I Made Cookies

I made sugar cookies today, with icing. I have have never made cookies with icing. I didn't have any food color to make the icing pink I used strawberry sugar-free jello. It tasted pretty good. I don't know how to ice them and they don't look that great. But I tried so that's what counts.

Here's a picture of a test knit that I have been working on. It's called "Switchboard" by Redheaded Skydiver aka Christina Bain. This pattern you have your choice to knit it toe up or cuff down. I said I would work on this between rounds of Sock Madness so I started and was going to do toe up but for some reason I had problems. It is a provisional short-row toe up in the garter stitch. Now I've done a provisional toe before and had no problems so this time I don't know why? Was it the garter stitch? But I frogged it 6 times and decided to work it cuff down . I like the pattern very easy to remember and to work . Here is a close up of the stitch pattern. I used Mountain Colors yarn the colorway is "Northern Lights". It is a wool, mohair and nylon mixture. I don't have a lot of sport weight yarn in my stash by I think this is working out. I am thinking about doing the other sock toe up just to give it one more try, I don't carry if they are not quite alike, you only see the leg.

Now the other test knit that I'm working on I would love to show by have been asked not to till she decides what she wants to do. But I have one sock done on that one. The pattern is for a man's sock but I decided I wanted it for me. so I made it in the smaller size and used one of my favorite yarns Hazel Knits. It is a cabled sock. I can't wait to show this sock because it's turning out great.

Just to let you know We got the restaurant Tony and My Dad are now the owners of the Nuthouse Restaurant in Lynden. We get the keys on April 16Th. Tony can't wait to begin working once more and I can't wait to get him out of the house. I will be able to do house work without tripping over someone.

Well that's about it for now I'm sure I'll have more to share later. Keep your feet warm and those sticks aclickn'.

Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Family News

Well I guess it for real. Tony and my Dad are almost restaurant owners. The deal is almost done. We take over the middle of April, so things will change in our household.Tony is very excited, this is his dream to own his own business. To me it is scary but I know he has the knowledge to make it work and he will. There is no doubt in my mind there.

Micheal is doing well and miss home and Abby. Abby talked to him on Sunday for 5 minutes that is all the time they are allowed. The Drill Sargent stand behind the them and counts out the minutes and he has to answer "Yes Drill Sargent". Abby says he sent a letter and I should be getting his address soon so that way we can flood him with letters.

Chris is working all the time we never see him. But I guess that could be a good thing or not. "It " is still lurking around in the background and makes Chris feel uncomfortable at home he doesn't know if she will try to sneak in or not. So he stays at friends more then he is at home. I do wish he could get rid of her, we just don't know how to do it legally.

My life is moving right along. I have been busy, if I'm not at work, I'm knitting. That is coming along the only problem it is in singles. I have been test knitting patterns and I'm knitting one sock at a time. So now I have lots of singles, three pairs to be exact. I have to get them done somehow. I'm going to do one more test knit and then I am going to get caught up on all my knitting.
Gena and I are planning to go to Sock Summit in August. The class list was just released and registration will begin in May date tbd. We are getting plans worked up. We have decided to take the train down so neither of us have to drive and give up knitting time. I have to check out the hotels there is several Best Westerns in the area I need to make my reservations to get my discount so we can save there. We are now trying to pick out the classes we want to take and hope to get in to them. We have two we picked out the same. "Spindle Spinning Basic" it's something I want to learn and I have the spindles, I just don't know what I'm doing. The other class we have the same is Knitting for Speed. This class is given by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka The Yarn Harlot. This class examines the various techniques, attitudes and histories of the most productive sock knitters, and focuses on the “lever knitting” style. I don't know what it is but if it helps to make my knitting more efficient then I'm all for it. Now for the rest of the classes, we haven't decided. But I can't wait it should be a fun time and a great experience. Who knows we both might learn all kinds of new things that will make our knitting grow.
I post again later with pictures of my work. So keep your feet warm and those sticks aclickn'.
Happily knitting socks, Bye.

A Knitting Post

OK here is a knitting post and only knitting. If you want to know what's going on with the family that's another day.

I started on the 19Th with my Sock Madness sock, I have to admit I was distracted that day but I knitted on I didn't get a lot done but I struggled on. I finish my socks yesterday.

This pair was a challenge. Mind you it wasn't the knitting but the heel, I have never done an afterthought heel. It's a heel that can be frogged if you get a hole in it. So that part was the challenge. I found that graphing closed 32 stitches was not that much fun. The people around me made noise. I needed a little bit of quiet, do you think I could get it not in my household. I made it in too Round 2 so now to wait for it to start.

I still have Gentleman Carlos on the needles and I will get it done someday just don't know when. Amanda's sock are still in the thought process and I don't know what pattern now to use. I have seen a few patterns that look good but I'm still looking.

I'm working on some more test knits. I do believe that I'm crazy I have two test knits going at on time right now. But I love a challenge and I do need something to work on in between rounds. I finished the test knits for Emily and I do love both sock patterns that I did. I hope her the best on what ever she decides to do with them.

