An Apology and Knitting

I have been really bad at blogging and I do apologise for that. For you that do come to my blog to see what I've been up to I am very sorry, my knitting has not shown up in ages. Now that summer is almost over and I am no longer working 2 jobs. Just maybe I can get back to blogging and knitting. Now that, that part is done here is what is going on in my world.

Chris has moved out, he now living on his own in his own apartment and I wish him the best. I really is a nice place. We helped him move last week, of course he had to have his Mommy help him. We worked till 8:30 that evening unpacking boxes and getting things in order. When we got everything unpacked we discovered that he didn't pack his futons or a chair of any kind, I though it was rather funny. Here he is with a new place and not a chair to sit in. He took me home and had me fix him food. What a great kid. I gave him a chair so he could sit on something other then the floor that night. We took another load of things over for him the next day and now he is fairly well settled in. but he does tell me that he is homesick and wants to move home but he did sign a lease for 1 year.

Micheal got a JOB its not what he wanted but it's a job. He will be working again at the Casino. Once again as a slot attendant, working graveyard. At least he has a job and can feel good about himself again. Now to get him to move out of the house.

Mom and Dad are doing good. Mom had knee replacement surgery and is doing good getting around. We will see how she is doing this Wednesday we are going to see a Mariner's Game so we'll see how she does. We are taking the train down the game is an afternoon game. It should be a great day.

Tony is working all the time at the restaurant. He takes a half a day off a week so I guess that great. He loves what he is doing and can't think of anything else he would rather be doing unless it is fishing. Him and Dad have been talking about taking a day and going fishing on the Skagit. We will have to wait and see.

Now for myself, my last day at the Best Western was Sunday. I am going to still work a banquet here and there if my schedule allows it but that will have to wait and see. I am officially full time now at the Nuthouse Grill. I sure hope that I haven't screwed my self up with this change. I Know that it is for the best I just hope I don't let Tony down. That would be the worst part of all of this.

Now for my knitting:

I did a quick test knit before Sock Summit for Gwen Horn, she is an Indy dyer, Yummy Ice Cream Yarn. This pattern is called "Paw Tracks" a simple pattern to knit but the yarn was so yummy to knit with.

Then did a test knit for Emily aka TelmahQ on ravelry. This was a fun knit I hope to show you all one day but you know when it comes to test knits you let them sit till the day that they have been released.

The next picture is a picture of Gena's Boss Ann with the sock that I knit for her. I love the expression of her face you can tell that they where a hit and she loved them. I'm glad that she liked them. the pattern was Katie a pure joy to knit and that I had so much fun knitting this pair of socks. I got them done at Sock Summit so that Gena could hand them over for letting her get the extra days off.

I also finished my homework for one of my classes, Toe Up for the Stubborn, taught by Deb Barnhill. This was a great class it just wasn't long enough you didn't get time to knit so on the way home I did the heel. The sock has a gusset, heel turn and a flap. I just never got the concept

of doing this with the pattern but now it is so easy that I can't wait to do it again. I used the pattern by Wendy D. Johnson, "Nanner", the yarn is Lorna's Laces "Red Rover".

A very easy pattern to remember. These socks are for me!!!!

I have decided it is time to finish the Lumimare Sock that I started a while back. So I'm on the second one and am working up the leg. This sock is the one that I have been toting around in my bag. It doesn't require a lot of work you can easily memorize the pattern. Now for at home I am

working on a "Mystery Sock KAL" this has been very interesting. You get the sock pattern in clues and you knit away. So far I have parts 1 and 2 done on only 1 sock. Part 3 the heel flap came in Saturday so I hop to get working on that. Most people are doing much better then me, they have 2 sock going or through the 3rd clue. I'll catch up in my own sweet time. This pair I'm using Hazel Knits "Sanguine Peach" and they will be for ME!!! I decided it's time to knit for me.

I have also been working with my spindle. I can spin the roving into somthing I think you can call yarn. I'm just not sure how to get it off my spindle and then begin to ply it. But it will come and I will get the hang of it. I got to use a spnning wheel the other day and I loved it so I guess my next thing will be is to purchase one. But not for a while, I want to get the spindle down. I'm going to look for a different one.

Well I think I've run out of works and I've got to get my laundry done. Tony want the washer. So till later. Keep those sticks aclickn'.

Happily knitting socks, Bye.

My Yarn From Sock Summit

Here is the yarn that I brought home. Here is two jumbled up piles of yarn. Does the bumper sticker tell the truth.
From left to right, here goes the purchases: from Knit Witch Yarn Bridge to the Summit, "Portland Rain" and "Brewtopia both yarns are 100% Superwash Merino. The next three are from Mama Llama, "See Spot Run", "Winter" and "Hero". All are a Merino nylon mix. Laying on top is a Fiber Optic Yarn, Foot Notes, this yarn is a Batik, she dye it with 25 colors let it dry and then redye it again. This is one of a kind.

This next group is from one of my all time favorite dyers Miss Babs, she was so wonderful to met in person. All thses colors were dyed just for Sock Summit. "Timberline", "Oregon Cellars" Variation 2, "Roaming Mountain Morning" "Tennessee Moonshine" and "Spinel Ruby". I love all her colors.

In this picture there is The Sanguine Gryphon, Eidos, 100% superwash merino wool "Ctessipus". The next three yarns are from Wool Candy, sweet yarny treats, bamboo merino, "Sakura", 100% superwash merino, "Downtown Dusk" and "Microbrew" both of these colors were in Dye for Glory. The last skein is Dragonfly Fibers, Dragonsock, "Fruit of the Vine" 100% superwash merino.

