Socks

Winston and Teddy would like to thank you for all of your fun comments about their pictures.  Me too.  You’re all so sweet!

It’s been just your average week here in ThimbleannaLand — nothing much exciting happened as another week sped by, hurtling us into the Holiday Abyss.  I managed to order some yarn for a Christmas project — I hope it gets here in a hurry.  With nothing really accomplished this week (I did manage to clean the pantry and do a lot of filing, but there’s not much picture worthy in those activities), I thought I’d show you some socks I finished a few months ago.

Do you remember this Downton Abbey sock yarn that I bought almost two years ago?  (Oh my gosh, that made me think about dates.  It will soon be Twenty Fifteen.  I think I feel sick.)

On my way out the door for my trip to Australia, I grabbed this yarn so that I’d have something to knit on the airplane.  And Boy, is there a LOT of airplane knitting time on the way to Australia.  Especially if you’re sitting next to the row of crying babies on one side and someone who was coughing and blowing her nose (poor thing) for the whole trip on the other side.  Knit.  Knit.  Knit.  It makes the time pass more quickly.  By the time we landed, I’d almost turned the heels on a pair of socks.

Then, we had more airplane time within Australia.  And Kellie’s children were so intrigued about what I was knitting, that I knew I really needed to finish these socks before I left to return home.  I wanted them to be able to see how those tubes hanging on the needle would become a pair of socks.  I knit a lot and managed to finish the socks the day before my trip ended.  Just in time to take advantage of Jessie who happily provided International Sock Modeling Services.

The pattern is the Mockery Sock pattern that is available as a free Ravelry download.  The yarn is by Lorna’s Laces.  And, in true Lorna’s Laces fashion, there was some pooling on top of the ankle, but it wasn’t too bad.

Jessie’s feet aren’t as big as mine, so those socks are a little big for her, but I thought she did a great job modeling.  Plus, we had a lot of fun crawling around on the rocks in the blazing sun.  As I mentioned in my Australia posts, is was about 40 degrees C (just over 100 F) every day in Kakadu.  Jessie was a great sport to put wool socks on in the heat.  We took pictures in a hurry!

I hope you’re having a good weekend.  These Downton Abbey socks are going to be put to good use here this week — we’re expecting a blast of cold air!  If you are too, I hope you can stay warm!

XOXO,
Anna

Yipee! It’s Friday! And as promised I’m back with some ugliness. I finished a pair of socks early in the week and I’m SO disappointed with the result.

I used the Snake Skin Sock pattern that I’ve used before (I love it in the red!) and the yarn is called Happy Feet by Plymouth Yarn Company.  The colors had so much promise — a pretty aqua and yellow with a blue-ish red and gray-ish blue (which is apparently where it all went wrong).

But when knit together they became one big muddy mess.  Sort of a purple-ish looking thing.  Not. A. Fan.  I tried everything to make them look prettier.  Posing with a pumpkin.

Even with a matching zinnia — one of the few I had this year.  But it’s a No. Go.  Yuck.  I don’t like them Sam I am.

They’re so ugly though, that the skeletons seem to love them.  The skeletons are begging me to let them take the Ugly Socks to storage with them until next Halloween.  Apparently it gets cold in that box in the attic.

It might be a good solution — then I won’t have to look at them!

Well, Happy November! I hope you’re getting rested up ’cause you KNOW what’s just around the bend!
XOXO,
Anna

Thanks for all your wonderful comments, prayers and wishes for BigDaddy. He gets a little stronger everyday, and in classic recovery mode, he has up days and down days. Mostly up though, and I’m amazed at his strength. As long as we have two steps forward to each one backward, we’ll eventually get there. Patience is a virtue!

In the meantime, as I said in my last post, there’s been hospital knitting. Just a few days before all the excitement, I purchased some Halloween yarn from Simply Socks Yarn Company. It’s funny, at the time, I was worried that I wouldn’t get the socks done in time for this Halloween.

I had envisioned taking some fun pictures outdoors in all the fall leaves, but a) there’s no time to be outside right now and, b) it’s ugly, ugly, ugly weather out there this week. (Sending big hugs to everyone in the path of Sandy, btw.)

So, I took a few pumpkins to BigDaddy and we had a little hospital room photo fun.

I used my favorite Ann Norling pattern and followed the sock tips that I wrote up in this post.

I know it’s kind of weird to take your sock photos in a hospital room.  But hey — I think it was meant to be.  Did you know hospital rooms have automatic sock dryers???

I was thinking they might be a good addition to my laundry room. ;-P

Happy Halloween Everyone!
XOXO,
Anna

Sheesh! I meant to post yesterday, but by the time I got home from work, ate dinner, and went to visit MeMum and BigDaddy, the evening was over.  Then tonight, we went to a movie (Trouble with the Curve — cute movie!) and when we got home we had to deal with a little credit card fraud.  (Apparently, I’ve lost my card and whoever found it went on a little 5 digit spending spree.)

Anyway, there’s been actual knitting around here! With the help of a little airplane time on the recent Scotland trip, I managed to finish my Flock Socks. Or, as I call them, my Sheepie Socks. They’re a little loose, but I love them.

I knit them so that the sheepies would show through the “window” of my shoes.  (Pardon those need-to-be-polished scruffy shoes.)

I purchased the yarn at our fab local yarn shop, which has a website.  They also have the link to the pattern.  The sheepies had fun strolling through the grass.

Too bad I didn’t finish them up on the trip, they could have had a little stroll with real sheepies.

And just because, I’ll leave you with a Zinnia shot. My inaugural zinnias have been beautiful and I’ll definitely be growing them again.

Have a great weekend! I’ll be back…oh, probably Monday with the winner of the Brit Bunny Pincushion. (There’s still time to enter the drawing if you’re interested.)
XOXO,
Anna

I’m a lucky girl and I have some really good friends. Some are even invisible. One of my oldest (as in longest known) invisible friends is the famous Ms. Brigette (aka SpiderWoman). Brigette leaves fabulous comments, aids and abets my fabric obsession, and sends me sock yarn gifts. Some time ago, she sent this pretty pink and green sock yarn and I’ve just now finished these socks. (I know, I should be knitting pretty fall colors, but I’m always a season behind.)

I’m not sure what kind of yarn it is. It’s so soft and comfy though, and it behaves just like Lorna’s Laces (note the pooling), so I’m guessing it’s a Lorna’s Lace Sock Yarn.

The pattern on the main part of the sock is actually from a man’s sock pattern in the book Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. I chose it because it reminded me of half-square triangles. Can you see them if I zoom in on the sock?

The half square triangle look is pretty much lost with this yarn, but that’s ok. I still think they’re pretty. I’m hoarding a piece of Meadow from the Children at Play fabric line so that I can make a matching shirt next spring.

Dear Brigette,

Thank you for the beautiful yarn! But Really. You didn’t need to go and get that spider to bite for us all to call your SpiderWoman. I’ve always thought you are AMAZING and I’m REALLY glad you’re finally feeling better. So, no more death-defying acts — ok? We’re perfectly happy with your awesome recipes and beautiful quilts!

XOXO,
Anna