Vote for Me Please!

First of all, I just want to say Thank You for all the nice compliments on my fair entry results. I so appreciate it.

I just found out that voting for the Socks on Vacation photo is open to everyone. Not just SOS08 members. So, in the interest of self interest, I'm asking for votes for my photo.

Voting instructions:

1. To view the photos, go to this flickr set. (If, for some reason you cannot follow the link you can also find it by going to summerofsocks2006 and looking for the Socks on Vacation 2008 set.)

2. Choose the photo that you wish to vote for and note it’s number which can be found in the title of the photo toward the top of the picture.
   

   Note: My photo is number 4
   

3. Send a blank e-mail to summerofsocks at gmail dot com with the subject containing only the number of the photo you want to vote for. Please leave the rest of the e-mail blank.

Of course, if you get there and find a photo you like better than mine, you are free to vote for it instead. But I'm hoping you'll find mine to be the best.

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Yesterday, even though it was a Saturday, I found myself all alone for the day. Doug went on a river rapids rafting trip with the guys and gals in his department at work, so he was gone all day. Ruth went to work, her last day there. She heads back to school today.

The thought occurred, as I was knitting away on the Water Nymph socks, that next weekend is Labor Day weekend, which is the weekend of my nephew Jonny's wedding. I have nothing to wear to it, unless you want to count the out fits I've bought to wear to Christmas parties. All black and sparkley just doesn't strike me as a good wedding outfit. I am happy that Jonny has found Ann. I do not want to wear black to their wedding.

So I figured I'd dash into Coeur d'Alene, visit Fashion Bug, buy a new dress (cos I always love their dresses and whatnot), and be home in less than 2 hours to work on the sock. HA!!!!

Who was it that decided in the last couple months that Fashion Bug would no longer be carrying dresses? Who ever it is, they're an IDIOT! I ended up spending the entire day visiting both the CdA Mall and the Spokane Valley Mall trying to find something appropriate that I like. Thank the stars for CJ Banks and Sears. Without them I'd go stark raving mad.

I need a new slip too. The one I have is rather short. I've bought a long skirt. Did you know that stores don't sell slips anymore? No one in CdA or Spokane Valley has slips-of any size. Don't women wear slips any more under their skirts????? I asked one store clerk about it. She said "they're not in fashion anymore". Excuse me? Wearing a slip has nothing to do with what's in fashion. What happened to modesty, and the proper draping of a skirt? I wonder if I have time to pick up some fabric and a pattern and make one? Hmm...

Have I mentioned I hate shopping for clothes for me?

I made good progress on the sock last night. I've got about 2 hours of knitting left and it'll be done. However, I have found a problem with the first sock. The bind off is too tight. I can't even get the sock on. So, after I get sock 2 done, I am going to undo the ribbing of sock 1, add 8 stitches in the round, and reknit it. I had originally decreased 8 stitches after the heel flap so the leg would not be too loose. The stitch pattern in these socks is wider and stretchier than average per stitch. I should have put the 8 stitches back when I switched to ribbing. Ah well. Something new has been learned. Actually, I should have known that, so you could say something has been relearned.

Have a good day.

WIP Wednesday 8/20/08

I can't believe it's Wednesday already. The week is just flying by.

Let me introduce to you my new friend-in-progress. This is Molly Moose.




Well, technically, it's her nose. But I did say 'friend-in-progress'. If you look over in the sidebar, you'll see I actually started her in the first part of July. That's cos when I brought the pattern home I was so excited I HAD to cast on RIGHT NOW! Once I got that out of my system, I was able to get back to the socks.

I'm using this pattern for Molly: Mortimer Moose, by Mary Martin.


The Summer of Socks KAL ends this month, so I will be getting back to working on Molly soon.

Last year, when I went to the fair to see if I'd won any ribbons, I saw this felted moose. It had won a grand champion, if I remember correctly, and was absolutely adorable. I saw it. I wanted the pattern! There, of course, was no information on the pattern or anything on the entry tag. I didn't even recognize the name of the person who had entered it. I searched the internet, I asked everyone I knew if they knew the pattern. I even asked on Ravelry, but no one knew of such a pattern. I found it last month on one of my visits to my local LYS, Harmony Yarns. (Oh,wow! It has just suddenly hit me why Melody named the shop that. Took me long enough! LOL!)

There's a famous designer who lives in Coeur d'Alene. Her name is Mary Martin. She used to design patterns for yarn companies and magazines way back in the 80's. She's a fun person, chock full of energy, and an extremely talented knitter. She does wonderful knit felted toy patterns. I should have known, when I saw the moose at the fair, that it was her design. Anyway, her new pattern, Mortimer Moose, is not on her web site, but if you contact her I'm sure she'll sell one to you.

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It is raining today. I am enjoying the cool dampness. It got so unbearably hot over the weekend. 101F on Sunday, when we were at Silverwood Theme Park. I didn't get to be in the lazy river as much as I wanted, and my shoulders and back got burned despite the gallons of spf 30 lotion I had on. I did get my Pina Colada though, and I had a good time despite the heat.

