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lostpurl

Lost in a sea of yarn and needles. Lusting after handmade socks and all things lacy

 

Stupid Place part II and Socks of course

Ladies, I am here to tell you, you can access the Stupid place without a 20 pound cat. All it takes is a double portion of very garlicky Shrimp Scampi and two very large Caribbean Sunset Pina Coladas :-P My daughter and I went off for the day Saturday shopping. We were high in the way, only woman can be who have stuffed the trunk of the car with BARGAINS. We decided to reward ourselves with lunch. Not some nasty quickie food. We wanted wait staff and food. hehehe. The only place near by was a Red Lobster. As we waited for a seat, we spotted large pictures of Caribbean Sunset Pina Coladas. hmmmmmmmmm, looked good to us. Got seated, ordered our drinks and dived into the menu. We both had double orders of Garlic Shrimp Scampi. Burp!!Burp!!Burp!! Very good. And you know those drinks went down so smoothly, why not another one. It was at this point the portal to The Stupid Place opened. We called home, and in fits of giggles announced we were knocking back Pina Coladas at Red Lobster and forget dinner as we were stuffed. The worried voice on the other end of the phone wondered how we planned to drive home? Ha! had it covered. We were laughing so hard, we were drawing strange looks from other dinners and the wait staff. Wiser minds decided that a third drink might mean spending the night in Hampton. We leave Red Lobster. Go back to the mall, and Macy's, we are still giggling . The sales help at Macy's got garlic breath for their trouble. Which for some reason we thought was funny. I was trying on jeans, and Dawn tells me "Mom you have an ass, flaunt it!" I looked over my shoulder to see if I could find it. Must have been someone else's Mom :-D
My daughter grabs my hand and drags me out of Macy's and off to a Starbucks, where she declares we are having a time out. I found this funny. So funny I called home to announce we were in Starbucks, having a time out. All I heard was GAWDS PUT DAWN ON. Mz Schoolteacher advises that she really thinks I NEED A TIMEOUT. Excuse me I am not 11. It was alright in the end. We had coffee and dessert (like we needed that) wandered around for a few hours and made it home safely. Two things that made this work. I bought home dinner for the stay at home and also got him a few new shirts. So he never noticed the huge bag that had my name on it.

The yarn for the socks is from Fearless Fibers and indie dyer at Esty Fearless Fibers A thicker fingering weight or a skinny sportsweight. Very soft very cushy. Slight changes in the color don't compete with the pattern. The pattern is from Nancy Bush's Vintage Socks. Evening Socks. I didn't want knee socks, so I just used the lace pattern on the leg over 60 stitches. The cuff is shorter then the pattern, because the leg is shorter. I am repeating the P1, K 5 cuff for the heel flap. With a seed stitch border. The lace pattern is super easy, actually only two rows of lace the rest of the rows are the P1, K5. I made a mistake. My fault knitting and boozing are probably not a good combination. I was going to frog back the two rows to fix it. But I decided to leave the mistake there, as a reminder of when Dawn and I took a trip to the Stupid Place together.
This is closer to the actual color.



The beginning of the heel flap

 
 

Suzann Gets Stuck In The Stupid Place

Everyday around 2pm I am off for a nap. I get up at 5:30 am to make breakfast and wave the folks out the door. No problem. But by 2:00pm I am exhausted and need to rest. At first there was a bit of resistance to nap time. Then the quality of the dinners went down the tube, and nap time was reinstalled. So I went off for my rest and something happened. Granted I have a rich inner life this one was over the top.
I found I couldn't talk. Couldn't even mouth words. People were talking to me, and I was shaking my head, franticly. Trying to let them know I couldn't speak. Hands grabbed me and a voice boomed out..."Dawn come quick, your mother is stuck in the Stupid Place again" They began pushing be back and forth and slapping me. Not hard, but like they were trying to wake me up. I was desperately trying to tell them I could talk. It didn't work. They kept yelling, YOU'RE STUCK IN THE STUPID PLACE AGAIN. At some point I broke away from them and found paper and pencil. I wrote I CAN'T TALK!!! The answer, of course you can't talk, YOU ARE STUCK IN THE STUPID PLACE.
Then I saw my mother sitting at the kitchen table cutting out grocery coupons (a favorite hobby) I wrote to them I CAN SEE MY MOTHER!!!. They said, yes yes everyone can see dead people, but YOU ARE STUCK IN THE STUPID PLACE.
I woke up. I couldn't talk. Not sure about the stupid place, but a 20 pound cat had half his body across my neck. He was peacefully sleeping away. I was gasping for air.
Have a good day, and watch out for THE STUPID PLACE or 20 pound cats, whichever comes first :-}
Negative ease a bit later.

