Frankensocks!

You got your toes!



Your heels!


Cuffs brought to you by JSSBO

one side...


and the other side!

Frankensocks!
Frankensquirrel Polwarth by GLBLF
handspun by moi!
US 3, circular via magic loop

Knit toe up, using 48 sts. Short row heel as I was worried about yardage and I didn't want to have short cuffs. A new trick I learned on the SRH with this tutorial. Basically, you wrap and turn one stitch on each side of the instep stitches to help close the gap that can happen when you start knitting the entire sock again. Of course I used my usual bind off (see link above) for rib.

They are heavy, and dense, but oh so lovely! I had to let go and let the handspun show, you know, not try to play with the colors or match up the stripes. I had about 200 yds so no being picky was allowed. I love how the colors all intermingled and the stripes are just subtle.

I'm sure not my last handspun socks!! Just wished it was a wee bit colder so I could wear them :(

This would be all that was left!

I actually had to frog back one cuff about 3 rows (glad I didn't bind off all the way ;) as sock 2's cuff was shorter...since they are called Frankensocks I was going to live with the cuff length difference...I couldn't ;) and I wanted some repair yarn too.

You didn't think I could totally give in to no matchy, matchy something did you?

YPF- Sock Monkey!!!!

YPF--long time no see huh!


These colors scream Sock Monkey to me!!



Could it be it's name???

Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye BFL Sock
Sock Monkey Colorway
400 yds fingering weight
Hanks Yarn & Fiber

So very soft!! Should be interesting knitting up!

Take me back Thursday....

This week is brought to you by......

Wanna guess??

I chowed these down so much during high school and college.....YUM!

When I spied them at the grocery store I got a bag...only one...sigh...

Am I showing my age with this flavor?? Oh how I've missed you! Nacho cheese and plain are good and all, but Taco flavored, that was the first flavor I loved!!

I swear if there are any bags left this week...well I'll make sure a few go into my shopping cart ;)

Knitting with Handspun

What started out as this....


Is looking like this....


and this....


and moving right along as this....

Look at them there stripes!!! I love that they are subtle in their transitioning too. Seriously, I did not plan this! I'm such a spinning newb I just spin it....and it somehow becomes yarn...

It doesn't have a lot of give like other sock yarns do..well maybe because it's sport/dk weight on US 3's. It's quite interesting to knit with...um..er..gotta work on keeping consistent yarn ;)

Gotta go, I want to finish the cuff in the next day or so and cast on Sock 2. My sock mojo is back....

Take me back Thursday....

Well I remembered this week ;) Last week was an icy blur...

Some of you mentioned wanting to see me, so I'll show you what this weeks finds were. As I'm usually behind the camera, not many updated pictures of me..plus I hate being in front of the camera usually.

25 years ago we were these young kids!


Fast forward about 7 years and here we are with the boy...


Fast forward to 1995 and here we are posing for a holiday card.

Oh..how did I end up with 2 blonde children I'll never know ;) and oh to be that skinny again!!

Yes, I sewed the matching vests, they are cool santas and I still have them :) Of course none of us can wear them...sigh. Hubby was lucky I didn't have enough fabric for his LOL!

Wonder what I'll find for you this weekend ;)

Ten on Tuesday

10 Favorite games from your childhood

1. Fish or some may call it Go Fish--I learned this from my late Grandmother with regular playing cards. We spent many hours playing this game!

2. Trouble- we loved it, so many games, pressing that die in the popper!

3. Yahtzee - another one we play a lot as a family. Way back then (in the dark ages my kids would say) we didn't have a lot of tv channels or the computer...it was books or board games.

4. Mystery Date - was always fun, especially at sleep overs. I was pretty much a tom boy so although I liked to play it, I didn't own it ;) Couldn't have that in my room LOL!

5. The Game of Life - was always fun to see how you'd end up.

6. Monopoly - Just plain old Monopoly! We usually got houses, but got bored so we didn't get lots of hotels LOL!

7. Clue - Always good for a laugh on whodunit

8. Sorry - Ha! We were never sorry to win ;)

9. Scrabble - not the most used game, but we did like it ok...

10. Checkers - again, many hours played with these.

Great nostalgia here...sigh...to be so young and carefree again...um..er.. well, maybe not ;)

It's like learning....

To cook all over again! What a difference 20+ years makes!! Yes, that's how old my old stove was...wait, they call them ranges now LOL!

It's not my dream range, very far from it, but who wants to put their dream stove/range/oven in a house they hope to leave within 2 years!!


