Review, Times Two

Soooo, my first comment on my last blog post was from Connie. Connie has been paying attention, and she noticed that I had forgotten to review a sock in my post. Apparently, I was so punch-drunk from all the cleaning solutions and dust that the review slipped my mind entirely!!! Ooops!

And here I am, making up for it, with Two, Two, Two Reviews in One (post)!!! After all, the May socks took nearly two months to finish, so they just about deserve their own post, don'tchathink? I started with luscious TV Yarn in the color Monk (one of my all-time favorite shows, because I think I "get" him). I ordered this yarn from White Oak Studio on Etsy. Her shop appears to be closed there (sad face here, I love her yarn), and her last blog update was last summer, so I don't know where you can find her, but do look.
I loved this yarn color so much that I was eager to start using it as soon as I opened the envelope on April 5th! I quickly cast onto my magic loop (not my preferred method, but the one I wanted to use for this one) and started into the pattern called "In The Mood," but apparently I wasn't. I loved the look of the herringbone stitches, and my needles were the 2.25mm size that I know and love for the fabric they create, but when I had finished the first of the toe-up socks, and woven in all the ends, (at both the toe and the cuff) it was a total no-go. . .as in NOT going over my heel. . .Ugh! FYI - herringbone seems to produce a less-stretchy fabric, so swatch and adjust whre you need to. . .

The pattern requires some concentration, but it is soooo pretty, and it was very well written. Even so, every time I went to pick up that sock to work on it, I thought, "Ugh!" That should have been my first clue, but I kept knitting on a sock that I absolutely hated, until I was rewarded (on April 27th) with a sock that would not go on over my heel. . .frustrated knitter was I!

But I knew how to fix it. I un-wove the end at the cuff, and I cast on again, another toe-up attempt on the same magic-loop needle. In three days' time, I had a beautiful, plain vanilla sock, ends woven neatly in, that looked about perfect. . .until I tried it on. (Will I never learn?!?) Still not going over my heel! Double Ugh!

I un-wove the cuff on that sock again, and I cast on again, but this time with my trusty bamboo DPNs (same size, 2.25mm), and I started over once again, cuff-down, plain vanilla with this yarn I love. . . By the end of May, I had knit a total of 4 socks, and I had a pair to wear! I do love this yarn, and I love the plain vanilla socks it made. They are beautiful, they fit, and I love the yarn, so eventually, they were perfect. :o)
I will not knit In The Mood again. Once again, the pattern is good, well-written, beautiful. This knitter just doesn't like it. Any pattern that makes me think in "F-words" should probably be banned from my personal knitting basket.

After the May experience, I was not as eager for June's entry in the sock club. . .but I forged on anyway, and I was really happy to pull up Snowflake Lace Socks! This is a pattern that I have had in my stash and drooled over for months, which is why I made sure it would be a part of this 12-month sock project! (Note: there is no picture on the pdf of the pattern, but here is my project page, with this photo, and a couple others!)

These were knit on the 2.25 bamboo DPNs with Knit Picks Stroll in lovely Lavendar. I love the look of these socks, and the lace was pretty easy to do, too. I so needed this pattern after the May socks, and I love the way they turned out! These will not leave my sock drawer. . .unless they are inside my shoes, that is!!! I believe that I WILL knit these again. As a matter of fact, I have a sparkly skein of blue yarn at home (might be blue and white?) and I can already feel another pair from this pattern forming on my needles. . .mmmmmmmmm!!! Love this pattern, and LOVE this Knit Picks yarn!

So there you have it. Two, Two, Two Reviews in One (post)!!! Did you find one you like, Connie? Thanks to Connie, Michelle, Cozy and Tinker for your wonderful comments on the last post. . .I love it when you chime in here, like friends around the kitchen table. You guys are the best! And thanks to everyone for stopping by again today!

Knit in Good Health!

Am I a Bad Mom?

As I head toward the days of grandparenthood (Army Boy and Wifey Poo will bless us with a grandchild in the very early spring), I have started to reflect on what kind of Mom I have been. Mostly, I think I was a pretty good Mom, giving my kids just the right proportions of love, discipline, understanding and nutty theories to help put their future therapists' children through college. . .but still, I must occasionally ask myself. . .