PS I feel the term, Stuck In The Stupid Place is going to be thrown in my face in future. Ya know, like when I can't locate my glasses(on my head) or stuff or mumble mumble mumble

 
 

Basic Sock Patterns

Here are a few tried and true but interesting to work sock patterns

The first is the famous Blueberry Waffle pattern. Wendy Johnson just did a sock using this pattern. It is the first stitch pattern I ever tried. It looks great in a sock color and breaks up patterned yarns. It has a lot of texture, but is basically ribbing. I have a short attention span for ribbing, but I managed to use this pattern twice, once for a CIC kids sock and once for a pair for my daughter. The pattern is for sports weight yarn, but is easily changed for fingering weight yarn.

Blueberry Waffle Socks

The next is Fluted Bannister Socks. This was a Six Sock KAL sock, but is available to anyone now.
I did this with some opal yarn and even as a raw beginner I was able to change the pattern repeats for use with fingering weight yarn. Nice pattern, it is a bit more difficult then Blueberry Waffle, because the number of knits and purls change each row as the banister twists around the sock. Both of these patterns can be used on the instep without causing you pain if you wear you socks in traditional shoes. I would not carry cables down onto the foot. The cables can really cramp your style inside shoes. It is easy to change the cable pattern to ribbing instead. Or just do a plain foot.

Fluted Banister Socks

Next is Dublin Bay socks. I have not knit this one. But it has a lot of play time around the net. Looks pretty

Dublin Bay

The last one is the Tidal Bay socks I knit for Benne. While not a super simple pattern, it is really interesting pattern to work. It has no tricky parts. Increases and decreases. There are two rows with double decreases that you need to watch for, but other then that it is easy. It is a stretchy pattern, so no fears of not being able to get it over your foot. A fun knit in either solid color yarn or patterned. Jayne I bet this would look brilliant in your hand dyed yarn. Your beautiful blues or the yummy Butterscotch.

Tidal Wave Socks

As soon as I get to feeling alive again, I will post the pattern for the green socks. I wouldn't trust any pattern I posted just now. I am beyond fuzzy

And a final word on negative ease and twisted stitch patterns. I look at a lot of sock knitting blogs. And I can't tell you how many people I see with socks that could pass for compression bandages. The sock is stretched to the screaming point and it is hardly flattering. This happens when you have complex patterns with twist stitches. A pattern repeat of 15 is hard to adjust for a larger foot. Unless you choose to go up a needle size or use a heaver weight of yarn. The twist stitches make the pattern inelastic in the extreme. All you need to do is Google for images of Pomatomus, or Jaywalker and see the problems. The other problem is negative ease. I have a post about negative ease to put up, because unless you have very very skinny legs mostly you can skip this disaster causer.
ramble ramble ramble :-}
I hope the pattern links help people to find something they might want to try.

