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Pool Season

Believe it or not, today was the first day of the swim club being open. It was too cold to swim unless you were a totally insane person (like my daughter), but we enjoy going there and hanging out, so we went for lunch. Didn’t stay long because my little guy wanted to get in, too, only he’s too young to get in the pool by himself and there was no way my DH was going. But it was great chatting with friends who we only seem to be able to get together with in the summer months. Every summer it’s always amazing to see how much each other’s kids have grown, and it’s fun to catch up on a winter’s full of activities that we always somehow miss hearing about until now.

I’ve actually had a rotten cold that started up on Thursday afternoon. I called in sick Friday and went to the doctor. It’s just a rotten cold, but I mean, ROTTEN. I don’t even have much energy for knitting. But at long last, I have been working on the brown ripple afghan again. I actually switched colors today for the first time in a while, and will probably be able to do that again tomorrow already. I haven’t been knitting at that pace, on ANYTHING, in quite a while. But… there’s been lots of napping in between, too. I guess I’ve needed it.

Since joining the Summer of Socks 2008, I have since learned that our pool manager is expecting her first. This is happy news! She and her sister used to babysit for me when my daughter was a baby. So, it looks like baby socks and hats will be in order! I’ve been looking around the interwebs, and I’ve found quite a few patterns and resources to check out:

Baby Keep Your Socks On — by Amy King

Just Your Basic Baby Sock (PDF) — by P2 designs

Tiny Toe-ups — by Patti Pierce Stone

Chart of Baby Foot Sizes (PDF) — from WendyKnits.net

Tie One On Baby Socks — The Keyboard Biologist

Baby Jays — by April K

Ribbed Lace Toe-up Baby Sock — by P2 Designs

Baby Life Ring Socks — by Cat Bordhi — by P2 Designs

If I knit a bunch of these then I’ll have the whole sock thing down before I know it. Now, I’m on a quest for ultra soft and washable sock yarns. I know, I know… Socks That Rock comes to mind immediately, but would also love other ideas. Hopefully things that aren’t too expensive, but also high yardage AND washable. Oh, and soft. Very soft. Soft enough for a baby’s, well, you know…

I’m thinking that if I can find balls of yarn with high yardage then there would be enough to make socks for my size 6 feet and have enough left over to do baby socks. Do-able? I’d love some feedback…

Ciao for now, gotta go blow my nose. Yuck.

May 17, 2008
Sock, the Second

I cast on for the second sock one day about two weeks ago. Yikes, has it been that long? I hadn’t thought about that until now. But oh well, I have said it over and over, I am the slowest knitter in the world.

I’m nearly done with the foot and am about to start the short row heel. I would like to say that I’m not going to make it look as funny as the first one I did, but you never know. I don’t actually know what I’m doing yet with this whole sock knitting business.

I want to get this second sock done. I am anxious to knit a real sock, with my Socks that Rock yarn that I got at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I even joined the Summer of Socks, 2008 (hey, that chick uses the Mandigo theme, too!), as I think I am going to be knitting lots of socks by the pool this summer. They’re really quite portable. I’m finding after doing a couple of blankets in a row, that portability, is, indeed, a good quality.

Speaking of blankets, I’m having a bit of blanket guilt over a certain brown ripple afghan. More on that project this weekend, K?

Ciao for now.

May 15, 2008
Bowie Borders Knitting Meetup

Bowie Borders
4420 Mitchellville Road
Bowie, MD 20716
Phone: 301.352.5560
Fax: 301.352.5571

May 10, 2008
Small Group Today

Today was our post-Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival knitting meetup. It was small; Jo was there, and then I showed up a bit late. We had fun chatting and knitting. I was working on my second-ever sock, and Jo was knitting a sock from her own handspun yarn. It was lovely!
Jo mentioned that her spinning wheel is really quite portable and I think she’s going to bring it next time! I’ve always wanted to observe spinning up close so this will be a real treat for me. Our next meetup will be the first Saturday in June.
In one of those “small world” moments, we discovered that Jo’s husband Pete went to high school and graduated with my husband, John. What’s more, they’re both obsessed with model building! (And, we wives know, REALLY into model kit collecting! So not much need to complain about our stashes, eh?) Turns out that Jo’s hubby is into military models, and mine is into all things car-related, but still… it’s a similar passion.
Four o’clock came too quickly for me and I am already looking forward to next month, when I can see Jo again and her spinning wheel. Hmmm. Spinning yarn whilst spinning yarns. Now there’s a pun I’m sure no one has said before!