Besides...when one is forced to buy a drop in stove, one doesn't have many choices...plus when one is forced to buy said stove right after the holidays...one doesn't have much moolah to do so!

We have the kitchen ceramic tile that could be put in there, but seriously the cost of having that done plus cupboard finishing to have a slide in or free stand, would about triple the cost. So yeah, if the new homeowner wants to do so, they have the technology....er...leftover tiles. Still have to find something to put in the space under the stove left from previous stove. Apparently stoves have gotten shorter over the years ;)

You will also note that oh..why is her range hood beige...um..er..is she color blind. No I am not. Said new range hood doesn't wanna come live with me. Why not...I'm kinda nice!!!!

I knew it was gonna happen, when they called for installation day appointment...she said, just the stove...I said that and the range hood...ok I'll add it. Fast forward to this week....after I called to verify appointment due to bad weather this week, again was asked if it was just the stove. Again I replied....and the range hood!!! So I called the big box store to see if both parts were in. They were...however on install day...no one had a clue.

Long story short, I waited all day (except for a few hours when I had errands to run which they were told I wasn't going to be home, which is why I made a morning appointment..... make me the last customer of the day) for the return of installers for my new range hood. About 7 pm I realized it wasn't gonna happen....:( a not so nice message to installers was left and my salesperson was called. Now hoping I am first in line Monday for my new range hood (which BTW I declared a no frying zone in my house a few months ago until I got a new one cause old one wouldn't absorb odors, new filter or not!) not that we fry much..anyhoo


So you can see the cookies baking. I have never baked cookies at 10 am in my life LOL! Sure would have been nice to have a new range hood to absorb the new oven cooking smells!!

oooh emmm geeee for being a non-fancy stove it makes me smile! Who knew in like 20 years, stoves have changed so much. For one, I don't have the oven venting under the back burner...it vents out front by the handle. Plus the self cleaning option..ahhhhh set it and forget it and no scrubbing allowed!

So I have a new black backsplash waiting to replace the old one covered with stainless steel looking tiles. Then I found an awesome new countertop to replace the old one. Since we only have like 2 countertops I think for not too much money, I can update and make this kitchen look awesome. Again, it's nothing fancy, still a laminate, but the colors will tie the tile, cupboards, stove, fridge and dishwasher all together....stay tuned for that!

Cookies are ok, had to bake longer than usual, but hey it's breaking the oven in. FYI chocolate chip oatmeal...sans nuts....no...more...nuts for hubby. Oh and these are those pouch cookie mixes...they are usually for hubby to make...you know sorta fool proof. What??? you thought I'd make them from scratch at 10am on a Saturday?? HA!

Wanna hug....

Well here ya go!



Oh...and here's your hug giving you the thumbs up..or telling you to move on down the road...

well...sorta ;)
Hug by Sarah Pasternak
Jo-Ann's Sumptuous in Teal 1.75 skeins for both projects
US 15 dpns

I've always wanted to knit this since it first came out. Sorry no posed pictures...I would have behaved very badly I know this.. It's a pretty quick knit too.

Gotta have a hat too...

Cable & Rib hat by Veronica Machak
Same yarn as above and using US 15 circular. Mostly knit continental style too :) I was practicing the Norwegian Purl to help with my cabling. Tightens up the sts after the cable sts. Continental style was easier with the super bulky yarn...still working on worsted yarns...


Hanging out together waiting to be shipped to my sister-in-law for her birthday. Didn't finish them in time for Christmas, good thing her birthday is in January ;) She's allergic to wool...this yarn was a great substitute. Hmm maybe I should have called it a Sumptuous hug... ;)

She wore a.....

Blueberry Beret....the kind you find...oops, wait it's supposed to be Raspberry beret LOL!

Just look at those yummy cables!!

I test knit this pattern. The charts and instructions are very clear and it's a great one to practice cabling without a needle.


Just love the way the cables intertwine at the top.



As you can see, it does fit daughter pretty good. For me, it's shorter than I like. It's not the pattern's fault at all! I used very light worsted weight, almost DK. I truly think that's the difference. See pattern notes below.


Sigh...I really do love the top of this beret.



Arboretum by Jane Tanner
The Plucky Knitter MCN Lite in Heirloom Linen (looks like blueberries to me ;) .75 skein
US 4 & 6 circulars, knit Magic loop.

Mods: not on purpose though...gauge was supposed to be 22 sts x 30 rows for 4" knit flat. I knit the swatch in the round for the MCN Lite and got 26 sts x 32 rows...of course I admit I did knit this swatch after I finished the hat.

