Emptyknitster

I soaked this sock blank in vinegar water before using a salt shaker filled with a salt/kool-aid mixture onto the blank. The salt was supposed to keep the kool-aid from streaking and running all over the sock. I was hoping for slightly speckled yarn but didn’t get the result I was looking for. What I did get was a much more muted colorway than usual. Pattern: Basic Ribbed Socks, by Kate Atherley with Fish Lip Kiss Heels Yarn: Knit Picks Bare Stroll Blank Single Strand Colorway: Salty Kool-aid Needle Size: US Size 1 They're fine and someone in the family will love them.

The Stillwater near Nye, Montana is a beautiful picnic, water splashing destination. By August the water is low enough for the kiddos to float down the river and they have so much fun! The first time I remember going with the family was when The Purl Gurl was only four months old. We had a picnic with the  whole family, and the men went fishing. I have pictures of the original adventure but also found some of later years when all the little gurls were around: The California Dreamin' Gurl, Our Beloved "Adopted" Daughter, The Chick and The Purl Gurl in the background. Great Grandpa, The Chick and One Handsome Grandpa with their freshly caught fish! Finally, this was year to visit once again. We were able to do the picnic/floating thing on the Stillwater with the grandkiddos and hope to be able to do it next year too!  The deepest section is waist high and and as you float down it gets to ankle depth...  Mountain fresh COLD water! Lots of humming and...

While the grandkiddos were visiting they got a nice balance of activities. I played it safe with yarn dying and fresh fruit... While Grandpa played fast and loose with teaching them to drive the four wheeler and giving them fruit snacks! This activity didn't go unnoticed by their parents as The Pirate immediately got off the four wheeler and texted his mom, snitching on himself (or was he really snitching on Grandpa??)

I just finished the vacation socks, they flew from home to California and back. I don't love them, wish they'd been knit "inside out" meaning the purl columns were on the inside.  I love tonal yarn in the cake but it never seems to live up to my expectations in the final project. I'm not a fan of the spiraling colors, something I must remember next stash enhancement! Having a heavy pattern in the socks does help hide it a bit though. Pattern: Make Mine Lace Yarn:Knit Picks Tonal Fingering Colorway: Pansy Tonal Needle Size: US Size 1

The California Dreamin' Family and I met in La Jolla to make the great summer kid exchange. More than visiting the San Diego Zoo or Sea World we wanted to to watch the waves, SO, I spent last weekend in California doing just what I wanted - playing in the ocean with my grandkiddos!