Stash Enhancement

I finally got this yarn in the mail on Tuesday! It’s Regia Nation Colors #5399. I got it from a shop called Web of Wool, and I’m not sure about the exchange rate but I think I got it for a good price. It took nearly a month to get from them to me, but I don’t do much overseas shopping so I don’t know how long it’s supposed to take. The Yarn Harlot featured a pair of socks made from this yarn on the date that I appeared as a member of the First Sock Brigade (see April 8, 2008, post entitled, “Two for One”), and I knew immediately that I must have this yarn. It took me a few days to figure out what it was and then find it. (Several stores I had checked with were sold out–they say once a yarn’s been “Harlotted” there’s usually a run on it. Ok, so does that make me a follower?)

Truth is, regular readers already know I’m a bit of a rainbow fanatic. So, I could not get just enough to make one pair, because I know as soon as I do knit with it? A couple other folks in my world will see it and want some rainbow socks, too. So, I have six balls, just for insurance. Even that might not be enough.

This weekend I plan to go through my last tub of acrylic yarn. The art teacher at DD’s school teaches knitting and weaving, and she said she can always use some more yarn. So I’m gonna bite the big one and get rid of it. I’ve got plenty of other new yarn around here to keep me busy!

May 10, 2008
Festival Haul

Howdy, Peanuts! Do forgive me for not so much with the blogging. My mom’s been ill and was just released yesterday after 11 days in the hospital. She’s had a tough year but I’m hoping now she’ll be turning a good corner.

So, what I left out of my blog the other day, was photos of The Haul from the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. So here goes.

First and foremost was this:

It’s a Strauch Jumbo Ball Winder. I’ve been wanting one for a while because I tend to buy these really huge hanks of yarn when I go to fiber festivals. This year was no exception.

$Mountain Colors Weaver\'s Wool, Mountain Twilight$

$Mountain Colors Weaver\'s Wool, Sun River$

These are both Mountain Colors Weaver’s Wool. The top one is Mountain Twilight, which is deep blue and dark purple, and Sun River, which has oranges, purples, and burgandy. I love them both and couldn’t pass them up.

I also have to admit that I am no longer a Socks that Rock virgin! I did NOT, repeat, DID NOT subject myself to the craziness that is is the now legendary Saturday Morning Sock Line at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. No, I was saner than that. But, I admit to being mildly curious, and at just after 2:30 in the afternoon I got a whim of “what the heck” and went to The Fold‘s booth and was pleasantly surprised to find that there was some sock yarn left to look at. The one at the left is called “Purple Rain” and of course I love it!

I also got these:

Socks that Rock Mediumweight, colorway: Hot Flash

Socks that Rock Mediumweight, colorway: 24 Carat

I guess the truth is that I could not just pick one color. I now know why the stuff is so adored by the people who buy it. It’s Soooooooooffffffffttttt. It has to be the squishiest sock yarn I have ever felt. Charmin Soft. Really.

Also in the booth at The Fold was this yarn I had never heard of:

It’s called Seppho, by the Sanguine Gryphon, and the color is Purple Breasted Muses. How could I pass up a name like that? It’s laceweight, which I generally don’t use, but I have been searching for the perfect laceweight yarn that I would use, if I had some. I think this is it.

There was one more batch of sock yarn:

This is Wullenstudio Merino Sock Yarn, in a colorway also called Purple Rain. I bought two because I have a friend in mind for a pair of socks out of these, and she has some unique requirements that could take more than one hank for a pair. There was a sample pair of socks knit up at the CloverHill Yarn booth, and they were so pretty that they had this friend’s name written all over them. Hopefully I’ll knit them up someday soon!

