toys are good food

Child's Mom's First Socks

I've been working on a pair of socks for my mother. (yeah, "aww" and "sweet" -- I know, I know.) I've just started the second sock, but thought I'd share some progress pics with y'all.

When I mentioned to my Mom and Dad that I wanted to knit them socks, I don't think that they really felt the love. They probably still don't (until they receive and wear them, I can't really expect much). I got their shoe sizes, measurements, and color preferences over the phone and that's really the last they've heard about it.

Then, like a good knitter, I went to my stash. Amazingly enough, I didn't really have anything that fit their preferences. No, really. My Mom wanted muted blue or green, something that would look nice with black shoes (flats). Muted?! I don't really do muted sock yarns. Dad wanted something in "boy" colors, but I had just grabbed the last of that for Matty's Den sox.

Now, I'm not officially on the only-knit-from-your-stash bandwagon or part of that cult, but I have realized that my yarn and sock yarn stashes are a bit... um, engorged. Alas and alack, there was nothing for my folks, at least this time around. (Color preferences may be disregarded for subsequent socks.)

So a trip to the Woolie Ewe and a dip into a friend's stash helped me out immensely. For Mom, Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Denim and for Dad, Cherry Tree Hill in Java.

I haven't picked out Dad's sock pattern yet, but my Mom's socks are coming along nicely. They're the Child's First Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. (Yay, Nancy Bush!)

Good Girl Purl was even kind enough to try the finished sock on for me during the KF9 slumber party. (She has a smaller foot, but it's still good to see it on.)

Taken to the limit

Matt's Den socks are all about taking it to the limit. The yardage limit, my commitment limits, and just past the age limit.

I started these socks back in late January and I finished the pair last week. Although a pair of socks in a month doesn't seem like that much time or work, but trust me these were.

With two skeins of Regia to work with, I wondered how long these socks would be if I took the yarn to it's limits. So I started some toe-up socks for Matty. The yardage didn't disappoint; these socks have 11.5" cuffs! Jeepers!

The color makes me think of moody, dimly lit dens that are all kinds of manly. Although our den is not moody, it definitely gives off a masculine vibe; hence the name. These are the first Regia colors that I've come across that don't stripe. It's more like Koigu in that there are short bursts of color: maroon, walnut, oak, khaki, blue, forest green.

I had a bit of fun with the photo shoot. Although I had no issues with the nice, outside by-the-pool shots, it amused me to take the socks on a drinking binge.

Den Socks Stats

• Yarn: 2 balls of Regia 4 fädig Color in #5441 Zanzibar
• Pattern: my own -- toe-up, short row heel, 68 sts in stockinette with 6" leg and 5.5" cuff in K3, P1 ribbing finished with the EZ sewn bind off
• Needles: Addi Turbos size US#1 (2.5mm) 32" length
• Recipient: Matty Bonez
• Notes: Was fate/kismet that I started with the ball of yarn that I did? I had less than one yard remaining after I bound off the first sock, yet on the second sock I had quite a few yards left over. Just imagine how upset I would've been had I started with the bigger skein of yarn? (phew) As for the length, they're not quite knee-hi's and Matty says that he likes them, so there ya' go. I'm not likely to try this again, but it was a fun experiment. (And now someone knows that she could probably get thigh-hi's from one skein! tee hee)

Slap Stitch!

Knitting bees not your thing? Do you like a little action with your knits and purls? Do you need a cold environment to show off your rarely-worn winter knits in North Texas?

Then hurry up and get your tickets to Slap Stitch and watch some Dallas Stars hockey!

The game is Sunday, March 18, but tickets must be purchased by this Friday, March 2. (I'm sure that you could buy the tickets at the door, but you wouldn't get this price - $22 - and there's a good chance that you wouldn't sit in the 'knitters section'.)

The details are listed in this PDF, but the basics are to order tickets either call 214-387-5549 or e-mail MMoormanATDallasStarsDOTcom. (Replace AT with @ and DOT with . and you should be golden.)

Anyone up for knitting a puck cozy? Maybe some of those Babe skate blade cozies for your favorite Stars player? Perhaps a simple green and gold hat?

If your going (and boy, I hope you are), bring your knitting! This is a great opportunity to show some knititude to the locals. But alas, no scissors or metal needles. Perhaps this is to protect the players from those stalkers that get a little 'ice fever'? Not to be confused with our Stalker Angi.

Note: Props go out to Aubyn for getting the ball rolling and to Purse-ho for her mad graphics skillz.

Happy every-frickin'-thing!

Will you be my Valentine? Gung Hei Faat Choi and Happy (Chinese) New Year too all y'all pigs out there! Hip hip, hooray for previous presidents! Woohoo -- gluttony today, then guilt tomorrow!

But most of all.... happy Knit Force 9 slumber party! [squee]

Yes, indeed. The time of year has rolled around again and we find ourselves celebrating us knit grrls. This is our 3rd year and, although we were down by one and missed her greatly, we still had a fantastic time.

Matt was a fantastic host and is incredibly kind and patient with a house full of loud and obnoxious, tipsy knitters. (And yet he kept plying us with the booze?)

I got a foot spa out of the deal, ta' boot. Which is great because there was quite a bit of work to get the house up to the level for entertaining. There's been painting and cleaning and loading up on furniture. Oh, my!

Although I don't have specific pictures showing off our freshly decorated rooms, I do have pictures of Walter helping with painting the living room.

And just so we're clear -- no one put him on that ladder. Walter is a ladder climbing fool! He loves it up there, and has no trouble going up or down. Silly boy.

(When the ladder returns for more painting we'll try to get a video of his talents.)