Nana's Socks

Finished another pair of socks this weekend...woohoo! These (photo, right) were made for Nana/Momma/Edith with Crystal Palace yarn called "Panda Cotton." It's a blend of bamboo, cotton, and nylon, and I l-o-v-e working with it! So much more nicer to knit than that scratchy Sockotta blend I used for the last pair.

These socks were knit using an Ann Budd pattern called Ambrosia. Sorta. Well, Ann's pattern is for toe-up socks (which I find to be more trouble than they are worth, especially if your socks are take-along projects, where you don't want to be fiddling with a paper pattern all the time...I mean, haven't you noticed how much more complicated they are than a regular knit-the-cuff, leg, heel, gusset, foot and toe sock pattern, which is pretty much routine, other than the pattern stitches?). And, that's what I used from the Ambrosia pattern...the stitch, which is called a Butterfly Rib. It's like a mini-cable stitch, and it creates a lovely wavy, curvy rib. Now, why the sock is called "Ambrosia" when the stitch is called Butterfly beats me...except that you are supposed to use a yarn called Ambrosia, which appears to be a blend of alpaca, silk, and cashmere. For a sock yarn? Plu-lease. I have decidedly Southern feet, so I find it difficult to knit socks from wool and/or wool blends, much less alpaca and cashmere. I shortened the leg, as Mom doesn't like a long sock, and I replaced the Butterfly pattern on the top of the foot with a simple 6x2 rib for a more comfortable wearing sock. The yarn color is called "Vanilla Creme," and I think it looks a lot like real ambrosia, don't you?

I've got several more balls of Panda Cotton that I bought in Salt Lake City, so I should be working on socks for a while, but I'm giving it a little rest while I work on my Harry Potter First Year scarf. It's becoming a little monotonous...knitting round and round and round, counting rows to 24, change colors...but I'm at the halfway point, as of last night, so I have to keep going to the very end. The wool blend Encore yarn is awfully hard on my fingers, and I find I have to stop and salve-up with my Burt's Bees Hand salve...which means an end to that night's knitting, since my hands become quite greasy-feeling. Someone in the knit shop last week said she had just bought some Udder Cream to help her with dry, cracked skin. I may have to try that, too.

You know, Maredith gave me this great knitting book called "No Sheep For You" for my birthday, and I'm beginning to think that may become a mantra for me. Wool just "does me in," and I can't say that blends are the answer, either. Warmth is never so much of a consideration as softness....as the feel of the yarn when I'm working. Personal choice, I know.

Project Update

First things, first...the summer weather report:

It's been HOT, HOT, HOT for so LONG, LONG, LONG! Yesterday was a bit of a reprieve, with a high of "only" 94 degrees, but the humidity was so HIGH, HIGH, HIGH that it felt like a wet blanket thrown overhead, just to go out to the mail box. Then, there's today...where it's already 97 before noon, with 104 predicted for our high...ouch! Who wants to do anything outside in this heat? When will summer pass...?

That brings me to my (indoor) project report. Since I can't seem to get the energy to do anything outside, I have been knitting up a storm. I finished my striped Sockotta socks (photo, left) late last week and a set of baby socks in Aqua Jeannette, a cotton blend, this weekend. I worked the stripies on two circular needles, size US1, like the book pictured (Cat Bordhi's "Socks Soar on Circular Needles"), and that worked out pretty well. At least, this pair fits me a bit better than my first sock attempt, AKA The Slouch Sox! The baby socks were worked on 5 double points, size US1.5, and I could hardly straighten out my sore, stiff hands and fingers after that challenge. I used the smaller sized needles to try to get a smaller sock than the pattern called for (that part worked), but I forgot that the yarn is classified as a worsted weight 4...too fat for those needles for sure! But I loved working with the cotton so much better than the wool/cotton blend of the stripies.

I have also finished one sock of a pair I'm working on for Mom in Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Cotton (blend of bamboo and cotton) in Vanilla Cream. This stuff feels wonderful! I've adapted an Interweave Press Knitting Daily Ann Budd pattern called Ambrosia Socks, using the Butterfly Rib pattern stitch over 56 stitches (8 pattern repeats per round), but only for 6 pattern rounds, forming short cuffs, as Mom hates "long-legged socks." I continue the K6P2 rib down the top of the sock, using a Stockinette Stitch for the bottom. I'm using two circs, US2, but knitting from leg to toe, rather than from toe-up (as the pattern calls for). She tried on the finished sock yesterday and liked it so much she wanted to keep wearing it...by itself! I'll post pictures as soon as I finish Sock #2.

