Reading is so relaxing

I have been catching up on reading, which is a good thing since I have a goal to reach by the end of the year and it helps that it is so relaxing. You can disappear into the story and forget everything else. Sometimes, all I want to do is read and not do anything else.

I read the following books:

K is for Killer - Sue Grafton

L is for Lawless - Sue Grafton

Fourth of July - James Patterson

Fifth Horseman - James Patterson

Sixth Target - James Patterson

Seventh Heaven - James Patterson

Nells Cowboy - Debbie Macomber

Lone Star Baby - Debbie Macomber

The Cowboys Lady - Debbie Macomber

The Sheriff Takes a Wife - Debbie Macomber

Things I Learned from Knitting - Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

The Shopaholic and the Sister - Sophie Kinsella

I enjoyed all of these books and do recommend them.

Of course, I've also been on a yarn buying binge.

I got Fortissima Socka - Mexiko Color from Kraemers. One of my knitting friends was knitting a sock with this yarn and I really like how it turned out.

I couldn't pass up Dream in Color Smooshy yarn in Punky Fushia.

I love this Lornas Laces Shepherd sock in Grumperia colorway that I got from Birds-N-Yarn.

I got my first shipment from the Plucky Knitter sock club. It's the Classic sock in Captain Wentworth colorway.

And finally, I have been drooling over Sweet Georgia yarn. I discovered her right around the time she decided to take a break from dyeing yarn. I waited over a whole year and she finally came back, but I could only get laceweight yarn in the Logwood colorway. It was worth it, but I still want to get at least one skein of her sock yarn.

Haven't done much knitting this week. I have been catching up on housework and reading Barbara Walters book: Audition. It's page turner.

My Local Yarn Shop: Kraemer Yarn

Here are pictures of the newly renovated Kraemer Yarn Shop in Nazareth.

Walking in the door:

To the right of the door:

In the back of the store. The wall has Dream in Color, Farmhouse Yarns and Summit Hill:

My Friday knitting group:

Linda's log cabin lap blanket. The pattern is Valley Log Cabin blanket from Webs using Plymouth Encore Yarn. I am going to make one of these. She did make some modifications by doing the same pattern in each square and bordering each square with a dark grey. The photo is exactly how this lap blanket looks.

Mandy's almost completed vest for her husband:

Lois's prayer shawl:

Beautiful Eileen who is the sock lady. She is holding two sock puppets that they are selling in kits with the yarn and the pattern. Although, they are sold out right now. They are really cute.

This is Char with her completed baby sweater. Several members are making this baby sweater. Isn't it cute.

Our wonderful teacher, Pat:

I love my Friday knitting group!

Wonderful Weather makes for great knitting

What great weather we had the last two days! It's been beautiful enough to sit out on my back porch and knit away. I also started listening to my ipod while I knit. I belong to Audible books and have enough books to catch up on over the summer. It was great; however, today is overcast and it is going to rain. Oh well, you have to take what you can get and enjoy it while you can.

I have been knitting my socks. I am finally getting over the fear of knitting the Monkey socks. I finished one sock and started on the other. I am really enjoying this pattern.

I have also been working on my Flat Feet socks. I have gotten further with these, but I am still on the first sock. I like how this is striping and the colors are wonderful.

Finally, I am back to knitting comfortghan squares for my dishcloth group. I knitted two of the Basket Welt Square by Mary Dixon. I used TLC Essentials in Falling Leaves with size 8 needles.

I also finished my May KAL with my dishcloth group. It's called Wedding Rings. I used Peaches and Creme yarn in Lt Grape with size 7 needles.

I dug out the Chevron Scarf that I started in March 2007 and was able to knit quite a bit on that this last week. I really like this scarf. It uses Socks that Rock in Watermelon Tourmaline and Farmhouse yarn with size 5 needles. The pattern is from Last Minute Knitted Gifts book.

So, I have been busy knitting. What are you knitting?

Do You have Flat Feet?

No, it's not what you think. I'm not talking about your feet. I'm talking about the new yarn called Flat Feet. It's sock yarn by Conjoined Creations and I am not affiliated with the company or anyone who owns it or works for it.

Flat Feet Sock yarn is 80% Superwash merino and 20% Nylon. The yarn doesn't come in skeins. It's woven(or knitted) into a flat and then handpainted. In order to knit from it, you unravel the yarn from the flat. In the picture below, you can see the flat and how its painted.

To unravel the yarn, you just start to pull on the provisional thread at one end.

It's like when you make a mistake in knitting and have to "frog". You just unravel it and start to knit again. Here is a sock I started with this unique yarn.

The curliness of the yarn does not make it harder to knit. The yarn is a great quality and it's not splitty. I do like how it is striping. They recommend size 3 needles, but I am using size 2's. They also recommend blocking the yarn to remove crimp, but I don't see much crimping. I plan on waiting until I am finished with these socks to determine whether I will block them. The colors are vibrant.

I purchased the yarn at my local yarn shop, Kraemer's Yarn Shop and it sold out quickly. They plan on getting more in and I will problably buy another colorway. As a side note, all flats are not handpainted the same way, so you could possibly knit 2 different pairs of socks (pairs not individual socks in the same pair) in the same colorway and have them look different.