Does it make me a bad mom when I take a day off work to knit with the gals (and the livestock) at That'll Do Farm just because I can?
Yeah, probably not. . .I know. Especially since I have totally finished that sweater now (well, it doesn't quite have buttons, but the knitting is done), and finishing things sets a good example for kids and adult kids, ri-iiight???

Does it make me a bad Mom when I consider getting rid of these pieces of "art" that my son was graded on when he was in the 10th or 11th grade? They have been on display for years. . .

I mean, I am going to get rid of the art, but I am keeping Shaun Cassidy, Billy Joel, Spooky Scary Stories and a few other vinyl faves (I do have a turntable). The cat can't believe that I would even consider getting rid of these classics, which would have certainly made it to my mp3 playlist. . .if iPods had been invented then. . .but even she doesn't much care for the baseball-playing likeness of Army Boy in kiln-fired clay and paint. (The bat broke off a way-long time ago, so I sat it out with the giant golf ball, also in clay. . .yep.)

Does being a really bad housekeeper make me a bad Mom? I guess I should take that question out of the running, though, because today I did get some "crap" out. . .see the photos in this linky, and compare them to these freshly straightened corners in the living room. . .where the "Assorted crap the cats get into" used to be stored.

The cats would rather that I knit and blog and play with clay, because then they have more to play with all over the house. . .and leave languishing under the couch. . . As it is, they have now resigned themselves to fighting over my purse in their boredom. . .

. . .as if I had actual money in there. . .

. . .or catnip or kitty treats. . .

. . .I am not sure what goes through their little kitty brains most days, but I do not think that they would agree that a good Mom has to be a tidy person. . .

Of course, even I sometimes like to be tidy. And this was a good Saturday to be that way. The Hubster is Golfing, and College Girl is working, and so the house is quiet and not in danger of getting messy again until after 5 o'clock. . .it actually feels good to get some pieces-parts of this place picked up! And so I light up the blueberry pancake candle to celebrate as I sink onto the sofa to watch a sappy movie. . .ahhhhhh!!!

WAIT!!! I do have proof that I am not a bad mom! Look!, I took a picture of College Girl, and I am including her in the blog. . .bragging even! It's even a milestone moment. . .today is her last day at Wendy's, where she has worked for the past 6 years. This was/is her first job, and she has learned much about life through her experiences there. Her biggest lesson? That she would eventually like a career that does not involve the phrase, "What kind of sauce would you like with those?"Yay for her!, and good luck in finding a new job soon. . .college girls need money, you know. . .and college parents are sometimes broke, especailly when they ditch work to knit!

Well, that's all that's going on here today. . .some cleaning, cat herding and crafting before the crazy family comes home. I think it's possible that I even miss them. Well, whaddyaknow? I am a good Mom!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Thundering Forward!

That's what the Alpaca do at That'll Do Farm when Farmer Gal opens the gate so they can head out to play on the hill. I think the goats were a little miffed that they were still stuck in the barn, but I am sure they will also have their chance to romp in the pasture. . .and I know that a goat hill is in the planning phase, so there will be ample opportunity for goat's-play in their future!
I visited the farm for the first ever "Sit-n-Knit" there yesterday (I played a little hooky from work). One of the farmer gals writes a pretty good blog, "laugh-out-loud-in-a-room-by-yourself" funny, about the going's on of the livestock and their keepers. Since my visit, this place promises to become one of my very favorite places, especially since the chickens are friendly and the proprietor gives yarny gifties from time to time. . .see that mitt there? A little sample from Charm, one of my new alpaca friends. I think that this is my first experience with knitting alpaca, and this soft and fine, silky yarn (mixed 90/10 with a little merino) has me and my needles hooked! This mitt was turning out a little large, so I pulled it out to start over on a few less stitches. . .secretly, I am glad that I get to knit it again! It is luscious! I will be buying more of this. . .yarn diet or not!

