I just finished my first sock! And it fits! It's from Teach Yourself Visually Sock Knitting. It's the "Basic Top Down Sock Pattern", and it's got boo boos but it fits! And it feels mahvelous! And I did the Kitchener Stitch toe and it wasn't nearly as hard as I'd seen all over the net. I cannot recommend this book enough for the beginning sock knitter. And, just for the helluv it? I think I'll do it again!

Ta Da!

Two FOs!! A hat for me in bulky single and a hat for DH in 100% superwash! Now he wants a thick hat like mine. ::sigh:: At least I have the pattern memorized, lol.

All this, and candy corn, too!

As the yarn knots . . .

So . . . there I was, innocently browsing Lion Yarn's FB page and they had the cutest pattern for candy corn - in crochet ::spits::. I don't hate crocheting, it just hurts too much. So, in the midst of two socks, two hats and a sweater, I'm faking a pattern to knit (inna round) candy corn. No problem with the yarn - I have acrylic by the . . . shelf full (and a step to get to the top shelf).

And I got to wondering about the kind of person who only ever followed a pattern. That'd be like DH only cooking by following a recipe. He does follow a recipe - once. And only then if it's the first time he's tried it. From there? He cooks by knowledge. Now, I know I ain't been knitting but 10 months, but there's no way I can't not just try something. I mean, it's not going to cost me anything but time and thinkage - I have the yarn and needles ::hugs enabler::.

So, apparently, I'm knitting Hallowe'en candy. Life doesn't get much stranger than this.

Yeah . . . that Summer thing? Not so much.

It snowed here on the last day of Summer. Woo Hoo! No such thing as Global Climate Change!!

Luckily our tomatoes and peppers survived, but we got them covered asap because we're nowhere near ready to stop harvesting.

All praise the wood stove!! I love our wood heat. Screw forced air of any kind.

Took all kinds of pictures yesterday to put stuff up on eBay for a "friend" but I forgot to take knitting pics. And now it's really wet and rainy outside. I don't care if this wool is superwash, I'm not taking pictures in the rain, lol.

Now. On to paying bills, forcing myself to go to Safeway ::shudder:: and then . . . more knitting! It's winter hat time and I found a cool pattern for WWII watch caps that don't have a tassel at the top. I don't mind tassels, but DH is much too macho for one. roflmao.

Laters!

Good thing it's still summer!

Never got around to, ya know, life here. It's been happening out there. OMG, can't believe I haven't updated since April. I know it's picture guilt that causes this. I'll figure it out eventually.

Anyway, there's been knitting and knitting and more knitting, but today also added bottling a stout beer DH made and canning pinto beans I made. It's soooo coool! Take dry beans. Put them in water and ignore them for a day (soak). Drain. Rinse. A lot. Put back in pot, add fresh water, bring to a boil and boil for 30 minutes. Pack into pints (or quarts for them that eats more), and stick in pressure canner for 75 minutes (90 for quarts) at 15lbs pressure. Zip, tang! Fresh home-canned beans. What taste a shit-load better than anything store-bought. (All times and poundage figured for over 6000 feet in elevation.)

Yes, dear niece, you read that right - DH made another stout. And it smells like chocolate. Too bad I don't drink the stuff, lol. We bottled a bitter last Friday, and he's planning on an IPA this coming weekend - which I doubt. He's going out for Elk Saturday and even if he gets one, it's not like he can get it cut, yadda, by Sunday. Then there's that "rest" thing I keep pushing on him. Not that he pays much attention to what **I** say, lol.

Oh, and the grape vines produced like crazy this year! First year for grapes on 3 year old cuttings from an over a hundred year old rootstock. The wine is fermenting already - it's on its first 'wait 30 days and then check it' session. And it's dark. And rich. And what my mom would have called "dago red". It's the first pressing of the grapes and it smells heavenly.

Nuff for now. Back to killing things and knitting.

Life, what Universe? And something.

Life is running away from me, but, luckily, I have yarn and needles with me.

We're currently on a field trip to Denver, but, because of the weather - snow, snow and snow disguised as rain, going out and about is a royal pain. I've only managed to hit one thrift shop so far (Arc), but have plans for another (Goodwill) tomorrow. No great buys yet. Also, haven't run into any LYS's yet. I'm not heading for any in particular, but if I see one, I'll stop in.

I've been knitting. Yah, I know, not posting anything, and all my pics are on my other computer. This is the traveling laptop. I did finish my first Jayne hat, though. I love it. It's a bit big because I didn't have the exact right size circs called for, so I guessed. It still fits fabulously and looks maaaarvelous! I also made a bitty one that someone (info at home) came up with for a pin. Right now it's sitting on my McD's Stitch Elvis bobble doll. It sooo fits. Stitch is now cunning.

Washcloths are now my friend. Up to the point that I'm trying to design my own designs for them. Messed up the first one, royally, but, that's okay. It's a washcloth. Soap doesn't really care what it looks like. And, like everything, it's a learning experience.

Okay, I'm going back to knitting now. I currently only have one project on needles - besides my "I'm going to knit a square with every type of scrap acrylic I have and make them into a blanket, eventually" project. It's a . . . cozy for . . . ummm . . . a part of a male's anatomy. It's so soft and fuzzy! The cozy, not the body part, lol

Laters!

How much do I love YouTube?

I just taught myself a new stitch - thanks to YouTube! Yay! I'm really bad about following written instructions - I just can't see what they're talking about. So, I toodle myself over to YouTube and search for 'knit increase stitch' and find an easy to understand video from expertvillage. Quicker than I can knit a row I've learned two ways to increase my stitches.

I love teh intartubes!