I am embarrassed that it has been almost 2 weeks since I posted

I am embarrassed that it has been almost 2 weeks since I posted....I am so sorry!  But Happy Happy Monday!

I have been crazy busy knitting (hence the non posting).  Last I posted I was in the ditches of tour de sock.  I did not finish sock #2 pair.  I have the legs done on both of them, but I did not make the deadline.  I have decided that I will finish the socks, but the foot will be stockinette instead of the fancy pattern because the fancy pattern is just too much for me on size 2.25 mm (or probably any size for that matter).  So what have I been doing?  Camp loopy of course.  I have one sock done and the other right behind it (about 4 more inches to go).  Here is my first sock completed:

I posted the pattern here right before this post....so please check it out and try it some time.

On tour de sock #3, I took a back seat.  It had stranding, mosaic, and intarsia and I was just not 'feeling' the pattern.  So, the next clue comes out on June 30th.  It will be the pair of socks that requires 500 beads, so wish me luck on that.  In the meantime, I will finish up Camp Loopy and I am also working on the sock monkey sweater for my grandson.....I really need to get moving on this sweater as I am way behind:

My daughter asked me to make her a cardigan.  I will make her this one, called Birch Leaves, but not as long as in the picture using some Knit Picks Shine Worsted I have in colorway Wallaby:

I went on a motorcycle ride this past Saturday with my boyfriend and a group of friends...we just happened to be near comfort so I asked him to stop at Tinsmith's Wife so I could see their new location (they moved next door to where they used to be).  It is big and gorgeous......I think the guys felt like this:

But one of the other gals went in the store with me.  She asked me if I could make a shawl/scarf that they had up as a store display.  I said I would love to make it for her.  So she and her hubby got 6 skeins of Berroco Elements yarn in a gorgeous Cobalt Blue and I will knit her this pattern, called Tauri (it is great when someone else spends the money and you get to go home with the yarn!

Speaking of spending money on yarn.....TLE had wollmeise this past week and I just could not help myself.  So I snagged 5 skeins.  2 in Thriller, 2 in Birkenrinde and 1 Pitahaya (I already have one at home).  I love them all.  I had originally purchased ShiBui yarn in black for my project #2 camp loopy project, but I think I will switch to this wonderful Birkenrinde or Thriller or Birkenrinde or Thriller....argh, I do not know which one yet, but it will be one of those two...any comments or suggestions on which one?

Lastly, I leave you with the cutest grandson on the planet (sucking BBQ sauce off his french fries)!

Happy Happy knitting and Happy Happy Monday!!!!

Free Pattern:

Afterthought Heel Toe Up Self Striping Pattern

Supplies:

100 grams self striping yarn (My friend test knit this in Biscotte & Cie Felix in colorway Loopy Kisses)

Size US#2 (2.75mm) needles (or size necessary to obtain gauge of 8.5 stitches = 1”)

Sizes S (M, L)

Cast on 20 (24, 28) stitches using Judy’s Magic Cast on with 10 (12, 14) stitches on each needle…. After cast on, k all stitches once.

Increases:

Round 1: Needle 1: kfb, knit to last stitch on needle, kfb; Needle 2: kfb, knit to last stitch on needle, kfb

Round 2:       Knit all stitches

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 till toe reaches 48 (56, 64) stitches

Next, increase 8 stitches evenly:  *k5 (6, 7), kfb, repeat from * to end of round.  56 (64, 72) stitches.

Knit in round until sock measures 2 ¼ ” less than desired length.

Now, k28 (32, 36) with waste yarn and then return them to the left hand needle (do not knit to end of round).

Now knit the waste yarn and continue knitting in round until sock is desired height minus cuff height.

Next round, decrease by: *k5 (6, 7) k2tog, repeat from * to end of round.  48 (56, 64) stitches.

Knit in k2, p2 rib for desired length of ribbing.

Bind off (I recommend using the “Sewn Bind Off” method)

Heel:

Using a needle, pick up the right leg of 28 (32, 36) stitches.  Flip the sock around so that the top of the waste yarn is facing you and repeat picking up the stitches.  Using a spare needle, carefully remove the waste yarn to create an opening for the heel.

Work in the round….in the first round, *knit 28 (32, 36) stitches and then pick up and knit two stitches in the gap, repeat from *.  Now total of 60 (68, 76) stitches.

Shape heel as follows:

Round 1:  *k1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches on needle, k2tog, k1, repeat from * on next needle

Round 2: Knit

Repeat rounds 1 & 2 until 16 (20, 24) stitches remain.

Cut yarn with tail long enough to Kitchener Stitch the heel.

Enjoy!!!

Edited 4/7/2014:

The stitch count after the decreases and before the cuff were incorrect.  I have corrected them.  I also got some great feedback from Jeri on Ravelry.  She makes a great point by saying:

"I have found that most people have a bigger measurement up the leg, where a sock ends, than they do around their foot and ankle. Generally, I use a larger stitch count for the legs vs. the stitch count around the foot."

With this in mind, you could leave out the increases after the toe and knit the foot as 48, (56, 64) stitches.  Then, do the increase after the waste yarn for the heel, and not do a decrease before the cuff.

Thank you to everyone for pointing out my error and for the terrific insight.  This was my first written out sock pattern.  I will probably make another very soon for self striping yarn (because I love self striping yarn) that is a little smaller than this.  I gave my socks to my mother.  She is getting older and has a very large (sometimes swollen) ankle.  This pattern was perfect for her and fit around her ankle for a perfect fit.

