Last of the Christmas 2021 Gift FOs

I told you that the next few posts would be about FOs, and so far they have been.  Today's is the last - no my last FO ever (God forbid!), but the last one that is a gift for a family member for Christmas.  This one is for my niece Liz's (she of yesterday's post) husband Greg. Probably one of the best people on the planet, hands down.  He is a social worker for the State of Maryland, and part of his job is removing children from dangerous family situations.  He is so dedicated to his work and his family, and so knitworthy, that once I decided to knit something for Liz, there was no way I wasn't going to make something for him!

Project: Greg's Musselburgh Hat

Pattern: Musselburgh (link to desigjner's website, but also on Ravelry)

Yarn: Emma's Yarn Practically Perfect Sock, in the colorway Take a Hike (green); and, KnitCircus Spectacular, in The Orange and the Green Speckle (variegated)

Needles:  US size 3

Modifications:  None (though I did something that worked for me for the cast on - see below)

Comments:  I know that everyone and their brother has made this hat, and raved about the pattern.  And I get it - a double-thick hat that is mostly just stockinette, going around and around?  Who objects to that?

I had two problems, both dealing with the start of the pattern: 1) the pinhole cast on, and 2) figuring out size/gauge using the chart in the pattern.  I know I've told you previously about my problems getting things cast on to my satisfaction.  I did finally get it, though my "helpful" (? - because it may not be at all for anyone else) tip is that once you get the initial stitches cast on, instead of distributing them on the needles and then knitting the first round, knit the first round and distribute them as you are doing that.  This, at least for me, meant that the stitches were nice and snug on the needles, and that it was easier to make sure you had things ready to join in the round.  

As for figuring out the size/gauge using the chart in the pattern, I think that might just be a "me" thing.  But it took me a ridiculous amount of time to get it figured out to the point where I felt confident continuing.  Once that was done, the rest truly was smooth sailing!  

The green yarn was truly lovely to work with - it was soft, but not too soft, and the color is much brighter than these photos show - more like a bright forest green, not as subdued.  The variegated yarn was awful - really splitty, and extremely slippery, regardless of what needles were used.  I had originally cast on with that yarn, and nearly gave up the whole idea.  But then I decided to give it a try starting with the green yarn, and well, you can see the results. 😀

I'm going to try and wrap it up for Greg in its form in the first photo, because my other niece Amanda has agreed to take a video of him trying to figure out WTF it is when he opens it.  He's one of those guys who likes to figure things out, but has a running commentary as he's doing it, so we can't wait to see him figure out just what this gift might be ...

So I am ending the month of November by showing you the things I'm sending off as gifts this year.  It feels good to have been able to decide and get things done well in advance, and have them ready to send.  My plan is to get the gifts wrapped this weekend, so that The Tim can mail them next week.  Theoretically, they will arrive in time, but once they leave our hands, that's out of our control, so we'll just hope for the best.

On to Christmastime!

An FO For a Monday

Hello to all of you!  I hope your Thanksgiving was a lovely one if you celebrate, and that in any case, you had a good weekend.  

Today I have another FO for you:

Project: Birthday Cake Close to You

Pattern: Close to You, by Justyna Lorkowska (Ravelry link)

Yarn: Dye Is Cast Squish Wish Sock, in the colorway Sweet Sixteen

Needles: US size 6

Modifications: The pattern calls for a total of 19 eyelet rows, and I did 20, because a) I had enough yarn, and b) I could not do 19 when I had enough to get to a nice, round, even number.

Comments: First of all, the yarn.  This yarn was specifically dyed for the sixteenth anniversary of my LYS, Loop.  You can't really tell from my photos, but it is a cream base, with flecks of various colors, to resemble Funfetti cake and frosting (remember that?).  It's lovely yarn, and really really really nice to use for knitting - soft, squishy (truth in advertising), and it shows the pattern detail nicely.

