Has it been about 6 weeks already!

Yarn: Regia Silk Color 0187 6890
Pattern: Sensational Knitted Socks Four-Stitch Ribbing Pattern
Needles: KnitPicks DPNs size 1 (3 needles)
Cuff Up/Down: Cuff Down

It doesn't feel like these socks were started that long ago. The time has flown by. My little guy played baseball this past spring which took up most of our week nights and weekends. I found myself cheering more than knitting. He was thrilled when his coach suggested for him to tryout for tournament baseball. He's been on cloud nine since he found out he made the tournament team. They have their first game next week and will play until the end of July.

In the past I have avoided carring the cuff pattern to the foot of the sock. In my mind the sock would feel uncomfortable with the pattern rubbing between my foot and my sneaker. I'm hoping that the socks feel just as good in my sneakers as on my feet. It's just too warm here right now to wear socks and sneakers for long periods of time.


The only change I made to the pattern was using the slip stitch to tighten the sock around my foot. One of the socks is about 1/4 inch shorter than the other. I ran out of yarn and couldn't knit the last few decreases.

Overall, I'm happy with these socks. I keep telling myself my next pair will be toe up because I do favor toe up socks. The kitchener stitch was a lot easier for these socks than DH's black socks. However, we'll see what happens when I start making my next pair...toe up/cuff down...time will tell.

Gentlemans Socks are FINALLY DONE!!!

DH's Gentleman Socks are completed except for weaving in the ends. These socks were a challenge for my eyes. Knitting black socks at night wasn't easy. Dh's socks were knit with DPNs. It's the first pair of socks I've knitted only with DPNs or even cuff down. I can't say they worked up faster. The first sock did seem to go pretty quick but, the second sock took FOREVER. It could be that the second sock had to be ripped out a couple of times. Yesterday when I finished them, I couldn't wait for DH to come home and try the socks on. Little did I realize that I knitted the foot of the second sock 2 or 3 inches longer than it should have been. With much disappointment I frogged back and redid the toe. I'm happy they are done but, disapointed in my Kitchner Stitch. There are plenty of mistakes in both socks but, hey that's what happens when they are hand knitted mostly at night...I can accept my mistakes.

Today, I did a few rows of the Lovely Hearts Afghan and started another pair of socks. The new socks are for me on DPNs cuff down...I need to master the Kitchner Stitch. The pattern will be very simple with a K2P2 cuff. Right now, I need a mindless project and these socks will be perfect.

Random meme
I've been tagged by Jennifer!

(I have to post this first:)
Here's how to play...
1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names.


1. The only chocolate I enjoy is Hot Fudge. Besides hot fudge I could careless if I ever had chocolate again.

2. I enjoy peace and quiet.

3. TV puts me to sleep. I can never sit down and watch TV without falling asleep. I have to do something while watching TV to prevent me from falling asleep.

4. When I clean the house I blast the stereo.

5. About five years ago I lost 30 pounds by joining Weight Watchers. I'm proud to say I've kept it off and lost an additional 5 pounds.

6. In the 80's my family camped year round in a 32' trailer. We went from Maine, (near the Canada border), down to Florida, (Disney), in one summer.

7. I love my husband dearly but, wouldn't date him in Jr. High or High School :).

8. My favorite recipe is Garlic Herb Crusted Roast Beef.

Garlic-herb Crusted Roast Beef
By Associated Press Modified by Patrice

1 boneless beef round rump roast or beef bottom round roast (3 to 4 pounds)
Salt and Pepper

For The Rub:
2 teaspoons garlic-pepper seasoning
2 teaspoons dried basil leaves, crushed
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried parsley leaves, crushed

Heat oven to 500 degrees you will cook the roast for 10 minutes at this temp.

Combine rub ingredients in small bowl; press evenly onto all surfaces of beef roast. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. Do not add water or cover. Roast at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Roast for 1 ½ to 2 hours for medium-rare doneness.

Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135 degrees, for medium-rare. Transfer roast to carving board: tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10 degrees to reach 145 degrees for medium-rare.) Carve roast into thin slices; season with salt and pepper, as desired.

NOTE: If you prefer your meat to be cooked more than medium-rare cook longer. 140 is medium and 160 degrees is well done. Remember the temperature increases about 10 degrees while it rests.


Now I am supposed to tag. After looking at the blogs I check every so often it looks like Melissa you're the only one not tagged yet....TAG!!!!

It's been a LONG TIME!!!!

I know it's been a REALLY LONG TIME since I posted. There has been some knitting over the past few months but, no finished projects. Between working and the kids activities there hasn't been much time to knit. Today, I did knit several inches on DH's socks while DS#1 was having his teeth cleaned. It felt good to sit and knit even if it was dark outside due to the thunderstorms.