The Joy of Knitting

Ah, the joy of not working regularly. It's just heaven, but still a little hectic. I have been catching up on appointments (hair color, dentist, and Maggie's visit to the vet for her shots). But, I have found time to knit and getting back to my Friday knitting group is just wonderful. Now, I have to start organizing the house. I have put this off for a year and now it's time to get some of that work done.

The weather has been wonderful this past week. It has been warm and I have been able to sit out on our screened in porch. It's very peaceful and gives me time to read and knit. What more can you ask for.

I have finished some items. I completed my Fannie's Fingerweight socks. I just love this yarn and how it striped. I will definately be knitting socks from more of this yarn.

I finished the Monthly Dishcloth mid month cloth. It's called Dots within Stripes and I used Peaches and Cream yarn in Persimmon and Tea Rose (size 7 needles). This was a fun dishcloth to knit and I love how it turned out. That is what great about knitting dishcloths. They are quick and easy and get you to try new patterns. I also loved the colors of the yarn. Peaches and Cream is great and much better than Sugar and Cream.

I finally completed the fourth comfortghan square for this year. I have to get moving on these since I committed to 24. The pattern on this one is the same as before. Double Broken Rib Square pattern by Mary Dixon. Yarn is Red Heart TLC Essentials and I used a size 7 needle.

I am still working on my Monkey sock in between everything else, but I am slowing finishing the first sock. I just have to get past the heel on this one and then I think I will begin to knit faster. It's like I'm scared to continue since this is my first patterned sock.

I have started on another sock using the Flat Feet yarn I purchased. I will be posting step by step pictures later this week to show how the yarn works. I have cast on for a sock, but want to get past the ribbing before I post the pictures.

I really need to get back to finishing up some projects that I have started, but I'm also thinking about doing a log cabin blanket or lapghan. I really should finish up my ripple afghan before starting this. Two of my knitter friends from Kraemer's are working on the log cabin pattern and they are really nice. They are using a pattern from Webs where you knit squares and then put them together rather than knitting one big log cabin square.

Decisions, Decisions what a joy to have to decide what to knit and have time for it.

Tax Time is Almost Over

Yippee! I cannot wait and then I will be back to my Friday knitting classes at Kraemer Yarns. Although it's almost over, I did volunteer to work off season. So, I have to work this Thursday and the next two Monday's. I will be off for 8 weeks and may land out working one day a week, but I definately want to teach. That I am looking forward to doing.

Most of all, I am looking forward to relaxing, knitting and reading and spending time with my Maggie May. She how great she looks! I think she has been studying while I have been working. Ways to get even for leaving her alone in her crate while I went off to work. Oh, Oh, I am in big trouble. Maybe I need to take her to pet training classes. That may also be in the cards for my time off.

I was able to finish off a dishcloth from my Monthly dishcloth group. It's called The Meadow by Lindy. I used Peaches and Cream yarn in Gold with size 7 needles. This was a cute cloth to knit up.

Check this yarn out! I got it at Kraemer's on Saturday. It's called Flat Feet yarn. Instead of having the yarn in a ball, you pull on the thread as you knit. First you knit from one end and then the other. The colors are very vibrant. I think I will start on my next sock with this yarn. I can't wait to see how it knits up. They are going to get more in stock.

I also caved in and ordered yarn from the Loopy Ewe. I got three different kinds and love them all.

From left to right: The Sanguine Gryphon Eidos sock yarn in Pythagorus colorway, Bella Moden in colors Black Beauty and Chocolat and Creatively Dyed Yarns in colors Royal Envy and Hot Salsa. The Creatively Dyed Yarn is 80% merino, 10% Cashmire, and 10% Nylon.

I am just hopeless with sock yarn.

What the Heck?

I got Sheepaints yarn from the Loopy Ewe. The yarn is really nice, but look at the difference in the striping between the two socks I knit.

How can this be? How can two socks look so different in the striping. I always try to start at the same place and I can see if I made a mistake with that, but how could the stripes be so different in width? I like how the bottom sock turned out better than the top sock. I am debating about knitting a third sock. I think I will have enough yarn to do another, but will have to weigh the skein first. But is it worth doing that?

I have one more colorway in this brand of yarn and I'm debating about selling it on Ravelry or just knitting it up. I won't buy anymore of this yarn, that's for sure.

I did start another sock using Fannie's Fingering weight yarn from Farmhouse Yarns. I really like the yarn. It has nylon in it and it's really soft. I also like the striping on the sock. I have three other colorways in this yarn and will definately use them. I used size 2 needles. The colorway is Fall Flowers.

I couldn't resist buying more yarn from the Loopy Ewe, so here is my last purchase.

From left to right, Tempted Yarns in color Kiss This, Rio de la Plata in a teal black color, Colinette Jitterbug in Raphael, and of course Fannies Fingerweight in Rhythum and Blues 2.

Well, I only have 9 more days until the end of tax season. I cannot wait. My taxes are completed and mailed in. I did owe, but I'm looking forward to the Stimulus Payment that I should receive in June. I will use it to pay our school taxes. Have you filed your taxes yet?