38 Pairs

Milestones. Wow. I have knit almost 38 pairs of socks. I say this because of the thirty eight pairs Barb did two of the socks. One of the socks for charity and one of the socks for Uncle Ralph. Still all told that is nothing to sneeze about. Oh wait I did complete 38 pairs my first pair is not accounted for so it is truly 38. Now there are a few singles that will remain mateless that cannot be in that talley. They may remain for single solitary socks, we aren't sure. Nevermind.

I have in my possession, of the 38 socks, 5 pair. Rose my cousin has three pair, Allan has four pair, but only two of those were actually made for him. He has very small feet so he gets some of my socks that have shrunk a bit or felted. It works for him.

Well almost all socks begin as socks for me, and then somewhere they take a detour. I begin the sock and decide on yarn and pattern and such and begin to knit, then socks seem to find feet. The sock is a bit too small for me or the sock has a mission, something happens in life that requires that, the person in question be gifted with a pair of socks. Mary Jo got socks because she went through a rough summer. I was happy to be able to give her socks. Socks are like prayers in sense, once I know the "feet" in question I am able to knit and think of those socks on that person. So each stitch becomes a prayer in a way. I think of them wearing the socks and the fact that they are warmed by my work. My friends at work who are Jewish have a saying about new things, USE IT IN GOOD HEALTH. So my socks come with the mantra of WEAR THEM IN GOOD HEALTH.

Some socks know from day one where they are going. This is good too. I will admit that I kind of like it the other when the socks detour to a person. Like the socks that so far are my favorite of favorites. I liked them so much that I donated them to our work charity. However, they ended up being purchased (far too cheaply) by my Aunt Carm. I say far to cheaply because the price she paid didn't even cover the cost of the yarn. However because it was her it was different. I am still doing a bit of guilt that she paid anything for them , but since the proceeds went to charity I cannot refund the cost. It would be somehow wrong. The upside of this is, she loves the socks. She wears them a lot and it makes me want to make her a second pair just for so she can rotate the socks.

My cousin Barb ended up with a pair that I had knitted for me. Rose said I wouldn't end up keeping them and she was of course correct. We shall see if Barb keeps this pair. She has given back two so far. One she felted , one I just think wasn't her. They have found new homes.

Learning new things

I love Ravelry with a passion that is amazing. I have learned so many things from this particular website that I can't imagine life before Ravelry. All things have a darkside. I spend far too much time on Ravelry, however, this being said, I would have wasted that time somewhere, perhaps cleaning my house, ahem.... horrors.

So why do I love Ravelry. Let me count the ways. I love the patterns, the yarn discussions, the people and their flow of ideas. Knitters for Obama, thank you for keeping me up on all the things that were pertinent to the election and some that perhaps weren't. But mostly let me thank you for bringing me so much information. I have learned so many things from Ravelers and their links.

Today I found http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2006/12/casting-on-by-knitting-on-method-also.html
now this is the link to a website of a woman who has all sorts of hints and tips to improve your knitting. The link has a particular hint but do look at the other stuff she has on there, she is amazing. May she LIVE LONG AND PROSPER and keep that website going.

Rosalie Scarf etc

Well the Rosalie Scarf 2 rested for well over a year as just one small end, I started wearing the green one and decided I really needed to finish the goldish one. Now there are days when are supposed to wear Black and Gold as a tribute to the Steelers. I may be the one person in Pittsburgh who doesn't own Steeler stuff other than a terrible towel, shhh don't tell anyone. I laboured long on this baby, to get it finished and it is drying now.

I am thinking of a self imposed yarn diet. I have yarn well truth be told most of it is sock yarn. So my new years pledge is NO SOCK YARN in 2009, (exceptions to this maybe that it isn't bought for socks) okay so I have to leave myself a loophole for when that happens. But I have to say I do love to make a few other items beyond socks. I have made a few hats. Which haven't made their way to the blog or to ravelry as of yet. I now want one of these in red. I have to look at my stash and see what I can come up with.

New Year

Well a New Year is here!!!! 2009 seems weird to type that. I will admit I did not welcome it in at midnight, I was ummm sleeping. I am past the age of wanting to ring into the new year with bells and whistles and alcohol and such. A good new years eve finds me sleeping when it happens. (Can you say DUD) ? Ah well, I happen to welcome the fact that I am a dud in many ways.

Well 2008 was exciting. I was excited about the election. I was excited to witness it. I am very interested to see what Barack Obama can do with this country. I am hopeful but I am also nervous about all the things we expect of this gentleman. The country is in trouble. Not all that was exciting about 2008 was good excitement. The country hit some real potholes in life and now we have to play road repair crew, with limited funds and some people who are anxious to just see President-elect Barack Obama fail.

As years go it was pretty lousy on a number of levels. So be gone 2008 we will never see you again. Welcome 2009. Bring us good things this year. It is a year of babies to be born, there are three in the works that I am awaiting. I suppose that means there is knitting to be done. However I also think that I have projects that need to be finished.

SO I cannot cast on another project until I complete two of the UFO's in my bag of tricks. I did finish one that I am not counting. I have to finish the Rosalie Scarf, its well on its way and I have to finish a pair of socks. Then I have to reach into the yarn bag and prioritize the other works. May this year bring better things and healthy babies.