Trick or Treat!

As a rule, I NEVER wear orange -- but Halloween is a time for breaking rules just a tiny bit, right? So I figure if I can accept candy from strangers on Halloween, then I can wear orange. :) So here are my Halloween socks, knitted with Opal "Magic" purchased at MeadowFarm in Nevada City. I used my favorite pattern -- Wendy's Toe Up with feather and fan leg.

And here's my stitch marker for these socks, knitted into the leg ribbing on the second sock. I love those little kitty beads!

I have been asked how I wash my socks with the beaded markers knitted in. The general answer: Very carefully. I wash my socks by hand, so it isn't a problem. If I wash them in the machine, the markers tend to get bent. They don't snag on the rest of the sock, but they do bend. So hand washing seems to be the best option. However, sometimes -- like this morning -- I do need to dry socks quickly in the dryer. So I pinned the stitch marker to the sock with a safety pin so it wouldn't bang around, turned the socks inside out, and tossed them in the dryer. No problem.

Hot Socks Swap!

Wow! I received my Hot Socks Swap box from Hege -- all the way from Norway! (I haven't ever received a package from Norway, so I was just excited about getting the box in the first place. Silly maybe, but that's the way it is.) Inside the box were two lovely skeins of sock yarn, two kinds of teas, some beautiful beads, a cute little felted sheep pin, and a sweet note. Thanks, Hege!

It's finally (!) getting cool here in Sacramento, so I am looking forward to spending some happy hours curled up with a comforting cup of tea and a new pair of Norwegian socks on my needles. :)

And -- after some unexpected delays in my cross-country travels, I finally mailed MY hot socks pal in England her box today. Since I was late mailing it to her, I added a couple of extra treats collected at airports during my sojourn. :) What a great swap! Thanks, Laura, for organizing us.

Rockin' Sox

Last Spring my friend Emmy went to Portland -- and on her return, surprised me with a beautiful skein of Socks That Rock in Tanzanite. I love the rich, not-quite-variegated subtle shade changes and ooooo, that color!

It took me a long while to find the perfect pattern, and even longer to actually finish knitting them, but here they are at last! I used MJ's lovely toe-up Mirabella lace pattern, but with size 0 DPNs and my gauge, I had to add circumference stitches and knit additional repeats.Such special yarn from such a nice friend deserves a special stitch marker/charm, so this one has genuine amethysts and Swarovski crystals.

I wore these socks for the first time last weekend, and they felt fabulous -- the yarn is so resilient, yet soft and yummy. I can hardly wait to work with Socks That Rock yarn again. And that's a good thing, because another wonderful friend went on a yarn excursion to Friday Harbor -- and guess what she brought back? :)

Sock-ret Pal Questionnaire!

The basics:
How long have you been knitting? Since I was 4 or 5… it’s been a while!
Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter, an intermediate, or have you been doing this so long you could probably knit a pair in your sleep? Well, whenever I knit in my sleep, I make mistakes, so I guess that makes me an intermediate.

The measurements:
While your pal may ask for some additional info to ensure a great fit, please provide your shoe size, or any other fitting related info you think is pertinent. I wear a size 8.5 shoe, and my socks are 9 inches from the toe to the heel. I have a wide foot.

(fiber related) Favorites:
What colors do you love? Purples, lavenders, mauves, greens, blues, burgundies: more muted than clear, but just about anything in those color ranges.
Do you prefer solids or variegated? No preference, but I do have a “thing” for self-striping yarn. :)
What fibers do you most love to knit with? I like wool and other animal fibers, but really just about anything.
Who do you consider your favorite yarn vendors? No preference: there are a lot of wonderful sources out there! I do enjoy using sock yarns from smaller, regional sources whenever I can.
What projects (other than socks, of course) do you most enjoy knitting? I nearly always have a more complex lace project on the needles. Right now, it’s (still) the long-suffering Peacock Shawl. And there are a couple of Christmas stockings in the works, too . . . but those are still socks, huh?

(fiber related) Dislikes:
What fibers can you not stand to knit with? “Hard” or rough fibers – but then who does? To wear? Same
What colors would you never wear? I look hideous in orange, yellow, and white.

The Tools:
Plastic or Metal? Bamboo or wood? I used to knit socks with bamboo 0’s, but they broke all the time. Then I discovered Knit Picks nickel plated, sharp-pointed dpns and I love them!
Circs or Straights? I use circulars for everything but socks.
DPNs or Magic Loop? DPNs
Are there any knitting accessories you don't have in your collection but would like? I am a gadget collector, and can always use something fun! Since I have several projects going at once, duplicates are never a problem.

The Extras:
Do you have a wish list? If so, please share the link! No wish lists.
Do you like sweet, sour or salty? Yes.
Do you have any allergies your pal should know about? (Certain foods, smoke, pet hair, etc) I don’t care for smoke.
Favorite scents? Scents you can't stand? I love vanilla and lavender ( not necessarily at the same time, though!)
Do you collect anything (other than yarn and knitting toys of course)? Well, there are the frogs…
When is your birthday? (month and day is fine!) June 19
Do you spin? Dye your own yarn? Nope and nope.
Your favorite author/band/vacation spot, anything you think will help your pal know you better... I am definitely a Harry Potter / Lord of the Rings/ Memoirs of a Geisha /English classics fan – both books and movies. I love BBC costume dramas and Battlestar Galactica. I don't watch too much network TV, except for HGTV -- hooked on "House Hunters"! Music-wise, I like classic long-hair, classic rock, and lots of new stuff and stuff in between. I'm very eclectic there.

Ok, just a little more sewing

Since Son & Fiancee have multiple cats, I couldn't resist one more tablecloth when I found this print. This is a Laurel Burch design -- "Jungle Songs"-- and features cute leopard-style cats.

Of the three tablecloths I sent, this is the one that immediately ended up on the table.

And since I can't stand to leave the last little scraps un-sewn, I used leftovers from the crane tablecloth to make coasters. Perfect for using up scrap oddments! These coasters are padded, and four folded squares are tucked behind each other on the top like a french box fold. They can be used flat for a glass or mug, or the foot of a wine glass can be tucked into the fold. A quilter friend showed me how to make them while we were having lunch in a restaurant one day. She used napkins to demonstrate the technique, but for you, I found an online source of directions. :)