Ana's Frog Pond

Toe-Up and Marlene Issues

I normally knit my socks from the cuff down, with that being said I am going to talk about Toe-up socks and my adventures (maybe more like misadventures.) 

If you've been reading you know I've am involved in a swap with the Sundara Yarn Love group on Ravelry.  The swap works where each partner sends a skein of Sundara sock yarn that they would like for the other to knit for them.  One partner is to knit a shawl and the other a pair of socks.  I signed up to knit a pair of socks and I am assigned a partner that is going to knit a shawl of my chosing.  I chose for her to knit me a Sheltland Triangle.  She chose Baudelaire. 

I have only knit one toe-up sock in my lifetime.  That was Wendy Johnson's Southwestern Socks.  I am thinking I can do this.  I found a really good video on Youtube (which is linked in the previous post).  Well last night, I tried and tried to get it.  I can get the cast-on but it's what is next that is giving me grief.  When I had knit the other socks I had used an aran weight yarn, the yarn I am using now is fingering weight.  I didn't record the needle size that I had used but I am pretty sure that it wasn't a size 2 which I am using now.  I am not sure if I should start dividing the stitches right after I finish the first cast-on row and also how many needles should I be using.  The pattern doesn't really specify.  At one time, I had a really good start, did the increase row and then proceeded to do another increase row.  It was supposed to be a knit row.  Obviously, that didn't work.  Where do you put the stitch markers so you know where to do the M1s? 

This is going to be a very good learning experience for me and hopefully one that I will remember when it comes time to do the second sock.

What about Marlene you ask?  Well remember that Marlene is the last sock that I knitted by Cookie A.  Marlene is finished.  I tried on the socks last night (no pictures yet) and they fit fabulously.  However, I measured them together that's where I made an interesting discovery.  Usually, my gauge is good to where the socks match up perfectly in width and length.  Not Marlene.  So I started counting guess what?  On the first socks I shortened the repeats by one and the second sock I followed the pattern.  I completely forgot that I had done that.  So, I now have Mismatched Marlenes.  I am not sure if I want to frog back or not.  I may just leave them and say that they were designed that way.

If anyone is reading this please leave a comment and tell me about your toe-up experiences when you first began and also about a time you unknowningly made an interesting mistake and didn't find out about until afterwards.

Cleaning, Finished and Just Starting

Why do weekends seem to fly by?  Before you know it, it's Sunday afternoon about 2pm and your thoughts are all ready turning to Monday.  Then we spend the rest of the week wishing it were Friday so you may not have to work on the weekend.  In my case though, that's not necessarily true.  I have two jobs and my other part time job, I sometimes work on Saturdays which happened to be the case this past weekend.

Hubby and I also stopped in at a garage where he used to work.  I need new brakes on my car and so he was having his friend get us an estimate on the parts.  Hubby will install the brakes for me.  The brakes on my car are starting to grind and that really doesn't sound good.  I need to get them done before our trip to St. Louis next month.

I managed to clean the bedroom this weekend and that meant taking the collection of yarn that I had bought over the past couple of months down to the basement to put them in the appropriate bins.  My yarn is stashed in bins and divided according to the alphabet for sock yarn.  Pretty much all other weights are in one bin.  I am starting to add more yarn to my stash on Ravelry.  So far, I only have about a fourth added into the database.  I know this because on New Year's Eve I spent the evening typing in every single skein/hank of yarn that I have into an excel spreadsheet.  Eventually, I am going to get all the yarn in Ravelry.  It'll be a good record just in case something were to happen.  Who would believe how much I spent on yarn (other than another knitter)?

Last night, I got my swift and ball winder out and got the yarn wound up for my next project, and the yarn for my classes at Spring Fling.  The only thing that I need to figure out is what project or projects am I going to bring with me.  I figure I have almost 12 hours of drive time so that is prime knitting time.

