Knit-a-long Socks

Thank you all for your kind words yesterday!  I'm still not 100%, but I'm hanging in there!  

My Tuesday night knitting group decided to do a Knit-a-long (KAL) to learn toe up sock construction.  Several in the group knew how to do this and many (me included) did not.  So will picked a pattern, we all went to our respective homes, searched our stash for the perfect yarn, and cast on Tuesday night.  There were the group learns....huddled together, talking, demonstrating, redemonstrating, consulting printed out directions with pictures.....then there was the group (using the term loosely) that each worked individually, consulting with each other at key moments, then returned to intently work alone....they weren't anti-social just focused...then there was the rebellious group....we don't want to make socks or at least not what everyone else is working on!  What group would you be in?  Me?

I was in the individual group....consulting as needed!  No judgement on any of the groups....we all learn differently...I appreciate and respect that....it was just fun to see everyone at work learning/teaching new skills!  My sock is happily progressing (I did 64 instead of 60 stitches) and so far it fits!  I love that about toe up socks...you can try them on as you go!  We'll see how the heal goes!

I will try to update tomorrow!  I've been feeling a little under the weather and now am trying to catch up.  No worries...just no time to take pics and think about a post!  

Secret Prayer Sock Swap

Do you remember the Secret Prayer Sock Swap?  I signed up back in May and got the privilege to pray for a lady in Norway while making the Hedgerow socks.  The idea of the swap is that you are suppose to pray for someone while making them socks.  Knitting the socks is to be a reminder to pray.  You don't know who is knitting for you either.  Well for whatever reason I never received socks from my first partner.  I was reassign to Katie who made me these gorgeous socks!

'

The pattern is Shur'tagal Sock with the lovely Fyberspates yarn!

Even more than the socks I'm so thankful for the prayers!  Finishing a Phd is hard, especially with the complications that have occurred in my situation, but it is nothing the Lord can't handle.  I am so encouraged having Katie join me in prayer and the socks are a super reminder!

The heel is fun too...it is a garter stitch heel!  No one has ever made me socks before....normally it goes the other way....I sure do feel special!

Did I mention she sent chocolate too?  All gone, very yummy!

Many thanks to ashpags for taking the pictures!  Here she is with the handspun she won in my contest!

Two special presents

I know that I'm still blogging about Christmas stuff....and I owe you a spinning post because I got some lovely fiber too!  but I also got this:

My dad bought if for my stocking!  He rarely does such things so it makes it extra special.  Plus it is sooooo cute! (thanks World Market)

Mom made me stitch markers too!   (not all shown because they are already being put to good use!)  What fun!  It is so nice to not use scraps of yarn!

Frogging Day!

Well I was making great progress on my second sock....almost finished the gusset...and then I thought to count stitches....what? why only 64 instead of 68? Seriously I had make 2/3 of a sock with the wrong number of stitches.

It is frogged and in time out!

I just can't face it right now. I do know how this would happen. I cast on one morning in DC in a hurry to have something for the knitting circle....while I do a lot of math....a lot....I not good at counting!

And the winner is......

...well if I told you now you wouldn't keep reading.  Here are the answers!

1. Waving Laces sock were for Aunt Ann

2. Anniversary socks (wrapped while still on the needles) for Mom

3. Retro Rib for FIL

4. The cabled socks for SIL

5. Old Shale shawl for Mamie

6. Monkeys for SIL

7. Old Navy for MIL

8. Fingerless gloves for Dad

So that makes 1H, 2E, 3D, 4C, 5B, 6A, 7F, 8G.  Two people got 6/8 correct and they got a triple entry for the prize (Way to go Jennifer and Amber)

I did get my Mom's socks finished.  They are ready to mail today!

Pattern: Anniversary Socks from Favorite Socks

Yarn:  Louet Gems undyed 

Needles: 1.5 Magic loop done 2 at a time

Mods:  Make sure to check the errata

New things learned:  The heel was fun, it was kind of checked the way the reinforcement went and the toe had three spots of decreasing.  Maybe Mom will send us a pic with them on.