You may recall this this yarn was originally for a Hipster Shawl for my niece Julie - well, I got a bit into that pattern, and there was just too much going on for my brain.  Plus, I realized that I knit things for Julie and family last year for Christmas, so I decided to switch gears altogether and knit something for her sister, Liz.  Liz was born on December 25 - so they celebrate Christmas on the morning of that day, and "Lizmas" (as the family calls it) in the afternoon.  I wanted to find something special, because Liz is a wonderful and sweet person, but given what her other sisters are usually up to, she is often in the background.  When I saw this pattern, I knew I wanted to knit it for her - and even better, the pattern is a freebie!

This is a well-written pattern, and once you do one or two of the pattern repeats, it's in your head, which is always nice, so you don't have to keep stopping to look every once in a while.  It was truly a joyful knitting experience, because as you go along, it just keeps looking prettier and prettier.  I can't wait to send it to her because I think she will be genuinely surprised, and hopefully pleased.

(In the above photo, it reminds me of a bird's wings in flight.)

I can highly recommend this pattern.  If you are a person who cannot use Ravelry, you might want to ask someone who doesn't have issues to print it for you, because I don't see that she has another place where it's available (truth alert: I didn't spend a ton of time looking, sorry!).  Anyway, you should get it one way or another and knit away - you will NOT be disappointed!

Friday: Feeling Full and a Small FO

Happy Day After Thanksgiving!  I hope yours went well, and that you were able to spend it as you wished.  Ours got a bit derailed when The Tim got a phone call on Wednesday afternoon from his work, calling him in on Thanksgiving Day from 7-3.  So that was disappointing, but at least he could be home for dinner and for an evening together.  

Everything for our holiday dinner was delicious, and topped off with pumpkin pie later in the evening, it all added up to being a good day.  This morning for breakfast I had some raspberries that we had in the fridge and that was plenty, since I still feel full from yesterday!  I love raspberries, but I was hoping I'd feel like having pumpkin pie for breakfast, since that is one of my most favorite day-after treats of all.  😀

How lucky am I that something like that is my biggest problem??

******

Ending November, I'll show you some FOs that I knit as gifts, and finally got around to photographing.  

Project: Makeup Remover Cloths

Pattern: My own

Yarn: Leftover Knit Picks CotLin yarn from a previous project

Needles: US size 7

Comments: I had wanted to make some of these to give with a mini-sized makeup remover to four of my nieces who have birthdays in December.  I had the leftover yarn, and since it is 50% cotton and 50% linen, I knew it could go into the washer and the dryer.  (And I wanted to use the leftovers.)

So I cast on 18 stitches, and made certain that I slipped the first stitch in each row and then knit the last stitch in each row, so they would have neat sides. Then I knit for 24 rows, and did the usual bind off.  Each pad is approximately 3 inches by 3.5 inches, and though they are not necessarily "professional" looking, I'm pleased with them, and they will serve the purpose nicely.  I would say each cloth took around 25-30 minutes to knit.

I managed to get 23 cloths out of my leftover yarn - I kept the first three, since they were sort of the templates, and didn't end up looking that great.  Since I certainly don't mind, I'll use those.  But that meant I had 20 cloths left, so I managed to have 5 for each niece, which seemed very reasonable to me.  

So I'll package them like this, with a ribbon tied around the little box and the cloths, and put them into a gift bag.  This makes me very happy, because it all turned out just the way I had pictured it in my head.

Few things are more rewarding than having a plan and then being able to make it all work, don't you think?

Good wishes for a happy weekend - if you are traveling, I hope your trip will be completely uneventful.  Take care.

Pride Goeth Before a Fall

I'm trying to keep in mind the quote in the title of this post, because I have been feeling pretty proud of myself for all that I accomplished over the weekend.  Well - over my four-day weekend, since I'd taken Thursday and Friday as time off from work.  But I managed to get the four days to count, and also do plenty of nothing, to feel like I had a lovely break from the usual work days.

Thursday was of course dedicated to The Tim's birthday, and you already heard how well that went.  Friday, I spent some of the day cleaning, which was needed.  But once I was finished, not only did I still have time left in the day to relax, but I also knew I still had two days left to enjoy.  I have to tell you, that was the best feeling!  So I decided on the things I still hoped to get done, and sort of made a plan in my brain.  I do that a lot, and 99% of the time, I do absolutely nothing about it.  