Not nearly as luscious, here is another yarn that I havespun (or over spun) and just recently plied. I am calling it a success, although not a smashing success. . .but, it is plied. :)
However, just like the knitting machine, I may be finding that spinning really is not my thing. I tried Navajo plying with these singles that I had spun some time ago, and while I was plying, I thought it was going well. It felt mostly soft, and did not seem over-spun or kinky. . .until I gave it a soak, which I have read that you should do with your plied yarns before knitting them. However, when my yarn hit the water, it really kinked up, and I had to weight it pretty good while it was drying. . .the resulting yarn is a little kinky, a little wiry, and doesn't really seem like it will make for fun knitting. I guess there's not that much there (maybe a bookmark?), so it's not such a big deal, but I am getting a little frustrated with the spinning.

I am quite happy to report that I am NOT frustrated with the knitting! As a matter of fact, I am quite enjoying the September socks, Squall in Zitron Trekking XXL, which is a funny name for a super thin yarn! I am knitting these on 2mm needles, 72 sts around for my "average woman's foot." I love that this yarn looks "stormy (not sure of the colorway, but it's dark blues/greys), and the pattern is squall. . .and it's fall, when the rains come and the days get a little gray. . .perfect! More of a review on this sock when it is finished, I promise!
However, if you absolutely need a "Sock in Review" today, well you are in luck! Up this week are the Catnip Socks I picked for the April edition of my Sock Club, although they were completed before April even began. . .more about why that was a good thing on Saturday! These socks were worked in Lion Brand Sock-Ease, in the Rock Candy colorway, which I did not realize was a self-striping yarn until I was well established on the first sock.

This pattern was not my first toe-up sock, but it was my first toe-up with a reverse heel-flap and gusset. The lace was not too taxing, and the foot and leg sections seemed to knit up very quickly! For me, however, I really did not enjoy the reversed heel shaping. . .it was fiddly, and I was unfamiliar with the technique on such a small scale. (I used a similar technique on a larger scale to knit a top-down, set-in sleeve right into an armhole, and it did not seem as difficult. I am still not sure I like the way it looks, though.) I may try this heel-style again, and I would knit these socks again, without a second thought. . .I really like them!

If you are adventurous, and you like to try new things, give this heel construction a shot! Otherwise, knit it toe-up or top-down using your favorite heel. . .it's a wonderful sock!

And just like the Alpaca, I find that I am "Thundering Forward," in knitting and in life! There are Christmas projects on the needles, and a wedding, baby shower and bridal shower in the planning phases. I am so glad that the cooler weather has descended upon my little corner of the world, and I am knitting with wool to celebrate so many occasions. I hope that you can find something to celebrate in your life today!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

It's beginning to look alot like Autumn!

Kids are back to school!
Watch out for the yellow bus, and don't you make such a fuss
September's here so mind the Golden Rule!

It's beginning to look and feel like Autumn!
Sixty-six degrees -
Last week it was really hot, today it is really not;
Summer's end is just what I can seeee!
It's beginning to look alot like Autumn! (Autumn!) Autumn! (Autumn!)

Haha! Get it? That's my Summer's End sweater up there! It had been two weeks since I had worked on it in earnest, and then I pulled it out a knitting on Thursday night this week. . .I am ready now to join the sleeves to the body, and it was all I could do to take this cozy sweater off my lap to get anything done today!

Recently, we had a little heat wave, with temps up in the mid 90s! Now, it's not odd for the temps to go that high in my neck of the woods, but we generally expect that more toward the middle of summer. . .and (as you may have read earlier here), Fall is nearly on us at this point! Ugh!

But today. . .today, the high temperature was a glorious 66 degrees Farrenheit, sunny and windy with a spotty shower here and there! I wore my Harumi cardi over a long-sleeve tee with JEANS! And, of course, I took the opportunity to knit on thick wool. . .luxurious! Know what else I did?

