Picture sharing again...

So, I finished the Horcrux Socks. For the group, Six Sox Knitalong. I think I have a blog button for them - - - - - - >

I have to clean up my blog buttons one of these days.... I want to put up a button for each of the groups I belong to, and I need to update the links to include some of the blogs that I read each day... I don't know how many people actually check and look at the links and stuff.... Of course, I've seen plenty of times, that a bunch of people will join a group, mentioning they saw a post on someone's blog.... So.... I better update.

But, in the meantime - pictures :)

On one of the spinning lists, (or maybe more than one, come to think of it) people sometimes ask what one does with the yarn that has been spun. Sometimes, the answer comes (somewhat jokingly) "do with it? you mean, you are supposed to knit or something?" With the meaning, that sometimes, the process of spinning is an end unto itself. Yes, a lot of people do spin yarn with a project in mind. Sometimes, though, the fibre just wants to be spun, with no particular end project. Sort of like, buying stash - I'm one who (mostly) buys yarn when I need it for a project. I seldom just buy yarn "just because". This is primarily budget oriented - that is, I can't afford to buy yarn just because it is on sale, or just because I like the colour, or just because..... So, I tend to buy yarn only when I know what I want to make it into. Now, there are some exceptions.... But, I still try to buy the yarn with certain possibilities in mind. Meaning, for example, that I will buy enough to make a pair of socks....or enough to make an afghan....even if I don't have a particular sock pattern in mind, or a particular afghan....

Back to my point (I do tend to ramble at times, lol). I now understand the concept that certain other crafts are an end unto themselves. I was having a little trouble with the spinning, because I am still in the learning phase, and I'm wondering what to do with the yarn I'm spinning - should I spin enough for socks, will I have enough for socks, will it be the proper twist for socks, etc. etc. etc. I tend to think in socks, because they are a small project, don't require a lot of yarn, and if they are totally ugly, well - they will be on my feet, inside shoes or boots, or worn around the house, where no one will see them anyway. So, who cares? What I want to do, though, is to figure out what else I can make! I mean, yeah, socks are great - but I'm starting to get to a point.... Well, I'm also getting a bit ahead of myself....

I have reached a point (very quickly, really) of realizing - playing with dye is becoming a satisfying end unto itself..... I mean, the experimentation, the possibilities, the colours -

I'm not sure if "Exploded Crayon Box" or "Crayon Box Barf" (haven't decided on the name for this creation yet) would be good for socks....

This was my first attempt at using Easter Egg Dye. I enjoyed it :)

My mind is reeling with possibilites, and my favourite wool for dyeing is on sale this weekend at my lys...(local yarn store - Ram Wools). So.... I am very tempted to make a yarn buying run tomorrow..... BUT - here's where I get into a dilema....

On one hand, I have all these ideas for colour mixes, for colour patterns.... on the other hand, I have a budget, but the sale price is tempting.... Then, there is the part about - this is 100% hand washable wool.... So... Making the finished yarn into socks.... well.... I mean, I don't mind, much - I've already got several pairs of need-to-handwash hand knit wool socks for both DH and I....

But, what else could I make? I don't do felting. I know how, I could do it, but it just goes against the grain for me. Besides, how many purses/totebags/etc. can one person use?

I suppose I could try a scarf.... Hats are out. I don't wear them, for one, and I'm not sure about the washing frequency.... DH wears hats sometimes in the cold weather, and so far, he likes the one I knit him a couple years ago....

I suppose mittens.... or maybe arm warmers - but again, how many of those will I want/need?

But, the yarn dyeing is so much fun.... and the possibilities... I mean, here it is, spring (keeping my fingers crossed that it really *is* spring) and the plants that I can harvest for dyeing..... plus the egg dye that I still have, still want to work with.... I suppose I could ball up the yarn, or skein it up, and decorate with it....

Yeah, right - I have two sweet little kitties - I think they would decide to *RE* decorate with yarn....

Hm. Seem to have run out of pictures.....

I'm working right now on the lilac socks. I've finished the heel turn, and the gusset decreases. So now, it is about forty or so rounds for the foot - then toe, then I can wear them!!! And then, on to the next UFO.... :)

Ok, I started something new.... Needle punch embroidery. Which isn't totally new, but new to me... or renewed to me - I think it was something that I played at as a teenager. I know I've done it before.... Just not for long.

I'm doing it now, though :) No, no pictures yet.... I only just started, and ran into a bit of difficulty with the fabric, but I'm starting over, and will post pics when I get something accomplished.

Update finally

Seemed like, every time I tried to update lately, either someone needed me to be somewhere or to do something else....

Later in the day, things happen, and I spend some time with my thoughts, and I have all these things - ideas - opinions - etc. - rolling around in my head. I keep thinking, 'these are things I could or should blog about'. You know, like in the "old days", before computers, people would keep diaries, or journals; writing down their thoughts, their dreams, there ideas - venting on stuff that they would never say aloud.

