Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The Yellow Pair of Socks is History

These yellow socks will soon become history. It appears that I don't have enough yarn to finish both socks. I am about to frog the sock and start over. Now before you feel bad for me, please don't. I don't really like the lace pattern anyway. The leg part bags and I just don't feel that they would fit right.

I started to watch the ball of yarn go done dramatically fast, leading me to believe that maybe I wouldn't have enough. So I stopped on Sock 1 just before the toes and started Sock 2. I only finished about half the leg and decided to call it.

I love the color, so I am going to start over with another pattern -- maybe more of a rib pattern than a lace. I haven't decided yet.

The good news is that the green pair are a complete hit. They are just snug enough without being tight and I love the lacy pattern. Now all I need is some cooler weather so I can wear them.

Well, back to the needles -- and the ripping.




Tuesday, July 23, 2013

It's Not Easy Being Green

Several years ago -- I think in the late 1970's -- there was a fad of 'doing your colors.' You would be draped with a variety of fabrics around your face (without makeup) and see the effects of this color on your skin.  Then you would categorized as a Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall. I have mine done back then, and discovered a couple of interesting facts.

First, I should just live in purple, which I think I already do. Look in my closet and you will see the entire range of purples from Barely Lavender to Deep Wine. Scattered in is also a variety of blues and blacks, with some reds and pinks. One of the ways to determine your colors is to look at your closet and see what colors you are most comfortable in. There is some theory that we all know what is best for us. If that was true, my life wouldn't be ruled by chocolate.

Secondly, I discovered the color that was lacking in my closet: any shade of yellow. I saw what happened to my skin tones when anything with a yellow tone was put next to my skin. My face turned that same ugly yellow cast. It didn't matter if it was a lime green, peach, or orange (noticing a lot of references to food in my color descriptions. I must be hungry), I look like I am beginning to suffer from liver failure.

But I really love the color yellow. I even have a couple of pieces of yellow in my closet. And that is where they stay. I might put those sweaters or t-shirts on occasionally, but within minutes I end up hanging them back up, and putting on my Colorado Rockies purple t-shirt.

So what can I do? Easy -- make socks! Feet are a long way from my face and I don't care if my feet look a little jaundice. So here are my green socks. I just finished my lacy green socks and I am casting on my yellow socks (yes, Amber, I am finally making socks from that neon yellow yarn you got for me.) Stay tuned to see the socks as they go along.

Back to the needles.



Saturday, July 20, 2013

Time for Socks

It has been so hard to get back to writing on my blog since I went back to work. Therefore, it is even harder to keep up on my knitting. Even my kitty looks at me wondering where I am all day -- not that he treats me any better when I get home.

I am knitting during my lunch hour at work, so I have been taking small projects along every day. I was working on a hat, but somehow, I just can't get into it right now. While at home, I want to work on sweaters. I have three different sweaters going right now, but I just can't deal with all that wool on my lap. So I pulled out my sock needles.

Now, one of the things that I don't need is more socks. I always tell people that I haven't purchased a pair of socks in 20 years, but I have spent more on socks than anyone they know. A couple of years ago, I was knitting socks like crazy, and my stash still contained the yarn for about 50 more pairs. About half of the stash I inherited from my Mom and sister-in-law, but I still have lots and lots of sock yarn of my own.

Of my 30+ pairs of socks I have knitted, this one is my favorite. I took the front Celtic pattern from one of Barbara Walkers' pattern book and built the rest of the sock with plain stockinette. I think I made this pair about five years ago. It is one of those patterns that you have to pay attention to while you are knitting, but during the quiet lunch hour, that shouldn't be a problem.

So today, I am putting my sweaters aside until the weather cools off a bit. Colorado has been so hot lately that being outside is not pleasant at all. I will get back to doing some socks in some unusual colors.  More to come.

Back to the needles.