Lets see in this picture on top is Unique Sheep's entry in Dye for Glory "Verve" a superwash merino. The next two yarns are from Happy Hands Dyed Yarns, Toe Jamz Sock "Witch Woman", and "A River Runs Through It", both are a superwas merino and nylon. Then from Hazel Knits "A Limited Edition Color, in Reds" and " Shanny Pants", both are a superwash merino and nylon. It was so great to meet Wendee. The last skein is from Crafts Meow her Soft Serve, in "Witch's Brew" 100% SW merino, this was a skein I got for a test knit done for her. I'll show it later.

In this last picture we have from Liberty Yarns Bluetopia 100% SW BFL Wool; "Los Alamos" and "Istanbul" I love this blue I can't wait to find the perfect pattern. Of course there had to be some Socks That Rock I got 2 Rare Gems and "Sunkissed Sands". Becomimg Art her Twilight series, "Machote" which is a SW merino nylon blend. On top is a skein for Huckleberry Yarns from right here in Bellingham
I got it in the Apple Yarn booth. This was her Dye for Glory "Winesap" .

I think that was all my yarn. I bought some roving, a project bag, a mug, and from Bar Maids, I got Eursalts and a Lo-Lo Bar. Sorry if I missed things. I'll get to pictures of my spinning and my knitting next time so keep those sticks aclickn'.

Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Sock Summit Was GREAT

This last weekend has gone too fast and it was everything that I hoped it would be and more. You know how you are so excited for something and then let down, Sock Summit went over the top and was 5 time more then I could have anticipated. From the classes, to the marketplace, to the people around you, this was more then you could imagine. This post is going to be very heavy with picture.

Gena and I went down on the train, here is a small poster I made so she could find me and other knitter could join us and knit the whole way down. After arriving in Portland we made our way to the Max and to the hotel and to registration. The conventions center looked great here is a picture of the Center with Sock Summit 2009 posters hanging outside it. When going into the building you where greeted with more SS 09 posters and lots of knitters people knitting all over. They had tables set up all over so you could sit and knit and visit. We received our badges and we sat down and started to knit. We then instead of knitting people watched. We say Stephanie Pearl McPhee, Tina Newton, the Ravelry people. We seen people we thought we knew but we're not sure of who they are.

Day 1 of Sock Summit, we didn't have classes. But the Marketplace opened at 4:30 and we wanted to be there for that. So we sat and knit and watched people set up their boothes. I had to wipe the drool off my face continuously. The yarn was calling my name nonstop. At about 4 pm we where asked to leave the area that we where sitting and asked to get in line. We where in the front. The marketplace need a few more minutes so we got to sing a song, One hundred bottles of beer on the wall. Quickly Stephanie ran up and changed the song to----- One hundred skeins of yarn on the wall one hundred skeins of yarn you take one down pass it around 99 skeins of yarn on the wall. Come on everyone join in so we sang. Finally the marketplace opened, imagine a thousand yarn deprived knitter wanting the same skein of yarn. OMG it was crazy but fun. I think about half of the knitters had the same idea as Gena and I did, we have to get to Yarny Goodness first. They had 3 or 4 of the indy dyers that we wanted. That were in the Dye for Glory contest. But alas, we didn't get the one we wanted but we did score, 2 skeins each from Knit Witch, Brewtopia and Portland Rain. I'll show you all the yarn later.

This marketplace was great, beyond words we wondered around and made some purchases, made some more purchases. After 2 hours we where both in sensory overload. Our minds went blank, we could not function any longer. The yarny fumes fill our minds and put us in to a yarn heaven, all our sense where in true overload and we didn't know what to do next.

Day 2 we had our first class, Basic spindle spin, our instructors were, Abby Franquemont & Denny McMillan. This was a great class and we both enjoyed it and we are now spinning and once we got it, wow it was great. Here is a picture of Denny, Gena and Abby. We talked to everybody we seen with a spindle to glean them for more information so we could understand more. And now we both are spinning.

After class we went to the book signing and got signatures from Cookie A, Cat Bordhi, Nancy Bush, Charlene Schurch, and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, they had more authors there but you can carry only so many books.

Day 3, we took a 6 hour class Sock Heels given by Heather Ordover. We learned the Dutch, French, German, Welsh and a Sherman Heel. I wanted to learn the Sherman and the Welsh. I liked the Welsh fit the best I just have to remember to make it. The Sherman is an easy short row heel. I'm glad we took the class, we learned a lot now I just have to recall it all. In our lunch break of that day we went to one of the ballrooms and attempted to break a Guinness Book of World Records. To have the most knitters knitting at one time on two needles not 4 but 2 in your work. The last record was set in Australia with 250 some knitter. So sure we can beat that. Here is a link to a quick video about us I thought it was a good article and all. http://blog.oregonlive.com/knitting/2009/08/video_at_sock_summit_knitters.html
After class we did some more shopping but not much.

Day 4 Our last day, we had Toe Up for the Stubborn. We where taught by Debi Barnhill. She was a great teacher. We learned how to do a toe-up sock with a gusset, heel turn and a flap. I have tried to do this but just couldn't grasp the whole concept of it. We learned the math of this heel and how to do it. We didn't have the time to actually knit. So on the train home I did it, it was great.

After getting home I was tired and a little sad it was all over. But there is good news from what I hear there will be a Sock Summit 2011 so start to save money. I hope to see you all there then.

We got to meet Woolgirl Jenn, Mama LLama, Miss Babs, Hazel Knits Wendee and so many great vendors, teachers, and people, I can't tell you how wonderful this weekend was and that I wish you all could have been there maybe next time.

I'll post yarn pictures later today my fingers are getting tired of typing.

Happily knitting socks, Bye.