Saturday morning, The Tim wanted to leave the house early and get some things of his own out of the way, so I did some laundry, and worked on switching out my shorts and sleeveless tops for sweaters and long pants.  I had started a couple of weeks ago, and just stopped, though I don't recall why ... probably because I lost interest.  It's not like I have tons of clothes to deal with, it's just that I find the whole process tedious.  Anyway, I managed to finish that, which was a true relief.  I also pulled out a few things to donate, since they either no longer fit, or I realized I haven't worn them for a long time.

Sunday morning, I *finally* got around to cleaning out the planters at the front of the house!  This particular task has been on the brain for a long time, and I decided that if I didn't do it yesterday morning, I may never ever get around to it.  It took so little time, and felt so good to finally get it out of the way, that I could only "tsk tsk" at myself for putting it off so long.

The only things I wanted to do that were left were to block the shawl I knit for my niece (so that I wouldn't be waiting until the last minute), pay a few bills, and then knit while I watched the Eagles play football.  That turned out well - though it was too gloomy of a day to successfully get a good photo of the shawl on the blocking squares, so you'll have to wait to see that.  Then, there was actually some money left after I paid the bills that were waiting, and the Eagles won their game (first home win of the season!).  To paraphrase a character from "The Simpsons" TV show, I felt like "Everything was coming  up Milhous."  😊

AND - most satisfying of all - during the game, look what I finished knitting:

This is the Musselburgh Hat I was making for my niece's husband, and though this photo does not do the colors justice (again, it was a pretty gloomy day), I just wanted to show you how much knitting this sucker took.  I promise better photos soon, but here it is in its just-completed glory. 

Today it's back to work, but only for today and tomorrow.  After today, The Tim is off until Friday, so he said he'd do the grocery store early tomorrow morning, so that we could avoid crowds at all the other times of the day.  He is also planning to bake a couple of pumpkin pies, so when I come home from work tomorrow, the house will smell sooooo good!

And that's it for now.  I hope I didn't bore you to tears, but I am just so pleased with myself for having such a productive time!  Since so often, I have lots of ideas and plans in my head which never even get started, this past four days felt like a huge win for me.

I hope your week is at least a little bit as successful.  Take care!

Monday FO, Long Overdue

I kept meaning to post about this FO, but obviously didn't get around to it until now.  Not that you were worried or anything, right?

Project:  Don't Match Socks

Pattern:  My usual vanilla pattern

Needles:  US size 1 for the cuff, heel, and toe; US size 0 for the leg and foot

Yarn:  Cozy Knitter Bliss, in the Grocery Girls Edition colorway

Notes:  I have not broken my No Yarn Buying rule for a while, and then again, not even that often, but when I saw this yarn, I knew I wanted to have it!  The colors are just so very cheery, and plus I love striped socks (well, striped anything really).  So I ordered it and was thrilled when I arrived.

This is just my plain vanilla sock recipe - 15 rows 2 x 2 rib, stockinette leg, and regular toe.  This time though, I tried a heel pattern that was new to me, and it was a lot of fun!  I used this tutorial from Denise of Earthtones Girl.  At the time, I had only seen the version where you stayed with one color, but I went ahead and figured out what I wanted to do for the contrasting color to make it work.  Since then, she has come out with a video for the Shadow Wrap Heel using contrasting color, but I haven't watched it, since my version worked.  I'll probably check it out sometime, though.

The Shadow Wrap Heel was actually much easier than I was expecting it to be.  Needless to say, mine are a bit sloppy, though the second sock has a better version than the first sock, of course.  But it was the first time I tried it, and I'm pleased with how well I did.  And since the socks are for me, perfection is not an absolute.  😊

I liked working it, and it fits nicely.  I can't say I'll always use this heel instead of the gusset and heel flap that is more or less my go-to, but this was a nice variation for me, since I've never enjoyed working afterthought heels, but have sometimes wished I could get the look with contrasting yarn.

Anyway, this yarn was a pleasure to knit with, and these socks went pretty quickly.  Another thing I like about striped socks, since I at least am always thinking, "Well, I'll do one more color before I finish for today."