I took a break from knitting to read Debbie Macomber's latest Blossom Street series book, "Back on Blossom Street." This is the third book in a series about a yarn shop (called "A Good Yarn") and all that happens there. It's a great Summer Read, just like looking through the window...or, walking in to browse. This particular story is about the Prayer Shawl class that Lydia (the shop owner) offers, so it includes a couple of Prayer Shawl patterns. I'm thinking I'll make one for Mom for Christmas...shhhhh, don't tell her....

Speaking of projects, I have been threatening to take credit for these finished projects, pictured in the photos (above left and right). Aren't these Bears fabulous? No, I have to give proper credit for them to Maredith, who is becoming quite a knitting whiz. She gave both of the Bears as baby shower gifts...and they were both unqualified successes. She's got another one on the needles but is taking a break to devote time to her projects from TWO knitting classes: an Eyelet Cardigan and a Fair Isle Hat. She's also helped start a "Stitch & Dish" group at work, where they get together for a lunchtime's worth of stitching over dishes of goodies from home. What a great idea!

OK, back to my knitting! Stay cool!!

Stitchin' 'n Pitchin'

Stitch N' Pitch is a winner, as far as I'm concerned. Monday night, I got to see a great game (the Cardinals beat the Padres 10-5, with a record-tying 10 straight hits in the 5th inning, including two hits by the pitcher!), and I got a great "goodie bag," full of neat stuff like yarn, needles, and patterns. Actually, I got two bags full, as Mom couldn't use the ticket I got for her...so I got her goodie bag and brought it home. Plus, I got to knit in a rather unusual place without too many heads turning.Actually, no one paid any attention at all to me, since most of the folks around me were either knitting or crocheting. The photo (above) shows the SNP vendor area, set up in one of the open-air pavilions at Busch Stadium (below, left). I chose to work on my (second) sock that is mostly cotton...and lightweight compared to the wool blend of the Harry Potter scarf (another portable project currently on my needles). I noticed one woman sitting behind me who was working with a lofty blue yarn, probably for a baby blanket...I got sweaty hands just looking at her working with that thick, fluffy stuff! Of course, my sweaty hands were really attributable to the 96 degree temperature at game time. It was HOT, HOT, HOT...which, incidentally was the song-of-evening selected by the crowd.

You know, I've been knitting since I was 9...I've knitted at home (watching a lot of movies and sporting events on TV), in the park, in classes at school, on planes, in cars, in Dr.'s offices and hospital waiting rooms...and now, I can add "major league ballpark" to my list. Cool!

Heeeere's Paula!

What a weekend! We had tickets to the Paula Deen Live! Show in Nashville at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) on Saturday morning. Thomas, Maredith, and I had fantastic seats, right in the middle of the packed-to-the-rafters auditorium, and we were wowed by it all. Paula (photo, right) is a hoot!! She chatted with her audience as if we were old friends dropping by her house...she even had a sofa, chair, and ottoman on stage alongside her kitchen (complete with the latest Viking appliances, of course). As you can see in the photo (below, center), her husband, Michael, joined her onstage, alongside the MC Jim (who had a fabulously deep voice) and her Kitchen Assistand du jour Rebecca, and they all vied for the honors of being named "Life of the Party." Paula's table was set for 8 guests, who enjoyed the menu prepared on stage: golden fried pork chops, Lady & Sons Mac & Cheese, and collards. We got the recipes with the program...and, of course, I intend to try them very soon. Well, I'll substitute turnip greens for the collards, because as Paula said: "I just prefer turnip greens." I guess I'll have to fix green beans for Thomas, though, as he doesn't like either one. Here's a photo (left) of us as we entered TPAC to find our seats. And (right), here's one of Maredith. As you can probably see, we are both holding our Paula Programs.

Can you also tell that Maredith's gotten her hair cut? Isn't she beautiful? And that beauty is inside as well as outside. She had been growing her hair long to donate the 8-10" cutting to make wigs and hairpieces for cancer patients. What a wonderful gift!

Here's another Paula photo (below, center) for you to enjoy:


"Who is Paula Deen?" If you are asking that question, you might want to check her out on the Food Network...or on her own website: http://www.pauladeen.com/. I can't begin to explain her...you just have to see for yourself!

