Mistress Stash Enhancer - socktoberfest_06

Second Sock Syndrome Socks

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mistress Stash Enhancer) — Sat, 4 Nov 2006 19:45:00 -0500

Wowsa. What a week. I'm so glad it's over! I should have fun a few errands today, but opted to stay at home, play with Allysa and knit all day. I'm still in my PJ's *grin* I love Saturdays!! Mike went back to work yesterday morning. The trailer finally freaking got here on Wednesday afternoon. After they where all done trying to back it down the driveway (very scary let me tell you. As our driveway is very close to the house and the other side is a hill) it was 7pm. Urgh, lets just say this whole trailer thing has become a big mess. Mike's back at work, and its taking up half the damn driveway. Seriously, the dealership fucked this up big time. More later, and everything unfolds. ugh.

Enough whinning, how about some knitting? Yes! Somewhere in these past two weeks of Dentist appointments, Doctor appointments, mad cleaning, loads of shopping and laundry I've been knitting. Last Saturday I finished my Second Sock Syndrome sock, it was also my last sock of Socktober. I was Adelle's swapie (Is that right? She sent to me. Goodness, my mind is mush.) She sent me a fab package back in August, I casted on my sock a week before Rhinebeck (maybe on Sun the 14) with hopes that I would get it done before Rhinebeck so I could wear my SSS socks to the festival and show them to Adelle during lunch.

ha. I'm a funny one I tell ya! It took me 4 times to get the 1st row of the lace pattern right. Not that there was anything wrong with the pattern. More like a problem with my brain's ability to comprehend directions (Mike, if your reading this. Shut up. Mom you too!! : P ) You see, at the end of the 1st row for the first 3 times, I had 4 extra stitches. I couldn't figure out why. While I resisted the urge to fling the sock across the room I re-read the chart. DUH moment! Its a SSSK not a SSK, THREE SSS not two, yet THREE!!! DUH!! After that the sock just sailed. Till I got to the heel.

This is *the* coolest heel. I have no idea if I did it right, But trust me it is *the* coolest heel! It took me a bit to figure it out, but damn. It was worth it! Really cool. I love the lace pattern used in these socks! It works extremely well with the yarn

Here's the stat's:

Pattern: Hippy Crunchy from Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin sock club

Yarn: Peaseblossom

Needles: size US1 (2.5mm ) dpn Knit picks needles.

Started: Maybe Sun. October 15

Finished: October 27

Notes: Once I figured out the mistake I kept having, this sock was a breeze. The heel was a bit tricky. This sock took me a bit to knit because I couldn't watch tv or read blogs while knitting. I didn't want to drop any stitches on this lace pattern! I enjoyed this pattern, how I had to concentrate on what I was doing I have a feeling I will be knitting this sock again! I love the finished sock! The yarn is awesome! Thanks Adelle! Not only for sending me an amazing package with a FANTASTIC sock but for putting together such a fun swap! Thanks!

*urgh my comptuer is being such an ass right now. I have no idea if the pictures in this post are ok or not. uuuurggghhhhhhh

just the sock stash...

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mistress Stash Enhancer) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 23:23:31 -0400

just waiting for their cast on day, 40 pairs of potential socks... just waiting... for their turn on the needles...

Lolly said it best "every stash tells a story". I can remember where I bought each one, (hell if I can remember why I just walked into the kitchen but I remember where I bought my yarn!) 10 hanks came from my trip with Mom to Maryland Sheep & Wool just this past year. 3 where gifts, quite a few followed me home just because I had to have them.

a few have plans, the fleece artist autumn a pair of lacey leaf socks, blustery day or CTH birches either cablely socks or vanilla socks with a picot edge... when their time comes its really about what is going on in my imagination.

going through my sock yarn stash brought back memories. None going back more than a year unfortunately as I haven't been knitting socks all that long. The aquamelon and fire in the sky I bought with mom's special order Vesper yarn, the LL knit happens Mike bought for me all by himself. The girls that work there still remember him... is that a good thing? Or is it because you could never forget someone as cute as this? The strange little momma, is one of the best birthday presents I've ever received!

Tomorrow morning, hopefully before noon, we will have the van all packed and will start our drive to my parent's house in Massachusetts. Hopefully we won't forget anything, or anyone. Mom and I will be at the blogger meet up, I'm praying for anything but rain, I'm sure plenty of sock yarn will follow me home.