This was my first time using yarn from the Cozy Knitter, and I'm glad I liked it, because I managed to order one of her 24-stripe Christmas skeins back in July.  If I would have been annoyed at the yarn, I would have been more annoyed at myself for ordering the holiday one!

As you can see, they don't completely match.  I had no desire to have them match, frankly, so whatever happened with the stripes was fine with me.  They are just such happy colors, I know that just putting them on will make me smile!

Knitting Needles Tuesday - An FO Post

Hello all, and I hope you had a lovely Labor Day weekend.  Ours was nice, the weather was for the most part really pleasant - even the rain wasn't much and didn't ruin any of our plans, mostly because we had none.  The Tim had to work yesterday, but I got some projects of my own organized, and then fixed us a picnic dinner, so it was all good.

Do you remember seeing this just started WIP back in June?

If not, you probably do remember these photos:

Well, I'm happy to tell you that it is now an FO, with ends woven in, blocking completed, and ready to wear!

Project:  Blue Anker

Pattern:  Anker's Summer Shirt, by Petite Knit (Ravelry link)

Yarn:  Berrocco Farro, in the colorway Turquoise, 4.5 skeins

Needles:  US size 4 and 6

Modifications:  I added more stitches to the underarms, since sleeves always feel tight there to me in knitted items.  Then I decreased until I was where the sleeve pattern started, and went from there following the instructions.

Comments:  I completely love this top!  It fits the way I wanted it to fit, I just love the color, and even though it gave me fits with the 1 x 1 rib and the increases, it was all well worth it.  I think I'll get a lot of wear out of this not just a few more times this year, but a lot once the weather gets warm again next year.  Wearing this with a sweater or blazer over it, or a denim jacket, would be really comfy, as it is not bulky or heavy at all.

The yarn was a bit tricky to get used to, but other than occasionally being a little slippery-er than I would have liked, by the time I was a few inches in to the project, we were getting along just fine.  The pattern was straightforward, once you decided if you were following inches or centimeters!  There are a lot of sizes included, so I could see this being a pattern that would be really nice to use the Knit Companion feature where it shows your size only.  However, my printed pattern and highlighter worked just fine also.

I finished the knitting, weaving in, etc. last week, but was waiting for a time when the day was nice and The Tim was available to take a photo.  So Sunday afternoon, we went out on the deck.  I may have to find a new photographer, as you would have thought I had asked him to give me one of his kidneys, he was so put out by "having" to do this!  Then he was annoyed because I was squinting - but when the light is in your eyes, YOU try not to squint.  Anyway, I was pleased with how this photo turned out.

And oh that yoke!  It makes the 1 x 1 rib worthwhile (well, now that it's finished, at least).

Between that, a the fact that I am a sucker for anything turquoise, it couldn't have turned out better!

I'm Back With an FO!

Hello all!  I'm back after taking a week to just be, and I appreciate all of the support and understanding from all of you.  The universe and my personal issues just all piled on, and I needed some time to do as little as possible that wasn't absolutely required.  So I'm feeling better enough to function better, which is good because it's not like I have a choice to just stop everything all together, you know?

Anyway, I do have an FO to show you, so that's re-starting on a positive note!  You probably remember that I showed you this sock-in-progress a while ago:

And then shared when one was completed:

Well, here's the whole shootin' match, to use an expression of my mother's:

Project:  Summer Shortie Socks

Pattern:  My own vanilla sock pattern, adjusted to be shortie socks

Yarn:  Mandi's Makings Sock, in the colorway 2021 Summer Sock Camp

Needles: US size 0 and size 1

Notes:  When I saw these sock sets on the Crazy Sock Lady's podcast, I really really liked them, and decided if I could get a set in one of the updates, it was OK to treat myself.  So I was truly thrilled when it worked out!  I had already decided to make shortie socks, because that seemed more summery to me.  I used US size 0 needles (9 inch circs) for the cuff, legs, and foot, and then reverted to my usual US size 1 dpns for the heel and toe.  

