Now Including Knitting with Burt

Oh yes Casa del Burton has been picture happy lately. First he thought he would provide complementary color to the sock I'm working on for D.

I gotta show them my white bits too, so they can really see how close it is.

Then before Momma could find some missing socks for D some clearance yarn made its way to our house. It was indeed a good value.

Psshaw Momma you just really like knitting socks for Daddy. 

You did find some missing from the move socks so it is not quite so dire.

I will say it is a nice manly business brown color though, suitable for suit wearing days.

Let me see that first sock again. It is a bit wild for suit days. 

But see how nice it goes with my just discovered bed though...

No really it is fine I don't want to destroy knit things, yet?

So here is a collection of what I've been knitting lately. My Rhinebeck-Free Chickens is on the left. I love how it is knitting up sorta stripy. D's Burt approved Majesty sock on the top. And D's knit night sock that I am mostly working on at, you got it, knit night. I'm enjoying getting out and meeting some other knitters.

Momma, that is not all the socks you're knitting is it?

No Burt it is not but they are all the ones handy at picture time is that OK with you? 

OK just don't drape any on me and take funny pictures.

What do you mean it is part of my job?

I did not see knitwear model on that contract you signed, but you know I am pretty darn cute, it may have been implied.

Oh and that sweater you left on the bed the other day was nice and toasty...

Proving My Knitting Cred

Am I the only one that sometimes thinks I need to prove my knitting cred? No it is not as harsh as it sounds. It is not like the yarn store stops you at the door and looks through your project pages before allowing you to enter. That's not what I mean. It is more like you know you're going to meet a new knitting friend and want to show off your best work. Or you're going to Rhinebeck and want to wear just the right shawl, socks, sweater, mitts, hat and cowl. What? Do you not encase yourself in knit wear when attending a knitting festival/retreat?

For me it was meeting a blog pal for the first time. I think my cred was lacking. I tend to travel light, but this trip was painfully light for me. I took one project and finished it on the plane, except for kitchnering and weaving in ends.

One project?! What was I thinking?

I was thinking that I better get Adriene's socks done before I actually meet her. That is right ya'll I got to spend some time with my CBF (Canadian Blog Friend)!

D had a conference in Vancouver BC and I flew out once it was done, to have a little vacation with him. D had always said if we were anywhere near Vancouver we should try to meet up. I do have one disclaimer, I did not take one picture while we all were out and about. Guess I am a live in the moment sort of person. Not to mention I am not part of the selfie generation, I don't even have a smartphone.

When we started planning the trip I asked Adriene if she wanted me to knit her a pair of socks since she is not a crazy sock knitter like I am. The answer was yes, of course, only a fool would turn down hand knit socks, and Adriene is no fool.

We agreed on a pattern and I went stash diving for a lovely Rhinebeck yarn that was sufficiently marinated in wool fumes, and not as much cat hair as you would think. The actual socks were to be a surprise.

I knit diligently and finished 1 1/2 socks then the Baa-ble hat came along and stole my attention. I realized the night before leaving that I had half of a sock to knit! I know I am a procrastinator but come on!

By some miracle my long leg flight did not have a person sitting next to me, so I pulled out Adriene's sock and started to knit away the hours. Sigh, my enjoyment did not last long. Some gent decided to move into our row and proceeded to think of us as his personal entertainment system.

First he started by asking if the socks were for him, I did my polite sarcastic laugh. It was not enough. He reached over and picked up the finished sock from off of my lap and said it would fit him. I think not mister!

Once I got up to use the restroom I was caught in his yammering web of words. He kept asking about socks and scarves and what not. Dude I am not a knitwear dispensing machine, well I sort of am but not for you!

Finally at the end when he said "So no scarf?" I told him the socks were the first thing I had knit for a special person that I had been corresponding with for over two years, I am a tough nut to crack. And really you have to appreciate the time and work that goes into them, you know have some knitter cred of your own.

I got to see first hand some of Adriene's work and it is just as beautiful in person. So yeah knitting cred, we have it, even though sometimes it feels like we need to prove it.

First fall sock

I am still on my never ending sock knitting spree. I always have at least one sock on the needles, usually it rides around with me in my purse. It gets a bit of action at work during my lunchtime and before my ASL class two nights a week. The other night at class, one of the other students asked me why I was not working on it when she arrived just after me. I had not yet pulled it out of my bag. (Shh, I was trying to finish my homework first.)

There was some discussion about my knitting and I was requested to make two people socks. Now we all know I am a tad greedy protective of my knitwear and I am so not knitting for someone that I don't even know their name. We have to spend more than six evenings together and had at least a couple of cups of tea together. Scones, scones would be nice too.

I did feel bad when she came into the next class, her Mom told her not to be creepy, and asking for socks from someone you don't know is creepy. I reassured her it was not the first time I had been asked and I did not think she was creepy. I did not tell her I thought she was a tad bold yes, but not creepy.

I did want to ask out of mild curiosity what they would pay for hand knit beauty that is my socks, but I did not want to be honest and tell them the yarn cost more than they were willing to pay. Usually people will say things like $10 or $20. 

Sock yarn...$20, needles...$10, the knowledge and time to turn them into socks...priceless.

So this week's purse pal is some lovely yarn from last year's Rhinebeck haul. Socks that Rock (STR) in a mill end colorway that I think of as Fall Leaves. 

It is starting to get colder and my sock stash is switching over to my heavy duty socks. My thicker STR socks will replace my lace and thinner socks.

Now I think I will make myself a cup of hot chocolate and finish a sock toe.