My Own Personal Sock Club 2009

I am going to put together my own personal sock club. I am not sure who started it but I know a few favourite bloggers are playing along.

The idea is that you select twelve different sock yarns and you bag or wrap them up and each month you choose one at random and knit it up.


Today, being the last day of January, I am starting a bit late. I will start tomorrow in February and try and catch up by finishing an adult pair and starting a kid sized pair.

I have included some socks that I have already started, but because this is my own personal sock club, there are no rules, and I can do what I want. Also, because I am a geek I have set up a spreadsheet so I know what pattern goes with what yarn.

Dyeing My Own

I have just tried dyeing yarn using this tutorial. I was a little worried that it wouldn't work well and I would be left with some yarn that I cannot use. Then I gave myself a talking to, telling myself that it is only yarn and Noo won't care what colour her socks are.

I started with a ball of Paton Patonyle in a creamy white colour. I wrapped the yarn around the back of my dining room chair to make a skein, tied it in six places and soaked it. I made a fairly concentrated mix of pink food colouring and white vinegar.

I applied the dye to a small part of the skein, then diluted the dye a little with filtered water and applied it some more, and continued in this fashion. I had some help from two little three year old hands, and ended up with pink food colouring all over the floor. She did enjoy herself a lot, and it wasn't anything that a little gumption couldn't remove.

I popped it in the microwave and nuked it for a while and when it cooled, soaked it in some cool water with a little wool wash. I was really surprised that the water in the bowl stayed clear. I thought some of the dye would come out of the yarn.

Pink Lemonade

I am so happy with how it worked out. I love how the colours blend well together and I am hopeful that it will knit into a pair of beautiful socks for Noo.

I had some time on my hands while the two littlies slept and tried my hand at some other colours.

Cool as a Cucumber

Sunkist

Marina

Flame

I think I can see an addiction coming. It was so much fun and I have a head full of ideas that I am keen to try out. I may even graduate to other dyes. I need to find a good supplier of undyed yarns.

Socks!!

I have three pairs of socks on the needles at the moment. I am working on a pair for Noo in Merino Bambino. They are a 2 x 1 rib and I am working them toe up, two at a time on my new 2.5mm circulars. She loves them and is constantly asking to try them on. I am really happy with how they are working out.

On the needles for me are some Sydney Socks. The Sydneys are kicking my butt at the moment. I am doing them on dpns because the pattern asks you to borrow a stitch from the next needle on half of the rows in the repeat and that just wouldn't be possible with circulars. I was having a lot of problems restarting the pattern after turning the heel and working the heel flap. I think I have it back on track now. They are working up really well, and I am loving the yarn. It is a beautiful colour with some subtle variations in the colour.


I am also working on the Pablo Blue Socks toe up. This has to be my favourite way to construct socks. I haven't finished a pair yet so I don't know about the bind off at the top, but I am loving the fact that I can try them on along the way. The Pablo Sock pattern is great. It is a really easy pattern to memorise and I haven't had to tink back too much, so I am pretty happy.


There has also been some sock yarn dyeing. More on that later when the yarn is dry and I can decided if it was a success or not.

Well he was home.....

It has been chaos around here lately. Soldier received a call on his mobile on Thursday. It was from his work. I didn't like the look he had on his face for the duration of the call. Turns out he was to be deployed again - on Monday! Three days before Christmas.

We, thankfully, did have most of the Christmas shopping done. All the pressies had been wrapped and the tree was up and decorated, and the most of the food had been purchased, but there is always the little loose ends that need to the tied up. I hate loose ends. Now I have to do all that by myself.



So he left me yesterday afternoon, with about a squillion things to do. At least the socks for my sister are done. My very first adult sized socks. I am very happy with them, but being the scatterbrain I am at the moment (can I still blame baby brain??) I forgot to take photos of them before I lovingly wrapped them up and placed them under the tree. So you will have to wait until the paper is torn off and I can take some shots.

The Boy has decided that he prefers to view his world from the seated position and gets very cranky if you put him on the floor in any other configuration. He can't do it by himself yet so is very frustrated on his belly. He has managed to work out how to get down on his belly from sitting up too. Which delights his greatly. Now he can chase his sister and the cat around the room. He is still commando crawling, and has the carpet burns on his legs to prove it.

He is home!!

Soldier is home. A lot earlier than we thought too. Home in time for Christmas. We are so excited. Time to get organised, put up the tree, write shopping and gift lists, and get the house visitor ready.

He is home just in time to look after us all as well. Noo, The Boy and I are all sick and it has made for a lot of sleepless nights and crying filled days, and that is just me! Luckily we have Soldier to look after us.

Kris Kringle

I have been a part of an online forum for expectant parents since I was about 6 weeks pregnant with The Boy. I have found it a wonderful source of support, laughter and advice. There has never been one cross word or nasty post in the entire time I have been part of the board. Unlike some of the other forums I read.

Our babies are all now six and seven months old and growing rapidly. The Boy is no exception. Out of about 70 expectant Mummies there are about 20 or so of us who are still posting and meeting up in our various cities around the country. We have decided to do a Kris Kringle for the bubbies, and I drew a gorgeous little girl.

I decided to make her a knitted caterpillar and a bib. The bib is a complete knock off of one I saw on a blog somewhere (sorry I don't know who) and loved. I really hope her Mum loves them.


Sometimes I am not sure how much people like handmade gifts. I know I love them, but others prefer to receive something that is store bought. I don't know the Mum, so I can't gauge what kinds of things she likes.

I wonder who drew The Boy!!

A Sense of Normality

Things around here have slowly moved back into the rhythm and routine that I like so very much. It got a little skewiff after the Soldier left, as it normally does. I have had to work out how to occupy two little minds, make sure everyone is bathed and fed and try and keep on top of the washing and other household duties. I have succeeded in most of my endeavours, lets not speak about the mountain of washing in the laundry, kay!! I believe that dirty laundry breeds, and makes very fast work of it. In my opinion, if it has evolved that far, how come it can't just make the evolutionary leap into the washing machine and onto the line?? I will even fold it when it is dry.

I am not so anxious about Soldier, I have been able to speak to him on a nearly daily basis and he seems to be in good spirits, and really loving his work over there.

However, when I find myself on top of the household duties all crafting goes by the wayside. I have made The Boy one bib and I have grand plans to make many more, and I have knit about twelve rows on the simple socks for my Sister's Christmas pressie. That just isn't enough creating for me to be completely happy. I need to get somethings finished.

I think I can, I think I can........