I'm really happy with the way they turned out.  This is a really pretty color of yellow, and I like the accent it adds to the pair.  Even better, I have enough yarn left to make a regular pair, so you will likely see this combination again sometime in the future.

*****

Of course, once I finished them, I had only one of my started-earlier-in-the-summer projects left - my summer tee.  So I have been working on that because I get into these mindsets that I like to finish all of the projects in a group before I cast on new things, or at least before I spend a lot of time on them.  And my poor summer tee had been neglected for a while, through no fault of its own.  But yesterday I did the bind off for the body, so now it just needs sleeves and not only will it be finished, but I might be able to wear it before the weather cools down.  (Frankly at this point I'm wondering if the weather will ever cool down again, but that's just me.)  So I'm going to try and finish that while deciding what pair of socks and what other projects will be next.

Also, for any Christmas in July prize winners, I mailed your packages this past Saturday, so they are on their way to you.  The post office within walking distance of our house got flooded in one of the rainstorms we had recently, so I had to wait until The Tim was home and the car was available to take the packages to another post office nearby.  So I know it's been a wait, but hopefully they will arrive safe and sound and SOON!

Here's hoping the week will be OK for all of us.  As of right now, I don't have anything specific coming up, so maybe it will just be one of those routine weeks, where being boring is a good thing.  😀

FO Post: Blueberry Souffle Socks

Hooray, it's a finished project!

You are probably not completely surprised to see it's a pair of socks. 😊

Project:  Blueberry Souffle Socks (Ravelry project page)

Pattern:  Vanilla Souffle Socks (free pattern - Ravelry link)

Needles:  US size 0 and size 1

Yarn:  indigo dragonfly Socktabaa, in the colorway Cerealism

Modifications:  None

Notes:  I can't remember now where I saw this pattern (probably someone showed their FO on a podcast), but I was intrigued by the texture created on the front top of the sock:

Seeing that it was a free pattern, I figured why not give it a try.  Well, it's fun to knit, let me tell you!  Once you do the first pattern repeat (4 rounds), it's really easy to remember.  And since it's only on the front of the sock, you get a "break" with just knitting for half of the round.  Because the texture pulls in the sock somewhat, I made the larger size, and it worked out just fine.  The pattern is clearly written, and it didn't take me as long to knit them as my Ravelry page might indicate - there were a lot of times when I didn't work on them at all for a few days.

The yarn is deep stash, and though at first glance, it looks like it's just a light blue, there are flecks of dark blue, turquoise, and purple thrown in which also makes the knitting fun.  

I highly recommend this pattern, give it a try!

I'm Sure the Last Thing You Want to See is a Blanket

And trust me you are not alone in that!  So this is not a formal FO post (that will be sometime later),  rather just one that shows an unblocked, non-closeup photo of the Advent Throw I have been knitting .  I finished knitting it and wove in all of the ends last week, and a "real" photo shoot and post about it will have to wait until cooler weather is available.  At this time even the thought of soaking it to block makes me feel woozy!  

But I LOVE it, and I loved knitting it.  Of course, my yarn management/percentage skills are poor, so I ran out of Advent calendar minis and had to use some leftover scraps of my own - but that's OK, more leftover yarn is now in a project (fyi, it's the four colors on the lower left edge).  

My advice - definitely knit one of these. Use any weight yarn, make it solid, multicolored, or color-blocked, but just knit one - you won't regret it!  It's so much fun, and once you have done one or two repeats, it's all easy to remember in your brain - even should you have a heat addled brain!

For those who don't recall/never before cared, this is the Habitation Throw pattern by Helen Stewart.  It's a paid-for pattern, but worth every penny.

And lest you think all goes well with me and my knitting, just last night I was carefully (I thought) working on a project, and guess what?  I ended up with seven extra stitches - *seven*!!!   Grrr. Time to rip back and get it going with the right number of stitches.  Because why not, when there are hundreds?

Sigh.

FO Post: A Happy Knit and a Happy Gift!

I promised you an FO post this week, and here you go.  Especially since not only is this project finished, but the recipient has opened the package and seems to be really happy with them, which of course is what every knitter hopes when making something for someone else!