The one sad note in the weekend was that Mom couldn't join us as we had planned. She went to Memphis with J&J to attend the funeral of a cousin who passed away just a couple of weeks after his 96th birthday. Although I find most funerals to be so sad, Mom assured me that it was truly a celebration of his long life, including the testimonials of those whose lives were enriched for having known MJS. He will be missed.

Looks Who's Landed for Dinner

Can you tell who our "dinner guest" was? Last night, we saw this huge hawk in our back yard, and I tried to snap a picture of it without spooking it to fly away. Although a bit fuzzy and unfocused, you can see Mr. Hawk sitting on the back fence, can't you? I believe it was a red-tailed one, as the tail (which isn't visible in this photo, left), was long and reddish-brown. As majestic as a hawk is, the undeniable fact is that it's looking for its dinner...and it is definitely not a seed-eater. As we have fish in our pond (3 of them...Jaws, Goldie Spawn, and Tiger...doing nicely in their new home, I might add), not 10 feet from where Mr. Hawk is fence-sitting, and as we have a bunny family living under the deck and periodically frolicking in the garden (even though we also have 3 "ferocious" Attack Bassets lounging on the deck, oblivious to the Bunnies...), I wasn't too sad to see Mr. Hawk take flight right after I snapped this photo.

I know that hawks help keep down the mouse population...and that they also are known to attack snakes, one of my least favorite garden tenants. But, truth-be-told, I am happier when I see birds like this Cardinal (left, on blue glass feeder) and House Sparrow (right, on white copper-topped feeder) enjoying the bounty that is our back yard Bird Buffet (photo, right).

Nice quiet week here. Thomas had to hang around on Monday to find out if he would be needed for Jury Duty on Tuesday. Here, in St. Charles County, the system is to call at 5:00 p.m. on the day prior to the day on your Jury Summons to hear a recorded message about your status. He did...and found out that his Jury Group was not needed. That meant that he could close out the month on Tuesday (last business day of the month) as usual. Wednesday (1st day of the month) is typically an office day for finishing up paperwork, etc. And, he'll work in St. Louis on Thursday. Goodness, it's wonderful to have him home all week...not having to share him with the Road. I have almost forgotten how that feels!! I'm hoping that we might do something as gloriously normal as going to the movies tonight...mid-week...like we used to do before he went to work for MFTA, and became a Road Warrior. Don't get me wrong...he and his job are a good fit, and there are many reasons why it's a great job with a great company. But, I'll always wish for more time together...given my druthers...


Looking forward to going to the Paula Deen show this weekend! That should be good for a few laughs, don't you think? Then, Mom and I have tickets to the Cardinals "Stitch 'n Pitch" night on Monday. Wonder what I'll work on at the game? I've got too many projects on the needles right now: my House Scarf, a self-striping sock on two circular US1's, and an afghan that's knit in strips...all of which are great "take along" type projects (see photo to right). But, I have problems with each of them:

1. The House Scarf is out of Plymouth Yarns Encore Wool blend...and it's 88 degrees and humid outside...plus, I started this project to help me learn how to use two circular needles at the same time (done!) and now I just want to use one circ on this so I can finish it...but, I don't have a US8 that is short enough (16").


2. The Sock on 2 Circs is coming along fine, but I hate this particular yarn! It's Plymouth's Sockotta Italian Collection bought because I had made my first pair of socks in Sock Class with this yarn, which is 45% cotton, 40% Superwash wool, and 15% nylon, and it had turned out so well (even if too large...off-gauge per the label). But something's wrong/different with this particular ball. It's stiff...and scratchy...and although I love the colors in the stripes (teals, beiges, and greens), I find it difficult to work on this project for very long. That, plus the yarn seems to be drying and cracking my hands more than usual.


3. The Afghan in Strips is a perennial project for me, and I always have two or more of these going. It's a pattern I've done for years...and years...and years, going back to a Bernat Kit I purchased in the 70's. It's so easy, and it goes fast, if you keep at it. It's worked on US10.5's over a pattern of 6 rows and 16 stitches (with increases up to 32 on one row, decreasing down to 16 stitches over the next 5 rows), using any color combination to make 8 strips to join together and fringe for a beautiful finished afghan. But, it is so mindless that I get b-o-r-e-d with it quickly. I find I have to have a specific deadline looming large for a finished product before I have enough incentive to keep at it.

So, I'm thinking about getting the yarn for a Stitch 'n Pitch project called The Stitch 'n Pitch Sock from Interweave Knits. You can find the pattern at: http://www.interweave.com/knit/interweave_knits/web_projects/baseball_sock.pdf

Yep, that's what I need...another project started! We'll see...