And so comes the end of the haul. Thank goodness! My wallet is definitely thinner. But there was one last little thing:

I got myself the much-coveted Ravelry tote! Their online store isn’t quite ready for prime time, but I was able to get one at the party. Should’ve gotten the lapel pins, too, but they’re patiently waiting in my shopping basket of the Ravelry store. I needed another tote bag, didn’t I? Suuuuure I did. You know it. (I won the Namaste Needle Cozy at the party. Since I don’t use straight needles anyway, Diana found a home for it right quick.)

Phew! Aren’t you glad that’s over? PS… don’t show this post to my husband. He’d faint.

May 8, 2008
Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival 2008

This year, the theme of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was–RAVELRY!!

Here I am with Jess and Casey! Thanks for making sure I could attend and enjoy all of the Ravelry events, guys. You did good.

Me with Jessica. The Ravelry meetup was so crowded that I didn’t really get to meet quite as many folks as I was wishing to meet. I did get my sticker, but thank goodness I already had a button, because I hear they ran out. When I went up to try to get my sticker, my chair dug a hole in the muddy gravel and it took several guys to help me out. Oh well, that happens!

My buddy Steve picked a bunch of little buttercups and stuck them in my hair, and in my shoes, and, and, and…

As always, there was the sound of traditional festival music that filled the air. This sort of stuff always makes me think of my dad, and it makes me happy.

I don’t know these women but they were sure petting some pretty yarn! (There was lots of petting going on, everywhere I looked!)

Since I am finally learning to knit socks, I decided it was time to pay The Fold a visit and see if there was any Socks that Rock yarn left. The selection wasn’t huge, given that it was probably about 2:30 in the afternoon and all, but honestly I thought it would be completely sold out, given all the hype I’ve heard in previous years. I managed to get three colorways of mediumweight, but more on my festival haul in tomorrow’s post.

I didn’t actually go into the sheep barns this year, but outside some sheep were getting washed and this one was being particularly noisy! She’s cute, isn’t she?

Steve and I headed out just after 4:30 and went to Columbia for dinner. We had yummy ribeyes at Clyde’s, and headed around the lake to the Sheraton for the Ravelry party. Here I am, finally getting to talk with Mary-Heather, who was super sweet! I really enjoyed meeting her. Getting to the party was interesting… the only way I could get to the pool area was by cutting through a room that was hosting someone else’s wedding. I’ve never been a wedding crasher before. Haha!

After mingling for a bit, Casey, Jess and Mary-Heather went to the front to say some thank you’s and do the door prizes and dream stash giveaways. I won a Namaste needle cozy. I don’t knit with straight needles so I’ll either find someone to give it to or I’ll find a use for it somehow! But it was fun to win a prize!

At the party, my friend Steve decided to sit inconspicuously in a corner by the door, so he’d be easily seen by me, but not noticed by anyone else. Ha! I turned around and found Steve spinning yarn with a drop spindle! I’ve been trying to get him to play with fiber for years, with no success. Then this total stranger is standing there spinning and next thing I knew, he was doing it, too. Unfortunately I did not get the lady’s name…

Steve shows off his little bit of spun yarn.

Of course, Bob was there in spirit! All in all, it was a seriously fun day, packed with great food, great yarn, great friends, and fabulous fun! I really enjoyed meeting the folks that I could meet, and hope to catch the ones I missed next year. For some reason I didn’t have my camera out much, which is odd, but the crowds were so overwhelming that at times, good pictures were nearly impossible to get. But I have lots of memories of a really great day, and a bit of sunburn to remember it by.

Seriously, I was so worn out that I could not blog until now… I spent the entire evening (about four hours) passed out in my den. Now of course I’m not sleepy! Oh well… I’ll be thinking of the fun at the festival as I try to drift off…

May 5, 2008