Stripey!

I am happy to say, I think, just maybe, I have found some knitting "umph". It may have something to do with casting off and finishing these.

Pattern: Basic toe up sock using Magic Loop cast on. I didn't increase at all for the calf. I knit straight up and decreased after 10 rounds of ribbing.
Needles: #2 KnitPicks 32" circulars
Yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock #185

I used every single last little bit of this yarn. Literally, I think I have 1/2" leftover from trimming ends I wove in. I do admit, I did run out on the second sock. My scale is not as accurate as I would like, so I believe it didn't split the skein exactly equally (this scale would be more what I would like for the future - it's accurate to 0.1 grams), I ended up with not enough of the dark green for the second sock's ribbing. Not a big deal though. I may use some leftover green sock yarn from a different sock, or just leave it. For some reason (I believe it is because one of my legs is definitely shorter than the other) the same amount of stripes landed me with a longer sock on one leg. So, in the end, the sock still fits fine, and with no increases for the calf, it is nice and snug and not going anywhere!

It was such a nice day yesterday, my sister and I decided to do the photo shoot at the orchard while picking apples. It was very strange. All the trees in the area we were picking in were just about picked clean. We had to hunt for apples! I don't mind hunting for blueberries when blueberry picking, but hunting for apples? I think the orchard was saving their really full trees for this weekend - a long holiday weekend - when the masses will be out. Lucky for me though, the orchard is only a few short miles away, and I can go anytime after work and grab a small bag to hold me over. I plan on looking through my many apple recipes today to see what I can make. There will always be apple pie, but I like to broaden the apple horizon a bit and try something new.

We got home and it was just so nice out we couldn't go inside. The dogs entertained us for a while with their antics, and Ace gladly chased after his Jolly Ball. His most loved and favorite toy ever. He literally screeches in delight when he plays with it!

You can see Tucker in the background looking thrilled. He spent our time outside grazing. He's not so much into the playing, but loves to just be with me. Otis, on the other hand, was feeling rather playful!

Tucker and I are off to New Hampshire for a trial this weekend, then Monday off for a nice relaxing day. I think I am going to get some knitting done.....

Thanks to everyone for hanging in there while I went through this little knitting and blogging slump! It really helped knowing you were out there looking for me!

As Promised....

I know it's been a while. Lately, I've been making a conscious effort to start knitting again. Even for a half hour before bed, just knit a little. Try to get the motivation back again! I didn't have much more to go on my Noro stripey knee socks. In the "old days" they would have been done weeks ago. They have languished with only a few inches left of sock two. Sad. But, last night I was bound and determined to finish them. I knit a bit on the second sock at lunchtime, then sat down last night and started the ribbing. I was done faster than I thought. I ran out of yarn. Ideally, the ribbing on both socks would be the same length, but it was not to be. I'm about 15 rounds short on sock #2. Oh well. I managed to squeeze a pair of knee highs out of one skein of Noro sock yarn! Pretty good! If anyone has any scraps of dark green Kureyon (or even dark purple) that they may be willing to get rid of, let me know - like I said, I only need enough for about an inch and a half of ribbing.

It was dark and late by the time I was done, and I was tired, so I plan on doing a proper finished sock photo shoot today if all goes well. The weather better cooperate - it was raining when I came to work.

In other news, I do have hubby's Brick Pullover (rav link) on the needles. Only about 10 rows have been done, but it will make good knitting for the many hotel stays I have coming up for the end of the year.

The fall agility season is winding down a bit. Only four more trials left for the year. Ace is officially entered in his first trial the weekend before Thanksgiving at the biggest AKC agility trial in the country - right here in Springfield, Mass. He has been coming along really nicely. I think he will be a lot of fun! Tucker has been trialing also, and had a great weekend last weekend. A bunch of ribbons and qualifying runs. What a good boy!

I'm hoping this will be the start of more regular blogging. The crisp cool (cold actually!) weather has brought on the need for cozy socks and sweaters, and nighttime couch knitting.

Happy Happy

Finally! Some knitting progress to show!! The Noro stripey socks have reached the halfway point.

So far so good. This comes up to about 1" below the back of my knee. I have not done the ribbing yet as I'd like to see how much yarn I have left after it's mate is knit. I think I have enough yarn for a few inches of ribbing, but if not, I'd like to make both ribbings match in a contrasting yarn. The skein had a bit more purple in it than I had planned. I actually took out one entire repeat of purple as both balls came to purple at the same time. When purples collide!

