Operation Sock Drawer

Hear that band? See that wagon? Expect me to be not far behind. I am seeing beautiful sock drawers on facebook and instagram and hearing about them on many podcasts. On the Stash and Burn board on Ravelry I found a 2014 Challenge that I think will suit me.
Knit 6 pairs of socks in a year. That's one sock a month.

 Plus one sock is already knit and the second stripy afterthought sock is on the needles. I wanted it set up for emergency knitting. It's in the car. Two of the skeins are medium weight because I like thick socks with my boots. One has tried a few times to be socks and failed. I'll try to get that one done first. That'll be in March. Hoot.

These are my socks. They don't all fit well. Two pairs need new toes. I bought some charcoal Patons Kroy because it is so strong. I'm thinking about doing all my toes in the grey. They will wear well and leave more yarn for high legs. I like to do toe up and some of my yarns are a bit skimpy for my size 10 feet.
In the winter I wear wool socks and Birkenstock clogs in the house. I wash them in the washing machine, but hang them to dry.
This is me dreaming that the Christmas knitting of mittens will soon be done. I cast on a hat for my father in law, and there will be more hats for charity, too before I can tuck into the socks. I am having second thoughts about the mittens for my daughter because I got a shipment from Kama Sutra Fibre Arts of some crazy beautiful rainbow seasilk. They will not be socks, but I am enamoured with the idea of Suzy's Reading Mitts made into Reading Rainbow mitts. But the cabled ones from Botanical knits are also lovely and I've half finished one.
Time to slide into the simple knitting of the log cabin. It, too needs to be done, just after Christmas.

And then I can knit socks. It's going to be a cozy sock year.

Other Things I Like to Do

 I found some hyacinth bulbs. I'm always too late when I want to force them in the new year. I bought a few extra that I can keep in the fridge and grow them in succession. I also planted my amaryllis for Christmas. I will take one to the hospice again, when it gets closer to the holidays.

 Instead of knitting, I made two fluffy ribbon scarves for my head nurse. At first I was supposed to teach her, but she couldn't connect with me. Then she said I would just do it. I started, but balked until she gave me a lovely thank you gift. That's not playing fair. At least they are done and out of the house.

 A whole afternoon was spent seaming the WORK + SHELTER hand warmers. That's what happens when you make one a day and stack them up in three pairs of 44 grams each.

 I also love how they fit. My gift drawer is filling up!

 I brought out my sweaters as the temperature plummeted. Full of pills, they looked sad and home made. I found the shavers I have bought at the dollar store and went to town, loving my stitches. This is a good tool for my and my hands. Make sure you find ones without lotion!

 We had a family wedding last weekend. My house was full and it felt like Christmas. Our driveway and the next door neighbours (who let us use it while they were away) were full of pick up trucks. There was a sliced ham and buns on the table and people came and went before, between and after.
Emily wore one of the dresses I made and I wore the other. D wore his family tartan and piped in the bride.

 One of my favourite nephews, Morry, eldest son of my cowboy sister, Julie. When he was born, I was still on the farm next door and spent much of my time helping mind him.

 He married a class mate of many years ago and is adopting her two children. They are happy.

 My Paw is super. Tall and quiet. He just retired from driving gravel truck. But he is still picking up shifts. He married my mom when I was 13 and adopted Julie and I, helped raise two teenage girls on a farm and ended up with 9 grandsons, 2 granddaughters and 3 great grand sons.

 The sun came out during the service and covered the Cultus Lake church grounds with dappled light.

And this is one of my favourite babies ever, one of my great nephews.. He is always happy and friendly. His mom is really having a good time. I love babies!
There has been knitting, but with work and cleaning house and cooking and cleaning house again, I haven't had as much time.
I have started a run/walk program in the field behind our house. I started going around the local soccer fields because I wanted soft surfaces and didn't want to time myself, but they made a gravel path around the field and I can run/walk in privacy (with the big black dog). I am amazed that I am enjoying it. I blame Dr. Gemma of the Cogknitive Podcast and the fact that I am progressing really slowly. If I don't over do it, there are lots of other things I like to do.