I finished the sock that I am knitting now. The sock is Marlene by Cookie A.  I believe I did post a picture earlier of the one lone sock.  I kitchenered the toe this morning when I got into work and weaved in all the ends.  I arrive at work about 45 minutes before I am supposed to start, so I usually sit at my desk and knit.  I am going to try to get a picture of the finished pair tonight.  I am going to see if I can get my daughter to be the foot model.  I know the socks are going to fit her perfectly since we are almost the same size.  I am not sure if she is going to claim them for her own though.

The next project that I am going to knit is Baudelaire by Cookie that was in the knitty.com summer 2006.  It is a toe-up sock which I have only completed one pair that way.  The cast on method is a figure 8 cast-on which I really have no idea on how to do.  I found a really go video on how to do the figure 8 cast-on on Youtube.  It is an excellent video, I highly recommend it.  I attempted to do the cast-on during lunch.  Got it to work but then I realized that I was 1 stitch short.  I figured that I would try again tonight and use the new stitch markers that I just got.  Works out perfectly since I didn't have the stitch markers here at work with me. 

My daughter called to tell me that a state farm agent from the 402 area code called about her accident on March 20th.  Kind of funny since, I know for a fact that she was in the state of Wisconsin on March 2oth and not Nebraska and also the child only has her learner's permit and not a driver's license.  So, I told her to wait to see if they happen to call her again could be just a case of wrong number.  I told her that if they call her again to let us know so we may talk to them. 

TGIF

Today started with me finally going to the gym.  I had to talk myself into going but I did.  I worked out for a total of 20 minutes.  I wore my heart monitor for the first time.  It was interesting because I let the monitor dictate my workout.  I tried to stay within a certain zone.  Once I finished it calculated how many calories that I burned.  According to the treadmill I had only burned 113 but my monitor said that I had burned 199.  I am going to trust my monitor more than I trust the treadmill.  I ended up running more on the treadmill than I had anticipated but I was trying to keep my heart rate up and basically that is the only way that I can do that.  When I got done my legs did feel a bit rubbery but this afternoon they are doing fine.

I managed to catch a Sundara Limited Edition Update.  It was nice because the colors were posted on the website ahead of time so I could see if there were any colors that I was interested in.  Only one caught my eye and of course it has orange in it.  The colorway is called Only for Me.  It should be mailed out on Monday, I can't wait to see it in person.

During lunch, I tried to work on my Marlene sock.  I had gotten the first round done on the gusset, went to start working on the second round and didn't have enough stitches for the pattern round.  I had to frog back and try to figure out where the missing stitch was.  It fell off the needle so I had a fun time trying to pick up the stitches.  I believe that I may have lost one of the twist stitches but I am just to the point where I am going to continue on and hope that it isn't very noticeable.

Steek Class

Last night, I went to my LYS for a class to learn how to steek.  For homework, we had to knit in the round a tube of about 6 inches using a wool weight yarn.  I was worried that I wouldn't be able to finish the homework in time but I did.

The LYS has a new look which makes it so much better to navigate.  The back area used to have a big table where they would hold the classes.  Well that made it hard to shop if there was a class going on and also if you had to go use the little girls room during a class and you just happen to be on the wrong side of the table.  Well they expanded. They have a little library area where you can sit at a nice little table and look at the books and also they have a classroom area that is very nice.

Well anyhoo.  I was not disappointed in the class at all last night.  I learned how to steek.  Now, to find the perfect project which to practice steeking.  It was very hard to imagine cutting into your knitting and not have it fall apart on you.  Once, I saw how the steeking was done I totally understood how it works.  Makes perfect sense. 

I am finding more and more that I have to have the total understanding for how something works so I can understand the bigger picture.  Then everything falls into place and the concept sticks.  I also find that it helps with troubleshooting also.

Update Continued

I was going to finish my last blog post.  I had a list of things that I wanted to talk about but then time ran out and so I hit save and that was the end of the last post.