We that's about it for now, so keep your feet warm and those sticks aclickn'. Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Bye Micheal

Thank You Gena!!!! You are the best, it meant a lot to me too have you there.

This is my crying post. Two more days till Micheal leaves. It hit me yesterday at the end of my shift when I was thinking about fixing his last breakfast. He wanted French Toast with Frosted Flakes. This is our Christmas breakfast and the only time of year I make it. Tony had this on an old menu at some place he worked and the boys loved it. You just make your french toast egg batter and then put it into crushed frosted flakes and grill. When I was thinking about it I almost burst into tears. I am going to HATE Thursday. We are not allow to see him off not even his girlfriend Abby. I think this is just as emotional to his as it is to me. But I do want his flight so at least Gena can see him off.

Sock Madness is just around the bend, it starts Thursday, so that will keep my mind busy. I have that day off so I'm going to knit all day long just to see how far I can get in the first round. I know that I have gotten faster but I don't know how much faster. I will find out. The yarn suggested is a semi solid or solid the designer used Hazel Knits and test knit in Koigu. I have Hazel Knits. I will have to wind and swatch. I post pictures later of what I use.
Keep warm and keep those sticks aclickn'.
Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Micheal and Sock Clubs

I can not believe how fast time is going. In just a few day Micheal will be shipping out to be an Army man, I just don't see how that much time has gone by. On the 19th of this month he will no longer be a civilian but he will be known as Armyman. He is going to go to the Land of Loopy Ewe, mind you I think in the terms of yarn and that is a yarn store in Missouri. OK Loopy Ewe is located in St. Louis but he will be close. He is based at Fort Leonard Wood. Here is a few facts I found out about this base.

Fort Leonard Wood and the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center (MANSCEN) is the home of the U.S. Army Engineer, Military Police and Chemical Corps Schools, the Third Basic Combat Training Brigade, and Joint Training Detachments from the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. Some of the features include a completely automated facility, a negative pressure air system, on-site liquid and solid waste treatment and analysis, and an earthquake and tornado proof design. The Military Police Village is a state-of-the-art facility designed to give military policemen the best training possible. There are mock houses, stores, theatres and credit unions built in the village to give the trainees the most realistic training available. These are the premier law enforcement training facilities in the U.S. and include the MP Village, Tactical Clearing Center, Special Reaction Team Complex and two driving courses. Fort Leonard Wood is situated in the heart of the Ozarks, and is an ideal place to work, train, and raise a family. The installation is comprised of 63,000 acres of land which is approximately 98 square miles adjacent to the Mark Twain National Forest. Fort Leonard Wood is an inter-service training center and trains soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

If he makes it through all he has to do I will be one very proud Mom.

On to the real stuff Knitting and yarn:

I promised pictures of sock club so here goes:

Glinda the Good Witch

A skein of Madelinetosh sock yarn in the "Glinda" colorway.

"Twisted Cables" sock pattern designed by Bethany Whitney.

A Glinda drawstring KIP bag by Amy ThorntonA Glinda notepad

A Glinda stitchmarker by Jillian from Wee Ones

A glinda glitter bookmarker

A silver pencil engraved with "Are you a good or bad witch?"

A good Witch wand soap hand-made by Elaine at Beyond the Rainbow to Oz

Plenty of goodness in Good and Plenty candy

My very own magic wand, so now what do I want?

Woolgirl Sock Club

A skein of Serenity, merino/cashmere sock yarn from Zen Yarn Garden in the majestic colorway Gold Dynasty.

Majestic sock pattern designed by Elizabeth Warner

Alexandria scarf pattern designed by Lisa Dykstra

A Cleopatra themed stitch marker hand-made by Catherine aka Mama Llama A roomy silk sock sock from Lantern Moon A queen of Knitting Sock Club pen Lilacs in Bloom hand lotion An adorable pyramid gift box filled with gold and silver luster dusted Cleopatra chocolates by Gayle's Chocolates A calendar magnet with all of the Woolgirl Sock Club shipping dates A hand-made Cleopatra sheep card from a local designer and artist Willa Landino An individual sized sample of SOAK

Loopy Ewe Sock Club

This first kit included:

An exclusively dyed skein of Casbah called "Ocean Currents" merino/cashmere blend

The pattern plays up those currents in "Under the Sea" by Sharon Hart.

Included a few knitting tools, a carbine to strap on to your KIP bag which had a pen and tape measure together. A sock needle sizer.We also got Loopy KissesI also became a Loopy Ewe Groupie, after your sixth purchase you get a goody bag. I got a Loopy Ewe bag, pattern, yarn and Loopy Kisses.
This time around it must have been the time for cashmere yarn I just thought it was strange that both clubs would have been cashmere. I could show more but this has gone on long enough. So I'll have to tell you about my knitting latter. So keep warm and those sticks aclickn'.

Happily knitting socks, Bye.

I'm still here

Believe it or not I still around, my mind is just not working and I've had trouble typing but I promise to post here in the next few days. I'll show you all my new sock yarn, sock clubs are coming in. My knitting is moving along so I'll show a few pics. So I'll talk to you all in the next few days.
Happily knitting socks, Bye