Well, Sweetie and I went to give blood, because it had been 8 weeks. It all went without a hitch. . .for Sweetie, that is. It seems that my iron was a bit low, so I waited, and knit on some Christmas presents. . . I have not had low iron since I was a teenager! Weird. But, I can try again in a week.
After we got home from the blood bank, I decided that I could not do this gloriously cool day without peanut butter cookies, so here they are!
Or, rather, were. . .and they were delicious! Yummm! The veggies and chicken were good too, but we still have some of those leftover, so I don't miss them as much as I miss the cookies. . .sigh!
It should still be cool enough to make a few more cookies tomorrow, and I already hear the oven calling to me!

We also joined the fun at a little get together today with some friends, and let me tell you that any excuse to have a pinata can make for a fine day! We had fun watching the kids take their swings, run and play, and devour sugary treats. . .soon-to-be-grandparents heaven! Bonus!-the party was down the road aways, so there was also car knitting on the Squall Socks, the September edition in the Sock Club!

And, speaking of the Sock Club, here's my latest review!

If you are looking for a sure-thing sock-knitting experience, try Harris Tweed Socks! I knit these in Knit Picks Stroll (grass), on 2.25mm needles, 64sts. The pattern is a variation of a 2x2 rib, and it's a real no-brainer. . .this is a great pattern for a man's or woman's sock, and it will also "play nice" with those self-striping yarns! I did these in the solid, but you can see how lovely the straight lines would work with most any yarn!

These socks are a must-do for a beginning sock-knitter! Just enough pattern to keep it interesting and supply you with a little "instant knitting gratification," while being simple enough to master while you are learning basic sock construction! Win-Win!

Now, I have a loaf of bread in the oven for tomorrow's breakfast, so I am gonna sign off before it over-browns itself. I hope that your Autumn is filled with splendor when it arrives at your destination, and that it is filled with the sights, smells and sounds of all the best things fall has to offer!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Tu-torial, Tu-torial! How lovely are your pictures!

The clay so green, it looks like spring,
And red and yellow fun it brings,
Tu-torial of Polymer Clay -
Oh, show me how to make a cane!

Did you ever wonder how the picture gets into one of those little, flat beads? I know that I did, and so I did some research and learned also how to make picture beads myself!

So much to share today, and so many pictures, bear with me folks! Later on, there will be a little (read: few words, many pictures!) tutorial on how I made a Christmas Tree cane of polymer clay, which I then cut into beads for use on my Row Counters!

But first, as promised last time, Sock Pattern and Yarn Review #2:
In February, I pulled Edwardian Boating Socks out of my bin for my February Socks! The yarn is 5th Avenue Funky Sock Yarn, by Herrshners, and I had only one problem with this yarn, as it was not what I expected it to be. On the website, it stated that the yarn was wool/nylon, but when I read the label, it said Acrylic/nylon. . .that's a big difference. Some people really don't like to knit/wear socks in acrylic, and I confess that I am (at times) one of them. I guess you can't beat the big A for sturdiness and easy care (don't even think about bringing an iron into the room), but it does not breathe well, and is better suited to slippers and house-socks than inside-a-shoe socks. . .especially in warm weather! Still, the colors were good, and they played together nicely to make this pattern really sing:

By the way, I love the way this pattern knits and looks, but I learned (the hard way because I never tried it on as I went) that the linen stitch panels killed the elasticity of the thing, so that I couldn't even think about putting it over my foot without a re-do! I ended up knitting those panels in seed stitch, and ultimately the socks fit. . .but I gave them to College Girl anyway. . .I am a sucker for a teenager who loves hand-knit socks!

Overall, these socks are a good bet. :o) The pattern is well written and pretty, but remember to add stitches to your regular size in this pattern OR change the stitch on the plain panels to skip the inelastic linen stitch! I probably won't buy the yarn again for socks, though I might get some for other things.

And now, on with the Tu-torial!!! It's not all-inclusive, and there are many ways to build a Millefiori-style "cane" with clay, some high-tech, some not. The following is just my low-tech take. If you are going to dive into the process, you might also check out some additional sites for more information, and refer to the use and baking instructions on whatever clay you are using. . .but this is how I turned this SculpeyIII clay:
. . .into these beads!:

Creating Christmas Tree Beads in Polymer Clay
Disclaimer: Do not use any of your polymer clay tools/ovens for food once they have been used with polymer clay! Residue from the clay can remain even after cleaning/washing, and baking clay (even a little bit) at temperatures over the manufacturer's suggested baking temp can create toxic fumes.