The garden has really been blooming lately. Things are ripening at a blistering pace. Last night, I finally picked my cauliflower. I can't believe I grew it!

It's good sized too - bigger than a normal grocery store head. The three little tomatoes came off a plant that I had given up for dead. When I checked on it last night, it still looked pretty pitiful - only a few leaves at the top and a bit "floppy". But, these beautiful tomatoes were hanging off their vine! There are also some new baby tomatoes forming as well. I'm not sure how this plant is doing it, but obviously it is a fighter!

The tomatoes on my other plants are just getting bigger and bigger. All of these I grew from seed. Cherry and pear tomato seeds. Yeah right. Something got mixed up somewhere.

This plant is covered with tomatoes all this size or larger. I have another out in the garden that has pretty much taken over and is ginormous. It too is covered with huge tomatoes. So much for minis this year!

The brussel sprouts are also doing well. These are in the container with the above tomatoes, but I have another few 'sprout plants down in the garden and they are a bit further along. I have read they taste better and not to harvest them until after a frost, so they still have a while to go.

I'm actually thinking I may not need the CSA next year! The containers have worked out much better than I ever could have imagined, and I can fit a few more on the deck and even a few on the stairs leading down to the yard. After seeing how well everything is doing, I'm already formulating my seed list for next year!

We did pick up our CSA delivery on Tuesday and it was huge.

I'm thrilled we got more blueberries, and the corn is super sweet. I still have some stuff from last week that I need to eat, so I'm glad that everything seems to last a week or two (maybe because it is picked the day we get it and is local).

With the long weekend coming up, Tucker and I are off to our traditional three day Labor Day weekend trial in Granby, Massachusetts. We've been doing it every year since I started agility, and it is pretty much my favorite trial site. It has huge fields for playing frisbee or ball, and hiking trails with ponds for swimming. I'm hoping that being at home this weekend will bode better for our success at the trial!

New Beginnings

With Phyllo off the needles, and a trip to Webs under my belt, and a vacation rapidly approaching, it was only right to cast on a few new things.

The one thing I wanted at Webs was a skein of the Noro Sock yarn. I had been browsing both Flickr and Ravelry to see what the colors knit up like. I finally decided on color 185. I'm hoping with 462 yards in the skein, I have enough for knee highs. I can get a pair out of a skein of Cherry Tree Hill, which has 420, so I'm hopeful. Just in case, I'm knitting them toe up. I'm also knitting from each end of the skein for those always amazing Noro stripes. (thanks to my sister Naomi for making her awesome center pull balls for me!)

The color is kind of off on this picture - the green towards the toe is really a nice lime green. I'm happy with the striping so far and I am just about to the heel.

The other yarn I picked up at Webs was a bag of their Northampton yarn. It's very Cascade 220 like - same gauge, same feel (almost a bit softer) and a huge range of colors. It is less expensive though. $5 a ball for 247 yards!

This will eventually turn into the Brick Pullover from the Summer 2008 Interweave. Hubby liked it when I first showed it to him when I got the magazine, and I think this yarn will work very nicely for it. I do have to do some re-calculating though - the gauge is a bit different. The pattern calls for 6 sts/4" and I am getting about 5.25 sts/". Using my gauge, I figured out the cast on number based on the chest measurement I want. That number, luckily, is within one stitch of the medium sized pullover. That means I can just cast on and use that size pattern at my bigger gauge - does that sound right? (it's still early and I have yet to have coffee!)

Now, I will have two new projects to take with me on vacation today! The best part, is look what I can transport my projects in!

Sarah made me THREE amazing box bags! They are already loaded with stuff. One for my sock and one for the sweater. They are the perfect size, and I love the fabrics!!! Thank you Sarah!!!! She is the box bag queen!

So, we leave this afternoon for Baltimore to stay with my cousins. Tomorrow is shopping and packing day, then Saturday we leave for our annual trip to the Outer Banks!! This will be our fifth year going, and it just gets better and better. We drive to Baltimore first to break up the very, very long trip for us. Plus, it lets us figure out what everyone else is bringing so we can coordinate food, etc. It's always an adventure!

I will have internet access on vacation, so you may get a post, but don't count on it! Have a wonderful week!!!!!