This morning my daughter woke up again complaining of not sleeping and having a bit of a stomach ache.  I think she wanted to stay home but I didn't let her.  I got a phone call from her a bit later asking about what she could have for a stomach that is nauseated.  I told her to call her grandmother and have her bring some crackers.  I just about get to work and I get a call from the school.  Basically telling me that she is not feeling good.  So it ended up with me picking her up from school and then getting yelled at by my husband.  The poor girl is on her first day of her new medicine.  When I picked her up she had told me that she didn't want to be picked up only to get some crackers.  Now her daddy is pissed off because she came home.  So yet again, there is going to be some fireworks when he gets home from work.

I finished my homework for my class tonight.  I am taking a steeking class tonight at my LYS.  I am hoping that the class isn't a disappointment.   I had to knit a tube for about 6 inches.  It took me a couple of hours to get that knitted.  I think that this is the first thing that I have knitted in a very long time that isn't going to turn into anything.

I haven't worked on my Marlene sock for the past couple of days.  I had to knit that tube for the class so I had to take a break.  I am getting ready to knit the heel flap.  I should have the sock done within the next two weeks.  My next project is going to be a pair of Baudelaires by Cookie A.  I am going to knit those for a swap pal.  I signed up for another swap but this one is totally different.  It's called "Your socks, my shawl".  The premise of the swap was we sent each other a skein of Sundara sock yarn.  I got to chose the pattern I want knitted and she can do the same.  I signed up to knit a pair of socks and my partner is going to knit me a shawl.  I have picked the Shetland Triangle to be my shawl, and my partner picked Baudelaire.  I have sent her my yarn and have received her yarn.  I can't wait to start knitting for her but my problem is that I  hate having more than one project on my needles at a time.  Stay tuned for pictures once I cast on for the Baudelaires.  But in the mean time here is a picture of the one finished Marlene that I have done.

Update

A lot has been going on since I last updated the Frog Pond.  Here's my attempt to catch you up.

This weekend was all right.  Saturday afternoon was spent at a Staff meeting for Weight Watchers.  It was one of the better meetings.  I really hate having to do small group activities.  This time was actually fun.  The meeting was at the Westbrook Shopping Center in Waukesha Wisconsin.  We learned about merchandising.  They are trying to improve product sales.  Well anyhoo, we got assigned a wall and had to discuss what we would do to the wall to improve it.  We came up with some really good ideas.

Saturday night my son came over and we watched a hockey game.  We saw Martin Brodeur tie Patrick Roy's record for most wins by a goalie.  It was a pretty good game.  Of course the whole time we were watching the game I was knitting (what else would I be doing?)

Sunday, my daughter, husband and I went shopping at the Hawthorne Mall in Gurnee, Illinois.  We just ended up getting my daughter some clothes. I did find a pair of Puma's that I liked but they did not have my size go figure.  Did I mention that they had orange in them?

Most of the day yesterday was spent at the hospital.  I had them move up my daughter's endoscopy because she was just missing too much school.  So we reported to the hospital at 11am.  We checked in to the surgical area and they directed us to the Children's Hospital section.  Both my daughter and I looked at each other like are we in the right place.  So when we walked through the doors they greeted my daughter and I said yep, looks like we are in the right place.  They took good care of her.  She went down for the test at about noon and was done about 12:30.  Had I realized how long they were going to have her in recovery I would have went and ate lunch.   My son showed up and scared his sister before they took her down for the test.  They knocked her out with the type of drug that she was able to respond to commands.  When she came back to the room she was out of it.  She asked me the same question a couple of times and would forget what she was going to ask me.  The doctor said it appears that she has a bit of reflux and also IBS.

The weather supposedly was good yesterday, but I wouldn't know since I spent the day at the hospital.  Today is another gorgeous day.  A group of us went to out to lunch.  It was nice to spend a little bit of time outdoors.

I got another package in the mail.  This time it was my one and maybe only package from Tempted@3am club package. 

Look What The Mailman Delivered

  

3 skeins of Numma Numma Toasty, 1 skein of The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga, Zen String Lotus Toes Safflower and a 3 am Enchanment Bag.