A Bit Foggy

The autumn mornings are beautiful and a bit crisp. The afternoons are clear and sunny.

 I'm loving walking with the big black dog as the fields slowly reveal themselves. But I have been a bit foggy, myself, with the same cold that everyone is struggling with. Luckily, I can rest until my next shift on Thursday.

So there has been knitting and crafting. The WORK + SHELTER hand warmers, above, were only one day of knitting each. The yarn is left over from my Silk Moon Crescent Shawl (the third) and are made for my niece's step-daughter, because she is family, too.

 For my mom, I made a needle book to go with some embroidery equipment for Christmas (all saved in a cake box). She gave away her stitching collection but wants to get back into it.

 For my BFF on her birthday, just past, I made an Ice Queen smoke ring. This is the kid silk haze that always finds its way into my stash. I hope to make co-ordinating mitts for Christmas. I needed a sharper needle to enjoy this, and I know better, so it's my own fault.

 For my DH, I made a surgeon's scarf (a cowl if you're a girl). The tunisian crochet is so masculine, and the deep stash Socks That Rock is still a delight. I made it 26 1/2 inches long and worked it length wise until it was 10 inches. This turned out well.

 Very soft and warm when blocked. And look at those colours! Thanks to Morag Ruadh for teaching me to do Tunisian crochet.

 This cowl turned out as I hoped. It's for Scott's girlfriend who pinned it on Pinterest. I tried to make it for Christmas last year, but ran out of yarn. My fault entirely. Thanks to electrictree yarns for ordering more at some trouble.

 It only needed the button bands and blocking. More Christmas knitting done!!!!

 For Scott I'm making the Joe's Coffee Cosy from the current Interweave Knits Holiday magazine. This yarn, from stash, is perfect and a bit felted. Half done in one day of sitting and resting.

 Say good bye to the stripy sock, for a while. I managed to start the ribbing. But there are mittens and gifts to make.

 Stay tuned for January selfish knitting when I will get the second sock done and play with my first afterthought heel.

I'm making more WORK + SHELTER hand warmers because I love the simple knitting, I love using 50 grams of worsted from stash, and I love the final product.
I'm also doing a second colour pattern owl mitten, and need to make a second pair.
My other auto pilot knitting is this handspun scarf/shawl in the Twilight pattern A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd. I love this pattern, it loves me, and it loves this yarn.
I'm raising the hem on one of the dresses I sewed because it fits Emily spectacularly. We have a family wedding this weekend and look forward to being over run by my kids, the nephews and their friends!
Now I have lots of simple knitting for these foggy days.

Quick Trip to Whistler

I saw this on Pinterest and couldn't resist making one for my nephew's wife. We have been leaders, together, at our camp several times over the years (I knew her before he did). I love girls who love campfires. The box was from a bourbon bottle (Bookers is the best!) the stick is walnut from our back yard and the marshmallows are Crayola foam clay.

 We took time to get away together during the off season. Our points at our Intrawest time share go much farther then, plus we don't ski anymore. It's up in the mountains and the cold nights had the trees showing off their colours.

 Most of the mountain is carefully planted. I love this alle. It makes me think of our trip next year to Paris.

 There are many trails that go around lakes and through woods. We live close to those things here, but don't take the time to wander.

 Early autumn sun is lazier and has more shadows.

 Lost lake is only about 25 minutes walk from our place. These trails are off limits in the winter because they are groomed for cross country skiing.

 There's a beach and you can swim in the summer, but it was way cold.

 It rained one day, but we poked around in the shops then. Eating out is fun, plus we brought our own lunch and breakfast.

 Our daughter was here during the winter Olympics, playing with the Sardis Secondary School Drumline. But we used our time share points to go to Hawaii.