Project:  Robin's Rainbow Socks

Pattern:  Plain Vanilla Sock pattern, based on this one, which is my go-to pattern

Needles:  US size 0, 9-inch circulars

Yarn:  Must Stash Yarn & Fiber Must Match, in the Over the Rainbow colorway

Notes:  These socks were made for Robin, the woman who raised Hamlet as a puppy, introduced and talked about here.  After our meetup, Hamlet wanted to do something special for Robin, and so did I.  He suggested that I knit something for her, and I thought that was a good idea.  I considered a hat, or scarf, or fingerless gloves, but I had noticed when we met that she was wearing some colorful socks, and well ... you know me!  So I went stash diving, and found this yarn that I had bought a few years back.  It seemed so happy, that I decided it would be perfect.

And the rest is just as you imagine.  I sent her an e-mail, asking her shoe size with no explanation, and to her credit, she happily provided the info.  I knit the socks, and enjoyed every minute - not just because I was excited to be making them for someone, but the colors were so bright and happy, and it was such fun to see what was next.  

Inevitably, when I make socks, if I'm going to mess up anywhere, it's on the toe.  And this pair was no exception.  On the second sock, I mangled things when kitchener-ing at the end.  So I had to cut the yarn and unravel, and then do it again.  Not a big deal, but it is why the one sock has a completely yellow toe area.  I'm not sure why I mess up the toes, except possibly that I am so overconfident because it's the last thing, that I fail to pay as close attention as I should.  

Anyway, I took them to the post office to mail to her (she lives in southern New Jersey, across the Delaware River) on Monday, and they said they would arrive on Thursday.  Which was longer than usual, but not a problem, since she didn't know they were coming.  Then last night I got a really excited e-mail from her, saying they arrived, they fit, and that she loves them!  She said in the note, "You have no way of knowing this, but I have a thing for socks!"

Dear Robin:  So do I. 😊

Another Stripey FO

So far this year, I have only had 3 FOs, including this one.  This is a combination of working on two big projects - a sweater and a blanket - and only one small one, and less knitting time, both due to inspiration and my elbow issues.  Not that I am complaining, I mean I'm not doing this for a living nor am I on a deadline, but there's just less progress at this point in the year.

But I do have a finish to show you.  You may remember that about a month ago I showed you the first sock of a pair:

This sock is lonely no more!

Project:  Stripey Socks of Hope

Pattern:  Plain vanilla sock pattern that I usually use, based on this one (warning: Ravelry link)

Yarn:  West Yorkshire Spinners 4-Ply Self Striping or Patterning, in the colorway Hope

Needles:  US size 0

Notes:  I received this yarn as a gift, and finally got around to using it.  I liked the colors, and have used West Yorkshire Spinners sock yarn before and really liked it.  This was a little bit disappointing, though, since it was really splitty.  Not so that it was unbearable, just enough to be annoying.  I used size 0 needles after hearing the Crazy Sock Lady say on her podcast that when she uses 9-inch circular needles, her gauge is slightly looser on size 1 needles so she goes to a size 0.  The previous socks I've knit on the 9-inch size 1s are fine, but they are a bit looser, and I like my socks to fit right against my leg and foot, so figured I would take her advice.  I'll see once I actually wear them around if there is much of a difference to me.

As for the contrasting heels and toes, the first sock I knit had the white used for contrast, which I really liked but of course being that I am who I am, I had very little of the white left once I was done with that sock.  So for the second, I pulled out some leftover Black Bunny Fibers Stella in green that I had used for another pair of socks last year.  I am very pleased with how they look, and actually like that neither the stripes nor the contrasting parts match up completely.  

The really weird thing is that even though I made the usual size of socks that I knit, I have almost 1/2 of the ball of yarn left!  Definitely enough to make a pair of shortie socks, or for something scrappy.  Which is fine with me, because of course I'll have plenty for a square in my blanket, with plenty left to use some other way.  I was just surprised to have so much yarn left.

In any event, it's nice to have another thing off the needles, and have the feeling of accomplishment.  Now to decide what socks and for whom are next ... 