By Suzann
On Wednesday, April 25, 2007
At 4/25/2007 09:22:00 PM
Comments :
 
 

So Easy So Much Fun

Unlike the red lace sock this one is a joy. Well it is a six stitch pattern repeat instead of 13 stitch repeat. Less chance for me to go zombie in the middle of a row. If anyone wants a pattern that is easy to do and just flows, I would be glad to post this one up.
Meilenweit Colortweed 1004 from Astrids
Needle size 2.25mm.
I cast on 64 stitches for the ribbing. Did about 2 inches give or take a bit. Then two rows of plain knitting, while I moved the beginning/ end of the middle of the back of the sock. I only needed 60 stitches for the pattern, so I deleted the extra 4 stitches over the two knit rounds. And started the pattern. I tell you this pattern is like eating potato chips. You just keep going and going. I knit the leg 7 inches before the heel flap. Since I wasn't going to continue the pattern down the instep, I stop about 4 rows before the heel flap. This was to keep the YO away from the pick up gusset stitches. Did the heel, and gusset reduced down to 64 stitches. To give a bit of ease over the instep. I kept the extra 4 stitches until almost up to the toe.
Knitted the foot and did a round toe. I am half way down the leg of the second sock. Wheeeeeeeeeeee like flying :-}
A word about the yarn. Meilenweit is a commercial yarn that feels like twine when you knit it. Very firm and sort of rough. But wash that puppy and it just puffs up and is smooth and soft. The pattern would show up really nicely in a solid yarn. It is a bit hidden by the stripes. I don't care. It is fun. And I don't have any bright green and blue socks. I am trying to get out of my netural "safe" mode and live a little with some color.


stripy feet :-P



If you can K 2tog and SSK and YO you can make these socks. I like SKpsso cause I find it relaxing to do on small needles. But either one works.

I know some of you are doing the sock exchange and I am going to post a list of patterns that are available online. They look good and if you have never done patterned socks these are a good place to start. And fun to do.

I think I am getting a cold or something. I am freezing (it is 82 in the house) I can't taste anything and I feel a bit tired. Maybe a wee lay down is due.

 
 

Thanks ladies

Kathy asked me about the climate in Virginia.

Kathy this is the bad news
So, let's plop the center of one of these highs right over the island of Bermuda which is about 800 miles east of Charleston South Carolina. The clockwise rotation of the high will cause air to steadily stream northward from the gulf of Mexico, up across the southeastern part of the US and at times on to New England and beyond before curving eastward out into the Northern Atlantic. So air that may be in Portland Maine on one day, was in Virginia the day before and in the subtropics the day before that. The Bermuda High is one of the many meteorological mechanisms that moves heat away from the tropics, to places where it is not always welcome. Completely unwelcome.

When I lived in California the summers were hot but dry. I miss the weather.
As for cities, well we have some of everything. Richmond is the state capital and is a traditional city with a downtown and lively night life.
Virgina Beach area is bit time Navy town. Very beachy and we have tourists in the summer.No downtown lots of sprawl. Norfolk is a traditional type city with a downtown
opera house and ballet.
Williamsburg is very traditional. The home of William and Mary College and colonial Willimsburg. Beautiful old houses.
Cape Charles is a beautiful water town on the Easter Shore. It has been taken over by retirees from up north keen on waterfront property.
The western part of the state has many lovely cities. Not sure what you are looking for.

Jayne asked of the Red socks were like childbirth, pain forgotten in the joy of the product.
Hahaha, The cuffs were fuzzed up before I finished the foot. I had to wash them 6 times before the color stopped running. They are soft and cushy, I guess this counts for something.

Lisa W & Benne. Thank you both so much for the information about the shots. The swelling has really gone down, but the deep pain in the knee was a bear. It was worse then the knee pain I had before the shot. This is the first shot I have ever had. All these years my knee hurt me, I was given the take two whatever and keep your leg up thing. Under the TMI, I can't seem to stop going to the bathroom. I am guessing this is all the extra fluid in my leg and foot. At least I hope it is :-)
The doctor said that since my knee has never had any treatment, I have gone past anything but knee replacement. I have bone on bone contact. Everything else is gone now. He seemed a bit surprised that my GP had never sent me on for further treatment. I am not surprised as it was this swollen leg that led to the discovery that I had heart failure. If you are a woman, look out for yourself. No one else seems to be paying attention.
This is what the red socks are Supposed to look like, but don't



Thanks for the kind words Joan, Trish, and Grace.

