on a roll...3 weeks = 3 socks

The Squiddies...Mama Blue Knitting Goods Simple Merino in Ink

If you squinch your eyes up and get real close to your monitor, you will see little squids swimming up my leg. I am already 1/2 way into the cuff of the second sock - pretty amazing considering the last two pairs of socks in recent weeks each took me a year or two to complete... I may gift this pair to my mom since, how many pairs of blue socks can a girl have? I have (rav links) blue dahlias, one blue firestarter, some stripes and a pair of project runway stockinettes - all blue. Now, I love blue, but...really? I somehow just keep fishing more blue out of my stash...

I also made some refrigerator pickles last week.



Does your mouth water at the thought of pickles? Is it just me? I feel like Pavlov's dog at the mere mention of pickles, or olives, or any savory treat. Anyways - the pickles are supposed to hang out in their juices for two weeks but my 5-year-old and I totally cheated. We shared a half a jar already - and they are pretty yummy after just 5 days. I would like to get more cucumbers and try a recipe touted by Adrian of Hello Yarn - check it out.

deja vu day

It is deja vu because I finished a sock today! And because this post will look very much like my last one. A sock and a pin cushion on a Sunday.

The makes two pairs in two weeks - but to be fair I have to admit that I had one of each done for more that a year, waiting for a partner. My knitting penpal, Christine, and I swapped a sock of our choosing last year - with the intent to knit the second sock - avoiding the whole second-sockitis. We decided we would secretly pick a pattern and try to use a sock yarn our partner had not tried. I knit Christine a Marilinda using Woolen Rabbit last year during Obama's inaugural speech - so it's been awhile since we swapped. I thought it was funny how we both chose Cookie A. patterns, but you know what they say about great minds. Anyways, I started my Marlene when I received it but knit it too tight and had to pull back the whole cuff. omg. I took a year-long deep breath and voila - my pair.


Marlene by Cookie A. in String Theory MCN

I like the squoosh factor of the String Theory, if my stash weren't threatening to take over my house, I would buy some more myself. I absolutely love the definition of the stitches, so many knit-through-the-back-loop stitches hanging out together makes for a fabulous pattern party.

I also received my pin cushion from the swap. I was so thrilled to find this charming hippo from Australia in my mail box on friday. Meet Martha Mirabelle Washington from Amy of Badskirt.



I love her sweet face - doesn't she look like she is yearning for friendship here? omg, adorable and to think I will put some sewing pins in her hinder. Just seems wrong, don't you think? She will be a wonderful addition to my sewing table, encouraging me on through each project. A perfect friend and a delightlful swap - thank you partner! And thank you for the fabrics and darling ribbon you included - if you only knew, Amy, how many times I drooled over your shop goodies...

I have a pair...er, I mean a pear?

At long last...a pair of socks. A pair, yup - started in July of 2008 - and now, July of 2010, they feel whole. They are the Child's First Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks with Nancy Bush.


Sock-celebration

They are knit using Mama Blue Knitting Goods Sea Merino in Bee Keeper. I really should have had a picture of myself posing these with my swimming suit on, it was quite a smart look. I caught a glimpse of my parent's quick-set pool for my girls in my frame. It was truly a sock-a-bration!


pattern by Heather Bailey

And speaking of "pairs" - I have a pear pin cushion - my last experiment for the Scrappy Pin Cushion Swap. I think this is "the one" that will be popped off to Canada - my partner's inspiration mosaic had this type of cushion in it - so I think it will a-peel to her the most. Feeling punny today, ap-pear-antly.

Have a sunny summer week! I'll be back soon - it's my fourth blog-a-versary, and that will require more celebrating - and a give-a-way, natch!

Super Crafty Swaptastic!

I got a jam packed box of crafty goodness from Dianne of The Other Side. Dianne is amazing, I have never seen such a full box before. I could not really fit everything in this picture. It arrived Monday, and since it was my daughter's birthday, I secreted it away until I could really look over everything. Amazing stuff - A Liberty of London Scarf, wonderful scrapping goodies - fabric - pre-washed and not, all labeled, ribbons, chenille yarns, vintage trims - she hit every possible craft I enjoy with some new things to try sprinkled in. She also included several magazines for inspiration and some new patterns to try. This package was perfectly executed and totally spoiled me silly. Thank you so much, Dianne. And thank you Amber for co-hosting a super fun swap!



Quick book recommendation:: Family History by Dani Shapiro. (You can read the first chapter here) I loved this book. I read it in one day on my Kindle. The emotions of the lead character were so clear and almost palpable. It is told in flashbacks - but easy to follow. I felt like I was trying to "guess ahead" what would happen next - it kept me turning pages as fast as I could. I just finished another one of her books Black and White. It was also good, again, a lot of emotional pain - the common theme of parent-child estrangement with a new story. Well done, and fresh. I am starting her memoir, Slow Motion today - I'll let you know how it is. I think her troubled fictional characters share some common thread with her own story, so I am curious. It feels so good to find a new author...a new stack of books for me.

My daughter with her new sprinkler - I love the details. So stinkin cute.


:: Happy Summer! ::