My Second Pair of Socks

I've been working on these this past week and for the most part am very happy with them, EXCEPT they are too loose! These were done on size 2 needles (2 circulars), so to bump down to a size 1 is going feel like microscopic to my aging eyes! I'm going to have to figure out a generic toe up sock pattern where I can change the body of the sock to fit my foot better, and still be able to turn the heel. I don't quite understand how that works when you change the pattern numbers, how that's going to affect the gusset and slipping stitches part of the heel. I've been looking, but will have to keep trying....

I've looked at "Come to Silver's Sock Class" and another gal--Liat, from Knit Freedom...she's got some great videos on knitting....I'm sure somewhere there's a sox pattern maker..ooh! I think I remember something about a "sockulator" where you put in your foot measurements and a pattern is generated. Will have to take a look at that, too. But I only know how to do toe up socks right now. If it's a DPN pattern or a Magic Loop pattern, I'm not sure I can convert it. Challenges, challenges, challenges....

My sister, Lyle, is also making necklaces...here is one of her creations this week....I'm looking forward to seeing more of these! (Hint, hint, sis!)

We'll see you next week...I'm working on knitted and crocheted flowers this coming week......

The Two Sisters........Lyle and Jeannie

Crafting Something New

Very short post this week...we're busy exploring Glacier National Park...I finished my second pair of socks (yay!) and will have a photo next week.

My sister, Lyle, has been the crafter this week...she is making ceiling fan chain pulls with beads...here are some of her designs.....

I really like these and am glad she is making "stuff" again...she's a busy retiree working at a health clinic for people who can't afford regular medical care..It's called Ferncare and it's in Ferndale, MI. She puts in many many hours a week for free to help run the clinic, so not much time for her to craft.

Right now, I'm trying to talk her into selling on Etsy, so we'll see what happens! Until next week....

                                                                      Jeannie and Lyle

Something Accomplished....

I've decided to knit a whole bunch of things in preparation for a craft show yet unamed, or planned, but I know the state, Florida! I'm thinking that when we winter at a great RV park in Naples, FL, that I might talk the managers into having a little craft show for the park. We'll be there in December and a craft show would be a great gift idea generator, I think!

After having gotten the family reunion out of the way, the wedding out of the way, it's full steam ahead for crafting! For now, I've knitted some more dishcloths and working on some baby shower cloths. I think I'll make some more knitted dolls from the same company that I knitted the first doll from a few weeks ago--AK Traditions, from Australia. I think I'll also do some quilted things just to mix it up a little! and why not throw in some key fobs while I'm at it! Just a little bit of everything ought to cover it! Cover it? Heck, maybe I'll go back to working on some cell phone covers or ipad covers, too! That should keep me busy as we start to spend more time in places before moving on.....We're slowing down on our traveling and spending more time in one place, like a month, so we can save on fuel costs the rest of this year.

This week I made some more dishcloths...I gave a few away at the reunion and the wedding, so needed to make some more! I like the baby ones, these are a lamb and a rocking horse. But I'm not sure Peaches and Creme yarn is the softest 100% cotton. Might look around some more for some other alternatives, like "Dishie" on Knitpicks website. Here are the ones I made this week....in addition to the variegated one on top:

I read somewhere on the Knitting Paradise forum that some lady makes over 300 dishcloths a year and sells them...how in the world would you have any time for doing anything else but knitting unless she is using a knitting machine--she didn't say. I like to knit but not that much to do it all day long, not to mention how stiff the fingers would get! It takes me about three hours to do one dishcloth, knitting straight at it. I would love to sell some of these, but don't think there's much of a market and you can't sell them for much as it is, just barely over the cost of the yarn itself.

I'm thinking it's time to switch to a different sort of project so we'll see what the week brings! We're getting ready to go to Glacier National Park for a week, so I might not be crafting as much this coming week.....My sister has been busy with the volunteer medical clinic that she is helping run in Ferndale, MI, so she has not been crafting much at all lately. Life has a way of getting in the middle of these crafts and hobbies, doesn't it?  Bye for now.....Jeannie and Lyle

Too Busy to Craft!

I'm committed to posting once a week, but this week has been too busy to accomplish anything! My youngest brother got married and with all the preparations and helping him get everything done, all crafts went by the wayside this week....Here's a photo of my sister and my baby brother, Charlie the day before the wedding...He is SO photogenic!

I AM working on a new pair of socks--for me...I'll have a photo next week when I get one sock done. It's made from Kroy sock yarn in a pretty hunter green tonal color. I've been trying to be a little more adventurous with branching out and maybe trying something other than a basic sock. I purchased a book called New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book I by Cat Bordhi. It is filled with beautiful knitting patterns for socks and sock construction in ways that are just really really different. It's very inspiring, but VERY confusing to me at the moment. I'm sure when she wrote it it was crystal clear to her and her publisher, but reading through it, I'm totally lost. I debated selling it on Amazon, but then I thought, there might come a day down the road when I am ready to try something really different. For now, I decided instead of regular ribbing at the top, I'd do a garter rib...I don't think I like it! And I'm too lazy to frog it out and try again....

So for now, it's back to traveling on the road and when the dust settles, I'll have some more photos of things I'm working on.....until next week....     Jeannie (and Lyle, too!)