In the evening, before heading for home, we stopped in Lindy's for dinner. Lindy's is the restaurant inside the park where Ruth has been working, washing dishes this summer. It's a very nice little restaurant, and the food was good. The manager approached our table while we were eating to tell us how wonderful an employee our daughter Ruth has been and how much he hopes she'll come back next year to work for him. I thought that was really sweet of him. Made me glow with pride. Then, he paid for our meal. I've never had that happen before. It made our day!

One more thing. The voting for the Socks on Vacation photo contest opened yesterday. Soon, I will know if my photo has won or not. Voting is not open to the public, or I'd ask for your help. I can give you the link so you can see the picture though.

My SOV Photo

Please let me know what you think.

Well, my eyes are feeling good now, so I better get that sock done. I'm running out of time.

Have a good day.

Purple Charades

Today I have two choices. Post about what I did yesterday, or post what I finished last night. I decided to go with the FO. That gives me more time to process the photos of what I did yesterday.

I have finished a third pair of socks this month. Wow!


Pattern: Charade by Sandra Park

Yarn: Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn

Colorway: Midnight Passion

Needles: Size 2 Addi Lace Circular.

Cast On: July 11, 2008
Completed: July 27, 2008

Comments: I love this pattern. I love the yarn. I just wish the pattern showed up a little better in the yarn.

Have a great day.

Kit Price Camping

Warning, today it's a long one!

Last Wednesday Sweet Hubby and I packed up the trailer and headed for Kit Price campground on the north fork of the Coeur d'Alene River for the weekend. We had a great time camping. We had an awesome camp spot that was very private and right on the river.

The weather was hot and humid. On Thursday it was in the 90's and 78% humidity. We just don't get humidity like that, so it was pretty incapacitating. I felt like the weight of the world was trying to crush me cos the air was so oppressive.

Sweet Hubby went for a bike ride in the morning while it was still halfway cool. While he was gone I did some beading (which I'll share at a later date), some reading, took the fur sons for a nice long walk, and did a bit of knitting. After he got back from his ride we pretty much sat around drinking cold beverages and trying to find a way to cool off.

Later in the afternoon brother in law Dan, Sue, and nephew Nate showed up and set up camp next to us. We then went about the business of cooling ourselves off again. We found the best way was to put our camp chairs in the river, and sit with our feet in the river. I would say my body temp dropped a good 20 degrees when I did that. Nate swam in the river, and Sweet Hubby fished. By the way, he caught a total of 6 trout over the weekend. Unfortunately we couldn't eat them. Catch and release only.

While sitting in the river, I worked on my Straight Laced socks. I wish I had thought to have Sue take a photo of me doing it. I would have liked that. I only dropped the ball of yarn in the water once, and since it's superwash wool, I didn't worry about it.

Another great thing about sitting in the river was the Syringa was in bloom all over. The air was thick with their tropical scent. It was so nice. Syringa, also known as Mock Orange, is Idaho's state flower.

I finished the socks on Friday, July 4th.


Pattern: Straight Laced Socks.
Yarn: Socks That Rock Lightweight in Beryl colorway.
Needles: Size 2 Addi Turbo Lace Circular.
Cast On: June 21, 2008
Completed: July 4, 2008

Comments: I chose this pattern because I wanted to learn how to knit 2 socks at the same time on my 2 circular needles. I like the pattern. It's nice and easy. However, I discovered I do not like knitting 2 socks at the same time. It was easy to do, easier than I expected. Just don't like it. I guess I'm a one-at-a-time girl. At least I gave it a try.

On Friday we had planned to float the river for the afternoon, to keep cool, but we had unexpected company- a large contingent from 'the family' showed up. My sister-in-law Kathryn and her family came to enjoy the day. Kathryn, her son Scott along with his wife Stacy and their 3 kids, her son Mike and his wife Shana and their 3 kids, and Shana's parents. It was a rather large crowd.

Then Sarah and Frank showed up (we were expecting them). They set up camp, then we all sat around the camp fire visiting for a couple hours.

Later in the afternoon nephew Nate had a rather nasty accident. He lost control of his bike and managed to smack his head on the pavement hard enough to knock himself out. He was bleeding pretty profusely and acting kind of flaky, so Dan and Sue took him to the hospital. They did a cat scan on his head and he turned out to be fine, thankfully! But he'll have a nasty headache for a few days.

On Saturday the weather cooled off some. Originally we had planned to hike up to Fern Falls this day, but because of the company the day before, we decided to skip the hike and head for the river instead. I decided I would skip the river float and stayed with the fur kids in camp. We did a bit of walking, I did a lot of reading, and I knit. I also went around taking pictures of wild flowers. I had a great time snapping the pics, then zooming in to see what they look like magnified. You will be amazed at how much the eyes miss in a flower.

Here's a small wild rose. The flower is about the size of a quarter.


Look how beautiful it is in the center when magnified. I love the little pink velvety balls in the center, and the little yellow spade shaped pistils.


I do not know what kind of flower this is. It looks so delicate and lacy. I've looked all over the internet, in both my wild flower books, and I can't seem to find it.


When you look at the green balls in the center though, what a surprise! White curlicues!

Foam Flower

Also known locally as Sugar Scoop, this is a really tiny flower, 3 to 4mm wide. I was surprised to discover how hairy the petals are.


Sunday we packed everything back up and headed for home. I wish I could have stayed a few more days, but Sweet Hubby has a job that he must go to.

Have a great day.