Sock on a Rock

Sunday we went for a drive in the back country of San Diego County. We drove through places I'd only heard of before; Campo, Barrett Junction, Dulzura and Otay Lakes. Not so much country out there as I thought. Lots of homes and traffic; I swear we saw more Border Patrol trucks than horses.

We continued on up through Cuyamaca where we stopped for The Photographer to take cloud pictures. While he was off taking pictures I sat on a split rail fence knitting and enjoying the beautiful day. Here's my current sock enjoying the outdoors too.



We drove by this burnt out tree



doesn't it look more like a piece of sculpture designed by wildfire?

I'm not participating in Project Spectrum but if I were here would be my entry for yellow.



We found this bush on the Main Street in Julian, an old gold mining town in our local mountains. Julian is a destination town now: Apple Pie year round, blue grass music in the Summer, apples in the Fall, snow in Winter and just plain pretty in Springtime. (Drifts of daffodils everywhere.)

We gave Annie a bath Saturday morning so she had to stay indoor until she was dry. Here she is curled into her chair.

This is the only piece of furniture that she damaged as a puppy. (See the chewed arm under her head.) She jumps up on this chair to spy out the window to see if any foreign dogs dare walk by her house. As we live on a corner most of the dogs in the neighborhood do walk by her house. She's ever vigilant and tells them to move along this house is taken - no other dogs allowed.

Photography Lessons

I come from a family of Professional Photographers so it's really sad that my pictures aren't better. I look at the yarn photography of Brooklyntweed and feel so inferior. The Photographer (the one I married) gave me some lessons on close-up macro photography with my camera. (Before you ask, I have a Canon Power Shot A710.)

Here are my better efforts:

Jitterbug Sock Yarn I bought from The Grove

Jitterbug close-up


close enough that you can count the twist


Some of my own Handyed, yarn bought from KnitPicks


the close-up


and counting the twist close


Now if I can just remember all he taught me today.

The Hummer of Ball Winders

My Heavy Duty Ball Winder finally came from Nancy's Knit Knacks. First I had to wait several months for them to open up a waiting list. Another couple months waiting for my name to get to the top of the list. Then the surprise when they called (darn if they didn't reach my Husband) to inquire if I was still interested in purchasing the HDBW. Of course, I was still interested - it just kills me to cut my handspun when the little Royal Ballwinder is full. This Mega Winder will hold up to ONE POUND of yarn!!!

Here are the photos - you knew there'd be photos!


the giant yarn guide



the logo close-up


I've been winding yarn just for fun. Here's the side of a ball

this is Fleece Artist's Merino in the Hercules colorway

And a picture of the top of the ball so you can see the cardboard core that you can slide your yarn ball onto. I also found that a lengthwise dented toilet paper tube will work just as well. That's the yarn label rolled inside the tube.

Argosy, Sock close-up and hearts

I've been ask to show a close-up of my MadCow Sock to show how I managed to keep the pattern on the front while doing the short row heel.

I knit the four rows of variegated yarn then did the heel in the solid color and when finished continued on with the solid for the first row in the front. If you've done the sock you'll know what I mean. Hopefully!

Finally got my Argosy Scarf blocked. I'd finished it for the second time awhile ago but having to rip out 3/4ths of it and re-knit it just took the fun out of it. Took me several weeks to get enough interest up to get around to finishing.

I do like it now that's it's done; it'll be next Fall before it's cold enough to even think of wearing it. I'll be back to loving it by then.

It was made from two skeins of Silk Garden Lite #2014; bought from Little Knits

.

And look at these cute Heart Shaped Stitch Markers that I bought yesterday at Two Sisters and Ewe.

(Notice: I work at this shop. Just to let you know so someone doesn't think I'm being deceptive.)

Until next time...

I Lost on Jeopardy

Here it is the third day of Round One of Sock Madness competition knitting and I've already lost. (I keep hearing Weird Al's "I Lost on Jeopardy" playing over and over!)

As of 1PM PDT there were 11 in my Nancy Bush Division that have finished both socks. As I am only this far on the first sock,

I haven't a chance of placing in the first 15 to finish.

Coach sent me in even though I was coming back after an arm injury. I really thought I was back in form and able to knit all weekend long; it was the size 1 needles that caused me to fall behind.

Ah, it was fun to try. Maybe they'll repeat the competition next year (fingers crossed!)

Well, Im givin up.
Don Pardo,
Just tell me now what I didnt win, yeah, yeah

I lost on jeopardy, baby (oooh)
I lost on jeopardy, baby (oooh)

Thats right, --you lost.
And let me tell you what you didnt win: a twenty column set of the Encyclopedia International, a case of Turtle Wax, and a years supply of Rice-a-Roni, the San Francisco
treat. But that's not all; You also made yourself look like a JERK in front of millions of people. You brought shame and disgrace to your family name for generations to come. You dont get to come back tomorrow. You dont even get a lousy copy of our home game. You're a complete loser!

Don't know what I was thinkin of
I guess I just wasn't too bright
Well, I sure hope I do better
Next weekend on the Price is Right, -ight, -ight

I lost on jeopardy, baby (oooh)
I lost on jeopardy, baby (oooh)
I lost on jeopardy, baby

The Walker Treasury Project

While I'm busy doing taxes I thought I'd let you enjoy The Walker Treasury Project

Their own discription of this fabulous project:
"We're gathering high-quality, color photos of all the patterns in all the Treasury books and putting them on the internet as a visual aide to this wonderful collection."

The pictures being posted are so much better than the B&W photos in all the Barbara Walker Books. Go look, you'll be inspired!