Back to the contest....I did a random number generator....CONGRATS

ashpags

I'll be talking to you tonight about your prize!  Thanks everyone for playing and being such super blog friends.  I wish I had enough handspun to send it to all of you!

Random Highlights

If you are looking for the contest go here!  (Note: If you don't feel like guess or feel you have an unfair advantage to guess just leave a comment and you will be entered)

Wow is it hard catching up on all this blogging!  So many wonderful things happened and I want you all to know about all of it.....so for some random fun things keep reading!

A highlight from my trip to Kansas was meeting a blogging friend Jennifer!  We met in blogland only to discover that I grew up really close to her!  While home for Christmas my mom and I met Jennifer at a Starbucks for knitting fun!  It is wonderful when you meet new people and feel like old friends!

Kinda of weird to tell friends and family I'm going to meet an internet friend, but.... :)

This next part is for my dad....while he rarely comments he does read my blog (even with all the knitting content)  The hotel where the math conference was in DC served his favorite coffee (it's at the top of my list too)  Illy!  Yumm!  This pic is all for you dad!  Dad did make it for me a lot when I was home too and boy did I get spoiled.  Maybe I'll break down and buy some for myself too!

Finally, in the spirit of trying new things....I ate real sushi in DC! (as in raw fish, not just cooked things rolled up to look like sushi) One of my conference friends was a missionary in Japan for a few years before doing all this math stuff.  She was raving about a sushi place she had found....she said it was the best she had had outside of Japan....I wanted to visit with her....she promised to hold my hand and help introduce me to sushi....I went....we had fun....it was fine!  The texture was a little weird....but we ordered plenty of cooked things too, so I didn't go hungry and I got to try something new!

Contest Time!

It was super to see so much of my family at Christmas!!! I also got to share many of my hand made items with loved ones.  So for a little fun can you match the person with their gift?  

Let's label the people going across 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 6, 7, 8 and label the gifts a, b, c, d and e, f, g, h

All objects have been blogged about over the past year at least in part, so if you want clues have fun! So here is how this will work.  Comment or email (leah at math dot lsu dot edu) your guess to me by Monday at 8 am (central time).  Every comment will get an entry and whoever gets the most right will get a triple entry.  Then I will draw a name and the winner will get.......some of my handspun yarn!!!  I will talk with that person to try to get them something they would like and use! Have fun!  So I'm looking for something like 1b, 2d, etc....

Sightseeing in DC

I got to go sightseeing on two morning!  What a treat!  It made me proud of our country and gave me a great opportunity to pray for our nation!

In front of the White House!

Looking across the reflecting pool from the Lincoln Memorial

My favorite place was the Lincoln memorial!  Reading the words Lincoln spoke...his humbleness and godliness....moved me to tears! and to think I almost didn't walk to it because my feet hurt!  Definitely worth every step!

Giraffes in the natural history museum!  I also visited the American history museum!  Both were so well done...I could have spent a whole day in each.

My office mate went with me one day!  It was nice to visit and have a buddy to explore with!

Finally back!

Wow!  I wouldn't call the last month Christmas break, instead Christmas travel.  It feels wonderful to be in my own home for a forth day in a row!!!!  I don't plan on scheduling 3 trips in a row again...that was a little much....Chicago...Kansas....Washington DC.  I have lots to share, so much so it is hard to know where to start.  I think I'll talk about DC for a couple of days and then KS, but I might change my mind.

I was in DC for a huge math meeting....6000 mathematicians in one place is always fun!  This year they even had a knitting circle!  Here is a pic of the festivities!

I got to catch up with a conference friend (someone I see at all these math conferences but rarely at any other time)  We chatted and worked on our respective crafts!  She cross stitched that night!

Here is my sock.  The first one is all done and the ribbing is just about done on the second.  It has turned cold here, which makes me want to hurry and finish for more warmth for my feet!

The meeting was good.  I caught up with lots of old friends and got to see our nation's capital for the first time!  (I'll show you pics of that tomorrow)  Now off for the first day of school.  (where did my break go???)