Red Robin Socks; Dance Dance Revolution Socks; A Square and an Afghan; A Lovely Surprise

Red Robin Socks


When I first started my Red Robin sock, I just couldn't put it down. Perhaps I was so delighted in working with something that I made, or maybe it was the Crystal Palace dpns. I just loved making this sock.


Dance Dance Revolution Socks

I made the cuff of the Red Robin sock, and then I forced myself to finish my "Dance Dance Revolution" socks for March's Socktopia.



Here are the specs for these socks:

Yarn: Yarn Pirate's "Culture Club"
Pattern: Modified version of the RPM Socks
Two inch cuff over 64 stitches on size 0 dpns.
RMP pattern for 3.5 inches on the leg over 63 inches
Switch to stockinette for 1.5 inches
Heel flap and gusset, decreasing to 64 stitches

The heels and toes are made of good ole Opal black sock yarn. The record is actually a classical recording that I found on the curb one garbage day.

A Square & an Afghan


I continue to be amazed by how generous knitters are. Larissa of Stitch Marker made this beautiful square using her leftover Socks that Rock yarn. I haven't ever seen this yarn in the flesh, so to speak, so it was a real treat to get some eye candy. It's such a beautiful square, Larissa, and I know it was hard for you to give up. Thank you so much. It's gorgeous!


Leslie of The Silver Fork Saga sent in an beautiful afghan. Wow! I'm amazed at her crochet skills and her ability to make something like this. Leslie made this afghan in memory of her grandfather, Aubrey Vernon. In addition to sending in the afghan, she also sent me a bag of chocolate (!) and a prize contribution, which is the sock yarn you're seeing in the picture. Thank you so much, Leslie. You are so thoughtful!

A Lovely Surprise

My doorbell rang this week. I got a package with this sweet, little card:


In case the photo is blurry, the note says, "Jenny, Congratulations on the successful launch of Woolly Boully. Enjoy the bag. I thought it would go nicely with your Neapolitan yarn! Love, Mom J."


The package contained the best tote ever! I got a Lexie Barnes Mezzo tote in Bubblegum. I've already loaded it up. Thanks so much, Mom J! I love how the tote's straps are non-slip. I mean, they really don't slip. With so much pockets and a magnetic closure, this tote makes for a great knitting bag and purse. I love it.

p.s. Thanks, ADD Knitter, for pointing out that I forgot to post the picture of the bag! Oops!

Another Red Robin

Thank you all so much for your compliments on Red Robin. I have one more for sale, and I'll be listing that one on Woolly Boully tonight. I've been knitting up a sock with Red Robin, and I can't put it down. I'm off to hear some poetry in the city. I think Red Robin will have to come along with me.

Red Robin: Bird, Nest, & Eggs

I think I'm going to really enjoy this rainy day. The workmen are finally, after all their brushing and draping and glass breaking, done with the ceiling in my bathroom. I only have to live with the paint vapors now.

I get to organize my office, locate my tax forms, knit a bit of my (modified) RPM socks, write a bit of the ole prospectus, and curl up with, again, Barthes' Camera Lucida.

There is rye bread (seeded). There is pastrami. There are cornichons and bread.

And, besides, I have new sock yarn to pet. Its name is "Red Robin: Bird, Nest, & Eggs."

I've never taken to red really, but after knitting up the sock yarn that Coley dyed for me, with its little unexpected bits of red, I've grown to really crave spots of red in my knitting.

When I told J. that I wanted to dye a robins egg and nest yarn, she suggested that I put a bit of red in it. Why, yes, a red robin.

I liked this yarn so much that I'm keeping one for myself. One is listed in my Woolly Boully shop.

* * *

Jilian made three squares for the blanket drive. These squares are in memory of Grandma Gerda. Thanks so much, Jilian.


J. made four more squares. I think she's made about 12. I have some catching up to do. Thanks, J!


I want to thank all of you who have encouraged me in my dyeing enterprise and send an extra special thank you to those of you who purchased some of my Woolly Boully yarn. I think I'm loving the dyeing as much as I am the knitting.

* * *

It's official: my little sister is all grown up now. She got her driving learner's permit yesterday. She was very excited to get it. I wasn't excited by getting mine at all; I feared it.

Woolly Boully now open

Woolly Boully is stocked. Stop by if you have a moment.

Wisteria; March's Prize

I named this colorway after one of my most favorite flowers, wisteria. I love how the wisteria plant always seems to spring back, even after the harshest of winters. My other favorite flowers are lily-of-the-valley, lilac, blue bonnets, hyacinths, mountain laurel, lotus blooms, and peonies.

March's Prize

This month's prize will be two skeins of Lamb's Pride worsted in Creme, accompanied by Traditional Aran Knitting.

Beneath the Cherry Trees & Luna Moth

This colorway is "Beneath the Cherry Trees." Manly asked if I could please make a colorway called cherry blossom, and that's how I came upon this colorway.

This colorway is called "Luna Moth." I handpainted this one, so there are many different colors and color variations.

I'm dyeing two more skeins tonight in a different colorway. Dyeing is great--you get to work on other tasks as the dye sets, which is a good thing, considering the overwhelming amount of work I have to do this week.

I'm going to open up my etsy shop on Friday. I'll post here once it's up and running.

Thanks so much everyone for your encouragement and thoughts on Kelp Sea Horse.

Kelp Sea Horse

Here is my first official colorway for Woolly Boully. The short name of this colorway is Kelp Sea Horse. The full name is I thought of how I might disguise myself as the kelp sea horse does, clinging. I think I'm going to wait until I have about ten skeins of different colorways before I stock the store.

p.s. For some reason my computer isn't loading the "visual verification" when I go to comment on blogs. So, please know I'm reading--I'm just not able to leave comments.

