Summer of Lace '08

Friday nite I started the charting/math for the Fine Framed Unst Shawl from Sharon Miller's 'Heirloom Knitting'. It's a combinations of the Unst Stole center and the frame from the Fine Framed Shawl in the book. The cool thing is, that you can rearrange the stuff in her books and patterns any way you want.

I was knitting along, got near the end of the row, and promptly found that I had dropped a stitch or two or three right in the middle of the spider cluster in the border. No hope for it but to ladder down, pin everything out in order and knit back up.

You can see that I was successful!!! You can see the first spider of the next cluster in the next picture. I got to the top/bottom of the trees before I had to quit today. So maybe pix in a few days.

too much to do....

and not enough time to do it all in!!!!

I've been knocked out of Sock Madness. I didn't finish this round before the 21st knitter. In self defense, I can plead illness: not mine tho. A shepherdess friend twisted her ankle and put herself in a cast two weeks ago, so I have been doing the heavy walking for her and reporting back to her in her chair. Another shepherdess friend had her shearing canceled 4 weeks ago because of bad weather. She has no building big enough to shear in, so we had it yesterday. Not enough people showed up to help, so I got to do lots and lots of sheep wrangling and skirting/note taking of fleeces. On top of it all, my hayfever is trying to turn into something else, and it feels like I'm trying to hack up a lung! What fun!!!!

The green sock picture is as far as I got in this round of Sock Madness. I finished the heel and am on the foot of the 2nd sock. the yarn is some kool-aid dyed knitpicks bare in berry blue, lemon-lime and mango. not too bad for a microwave sock yarn.

The picture of the tiny sock is from my 'Wee Tiny Sock Swap' pal: Tilladare on Ravelry. Isn't it pretty?!!!!!!!!!

what to do....

.....while waiting for the next round of SockMadness:

i'm doing this: Wee Tiny Sock Swap

knit and swap a tiny sock, about the size of an ornament.
I don't know how to link stuff together so here's the address
http://weetiny2008.yarnmiracle.com/


this wee tiny sock is the one I knit to send to Jen at

http://knittinglikecrazy.blogspot.com

it is knit of Socks That Rock 'flower power'. too cute!!!

Zombiezzzzzzzz......

are alive!!!!!! Sock MadnessII is alive and kicking. Here is my entry: the Zombies in Blue Jeans. Actually its Lana Grossa Meilenweit cotton/wool on US1's.

FO sunday #2

the Lisa Souza BFL that I spun and knit into socks. Just delicious!!!!

FO Sunday

Who knew! two posts in one weekend.

Anyway, finished my 'Monkey' socks for a KAL on Ravelry. Made of unknown Opal, I lost the band, and size US #3, #2 and #1's to get something that fits.
Here's the breakdown for top down:

• 3's for the ribbing and the first repeat
• 2's for the leg and the heel flap, and
  
• 1's for the gusset/foot/toe.

I had originally made another pair in trekking according to the pattern, using 2's through out and couldn't get them on my feet let alone up my leg. The only thing that fit was the toe and it was too roomy. So I modified by changing size of needles and number of heel stitches and gusset pickups.

when life gives you lemons...

...make marmalade! My dad's neighbor has a Meyer Lemon tree. If you've never tried one, you are in for a treat. It's a cross between a lemon and an orange. The taste is indescribable: sweet and tart and orangey and lemoney, and, and, all at the same time.




So I got a sink full: sliced em thin, peel and all, simmer in a little water for 45 min, add the right amount of sugar and boil til the iced plate test says done. Pour into sterile jars, seal and do a water bath boil for 5 min. Remove and cool. Yum!


I went through a 10lb bag of sugar to get:
4 pints,
one 12oz jar,
twelve 1/2 pints and
6 1/4 pints.

This should keep me for a while.