DK Ribbed Sock Pattern

DK Ribbed Socks: Free pattern here.

We have a lot to catch up on. Up first and most excitingly: I finished my DK weight ribbed socks last night! The yarn has been in my stash for about a year. 

My stash

I keep my stash, minus dishcloth yarn which never counts as proper yarn stash, in this vintage crate from hubby's mom. I had to rescue it as he was going to pitch it. Can you believe it!? Back to the socks. I taught myself to knit socks two at a time. Very excited about this. I used a tutorial by verypinkknits, click here. She has great tutorials about pretty much everything knitting related.

Two at a time! Fancy filter via Instagram

Again back to the socks. I couldn't find a pattern I liked for this yarn. I didn't want anything busy because the yarn has a fair isle effect - that's fake color patterning for you non-knitters. I also NEED ribbing in my socks or I feel like I have to fight with them to stay up. Who needs to fight with their socks, right? I've knit enough socks that I know the basics: short row heel, gusset, toe shaping, etc. So, why not just make up a pattern? Here's what I did: I spent about an hour or so swatching to get the exact number of stitches I wanted and to figure out my gauge, which oddly was very, very, close to the gauge on the yarn band. When does that ever happen? Then I just kept track of what I did, typed it up, and viola! a pattern. I put it on Ravelry and am sharing it for free on my blog. Just click on the first tab under my heading. The pattern hasn't been test driven yet, so if you notice any problems please let me know.

Just click the first tab on the left called "DK Ribbed Socks"

I also put my free baby santa hat on a tab too. Since Christmas is coming...  but, let's wait until Halloween has passed to blog about it. Oh and the santa hat pattern has been test driven. Try to find the same yarn I used if you can. It's sooo soft and relatively inexpensive for a yarn shop yarn.

My first 31 party!

My next exciting news - I've become a bag lady! No pitter-patter of little feet kind of news here. Almost a month ago I joined Thirty-One as a consultant. My kids are older and don't need me as much, and I am a social creature, and I love parties, and I love bags, so this is a perfect fit. Too excited for that not to be a run-on sentence. I had my first two parties this week and am so excited about this company! How many times have I used some form of the word "excite" in this post, I wonder? Anyway, a friend was gracious enough to hostess my first party in her new kitchen. Above is a picture. There's not much of the kitchen showing as I was focusing on my bags, but it really is a fabulous kitchen. 

I have a 31 website where you can look at the catalog and see the monthly specials. If you want to do any shopping for the holiday I'm not blogging about until after Halloween, my contact info is on the site. Product can be direct shipped to you or if you live in West Michigan I can combine it with a party and save you a couple bucks toward shipping. Here's the site: http://www.mythirtyone.com/toppen/

Basket weave dishcloth. Fancy filter via Instagram.

I also started knitting dishcloths again. I'm giving them as 31 hostess gifts. Who wouldn't want to spend a couple hours with friends and cocktails to get a beautiful dishcloth knit by yours truly? I know. Love this safety orange yarn I found in my dishcloth yarn stash, not to be confused with my proper yarn stash. I dug up my old pattern books so I can make different types of dishcloths.

Well, this post is getting long and it's a school night so I'll sign off. I'll leave you with a few pictures of beautiful Lake Michigan via Grand Haven beach. We spent a few hours there last Sunday hanging out with friends and watching a kite surfing race.

Lake Michigan at Grand Haven Beach

Lake Michigan at Grand Haven Beach

Thanks for reading and please let me know what's new and exciting in your life. New career ventures, knitting adventures, holiday plans... Please comment :) Christina

Saluting the Coast Guard, Heading to the Desert in August, and Knitting Wool Socks

First, a salute to the United States and Canadian Coast Guards. Thank you for everything you do to serve and protect us on the Great Lakes!

Top to bottom: USCGC Neah Bay, CCGC Griffon (Canadian), USCGC Hollyhock

I live in Coast Guard City, USA a.k.a. Grand Haven, Michigan. Really, per an act of Congress, Grand Haven is Coast Guard City, USA. Anyway, last week we held our annual week long festival/party honoring the Coast Guard. I absolutely love this week. I love that our town is packed with even more tourists. I also love the carnival on the main street, the row of “gut wagons” for glutenous eating, the beer tents, the art fair, free tours of the Coast Guard ships, the town swelling with “Coasties,” the parade on Saturday. I could go on and on and on.... Here are just a few highlights from the week:

Docking the USCGC Hollyhock: It turns in the channel and comes in sideways. 

Me at the wheel of the USCGC Neah Bay. 

Coast Guard helicopter fly over during the parade.

Everyone's fav: The Scottville Clown Band. They always end the parade.

My friend Jen and me at the parade.

Our beach stick decorated for Coast Guard week.

Now onto the other topics at hand. This summer has been one of record breaking heat here in the Midwest. So, after recently returning from a hot and humid week in beautiful North Carolina, I’m leaving for Arizona tomorrow. This from a girl who doesn’t like temperature extremes. I know, I know, it’s dry heat. Or so I keep hearing from well-meaning friends and family. My response: “So is an oven.” My point: hot is hot. 

What does one knit on a 3 1/2 hour airplane ride to the desert? This has been more perplexing to me than what I should wear. I’ve (finally) accepted the fact that no matter how many outfits I “pin” to my Pinterest “If I had any fashion sense...” board, I am no fashionista. Right, enough self-deprecation, back to knitting. I want something portable and relatively uncomplicated. The infant sock pattern I’ve written and am tweaking is out. As are the mittens I’m planning which will combine a couple of patterns. 

Infant socks from scratch: too complicated

Hmm... In the spirit of the Olympic Games, I dove, not to worry it was a metaphorical dive, into my stash and found some soft, squishy, gorgeous, and very pink sock yarn called Sausalito. I’ve just completed the slip stitch heel on sock one, and I’ve made notes along the way. I think wool socks will be the perfect project to knit on my way to the desert. Irony intended. 

Blueberry Waffle Socks. Pattern info here: Ravelry

I’ll probably also bring along yarn and needles for a dishcloth or two. One of my biggest travel fears, besides not having enough books to read - problem solved by Kindle thank you Amazon - is that I’ll run out of knitting projects. 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the reason I’m traveling to Arizona in August. Besides spending time with my brothers, I’m going to see Duran Duran! I’m so excited. I’ve had a crush on Simon since high school and have never seen them in concert. I wrangled my bros into taking me to the Grand Canyon, too. Another first! The Grand Canyon not the wrangling: I'm the oldest. Anyway, did I mention I'm excited?!

What are some of your favorite travel projects? Are you or any of your family and friends Coasties? Any favorite festivals in your neck of the woods? High school band crushes? As always thank you for reading, and I enjoy reading your responses. I'm always flattered and humbled that you take the time to comment. :) Christina