Surprise, more socks!

So glad to make it back here twice in one month!

Home life is awesome, work still sucks. Its getting better, but still blows most days.

I finished these socks this past weekend, kitchner stitching the toe waaaaay past my bed time on Sunday evening. The yarn was a birthday gift from my knitting buddy, bought on Etsy, and picked out by her o-so-smart 5 yr old son. I will have to get back to you on the specifics.

Fingering weight socks on size 1 needle seem to be flying off my needles this spring & summer. Not sure how that's happening. I feel like I've missed both seasons.

 

I saw these Toms online and couldn't NOT buy them. Sheesh.

My knitting buddy also bought me this as a pick-me-up. She is so sweet!

From Daisy Said on Etsy. Perfect for a skein of sock yarn. I plopped it into a larger bag and it keeps the skein from getting caught on anything while I'm knitting.

Looking for ward to a sunny 4th weekend. Hope you all have a safe holiday!

Later!

Melissa

90 Day Catch Up!

Wow. Long time, no blog.

Life has been stressful and busy, with much added anxiety at work.

I feel like I'm surviving my life, not living it.

I need to make some changes, just not yet sure when, where, why, how, etc.

This too shall pass. I just needed to share it and get it out.

We have a lot to talk about so lets get started. Since my last post (March 31st, that long? really?)...

...I travelled to Chicago for work and stayed at this GORGEOUS hotel. (Hotel Palomar, Chicago)

 The training was fun and the food...OH the food!

...I finished these.

Fingering weight Autumn Rainbow from KnittedWit on Etsy.

...I finished these.

Yes, I know these photos are upside down.

They're socks...

And they make me happy.

 So does it really matter?

This is some discontinued Opal yarn I purchsed from an Etsy seller in Canada. I LOVE that they don't match. The older I get, the less I care about matchy-matchy.

...I bought new cushions for the deck chairs and stained the deck.

...I bought these.

 My Mom bought me this bag. Sorry abouth the blurry photo, but yes, they're frogs doing yoga.

...I bought these. I kept the brown one and shared the yellow/purple with my knitting buddy.

 

...my crab apple tree bloomed.

 

 

 

 ...I revamped my Dad's flowers for Memorial Day. We had a nice visit. I did most of the talking.

 ...and LASTLY, I finished these.

This is another discontinued skein of Opal yarn purchased from the same Canadian Etsy seller.

I'm not a fan of knitting socks from the toe-up but this was a HUGE skein and I wanted to make sure I used ALL of it.

They're very fun. I wish the stripes were off a little further. Instead of looking random, they look like I screwed up the stripes.

That's all for now.

Thanks for catching up with me! It was fun!

Melissa

Autumn Rainbow Socks

Yikes this yarn is pretty. I just can't get over the depth of color.

I bought it from KnittedWit back in February (because I vowed NOT to buy yarn in January). I purchased it in the Victory Sock base. A little nylon ought to make these little babies last.

While in WI for a quick visit, my knitting buddy made me a handful of stitch markers.

Too cute!

While we were in WI, Big Daddy was able to spend some quality time with BigC. Just because a girl is 20, in college, and living away from home doesn't mean they don't miss each other like CRAZY. She is very stressed/busy right now between work and school. Nothing a little snuggle with her Dad can't fix.

Quick update on my HDYarns socks. I began ribbing a long cuff after I took this photo, thinking I could fold it over depending on my mood. Nope. Not going to happen. The socks are a bit tight. My calves are ginormous. I need to rip these back and add more increases. I just don't want to pull the trigger too quickly. I tend to over react. I have no intention of starting them over. That would be yukky. I'll stare at them for a few more days before I make any big decisions.

Linking up with Ginny & Nicole again this week!

Later!

M

The day that got away.

Days that completely get away from me are my least favorite things in the world. Yesterday was one of them.

Surprise! I was given a special project at work yesterday, monopolizing my entire afternoon, leaving me dreading the entire purpose; a business trip to Chicago in two weeks.

With the owner of the company.
With whom I don't get along with very well.
With whom I have nothing in common.

Ugh.

So I decided to make the best of it. I will drive instead of fly, and visit family on my way back through Wisconsin! Yay!

Our community also had a major power outage this morning, thus I had no lighting to update my project photos this morning.

I'm on a roll. NOT!

I worked on this last Sunday.

I recieved this trunk from my husband's cousin who is doing a little downsizing.

