Design Wall Monday 1-3-11

Happy New Year! I'm still working on socks. My goal was to get two pair finished while riding to/from Texas for Christmas - a 21 hour drive. But Sweet Pooch Charleston had other ideas that consisted of riding in my arms the whole way there and back. Needless to say, zero knitting was accomplished so I finished two pair of socks when we returned. The dark pair on the left are the first pair I made several weeks ago - they're okay. There are lots of mistakes in them but they are my "learning pair" and are fine for wearing around my burrow. The other two completed pair still have a mistake or two in them but I love them. They fit great and feel great and I love the colors. I've started another pair doing my version of two-at-a-time. (I'm using Patons sock yarn and a free basic sock pattern from the Paton web site.) In the close-up, I don't know if you'll be able to see it, but there is a bling-y stitch marker. A story goes along with this stitch marker ... when I hosted the earring-making party in December my friend Laura, also a knitter, brought some beaded stitch markers she had bought. They look like beautiful earrings only without the earwire - instead they are on a jump ring. So while folks at the earring making party were making earrings, Laura, Lori and I were making stitch markers and planning ways to make more. What a great gift for a knitter and, of course, knitting in progress looks so good with a little bling hanging from it.

The holidays are over ... traces of Christmas are put away until next year ... so tomorrow I'll get my sewing machine out. I'm still knitting socks, but I also have 3 sets of pillowcases I plan to make. Then it's back to quilting ... while knitting socks.

Take a few moment to check out Judy's blog at Patchwork Times. Her blog is always either a learning experience for me, or it motivates me.