Happy Happy Happy Tuesday!  It has been a week and a day since my last post and man have I been busy knitting.

I told you guys I signed up for Tour de Sock?  BIG MISTAKE, HUGE!  (Imagine me saying this like Julia Roberts says to the lady in the store that works on commission after Julia Roberts goes on a huge shopping spree).  I did not really read everything that I was getting my self into....remember all my complaining last week?  Well I am sorry for that.  I did finish the socks and I LOVE them!  I am going to give them to one of my best friends, Darlene, but she does not know it yet.  I barely made the cut off, finishing the socks with about 12 hours to spare.

Now, I started the second sock...it calls for a contrast color and I went with dark grey, but you cannot see the contrast pattern very well.  I am not going to tink it.  I figure I barely have enough time to even finish the socks and with this pair of socks, I will only have one weekend to knit on them, not 2 weekends like the last pair of socks.  The first picture has all the colors I could have used for a contrast color.

Last week I also mentioned about a sock coming up in Tour de Sock that will have 500 beads and that I will use Bussi colorway in Wollmeise Lace....well, now I am trying to decide between the Bussi (red) and the Magnolie Dark (purple).  I think I might go with Purple...the picture does not do it much justice.  The supply list calls for two colors of beads...in the 3rd picture, there are extra colors of beads I have.

The 3rd sock for Tour de Sock calls for 3 colors.  I went to one of my LYS's and got some frolicking feet in a bright green and raspberry pink...then I ordered a dark grey from Handu (a Tour de Sock sponsor).....One I get the dark grey, I will take a picture of them all and post it.

There is also a sock in Tour de Sock that calls for a self striping yarn.  I ordered a gorgeous seagull pattern way from a lady in Australia, her name is Sarah Lambeth and here is her etsy page....she has some awesome things....check her out!!!

Well, that is it so far for my Tour de Sock news....Oh, and I got my Tour de Sock project bag :)

Now, on to WWKIP!  Yup....it was WWKIP last Saturday and the local SNB groups met at a local mall.....it was tons of fun for all of us.  There was Sara from InSkein Yarns with lots of samples of new yarn they have...and Stacie and Steph from the Must Stash Podcast.....if you have never listened to these girls, you have to.  Go here for their blog and podcast...their podcast is also on iTunes.

For WWKIP day there was some knitting, some eatting, some chatting, some petting of yarn and some people just inquiring as to what we were doing.

Lastly, Camp Loopy.....how can I leave Camp Loopy for last?  Well, it just keeps getting pushed to the back because of Tour de Sock.  However, I did find a little bit of time to work on them.  Maybe an inch or two:

I leave you with two pics for the week.....one picture that you would think is my house but it is not....but I thought it was cool....and the second is for the best basketball team in the Western Conference!  I want to say the best basketball team in the world, but I do not want to jinx anything so I will wait for the finals to be over.

Just keep knitting and Happy Happy Tuesday!!!

Happy Happy Monday!  What a week!  How has everyone been?

I have been busy.  I think I mentioned how crazy I am with lots of projects going on....I finished 3 projects in the last week, and I think I have cast on about the same number (with more wanting to be cast on).

I finished my fingerless mitts for my Inskein Yarns KAL:

I mentioned camp loopy...here are my sock so far:

Then there it Tour de Sock...this is my first year doing this and I must be crazy.  So far it seems to be more than I can handle, but I am doing what I can.  The pattern called for size 8/0 beads....I have only worked with beads once before, and I did not finish that project.  These beads are smaller and the yarn is thicker...this is regular sock yarn (It is Barking Dogs Yarns in colorway Veronica) and the beads are tiny (1.0 mm opening) and my needle is a .8 mm.  Well, the beads are breaking on me, the hook is fraying my yarn, I dropped stitches trying to get the darn beads on the stitch, I put the beads on the wrong side and had to tink and redo, just one thing after another....but after all that whining....I am still enjoying it:

PS....I had to get the beads from a friend named Birdy....Thank you Birdy...I have some beads on order now.

I found the supply list, and there is an upcoming sock that calls for 500 beads....so for that one, I think I will use Wollmeise yarn in the lace weight.  I think Wollmeise Lace yarn is like a heavy lace or a light fingering, so I hope the beads will go on better with that yarn.  I will use Bussi color from one of the colour bag sets I have.

I did join a (lightly competitive) team....we are team Roasted (we all like coffee).

Remember my Viajante (you thought I was finished talking about it)?  Well, the awesome lady that designed Viajante, also designed a new pattern called Brickless.....it went up for sale today.  I am soooooo excited.  I have a skein of Miss Babs Yowza yarn in colorway "Biker Chick".  I have not cast on, but I cannot wait to:

Then....there is a new KAL for my SNB group.  We all decided to do the Deep Purple Crescent Shawl.  We had a little cast on party:

Well, that was pretty much my crazy weekend.....this coming weekend is WWKIP day.....We will be getting together at a local mall and knitting in public!

Here is my cute grandson, Antonio, with a fresh haircut.....Paige buzzed off all the curls...he looks like a 'little boy' now.....but I know the curls will grow back!

Lastly.....remember that cute basket I got last week?  Well, I found it's parent:

You guys have a great week....Happy Happy Knitting and Happy Happy Monday!