This lovely is Sundara Sock Yarn in the Saffron Sunrise colorway.  I am to knit a pair of Baudlelaire's by Cookie A.  It is for a swap.   I sent my pal a skein of Sundara Sock Yarn in the Bronzed Forest colorway to knit me a Shetland Triangle Shawl.

It's Not Going To Be a Good Night

Today has been an interesting kind of day.  Our school district has a parent website where you can sign in and basically get all the information you need (to get your child in trouble).  You can see their grades, missing homework and attendance.  Ok, now this is the start of the ugly.  My daughter hasn't been feeling too well lately and has been missing some school.  This week Monday, I called her in sick, Tuesday I dropped her off at school and the same goes for Wednesday.  Today, I called her in sick.  So I take a look at the attendance page and it shows that she was absent for the past two days.  Wait a minute, I dropped her off at school.  I called the attendance office to have them call me back and in the meantime I call my Mom and asked her if she got a call and picked up my daughter.  Sure enough she did for the past two days.  So far this week, my daughter has not been in school but for maybe a couple of hours all week.

I also placed a call to the gastrospecialist and moved up her appointment.  She is going to the hospital on Monday to be scoped.  They are going to take a look at her stomach area to see what is wrong.  I sure hope for her sake that they find something.

I left work early so I can come home and find out what's going on.  I called my husband on the way home and of course I am getting yelled at.  He told me to wait for him to get home to talk to her.  It's not  going to be a good night tonight.

My husband and I are absolutely livid at my daughter.  We had no idea that she has my Mom pick her up and take her home from school.  My Mom is on the card to do that but still she should have told us.  My husband is ready to take everything away from her and make her life miserable.  He is also talking about cancelling the trip to St. Louis, meaning that I will be going by myself.  That is not going to be too fun, it will be a long drive if I have to go by myself.  However, once I am there it is a totally different story.

So now I am waiting for him to get home.  Once he gets home the fireworks are going to start.  I am not looking forward to tonight. 

I got some yarn in the mail today.  I am going to hopefully download the pictures to the computer tonight and then upload them.  I'll save that for another post. 

Update Tuesday

Well my daughter finally made it to school today.  She did complain of major pains on her right side but I told her that she needed to go to school.   So she wasn't too happy about that.

The doctor's office called with the test results from her bloodwork on Friday and said that everything was fine with that.  Now we just need the results from the gallbladder test on Saturday.

I had dinner with my dad last night.  He told me that he is going to go to England this summer to find his cousin.  They have since moved and he has no clue where to go look for them.  I am going to attempt to help him locate them.  That should be real fun.  He also mentioned about going to Bosnia to find some other relatives.  I told him that I would prefer him to go to England instead.

The first sock is done from Marlene by Cookie A.  I ended up having to modify the toe a bit.  I was a bit worried about it not fitting correctly.  The pattern says to decrease one round then knit the next round even.  Instead after 6 rounds of that I just kept on decreasing.  The sock is 7 1/2 inches long.  My foot is 8 1/2". The sock fits like a glove.  In a way, it looks like a child sock.  I should take a picture of the foot as compared to my other socks that I have knitted.  I was trying the sock on as I was knitting the foot and got a bit worried when I could only see just a tiny bit of my toe.  I finished the sock up here at work this morning before I actually started.  I was also able to kitchener the sock together without a cheatsheet. 

Now to cast on for the second sock.  I am hoping that this sock goes very quickly.  My swap pal from a group on Ravelry, Sundara Yarn Love sent me some sock yarn to knit her a pair of Baudlelaires by Cookie A that is going to be next up in the queue.  I am anxious to receive the yarn and see what it looks like.  I do not like having more than one project on my needles.  If you were to take a look at my project page on Ravelry you would see only 1 WIP.  Am I strange for being that way? 

I'm on Twitter

I'm on Twitter as wizgirl.