DH's socks are almost done. One sock is completely finished and the other sock has about 4 inches left in the foot. The kitchener stitch on the first sock wasn't mastered. Hopefully, it will be easier the second time around. My sweater hasn't been touched in months. I keep telling myself that I have to finish it by the fall so I can wear it. If it needs to be frogged for the sleeves (which I think are too wide), I'll have to get my rear in gear soon. There is a new project which was started in March. It's an afghan for my niece. Below is a picture from April.



Since this picture was taken four rows of hearts have been knitted. My wonderful DS#1 made me the yarn caddy for the yarn out of KNEX. The caddy has been revised to a third of it's original size and two rows.

Off to knit and drink my tea. If the forecast for the rest of the week and this weekend is correct I'll have time to sit back and knit Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There's always a brighter side to dreary days.

It's been awhile!

There has been a lot going on since my last post in January. It was my time to return to the workforce part-time. Which means less time for me and a little more money in the family budget. It has been a learning curve for everyone in the family. Some of the chores around the house have not been done on a daily basis. It was cute to hear my little guy ask me why I need to pay bills when he'd like to talk about Pokemon or how come his pants that he wore two days ago are not washed. My oldest is reacting differently. He tries to help out more with chores...when he's in the mood or looking for something. He also, has been pushing our buttons and acting like he doesn't care about school. Hopefully, it's a phase and we'll live through it.


On the knitting front there has been some progress. Last month, I knitted mittens with Reynolds Andean Alpaca Regal. The thumbs are a little tight where they join the mittens. I'll have to leave more stitches for the thumb on the next pair.

This bag was felted using Patons wool. It's big enough to hold the items that were in my purse but, not big enough to hold a project.

This sweater is in limbo right now. Some time soon there will be time set aside to join the sleeves to the sweater, calculate the yoke and the repeats. Right now, there just isn't enough time in the day.


I'm hoping these sleeves are not really baggy. They look a lot wider compaired to the sleeves on my other sweaters. I'm hoping when the sweater is put together and finished the sleeves are not as wide as they look. Worst case...I reknit the yoke and sleeves over the summer or next fall.

These Regia Tweed socks are for DH. The pattern is Gentleman Socks by Kristi. Sock number one has about 6+ inches left of the foot. Sock number two right now has about 5" done of the cuff. The picture was taken over the weekend. It's interesting using the DPNs for socks. All the other socks I've knitted have been done using CT&H method using two circular needles toe up. The DPNs seem to work up faster but, I'm not sure if I like finishing the sock at the toe. When the cuff was done it was a let down because the cuff of all my other socks was the finish line.

3.2 miles

The van went into the shop today for an inspection sticker, oil change, and brakes. Boy are those breaks costly. I dropped off the van and walked home. Several hours later I picked it up. The walk home was the worst of the two walks. It was 19 degrees out.

1st Finished Project of the New Year!

Yarn: Schoeller Esslinger Fortissia Cotton Colori 75% Cotton 25% Nylon

Needles: 2 Addi size 1 circulars from toe up to 1/4" of cuff
4 Knit Picks size 1 DPNs for cuff and size 2 DPNs for cast off

Pattern: Crazy Toes and Heels
Fan toe & short-row-up stockinette stitch heel
Knit 2 Purl 2 cuff




Last night I finished the cuff on my Fortissima Cotton Socks while DH watched the New England Patriots. The only thing left for me to do today was cast off and tie in the loose ends. There were a few lessons learned on this pair of socks. Watching my son play basketball and knitting socks don't equal progress. Last week during my son's game I was knitting happily away on the cuffs of my socks. Sure, I thought I was doing great...wrong. Both socks front and back ended up on one circular instead of the fronts on one circular and the backs on the other circular. Plus, some how I managed to tangle and knot both balls of yarn. The socks got tossed back in the bag to be fixed at a later time. A day or two later I decided they were going to DPN's. I never knitted socks with DPNs. One of the balls was so knotted that I left it alone for several hours and finally sat down for an hour to fix the mess. The DPN's seem to work up faster than the 2 circulars. However, every so often I end up with a yarn over here or there that needs to be knitted together with the next stitch. With the 2 circulars I was use to the cuffs always being the same length. Measuring the cuffs every so often on the DPN's kept them close in size.

My next pair of socks will be for DH and I'm tossing around the idea of making them cuff down on DPN's. I've never done this method. If I find it's faster than ciruclar needles I'll make his socks with DPNs. He wears a size 11 1/2 wide shoe and his socks take me 2-3 weeks longer to make than mine. If I can make them quicker he'll get more socks.

Walked 2 miles

My feet made it on the treadmill for 2 miles of walking. I have to get moving...the turtle below is moving at a snails pace.