First, I really enjoy dropping stitches. It’s the same feeling I used to get when a teacher would suddenly announce that a test was open-book. Legal cheating?!? wheeee!!! So, I’m on my just dropped some stitches high, and I’m knitting along and the pattern says to knit the heel flap. About halfway through the heel flap, I realize that the stockinette fabric is thin. Too thin for a heel – these will be worn out in no time and since they’re a gift, that simply will not do.


Now, I’m, at the very least, an intermediate sock knitter, so I get a little smug and rip back the heel flap, I read a little bit of the The Knitter’s Book of Socks and begin again with a lovely slip stitch flap. I finish that up, admire my handy work and then go back to the pattern to see what she has planned next…

…only to realize that the pattern ACTUALLY says that I should have done a slip stitch heel to begin with. Nice. At this point, I realize that I have two pattern reading modes:
– Test and complex knitting mode, where I read every comma, every word, every stitch.
– and evidently pattern scan mode where I assume I know what it says. In case you’re wondering, this is not the most efficient way to knit.

Mine raveled here

Ps. To see what other folks are working on, go check out Tami’s Amis and Small Things Yarn Along (I’m listening to/reading “The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That Make You Feel Alive” audio book – so far, I give it a 6.5/10).

Tags: Claire de Lune, Dizzy Lettuce, knit, lichen, Night of the Living Socks, sock yarn, Walking Dead, WIP Wednesday

1. First, the Iron Man theme song is my favorite thing about the franchise and I wanted more.

2. Adam Pally (Max from Happy Endings) was wearing a stranded sweater under an unbuttoned flannel and jacket, but he was only in the movie for one hot minute, so finding a pic of him wasn’t feasible (translation: I tried). Here’s something similar, but the one Adam was sporting had a lighter, more airy pattern that was also a bit less snowflakey. I’ve never considered wearing a flannel over a sweater and I’m not sure I’m a fan of that look.

3. Iron Man’s young helper friend (Ty Simpkins) was wearing a pretty cute knit hat at one point, but sadly, I cannot seem to locate a pic of that either (boo!). This one has the same aura, but Ty’s did not have a pom pom and had a brim that was rolled up.

4. This movie had a shot of the Audi e-tron and it is nice. But, if it were me and I had somewhere between $100-200k to spend on a car, I’d still go for a Tesla.

5. I digress. Overall, the movie was quite good for a third film. Plenty of nice action sequences and special effects. As a smart geeky type, Iron Man is definitely on my preferred list of superheroes and I continue to think Robert Downey, Jr. fits the role well. Gwyneth Paltrow is Pepper Potts. Warning: this movie is likely to make you want to go for a jog – everyone looks great. And finally, I am always amazed that Guy Pearce makes as good a bad guy as he does a good guy. He’s versatile to say the least.

Tags: e-tron, hat, Iron Man 3, knit, knitting movie review, sweater, Tesla

I can be a bit of a self help nut. (It’s one of the reasons I’m such a happy person….well, besides the fact that I have no choice but to be awesome.)

I was recently listening to an audio book (The Charge) and if I’m being honest, the book is a bit on the fluffy side for my taste so far. But, while my mind was wandering around in self-help land, I came up with a new life goal. I will knit 50 pairs of socks for people in my life. Now, this goal isn’t about seeking out people to make socks for. It is about documenting people that inspire me to hand knit socks. These people are sock-worthy….possibly in 50 different ways. And it is a life project, not to be confused with a Resolution. I’m not in a hurry.

And because when making goals, I like to stack the odds in my favor, I’m starting with the ten or so pairs I’ve already made. They are:

1. Mom – No one on Earth loves me like my mom. Sometimes, only your mom can heal a hurt. She’s a powerful woman.


2. Dad – He’s one of a kind. His sense of humor is without equal and he’s one of the best storytellers on the planet…..which is the reason I still love him despite the fact that he took months to try on the hand knit socks I mailed him. Something about him needing his feet to be clean. I’m not sure why his feet weren’t clean for months, but there you have it.


3. The Husband – He puts up with me knitting ALL THE TIME. He’s a saint.


4. Grammy – She’s a heck of a lady and I hope she knows how much she means to me. She is my favorite garden consultant.


5. Grandma – Clark Gable once bought her a Coke. She’s the coolest.


6. Turtle – We’ve known each other practically since birth. She continues to be incredibly supportive of my knitting and me in general. She’s a fantastic person to have in your corner.


7. Jbird – Her love of math and her willingness to visit yarn shops with me inspired entrelac socks….doesn’t hurt that she puts up with my little brother.


8. Rebecca – She stalked the blog when no one else was reading it. I’m forever grateful.


9. me – we’ve already discussed that I’m awesome…plus my feet are the easiest for me to fit.


On the needles:

10. my hairstylist/therapist – I’m in my mid-thirties and even though I’m going gray, I’ve never felt better about my hair. She’s a magician.


11. Bonita – She loaned me Walking Dead DVD’s and taught me that it is ok if friends arrive for a party and the soup is still cooking. That’s why one needs true friends.


…so, we’ll see how this goes, shall we?

Ps. Here’s a link to ravelry if any of these patterns interest you.

Tags: 100 socks, knit socks, yarn