Saturday, April 15, 2006

Reading for the Soul...
A post at the Yarn Harlot's blog led me to Lene. Go there. Read. Refresh your soul. Knit something beautiful. Lene will be leaving the blogging community for a journey, and won't return until May, but she's left us archives to read. I shall be reading them.
I've made a button in my sidebar. It's the one with the funny little dog and the unreadable title: "Dances with Wool."

Friday, April 14, 2006

Friendly Socks: New Book Sneak Preview!
Well, the word is out. I have joined with a group of other sock knitters and we will be publishing a book of patterns to be called Friendly Socks. You can learn more about it by going HERE or by clicking on the Sirius Knitting Publications button to the right. Scroll down to Laura's Sunday, April 2, entry.

You may recognize some of the names involved: Laura Andersson, Debra Barker, Debra Chinn, Bonnie Franz, Susan Lawrence, Judy Rice, Nancy Wild, and Becky Yoder (that's me). We're all fairly active members of various online knitting groups, and all have published sock patterns.
Friendly Socks will have a variety of sock patterns, tips, tricks and techniques to encourage the beginning sock knitter and challenge the experienced one.

The sock shown is called "City Hearts" and has a panel of hearts accented by tiny beads running up each side of the leg. This is one of my designs that will be in the book. Other previews to come: check back later! Three years ago, when I first learned to knit socks, I would not have dreamed that I would be publishing my own patterns one day.

In other news, my Haley's Roses pattern is done at last. You can click on the link or hit the "BusyBee Designs" button in the sidebar to buy the pattern or to learn about my great-niece Haley and the terrible disease that ended her life. All the proceeds from the sale of the pattern will be donated to Lunch for Life, an organization that raises money for neuroblastoma research. You'll find links at the BusyBee Designs blog.

That's all for now, folks. Have a great day!




Wednesday, April 05, 2006

First Progress...
I finished the first four rounds of my moebius last evening, and it wasn't bad at all. I found that I have difficulty counting (no surprise to those who know me), but other than that it went pretty well.
Now I have to put it on a back burner for a few days while I test a sock pattern for a friend. Watch this space for further updates!

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Am I Crazy???
Well, maybe! If I wasn't already, I'm sure to be by the time I finish this.
I went to open knitting night at Ewe-Nique Knits in Goshen, Indiana last evening and decided I needed this. I've been wanting to try a moebius scarf. I remember showing my Cub Scouts how a moebius loop works many years ago, and it fascinated me as much then as it does now.
I can't remember what I was looking for in the pattern binders when I was distracted by the Fiber Trends Moebius Shawl pattern. I'd already picked up the ball of Trekking yarn. Next thing I knew I was looking for a needle. They didn't have a 40" size 7 in stock, so I took a chance that the 32" size will work.
I sat down at the table and began casting on...387 stitches later, I read the next step. I needed another needle! I had one at home, so decided to work on my socks-in-progress, and take the next step in the comfort of my own living room.
Yep, three hundred eighty-seven stitches. In fingering-weight yarn. Following a lace pattern. Fit me for the white coat now!