Happy December, All!
Today, 10 December is my father's 78th birthday! He is far away in more ways than one, but I remember all the times we made birthday cakes for him and bought him funny cards. I remember all the fun he had pestering me, and the jokes he L.O.V.E.D. to tell. Happy Birthday, you ol' boy!! Love you and miss you!
As you can tell it's been a while since I have written. I started out trying to blog each Friday, because that's my day to get away, listen to youtube and knit. Well, the first post was put up on Saturday, and the next week, I got so caught up in watching videos I ran out of time to blog. By the end of the weekend, I was not feeling well, and I've spent two weeks combating (successfully, thanks for asking) a mild infection. So after the longest weekend I've spent in bed in quite a while, I have broken my shackles and I am here! I hope I can post again this Friday and get back on track. So, as the old saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. My apologies.
In this time, though, I've been trying to finish at least ONE PAIR of toe-up socks that actually fit and look decent. I finished one that looked a bit like I had accidentally chucked it in the blender. I have since frogged the whole thing into a nice tidy little ball of black sock wool, just enough for a sock. It will later probably be either a sock or part of a hexi-puff blanket. So after I was thoroughly disgusted, I sat and pouted through several replays of NCIS (love those marathons!), and took several naps. Once I came to my senses, I cast on another sock and tried again. I NOW have one sock, and when I finish here, I will work on the mate. Yeah!!! I hope by the time I write again (on FRIDAY), I will have a pair to show! It is, as I mentioned before, Perseverance that knitting has taught me. So, I anxiously look forward to working on my sock tonight!
I also have a sweater that I am working on - my first! I have finished the back and cast on the front left side. I was working away and reading carefully, measuring every little bit so I knew where I was. However, I have hit a snag in the pattern where the numbers don't add up! I have frogged back a bit and begun again, but whenever I review the pattern again I get the same thing - an inch difference that does NOT make sense no matter how I figure it. I plan to go back to my yarn store and see if I can get some tutoring. If you are reading this in North Texas - it's the Woolie Ewe in Plano. These ladies are so helpful and knowledgeable! Well worth the trip!
Some of the best advice I have had was to seek out a local yarn store and use this resource. I find invaluable assistance whenever I visit yarn stores, and it's a necessity to have a local. If you are just starting out, go find a local store or at least a local fiber artist who is willing to be on-hand when you need help.
Another invaluable mentor I have recently discovered is Johnny and all the folks at New Stitch A Day. They have some really exciting things happening right now and their website is looking great!! Give them a look here. Johnny is a very patient, thorough, and generous teacher. So good to have resources like this, too.
Well, that's all I have for now. Time to fire up the youtube and get to knitting on that second sock! Next is a pair of striped grey and purple socks. I might make them a little smaller than the black pair, with a 2x2 all the way up the top. You never know when you make the same pattern only in different wool or colors or patterns what it will look like, but the more you do, the better you get!
Hope your week is warm and wooly!
txdonna
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