Lightning Strikes & Squares & Shop Update & February's Winner

Lightning Strikes

Apparently airplanes get hit by lightning. Apparently the chances of this happening to any one airplane is once per year. Some airplanes get hit more than others and some not at all. Apparently this isn't dangerous, but it is very frightning. My plane got struck by lightning on my way down to Atlanta on Thursday, the day when twisters were roaring all through the south. I did not accomplish much knitting on that flight.

Squares

Before I left, a very nice somebody gave me eight squares. Some were knit and some were crocheted. They are so bright and cheery, and they make me want to pull out a crochet hook and get cranking on some crocheted squares myself.


These squares are in memory of Frances Berger.

Mims also sent more squares my way. She used a variety of stitches to make these beautiful squares.


These squares are in memory of Chris and in honor of her friend Brianne, who is a survivor.

The A.D.D. Knitter and her church group knit these lovely squares. Some of these were made by beginning knitters--what an awesome way to learn some basic knitting skills and produce something that will give someone comfort.


The A.D.D. Knitter also threw in some yarny goodness for me and Mom J--I mean, these are some lovely, lovely skeins of yarn and I don't know how the A.D.D. Knitter was able to part with these. They will be loved. They are already getting some heavy loving from me. Thanks so much, A.D.D. Knitter! You're too awesome and too thoughtful.

Shop Update

As much as I loved the thought of Lone Knitter Yarns for a shop name, I kind of happened upon another shop name that was too catchy to resist. For those of you who know me personally, you'll know that I have a last name that is quite unusual and also rhymes with woolly. So, my etsy shop will be called: Woolly Boully. I'm dyeing two skeins of sock yarn today. I have about ten total that I want to do before stocking them in the store.

February's Winner

Last night, I asked Manly to draw a name out of my raffle bag. He drew Natalie of Mommy, Look What I Made. Congrats, Natalie. You'll be receiving a copy of Big-Needle Knit Afghans.

If your name was not picked for February's raffle, remember that your entries stay in the raffle bag for the duration of the contest. Thanks so much, everyone! You guys are awesome. My pile of squares is getting taller, and that is a good thing, a very very good thing.

Box-of-Chocolate Socks; More Squares; In Other News

Box-of-Chocolate Socks


Today looks dreadful and snow-threatened. It was sunny and warm just a few hours ago. I've been so busy these last few weeks that I've had little time to update my blog. Of course, I'm never too busy to knit, so I do have a finished object.

These are my second socks for February's Socktopia. The theme for this pair is "life is like a box of chocolates." I wanted to work with a pattern that might suggest little chocolate treats, so I chose a baby rib from Sensational Knitted Socks.



Box-of-Chocolate socks:
Yarn: Spunky Eclectic Napoleon
Pattern: 2x2 2" cuff over 64 stitches on size 1 dpns, leg and foot done in a baby (mock) rib
Timeline: cast on February 12 and finished on February 24
Recipient: these socks are for me

I'm not sure if the pooling was caused by the baby rib pattern or the yarn itself, but I really loved this yarn and don't really mind the pooling. Spunky Eclectic's yarn is superbly fluffy & springy.

More Squares


Natalie of Mommy, Look What I Made sent in two squares, one in memory of Virginia Nell Strong and one in memory of C. Bradley Mulholland, who passed away last week. Thank you so much, Natalie. Your squares are beautiful, and I'm happy that you found some comfort in making them. Your notes really touched me. Thank you.

In Other News

I finally got my hair cut after seven months. The last time I had it cut was this summer at my cousin's salon in Bangkok. I got a curly girl cut, and I loved loved loved it. I will never go straight again.

Manly and I get to go to Atlanta on Thursday for a conference. Perhaps one day there will be conference in some city that's actually romantic.

I live on a block of brownstones. This means that there is always some construction or renovation being done and that there are always strange vans and men cussing on their cell phones and spitting. I suppose this is part of the charm of brownstone living?

Happy Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day isn't at all romantic; it's windy and the sky is raining ice. Suddenly I regret not buying much of anything in the way of groceries last night. Seeing Manly leave to work today, I thought to myself, Manly needs a hat. And suddenly, I remembered a skein of Lamb's Pride Bulky I bought in November, how I planned a Valentine's Day hat for him and never did.

I finished my Kool-Aid socks over the weekend. I washed them in lavender wool soap and a bit of coconut scented conditioner. They smell very happy. These are my "Bed of Roses" socks for Socktopia. There are reds and pinks and whites and yellows, and why, yes, I do believe there are blue roses these days.


I was pleased with how the colors didn't pool and seemed to distribute well throughout the different sections of the sock.

Bed of Roses/Kool-Aid socks:
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare 100% merino, fingering weight
Pattern: Astrid's Twirls (modifications: size 1 dpns, cast on 66 stitches then decreased to 60 after gusset)
Timeline: cast on January 22 and finished on February 11
Recipient: these socks are for me

I've been toying with the idea of trying a dyeing enterprise to explore my love of sock yarn and colors and to also help the bank account. It's an idea I've had for a long time, and I think I should stop putting it off. So I'm placing an order soon for some professional dyes and sock yarn. Now I just need to think of a cute name for an etsy shop.

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

Love,
Lone Knitter

p.s. I'll be playing around with my blog template over the next few days. I've been wanting a "cleaner" look to my blog & figure that customizing it and upgrading it to the new blogger would be a good opportunity to change my blog. We'll see how it goes.