Volcano Socks

I finished a pair of socks this weekend from the Cookie A Sock Club.  Haleakala, inspired by the volcano in Maui, is the pattern I decided to do first.  The yarn that came for this installment is String Theory Caper and the club color is Solas, which is a green-blue.  I had a skin of Black Cherry in my stash that I thought would be a better fit for this pattern and would leave me the greenish color to use for the other pattern, Ripple Leaf.

I couldn't be happier with the end result!  This was the first time I've used Caper, but it certainly won't be my last!  It is so soft, has great loft, and great stitch definition.  This pattern had two options with it as well for the instep.  Option 1 was to continue the lace pattern straight down the instep.  That is a beautiful sock too and I will probably make them one day.  I honestly had a hard time deciding which I liked better, but the deciding factor for me was how the decreasing is done with this option.  All the decreasing is done essentially on the instep as part of the design, which was a new technique for me.

The effect I think is really striking!  So very clever and so very Cookie A!

We have a beautiful sunny day today so I went outside to get some natural light pictures.  We've had a coooold wind for the last few days so we haven't stayed outside very long.  Poor Neal just wanted to play and kept bringing me his toy because in his world, that's what we do outside.  The third time I told him "Wait" he laid down with his toy and wouldn't even look at me. Poor Nealy.  He's ready for spring too!

The next installment is due the first week of April which is next week!  I was so happy with the first one, I can't imagine what the next one will be like :-)

Prince Monkey

I have a finished pair of socks to show you!  This is the February pattern for the Knit Sock Love KAL that I'm participating in.  They've been finished for about 10 days, but with my boys all home last week for Spring Break I didn't get a chance to blog them.  I was far too busy making all their favorite treats and meals and keeping up with dishes and laundry!  Anyway, back to the socks......  We were allowed to modify the ribbing, heel and toe this month.  You can see in this photo (click to enlarge) that I did substitute a slip stitch heel.  I prefer they way they look and I think they last longer.

I also did a picot edge cuff.  They're so sweet and I love the way it looks with this pattern.

No mods to the toe, but who doesn't love a toe pic.  I love the way the striping changes as the stitch count changes too.

Here are the details:
Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A
Yarn: Socks That Rock Lightweight
Color: Purple Rain (I hear Prince's song in my mind every time I say this)
Needles: 2.5mm magic looped
CO: February 23
Finished: March 13

The pattern for March is Thelonious, which I actually test knit.  I'm going to substitute Ripple Leaf for March.  I better cast on pretty soon, the end of the month is approaching quickly!

WIP Wednesday

Here it is Wednesday again already and I have some progress to show you.  I've finished the first sock of pattern #2 from the Cookie A sock club.  I've started the second sock and I'm half way down the foot already but I didn't take a picture of that.  I should have these finished very soon!

I'm making great progress on my Flint sweater too.  I have enough length on the body now to start the bottom lace border. I'm getting anxious to finish this because I think it will be perfect to wear for spring.

So what should I work on tonight?  Finish the sock or the body of the sweater?

10 on Tuesday

 10 Reasons to be Glad it's Spring!

It's seems like this week's topic is wishful thinking for me, because THIS is what I woke up to this morning!

I usually don't mind winter weather, but last week we had a couple days in the 60's and 80% of the snow in my yard was melted.  I guess I made the mental adjustment to the next season because today I think Mother Nature is an evil wench!  So let's count down the reasons why....

1. Birdsong.  I never quite notice when the birds finally do leave for the winter, but I always have a day in the spring when I stop whatever I'm doing because I just realized the birds are back and I hear them singing.
2. Daylight. There's more of it every day :-)
3. Cadbury Mini Eggs.  You can only buy them around Easter. Yum!
4. Maple Sugaring. It's such a traditional New England Spring activity.  I love the look of the buckets on the trees and the smell of sap reducing.
5. Peepers.  I find their sound soothing.
6. Loons.  They will be back to the lake very soon. 
7. Opening the windows.  I've already had the house windows open a couple times.  I love having fresh air in the house.
8. Planting Flowers.  I like going to the garden center and deciding what I'm going to plant for the year and what I'll fill my pots, window boxes, and hanging planters with.
9. Planning my Vegetable Garden.  I grew a few vegetables for the first time last summer.  I had mixed success, so I am looking forward to making some changes and trying again.
10. Getting the Convertible out!  I love my little car :-)  I put it away for the winter by December 1 and don't allow myself to get it back out until April 1.  10 more days!  Woohoo!!