There was a bit of development for the Olympics, but most of the town was already ready. I don't think we have been up here since then. They made a nice square in the village with a covered stage and a huge lawn.
Scott and his girlfriend, Dallas, went up for Thanksgiving and did a bungee jump to celebrate their third year anniversary.
We celebrated Thanksgiving with a turkey and board games. It seems I am working a lot more lately.
I knit on the way up to Whistler (about 3 hours), worked on a secret project during our stay, and now hope to finish it to get back to project mittens.
We're lucky to be so close to a great get away.

Autumn Skies

 It's starting to get cold in the evenings with a heavier dew. I am enjoying longer walks as the dog. I always enjoy looking up to see the mountains. These mountains are looking south.

 The corn came off shockingly early this year. Some of it before school went back after Labour Day weekend. We saw, in Greendale, a 6th cut of hay. We regularly get 3 or 4 cuts of hay from a single field, but a sixth is unexpected. This is Mt. Cheam, our biggest peak that watches over us from the east.

 Our houses are never far from the fields that feed the dairy cows that make up the largest industry in our valley. D is a dairy vet, we both grew up on dairy farms, and did our time helping with the harvest, or, in my case, cooking for the crew. Thanksgiving dinner was often postponed for the corn harvest to make silage for the cows.

We don't get a lot of fall colour because we don't get the extreme temperature shifts, or we get the rain that turns the leaves into brown mush. Our poplar trees turn gold. But we can plant decorative trees in our Zone 4 and enjoy the reds and oranges on a smaller level.
And of course, this is knitting weather. I am really enjoying the small projects. Mittens for great nephews, hats for men, and a kidsilk haze smoke ring for my BFF. Good travel knitting, all.
Small enough to pack, and easy enough to watch the sky.

It's Time

 We've almost run out of September. I have enjoyed the wild ride of Single Skein September. There have been hats and mittens. I started another pair last night, but no way are they toddler size! I'm even using a lighter yarn and smaller needles and they just about fit me. Must choose. Either finish them and give them to an adult, or abandon them and get out the fine yarn for the sweet young things. I'll probably do both. I'm so pleased that the Stash and Burn thread encouraged me to finish the alpaca blanket. I've got buttons on the finished hood that failed to make it to Christmas last year.
Christmas knitting is well under way!
I started and finished this hat for one of my great nephews. In the spirit of stash busting, I used a Socks That Rock held double. No finer wool for washing and wearing. Plus it resisted becoming socks more than once.

 I was entranced by this scarf that Rory is wearing in the 4th season of the Gilmore Girls. What a great show! Thanks knitters for not only bringing it to my attention, but sharing your seasons with me. Love the banter! Can't believe this is 10 years ago, or so. When I reviewed the disc to pin down the scarf, it didn't excite me as much as the first time I saw it. Still, I have some lovely alpaca from my birthday and I loved knitting the Twilight scarf for my dear neighbour. It's nice to have a knit on the needles that is just for pleasant knitting.

My knitting lists will now morph and change as we head into a new month. I need to finish the Fair Isle sweater of so many seasons, make more sweet mittens, finish the cowl for D, and do some painting, gluing and stitching types of crafts.
My dress worked out perfectly! I hope to cut out the second one today in the more formal fabric, so I can wear it to the family wedding in October. I have to knit a Ice Queen smoke ring for my BFF (who doesn't read blogs) and maybe matching Mrs. Beeton mitts for Xmas. All from the stash, she says righteously. Just overlook the frenzy of yarn buying that was September. Why did that come out in all caps?
Carly is doing well with some anti-inflammatory meds, as am I . We managed to walk the big block twice last week. As per Dr. Gemma from the Cogknitive Podcast, we will continue our normal routine, but add a super walk once a week.
I'll try to get the camera out on all the finished objects and gifts in progress to share. We have had up to 30 people at knit night and great fun with drop spindling and making hats for the Salvation Army Christmas dinner. With last night's rain storm, and the heat coming on in the house, I feel we have turned the calendar page and entered the next season: soups and sweaters and snuggling!