An Overdue FO Post

I hope the day is a nice one wherever you are.  It's sunny and supposed to be about 60 degrees Fahrenheit today here, so it truly feels like a spring day!  Of course, that also means I'll have to have tissues handy, since I'm sure my allergies will be saying, "Yay, it's spring, let's really drive her crazy!"

Anyway, I wanted to share an FO that I actually finished last month, but forgot to post about.  And since this blog is as much to document my projects as it is anything else, I wanted it to have it's turn in the sun, so to speak.

TA DA!  Finito!

Project:  Stripey Kerchief

Pattern:  Polkagris Kerchief, by Kate Davies (Ravelry link)

Needles:  US size 3

Yarn:  Milarrochy Tweed, in the Hirst (natural) and Lochan (navy) colorways

Modifications:  None

Notes:  As I mentioned in a previous post, I knit this to replace my Silk Kerchief, which I loved and wore to the point where it started to just fall apart.  Since the pattern is no longer available, and I was not able to retrieve the patterns I had saved on my previous computer, I had to find something else.  I thought this pattern might fit the bill.

This was a VERY quick knit, and if you know how to do kfb (knit in the front and back of the stitch) increase, you're good to go.  I knit this in a week, and it only took that long because I also worked on other projects.  I like the way it turned out, and think that the straight lines in the middle are a cool feature.  

Of course, now that it's finished, I haven't had a chance to wear it, and I just put it away until next year.  It's either been seriously cold, requiring a long scarf, or a temperature where something around my neck would just be too warm.  So I'll be thrilled to see it next winter, I'm sure.  Then I will be able to determine if I have the same love and devotion to it as I did to my Silk Kerchief ... 😉

*****

Another week is underway, so hopefully it will be a good one, or at least not a terrible one.  I have a dr appt later this morning, and another one on Wednesday afternoon, but besides those and of course being back at work after my week of vacation (😭), I don't have any other obligations that I know of at the moment.  I am hoping to get a couple of small projects finished that I planned to work on last week, but that were left alone since I ended up not having the mental capacity I had expected to have.  

And I also just realized that the first weekend in April - which is only a couple of weeks away - is Easter!  I guess I just assumed it was later in the month, and boy was I surprised ... I hadn't really thought of it since I knew I wouldn't need to prepare for our usual company.  This will be the second year we won't be having Easter with my niece Amanda and her husband Pat.  Oh well, NEXT YEAR OR BUST, right???

Monday Monday ... and an FO

Hi there - I was MIA last week, not for any particular reason, just because I didn't get around to it.  It happens.

But here is another Monday, which is also the last one of February, so 2021 is moving right along whether we are ready for it or not.  Not much is new around here, except I do have an FO to show you - the first of this year!

Project: Happy Socks

Pattern:  On the leg, I did Row 1=K2, slip 1; Row 2=knit all around

Yarn:  Sinister Yarns Sinister Sock set, in the colorway Come Seekers Where Our Voices Sound

Needles:  US size 1

Notes: I started these socks on Inauguration Day (hence their name), and admittedly, only worked on them in spurts.  I finished the first sock, and then didn't even start the second for about a week or so.  I think it was a combination of two things: I just wasn't really in the mood, and though I love the way they look, they just didn't keep grabbing my attention.  But I am pleased with the way they turned out, and I put them into the Box o' Knits, which I've created this year for knits that are for gifts, charity, or just whose fates are currently undecided.  The sock set has been in my stash for quite a while, so it was about time it had it's moment of glory!

The photo above shows the brightness of the colors when I took a photo in the daylight with my camera - the photo below was taken on my tablet, using the Pixel app from Google, set on "Night Light" (a setting for indoors, under lower light):

This one shows the specks of color in the yarn better, so I'm showing you both of them.  But I think no matter which one you look at, you can see why they are Happy Socks!  😀

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I'm still knitting away on my sweater, nearly finished with the first sleeve, so the progress is slow but steady.  And yesterday I started a new project, which I'll show you soon.  Now I just need to decide which yarn to choose for my next pair of socks, and whether they'll be for me, or for someone else.  I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Here's hoping you are doing well, and that your week is a good one.