Thanks for a fun list Carole!

WIP Wednesday

So what have I been working on this week?  Let me show you!

First up is pattern #2, Haleakala, from the Cookie A Sock Club.  Yes, #2!  There are 2 patterns in each shipment, 2 cookie recipes, and yarn.  I'm so glad I joined this club.  I received the first shipment a couple weeks ago and I am completely thrilled.  The yarn is Caper from String Theory.  I've had some in my stash since Stitches East 2009 but hadn't used it yet.  I decided to knit pattern #2 first with Caper yarn I had in my stash.  This color is Black Cherry and I think it's a great fit for this pattern.  The club color is Solas, which is a tealish color and I am saving it for pattern #1, Ripple Leaf.  I'm just past the heel turn for sock #1.

The second project I'm working on is a pair of Monkey socks.  Monkey is the February pattern for the Knit. Sock. Love KAL.  I'm using Socks That Rock lightweight in Purple Rain.

My third project is my Flint sweater.  I've separated the sleeves and I'm working on the body now.  I've got just over 4" of the body complete with lots more to go.  I have to say that I'm really enjoying this stockinette knitting.  I haven't done plain stockinette in a while.  It's very therapeutic!

The mittens didn't get any attention this week. I'm thinking about frogging them and starting again.

I'm not completely happy with the floats on the inside and I really don't think it's something that will work itself out in blocking.  They're in time-out while I think about it.

What's on your needles?

10 on Tuesday

10 Favorite Smells

I love this idea!  Scents are part of our everyday life and we take them for granted.  But there are scents that make you smile, make you cringe, and ones that just make you think of home.  Here are some of my favorites!

1. Lilacs.  Lilac is my state flower, and my childhood home town is known as The Lilac City.  There is a stretch of road on Rochester Hill, Route 108 near the airport, that has a row of lilacs at least 1/4 mile long.  In fact it might be closer to 1/2 mile long.  Every spring I make a point to drive along that road with my windows open and just soak in the scent. Mmmmmmmm :-)
2. Fresh Cut Christmas Tree.  I love how it fills the home.
3. Spring.  I'm not sure how to describe it, other than it's the warm moist smell in the air when you know the trees and flowers are preparing for a new season.
4. The Ocean.  I don't know why I love this one.  Maybe it's a remnant of my childhood when a day at the beach was a huge treat, and I knew we were almost there as soon as I could smell the salty air.
5. Chocolate Chip Cookies fresh from the oven. Rainy day, snowy day, test day, crappy day, happy day.... a warm cookie is always just the right comfort.
6. Cinnamon Rolls.  In this house they mean Sunday morning big family breakfast :-)
7. A new Baby.  I wish I could bottle that scent and pull it out when I'm missing my boys.
8. Puppy Breath.  It's like new baby smell.  I have to say I thought it was just me until I got a puppy 2 years ago and took her to the vet for her 1st check up.  I can't tell you how many of the vet techs hugged and snuggled her with coos of "Oooo,  Puppy Breath!"
9. Garlic being sauteed.  It usually means there's a GREAT meal being prepared.
10. Fresh Baked Bread, it just makes me think of Home :-)

So those are some of my favorites.  What are yours?  If you'd like to play along each week, visit Carole here and sign up!

Olivia d'Hedera

Life has been a little crazy over the last couple weeks at my house!  But vacation is now over, the 4-legged house guest has gone home, I'm getting close to being finished painting the boy's bedrooms, and Chandler's hockey season came to end yesterday with a well fought 4-3 loss in the semi-final game.  I have 5 days to breathe and finish catching up before Matthew and Justin come home for Spring Break and Chandler's Spring sport season begins!

During all this craziness I have been poking away at some knitting and I have a finished project to show you!

Pattern: Hedera
Yarn: Lime and Violet Sasquatch Superwash Sock
Color: Olivia d'Havilland
Needle: 2.25mm and magic looped
Mods:None

You may remember that I mentioned that I am going to try to knit my way through Cookie A's newest book Knit. Sock. Love with a group on Ravelry.  This was the first pattern to be cast on in January. I managed to get these finished by the deadline, which was the end of February. The yarn was a prize/gift from Mapleweave. I love the color and I think it worked great with this pattern!

Thanks for visiting!  Be sure to check back soon as I have lots to show you this week!