Now, though - we have blogs. Online journals. That are public - almost like saying things out loud. So, we tend to either say things on a blog, that we would never say aloud, because we are somewhat anonymous. Yes, it is public, and anyone can read. Yes, some of you who read my blog know my "true identity" - either because you know me in person, or because you've met me online. Which is why I probably wouldn't say anything here that I wouldn't say in person.

Mind you, I'm a fairly open person. I often speak my mind... Ends up that I sometimes have to explain myself, justify myself, or apologize at times.... I tend to speak first, think (or remember) political correctness later.... The "joys" of the written word - you read it in your own voice, coloured by your own mood at the time.... misunderstandings can occur, because what may have been written in jest is read in seriousness....

Ok... so.... I started talking about that, because my point was, that later in the day I think of all sorts of things that I *can* write about, but by the time I get back onto the computer, I never remember to do it.

So, you get, instead, whatever my fogged up not quite awake yet brain can come up with.... :)

And pictures....

Monday morning, I was going to update this blog. Instead, I got a phone call.... apparently, this coming Sunday is a baby shower for a relative, that I see very little of. However, it *is* family.... So, instead of blogging, I had to arrange a little shopping excursion.... Ok, Monday was shopping day anyway, but I really hadn't planned to buy more yarn. (One of these days, I'll admit to my stash - to give you an idea, the cotton for dishcloths - two mesh laundry bags, three copy-paper boxes, and I still haven't finished sorting it all; socks yarn - two copy-paper boxes, three Walmart type bags, and I *know* I haven't finished digging it all out yet; we won't talk about the acrylic yarn, I have two copy-paper boxes full of novelty yarn so far; I'm not counting the yarn with WIP's and UFO's.... and I'm no where near finished sorting, and that is just the craft room, I really do have a lot more that needs sorting.....)

Back to the current topic - I knew I wouldn't have time to make anything fancy by pattern, so I needed to let the yarn do the work. As I started to say, this *is* a relative, and if I can make baby blankets for co-workers of DH, I *should* do one for family.... So, while shopping, I picked up two balls of Red Heart Baby Clouds. Monday night, I made a chain "long enough" with an N hook, and I started single crocheting. Well, actually, I started out with a K hook.... After about six rows, I realized that the blanket was becoming way too dense - almost a stiff fabric. So I frogged, got the N hook, and started again... After about six rows of sc, again, I felt that the fabric just wasn't working - so I frogged back, but left a foundation row of sc. Then I started the "pattern" of *sc, chain 1* repeat to end.... Kept that up until I ran out of yarn. By then, it was getting late enough, that I stopped for the evening. I also did the size test - folding up the corner - knew that two balls wasn't going to be enough yarn.... So, Tuesday, I did a fast run out to grab a third ball of the same yarn. Last night, (Tuesday night, of course, lol) I joined in the second ball, and carried on. When I ran out of yarn, I started the third ball, did about four more rows, folded corner to corner, the blanket was square, so I did a soft scallped edging. Apparently, this is going to be a boy (hope that is correct, because I really had to get blue - I don't think white is a good colour for a baby - shows dirt too easily - and they only had icky greens, pink, white, and the yardage was way down on the variegated compared to the solid colour but still the same price) but a simple softened edge just seemed to finish off the blanket. Nothing too frilly, just a nice edge.

Other wise, I would have been working on some socks that I'm currently knitting:

On the left, we have Lilac Socks. From Jeanie Townsend. On the right, Horcrux Socks, from the Six Sox Knitalong group. For those who don't know the word "Horcrux" - it comes from the Harry Potter books... :) I'm a Harry Potter Fan. I love those books. I came late to the party on them. When they first came out, there was so much hype, and I've found that most of the time, the hype takes on a life of its own, and the original never lives up to the hype. But, somewhere around the arrival of the third book and first movie, someone convinced me to give the books a shot.... Well, I now own the first six books in paperback, and have read them all twice, and am nineteenth on the hold list at the library for the last (sob) book.... (I can't afford to buy hardback books right now). Anyway - I thought the idea of a sock inspired by the book series was a cool idea, and since I'd been sorting my yarn, and had come across this lovely Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Merino in colourway Iolite in my stash, I just knew I had to knit these socks!!! Now, I don't really need a stitch marker at this stage of the sock, (and honestly, seldom need a stitch marker at all for socks, unless I'm doing them two on two circs, like the lilac socks above)but I couldn't resist leaving the stitch marker on for the photos.... In fact, I'll show the close up of both stitch markers I'm using right now....

Ok, I'm doing the lilac socks, because it is a nice spring thought project - I love the scent of lilacs in May/June :) And, what better symbol of warm weather, than a dragonfly? :)

As for the Potter inspired socks - well, if you are not a fan, then you won't get the reference to "Chocolate Frogs".....

And, you likely won't understand the pattern close up - a zig zag scar....

The pattern as written only asks for one zig-zag pattern repeat on the leg - but I don't like short socks, so I did a second repeat. Otherwise, I'm doing the heel and foot as written :)

So.... That is what I've been working on lately. That, and catching up with my emails....

I do have other pictures that need to be shared, but as I've said before, I'm not a typist, and this blog updating is a very slow, time consuming process for me.... So, the other pictures will just have to wait.