I'm not sure if I took a bafore picture. Let me look....

Kind of! Here is what the inside looked like BEFORE. Blue/green paper peeling off the wooden inside.

I cleaned it, sanded it, and glued in some old maps I had in storage and filled in the rest with kraft paper. I still need to tone the color down a little. I think I'll wash it with some grey or black paint, then seal it. It's not for keepsake items. I want to store all the blankets that float around our family room in it.

My HDYarns socks are coming along! This Picture Rocks colorway has a 12 color repeat. Very fun to knit. We're going on a road trip this weekend so I will have plenty of time to finish them.

Joining up with Ginny & Nicole today.

Later!

M

Whew...I made it

 

Yikes. What a week!

 

I am an accountant by trade. I work full time at a Lincoln dealership in the Twin Cities. Auto dealerships now days face many audits over the course of a fiscal year. So far in 2015 I've prepped and dealt with a Lincoln Rebate audit, Union Health Insurance audit, Lincoln Service Warranty review, and a Union Pension audit. All in less than 75 days. Sheesh.

 

Yesterday was the last of it. I celebrated with tequila.

 

 

 

I finished my Sixes & Threes Cowl by Louet last Saturday afternoon. Simple, simple pattern. Very well written. I learned a lot (jogless stripes & grafting more than just the toe of a sock) and will definitely make it again. The next version will be much bigger. I'm not a fan of things this close to my neck.

 

Ans sorry no face in the photo. I had not showered yet. Gross.

 



Since I was taking bust pictures I snapped one with my Christmas gift from Dee. Made with bamboo yarn, this close-to-my-neck item is more comfortable.

 

I showered not long after these photos and gussied up for a Gala Dinner fundraiser for our local Catholic School. Was a grand time sharing memories, a yummy supper, and too many cocktails.

 

I fell in love with these hand crafted frames so Big Daddy bid on them at the auction part of the evening for me.

 

 



They will look great in the guest room. Hanging them is one of out Honey-Do items this coming weekend.

 

 

Along with a little sock washing. I'm almost out!

 

I stepped out on the deck wearing these...

 

 

To take pictures of these!

 

 

They are the beginnings of toe-up sock with yarn from HDYarns on Etsy. This is my second skein from Vanie and I couldn't be more excited. The colors are true, the base yarn is squishy yet strong, and they wash up like a dream.

Joining Ginny for the Yarn Along this morning & Nicole for KCCO. Happy Humpday Ladies!

Later,

M

Therapy no doublt & Reloaded!

I finished these...

Picked this back up...

Inherited this (squee!) ...

I and I'm most proud to say: I dyed these!

Our store (WPD) is somewhat reloaded (I only had 10 undyed skeins on hand). Etsy link is also top right on this blog. No pressure to buy. Just take a look and tell me what you think. Be honest, but be nice!

I love the transitions between colors.

Sometimes muddy,

Sometimes juicy.

And sometimes a little intentional white in between. The POP of white for one or two stitches is not only a fun design element, but a reminder that its NOT a commercially produced skein.

I use one (gloved) hand to apply the dye and the other to "smoosh" the colors together. THIS is my favorite part.

Not the science: the soaking, the acid, the measuring, boiling 500 gallons endless cups of water when pasting up dyes, the mask (UGH), etc. I LOVE smooshing. I squeal with delight, my husband smiles, rolls his eyes, and continues with his puzzle.

All are acid dyed. Just me having fun. I experimented with some brights and some tonals. I learned a lot, didn't make a huge mess, and made art! All dried in the fresh MN air. With our snow pack melting, they smell FRESH!


Lets get serious for a minute. I NEEDED TO DYE THIS LAST WEEKEND. NEEDED.

Knitting is art for me. I shut out the stressful part of my world, focus on the task at hand (literally), and lose myself in it.

Saturday morning our community lost one of the most vibrant women I've ever met. We weren't close, but Moms of athletes on local sports teams spanning the past 6-7 years. Our daughters are friends and our sons are friends. Darla was a bright, shiny penny in our little corner of the world. She passed away early Saturday morning after a short, valiant, 90 day battle with thyroid cancer and she will be greatly missed.

Lord, welcome Darla.

This struck too close to home for us.
I was rattled.
I needed to run away,
and I ran to the dye pot.

Darla inspired these colors. Please. Take a look.

Linking up with Ginny tomorrow morning & Frontier Dreams tonight.
Much love to my knitting friends this week.

Later,

M