I'll be there, will you?

Throwing this at ya cause I don't know how to fit this in-

Today I had to take Corra back to the Dr for a re-check on her ears and to have Allysa checked out, since she has caught the cold (almost over it Dad! Don't worry!!) I left my knitting in the car, as I usually do when I bring Allysa with me. The only hand knits I was wearing where my fancy silk socks . Corra told the Dr. that her head hurt "like when she has learnt to much" I didn't see this coming, Dr said "I feel like that sometimes too. I found this pattern once to Tahitian (I think) crochet scarf. It was such an amazing design, and it was very difficult." I was blown away. I mentioned that I knit after he told us about his scarf. The rest of the fiber convo a blur. My kids pediatrician crochets. He's into fiber arts. This is so cool. I had to hold back a giggle when he said "its amazing how you can create something from something that doesn't cost that much." I couldn't tell him that the socks I was wearing, the yarn was $20. The fiber snob in me is hoping he doesn't shop at Walmart! Really, my kids pediatrician crochets. wow. Have I been knit scoped?

Also, for those who've asked. Check out what the ups man delivered a day EARLY even at Mom's! Hoosha!

Tiger's eye

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mistress Stash Enhancer) — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 23:30:00 -0400

These socks aren't my colors, it was the color ways name that drew me in. Ya see, I have always had this "thing" for rocks. My parents are still finding rocks I picked up outside as a child and hid their house. One Christmas one of my Aunt's gave me a rock tumbler. I was thrilled! Constantly looking for new rocks to put in there, just to see how they would turn out.

In middle school my favorite book was Judy Bloom's book tiger eye's. How Davey (the main character) over came the death of her father, found her self while she explored the canyons and how she learned to love again after the great loss of her father. I've always loved the tiger's eye stone. When you turn it the gold just appears.

Check out those stripes! Some how they match, how cool is that? Enough babble really, Here's the stat's:

Pattern:60 sts basic top down sock pattern, traditional flap heel and toe.

Yarn: Socks that Rock Tiger's eye medium weight

Needles: 2 sets of 5 size US1 (2.5mm ) Knit picks needles.

Started: Tuesday October 10

Finished: Saturday October 14

Notes: I'm not to keen on the medium weight STR. Its to bulky for me. These socks are nice and comfy, a little baggy around the ankle, which I'm thinking up ways on how to fix that, any suggestions? I'm surprised I didn't get more pooling around the gusset area because of the flap heel. These really aren't my colors, but I'm loven the stripage.

Honestly I can't think of anything more about these socks! I'm on the phone with Mike and he is (still) talking about the 5th wheel rv he wants to buy. I swear to all that is Holy. If he doesn't shut up about it soon, I'm not packing any socks for him next month. Geesh!

my sock history in a nutshell

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mistress Stash Enhancer) — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 16:50:00 -0400

I'm a little, ok more than just a little, behind in posting my sock history. My camera and I have been having "issues". I say turn on, it says nope. Then there are the re-chargable batteries, that the camera is eating like candy corn. *gr* Here is my story of how I walked down the road of sock knitting

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

There is a bit of controversy on this one... I have two posts that mention my fall into sock knitting. Honestly I can't tell you which sock I started first the one in this post or when my mom gave me a copy of The knitter's handy book of patterns by Ann Budd, some Moda dea sock yarn, and let me borrow 2 12" addi turbo's size US2. Mom, do you see what you've done? ; )

What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?

ohhhh, boy. This is where I open the closet door and (a few) skeletons fall out. This isn't exactly my first "pair" per say. Mom knit the first sock, and didn't like how it turned out (yeah right) so she gifted it to me, along with the rest of the sock yarn to complete the next sock. (she had a PLAN you see, a PLAN!) If you click on the pic to embiggen it, you'll see how the sock on the right that mom knit has no ribbing on the foot. While my sock, on the left, has ribbing down to the end of the toe. They have held up just fine. Why? cause I never ever where them. They make my feet sweat (your welcome!) and are not even a little bit warm. And that's why neither sock has a "real matchy" mate.

