A Perfect Day

Need I say more?

Well, perhaps I do, considering my absence lately. You see, I sprained my knee...

I went to the ER with excrutiating pain and numbness(!) after a bad fall. X-rays and a sonogram ruled out broken bones and deep vein thrombosis (DVT, a dangerous blood clot condition that can happen to anyone after any leg injury--be aware!). Final diagnosis: sprain. I opted for the cane over crutches, which I absolutely detest (ever since I had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee two years ago). So lots of rest for me and my leg.

Oddly, with more time to slow down, elevate knee, and rest, I haven't felt much like knitting! But when the mood strikes, I work on my Waving Lace sock. Almost done with this one:

I'll have to take a break between sock #1 and sock #2 to make a pair of socks for my step-dad's Christmas present...Yes, that's right. I still owe him a Christmas present for 2006! It's a long story--involving an online seller who failed to deliver a lovely gift we ordered in December. We finally got him to issue a refund.

Since it's now May, I thought it would be nice to offer Walter the hand-made gift of his choice. He loved the socks I made for my mom's birthday, so I told him I'd make a special pair for him. The saga continues: I'll show you the patterns I'm considering in my next post.

Meanwhile, to all of you, find a place in the sun or shade, a cool drink, and enjoy the weekend. Happy Monther's Day!

A Perfect Day

Feeling Pretty

Mmmmmm. Pretty colors...


I promise to talk about something else after this, but I just had to share my recent sock yarn madness. This is the stash accumulated, mostly, during the past month...Largely rewards for meeting a goal I set for myself :-)

The two "cakes" are Lorna's Laces Watercolors and Neighborhood Fiber Co. (NFC) Brightwood. The skeins, clockwise from the top are: Claudia Hand Painted Chocolate Cherry; Sundara Yarns' Cherry Blossoms; NFC's Brookland (teal and purple); a gorgeous cranberry-colored semi-solid from NFC (I forget the color's name!); and Claudia's Pink Dot.

And, to quote Basie, "once more once," before they head to the post office today--the oh-so-pretty Orchid Socks (AKA Simply Lovely Lace Socks in Koigu KPPPM)...complete with sewn-down picot edge.

Please be advised: These socks are meant for far smaller feet than mine! (As you can tell.)



Finally, because Maggie's been getting all the attention lately...

This is Katja, looking pretty and pensive. Despite her precious "Fancy Feast" appearance, she's actually a hellion--a wannabe barn cat. We love that about her.

Feeling Pretty

Orchid Socks: Finis!

I cast off on Sunday, and blocked them to make sewing the picot edge at the top a bit easier. Trying to wrestle a rolling edge into a nice, neat hem is a real pain. Sewing will probably happen today, but in my book this is now a finished project!
Pattern: Orchid Socks AKA Simply Lovely Lace Socks (IK Spring 06)
Yarn: Koigu (Can't find the band, but I'll try to remember to look up the color #)
Needles: Addi Turbo 32" US #0 (magic loop method)
Mods: None! This was a simply lovely pattern, and came out perfectly!

I must say, I really enjoyed knitting these. The stitch pattern is SO easy to remember, so you can just relax and knit. They were a wonderful project for knitting in public, since I love people-watching and don't like to have to watch my knitting instead. Of course, I keep a close eye on what I'm doing, too...Dropped stitches aren't a disaster, but they slow you down!


Last Friday I found myself in Georgetown after a doctor's appointment, waiting for my husband to meet me for dinner at Old Glory. BUT I'd forgotten to put my knitting in my purse! Oh, my God, what an emergency. And it was such a beautiful day. All I wanted to do was find a garden bench at the Old Stone House and knit in the sun. So...I made a quick trip to Stitch DC, spent money I couldn't afford to spend, and emerged with two skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Watercolor and a rather cheap set of DPNs (US #1).

I cast on for the Waving Lace socks, which you can see on the cover of Favorite Socks. I chose to do a twisted 1x1 rib instead of the prettier pattern shown in the book's photos. Ribbing is just more practical for me...I like pretty socks, but they have to stay up or I know I won't wear them.

(Maggie's feeling MUCH better--YAY!)

Waving Lace sock #1 is much farther along now, so I'll take more photos today and get them up here. Meanwhile, you can also follow this project at the Favorite Socks KAL: Just click on the button in my sidebar.

Have a great day, everyone!

Orchid Socks: Finis!