 
 

Socks and Storms and Things That Go Bump In The Night

The red lace socks are done and on my feet. Nice and warm even with all the holes. The pattern was a bear. It wasn't hard in itself, but not intuitive at least not for me. Every pattern round required attention to the pattern and the chart. The knit rounds were a blessed relief. It was a struggle from beginning to the end. The other problem was that the lace never showed, as it did in the picture at Magknits. The needles I got gauge with created too dense a fabric. The larger needles got a more open pattern, but the fabric was way too flimsy. Usually I do the leg 7 inches before the heel flap. This time I only made it to 5 inches. I just couldn't bear to do anymore. And why I carried the pattern down the instep is beyond me. Drink? who knows. I truly thought the first sock would be the only one in this pattern. I love the color, maybe that drove me on to do the second sock.
This is the first time I used Lorna's Laces yarn. It reminds me of Knit Picks Merino sock yarn. Very soft, very loosely spun. And splitty. My INOX needles consistently split the yarn. The more blunt Addis worked much better, but I still split the yarn. I think the combination of the yarn and the pattern made this a less then wonderful knit.


The Nor'easter passed through and while we only got rain, the little wind we did get after the storm did its thing. I bet Kim got twice as much rain and wind as we did. Hampton/Newport News while only a half hour drive from me always get the worse end of the weather.
So the day AFTER the storm passed, half a 60 foot pine tree dropped on the back fence. I took this picture just after it dropped down, more of the tree is falling down. So the pile is now twice as high. I looked up at the top of the tree and decided that it probably wasn't all that smart stand under the tree :-}



I went to see a new Orthopedist today. This is the doctor who did one of my Mom's knee replacements and did my daughter's hip replacement. He really examined my knee/leg. Recommended a knee replacement. nooooooooooo He admired the red socks, and DID not try to rip them off my feet to try on :-P He gave me a shot (hurt like bloody hell) in the knee. To see if it helps the swelling. And I have to return in 5 weeks.
I am hoping that with the shot, I will be able to drive to the post office tomorrow and mail off the my packages to Grace and Benne. It is a disgrace, they have been sitting on the table for at least a week. Sorry ladies :(

I have shut off the TV I can't stand the constant coverage from Blacksburg. I am getting my news from online. At least I don't have to look at the TV "actors/news persons" emoting the news. god I am such a cynic

By Suzann
On Wednesday, April 18, 2007
At 4/18/2007 11:08:00 AM
Comments :
 
 

Tragedy In Virginia

There are no words to express the horror of what has happened in Blacksburg. My heart, my prayers and thoughts go out to the students, parents and citizens of Blacksburg.
The news media is already feeding like sharks on the story. Can the politicians be far behind? Hello outside world, can we give these people a moment to bury their dead and try to grasp how their world has crumbled and changed forever.

I finished my socks, my feet are warm but my heart is cold as ice. I am going to see the Sports doctor tomorrow about my knee. It is getting more and more painful.

 
 

Naughty Snowflakes

I thought, mmmmmmm red lace socks. Why not? They have been a bit of a problem. In order to have the lace showing properly you need to knit them tight enough to stretch the pattern out. There is a fine line, which I have not be able to locate, between cutting off circulation to my leg and having the pattern show. The pattern is beautiful but not what I would call a relaxing knit. Still if it was coming out the way I liked I wouldn't really mind. sigh. On the leg, the pattern does show better, but not really all that lacy. Sock one is down to the toe decreases. I have already cast on the cuff for sock two. If I don't start it as soon as sock one is done, I will never finish it.
2x2 ribbing and Eye of The Partridge heel flap. Round toe. If I ever get to the toe that is.
Lorna's Laces. Soft yarn, splity like mad. I had to change to my Addi needles which meant going up to 2.50mm since Addi in its infinite wisdom doesn't make a 2.25mm. And the super pointy INOX was snagging the yarn like mad. Give me a tightly twisted yarn any day for working on small gauge needles. I think I am suffering from a sugar rush, after helping to empty the Easter Basket :-}
Have you ever wanted to do a picot edge on socks or anything? I found a cute faux picot edging at this blog. socks, coffee and a good book