Above is what you could call my first real "pair" and I wrote about here. I used Plymouth sockotta in color 5616, and size 3 dpns. You could say they have worn very well, cause they also haven't been worn that much! I didn't know all that much about gauge back then, I followed the directions in the book for the pattern I liked. Even though I used a lighter weight yarn it didn't occur to me to use a smaller needle! doh!

What would you have done differently?

With the mod dea sock knit tighter, maybe moved a few stitches back and forth where the 2 circs met up to prevent the gapping ladders, stopped knitting the ribbing when I reached the toe decreases, and used different yarn.

The sockotta sock paid more attention to gauge. Much closer attention to gauge. Stupid gauge.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

Honestly? I *heart* Vesper. My Neapolitan socks are my absolute fav. I really enjoy knitting with Schaefer's Ann, Claudia's hand painted, Socks that rock and Lorna's Laces.

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

5 DPNs all the way babeee! I've knit with 2 circs before and it just killed my hands when I got to the heel flap and the gusset. 4 dpns doesn't work for me either, the way I have to hold hold the needles to knit cramps my hands. I really like how complicated and dangerous knitting with 5 dpns look. Although crocheting is lovely, and can create some beautiful pieces, It doesn't create a fabric that is right for sock making.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

Flap, Flap, Flap! (*snicker* Mike and I say that to each other all the time. "Flap, flap, flap I'm feeling the love here!") Flap heels fit my heel better than short row. I love the look and feel of a traditional heel (k1, sl1 to end, purl next row)

How many pairs have you made?

14 pairs of adult socks, 1 pair of baby socks, 1 sock for my SSS pal Stacey and 2 pairs of itty bitty teeny socks. I've gifted a few pairs to my Dad, a teacher at Bryce's pre-school and my daughter Corra.

Here is a pic of most of my finished socks, there will be many more to come as I've found that sock knitting is portable, fun and creates a very useful finished product! Someday I hope to have a drawer full of hand knit socks!

that UPS man...

noreply@blogspirit.com (Mistress Stash Enhancer) — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 23:16:43 -0400

he's a sneaky one, really he is... He is almost as good at hiding my packages as the mail man. At least the DHL guy just tries to run me over, just like I try to run him over (fun game, really. He flies up my driveway, I fly down my driveway. Good thing one of us was paying attention. Surprise! It was me!) sooo.. guess what!

(clicky on all pics to embiggen in this post)

My shoes came and they are too small (!?!). Even better, there isn't another one to be found in any of the other stores in the district. Think that's going to stop me? noooo... David at my local Sears, apparently felt bad for me when he called me back to say there aren't any anywhere. He told me that he is one of the lucky to unload the truck tomorrow. He promised to call tomorrow if there are any size 8's on said truck. (he better or I'll bring all, count em' 3 kids, with me to the mall and they'll be high on sugar buddy!) If there isn't, I'm ordering a pair online. If that doesn't work. Damnit I'm calling every freaking store in New England, I want these bloody shoes. damnit. triple damnit even.

Lookie see my first socks of Socktoberfest! Whoohoot! I know they look cute in the shoes, but check em' without:

The Spec's

Pattern: Corded Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch

Yarn: 2 hanks of Claudia's Hand Painted fingering weight merino from kpixie in Passion Fruit.

Needles: 2 sets of 5 size US1 (2.5mm ) Knit picks needles.

Time: about 1 week

Notes: I knit these socks at the same time, using 2 sets of dpns. I talked more about that here. I love knitting socks this way, they are both done at the same time, maybe even faster than knitting them at the same time. I casted on 64 stitches and these socks are a little loose, I'm hoping that a little bit of elastic around the ribbing will help keep them up. Claudia's fingering weight has an amazing hand, and the finished fabric? Wow. It soo soft and fluffy. I've worn my socks once and washed them once they are a bit fluzzy and where my big toe hits the sock is a little felted. But these socks are so soft. Soooo soft, like bunny soft. Really, these socks are soft.

Kid update: Corra's feeling much, much better. I think it might have been the house call by Dr. Allysa.

Bryce is now sick, and Allysa is a bit sniffly. First cold of the season. At least it was this week, and not next week!

Notice I changed the blog around a bit? Moved the buttons a bit, changed the look of my blogroll. If you want to see the blogs I read click on the sheep to see them. Many thanks to MandyJ who resized the pic for me, and is back to blogging! Yay!