Reality-sicles

My Dreamsicle Monkeys are finally a reality.

I have learned so much with each pair of socks I have made. I am so excited to be at a point where I can read through many patterns and say to myself - hey, self, I actually understand what I am supposed to do! It is liberating not to solely focus on the ease of the pattern when deciding what to make.

There is a reason that Cookie A's Monkey pattern is so popular. It really is fun to knit, and works well with many variegated yarns. I think it was the first thing I put in my queue on Ravelry (before that it was just in my mental queue).
I was surprised by how intuitive the pattern felt after knitting only a few repeats.
I chose to knit the no purl version - a trend started by Crafty Pancakes.

Not that I dislike purls, but I love how the "trunks" flow out of each other in an "Escher-esque" way without the purls.

One thing I love about doing socks cuff down, is how speedy the knitting feels on the foot after the decreases of the gusset. It just seems to fly. There is always the worry about how much yarn you have left - which is one reason I would like to try a few more toe-up socks.


I had an itch to start hookin' again after I was inspired by some of my freebies at last weekend's Knit Out - an issue of Crochet Today and a free hook - as well as the YarnPirate's recent sock yarn granny baby blanket.

So I started a swatch with with sock yarn leftovers. I was having a good time, so it kept growing, and I added more leftovers...I'm not sure how it will end up, but I am enjoying it so far.

I forgot how pleasant the rhythm of crochet can be.

I am continuing on with my Noro Socks - not much progress since the last picture - and I plan to cast on for Bellatrix with my Cheeky Monkey "Mississippi Queen" - this will be take two for this yarn. I love the colors and the smoosh factor, and I want the pattern to be a good fit.
I fell in love with Gigi Silva's Harry Potter sock pattern series awhile back - with her recent passing it seems a fitting time to finally cast on. I have yarns picked out for Fawkes and Nagini too, but I may not get to them for awhile. (More info on her patterns in Ravelry under the designer name Monkey Toes - her website is currently off-line). I hope the yarn and pattern will be a good pairing.

Lastly, thanks to AreaThriftyOne for a surprise 5 in my recent package.

I'm not revealing my purchase (although it is probably not a secret on etsy), but she is very talented and I love how she turns "tiny leftovers into objects worthy of love."

Popsicles and Super Why

We encountered a little sickness at our house this weekend. So we employed the age-old home remedy for puking and a little fever... a strict regimen of popsicles and TV - namely Super Why - and things seem to be getting better.

Super Why has really grown on me... although I don't appreciate the songs stuck in my head at 2 a.m. "Hip Hip Hooray... the Super Readers saved the day..."

Here is a bit of my librarian geekiness though... I do get a kick out of the fact that at the beginning of the show you enter the world of the Super Readers through the 398.2 section of a library - since the whole premise of the show is solving problems through fairy tales. You can actually see the call numbers on the books!


I'm still working away on my Monkey and Noro socks.

I am in the middle of both pairs, and depending on which pair I am working on - that one is my current favorite.
It's hard to believe I have now been knitting for over a year. I started at the beginning of last February out of a desire to knit socks. I still feel like I am such a newbie, but looking back, I really have learned a lot in the last 12 months. I never would have believed that I would now be in the middle of my 12th and 13th pairs of socks.

Much of the credit goes to the online knitting community - without the ability to lurk online and take in all kinds of tips and tricks, I'm sure all I would have is an unfinished garter stitch scarf (nothing against the classic garter stitch scarf!). Instead I have been able to learn from master knitters as well as knitters just starting out and making mistakes like mine. I have been inspired by so many "fiber artists" in the past year who have kept me growing - many of whom are listed in my blog roll. I feel grateful - thank you!

I am excited to see where "year two" of knitting takes me.
I even hope to reveal my very own sock pattern (which is currently in the works) in the next few months.

I went to this weekend's Knit Out at the Mall of America with my good friend (and fellow sipper) R as well as my neighbor Shelly (due to some fortuitous timing).
We had a fun time walking and chatting - and enjoying ice cream!
Shelly and I just had to pose with the Lion Brand Lion (they have an intriguing new sock yarn coming out very soon - we were surprised). Thanks to R for taking the picture of us nerdy, knit bloggers. :)



And the long awaited good news... Davin has been home for good since Feb 1st. Things have been pretty busy, but at least he is living at the same address again.
For Valentine's I had a wonderfully creative surprise of a bouquet of homemade 5 shaped marshmallow "peeps"!

and this little treat he found while antiquing.

(the ring, not my aging computer)
We also have plans for a night out this week when this guy is in town.
I'm getting out my can of red paint for the town.