Emptyknitster

This month I'm making birthday socks for my oldest Brother, Big Daddy. Even though my grandfather didn't talk about his heritage, our surname indicates we're Irish and we like to think we are 100% Irish. However, mathematically large percentages of German and English heritage are in our blood. Big Daddy is going to love these! Starting these socks at the toe, I was careful to start at just the right spot in the yarn variation but...  GRRR!!! Just about to the ribbing of the last sock and see, SEE the knot??? It threw off the whole color sequence. (Knitters know that yarn is considered a "good" skein of yarn if there are two or less knots in a skein BUT really that close to the finish line?) Well, I put my big gurl panties on and started a third skein of yarn at just the right spot to finish a matched pair. Pattern: Pin Striped Socks by Julia Swart , with a Fish Lips Kiss Heel Yarn: Patons Kroy Striped Yarn Colorway: Mean Green Amount 2 skeins Nee...

Realized that the California Boy was having a birthday soon and I needed to get the sticks out and start a pair of socks! SadieRuin of the Yarnivore Podcast mentioned this pattern and how nice it was when knitting with striped yarn. Pattern: Jeck by Regina Satta Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks Ragg Shades Colorway: Gray/Brown/Red Amount: 2 skeins Needle Size: US Size 1 Note: I altered the pattern sequence. (The pattern says to cast on 64 stitches and I needed 68) K3, P1, Slip1, P1, K5, P1, Slip1, P1, K6, P1, Slip1, P1, K5, P1, Slip1, P1, K3 K 1 round

During the holidays the NorDakPurlGurl asked me about my hand knit socks and how they wore. I was quite indignant and said I had yet to have even one pair wear out, they were “as strong as iron.” Not a week later as I was folding the clean laundry I discovered a hole in not one but two pairs of socks! A week later while  doing another load of clean laundry I found yet another hole in a pair of socks I knit years earlier. A few years ago, in anticipation of this event, I bought a darning egg. And have been waiting to use it ever since. Now, the time has come and looking at the four socks – one pair has holes in both socks of the pair – even though they are hand knit I'm not sure they are worthy of repair. I have never darned socks. Although very frugal Mom never darned socks. It wasn’t because she didn’t know how, in fact she darned Dad’s socks for several years after they were married until the day Dad walked in the room while she was darning and said it really wasn’t...

At Christmas, The Chick brought me some sock yarn she bought a few years ago. At the time she only knew how to crochet and wanted some new socks. This was at a time when we thought if there was a crocheted sock pattern then it was possible…What a disaster!! A poorly written pattern, no give in the socks…WORTHLESS! She brought me the yarn thinking I could use it for the Rabbit Hole Mitered Square Blanket. What a thoughtful daughter! (I may NEVER have enough yarn to finish it!!) But alas, this yarn is 60% cotton, 20% wool, 20% nylon and I'm using 80% wool and 20% nylon... So I began a new pair of socks, now that I’ve found the Fish Lips Heel Pattern designing socks is a breeze! This is a very simple spiraled slip stitch that occurs every color change in the sock.   Pattern: Fish Lips Kiss Heel Pattern Yarn: 60% cotton, 20% nylon 20% wool Colorway: Pastel stripes Amount: One skein Needle Size: US Size 0

A little over a month ago, while The California Dreamin' Gal was in Africa at a conference, older sister sent me this SOS photo message: I found out later, The California Dad felt The Pirate could do without his mom or he could do without his sweater but he couldn't do without both! So, The Pirate wore his sweater to school until Christmas break. By then I had frantically begun knitting Pirate Sweater IV but even after completing three sweaters  previously, or perhaps because of it, I ran into a little technical difficulties . Following some discussion and soul searching I decided I could live with the imperfection. The skull and bones (minus the cross) would remain and I knit on. Meanwhile, The Pirate started the New Year minus his sweater. Last Monday, after a week without it, a friend brought up his loss. He was very happy to report that there would be a new Pirate Sweater on his back by the end of the week. The news went through the 5th grade like wildfire! The Pir...

Argh!! This is the fourth pirate sweater I've knit for The Pirate and I can't believe what just happened! Look carefully and tell me what you think: Usually I can't stand to have known errors in my knitting. However, ths time I knit a solid 6 hours after the mistake before I noticed. The Pirate didn't notice when he was shown the sweater...  Shall I rip it out and lose 12 hours total keep on? While I'm waiting for a verdict I knit on this: 202 squares and counting!

The Chick received a bread making machine for Christmas and was interested in this recipe: Cinnamon Sunrise Regular loaf                            Large loaf 3/4 c               Water                1 1/8 c 2 1/4 c            Flour                 3 1/3 c 1 T                 Dry Milk            1 1/2 T 21/2 T            Brown Sugar     3 T 3/4 t               Salt...