I had swatched another yarn and started using it, but didn't like how the cabled portion was coming out so I frogged it. I had gotten gauge for that yarn.

I then knit the hat in the MCN Lite figuring it was pretty close. As you can see by my gauge numbers, it was a bit off. The yarn is very lovely to use, but it does get a little halo to it.

I'll save it and start another one. Never know when I need to gift a hat. Plus, I have about 1.25 skeins left to knit either mitts or a cowl to go with it. Could be an early gift for someone!

Take me back Thursday....

As I've been going through the containers of my belongings in an effort to declutter and downsize (been here 20 yrs!) I found a lot of pictures I thought were lost, heck I found alot of stuff I thought I lost..which got me thinking of something new to start on the blog...

Take me back where? To wherever and whatever in the past you want to share. How ever far you want to go back to ;)

This weeks Take me back Thursday (TMBT)

Priceless kiddie shots!

My darling son about maybe 7 or 8 months old...so wanting his Daddy's pizza!! Should have known what a chow hound he'd turn out to be...(is it wrong to be glad I don't have to pay to feed him 24/7 anymore ;)

Daddy's girl or what!

Sigh...I miss those blonde curls! She was about 18 mos in this picture...

Stay tuned next week, who knows what will turn up on Take me back Thursday!

Join me in the fun! I'll look forward to seeing what your TMBT posts will be!!

WIP Wednesday--New Year edition

Whew...a new year and some people take some time to reflect on their wip's...meaning finish or frog. I plan on finishing my many this year...that is my goal! These lovelies are patiently awaiting their turn to become FO's!

A cuff...of a sock!!

My sock mojo just took a vacation, extended ;) Although this hasn't been touched in a few weeks...I plan on finishing soon... Uncle Frank socks for hubby.

Here's the progress on my Dark & Stormy cardi

Been neglected too! Son visiting, holidays, and test knitting...oh and house stuff, not much knitting time lately!


Close up of the back cable. I so want to finish this cardi this month...will she or won't she...

Lastly, this tangled looking knit is a Special Olympics Scarf for 2011 Another longwise knit one, my favorite! Size 10.5's yeah!

Using the required Red Heart yarn in required colors...sigh..the thought of how much it will be appreciated helps me along :)

Ten on Tuesday

10 things you wouldn't want to live without....hmmm... (people not included) ;)

1. Coffee---real, honest to goodness coffee, not decaf for me!! I've had decaf when I was pregnant..yeah, tasted like ground up baked beans to me. (baked beans are for eating not drinking!) In 16 yrs..maybe accidentally had it a few times but definately not on purpose ;)

2. Tweezers--trust me, well needed ;)

3. Knitting--don't know how I ever relaxed before...I can fall asleep knitting, sure can't do that sewing..er..wait a minute..I did and sewed my index finger a few stitches..ouch!!

4. books/magazines/ any reading material--sometimes you gotta get away..far, far away ;)

5. hand/body lotion--don't want crusty skin :D

6. hair dye--well, at least until my roots were grown out, then I wouldn't care...

7. Cinnamon--my favorite spice. If you make food or some sort of candle/room fragrance in cinnamon I'm there!

8. Ground pepper-we are talking fresh ground pepper!! I heart it so, so much my former spicy liking hubby has told me to um..er..be less heavy handed.

9. Clothes--I mean really do I have to say why ;) I think I'd get used to no power or running water if I had to and would wash by hand if necessary.

10. Chocolate--do I even have to say why here either ;) I've heard of quite a few people being allergic to chocolate (in my job I haz to question peeps about their allergies) I would just be sad :(

So there you have it, 10 things about me...hmmmm...

Happy New Year!

2011 has arrived! What exciting things will it hold? Who knows?

As for Belle, she started the new year with hopefully better ears.

Hehe..no she doesn't have hearing aides....



Poor thing has been struggling with ear infections for years on and off. (it's her huge ears!) We found out about a surgery to help combat that. At first, it was only offered at the vet college for a lot of $$$. Luckily our vet found someone locally to do the ear ablation surgery. She's been recovering all week and back to normal begging for food again. That's how we know she's back to normal ;)

Off to get some knitting and spinning done! I'm off for 3 more days (happy dance) Tonite we are going to a pig pickin and oyster roast, I can't wait to try roasted oysters, I think that's the only way I've never tried before.

Sigh...yes, our snow is gone....