Socktoberfest is Almost Over!

It feels like a long time since I last updated - months instead of weeks. I've been getting in as much knitting as possible in October. I am not quite finished with my sister's socks, but I have started on my brother's socks. Knitting with the size 0 metal needles was starting to hurt one of my hands, or more specifically, my left index finger. Not only was I forming a callous on it, but somehow I managed to break through the first layer of skin while not paying attention to what I was doing. Oops! Switching to my (new) bamboo size 2's helped alot!



Unfortunately, I have not been getting a lot of writing in this week. Grrr. I wanted to be finished with the first novel edits before I started the second novel in November. It also looks like I'll be working a lot this week (yay!) and might not have the time. I am really glad that the first of November starts on Sunday this year. I would like to stay up and start writing at midnight, but I don't know if I'll be able to focus on writing at that hour. My favorite time to write is late morning/early afternoon. That was when I seemed to get the bulk of my novel written last year.

I did get to go to YarnCon this year due to fortunate work scheduling falling perfectly into place (in my favor). My sister and I had a lot of fun. We drove to the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse and managed to find a parking spot on the next block. Due my sister's GPS being set to "shortest distance," however it took us twice as long to get there. We did have plenty of time to first peruse and then buy!



As I said, I found some inexpensive bamboo circulars (size 2) that I am now using on my brother's socks. I wish I had gotten more! I also bought some mermaid-y colored yarns from the destash table and some gorgeous hand-painted sock yarn. I love the new sock bags I bought. One has a cute lamb, the other, coffee cups and beans inside. I was also able to get in some knitting, while we ate lunch. I'm now three rows from completing my Oliver Twist scarf, and when I buy another ball of yarn (since I ran out that day) I will finish it and probably make a mug/cup cozy to go with it.



I'm looking forward to November. I'm not sure if I'll have enough energy to write here. If not, then happy knitting until December!

Day Whatever.

I did not knit socks today.

Instead, I read Miki Falls. All four books in the series. And it was sooooo good!

Yarncon is coming up soon. For some reason, I thought it was tomorrow, but it is on the 17th instead. No matter, though, I have both Saturdays off from work. Can I afford it? No, probably not. Do I care? No, probably not. I am so there.

I really don't know what else to say today.



It was mostly just a day spent reading quietly and hanging out with the dogs and cats. I didn't get any writing done, I didn't do any laundry, and the dishes are still hanging out on the dirty side of the sink. I was dreading the few hours of work, work I had, but that ended up being nothing at all. Still, somehow I feel as though I've accomplished something.

Why, if I check the stay logged in box, does it not stay logged in? Ahem. Blogger?

I have not gotten to any sock knitting since Saturday! What?! Even I think that's ridiculous. I have been working on a commisioned pair of fingerless gloves. They really haven't taken a long time, but I'm missing two dpns from the set I need. Where are they?! I've been pretty good, so far, keeping track of all those little buggers and now I'm missing the two that I need. I wonder if they're still stuck in a project in my bag. *crosses fingers*

I found out that one of my co-workers has cancer. That is so weird to type. So, I'm making her a magic ball of yarn to help cheer her up a fraction of a percent and so that she can knit while convalescing. Very timely, as she had just said maybe she should start knitting again.... I'm really not a mind-reader. Promise.

Finally, it's the beginning of October and the Nanowrimo site is up and running. And I am getting way more excited about November than I am about October. Must knit more socks!

Happy Knitting.

P.S. If you couldn't tell: mood: weird. *insert weird smiley face here*

Day 3

No new pictures today. Sorry. By the time I remembered (five minutes ago), the sun was already set and the lighting is all weird at night. It's either too dark without the flash or too bright in spots with the flash.

Anyway, I went to my first craft fair today in town. And by went, I meant went as a vendor! Beside the fact that I was completely tired and had a headache the whole time, I had a lot of fun. My mom and I went in with a table together. I sold almost all of the coffee cup cozies that I had made, a pair of fingerless gloves and a few other little odds and ends. We'll be back for round two tomorrow.

While I sat and chit-chatted with my mom, the other vendors, and customers, I worked on my sister's socks. I am nearing the end of the first sock. For some reason, I thought that they would take me a lot longer to knit, but I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, I am skipping the "difficult" parts (toes and heels). If I have enough yarn left over, which I suspect that I will, I will knit her a pair of Kathy's fingerless gloves.



They'll look really cute in the dark pink yarn.

I'm not sure if I'll continue on the socks tomorrow. I have a lady interested in commisioning another pair of fingerless gloves for her daughter. I might just bring my dpns to work on those. Plus, my sister might show up tomorrow. I can't knit her socks in front of her. ;D

Happy Knitting!

Day Two

It's noon on day two of Socktoberfest and I'm still sitting at my computer in my pajamas. I feel kinda gross. I woke up at 8:30 this morning, because I was bribed with an egg mcmuffin. I just haven't felt like moving out of my chair. I can hardly help that, it's so comfy! Instead of getting up and actually accomplishing something, like washing the dishes or taking a shower, I watched some 5AG videos and worked on my sister's socks.



I like this picture, because it makes them look a lot further along than they actually are. I've probably only finished about 2 1/2 inches on the first sock, but I wouldn't know for sure, since I left my little lamb tape measure at my mom's house the other night. I don't know what happened. I thought I tucked it into my bag, but appearently, I didn't. Fail.

At least my sister found it before her dog did. The minute Lexi saw it, she was ready to tear it out of my hand and nip at its cute little tail. Poor, Lamby. Here's a picture of my cat:



She is either trying to get her daddy's attention, or a turn at playing WoW. I'm not sure. She's kinda strange, but cute.

Going to go de-smellify, then knit some more! Happy Knitting!

Start of Socktoberfest

I woke up early for work this morning. It was chilly outside, reminisent of late fall, but the leaves are just starting to change from green to burnished gold. I started my Socktoberfest by winding a ball of Shepard Sock yarn that I had purchased at Stitches Midwest. It is a beautiful shade of dark pink and it will make a lovely pair of Yoga Socks for my sister.

I cast on sixty-four sitches during my lunch break and started in on the two-by-two ribbing for one of the cuffs. After the ribbing section, I plan to use the lace pattern from the Dead Simple Lace Socks. Since they'll be Yoga Socks, they will be missing their toes and heels. Hopefully, they don't take me nearly as long to knit as my last pair of socks did.



I finished up my Hearts and Flowers Socks in late September. It took me a month and a half to finish the first sock and five days to finish the second one. Forget about second sock syndrome, I think my problem is figuring out the patterns. After that, knitting them is a breeze.

Both the Dead Simple Lace Socks and the Hearts and Flowers Socks can be found in the Socks from the Toe Up book by Wendy D. Johnson. I haven't decided what I'll knit after my sisters socks, but I do have more sock yarn in my stash waiting to be knit!

Hope your Socktoberfest started out well!

Happy Knitting!