large cake, it made a "basket" which is cool. There again, you have to see it for yourself. Or maybe I am just easily amused.
Here's what Undertoe looks like on the reel:
Undertoe also has the same colors as my fav ring: a Mystic Fire Topaz.
I will continue this in another post - I can't seem to figure out how to get the photos to load at the END of the typing! Anyone know how this works? This time, I loaded all the photos first, and then filled in with typing. Seems to work for some photos but not for a lot of them!

Campanula For The Cure – Update

While out and about yesterday I had the opportunity to go to my LYS and – TA DA – they had Smooshy Yarn! Tons of colors of it! They hadn’t had it before and I am so glad they do now! The color I had originally ordered (see other post) was much redder than it had appeared on my laptop screen. I got the perfect color though – “Cool Fire”. It reminds me of Double Bubble Bubble Gum (yum). The color blending in this yarn is sooooo beautifully done – I just love it! I got more than one color, of course (Happy Birthday to me –next Friday -Stash sharing later). Here’s a pic of Cool Fire in the cake.

I got started on the Campanula pattern, sock #1 last night and here’s my progress:

I am using Addi Turbo #0 2mm and magic loop. This yarn is very, very soft; nice and stretchy and it goes “sproing”! This makes the k3tog tbl’s much easier. If only I didn’t have to sleep!

I am using a stitch marker at the center to make counting easier and lifelines every so often. I get interrupted often so lifelines help me keep my cool. I have the pattern on a magnet board so I can keep track of the rows. Just have to remember to move the line marker.

For some reason, my cat is attracted to the pink wool - I've had to call him off it 3 times already.

Campanula For The Cure KAL

I just joined a Knit-a-Long, Campanula For The Cure. Breast cancer seems to touch most of us in one way or another. We've either had a relative or friend, or friend of a friend diagnosed with it. Knitting the Campanula socks will be a way to remember. In any case, we all need to be aware and remember to check-up!

I just ordered my yarn from Simply Socks Yarn Company - Dream In Color - Smooshy yarn - 270 - Lipstick Lava. This looks yummy and I've been wanting to try Smooshy yarn - just love the name! Now to wait - patiently - for it to get here.......

Anywho - check out the Campanula link above to see how to get the pattern and KNIT ON!

No Pic Post ... awwwww

I'm working on FO list still, have turned both heels on my Dragon Scale socks (link later), started one Embossed Leaves sock and have pics to post of some birthday presents! Just wanted to post quickly to keep my hand in.... more tomorrow when I can see straight!