thirty-one

I DID IT!

I knit socks.

Like, real socks!

Two of them!

This was my very first pair of socks with sock yarn and itty-bitty needles. I'm very happy with the result! I used a simple Vanilla Sock pattern by Elizabeth Suarez, and Cascade Heritage Sock in the charcoal colorway. Also, I was knitting on Addi Turbo Sock Rockets (2.25 MM) which I loved... Loved. I chose this pattern because there is ribbing down the sides of the leg and foot, which helps for a snug fit. You know, since I didn't swatch... Sue me.

Anyhow, here's the project page, and that's that really.

Just a quick note about my knitting milestone.



Smile.

thirty

It's nice to be home again.

I was in North Carolina for work this week, and I had a great time. Well, I had a great time working. Also, I had boiled peanuts! They were... interesting. Boiled peanuts are the state snack food of South Carolina, but we found them in Raleigh. I guess I'll try anything once. Also, there was some extreme weather and hot sticky days, so I'm glad to be home where it's sunny outside and 75 degrees today.

I'm still working on my second sock, but I should be done sometime this weekend. I only have about 30 rounds of the foot left, and then the toe! This was going to be my airplane knitting, but I had other things on my mind...

On June 1, Natural Stitches (which y'all know as my FAVORITE LYS) started their second annual summer bingo. Everyone gets a bingo card that's filled not with numbers, but with different knitting challenges. Last summer, I didn't get a bingo, but that's already changed this year! This morning, I became the first bingo winner this year! As an added prize, they gave me a skein of Zen Yarn Garden's Serenity Worsted in the Bronze Age colorway. The yarn is a merino/cashmere/nylon blend aaaaand it's divine.

While I was at NS this morning, I decided to take the plunge. Well, sort of. I've been going back and forth in my head for a few months about a certain knitting challenge I've yet to tackle. Today, I got one step closer... I bought yarn for my very first sweater. Ever. Like ever ever.

2200 Yards of Yarn!

I bought a little more yarn than I thought I would need, because this is my first sweater ever, but I'm not worried about ending up with a little extra. I picked up 10 hanks of Cascade 220 in Greystone Heather. I really enjoy 220, and it's a great (and economic, *ahem*) yarn for a first sweater, I think. Now, I haven't set a starting date, and it may take some time for me to actually swatch and prepare, so don't panic if you don't see this yarn again until September. After all, summer is just beginning.

Also, I'm still working on my Stash Dash goal of knitting 4,375 yards by August 5. Things are going slow, but who knows when I may decide to knit 20 hats. So far, I'm at 775 yards, but when the socks are finished, that'll be an additional 400 yards towards my goal.

So, that's all I have for the moment, but you can expect a total CAPS LOCK MOMENT when this second sock is off my needles.

Stay tuned...

twenty-nine

I am 31 today.

So, even though it's only been a few days since my last post, I thought I'd throw a few words out. Just because it's my birthday.

So far, 31 feels just as good as 30 did (yesterday). Ten years ago, there was a bit more excitement surrounding my birthday... There was also a bit more alcohol... While 21 may have been more obvious excitement, my enthusiasm still hasn't wavered. This year, I'm just excited about different things. My grandmother (or "Nan" as she's known around here) flew out here on Monday, and she's staying at my family's house (just down the road) for a few weeks. Growing up, I spent many weekends with my Nan, and we always had the best time. She's warm and kind, and a little wild. Also, she can crochet like the wind! These days we have just as much fun as we did then... We just sit down more.

Tonight we're going for dinner at a little Italian restaurant that my family has loved for the past 20 years; Vincent's. They've catered many parties for my family, and my father used to fly 2500 miles smelling like an entire field of garlic, so I could enjoy my favorite sausage and cheese bread when I lived in California. It's no surprise that I'm pretty serious about food. Mmmm....

What am I knitting on my birthday, you ask? Well, I'm working on my first second sock (that's right, the SECOND SOCK!) since the first first one is done, except for the kitchener. I've only grafted a few times before, and I'm still a little iffy, so I may ask for a little help at Natural Stitches tomorrow. As it turns out, I'm really loving sock knitting! My favorite part is the portability, and the different pattern components. Once you're bored with one section, you're on to the next! Here's a quick pic of my progress on sock two.

Speaking of socks, I'm using the Addi Turbo Sock Rockets to magic-loop this pair. If you haven't tried these needles yet, I would totally recommend it. So much so, that I wrote a review for the latest Natural Stitches Newsletter, which came out today! Check it out!

Okay, before I finish I do have something to confess... Last time I posted, I mentioned a new hat that was on my needles. Well, said hat is no longer on my needles. As it turns out, I wasn't compatible with the yarn. He just wasn't that into me. After a good bit of work, and a quick shot of bourbon, I frogged the entire hat the other day. This yarn just wasn't for me. Needless to say, I'll be looking for a good home for this yarn, as we are really not doing well together.

It's like Taylor Swift says...

PS - Check out the blue wallpaper in that video!