Travel Projects

I'm on the road 3 weeks in July. I'm especially bummed because I was in Seattle last week, sick (again) and didn't get to go to any of my favorite places. Especially to Crossroads to see the Eastside Stitchers .

So - I'm not chatty. I've got another cold that turned into a sinus infection, so lots of late night coughing and very little sleeping. Travelling while sick is not fun, and I'm sure my plane partners and the people I was in town to meet probably wish I had stayed home. But the meetings sort of had to happen - and all things considered it was probably good I went. but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it!

Next week - I'm in Atlanta for a company conference and meetings. Grrrr.

But then the week after that - we head to Asheville to take Janeen to Summer Camp. Smile. Finally, a trip I'm happy about!

So - while on the road - I'm knitting socks and crocheting.

First - My flat feet socks:



See the fabric, you can see the results of unravelling, but as I've said before, I sort of like it. It should all block out though. I also like the mini-stripes that are forming in the foot. Better than the pooling in the ribbing.

As if I didn't have enough socks on the needles - I felt a desperate need for some travel socks. Soft ones. Panda Wool is very yummy and fits the criteria nicely.



Travel socks you may say. Typically - I'm not really a sock person most days. I like my feet free and loose and wear flip flops most of the summer. I do wear my handmade socks in the house, in lieu of slippers. But rarely are my socks seen in public - except when I travel. I hate taking off my shoes barefoot and I also hate wearing shoes on the plane. Now that I make my own socks - they are perfect for travelling. Comfortable and perfectly fit for me.

Here are my feet with Socks and my favorite travelling shoes in Minneapolis - waiting for the plane during a thunderstorm. The picture was taken with my cell phone, so excuse the quality.



So - if you haven't started knitting socks yet. You have to give it a try!

Lastly - My crochet shawl was my travel project of choice this trip. And she made progress:



Not as much as the socks...

Next week I hope to visit Knitch in Atlanta, that will be a nice little side trip? If only I can go and keep my wallet out of danger - I'll have to let you know how it goes next post :)

I can spin now!

I'm too tired to recreate this entry :) It's a duplicate of my post to Charlotte Purls - but I'm too excited.

Thanks to my friend Shiori from Eastside Knitters - I can now spin with a Spindle!!! I can also ply a 2-ply yarn!!! I'm sooooooo excited!!!!

Brrrrr - It's Cold in Seattle!!!!!

During my last trip to Seattle I was cold. I picked up some $1 gloves to keep my fingers toasty, but I couldn't bear to buy a scarf when I have to hands that love to knit!!!! I found some Casacde 220 in the colorway Celery - a nice heather color. And decided to make one of the Evelyn Clark shawls I have been wanting to make, but to impatient to wait for the shawl to be done! It knits up much faster in a Worsted Weight yarn - the scarf size! But it is suprisingly big. It is really a small shawl size after blocked. I love it. I can crunch it up under my coat to keep my neck warm, and I can use it in the office for a shoulder shawl if I get a bit chilly. Best of all - I started and cast off in a week!!

Yes, it was a bit of a diversion from Christmas knitting which is in a bit of a crisis state right now. But it was just so much fun to see it grow :)

I have all the details on Ravelry user name 'jc3smama' for those of you in Ravelry. If you are not - what are you waiting for? It's the best way to blow a few extra hours on the computer :)

Dead batteries, Rain, First walking moments and USPS Brings Joy

I got back from my trip to Seattle, tired, cranky, but happy to be home. I had hired a driver because I didn't want to leave my car at the airport (hubby needs it) and I really didn't want to drive. But upon arriving at the airport - the drivers car wouldn't start!! The battery was dead. He was embarassed, it wasn't his fault. But the last thing I wanted to do was sit for 45 mins in the airport. And then when we got going thei Humberto rain caused accidents on 85. And since Charlotte drivers find it impossible to drive in the rain without either crashing or causing back ups to watch other people crash - it tooks us another 45 mins to an hour to get home.

Grrrrrrrrrr.

But - upon arrival, my Knitpicks Harmony Needles had arrived.

A lot of other good things happened, of course - but this is a craft blog.

I'm in love with them. They are smooth and hard, but warm as wood is. The sharp points are heaven. I like them better than the nickel plated and the Addis. The KP lady hit gold with these, every knitter will have to have a pair I suspect.

Both the DPNs and the interchangable are both great. Wonderful joins, and the tips, the tips!!!

I took off 2 sets of DPNs I had on socks immediately. One I knew I was not enjoying b/c of the rounded tips on the pony pearls. I like pony pears feel, but the round tips are not working out on the jaywalker socks. I dread the row with increases and decreases b/c to knit tightly but try to scoop out the inc or dec with blunt needles wears on you after a while.

But my new Harmonies are great!! I love you get an extra DPN for breakage - that has happened to me with my Brittney 0s before - grrrr-. But I now have a cure for that. ON my Seattle trip, I found out about the Nancy KnitNacks DP WIP tubes (check them out at: http://www.nancysknitknacks.com/). No more broken wood needles for me!!

So as a knitter I'm now happy.

Now for the non-knitting grumbles. Jada started walking - as I knew she would. Just like Janeen did 8 years ago. She isn't consistant yet, but she can walk. She's smart enough to know that walking may not be the best thing right now - ie. less carrying - so she holds out for special occasions or when we aren't looking and she is playing in her play area. But once again - I missed this special event in one of my children's lives. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Harmony - nice!!!

Missing Jada walking - not nice!!!

I have no pics of WIPs at the moment. So - just use your imagination. Lots of lace, socks, and yummy yarns of course. :) Stay tuned for pics.