THE MADNESS HAS STARTED!

Sock Madness IV started at approximately 8:14 this morning with the release of the first pattern. The first sock is usually the least difficult one to get everyone started. Each pattern that follows is increasingly difficult. This one today uses several techniques with which I am unfamiliar. Fortunately, I checked out the Youtube video the designer suggested for a new way to cast on the sock. Then I cast on....2 at a time on one long 40" circular knitting needle. The sock is knit sideways and then knitted together along the back. It includes a heel and a toe that is knit in after the sock is made into tube along with the cuff portion of the sock. I'm only able to write this missive to you because I'm at work and can't knit. But once I get home tonight, very little computer work till the pair is done.

Keep tuned....I'll post the pair when I get them done. Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by.

American Girl ® Doll Clothes

Some folks (me) didn't have the pleasure of raising girls. I, instead, had the distinct pleasure, nay, shall I say joy and delight, to raise a single child, a boy. So I missed out on the dolly adventure that all mothers of girls get to have. BUT, in his infinite wisdom and to my utter delight, our son and his wife (bless them!) have gifted us with granddaughters. And so I have begun to make doll clothes for Em's American Girl Doll ®. I've made a dress and pinafore, some jeans (both plain and embroidered) and the cutest darned slip, camisole, and panties! Here is the newest batch of goodies I'm sending off to her.



You see there a pair of pajamas, a robe, and a karate outfit. Yes, I know it's pink and karate outfits are white. This is an American doll, folks....anyone who is anyone knows that American little girls love pink! So I made pink! And there is also a little hat for her cold head there in Utah! It only took 2 hours and was so easy....ask me how I know!

I'm participating in the Knitting Olympics at my local yarn shop...working on a project that must be done by next Sunday - the same day the regular Olympic games are done in Vancouver. I'll post a picture if I get it done in time and am able to enter it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Je Suis Morte!

Well, for me, Sock Wars V has come to an end. I was killed on Monday by a pair of Don't Box Me In socks in a beautiful shade of green called Pushing Up Daisies Green. I am not posting a picture here. They are gargantuan on my size 10 foot and the guage is way off. For that reason, the Supreme Commander has requested that I send them to her so they can be classed a misfire, unpicked, and reknit according to the rules. I'm still dead....dead, dead, DEAD! But at least I'll end up with a pair of socks that I can actually wear.

On another note, Sock Madness IV starts in another month....this is a competition I just love! The folks are so encouraging, even though most of us have never met each other. In this particular competition, the socks are knit for myself...no mailing to another person. I MUST knit to guage, follow the pattern exactly, and knit fast enough each round to get into the next one. I'll keep you all posted once the actual contest starts.....sometime around March Madness (mid March).

I AM showing you pictures I took today.....



Flurries! Again????? At least it isn't sticking.

And, finally, a short note on cats....they like to be inside stuff! Any stuff! Even the backs of dressers that are being repaired....



Thanks for stopping by.

Sock Wars Update

Sock Wars V continues and, so far, I'm still alive. On the entry below this one, you saw my target's socks in progress. I ended up tearing those up 3 times before I finally cast on with a different yarn, different kind of needles, and a different attitude! A total of 14 hours of knitting down the drain before I finally got the pattern right! I mailed off my death socks to Target #1 last Friday and she notified me that she received them on Monday...so there's one kill for me!


I'm expecting unfinished socks from my target's target within the week (I hope) and, with luck, should get one more kill in before I get killed. Of course, I'll keep you posted.

Expecting snow and ice in the next day or so. The Director told me today that we might be closed on Friday if the weather does what's expected. I could do with an extra day off this week - more time to sew doll clothes...more on that subject soon.

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by!

Sock Wars V Began Yesterday

Some of you know that I began knitting socks on a competitive level a couple of years ago. Last year, I won one competition and got to the top 11 competitors on another and made it to round 3 on still another. Well, it's a new year and another competition.

Sock Wars V began last night at 7:00 p.m. my time. There are just over 200 people competing, from numerous countries, mostly the US. We received our target info last weekend and there were 3 patterns uploaded to the competition website last night. I began knitting almost right away and was about 2/3 down the leg, almost ready to begin the heel flap by the time I gave up and went to bed. Got up at 8:00 this morning (and , as most of you know, I HATE to get up early, especially on a day off work!). I began knitting and decided that I'd knit the leg wrong....ripped the darned thing all the way out! There went 3 hours of knitting. While I was casting on again, I decided that I had knit the first try correctly - what a doofus! So, I am re-knitting that previously perfect leg again...and here is the progress so far.

Notice the sock yarn? It's a nylon, acrylic blend that is so soft and comfy. The colours vary from blue-green to grey with a tiny touch of rusty brick red. My target lives on the west coast and I know that I hated the idea of wearing wool socks when we lived in San Diego. Hope she likes them.

I hope to post the finished pair before I head out to the Post Office on Tuesday to mail these weapons to my target. With luck, I won't be 'killed' before I get another pair to finish and live to kill again!



Thanks for stopping by.

ETA 1-19-2010: I've had to frog the darned thing 4 times already...finally changed yarns cause I was afraid I was mangling the other too badly. Ripped the sock for the last time on Sunday morning (from the gusset decrease - 8 hours' work) and started again...SUCCESS! Used different needles and took it slowly...finished sock #1 last night at 11:00 p.m. Cast on the second sock today and hope to finish by tomorrow nite and mail the darned things on Thursday. Will post a picture of the finished products once they are mailed.

Thanks for supporting this crazed sock-knitter and thanks for stopping by.

Finally, It's a Regular Winter!

As a lot of you know, we've had a very unusual winter here in southwest Missouri the last few weeks. It started with snow at Christmas (not usual), followed by more snow at New Year's (again, not usual) which was followed by temperatures ranging from 18° to -13° (VERY not usual!). My day off last week had a high temperature of 5°. It's started to warm up a bit and today we will see a high of around 45° - a regular heat wave.

I was outside the library this morning, and someone pointed out the drain pipe behind my office. When I turned, this is what I saw.

It looks like an ice cube dispenser, doesn't it? Fortunately, most of the snow has melted and the streets are back to normal, including our gravel road.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Martin Luther King holiday weekend. I'm going to knit - yes, son, I'm almost done with the baby pods for your photo shoot!

Thanks for stopping by.

Snow, Snow, Snow Everywhere

Woke to more snow this morning...so far, only about 4 inches...still falling. John went out to shovel the apron for the driveway, the deck, and the front walk earlier. Can't tell by looking at it now, though.

They've cancelled school for tomorrow...sure hope the director decides to cancel work for tomorrow, too. I've got tons of quilting and sewing I can do to keep busy.

Our frog pond is starting to look like a real winter pond now, too. And the poor cows are getting snow all over their backs - they finally all went into the barn...silly cows!

Thanks for stopping by...keep warm, y'all!