Step 1: Start with clean everything to avoid accidentally mixing colors. Wiping with baby wipes will take the clay off of most surfaces.

Condition the clay, I use a pasta machine, set on the thickest setting at first. . .
Then rolling it a little thinner and smoother as the clay gets softer. . .

Until I can roll paper-thin sheets on the lowest setting. The clay is soft, shiny and smooth when it is ready. . .

You can also condition the clay by simply working it in your hands, but I really love the results I get with the pasta roller. Bonus!, I don't need a rolling pin to create thin sheets!

Step 2: Once the clay is nice and soft, I divide it into small pieces which I then roll into 1/2" long tubes that I will use like Lite-Brite pegs to make a "picture" for the center of the cane:

Here are all of my colors rolled into pieces. . .some are thicker and some are thinner. I don't know how many I will need when I start, so I just roll out what I think I might need for now. I can make more if I need to, and I can use leftovers for something else!

Step 3: Stand the tubes up, and push them together to make a picture. . .in this case, a Christmas Tree for the holidays! My piece will be made up of several tubes of clay, and it will be about 1/2" thick everywhere because the clay tubes are all about the same length. There may be some tiny spaces, but these will be worked out when we "reduce" the cane's diameter.

Step 4: Now, we need a background, so I roll out some pieces of the white clay to fit into the outside edges, and to help me create a round-ish piece from my triangular tree!

Step 5: With some of my leftover clay, I make borders for the cane by putting the clay through the pasta machine again to make a 1/2"wide ribbon of clay for each border. For this cane, I want the green to be on the outside, so it's the last color I roll out to wrap around.

Right now, this piece is about 3" in diameter, and about 1/2" thick. Now it's time to make my round slab of clay into a thin tube of magical beads!

Step 6: The Magic Happens as I hold the slab in the curve of my hand, trying to maintain the flat edges, and I squish and squoosh and squash the clay, compressing it from the outside in. . .

. . .working from the center of the forming tube toward the picture ends. . .I am not "rolling" the tube, like I did earlier with my tiny clay pieces, but carefully compressing it, as evenly as I can. . .

. . .until the "picture" ends become distorted beyond recognition, and the tube is about 3/4-1" in diameter. Just keep squishing ("reducing") from all sides, gently and evenly. . .

. . .until it the ends look something like this. Where did the Christmas Tree go???

Step 7: Here comes the real magic. . .take a deep breath and swiftly cut the cane in the center with a very sharp blade to see the magic!

Amazing, no?
Step 8: Now that the cane is so much thinner, you can squoosh a bit more, and cut off the bulky end. Then roll the tube out to be as thin as you like. Mine was about 1/4 - 1/2" in diameter. Then I let the thin tube rest for about 30 minutes before I used my sharp blade to cut the beads from the center of the cane.

Note: Anytime you roll the cane thinner, the ends will distort a bit, but you can cut these ugly pieces off and make colorful, spherical or oblong beads with them. Bonus!, these "leftovers" beads will match your cane beads perfectly!

Step 9: After the beads are cut (about 1/8" thick), you can make a hole lengthwise with a pin or thin piece of wire for creating a charm later. Or, if you want buttons, you can make holes through the flat sides of the bead.

Step 10: Then bake, according to the package instructions on the clay, approximately 15 minutes for every 1/4" of thickness in your pieces. Here are some of my beads, "skewered" and ready to be baked. On some of the canes, I added thin layers of red or yellow clay to the outer edge of the cane for a different look.

After baking and cooling, here are my beads! I will seal them with a shiny or matte glaze, and make knitting jewelry from them. . .just like I did with my spider friends!!!

Whew! That was a LOT of writing. Now, I think it's time to knit! I hope that you get some knitting and crafting time today. . .maybe you should try some polymer clay!

Or you could just Knit in Good Health!